bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Quantitative Analysis of Human and Material Resources for Endoscopy Services in Pacific Island Countries
Authors: Perman Mai Ling , Hair Chris , Malani Joji , Macrae Finlay , Jones Dianne , Natuzzi Eileen , Jagilly Rooney
Published: December 2024

Aims

This study aims to evaluate the current state of endoscopy services in Pacific Island Countries (PICs) by quantifying human and material resources, including the number of trained endoscopists and nurses, the types of procedures performed, and the availability and maintenance of endoscopic equipment.

Methods and Results

A mixed methods survey was conducted in 2023, targeting doctors and nurses who participated in the WGO‐FNU‐ANZGITA endoscopy training program as well as non‐participants. Survey invitations were sent through email, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. Data were collected from 16 sites across 12 PICs, achieving an 85% response rate. Survey results indicated a total of 58 endoscopists (2.1/100000 population) and 52 nurses (1.9/100000 population), with a majority having received training through international partnerships. Basic endoscopy services, such as gastroscopy and colonoscopy, were widely available, but advanced procedures were limited to a few sites. Most sites reported using donated equipment, with significant challenges in equipment maintenance and repair. The availability of functional endoscopes averaged four per site. Common issues included outdated equipment, lack of qualified personnel, and insufficient funding for new equipment.

Conclusion

Despite efforts to enhance endoscopy services in PICs through international collaborations, significant gaps remain, particularly in terms of advanced procedural capacity and equipment maintenance. Recommendations include expanding training programs, improving equipment maintenance infrastructure, securing funding for new equipment, and fostering stronger partnerships to support the sustainability of endoscopy services. Addressing these areas can enhance the quality and availability of endoscopy services, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes for populations in PICs.
Wavelength Decoupling Based on Minimalist Metasurfaces Enabling Bicolor Display and Information Encryption
Authors: Huang Tian , Xie Yingxin , Zhang Zhiyao , Zhao Yu , Hu Dongyu , Yu Shaohua , Zheng Guoxing , Li Gongfa , Li Zile
Published: December 2024

Metasurfaces garner widespread attention for their remarkable ability to precisely manipulate light and construct optical multiplexing devices. However, there is still a lack of effective solutions for achieving high‐performance wavelength decoupling in the realm of wavelength multiplexing. In this work, a novel wavelength decoupling method based on minimalist metasurfaces featuring a single‐celled configuration is proposed. These metasurfaces are composed of only two types of nanobricks, each capable of modulating the phase of two different wavelengths simultaneously as desired. The proposed minimalist metasurfaces possess the advantages of flexible design, enabling wavelength decoupling with incidences at both co‐ and cross‐polarization states. Interestingly, by integrating the wavelength decoupling metasurface with liquid crystal devices, information encryption can be achieved. The proposed wavelength decoupling method holds broad application prospects in the fields of optical data storage, image display, information security, and beyond.
Outsourcing Strategy Selection of Original Brand Manufacturers in the Fashion Industry Under the Influence of Brand Spillover
Authors: Jiang Bing , Fang Zhou
Published: December 2024

Outsourcing strategy plays an essential role in manufacturing production. Compared to traditional manufacturing industries, brand spillover behavior from contract manufacturers is more prominent in the fashion industry's outsourcing practices. Therefore, we have developed a model for original brand manufacturers (OBM) to choose an outsourcing strategy under the influence of various factors: OBM can outsource production to a competing manufacturer (CM), a non‐competing manufacturer (NCM), or produce internally. If CM is the only contractor for OBM, it will enhance its brand power through brand spillover. If NCM is the only contractor for OBM, there are quality control issues. In summary, we consider three outsourcing strategies for the OBM: outsourcing production to CM, outsourcing to NCM, or establishing internal production, which correspond to strategies C, N, and F, respectively. We find that the brand spillover has a greater impact on OBM than expected. It affects OBM's production planning by influencing market demand, resulting in the profit of strategy C always being lower than strategy N. This forces OBM to face quality control issues. On this basis, we discuss blockchain technology that enables OBM to address quality control issues while dealing with brand spillovers. Interestingly, blockchain technology does not always bring benefits and can only solve problems under specific conditions. In addition, we also prove that the dual‐source strategy, that is, OBM outsources production to CM and NCM simultaneously, is better than the C and N strategies, but whether it is better than the F strategies depends on the investment cost.
A knowledge‐based materials descriptor for compositional dependence of phase transformation in NiTi shape memory alloys
Authors: Li Cheng , Liang Qingkai , Zhou Yumei , Xue Dezhen
Published: December 2024

This study presents ∆τ, a novel descriptor that captures the compositional dependence of phase transformation temperature (Ap) in NiTi‐based shape memory alloys (SMAs). Designed to address the complexity of multicomponent SMAs, ∆τ was integrated into symbolic regression (SR) and kernel ridge regression (KRR) models, yielding substantial improvements in predicting key functional properties: transformation temperature, enthalpy, and thermal hysteresis. Using the KRR model with ∆τ, we explored the NiTiHfZrCu compositional space, identifying six promising alloys with high Ap (>250°C), large enthalpy (>27 J/g), and low thermal hysteresis. Experimental validation confirmed the model's accuracy with the alloys showing high‐temperature transformation behavior and low hysteresis, suitable for high‐performance applications in aerospace and nuclear industries. These findings underscore the power of domain‐informed descriptors like ∆τ in enhancing machine learning‐driven materials design.
Exploring the Fecal Metabolome in Infants With Cow's Milk Allergy: The Distinct Impacts of Cow's Milk Protein Tolerance Acquisition and of Synbiotic Supplementation
Authors: Zhu Pingping , Savova Mariyana V. , Kindt Alida ,   the PRESTO study team, Wopereis Harm , Belzer Clara , Harms Amy C. , Hankemeier Thomas
Published: December 2024

Scope

Cow's milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most prevalent food allergies in early childhood, often treated via elimination diets including standard amino acid‐based formula or amino acid‐based formula supplemented with synbiotics (AAF or AAF‐S). This work aimed to assess the effect of cow's milk (CM) tolerance acquisition and synbiotic (inulin, oligofructose, Bifidobacterium breve M‐16 V) supplementation on the fecal metabolome in infants with IgE‐mediated CMA.

Methods and Results

The CMA‐allergic infants received AAF or AAF‐S for a year during which fecal samples were collected. The samples were subjected to metabolomics analyses covering gut microbial metabolites including SCFAs, tryptophan metabolites, and bile acids (BAs). Longitudinal data analysis suggested amino acids, BAs, and branched SCFAs alterations in infants who outgrew CMA during the intervention. Synbiotic supplementation significantly modified the fecal metabolome after 6 months of intervention, including altered purine, BA, and unsaturated fatty acid levels, and increased metabolites of infant‐type Bifidobacterium species: indolelactic acid and 4‐hydroxyphenyllactic acid.

Conclusion

This study offers no clear conclusion on the impact of CM‐tolerance acquisition on the fecal metabolome. However, our results show that 6 months of synbiotic supplementation successfully altered fecal metabolome and suggest induced bifidobacteria activity, which subsequently declined after 12 months of intervention.
Unsupervised Bayesian generation of synthetic CT from CBCT using patient‐specific score‐based prior
Authors: Peng Junbo , Gao Yuan , Chang Chih‐Wei , Qiu Richard , Wang Tonghe , Kesarwala Aparna , Yang Kailin , Scott Jacob , Yu David , Yang Xiaofeng
Published: December 2024

Background

Cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, performed fractionally (e.g., daily or weekly), are widely utilized for patient alignment in the image‐guided radiotherapy (IGRT) process, thereby making it a potential imaging modality for the implementation of adaptive radiotherapy (ART) protocols. Nonetheless, significant artifacts and incorrect Hounsfield unit (HU) values hinder their application in quantitative tasks such as target and organ segmentations and dose calculation. Therefore, acquiring CT‐quality images from the CBCT scans is essential to implement online ART in clinical settings.

Purpose

This work aims to develop an unsupervised learning method using the patient‐specific diffusion model for CBCT‐based synthetic CT (sCT) generation to improve the image quality of CBCT.

Methods

The proposed method is in an unsupervised framework that utilizes a patient‐specific score‐based model as the image prior alongside a customized total variation (TV) regularization to enforce coherence across different transverse slices. The score‐based model is unconditionally trained using the same patient's planning CT (pCT) images to characterize the manifold of CT‐quality images and capture the unique anatomical information of the specific patient. The efficacy of the proposed method was assessed on images from anatomical sites including head and neck (H&N) cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer. The performance of the proposed CBCT correction method was evaluated using quantitative metrics, including mean absolute error (MAE), non‐uniformity (NU), and structural similarity index measure (SSIM). Additionally, the proposed algorithm was benchmarked against other unsupervised learning‐based CBCT correction algorithms.

Results

The proposed method significantly reduced various kinds of CBCT artifacts in the studies of H&N, pancreatic, and lung cancer patients. In the lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) patient study, the MAE, NU, and SSIM were improved from 47 HU, 45 HU, and 0.58 in the original CBCT images to 13 HU, 14 dB, and 0.67 in the generated sCT images. Compared to other unsupervised learning‐based algorithms, the proposed method demonstrated superior performance in artifact reduction.

Conclusions

The proposed unsupervised method can generate sCT from CBCT with reduced artifacts and precise HU values, enabling CBCT‐guided segmentation and replanning for online ART.
Hand Performance Assessed by Functional Dexterity Test Correlates With Clinical Disease Activity but Remains Altered in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Achieving Treatment Goals: A Cross‐Sectional Cohort Study
Authors: Shouval Aniela , Levkoviz Amihai , Keret Shiri , Rosner Itzhak , Rokhyan Irina , Tchalabian Boris , Hof Esther , Slobodin Gleb
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Direct hand function is not commonly evaluated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Functional Dexterity Test (FDT) assesses a patient's ability to use the hand for daily tasks and is an accepted quantitative assessment tool in occupational medicine. This pilot study aimed to examine the correlations of FDT‐measured hand performance with disease activity status in a cohort of RA patients.

Methods

Forty‐eight patients with established RA performed the FDT during their regular follow‐up visits. The dominant and non‐dominant hands were assessed separately. FDT results were compared among patients with active RA and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) > 10, RA patients achieving controlled disease activity state (CDAI ≤ 10), and 20 volunteers with no rheumatic disease.

Results

Mean FDT for the dominant hand was 43 s in active RA, 35 s in controlled RA, and 25 s in persons without arthritis. Corresponding FDT results for the non‐dominant hand were 50, 38, and 29 s, respectively. FDT significantly correlated with CDAI in the entire cohort of RA patients and the subgroup with CDAI > 10. Patients with controlled disease, CDAI ≤ 10, still demonstrated significantly reduced hand performance compared with non‐rheumatic controls.

Conclusions

FDT is a sensitive tool for assessing rheumatoid hand function. Reduced hand performance by FDT in many RA patients who have already achieved existing treatment goals speaks to the question of the suitability of direct hand performance assessment as an RA outcome measure.
A Water Relaxation Atlas for Age‐ and Region‐Specific Metabolite Concentration Correction at 3 T
Authors: Simegn Gizeaddis Lamesgin , Song Yulu , Murali‐Manohar Saipavitra , Zöllner Helge J. , Davies‐Jenkins Christopher W. , Simicic Dunja , Hupfeld Kathleen E. , Gudmundson Aaron T. , Muska Emlyn , Carter Emily , Hui Steve C. N. , Yedavalli Vivek , Oeltzschner Georg , Dean Douglas C. , Ceritoglu Can , Ratnanather J. Tilak , Porges Eric , Edden Richard
Published: December 2024

Metabolite concentration estimates from magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) are typically quantified using water referencing, correcting for relaxation‐time differences between metabolites and water. One common approach is to correct the reference signal for differential relaxation within three tissue compartments (gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid) using fixed literature values. However, water relaxation times (T1 and T2) vary between brain locations and with age. MRS studies, even those measuring metabolite levels across the lifespan, often ignore these effects, because of a lack of reference data. The purpose of this study is to develop a water relaxometry atlas and to integrate location‐ and age‐appropriate relaxation values into the MRS analysis workflow. One hundred one volunteers (51 men, 50 women; ~10 male, and 10 female participants per decade from the 20s to 60s) were recruited. T1‐weighted MPRAGE images ((1‐mm)3 isotropic resolution) were acquired. Whole‐brain water T1 and T2 measurements were made with DESPOT ((1.4 mm)3 isotropic resolution) at 3T. T1 and T2 maps were registered to the JHU MNI‐SS/EVE atlas using affine and LDDMM transformation. The atlas's 268 parcels were reduced to 130 by combining homologous parcels. Mean T1 and T2 values were calculated for each parcel in each subject. Linear models of T1 and T2 as functions of age were computed, using age − 30 as the predictor. Reference atlases of “age‐30‐intercept” and age‐slope for T1 and T2 were generated. The atlas‐based workflow was integrated into Osprey, which co‐registers MRS voxels to the atlas and calculates location‐ and age‐appropriate water relaxation parameters for quantification. The water relaxation aging atlas revealed significant regional and tissue differences in water relaxation behavior across adulthood. Using location‐ and subject‐appropriate reference values in the MRS analysis workflow removes a current methodological limitation and is expected to reduce quantification biases associated with water‐referenced tissue correction, especially for studies of aging.
Ordered ATP hydrolysis in the Hsp90 chaperone is regulated by Aha1 and a conserved post‐translational modification
Authors: Amoah Desmond Prah , Hussein Solomon K. , Johnson Jill L. , LaPointe Paul
Published: December 2024

Hsp90 is a dimeric molecular chaperone that is important for the folding, stabilization, activation, and maturation of hundreds of protein substrates called “clients” in cells. Dozens of co‐chaperones and hundreds of post‐translational modifications (PTMs) regulate the ATP‐dependent client activation cycle. The Aha1 co‐chaperone is the most potent stimulator of the ATPase cycle of Hsp90 and phosphorylation of threonine 22 in Hsp90 can regulate the recruitment of Aha1 in cells. We report here that phosphorylation of threonine 22 regulates specific aspects of Aha1 function after recruitment occurs. The phosphomimetic substitution, T22E, neutralizes the action of the Aha1 NxNNWHW motif. Moreover, this substitution can exert this effect from only one protomer of the Hsp90 dimer. This work sheds light on how asymmetric modifications in the Hsp90 dimer can functionalize individual protomers and fine‐tune the Hsp90 cycle.
Enhanced Quad‐Band WO3 Antennas with 1.46 THz Cutoff Frequency via Indium Nanosheets between Stacked Layers
Authors: Altaiary Mashael Mutlaq , Qasrawi Atef Fayez , Alharbi Seham Reef
Published: December 2024

Herein, stacked films of WO3 separated by indium nanosheets are fabricated as quad‐band antennas suitable for high‐frequency applications. The amorphous WO3 films and indium nanosheets are coated onto each other using the thermal evaporation technique under a high vacuum pressure of 10−5 mbar. The stacked layers of Pt/WO3/In/WO3/Pt are structurally and electrically characterized. The tunneling‐type quad‐band antennas are tested in the driving frequency domain of 0.01–1.80 GHz and a low signal amplitude of 0.10 V. It is observed that the insertion of indium nanosheets between layers of WO3 remarkably increases the width of the tunneling barrier from 55 to 70 nm without altering the tunneling barrier height. This also enhances the cutoff frequency at a quad‐band frequency of 1.80 GHz from 10 GHz to 1.46 THz and increases the return loss values from ≈5 to 21 dB. A widely tunable cutoff frequency extending from 0.30 GHz to 1.46 THz can be obtained based on the selected driving signal frequency. The microwave‐controlling features of the Pt/WO3/In/WO3/Pt devices, with their high cutoff frequency and high power transmission ratios at the quad‐band frequency, make them attractive for 6G technology.
Ellagitannin Component Punicalin Ameliorates Cognitive Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress, and Neuroinflammation via the Inhibition of cGAS‐STING Signaling in the Brain of an Aging Mouse Model
Authors: Chen Peng , Zhang Zhongyuan , Lei Jiexin , Zhu Jun , Liu Gang
Published: December 2024

Despite remarkable breakthroughs in pharmacotherapy, many potential therapies for aging remain unexplored. Punicalin (PUN), an ellagitannin component, exerts anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti‐apoptotic effects. This study investigated the beneficial effects of PUN against age‐related brain damage in mice and explored the underlying mechanisms. We validated the protective effects of PUN against D‐galactose (D‐gal)‐induced neuroinflammation and subsequent neuronal damage in BV2 microglia and N2a cells, respectively, in vitro. In vivo experiments were conducted on mice that were administered an 8‐week regimen of intraperitoneal injections of D‐gal at a dosage of 150 mg/kg/day, concurrently with oral gavage of PUN at the same dose. PUN inhibited the production of D‐gal‐induced inflammatory cytokines (iNOS, COX2, TNF‐α, IL‐6, IL‐2, and IL‐1β) in BV2 cells and conferred protection to N2a cells against synaptic damage mediated by BV2 microglia‐induced neuroinflammation. The in vivo findings revealed that PUN considerably improved memory and learning deficits, reduced MDA levels, enhanced GSH‐Px, CAT, and SOD activities, and modulated the expression of inflammatory proteins such as iNOS, COX‐2, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐6, and TNF‐α. Furthermore, PUN inhibited the secretion of SASP factors (ICAM‐1, PAI‐1, MMP‐3, and MMP‐9), decreased microglial activation, and reduced astrocytosis. Additionally, PUN suppressed the expression of cGAS, p‐STING, p‐TBK1, p‐p65, and p‐IRF3 in aging mouse brains and cultured BV2 microglia. In conclusion, PUN improved cognitive dysfunction in aging mice through antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory mechanisms via inhibition of the cGAS‐STING pathway, suggesting that it can be a promising therapeutic agent for brain aging and aging‐related diseases.
Assessment of endoscopic and external approaches for frontal sinus lesions
Authors: Abouammo Moataz D. , Elsherif Hossam S. , Mansour Medhat M. H. , Saafan Magdy E. , Carrau Ricardo L. , Abdelaziz Mahmoud F.
Published: December 2024

Objectives

The use of endoscopic approaches has revolutionized the management of frontal sinus (FS) lesions. However, external approaches still play a significant role in select conditions. Various factors determine the decision to utilize endoscopic or external approaches such as the lesion location, extension, and patient's characteristics. The study aims to define certain FS indices for accurate selection of the most suitable approach for each patient.

Methods

A descriptive study was performed, based on endoscopic and external cadaveric dissections. Quantitative analyses including horizontal, anteroposterior diameters, and exposure area were performed for each approach using the navigation system. Patients with various FS lesions were included and their data were collected and evaluated.

Results

Fifteen cadavers were analyzed. The average anteroposterior diameter on the midsagittal plane was 12.3 mm, distance from the midline to the lateralmost point was 21.8 mm on the right and 23.1 mm on the left side. The exposure area on the right side for Draf Ⅱa, and Draf Ⅱb were 64.6, 115.0 mm2 while on the left side were 67.0, 125.0 mm2. For Draf Ⅲ, the exposure area was 377.0 mm2. A total of 41 patients were included in the clinical correlation.

Conclusions

FS with a narrow anteroposterior diameter and longer horizontal diameter are difficult to access endoscopically, especially for lesions affecting the lateral recess of the sinus, and may require a combination with an external approach. FS approaches can be selected according to the sinus morphology of each patient, the surgeon's preferences, institutional resources, and the lesion's nature and extension.
LARES-2 contribution to global geodetic parameters from the combined LAGEOS-LARES solutions
Authors: Sośnica K. , Gałdyn F. , Zajdel R. , Strugarek D. , Najder J. , Nowak A. , Mikoś M. , Kur T. , Bosy J. , Bury G.
Published: December 2024

LARES-2 is a new geodetic satellite designed for high-accuracy satellite laser ranging. The orbit altitude of LARES-2 is similar to that of LAGEOS-1, whereas the inclination angle of 70° complements the LAGEOS-1 inclination of 110°; hence, both satellites form the butterfly configuration for the verification of the Lense–Thirring effect. Although the major objective of LARES-2 is testing general relativity, LARES-2 substantially contributes to geodesy in terms of the realization of terrestrial reference frames, recovery of the geocenter motion, pole coordinates, length-of-day, and low-degree gravity field coefficients. We analyze the first 1.5 years of LARES-2 data and test different empirical orbit models for LARES-2 with and without co-estimating low-degree gravity field coefficients to find the best combination strategy with LAGEOS satellites. We found that LARES-2 orbit determination is more accurate than that of LAGEOS-1/2 due to a different satellite construction consisting of a solid sphere with no inner structure. Neither the correction for D
0 nor the empirical once-per-revolution along-track accelerations S
C/S
S have to be estimated for LARES-2 when co-estimating gravity field coefficients. The only empirical parameter needed for LARES-2 is the constant along-track acceleration S
0 to compensate for the Yarkovsky–Schach effect. On the contrary, for LAGEOS-1/2, the non-gravitational perturbations affect C
30 and Z geocenter estimates when once-per-revolution parameters are not estimated. LARES-2 does not face this issue. LARES-2 improves the formal errors of the Z geocenter component by up to 59% and C
20 by up to 40% compared to the combined LAGEOS-1/2 solutions and provides C
30 estimates unaffected by thermal orbit modeling issues.
Machine Learning—Supported Geotechnical Interpretation of Rock Slopes at the Zentrum Am Berg (ZaB) Using SAM
Authors: Forstner Jan Karl , Amtmann Johannes , Kink Daniela , Villeneuve Marlene
Published: December 2024

The Segment Anything Model (SAM) introduces advanced transformer-based capabilities for geological image segmentation. While traditional geoscience applications rely on machine learning models like random forests and support vector machines, SAM’s attention mechanisms enable it to adapt to image data. This contribution evaluates SAM’s performance in segmenting rock outcrop images into three geological classes, using ground truth masks as references. Segmentation accuracy was assessed via intersection over union (IoU) scores across prompt types, including points and bounding boxes. A combination of bounding box and mask prompts provided the best results, particularly for large, distinct textures. Initial findings indicate SAM’s potential in geological segmentation, though further prompt refinement and expanded datasets are needed to address rock heterogeneity. Future work will focus on fine-tuning SAM for complex textures and integrating Laserscan-derived data for quantitative validation. This contribution underscores SAM’s promise in advancing automated geological segmentation applications.
Examining the role of smoking on clinical outcomes after arthroscopic surgery of the hip: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Anaspure Omkar S. , Patel Shiv , Baumann Anthony N. , Lenz Theodor , Pascual-Leone Nicolas , Anastasio Albert T. , Lau Brian C.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study evaluates the impact of smoking on clinical outcomes following hip arthroscopy (HA) through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis queried PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and CINAHL from inception to April 30, 2024, for articles related to smoking and HA outcomes. A random-effects model meta-analysis using relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals was performed to compare smokers and nonsmokers for conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) and revision hip arthroscopy (RHA).

Results

Twenty observational studies (n = 115,203 patients; 66.95% female; mean age: 36.93 ± 6.53 years; mean follow-up: 22.10 ± 7.56 months) were included. Nine studies investigated smoking and conversion to THA, six examined smoking and RHA, eight assessed smoking and postoperative patient-reported outcomes, and eight evaluated smoking and postoperative complications. Regarding conversion to THA, 5 studies (55.56%) found a significant association, while 4 (44.44%) did not. Meta-analysis from four studies found no significant association between smoking and THA conversion (p = 0.48, OR: 1.02; 95% CI: [0.98–1.06]) or smoking and RHA (p = 0.305, OR: 1.00; 95% CI: [0.97–1.03]). Only 2 studies (33.33%) found a significant association between smoking and RHA, whereas four did not. Six studies found smoking significantly implicated in complications such as HA failure, increased opioid use, infection risk, and venous thromboembolism (VTE). THA conversion rates were 6.54% (n = 14/214) among smokers versus 3.57% (n = 13/364) among nonsmokers.

Conclusion

This study found no statistically significant association between smoking and THA conversion, though smokers were observed to experience higher conversion rates overall. Similarly, no significant association was observed for smoking and RHA at 2-year follow-up. However, trends suggest that smokers experience greater risks of adverse outcomes, particularly VTE and HA failure, which should be considered in clinical decision-making.

Level of Evidence

Level III
An arbitrary waveform neurostimulator for preclinical studies: design and verification
Authors: Guzman-Miranda Hipolito , Barriga-Rivera Alejandro
Published: December 2024

Neural electrostimulation has enabled different therapies to treat a number of health problems. For example, the cochlear implant allows for recovering the hearing function and deep brain electrostimulation has been proved to reduce tremor in Parkinson’s disease. Other approaches such as retinal prostheses are progressing rapidly, as researchers continue to investigate new strategies to activate targeted neurons more precisely. The use of arbitrary current waveform electrosimulation is a promising technique that allows exploiting the differences that exist among different neural types to enable preferential activation. This work presents a two-channel arbitrary waveform neurostimulator designed for visual prosthetics research. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) was employed to control and generate voltage waveforms via digital-to-analog converters. Voltage waveforms were then electrically isolated and converted to current waveforms using a modified Howland amplifier. Shorting of the electrodes was provided using multiplexers. The FPGA gateware was verified to a high level of confidence using a transaction-level modeled testbench, achieving a line coverage of 91.4%. The complete system was tested in saline using silver electrodes with diameters from 200 to 1000 µm. The bandwidth obtained was 30 kHz with voltage compliance ± 15 V. The neurostimulator can be easily scaled up using the provided in/out trigger ports and adapted to other applications with minor modifications.

Graphical Abstract
Experimental Evaluation of Brick Unreinforced Masonry Wall Out-of-Plane Capacity and Modeling Using the Yield Line Method
Authors: Osorio Fernando A. , Baena Jose F. , Jaramillo Juan D. , Acevedo Ana B.
Published: December 2024

This paper presents a theoretical model to estimate the out-of-plane (OOP) force capacity of brick unreinforced masonry (URM) walls with strong units and weak joints by applying virtual work and yield line theories for homogeneous plates. The OOP force capacity of the wall was assessed by considering mechanical properties, support conditions, external axial load, and self-weight load. The ultimate vertical and horizontal moments were calculated according to displacement and force models, respectively, developed in previous works. These models consider wall and brick geometry, shear and compression stresses in the joint–brick interface, and support conditions of the wall. The theoretical model presented herein combines the previous models while adding the tensile strength ($${f}_{mt}$$

f

mt

) of the mortar and assuming elastoplastic behavior of the ultimate moments in both directions. The proposed model constitutes a useful tool to assess the OOP force capacity of brick URM walls with one-way and two-way bending configurations. This paper presents results from experimental shaking table tests and test results from previously published works to validate the proposed model. The comparison between experimental and theoretical results revealed that the developed model predicts the OOP capacity if the appropriate information is available.
Jüdischer Religionsunterricht in Deutschland – Eine Bestandsaufnahme jüdischer Erziehung im Spannungsfeld von Religion, Säkularisierung und Verstaatlichung
Authors: Anusiewicz-Baer Sandra
Published: December 2024

Die Einführung eines jüdischen Religionsunterrichts an staatlichen Schulen im zweiten Drittel des 19. Jahrhunderts war Ergebnis gesellschaftlicher und infolgedessen rechtlicher Verschiebungen für die jüdische Minderheit in den deutschen Staaten. Zu dieser Zeit waren zwei Entwicklungen wesentlich: eine von außen geforderte „Konfessionalisierung“ des Judentums und die schrittweise Auflösung religiöser Bindungen. Wie diese Entwicklungen ihren Niederschlag in den Unterrichtskonzeptionen und der Formulierung der Lernziele bis 1933 gefunden haben, soll die Diskussion um die heutige Gestaltung des jüdischen Religionsunterrichts grundieren. Der Beitrag zeichnet die historische Entwicklung des jüdischen Religionsunterrichts in Deutschland nach, wobei insbesondere die aktuellen Herausforderungen für einen solchen Unterricht in einer mehrheitlich säkularen Gesellschaft diskutiert werden. Folgende Leitfragen dienen der Analyse: Welche Erziehungsaufgabe soll jüdischer Religionsunterricht heute erfüllen, angesichts dessen, dass die Mehrheit der jüdischen Schüler*innen sich nicht religiös verorten? Ist jüdischer Religionsunterricht Ausdruck der Anerkennung jüdischer Partikularität oder wird Judentum staatlicherseits auf einen (wie auch immer definierten) Religionsbegriff reduziert? Was sagt die Existenz eines jüdischen Religionsunterrichts über den Status von Jüdinnen und Juden in der heutigen Gesellschaft aus? Um jüdischen Religionsunterricht anschlussfähig an die gegenwärtigen Bedingungen jüdischen Lebens in Deutschland zu machen, braucht es mehr empirische Bildungsforschung und eine Entgrenzung des Unterrichts: von jüdischem Religionsunterricht zu Jewish Education.
Quaternary ammonium salt functionalized copper phthalocyanine-graphene oxide hybrids for cocatalyst-free carbon dioxide cycloaddition
Authors: Wang Lingling , Feng Zhihua , Hou Qingqing , Dang Zhangting , Yu Yue , Yang Cui , Tang Bo , Zhou Qiucheng , Hua Xiufu , Wei Renbo , Liu Terence X.
Published: December 2024

Chemical conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into high-value products not only enhances environmental sustainability but also presents economic benefits. The development of novel and effective catalysts is crucial for facilitating the conversion of CO2 and the synthesis of these chemicals. In this study, we present the preparation of an ionic liquid-functionalized graphene oxide and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) hybrid (GO-CuPc-IL). This was achieved through the chemical grafting of phthalonitrile groups and quaternary ammonium salts onto graphene oxide (GO), followed by in situ polymerization with phloroglucinol triphenyldinitrile. This hybrid catalyst was employed to catalyze the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 with epoxides under mild conditions. A series of analytical techniques confirmed the successful synthesis of the GO-CuPc-IL. The presence of abundant hydrogen bond donor groups (urea groups), Lewis acidic sites (coordinated copper rings), phthalocyanine rings, and numerous ionic active sites within the GO-CuPc-IL significantly facilitated the activation of reactants, enabling an efficient cycloaddition reaction of CO2 and epoxides. Notably, with 3.0 wt% of GO-CuPc-IL, the reaction achieved a yield of 98% and a selectivity of 99% at 1.5 MPa CO2 and 100 °C for 8 h, along with remarkable stability and reusability. This innovative hybrid catalyst promotes the simultaneous adsorption and activation of CO2 and epoxide by immobilizing multiple functional groups on the catalyst support, providing new avenues for sustainable CO2 conversion.
Effect Analysis of Motor Power Characteristics on the Energy Consumption of Dual Motor Driven Powertrain for Electric Tractor
Authors: Kwon Doyeop , Ahn Da-Vin , Kim Jeong-Gil , Park Young-Jun
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The development of electric tractors is essential for sustainable agriculture. However, most research on electric tractor powertrain has primarily focused on powertrain configuration or control algorithms, with little attention given to the characteristics of the motors or providing a rationale for motor selection. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of motor power characteristics on the energy consumption of an electric tractor powertrain.

Methods

To analyze the energy consumption of the powertrain, a simulation model of a dual-motor torque coupling powertrain (DMTCP) was developed. Four different types of motors with varying efficiency distributions were selected for comparison. The energy consumption during plow operation was then analyzed by varying the motor types within the DMTCP.

Results

The simulation results revealed that among the four motor types, those with higher efficiency in the low-speed region below the rated speed resulted in the lowest energy consumption, with up to 7.9% less energy consumption compared to other motor types.

Conclusion

This study compared the energy consumption of powertrain based on the power characteristics of different motors. The simulation results confirmed that motor power characteristics have a significant impact on powertrain energy consumption. This finding underscores the importance of considering motor characteristics in addition to powertrain configuration and control algorithms to achieve an optimality of system when designing electric tractor powertrains.
Stockholm and the Rise of Global Environmental Governance
Authors: Sörlin Sverker , Paglia Eric
Published: December 2024

This unique history examines global environmental governance through the lens of Stockholm, which has played an outsized role in shaping its development. Fifty years before Greta Thunberg started her School Strike for Climate, Swedish diplomats initiated the seminal 1972 U.N. Conference on the Human Environment that propelled Stockholm to the forefront of international environmental affairs. Stockholm has since become a hub for scientific and political approaches to managing the environmental and climate crisis. Utilizing archival materials and oral histories, Sörlin and Paglia recount how, over seventy years, Stockholm-based actors helped construct the architecture of environmental governance through convening decisive meetings, developing scientific concepts and establishing influential institutions at the intersection of science and politics. Focusing on this specific yet crucial location, the authors provide a broad overview of global events and detailed account of Stockholm's extraordinary impact. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Ghosts of International Law
Authors: Rinaldi Alberto
Published: December 2024

Heroes and villains, idealists and mercenaries, freedom fighters and religious fanatics. Foreign fighters tend to defy easy classification. Good and bad images of the foreign combatant epitomize different conceptions of freedom and are used to characterize the rightness or wrongness of this actor in civil wars. The book traces the history of these figures and their afterlife. It does so through an interdisciplinary methodology employing law, history, and psychoanalytical theory, showing how different images of the foreign combatant are utilized to proscribe or endorse foreign fighters in different historical moments. By linking the Spanish, Angolan, and Syrian civil wars, the book demonstrates how these figures function as a precedent for later periods and how their heritage keeps haunting the imaginary of legal actors in the present.
Heidegger and Kierkegaard
Authors: Pattison George
Published: December 2024

The work examines the presence and significance of Kierkegaard in Heidegger's work. After setting out the context of Heidegger's reception of the Danish thinker and examining his likely knowledge of his writings, the work first examines key Kierkegaardian concepts that are explicitly present in Being and Time, including existence, 'idle talk' (Gerede), anxiety, the moment of vision, repetition, and the existential significance of death. It is seen that Heidegger regarded Kierkegaard as an essentially religious writer whose work was only indirectly relevant to Heidegger's own project of fundamental ontology. Subsequently, the work considers the place of Kierkegaard in Heidegger's writings from the 1930s onwards, concluding with consideration of the paper Heidegger submitted for the 1963 Paris UNESCO conference marking the 150th anniversary of Kierkegaard's thought.
World Cities in History
Authors: Leon Joshua K.
Published: December 2024

Joshua K. Leon explores 6,000 years of urban networks and the politics that drove them, from Uruk in the fourth millennium BCE to Amsterdam's seventeenth-century 'golden age.' He provides a fresh, interdisciplinary reading of significant periods in history, showing how global networks have shaped everyday life. Alongside grand architecture, art and literature, these extraordinary places also innovated ways to exert control over far-flung hinterlands, the labor of their citizens, and rigid class, race and gender divides. Asking what it meant for ordinary people to live in Athens, Rome, Chang'an, or Baghdad - those who built and fed these cities, not just their rulers - he offers one of the few fully rendered applications of world cities theory to historical cases. The result is not only vividly detailed and accessible, but an intriguing and theoretically original contribution to urban history.
Starbound
Authors: Regis Ed
Published: December 2024

This book is for anyone enthralled by the romantic dream of a voyage 'to the stars.' From our current viewpoint in the twenty-first century, crewed interstellar travel will be an exceptionally difficult undertaking. It will require building a spacecraft on a scale never before attempted, at vast cost, relying on unproven technologies. Yet somehow, through works of science fiction, TV and movies, the idea of human interstellar travel being easy or even inevitable has entered our popular consciousness. In this book, Ed Regis critically examines whether humankind is bound for distant stars, or if instead we are bound to our own star, for the indefinite future. How do we overcome the main challenge that even the nearest stars are unimaginably far away? He explores the proposed technologies and the many practical aspects of undertaking an interstellar journey, finishing with his reflections on whether such a journey should be planned for.
Modernism and Finance Capital
Authors: Martin Regina
Published: December 2024

Modernism and Finance Capital interprets modernism as a historical moment of financial crisis. It expands the definition of finance capital beyond mode of capital accumulation and value form to include a complex of historical processes during the modernist period, which includes the growth of the professional classes, the rise of the modern corporation, the economic turn toward London, and the emergence of affect as economic and literary value form. The book thereby locates the origins of twenty-first century affective economy in the turn-of-the-twentieth century modernist and financial revolutions. Scholars working at the crossroads of economic and cultural studies will find a model for how to interpret literature and other cultural artifacts as participating in economic processes of finance capital even when they do not engage explicitly with such issues.
The Financial Statecraft of Borrowers
Authors: Zeitz Alexandra O.
Published: December 2024

As China rises to prominence as a global lender, what impact does this have on borrowing countries? In a context of deepening global financial integration and rising powers, this book examines how developing countries, specifically in sub-Saharan Africa, can use borrowing relationship to their advantage. Alexandra O. Zeitz reveals how these countries, once reliant on traditional donors, may now leverage Chinese loans and international sovereign bonds to enhance their bargaining power in aid negotiations – a strategy she terms the “financial statecraft of borrowers.” Grounded in extensive interviews with senior officials from recipient countries and donor agencies in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya, and complemented by statistical analysis of aid agreements, The Financial Statecraft of Borrowers offers a comprehensive understanding of how aid relationships are changing along with the shifting landscape of international finance.
Villa and Palace in the Venetian Renaissance
Authors: Heinrichs Johanna D.
Published: December 2024

Designed by Andrea Palladio, the Villa Pisani at Montagnana was the country residence of a Venetian nobleman, Francesco Pisani. Unusually, its design combines features of both villa and palace architecture, and it challenges the conventional view of a villa as subsidiary to the urban palace, the true seat of an elite family. In this book, Johanna D. Heinrichs offers the first comprehensive study of the Villa Pisani, providing a critical analysis of Palladio's hybrid design, the villa's original setting and uses, and the preoccupations of its patron. Heinrichs argues that the Villa Pisani served as the owner's principal residence. She also shows how a microhistorical approach can provide new insights about a familiar Renaissance building type and about the theory and practice of a canonical architect. Based on scrutiny of original documents and visual sources, Heinrichs's study is supported by a rich illustration program composed of photographs, plans, maps, and digital reconstructions.
Cosmopolitan Nationalism in Ghana
Authors: Owusu Mary A. Seiwaa
Published: December 2024

Nineteenth and twentieth-century West African writer-intellectuals harnessed their Atlantic networks to explore ideas of race, regeneration, and nation-building. Yet, the ultimately cosmopolitan nature of these political and intellectual pursuits has been overlooked by dominant narratives of anti-colonial history. In contrast, Cosmopolitan Nationalism in Ghana uses cosmopolitanism as a primary theoretical tool, interrogating the anti-colonial writings that prop up Ghana's nationalist history under a new light. Mary A. Seiwaa Owusu highlights the limitations of accepted labels of nationalist scholarship and confirms that these writer-intellectuals instead engaged with ideas around the globe. This study offers a more complex account of the nation-building project, arguing for the pivotal role of other groups and factors in addition to Kwame Nkrumah's leadership. In turn, it proposes a historical account which assumes a cosmopolitan setting, highlights the centrality of debate, and opens a vista for richer understandings of Ghanaians' longstanding questions about thriving in the world.
Fallen From Heaven
Authors: Griffiths Nicholas
Published: December 2024

Debunking the so-called apotheosis myth, Nicholas Griffiths argues that Indigenous peoples in North America, Mexico, the Andes, and Hawaii during the early modern period (1492–1789) did not believe invading Europeans were gods. Instead, many perceived them as 'more-than-human' intruders of considerable spiritual power. By exploring the Indigenous context and terminology, using published primary and secondary sources, the book investigates what natives meant when they used words that Europeans translated as 'gods.' In contrast to traditional accounts, Griffiths centers native points of view and the dynamic interactions between European and Indigenous perspectives. Ultimately, both groups were fundamentally comparable since both interpreted their mutual contact in terms of their pre-existing mythology. The traditional contrast between the scientific, rational, and modern Europeans on the one hand, and the myth-bound, irrational, pre-modern Indigenous peoples on the other, is entirely misleading. The first book-length synthesis of this myth, Griffiths reinterprets ideas that have long been debated in various regional literatures.
The Wilderness Narratives in the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Erisman Angela Roskop
Published: December 2024

In this volume, Angela Erisman offers a new way to think about the Pentateuch/Torah and its relationship to history. She returns to the seventeenth-century origins of modern biblical scholarship and charts a new course – not through Julius Wellhausen and the Documentary Hypothesis, but through Herrman Gunkel. Erisman reimagines his vision of a literary history grounded in communal experience as a history of responses to political threat before, during, and after the demise of Judah in 586 BCE. She explores creative transformations of genre and offers groundbreaking new readings of key episodes in the wilderness narratives. Offering new answers to old questions about the nature of the exodus, the identity of Moses, and his death in the wilderness, Erisman's study draws from literary and historical criticism. Her synthesis of approaches enables us to situate the wilderness narratives historically, and to understand how and why they continue to be meaningful for readers today.