bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Service robots – the end of the beginning?
Authors: Schofield Monica
Published: July 2002

This paper takes a critical look at the progress of the commercialisation of service robots. For over 20 years researchers and developers have been trying to develop robots for service or household applications. So far the forecast market potential has not been achieved. Service robots through the nature of their target applications are highly price sensitive and up to now the cost of sensors and controllers has proved prohibitively expensive. The commitment of Siemens to the development of a general purpose controller for mobile robots may provide industry with a much needed standard platform on which to develop commercial systems, but these need to become more user than developer orientated.
The framework for recovery
Authors: Rooks Brian W.
Published: July 2002

Presents a case history of Stoves, a Liverpool‐based domestic cooker manufacturer after its buy‐in management buy‐out. Details how the company achieved success, and turned around a loss‐making operation to achieve before‐tax‐profits of £4.3 million in 1995/6.
Features Rapid prototyping wins widespread acceptance
Authors: Kochan Anna
Published: July 2002

Describes new technology used by recently introduced low‐cost 3D printing machines and the application of these machines as concept modellers. Reports on the new Kira machine, the first RP machine to be exported from Japan. Outlines new materials that have been developed to improve the performance and functionality of prototypes.
A shorter product development time with digital mock‐up
Authors: Rooks Brian
Published: July 2002

Digital prototyping is becoming a major tool in the fight to shorten product lead times. A further development is digital mock‐up that allows designers to investigate the “assemblability” of a product and the constraints imposed by manufacturing processes. The leading software system for digital mock‐up is DYNAMO, developed by Tecnomatix Technologies. The attributes and benefits of this computer‐aided production engineering (CAPE) tool are discussed and its link to other CAPE products highlighted. Many of the major automotive companies are now adopting DYNAMO and the experience of Rover in particular is related.
Automotive industry looks for lean production
Authors: Kochan Anna
Published: July 2002

Reviews new automotive assembly plants in Europe. Outlines the lean production techniques Daimler‐Benz is using for the new Mercedes A‐Class. Describes the flexible NedCar facility which makes Volvos and Mitsubishis on the same production line. Explains the benefits Skoda has obtained by integrating suppliers into its new assembly facility for the Octavia.
The validation of sociocybernetic models
Authors: van der Zouwen Johannes
Published: July 2002

In a computer simulation experiment, the sociocybernetic concepts of self‐referencing control, disturbances from the environment, goal‐oriented behaviour, and morphogenesis are subsequently included in a model. With this model, a large variety of trajectories with quite different behaviours can be generated by only minor changes of initials and coefficients, which leave the structure of the model fully intact. Shows that the same trajectory can be generated by models which have a completely different structure. Thus, the “fit” between observed and generated trajectories is an insufficient criterion to warrant decisions regarding acceptance or rejection of the model, and the theory behind it. Additional criteria have to be introduced in model‐testing methodology. The sociocybernetic concept of self‐referentiality even requires a radical change in this methodology.
Information and self‐organization ‐ a new approach via self‐divergence of Markovian processes
Authors: Jumarie Guy
Published: July 2002

In the information theoretic framework, it is customary to address the problem of defining and analyzing complexity and organization of systems either by using Shannon entropy, via Jaynes maximum entropy principle, or by means of the so‐called Kullback informational divergence which measures the informational distance between two probability distributions. In the present paper, it is shown that the so‐called self‐divergence of Markovian processes can be a useful complement in this approach. After a short background on entropy and organization, we recall the definition of divergence of Markovian processes, and then it is used to analyze organization and complexity. We arrive at a principle of maximum self‐divergence which characterizes systems with maximum organization.
Improving the sizeability of some sizing materials based on starch composites
Authors: Abdel‐Mohdy F.A.
Published: July 2002

Starch/carboxymethylstarch‐poly (acrylonitrile, acrylamide, vinyl acetate) composites have been successfully prepared through polymerization of acrylonitrile, acrylamide or vinyl acetate with starch or carboxymethyl starch (CMS) using ceric‐ion type CeIV catalyst. The obtained composites were saponified using alcoholic KOH solution. Regardless of the composite used, results obtained led to the following: (a) enhancement of solubility percent as compared with starch and CMS; (b) the size removal reaches 100 percent for a given set of desizing condition used; (c) the tensile strength and elongation at break increase with sizing, while crease recovery decreases; (d) sizing treatment in the presence of the prepared composites gives positive influence on the abrasion resistance; and (e) incorporation of CMS in composite form in the sizing formulation exerts a considerable positive influence on the performance properties of the sized fabrics as compared with other sizing agents under investigation.
Analysis of crack growth in solder joints
Authors: Shangguan Dongkai
Published: July 2002

Understanding crack growth in solder joints is important for predicting the fatigue life of solder interconnects. In this paper, crack propagation in solder joints made of two solder alloys, 62Sn/36Pb/2Ag (by weight), a commonly used solder paste for SMT reflow applications, and 96.5Sn/3.5Ag (by weight), a lead‐free solder alloy, was examined during thermal cycling. Based on these observations, the rate of crack propagation was estimated. Microstructural changes in the solder during thermal cycling were also studied.
An assessment of Community interest, Community dimension and decentralisation in EU competition policy
Authors: Davison Leigh M. , Fitzpatrick Edmund
Published: July 2002

The paper discusses how the Commission is shaping a decentralisation policy in the antitrust field. The paper details the procedural architecture ‐ “degrees of priority”, “preconditions for decentralisation” and “Community interest” ‐ which gives the Commission sole discretion to decide whether an antitrust case is dealt with by Brussels or is referred to a Member State. It reveals that the decentralisation procedure has been set up by the Commission, with the blessing of the Community courts, but with little real consultation with the Member States. The paper points out that the decision whether to decentralise turns on a new, qualitative and Commission decided Community interest test. The paper emphasises that the Community interest test runs in parallel with ‐ and has a similar function to ‐ a number of decentralisation provisions which already exist. The final section of the paper contrasts Community interest as a decentralisation test with the rival, and pre‐existing, quantitative approach to decentralisation ‐ the Community dimension test ‐ contained in the EC Merger Control Regulation (MCR). It explains that both tests have strengths and weaknesses and that the recent reform of the MCR has not fully addressed these concerns in respect to Community dimension. The paper’s main conclusion is that the Commission’s appropriation of the ability to decide which Member States are competent to deal with decentralised antitrust cases has created the possibility of a fragmented or two‐speed Europe in competition regulation.
Integral transformation of elliptic problems within irregular domains
Authors: Barbuto Fausto A.A. , Machado Cotta Renato
Published: July 2002

Employs the integral transform method in the hybrid numerical‐analytical solution of fully developed laminar flow within a class of irregularly shaped ducts, with respect to the co‐ordinate system chosen to represent the geometry under consideration. A quite general formulation of a two‐dimensional steady‐state diffusion problem is initially considered, and a formal solution is provided. The original partial differential equation is analytically transformed into an infinite system of ordinary differential equations for the transformed velocity field in the flow direction. On truncation to a sufficiently large finite order, adaptively chosen to meet prescribed accuracy requirements, well‐established numerical schemes for boundary value problems are utilized, readily available in scientific subroutines libraries. Illustrates convergence rates for a few typical duct geometries and critically examines previously reported numerical solutions.
An unconditionally stable method for air motion inside cylinders
Authors: Abrugia Gerardo , Amato Umberto
Published: July 2002

A mixed implicit semi Lagrangian finite difference‐finite volume method for numerical simulation of 2D air motion inside cylinders is derived and discussed. A conformal mapping from a physical (moving) domain to a computational (fixed) one is resorted in order to deal with a grid independent of time, making the numerical code very efficient. The numerical method is mass and energy conservative, unconditionally stable and at each timestep requires the solution of two well structured five‐band systems of linear equations. Its accuracy is first order in time and second one in space where the solution is smooth, while due to FCT space accuracy drops to the first order where the solution is steep. Stability of the method is proved both by a classical Von Newmann analysis and analysis of the matrices involved in the systems of linear equations. All these elements make the numerical method particularly fast. Numerical experiments are performed that show the influence of the maximum Courant number (with respect to the fluid speed) on the performance of the numerical method; moreover, comparison of simulations with a major existing code for engines is worked out.
Modelling of heat transfer coupled with columnar dendritic growth in continuous casting of steel
Authors: M’Hamdi M. , Combeau H. , Lesoult G.
Published: July 2002

The general aim of this work is to calculate the extent of the equiaxed zone in continuously cast steel products. Free equiaxed grains can grow only in undercooled liquid regions. Undercooling of the bulk liquid occurs because the columnar dendrite tips growing from the mould reject solutes in the liquid. The specific aim of this contribution is to calculate the thermal and physical state of continuously cast steel long products assuming a columnar solidification mode, taking into account the tip undercooling at the solidification front. A 2‐D heat transfer model has been developed where the columnar solidification mode is assumed. The calculation of the undercooling at the advancing solidification front is coupled with the heat transfer equation. The comparison between the results of the present model and the classical heat transfer model indicates the importance of modelling the undercooling phenomenon. The influence of the secondary cooling has also been studied.
Lewis‐Ransing correlation to optimally design the metal‐mould heat transfer
Authors: Ransing R.S. , Lewis R.W. , Gethin D.T.
Published: July 2002

Heat transfer across the metal‐mould interface has been modelled by a generalized equation referred to as the Lewis‐Ransing Correlation. It has been shown that the spatial as well as temporal variation of the interfacial heat transfer coefficient can be optimally designed to achieve a desired solidification pattern. The technique has been validated on two practical examples achieving a complex solidification pattern.
The Behavioural Aspects of Quality Assurance
Authors: Vinten Gerald
Published: July 2002

The behavioural aspects of educational quality assurance receive almost
no recognition or comment. The process is represented solely by the
written reports, which are the end product. Nevertheless, anecdotally it
is known that such exercises make an impact both in their anticipation
and in their implementation. The thinking behind them, the way they are
structured, and the form of the organizations which underpin them, are
the product of a political philosophy, as well as of consultation with
various interested parties. Much is at risk if an institution is judged
unsatisfactory, and so the final wrap‐up meeting has the potential to be
fraught. There are parallels in all this with the internal audit
process, and there is the advantage that detailed studies have been
conducted of the behavioural aspects of this activity. Draws out the
repercussions of this on educational quality assurance.
Context specificity and quality continuing professional education.
Part 1: beyond the market
Authors: Tovey Philip
Published: July 2002

The first of two related articles examining quality assurance in
university continuing professional education (CPE). First provides a
critique of the potential for the institutionalization of quality CPE
which is offered by BS 5750. A discussion relating to both the
fundamental character of the standard and to key issues and themes
concerning its implementation in education is developed. Argues that BS
5750 is fundamentally inappropriate for university CPE – it is
seen to be vulnerable in ideological, practical, financial and
organizational terms. Concludes that an understanding of, and mechanisms
for, quality must be established in terms specific to context; provides
the linchpin of the framework proposed in the second article.
Benchmarking brand management in the creative industry
Authors: Andriopoulos Constantine , Gotsi Manto
Published: July 2002

This paper identifies benchmarks in relation to brand management practices in the creative industry. Based on the findings of three case studies we propose an empirical framework explaining the interrelationships among five employee management practices, individual/team creativity and corporate brand building. We conclude that creative organisations need to recognise their employees’ creative output as their key asset towards successful brand building and hence should aim to provide their employees with the appropriate environment for enhancing creativity in their work.
An engineered leucine zipper a position mutant with an unusual three‐state unfolding pathway
Authors: Zhu Hai , Celinski Scott A. , Scholtz J. Martin , Hu James C.
Published: July 2002

The leucine zipper is a dimeric coiled‐coil structural motif consisting of four to six heptad repeats, designated (abcdefg)n. In the GCN4 leucine zipper, a position 16 in the third heptad is occupied by an Asn residue whereas the other a positions are Val residues. Recently, we have constructed variants of the GCN4 leucine zipper in which the a position Val residues were replaced by Ile. The folding and unfolding of the wild‐type GCN4 leucine zipper and the Val to Ile variant both adhere to a simple two‐state mechanism. In this study, another variant of the GCN4 leucine zipper was constructed by moving the single Asn residue from a position 16 to a position 9. This switch causes the thermal unfolding of the GCN4 leucine zipper to become three state. The unfolding pathway of this variant was determined by thermal denaturation, limited proteinase K digestion, and sedimentation equilibrium analysis. Our data are consistent with a model in which the variant first unfolds from its N terminus and changes the oligomerization specificity from a native dimer to a partially unfolded intermediate containing a mixture of dimers and trimers and then completely unfolds to unstructured monomers.
In vivo carbamylation and acetylation of water‐soluble human lens αB‐crystallin lysine 92
Authors: Lapko Veniamin N. , Smith David L. , Smith Jean B.
Published: July 2002

Several post‐translational modifications of lysine residues of lens proteins have been implicated in cataractogenesis. In the present study, the molecular weight of an α‐crystallin isolated from the water‐soluble portion of a cataractous human eye lens indicated that it was a modified αB‐crystallin. Further analysis by mass spectrometry of tryptic digests of this modified protein showed that Lys 92 was modified and that the sample was structurally heterogeneous. Lys 92 was acetylated in one population and carbamylated in another. Although carbamylation of lens crystallins has been predicted, this is the first documentation of in vivo carbamylation of a specific site. These results are also the first documentation of in vivo lysine acetylation of αB‐crystallin. Both modifications alter the net charge on αB‐crystallin, a feature that may have significance to cataractogenesis.
Differences in Arid Region Water Values Across Sectors: A Discussion of Potential Water Market Activity and Trading Barriers in South Central Texas
Authors: Fei Chengcheng J. , McCarl Bruce A. , Thayer Anastasia W. , Vargas Aurora , Yang Yingqian
Published: February 2025

In water‐scarce arid regions, water trading is often proposed to increase resource use efficiency. For a potential water market to function effectively, several conditions must be met, including clearly defined and limited water rights, varying water values among users, and the absence of barriers to transfer water. Conceptually, when high‐value users face water shortages due to drought or limited water rights, they may purchase or lease water rights from low‐value users. In this paper, we examine water use values across users in the arid water‐scarce region of South‐Central Texas, as a case study, using a mix of market and nonmarket valuation approaches. This mix of methodological approaches provides results based on actual purchases, comparable sales, land rental rates, source replacement, and water‐conserving investment. Our results show considerable differences among sectoral water use values, with the lowest in agriculture and the highest for municipalities, and energy fracking. These differences suggest the potential for a broader regional water market that would increase water usage efficiency. We also explore explanations for the differences, including a thorough discussion of issues involved with trading restrictions, industry characteristics, and physical geography.
A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study of Tea‐Drinking Habits and Risk of Elevated Serum Uric Acid Levels
Authors: Yan Weitian , Wang Xingqiang , Peng Zining , Deng Qian , Zhu Mengyuan , Meng Fanyu , Zhao Weiqing , Zhou Weijian , Liu Nian , Wu Jingjin , Peng Jiangyun
Published: February 2025

Background

Although recent animal experiments have revealed that tea intake improves elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels, a causal link between the consumption of different types of tea and SUA levels remains undetermined.

Methods

Bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis based on genome‐wide association studies was used to assess the causal relationship between consumption of different types of tea and the risk of elevated SUA levels in European and Asian populations.

Results

Forward MR analysis showed that tea intake was significantly associated with lower SUA levels (p = 0.0013). The estimated effect value (  −0.0440) suggests that for every 1‐unit increase in tea intake, there is a 0.044‐unit decrease in SUA levels. However, there is no reverse causality between SUA and tea intake (p = 0.2824). No causal relationship was found between the consumption of different types of tea and risk of elevated SUA levels (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Although this bidirectional MR study provided evidence of a causal relationship between tea intake and SUA levels, however, due to limitations associated with the sample size and strength of instrumental variables, a definite conclusion was not possible.
Factors Associated With Hallux Valgus Progression in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Insights From Non‐Weight‐Bearing Radiographs in the KURAMA Cohort
Authors: Ikezaki Tatsuhito , Murata Koichi , Fujii Takayuki , Onishi Akira , Murakami Kosaku , Tanaka Masao , Morinobu Akio , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: February 2025

Objectives

This longitudinal study investigated the factors associated with hallux valgus (HV) progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

We included 316 patients with RA who underwent foot radiography in 2015 and more than four years later. The HV angle (HVA), first‐second intermetatarsal angle (IMA), first‐fifth intermetatarsal angle (M1/M5 angle), and calcaneal pitch (CP) angle were measured. Sesamoid position on a non‐weight‐bearing radiograph was divided into seven grades with reference to the Hardy classification. Factors of HV progression were examined.

Results

During a mean follow‐up period of 6.1 years, HVA increased significantly. According to the grade of the sesamoid position, feet classified as grade VI or VII showed a greater change in HVA than those classified as below grade V. In feet below grade V, high disease activity, M1/M5 angle and right side were associated with the yearly increase > 1° in the HVA. For grades VI and VII, a large CP angle was correlated with greater annual changes in the HVA.

Conclusion

Sesamoid position relates with the increase in HVA in patients with RA. Disease activity, the existence of splay foot, and the right side are significant risk factors for an HVA increase in grades I to V.
Exploration and Identification of Potential Biomarkers and Immune Cell Infiltration Analysis in Synovial Tissue of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Liu Yan , Hu Huifang , Chen Tao , Zhu Chenxi , Sun Rui , Xu Jiayi , Liu Yi , Dai Lunzhi , Zhao Yi
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent autoimmune disease with synovial inflammation and hyperplasia, which can potentially cause degradation of articular cartilage, ultimately causing joint deformity, and impaired function. However, exact mechanisms underlying RA remain incompletely understood. This study seeks to uncover genomic signatures and potential biomarkers of RA, along with exploring the biological processes involved.

Methods

Six microarray datasets from RA patients, osteoarthritis (OA) and healthy controls (HC) of synovial tissue were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for integrated analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between groups were identified by “limma” package. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were carried out. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was analyzed by STRING and presented by Cytoscape. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to discover and construct the co‐expression gene modules correlated with clinical phenotype. CytoHubba and MCODE were utilized for screening hub genes. Additionally, immune cell infiltration analysis was conducted utilizing CIBERSORT algorithm. The correlation of hub genes with immune cells were examined through Pearson Correlation Analysis.

Results

The overlapped 92 up‐regulated genes were determined between RA versus normal controls and RA versus OA, which were primarily enriched in immune response, lymphocyte activation, and chemokine signaling pathway. By integrating WGCNA, Cytohubba and MCODE algorithms, 16 hub genes were identified including CXCL13, ITK, CXCL9, CCR5, CCR7, NKG7, CCR7, and CD52. We validated the diagnostic significance of these markers in RA by qRT‐PCR. Moreover, the analysis of immune cell infiltration demonstrated a positive association between these hub genes with B cell naïve, plasma cell, T cells follicular helper, and macrophages M1. The abundance of these cells was markedly greater in RA compared to OA and normal controls.

Conclusion

This research ultimately identified 5 potential diagnostic biomarkers of RA in the synovial tissue, namely NKG7, CD52, ITK, CXCL9, and GZMA. These findings have enhanced our comprehension of RA pathogenesis and identified promising diagnostic and therapeutic targets of RA.
Characterization of DNA methylation profile of the entire CpG island spanning the 5′ untranslated region to intron 1 of the Oct4/POU5F1 gene in bovine gametes, embryos, and somatic cells
Authors: Moura Amanda Oliveira , Silva Thainara Christie Ferreira , Caetano Alexandre Rodrigues , Kussano Nayara Ribeiro , Dode Margot Alves Nunes , Franco Maurício Machaim
Published: February 2025

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that exhibit a bivalent chromatin state that determines their fate. These cells have potential applications in human and animal health and livestock production. Somatic cell nuclear transfer or cloning is currently being used to produce genetically edited animals. A highly differentiated genome is the main obstacle to correcting epigenetic reprogramming by enucleated oocytes during cloning. Activation of pluripotency genes in the somatic genome is a promising strategy to contribute to more efficient epigenetic reprogramming, improving this technique. Recently, epigenome editing has emerged as a new generation of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats–clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats‐associated protein 9 technology with the aim of modifying the cellular epigenome to turn genes on or off without modifying DNA. Here, we characterize the DNA methylation profile of the CpG island spanning the 5′ untranslated region to intron 1 of the bovine octamer‐binding transcription factor (Oct4) gene in gametes, embryos, and fibroblasts. DNA methylation patterns were categorized into three levels: low (0%–20%), moderate (21%–50%), and high (51%–100%). Sperm and embryos showed a hypomethylation pattern, whereas oocytes exhibited a hypo‐ to moderate methylation pattern. Fetal and adult skin fibroblasts were hypomethylated and moderately methylated, respectively. These results are essential for future studies aimed at manipulating the expression of Oct4. Thus, epigenome editing can be used to turn on the Oct4 in somatic cells to generate induced pluripotent stem cells. This strategy could potentially convert a fully differentiated cell into a cell with certain degree of pluripotency, facilitating nuclear reprogramming by the enucleated oocyte and improving cloning success rates.
Tracking visual outcomes – Follow‐up on patients born preterm with childhood‐onset visual impairment
Authors: Al‐Abaiji Hajer A. , Nissen Kamilla Rothe , Slidsborg Carina , La Cour Morten , Kessel Line
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Preterm birth is associated with a risk of ocular complications. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the main cause of visual impairment (VI) in a cohort of preterm born patients who had childhood‐onset VI. The association between health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and age, cause—and severity of VI and impairment type was assessed.

Methods

In Denmark, patients <18 years with VI are enrolled at the National Danish Registry of Children with Visual Impairment (NDRCVI). Patients born preterm and enrolled at NDRCVI at any time between 1988 and 2020 were invited for a follow‐up regardless of current age. Examinations performed were visual acuity (VA), refraction, Goldmann visual fields, ocular biometry and posterior segment imaging. The three main outcomes were VA sorted by VI severity (mild, moderate, severe and blind), a score for HRQoL (HUI3) and the main cause of VI.

Results

Thirty‐two preterm‐born patients participated in the study with a median age of 28 years at examination (range 8–43). ROP was the main cause of VI in 15 patients (47%) followed by CVI in eight patients (25%). Increasing age at assessment had a significantly negative impact on the HRQoL‐score, when unadjusted for type of impairments. HRQoL was significantly lower in patients with combined impairments compared to isolated VI (p = 0.003).

Conclusion

ROP and CVI were the most common causes of VI. The HRQoL was significantly lower when VI was combined with other impairments in contrast to isolated VI. Reducing cerebral damage in preterm born children is likely to enhance both HRQoL and visual function.
A Review of Screening Guidelines for Hypoglycaemia in Infants Born Small for Gestational Age Showed Numerous Differences and Few Certainties
Authors: Remaschi Giulia , Dani Carlo
Published: February 2025

Aim

Different hypoglycaemia screening guidelines for infants born small for gestational age (SGA) are applied throughout the world. This narrative review analysed the published guidelines and evaluated the characteristic features of hypoglycaemia in SGA infants to assess the relevance of the issue.

Methods

PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were reviewed for papers regarding hypoglycaemia and hypoglycaemia screening guidelines in term and near‐term SGA infants. We also searched government‐related websites and national healthcare institution websites for guidelines.

Results

Numerous differences among guidelines were found. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Pediatric Endocrine Society do not specify which SGA infants need screening. Other guidelines suggest screening infants with birth weight < 10th percentile, while still others < 2nd percentile. Depending on the growth curves, the SGA population may change. The hypoglycaemia cut‐off value was another relevant variance. The duration of glucose level checks varies from the first 4–24 h of life. The reported incidence of hypoglycaemia was 12%–52%. The timing of hypoglycaemia onset was 2–6 h of life. Specific risk factors for hypoglycaemia in SGA infants were found.

Conclusion

Numerous differences were found in the hypoglycaemia guidelines for SGA infants, and further studies are needed to address strong and uniform guidance.
During Three Decades Prenatal Diagnoses of Differences in Sex Development Increased and Gonadectomy Rates Declined
Authors: Chaime Amit Eben , Phillip Moshe , Ben‐Meir David , de Vries Liat
Published: February 2025

Aim

The therapeutic approach to differences of sex development (DSD) has changed over recent decades. We aimed to describe the evolution of clinical diagnoses of DSD in children attending a tertiary paediatric centre.

Methods

This retrospective observational study compared diagnoses and management, before and after the introduction of consensus guidelines for DSD in 2006.

Results

The cohort included 87 patients with 46, XY (78.4%), 15 with 46, XX (13.5%) and 9 with sex chromosomal DSD (8.1%). Gonadectomy rates were 27.9%, 6.6% and 66.6% for the respective groups. The mean age at presentation was younger among those with 46, XY than with 46, XX (0.5 ± 2.5 vs. 6.8 ± 8.1 years, p = 0.007) and a higher proportion presented by age one year (93.1% vs. 60.0%, p = 0.001). During 1990–2006, 44 children were diagnosed, and during 2007–2019, 67 children. Prenatal diagnosis increased from 4.5% to 25.4% (p = 0.004). Smaller proportions in the later than earlier period underwent gonadectomy (19.4% vs. 40.9%, p = 0.017) and sex reassignment (1.5% vs. 13.6%, p < 0.02).

Conclusion

Over the three‐decade period, the rate of prenatal diagnosis increased and the rates of gonadectomy and sex reassignment declined. These findings reflect a shift towards earlier, individualised multidisciplinary care, which was facilitated by advanced diagnostics.
The Awakening of the Newborn Human Infant and the Emergence of Consciousness
Authors: Lagercrantz Hugo
Published: February 2025

Consciousness develops gradually in the womb and after birth, rather than being an all or none phenomenon. A newborn infant is aroused and wakes up at birth, due to the enormous sensory stimulation and stress that it undergoes during the transition from an aquatic environment to air. Its first breaths activate the locus coeruleus, as indicated by the large pupils of the newborn. The infant seems to be aware of its body and can recognise its mother's facial expressions, voice and smell. A default mode network matures soon after birth which appears to keep the brain in a conscious state. Thus the newborn infant is probably conscious, albeit at a low level. The foetus also shows some signs of being conscious after about 24 weeks of gestation, although it is mainly asleep in the womb and less aware of its environment. Before that stage, the nerves from the primary somatosensory, visual and auditory areas are not yet connected with the site of consciousness in the cerebral cortex.
Ability grouping in German secondary schools: The effect of non‐academic track schools on the development of Math competencies
Authors: Herrmann Sonja , Bach Katharina M.
Published: February 2025

Background

Differences in competence gains between academic and non‐academic track schools are often attributed to selection effects based on students' primary school performance and socioeconomic status (SES). However, how the competencies of comparable students (in terms of school performance and social background) at different tracks develop is often neglected.

Aims

We investigated whether comparable students diverge in their math competencies due to attending different types of secondary schools, contributing to the ongoing debate on whether inaccurate stratification may lead to disadvantages.

Methods

Using data from the National Education Panel Study (Kindergarten Cohort SC2, N = 4180), we examined students' competence development from the fourth to seventh grade.

We employed a quasi‐experimental design (propensity score weighting, PSW) comparing similarly capable students at academic and non‐academic school tracks to make causal inferences. The outcome variable was students' math competence in seventh grade. PSW used fourth‐grade competency measures in math and reading and other variables such as sex, migration background, SES, class composition, special educational needs, school grades and school location.

Results

Results revealed a significant average treatment effect on the treated, indicating that comparable students attending non‐academic track schools show lower math performance than those at academic track schools.

Conclusion

Non‐academic tracks seem to hinder the full development of students' competencies. We conclude that the effects of preconditions like the students' SES, ability and aspirations on competence development are lower than assumed and that school learning environments should be given greater importance. We discuss practical solutions and provide suggestions for future research.
Adoption and social identity loss: Insights from adults adopted through Ireland's mother and baby homes
Authors: Moroney Dearbhla , O'Donnell Aisling , O'Connor Mary , Muldoon Orla T.
Published: February 2025

A central issue in adoption research is understanding why some individuals adapt to their adoption experience while others face considerable difficulties. The social identity approach (SIA) offers a valuable framework for examining this. Recent research has increasingly shown that identifying with social groups can protect and promote well‐being. However, in the context of adoption, certain groups may also present challenges or become sources of strain. The present study seeks to understand how social identities shape individuals' adoption experiences. Semi‐structured interviews (N = 16) with adults who were adopted through Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis produced two interrelated themes: (1) ‘Adopted’ as a social identity, which explores how participants' ‘adopted’ status itself constitutes a significant social identity, leading to experiences of marginalization and exclusion and (2) Adoption as social identity loss, which describes how participants face contested membership and compromised belonging within important social groups. Both themes illustrate how the process of adoption can result in social identity loss. Discussion of this analysis considers the consequences of social identity change for adoption adjustment. These findings expand the theoretical application of the SIA, in the context of adoption.
Analysis of Two Neuroanatomical Subtypes of Parkinson's Disease and Their Motor Progression Based on Semi‐Supervised Machine Learning
Authors: Zhou Hao , Wu Yuqing , Chen Shuoying , Xing Yi , Ren Jingru , Liu Weiguo
Published: February 2025

Background

The high heterogeneity of Parkinson's disease (PD) hinders personalized interventions. Brain structure reflects damage and neuroplasticity and is one of the biological bases of symptomatology. Subtyping PD in the framework of brain structure helps in the prediction of disease trajectories and optimizes treatment strategies.

Methods

The study included a total of 283 de novo PD and 141 healthy controls (HC). Structural heterogeneity between PD and HC was compared, and patients were classified using Heterogeneity through Discriminative Analysis. Gray matter volume (GMV), clinical symptoms, and substantia nigra free water (SNFW) among all subtypes were compared. These subtypes were followed for an average of 2.5 years to monitor motor impairment.

Results

Early PD patients possessed higher GMV heterogeneity than HC, and two subtypes based on GMV patterns were identified. Subtype 1 showed widespread GMV reductions, while subtype 2 had an increased volume in the basal ganglia and parts of the cortex. Subtype 1 had more severe motor and non‐motor symptoms, as well as higher posterior SNFW. The whole‐brain GMV in the PD group was negatively correlated with posterior SNFW; basal ganglia volume in subtype 1 was negatively correlated with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)‐III scores, whereas no linear correlation was found in subtype 2. The UPDRS‐III progression rate was higher in subtype 1 than in subtype 2 (2.52 vs 0.92 points/year).

Conclusion

The heterogeneity of PD patients reflected the changes in their brain structure. The identification of these changes helps the classification of patients into different subtypes, additionally supported by clinical manifestations and SNFW, with consequent benefits for clinical consultancy and precision medicine.
Faecal calprotectin as a non‐invasive marker of Crohn's disease in anal fistulas
Authors: Perregaard Helene , Pust Freja , Nordholm‐Carstensen Andreas
Published: February 2025

Aim

Faecal calprotectin (FC) is a noninvasive marker that reflects intestinal inflammation with good sensitivity. A prior study indicated that FC values above 150 μg/g could distinguish between anal fistulas (AF) of cryptoglandular or Crohn's disease (CD) origin. It is hypothesized as a useful triage test to rule out CD in newly referred AF patients, thus reducing the number of ileocolonoscopies performed and optimizing treatment regimens in AF while minimizing patient discomfort as well as healthcare costs. The aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of FC in distinguishing between anal fistulas of cryptoglandular and CD origin, as well as compare characteristics in fistulas.

Method

Patients referred with anal fistula who had an FC measurement and either ileocolonoscopy or colonoscopy within 12 weeks were included. Demographic and clinical characteristics were registered. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated as well as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and overall accuracy.

Results

A total of 63 patients were included (CD n = 31, 49%). FC was significantly higher in CD compared to cryptoglandular fistulas, even when CD was medically treated or had no luminal activity on endoscopy. FC ≥110 μg/g was significantly associated with CD (OR 12.5; 95% CI: 3.77–41.4) p < 0.0001. This was found by plotting a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, with AUC 80.8 (95% CI: 0.6952–0.9217). Sensitivity and specificity were 0.76 and 0.80, respectively (PPV 76%, NPV 80% and accuracy 78%).

Conclusion

FC discriminates CD from cryptoglandular fistulas, even in medically treated CD with normal endoscopic findings.
A Reconceptualization of Schooling and Teaching: A Renewed Interest in Bildung‐Oriented Didaktik and Transactional Realism
Authors: Vogt Bettina , Wahlström Ninni
Published: February 2025

This study aims to contribute to the ongoing scholarly conversation about education through the lenses of the German philosophy of Bildung and the American philosophy of pragmatism. More concretely, in this article, the two philosophies are represented by the traditions of critical‐constructive Didaktik, based on Wolfgang Klafki's work, and transactional realism, based on John Dewey's. Against the background of the widespread outcomes‐based modes of education today, the authors seek to shed light on the necessary reconceptualization of schooling and teaching and to explore the possibilities for constructive routes forward for curriculum theorizing. They outline the aspects of knowledge and the learning concepts that the two philosophies share and those about which they differ. The authors also analyze the consequences that these similarities and differences have for the educational approaches of critical‐constructive Didaktik and transactional realism. Finally, the authors present an empirical example from a Swedish year‐eight classroom, drawing conclusions based on their findings and considering corresponding implications about the two traditions' potential to contribute to an understanding of teaching as a pedagogical responsibility.
N‐acetylglucosamine sensing in the filamentous soil fungus Trichoderma reesei
Authors: Ullah Sadia Fida , Oreb Mislav , Boles Eckhard , Srivastava Vaibhav , Seidl‐Seiboth Verena , Seiboth Bernhard , Kappel Lisa
Published: February 2025

N‐acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is involved in diverse signaling pathways in dimorphic yeasts and bacteria and is related to morphogenetic switching, mating, stress, virulence, and cell death. Recently, GlcNAc has been shown to promote plant growth by shaping the bacterial soil community. However, the role of GlcNAc sensing in filamentous soil fungi has not been investigated. By using Trichoderma reesei as a model organism, we show here that GlcNAc impacts the expression of around 2100 genes. Carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and secondary metabolism were the three most strongly affected classes of eukaryotic orthologous groups (KOG classes). Two key regulators of GlcNAc catabolism, the NDT80 domain‐containing transcriptional regulator RON1, and a GlcNAc sensor, NGS1, are needed for differential regulation of two‐thirds of these genes. In silico structural modeling of NGS1 identified a domain with homology to the GCN5‐related histone acetyltransferase from Candida albicans, which serves as a GlcNAc catabolism regulator and GlcNAc sensor. Finally, we characterized the third regulator of GlcNAc sensing in T. reesei, which is the highly specific GlcNAc transporter N‐acetylglucosamine transporter (NGT1). Using a deletion mutant of ngt1, we demonstrate that GlcNAc has to enter the cell to activate the GlcNAc catabolic gene expression. Interestingly, in contrast to dimorphic yeasts, the pathways for defense and pathogenicity seem to be induced in T. reesei by external GlcNAc. Given the ancestral role of Trichoderma spp. in the fungal kingdom and the highly conserved GlcNAc catabolism cluster that includes their regulators in many species of fungi, we propose a regulatory network for GlcNAc sensing in soil fungi.
Pollinators differentially respond to local and landscape grassland features
Authors: Lichtenberg Elinor M. , Heiser Jaclyn , Baum Kristen A. , Neff John L. , Jha Shalene
Published: February 2025

Predicting how habitat composition alters communities of mobile ecosystem service providers remains a major challenge in community ecology. This is partially because separate taxonomic groups that provide the same service may respond uniquely to changes in habitat and associated resource availability. Further, the spatial scale at which habitat features impact each group can vary. Failure to account for these differences significantly limits the ability to quantify shared versus contrasting responses to habitat for important ecosystem service‐providing groups.

We investigated the impacts of local (habitat patch level) and landscape features in the US Southern Great Plains on groups of pollinating insects with different basic biologies: Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. Habitat features included local flower and shelter resources as well as landscape‐scale semi‐natural habitat.

We found that bare ground supported more Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera but fewer Diptera, while more diverse flower communities supported more Hymenoptera but fewer Coleoptera. Interestingly, given that this study occurred in a grassland system, forest cover in the surrounding landscape more strongly affected pollinator diversity than grassland cover did. Landscapes with more woodland had higher Coleoptera and Diptera richness.

Our results highlight that pollinator conservation and sustainable land management depend on understanding the habitat needs, including shelter, of diverse pollinators. Because taxa can have opposite responses to specific habitat features or scales, providing a range of grassland management practices (e.g., variety in the timing and type of biomass removal) may be the most effective approach to support the broader pollinator community.
Feature Screening for Ultrahigh Dimensional Mixed Data via Wasserstein Distance
Authors: Tian Bing , Wang Hong
Published: February 2025

This article develops a novel feature screening procedure for ultrahigh dimensional mixed data based on Wasserstein distance, termed as Wasserstein‐SIS. To handle the mixture of continuous and discrete data, we use Wasserstein distance as a new marginal utility to measure the difference between the joint distribution and the product of marginal distributions. In theory, we establish the sure screening property under less restrictive assumptions on data types. The proposed procedure does not require model specification, gives a more effective geometric measure to compare the discrepancy between distributions and avoids introducing biases caused by the choice of slicing rules for continuous data. Numerical comparison indicates that the proposed Wasserstein‐SIS method performs better than existing methods in various models. A real data application also validates the better practicability of Wasserstein‐SIS.