bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trees on farms improve dietary quality in rural Malawi
Authors: Hall Charlotte Mackenzie , Den Braber Bowy , Vansant Emilie , Oldekop Johan A. , Das Upasak , Fielding David , Kamoto Judith F. M. , Rasmussen Laura Vang
Published: January 2025

Trees on farms not only provide agricultural and environmental benefits but can also contribute to food security. We use panel data covering a 10‐year period from the World Bank's Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) to examine the effects of trees on farms on people's dietary quality in rural Malawi. We found that having on‐farm trees leads to higher and more diverse fruit and vegetable consumption. Specifically, households who had trees on their farm (or who acquired trees during the 10‐year period) exhibited a 3% increase in vegetable consumption compared to households without trees. Moreover, for every additional tree species owned or acquired by a household during the study period, fruit consumption increased by 5%. These results demonstrate that trees on farms may play a role in meeting nutrition, conservation, and climate change mitigation goals, with important implications for sustainable development strategies in low‐ and middle‐income countries.
Phishing Website Detection: An In‐Depth Investigation of Feature Selection and Deep Learning
Authors: Mousavi Soudabe , Bahaghighat Mahdi
Published: January 2025

Cloud and fog computing technologies benefit from integrating AI‐driven phishing detection as it enhances security, scalability, real‐time reaction, and privacy. Nowadays, there is a noticeable rise in illegal activity taking place online. One of the illicit cybersecurity practices is phishing, in which hackers trick consumers by pretending to be authentic websites and spoofing them to obtain sensitive user information. Phishing attacks, regrettably, have increased dramatically in recent years, according to research. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques have shown encouraging progress in thwarting these attacks. Consequently, we employed DL and ML techniques to identify phishing websites in this study. This article presents four scenarios in both ML and DL models. Two are proposed in ML, while the others are employed in DL. The outcomes of four scenarios were contrasted to determine which algorithm performed better at distinguishing between legal and illicit websites. Many popular ML techniques were used, including K‐nearest neighbour, random forest (RF), decision trees, and SVMs. PCA and Importance Features are implemented in both ML scenarios to find the best features. RF successfully reached an accuracy of 97.82% using the Importance Feature technique. However, the PCA method failed to improve the performance of ML algorithms. As a result of ML‐based scenarios, 98 features are selected for the final deep learning scenarios. In DL‐based scenarios, algorithm architectures are essential to avoid overfitting and bias due to various hyperparameters. Thus, in the third scenario, our aim focuses on DL architecture design. Multilayer perceptron and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are employed to detect phishing websites. Finally, our proposed 1D CNN model, using stratified k‐fold cross‐validation, outperformed the classical ML algorithm, achieving 98.94% accuracy and 0.99 AUC‐ROC score in detecting phishing websites.
Association of high‐frequency hearing loss with examination data and lifestyle in 36 000 middle‐aged and older adults
Authors: Akamatsu Yuri , Ojima Toshiyuki , Nakanishi Hiroshi , Misawa Kiyoshi , Nakayama Takeo
Published: January 2025

Aim

Hearing loss is a public health issue; further studies are warranted to elucidate preventable factors. This study aimed to explore the associations of bilateral high‐frequency hearing loss (HFHL) with examination data and lifestyle behaviors, using the Comprehensive Health Checkup System (Ningen Dock) data in Japan.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study used Ningen Dock data obtained from the Seirei Health Care Division for 2020. HFHL was defined as inaudibility of 40 dB at 4 kHz. The Areal Deprivation Index (ADI) in Japan was used as an indicator of socioeconomic status. Binomial logistic regression analysis by sex was performed to evaluate the association of bilateral HFHL with each binarized examination data and lifestyle behavior, with age and the ADI as covariates.

Results

This study included 36,137 participants (60% male; mean age, approximately 60 years in both sexes). The odds ratios (ORs) for high uric acid (UA) levels in the examination data and current regular smoking in lifestyle behaviors were statistically significantly the highest (males: 1.27, 1.57; females: 3.56, 2.41, respectively). The OR for excessive alcohol consumption, especially large amounts consumed per occasion, was also statistically significant (males: 1.25; females: 2.15). Additionally, the ORs for high aminotransferase and γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase levels in females were statistically significant.

Conclusions

High UA levels, current regular smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption were associated with bilateral HFHL in both sexes. Especially, the findings regarding high UA levels and the large amount of alcohol consumption per occasion are novel, warranting longitudinal studies. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; ••: ••–••.
Experiences and Perceptions of People With Advanced Cancer and Their Family Caregivers of Shared Decision‐Making in Palliative Cancer Care
Authors: Rabben Jannicke , Rohde Gudrun Elin , Fossum Mariann , Vivat Bella
Published: January 2025

Aim

To explore the experiences and perceptions of people with advanced cancer and their family caregivers of shared decision‐making, including how they and nurses are involved.

Design

Exploratory interview study.

Methods

Semistructured, individual interviews conducted in 2023 were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Twenty‐four participants (15 people with cancer and 9 caregivers) participated in this study. The analysis generated five themes; (1) Decisions are ultimately about living or dying, (2) Desires and expectations for involvement in decision‐making, (3) Uncertainty about potential and capacity for shared decision‐making, (4) Good quality information and communication are key for involvement and (5) Nurses' contributions are unclear.

Conclusion

Overall, our participants were unsure about how decision‐making about the complex and existential decisions in palliative cancer care was shared, or how it included them, or nurses.

Implications for the Profession and Patient Care

People receiving care could benefit from more clarity on what shared decision‐making is, how they can be involved and how nurses can facilitate and support shared decision‐making.

Impact

Part of the nursing role is to support and involve people with cancer and family caregivers in decisions about treatment and care. Our findings suggest that people receiving care may be unclear about the concept of shared decision‐making, and so also about how nurses potentially or actually support decision‐making. Our study further clarifies the challenges and possibilities for involving all stakeholders in shared decision‐making. This additional insight may help in future development and implementation of shared decision‐making.

Reporting Method

COREQ.

What Does This Paper Contribute to the Wider Global Clinical Community?

Adds to knowledge and understanding of the complexity of shared decision‐making in palliative cancer care and how nurses can contribute to this and advancing a person‐centred approach.

Patient or Public Contribution

A patient and public involvement group participated in all phases of planning and conducting this study.
Surgery for Bronchiectasis: Experience and Outcomes at Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Watson Clara , Han Dug Yeo , Byrnes Catherine A. , Hamill James , Morreau Philip , Edwards Elizabeth
Published: January 2025

Background

Surgical management for bronchiectasis is uncommon. This study reviewed the experience of bronchiectasis surgery and subsequent outcomes at a tertiary paediatric centre over a 20 year period.

Methods

Retrospective audit of children aged < 18 years who underwent bronchiectasis surgery at Starship Children's Hospital between 2001 and 2021. Cases were identified from clinical coding, with demographics, pre‐operative investigations and outcomes obtained from clinical records.

Results

Nineteen children (11 females, 42% Pasifika, 26% Māori and 26% New Zealand European) were included. Mean age of bronchiectasis diagnosis was 6.3 years (range 2.1–13.9 years) and mean age of surgery was 8.5 years (range 2.6–15.9 years). Indications for surgery included localised bronchiectasis (n = 7), main burden of multilobar disease in one lobe (n = 5) and persistent lobar collapse (n = 3). Pre‐operative investigations included chest computerised tomography scan (68%), bronchoscopy (37%) and overnight oximetry (42%). One child underwent documented pre‐operative clinical optimisation. For children with bronchiectasis < 5 years (n = 11), 81% demonstrated improved symptoms, 9% were unchanged and 9% deteriorated. All children with bronchiectasis > 5 years had symptomatic improvement. The mean number of daily symptoms decreased by 2.4 (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Lobectomy resulted in significant symptomatic improvement in 89% of children. However, pre‐operative work‐up was variable. The study highlights the importance of establishing a protocol for identification of children with bronchiectasis who would benefit from surgery and developing a consistent preparatory approach to ensure optimal and equitable outcomes.
The solar system Fe/Mg ratio
Authors: Burnett D. S. , Jurewicz A. J. G. , Woolum D. S. , Guan Y. , Heber V. S. , Hervig R. , Humayun M. , McKeegan K. D. , Nittler L. R. , Olinger C. T. , Reisenfeld D. B. , Wang J.
Published: January 2025

Solar wind Fe and Mg fluences (atoms/cm2) were measured from Genesis collectors. Fe and Mg have similar first ionization potentials and solar wind Fe/Mg should equal the solar ratio. Solar wind Fe/Mg is a more valid measure of solar composition than CI chondrites and can be measured more accurately than spectroscopic photospheric abundances. Mg and Fe fluences analyzed in four laboratories give satisfactory agreement. Si and diamond‐like carbon collector fluences agree for both elements. The Mg and Fe fluences are 1.731 ± 0.073 × 1012 and 1.366 ± 0.058 × 1012 atoms/cm2. All plausible sources of errors down to the 1% level are documented. Our value for the solar system Fe/Mg, 0.789 ± 0.048 agrees within 1 sigma errors with CI chondrites, spectroscopic photospheric abundances, and with the solar wind data from the ACE spacecraft. CI samples from asteroid Ryugu give Fe/Mg in agreement with Genesis and meteoritic CI samples despite very small sample sizes. The higher accuracy of the Genesis solar Fe/Mg permits a comparison with chondritic Fe/Mg at the 10% level. Intermeteorite Fe/Mg averages differ among the main C chondrite groups but are within, or very close to, the ±1 sigma Genesis solar Fe/Mg.
Reflections on a critically‐applied anthropology of conservation and tourism field school in Honduras’ Bay Islands
Authors: Brondo Keri Vacanti
Published: January 2025

This article examines the inception, goals, and impacts of an ethnographic field school in conservation, culture, and environmental change, established in collaboration with small conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Honduras’ Bay Islands. It traces the author's journey from decades of critical and activist ethnography on rhetorical erasure and territorial dispossession of African and Indigenous descendants by conservation and tourism development towards the surprising turn (to the author) to establish a study abroad program that combined conservation research tourism and ethnographic fieldwork. The article provides an overview of the central themes explored during the program: neocolonialism, racialized dispossession, and displacement‐in‐place in Caribbean tourism; neoliberal conservation and the transformation of landscapes through land privatization; and the impacts of climate change, ecological grief, and community resiliency in the face of environmental change. Student feedback, community benefits, and goals for the program's future are detailed.
Effects of stevia consumption on appetite in adults: A systematic review and dose–response meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Zare Marzieh , Zeinalabedini Mobina , Ebrahimpour‐Koujan Soraiya , Azadbakht Leila
Published: January 2025

Stevia is an intense, calorie‐free sweetener that is frequently used to reduce energy intake; however, studies examining its effects on appetite and energy intake have produced mixed results, indicating that a definitive consensus has not yet been reached. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to determine the impact of stevia on appetite and energy intake in adults. The PROSPERO registration number for this research is CRD42023414411. The databases PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched. In addition, the reference lists of extracted articles and pertinent reviews were examined. Two evaluators performed screening, quality assessment, and data extraction independently. Furthermore, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach was employed to systematically assess the certainty level of the evidence presented in our study. Eleven clinical trials with a total of 428 participants were included. We found no significant changes in any appetite scores following stevia consumption (very low to moderate certainty of the evidence). Moreover, subgroup analyses demonstrated the scores of desires to eat increased significantly in the oral intake of stevia and not enteral intake subgroup (WMD: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.009, 0.89; P = 0.046). In addition, the number of studies reporting energy intake was limited, preventing a meta‐analysis of this variable. In conclusion, stevia consumption has no significant effect on appetite scores in adults but it seems that more long‐term clinical trials are needed to obtain more accurate results.

Practitioner Point

Stevia, as a non‐nutritive sweetener, has no significant effect on appetite scores in adults.
Analysing Thalattosuchia palaeobiodiversity through the prism of phylogenetic comparative methods
Authors: Forêt Tom , Aubier Paul , Jouve Stéphane , Cubo Jorge
Published: January 2025

Thalattosuchia are a particularly diverse group of mostly marine crocodylomorphs that lived during most of the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous. Previous studies have sought to uncover the factors influencing Crocodylomorpha evolution, yielding mixed results, possibly due to Thalattosuchia's unique ecological niche and controversial phylogenetic placement among crocodylomorphs. Here, we propose a Thalattosuchia‐focused study using phylogenetically‐informed statistical analyses. First, we tested the phylogenetic structure of thalattosuchian extinction at various geological transitions. We then tested the influence of biotic and abiotic factors explaining thalattosuchian diversity at the aforementioned crises. Finally, we tested whether diet was an additional explanatory factor. We found that: (1) thalattosuchian extinction at the Lower–Middle Jurassic transition was phylogenetically structured and associated with signs of snout reduction possibly explained by the colonization of emptied ecological niches, allowing the emergence of Machimosaurinae and Geosaurinae; (2) we observed higher local temperatures for Thalattosuchia after the Middle–Upper Jurassic and Jurassic–Cretaceous transitions, the former being in accordance with most climatic literature and the latter being subject to more caution; finally, (3) we corroborated previous studies about skull shape and found that durophagous teleosauroids tended to have larger body sizes than any other diet, possibly as a result of ecological specialization. We also found evidence for niche partitioning among piscivorous and macrophagous metriorhynchoids that is observable by a size range extension.
Regret for the Defeated Directive
Authors: Fives Allyn
Published: January 2025

In this paper, I argue an authoritative directive can be defeated (i.e., outweighed) by a reason it defeats (i.e., excludes), where it is rational to feel regret for failing to act as the directive demands. This is the case as, first, it is rational to feel regret when one fails to act on a binding reason, and a defeated reason is still binding unless its triggering conditions have been removed; second, an authoritative directive can be defeated by a more weighty reason it excludes if the latter is still binding; and third, there is no general rule preventing a more weighty excluded reason from defeating a directive.
On the Quality of Relational Justice
Authors: Carter Matilda
Published: January 2025

By emphasising the role of concepts like social status, power and respect, all relational egalitarians seek to demonstrate that there is more to the political concept of equality than the distribution of goods. While there is a broad consensus on the nature of equality, however, the nature of justice is a matter of internal dispute. The aim of this paper is to disentangle these argumentative threads, building on work in early relational egalitarian scholarship to develop a relational approach to justice, both distinct from the distributive approach to justice and isolated from the relational approach to equality. In doing so, I reveal possible and sometimes surprising alliances between relational egalitarians and other scholars on the nature of justice.
The effect of wildfire smoke on children's health: A systematic review
Authors: Syed Amal , Basu Rupa
Published: January 2025

Background

With wildfires increasing globally due to climate change, children may be more behaviourally exposed and more physiologically vulnerable to adverse health outcomes.

Objective

To complete a comprehensive investigation of epidemiological studies examining respiratory and non‐respiratory impacts of wildfires to identify research gaps and inform decision‐making to protect children's health.

Data Sources

The databases searched were PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Google Scholar.

Study Selection and Data Extraction

Global epidemiological studies that investigated individuals under the age of 18 and were published from January 2006 to July 2024 were eligible to be included. Studies were included if they had wildfire days, smoke, or pollutants as the main exposure and had an outcome related to children's health. Though a meta‐analysis was not possible, results were reported qualitatively through summaries of evidence tables and noteworthy results and the magnitude of the associations for each outcome was reported.

Results

Twenty‐four studies were selected. Sixteen studies examined respiratory outcomes and 11 studies included non‐respiratory outcomes. A meta‐analysis was not conducted, and consistent conclusions could not be made due to the heterogeneity and the small number of studies. Most respiratory‐related studies found positive associations between wildfire exposure and adverse respiratory outcomes. All non‐respiratory outcomes, except physical activity, had positive associations with wildfire exposure. For most non‐respiratory outcomes, only one study evaluated each outcome. Higher‐risk children were asthmatic, obese, under the age of five, in low‐income countries or with a low socio‐economic status.

Conclusions

There is consistent evidence that wildfire exposure is associated with adverse respiratory health in children, globally. There is less consistent evidence for the effect of wildfire exposure on non‐respiratory outcomes. Further long‐term research on non‐respiratory outcomes in children, specifically physical activity, academic success and mental health is needed, especially in high‐risk populations.
Integrating physiological, metabolome and transcriptome revealed the response of maize seeds to combined cold and high soil moisture stresses
Authors: Meng Xiangzeng , Cao Yujun , Lv Yanjie , Wang Lichun , Wang Yongjun
Published: January 2025

Combined cold and high moisture stress (CHS) is a prevalent abiotic stress during maize sowing in northeast China, severely affecting the growth of seedlings and seed germination. However, the mechanism underlying seed growth responses to CHS remains unclear. We used Jidan441 (JD441, CHS‐resistant) and Jidan558 (JD558, CHS‐sensitive) as experimental materials. Treatments of 5‐day cold (4°C, CS), high moisture (25%, gravimetric water content, HH), and CHS were initiated at sowing, followed by a return to normal growth conditions (20°C during light/ 15°C during dark, 15%) at 7 days after sowing (DAS). CS, HH, and CHS decreased seed root length and surface area. The reduction in root length and surface area in JD441 due to CHS was less severe than in JD558. We found that the difference between CHS and control in JD441was less than that in JD558 at transcriptional and metabolic levels at 7 DAS. After CHS removal, JD441 exhibited a greater increase in α‐amylase activity and antioxidant content than JD558, which facilitated starch decomposition and the rapid removal of O2− and H2O2 in seeds. The rapid recovery of soluble sugar and soluble protein in JD441 helped maintain osmotic balance. Amino acids and genes related to amino acid metabolism were upregulated in response to combined stress in JD441, whereas they were downregulated in JD558. In conclusion, the stress tolerance of JD441 was attributed to its efficient recovery ability from CHS. This study provides a scientific foundation for exploring seed stress tolerance pathways and developing cold and high‐moisture‐tolerant hybrids.
Knowledge and attitudes about dementia among nursing students in Vietnam: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Pham Dung Thi My , Do An Dang , Do Hien Thi Thu , Nguyen Anh Ngoc , Nguyen Binh Thanh , Do Mai
Published: January 2025

Background

Dementia is one of the most pressing health concerns among the ageing population, imposing significant health, financial and caregiving burdens on people with dementia (PWD), their families and caregivers. Building the capacity of nursing students is essential for effectively improving quality of life for affected people. This study aimed to assess nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward dementia and its associated factors.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted in four medical schools educating 3‐year and 4‐year diploma nursing students in northern, central and southern Vietnam, who were selected based on convenience. Six hundred full‐time diploma senior nursing students were recruited for the survey. A self‐administered questionnaire consisted of 34 true‐false questions evaluating students' knowledge about dementia (Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale) and 20 items using a five‐point Likert scale assessing their attitudes toward dementia (Dementia Attitudes Scale) was used. The tools were validated with 60 students and showed good internal reliability.

Findings

Senior nursing students exhibited insufficient knowledge of dementia (mean score of 20.82 ± 2.96 out of 34) but demonstrated positive attitudes toward dementia care (mean score of 65.54 ± 8.25 out of 90). Engaging in a 4‐year diploma program (β = 0.501), being female (β = 0.827), and achieving greater academic performance (β = 0.795) were positively associated with increased knowledge of dementia (P < 0.05). Being female (β = 2.179) and possessing better knowledge of dementia (β = 2.740) also positively affected nursing students' attitudes toward dementia (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The study is the first to shed light on the gaps in dementia knowledge among senior nursing students in Vietnam. It also provides a comparison in dementia knowledge and attitudes between students enrolling in 3‐year versus 4‐year nursing diploma programs. Educational strategies are needed to not only equip students with adequate knowledge and reinforced positive attitudes toward dementia, but to strengthen nursing graduates' knowledge and attititudes of dementia to better their capacity in ageing and dementia care.

Implications for nursing practice

The findings highlighted the need to enhance training programs to meet the growing demand for dementia care. Additional post‐graduation training activities are also recommended to increase competencies of nurses in caring for PWD.
Program Design to Ease Administrative Burden in Times of Crisis: An Evaluation of Two Emergency Aid Programs in Los Angeles
Authors: Estrada‐Miller Jeimee , Olson Hilary , Painter Gary
Published: January 2025

With students increasingly struggling to afford basic needs, emergency aid (EA) programs seek to prevent crises from derailing college students' educational trajectories. To do so, they provide small grants to help students overcome short‐term financial hardships and improve longer‐term academic success. However, EA programs often face trade‐offs between streamlining application processes and targeting limited resources to the highest‐need students. Drawing on the theoretical framing of administrative burden, we analyse the nuances of these trade‐offs by investigating the learning, psychological, and compliance costs that students can face when applying for EA. Using data from two EA programs drawn from 85 interviews, 893 applications, and 153 survey responses, we find that the programs were able to ease burdens, especially compliance costs. Further, the vast majority of EA went to high‐need students, although nearly 20% of recipients had family incomes above $100,000 K.
Frequent apheresis donation is not associated with adverse bone health in donors aged 45 years and over—Results from a cohort study in Australia
Authors: Karki Surendra , Rahman Md Morshadur , Hayen Andrew , Irving David O.
Published: January 2025

Background

We investigated whether frequent apheresis donors have altered risk of bone fractures, and prescription of osteoporosis medicine//s due to their repeated exposure to citrate anticoagulant.

Methods

We used the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study data linked with blood donation and other health‐related datasets. We used a “5‐year qualification period” method to identify active donors who donated at least one (any type) donation in the first and fifth year of the “qualification period.” We categorized donors into 0, 1–29, and 30+ donation groups based on the number of apheresis donations made during the qualification period. We then compared the risk of bone fractures, and initiation of osteoporosis medicine/s in the years following the “qualification period” between the groups, using Cox proportional‐hazards models including several potential confounders.

Results

A total of 7369 donors met the qualification criteria, of which 2033 (27.6%) made at least one apheresis donation. Of those donating by apheresis, 381 (18.7%) also made platelet as well as plasma donation, and rest donated plasma only. The median follow‐up time for overall bone fractures was 5.49 years/per‐donor (Q1–Q3, 5.27–5.95). In the fully adjusted models, compared to donors not making any apheresis donation, the hazard ratio for all‐cause bone fractures, osteoporotic bone fractures, and initiation of osteoporosis medicine/s in donors donating 30+ apheresis donations was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.58–1.60), 0.73 (95% CI: 0.29–1.82), and 1.09 (95% CI: 0.66–1.81), respectively.

Conclusions

We did not observe a statistically significant change in risk of bone fractures, and initiation of osteoporosis medicine/s in frequent apheresis donors predominantly consisting of plasmapheresis donors.
Joint action of common herbicides on the control of Alhagi pseudalhagi (Bieb.) Desv.: A comparison study
Authors: Chitband Ali Asghar , Sarabi Vahid , Aliverdi Akbar
Published: January 2025

Alhagi pseudalhagi (Bieb.) Desv. is a highly invasive plant species that causes significant ecological and economic damage in many regions. Herbicides combination is a valuable tool in modern weed management, offering benefits such as broader weed control, reduced resistance development, minimised environmental impact and improved cost‐effectiveness. Six greenhouse studies investigated the joint action of glyphosate, 2,4‐D, paraquat and glufosinate‐ammonium on camelthorn control using the additive dose model (ADM) as a reference model. A randomised complete block design with four replications and seven doses of each mixture was used for the experiments. The values of ED50 (effective dose causing 50% response reduction) and ED90 were calculated from the three‐parameter log‐logistic models for each herbicide applied alone or in mixtures of fixed ratios. Two different statistical software used to test the data revealed similar results. A strong synergistic effect was observed in the mixture of paraquat with 2,4‐D on camelthorn with a high λ‐value equal to 1.64, while the mix of glufosinate ammonium with glyphosate or paraquat‐induced a moderate synergism with λ‐value of 1.29 and 1.16 respectively. Despite a slight synergistic tendency, 2,4‐D binary mixtures with glyphosate or glufosinate‐ammonium followed ADM (additive effects). In contrast, reduced translocation in the paraquat + glyphosate combination, means that the herbicides did not move effectively within the plant, resulting in a significant antagonistic effect with the lowest λ‐value equal to 0.02. The mixtures with additive effects are generally suggested to be combined by increasing the rate of one of the herbicide components or an adjuvant to result in sufficient combination absorption and translocation to affect camelthorn control.
Analysis of the Impact of Vault Structures on Hydrogen Behavior and Risks in Hydrogen Production Plants
Authors: Cao Jinglin , Zhang Shucheng , Lyu Xuefeng , Niu Fenglei , Zhu Tiancheng , Liu Ziyi
Published: January 2025

The safety risks associated with hydrogen production plants are significant and warrant close attention. Investigating the effects of vault structures on the dispersion and risks of leaked hydrogen can inform assessments of how facility structures influence hydrogen behavior, providing a theoretical framework for the secure layout of hydrogen production plants. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ansys fluent was employed in this research to establish a model of a hydrogen production plant. Simulations were conducted to assess hydrogen dispersion and the distribution of flammable clouds under various vault heights. Results indicate that, upon reaching the vault, hydrogen forms a high-concentration accumulation layer along the ceiling wall, subsequently diffusing downward before ultimately rising and diluting. An increase in the vault height was shown to alter the hydrogen dispersion path, enhance atmospheric dilution, and effectively suppress the development of flammable clouds, thereby reducing the likelihood of an explosion. However, the optimal vault height should be selected based on a comprehensive consideration of the plant's specific operational requirements.
Developing a Pareto Front for Thermally Processed Loose Biomass
Authors: Dhaundiyal Alok
Published: January 2025

This investigation focused on the optimization of pre-treatment conditions of pine waste. The genetic algorithm was applied to determine local Pareto sets of the objective functions of the ash content obtained after proximate analyses of torrefied samples of pine waste (needles), energy consumption during torrefaction, energy yield, fuel value index, severity factor, and energy-mass co-benefit index. The milled form of pine waste samples underwent torrefaction for 5 min, 10 min, and 15 min at temperatures of 210 °C, 220 °C, 230 °C, 240 °C, and 250 °C. The energy dispersive spectroscopy of pine waste after pretreatment was also considered to evaluate the impact of processing parameters on the elemental composition of organic/inorganic content presented in pine waste. The torrefaction condition to minimize the ash content and maximize the volumetric energy density would occur at 249.98 °C for a residence period of 5 min. The torrefaction of pine waste must be performed at 217.24 °C for 15 min to minimize the electricity consumption of an improvised unit. The energy yield obtained experimentally at 250 °C for 5 min showed a consensus with the corresponding solution obtained through the genetic programming. The Pareto front developed for the selected parameters provided a good consensus with the empirical results. The percentage of Ca and Fe contents dropped by 84% and 50% in thermally processed pine waste, respectively.
Applying a Cluster-Analysis Approach to Monitor Training Load in Male Volleyball During the Preseason Period
Authors: Kerpe Gilbertas , Zuoza Aurelijus Kazys , Conte Daniele
Published: January 2025

Purpose: This study aimed to (1) classify the external-load measures carried out during the preseason period by male volleyball players via cluster technique identifying the most important external-load measures and (2) assess the differences between clusters in internal-load variables. Methods: Twenty-two male Division 1 and 2 volleyball players (mean [SD] age 21.2 [3.0] y, stature 186.4 [6.0] cm, body mass 80.0[10.5 kg]) were recruited for this study. Players’ external (jump, player load, acceleration, deceleration, and change of direction) and internal (percentage of peak heart rate, summated heart-rate zones, and session rating of perceived exertion) loads were monitored during 5 weeks of the preseason period for both Division 1 and Division 2 teams. External-load measures were classified via a 2-step cluster analysis followed by predicting importance analysis, while differences in internal-load measures between clusters were analyzed using linear mixed models. Results: The 3 identified clusters classified the sessions in high (C1, 30.1%) moderate (C2, 31.8%), and low (C3, 38.1%) load. Predicting importance analysis found jump as the main cluster predictor (predicting value = 1), followed by player load (predicting value = 0.73). An effect of cluster was found on each internal-load measure (P < .001), with post hoc analyses showing lower values in C3 compared with C1 and C2 (P < .05, effect sizes ranges from small to moderate). Conclusions: Volleyball coaches can adopt a monitoring system including cluster analysis to classify the preseason training sessions’ load having a higher consideration for jump and player load as the main external-load measures.
Pacing Strategy and Resulting Performance of Elite Trail Runners: Insights From the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships
Authors: Jaén-Carrillo Diego , Margarit-Boscà Arcadi , García-Pinillos Felipe , Holler Markus
Published: January 2025

Purpose: Pacing is crucial in endurance sports such as running, and its importance is also prominent in trail running due to the unique challenges, including high elevation gains and varied terrain. This study aimed to explore the pacing strategies of elite athletes during the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships for the Trail Short distance. Methods: The participants included 12 elite trail runners who provided their race data from sport watches for analysis. Results: The findings indicate a significant decrease in grade-adjusted pace (vi) as the race progressed, with an average change of −18.7% from the start to the last downhill segment. A linear correlation of −.55 (P = .031) was observed between the winning time and the evolution of vi, suggesting that more consistent pacing led to better performance. The Student t test (t = 2.628, numerator degrees of freedom = 10, P = .013) confirmed that even pacing is significantly correlated with superior race results at a confidence level above 95%. Conclusions: A more even pacing strategy is associated with success during elite trail-running races.
Unveiling the Distinctions: Computer Versus Sport-Specific Neurocognitive Tests
Authors: Gondwe Benedict , Heuvelmans Pieter , Benjaminse Anne , Büchel Daniel , Baumeister Jochen , Gokeler Alli
Published: January 2025

Context: Traditional assessments of high-order neurocognitive functions are conducted using pen and paper or computer-based tests; this neglects the complex motor actions athletes have to make in team ball sports. Previous research has not explored the combination of neurocognitive functions and motor demands through complex tasks for team ball sport athletes. The primary aim of the present study was to determine the construct validity of agility-based neurocognitive tests of working memory (WM) and inhibition. Methods: Twenty-seven athletes (5 females; mean age 24.2  [4.7] y; height 183.6 [9.1] cm; body mass 77.5 [11.2] kg) participated in the construct validity assessments that included computer-based tests (working memory capacity and stop-signal reaction time) and sport-specific assessments performed on the SpeedCourt system. Results: Construct validity analysis of sport-specific working memory yielded acceptable construct validity (r = .465, P < .05), whereas the sport-specific stop-signal task resulted in low construct validity (r = .179, P > .05). The poor construct validity results highlight the large variance between computer-based and sport-specific neurocognitive assessments. Conclusion: Sport-specific assessments are more complex and include more degrees of freedom potentially due to athletes’ center of mass displacement during task execution. These findings suggest that future research should focus more on the development of sport-specific assessments. These should include the cognitive and motor demands encountered during practice and competition, not use computer-based/pen and paper assessments for return to play decisions.
Future Teachers’ Beliefs About Diversity in Physical Education: A Phenomenological Study Based on the Analysis of Anecdotes
Authors: Carrete-Marín Núria , Buscà Francesc
Published: January 2025

This paper describes preservice teachers’ beliefs regarding respect for diversity in physical education (PE) based on short-written anecdotes about their experience of PE during primary or secondary education. Using Atlas-Ti software, a phenomenological approach was applied to analyze 194 short-written anecdotes produced by students in their teaching training plan to become primary school teachers in Spain. The anecdotes described positive and negative experiences, with negative ones slightly predominating. While the positive experiences generally reflected overall impressions of having enjoyed doing physical activities or playing games, negative memories were often associated with having experienced or witnessed discriminatory attitudes or behaviors linked to stereotypes about gender or physical skill level. The physical fitness- and sport-oriented model of PE appears to lie at the root of most negative PE-related memories. Preservice teachers reflect a keen desire to apply a pedagogical approach in their future careers in which PE plays a role in fostering alternative worldviews and learning at school.
Multiplex generation and single-cell analysis of structural variants in mammalian genomes
Authors: Pinglay Sudarshan , Lalanne Jean-Benoît , Daza Riza M. , Kottapalli Sanjay , Quaisar Faaiz , Koeppel Jonas , Garge Riddhiman K. , Li Xiaoyi , Lee David S. , Shendure Jay
Published: January 2025

Studying the functional consequences of structural variants (SVs) in mammalian genomes is challenging because (i) SVs arise much less commonly than single-nucleotide variants or small indels and (ii) methods to generate, map, and characterize SVs in model systems are underdeveloped. To address these challenges, we developed Genome-Shuffle-seq, a method that enables the multiplex generation and mapping of thousands of SVs (deletions, inversions, translocations, and extrachromosomal circles) throughout mammalian genomes. We also demonstrate the co-capture of SV identity with single-cell transcriptomes, facilitating the measurement of SV impact on gene expression. We anticipate that Genome-Shuffle-seq will be broadly useful for the systematic exploration of the functional consequences of SVs on gene expression, the chromatin landscape, and three-dimensional nuclear architecture, while also initiating a path toward a minimal mammalian genome.
Nondeterministic dynamics in the η-to-θ phase transition of alumina nanoparticles
Authors: Sakakibara Masaya , Hanaya Minoru , Nakamuro Takayuki , Nakamura Eiichi
Published: January 2025

Phase diagrams and crystallography are standard tools for studying structural phase transitions, whereas acquiring kinetic information at the atomistic level has been considered essential but challenging. The η-to-θ phase transition of alumina is unidirectional in bulk and retains the crystal lattice orientation. We report a rare example of a statistical kinetics study showing that for nanoparticles on a bulk Al(OH)
3
surface, this phase transition occurs nondeterministically through an ergodic equilibrium through the molten state, and the memory of the lattice orientation is lost in this process. The rate of the interconversion was found to be insensitive to the electron dose rate, and this process had a small Gibbs free energy of activation. These nondeterministic kinetics should be a key feature of crystal nucleation occurring in high-surface-energy regions of bulk crystals.
TIR signaling activates caspase-like immunity in bacteria
Authors: Rousset François , Osterman Ilya , Scherf Tali , Falkovich Alla H. , Leavitt Azita , Amitai Gil , Shir Sapir , Malitsky Sergey , Itkin Maxim , Savidor Alon , Sorek Rotem
Published: January 2025

Caspase family proteases and Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-domain proteins have central roles in innate immunity and regulated cell death in humans. We describe a bacterial immune system comprising both a caspase-like protease and a TIR-domain protein. We found that the TIR protein, once it recognizes phage invasion, produces the previously unknown immune signaling molecule adenosine 5′-diphosphate-cyclo[N7:1′′]-ribose (N7-cADPR). This molecule specifically activates the bacterial caspase-like protease, which then indiscriminately degrades cellular proteins to halt phage replication. The TIR-caspase defense system, which we denote as type IV Thoeris, is abundant in bacteria and efficiently protects against phage propagation. Our study highlights the diversity of TIR-produced immune signaling molecules and demonstrates that cell death regulated by proteases of the caspase family is an ancient mechanism of innate immunity.
Learning the language of life with AI
Authors: Topol Eric J.
Published: January 2025

In 2021, a year before ChatGPT took the world by storm amid the excitement about generative artificial intelligence (AI),
AlphaFold 2
cracked the 50-year-old protein-folding problem, predicting three-dimensional (3D) structures for more than 200 million proteins from their amino acid sequences. This accomplishment was a precursor to an unprecedented burgeoning of large language models (LLMs) in the life sciences. That was just the beginning. In recent months, we have moved into a hyperaccelerated phase of new
foundation models
, pretrained on massive datasets, with the ability to perform a wide range of tasks that are helping us understand the structure, biology, evolution, and design of proteins, RNA, DNA, and ligands, as well as their biomolecular interactions. Unlike multimodal LLMs such as GPT-4, Gemini, and Claude, which process text, audio, and images, these large language of life models (LLLMs) are multiomic. That is to say, they are not only multimodal but pertain to different layers of molecular biology. For example,
Evo
, a foundation model trained on 2.7 million diverse phage and prokaryotic genomes (equivalent to about 300 billion DNA nucleotides), predicts the impact of variants in DNA, RNA, or proteins on structure and function, as well as how essential genes are to cell function, and can generate new DNA sequences.
Viewing Asilomar from the Global South
Authors: Parthasarathy Shobita
Published: January 2025

To many in the scientific community, the 1975 Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA stands as a singular achievement. This experiment in governance seemed to demonstrate that citizens could trust scientists to anticipate their fields’ risks and propose sensible ways to regulate themselves. Over the past half-century, similar efforts have been made to govern controversial areas of research, from geoengineering to artificial intelligence. However, when viewed from a global perspective, Asilomar did not address concerns in the way that many assume. The conference’s output may have made it more difficult for scientists to take seriously global public concerns about emerging technologies, which has impeded governance and eroded trust in science.
In Science Journals
Authors: Vignieri Sacha , Simonti Corinne , Jiang Di , Ash Caroline , Malo Courtney , Szuromi Phil , Olingy Claire , Ross Sarah H. , Funk Michael A. , Stern Peter , VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: January 2025

Highlights from the
Science
family of journals
Trump gender order upends federal surveys
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: January 2025

Move would ban data collection on transgender and nonbinary people
Banished from CERN, Russian physicists regroup
Authors:   Science News Staff
Published: January 2025

Breakdown in collaboration leads many scientists to look to domestic projects—and to China
Glucocorticoid receptor suppresses GATA6-mediated RNA polymerase II pause release to modulate classical subtype identity in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Ekstrom Thomas L , Rosok Raya M , Abdelrahman Amro M , Parassiadis Christina , Manjunath Meghana , Dittrich Marianna Y , Wang Xin , Kutschat Ana P , Kanakan Akshay , Rajput Ashish , Schacherer Nadine , Lukic Teodora , Carlson Danielle M , Thiel Julia , Kopp Waltraut , Stroebel Philipp , Ellenrieder Volker , Gaedcke Jochen , Dong Meng , Najafova Zeynab , Truty Mark J , Hessmann Elisabeth , Johnsen Steven A
Published: January 2025

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal cancer with a 5-year survival rate of 12%. It has two major molecular subtypes: classical and basal, regulated by the master transcription factors (MTFs) GATA6 and ΔNp63, respectively.

Objective

This study sought to uncover the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling PDAC subtype identity.

Design

We integrated primary tumour single-cell RNA-seq, patient-derived xenograft RNA-seq and multispectral imaging to identify MTF-dependent, subtype-specific markers. We created subtype-specific fluorescent reporter systems and conducted drug screenings to find actionable targets. We analysed chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq), genome-wide occupancy (ChIP-seq) for epigenetic status (H3K27ac), MTFs (GATA6, ΔNp63), RNA polymerase II (Pol II), H3K4me3-anchored chromatin topology (HiChIP) and nascent RNA capture sequencing (PRO-seq). Additionally, we used nuclease-dead Cas9 (dCas9) to manipulate transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.

Results

Our approach identified glucocorticoid receptor (GR) agonists as agents that suppress the classical transcriptional programme by interacting with GATA6. GATA6 regulates classical-specific transcription through promoter-proximal pause release. Depletion of GATA6 increased Pol II occupancy at GATA6-bound enhancers and transcriptional start sites, stabilising enhancer–promoter interactions. Artificially inducing pausing at GATA6-bound enhancers with dCas9 abrogated target gene expression and induced pausing at both the enhancer and target gene promoter. Conversely, in basal PDAC ΔNp63 promotes Pol II recruitment and stabilises enhancer–promoter interactions.

Conclusion

This study provides new insights into the transcriptional control and role of GR agonists in controlling PDAC molecular subtype identity.