bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Narration Without Narrating
Authors: Bücking Sebastian
Published: February 2022

This paper addresses the question of how to account for the distinction between narrator-creating and narrator-neutral narration from a linguistic perspective. I first take issue with the approach by Eckardt (2015), according to which narrator-neutral narration is due to a lack of knowledge about the narrating situation; specifically, I raise an existence problem, an anthropomorphism problem, and a tense problem. Second, combining ideas of the Institutional Theory of Fiction as described by Walton (1990) and Köppe/Stühring (2011) and formal tools of Attitude Description Theory as developed by Maier (2017), I propose an imagination-based alternative account of narrator-neutrality. According to this, the distinction between narrator-creating and narrator-neutral narration is captured by optional existential binding of a narrating situation and a narrator in an imagination component of an interpreter’s mental state. Particular attention is paid to the semantics of the German preterit in fictional narratives. On the one hand, I confirm the famous hypothesis by Hamburger (31977) and her successors in German linguistics that the preterit licenses an atemporal reading and thus an interpretation that eliminates the grammatical need for a narrating situation within the fiction. On the other hand, I reject the prevailing assumption that the preterit in its atemporal reading marks the fiction as such. In lieu thereof, the preterit is argued to instruct interpreters to imagine the story from the perspective of a distant observer.
Religiosität in Österreich: Einheimische und Muslim*innen im Vergleich
Authors: Höllinger Franz
Published: February 2022

In diesem Beitrag wurde anhand der österreichischen Daten des Religionsmonitor 2017 untersucht, wie sich Österreicher*innen ohne Migrationshintergrund (Einheimische) und in Österreich lebende Muslim*innen in Hinblick auf Religiosität unterscheiden und wie sie die Religiosität der anderen Gruppe wahrnehmen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die Religiosität von Einheimischen und Muslim*innen in unterschiedliche Richtungen entwickelt. Bei den Einheimischen geht die kirchlich-religiöse Praxis bei jüngeren im Vergleich zu älteren Befragten stark zurück, bei den Muslim*innen ist dies nicht der Fall. Muslim*innen vertreten auch viel häufiger die Ansicht, dass es nur eine wahre Religion und nur eine richtige Interpretation der religiösen Gebote gibt. Aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Bedeutung, die die Religion für Einheimische und für Muslim*innen hat, wie auch aufgrund der kulturellen Traditionen und Lebensformen, die mit dem säkularisierten europäischen Christentum auf der einen und dem Islam auf der anderen Seite in Verbindung stehen, gibt es bei beiden Gruppen, insbesondere auf Seite der österreichischen Einheimischen, Vorbehalte gegenüber den Glaubensvorstellungen und Lebensweisen der anderen Gruppe.
Projected Air Temperature Extremes and Maximum Heat Conditions Over the Middle-East-North Africa (MENA) Region
Authors: Ntoumos Athanasios , Hadjinicolaou Panos , Zittis George , Proestos Yiannis , Lelieveld Jos
Published: February 2022

This study analyzes projected heat extremes over the Middle-East–North Africa (MENA) region until the end of the twenty-first century with a number of temperature indices based on absolute values and thresholds to describe hot conditions. We use model projected daily near-surface air (2-m) temperature ($$T_\mathrm{{max}}$$

T
max

and $$T_\mathrm{{min}}$$

T
min

) to derive the indices for the period 1980–2100. The data were taken from 18 CMIP5 models combining historical (1980–2005) and scenario runs (2006–2100 under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5 pathways). Results show a domain-wide projected warming for all emission scenarios. Our findings for a business-as-usual pathway indicate excessive warming of more than 8 $$^\circ $$

∘

C in the northern part of the domain (south Europe) for the annual warmest day (TXx) and night (TNx). In the hottest parts of the domain record high temperatures reached 50 $$^\circ $$

∘

C in the recent past, which could increase to at least 56 $$^\circ $$

∘

C by the end of the century, while temperatures over 50 $$^\circ $$

∘

C are expected to occur in a large part of the MENA region. A significant increase is projected in the number of hot days (TX $$>40^\circ $$

>

40
∘

C) and nights (TN $$>30 ^\circ $$

>

30
∘

C) all over the region. For the period of 2071–2100 excessive hot days and nights will become the normal during summer in large parts of the MENA with some locations expected to exceed 180 and 100 days, respectively. Calculations of the corresponding heat index suggest that several areas across the MENA region may reach temperature levels critical for human survival.
Human-wildlife conflict interest: the psychometric reasons for the death of 28 hippos in the Gibe Sheleko National park (2019), Southwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Wondimu Habtamu , Kebede Ashenafi
Published: February 2022

This study examines a hot issue that has received a lot of attention in 2019, Ethiopia, which is the death of over 28 hippos in Gibe-Sheleko National Park (GSNP) in southern Ethiopia, which has gone undiscovered until now. A psychometric explanation for the extinction of hippos was developed using a qualitative research approach that included in-depth interviews (28), focus groups (3), and key informant participants (3) who were carefully selected. Concerning the cause of the hippos' death we found three psychometric reasons: (1) the government-owned farm and the park’s irresponsible management system are the primary causes of hippos’ deaths, (2) crop, cattle, and property damage by the hippos, and (3) personal defense from the animals’ attack. We found that the Ministry of Environment and Forests should support park administrative governments in upgrading habitat to boost food and water availability and prevent animal migration from park forests to habitations. Furthermore, we discovered that national and international media outlets performed their investigations into the interaction between the Gibe Woreda people and the animals following the deaths of over 28 hippos in the region. We understand that this had occurred for a political plot to get public attention and media publicity.
Freezing induces an increase in leaf spectral transmittance of forest understorey and alpine forbs
Authors: Solanki Twinkle , García Plazaola José Ignacio , Robson T. Matthew , Fernández Marín Beatriz
Published: February 2022

Evergreen plants growing at high latitudes or high elevations may experience freezing events in their photosynthetic tissues. Freezing events can have physical and physiological effects on the leaves which alter leaf optical properties affecting remote and proximal sensing parameters. We froze leaves of six alpine plant species (Soldanella alpina, Ranunculus kuepferi, Luzula nutans, Gentiana acaulis, Geum montanum, and Centaurea uniflora) and three evergreen forest understorey species (Hepatica nobilis, Fragaria vesca and Oxalis acetosella), and assessed their spectral transmittance and optically measured pigments, as well as photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) as an indicator of freezing damage. Upon freezing, leaves of all the species transmitted more photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and some species had increased ultraviolet-A (UV-A) transmittance. These differences were less pronounced in alpine than in understorey species, which may be related to higher chlorophyll degradation, visible as reduced leaf chlorophyll content upon freezing in the latter species. Among these understorey forbs, the thin leaves of O. acetosella displayed the largest reduction in chlorophyll (−79%). This study provides insights into how freezing changes the leaf optical properties of wild plants which could be used to set a baseline for upscaling optical reflectance data from remote sensing. Changes in leaf transmittance may also serve to indicate photosynthetic sufficiency and physiological tolerance of freezing events, but experimental research is required to establish this functional association.

Graphical abstract
Reimagining a summer research program during COVID: Strategies for enhancing research workforce diversity
Authors: Eakin Brenda L. , Ianni Phillip A. , Byks-Jazayeri Christy , Ellingrod Vicki L. , Woolford Susan J.
Published: February 2022

Well-designed, accessible short-term research training programs are needed to recruit and retain underrepresented persons into clinical and translational research training programs and diversify the workforce. The Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research developed a summer research program, training over 270 students in 15 years. In response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, we pivoted swiftly from an in-person format to a fully remote format. We describe this process, focusing on factors of diversity, equity, and inclusion including enabling student participation in remote research activities. We collected data about students’ learning experiences since the program’s inception; therefore, we could evaluate the impact of remote vs. in-person formats. We examined data from five cohorts: three in-person (2017–2019; n = 57) and two remote (2020–2021; n = 45). While there was some concern about the value of participating in a remote format, overall students in both formats viewed the program favorably, with students in the remote cohorts rating some aspects of the program significantly more favorably. In addition, more students who identified as Black or African American participated in the remote format than in the in-person format. We describe lessons learned from this unprecedented challenge and future program directions.
Traumatic Brain Injuries: A Cross-Sectional Study of Traumatic Brain Injuries at a Tertiary Care Trauma Center in the Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Rahman Usama , Hamid Moaz , Shan Dasti Muhammad , Nouman Tahir , Vedovelli Luca , Javid Azhar
Published: February 2022

Introduction:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are 1 of the most common reasons for young adult death and disability. This study sought to provide novel data for TBIs in Southern Punjab, as well as to identify any areas of service improvement to reduce the acute and long-term burden of this condition.

Methods:

A survey in English was created, which was then circulated to members of the emergency and neurosurgical department for a 3-wk period.

Results:

A total of 450 patients (379 male [84.2%] and 71 female [15.2%]) were included as TBI admissions or attendances with a mean age of 28.9 y. Of the total, 420 people (93.2%) had experienced a TBI following a road traffic incident (RTI), with 78.7% (n = 354) of TBIs involving motorbike users who were not wearing helmets. A total of 226 (50.1%) patients arrived by car to the hospital, and 201 (44.7%) arrived by means of provincial government-funded emergency ambulance services.

Conclusions:

TBIs in Southern Punjab mostly affect younger males involved in RTIs while riding motorbikes. Recommendations to reduce the acute and long-term burden of TBIs in this region include formal training of all hospital and prehospital staff in the management of acute trauma cases according to international guidelines and operating provincial government emergency ambulance services in a wider geographic area.
The role of non-elites and eyewitness videos in the visual securitisation of Calais asylum seekers
Authors: Shetty Vaibhava
Published: February 2022

With the advent of smartphones and social media, non-elites possess more resources to engage in politicisation and securitisation of issues. The increasing popularity and acceptance of eyewitness videos captured by non-elites presents new political-security implications, especially for the issue of migration and refugees, as witnessed during the European refugee crisis. The eyewitness videos the host population of Europe captured served as key heuristic artefacts for non-elites to engage in the securitisation and counter desecuritisation of asylum seekers. The production, visual, circulation, and audiencing aspects of eyewitness videos are significantly different from those of professional videos from news media and therefore can potentially articulate (in)security in distinct ways. I argue that the epistemic-political constitution of eyewitness videos and their online remediation through the complex networked act between the calculated security publics and video recommendation algorithms of social media play a key role in facilitating security articulations of asylum seekers. This is illustrated in the analysis of two popular eyewitness videos from Calais. The article examines how non-elites used eyewitness videos to politicise and securitise Calais asylum seekers.
Operator-free sparse domination
Authors: Lerner Andrei K. , Lorist Emiel , Ombrosi Sheldy
Published: February 2022

We obtain a sparse domination principle for an arbitrary family of functions$f(x,Q)$, where$x\in {\mathbb R}^{n}$andQis a cube in${\mathbb R}^{n}$. When applied to operators, this result recovers our recent works [37, 39]. On the other hand, our sparse domination principle can be also applied to non-operator objects. In particular, we show applications to generalised Poincaré–Sobolev inequalities, tent spaces and general dyadic sums. Moreover, the flexibility of our result allows us to treat operators that are not localisable in the sense of [39], as we will demonstrate in an application to vector-valued square functions.
Rapid molecular severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing in hospital employees with mild, nonspecific respiratory symptoms facilitates expedient return to work
Authors: Castillo Alyssa Y. , Zelikoff Allison , Chan Jeannie D. , Lynch John B. , Bryson-Cahn Chloe
Published: February 2022

Nonspecific respiratory symptoms overlap with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Prompt diagnosis of COVID-19 in hospital employees is crucial to prevent nosocomial transmission. Rapid molecular SARS-CoV-2 testing was performed for 115 symptomatic employees. The case positivity rate was 2.6%. Employees with negative tests returned to work after 80 (±28) minutes.
Risk factors for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA environmental contamination in rooms of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Authors: Seo Jun-Won , Kim Da Young , Yun Na Ra , Lee You Mi , Panchali Merlin Jayalal Lawrence , Bang Mi-Seon , Hwang Seong Yeon , Kim Choon-Mee , Kim Dong-Min
Published: February 2022

The risk factors of environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 are largely unknown. We analyzed 1,320 environmental samples obtained from COVID-19 patients over 1 year. The risk factors for contamination of COVID-19 patients’ surrounding environment were higher viral load in the respiratory tract and shorter duration from symptom onset to sample collection.
Suppression of Potentilla recta by targeted goat grazing and aminopyralid on northern intermountain rangelands
Authors: Juckers Myra , Stewart Katherine J.
Published: February 2022

Sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta L.) is an invasive perennial forb threatening rangelands in western North America. To identify best management strategies to control P. recta, we examined targeted goat (Capra hircus L.) grazing conducted once (pre-flowering) versus twice (pre-flowering and flowering and seed set), aminopyralid application, and integrated targeted grazing and aminopyralid as management strategies. We also examined the interaction between treatments and seasonality (spring and summer) and explored the possibility of off-target effects to non-target species. Two intermountain rangelands in British Columbia, Canada, were treated, one with targeted grazing treatments only and one with targeted grazing and herbicide treatments. Targeted grazing treatments were implemented in 2019 and 2020, and aminopyralid was applied once in 2019 at a rate of 56 g ai ha−1. Potentilla recta aboveground biomass and number of seed heads declined following targeted grazing treatments at both field sites in 2019 and 2020 when compared with the control, with no differences between targeted grazing treatments. In May 2020, before the implementation of targeted grazing for the second year, a decrease in P. recta biomass was not measured in the targeted grazing treatments, but biomass was 87% to 99% less in the herbicide-only and targeted grazing plus herbicide treatments. In July 2020, declines in biomass and seed heads in the herbicide-only and targeted grazing plus herbicide treatments did not differ from grazing twice, and aminopyralid effects did not differ among the three herbicide treatments. Further research is required to examine legacy effects of targeted goat grazing and aminopyralid on P. recta, establish reapplication frequency of treatments, and determine whether integrating targeted goat grazing and aminopyralid is needed in the long term to manage P. recta. A long-term study is also needed to examine off-target effects from targeted goat grazing and aminopyralid and ways to mitigate these effects to promote healthy native rangeland plant communities.
HIGHER DIMENSIONAL CARDINAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR SETS OF FUNCTIONS II
Authors: BRENDLE JÖRG , SWITZER COREY BACAL
Published: February 2022

We study the values of the higher dimensional cardinal characteristics for sets of functions
$f:\omega ^\omega \to \omega ^\omega $
introduced by the second author in [8]. We prove that while the bounding numbers for these cardinals can be strictly less than the continuum, the dominating numbers cannot. We compute the bounding numbers for the higher dimensional relations in many well known models of
$\neg \mathsf {CH}$
such as the Cohen, random and Sacks models and, as a byproduct show that, with one exception, for the bounding numbers there are no
$\mathsf {ZFC}$
relations between them beyond those in the higher dimensional Cichoń diagram. In the case of the dominating numbers we show that in fact they collapse in the sense that modding out by the ideal does not change their values. Moreover, they are closely related to the dominating numbers
$\mathfrak {d}^\lambda _\kappa $
.
“Tighten, Cull and Focus”: An Experiment Examining Lay and Lawyer Claims in a Mock Online Court
Authors: Toy-Cronin Bridgette , Irvine Bridget
Published: February 2022

Governments are turning to online self-help courts in an effort to cut costs, increase access to the justice system, and, in response to the global pandemic, to reduce physical contact. But to what extent do these courts support pro se or self-represented litigants? This article reports a laboratory experiment which compared how laypeople (pro se) and lawyers explained the same justiciable problem in a mock online court portal. Retired judges also evaluated a subset of blinded claims and provided opinions on their quality. The study found that the overall quality of laypeople’s claiming was lower than lawyers but there were outliers: both high-quality lay-filed claims and low-quality lawyer-filed claims. Laypeople were not as good at reporting legally salient details and showed confusion about corporate responsibility. When laypeople did report legally salient detail, they sometimes did so without a clear purpose or did so unclearly, confusing the reader. The quality of lawyer-filed claims varied and some created overly complex claims that would be uneconomic to litigate. We suggest that designers of online courts can use the evidence from this experiment, and future research like it, to build interfaces that will assist pro se or self-represented to more clearly explain their disputes.
Approximation numbers of composition operators on weighted besov spaces of analytic functions
Authors: Pouliasis Stamatis
Published: February 2022

Li et al. [A spectral radius type formula for approximation numbers of composition operators, J. Funct. Anal. 267(12) (2014), 4753-4774] proved a spectral radius type formula for the approximation numbers of composition operators on analytic Hilbert spaces with radial weights and on $H^{p}$ spaces, $p\geq 1$, involving Green capacity. We prove that their formula holds for a wide class of Banach spaces of analytic functions and weights.
Protection of bovine mammary epithelial cells by a nanoemulsion of the medicinal herb Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC and its capacity of permeation through mammary epithelium
Authors: Pinheiro Machado Gabriela T. , Veleirinho Maria B. , Ferreira Roberto G. , Zuglianello Carine , Lemos-Senna Elenara , Kuhnen Shirley
Published: February 2022

The low levels of toxicity and cytoprotective effect attributed to Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC, a medicinal plant native to South America, are of interest for bovine mastitis therapy. This research paper reports the hypothesis that a nanoemulsion of macela extract (Achyrocline satureioides) exerts protective effects on bovine mammary alveolar cells -T (MAC-T) and increases the permeation of flavonoid compounds through mammary epithelium. Extract-loaded nanoemulsions (2.5 mg/ml) (NE-ML) (n = 4) were prepared using high-pressure homogenization with varying concentrations of flaxseed oil and Tween 80. Permeation and retention of free and nanoencapsulated quercetin, 3-O-methylquercetin and luteolin were performed on mammary glandular epithelium using Franz diffusion cells. The cell viability was evaluated on mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T lineage) using the MTT method (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) after exposure to loaded and blank nanoemulsions (NE-ML and NE-BL). Necrotic or apoptotic cell death was evaluated by flow cytometry after exposure to nanoemulsions (NE-ML and NE-BL). Subsequently, the cell death was assessed by previously treating MAC-T cells with NE-ML for 23 h, followed by exposure to H2O2 (2 mM) for 1 h. Higher permeation of quercetin and 3-O-methylquercetin in NE-ML was found compared to that of free extract with a final permeated amount of 50.7 ± 3.2 and 111.2 ± 0.6 μg/cm2 compared to 35.0 ± 0.6 and 48.9 ± 1.2, respectively. For NE-BL, the IC50 was at least 1.3% (v/v), while for the NE-ML, it was at least 2.6% (v/v). After exposure to NE-ML (5 and 1.2%, v/v), the percentage of apoptotic cells was reduced (±30%). For the H2O2 assay, the percentage of cells in necrosis was reduced by 40% after exposure to NE-ML1% (v/v) + H2O2 2 mM. The protective effects and increased permeation of macela nanoemulsion make this a promising new candidate for bovine mastitis therapy.
A review of inbreeding depression in dairy cattle: current status, emerging control strategies, and future prospects
Authors: Gutiérrez-Reinoso Miguel A. , Aponte Pedro M. , García-Herreros Manuel
Published: February 2022

Dairy cattle breeding has historically focused on relatively small numbers of elite bulls as sires of sons. In recent years, even if generation intervals were reduced and more diverse sires of sons could have been selected, genomic selection has not fundamentally changed the fact that a large number of individuals are being analyzed. However, a relatively small number of elite bulls are still siring those animals. Therefore inbreeding-derived negative consequences in the gene pool have brought concern. The detrimental effects of non-additive genetic changes such as inbreeding depression and dominance have been widely disseminated while seriously affecting bioeconomically important parameters because of an antagonistic relationship between dairy production and reproductive traits. Therefore, the estimation of benefits and limitations of inbreeding and variance of the selection response deserves to be evaluated and discussed to preserve genetic variability, a significant concern in the selection of individuals for reproduction and production. Short-term strategies for genetic merit improvement through modern breeding programs have severely lowered high-producing dairy cattle fertility potential. Since the current selection programs potentially increase long-term costs, genetic diversity has decreased globally as a consequence. Therefore, a greater understanding of the potential that selection programs have for supporting long-term genetic sustainability and genetic diversity among dairy cattle populations should be prioritized in managing farm profitability. The present review provides a broad approach to current inbreeding-derived problems, identifying critical points to be solved and possible alternative strategies to control selection against homozygous haplotypes while maintaining sustained selection pressure. Moreover, this manuscript explores future perspectives, emphasizing theoretical applications and critical points, and strategies to avoid the adverse effects of inbreeding in dairy cattle. Finally, this review provides an overview of challenges that will soon require multidisciplinary approaches to managing dairy cattle populations, intending to combine increases in productive trait phenotypes with improvements in reproductive, health, welfare, linear conformation, and adaptability traits into the foreseeable future.
Beyond formal powers: Understanding the African Union's authority on the ground
Authors: Witt Antonia
Published: February 2022

International organisations (IOs) are said to command growing levels of authority. But in studying this phenomenon, scholars predominantly focus on the formal capacities member states assign to IOs. Much less attention is paid to the effects of IO authority, that is, how authority is exerted in practice and what it does within the affected societies. Based on a case study of the African Union's (AU) anti-coup regime, I make the case for a ‘bottom-up’ approach to IO authority, focusing on its localised enactment and effects. Analysing the AU's authority through a governmentality lens and drawing on several months of field research, I show that the AU's authority to govern coups is indeed effective: in commanding the re-establishment of constitutional order, the AU prescribes a particular imaginary of political order to resolve conflict and shapes the conduct of political actors in affected states by inscribing them into this order. But rather than operating in a top-down, direct way, the AU's authority is enacted in a distant, diffuse manner. Although based on formal powers assigned to the AU, neither the way this authority is exercised nor its effects can be inferred merely from these formal powers.
Cardiac tumours in children: a single-centre experience and literature review
Authors: Faim Diogo , Francisco Andreia , Pires António
Published: February 2022

Cardiac tumours are extremely rare in children. Although more than 90% are benign, children can develop obstructive or embolisation derived symptoms, arrhythmias, constitutional symptoms, cardiac tamponade, or even sudden death. Although the majority are asymptomatic, and some spontaneously regress, appropriate follow-up is needed on a case-by-case basis, as patients may develop late symptoms. Definitive diagnosis is only possible through histological analysis; however, it is possible to infer tumour type with a high grade of certainty based on imaging features, particularly cardiac magnetic resonance. Surgical resection is advocated for those causing symptoms, obstruction, cardiac dysfunction, and high risk of embolisation. The aim of this review is to present the state of the art related to cardiac tumours in the paediatric population, in the context of our own experience.
Imagery rescripting and negative self-imagery in social anxiety disorder: a systematic literature review
Authors: Lloyd James , Marczak Magda
Published: February 2022

Background:

Imagery rescripting (IR) is an effective intervention for social anxiety disorder (SAD) that targets memories of distressing formative events linked to negative self-imagery (NSI). IR is thought to update unhelpful schema by addressing the needs of the younger self within the memory. An accumulating body of evidence indicates that by modifying NSI, IR can significantly affect distressing imagery, memory appraisal, and beliefs about the self.

Aims:

This systematic review aims to critically evaluate and synthesise literature investigating the existing research on the effects IR has on NSI in SAD.

Method:

A systematic electronic search of Academic Search Complete, ProQuest, Medline, Scopus and PubMed was performed in February 2021 using pre-defined criteria. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and were selected for review.

Results:

Analysis of the reviewed articles’ findings identified three main themes: Changes to negative self-images, Memories linked to images and Encapsulated beliefs. IR was associated with significant decreases in image distress, image vividness, memory vividness, memory distress, and encapsulated beliefs. Although reductions were found with image frequency, they were non-significant. Interpretation of results is limited by the small number of studies.

Conclusions:

IR appears to effectively alter images, memories and beliefs in SAD in as little as a single session. The findings indicate that IR could be utilised as a cost-effective intervention for SAD. However, additional studies and longer-term follow-ups are needed.
The Power of Perception: Beliefs About Memory Ability Uniquely Contribute to Memory Performance and Quality of Life in Adults Aging with Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Venkatesan Umesh M. , Rabinowitz Amanda R. , Hillary Frank G.
Published: February 2022

Objective:

Personal beliefs about memory ability, which comprise memory self-efficacy (MSE), can influence memory performance in healthy older adults. Self-efficacy theory also predicts that MSE biases self-perceptions of functioning more globally, potentially impacting daily activity beyond cognitive performance. People with traumatic brain injury (PwTBI) frequently report debilitating memory problems long after acute recovery, but little is known about how MSE affects health outcomes in this population. We examined demographic and clinical correlates of MSE, as well as its relationship to memory test performance and health-related quality of life (QOL), in older adults with chronic moderate-to-severe TBI (msTBI).

Method:

One hundred fourteen adults, aged 50+ and at least 1 year post-msTBI, underwent neuropsychological testing to assess their memory functioning. Participants also self-reported levels of psychological distress, MSE (Cognitive Confidence subscale of the Metacognitions Questionnaire), and health-related QOL (Quality of Life after Brain Injury questionnaire).

Results:

Demographic and injury-related predictors showed weak correlations with MSE. Although the relationship between MSE and general psychological distress was robust, only the former significantly predicted memory performance. Bivariate analyses revealed significant relationships between MSE and five out of the six QOL domains assessed. Multivariate linear regression revealed a significant impact of MSE on overall QOL independent of demographic and clinical variables.

Conclusions:

Our findings support a unique role for MSE in both the objective cognitive performance and subjective health of PwTBI. Increased focus on self-perceptions of ability and their impact on measured outcomes is an important step towards personalized rehabilitation for adults with chronic msTBI.
The role of biotechnology and biofuels in US Corn Belt cropping system changes
Authors: Annan Kenneth , Van der Sluis Evert , Fausti Scott W. , Kolady Deepthi E.
Published: February 2022

The effects of transgenic corn use and federal biofuel policies on state-level cropping patterns in the US Corn Belt region are investigated using state-level data from 2000 to 2019. During this time, producers moved away from diverse cropping patterns and toward simpler rotational practices. Empirical evidence indicates that the intensification of corn acres planted was positively impacted by the spread of genetically modified (GM) soybeans—used as a proxy for GM corn for biofuel usage—but the effects of biotech advancements on producer planting decisions vary across states. This suggests that future policy changes affecting corn production decisions at the farm level will also be heterogeneous across states.
A further reply to Jean-Philippe Robé on the firm
Authors: Deakin Simon , Gindis David , Hodgson Geoffrey M.
Published: February 2022

Despite agreement on many points, including our shared insistence that ‘corporation’ and ‘firm’ are different concepts, Jean-Philippe Robé still maintains that they are mutually exclusive: no corporation is a firm, and no firm is a corporation. In contrast, we follow standard nomenclature when we point out that all (business) corporations are firms, but some firms are not corporations. We show here that this is a standard practice among lawyers writing in leading law journals and note that Robé seems to have abandoned the task of defining the firm.
The Rule, Not the Exception: One-Party Monopolies in the American States
Authors: Parry Janine A. , Dowdle Andrew J. , Long Abigail B. , Kloss Jessica R.
Published: February 2022

Thousands of studies have examined party competition in the American states, finding significant consequences for voter turnout, policy adoptions, and more. Long-term patterns of party control have received less attention. Here, we reexamine the operationalization of party competition. We then update Klarner’s state partisan balance data to include state house and senate composition and gubernatorial vote share since the 1930s, adding—in light of the nationalization of American politics—presidential vote share and the proportion of Democrats in each state’s congressional delegation. After establishing a threshold for one-party dominance, we examine the frequency and duration of subnational party monopolies, highlighting regional variations in the relationship between the state and national measures and applying the index to voter turnout. Our analysis reveals that extended periods of one-party dominance – currently on the uptick – are the rule, not the exception, in the American states and are a phenomenon ripe for further exploration.
Entwicklung der Charakteristika von Notaufnahmen in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie
Authors: Hagmann Daniela , Allgaier Katharina , Wolf Jonathan , Chiumento Ornella , Bürkle Laura , Conzelmann Annette , Renner Tobias J.
Published: February 2022

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Stationäre Notaufnahmen aufgrund einer psychischen Krise stellen einen erheblichen Anteil der stationären Aufnahmen kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischer Kliniken dar und haben in den vergangenen Jahren stark zugenommen. Die Studie untersucht, wie sich Charakteristika dieser Patient_innengruppe einer universitären Versorgungsklinik über zwei Jahrzehnte hinweg verändert haben. Methodik: Es erfolgte eine retrospektive Auswertung der Notaufnahmen der Jahrgänge 1996, 2002, 2008 und 2014 der KJPPP Tübingen bezüglich soziodemografischer Daten, psychosozialer Umstände und Diagnosen. Ergebnisse: Insgesamt wurden N = 403 Notaufnahmen ausgewertet. Es zeigte sich eine Steigerung von Notaufnahmen im genannten Zeitraum von 405 %. Bezüglich der psychosozialen Umstände ergab sich eine Zunahme von Familiensituationen mit getrennten Eltern. Des Weiteren war bei den Patient_innen eine deutliche Zunahme von Mehrfachdiagnosen festzustellen. Schlussfolgerungen: Über den Zeitraum 1996 bis 2014 ist ein erheblicher Anstieg von Notaufnahmen zu verzeichnen. Des Weiteren bestehen Hinweise auf ungünstigere psychosoziale Rahmenbedingungen und komplexere Erkrankungssituationen in späteren Jahren. Die Ergebnisse unterstreichen den Handlungsbedarf hinsichtlich der klinischen Versorgung von Kindern und Jugendlichen in akuten psychischen Krisen und deren Prävention, aber auch einer breiten gesellschaftlichen Diskussion zur Verbesserung der psychischen Gesundheit in der Entwicklung. Es besteht dringender Bedarf an prospektiven Studien zur differenzierten Betrachtung der Faktoren, die zum Anstieg von Notaufnahmen von Kindern und Jugendlichen führen.
Forbid/Allow Asymmetry in Persuasion
Authors: Koniak Paweł , Cwalina Wojciech
Published: February 2022

Abstract. Previous research showed that responses to questions about forbidding something differed from those to the seemingly equivalent questions about allowing the same object (forbid/allow asymmetry). We postulate that the effect of the forbid vs. allow framing may be also consequential for the processing of attitude related information and attitude change. The forbid frame (compared with the allow frame) may increase the impact of negative (vs. positive) arguments and/or reduce the impact of initial attitudes on the elaboration the presented information. To test these predictions we conducted three experiments (one preregistered, total N = 655). Participants were reading both pro and con arguments, differing in consistency with their initial attitudes, and concerning three different attitude objects: genetically modified organisms (GMOs), euthanasia, and barbecuing in public places. The results show that the forbid (vs. allow) frame decreases the tendency for generating thoughts prevailingly consistent with participants, initial attitudes (Experiment 2). It also reduces bias in the evaluation and interpretation of the presented arguments and yields more similar assessments of arguments that are consistent and inconsistent with initial attitudes (Experiment 3). As a result, the attitudes are more susceptible to change within the forbid frame (they move more in the direction opposite to the initial attitude) than within the allow frame (Experiments 1-3). The results for the first time show the existence of forbid vs. allow asymmetry in persuasion. This effect has practical consequences, e.g., when designing referenda.
Effects of Air Pollution on Rainfall Microphysics Over the Yangtze River Delta
Authors: Yang Qiqi , Dai Qiang , Chen Yiheng , Zhang Shuliang , Zhang Yaru
Published: February 2022

Herein, the raindrop size distribution (DSD) and rainfall microphysics characteristics are investigated at multiple stations within the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) under two air pollution conditions. Raindrop data from 14 Thies Clima Laser Precipitation Monitor disdrometers spanning approximately 2 years were employed together with corresponding air pollution data. Rain gauge data and several types of meteorological data were also used. The DSD characteristics were found to vary across the YRD; thus, we compiled DSD‐based demarcations between convective rain and stratiform rain at each site. During summer, the average mass‐weighted mean drop diameter parameter value was higher by a mean 20%, and the average normalized intercept parameter value was lower by a mean 12% in polluted atmosphere conditions for both convective rain and stratiform rain, as well as for different rainfall intensity classes. The differences in atmospheric conditions between clear and polluted air conditions partially account for the uncertainties in the DSD characteristics. Air pollution resulted in uncertainty in the shape parameter‐slope parameter relationship and in the rainfall kinetic energy‐rainfall intensity (KE‐R) relationship. The air pollution index can be integrated into the KE‐R relationship to improve the KE simulation accuracy. In addition, air pollution causes some uncertainty in the radar reflectivity‐rainfall intensity (Z‐R) relationship, while the acceptable deviation of the Z‐R relationship did not significantly impact the accuracy of rainfall simulations. This study improves our understanding of DSD and provides a comprehensive overview of the relationship between air pollution and rainfall microphysics for a typical urban agglomeration area.
Barriers to Melt Ascent in the Lithosphere of Io With Applications to Heat Pipe Formation
Authors: Schools J. , Montési L. G. J.
Published: February 2022

Melt from the presumed magma ocean in Io's interior reaches the surface at well‐documented paterae and hotspots. To do so, melt needs to cross the thermal lithosphere of Io, even though, as it loses heat, it may stall inside the lithosphere. Permeability barriers form when melt crystallization is rapid and further prevents melt ascent unless a different melt transport mechanism develops. The heat pipe model of Io provides such a mechanism, allowing the melt to travel from the molten asthenosphere to the surface at discrete points. However, unless these heat pipes are billions of years old and constant in both location and flux, melt must ascend through the cold lithosphere at other locations and form new melt conduits. We model here the crystallization sequence of melts as they rise through the lithosphere of Io and determine under what conditions a permeability barrier may form. The barrier is generally deep, but can be elevated 100s of meters to several kilometers in areas of high strain rate or low resurfacing rate. We propose a feedback mechanism where regions closer to a heat pipe experience a higher resurfacing rate, driving the permeability barrier deeper, while regions away from a heat pipe experience a lower resurfacing rate allowing the permeability barrier to rise. A new heat pipe may develop in these regions where the melt is focused by variations of permeability barrier elevation while the old heat pipe closes, potentially leading to changes of heat pipe location over a time scale of 100,000 years.
Microengineered platforms for characterizing the contractile function of in vitro cardiac models
Authors: Dou Wenkun , Malhi Manpreet , Zhao Qili , Wang Li , Huang Zongjie , Law Junhui , Liu Na , Simmons Craig A. , Maynes Jason T. , Sun Yu
Published: February 2022

Emerging heart-on-a-chip platforms are promising approaches to establish cardiac cell/tissue models in vitro for research on cardiac physiology, disease modeling and drug cardiotoxicity as well as for therapeutic discovery. Challenges still exist in obtaining the complete capability of in situ sensing to fully evaluate the complex functional properties of cardiac cell/tissue models. Changes to contractile strength (contractility) and beating regularity (rhythm) are particularly important to generate accurate, predictive models. Developing new platforms and technologies to assess the contractile functions of in vitro cardiac models is essential to provide information on cell/tissue physiologies, drug-induced inotropic responses, and the mechanisms of cardiac diseases. In this review, we discuss recent advances in biosensing platforms for the measurement of contractile functions of in vitro cardiac models, including single cardiomyocytes, 2D monolayers of cardiomyocytes, and 3D cardiac tissues. The characteristics and performance of current platforms are reviewed in terms of sensing principles, measured parameters, performance, cell sources, cell/tissue model configurations, advantages, and limitations. In addition, we highlight applications of these platforms and relevant discoveries in fundamental investigations, drug testing, and disease modeling. Furthermore, challenges and future outlooks of heart-on-a-chip platforms for in vitro measurement of cardiac functional properties are discussed.
Single-cell transcriptomic profiling unravels the adenoma-initiation role of protein tyrosine kinases during colorectal tumorigenesis
Authors: Zheng Xiaobo , Song Jinen , Yu Chune , Zhou Zongguang , Liu Xiaowei , Yu Jing , Xu Guangchao , Yang Jiqiao , He Xiujing , Bai Xin , Luo Ya , Bao Yu , Li Huifang , Yang Lie , Xu Mingqing , Song Nan , Su Xiaodong , Xu Jie , Ma Xuelei , Shi Hubing
Published: February 2022

The adenoma-carcinoma sequence is a well-accepted roadmap for the development of sporadic colorectal cancer. However, cellular heterogeneity in aberrant epithelial cells limits our understanding of carcinogenesis in colorectal tissues. Here, we performed a single-cell RNA sequencing survey of 54,788 cells from patient-matched tissue samples, including blood, normal tissue, para-cancer, polyp, and colorectal cancer. At each stage of carcinogenesis, we characterized cell types, transcriptional signatures, and differentially expressed genes of distinct cell populations. The molecular signatures of epithelial cells at normal, benign, and malignant stages were defined at the single-cell scale. Adenoma and carcinoma precursor cell populations were identified and characterized followed by validation with large cohort biopsies. Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) BMX and HCK were identified as potential drivers of adenoma initiation. Specific BMX and HCK upregulations were observed in adenoma precursor cell populations from normal and adenoma biopsies. Overexpression of BMX and HCK significantly promoted colorectal epithelial cell proliferation. Importantly, in the organoid culture system, BMX and HCK upregulations resulted in the formation of multilayered polyp-like buds protruding towards the organoid lumen, mimicking the pathological polyp morphology often observed in colorectal cancer. Molecular mechanism analysis revealed that upregulation of BMX or HCK activated the JAK-STAT pathway. In conclusion, our work improved the current knowledge regarding colorectal epithelial evolution during carcinogenesis at the single-cell resolution. These findings may lead to improvements in colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Asymmetric, amphiphilic RGD conjugated phthalocyanine for targeted photodynamic therapy of triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Li Rui , Zhou Yiming , Liu Yijia , Jiang Xingpeng , Zeng Wenlong , Gong Zhuoran , Zheng Gang , Sun Desheng , Dai Zhifei
Published: February 2022

Targeted photodynamic therapy (TPDT) is considered superior to conventional photodynamic therapy due to the enhanced uptake of photosensitizers by tumor cells. In this paper, an amphiphilic and asymmetric cyclo-Arg-Gly-Asp-d-Tyr-Lys(cRGDyK)-conjugated silicon phthalocyanine (RSP) was synthesized by covalently attaching the tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) to silicone phthalocyanine in the axial direction for TPDT of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). RSP was characterized by spectroscopy as a monomer in physiological buffer. Meanwhile, the modification of RSP with RGD led to a high accumulation of the photosensitizer in TNBC cells overexpressing ανβ3 integrin receptors which can bind RGD, greatly reducing the risk of phototoxicity. In vitro photodynamic experiments showed that the IC50 of RSP was 295.96 nM in the 4T1 cell line, which caused significant apoptosis of the tumor cells. The tumor inhibition rate of RSP on the orthotopic murine TNBC achieved 74%, while the untargeted photosensitizer exhibited no obvious tumor inhibition. Overall, such novel targeted silicon phthalocyanine has good potential for clinical translation due to its simple synthesis route, strong targeting, and high therapeutic efficacy for TPDT treatment of TNBC.
Immunoarchitectural patterns as potential prognostic factors for invasive ductal breast cancer
Authors: Du Xue , Zhou Zhe , Shao Yun , Qian Kun , Wu Yongfang , Zhang Jun , Cui Miao , Wang Jingjing , Wang Shengqi , Tai Yanhong
Published: February 2022

Currently, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in invasive breast cancers are assessed solely on the basis of their number, whereas their spatial distribution is rarely investigated. Therefore, we evaluated TILs in 579 patients with invasive breast cancer of no special type (IBC-NST) with a focus on their spatial distributions in tumor center (TC) and invasive margin (IM). We also assessed a new factor, namely para-tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (PILs) in the para-tumor lobular area (Para). Five immunoarchitectural patterns (IPs) were observed, which were significantly associated with clinicopathological features, especially molecular subtypes, histological grades, clinical stages, and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. High-TIL density (IP1/2) correlated with favorable disease-free survival (DFS) in TNBC patients (p = 0.04), but opposite results were observed for luminal B subtype patients (both the lowest TIL and PIL densities (IP5) correlated with good DFS, p = 0.013). Luminal B patients with high TILs in the IM and low TILs in the TC (IP3) exhibited the worst DFS, whereas those with low TILs (similar to IP5) and high PILs (IP4) exhibited poor DFS. We also identified TIL subpopulations with significantly different IPs. Our findings suggest that IP can be a potential prognostic factor for tumor immunity in IBC.