bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Reconstruction of Upper Extremity Peripheral Nerve Injuries Using an Epineurial-Like Collagen Device—A Prospective Clinical Study
Authors: O'Beirne Alex , Cullen Jaslyn , Landao-Bassonga Euphemie , Zheng Monica , Lee Clair , Kaluskar Priya , Tai Andrew , Zheng Minghao 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background Epineurium acts as a barrier to protect nerves from injury and maintains its structural and functional integrity. A device was developed to mimic the native structure of epineurium. The aim of this study was to evaluate its biological characteristics and clinical performance in the reconstruction of upper extremity peripheral nerves.
Methods Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and enhanced microcomputed tomography were used to examine the ultrastructural characteristics of the device. A prospective case series with 2-year follow-up was undertaken and reported. Patients who required nerve reconstruction in the upper extremities were included and underwent single or multiple nerve reconstructions in one or both upper limbs.
Results The device mimics the structural and biological properties of epineurium. During surgical use, it can form compression-free and self-engaged wrapping around the repaired nerves. A total of 36 peripheral nerve reconstructions were performed using either nerve transfer or nerve grafting in 19 patients. Of these, 14 patients had upper limb nerve injuries and 5 had C5 to C8 spinal cord injuries resulting in tetraplegia. Nerve reconstruction using the device restored peripheral nerve function, with functional motor recovery (FMR) observed in 76% of the most proximal target muscle at 12 months and 85% of most proximal muscles at 24 months post-treatment. FMR was observed in 61% of all target muscles at 12 months and 75% at 24 months post-treatment.
Conclusion The device restored FMR in the upper extremities in patients with peripheral nerve or spinal cord injuries.
Level of Evidence Therapeutic IV
Investor attention and consumer price index inflation rate: Evidence from the United States
Authors: Zhu Panpan , Zhou Qingjie , Zhang Yinpeng 
Published: April 2024

AbstractExplaining and forecasting inflation are important and challenging tasks because inflation is one focus of macroeconomics. This paper introduces novel investor attention to the field of inflation for the first time. Specifically, the Granger causality test, vector autoregression (VAR) model, certain linear models, and several statistical indicators are adopted to illustrate the roles of investor attention in explaining and forecasting inflation. The empirical results can be summarized as follows. First, investor attention is the Granger cause of the inflation rate and has a negative impact on inflation. Second, predictive models that incorporate investor attention can significantly outperform the commonly used benchmark models in inflation forecasting for both short and long horizons. Third, the robustness checks show that updating investor attention or the model specification does not change the conclusion of the crucial role of investor attention in explaining and forecasting inflation. Finally, this paper proves that investor attention influences inflation through inflation expectations. In summary, this paper demonstrates the importance of investor attention for macroeconomics, as investor attention affects inflation.
Stuck between group and transgression
Authors: Friedman Elie 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This study examines how politicians navigate the challenge of publicly condemning transgressions committed by
members of their in-group. Examining ten transgressions committed by Israeli political actors which attracted public attention,
the study engages in a discourse analysis of politicians’ posts, illustrating eight discursive strategies for coping with this
challenge. It utilizes Du Bois’ stance triangle to illustrate how politicians navigate conflicting affiliations to their in-group
and to public values. While certain types of in-group condemnations illustrate an adherence to public values at the expense of
group cohesion, other types of downgraded condemnations demonstrate how group affiliation trumps value-affiliation. The study
illustrates that the prevalence of downgraded in-group condemnations is indicative of extreme polarization at the expense of
“statism”–an increasing trend in Israel in recent years.
Setting subject and the inferential cleft construction in Korean
Authors: Park Chongwon , Yeon Jaehoon , Kim Jong-Bok 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This article aims to develop a cognitive-functional analysis of the Korean inferential cleft construction (ICC) by
identifying two motivations. It is demonstrated that the ICC must be understood as a mechanism to improve coherence and relevance
in the text; it is first and foremost motivated to establish relationships between the preceding context and the event denoted by
the subordinate clause headed by kes. By pointing out that attempts to ascertain concrete meanings of the ICC are
bound to be futile, we argue that various meanings the ICC exhibits arise by mapping it onto the result phase of the epistemic
cycle. The second motivation for the ICC is to put the proposition in the spotlight by indicating that the global circumstances,
not the speaker, warrant judgment. Consequently, the speaker staves off the responsibility for her epistemic judgment.
Experimental setup for the measurement of optical properties in the vacuum ultraviolet region
Authors: Copello S. , Boffelli F. , De Vecchi C. , Mandelli M. , Menegolli A. , Prata M.C. , Raselli G.L. , Rossella M. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This work presents an experimental setup designed for measuring optical properties in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) region. Originally developed for the characterization of ICARUS photomultiplier tubes, the setup has been recently employed to measure the conversion efficiency of para-Terphenyl coatings, acting as wavelength shifters, as a function of thickness. The VUV region is of particular interest in particle physics experiments utilizing cryogenic noble gases as scintillating media. The setup includes a deuterium light source, a mirror system, an intensity monitor, and a sample chamber to host sample and photodetector. An example measurement of para-Terphenyl conversion efficiency — as wavelength shifter — with varying thickness is presented, demonstrating the versatility and effectiveness of the presented system.
Insight into the tribological properties of cylinder liner-piston ring under the nano BNNs/Cu composite additive lubrication
Authors: Liu Lifanxing , Guo Zhiwei , Rao Xiang , Yin Huabin , Sheng Chenxing , Yuan Chengqing 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
To improve the tribological properties of the cylinder liner-piston ring, a two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride/copper composite lubricant additive was prepared and characterized in detail. The tribological properties and lubrication mechanism of nano hexagonal boron nitride composites with different concentrations were studied through the reciprocating friction test on the Rtec friction and wear tester. The results show that copper is successfully reduced and attached to the surface of h-BN nanosheets through the self-polymerization of dopamine, and the spherical structure promotes the interlayer slip of the nanosheets during the reciprocating friction process. The appropriate concentration of nano composite additives has excellent anti-friction and anti-wear properties. At 1 Hz and 100 N, the friction coefficient and wear quality of the nano composite additive with a concentration of 2 wt% were reduced by 29.07% and 76%, respectively. The surface Sq value and Sz value of the cylinder liner sample decreased by 68.06% and 74.47%. At the same time, under the condition of high speed and heavy load, the average wear depth of the cylinder liner sample is reduced by 61.3%. The nano composite material additive forms an excellent friction protective film on the wear surface of the cylinder liner, which can better enter the wear surface of the cylinder liner and produce a filling and repairing effect. The research results provide a method for the use of nano hexagonal boron nitride composite additives to inhibit the wear of cylinder liner-piston ring of Marine diesel engines.
Democracy despite Itself
Authors: Schupmann Benjamin A 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This book advances a liberal normative theory of militant democracy to address the existential threat to democracy posed by ‘legal revolution’. ‘Militant democracy’ refers to the use of measures of constitutional entrenchment to defend democracy. Legal revolution occurs when democratically elected actors use legal procedures to undermine democratic constitutional essentials, evident today in countries like Hungary, India, and Turkey. This book develops its normative theory by combining John Rawls’ political liberalism and Carl Schmitt’s constitutional theory to argue that basic liberal rights are an essential part of the democratic constitutional framework and that the state has the right to defend its democratic political identity against internal challenges. It argues that militant democracy is institutionalized by three key mechanisms: explicit unamendability, political rights restrictions, and guardianship by a constitutional court, exemplified by the 1949 German Basic Law. It concludes that incorporating these defensive measures is a crucial safeguard of democracy against the threat of legal revolution, offering a model for the design of democratic constitutions in the future.
Introduction
Authors: Schupmann Benjamin A 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The introduction examines ‘militant democracy’ as a constitutional defence against internal legal subversion, using Hungary’s transformation into an ‘illiberal democracy’ under the populist Fidesz party’s rule as a case study. It contrasts Hungary’s democratic backsliding with Germany’s Basic Law, highlighting the latter’s three entrenchment mechanisms: explicit unamendability, political rights restrictions, and constitutional guardianship. Although these interrelated measures reinforce democratic values, their democratic justification poses a challenge, leading to reluctance in defending their use at all. Moreover, existing normative theories of militant democracy struggle to address cases of democratic backsliding like that of Hungary. This introduction advocates developing a new normative theory of militant democracy focused on defending liberal constitutionalism, aimed at improving democracy’s ability to defend itself against internal antidemocratic threats.
Liberalism and Modern Constitutionalism
Authors: Schupmann Benjamin A 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This chapter analyses the foundational role basic liberal rights play in democracy, using the lens of John Rawls’ theory of political constructivism. It explores how Rawls’ political liberalism shapes our understanding of what democracy is and addresses challenges posed by the rise of illiberal doctrines. Rawls’ philosophy establishes that basic liberal rights are an essential aspect of legitimate democratic government, emphasizing their importance, especially when threatened by ‘unreasonable’ antidemocratic members. The chapter concludes by examining the limits of Rawls’ theory to develop a liberal normative theory of militant democracy. Although Rawls acknowledges the importance of entrenching basic liberal rights through constitutional unamendability and the containment of unreasonable members, he concludes that democracy’s self-defence poses a practical dilemma that philosophy cannot resolve. His work contributes the substantive democratic aspects to a liberal normative theory of militant democracy, but falls short in providing its militant dimension.
Unamendability
Authors: Schupmann Benjamin A 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This chapter analyses explicit unamendability as the first principal mechanism of militant democracy, advocating for its use to entrench basic liberal rights against undemocratic constitutional change. It argues that explicit unamendability serves a dual function: it not only improves democracy’s self-defence against legal revolution by embedding democratic values in positive law, but also overtly signals the state’s identity as a democracy. Both shielding democratic essentials from illegitimate legal change and clearly signalling the state’s democratic identity are crucial for preserving a democracy’s constitutional integrity. In addition, this chapter examines how explicit unamendability reinforces other mechanisms of militant democracy, in particular the legitimate use of political rights restrictions.
The Guardian of the Constitution
Authors: Schupmann Benjamin A 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This chapter analyses the guardian of the constitution, the third principal mechanism of militant democracy. Typically embodied by the constitutional court, the guardian holds pro tempore final authority on constitutionality. This role is vital for militant democracy: since neither unamendability nor political rights restrictions are self-enforcing, some constituted power must adjudicate on them. The chapter argues that guardianship should rest with a branch independent of the executive and legislative branches. By representing ‘the people’ in a fundamentally different manner from those branches, the guardian can effectively counterbalance imperfections of their representations. This serves as a robust check on the potential pathologies of those branches, thereby safeguarding the democratic ideals of ‘the people’ and protecting against threats like legal revolution and democratic cannibalism.
Targeted and immunotherapy for the management of advanced urothelial carcinoma of the bladder
Authors: Cersosimo Robert J 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Purpose
The activity of targeted and immunotherapy for the management of advanced bladder cancer is reviewed.

Summary
Platinum-based chemotherapy is standard first-line treatment for advanced bladder cancer. Pembrolizumab is approved alone as first-line therapy for patients who are ineligible for any platinum-based chemotherapy and with enfortumab for patients ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Avelumab is approved for maintenance therapy in patients who have not progressed with first-line platinum-containing therapy. Pembrolizumab, avelumab, and nivolumab are approved second-line therapy in patients who experience progression during or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. Erdafitinib is indicated for advanced disease that has susceptible FGFR2 or FGFR3 genetic alterations and has progressed during or after treatment with at least one line of platinum-containing chemotherapy. Enfortumab vedotin and sacituzumab govitecan are antibody-drug conjugates. They are both approved for patients who have received anti–PD-L1 or anti–PD-1 therapy and treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. Enfortumab is also indicated for patients who are ineligible to receive cisplatin-based therapy and have received one or more prior lines of therapy.

Conclusion
Six targeted and immunotherapeutic agents have been approved for patients with advanced urothelial bladder cancer. They all have demonstrated activity in patients for whom disease has progressed during or after platinum-based therapy. Pembrolizumab, with and without enfortumab, has demonstrated first-line activity, and avelumab is a key maintenance therapy after first-line treatment. The results of additional clinical trials should provide evidence to establish the exact role in therapy of each agent in patients with advanced disease.
Advancements in genetic techniques and functional genomics for enhancing crop traits and agricultural sustainability
Authors: Kumar Surender , Singh Anupama , Bist Chander Mohan Singh , Sharma Munish 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Genetic variability is essential for the development of new crop varieties with economically beneficial traits. The traits can be inherited from wild relatives or induced through mutagenesis. Novel genetic elements can then be identified and new gene functions can be predicted. In this study, forward and reverse genetics approaches were described, in addition to their applications in modern crop improvement programs and functional genomics. By using heritable phenotypes and linked genetic markers, forward genetics searches for genes by using traditional genetic mapping and allele frequency estimation. Despite recent advances in sequencing technology, omics and computation, genetic redundancy remains a major challenge in forward genetics. By analyzing close-related genes, we will be able to dissect their functional redundancy and predict possible traits and gene activity patterns. In addition to these predictions, sophisticated reverse gene editing tools can be used to verify them, including TILLING, targeted insertional mutagenesis, gene silencing, gene targeting and genome editing. By using gene knock-down, knock-up and knock-out strategies, these tools are able to detect genetic changes in cells. In addition, epigenome analysis and editing enable the development of novel traits in existing crop cultivars without affecting their genetic makeup by increasing epiallelic variants. Our understanding of gene functions and molecular dynamics of various biological phenomena has been revised by all of these findings. The study also identifies novel genetic targets in crop species to improve yields and stress tolerances through conventional and non-conventional methods. In this article, genetic techniques and functional genomics are specifically discussed and assessed for their potential in crop improvement.
Larval gregariousness in Papilionidae is more prevalent outside the tropics
Authors: Cisternas Mónica F , Ríos Rodrigo S , Salgado-Luarte Cristian , Gianoli Ernesto 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Larval gregariousness, reported for 20 of the 127 families of Lepidoptera, may enhance thermoregulation, feeding efficiency, and antipredator defence. In the swallowtail family (Papilionidae), which is distributed worldwide yet mainly in the tropics, larval gregariousness has independently evolved at least six times. Here we evaluated in Papilionidae whether gregarious species are mostly distributed in temperate regions, where enhanced thermoregulation should be more beneficial because of the colder climate and greater climatic variations, compared to the tropics. We found data for 198 of the c. 560 species of Papilionidae. Results showed that larval gregariousness was significantly more prevalent in temperate regions. This pattern was statistically significant even when the analysis accounted for phylogenetic relatedness, which also influenced the occurrence of gregariousness. Thus, the shared evolutionary history of Papilionidae species explains in part the global distribution pattern of larval gregariousness. Nonetheless, this macroecological pattern of distribution of larval gregariousness in swallowtail species could have resulted from the ecological benefits concerning thermoregulation that are associated with group living.
Cell cycle variants during Drosophila male accessory gland development
Authors: Box Allison M , Ramesh Navyashree A , Nandakumar Shyama , Church Samuel Jaimian , Prasad Dilan , Afrakhteh Ariana , Taichman Russell S , Buttitta Laura 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The Drosophila melanogaster male accessory gland (AG) is a functional analog of the mammalian prostate and seminal vesicles containing two secretory epithelial cell types, termed main and secondary cells. This tissue is responsible for making and secreting seminal fluid proteins and other molecules that contribute to successful reproduction. The cells of this tissue are binucleate and polyploid, due to variant cell cycles that include endomitosis and endocycling during metamorphosis. Here, we provide evidence of additional cell cycle variants in this tissue. We show that main cells of the gland are connected by ring canals that form after the penultimate mitosis, and we describe an additional post-eclosion endocycle required for gland maturation that is dependent on juvenile hormone signaling. We present evidence that the main cells of the D. melanogaster AG undergo a unique cell cycle reprogramming throughout organ development that results in step-wise cell cycle truncations culminating in cells containing two octoploid nuclei with under-replicated heterochromatin in the mature gland. We propose this tissue as a model to study developmental and hormonal temporal control of cell cycle variants in terminally differentiating tissues.
The Irreducibility of the Spaces of Rational Curves on del Pezzo Manifolds
Authors: Okamura Fumiya 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
We prove the irreducibility of the spaces of rational curves on del Pezzo manifolds of Picard rank $1$ and dimension $n \ge 4$ by analyzing the fibers of evaluation maps. As a corollary, we prove Geometric Manin’s Conjecture in these cases.
Performance information and issue prioritization by political and managerial decision-makers: A discrete choice experiment
Authors: van der Voet Joris , Lerusse Amandine 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Issue prioritization is the first stage of attention-based theories of decision-making, but remains theoretically and empirically uncharted territory in public administration research. We propose and test how issue prioritization is informed by the characteristics of the performance information on which decision-makers rely, in particular its source (internal or external information), nature (objective or subjective information), aspiration level (historical, social, or coercive aspirations), and required cognitive effort (attention costs). Furthermore, we theorize how these characteristics of performance information determine issue prioritization decisions of political and managerial decision-makers in different ways. We empirically examine issue prioritization decisions in road maintenance and primary school education using a discrete choice experiment among 2,313 local government officials. The experiment reveals that decision-makers are more likely to prioritize issues that are signaled through objective performance measures and that are articulated relative to coercive aspirations, but that the effects of the information’s source and attention costs differ between policy domains. Comparison of observational variation regarding decision-makers’ roles indicates that public managers more strongly prioritize road maintenance issues that are articulated in objective performance information, but not in primary school education. The study advances public administration research and theory with a “horizontal” behavioral perspective on decision-makers’ information processing to prioritize between simultaneous performance issues.