bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rod Contour Angle and Postoperative Thoracic Kyphosis: Key Predictors of Proximal Junctional Kyphosis in Pediatric Neuromuscular Scoliosis after Spinopelvic Fusion
Authors: Shen Pochih , Keeter Carson , Sullivan Tyler , Hadley-Miller Nancy , Erickson Mark A.
Published: February 2025

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives

Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a postoperative complication in spinal deformity surgery causing pain, functional deterioration, and potential revision surgery, with challenges in the neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) population. We investigated the incidence, risk factors, and clinical impact of PJK in nonambulatory pediatric NMS patients following spinopelvic fusion.

Methods

Seventy-two NMS patients who underwent spinopelvic fusion from the upper thoracic vertebra to the pelvis were reviewed, with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Radiographic measurements and clinical data were analyzed to identify PJK predictors and evaluate outcomes. PJK was defined as a proximal junctional angle (PJA) ≥10° and an increase of ≥10° from preoperative measurements. Statistical analyses included t-tests, ROC curve analysis, logistic regression, and linear regression.

Results

The incidence of PJK was 25%. Significant predictors included rod contour angle (RCA) (odds ratio [OR]: 1.11, P = 0.04), postoperative T2-T12 kyphosis (OR: 1.04, P = 0.043), and the difference between postoperative T2-T12 kyphosis and RCA (OR: 1.04, P = 0.021). A bidirectional relationship between pre- and postoperative PJA was observed. Lower preoperative PJA was associated with an increased risk of PJK (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.78, P < 0.001). Conversely, high preoperative PJA tended to decrease after surgery. No revision surgeries were performed for PJK.

Conclusion

This study reveals a 25% incidence of PJK in NMS patients undergoing spinopelvic fusion. Preoperative radiographic evaluation warrants particular attention in cases exhibiting decreased PJA values. Furthermore, meticulous intraoperative optimization of PJA, RCA, and thoracic kyphosis appears crucial for minimizing PJK occurrence.
Toward an updated corporate governance framework: Fundamentals, disruptions, and future research
Authors: Aguilera Ruth V , Ruiz Castillo Maria
Published: February 2025

This essay explores the evolving landscape of corporate governance amid global disruptions and changing stakeholder demands. We argue that traditional governance models are unable to effectively address contemporary challenges such as technological advancements, sustainability pressures, and geopolitical conflicts. While corporate governance has traditionally prioritized financial metrics and majority shareholders, there is a growing shift toward incorporating broader societal and environmental considerations. As a result, we highlight the need for a new corporate governance framework that supports the evolving nature of organizations and their corporate governance practices. We argue that the future of corporate governance must integrate ethical leadership, transparency, and a commitment to sustainability to remain relevant in a rapidly changing global marketplace. We conclude by suggesting research areas that require deeper exploration to build robust corporate governance systems.

JEL CLASSIFICATION: A10, A13, D21, F23, G34, L2, M14, P48, Q56
Orchestrating Excellent Health and Care Experiences: The Essential Role of Leadership
Authors: Cooley Laura , Amouei Shirin
Published: February 2025

Leaders play a vital role in shaping experiences of health and care, much like orchestra conductors coordinating musicians to produce a symphony. This editorial article explores how leadership fosters teamwork, communication, and patient-centered care, emphasizing the importance of feedback, co-production, and resilience. Research highlights effective strategies, including structured collaboration, empathy-driven engagement, and systemic support to enable resilience. Successful initiatives demonstrate how patient-provider partnerships enhance care quality and outcomes. To create sustainable, high-performing healthcare systems, leaders must invest in inclusive, coordinated approaches that value all voices, ensuring that healthcare delivery is both effective and compassionate.
How Point (Single-Probability) Tasks Are Affected by Probability Format, Part 2: A Making Numbers Meaningful Systematic Review
Authors: Ancker Jessica S. , Benda Natalie C. , Sharma Mohit M. , Johnson Stephen B. , Demetres Michelle , Delgado Diana , Zikmund-Fisher Brian J.
Published: February 2025

Background. The Making Numbers Meaningful review is intended to create guidance on the effect of data presentation format on comprehension of numbers in health. Purpose. This article (one of a series) covers research studying so-called “point tasks,” in which a reader examines materials to obtain information about single probabilities. The current article presents evidence on the effects of data presentation format on probability perceptions and feelings, health behaviors and behavioral intentions, trust, preference, and discrimination outcomes. Data Sources. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, ERIC, ACM Digital Library; hand search of 4 journals. Study Selection. Manual pairwise screening to identify experimental and quasi-experimental research that compared 2 or more formats for presenting quantitative health information to patients or other lay audiences. This article reports 466 findings of probability communication from 161 articles. Data Extraction. Pairwise extraction of information on stimulus (data in a data presentation format), task, and outcomes. Data Synthesis. Moderate to strong evidence is available on the effects of several format interventions to influence probability perceptions and feelings, including the 1-in-X number format, foreground-only (numerator-only) icon arrays, bar charts, anecdotes, framing, and verbal probabilities. However, only 3 (the 1-in-X effect, anecdotes, and framing) had moderate to strong evidence of influencing health behaviors and behavioral intentions. Research on patient preferences for numerical, graphical, and verbal formats yielded only weak evidence. Conclusions. The link between probability perceptions/feelings and health behaviors is not strongly reflected in the evidence about communicating numbers because many communication-focused studies measure short-term response rather than longer-term behaviors. Also, research into patient preferences for numerical, graphical, and verbal formats has not yielded strong evidence suggesting stable and predictable preferences.

Highlights

Formatting a probability as 1 in X, using a foreground-only icon array, adding anecdotes to numbers, and gain-loss framing all affect probability perceptions and feelings. The evidence on communicating numbers to influence perceptions is far stronger than the evidence on using it to change health behavior or behavioral intention. Only weak evidence is available on patient preferences for verbal, graphical, and numerical probability formats.
The impact of systemic sclerosis on women’s health evaluated with an ad hoc-developed patient-reported questionnaire
Authors: Lazzaroni Maria-Grazia , Moschetti Liala , Pedretti Eleonora , Andreoli Laura , Ramazzotto Francesca , Zatti Sonia , Galetti Ilaria , Airò Paolo , Tincani Angela , Franceschini Franco
Published: February 2025

Objective:

The impact of disease on women’s health-related quality of life has become increasingly important in patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs). Systemic sclerosis (SSc) mostly affects women with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations and severity, and a variable impact on daily living. The objective of the present study was to specifically address “women’s health” in systemic sclerosis patients through a dedicated questionnaire.

Methods:

An anonymous self-reported questionnaire (only in Italian) was developed in collaboration with obstetricians and gynecologists and subsequently revised and approved by five patient representatives. The questionnaire was administered to SSc patients during scheduled visits in an outpatient Rheumatology SSc Clinic.

Results:

Between April 2021 and March 2023, 168 patients accepted to participate; among them, 44.1% had received their SSc diagnosis during reproductive age (<45 years). The questionnaire was composed of 44 questions and included 5 sections encompassing different topics. A high rate of adherence to female cancer screening programs was recorded (86.9% for cervix and 93.6% for breast cancer), while a non-regular gynecological follow-up was observed in 36.4%, mostly in patients with more severe disease phenotype. Only 42.3% accepted to compile the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), which indicated a sexual dysfunction (score ⩽ 26.55) in 66.2% of patients. A worse sexual function was shown to be associated with different disease manifestations, including digital ulcers. More than 90% of patients who expressed a desire for pregnancy after diagnosis received medical pre-conception counseling and were satisfied with the information provided. In contrast, discussion about contraception occurred in 37.8% of patients who had been diagnosed during fertile age. Family planning still represents an unmet need, as 43.6% of patients did not achieve their desired family size, mainly due to concerns about their capacity to care for their children.

Conclusion:

The newly developed questionnaire provides a unique opportunity to comprehensively assess the experience of women with SSc. Disease burden was shown to negatively impact sexual function and adherence to regular gynecological visits. Furthermore, receiving a diagnosis during reproductive age may increase the likelihood of a reduced family size. Clinicians who take care of women with SSc should implement these domains into routine management, thus improving the health literacy of their patients.
Quality of life in scleroderma-related interstitial lung disease and its association with respiratory clinical parameters
Authors: Ponniah Thayalan , Wong Chee Kuan , Ng Choung Min , Raja Jasmin
Published: February 2025

Objectives:

Interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis has a significant impact in the quality of life. This prospective study was designed to determine the correlation between quality of life in systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease patients using patient-reported outcome measures and the lung function test parameters, with assessment done at baseline and 1 year.

Methods:

In total, 63 consecutive systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease patients underwent lung function test, 6-minute walk distance, and quality of life–validated questionnaires (King’s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy dyspnea). King’s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease covers three components, namely chest, breathlessness, and psychological symptoms. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy dyspnea score has Part I (breathlessness symptoms) and Part II (physical limitation due to breathlessness). All assessments except for 6-minute walk distance were done both at baseline and at 12 months.

Results:

Both forced vital capacity predicted percentage at baseline and 12 months had significant negative correlation with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy dyspnea score Part I ( p values: 0.038 and <0.001, respectively). Both forced vital capacity and diffuse capacity for carbon monoxide predicted percentage at 12 months were also negatively correlated with Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy dyspnea score Part II ( p values: 0.001 and 0.010, respectively). There was no significant correlation between King’s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease score and the lung function parameters, at both baseline and at 1-year interval. Positive significant correlation was observed between forced vital capacity predicted percentage at baseline and 6-minute walk distance ( p = 0.001).

Conclusion:

Systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease affects quality of life, which is best assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy dyspnea score as it correlates significantly with the lung function test parameters.
Preparation and Application Performance of Perylene-Labeled Fluorescent Chitosan Electrospun Anti-Counterfeiting Nanofibers
Authors: Li Yunhan , Zhu Shengbin , Jin Enqi , Shen Chi , Li Manli
Published: February 2025

As an important high-tech anti-counterfeiting material, fluorescent fiber has attracted great interest from researchers in the textile field. In order to endow chitosan (CS) with good fluorescence for the preparation of anti-counterfeiting fibers, various amounts of fluorescent molecules—perylene tetracarboxylic acid (PTCA)–were used to label CS to prepare a series of CS-perylene with different degrees of labeling (DL). Then, nanofiber membranes were produced by electrospinning using fluorescent CS/PVA blend spinning solutions. The effects of the DL on application performance of the CS-perylene were studied. It was found that labeling the appropriate amount of perylene unit onto CS was an effective way to endow the CS with good fluorescence properties. With the increase in the DL of the CS-perylene, its fluorescence intensity increased initially, reached a maximum when the DL was 0.1718 mol%, and then decreased. At a DL of 0.1718 mol%, the CS-perylene/PVA nanofiber membrane could emit bright green fluorescence. Meanwhile, the labeling of the perylene unit did not bring about adverse effects on the surface morphology of the electrospun CS-perylene/PVA nanofiber membrane. The fluorescent CS-perylene nanofibers overcome many shortcomings of the commonly used fluorescent fibers and show great potential for use in the anti-counterfeiting field.
Feeling threatened by Middle Eastern immigrants: The role of RWA, SDO, subjective societal status, and religiosity in Germany
Authors: Stecker Joscha , Bollwerk Michael , Schlipphak Bernd , Hellmann Jens , Echerhoff Gerald , Back Mitja D
Published: February 2025

In the context of growing international migration, it is crucial to understand factors that might alleviate or amplify threat perceptions by outgroups. Hereby, the role of subjective societal status (SSS), religiosity, Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) are not fully understood. In a large online survey ( N = 1257), we investigated the joint and interactive effects of RWA, SDO, SSS, and religiosity on German residents’ threat perceptions by Middle Eastern immigrants. Higher RWA and SDO, and lower SSS, predicted both symbolic and realistic threat, even after controlling for income, education, age, and gender. Furthermore, higher SSS buffered the effect of RWA and SDO for realistic threat, while religiosity was not related to threat perceptions and did not moderate RWA or SDO threat associations. We discuss methodological limitations and implications of our findings for the understanding of societal conflict.
A roadmap for uniform comprehensive long- term follow up after curative therapy for sickle cell disease
Authors: Shenoy Shalini , Kanter Julie , Kassim Adetola A. , Fitzhugh Courtney D , Stenger Elizabeth O , Bhatia Monica , Pecker Lydia H , Krishnamurti Lakshmanan , King Allison A
Published: February 2025

An increasing number of allogeneic transplant and autologous gene modification transplant therapies seek to eradicate sickle hemoglobin and the consequent hemolysis, vasculopathy, functional compromise, morbidity and mortality. As these modalities are used in parallel, it is important to be able to define the spectrum and stability of correction, long-term effects, and the pros and cons of each modality. A comparison between interventions that will be sought by providers and patients undergoing intervention require uniform assessments that evaluate disease-related and intervention-related effects for informed decision-making. This expert summary provides a pathway to functional evaluations with timing recommendations, provides broad management guidelines, and touches upon ongoing research efforts in the field. The roadmap of long-term follow-up can help clinicians and researchers choose assessments and time them in comparable fashion between the various transformative therapy efforts.
Exploring men’s cancer journeys in Norway: a comprehensive survey on diet, supplements, and use of complementary and alternative therapies
Authors: Kristoffersen Agnete E. , Nakandi Kiwumulo , Norheim Arne Johan , Bjelland Mona , Nilsen Jorunn V. , Ben-Arye Eran
Published: February 2025

Background

Each year, over 20,000 men are diagnosed with cancer in Norway, and approximately 150,000 men who have previously been diagnosed with cancer are currently alive. Many of these cancer survivors encounter a range of challenges, including fatigue, sexual dysfunction, urinary issues, and pain, all of which can significantly impact their quality of life. Consequently, a substantial number of men seek support beyond conventional healthcare. This study aims to investigate the motivations behind the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and dietary changes/supplements in men with cancer in Norway, and further explore their communication with healthcare providers, self-reported effects and adverse effects, and the sources of information they rely on regarding these practices.

Method

In collaboration with the Norwegian Cancer Society (NCS), we conducted an online cross-sectional study involving participants of their user panel who have current or past experiences with cancer (n = 706), of whom 218 identified as men. The study was conducted during the autumn of 2021, employing a modified cancer-specific version of the International Questionnaire to Measure Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (I-CAM-Q). A total of 153 men agreed to participate, yielding a response rate of 70%.

Results

A large proportion of the respondents used CAM (62%), dietary supplements (65%), and/or adjusted their diet (81%) to boost their immune systems and increase their quality of life. The dietary adjustments involved eating more fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains. Many participants also used relaxation techniques and visited CAM providers to enhance quality of life. Most participants reported better health outcomes as a result of these interventions. The Internet and healthcare professionals were the main source of information, although many did not disclose their dietary changes and CAM therapy use with healthcare professionals.

Conclusion

By leveraging these insights, healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers can collectively work towards a more holistic and patient-centred approach to cancer care, ultimately improving the overall well-being and quality of life for male cancer survivors.
Consumer and community involvement: implementation research for impact (CCIRI) – implementing evidence-based patient and public involvement across health and medical research in Australia – a mixed methods protocol
Authors: Ng Ashley H. , Reeder Sandra , Jones Angela , Cahill Ainslie , Langridge Debra , Baker Susanne , Heiss Leah , Dorin Alan , Teede Helena
Published: February 2025

Background

Within Australia, there is increasing recognition of the importance and value of patient and public involvement, or consumer and community involvement (CCI), in health and medical research and healthcare improvement. Despite this and policy mandates, there has been little behavioural and systems change to embed and support CCI. Often, this is relegated to tokenistic gestures rather than authentic partnerships. The aim of this national project is to use evidence-generated knowledge co-led by consumers, community members, researchers and clinicians to embed CCI in health and medical research and healthcare improvement.

Methods

The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and the Learning Health System framework underpin the project to facilitate an iterative process to change systems and individual behaviour towards adoption of CCI in health and medical research and healthcare improvement. Key stakeholder groups include research translation centres, funding bodies, clinicians, professional staff involved in healthcare improvement, researchers and consumers and community members. To understand the attitudes, knowledge, beliefs, behaviours, system barriers and facilitators around CCI in health and medical research and healthcare improvement, semi-structured interviews and surveys will be conducted across key stakeholder groups. Template analysis and descriptive statistics will be used to report data from the national survey respectively prior to triangulation of data. Findings will be reported through traditional scientific outputs such as conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Other anticipated outputs include policy briefs, organizational implementation toolkits and resources and a co-designed digital knowledge hub to support individuals with implementation and scale up across stakeholders.

Discussion

This study will build on considerable stakeholder engagement and prior priority-setting and includes broad and detailed consideration of perspectives from diverse stakeholders at a national level. Robust methodological frameworks, co-design and partnership with stakeholders will be used to inform resources to support systems change to facilitate CCI in health and medical research and healthcare improvement. Ethics approval was obtained from Monash Health (RES-23–0000-275Q).
Aquaporins modulate the cold response of Haemaphysalis longicornis via changes in gene and protein expression of fatty acids
Authors: Wang Han , Bai Ruwei , Pei Tingwei , Meng Jianglei , Nwanade Chuks F. , Zhang Yuchao , Liang Xiujie , Tang Yunsheng , Liu Jingze , Yu Zhijun
Published: February 2025

Background

As ectotherms that spend most of their life in the environment (off-host), ticks face challenges in maintaining water balance, and some species must cope with severe low winter temperatures. Aquaporins (AQPs) are essential membrane proteins that enhance cold tolerance in many animals by regulating homeostatic processes. However, the dynamic expressions and involvement of aquaporins in the cold stress of ticks remain unclear.

Methods

In the present study, three AQP genes, HlAQP2, HlAQP3, and HlAQP5, belonging to the major intrinsic protein (MIP) superfamily, were characterized from the important vector tick Haemaphysalis longicornis. Then, multiple bioinformatics analyses were performed. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to detect different expressions of H. longicornis genes under different cold treatment conditions. RNA interference was used to explore the relationship between AQP and the cold response of H. longicornis. Additionally, proteomic and transcriptomic analyses were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of AQPs on cold response in ticks.

Results

The amino acid sequence of AQPs shows high homology in Ixodida, with HlAQP2 and HlAQP5 proteins comprising two asparagine-proline-alanine (NPA) motifs, whereas HlAQP3 protein was featured by glycerol facilitator GlpF channel. The spatiotemporal expression of AQPs in H. longicornis varied significantly after low temperature treatment, and different expression patterns were observed over prolonged exposure periods. RNAi knockdown of AQPs significantly increased tick mortality after treatment at a sublethal temperature of − 14 °C for 2 h. Proteomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes and proteins caused by the knockdown of AQPs are mainly enriched in the fatty acid metabolism pathway.

Conclusions

The above results indicated that AQPs could regulate tick cold response by modulating water balance and fatty acid metabolism.

Graphical Abstract
Sex differences in romantic love: an evolutionary perspective
Authors: Bode Adam , Luoto Severi , Kavanagh Phillip S.
Published: February 2025

Background

Evolutionary selection pressures, most notably sexual selection, have created (and continue to sustain) many psychobehavioral differences between females and males. One such domain where psychobehavioral sex differences may be prominent is romantic love. The ways in which females and males may experience and express romantic love differently has been studied in psychology as well as in the arts down the ages; however, no studies have focused specifically on romantic love (i.e., passionate love) using validated measures of romantic love solely in people who are currently experiencing this form of love.

Methods

This study investigated sex differences in features and aspects of romantic love among 808 young adults experiencing romantic love. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to measure sex differences in the number of times participants had fallen in love, when they fell in love relative to when they started their romantic relationship (love progression), intensity of romantic love, obsessive thinking about a loved one, and commitment. Additional univariate comparisons were made for sex differences in Passionate Love Scale scores.

Results

Univariate analyses showed that males had fallen in love a greater number of times than females. Males had also fallen in love more quickly than females. Females had higher intensity of romantic love, higher commitment, and higher obsessive thinking about a loved one than males. These findings remained robust in multivariate analyses, controlling for several variables believed to influence romantic love, with the exception of commitment, which was no longer significant when other variables were controlled for.

Conclusions

The findings are considered with reference to the evolutionary theory of sexual selection. We suggest that the specific adaptive challenges faced by females and males in the evolutionary history of romantic love may contribute to sex differences in romantic love. The findings shed light on contemporary sex differences in romantic love, as well as the possible evolutionary history and evolutionary functions of romantic love.
Malic enzyme 3 mediated the effects of malic acid on intestinal redox status and feed efficiency in broilers
Authors: Jiang Hongfeng , Li Genghui , Yang Xue , Feng Xiaohua , Li Penglin , Yang Huisi , Cai Demin , Jiang Qingyan , Shu Gang
Published: February 2025

Background

Intestinal oxidative stress serves as an endogenous host defense against the gut microbiota by increasing energy expenditure and therefore decreasing feed efficiency (FE). Several systems coordinately regulate redox balance, including the mitochondrial respiratory chain, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, and different antioxidants. However, it remains unclear which redox balance compartments in the intestine are crucial for determining FE.

Results

In this study, we first screened the key targets of different metabolites and redox balance-related gene expression in broiler ceca. We then constructed a mouse colitis model to explore malic acid (MA) ability to alleviate intestinal inflammation. We further used controlled release technology to coat MA and investigated its effects on the intestinal redox status and FE in vivo. Finally, we examined the underlying mechanism by which MA modulated redox status using a porcine intestinal epithelial cell jejunum 2 (IPEC-J2) cell model in vitro. Our results demonstrated that the MA/malic enzyme 3 (ME3) pathway may play an important role in reducing oxidative stress in the broiler cecum. In addition, colon infusion of MA attenuated inflammatory phenotypes in the dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) induced mouse colitis model. Then, dietary supplementation with controlled-release MA pellet (MAP) reduced the feed to gain (F/G) ratio and promoted chicken growth, with reduced oxidative stress and increased bacterial diversity. Finally, the in vitro IPEC-J2 cell model revealed that ME3 mediated the effect of MA on cellular oxidative stress.

Conclusion

In summary, our study firstly revealed the important role of the MA/ME3 system in the hindgut of broiler chickens for improving intestinal health and FE, which may also be crucial for the implications of colon inflammation associated diseases.
Using human, social, structural, and positive psychological capital to explore science and mathematics teacher retention
Authors: Ekmekci Adem , Aqazade Mahtob , McGraw Rebecca , Rushton Gregory , Gibson David J. , Cerosaletti Cathleen , Daley Michael , Kucuk Burak
Published: February 2025

Background

Teacher turnover is a dire and chronic problem for many education systems across the globe. According to UNESCO, 70% of teachers will be replaced by 2030. This study investigates the relationship between the retention of science and mathematics teachers and factors related to human, social, structural, and positive psychological capital—a four-capital teacher retention model. More specifically, this study explores how teaching self-efficacy, leadership engagement, teacher-school fit, diversity beliefs, community connections, and professional social network characteristics (e.g., size, bridging, proximity, reach) relate to teacher retention. Additionally, potential differences in retention and the aforementioned factors related to the four-capital model between Master Teaching Fellows (MTFs) and their peers (non-MTFs) with similar human capital (demographics and experience) are explored in this study. Participants were K-12 science and mathematics teachers (85 MTFs and 82 non-MTFs) from six different regions across the U.S. MTFs participated in one of seven long-term (5–6 years) Robert Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship Programs funded by the National Science Foundation.

Results

Leadership engagement was positively associated with shifting (from teaching to a formal leadership position). Teacher-school fit was negatively associated with leaving. For secondary teachers, teaching self-efficacy was positively associated with shifting to a leadership position. Leadership network size, bridging, and geographic proximity variables were positively related to shifting when compared to staying as classroom teachers. Teaching network bridging and leadership network bridging were positively related to leavers when compared to stayers. MTF shifters were likely to shift earlier in their careers than non-MTFs. Lastly, MTFs had higher self-efficacy, geographically larger teaching networks and leadership networks, and more contacts and bridging roles in their leadership networks than non-MTFs.

Conclusion

Findings provide support for teacher leadership programs in promoting leadership roles and responsibilities for STEM teachers and retaining teachers in STEM education either in the classroom or in administrative roles. These findings suggest that school administrators may also play a key role in encouraging teachers to engage in leadership activities and have a broader impact on public education by, for example, adopting a hybrid model of leadership roles that involves classroom teaching.
Forecasting cryptocurrency volatility: a novel framework based on the evolving multiscale graph neural network
Authors: Zhou Yang , Xie Chi , Wang Gang-Jin , Gong Jue , Zhu You
Published: February 2025

Cryptocurrency is a remarkable financial innovation that has affected the financial system in fundamental ways. Its increasingly complex interactions with the conventional financial market make precisely forecasting its volatility increasingly challenging. To this end, we propose a novel framework based on the evolving multiscale graph neural network (EMGNN). Specifically, we embed a graph that depicts the interactions between the cryptocurrency and conventional financial markets into the predictive process. Furthermore, we employ hierarchical evolving graph structure learners to model the dynamic and scale-specific interactions. We also evaluate our framework’s robustness and discuss its interpretability by extracting the learned graph structure. The empirical results show that (i) cryptocurrency volatility is not isolated from the conventional market, and the embedded graph can provide effective information for prediction; (ii) the EMGNN-based forecasting framework generally yields outstanding and robust performance in terms of multiple volatility estimators, cryptocurrency samples, forecasting horizons, and evaluation criteria; and (iii) the graph structure in the predictive process varies over time and scales and is well captured by our framework. Overall, our work provides new insights into risk management for market participants and into policy formulation for authorities.
Biochemical and histopathological effects of clove oil on the land snail Helix aspersa
Authors: Abdel-Azeem Hoda H.
Published: February 2025

Background

Terrestrial snails are regarded as agricultural pests since they devour any plant components and cause financial and crop loss. This study aims to evaluate the antifeedant efficacy of clove oil on the snail Helix aspersa.

Results

The toxicity of clove oil was determined after 1 day of exposure. LC50 and LC90 values (%) were 9.8 and 16.03, respectively. Exposure to different concentrations of clove oil significantly (P ≤ 0.001) reduced protease activity and α-glucosidase activity in the digestive tract of Helix aspersa. The most decrease in protease activity is after the 1st week of exposure (32 ± 1 µmole/min/mg protein) at the concentration 4.5% clove oil. There is a significant decline in α-glucosidase concentration (27.9 ± 0.05 in 1st week and 30.6 ± 0.5 in the 3rd week (P ≤ 0.01) at the 4.5% clove oil. ALT, AST, and GTG were increased in both concentrations at the time beginning of exposure. ALT showed a significant elevation (P ≤ 0.01) to be 14.5 ± 0.5 and 22.9 ± 0; the values of AST were 54.9 ± 0.1 and 72 ± 0.2; GGT concentration was 134 ± 1 and 146 ± 0.5 at the concentrations 2% and 4.5% clove oil, respectively. Exposure to the clove oil at different concentrations caused abnormal changes in the digestive gland and intestine such as vacuolation of cells, gaps, and degeneration in the mucosa. Ultrastructural abnormalities such as degeneration of microvilli, different sizes of electron-dense vesicles, and lysosomes were observed upon exposure to clove oil.

Conclusion

So, clove oil can be used as an effective bio-molluscicide.
lncRNA FLVCR1-AS1 sponges miR-381-3p and promotes Wnt signaling pathway resulting in colorectal cancer progression
Authors: Ahmadi Beni Faeze , Abdolvand Mohammad , poorbafrani Fariborz , Salehi Mansoor , Dehghanian Fariba , Kazemi Mohammad
Published: February 2025

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequent cancer and the second deadliest cancer, worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been introduced as crucial regulators of CRC. lncRNA feline leukemia virus subgroup C receptor 1 antisense RNA 1 (FLVCR1‑AS1) is suggested to play a significant role in the tumorigenesis of several cancers. The Wnt signaling pathway is the most deregulated pathway in CRC.

Objective

The present study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of function of FLVCR1-AS1 in CRC through FLVCR1-AS1/miR-381-3p/CTNNB1, LRP6, and FZD3 axis.

Methods

The expression levels of FLVCR1-AS1 were analyzed in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, as well as across various CRC cell lines. In HCT116 cells, FLVCR1-AS1 was knocked down, and the subsequent effects on the expression levels of FLVCR1-AS1, miR-381-3p, and three genes were measured using real-time PCR. Proliferation differences were assessed through an MTT assay, while cell death was evaluated using flow cytometry.

Results

The results confirmed that FLVCR1-AS1 was upregulated in CRC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. RT-qPCR validated that FLVCR1-AS1 has the most level of expression in HT29, HCT116, SW480, and Caco2; respectively. Knockdown of FLVCR1‑AS1 was significantly followed by attenuated viability of HCT116 cells; while resulted in enhancement of apoptosis and necrosis.

Conclusion

These findings support the idea that FLVCR1-AS1 may act as an oncogene in CRC, and targeting FLVCR1-AS1/miR-381-3p/CTNNB1, LRP6, and FZD3 axis may be introduced as a novel target for CRC therapy and diagnosis in the future.
Artificial intelligence-driven distributed acoustic sensing technology and engineering application
Authors: Shao Liyang , Zhang Jingming , Chen Xingwei , Xu Deyu , Gu Huaxin , Mu Qi , Yu Feihong , Liu Shuaiqi , Shi Xiaobing , Sun Jiayao , Huang Zixing , Yang Xiongji , Zhang Haifeng , Ma Yunbin , Lu Han , Liu Chuanqing , Yu Changyuan
Published: February 2025

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology is a fiber-optic based distributed sensing technology. It achieves real-time monitoring of acoustic signals by detecting weak disturbances along the fiber. It has advantages such as long measurement distance, high spatial resolution and large dynamic range. Artificial intelligence (AI) has great application potential in DAS technology, including data augmentation, preprocessing and classification and recognition of acoustic events. By introducing AI algorithms, DAS system can process massive data more automatically and intelligently. Through data analysis and prediction, AI-enabled DAS technology has wide applications in fields such as transportation, energy and security due to its accuracy of monitoring data and reliability of intelligent decision-making. In the future, the continuous advancement of AI technology will bring greater breakthroughs and innovations for the engineering application of DAS technology, play a more important role in various fields, and promote the innovation and development of the industry.
Strategies for managing major diseases in Asian seabass aquaculture
Authors: Yue Genhua , Guo Changjun
Published: February 2025

Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is becoming an important species for aquaculture. However, the Asian seabass aquaculture industry faces a significant challenge of disease outbreaks that can jeopardize fish health and production. This review delves into the major diseases affecting Asian seabass aquaculture and explores their causes, symptoms, and management approaches. We focused on the key pathogens responsible for these outbreaks, the environmental factors contributing to disease susceptibility, and the latest advancements in disease prevention and management. By addressing these critical aspects, this review addresses the needs of aquaculturists, researchers, and policymakers with the knowledge required to promote resilient and sustainable Asian seabass farming. We aim to shed light on the challenges posed by disease while highlighting innovative strategies that offer promise for the future of this thriving industry. This comprehensive examination serves as a valuable resource for those invested in ensuring the health and vitality of Asian seabass, securing a consistent supply to meet the demands of global seafood markets.
Developing and Validating an Automatic Support System for Tumor Coding in Pathology Reports in Spanish
Authors: Villena Fabián , Báez Pablo , Peñafiel Sergio , Rojas Matías , Paredes Inti , Dunstan Jocelyn
Published: February 2025

PURPOSE

Pathology reports provide valuable information for cancer registries to understand, plan, and implement strategies to mitigate the impact of cancer. However, coding essential information from unstructured reports is performed by experts in a time-consuming manual process. We developed and validated a novel two-step automatic coding system that first recognizes tumor morphology and topography mentions from free text and then suggests codes from the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O) in Spanish.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We created an annotated corpus of tumor morphology and topography mentions consisting of 1,101 documents. We combined it with the CANTEMIST corpus (Cancer Text Mining Shared Task). Specifically, we implemented a named entity recognition (NER) model using the bidirectional long short-term memory network-conditional random field architecture enhanced with a stacked embedding layer. We applied transfer learning from state-of-the-art pretrained language models to obtain high-quality contextual representations, thus improving the detection of entities. The mentions found using this model were subsequently coded using a search engine tailored to the ICD-O codes.

RESULTS

Our NER models achieved an F1 score of 0.86 and 0.90 for tumor morphology and topography, respectively. The overall performance of our automatic coding system achieved an accuracy at five suggestions of 0.72 and 0.65 for tumor morphology and topography, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing natural language processing tools in the routine of a cancer center to extract and code valuable information from pathology reports. Our recommender system allows reliable and transparent coding at the moment of consultation. This publication shares the annotated corpus in Spanish, annotation guidelines, and source code to reproduce our experiments.
Quantifying the relationship between cell proliferation and morphology during development of the face
Authors: Lo Vercio Lucas D. , Green Rebecca M. , Dauter Andreas , Barretto Elizabeth C. , Vidal-García Marta , Devine Jay , Marchini Marta , Robertson Samuel , Zhao Xiang , Mahika Anandita , Shakir M. Bilal , Guo Sienna , Boughner Julia C. , Szabo-Rogers Heather , Dean Wendy , Lander Arthur D. , Marcucio Ralph S. , Forkert Nils D. , Hallgrímsson Benedikt
Published: February 2025

Morphogenesis requires highly coordinated, complex interactions between cellular processes: proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, along with physical tissue interactions. How these cellular and tissue dynamics drive morphogenesis remains elusive. Three dimensional (3D) microscopic imaging holds great promise, and generates elegant images, but generating even moderate through-put for quantified images is challenging for many reasons. As a result, the association between morphogenesis and cellular processes in 3D developing tissues has not been fully explored. To address this critical gap, we have developed an imaging and image analysis pipeline to enable 3D quantification of cellular dynamics along with 3D morphology for the same individual embryo. Specifically, we focus on how 3D distribution of proliferation relates to morphogenesis during mouse facial development. Our method involves imaging with light-sheet microscopy, automated segmentation of cells and tissues using machine learning-based tools, and quantification of external morphology via geometric morphometrics. Applying this framework, we show that changes in proliferation are tightly correlated with changes in morphology over the course of facial morphogenesis. These analyses illustrate the potential of this pipeline to investigate mechanistic relationships between cellular dynamics and morphogenesis during embryonic development.
Exploiting the SunTag system to study the developmental regulation of mRNA translation
Authors: Pizzey Alastair , Sutcliffe Catherine , Love Jennifer C. , Akabuogu Emmanuel , Rattray Magnus , Ashe Mark P. , Ashe Hilary L.
Published: February 2025

The ability to quantitatively study mRNA translation using SunTag imaging is transforming our understanding of the translation process. Here, we expand the SunTag method to study new aspects of translation regulation in Drosophila. Repression of the maternal hunchback (hb) mRNA in the posterior of the Drosophila embryo is a textbook example of translational control. Using SunTag imaging to quantitate translation of maternal SunTag-hb mRNAs, we show that repression in the posterior is leaky as ∼5% of SunTag-hb mRNAs are translated. In the anterior of the embryo, the maternal and zygotic SunTag-hb mRNAs show similar translation efficiency despite having different UTRs. We demonstrate that the SunTag-hb mRNA can be used as a reporter to study ribosome pausing at single-mRNA resolution, by exploiting the conserved xbp1 mRNA and A60 pausing sequences. Finally, we adapt the detector component of the SunTag system to visualise and quantitate translation of the short gastrulation (sog) mRNA, encoding an essential secreted extracellular BMP regulator, at the endoplasmic reticulum in fixed and live embryos. Together, these tools will facilitate the future dissection of translation regulatory mechanisms during development.
Μεταξύ ψηφιακής και δημόσιας ιστορίας
Authors: Χρυσανθόπουλος Χρήστος
Published: February 2025

Η διδακτορική διατριβή πραγματεύεται τη σχέση της ψηφιακής τεχνολογίας με την ιστορική έρευνα και τη Δημόσια Ιστορία, καθώς και τον τρόπο που οι τεχνολογίες αυτές επηρεάζουν τις μεθόδους, τα εργαλεία και τις προσεγγίσεις των ιστορικών. Η διατριβή ορίζει την Ψηφιακή Ιστορία ως έναν αναδυόμενο κλάδο που αξιοποιεί και αναπτύσσει τεχνολογικά εργαλεία για την πρόσβαση, την ανάλυση, την ερμηνεία και την παρουσίαση της ιστορικής πληροφορίας, ερμηνείας και αφήγησης. Αναλύει τη σχέση της με τη Δημόσια Ιστορία, εξετάζοντας τη συμβολή της στη συμμετοχή του κοινού και την πρόσβαση στην ιστορική γνώση. Η έρευνα επισημαίνει τις προκλήσεις που συνδέονται με την υιοθέτηση ψηφιακών εργαλείων, όπως η τεκμηρίωση και η μακροχρόνια διατήρηση ψηφιακών τεχνουργημάτων ιστορίας. Η μελέτη της Ψηφιακής Ιστορίας και της Δημόσιας Ιστορίας αναδεικνύει τον διαδραστικό τους χαρακτήρα, με ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στη συμβολή του κοινού στη δημιουργία ιστορικού περιεχομένου. Παρουσιάζονται χαρακτηριστικά παραδείγματα έργων που χρησιμοποιούν τις δυνατότητες του διαδικτύου και της τεχνητής νοημοσύνης για τη διάσωση και την ανάλυση ιστορικών δεδομένων. Η διατριβή αναλύει τον ρόλο της ψηφιακής επιμέλειας και της δεδομενοποίησης στη σύγχρονη ιστορική έρευνα, ενώ θέτει ερωτήματα για τη διαχείριση μεγάλων δεδομένων και τη χρήση προηγμένων αλγορίθμων. Παράλληλα, εστιάζει στις τεχνικές και θεσμικές προκλήσεις που σχετίζονται με τη διατήρηση των ψηφιακών έργων, τα οποία συχνά χαρακτηρίζονται από την «εφήμερη» φύση τους. Η τεκμηρίωση και αρχειοθέτηση ψηφιακών έργων, ιδιαίτερα μέσω εργαλείων όπως το Internet Archive, αναδεικνύεται ως κρίσιμο ζήτημα για τη μελέτη της ιστοριογραφικής δραστηριότητας στο ψηφιακό περιβάλλον. Η διατριβή προτείνει ένα διεπιστημονικό πλαίσιο ανάλυσης, που συνδυάζει την ιστοριογραφία, την επιστήμη της πληροφόρησης και την πολιτιστική διαχείριση. Παρουσιάζει επίσης τη σημασία της ανοικτής επιστήμης και των συνεργατικών μεθόδων για τη διευκόλυνση της έρευνας και τη διάδοση των αποτελεσμάτων. Τέλος, εξετάζει την ανάγκη για στρατηγικές πολιτικής που θα ενισχύσουν την πρόσβαση και τη βιωσιμότητα των ψηφιακών έργων, συμβάλλοντας στην ενδυνάμωση της Ψηφιακής Ιστορίας ως επιστημονικού πεδίου. Η έρευνα αναδεικνύει το ελληνικό παράδειγμα ως ιδιαίτερο πλαίσιο μελέτης, λόγω της γλωσσικής και πολιτισμικής του μοναδικότητας. Συνδέει την ελληνική περίπτωση με τις διεθνείς εξελίξεις, συμβάλλοντας στη διεθνή επιστημονική συζήτηση για τον ρόλο της τεχνολογίας στην ιστοριογραφία. Μέσα από την ανάλυση έργων και πρακτικών, η διατριβή καταλήγει σε προτάσεις για τη βελτίωση της ψηφιακής διαχείρισης τεκμηρίων και τη βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη της Ψηφιακής Ιστορίας στην Ελλάδα και διεθνώς.