bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving the properties of aluminum-lithium composites in aerospace applications: review
Authors: Polayya Ch , Rao C S P , Veeresh Kumar G B 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Aluminium (Al)-Lithium (Li) alloys have found widespread applications in aerospace and military domains. Primarily, they are found to have low density, leading to weight savings and several economic considerations. The paper explores the historical development of Al-Li alloys across distinct generations, highlighting their evolution. It also delves into the diverse applications of Al-Li alloys in aerospace and military domains. A concise discussion of the mechanical behaviour and tensile strengths is presented across the first, second, and third generations of Al-Li alloys. This review includes a discussion on microstructural investigation, emphasizing metallurgical factors such as increased efficiency, various precipitate phases, and intergranular features. Weldability and tribological properties of Al-Li alloys, with a specific emphasis on the corrosion aspects of these alloys, are discussed. Furthermore, the review assesses the future development and manufacturing flexibility of Al-Li Metal Matrix Composites. In summary, this comprehensive review consolidates insights into the utilization, evolution, and characteristics of Al-Li Metal Matrix Composites, providing valuable information for researchers and practitioners aiming to enhance the performance of these alloys in aerospace applications.
Examining shifts in the Angola–China relations in the post-dos santos era
Authors: Jura Jarosław , Kopiński Dominik , Polus Andrzej , Tycholiz Wojciech 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The Angola–China connection has famously been branded a ‘marriage of convenience’—an ‘uneasy alliance’ forged for pragmatic reasons at an opportune time of mutual need. In this article, we document how the relationship has more recently undergone a marital burnout of sorts. Chinese loans to Angola have dried up and most Chinese state-owned enterprises have left, as have 90 percent of Chinese migrants. The legacy of this marriage is somewhat mixed. Much of the infrastructure left behind is of dubious quality, while servicing the Chinese debt incurred to finance these projects may consume up to 10 percent of Angola’s GDP. Drawing on three rounds of fieldwork in Angola and over 60 interviews, we trace the souring of Angola–China ties to three concomitant factors: (i) Angolan internal politics; (ii) Chinese reconfiguration; and (iii) exogenous shifts in the global economy. In doing so, we argue that China and Angola are entering new territory, and that this shift in both parties’ calculations can be usefully illuminated by the concept of ‘strategies of extraversion’. Angola’s elites have once again proven that they are adept at transforming external constraints—this time related to China’s increasing financial caution and domestic recalibration—into new opportunities.
Sex differences in cognitive decline among middle-aged and older adults: a cohort study in Europe
Authors: Wolfova Katrin , Frycova Barbora , Seblova Dominika , Tom Sarah , Skirbekk Vegard Fykse , Brennan Kearns Pavla 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Objectives
Previous studies on sex differences in cognitive decline provide inconsistent findings, with many European countries being underrepresented. We determined the association between sex and cognitive decline in a sample of Europeans and explored differences across birth cohorts and regions.

Methods
Participants 50+ years old enrolled in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe had their cognition measured by tests of immediate recall, delayed recall and verbal fluency biennially up to 17 years of follow-up (median 6, interquartile range 3–9 years). We used linear mixed-effects models to assess the relationship between sex and the rate of cognitive decline, adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics.

Results
Of 66,670 participants (mean baseline age 63.5 ± standard deviation 9.4), 55% were female. Males and females had similar rates of decline in the whole sample in immediate recall (beta for interaction sex × time B = 0.002, 95% CI -0.001 to 0.006), delayed recall (B = 0.000, 95% CI −0.004 to 0.004), and verbal fluency (B = 0.008, 95% CI −0.005 to 0.020). Females born before World War II had a faster rate of decline in immediate recall and delayed recall compared to males, while females born during or after World War II had a slower rate of decline in immediate recall. Females in Central and Eastern Europe had a slower rate of cognitive decline in delayed recall compared to males.

Discussion
Our study does not provide strong evidence of sex differences in cognitive decline among older Europeans. However, we identified heterogeneity across birth cohorts and regions.
Intra-arterial delivery of neurospheres into isolated perfused porcine colons: a proof of concept
Authors: Martel Richard D , Hoyos Nicolas A , Tapia-Laliena María Ángeles , Herrmann Irmgard , Herrmann Martin , Khasanov Rasul , Schäfer Karl-Herbert 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Cell replacement in aganglionic intestines is a promising, yet merely experimental tool for the therapy of congenital dysganglionosis of the enteric nervous system like Hirschsprung disease. While the injection of single cells or neurospheres to a defined and very restricted location is trivial, the translation to the clinical application, where large aganglionic or hypoganglionic areas need to be colonized (hundreds of square centimetres), afford a homogeneous distribution of multiple neurospheres all over the affected tissue areas. Reaching the entire aganglionic area in vivo is critical for the restoration of peristaltic function. The latter mainly depends on an intact nervous system that extends throughout the organ. Intra-arterial injection is a common method in cell therapy and may be the key to delivering cells or neurospheres into the capillary bed of the colon with area-wide distribution. We describe an experimental method for monitoring the distribution of a defined number of neurospheres into porcine recta ex vivo, immediately after intra-arterial injection. We designed this method to localize grafting sites of single neurospheres in precise biopsies which can further be examined in explant cultures. The isolated perfused porcine rectum allowed us to continuously monitor the perfusion pressure. A blockage of too many capillaries would lead to an ischaemic situation and an increase of perfusion pressure. Since we could demonstrate that the area-wide delivery of neurospheres did not alter the overall vascular resistance, we showed that the delivery does not significantly impair the local circulation.
Morphological and regional spontaneous functional aberrations in the brain associated with Crohn’s disease: a systematic review and coordinate-based meta-analyses
Authors: Kong Ning , Zhou Feini , Zhang Fan , Gao Chen , Wu Linyu , Guo Yifan , Gao Yiyuan , Lin Jiangnan , Xu Maosheng 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Crohn's disease is an acknowledged “brain–gut” disorder with unclear physiopathology. This study aims to identify potential neuroimaging biomarkers of Crohn's disease. Gray matter volume, cortical thickness, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, and regional homogeneity were selected as indices of interest and subjected to analyses using both activation likelihood estimation and seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images. In comparison to healthy controls, Crohn's disease patients in remission exhibited decreased gray matter volume in the medial frontal gyrus and concurrently increased regional homogeneity. Furthermore, gray matter volume reduction in the medial superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate/paracingulate gyri, decreased regional homogeneity in the median cingulate/paracingulate gyri, superior frontal gyrus, paracentral lobule, and insula were observed. The gray matter changes of medial frontal gyrus were confirmed through both methods: decreased gray matter volume of medial frontal gyrus and medial superior frontal gyrus were identified by activation likelihood estimation and seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images, respectively. The meta-regression analyses showed a positive correlation between regional homogeneity alterations and patient age in the supplementary motor area and a negative correlation between gray matter volume changes and patients’ anxiety scores in the medial superior frontal gyrus. These anomalies may be associated with clinical manifestations including abdominal pain, psychiatric disorders, and possibly reflective of compensatory mechanisms.
Cortical specialization associated with native speech category acquisition in early infancy
Authors: Ren Jie , Cai Lin , Jia Gaoding , Niu Haijing 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
This study investigates neural processes in infant speech processing, with a focus on left frontal brain regions and hemispheric lateralization in Mandarin-speaking infants' acquisition of native tonal categories. We tested 2- to 6-month-old Mandarin learners to explore age-related improvements in tone discrimination, the role of inferior frontal regions in abstract speech category representation, and left hemisphere lateralization during tone processing. Using a block design, we presented four Mandarin tones via [ta] and measured oxygenated hemoglobin concentration with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Results showed age-related improvements in tone discrimination, greater involvement of frontal regions in older infants indicating abstract tonal representation development and increased bilateral activation mirroring native adult Mandarin speakers. These findings contribute to our broader understanding of the relationship between native speech acquisition and infant brain development during the critical period of early language learning.
Immune stress and diet influence reproductive fitness in male tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)
Authors: Lamar Sarah K , Ormsby Diane K , Nelson Nicola J 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
The theoretical trade-off between immune and endocrine investment in mating animals has received mixed empirical support, particularly in reptiles. We investigated the relationship between male sexual characteristics, diet, and immune response to stress in an island population of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) across two mating seasons. Tuatara are promiscuous, with a highly skewed mating system where males face significant competition for access to mates and postcopulatory competition for fertilization success. We found that tuatara sperm viability and swim speed were negatively associated with male body condition and the ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes. Additionally, sperm swim speed was negatively associated with spine area, mite load, and the total number of circulating white blood cells, but was positively associated with tick number. This is likely a function of social dynamics in this system where larger male size predicts greater spatial overlap with potential rivals and increased tick load. Because the production of sexual characteristics may be costly, we also investigated the effect of diet on sperm quality. We did not identify an association between diet and sperm viability. However, sperm swim speed was negatively associated with carbon-13 and positively associated with nitrogen-15. We suspect that these results reflect the influence of seabird-based nutrients in this island ecosystem, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acid, and antioxidant damage on tuatara sperm. In total, these results provide evidence of a trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory sexual characteristics and the immune and endocrine systems in male tuatara.
Chronic effect of copper on biology, immunity, and biochemical assessment of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae) in laboratory bioassays
Authors: Azizi Roya , Sendi Jalal Jalali 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Although copper is an essential element for any organism’s well-being, it becomes toxic if present in excess. In the present study, copper was provisioned at 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg in an artificial diet and fed to juvenile larvae of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera; Noctuidae), for 4 generations. The results of this investigation exhibited shortening of larval life in the first 2 generations, but extended duration was observed in third and fourth generations compared to controls, and dietary copper caused reduced total hemocyte counts in all treatments. The number of immunocytes (i.e., granulocytes and plasmatocytes) were also significantly reduced. The changes in activities of certain important enzymes, including catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidases, were seen. Furthermore, after treatment, an increase in the activity of 2 detoxifying enzymes, glutathione s-transferase and acetylcholinesterase, was observed. It is clear that metallothioneins are important in maintaining essential and nonessential metal ion homeostasis. While copper is typically regarded as an important essential metal in an organism’s life, excessive amounts can have deteriorating effects. This heavy metal is being used as a nano-based pesticide. Therefore, the present investigation aims to determine the fate of Cu in insects receiving them in new formulations.
Case report: desmoplakin cardiomyopathy presenting as an inflammatory cardiomyopathy with repeated sudden cardiac arrests
Authors: Massie Emmanuelle , Dominati Arnaud , Suchet Sebastian , Carballo David , Hervier Elsa , Fokstuen Siv , Seebach Jöerg D , Meyer Philippe 
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Background
Desmoplakin cardiomyopathy has been recently classified as a non-dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy, which is characterized by inflammatory-like episodes followed by left ventricular fibrosis/dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmias. Specific management is unclear.

Case summary
We report a detailed case of a 46-year-old Caucasian woman presenting with repeated sudden cardiac arrests who was diagnosed with a new variant in the desmoplakin gene. Because the initial 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan showed significant hypermetabolism, she was treated with immunosuppressors, with only minimal improvement on imaging.

Discussion
Desmoplakin cardiomyopathy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of inflammatory cardiomyopathies. Little is known about the use of immunosuppressive treatments, but it could be reasonable for some selected patients.
Bounding Radon Numbers via Betti Numbers
Authors: Patáková Zuzana 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
We prove general topological Radon-type theorems for sets in $\mathbb R^{d}$ or on a surface. Combined with a recent result of Holmsen and Lee, we also obtain fractional Helly theorem, and consequently the existence of weak $\varepsilon $-nets as well as a $(p,q)$-theorem for those sets. More precisely, given a family ${\mathcal{F}}$ of subsets of ${\mathbb{R}}^{d}$, we will measure the homological complexity of ${\mathcal{F}}$ by the supremum of the first $\lceil d/2\rceil $ reduced Betti numbers of $\bigcap{\mathcal{G}}$ over all nonempty ${\mathcal{G}} \subseteq{\mathcal{F}}$. We show that if ${\mathcal{F}}$ has homological complexity at most $b$, the Radon number of ${\mathcal{F}}$ is bounded in terms of $b$ and $d$. In case that ${\mathcal{F}}$ lives on a surface and the number of connected components of $\bigcap \mathcal G$ is at most $b$ for any nonempty $\mathcal G\subseteq \mathcal F$, then the Radon number of ${\mathcal{F}}$ is bounded by a function depending only on $b$ and the surface itself. For surfaces, if we moreover assume the sets in ${\mathcal{F}}$ are open, we show that the fractional Helly number of $\mathcal F$ is linear in $b$. The improvement is based on a recent result of the author and Kalai. Specifically, for $b=1$ we get that the fractional Helly number is at most three, which is optimal. This case further leads to solving a conjecture of Holmsen, Kim, and Lee about an existence of a $(p,q)$-theorem for open subsets of a surface.
Range-wide genetic analysis of an endangered bumble bee (Bombus affinis, Hymenoptera: Apidae) reveals population structure, isolation by distance, and low colony abundance
Authors: Mola John M , Pearse Ian S , Boone Michelle L , Evans Elaine , Hepner Mark J , Jean Robert P , Kochanski Jade M , Nordmeyer Cale , Runquist Erik , Smith Tamara A , Strange James P , Watson Jay , Koch Jonathan B U 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Declines in bumble bee species range and abundances are documented across multiple continents and have prompted the need for research to aid species recovery and conservation. The rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) is the first federally listed bumble bee species in North America. We conducted a range-wide population genetics study of B. affinis from across all extant conservation units to inform conservation efforts. To understand the species’ vulnerability and help establish recovery targets, we examined population structure, patterns of genetic diversity, and population differentiation. Additionally, we conducted a site-level analysis of colony abundance to inform prioritizing areas for conservation, translocation, and other recovery actions. We find substantial evidence of population structuring along an east-to-west gradient. Putative populations show evidence of isolation by distance, high inbreeding coefficients, and a range-wide male diploidy rate of ~15%. Our results suggest the Appalachians represent a genetically distinct cluster with high levels of private alleles and substantial differentiation from the rest of the extant range. Site-level analyses suggest low colony abundance estimates for B. affinis compared to similar datasets of stable, co-occurring species. These results lend genetic support to trends from observational studies, suggesting that B. affinis has undergone a recent decline and exhibit substantial spatial structure. The low colony abundances observed here suggest caution in overinterpreting the stability of populations even where B. affinis is reliably detected interannually. These results help delineate informed management units, provide context for the potential risks of translocation programs, and help set clear recovery targets for this and other threatened bumble bee species.
Pedagogic obligations towards a decolonial and contextually responsive approach to teaching philosophy in South Africa
Authors: Kumalo Siseko H 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
With the calls to decolonize the philosophy curriculum, and the university more generally, which have seen a series of intellectual interventions in South Africa, this article takes its cue from Nyoka’s recommendation when he suggests moving beyond merely thinking about decolonization. In reflecting on processes of decolonizing the curriculum, this article considers the successes and failures of a course taught during a global pandemic, wherein pedagogic strategies were constrained. Reflecting on a module taught in the first semester of 2021, this article thinks through the fundamental question that underpins the course, primarily: how to develop a contextually responsive philosophical approach on the southernmost tip of the African continent. Using two primary texts, Kumalo’s Decolonization as Democratization and Jansen’s Decolonization in Universities, the module analysed this question by juxtaposing, respectively, a philosophical and educational text. In this pedagogic autocritique, I reflect on ‘what obligation do intellectuals owe their students’ in a decolonizing context.
Successful management of prolonged abdominal pregnancy in low-resource setting: a case report
Authors: Zita Cátia Samajo , Villa Gonzalo Gonzáles , Matediana Eduardo , Tomás Pita , Pizzol Damiano , Smith Lee 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening complication of pregnancy and represents the leading cause of maternal mortality in the first trimester. In developing countries early diagnosis, necessary for favorable outcomes, is often unavailable and women are often not aware of possible conditions and associated complications. Moreover, access to sexual and reproductive health services and antenatal care are limited in such settings. Finally, management options are restricted and often performed in emergency with higher risk of complications and mortality. We report here a 33-year-old woman presenting a 41 weeks abdominal pregnancy successfully managed in a low-resource setting.
Could insects be an alternative food source? A comprehensive review
Authors: Turan Yavuz , Berber Didem , Sesal Nüzhet Cenk 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
According to the United Nations, more than 800 million people are exposed to starvation. It is predicted that the world population will face much more serious starvation for reasons such as global warming, diseases, economic problems, rapid urbanization, and destruction of agricultural areas and water resources. Thus, there are significant hesitations about the sustainability of food resources, and the search for alternative food sources has increased. One of the leading alternative food sources is insects. Although the use of edible insects has been accepted in some areas of the world, entomophagy is not preferred in some countries due to sociocultural conditions, health concerns, neophobia, and entomophobia. Many people do not accept the direct consumption of raw insects, but insects can be transformed into more preferred forms by using different cooking techniques. Some ground edible insects are satisfactory in terms of nutritional value and have a reasonable level of acceptability when added to products such as bread, tortilla, and pasta in varying percentages. The world market value of edible insects was estimated to be US$3.2 million in 2021 and US$17.6 billion in 2032. In this review, the current and future situation of insects as an alternative food source is comprehensively discussed.
Altered neuroepithelial morphogenesis and migration defects in iPSC-derived cerebral organoids and 2D neural stem cells in familial bipolar disorder
Authors: Phalnikar Kruttika , Srividya M , Mythri S V , Vasavi N S , Ganguly Archisha , Kumar Aparajita , S Padmaja , Kalia Kishan , Mishra Srishti S , Dhanya Sreeja Kumari , Paul Pradip , Holla Bharath , Ganesh Suhas , Reddy Puli Chandramouli , Sud Reeteka , Viswanath Biju , Muralidharan Bhavana 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental illness that can result from neurodevelopmental aberrations, particularly in familial BD, which may include causative genetic variants. In the present study, we derived cortical organoids from BD patients and healthy (control) individuals from a clinically dense family in the Indian population. Our data reveal that the patient organoids show neurodevelopmental anomalies, including organisational, proliferation and migration defects. The BD organoids show a reduction in both the number of neuroepithelial buds/cortical rosettes and the ventricular zone size. Additionally, patient organoids show a lower number of SOX2-positive and EdU-positive cycling progenitors, suggesting a progenitor proliferation defect. Further, the patient neurons show abnormal positioning in the ventricular/intermediate zone of the neuroepithelial bud. Transcriptomic analysis of control and patient organoids supports our cellular topology data and reveals dysregulation of genes crucial for progenitor proliferation and neuronal migration. Lastly, time-lapse imaging of neural stem cells in 2D in vitro cultures reveals abnormal cellular migration in BD samples. Overall, our study pinpoints a cellular and molecular deficit in BD patient-derived organoids and neural stem cell cultures.