bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis in Children With Prolonged or Recurrent Cough: Findings From the Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort
Authors: Mallet Maria Christina , Elmiger Annina , Glick Sarah , Krasnova Tayisiya , de Jong Carmen C. M. , Kern Barbara , Moeller Alexander , Regamey Nicolas , Sutter Oliver , Usemann Jakob , Pedersen Eva S. L. , Kuehni Claudia E. ,   SPAC Study Team
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Prolonged or recurrent cough is a common reason for referral to pediatric pulmonologists, yet few studies have assessed its causes. We examined records of children visiting respiratory outpatient clinics in Switzerland and assessed how diagnoses vary by age.

Methods

We analyzed data from the multicenter Swiss Paediatric Airway Cohort study. We included 363 children (median age 6 years, range 0–16) referred for prolonged or recurrent cough. From outpatient records, we extracted information on diagnostic investigations, final diagnoses proposed by pediatric pulmonologists, and treatments prescribed.

Results

Asthma and asthma‐like conditions (cough variant asthma, episodic viral wheeze, and recurrent obstructive bronchitis) were diagnosed in 132 (36%) of 363 children, respiratory tract infections (RTI) including protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) in 51 (14%), upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) in 48 (13%), and postinfectious cough in 36 (10%); other diagnoses including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and somatic cough syndrome or tic cough were found in 23 (6%). No etiology was found in 73 children (20%). Asthma was diagnosed 3.5 times more often in schoolchildren while RTI including PBB was diagnosed three times more often in preschoolers. Inhaled corticosteroids were prescribed for 84% of children diagnosed with asthma and asthma‐like conditions, antibiotics for 43% of children with RTI, and nasal corticosteroids for 83% of those with UACS.

Conclusion

Coughing children received a wide spectrum of diagnoses that differed between preschool and schoolchildren. Asthma accounted for 36% of diagnoses, which emphasizes the importance of comprehensive investigation beyond asthma in children with prolonged or recurrent cough.
Validation of a small‐scale portable rainfall simulator on the simultaneous transport of sediments and pesticides in agriculture soils
Authors: Saber Ayman N , Malhat Farag , Cervantes‐Avilés Pabel , Mahmoud Mostafa , Watanabe Hirozumi
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Soil erosion and sedimentation accelerate land degradation, especially in East Asia. Surface runoff is a major pathway for pesticide transport into surface and groundwater, threatening aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated the runoff rate, sediment yield, pesticide transport, and pesticide concentrations across soil layers using a small‐scale portable rainfall simulator (0.33 × 0.48 m) under laboratory and field conditions.

RESULTS

Cumulative sediment runoff reached 2.1 and 2.3 ton ha−1 in laboratory and field simulations, respectively. Maximum pesticide concentrations under laboratory conditions were 1.3 mg kg−1 (fipronil), 2.34 mg kg−1 (clothianidin), and 0.17 mg kg−1 (imidacloprid); field results were comparable. Over 2% of applied pesticides dissolved in runoff, while <1.2% adhered to soil particles. Fipronil exhibited the highest losses in runoff, posing acute toxicity risks for aquatic organisms, with toxicity unit values exceeding safe thresholds for bluegill sunfish.

CONCLUSION

Pesticide losses depend on solubility and soil adsorption. Fipronil, despite limited soil movement, poses significant aquatic toxicity risks compared to imidacloprid and clothianidin. This study highlights the role of portable rainfall simulators in understanding pesticide transport and provides valuable insights for mitigating the environmental risks of pesticide use. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
Review and Analysis of Digital Signal Processing Algorithms for Coherent Optical Satellite Links
Authors: Valjus Carl , Wolf Raphael , Poliak Juraj
Published: February 2025

Coherent optical satellite links enable high‐throughput communication and high accuracy ranging to and between satellites. Due to the ever‐increasing demand for throughput, wavelength division multiplexing of polarization multiplexed optical signals is being considered as a solution to provide high‐speed optical satellite links. Fiber‐optic systems solve the implementation scalability problem of these systems by shifting design complexity to integrated circuits, thereby massively reducing the system footprint. As a result of the major advances in complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) technology, the implementation scalability of such systems in terrestrial fiber systems has been solved by shifting the system complexity to digital hardware, enabling intradyne reception and complex signal recovery algorithms. While the use of fiber‐optic transceivers provides a fast path to high‐speed coherent optical satellite links (OSLs), it requires additional mitigation techniques to combat the effects of both the OSL channel and the space environment. To support future satellite networks with Tbit/s optical links, it will be critical to further minimize the size, weight, and power (SWaP), cost and reliability of the transceivers. Thus, the development of custom intradyne optical transceivers for OSLs is emerging as an attractive option as the demand for throughput in satellite networks continues to grow. This would not only enable the use of a more optimized signal processing chain but also enable the use of radiation mitigation techniques optimized for the signal processing architecture and the use of soft‐decision forward error correction (FEC) optimized for OSLs. The signal processing of coherent optical satellite receivers can be divided into three key subsystems: timing recovery, carrier synchronization, and equalization. This paper reviews state‐of‐the‐art digital signal processing for optical communication to identify suitable algorithms for timing recovery, carrier frequency and phase compensation, equalization, and polarization demultiplexing with emphasis on high‐throughput optical satellite links. Finally, the performance of different digital signal processing algorithms is assessed by numerical simulations considering different optical satellite link scenarios.
Assessing Professional Development on Experimentation as a Method of Inquiry‐Based Science Teaching Framework and Principal Results
Authors: Emden Markus , Bewersdorff Arne , Baur Armin
Published: February 2025

The article introduces a design‐and‐effects‐framework comprising five key features of effective professional development: (1) extended Duration, (2) Content Focus of input, (3) Coherence of input with practice, (4) Collegial Participation, and (5) Active Learning. The framework's general feasibility is investigated in a proof‐of‐concept study. Additionally, the influence of a single key feature is addressed in a quasi‐experimental effectiveness study. Object of study is a professional development programme on experimentation as a method of inquiry‐based science teaching. Change variables to indicate effectiveness are (a) teachers' PCK, (b) their beliefs, and (c) their classroom practice. Two experimental conditions in the professional development programme differed in addressing Active Learning: one set of teachers used peer coaching, the other set of teachers was mentor‐coached. All teachers (N = 36) visited three school‐internal workshops; they were visited twice in their lessons and coached on their classroom practice regarding experimentation. All teachers completed performance tests and questionnaires; a subset of teachers was videotaped in two lessons containing an experiment. Analyses show that teachers benefitted in both formats regarding content knowledge, while pedagogical content knowledge on experimentation remains constant. Teachers' beliefs on experimentation as a method of inquiry‐based science teaching improved without favouring either of the conditions. Regarding classroom practice changes surface concerning opening experimentation as well as allocation of time on phases of experimentation. Overall, classroom practice appears to be robust towards change. While peer coaching teachers develop somewhat more advantageous, the gain appears disproportionate to the added administerial effort of actualising this format.
Upcycling of Multi‐Metal Contaminated Wastewater into High‐Entropy Layered Double Hydroxide for Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Li Qian , Hu Yihang , Liu Guihao , Wu Zhaohui , Chen Xiang , Song Yu‐Fei
Published: February 2025

The rapid growth of the electric vehicle industry has driven up nickel demand for batteries. However, the release of various metals during the smelting of nickel‐containing ore leads to complex multi‐metal contaminated smelting wastewater. Herein, CaFe layered double hydroxide (denoted as CaFe) is synthesized for the treatment of multi‐metal contaminated wastewater, achieving removal efficiencies of 98.0%, 98.6%, 100%, and 100% for Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+, respectively. The quasi‐situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) results indicate the formation of high‐entropy LDH of CaCoNiCuZnFe by the isomorphic substitution of Ca2+ in CaFe. Meanwhile, lattice distortion and the formation of metal vacancies can be observed due to the introduction of metals with different ionic radii and the dissolution of Ca2+. Given the stability and abundant active sites of high‐entropy material, the CaCoNiCuZnFe shows good OER performance with an overpotential of 310.7 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and long‐term stability of 250 h. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that lattice distortion optimizes intermediate adsorption energy by enhancing M─O covalency and metal vacancy activates lattice oxygen by generating non‐bonding oxygen, which synergistically triggers the lattice oxygen mechanism (LOM). This strategy converts multi‐metal contaminated wastewater resources into valuable products and achieves dual goals of environmental remediation and resource utilization.
Metal–Organic Framework Based Dielectric Layer Toward Highly Improving Triboelectric Charge Generation Properties
Authors: Jiang Xue , Liang Jinming , Wang Yongmei , Cao Jun , Ren Zewei
Published: February 2025

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) as an environmental energy recovery and harvesting technology has attracts much attention. However, the improvement of TENG's output performance becomes one of the core issues. And the modification of triboelectric materials may be an effective approach. Here, two metal–organic framework (MOF) materials namely TIFSIX‐2‐Cu‐i and Cu(Qc)2 are synthesized, and the influence of different organic ligands on the electromechanical conversion of TENG is investigated by starting from the intrinsic structure of MOFs. With the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)@TIFSIX‐2‐Cu‐I and PDMS@Cu(Qc)2 triboelectric layer, the electrical output of the TENG increases by 4.5 times and 3 times, respectively. Meanwhile, a double dielectric layer composite structure is proposed to further improve the performance of TENG. Accordingly, the MOF‐TENG with a double dielectric layer shows a maximum power density of 0.12 mW cm−2, which is 6.3 times than that of the original TENG. Based on the designed energy management circuit, the MOF‐TENG exhibits good energy supply capability which can sustainably power small electronics just by harvesting human mechanical energy. This work proposes a new strategy to improve the performance of TENG and may promote the development of self‐powered electronics or systems.
National Medal of Honor Museum in Texas
Authors: Schmitt Felix , Hilcken Jonas
Published: February 2025

In Arlington zwischen Dallas und Fort Worth in Texas wurde am 25. März 2025 das National Medal of Honor Museum eröffnet. Mit diesem Museum sollen die derzeit 3519 Ehrenmedaillenträger der fünf militärischen Einheiten der USA von U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps und U.S. Coast Guard geehrt und ausgestellt werden. Im Oktober 2019 wurde der Standort festgelegt. Das Projekt wird komplett über eine Foundation finanziert. Der Ausstellungsraum schwebt 14 m über dem Boden, nur getragen von fünf Betonsäulen, die die fünf Einheiten symbolisieren sollen. Das auffallende Museumsgebäude wurde vom Architekten Rafael Viñoly mit anspruchsvollen Glaskonstruktionen geplant, die in diesem Beitrag beschrieben werden.
Choosing the best small‐mammal survey method to maximize efficiency and accurately inform wildlife hazard management at airports
Authors: Shiels Aaron B. , Beckerman Scott F. , Blackwell Bradley F.
Published: February 2025

Small mammals compose a prey base for larger predators, species that pose animal‐aircraft collision risk (strike risk). Surveys of small mammals at airports inform species relative abundance estimates, information used by airport biologists to direct management to reduce strike risk. New survey technologies present an opportunity to evaluate best‐management‐practices for small‐mammal survey methods. Our objectives were to 1) describe the airport environment and reasoning for conducting small‐mammal population estimates, 2) review goals for small‐mammal surveys at airports, 3) conduct a formal literature review of small‐mammal survey methods at airports, 4) compare/contrast survey types and designs, and 5) identify the most promising survey method(s). A desired survey method provides a relative (not absolute) abundance estimate, is accurate, labor‐ and cost‐efficient, repeatable, and poses little hazard to airport operations. For each survey method, we provided the advantages and disadvantages, common biases, units of measurement, time from data collection to relative abundance indices, equipment costs, and labor costs. Eight small‐mammal survey methods were assessed for use in airport settings, including snap‐traps, live‐traps, active burrows, trail cameras, tracking tunnels, chew blocks/cards, thermal optics, and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS). We identified snap‐traps and tracking tunnels as the 2 most promising methods for most airports, considering the breadth of applications across land covers and climate, and given their low equipment costs, moderate labor costs, and short time from deployment to calculating a relative abundance estimate (e.g., individuals per trap or tunnel nights). Although newer surveying technologies are available, they are weaker candidates because of reduced detections in dense grass (thermal optics, trail cameras), extensive image processing times (e.g., trail cameras, UAS), and challenges with permit acquisition (e.g., UAS). Methods should be revisited periodically as alternative methods/technologies could offer advances via automation with equal or enhanced accuracy. Airport wildlife biologists and managers should consider the various options we describe when choosing appropriate small‐mammal survey methods that capitalize on accuracy, efficiency, and safety.
Derivation of Generic Requirements for Metamodeling for Extended Reality
Authors: Muff Fabian
Published: February 2025

This chapter discusses a generic analysis of potential use cases for augmented reality in combination with metamodeling, especially in the area of enterprise modeling. Since the mapping of conceptual knowledge to the real world and vice versa is of particular interest, this analysis mainly focuses on augmented reality and not on virtual reality.
Grenzen der Privatautonomie bei digitalen Geschäftsmodellen
Authors: Ganner Michael , Steiner Maria-Kristina
Published: February 2025

Digitale Geschäftsmodelle stellen häufig nicht primär deswegen eine große Herausforderung an die Rechtsordnung dar, weil dafür neue rechtsdogmatische Grundlagen erforderlich wären, sondern weil dabei oft die Feststellung der Entscheidungsgrundlagen sowie die Rechtsdurchsetzung erschwert werden. Kennzeichen digitaler Geschäftsmodelle des 21. Jahrhunderts sind neben Netzwerk- und Lock-in- Effekten auch die Generierung von Größenvorteilen und die Komplementarität verschiedener Produkte. Ein Auslangen ohne technisches Know-how ist immer schwerer vorstellbar. Das individuelle Verhalten der Kunden:innen verliert zusehends an Bedeutung und weicht sogenannten „buy till you die Modellen“, die mit den digitalen Persönlichkeitsprofilen der Konsumenten:innen jonglieren. Gefahrenquellen wie der Verbraucherdatenhandel sowie die Drittfinanzierung vermeintlicher gratis Apps und die algorithmische Konsumentenprofilierung durch KI setzen der Privatautonomie, als ein dem Zivilrecht immanentes Prinzip, Grenzen. Zur rechtlichen Beurteilung digitaler Geschäftsmodelle wird das grds technikneutrale ABGB auf nationaler Ebene durch zahlreiche Spezialgesetze ergänzt. Zudem geht die Schaffung des Verbrauchergewährleistungsgesetzes einer Reihe von unionsrechtlichen Neuerungen, wie dem „Digital Services Act“ voraus, die Europa aus juristischer Sicht fit für das digitale Zeitalter machen sollen. Auf der einen Seite soll Privatautonomie, als zentrales Grundelement unserer rechtlichen Werteordnung sowie als Motor wirtschaftlicher Innovationen, möglichst weitgehend erhalten, auf der anderen Seite muss die Funktionalität der Rechtsordnung durch maßvolle Adaptierungen und unter Umständen auch Eingriffe in die Privatautonomie sichergestellt werden. Ohne Zweifel verursachen die fungiblen Veränderungen im Tatsächlichen weiteren rechtlichen Handlungsbedarf.
Zur Notwendigkeit der Regulierung digitaler Geschäftsmodelle
Authors: Schwartze Andreas
Published: February 2025

Aus ökonomischer Sicht sind Regulierungsmaßnahmen vor allem bei sogenanntem Marktversagen erforderlich und gerechtfertigt. Dazu zählen in erster Linie externe Effekte, Informationsasymmetrien und durch Monopole oder Oligopole beherrschte Märkte. Anhand von Beispielen wird gezeigt, dass die Digitalisierung in allen drei Bereichen zu Defiziten der Marktmechanismen führt und daher meist der Staat, oder mehrere im Rahmen der EU, durch Rechtssetzung zunehmend eingreift. Alternativ wären auch private Regelungen oder nicht verbindliche Maßnahmen, also „soft law“, zu erwägen, nachdem die Vor- und Nachteile gegenüber rechtlichen Instrumenten untersucht worden sind.
Das neue europäische Gewährleistungsrecht für die digital economy
Authors: Flume Johannes W. , Poneder Peter
Published: February 2025

Mit dem am 1. Jänner 2022 in Kraft getretenen Verbrauchergewährleistungsgesetz (VGG) wurde erstmals ein Gewährleistungsregime für die digitale Wirtschaft in Österreich eingeführt. Der folgende Beitrag erläutert, wie der unionale und die nationalen Gesetzgeber auf die digitale Transformation der Verbrauchermärkte reagiert haben. Ein besonderer Fokus liegt dabei auf der vorgelagerten Frage, wie man die Komplexität der Rechtsarchitektur von Märkten, auf denen digitale Leistungen angeboten werden, erfassen kann. Darüber hinaus werden zwei der markantesten Neuerungen vertieft dargestellt: die gewährleistungsrechtliche Erfassung sog. datenfinanzierter Geschäftsmodelle sowie die neue Aktualisierungspflicht.
Zahlungsinstrumente im Online-Geschäftsverkehr und internationale Gerichtszuständigkeit
Authors: Perathoner Christoph
Published: February 2025

Im Onlinehandel konnten sich letzthin vielfach neue Bezahlverfahren etablieren. Diese involvieren häufig dritte Zahlungsdienstleister, deren Geschäftsmodelle insbesondere darin bestehen, Bonitätsprüfungen durchzuführen, Zahlungsansprüche und Ausfallrisikos zu übernehmen oder schlicht Kundenzahlungen abzuwickeln. Kaufgeschäft und Finanzierung fallen damit immer regelmäßiger auseinander, vor allem, wenn Einzelhändler ihre Forderungen gegen den Kunden an die Zahlungsdienstleister abtreten. Im Rahmen dieser digitalen Geschäftsmodelle stellen sich im Streitfall vielfach Fragen der internationalen Gerichtszuständigkeit. Diese werden im Rahmen dieses Beitrags untersucht. Berücksichtigt werden dabei die Rechtsverhältnisse aus der Dreiecksbeziehung zwischen Kunden, Einzelhändlern und Zahlungsdienstleistern.
Internationalprivatrechtliche Probleme alternativer Zahlungsmethoden im Online-Handel
Authors: Laimer Simon
Published: February 2025

Gegenstand dieses Beitrages ist die Frage, nach welcher (welchen) Rechtsordnung(en) die unterschiedlichen Rechtsverhältnisse bei bestimmten Finanzierungslösungen im Online-Handel (insbesondere bei einem „Buy Now, Pay Later“-Geschäftsmodell) zu beurteilen sind, wenn sie Verbindungen zu mehr als einer Rechtsordnung aufweisen.
Die Regulierung von Krypto-Dienstleistern im EWR – MiCAR ante portas
Authors: Raschauer Nicolas , Kreisl Rene
Published: February 2025

Die Verordnung über Märkte für Kryptowährungen (MiCAR) zielt darauf ab, die Regulierung digitaler Vermögenswerte, einschließlich Kryptowährungen, in der Europäischen Union (EU) zu regulieren. MiCAR ist Teil eines umfassenderen Verordnungspakets, mit dem ein umfassender Rahmen für das digitale Finanzwesen in der EU geschaffen wurde. MiCAR führt einen harmonisierten Rechtsrahmen für Emittenten und Dienstleister ein, die mit Kryptoassets zu tun haben. Die Verordnung deckt verschiedene Arten von Kryptoassets ab, wie Kryptowährungen, Utility Tokens und Stablecoins. Die Verordnung zielt darauf ab, den Anlegerschutz zu verbessern, die Marktintegrität zu fördern und die Innovation im Bereich der digitalen Vermögenswerte zu unterstützen.

Das folgende Manuskript befasst sich mit den verschiedenen Vorschriften für den Markteintritt von Emittenten und Anbietern von Krypto-Dienstleistern.

Normen: MiCAR, MIV, FM-GwG, TVTG

Deskriptoren: Krypto-Dienstleister, Krypto-Dienstleistung, Token, DLT, Kryptowerte, Zulassung, Bewilligung, Marktzutritt, virtuelle Währung, digitales Asset, E-Geld-Token (EMT), vermögenswertreferenzierte Token (ART), Utility-Token, hybride Token
Akzeptanz psilocybin-assistierter Therapie in den deutschsprachigen Ländern
Authors: Hartter Nina , Däumichen Marvin , Schmidt Christopher , Wolff Max , Gründer Gerhard , Jungaberle Henrik
Published: February 2025

Hintergrund

Klinische Studien mit Psilocybin in Kombination mit Psychotherapie zeigen vielversprechende Ergebnisse bei der Behandlung verschiedener psychischer Störungen. In der Ärzte- und Psychotherapeutenschaft sowie unter Patient:innen bestehen auch Unwissen, Ablehnung und Vorurteile gegenüber dieser neuen Therapieform. Ziel dieser Studie war es, einen möglichst repräsentativen Eindruck vom Informationsstand und der Einstellung zur Implementation psilocybin-assistierter Therapie (PAT) unter Expert:innen für psychische Gesundheit sowie Patient:innen und der Allgemeinbevölkerung zu erheben.

Methodik

Mittels einer Onlineumfrage wurden Informationen zu Einstellungen und Kenntnisstand von 1456 Teilnehmenden, darunter Ärzt:innen, Psychotherapeut:innen und Patient:innen, erfasst sowie Effekte der experimentellen Gabe von Informationen zu Potenzialen und Risiken getestet. Ergebnisse wurden mittels Varianzanalysen und Regressionsmodellen ermittelt.

Ergebnisse

Regressionsanalysen zeigten, dass ein höherer Kenntnisscore und selbsteingeschätzter Kenntnisstand, eigene Behandlungserfahrung, aber auch eigene Erfahrung mit Psychedelika positivere Einstellungen bezüglich der Einführung von PAT vorhersagten (F[8, 1447] = 154,646, p < 0,001, R2 = 0,39). Die Vermittlung von Informationen über die Potenziale von PAT führte dann zu einer höheren Akzeptanz, wenn diese mit Informationen über deren Risiken kombiniert wurden.

Diskussion

Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Teilnehmende einer Einführung psilocybin-assistierter Therapie optimistisch gegenüberstehen. Der Zusammenhang zwischen Wissen und Akzeptanz wurde bestätigt. Dass die Vermittlung ausgeglichener Informationen zu höherer Akzeptanz führt, sollte bei der Aufklärung und Berichterstattung über PAT berücksichtigt werden.
Porous plates at incidence
Authors: Bose Chandan , Bruce Callum , Viola Ignazio Maria
Published: February 2025

This paper investigates the effect of permeability on two-dimensional rectangular plates at incidences. The flow topology is investigated for Reynolds number (Re) values between 30 and 90, and the forces on the plate are discussed for

$$Re=30$$

R
e
=
30

, where the wake is found to be steady for any value of the Darcy number (Da) and the flow incidence (

$$\alpha $$

α

). At

$$Re=30$$

R
e
=
30

, for a plate normal to the stream and vanishing Da, the wake shows a vortex dipole with a stagnation point on the plate surface. With increasing Da, the separation between the vortex dipole and the plate increases; the vortex dipole shortens and is eventually annihilated at a critical Da. For any value of Da below the critical one, the vortex dipole disappears with decreasing

$$\alpha $$

α

. However, at low Da, the two saddle-node pairs merge at the same

$$\alpha $$

α

, annihilating the dipole; while at high Da, they merge at different

$$\alpha $$

α

, resulting in a single recirculating region for intermediate incidences. The magnitudes of lift, drag, and torque decrease with Da. Nevertheless, there exists a range of Da and

$$\alpha $$

α

, where the magnitude of the plate-wise force component increases with Da, driven by the shear on the plate’s pressure side. Finally, the analysis of the fluid impulse suggests that the lift and drag reduction with Da are associated with the weakening of the leading and trailing edge shear layer, respectively. The present findings will be directly beneficial in understanding the role of permeability on small permeable bodies.
Tafasitamab in refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with neurolymphomatosis
Authors: Mendes João Ricardo Belo Freitas , Couleur Laurine , Manca Chloe , Frossard Valérie , Nabergoj Mitja
Published: February 2025

Peripheral nervous system involvement in lymphoproliferative diseases, often due to direct nerve infiltration (neurolymphomatosis, NL), is mostly seen in aggressive B-cell lymphoma. We report the case of an 88-year-old man with stage IVA DLBCL, who achieved the first complete response after six R-miniCHOP21 cycles. One year post-treatment, he developed severe neurological symptoms, and PET-CT revealed widespread relapse with extensive neural involvement. Treatment with tafasitamab and lenalidomide led to a complete morpho-metabolic remission and full neurological recovery, with minimal side effects. This case underscores for the very first time the efficacy and tolerability of this regimen in treating NL, highlighting its potential for frail patients unfit for more intensive therapies.
Socioeconomic disparities in survival of patients with non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Baralo Bohdan , Daniels Peter T. , McIntire Cody A. , Thirumaran Rajesh , Melson John W. , Paul Asit K.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Limited data are available on the impact of socioeconomic disparities on the survival of patients with non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma (NMIBC).

Methods

We analyzed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to review the effects of sex, race, location, and socioeconomic factors on the survival of patients with NMIBC. We calculated 5-year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) using the log-rank test. The impact of socioeconomic factors on OS and CSS was analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for clinical characteristics. Hazard ratios (HR) and survival rates were reported with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Analysis of 3831 patients showed that older age was associated with worse OS (HR 1.08 [1.08–1.09]) and CSS (HR 1.05 [1.04–1.06]). Women and men had similar OS (HR 0.91 [0.82–1.01]) and CSS (HR 1.12 [0.95–1.32]). Black patients had worse OS (HR 1.33 [1.08–1.62] and CSS [HR 1.54 [1.13–2.05]) than their White counterparts. Patients with an annual household income below $40,000 had worse outcomes compared to those with income above $70,000 for both OS (HR 1.79 [1.37–2.33]) and CSS (HR 1.924 [1.26–2.89]).

Conclusions

There were no gender differences in survival outcomes of NMIBC. Older age, Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and patients with a household income below $40,000 appear to have worse survival. However, the area of residence did not seem to affect patient survival.
Investigating DRD2 and HTR2A polymorphisms in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: a comparative analysis with other treatment-resistant mental disorders and the healthy state
Authors: Del Casale Antonio , Gentile Giovanna , Lardani Simone , Modesti Martina Nicole , Arena Jan Francesco , Zocchi Clarissa , De Luca Ottavia , Parmigiani Giovanna , Angeletti Gloria , Ferracuti Stefano , Preissner Robert , Simmaco Maurizio , Borro Marina , Pompili Maurizio
Published: February 2025

This study investigates treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) by analysing genetic markers in dopamine and serotonin receptors. Conducted on a cohort of 221 patients with treatment-resistant mental disorders, the research focused on DRD2 and HTR2A gene variants—specifically, rs1801028, rs6314, rs7997012, and rs6311. The findings suggest specific associations between certain genetic variants and TRS. Notably, the HTR2A rs6314 A|G genotype and rs7997012 G|G genotype were significantly more prevalent in TRS patients compared to healthy controls (HCs). Haplotype analyses revealed associations between specific haplotypes—such as A|G (rs6314-rs7997012)—and TRS, indicating their potential predictive value for TRS versus HCs. The study underscores the involvement of the serotonergic system in TRS. These findings offer valuable insights into the genetic factors contributing to TRS, paving the way for future research and the development of personalised prevention and treatment strategies in psychiatry.
Molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS®) and continuous renal replacement therapy for the treatment of paediatric acute liver failure — two-centre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Saxena Romit , Alexander Emma C. , Bontemps Sander , Singla Raman , Verkade Henkjan J. , de Meijer Vincent E. , Kneyber Martin C. J. , Deep Akash
Published: February 2025

To describe outcomes of a cohort of patients with paediatric acute liver failure (PALF) treated with either one of two extracorporeal therapies (ECT) — continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and molecular adsorbent recirculatory system (MARS®). Retrospective, observational, cohort study at two European paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) — UK (2006–2017, CRRT) and the Netherlands (2003–2017, MARS® and CRRT). Patients were children (0–18 years) admitted to the PICU with PALF who required CRRT or MARS®. Between each group, we compared baseline characteristics, biochemical parameters at 0 and 24 h after commencing MARS®/CRRT, and clinical outcomes. In total, 95 patients (23 MARS®, 72 CRRT) were included. The median age at admission for the whole cohort was 4.3 years (interquartile range (IQR) 1.0–12.1), and 47/95 (49.5%) of patients had an indeterminate aetiology. A lower proportion of patients in the MARS® group were on inotropes or were ventilated at admission, and they had a lower Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 risk % than the CRRT group (14.5% (7.5–22) vs 20.4% (16.8–26.4), p = 0.002). After treatment, there were no significant differences detected between groups in survival with native liver, or overall survival (15/23 (65.2%) for MARS® and 49/72 (68.1%) for CRRT, p = 0.998). Conclusion: We did not detect a significant difference in clinical outcomes between PALF patients treated with CRRT or MARS®, despite a relatively sicker cohort in the CRRT group. Further high-quality evidence is necessary regarding the role of extracorporeal therapies in PALF, with consideration of clinical outcomes, feasibility, and cost.

What is Known:
• 
Outcomes for children with paediatric acute liver failure (PALF) have improved in recent years secondary to 
improved supportive care aimed at avoiding liver transplantation.
• Extracorporeal therapies, in particular continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), are increasingly applied in the management of these children; however few studies have compared outcomes between different extracorporeal 
therapies.

What is New:
• In this retrospective study across two centres, outcomes between patients with PALF treated with CRRT were compared to patients treated with MARS®.
• 
There was no significant difference in key clinical outcomes between groups, including survival with native liver and 
overall survival.
Prediction of discharge coefficient of submerged gates using a stacking ensemble model
Authors: Hosny Mohamed , Abdelhaleem Fahmy S. , Elshenhab Ahmed M. , Ibrahim Amir
Published: February 2025

Improving the precision of discharge coefficient (Cd) prediction is crucial for effective agricultural water management. However, existing methods for Cd calculation are often complex and dependent on specific assumptions. Therefore, there is a critical need for robust and automated models for Cd estimation. This study introduces a dual-stage ensemble model called EnsembleCNN, for Cd prediction using two distinct gate types under submerged flow conditions. The EnsembleCNN framework uniquely integrates machine learning (ML) models with a recurrent convolutional neural network (CNN) model to capture higher-order interactions and non-linearities. Five base ML models are employed to generate initial predictions. These predictions are subsequently processed by a CNN model embedded with long short-term memory (LSTM) layer, residual connection (RC) and an attention mechanism (ATM). This setup effectively manages the complexity of the combined predictions, seamlessly integrating the outputs from the base models. LSTM is exploited to aggregate the best features for prediction. ATM effectively prioritized high-performing base model outputs, while RC improved the gradient flow, collectively reducing the impact of irrelevant features. The proposed approach strategically weights the contributions of each base model, resulting in accurate Cd estimations. The proposed model achieved root mean square errors of 0.0552 and 0.0173 on vertical sluice gates and radial gates datasets, respectively. Additionally, EnsembleCNN outperformed the base and existing models in terms of prediction accuracy. The proposed system provides a robust tool for optimizing water resource management. Moreover, the adaptability to two field datasets further underscores the practical utility of our model in diverse irrigation scenarios.
N-Doped carbon quantum dot–based ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor platforms for detection of gastric cancer-associated Helicobacter pylori genes
Authors: Öztürk Dilek , Durmuş Mahmut
Published: February 2025

Carbon quantum dot (CQD)–based fluorescent nanosensor platforms were developed using gastric cancer-associated Heliobacter pylori (H. pylori) genes. N-doped CQDs were synthesized using two different organic acids (citric acid and malic acid) and ethylenediamine by the microwave method. The photophysical and photochemical properties of the synthesized CQDs were investigated by ultraviolet–visible, fluorescence, and Fourier-transform infrared spectra. The surface of the synthesized N-doped CQDs was conjugated with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), which is specific for gastric cancer. Ethidium bromide, a selective dye, shows enhanced fluorescence intensity upon intercalating with DNA. In the blue-emissive CQD-ssDNA nanoprobe system, the fluorescence intensity was quenched by ethidium bromide due to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) processes. When complementary ssDNA was introduced, the ethidium bromide strongly intercalated with the newly formed double-stranded DNA, shifting to a red emission. Using this ratiometric system, the detection method was improved for gastric cancer–associated genes, achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.098 µM, within a concentration range 1.30 to 11.49 µM. Spike and recovery tests were also conducted to evaluate the precision of the presented method in synthetic saliva solutions, with recoveries ranging from 93.06% to 101.85% The performance of the nanosensors was compared using two different synthesized CQDs.

Graphical abstract
Municipal landfill site selection using TOPSIS methodology: A case study for Polatlı, Ankara, Türkiye
Authors: Öner Gökalp , Akgün Haluk , Koçkar Mustafa Kerem , Arslan Kelam Arzu
Published: February 2025

Polatlı, which is the largest and tenth out of twenty fifth most populated county of Ankara is well known for being one of the most productive agricultural districts in Türkiye in terms of its barley and wheat production. However, despite that Polatlı has a relatively dense and rapidly growing population, and bears environmental problems, it does not possess a proper municipal solid waste landfill. Since the county currently lacks a proper landfill, the municipal waste is deposited in an improper open dump site that is located to the south of the county. Concerns have been raised due to fire incidents reported and due to scattering of the waste material throughout the neighborhood of the open dump site and to the other parts of the city due to the lack of fencing at the open dump site. Another environmental problem is caused by biogas energy producing companies in the district that dump their processed animal wastes in the farm fields which endangers public health. In addition, extensive illegal waste dumping in the neighborhood of the open dump site exists. The objective of this study is to select the best alternative municipal landfill site location for the Polatlı County, Ankara. To fullfil the disposal needs of the county, landfill site selection has been performed in this study by considering criteria including, air traffic safety, geology, land use, distance to settlement, distance to roads, drainage, slope, erosion, distance to fault and distance to earthquake epicenters. These criteria have been ranked and evaluated in a GIS environment prior to selecting the best alternative landfill site through “The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)” method of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). The results of the landfill site selection methodology indicated that amongst the three alternative landfill sites, the best locations to construct a landfill were chosen to be those two alternative sites that were situated north northeast (NNE) and north northwest (NNW) of Polatlı, respectively.
The global burden of osteoarthritis knee: a secondary data analysis of a population-based study
Authors: Ren Jia-Le , Yang Junnan , Hu Wan
Published: February 2025

Background

Osteoarthritis knee poses a substantial and pervasive global health challenge.

Methods

The data was extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Study database. First, numbers and age-standardized rates (ASRs) of incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of osteoarthritis knee were assessed globally and by sub-types in 2021. Subsequently, we employed a linear regression model to analyze the temporal trends from 1990 to 2021. To predict the future burden, we utilized the age-period-cohort model and the Bayesian age-period-cohort model. Furthermore, we conducted a sensitivity analysis using the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model and the Exponential Smoothing model.

Results

In 2021, osteoarthritis knee accounted for 30.85 million incidence cases, 374.74 million prevalence cases, and 12.02 million DALYs cases globally, with ASRs of 353.67, 4294.27, and 137.59, respectively. Females and individuals over 50 years old were identified as high-risk populations, while higher socio-demographic index regions emerged as high-risk areas. From 1990 to 2021, incidence cases rose from 14.13 million to 30.85 million, prevalence cases from 159.80 million to 374.74 million, and DALYs cases from 5.15 million to 12.02 million, accompanied by increases in their respective ASRs. Projections using the APC model predict a continued increase in incidence, prevalence, and DALYs cases for both genders until 2046. Specifically, male incidence cases are projected to increase to 18.45 million and female incidence to 25.60 million. Similarly, male prevalence cases are projected to rise to 235.41 million and female prevalence to 365.97 million. Male DALYs cases are expected to increase to 7.52 million and female DALYs to 11.55 million. The BAPC models also indicate an upward trend in number of cases.

Conclusion

In conclusion, osteoarthritis knee represents a formidable threat to global public health, necessitating the development of proactive and tailored strategic interventions that account for global-specific contexts.

Key Points• Females and individuals over 50 years old were identified as high-risk populations.• Higher socio-demographic index regions were identified as high-risk areas.• The disease burden attributable to osteoarthritis knee increased from 1990 to 2019.• The number of deaths and DALYs cases would still increase in the next 25 years.
Concentration and homogenization in composites with total flux interface conditions
Authors: Amar M. , Andreucci D. , Timofte C.
Published: February 2025

The goal of this paper is to obtain, via the periodic unfolding method, the homogenized limit of a stationary diffusion model describing a composite made by a hosting medium containing a periodic array of inclusions of size

$$\varepsilon $$

ε

. The thermal potentials of the two phases are connected through suitable imperfect contact conditions imposed on the interface separating the two materials. Despite the fact that the limit model, obtained as

$$\varepsilon \rightarrow 0$$

ε
→
0

, is governed by a standard Dirichlet problem for an elliptic equation, the construction of the homogenized matrix and of the limit source term deserves a deep investigation. We propose this microscopic model inspired by the result of a concentration procedure performed in a simplified flat geometry, where we have two different bulk materials separated by a thin layer of another material with thickness of the order

$$\eta $$

η

. The thin layer presents an inner interface with imperfect contact conditions of non-local type and we deal with the concentration, as

$$\eta \rightarrow 0$$

η
→
0

, of such a layer. The final interface conditions thus obtained are exactly the interface conditions we impose in the above mentioned microscopic model set in a more general geometry.
A data-efficient active learning architecture for anomaly detection in industrial time series data
Authors: Holtz David , Kaymakci Can , Leuthe Daniel , Wenninger Simon , Sauer Alexander
Published: February 2025

Anomaly detection is becoming increasingly important and has found its way into manufacturing applications. The potential is seen in use cases such as maintenance cost reduction, machine fault reduction, or increased overall production based on industrial time series data. However, obstacles arise in practice. Supervised algorithms lack limited and expensive labeled training data, and unsupervised algorithms do not have the capabilities for evaluation and tracking. We propose a data-efficient architecture for anomaly detection using energy consumption time series data to address these limitations. To do so, we design an active learning model that optimizes an unsupervised model by integrating budgeted expert feedback. Our solution builds on an autoencoder to leverage latent space representations for an additional supervised feedforward network trained with expert knowledge labels to distinguish between normal data and anomalies. Four different strategies for querying the still-unlabeled data are compared so that the expert’s resources are used efficiently. We validate our concept in an industrial robotic screwdriving application based on energy data for condition monitoring. Findings for the application tested indicate that anomaly detection performance can be significantly increased by 59% for the F1 score with active learning compared to unsupervised models. Furthermore, models trained only on energy consumption data exhibit the same performance as models trained on difficult-to-obtain mechanical process data, thus confirming the practicality of our proposed approach and data efficiency for the use of easily accessible energy data in manufacturing applications. While our approach enables an active learning model to be added to an existing unsupervised model, it allows for straightforward benchmarking and extension to other manufacturing applications.
Effects of (Y,Nd)/Mn interaction on the structural, morphological, and magnetic properties of the (Y,Nd)BaCuFe1–xMnxO5+δ system
Authors: Saavedra Gaona I. M. , Angarita A. C. Barrera , Farfán J. A. Cuervo , Duarte J. E. , Vargas C. A. Parra
Published: February 2025

This work explores the effects of Y or Nd interactions with Mn substitutions in the new (Y, Nd)BaCuFe1−x
Mn
x
O5+δ compounds with x = 0.00, 0.03, 0.10, and 0.25 (RE- x) focusing on their structural, morphological, and magnetic properties. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that the (Y, Nd)3+ and Fe3+ ions predominantly crystallize in a tetragonal structure (P4mm), with variations in tetragonal bond distances dependent on the Mn ion substitution degree. Scanning electron microscopy technique (SEM) revealed polycrystalline morphology with grain shapes that change with cation substitution, consistent with the synthesis method. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) technique confirmed the materials stoichiometry, while attenuated total reflectance-infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy demonstrated the increased anisotropy in metal–oxygen interaction along different crystallographic directions when Y is replaced by Nd. Magnetization curves obtained in the zero-field cold/field cold (ZFC–FC) modes as a function of temperature 50 K up to 400 K show some of the expected characteristics of the magnetic phase transition at temperatures between 176 and 330 K for the Y-based systems, and an increase in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition temperature with Mn substitution. The Nd-based systems reveal a paramagnetic (PM) behavior that could be attributed to the dominance exerted by the magnetic moments of the Nd ions.
Effect of Interactive Learning Environments on Learning Outcomes in Science Education: A Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Koç Adem , Kanadlı Sedat
Published: February 2025

This study used network meta-analysis to investigate the impact of the use of interactive learning environments (ILE) tools (augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MIX), and interactive digital games (GAME)) in science education on learning outcomes. A total of 53 primary studies were retrieved from the literature according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria. According to this, MIX demonstrated the largest effect size compared to conventional teaching (CON) for both cognitive and affective outcomes. AR exhibited a larger effect size than VR for affective outcomes but did not differ significantly from VR or GAME for cognitive outcomes. GAME outperformed CON for cognitive outcomes but did not differ significantly from VR or GAME for either outcome. VR’s effect size on cognitive outcomes was not significantly different from CON but was significantly higher for affective outcomes. Indirect comparisons revealed no significant differences between MIX and the other ILE formats for either outcome. Network analysis ranked AR as the most effective format for both cognitive and affective outcomes. These findings highlight the potential of ILEs, particularly AR, for enhancing learning outcomes. Limitations of the study include the lack of direct comparisons for MIX, high heterogeneity, and publication bias in some binary comparisons. More primary studies are needed to address these limitations and increase the generalizability of the findings.