bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fungal infection monitoring on corneal epithelium ex vivo model and its collection over polyethersulfone membrane for detecting Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Orgul Sarp , Bedoya Angela Gómez , Pérez Víctor Felipe , Mora Daniella R. , Sabater Alfonso L. , Miller Darlene , Holgado Miguel
Published: February 2025

In this paper we report a human ex vivo model of Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans infection of the cornea. We demonstrate the ability to monitor fungal growth on the cornea through optical and immunofluorescence microscopy. Additionally, we establish a method for collection of fungal antigens in polyethersulfone (PES) membrane-based sample collectors from the surface of fungal inoculated corneas. Immunofluorescence microscopy was performed directly on both corneal tissue and PES membrane sample collectors. For the latter case, we devised an original ad-hoc method by attaching the membranes used for the collection on standard glass slides, which we call glass slide KIT. This enabled easy handling and improved efficiency for specifically recognizing the corresponding fungal infections by simple immunoassay protocols. As a result, we firstly observe the ability to monitor fungi in corneal tissue, and secondly demonstrate the adsorption of fungal antigens onto PES membranes. Thus, we report for the first time the specific detection of fungal corneal infections in easy to use PES membrane based glass slide KITs through simple immunofluorescence, as an alternative to microbiological culture.
Nanoparticles improved pheophorbide-a mediated photodynamic therapy for cancer
Authors: Fakudze Nosipho , Abrahamse Heidi , George Blassan
Published: February 2025

The increased cancer incidence and mortality rates have made researchers continue to explore different types of effective and less toxic cancer therapies. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an alternative cancer treatment modality with reduced side effects. It is comprised of three components, a photosensitizer, molecular oxygen and light. Researchers have been exploring third generation photosensitizers that overcome existing photosensitizer limitations such as hydrophobicity, accurate targeting and photosensitivity. Pheophorbide-a is a chlorophyll product currently being explored in a number of in vitro, in vivo and in silico studies as an ideal photosensitizer for breast, prostate, lung, oral squamous cell carcinoma, gastric, osteosarcoma and cervical cancers. These in vitro, in vivo and in silico studies have shown the probable cell death pathways in different cell lines and how advancement in using nanocarriers has improved cancer cell killing effect after pheophorbide-a mediated PDT. The pharmacokinetics have elaborated on the biodistribution and tissue disposition of pheophorbide-a in this review. In summary, we offer our viewpoint on PDT in the context of cancer management, and we believe that this article will shed new light on the role of pheophorbide-a in PDT for cancer.
Networcat: applying analysis techniques of shared memory software on message-passing distributed systems
Authors: Bajczi Levente , Molnár Vince
Published: February 2025

Communication models are a key aspect in the design and implementation of distributed system architectures. Application logic must consider the guarantees of these models, which fundamentally influence its correctness. Modern multi-core processor architectures face a similar problem when it comes to accessing shared memory: the guarantees of an architecture have a fundamental impact on the observable behavior of software. The formalization of these guarantees in a declarative way has led to powerful tools and algorithms to define reusable constraints on patterns of memory access events and their relationships, enabling the efficient description and automatic formal analysis of software properties with respect to a specific architecture. The Cat memory modeling language provides a standard means of specifying these constraints. Despite the parallels, the axiomatic modeling and analysis of communication models in distributed systems remain a relatively unexplored area. In this paper, we address this gap and demonstrate how communication models can be mapped to the Cat language. We create a standard library of reusable patterns and demonstrate our approach, called NetworCat, on the simple examples of UDP and TCP, and we also present its applicability to the vastly configurable OMG-DDS service. This adaptation-based approach enables the use of ever-improving verification tools built for shared memory concurrency on distributed systems. We believe this not only benefits distributed system analyses by broadening the toolset for verification but also positively impacts the field of memory-model-aware verification by widening its audience to another domain.
Safety and aesthetic outcomes of silicone buckles as an implant for anophthalmic sockets: a decade of experience in Japan
Authors: Iwasaki Rikako , Kitaguchi Yoshiyuki , Morimoto Takeshi , Shimojo Hiroshi , Fujino Takahiro , Komoto Shimpei , Nishida Kohji
Published: February 2025

Purpose

To investigate the safety and aesthetic outcomes of silicone buckle #506 for anophthalmic socket reconstruction.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Patients who underwent enucleation or evisceration at the Osaka University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Patients under 18 years old, with < 3 months follow-up, without a prosthesis, or with bilateral surgery were excluded. Aesthetic outcomes were assessed using standardized photographs taken 3 months postoperatively, scored by five independent ophthalmologists for upper eyelid sulcus deepening asymmetry. Scoring was categorized as 0: no noticeable side difference, 1: slight asymmetry, and 2: marked asymmetry characterized by upper eyelid sulcus deepening.

Results

Fifty-nine patients (60 sockets) were analyzed. Thirty-three received silicone buckle implants (1–4 buckles). Implant exposure occurred in two patients (6.1%). Aesthetic scores were assessed in 48 patients. Mean aesthetic scores were 0.97 (no implant), 0.78 (one buckle), 0.68 (two buckles), and 0.42 (three/four buckles) (p = 0.123).

Conclusions

Silicone buckle #506 appears to be a safe and feasible option for anophthalmic socket reconstruction. Further studies are needed to optimize aesthetic outcomes and determine the ideal number of buckles.
Convergence of summability means of higher dimensional Fourier series and Lebesgue points
Authors: Weisz F.
Published: February 2025

We introduce a new concept of Lebesgue points for higher dimensional
functions. Every continuity point is a Lebesgue point and almost every
point is a Lebesgue point of an integrable function. Given a strictly increasing
continuous function

$$\delta$$

δ

, we prove that the Fejér or Cesàro means

$$\sigma_n^{\alpha}f$$

σ
n
α

f

of the Fourier
series of a two-dimensional function

$$f\in L_1(\mathbb{T}^2)$$

f
∈

L
1

(

T

2

)

converge to

$$f$$

f

at each Lebesgue
point as

$$n\to \infty$$

n
→
∞

and n is in the cone around the graph of

$$\delta$$

δ

. We also prove this
result for higher dimensional functions and for other summability means. This is
a generalization of the classical one-dimensional Lebesgue’s theorem for the Fejér
means.
On product representations of squares
Authors: Tao T.
Published: February 2025

Fix

$$k \geq 2$$

k
≥
2

. For any

$$N \geq 1$$

N
≥
1

, let

$$F_k(N)$$

F
k

(
N
)

denote the cardinality of the largest subset of

$$\{1,\dots,N\}$$

{
1
,
⋯
,
N
}

that does not contain

$$k$$

k

distinct elements whose product is a square. Erdős, Sárközy, and Sós showed that

$$F_2(N) = (\frac{6}{\pi^2}+o(1)) N$$

F
2

(
N
)

=

(

6

π
2

+
o

(
1
)

)

N

,

$$F_3(N) = (1-o(1))N$$

F
3

(
N
)

=

(
1
-
o

(
1
)

)

N

,

$$F_k(N) \asymp N/\log N$$

F
k

(
N
)

≍
N
/
log
N

for even

$$k \geq 4$$

k
≥
4

, and

$$F_k(N) \asymp N$$

F
k

(
N
)

≍
N

for odd

$$k \geq 5$$

k
≥
5

. Erdős then asked whether

$$F_k(N) = (1-o(1)) N$$

F
k

(
N
)

=

(
1
-
o

(
1
)

)

N

for odd

$$k \geq 5$$

k
≥
5

. Using a probabilistic argument, we answer this question in the negative.
Cross-contextual stress prediction: Simple methodology for comparing features and sample domain adaptation techniques in vital sign analysis
Authors: Mihirette Samson , De la Cal Enrique A. , Tan Qing , Sedano Javier
Published: February 2025

Stress significantly impacts individuals, particularly in professions like nursing and driving, leading to severe health risks and accidents. Accurate stress measurement is critical for effective interventions, yet research is hindered by incomplete datasets and inconsistent methodologies, slowing the development of reliable predictive models. This paper introduces a framework for cross-contextual stress prediction, enabling the generation of general stress prediction models adaptable to specific domain challenges. The methodology leverages two general daily life datasets and three domain-specific datasets, employing steps such as dataset selection, feature extraction, significant feature identification, feature preprocessing, fine-tuning, domain adaptation, and application to specific contexts. Through this framework, key vital signs were identified as significant predictors of stress, including electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) - low frequency (LF), electrodermal activity (EDA), body temperature (TEMP), and skin conductance response (SCR). The experiments conducted include: 1) Utilizing HR and HRV-LF through domain adaptation from general to automobile driving datasets; 2) Applying EDA, HR, and TEMP from general to specific nurse activity datasets; and 3) Adapting ECG, HR, and TEMP from general to automobile driving datasets. Results demonstrate the potential of the proposed framework for cross-contextual stress prediction, with HR and HRV-LF identified as pivotal features. When applied to target datasets specific to stress scenarios, the model achieved a 62% F1 score, demonstrating the effectiveness of the feature-based Correlation Alignment (CORAL) technique combined with Random Forest models in transferring learned knowledge across domains. These findings highlight the robustness of the approach in adapting general stress prediction models to specific contexts, paving the way for real-world applications such as stress monitoring in driving and nursing during high-stress periods like COVID-19.
Moisture and soil depth govern relationships between soil organic carbon and oxalate-extractable metals at the global scale
Authors: von Fromm Sophie F. , Jungkunst Hermann F. , Amenkhienan Bright , Hall Steven J. , Georgiou Katerina , Pries Caitlin Hicks , Montaño-López Fernando , Quesada Carlos Alberto , Rasmussen Craig , Schrumpf Marion , Singh Balwant , Thompson Aaron , Wagai Rota , Fiedler Sabine
Published: February 2025

An important control on long-term soil organic carbon (SOC) storage is the adsorption of SOC by short-range-ordered (SRO) minerals. SRO are commonly quantified by measuring oxalate-extractable metals (Mox = Alox + ½ Feox), which many studies have shown to be positively correlated with SOC. It remains uncertain if this organo-mineral relationship is robust at the global scale, or if capturing regional differences is needed to maximize model accuracy. We used a global synthesis of Alox and Feox data to test their role in controlling SOC abundance across regions. We compiled 37,344 individual soil horizon measurements, with soil depth ranging between 0 and 200 cm, from 11,122 profiles. We used the Holdridge Life Zones, which are characterized by biotemperature, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration, to group the soil profiles by their climatic conditions that also correlate with other important soil-forming factors. Based on linear mixed-effects models, we found a positive relationship between Mox and SOC across regions and depths, accounting for 49% of the SOC variation. This relationship is strongest in wetter regions and at depths between 20 and 100 cm. Across all environmental conditions, Alox is a stronger predictor of SOC than Feox. Our analysis suggests oxalate-extractable metals are good proxies for mineral-induced SOC protection at the global scale. However, our findings also indicate that the importance of organo-mineral interactions at the global scale varies with climatic conditions and depth. The underlying mechanisms need to be considered when incorporating these relationships as proxies for mineral sorption capacity into soil C models.
Low molecular weight organic acids mobilize soil organic phosphorus for enzymatic hydrolysis in a temperate montane peatland
Authors: Suo Yuchen , Li Tong , von Sperber Christian , Ge Leming , Cao Chenhao , Zhai Zhifeng , Bu Zhaojun , Wang Meng
Published: February 2025

The stability of carbon (C) stocks in peatlands is intricately linked to phosphorus (P) bioavailability. Given that organic P compounds (Po) can make up to 89% of total soil P in these ecosystems, it is vital to understand their role in regulating plant productivity and organic matter decomposition. Despite this significance, the mechanisms controlling P bioavailability remain poorly understood. Plants and soil microorganisms primarily regulate the release of soil P via low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) and modulate the hydrolysis of Po through phosphatase enzymes, particularly phosphomonoesterase, phytase, and phosphodiesterase. This study investigated the role of LMWOAs, derived from root exudates of dominant vascular plants and Sphagnum leachates in a temperate montane peatland, in facilitating the release of P. We also quantified the ability of these plants to hydrolyze Po from various LMWOA-extracted fractions by adding phosphomonoesterase, phytase, and phosphodiesterase. The results show that peatland plants predominantly exuded muconic, azelaic, 3-hydroxybutyric, and malonic acids. The concentration of enzymatically hydrolyzed Po in the water-extracted fraction was 8.1 ± 3.4 mg kg−1. Notably, azelaic and malonic acids were effective in releasing over 58% of soil P (330–798 mg kg−1), with more than 88% of this P being in organic form. In the azelaic and malonic acid-extracted fractions, the concentration of enzymatically hydrolyzed Po concentration was 123.7 ± 32.1 mg kg−1, accounting for 23% of the LMWOA-extracted Po. Phytase, the most important phosphatase enzyme, accounts for 66% (47–88%) of the enzymatically hydrolyzed Po (81.9 ± 20.9 mg kg−1). Our study demonstrates that LMWOA-mediated release of Po is an essential prerequisite for enzymatic hydrolysis of Po in organic peat soils. However, only a small portion of LMWOA-extracted Po can be hydrolyzed by phosphatase enzymes. The different composition and efficacy of LMWOAs from species of different plant functional types highlight the necessity to consider changes in vegetation composition, as this could significantly impact P dynamics in peatlands and, consequently, the stability of their C stocks.
Can “Fire Safe” Cigarettes (FSCs) Start Wildfires?
Authors: McAllister Sara , Williams Stephen , Grob Ian
Published: February 2025

Over the last 20 years, all states within the US have required all cigarettes sold to be “fire safe” or “fire standards compliant” meaning that they must pass ASTM standard E2187. Though these cigarettes are designed to self-extinguish, there have been recent studies suggesting that these “fire safe” cigarettes (FSCs) can still ignite mattresses and other furnishings, but there has been no guidance for fire investigators whether FSCs can ignite natural fuels, such as duff and needles, that can be the source of a wildland fire. This work sets out to investigate whether FSCs can indeed be the ignition source of wildland fuels. Experiments were conducted by placing “fire safe” cigarettes burned a fixed length (1 cm) onto fuel beds of two surrogate fuel types placed at the outlet of a wind tunnel and under a halogen lamp to mimic a sunny day. The fuel beds consisted of either a bed of partially chopped pine needles or a layer of whole needles on top of a layer of peat. Five replicates with three wind speeds were tested. Mass loss rates of the fuel beds were recorded, and the experiments documented using both a visual and infrared camera. In nearly every case, smoldering ignition was seen that sustained propagation and spread well away from the cigarette, even when the cigarette appeared to self-extinguish. These results clearly indicate that “fire safe” cigarettes can indeed still start wildland fires, particularly in dry and windy conditions.
Quintessence scalar field and cosmological constant: dynamics of a multi-component dark energy model
Authors: Sahoo Prasanta , Roy Nandan , Mondal Himadri Shekhar
Published: February 2025

This study explores the dynamics and phase-space behavior of a multi-component dark energy model, where the dark sector consists of a minimally coupled canonical scalar field and the cosmological constant, using a dynamical system analysis setup for various types of potential for which a general parameterization of the scalar field potentials has been considered. Several fixed points with different cosmological behaviors have been identified. A detailed stability analysis has been done and possible late-time attractors have been found. For this multi-component dark energy model, the late-time attractors are either fully dominated by the cosmological constant or represent a scenario where a combination of the scalar field and the cosmological constant dominates the universe. In this type of model, there is a possibility that the scalar field can become dynamical quite early compared to the standard era of dark energy domination. However, our analysis indicates that this early time contribution of the scalar field occurs deep in the matter-dominated era, not before the recombination era.
Integrating Practice-Based Activities and Visual Representations to Foster Students’ Understanding of Basic Astronomy Phenomena: An Example about Seasonal Changes
Authors: Galano Silvia , Testa Italo
Published: February 2025

This study investigates how different combinations of practice-based activities and visual representations affect students’ learning about seasonal changes. We adopted a pre-post 3 × 2 experimental design in which we first randomly assigned 12 intact 9th-grade classes (N = 337 students) to either a “practice-based activity” or a “no practice-based activity” and then to one of the following conditions: “specially designed images”; “textbook images”; “no images”. We used a draw-and-explain task and a mixed multiple-choice true/false questionnaire, the Seasons Concepts Inventory (SCI), to assess students’ conceptual understanding of seasons before and after participating to one of the teaching conditions. Data were analyzed using a 2-way between subjects factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicate a significant interaction effect between the experimental conditions. Students in the “practice-based activity” condition outperformed students in the “no practice-based activity” condition, regardless of the type of image used. However, the students in the “specially designed images” condition performed significantly better than those in the “textbook images” and “no images” conditions in both the draw-and-explain task and the SCI instrument, regardless of the practice-based activity condition. Furthermore, the students in the “no practice-based activity” condition who were taught with the specially designed images did not perform significantly different from the students in the “practice-based activity” condition who were taught with the same types of images. Our study has implications for astronomy education practice in that it shows advantages and limitations of combining two approaches that are usually implemented separately. This study has also broader educational implications in that it demonstrates that when combining two different teaching approaches, the effectiveness of each approach may depend on the specific combination adopted.
Phycosphere of an algal co-culture phycoremediation system: Stability of bacterial communities in an Oedogonium-Stigeoclonium co-culture during cultivation in microbially rich wastewater
Authors: Wood Ethan , Edvardsen Bente , Skjånes Kari , Šupraha Luka
Published: February 2025

Algal-based wastewater remediation systems (phycoremediation) include phycosphere bacterial communities that influence algal growth, pollutant remediation, and downstream applications of biomass as fertilizers or bio-stimulants. This study investigated the bacterial community dynamics in a novel phycoremediation system using a co-culture of the green algae Stigeoclonium sp. and Oedogonium vaucheri. Bacterial abundance was estimated using flow cytometry (FCM), while community composition was assessed through 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. Additionally, 28 bacterial strains were isolated from the bioremediation experiment, cultured, genetically characterized for identification and screened for production of the auxin phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Metabarcoding showed that the free-living bacterial community consisted of bacteria from both the wastewater effluent and the algal inocula, while the attached phycosphere community was dominated by bacteria from the algal inocula, indicating the stability of the algae-associated phycosphere. Taxa known to include plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) were abundant, and several strains produced IAA. The bacterial community composition, combined with the potential production of phytohormone by isolated bacteria indicates symbiotic or commensal algae-microbe interactions within the phycosphere bacterial communities. Sterile filtration of wastewater effluent, including only the algal inoculum bacterial communities, reduced algal biomass production and increased bacterial abundance. This study highlights the critical role of microbial interactions in engineered ecosystems and provides insights for optimizing algal-based wastewater treatment technologies.
Personalized intraoperative arterial pressure management and mitochondrial oxygen tension in patients having major non-cardiac surgery: a pilot substudy of the IMPROVE trial
Authors: Flick Moritz , Vokuhl Christina , Bergholz Alina , Boutchkova Kristina , Nicklas Julia Y. , Saugel Bernd
Published: February 2025

The “Cellular Oxygen METabolism” (COMET) system (Photonics Healthcare, Utrecht, The Netherlands) non-invasively measures mitochondrial oxygen tension (mitoPO2) in the skin. The effects of general anesthesia and major non-cardiac surgery on mitoPO2 remain unknown. In this pre-planned pilot substudy of the “Intraoperative blood pressure Management based on the individual blood PRessure profile: impact on postOperatiVE organ function” (IMPROVE) trial, we measured mitoPO2 from induction of general anesthesia until the end of surgery in 19 major non-cardiac surgery patients (10 assigned to personalized and 9 to routine intraoperative arterial pressure management). In the overall cohort, the median (25th to 75th percentile) preoperative awake mitoPO2 was 63 (53 to 82) mmHg and mitoPO2 after induction of general anesthesia was 42 (35 to 59) mmHg. The intraoperative average mitoPO2 was 39 (30 to 50) mmHg. Thirteen patients (68%) had intraoperative mitoPO2 values below 20 mmHg and the median percentage of surgical time with mitoPO2 < 20 mmHg was 17 (0 to 31)%. MitoPO2 was weakly correlated with mean arterial pressure (repeated measures correlation (rrm(n); rrm(984) = 0.26, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.32; P < 0.001), but not meaningfully with heart rate (rrm(984) = -0.05, 95% confidence interval -0.11 to 0.01; P = 0.117). There was no important difference in intraoperative average mitoPO2 between patients assigned to personalized or to routine intraoperative arterial pressure management (P = 0.653). MitoPO2 under general anesthesia was about a quarter lower than preoperative awake mitoPO2, substantially fluctuated during major non-cardiac surgery, and transiently decreased below 20 mmHg in about two-thirds of the patients. Personalized – compared to routine – intraoperative arterial pressure management did not increase intraoperative mitoPO2. Whether intraoperative decreases in mitoPO2 are clinically meaningful warrants further investigation.
Adolescent Domestic Abuse and Its Consequences: A Rapid Systematic Review
Authors: Weir Ruth , Adisa Olumide , Blom Niels , Hadjimatheou Katerina , Lamarre Flavia , Carlisle Sophie , Barrow-Grint Katy
Published: February 2025

Purpose

As a phenomenon, abusive behavior between adolescents in intimate relationships remains relatively invisible, due in part to the persistent yet unfounded assumption that domestic abuse is something that occurs between adults. This review investigates adolescent domestic abuse (ADA), by focusing on the impacts and risk factors for adolescents, particularly those under the age of 16, experiencing ADA.

Methods

We conducted a rapid systematic review by searching three electronic databases (PsycInfo, Embase, and Social Sciences Citation Index). We utilized pre-existing systematic reviews to identify relevant primary studies. Findings of the included studies were described and summarized using narrative synthesis.

Results

Seventy-nine studies were identified for inclusion. Synthesis of the findings of these studies identified five categories of risk and protective factors, including bullying and parental intimate partner violence, social and cultural factors, school and neighborhood environment and health and wellbeing. However, the review also identified a gap of qualitative research and a lack of attention to how ADA intersects with cultural factors, gender differences, criminalization, and poor mental health. Many of the studies report on school-based settings, limiting understanding of the role of neighborhood factors in prevention, protection and recovery. Participatory research on help-seeking behaviors of adolescents is rare.

Conclusions

The review synthesized risk and protective factors associated with ADA, especially those occurring between younger adolescents. It highlighted the complex interplay and overlap between using and experiencing violence and abuse and the need for systematic research to inform the development of advocacy, interventions and prevention that is right for young people.
A Proximal-Type Method for Nonsmooth and Nonconvex Constrained Minimization Problems
Authors: Sempere Gregorio M. , de Oliveira Welington , Royset Johannes O.
Published: February 2025

This work proposes an implementable proximal-type method for a broad class of optimization problems involving nonsmooth and nonconvex objective and constraint functions. In contrast to existing methods that rely on an ad hoc model approximating the nonconvex functions, our approach can work with a nonconvex model constructed by the pointwise minimum of finitely many convex models. The latter can be chosen with reasonable flexibility to better fit the underlying functions’ structure. We provide a unifying framework and analysis covering several subclasses of composite optimization problems and show that our method computes points satisfying certain necessary optimality conditions, which we will call model criticality. Depending on the specific model being used, our general concept of criticality boils down to standard necessary optimality conditions. Numerical experiments on some stochastic reliability-based optimization problems illustrate the practical performance of the method.
Patient Experiences of a Postpartum Cardiovascular Disease Intervention Clinic for Pregnancy Complications
Authors: Manthorpe Tegan , Arstall Margaret , Andraweera Prabha H. , Aldridge Emily
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Experiencing a maternal complication of pregnancy conveys a significantly higher risk of developing premature cardiovascular disease compared to having an uncomplicated pregnancy. Postpartum interventions that aim to improve lifestyle and modifiable risk factors for people in this cohort may reduce cardiovascular disease risk. This study will explore the experiences and barriers to attendance of patients referred to one such clinic located in South Australia.

Methods

This qualitative study conducted six focus groups comprised of two-six patients who had attended at least one postpartum intervention clinic appointment (N = 19). Audio recordings were captured and transcribed and NVivo was used to perform a thematic analysis.

Results

Participants found the clinic informative as it educated them on their greater risk of cardiovascular disease and how to reduce this risk. They reported wanting more frequent appointments and the ability to opt in for additional contact, including newsletters and social media groups. We also identified several barriers to attendance, including an unclear clinic referral and appointment booking process, and missing clinic correspondence including appointment letters and pathology forms.

Conclusions for Practice

This study provides insight into the experiences of patients who attended a postpartum cardiovascular disease prevention clinic. The clinic model can be operated in different health care settings to become part of standardized care in the postpartum period for patients who have had a pregnancy complication. Refinement of the clinic model referral and booking processes could reduce potential barriers to patient attendance.
Examining the Potential Mediating Role of Maternal Mental Health in the Association Between Socioeconomic Deprivation and Child Development Outcomes
Authors: Okelo Kenneth , Murray Aja , King Josiah , Hardie Iain , Hall Hildigunnur Anna , Luedecke Emily , Marryat Louise , Thompson Lucy , Minnis Helen , Lombardo Michael , Wilson Philip , Auyeung Bonnie
Published: February 2025

Background

Socioeconomic deprivation has been linked to negative child developmental outcomes including brain development, psychological well-being, educational attainment, and social-emotional well-being. Maternal mental health has also been linked to mothers’ parenting practices and their children’s developmental outcomes. However, limited evidence exists regarding the role of maternal mental health (prenatal and postnatal) in the association between socioeconomic deprivation and children’s developmental outcomes.

Methods

We examined the potential role of maternal mental health in the association between socioeconomic deprivation (SED) and child development outcomes. We used a large linked administrative health dataset covering children born between 2011 and 2015 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Scotland. Of the 76,483 participants, 55,856 mothers with matched children’s developmental outcome data were included. A mediation analysis model, adjusted for confounders and covariates, was used.

Results

Maternal mental health assessed by a history of hospital admissions mediated, but to a small extent, the relationship between SED and children’s developmental outcomes. The average direct effect (ADE), of SED in the first model with a history of hospital admissions, was ADE: ES = − 0.0875 (95% CI = − 0.097, − 0.08; p < 0.001) and ACME: ES = − 0.0002 (95% CI = − 0.001, − 0.0001; p = 0.01). The proportion mediated by the history of mental health admission was 0.3%.

Conclusion

The association between SED and children’s developmental outcomes appears to be partially mediated by maternal mental health, although the proportional-mediated effect was very small.
Erdős-Hajnal Problems for Posets
Authors: Winter Christian
Published: February 2025

We say that a poset

$$(Q,\le _{Q})$$

(
Q
,

≤
Q

)

contains an induced copy of a poset

$$(P,\le _P)$$

(
P
,

≤
P

)

if there is an injective function

$$\phi :P\rightarrow Q$$

ϕ
:
P
→
Q

such that for every two

$$X,Y\in P,\;\; X\le _P Y$$

X
,
Y
∈
P
,

X

≤
P

Y

if and only if

$$\phi (X)\le _Q \phi (Y)$$

ϕ

(
X
)

≤
Q

ϕ

(
Y
)

. We denote the Boolean lattice

$$(2^{[n]},\subseteq )$$

(

2

[
n
]

,
⊆
)

by

$$Q_n$$

Q
n

. Given a fixed 2-coloring c of a poset P, the poset Erdős-Hajnal number of this colored poset is the smallest integer N such that every 2-coloring of the Boolean lattice

$$Q_N$$

Q
N

contains an induced copy of P colored as in c, or a monochromatic induced copy of

$$Q_n$$

Q
n

. We present bounds on the poset Erdős-Hajnal number of general colored posets, antichains, chains, and small Boolean lattices. Let the poset Ramsey number

$$R(Q_n,Q_n)$$

R
(

Q
n

,

Q
n

)

be the least N such that every 2-coloring of

$$Q_N$$

Q
N

contains a monochromatic induced copy of

$$Q_n$$

Q
n

. As a corollary, we show that

$$R(Q_n,Q_n)> 2.02n$$

R
(

Q
n

,

Q
n

)
>
2.02
n

, improving on the best known lower bound

$$2n+1$$

2
n
+
1

by Cox and Stolee (Order 35(3), 557–579 2018).
Innovation incentives and competition for corporate resources
Authors: Dutta Sunil , Fan Qintao
Published: February 2025

This paper investigates how competition for scarce corporate resources impacts innovation incentives within multidivisional firms and, consequently, shapes firms’ preferences for fostering or restricting intra-firm competition. In our model, divisions become privately informed about the potential value of new investment opportunities generated through their innovation initiatives. We demonstrate that intra-firm competition unambiguously reduces divisions’ ex ante innovation incentives. However, it benefits ex post resource allocation by enabling the firm to (i) select the most promising project and (ii) limit the rents divisions earn from their private information. Consequently, a firm’s preference to limit or encourage interdivisional competition hinges on balancing ex post allocative efficiency, which favors increased intra-firm competition, against ex ante innovation incentives, which favor reduced competition. Our analysis identifies plausible conditions under which each organizational design—competitive or exclusive innovation—emerges as the optimal choice.
Techno-economic Efficiency of Water Utilities: a Peer-Evaluation Estimation
Authors: Mocholi-Arce Manuel , Sala-Garrido Ramon , Maziotis Alexandros , Molinos-Senante Maria
Published: February 2025

Water utilities provide water and sanitation services in monopolistic conditions. Hence, assessing their performance through benchmarking is crucial for proper regulation. This research addresses the limitations of self-evaluation Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models commonly used for benchmarking water utilities’ efficiency. Given that these models often lead to overestimated efficiency scores, our study introduces a cross-efficiency analysis framework integrating both self and peer-evaluation perspectives. This innovative approach, applied to a representative sample of Chilean water utilities, uniquely considers unplanned water supply interruptions and sewerage blockages as undesirable outputs, emphasizing service continuity. Average techno-economic efficiency scores based on self-evaluation, and peer-evaluation were 0.681 and 0.388, respectively. Hence, significant techno-economic efficiency overestimations in self-evaluation scores are evident, with implications for regulatory challenges and potential service quality compromises. The data also highlights a considerable opportunity for improvement in water and sanitation continuity in Chilean water utilities. The findings not only shine a spotlight on the inherent biases of prevalent benchmarking techniques but also highlight a substantial avenue for bolstering water and sanitation service continuity within water utilities.
Übergänge zwischen Schule und Erwerbsarbeit
Authors: Schröder Christian
Published: February 2025

Der Übergang von Jugendlichen in die Erwerbsarbeit kann sowohl als gesellschaftliche wie auch als individuelle Herausforderung betrachtet werden. Auf gesellschaftlicher Ebene besteht die Herausforderung darin, angesichts des demografischen Wandels den zunehmenden Mangel an qualifizierten Fachkräften zu bewältigen. Auf individueller Ebene geht es darum, schwierige Entscheidungen in der Bildungs- und Berufsbiografie zu treffen. Dieser Beitrag in der Zeitschrift für Psychodrama und Soziometrie untersucht die Vielschichtigkeit dieses Themas. Einerseits wird die Notwendigkeit beleuchtet, den Anforderungen des Arbeitsmarktes an qualifizierten Jugendlichen gerecht zu werden. Andererseits wird betont, wie wichtig es ist, den Jugendlichen die Freiräume zu ermöglichen, ihre eigenen (beruflichen) Wege zu wählen. In den Schlussfolgerungen des Beitrags werden Bezüge zum Psychodrama aufgezeigt.
Solar–water nexus: on local implications of the procurement and deployment of the first floating solar photovoltaics project in Indonesia
Authors: Rudolph David , Maulidia Martha , Busyrah Hamidah
Published: February 2025

The possibility of deploying floating solar photovoltaic (FPV) systems on water bodies is increasingly promoted as a promising alternative to contested land acquisitions and land use conflicts associated with conventional solar projects, especially in countries of the Global South. In light of this assertion, the paper unpacks emerging issues at the solar–water nexus and explores territorial manifestations of procurement and deployment practices of the first utility-scale floating solar PV project in rural Indonesia, the 145 MW Cirata floating solar power plant. Empirical research draws on two periods of fieldwork conducted before and after construction of the solar farm, including interviews with developers, citizens, regional and local authorities, and fishing organisations and focus group discussions with local communities. We consider local contestations over the deployment of large-scale renewables as embedded in political–economic dynamics of the energy transition, which co-shape development and procurement practices and give rise to tensions between global development processes and local outcomes for host communities. The paper sheds critical light on how the deployment of the FPV project reconfigures residents’ relationships with the water body through an enclosure of parts of the reservoir, the displacement of water-based livelihoods and struggles for compensation and employment in the involved companies to maintain a living next to the solar farm. We conclude by pointing to tensions impinging on the emerging solar–water nexus in Indonesia and beyond, and juxtaposing our empirical insights with contestations associated with the development of land-based solar projects.
Prediction of imminent osteoporotic fracture risk in Danish postmenopausal women—can the addition of self-reported clinical risk factors improve the prediction of the register-based FREM algorithm?
Authors: Christensen Emilie Rosenfeldt , Leth Kasper Westphal , Petersen Frederik Lykke , Petersen Tanja Gram , Möller Sören , Abrahamsen Bo , Rubin Katrine Hass
Published: February 2025

Summary

Obtaining accurate self-reports on clinical risk factors, such as parental hip fracture or alcohol and tobacco use, limits the utility of conventional risk scores for fracture risk. We demonstrate that fracture-risk prediction based on administrative health data alone performs equally to prediction based on self-reported clinical risk factors.

Background

Accurate assessment of fracture risk is crucial. Unlike established risk prediction tools that rely on patient recall, the Fracture Risk Evaluation Model (FREM) utilises register data to estimate the risk of major osteoporotic fracture (MOF). We investigated whether adding self-reported clinical risk factors for osteoporosis to the FREM algorithm improved the prediction of 1-year fracture risk by comparing three approaches: the FREM algorithm (FREMorig), clinical risk factors (CRFonly), and FREM combined with clinical risk factors (FREM-CRF).

Method

Clinical risk factor information was obtained through questionnaires sent to women aged 65–80 years living in the Region of Southern Denmark in 2010, who participated in the Risk-stratified Osteoporosis Strategy Evaluation study. Register data was obtained through national health registers and linked to the survey data. Positive and negative predictive values and concordance statistics were calculated for the performance of each approach using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

Of the 18,605 women included, 280 sustained a MOF within 1 year. All three approaches performed similarly in 1-year fracture risk prediction for low- and high-risk individuals. However, the FREMorig and FREM-CRF approach slightly overestimated fracture risk for medium-risk individuals.

Conclusion

Adding self-reported clinical data to FREM did not increase precision in predicting 1-year MOF risk. The discrimination of FREMorig was similar to that of CRFonly, suggesting it may be possible to estimate fracture risk with the same precision by using register data instead of self-reported risk information. Register-based prediction models may be applicable in individualised risk monitoring or large-scale osteoporosis screening programmes.
Surface Roughness Effect on Turbine Blade Erosion Due to Micro-Sized Particle Impact
Authors: Taherkhani Bahman , Pourkamali Anaraki Ali , Kangarani Farahani Nahid
Published: February 2025

The development of erosion-resistant coatings requires the knowledge of their complex failure mechanisms. Here, the damage due to erosion on smooth and rough surfaces is investigated and compared experimentally and numerically. In a low-speed collision, the smooth surface damage is always symmetrical. Still, the rough surface damage is different depending on the shape of the impact location, and there is no symmetry. In a high-speed collision, there is no difference between the rough and smooth surfaces because the particle energy is high enough to destroy the surface roughness. The effect of particle parameters on gas turbine blade erosion is investigated. For this purpose, the damage to the turbine blade is evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The results show that particle size is an effective parameter in gas turbine blade erosion, more than particle velocity (2.37 times) and particle density (3.21 times). Furthermore, the vertical impact on the rough surface is like an oblique impact on the smooth surface regarding the erosion rate. The relationship between particle parameters, including particle size, density, and velocity, with the particle's kinetic energy is analytically expressed.
Effects of Pretreatment Conditions and Branched Alkanes on Mo/MCM-41 Catalysts in Tandem Alkane Cross-metathesis for Non-hydrogen Polyolefin Recycling
Authors: Ryu Seung Ha , Kang Hankyeul , Kang Jong Hun
Published: February 2025

Chemical plastic recycling has emerged as a crucial approach for advancing carbon neutrality by mitigating CO2 emissions linked to further fossil fuel extraction. However, with most hydrogen currently sourced from fossil fuels, there is growing interest in non-hydrogen chemical recycling pathways. This study explores the degradation of heavy hydrocarbons through tandem alkane cross-metathesis (TACM), employing MoOx/MCM-41 as the olefin metathesis catalyst, which demonstrates high reactivity and stability. Despite these advantages, we observed that Mo migration during pretreatment leads to catalytic deactivation in the tandem system, presenting a significant challenge. To counter this, we developed a two-step pretreatment protocol that effectively mitigates Mo migration across different supports, thus enhancing overall catalyst performance. In addition, we discovered that the presence of branched products adversely impacts the TACM system, contrasting with their promotional behavior in traditional olefin metathesis processes. The MoOx/MCM-41 + Pt/Al2O3 catalyst system, operating at 250–300 °C, efficiently reduced the molecular weight of polyethylene, highlighting its potential for non-hydrogen chemical recycling applications.
Symptoms, Imaging Features, Treatment Decisions, and Outcomes of Patients with Top of the Basilar Artery Syndrome: Experiences from a Comprehensive Stroke Center
Authors: Lieschke Franziska , Rauch Maximilian , Roller Bastian , Schaefer Jan Hendrik , Schaller-Paule Martin A.
Published: February 2025

Background

From visual, ocular, and pupillomotor abnormalities to qualitative and more importantly rapid quantitative disturbances of consciousness, top of the basilar artery syndrome (TOBS) represents a diagnostic challenge in neurocritical care. In this monocentric retrospective cross-sectional study, we will describe this particular patient group in detail and highlight its variability and the associated implications.

Methods

Consecutive patients with radiologically confirmed TOBS presenting to our comprehensive stroke center were analyzed from 2010 to 2022. Baseline parameters at admission, including clinical symptoms, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and imaging parameters (mode and success of recanalization measured by the Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction [TICI] score, extent of infarct, and infarct localization), were assessed. Functional dependence at discharge was analyzed with the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and Barthel Index.

Results

We assessed 96 eligible patients with a mean age of 70 (SD ± 14) years, 41.67% of whom were female. The median NIHSS score at admission was 19 (interquartile range [IQR] 8–35), and the median GCS score was 7 (IQR 3–15). Dysphagia was identified in 51.72% of patients, with a significant number discharged with nasogastric tubes. Most patients received both intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) (47%), whereas 32% received MT only, and 10% received no acute recanalizing therapy. Patients receiving both IVT and MT had higher frequencies of successful vessel revascularization (higher TICI scores) and better clinical outcomes compared to those receiving only MT (median mRS score 4 [IQR 2–5] vs. 5 [IQR 2–6], p = 0.046). Multivariable regression analysis confirmed that successful recanalization (TICI) and GCS score at admission were key predictors of functional outcomes.

Conclusions

A large proportion of patients presenting with TOBS were severely affected by a significant reduction in vigilance, a condition that persists in the absence of recanalization and is then associated with a relevant dependency.
SEOM-GEIS Spanish clinical guidelines for the management of soft‑tissue sarcomas (2024)
Authors: Serrano César , Arregui Marta , Carrasco Irene , Hindi Nadia , Martínez-Trufero Javier , Martínez-García Jerónimo , Molina Áurea , Paisán Ana , Sánchez Raúl , Sala María Ángeles
Published: February 2025

Soft-tissue sarcomas are rare, diverse malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin, requiring diagnosis and treatment by a specialized multidisciplinary team. Initial assessment includes radiology and biopsy, followed by wide surgical resection with clear margins for localized cases. Radiotherapy is recommended for large, deep, high-grade tumors or after incomplete resection, while perioperative chemotherapy may be considered for high-risk cases. In oligometastatic disease, combining local and systemic therapies is an option. Anthracycline-based chemotherapy is the first-line treatment in advanced disease, though other drugs show efficacy in certain subtypes. Given the limited options, enrolling in clinical trials is advised for patients needing further treatment.