bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring African Abolitionism: Fante Perspectives on Domestic Slavery in the Nineteenth-Century Gold Coast
Authors: Odijie Michael Ehis 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis article draws on a variety of primary sources to first illustrate the rise of African abolitionism in the Fante region in the mid-nineteenth century and then situate local abolitionists in the context of colonial legal abolition in the Gold Coast. When the British abolished slavery in 1874, various Fante groups had been developing local anti-slavery views and strategies closely connected to the evolution of a Fante ethnic identity fashioned against the “barbaric” Asante. Tensions arose between the Fante intelligentsia, which spearheaded local abolitionism, and British colonial elites. The article examines the rise of local abolitionism among the coastal Fante through specific ideas, individuals, and events, and discusses subsequent dynamics in the “first age” (1874–1900) of colonial abolitionism in the Gold Coast. It shows that the 1874 abolition was opposed by members of the Fante anti-slavery movement not—as has been argued—because Fante intellectuals were pro-slavery or opposed to the idea of abolition, but because they held different visions of emancipation and were critical of British abolition laws that, unlike in the West Indies, did not compensate slaveowners.
The experience of fathers of children hospitalised with advanced heart disease
Authors: Samsel Chase , Reichman Jeffrey R. , Barreto Jessica A. , Brown David W. , Hummel Kevin , Sleeper Lynn A. , Blume Elizabeth D. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractBackground:There are little reported data on the perspectives of fathers caring for children with chronic conditions. Although survival of children with advanced heart disease has improved, long-term morbidity remains high. This study describes the experience and prognostic awareness of fathers of hospitalised children with advanced heart disease.Methods:Cross-sectional survey study of parents caring for children hospitalised with advanced heart disease admitted for ≥ 7 days over a one-year period. One parent per patient completed surveys, resulting in 27 father surveys. Data were analysed using descriptive methods.Results:Nearly all (96%) of the fathers reported understanding their child’s prognosis “extremely well” or “well,” and 59% felt they were “very prepared” for their child’s medical problems. However, 58% of fathers wanted to know more about prognosis, and 22% thought their child’s team knew something about prognosis that they did not. Forty-one per cent of fathers did not think that their child would have lifelong limitations, and 32% anticipated normal life expectancies. All 13 fathers who had a clinical discussion of what would happen if their child got sicker found this conversation helpful. Nearly half (43%) of the fathers receiving new prognostic information or changes to treatment course found it “somewhat” or “a little” confusing.Conclusions:Fathers report excellent understanding of their child’s illness and a positive experience around expressing their hopes and fears. Despite this, there remain many opportunities to improve communication, prognostic awareness, and participation in informed decision-making of fathers of children hospitalised with advanced heart disease.
Reduced morbidity with early surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus in extremely low birth weight infants: a retrospective single-centre study
Authors: Loeffler Katherine A. , Behere Shashank P. , Williams Patricia K. , Nakamura Yuki , Burkhart Harold M. , Campbell Matthew D. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIntroduction:Failure of the patent ductus arteriosus to close is common among extremely low birth weight neonates and has been associated with increased morbidities. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes between early and late surgical ligation in extremely low birth weight patients.Methods:This was a single-centre retrospective cohort study of infants who required surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus between January 2017 and August 2022.Results:A total of 43 neonates were identified with birth weight less than 1 kg that underwent surgical patent ductus arteriosus ligation. Compared to the late ligation group, the early ligation group experienced fewer total days of mechanical ventilation (43.9 days vs. 97.2 days, p < 0.05) and a shorter length of hospital stay (114.2 days vs. 169.0 days, p < 0.05).Conclusion:Early surgical ligation of haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus in extremely low birth weight neonates may improve hospital morbidity, including improved ventilatory outcomes and a shorter length of stay.
Mid-Upper Arm Circumference only protocol in Pakistan: missed opportunities for children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition? A mixed-methods observational study
Authors: Guesdon Benjamin , Faruqi Meena Iqbal , Siddiqui Muhammad Ilyas , Usman Gulzar , Ariser Kanwal Naz , Shah Rafaina , Amin Fatima , Masoud Muntaha , Tagar Qamar Din , Tonon Brigitte , Lesieur Elise , Memon Khalida Naz 
Published: January 2024

Abstract

Objective:
We investigated the missed treatment opportunities affecting programs using Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) as the sole anthropometric criterion for identification and monitoring of children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).

Design:
Alongside MUAC, we assessed Weight-for-Height Z-score (WHZ) in children screened and treated according to the national MUAC only protocol in Pakistan. Besides, we collected parents’ perceptions regarding the treatment received by their children through qualitative interviews.

Setting:
Data were collected from October to December 2021 in Tando Allah Yar District, Sindh.
Subjects: All children screened in the health facilities (n=8818) and all those discharged as recovered (n=686), throughout the district, contributed to the study. All children screened in the community in the catchment areas of five selected health facilities also contributed (n=8459). Parents of 41 children randomly selected from these same facilities participated in the interviews.

Results:
Overall, 80.3% of the SAM cases identified during community screening and 64.1% of those identified in the health facilities presented a “WHZ-only” diagnosis. These figures reached 93.9% and 84.5% respectively in children aged over 24 months. Among children treated for SAM and discharged as recovered, 25.3% were still severely wasted according to WHZ. While parents positively appraised the treatment received by their children, they also recommended to extend eligibility to other malnourished children in their neighborhood.

Conclusion:
In this context, using MUAC as the sole anthropometric criterion for treatment decisions (referral, admission and discharge) resulted in a large number of missed opportunities for children in need of timely and adequate care.
“Morbid spectacle”: allegorical dialectics of mammonism, humanity, and necropower inSquid Game(2021)
Authors: Park Eunhee 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis article uses Mbembe's concept of necropolitics as an analytical category to examine the representations of necropower in Squid Game. In the global “organ economy,” organ sellers decide to supply, and brokers then mediate between them and buyers. In contrast, South Korean loan sharks commodify delinquent debtors' organs by forcing them to sign a body waiver as collateral. Recent South Korean dramas have thematized this distinctive systemization of the black economy. Borrowing Lowenstein's “allegorical moment” concept, this article aims to illuminate representations of fluid necropower through children's games as a hinge between reality and the imaginary that invites viewers to dialectically evaluate death problems. The contestations of money and humanity synthetically emerge as necropower constantly moves among different entities: VIPs, a frontman, players, game rules, and money. This article claims that viewers process numerous allegorical moments created by the iconography of necropower and synthetically realize necropolitics and corporeality in Squid Game. Organ extractions and trade in episode two in particular represent “morbid spectacle” and the culmination of mammonism. This article analyzes scenes of death, games, the technique of killing, and esthetics to connect historical examples of the necropolitics that Mbembe draws on and to discuss representations of the organ trade in this recent Korean drama.
Sudden Commencements and Geomagnetically Induced Currents in New Zealand: Correlations and Dependance
Authors: Smith A. W. , Rodger C. J. , Mac Manus D. H. , Rae I. J. , Fogg A. R. , Forsyth C. , Fisher P. , Petersen T. , Dalzell M. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractChanges in the Earth's geomagnetic field induce geoelectric fields in the solid Earth. These electric fields drive Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) in grounded, conducting infrastructure. These GICs can damage or degrade equipment if they are sufficiently intense—understanding and forecasting them is of critical importance. One of the key magnetospheric phenomena are Sudden Commencements (SCs). To examine the potential impact of SCs we evaluate the correlation between the measured maximum GICs and rate of change of the magnetic field (H′) in 75 power grid transformers across New Zealand between 2001 and 2020. The maximum observed H′ and GIC correlate well, with correlation coefficients (r2) around 0.7. We investigate the gradient of the relationship between H′ and GIC, finding a hot spot close to Dunedin: where a given H′ will drive the largest relative current (0.5 A nT−1 min). We observe strong intralocation variability, with the gradients varying by a factor of two or more at adjacent transformers. We find that GICs are (on average) greater if they are related to: (a) Storm Sudden Commencements (SSCs; 27% larger than Sudden Impulses, SIs); (b) SCs while New Zealand is on the dayside of the Earth (27% larger than the nightside); and (c) SCs with a predominantly East‐West magnetic field change (14% larger than North‐South equivalents). These results are attributed to the geology of New Zealand and the geometry of the power network. We extrapolate to find that transformers near Dunedin would see 2000 A or more during a theoretical extreme SC (H′ = 4000 nT min−1).
Satellite Video Remote Sensing for Flood Model Validation
Authors: Masafu Christopher , Williams Richard 
Published: January 2024

AbstractSatellite‐based optical video sensors are poised as the next frontier in remote sensing. Satellite video offers the unique advantage of capturing the transient dynamics of floods with the potential to supply hitherto unavailable data for the assessment of hydraulic models. A prerequisite for the successful application of hydraulic models is their proper calibration and validation. In this investigation, we validate 2D flood model predictions using satellite video‐derived flood extents and velocities. Hydraulic simulations of a flood event with a 5‐year return period (discharge of 722 m3 s−1) were conducted using Hydrologic Engineering Center—River Analysis System 2D in the Darling River at Tilpa, Australia. To extract flood extents from satellite video of the studied flood event, we use a hybrid transformer‐encoder, convolutional neural network (CNN)‐decoder deep neural network. We evaluate the influence of test‐time augmentation (TTA)—the application of transformations on test satellite video image ensembles, during deep neural network inference. We employ Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) for non‐contact‐based river surface velocity estimation from sequential satellite video frames. When validating hydraulic model simulations using deep neural network segmented flood extents, critical success index peaked at 94% with an average relative improvement of 9.5% when TTA was implemented. We show that TTA offers significant value in deep neural network‐based image segmentation, compensating for aleatoric uncertainties. The correlations between model predictions and LSPIV velocities were reasonable and averaged 0.78. Overall, our investigation demonstrates the potential of optical space‐based video sensors for validating flood models and studying flood dynamics.
Camouflaging attenuated Salmonella by cryo-shocked macrophages for tumor-targeted therapy
Authors: Wu Leyang , Du Zengzheng , Li Lin , Qiao Liyuan , Zhang Shuhui , Yin Xingpeng , Chang Xiaoyao , Li Chenyang , Hua Zichun 
Published: January 2024

AbstractLive bacteria-mediated antitumor therapies mark a pivotal point in cancer immunotherapy. However, the difficulty in reconciling the safety and efficacy of bacterial therapies has limited their application. Improving bacterial tumor-targeted delivery while maintaining biosafety is a critical hurdle for the clinical translation of live microbial therapy for cancer. Here, we developed “dead” yet “functional” Salmonella-loaded macrophages using liquid nitrogen cold shock of an attenuated Salmonella typhimurium VNP20009-contained macrophage cell line. The obtained “dead” macrophages achieve an average loading of approximately 257 live bacteria per 100 cells. The engineered cells maintain an intact cellular structure but lose their original pathogenicity, while intracellular bacteria retain their original biological activity and are delay freed, followed by proliferation. This “Trojan horse”-like bacterial camouflage strategy avoids bacterial immunogenicity-induced neutrophil recruitment and activation in peripheral blood, reduces the clearance of bacteria by neutrophils and enhances bacterial tumor enrichment efficiently after systemic administration. Furthermore, this strategy also strongly activated the tumor microenvironment, including increasing antitumor effector cells (including M1-like macrophages and CD8+ Teffs) and decreasing protumor effector cells (including M2-like macrophages and CD4+ Tregs), and ultimately improved antitumor efficacy in a subcutaneous H22 tumor-bearing mouse model. The cryo-shocked macrophage-mediated bacterial delivery strategy holds promise for expanding the therapeutic applications of living bacteria for cancer.
Temperature and quantum anharmonic lattice effects on stability and superconductivity in lutetium trihydride
Authors: Lucrezi Roman , Ferreira Pedro P. , Aichhorn Markus , Heil Christoph 
Published: January 2024

AbstractIn this work, we resolve conflicting experimental and theoretical findings related to the dynamical stability and superconducting properties of$$Fm\bar{3}m$$Fm3¯m-LuH3, which was recently suggested as the parent phase harboring room-temperature superconductivity at near-ambient pressures. Including temperature and quantum anharmonic lattice effects in our calculations, we demonstrate that the theoretically predicted structural instability of the$$Fm\bar{3}m$$Fm3¯mphase near ambient pressures is suppressed for temperatures above 200 K. We provide ap–Tphase diagram for stability up to pressures of 6 GPa, where the required temperature for stability is reduced toT > 80 K. We also determine the superconducting critical temperatureTcof$$Fm\bar{3}m$$Fm3¯m-LuH3within the Migdal-Eliashberg formalism, using temperature- and quantum-anharmonically-corrected phonon dispersions, finding that the expectedTcfor electron-phonon mediated superconductivity is in the range of 50–60 K, i.e., well below the temperatures required to stabilize the lattice. When considering moderate doping based on rigidly shifting the Fermi level,Tcdecreases for both hole and electron doping. Our results thus provide evidence that any observed room-temperature superconductivity in pure or doped$$Fm\bar{3}m$$Fm3¯m-LuH3, if confirmed, cannot be explained by a conventional electron-phonon mediated pairing mechanism.
Assembly of a unique membrane complex in type VI secretion systems of Bacteroidota
Authors: Bongiovanni Thibault R. , Latario Casey J. , Le Cras Youn , Trus Evan , Robitaille Sophie , Swartz Kerry , Schmidtke Danica , Vincent Maxence , Kosta Artemis , Orth Jan , Stengel Florian , Pellarin Riccardo , Rocha Eduardo P. C. , Ross Benjamin D. , Durand Eric 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThe type VI secretion system (T6SS) of Gram-negative bacteria inhibits competitor cells through contact-dependent translocation of toxic effector proteins. In Proteobacteria, the T6SS is anchored to the cell envelope through a megadalton-sized membrane complex (MC). However, the genomes of Bacteroidota with T6SSs appear to lack genes encoding homologs of canonical MC components. Here, we identify five genes inBacteroides fragilis(tssNQOPR) that are essential for T6SS function and encode a Bacteroidota-specific MC. We purify this complex, reveal its dimensions using electron microscopy, and identify a protein-protein interaction network underlying the assembly of the MC including the stoichiometry of the five TssNQOPR components. Protein TssN mediates the connection between the Bacteroidota MC and the conserved baseplate. Although MC gene content and organization varies across the phylum Bacteroidota, no MC homologs are detected outside of T6SS loci, suggesting ancient co-option and functional convergence with the non-homologous MC of Pseudomonadota.
Single-sided magnetic resonance-based sensor for point-of-care evaluation of muscle
Authors: Sherman Sydney E. , Zammit Alexa S. , Heo Won-Seok , Rosen Matthew S. , Cima Michael J. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractMagnetic resonance imaging is a widespread clinical tool for the detection of soft tissue morphology and pathology. However, the clinical deployment of magnetic resonance imaging scanners is ultimately limited by size, cost, and space constraints. Here, we discuss the design and performance of a low-field single-sided magnetic resonance sensor intended for point-of-care evaluation of skeletal muscle in vivo. The 11 kg sensor has a penetration depth of >8 mm, which allows for an accurate analysis of muscle tissue and can avoid signal from more proximal layers, including subcutaneous adipose tissue. Low operational power and shielding requirements are achieved through the design of a permanent magnet array and surface transceiver coil. The sensor can acquire high signal-to-noise measurements in minutes, making it practical as a point-of-care tool for many quantitative diagnostic measurements, including T2 relaxometry. In this work, we present the in vitro and human in vivo performance of the device for muscle tissue evaluation.
Microglia govern the extinction of acute stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors in male mice
Authors: Chen Danyang , Lou Qianqian , Song Xiang-Jie , Kang Fang , Liu An , Zheng Changjian , Li Yanhua , Wang Di , Qun Sen , Zhang Zhi , Cao Peng , Jin Yan 
Published: January 2024

AbstractAnxiety-associated symptoms following acute stress usually become extinct gradually within a period of time. However, the mechanisms underlying how individuals cope with stress to achieve the extinction of anxiety are not clear. Here we show that acute restraint stress causes an increase in the activity of GABAergic neurons in the CeA (GABACeA) in male mice, resulting in anxiety-like behaviors within 12 hours; meanwhile, elevated GABACeAneuronal CX3CL1 secretion via MST4 (mammalian sterile-20-like kinase 4)-NF-κB-CX3CL1 signaling consequently activates microglia in the CeA. Activated microglia in turn inhibit GABACeAneuronal activity via the engulfment of their dendritic spines, ultimately leading to the extinction of anxiety-like behaviors induced by restraint stress. These findings reveal a dynamic molecular and cellular mechanism in which microglia drive a negative feedback to inhibit GABACeAneuronal activity, thus facilitating maintenance of brain homeostasis in response to acute stress.
Whole transcriptome analysis highlights nutrient limitation of nitrogen cycle bacteria in simulated microgravity
Authors: Verbeelen Tom , Fernandez Celia Alvarez , Nguyen Thanh Huy , Gupta Surya , Aarts Raf , Tabury Kevin , Leroy Baptiste , Wattiez Ruddy , Vlaeminck Siegfried E. , Leys Natalie , Ganigué Ramon , Mastroleo Felice 
Published: January 2024

AbstractRegenerative life support systems (RLSS) will play a vital role in achieving self-sufficiency during long-distance space travel. Urine conversion into a liquid nitrate-based fertilizer is a key process in most RLSS. This study describes the effects of simulated microgravity (SMG) on Comamonas testosteroni, Nitrosomonas europaea, Nitrobacter winogradskyi and a tripartite culture of the three, in the context of nitrogen recovery for the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA). Rotary cell culture systems (RCCS) and random positioning machines (RPM) were used as SMG analogues. The transcriptional responses of the cultures were elucidated. For CO2-producing C. testosteroni and the tripartite culture, a PermaLifeTM PL-70 cell culture bag mounted on an in-house 3D-printed holder was applied to eliminate air bubble formation during SMG cultivation. Gene expression changes indicated that the fluid dynamics in SMG caused nutrient and O2 limitation. Genes involved in urea hydrolysis and nitrification were minimally affected, while denitrification-related gene expression was increased. The findings highlight potential challenges for nitrogen recovery in space.
Micro-CT imaging and finite element models reveal how sintering temperature affects the microstructure and strength of bioactive glass-derived scaffolds
Authors: De Cet Anna , D’Andrea Luca , Gastaldi Dario , Baino Francesco , Verné Enrica , Örlygsson Gissur , Vena Pasquale 
Published: January 2024

AbstractThis study focuses on the finite element simulation and micromechanical characterization of bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds using Computed micro Tomography ($$\upmu$$
μ
CT) imaging. The main purpose of this work is to quantify the effect of sintering temperature on the morphometry and mechanical performance of the scaffolds. In particular, the scaffolds were produced using a novel bioactive glass material (47.5B) through foam replication, applying six different sintering temperatures. Through $$\upmu$$
μ
CT imaging, detailed three-dimensional images of the scaffold’s internal structure are obtained, enabling the extraction of important geometric features and how these features change with sintering temperature. A finite element model is then developed based on the $$\upmu$$
μ
CT images to simulate the fracture process under uniaxial compression loading. The model incorporates scaffold heterogeneity and material properties—also depending on sintering temperature—to capture the mechanical response, including crack initiation, propagation, and failure. Scaffolds sintered at temperatures equal to or higher than 700 $$^{\circ }$$

∘

C exhibit two-scale porosity, with micro and macro pores. Finite element analyses revealed that the dual porosity significantly affects fracture mechanisms, as micro-pores attract cracks and weaken strength. Interestingly, scaffolds sintered at high temperatures, the overall strength of which is higher due to greater intrinsic strength, showed lower normalized strength compared to low-temperature scaffolds. By using a combined strategy of finite element simulation and $$\upmu$$
μ
CT-based characterization, bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds can be optimized for bone tissue engineering applications by learning more about their micromechanical characteristics and fracture response.