bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapunzel syndrome, endoscopy solves the enigma: a case report
Authors: Ramadan Ahmed , Ahmed Nancy A. , Abdelaziz Mohammed. N. , El-Magd El-Sayed Abou
Published: January 2025

Trichobezoars retain undigested material in the stomach, usually hair or hair-like fibers. Trichobezoars can cause gastrointestinal obstruction and Rapunzel syndrome, a perforation linked to pressure necrosis when they spread into the small intestine. This case study features a 16-year-old female patient complaining of epigastric pain. Computed tomography and abdominal ultrasonography yielded inconclusive results. A sizable clump of hair that stretched from the gastric body to the duodenum was seen on the upper endoscopy. The patient was first referred to a surgeon to have the hair removed, and then to the psychiatry department.
Anisotropy of coal pore connectivity: experiments based on low-field nuclear magnetic resonance and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption
Authors: Cui Shidong , Shi Qingmin , Wang Shuangming , Zhao Hongchao , Ji Ruijun , Xue Weifeng , Wang Shengquan
Published: January 2025

Coal, as an unconventional reservoir, is characterized by the development of micro/nano-meter pores and significant pore differences in different bedding directions. Pore heterogeneity and anisotropy are key factors contributing to the difference in reservoir properties. This not only affects the recovery of resources but also affects the interpretation of seismic data. Currently, research on coal anisotropy mainly focuses on the heterogeneity of pore distribution. Nonetheless, there are few studies and a lack of comprehensive knowledge regarding pore connectivity differences within the same macrolithotype of coal in different bedding directions. We present a novel method to study the anisotropy of pore connectivity in coal. This method used epoxy resin to seal different surfaces of cubic coal samples, combined with refined pore characterization techniques, to achieve anisotropy studies at different pore scales. These included differences in pore connectivity in different bedding directions and anisotropic characteristics of micron/nanoscale pores. The results indicated that the pores in various bedding directions differed considerably in type and distribution mode. There was a wide range of pore types in the bedding-parallel direction, and the pores showed regular variations. In contrast, the pore type was single in the bedding-normal direction, the pore distribution lacked an obvious pattern, and the pore complexity was higher. Moreover, the anisotropy of seepage pores was stronger than that of adsorption pores, which is the main reason for the anisotropy of reservoir properties. Based on the anisotropic study of coal pore connectivity, we can target the design of resource recovery processes to improve resource recovery. For example, in directions with low permeability, measures such as water injection can be taken to enhance permeability. Furthermore, one can also consider the pore size and connectivity in different bedding directions, introducing anisotropic parameters to optimize the permeability anisotropy model and provide better guidance for resource recovery.
Predicting cardiovascular disease in patients with mental illness using machine learning
Authors: Bernstorff Martin , Hansen Lasse , Olesen Kevin Kris Warnakula , Danielsen Andreas Aalkjær , Østergaard Søren Dinesen
Published: January 2025

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is twice as prevalent among individuals with mental illness compared to the general population. Prevention strategies exist but require accurate risk prediction. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning model for predicting incident CVD among patients with mental illness using routine clinical data from electronic health records.

Methods

A cohort study was conducted using data from 74,880 patients with 1.6 million psychiatric service contacts in the Central Denmark Region from 2013 to 2021. Two machine learning models (XGBoost and regularised logistic regression) were trained on 85% of the data from six hospitals using 234 potential predictors. The best-performing model was externally validated on the remaining 15% of patients from another three hospitals. CVD was defined as myocardial infarction, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease.

Results

The best-performing model (hyperparameter-tuned XGBoost) demonstrated acceptable discrimination, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84 on the training set and 0.74 on the validation set. It identified high-risk individuals 2.5 years before CVD events. For the psychiatric service contacts in the top 5% of predicted risk, the positive predictive value was 5%, and the negative predictive value was 99%. The model issued at least one positive prediction for 39% of patients who developed CVD.

Conclusions

A machine learning model can accurately predict CVD risk among patients with mental illness using routinely collected electronic health record data. A decision support system building on this approach may aid primary CVD prevention in this high-risk population.
Landscape of Multilocus Inherited Neoplasia Allele Syndrome in Mexican Population
Authors: Aguilar Dione , Garza-Rodríguez María L. , Pérez-Ibave Diana C. , Muñiz-Garza Carolina E. , Treviño Victor , Villarreal-Garza Cynthia M. , Vidal-Gutiérrez Oscar , Burciaga-Flores Carlos H.
Published: January 2025

PURPOSE

Hereditary cancer syndromes (HCS) explain 5%-10% of all cancer cases. Patients with more than one germline pathogenic variant (GPV) result in a clinical syndrome known as multilocus inherited neoplasia allele syndrome (MINAS). In recent years, an increasing number of MINAS cases have been reported. This study aims to identify the prevalence of MINAS and determine the effect of two GPVs in HCS on patients from Northern Mexico.

METHODS

Patients (N = 2,282) were recruited from four public oncology centers and two private institutions with hereditary cancer detection programs in Nuevo León, México. A medical geneticist collected all the patient's clinical data and gave genetic counseling. Patients with MINAS were detected using multigene panels to detect GPVs; findings were classified according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. The genetic data of patients with MINAS were evaluated by their frequency and combination.

RESULTS

We found 386 (16.9%) patients with one or more variants and 23 (5.9%) MINAS patients (all females). The most frequent diagnosis was breast cancer (BC) in 20 (86.95%) cases, whereas 16 (69.56%) had triple-negative BC. We found 13 patients with
BRCA1
GPVs (56.52%) as the most frequent, followed by
MUTYH
with five cases (21.73%). The combinations of
BRCA1/CHEK2
,
BRCA1/CDKN2A
, and
BRCA1/BRCA2
were the most frequent. We found no atypical presentation in the cohort.

CONCLUSION

This is the first Mexican MINAS report and the largest Latin American cohort. We detected a higher prevalence of MINAS than other populations (5.9%). We found a tendency for additive phenotypical effect and, in some MINAS combinations, a modification in the age of diagnosis.
New Ionic Liquid Forms of Antituberculosis Drug Combinations for Optimized Stability and Dissolution
Authors: Rasmy Hanan E. , Abouelmagd Sara A. , Ibrahim Elsayed A.
Published: January 2025

Isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) are the two main drugs used for the management of tuberculosis. They are often used as a fixed drug combination, but their delivery is challenged by suboptimal solubility and physical instability. This study explores the potential of active pharmaceutical ingredient-ionic liquids (API-ILs) to improve the physicochemical and pharmaceutical properties of INH and RIF. Antitubercular drugs, INH, or RIF, were paired with different counter ions (ascorbic acid (AsA), citric acid (CA), tartaric acid (TA), benzoic acid (BA), salicylic acid (SA), and p-amino salicylic acid (PAS)) using the solvent evaporation method. INH and RIF API-ILs were formed successfully using AsA and CA counter ions. IL formation was examined and analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and polarized optical microscopy (POM). XRPD and POM confirmed their amorphous nature, while FTIR analysis demonstrated the contribution of hydrogen bonding to IL formation. IL formation enhanced the storage stability of the INH + RIF mixture in the presence of CA. Moreover, RIF-CA IL significantly increased the rate and extent of RIF dissolution. An effect that is unattainable with the RIF/CA physical mixture. Thus, API-IL formation not only enhances RIF dissolution but also facilitates the preparation of stable, compatible INH-RIF combinations.

Graphical Abstract
Derivation of the deformed Heisenberg algebra from discrete spacetime
Authors: Shah Naveed Ahmad , Ashraf S. S. Zulqarnayn , Shaikh Aasiya , Yamin Yas , Sahoo P. K. , Bhat Aaqid , Lone Suhail Ahmad , Faizal Mir , Ahsan M. A. H.
Published: January 2025

Although the deformation of the Heisenberg algebra by a minimal length has become a central tool in quantum gravity phenomenology, it has never been rigorously obtained and is often derived using heuristic reasoning. In this study, we move beyond the heuristic derivation of the deformed Heisenberg algebra and explicitly derive it using a model of discrete spacetime, which is motivated by quantum gravity. Initially, we investigate the effects of the leading order Planckian lattice corrections and demonstrate that they precisely match those suggested by the heuristic arguments commonly used in quantum gravity phenomenology. Furthermore, we rigorously obtain deformations from the higher-order Planckian lattice corrections. In contrast to the leading-order corrections, these higher-order corrections are model dependent. We select a specific model that breaks the rotational symmetry, as the importance of such rotational symmetry breaking lies in the relationship between CMB anisotropies and quantum gravitational effects. Based on the mathematical similarity of the Planckian lattice used here with the graphene lattice, we propose that graphene can serve as an analogue system for the study of quantum gravity. Finally, we examine the deformation of the covariant form of the Heisenberg algebra using a four-dimensional Euclidean lattice.
What Can the Patterns of Renovation Reveal?
Authors: Cho Yong
Published: January 2025

From 1036 to 1227, Tangut elites actively sponsored renovations at Dunhuang's famed Mogao Caves. Employing a data-driven approach, this article reveals that Tangut elites, when deciding which caves to renovate, were more likely to choose those that were originally constructed when Dunhuang was under Tibetan rule. Closer analysis of the actual renovation projects Tangut elites sponsored suggests that their renovation work was a highly political activity. Engaging with the historical caves from the Tibetan period and inserting their own traces within them allowed the Tangut elites to forge a distinctive historical continuity with this earlier period and establish their own cultural and political authority. By demonstrating the statistical and the art historical significance of renovation patterns at Dunhuang, this article argues that Mogao was a site that possessed multiple historical genealogies and imagined lineages.
“It Tastes like Home to Me”
Authors: Takita-Ishii Sachiko , Cordeiro Veridiana Domingos
Published: January 2025

A two-way immigration flow has been established between Brazil and Japan, and many Japanese-Brazilian families have their memories shaped by these transnational movements. By collecting life stories from first-, second-, third-, and fourth-generation women from the same family, we found that their memories are highly intermingled with food-related memories, which embrace sensory perceptions. From in-depth interviews collected in Brazil and Japan, we draw understanding of how flavor, sensations, and even practices involved in eating and cooking frame the memories of Japanese-Brazilian women. The theoretical discussion plays a very important role in the article because we discuss new developments inside memory studies and question the Cartesian, Western, and rationalized ways of interpreting mnemonic narratives.
Reverse Digital Seriality
Authors: Cho Heekyoung
Published: January 2025

This article discusses how the platformization driven by webcomics and web novels began to change so-called serious literature. It does so through an examination of the recent phenomenon of digital platforms disassembling novels originally published in book form into multiple installments for digital serialization. Going beyond the simple e-book publication of a printed version, this unbundling and repackaging of a printed book into digital serial installments lays bare the precarious status of books. The digital serials of books are not merely a formal fragmentation of the entity of a book. The editor's decisions on where to divide and how to present the narrative for each installment radically affect the way the novel is interpreted. Every word remains the same, so the content itself seems to be intact, but both the platform environments and the various editing and design decisions involved in the unbundling and repackaging of the novel substantially affect the reader's experience of the seemingly unaltered text. Based on the specific case study of a digital serial of Kim Chiyŏng, Born 1982, this article further explores long-standing but still important questions about the materiality and future of the book and of literature in the digital age.
The 1265 Dual Stelae
Authors: Wang Jinping
Published: January 2025

This article explores an understudied aspect of the influential Quanzhen Daoist movement in thirteenth-century North China under Mongol rule: installing genealogical stelae as a critical mechanism in lineage making. It does so through a case study of two parallel genealogical stelae produced by a local Daoist community in 1265 for its male and female monastics. The article makes two arguments, one historical and the other methodological. With respect to the historical argument, it demonstrates how genealogical stelae not only reified Quanzhen lineage-making but also projected hereditary political power and reinforced a troubling discourse on women's subservience within religious institutions. Regarding the methodological argument, it highlights the importance of situating epigraphic narratives in the material, visual, and spatial contexts in which they were produced and represented. Detailed attention to all the dimensions of stelae allows us to discover surprisingly rich information stored in and communicated by them.
Fiercely Independent, Tentatively National
Authors: Hui Yeo Min
Published: January 2025

Wildly popular in the 1960s and fondly remembered today as “Singapore's own Bond,” “Malaysia's own Bond,” and “Malay James Bond,” the Jefri Zain and Nora Zain films (1966–68) occupy a significant spot in film and cultural history. Yet very little has hitherto been written about these films. Particularly worth probing is how these films engaged with the global Bondmania and political zeitgeist of the tumultuous 1960s. It remains little known that many of these films were adapted contemporaneously from Hong Kong Mandarin James Bond films and that the Zain heroes were deeply embroiled in then–newly independent Singapore's national politics both on-screen and off-screen. Bringing this history to light unfolds a new, critical perspective on these popular icons. More importantly, through examining the films’ peculiar Britain–Hong Kong–Singapore/Malaysia adaptation route, this article illuminates the complex geopolitics that undergird James Bond film remakes set in former British colonies. It demonstrates that, in the case of Singapore and Malaysia, remaking James Bond films was both a consequence, and an assertion, of postcolonial independence. The films’ on-screen manifestations and off-screen motivations signify a particular expression of postcolonial independence—fiercely independent, tentatively national—that is specific to their extraordinary circumstantial conditions.
Development of an Active Cerebrovascular Autoregulation Model Using Representation Learning: A Proof of Concept Study With Experimental Data
Authors: Kempen Bavo , Klein Samuel , De Sloovere Veerle , De Vos Maarten , Depreitere Bart
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

It remains a challenge to monitor cerebrovascular autoregulation (CA) reliably and dynamically in an intensive care unit. The objective was to build a proof-of-concept active CA model exploiting advances in representation learning and the full complexity of the arterial blood pressure (ABP) and intracranial pressure (ICP) signal and outperform the pressure reactivity index (PRx).

METHODS:

A porcine cranial window CA data set (n = 20) was used. ABP and ICP signals were preprocessed and downsampled to 20 Hz. Quadriphasic CA state labels were assigned to each piglet's CA curve and projected on their preprocessed ABP and ICP time series. Windowed ABP and ICP segments of 300 seconds, reflecting active CA, were used to optimize a neural network to reconstruct its own input. Reconstruction error of ABP and ICP were compared between active CA and inactive CA, and assessed together with PRx over quadriphasic CA states.

RESULTS:

The study confirmed that the optimized model achieved stellar reconstruction quality of ABP and ICP segments that derived from active CA while reconstruction quality deteriorated for segments that came from inactive CA. ABP and ICP reconstruction errors steadily increased concurrently with cerebral blood flow deviation from baseline. A significant interaction between variable and CA state showed that the model captured the differential behavior of CA with increasing vs decreasing cerebral perfusion pressures and offered improved discriminative ability regarding PRx.

CONCLUSION:

The present work showed that an active CA model can be built using advanced representation learning and the full complexity of 300-second ABP and ICP segments. On assessment in an experimental data set, relevant CA state information was present in both lower and higher frequencies of ABP and ICP. Improved discriminative ability between CA states was attained regarding PRx, which focuses only on slow-wave ABP and ICP information.
A protein interaction map of the myosin Myo2 reveals a role for Alo1 in mitochondrial inheritance in yeast
Authors: Chelius Xenia , Rausch Nathalie , Bartosch Veronika , Klecker Maria , Klecker Till , Westermann Benedikt
Published: January 2025

Budding yeast cells multiply by asymmetric cell division. During this process, the cell organelles are transported by myosin motors along the actin cytoskeleton into the growing bud, and, at the same time, some organelles must be retained in the mother cell. The ordered partitioning of organelles depends on highly regulated binding of motor proteins to cargo membranes. To search for novel components involved in this process, we performed a protein fragment complementation screen using the cargo-binding domain of Myo2, the major organelle transporter in yeast, as bait and a genome-wide strain collection expressing yeast proteins as prey. One robust hit was Alo1, a poorly characterized D-arabinono-1,4-lactone oxidase located in the mitochondrial outer membrane. We found that mutants lacking Alo1 exhibited defects in mitochondrial morphology and inheritance. During oxidative stress, dysfunctional mitochondria are immobilized in the mother in wild-type cells. Intriguingly, overexpression of ALO1 restored bud-directed transport of mitochondria under these conditions. We propose that Alo1 supports the recruitment of Myo2 to mitochondria and its activity is particularly important under oxidative stress.
Behavioural responses to acute warming precede critical shifts in the cellular and physiological thermal stress responses in a salmonid fish (brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis)
Authors: Durhack Travis C. , Thorstensen Matt J. , Mackey Theresa E. , Aminot Mélanie , Lawrence Michael J. , Audet Céline , Enders Eva C. , Jeffries Ken M.
Published: January 2025

From a conservation perspective, it is important to identify when sub-lethal temperatures begin to adversely impact an organism. However, it is unclear whether, during acute exposures, sub-lethal cellular thresholds occur at similar temperatures to other physiological or behavioural changes, or at temperatures associated with common physiological endpoints measured in fishes to estimate thermal tolerance. To test this, we estimated temperature preference (15.1±1.1°C, mean±s.d.) using a shuttle box, agitation temperature (22.0±1.4°C), defined as the point where a fish exhibits a behavioural avoidance response, and the upper thermal limit (CTmax, 28.2±0.4°C) for 1 year old brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) acclimated to 10°C. We then acutely exposed a different subset of fish to the mean temperatures associated with the pre-determined physiological endpoints and sampled tissues when they reached the target temperature or after 60 min of recovery at 10°C for transcriptomic analysis. We used qPCR to estimate mRNA transcript levels of genes associated with heat shock proteins, oxidative stress, apoptosis and inducible transcription factors. A major shift in the transcriptome response occurred once the agitation temperature was reached, which may identify a possible link between the cellular stress response and the behavioural avoidance response.
Corporate corruption and firm sustainable competitiveness
Authors: Καπνιάς Ιωάννης
Published: January 2025

Σε αυτή τη διατριβή μελετάται ο αντίκτυπος της εταιρικής διαφθοράς στα αποτελέσματα των επιχειρήσεων, στη βάση διαφορετικών πτυχών της απόδοσής τους (οικονομική, μη οικονομική και απόδοση της καινοτομίας). Στην κατεύθυνση αυτή και με γνώμονα την εκτενή βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση του φαινομένου εντός των επιστημονικών πεδίων του μάνατζμεντ και της διοίκησης επιχειρήσεων, καταγράφονται και αναλύονται τα κύρια πεδία ενδιαφέροντος γύρω από την εταιρική διαφθορά και συνδέονται με την εταιρική κοινωνική ευθύνη (ΕΚΕ). Ειδικότερα, επιχειρείται η σύνθεση της διεθνούς βιβλιογραφίας στη βάση πολλαπλών επιπέδων ανάλυσης και μέσα από μια πλειάδα εγνωσμένων θεωριών (resource based view, stakeholder theory, institutional theory και agency), εξετάζονται οι μηχανισμοί μέσα από τους οποίους η διαφθορά επιδρά στην σχέση μεταξύ εταιρικής υπευθυνότητας και απόδοσης, καθώς και οι αλληλεπιδράσεις τους στη διαμόρφωση των εταιρικών αποτελεσμάτων. Συνολικά, η εν λόγω μελέτη συνθέτει το εννοιολογικό πλαίσιο και παραθέτει τα εργαλεία για την εις βάθος κατανόηση του φαινομένου της διαφθοράς, αναδεικνύοντας ευκαιρίες για την περαιτέρω διερεύνησή του. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας, η οποία αντλεί δεδομένα από 131 επιχειρήσεις που δραστηριοποιούνται στην Ελληνική αγορά, υποστηρίζουν τη συμπληρωματικότητα μεταξύ της εσωτερικής και εξωτερικής διάστασης της ΕΚΕ στη διαμόρφωση των εταιρικών αποτελεσμάτων. Τα ευρήματά μας καταδεικνύουν ότι οι αντιλήψεις περί διαφθοράς διαδραματίζουν ρυθμιστικό ρόλο στη σχέση μεταξύ της εσωτερικής διάστασης της ΕΚΕ και των εταιρικών αποτελεσμάτων, κατά το σκέλος της χρηματοοικονομικής και μη χρηματοοικονομικής απόδοσης και της απόδοσης καινοτομίας, με τις διαφορετικές πτυχές της διαφθοράς να επιδρούν πολυσχιδώς στα παραπάνω αποτελέσματα.
Effective Field Theory as a probe for physics beyond the Standard Model
Authors: Μαντζαρόπουλος Κωνσταντίνος
Published: January 2025

Το κύριο θέμα αυτής της διατριβής είναι η μελέτη επεκτάσεων του Καθιερωμένου Μοντέλου (ΚΠ) στο πλαίσιο των Ενεργών Θεωριών Πεδίου (ΕΘΠ), που έχει ως κύρια παραδοχή ότι τα σωματίδια που δεν έχουν ακόμη ανακαλυφθεί υπάρχουν σε ενέργειες υψηλότερες από αυτές που είναι προσβάσιμες από τα τρέχοντα πειράματα. Υπάρχουν δύο τρόποι να χρησιμοποιηθούν οι ΕΘΠ για την παραγωγή ουσιαστικών προβλέψεων. Ο πρώτος είναι η προσέγγιση από πάνω προς τα κάτω, όπου το υπεριώδες μοντέλο φυσικής είναι γνωστό και στόχος μας είναι να καθορίσουμε τις επιδράσεις των βαρέων σωματιδίων στο χαμηλής ενέργειας (υπέρυθρο) καθεστώς μέσω μιας διαδικασίας γνωστής ως αντιστοίχιση. Αντιθέτως, η προσέγγιση από κάτω προς τα πάνω είναι αγνωστικιστική της προηγούμενης· το σημείο εκκίνησής μας είναι η Λαγκρανζιανή της ΕΘΠ, και ο κύριος στόχος μας είναι να περιορίσουμε όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερο τις ελεύθερες παραμέτρους στην ΕΘΠ χαμηλής ενέργειας χρησιμοποιώντας πειραματικά δεδομένα, εξάγοντας έτσι ενδείξεις για τη δυναμική που μπορεί να περιγράφει τις διαδικασίες στο υπεριώδες. Και οι δύο προσεγγίσεις έχουν τα πλεονεκτήματα και τα μειονεκτήματά τους, και αυτή η διατριβή υπογραμμίζει τη συμπληρωματικότητά τους. Συγκεκριμένα, υπάρχει μια κατηγορία σωματιδίων που ονομάζονται λεπτοκουάρκς, τα οποία, όπως υποδηλώνει το όνομά τους, συζεύγουν την λεπτονική διπλέτα με τη διπλέτα των κουάρκ σχηματίζοντας έτσι νέες αλληλεπιδράσεις. Αναπτύξαμε μια καθολική φόρμουλα για την αντιστοίχιση σε επίπεδο ενός βρόχου όλων των βαθμωτών λεπτοκουάρκς στη ΕΘΠ του Καθιερωμένου Προτύπου και την εφαρμόσαμε για να αποσυζεύξουμε μια διπλέτα και μια τριπλέτα λεπτοκουάρκ, κάτω απο την συμμετρία βαθμίδος SU(2), εντός αυτού του πλαισίου. Οι επιδράσεις αυτών των νέων σωματιδίων μελετώνται στο υπέρυθρο καθεστώς, οδηγώντας σε φαινόμενα όπως η δημιουργία μαζών για τα νετρίνα καθώς και μια σημαντική συμβολή στη μαγνητική ροπή του μιονίου. Επιπλέον, μετά τα πρόσφατα δεδομένα για την πρώτη πειραματική ανακάλυψη της διάσπασης του μποζονίου Higgs σε ένα μποζόνιο Z και ένα φωτόνιο—και σημειώνοντας μια ήπια απόκλιση από την πρόβλεψη του ΚΠ—μελετούμε τον τομέα του Higgs χρησιμοποιώντας την προσέγγιση από κάτω προς τα πάνω. Προσδιορίζουμε το μέγεθος των συντελεστών Wilson (WCs) που απαιτούνται για να εξηγηθεί η παρατηρούμενη απόκλιση και επιπλέον, εξερευνούμε βαθμωτές και φερμιονικές επεκτάσεις του ΚΠ με ένα ή δύο πεδία που θα μπορούσαν να αντιστοιχούν στο μέγεθος των WCs που βρέθηκαν στην παραπάνω ανάλυση, αναδεικνύωντας έτσι τη σημασία της συμπληρωματικότητας των δύο προσεγγίσεων. Με παρόμοιο τρόπο, μια άλλη απόκλιση που είχε παραμείνει για μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα—αλλά πρόσφατα μειώθηκε—αφορά τους λόγους καθολικότητας λεπτονικής γεύσης $R_{K}$ και $R_{K^\ast}$. Υπολογίσαμε τη μέγιστη απόκλιση που μπορεί να επιτευχθεί εντός του Απλού Υπερσυμμετρικού Καθιερωμένου Προτύπου με την αντιστοίχισή του στην ΕΘΠ Χαμηλής Ενέργειας. Αυτή η προσέγγιση μας επέτρεψε να αναλύσουμε αυτούς τους λόγους καθολικότητας λεπτονικής γεύσης εντός ενός συνεπούς πλαισίου ενεργών θεωριών πεδίου.
Deciphering the significance of neutrophil to lymphocyte and monocyte to lymphocyte ratios in tuberculosis: A case-control study from southern India
Authors: Bakshi Poorva , Nayak Rakshatha , Rai Sharada , Jayasheelan Shikha
Published: January 2025

Background Diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in resource-limited countries relies primarily on bacteriological confirmation using Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stain on sputum or other representative samples. However, this method has low sensitivity due to suboptimal sampling and techniques. While AFB culture remains a gold standard for diagnosing TB and other mycobacterial infections, its limitations include slow turnaround time, and the requirement for specialized resources and expertise. Neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes are crucial in the pathogenesis of granulomatous inflammation and immune reactions. We investigated the usefulness of the haematological parameters and their ratios, like the Neutrophil to Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Monocyte to Lymphocyte ratio (MLR), for diagnosing tuberculosis. Methods We retrospectively grouped 114 patients with fever into those diagnosed with TB and control groups. We obtained their haematological data and calculated their derived ratios. The ratios obtained from the two groups were compared. Their sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results Haematological parameters like MLR were higher in TB patients than in the control group. Although NLR was not significantly increased, MLR was significantly increased with p values <0.05. These tests had low sensitivity but high specificity. Conclusion Serum NLR and MLR emerge as valuable tools in TB diagnosis. Their simplicity and cost-effectiveness render them particularly suitable for screening and recurrence monitoring in rural and remote settings, thereby mitigating loss to follow-up.
Exploring the clinical utility of postural outcome tools for back and neck pain clinical outcomes: a systematic scoping review
Authors: Igwesi-Chidobe Chinonso N , Anih Esther U , Emmanuel Grace N , Ozumba Benjamin C
Published: January 2025

The role of posture in spinal pain is unclear which might be linked to characteristics of postural outcome measures. This systematic scoping review mapped the clinical utility of postural outcome tools for spinal pain. Following Joanna Briggs Institute framework, twelve bibliographic databases were searched until 8th August 2023. Article selection, characterisation/mapping and synthesis using qualitative content analysis were performed by two independent reviewers. Clinical utility was defined by psychometric and clinimetric criteria. 85 eligible studies were identified from 89 publications. Twenty-eight distinct postural outcome tools plus bespoke measures were identified. Most tools were sophisticated computer-based electronic devices or complex time-consuming questionnaires, with limited applicability in non-occupational settings. Clinical utility domains most achieved were construct validity and inter/intra-rater reliability. Tools being underpinned by the biopsychosocial model of pain, sensitivity to clinical change, and predictive validity were the least achieved. Tools had limited clinical utility and were based on postural-structural-biomechanical pain model.
Evaluating interventions to enhance public awareness of cancer symptoms: Protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Verlaque Logan , Jacob Benjamin , Sharma Riya , Juha Yousef , Nordstrom Joel , Kumar Laranya , McGlynn Sam , Trower Rebecca , Hamilton-West Kate , Burns Heather , Redmond Patrick
Published: January 2025

Background Cancer persists as one of the leading causes of death worldwide as it is responsible for nearly 10 million deaths annually. Late diagnoses are often linked to poorer outcomes, highlighting the need for prevention, early detection, and effective treatment programs. Raising public awareness of cancer symptoms is thought to promote earlier health-seeking behaviour and diagnosis. Despite the availability of various awareness-raising interventions, their effectiveness on outcomes is not well established. This protocol describes a strategy for addressing this knowledge gap by developing a current, comprehensive review of the evidence on the effectiveness of public-facing interventions aimed at increasing cancer symptom awareness. Methods Our approach will incorporate four distinct study designs—an inductive thematic analysis, a bibliometric analysis, a systematic review, and a network meta-analysis. These evidence synthesis methodologies will be employed following a systematic search of the relevant databases to identify interventions to increase awareness of cancer symptoms with the intent to promote earlier presentation. Only comparative study designs will be considered eligible, but this will include both randomised and nonrandomised studies of interventions, in addition to before-and-after single-arm studies. The outcomes of interest will be cancer-specific mortality and stage-at-diagnosis; however, it is anticipated that these will rarely be reported. Thus, we plan to produce a classification system for all reported outcomes via an inductive thematic analysis guided by Braun & Clarke’s six-phase approach to thematic analysis. This classification schema will facilitate comparison between studies reporting similar outcomes, and thereby the production of a bibliometric analysis, systematic review and network meta-analysis, all of which will be guided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and will be reported according to PRISMA-NMA checklist. Implications The bibliometric analysis will illustrate which interventions, and which outcomes have predominantly been studied, enabling a redirection of the research effort, if appropriate. The systematic review and network meta-analysis will enable policymakers to compare different intervention types, providing a foundation for developing policies and allocating resources towards cancer awareness initiatives.
World Beaters
Authors: Ford Jason
Published: January 2025

The UK led the world when it opened the first nuclear power station at Calder Hall
Philosophical Case Conference: Spit for Science and the Limits of Applied Psychiatric Genetics
Authors: Turkheimer Eric , Greer Sarah Rodock
Published: January 2025

Abstract: The research program Spit For Science was launched at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2011. Since then, more than 10,000 freshmen have been enrolled in the program, filling out extensive questionnaires about their drinking, general substance use, and related behaviors, and also contributing saliva for genotyping. The goals of the program, as initially stated by the investigators, were to find the genes underlying the heritability of alcohol use and related behaviors, and in addition to put genetic knowledge to work in ways that might aid university administrators and mental health professionals in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. We review every empirical paper involving genetic data that has emerged from the program, and reach a surprising conclusion: the study has never identified a single genetic effect of more than trivial magnitude. Although the quantitative results of the studies were reported transparently, the theoretical ramifications of the negligible results have never been acknowledged. To the contrary, most of the papers ignore the tiny effects, reaching optimistic conclusions about the prospects for future genetic explanations of alcohol use. We explore the implications of these results for the broader prospects of applied psychiatric genetics.
Multispectral polarization image demosaicing using redundant Stokes representation
Authors: Shinoda Kazuma , Ishiuchi Tomoharu
Published: January 2025

This paper proposes a deep-learning-based demosaicing algorithm, multispectral polarization demosaicing with redundant Stokes (MPD-RS), designed for multispectral polarization filter arrays. The proposed MPD-RS effectively learns the correlation across spatial, spectral, and polarization domains, utilizing a newly constructed dataset of multispectral polarization images (MSPIs). Initially, MPD-RS performs interpolation using a position-variant convolutional kernel to generate a preliminary MSPI. This is followed by conversion to a new Stokes representation, to our knowledge, where the data is decomposed into four components, including a term to capture polarization redundancy. The intensity component is processed with a multi-stage three-dimensional convolutional network, while the remaining components are handled by a lightweight, attention-based network. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of MPD-RS, demonstrating superior peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index measure (SSIM) for MSPI reconstruction, with an average PSNR improvement of 3.873 dB over the Global Cross-Attention Network, as well as reduced mean squared error in Stokes parameters. The method maintains high accuracy across images with a diverse range of polarization levels, highlighting its adaptability.
Multi-channel polarization conversion THz beam splitter based on phase gradient metasurface
Authors: Teng Yan , Xiao Yuhua , Xie Guoao , Li Chun , Wang Tengyu , Zhu Yifan , Huang Zhengwei , Liang Lanju , Yao Haiyun , Ren Yuan , Jiang Ling
Published: January 2025

In terahertz (THz) optical systems, beam splitters are essential components. However, they still have challenges in multi-channel manipulation of THz waves. Multi-channel beam splitters are devices that simultaneously split and independently control beams through multiple channels. In this paper, multi-channel polarization conversion beam splitters are designed to achieve independent modulation of four beams. The polarization control of the beam is achieved by integrating broadband polarization conversion cells with the form of a split ring resonance (SRR). The polarization conversion rate (PCR) exceeds 90% with broadband advantages. Four independently modulated beams are generated by combining sub-metasurfaces with gradient phases. The gradient phase consisting of 2-bit cells with a phase difference of 90° enables the beam to be deflected in any direction. Furthermore, the effect of polarization conversion for far-field beams is demonstrated in simulations. Finally, four structures are fabricated and measured, and the results are in agreement with the simulations at 0.23 THz or 0.85 THz. The proposed method provides an efficient way to control THz polarization conversion beam splitters in an independent approach.
Acoustic-to-hyper-spectral: real-time perimeter intrusion detection system monitoring through learnable filters and hyper-spectral image generation from distributed acoustic sensing systems
Authors: Pierau Ruth-Emely , Katsifolis Jim , Meehan Alaster , Rezatofighi Hamid , Stuckey Peter J.
Published: January 2025

This paper presents an integrated distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system with artificial intelligence to provide real-time system monitoring for fence perimeter and buried system applications. The DAS system is a Rayleigh backscatter based fibre optic sensing system that has been deployed in two real-world, commercial applications to detect acoustic wave propagation and scattering along perimeter lines, and classify intrusions accurately. What we believe to be three novel signal processing methods are proposed to train filters for automatically selecting frequency bands from the power spectrum and generating hyper-spectral images from the data gathered by the DAS system without expert knowledge. The hyper-spectral images are analyzed by a neural network based object detection model. The system achieves 81.8% accuracy on a fence perimeter installation and 60.4% accuracy on a buried system application in detecting and classifying various intrusion events. The evaluation interval of the integrated DAS system framework between event sensing and detection does not exceed 5 s.
3D-HoloNet: fast, unfiltered, 3D hologram generation with camera-calibrated network learning
Authors: Zhou Wenbin , Qu Feifan , Meng Xiangyu , Li Zhenyang , Peng Yifan
Published: January 2025

Computational holographic displays typically rely on time-consuming iterative computer-generated holographic (CGH) algorithms and bulky physical filters to attain high-quality reconstruction images. This trade-off between inference speed and image quality becomes more pronounced when aiming to realize 3D holographic imagery. This work presents 3D-HoloNet, a deep neural network-empowered CGH algorithm for generating phase-only holograms (POHs) of 3D scenes, represented as RGB-D images, in real time. The proposed scheme incorporates a learned, camera-calibrated wave propagation model and a phase regularization prior into its optimization. This unique combination allows for accommodating practical, unfiltered holographic display setups that may be corrupted by various hardware imperfections. Results tested on an unfiltered holographic display reveal that the proposed 3D-HoloNet can achieve 30 fps at full HD for one color channel using a consumer-level GPU while maintaining image quality comparable to iterative methods across multiple focused distances.
Orbital angular momentum coherent state beams
Authors: Aguirre-Olivas D. , Mellado-Villaseñor G. , Perez-Garcia B. , Rodriguez-Lara B. M.
Published: January 2025

Paraxial propagation through isotropic, homogeneous, linear media exhibits invariance under rotations around the propagation axis, a symmetry described by the su(2) Lie algebra. We explore a family of paraxial beams that exploit this symmetry, constructed as linear superpositions of Laguerre–Gaussian beams (LGBs), serving as optical analogs of generalized SU(2) Lie group coherent states. A single complex parameter controls a smooth transition between Laguerre–Gaussian and Hermite–Gaussian beams (HGBs), producing intermediate beams that blend the characteristics of both families. Our beams exhibit propagation-invariant properties, up to a scaling factor, a highly desirable feature for optical applications. Experimental validation via digital holography demonstrates the practical feasibility of our approach.
Tunable nonlinear absorption properties of Ti3C2Tx MXene for all-optical bipolar modulation applications
Authors: Li Erkang , Ge Yanqing , Lu Chunhui , Zhang Ying , Wang Yijie , Zhao Lili , Shi Mingjian , Zhou Yixuan , Xu Xinlong
Published: January 2025

The demand for ultrafast and multifunctional all-optical modulators based on two-dimensional nonlinear optical materials is continuously growing in the era of big data and artificial intelligence. Herein, we report the experimental realization of the first, to the best of our knowledge, all-optical bipolar modulator that is based on pump intensity-dependent nonlinear absorption of Ti3C2T
x
MXene. This tunable nonlinear absorption with a conversion threshold of approximately 65 GW/cm2 is characterized and analyzed by the Z-scan technology, and Ti3C2T
x
MXene shows a stronger nonlinear absorption coefficient of 102 cm/GW than most of two-dimensional materials. According to the proposed four-energy-level model, the numerical simulation results suggest that the tunable nonlinear absorption transition is from the interplay between the absorption cross section ratios of the first and second excited states relative to the ground state. Inspired by this, the all-optical bipolar modulation with a nanosecond-level response time is demonstrated by changing the pump intensity. This work opens up exciting possibilities for the design of innovative multifunctional all-optical modulation devices based on two-dimensional nonlinear media.
The Goldilocks Zone: Finding the right balance of user and institutional risk for suicide-related generative AI queries
Authors: Van Meter Anna R. , Wheaton Michael G. , Cosgrove Victoria E. , Andreadis Katerina , Robertson Ronald E.
Published: January 2025

Generative artificial intelligence (genAI) has potential to improve healthcare by reducing clinician burden and expanding services, among other uses. There is a significant gap between the need for mental health care and available clinicians in the United States–this makes it an attractive target for improved efficiency through genAI. Among the most sensitive mental health topics is suicide, and demand for crisis intervention has grown in recent years. We aimed to evaluate the quality of genAI tool responses to suicide-related queries. We entered 10 suicide-related queries into five genAI tools–ChatGPT 3.5, GPT-4, a version of GPT-4 safe for protected health information, Gemini, and Bing Copilot. The response to each query was coded on seven metrics including presence of a suicide hotline number, content related to evidence-based suicide interventions, supportive content, harmful content. Pooling across tools, most of the responses (79%) were supportive. Only 24% of responses included a crisis hotline number and only 4% included content consistent with evidence-based suicide prevention interventions. Harmful content was rare (5%); all such instances were delivered by Bing Copilot. Our results suggest that genAI developers have taken a very conservative approach to suicide-related content and constrained their models’ responses to suggest support-seeking, but little else. Finding balance between providing much needed evidence-based mental health information without introducing excessive risk is within the capabilities of genAI developers. At this nascent stage of integrating genAI tools into healthcare systems, ensuring mental health parity should be the goal of genAI developers and healthcare organizations.
Decoding fertility behaviour of married women in Zambia: A multipronged analysis of bio-demographic, socio-economic and intermediate factors
Authors: Bwalya Bwalya Bupe , Odimegwu Clifford
Published: January 2025

Despite national efforts and a decrease in total fertility rate, Zambia’s fertility remains high compared to global and regional averages. While previous research has examined the influence of bio-demographic and socio-economic factors, it has neglected the role of overlooked intermediate variables such as age at first marriage, contraception use, and abortion. This study investigated the influence of these variables, while controlling for bio-demographic and socio-economic factors, on women’s fertility behaviour in Zambia. The study drew upon data from three cross-sectional Zambia Demographic Health Surveys (2007, 2013–14, 2018) to investigate fertility behaviour among 18,299 married women, measured by the number of children ever born (CEB). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including Analysis of Variance and Negative Binomial regression, were conducted using Stata 14.2 to identify factors associated with women’s fertility behaviour. The regression results are presented as adjusted incidence rate ratios with confidence intervals. Married Zambian women’s fertility behaviours, as measured by CEB are concerning, and exhibit patterns influenced by intermediate factors like age at first marriage and abortion. Early marriage, specifically before the age of 18, is associated with higher likelihood of having more CEB than those who married at 18 years or above (AIRR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07–1.14 in 2007; AIRR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.10–1.12 in 2013; and AIRR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.05–1.10). Conversely, married women who reported having had an abortion were more likely to have fewer CEB. In 2018, women with a history of abortion had lower likelihood of higher CEB compared to those without (AIRR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.91–0.97). Besides, demographic and socio-economic factors such as age, education level, geographic location, and decision-making autonomy were found to significantly impact women’s fertility behaviour. This study shows that the two intermediate variables of age at first marriage and a history of prior abortion are more influential on women fertility behaviour than contraception among married women in Zambia. To effectively address stalled fertility and improve women’s reproductive health, policies should address early marriage, enhance access to sexual reproductive healthcare, and empower women to enable them make informed reproductive decision-making.