bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The longitudinal relationship between psychological symptoms and social functioning in displaced refugees
Authors: Nickerson Angela , Kurt Gulsah , Liddell Belinda , Keegan David , Nandyatama Randy , Yuanita Atika , Argadianti Rachmah Rizka , Hoffman Joel , Kashyap Shraddha , Mastrogiovanni Natalie , Mai Vivian , Camilleri Anna , Susanty Dessy , Tricesaria Diah , Rostami Hasti , Im Jenny , Gurzeda Marta , Khakbaz Mitra , Funnell Sarah , Pestalozzi Zico , Specker Philippa
Published: February 2025

Background

Refugee experiences of trauma and displacement can significantly disrupt established social networks. While social functioning has been routinely associated with mental health, to our knowledge, no study has tested the direction of influence between social and psychological functioning within displaced refugee communities. This study investigated the temporal association between psychological symptoms (PTSD, depression, anger) and multiple facets of social functioning (including community connectedness, perceived social responsibility, positive social support and negative social support).

Method

A culturally diverse sample of refugees (N = 1,235) displaced in Indonesia completed an online survey at four time-points, six months apart. Longitudinal structural equation modelling was used to investigate the temporal ordering between psychological symptoms and social functioning.

Results

Findings revealed that greater psychological symptoms were associated with a subsequent deterioration in social functioning (decreased positive social support and community connectedness and increased negative social support and perceived social responsibility). Greater perceived social responsibility was also associated with subsequent increases in psychological symptoms, while positive social support and community connectedness were bi-directionally associated over-time.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the potential utility of mental health interventions for displaced refugees as a means to improve social functioning and inclusion with host communities. Findings have important implications in guiding the development of interventions and allocation of resources to support refugee engagement and wellbeing in displacement contexts.
Friendship beyond death: Narratives from ancient China
Authors: Wang Frédéric
Published: February 2025

Friendship occupies the last place in the five social relations in the Confucian tradition, yet it plays an important role in Confucian writings. In this article, I discuss the notion of friendship that lasts beyond death from ancient China. I examine how the friendship between Bo Ya and Zhong Ziqi finds its continuation in that of Fan Shi and Zhang Shao, insofar as one of the two friends dies in both cases. These friendly bonds are tinged with a tragic tone and have fueled the imagination of the Chinese who sublimate or amplify them in all kinds of literary genres – poetry, theater, and novel – dating back to the pre-imperial period and to the Han Dynasty. All the authors underscore the faithfulness of these characters, which they consider to be the characters’ virtue. They also emphasize the spiritual link that transcends life and death. Based on the translation of these well-known and celebrated narratives, I intend to show how the exemplary nature of friendship is enhanced or mythologized, and how intertextuality has shaped the Chinese vocabulary itself in this regard.
Longitudinal assessment of left ventricular function and remodelling following surgical replacement of aortic valve in young patients with aortic valve dysfunction: a pilot study
Authors: Bhatia Snigdha , Kadiu Gilda , Singh Gautam , Aggarwal Sanjeev
Published: February 2025

Surgical prosthetic aortic valve replacement has been used for the management of aortic valve dysfunction. Studies in adults after aortic valve replacement report decreased left ventricular function in the early post-operative period. We hypothesised that young adults with aortic valve dysfunction who undergo aortic valve replacement may have incomplete recovery of left ventricular systolic function. This was a retrospective single-centre pilot study of patients with surgical aortic valve replacement at our institution over 20 years. Echocardiograms were analysed pre-operatively, at discharge, 1-year, and 5-year follow-up. Left ventricular systolic function was assessed using fractional shortening and ejection fraction. Speckle tracking measurements were performed for four-chamber longitudinal strain and peak systolic circumferential strain. Repeated-measure ANOVA (SPSS Inc.) was used for analysis. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Our cohort included 15 subjects (age 19.1 ± 9.0 years, 73% male). Left ventricular mass indexed to body surface area significantly improved (63.5 ± 25.3 pre-operatively to 41.2 ± 13.1 at 5 years, p = 0.009). Left ventricular longitudinal and circumferential strain measures deteriorated in the early post-operative period compared to pre-aortic valve replacement (−18.2 ± 3.4 versus −11.8 ± 3.3, p = 0.00) and (−25.1 ± 5.4 versus −18.9 ± 5.4, p = 0.06). Longitudinal strain continued to be abnormal at the 1- and 5-year follow-up compared to baseline. Children and young adults undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic valve dysfunction had a decrease in left ventricular systolic function by strain imaging in the early post-operative period and abnormalities persisted on 5-year follow-up.
Die Bürde der Elternrolle bei Patientinnen und Patienten mit Anorexia nervosa
Authors: Herpertz-Dahlmann Beate , Zielinski-Gussen Ingar
Published: February 2025

Zusammenfassung: Viele Eltern erleben ihre Rolle als Eltern einer Tochter/eines Sohnes mit Anorexia nervosa als sehr belastend. In nicht wenigen Kliniken in Deutschland werden Eltern immer noch als Mitverursacher der Erkrankung oder zumindest Störenfriede bei der stationären Behandlung ihres Kindes angesehen mit der Folge einer Kontaktreduktion oder sogar -sperre zwischen Eltern und Patienten/in. Der Anteil der Eltern, vor allem der Mütter, die sich die Schuld für die Erkrankung ihres Kindes geben, ist hoch im Vergleich zu anderen kinderpsychiatrischen Störungen. Viele Eltern essgestörter Patienten_innen leiden selbst an psychischen Problemen, nicht wenige an einer Essstörung. Hinzu kommen Partnerschaftsprobleme sowie Einkommenseinbußen und berufliche Probleme durch Versorgungszeiten des Kindes. Die Betroffenen fühlen sich durch das Gesundheitspersonal nicht ausreichend unterstützt und missverstanden. Konzepte zur Verbesserung der Kooperation zwischen Eltern und therapeutischem Personal beinhalten in jedem Fall eine Aufhebung der Kontaktsperre, eine ausführliche Aufklärung der Eltern über biologische und psychologische Ursachen der Essstörung einschließlich einer psychoedukativen Gruppe sowie eine Einbeziehung in die Therapie, sowohl in Form von Gesprächen als auch in Form von praktischen Übungen. Eine innovative Möglichkeit bildet das Home treatment, bei dem eine intensive Schulung der Eltern als auch Gespräche mit der ganzen Familie in der häuslichen Umgebung stattfinden. Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, dass eine intensive Involvierung der Eltern in die Behandlung die Prognose der Patientin/des Patienten mit einer Essstörung verbessert.
The Effect of Personality Traits and Flight Experience on Pilots’ Cognitive and Affective Responses to Simulated In-Flight Hazards
Authors: Chen Jiayu , Landman Annemarie , Stroosma Olaf , van Paassen M. M. , Mulder Max
Published: February 2025

Abstract: We investigated the effect of personality traits and flight experience on pilot cognitive and affective responses across seven startling and surprising scenarios performed in motion-based simulators. A dataset of 89 airline pilots from four studies was used. The personality traits measured were trait anxiety, decision-related action orientation (AOD), and failure-related action orientation (AOF). Pilot self-reported responses in scenarios were standardized by obtaining z scores of startle, surprise, stress, and mental workload. Only trait anxiety was found to be significantly positively correlated with stress. No significant effects of AOD, AOF, or flight hours were found on pilots’ responses. The results indicate trait anxiety may affect pilots’ responses to stressful scenarios, even though pilots are selected based on low trait anxiety.
Comparing UAV Pilots’ Traffic Awareness
Authors: Peukert Markus F.
Published: February 2025

Abstract: The growing popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has led to increased conflict and collision potential between manned and unmanned aircraft. Beyond the visual line of sight, UAV missions require an airspace observer, who may fail to provide accurate traffic information. This work proposes a novel traffic display design that provides conflict and avoidance maneuver guidance in addition to information on surrounding traffic. In a human-in-the-loop experiment, UAV pilots’ perception of surrounding traffic using the novel display was evaluated against that of a “perfect” airspace observer (baseline condition). Results show that the novel traffic display offered more comprehensive traffic awareness at the perception level compared to the baseline condition. Positional quality did not differ notably, although accurate information was provided in the baseline condition.
Reinforcement Learning of Multi‐Timescale Forecast Information for Designing Operating Policies of Multi‐Purpose Reservoirs
Authors: Zanutto D. , Ficchì A. , Giuliani M. , Castelletti A.
Published: February 2025

Hydrological forecasts have significantly improved in skill over recent years, encouraging their systematic exploitation in multipurpose reservoir operations to improve reliability and resilience to extreme events. Despite the growing availability of multi‐timescale forecasts, there is still a lack of transparent and integrated methods for selecting the most suitable forecast products, variables, and lead times for specific operational challenges. In this work, we propose a holistic approach based on Reinforcement Learning (RL) to design multipurpose dam operating policies informed by available multi‐timescale forecast products. Our approach extends the traditional Evolutionary Multi‐Objective Direct Policy Search method by parametrizing both the operating policy and the forecast information extraction process. We compare our RL approach with a state‐of‐the‐art two‐step procedure in which the forecast selection and processing are performed before the policy optimization. We demonstrate the value of the method for the multipurpose operation of Lake Como (Italy) by considering multi‐timescale forecasts from short to seasonal lead times to manage flood‐ and drought‐related operational objectives. Our approach identifies solutions achieving an 18% improvement in hypervolume indicator compared to policies not informed by forecasts and a 6% improvement over those designed using the two‐step reference methodology. These improvements are accompanied by increased flexibility in policy design and trade‐off analysis by directly extracting forecast information within the multi‐objective optimization. This study demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of integrating policy design with forecast information extraction, particularly when multiple operational forecasts are available.
Future Patterns of Compound Dry and Hot Summers and Their Link to Soil Moisture Droughts in Europe
Authors: Böhnisch Andrea , Felsche Elizaveta , Mittermeier Magdalena , Poschlod Benjamin , Ludwig Ralf
Published: February 2025

Compound dry and hot extreme (CDHE) summers in Europe, like 2015, 2018 and 2022, have wide ranging impacts: heat exacerbates moisture shortages during dry periods whereas water demand rises. Current studies of CDHE are mostly conducted in observations or coarse‐resolution global climate model large ensembles. While the latter allow for the assessment of rare CDHE against the backdrop of internal variability, global ensembles fail in providing robust climate change signals at impact‐relevant scales. To overcome this issue, we exploit a regional 50‐member single‐model initial condition large ensemble (SMILE). The SMILE provides an extensive database of CDHE in a current climate and at two global warming levels (+2°C, +3°C) across Europe in high geographical detail. We identify Northern France, Southern Germany, Switzerland, Southern Ireland, and the western coasts of the Black Sea with currently low CDHE frequency as emerging hotspots. These regions experience a tenfold increase of CDHE under global warming conditions, in parts resulting in yet unseen heat and dryness. Temperature is the dominant driver of frequency increases, except for western Europe. Additionally, tail dependence strengthens in regions with large increases in CDHE frequency. In European agricultural areas, soil moisture shows stronger negative correlations with CDHE intensity than with precipitation or temperature. Finally, our results indicate fewer CDHE summers in a +2°C world compared to a +3°C world, highlighting the importance of climate mitigation to reduce the frequency of these multi‐hazard events.
Paleo‐Earthquake Fingerprints and Along‐Strike Slip Variation of the Silent Mt. Morrone Normal Fault (Central Italy): A Structural‐Geochemical Approach
Authors: Bello S. , Galli P. , Perna M. G. , Peronace E. , Messina P. , Rosatelli G. , Andrenacci C. , Lavecchia G. , Pietrolungo F. , Consalvo A. , Mouslopoulou V. , Brozzetti F.
Published: February 2025

This study provides insights into the tectonic evolution of the normal Mt Morrone Fault System (MMFS) in Central Italy and highlights the utility of multidisciplinary approaches in reconstructing the seismic history of dormant fault systems. The MMFS comprises two parallel normal faults that traverse the western slope of Mt. Morrone, and although the system can produce M > 6 earthquakes, it has been aseismic in post Roman times. Here, we combine geochemical analysis of carbonate fault‐scarp samples with new structural fault data and Lidar‐based topographic analysis to provide new constraints on fault geometries and kinematics, the paleo‐earthquake history of MMFS since the Last Glacial Maximum and its slip rates. Structural analysis reveals kinematic similarities between the two parallel strands, reflecting their response to the same stress regime. Rare Earth Elements analyses on 53 limestone samples reveal a minimum of eight concentration fluctuations upscarp, here interpreted as tectonic exhumation of the fault scarp due to post LGM earthquakes. Slip per event ranges from 30 to 110 cm typical of earthquakes with 6.3 ≤ M ≤ 6.8. Lidar analysis reveals triangular slip profiles on both fault strands. We estimate that an earthquake with an average M = 6.5–6.6 would have a recurrence interval of ∼2,125 ± 125 years. Slip rates were calculated to be 0.5–0.65 mm/yr on the lower and 0.65–0.7 mm/yr on the upper fault strand, with the combined system having slip rates of 0.62–0.69 mm/yr. Our findings indicate that both strands of the MMFS are active and accumulate slip interdependently, a finding that is critical for seismic hazard assessment.
Carbon Emissions Through the Weathering of Petrogenic Organic Carbon and the Net Geological Carbon Budget of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wang Ye , Chen Yang , Li Shilei , Hedding David William , Chen Jun
Published: February 2025

Mountain building, alongside the associated erosion and weathering, plays a key role in mediating the long‐term carbon cycle, thus impacting Earth’s climate. Certain processes, such as the weathering of petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro), still lack comprehensive quantitative research owing to the interference of human activities, hindering a full understanding of the net budget and temporal changes of mountain building. This study explores OCpetro weathering within the Tibetan Plateau by utilizing rhenium as a tracer to quantify OCpetro weathering rates and elucidate carbon fluxes. The overall OCpetro weathering rate and net carbon budget of the Tibetan Plateau are 1.95(±0.60) tC km−2 yr−1 and 1.81+0.34/−0.49 tC km−2 yr−1, indicating the Tibetan Plateau currently serves as a carbon source. This study not only refines our understanding of the OCpetro weathering but also reveals a dynamic transformational impact on the geological carbon cycle from mountain building at different stages.
Complementing Dynamical Downscaling With Super‐Resolution Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Rastogi Deeksha , Niu Haoran , Passarella Linsey , Mahajan Salil , Kao Shih‐Chieh , Vahmani Pouya , Jones Andrew D.
Published: February 2025

Despite advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods for climate downscaling, significant challenges remain for their practicality in climate research. Current AI‐methods exhibit notable limitations, such as limited application in downscaling Global Climate Models (GCMs), and accurately representing extremes. To address these challenges, we implement an AI‐based methodology using super‐resolution convolutional neural networks (SRCNN), trained and evaluated on 40 years of daily precipitation data from a reanalysis and a high‐resolution dynamically downscaled counterpart. The dynamical downscaled simulations, constrained using spectral nudging, enable the replication of historical events at a higher resolution. This allows the SRCNN to emulate dynamical downscaling effectively. Modifications, such as incorporating elevation data and data pre‐processing enhances overall model performance, while using exponential and quantile loss functions improve the simulation of extremes. Our findings show SRCNN models efficiently and skillfully downscale precipitation from GCMs. Future work will expand this methodology to downscale additional variables for future climate projections.
Observations of Fast Local Loss of High‐Energy Ring Current Protons Associated With Deepening Local Minimum in Phase Space Density
Authors: Chen Rui , Zhao Hong , Califf Sam
Published: February 2025

The development of a deepening local minimum in phase space density (PSD)‐ profile indicates fast local loss potentially caused by wave‐induced scattering. The identification and characterization of proton PSD deepening minima are important for investigating the ring current loss and overall dynamics. Using multiyear Van Allen Probes observations, we analyze ∼10–100s keV proton PSD and report >100 keV proton deepening PSD minima for the first time. The overall occurrence rates of proton deepening local minimum peaks at ∼3%, mainly located at  = 4.5–5.0 near the plasmapause. The occurrence rate increases with the decrease of AL index and increase of solar wind dynamic pressure. The theoretical resonance energy of protons with typical He‐band electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves agrees with the energy of protons with deepening PSD minima. Thus, EMIC waves are the likely cause of the deepening PSD minimum and contribute to the fast local loss of ring current protons.
Relationships Between Mesoscale Convective System Properties and Midlevel Dynamic Perturbations
Authors: Marquis James N. , Feng Zhe , Lubis Sandro W. , Zhang Zhixiao , Leung L. Ruby , Hu Huancui
Published: February 2025

Past studies implicate dynamic anomalies operating on subsynoptic scales as a possible initiation source of summertime (July–August) mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) in the central United States during northwesterly flow regimes. To improve our understanding of warm season MCSs occurring over a variety of flow regimes, we track midlevel (600 hPa) vorticity perturbations (“MPs”) as 2D objects comprising wavelengths of 500–2,500 km over the central US from May–August of 2004–2021. We perform statistical analysis of relationships between metrics of MP objects (e.g., duration, size, intensity, and origin) and high‐resolution MCS precipitation characteristics (e.g., duration, total rainfall, rain coverage area, and motion) that occur while collocated with or in the absence of MPs to discern predictive capability of background dynamic features on storm precipitation potential. Although the majority of MPs collocated with MCS initiation occur during July–August, a significant number (40%) occur between May and June. Northwesterly flow MPs comprise a relative minority of our events, suggesting that MPs can affect MCSs across a variety of warm season flow regimes. MPs affecting MCSs initiated primarily over the high plains near the central Rockies. Only approximately 20% of tracked MCS initiation events were collocated with MPs, but these storms produced ∼25% greater lifetime rainfall and coverage area, and ∼29% more stratiform rain than non‐MP‐induced MCSs. In general, larger and more vigorous MPs resulted in more hydrologically impactful MCSs. The most directly attributable benefit to MCS initiation was from MP‐enhanced background vertical motion and thermodynamic instability (e.g., increased CAPE).
Blue Carbon Mapping Using Temporally Optimized Satellite Remote Sensing Imagery: A Regional Study of Northeast US Salt Marshes
Authors: Teng Wenxiu , Yu Qian , Yellen Brian , Turek Bonnie , Woodruff Jonathan D.
Published: February 2025

Coastal wetlands store three to five times more carbon per unit area than tropical rainforests in continually accreting peat soils, collectively referred to as “Blue Carbon.” However, variability in soil carbon density within and between sites leads to large uncertainty when estimating carbon stocks and sequestration rates. Salt marsh carbon sequestration is mainly driven by nonlinear ecogeomorphic feedback between tidal inundation, bioproductivity, and sediment supply—all of which can be observed by satellites. In this study, we used soil bulk density and soil organic content from 410 soil samples collected across 15 sites in the Northeast US to relate soil properties to remotely sensed spectral observations. We tested model fits using Landsat 5, 7, 8, and Sentinel 2 images from 1984 to 2022 to determine the optimal season and tidal conditions for relating remote sensing indices to soil properties. We explored the roles of sediment supply and tidal range in regional prediction models. The study found that (a) spatial patterns of remote sensing indices correlate well with soil properties; (b) at the marsh scale, remote sensing indices capture the spatial variability of soil properties with image acquired at high tide and vegetation phenology specific to geomorphic setting; (c) at the regional scale, tidal range improves the prediction model in barrier marshes, while sediment supply improves the prediction model in fluvial marshes. The considerable spatial variation of SOC within marshes and across regional gradients highlights the need for high resolution maps of salt marsh soil properties.
Improving Stream Solute Predictions With a Modified LSTM Model Incorporating Solute Interdependences and Hysteresis Patterns
Authors: Agrawal Tarun , Goodwell Allison , Kumar Praveen
Published: February 2025

Surface runoff and infiltrated water en route to the stream interact with dynamic landscape properties, ranging from vegetation and microbial activities to soil and geological attributes. Stream solute concentrations are highly variable and interconnected due to these interactions, flow paths, and residence times, and often exhibit hysteresis with flow. Significant unknowns remain about how point measurements of stream solute chemistry reflect interdependent hydrobiogeochemical and physical processes, and how signatures are encapsulated as nonlinear dynamical relationships between variables. We take a Machine Learning (ML) approach to understand and capture these dynamical relationships and improve predictions of solutes at short and long time scales. We introduce a physical process‐based “flow‐gate” into an Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM) model, which enables the model to learn hysteresis behaviors if they exist. Further, we use information‐theoretic metrics to detect how solutes are interdependent and iteratively select source solutes that best predict a given target solute concentration. The “flow‐gate LSTM” model improves model predictions (1%–32% decreases in RMSE) relative to the standard LSTM model for all nine solutes included in the study. The predictive improvements from the flow‐gate LSTM model highlight the importance of lagged concentration and discharge relationships for certain solutes. It also indicates a potential limitation in the traditional LSTM model approach since flow rates are always provided as input sources, but this information is not fully utilized. This work provides a starting point for a predictive understanding of geochemical interdependencies using machine‐learning approaches and highlights potential improvements in model architecture.
A Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon Sink Assessment Model Considering Forest Age Dynamics (CEVSA‐AgeD)
Authors: Zhang Mengyu , He Honglin , Zhang Li , Yu Guirui , Ren Xiaoli , Huang Yuanyuan , Yuan Wenping , Niu Zhong'en
Published: February 2025

The large variation in net ecosystem productivity (NEP) with forest age was dominated by the dynamics of net primary productivity (NPP)–which in turn was determined by the different response slopes of gross primary productivity (GPP) and autotrophic respiration (Ra) with forest age. However, only few models can comprehensively represent the impacts of forest age and global changes including land‐use change, climate change, nitrogen deposition, and atmospheric CO2 from the perspective of ecological processes. Based on a process‐based model (CEVSA‐ES) that included these global changes, we developed an ecosystem carbon sink assessment model considering forest age dynamics (CEVSA‐AgeD) using satellite‐based relationships between GPP (or Ra) and forest age to constrain photosynthesis and autotrophic respiration processes. Subsequently, we used a model data‐fusion framework combined with carbon flux observations to calibrate the model. The calibrated CEVSA‐AgeD model performed well in simulating seasonal (R2 values for GPP, ecosystem respiration, and NEP were 0.86, 0.79, and 0.66, respectively) and annual carbon flux changes (R2 of GPP, ecosystem respiration, and NEP were 0.83, 0.77, and 0.67, respectively). The magnitude of average NEP in China estimated using this model was 0.35 ± 0.005 TgC/yr from 2001 to 2021, which was close to previous estimates, and the dynamics of forests age increased NEP by 87–92 TgC/yr. These results indicate that the CEVSA‐AgeD model performed well in simulating carbon fluxes at the site and regional scales and that it was necessary to incorporate the effect of forest age dynamics on carbon cycling processes into process‐based models.
A Novel Short‐Term Prediction Model for Regional Equatorial Plasma Bubble Irregularities in East and Southeast Asia
Authors: Zhao Xiukuan , Li Guozhu , Xie Haiyong , Hu Lianhuan , Sun Wenjie , Li Yi , Dai Guofeng , Liu Jianfei , Li Yu , Ning Baiqi , Nishioka Michi , Perwitasari Septi , Kenpankho Prasert
Published: February 2025

Equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) irregularities can significantly impact satellite‐based communication and navigation systems. Accurate prediction of EPB occurrence is essential for mitigating these impacts. Using the GNSS receiver network and ionosonde data from East and Southeast Asia during 2010–2021, and the rate of TEC change index to characterize the occurrence of EPB irregularities, we developed a novel Spatio‐Temporal deep learning model for regional EPB irregularities short‐term Prediction (STEP). The model integrates the convolutional neural network and long short‐term memory (LSTM) network, together with attention mechanisms, to capture both spatial and temporal features of regional ionospheric irregularities. The results show that for 5‐min forecast, the STEP model achieves a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.062 TECU/min and an R2 of 0.818, reducing RMSE by 19.48% compared to LSTM and 27.06% compared to gated recurrent unit model. For 60‐min prediction, the STEP model can still achieve reasonable accuracy with an RMSE of 0.110 TECU/min and an R2 of 0.482, showing significant improvement over traditional models. The equatorial F layer height and regional TEC fluctuations were identified as the most critical factors for predicting the generation and duration of EPB irregularities, respectively. The spatial and temporal distributions of EPB irregularities, including their latitudinal variation and delayed onset after sunset, and the occurrence across different days in East and Southeast Asia, were well predicted by the STEP. It is expected that the STEP model would provide a valuable tool for improving the resilience of GNSS against ionospheric scintillations induced by EPB irregularities.
Assessing pain and analgesic consumption after the use of Kinesio tape in web strip technique comparing with cryotherapy after impacted third molar extraction: a randomized clinical split-mouth study
Authors: Alhourani Belal , Zenati Mazen , Alnada Ahmad
Published: February 2025

Background and objectives

There are various methods to improve the patient’s quality of life and alleviate complications after surgical extraction of the lower third molar. The use of Kinesiotape is one of the most important methods used recently. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Kinesiotape in alleviating complications after surgical extraction of the lower third molar compared to cryotherapy.

Methods

The study was designed as a randomized controlled clinical study according to the split-mouth technique and included 25 patients who had radially symmetrical lower third molars. The patients were divided randomly into two groups, and Kinesiotape (KT) using the Web-strip technique was applied in the study group (KT), while cold packs were applied in the control group Non-Kinesiotape (N-KT). The studied variables were pain, and analgesic pills consumption. These measurements were evaluated in the first five days after surgery using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the number of consumed analgesic pills.

Results

The pain index value in the KT group was (60.4 ± 19.8) on the first day, and (60.4 ± 17.8) in the N-KT group. The number of analgesic pills consumed in the KT group was (3.3 ± 1.3) on the first day, and (3.4 ± 1.3) in the N-KT group. No significant statistical difference was found in pain scores according to the VAS index and the number of consumed analgesic pills between the two groups.

Conclusion

The current study concluded that pain and analgesic pills consumed were similar between the two study groups, without one being superior to the other.
PHGDH inhibition and FOXO3 modulation drives PUMA-dependent apoptosis in osteosarcoma
Authors: Oyama Toshinao , Brashears Caitlyn B. , Rathore Richa , Benect-Hamilton Heather , Caldwell Katharine E. , Dirckx Naomi , Hawkins William G. , Van Tine Brian A.
Published: February 2025

Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer that has been found to be metabolically dependent on the conversion of glucose to serine through the rate-limiting enzyme 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH). The upregulation of PHGDH has been correlated with poor patient survival, and the inhibition of the serine synthesis pathway using targeted small-molecule inhibition of PHGDH induces a rapid metabolic adaptation that prevents cell death due to pro-survival signaling through the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway. Here, PHGDH inhibition in combination with mTORC1 signaling modulation for the treatment of osteosarcoma was evaluated. When combined with PHGDH inhibition, several non-rapalog inhibitors of mTORC1 activated Forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factor 3 (FOXO3), a transcription factor associated with various cellular processes driving apoptosis. The activation of FOXO3 led to transcriptional activation of the pro-apoptotic gene p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), inducing apoptosis when combined with PHGDH inhibition. These data suggest a path for the clinical development of PHGDH inhibitors in conjunction with mTORC1 pathway modulators in osteosarcoma.
Navigating the path to corneal healing success and challenges: a comprehensive overview
Authors: Shadmani Athar , Wu Albert Y.
Published: February 2025

The cornea serves to protect the eye from external insults and refracts light to the retina. Maintaining ocular homeostasis requires constant epithelial renewal and an efficient healing process following injury. Corneal wound healing is a dynamic process involving several key cell populations and molecular pathways. Immediately after a large corneal epithelial injury involving limbal stem cells, conjunctival epithelial cells migrate toward the center of the wound guided by the newly formed electrical field (EF). Proliferation and transdifferentiation play a critical role in corneal epithelial regeneration. Corneal nerve endings migrate through the EF, connect with the migrating epithelial cells, and provide them with multiple growth factors. Finally, the migrated epithelial cells undergo differentiation, which is also regulated by corneal nerve endings. All these processes require energy and effective cellular cross-talk between different cell lines and extracellular matrix molecules. We provide an overview of the roles and interactions between corneal wound regeneration components that may help develop fascinating new targeted therapeutic strategies to enhance corneal wound healing with less injury-related corneal opacity and neovascularization.
Fungal Als proteins hijack host death effector domains to promote inflammasome signaling
Authors: Zhou Tingting , Solis Norma V. , Marshall Michaela , Yao Qing , Pearlman Eric , Filler Scott G. , Liu Haoping
Published: February 2025

High-damaging Candida albicans strains tend to form hyphae and exacerbate intestinal inflammation in ulcerative colitis patients through IL-1β-dependent mechanisms. Fungal agglutinin-like sequence (Als) proteins worsen DSS-induced colitis in mouse models. FADD and caspase-8 are important regulators of gut homeostasis and inflammation. However, whether they link directly to fungal proteins is not fully understood. Here, we report that Als proteins induce IL-1β release in immune cells. We show that hyphal Als3 is internalized in macrophages and interacts with caspase-8 and the inflammasome adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC). Caspase-8 is essential for Als3-mediated ASC oligomerization and IL-1β processing. In non-immune cells, Als3 is associated with cell death core components FADD and caspase-8. N-terminal Als3 (N-Als3) expressed in Jurkat cells partially inhibits apoptosis. Mechanistically, N-Als3 promotes oligomerization of FADD and caspase-8 through their death effector domains (DEDs). N-Als3 variants with a mutation in the peptide-binding cavity or amyloid-forming region are impaired in DED oligomerization. Together, these results demonstrate that DEDs are intracellular sensors of Als3. This study identifies additional potential targets to control hypha-induced inflammation.
Contextual subspace variational quantum eigensolver calculation of the dissociation curve of molecular nitrogen on a superconducting quantum computer
Authors: Weaving Tim , Ralli Alexis , Love Peter J. , Succi Sauro , Coveney Peter V.
Published: February 2025

We present an experimental demonstration of the Contextual Subspace Variational Quantum Eigensolver on superconducting hardware. Calculating the potential energy curve of molecular nitrogen proves challenging for many conventional quantum chemistry techniques, since static correlation dominates in the dissociation limit. Our quantum simulations retain good agreement with the Full Configuration Interaction energy, outperforming all benchmarked single-reference wavefunction techniques in capturing the bond-breaking appropriately. Moreover, our methodology is competitive with multiconfigurational approaches but at a saving of quantum resource, meaning larger active spaces can be treated for a fixed qubit allowance. To achieve this result, we deploy an error mitigation/suppression strategy comprised of Dynamical Decoupling, Measurement-Error Mitigation and Zero-Noise Extrapolation. Circuit parallelization also provides passive noise-averaging and improves the effective shot yield to reduce the measurement overhead. Furthermore, we introduce a modified adaptive ansatz construction algorithm that incorporates hardware awareness into our variational circuits, minimizing the transpilation cost for the target qubit topology.
An expanded database of high-resolution MS/MS spectra for lichen-derived natural products
Authors: Bracegirdle Joe , Elix John A. , Mawalagedera Udayangani , Chooi Yit-Heng , Gueidan Cécile
Published: February 2025

The history of lichen compound identification has long relied on techniques such as spot tests and TLC, which have been surpassed in sensitivity and accuracy by modern metabolomic techniques such as high-resolution MS/MS. In 2019, Olivier-Jimenez et al. released the Lichen DataBase (LDB), a library containing the Q-TOF MS/MS spectra of 251 metabolites on the MetaboLights and GNPS platforms, that has been widely used for the identification of lichen-derived unknowns. To increase the compound coverage, we have generated the Orbitrap MS/MS spectra of a further 534 lichen-derived compounds from the metabolite library of Jack Elix, housed at the CANB herbarium (Canberra, Australia). This included 399 unique metabolites that are not in the LDB, bringing the total number combined to 650. Technical validation was achieved by investigating the compounds in three Australian lichen extracts using the Library Search and Molecular Networking tools on the GNPS platform. This update provides a much larger database for lichen compound identification, which we envisage will allow refining the lichen chemotaxonomy framework and contribute to compound discovery.
Association between Mexican vaccination schemes and the duration of long COVID syndrome symptoms
Authors: Rodriguez-Torres Juan Francisco , Romero-Ibarguengoitia Maria Elena , Garza-Silva Arnulfo , Rivera-Cavazos Andrea , Hurtado-Cabrera Mauricio , Kalife-Assad Ricardo , Villarreal-Parra Diana Liz , Loose-Esparza Alejandro , Gutierrez-Arias Juan José , Mata-Porras Yaressi Guadalupe , Ojeda-Salazar Daniela Abigail , Morales-Rodriguez Devany Paola , Sanz-Sánchez Miguel Ángel , Gonzalez-Cantú Arnulfo
Published: February 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound global impact, characterized by a high fatality rate and the emergence of enduring consequences known as Long COVID. Our study sought to gauge the prevalence of Long COVID syndrome in northeastern Mexico, correlating it with patients' comorbidities and vaccination records. We carried out an observational cross-sectional approach, by administering a comprehensive questionnaire covering patients’ medical history, demographics, vaccination status, COVID-related symptoms, their duration, and any treatment received. Our participant cohort included 804 patients, averaging 41.5 (SD 13.6) years in age, with 59.3% being women. Notably, 168 individuals (20.9%) met Long COVID criteria. Our analysis of COVID-19 long lasting compared vaccination schemes, unveiling a significant difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups (p =  < 0.001). Through linear regression model, we found male gender (β = − 0.588, p < 0.001) and vaccination status (β = 0.221, p = 0.015) acted as protective factors against Long COVID symptom duration, while higher BMI was a risk factor (β = − 0.131, p = 0.026). We saw that the duration of Long COVID was different within vaccinated patients, and we did not find any association of comorbidities with an increase in the presence of symptoms. Even three years after the pandemic, a significant prevalence of Long COVID persists, and there is still a lack of standardized information and any possible treatment regarding this condition.
UPLC-qTOF-MS/MS profiling of phenolic compounds in Fagonia arabica L. and evaluation of their cholinesterase inhibition potential through in-vitro and in-silico approaches
Authors: Badawy Sarah A. , Hassan Ahmed R. , Abu Bakr Marwa S. , Mohammed Abd El-Salam I.
Published: February 2025

Fagonia arabica L. is a widely used traditional medicinal herb. This study explored the flavonoid and phenolic acid content in the aerial parts of F. arabica, leading to the tentative identification of 42 compounds using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass/Mass Spectrometry and analyzed with the phytochemical-focused RIKEN tandem mass spectral database (ReSpect) for identification based on authentic standards. The total phenolic and flavonoid content was measured in the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions. The flavonoid content in the ethyl acetate fraction was 101 ± 1.43 µg Rutin/mg, compared to 6.48 ± 0.29 µg rutin/mg in the butanol fraction. Similarly, the ethyl acetate fraction contained 199.14 ± 1.58 µg gallic acid/mg, while the butanol fraction had 47.69 ± 0.54 µg gallic acid/mg. Also, the study demonstrated the effectiveness of the different fractions of Fagonia arabica L. in inhibiting the butyrylcholinesterase enzyme, which is a key contributor to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. At a concentration of 0.45 mg/mL, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest efficiency, inhibiting butyrylcholinesterase by 50% (IC50). Based on the in vitro results, a molecular docking study suggested the selectivity of the tentatively identified compounds towards butyrylcholinesterase over acetylcholinesterase, as kaempferol-3-O-glucoside achieved the highest selectivity. This insight could inform potential modifications to enhance selectivity, which may be applied in the synthesis, semi-synthesis, and development of novel treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
Long-term social memory of mate copying in Drosophila melanogaster is localized in mushroom bodies
Authors: Nöbel Sabine , Danchin Etienne , Isabel Guillaume
Published: February 2025

Long-term social memory (LTSM) is a key feature to elicit the cultural inheritance of behaviour independently of genetics. However, the neurobiological basis of LTSM remains largely unknown. We previously used the Drosophila animal model, which is known to perform mate copying through observational learning of the mate choice of conspecifics to show that the expression of the rutabaga gene, a calcium/calmodulin-dependent adenylyl cyclase (AC-Rut+) that acts as a coincidence detector enabling associative learning, is necessary and sufficient in the γ-Kenyon cells (KCs) of the mushroom bodies (MBs). Here, we show that the expression of AC-Rut+ in both the γ- and the α/β-KCs is required for LTSM involving de novo protein synthesis in a mate-copying context, whether using demonstrations involving real flies or involving pictures of copulating conspecifics. Thus, pathways of short- and long-term memory show considerable overlap in the MBs across social vs. asocial learning contexts.
Non-verbal cues in eyewitness testimonies do not predict accuracy or credibility assessments
Authors: Raver Arman , Lindholm Torun , Alm Charlotte
Published: February 2025

Non-verbal behaviour, such as facial expressions and body language, plays a critical role in assessments of witnesses’ credibility that inform legal decisions in cases involving crime. While prior research has primarily focused on associations between non-verbal cues and deception, this study investigates the relation between non-verbal cues and recall memory accuracy in honestly reported mock eyewitness testimonies. Using a sample of 36 video-recorded eyewitness testimonies about a violent crime (n = 680 statements), we examined whether non-verbal cues were associated with statement accuracy (correct vs. incorrect), witness credibility as rated by independent observers, and witnesses’ self-reported confidence. Additionally, we explored whether these associations differed for native vs. non-native speaking witnesses. Results revealed no associations between non-verbal cues and statement accuracy or perceived credibility. Furthermore, while non-native speakers were perceived as less credible, these perceptions were not related to non-verbal cues. Our findings contradict common beliefs by showing that non-verbal behaviour is not reliably related to accuracy or perceived credibility in eyewitness testimonies, highlighting the need for caution in their use in high-stakes legal contexts.
Interplay of hydrogen bonding and π-stacking interactions in the solid-state architecture of pranoprofen: insights from X-ray crystallography and computational analyses
Authors: Prohens Rafel , Barbas Rafael , Abrego Guadalupe , Frontera Antonio
Published: February 2025

We report a joined crystallographic and computational work on the anhydrous form of the anti-inflammatory drug pranoprofen, which provides deeper insight into the complex interplay of π-stacking and H-bonding interactions in its molecular arrangement.
Dissociation and aggregation behaviors of starch in choline amino acid ionic liquid solvents: the anion structure effect
Authors: Chen Jin , Zeng Xixi , Chen Ling
Published: February 2025

The effect of regulation of anion structure of choline amino acid ionic liquid on the dissociation and aggregation behaviors of starch.
Computer-aided design of triazolo-cages as anion receptors
Authors: Che Minwei , Debnath Sibali , Flood Amar H. , Raghavachari Krishnan
Published: February 2025

Molecular cages with three-dimensional cavities have garnered significant interest due to their enhanced encapsulation abilities.
Advanced research on electrolytes for regulating the SEI in high-performance LMBs
Authors: Wang Huaping , Wang Hailong
Published: February 2025

Electrolyte component decomposition sequentially modulates the SEI structure and composition, affecting its ability to inhibit lithium dendrite growth.
Smart inhibitor systems towards anti-corrosion: design and applications
Authors: Li Danping , Zhang Ziwen , Sukhbat Bilegsaikhan , Wang Xuejie , Zhang Xue , Yan Jing , Zhang Junping , Zhang Qiuyu , Li Yan , Wang Hao , Yan Yi
Published: February 2025

Smart corrosion inhibitor systems have been a hot research topic in recent years.
Investigating the potential of a self-healing semiconducting supramolecular Mg(ii)-metallohydrogel in non-volatile memory design and its therapeutic properties towards bacteria infected wound healing
Authors: Dhibar Subhendu , Roy Arpita , Das Priyanka , Sarkar Tuhin , Goswami Mitrabrata , Some Sangita , Karmakar Kripasindhu , Ruidas Pradip , Bhattacharjee Subham , Ajiboye Timothy O. , Ray Anindya Sundar , Sarkar Keka , Ray Soumya Jyoti , Saha Bidyut
Published: February 2025

A stable supramolecular hydrogel with Mg(ii) ions and 5-amino-1-pentanol enables efficient resistive memory switching and offers antiseptic and wound healing properties.
Small molecule targeted protein degradation via the UPS: venturing beyond E3 substrate receptors
Authors: Guo Renyu , Yang Fukang , Cherney Emily C.
Published: February 2025

As the field of targeted protein degradation has advanced, it has expanded beyond traditional recruitment to E3 substrate receptors to new approaches involving recruitment to a variety of other components within the ubiquitin proteasome system.
Multifunctional solar-driven interfacial evaporation system for simultaneous clean water production and high-value-added ion extraction
Authors: Wu Jing , Yin Guang , Liu Ji , Yu Zhong-Zhen , Li Xiaofeng
Published: February 2025

This review highlights the potential of solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SIE) technology to simultaneously produce clean water and extract valuable ions from water, addressing both water scarcity and resource recovery challenges.
Impact of potassium doping on the optoelectronic properties over inorganic and hybrid bismuth bromide perovskite thin films (A3Bi2Br9, A = Cs+, MA)
Authors: Aloysius Deepak , Gupta Satyajit
Published: February 2025

The development of affordable and sustainable semiconductor materials is vital for meeting future technological demands.
Metallic 2D Janus SNbSe layers driven by a structural phase change
Authors: Wu Cheng-Lun , Sayyad Mohammad Y. , Sailus Renee E. , Dey Dibyendu , Xie Jing , Hays Patrick , Kopaczek Jan , Ou Yunbo , Susarla Sandhya , Esqueda Ivan S. , Botana Antia S. , Tongay Seth A.
Published: February 2025

Synthesis of 2D metallic Janus SNbSe and SeNbS in 1T phase from 1H-phase NbS2 and NbSe2, respectively, is achieved through using a room temperature plasma-assisted technique that induces a structural phase transition.