Related Changes Research Articles

CDCS-TCM: A framework based on complex network theory to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation of substances in the metabolic process of traditional Chinese medicine

Ethnopharmacological relevanceTraditional Chinese medicine, with the feature of synergistic effects of multi-component, multi-pathway and multi-target, plays an important role in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, etc. However, chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine are complex and most of the pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear, especially the relationships of chemical components change during the metabolic process. Aim of studyOur aim is to provide a method based on complex network theory to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation of substances in the metabolic process of traditional Chinese medicine. Materials and methodsWe proposed a framework named CDCS-TCM to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation between substances in the metabolic process of traditional Chinese medicine. Our method mainly consists two parts. The first part is to discover the local and global causality by the causality network. The second part is to investigate the dynamic correlations and identify the essential substance by dynamic substance correlation network. ResultsWe developed a CDCS-TCM method to analyze the causality and dynamic correlation of substances. Using the XiangDan Injection for ischemic stroke as an example, we have identified the important substances in the metabolic process including substance pairs with strong causality and the dynamic changes of the core effector substance clusters. ConclusionThe proposed framework will be useful for exploring the correlations of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine more effectively and will provide a new perspective for the elucidation of drug action mechanisms and the new drug discovery.

Confucian Culture and Enterprise Strategic Change from a Perspective of the Golden Mean Ethics

AbstractAs an important informal system, the impact of Confucian culture on enterprise strategic change decision‐making and economic and social development is often ignored. By using the OLS method and drawing from publicly listed companies on China's Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets from 2002 to 2020 as research samples, this article empirically analyzes the relationship between Confucian culture and enterprise strategic change from the perspective of the “golden mean” ethics (a Confucian moral standard and philosophy of conduct). The article also attends to the moderating effects of foreign culture shock and stock rights between the relationship of Confucian culture and enterprise strategic change. A key finding is that the ethical thought of “golden mean” and “harmony” contained in Confucian culture has an inhibitory effect on the initiation of enterprise strategic change. Foreign culture shock positively moderates the relationship between Confucian culture and enterprise strategic change. When “shocked” by dominant foreign cultures, the negative impact of Confucian culture on enterprise strategic change will be weakened. Moreover, unlike previous research findings based on agency theory that suggests how state ownership may retard corporate development, the authors found that in an informal institutional environment with a strong Confucian culture, stock rights can play a positive moderating role in the relationship between Confucian culture and enterprise strategic change. When an enterprise is state‐owned, the inhibitory effect of Confucian culture on enterprise strategic change will be weakened further.

A generational perspective on rural livelihood change

AbstractAs rural places and people are increasingly intertwined between cities, markets and mobility, broader perspectives are needed to examine the multiple changes occurring between rural and urban spaces, and between families and generations. This article discusses how a generational perspective can study ‘more‐than‐rural’ change in a contemporaneous manner. Drawing on field examples from a village on Flores Island, Indonesia, I show how intergenerational views, gathered through household surveys and in‐depth interviews, gave further depth to younger generations' changing relationships to land. Why, despite greater numbers of young people leaving the village for greater work and study opportunities elsewhere, were many parents sure their children would return one day? Using intergenerational and life‐course views to answer this question revealed how many villagers encountered livelihood limitations elsewhere. Furthermore, I show how generational data give fuller explanations to household dynamics, such as how age and gender play a role in the pursuit of migration between family members, and how rural land and households are managed over time and space. I conclude by discussing the strengths and challenges of building a generational perspective to study ‘more‐than‐rural’ livelihood change.

A healing place: Reimagining the modern botanic garden as a physic garden

AbstractI have long promoted botanic gardens as a potent mix of nature, culture and science. Triggered by the COVID‐19 pandemic and the community's changing relationship with outdoor spaces, I want to add another vital element: the botanic garden as a reimagined physic garden. Not just a collection of medicinal plants, but a healing place. The value of nature, of gardens, and particularly of botanic gardens, for keeping us in “good health” is, if not self‐evident, then progressively confirmed by social research. The modern botanic garden as a physic garden embraces the creation and further development of botanic gardens in places where there are more people than “natural” diversity of plants; encourages a medical approach to addressing complex problems like climate change—targeting the root causes first, curing if possible, or if not, relieving symptoms and build resistance; favors a triaging approach to conservation for more effective use of resources; and provides plant rescue and restoration as the equivalent of a human Intensive Care Unit, with “plant ambulances” dispatched after natural (including human‐induced) disasters. Our landscapes and collections are for many their first contact with a complex plant environment—nature. That contact is also good for our health.

Jacques Greene’s Aging Temporalities

By way of a close reading of Quebec electronic dance music producer and DJ, Jacques Greene (né Philippe Aubin-Dionne), this article offers ways to think through and with aging studies, popular music studies and the notion of the career—which remains largely missing in studies of music scenes. Particular attention is devoted to Greene’s musical releases (two LPs, many EPs, singles and remixes), as well as his performance practice as a DJ and solo artist. To cut against dominant understandings of a career as a linear trajectory, developed in iterative stages of progress and decline, I consider the varied temporalities Greene experiences simultaneously and how his position in dance music scenes changes in relation to the contingencies of time. I argue that this temporal mode of analysis provides a generative theoretical tool kit for connecting studies of popular music with studies of aging.

Effects of sea level rise and tidal flat growth on tidal dynamics and geometry of the Elbe estuary

Abstract. Future global mean sea level rise (SLR) will affect coastlines and estuaries in the North Sea and therefore also coastal protection structures, unique local ecosystems and important waterways. SLR will not only raise water levels but also influence tidal dynamics and morphodynamics, which is why the tidal flats of the Wadden Sea can grow to a certain extent with SLR. Investigations on the effects of climate-change-induced SLR and the related potential bathymetric changes inside of estuaries form an important basis for identifying vulnerabilities and developing appropriate adaptation strategies. To analyse the influence of potential SLR and tidal flat elevation scenarios on the tidal dynamics in the Elbe estuary, we used a highly resolved hydrodynamic numerical model of the German Bight. The analysis results show increasing tidal range in the Elbe estuary solely due to SLR. They also reveal strongly varying changes with different tidal flat growth scenarios: while tidal flat elevation up to the mouth of the estuary can cause tidal range to decrease relative to SLR alone, tidal flat elevation in the entire estuary can lead to an increase in tidal range relative to SLR alone. Further analyses show how the geometric parameters of the Elbe estuary are changing due to SLR and tidal flat elevation. We discuss how these changes in estuarine geometry can provide an explanation for the changes in tidal range.

Data Discretion: Screen-Level Bureaucrats and Municipal Decision-Making

Public servants tasked with implementing rules or policies on the street-level often make discretionary decisions based on local context. Lipsky has labeled them street-level bureaucrats. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as most face-to-face interactions facilitated by local government moved online, many street-level decisions were moved to screens, representing the actions of who Bouvins and Zouridis refer to as screen-level bureaucrats. Discretionary decision-making among public servants continued, but much of it centered on the collection, analysis, and use of data. This paper reports on research conducted in 2021 with municipal employees in a large Northeastern city in the United States, and examines their changing relationship with data in determining how and to whom they deliver services. In the context of a public health crisis, public servants exercised “data discretion” to rapidly alter services and to internally advocate for underserved populations. The specific practices of discretionary decision making are explored through candid interviews with public servants. The discussion explores how these emergent practices might persist post crisis, how discretion is counter-intuitively used to build trust in government, and how data discretion is not limited only to the progressive values manifested in the example of a Northeastern city.

Clinical symptoms and histopathological changes in coho salmon affected by the erythrocytic inclusion body syndrome (EIBS) are caused by the infection of piscine orthoreovirus 2 (PRV-2).

The relationship of histopathological changes and the infection of Piscine orthoreovirus 2 (PRV-2) was investigated in coho salmon that were suffering from the erythrocytic inclusion body syndrome (EIBS). Immunohistochemical observations revealed abundant σ1 protein of PRV-2 in the spongy layer of the ventricle of the heart, where severe myocarditis was observed. In the spleen, the virus protein was detected in many erythrocytes, some of which were spherical-shaped and apparently dead. The number of erythrocytes was decreased in the spleen compared to the apparently healthy fish. The virus protein was also detected in some erythrocytes in blood vessels. The viral protein was often detected in many macrophages ingesting erythrocytes or dead cell debris in the spleen or in the kidney sinusoids. Large amounts of the viral genomic segment L2 were also detected in these organs by RT-qPCR. Many necrotic foci were found in the liver, although the virus protein was not detected in the hepatocytes. These results suggest that the primary targets of PRV-2 are myocardial cells and erythrocytes and that clinical symptoms such as anaemia or jaundice and histopathological changes such as myocarditis in EIBS-affected coho salmon are caused by PRV-2 infection.

Prefrontal control of superior colliculus modulates innate escape behavior following adversity

Innate defensive responses, though primarily instinctive, must also be highly adaptive to changes in risk assessment. However, adaptive changes can become maladaptive, following severe stress, as seen in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a series of experiments, we observed long-term changes in innate escape behavior of male mice towards a previously non-threatening stimulus following an adverse shock experience manifested as a shift in the threshold of threat response. By recording neural activity in the superior colliculus (SC) while phototagging specific responses to afferents, we established the crucial influence of input arriving at the SC from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), both directly and indirectly, on escape-related activity after adverse shock experience. Inactivating these specific projections during the shock effectively abolished the observed changes. Conversely, optogenetically activating them during encounters controlled escape responses. This establishes the necessity and sufficiency of those specific mPFC inputs into the SC for adverse experience related changes in innate escape behavior.

COVID-19 Pandemic–Related Changes in Rates of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

This cross-sectional study examines COVID-19 pandemic–related changes in rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and whether infants in urban or rural areas and those with low socioeconomic status were disproportionately affected.

From “Decisive Hostility” to “Cordial Agreement”: “The Times” on the Evolution of Britain’s Image in Russian Press at the Beginning of the 20th Century

The article deals with the reflection of the image of Britain in the analytical reviews of “The Times” newspaper on the pages of the Russian periodical press at the beginning of the 20th century.
 The study covers the period from the turn of the 19th–20th centuries until 1907, when the relations between Russia and Britain transitioned from extreme tension and rivalry in different regions of the world to an alliance within the Triple Entente. At this time, the press became truly massive and exerted a stronger influence than ever on the development of international relations. One of the leading English newspapers, “The Times”, took a largely pro-government stance and reflected the official position on foreign policy issues. It regularly reviewed the publications in the Russian press concerning Anglo-Russian relationship or British politics in general.
 As a result of the analysis of “The Times” reviews, it is possible to show the significance of the British political image, the dynamics of public opinion in the Russian Empire regarding a possible confrontation or Anglo-Russian rapprochement. The Russian press formed among readers a certain perception of Britain in the context of the Anglo-Boer War, the events in the Far East, the process of resolving contradictions, and the conclusion of the 1907 agreement, while the English press reflected on this image. The transformation of rhetoric in the press happened as rapidly as the changes in relations between the two powers.

Adaptation pathways for effective responses to climate change risks

AbstractClimate related changes are already affecting every area of our world and will increasingly do so as global warming increases, resulting in compounding and cascading risks across multiple locations and sectors. Deliberative processes and anticipatory actions are required to adapt to the associated complex and uncertain systemic risks, with dynamic and long‐term planning needed even where there is limited knowledge of the effectiveness of adaptation. In this focus article, we examine the adaptation pathways developed for the Europe Chapter of the IPCC AR6. We argue that illustrative pathways built on quantitative and qualitative assessment of adaptation effectiveness can inform adaptation planning to manage the increasing severity of risks. We find that as the global warming level increases adaptation pathways can diverge, leading to radically different futures, for example, adaptation responses to sea level rise. We illustrate how adaptation measures for different risks interact resulting in trade‐offs, for example, increasing water scarcity. Although pathways offer a useful framework to address multiple adaptation challenges, other supporting conditions are needed for the successful implementation of adaptation, such as establishing legitimacy and buy‐in through collaboration of various actors and effective governance. Ultimately, adaptation will be increasingly more complex and constrained in a warmer world, increasing risks of losses and damages to people and nature.This article is categorized under: Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Institutions for Adaptation The Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Climate Science and Decision Making Assessing Impacts of Climate Change > Evaluating Future Impacts of Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Learning from Cases and Analogies

Tracking Mississippian Migrations from the Central Mississippi Valley to the Ridge and Valley with a Unified Absolute Chronology

AbstractAs regional chronologies become better defined, we are better able to track large-scale population movements and related cultural change. A dataset of 156 radiocarbon dates from the Middle Cumberland Region (MCR), evaluated with 199 more dates from the Ridge and Valley portions of northern Georgia and East Tennessee, enable modeling of population movements from the Central Mississippi Valley into the MCR, as well as subsequent movements and effects in the Ridge and Valley between AD 1200 and 1450. The dissolution of Cahokia is of particular interest, because the MCR falls geographically between the American Bottom and the Ridge and Valley province. This large-scale chronological perspective places key events in this part of the Southeast and Midwest into a unified historical framework that increases our understanding of the timing of cultural events. A related goal is to sort out possible external events and influences that may have affected this large region. This study makes apparent the relationships between cultural events and natural events, such as the drought sequences reported for the Central Mississippi Valley and beyond.

Integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses reveal the molecular mechanism underlying dynamic metabolic processes during taproot development of Panax notoginseng

BackgroundPanax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen is one of the most famous Chinese traditional medicinal plants. The taproot is the main organ producing triterpenoid saponins, and its development is directly linked to the quality and yield of the harvested P. notoginseng. However, the mechanisms underlying the dynamic metabolic changes occurring during taproot development of P. notoginseng are unknown.ResultsWe carried out metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses to investigate metabolites and gene expression during the development of P. notoginseng taproots. The differentially accumulated metabolites included amino acids and derivatives, nucleotides and derivatives, and lipids in 1-year-old taproots, flavonoids and terpenoids in 2- and 3-year-old taproots, and phenolic acids in 3-year-old taproots. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, metabolic pathway and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites at all three developmental stages. Integrative analysis revealed that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was involved in not only the development of but also metabolic changes in P. notoginseng taproots. Moreover, significant accumulation of triterpenoid saponins in 2- and 3-year-old taproots was highly correlated with the up-regulated expression of cytochrome P450s and uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases genes. Additionally, a gene encoding RNase-like major storage protein was identified to play a dual role in the development of P. notoginseng taproots and their triterpenoid saponins synthesis.ConclusionsThese results elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the accumulation of and change relationship between primary and secondary metabolites in P. notoginseng taproots, and provide a basis for the quality control and genetic improvement of P. notoginseng.

(078) Double Pause: Understanding Couple Intimacy – A Quantitative Survey

Abstract Introduction Midlife physical, psychological, and relational changes, untreated diseases [erectile dysfunction, (ED) in men and vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) in women) affect the sexual health in both the partners in relationship. Couples with sexual intimacy concerns only seldom approach a health care professional (HCP) to seek help. This quantitative study was designed to identify the issues in couple intimacy among middle and old-aged participants. Objective To gain a deeper understanding in the following areas: explore the perceptions and attitudes towards intimacy later in life, understand issues relating to intimacy, including menopause and andropause, and identify the role and comfort levels of communication with partners and HCPs. Methods This prospective cross-sectional observational study was done on people who were in relationship and aged between 40 to 75 years. Participants across six countries the United states (USA), the United kingdom (UK), Italy, France, Germany, and Spain (approximately 1,000 per country in addition to 100 men with ED per country) were included in this survey. The questionnaire included questions about perceptions towards intimacy and how this has changed and might change in the future, symptoms they may have relating to intimacy issues, and whom they speak to when they have concerns in these areas. This online survey was conducted between 2nd June and 13th June 2023. Results A total of 6,091 people completed the survey. Additionally, a total of 630 men suffering from ED also participated in the survey. Overall, across all the six countries, couples aged 65 to 75 years (n=1977, 33%) participated the highest, followed by 55 to 64 years (n=1716, 28%) and 45 to 54 years (n=1662, 27%). Couple intimacy was defined by trust (73%) and mutual respect (71%) by most in Central Europe, compared to physical touch in the UK (74%) and USA (73%). Women put more emphasis on trust (77%) and mutual respect (74%) when defining intimacy, whilst men cite sexual intimacy more (65%). In their current relationship, participants reported that emotional intimacy was deemed more important (93%) and more satisfying (80%), than physical intimacy. 50% of the respondents felt that physical intimacy worsens with age. Though the majority believe there are ways and need help to improve their sexual lives (58%). Physical health issues (32%), work stress (36%), and lack of time (22%) were the few of the issues that impacted couple intimacy. A third of men (39%) and women (34%) reported that they wouldn’t speak to a HCP about andropause or menopause symptoms. Most (68% in 55–64 years) of the men were not aware of andropause or its symptoms. 43% of respondents agreed to consult HCPs for more information on couple intimacy. Conclusions Physical health issues, age and the lack of awareness about menopause and andropause are the key factors impacting couples' sexual intimacy. HCPs should strengthen their relationship with patients to help them un-pause their sex life and to open conversation spaces and a trustworthy tool to empower couples facing hormonal changes and finally to improve their sexual health. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Viatris Inc. Clarification: Industry initiated, executed and funded study. Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Viatris Inc.

Lake bottom relief reconstruction and water volume estimation based on the subsidence rate of the post-mining area (Bytom, Southern Poland)

Mining activity leads to subsidence troughs and permanent changes in water relations, like the formation of anthropogenic reservoirs. In the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (S Poland), their number is so high that the area is called an anthropogenic lake district. Any form of water retention, in the face of climate change, is valuable. However, the problem is the high variability of these lakes, making it challenging to estimate water resources. An example of this type of anthropogenic lake is the Brandka Pond in Bytom. An original method was proposed, consisting of two stages: reconstruction of the lake bottom relief based on the initial state of the area relief in 1994, i.e. at the beginning of the reservoir formation, and the land subsidence rate calculated for this area. Archival cartographic materials and DEMs from LiDAR data were used and processed in the open-source geoinformation software. Orthophoto maps and satellite scenes were also collected to determine changes in the extent of the pond from 1993 to 2019. Bathymetric data obtained in 2019 during sonar measurements on the reservoir was used to verify the calculations. The pond began to form in the early 1990s, and by 2019, it had reached an area of 178,226 m2, a maximum depth of 5.8 m and a capacity of 421,173 m3. The reconstruction method is accurate and suitable for lakes over 2 m deep, and the calculated capacity differs from the bathymetric data by 0.2%.

How ad hoc coalitions deinstitutionalize international institutions

Abstract As ad hoc coalitions (AHCs) proliferate, particularly on the African continent, two questions crystallize. First, what consequences do they bring about for the existing institutional security landscape? And second, how can the trend of AHCs operating alongside instead of inside international organizations be captured and explored conceptually? To answer these questions, we closely examine the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) fighting Boko Haram and its changing relationship to the African Union. Through the case-study and a review of policy and academic literatures, the article launches the concept of deinstitutionalization and how it can be characterized. We identify three features of deinstitutionalization: AHCs can bypass standard procedures for decision-making processes, whittle down established institutional scripts and shift resource allocations. We detail how the AHCs contribute to changing practices of financing international peace and security operations, with an examination of European Union and United Nations policies and practices. In sum, the article unwraps processes of deinstitutionalization and identifies three forms of rationales for this process: lack of problem-solving capacity, limited adaptability and path dependency.

DEAD Box RNA Helicases: Biochemical Properties, Role in RNA Processing and Ribosome Biogenesis.

DEAD box RNA helicases are a versatile group of ATP dependent enzymes that play an essential role in cellular processes like transcription, RNA processing, ribosome biogenesis and translation. These enzymes perform structural rearrangement of complex RNA molecules and enhance the productive folding of RNA and organization of macromolecular complexes. In this review article besides providing the outline about structural organization of helicases, an in-depth discussion will be done on the biochemical properties of RNA helicases like their substrate binding, binding and hydrolysis of ATP and related conformational changes that are important for functioning of the RNA helicase enzymes. I will extensively discuss the physiological role of RNA helicases in RNA processing and ribosome biogenesis.

Virtual clinical QT exposure-response studies – A translational computational approach

Background and purposeA recent paradigm shift in proarrhythmic risk assessment suggests that the integration of clinical, non-clinical, and computational evidence can be used to reach a comprehensive understanding of the proarrhythmic potential of drug candidates. While current computational methodologies focus on predicting the incidence of proarrhythmic events after drug administration, the objective of this study is to predict concentration-response relationships of QTc as a clinical endpoint. Experimental approachFull heart computational models reproducing human cardiac populations were created to predict the concentration-response relationship of changes in the QT interval as recommended for clinical trials. The concentration-response relationship of the QT-interval prolongation obtained from the computational cardiac population was compared against the relationship from clinical trial data for a set of well-characterized compounds: moxifloxacin, dofetilide, verapamil, and ondansetron. Key resultsComputationally derived concentration–response relationships of QT interval changes for three of the four drugs had slopes within the confidence interval of clinical trials (dofetilide, moxifloxacin and verapamil) when compared to placebo-corrected concentration-ΔQT and concentration-ΔQT regressions. Moxifloxacin showed a higher intercept, outside the confidence interval of the clinical data, demonstrating that in this example, the standard linear regression does not appropriately capture the concentration-response results at very low concentrations. The concentrations corresponding to a mean QTc prolongation of 10 ms were consistently lower in the computational model than in clinical data. The critical concentration varied within an approximate ratio of 0.5 (moxifloxacin and ondansetron) and 1 times (dofetilide, verapamil) the critical concentration observed in human clinical trials. Notably, no other in silico methodology can approximate the human critical concentration values for a QT interval prolongation of 10 ms. Conclusion and implicationsComputational concentration-response modelling of a virtual population of high-resolution, 3-dimensional cardiac models can provide comparable information to clinical data and could be used to complement pre-clinical and clinical safety packages. It provides access to an unlimited exposure range to support trial design and can improve the understanding of pre-clinical-clinical translation.

Photosynthetic response of Chara braunii towards different bicarbonate concentrations.

A variety of inorganic carbon acquisition modes have been proposed in Characean algae, however, a broadly applicable inorganic carbon uptake mechanism is unknown for the genus Chara. In the present study, we analyzed if C. braunii can efficiently use HCO3 - as a carbon source for photosynthesis. For this purpose, C. braunii was exposed to different concentrations of NaHCO3 - at different time scales. The photosynthetic electron transport through photosystem I (PSI) and II (PSII), the maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax ), the efficiency of the electron transport rate (α, the initial slope of the ETR), and the light saturation point of photosynthesis (Ek ) were evaluated. Additionally, pigment contents (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids) were determined. Bicarbonate addition positively affected ETRmax , after direct HCO3 - application, of both PSII and PSI, but this effect seems to decrease after 1 h and 24 h. Similar trends were seen for Ek , but no significant effect was observed for α. Pigment contents showed no significant changes in relation to different HCO3 - concentrations. To evaluate if cyclic electron flow around PSI was involved in active HCO3 - uptake, the ratio of PSI ETRmax /PSII ETRmax was calculated but did not show a distinctive trend. These results suggest that C. braunii can utilize NaHCO3 - in short-term periods as a carbon source but could rely on other carbon acquisition mechanisms over prolonged time periods. These observations suggest that the minor role of HCO3 - as a carbon source for photosynthesis in this alga might differentiate C. braunii from other examined Chara spp.