bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fish scale containing alginate dialdehyde-gelatin bioink for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Kara Özenler Aylin , Distler Thomas , Tihminlioglu Funda , Boccaccini Aldo R
Published: January 2023

The development of biomaterial inks suitable for biofabrication and mimicking the physicochemical properties of the extracellular matrix is essential for the application of bioprinting technology in tissue engineering (TE). The use of animal-derived proteinous materials, such as jellyfish collagen, or fish scale (FS) gelatin (GEL), has become an important pillar in biomaterial ink design to increase the bioactivity of hydrogels. However, besides the extraction of proteinous structures, the use of structurally intact FS as an additive could increase biocompatibility and bioactivity of hydrogels due to its organic (collagen) and inorganic (hydroxyapatite) contents, while simultaneously enhancing mechanical strength in three-dimensional (3D) printing applications. To test this hypothesis, we present here a composite biomaterial ink composed of FS and alginate dialdehyde (ADA)-GEL for 3D bioprinting applications. We fabricate 3D cell-laden hydrogels using mouse pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. We evaluate the physicochemical and mechanical properties of FS incorporated ADA-GEL biomaterial inks as well as the bioactivity and cytocompatibility of cell-laden hydrogels. Due to the distinctive collagen orientation of the FS, the compressive strength of the hydrogels significantly increased with increasing FS particle content. Addition of FS also provided a tool to tune hydrogel stiffness. FS particles were homogeneously incorporated into the hydrogels. Particle-matrix integration was confirmed via scanning electron microscopy. FS incorporation in the ADA-GEL matrix increased the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells in comparison to pristine ADA-GEL, as FS incorporation led to increased ALP activity and osteocalcin secretion of MC3T3-E1 cells. Due to the significantly increased stiffness and supported osteoinductivity of the hydrogels, FS structure as a natural collagen and hydroxyapatite source contributed to the biomaterial ink properties for bone engineering applications. Our findings indicate that ADA-GEL/FS represents a new biomaterial ink formulation with great potential for 3D bioprinting, and FS is confirmed as a promising additive for bone TE applications.
Rice residue burning in Northern India: an assessment of environmental concerns and potential solutions – a review
Authors: Parihar Dilwar Singh , Narang Mahesh K , Dogra Baldev , Prakash Apoorv , Mahadik Akshay
Published: January 2023

Environmental alarms like climate change and rising air pollution levels in north India, particularly in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), draw attention to the severe issue of Rice straw burning. Straw burning is the common practice in Punjab and Haryana’s Indo-Gangetic plains. Large-scale burning of residues (straw and stubble) is a severe problem that emits Green House Gases (GHGs) while polluting the air, posing health problems, and eliminating micronutrients from burned-out field. Residue management has been a problem for the paddy farmers and as time changes, it is necessary to update their practices. For the disposal of rice residue, farmers are constrained by an insufficient technology base and a lack of viable economic solutions. Technical solutions are available, classified mainly as on-site (in situ) and off-site (ex situ) solutions, the in situ solution includes a variety of machines that can be used to incorporate or mulch residue efficiently. While ex situ management allow collecting the residue from field for various applications such as energy production, briquetting, composting, paper and cardboard making, and for mushroom cultivation. Farmers in North India are not aware of the prolific alternatives for managing stubble and, therefore, consider burning as the best option. Therefore, extensive awareness programs are needed to inform farmers about economic options and the effects of stubble burning. Zero till drill, happy seeder and super Straw Management System (SMS) are recommended for the farmers, and need to be supplied in sufficient quantity to evade residue burning in these regions. Meanwhile, alternative technology for straw management constitutes an active area of research, area-specific and crop-specific applications need to be evolved. All stakeholders i.e., farmers, researchers, extension agents and policy makers need to be engaged in understanding and harnessing the full potential of using crop residues with conservation agriculture for sustainability and resilience of Indian agriculture.
Inter-quintuple layer coupling and topological phase transitions in the chalcogenide topological insulators
Authors: Shirali K , W A Shelton , Vekhter I
Published: January 2023

Driving quantum phase transitions in the 3D topological insulators offers pathways to tuning the topological states and their properties. We use DFT-based calculations to systematically investigate topological phase transitions in Bi2Se3, Sb2Se3, Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 by varying the

c

/

a

ratio of lattice constants. This ensures no net hydrostatic pressure under anisotropic stress and strain and allows a clear identification of the physics leading to the transition. As a function of

c

/

a

, all of these materials exhibit structural and electronic stability of the quintuple layers (QLs), and quasi-linear behavior of both the inter-QL distance and the energy gap near the topological transition. Our results show that the transition is predominantly controlled by the inter-QL physics, namely by competing Coulomb and van der Waals interactions between the outer atomic sheets in neighboring QLs. We discuss the implications of our results for topological tuning by alloying.
Analysis of tensile strength on friction stir welded Al 6061 composite reinforced with B4C and Cr2O3 using RSM and ANN
Authors: Uday K N , Rajamurugan G
Published: January 2023

Aluminum (Al) alloys are reinforced with carbides and oxides to enhance their properties. Al composites are developed to meet current automotive, shipbuilding, and aviation requirements. In the current study, aluminum 6061 is reinforced with B4C and Cr2O3 separately to fabricate Al6061 + B4C and Al 6061 + Cr2O3 aluminum metal matrix composites (Al MMC). The Al composites were fabricated by stir casting with a wt % in steps of 2%, 4%, and 6%. Joining of Al MMC is essential to develop valuable components. The developed composites were welded using friction stir welding (FSW). FSW is recognized and widely used for joining Al MMC due to premium weld quality with minimum defects. The present study aims to analyze the effect of process parameters and predictive accuracy of the artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM). The parameters selected for the study are tool rotational speed, tool travel speed, and reinforcement wt %. The FSW was performed based on the experimental design developed by the design expert software. Through RSM analysis, it was found that both the independent factors (tool rotational and tool transverse speed) and the interaction of factors jointly contribute to the FSW joint properties. The higher ultimate strength of 139 MPa and lower tensile strength of 48 MPa are found. As the tool travel speed increase from 20 to 25 mm min−1, ultimate tensile strength increase by about 59%. The average accuracy of RSM was 98.26 and of ANN was 94.86.
Hydropower representation in water and energy system models: a review of divergences and call for reconciliation
Authors: Rheinheimer David E , Tarroja Brian , Rallings Anna M , Willis Ann D , Viers Joshua H
Published: January 2023

Reservoir-based hydropower systems represent key interactions between water and energy systems and are being transformed under policy initiatives driven by increasing water and energy demand, the desire to reduce environmental impacts, and interacting effects of climate change. Such policies are often guided by complex system models, whereby divergence in system representations can potentially translate to incompatible planning outcomes, thereby undermining any planning that may rely on them. We review different approaches and assumptions in hydropower representation in water and energy systems. While the models and issues are relevant globally, the review focuses on applications in California given its extensive development of energy and water models for policy planning, but discusses the extent to which these observations apply to other regions. Structurally, both water-driven and energy-driven management models are similar. However, in energy models, hydropower is often represented as a single-priority output. Water management models typically allocate water for competing priorities, which are generally uninformed by dynamic electricity load demand, and often result in a lower priority for hydropower. In water models, constraints are increasingly resolved for non-energy components (e.g. inflow hydrology and non-energy water demand); few analogues exist for energy models. These limitations may result in inadequate representations of each respective sector, and vastly different planning outcomes for the same facilities between the two different sectors. These divergent modeling approaches manifest themselves in California where poorly reconciled outcomes may affect decisions in hydropower licensing, electricity grid flexibility and decarbonization, and planning for environmental water. Fully integrated water-energy models are computationally intensive and specific to certain regions, but better representation of each domain in respective efforts would help reconcile divergences in planning and management efforts related to hydropower across energy and water systems.
The exploitation of Nigeria’s Chibok girls and the creation of a social problem industry
Authors: Oriola Temitope B
Published: January 2023

Scholarship on the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) movement mainly focuses on its success in generating global attention to the 2014 kidnapping of Nigeria’s Chibok girls. This paper focuses on an unintended consequence of the movement—the establishment of a social problem industry around the Chibok girls and their community. The paper draws on a dataset with over 160 interviewees and focus group discussion (FGD) participants, including 42 #BBOG activists. The findings demonstrate the interplay of contextually situated actors with particular values and interests engaged in claims-making regarding the Chibok girls. The #BBOG turned the Chibok kidnapping into a social problem in a sociological sense. In the process, the BBOG engaged in an ideational battlefield with three other entities. The paper contributes to the sociology of social problems by articulating weaknesses in social problem theory. This helps to suggest how to make social problems theory more applicable to developing world contexts. The paper’s approach avoids the unilinearism and determinism of existing theory. It argues that not all social problems are resolved in ways that are favourable to those affected. The exploitation of the Chibok girls and their community provides an example of the persistence of social problems: social problems are useful in appropriate hands.
Grip strength values and cut-off points based on over 200,000 adults of the German National Cohort - a comparison to the EWGSOP2 cut-off points
Authors: Huemer Marie-Theres , Kluttig Alexander , Fischer Beate , Ahrens Wolfgang , Castell Stefanie , Ebert Nina , Gastell Sylvia , Jöckel Karl-Heinz , Kaaks Rudolf , Karch André , Keil Thomas , Kemmling Yvonne , Krist Lilian , Leitzmann Michael , Lieb Wolfgang , Meinke-Franze Claudia , Michels Karin B , Mikolajczyk Rafael , Moreno Velásquez Ilais , Pischon Tobias , Schipf Sabine , Schmidt Börge , Schöttker Ben , Schulze Matthias B , Stocker Hannah , Teismann Henning , Wirkner Kerstin , Drey Michael , Peters Annette , Thorand Barbara
Published: January 2023

Background

The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) updated in 2018 the cut-off points for low grip strength to assess sarcopenia based on pooled data from 12 British studies.

Objective

Comparison of the EWGSOP2 cut-off points for low grip strength to those derived from a large German sample.

Methods

We assessed the grip strength distribution across age and derived low grip strength cut-off points for men and women (peak mean -2.5 × SD) based on 200,389 German National Cohort (NAKO) participants aged 19–75 years. In 1,012 Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA)-Age participants aged 65–93 years, we calculated the age-standardised prevalence of low grip strength and time-dependent sensitivity and specificity for all-cause mortality.

Results

Grip strength increased in the third and fourth decade of life and declined afterwards. Calculated cut-off points for low grip strength were 29 kg for men and 18 kg for women. In KORA-Age, the age-standardised prevalence of low grip strength was 1.5× higher for NAKO-derived (17.7%) compared to EWGSOP2 (11.7%) cut-off points. NAKO-derived cut-off points yielded a higher sensitivity and lower specificity for all-cause mortality.

Conclusions

Cut-off points for low grip strength from German population-based data were 2 kg higher than the EWGSOP2 cut-off points. Higher cut-off points increase the sensitivity, thereby suggesting an intervention for more patients at risk, while other individuals might receive additional diagnostics/treatment without the urgent need. Research on the effectiveness of intervention in patients with low grip strength defined by different cut-off points is needed.
Demographic trade-offs and functional shifts in a hurricane-impacted tropical forest
Authors: Umaña María Natalia , Needham Jessica , Forero-Montaña Jimena , Nytch Christopher J , Swenson Nathan G , Thompson Jill , Uriarte María , Zimmerman Jess K
Published: January 2023

Background and Aims

Understanding shifts in the demographic and functional composition of forests after major natural disturbances has become increasingly relevant given the accelerating rates of climate change and elevated frequency of natural disturbances. Although plant demographic strategies are often described across a slow–fast continuum, severe and frequent disturbance events influencing demographic processes may alter the demographic trade-offs and the functional composition of forests. We examined demographic trade-offs and the shifts in functional traits in a hurricane-disturbed forest using long-term data from the Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot (LFPD) in Puerto Rico.

Methods

We analysed information on growth, survival, seed rain and seedling recruitment for 30 woody species in the LFDP. In addition, we compiled data on leaf, seed and wood functional traits that capture the main ecological strategies for plants. We used this information to identify the main axes of demographic variation for this forest community and evaluate shifts in community-weighted means for traits from 2000 to 2016.

Key Results

The previously identified growth–survival trade-off was not observed. Instead, we identified a fecundity–growth trade-off and an axis representing seedling-to-adult survival. Both axes formed dimensions independent of resprouting ability. Also, changes in tree species composition during the post-hurricane period reflected a directional shift from seedling and tree communities dominated by acquisitive towards conservative leaf economics traits and large seed mass. Wood specific gravity, however, did not show significant directional changes over time.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that tree demographic strategies coping with frequent storms and hurricane disturbances deviate from strategies typically observed in undisturbed forests, yet the shifts in functional composition still conform to the expected changes from acquisitive to conservative resource-uptake strategies expected over succession. In the face of increased rates of natural and anthropogenic disturbance in tropical regions, our results anticipate shifts in species demographic trade-offs and different functional dimensions.
Mind the settlement gap: a call for more effective judicialization of international commercial arbitration
Authors: Allemann Richard G
Published: January 2023

Despite pervasive judicialization along the lines of public-court litigation, arbitration has largely missed the ‘managerial turn’ in judging that since the 1970s has pushed judicial systems worldwide to shift focus from adjudication to settlement facilitation. Over the past two decades, a transnational consensus appears to have emerged that settlement facilitation is not only compatible with the arbitrator’s mandate but can actually sharpen arbitration’s promise of efficient dispute resolution. But recent statistics continue to confirm anecdotal evidence of a gap in settlement rates between commercial litigation and arbitration, suggesting that arbitrators still fall more into the mould of a passive umpire than a proactive settlement facilitator. This article sheds light on structural barriers to settlement facilitation in the procedural architecture of institutional arbitration rules, explores causes for the lingering underdevelopment of settlement culture in the community of arbitrators and investigates arbitration’s impact on the parties’ settlement negotiation dynamics when ‘bargaining in the shadow of the law’. Informed by insights from behavioural economics, the author develops a blueprint for building settlement facilitation more explicitly into institutional rules and makes the case for switching the default from requiring parties’ express consent to providing for settlement facilitation by arbitrators on an opt-out basis.
Differences in the content of purple pigments, catechinopyranocyanidins A and B, in various adzuki beans, Vigna angularis
Authors: Yoshida Kumi , Takayama Yoko , Asano Tomoyo , Kazuma Kohei
Published: January 2023

Catechinopyranocyanidins A and B (cpcA, B) are purple pigments isolated from the seed coat of the small red bean called adzuki in Japanese (Vigna angularis). CpcA and B are known to be responsible for the purple color of an-paste. The quality evaluation of the paste is based on its purple color; therefore, it is important to analyze the contents of cpcA and B in various azuki beans, which differ in the cultivar, production area, and cultivation conditions. The extraction of cpcA and B from dried beans was conducted, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The content of cpcA and B in various cultivars from Japan, Korea, China, and Nepal was quantified. The cpcA and B content was the highest in the regular adzuki cultivar from Hokkaido Prefecture (Japan), and that of the beans from Korea and China was low. The content of the pale-colored beans from Nepal was the lowest.
Deep-learning optimized DEOCSU suite provides an iterable pipeline for accurate ChIP-exo peak calling
Authors: Bang Ina , Lee Sang-Mok , Park Seojoung , Park Joon Young , Nong Linh Khanh , Gao Ye , Palsson Bernhard O , Kim Donghyuk
Published: January 2023

Recognizing binding sites of DNA-binding proteins is a key factor for elucidating transcriptional regulation in organisms. ChIP-exo enables researchers to delineate genome-wide binding landscapes of DNA-binding proteins with near single base-pair resolution. However, the peak calling step hinders ChIP-exo application since the published algorithms tend to generate false-positive and false-negative predictions. Here, we report the development of DEOCSU (DEep-learning Optimized ChIP-exo peak calling SUite), a novel machine learning-based ChIP-exo peak calling suite. DEOCSU entails the deep convolutional neural network model which was trained with curated ChIP-exo peak data to distinguish the visualized data of bona fide peaks from false ones. Performance validation of the trained deep-learning model indicated its high accuracy, high precision and high recall of over 95%. Applying the new suite to both in-house and publicly available ChIP-exo datasets obtained from bacteria, eukaryotes and archaea revealed an accurate prediction of peaks containing canonical motifs, highlighting the versatility and efficiency of DEOCSU. Furthermore, DEOCSU can be executed on a cloud computing platform or the local environment. With visualization software included in the suite, adjustable options such as the threshold of peak probability, and iterable updating of the pre-trained model, DEOCSU can be optimized for users’ specific needs.
Subtype-DCC: decoupled contrastive clustering method for cancer subtype identification based on multi-omics data
Authors: Zhao Jing , Zhao Bowen , Song Xiaotong , Lyu Chujun , Chen Weizhi , Xiong Yi , Wei Dong-Qing
Published: January 2023

Due to the high heterogeneity and complexity of cancers, patients with different cancer subtypes often have distinct groups of genomic and clinical characteristics. Therefore, the discovery and identification of cancer subtypes are crucial to cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Recent technological advances have accelerated the increasing availability of multi-omics data for cancer subtyping. To take advantage of the complementary information from multi-omics data, it is necessary to develop computational models that can represent and integrate different layers of data into a single framework. Here, we propose a decoupled contrastive clustering method (Subtype-DCC) based on multi-omics data integration for clustering to identify cancer subtypes. The idea of contrastive learning is introduced into deep clustering based on deep neural networks to learn clustering-friendly representations. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed Subtype-DCC model in identifying cancer subtypes over the currently available state-of-the-art clustering methods. The strength of Subtype-DCC is also supported by the survival and clinical analysis.
MS1Connect: a mass spectrometry run similarity measure
Authors: Lin Andy , Deatherage Kaiser Brooke L , Hutchison Janine R , Bilmes Jeffrey A , Noble William Stafford
Published: January 2023

Motivation

Interpretation of newly acquired mass spectrometry data can be improved by identifying, from an online repository, previous mass spectrometry runs that resemble the new data. However, this retrieval task requires computing the similarity between an arbitrary pair of mass spectrometry runs. This is particularly challenging for runs acquired using different experimental protocols.

Results

We propose a method, MS1Connect, that calculates the similarity between a pair of runs by examining only the intact peptide (MS1) scans, and we show evidence that the MS1Connect score is accurate. Specifically, we show that MS1Connect outperforms several baseline methods on the task of predicting the species from which a given proteomics sample originated. In addition, we show that MS1Connect scores are highly correlated with similarities computed from fragment (MS2) scans, even though these data are not used by MS1Connect.

Availability and implementation

The MS1Connect software is available at https://github.com/bmx8177/MS1Connect.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Obesity partially potentiates dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-exposed ovotoxicity by altering the DNA damage repair response in mice
Authors: Rishi Jaspreet K , Timme Kelsey , White Hunter E , Kerns Karl C , Keating Aileen F
Published: January 2023

Obesity adversely affects reproduction, impairing oocyte quality, fecundity, conception, and implantation. The ovotoxicant, dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, is biotransformed into a genotoxic metabolite to which the ovary responds by activating the ataxia telangiectasia mutated DNA repair pathway. Basal ovarian DNA damage coupled with a blunted response to genotoxicant exposure occurs in obese females, leading to the hypothesis that obesity potentiates ovotoxicity through ineffective DNA damage repair. Female KK.Cg-a/a (lean) and KK.Cg-Ay/J (obese) mice received corn oil or dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (1 mg/kg) at 9 weeks of age for 7 days via intraperitoneal injection (n = 10/treatment). Obesity increased liver weight (P < 0.001) and reduced (P < 0.05) primary, preantral, and corpora lutea number. In lean mice, dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure tended (P < 0.1) to increase proestrus duration and reduced (P = 0.07) primordial follicle number. Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure decreased (P < 0.05) uterine weight and increased (P < 0.05) primary follicle number in obese mice. Total ovarian abundance of BRCA1, γH2AX, H3K4me, H4K5ac, H4K12ac, and H4K16ac (P > 0.05) was unchanged by obesity or dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated decreased (P < 0.05) abundance of γH2AX foci in antral follicles of obese mice. In primary follicle oocytes, BRCA1 protein was reduced (P < 0.05) by dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure in lean mice. Obesity also decreased (P < 0.05) BRCA1 protein in primary follicle oocytes. These findings support both a follicle stage-specific ovarian response to dimethylbenz[a]anthracene exposure and an impact of obesity on this ovarian response.
Core outcome domains for lichen sclerosus: a CORALS initiative consensus statement
Authors: Simpson Rosalind C , Kirtschig Gudula , Selk Amanda , von Seitzberg Suzanne , Vittrup Gitte , Bissonnette Ione , Kottner Jan , Lanthier Jaclyn , Stanton Chris , Foster David , Promm Martin , Augenti Angelo , Lauretti Stefano , Thomas Kim S ,   the Core Outcomes for Research in Lichen Sclerosus (CORALS) initiative steering group
Published: January 2023

Background

Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory condition mainly affecting genital skin. It causes distressing symptoms that impact daily quality of life (QoL). It causes progressive anatomical changes and a potential risk of cancer. Published randomized controlled trials are of varying methodological quality and difficult to combine in meta-analyses. This is partly due to lack of agreed outcome measures to assess treatment response. Identification of core outcome sets (COSs), which standardize key outcomes to be measured in all future trials, is a solution to this problem.

Objectives

To obtain international agreement on which outcome domains should be measured in interventional trials of genital LS.

Methods

Recommended best practice for COS domain development was followed: (i) identification of potential outcome domains: a long list was generated through an up-to-date LS literature search, including information collected during the LS priority-setting partnership; (ii) provisional agreement of outcome domains: a three-stage multi-stakeholder international electronic-Delphi (e-Delphi) consensus study; (iii) final agreement of outcome domains: online consensus meeting with international stakeholders including anonymized voting.

Results

In total, 123 participants (77 patients, 44 health professionals, 2 researchers) from 20 countries completed three rounds of the e-Delphi study. Eleven outcome domains were rated as ‘critical’ and were discussed at the online consensus meetings. The first set of consensus meetings involved 42 participants from 12 countries. Consensus was met for ‘symptoms’ (100% agreed) and ‘QoL – LS-specific’ (92% agreed). After the second set of meetings, involving 29 participants from 12 countries, ‘clinical (visible) signs’ also met consensus (97% agreed).

Conclusions

The international community has agreed on three key outcome domains to measure in all future LS clinical trials. We recommend that trialists and systematic reviewers incorporate these domains into study protocols with immediate effect. CORALS will now work with stakeholders to select an outcome measurement instrument per prioritized core domain.
Pyoderma gangrenosum and myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Langabeer Stephen E
Published: January 2023

Teaser text (No Figure)

Pyoderma gangrenosum can be associated with haematological malignancies but rarely a myeloproliferative neoplasm. A review of requests for molecular detection of myeloproliferative neoplasm driver mutations in patients with pyoderma gangrenosum was performed and revealed that testing for these mutations is unwarranted in cases where there are no clinical, haematological or morphological features of a myeloproliferative neoplasm present.
High-fidelity transmission of auditory symbolic material is associated with reduced right–left neuroanatomical asymmetry between primary auditory regions
Authors: Lumaca Massimo , Bonetti Leonardo , Brattico Elvira , Baggio Giosuè , Ravignani Andrea , Vuust Peter
Published: January 2023

The intergenerational stability of auditory symbolic systems, such as music, is thought to rely on brain processes that allow the faithful transmission of complex sounds. Little is known about the functional and structural aspects of the human brain which support this ability, with a few studies pointing to the bilateral organization of auditory networks as a putative neural substrate. Here, we further tested this hypothesis by examining the role of left–right neuroanatomical asymmetries between auditory cortices. We collected neuroanatomical images from a large sample of participants (nonmusicians) and analyzed them with Freesurfer’s surface-based morphometry method. Weeks after scanning, the same individuals participated in a laboratory experiment that simulated music transmission: the signaling games. We found that high accuracy in the intergenerational transmission of an artificial tone system was associated with reduced rightward asymmetry of cortical thickness in Heschl’s sulcus. Our study suggests that the high-fidelity copying of melodic material may rely on the extent to which computational neuronal resources are distributed across hemispheres. Our data further support the role of interhemispheric brain organization in the cultural transmission and evolution of auditory symbolic systems.
Ramsey and Keynes revisited
Authors: Gerrard Bill
Published: January 2023

This paper re-assesses Ramsey’s influence on Keynes. It is argued that the Standard View has restricted attention to the implications for probability theory of Ramsey’s criticisms of Keynes’s concepts of logical probability-relations and non-numerical probabilities. Building on the work of both Coates (1996) and Misak (2016), an Alternative View is proposed in which Ramsey’s influence on Keynes is seen as principally philosophical. Specifically, the Alternative View recognises Ramsey’s adoption of the logical pragmatist philosophy of C. S. Peirce from 1924 onwards with a dispositional theory of belief in which beliefs are treated not only as useful mental habits that can successfully guide future actions but also as able to provide true explanations of observed empirical facts. The textual evidence is examined, particularly Keynes’s biographical essay on Ramsey, which, it is argued, supports the contention that Keynes fully appreciated and was sympathetic to Ramsey’s pragmatism especially the importance of vague knowledge and the need for the development of human logic as the study of reasonable human behaviour.
A small circulating miRNAs signature predicts mortality and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in chronic hemodialysis patients
Authors: Bolignano Davide , Greco Marta , Presta Pierangela , Duni Anila , Vita Caterina , Pappas Ethymios , Mirabelli Maria , Lakkas Lampros , Naka Katerina K , Brunetti Antonio , Foti Daniela Patrizia , Andreucci Michele , Coppolino Giuseppe , Dounousi Evangelia
Published: January 2023

Background

Chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients exhibit severe morpho-functional cardiac alterations, putting them at a high risk of death and adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Despite the fact that an unbalanced expression of various microRNAs (miRNAs) has been related to pathological cardiac remodeling and worse CV outcomes, scarce evidence exists on their role in this setting.

Methods

We evaluated circulating levels of a selected miRNAs panel (30a-5p, 23a-3p, 451a and let7d-5p) in 74 chronic HD patients together with a thorough clinical and echocardiography assessment. Individuals were then prospectively followed (median 22 months). The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause and CV mortality and non-fatal CV events.

Results

Circulating levels of all miRNAs were lower in HD patients as compared with healthy controls and independently correlated to the severity of cardiac dysfunction. miRNA 30a-5p, 23a-3p and 451a expression was even lower in 30 subjects (40.5%) reaching the composite endpoint (P < .001), while no differences were reported for let7d-5p. The predictive value of these miRNAs was supported by univariate followed by multivariate Cox regression analyses [hazard ratio (HR) ranging from 0.943 to 0.995; P = .05 to .02] while Kaplan–Meier analyses confirmed a faster progression to the endpoint in individuals displaying miRNA levels below an optimal receiver operating characteristic–derived cut-off value (P ranging from .001 to <.0001; crude HRs 7.95 to 8.61).

Conclusions

Lower circulating levels of miRNA 30-5p, 23a-3p and 451a in HD patients may reflect cardiac abnormalities and predict a higher risk of worse clinical outcomes in the short mid-term. Future studies on larger HD populations are needed to generalize these findings.
Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Men and Women
Authors: Li Jie , Zheng Lingling , Chan Kei Hang Katie , Zou Xia , Zhang Jihui , Liu Jundong , Zhong Qingwei , Madsen Tracy E , Wu Wen-Chih , Manson JoAnn E , Yu Xueqing , Liu Simin
Published: January 2023

Background

The role of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels in clinical risk stratification and intervention for coronary heart disease (CHD) remains uncertain. We aimed to examine whether circulating levels of SHBG are predictive of CHD risk in men and women.

Methods

We investigated the association between SHBG and the risk of incident CHD in 128 322 men and 135 103 women free of CHD at baseline in the prospective United Kingdom Biobank (UKB) cohort. The unconfounded associations were estimated using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. We further conducted a meta-analysis to integrate currently available prospective evidence. CHD events included nonfatal and fatal myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization.

Results

In the UKB, during a median of 11.7 follow-up years, 10 405 men and 4512 women developed CHD. Serum levels of SHBG were monotonically associated with a decreased risk of CHD in both men (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] per log nmol/L increase in SHBG: 0.88 [0.83–0.94]) and women (HR: 0.89 [0.83–0.96]). MR-based analyses suggested causality and a dose-response relationship of SHBG with CHD risk. A cumulative meta-analysis including 216 417 men and 138 282 women from 11 studies showed that higher levels of SHBG were prospectively associated with decreased CHD risk in men comparing the highest with the lowest quartile: pooled relative risk (RR) 0.81 (0.74–0.89) and women (pooled RR: 0.86 [0.78–0.94]).

Conclusions

Higher circulating SHBG levels were directly and independently predictive of lower CHD risk in both men and women. The utility of SHBG for CHD risk stratification and prediction warrants further study.
Choosing exogeneity assumptions in potential outcome models
Authors: Masten Matthew A , Poirier Alexandre
Published: January 2023

There are many kinds of exogeneity assumptions. How should researchers choose among them? When exogeneity is imposed on an unobservable like a potential outcome, we argue that the form of exogeneity should be chosen based on the kind of selection on unobservables it allows. Consequently, researchers can assess the plausibility of any exogeneity assumption by studying the distributions of treatment given the unobservables that are consistent with that assumption. We use this approach to study two common exogeneity assumptions: quantile and mean independence. We show that both assumptions require a kind of nonmonotonic relationship between treatment and the potential outcomes. We discuss how to assess the plausibility of this kind of treatment selection. We also show how to define a new and weaker version of quantile independence that allows for monotonic selection on unobservables. We then show the implications of the choice of exogeneity assumption for identification. We apply these results in an empirical illustration of the effect of child soldiering on wages.
Representativeness in randomised clinical trials supporting acute coronary syndrome guidelines
Authors: Mas-Llado Caterina , Gonzalez-Del-Hoyo Maribel , Siquier-Padilla Joan , Blaya-Peña Laura , Coughlan J J , García de la Villa Bernardo , Peral Vicente , Rossello Xavier
Published: January 2023

Aims

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are published to guide the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to critically appraise the representativeness and standard of care of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) supporting CPGs for ACS.

Methods and results

American and European CPGs for ST- and non-ST-elevation ACS were screened to extract all references (n = 2128) and recommendations (n = 600). Among the 407 primary publications of RCTs (19.1%), there were 52.6 and 73.2% recruiting patients in North America and Europe, respectively, whereas other regions were largely under-represented (e.g. 25.3% RCTs recruited in Asia). There was 68.6% RCTs enrolling patient with ACS, whereas the remaining 31.4% did not enrol any patient with ACS. There was under-representation of some important subgroups, including elderly, female (29.9%), and non-white patients (<20%). The incidence and type of reperfusion reported in these RCTs were not reflective of current clinical practice (the percentage of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among all RCTs was 42.7%; whereas for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction patients, the number of participants who underwent fibrinolysis was 3.3-fold higher than those who underwent primary PCI). All-cause mortality in these RCTs was 11.9% in RCTs with a follow-up ≤ 1 year.

Conclusion

Randomised clinical trials supporting CPGs for ACS are not fully representative of the diversity of the ACS population and their current standard of care. While some of these issues with representativeness may be explained by how evidence has been accrued over time, efforts should be made by trialists to ensure that the evidence supporting CPGs is representative of the wider ACS population.
Location, Location, Location: Manufacturing and House Price Growth
Authors: Feng Xiangyu , Jaimovich Nir , Rao Krishna , Terry Stephen J , Vincent Nicolas
Published: January 2023

Exploiting data on tens of millions of housing transactions, we show that (1) house prices grew by less in manufacturing-heavy US regions, (2) this pattern is especially present for the lowest-value homes and that (3) price declines coincided with worse labour market outcomes, consistent with an income channel. Counterfactual accounting exercises reveal that regional differences in the growth of these lowest-value homes are an important driver of the changes in overall house price inequality. Hence, the economic decline in manufacturing-heavy areas extends far beyond income and employment flows to house prices.
Extension and management pathways for enhanced farm sustainability: evidence from Irish dairy farms
Authors: Balaine Lorraine , Läpple Doris , Dillon Emma J , Buckley Cathal
Published: January 2023

This article examines pathways among farmers’ extension participation, the uptake of recommended farm management practices and economic and environmental sustainability. We explore the ‘win-win’, efficiency-based focus of the Irish hybrid extension programme using an unbalanced panel dataset of dairy farms from 2010 to 2019. We apply two-way fixed effects regression models and sensitivity analyses to ensure the robustness of our results to effect heterogeneity and omitted variable bias. Our findings reveal that extension participation has a limited association with the adoption of recommended practices. These practices might be associated with economic benefits, while their environmental effects are not evident. Additionally, extension participation is not found to have a direct association with sustainability outcomes. These findings have important implications for extension programmes that focus on economic and environmental outcomes.
Improving representativeness in trials: a call to action from the Global Cardiovascular Clinical Trialists Forum
Authors: Filbey Lynaea , Zhu Jie Wei , D’Angelo Francesca , Thabane Lehana , Khan Muhammad Shahzeb , Lewis Eldrin , Patel Manesh R , Powell-Wiley Tiffany , Miranda J Jaime , Zuhlke Liesl , Butler Javed , Zannad Faiez , Van Spall Harriette G C
Published: January 2023

Participants enrolled in cardiovascular disease (CVD) randomized controlled trials are not often representative of the population living with the disease. Older adults, children, women, Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and people living in low- and middle-income countries are typically under-enrolled in trials relative to disease distribution. Treatment effect estimates of CVD therapies have been largely derived from trial evidence generated in White men without complex comorbidities, limiting the generalizability of evidence. This review highlights barriers and facilitators of trial enrollment, temporal trends, and the rationale for representativeness. It proposes strategies to increase representativeness in CVD trials, including trial designs that minimize the research burden on participants, inclusive recruitment practices and eligibility criteria, diversification of clinical trial leadership, and research capacity-building in under-represented regions. Implementation of such strategies could generate better and more generalizable evidence to reduce knowledge gaps and position the cardiovascular trial enterprise as a vehicle to counter existing healthcare inequalities.
Patient experiences of implantable cardiac monitoring in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: an exploratory study
Authors: Davies Brianna , Forman Jacqueline , McIlroy Cheryl , Joe Heather , Safabakhsh Sina , Liew Janet , Parker Jeremy , Du Darson , Andrade Jason G , Bennett Matthew T , Hawkins Nathaniel M , Chakrabarti Santabhanu , Yeung John , Deyell Marc W , Krahn Andrew D , Moss Robert , Ong Kevin , Laksman Zachary
Published: January 2023

Aims

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited heart disease. Insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) are increasingly used in this population to provide closer monitoring, with the potential for notification systems. However, little is known regarding the psychological impact this information may have on patients. The Abbott Confirm Rx™ ICM has the capability of connecting to the patient’s smartphone to enable active participation in their care, as well as two-way communication between the patient and their care providers. This study aimed to explore individuals’ experiences of having a smartphone-enabled ICM to monitor for arrhythmias in HCM.

Methods and results

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, the interview guide was modified based on emerging themes throughout the study. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to categorize interview data into codes and overacting themes, with each interview independently coded by two study members. Analysis revealed three key themes: (i) psychological impact, (ii) educational needs, and (iii) technology expectations. Participants reported that receiving feedback from ICM transmissions resulted in improved symptom clarity, providing reassurance, and aiding implantable cardioverter defibrillator decision-making. Some participants reported uncertainty regarding when to send manual transmissions. Lastly, participants reported the app interface did not meet expectations with regard to the amount of data available for patients.

Conclusion

Overall, utilizing a smartphone app to facilitate two-way communication of ICM transmissions was well accepted. Future directions include addressing gaps in educational needs and improvements in the patient interface with increased access to data.
Risk and trajectory of premature ischaemic cardiovascular disease in women with a history of pre-eclampsia: a nationwide register-based study
Authors: Hallum Sara , Basit Saima , Kamper-Jørgensen Mads , Sehested Thomas S G , Boyd Heather A
Published: January 2023

Aims

Pre-eclampsia increases women’s lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Little is known about the trajectory of CVD after pre-eclampsia, limiting the usefulness of this knowledge for informing screening, prevention, and interventions. We investigated when the risk of CVD increases after pre-eclampsia and how the risk changes over time since pregnancy.

Methods and results

This register-based study included 1 157 666 women with >1 pregnancy between 1978 and 2017. Cumulative incidences of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischaemic stroke were estimated, as well as hazard ratios (HRs) by attained age and time since delivery. Up to 2% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46–2.82%] of women with pre-eclampsia in their first pregnancy had an AMI or stroke within two decades of delivery, compared with up to 1.2% (95% CI: 1.08–1.30%) of pre-eclampsia-free women; differences in cumulative incidences were evident 7 years after delivery. Ten years after delivery, women with pre-eclampsia had four- and three-fold higher rates of AMI (HR = 4.16, 95% CI: 3.16–5.49) and stroke (HR = 2.59, 95% CI 2.04–3.28) than women without pre-eclampsia; rates remained doubled >20 years later. Women with pre-eclampsia aged 30–39 years had five-fold and three-fold higher rates of AMI (HR = 4.88, 95% CI 3.55–6.71) and stroke (HR = 2.56, 95% CI 1.95–3.36) than women of similar age without pre-eclampsia.

Conclusions

Women with a history of pre-eclampsia have high rates of AMI and stroke at early ages and within a decade after delivery. The findings suggest that pre-eclampsia history could be useful in identifying women at increased risk of CVD and that targeted interventions should be initiated soon after delivery.
The racist origins, racialist connotations, and purity assumptions of the concept of “admixture” in human evolutionary genetics
Authors: Kampourakis Kostas , Peterson Erik L
Published: January 2023

The concept of admixture is currently widely being used, both in population genetics research and in DNA ancestry testing discourse. It is assumed to describe the process of gene flow between 2 previously distinct populations that eventually become admixed because of this flow. The concept per se does not require pure or unadmixed populations; the changes are relative and what matters is the level of admixture before and after the event under consideration. However, in this paper, we argue that the concept of admixture as currently used assumes the existence of pure or unadmixed categories. These do not need to have actually existed but to be able to exist in principle. We argue that this is a problematic notion that accrues from the racialist origins of the term admixture, which, as a result, is based on assumptions about purity. We suggest that scientists should be very cautious in their use of this term, especially in science education and communication. We also suggest that the term admixture should be better replaced by terms denoting similarity rather than difference.