bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy and Reserve Scheduling of Distribution Network in Presence of Electric Vehicle Aggregators: A Decentralized Approach
Authors: Tazikeh Lemeski Atena , Ebrahimi Reza , Zakariazadeh Alireza , Firuzi Keyvan
Published: January 2025

Bilateral energy transactions between electric vehicles (EVs) and the power grid are managed by entities called aggregators (AGGs) who work as private or network operator’s agents. The remarkable effects of the AGG’s behavior on network parameters entail the provision of coordinated schedules and consideration of network conditions and constraints. In this paper, a novel approach is presented for independent coordinated scheduling of EV charge/discharge via private AGGs, distributed generators (DGs), and the distribution network operator (DSO). The goal is the maximization of AGG profit from energy transactions along with the least network operation costs and improvement of network indices. The objective function of the proposed approach also includes AGG capability to provide the network with spinning reserve which brings incentive payments. For realistic addressing of the problem, the uncertainties related to EV arrival/departure times and their initial State of Charge (SOC) are simulated via different scenarios. The problem is solved using the fast alternating direction method of multipliers (FADMMs) which is well suited for independent‐objective optimizations with a fast convergence rate. The proposed distributed algorithm is tested and evaluated on a standard distribution network consisting of AGG and DGs. The results indicate that ignoring network conditions and constraints leads to impractical decisions whereas consideration of DSO requirements by the distributed algorithm will deliver a profitable schedule for AGGs while protecting their privacy and fulfilling DSO’s economical and technical objectives.
Identification of a TNIK-CDK9 axis as a targetable strategy for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer
Authors: Puleo Noah , Ram Harini , Dziubinski Michele L. , Carvette Dylan , Teitel Jessica , Sekhar Sreeja C. , Bedi Karan , Robida Aaron , Nakashima Michael M. , Farsinejad Sadaf , Iwanicki Marcin , Senkowski Wojciech , Ray Arpita , Bollerman TJ , Dunbar James , Richardson Peter , Taddei Andrea , Hudson Chantelle , DiFeo Analisa
Published: January 2025

Up to 90% of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) patients will develop resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, posing substantial therapeutic challenges due to a lack of universally druggable targets. Leveraging BenevolentAI’s AI-driven approach to target discovery, we screened potential AI-predicted therapeutic targets mapped to unapproved tool compounds in patient-derived 3D models. This identified TNIK, which is modulated by NCB-0846, as a novel target for platinum-resistant HGSC. Targeting by this compound demonstrated efficacy across both in vitro and ex vivo organoid platinum-resistant models. Additionally, NCB-0846 treatment effectively decreased Wnt activity, a known driver of platinum resistance; however, we found that these effects were not solely mediated by TNIK inhibition. Comprehensive AI, in silico, and in vitro analyses revealed CDK9 as another key target driving NCB-0846’s efficacy. Interestingly, TNIK and CDK9 co-expression positively correlated, and chromosomal gains in both served as prognostic markers for poor patient outcomes. Combined knockdown of TNIK and CDK9 markedly diminished downstream Wnt targets and reduced chemotherapy-resistant cell viability. Furthermore, we identified CDK9 as a novel mediator of canonical Wnt activity, providing mechanistic insights into the combinatorial effects of TNIK and CDK9 inhibition and offering a new understanding of NCB-0846 and CDK9 inhibitor function. Our findings identified the TNIK-CDK9 axis as druggable targets mediating platinum resistance and cell viability in HGSC. With AI at the forefront of drug discovery, this work highlights how to ensure that AI findings are biologically relevant by combining compound screens with physiologically relevant models thus supporting the identification and validation of potential drug targets.
Figure S2 from Serially Quantifying TERT Rearrangement Breakpoints in ctDNA Enables Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring in Patients with Neuroblastoma
Authors: Hollander Jan F. , Szymansky Annabell , Wünschel Jasmin , Astrahantseff Kathy , Rosswog Carolina , Thorwarth Anne , Thole-Kliesch Theresa M. , Chamorro González Rocío , Hundsdörfer Patrick , Hauptmann Kathrin , Schmelz Karin , Gürgen Dennis , Rogasch Julian M.M. , Henssen Anton G. , Fischer Matthias , Schulte Johannes H. , Eckert Cornelia , Eggert Angelika , Lodrini Marco , Deubzer Hedwig E.
Published: January 2025

Figure S2
Figure 3 from Serially Quantifying TERT Rearrangement Breakpoints in ctDNA Enables Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring in Patients with Neuroblastoma
Authors: Hollander Jan F. , Szymansky Annabell , Wünschel Jasmin , Astrahantseff Kathy , Rosswog Carolina , Thorwarth Anne , Thole-Kliesch Theresa M. , Chamorro González Rocío , Hundsdörfer Patrick , Hauptmann Kathrin , Schmelz Karin , Gürgen Dennis , Rogasch Julian M.M. , Henssen Anton G. , Fischer Matthias , Schulte Johannes H. , Eckert Cornelia , Eggert Angelika , Lodrini Marco , Deubzer Hedwig E.
Published: January 2025

Targeted ctDNA-based TERT breakpoint and ALK p.R1275Q markers persist in patient P3. A, The graphical display integrates biosample and analysis type along the patient P3 course timeline for TERT rearrangement breakpoint (violet) and ALK p.R1275Q copies (green, top time line) and selected clinical case information (bottom time line). Light yellow and white backgrounds represent different treatment modules. B, TERT breakpoint and ALK p.R1275Q quantification in tumor tissue-derived genomic DNA and murine blood-derived ctDNA from the PDX model of P3. BM, bone marrow; HVA, homovanillic acid in urine/g creatinine; INRC, International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria; max., maximum; mIBG, [123I]meta-iodobenzylguanidine; NDD, no detectable disease; NSE, neuron-specific enolase; PD, progressive disease; PDX, patient-derived xenograft; RIST, molecularly targeted multimodal therapy consisting of metronomic courses of rapamycin/dasatinib and irinotecan/temozolomide; SIOPEN, The European Association for Neuroblastoma Research; T, tumor; VMA, vanillylmandelic acid in urine/g creatinine.
Figure 2 from Serially Quantifying TERT Rearrangement Breakpoints in ctDNA Enables Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring in Patients with Neuroblastoma
Authors: Hollander Jan F. , Szymansky Annabell , Wünschel Jasmin , Astrahantseff Kathy , Rosswog Carolina , Thorwarth Anne , Thole-Kliesch Theresa M. , Chamorro González Rocío , Hundsdörfer Patrick , Hauptmann Kathrin , Schmelz Karin , Gürgen Dennis , Rogasch Julian M.M. , Henssen Anton G. , Fischer Matthias , Schulte Johannes H. , Eckert Cornelia , Eggert Angelika , Lodrini Marco , Deubzer Hedwig E.
Published: January 2025

Clearance of TERT breakpoint sequence from ctDNA during induction therapy in patient P2. TERT rearrangement breakpoint copies (detected by ddPCR in purified ctDNA and genomic DNA) and selected clinical case information (below time line) are shown for longitudinally collected samples (type and time indicated in the graphical display) from patient P2. Light yellow and white backgrounds represent different treatment modules. BM, bone marrow; CR, complete remission; DD, detectable disease; HVA, homovanillic acid in urine/g creatinine; INRC, International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria; max., maximum; mIBG, [123I]meta-iodobenzylguanidine; MR, minor response; NDD, no detectable disease; NSE, neuron-specific enolase; PR, partial response; S, surgery; SD, stable disease; SIOPEN, The European Association for Neuroblastoma Research; VMA, vanillylmandelic acid in urine/g creatinine.
Simulation of a liquid propellant rocket engine manufacturing assembly line utilizing the PFS/PN methodology
Authors: Santos Jhonatan Ribeiro dos , Ferrer Eduardo Seiji Suguimoto Miyazato
Published: January 2025

The system addressed in this paper pertains to an assembly line for liquid propellant rocket engines equipped with turbopump. The challenge involves automating the process of metal 3D printing for the turbopump and combustion chamber, followed by heat treatment for stress relief, X-ray computed tomography inspection, and the subsequent movement of components throughout the factory. To achieve this, the PFS/PN methodology was employed to facilitate a detailed analysis of the system, ensuring control over its inputs and outputs. The system was simulated using the ProModel Discrete Event Simulator, and the results were scrutinized, indicating the robustness of the simulation. Following the Ladder methodology, programming for Programmable Logic Controllers was also developed.
Andador com mecanismo de erguimento e sistema de monitoramento de caminhada
Authors: Leal Gabriela Kazumi Ono , Kimoto Leticia Miyuki , Horikawa Oswaldo
Published: January 2025

Com o envelhecimento da população, o desgaste físico dos cuidadores de idosos com baixa mobilidade tem se tornado um problema cada vez mais relevante para a sociedade. Para abordar essa questão, este trabalho desenvolveu um andador equipado com um mecanismo de elevação de pacientes a partir da posição sentada e com um sistema de aquisição de dados para monitorar as condições de caminhada. Inicialmente, foram realizadas análises teóricas para determinar as melhores estratégias de elevação de uma pessoa a partir da posição sentada, identificando a posição ideal dos apoios para a manobra, os principais riscos à segurança do paciente, como quedas, e os dados mais relevantes para o monitoramento da caminhada. Com base nessas informações e nos requisitos do projeto, foram estudados modelos existentes de andadores com mecanismos de elevação, os quais serviram como referência para o design inicial. Alterações foram implementadas durante a fase de prototipagem. O andador projetado utiliza uma alavanca acionada pelo cuidador com os pés para o mecanismo de elevação. Ele também inclui faixas de segurança para prevenir quedas, apoios para braços e joelhos, rodas com travas e um sistema de monitoramento que registra dados como oxigenação, frequência cardíaca, desequilíbrios, velocidade e aceleração. Um protótipo de madeira foi construído e submetido a testes, os quais demonstraram que o equipamento apresenta boa ergonomia e viabilidade de uso. Observou-se uma maior facilidade na elevação do paciente, exigindo menor esforço por parte do cuidador.
Residual Mitral Regurgitation Interacts With Transmitral Mean Pressure Gradient to Modify the Association With Mortality Following Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair
Authors: Duggal Neal M. , Engoren Milo , Sorajja Paul , Lim D. Scott , Rogers Jason H. , Chadderdon Scott M. , Zahr Firas E. , Rodriguez Evelio , Morse M. Andrew , Garcia-Sayan Enrique , Sodhi Nishtha , Calfon Press Marcella A. , Ailawadi Gorav
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND:

The association, if any, between the transmitral mean pressure gradient (TMPG) after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and 1-year mortality is controversial in patients undergoing mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with the MitraClip system. We sought to estimate the association between intraoperatively measured residual mitral regurgitation (rMR) and TMPG and 1-year mortality among patients undergoing mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair to facilitate decisions on additional devices.

METHODS:

In patients with severe secondary (functional) MR, we analyzed registry data using generalized estimating equations. Both rMR and TMPG were nonlinearly transformed using fractional polynomials.

RESULTS:

We studied 570 patients with secondary MR who underwent mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair in 11 centers. Most patients were men (61%) and averaged 72±12 years of age. Most (78%) patients had TMPG <5 mm Hg and 22% had TMPG ≥5 mm Hg. Postprocedural MR severity improved substantially, being ≤2+ in 95% (with ≤1+ in 76%), 3+ in 3%, and 4+ in 2%. 1-year mortality was 20%. After adjustment for confounders, rMR (odds ratio, 2.10 [95% CI, 1.88–2.35];
P
<0.001 for rMR
.5
) and TMPG remained associated with mortality, with odds ratios of 1.26 (95% CI, 1.19–1.32), 1.84 (1.58–2.10), and 3.13 (2.31–3.98) for TMPG values of 4, 6, and 8, respectively, compared with TMPG=2 mm Hg at rMR=1+.

CONCLUSIONS:

Both rMR and TMPG were nonlinearly associated with 1-year mortality. At low levels of rMR, changes in TMPG are associated with only small changes in the risk of death. Conversely, at higher levels of rMR, even small changes in TMPG are associated with larger changes in the absolute risk of death.
Modeling neural contrast sensitivity functions in human visual
cortex
Authors: Roelofzen Carlien , Daghlian Marcus , van Dijk Jelle A. , de Jong Maartje C. , Dumoulin Serge O.
Published: January 2025

The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) characterizes visual function, and is widely used in research on visual perception and ophthalmological disorders. The CSF describes the lowest contrast level that participants can perceive as a function of spatial frequency. Here, we present a new method to estimate the neural equivalent of the CSF that describes how a population of neurons responds to contrast as a function of spatial frequency. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 7 Tesla, we measured neural responses while participants viewed gratings that varied systematically in contrast and spatial frequency. We modeled the neural CSF (nCSF) using an asymmetric parabolic function, and we modeled the transition from no response to full response using a contrast response function (CRF). We estimated the nCSF parameters for every cortical location by minimizing the residual variance between the model predictions and the fMRI data. We validated the method using simulations and parameter recovery. We show that our nCSF model explains a significant amount of the variance in the fMRI time series. Moreover, the properties of the nCSF vary according to known systematic differences across the visual cortex. Specifically, the peak spatial frequency that a cortical location responds to decreases with eccentricity and across the visual hierarchy. This new method will provide valuable insights into the properties of the visual cortex and how they are altered in both healthy and clinical conditions.
Fast and reliable quantitative measures of white matter development
with magnetic resonance fingerprinting
Authors: Yablonski Maya , Zhou Zihan , Cao Xiaozhi , Schauman Sophie , Liao Congyu , Setsompop Kawin , Yeatman Jason D.
Published: January 2025

Developmental cognitive neuroscience aims to shed light on evolving relationships between brain structure and cognitive development. To this end, quantitative methods that reliably measure individual differences in brain tissue properties are fundamental. Standard qualitative MRI sequences are influenced by scan parameters and hardware-related biases, and also lack physical units, making the analysis of individual differences problematic. In contrast, quantitative MRI can measure physical properties of the tissue but with the cost of long scan durations and sensitivity to motion. This poses a critical limitation for studying young children. Here, we examine the reliability of an efficient quantitative multiparameter mapping method—magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF)—in children scanned longitudinally. We focus on T1 values in white matter, since quantitative T1 values are known to primarily reflect myelin content, a key factor in brain development. Forty-nine children aged 8–13 years (mean 10.3 years ± 1.4) completed 2 scanning sessions 2–4 months apart. In each session, two 2-min 3D-MRF scans at 1 mm isotropic resolution were collected to evaluate the effect of scan duration on image quality and scan–rescan reliability. A separate calibration scan was used to measure B0 inhomogeneity and correct for bias. We examined the impact of scan time and B0 inhomogeneity correction on scan–rescan reliability of values in white matter, by comparing single 2-min and combined two 2-min scans, with and without B0 correction. Whole-brain voxel-based reliability analysis showed that combining two 2-min MRF scans improved reliability (Pearson’s r = 0.87) compared with a single 2-min scan (r = 0.84), while B0 correction had no effect on reliability in white matter (r = 0.86 and 0.83 4- vs. 2-min). Using diffusion tractography, we segmented major white matter fiber tracts and examined the profiles of MRF-derived T1 values along each tract. We found that T1 values from MRF showed similar or greater reliability compared with diffusion parameters. Lastly, we found that R1 (1/T1) values in multiple white matter tracts were significantly correlated with age. In sum, MRF-derived T1 values were highly reliable in a longitudinal sample of children and replicated known age effects. Reliability in white matter was improved by longer scan duration but was not affected by B0 correction, making it a quick and straightforward scan to collect. We propose that MRF provides a promising avenue for acquiring quantitative brain metrics in children and patient populations where scan time and motion are of particular concern.
Hybrid approach for parametric optimization of wire-electrochemical spark micromachining of borosilicate glass
Authors: Bhuyan B. K. , Bhuyan Pravabati , Porwal R. K.
Published: January 2025

This work intends to implement a hybrid strategy for the multiobjective optimization of a wire-electrochemical spark micromachining (WECSMM) process, integrating the Taguchi technique and response surface approach. Initially, the optimum level of process variables, such as, thickness of workpiece, feed velocity of wire, concentration of electrolyte, and applied voltage, are evaluated using the characteristic loss function of Taguchi. After the process variables are optimized, the response surface model is built and refined using the central values that represent the best values. An experimental plan for borosilicate glass slicing was carried out during WECSMM, utilizing the L9 Taguchi design process. For simultaneous optimization, the two attribute criteria like surface roughness ( Ra) and material removal rate (MRR) have been chosen. When comparing the outcomes of a single strategy with the hybrid approach, the results demonstrate a significant increase in both quality aspects. As contrasted to Taguchi Methodology (TM), the couple approach was shown to increase MRR by 192% and lower Ra by 10%, respectively.
Selenium nanoparticles enhance metabolic and nutritional profile in Phaseolus vulgaris: comparative metabolomic and pathway analysis with selenium selenate
Authors: Abdelsalam Asmaa , Gharib Fatma Abd El Lateef , Boroujerdi Arezue , Abouelhamd Nada , Ahmed Eman Zakaria
Published: January 2025

Selenium is a beneficial element in agriculture, particularly for its potential to improve plant growth and stress tolerance at suitable concentrations. In this study, Phaseolus vulgaris was foliar-sprayed with selenium selenate (Se) or selenium nanoparticles (SeNP) at different concentrations during the vegetative stage; afterward, the seed yield was analyzed for metabolomics using 1H, J-resolved and HSQC NMR data, and NMR databases. A total of 47 metabolites were identified with sugars being the major chemical class. In the control sample, the most abundant sugar was stachyose (14.6 ± 0.8 mM). Among the identified alkaloids, the concentration of trigonelline was the highest (0.6 ± 0.08 mM). Chemometric and cluster analyses distinctly differentiated the control from the Se and SeNP-treated samples. Treatments with SeNP resulted in elevated concentrations of sugars, carboxylic acids, and sulfur-containing amino acids compared to control and Se treated samples. Conversely, betaine levels were higher in Se samples. The presence of Se and SeNP significantly decreased the levels of several aliphatic amino acids, e.g. alanine. The addition of 50 µM SeNP upregulated the levels of trigonelline and syringate by 2-fold and 1.75-fold, respectively, relative to the control. Pathway analysis indicated the most significantly altered pathways due to SeNP addition were arginine biosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism. The pathways influenced by Se addition were glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism as well as glycine-serine and threonine metabolism. This study proved that SeNP are more efficient than Se in enhancing the metabolic profile of Phaseolus vulgaris which will have implications for agricultural practices, focusing on the sustainability and nutritional enhancement of crops.
Resilience-based interventions in the public sector workplace: a systematic review
Authors: Hollaar Malin H. L. , Kemmere Bram , Kocken Paul L. , Denktaş Semiha
Published: January 2025

Background

Previous studies have advocated the benefits of resilience-based interventions for creating a healthy and sustainable workforce. However, resilience is defined and measured in diverse ways. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is (1) to identify how resilience is defined within different workplace interventions, translated into intervention content, and measured in these interventions; and (2) to synthesize the effectiveness of these interventions.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted and included articles from 2013 – 2023. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, covering a total of 26 unique interventions. Definitions were categorized as: resilience as a trait, process, or outcome. Cohen’s D was calculated to depict the effect sizes within the intervention groups from pre-test to post-test and, when possible, from pre-test to 3-month follow-up.

Results

Included studies applied a wide range of definitions; most definitions fitted within the trait-orientation, conceptualizing resilience as an individual characteristic or ability, or the process-orientation, conceptualizing resilience as a dynamic process. No studies solely used the outcome-orientation, but some did combine elements of all three orientations. Various definitions, measures and intervention strategies were applied, however, almost half of the studies (46%) showed inconsistencies within these choices. Furthermore, findings show that most resilience-based interventions in the workplace have a positive impact. While educational workshops with a higher frequency and duration had medium to large effects, solely digital interventions had small effects, changing to small to medium when combined with non-digital elements.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that resilience-based can benefit employees by enhancing their psychological well-being. This, in turn, can lead to improved work-related outcomes such as productivity, thereby offering advantages to employers as well. This underscores the growing recognition that resilience should be viewed as a shared responsibility between the individual and the organization. Further advancement in the field of resilience-based interventions in the workplace calls for future research to focus on maintaining consistency when choosing a definition of resilience, developing intervention content, and choosing an outcome measure.

Preregistration

The search protocol was preregistered in the Open Science Framework, see Hollaar et al. (2023). https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/UKYF7.
Community benefits of mass distribution of three types of dual-active-ingredient long-lasting insecticidal nets against malaria prevalence in Tanzania: evidence from a 3-year cluster-randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lukole Eliud Andrea , Cook Jackie , Mosha Jacklin F , Matowo Nancy S , Kulkarni Manisha A , Mallya Elizabeth , Aziz Tatu , Martin Jacklin , Rowland Mark , Kleinschmidt Immo , Manjurano Alphaxard , Mosha Franklin W , Protopopoff Natacha
Published: January 2025

Background

Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) were once fully effective for the prevention of malaria; however, mosquitoes have developed resistance to pyrethroids, the main class of insecticides used on nets. Dual active ingredient LLINs (dual-AI LLINs) have been rolled out as an alternative to pyrethroid (PY)-only LLINs to counteract this. Understanding the minimum community usage at which these LLINs elicit an effect that also benefits non-users against malaria infection is important.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of a 3-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 84 clusters in North-western Tanzania to evaluate the effectiveness of three dual-AI LLINs: pyriproxyfen and alpha(α)-cypermethrin, chlorfenapyr and α-cypermethrin, and the piperonyl-butoxide (PBO) and permethrin compared to α-cypermethrin only LLINs. We measured malaria infection prevalence using 5 cross-sectional surveys between 2020 and 2022. We assessed net usage at the cluster level and malaria infection in children aged from 6 months to 14 years in 45 households per cluster. The trial was registered as a clinical trial on www.clinicaltrials.gov: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03554616) on 2018-06-13.

Results

A total of 22,479 children from 12,654 households were tested for malaria using rapid diagnostic tests in January 2020, 2021, & 2022 and July 2020 & 2021. Among non-users, community-level usage of > 40% of dual-AI LLIN was significantly associated with protection against malaria infection: chlorfenapyr arm (OR: 0.44 (95% CI: 0.27–0.71), p = 0.0009), PBO arm (OR: 0.55 (95% CI: 0.33–0.94), p = 0.0277) and pyriproxyfen arm (OR: 0.61 (95% CI: 0.37–0.99), p = 0.0470) compared with non-users in clusters with > 40% usage of pyrethroid-only LLINs. There were indications of some protection against malaria infection to non-users in the chlorfenapyr arm when community-level usage was ≤ 40% (OR: 0.65 (95% CI: 0.42–1.01), p = 0.0528) compared to those living in clusters with > 40% usage of pyrethroid-only LLINs.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that at a community usage of 40% or more of dual-AI LLINs non-users benefited from the presence of these nets. Noticeably, even when usage was ≤ 40% in the chlorfenapyr arm, non-users were better protected than non-users in the higher coverage pyrethroid-only arm. The greater difference in malaria risk observed between users and non-users indicates that LLINs play a crucial role in providing personal protection against malaria infection for the people using the net.
Falls and balance impairment; what and how has this been measured in adults with joint hypermobility? A scoping review
Authors: Wang Yiduo , Strutton Paul H. , Alexander Caroline M.
Published: January 2025

Background

People with joint hypermobility have excessive joint flexibility, which is more common in young women. The people with symptomatic hypermobility report poor balance and even falls. This scoping review aims to identify and map the available evidence related to balance and falling in adults with joint hypermobility to support research planning and ideas for treatment direction.

Methods

A framework for the search was constructed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) approach. Electronic searches of primary evidence were performed using the following databases: Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus and EMBASE. Papers written in English and published between 1946 and November 2023 were included. Titles, abstracts, and full papers were independently screened by two reviewers. Data extracted related to the population, the concept under investigation, the method of measurement, the level of evidence and the result.

Results

Nineteen of 1,950 screened articles were included. In terms of the population, details related to ethnicity of the research participants was missing. The hypermobility classification criteria varied; it was not always clear if people who were hypermobile had symptoms. Concepts related to fear of falling, balance and adaptive strategies prompted by different postural tasks with and without vision were explored. Centre of pressure, muscle activity, kinematics and psychological factors were measured using force plates, electromyography (EMG), motion capture, patient and clinician reported outcome measures, focus groups and interviews. Most papers were low on the hierarchy of evidence (i.e. equal or lower than a case control study). The participants with joint hypermobility had increased sway, different muscle activity, and different kinematics compared to people without hypermobility. When surveyed, they commonly fell and had a fear of falling.

Conclusions

It is unclear whether the participants represent the population of people with hypermobility. Different classification systems were used making it difficult to generalise the results. Although the methods used suggest a low level of evidence, it seems clear that people who are hypermobile have poor balance. The underlying mechanisms driving poor balance have not been explored in depth.
Mental health literacy among primary care providers in Hungary: a vignette-based survey
Authors: Swisher Valerie S. , Őri Dorottya , Rihmer Zoltán , Wernigg Róbert
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study examined mental health literacy and predictors of disorder recognition among primary care providers (PCPs) in Hungary.

Methods

208 PCPs in Hungary completed a survey assessing demographics, mental health stigma, and exposure to mental health (i.e., personal experiences and having a family member/friend with a mental health condition). Participants read six vignettes describing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) harm/aggression subtype (OCD-Aggression), OCD order/symmetry subtype (OCD-Order), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), panic disorder (PD), and major depressive disorder (MDD) and were asked to identify each condition, perceived disorder causes, and provide treatment referrals. Descriptive analyses were used to characterize disorder recognition rates, perceived disorder causes, and treatment referrals. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the degree to which demographic characteristics, mental health stigma, and exposure to mental health conditions predict accurate disorder recognition.

Results

Identification rates for each vignette were: OCD-Aggression (27.9%), OCD-Order (75.5%), SAD (34.1%), GAD (76.0%), PD (78.8%), and MDD (91.3%). First-choice treatment referrals were a psychiatrist for OCD-Aggression (63.0%), OCD-Order (53.8%), and MDD (46.6%), a psychologist/therapist for SAD (58.7%) and GAD (48.6%), and a PCP for PD (39.9%). Mislabeling conditions was significantly associated with older age (for GAD, OCD-Aggression, PD and MDD), male gender (for GAD), greater mental health stigma (for OCD-Order), and lack of exposure to mental health conditions (for SAD).

Conclusions

Findings highlight strengths (e.g., depression recognition) and limitations in knowledge of mental health conditions among PCPs in Hungary and identifies targets to address to improve mental health literacy.
Dynamic analysis of the epidemiology and pathogen distribution of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in children with severe pulmonary infection: a retrospective study
Authors: Yu Muchun , Li Mingchao , Sun Huiqing
Published: January 2025

Background

Severe pulmonary infection is the primary cause of death in children aged < 5 years. The early identification of pathogenic bacteria and targeted anti-infective therapies can significantly improve the prognosis of children with severe infections. This study aims to provide a reference for the rational use of antibiotics at an early stage in children with severe pulmonary infections.

Methods

A retrospective, single-center longitudinal study included children with severe pulmonary infections between January 2017 and December 2022 by obtaining their bacterial culture results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Results

This study included 4080 samples. The age of onset for severe pulmonary infection increased annually. The proportion of severe pulmonary infections across the different age groups and years was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Among children with severe pulmonary infections, bacilli were the most prevalent, followed by cocci and fungi. The predominant bacilli were Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The predominant cocci identified in this study were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The primary fungi included Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus, which showed significant differences (p < 0.05). The incidence of drug-resistant bacteria has gradually declined, with infection rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases consistently decreasing annually. For carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the infection rates peaked in 2018, with statistical significance (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Severe pulmonary infections in children are significantly associated with age and types of infectious pathogens. Gram-negative bacteria are the primary cause of severe pulmonary infections in children. Clinicians should rationally use antibiotics according to the local distribution and drug resistance of pathogens, thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes.
Sequential separation of anti-diabetic drugs in the presence of melamine as impurity using chromatographic methods
Authors: Magdy Maimana A. , Abdelrahman Maha M. , Mohamed Doaa G. , Ahmed Amal B.
Published: January 2025

The study of green analytical chemistry has garnered significant attention in the context of mitigating global environmental contamination. In this study, we present two methodologies for environmentally friendly chromatography that enable simultaneous and specific determination of Saxagliptin (SAX), metformin (MET), and a pharmacopoeial impurity of MET known as melamine (MEL). The initial method employed in this study is High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), which utilized 60 F 254 silica gel-coated Mark HPTLC plates on aluminum sheets as the stationary phase. The developing system was made up of a mix of ethyl acetate: methanol: ammonia: glacial acetic acid in a ratio of 6:4:1:0.3 (v/v/v/v). The analysis was performed at a wavelength of 215 nm. The second method employed in this study is ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). In this method, a C18 column was utilized for the separation process. The mobile phase was made up of a mix of methanol and 0.01 M sodium dodecyl sulfate, with a pH of 3.3 achieved by adding orthophosphoric acid. The ratio of methanol to sodium dodecyl sulfate in the mobile phase was 70:30 (v/v). The flow rate of the mobile phase was established at a rate of 1.5 mL/min. The peaks found and recorded are resolved at a wavelength of 215 nm. The three analytes under investigation were successfully separated and assessed using the recommended protocols. Both methods were validated following the International Council for Harmonization (ICH) recommendations for assessing linearity, range, accuracy, precision, specificity, and robustness. Moreover, the environmental sustainability of the advanced methodologies The assessment has been performed using various instruments, such as the Analytical Eco-Scale, NEMI, GAPI, and AGREE. The utilization of these tools was implemented in order to perform a comprehensive assessment of the environmental sustainability of the methods, as well as to establish a comparison with previously documented approaches. This study was carried out to evaluate the potential environmental implications of the suggested methods and to determine their suitability for concurrent analysis of the examined pharmaceuticals in formula and quality control units.
Exploring technical and vocational education and training and its relationship to employment in Nepal: a mixed methods study
Authors: Paudel Prakash Kumar , Parajuli Mahesh Nath , C Bhattarai Prakash
Published: January 2025

This study was conducted to explore the relationship between actors of education and employment systems in Nepali Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. The study measured the engagement of actors from both systems in the curriculum process: design, application, and feedback phases. Further, it explained why the actors of these systems have weak relationships in Nepal. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach. First, we collected the information with 124 TVET experts with at least five years of experience to calculate the linkage index score. Second, we interviewed 15 individuals who were the respondents in the first survey. The survey revealed that although the education and employment system has gradually increased collaboration in the last few years, particularly since 2018, education actors still have more power for decision-making across all three curriculum phases. The study revealed that employers’ lack of meaningful participation in the curriculum design phase impedes them from engaging in the curriculum application and excludes them in the feedback phase. This study contributes an essential insight to bridging a gap between actors of the education and employment system.
Patients’ Experiences With Opioid Tapering in Noncancer Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis
Authors: Young Sophie A. , Liu Shania , Patanwala Asad E. , Naylor Justine M. , Stevens Jennifer , Penm Jonathan
Published: January 2025

Tapering opioids is an effective strategy to reduce the risks associated with long-term opioid therapy. However, patients’ experience with tapering can influence the success of this treatment. Understanding patients’ experiences with opioid tapering will allow for patient-centered approaches to be adopted to tailor interventions to achieve safe and successful taper outcomes. This paper aims to synthesize qualitative data capturing patients’ experiences with opioid tapering for noncancer pain. Qualitative studies in English that explored patients’ experiences with opioid tapering in noncancer pain were included. MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to March 2023. Two authors independently selected the studies, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. A meta-synthesis allowed for overarching themes to be identified to form a new interpretation of the data in the context of past literature. From 5714 articles identified, 10 studies were included that met the inclusion criteria after title/abstract screening and full-text review. These studies involved 218 patients with experience tapering opioids. Three key themes guiding the new meta-synthesis were identified: (1) patient-provider interactions, (2) individualized care, and (3) tactics to manage the opioid tapering process. This review demonstrated the role that patient-provider interactions, tailored care, and effective tapering strategies play in facilitating a favorable patient experience during the opioid tapering process. Future research should incorporate the themes identified in this review to optimize the patient’s taper experience.
“Knowing Our Difference”: Class and the Literary Zombie
Authors: McCann Sean
Published: January 2025

In bringing literary sophistication to the zombie story, Colson Whitehead and Ling Ma also transformed the ideological core of the genre, changing it from a narrative of civilizational collapse and survival to a drama of professional-class status anxiety and status election. Although Whitehead and Ma emphasize the racial identity of their protagonists, the central concern of their novels lies in a vindication of class superiority, which the novels cast less as socioeconomic advantage than as spiritual endowment. In this way, their narratives function as allegories of the justification of social hierarchy that Pierre Bourdieu calls “sublimation.”
A Useless Pyramid: Figure and Surplus in William Petty’s Treatise of Taxes
Authors: Walton Alex
Published: January 2025

William Petty (1623–87) has long been recognized as one of the founders of political economy—“one of the first to see through the nature of value,” as Karl Marx put it. To do so, in Petty’s case, also meant entangling early modern political economy in poiēsis: in imaginative fabrication and mental image-breaking. This essay is concerned with Petty’s theorization of surplus or “supernumerary” population and with the enduring motif of a “useless pyramid upon Salisbury Plain” that was its superfluous product. The double status of Petty’s supernumerary labor, at once evacuated into “labor pure and simple” and made to reoccupy the ideologically charged and apocalyptic “temple-work” of his more zealous contemporaries, allows it to register the dynamism of capitalism as a system: as a “moving contradiction” coupling necessity and nonnecessity.
Multispecies comparisons support a startle response origin for a novel vibrational signal in the cricket tribe Lebinthini
Authors: Phillips Mia E. , Marr Hannah , Schöneich Stefan , Robillard Tony , ter Hofstede Hannah M.
Published: January 2025

Many animals communicate using call and response signals, but the evolutionary origins of this type of communication are largely unknown. In most cricket species, males sing and females walk or fly to calling males. In the tribe Lebinthini, however, males produce calls that trigger a vibrational reply from females, and males use the substrate vibrations to find the responding female. Here we assess two hypotheses regarding the behavioral origin of this multimodal duet in the Lebinthini. We conducted playback experiments and measured behavioral and neuronal responses in multiple related cricket species to assess whether the precursor to the lebinthine duet was 1) a startle response to high-frequency sound, or 2) elaboration of a preexisting courtship behavior. We found behavioral similarities between the vibrational response of Lebinthini females and the acoustic startle behavior in other gryllid crickets. Specifically, the amplitude of the vibrational reply increases with male song amplitude in Lebinthini, and the magnitude of vibrations produced by two gryllid species when startled with ultrasound also correlates with the stimulus amplitude. Like in-flight startle behavior, the startle vibrations produced by perched crickets are suppressed when low-frequency sound is played simultaneously. We also observed courtship behavior in four gryllid species and found few instances of female vibration. Vibrational signals observed in Gryllus pennsylvanicus females were not correlated with male calls and occurred more frequently in pairs that did not mate after courtship. Combined, accumulating evidence supports the hypothesis that the lebinthine duet more likely evolved from a startle precursor than courtship behavior.
Role of the sarcin-ricin loop of 23S rRNA in biogenesis of the 50S ribosomal subunit
Authors: Fakhretaha Aval Sepideh , Seffouh Amal , Moon Kyung-Mee , Foster Leonard , Ortega Joaquin , Fredrick Kurt
Published: January 2025

The sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) is one of the most conserved segments of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Translational GTPases (trGTPases), such as EF-G and EF-Tu and IF2, form contacts with the SRL that are critical for GTP hydrolysis and factor function. Previous studies showed that expression of 23S rRNA lacking the SRL confers a dominant lethal phenotype in E. coli. Isolated ΔSRL particles were found to be not only inactive in protein synthesis but also incompletely assembled. In particular, block 4 of the subunit, which includes the peptidyl transferase center, remained unfolded. Here, we explore the basis of this assembly defect. We find that 23S rRNA extracted from ΔSRL subunits can be efficiently reconstituted into 50S subunits, and these reconstituted ΔSRL particles exhibit full peptidyl transferase activity. We also further characterize ΔSRL particles purified from cells, using cryo-EM and proteomic methods. These particles lack density for rRNA and r-proteins of block 4, consistent with earlier chemical probing data. Incubation of these particles with excess total r-protein of the large subunit (TP50) fails to restore substantial peptidyl transferase activity. Interestingly, proteomic analysis of control and mutant particles shows an overrepresentation of multiple assembly factors in the ΔSRL case. We propose that one or more GTPases normally act to release assembly factors, and this activity is blocked in the absence of the SRL.
How leaders reach to ethical leadership: An unfolding item response theory analysis
Authors: Mitropoulou Eirini Marina , Zampetakis Leonidas
Published: January 2025

Ethical leadership (EL) is considered an important determinant of occupational antecedents, and the focus is on understanding its nomonological network. Theory initially suggested that there is an evident graduation in the manifestation of leading with ethics in the workplace, expressed by three different styles of leadership depending on their commitment to ethics: the ethical leader, the ethically-neutral leader, and the hypocritical/fake ethical leader. To date, this proposed graduation, based on the leaders' responses to ethics, has not been empirically tested. In the present study, an item response theory (IRT) model under the ideal point response/unfolding paradigm is used to examine this graduation. Approximately 650 Greek leaders fulfilled the self-report Questionnaire of ethical Leadership (QueL). The results supported that the unfolding IRT model – suggesting graduation in the response processes of individuals - showed a worse fit compared to the non-unfolding model (namely dominant) IRT model; moreover, the item location parameters didn’t reveal any cluster of response to the QueL’s items. Findings contribute greatly to ethical leadership both theoretically and empirically. From a theoretical perspective, EL is best described as a monotonic linear response construct, which highly depends on the leader's ethical virtues and behaviors and their likelihood of endorsing an ethical leadership item. Ethics is the core determinant for discerning what is right and what is wrong in the workplace. To this end, any difference in ethical leadership manifestation (i.e. ethically neutral leadership behaviors) should be regarded as a distinct construct, refraining from the genuine ethical behaviors and virtues of the leader. From an empirical perspective, implications for training and measurement are also discussed.
Towards an integration of different approaches to social influence: from thought-listing to source-message evaluation
Authors: Papastamou Stamos , Prodromitis Gerasimos , Gardikiotis Antonis
Published: January 2025

The present paper aims to contribute to a convergence of two distinct approaches to social influence, one based on persuasion literature, and one based on the genetic model of social influence. Moreover, the goal is to disentangle the conditions that affect the complex relations among source status (majority vs. minority), kind of influence (direct vs. indirect), type of argumentation (strong vs. weak), and psychological processes (cognitive processing vs. comparison validation elaboration). In both experiments source status and argument quality were manipulated, and a third independent variable was introduced, the introduction (or not) of a thought listing task (Experiment 1), and the introduction of differential psychological process, cognitive processing (via a thought listing task) vs. comparison validation elaboration (via a source-message evaluation) (Experiment 2). Analyses showed that, in Experiment 1, the no-thought list conditions led to greater direct influence whereas the thought listing conditions led to greater indirect influence. Also, minority influence was greater than majority influence. In Experiment 2, only in the thought-listing conditions, as in Experiment 1, strong arguments led to greater direct influence than weak arguments; for indirect influence significant results were found for minority source only: weak arguments were more influential in thought listing condition than source-message evaluation condition and strong arguments in source-message evaluation condition. These findings are discussed in the light of bringing together two distinct thus far approaches to social influence.