bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Remnant cholesterol is associated with unstable carotid plaque in a neurologically healthy population
Authors: Li Wenbo , Liu Yang , Liu Jie , Guo Qirui , Li Jing , Wang Anxin , Zheng Huaguang 
Published: May 2024

BackgroundRemnant cholesterol (RC) is considered to be one of the most significant and important risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Nonetheless, the association between RC and unstable carotid plaque remains unclear. Our primary objective is to ascertain whether RC exhibits an independent and significant association with unstable carotid plaque in a neurologically healthy population.MethodsIn the cross-sectional study, we enrolled neurologically healthy participants who visited our centre for health checkups between 2021 and 2022. All eligible participants underwent a standardised questionnaire, physical examinations and laboratory testing. The carotid plaque was evaluated with a standard carotid ultrasound and an advanced ultrasound imaging technique called superb microvascular imaging. The correlation between lipids and unstable carotid plaque was primarily assessed utilising univariate and multivariate logistic regression.ResultsThe study totally enrolled 1100 participants who had an average age of 57.00 years (IQR: 49.00–63.00), with 67.55% being men. Among the participants, 321 (29.18%) had unstable carotid plaque. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, higher RC had an independent association with an elevated incidence of unstable carotid plaque compared with the lowest concentrations of RC (OR=1.673, 95% CI 1.113 to 2.515, p=0.0134), but not other lipids. In addition, apolipoprotein A1 was negatively related to unstable carotid plaque (OR=0.549, 95% CI 0.364 to 0.830, p=0.0045).ConclusionsElevated concentrations of RC are independently and excellently correlated with unstable carotid plaque within a neurologically healthy population.
Nursery cultural practices influence morphological and physiological aspen seedling traits: implications for post-fire restoration
Authors: Dixit Aalap , Burney Owen 
Published: May 2024

Aspen forests are threatened by the impacts of a changing climate and are showing large-scale mortality with meager natural regeneration to restore these loses. Therefore, there is an increasing demand for high-quality aspen seedlings to assist with forest restoration efforts. Nursery cultural practices can be used to alter aspen seedling traits to improve adaptability to dry planting conditions. In this study, the effects of container size (SC10 and D30; 158 and 490 mL, respectively) and nursery irrigation treatment (high and low irrigation; 90% and 70% container capacity, respectively) on seedling growth and a suite of morphological and physiological traits were investigated. The combination of large container size and low irrigation treatment resulted in seedlings with lowest height-to-diameter ratio and specific leaf area, which are desired traits for seedling performance on dry sites. Additionally, seedlings exposed to low irrigation conditions at the nursery stage had a lower (more negative) osmotic potential at full turgor, suggesting a higher likelihood of drought tolerance. Overall results from this study provide insight into utilizing nursery cultural practices to produce seedlings with target characteristics that may ultimately lead to establishment on harsh, dry planting sites in large-scale reforestation projects.
Thermodynamics of the quantum Schwarzschild black hole
Authors: Balart Leonardo , Panotopoulos Grigoris , Rincón Ángel 
Published: May 2024

AbstractWe discuss some thermodynamic properties as well as the stability of a quantum Schwarzschild black hole, comparing the results with those obtained within a bumblebee gravity model. In particular, the Hawking temperature, $$T_{{\text{H}}}$$

T
H

, the entropy, S, the heat capacity, C, and the Gibbs free energy, G, are computed for both cases. In addition to that, we compute the Brown-York quasilocal energy and compare the solution with the Schwarzschild case. We find that in both cases (quantum Schwarzschild and bumblebee gravity model) the temperature, the entropy, and the heat capacity show the same functional form, under the replacement $$\lambda ^2 \rightarrow \ell$$

λ
2

→
ℓ

and vice versa. Specifically, the temperature is found to be lower compared to the classical (Schwarzschild) solution; whereas, the entropy is computed to be larger. Moreover, the heat capacity becomes more negative. Notably, a distinct contrast emerges in obtaining the Gibbs free energy between these two cases, and this distinction appears to stem from the ADM mass.
Integrated Reporting and the Informativeness of Financial Analysts’ Stock Recommendations
Authors: Baboukardos Diogenis , Kopita Anastasia 
Published: May 2024

Synopsis The research problem The purpose of this study was to examine the market reaction to sell-side analyst recommendation revisions issued under an integrated reporting (IR) approach. Motivation Advocates of this corporate reporting approach argue that IR enhances capital markets’ information environment by rendering investors better able to assess the value creation process of a firm. Recent empirical studies corroborate this argument. Considering the central role of financial intermediaries, we investigated whether the informativeness of analyst recommendation revisions is associated with the adoption of IR and the quality of integrated reports. The test hypotheses We tested whether the informativeness of analyst recommendation revisions decreases or increases after the mandatory adoption of an IR approach. Furthermore, we tested whether the informativeness is negatively or positively related to the quality of the released integrated report after the mandatory adoption of an IR approach. Target population We focused on the South African capital market, which is the only setting where IR is mandated. We utilized a sample of 3,201 recommendation revisions made within a 3-year window around the mandatory IR adoption. Adopted methodology This study used ordinary least square (OLS) regressions and applied difference-in-differences as well as instrumental variable approaches. Analyses We modeled the market reaction to the recommendation revisions as a function of the period in which the recommendations are announced (i.e., pre- or post-adoption), along with other factors affecting market reaction. In subsequent tests, we also modeled the market reaction to the recommendation revisions as a function of the quality of a firm’s integrated report. Findings We found strong evidence that analysts’ revisions exhibited economically and statistically significantly lower information content under IR. Moreover, we found that upgrades and downgrades issued in the post-adoption period were less informative when issued for firms with high-quality integrated reports. Overall, results showed that the benefit of acquiring advice from analysts became more marginal under an IR approach.
A Functional Survey of the Regulatory Landscape of Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer Evolution
Authors: Barozzi Iros , Slaven Neil , Canale Eleonora , Lopes Rui , Amorim Monteiro Barbosa Inês , Bleu Melusine , Ivanoiu Diana , Pacini Claudia , Mensa’ Emanuela , Chambers Alfie , Bravaccini Sara , Ravaioli Sara , Győrffy Balázs , Dieci Maria Vittoria , Pruneri Giancarlo , Galli Giorgio Giacomo , Magnani Luca 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Only a handful of somatic alterations have been linked to endocrine therapy resistance in hormone-dependent breast cancer, potentially explaining ∼40% of relapses. If other mechanisms underlie the evolution of hormone-dependent breast cancer under adjuvant therapy is currently unknown. In this work, we employ functional genomics to dissect the contribution of cis-regulatory elements (CRE) to cancer evolution by focusing on 12 megabases of noncoding DNA, including clonal enhancers, gene promoters, and boundaries of topologically associating domains. Parallel epigenetic perturbation (CRISPRi) in vitro reveals context-dependent roles for many of these CREs, with a specific impact on dormancy entrance and endocrine therapy resistance. Profiling of CRE somatic alterations in a unique, longitudinal cohort of patients treated with endocrine therapies identifies a limited set of noncoding changes potentially involved in therapy resistance. Overall, our data uncover how endocrine therapies trigger the emergence of transient features which could ultimately be exploited to hinder the adaptive process.
Significance: This study shows that cells adapting to endocrine therapies undergo changes in the usage or regulatory regions. Dormant cells are less vulnerable to regulatory perturbation but gain transient dependencies which can be exploited to decrease the formation of dormant persisters.
Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen Identifies an NF2-Adherens Junction Mechanistic Dependency for Cardiac Lineage
Authors: Lee Chang Jie Mick , Autio Matias I. , Zheng Wenhao , Song Yoohyun , Wang Shyi Chyi , Wong Darren Chen Pei , Xiao Jingwei , Zhu Yike , Yusoff Permeen , Yei Xi , Chock Wan Kee , Low Boon Chuan , Sudol Marius , Foo Roger S.-Y. 
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND:
Cardiomyocyte differentiation involves a stepwise clearance of repressors and fate-restricting regulators through the modulation of BMP (bone morphogenic protein)/Wnt-signaling pathways. However, the mechanisms and how regulatory roadblocks are removed with specific developmental signaling pathways remain unclear.

METHODS:

We conducted a genome-wide CRISPR screen to uncover essential regulators of cardiomyocyte specification in human embryonic stem cells using a myosin heavy chain 6 (
MYH6
)-GFP (green fluorescence protein) reporter system. After an independent secondary single guide ribonucleic acid validation of 25 candidates, we identified NF2 (neurofibromin 2), a moesin-ezrin-radixin like (MERLIN) tumor suppressor, as an upstream driver of early cardiomyocyte lineage specification. Independent monoclonal
NF2
knockouts were generated using CRISPR-Cas9, and cell states were inferred through bulk RNA sequencing and protein expression analysis across differentiation time points. Terminal lineage differentiation was assessed by using an in vitro 2-dimensional-micropatterned gastruloid model, trilineage differentiation, and cardiomyocyte differentiation. Protein interaction and post-translation modification of NF2 with its interacting partners were assessed using site-directed mutagenesis, coimmunoprecipitation, and proximity ligation assays.

RESULTS:

Transcriptional regulation and trajectory inference from
NF2
-null cells reveal the loss of cardiomyocyte identity and the acquisition of nonmesodermal identity. Sustained elevation of early mesoderm lineage repressor
SOX2
and upregulation of late anticardiac regulators
CDX2
and
MSX1
in
NF2
knockout cells reflect a necessary role for
NF2
in removing regulatory roadblocks. Furthermore, we found that NF2 and AMOT (angiomotin) cooperatively bind to YAP (yes-associated protein) during mesendoderm formation, thereby preventing YAP activation, independent of canonical MST (mammalian sterile 20-like serine-threonine protein kinase)–LATS (large tumor suppressor serine-threonine protein kinase) signaling. Mechanistically, cardiomyocyte lineage identity was rescued by wild-type and NF2 serine-518 phosphomutants, but not NF2 FERM (ezrin-radixin-meosin homology protein) domain blue-box mutants, demonstrating that the critical FERM domain–dependent formation of the AMOT-NF2-YAP scaffold complex at the adherens junction is required for early cardiomyocyte lineage differentiation.

CONCLUSIONS:
These results provide mechanistic insight into the essential role of NF2 during early epithelial-mesenchymal transition by sequestering the repressive effect of YAP and relieving regulatory roadblocks en route to cardiomyocytes.
Allele-Specific Suppression of Variant MHC With High-Precision RNA Nuclease CRISPR-Cas13d Prevents Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Yang Ping , Lou Yingmei , Geng Zilong , Guo Zhizhao , Wu Shuo , Li Yige , Song Kaiyuan , Shi Ting , Zhang Shasha , Xiong Junhao , Chen Alex F. , Li Dali , Pu William T. , Da Lintai , Zhang Yan , Sun Kun , Zhang Bing 
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND:

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has severe clinical complications of heart failure, arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. Heterozygous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) of sarcomere genes such as
MYH7
are the leading cause of this type of disease. CRISPR-Cas13 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and their associated protein 13) is an emerging gene therapy approach for treating genetic disorders, but its therapeutic potential in genetic cardiomyopathy remains unexplored.

METHODS:

We developed a sensitive allelic point mutation reporter system to screen the mutagenic variants of Cas13d. On the basis of Cas13d homology structure, we rationally designed a series of Cas13d variants and obtained a high-precision Cas13d variant (hpCas13d) that specifically cleaves the
MYH7
variant RNAs containing 1 allelic SNV. We validated the high precision and low collateral cleavage activity of hpCas13d through various in vitro assays. We generated 2 HCM mouse models bearing distinct
MYH7
SNVs and used adenovirus-associated virus serotype 9 to deliver hpCas13d specifically to the cardiomyocytes. We performed a large-scale library screening to assess the potency of hpCas13d in resolving 45 human
MYH7
allelic pathogenic SNVs.

RESULTS:

Wild-type Cas13d cannot distinguish and specifically cleave the heterozygous
MYH7
allele with SNV. hpCas13d, with 3 amino acid substitutions, had minimized collateral RNase activity and was able to resolve various human
MYH7
pathological sequence variations that cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In vivo application of hpCas13d to 2 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy models caused by distinct human
MYH7
analogous sequence variations specifically suppressed the altered allele and prevented cardiac hypertrophy.

CONCLUSIONS:
Our study unveils the great potential of CRISPR-Cas nucleases with high precision in treating inheritable cardiomyopathy and opens a new avenue for therapeutic management of inherited cardiac diseases.
Stroke Mimics in Children With Moyamoya Arteriopathy
Authors: Andere Ariana J. , Dao Jasmin , Gelfand Amy A. , Morshed Ramin A. , Ross Alexandra C. , Wagstaff Amanda E. , Fullerton Heather J. , Fox Christine K. 
Published: May 2024

Background
Comorbid conditions may result in symptoms that mimic stroke in children with moyamoya arteriopathy. Health care usage for stroke mimics is not well characterized.

Methods
Consecutive children (aged <18 years) with moyamoya syndrome or disease treated at a single center (2007–2021) were identified from a registry. Data including documentation of headache, anxiety, and functional neurologic disorders were retrospectively abstracted using standardized forms. Encounters were attributed to the comorbid condition when (1) related symptoms led to the visit; (2) the condition was documented as the visit diagnosis; and (3) in the absence of stroke, transient ischemic attack, or seizure.

Results
We identified 32 children (63% female) with symptomatic moyamoya arteriopathy diagnosed via imaging at a median age of 7.5 years (range, 0.7–17) years, all treated with revascularization surgery. During follow‐up (median, 6.7 years after diagnosis [interquartile range, 4.0–8.3]), 81% of patients reported headache, 53% reported anxiety, 19% reported panic attacks, and 6% developed a functional neurologic disorder. Both patients with functional neurologic disorder also had migraines and anxiety. In 10 patients (31% of the cohort), a stroke mimic led to 33 emergency department encounters and 9 hospital admissions; 9 received head imaging (magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or computed tomographic angiography) as part of the workup.

Conclusion
Headaches, anxiety, and functional neurologic disorders may mimic stroke symptoms in children with moyamoya arteriopathy, leading to significant health care usage. While providers should remain vigilant for stroke, early recognition of stroke mimics should promote interventions to address comorbid conditions.
First‐Line Treatment of Symptomatic Subocclusive Large‐Vessel Stroke: Results of a Nationwide StrokeNet Survey
Authors: Aziz Yasmin N. , Harker Pablo , Ayala Felipe , Ades Laura M.C. , Vagal Vaibhav , Khatri Pooja 
Published: May 2024

Background
Limited evidence is available for the treatment of acute symptomatic subocclusive lesions in ischemic stroke. We sought to identify current treatment patterns of stroke teams at academic health centers.

Methods
We conducted an email survey of the National Institutes of Health StrokeNet regional coordinating centers (RCCs). Each RCC principal investigator was asked to nominate a local stroke interventionalist, or a neurologist if the RCC principal investigator was an interventionalist, most aligned with the typical practice pattern of the RCC's lead hospital, to receive a survey. The survey consisted of a clinical vignette and displayed a subocclusive lesion in the left middle cerebral artery on computed tomography angiogram followed by subsequent scenarios, revising only 1 historical, clinical, or radiographic variable at a time. Participants were asked to select initial management for each scenario. Results were reviewed and analyzed by stroke‐trained physicians.

Results
Responses were received from 42 (77.8%) of 54 surveyed individuals, representing 25 (92.6%) of 27 RCCs nationwide, including 25 (59.5%) interventionalists. The majority (76.2%) of respondents treated the patient in the primary clinical vignette with mechanical thrombectomy. Among all 6 clinical scenarios, respondents chose mechanical thrombectomy with or without medical management as first‐line treatment for 4 (67%) vignettes. Exceptions were low National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score and known ipsilateral stenosis, where respondents chose medical management as first‐line treatment.

Conclusion
Despite limited evidence to support mechanical thrombectomy versus other treatment strategies, the majority of StrokeNet RCC respondents would use mechanical thrombectomy with or without medical therapy to treat acute ischemic stroke due to intracranial subocclusive lesions.
Pinpointing Linguistic Emphasis in Classical Greek
Authors: Vatri Alessandro 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Emphasis is a ubiquitous notion in classical scholarship, but its vagueness has repeatedly been criticized (and its usefulness, consequently, questioned) by Greek linguists. This brief study seeks to identify (and secure) a place for this notion in the analytical toolbox for the description of Classical Greek by applying the strict but nuanced definition of emphasis in Functional Discourse Grammar (Hengeveld and Mackenzie 2008) to the identification and classification of linguistic devices in the ancient language. In particular, this study argues for a distinction between emphasis as a rhetorical effect and emphasis as a communicative intention. In the former understanding, emphasis may be produced secondarily by a number of linguistic and rhetorical devices. Conversely, linguistic emphasis stricto sensu would only be conveyed by linguistic devices used primarily to intensify linguistic entities of any level (discourse acts, propositional contents, subacts).
The Path Less Taken? Interstate Conciliation and Human Rights
Authors: Sthoeger Eran 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Though provided for in several treaties, including three universal human rights treaties, resort to interstate conciliation has been sparse. In 2018, however, the first three human rights interstate conciliations were initiated under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (cerd). While two of these have been suspended by mutual agreement, the third, Palestine v. Israel, is ongoing after the cerd Committee has concluded that it has jurisdiction to establish a conciliation commission. This article examines how suited conciliation is to advance the goals of interstate communications in human rights treaties, as well as conciliation more broadly. It also tries to identify critical factors that may determine the success or failure of such conciliations, particularly by drawing on lessons learned from the recent conciliation between Timor Leste and Australia under the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea, which successfully concluded with a delimitation treaty.
A possible pheromone effect as reflected in food handling by Messor arenarius ants
Authors: Warburg Ittai 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
This work aimed to explore a pheromone effect during food handling using food choice field experiments with Messor arenarius ants. The results showed that the proportion of times ants touched the two food items placed in the artificial food patch (collection point) with their antennae was significantly higher in their first collection attempt than in subsequent attempts. However, when the soil was replaced after each collection attempt, there were no significant differences in the proportions of cases in which ants touched the two food items with their antennae between the first and subsequent food collection attempts. This difference may indicate that ants deposited a pheromone in their first food collection attempt that faded away when the soil in the patch was replaced after each collection attempt.
The Practice of Post-Handover Party Interactions between Hong Kong and Taiwan
Authors: Chiu Adrian 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
This article applies a three-level framework based on the logic of ontological security to the case of party interactions between Hong Kong and Taiwan in the post-handover years. Rather than through domestication and subversion, as the literature suggests, this article argues that liminal actors enhance their ontological security through interacting with like-minded partners. Establishing the case of liminality for Hong Kong and Taiwan, this article also finds that both conventional and movement parties in the two political units interacted to strengthen their stable sense of self. However, their practices differed based on their political positions within the political systems and their available resources. This article provides the first empirical mapping of the conventional party interactions between Hong Kong and Taiwan. It seeks to contribute a theoretical framework explaining the close links between political units and their movements.
Economic Efficiency of Agriculture in Punjab: Evidence from Cost of Cultivation Survey
Authors: Rani Poonam , Sahoo Ajeet Kumar , Singla Naresh 
Published: May 2024

Understanding the economic efficiency of agriculture production in Punjab is an interest of this study. The Cost of Cultivation Survey data set for the block period 2014–15 to 2016–17 has been used. Data envelopment analysis deterministic approach has been applied to measure production efficiency. The estimation showed that in the case of wheat, 73 per cent of tehsils and in the case of paddy, 77 per cent of tehsils in Punjab are found to be inefficient in crop production due to poor input utilisation (managerial inefficiency) and scale size (scale inefficiency). But the higher proportion of inefficiency is mainly attributed to the non-optimal scale of production as compared to pure technical allocation. The farmers can increase their production level on average by 7–17 per cent through improving farm efficiency. Findings showed that farmers are allocating their input resources in an exploitative manner due to which they failed to use an appropriate combination of inputs, which is necessary to achieve cost minimisation. These findings have important implications for agricultural development policy and are likely to offer some useful insights for the adequate use of scarce sources. JEL Codes: C33, C67, Q10, Q15