bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coexistence of topological nodal lines and Weyl nodes in a room-temperature half-metallic ferromagnet Cr3Si2Te6
Authors: Li Jia-wan , Chen Cui-Qun , Zhuang Lin , Yao Dao-Xin , Hou Yusheng
Published: February 2025

Topological half-metallic ferromagnets, featured by topologically nontrivial states and fully spin-polarized electronic carriers at the Fermi level, are fertile playgrounds for exploring topo-spintronic applications. However, such exotic compounds are still limited. Here, we systematically study a self-intercalated van der Waals magnet Cr3Si2Te6 by combining first-principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulations. We demonstrate that Cr3Si2Te6 is thermodynamically stable and a half-metallic ferromagnet with a Curie temperature up to 485 K, much above room temperature. Excitingly, we find that topological nodal lines and Weyl nodes coexist in the Cr3Si2Te6 bulk. Correspondingly, the Cr3Si2Te6 bulk exhibits a large anomalous Hall conductivity of 160 and 427 Ω−1 cm−1 when its magnetization is along its magnetic easy and hard axes, respectively. Moreover, its anomalous Hall conductivity can be increased to 374 (882) Ω−1 cm−1 by doping electrons (holes). Finally, we disclose that the 7-layer Cr3Si2Te6 thin film possesses half-metallic ferromagnetism with a high TC of 425 K, strong out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy energy, and large anomalous Hall conductivity. Our findings suggest that Cr3Si2Te6 is a room-temperature topological half-metallic ferromagnet, which could have promising prospects for practical applications in next-generation topo-spintronic and nanoscale electronic devices.
Polariton spectra under the collective coupling regime. II. 2D non-linear spectra
Authors: Mondal M. Elious , Vamivakas A. Nickolas , Cundiff Steven T. , Krauss Todd D. , Huo Pengfei
Published: February 2025

In our previous work [Mondal et al., J. Chem. Phys. 162, 014114 (2025)], we developed several efficient computational approaches to simulate exciton–polariton dynamics described by the Holstein–Tavis–Cummings (HTC) Hamiltonian under the collective coupling regime. Here, we incorporated these strategies into the previously developed Lindblad-partially linearized density matrix (L-PLDM) approach for simulating 2D electronic spectroscopy (2DES) of exciton–polariton under the collective coupling regime. In particular, we apply the efficient quantum dynamics propagation scheme developed in Paper I to both the forward and the backward propagations in the PLDM and develop an efficient importance sampling scheme and graphics processing unit vectorization scheme that allow us to reduce the computational costs from O(K2)O(T3) to O(K)O(T0) for the 2DES simulation, where K is the number of states and T is the number of time steps of propagation. We further simulated the 2DES for an HTC Hamiltonian under the collective coupling regime and analyzed the signal from both rephasing and non-rephasing contributions of the ground state bleaching, excited state emission, and stimulated emission pathways.
Effect of ultrasonic amplitude on cavitation erosion characteristics of hydraulic turbine materials
Authors: Sun Shuaihui , Wu Pengbo , Guo Pengcheng , Nan Haipeng , Wang Tao
Published: February 2025

Cavitation erosion would cause material loss and structural damage to the flow components of hydraulic turbines, which reduces their hydraulic efficiency and threatens the turbine's stable operation. Based on the ultrasonic cavitation test device, this paper investigates the effect of ultrasonic amplitude on the cavitation erosion of hydraulic turbine materials. The results show that the number and the volume of cavitation bubbles below the ultrasonic horn tip increased with the ultrasonic amplitude. The weight loss of S165, 1045, and S355 at ultrasonic amplitude 79 μm was 2.5, 1.67, and 1.84 times that at ultrasonic amplitude 52 μm, respectively. When the ultrasonic amplitude was 79 μm, the weight loss of S355 was 4.53 times that of S165. As the ultrasonic amplitude increased, the time for 1045 and S355 cavitation erosion to enter the maximum rate stage was shortened, while the S165 was still in the acceleration stage after 5 hours' test. The grain-boundary sliding and exfoliation of S165 were intensified, and the cavitation erosion pits in 1045 and S355 became larger and interconnected to form larger cavitation erosion pits with the ultrasonic amplitude. The number of cavitation erosion pits was more in S355 than in 1045, and the detachment of large-volume pearlite grains in 1045 and S355 at higher ultrasonic amplitude led to the large-volume cavitation erosion pits. The roughness of the three materials increased with the ultrasound amplitude. The roughness of 1045 and S355 was twice that of S165. The results were significant for the cavitation erosion protection of turbine materials.
Impact of interlayer mass transfer on CO2 flooding performance in heterogeneous tight reservoirs
Authors: Gong Rundong , Liu Junrong , Liu Shuyang , Sun Wenyue , Zhang Dengfeng
Published: February 2025

CO2 flooding can effectively enhance oil recovery in tight oil reservoirs. However, the mobilization characteristics and interlayer mass transfer mechanism of CO2 and crude oil in heterogeneous tight reservoirs with permeability ratio (PR) remain unclear. We simulated heterogeneous tight reservoirs by fabricating artificial PR cores and conducted CO2 flooding experiments under different miscibility states. Moreover, nuclear magnetic resonance was employed to distinguish and quantify the mobilization characteristics of high-permeability layers (HPLs) and low-permeability layers (LPLs), revealing interlayer mass transfer mechanisms. The results indicated that, compared with those of immiscible and partially miscible flooding, miscible flooding yielded a higher overall recovery, with the recovery continuing to increase after CO2 breakthrough. This is primarily due to the significant increase in the recovery efficiency of the LPL. At this stage, displacement becomes less effective, and interlayer mass transfer mechanisms, such as extraction and diffusion between the HPL and LPL, become the dominant drivers of oil recovery. In the miscible state, oil–gas interfacial tension vanishes, thus enhancing diffusion and extraction effects. This significantly promotes interlayer mass transfer, effectively mobilizing oil in the LPL. The contributions of interlayer mass transfer and displacement to oil mobilization in the LPL during miscible flooding were quantified, revealing that the final contribution of the former is 1.69 times greater than that of the latter. This verifies the interlayer mass transfer as the primary mechanism for mobilizing oil in the LPL after CO2 breakthrough, emphasizing its critical role in recovery processes.
Explicitly unbiased large language models still form biased associations
Authors: Bai Xuechunzi , Wang Angelina , Sucholutsky Ilia , Griffiths Thomas L.
Published: February 2025

Large language models (LLMs) can pass explicit social bias tests but still harbor implicit biases, similar to humans who endorse egalitarian beliefs yet exhibit subtle biases. Measuring such implicit biases can be a challenge: As LLMs become increasingly proprietary, it may not be possible to access their embeddings and apply existing bias measures; furthermore, implicit biases are primarily a concern if they affect the actual decisions that these systems make. We address both challenges by introducing two measures: LLM Word Association Test, a prompt-based method for revealing implicit bias; and LLM Relative Decision Test, a strategy to detect subtle discrimination in contextual decisions. Both measures are based on psychological research: LLM Word Association Test adapts the Implicit Association Test, widely used to study the automatic associations between concepts held in human minds; and LLM Relative Decision Test operationalizes psychological results indicating that relative evaluations between two candidates, not absolute evaluations assessing each independently, are more diagnostic of implicit biases. Using these measures, we found pervasive stereotype biases mirroring those in society in 8 value-aligned models across 4 social categories (race, gender, religion, health) in 21 stereotypes (such as race and criminality, race and weapons, gender and science, age and negativity). These prompt-based measures draw from psychology’s long history of research into measuring stereotypes based on purely observable behavior; they expose nuanced biases in proprietary value-aligned LLMs that appear unbiased according to standard benchmarks.
Listen for a change? A longitudinal field experiment on listening’s potential to enhance persuasion
Authors: Santoro Erik , Broockman David E. , Kalla Joshua L. , Porat Roni
Published: February 2025

Scholars and practitioners widely posit that listening to other people enhances efforts to persuade them. Listening may enhance persuasion by promoting cognitive processing, reducing defensiveness, and improving perceptions of the persuader. However, empirical tests of this widely theorized hypothesis are surprisingly scarce. We review the case for and against this hypothesis, arguing previous research has not sufficiently attended to reasons why listening may not enhance persuasion. We test this hypothesis using a preregistered, well-powered field experiment in which trained professional canvassers, acting as confederates, had ∼10 min video conversations with U.S. participants (
N
= 1,485) about unauthorized immigration, a salient topic of disagreement. We independently randomized whether confederates shared a persuasive narrative about an undocumented immigrant and whether they practiced high-quality nonjudgmental listening to participants’ opinions. We measured outcomes immediately after the conversation and again five weeks later. Sharing a persuasive narrative meaningfully and durably reduced prejudice and changed policy attitudes. The listening manipulation also successfully improved perceptions of the persuader and increased processing. Surprisingly, however, the listening manipulation did not enhance persuasion: Sharing a persuasive narrative was just as effective in the absence of high-quality listening. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.
Squeezing across two harmonic generations utilizing coupled nonlinear waveguide systems
Authors: Zulkifpeli M Z K , Julius R , Ibrahim A-B M A
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the squeezing properties of light across a two-octave system consisting of multichannel single-mode nonlinear waveguides with evanescent coupling. The focus is on the first, second, and fourth harmonics generation. We analyze different input combinations and coupling setups to gain insight into how they impact the level of squeezing. The results show that multiple initial inputs amplify the squeezing effect, while certain initialization setups help maintain squeezing at higher harmonic levels. When the waveguides are fully coupled in the first octave, there is a large increase in squeezing at the first and second harmonic. Reduced coupling leads to a drop in the level of squeezing. At the fourth harmonic frequency, instability is observed in all configurations, which hinders the accurate detection of squeezing. By optimizing the quantity and arrangement of interconnected waveguides, it is possible to improve the nonlinear frequency conversion and thus the level of squeezing. This research may enhance the advancement of quantum optical systems by emphasizing the significance of coupling interactions across two harmonic generations.
An entangled squeezed state generated by an optical parametric amplifier and a beam splitter
Authors: Ren Gang , Zhang Chun-zao
Published: February 2025

We propose a method to generate an entangled squeezed state using an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and a beam splitter (BS). This device can manipulate the output quantum light field by modulating two parameters: the intensity of the OPA and the transmittance of the optical BS. For the output quantum state associated with a symmetric BS, there is no quadrature squeezing. Moreover, neither photon correlation nor entanglement are observed. However, in terms of sum squeezing, the quantum state corresponding to the symmetric BS is the strongest. Therefore, an asymmetric BS and a highly squeezing OPA are the best choices for generating the quantum entangled squeezed states.
Introduction
Authors: Taylor James
Published: February 2025

The Introduction opens by placing the study of women in finance in historical context. Work on women as investors and as business owners has flourished since the 2000s, which has done much to reframe our understanding of women’s roles in the historical development of capitalism. There has been less research on women as financial intermediaries, however, with the result that the lives and careers of several generations of women working as stockbrokers between the late nineteenth and late twentieth centuries have been overlooked by historians. This book argues that focusing on these financial women yields important insights into histories of women’s work, the strategies of ‘professional closure’ deployed by men against women, and the gendering of financial markets. The Introduction goes on to discuss methodological approaches, including the uses and limitations of ‘additive’ approaches to women’s history, the sources used in the study, and the structure and periodization of the book.
Not in the House?
Authors: Taylor James
Published: February 2025

Chapter 3 explores how the arrival of the female stockbroker in late Victorian Britain was regarded by the nation’s stock exchanges and by society in general. Though many responses were dismissive or flippant, there was an underlying nervousness, as women stockbrokers embodied several ideas—feminine financial competence, the prospect of financial independence, and freedom to pursue new careers—that challenged deep-seated prejudices. Longstanding fears about the defeminizing effects of involvement with finance were sharpened by fresh concerns about the ‘mannish’ and ‘masculine’ New Woman. The chapter shows the impact these responses had on women’s businesses, and the kind of image they sought to project. While they were able in many cases to form durable business links with men, the attitude of the stock exchanges themselves was hostile. The culture inside the stock exchanges became increasingly dominated by a particular type of masculinity—conformist, conservative, and competitive—which made women’s membership difficult to imagine. Though some supporters of women’s suffrage spoke in favour of women in finance, they often did so in ways that inadvertently entrenched the idea of stockbroking being essentially a masculine pursuit. These attitudes made it difficult—thought not entirely impossible—for women to succeed in finance in the long term.
Something in the City
Authors: Taylor James
Published: February 2025

Focusing on a cohort of eleven, Chapter 6 explores the shifting employment landscape for women stockbrokers after the Second World War. Women continued to be active in smaller provincial firms, but there was a significant expansion of opportunities at the bigger City firms. Stockbroking’s declining cachet among young men, attracted by careers in industry, forced brokerages to change traditional recruitment practices, and women graduates were well placed to take advantage. In addition, the shift towards professional examinations in the 1960s gave women a chance to prove their abilities, a ‘qualifications lever’ that opened stockbroking to more women than hitherto. These developments were matched by a partial ‘feminization’ of high finance, including banking and financial journalism. The chapter explores women’s professional identities, finding a dwindling involvement with women’s clubs and organizations, and a growing hostility to feminism. Women stockbrokers denied that their sex was relevant to their careers, an approach which celebrated finance as a meritocracy but which made it harder to challenge workplace cultures in which women continued to face dilemmas, difficulties, and pressures not experienced by most men.
A co-designed conceptual model for implementing falls prevention programmes for community-dwelling older adults in Singapore: a systems thinking approach
Authors: Koh Vanessa Jean Wen , Matchar David Bruce , Visaria Abhijit , Lai Wei Xuan , Goh Jing Wen , Poh Joann , Ginting Mimaika Luluina , Ho Vanda Wen Teng , Hosain Hozaidah , Ismail Noor Hafizah Binte , Lien Christopher , Lim Doris Yanshan , Merchant Reshma Aziz , Soh Shawn Leng Hsien , Chan Angelique Wei-Ming
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Implementing falls prevention programmes in the community presents numerous challenges. We sought to understand the dynamics between the determinants influencing implementation to develop a common conceptual model describing the complexities of implementing falls prevention programmes in Singapore.

Methods

A full-day group model building workshop with a series of structured activities was organised with 31 multidisciplinary stakeholders. Stakeholders who attended include healthcare professionals of different specialities (i.e. geriatrics, rehabilitation medicine, physiotherapy, nursing), community-based voluntary welfare organisations, researchers and policymakers.

Results

A causal loop diagram was developed to illustrate the determinants influencing implementation of community-based fall prevention programmes. It revealed factors driving key implementation and service outcomes in supply and demand of such programmes. Determinants of these outcomes were synthesised into four themes: (i) structural factors affecting the management and resource allocation for community-based falls prevention programmes, (ii) participation in programmes affected by older adults’ willingness and ability to participate, (iii) perceived value as a composite of costs and benefits, and (iv) social support and exercise self-efficacy motivating long-term adherence. Furthermore, in our analysis of feedback relationships, two organisational behaviours were identified: unsustainable growth due to resource constraints (Limits to Growth) and tensions between executing symptomatic or fundamental solutions (Eroding Goals). Stakeholders also explored strategies for effective implementation.

Conclusions

A conceptual model describing the dynamics of implementing community-based fall prevention programmes was developed. This informed the formulation of a National Falls Prevention Framework, a priority action step for the effective implementation of these programmes in Singapore.
A qualitative study regarding older people’s goals of care in relation to frailty status: finding meaning in ‘smaller things’ in life
Authors: van der Klei Veerle M G T H , van den Bos Frederiek , Mooijaart Simon P , Julien Anneke G , Maissan Mabel J E , van Raaij Bas F M , Festen Jan , Gussekloo Jacobijn , Drewes Yvonne M
Published: February 2025

Background

Increasingly frailty assessment is part of the shared decision-making process of older patients. However, little is known of the role of frailty in goals of care among the diverse group of older persons.

Objective

To explore the role of frailty in older people’s perspectives on goals of care in case of acute and/or severe disease.

Methods

We conducted semi-structured interviews with people aged ≥70 years in the Netherlands (n = 26), which were purposively sampled based on a self-reported Clinical Frailty Scale. The interviews were analysed using thematic content analysis to compare frailty subgroups.

Results

Three themes regarding goals of care emerged: (1) preserving well-being in one’s lifeworld through life goals; (2) goals related to care, as access to appropriate care, good contact with care professionals and a dignified end-of-life; (3) differences in attainment and adaptation of goals of care according to frailty status. The first two themes appeared to be independent of frailty status. However, differences were seen in theme 3, as fit older people primarily strengthened their capacity to attain goals of care, while frail older people primarily adapted the meaning ascribed to goals of care and had higher acceptance of the life cycle.

Conclusion

Goals of care that older people want to attain are driven by life goals, independent of frailty. Therefore, older people with varying frailty status could be treated similarly in goal-setting and life goals. However, different support may be needed for the attainment and adaptation of their goals of care.
The TIE-93: a Facial Emotion Recognition Test Adapted for Culturally, Linguistically, and Educationally Diverse Alzheimer’s Dementia Patients in France
Authors: Bourdage Renelle , Franzen Sanne , Palisson Juliette , Maillet Didier , Belin Catherine , Joly Charlotte , Papma Janne , Garcin Béatrice , Narme Pauline
Published: February 2025

Objective

Emotion recognition tests are essential for differential diagnostics when assessing patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia. However, there remains a lack of emotion recognition tests appropriate for culturally and educationally diverse populations. The aim of this study was to develop an emotion recognition test (the TIE-93) appropriate for these populations. We then examined whether the TIE-93 could reduce emotion recognition performance differences between populations with a native French versus a culturally and educationally diverse background (participants who had immigrated to France). This was assessed by comparing performance between controls of each cultural group. We also assessed the effect of demographic variables on TIE-93 test performance and whether performance in an AD patient group was consistent with the research literature.

Methods

Fifty-seven patients with AD dementia and 240 healthy controls, from native French and culturally and educationally diverse backgrounds, were included in the study. The TIE-93 is composed of eight panels with photos of actors displaying six basic emotions. Participants were asked to identify which of the six facial expressions displayed matched an oral description of a context.

Results

When comparing French and culturally and educationally diverse controls, Quade’s ANCOVA revealed that there remained an effect of culture and education on TIE-93 test performance. Nonetheless, while controlling for years of education, age, sex, and cultural group, patients with AD dementia scored significantly more poorly than controls, specifically for most negative emotions.

Conclusion

The TIE-93 represents a first step toward developing appropriate emotion recognition tests for culturally and educationally diverse populations.
BADGER: Biologically-Aware Interpretable Differential Gene Expression Ranking Model
Authors: Kim Hajung , Gim Mogan , Baek Seungheun , Park Soyon , Kim Sunkyu , Kang Jaewoo
Published: February 2025

Understanding which genes are significantly affected by drugs is crucial for drug repurposing, as drugs targeting specific pathways in one disease might be effective in another with similar genetic profiles. By analyzing gene expression changes in cells before and after drug treatment, we can identify the genes most impacted by drugs. The Biologically-Aware Interpretable Differential Gene Expression Ranking (BADGER) model is an interpretable model designed to predict gene expression changes resulting from interactions between cancer cell lines and chemical compounds. The model enhances explainability through integration of prior knowledge about drug targets via pathway information, handles novel cancer cell lines through similarity-based embedding, and employs three attention blocks that mimic the cascading effects of chemical compounds. This model overcomes previous limitations of cell line range and explainability constraints in drug-cell response studies. The model demonstrates superior performance over baselines in both unseen cell and unseen pair split evaluations, showing robust prediction capabilities for untested drug-cell line combinations. This makes it particularly valuable for drug repurposing scenarios, especially in developing therapeutic plans for new or resistant diseases by leveraging similarities with other diseases.
‘Why on Earth Aren’t You Doing Anything?’: Private and Voluntary Policing of Nightlife in Norway
Authors: Foshaugen Marina Hiller
Published: February 2025

This paper explores the role of private security guards and volunteers from ‘The Night Ravens’, and their contribution to the policing of nightlife in Norway. One of their functions in this context is to ‘observe and report’ if they witness deviant, severe or illegal activity. However, the situations they encounter, and expectations associated with their role, may problematize this intended function. This paper analyses experiences and self-understandings of these actors’ practices and argues that conflicting norms affect their role when policing the nightlife. Through observations and interviews with bouncers and Night Raven volunteers, empirical data shows that their organizational mandate, the situations they encounter and relations to others poses different considerations that potentially create tension regarding their role and agency.
The AI Doctor Will See You Now: Public Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
Authors: Horst Carolyn , Aniq Muhammad , Taylor-Gee Alice , Wong Jennifer , Goh Vicky
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is a growing field of research and clinical application. The views of the general public, ie future healthcare users, need to be surveyed and interpreted so that researchers and the public have a shared understanding of the appropriate use of AI. Currently, there is only limited data on the public’s views.

Methods

An anonymous, quantitative questionnaire was administered as part of a public exhibition on AI. The questionnaire was based on previously validated questions designed to assess respondents’ views on the use of AI in healthcare. Brief demographic data were also collected.

Results

The population surveyed was more diverse and younger than the general UK population (65% white, 45% aged 18-29). Respondents were largely comfortable with the application of AI in healthcare: 80% felt positively about its use, 56% thought it would be safe. 70% did not feel that it would replace doctors, and most would not be happy for AI to make decisions without considering their feelings.

Conclusions

Our study shows that the population we surveyed, particularly young future healthcare users, are comfortable with the use of AI in healthcare, but do not see it as a replacement for doctors.

Advances in knowledge

This paper highlights views from the general public on the use of AI in healthcare, which is largely under researched.
Dithienobenzimidazole-Based Semiconducting Polymer for Nonfullerene Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Mikie Tsubasa , Ono Shohei , Hada Momoka , Osaka Itaru
Published: February 2025

Creation of thiophene-fused building unit is pivotal for development of high-performance organic semiconductors for organic electronics. Herein we report the design and synthesis of dithienobenzimidazole (DTBI) as a novel building unit for semiconducting polymers. The absorption spectrum of the DTBI-based polymer POBI were red-shifted by 20–60 nm relative to that of the polymers based on related building units, owing to the enhanced quinoidal character of DTBI. Photovoltaic cells based on POBI paired with a benchmark nonfullerene acceptor Y6 provided a power conversion efficiency of up to 6.3%. The photovoltaic performance of the POBI:Y6 blend film was characterized in terms of its crystallinity, morphology, and charge carrier transport properties.
Developmental plasticity to pond drying has carryover costs on metamorph performance
Authors: Wu Nicholas C , Fuh Nien-Tse , Borzée Amaël , Wu Chi-Shiun , Kam Yeong-Choy , Chuang Ming-Feng
Published: February 2025

Increasing variable hydroperiods may leave ectotherms with complex life cycles more vulnerable to the impacts of environmental drying. While developmental plasticity may enable some species to escape drying ponds, this plasticity might result in trade-offs with performance and subsequent fitness in adults. Here, we used rice paddy frogs (Fejervarya limnocharis) to test how pond drying influences the developmental plasticity of tadpoles, and the resulting carryover effects on body size and jumping performance. We predicted that tadpoles under simulated drought conditions (2–0.25 cm depth) compared to low stable water level conditions (0.25 cm depth) would develop faster, and the resulting metamorphs would be smaller and exhibit lower jumping performance. We show that tadpoles in drying conditions had a faster developmental rate than tadpoles in stable low water level treatments. The size of metamorphs from the drying treatment was similar to the high-water treatments (2 cm depth), but maximum jumping distance of individuals from the drying condition was lower than that of the high-water treatment. These results indicate that drying conditions for F. limnocharis increase development rate without a reduction in size at metamorphosis, but with poorer mass-independent locomotor performance, which can potentially impact their survival.
Feasibility of coronary access after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI): a systematic review and metanalysis of observational studies
Authors: Giacobbe Federico , Morena Arianna , Bruno Francesco , Nebiolo Marco , De Filippo Ovidio , Odeh Yasser , Pietro Gianluca Di , Cabau Josep Rodes , Conrotto Federico , Kini Annapoorna , Giannino Giuseppe , Latib Azeem , Omedé Pierluigi , Noble Stephane , La Torre Michele William , Barbanti Marco , Tarantini Giuseppe , Kim Won-Keun , Blumenstein Johannes , Boukantar Madjid , Htun Wan Wan , de Ferrari Gaetano Maria , Salizzoni Stefano , D'Ascenzo Fabrizio
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The expanding indications for transcatheter aortic valve implatation (TAVI) to younger, lower-risk patients, entails assessing not only the short-term clinical outcomes but also the long-term considerations for future interventions. The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in TAVI patients is relevant, and the optimal timing of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a question.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature review and meta analysis including 20 eligible studies involving 1660 patients who underwent coronary angiography after TAVI. The primary endpoint was the incidence of successful selective coronary re-access. Secondary endpoints included semi-selective and non-selective access rates. The analysis was stratified by balloon-expandable (BEVs) and self-expandable valve (SEVs) types.

Results

Successful coronary access after TAVI was feasible in the majority of patients, with a higher success rate observed for the left main (LM) compared to the right coronary artery (RCA). BEVs demonstrated the highest success rates in coronary ostia cannulation, achieving nearly 100% success for both LM and RCA. Among SEVs, the Acurate Neo and Evolut R/PRO showed superior success rates in selective coronary access (68% and 77% for LM; 57% and 72% for RCA, respectively) compared to the CoreValve (46% for LM and 49% for RCA). Notably, the majority of coronary angiograms were performed due to acute coronary syndrome, primarily non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and unstable angina (UA).

Conclusions

Selective coronary engagement after TAVI is generally achievable, with BEVs demonstrating superior success rates compared to SEVs. Among SEVs, the Acurate NEO showed better outcomes than the other types.
May Measurement Month 2022: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Armenia
Authors: Zelveian Parounak , Hakobyan Zoya , Gharibyan Heghine , Aroyan Siranush , Melkonyan Arevik , Hazarapetyan Lusine , Grigoryan Svetlana , Beaney Thomas , Kerr Gabriele , Poulter Neil R
Published: February 2025

The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was carried out in Armenia in 2022 with the aim of raising awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Here, we report on the findings of the campaign.

Adults aged ≥18 years were recruited opportunistically in public areas, both indoor and outdoor, as well as in primary and secondary healthcare centers. Three seated BP readings were taken for each participant, along with completion of a questionnaire on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg or being on antihypertensive medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on antihypertensive medication with a BP <140/90 mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate any missing BP readings. In total, 11 618 participants were screened, with a mean age of 52.4 (SD 16.5) years and 55.7% of whom were female. Of all participants, 5999 (51.6%) had hypertension, of whom 3729 (62.2%) were aware, and 3203 (53.4%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 1130 (35.3%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, only 18.8% had controlled BP. In total, 4869 (41.9%) were found to have either untreated or inadequately treated hypertension.

The MMM campaign in Armenia identified significant numbers of participants with either untreated or inadequately treated hypertensives. We found that the percentage of hypertensives who are not adequately treated is still substantial in Armenia, which is a vital contributor to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. MMM is a pragmatic and reasonably inexpensive tool to improve public awareness of BP in the general population.
Social inequalities in the effects of school-based well-being interventions: a systematic review
Authors: Haataja Eetu , Leppä Heidi , Huhtiniemi Mikko , Nedelec Rozenn , Soini Tiina , Jaakkola Timo , Niemelä Mika , Tammelin Tuija , Kantomaa Marko
Published: February 2025

Rising public concern about comprehensive child and adolescent well-being has led to the development of school-based interventions with the potential for high-reaching and effective support. While some interventions have shown effectiveness, limited understanding exists regarding how social inequalities are considered and evidenced in such interventions. This study examines how social inequalities are considered in universal school-based interventions and their potential to affect inequalities through differential effects. A systematic review following the PRISMA protocol was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, ProQuest and APA PsycArticles. Studies published between 2014 and 2023 were included. Screening and data extraction were conducted independently by two researchers. Of 10 028 initial articles, 44 were included in the final analysis. These studies primarily involved physical activity and mindfulness interventions in schools. Despite many studies including information regarding students’ social backgrounds, such as socioeconomic position and immigrant background, the analysis of differential intervention effects among demographic groups was limited and mostly based on sex. Most differential effect analyses showed no significant differences based on social background, and no clear differences were found based on intervention type. While some universal school-based interventions show promise in reducing social inequalities in students’ well-being, more empirical research is needed to explicitly target these questions. This review highlights the critical need for comprehensive intervention studies to consider and report relevant dimensions of social background and their interactions with intervention effects.

Trial registration

PROSPERO; registration no. CRD42023423448
Characterizing heterologous protein burden in Komagataella phaffii
Authors: Kastberg Louise La Barbera , Jacobsen Irene Hjorth , Özdemir Emre , Workman Christopher T , Jensen Michael Krogh , Förster Jochen
Published: February 2025

Yeast is a widely utilized chassis for heterologous protein production, with Komagataella phaffii well-established as a prominent non-conventional yeast in this field. Despite its widespread recognition, there remains considerable potential to further optimize these cell factories to meet high production demands in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. Understanding the cellular response to the challenges of heterologous protein production can equip genetic engineers with crucial knowledge to develop enhanced strategies for constructing more efficient cell factories. In this study, we explore the molecular response of various K. phaffii strains that produce either the human insulin precursor or Mambalgin-1, examining changes in transcription and changes in intra- and extracellular protein levels. Our findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate the behaviour of K. phaffii production strains under the stress of producing different heterologous proteins. We believe that these results will serve as a foundation for identifying new genetic targets to improve strain robustness and productivity. In conclusion, we present new cellular and molecular insights into the response of K. phaffii cell factories to the challenges of burdensome heterologous protein production and our findings point to different engineering strategies for improved cell factory performance.
Differential gene expression and unbalanced homeolog expression bias in 4 million-year-old allopolyploids of Nicotiana section Repandae
Authors: Ostovar Talieh , Landis Jacob B , McCarthy Elizabeth W , Sierro Nicolas , Litt Amy
Published: February 2025

Allopolyploidy, a phenomenon prevalent in angiosperms involving hybridization and whole-genome duplication, results in species with multiple subgenomes, altering genome structure and gene expression, leading to novel phenotypes. Allopolyploids often experience unbalanced homeolog expression bias, the preferential expression of homeologs from one of the two progenitor genomes. To explore the consequences of allopolyploidy and unbalanced homeolog expression bias, we investigate global gene expression and the fate of homeologs in Nicotiana (Solanaceae). We focus on Nicotiana section Repandae, including three allotetraploid species, N. nudicaulis, N. repanda, and N. stocktonii, derived from diploid progenitors N. sylvestris and N. obtusifolia ∼4.3 million years ago. We identify genes with differential expression and investigate expression of candidate genes for flower size variation. Our results show expression differences with the allopolyploids intermediate between the two progenitor species, with a slight bias toward N. obtusifolia. Moreover, we demonstrate unbalanced homeolog expression bias toward the N. obtusifolia subgenome across developmental stages in the allopolyploids, with a stronger bias in N. nudicaulis. In contrast, unbalanced homeolog expression bias shifts toward N. sylvestris for flower size genes in N. nudicaulis, showing that genes involved in particular phenotypes can display different patterns of unbalanced homeolog expression than the overall transcriptome. We also see differential expression of several known flower size genes across corolla developmental stages. Our results highlight the role of unbalanced homeolog expression bias in shaping the evolutionary trajectory of Nicotiana species and provide a foundation for future research into the ecological and evolutionary implications of allopolyploidy in flowering plants.
Integration of digital phenotyping, GWAS and transcriptomic analysis revealed a key gene for bud size in tea plant (Camellia sinensis)
Authors: Zhang Shuran , Chen Si , Fu Zhilu , Li Fang , Chen Qiyu , Ma Jianqiang , Chen Yuanquan , Chen Liang , Chen Jiedan
Published: February 2025

Tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is among the most significant beverage crops globally. The size of tea buds not only directly affects the yield and quality of fresh leaves, but also plays a key role in determining the suitability of different types of tea. Analyzing the genetic regulation mechanism of tea bud size is crucial for enhancing tea cultivars and boosting tea yield. In this study, a digital phenotyping technology was utilized to collected morphological characteristics of the apical buds of 280 tea accessions of representative germplasm at the ‘two and a bud’ stage. Genetic diversity analysis revealed that the length, width, perimeter, and area of tea buds followed a normal distribution and exhibited considerable variation across natural population of tea plants. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of phenotypic extreme materials revealed a strong negative correlation between the expression levels of four KNOX genes and tea bud size. A key candidate gene, CsKNOX6, was confirmed by further genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Its function was preliminarily characterized by heterologous transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of CsKNOX6 reduced the leaf area in transgenic plants, which initially determined that it is a key gene negatively regulating bud size. These findings enhance our understanding of the role of KNOX genes in tea plants and provides some references for uncovering the genetic regulatory mechanisms behind tea bud size.
HemeTEAM India: Together Everyone Achieves More
Authors: Rahul Bhargava , Shrinidhi Nathany , Vikas Dua , Ritu Garg , Arun Danewa , Arun Danewa , Sohini Chakraborty , Neha Panda Rastogi , Aastha Gupta , Aastha Gupta , Madhur Arora , Chitresh Yadav , Kumar Nikhil M , Anusha Swaminathan , Akash Jaiswal , Richa Soni , Swati Bhayana , Sunisha Arora , Singh Surbhi , Prerna Mahajan , Karthika Rudrakumar , Paritosh Garg , Aakriti Kothari , Kanika Verma , Manish Saini , Varma Haristuti , Shikha Singh , Nursing Sukhdeep , Poonam Nursing , Veronica Nursing , Kiran Nursing
Published: February 2025

Background

Interprofessional team-based care has been known to aid in better patient focused care and outcomes. However, the same concept in the space of BMT (bone marrow transplant) especially in this part of the world is currently elusive. This single center experience from a BMT unit of India depicts the effectiveness of interdisciplinary care.

Methods

An interdisciplinary team was built and experts from different medical and allied specialties were onboarded along with establishment of state-of-the-art laboratories. The conceptualization of an integrative approach and development of HemeTEAM India began in 2020, and implementation in 2021. The evaluation of outcomes was performed on 31 December, 2020, and on 31st July, 2024 to compare the differences in outcomes after implementation of HemeTEAM India

Results

A total of 550 transplants were conducted before 2021. From 2021 to 2024, 500 more transplants were done. The day 100 mortality, hospital acquired infection rate and antibiotic stewardship reduced by ~70% after 2021. The uptake of genomics-based testing increased to 95%, with genetically informed treatment in 65%. The average length of hospital stay reduced from 21 days to 19 days and ICU stay from 7 days to 3 days. The net profit increase from 12%to 16%, with a cost benefit of ~$10000 to the patient.

Conclusion

This is a single center experience, depicting the effect of an integrative team base approach in a BMT unit providing holistic interdisciplinary care in India. This is the largest and the first of its kind hematology team in the country, and South East Asia, where all aspects for a hematology/transplant patient are available in a single consultation
Heteroresistance associated with the production of fosfomycin-resistant inner colonies during disk diffusion testing among a geographically diverse collection of Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates
Authors: Bixby Morgan L , Collins Lindsey B , Daley Ellora C , Salay Jenna M , Oliver Sofia , Bryson Alexandra L , Hirsch Elizabeth B
Published: February 2025

Background

Fosfomycin susceptibility breakpoints apply only to Escherichia coli despite clinical use against Klebsiella pneumoniae. EUCAST and CLSI have different breakpoints and guidelines for disk diffusion (DD) interpretation that are frequently extrapolated to K. pneumoniae. Guidelines differ in interpreting inner colonies (IC) that grow within the zone of inhibition, but specificity to E. coli leaves knowledge gaps when extrapolating to other uropathogens.

Objectives

To examine the frequency and MIC of K. pneumoniae IC during fosfomycin DD testing and to determine potential relationships between IC production, heteroresistance and fosA presence.

Methods

A collection of K. pneumoniae clinical isolates (n = 262) and their IC (n = 116) underwent broth microdilution testing. Heteroresistance screening and PCR for fosA was performed on susceptible isolates that either never produced (NP) IC (n = 14) or produced ≥5 resistant IC (n = 43).

Results

The MIC range (≤2 to >256 mg/L) of clinical isolates increased to 32 to >1024 mg/L for the IC collection with a median MIC increase of three, 2-fold dilutions. IC producers had 1.71 greater odds (P < 0.01) of a positive heteroresistance screen compared to NP isolates. No relationship was found between fosA presence and either IC production or heteroresistance.

Conclusions

Production of ≥5 IC among clinical K. pneumoniae isolates was frequent and often resulted in an increased IC isolate MIC. Significantly greater odds of heteroresistance among IC producers were found when compared to NP isolates. Thus, presence of IC during fosfomycin DD testing should prompt avoidance of fosfomycin treatment.
“A Leg Lamp Story”
Authors: Larnerd Joseph H
Published: February 2025

I cannot see the leg lamp from the film A Christmas Story (directed by Bob Clark, 1983) without going back to the night my dad walked into our home with a nail in his foot. His injury eventually led to a partial leg amputation. This piece of reflective writing interweaves research on the leg lamp—an understudied icon of twentieth-century decorative arts in the United States—through recollections of my dad’s life.
Diverse roles of ethylene in maize growth and development and its importance in shaping plant architecture
Authors: Aragón-Raygoza Alejandro , Strable Josh
Published: February 2025

The gaseous plant hormone ethylene is a key developmental and growth regulator, and a pivotal endogenous response signal to abiotic and biotic interactions, including stress. Much of what is known about ethylene biosynthesis, perception and signaling comes from decades of research primarily in Arabidopsis thaliana and other eudicot model systems. In contrast, detailed knowledge on the ethylene pathway and response to the hormone is markedly limited in maize (Zea mays L.), a global cereal crop that is a major source of calories for humans and livestock, as well as a key industrial biofeedstock. Recent reports of forward screens and targeted reverse genetics have provided important insight into conserved and unique differences of the ethylene pathway and downstream responses. Natural and edited allelic variation in the promoter regions and coding sequences of ethylene biosynthesis and signaling genes alters maize shoot and root architectures, and plays a crucial role in biomass and grain yields. This review discusses recent advances in ethylene research in maize with an emphasis on ethylene’s role in regulating growth and development of the shoot and root systems, and ultimately how this crucial hormone impacts plant architecture and grain yield.