bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective hydrogen production based on formic acid decomposition catalysed by polyvinyl-pyrrolidone dispersed colloidal platinum nanoparticles using an isobaric process system
Authors: Kano Koya , Amao Yutaka
Published: February 2025

With its high-volume capacity (53 g H2 L-1) and its low toxicity and flammability under ambient conditions, formic acid is a promising hydrogen energy carrier. It is desired to invent...
First synthesis of (difluoroiodomethyl)thiophenes through double iodation of 2-(difluoromethylene)but-3-yn-1-yl benzyl sulfides
Authors: Komatsu Daiki , Hanamoto Takeshi
Published: February 2025

Double iodation of enyne sulfides in a mixed solvent (CHCl3/EtOH = 50/1) provided promising 4-(difluoroiodomethyl)-3-iodo-2-substituted thiophenes in good to excellent yields.
Correction: Engineering poly(dehydroalanine)-based gels via droplet-based microfluidics: from bulk to microspheres
Authors: Mathews Hannah F. , Çeper Tolga , Speen Tobias , Bastard Céline , Bulut Selin , Pieper Maria I. , Schacher Felix H. , De Laporte Laura , Pich Andrij
Published: February 2025

Correction for ‘Engineering poly(dehydroalanine)-based gels via droplet-based microfluidics: from bulk to microspheres’ by Hannah F. Mathews et al., Soft Matter, 2024, 20, 6231–6246, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00676C.
Updates on Auditory Outcomes of COVID-19 and Vaccine Side Effects: An Umbrella Review
Authors: Jafari Zahra , Kolb Bryan E. , Aiken Steven , Wilson Sarah
Published: February 2025

Purpose:

This umbrella review synthesizes and discusses systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) on auditory outcomes associated with COVID-19 infection and vaccination side effects. It is innovative in offering a comprehensive synthesis of evidence across adults and infants while summarizing vaccine-related auditory side effects.

Method:

This literature search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, with no restrictions on population age or symptom severity. Four electronic databases were searched from their inception to October 2024. The Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 checklist and Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews tool were used to assess the quality of evidence and the risk of bias.

Results:

The systematic search identified 534 articles, narrowed down to 14 SRs following a full-text review: Nine focused on auditory outcomes of COVID-19; two, on outcomes in infants born to mothers infected during pregnancy; and three, on the auditory side effects of vaccination. A random-effects model revealed significantly high pooled estimates of hearing loss (5.0%, 95% CI [1.0, 9.0],
p
< .012, three MAs,
N
= 21,932) and tinnitus (13.5%, 95% CI [5.9, 21.1],
p
≤ .001, four MAs,
N
= 36,236) in adults. However, current evidence in nonhospitalized patients indicates that auditory symptoms often improve after recovery. Studies also show a low rate of hearing loss in infants whose mothers contracted COVID-19 during pregnancy. Similarly, whereas COVID-19 vaccination has been linked to hearing loss and tinnitus, these effects are rare, and most patients experience improvement within weeks to months.

Conclusions:

Evidence suggests a significantly high rate of hearing loss and tinnitus associated with COVID-19 in adults, although auditory symptoms remain rare in newborns and following vaccination. However, caution is warranted due to limitations and variability across the studies.
Optimal Control Using IsoCost‐Based Dynamic Programming
Authors: Alvankarian Fatemeh , Kalhor Ahmad , Masouleh Mehdi Tale
Published: February 2025

In this paper, a novel data‐driven optimal control method based on reinforcement learning concepts is introduced. The proposed algorithm performs as a workaround to solving the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation. The main concept behind the proposed algorithm is the so‐called IsoCost hypersurface (ICHS), which is a hypersurface in the state space of the system formed by points from which a specific amount of cost is spent by the control strategy in order to asymptotically stabilize the system. The fact that the control strategy requires to spend equal costs in order to stabilize all points on an ICHS is the reason for the naming of the IsoCost concept. Additional assumptions and definitions are mentioned before providing the theory of ICHS optimality. This theory proves, by contradiction, that the ICHS corresponding to the optimal control policy surrounds the ICHSs corresponding to other non‐optimal control solutions. This paves the path to finding the optimal control solution using dynamic programming. The proposed method is implemented on the linear, fixed‐base inverted pendulum, cart‐pole and torsional pendulum bar system models and the results are compared with that of literature. The performance of this method in terms of cost, settling time and computation time is shown using numeric and illustrative comparisons.
DRSE‐YOLO: Efficient and Lightweight Architecture for Accurate Waste Detection
Authors: Sun Guangling , Zhang Fenqi
Published: February 2025

This paper introduces DRSE‐YOLO, an efficient waste detection model designed to address detection accuracy and lightweight design challenges. The RCCA module in the model's neck enhances multi‐scale feature representation, thereby improving detection performance. The DySample module optimizes upsampling through adaptive point‐sampling, reducing computational demands and improving resource efficiency. The Slim‐Neck module is applied to select convolutional layers and C2f modules to streamline the model and enhance computational efficiency. The ECC‐Head integrates asymmetric depth convolution, point convolution, and an attention mechanism, balancing accuracy with reduced parameters and computational load. Evaluated on a custom dataset comprising 46 waste classes and approximately 25,000 images, DRSE‐YOLO achieves significant improvements over YOLOv8n, including a higher mAP@0.5 (+1.59%) and mAP@0.5:95 (+2.08%), alongside a reduced parameter count (2.43 M vs. 3.2 M) and GFLOPs (5.8 vs. 8.2, a 24.4% reduction). These results underscore DRSE‐YOLO's efficiency and accuracy.
Redon-Drainagen – effiziente Unterstützung in der postoperativen Wundversorgung
Authors: Boxhammer Franziska , Aumann Dagmar
Published: February 2025

In dieser Ausgabe startet unsere neue Serie zum Thema Drainagen. Im ersten Teil lernen Sie die Indikationen und Kontraindikationen, die Anwendungsgebiete, den korrekten Umgang sowie die Vor- und Nachteile der Redon-Drainage kennen.
Negotiating the ethical terrain in global value chains on the road towards the SDGs
Authors: Sinkovics Noemi , Hoque Samia Ferdous , Sinkovics Rudolf R. , Gunaratne Denanjalee
Published: February 2025

This paper employs a pattern matching approach to explore the tensions arising from differences in the ethical dispositions of multinational enterprise (MNE) buyers and their suppliers within the Bangladeshi apparel manufacturing sector. It examines how varying ethical principles shape the development, implementation, and outcomes of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and labor standards. Our analysis resulted in the identification of four scenarios: legitimacy with friction, mitigated forced alignment, collaborative enhancement, and principled resistance. However, the scenario, principled resistance, is purely conceptual, as none of our empirical cases aligned with this category. We extend work highlighting the importance of ethical foundations for strategic decision making. This study advances the understanding of global value chain governance, particularly regarding MNEs’ contribution to the socially oriented Sustainable Development Goals. Our findings suggest that, out of the four scenarios, the combination of virtue ethics and consequentialist principles is most likely to facilitate a just transition to a more desirable state in contexts characterized by development challenges and institutional voids.
On the reliability of a modification of the fluid model of a glow discharge incorporating the calculation of the local EEDF at each point in space
Authors: Wang Ying , Rafatov Ismail , Bogdanov Eugeny , Kudryavtsev Anatoly , Yao Jingfeng , Yuan Chengxun
Published: February 2025

An analysis of the approach named “Space-Dependent Electron Energy Distribution Function (EEDF) Modeling” in the COMSOL Multiphysics's Plasma Module is carried out. This modeling approach allows a wide range of users to determine profiles of glow discharge parameters, including the EEDF, in the entire discharge volume. Comparison of computed results for a short (without a positive column) glow discharge, obtained from this model and from kinetic simulations, displays not only significant quantitative but also qualitative differences in the EEDFs. The analysis showed that in this model, as well as in the previous models provided by the COMSOL Multiphysics's Plasma Module, the derivation of the main equations is based on the factorization of the EEDF, which implies the use of a local approximation when solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation. However, as has been repeatedly shown in the literature, this approximation is fulfilled under rather harsh conditions, namely, when the scale of plasma inhomogeneity is small compared to the electron energy relaxation length, and the ambipolar field is small compared to the external electric field heating the electrons. These restrictions significantly limit the applicability range of the analyzed model and make it impossible to use it in the near-electrode and near-wall regions of any gas discharges. Comparison with the corresponding data from the kinetic simulation and the subsequent analysis reveals the existence of fundamental disagreement and internal contradiction within this model that cast doubt on the reliability of the results obtained using this approach, which we address to the “computational plasma community.”
Real-time online resonance frequency tuning of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer through nesting Terfenol-D into composite horn
Authors: Ye Kaiqiang , Xu Youlin , Zheng Jiaqiang
Published: February 2025

To address the challenge of quickly tuning the resonance frequency of ultrasonic transducers in real-time after manufacturing, this paper proposes integrating Terfenol-D into the horn of a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer. In practical applications, the transducer is mechanically excited by a piezoelectric vibrator connected to an alternating current power supply, while the Terfenol-D is surrounded by a coil connected to a direct current power supply. By utilizing the delta-E (ΔE) effect of Terfenol-D, the modulus of the material changes in response to variations in the surrounding magnetic field, enabling real-time online adjustment of the resonance frequency. The resonance frequency and amplification coefficient of the transducer were analyzed using the transfer matrix method. Then, an impedance analyzer was employed to measure changes in the transducer's impedance and resonance frequency under different electric currents. Experimental results demonstrate that the resonance frequency of the transducer increases with increasing electric current. The developed piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer, featuring Terfenol-D embedded in the horn, achieves rapid and real-time resonance frequency adjustment within a specific range. This innovation provides a novel solution for complex ultrasonic application scenarios requiring frequent transducer replacements.
Schrödinger’s field equation
Authors: Mroczkowski Jacek
Published: February 2025

The intrinsic and dynamic kinetic energies and the potential energies of electron states in the hydrogen atom were determined using the operator formalism in Schrödinger’s nonrelativistic equation. Intrinsic energies were determined using the momentum operator, while for ℓ ≠ 0, the additional dynamic energies of the spinning fields were determined using the angular momentum operator. All 10 states up to the principal quantum number n = 3 and all 4 m states of n = 7, l = 3 were analyzed. The two forms of kinetic energy can only be explained with an electron field representation. All total kinetic and potential energies conformed with the well-known 1/n2 rule. Angular momentum analysis of the 2P1/2 state provided a field spinning rate; in addition, the dynamic kinetic energy of the spinning field determined by both operator analysis and explicit calculation based on the spinning rate gave the same energy results.
Single-fluid simulation of partially-ionized, non-ideal plasma facilitated by a tabulated equation of state
Authors: Su G. , Millmore S. T. , Zhang X. , Nikiforakis N.
Published: February 2025

We present a single-fluid approach for the simulation of partially-ionized plasmas (PIPs), which is designed to capture the non-ideal effects introduced by neutrals while maintaining computational efficiency close to that of single-fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD). This is achieved using a model that treats the entire partially ionized plasma as a single mixture, which renders internal ionization/recombination source terms unnecessary as both the charged and neutral species are part of the mixture’s conservative system. Instead, the effects of ionization and the differing physics of the species are encapsulated as material properties of the mixture. Furthermore, the differing dynamics between the charged and neutral species are captured using a relative-velocity quantity, which impacts the bulk behavior of the mixture in a manner similar to the treatment of the ion-electron relative-velocity as current in MHD. Unlike fully-ionized plasmas, the species composition of a PIP changes rapidly with its thermodynamic state. This is captured through a look-up table referred to as the tabulated equation of state (TabEoS), which is constructed prior to runtime using empirical physicochemical databases and efficiently provides the ionization fraction and other material properties of the PIP specific to the thermodynamic state of each computational cell. Crucially, the use of TabEoS also allows our approach to self-consistently capture the non-linear feedback cycle between the PIP’s macroscopic behavior and the microscopic physics of its internal particles, which is neglected in many fluid simulations of plasmas today.
Enhancement of liquid sheet breakup and atomization for spinning jet–jet impingement
Authors: He Chengming , Zhu Feng , Chen Haojie , Ji Hengsong , He Zhixia
Published: February 2025

To break the inherent mirror symmetry and promote the atomization for the traditional jet–jet impingement, the present paper proposed an improvement by the impingement between two spinning jets and numerically verified the enhancement of liquid sheet breakup and atomization by jet spinning effects. First, an appropriate jet spin velocity was selected based on the deformation and flow instability for a single spinning jet. Then, the impingement between two non-spinning jets and spinning jets with different spin directions at either small or large jet injection Weber numbers were studied. The results verified that the identical spinning jet–jet impingement could promote the liquid sheet breakup and atomization for the small jet injection inertia, which is especially useful for the variable thrust engines at small mass flow rate conditions; and the jet spin motion plays insignificant roles because the liquid sheet breakup is dominated by the sufficient large jet injection inertia. In addition, too large jet spin angular velocity causes the premature Rayleigh–Taylor instability and reduces the effective jet–jet impingement mass. Finally, the enhancement of liquid sheet breakup and atomization is also applicative for the spinning jet–jet impingement of high-viscous liquids usually used in practical applications.
Analysis of Garbage Management on Urban Beaches: A Case Study in Natal-RN, Brazil
Authors: de Oliveira Aylla A.T. , Ferreira Lissa V.F. , de Barbosa José W.Q.
Published: February 2025

The City of Natal (Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil) is strongly linked to sun and beach tourism. Urban beaches attract national and international visitors. In view of its attractiveness, this case study evaluates the garbage management carried out at two beaches located in Natal: Praia do Meio Beach and Ponta Negra Beach. The study used an interview script applied to 145 tourists and residents and a checklist. It was based on an adaptation of the dustbin check methodology, which consists of checking or observing the garbage. The findings revealed that there is a contrasting scenario between the two beaches, as well as a lack of inspection on the part of public management. Regarding Praia do Meio Beach, the treatment of the garbage was rated as “average” by most interviewees, in terms of the collection of discarded materials. At Ponta Negra Beach, on the other hand, this issue was rated more positively.

Information

© The Authors 2025
In silico characterization of the gating and selectivity mechanism of the human TPC2 cation channel
Authors: Şahin Alp Tegin , Zachariae Ulrich
Published: February 2025

Two-pore channels (TPCs) are twofold symmetric endolysosomal cation channels forming important drug targets, especially for antiviral drugs. They are activated by calcium, ligand binding, and membrane voltage, and to date, they are the only ion channels shown to alter their ion selectivity depending on the type of bound ligand. However, despite their importance, ligand activation of TPCs and the molecular mechanisms underlying their ion selectivity are still poorly understood. Here, we set out to elucidate the mechanistic basis for the ion selectivity of human TPC2 (hTPC2) and the molecular mechanism of ligand-induced channel activation by the lipid PI(3,5)P2. We performed all-atom in silico electrophysiology simulations to study Na+ and Ca2+ permeation across full-length hTPC2 on the timescale of ion conduction and investigated the conformational changes induced by the presence or absence of bound PI(3,5)P2. Our findings reveal that hTPC2 adopts distinct conformations depending on the presence of PI(3,5)P2 and elucidate the allosteric transition pathways between these structures. Additionally, we examined the permeation mechanism, solvation states, and binding sites of ions during ion permeation through the pore. The results of our simulations explain the experimental observation that hTPC2 is more selective for Na+ over Ca2+ ions in the presence of PI(3,5)P2via a multilayer selectivity mechanism. Importantly, mutations in the selectivity filter region of hTPC2 maintain cation conduction but change the ion selectivity of hTPC2 drastically.
Understanding hydrogen and heat diffusion across c-Si/a-Si:H heterojunctions for improved thermal management in solar cells fabrication
Authors: Dettori Riccardo , Melis Claudio , Colombo Luciano
Published: February 2025

c-Si/a-Si:H-based solar cells are characterized by impressive efficiencies for silicon based devices. In this paper, we present a comprehensive atomistic simulation study of the structural and transport properties of crystalline silicon and hydrogenated amorphous silicon heterostructures for photovoltaic applications. By leveraging state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulations with a machine-learned force field, we explore the effects of thermal boundary resistance as well as hydrogen diffusion on device performance. The simulations reveal the dependence of thermal properties on crystalline orientations, cooling rates of the amorphous layer, and interface morphology. A systematic investigation of hydrogen diffusion demonstrates its impact on heat transport and structural stability, highlighting the role of moderate hydrogenation (≤ 10%) and specific orientations in enhancing thermal dissipation and reducing degradation. These findings provide atomistic insights into optimizing c-Si/a-Si:H interfaces, enabling improved thermal management and long-term stability for high-performance solar cells.
Students’ perceptions of the assessment in physics lessons
Authors: Kozelková Katarína
Published: February 2025

Assessment plays an important role in teaching and learning. Within the assessment, teachers and students interact to obtain the information needed to improve learning. As the learning can be supported by the quality assessment, the survey was conducted at the lower and upper-secondary schools to investigate the assessment and feedback students were given. The aim of the study was to find out how the students perceived the obtained assessment. The paper describes the results of the preliminary survey on the students’ perceptions of the assessment in physics lessons and compared them to the teachers’ ideas about how the students experience the assessment.
The theory of the Five Pillars of the Mind and Physics Education
Authors: Červeňová Daša , Demkanin Peter
Published: February 2025

Neurosciences significantly influence shifts in knowledge in many various fields nowadays. Outcomes of neuroscientific studies help elucidate many phenomena, especially ones occurring during the learning process. The neuroscientific subfield that transdisciplinary studies cognitive development is called educational neuroscience. Many theories proposing to promote education, in general, have been published. The theory of the Five Pillars of the Mind, formulated by Tokuhama-Espinosa, is one of them. This article proposes an example of applying this theory to physics education. We aim to develop a method for using this theory to understand selected parts of the teaching-learning process deeply.
The relationship between the thermodynamic and Boltzmann entropies: the role of degrees of freedom.
Authors: Sands David
Published: February 2025

This paper shows that the statistical and thermodynamic entropies are not generally equivalent. However, they are connected as changes in the internal energy cause changes to the distribution of energy among the effective number of active degrees of freedom in a system. In systems in which the heat capacity is independent of temperature, such as an ideal, classical gas, the number of degrees of freedom is independent of temperature and the two are seen to be equivalent. In more complex systems it is necessary to define an effective number of degrees of freedom. This is done for some solids and it is shown that in such cases that the thermodynamic entropy is not the same as the Boltzmann entropy. The consequences for the chemical potential are explored and the educational implications are discussed.
Trustworthiness as Central Design Principle for Introducing Uncertainties of Measurements to Students
Authors: Nagel Clemens
Published: February 2025

Two curricula for the introduction of measurement uncertainties for high school students have been developed. The central design principle was “trustworthiness of experiments and data” following the GUM (Guide to the Expression of Uncertainties in Measurement) recommendations of Type-A and Type-B methods. A time-delayed test demonstrated the long-term acceptance of the key ideas. In lower secondary level, the curriculum starts with an experiment that leads to measurement uncertainties. Sources for uncertainties and the trustworthiness are discussed and data are analysed by simple statistical means. In upper secondary level, students first build a measuring instrument by themselves for introducing Type-B uncertainties. Both curricula together provide a complete introduction in ISO standardized methods how to deal with uncertainties of measurement. It turned out that trustworthiness as a central design principle for curricula to introduce measurement uncertainties in lower and upper secondary high school, is an effective approach to ensuring a thorough comprehension of the concept of uncertainties.
Surprising and interesting projects with Coach – some myths and some facts
Authors: Demkanin Peter , Ellermeijer Ton , Novotná Silvia , Červeňová Daša
Published: February 2025

Decades of software and hardware environment development and research on utilising such environments for physics education at lower secondary and higher secondary schools brought us to the state that some myths related to these arose. In this contribution, we briefly bring readers to the state 15 years ago and cite some of our findings from 2008. Then, we mention three well-known myths related to general education and various ways of creating myths. Myths naturally exist because humans want things to be easy. Some myths associated with the topic of this contribution were true using old technologies. In such a background, we meander quite widely around, and we continue to discuss the main topic of this contribution, surprising and interesting projects proposed by groups of students. We conclude with notes on which topics we are much further than 15 years ago and how to proceed.
Spatiotemporal variability in global lakes turbidity derived from satellite imageries
Authors: Wu Defeng , Tang Ting , Odermatt Daniel , Liu Wenfeng
Published: February 2025

Turbidity is a key indicator of water quality and has a significant impact on underwater light availability of lakes. But the spatiotemporal variability of turbidity in global lakes, which is important for understanding comprehensive changes in the water quality and status of aquatic ecosystems, remains unclear. In this study, changes in turbidity of 774 lakes worldwide have been investigated using monthly turbidity time series derived from satellite imageries. We found that 63.4% of lakes show widespread low turbidity (≤ 5 Nephelometric Turbidity Units), mainly in North America, Europe, and the Tibetan Plateau, while African lakes are dominated by high turbidity. The average turbidity in lakes is significantly higher than that in deep lakes, while there is no significant difference in average turbidity and turbidity changes between natural lakes and reservoirs. About 72% of the lakes show statistically significant turbidity changes from January 2017 to December 2022 (40% decreasing and 32% increasing). Turbidity decreased in many lakes in North America and the Rift Valley in Africa, while increased in lakes on the Tibetan plateau and in tropical regions. Positive covariates include wind speed of lake, slope, surface runoff, and population within the catchment. Conversely, negative covariates include lake area, volume, discharge, inflow of lake, and gross domestic product. On the other hand, abundant water volume, favorable flow conditions, and more financial investments in lake management may help to reduce turbidity. These findings highlight the spatiotemporal changes of global lake turbidity and underlying mechanisms in controlling the variability, providing valuable insights for future lake water quality management.
The cliffhanger: the vote in the Commons on 22 March 1831
Authors: Aidt Toke S , Franck Raphaël
Published: February 2025

One of the first roadblocks that the Reform Bill had to overcome was to gain majority support in the Unreformed House of Commons. On 22 March 1831, it passed this test with the narrowest of margins: it was supported by a one-vote majority. This chapter uses this to evaluate econometrically the extent to which three competing theories of democratisation related to social movement agitation, political expedience, or threat of revolution can explain how the members of Parliament (MPs) voted. Peaceful agitation from social movements and mass support for reform played an important role. Political expedience also motivated some MPs to support the Reform Bill, especially if they were elected in constituencies located in counties that would gain seats. Urban violent unrest had some influence on the MPs but played a secondary role. Counterfactual scenarios suggest that the Reform Bill would not have obtained a majority in the Commons without these factors.
The battle with the lords: voting on reform in the House of Lords
Authors: Aidt Toke S , Franck Raphaël
Published: February 2025

This chapter investigates how the Great Reform Act of 1832 overcame the final roadblocks between October 1831 and June 1832–that is, breaking the stalemate between the two houses of Parliament and obtaining a majority amongst the lords. The lords rejected the Reform Bill three times before it was finally accepted on 4 June 1832. The econometric analysis of the roll call data shows that the lords were not moved by threats of social unrest and revolution or convinced by agitation from social movements. They were, instead, motivated by political expedience and eventually swayed by a credible threat from the King that he would create enough new pro-reform lords to carry the bill if the peers kept rejecting it. The unelected lords reacted to a threat from above (from the King), unlike the elected MPs in the House of Commons who reacted to a threat from below.
LC16m8 for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis against Mpox in a High-Risk Population: An Open-Label Randomized Trial
Authors: Okumura Nobumasa , Morino Eriko , Nomoto Hidetoshi , Yanagi Mashiho , Takahashi Kozue , Iwasaki Haruka , Uemura Yukari , Shimizu Yosuke , Mizushima Daisuke , Fukushima Kazuaki , Kinai Ei , Shiojiri Daisuke , Itoda Ichiro , Onoe Yasuhiko , Kobori Yoshitomo , Nakamura Fukumi , Tokita Daisuke , Sugiura Wataru , Ueno Shiori , Ainai Akira , Mine Sohtaro , Suzuki Tadaki , Ohmagari Norio , Ujiie Mugen
Published: February 2025

Background

This randomized controlled trial provided LC16m8 pre-exposure prophylaxis to high-risk individuals to assess its efficacy for mpox prevention, safety, and immunogenicity.

Methods

This multicenter, randomized, open-label trial enrolled men and women aged ≥18 years at high risk of mpox. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to early- or late-vaccination groups. The primary endpoint was vaccine efficacy (VE) against mpox. Secondary endpoints included VE against severe mpox, symptoms, “take” incidence, adverse events (AEs), and immunogenicity in participants with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Results

In total, 570 and 565 participants were assigned to early- and late-vaccination groups, respectively, with 530 and 476 vaccinated. The median age was 41 years; 99.7% were male, 89.7% were Japanese, and 34.4% had HIV. No mpox cases occurred, precluding VE calculations. The take rates were 89.5% (with HIV) and 93.9% (without HIV). AEs occurred in 97.2% and 98.2% of participants with and without HIV, respectively. No fatal AEs were observed. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were observed in 2/352 (0.6%) and 3/654 (0.5%) of participants with and without HIV, respectively, of which one SAE causally related to vaccination occurred in a participant without HIV. Seroconversion rates for LC16m8 and MPXV were 96.2% and 69.2%, respectively, in participants with HIV, and 92.0% and 52.0%, respectively, in individuals without HIV.

Conclusions

LC16m8 efficacy in mpox remains inconclusive. However, in individuals with well-controlled HIV, it was immunogenic and raised no significant safety concerns, suggesting its suitability for targeted vaccination of at-risk groups. (Japan Registry of Clinical Trials number, jRCT1031230137)
Gordana Kuić’s “Balkan Trilogy”: On the Intimacy of Sephardi Matrilineal Legacies
Authors: Pekov Alex
Published: February 2025

This article studies Gordana Kuić’s autofictional, postmemorial, and translingual Balkan trilogy as an example of contemporary Jewish Sephardi literary production in Bosnian/Serbian. Focusing on matrilineal legacies, Kuić approaches Sephardi identity not from a purely historiographical perspective, but by mobilizing an affective and intimate language. I borrow Ann Laura Stoler’s term “the intimate,” in order to access Kuić’s matrifocal writing—as constant “intimations” of Sephardi women’s subjectivities in the text. The Balkan trilogy performs Sephardi identity by engaging translingual tools, interspersing Bosnian/Serbian with Judeo-Spanish, and punctuating affective vocabularies. Reading Kuić’s work thus allows for a more nuanced understanding of Sephardi presence in the Western Balkans and a deeper appreciation of the internal diversity of contemporary Serbian literature.
LICEDB: light industrial core enzyme database for industrial applications and AI enzyme design
Authors: Gong Lei , Liu Fufeng , Zhang Chuanxi , Ming Yongfan , Mou Yulan , Yuan ZhaoTing , Jiang Haiming , Gao Bei , Lu Fuping , Zhang Lujia
Published: February 2025

Enzymes, serving as eco-friendly catalysts, are progressively supplanting traditional chemical catalysts in light industry sectors such as feed, papermaking, textiles, detergents, leather, and sugar production. Despite this advancement, the variability in the performance of natural enzymes and the fragmentation and diversity of existing data formats pose significant challenges to researchers. Furthermore, AI-driven enzyme design is limited by the quality and quantity of available data. To address these issues, we introduce the light industrial core enzyme database (LICEDB), the first database dedicated exclusively to managing and standardizing enzymes for light industry applications. LICEDB, with its integrated modules for data retrieval, similarity analysis, and structural analysis, will enhance the efficient industrial application of enzymes and strengthen AI-driven predictive research, thereby advancing data sharing and utilization in the field of enzyme innovation.

Database URL: http://lujialab.org.cn/on-line-databases/
Development of automatic landmark identification for mandible using curvature-based registration
Authors: Yonemitsu Yunaho , Uezono Masayoshi , Ogasawara Takeshi , Rathnayake Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Migara Harsaka Bandara , Nakajima Yoshikazu , Moriyama Keiji
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to propose an automatic landmark identification method using curvature to improve the reproducibility of landmark identification and compare its performance with that of a previously established method.

Methods

A total of 30 patients with facial deformities associated with mandibular prognathism were included. CT images were utilized to construct 3D surface models, followed by an analysis of their surface curvature distribution. A statistical shape model (SSM) was created as a deformable mean model to identify the 6 landmarks. These landmarks were automatically identified in each patient model by registering the SSM in the individual patient models. Two registration methods were employed: the proposed curvature-based and previously established methods. Both methods involved rigid and nonrigid registration processes; however, the proposed method included additional curvature-based registration using a curvature-driven, nonrigid iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm. The Euclidean distances between the manually and automatically identified landmarks were measured and compared between the 2 methods.

Results

The Euclidean distance was significantly lower in the gonion and right coronoid process when the proposed method was used compared to the previous method. No significant differences were observed in the condylion or left coronoid process.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the curvature-based registration successfully automates landmark identification on 3D mandibular images, providing higher accuracy in convex regions and improved reproducibility in landmark identification.
Challenges of conventional and novel approaches to clinical trial designs in cardiovascular medicine
Authors: Doenst Torsten , Kirov Hristo , Bagiella Emilia , Scherag André , Omerovic Elmir
Published: February 2025

Randomized clinical trials (RCT) are the gold standard for guiding treatment recommendations. Their results reflect the average treatment effect generated in samples from a selected patient population. Observational studies may serve as external validation of RCT findings, but are influenced by various biases. Conducting clinical trials in the cardiovascular field faces many challenges, including financial constraints, end-point selection including determining their value for doctors and patients, and assessment of long-term treatment effects. In addition, there is renewed debate about the optimal statistical approach for the evaluation of trial outcomes. These factors occur in parallel to efforts to develop novel clinical trial designs that address the above challenges. Pragmatic trials, for instance, may use data already collected during patient care. As alternative to fixed sample size, two-arm designs, adaptive trial designs have been introduced, that allow for pre-specified adaptations throughout a trial. Master protocols are used to govern platform, umbrella and basket trial designs all allowing to address more than one aspect at a time (e.g., the impact of multiple treatments on a single condition or a single treatment on multiple conditions). Cluster designs may allow the evaluation of new treatments into clinical routine. Here, we review strengths and limitations of conventional and novel trial designs. We provide a general description of current topics with a focus on treatment comparisons in the field of cardiovascular research.
Individual patient data meta-analysis of paclitaxel-coated balloons vs. drug-eluting stents for small-vessel coronary artery disease: the ANDROMEDA study
Authors: Fezzi Simone , Giacoppo Daniele , Fahrni Gregor , Latib Azeem , Alfonso Fernando , Colombo Antonio , Mahfoud Felix , Scheller Bruno , Jeger Raban , Cortese Bernardo
Published: February 2025

Background and Aims

In randomized clinical trials of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for de novo small-vessel coronary artery disease (SV-CAD), paclitaxel-coated balloon (PCB) angioplasty showed mid-term angiographic or clinical non-inferiority to drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Nevertheless, these trials have sample size limitations, and the relative safety and efficacy beyond the first year remain uncertain.

Methods

The ANDROMEDA study was a collaborative, investigator-initiated, individual patient data meta-analysis comparing 3 year clinical outcomes between PCB angioplasty and DES implantation for the treatment of de novo SV-CAD. Multiple electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science) were searched from May 2010 to June 2024 to identify eligible trials. All the following eligibility criteria were required: (i) random allocations of treatments; (ii) patients with SV-CAD; (iii) treatment with PCB or DES; and (iv) clinical follow-up of at least 36 months. The primary and co-primary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and target lesion failure (TLF), respectively. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023479035).

Results

Individual patient data from three randomized trials, including a total of 1154 patients and 1360 lesions, were combined. At 3 years, PCB was associated with a lower risk of MACE compared with DES [hazard ratio (HR) 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47–0.96], due to a lower risk of myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization. This benefit persisted after multivariable adjustment (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58–0.96), but did not reach statistical significance in the two-stage analysis (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.43–1.04). At the landmark analysis, the risk of MACE between groups was consistent over time. At 3 years, TLF was not significantly different between PCB and DES groups. Reconstructed time-to-event information from a fourth trial was included in a sensitivity analysis (1384 patients and 1590 lesions), showing consistent results in terms of TLF (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.63–1.20). The comparison between PCB and second-generation DES did not reveal significant differences in 3 year TLF (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.70–1.50).

Conclusions

In patients undergoing PCI for de novo SV-CAD, PCB angioplasty is associated with a reduction in MACE and a non-significant difference in TLF at 3 year follow-up compared with DES implantation. The restriction of the comparator group to second-generation DES does not alter the main conclusions. Larger trials comparing contemporary devices at a more prolonged follow-up are warranted to confirm these findings.
Bounded Distance Equivalence of Cut-and-Project Sets and Equidecomposability
Authors: Grepstad Sigrid
Published: February 2025

We show that given a lattice $\Gamma \subset \mathbb{R}^{m} \times \mathbb{R}^{n}$, and projections $p_{1}$ and $p_{2}$ onto $\mathbb{R}^{m}$ and $\mathbb{R}^{n}$, respectively, cut-and-project sets obtained using Jordan measurable windows $W$ and $W^{\prime}$ in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ of equal measure are bounded distance equivalent only if $W$ and $W^{\prime}$ are equidecomposable, up to measure zero, by translations in $p_{2}(\Gamma )$. As a consequence, we obtain an explicit description of the bounded distance equivalence classes in the hulls of simple quasicrystals.
Examination Of The Role Of The Rumen In Zinc Metabolism
Authors: Genther-Schroeder O N , Smerchek D T , Penner G B , Hansen S L
Published: February 2025

Three experiments (Exp) were conducted to characterize Zn appearance and disappearance in the rumen, rumen epithelial Zn importers and exporters, the directionality of Zn movement, and the effect of supplemental Zn on rumen epithelial structure. In Exp 1 and 2, ruminally-fistulated steers (n = 4) weighing 736 ± 23.3 kg were used in a crossover experiment with 2 dietary Zn concentrations [ZINC; 0 (CON) or 120 mg supplemental Zn/kg DM (Zn120), from ZnSO4] in a 45% forage, 55% concentrate diet (Exp 1) or a 92.5% concentrate and 7.5% forage diet (Exp 2) to assess Zn appearance and disappearance in the rumen using the washed reticulo-rumen technique (WRR). Experiment 3 used twenty individually housed Hampshire crossbred wether lambs (35.1 ± 4.57 kg) fed for 60-d to evaluate the impact of dietary grain and Zn concentrations on ruminal epithelium Zn concentration, Zn transporters, and proteins integral to epithelial integrity. This Exp was a 2 × 2 factorial, with 2 diet types (DIET; 45% forage and 55% concentrate [HF] or 7.5% forage and 92.5% concentrate [HG]), and 2 supplemental Zn treatments (ZINC; 0 mg [CON] or 120 mg [ZN] supplemental Zn/kg diet DM) from ZnSO4. In Exp 1 and 2, ZINC did not affect the rate of disappearance (k) or plateau (B) digestive model parameters for buffer Zn (P ≥ 0.34) but ruminal Zn disappearance was numerically greater in Exp 2. In Exp 3, there was a DIET × ZINC effect (P = 0.05) where HG+ZN had the greatest rumen epithelial Zn, and HF+ZN had the least. There was an interaction between DIET and ZINC on papillae length (P = 0.05), where papillae length was shorter in HF than HG, and within HG, ZN animals had shorter papillae than CON (P = 0.01). A DIET × ZINC effect was noted for ZnT1 RNAscope score (P = 0.04) where HG+CON wethers had greater mean ZnT1 RNAscope score than other treatments (P ≤ 0.04). Ruminal Claudin-7 protein expression was lesser in HF (P = 0.01) and tended to be lesser in ZN (P = 0.09). Overall, these experiments highlight the dynamic nature of ruminal Zn metabolism and are supporting evidence for the relationship between ruminal health and dietary grain and Zn concentrations.
Exploring the empirical instability strip for γ Dor-type stars in eclipsing binaries
Authors: Çakırlı Ö , Hoyman B , Özdarcan O , Bilir S
Published: February 2025

This research paper has light curve modelling, spectroscopy, and detailed asteroseismic studies for five detached eclipsing binaries with a γ Dor component that have been found so far by the sky surveys. The objective is to study the pulsational characteristics of the oscillating stars of the systems, as well as to estimate their absolute parameters and their relation to the pulsational frequencies, and enrich the sample size of this kind of system, which has been relatively poor up today. The physical properties of these systems are compared with other similar cases and the locations of their components are plotted in the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams. In order to discover the pulsation frequencies, the photometric data are analysed using eclipsing binary modelling methods and their residuals are subjected to Fourier analysis. Finally, we evaluated that there is a possible relationship between the pulsation periods of the primaries and the orbital period (Porb), the force exerted per gram on the surface of the pulsating star (f/Mpuls), and the fractional radius of the pulsating star (rpuls) of the systems, using a sample of 39 eclipsing binary systems with γ Dor type primaries. We utilised them to construct a unique observational γ Dor instability strip, delineated by a lower limit of 6850 K at the red edge and an upper limit of 7360 K at the blue edge on the zero-age main sequence. The majority of 39 pure γ Dor stars are located within the region that is covered by this observational strip.
Derivation and Internal Validation of a Clinical Prediction Model for Diagnosis of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses in northern Tanzania
Authors: Williams Robert J , Brintz Ben J , Nicholson William L , Crump John A , Moorthy Ganga , Maro Venace P , Kinabo Grace D , Ngocho James , Saganda Wilbrod , Leung Daniel T , Rubach Matthew P
Published: February 2025

Spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR) pose a global threat as emerging zoonotic infectious diseases; however, timely and cost-effective diagnostic tools are currently limited. We used data from 449 patients presenting to two hospitals in northern Tanzania between 2007 to 2008, of which 71 (15.8%) met criteria for acute SFGR based on ≥4-fold rise in antibody titers between acute and convalescent serum samples. We fit random forest classifiers incorporating clinical and demographic data from hospitalized febrile participants as well as Earth observation hydrometeorological predictors from the Kilimanjaro Region. In cross-validation, a prediction model with ten clinical predictors achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.65 (95% CI:0.48-0.82). A combined prediction model with clinical, hydrometeorological, and environmental predictors (20 predictors total) did not significantly improve model performance. Novel strategies are needed to improve the diagnosis of acute SFGR, including the identification of diagnostic biomarkers that could enhance clinical prediction models.
Considerations for Streamlining the Pathway Toward Approval of a Cognition Enhancer for Schizophrenia
Authors: Nuechterlein Keith H , Green Michael F , Marder Stephen R
Published: February 2025

Given the difficulties of developing cognitive enhancers for schizophrenia and demonstrating their efficacy, we welcome a review of the measurement procedures and the clinical trial design recommendations developed through the collaboration of academics, industry, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and U.S.A. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) representatives during the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) process. We provide a perspective from investigators who helped to lead the MATRICS initiative. We acknowledge some of the practical challenges in the use of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) while pointing out that others are overstated. We suggest that a brief MCCB might be used in phase III trials when phase II results had shown no negative impact on any MCCB cognitive domain. The complexities of requiring a functional co-primary measure are discussed. For clinical trial research design to evaluate monotherapies that might have both antipsychotic and cognition-enhancing properties, we agree that the original MATRICS design recommendations may need to be revised, as those recommendations focused on the evaluation of potential adjunctive cognitive enhancers. Horan et al provide a thoughtful summary of the current challenges in obtaining approval for a new drug designed to enhance cognition in schizophrenia.