bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of lipoprotein(a) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A review of current and emerging therapies
Authors: Alhomoud Ibrahim S. , Talasaz Azita , Mehta Anurag , Kelly Michael S. , Sisson Evan M. , Bucheit John D. , Brown Roy , Dixon Dave L.
Published: July 2023

Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is structurally like low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) but differs in that it contains glycoprotein apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)]. Due to its prothrombotic and proinflammatory properties, Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and aortic valve stenosis. Lp(a) levels are genetically determined, and it is estimated that 20%–25% of the global population has an Lp(a) level ≥50 mg/dL (or ≥125 nmol/L). Diet and lifestyle interventions have little to no effect on Lp(a) levels. Lipoprotein apheresis is the only approved treatment for elevated Lp(a) but is time‐intensive for the patient and only modestly effective. Pharmacological approaches to reduce Lp(a) levels and its associated risks are of significant interest; however, currently available lipid‐lowering therapies have limited effectiveness in reducing Lp(a) levels. Although statins are first‐line agents to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, they modestly increase Lp(a) levels and have not been shown to change Lp(a)‐mediated ASCVD risk. Alirocumab, evolocumab, and inclisiran reduce Lp(a) levels by 20‐25%, yet the clinical implications of this reduction for Lp(a)‐mediated ASCVD risk are uncertain. Niacin also lowers Lp(a) levels; however, its effectiveness in mitigating Lp(a)‐mediated ASCVD risk remains unclear, and its side effects have limited its utilization. Recommendations for when to screen and how to manage individuals with elevated Lp(a) vary widely between national and international guidelines and scientific statements. Three investigational compounds targeting Lp(a), including small interfering RNA (siRNA) agents (olpasiran, SLN360) and an antisense oligonucleotide (pelacarsen), are in various stages of development. These compounds block the translation of messenger RNA (mRNA) into apo(a), a key structural component of Lp(a), thereby substantially reducing Lp(a) synthesis in the liver. The purpose of this review is to describe current recommendations for screening and managing elevated Lp(a), describe the effects of currently available lipid‐lowering therapies on Lp(a) levels, and provide insight into emerging therapies targeting Lp(a).
Preparation of PVA/PEI/CNC/ZnO composite membrane with good mechanical properties and water resistance by electrostatic spinning using for efficient filtration of PM2.5
Authors: Huang Jingda , Lin Shite , Liang Yipeng , Wang Enfu , Miao Yu , Zhang Wenbiao , Sheng Kuichuan
Published: July 2023

It is still a serious challenge to construct a water‐soluble polymer‐based air filtration membrane with high efficiency and good mechanical properties by electrospinning. In the study, using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacetylimide (PEI) as the main materials, both nanocellulosic crystal (CNC) and zinc oxide (ZnO) as the synergistic reinforcers and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) as the hydrophobic modifier, the electrospun PVA/PEI/CNC/ZnO composite nanofibrous membrane with dual air filtration mechanisms was established. One of the mechanisms was the interception of the three‐dimensional network structure built by the composite nanofibrous membrane, the other was the electrostatic adsorption provided by CNC. Based on the dual air filtration mechanisms, the filtration efficiency of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) reached 98.20%. Moreover, the composite nanofibrous membrane displayed a good thermal stability and could still maintain more than the filtration efficiency of 83% and low‐pressure drop after treatment at 200 °C for 1 h. Moreover, the composite nanofibrous membrane could still maintain the filtration efficiency (97.3%) and low‐pressure drop (110.7 Pa) after five washing cycles after filtration, reflecting good reusability. Interestingly, the PVA/PEI/CNC/ZnO composite nanofibrous membrane was simple to produce and demonstrated excellent filtration efficiency, as well as excellent thermal stability, which could be an effective barrier against PM2.5 invasion.
Asymmetrical power relationships in disaster reduction remain the key barrier to sustainable recovery: Neoliberalism and Nepal's post‐earthquake recovery experiences
Authors: Lam Lai Ming
Published: July 2023

Making reference to recent scholarly discussions on neoliberalism and disaster recovery, in this paper I discuss how the implemented neoliberal doctrines of governance have reinforced the existing asymmetrical power relationships between the state, international agencies and citizens. This process constitutes a major barrier to achieving sustainable recovery after the 2015 Nepal earthquake. In particular, three issues, namely the risk of disempowering local communities' capacity, lack of commitment to long‐term recovery, and commodification of the recovery process, have resulted that the recovery policy basically favours the interests of international donors, and NGOs, not those of local communities. To achieve sustainable recovery, post disaster interventions must be socially inclusive. Local affected communities should be meaningfully engaged, and that social learning and sustainability transformation should be enabled as these are key processes at the core of community resilience and of any community resilience‐building strategy.
Cs4Zn5P6S18I2: the Largest Birefringence in Chalcohalide Achieved by Highly Polarizable Nonlinear Optical Functional Motifs
Authors: Chai Xian‐Dan , Li Ming‐Ze , Lin Shu‐Juan , Chen Wen‐Fa , Jiang Xiao‐Ming , Liu Bin‐Wen , Guo Guo‐Cong
Published: July 2023

Chalcohalides not only keep the balance between the nonlinear optical (NLO) coefficient and wide band gap, but also provide a promising solution to achieve sufficient birefringence for phase‐matching ability in NLO crystals. In this study, a novel chalcohalide, Cs4Zn5P6S18I2 (1) is successfully synthesized, by incorporating the highly electropositive Cs and the large electronegative I element into the zinc thiophosphate. Its 3D open framework features an edge‐shared by distorted [ZnS4], ethanol‐like [P2S6], and unusual [ZnS2I2] polyhedrons, which is inconsistent with the soft‐hard‐acids‐bases theory. Remarkably, compound 1 simultaneously exhibits the large second‐harmonic generation (SHG, 1.1×AgGaS2, @1.3 µm) and a wide band gap (3.75 eV) toward a high laser‐induced damage threshold (16.7×AgGaS2, @1.06 µm), satisfying the rigorous requirements for a prominent infrared NLO material with concurrent SHG intensity (≥0.5×AGS) and band gap (≥3.5 eV). Moreover, to the best of the knowledge, the experimental result shows that phase 1 has the largest birefringence (0.108, @546 nm) in chalcohalide and meets phase‐matching behavior demand originating from the polarizable anisotropy of NLO‐functional motifs. This finding may provide great opportunities for designing birefringent chalcohalides.
Exploring Giant Unilamellar Vesicle Production for Artificial Cells — Current Challenges and Future Directions
Authors: Van de Cauter Lori , van Buren Lennard , Koenderink Gijsje H. , Ganzinger Kristina A.
Published: July 2023

Creating an artificial cell from the bottom up is a long‐standing challenge and, while significant progress has been made, the full realization of this goal remains elusive. Arguably, one of the biggest hurdles that researchers are facing now is the assembly of different modules of cell function inside a single container. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) have emerged as a suitable container with many methods available for their production. Well‐studied swelling‐based methods offer a wide range of lipid compositions but at the expense of limited encapsulation efficiency. Emulsion‐based methods, on the other hand, excel at encapsulation but are only effective with a limited set of membrane compositions and may entrap residual additives in the lipid bilayer. Since the ultimate artificial cell will need to comply with both specific membrane and encapsulation requirements, there is still no one‐method‐fits‐all solution for GUV formation available today. This review discusses the state of the art in different GUV production methods and their compatibility with GUV requirements and operational requirements such as reproducibility and ease of use. It concludes by identifying the most pressing issues and proposes potential avenues for future research to bring us one step closer to turning artificial cells into a reality.
Pumped and pumpless microphysiological systems to study (nano)therapeutics
Authors: Lee Eun‐Jin , Krassin Zachary L. , Abaci Hasan Erbil , Mahler Gretchen J. , Esch Mandy B.
Published: July 2023

Fluidic microphysiological systems (MPS) are microfluidic cell culture devices that are designed to mimic the biochemical and biophysical in vivo microenvironments of human tissues better than conventional petri dishes or well‐plates. MPS‐grown tissue cultures can be used for probing new drugs for their potential primary and secondary toxicities as well as their efficacy. The systems can also be used for assessing the effects of environmental nanoparticles and nanotheranostics, including their rate of uptake, biodistribution, elimination, and toxicity. Pumpless MPS are a group of MPS that often utilize gravity to recirculate cell culture medium through their microfluidic networks, providing some advantages, but also presenting some challenges. They can be operated with near‐physiological amounts of blood surrogate (i.e., cell culture medium) that can recirculate in bidirectional or unidirectional flow patterns depending on the device configuration. Here we discuss recent advances in the design and use of both pumped and pumpless MPS with a focus on where pumpless devices can contribute to realizing the potential future role of MPS in evaluating nanomaterials.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Toxicology of Nanomaterials
Uterine leiomyoma with RAD51B::NUDT3 fusion: a report of 2 cases
Authors: Dundr Pavel , Machado-Lopez Alba , Mas Aymara , Věcková Zuzana , Mára Michal , Richtárová Adéla , Matěj Radoslav , Stružinská Ivana , Kendall Bártů Michaela , Němejcová Kristýna , Dvořák Jiří , Hojný Jan
Published: July 2023

Three main uterine leiomyoma molecular subtypes include tumors with MED12 mutation, molecular aberrations leading to HMGA2 overexpression, and biallelic loss of FH. These aberrations are mutually exclusive and can be found in approximately 80–90% of uterine leiomyoma, in which they seem to be a driver event. Approximately 10% of uterine leiomyoma, however, does not belong to any of these categories. Uterine leiomyoma with HMGA2 overexpression is the most common subtype in cellular and second most common category of usual leiomyoma. In some of these tumors, rearrangement of HMGA2 gene is present. The most common fusion partner of HMGA2 gene is RAD51B. Limited data suggests that RAD51B fusions with other genes may be present in uterine leiomyoma. In our study, we described two cases of uterine leiomyoma with RAD51B::NUDT3 fusion, which occur in one case of usual and one case of highly cellular leiomyoma. In both cases, no other driver molecular aberrations were found. The results of our study showed that RAD51::NUDT3 fusion can occur in both usual and cellular leiomyoma. RAD51B may be a fusion partner of multiple genes other than HMGA2 and HMGA1. In these cases, RAD51B fusion seems to be mutually exclusive with other driver aberrations defining molecular leiomyoma subtypes. RAD51B::NUDT3 fusion should be added to the spectrum of fusions which may occur in uterine leiomyoma, which can be of value especially in cellular leiomyoma in the context of differential diagnosis against endometrial stromal tumors.
On the equivalence of certain quadratic irrationals
Authors: Girstmair Kurt
Published: July 2023

This paper deals with quadratic irrationals of the form $$m/q+\sqrt{v}$$

m
/
q
+

v

for fixed positive integers v and q, v not a square, and varying integers m, $$(m,q)=1$$

(
m
,
q
)
=
1

. Two numbers $$m/q+\sqrt{v}$$

m
/
q
+

v

, $$n/q+\sqrt{v}$$

n
/
q
+

v

of this kind are equivalent (in a classical sense) if their continued fraction expansions can be written with the same period. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for the equivalence in terms of solutions of Pell’s equation. Moreover, we determine the number of equivalence classes to which these quadratic irrationals belong.
Epidemiology of gastrointestinal infections: lessons learned from syndromic testing, Region Zealand, Denmark
Authors: Johansen Rikke Lykke , Schouw Christian Højte , Madsen Tina Vasehus , Nielsen Xiaohui Chen , Engberg Jørgen
Published: July 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the value of syndromic diagnostic testing for a better understanding of the epidemiology of gastrointestinal infections in Denmark. Here we evaluated the QIAstat-Dx® Gastrointestinal (GI) Panel 1 assay on 18,610 fecal samples requested for analysis for enteric pathogens in Region Zealand, Denmark, in 1 year (October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022). In total, 6905 (37%) samples were detected positive for one or more diarrhoeal bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. The most common bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens detected with the QIAstat-Dx® Gastrointestinal Panel 1 were EPEC (in patients ≥ 2 years of age) (n = 1420 (20.6%)), rotavirus (n = 948 (13.7%)), and Cryptosporidium spp. (n = 196 (2.84%)). We identified a large diversity in infections likely reflecting substantial differences in the epidemiology including origin of infections, mode of transmission, seasonality, age-dependent susceptibility to disease, severity, and travel history. All pathogens were detected as both single and coinfections. Viral infections peaked in March with a positive rate of 31.6%, and bacterial infections peaked in August with a positive rate of 35.3%. ETEC, Shigella/EIEC, EAEC, and P. shigelloides were most related to travel activity, and coinfections were frequent. The distribution of Ct values varied significantly between the pathogens, with the lowest Ct values (median 17–18) observed in astrovirus, adenovirus, and rotavirus. Our results highlight the value of providing extensive diagnostic testing on fecal samples for sufficient detection of relevant diarrhoeal pathogens for optimal clinical care.
Sexual Dysfunctions in Women with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Childhood Sexual Abuse: Prevalence Rates According to DSM-5 and Clinical Correlates
Authors: Weiss Judith , Steil Regina , Priebe Kathlen , Lindauer Petra , Kleindienst Nikolaus , Fydrich Thomas , Müller-Engelmann Meike
Published: July 2023

Many women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after child sexual abuse (CSA) suffer from sexual problems. However, little is known about the frequency of female sexual dysfunctions (FSD) as defined by DSM-5 among women with PTSD due to CSA. Furthermore, factors related to FSD in this patient population are understudied. To assess prevalence rates and clinical correlates of FSD according to DSM-5 criteria in women with PTSD after CSA, a structured clinical interview for sexual dysfunctions according to DSM-5 criteria was administered in a sample of 137 women with PTSD after CSA. Participants also completed measures for PTSD, depression symptoms, and borderline personality disorder symptoms. The association between FSD, severity of abuse, PTSD-, depression-, borderline symptom severity, and age was examined. In a second step, the association between FSD and PTSD-clusters was assessed. Diagnostic criteria of female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD) were met by 2.6% of women in our sample. 5.2% met criteria of female orgasmic disorder (FOD), and 11.8% those of genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD). PTSD symptom severity predicted number of fulfilled criteria of FSIAD and FOD, the cluster “negative alterations in cognition and mood,” was associated with more fulfilled criteria in FSIAD and FOD. The majority of women reported sexual problems, but diagnostic criteria of FSD were met by only a small number of participants. PTSD symptoms, especially the cluster “negative alterations in cognition and mood,” seem to be related to female sexual functioning after CSA.
Motor Vehicle Registration Taxes (MVRT) across EU countries: MNEs’ profitability and the role of market concentration
Authors: Shehaj Pranvera , Zagler Martin
Published: July 2023

This paper discusses the effects of one-off Motor Vehicle Registration Taxes (MVRT) and market concentration level on the profitability of multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in the European Union motor vehicle industry. Our simple theoretical framework shows that firm profits depend on the demand function and therefore on taxes applied to prices. We overcome empirically the challenges of making informative theoretical predictions on the pass-through rate under imperfect competition. We find that MVRT,—both as ad valorem taxes and as specific taxes,—have a significant negative effect on MNEs’ profitability. Our findings show a statistically significant positive effect of market concentration on profitability. Finally, our results suggest that the degree of competitiveness in the motor vehicle market moderates the effect of MVRT on firm profitability only in EU countries where the MVRT is an ad valorem tax, with the negative effect of the ad valorem MVRT becoming higher as the motor vehicle market becomes less competitive.
The Old and the Young: Configurational Niches Amongst Dutch Climate Civil Society Organisations
Authors: Colli Francesca
Published: July 2023

Media reporting and academic research into young climate civil society organisations (CSOs) often focus on organisations using direct, confrontational and often controversial actions, but to what extent is this a true picture of young climate organisations? This paper examines the differences between young and old climate and environmental CSOs in the Netherlands. Drawing on niche theory, it uses set-theoretic typology building to examine the ways in which 39 young and old Dutch CSOs construct configurational organisational niches by narrowing down their membership and issue, using innovative strategies and developing stable financing sources. It finds that although there are significant differences between young and old CSOs in how they narrow down their membership and issues, their strategies are not significantly different: in other words, a focus on civil disobedience alone does not paint the whole picture of young climate groups.
Relationship between posttraumatic growth and help-seeking behavior in use of psychosocial support services among patients with cancer
Authors: Matsui Tomoko , Taku Kanako
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Cancer survivors who used psychosocial support services often report posttraumatic growth (PTG). This refers to positive psychological changes that may occur as the five domains as a result of the challenges they face. Opposing relationship also might exist. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PTG and help-seeking behavior (HSB).

Methods

In total, 710 participants completed an online survey at Time1. Of those, 395 who reported not using any psychosocial support services at Time1 were asked to participate in the Time2 survey and completed a questionnaire. The participants provided demographic information, the experiences of using psychosocial support services, and the overall and five domains of PTG.

Results

Those who experienced HSB at Time1 reported a higher PTG, and two of the PTG domains, Appreciation of Life and New Possibilities, than those who did not used services. Mixed ANOVAs showed the main effects of the HSB on the overall PTG, Appreciation of Life, and New Possibilities. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses showed that Appreciation of Life at Time1 was significantly related to the engaging in HSB at Time2.

Conclusion

Those who received psychosocial support services reported a higher PTG. Participants may have also engaged in HSB because they had experienced PTG. People who are likely to seek help and experience PTG may share common characteristics.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Support for those who do not fit the existing PTG and the use of psychosocial support services should also be considered.
Signs of Life and Death: The Semiotic Self-Destruction of the Biosphere
Authors: Hornborg Alf
Published: July 2023

This article applies some conceptual tools from semiotics to better understand the disastrous impacts of the world economy on global ecology. It traces the accelerating production of material disorder and waste to the logic of the money sign, as economic production processes simultaneously increase exchange-values and entropy. The exchange of indexical and iconic signs is essential to the dynamics of ecological systems and the proliferation of biological diversity. The human species has added a third kind of sign, the symbol, and more recently a fourth: all-purpose money. Money does not refer to any referent either through contiguity, similarity, or convention. It is an empty sign, capable of assuming any significance that its owner attributes to it. The article argues that the concept of symbolic reference should be restricted to cultural and linguistic phenomena. Money qualifies as a new species of sign based on its exceedingly open mode of reference. It does not refer to any object by social convention but owes its specific properties precisely to the absence of such conventions. The logic of money pivots on decontextualisation: it presupposes and encourages the detachment of exchange values, people, and concepts from the particular and the local. Selective advantage is no longer primarily about calibration within local contexts, but increasingly a matter of transcending or emancipating oneself from the specific. This drift toward decontextualisation reverses the evolution of complexity and diversity throughout the planetary biosphere.
Prediction of Cognitive Test Scores from Variable Length Multimodal Data in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Morar Ulyana , Martin Harold , M. Robin P. , Izquierdo Walter , Zarafshan Elaheh , Forouzannezhad Parisa , Unger Elona , Cabrerizo Mercedes , Curiel Cid Rosie E. , Rosselli Monica , Barreto Armando , Rishe Naphtali , Vaillancourt David E. , DeKosky Steven T. , Loewenstein David , Duara Ranjan , Adjouadi Malek
Published: July 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurogenerative condition characterized by sharp cognitive decline with no confirmed effective treatment or cure. This makes it critically important to identify the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages before significant cognitive deterioration has taken hold and even before any brain morphology and neuropathology are noticeable. In this study, five different multimodal deep neural networks (MDNN), with different architectures, in search of an optimal model for predicting the cognitive test scores for the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the modified Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-CoG13) over a span of 60 months (5 years). The multimodal data utilized to train and test the proposed models were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study and includes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau and beta-amyloid, structural measures from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional and metabolic measures from positron emission tomography (PET), and cognitive scores from the neuropsychological tests (Cog). The models developed herein delve into two main issues: (1) application merits of single-task vs. multitask for predicting future cognitive scores and (2) whether time-varying input data are better suited than specific timepoints for optimizing prediction results. This model yields a high of 90.27% (SD = 1.36) prediction accuracy (correlation) at 6 months after the initial visit to a lower 79.91% (SD = 8.84) prediction accuracy at 60 months. The analysis provided is comprehensive as it determines the predictions at all other timepoints and all MDNN models include converters in the CN and MCI groups (CNc, MCIc) and all the unstable groups in the CN and MCI groups (CNun and MCIun) that reverted to CN from MCI and to MCI from AD, so as not to bias the results. The results show that the best performance is achieved by a multimodal combined single-task long short-term memory (LSTM) regressor with an input sequence length of 2 data points (2 visits, 6 months apart) augmented with a pretrained Neural Network Estimator to fill in for the missing values.
Evolving therapeutic landscape of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: challenges and aspirations
Authors: Chan Jason Yongsheng , Somasundaram Nagavalli , Grigoropoulos Nicholas , Lim Francesca , Poon Michelle Limei , Jeyasekharan Anand , Yeoh Kheng Wei , Tan Daryl , Lenz Georg , Ong Choon Kiat , Lim Soon Thye
Published: July 2023

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents the commonest subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and encompasses a group of diverse disease entities, each harboring unique molecular and clinico-pathological features. The understanding of the molecular landscape of DLBCL has improved significantly over the past decade, highlighting unique genomic subtypes with implications on targeted therapy. At the same time, several new treatment modalities have been recently approved both in the frontline and relapsed settings, ending a dearth of negative clinical trials that plagued the past decade. Despite that, in the real-world setting, issues like drug accessibility, reimbursement policies, physician and patient preference, as well as questions regarding optimal sequencing of treatment options present difficulties and challenges in day-to-day oncology practice. Here, we review the recent advances in the therapeutic armamentarium of DLBCL and discuss implications on the practice landscape, with a particular emphasis on the context of the healthcare system in Singapore.
Effetti cardiovascolari dei farmaci glucocorticoidi: conosciamo veramente la Sindrome di Cushing esogena?
Authors: Voltan Giacomo , Ceccato Filippo , Scaroni Carla
Published: July 2023

Sommario

Con il termine sindrome di Cushing (SC) si definisce l’insieme di alterazioni cliniche conseguenti all’eccesso di glucocorticoidi (GC). La SC esogena, molto frequente nella popolazione generale e secondaria all’utilizzo di terapia glucocorticoide, spesso viene accomunata alla SC endogena per quanto riguarda comorbilità e caratteristiche cliniche. Tuttavia, l’epidemiologia e la patogenesi della SC esogena sono assai meno conosciute.
Änderung des Steuertarifs durch das Inflationsausgleichsgesetz – Verpasste Chance zum Abbau des Mittelstandsbauchs!
Authors: Stöwhase Sven , Teuber Martin
Published: July 2023

Mit dem Inflationsausgleichsgesetz werden Steuerpflichtige in Deutschland auf der tariflichen Ebene ab dem Jahr 2024 um etwa 25 Mrd. € bei der Einkommensteuer entlastet. Gleichzeitig wird sowohl aus Politik als auch Wissenschaft immer wieder gefordert, den sogenannten Mittelstandsbauch im Einkommensteuertarif abzuschaffen, was ebenfalls mit erheblichen Steuerausfällen einhergehen würde. Dieser Beitrag zeigt, dass es möglich gewesen wäre, den Mittelstandsbauch bei gleichen Einnahmeausfällen, wie sie durch das Inflationsausgleichsgesetz entstehen, abzuschaffen und dabei zielgenauer für Effekte der kalten Progression zu kompensieren. Für die Bestimmung von aufkommensneutralen Tarifen nutzen wir dabei ein auf den Rechtsstand des Jahres 2024 fortgeschriebenes Mikrosimulationsmodell, welches auf den Daten der Faktisch Anonymisierten Lohn- und Einkommensteuerstatistik aufbaut. Mögliche Tarifalternativen, bei denen es zu einer Abschaffung des Mittelstandsbauchs in der Form kommt, dass der Tarif nur noch eine einzige Progressionszone umfasst, könnten dabei entweder durch die Anhebung des Eingangssteuersatzes, ein Vorziehen der Einkommensgrenze, ab dem der Spitzensteuersatz greift, oder eine Kombination mehrerer solcher Änderungen, einschließlich einer Anhebung des steuerlichen Grundfreibetrags, realisiert werden.
Conversations with Strangers
Authors: Labov William , Sankoff Gillian
Published: July 2023

This Element documents the evolution of a research program that began in the early 1960s with the author's first investigation of language change on Martha's Vineyard. It traces the development of what has become the basic framework for studying language variation and change. Interviews with strangers are the backbone of this research: the ten American English speakers appearing here were all strangers to the interviewer at the time. They were selected as among the most memorable, from thousands of interviews across six decades. The speakers express their ideas and concerns in the language of everyday life, dealing with their way of earning a living, getting along with neighbors, raising a family – all  matters in which their language serves them well. These people speak for themselves. And you will hear their voices. What they have to say is a monument to the richness and variety of the American vernacular, offering a tour of the studies that have built the field of sociolinguistics.
Continuum of allosteric actions for non-amenable surface groups
Authors: JOSEPH MATTHIEU
Published: July 2023

Let
$\Sigma $
be a closed surface other than the sphere, the torus, the projective plane or the Klein bottle. We construct a continuum of probability measure preserving ergodic minimal profinite actions for the fundamental group of
$\Sigma $
that are topologically free but not essentially free, a property that we call allostery. Moreover, the invariant random subgroups we obtain are pairwise distincts.
Mixed-methods evaluation of a group psychosocial intervention for refugee, migrant and host community women in Ecuador and Panamá: Results from theEntre Nosotrascluster randomized feasibility trial
Authors: Greene M. Claire , Bonz Annie G. , Cristobal Maria , Angulo Alejandra , Armijos Andrea , Guevara María E. , Vega Carolina , Benavides Lucia , Corrales Christine , de la Cruz Alejandra , Lopez Maria J. , Moyano Arianna , Murcia Andrea , Noboa Maria J. , Rodriguez Abhimeleck , Solis Jenifer , Vergara Daniela , Bollman E. Brennan , Andersen Lena S. , Wainberg Milton , Tol Wietse A.
Published: July 2023

Community-based psychosocial interventions are key elements of mental health and psychosocial support; yet evidence regarding their effectiveness and implementation in humanitarian settings is limited. This study aimed to assess the appropriateness, acceptability, feasibility and safety of conducting a cluster randomized trial evaluating two versions of a group psychosocial intervention. Nine community clusters in Ecuador and Panamá were randomized to receive the standard version of theEntre Nosotrasintervention, a community-based group psychosocial intervention co-designed with community members, or an enhanced version ofEntre Nosotrasthat integrated a stress management component. In a sample of 225 refugees, migrants and host community women, we found that both versions were safe, acceptable and appropriate. Training lay facilitators to deliver the intervention was feasible. Challenges included slow recruitment related to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, high attrition due to population mobility and other competing priorities, and mixed psychometric performance of psychosocial outcome measures. Although the intervention appeared promising, a definitive cluster randomized comparative effectiveness trial requires further adaptations to the research protocol. Within this pilot study we identified strategies to overcome these challenges that may inform adaptations. This comparative effectiveness design may be a model for identifying effective components of psychosocial interventions.
Pantry clients and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education practitioners’ perspectives on factors influencing healthy eating policy, system and environmental interventions in food pantries
Authors: Yamoah Owusua , Schulte Jillian , Osborn Lindsay , Ogland-Hand Callie , Zubieta Ana Claudia , Freedman Darcy A.
Published: July 2023

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education identified food pantries as a targeted setting for policy, system, and environmental (PSE) interventions to promote healthy eating among households who rely on pantries to supplement their food needs. The present study sought to identify factors influencing capacity and readiness to implement healthy eating PSE interventions in food pantries. Qualitative interviews were conducted via zoom with twenty-six community residents with experience receiving SNAP benefits and twelve SNAP-Ed staff in rural and urban counties in Ohio to identify themes and indicators related to community/organisational capacity and readiness to implement healthy eating PSE interventions in food pantries. Themes and related indicators generated based on inductive and deductive coding of interview transcripts were prioritised and weighted by eleven community nutrition experts during a virtual consensus conference. Five themes emerged; expert-derived weights (scaled low, 0 to high, 1) reflect the perceived importance of each to implementation of healthy eating PSE interventions in food pantries: food pantry capacity and logistics [0⋅252], networks and relationships [0⋅228], community nutrition practitioner capacity [0⋅212], food pantry user characteristics [0⋅156], and stigma and stereotypes [0⋅1⋅52]. Overall, seventeen indicators were identified reflecting these themes. Successful and sustained PSE interventions at food pantries will require a tailored approach that considers food pantries’ capacity, needs and opportunities within the community, and capacity of community nutrition practitioners. The themes and indicators identified provide guidance for responsive PSE approaches in food pantries that meet communities where they are.
Nutrient intakes from complementary foods are associated with cardiometabolic biomarkers among undernourished Peruvian children
Authors: Lee Gwenyth O. , Caulfield Laura E. , Paredes-Olortegui Maribel , Penataro-Yori Pablo , Salas Mery Sigas , Kosek Margaret N.
Published: July 2023

Relatively little is known about how the diet of chronically undernourished children may impact cardiometabolic biomarkers. The objective of this exploratory study was to characterise relationships between dietary patterns and the cardiometabolic profile of 153 3–5-year-old Peruvian children with a high prevalence of chronic undernutrition. We collected monthly dietary recalls from children when they were 9–24 months old. At 3–5 years, additional dietary recalls were collected, and blood pressure, height, weight, subscapular skinfolds and fasting plasma glucose, insulin and lipid profiles were assessed. Nutrient intakes were expressed as average density per 100 kcals (i) from 9 to 24 months and (ii) at follow-up. The treelet transform and sparse reduced rank regress'ion (RRR) were used to summarize nutrient intake data. Linear regression models were then used to compare these factors to cardiometabolic outcomes and anthropometry. Linear regression models adjusting for subscapular skinfold-for-age Z-scores (SSFZ) were then used to test whether observed relationships were mediated by body composition. 26 % of children were stunted at 3–5 years old. Both treelet transform and sparse RRR-derived child dietary factors are related to protein intake and associated with total cholesterol and SSFZ. Associations between dietary factors and insulin were attenuated after adjusting for SSFZ, suggesting that body composition mediated these relationships. Dietary factors in early childhood, influenced by protein intake, are associated with cholesterol profiles, fasting glucose and body fat in a chronically undernourished population.
Identification of two Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Aa toxin-binding aminopeptidase N from Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Wang Shaozhen , Guo Yajie , Sun Yunzhu , Weng Mingqing , Liao Qiliao , Qiu Ru , Zou Shuangquan , Wu Songqing
Published: July 2023

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is a quarantine pest that mainly damages plants in tropical regions, which are essential economic resources. Cry3Aa has been used to control coleopteran pests and is known to be toxic to R. ferrugineus. The binding of the Cry toxin to specific receptors on the target insect plays a crucial role in the toxicological mechanism of Cry toxins. However, in the case of R. ferrugineus, the nature and identity of the receptor proteins involved remain unknown. In the present study, pull-down assays and mass spectrometry were used to identify two proteins of aminopeptidase N proteins (RfAPN2a and RfAPN2b) in the larval midguts of R. ferrugineus. Cry3Aa was able to bind to RfAPN2a (Kd = 108.5 nM) and RfAPN2b (Kd = 68.2 nM), as well as midgut brush border membrane vesicles (Kd = 482.5 nM). In silico analysis of both RfAPN proteins included the signal peptide and anchored sites for glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol. In addition, RfAPN2a and RfAPN2b were expressed in the human embryonic kidney 293T cell line, and cytotoxicity assays showed that the transgenic cells were not susceptible to activated Cry3Aa. Our results show that RfAPN2a and RfAPN2b are Cry3Aa-binding proteins involved in the Cry3Aa toxicity of R. ferrugineus. This study deepens our understanding of the action mechanism of Cry3Aa in R. ferrugineus larvae.
Settler Colonialism, Illiberal Memory, and German-Canadian Hate Networks in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries
Authors: Evans Jennifer V. , Steinberg Swen , Clement David Yuzva , Carron Danielle
Published: July 2023

This article is part of the collaborative research project Populist Publics. Housed at Carleton University (www.carleton.ca/populistpublics), it applies a data-driven analysis of online hate networks to trace how false framings of the historical past, what we call historical misinformation, circulates across platforms, shaping the politics of the center alongside the fringes. We cull large datasets from social media platforms and run them through a variety of different programs to help visualize how harmful speech and civilizational rhetoric about race, ethnicity, immigration, multiculturalism, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights are circulated by far-right groups across borders, noting specifically when and how they are taken up in the mainstream as legitimate discourse. Our interest is in how the distortion of the historical record is used to build alternative collective memories of the past so as to undermine minority rights and cultures in the present. We began with a basic question: To what extent is this actually new? As much as the atomized publics of our current day create ideal conditions for radical ideas to fester and circulate, it was obvious to us that we needed to look for linkages across time, drawing on interdisciplinary methods from the fields of history, media and communication, and data science to identify the tactics, strategies, and repertoires among such groups and individuals. By analyzing German-Canadian relations in particular, what follows is a first attempt to piece together some of these connections, with a focus on far-right hate groups—homegrown and imported—in the settler colonial project that is today's Canada.
‘The friend-making table’: variety and the definition of friendship in Plutarch’sTable Talk
Authors: Kirkland N. Bryant
Published: July 2023

Plutarch’sTable Talkasserts the ‘friend-making’ (φιλοποιός) character of the symposium seemingly unproblematically (612D, 621C). Yet it is not entirely clear how readers are to understand the dynamics of social variety in the work, or how its presentation of friendship relates to Plutarch’s formal pronouncements elsewhere on the subject. This article explores connections betweenTable Talkand aspects ofOn Having Many FriendsandHow to Tell a Flatterer from a Friend. It also considers some ideas aroundpoikiliain Plutarch in connection to discussions of complexity and simplicity inTable Talk, as a window onto the work’s presentation of amicable variety. I argue that social variety is often the implicit target in discussions of party pragmatics and gastronomic variety. Unlike the moral essays,Table Talkultimately endorses a broad conceptualization of friendship’s and variety’s value, inviting readers to rethink Plutarchan ideas for the sympotic context.
Phonological fluency norms for Spanish middle-aged and older adults provided by the SCAND initiative (P, M, & R)
Authors: Delgado-Losada M.L. , Rubio-Valdehita S. , López-Higes R. , Campos-Magdaleno M. , Ávila-Villanueva M. , Frades-Payo B. , Lojo-Seoane C.
Published: July 2023

Objective:

Verbal fluency tests are quick and easy to administer neuropsychological measures and are regularly used in neuropsychological assessment. Additionally, phonological fluency is a widely used paradigm that is sensitive to cognitive impairment. This paper offers normative data of phonological verbal fluency (letters P, M, R) for Spanish middle- and older-aged adults, considering sociodemographic factors, and different measures such as the total number of words, errors (perseveration and intrusions), and 15 sec-segmented scores.

Method:

A total of 1165 cognitively unimpaired participants aged between 50 and 89 years old, participated in the study. Data for P were obtained for all participants. Letters M and R were also administered to a subsample of participants (852) aged 60 to 89 years. In addition, errors and words produced every 15 seconds were collected in the subsample. To verify the effect of sociodemographic variables, linear regression was used. Adjustments were calculated for variables that explained at least 5% of the variance (R2 ≥ .05).

Results:

Means and standard deviations by age, scaled scores, and percentiles for all tests across different measures are shown. No determination coefficients equal to or greater than .05 were found for sex or age. The need to establish adjustments for the educational level was only found in some of the measures.

Conclusions:

The current norms provide clinically useful data to evaluate Spanish-speaking natives from Spain aged from 50 to 89 years. Specific patterns of cognitive impairment can be analyzed using these normative data and may be important in neuropsychological assessment.
Asset pricing with costly and delayed firm entry
Authors: Kaszab Lorant , Marsal Ales , Rabitsch Katrin
Published: July 2023

Survey evidence tells us that stock prices reflect the risks investors associate with long-run technological change. However, there is a shortage of models that can rationalize long-run risks. Unlike the previous literature assuming a fixed number of products, our model allows for new product varieties that appear in the form of new firms which face entry costs and delay in the entry process. The fixed variety model has a significant limitation in translating macroeconomic volatility into asset return volatility. Our model with growing varieties induces endogenous low-frequency fluctuations in productivity driving large, persistent variations in consumption growth and asset prices. It also changes the valuation of assets through the increase in the volatility of the pricing kernel (with a positive long-run component) and leads to higher excess returns. Our model is motivated by a simple recursively identified VAR model containing quarterly US data 1992Q3-2018Q4 with the following list of variables: total factor productivity, output, a measure of firm entry, and the excess return on stocks.
Slowing Extrusion Tectonics and Accelerated Uplift of Northern Tibet Since the Mid‐Miocene
Authors: Lu Haijian , Cao Xinwen , Malusà Marco G. , Zhang Zhiyong , Pan Jiawei , Li Haibing
Published: July 2023

Mechanisms of northern Tibet crustal thickening are strongly debated. Here we present a high‐resolution and continuous record (24–4.8 Ma) of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and paleomagnetic declination from the Dahonggou section in the northern Qaidam Basin, northern Tibet. Our results reveal two major clockwise rotations of the regional paleostress field at ∼15 Ma (∼20°) and ∼8.4 Ma (∼15°), coeval with episodes of mountain building and basin deformation in northern Tibet. We suggest that simultaneous stress field rotation and uplift observed in the study area are related to progressively slowing lateral‐extrusion tectonics along boundary‐parallel strike‐slip faults (Altyn Tagh and Haiyuan faults). The 15 Ma event can be explained by the transition from northeastward to eastward extrusion of northern Tibet materials due to the obstruction of the rigid Alxa block. As deformation keeps migrating toward the east, the 8 Ma event is possibly related to a change from eastward to southeastward extrusion of northeastern Tibet materials as a result of the resistance of the rigid Ordos block. We conclude that Tibetan deformation evolved through successive stages of slowing extrusion tectonics since the mid‐Miocene. Deformation was initially localized along pre‐existing lithospheric structures, and subsequently more distributed under confining boundary conditions, leading to crustal thickening and uniform uplift of northern Tibet during the late stage of plateau development.
Label-free mid-infrared photothermal live-cell imaging beyond video rate
Authors: Ishigane Genki , Toda Keiichiro , Tamamitsu Miu , Shimada Hiroyuki , Badarla Venkata Ramaiah , Ideguchi Takuro
Published: July 2023

Advancement in mid-infrared (MIR) technology has led to promising biomedical applications of MIR spectroscopy, such as liquid biopsy or breath diagnosis. On the contrary, MIR microscopy has been rarely used for live biological samples in an aqueous environment due to the lack of spatial resolution and the large water absorption background. Recently, mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) imaging has proven to be applicable to 2D and 3D single-cell imaging with high spatial resolution inherited from visible light. However, the maximum measurement rate has been limited to several frames s−1, limiting its range of use. Here, we develop a significantly improved wide-field MIP quantitative phase microscope with two orders-of-magnitude higher signal-to-noise ratio than previous MIP imaging techniques and demonstrate live-cell imaging beyond video rate. We first derive optimal system design by numerically simulating thermal conduction following the photothermal effect. Then, we develop the designed system with a homemade nanosecond MIR optical parametric oscillator and a high full-well-capacity image sensor. Our high-speed and high-spatial-resolution MIR microscope has great potential to become a new tool for life science, in particular for live-cell analysis.
Single-nucleus chromatin landscapes during zebrafish early embryogenesis
Authors: Lin Xiumei , Yang Xueqian , Chen Chuan , Ma Wen , Wang Yiqi , Li Xuerong , Zhao Kaichen , Deng Qiuting , Feng Weimin , Ma Yuting , Wang Hui , Zhu Lveming , Sahu Sunil Kumar , Chen Fengzhen , Zhang Xiuqing , Dong Zhiqiang , Liu Chuanyu , Liu Longqi , Liu Chang
Published: July 2023

Vertebrate embryogenesis is a remarkable process, during which numerous cell types of different lineages arise within a short time frame. An overwhelming challenge to understand this process is the lack of dynamic chromatin accessibility information to correlate cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and gene expression within the hierarchy of cell fate decisions. Here, we employed single-nucleus ATAC-seq to generate a chromatin accessibility dataset on the first day of zebrafish embryogenesis, including 3.3 hpf, 5.25 hpf, 6 hpf, 10 hpf, 12 hpf, 18 hpf and 24 hpf, obtained 51,620 high-quality nuclei and 23 clusters. Furthermore, by integrating snATAC-seq data with single-cell RNA-seq data, we described the dynamics of chromatin accessibility and gene expression across developmental time points, which validates the accuracy of the chromatin landscape data. Together, our data could serve as a fundamental resource for revealing the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of zebrafish embryogenesis.