bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultralow Ion Migration and X‐Ray Response from Strong Dipole Moments in (Br‐EA)2PbBr4 Perovskite Single Crystals
Authors: Li Haibin , Jiang Wei , Wu Jiarui , Ren Jiwei , Zhao Yingying , Liu Dan , Hu Ziyu , Zhao Yiying
Published: December 2024

2D hybrid perovskites composed of quantum‐well structures demonstrate immense potential in optoelectronics because of their unique combination of environmental stability and optoelectrical properties. However, improving electrical properties via quantum‐well engineering results in severe ion migration and inferior chemical stability. In this study, a novel strategy to avoid the above trade‐off between electrical properties and stability for modifying the electric field profile in perovskites through molecular design is proposed. To this end, ethylammonium (EA) cations are substituted with 2‐bromoethylamine (Br‐EA) cations and fabricate pure 2D perovskite (Br‐EA)2PbBr4 single crystals. The molecular dipole moments of the Br‐EA cations and induced electric field impart several novel features to the X‐ray response, including a ferro‐response current, reverse current, and super‐high Voc of 95 V. The resulting X‐ray detectors achieve a sensitivity of 540.7 µC Gyair−1 cm−2 with an extra 38.1% gained from local dipoles, an impressive limit of detection of 9.8 nGyair s−1, and an ultralow dark current drift of 3.69 × 10−8 nA cm−1 s−1 V−1 at −100 V. This study presents valuable insights into the novel effects of dipole moments of A‐site cations on the properties of perovskite materials and inspires further exploration of their potential applications.
Enhancing Potassium‐Ion Storage through Nanostructure Engineering and Ion‐Doped: A Case Study of Cu2+‐Doped Co0.85Se with Yolk‐Shell Structure
Authors: Chen Daming , Ming Yang , Cai Wei , Wang Zhen , Tawiah Benjamin , Shi Shuo , Hu Xin , Yu Rujun , Poon Chi‐sun , Fei Bin
Published: December 2024

Fabricating transition metal selenide (TMSe) anode materials with rapid K+ diffusion and high‐rate performance is crucial for the advancement of potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs), yet it remains a challenge. In this study, a Cu2+‐doped Co0.85Se@N‐doped carbon anode with an optimal concentration of Cu2+‐doped and yolk‐shell structure (denoted as Cu‐Co0.85Se@NC‐2) is developed to enhance the reaction kinetics and cycling life. The Cu2+‐doped modulates the electronic structure of the Co0.85Se interface, improves the diffusion and adsorption of K+, and further promotes the charge transport efficiency, as demonstrated by theoretical calculations and experimental results. In addition, an optimal Cu2+‐doped content is identified that is conducive to achieving the best structure and electrochemical performance. Moreover, the N‐doped carbon shell effectively enhances the conductivity of the electrode and alleviates the volume change of Co0.85Se yolk during cycling. Benefiting from the above advantages, the obtained Cu‐Co0.85Se@NC‐2 anode exhibits excellent rate performance (208.1 mA h g−1 at 10 A g−1) and cycling stability (239.7 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 500 cycles, the capacity retention rate is up to 80.4%). This work integrates nanostructure engineering and ion‐doped to provide a straightforward and effective strategy for designing advanced high‐rate TMSe anodes for next‐generation PIBs.
A New TiO2‐Based Cathode Material with Interface‐Dominated Storage Mechanism for Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhang Daijie , Wang Weijuan , Lu Jianwei , Ji Sheng , Xu Hui
Published: December 2024

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) are highly desirable for large‐scale energy storage applications, yet the lack of suitable cathode materials hinders their deployment. Here, for the first time, a new and promising TiO2‐based cathode material (TOC‐AI) is reported for AZIBs and unveil a novel energy storage mechanism that enables Zn2+ storage predominantly originating from the interface. The TOC‐AI composed of ultrafine TiO2 nanocrystals embedded within an amorphous carbon matrix, featuring abundant atomic interfaces and strong interactions, triggers a decoupled and rapid transport of Zn2+ ions and electrons in the interfacial space charge region, similar to an electrostatic capacitor. Moreover, the presence of titanium vacancies facilitates Zn2+ intercalation into the TiO2 bulks, contributing extra capacity to the composite. Finally, a high capacity of 111 mAh g−1 and excellent cycling performance with 77% capacity retention after 17 000 cycles are achieved. Such interface‐dominated storage mechanism has also been successfully extended to other composite systems, broadening the scope of potential applications for materials traditionally deemed inactive for Zn2+ storage.
Through‐space interaction enables simultaneous enhancements of kr and kRISC in highly efficient spiro‐acridine based thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitter with acridone acceptor
Authors: Mei Yongqiang , Liu Di , Li Jiuyan , Xu Min , Wang Jiahui , Jin Jing , Xie Lijuan , Wan Huihui
Published: December 2024

Most of acridine based thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters are characterized by advantageous reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rate (kRISCs) due to the perpendicular orientation of the acridine donor to the acceptor moiety, but suffer from a poor radiation rate (kr) typically in the order of 106 s−1. Herein, two sky blue TADF emitters 3,6‐DMAC‐AD‐Py and 3,6‐SFAC‐AD‐Py were developed by linking acridine (DMAC) and spiro‐fluorene‐acridine (SFAC) donors to 10‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)acridin‐9(10H)‐one (AD‐Py) acceptor. Larger SFAC and electron‐deficient pyridyl groups are deliberately incorporated in 3,6‐SFAC‐AD‐Py since the unique through‐space interaction between them is designed to drive the rotation of inner acridine ring in SFAC for enhancing frontier molecular orbitals overlap while keeping a decent TADF behavior. Thus, the kr of 3,6‐SFAC‐AD‐Py is increased to 1.5 × 107 s−1. Simultaneously, SFAC donors improve spin orbital coupling strength and reduce the energy gaps, generating kRISC of 1.8 × 106 s−1. This is the first acridine donor based TADF emitter realizing kr of 107 s−1 and kRISC of 106 s−1 by a through‐space interaction strategy. 3,6‐SFAC‐AD‐Py enables a highly efficient sky‐blue organic light‐emitting diode with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 34.7% and Commission International de I'Eclairage coordinates of (0.19, 0.37). More importantly, the EQE still remained 27.6% and 16.9% at high brightness of 1000 and 10,000 cd m−2.
Leveraging Fog Computing for Security‐Aware Resource Allocation in Narrowband Internet of Things
Authors: Sunku Mohan Vamshi , Sankaran Sriram , Buyya Rajkumar , Achuthan Krishnashree
Published: December 2024

Narrowband Internet of Things (NB‐IoT) is LPWAN operating using narrowband spectrum in IoTs, requiring low data rates and long battery life. Since NB‐IoT does not support handover, the requirement to sustain network connectivity during mobility may result in fake base station connections, hence applications are limited to stationary use‐cases. Researchers propose extending NB‐IoT in mobile applications, owing to higher signal quality and battery life, despite DoS attacks due to low bandwidth. As NB‐IoT is resource‐constrained, resources must be allocated based on application with data processing offloaded to optimise performance. Cloud servers, being centralised and memory‐intensive, may result in increased computational delay, lower throughput, and DoS attacks in NB‐IoT. Hence, in this paper, we implement fog computing, a decentralised technology, providing scalability, reduced bandwidth, and enhanced privacy, to provide distributed processing. Additionally, we develop secure handover protocols for private and service‐provider‐controlled fog networks under normal and cell‐splitting conditions to minimise fake base station attacks and provide seamless handover. We introduce reputation‐based mechanisms to determine device integrity and differentiate faulty behaviour and attacks. Further, we implement real‐time application‐aware resource allocation and QoS‐based load‐balancing using deep learning to distribute data processing between devices, fog and cloud servers. We simulate and prototype protocols on iFogSim2 and Raspberry Pi 4. Security of the fog computing framework is validated against various attacks and formally verified using Scyther. Evaluation shows that our approach consumes 12% and 43.75% lower power and communication overhead and approximately 6 and 16 times lower execution time and memory compared with existing solutions, thus making our approach lightweight.
Digital Shear Printing of Mechanically Robust Liquid Metal Circuits with Hierarchical Embedded Structure for Paper Electronics
Authors: Ma Biao , Chen Gangsheng , Chen Yi , Zhang Jin , Chen Yanjie , Deng Haoran , Gao Yakun , Yan Mengwen , Shang Jingtai , Zhang Heng , Zhang Feng , Cui Chang , Zhao Chao , Liu Hong
Published: December 2024

The seamless integration of recyclable and deformable liquid metal (LM) conductors into paper is attractive to developing flexible, breathable, and green electronics. However, the weak adhesion between paper and LM complicates the patterning. In addition, the low damage endurance of LM, an open problem for on‐surface conductors, restricts the practical applications. Here, a simple yet efficient approach of shear printing is reported to directly pattern hierarchical embedded LM circuits with erasure resistance onto paper. This is achieved by digitally applying the shear force to the solid gallium film to induce its adhesive wear with the paper, allowing the gallium to be embedded into the paper's fiber networks. Meanwhile, the pressure‐induced formation of microgrooves on paper allows the LM circuits to be surface‐embedded onto paper. The hierarchical embedded structure endows the LM circuits with enhanced mechanical damage endurance that they can even withstand eraser rubbing and tape peeling. Applications of the hierarchical embedded, mechanically robust, and breathable LM‐enabled paper electronics in enhanced humidity sensing, electrophysiology monitoring, and digital droplet microfluidics are also shown. This work opens doors to developing sustainable yet robust paper electronics by rationally utilizing the solid properties of low‐melting‐point metals.
Prevalence of Varroa destructor Infestations in Apis mellifera Honeybee Colonies and Associated Risk Factors in Ankasha District, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Yenew Aschalew Shitu , Sisay Yodit Ayalew
Published: December 2024

Background

Varroa destructor is an ectoparasite of broods and adult stages of honeybees, which gradually leads to colony losses worldwide, both directly (feeding on fatty tissue) and indirectly (disease transmission).

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of varroosis and to identify possible risk factors for the occurrence of varroosis.

Methods

The honeybee colonies were selected by a simple random sampling method from each apiary of 90 volunteer apiarists. Combs containing mature drone broods were taken out of each colony and examined for the presence of V. destructor on the brood and in the cell. A cross‐sectional study design was used for data collection. The data were analysed by chi‐square test (χ2) and logistic regression.

Results

Overall, 66.15% of honeybee colonies were infested with V. destructor. Colony strength, colony age and agro‐ecology had statistically significant (p < 0.05) associations with the occurrence of varroosis. Weak colonies were 4.89 (p < 0.001) times more likely to be at risk to varroosis than moderate colonies. Likewise, honeybee colonies with the age of 2–3 years and >3 years were 1.99 and 4.74 (p < 0.001) times more likely to be at risk to varroosis than colonies with <2 years, respectively. Furthermore, honeybee colonies in highland and midland agro‐ecologies were 3.67 and 5.07 (p < 0.001) times more likely at risk to infestation of varroosis when compared with colonies from lowland agro‐ecologies, respectively.

Conclusion

Varroosis is prevalent in the study area, which alarms the starting of an effective control option to save honeybee colonies.
Severe weather event on 3 March 2015 in Msalala District, Tanzania
Authors: Igenge Edwin M.
Published: December 2024

This study examines the severe weather event on 3 March 2015 in Msalala District, where surface convergence and enhanced atmospheric instability played a crucial role in storm development. Evaluation of numerical weather models revealed variations in accuracy, with the Global Forecast System (GFS) model performing better at predicting observed conditions than other models. These findings highlight the need for improved observational data networks in regions like Tanzania to enhance the understanding of localised severe weather events. High‐resolution data shows potential for improving forecast accuracy, strengthening early warning systems and enhancing preparedness for extreme weather events.
Prevalence of waterborne pathogens in drinking water from different sources: A trans‐boundary study in the Nile Basin
Authors: Watti Vivian Muhehe , Wafula Nobert , Fungo Robert , Mahungu Symon
Published: December 2024

Climate change in Sub‐Saharan Africa is severely affecting water access, compromising the health and safety of millions. The Nile Basin, a crucial transboundary catchment shared by 11 African countries and supporting 232 million people, plays a significant role in regional water policy. Despite its importance, limited information exists regarding the microbial quality of drinking water in this region. This study investigates waterborne pathogen contamination in drinking water sources along the Uganda‐Kenya border within the Nile Basin. Conducted in two stages, the study first surveyed the water sources used by respondents and whether they treated their drinking water. The second stage involved aseptic sampling of water from identified sources for Total Coliforms (TCC), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Helicobacter pylori, and Salmonella spp. using culture methods. The survey revealed that residents in the region predominantly rely on multiple water sources: 94.0% use springs, 57.3% groundwater, 53.0% taps, and 28.1% streams. Water treatment was common, with 74.6% of households employing various methods. Analysis showed a high prevalence of contamination, with 98.6% of water samples testing positive for TCC, 72.2% for E. coli, 22.2% for Salmonella spp., and 44.4% for H. pylori. E. coli contamination was highest in Mumias (94.4%), followed by Yala (77.8%), and Acholi Quarter (40.0%). H. pylori prevalence was lowest in Yala (14.3%) compared to Mumias (37.0%) and Acholi Quarter (30.0%). Salmonella spp. was equally high in Mumias and Yala (85.7%) but lower in the Acholi Quarter (40.0%). Theoretical log reduction analysis revealed that both TCC and E. coli levels exceeded the limits (> 10 cfu [colony forming units] TCC/100 ml; > 0 cfu E. coli/100 ml), even after domestic treatment. These findings underscore the need for enhanced water quality monitoring and improved water management policies across borders to address microbial contamination and protect public health.
In Situ Assessment of Rare Earth Ore Grades and Veins in Rare Earth Mining via Portable X‐Ray Fluorescence and Gamma‐Ray Spectrometry
Authors: Ge Liquan , Xiong Maolin , Wang Meng , Liu Hongwu , Gu Yi , Yu Peng , Deng Zhipeng , Wen Long , Chen Zekuan
Published: December 2024

In this paper, a method for the in situ assessment of rare earth ore grades and veins via x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry and gamma‐ray spectrometry is discussed. Experiments were carried out on the Maoniuping rare earth deposit of Sichuan Province. The measurement results reveal that the contents of La and Ce in the rare earth vein are significantly greater than those in the other measurement areas, with the highest content of Ce being 3.31% and the highest content of La being 2.1%. Additionally, the contents of uranium and thorium corresponding to the rare earth vein are significant greater than those in the other measurement areas, and the rare earth elements La and Ce are symbiotic or associated with the radioactive elements U and Th. The accuracy of the in situ measurement results is verified via ICP–OES and laboratory low‐background gamma‐ray spectrum measurements. This method can be used to delineate ore veins and guide rare earth mining.
Using Neural Network for Improving an Explicit Algebraic Stress Model in 2D Flow
Authors: Davidson Lars
Published: December 2024

Neural Network (NN) is used to improve an Explicit Algebraic Reynolds Stress Model (EARSM). The turbulent kinetic energy and its dissipation are predicted using the standard $$k-\omega $$

k
-
ω

model. The NN model is trained in channel flow of $$Re_\tau = 10{,}000$$

R

e
τ

=
10
,
000

. The NN model is stored to disk and subsequently loaded into the CFD code. The NN model is called every iteration to compute the $$\beta $$
β
coefficients in the EARSM, i.e. the CFD solver and the NN model are fully coupled. The Reynolds stresses are used in the momentum equations and the production term in the k and $$\omega $$
ω
equations. It is found that when training the NN model, the target data cannot only be taken from DNS. The reason is that the stress-strain relation and the turbulent kinetic energy of the DNS data are different from those of the $$k-\omega $$

k
-
ω

model. Hence, the target data are taken both from DNS and a $$k-\omega $$

k
-
ω

simulation. The new EARSM-NN model is used for predicting channel flow at $$Re_\tau = 2000, 5200$$

R

e
τ

=
2000
,
5200

and 10, 000 and flat-plate boundary layer at $$2500 \le Re_\theta \le 8000$$

2500
≤
R

e
θ

≤
8000

. The EARSM-NN model gives much better results than the standard EARSM.
FGF receptor kinase inhibitors exhibit broad antiviral activity by targeting Src family kinases
Authors: Stefanova Debora , Olszewski Dominik , Glitscher Mirco , Bauer Michael , Ferrarese Luca , Wüst Daria , Hildt Eberhard , Greber Urs F. , Werner Sabine
Published: December 2024

The development of antiviral strategies is a key task of biomedical research, but broad-spectrum virus inhibitors are scarce. Here we show that fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors reduce infection of several cell types with DNA and RNA viruses by blocking early stages of infection, but not viral cell association. Unexpectedly, their antiviral activity was largely independent of FGFR kinase inhibition. RNA profiling showed upregulation of interferon response genes by FGFR inhibitors, but their expression did not correlate with the antiviral activity in infected cells. Using bioinformatics analysis of kinome data, targeted kinase assays, siRNA-mediated knock-down and pharmacological inhibition experiments, we show that blockade of Src family kinases, in particular Lyn, is mainly responsible for the antiviral activity of FGFR inhibitors. These results identify FGFR inhibitors as broad-spectrum antiviral agents and suggest the poorly studied Lyn kinase as a promising target for the treatment of viral infections.
On von Neumann’s inequality on the polydisc
Authors: Hartz Michael
Published: December 2024

Given a d-tuple T of commuting contractions on Hilbert space and a polynomial p in d-variables, we seek upper bounds for the norm of the operator p(T). Results of von Neumann and Andô show that if $$d=1$$

d
=
1

or $$d=2$$

d
=
2

, the upper bound $$\Vert p(T)\Vert \le \Vert p\Vert _\infty $$

‖
p

(
T
)

‖

≤

‖
p
‖

∞

, holds, where the supremum norm is taken over the polydisc $$\mathbb {D}^d$$

D

d

. We show that for $$d=3$$

d
=
3

, there exists a universal constant C such that $$\Vert p(T)\Vert \le C \Vert p\Vert _\infty $$

‖
p

(
T
)

‖

≤

C
‖
p
‖

∞

for every homogeneous polynomial p. We also show that for general d and arbitrary polynomials, the norm $$\Vert p(T)\Vert $$

‖
p
(
T
)
‖

is dominated by a certain Besov-type norm of p.
Development and validation of a radiopathomics model for predicting liver metastases of colorectal cancer
Authors: Jing Han-Hui , Hao Di , Liu Xue-Jun , Cui Ming-Juan , Xue Kui-Jin , Wang Dong-Sheng , Zhang Jun-Hao , Lu Yun , Tian Guang-Ye , Liu Shang-Long
Published: December 2024

Objective

To compare the ability of a model based on CT radiomics features, a model based on clinical data, and a fusion model based on a combination of both radiomics and clinical data to predict the risk of liver metastasis after surgery for colorectal cancer.

Methods

Two hundred and twelve patients with pathologically confirmed colorectal cancer were divided into a training set (n = 148) and a validation set (n = 64). Radiomics features from the most recent CT scans and clinical data obtained before surgery were extracted. Random forest models were trained to predict tumors with clinical data and evaluated using the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) and other metrics on the validation set.

Results

Fourteen features were selected to establish the radiomics model, which yielded an AUC of 0.751 for the training set and an AUC of 0.714 for the test set. The fusion model, based on a combination of the radiomics signature and clinical data, showed good performance in both the training set (AUC 0.952) and the test set (AUC 0.761).

Conclusion

We have developed a fusion model that integrates radiomics features with clinical data. This fusion model could serve as a non-invasive, reliable, and accurate tool for the preoperative prediction of liver metastases after surgery for colorectal cancer.

Key Points

QuestionCan a radiomics and clinical fusion model improve the prediction of liver metastases in colorectal cancer and help optimize clinical decision-making?

FindingsThe presented fusion model combining CT radiomics and clinical data showed superior accuracy in predicting colorectal cancer liver metastases compared to single models.

Clinical relevanceOur study provides a non-invasive, relatively accurate method for predicting the risk of liver metastasis, improving personalized treatment decisions, and enhancing preoperative planning and prognosis management in colorectal cancer patients.
Comparison of early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery before and after ERAS® implementation—a single center three-armed cohort study
Authors: Knab Katharina , Aurnhammer Leon , Büttner Sylvia , Seyfried Steffen , Herrle Florian , Reissfelder Christoph , Vassilev Georgi , Hardt Julia
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study examines the impact of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) on patient recovery after elective colorectal surgery. The innovative PostopQRS™ tool was used for the analysis of patient recovery.

Methods

This single-center study compares three cohorts: two retrospective cohorts before (A) and after (B) ERAS® implementation and a prospective cohort post-ERAS® implementation (C) using PostopQRS™. The present study was prospectively registered in the German Register of Clinical Trials (DRKS00026903).

Results

A total of 153 patients were included from June 2020 to February 2022. Significant differences were observed in bowel function, oral food intake, opioid use, and PONV (postoperative nausea and vomiting) occurrence. By the day of discharge, 98% in cohorts B and C had bowel movements or stoma output, compared to 66% in cohort A (p < 0.001). Solid food intake on POD1 was higher in cohorts B and C (p = 0.025), while opioid use was lower (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001). Cohort C showed 90% recovery on discharge.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates improved early mobility, reduced need for opioids, a higher rate of patients with solid food intake on POD1, and earlier bowel movement as well as excellent recovery following the colorectal ERAS® implementation.
The cardio-oncologic burden of breast cancer: molecular mechanisms and importance of preclinical models
Authors: Brauer J. , Tumani M. , Frey N. , Lehmann L. H.
Published: December 2024

Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer affecting women worldwide, poses a significant cardio-oncological burden. Despite advancements in novel therapeutic strategies, anthracyclines, HER2 antagonists, and radiation remain the cornerstones of oncological treatment. However, each carries a risk of cardiotoxicity, though the molecular mechanisms underlying these adverse effects differ. Common mechanisms include DNA damage response, increased reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial dysfunction, which are key areas of ongoing research for potential cardioprotective strategies. Since these mechanisms are also essential for effective tumor cytotoxicity, we explore tumor-specific effects, particularly in hereditary breast cancer linked to BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. These genetic variants impair DNA repair mechanisms, increase the risk of tumorigenesis and possibly for cardiotoxicity from treatments such as anthracyclines and HER2 antagonists. Novel therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, are used in the clinic for triple-negative breast cancer and improve the oncological outcomes of breast cancer patients. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying BRCA dysfunction and the associated pathological pathways. It gives an overview of preclinical models of breast cancer, such as genetically engineered mouse models, syngeneic murine models, humanized mouse models, and various in vitro and ex vivo systems and models to study cardiovascular side effects of breast cancer therapies. Understanding the underlying mechanism of cardiotoxicity and developing cardioprotective strategies in preclinical models are essential for improving treatment outcomes and reducing long-term cardiovascular risks in breast cancer patients.
The Lamella Ostium Extent Mucosa (LOEM) system: a new classification and pilot study for endoscopic sinus surgery
Authors: Sanchez-Gomez Serafin , Martin-Jimenez Daniel , Moreno-Luna Ramon , Maza-Solano Juan , Calvo-Henriquez Christian , del Cuvillo Alfonso , Villacampa-Auba Jose M. , Santamaria-Gadea Alfonso , Garcia-Lliberos Ainhoa , Sanchez-Barrueco Alvaro , Martinez-Capoccioni Gabriel , Lobo-Duro David , Gonzalez-Garcia Jaime , Palacios-Garcia Jose , Fernandez-Liesa Rafael , Alobid Isam , Bernal-Sprekelsen Manuel
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study proposes the Lamella Ostium Extent Mucosa (LOEM) system as a compact and user-friendly classification for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), based on surgical bone extension and mucosal management, aiming to resolve inconsistencies in describing surgical techniques and extension levels, and to enhance comparability of outcomes in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

Methods

LOEM uses a lettering system representing a specific topographical level: L identifies the lamellae, O the ostia, E the opening of the sinus walls, and M the mucosal approach. Eleven CRS surgical cases were independently evaluated by seven rhinologists following a Delphi method in two consecutive rounds. Consensus was assessed using Cohen's kappa.

Results

A substantial agreement was found among the experts (κ = 0.77) in the first round, although the M item only showed fair agreement (κ = 0.37). Clarifications for this item were given in the second round, after which, the overall agreement increased to κ = 0.81 and to κ = 0.79 for the M item. A decrease in agreement from substantial to moderate for O and E items in the second round was found. Test–retest analysis showed an almost perfect agreement (92.96%, κ = 0.82). In this study, a web-based app is provided to assist with the regular use of the LOEM system.

Conclusions

The LOEM system provides a compact, comprehensive code for ESS, integrating anatomical and functional aspects to represent surgical techniques described so far. This system may be suitable for facilitating communication between surgeons and collecting robust labeled data, hopefully leading to further standardization and validation of surgical approaches in future CRS studies.
Information-seeking in mice (Mus musculus) during visual discrimination: study using a distractor elimination paradigm
Authors: Hataji Yuya , Goto Kazuhiro
Published: December 2024

Some animals seek information to solve problems when they do not know the answer. Information-seeking behavior has become a key focus in studies of animal metacognition, providing insights into how animals monitor their own knowledge states. This behavior is thought to be a form of metacognitive control. Nevertheless, research on such metacognitive control has been biased toward specific taxa, such as primates, and has not been conducted in rodents, which are the most common experimental animals. This study examined whether mice exhibit information-seeking behavior during two visual discrimination tasks and what factors influence this behavior. We trained mice to discriminate between stimuli differing in luminance or orientation, with more minor differences increasing task difficulty. An information-seeking option was introduced during these tasks, allowing mice to eliminate distractor stimuli and ensure a correct response. The results indicated that mice sought information more frequently during difficult discriminations than easier ones. However, subsequent generalization tests revealed that the mice relied on environmental cues to utilize the information-seeking option. These findings suggest that information-seeking behavior in mice may not solely reflect metacognitive processes, and further investigation is needed to explore alternative explanations.
Predicting chemotherapy responsiveness in gastric cancer through machine learning analysis of genome, immune, and neutrophil signatures
Authors: Sasagawa Shota , Honma Yoshitaka , Peng Xinxin , Maejima Kazuhiro , Nagaoka Koji , Kobayashi Yukari , Oosawa Ayako , Johnson Todd A. , Okawa Yuki , Liang Han , Kakimi Kazuhiro , Yamada Yasuhide , Nakagawa Hidewaki
Published: December 2024

Background

Gastric cancer is a major oncological challenge, ranking highly among causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. This study was initiated to address the variability in patient responses to combination chemotherapy, highlighting the need for personalized treatment strategies based on genomic data.

Methods

We analyzed whole-genome and RNA sequences from biopsy specimens of 65 advanced gastric cancer patients before their chemotherapy treatment. Using machine learning techniques, we developed a model with 123 omics features, such as immune signatures and copy number variations, to predict their chemotherapy outcomes.

Results

The model demonstrated a prediction accuracy of 70–80% in forecasting chemotherapy responses in both test and validation cohorts. Notably, tumor-associated neutrophils emerged as significant predictors of treatment efficacy. Further single-cell analyses from cancer tissues revealed different neutrophil subgroups with potential antitumor activities suggesting their usefulness as biomarkers for treatment decisions.

Conclusions

This study confirms the utility of machine learning in advancing personalized medicine for gastric cancer by identifying tumor-associated neutrophils and their subgroups as key indicators of chemotherapy response. These findings could lead to more tailored and effective treatment plans for patients.
Beyond Novelty and Growth: A Virtue Ethics Enquiry into Fashion Entrepreneurs’ Responsible and Harmonising Practices Towards Sustainability
Authors: Werner Andrea , Elf Patrick , Lyon Fergus , Vickers Ian
Published: December 2024

A growing number of small fashion entrepreneurs seek to offer an alternative to the mainstream fashion industry, which, in its obsession with novelty and growth, often ignores the costs to society and the environment. There is a need to develop a deeper understanding of how these fashion entrepreneurs may be agents for change in their industry. Using rich data from an in-depth study of 27 UK-based entrepreneurs, we offer such analysis, drawing on a novel framework that combines MacIntyre’s virtue ethics scheme and Jonas’s responsibility imperative. We identify key virtues—passionate commitment, authenticity, humility, sharing and empowering, and temperance—which shape the entrepreneurs’ practices in line with their accepted and perceived responsibility for sustainability. These virtues shape the entrepreneurial processes that seek an active negotiation and harmonisation of sustainability and the demands of business. In particular, we pay attention to the different ways in which fashion entrepreneurs take responsibility for sustainability which ranges from a ‘growth for impact’ strategy to staying small and seeking impact through influence and replication. Conclusions are drawn on conceptualising the varieties of ‘postgrowth entrepreneurship’ that aligns the virtues of a deep-rooted sense of responsibility with business goals. This shows what can be possible and prefigures an alternative fashion industry.
Syncopes, paresis and loss of vision after COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Weirauch Tobias , Schüttfort Gundolf , Vehreschild Maria J. G. T.
Published: December 2024

mRNA-based vaccines played a key role in fighting the global COVID-19 pandemic by saving millions of lives. In rare cases, however, the BNT162b2 vaccine has been associated with severe adverse reactions e.g. myocarditis (OE ratio 2.78; 95% CI 2.61; 2.95) [Faksova in Vaccine 42(9):2200-2211, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.01.100, Schwab in Clin Res Cardiol 112(3):431-440, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-022-02129-5]. Here, we describe the case of a 38-year-old man who developed a wide variety of long-term symptoms (fatigue, dizziness, palpitations with recurrent syncopes, paresthesia, paresis and fasciculations) following his first mRNA-based BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccination. 143 days after vaccination, a subsequent COVID-19 infection was associated with exacerbation of paresis and a temporary loss of vision. After ruling out other causes and due to the immediate temporal association, an adverse reaction to vaccination appears likely. The fact that these symptoms worsened after a subsequent acute COVID 19 infection hints at the possibility of a common underlying pathophysiology. This case combines two clinical phenomena that have emerged during the COVID 19 pandemic, side effects associated with novel vaccines and Post-COVID Syndrome.
On types of elements, Gelfand and strongly harmonic rings of skew PBW extensions over weak compatible rings
Authors: Chacón Andrés , Higuera Sebastián , Reyes Armando
Published: December 2024

We investigate and characterize several kinds of elements such as units, idempotents, von Neumann regular, $$\pi $$
π
-regular and clean elements for skew PBW extensions over weak compatible rings. We also study the notions of Gelfand and Harmonic rings for these families of algebras. The results presented here extend those corresponding in the literature for commutative and noncommutative rings of polynomial type.
Defense guard: strategies of plants in the fight against Cadmium stress
Authors: Zhang Qian-hui , Chen Yi-qi , Li Zhen-bang , Tan Xuan-tong , Xin Guo-rong , He Chun-tao
Published: December 2024

Soil Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a worldwide problem with negative impacts on human health. Cultivating the Cd-Pollution Safety Cultivar (Cd-PSC) with lower Cd accumulation in edible parts of plants is an environmentally friendly approach to ensure food security with wide application prospects. Specialized mechanisms have been addressed for Cd accumulation in crops. This review provides an extensive generality of molecular regulation mechanisms involved in Cd absorption, transport, detoxification, and tolerance in plants, highlighting key aspects of rhizosphere, apoplast barrier, Cd uptake, transfer, and cellular repair strategies under Cd stress. Additionally, we summarize the possible approaches for lowering the Cd accumulation crops, including molecular-assistant breeding, applying chemical materials, and microbial strategy to decrease Cd content in edible parts and improve Cd tolerance of crops under Cd stress. This review would provide valuable insights for cultivating low Cd accumulated crop cultivars, ultimately contributing to food safety.
Mask Mandate Costs
Authors: Carlin Patrick , Raman Shyam , Simon Kosali , Sullivan Ryan , Wing Coady
Published: December 2024

Mask mandates were controversial policies during the pandemic. Although there is considerable research on the benefits of masks, there has been no research on the distribution of perceived costs of compliance with mask mandates. This article presents the results from a hypothetical set of questions related to mask-wearing behavior and opinions that were asked of a nationally representative sample of over 4,000 participants in early 2022. We use survey valuation methods to assess how much participants would be willing to pay to be exempted from rules of mandatory community masking. The survey asks specifically about a 3-month exemption. We find that the majority of respondents (56%) are not willing to pay to be exempted from mandatory masking. However, the average person was willing to pay $525, and a small segment of the population (0.9%) stated they were willing to pay over $5,000 to be exempted from the mandate. Younger respondents stated higher willingness to pay to avoid the mandate than older respondents. Combining our results with standard measures of the value of a statistical life, we estimate that a 3-month masking order was perceived as cost-effective through willingness to pay questions only if at least 13,333 lives were saved by the policy.
Rare Spinocerebellar Ataxia Types in Canada: A Case Series and Review of the Literature
Authors: Alshimemeri Sohaila , Alsaghan Lamya , Alsamh Danah Abo , Zhou Lily , Furtado Sarah , Kraft Scott , Bruno Veronica , Appel-Cresswell Silke , Duquette Antoine , Brais Bernard , Suchowersky Oksana , Slow Elizabeth , Munhoz Renato P.
Published: December 2024

Background:

There is limited information on rare spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) variants, particularly in the Canadian population. This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical features of uncommon SCA subtypes in Canada and compare them with international data.

Methods:

We conducted a case series and literature review of adult patients with rare SCA subtypes, including SCA5, SCA7, SCA12, SCA14, SCA15, SCA28, SCA34, SCA35 and SCA36. Data were collected from medical centers in Ontario, Alberta and Quebec between January 2000 and February 2021.

Results:

We analyzed 25 patients with rare SCA subtypes, with onset ages ranging from birth to 67 years. Infantile and juvenile-onset cases were observed in SCA5, SCA7, SCA14 and SCA34. Most patients presented with gait ataxia, with no significant differences across groups. Additional common features included saccadic abnormalities (22 of 25), dysarthria (19 of 25) and nystagmus (12 of 22, except in SCA7). Less common findings included dystonia (8 of 25), cognitive impairment (7 of 25), tremor (9 of 25) and parkinsonism (3 of 25).

Conclusion:

Our study highlights the heterogeneity of rare SCA subtypes in Canada. Ongoing longitudinal analysis will improve the understanding, management and screening of these disorders.
Ensuring Safe and Effective Psychiatric Care in COVID-19 Alternate Care Sites
Authors: Rediger Katherine , Dawson Christine , Victor Latoya Ann , Kverno Karan , Raymond Greg , Smyth Sharon , Bennett Dashaira , Markus Rachel , Kantsiper Melinda E. , Siddiqui Zishan K.
Published: December 2024

Objective

This article describes an innovative program to provide safe, evidence-based psychiatric care at the Baltimore Convention Center Field Hospital (BCCFH), set up for COVID-19 patients, to alleviate overextended hospitals.

Methods

This article describes the staffing and workflows utilized at the BCCFH including universal suicide risk assessment and co-management of high acuity patients by an NP-led psychiatry service.

Results

The Columbia-Suicide Screening Rating Scale (C-SSRS) proved feasible as a suicide screening tool. Using the SAFE-T protocol, interdisciplinary teams cared for moderate and low risk patients. The NP psychiatry service evaluated over 70 patients, effecting medication changes in more than half and identified and transferred several decompensating patients for higher-level psychiatric care. Group therapy attendees demonstrated high participation. There were no assaults, self-harm incidents, or suicides.

Conclusions

The BCCFH psychiatry/mental health program, a potential model for other field hospitals, promotes evidence-based, integrated care. Emphasizing safety, including suicide risk, is crucial within alternate care sites during disasters. The engagement of dually-certified (psychiatric and medical) nurse practitioners boosts safety and provides expertise with advanced medication management and psychotherapeutic interventions. Similar future sites should be ready to handle chronically ill psychiatric patients, detect high-risk or deteriorating ones, and develop therapeutic programs for patient stabilization and support.
On split quasi-hereditary covers and Ringel duality
Authors: Cruz Tiago
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we develop two new homological invariants called relative dominant dimension with respect to a module and relative codominant dimension with respect to a module. Among the applications are precise connections between Ringel duality, split quasi-hereditary covers and double centralizer properties, constructions of split quasi-hereditary covers of quotients of Iwahori-Hecke algebras using Ringel duality of q-Schur algebras and a new proof for Ringel self-duality of the blocks of the Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand category

$\mathcal {O}$

. These homological invariants are studied over Noetherian algebras which are finitely generated and projective as a module over the ground ring. They are shown to behave nicely under change of rings techniques.
Climbing up, letting down, or putting the ladder away? Regional ministers’ movements in multilevel systems
Authors: Boldrini Matteo , Grimaldi Selena
Published: December 2024

Regional cabinet members (RCMs) are key political actors in subnational politics, especially in federal systems or in countries that have undergone a process of regionalization or devolution, even though they are still less studied than federal or national ministers. Italy and its regionalization process represent an interesting case study to understand how and under what conditions members of regional cabinets can exit from politics or move upwards, or downwards the different tiers of government. By using an original dataset of 721 RCMs in ordinary statute regions we tested through multinomial regression analysis whether political and institutional or personal factors influence their movements (both legislative or executive) upward, that is, toward national and/or European positions, backward toward local (both provincial or municipal) positions or their exit from politics. Our results show that both political–institutional and individual factors matter. In particular, displaying a previous national career favors upward movements while being a technician or independent favors the exit from politics.
Damköhler number independent stable regime in reactive radial viscous fingering
Authors: Verma Priya , Sharma Vandita , Chen Ching-Yao , Mishra Manoranjan
Published: December 2024

The impact of a chemical reaction,

$A+B \rightarrow C$

, on the stability of a miscible radial displacement in a porous medium is established. Our study involves a comprehensive analysis employing both linear stability analysis and nonlinear simulations. Through linear stability analysis, the onset of instability for monotonic as well as non-monotonic viscosity profiles corresponding to the same end-point viscosity are discussed and compared. We establish a

$(R_b,R_c)$

phase plane for a wide range of Damköhler number (

$Da$

) and Péclet number (

$Pe$

) into stable and unstable regions. Here,

$R_b=\ln (\mu _B/ \mu _A)$

and

$R_c=\ln (\mu _C/ \mu _A)$

and

$\mu _{i}$

is the viscosity of fluid

$i$

 

$\in \{A$

,

$B$

,

$C$

}. The stable zone in the

$(R_b, R_c)$

phase plane contracts with increased

$Da$

and

$Pe$

but never vanishes. It exists even for

$Da \rightarrow \infty$

. Interestingly, we obtain a

$Da$

independent stable region in the neighbourhood of

$R_c=R_b$

where no transition occurs in stability despite changes in reaction rate. The study allows us to acquire knowledge about the transition of the stability for varying

$Da, Pe$

and different reactions classified using

$R_b, R_c$

.
On a class of bivariate distributions built of q-ultraspherical polynomials
Authors: Szabłowski Paweł J.
Published: December 2024

Our primary result concerns the positivity of specific kernels constructed using the q-ultraspherical polynomials. In other words, it concerns a two-parameter family of bivariate, compactly supported distributions. Moreover, this family has a property that all its conditional moments are polynomials in the conditioning random variable. The significance of this result is evident for individuals working on distribution theory, orthogonal polynomials, q-series theory, and the so-called quantum polynomials. Therefore, it may have a limited number of interested researchers. That is why, we put our results into a broader context. We recall the theory of Hilbert–Schmidt operators and the idea of Lancaster expansions (LEs) of the bivariate distributions absolutely continuous with respect to the product of their marginal distributions. Applications of LE can be found in Mathematical Statistics or the creation of Markov processes with polynomial conditional moments (the most well-known of these processes is the famous Wiener process).
Do more food choices lead to bad decisions? A case study in predaceous ladybird beetle, Propylea dissecta
Authors: Verma Lata , Mishra Geetanjali , Omkar
Published: December 2024

Understanding why animals choose one food over another is one of the key questions underlying the fields of behaviour ecology. This study aims to test if ladybird beetle, Propylea dissecta Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) can forage selectively for nutrients in order to redress specific nutritional imbalances to maximise their fitness. We hypothesised that the presence of more food choices leads to bad decisions in terms of their food selection which ultimately negatively affects the mating and reproductive parameters of P. dissecta. To test this, we first manipulated the predator's nutritional status by rearing them in five separate dietary groups from first instar larvae to newly emerged adult stage. Thereafter, we tested their food choice between five different foods, i.e. Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonsclombe, conspecific eggs, heterospecific eggs and mixed pollen grains, equidistantly placed in a Petri dish. Based on the food choice of the newly emerged adults, they were reared on the chosen diet for 10 days. Thereafter, adults were paired with their opposite sex (collected from stock culture reared on A. craccivora) and mating and reproductive parameters were recorded. Our results suggested that the variety of food did not affect the food choice of ladybird beetle, P. dissecta. They tend to choose their natural diet, i.e. aphid in each dietary regime. We found that previous dietary regime, i.e. larval dietary regime, significantly influences the mating and reproductive parameters of both the male and female except for the time to commence mating by the male. Food choices of adult beetles were found to significantly influence the time to commence mating, average fecundity and per cent egg viability in males and only mating duration in females. Our findings suggest that P. dissecta consistently made optimal decisions when facing various food choices. They consistently preferred their natural and preferred food choice over others, indicating a strong food selection behaviour.