bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Study in Murine Model: Is There a Relationship Between Presbycusis and Frailty?
Authors: Heredia-Molina, Rosalía Fátima , Riestra-Ayora Juan Ignacio , Yanes-Díaz Joaquín , Thuissard Vasallo Israel John , Andreu-Vázquez Cristina , de la Osa Subtil Iria , Sanz-Fernández Ricardo , Sánchez-Rodríguez Carolina 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Age-related hearing loss, or Presbycusis, is the most frequent sensory deficiency in older adults and is associated with comorbidities such as falls, cognitive decline, and frailty. Frailty is related to poor health outcomes in old age. Recent research suggested that age-related hearing loss may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for frailty, although inconclusive. The use of animal models to study the correlation between age-related hearing loss and frailty is important to test future interventions to be translated into clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine if there is an association between age-related hearing loss and frailty in experimental animals based on the human frailty phenotype. This research studied male and female C57Bl/6J mice at different ages (6, 14, and 22 months). Auditory steady-state response threshold shifts were measured at different frequencies. To assess frailty status, we were based on the “Valence Score,” which consists of measuring: weakness, weight loss, low level of activity, slowness, and little resistance. We found that hearing is significantly lower in older age groups. The mice become frail as they age. The worsening in auditory steady-state responses threshold shifts with age correlates significantly with an increasing frailty. No significant differences were found between both sexes. Our research is, to our knowledge, the first carried out in experimental animals to establish the association between age-related hearing loss and frailty, which would provide a useful tool to evaluate future interventions in mice before translating them into clinical practice.
Co- and post-seismic deformation of the 2022 Menyuan Mw6.6 earthquake from InSAR and GPS observations
Authors: Liu Tai , Hong Shunying , She Yawen , Fu Guangyu , Meng Guojie , Zou Zhenyu , Wu Weiwei 
Published: November 2024

SUMMARY
This study combines InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) and GPS (Global Positioning System) data to examine the coseismic slip and post-seismic deformation of the 2022 Menyuan Mw 6.6 earthquake, shedding light on the fault structure, slip distribution and rheology of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. InSAR coseismic deformation revealed fault dip angle of 82° for the Lenglongling fault and 84° for the Tuolaishan fault. The optimal coseismic slip model, derived from InSAR, GPS and near-field pixel-offset data, indicates a maximum slip of 3.3 m, concentrated in the upper 3 km of the fault. We propose a three-step procedure to comprehensively invert the post-seismic deformation, accounting for both afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation, constrained by the InSAR and GPS observations. The optimal afterslip model indicates a cumulative afterslip of 9 cm over two years, primarily concentrated in the deeper sections of the coseismic slip zone. Incorporating viscoelastic relaxation improved the spatial distribution of the afterslip on the Tuolaishan fault. The afterslip released a seismic moment of 1.96 × 10¹⁸ N·m, accounting for approximately 15 per cent of the coseismic moment release. The viscosity of the lower crust in the region was estimated to range from 1.5 to 5 × 1018 Pa·s, with an optimal value of 2 × 10¹⁸ Pa·s. As the distance from the epicentre increased, viscoelastic relaxation became the dominant post-seismic mechanism, contributing up to 80 per cent of the deformation observed at the QHGC and GSMI stations. Additionally, the earthquake increased Coulomb stress on the ‘Tianzhu Seismic Gap’ and nearby faults, raising seismic hazard in the region. These findings highlight the importance of simultaneously considering both afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation mechanisms in post-seismic deformation analysis, and accounting for post-seismic effects when evaluating seismic stress changes.
Report on the European Copyright Society’s Conference of 2024
Authors: Gurlitt David , Yaghubi Parand 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
This report provides an overview of the annual European Copyright Society (ECS) conference, which was held at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main on 24 May 2024. The conference, titled ‘Conflict and Trust in the European Copyright System’, featured 12 speakers from across Europe who discussed various copyright-related topics, including lawful access, the platform economy, copyright in the context of the data economy, data access, author remuneration, and artificial intelligence. The event highlighted current and emerging challenges, particularly with regard to new technologies, and explored potential solutions to address them. Although the conference was primarily focused on juridical aspects, the discussions also considered European copyright law from perspectives beyond the legal, such as sustainability and its role in the digital environment. The conference unified around the tense interplay between trust and conflict within the European copyright system, with the speakers and contributors to subsequent discussions suggesting that increasing trust could help resolve ongoing conflicts in copyright law effectively.
Squaring the circle of judicial protection for collective member state action: The Economic and Monetary Union and beyond
Authors: Iglesias Sara 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Member state collective action closely connected with EU law can easily fall through the cracks of the EU system of remedies, since such action cannot be attributed to an EU institution. Setting aside the problematic issue of judicial review—excluded in various recent Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) rulings—this article explores the additional (or alternative) possibility of EU damages actions in such situations. Taking as the starting point the ruling on the liability of the Euro Group in Chrysostomides, the discussion that follows centers around the question of whether, in specific situations, member states should be regarded as “EU actors” liable to trigger the liability of the Union. The article argues that there is a solid ground for seriously considering the possibility of EU damages in specific situations where member states have acted collectively.
The use of continuous action representations to scale deep reinforcement learning for inventory control
Authors: Vanvuchelen Nathalie , De Moor Bram J , Boute Robert N 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Accepted by: M. Zied Babai
Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) can solve complex inventory problems with a multi-dimensional state space. However, most approaches use a discrete action representation and do not scale well to problems with multi-dimensional action spaces. We use DRL with a continuous action representation for inventory problems with a large (multi-dimensional) discrete action space. To obtain feasible discrete actions from a continuous action representation, we add a tailored mapping function to the policy network that maps the continuous outputs of the policy network to a feasible integer solution. We demonstrate our approach to multi-product inventory control. We show how a continuous action representation solves larger problem instances and requires much less training time than a discrete action representation. Moreover, we show its performance matches state-of-the-art heuristic replenishment policies. This promising research avenue might pave the way for applying DRL in inventory control at scale and in practice.
Toric Vector Bundles, Non-abelianization, and Spectral Networks
Authors: Suen Yat-Hin 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Spectral networks and non-abelianization were introduced by Gaiotto–Moore–Neitzke and they have many applications in mathematics and physics. In a recent work by Nho, he proved that the non-abelianization of an almost flat local system over the spectral curve of a meromorphic quadratic differential is the same as the family Floer construction. Based on the mirror symmetry philosophy, it is then natural to ask how holomorphic vector bundles arise from spectral networks and non-abelianization. In this paper, we construct toric vector bundles on complete toric surfaces via spectral networks and non-abelianization arising from Lagrangian multi-sections. As an application, we deduce that the moduli space of rank 2 toric vector bundles over toric surfaces admit an $A$-type $\mathcal{X}$-cluster structure.
Assessing the prevalence of trachoma in the East, North, Far North and Adamaoua regions of Cameroon, 2016–2022
Authors: Epee Emilienne , Tagne Carine Fokam , Bakhtiari Ana , Boyd Sarah , Willis Rebecca , Harte Anna J , Jimenez Cristina , Burgert-Brucker Clara , Goldman Whitney , Kello Amir B , Palmer Stephanie , Houck Patricia , Reid Steven , Toubali Emily , Zhang Yaobi , Cohn Daniel A , Gueye Fatou , Ngondi Jeremiah M , Teta Ismael , Harding-Esch Emma M , Solomon Anthony W , Coulibaly Sidi M , Noah Noah Jean Claude , Nko'ayissi Georges , Etoundi Mballa Alain Georges , Eballé André Omgbwa , Bella Assumpta 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background
Baseline prevalence surveys in Cameroon in 2010–2012 showed that trachoma was endemic primarily in the north of the country, with 23 evaluation units (EUs) requiring interventions against active (inflammatory) trachoma. This study presents data from prevalence surveys conducted in 2016–2022 following interventions against trachoma in the East, North, Far North and Adamaoua regions of Cameroon.

Methods
EUs were created based on health district boundaries. Within each EU, clusters were selected using probability of selection proportional to population size. Participants were examined for trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF) and trachomatous trichiasis (TT).

Results
A total of 151 800 people were examined in 45 surveys across 35 EUs. Based on the most recent survey results, TF prevalence was greater than the 5% TF elimination threshold in two EUs. Ten EUs had TT prevalence estimates greater than the 0.2% elimination threshold.

Conclusions
Trachoma remains a public health problem in Cameroon. Continued interventions are needed in EUs with prevalence estimates greater than elimination thresholds, including antibiotic mass drug administration and improved access to TT surgery. Future surveys will be needed to determine when national elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has been achieved.
Topiary and false jewels: Adam Smith on magnificence, aesthetic value, and market value
Authors: Zuckert Rachel 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT
In his essay, “Of the Nature of That Imitation Which Takes Place in What Are Called the Imitative Arts,” Adam Smith discusses two examples, topiary and false jewels, apparently coming to opposed conclusions: that aesthetic value is, and that it is not, independent of market value. I unpack the reasoning behind these conclusions, arguing that Smith’s position is consistent: he recognizes that aesthetic value can be occluded by market prices—as when one dismisses the beauty of something cheap out of snobbery—or heightened by them, as in the case of the aesthetic value of magnificence. Because aesthetic value can thus be heightened or corrupted by market value on Smith’s analysis, I suggest, speculatively, that for Smith the bad influence of economic considerations in aesthetic matters (faulty snobbery or an economically-derived corruption of taste) is identified by reference to moral, not purely aesthetic criteria.
A single upstream mutation of whiB7 underlies amikacin and clarithromycin resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus
Authors: De Boeck Nathan , Villellas Cristina , Crespo-Yuste Estefanía , Gonzalo-Asensio Jesús , Buckley Peter T , Thys Kim , Vuong Cuong , Lounis Nacer , Verstraeten Natalie , Michiels Jan 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Aims
We aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the survival of Mycobacterium abscessus when faced with antibiotic combination therapy. By conducting evolution experiments and whole-genome sequencing (WGS), we sought to identify genetic variants associated with stress response mechanisms, with a particular focus on drug survival and resistance.

Methods and results
We conducted evolution experiments on M. abscessus, exposing the bacteria to a combination therapy of amikacin and rifabutin. Genetic mutations associated with increased antibiotic survival and altered susceptibility were subsequently identified by WGS. We focused on mutations that contribute to stress response mechanisms and tolerance. Of particular interest was a novel frameshift mutation in MAB_3509c, a gene of unknown function within the upstream open reading frame of whiB7. A MAB_3509c knockout mutant was constructed, and expression of downstream drug resistance genes was assessed by RT-qPCR. Mutation of MAB_3509c results in increased RNA levels of whiB7 and downstream stress response genes such as eis2, which is responsible for aminoglycoside resistance.

Conclusion
Our findings demonstrate the importance of whiB7 in the adaptive stress response in M. abscessus. Moreover, our results highlight the complexity of M. abscessus adapting to drug stress and underscore the need for further research.
Predictors of nodal upstaging in clinical N1 nonsmall cell lung cancer
Authors: Kayawake Hidenao , Okami Jiro , Shintani Yasushi , Ito Hiroyuki , Ohtsuka Takashi , Toyooka Shinichi , Mori Takeshi , Watanabe Shun-ichi , Asamura Hisao , Chida Masayuki , Endo Shunsuke , Kadokura Mitsutaka , Nakanishi Ryoichi , Miyaoka Etsuo , Yoshino Ichiro , Date Hiroshi ,   the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Background
Surgical resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is currently the first choice for the treatment of clinical N1 (cN1) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, diagnosing cN1 correctly can be difficult, even with current imaging diagnostic technologies. We aimed to analyze the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative nodal status and the predictive factors for nodal upstaging of cN1-NSCLC.

Methods
Patients receiving surgery for cN1-NSCLC in 2010 (n = 1040) were enrolled in the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry Database. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of cN1, predictive factors for nodal upstaging, and prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Results
The 5-year OS and RFS for all patients were 58.2% and 42.7%, respectively. The postoperative pathological nodal status included N0 (36.6%), N1 (39.7%), N2 (23.6%), and N3 (0.1%). In multivariate analysis, younger age (P = .005), no history of smoking (P = .006), and adenocarcinoma (P &lt; .001) were significant predictive factors for nodal upstaging. Older age (P &lt; .001) and higher clinical T (cT) factor (P &lt; .001) were significant indicators for worse OS, while older age (P = .02), higher cT factor (P = .019), high carcinoembryonic antigen value (P = .002), and adenocarcinoma (P = .008) were significant indicators for worse RFS.

Conclusions
The diagnostic accuracy of cN1 in this study was ~40%. No history of smoking and adenocarcinoma were significant predictors for nodal upstaging. Although younger age was a significant predictor for nodal upstaging, it was a significant factor for better prognosis.
High histoplasmosis incidence in kidney transplant recipients in Santa Fe city, Argentina
Authors: Loaiza-Oliva Manuela , Gamarra Soledad , Agusti Joaquín , Gaite Luis , Paladini José Hugo , Martínez Valeria , Arriola Mariano , Gaite Judith Ana , Garcia-Effron Guillermo 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Histoplasmosis is endemic in the central/northeast region of Argentina. It is estimated that the incidence of this mycosis is low in solid organ transplant recipients. This work aims to describe the epidemiology, clinical forms, and evolution of kidney transplant recipients diagnosed with histoplasmosis in Santa Fe city, Argentina. A retrospective study was carried out between 2015 and 2020 on kidney transplant patients with symptoms associated with histoplasmosis in Santa Fe. Histoplasmosis diagnosis was performed through histopathology, recovery of Histoplasma spp., by culture, and/or positive nested Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR) specific for the Histoplasma Hc100 gene. During the study period, 360 kidney transplantations were performed. Of these patients, 12 were diagnosed with histoplasmosis (3.3%). The patients' median age was 51 years, and 75% were male. Eleven patients (92%) presented the disseminated form of the disease. Thirty-three percent were diagnosed with histoplasmosis in their first year post-transplantation (mostly 6–12 months), while 42% received their diagnosis 3 years after transplantation. Laboratory diagnosis was performed by histopathology, culture, and PCR in four cases (33%), by culture and PCR in three cases (25%), and by PCR alone in three cases (25%). Thus, all 12 patients showed positive nested PCR results. All patients received amphotericin B as initial treatment. A good response was observed in 83% of patients. We found a high incidence of histoplasmosis in kidney transplant recipients (up to 10 times higher than reports from other endemic areas). Diagnosis by histopathology/culture showed 75% sensitivity, while nested PCR showed better sensitivity and diagnostic speed.
Viscous heating and instabilities in the partially ionized solar atmosphere
Authors: Pandey B P , Wardle Mark 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT
In weak magnetic fields ($\lesssim 50 \, \mbox{G}$), parallel and perpendicular viscosities, mainly from neutrals, may exceed magnetic diffusivities (Ohm, Hall, and ambipolar) in the middle and upper chromospheres. Ion-driven gyroviscosity may dominate in the upper chromosphere and transition region. In strong fields ($\gtrsim 100\, \mbox{G}$), viscosities primarily exceed diffusivities in the upper chromosphere and transition region. Parallel and perpendicular viscosities, being similar in magnitude, dampen waves and potentially compete with ambipolar diffusion in plasma heating, potentially inhibiting Hall and ambipolar instabilities when equal. The perpendicular viscosity tensor has two components, $\nu _1$ and $\nu _2$, which differ slightly and show weak dependence on ion magnetization. Their differences, combined with shear, may destabilize waves, though magnetic diffusion introduces a cut-off for this instability. In configurations with a magnetic field ${\boldsymbol B}$ having vertical ($b_z=B_z/|{\boldsymbol B}|$) and azimuthal ($b_y=B_y/|{\boldsymbol B}|$) components, and a wavevector ${\boldsymbol k}$ with radial ($\hat{k}_x=k_x/|{\boldsymbol k}|$) and vertical ($\hat{k}_z=k_z/|{\boldsymbol k}|$) components, parallel viscosity, and Hall diffusion can generate the viscous-Hall instability. Gyroviscosity further destabilizes waves in the upper regions. These findings indicate that the solar atmosphere may experience various viscous instabilities, revealing complex interactions between viscosity, magnetic fields, and plasma dynamics across different atmospheric regions.
X-ray AGN in Boötes: the lack of growth of the most massive black holes since z = 4
Authors: Guetzoyan Paloma , Aird James , Georgakakis Antonis , Coil Alison L , Barlow-Hall Cassandra , Hickox Ryan C , Rankine Amy L , Terrazas Bryan A 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT
Supermassive black holes (BHs) are known to efficiently grow through gas accretion, but even sustained and intense mass build-up through this mechanism struggles to explain the assembly of the most massive BHs observed in the local Universe. Using the Chandra Deep-Wide Field Survey (CDFWS) in the Boötes field, we measure BH–galaxy assembly in massive galaxies ($M_\star \gtrsim 10^{10}\,\rm M_\odot$) through the active galactic nucleus (AGN) fraction and specific black hole accretion rate (sBHAR) distribution as a function of redshift and stellar mass. We determine stellar masses and star formation rates for a parent sample of optically selected galaxies as well as those with X-ray detections indicating the presence of an AGN through spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. We derive a redshift-dependent mass completeness limit and extract X-ray information for every galaxy as to provide a comprehensive picture of the AGN population in massive galaxies. While X-ray AGN samples are dominated by moderately massive host galaxies of $M_{\star } \geqslant 10^{10}\rm {\rm M}_{\odot }$, we do not find a strong stellar mass dependence in AGN fraction (to limits in sBHAR), indicating a bias towards massive galaxies in the observed samples. We derive BH–galaxy growth tracks over time, which reveal that while most BH mass has been accumulated since $z=4$ for lower mass BHs, the assembly of the most massive BHs is more complex, with little to no relative mass gain since $z=4$, implying that rapid and intense growth episodes prior to $z=4$ were necessary to form these massive BHs.
Attempt to re-estimate organ doses of victims in non-homogeneous exposure accident by means of the state-of-the-art Mesh-type Reference Computational Phantom—a case study of an IR-192 source accident
Authors: Kowatari Munehiko , Yoshitomi Hiroshi , Tani Kotaro , Tanimura Yoshihiko , Kurihara Osamu 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
An attempt was made to estimate organ doses of a victim in a high-dose non-homogeneous exposure accident caused by a sealed 192Ir gamma-ray source. The Gilan accident was selected as a case study. Organ doses including testis, red bone marrow and so on were properly estimated by applying the Monte Carlo calculation with the state-of-the-art adult male Mesh type Reference Computational Phantom. By introducing a complicated exposure scenario, the dose distribution on the right chest of the victim in the Gilan accident could be reproduced to a certain extent.
Changes in morphological and physiological traits of urban trees in response to elevated temperatures within an Urban Heat Island
Authors: Martínez-Villa Johanna Andrea , Paquette Alain , Feeley Kenneth J , Morales-Morales Paula Andrea , Messier Christian , Durán Sandra M 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Urban heat islands (UHIs) are a common phenomenon in metropolitan areas worldwide where the air temperature is significantly higher in urban areas than in surrounding suburban, rural or natural areas. Mitigation strategies to counteract UHI effects include increasing tree cover and green spaces to reduce heat. The successful application of these approaches necessitates a deep understanding of the thermal tolerances in urban trees and their susceptibility to elevated urban temperatures. We evaluated how the photosynthetic thermal optimum (Topt), photosynthetic heat tolerance (T50) and key leaf thermoregulatory morphological traits (leaf area [LA], specific leaf area, leaf width, thickness and leaf dry matter content) differ between conspecific trees growing in ‘hot’ (UHI) vs ‘cool’ parts of Montreal, Canada (with a difference of 3.4 °C in air temperature), to assess the ability of seven common tree species to acclimation to higher temperatures. We hypothesized that individuals with hotter growing temperatures would exhibit higher Topt and T50, as well as leaf thermoregulatory morphological traits aligned with conservative strategies (e.g., reduced LA and increased leaf mass) compared with their counterparts in the cooler parts of the city. Contrary to our a priori hypotheses, LA increased with growing temperatures and only four of the seven species had higher T50 and only three had higher Topt values in the hotter area. These results suggest that many tree species cannot acclimate to elevated temperatures and that the important services they provide, such as carbon capture, can be negatively affected by high temperatures caused by climate change and/or the UHI effect. The ability vs inability of tree species to acclimate to high temperatures should be considered when implementing long term tree planting programs in urban areas.