bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Murakami’s Strange Library
Authors: Perkins Chris
Published: September 2022

Libraries figure in the novels of Haruki Murakami, but not much has been said about what they represent. To address this gap, this chapter explores Murakami’s first exploration of libraries in his 1982 short story ‘The Strange Library’ (‘Toshokan kitan’). Viewing the story as an important step in the development of Murakami’s aesthetic approach to the postmodern Japan of the 1980s, and situating the story within the history of libraries in Japan, this chapter shows how Murakami uses the image of the subterranean library to investigate the violence that lurks beneath the consensus order of hyper-capitalist Japan, and to ask questions about how that order has shaped post-war Japanese subjectivity. What emerges is a bleak assessment of the condition of the subject in the face of power and violence: a theme that Murakami has subsequently grappled with over and over again through the course of his career.
Introduction
Authors: Sepielli Andrew
Published: September 2022

This chapter explains what pragmatist quietism is and summarizes my argument for it. It begins by offering the reader an intuitive understanding of quietism, and then suggests that previous defences of quietism have not adequately dispelled the mystery surrounding the view. It then presents the main argument of the book through a series of refinements. The first approximation of the main argument is that quietism about ethics is correct because ethical disputes are non-substantive. This is jettisoned in favour of a second approximation, on which only so-called ‘superficial’ ethical disputes are non-substantive; it is claimed that the sorts of disputes that we ordinarily take to be the subject matter of normative ethics are superficial. This approximation, in turn, is jettisoned in favour of the true argument of the book, which is that quietism is correct not because superficial ethical disputes are non-substantive, but because they do not afford so-called ‘truthy’ values. Pragmatism, the method of inquiry on which the inquirer endeavours to guide his beliefs by considerations of value, is presented as a way to buttress this main argument. The chapter concludes with a chapter-by-chapter guide to the rest of the book.
Moral Epistemology
Authors: Sepielli Andrew
Published: September 2022

This chapter traces out the implications of meta-ethical view defended in this book, and of quietism more broadly, for questions in moral epistemology. It begins by cataloguing some cases in which normative-ethical inquiry has been distorted by philosophers who have mistakenly treated metaphysics, semantics, and so on, as relevant to first-order ethics. The chapter then considers the upshots of pragmatist quietism for the question of how, if at all, to modify one’s ethical beliefs in the face of others’ disagreement. It then addresses the related issue of how much toleration we should extend to those whose ethical views we judge to be mistaken. It concludes by showing how the pragmatist quietism defended in this book is better equipped than some other objectivist views to reply to evolutionary and other debunking arguments.
Introduction “Power beside the office of a pulpit”
Authors: Prakas Tessie
Published: September 2022

Poetic Priesthood begins with an Introduction on the development and broader poetic legacy of post-Reformation English psalmody. The formally regular Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter, used widely for liturgical psalm-singing by the late 1500s, presents a striking contrast to other popular psalm translations whose intricacy often rendered them unsuitable for liturgical use. Through a reading of the Sidney Psalter, however, the Introduction suggests that Mary Sidney presents herself as performing a ministerial function in and though formal complexity. Constrained by her sex from entering into any more practical ministerial role, Sidney’s poetic priesthood set the stage for the compositional practices of male authors who could and did take orders. The second half of the Introduction argues that these authors tended simultaneously to invoke and to distance their poetry from organized religious practice, although that distancing typically occurs through subtle formal gestures rather than explicit critique. These formal gestures promote by poetic means the emphasis on the individual’s relationship with God that was central to Reformed worship. The poets in this study undertake the work of Reform primarily through what Ben Burton and Elizabeth Scott-Baumann, following Ellen Rooney, have called “the work of form”—a phrase that for them encourages recognition of “the ways in which form is created by readers as well as authors.” These poets present form to their readers as a structure through which they can more fully conceive of their individual relationships to their divine creator.
On or About 1820
Authors: Joyce Simon
Published: September 2022

This chapter focuses on three recovered stories of same-sex desire among women that were developing independently of each other around the year 1820: the secret diaries of the wealthy Yorkshire lesbian Anne Lister; the Edinburgh libel case brought by two teachers, Jane Pirie and Marianne Woods, accusing concerned parents of ruining their reputation and livelihood; and the marriage in all but name of two Vermont women, Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake. Reading across these stories helps us recognize different lesbian identities in formation decades before sexology posited the modern homosexual, but it is also to see the fissures and faultlines in that identity. If collectively these stories suggest something other than a singular narrative of sexual identity, their conjunction around 1820 helps to identify a diversity of models for conceptualizing same-sex desire in the early-nineteenth century and a set of questions that underpin LGBT Victorians as a whole. How might emergent sexual identities have grounded themselves in older forms of gender transitivity, and how might they not? How were sexual practices thought to have been scripted on the body, or to reshape the bodies involved? How does a gendered binary of masculine/feminine reconfigure or obscure other relational inequities that had their basis in factors like age, class, or education?
Food Security in Punjab
Authors: Narang Harpreet Kaur
Published: September 2022

The second part of the book has two chapters that focus primarily on the ‘Availability of’ and ‘Access to’, food security in Punjab. The goal is two-fold. The first goal is to view the macro picture by investigating Punjab’s position within the national and international context, while the second goal is to get down to the micro or individual level with respect to the two parameters of food security. Food security in Punjab is investigated in this and the subsequent chapters, by investigating the various dimensions of present and potential food security based on the historical evolution of the concept. Consequently, after briefly introducing the administrative structure and the resource endowments of Punjab, we take a brief look at the macroeconomic indicators that affect the present food security measured in terms of ‘availability’.
Whupping, Paddling, Smacking
Authors: Erickson Christina L.
Published: September 2022

Research on the occurrence and frequency of spanking began more than 100 years ago. Studies on social groups and spanking are reviewed alongside data collected every other year since 1986 showing that most parents across the United States spank. The influence of income, race, and gender are reviewed. The chapter also explores who gets spanked the most and when. Caveats of decades of research, along with unique findings, show the range of questions asked about spanking. Data reveal that more parents spank than fess up to it, blurring the lines of who spanks and naming spanking as a nearly universal parental experience. Ways that spanking research explores and ignores questions are considered, laying the groundwork for the rest of the book.
Limits, Laws, and Little Mary Ellen
Authors: Erickson Christina L.
Published: September 2022

The story of Little Mary Ellen, the first child protection case in the United States, highlights the tensions between the rights of parents to discipline as they choose and the public desire to keep children safe from harm. This chapter explores the discovery of the battered child syndrome, the implementation of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, and parent-led efforts to assure the safety of children such as Parents Anonymous. The difficulties of parental judgment in spanking are considered along with the challenging work of child protection social workers. Research on parents who abuse and those who don’t is compared. These concepts are evaluated against modern-day tensions reflected in laws that allow parents to hit children up until the point of harm. Legal language for each state is included in the Appendix A.
In the Privacy of the Home
Authors: Erickson Christina L.
Published: September 2022

Inside the family home is where most spanking occurs, and it is here in which families develop their own family culture and rituals on hitting. The growing lack of family privacy due to social media, the influence of armchair experts who weigh in on spanking, and the interventions of professionals are shared through real-life stories. Stress experienced outside of our home, such as work and economic factors, influence spanking behaviors of parents and how parents perceive their children. Internal stress such as our expectations for family life, competition for the perfect family, and our love for our children and their well-being are some of the reasons parents spank. The cycles of circular causality families may find themselves in, and may be unaware of, are described. The debate about spanking in anger or calm and disagreements between parents shows the complexity of spanking that can occur inside a family’s home.
Leaving Spanking Where It Belongs
Authors: Erickson Christina L.
Published: September 2022

Spanking is not good for anyone. A parent who leads their family well and exercises that authority for the greater good of the family welcomes respect, collaboration, and their own growth along with their child’s. The chapter provides thoughtful questions to guide the reader in determining options for helping children learn and helping parents discern what is right for them. Policy changes such as ending school corporal punishment in the United States are suggested. A call for professionals to name spanking what it is—hitting—and identify it as abusive is another step in ending the hitting of children.
Mathematics
Authors: Ouellette Jennifer
Published: September 2022

In this chapter, Jennifer Ouellette, science and culture reporter for Ars Technica and the author of three popular books on mathematics, explores the difficulty and the pleasure of reporting on numbers. The most critical thing is not to be intimidated by the subject matter, she emphasizes. Journalists need to show general readers that those abstract symbols hold real meaning. Avoid technical jargon and only use equations in rare cases. Make connections between the abstract ideas and real-world contexts familiar to readers. Visualizations and telling lots of stories can make even the most difficult topics palatable. Keep sentences short and simple when breaking down the technical details and save elegantly ornate phrases for the surrounding narrative framework. The world is filled with hidden connections, recurring patterns, and counterintuitive truths that can only be seen through math-colored glasses. As Galileo once observed, “Nature’s great book is written in mathematical symbols.” It’s up to science writers to make a compelling case to that effect.
Musical Selves
Authors: Carlson Licia
Published: September 2022

This chapter explores how musical experience (for composers, performers, and musical witnesses alike) contributes to the sonification of the self in three distinct ways: through self-knowledge, self-expression, and restoring the self. Musical experience (for both performers and witnesses) contributes to specific forms of self-knowledge related to embodiment, temporal existence, vulnerability, cognition, and emotion. Music also allows for distinct forms of creative expression and communication. Finally, musical experience can be restorative by calling forth a self that has receded, and can provide forms of comfort, empowerment, and “asylum.” The chapter then explores what it means to “perform disability” through music and reconsiders these three dimensions of the sonified self in the context of cognitive and intellectual disability.
The Major Contenders of Modernity
Authors: Gat Azar
Published: September 2022

This chapter examines the three “classical” ideologies of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: liberalism, socialism, and fascism. While ostensibly secular, they have been widely characterized as “secular religions” or “religion substitutes”. Their adherents exhibit a strong resistance to recognize and accept factual claims that appear to be at odds with the ideological creed, which often makes such a creed almost impervious to evidence. They show high levels of conformity, devotion, and partisanship to the creed. Potentially valid claims from other perspectives—and other ideological creeds—simply do not register. Secular ideologies have taken over from the religious ones the human quest for meaning and, in some ways, salvation. Connection to the world’s logos, to the universal, and to fate itself are widely and deeply felt. The central interpretive narratives of the ideological creed—often standing on a shaky factual basis—become sanctified myths. Core values and norms are treated as sacred. Challenging them appears almost blasphemous. As the twentieth century drew to a close, the triumph of capitalist liberal democracy and the “End of History” were widely proclaimed. However, the rise of China and the crisis of democracy suggest that the struggle between the classical ideologies of modernity has reopened. Furthermore, the ideological rivalry within the liberal democracies themselves has flared up with surprising ferocity.
Sudan's Unfinished Democracy
Authors: Berridge Willow , de Waal Alex , Lynch Justin
Published: September 2022

This book tells the story of the Sudanese revolution of 2019; of how it succeeded in bringing down the long-standing rule of President Omar al-Bashir; and of the troubled transitional civilian-led government that was installed in his place. It sets the scrupulously non-violent uprising in its historical context, showing how the protesters drew upon the precedents of earlier civic revolutions and adapted their practices to the challenges of the al-Bashir regime. The book also explores how that regime was brought to its knees through its inability to manage the intersecting economic and political crises caused by the secession of South Sudan and the loss of oil revenue, alongside the uncontrolled expansion of a sprawling security apparatus. The civilian protesters called for--and expected--a total transformation of Sudanese politics, but they found themselves grappling with a still-dominant cabal of generals, who had powerful regional backers and a strong hold over the economy. Internally divided, and faced with a deepening economic crisis, the civilian government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has found itself in office, but with less and less real power, unable to change the conduct of political business as usual.
What’s Happening Now
Authors: Dix Alan , Gill Steve , Hare Jo , Ramduny-Ellis Devina
Published: September 2022

Many areas of study include aspects of physicality in digital research or design. The chapter begins with Weiser’s vision of ubiquitous computing where computation becomes ‘invisible’, seamlessly interwoven into every aspect of life. Sometimes it is in objects that we hold, grasp, or feel (studied by tangible user interfaces and haptic interfaces) and sometimes so close it feels personal: mobile phones, wearable technology, or even within our bodies. In virtual and augmented reality the digital world emulates or sometimes overlays the physical world, but it only affects it through our perceptions. However, in robotics and autonomous vehicles the digital world is not only made physical but also active with apparent agency of its own. Finally, the chapter looks at how digital design can now be given physical form through digital fabrication, making physical production as easy as writing in a word processor, which is enabling new communities where digital and physical crafts meet.
Tools, Equipment, and Machines
Authors: Dix Alan , Gill Steve , Hare Jo , Ramduny-Ellis Devina
Published: September 2022

From stone axes to digital computers and prising open a paint can with a spoon handle, humans are natural tool users and tool creators. This chapter shows that the affordance of tools is not innate but linked to the different times and cultures in which we live; part of a constant co-development of artefacts and understanding. Heidegger argued that, for the skilled craftsperson, the ‘equipment’, the assemblage of tools, becomes ‘ready-to-hand’, almost invisible with focus on the job at hand not the tools used to perform it. Breakdown, when the tool becomes apparent, is often a sign of failure or poor design, but we can use this as a positive design heuristic, by understanding the causes of these failures, and preventing them. Paradoxically, it is these points of breakdown, when we become aware of what we are doing, not simply doing it, which can also be the prompt for reflection and innovation.
Comprehension of Space
Authors: Dix Alan , Gill Steve , Hare Jo , Ramduny-Ellis Devina
Published: September 2022

Human understanding of space includes physical properties, but layered with notions of path and place, and shaped by the way our bodies move and this is the subject of this chapter. Three-dimensional space may be experienced as two-dimensional, not just because our eyes flatten the world but because we do not fly and our legs traverse flat surfaces. In our heads we have different models of close and distant space, giving rise to different forms of maps and plans: digital maps typically favour mathematical Cartesian representations, but there are times when more human interpretations are needed. Space and culture intermix: physical locations become socially rich places, lines and routes relate to stories and journeys; even basic perception is shaped by the sharp edges or organic curves of our upbringing. The design of virtual worlds may enable them to become lived, social places, and the design of physical spaces may lead them to become socially barren non-places.
Digital Augmentation of Space
Authors: Dix Alan , Gill Steve , Hare Jo , Ramduny-Ellis Devina
Published: September 2022

Humans have always used technology to control space, from simple huts to shut out the weather to the telephone that allows us to talk between continents. This chapter looks at how digital technology amplifies existing means of control but goes beyond as the computer now infuses space itself: from CCTV cameras, to Internet kettles, digital technology is embedded into the very fabric of our lives. At a personal level, mobile phones allow access to people and resources from anywhere, but they also allow the world to be marked and interrogated through social network check-ins and geographic search. Public displays create new roles, new interaction potential, and new ways to conceive privacy. Beyond the screen, mixed reality makes space itself the interface, where movement is interaction, and the chapter addresses computation that is literally all around us. However, these technologies that link space globally can also enable us to rediscover the local.
Embodied Computation
Authors: Dix Alan , Gill Steve , Hare Jo , Ramduny-Ellis Devina
Published: September 2022

Computation itself seems immaterial, but whether on your smartphone or in ‘the cloud’, it is very physical: electrons moving on silicon wafer, photons streaming along optical fibres. This chapter explores this physicality of computation. Physics puts fundamental limitations on computation, and the chapter shows how this means that computation and information must come together at the same point in time and space. Practically, we have not reached these limits, Moore’s Law drives the miniaturization and commoditization of computation, which in turn enables radical changes including the Internet of Things and even coating every surface with a computation. In robots, autonomous vehicles, drones, and Alexa in the living room computation is physically amongst us. However, physical computation has been around for many years: the success of market economies is due to the physical representation of information in money, a role that is now changing with digital currency and online commerce.
Connecting Physical and Digital Worlds
Authors: Dix Alan , Gill Steve , Hare Jo , Ramduny-Ellis Devina
Published: September 2022

In language we link our thoughts to the physical world through names, symbols, and pointing. Similarly, there need to be means for the digital and physical worlds to connect. This chapter looks at the various ways in which this is managed from markers, such as the ubiquitous QR code, inserted into the physical world, to digital traces of physical phenomena, such as biometrics or image recognition. Some of the marks in the environment are purely digital, such as NFC tags in clothes or credit cards, invisible to the human eye but capable of tracking a device or person. Others are more apparent and indeed may be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. Devices around us may be isolated, but they increasingly talk to one another, creating a web of sensing, or maybe surveillance. Crucially, once linked to digital representations they allow the physical world to affect the digital.
Design Lessons and Advice
Authors: Dix Alan , Gill Steve , Hare Jo , Ramduny-Ellis Devina
Published: September 2022

This chapter discusses the tools and approaches available to designers of computer-embedded devices organized as five practical lessons. Lesson 1 considers the role of four common design tools as thinking tools in the design process. Lesson 2 examines the role physicality and context play in design, from wind-accelerating skyscrapers to toilet locks and coffee bars. Lesson 3 deals with the use of the physical as a tool to facilitate a human approach through a stronger appreciation of the way we interact with artefacts in our daily lives. Lesson 4 moves from the literal physical world and its role as a design tool to more abstracted uses of physicality. Finally, Lesson 5 returns to previously explored aspects of physicality in computer-embedded devices and how these can play out in the design world.
The Interest Theory of Rights at the MarginsPosthumous Rights
Authors: Bowen Joseph
Published: September 2022

This chapter takes up whether the dead are potential right-holders on the Interest Theory of rights, as well as laying clear how we should approach the question of whether other entities are potential right-holders on the Interest Theory. It argues the dead are potential right-holders on the Interest Theory, but that Matthew Kramer’s argument for this thesis is not very convincing. This is because Kramer’s argument looks in the wrong place by focusing only on the ways in which the dead figure in the lives of the living. Instead, this chapter argues we should focus on the nature of the interests of the dead themselves. It suggests that the dead have interests (and that the dead’s interests matter for rights) for much the same reason that the living have interests. Along the way, we work through several choice-points for the Interest Theory, including a taxonomy of different accounts of interests and interests’ relation to the Interest Theory.
Are Legal Positivism and the Interest Theory of Rights Compatible?
Authors: Kurki Visa A.J.
Published: September 2022

The Whanganui River has recently been declared a legal person and a right-holder according to New Zealand legislation. However, many theorists propounding the interest theory of rights, such as Matthew Kramer and Joseph Raz, would deny that rivers can hold rights. Their denial is based on moral considerations: rivers are not morally ultimately valuable and therefore not capable of holding rights. Both Kramer and Raz are also legal positivists, subscribing to the separability of law and morality. How can they at the same time insist on this separability and deny legal rights to rivers on moral grounds? The essay analyses this tension between legal positivism and the interest theory, focusing on Kramer’s views. It concludes that, though the alliance is not completely unproblematic, it is ultimately sustainable.
Ecuador
Authors: Calvert Julia
Published: September 2022

Ecuador has faced twenty-five legal claims under international investment agreements (IIAs). Yet, policymakers did not strengthen their compliance. Instead, Ecuador withdrew from the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes and terminated investment treaties. This chapter asks: why would a country infringe repeatedly on its IIA commitments despite rising costs? And what drove Ecuador to terminate IIAs despite its dependence on foreign investment? The chapter traces infringement and reform preferences to the programmatic beliefs of the Correa administration. Policymakers espoused a commitment to buen vivir and twenty-first-century socialism. While they embraced the private sector, they placed social objectives above the profit motive of corporate actors. In the oil sector, policymakers prioritized wealth redistribution over the potential costs of infringement and restructured the terms upon which investors operated in the market. Their ability to advance similar policies in mining was eroded by weak bargaining power and capital flight. These conditions did not prevent treaty terminations. Policymakers believed that, as it stood, there was no room to advance social and economic transformations under investment treaties. Social opposition to privatization and Correa’s political popularity provided conducive conditions for treaty exit. Still, institutional and diplomatic hurdles slowed the pace of reform.
Peru
Authors: Calvert Julia
Published: September 2022

At least twenty-seven claims have been filed against Peru under international investment agreements (IIAs). Still, the government continues to deepen its legal commitments to foreign investors. This chapter addresses two related questions: why would a government deeply committed to investment protection attract so many claims? And why have these claims failed to generate more substantive reform efforts? It finds that weak institutions, corruption, and social opposition to investment projects underpinned cases of investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS). Peru has won more cases than it has lost and continues to attract foreign investment. Yet Peru’s preferences for strong investment protections and ISDS reflect more than just net benefits. Investor rights were embedded into the foundation of Peru’s legal system in the 1990s and maintained across changes in government by technocrats and economic elites who dominate reform debates. These actors have greater faith in the wealth-generating effects and redistributive benefits of market forces than of state intervention in the economy. They perceive few sovereignty costs in the agreements and interpret the state’s experience under IIAs in ways that reflect their preference for liberal investment markets. The narratives they construct about the causes and consequences of investor claims explain the state’s reform preferences.
Gaia DR2 and EDR3 data and evolutionary status of post-AGB stars with high radial velocities
Authors: Aoki Wako , Matsuno Tadafumi , Parthasarathy Mudumba
Published: September 2022

Using the Gaia Data Release 2 (DR2) and Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) data and list of post-AGB candidates, we investigate the parallax, proper motion, and binarity for 20 post-AGB stars and candidates that have high radial velocities. From their Gaia distances, their luminosities and kinematics are derived. The evolutionary status of these stars is discussed from their location on the post-AGB evolutionary tracks. Nine stars are confirmed to be post-AGB stars that have initial main-sequence masses of around one or two solar masses. From their kinematics information, two objects among them are identified to belong clearly to the halo population, suggesting low mass. We discuss the origin and evolutionary status of other objects in the sample of this work with high radial velocities.
Do Responsible Investors Invest Responsibly?
Authors: Gibson Brandon Rajna , Glossner Simon , Krueger Philipp , Matos Pedro , Steffen Tom
Published: September 2022

We study whether institutional investors that sign the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a commitment to responsible investing, exhibit better portfolio-level environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores. Signatories outside of the USA have superior ESG scores than nonsignatories, but US signatories have at best similar ESG ratings, and worse scores if they have underperformed recently, are retail-client facing, and joined the PRI late. US signatories do not improve the ESG scores of portfolio companies after investing in them. Commercial motives, uncertainty about fiduciary duties, and lower ESG market maturity explain why US-domiciled PRI signatories do not follow through on their responsible investment commitments.
A Combination of QTL Mapping and GradedPool-Seq to Dissect Genetic Complexity for Gibberella Ear Rot Resistance in Maize Using an IBM Syn10 DH Population
Authors: Yuan Guangsheng , Li Youliang , He Dandan , Shi Jiaxin , Yang Yan , Du Juan , Zou Chaoying , Ma Langlang , Pan Guangtang , Shen Yaou
Published: September 2022

Gibberella ear rot (GER) caused by Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph Gibberella zeae) is one of the most devastating maize diseases that reduces grain yield and quality worldwide. Utilization of host genetic resistance has become one of the most suitable strategies to control GER. In this study, a set of 246 diverse inbred lines derived from the intermated B 73 × Mo 17 doubled haploid population (IBM Syn10 DH) were used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to GER. Meanwhile, a GradedPool-Seq (GPS) approach was performed to identify genomic variations involved in GER resistance. Using artificial inoculation across multiple environments, GER severity of the population was observed with wide phenotypic variation. Based on the linkage mapping, a total of 14 resistant QTLs were detected, accounting for 5.11 to 14.87% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. In GPS analysis, five significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with GER resistance were identified. Combining QTL mapping and GPS analysis, a peak-value SNP on chromosome 4 from GPS was overlapped with the QTL qGER4.2, suggesting that the colocalized region could be the most possible target location conferring resistance to GER. Subsequently, seven candidate genes were identified within the peak SNP, linking them to GER resistance. These findings are useful for exploring the complicated genetic variations in maize GER resistance. The genomic regions and genes identified herein provide a list of candidate targets for further investigation, in addition to the combined strategy that can be used for quantitative traits in plant species.
Dehydration in geriatrics: consequences and practical guidelines
Authors: Lambert Kelly , Carey Sharon
Published: September 2022

Purpose of review

Geriatric dehydration is a widespread and under recognized problem. The purpose of this review was to examine the latest evidence regarding geriatric dehydration and provide practical guidance for health professionals.

Recent findings

This review covers evidence from the past 2 years and shows that geriatric dehydration is not benign and is associated with significant personal distress, as well as negative economic and health system consequences. New guidance on nutrition and hydration in the elderly recommend against the use of skin turgor, dry mouth, urine colour or specific gravity to determine hydration status in the elderly. Instead, serum osmolality is considered the gold standard.

Strategies to prevent and manage geriatric dehydration should differ depending on aetiology (low intake, volume depletion or both). Widespread dissemination and implementation of innovative strategies that target improved access to fluids, and systems change to enable rapid and accurate identification and treatment are required.
The Classic, the Trendy, and the Refashioned: A Primer for Pathologists on What Is New in Familial Endocrine Tumor Syndromes
Authors: Ababneh Emad , Nosé Vania
Published: September 2022

Familial endocrine tumor syndromes are continuously expanding owing to the growing role of genetic testing in routine clinical practice. Pathologists are usually the first on the clinical team to encounter these syndromes at their initial presentation; thus, recognizing them is becoming more pivotal in routine pathology practice to help in properly planning management and further family testing. Our increasing knowledge about them is reflected in the newer syndromes included in the new World Health Organization classification and in the evolving discovery of new endocrine tumors and new familial associations. In many of these syndromes, the clinical features and co-occurrence of multiple neoplasia are the only clues (multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes). In other syndromes, specific morphologic findings (pituitary blastoma and DICER1 syndrome, cribriform morular thyroid carcinoma, and AFP syndrome) and available ancillary studies (SDHB in SDH-deficient tumor syndromes) can aid pathologists. The aim of this review is to provide a primer on recent updates on familial endocrine tumor syndromes and related tumors, focusing on recent classification changes or tumor syndromes where a clearer role for pathologists is at play.
Measuring the Predictive Accuracy of Preoperative Clinical Frailty Instruments Applied to Electronic Health Data in Older Patients Having Emergency General Surgery
Authors: Grudzinski Alexa L. , Aucoin Sylvie , Talarico Robert , Moloo Husein , Lalu Manoj M. , McIsaac Daniel I.
Published: September 2022

Objective:

To compare predictive accuracy of frailty instruments operationalizable in electronic data for prognosticating outcomes among older adults undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS).

Background:

Older patients undergoing EGS are at higher risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Preoperative frailty is a common and strong perioperative risk factor in this population. Despite this, existing barriers preclude routine preoperative frailty assessment.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults above 65 undergoing EGS from 2012 to 2018 using Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) provincial healthcare data in Ontario, Canada. We compared 4 frailty instruments: Frailty Index (FI), Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS), Risk Analysis Index-Administrative (RAI), ACG Frailty-defining diagnoses indicator (ACG). We compared predictive accuracy beyond baseline risk models (age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists’ score, procedural risk). Predictive performance was measured using discrimination, calibration, explained variance, net reclassification index and Brier score (binary outcomes); using explained variance, root mean squared error and mean absolute prediction error (continuous outcomes). Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were 365-day mortality, nonhome discharge, days alive at home, length of stay, and 30-day and 365-day health systems cost.

Results:

A total of 121,095 EGS patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 11,422 (9.4%) experienced death 30 days postoperatively. Addition of FI, HFRS, and RAI to the baseline model led to improved discrimination, net reclassification index, and R
2; RAI demonstrated the largest improvements.

Conclusions:

Adding 4 frailty instruments to typically assessed preoperative risk factors demonstrated strong predictive performance in accurately prognosticating perioperative outcomes. These findings can be considered in developing automated risk stratification systems among older EGS patients.
dRNASb: a systems biology approach to decipher dynamics of host-pathogen interactions using temporal dual RNA-seq data
Authors: Dinarvand Mojdeh , Koch Forrest C. , Al Mouiee Daniel , Vuong Kaylee , Vijayan Abhishek , Tanzim Afia Fariha , Azad A. K. M. , Penesyan Anahit , Castaño-Rodríguez Natalia , Vafaee Fatemeh
Published: September 2022

Infection triggers a dynamic cascade of reciprocal events between host and pathogen wherein the host activates complex mechanisms to recognise and kill pathogens while the pathogen often adjusts its virulence and fitness to avoid eradication by the host. The interaction between the pathogen and the host results in large-scale changes in gene expression in both organisms. Dual RNA-seq, the simultaneous detection of host and pathogen transcripts, has become a leading approach to unravelling complex molecular interactions between the host and the pathogen and is particularly informative for intracellular organisms. The amount of in vitro and in vivo dual RNA-seq data is rapidly growing, which demands computational pipelines to effectively analyse such data. In particular, holistic, systems-level, and temporal analyses of dual RNA-seq data are essential to enable further insights into the host-pathogen transcriptional dynamics and potential interactions. Here, we developed an integrative network-driven bioinformatics pipeline, dRNASb, a systems biology-based computational pipeline to analyse temporal transcriptional clusters, incorporate molecular interaction networks (e.g. protein-protein interactions), identify topologically and functionally key transcripts in host and pathogen, and associate host and pathogen temporal transcriptome to decipher potential between-species interactions. The pipeline is applicable to various dual RNA-seq data from different species and experimental conditions. As a case study, we applied dRNASb to analyse temporal dual RNA-seq data of

Salmonella

-infected human cells, which enabled us to uncover genes contributing to the infection process and their potential functions and to identify putative associations between host and pathogen genes during infection. Overall, dRNASb has the potential to identify key genes involved in bacterial growth or host defence mechanisms for future uses as therapeutic targets.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Bacteria Isolated from The Ozama River in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Authors: Bonnelly Roberto , Cavalcante Ana Lídia Q. , Del Rosario Zorrilla Camila , Calderón Victor V. , Duarte Albert , Baraúna Rafael , Ramos Rommel T. , Rodriguez Yaset , Rodriguez de Francisco Luis E. , Maroto Luis O. , Perdomo Omar P. , Franco Edian F.
Published: September 2022

The dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in environmental waters is an emerging concern in medical and industrial settings. In the present study, our research team analyzed superficial water samples from 3 different collection sites along the Ozama River, the most important river in the Dominican metropolitan area. Seventy-six isolates were obtained from culture media previously enriched with cefotaxime and imipenem and subsequently identified by MALDI-ToF. Our isolates spanned 12 genera of bacteria; over 30% were of clinical relevance, and 43% exhibited a phenotype classified as multi-drug resistance. The most frequent species identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 33), an emerging nosocomial pathogen. This study constitutes part of the initiative to understand the profiles of the perils of multi-drug resistance in metropolitan areas of the Dominican Republic: a nation with poor antibiotic use regulation.

IMPORTANCE

Nearly two billion people are sourcing their water from low-quality reservoirs world-wide. These reservoirs consist of contaminated waters with anthropogenic pollutants such as antibiotics, disinfectants, and other substances used to treat water in societies with scarce resources and unregulated industries. Furthermore, the exposure of these antibiotics to potable water reservoirs promotes the increase of clinically relevant bacteria with antibiotic-resistance capabilities, becoming a public health crisis. Therefore, treating patients with infectious diseases and providing prophylactic measures against infection-associated conditions (such as post-surgical recovery) has become progressively more difficult. Based on this evidence frame, it is of considerable importance to analyze the bacterial profiles of rivers that fall prey to anthropogenic contamination, as these investigations on antibiotic resistance will, of course, benefit the life of humans.
Stroke recovery-related changes in cortical reactivity based on modulation of intracortical inhibition
Authors: Harquel Sylvain , Cadic-Melchior Andéol , Morishita Takuya , Fleury Lisa , Witon Adrien , Ceroni Martino , Brügger Julia , Meyer Nathalie H. , Evangelista Giorgia G. , Egger Philip , Beanato Elena , Menoud Pauline , Van de Ville Dimitri , Micera Silvestro , Blanke Olaf , Léger Bertrand , Adolphsen Jan , Jagella Caroline , Constantin Christophe , Alvarez Vincent , Vuadens Philippe , Turlan Jean-Luc , Mühl Andreas , Millán Diego San , Bonvin Christophe , Koch Philipp J. , Wessel Maximilian J. , Hummel Friedhelm C.
Published: September 2022

Objective

Cortical excitation/inhibition dynamics have been suggested as a key mechanism occurring after stroke. Their supportive or maladaptive role in the course of recovery is still not completely understood. Here, we used TMS-EEG coupling to study cortical reactivity and intracortical GABAergic inhibition, as well as their relationship to residual motor function and recovery longitudinally in a large cohort of stroke patients.

Methods

EEG responses evoked by TMS applied to the ipsilesional motor cortex were acquired in 66 stroke patients in the acute (1-week), subacute (3-weeks) and early chronic (3-months) stage. Readouts of cortical reactivity and intracortical inhibition were drawn from TMS-evoked potentials induced by single pulse and paired pulse TMS. Residual function of the upper limb was quantified through a detailed motor evaluation.

Results

Most affected patients exhibited larger and simpler brain reactivity patterns. Bayesian statistics revealed a link between abnormally high motor cortical excitability in the acute stage and impairment level, while a decrease of excitability in the following months was related to better motor recovery. The investigation of the intracortical GABAergic inhibitory system using paired pulse TMS revealed the presence of a beneficial disinhibition in the acute stage, followed by a normalization of inhibitory activity.

Interpretation

The present results revealed an abnormal motor cortical reactivity in stroke patients, which was driven by perturbations and longitudinal changes within the intracortical inhibition system. They support the view that disinhibition in the ipsilesional motor cortex during the first week post-stroke is beneficial and promotes neuronal plasticity and recovery.
Anthropogenic supply of nutrients in a wildlife reserve may compromise conservation success
Authors: Abraham Andrew J , Duvall Ethan , le Roux Elizabeth , Ganswindt Andre , Clauss Marcus , Doughty Christopher , Webster Andrea
Published: September 2022

In nutrient-poor wildlife reserves it has become common-place to provide supplemental mineral resources for wildlife. Yet, the impacts of anthropogenic mineral supplementation on community-wide wildlife nutrition, behaviour and subsequent impact on ecosystem processes remain poorly understood. Here, we examine the contribution of anthropogenic mineral lick provision to wildlife nutrient intake across a community of large mammals (>10kg) in the southern Kalahari Desert. Based on predicted daily nutrient requirements and a faecal nutrient assessment, large herbivores appear deficient in phosphorus (P), sodium (Na) and zinc (Zn). For these nutrients, anthropogenic salt and mineral licks constitute an important (>10%) source of nutrient intake helping to reduce or overcome requirement deficits. Larger-bodied species disproportionately consumed licks (p<0.01), acquiring more nutritional benefits. A comprehensive assessment of animal body condition indicated that in general large herbivores display good health. However, bulk grazers, hindgut fermenters and females were more likely to display signs of malnourishment. We discuss how provisioning of anthropogenic mineral licks may be inflating large herbivore populations beyond the long-term carrying capacity of the reserve, with subsequent impacts for ecosystem integrity and herbivore population instability. Based on results presented here, it is clear that anthropogenic provision of mineral licks should be considered carefully by wildlife managers aiming to conserve or restore natural processes in conservation and rewilding landscapes.
Modelling of tuna around fish aggregating devices: the importance of ocean flow and prey
Authors: Nooteboom Peter D. , Scutt Phillips Joe , Kehl Christian , Nicol Simon , van Sebille Erik
Published: September 2022

Catch and distribution of tuna in the ocean are typically investigated with ocean basin-scale models. Due to their large scale, such models must greatly simplify tuna behaviour occurring at a scale below ∼100 km, despite interactions at this level potentially being important to both catch and distribution of tuna. For example, the associative behaviour of tuna with man-made floating objects, that are deployed by fishers to improve their catch rates (Fish Aggregating Devices; FADs), are usually ignored or simplified. Here we present a model that can be used to investigate the influence of tuna dynamics below the ∼100 km scale on larger scales. It is an Agent-Based Model (ABM) of a hypothetical, tuna-like species, that includes their interactions with each other, free-floating FADs and prey. In this ABM, both tuna and FADs are represented by Lagrangian particles that are advected by an ocean flow field, with tuna also exhibiting active swimming based on internal states such as stomach fullness. We apply the ABM in multiple configurations of idealised flow and prey fields, alongside differing interaction strengths between agents. When tuna swimming behaviour is influenced equally by prey and FADs, we find that the model simulations compare well with observations at the ≲ 100 km scale. For instance, compared to observations, tuna particles have a similar stomach fullness when associated or non-associated to a FAD, tuna colonize at similar timescales at FADs after their deployment and tuna particles exhibit similar variations in continuous residence times. However, we find large differences in emergent dynamics such as residence and catch among different flow configurations, because the flow determines the time scale at which tuna encounter FADs. These findings are discussed in the context of directing future research, and an improved interpretation of tuna catch and other data for the sustainable management of these economically important species.