bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of two different surgical positions on pulmonary functions ın laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies: reverse Trendelenburg vs beach chair
Authors: Seyit Hakan , Dolğun İlke , Bayram Erkan , Şener Fevkiye Nur , Çiçek Müslüm
Published: January 2025

Background

The aim of our study is to compare the effect of the 30° reverse Trendelenburg position combined with the beach chair position on respiratory parameters in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) with the 30° reverse Trendelenburg position alone.

Material and method

Fifty patients with body mass index > 30 were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups; in the control group, the standard 30° reverse Trendelenburg. In the beach chair group, the feet were positioned at 30° flexion from the hips after a 30° RTP. For both positions, blood pressures, pulses, saturations, EtCO2, respiratory rate, inspiratory pressure (Pins), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), minute volume, tidal volume, peak airway pressure (Ppeak), and dynamic compliance were recorded. In addition, the general surgeon was asked about his satisfaction with the intra-abdominal operation site view and whether he was uncomfortable with the position.

Results

Regardless of the group, the average age of the cases was 36.7 ± 12.1 years. There was no difference between the groups in terms of age, gender, BMI, operation time, blood pressures, heart rates, EtCO2, respiratory rate, PEEP, minute volume, tidal volume, and postoperative oxygen saturation (p > 0.05). Inspiratory and peak pressure were lower and dynamic compliance was higher in the beach chair position (p < 0.05). It was observed that the beach chair position decreased inspiratory and peak pressures and increased dynamic compliances in patients with a BMI between 35.1 and 40 (p < 0.05). Surgical satisfaction was high for both positions and there was no discomfort with the position.

Conclusion

It was determined that the beach chair position in LSGs reduced inspiratory and peak pressures and increased dynamic compliance. These parameters were related to BMI, and the beach chair position was more positive in terms of intraoperative lung pressures and dynamic compliance, especially in patients with a BMI between 35.1 and 40.

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06402474.
Trim turnpikes for optimal control problems with symmetries
Authors: Flaßkamp Kathrin , Maslovskaya Sofya , Ober-Blöbaum Sina , Wembe Boris
Published: January 2025

Motivated by mechanical systems with symmetries, we focus on optimal control problems possessing certain symmetries. Following recent works (Faulwasser in Math Control Signals Syst 34:759–788 2022; Trélat in Math Control Signals Syst 35:685–739 2023), which generalized the classical concept of static turnpike to manifold turnpike we extend the exponential turnpike property to the exponential trim turnpike for control systems with symmetries induced by abelian or non-abelian groups. Our analysis is mainly based on the geometric reduction of control systems with symmetries. More concretely, we first reduce the control system on the quotient space and state the turnpike theorem for the reduced problem. Then we use the group properties to obtain the trim turnpike theorem for the full problem. Finally, we illustrate our results on the Kepler problem and the rigid body problem.
Clinical features of recurrent MOG antibody-associated cortical encephalitis in adults
Authors: Qi Feiteng , Xie Guomin , Zhang Yong
Published: January 2025

Objective

To clarify the clinical features of recurrent myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated cortical encephalitis (MOGCE) in adults.

Methods

We present an adult case of recurrent MOGCE and summarize the clinical symptoms, imaging findings, treatment and prognosis of this phenotype as per a systematic review of the literature.

Results

We identified 9 adult patients with recurrent MOGCE. The mean age was 32 years, and 5/9 were male. Median time to recurrence was 6 months (range 2–36 months). The most common presentations of the first attack were headache (9/9), fever (8/9) and seizure (5/9). In most patients (6/9), presentations of recurrent attacks were different than those of the first attack. Relapses may affect more areas than the first attack, such as spine, brainstem, grey matter, and basal ganglia. All patients were seropositive for MOG antibodies during the first or second attack, with antibody titers ranging from 1:10 to 1:100. CSF white blood cell count and total protein were elevated in 6/9 patients. On MRI, 4/9 showed bilateral FLAIR hyperintense lesions, while 5/9 had unilateral lesions. Most patients demonstrated a positive response to treatment, and maintenance immunotherapy was added upon relapse.

Conclusion

The clinical presentation of recurrent MOGCE is atypical, and most patients had different symptoms upon recurrence compared to the first episode. Factors contributing to the likelihood of disease recurrence remain unclear. Most recurrent MOGCE patients respond well to immunotherapy, and require long-term immunotherapy after recurrence.
Diagnostic methods and protocols for rapid determination of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections: a comparative analysis
Authors: Boattini Matteo , Guarrasi Luisa , Comini Sara , Ricciardelli Guido , Casale Roberto , Cavallo Rossana , Costa Cristina , Bianco Gabriele
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To evaluate diagnostic performance of four diagnostic methods for rapid determination of methicillin resistance in S. aureus positive blood cultures (BCs).

Methods

Clinical and spiked BCs were subjected to the evaluation of the following methods and protocols: a. Eazyplex® MRSA Plus loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay directly from BC fluid; b. MALDI-TOF MS subtyping on BC pellet extracted with Rapid Sepsityper® protocol and on 4-h short-term subculture; c. Clearview™ Culture Colony PBP2a SA immunochromatography assay on BC pellet and on 4-h short-term subculture; d. EUCAST RAST cefoxitin screen test performed directly from BC and including reading times at 4-h, 6-h and 16–20-h.

Results

Eazyplex® MRSA plus exhibited the best performance, showing 100% sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value, followed by PBP2a SA Culture Colony Clearview assay and EUCAST RAST cefoxitin screen. MALDI-TOF MS subtyping showed the lowest diagnostic accuracy (59.8 and 65.7% directly from BC and from 4-h subculture, respectively). In detail, sensitivity and specificity ranged from 24.3% to 20.4% and from 88.9% to 98.3% for protocols performed from BC pellet and 4-h subculture, respectively.

Conclusions

The Eazyplex® MRSA Plus and the immunochromatographic Clearview™ PBP2a SA Culture Colony methods can provide reliable results within 1 h from the start of positive BC processing. MALDI TOF MS subtyping showed unacceptable specificity by performing analysis from BC pellets, while its sensitivity depends on the prevalence of PSM-positive MRSA strains. The EUCAST RAST, based on disc diffusion, showed excellent performance with a time-to-result of at least 4 h.
Long-COVID and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: a preliminary comparison of neuropsychological performance
Authors: Ruiz de Lazcano Aitana , Pérez-Núñez Paula , Pallarès-Sastre Mercè , García-Sanchoyerto Maddalen , García Irune , Amayra Imanol
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The aim of the study is to analyze and compare the cognitive profile between 59 patients with long-COVID [LC; 30 of them with and 29 without a positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confirmatory test] and 31 patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and a matched group of 39 healthy control participants.

Methods

Participants were examined on a battery of neuropsychological tests, including verbal memory, visuospatial abilities, attention, processing speed, verbal fluency, working memory, and visual memory. Anxious–depressive symptomatology was also analyzed and then controlled for possible influence on cognitive performance.

Results

Patients with LC and POTS showed significantly lower performance compared with healthy peers. Differences on anxious and depressive symptoms were also found between the clinical and control groups, resulting in LC without a positive confirmatory test group exhibiting the highest rates of anxious symptoms. After controlling the effects of anxious–depressive symptomatology, the differences were eliminated for some of the cognitive variables, but additional differences were found between patients with LC and POTS after post hoc analysis.

Conclusions

Findings from the present study contribute toward the reinforcement of the evidence on cognitive alterations associated with LC and POTS. Anxious–depressive symptomatology has to be considered in both clinical groups since it could be affecting cognitive performance.
Stories of Disaster as Sites of Mitigation: Knowledge Production and Affective Engagement in the Narrativization of Nuclear Incidents in Different Media
Authors: Butler Martin , Farzin Sina , Fuchs Michael , Hornidge Anna-Katharina , Schimank Uwe
Published: January 2025

This article explores how nuclear disaster narratives have both been informed by and articulated collective images of risk and uncertainty since the 1980s. Drawing on ideas from classical and affective narratology that are framed by a perspective informed by the sociology of knowledge, we examine three variations of narrating nuclear disasters in different media: (1) sociologist Charles Perrow’s detailed analysis of the Three Mile Island accident in his popular science book Normal Accidents (1984), (2) Svetlana Alexievich’s Chernobyl Prayer (1997), a literary/journalistic account of the Chernobyl disaster that chronicles individuals’ experiences through eyewitness accounts, and (3) the television series Chernobyl (2019), which, in a docufictional style, combines what is staged as an objective reconstruction of the unfolding of the disaster with subjective memories of those affected while reflecting on the incident’s larger political, scientific, and environmental contexts. We suggest that these three stories of nuclear incidents not only produce specific knowledges about the disaster in question but also address the fragility of knowledge systems and social structures as well as assessments of agency. As such, these narratives function as sites of mitigation that offer their readers/viewers certainty in times of crisis.
Environmental shocks and migration among a climate-vulnerable population in Bangladesh
Authors: Freihardt Jan
Published: January 2025

Various studies predict large migration flows due to climatic and other environmental changes, yet the ex post empirical evidence for such migration is inconclusive. To examine the causal link between environmental changes and migration for a population residing along the Jamuna River in Bangladesh, an area heavily affected by floods and riverbank erosion, I relate the respondents’ self-reported affectedness by environmental changes, their migration aspirations, and their capability to move to their migration likelihood. The analysis relies on a unique quasi-experimental research design based on original survey panel data of 1604 household heads. I find that erosion significantly and substantively increases the likelihood to migrate, leading to more than a doubling of the migration likelihood compared to the unaffected control group. Flooding has a significant effect only if it causes severe and irreversible impacts. Moreover, erosion affectedness increases the likelihood of moving permanently, with the whole household, and to a rural location. Individual, temporary moves to urban locations, by contrast, are primarily driven by low socio-economic status. Those who move with the whole household migrate mostly less than five kilometers. These findings call for a more nuanced understanding of the complex environment-migration nexus.
Resistance through Revision: Reclamation and Ideological Roles for Incels
Authors: Berškytė Justina , Popa-Wyatt Mihaela
Published: January 2025

This paper provides a theory of how language is used in projects of resistance, whether this be towards actual or merely perceived oppression. The theory is based on the idea of social roles, which have previously been used to explain the offence caused by slur terms (Popa-Wyatt and Wyatt 2018). We examine two types of resistance projects. The first is a reclamation project. This consists in re-purposing existing slur words and associating them with new roles. The second project is neologism. This creates new words and uses them to create new roles. To explain both projects of resistance, we use the idea of role revision. In reclamation projects, when members of the target group use a slur term among themselves, this creates conditions to revise the subordinate role assigned by the slur into a positive role with the potential for re-empowerment. The neologism projects employ a similar mechanism of role revision with different effects. An example of neologistic resistance against perceived oppression is that occurring within incel communities (involuntary celibates). Incel communities have a sense of social stigmatization and incel individuals perceive themselves as being in subordinate roles relative to women and other men. In response, they construct an ideology which aims to provide moral comfort and a promise of future reward. Critical to this ideology are new (ideological) roles, associated with new words, which promise to improve the social status of incels. We argue that this type of neologism project has similarities to insular reclamation in that both projects aim to transform subordinated roles into positive ones.
Agency of Individual Actors in Civil Society Organizations’ Advocacy: A Case Study of the Genesis of the Danish Aliens Act of 1983
Authors: Syberg Mikkel Witt
Published: January 2025

Research on civil society organizations’ advocacy has predominantly centered on examining societal and organizational structures as determining which organizations that engage in advocacy endeavors and whether they achieve influence. This structural determinism has instigated a growing body of research within the field emphasizing the agency of actors. Thus far, this new body of literature has tended to examine advocacy at the organizational level, thereby neglecting the impact of individual actors. This neglection is inconsistent with a related branch of organization studies, specifically the neo-institutional field, which long has recognized the relevance of studying individual actors’ role in change processes. This paper argues that it is similarly relevant to study the agency of individual actors in civil society organizations’ political advocacy. Through an archival case study utilizing analytical frameworks stemming from the neo-institutional concept of institutional entrepreneurship, the study examines how an individual actor influenced the law preparing process preceding the Danish Aliens Act of 1983. By outlining the significant impact of an individual actor in a legislative process, the paper underscores the need to integrate individual agency into civil society advocacy research to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of civil society organizations’ advocacy.
Fresh and Aged Chromite Ore Processing Residues (COPR): Weathering-Induced Alteration of Chemical Properties, Cr(VI) Mobility and Mineralogy At Open Dumpsites in Kanpur, India
Authors: Lapp Florian , Brück Felix , Göske Jürgen , Dohrmann Reiner , Mansfeldt Tim , Weigand Harald
Published: January 2025

Chromite ore processing residue (COPR) is a hazardous waste retaining relic Cr(VI). Large amounts are generated during the high-lime production of leather tanning salts in the region of Kanpur, India. Here, COPR is often deposited on open and uncontrolled landfills, leading to severe groundwater contamination. This study aimed at elucidating how ageing under these ambient conditions alters COPR properties and Cr(VI) mobility. For this, aged COPR obtained from surface and subsurface horizons of a visibly weathered open dumpsite was systematically compared to fresh high-lime COPR collected at two tanning salt factories. Elemental composition of the samples was characterized using X-ray fluorescence analysis while Cr(VI) mobility was assessed photometrically in alkaline and aqueous batch extracts. Mineralogical composition of the COPR was studied using X-ray powder diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetry–mass spectrometry. The fresh COPR were highly alkaline and contained characteristic Cr(VI) host phases like calcium aluminum chromate hydroxide (CAC) and katoite. These were absent in the aged samples due to their lower pH of ~ 9. The pH drop was likely caused by uptake of atmospheric CO2, which was corroborated by elevated carbon and calcite levels. This carbonation coincided with vertical translocation of Cr(VI) to the subsurface of the landfill, where leachate concentrations in excess of 1.6 g · L−1 and chromatite (CaCrO4) precipitations were found. The results highlight the importance of carbonation as a key ageing process which will likely exacerbate Cr(VI) groundwater contamination at open COPR dumpsites.

Graphical Abstract
Power-free points in quadratic number fields: Stabiliser, dynamics and entropy
Authors: Baake Michael , Bustos Álvaro , Nickel Andreas
Published: January 2025

The sets of k-free integers in general quadratic number fields are studied, with special emphasis on (extended) symmetries and their impact on the topological dynamical systems induced by such integers. We establish correspondences between number-theoretic and dynamical quantities, and use symmetries and entropy to distinguish the systems.
Association of non-highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol to highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (NHHR) and subsequent hypertension and heart diseases: findings from the CHARLS cohort
Authors: Zhang Feng , Li Zhuqing , Wang Meng , Wang Yanxin , Lu Chengzhi
Published: January 2025

Purpose

NHHR, the ratio of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is a novel lipid marker associated with the risk of heart diseases and various health conditions. However, there is limited evidence regarding the relationship between NHHR and the onset of hypertension and heart diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between NHHR and the new-onset hypertension and heart diseases among the Chinese middle-aged and older general population.

Methods

This prospective cohort study utilized data from a nationally representative sample of Chinese residents aged 45 and older, sourced from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The primary outcomes of the study were new-onset hypertension and heart diseases. To investigate the relationship between the NHHR and the risk of new-onset hypertension and heart diseases, multivariate logistic regression models and the restricted cubic spline (RCS) method were employed. Additionally, the mediating effects of hypertension on the association between NHHR and heart diseases were assessed using the bootstrap method.

Results

A total of 5349 participants were included in the final analysis and three groups of NHHR were identified, including low-stable, medium-stable, and high-stable NHHR. By 2020, 1,631 participants (30.5%) had been newly diagnosed with hypertension, while 1233 (23.1%) developed heart diseases. Compared to those with a low-stable NHHR, individuals in the other two groups showed a significantly increased risk of developing hypertension and heart diseases. The findings remained consistent across various sensitivity analyses. According to the RCS analysis, a partial U-shaped relationship existed between the NHHR and the risk of developing hypertension and heart diseases (P for nonlinear < 0.001). Furthermore, hypertension was found to partially mediate the association between NHHR and heart diseases.

Conclusion

The NHHR was closely associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension and heart diseases. In addition, the NHHR partially mediated the development of heart diseases by promoting hypertension progression. In the prevention and treatment of heart diseases, managing both lipid levels and blood pressure is crucial.
Luttinger liquid under non-Hermitian quantum sensing
Authors: Liang Jingcheng , Hu Jiangping
Published: January 2025

The interplay between dissipation and interactions could give rise to exotic phenomena. In this work, we apply the non-Hermitian (NH) linear response theory to investigate the density response of a spinless Luttinger liquid under local NH perturbations. We show that NH backward scattering results in interference between correlation functions arising from dissipation and Langevin noise terms, leading to fluctuations in the induced density rate of change as the Luttinger parameter K varies. For odd integer values of K, this rate vanishes, indicating immunity to dissipation. We demonstrate that the steady-state induced density is predominantly determined by Langevin noise, underscoring the necessity of including Langevin noise terms in NH Hamiltonians. For attractive interactions, the response to NH perturbations grows exponentially and exhibits a

$\pi /2$

π
/
2

phase shift, indicating stronger sensitivity to NH perturbations compared to Hermitian ones. Additionally, we show that NH forward scattering leads to a decay of the induced density. We refer to these peculiar behaviors of density fluctuations under NH perturbations as anomalous Friedel oscillations. Our findings offer new prospects for sensing and understanding dissipation and interactions.
A novel multivariate time series dataset of outdoor sport activities
Authors: Jarno Matarmaa
Published: January 2025

This study introduces a novel multivariate time series dataset of 228 outdoor sport activities recorded by individual non-competitive athlete in uncontrolled environments. The dataset includes three features: Heart Rate, Speed, and Altitude, and covers five sport categories: walking, running, skiing, roller-skiing, and biking. The data was collected using two types of Garmin sport watches. The original dataset was carefully pre-processed using typical data cleansing methods such as gaps filling, and value format transformations. Furthermore, activity filtering was implemented for missing sensor value data and using domain knowledge of sport categories. Full length sequences, varying from 10 min to several hours, were split into equal length segments, approximately 1 min. To address the small number of instances data was augmented using several consecutive segments from the same activity. However, only a small part of the whole original data was used as a computational cost–information gain tradeoff. Three-dimensional dataset is divided into three parts, each dimension to its own comma separated value (CSV) file. The dataset aims to provide a unique resource for researchers and practitioners in the field of sports science, human performance analysis, and activity recognition. It aims to complement the very limited or non-existent publicly available sport activity datasets.
Tail variance for generalised hyper-elliptical models
Authors: Ignatieva Katja , Landsman Zinoviy
Published: January 2025

This paper introduces a novel theoretical framework that offers a closed-form expression for the tail variance (TV) for the novel family of generalised hyper-elliptical (GHE) distributions. The GHE family combines an elliptical distribution with the generalised inverse Gaussian (GIG) distribution, resulting in a highly adaptable and powerful model. Expanding upon the findings of Ignatieva and Landsman ((2021) Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, 101, 437–465.) regarding the tail conditional expectation (TCE), this study demonstrates the significance of the TV as an additional risk measure that provides valuable insights into the tail risk and effectively captures the variability within the loss distribution’s tail. To validate the theoretical results, we perform an empirical analysis on two specific cases: the Laplace – GIG and the Student-t – GIG mixtures. By incorporating the TV derived for the GHE family, we are able to quantify correlated risks in a multivariate portfolio more efficiently. This contribution is particularly relevant to the insurance and financial industries, as it offers a reliable method for accurately assessing the risks associated with extreme losses. Overall, this paper presents an innovative and rigorous approach that enhances our understanding of risk assessment within the financial and insurance sectors. The derived expressions for the TV in addition to TCE within the GHE family of distributions provide valuable insights and practical tools for effectively managing risk.
On the scaling of digital twins by aggregation
Authors: Pias Marcelo , Bull Lawrence , Brennan Daniel S. , Girolami Mark , Crowcroft Jon
Published: January 2025

We discuss the emerging technology of digital twins (DTs) and the expected demands as they scale to represent increasingly complex, interconnected systems. Several examples are presented to illustrate core use cases, highlighting a progression to represent both natural and engineered systems. The forthcoming challenges are discussed around a hierarchy of scales, which recognises systems of increasing aggregation. Broad implications are discussed, encompassing sensing, modelling, and deployment, alongside ethical and privacy concerns. Importantly, we endorse a modular and peer-to-peer view for aggregate (interconnected) DTs. This mindset emphasises that DT complexity emerges from the framework of connections (Wagg et al. [2024, The philosophical foundations of digital twinning, Preprint]) as well as the (interpretable) units that constitute the whole.
Presentational and phenomenal forces of perception
Authors: Grad Paweł
Published: January 2025

Contra both phenomenalists and anti-phenomenalists, I defend the following thesis in this paper: the epistemic power of perceptual experience is grounded in its presentational property that is (i) uniquely possessed by the experience in the good case and (ii) essentially a phenomenal property. In §2, I set the ground for my argument by elaborating on the phenomenalist account of presentational phenomenology. In §3, I argue (against phenomenalism) for the first part of the phenomenal presentation thesis: (i) perceptual experience’s epistemic power is grounded in instances of a presentational property possessed by perceptual experience in the good, but not in the bad case. In §4, I argue (against anti-phenomenalists) for the second part of the phenomenal presentation thesis: (ii) presentational property is essentially a phenomenal property. In §5, I address some potential objections to the phenomenal presentation thesis. §6 concludes.
Conspiracy Theories and Religious Worldviews: Unraveling a Complex Relationship
Authors: Hesse Jacob , Weidemann Christian
Published: January 2025

After offering a definition of “conspiracy theory” and highlighting some interesting interconnections between conspiracy theories and religious worldviews, we turn to epistemologically relevant analogies. Proponents of conspiracy theories and religions have often been accused of the same biases and epistemic vices, e.g., gullibility, hypersensitive proneness to personal explanations, or overemphasis on holistic thinking. So-called Generalism is best understood as the thesis that conspiracy theories are guilty until proven innocent because they share certain “bunkum-making properties.” However, we argue for the particularist position, i.e. the position that a general epistemic presumption against conspiracy theories is not tenable. Building a negative valence into the very notion of conspiracy theory is not convincing either. Given the analogies, our analysis supports similar verdicts with respect to religious worldviews: Like conspiracy theories, they should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis rather than being dismissed simply for being religious. Finally, we reject Bezazel’s view that both conspiracy theories and religious worldviews constitute a-rational frames or “bliks” that, besides other things, ground what counts as an explanation. Such a proposal squares badly with epistemic misgivings about particularly preposterous examples of conspiracy theories and religious worldviews.
Consistent Inconsistencies in the ECtHR’s Approach to Victim Status and Locus Standi
Authors: Sefkow-Werner Violetta
Published: January 2025

The ECtHR’s landmark judgment in the case Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland contains novel findings on procedural and substantive aspects of human rights protection in the climate change context. To reconcile effective protection of Convention rights with the exclusion of actiones populares, the Court set a high threshold for the individual applicants’ victim status while applying mostly formal criteria to the locus standi of the applicant association. On this count, only the association’s application was admissible. On the merits, the Court found violations of Articles 8 and 6(1) ECHR because Switzerland failed to comply with its positive obligation to protect individuals from the adverse effects of climate change and its courts did not engage seriously with the applicant association’s action. This case note takes a closer look at the ECtHR’s interpretation of standing for individuals and associations and discusses its (non-)alignment with previous case law. In particular, it reflects on the Court’s implicit understanding of the concept of victim in KlimaSeniorinnen and explores whether allowing representative standing is justified based on the Court’s existing case law. The case note concludes with an outlook on the enforcement of collective human rights issues through associations.
Global distribution and sustainable management of Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae): recent advancement and future prospects
Authors: Abbas Arzlan , Saddam Babu , Ullah Farman , Hassan Muhammad Asghar , Shoukat Komal , Hafeez Faisal , Alam Aleena , Abbas Sohail , Ghramh Hamed A. , Khan Khalid Ali , Iqbal Rashid , Dara Muhammad Zulqar Nain , Ali Jamin , Ri Zhao Chen
Published: January 2025

The Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée, 1854), is a serious pest of several crops, particularly a destructive pest of maize and other cereals throughout most of Asia, including China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Cambodia. It has long been known as a pest in South-east Asia and has invaded other parts of Asia, Solomon Islands, parts of Africa and certain regions of Australia and Russia. Consequently, worldwide efforts have been increased to ensure new control strategies for O. furnacalis management. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the ACB covering its (i) distribution (geographic range and seasonal variations), (ii) morphology and ecology (taxonomy, life-history, host plants and economic importance) and (iii) management strategies (which include agroecological approaches, mating disruption, integrated genetic approaches, chemical as well as biological control). Furthermore, we conclude this review with recommendations to provide some suggestions for improving eco-friendly pest management strategies to enhance the sustainable management of ACB in infested areas.
Codas are universally moraic
Authors: Paramore Jonathan Charles
Published: January 2025

Mismatches in weight criteria across weight-sensitive processes within individual languages present difficulties for theories of moraic structure, particularly regarding coda weight. Previous accounts, which stipulate that codas are variably moraic to account for the typological variation in the weight status of CVC for primary stress, make incorrect predictions for the status of CVC in other weight-sensitive phenomena, including tone, word minimality and secondary stress, among others. This article proposes a theory of Uniform Moraic Quantity coupled with a new syllable weight metric as a solution, which captures CVC’s flexible weight status while maintaining the cross-linguistic moraicity of codas and avoiding the incorrect predictions that frustrate the standard variable-weight approach.
Values of Life: 40 years of The Value of Life
Authors: Takala Tuija , Häyry Matti , Bennett Rebecca , Holm Søren
Published: January 2025

This special section brings together international scholars celebrating the 40th anniversary of John Harris’ book, The Value of Life: An Introduction to Medical Ethics (1985), and John Harris and his contributions to the field of bioethics more generally.
Hypergraph independence polynomials with a zero close to the origin
Authors: Zhang Shengtong
Published: January 2025

For each uniformity

$k \geq 3$

, we construct

$k$

uniform linear hypergraphs

$G$

with arbitrarily large maximum degree

$\Delta$

whose independence polynomial

$Z_G$

has a zero

$\lambda$

with

$\left \vert \lambda \right \vert = O\left (\frac {\log \Delta }{\Delta }\right )$

. This disproves a recent conjecture of Galvin, McKinley, Perkins, Sarantis, and Tetali.
Forecasting High‐Speed Solar Wind Streams From Solar Images
Authors: Collin Daniel , Shprits Yuri , Hofmeister Stefan J. , Bianco Stefano , Gallego Guillermo
Published: January 2025

The solar wind, a stream of charged particles originating from the Sun and transcending interplanetary space, poses risks to technology and astronauts. In this work, we develop a prediction model to forecast the solar wind speed (SWS) at the Earth. We focus on high‐speed streams (HSSs) and their solar source regions, coronal holes. As input, we use the coronal hole area, extracted from solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images and mapped on a fixed grid, as well as the SWS 27 days before. We use a polynomial regression model and a distribution transformation to predict the SWS with a lead time of 4 days. Our forecast achieves a root mean square error (RMSE) of 68.1 km/s for the SWS prediction and an RMSE of 76.8 km/s for the HSS peak velocity prediction for 2010 to 2019. We also demonstrate the applicability of our model to the current solar cycle 25 in an operational setting, resulting in an RMSE of 80.3 km/s and an HSS peak velocity RMSE of 92.2 km/s. The study shows that a small number of physical features explains most of the solar wind variation, and that focusing on these features with simple machine learning algorithms even outperforms current approaches based on deep neural networks and MHD simulations. In addition, we explain why the typically used loss function, the mean squared error, systematically underestimates the HSS peak velocities, aggravates operational space weather forecasts, and how a distribution transformation can resolve this issue.
A Seychelles Shoreline Resists the Rising Seas
Authors: Hasler Caroline
Published: January 2025

The geomorphology of a protected atoll likely contributed to its ability to maintain its shoreline over a turbulent half-century.
Using light to image millimeter wave based on stacked meta-MEMS chip
Authors: Wang Han , Wang Zhigang , Gong Cheng , Li Xinyu , Cui Tiansheng , Jiang Huiqi , Deng Minghui , Yan Bo , Liu Weiwei
Published: January 2025

A stacked metamaterial MEMS (meta-MEMS) chip is proposed, which can perfectly absorb electromagnetic waves, convert them into mechanical energy, drive movement of the optical micro-reflectors array, and detect millimeter waves. It is equivalent to using visible light to image a millimeter wave. The meta-MEMS adopts the design of upper and lower chip separation and then stacking to achieve the “dielectric-resonant-air-ground” structure, reduce the thickness of the metamaterial and MEMS structures, and improve the performance of millimeter wave imaging. For verification, we designed and prepared a 94 GHz meta-MEMS focal plane array chip, in which the sum of the thickness of the metamaterial and MEMS structures is only 1/2500 wavelength, the pixel size is less than 1/3 wavelength, but the absorption rate is as high as 99.8%. Moreover, a light readout module was constructed to test the millimeter wave imaging performance. The results show that the response speed can reach 144 Hz and the lens-less imaging resolution is 1.5 mm.
Periodically poled aluminum scandium nitride bulk acoustic wave resonators and filters for communications in the 6G era
Authors: Izhar  , Fiagbenu M. M. A. , Yao S. , Du X. , Musavigharavi P. , Deng Y. , Leathersich J. , Moe C. , Kochhar A. , Stach E. A. , Vetury R. , Olsson R. H.
Published: January 2025

Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) filters find applications in radio frequency (RF) communication systems for Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. In the beyond-5G (potential 6G) era, high-frequency bands (>8 GHz) are expected to require resonators with high-quality factor (Q) and electromechanical coupling (

$${k}_{t}^{2}$$

k

t

2

) to form filters with low insertion loss and high selectivity. However, both the Q and

$${k}_{t}^{2}$$

k

t

2

of resonator devices formed in traditional uniform polarization piezoelectric films of aluminum nitride (AlN) and aluminum scandium nitride (AlScN) decrease when scaled beyond 8 GHz. In this work, we utilized 4-layer AlScN periodically poled piezoelectric films (P3F) to construct high-frequency (~17–18 GHz) resonators and filters. The resonator performance is studied over a range of device geometries, with the best resonator achieving a

$${k}_{t}^{2}$$

k

t

2

of 11.8% and a

$${Q}_{{\rm {p}}}$$

Q

p

of 236.6 at the parallel resonance frequency (

$${f}_{{\rm {p}}}$$

f

p

) of 17.9 GHz. These resulting figures-of-merit are (

$${{{\rm {FoM}}}}_{1}={{k}_{t}^{2}Q}_{{\rm {p}}}$$

FoM

1

=

k

t

2

Q

p

and

$${{{\rm {FoM}}}}_{2}={f}_{{\rm {p}}}{{{\rm {FoM}}}}_{1}{\times }{10}^{-9}$$

FoM

2

=

f

p

FoM

1

×

10

−
9

) 27.9 and 500, respectively. These and the

$${k}_{t}^{2}$$

k

t

2

are significantly higher than previously reported AlN/AlScN-based resonators operating at similar frequencies. Fabricated 3-element and 6-element filters formed from these resonators demonstrated low insertion losses (IL) of 1.86 and 3.25 dB, and −3 dB bandwidths (BW) of 680 MHz (fractional BW of 3.9%) and 590 MHz (fractional BW of 3.3%) at a ~17.4 GHz center frequency. The 3-element and 6-element filters achieved excellent linearity with in-band input third-order intercept point (IIP3) values of +36 and +40 dBm, respectively, which are significantly higher than previously reported acoustic filters operating at similar frequencies.
Differential impacts of germline and adult aggrecan knockout in PV+ neurons on perineuronal nets and PV+ neuronal function
Authors: Grødem Sverre , Thompson Elise Holter , Røe Malin Benum , Vatne Guro Helen , Nymoen Nystuen Ingeborg , Buccino Alessio , Otterstad Tarjei , Hafting Torkel , Fyhn Marianne , Lensjø Kristian Kinden
Published: January 2025

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are a condensed form of extracellular matrix primarily found around parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) interneurons. The postnatal maturation of PV+ neurons is accompanied with the formation of PNNs and reduced plasticity. Alterations in PNN and PV+ neuron function have been described for mental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. The formation of PNNs is highly dependent on aggrecan, a proteoglycan encoded by the ACAN gene, but it remains unknown if it is produced by the PV+ neurons themselves. Thus, we established a knockout (KO) mouse model (ACANflx/PVcre) and an adeno-associated virus to specifically eliminate aggrecan production from PV+ neurons, in the germline or adult animals, respectively. The germline KO (ACANflx/PVcre) eliminated the expression of PNNs labeled by Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA), the most commonly used PNN marker. Surprisingly, electrophysiological properties of PV+ interneurons and ocular dominance plasticity of adult ACANflx/PVcre mice were similar to controls. In contrast, AAV-mediated ACAN knockout in adult mice increased ocular dominance plasticity. Moreover, in vivo Chondroitinase ABC treatment of KO mice resulted in reduced firing rate of PV+ cells and increased frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSC), a phenotype associated with chABC treatment of WT animals. These findings suggest that compensatory mechanisms may be activated during development in response to the germline loss of aggrecan. Indeed, qPCR of bulk tissue indicates that other PNN components, including neurocan and tenascin-R, are expressed at higher levels in the KO animals. Finally, behavioral testing revealed that ACANflx/PVcre mice had similar long-term memory as controls in the Morris water maze. However, they employed bolder search strategies during spatial learning and showed lower level of anxiety-related behavior in an open field and zero maze.
Non-invasive physical plasma improves conventional wound management of cut and bite wounds in wild European hedgehogs
Authors: Eichler Jürgen , Rulik Björn , Abazid Alexander , Stope Matthias B.
Published: January 2025

Non-invasive physical plasma (NIPP) has been used effectively for wound healing in human medicine for over two decades. The advantages are that NIPP has few side effects, is painless and gentle on the tissue. The therapeutic effect is mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Based on the biomedical effects known to date, it can be assumed that NIPP can also be used for wound treatment in non-human mammals. In this prospective, non-randomized monocentric clinical trial, 43 European hedgehogs with cut and bite wounds were treated with conventional wound management (CWM: 21 patients) and compared with 22 patients with CWM plus NIPP treatment (CWM + NIPP). Under NIPP treatment, patients showed no signs of pain, stress or discomfort, even after several applications. In 76% of CWM + NIPP patients, three or four NIPP applications were sufficient. In patients in the CWM + NIPP group, wound treatment was completed statistically significantly 6 d earlier (CWM: 19.0 d versus CWM + NIPP: 13.2 d; p = 0.0008). This wildlife clinical trial demonstrates that NIPP can be used to improve wound healing in wild European hedgehogs. It is conceivable that NIPP therapy could also lead to positive effects in other injured wild animals, domestic animals or livestock.
Association of environmental, demographic and clinical parameters with physical activity in children with asthma
Authors: Berrill Jane , James Peter , Michanikou Antonis , Galanakis Emmanouil , Michaelidou Eleni , Kinni Paraskevi , Kalivitis Nikos , Kouvarakis Giorgos , Vasiliadou Emily , Savvides Chrysanthos , Tymvios Filippos , Koutrakis Petros , Yiallouros Panayiotis K. , Kouis Panayiotis
Published: January 2025

Personal characteristics, unfavorable weather conditions and air pollution have been linked with reduced physical activity in children. However, among children with asthma the effects of these parameters remain unclear. This study objectively quantified the physical activity of children with asthma and evaluated its association with environmental, personal, and clinical parameters. Participants of the prospective LIFE-MEDEA asthma study wore the EMRACE™ smartwatch daily for continuous monitoring of physical activity and acquisition of global positioning system data. Daily physical activity, personal and clinical data were combined with daily temperature, precipitation, and air pollution levels in adjusted mixed effect regression models to examine the relationship between physical activity and the examined parameters. For a follow-up period of 4 months, 186 children with asthma demonstrated a decrease of 796 steps (95% CI: -1080, -512) on days with precipitation compared to non-precipitation days and a decrease of 96 steps (95% CI: -182, -9) for every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10. The relationship between temperature and daily steps was characterized by an inverted U-shape. There was also evidence that gender and age-adjusted BMI z-score were negatively associated with daily steps. These results can further inform the design of physical activity interventions targeting children with asthma.
Computational study on novel RhCpX (X = CF3, SiF3, CCl3, SO3H) as promising catalysts in the [3 + 2] azide–alkyne cycloaddition reaction: insights into mechanistic pathways and reactivity
Authors: Khairbek Ali A. , Abd-Al Hakim Badawi Mohammad , Alzahrani Abdullah Y. , Puchta Ralph , Thomas Renjith
Published: January 2025

This computational study investigated the catalytic efficiency of novel RhCpX complexes (X = CF3, SiF3, CCl3, SO3H) in [3 + 2] azide–alkyne cycloaddition reactions via density functional theory (MN12-L/Def2-SVP).
A ruthenium–titania core–shell nanocluster catalyst for efficient and durable alkaline hydrogen evolution
Authors: Lim Hyun Woo , Lee Tae Kyung , Park Subin , Pratama Dwi Sakti Aldianto , Yan Bingyi , Yoo Sung Jong , Lee Chan Woo , Kim Jin Young
Published: January 2025

Research strategy and synthesis of a core–shell Ru catalyst.
Thermal and photodegradation mechanism of (FA-MA)PbI3 perovskite and spiro-OMeTAD captured by in situ EPR spectroscopy
Authors: Ruellou Julie , Ahouari Hania , Courty Matthieu , Vezin Hervé , Sauvage Frédéric
Published: January 2025

Light and heat accelerate perovskite degradation, linking free carriers to structural changes, gas release, and heat flow. In situ EPR reveals radical-free thermal breakdown, with light-induced radicals driving faster degradation.
Review of c-Si PV module recycling and industrial feasibility
Authors: Wei Ganghui , Zhou Yihao , Hou Zhongren , Li Yanzheng , Liu Qiming , Chen Jun , He Deyan
Published: January 2025

As solar energy emerges as a pivotal renewable energy source, the environmental challenge of end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) module disposal intensifies.
A family of zinc compounds of an anthracene-appended new multifunctional organic scaffold as potent chemotherapeutics against cervical cancer
Authors: Sk Sujan , Chakrovorty Arnob , Samadder Asmita , Bera Manindranath
Published: January 2025

A novel class of zinc(ii) compounds of an anthracene-appended multifunctional organic scaffold bearing amine, alcohol and carboxylate groups have been designed and synthesized as potent chemotherapeutic agents against cervical cancer.
One-component anti-aging agents
Authors: Zhang Rong , Liang Bo , Bai Wanjie , Hu Junfei , Wang Tianyou , Yang Yiyan , Bai Hongwei , Yang Lei , Li Yiwen
Published: January 2025

With broader UV absorption and higher antioxidative capacity than the commercial UV-shielding agent UV326 and antioxidant AO1010, one-component anti-aging agents have the potential to improve polymer photostability and food preservation packaging.
Tetrahedral DNA framework-directed hybridization chain reaction controlled self-assembly
Authors: He Dongdong , Wei Pengyao , Li Lin , Fu Pan , Zheng Jianping , Wang Kaizhe
Published: January 2025

Tetrahedral DNA frameworks as restricted nanotriggers control HCR self-assembled living polymerization, thus achieving homogeneous product control.
Effect of acidic functional groups in a carbon-supported Pd catalyst on efficient acetylene dicarbonylation, followed by hydrogenation to dimethyl succinate
Authors: Li Jing , Ma Zhanwei , Wang Dongwei , Chen Yu , Wang Zhongliao , Hu Bin
Published: January 2025

This study utilizes acetylene and CO to produce dimethyl succinate via dicarbonylation and hydrogenation. The designed Pd/HAC-5 catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity for both dicarbonylation and hydrogenation.
Synthesis of zwitterionic asymmetric and symmetric carboxy-imidazolium derivatives and their use in molecular interactions with bovine serum albumin
Authors: Sultanova Elza D. , Bogdanov Ilshat M. , Gromova Nadezhda I. , Astrakhantseva Anna V. , Kapralov Mikhail A. , Nizamutdinov Alexey S. , Mukhametzyanov Timur A. , Islamov Daut R. , Usachev Konstantin S. , Serov Nikita Y. , Burilov Vladimir A. , Solovieva Svetlana E. , Antipin Igor S.
Published: January 2025

For the first time asymmetric and symmetric carboxytriazoleimidazolium derivatives with different structures were synthesized.