bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The correlation between LAG-3 expression and the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy in advanced biliary tract cancer
Authors: Tang Cheng-Yu , Lin Yi-Ting , Yeh Yi-Chen , Chung Shin-Yi , Chang Yu-Chan , Hung Yi-Ping , Chen San-Chi , Chen Ming-Huang , Chiang Nai-Jung
Published: January 2025

In our previous phase II T1219 trial for advanced biliary tract cancer (ABTC), the combination of nivolumab with modified gemcitabine and S-1 exhibited promising efficacy, while the programmed-death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression did not predict chemoimmunotherapy efficacy. Lymphocyte-activation-gene-3 (LAG-3), a negative immune checkpoint, is frequently co-expressed with PD-L1. This study assessed the predictive value of LAG-3 expression in ABTC patients who received chemoimmunotherapy. We analyzed 44 formalin-fixed ABTC samples using immunohistochemical staining for PD-L1 and LAG-3 and correlated them with the clinical efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy. Digital spatial profiling was conducted in selected regions of interest to examine immune cell infiltration and checkpoint expression in six cases. Three public BTC datasets were used for analysis: TCGA-CHOL, GSE32225, and GSE132305. LAG-3 positivity was observed in 38.6% of the ABTC samples and was significantly correlated with PD-L1 positivity (P < 0.001). The objective response rate (ORR) was significantly higher in LAG-3-positive tumors than in LAG-3-negative tumors (70.6% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.029). The LAG-3 expression level was associated with an increased ORR (33%, 58%, and 100% for LAG-3 < 1%, 1–9%, and ≥ 10%, respectively; P = 0.018) and a deeper therapeutic response (20.1%, 38.6%, and 57.6% for the same respective groups; P = 0.04). LAG-3 expression is positively correlated with the expression of numerous immune checkpoints. Enrichment of CD8+ T cells was observed in LAG-3-positive BTC, indicating that LAG-3 expression may serve as a biomarker for identifying immune-inflamed tumors and predicting the therapeutic response to chemoimmunotherapy in ABTC.
Anti-PD1-/PDL1-induced chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction: three cases treated with vedolizumab after corticosteroid failure with mixed results
Authors: Zenatri Morgan , Collins Michael , Alberto Tifanie , Farina Antonio , Collardeau-Frachon Sophie , Saint-Jean Mélanie , Bocquet François , Dumont Frederic , Honnorat Jérôme , Joubert Bastien , Raimbourg Judith
Published: January 2025

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), i.e., anti-PD1/PDL1 and anti-CTLA-4, have reshaped the prognosis of many cancers. Increased use of ICI has led to the onset of new adverse events. Neurological immune-related adverse events are rare, heterogenous, and potentially life-threatening. Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is an immune-related autonomic plexus neuropathy that may be caused by infiltration of the myenteric plexus by CD8 + T cells. It is a rare and potentially fatal side effect that can be difficult to diagnose early because of initial nonspecific clinical presentation including vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. Some rare cases have been described in the literature reporting a frequent resistance to corticosteroids making it necessary to use other immunosuppressive therapy. Vedolizumab is an antibody (Ab) blocking integrin α4-β7 used to treat inflammatory bowel disease. We report the first three cases of ICI-induced CIPO-treated with vedolizumab after corticosteroid failure, with very limited benefits (only one patient with transitory improvement). Based on our results in three cases, vedolizumab does not currently appear to be a therapeutic option. Earlier administration with a standardized dose and frequency schedule may provide better outcomes.
Unsupervised clustering reveals noncanonical myeloid cell subsets in the brain tumor microenvironment
Authors: Hermelo Ismaïl , Virtanen Tuomo , Salonen Iida , Nätkin Reetta , Keitaanniemi Sofia , Tiihonen Aliisa M. , Lehtipuro Suvi , Kummola Laura , Raulamo Ella , Nordfors Kristiina , Haapasalo Hannu , Rauhala Minna , Kesseli Juha , Nykter Matti , Haapasalo Joonas , Rautajoki Kirsi
Published: January 2025

The tumor immune microenvironment (TiME) of human central nervous system (CNS) tumors remains to be comprehensively deciphered. Here, we employed flow cytometry and RNA sequencing analysis for a deep data-driven dissection of a diverse TiME and to uncover noncanonical immune cell types in human CNS tumors by using seven tumors from five patients. Myeloid subsets comprised classical microglia, monocyte-derived macrophages, neutrophils, and two noncanonical myeloid subsets: CD3+ myeloids and CD19+ myeloids. T lymphocyte subsets included double-negative (CD4− CD8−) T cells (DNTs). Noncanonical myeloids and DNTs were explored on independent datasets, suggesting that our DNT phenotype represents γδ T cells. Noncanonical myeloids were validated using orthogonal methods across 73 patients from three independent datasets. While the proportions of classical myeloids agreed with reported malignancy type-associated TiMEs, unexpectedly high lymphocyte frequencies were detected in gliosarcoma, which also showed a unique expression pattern of immune-related genes. Our findings highlight the potential of data-driven approaches in resolving CNS TiME to reveal the mosaic of immune cell types constituting TiME, warranting the need for future studies on the nonclassical immune cell subsets.
A morphometric study of posterior tibial slope differences by sex and ethnicity in a South African population
Authors: Hohmann Erik , Nel Adri , Zyl Reinette van , Natalie Natalie , Mogale Nkhensani
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Posterior tibial slope (PTS) influences knee kinetics and kinematics. The purpose of this study was to investigate morphology and variation within a sample of the black and white male and female population.

Method

480 randomly selected lateral knee radiographs were included. The anterior tibial cortex angle (ATC), proximal anatomical tibial axis angle (PTAA) and the posterior tibial cortex angle (PTC) were measured using ImageJ 1.53e software. Between group differences (black male and females, white males and females) were analysed using one-way ANOVA.

Results

Significant differences between the three different angles (p = 0.0001, F = 50.68) but no between group differences for the individual angle measurements (ATC, PTAA, PTC) between ethnicity and sex. For ATC, the angles between groups ranged from 14.20 + 2.81 degrees (Females Black), 14.62 + 3.6 degrees (Male Black), 15.18 + 3.68 degrees (Male White) to 15.54 + 3.21 degrees (Females White). For PTAA, the angles between groups ranged from 10.37 + 2.59 degrees (Females Black), 10.61 + 3.27 degrees (Male Black), 10.68 + 3.27 degrees (Male White) to 10.83 + 3.27 degrees (Females White). For PTC, the angles between groups ranged from 6.07 + 3.13 degrees (Females White), 6.13 + 3.7 degrees (Male White), 6.35 + 2.67 degrees (Females Black) to 6.62 + 3.16 degrees (Male Black).

Conclusion

This study could not establish differences in posterior tibial slope angles between males and females and ethnicity. Significant differences between ATC, PTAA and PTC angles were observed and PTC angles were smaller when compared to PTAA and ATC angles. The ATC angles ranged between 13.18 and 16.57 degrees, the PTAA angles ranged 9.38–11.87 degrees and the PTC angles ranged between 5.03 and 7.62 degrees for all groups.
PD-L1 expression in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is not a biomarker of response to BCG
Authors: de Jong Florus C. , Kvikstad Vebjørn , Hoedemaeker Robert F. , van der Made Angelique C. J. , van der Bosch Thierry P. , van Casteren Niels J. , van Kessel Kim E. M. , Zwarthoff Ellen C. , Boormans Joost L. , Zuiverloon Tahlita C. M.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Up to 50% of high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC) patients fail Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment, resulting in a high risk of progression and poor clinical outcomes. Biomarkers that predict outcomes after BCG are lacking. The antitumor effects of BCG are driven by a cytotoxic T cell response, which may be controlled by immune checkpoint proteins like Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1). Here, we hypothesized that PD-L1 protein expression could serve as a biomarker for BCG-failure.

Methods

HR-NMIBC patients who received ≥ 5 BCG instillations were included. Tissue microarrays were constructed from BCG-naïve tumors and recurrences and stained with the PD-L1 (SP142) antibody. PD-L1 status was defined as ≥ 5% tumor-infiltrating immune cells with membrane staining in the tumor area. Clinicopathological associations with PD-L1 positive tumors were investigated, and time-to-event analyses were performed comparing PD-L1 positive vs. negative tumors.

Results

432 BCG-naïve tumors and 160 recurrences were included, and 91% of patients received adequate BCG. In BCG-naïve tumors, PD-L1 was expressed in 7% of patients and PD-L1 expression was associated with stage T1 versus Ta disease (p = 0.015). PD-L1 expression was not associated with treatment failure after adequate BCG (p = 0.782) nor with progression-free survival (p = 0.732). Testing cut-offs of ≥ 1% and ≥ 10% PD-L1 positivity did not alter results. High PD-L1 expression was more frequent in tumor recurrences (14%) as compared to BCG-naïve tumors (p = 0.012).

Conclusion

PD-L1 expression in HR-NMIBC is not a biomarker of response to BCG. However, PD-L1 is higher in a subset of tumors that failed BCG treatment. More research is needed to determine the role of PD-L1 in tumors where BCG treatment failed.
Kirners deformity – a systematic review and surgery recommendations
Authors: Fülling Tim , Baade Carsten , Dragu Adrian , Nicklas Antek
Published: January 2025

Background

Kirner deformity is a rare anomaly of the little finger in adolescents, characterized by a deformity of the distal phalanx and a radiologically L-shaped epiphysis, along with palmar and radial angulation of the distal phalanx. Due to the rarity of these pathological findings, there are no systematic literature reviews available. This work serves as an overview of the clinical presentation, frequency and age distributions, as well as possible conservative and surgical treatment options.

Methods

We present five cases of patients with Kirner’s deformity of the little finger who underwent surgical treatment. A partial tenotomy of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon from the metaphyseal/diaphyseal distal phalanx was performed. In one case, a dorsal epiphysiodesis was also carried out. Additionally, a systematic review of the literature on Kirner’s deformity was conducted, summarizing the prevalence, previously used surgical treatment options, and epidemiological data.

Results

In the presented cases, the detachment of the FDP tendon and dorsal epiphysiodesis resulted in a good functional and aesthetic outcome. Regarding the epidemiological distribution of Kirner deformity, it is noted that significantly more females are affected than males (63% vs. 36%). The average age at presentation in the respective clinic was 9.36 years (± 2.5). In more than half of all reported cases, the deformity was bilateral. Surgical intervention was performed in only 7.4% of cases, which included FDP detachment or corrective osteotomies. More than 90% of patients were treated conservatively.

Conclusion

Kirner’s deformity is a rare condition affecting adolescents. In cases where functional limitations or pain symptoms are present, we recommend surgical intervention via detachment of the FDP tendon. If the deformity is an incidental finding without functional or aesthetic limitations, conservative therapy with a corrective splint can be initiated. From our perspective, early surgical treatment before the age of 12 improves both the long-term functional and aesthetic outcomes.
Intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute dizziness or imbalance and suspected ischemic stroke-systematic review
Authors: Edlow Jonathan A. , Tarnutzer Alexander A.
Published: January 2025

Background

Correct identification of those patients presenting with an acute vestibular syndrome (AVS) or an acute imbalance syndrome (AIS) that have underlying posterior-circulation stroke (PCS) and thus may benefit from revascularization (intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), endovascular therapy (EVT)) is important. Treatment guidelines for AVS/AIS patients are lacking. We reviewed the evidence on acute treatment strategies in AVS/AIS focusing on predictors for IVT/EVT and outcome.

Methods

We performed a systematic search (MEDLINE, Embase) to identify studies reporting on acute treatment in PCS presenting as AVS/AIS (PROSPERO-registration = CRD42024537272). Key parameters were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed (Downs-and-Black quality assessment checklist).

Results

We identified 3883 citations and included seven study cohorts (n = 1000 patients including 950 ischemic strokes). Overall, 251/1000 patients (25.1%) received IVT; EVT was performed in 46/368 (12.5%). Acute vertigo/dizziness was reported in 295/1000 (29.5%) patients. AVS criteria were met in 186/407 (45.7%) patients evaluated, and AIS criteria in 82/346 (23.7%). IVT was reported in 71/195 (36.4%) AVS/AIS patients and EVT in 13/77 (16.9%) cases, whereas the door-to-needle time (DNT) was significantly longer for PCS compared to anterior-circulation stroke (90 ± 29min vs. 74 ± 30min, p = 0.003) in one study. DNT was similar in those patients presenting with AVS/AIS compared to all PCS presentations in another study (70 ± 39min (AVS/AIS) vs. 63 ± 35min (all)). An mRS

$$\le$$

≤

2 after 90 days was noted in 68.4–69.6% of PCS. No outcome data were identified for AVS/AIS patients.

Conclusions

Insufficient data exist to drive any firm recommendation about treating otherwise eligible patients with AVS/AIS with IVT/EVT and judgments must be made on a case-by-case basis. Further research on this specific patient group is needed.
FREIGHT: Fast Streaming Hypergraph Partitioning
Authors: Eyubov Kamal , Fonseca Faraj Marcelo , Schulz Christian
Published: January 2025

Partitioning the vertices of a (hyper)graph into k roughly balanced blocks such that few (hyper)edges run between blocks is a key problem for large-scale distributed processing. A current trend for partitioning huge (hyper)graphs using low computational resources are streaming algorithms. In this work, we propose FREIGHT: a Fast stREamInG Hypergraph parTitioning algorithm which is an adaptation of the widely-known graph-based algorithm Fennel. By using an efficient data structure, we make the overall running of FREIGHT linearly dependent on the pin-count of the hypergraph and the memory consumption linearly dependent on the numbers of nets and blocks. The results of our extensive experimentation showcase the promising performance of FREIGHT as a highly efficient and effective solution for streaming hypergraph partitioning. Our algorithm demonstrates competitive running time with the Hashing algorithm, with a geometric mean runtime within a factor of four compared to the Hashing algorithm. Significantly, our findings highlight the superiority of FREIGHT over all existing (buffered) streaming algorithms and even the in-memory algorithm HYPE, with respect to both cut-net and connectivity measures. This indicates that our proposed algorithm is a promising hypergraph partitioning tool to tackle the challenge posed by large-scale and dynamic data processing.
LBPMobileNet-based novel and simple leather image classification method
Authors: Varghese Anjli , Jawahar Malathy , Prince A. Amalin , Gandomi Amir H.
Published: January 2025

This article presents the design of a robust leather species identification technique. It aims to intertwine deep learning with leather image analysis. Hence, this work collects and analyzes large-scale leather image data for diverse learning. The data involve 7600 unique images with species-distinct and varied pore patterns from four species. It proposes a novel dual-stream architecture for accurate leather image classification. It is a fusion of local binary pattern-based texture analysis and MobileNet-based adaptive feature learning, hence the name LBPMobileNet. The former highlights the local structural pattern of an image, and the latter efficiently learns the species’ uniqueness. The dual-stream model analyzes two sources of images to provide more reliable and robust learning from different textured images. At the same time, it adopts two MobileNets to design a computationally efficient model. Thus, the proposed model utilizes limited resources and provides 96.45% accurate leather image classification. Further, the performance analysis affirms the generalization ability of the proposed model by predicting species from leather images with ideal and complex behavior. It also validates the robustness and computational efficiency of the proposed model with the state-of-the-art deep learning models. Thus, this study proves the relevance of local binary patterns, fused feature analysis, dual-stream architecture, and deep learning for efficient leather image analysis. It, thereby, assists the leather experts by developing an automatic and accurate species prediction method.
Inhaltliche und strukturelle Erwartungen an ein Tageshospiz
Authors: Kaiser Ulrich , Vehling-Kaiser Ursula , Fiedler Moritz , Hoffmann Ana , Chalupper Romina , Rechenmacher Michael , Kaiser Florian
Published: January 2025

Hintergrund

Tageshospize stellen eine neue Form der ambulanten palliativmedizinischen Versorgung in Deutschland dar. Trotz erster Empfehlungen existieren einheitliche Leitlinien zur inhaltlichen und strukturellen Ausrichtung noch nicht.

Ziel der Arbeit

Im Rahmen der IMPULS-Studie (Untersuchung zur Implementierung, Umsetzung und Nutzen eines Tageshospizes) wurden Patienten, Angehörige und Experten zu ihren Erwartungen bezogen auf die Institution Tageshospiz befragt, um die weitere Gestaltung und Umsetzung von Tageshospizen zu optimieren.

Material und Methoden

Es wurde ein Leitfaden für die Interviews mit offenen Fragen zu Definition, Zielen und inhaltlichen sowie organisatorischen Aspekten eines Tageshospizes entwickelt. Die Auswertung erfolgte mittels hermeneutischer Textinterpretation.

Ergebnisse

Elf qualitative Interviews wurden durchgeführt. Ein Tageshospiz sollte v. a. sozialer Isolation von Patienten entgegenwirken, Angehörige entlasten und die palliativ-pflegerische Versorgung sicherstellen. Bevorzugt werden Öffnungszeiten von 8 bis 16 Uhr, geschultes Personal, medizinische Betreuung, Barrierefreiheit, Einzel‑/Gruppenzimmer, ein ansprechendes Ambiente, ein Garten und ein ausgewogenes Beschäftigungsprogramm. Der Name „Tageshospiz“ wird kontrovers diskutiert. Wünschenswert wäre die Weitergabe von Informationen zum Angebot Tageshospiz über Hausärzte/Sozialdienste, digitale Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und flächendeckende Versorgung.

Diskussion

Patienten, Angehörige und Experten erwarten von einem Tageshospiz einen positiven Nutzen für dessen Gäste und deren Angehörige. Für die genaue Umsetzung des Projekts „Tageshospiz“ wurden im Rahmen der Interviews praktische Hinweise gegeben. Der weitere Aufbau und die Entwicklung von Tageshospizen bleiben mit Spannung abzuwarten und sollten durch Studien begleitet werden.
A comprehensive bibliometric analysis on social network anonymization: current approaches and future directions
Authors: Yazdanjue Navid , Yazdanjouei Hossein , Gharoun Hassan , Khorshidi Mohammad Sadegh , Rakhshaninejad Morteza , Amiri Babak , Gandomi Amir H.
Published: January 2025

In recent decades, social network anonymization has become a crucial research field due to its pivotal role in preserving users' privacy. However, the high diversity of approaches introduced in relevant studies poses a challenge to gaining a profound understanding of the field. In response to this, the current study presents an exhaustive and well-structured bibliometric analysis of the social network anonymization field. To begin our research, related studies from the period of 2007–2022 were collected from the Scopus Database and then preprocessed. Following this, the VOSviewer was used to visualize the network of authors’ keywords. Subsequently, extensive statistical and network analyses were performed to identify the most prominent keywords and trending topics. Additionally, the application of co-word analysis through SciMAT and the Alluvial diagram allowed us to explore the themes of social network anonymization and scrutinize their evolution over time. These analyses culminated in an innovative taxonomy of the existing approaches and anticipation of potential trends in this domain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first bibliometric analysis in the social network anonymization field, which offers a deeper understanding of the current state and an insightful roadmap for future research in this domain.
On the adoption and deployment of secure and privacy-preserving IIoT in smart manufacturing: a comprehensive guide with recent advances
Authors: Abdullahi Sani M. , Lazarova-Molnar Sanja
Published: January 2025

The adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in smart manufacturing has recently seen a boost in economic and technological advancement. This is attributed to improved operational efficiency resulting from streamlined interoperability, decreased downtime, and real-time processing as compared to conventional manufacturing industries. It also brings with it a massive deployment of intelligent systems and devices from both the Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) realms within the Industrial IoT (IIoT) infrastructure, thus creating a heterogeneous interconnectivity. However, such inherent interconnectivity introduces significant security and privacy challenges. To mitigate these challenges, researchers and cybersecurity experts have recently proposed different defense mechanisms for the different facets of the cyber landscape within the IIoT infrastructure. Nevertheless, most of these techniques require major technical expertise to be implemented. Also, there is a lack of specific follow-through guides on how to adopt and implement such mechanisms. This paper aims to fill that gap by providing in-depth guidance on adopting and deploying different defense mechanisms designed to mitigate various cyber threats while ensuring secure and privacy-preserving IIoT infrastructure. The article first emphasizes the implications of cyber threats targeting IIoT tools and infrastructure as well as vulnerabilities emerging due to IT and OT convergence. It then delves into recent state-of-the-art protection mechanisms designed to mitigate these attacks based on a robust framework that includes all defenses. In addition, comprehensive guides to be adopted for a secure and privacy-preserving IIoT are provided. Finally, other challenges and open research questions are presented to pave the way towards efficient deployment of secure and privacy-preserving schemes for the IIoT in smart manufacturing.
In the era of responsible artificial intelligence and digitalization: business group digitalization, operations and subsidiary performance
Authors: Sun Wei , Ren Shuang , Tang Guiyao
Published: January 2025

With the rapid development of digital technologies, responsible AI has become a critical focus for ensuring ethical and socially conscious advancements in business and operations management. The integration of responsible AI practices in business groups’ digital transformations is essential to mitigate potential risks and maximize the positive impact on operational efficiency, supply chain performance, and subsidiary performance. This study aims to examine the consequences and mechanisms through which responsible group digitalization influences business group’s operation management, as manifested in subsidiary performance within the context of the digital economy. Analyzing data from 202 affiliated subsidiaries, we examine the role of HRM collaboration and technological turbulence in facilitating group digitalization. This study enriches the operations management literature and expands the application of ethical and responsible AI practices in digitalization by investigating the relationship between business group digitalization and business operations. Furthermore, this study provides practical implications pertaining to how ethical and responsible practices can guide group digital transformations, business operations and enhance the performance of subsidiaries.
First record of the invasive springtail Hypogastrura viatica occurring synanthropically in East Antarctica
Authors: Onley I. R. , Houghton M. J. , Liu W. P. A. , Shaw J.
Published: January 2025

Antarctica is increasingly vulnerable to invasive species, some of which have already established on the Antarctic Peninsula. The East Antarctic environment is currently recorded to be free from established non-native invertebrates. Here we report the first record of a highly invasive springtail species, Hypogastrura viatica (Collembola: Hypogastruridae), in East Antarctica in 2020. The animals were detected live in the unpacking of imported fresh produce at an Antarctic research station. This is the first record of the transfer of H. viatica to Antarctica via fresh food. Fresh produce is an uncommon pathway for H. viatica, as the species is typically associated with coastal or wet inland environments. Extensive management and surveillance were undertaken following detection, however, taxonomic identification of specimens did not occur until May 2024. We highlight the importance of mandatory reporting and prompt identification of non-native species detections to ensure appropriate responses to future incidents. A lack of species identification may lead to more serious consequences for the environment and ecosystems of East Antarctica.
The Impact of Ethical Leadership on Black Employees’ Workplace Experiences: Echoes from Black Culture and History
Authors: Rice Darryl B. , Maxie Jamila , Massey MaQueba , Edevbie Nero , Day Steven
Published: January 2025

The goal of our work is to explore and highlight factors that contribute to positive experiences of Black employees. To accomplish this, we integrate behavioral ethics research into the Black scholarship literature. Specifically, we focus on the role of ethical leadership. We leverage signaling theory to explain the Black cultural implications associated with ethical leadership and how ethical leaders create racially just workplaces. Across three studies (i.e., one cross-sectional field study and two experimental vignettes), we demonstrate that ethical leadership operates as a welcoming signal for Black employees, which positively impacts Black employees’ evaluations of psychological diversity climate. By cultivating Black employees’ evaluations of psychological diversity climate, Black employees are more likely to be engaged and are less likely to be ostracized in the workplace, which are key indicators of a racially just workplace. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. We conclude with limitations and future research ideas.
In Their Words: Effective Strategies for Supporting Newly Resettled Refugee Background Adolescents in a Community-Based Program
Authors: Huang Grace H. C. , Marsh Monica Miller , Paul Naila Asad
Published: January 2025

Background

Amidst rapid developmental changes, refugee-background adolescents (RBAs) face unique challenges during resettlement, including adapting to new cultures, languages, and educational systems, while often dealing with pre-migration trauma. These youth need support to navigate educational and career pathways in their host countries. Using asset-based approaches, Teen Response (TR), a community-based program, aims to help newly resettled refugee youth reach their educational and career goals.

Objective

This study examines the strategies used by Teen Response (TR) to support RBAs in their educational and career pathways, as perceived by the participants.

Method

This research is part of a larger study exploring RBAs’ experiences in a community-based program. This paper focuses on the findings from focus group data collected from fifteen RBAs, offering in-depth insights into their experiences and perspectives within a community-based program.

Results

Analysis reveals three pivotal themes that significantly shaped the participants’ experiences: the learning environment, language competency support, cultural knowledge and skills enhancement in career pathways, and the need for extended support. Additionally, RBAs requested extended time in the program and advocated for all schools in the district to have access to TR.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore the importance of community-based support programs responsive to the distinct needs of RBAs and highlight the value of strategies that incorporate youths’ voices and perspectives.
Association of mental health in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood with cardiovascular risk factors and carotid remodeling below age 30 - results from the KiGGS cohort study
Authors: Büschges Julia Charlotte , Beyer Ann-Kristin , Schmidt-Trucksäss Arno , Berger Klaus , Neuhauser Hannelore
Published: January 2025

An association of mental health and in particular depression with cardiovascular disease has been shown in adults and to a lesser extent in the young. Recently improved measurement methods of carotid-intima media thickness (CIMT) and carotid stiffness (CS) allow more differentiated analyses of this link. We examined 4,361 participants of the nationwide KiGGS cohort aged 3–17 years at baseline and 14–28 years at follow-up. Using linear and logistic regressions, we analyzed cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of mental health with systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI) and total cholesterol (TC) as well as CIMT and CS from high-resolution carotid sonography at follow-up. Mental health in children was measured with the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and in adults with the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Childhood SDQ scores were associated longitudinally with SBP, BMI and TC (-0.03≤ ß≥ 0.02) but not with CIMT or CS one decade later. Similarly, SDQ at follow-up was associated cross-sectionally with SBP, BMI and TC, but not CIMT or CS. MHI-5 scores were not linked to any outcome. PHQ-9 scores in young adults were associated cross-sectionally with SBP and BMI (-0.26≤ ß≥ 0.01), but not with CIMT or CS. Our study shows that children, adolescents and young adults with impaired mental health also have an increased long-term cardiovascular risk through higher BMI and TC. However, in this sample with predominantly mild mental health impairments carotid remodeling was not evident.
Prevalence and incidence of mastocytosis in adults: a Danish nationwide register study
Authors: Jørgensen Maren Poulsgaard , Øvlisen Andreas Kiesbye , Jensen Jonas Faartoft , El-Galaly Tarec Christoffer , Dalager Maiken Glud , Vestergaard Hanne , Broesby-Olsen Sigurd , Severinsen Marianne Tang
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Mastocytosis is a group of rare heterogeneous diseases with a prevalence previously found to be 10–23 per 100,000 persons. More awareness and improvements in the diagnostic methods in later years have led to more patients being diagnosed. Here, we set out to present the prevalence and incidence rate of mastocytosis among the adult Danish population. By merging data from the Danish National Patient Register, the Danish Pathology Register and the Danish Cancer Register we included all adult patients (≥ 18 years) diagnosed with mastocytosis in Denmark prior to 2022. A cohort of 1,594 patients with mastocytosis was identified. The prevalence of mastocytosis was 27.43 per 100,000 persons (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25.95–28.96) as of January 1, 2022, and the 25-year average incidence rate between 1997 and 2021 was 1.21 per 100,000 persons (95%CI: 1.02–1.40) with an increasing incidence rate since 2002. We found a higher prevalence of mastocytosis among adults in the Danish population than previously reported, and an increasing incidence rate during the last 20 years. Increased awareness of the disease and better diagnostic methods most likely contributed to this.
Fault detection and diagnosis of the wastewater nitrate and nitrite sensors using PCA and FDA combined with assessment of the economic and environmental impact of the faults
Authors: Luca Alexandra-Veronica , Simon-Várhelyi Melinda , Mihály Norbert-Botond , Cristea Vasile-Mircea
Published: January 2025

One of the leading challenges in Water Resource Recovery Facility monitoring and control is the poor data quality and sensor consistency due to the tough and complex circumstances of the process operation. This paper presents a new principal component analysis fault detection approach for the nitrate and nitrite concentration sensor based on Water Resource Recovery Facility measurements, together with the Fisher Discriminant Analysis identification of fault types. Five malfunction cases were considered: constant additive error, ramp changing error in time, incorrect amplification error, random additive error, and unchanging sensor value error. The faults’ implementation, fault detection, and identification methods are presented and evaluated in terms of accuracy and promptitude. The models are originating from a municipal plant. The amount of required electrical energy and greenhouse gas released during the Water Resource Recovery Facility operation were assessed for the cases of nitrates and nitrites NO sensor normal and malfunctioning regimes. The environmental and economic evaluations show the benefits of detecting and identifying nitrates and nitrites NO sensor defects aimed at providing efficient and environmentally friendly operation of the Water Resource Recovery Facility. The fault-affected operation cases showed increased values, up to 10% for the total energy demand and 4% for the total greenhouse gas emissions, when they are compared to the normal operation case.
Limits of Empathy, Limits of Alterity ? The Challenges and Shortcomings of Empathy with respect to Children and in Child Abuse Situations
Authors: Serban Claudia
Published: January 2025

The alterity of children seems to raise some peculiar problems for empathy: the child is an alter ego whose difference is often regarded as abnormality or deficiency, and whose relation to adults is ineluctably asymmetric. Accordingly, two related threats endanger the respect and the acknowledgment of the child’s particular otherness: the denial of her subjectivity, as well as domination and violence. The paroxystic expression of these interconnected threats can be found in child abuse situations, which deserve special consideration from the standpoint of a phenomenology of intersubjectivity, embodiment and intercorporeality. At the same time, questions can be raised not only about the child abuse perpetrator’s lack of empathy for the child victim, but also about his or her own call for empathy. Combining a phenomenological approach inspired mostly by Husserl and a feminist approach that makes use of Foucault, the paper first attempts to show that the specific alterity of children and their subjectivity can and must be acknowledged in spite of the variations in embodiment between adults and children. The second moment of the inquiry defines the response of adults to the children’s peculiar otherness in terms of responsibility and care, and analyzes the potentialities for domination and abuse implied by the power of adults over children. Finally, the third and last part of the paper deals with the limits of empathy in front of the moral alterity of child abuse perpetrators, relying on Neige Sinno’s reflexive endeavor in Triste Tigre.
Drugs repurposing in the experimental models of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Joodi Sheer A. , Ibrahim Weam W. , Khattab Mahmoud M.
Published: January 2025

The currently approved drugs for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are only for symptomatic treatment in the early stages of the disease but they could not halt the neurodegeneration, additionally, the safety profile of the recently developed immunotherapy is a big issue. This review aims to explain the importance of the drugs repurposing technique and strategy to develop therapy for AD. We illustrated the biological alterations in the pathophysiology of AD including the amyloid pathology, the Tau pathology, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, insulin signaling impairment, wingless-related integration site/β-catenin signaling, and autophagy. Additionally, we demonstrated the different repurposed drugs in the experimental models of AD including the anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, antiepileptic, antidepressant and anticancer drugs. Further, we showed the pipeline and FDA approved drugs for AD. The repurposed drugs have a promising therapeutic activity against AD, confirming the value of the drugs repurposing technique to elucidate curative therapy for AD.

Graphical abstract
Religious Fundamentalism, but Not Centrality of Religiosity, is Related to Online Conformity: A Study Based on Asch’s Paradigm
Authors: Misiak Magdalena , Paruzel-Czachura Mariola
Published: January 2025

Humans are inherently social beings and are often subject to social influence, a phenomenon known as conformity. But what traits characterize individuals who conform to group opinions? We aimed to examine the potential impact of religiosity and religious fundamentalism on conformity. With the growth of technology, many decisions are now made online, such as during video meetings. This shift prompted us to investigate online conformity in a pre-registered study. To measure conformity, we adapted Asch’s paradigm, using actors in an online video meeting to perform a simple perceptual task based on the classic line-length procedure. Our study focused on two constructs: (1) centrality of religiosity across its dimensions and (2) religious fundamentalism. We hypothesized that higher religiosity and higher levels of religious fundamentalism would be associated with greater online conformity. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that religious fundamentalism positively correlated with online conformity, whereas centrality of religiosity showed no relationship with conformity in the online setting.
Modelling the Impact of HIF on Metabolism and the Extracellular Matrix: Consequences for Tumour Growth and Invasion
Authors: Spinicci Kévin , Powathil Gibin , Stéphanou Angélique
Published: January 2025

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a complex structure involved in many biological processes with collagen being the most abundant protein. Density of collagen fibers in the matrix is a factor influencing cell motility and migration speed. In cancer, this affects the ability of cells to migrate and invade distant tissues which is relevant for designing new therapies. Furthermore, increased cancer cell migration and invasion have been observed in hypoxic conditions. Interestingly, it has been revealed that the Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF) can not only impact the levels of metabolic genes but several collagen remodeling genes as well. The goal of this paper is to explore the impact of the HIF protein on both the tumour metabolism and the cancer cell migration with a focus on the Warburg effect and collagen remodelling processes. Therefore, we present an agent-based model (ABM) of tumour growth combining genetic regulations with metabolic and collagen-related processes involved in HIF pathways. Cancer cell migration is influenced by the extra-cellular collagen through a biphasic response dependant on collagen density. Results of the model showed that extra-cellular collagen within the tumour was mainly influenced by the local cellular density while collagen also influenced the shape of the tumour. In our simulations, proliferation was reduced with higher extra-cellular collagen levels or with lower oxygen levels but reached a maximum in the absence of cell-cell adhesion. Interestingly, combining lower levels of oxygen with higher levels of collagen further reduced the proliferation of the tumour. Since HIF impacts the metabolism and may affect the appearance of the Warburg Effect, we investigated whether different collagen conditions could lead to the adoption of the Warburg phenotype. We found that this was not the case, results suggested that adoption of the Warburg phenotype seemed mainly controlled by inhibition of oxidative metabolism by HIF combined with oscillations of oxygen.
Prevalence Estimation Methods for Time-Dependent Antibody Kinetics of Infected and Vaccinated Individuals: A Markov Chain Approach
Authors: Bedekar Prajakta , Luke Rayanne A. , Kearsley Anthony J.
Published: January 2025

Immune events such as infection, vaccination, and a combination of the two result in distinct time-dependent antibody responses in affected individuals. These responses and event prevalence combine non-trivially to govern antibody levels sampled from a population. Time-dependence and disease prevalence pose considerable modeling challenges that need to be addressed to provide a rigorous mathematical underpinning of the underlying biology. We propose a time-inhomogeneous Markov chain model for event-to-event transitions coupled with a probabilistic framework for antibody kinetics and demonstrate its use in a setting in which individuals can be infected or vaccinated but not both. We conduct prevalence estimation via transition probability matrices using synthetic data. This approach is ideal to model sequences of infections and vaccinations, or personal trajectories in a population, making it an important first step towards a mathematical characterization of reinfection, vaccination boosting, and cross-events of infection after vaccination or vice versa.
Short-term application of melatonin can partially restore the mineral balance in heavy-metal treated Amaranthus cruentus var. ‘Pribina’
Authors: Hunková Júlia , Lancíková Veronika , Hricová Andrea , Tomka Marián , Kačírová Jana
Published: January 2025

An excess amount of particular metal ions can cause nutrient imbalance and inhibit plant growth and development. In this preliminary study, the short-term (2 weeks) and long-term (6 weeks) application was carried out to investigate the potential ameliorative effect of foliar application of melatonin and reveal the changes in ion profiles of grain amaranth Amaranthus cruentus var. ‘Pribina’ treated with Cd, Zn, and Mn. Nine elements (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Cu, Fe, Cd, Zn, Mn) were examined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometry. Different ionomic responses were observed in root and shoot tissues. The results showed that Cu, K, Mn and Na were the most affected elements, which significantly changed after heavy metal applications. Application of Zn had the most prominent effect on the alternations in ion concentrations. In addition, short-term melatonin supplementation reduced Cd and Mn root-to-shoot translocation. No marked changes were recorded between short-term and long-term applications, indicating that short-term use is sufficient for restoring the mineral balance, albeit not for all elements.
The Role of Radiotherapy in the Management of Melanoma Brain Metastases: An Overview
Authors: Lens Marko , Schachter Jacob
Published: January 2025

Opinion statement

Clinical management of melanoma brain metastases is complex and requires multidisciplinary approach. With close collaboration between neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists, melanoma patients with brain are offered different treatment modalities: surgery, radiation therapy, systemic therapy or combined treatments. Radiation therapy (whole brain radiotherapy- WBRT and stereotactic radiosurgery- SRS) is an integral part of treating melanoma brain metastases. Use of immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors) and targeted therapy (BRAF/MEK inhibitors) significantly changed the outcome in patients with melanoma metastases. Currently, ipilimumab and nivolumab (COMBO) is the preferred first-line systemic therapy for all patients with asymptomatic brain metastases, regardless of BRAF status (BRAF wild-type and BRAF-mutated). Although at the moment there is no consensus on the concomitant use of SRS and COMBO, results from clinical trials suggest that this combined treatment modality should be considered the standard of care for melanoma patients with brain metastases. However, further clinical research is required to define optimal treatment modalities for routine management of melanoma brain lesions.
Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Eggs Laid in Conditions Traditionally Considered Suboptimal Develop Differently than Those in Conditions Considered More Optimal
Authors: Quigley Thomas D. , Santangelo Nicholas
Published: January 2025

The American horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, spawns in the intertidal zone and is thought to prefer conditions associated with the oxygen-rich sediments of the upper intertidal zone. However, they also spawn in the oxygen-poor sediments of the mid-intertidal zone. Such alternative habitats have traditionally been considered suboptimal, yet the consequences of spawning there are unknown. Here, eggs originating from upper- and mid-intertidal habitats were incubated under different abiotic conditions, and development rate and hatching success were measured. Eggs were collected in May 2021 from Long Island (Zach’s Bay), New York and incubated at two temperatures (26 °C and 20 °C), each coinciding with two O2 conditions (21% and 9.5% ambient). All eggs developed more slowly at the lower temperature and O2 levels, with eggs from the upper intertidal showing a greater decrease in rate than those from the mid-intertidal. Eggs from the upper intertidal had a higher hatching success overall which decreased with a lowering of either temperature or O2. The hatching success of eggs from the mid-intertidal only decreased when both variables were lower. Thus, eggs from upper intertidal habitats better use conditions traditionally considered optimal, while eggs from mid-intertidal habitats are hardier in conditions usually considered suboptimal. This could be due to differences in the adults that use each habitat or the developmental trajectory embryos take when exposed to particular habitat conditions. Either way, this novel finding suggests a strategy horseshoe crabs use to take advantage of environmental variation and underlies an adaptive response to alternative habitats once considered suboptimal.
A Low Complexity Efficient Deep Learning Model for Automated Retinal Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Chowa Sadia Sultana , Bhuiyan Md. Rahad Islam , Payel Israt Jahan , Karim Asif , Khan Inam Ullah , Montaha Sidratul , Hasan Md. Zahid , Jonkman Mirjam , Azam Sami
Published: January 2025

The identification and early treatment of retinal disease can help to prevent loss of vision. Early diagnosis allows a greater range of treatment options and results in better outcomes. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a technology used by ophthalmologists to detect and diagnose certain eye conditions. In this paper, human retinal OCT images are classified into four classes using deep learning. Several image preprocessing techniques are employed to enhance the image quality. An augmentation technique, called generative adversarial network (GAN), is utilized in the Drusen and DME classes to address data imbalance issues, resulting in a total of 130,649 images. A lightweight optimized compact convolutional transformers (OCCT) model is developed by conducting an ablation study on the initial CCT model for categorizing retinal conditions. The proposed OCCT model is compared with two transformer-based models: vision Transformer (ViT) and Swin Transformer. The models are trained and evaluated with 32 × 32 sized images of the GAN-generated enhanced dataset. Additionally, eight transfer learning models are presented with the same input images to compare their performance with the OCCT model. The proposed model’s stability is assessed by decreasing the number of training images and evaluating the performance. The OCCT model’s accuracy is 97.09%, and it outperforms the two transformer models. The result further indicates that the OCCT model sustains its performance, even if the number of images is reduced.