bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of lysostaphin-coated titanium plates on implant-associated MRSA osteitis in minipigs
Authors: Jaekel Carina , Windolf Ceylan D. , Bieler Dan , Oezel Lisa , Seiler Lars F. , Lakomek Felix N. , Beyersdorf Christoph , Mertens Jann , Steuwe Andrea , Windolf Joachim , Grassmann Jan P.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The growing incidence of implant-associated infections (IAIs) caused by biofilm-forming Staphylococcus aureus in combination with an increasing resistance to antibiotics requires new therapeutic strategies. Lysostaphin has been shown to eliminate this biofilm. Own studies confirm the effectiveness in a murine model. The current study characterizes the effects of lysostaphin-coated plates in an IAI minipig model.

Methods

The femur of 30 minipigs was stabilized with a five-hole plate, a bone defect was created, and in 20 cases methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was applied. Ten animals served as control group. After 14 days, local debridement, lavage, and plate exchange (seven-hole plate) were performed. Ten of the infected minipigs received an uncoated plate and 10 a lysostaphin-coated plate. On day 84, the minipigs were again lavaged, followed by euthanasia. Bacterial load was quantified by colony-forming units (CFU). Immunological response was determined by neutrophils, as well as interleukins. Fracture healing was assessed radiologically.

Results

CFU showed significant difference between infected minipigs with an uncoated plate and minipigs with a lysostaphin-coated plate (p = 0.0411). The infection-related excessive callus formation and calcification was significantly greater in the infected animals with an uncoated plate than in animals with a lysostaphin-coated plate (p = 0.0164/p = 0.0033). The analysis of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and interleukins did not reveal any pioneering findings.

Conclusion

This study confirms the minipig model for examining IAI. Furthermore, coating of plates using lysostaphin could be a promising tool in the therapeutic strategies of IAI. Future studies should focus on coating technology of implants and on translation into a clinical model.
Quality control in pharmaceutical analysis by diode-array thin-layer chromatography: quantification of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole as a case study
Authors: Spangenberg Bernd
Published: January 2024

The combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole as a fixed-dose combination in the ratio 1:5 is known as cotrimoxazole. It is used as antibiotic to treat a variety of bacterial infections. Cotrimoxazole is part of the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines. Cotrimoxazole is an example of a drug that was partially unavailable in Germany during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and the Ukraine war. The dependency on foreign sources of medicines is well known in Europe and resulted in the Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe 2020, a strategy concept “will support the competitiveness and innovative capacity of the EU’s pharmaceutical industry”. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) is a cost-effective method for quantifying pharmaceutically active compounds. Diode-array detection (DAD) in conjunction with HPTLC can simultaneously detect ultraviolet‒visible (UV‒VIS) and fluorescence spectra directly from the plate. Visualization as a contour plot helps to identify the optimal wavelengths for compound quantification and reduce uncertainty in the determination. The quantification of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole is presented in a case study that highlights the key aspects for HPTLC quantification of pharmaceutical fixed-dose combinations with minimal uncertainty. HPTLC‒DAD allows quantification of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole with a required relative standard deviation of less than 2.5%.
Real-world use of multigene signatures in early breast cancer: differences to clinical trials
Authors: Licata Luca , De Sanctis Rita , Vingiani Andrea , Cosentini Deborah , Iorfida Monica , Caremoli Elena Rota , Sassi Isabella , Fernandes Bethania , Gianatti Andrea , Guerini-Rocco Elena , Zambelli Claudia , Munzone Elisabetta , Simoncini Edda Lucia , Tondini Carlo , Gentilini Oreste Davide , Zambelli Alberto , Pruneri Giancarlo , Bianchini Giampaolo
Published: January 2024

Purpose

In Italy, Lombardy was the first region to reimburse multigene assays (MGAs) for patients otherwise candidates for chemotherapy. This is a real-world experience of MGAs usage in six referral cancer centers in Lombardy.

Methods

Among MGAs, Oncotype DX (RS) was used in 97% of cases. Consecutive patients tested with Oncotype DX from July 2020 to July 2022 were selected. The distribution of clinicopathologic features by RS groups (low RS: 0–25, high RS: 26–100) was assessed using chi-square and compared with those of the TAILORx and RxPONDER trials.

Results

Out of 1,098 patients identified, 73% had low RS. Grade and Ki67 were associated with RS (p < 0.001). In patients with both G3 and Ki67 > 30%, 39% had low RS, while in patients with both G1 and Ki67 < 20%, 7% had high RS. The proportion of low RS in node-positive patients was similar to that in RxPONDER (82% vs 83%), while node-negative patients with low RS were significantly less than in TAILORx (66% vs 86%, p < 0.001). The distribution of Grade was different from registration trials, with more G3 and fewer G1 (38% and 3%) than in TAILORx (18% and 27%) and RxPONDER (10% and 24%) (p < 0.001). Patients ≤ 50 years were overrepresented in this series (41%) than in TAILORx and RxPONDER (31% and 24%, respectively) (p < 0.001) and, among them, 42% were node positive.

Conclusions

In this real-world series, Oncotype DX was the test almost exclusively used. Despite reimbursement being linked to pre-test chemotherapy recommendation, almost 3/4 patients resulted in the low-RS group. The significant proportion of node-positive patients ≤ 50 years tested indicates that oncologists considered Oncotype DX informative also in this population.
Psychiatric Features of Children with Chronic Functional Constipation: Focusing on Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Akama Fumiaki , Mikami Katsunaka , Orihashi Yasushi , Takase Syunya , Hanawa Kyuta , Nishikawa Keita , Watanabe Natsuru , Kimoto Keitaro , Takahashi Yuki , Onishi Yuichi , Salas Juan , Yamamoto Kenji , Ueno Shigeru
Published: January 2024

Purpose: The present study aimed to assess the psychiatric characteristics of children with chronic functional constipation using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Japanese version and the Pervasive Developmental Disorders/Autism Society Japan Rating Scale, and to examine the frequency of autism spectrum disorder in children with chronic functional constipation. We also investigated differences in treatment duration between children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Methods: Treatment outcomes were examined retrospectively for 55 participants (chronic functional constipation group: n = 30, mean age 3.4 years; control group: n = 25, mean age, 4.5 years). The association between chronic functional constipation and autism spectrum disorder was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean Aberrant Behavior Checklist score and frequency of individuals with autism spectrum disorder were significantly higher in the chronic functional constipation group. After adjusting for age and sex, chronic functional constipation was significantly associated with autism spectrum disorder. In the chronic functional constipation group, the frequency of onset was significantly higher in children with autism spectrum disorder under 1 year of age. When treated, the mean duration of constipation was significantly longer in children with autism spectrum disorder. Conclusion: Pediatricians, pediatric surgeons, and child psychiatrists should work closely to ensure appropriate treatment of chronic functional constipation in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Correction to the Euler Lagrange Multirotor Model with Euler Angles Generalized Coordinates
Authors: Martini Simone , Valavanis Kimon P. , Stefanovic Margareta , Rutherford Matthew J. , Rizzo Alessandro
Published: January 2024

This technical note proves analytically how the exact equivalence of the Newton-Euler and Euler-Lagrange modeling formulations as applied to multirotor UAVs is achieved. This is done by deriving a correct Euler-Lagrange multirotor attitude dynamics model. A review of the published literature reveals that the commonly adopted Euler-Lagrange multirotor dynamics model is equivalent to the Newton-Euler model only when it comes to the position dynamics, but not in the attitude dynamics. Step-by-step derivations and calculations are provided to show how modeling equivalence to the Newton-Euler formulation is proven. The modeling equivalence is then verified by obtaining identical results in numerical simulation studies. Simulation results also illustrate that when using the correct model for feedback linearization, controller stability at high gains is improved.
On Real-time Cooperative Trajectory Planning of Aerial-ground Systems
Authors: Huang Jie , Chen Jianfei , Zhang Zhenyi , Chen Yutao , Lin Dingci
Published: January 2024

Cooperative trajectory planning of aerial-ground systems is a fundamental and challenging problem, which aims to leverage the aerial information to assist the ground tasks. Existing methods often suffer from suboptimal trajectories or computation burden. In this paper, we address cooperative trajectory planning of aerial-ground systems in which an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) plans its local trajectory in real-time with the assistance of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Firstly, the UAV generates guidance trajectory using nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC), which considers the obstacle distribution density as a factor reflecting the coupling effect of multiple obstacles on the UGV, thereby avoiding local minima problem and improving the feasibility of the planned trajectory. Secondly, a null-space-based behavioral control (NSBC) framework is employed to merge the guidance trajectory into the UGV’s own planned one as a task. Finally, an event triggering task supervisor is developed for the UGV to decide the priorities of all tasks, which reduces the switching frequency of task priorities brought by traditional rule-based task supervisors. Both simulation and experiment results show that the proposed approach has superior trajectory planning performance in terms of trajectory error, on-line computation time and the success rate of task execution.
Spatiotemporal changes in hurricane-force wind risk assessment in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Authors: Romero David , León-Cruz José Francisco
Published: January 2024

Tropical cyclones are one of the most dangerous natural phenomena. These extreme events involve various hazards, such as strong winds, severe precipitation, storm surge, flooding, and landslides. In Mexico, tropical cyclones are the most frequent natural threats and have a high cost to affected populations. This research aimed to characterise the spatial and temporal changes in risk associated with hurricane winds on the Yucatan Peninsula. This effort included a comprehensive analysis of three integral risk components (hazard, vulnerability, and exposure) for three distinct time intervals (1950–2000, 1950–2010, and 1950–2020). This analytical process was executed utilising a fine-resolution hexagonal grid. Hazard was estimated by calculating the probabilities of occurrence of winds related to various hurricane categories after estimating wind fields from the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS) data with a parametric model. Vulnerability was approximated by constructing indicators with sociodemographic data from the National Population and Housing Census issued by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography. With these indicators, a factor analysis was performed, and a weighted index was constructed. Finally, exposure was estimated from population density. Each of these indices was aggregated at the hexagonal level, allowing the calculation of the risk associated with hurricane-force wind. The results showed high-risk levels associated with high-hazard levels, e.g. in coastal areas such as the Riviera Maya. Similarly, high-risk levels are related to high marginalisation, i.e. vulnerability, in the northeastern zone of the Yucatan Peninsula. The increased frequency of tropical cyclones combined with high population densities has recently led to higher risk levels in this region of Mexico.
Gender inequalities in social club participation in Europe: the role of women’s empowerment at the country level
Authors: Solé-Auró Aïda , Arpino Bruno
Published: January 2024

This study examines gender inequalities in the degree of engagement in social clubs of older people and how women’s participation relates to their empowerment at the country level. Combined individual-level data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and country-level data from the Women’s Political Empowerment Index (WPEI) are used in analyzing 41,185 non-working individuals aged 65–84 across 19 countries. Multilevel regression analyses are conducted to address these aims. We detect notable between-country variations in levels of participation. Substantial differences in the WPEI reflect marked contextual cross-country differences in gender equality. In roughly half of the 19 countries, no gender differences in social club participation are detected; however, women are more likely to participate in social clubs in the more gender-egalitarian countries of France, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, whereas in three countries – Italy, Czech Republic and Croatia – more men than women participate in social clubs. Cross-country gender differences in social club participation point to the importance of cultural factors in influencing opportunities for active ageing.
Challenges and perspectives for naming lipids in the context of lipidomics
Authors: Witting Michael , Malik Adnan , Leach Andrew , Bridge Alan , Aimo Lucila , Conroy Matthew J. , O’Donnell Valerie B. , Hoffmann Nils , Kopczynski Dominik , Giacomoni Franck , Paulhe Nils , Gassiot Amaury Cazenave , Poupin Nathalie , Jourdan Fabien , Bertrand-Michel Justine
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Lipids are key compounds in the study of metabolism and are increasingly studied in biology projects. It is a very broad family that encompasses many compounds, and the name of the same compound may vary depending on the community where they are studied.

Objectives

In addition, their structures are varied and complex, which complicates their analysis. Indeed, the structural resolution does not always allow a complete level of annotation so the actual compound analysed will vary from study to study and should be clearly stated. For all these reasons the identification and naming of lipids is complicated and very variable from one study to another, it needs to be harmonized.

Methods & Results

In this position paper we will present and discuss the different way to name lipids (with chemoinformatic and semantic identifiers) and their importance to share lipidomic results.

Conclusion

Homogenising this identification and adopting the same rules is essential to be able to share data within the community and to map data on functional networks.
The form-affordance-function (FAF) triangle of design
Authors: Sareh Pooya , Loudon Gareth
Published: January 2024

For centuries, the relationship between form and function has been a point of debate in the communities of architecture and design, leading to the development of various theories which have attempted to establish a tangible relationship between these two entities. Besides, the concept of affordance, adopted from Gibson’s ecological psychology theory, has appeared as a widely-used concept in design practice and research. Nevertheless, while it is generally accepted that these concepts have close dependencies and interactions, it appears that there is no explicit theoretical framework that relates three of the most fundamental concepts of design, namely form, function, and affordance. This paper aims to analyze the concept of affordance in the context of industrial design, where we attempt to develop insights into the role of affordances in relation to form and function. To this end, we define the form-affordance-function (FAF) triangle of design as a major contributor to the establishment of a partial product design specification (PDS) in the design process. We present several examples to investigate the position of affordances in competition with other design considerations such as engineering performance, ergonomics, and aesthetics. The insights into these relationships could have potential implications for designers in making informed early-stage design decisions.
Characteristics of splenic PD-1+ γδT cells in Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis infection
Authors: Chen Dianhui , Mo Feng , Liu Meiling , Liu Lin , Xing Junmin , Xiao Wei , Gong Yumei , Tang Shanni , Tan Zhengrong , Liang Guikuan , Xie Hongyan , Huang Jun , Shen Juan , Pan Xingfei
Published: January 2024

Although the functions of programmed death-1 (PD-1) on αβ T cells have been extensively reported, a role for PD-1 in regulating γδT cell function is only beginning to emerge. Here, we investigated the phenotypic and functional characteristics of PD-1-expressing γδT cells, and the molecular mechanism was also explored in the Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis (P. yoelii NSM)-infected mice. Flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) were performed. An inverse agonist of RORα, SR3335, was used to investigate the role of RORα in regulating PD-1+ γδT cells. The results indicated that γδT cells continuously upregulated PD-1 expression during the infection period. Higher levels of CD94, IL-10, CX3CR1, and CD107a; and lower levels of CD25, CD69, and CD127 were found in PD-1+ γδT cells from infected mice than in PD-1− γδT cells. Furthermore, GO enrichment analysis revealed that the marker genes in PD-1+ γδT cells were involved in autophagy and processes utilizing autophagic mechanisms. ScRNA-seq results showed that RORα was increased significantly in PD-1+ γδT cells. GSEA identified that RORα was mainly involved in the regulation of I-kappaB kinase/NF-κB signaling and the positive regulation of cytokine production. Consistent with this, PD-1-expressing γδT cells upregulated RORα following Plasmodium yoelii infection. Additionally, in vitro studies revealed that higher levels of p-p65 were found in PD-1+ γδT cells after treatment with a RORα selective synthetic inhibitor. Collectively, these data suggest that RORα-mediated attenuation of NF-κB signaling may be fundamental for PD-1-expressing γδT cells to modulate host immune responses in the spleen of Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis–infected C57BL/6 mice, and it requires further investigation.
Endosomal protein expression of γ1-adaptin is associated with tumor growth activity and relapse-free survival in breast cancer
Authors: Hoshi Nobuhiro , Uemura Takefumi , Tachibana Kazunoshin , Abe Sadahiko , Murakami-Nishimagi Yuko , Okano Maiko , Noda Masaru , Saito Katsuharu , Kono Koji , Ohtake Tohru , Waguri Satoshi
Published: January 2024

Background

γ1-Adaptin is a subunit of adaptor protein complex-1 (AP-1), which regulates intracellular transport between the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and endosomes. Since expression levels of AP-1 subunits have been reported to be associated with cell proliferation and cancer malignancy, we investigated the relationships between the immunohistochemical expression of γ1-adaptin and both clinicopathological factors and relapse-free survival (RFS) in breast cancer tissue.

Materials and methods

SK-BR-3 cell line depleted of γ1-adaptin was used for cell proliferation, migration, and invasion assay. Intracellular localization of γ1-adaptin was examined with immunohistochemistry (IHC) using an antibody against γ1-adaptin, and with double immunohistofluorescence (IHF) microscopy using markers for the TGN and endosome. γ1-Adaptin intensities in IHC samples from 199 primary breast cancer patients were quantified and assessed in relation to clinicopathological factors and RFS.

Results

Cell growth, migration, and invasion of SK-BR-3 cells were significantly suppressed by the depletion of γ1-adaptin. Although the staining patterns in the cancer tissues varied among cases by IHC, double IHF demonstrated that γ1-adaptin was mainly localized in EEA1-positive endosomes, but not in the TGN. γ1-Adaptin intensity was significantly higher in the tumor regions than in non-tumor regions. It was also higher in patients with Ki-67 (high), ER (–), PgR (–), and HER2 (+). Among subtypes of breast cancer, γ1-adaptin intensity was higher in HER2 than in luminal A or luminal B. The results of the survival analysis indicated that high γ1-adaptin intensity was significantly associated with worse RFS, and this association was also observed in group with ER (+), PgR (+), HER2 (–), Ki-67 (high), or luminal B. In addition, the Cox proportional hazards model showed that high γ1-adaptin intensity was an independent prognostic factor.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the endosomal expression of γ1-adaptin is positively correlated with breast cancer malignancy and could be a novel prognostic marker.
Optimal trade execution in cryptocurrency markets
Authors: Bundi Nils , Wei Ching-Lin , Khashanah Khaldoun
Published: January 2024

Novel technologies allow cryptocurrency exchanges to offer innovative services that set them apart from other exchanges. In this paper we study the distinct features of cryptocurrency fee schedules and the implications for optimal trade execution. We formulate an optimal execution strategy that minimizes the trading fees charged by the exchange. We further provide a proof for the existence of an optimal execution strategy for this type of fee schedule. The optimal strategy involves both market and limit orders on various price levels. The optimal order distribution scheme depends on the market conditions expressed in terms of the distribution of limit order execution probabilities and the exchange’s specific configuration of the fee schedule. Our results indicate that a strategy kernel with an exponentially decaying allocation of trade volume to price levels further away from the best price provides superior performance and potential reduction of trade execution cost of more than 60%. The robustness of these results is confirmed in an empirical study. To our knowledge, this is the first study of optimal trade execution that takes into consideration the full fee schedule of exchanges in general.
Control of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) by the new trend of photosensitizer and nanocomposites and their effects on productivity and storability of tomato
Authors: Ahmed Sayeda S. , Kader Mahmoud H. Abdel , Fahmy Mahmoud A. M. , Abdelgawad Karima F.
Published: January 2024

Tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a serious insect pest on tomato plants worldwide. Its larvae can cause up to 100% damage if not controlled. Furthermore, using of chemical pesticides is causing serious threat to environment and human health. The effect of two photosensitizers; magnesium and copper chlorophyllin (Mg-Chl and Cu-Chl) alone and two nanomaterials (GO and Ag) over their photosensitizers (Mg-Chl /Go, Mg-Chl /Ag, Cu-Chl/ Go, and Cu-Chl /Ag) on T. absoluta in tomato field at two seasons were studied. The tested concentrations of photosensitizer and nanocomposites were 10−3 (100 ml/L), 10−4 (10 ml/L) and 10–5 (1 ml/L). The effect of photosensitizer and nanocomposites on reduction % of Tuta absoluta, tomato plants growth, yield, and quality were studied. The number of tunnels was recorded, the reduction percentages for each treatment were calculated compared to control before and after 1, 5, and 7 days of spraying. Results showed that the reduction in the number of tunnels after one day of spraying with photosensitizers (Mg-Chl and Cu-Chl) at the highest concentration (10−3) was 72.79 and 70.52% in the 1st season and 77.95 and 60.08% in the 2nd season. The reduction percentage increased gradually with the number of days after spraying and reached 100% after seven days in both seasons. The reduction percentage reached 100% in plants treated with all nanomaterial concentrations after five days of spraying in the 1st season and after one day of spraying in the second season. Photosensitizer and nanocomposites treatments at all concentrations positively affected all vegetative growth parameters of tomato plants compared with insecticides and control. The highest concentration of all treatments increased yield and enhanced the storability of tomato fruits. The yield after treatment with Mg-Chl was 28.67 tons/fed, which was more than the yield of those treated with Cu-Chl (24.8 tons/fed). Loading nano silver (Ag) over Mg-Chl achieved tomato yield (35.18 tons/fed) compared with the loading of nano graphene oxide (Go) (32.95 tons/fed). Therefore, treatment with these materials can be recommended in the IPM program to control T. absoluta in tomato fields.
Supramolecular chirality in self-assembly of zinc protobacteriochlorophyll-d analogs possessing enantiomeric esterifying groups
Authors: Yasui Mizuki , Tamiaki Hitoshi
Published: January 2024

Zinc 3-hydroxymethyl-pyroprotopheophorbides-a esterified with a chiral secondary alcohol at the 17-propionate residue were prepared as bacteriochlorophyll-d analogs. The synthetic zinc 31-hydroxy-131-oxo-porphyrins self-aggregated in an aqueous Triton X-100 micellar solution to give red-shifted and broadened Soret and Qy absorption bands in comparison with their monomeric bands. The intense, exciton-coupled circular dichroism spectra of their self-aggregates were dependent on the chirality of the esterifying groups. The observation indicated that the self-aggregates based on the J-type stacking of the porphyrin cores were sensitive to the peripheral 17-propionate residues. The supramolecular structures of the present J-aggregates as models of bacteriochlorophyll aggregates in natural chlorosomes were remotely regulated by the esterifying groups.

Graphical abstract
Decomposing Firm Performance in Emerging Markets: The Difference Between Growth and Profit
Authors: Zhou Nan , Park Seung Ho
Published: January 2024

This study adopts the resource-based view (RBV) to explain the difference in firm profit and growth determinants. We argue that profit is driven more by valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable (VRIN) resources, and growth is driven more by versatile resources. Since some versatile resources, such as cash, are less firm-specific, the firm effect is more critical in determining profit than growth. We also expect that emerging market firms are more capable of utilizing versatile resources than developed market firms, and developed market firms are more capable of utilizing VRIN resources than emerging market firms. As a result, the determinants of firm performance also differ between emerging and developed markets. The study employs multilevel mixed models to decompose firm performance in US, Chinese, and global samples. The findings confirm that the firm effect is more important in influencing profit than growth, persisting across all three samples. The firm effect is also more important in influencing performance in developed countries than in emerging markets.
WAYWARD VOICES: CHORUS, IMPROVISATION AND UPHEAVAL IN …(IPHIGENIA)
Authors: Sanyal Debarati
Published: January 2024

Iphigenia is the archetype of virgin sacrifice, a daughter dispossessed of her voice and body, killed for the gods, the father and the nation. From Euripides to Racine, from Gluck's opera to Cacoyannis's film, across time and media, Iphigenia has embodied the paradox of a voice that emerges as the condition of its annihilation. Hers is a choiceless choice: to consent to her sacrifice with varying degrees of fervor and possible rationales, to submit to an economy the terms of which are set by capricious gods, a reckless king, a pusillanimous father and a masculine military baying for blood. The daughter embraces her death so that the father's reputation remains intact, so that no more lives are lost in vain, so that the army can set sail. Iphigenia's sacrifice is a familiar cultural script regarding the transactional value of girls under patriarchy. Her sacrifice is the price of entry into a ‘hero-industrial complex’ that positions her simultaneously as protagonist and victim, savior and scapegoat.
Banishment's Vanishing Act: The Inconstancy of Law in Early Modern Spain
Authors: MacKay Ruth
Published: January 2024

Banishment was probably the most frequent punishment in early modern Spanish criminal courts. It was impossible to enforce and antithetical to the interests of the state, yet it survived. This article, based on archival sources, proposes that the study of early modern law, probably in general but definitely in Spain, must account for its symbolic and rhetorical meaning beyond the language of a given statute. Looking at the practice of banishment, the long history of legal compilation in Spain, and the particularities and contradictions of legal practice there, this article calls for a deeper and more interdisciplinary approach.
Music and Crisis at Santa Maria Maggiore during the Turbulent 1620s
Authors: Rosenholtz-Witt Jason
Published: January 2024

During the 1620s, when churches throughout Northern Italy were scaling back musical expenditures due to shrinking coffers, the confraternity Misericordia Maggiore continued to lavishly fund music in Santa Maria Maggiore, Bergamo. In a decade marred by war, austerity, death, famine, and plague, music received robust institutional support. Drawing from new archival research, a picture emerges of the enduring importance of musical life to the Bergamasque community in the face of challenges on multiple fronts. Additionally, Bergamo surfaces as a neglected site of almost unparalleled large-scale musical activity in early Seicento Italy.
Dragon's Blood or the Red Delusion: Textual Tradition, Craftsmanship, and Discovery in the Early Modern Period
Authors: Basile Gaston Javier
Published: January 2024

This article explores the plurality of referents associated with the term “dragon's blood” (“sanguis draconis”), a legendary substance that brings together Greco-Roman and Arabic medical knowledge, local vernacular traditions and artisanal practices, and new Spanish and Portuguese botanical discoveries. The study of dragon's blood reveals the interface between overlapping epistemic paradigms governing the definition, use, and circulation of complex material substances in early modern Europe, ranging from humanist learned discussions and artisanal experimentation to vernacular narratives of discovery, along with the shifting criteria of truth, authenticity, and value advocated by different communities of learning and practice.
“The Ship Dieth at Sea”: Metaphor and Maritime Law
Authors: Cotter Hayley
Published: January 2024

This article proposes a new methodology for engaging with early modern legal metaphor. It argues that a full account of the trope must integrate its legal-historical, cultural, literary, and philosophical dimensions. After discussing what makes early modern legal metaphor unique (and thus uniquely challenging to decipher), I consider various philosophical, legal, cognitive, and literary approaches to the rhetorical figure and demonstrate how each perspective adds additional insight to its untangling in juridical contexts. The article culminates in a reading of a single metaphor taken from lawyer John Exton's treatise “The maritime dicæologie, or, the Sea-jurisdiction of England” (1664): “The ship dieth at sea.” Ultimately, I argue that this metaphor references admiralty actions in rem, which were integral to the functioning of the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century English High Court of Admiralty, an interpretation that emerges only when accounting for the trope in both its textual and intertextual frameworks.
PLATO ON CORRECTING PHILOSOPHICAL CORRUPTION
Authors: Heckel Marta
Published: January 2024

Plato's Republic VII suggests that if we ask someone to philosophize when they are too young, they can become corrupted (537e–539d). Republic VII also suggests that to avoid this corruption, we must not expose youth to argument (539a–b). This is not a reasonable option outside of Kallipolis, so a question arises: does Plato describe how to correct corruption if we do not manage to prevent it? This paper shows that a parallel between this passage from Republic VII and a passage from Laws X suggests that he does. Laws X describes an impious man who is corrupted in the same way as the youth exposed to philosophy prematurely in Republic VII. While we leave the youth to his corruption in Republic, the impious man is helped to overcome his corruption in Laws with a refutation followed by a myth (also called a charm). This paper analyses these steps in terms of Plato's psychology, showing that both corruption and correction require a destabilization of the soul, which in these passages is brought about through refutation. This destabilization allows for a reconfiguration, which, with something that can restabilize the soul (for example with myth), can be a reconfiguration for the better.
Human–crocodile interactions in the western Solomon Islands: the importance of local data for reducing attacks on people
Authors: Aswani Shankar , Matanzima Joshua
Published: January 2024

Interactions between people and the saltwater crocodile Crocodylus porosus frequently occur on islands and in coastal regions. Saltwater crocodiles impact people's lives and livelihoods by attacking them, resulting in minor or serious injuries, and by interfering in people's foraging activities. Retaliation may include killing the crocodiles involved. To reduce such human–crocodile interactions, data about the occurrence of incidents are required. We present data on encounters with crocodiles and attacks on people in the Roviana Lagoon, Solomon Islands. Data includes time of incident, gender, age and activity of the victim, water conditions and what happened to the crocodile after the incident. We used a questionnaire to capture the details of incidents that occurred during 2000–2020 in the villages of Dunde, Baraulu, Nusa Hope and Kozou. Most incidents were in the evening, mostly involving women, and most victims were aged 20–39 years or ≥ 60 years. In all cases people were attacked while gleaning for shellfish in the mangroves. Attacks occurred irrespective of whether the water was clear or murky, and in all cases the crocodiles were not killed. Such site-specific data will facilitate the formulation of strategies for reducing negative interactions between people and crocodiles in this particular location. Although the saltwater crocodile is categorized as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, research such as this provides data that can be used for promoting coexistence with and conservation of this species.
Evil and responsibility in the Quran
Authors: Abdalla Bakinaz
Published: January 2024

The Quran contains numerous references to evil and some of these indicate that the responsibility of some instances of evil, which I call self-inflicted evil, lies with human beings rather than God. This idea of evil leads to an exploration of two interconnected issues in philosophical and theological discussions, moral responsibility and desert, along with the related tension between freedom of action and divine determinism. The article delves into this tension as it appears from the Quran and prevailing standpoints in Islamic theology. I propose that the tension between freedom of action and divine determinism resists a satisfactory reconciliation, which ultimately affects the plausibility of the idea of evil as self-inflicted. I further propose that embracing the contradictions arising from verses expressing freedom and responsibility, on the one hand, and those indicating divine determinism, on the other, could be a viable approach for the theologian.
Access to and perceived unmet need for mental health services and support in a community sample of UK adolescents with and without experience of childhood adversity
Authors: Soneson E. , White S. R. , Howarth E. , Ford T. , Fazel M. , Jones P. B.
Published: January 2024

Aims

Children and adolescents with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are more likely than their peers to develop mental health difficulties, but not enough is known about their help-seeking behaviours and preferences. We aimed to determine whether ACEs are associated with access to and perceived unmet need for mental health services and support amongst secondary school students.

Methods

We used multi-level logistic regression with data from the 2020 OxWell Student Survey to assess whether ACEs were associated with (1) prior access to mental health support and (2) perceived unmet need for mental health services in a community sample of English secondary school students. We assessed ACEs as a cumulative score from the Center for Youth Wellness Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire: Teen Self-Report version and accounted for current mental health difficulties as measured by the 25-item Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS).

Results

Our analysis included 2018 students across 64 schools, of whom 29.9% (598/2002) reported prior access to mental health support. Of those not reporting prior access, 34.1% (469/1377) reported a perceived unmet need for services. In the unadjusted models, cumulative ACE scores were significantly positively associated with both prior access to mental health support (odds ratio (OR) = 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29–1.43) and perceived unmet need for mental health services (OR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.37–1.59), meaning that students who had experienced adversity had a greater chance of having previously accessed support as well as perceiving an unmet need for services. After adjusting for mental health difficulties and other sociodemographic variables, cumulative ACE scores were positively associated with prior access (adjusted OR (aOR) = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.17–1.34 with a significant interaction between RCADS and ACE scores, aOR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84–0.93) as well as perceived unmet need (aOR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.21–1.43 with a significant interaction between RCADS and ACE scores, aOR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.78–0.91).

Conclusions

Although it is encouraging that adolescents with experience of adversity are more likely than their peers with similar levels of depression and anxiety symptoms to have accessed mental health support, there remains a concern that those who have not accessed support are more likely to perceive an as-yet unmet need for it. Mental health support must be available, accessible and acceptable to all who need it, especially for those groups that traditionally have not accessed services, including the more marginalised and vulnerable populations.
Water security risks in small, remote, indigenous communities in Canada: A critical review on challenges and opportunities
Authors: De Coste Michael , Saleem Sana , Mian Haroon R. , Chhipi-Shrestha Gyan , Hewage Kasun , Mohseni Madjid , Sadiq Rehan
Published: January 2024

Indigenous communities in Canada are disproportionately affected by issues related to water security, especially access to clean water to meet human needs. The issues these communities face are diverse and widespread across Canada, with many causes and consequences. This review summarizes the types and magnitudes of risks associated with the water security of these communities, the consequences considering health and social perspectives, and the means of responding to these issues. Risks are broadly divided into quantitative risks (e.g., water quality and availability) and qualitative risks (e.g., lack of funding and jurisdictional conflicts). These risks lead to unique consequences, resulting in challenges in developing generalized risk response frameworks. Management of these risks includes a mix of techniques relying on legislative and technical approaches. Nevertheless, the affected communities should be included in the decision-making process that should be holistic, incorporating indigenous knowledge. Good governance, cooperation between communities, policy improvement and the development of an institutional mechanism for clean water supply will provide a pathway and guidelines to address the water security challenges among indigenous communities.
Plume‐Modified Lithosphere Mantle Controlled the Cenozoic Sediment Thickness in the Tarim Basin
Authors: Xiang Xiao , Chen Hanlin , Chen Lin , Xu Xi , Lin Xiubin , Li Zhong , Yan Zhiyong
Published: January 2024

The Cenozoic sediments are very thick in the southwest Tarim Basin and very thin in the northwest, but what controls these variations is unclear. Here, we use two‐dimensional thermo‐mechanical models to investigate how the lateral variations in rheological strength and depletion density of cratonic lithosphere mantle affect the cratonic basin deformation. Model results show that the basin basement uplift occurs above either the region with crustal thickening or high depletion in the mantle. A model with a stronger and density‐depleted northern half of cratonic lithosphere mantle in the context of compression matches the differential Cenozoic subsidence and deformation observed in the Tarim Basin well. We propose that a Permian plume led to the lateral heterogeneity of the lithosphere mantle under the Tarim craton, and the modified lithosphere mantle characteristics caused the differential Cenozoic sediment thickness in the Tarim Basin.
Contributions of Indo‐Pacific Forcings to Interannual Variability of the Indonesian Throughflow in the Upper and Lower Layers
Authors: Zhu Qiongrui , Wang Chunzai
Published: January 2024

The paper uses reanalysis data and model outputs to quantify relative contributions of the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) to the vertical structure variability of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) using multiple regression analysis. In comparing ENSO to IOD events, it becomes evident that ENSO plays a more significant role in ITF upper layer (0–300 m) transport, while the IOD has a greater impact on ITF lower layer (300–760 m) transport. Given the larger anomaly in ITF upper layer transport, ENSO dominates the interannual variability of ITF transport. Moreover, ITF transport is influenced by different physical processes associated with varying phases of ENSO and the IOD. The month‐by‐month contributions reveal that the IOD primarily controls ITF transport during El Niño development years, while ENSO has more influence during El Niño decaying years.
Changes in China's Snow Droughts Characteristics From 1993 to 2019
Authors: Guan Yanlong , Liu Junguo , Li Delong , Dou Yuehan , Chen Penghan , Zhang Chongyang , Jiang Yelin , Chen He , Chen Aifang , Maeda Eduardo Eiji
Published: January 2024

Snowpacks are natural water reservoirs providing a considerable amount of water for humans and ecosystems. However, current global snow products (e.g., ESA GlobSnow v3.0), lack high spatial resolution and regional calibrations necessary to capture the high heterogeneity of snow water equivalents (SWEs) in complex Asian mountainous terrains. Therefore, our understanding of snow drought characteristics in China remains limited. Herein, we used an improved SWE product calibrated specifically for China to explore the characteristics of snow droughts, delineated by a standardized SWE index (SWEI) between 1993 and 2019. Our analysis was focused over three main snow‐covered regions of China: Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), northern Xinjiang, Northeast China. Especially during the period from 1993 to 2010, we found that the SWEI increased significantly at rates of 0.022/yr (Northeast China), 0.017/yr (northern Xinjiang), and 0.011/yr (QTP) (p < 0.01, Mann‐Kendall trend test). Increased SWEI contributed to decreasing snow drought events across China, with an obvious short‐term characteristic, whilst area proportion of the identified 1‐month snow droughts was above 46.5% across three regions. Furthermore, we found that the occurrence of snow droughts was likely mediated by large‐scale atmospheric circulation, since increased water vapor transport caused a significant vapor flux convergence in cold seasons over three regions, especially in northern Xinjiang and Northeast China.
Improving BC Mixing State and CCN Activity Representation With Machine Learning in the Community Atmosphere Model Version 6 (CAM6)
Authors: Shen Wenxiang , Wang Minghuai , Riemer Nicole , Zheng Zhonghua , Liu Yawen , Dong Xinyi
Published: January 2024

Representing mixing state of black carbon (BC) is challenging for global climate models (GCMs). The Community Atmosphere Model version 6 (CAM6) with the four‐mode version of the Modal Aerosol Module (MAM4) represents aerosols as fully internal mixtures with uniform composition within each aerosol mode, resulting in high degree of internal mixing of BC with non‐BC species and large mass ratio of coating to BC (RBC, the mass ratio of non‐BC species to BC in BC‐containing particles). To improve BC mixing state representation, we coupled a machine learning (ML) model of BC mixing state index trained on particle‐resolved simulations to the CAM6 with MAM4 (MAM4‐ML). In MAM4‐ML, we use RBC to partition accumulation mode particles into two new modes, BC‐free particles and BC‐containing particles. We adjust RBC to make the modeled BC mixing state index (χmode) match the one predicted by the ML model (χML). On a global average, the mass fraction of BC‐containing particles in accumulation mode decreases from 100% (MAM4‐default) to 48% (MAM4‐ML). The globally averaged χmode decreases from 78% (MAM4‐default) to 63% (MAM4‐ML, 19% reduction) and agrees well with χML (66%). The RBC decreases by 52% for accumulation mode and better agrees with observations. The hygroscopicity drops by 9% for BC‐containing particles in accumulation mode, leading to a 20% reduction in the BC activation fraction. The surface BC concentration increases most (6.9%) in the Arctic, and the BC burden increases by 4%, globally. Our study highlights the application of the ML model for improving key aerosol processes in GCMs.
Can We Intercalibrate Satellite Measurements by Means of Data Assimilation? An Attempt on LEO Satellites
Authors: Castillo Angélica M. , Shprits Yuri Y. , Aseev Nikita A. , Smirnov Artem , Drozdov Alexander , Cervantes Sebastian , Michaelis Ingo , Peñaranda Marina García , Wang Dedong
Published: January 2024

Low Earth Orbit satellites offer extensive data of the radiation belt region, but utilizing these observations is challenging due to potential contamination and difficulty of intercalibration with spacecraft measurements at Highly Elliptic Orbit that can observe all equatorial pitch‐angles. This study introduces a new intercalibration method for satellite measurements of energetic electrons in the radiation belts using a Data assimilation (DA) approach. We demonstrate our technique by intercalibrating the electron flux measurements of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Polar‐orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) NOAA‐15,‐16,‐17,‐18,‐19, and MetOp‐02 against Van Allen Probes observations from October 2012 to September 2013. We use a reanalysis of the radiation belts obtained by assimilating Van Allen Probes and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites observations into 3‐D Versatile Electron Radiation Belt (VERB‐3D) code simulations via a standard Kalman filter. We compare the reanalysis to the POES data set and estimate the flux ratios at each time, location, and energy. From these ratios, we derive energy and L* dependent recalibration coefficients. To validate our results, we analyze on‐orbit conjunctions between POES and Van Allen Probes. The conjunction recalibration coefficients and the data‐assimilative estimated coefficients show strong agreement, indicating that the differences between POES and Van Allen Probes observations remain within a factor of two. Additionally, the use of DA allows for improved statistics, as the possible comparisons are increased 10‐fold. Data‐assimilative intercalibration of satellite observations is an efficient approach that enables intercalibration of large data sets using short periods of data.