bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Pediatric Systemic Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Morón‐Ocaña Juan‐Manuel , Monsalve‐Sosa Pablo , Martínez‐Barranca María‐Luisa , Coronel‐Pérez Isabel‐María , Pérez‐Gil Amalia
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives

Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCLs) present unique challenges due to their clinical and genetic heterogeneity. This study investigated the clinical characteristics of children diagnosed with systemic ALCL.

Methods

Retrospective data from 14 pediatric patients diagnosed with systemic ALCL at Valme University Hospital were studied. Demographic, clinical, and treatment data were collected and statistically analyzed.

Results

The mean age at diagnosis was 8.5 years, with a male predominance (78.6%). Cutaneous presentation occurred in 35.7% of cases, with characteristic rapidly growing subcutaneous nodules. B symptoms were present in 57.1% of patients, while 100% exhibited nodal involvement. Visceral and bone marrow involvement was observed in 71.4% and 7.1% of patients, respectively. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement was absent. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement was positive in all cases. Anthracycline‐based chemotherapy resulted in 100% 5‐ and 10‐year overall survival rates.

Conclusions

Systemic ALCL in children often presents with advanced‐stage disease, with cutaneous involvement in a significant proportion of cases. Prompt recognition of skin lesions is vital to expedite diagnosis and treatment initiation, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This study underscores the importance of vigilance and early intervention in managing pediatric ALCL.
Critical citizens and discontented citizens: Education, perceptions of fairness, and support for anti‐COVID measures in China
Authors: Liu Jinjin , Pu Yingzhu , Zhang Tony Huiquan
Published: January 2025

How and why people support or disapprove of governmental responses to public crises, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic, is an important issue in public opinion research. Since 2020, China's strict anti‐COVID policy has protected lives but faced resistance. Drawing on Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) 2021 data, we investigated the covariates associated with the support for the anti‐COVID measures in China, arguing that “critical citizens” (measured by university‐level education) and “discontented citizens” (measured by perceptions of fairness) were more likely to disapprove of the anti‐pandemic measures, and political trust would moderate the association. The findings showed that less educated and more satisfied citizens supported the government measures no matter what, whereas educated and discontented citizens showed conditional support—only when they had high political trust. These findings suggest reasons for the backlash to China's zero‐COVID policy and have broader implications for political trust and public opinion research.
The gift of mobility: Transfer networks of local decision‐makers and interlocal collaboration
Authors: Xing Puyao , Yang Ruiqi
Published: January 2025

Exploring the role of key individuals in institutional collective action (ICA) and interlocal collaboration contributes to understanding the micro‐mechanisms of the policy process. The career mobility of local decision‐makers through transfers among jurisdictions is a common phenomenon. This phenomenon gives rise to transfer networks of local decision‐makers. Despite the prevalence of these transfer networks, they have received relatively little attention in studies on interlocal collaboration. It is unclear how local decision‐makers' transfer networks and different transfer network characteristics affect interlocal collaboration. This article explains the role that transfer networks and transfer network characteristics play in interlocal collaboration by embedding decision‐makers' social networks with transfer networks based on the ICA framework. This study used a dyadic panel dataset of Chinese inter‐provincial watershed environmental collaboration from 2007 to 2019 for empirical research. The results show that existence of transfer networks of local decision‐makers increases the likelihood of interlocal collaboration. The social network ties constructed by decision‐makers in their career paths are responsible for the functioning of transfer networks. The likelihood of interlocal collaboration is higher when transfer networks exhibit successiveness, diagonal promotion characteristics, and collegiality.
Hydro Power: Global and North American Perspectives
Authors: Spain Stephen D.
Published: January 2025

The development of dams on rivers has played a vital role in supporting and advancing civilization throughout history. Dams have stored water for crop irrigation and flood control, produced mechanical power, and more recently generated electricity. Hydropower ingeniously combines two of the most fundamental elements of nature on our planet Earth - water and gravity - to help sustain survival and improve our lifestyle.

This chapter will describe the role of hydropower from past to present and potentially far into the future. Hydropower has been demonstrated to be a safe, reliable and renewable energy resource worldwide, essential to our electrical supply mix. Traditionally hydropower has made use of natural rivers, recently enhanced for pumped storage with adjacent secondary off channel reservoirs and since evolved to oceans with wave and tidal power.
Challenges and Opportunities in Tidal and Wave Power
Authors: Jacobson Paul T.
Published: January 2025

Power generation from waves and tidal currents is a nascent industry with the potential to make globally significant contributions to renewable energy portfolios. Further development and deployment of the related, immature technologies present opportunities to benignly tap large quantities of renewable energy; however, such development and deployment also presents numerous engineering, economic, ecological, and sociological challenges. A complex research, development, demonstration, and deployment environment must be skillfully navigated if wave and tidal power are to make significant contributions to national energy portfolios during the next several decades.
Chaos-enhanced self-adaptive particle swarm optimization with simulated annealing for digital lithography mask optimization
Authors: Huang Shengzhou , Wu Dongjie , Tang Yuanzhuo , Ren Bowen , Pan Jiani , Tian Zhaowei , Shao Yongkang , He Siwen
Published: January 2025

In this paper, an efficient approach to mask optimization for digital micromirror device lithography is proposed, leveraging an enhanced particle swarm optimization algorithm, which significantly elevates the resolution and precision of lithography. Initially, chaos mapping is applied to the initial population to enhance particle diversity, thereby improving the optimization efficiency of the algorithm. Subsequently, self-adaptive parameter adjustments and simulated annealing are integrated to effectively avoid premature convergence and escape local optima. Numerical simulation results demonstrate a substantial reduction in pattern errors between the printed and the target images by 95.2%, 95.4%, and 89.2%. The proposed algorithm markedly surpasses conventional optimization methods, notably bolstered in optimization efficiency and pattern accuracy.
Ceftobiprole activity against multidrug-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
clinical isolates collected in the United States from 2016 through 2022
Authors: Sader Helio S. , Smart Jennifer I. , Mendes Rodrigo E. , Castanheira Mariana
Published: January 2025

Ceftobiprole was recently approved by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adult patients with
Staphylococcus aureus
bacteremia, including right-side endocarditis, acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults and pediatrics. Ceftobiprole is an advanced-generation cephalosporin approved in many countries for the treatment of adults with community-acquired pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia, excluding ventilator-associated pneumonia. We evaluated the activities of ceftobiprole and comparators against methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) and multidrug-resistant (MDR)
S. aureus
clinical isolates. A total of 19,764
S
.
aureus
isolates were collected from patients with various infection types at 37 US medical centers from 2016 to 2022. Susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution according to Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institutes (CLSI) standards. Isolates were categorized as MDR if they were nonsusceptible by CLSI criteria to ≥3 antimicrobials. Ceftobiprole was highly active against MRSA (
n
= 8,184; MIC
50/90
, 1/2 mg/L; 99.3% susceptible [S]) and MDR (
n
= 2,789; MIC
50/90
, 1/2 mg/L; 98.1%S) isolates and retained activity against 87.3% of ceftaroline-nonsusceptible isolates (
n
= 433; MIC
50/90
, 2/4 mg/L). Ceftobiprole demonstrated greater susceptibility rates than ceftaroline against all resistant subsets. Ceftobiprole was highly active against isolates nonsusceptible to clindamycin (98.0%S), daptomycin (100.0%S), doxycycline (98.2%S), erythromycin (99.5%S), gentamicin (98.1%S), levofloxacin (99.1%S), tetracycline (99.1%S), tigecycline (100.0%S), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (99.4%S) and isolates with decreased susceptibility to vancomycin (98.3%S).
Effect of tryptophan starvation on inclusion membrane composition and chlamydial-host interactions
Authors: Riffaud-Widner Camille M. , Widner Ray E. , Ouellette Scot P. , Rucks Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2025

Chlamydia
is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that develops within a membrane-bound vacuole called an inclusion. Throughout its developmental cycle,
Chlamydia
modifies the inclusion membrane (IM) with type III secreted (T3S) membrane proteins, known as inclusion membrane proteins (Incs). Via the IM,
Chlamydia
manipulates the host cell to acquire lipids and nutrients necessary for its growth. One key nutrient is tryptophan (Trp). As a Trp auxotroph,
Chlamydia
is very sensitive to Trp starvation and, in response to low Trp levels induced by the immune response, enters a viable but nonreplicating state called persistence. To maintain viability during persistence,
Chlamydia
must necessarily maintain both the integrity of the IM and its ability to modify host cell responses, but how Trp starvation affects IM composition and subsequent interactions with the host cell remains poorly understood. We hypothesize that, under Trp starvation conditions, Inc expression/stability or T3S function during persistence alters IM composition but that key host-
Chlamydia
interactions will be preserved. To examine host-
Chlamydia
interactions during persistence, we examined sphingomyelin, cholesterol, and transferrin trafficking to the inclusion, as well as localization of host proteins that bind to specific Incs. We identified IM composition changes during persistence by monitoring endogenous Inc abundance at the IM. Chlamydial T3S is generally functional during persistence. Specific changes in Inc composition in the IM can be linked to Trp content of a specific Inc or effector-specific defects in chlamydial T3S. Overall, our findings reveal that critical host-
Chlamydia
interactions are maintained during persistence mediated by Trp starvation.
Prevalence of congenital heart defects in people with Down syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Xu Chen-Xi , Chen Lei , Cheng Yong , Du Yang
Published: January 2025

Background

The prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHD) in Down syndrome (DS) varies considerably across studies (from 16% to 84%). This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CHD in people with DS (CHD-DS).

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched through to 5 January 2023. English-language and Chinese-language articles reporting data on the prevalence of CHD in people with DS were included. Two independent observers performed data extraction and we used a random effects model for all statistical analyses by the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V.3.3.070 software.

Results

A pooled analysis, based on 102 studies that included 60 610 individuals, revealed the prevalence of CHD was 49.9% (95% CI: 46.8% to 53.0%) in people with DS. Most of the studies included in this meta-analysis were from North America, Europe and Asia, and subgroup analyses showed a slightly higher prevalence of CHD-DS in Asia (27 studies) compared with North America (28 studies) and Europe (35 studies) (Asia vs North America vs Europe; 54.2% vs 51.6% vs 46.2%).

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that approximately one-half of people with DS had CHD, reinforcing the need to screen all newborns suspected of Down syndrome for CHD.
Quantifying the response of piled structures from displacements induced by pile installation in soft clay
Authors: Isaksson Jonatan , Karlsson Mats , Dijkstra Jelke
Published: January 2025

The impact of pile installation in soft soils on its surroundings has been numerically investigated with a focus on the response of an existing piled structure. The originality is the parameterised 3D Finite Element Analyses of far-field soil-structure-interaction scenarios, i.e., interactions that are largely driven by mass-displacements. A main finding is that the geometry, that includes the number and length of newly installed and existing piles, the distance between the two pile groups and also the distance to stiff boundaries in the system (in the field and in the numerical analysis), govern the problem to a large extent. Therefore, to simplify the analysis of such complex cases, modification factors for the displacements in greenfield conditions are proposed, to calculate the displacement and structural response of the existing structure.
The proposed non-dimensional factors are a function of the length of the newly installed and existing piles and the distance between the two pile groups. No unique solution exists, hence a series of charts have been compiled to provide a first assessment of the impact of an existing piled structure on the induced displacements from the installation of a nearby group of displacement piles in soft soil.
A novel wideband neutron-earth resonant quantum detector for gravitational waves
Authors: Unnikrishnan C. S.
Published: January 2025

The detectors of astrophysical gravitational waves are based on optical interferometers. There is not yet an analogue of a quantum mechanical atomic detector of photons for the detection of gravitational waves. I point out the remarkable fact that the already observed pico-electron volt quantization of energy levels of ultra-cold neutrons, gravitationally bound to the Earth in a bouncing mode, fortuitously coincide with the range of energies of the hypothetical quanta of astrophysical gravitational waves. Thus, it is feasible to use a cold-neutron bouncing reservoir as a novel quantum sensor for directly detecting astrophysical gravitational waves, in a wide frequency band. These considerations also lead us to the discovery that many detected signals in interferometric detectors like LIGO correspond to the energy of a single gravitational quantum or less. This surprising finding enables a decisive experimental test of quantum gravity.
Introducing Interactions in Multi-Objective Optimization of Software Architectures
Authors: Cortellessa Vittorio , Diaz-Pace J. Andres , Di Pompeo Daniele , Frank Sebastian , Jamshidi Pooyan , Tucci Michele , van Hoorn André
Published: January 2025

Software architecture optimization aims to enhance non-functional attributes like performance and reliability while meeting functional requirements. Multi-objective optimization employs metaheuristic search techniques, such as genetic algorithms, to explore feasible architectural changes and propose alternatives to designers. However, this resource-intensive process may not always align with practical constraints.

This study investigates the impact of designer interactions on multi-objective software architecture optimization. Designers can intervene at intermediate points in the fully automated optimization process, making choices that guide exploration towards more desirable solutions. Through several controlled experiments as well as an initial user study (14 subjects), we compare this interactive approach with a fully automated optimization process, which serves as a baseline. The findings demonstrate that designer interactions lead to a more focused solution space, resulting in improved architectural quality. By directing the search towards regions of interest, the interaction uncovers architectures that remain unexplored in the fully automated process. In the user study, participants found that our interactive approach provides a better trade-off between sufficient exploration of the solution space and the required computation time.
Recommending Variable Names for Extract Local Variable Refactorings
Authors: Wang Taiming , Liu Hui , Zhang Yuxia , Jiang Yanjie
Published: January 2025

Extract local variable
is one of the most popular refactorings. It is frequently employed to replace occurrences of a complex expression with simple accesses to a newly introduced variable that is initialized by the original complex expression. Consequently, most IDEs and refactoring tools provide automated support for this refactoring, e.g., to suggest names for the newly extracted variables. However, we find approximately 70% of the names recommended by these IDEs are different from what developers manually constructed, adding additional renaming burdens to developers and providing limited assistance. In this paper, we introduce
VarNamer
, an automated approach designed to recommend variable names for
extract local variable
refactorings. Through a large-scale empirical study, we identify key contexts, such as variable initializations and homogeneous variables (variables whose initializations are identical to that of the newly extracted variable), that are useful for composing variable names. Leveraging these insights, we developed a set of heuristic rules through program static analysis techniques, e.g., lexical analysis, syntax analysis, control flow analysis, and data flow analysis, and employ data mining techniques, i.e., FP-growth algorithm, to recommend variable names effectively. Notably, some of our heuristic rules have been successfully integrated into
Eclipse
, where they are now distributed with the latest releases of the IDE. Evaluation of
VarNamer
on a dataset of 27,158 real-world
extract local variable
refactorings in Java applications demonstrates its superiority over state-of-the-art IDEs. Specifically,
VarNamer
significantly increases the chance of exact match by 52.6% compared to
Eclipse
and 40.7% compared to
IntelliJ IDEA
. We also evaluated the proposed approach with real-world extract local variable refactorings conducted in C++ projects, and the results suggest that the approach can achieve comparable performance on programming languages besides Java. It may suggest the generalizability of
VarNamer
. Finally, we designed and conducted a user study to investigate the impact of
VarNamer
on developers’ productivity. The results of the user study suggest that our approach can speed up the refactoring by 27.8% and reduce 49.3% edits on the recommended variable names.
Stress and Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Affective Traits and Mental Disorders
Authors: Contrada Richard J.
Published: January 2025

Personality traits involving negative affect, as well as mental disorders including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, are cardiovascular risk factors. However, which of these confer risk independently is uncertain, and the implications of their overlap, combinations, and interactions are poorly understood. Potential explanatory mechanisms are being characterized with increasing detail and sophistication. Of particular interest are psychobiological processes initiated by stress. Other mechanisms involve stress-related health behaviors and illness behaviors that delay or reduce the effectiveness of medical treatment. With some promising exceptions, findings of intervention trials are uncertain regarding the effectiveness of psychological treatments for modifying affective traits and mental disorders to reduce their impact on cardiovascular disease. Recent developments include novel conceptualizations of mental disorders; examination of the interplay between cognitive factors and emotion; and theoretical frameworks that integrate psychological stress processes with neuroscience, health behavior, and social cognition. Also promising is increased attention to gender identity and minority group membership.
Pathways to Racial/Ethnic Inequalities in Dementia
Authors: Palms Jordan D. , Sol Ketlyne , Zahodne Laura B.
Published: January 2025

Individuals from minoritized racial/ethnic groups face a disproportionate burden of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This health inequality reflects structural racism, which creates and sustains racial differences in social determinants of health, including education access and quality, economic stability, social and community context, neighborhood and built environment, and health care access and quality. Thus, understanding pathways that lead to dementia inequalities requires addressing individual- and system-level factors. This article summarizes evidence linking each social determinant of health to racial/ethnic inequalities in dementia, emphasizing upstream factors and mechanisms as potential levels of intervention. The importance of resilience in marginalized groups as well as critical research considerations for dementia inequalities are also discussed. Future directions highlight the need to understand the common and unique mechanisms driving inequalities across minoritized groups, where research is lacking.
Exploring the Frontiers of Nanopore Sequencing in Food Safety and Food Microbiology
Authors: Sharma Arnav , Bansal Sherry , Moore Matthew D. , Luo Yaguang , Schneider Keith R. , Zhang Boce
Published: January 2025

Foodborne illnesses are a significant global public health challenge, with an estimated 600 million cases annually. Conventional food microbiology methods tend to be laborious and time consuming, pose difficulties in real-time utilization, and can display subpar accuracy or typing capabilities. With the recent advancements in third-generation sequencing and microbial omics, nanopore sequencing technology and its long-read sequencing capabilities have emerged as a promising platform. In recent years, nanopore sequencing technology has been benchmarked for its amplicon sequencing, whole-genome and transcriptome analysis, meta-analysis, and other advanced omics approaches. This review comprehensively covers nanopore sequencing technology's current advances in food safety applications, including outbreak investigation, pathogen surveillance, and antimicrobial resistance profiling. Despite significant progress, ongoing research and development are crucial to overcoming challenges in sequencing chemistry, accuracy, bioinformatics, and real-time adaptive sampling to fully realize nanopore sequencing technology's potential in food safety and food microbiology.
Electrochemical Detection of Paracetamol in Real Samples Using Sensor Based on a Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Citosan@SiO₂-APTES Composite: Synthesis, Characterization and Analytical Applications
Authors: dhaffouli afef , Ali Emna , Moussaoui Younes , HOLZINGER Michael , Salazar Pedro , CARINELLI Soledad , Barhoumi Houcine
Published: January 2025

Paracetamol (PA), commonly known as acetaminophen, is used for a variety of therapeutic applications. However, excessive or inappropriate use can lead to liver and kidney damage, emphasizing the importance of accurate measurement of its concentration in biological samples. In this study, we developed a rapid, simple, and highly sensitive voltammetric method using chemically-modified electrodes to detect PA in complex matrices such as human serum and commercial solid formulations. A glassy carbon electrode was modified with a chitosan-silica nanoparticle composite functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane groups (chitosan@SiO₂-APTES). The properties of the modified electrode and PA detection were analyzed using cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Kinetic studies provided further insight into the electrochemical behavior of the electrode and improved its characterization. With this method, detection and quantification limits of only 0.025 µM were achieved under optimized conditions. Furthermore, it was found that the ideal linear concentration range for PA detection is between 0.025 and 0.5 µM and between 0.5 and 2.5 µM. Thus, this approach is ideal for the accurate quantification of PA in reference tablet formulations and for the analysis of real samples for validation purposes.
Perspective—Metal Halide Perovskites-based Sensing Technologies: Recent Updates and Future Directions
Authors: Gupta Khushboo , Kumar Manish , Singh Dharm Veer , Chaudhary Vishal , Kumar Arvind , Dwivedi D.K. , Kumar Santosh , Kumar Rajesh , Thakur O. P. , Sharma subhash
Published: January 2025

Recently, metal-halide perovskites (MHPs) have become an epicenter of research because of their outstanding optoelectronic properties. MHPs have not only proved to be the best materials for sensing applications due to their unique optical and electronic properties along with easy fabrication, they also display good sensing ability, including ultrahigh sensitivities, rapid response rate, and outstanding selectivity. To keep the research community informed, we critically focused on the recent updates in the MHPs-based sensor, followed by highlighting the synthesis route and their potential while addressing important challenges and future outlooks and unlocking their capabilities in sensing technologies.
Activation of TFEB protects against diabetic vascular calcification by improving autophagic flux and activating Nrf2 antioxidant system
Authors: Sun xue-jiao , Xiao Sheng-Jue , Ma Wen-Qi , Jin Hong , Ren Li-Qun , Yao Yu-Yu , Chen Zheng-Dong , Li Xiao-Xue , Chen Tian , Liu Nai-Feng
Published: January 2025

Autophagic flux blockade and excessive oxidative stress play important roles in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular calcification (VC). Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is an important regulator of many autophagy-lysosomal related components, which is mainly involved in promoting autophagy process in cells. Nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant system is considered as one of the key pathways in response to intracellular oxidative stress. Periostin (POSTN), a matrix protein, is widely involved in regulating the formation and maintenance of organs such as bones, teeth, heart valves, and tendons. We have previously reported that POSTN interfered with autophagic flux in an oxidative stress-dependent manner in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to aggravate the development of diabetic VC. However, how POSTN interfered with autophagic flux by regulating oxidative stress has not been clarified. This study aims to further explore the roles of TFEB, POSTN, autophagy and Nrf2 antioxidant system in the development of diabetic VC. Our experimental results revealed that activation of TFEB attenuated diabetic VC by improving autophagic flux and activating Nrf2 antioxidant system, while POSTN reduced the autophagic degradation of KEAP1 by inhibiting lysosomal function, thus inhibiting the activation of the Nrf2 antioxidant system, and ultimately abolishing the protective effect of TFEB against diabetic VC. In conclusion, this study uncovers that TFEB play an important role in alleviating diabetic VC by improving autophagic flux and activating Nrf2 antioxidant system, suggesting that TFEB may be a new target for the prevention and treatment of diabetic VC.
Effect of cardiomyocyte-specific lipid phosphate phosphatase 3 overexpression on high-fat diet-induced cardiometabolic dysfunction in mice
Authors: Jose Anu , Pakkiriswami Shanmugasundaram , Mercer Angella , Paudel Yadab , Yi Esther , Fernando Jeffy , Pulinilkunnil Thomas , Kienesberger Petra C.
Published: January 2025

Lipid phosphate phosphatase 3 (LPP3) hydrolyzes bioactive lipids including lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), elevated levels of which are implicated in obesity-induced metabolic and cardiac dysfunction. We show that cardiac-specific overexpression of LPP3 lowers plasma LPA levels, blunts LPA signaling in cardiomyocytes, and increases pyruvate-linked mitochondrial respiration in the heart at baseline in both male and female mice. In female mice, LPP3 overexpression also protects from high-fat diet-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiac dysfunction.
Characterization of Low Visibility and Forecasting Model in Chongqing Central Area
Authors: Han Yu , Liu Yi , Zhang Yaping , He Jun , Zhang Yan , Guo Qu , Wang Huan
Published: January 2025

By using the hourly visibility, temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, and atmospheric particulate concentration data in Chongqing from 2015 to 2023, the characteristics of low visibility (visibility <1000 m) in Chongqing and the influence of various factors on low visibility in Chongqing were analyzed. The visibility prediction model was established by using the neural network method, and the effect of introducing the PM2.5 concentration factor on low visibility prediction was analyzed and compared. Findings: Low visibility in Chongqing is dominated by precipitation low visibility (PLV), followed by fog low visibility (FLV), with the least proportion of fog‐haze mixed low visibility (FHLV). However, as visibility decreases further, the proportion of fog with low visibility increases significantly. The average visibility when fog occurs is lower than that when precipitation occurs and also much lower than that of fog‐haze mixed, indicating that low visibility is more affected by atmospheric water vapor. Over the past decade, as air pollutants have decreased each year, the proportion of fog and FHLV has also trended downward. The proportion of fog increases significantly in winter, and the low visibility below 200 m is mainly caused by fog in winter, while the increase of precipitation in June is the main cause of low visibility in this month. The diurnal variation of mean visibility under precipitation is relatively small. In contrast, the mean visibility during fog and fog‐haze mixed conditions is lower at night than during the day. The higher occurrence rate of these two types of low visibility conditions at night is a significant factor contributing to reduced visibility during nighttime. Atmospheric humidity, temperature, and particulate matter concentration are important factors affecting visibility, and visibility decreases significantly with the increase of PM2.5 when relative humidity (RH) is less than 70%, and PM2.5 has a lower effect on visibility when RH is greater than 70%. The forecast effect of introducing the PM2.5 concentration factor into the objective forecast model of visibility is better than that of not introducing the factor. The effect of introducing this factor is better than that of not introducing it, especially in the fall.
Atherogenic Index of Plasma and High‐Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein Levels Among People Living With HIV on Dolutegravir and Ritonavir‐Boosted Atazanavir‐Based Antiretroviral Therapy and Their Correlations to CD4 Cell Counts
Authors: Waritu Nuredin Chura , Usure Rashed Edris , Adema Bulcha Guye , Wakeyo Mamud Umer , Jemal Mohammed
Published: January 2025

Background: Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) levels which are strong predictors of the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) seen elevated in the serum of people living with HIV (PLWH) on HAART and in those with low cluster of differentiation‐4 (CD4) cell counts. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate AIP and hsCRP levels among PLWH on dolutegravir (DTG) and ritonavir‐boosted atazanavir‐based (ATV/r) antiretroviral therapy (ART) and their correlations to CD4 cell counts.

Methods: The study design was an institutional‐based comparative cross‐sectional study conducted from November 4, 2021, to January 4, 2022. The total sample size was 172 with equal number of DTG and ritonavir‐boosted atazanavir‐treated PLWH. Participants were recruited by a consecutive sampling method. The data were entered into EpiData Version 4.6, then exported to SPSS Version 25.0, and analyzed using Chi‐square, Student’s t‐test, and Pearson correlation. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: AIP was significantly higher among individuals on ATV/r, with levels in the range of 0.1–0.24 at 44.2% and > 0.24 at 31.4%, compared with those on DTG‐based regimens of ART, which showed levels of 39.5% and 9.3%, respectively. Similarly, the higher hsCRP level of ≥ 2 mg/L was observed among patients on ATV/r (44.2%) than in DTG‐based (24.4%) regimens of ART. AIP and hsCRP were negatively correlated with CD4 cell counts with Pearson correlation coefficients of −0.46 and −0.38, respectively.

Conclusion: From the study conducted, it can be concluded that the higher levels of AIP and hsCRP were seen in patients treated by ATV/r than in DTG‐based regimens of ART and in PLWH with low CD4 cell counts. Therefore, routine monitoring of both AIP and hsCRP levels was a good marker of HIV disease progression and cardiovascular disease risk assessment in PLWH, particularly in developing countries where CD4 cell count testing is expensive and not easily available.
Joint Noniterative Beamforming Schemes for BER Minimization in Next‐Generation Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Abouzeid Mohamed S. , El-Khobby Heba A. , Ali Mahmoud A. A. , Nasr Mohamed E.
Published: January 2025

This research paper proposes three joint transmit and receive (TX/RX) beamforming schemes for minimizing the bit error rates of next‐generation wireless sensor networks. Based on minimizing the optimization problem of the total mean squared error between the transmitted and received data symbols, the first beamforming scheme is proposed. The second beamforming scheme is based on the projection of the effective channel on the space spanned by the channel matrix. A third practical beamforming scheme based on the strongest eigenvalues of the channel matrix is introduced. This beamforming scheme proves its optimality in its operation under the condition that the number of TX antennas is equal to or larger than the total number of RX antennas. The proposed joint TX/RX beamforming schemes are formulated in closed form. Numerous numerical results are provided using the MATLAB platform. The proposed beamforming schemes are compared with the widely adopted block diagonalization transmission scheme and linear block diagonalization. Moreover, the proposed systems are compared with state‐of‐the‐art beamforming techniques such as Tomlinson–Harashima precoding‐based MMSE. The simulation results demonstrated that the proposed beamforming schemes achieved better bit error rate performance than the block diagonalization and linear block diagonalization transmission schemes. Furthermore, the third beamforming scheme provides a gain of about 4dB compared to the cutting‐edge technology of beamforming Tomlinson–Harashima precoding‐based MMSE. Accordingly, more robust communications can be achieved for next‐generation wireless sensor networks. This research paper provides an efficient manner to meet the demanded reliability of next‐generation wireless sensor networks, which is a bit error rate of 10−9.
Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential as a Predictor of Colorectal Cancer Risk: Insights from the UK Biobank Cohort
Authors: Liu Yongfeng , Xi Zhihui , Zhou Jianlong , Ling Fa , Zhang Yucheng , Xie Huajie , Zheng Jiabin , Xia Baijin , Feng Huolun , Li Yong
Published: January 2025

Background:

Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) has been shown to be associated with the occurrence of solid tumors, but its relationship with colorectal cancer still needs to be studied.

Methods:

We conducted a prospective matched case–control study using data from the UK Biobank, including 5,310 incident colorectal cancer cases and 26,550 controls matched for age, sex, and body mass index.

Results:

Analysis of the UK Biobank data revealed that the presence of CHIP was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. The odds ratio (OR) for colorectal cancer in the presence of CHIP was 1.20 (P = 0.006). This association remained significant even after excluding participants with a family history of bowel cancer (multivariate OR, 1.19; P = 0.007). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that CHIP independently increased the risk of colorectal cancer in females (multivariate OR, 1.25; P = 0.018) and in individuals older than 60 years (multivariate OR, 1.17; P = 0.046). Gene-specific analyses revealed that mutations in TET2 and ATM were particularly significant in relation to colorectal cancer risk, with an OR of 1.62 (P = 0.002) for TET2 and 2.98 (P < 0.001) for ATM.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that CHIP is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, particularly in individuals more than 60 years of age or in females.

Impact:

Screening for CHIP in the population may improve the early detection and diagnosis rates of colorectal cancer.
Visualizing Cancer Heterogeneity at the Molecular and Cellular Levels: Lessons from Rosetta
Authors: Goodwin Richard J.A. ,   Cancer Grand Challenges Rosetta Consortium, Marshall John F. , Poulogiannis George , Yuneva Mariia , Brindle Kevin M. , Takáts Zoltán , Sansom Owen J. , Bunch Josephine , Barry Simon T. ,   Cancer Grand Challenges Rosetta Consortium, Al-Afeef Ala , Amgheib Ala , Azarian Sara , Brochu-Williams Frederic , Burton Amy , Campbell Andrew , Cristaudo Vanina , Demircali Ali , Dexter Alex , Elia Efstathios , Fala Maria , Garrett Magali , Ghanate Avinash , Gilmore Ian , Gonzalez Ariadna , Grant Paul , Gupta Amit , Gurung Dipa , Hall Harry , Hamm Gregory , Inglese Paolo , Islam Najah , Jones Stewart , Karali Evi , Kazanc Emine , Koguna Hanifa , Kohli Manas , Koquna Hanifa , Koundouros Nikolaos , Kreuzaler Peter , Kyriazi Melina , Lall Sharanpreet Kall , Lewis David Y. , Ling Stephanie , Loizeau Xavier , Luptakova Dominika , Maneta-Stravrakaki Stefania , McGill Daniel , McGill Daniel , McKenzie James , McMahon Greg , Metodiev Martin , Mistry Jaynish , Monteiro Alvaro Perdones , Montezuma Erica , Morton Jennifer , Munteanu Catherine , Murta Teresa , Najumudeen Arafath , Nanda Chandan Seth , Nasif Ammar , Nikula Chelsea J. , Paauwe Madelon , Paiz Petra , Panina Yulia , Philip Robin , Poynter Liam , Pruski Pamela , Race Alan M. , Rao Jyotsna , Richings Jack , Savage Adele , Nanda Chandan Seth , Sharma Shreya , Soares Renata Filipe , Soloviev Dmitry , Spicer-Hadlington Amy , Sproat Caroline , Steven Rory T. , Sumpton David , Taylor Adam J. , Thomas Spencer , Thompson Daria , Tripp Aurelien , Tsalikis Thanasis , Tsyben Anastasia , Turseven Seyma , Vande-Voorde Johan , Vorng Jean-Luc , White Emma , Wright Alan , Wu Vincen , Xiang Yuchen , Yan Bin , Zao Jinshi , Zeiger Lucas , Zhang Junting , Zhou Weiwei
Published: January 2025

Understanding tumor heterogeneity is a major challenge that was recognized as one of the first Cancer Grand Challenges, with a call to provide solutions to visualize tumor heterogeneity. The Rosetta team took on this challenge, exploiting advances in spatial-omics approaches centered around mass spectrometry imaging to map tumor heterogeneity at the cellular and molecular scales with different levels of resolution.

See related article by Bressan et al., p. 16

See related article by Stratton et al., p. 22

See related article by Bhattacharjee et al., p. 28
Metacognitive Training for Subjects with Bipolar Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: de Siqueira Rotenberg Luisa , Curvello Renata , Nardini Clara , da Silva Franco Milene , Carozzino Maria Eduarda , Biazus Taís Boeira , Campanha Thuani , Garrudo Guirado Alia , O'Malley Grace , Stamm Thomas J. , Lafer Beny
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Impairments in social cognition in bipolar disorder (BD) have been extensively described in the last decade but few treatment strategies have been studied to address this issue. This study presents findings from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the efficacy of metacognitive training for bipolar disorder (MCT-BD) compared to Treatment as Usual (TAU) among individuals with BD in remission. The aim was to determine whether MCT-BD could improve social cognition and overall functioning in this population. Methods: Participants (N = 56) were recruited via social media and an internal database at the University of São Paulo Medical School. Inclusion criteria included a confirmed BD diagnosis, current state of remission, and the presence of social functioning impairments. Exclusion criteria included any impairments that could hinder neuropsychological testing. Patients were randomly assigned to either MCT-BD or TAU, with assessments conducted at baseline and follow-up. The MCT-BD program consisted of nine sessions. Results: The overall attendance rate across all MCT-BD intervention sessions was 96.6%. The MCT-BD program demonstrated added value in improving social cognition, specifically in emotion recognition reaction time. However, no significant changes were found in theory of mind, psychosocial functioning, or quality of life. Conclusion: This RCT provides preliminary evidence for the efficacy of MCT-BD in improving emotion recognition latency, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions in social cognition outcomes for individuals with BD. The study’s strengths include high completion rates and comprehensive cognitive assessments. Future studies should explore long-term effects and personalized treatment approaches aiming to improve social-cognitive deficits in this population.
Brasil-1964, antes e depois
Authors: Moraes Marcos Antonio de , Marras Stelio , Buitoni Dulcilia Helena Schroeder
Published: January 2025

Editorial da Revista do IEB 89 de dezembro de 2024
A new species of lowland karst-dwelling Slender Gecko Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from a karstic archipelago in western Cambodia
Authors: GRISMER L. LEE , SINOVAS PABLO , QUAH EVAN S. H. , THI SOTHEAREN , CHOURN PHYROUM , CHHIN SOPHEA , HUN SEIHA , COBOS ANTHONY , GEISSLER PETER , CHING CHRISTIAN , MURDOCH MATTHEW L.
Published: January 2025

A new species of gekkonid lizard is described from Phnom Khpoh, an isolated karstic hill within an extensive karstic archipelago in Battambang Province, western Cambodia. Phylogenetic analysis using a 1041 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial gene ND2 recovered Hemiphyllodactylus khpoh sp. nov. as the sister species of H. pardalis, found 335 km to the west in southern Thailand. Analyses of meristic, morphometric, and categorical characters of morphology and color pattern differentiated H. khpoh sp. nov. from both the morphologically distinct H. pardalis and the very similar Hemiphyllodactylus sp. from Phnom Kulen, approximately 130 km to the northeast in Siem Reap Province. The statistical morphological analyses and comparisons also showed that H. khpoh sp. nov. is well-differentiated from the recently described H. bokor and H. samkos from the nearby Cardamom Mountains as well from species in clade 6—a recently designated lineage from China, Laos, and Vietnam to which H. khpoh sp. nov. + H. pardalis compose the sister lineage. The discovery of H. khpoh sp. nov. highlights the rich but understudied biodiversity of karstic landscapes, emphasizing the need for continued research in the extensive unexplored karstic archipelago of western Cambodia. This region is poised to reveal unparalleled gekkonid diversity, comparable to that observed in the similarly sized karstic archipelago of the Salween Basin in southern Myanmar. Although karstic landscapes are proving to be some of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet, less than 1% of them are afforded any formal protection.
Integrative supporting techniques for the taxonomy of Schistorchis carneus Lühe, 1906 (Digenea: Megaperidae) with perspective for the existence of species complexes
Authors: MANSOUR ALI , KARAR YASSER F. M. , HASSAN HEMELY ABDEL-SHAFY , MOHAMADAIN HODA S. , ABDEL-HAKEEM SARA SALAH
Published: January 2025

The morphology and host-parasite data of Schistorchis carneus Lühe, 1906 indicate low host specificity and geographical range variation, accompanied by a large scale of intraspecific variability and ambiguous molecular phylogeny, confusing in determining biodiversity extent and specificity to a particular host and/or locality. To address the challenging circumstances of records of S. carneus, a detailed morphological description, molecular characterization and species delimitation analyses were conducted using a combination of comparative morphology, molecular phylogeny, multivariate analyses, and host-parasite data. Several morphological features exhibited an extensive intra-variation, as well as a wide morphometric range in many measurements within and across records. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the classification of schistorchiines is highly correlated with the morphology/nature of the oral sucker and highlighted the limitations of ribosomal 28S rDNA and ITS2 rDNA in distinguishing morphologically close/related taxa. Species delimitation analyses reflected the critical importance of host distinction in schistorchiines recognition/differentiation, even those that are indistinct morphologically. The clustering of schistorchiines into certain groups was driven by host differences. Additionally, host variation typically corresponds to a distinct schistorchiine species, even if it is morphologically identical to another. Cluster analysis associated with host-parasite data revealed high morphometric convergence and significant diversity among Egyptian and Sri-Lankan records of S. carneus. It also confirmed the distinction between Indian records from the Bay of Bengal and those from the Gulf of Mannar (previously mentioned as Manaar), each in their own distant group. In conclusion, the records of S. carneus represent a repository for a group of closely related cryptic species. The restricted concept of S. carneus should include only records from the white-spotted puffer, Arothron hispidus (Linnaeus) and the stellate puffer, Arothron stellatus (Anonymous). The Australian specimens from the narrow-lined puffer, Arothron manilensis (Marion de Procé) and the Indian record from the lunartail puffer, Lagocephalus lunaris (Bloch & Schneider) likely represent a free-standing cryptic species with limited distribution, requiring further characterization.
Oligodon cicadophagus, a new kukri snake from southern peninsular Thailand (Squamata: Colubridae)
Authors: PAUWELS OLIVIER S. G. , DONBUNDIT NATTASUDA , SUMONTHA MONTRI , MEESOOK WORAWITOO
Published: January 2025

We describe a new kukri snake, Oligodon cicadophagus sp. nov., from the limestone reliefs of the Phuket Mountain Range in Krabi and Phang-Nga provinces in southern peninsular Thailand. A member of the Oligodon cinereus group, it can be distinguished from all other congeneric species by the combination of its maximal known snout-vent length of 537 mm; 11 maxillary teeth; eight supralabials; one preocular and one presubocular; 17-17-15 dorsal scale rows; 159–168 ventrals, and 50 subcaudals in males; a single anal scale; hemipenes bilobed with large broad lobes, no distinct flounced calyces and unforked sulcus spermaticus; dorsal surface of head, body and tail uniformly olive-gray, without nuchal chevron, dorsal stripes, crossbands, blotches or reticulations; and a venter cream anteriorly turning to dark gray posteriorly.