bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Introduction
Authors: de Boer David 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Between 1650 and 1750, persecuted Protestants and their advocates often employed the printing presses in the Dutch Republic, the period’s dominant international news hub, to raise transnational awareness of their plight. This book explores which stakeholders produced such printed accounts, what role they hoped to play in domestic and international politics, and which political norms they invoked to cry out against religious maltreatments, executions, and massacres. The introduction argues that such accounts cannot be reduced to expressions of confessional tribalism. To reach diverse audiences and transcend Europe’s confessional divides, opinion makers often opted for universalizing arguments against religious persecution, appealing to positive and natural law, reason, and a sentiment of common humanity. As such, the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Dutch press became a crucial site of experiment in which many of the techniques and languages of humanitarianism were developed.
Single universe or multiple universes
Authors: Zubairy M. Suhail 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
There is a consensus among physicists about the outcome of any experiment. However, there continues to be discussion about the interpretation of these results. At the heart of this discussion is the so-called measurement problem. The interaction of the particles with the measurement apparatus forms the measurement problem that has haunted physicists since the very early days of quantum mechanics. The problem is that quantum mechanics only describes the evolution of the wavefunction with time, but does not answer about the interaction with the measurement apparatus. These issues, related to the measurement problem, have led physicists to come up with different interpretations. Many possibilities are discussed. One of the most amazing resolutions of the measurement problem is via the possibility of the existence of multiple universes. This many-worlds approach is a desperate attempt to solve the measurement problem.
Appreciating the links between heart failure and depression
Authors: Critchley H D , Yarovova E , Howell S , Rosen S D 
Published: September 2023

Summary
Depression and heart failure frequently occur together, symptoms overlap and the prognosis is worsened. Both conditions share biopsychosocial risk factors and are accompanied by behavioural/lifestyle, neurohormonal, inflammatory and autonomic changes that are implicated aetiologically. Depression has been conceptualized as a decompensated response to allostatic overload, wherein adaptive psychological, behavioural and physiological responses to chronic and/or severe stress, become unsustainable. Heart failure can similarly be viewed as a decompensated response to circulatory overload, wherein adaptive functional (neurohormonal effects on circulation, inotropic effects on heart) and structural (myocardial remodelling) changes, become unsustainable. It has been argued that the disengaged state of depression can initially be protective, limiting an individual’s exposure to external challenges, such that full recovery is often possible. In contrast, heart failure, once past a tipping-point, can progress relentlessly. Here, we consider the bidirectional interactions between depression and heart failure. Targeted treatment of depression in the context of heart failure may improve quality of life, yet overall benefits on mortality remain elusive. However, effective treatment of heart failure typically enhances function and improves key psychological and behavioural determinants of low mood. Prospectively, research that examines the mechanistic associations between depression and heart failure offers fresh opportunity to optimize personalized management in the advent of newer interventions for both conditions.
The risk of cardiovascular comorbidity in children with Behçet’s disease
Authors: Demir Selcan , Duzova Ali , Karagoz Tevfik , Oguz Berna , Aykan Hayrettin Hakan , Satirer Ozlem , Sag Erdal , Ozen Seza , Bilginer Yelda 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Objective
Patients with Behçet’s disease (BD) may experience long-term morbidity caused by various forms of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to assess the risk for cardiovascular comorbidity in paediatric BD patients with and without vascular involvement, independent of the contribution of traditional risk factors.

Methods
Paediatric patients classified as having BD according to the 2015 Peadiatric BD (PEDBD) criteria were included in the study. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), transthoracic echocardiography, and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) measurements were performed. Patients with an active disease or those who have other known risk factors for cardiovascular disease were not included in the study.

Results
Thirty-one children and adolescents with paediatric BD (16 female, 51.6%; F/M: 1.06) were enrolled in the study. Among the BD patients, 10 patients (34.4%) had abnormal ABPM. Carotid IMT values, mean arterial pressure, systolic and diastolic blood pressure by ABPM and the prevalence of abnormal ABPM, non-dipping, and ambulatory hypertension were similar between patients with and without vascular involvement. The echocardiography measurements showed that BD patients with vascular involvement had a significantly higher velocity and velocity time integral of the left ventricle outflow tract, which may indicate increased stiffness of the aorta.

Conclusion
Paediatric BD patients with vascular involvement may tend to have more cardiovascular risk factors. However, cardiovascular assessment should be considered in all BD patients, regardless of the involved systems. We suggest that ABPM may accurately define hypertension and cardiovascular risk in BD.
Effects of oral contraceptives and menopausal hormone therapy on the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Hadizadeh Fatemeh , Johansson Therese , Johansson Åsa , Karlsson Torgny , Ek Weronica E 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Objectives
Oral contraceptives (OC) and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) contain exogenous sex hormones and are used by millions of women around the world. However, their effect on the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still debated and the current literature suggests that they may exert opposite effects on the risk of RA. The present study aimed to estimate the effects of exogenous hormones on the development of RA, both during the reproductive lifespan and later in life.

Methods
The association between OC and RA, as well as between MHT and late-onset RA (LORA), was investigated using time-dependent Cox regression modelling in white British women from the UK Biobank (n = 236 602 and n = 102 466, respectively) and replicated in women from all ethnic groups.

Results
OC use was associated with a decreased risk of RA in ever-users [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.82–0.96], as well as in current (HR = 0.81; 0.73–0.91) and former users (HR = 0.92; 0.84 –1.00), compared with never-users. In contrast, MHT use was associated with an increased risk of LORA in ever-users (HR = 1.16; 1.06–1.26) as well as in former users (HR = 1.13; 1.03–1.24) compared with never-users.

Conclusion
OC use appears to protect against RA, while MHT may increase the risk of LORA. This study provides new insights into the possible inverse effect of exposure to different exogenous sex hormones on the risk of RA.
The Meaning of Merit: Talent versus Hard Work Legitimacy
Authors: Friedman Sam , Ellersgaard Christoph , Reeves Aaron , Larsen Anton Grau 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Elites often use merit to explain, justify, and make sense of their advantaged positions. But what exactly do they mean by this? In this paper, we draw on 71 interviews with elites in Denmark and the UK to compare self-justifications of meritocratic legitimacy. Our results indicate that while elites in both countries are united by a common concern to frame their merits as spontaneously recognized by others (rather than strategically promoted by themselves), the package of attributes they foreground vary significantly. In the UK, elites tend to be “talent meritocrats” who foreground their unique capacity for ideational creativity or risk taking, innately good judgment, and “natural” aptitude, intelligence, or academic ability. In contrast, in Denmark, elites are more likely to be “hard work meritocrats” who emphasize their unusual work ethic, extensive experience (as a signal of accumulated hard work), and contributions outside of work, particularly in civil society. We tentatively argue that one explanation for this cross-national variation is the role that different channels of elite recruitment play in amplifying legitimate notions of merit. In the UK, for example, elite private schools act to nurture ideas of exceptionalism and natural talent, whereas in Denmark elite employers socialize the connection between hard work and success. These findings suggest that nationally specific understandings of merit can have quite different implications for the legitimation of inequality.
Low-Skilled Migrant Labor Schemes in Japan’s Agriculture: Voices From the Field
Authors: ROBERTS Glenda S , FUJITA Noriko 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDespite rapid demographic decline, until recently, low-skilled migrant workers have been welcomed only through ‘side-doors’ such as technical interns (TITP). Yet pressure for change comes from two sides: the moral critique of the ‘side-door’ scheme, and the growing economic pressures of a dwindling labor force. In 2018 Japan put in place a short-term bona-fide labor scheme (Specified Skilled Worker; hereafter, SSW) in fields previously largely inaccessible to foreign labor. In combination with the TITP schemes, these workers are allowed to stay longer. But what do these changes mean, how do the farmer-employers see them, and will the SSW lead to a sustainable farm labor supply going forward? We explore stakeholders’ views of the current schemes and their opinions on how low-skilled labor migration should proceed in agriculture. Businesses are desperate for labor, but not at any cost. Under SSW, employers are being asked to change the ways they envision and treat migrant labor. The tensions between their expectations and the realities on the ground reflect the contradictions that Japan’s migration policies inherit, based in the bureaucratic fiction that only ‘skilled’ labor is necessary. Data for this paper come from qualitative interviews conducted from 2018 to 2022 in Kyoto, Aichi, and Tokyo.
Intravesical mitomycin C efficacy in acidic and alkaline urinary pH: impact on recurrence-free survival rate after TURBT
Authors: Naeem Muhammad Tayyab , Usman Ahmed Hassan , Ali Sarmad , Raza Hassan , Shah Ali Nawaz , Mahmmoud Fadelallah Eljack Mohammed 
Published: October 2023

Background:
Urinary bladder tumor recurrence following transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is a common issue. This study aims to determine how urine alkalinization affects bladder tumor recurrence after surgery.

Materials and methods:
Sixty patients receiving mitomycin C (MMC) therapy after TURBT were divided into two groups based on mean pH values. Twenty-six patients were in group A, whose urine pH was below 5.5. However, there were 34 patients in group B, and their urine pH was higher than 5.5. Both groups of patients were given intravesical MMC once weekly for 6 weeks following TURBT. A cystoscopy was performed as a follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months. Urine pH and the recurrence-free survival rate were compared using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and the COX proportional hazard model.

Results:
The mean time to tumor recurrence in group A (intravesical MMC in acidic urine) and group B (intravesical MMC in alkaline urine) was 12.48 versus 16.84 months, respectively. Alkaline urine pH was identified as an independent predictor of preventing the recurrence of superficial bladder tumors by univariate COX regression analysis. Age, sex, and mean tumor size did not affect the likelihood of tumor recurrence. However, smoking had an association with increased tumor recurrence.

Conclusion:
Tumor recurrence post-TURBT is delayed in patients with alkaline urine pH. Smoking is an independent risk factor for bladder tumors.
A rare case of squamous cell carcinoma within the necrotic mass of acute necrotizing pneumonia: when cancer strikes unpredictably
Authors: Mehta Kahan , Modh Deep , Mehta Samir , Tenkorang Pearl O. 
Published: October 2023

Introduction and importance:
This case report presents an intriguing instance of a 35-year-old nonsmoker female who exhibited a convergence of acute necrotizing pneumonia (ANP) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), two distinct pulmonary conditions. ANP involves severe lung infection and tissue necrosis, while SCC is a non-small cell lung carcinoma originating from the bronchial epithelium. Such a unique combination in a nonsmoker female patient emphasizes the intricate interplay of diverse pulmonary pathologies and the importance of comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and effective patient management strategies.

Case presentation:
The patient’s symptoms include fever, pain, cough, and sporadic hemoptysis. Initial imaging suggested ANP due to a multilobulated necrotic lung mass. Despite empirical antibiotic therapy, no improvement occurred, prompting further investigation. Positron emission tomography and computed tomography revealed intense fluorodeoxyglucose avidity in the lesion. A computer tomography-guided Tru-cut biopsy confirmed non-small cell carcinoma with squamous differentiation in the necrotic mass.

Clinical discussion:
ANP is a severe manifestation of pneumonia, predominantly affecting young, healthy individuals, while SCC, commonly linked to smoking, presents as non-small cell lung carcinoma. Overlapping symptoms and radiological findings complicate diagnosis. Early diagnosis and appropriate management are crucial for both conditions to prevent progression and complications.

Conclusion:
This case highlights the significance of precise diagnosis and adaptable treatment approaches. The coexistence of ANP and SCC in a nonsmoker female patient underscores the necessity of meticulous diagnostic evaluation and personalized treatment strategies. The scarcity of such presentations emphasizes the need for further research to comprehend the mechanisms underlying these occurrences.
Evaluation of biochemical parameters in operating room staff exposed to radiation and anesthetic gases
Authors: Rezaei Bareza , Salehi Zahabi Saleh , darvishi Fatemeh , Salehi Amir , Hemmatpour Behzad 
Published: October 2023

Background:
Exposure to ionizing radiations and other hazardous agents such as anesthetic gases pose serious risks to the health of healthcare workers. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in blood and biochemical parameters of the operating room staff exposed to ionizing radiations and remnants of anesthetic gas.

Methods:
This cross-sectional study was performed at (Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital). The control group was selected from different parts of the hospital that were not exposed to ionizing radiations and anesthetics, including the office, services, and treatment. The case group included all operating room personnel. Hematopoietic parameters such as complete blood count and WBC differential, and parameters of liver function such as serum activity of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP, LDH) and serum bilirubin levels, fasting blood sugar, serum lipid profile, level of vitamin D and magnesium were measured for the exposed and referent subjects. Additionally, a checklist was used to gather data regarding the occupational variables and medical histories of the studied subjects.

Results:
The mean values of Hb, Hct, Vitamin D, and MCHC, as well as the RBC count, were significantly lower in the exposed individuals than in the referent subjects. In contrast, the proportion of smokers was significantly higher in the exposed group than in the referent group. No significant differences were noted between exposed and unexposed groups as far as other parameters were concerned. However, no significant differences were noted between the case and control groups as far as other measured parameters were concerned. Likewise, no significant differences were noted between exposed and referent groups as far as blood types, history of underlying diseases, work history, working hours per month, number of morning and evening shift hours, type of diet, consumption of a high-fat diet a day before blood sampling, X-ray in the recent year, history of radiotherapy, and therapeutic agents use was concerned.

Conclusions:
Exposure of operating room staff to ionizing radiations and waste anesthetics gases is associated with subtle, subclinical prepathologic decreases in some hematopoietic parameters such as hemoglobin, hematocrit and MCHC levels, RBC count as well as vitamin D levels.
Assessing Chest Tube Insertion Skills Using a Porcine Rib Model—A Validity Study
Authors: De Mol Leander , Lievens Amber , De Pauw Najade , Vanommeslaeghe Hanne , Van Herzeele Isabelle , Van de Voorde Patrick , Konge Lars , Desender Liesbeth , Willaert Wouter 
Published: October 2023

Introduction
Assessments require sufficient validity evidence before their use. The Assessment for Competence in Chest Tube Insertion (ACTION) tool evaluates proficiency in chest tube insertion (CTI), combining a rating scale and an error checklist. The aim of this study was to collect validity evidence for the ACTION tool on a porcine rib model according to the Messick framework.

Methods
A rib model, consisting of a porcine hemithorax that was placed in a wooden frame, was used as simulator. Participants were recruited from the departments of surgery, pulmonology, and emergency medicine. After familiarization with the rib model and the equipment, standardized instructions and clinical context were provided. They performed 2 CTIs while being scored with the ACTION tool. All performances were assessed live by 1 rater and by 3 blinded raters using video recordings. Generalizability-analysis was performed and mean scores and errors of both groups on the first performance were compared. A pass/fail score was established using the contrasting groups' method.

Results
Nine novice and 8 experienced participants completed the study. Generalizability coefficients where high for the rating scale (0.92) and the error checklist (0.87). In the first CTI, novices scored lower than the experienced group (38.1/68 vs. 47.1/68, P = 0.042), but no difference was observed on the error checklist. A pass/fail score of 44/68 was established.

Conclusion
A solid validity argument for the ACTION tool's rating scale on a porcine rib model is presented, allowing formative and summative assessment of procedural skills during training before patient contact.
Research progress on Wuzi Yanzong pills in the treatment of male infertility
Authors: Ip Chiwai , Hong Liang , Tong Yun , Li Shaoping , Zhao Jing 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
In recent years, because of changes in lifestyle, social environments, and other factors, male fertility has exhibited a declining trend in various countries and regions, including China. This poses a challenge for the prevention and treatment of male infertility. Wuzi Yanzong pill (WZYZP) is a renowned Chinese medicinal formula utilized for the treatment of male infertility and boasts a long history of use in this context. This article summarized the treatment approaches used in both Chinese and Western medicine for male infertility, along with the research advancements pertaining to the analysis of Chinese medical theory, pharmacological effects, bioactive ingredients, and the establishment of quality control standards for WZYZP in the treatment of male infertility, aiming to provide references for research related to the mechanism of action, identification of active ingredients, and clinical application of WZYZP in the treatment of male infertility.
Pseudophaeobacter profundi sp. nov., isolated from the Western Pacific Ocean
Authors: Zhu Xuying , Wang Liping , Lai Qiliang , Wang Jianning , Huang Jiamei , Li Guangyu , Zeng Lingyu , Xia Jingyu , Shao Zongze 
Published: September 2023

A novel Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic and heterotrophic bacterium, designated strain ZH257T, was isolated from in situ enrichment samples incubated on the seamount floor of the Western Pacific Ocean. Cells were rod-shaped, oxidase- and catalase- positive, and motile by means of polar flagella. Strain ZH257T grew at 4–37 °C (optimum, 28–32 °C), pH 6.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with 2.0–9.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0–4.0 %). Strain ZH257T was most closely related to members of the genus

Pseudophaeobacter

, sharing 99.13, 98.27 and 96.89 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identities with

Pseudophaeobacter flagellatus

GDMCC 1.2988T,

Pseudophaeobacter arcticus

DSM 23566T and

Pseudophaeobacter leonis

DSM 25627T, respectively. The DNA G+C content was 59.2 mol%. The estimated average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain ZH257T and its closely related species were 79.61–93.04 % and 23.10–50.20 %, respectively. Strain ZH257T harboured complete denitrification and nitrate assimilation pathways. Strain ZH257T contained summed feature 8 (C18 : 1
ω7c and/or C18 : 1
ω6c) as major fatty acids (>5 %), and Q-10 as the major respiratory quinone. The polar lipid profile contained phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified aminolipid and four unidentified lipids. The combined phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic data showed that strain ZH257T represents a novel species of the genus

Pseudophaeobacter

, for which the name Pseudophaeobacter profundi sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain ZH257T (=MCCC M29024T=KACC 23147T).
Calling site preference reduces masking interference of acoustic signals among sympatric bush frogs and facilitates coexistence
Authors: Abhijith A V , Mukherjee Shomen 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe degree of signal overlap among sympatric species strongly influences the efficiency of intraspecific communication. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among species that rely heavily on acoustic communication for locating mates and defending territories. Signal interference presents the classic cocktail party problem and, hence, can pose challenges for these species as it can likely hinder the detection, recognition, and localisation of conspecifics. To overcome this challenge, sympatric species are expected to partition their acoustic space to minimise masking interference. We studied a group of sympatric and closely related endemic frogs in coffee plantations of the Western Ghats, India. This community is active for a limited period during the monsoon and, therefore, has a restricted breeding season. Acoustic communication during the breeding season is integral to these frog species, making them an ideal system to investigate possible strategies adopted by a community to minimise masking interference. Using observational data on the vertical height of calling sites and acoustics data, we show that the frog assemblage can partition in multidimensional trait axes, such as call frequency and space. In addition, a novel coexistence strategy emerges when combining these results, where frogs with similar acoustic parameters partition more in their space use. Our results broadly suggest that competition for acoustic space can drive signal and space-use partitioning and that vertical call site selection can enhance the minimisation of masking interference. Our study is among the few studies that testspatial stratificationin conjunction withspectral stratificationamong coexisting species, and to the best of our knowledge, the first on amphibians.