bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unequal Genetic Redundancies Among MYC bHLH Transcription Factors Underlie Seedling Photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis
Authors: Garhwal Vikas , Das Sreya , Gangappa Sreeramaiah N.
Published: February 2025

Light is one of the most critical ecological cues controlling plant growth and development. Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to cope with fluctuating light signals. In Arabidopsis, bHLH transcription factors MYC2, MYC3, and MYC4 have been shown to play a vital role in protecting plants against herbivory and necrotrophic pathogens. While the role of MYC2 in light‐mediated seedling development has been studied in some detail, the role of MYC3 and MYC4 still needs to be discovered. Here, we show that MYC4 negatively regulates seedling photomorphogenesis, while the MYC3 function seems redundant. However, the genetic analysis reveals that MYC3/MYC4 together act as positive regulators of seedling photomorphogenic growth as the myc3myc4 double mutants showed exaggerated hypocotyl growth compared to the myc3 and myc4 single mutants and Col‐0. Intriguingly, the loss of MYC2 function in the myc3myc4 double mutant background (myc2myc3myc4) resulted in further enhancement in the hypocotyl growth than myc3myc4 double mutants in WL, BL and FRL, suggesting that MYC2/3/4 together play an essential and positive role in meditating optimal seedling photomorphogenesis. Besides, MYC3/MYC4 genetically and physically interact with HY5 to partially inhibit its function in controlling hypocotyl and photo‐pigment accumulation. Moreover, our results suggest that COP1 physically interacts and degrades MYC3 and MYC4 through the 26S proteasomal pathway and controls their response to dark and light for fine‐tuning HY5 function and seedling photomorphogenesis.
Intranasal diamorphine population pharmacokinetics modeling and simulation in pediatric breakthrough pain
Authors: Cai Lianjin , Zhai Jingchen , Ji Beihong , Han Fengyang , Niu Taoyu , Wang Luxuan , Wang Junmei
Published: February 2025

Intranasal diamorphine (IND), approved for managing breakthrough pain in the UK, has been identified as an acceptable alternative offering effective, expedient, and less traumatic analgesia for children. However, the current dose regimen in pediatric populations relies on clinical expertise while the pharmacokinetics properties are poorly understood. This study aimed to develop diamorphine population pharmacokinetics (pop‐PK) models and simulate the IND dosing in virtual pediatric subjects. An integrated four‐compartment pop‐PK model with first‐order absorption and elimination provided an appropriate fit and characterized publicly available 385 concentration measurements of diamorphine, 6‐monoacetylmorphine, and morphine collected from adults. Body weight allometry and renal function maturation (age) were incorporated into the final model, serving as two covariates. The estimated IND relative bioavailability was around 52% compared with intramuscularly injected diamorphine. Using this final model, the morphine plasma concentrations, as the active metabolite for pain relief, were simulated in virtual subjects. The utility of model extrapolation was supported by external verification with acceptable average fold errors of 1.06 ± 0.30 and 0.83 ± 0.07 for morphine maximum concentration and exposures. Meanwhile, the simulated morphine concentration–time profiles could recover the PK profiles observed in children after a single dose of IND. The model‐based dosing simulations were therefore assessed in four children age groups to match the therapeutic window of morphine concentrations in steady state (10–20 μg/L). Our study demonstrates that the dose regimen of 0.3 mg/kg loading dose plus 0.1 mg/kg hourly maintenance dose is generally appropriate for multiple pediatric populations with breakthrough pain, in the view of PK.
Multi‐Photon Fock State Generation via Selective Single Photon Subtraction in a Cascaded Waveguide QED System
Authors: Pasharavesh Abdolreza , Bajcsy Michal
Published: February 2025

This work presents a deterministic photon subtraction scheme that selectively extracts photons from an input light stream based on their arrival time sequence. The scheme exploits the temporal entanglement generated during single‐photon Raman interaction in a chiral waveguide coupled to a cascade of Λ‐type atoms. It is demonstrated that this photon subtractor enables the generation of high‐fidelity and modal purity multi‐photon Fock states. Using a variational approach, the modal structure of the output light is identified, based on a non‐orthogonal basis formed through post‐selection of the output pulses. Within an input‐output network framework, numerical simulations are performed to calculate the quantum state of the output light. Additionally, the use of the generated Fock‐state pulses in optical interferometry is investigated, demonstrating their potential for quantum metrology applications at the Heisenberg limit.
Robust Beamforming Design for Achievable Secrecy Rate Maximization in IRS‐Aided Satellite Systems
Authors: Li Fei , Mi Yuting , Wang Zining , Ding Changfeng , Lin Min
Published: February 2025

This paper investigates a robust secure transmission design for enhancing the physical layer security (PLS) in an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)‐aided satellite system. Especially since it is challenging to obtain the perfect channel state information (CSI) related to the IRS links, we consider here two different scenarios. Specifically, (1) perfect legitimate users' CSI (LCSI) and imperfect eavesdroppers' CSI (ECSI) are adopted. (2) the case of imperfect LCSI and imperfect ECSI. Under both scenarios, we formulate an optimization problem aiming to maximize the minimal achievable secrecy rate (ASR) among legitimate users subject to quality‐of‐service requirements and satellite transmit power budget. In order to tackle this nonconvex optimization problem, we propose a robust beamforming (BF) algorithm combining second‐order Taylor series expansion and Bernstein‐type inequality to jointly optimize transmit power of satellite and phase shifts of IRS. Finally, numerical results confirm the robustness and superiority of the proposed scheme under different CSI uncertainty scenarios.
Sodium‐Deficient NASICON Na3+xVFe(PO4)3 Cathode for High‐Performance Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhu Chengcheng , Liu Xi , Li Chang , Chen Yan , Guo Xinyu , Luo Dawei , Ji Wenhai , Deng Wenjun , Li Rui
Published: February 2025

NASICON‐type Na3V2(PO4)3(NVP) material possesses robust 3D structure and high sodium diffusivity, thus showcasing its immense potential in sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). However, considering the perspective of environmental conservation, it is imperative to substitute vanadium with elements that are both cost‐effective and non‐toxic in order to further enhance its application in SIBs. Herein, Fe is utilized to replace the V site in the sodium vanadium phosphate structure and successfully prepared a pure phase sodium‐deficient NASICON (sodium superionic conductor) Na3.15VFe0.86(PO4)3 (NVFP‐650) cathode. It is found that the regulation of sintering temperature for Na3+xVFe(PO4)3(NVFP) material can effectively mitigate the formation of secondary phases and enhance the electrochemical properties of the resulting product. The sodium‐deficient cathode shows enhanced electrochemical performance and sodium ion diffusion kinetics. It exhibits a high capacity of 102.8 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, and exhibits a high‐capacity retention of 95.7% after 2000 cycles at 20 C. The energy storage mechanism and structural evolution are further investigated through SEM, TEM, XPS, and in situ XRD characterizations. The compositional modulation of sodium‐deficient NVFP and the elucidation of its cycling mechanisms in this work would provide valuable insights for enhancing the performance of sodium energy storage systems.
Willingness to Pay for Solid Waste Management Service in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh: A Contingent Valuation Approach
Authors: Jahan Mst. Esrat , Hossain Md. Elias
Published: February 2025

The study aims to estimate households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for solid waste management service (SWMS) in the slum areas of Rajshahi. To satisfy the objective, a double‐bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method (CVM) has been applied. Data were analyzed using logistic regression model. The findings of the study reveal that majority of the households (87.5%) have a positive WTP for the service. Their mean WTP per month is found to be Tk. 25.92 (0.22 US$). Households’ WTP decision was significantly influenced by monthly household income, gender, and education level of the household head, household size, amounts of waste generation, and their concern about waste management. The contribution of the present study is that the findings can help with developing a system of payment for SWMS, which is obvious for a contingent valuation (CV) study and this can be a suggestion on pricing the service by the municipal authority, who generally lacks this information. Moreover, the study will contribute policies regarding minimization of waste‐caused environmental pollution by analyzing residents’ motivation toward the issue.
Nanoparticle Contrast Agents for Photon‐Counting Computed Tomography: Recent Developments and Future Opportunities
Authors: Devkota Laxman , Bhavane Rohan , Badea Cristian T. , Tanifum Eric A. , Annapragada Ananth V. , Ghaghada Ketan B.
Published: February 2025

The clinical availability of photon‐counting computed tomography (PCCT) has ushered in a new era of CT imaging. Spectral imaging coupled with superior contrast resolution, and ultrahigh spatial resolution (200 μm) offered by PCCT has the potential to revolutionize value‐driven imaging. The potential of multicolor PCCT has generated excitement, and renewed interest, in novel contrast agent development for comprehensive disease interrogation, prediction and monitoring of treatment outcomes. Nanoparticles provide a versatile and powerful platform for the development of next generation contrast agents for spectral PCCT. In this article, we review recent developments and use of nanoparticle contrast agents for PCCT. We also discuss future research and translational opportunities for nanoparticle‐based CT contrast agents enabled by the advent of PCCT and describe key considerations for their clinical translation.
Macroseismology
Authors: Hough Susan E.
Published: February 2025

In this chapter I discuss the use of so-called macroseismic data, i.e., reports of damage and other effects of shaking on humans and the built environment, to improve the characterization of earthquakes and the ground motions they produce. Macroseismic data are critical not only to investigate earthquakes that occurred before the start of the instrumental era in seismology, but are also, by virtue of the spatially rich nature of the data, of tremendous potential importance to investigate early instrumental and even recent earthquakes. Fueled by both the advent of on-line systems that now produce unprecedented volumes of macroseismic intensity data and by recognition of the importance of understanding key historical earthquakes, there has been a growing appreciation for the value of macroseismic data. It is, however, critical to understand both the unique challenges and the unique opportunities associated with these data. I review the evolution of thought and practices regarding analysis of macroseismic data, and the use of such data to improve the characterization of historic and early instrumental earthquakes.
Past Earthquakes in Continental Settings—A Geomorphologic Perspective
Authors: Zielke O. , Klinger Y.
Published: February 2025

This chapter addresses the measurement of displaced geomorphic landforms to constrain the along-fault distribution of surface displacement from individual earthquakes and their recurrence. This line of work is motivated by the desire to constrain the size and other characteristics of past earthquakes to permit estimates of a fault’s likely future behavior to further improve seismic hazard assessment. For a number of reasons, discussed in this chapter, taking such measurements is not trivial. With this chapter, we want to outline why such measurements are important, what data sets are used to take them, how measurements can be taken and what assumptions are adopted to take those measurements. We also provide our recommendations for taking such offset measurements as well as a conceptual model for earthquake recurrence, based on findings from numerous researchers over the last few decades.
Generative AI and childhood education: lessons from the smartphone generation
Authors: Machidon Octavian-Mihai
Published: February 2025

This article examines the potential parallels between children's widespread adoption of smartphones and the emerging reliance on generative AI tools in childhood education. Drawing on Jonathan Haidt’s insights into how phone-based childhoods can disrupt the development of critical executive functions, and Shannon Vallor’s concept of “moral deskilling,” the discussion raises concerns about “intellectual deskilling” in younger generations. As generative AI tools like ChatGPT gain popularity, children risk becoming overly reliant on automated solutions, potentially undermining metacognition and critical thinking. This paper highlights risks such as cognitive offloading, instant gratification, and diminished perseverance and proposes measures to ensure generative AI supports rather than replaces essential developmental experiences.
Global Prevalence of Overactive Bladder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Lin , Cai Nian , Mo Li , Tian Xiaofang , Liu Hongcen , Yu Bohai
Published: February 2025

Introduction and Hypothesis

This study aims to systematically estimate the global prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB), identify demographic and regional factors contributing to prevalence variations, and assess trends in prevalence over the past two decades.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guideline. From inception to April 2024, computerized searches for OAB prevalence-related literature were conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane. Studies of OAB prevalence in the general population were included. Two independent researchers conducted the screening, data extraction, and quality assessment of the included studies.

Results

A total of 53 studies, encompassing 610,438 participants, were ultimately included in the analysis. The meta-analysis determined the global prevalence of OAB to be 20% (95% CI 0.18–0.21). Over the past 20 years, there has been an increase in OAB prevalence, rising from 18.1% (95% CI 0.13–0.23) to 23.9% (95% CI 0.19–0.29). Among women, the prevalence of OAB was 21.9% (95% CI 0.20–0.24), indicating higher rates compared to men (OR = 16.1, 95% CI 0.15–0.18). The study also found higher prevalence rates among overweight and obese individuals (OR = 18.6, 95% CI 0.13–0.24) and those aged 60 years and above (OR = 28.3, 95% CI 0.24–0.33). Middle-income countries exhibited higher prevalence rates compared to high-income countries.

Conclusions

The study highlights higher risks of OAB among obese individuals, women, and the elderly. OAB prevalence has shown an increasing trend over the past 20 years.
MRI safety—developing the right culture
Authors: Alkhulaifat Dana , Vidal Lorenna , Larsen Ethan , Serai Suraj D. , Sinti-Ycochea Mario , Mecca Patricia , Orfe Lauren , Sotardi Susan
Published: February 2025

In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among pediatric populations has risen, requiring strict adherence to MRI safety protocols for patient care. Children often face more complex safety risks compared to adult populations due to several challenges, such as increased need for sedation, and the limited data and testing on implant safety in pediatric patients. Our aim is to examine the key features of MRI safety and how safety culture impacts important aspects of MRI processes, including patient and staff screening, physical barriers, zoning regulations, emergency response protocols, and adverse event management. This article also explores the cornerstone of MRI safety, the Just Culture approach, which emphasizes transparency, accountability, and improvement of processes over punishment. Key efforts towards building and maintaining safety culture focus on raising awareness, outlining escalation procedures, and instilling a safety-first mindset. Given MRI safety’s critical importance in pediatric patient care and staff well-being, the development of a culture that supports these goals is an imperative for every imaging center.

Graphical Abstract
High-repetition-rate operation of LE CO2 laser without Helium or pre-ionization
Authors: Okawa Ryo , Uno Kazuyuki , Watarai Shohei , Kodama Yasushi
Published: February 2025

A He-free CO2 laser excited by a longitudinal pulsed discharge produced short laser pulses at repetition rates up to 700 Hz. A discharge tube with an inner diameter of 8 to 16 mm and a length of 60 to 80 cm was employed, with a fast, high-voltage pulse of approximately 22.0 to 30.3 kV and a rise time of 300 ns. No pre-ionization or fast gas flow systems were used. The oscillation characteristics at various repetition rates, gas mixing ratios, gas pressures, input energies, output coupler reflectivities and discharge tube sizes were investigated. A short laser pulse with a tail was produced under all conditions. In the discharge tube with an inner diameter of 8 mm and a length of 80 cm, a CO2/N2 mixture at a ratio of 1:2 and a wavelength of 10.6 μm, the maximum laser output energies were 32.5, 13.1 and 3.27 mJ at repetition rates of 300, 500 and 700 Hz, respectively.
Posterior fossa astroblastoma: a case report of an extremely rare tumor with challenging diagnosis in a child and a review of literature
Authors: Shabo Ehab , Zoubaa Saida , Gielen Gerrit H. , Clauberg Ralf , Wispel Christian , Pietsch Torsten , Vatter Hartmut , Sarikaya-Seiwert Sevgi
Published: February 2025

A 7-year-old boy presented to the hospital with recurrent nausea and vomiting over 2 weeks. A cranial MRI revealed a large heterogeneous lesion in the posterior fossa extending from the fourth ventricle to the foramen magnum with contact to the brainstem. The lesion showed moderate diffusion restriction and multiple small cystic components. The child underwent gross total resection. The primary histological findings suggested proliferative active tumor without further definition. The extended histological examination 3 weeks later confirmed the diagnosis of astroblastoma. Due to complete resection and full recovery of the patient, watchful waiting with radiological follow-up was recommended. Astroblastoma is an extremely rare tumor especially in the posterior fossa. However, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis in every tumor presenting the discussed radiological and histological features, especially in young aged patients.
Epidemiology and clinical outcomes of hospitalized Hispanic patients with IBD: results of a large national cohort study
Authors: Zhornitskiy Alex , Zhornitsky Felicia , Rasheed Waqas , Mao Eric J.
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has historically been seen as predominantly affecting non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). Hispanics are the largest minority group in the USA, yet they remain grossly underrepresented in studies of IBD. With this study, we aimed to better understand the epidemiology of hospitalized Hispanic patients with IBD in the US.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study utilizing the National Inpatient Sample, the largest publicly available all-payer inpatient care database in the United States. We compared demographics, hospitalization characteristics, clinical outcomes, and year-to-year trends from 2016 to 2020 in Hispanic and NHW with a primary diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis.

Results

NHWs hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of IBD had significantly higher rates of hospitalization than Hispanics (122.67 vs 71.12, P < 0.01). While hospitalized Hispanics with IBD are more likely to be in the lowest quartile for household income (31.6% vs 19.3%, P < 0.01), have a younger median age (37.0 vs 45.0, P < 0.01), and be uninsured (4.3% vs 8.8%, P < 0.01) compared to NHW. Length of admission was similar, yet NHWs had higher rates of mortality (0.3% vs 0.2%, P = 0.01), while total charges for hospitalizations were significantly higher for Hispanic patients (P < 0.01).

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is one of the largest US-based studies of Hispanics with IBD. Our findings suggest that among hospitalized IBD patients, Hispanics are more likely to be younger, uninsured, have a lower household income, and are less likely to undergo surgery while having higher hospital charges.
A clockmaker’s mathematics: a technology-based approach to the mathematical works of Jost Bürgi (1552–1632)
Authors: Moosbrugger Damian
Published: February 2025

In this article, I propose a new approach to analyze the interrelations between mathematics and technology. It has the potential to contribute methodologically to both the fields of history of mathematics as well as the study of computational technologies in the current context. Based on the conception of mathematics as a contingent human practice, I claim that the practical engagement with technology not only subjects new fields, materials, and problems to mathematical scrutiny but might even shape mathematics from within. To illustrate my approach and corroborate my thesis, I present a historical case study on the mathematical works of the Swiss clock- and instrument-maker Jost Bürgi (1552–1632). Besides being a practicing artisan, he left three mathematical treatises. The advancements in fine metal working at his time, exemplified in clockwork mechanisms and measuring instruments, not only motivated and directed Bürgi’s mathematical inquiries. Instead, I argue that the interaction with these technical apparatuses in practice has shaped the internal structure and workings of his mathematics, that is, its entities, justifications, presentations, proofs, and procedures. The close analysis of some aspects of his oeuvre, especially his notion(s) of the sine, his way of explaining the occurrence of multiple solutions in algebra, and his visual depiction of the bridging of ten in his logarithmic computational tool, reveals a potential integration of the experience and practical knowledge of a clockmaker into mathematics. I therefore make the point that his mathematical writings portray a clockmaker’s mathematics.
Efficacy of cannabinoids for the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting—a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chow Ronald , Basu Anna , Kaur Jagdeep , Hui David , Im James , Prsic Elizabeth , Boldt Gabriel , Lock Michael , Eng Lawson , Ng Terry L. , Zimmermann Camilla , Scotte Florian
Published: February 2025

Background

Cannabinoids have potential efficacy as prophylaxis for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), but no recent meta-analysis has reported on their relative efficacy compared to other antiemetics. The aim of this meta-analysis is to examine the relative efficacy of cannabinoids for prophylaxis of CINV.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in OVID Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception up until March 2024. Articles were included if they reported on complete response, no nausea, no vomiting or no use of rescue medications, and were randomized controlled trials with cannabinoids in one arm. Meta-analysis was conducted for each endpoint and for a composite endpoint amalgamating existing endpoints. Subgroup analyses by medication used in control arm and by study design were conducted. Cumulative and leave-one-out analysis was also conducted. Type I error was set at 0.05.

Results

A total of 26 studies were included in this meta-analysis, of which 23 were published before the 2000s. Nearly half of the included studies had some concern for bias. Cannabinoid had superior overall CINV control compared to placebo (RR 2.65, 95% CI 1.70–4.12, I
2 = 0.00%). However, there was no difference between cannabinoid and active treatment alternatives (most using dated single-agent regimens) for any outcomes. A recent phase II/III trial demonstrated superior efficacy of THC:CBD for secondary prevention of CINV when used as adjunctive therapy alongside modern antiemetic regimens, albeit mostly without olanzapine.

Conclusions

There is scant evidence for efficacy of cannabinoids for CINV in the era of triple and quadruple antiemetics. Although THC:CBD showed promised in a recent trial, further trials should examine its safety and efficacy in the context of regimens containing olanzapine.
A cybersecurity risk assessment methodology for industrial automation control systems
Authors: Brancati Francesco , Mongelli Diamantea , Mariotti Francesco , Lollini Paolo
Published: February 2025

Industrial automation control systems (IACS) are employed in current critical infrastructures and industrial plants spanning very different domains, and the transformation process towards Industry 4.0 is further increasing the dependencies on such systems. Since IACS can be exposed to malicious threats that could lead to catastrophic consequences, it is extremely important to assess the cybersecurity risk of these systems, to identify the possible threats, their impact, likelihood, and possible countermeasures. The ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards is suited for the design and security risk analysis of IACS, and has been submitted to the International Standards on Auditing and International Electrotechnical Commission for global adoption as international standards. In this paper, we focus on the zone and conduit requirement 5 (ZCR 5) of the 62443-3-2 part of the standard, which provides the steps for detailed cybersecurity risk assessment of IACS. These steps are fundamental to identify threats related to the system, determine the risk associated with them, and derive appropriate countermeasures. We provide a methodology for conducting a detailed risk assessment of IACS that is compliant with all the steps of the ZCR 5 and integrates the following features: (i) capability to manage the complexity of the assessment process, (ii) capability to select tailored countermeasures for critical assets through the identification of attack paths, (iii) explicit involvement of the asset owner in the key steps of the assessment process, and (iv) tool-supported. We illustrate the methodology by applying it to a case study of a power plant using gas turbines.
Weed Tolerance and Suppressive Ability of Potato Cultivars to Natural Weed Infestations
Authors: Siddiqui Ahmad Omid , Jabran Khawar
Published: February 2025

Concerns such as herbicide-resistant weeds and environmental pollution have increased an interest in using weed-competitive crop cultivars for weed management. Potato plants are highly vulnerable to weed competition, especially during early and late growing seasons. In this context, a two-year field experiment assessed weed tolerance and suppressive ability of 15 genetically diverse potato cultivars to natural weed infestations. The results showed that weed interference significantly reduced potato growth and yield. For instance, weed competition reduced plant height by 10–37%, plant fresh weight by 21–44%, plant dry weight by 15–40%, and yield by 15–48%. Potato cultivars varied in their ability to suppress and tolerate weeds, with weed dry weight ranging from 146.7 g m−2 in Lady Olympia to 428.3 g m−2 in Arizona and tuber yield from 13.84 t ha−1 in Electra to 25.15 t ha−1 in Agria under weedy conditions. Key traits of weed-suppressive cultivars included early emergence, rapid canopy development, and greater plant biomass. Cultivars with greater plant height and higher yields were generally more weed tolerant. Lady Olympia demonstrated the highest weed suppression among the evaluated cultivars, reducing weed dry weight by 60% or more, making it suitable for organic farming systems. Agria exhibited superior weed tolerance with minimal yield loss, making it ideal for conventional high-yield farming systems.
Community health learning experiences of Colombian undergraduate medical students. A phenomenographic research study
Authors: Jaimes-Peñuela Claudia Liliana , Lamus-Lemus Francisco , Reinoso-Chávez Natalia
Published: February 2025

Medical students’ perceptions of their community learning experiences can provide valuable insights for evolving and improving healthcare professional education curricula to better respond to health needs. This study aims to explore the learning experiences of undergraduate medical students in a community health course at a Colombian University. Fifteen students who had completed the Family Medicine and Community Health course participated in this qualitative study, employing a phenomenographic approach and interview technique. The phenomenographic analysis, informed by the transformative service-learning theoretical framework, resulted in the construction of categories of description, organized hierarchically, based on levels of understanding. The findings revealed five main community health learning experiences: Fulfilling the requirements, Educating the community, Solving health problems, Joint construction, and Personal transformation. Students experienced learning in diverse hierarchical learning levels, with their understanding around community health evolving over time. Transformative learning experiences were identified among only some students, indicating the potential for everyone to reach such levels of complexity and depth. Educationally critical aspects for achieving more complex levels of learning include exposure to intense and major challenges in longer periods of community services, reflection guided by teacher in intentional pedagogical spaces, feedback, and meaningful relationships between key stakeholders. These findings hold significance for medical programs that offer community medicine or related courses, since they present pedagogical opportunities to create and improve similar learning contexts in other domains.
Quantum deep learning in neuroinformatics: a systematic review
Authors: Orka Nabil Anan , Awal Md. Abdul , Liò Pietro , Pogrebna Ganna , Ross Allen G. , Moni Mohammad Ali
Published: February 2025

Neuroinformatics involves replicating and detecting intricate brain activities through computational models, where deep learning plays a foundational role. Our systematic review explores quantum deep learning (QDL), an emerging deep learning sub-field, to assess whether quantum-based approaches outperform classical approaches in brain data learning tasks. This review is a pioneering effort to compare these deep learning domains. In addition, we survey neuroinformatics and its various subdomains to understand the current state of the field and where QDL stands relative to recent advancements. Our statistical analysis of tumor classification studies (n = 16) reveals that QDL models achieved a mean accuracy of 0.9701 (95% CI 0.9533–0.9868), slightly outperforming classical models with a mean accuracy of 0.9650 (95% CI 0.9475–0.9825). We observed similar trends across Alzheimer’s diagnosis, stroke lesion detection, cognitive state monitoring, and brain age prediction, with QDL demonstrating better performance in metrics such as F1-score, dice coefficient, and RMSE. Our findings, paired with prior documented quantum advantages, highlight QDL’s promise in healthcare applications as quantum technology evolves. Our discussion outlines existing research gaps with the intent of encouraging further investigation in this developing field.
A conceptual framework for sustainable location, inventory and transportation problems in a supply chain context
Authors: Becerra Pablo , Mula Josefa , Sanchis Raquel
Published: February 2025

Sustainability in supply chains (SC) is a topic that has been widely discussed recently and, similarly to the quest to develop green SCs, it does not contemplate the integration of economic and social dimensions of sustainable SC management (SSCM). This article proposes a conceptual framework to provide key factors that act as a valuable tool to further develop quantitative models of location, inventory and transportation (LIT) problems in SSCs. The objectives of this paper are to: (i) review the literature by focusing on conceptual frameworks for sustainable SC; (ii) map and construct the conceptual framework blocks by describing each element and dimension; and (iii) validate the conceptual framework. The conceptual framework comprises five main blocks: SC structures, sustainable inputs, quantitative models, inventory policies and sustainability objectives. These five blocks are then formed by different dimensions and elements, which are described in this paper and validated in a mining case study. The results show that no previous studies propose a reference conceptual framework to model a sustainable LIT problem in a CLSC context, which is the main novelty of this paper. Finally, the conceptual framework is validated and applied as a diagnostic tool in two copper mining companies.
Retrospective temporal resolution interpolation alters myocardial strain quantification on compressed sensing cine CMR
Authors: Grob Leonard , Schwerzmann Yann , Kaiser Dario , Jung Bernd , Schweizer Thilo , Huettenmoser Stefan P. , Dozio Scilla , Huber Adrian T. , Boscolo Berto Martina , Gräni Christoph , Guensch Dominik P. , Fischer Kady
Published: February 2025

Compressed sensing (CS) is a rapidly developing technique that can acquire functional cines of the heart within seconds while free-breathing and it is ideal for assessing cardiac function in non-typical conditions such as when patients are sedated or anaesthetized or undergoing stress exams. CS cines can further include retrospective temporal resolution interpolation (INTPTR) to improve the frame count per heartbeat, and the impact of INTPTR on biventricular functional measurements is unknown. We investigated the impact of INTPTR on left and right ventricular volumetry and strain measurements of CS cines. Nineteen patients with 51 different CS acquisitions were prospectively enrolled. CS cines were acquired at rest, under adenosine stress, oxygen inhalation or while under general anaesthesia with mechanical ventilation. From the same CS acquisition, a dataset with and without INTPTR were generated by the scanner. The outputs were separated and analysed by blinded readers for left and right ventricular volumetry, as well as systolic and diastolic strain parameters using feature-tracking techniques. Measurements were compared between the INTPTR and non-INTPTR outputs. Similar measurements were obtained for biventricular volumes and ejection fraction independent of INTPTR. Peak strain was significantly underestimated on INTPTR cines for both longitudinal and circumferential orientations (p < 0.01). Nevertheless, good-to-excellent correlations were observed between the two measurements (r > 0.65, p < 0.01), and there was still a high area under the curve (AUC ≥ 0.95, p < 0.01) for detecting abnormal patients defined by strain analysis on the standard segmented cine. INTPTR especially negatively influenced strain rates analysis, as many strain rate curves were deemed unusable with this technique. These findings were consistent independent if the patient was in a resting, stress or anaesthetized condition. Although INTPTR is a feature which improves temporal resolution on CS cines, quantification of biventricular strain and strain rates is not feasible or comparable, thus, feature tracking analysis should be performed on non-INTPTR data. However, volumetry and ejection fraction analysis are consistent independent of which output is analysed.
An Empirical Evaluation of Distance Metrics in Hierarchical Risk Parity Methods for Asset Allocation
Authors: Salas-Molina Francisco , Pla-Santamaria David , Garcia-Bernabeu Ana , Hilario-Caballero Adolfo
Published: February 2025

Hierarchical Risk Parity methods address instability, concentration, and underperformance in asset allocation by taking advantage of machine learning techniques to build a diversified portfolio. HRP methods produce a hierarchical structure to the correlation between assets by means of tree clustering that results in a reorganization of the covariance matrix of returns. However, HRP admits multiple variations in terms of clustering algorithms and distance metrics. In this paper, we evaluate the out-of-sample performance of alternative hierarchical distance metrics for clustering purposes using real stock markets in three different market scenarios: bull market, sideways trend, and bear market. We pay special attention to the mean-variance performance of the output portfolios as an estimation of the ability of alternative methods to estimate future return and risk. Our results show that correlation-based metrics provide better performance than non-correlation metrics. In addition, HRP methods outperform quadratic optimizers in two of the three stock market scenarios.
Multicomponent Multimethod Assessment of Emotional Change in Psychotherapy Research: Initial Validation of a Neurobehavioral Paradigm
Authors: Grandjean Loris , Beuchat Hélène , Pascual-Leone Antonio , Martin-Soelch Chantal , Draganski Bogdan , Kramer Ueli
Published: February 2025

Self-contempt and emotional arousal are two key concepts associated with psychological distress but have been little studied in a daily life context. This work explores the use of individualized self-contemptuous stimuli extracted from a self-critical two-chair dialogue into an fMRI scanner. 28 female controls participated in psychological investigations (at three time points) and a self-critical emotion-eliciting two-chair dialogue followed by an fMRI assessment. We observed the neurofunctional activation during this task and compared neural activation during the exposition to self-critical individualized stimuli versus negative non-individualized stimuli. We also investigated emotional arousal change during the psychological session. The fMRI data analysis showed no significant difference in activation between the first and second fMRI assessments. We found no significant activation when comparing the neural activation between the exposition to self-contemptuous individualized stimuli and non-individualized negative stimuli. Controls do show an increased self-reported emotional arousal when expressing self-contempt. Our neurobehavioral design seems promising as proof of concept in combining an analogue psychotherapy session and an fMRI session to investigate expressed self-contempt and emotional arousal in healthy controls. Using this design in clinical populations seems feasible and may be important in clinical populations known for emotional difficulties such as BPD.
Agent-based modelling of older adult needs for autonomous mobility-on-demand: a case study in Winnipeg, Canada
Authors: Prédhumeau Manon , Manley Ed
Published: February 2025

As the populations continue to age across many nations, ensuring accessible and efficient transportation options for older adults has become an increasingly important concern. Autonomous Mobility-on-Demand (AMoD) systems have emerged as a potential solution to address the needs faced by older adults in their daily mobility. However, estimation of older adult mobility needs, and how they vary over space and time, is crucial for effective planning and implementation of such service, and conventional four-step approaches lack the granularity to fully account for these needs. To address this challenge, we propose an agent-based model of older adults mobility demand in Winnipeg, Canada. The model is built for 2022 using primarily open data, and is implemented in the Multi-Agent Transport Simulation toolkit. After calibration to accurately reproduce observed travel behaviours, a new AMoD service is tested in simulation and its potential adoption among Winnipeg older adults is explored. The model can help policy makers to estimate the needs of the elderly populations for door-to-door transportation and can guide the design of AMoD transport systems.
Estimating minimum wage effects on alcohol abuse and wages with alternative likely affected samples and models
Authors: Leigh J. Paul , Du Juan
Published: February 2025

We estimated effects of minimum wages on workers’ wages and alcohol abuse with samples defined by education and wages and using traditional two-way-fixed-effects (TWFE) and new heterogeneous, Stacked, models that allow for staggered treatment timing. Alcohol abuse was measured with binary indicators of heavy and binge drinking and count data on days of binge drinking. Longitudinal data were drawn from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 2005–2019. We investigated two samples of “likely affected” groups: the first—and most popular in the literature—was based on education i.e. people with at most a high school diploma; the second was based on wages, i.e. workers whose wages were ≤ 150% of minimum wages. Models included individual fixed effects. We found strong evidence that minimum wages lifted workers’ actual wages when “likely affected” was defined by wages but no evidence when “likely affected” was defined by education in both two-way-fixed-effects and Stacked models and across a variety of samples. We found most correlations between minimum wages and drinking were insignificant. While we found weak, suggestive evidence that minimum wages might reduce days of binge drinking, overall, we could not conclude that there was strong evidence that minimum wages either encouraged or discouraged alcohol abuse or, for that matter, that there was no relationship. Our results underscored the importance of considering alternative models before reaching conclusions; had we relied solely on TWFE, we may have concluded that minimum wages decreased alcohol abuse. Finally, our findings raise questions about the credibility of the many minimum-wage-and-health studies that rely on educational categories to define “likely affected.”
Intricate diagnosis due to falsely elevated testosterone levels by immunoassay
Authors: Gardini Benedetta , Bondanelli Marta , Cariani Alessio , Zatelli Maria Chiara , Ambrosio Maria Rosaria
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Hormone immunoassay may be subject to interferences and, although rarely reported, this can occur for testosterone too. This work is aimed to highlight the importance of considering possible analytical interferences when the biochemical data doesn’t match with the clinical picture.

Methods

We report three cases of insidious diagnosis due to laboratory interference in testosterone immunoassay, and we provide a brief literature review on this issue.

Results

We found falsely high testosterone levels due to the presence of heterophilic antibodies, leading to unnecessary investigations, misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatments.

Conclusion

The detection of elevated testosterone levels on immunoassay not corresponding to clinical findings need to be confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy, prior to escalation of complex diagnostic investigation and care.
Patchy Internalization: Transnational Migration and Local Buildings in the Bosnian Borderland
Authors: Hromadžić Azra
Published: February 2025

This article explores transnational migration to the European Union (EU) and its entanglements with human-built structures in Bihać, a city in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March 2018, this postwar and postsocialist city located on the northwestern edge of the country emerged as the newest “hot spot” on the so-called Balkan migrant route. This is due to the city’s proximity to Croatia, and thus the EU border, and because of the closing of the borders and routes elsewhere in Europe. Since 2018, the city has been harboring up to 5000 refugees and migrants from South Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa who are repeatedly trying to cross into Croatia and the rest of the EU. While waiting to cross into the EU, migrants navigate everyday living among the people of Bihać. In this article, I illustrate how buildings in Bihać facilitate migrants’ experiences of dislocation and migration. By focusing on one, seemingly irrelevant (to transnational migration) structure in town—the Center—I pay attention to the less noticeable spaces in town. It is precisely in these less conspicuous buildings, I contend, that migrant encounters occur and get incorporated into the local environment in a patchy fashion—folding into some spaces while skipping over others. I call this incorporation of transnational migration and violent border regimes into local built environments “patchy internalization.”
The current landscape of mental health challenges in women with PCOS: a narrative review
Authors: Khan Faathimah , Govender Nalini , Thandar Yasmeen
Published: February 2025

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) research is dominated by the clinical perspective, whilst the psychological experiences of women with PCOS remain less understood. This narrative review explores mental health challenges of women with PCOS, encompassing common psychiatric disorders, emotional challenges, and psychosocial challenges. An online search of published literature was conducted via PubMed and Google Scholar using the terms “polycystic ovary syndrome”, “mental health”, “psychological”, “emotional” and “psychosocial”. Only articles that were directly applicable to mental health, emotional and psychosocial challenges were reviewed. Women with PCOS face increased risks of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, alongside emotional burdens such as stress and social isolation, which stem from the syndrome’s symptoms and societal stigma. Psychosocial challenges, including body image dissatisfaction and social functioning difficulties, further exacerbate these issues. These findings underscore the necessity for comprehensive PCOS management that includes regular mental health screenings and addresses the complex interplay of psychological factors, emphasizing the importance of further research to deepen understanding and improve care strategies.
Long noncoding RNA SNHG4 promotes glioma progression via regulating miR-367-3p/MYO1B axis in zebrafish xenografts
Authors: Zhang Yueqing , Wang Yongjin , Yang Yang , Sun Chunming
Published: February 2025

Glioma is one of the most malignancy and prevalent tumor in the human central nervous system, which is associated with severe morbidity and high mortality. Numerous studies have explained the clear correlation between abnormal expression of lncRNA and progression of Glioma. LncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 4 (SNHG4) have been proved to play oncogenesis roles in various tumors, however, the underlying mechanism remains to be explored deeply. In this study, by analysis of the public database, we found that SNHG4 was upregulated in multiple cancer tissues, including glioma. Subsequently, the functional roles of SNHG4 were investigated, and we found that knockdown of SNHG4 remarkedly inhibited cell proliferation, migration. While, overexpression of SNHG4 enhanced these functions of glioma cells in vitro. Meanwhile, as the in vivo tool, zebrafish xenograft model was used to verify the functions of SNHG4 in glioma cells. Mechanically, we identified that SNHG4 or MYO1B could bind with miR-367-3p by the luciferase reporter assays. Furthermore, the rescue experiments showed that the inhibition of miR-367-3p or the expression of MYO1B partially rescue the inhibition effects of SNHG4 in glioma cells. Our study reveals that SNHG4 promotes the proliferation, migration of glioma via regulating miR-367-3p/MYO1B axis.