bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autologous Fat Graft Combined With Botulinum Toxin Injection for Breast Augmentation in Poland Syndrome: A Prospective and Comparative Study
Authors: Wang Na , Wei Siming , Qiang Shuai , Wang Juan , Zeng Xianhui , Zhang Zhaoxiang
Published: February 2025

Background

Poland syndrome is a rare congenital condition characterized by unilateral breast deformity. Autologous fat transplantation has emerged as the preferred treatment due to its minimal invasiveness, rapid recovery, absence of rejection reactions, and potential for multiple surgeries to enhance postoperative outcomes. Previous animal studies have shown that botulinum toxin significantly improves fat retention rates following fat transplantation. Therefore, we aim to initiate a clinical study to investigate the effects of botulinum toxin on human fat transplantation.

Objective

This prospective comparative clinical study aims to evaluate the impact of combining botulinum toxin with autologous fat grafting on fat retention rates in patients with Poland syndrome.

Method

From October 2017 to December 2023, we enrolled 20 Poland syndrome patients, assigning them to an experimental group receiving fat and botulinum toxin for breast augmentation and a control group undergoing standard autologous fat grafting. Postoperative fat retention rates were compared, and outcomes were assessed using the Breast‐Q score, alongside baseline patient data.

Results

There were no significant differences in baseline data between the two groups. At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the fat retention rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Regarding Breast‐Q scores, the control group exhibited significantly lower scores in the Satisfaction with breast domain than the experimental group, with no notable differences in other domains.

Conclusion

The injection of a mixture of fat and botulinum toxin significantly enhances fat retention rates in patients with isolated breast deformities associated with Poland syndrome.

Trial Registration

This study has been registered with the China Clinical Trial Center (ChiCTR2100054878)
A New Bacterial Leaf Spot Disease of Common Fig Caused by Pantoea agglomerans in Iran
Authors: Basavand Esmaeil , Khodaygan Pejman , Aćimović Srđan G. , Ghelardini Luisa , Asadi Esmaeil
Published: February 2025

In May 2016, leaf spot symptoms were observed on five‐year‐old common fig trees, located in Sari County (Mazandaran Province). Symptoms comprised irregular and brown necrotic spots, surrounded by yellow halos. Yellow‐coloured, mucoid bacterial colonies were consistently isolated from the infected samples. Bacterial isolates were identified by using biochemical, molecular and pathogenicity assays. All isolates showed identical biochemical characteristics typical of the genus Pantoea. Furthermore, based on the nucleotide sequence of 16S rRNA and gyrB genes, the causal agent was identified as Pantoea agglomerans. Upon artificial inoculations under greenhouse conditions, the isolated strains caused symptoms in mature leaves of common fig saplings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first worldwide report of P. agglomerans causing bacterial leaf spot on common fig.
Cellodextrin Metabolism and Phosphotransferase System‐Catalyzed Uptake in Enterococcus faecalis
Authors: Combret Victor , Rincé Isabelle , Cochelin Ronan , Desriac Florie , Muller Cécile , Soussan Diane , Hartke Axel , Deutscher Josef , Sauvageot Nicolas
Published: February 2025

Two PTS transporters involved in the uptake of cellobiose and short cellooligosaccharides were identified in Enterococcus faecalis. Genes coding for the different EII proteins are found in a locus composed of three operonic structures expressing two distinct EIIC (CelC1 and CelC2), two identical EIIB (CelB1 and CelB2) and a unique EIIA (CelA1). The EIIA plays a central role in β‐glucoside uptake because it is required not only for β‐homodiholosides but also for the diheteroside N‐acetylglucosamine‐L‐asparagine. Depending on their size, cellooligosaccharides are preferably transported either by CelC1 (di‐saccharides) or by CelC2 (4 glycosidic residues and more), with tri‐saccharides being taken up by both EIIC transporters. Moreover, CelA1B2C2 require CelGHI to be functional, three small proteins, the function of which remains unknown. CelA1B1C1 is the main but not exclusive transporter of cellobiose and chitobiose. It is involved in the transport of other β‐glucodisaccharides, such as laminaribiose and sophorose. This PTS can be complemented by other transporters highlighting the existence of a network for β‐glucoside uptake. This locus is under the control of CelR, a LevR‐like transcription activator.
Swiss Dental Hygienists’ Attitudes on Treating Elderly Patients
Authors: Grandjean Marie‐Laure , Jeannot Emilien , Stillhart Angela , Srinivasan Murali
Published: February 2025

Objective

This survey evaluated the attitudes of Swiss dental hygienists toward treating elderly patients and their opinions on the geriatric curriculum in their educational programs.

Methods and Results

Qualified dental hygienists working in private practices (PP) and dental hygiene students (DHS) were recruited. The Geriatric Attitude Scale (GAS‐14) questionnaire and an additional questionnaire on the geriatric curriculum were used. Demographic information including age, sex, nationality, religion, marital‐, and accommodation‐status was collected. Three hundred and five hygienists (PP: n = 148, mean‐age: 43.7 ± 11.9 years; DHS: n = 157, mean‐age: 25.4 ± 4.6 years) participated. The overall mean GAS‐14 scores were significantly different (p = 0.008) between PP (3.48 ± 0.36) and DHS (3.61 ± 0.42). GAS‐14 scores were not correlated to demographic parameters. DHS valued the geriatric curriculum more (p = 0.002) and rated their training higher (p = 0.001). PP lacked confidence in treating elderly patients alone (p < 0.001). DHS wanted more hands‐on training (p < 0.001). PP preferred hospital‐ (p < 0.001) or nursing home‐ (p = 0.039) treatment settings, DHS preferred mobile clinics (p = 0.028) for treating immobile elders.

Conclusions

Swiss dental hygienist students and hygienists in private practice exhibit a favorable attitude toward treating elderly patients, with students showing a slightly more positive perspective. The results underscore the need for continuing education programs and hands‐on workshops in geriatric dentistry to boost the practitioners' confidence and attitudes.
Pioneering Advances in Hemodialysis: A Review of Contemporary Machines
Authors: Mitra Vikram , Zaidi Syed , Mitra Sandip
Published: February 2025

This review article describes the evolution of dialysis technologies spanning the past few decades and discusses the current advancements in hemodialysis devices. These advancements aim to meet the growing global demand for hemodialysis through improved engineering and patient‐centered developments that enhance treatment accessibility, automation and sustainability. This article aims to bring together hemodialysis hardware, its clinical utility and the philosophy underpinning it—aiming to improve outcomes, user experience and restore independence for patients with end‐stage kidney failure undergoing dialysis care.
Preparing for the worst: The irrationality of emotionally recalcitrant reasoning
Authors: Armitage Ed
Published: February 2025

The question of what exactly is irrational about recalcitrant emotions—those that occur in tension or conflict with our beliefs—has been widely debated. Sabine Döring claims that such irrationality only emerges if we act on our recalcitrant emotion or engage in emotion‐relevant reasoning in light of it. I here provide an account that acts as an extension to the latter part of this claim by considering in more depth the question of what is irrational about that reasoning, i.e., emotionally recalcitrant reasoning. In doing so, I offer a somewhat alternative explanation to Döring's as to the form of irrationality involved. Where Döring argues that emotionally recalcitrant reasoning involves epistemic irrationality by way of conflicting judgments that are involved, I argue that our engagement in this reasoning is, in fact, practically irrational. This is because, I claim, it involves us “accepting”—treating as true—propositions that we do not believe to be true, in the absence of the kind of reasons that would usually rationalize doing so. Doing so constitutes a form of practical, rather than epistemic, irrationality. This is a conclusion I arrive at through a consideration of the nature of the reasoning our emotions in general tend to motivate.
Diagnostic analysis in scale mixture of skew‐normal linear mixed models
Authors: Travassos Keyliane , Matos Larissa A. , Schumacher Fernanda L.
Published: February 2025

Detecting influential observations and verifying their impact on model fitting and parameter estimation are essential steps in statistical modeling. Different approaches can be utilized to that end, including the case‐deletion method, which evaluates the individual impact on the estimation process, and the local influence approach, which investigates the model sensitivity under some perturbation. This paper introduces case‐deletion measures and influence diagnosis for a flexible class of longitudinal models, the scale mixture of skew‐normal linear mixed models. This approach includes skewed and heavier‐than‐normal‐tailed distributions while accounting for useful within‐subject dependence structures. The method's capability of detecting atypical observations under repeated measurements and the impact of outliers on parameter estimation from models accounting for different distributions are evaluated in simulation studies and a real data illustration.
Galilean symmetry of the KdV hierarchy
Authors: Xu Jianghao , Yang Di
Published: February 2025

By solving the infinitesimal Galilean symmetry for the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) hierarchy, we obtain an explicit expression for the corresponding one‐parameter Lie group, which we call the Galilean symmetry of the KdV hierarchy. As an application, we establish an explicit relationship between the non‐abelian Born–Infeld partition function and the generalized Brézin–Gross–Witten partition function.
Resistive switching characteristics of TiO2 films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering: Effects of nitrogen composition and phase structure
Authors: Rong Youzhuang , Yang Yongkang , Lv Mingjie , Liu Yao , Wang Changmin , Cui Dawei , Liu Yunyan , Yu Chang-Feng , Wei Gongxiang
Published: February 2025

We investigate the resistive switching characteristics of TiO2 films deposited by DC magnetron sputter deposition using a metallic Ti target in different ratios of argon (Ar), oxygen (O2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) atmosphere. The resistive switching device is fabricated with a Pt/TiO2/ITO structure. It is revealed that the resistive switching characteristics of TiO2 films are strongly affected by the gas atmosphere and the substrate temperature. Using N2O as the N source to prepare N-doped TiO2 films is demonstrated to have the advantage of low temperature and no subsequent heat treatment, and the prepared TiO2 exhibits a high potential for resistive memory applications. The XRD measurement suggests that the crystal structure of the N-doped TiO2 films exhibits a rutile (110) peak when the substrate temperature is below 300 °C. When the substrate temperature is above 350 °C, both the rutile phase with a typical (110) peak and the anatase phase with a typical (101) peak will be observed. The reliability of the memory effects is evaluated by performing a switching cycling test. The retention of the high-resistance state (HRS) and the low-resistance state (LRS) for all TiO2 devices deposited at various substrate temperatures can be held over 104 s. Furthermore, the ratio of HRS/LRS for the device deposited at 300 °C temperature can approach >4 orders and exhibit long switch stability and good durability in atmosphere. All of the devices displayed dominant space charge limiting current conduction mechanisms. The optimal number of oxygen vacancies in the N2O-doped TiO2 film is beneficial for improving the resistive random-access memory performance, and the rutile phase is better than the anatase phase for resistive memory potential applications.
Phanerozoic icehouse climates as the result of multiple solid-Earth cooling mechanisms
Authors: Merdith Andrew S. , Gernon Thomas M. , Maffre Pierre , Donnadieu Yannick , Goddéris Yves , Longman Jack , Müller R. Dietmar , Mills Benjamin J. W.
Published: February 2025

The Phanerozoic climate has been interrupted by two long “icehouse” intervals, including the current icehouse of the last ~34 million years. While these cool intervals correspond to lower atmospheric CO
2
, it is unclear why CO
2
levels fell, with hypotheses suggesting changes in CO
2
degassing rates or modification of silicate weathering through changing continental lithology or paleogeography. Here, we construct an Earth System Model that integrates these proposed cooling mechanisms in detail. The model can reproduce the broad geologic record of ice cap expansion, allowing us to infer the primary drivers of long-term climate change. Our results indicate that recent icehouse climates required a combination of different cooling mechanisms acting simultaneously and were not driven by a single known process, potentially explaining why icehouses have been rarer than greenhouses over Earth history.
HIV-1 adapts to HLA class II–associated selection pressure exerted by CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cells
Authors: Alves Eric , Currenti Jennifer , Crawford Keeley , Chopra Abha , Ram Ramesh , Barnett Louise , Read James F. , Al-kaabi Marwah , James Ian , Carlson Jonathan M. , Eton Max , Stelmach Sophie , Deshpande Pooja , Pilkinton Mark A. , McDonnell Wyatt J. , Bosco Anthony , Mallal Simon A. , John Mina , Kalams Spyros A. , Gaudieri Silvana
Published: February 2025

Developing an effective HIV-1 vaccine is a global health priority, but HIV-1 mutational escape from T cells poses a challenge. While escape from human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I)–restricted CD8
+
T cells is well characterized, less is known about HLA-II–restricted T cell escape. We used computational methods to identify 149 sites across the HIV-1 clade B genome under HLA-II–associated selection. Functional assays, including activation-induced intracellular cytokine staining and enzyme-linked immunospot for interferon-γ, revealed diverse mechanisms of HIV-1 adaptation to HLA-II–associated immune pressure, ranging from loss to sustained antigen recognition. T cell receptor and RNA sequencing demonstrated variable clonotype overlap of T cell clones to recognize adapted versus non-adapted peptides, with cells targeting adapted peptides exhibiting a dysfunctional transcriptomic state. Moreover, incorporating HLA-II–associated adaptation strengthened the correlation between Gag-specific viral adaptation and poor disease outcomes. Last, we mapped viral regions prone to HLA-II–associated adaptation and found that these adaptations can increase in frequency within populations.
Super-resolution imaging reveals resistance to mass transfer in functionalized stationary phases
Authors: Monge Neria Ricardo , Zeeshan Muhammad , Kapoor Aman , Kim Tae Kyong John , Hoven Nichole , Pigott Jeffrey S. , Gurkan Burcu , Duval Christine E. , Saylor Rachel A. , Kisley Lydia
Published: February 2025

Chemical separations are costly in terms of energy, time, and money. Separation methods are optimized with inefficient trial-and-error approaches that lack insight into the molecular dynamics that lead to the success or failure of a separation and, hence, ways to improve the process. We perform super-resolution imaging of fluorescent analytes in five different commercial liquid chromatography materials. Unexpectedly, we observe that chemical functionalization can block more than 50% of the material’s porous interior, rendering it inaccessible to small-molecule analytes. Only in situ imaging unveils the inaccessibility when compared to the industry-accepted ex situ characterization methods. Selectively removing some of the functionalization with solvent restores pore access without substantially altering the single-molecule kinetics that underlie the separation and agree with bulk chromatography measurements. Our molecular results determine that commercial “fully porous” stationary phases are over-functionalized and provide an alternative avenue to characterize and direct separation material design from the bottom-up.
Structures and membrane interactions of human OAT1 in complex with clinical used drugs
Authors: Wu Xuening , Luo Yongbo , Feng Shijian , Ma Haiyun , Ke Bowen , Wang Kunjie , Su Zhaoming , Yang Dongxue
Published: February 2025

Organic anion transporters (OATs) in mammals mediate the renal excretion of numerous structurally diverse organic anionic compounds. Therapeutically inhibiting OATs has emerged as a strategy to modulate the elimination or retention of these substrates. Among them, OAT1 plays a pivotal role in the pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interactions of a wide range of prescription medications. Despite extensive structural investigations, the molecular structure, and basis of polyspecific anionic drug recognition of human OAT1 (hOAT1) have remained elusive. Here, we present cryogenic electron microscopy structures of hOAT1 and its complexes with the antiviral drug cidofovir and an FDA-approved type II diabetes medication glibenclamide, respectively. Our findings reveal that both cidofovir and glibenclamide bind to a central binding site, capturing the transporter in inward-facing conformations. These structures elucidate how specific residues within the central site orchestrate the binding of chemically diverse inhibitors and provide a structural basis for the drug recognition mechanism of hOAT1.
Ultrafast photocurrent hysteresis in photoferroelectric α-In
2
Se
3
diagnosed by terahertz emission spectroscopy
Authors: Lei Zhen , Chang Jiawei , Zhao Qiyi , Zhou Jian , Huang Yuanyuan , Xiong Qihua , Xu Xinlong
Published: February 2025

Nonvolatile control over the physical state of polar materials through all-optical methods has been a long-standing objective pursued in optoelectronics. Photoferroelectric semiconductors exhibit immense potential in capturing multimodal nonvolatile states, attributed to their spontaneous and reversible in-plane and out-of-plane polarizations. Herein, we uncover an unprecedented nonvolatile, zero-bias, ultrafast photocurrent hysteresis response with an innovative all-optical approach, discerned by analyzing in-plane and out-of-plane terahertz (THz) waves emitted from photoferroelectric α-In
2
Se
3
. The mechanism underlying such ultrafast photocurrent hysteresis arises from anomalous linear and circular photovoltaic effects synchronously fueled by a localized rearrangement of polarization. By harnessing the anisotropic photoferroelectric kinetics–induced relative phase between the in-plane and out-of-plane polarizations, we further demonstrate the flexible selection of chirality, tunable rotational angle, and optimizable ellipticity of THz waves. Our findings present a unique ultrafast and nondestructive strategy for investigating photoferroelectric hysteresis, empowering dynamic polarization manipulation of THz waves for a wide range of THz applications.
Afadin mediates cadherin-catenin complex clustering on F-actin linked to cooperative binding and filament curvature
Authors: Gong Rui , Reynolds Matthew J. , Sun Xiaoyu , Alushin Gregory M.
Published: February 2025

The E-cadherin–β-catenin–αE-catenin (cadherin-catenin) complex couples the cytoskeletons of neighboring cells at adherens junctions (AJs) to mediate force transmission across epithelia. Mechanical force and auxiliary binding partners converge to stabilize the cadherin-catenin complex’s inherently weak binding to actin filaments (F-actin) through unclear mechanisms. Here, we show that afadin’s coiled-coil (CC) domain and vinculin synergistically enhance the cadherin-catenin complex’s F-actin engagement. The cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of an E-cadherin–β-catenin–αE-catenin–vinculin–afadin-CC supra-complex bound to F-actin reveals that afadin-CC bridges adjacent αE-catenin actin-binding domains along the filament, stabilizing flexible αE-catenin segments implicated in mechanical regulation. These cooperative binding contacts promote the formation of supra-complex clusters along F-actin. Additionally, cryo-EM variability analysis links supra-complex binding along individual F-actin strands to nanoscale filament curvature, a deformation mode associated with cytoskeletal forces. Collectively, this work elucidates a mechanistic framework by which vinculin and afadin tune cadherin-catenin complex–cytoskeleton coupling to support AJ function across varying mechanical regimes.
Practitioner experiences of developing and implementing two UK ED-based hospital violence intervention programmes: a process evaluation
Authors: Moore Simon , Van Godwin Jordan , Moore Graham , Hamilton Megan , O’Reilly David
Published: February 2025

Background

EDs can address modifiable risks of patients attending due to violence. Hospital-based violence intervention programmes (HVIPs) can reduce patients’ exposure to violence but can place additional burdens on staff. We explored practitioners’ views on two nurse-led HVIPs’ design and delivery, response to patient need, engagement with ED health professionals, adaptation to local context and analysed documents relevant to these objectives.

Methods

This was a qualitative process evaluation, from January to September 2023, of two nurse-led HVIPs implemented in a major trauma centre and a large urban hospital in the UK. Interview participants (N=49) were involved with the commission and implementation of the HVIPs, or worked within the broader violence-prevention ecology. We gathered perspectives on intervention implementation and undertook documentary analysis on local and national policies, and guidance relating to HVIPs development, implementation and delivery (N=46). Documentary data were subject to thematic and content analyses, interview data to thematic analysis.

Results

HVIPs were developed in response to a perceived under-provision of services for patients attending EDs due to violence. The HVIP nurses had access to clinical records facilitating the identification of eligible patients. They provided patient-centred care, addressing needs through referrals into health and community-based services. Over 60% of eligible patients engaged. The nurses were seen as credible champions working towards a minimally burdensome service that supported and trained ED staff. Embedding HVIPs into usual care took time and was limited by the perceived short-term nature of the intervention.

Conclusion

The implementation of nurse-led HVIPs enables access to clinical records, facilitating patient engagement, and can provide an additional service aligned to usual emergency care, supporting both patients and ED staff.

Pre-Registration

The protocol was pre-registered (
NCT15286575
; March 13, 2023) and published before data collection was complete.
Validating JIT Compilers via Compilation Space Exploration
Authors: Li Cong , Jiang Yanyan , Xu Chang , Su Zhendong
Published: February 2025

We introduce the concept of
compilation space
as a new pivot for the comprehensive validation of just-in-time (JIT) compilers in modern language virtual machines (LVMs). The compilation space of a program, encompasses a wide range of equivalent JIT-compilation choices, which can be cross-validated to ensure the correctness of the program’s JIT compilations. To thoroughly explore the compilation space in a lightweight and LVM-agnostic manner, we strategically mutate test programs with JIT-relevant but semantics-preserving code constructs, aiming to provoke diverse JIT compilation optimizations. We primarily implement this approach in
Artemis
, a tool for validating Java Virtual Machines (JVMs). Within three months,
Artemis
successfully discovered 85 bugs in three widely used production JVMs — HotSpot, OpenJ9, and the Android Runtime — where 53 were already confirmed or fixed and many of which were classified as critical. It is noteworthy that all reported bugs concern JIT compilers, highlighting the effectiveness and practicality of our technique. Building on the promising results with JVMs, we experimentally applied our technique to a state-of-the-art JavaScript Engine (JSE) fuzzer called Fuzzilli, aiming to augment it to find mis-compilation bugs without significantly sacrificing its ability to detect crashes. Our experiments demonstrate that our enhanced version of Fuzzilli namely
Apollo
could achieve comparable code coverage with a considerably smaller number of generated programs with a similar number of crashes. Additionally,
Apollo
successfully uncovered four mis-compilations in JavaScriptCore and SpiderMonkey within seven days. Following
Artemis
’ and
Apollo
’s success, we are expecting that the generality and practicability of our approach will make it broadly applicable for understanding and validating the JIT compilers of other LVMs.
Synchronizing Disaggregated Data Structures with One-Sided RDMA: Pitfalls, Experiments and Design Guidelines
Authors: Jasny Matthias , Ziegler Tobias , Nelson-Slivon Jacob , Leis Viktor , Binnig Carsten
Published: February 2025

Remote data structures built with one-sided Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) are at the heart of many disaggregated database management systems today. Concurrent access to these data structures by thousands of remote workers necessitates a highly efficient synchronization scheme. Remarkably, our investigation reveals that existing synchronization schemes display substantial variations in performance and scalability. Even worse, some schemes do not correctly synchronize, resulting in rare and hard-to-detect data corruption. Motivated by these observations, we conduct the first comprehensive analysis of one-sided synchronization techniques and provide general principles for correct synchronization using one-sided RDMA. Our research demonstrates that adherence to these principles not only guarantees correctness but also results in substantial performance enhancements. This paper is an extended version of [73] in which we investigate modern 400G NICs. Our findings reveal that the challenges persist even with new generations of NICs. Consequently, we turn our attention to alternative networking hardware, such as smart switches, to address some of the limitations associated with one-sided synchronization.
FPGA-Accelerated Correspondence-free Point Cloud Registration with PointNet Features
Authors: Sugiura Keisuke , Matsutani Hiroki
Published: February 2025

Point cloud registration serves as a basis for vision and robotic applications including 3D reconstruction and mapping. Despite significant improvements on the quality of results, recent deep learning approaches are computationally expensive and power-hungry, making them difficult to deploy on resource-constrained edge devices. To tackle this problem, in this paper, we propose a fast, accurate, and robust registration for low-cost embedded FPGAs. Based on a parallel and pipelined PointNet feature extractor, we develop custom accelerator cores namely PointLKCore and ReAgentCore, for two different learning-based methods. They are both correspondence-free and computationally efficient as they avoid the costly feature matching step involving nearest-neighbor search. The proposed cores are implemented on the Xilinx ZCU104 board and evaluated using both synthetic and real-world datasets, showing substantial improvements in the trade-off between runtime and registration quality. They run 58.27–63.21x faster than ARM Cortex-A53 CPU and offer 1.54–10.91x speedups over Intel Xeon CPU and Nvidia Jetson boards, while consuming less than 1W and achieving 133.63–267.57x energy-efficiency compared to Nvidia GeForce GPU. The proposed cores are more robust to noise and large initial misalignments than the classical methods and quickly find reasonable solutions in less than 4–12ms, demonstrating real-time performance.
Tumor Biomechanics Quantified Using MR Elastography to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Individuals with Breast Cancer
Authors: Sinha Aaditya P. , Jurrius Patriek , van Schelt Anne-Sophie , Darwish Omar , Shifa Belul , Annio Giacomo , Peterson Zhane , Jeffery Hannah , Welsh Karen , Metafa Anna , Spence John , Kothari Ashutosh , Hamed Hisham , Bitsakou Georgina , Karydakis Vasileios , Thorat Mangesh , Shaari Elina , Sever Ali , Rigg Anne , Ng Tony , Pinder Sarah , Sinkus Ralph , Purushotham Arnie
Published: February 2025

Assessment of tumor biomechanics through MR elastography improved the identification of complete responders among individuals with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
On the k‐Bicomplex Gamma and k‐Bicomplex Beta Functions and Their Properties
Authors: Zayed Mohra , Bakhet Ahmed , Fathi Mohamed , Saleem Mohammed A.
Published: February 2025

This paper intends to extend certain special functions from one complex variable to the bicomplex setting. Specifically, we define the k‐bicomplex Gamma and k‐bicomplex Beta functions. Subsequently, several properties and formulas pertaining to k‐bicomplex Gamma, k‐bicomplex Beta, and k‐shifted factorial are derived. We also explore applications of the k‐bicomplex Pochhammer symbol based on these results.
ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ВЛАСТИВОСТЕЙ СТИСНУТИХ М’ЯКИХ БІОЛОГІЧНИХ ТКАНИН ПРИ ВИСОКОЧАСТОТНОМУ ЗВАРЮВАННІ
Authors: Соловйов В. Г. , Ланкін Ю. М. , Романова І. Ю.
Published: February 2025

Високий тиск електродів біполярних електрохірургічних інструментів призводить до значної деформації м’яких біологічних тканин, що спричиняє руйнування мембран клітин і зневоднення тканин. У результаті цих процесів суттєво змінюються електричні та теплофізичні характеристики м’яких біологічних тканин, знання яких потрібне для дослідження механізму зварювання тканин. Проведено фізичне та математичне моделювання, досліджено зміну електричних і теплофізичних властивостей м’яких біологічних тканин у процесі їх стиснення. Результати досліджень показали, що при стисненні тканин може відбуватися значна (у рази) зміна питомої електропровідності м’яких біологічних тканин. Досліджено вплив температури нагрівання та частоти джерела струму на імпеданс моделі.
Protective Effects of Low‐Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound on Cardiac Electrophysiological Function in a Rat Model of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Lin Zhong‐Hao , Yu Qiu‐Lu , Yi Bing‐Hua , Xu Wen‐Cai , He Hua‐Ling , Huang Kai‐Yu , Zheng Cheng , Wu Shu‐Jie , Lin Jia‐Feng
Published: February 2025

Background

Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) is the end stage of ischemic heart disease, in which ventricular remodeling contributes to a fatal ventricular arrhythmia, worsens heart function and unfavorable outcomes, and is related to persistent chronic inflammation. Low‐intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is an effective treatment modality for osteoarthropathy and has been illustrated to regulate the overactive inflammatory response in various diseases. Here, we aim to investigate whether LIPUS can perform cardiac protective effects in ICM and explore its possible mechanism.

Methods

The left anterior descending artery of adult male Sprague–Dawley rats was ligated for 4 weeks to develop ICM and then treated with LIPUS. Vagotomy was applied to suppress the cholinergic anti‐inflammatory pathway. Cardiac‐specific Cav‐1 (caveolin‐1) overexpression in ICM on arrhythmias, excitation‐contraction coupling, and cardiac remodeling was investigated using the intramyocardial injection of an adeno‐associated virus serotype 9 system.

Results

The results showed that LIPUS alleviated ventricular remodeling, improved cardiac electrophysiological function, and reduced the cardiac expression of collagens and inflammatory cytokines. Vagotomy suppressed the improvement of LIPUS. The overexpression of Cav‐1 reset the influence of vagotomy.

Conclusions

We found that LIPUS had a direct effect on regional anti‐inflammation and antifibrosis, improved cardiac autonomic function and heart failure, protected the Cx43 (connexin‐43) protein, and reduced the risk of malignant arrhythmia during ICM. The cholinergic anti‐inflammatory pathway was one of the potential critical mechanisms involved, and Cav‐1 might play an important role downstream. Our study provided a new, promising, and noninvasive strategy for treating ICM.
Dietary Branched‐Chain Amino Acids Modify Postinfarct Cardiac Remodeling and Function in the Murine Heart
Authors: Nguyen Daniel C. , Wells Collin K. , Taylor Madison S. , Martinez‐Ondaro Yania , Singhal Richa , Brittian Kenneth R. , Brainard Robert E. , Moore Joseph B. , Hill Bradford G.
Published: February 2025

Background

Branched‐chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are derived from the diet, are markedly elevated in cardiac tissue following myocardial infarction (MI). Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether dietary BCAA levels influence post‐MI remodeling.

Methods

To investigate the impact of dietary BCAAs on cardiac remodeling and function after MI, we fed mice a low or a high BCAA diet for 2 weeks before MI and for 4 weeks after MI. Cardiac structural and functional changes were evaluated by echocardiography, gravimetry, and histopathological analyses. Immunoblotting was used to evaluate the effects of BCAAs on isolated cardiac myofibroblast differentiation.

Results

The low BCAA diet decreased circulating BCAA concentrations by >2‐fold when compared with the high BCAA diet. Although neither body weights nor heart masses were different in female mice fed the custom diets, male mice fed the high BCAA diet had significantly higher body and heart masses than those on the low BCAA diet. The low BCAA diet preserved stroke volume and cardiac output after MI, whereas the high BCAA diet promoted progressive decreases in cardiac function. Although BCAAs were required for myofibroblast differentiation in vitro, cardiac fibrosis, scar collagen topography, and cardiomyocyte cross‐sectional area were not different between the dietary groups; however, male mice fed the high BCAA diet had longer cardiomyocytes and higher capillary density compared with the low BCAA group.

Conclusions

A low BCAA diet mitigates eccentric cardiomyocyte remodeling and loss of cardiac function after MI in mice, with dietary effects more prominent in males.
Exploring the Relationship Between Thymosin β4 Protein and First Myocardial Infarction on the Basis of Proteomics
Authors: Lu Ziyu , Liu Qinghua , Fan Yonghua , Xiao Qiang , Yin Deling , Li Yuanmin
Published: February 2025

Background

Plasma protein alterations may occur in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In this study, we investigated the plasma proteomics of patients with first‐onset AMI to identify a novel diagnostic target for myocardial infarction.

Methods

Using a case–control design, we recruited 6 patients with first‐onset AMI and 6 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. Mass spectrometry was used to analyze their plasma proteomics. Additionally, we enrolled 156 patients with AMI and 232 healthy individuals to validate the differentially expressed proteins using ELISA.

Results

A total of 58 differentially expressed proteins were identified between the 2 groups (
P
<0.05, fold change ≥2 or ≤1/2), including 36 upregulated and 22 downregulated proteins. Notably, we discovered a clinically significant protein, thymosin β4 (TMSB4), which was subsequently validated by ELISA. Plasma TMSB4 levels were significantly elevated in patients with first‐onset AMI compared with the control group (1093 [701–1608] ng/mL versus 421 [245–658] ng/mL;
P
<0.001). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that TMSB4 is a risk factor for first‐onset AMI. The receiver operating characteristic curve yielded an area under the curve value of 0.849, with an optimal cutoff of 682 ng/mL, sensitivity of 0.808, and specificity of 0.793. A robust correlation was observed between TMSB4 and cardiac troponin I (
r
=0.9044,
P
<0.0001), and the κ test yielded a moderate concordance value (κ=0.590 [95% CI, 0.509–0.671];
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

TMSB4 holds diagnostic value for first‐onset myocardial infarction and may therefore be considered a potential diagnostic marker for infarction.

Registration

URL:
https://www.chictr.org.cn/
; unique identifier: ChiCTR2300078144.
The first proven case of aflatoxin poisoning of dogs in Serbia
Authors: Nesic K. , Kukolj V. , Davitkov D. , Nesic V.
Published: February 2025

Aflatoxins, secondary metabolites produced by fungi of the Aspergillus genus, are well-documented as contaminants in the food chain, posing significant risks to various species. However, data on aflatoxin poisoning in pets, specifically dogs, remains limited. The aim of this case report is to raise awareness about the susceptibility of dogs to aflatoxins and highlight the need for stricter control and responsibility from all stakeholders, from feed manufacturers to dog owners. This is particularly critical given the absence of specific regulations regarding aflatoxins in pet food. The report describes an outbreak of aflatoxicosis in three dog shelters in Serbia, involving 19 affected mongrel dogs that died within few days of the onset of symptoms, making it one of the most severe cases on record. The affected dogs initially showed sudden jaundice, characterised by a yellow discoloration of the oral mucosa, without any preceding behavioural changes or obvious signs of health issues. Over the following days, symptoms progressed to include loss of appetite, polydipsia, apathy, and depression. Abdominal swelling developed, followed by bloody diarrhoea and melena, ultimately leading to death. Blood biochemical analyses revealed a significant increase in liver enzyme activity. Despite symptomatic treatment attempts by veterinarians, all affected dogs died. Postmortem examination revealed massive haemorrhage, icterus, and ascites as the most conspicuous findings. Microscopic examination of liver tissue disclosed fibrosis and necrotic areas. In light of the clinical and pathological evidence, samples of dog food from the shelters were tested for aflatoxin content. Commercial dry dog food, which had been used for more than two months, was found to contain an average aflatoxin level of 150 μg/kg. This is the first confirmed case of chronic aflatoxicosis in dogs in Serbia, which culminated in fatal liver failure.
Antibiotic Consumption and Bloodstream Infections in Patients With Chronic-limb Threatening Ischemia Following Endovascular Therapy in East-west Germany, 2019–2020
Authors: Salm Jonas , Hofbauer-Milan Valeska , Wüstholz Elisabeth , Schneider Olaf , Westermann Dirk , Zeller Thomas
Published: February 2025

Patients with chronic-limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) and peripheral wounds might be predisposed for systemic infections. The study aimed to describe the rate of systemic infections in patients with CLTI compared with peripheral artery obstructive disease (PAOD) patients without CLTI, both independently of endovascular treatment (EVT) and after EVT. Administrative data of the AOK Baden-Wuerttemberg (AOK BW) from patients with PAOD were analyzed considering bloodstream infection (BSI), 30-day readmission and prescribed antibiotics for ischemic ulcers. The risk of BSI increased 3.9-fold (95% CI: 3.4–4.4) in patients with PAOD Rutherford-Becker category (RBC) 5 and 6 ( n = 11,741) compared with PAOD RBC 1-4 ( n = 23,482; 6.81% vs 1.67%, P < .01). The risk of Staphylococcus aureus BSI increased 5.6-fold (95% CI: 4.1–7.7) comparing RBC 5 and 6 (1.2%) with RBC 1-4 (0.22%, P < .01). Outpatient antibiotic prescriptions were dominated by aminopenicillins with β-lactamase inhibitors, accounting for 34.9%. Clindamycin, cefuroxime, and fluoroquinolones represented 14.9%, 13.5%, and 12.6% of prescriptions, respectively. Infections were responsible for 7.7% of 30-day readmissions following EVT. Patients with CLTI are at risk of developing BSI, and specifically S. aureus BSI. Infection-related causes in 30-day readmissions following EVT are common. The high use of clindamycin and cefuroxime in outpatients is concerning.
Learning Analytics in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis Using the SPAR-4-SLR Approach (2013–2023)
Authors: Asha S. , Joshith V. P.
Published: February 2025

Learning analytics (LA) has become a critical field for transforming educational practices through data-driven insights. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of LA research in higher education from 2013 to 2023, utilizing the Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Review (SPAR-4-SLR) approach. By leveraging VOS viewer 1.6.20, the analysis maps co-authorship, citation, co-occurrence, and co-citation networks, revealing significant trends and key contributors. The findings highlight a substantial increase in LA publications, with the U.S. emerging as a leading contributor. Key journals include the “British Journal of Educational Technology” and “Computers and Education,” while the University of Edinburgh stands out for its organizational link strength. Dragan Gasevic is notably prominent in co-authorship and co-citation networks. Despite the growth and impact of LA research, much remains technical. This study underscores the urgent need to explore qualitative aspects to fully harness LA's potential and drive meaningful improvements in educational practices globally.
Fostering sustainable livelihoods: Evaluating the skillsets of refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia
Authors: Ruiz de Garibay Daniel , Azman Muhammad Danial
Published: February 2025

This article is set in the broader context of the refugee and asylum seeker crisis with a specific focus on Indonesia. The research aimed to capture the skills, experiences and aspirations of refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia. The research is based on surveys conducted with the assistance of volunteers from community organizations collaborating closely with refugees and asylum seekers in Jakarta, Bogor and Cisarua—areas known for their high concentration of these populations. The study uncovered a rich set of skills within the refugee and asylum seeker population in Indonesia and it probed refugees’ and asylum seekers’ willingness to participate in training and desire to work legally, emphasizing the importance of self-reliance and avoiding dependency on aid. Building on the findings of this research, future studies could investigate the potential economic and social impact of granting refugees and asylum seekers the right to work legally in Indonesia, considering its effects on both refugees and asylum seekers and the host society.
Research on the Application of Continuous Nursing Model in Postoperative Rehabilitation of Patients With Lower Extremity Varicose Veins
Authors: Du Junxia , Bai Yuan , Yu Ying
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the effectiveness of a continuous nursing model in the postoperative rehabilitation of patients with lower extremity varicose veins. Using a randomised controlled trial design, we compared the outcomes of patients receiving continuous nursing care with those receiving routine care. The study included 120 patients divided equally into control and experimental groups. Outcomes were measured in terms of rehabilitation quality (wound healing time, lower extremity functional scale scores, complication rates) and quality of life (QoL). Significant improvements were seen in the experimental group across multiple measures, including faster wound healing ( p < .05), better functional recovery ( p < .01) and higher QoL scores ( p < .01). These findings suggest that implementing a continuous nursing model can significantly enhance the postoperative rehabilitation and overall well-being of patients with lower extremity varicose veins.
Senselistening and the reorganisation of collective action during crises management: The Notre-Dame de Paris fire
Authors: Cros Sophie , Tiberghien Bruno , Bertolucci Marius
Published: February 2025

To manage crises, organisations rely on specific capacities for sensemaking in action. In this study, the authors propose an original framework to shed light on how senselistening in decision-making that involves a plurality of actors sustains collective actions. Based on microethnographic research and interviews, this article offers a detailed analysis of the main turning point in the intervention by the Paris Fire Brigade (BSPP), which saved the Notre-Dame de Paris (NDP) from total destruction by fire. Thus, we observe and analyse how listening spread from individual actors - including free electrons, as organisational actors with no assigned position, contributing actively to enrich the sensemaking process - to the collective level, by explaining how the BSPP modified its intervention strategy during this crisis management. Senselistening, characterised not only by its attitudinal dimension of openness, notably through situated humility and confidence, but also by a pragmatic dimension that includes conducting research and recognising peer experience, reorientates the ongoing action of the crisis management situation. This study reveals the crucial role of listening in the sensemaking process to ensure the transition from the individual level to the collective level. Paying attention to listening to small cues in situations in which professionals have to act under time pressure and in dire circumstances is crucial. Allowing and listening to a free electron in the process of situated expertise challenging general expertise provides practical insights for organisations to develop their capacity to effectively manage crisis situations. Finally, we show that in a crisis management situation, a free electron is a facilitator to help the organisation improve its senselistening and reorientate the ongoing action.
Polycrisis as collapse of the ‘universal and homogeneous state’
Authors: Magatti Mauro
Published: February 2025

Globalization has been supposed to expand worldwide in a homogeneous and universal way. Since the 2000s, however, it has produced an enormous amount of social and environmental entropy from which a number of shocks has arisen affecting the entire world. Consequently, the whole economic and psychosocial framework has changed radically. Above all, it has produced the collapse of the global liberal order. The crisis of globalization has started a schismogenetic process that is now causing growing social tensions and international conflicts. The way out from the crisis is foreseen in an epistemological turn encompassing the relational nature of the living.
Inaction is Not an Option: ESG and Family Firms
Authors: Bang Nupur Pavan , Ramachandran Kavil
Published: February 2025

This article analyses how family firms, which constitute India’s dominant ownership category, compare with nonfamily firms in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals adoption. To account for heterogeneity within family firms, we investigate the standalone family firms (SFFs) separately from a family business group affiliated firms (FBGFs). Results show that nonfamily firms perform better than family firms in overall ESG and E parameters. Within family firms, FBGFs perform better than the SFFs on S parameters. Our analysis urges the policymakers to create awareness, provide a roadmap, nudge the family firms, and promote action toward being ESG-conscious.