bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two new species of Endecous Saussure, 1878 (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae) from caves in central-western Brazil, with the proposition of a new subgenus to accommodate E. vitreus Bolfarini & Campos, 2023
Authors: CARVALHO PEDRO HENRIQUE MENDES , CASTRO-SOUZA RODRIGO ANTÔNIO , FERREIRA RODRIGO LOPES
Published: October 2023

The genus Endecous (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Phalangopsidae) encompasses over 20 species, grouped into four subgenera: E. (Endecous), E. (Pedroecous), E. (Notendecous), and E. (Ramalhoecous). In this study, we present the description of two novel species belonging to the subgenus Endecous (Endecous) Saussure, 1878 (Phalangopsidae) discovered in caves located within the Serra da Bodoquena region of Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. The descriptions are based on the distinguishing male genitalia characteristics, among other traits. Furthermore, we introduce a new subgenus, namely Endecous (Bodoquenaecous), specifically created to accommodate the recently discovered species E. vitreus, also found in caves within the same area. Initially, E. vitreus was placed under the subgenus Endecous; however, due to its numerous distinct traits, the establishment of a new subgenus became justified. In this study, we also introduce the first pictorial key for the subgenera within the genus Endecous. Additionally, we briefly discuss observed troglomorphic adaptations in species belonging to this genus. Finally, comprehensive ecological observations and conservation status assessments are provided for both newly described species, as well as for E. vitreus.
Revision of the genus Regulaneuria (Ephemeroptera, Heptageniidae,Ecdyonurinae), with description of a new species
Authors: MU PENGXU , HUANG XIAOLEI
Published: October 2023

Regulaneuria Zhou, a genus of Ecdyonurinae endemic to China, is revised. Regulaneuria chongchongae sp. nov., a new species from Hainan Island of southern China, is described and illustrated at all stage. The differentiated characters that distinguish Regulaneuria from its closely related genus Asionurus are also clarified.
Low vitamin D and uric acid status in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Authors: Ren Yuan-Yuan , Wang Yan-Jun , Li Jin-Lan , Liu Mo , Xia Fei
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Growing evidence reported that vitamin D and uric acid metabolism played roles in the occurrence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, an otoconia-related vestibular disorder. We aimed to investigate the serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and uric acid in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and to determine the risk factor for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Methods

This case-control study comprised 182 patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and 182 age- and gender-matched controls. All subjects’ age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), uric acid and serum calcium measurements were analyzed.

Results

We found a female preponderance of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients, with a median of 60 (52–66) years old. The results showed low vitamin D status both in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and controls, with no significant difference of 25(OH)D levels between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients and controls ( P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo had a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and a lower prevalence of vitamin D sufficiency ( P < 0.05). Uric acid was significantly lower in the benign paroxysmal positional vertigo groups ( P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that age and uric acid were considered higher risk predictors for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Conclusion

Our study observed low vitamin D status in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, with no significant differences of the 25(OH)D level in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and controls. Elderly, vitamin D deficiency and low uric acid levels may be risk factors for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo occurrence.
The urbanisation of controlled environment agriculture: Why does it matter for urban studies?
Authors: Marvin Simon , Rickards Lauren , Rutherford Jonathan
Published: October 2023

This paper critically examines why urban studies should be interested in the emergence of controlled environment agriculture. Over the last decade, there has been significant commercial and urban policy interest in controlled environment agriculture systems for producing food in enclosed environments. Furthermore, there has been a significant expansion in research publications on urban controlled environment agriculture, stressing the novel character of these systems and the complex relationships with the conventional concerns of urban agriculture. The paper subjects these claims to critical scrutiny and then reconceptualises urban controlled environment agriculture as an emergent urban infrastructure of artificial, highly productive microclimates and ecosystems for non-human life designed to increase the productive use of ‘surplus or under-utilised’ urban spaces. We argue that controlled environment agriculture tries to secure food production through three spatial–temporal fixes: (1) the enclosure move – holding food closer by substituting the increasingly hostile outdoors for the controlled indoors in order to optimise yield, quality, efficiency and the ‘cleanness’ of the food; (2) the urban move – holding food closer to the city by substituting rural agricultural space for urban space to shorten supply chains and thereby help secure food production and improve its green credentials; and (3) combining 1 and 2, the urban interiorisation move – holding food yet closer still by moving food production into city buildings and intricate infrastructural systems, increasing control by securing total environments. In these ways, the paper shows how urban controlled environment agriculture selectively extends existing logics of urban and rural agriculture and identifies the future research challenges for urban studies.
Prospective geothermal well and heat catchment locations in Nigeria: Remote sensing interpretations and field validation
Authors: Akpan GE , Emetere ME , Afolalu SA , Jen TC
Published: October 2023

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy that is environmentally friendly and will help reduce greenhouse emission resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. Nigeria has numerous geothermal surface manifestations like hot and warm springs in most parts of the country that has not been exploited or explored due to the initial high cost of exploration. Most research conducted on geothermal energy prospects in Nigeria considered specific geographical sections. Due to the geological features of Nigeria, the direct and indirect tectonic activities, there is the need to map the thermal anomalies over Nigeria to determine likely geothermal wells and ground heat catchment in Nigeria. Forty years remote sensing dataset (1980–2019), was obtained from the MERRA-2 for three hundred and two (302) locations across Nigeria. The acquired thermal parameters were processed using known models. The data was also analyzed statistically and spatially using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS). The results of show that the Gummel-Kumaganum areas of chad basin, Owode-igbo ora areas of the Dahomey basin, Belli area of the basement complex in Taraba state, potiskum areas of the Upper benue Basin, Ekpoma-kwale, itu areas of the Niger delta basin are middle geothermal wells with the terrestial radiation of < −702 W/m2 while the terrestial radiation >200 W/m2 in the Gummi area of the sokoto basin, Hunkuyi area of the basement complex in the northeast, Gashua area of the chad basin, Ozubulu-idah area of Anambra basin, Atijere area of the Dahomey basin, Agbasa, Omoko, Akamkpa area of Niger delta basin, Shaki area of the southwest basement complex are heat catchment regions. Other heat catchment areas had been identified for standalone energy generation. Also, the thermal anomalies in those areas were significant. The validation of the result was achieved via benchmarking similar geothermal well around the globe and ground truthing at Ijebu-Ode Nigeria. Based on the thermal reversal depth (TRD) concept, Ijebu-Ode may have a deep geothermal well with temperatures pattern similar to geothermal wells in other parts of the globe. It is recommended that ground measurement should be carried out in the basement complex to cater for geothermal systems whose mechanism is based on conduction.
Interactive Effects of CEOs’ Firm-Specific Experience and Versatile Experiences on Pursuit of New Growth Opportunity
Authors: Y. Kor Yasemin , Tan Danchi
Published: October 2023

Prior research has opposing views about the merits of firm-specific managerial experience, and empirical findings are mixed. To address this problem, we ask when firm-specific managerial experience is helpful versus harmful in pursuit of new growth opportunities. We propose that when CEOs’ firm-specific experience is combined with versatile managerial experiences, its growth-constraining effect is alleviated due to increased adaptability of CEOs' human capital to support growth in new business domains. We find support for this argument in a sample of U.S. food firms and their pursuit of the organic food opportunity during 1997 to 2007. We also find that CEOs’ versatile experience by itself is not sufficient for the pursuit of new growth, but it is when the two types of experience are combined synergistically that firms can achieve higher rates of opportunity pursuit. In this vein, our research reconciles the alternative theoretical perspectives on firm-specific experience and invites further consideration of experience combinations where both positive and negative synergies drive the ultimate impact of key managerial experiences.
(Dis)Affordances: Publicness and the Question of Absence
Authors: Sefat Kusha
Published: October 2023

Recent works in media and communications studies have increasingly embedded the analysis of publicness within Science and Technology Studies (STS) and, interrelatedly, the new materialism. The result has emphasized the significant role that everyday objects play in engendering various publics. Yet, the uncritical incorporation of the new materialism and its bias toward present forms of materiality has led many scholars of the media to ignore the relationships between absent material objects and publicness. This is a key shortcoming since absent material realities are actively, and not so innocently, produced as non-thinkable alternatives to what exists, impeding externalized material worlds from becoming pronounceable as a need or an aspiration within the contexts of hegemonic globalization. In this essay, I draw on emerging works in media and communications studies, along with the social and political history of revolutionary Iran, as touchstones for a critical discussion on the linkages between publicness, materiality, and absence. I conclude with some observations and questions on publicness amid emergency climate change.
A longitudinal study of school adjustment among children attending Reggio-inspired preschools
Authors: Schneider Barry H. , Manetti Mara , Rania Nadia , Tomas José Manuel , Oliver Amparo , Coplan Robert J. , Taylor Quinlan
Published: October 2023

The goal of this study was to track the progress of Italian children at risk for school failure enrolled in preschools based on the Reggio-Emilia approach. Risk factors considered included family socioeconomic status (SES), child receptive language, and child gender. Participants were 211 children ( Mage = 60.8 months, 116 girls) in Reggio-inspired preschools in Genoa, Italy. The sample was followed over six time points starting from the last year of preschool (ages 5–6 years) through the end of the second year of elementary school. We examined trajectories of school liking, teacher–child relationships, and teacher-rated language/mathematics. Trajectories of at-risk children were predominantly indistinguishable from those of the full sample. Children at risk because of lower SES and poorer receptive language (but not gender) were rated by teachers as more dependent than children not identified as at risk. Contrary to expectations, children of mothers from low-SES backgrounds liked school more than the rest of the sample.
Additive manufacture of PLLA scaffolds reinforced with graphene oxide nano-particles via digital light processing (DLP)
Authors: Kordi Omid , Behravesh Amir Hossein , Hasannia Sadegh , Hedayati Seyyed Kaveh , Pourghaumi Majid , Mazdi Mohammad , Ghaderi Iman , Rizvi Ghaus
Published: October 2023

In this study, 3D printing of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffolds reinforced with graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles via Digital Light Processing (DLP) was investigated to mimic bone tissue. Stereolithography is one of the most accurate additive manufacturing methods, but the dominant available materials used in this method are toxic. In this research, a biocompatible resin (PLLA) was synthetized and functionalized to serve the purpose. Due to the low mechanical properties of the printed product with the neat resin, graphene oxide nanoparticles in three levels (0.5, 1, and 1.5 wt%) were added with the aim of enhancing the mechanical properties. At first, the optimum post cure time of the neat resin was investigated. Consequently, all the parts were post-cured for 3 h after printing. Due to the temperature-dependent structure of GO, all samples were placed in an oven at 85°C for different time periods of 0, 6, 12, and 18 h to increase mechanical properties. The compression test of heat-treated samples reveals that the compressive strength of the printed parts containing 0.5,1, and 1.5% of GO increased by 151,162 ad 235%, respectively. Scaffolds with the designed pore sizes of 750 microns and a porosity of 40% were printed. Surface hydrophilicity test was performed for all samples showing that the hydrophilicity of the samples increased with increasing GO percentage. The degradation behavior of the samples was evaluated in a PBS environment, and it revealed that by increasing GO, the rate of component degradation increased, but the heat treatment had the opposite effect and decreased the degradation rate. Finally, besides improving biological properties, a significant increase in mechanical properties under compression can introduce the printed scaffolds as a suitable option for bone implants.
The European Union and global warming: A fundamental right to (live in) a sustainable climate?
Authors: Quirico Ottavio
Published: October 2023

Multiple developments are taking place in the European Union (EU) as concerns climate action through fundamental rights. On the one hand, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) might afford protection from climate change via first- and second-generation human rights; on the other, the EU is progressively recognizing the human right to a sustainable environment, and possibly to a sustainable climate, via Article 37 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. These developments are nonetheless restrained by the limited possibility for individual natural and legal persons to act in the Court. On the other hand, EU Member States are parties to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to which the EU will also foreseeably accede in the future and through which a string of claims has been brought to the attention of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Also in this context, protection from climate change might be afforded via first- and second-generation fundamental rights, and possibly via the third-generation right to a sustainable environment and climate. Contrary to the CJEU system, however, there are no procedural limits to action by individual natural and legal persons in the ECtHR. The article argues that an extensive interpretation of first- and second-generation human rights, particularly the rights to life and to private and family life under ECHR articles 2 and 8, collectively interpreted as the rights to live in a sustainable environment and climate in line with the jurisprudence of the ECtHR, reverses the burden of proof and is essentially tantamount to acknowledging an independent fundamental right to a sustainable environment and climate, thus ensuring adequate climate protection in the EU from a human rights perspective.
Validating the Engineering Fields Questionnaire for Use With African American Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Students
Authors: Hammond Marie S. , Girresch-Ward Sarah , Rochester Natalie , Lehmann Jenna S. , Leachman Rickey , Kepley Leah N. , Roberts Taylor N.
Published: October 2023

Lent’s (2003) Engineering Fields Questionnaire assesses major components of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and includes measures of self-efficacy, coping efficacy, outcome expectations, technical interests, and educational goals. These measures have demonstrated good internal consistency in previous research, but validation information is more limited for use with African American STEM students. This paper discusses a validation study of an adapted version of Lent’s Engineering Fields Questionnaire, entitled the STEM Fields Questionnaire, with a sample of African American undergraduate STEM students ( n = 526). Validating the STEM Fields Questionnaire for African Americans is particularly important given the role of cultural values and certain experiences in career development among this population. Seven factors resulted from an exploratory factor analysis conducted in the present study: engineering/technology interests, outcome expectations, self-efficacy, STEM coping, goals, bio-chemical sciences interest/self-efficacy, and mathematics interest/self-efficacy, with four of six original subscales represented. Implications for research and practice were discussed.
Home Treatment of Patients with Pulmonary Embolism: A Single Center 10-Year Experience from Ljubljana Registry
Authors: Tratar Gregor , Batič Anteja , Svetina Klara
Published: October 2023

Current guidelines suggest careful risk stratification using a structured clinical approach when selecting patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) for home treatment. The aim of our study was to assess whether PE patients referred to home treatment are appropriately risk-stratified according to guidelines prior to referral and what the real-life course of the disease in these patients is. We included patients with confirmed PE referred to outpatient management and treated with anticoagulants between 2010 and 2019, whose data were collected in a prospective management registry. Using simplified PE severity index and/or signs of right ventricular strain, we classified patients to either appropriate or inappropriate low-risk classes for outpatient management. We compared 30-day mortality, overall mortality, and rates of recurrent thromboembolism or major bleeding between both classes. Among 278 patients, 188 (67.6%) and 90 (32.4%) were classified as appropriate or inappropriate class, respectively. In total, 30-day mortality was low in both groups: 0% in appropriate class and 1.1% in inappropriate class. The overall mortality rate was higher in the inappropriate than in the appropriate class (12.1 vs 0.9/100 patient-years, respectively, P < .001). Rates of recurrent thromboembolism and major bleeding were similar for both classes. We conclude that in real-life, a significant proportion of inappropriate low-risk class PE patients are referred to outpatient management. However, with careful follow-up, early mortality is low, even in home-treated patients inappropriately classified as low-risk.
Psychometric Evaluation of Initial Domains on the Comprehensive Assessment of Pornography Use Tool
Authors: Marshall Ethan A. , Miller Holly A.
Published: October 2023

Research on pornography use and sexual coercion has provided inconsistent results. One explanation for this is the lack of a valid, reliable, and comprehensive measure of pornography use. This study seeks to address this need by developing a comprehensive pornography use instrument consisting of four domains identified in research: type of pornography used, sexual scripts, habits, and compulsivity. A sample of 324 college men was used. Results of the study yielded factor structures for these domains and evidence of reliability and validity. Findings present the initial development of a pornography use instrument that could improve research in this area and aid practitioners in treatment and supervision decisions.
Correlation Analysis of the TP53 Mutation With Clinical Characteristics in the Prognosis of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhu Lihuan , Zhou Dongsheng , Chen Yiyong , Guo Tianxing , Chen Wenshu , Pan Xiaojie
Published: October 2023

Background:

Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with TP53 mutations has a worse prognosis. It was generally more resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. Our aim was to investigate the correlation between the TP53 co-mutated gene and clinical features, and prognostic value in patients with NSCLC.

Methods:

Seventy-three patients with a diagnosis of NSCLC at our hospital were recruited. They were divided into the TP53 mutation status (minor) ( TP53 MU) and TP53 wild-type (major) ( TP53 WT) groups according to their clinical characteristics after their mutation data and clinical information were collected. Serum markers were compared between groups using Mann-Whitney U test. Other clinical factors were compared between groups using χ2 test and Fisher exact test. The log-rank test was used to compare survival curves.

Results:

Of the 73 patients with NSCLC, 37 (50.68%) were found to carry TP53 mutation. TP53 MU and TP53 WT groups (n = 36) showed a significant difference in the number of smokers, incidence of squamous cell carcinoma, EGFR mutation, and number of advanced patients (P < .05), while gender, age, lymph node metastasis, and KRAS mutation did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. The survival curves in the TP53/KRAS and the TP53/EGFR co-mutation groups suggest that patients with NSCLC may have a shorter progression-free survival (PFS) if they carry one of the 2 types of co-mutation.

Conclusions:

TP53 gene mutations are more common in patients with NSCLC and squamous cell carcinoma. New predictive markers for NSCLC prognosis may be TP53/KRAS and TP53/EGFR co-mutations.
Association Between Polymorphism in Diabetes Susceptibility Gene Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2mRNA–Binding Protein 2 and Risk of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Zhou Weiling , Gao Qian , He Cuiying , Wang Lianjing , Wang Yuan , Feng Lei , Li Weijing , Liu Wei , Ma Ruijuan , Liu Lihong
Published: October 2023

Background:

Numerous studies have shown that polymorphisms in the diabetes susceptibility gene, insulin-like growth factor 2mRNA–binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2), are associated with the occurrence and development of various malignant tumors; however, their correlation with the onset of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether IGF2BP2 polymorphisms increase the risk of developing DLBCL.

Methods:

This study included 295 DLBCL patients and 331 healthy individuals. Peripheral blood was collected, and polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR) was used to detect IGF2BP2 gene polymorphisms. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between IGF2BP2 polymorphism and the risk of DLBCL, adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). P < .05 indicated statistical significance.

Results:

The rs4402960 polymorphism in the IGF2BP2 gene was associated with the occurrence and development of DLBCL. After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, GT (odd ratio [OR] = 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08-2.19; P = .016), TT (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.09-3.68; P = .026), and T genotype carrying (GT + TT) (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.17-2.25; P = .004) significantly increased the risk of DLBCL. This study also found that the polymorphism rs1470579 was related to the development of DLBCL. After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, AC (OR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.11-2.17; P = .010), CC (OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.17-4.06; P = .014), and C genotype carrying (AC + CC) (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.19-2.26; P = .002) significantly increased the risk of DLBCL.

Conclusions:

Our study found that polymorphism in the IGF2BP2 gene was associated with an increased risk of developing DLBCL.
How are accountability and organisational learning related? A study of German bilateral development cooperation
Authors: Esser Daniel E. , Janus Heiner
Published: October 2023

We analyse qualitative data collected from employees at Germany’s two main international development organisations, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) Development Bank, to study how upward accountability and organisational learning interact in the world’s second largest foreign aid system. Goffman’s ‘staging’ heuristic is applied to unpack social practices in these two organisations. We find that employees navigate two separate domains, a frontstage and a backstage. They consider the federal bureaucracy an audience expecting a coherent storyline despite the messy realities of foreign aid. In response, they engage in impression management on a frontstage while shielding their backstages from scrutiny to maximise autonomy. As a result, organisational learning at GIZ and KfW in Goffman’s terms focuses on collective efficacy at satisfying accountability expectations through staged performances. We relate these insights to the hierarchical structure of Germany’s foreign aid system, the role of organisational interests and prevailing professional norms.
Google Radio Automation and the broadcast plights behind platformization
Authors: Stuhl Andy Kelleher
Published: October 2023

In 2006, Google entered the broadcast radio industry in an attempt to prove it could diversify its ad sales technology beyond the web. With a product called Google Radio Automation, the company simultaneously installed its ad tech and ingratiated itself with radio producers. Histories of automation and programmatic advertising in American radio help to contextualize Google’s project and trace the roots of its failure. Publicity materials, industry reporting, and interviews with engineers and managers illuminate Google’s efforts toward cultural and industrial integration with radio. Problems related more to consolidation than to technological change thwarted those efforts and saw Google abruptly shift its attention to streaming audio in 2009. Revisiting a time when platform companies sought to infiltrate rather than replace older media, this article proposes that the turn toward a new media paradigm had more to do with old media plights than with the insight of technology firms.
Efficient accelerated assessment of fatigue life in Kevlar, Flax, and Kevlar/Flax hybrid composites
Authors: Sarwar Ahmed , Bougherara Habiba , Oguamanam Donatus
Published: October 2023

This paper presents experimental investigations on the fatigue behavior of Flax, Kevlar, and Kevlar/Flax-reinforced epoxy specimens under accelerated step loading. The samples consisted of a 12-ply-Flax core in a sandwich structure surrounded by a two-layer Kevlar skin, and they were tested under tension–tension progressive cyclic loading. The fatigue strength of the hybrid and its constituents were predicted using thermography and energy dissipation methods with a reduced amount of testing. The results for the Flax/epoxy, Kevlar/epoxy, and Kevlar/Flax/epoxy composites showed similar plateauing for both temperature and energy dissipation at around 6000 cycles. It was observed that Flax, Kevlar, and their hybrid exhibited bilinear behavior based on the stabilized temperature and stabilized dissipated energy over the tested stress levels with the fatigue strength of 47%, 53%, and 47%, respectively, concurring with results reported in the literature. The crack density at 100× magnification increased with increasing load level in all cases, with Kevlar having the lowest and Flax having the highest. Furthermore, the Kevlar/Flax hybrid displayed better performance than pure Flax, with lower crack density and improved crack initiation and propagation within the composite. Thus, the combined use of both methods to accelerate testing is recommended because it resulted in good and reliable predictions of high-cycle fatigue strength.
Coordination and fragmentation chemistry of CyMe4-BTPhen complexes with lanthanides and actinides: A combined investigation by ESI-MS and DFT calculations
Authors: Zhang Qiqi , Liu Yang , Tan Shuping , Chen Yan , Liang Xinyue , Shi Weiqun , Zhao Yonggang
Published: October 2023

To further understand the complexation and fragmentation during the extraction process, the formation of 2,9-bis(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-12,4-benzotriazin-3-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline (CyMe4-BTPhen) complexes with lanthanides (Ln = La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Yb) and actinides (UO22+, Th4+) was observed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) technique and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Mass spectrometry titrations showed the variation relationship of different complexes in acetonitrile. For lanthanides, the major complexes were 1:2 species ([Ln(L)2]3+ and [Ln(L)2(NO3)]2+) with a ratio of 1:2, which were observed at the initial addition of Ln3+, whereas the species ([Ln(L)(NO3)2]+) with a ratio of 1:1 was detected when the [Ln]/[L] concentration ratio reached 1.0. For UO22+ and Th4+ complexes, 1:1 or 1:2 species ([UO2L(NO3)]+, Th(L)2(NO3)3+ and Th(L)2(NO3)22+) were formed. The fragmentation chemistry of both the ligand and the complex cations was characterized in detail by collision-induced dissociation. The fragmentation process of CyMe4-BTPhen was unfolded sequentially on both sides of the ligand by cleavage of C–C and C–N bonds. DFT calculations provided a detailed analysis of the structures and thermodynamics of those complexes, which indicated that the stable complexes formed in acetonitrile solution were consistent with the ESI-MS results.
Ideological Mate-guarding: Sexual Jealousy and Mating Strategy Predict Support for Female Honor
Authors: Kupfer Tom R. , Gul Pelin
Published: October 2023

Feminine honor dictates that women should cultivate a reputation for sexual purity via behaviors such as dressing modestly and maintaining virginity before marriage. The dominant explanation for people's support for feminine honor is that female infidelity threatens male partners’ honor. Beyond this, the literature affords little understanding of the evolutionary and psychological origins of feminine honor. We propose that feminine honor functions as an ideological form of mate guarding that is shaped by sexual jealousy and mating strategy. Two correlational studies ( N  =  892) revealed support for predictions derived from this ideological mate-guarding account. In Study 1, dispositional jealousy and mating strategy (more monogamous orientation) predicted male participants’ support for a mate's (especially a long-term mate's) feminine honor. Moving beyond mate preferences, in Study 2 male and female participants’ dispositional jealousy and mating strategy predicted support for feminine honor of women in general. Results applied beyond masculine honor norms, religiosity, political conservativism, and age. These findings enhance the understanding of the origins and maintenance of feminine honor and related norms and ideologies that enable control over women's socio-sexual behavior.
Party Realignment, Education, and the Turnout Advantage: Revisiting the Partisan Effect of Turnout
Authors: Goidel Spencer , MQ Moreira Thiago , Armstrong Brenna
Published: October 2023

Party realignment is occurring along the lines of education in the United States. As college-educated voters increasingly align with the Democratic Party, it is necessary to revisit the partisan effect of turnout. We predict that, since 2016, the Democratic Party no longer benefits from higher turnout. Using validated voter turnout from the Cooperative Election Study (CES), we simulate election results across turnout rates for the 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections. Our findings show that increases in turnout greatly benefit the Democratic Party in the pre-Trump era. However, this pattern has drastically changed. In 2016, 2018, and 2020, the Democratic Party sees a much smaller gain in vote share as simulated turnout increases, but also a large vote share advantage when voter turnout is extremely low. These results indicate that continued party realignment along the lines of education could lead to a persistent reversal in the expected partisan effect of turnout—where Democrats perform better in low-turnout local or primary elections and Republicans perform better in high-turnout general elections.
Predictive Value of the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio for Tumor Regression Grade and Prognosis of Local Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Li Shuofeng , Wang Dingyuan , Wei Ran , Yu Guanhua , Wang Xishan , Jiang Zheng
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Numerous indicators can be used to predict tumor patients’ prognosis and tumor regression grade (TRG). The role of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) among individuals with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) hasn't been studied, nevertheless. This study aims to explore the predictive value of the NLR before nCRT (pre-NLR) in TRG and prognosis of LARC patients undergoing nCRT..

Methods

In this retrospective investigation, 326 LARC patients receiving nCRT in total were included. The link between the pre-NLR and TRG was examined using a logistic regression analysis. A Cox-based nomogram was created in the meanwhile to forecast overall survival (OS). With the use of calibration plots and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, we evaluated the nomogram's predictive capabilities.

Results

The median pre-NLR across 326 patients was 2.2 (interquartile range, IQR: 1.7-2.7). In the logistic regression analysis, only the pre-NLR for TRG in LARC patients receiving nCRT was statistically significant (odds ratio, OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.47-0.80, P < 0.001). Pre-NLR, nCRT with surgery interval, ypTNM stage, TRG, vascular invasion, adjuvant chemotherapy, and carbohydrate antigen 19–9 before nCRT were revealed to be OS predictors in the Cox multivariate analysis. According to calibration plots and ROC curves, the predictive nomogram demonstrated high statistical performance on internal validation.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that a lower pre-NLR was probably associated with a greater rate of TRG in LARC patients undergoing nCRT. Furthermore, the pre-NLR was credibly correlated with OS in LARC patients undergoing nCRT. Meanwhile, we constructed a nomogram for predicting the prognosis in LARC patients undergoing nCRT.
Risk Factors for Delirium Superimposed on Dementia in Elderly Patients in Comprehensive Ward
Authors: Xiao Qifan , Zhang Suqiao , Li Chenlu , Zhu Yuqing
Published: October 2023

Objective

To investigate the incidence of delirium and its related risk factors in patients with senile dementia during hospitalization.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of clinical data of 157 patients over 65 with cognitive impairment who were hospitalized in the comprehensive ward from October 2019 to February 2023 was conducted. Patients were assigned into delirium and non-delirium groups according to whether they exhibited delirium during hospitalization. General information about the patients and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, blood C-reactive protein level, and blood superoxide dismutase (SOD) level were recorded. Univariate analysis was used to identify potential risk factors for delirium, and factors with statistical significance were subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis. A prediction line chart for delirium in elderly dementia patients was constructed using R 4.03 software, and the model was validated.

Results

Among the 157 patients with senile dementia, 42 patients exhibited delirium and 115 patients exhibited non-delirium. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, VAS score ≥4 points, use of sedative drugs, and blood SOD <129 U/mL were independent risk factors for delirium during hospitalization in elderly dementia patients. A prediction nomogram was plotted based on the five risk factors, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis presented an area under the curve of .875 (95% CI: .816-.934). The nomogram model was internally validated by the Bootstrap method, and the calibration curve showed good agreement between predicted and actual results. Hosmer-Lemeshow test demonstrated that the model had a good fit and high predictive ability.

Conclusion

Diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, VAS ≥4 points, use of sedative drugs, and blood SOD <129 U/mL were independent risk factors for delirium in patients with senile dementia during hospitalization. The nomogram model had good accuracy and clinical application value for predicting delirium in this study.
Spaces of Social Capital across Pandemic Time: COVID-19 Responses in Ho Chi Minh City’s High-rise and Low-rise Neighborhoods
Authors: Thanh Thoi Pham , Nguyen Truc Hong , Harms Erik
Published: October 2023

Morphological distinctions between Ho Chi Minh City’s low-rise and high-rise residential neighborhoods make it possible to compare how residents in spatially different neighborhoods responded to the city’s strict lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article combines spatial analysis of COVID-19 cases with qualitative interviews conducted in different neighborhoods over the course of the pandemic to highlight observable patterns across the social responses. In the early days of the pandemic, residents in low-rise neighborhoods developed successful resilience strategies by drawing upon pre-existing relationships and forms of trust to overcome the lockdown’s shocks. Over time, however, residents in vertical high-rise communities developed even more successful strategies for managing the prolonged lockdown measures by relying on building managers and digital tools to help pool and share resources. The results show that the role of social capital in a crisis is not only impacted by spatial considerations but that it changes over time.
Revoking the Seize Order: Preventing Spontaneous Seizures With AAV in a CLN2 Mouse Model
Authors: Buchanan Gordon F.
Published: October 2023

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Automated Insulin Delivery System and People With Type 2 Diabetes: A Topic With Many Facets
Authors: Heinemann Lutz
Published: October 2023

Optimizing glucose control is of interest also for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). While systems for automated insulin delivery are widely used for patients with type 1 diabetes, as documented by many publications, this is not the case with T2D. Because of the number of such patients, this will change drastically in the next years. Manufacturers can transfer many learnings from type 1 to type 2; however, specific clinical aspects have to be considered. This commentary will discuss these aspects and some of the current activities. Future automated insulin delivery (AID) systems will take data from multisensor systems into account to individualize the AID algorithm, supported by artificial intelligence. There is a high need to document the benefits of AID systems in this patient group.
Perspectives on Assessing the Flexibility of Hospitals for Crisis Mode Operations: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Netherlands
Authors: van Heel Liesbeth , Pretelt Manuela , Herweijer Milee , van Oel Clarine
Published: October 2023

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic placed healthcare design at the heart of the crisis. Hospitals faced challenges such as rapidly increasing their intensive care unit capacity, enabling physical distancing measures, quickly converting to telehealth and telework practices, and above all, keeping patients and staff safe. Improving flexibility in hospital facility design and adaptability of hospital operations to function in “crisis mode” can be seen as ways of future-proofing for pandemics. In a design brief, flexibility is typically mentioned as an important target. Meanwhile, robustness of technical infrastructure is called for, and standardization at unit level with single-occupancy inpatient accommodation may be considered a way to enhance flexibility and adaptability in dealing with a surge in infectious patients.

Aim:

To future-proof facility design with pandemic preparedness and resilience in mind, this study evaluated what kinds of interventions were taken in Dutch hospital facilities and what perspectives need to be considered when hospitals operate in crisis mode.

Methods:

We have collected data from facility and estate professionals from 30 Dutch hospitals. Using a practice-based approach, in-depth interviewing helped uncover and compare successful operational strategies and design elements that provided the flexibility needed in the early stages of the recent crisis.

Results:

As we looked at existing facilities and alterations made to allow hospitals to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, we discovered that staff availability and adaptability were deemed crucial.

Conclusion:

We add the perspective of staff as an essential factor to be considered when future-proofing hospital facility desigr crisis mode operation.
An Evaluation of Toxic Properties of Woody Landscape Plants Used in Hospital Garden Design
Authors: Akdeniz Nilufer Seyidoglu , Zencirkiran Murat
Published: October 2023

Objectives:

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the landscape plants used in the design of hospital gardens in terms of toxicity.

Background:

Although plants have positive effects on humans, some plants can be toxic due to the compounds found in their bodies. The toxicity of plants is an issue that needs to be addressed in design, and it is important to investigate the toxic properties of plants in designs to be made in hospital gardens, which have a large user population and especially where people come to heal.

Methods:

Observation technique and document analysis were used in the study. Species were identified by taking samples from landscape plants in the gardens of state hospitals in Bursa. The distribution of the identified plant taxa according to toxic groups and their relations with each other were analyzed.

Results:

Taxa used in hospital gardens were mostly nontoxic (54.43%). It has been determined that there is a linear relationship between the number of taxa and toxic groups, and the increase in the number of taxa also increases the number of toxic taxa.

Conclusion:

It is seen that toxic plants are used in the design of hospital gardens, but they are included in toxic taxa. It will be an important approach to raise awareness by placing labels showing the toxicity status of taxa together with the collection of toxic taxa at points far from users.
Long-term outcome of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy with recombinant interleukin-2 treatment and an associated increase in the number of HPyV-2-specific T-cells: a case report
Authors: Hoff Fieke W. , Rolwes John , Hardeman Paula A. , Perkins Molly , Major Eugene O. , Douek Daniel , Collins Robert H. , Greenberg Benjamin M.
Published: October 2023

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease caused by reactivation of the human polyomavirus 2 (HPyV-2). PML is associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate and there is currently no standard curative therapy. We report short-term immunologic response and long-term clinical outcomes in a patient diagnosed with follicular lymphoma (FL) who developed PML. Diagnosis of PML was established conclusively based on findings from a brain biopsy. The patient was treated with recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) and showed rapid clinical improvement. HPyV-2-specific T-cells were tracked longitudinally and correlation with clinical status, viral load, and radiographic imaging was documented. After the progression of the patient’s FL, which required an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, the patient prophylactically received human leukocyte antigen-matched donor-derived HPyV-2 T-cells to prevent the recurrence of the PML as part of a clinical trial. Twelve years after the initial diagnosis of PML, he did not develop a relapse of his PML, supporting data that therapies that increase HPyV-2-specific T-cells, including IL-2, may be effective in the management of PML.
Relational drinking geographies: Towards vital flows and ‘open’ methods
Authors: Wilkinson Samantha
Published: October 2023

Jayne and Valentine offer opportunities to engage with alcohol, drinking, and drunkenness in ways that do not unreflexively reproduce ‘alcohol studies’ ontologies and epistemologies, which are infused with moralising, disciplining, and normalising discourses. I expand their contribution by proposing two ways to account for the complexities of alcohol, drinking, and drunkenness. First, I argue that the concept of ‘vital flows’, drawing on the work of Stern, can contribute to the proposed research agenda, giving agency to an array of more-than-human actants. Second, I contend that a participatory research design, including ‘open’ novel methods, can allow insight into relational geographies. I illustrate this through a proposed empirical account with young people in Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities, who have been underexplored in relation to drinking geographies and beyond.
Mobile applications for encouraging blood donation: A systematic review and case study
Authors: Li Lin , Valero Maria , Keyser Robert , Ukuku Afekwo Mary , Zheng Dianhan
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Given the current shortage of blood donors in the USA, researchers have tried to identify different strategies to attract more young people and spread the voice of donors’ needs.

Methods

A systematic literature review is conducted to investigate the current mobile applications used to track, attract, and retain donors. We also provide some preliminary results of a pilot study, based on a cross-sectional survey of 952 participants (aged 18 to 39), about the willingness of donors to use mobile apps as tools for encouraging blood donation. The data is collected using a 20-item questionnaire, which includes four constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior to assess the respondents’ willingness to donate blood. A range of statistical techniques, including univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and structural equation modeling, were utilized to analyze the collected data.

Results

The 37 research articles, selected after applying several exclusion criteria, are classified into five main categories. The majority of the research (44.1%) is about using mobile apps to find blood donors and blood centers, followed by publications on using mobile apps to encourage blood donation (26.4%) and to recruit blood donors (14.7%). The remaining studies are about retaining blood donors (8.8%) and using mobile apps for scheduling donations (5.8%). Our pilot case study suggests that 73% of participants have favorable perceptions toward a blood donation mobile app.

Conclusions

Many efforts have been undertaken to employ mobile apps to make blood donations more convenient and create communities around donating blood. The case study findings suggest a high level of readiness of using mobile apps for blood donation among the younger generation.