bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oil or State? The Role of the Oil in the Recognition of Kurdish Statehood in Iraqi Kurdistan
Authors: Mirhanoglu Fidan 
Published: October 2023

AbstractOil reserves hold importance not just in the realm of economic profit, but also wield significant influence in political matters throughout contemporary history (Yergin, 2011). There are numerous connections between domestic oil production and international policy actions (Ashford, 2022). In fragile states, entities resembling state organizations can participate in local oil extraction through the exercise of their territorial rights. Additionally, these structures can have an impact on political dynamics at both the regional and global levels. This article delves into the link between oil and the acknowledgment of statehood in Iraqi Kurdistan. It contends that the presence of oil has significantly contributed to the recognition of Kurdish statehood by providing a source of income and augmenting its economic and political prowess. The study analyzes the history of the oil industry in Iraqi Kurdistan and its impact on the region's political and economic development. It also explores the political dynamics between Iraqi Kurdistan and the central government in Baghdad, along with the role of international actors in the recognition of Kurdish statehood. This paper concentrates on the positive outcomes of having rich natural resources and being recognized as a de facto state. Additionally, the article explains how Iraqi Kurdistan legitimizes its recognition as a de facto state by signing agreements with large oil companies since 2005 on its own territory. The study employs Caspersen's “unrecognized state” definition and Krasner's concept of sovereignty, along with Pegg's definition of de facto states, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Iraqi Kurdistan's international position. For this study, it used the interviews that were conducted in 2017 in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
From Nazism to Pro‐Kurdish Activism: The International Society Kurdistan, Silvio van Rooy and the struggle against communism in the 1960s and 1970s
Authors: Çelik Adnan , Jongerden Joost 
Published: October 2023

AbstractKurdish studies was born as a field of study in imperial Russia, and for much of the twentieth century, the Soviet Union remained the centre of ‘Kurdology’. With the foundation of the International Society Kurdistan (ISK) in Amsterdam in 1960, however, this centre started to move westwards. Officially established as a non‐party democratic action group helping the Kurdish nation in its struggle for democratic independence, the ISK’s unwritten aim was to support national struggles as a means to prevent communism, particularly the Soviet Union, from expanding its sphere of influence. Silvio van Rooy, who had been an active collaborator with the Nazi occupying forces in the Netherlands, devoted a decade of his life to what he considered an experiment in psychological warfare to influence the Kurdish intelligentsia, and for this he made every effort to establish a centre for Kurdish studies in the West that could develop a political programme around anti‐communist ethno‐nationalism. Yet Van Rooy’s involvement with the Kurds was intense, but also passing. In the second half of the 1970s his loyalty to anti‐communism took a new turn as he drew close to the Iraqi nationalist Ba’ath regime. The research data employed here has primarily been obtained through archival work. Based on an analysis of these primary documents and augmented by personal recollections, this study thus contextualises the work of the ISK through the political trajectory and views of Silvio van Rooy, the society’s founder and president.
Envelopes for multivariate linear regression with linearly constrained coefficients
Authors: Cook R. Dennis , Forzani Liliana , Liu Lan 
Published: October 2023

AbstractA constrained multivariate linear model is a multivariate linear model with the columns of its coefficient matrix constrained to lie in a known subspace. This class of models includes those typically used to study growth curves and longitudinal data. Envelope methods have been proposed to improve the estimation efficiency in unconstrained multivariate linear models, but have not yet been developed for constrained models. We pursue that development in this article. We first compare the standard envelope estimator with the standard estimator arising from a constrained multivariate model in terms of bias and efficiency. To further improve efficiency, we propose a novel envelope estimator based on a constrained multivariate model. We show the advantage of our proposals by simulations and by studying the probiotic capacity to reduced Salmonella infection.
Estimation of the adjusted standard‐deviatile for extreme risks
Authors: Chen Haoyu , Mao Tiantian , Yang Fan 
Published: October 2023

AbstractIn this paper, we modify the Bayes risk for the expectile, the so‐called variantile risk measure, to better capture extreme risks. The modified risk measure is called the adjusted standard‐deviatile. First, we derive the asymptotic expansions of the adjusted standard‐deviatile. Next, based on the first‐order asymptotic expansion, we propose two efficient estimation methods for the adjusted standard‐deviatile at intermediate and extreme levels. By using techniques from extreme value theory, the asymptotic normality is proved for both estimators for independent and identically distributed observations and for ‐mixing time series, respectively. Simulations and real data applications are conducted to examine the performance of the proposed estimators.
Chloroplast ATP synthase biogenesis requires peripheral stalk subunits AtpF and ATPG and stabilization of atpE mRNA by OPR protein MDE1
Authors: Chaux Frédéric , Jarrige Domitille , Rodrigues‐Azevedo Marcio , Bujaldon Sandrine , Caspari Oliver D. , Ozawa Shin‐Ichiro , Drapier Dominique , Vallon Olivier , Choquet Yves , de Vitry Catherine 
Published: October 2023

SUMMARYChloroplast ATP synthase contains subunits of plastid and nuclear genetic origin. To investigate the coordinated biogenesis of this complex, we isolated novel ATP synthase mutants in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by screening for high light sensitivity. We report here the characterization of mutants affecting the two peripheral stalk subunits b and b′, encoded respectively by the atpF and ATPG genes, and of three independent mutants which identify the nuclear factor MDE1, required to stabilize the chloroplast‐encoded atpE mRNA. Whole‐genome sequencing revealed a transposon insertion in the 3′UTR of ATPG while mass spectrometry shows a small accumulation of functional ATP synthase in this knock‐down ATPG mutant. In contrast, knock‐out ATPG mutants, obtained by CRISPR‐Cas9 gene editing, fully prevent ATP synthase function and accumulation, as also observed in an atpF frame‐shift mutant. Crossing ATP synthase mutants with the ftsh1‐1 mutant of the major thylakoid protease identifies AtpH as an FTSH substrate, and shows that FTSH significantly contributes to the concerted accumulation of ATP synthase subunits. In mde1 mutants, the absence of atpE transcript fully prevents ATP synthase biogenesis and photosynthesis. Using chimeric atpE genes to rescue atpE transcript accumulation, we demonstrate that MDE1, a novel octotricopeptide repeat (OPR) protein, genetically targets the atpE 5′UTR. In the perspective of the primary endosymbiosis (~1.5 Gy), the recruitment of MDE1 to its atpE target exemplifies a nucleus/chloroplast interplay that evolved rather recently, in the ancestor of the CS clade of Chlorophyceae, ~300 My ago.
Archaeological approaches to RNA virus evolution
Authors: Ariza‐Mateos Ascensión , Briones Carlos , Perales Celia , Sobrino Francisco , Domingo Esteban , Gómez Jordi 
Published: October 2023

AbstractStudies with RNA enzymes (ribozymes) and protein enzymes have identified certain structural elements that are present in some cellular mRNAs and viral RNAs. These elements do not share a primary structure and, thus, are not phylogenetically related. However, they have common (secondary/tertiary) structural folds that, according to some lines of evidence, may have an ancient and common origin. The term ‘mRNA archaeology’ has been coined to refer to the search for such structural/functional relics that may be informative of early evolutionary developments in the cellular and viral worlds and have lasted to the present day. Such identified RNA elements may have developed as biological signals with structural and functional relevance (as if they were buried objects with archaeological value), and coexist with the standard linear information of nucleic acid molecules that is translated into proteins. However, there is a key difference between the methods that extract information from either the primary structure of mRNA or the signals provided by secondary and tertiary structures. The former (sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis) requires strict continuity of the material vehicle of information during evolution, whereas the archaeological method does not require such continuity. The tools of RNA archaeology (including the use of ribozymes and enzymes to investigate the reactivity of the RNA elements) establish links between the concepts of communication and language theories that have not been incorporated into knowledge of virology, as well as experimental studies on the search for functionally relevant RNA structures.
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Analysis of Collaborative Assembly in Multi-User Computer-Aided Design
Authors: Cheng Kathy , Olechowski Alison 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Cloud-based multi-user computer-aided design (MUCAD) tools have the potential to revolutionize design team collaboration. Previous research focusing on parametric part modeling suggests that teams collaborating through MUCAD are more efficient at producing a CAD model than individual designers. While these studies are enlightening, there is a significant gap in understanding the impact of MUCAD on assembly modeling, despite assembly’s crucial role in the design process. Part and assembly models are both defined by parametric relationships, but assembly models lack hierarchical feature dependency; we propose that by modularizing tasks and executing them in parallel, teams can optimize the assembly process in ways not possible with part modeling. Our study aims to examine and compare CAD assembly performance between individuals and virtual collaborative teams using the same cloud MUCAD platform. Through analyzing team communication, workflow, task allocation, and collaboration challenges of teams comprising 1–4 members, we identify factors that contribute to or hinder the success of multi-user CAD teams. Our results show that teams can complete an assembly in less calendar time than a single user, but single users are more efficient on a per-person basis, due to communication and coordination overheads. Notably, pairs exhibit an assembly bonus effect. These findings provide initial insights into the realm of collaborative CAD assembly work, highlighting the potential of MUCAD to enhance the capabilities of modern product design teams.
Bistable Stopper Design and Force Prediction for Precision and Power Grasps of Soft Robotic Fingers for Industrial Manipulation
Authors: Shan Xiaowei , Birglen Lionel 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
This article aims at presenting a detailed and practical comparison between three designs of robotic soft fingers for industrial grippers. While the soft finger based on the fin ray effect (FRE) shown here has been proposed long ago, few works in the literature have studied its reliance on the presence of the crossbeams or its precision grasp performance compared to its power grasps. Aiming at addressing these gaps, two novel designs are proposed and compared to FRE fingers in this article. First, the three designs are presented. One of these fingers, named PacomeFlex, embeds changeable grasping modes by relying on two sets of kinematic structures with a bistable stopper design. Then, finite element analyses (FEA) are conducted to simulate power and precision grasps of the three fingers followed by the estimation of the grasp forces produced. These FEA are then used to train neural networks capable of predicting these grasp forces. Finally, the grasp strength and pullout resistance of the fingers are experimentally measured, and experimental results are shown to be in good accordance with the FEA and neural network models. As will also be shown, the PacomeFlex finger introduced in this work provides a noticeably higher performance level than all other fingers with respect to typical metrics in soft grasping.
Community spread of a human monkeypox virus variant with a tecovirimat resistance-associated mutation
Authors: Garrigues Jacob M. , Hemarajata Peera , Espinosa Alex , Hacker Jill K. , Wynn Nhien T. , Smith Todd G. , Gigante Crystal M. , Davidson Whitni , Vega Jonte , Edmondson Hannah , Karan Abraar , Marutani Amy N. , Kim Moon , Terashita Dawn , Balter Sharon E. , Hutson Christina L. , Green Nicole M. 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT
Hepatitis E virus neutralization by porcine serum antibodies
Authors: Gremmel Nele , Keuling Oliver , Eiden Martin , Groschup Martin H. , Johne Reimar , Becher Paul , Baechlein Christine 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT
The consumption of raw or undercooked meat products poses a serious risk for human hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections. In many high-income countries, domestic pigs and wild boars represent the main animal reservoirs for HEV and are usually identified by reverse transcription-PCR and antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In order to characterize the humoral immune response in more detail, a cell culture-based serum neutralization assay using a culture-adapted HEV strain was established here. Measurement of neutralizing antibodies was only possible after removing the viral quasi-envelope by detergent treatment. Serum samples of 343 wild boars from Northern Germany were first analyzed for anti-HEV IgG using an in-house ELISA, resulting in 19% positive samples. Subsequently, a subset of 41 representative samples was tested with the neutralization assay, and the results correlated well with those obtained by ELISA. Not only the human HEV strain 47832c but also two porcine HEV strains were shown to be neutralized by porcine serum antibodies. Neutralizing activity was also found in samples containing both HEV-specific antibodies and HEV RNA. Testing of serum samples derived from two experimentally infected domestic pigs showed a steep increase in neutralizing activity at 24 or 51 days post infection, dependent on the used infectious dose. The developed assay can be useful for characterization of the humoral immune response after HEV infection and for assessing the efficiency of HEV vaccine candidates.
Efficient clathrin-mediated entry of enteric adenoviruses in human duodenal cells
Authors: Becker Miriam , Conca Dario Valter , Dorma Noemi , Mistry Nitesh , Hahlin Elin , Frängsmyr Lars , Bally Marta , Arnberg Niklas , Gerold Gisa 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT
Enteric adenovirus types F40 and 41 (EAdVs) are a leading cause of diarrhea and diarrhea-associated death in young children and have recently been proposed to cause acute hepatitis in children. EAdVs have a unique capsid architecture and exhibit — unlike other human adenoviruses — a relatively strict tropism for gastrointestinal tissues with, to date, understudied infection mechanism and unknown target cells. In this study, we turn to potentially limiting host factors by comparing EAdV entry in cell lines with respiratory and intestinal origin by cellular perturbation, virus particle tracking, and transmission electron microscopy. Our analyses highlight kinetic advantages for EAdVs in duodenal HuTu80 cell infection and reveal a larger fraction of mobile particles, faster virus uptake, and infectious particle entry in intestinal cells. Moreover, EAdVs display a dependence on clathrin- and dynamin-dependent pathways in intestinal cells. Detailed knowledge of virus entry routes and host factor requirements is essential to understanding pathogenesis and developing new countermeasures. Hence, this study provides novel insights into the entry mechanisms of a medically important virus with emerging tropism in a cell line originating from a relevant tissue.

IMPORTANCE
Enteric adenoviruses have historically been difficult to grow in cell culture, which has resulted in lack of knowledge of host factors and pathways required for infection of these medically relevant viruses. Previous studies in non-intestinal cell lines showed slow infection kinetics and generated comparatively low virus yields compared to other adenovirus types. We suggest duodenum-derived HuTu80 cells as a superior cell line for studies to complement efforts using complex intestinal tissue models. We show that viral host cell factors required for virus entry differ between cell lines from distinct origins and demonstrate the importance of clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
Genome sequence of equine influenza virus isolated from horses in southeast Kazakhstan in 2020
Authors: Khan Yelizaveta , Kassymbekov Yermukhammet , Suleimenova Symbat , Karamendin Kobey , Sabyrzhan Temirlan , Nuralibekov Sardоr , Daulbayeva Klara , Abishov Abdikalyk , Akhmetzhanova Moldir , Akhmetsadykov Nurlan , Batanova Zhanat , Kydyrmanov Aidyn 
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT
An influenza virus strain, A/equine/Almaty/268/2020, was isolated from horses in southeast Kazakhstan in 2020. Here, we present the nearly complete genome sequence of this epidemic strain. This study was aimed at obtaining the complete genome sequence of the isolate.
Origin of paired extension-compression during rotational rifting: An early Paleogene example from the northeast Atlantic region and its implications
Authors: Wong Po Wan , Midtkandal Ivar , Faleide Jan Inge 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
The formation of paired extension-compression (PEC) postulated by rotational kinematics of rift propagation is demonstrated by analogue models but rarely observed in nature. In our study of the early Paleogene continental rift in the northeast Atlantic, a PEC is proposed based on the northeastward propagation and the coeval compression at the rift tip. The propagation is deduced from tectono-magmatic trends, including along-axis development of magmatism, and migration of tectonic faulting inward and toward the rift tip. Where this propagation terminated, we documented coeval extension and compression in the form of a horst-and-graben system (H&G) and V-shaped anticline (VA), respectively. Given their structural characteristics and spatiotemporal relationships with the rift, their origin is best illustrated by a three-stage model: (1) Rifting initiated at the site of mantle upwelling and propagated northeastward in the Paleocene. (2) The rift tip was stalled by an elevated mafic-ultramafic body at the Barents Shelf, which led to forward projection of the rift’s driving force to create the H&G and the VA (PEC), dissipating the along-axis force component. (3) Domination of axis-perpendicular components then promoted orthogonal extension and sheared margin development. Our study suggests that PEC has a crucial role in both termination of propagation and rift-mode conversion.
Human rights and HIV: rhetoric or determinants?
Authors: Hinman Kati , Amon Joseph J 
Published: October 2023

International donors and UN agencies emphasise the importance of human rights as a key determinant of HIV vulnerability and of access, uptake and retention in HIV prevention and treatment services. Yet, the extent to which HIV researchers are incorporating rights into their research, the specific rights being examined and the frequency of research assessing rights-based approaches, is unknown.MethodsWe examined all articles published in the five highest impact-factor HIV journals: (1) Lancet HIV; (2) AIDS and Behavior; (3) AIDS; (4) Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS); and (5) Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAIDS), between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2022, for reference to ‘human right(s)’ or ‘right(s)’. We analysed articles to assess: (1) what populations were identified in relation to specific human rights concerns; (2) what specific rights were mentioned; (3) whether researchers cited specific legal frameworks; and (4) if and what types of rights-based interventions were examined.ResultsOverall, 2.8% (n=224) of the 8080 articles reviewed included a mention of ‘human right(s)’ or ‘right(s)’. Forty-two per cent of these (n=94) were original research articles. The most common key population discussed was men who have sex with men (33 articles), followed by sex workers (21 articles) and transgender people (14 articles). Of the 94 articles, 11 mentioned the right to health and nine referenced reproductive rights. Few articles identified a specific authority—whether in national, regional or international law—for the basis of the rights cited. Fourteen articles discussed rights-based interventions.ConclusionDespite global recognition of the importance of human rights to HIV outcomes, few HIV researchers publishing in the top five cited HIV journals include attention to human rights, or rights-based interventions, in their research. When rights are mentioned, it is often without specificity or recognition of the legal basis for human rights.
Kaiser Permanente early-onset sepsis calculator as a safe tool for reducing antibiotic use among chorioamnionitis-exposed term neonates: Qatar experience
Authors: Paraparambil Vellamgot Anvar , Salameh Khalil , AlBedaywi Rajai Rofail , Alhoyed Samer Mahmoud , Habboub Lina Hossain , Abdellatif Walaa , Daoud Omayma Ahmad , Atrash Muna , Zakaria Almunzer 
Published: October 2023

Being an important cause of early-onset neonatal sepsis, clinical chorioamnionitis in the mother results in frequent laboratory workup and antibiotic use for the neonate. Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Qatar follow the categorical approach recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, and all chorioamnionitis-exposed neonates receive antibiotics.Our project aimed to reduce antibiotic use among chorioamnionitis-exposed, asymptomatic term babies by adopting the early-onset sepsis calculator (EOSCAL). Reduction of blood culture and NICU stay duration were added as secondary objectives later.The Institute of Healthcare Improvement Model of Improvement was used. Antibiotic use rate was the primary outcome measure. Blood culture rate and early transfer to the postnatal ward were added after 1 year. The process measures included the EOSCAL use rate and calculation error rate. The rate of positive culture among untreated babies within the first week was taken as a balancing measure. Monthly data were collected from February 2020 and entered as run charts. Calculation errors were dealt by multiple PDSAs. Additional outcome measures were added in January 2021. Data collection and monitoring continued till December 2022.Among 3837 inborn NICU admissions, 464 (12 %) were chorioamnionitis-exposed babies. Of them, 341 (74%) cases were eligible for inclusion. Among eligible cases, 270 (79%) did not receive antibiotics. Blood culture could be avoided among 106 (97% of low-risk babies) and NICU stay was reduced among 45 (92% of eligible low-risk babies). None of the untreated babies developed sepsis during the first week.Implementation of this project effectively and safely reduced the antibiotic use and blood culture rate among term, well-appearing babies exposed to chorioamnionitis. The project resulted in enhanced patient safety, experience and flow and reduced cost. It is recommendable to other NICU settings in Qatar.