bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound versus magnetic resonance imaging for calculating total kidney volume in patients with ADPKD: a real-world data analysis
Authors: Fernandez Juan M. , Hernández-Socorro Carmen Rosa , Robador Lucas Omar , Rodríguez-Esparragón Francisco , Medina-García Daniela , Quevedo-Reina Juan Carlos , Lorenzo-Medina Mercedes , Oliva-Dámaso Elena , Pérez-Borges Patricia , Rodríguez-Perez José C.
Published: February 2025

Background and objectives

This study aimed to compare Total kidney volume (TKV) measurements using US-ellipsoid (US-EL) and MRI-ellipsoid (MRI-EL) in patients with autosomal-dominant-polycystic-kidney-disease (ADPKD). It also evaluated whether the agreement between right (RKV) and left (LKV) kidney volume measurements differed.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of a prospective data-base that included consecutive patients diagnosed with ADPKD. Total kidney volumes by 3D-US-EL were compared with those by MRI-EL. Bland–Altman-plots, Passing–Bablok-regression, and the concordance-correlation-coefficient (CCC) were used to compare right (RKV), left (LKV), and TKV measurements.

Results

Thirty-two ADPKD patients, 14(43.7%) women, were included. Mean measured (mGFR) and estimated (eGFR) glomerular-filtration-rate (GFR) were 86.5 ± 23.9 mL/min and 78.9 ± 23.6 mL/min, respectively. Compared with MRI-EL, TKV (Mean difference: − 85.9 ± 825.6 mL; 95%CI − 498.5 to 326.7 mL; p = 0.6787), RKV (Mean difference: − 58.5 ± 507.7 mL; 95%CI − 312.2 to 195.2 mL; p = 0.6466), and LKV (Mean difference: − 27.4 ± 413.5 mL; 95%CI − 234.1 to 179.2 mL; p = 0.7918) were lower with US-EL than with MRI-EL, although without significant differences. According to Passing and Bablok-regression analysis, the Spearman correlation-coefficient was 0.96 (95%CI 0.92 to 0.98); 0.91 (95%CI 0.82 to 0.96), and 0.94 (95%CI 0.87 to 0.97) in the RKV, LKV, and TKV, respectively; p < 0.0001 each, respectively. CCC of RKV, LKV, and TKV measurements were 0.95, 0.89, and 0.94, respectively. The mGFR and eGFR showed statistically significant negative correlations with TKV measured by both MRI-EL (p = 0.0281 and p = 0.0054, respectively) and US-EL (p = p = 0.0332 and p = 0.0040, respectively).

Conclusions

This study found that ultrasound-based ellipsoid kidney volume measurements strongly correlated with MRI-based measurements, suggesting that ultrasound is a reliable, accessible alternative for assessing kidney volume, particularly when MRI is unavailable.
Identifying differentiation markers between dermal fibroblasts and adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AD-MSCs) in human visceral and subcutaneous tissues using single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Koczkowska Magdalena , Kostecka Anna , Zawrzykraj Małgorzata , Myszczyński Kamil , Skoniecka Aneta , Deptuła Milena , Tymińska Agata , Czerwiec Katarzyna , Jąkalski Marcin , Zieliński Jacek , Crossman David K. , Crowley Michael R. , Cichorek Mirosława , Skowron Piotr M. , Pikuła Michał , Piotrowski Arkadiusz
Published: February 2025

Background

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AD-MSCs) and fibroblasts are both widely used in regenerative medicine, demonstrating significant potential for personalized cell therapy. A major challenge in their use lies in their high biological similarity, encompassing morphology, differentiation capabilities, and flow cytometric markers, making their distinction difficult.

Methods

In our study, we aimed to compare AD-MSCs obtained from two types of adipose tissue, subcutaneous and visceral, alongside skin fibroblasts. Notably, all tissue samples were sourced from the same donors. We analyzed the cells for surface antigens via flow cytometry and conducted single-cell RNA sequencing, followed by verification with quantitative PCR (qPCR).

Results

Our results revealed phenotypic similarities between the isolated AD-MSCs and dermal fibroblasts, particularly in the expression of markers characteristic of AD-MSCs. However, through in-depth analyses, we identified distinct differences between these cell types. Specifically, we pinpointed 30 genes exhibiting the most significant variations in expression between AD-MSCs and fibroblasts. These genes are associated with biological processes such as tissue remodeling, cell movement, and activation in response to external stimuli. Among them, MMP1, MMP3, S100A4, CXCL1, PI16, IGFBP5, COMP were further validated using qPCR, clearly demonstrating their potential to differentiate between AD-MSCs and fibroblasts.

Conclusions

Our scRNA-seq analysis elucidates the transcriptional landscape of AD-MSCs and fibroblasts with unprecedented resolution, highlighting both the population-specific markers and the intrapopulation heterogeneity. Our findings underscore the importance of employing high-resolution techniques for cell identification.
Antimicrobial stewardship in the community setting: a qualitative exploratory study
Authors: Okonkwo Rose I , Ndukwe Henry , Grant Gary , Khan Sohil
Published: February 2025

Background

Existing evidence underscores inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing and use in the community setting. Increased and inappropriate antimicrobial use are major factors contributing to the emergence and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes are critical for mitigating AMR, enhancing patient outcomes, and reducing healthcare costs. Despite the existing Australian National Action Plan on AMR, optimisation of antimicrobial use in the community setting remains inadequately investigated. This study explored health professionals’ perspectives on community AMS practices and systems, identifying challenges and areas for improvement.

Methods

This qualitative study utilised semi-structured interviews to explore the perspectives of 17 different health professionals from diverse community practice settings in South-East Queensland, Australia. Interviews were audio-recorded, anonymised, and transcribed verbatim. Data were thematically analysed, with NVivo 12 utilised for organisation and analysis. Data were then mapped and examined using the Elements of Medicines Stewardship (EMS), which aligns with United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention– Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship. This was reported following the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist.

Results

Four main themes described the health professionals’ insights on community AMS practices and systems. Thematic analysis from these findings reveals a state of ambiguity and fragmentation in the community AMS practices and systems. In comparison to the hospital-based AMS system, the Australian community AMS system appears to be in its nascent stages of development. Applying the EMS is essential for developing and implementing community AMS strategies to enhance practices and systems.

Conclusion

The study identified key health system factors that impact the implementation of community AMS programmes and highlighted the need for developing community-specific governance and frameworks that integrate multidisciplinary strategies to support effective implementation and enhance patient outcomes. This research will inform community AMS intervention strategies, influencing policy and practice to advance sustainable healthcare and address antimicrobial resistance.
AQP4-specific T cells determine lesion localization in the CNS in a model of NMOSD
Authors: Afzali Ali Maisam , Ulianov Oleksii , Eckardt Luise , Stas Ingrid , Seeholzer Lea , Steiger Katja , Merkler Doron , Korn Thomas
Published: February 2025

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a paradigmatic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), in which the water channel protein Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is targeted by a self-reactive immune response. While the immunopathology of human NMOSD is largely dependent on antibodies to astrocytic AQP4, the role of AQP4-specific T cells for the localization and quality of NMOSD lesions in the CNS is not known. Only recently, we established that thymic B cells express and present AQP4 in the context of MHC class II molecules to purge the naive T cell receptor repertoire of AQP4-specific clones. Here, we exploited this finding to investigate the lesion localization in the CNS of B cell conditional AQP4-deficient (Aqp4
ΔB) mice, which harbor AQP4-specific precursors in their naive T cell repertoire and can be sensitized to mount a strong AQP4(201–220)-specific CD4+ T cell response. Sensitization of Aqp4
ΔB mice with AQP4(201–220) was sufficient to induce clinical disease. The spatiotemporal lesion distribution and the glial cell response in AQP4(201–220)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was compared to classical MOG(35–55)-induced EAE in Aqp4
ΔB mice. In contrast to MOG-EAE, AQP4(201–220)-induced EAE was characterized by midline lesions in the brain, retinal pathology, and lesions at the grey matter/white matter border zone in the spinal cord. Therefore, we conclude that antigen-specific T cells dictate the localization of NMOSD-lesions in the CNS.
Evolution of the near-Earth magnetotail associated with substorm onsets: revisiting the issues of onset timing and substorm triggering mechanism
Authors: Miyashita Yukinaga , Ieda Akimasa , Machida Shinobu
Published: February 2025

The triggering mechanism of the substorm onset has been a major issue in magnetospheric research. Various models have been proposed so far. To understand the causal relationship of magnetotail processes associated with substorm onsets, our previous studies performed a series of statistical analyses of Geotail and Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) spacecraft data. We obtained the overall morphological picture of magnetotail evolution associated with substorm onsets and found that near-Earth magnetic reconnection plays a key role in substorm expansion triggering, energy release, and reconfiguration. In these previous studies, we took only one timing of initial auroral brightening as the substorm onset, based on space-based or ground-based auroral imager data. Our recent detailed analyses of ground-based auroral imager data, however, showed that the auroral onset arc develops stepwise: preonset fading, initial brightening, further enhancement of the onset arc, and poleward expansion. To understand the substorm triggering mechanism in more detail, this paper attempts to clarify the connection of the auroral onset arc’s stepwise development with magnetotail processes of magnetic reconnection, flow, wave, and dipolarization. In this context, we reinterpret the substorm onset of our previous statistical studies as auroral onset arc enhancement or poleward expansion. Furthermore, for future detailed studies of the stepwise auroral and magnetotail development including pseudosubstorm (pseudobreakup), it might be better to call the transition period from initial brightening to the beginning of poleward expansion “onset/initial/trigger phase”.

Graphical Abstract
In-vitro investigation of bone temperature changes in osteotomies performed with different brands of implant burs
Authors: Şarkbay Ömer Faruk , Mihmanli Ahmet , Cora Hakan
Published: February 2025

The aim of this study was to investigate in-vitro the temperature changes occurring in the bone during drilling with implant drills manufactured by different companies. Bone blocks obtained from fresh bovine ribs were used in the study. Bone blocks were drilled with drills manufactured by Ankylos, Astra Tech, Nobel Biocare, Bredent and Straumann implant brands at an ambient temperature of 30 ± 2° C under a constant pressure of 2 kg. Two K-type thermocouple sensors were placed on the bone blocks at 5th and 10th mm depths and the temperature changes were measured at a distance of 1 mm from the implant drill. In the study, working models were created under different conditions for implant socket preparation. In group 1, the first time drills were used at 150 rpm without irrigation, in group 2, the first time drills were used at 1200 rpm with 40 ml/min irrigation, in group 3, the 30th time drills were used at 150 rpm without irrigation, and in group 4, the 30th time drills were used at 1200 rpm with 40 ml/min irrigation. All osteotomy procedures were performed with 3.5 ± 0.3 mm diameter burs for a period of 8 s and the temperature values obtained at equal time intervals were recorded. Repeated Measures and Kruskall Wallis-H tests were used for statistical analysis of the data. No significant difference was observed between the implant drills and the temperature changes in the bone during drilling (p < 0.05). None of the groups reached critical temperature values (47° C+) throughout the study. At the 5th and 10th mm depths, the temperature changes in the sensors used were close to each other. It was also calculated that although the average temperatures were close to each other in the non-irrigated and irrigated systems, the difference values obtained by subtracting the initial temperature were significantly higher in the non-irrigated systems. The results showed that implant drills did not cause significant temperature increases in bone blocks depending on the difference in manufacturers (Ankylos, Astra Tech, Nobel Biocare, Bredent, Straumann) and the number of uses. It was also concluded that irrigated and non-irrigated systems are safe as long as they are used under the recommended conditions.
Benchmarking the healthiness, equity and environmental sustainability of university food environments in Australia, 2021/22
Authors: Sacks Gary , Chan Jasmine , Mann Davina , Dickie Sarah , Gaucher-Holm Alexa , Naughton Shaan , Ruffini Oriana , Robinson Ella
Published: February 2025

Background

Food environments on university campuses have an important influence on the diets of staff and students. This study aimed to assess the healthiness, equitability and environmental sustainability of Australian university food environments, and identify priority recommendations for policy and practice.

Methods

We applied the previously developed ‘Uni-Food’ tool in nine universities (17 campuses, 165 food retail outlets) in Australia between 2021 and 2022. Data on three components: (1) ‘university systems and governance’; (2) ‘campus facilities and environment’; and (3) ‘food retail outlets’ were collected from desk-based policy audits and in-person campus audits. Universities were given an overall score from 0-100, based on their performance across all components.

Results

University scores ranged from 27/100 to 66/100 (median = 46). Universities scored highest in the ‘campus facilities and environment’ component, reflecting that the broad campus environment (including areas such as catering, advertising on campus, and food-related environmental sustainability initiatives) has been an area of focus. Universities scored lowest in the ‘university systems and governance’ component, reflecting a relative lack of policy action, funding and governance in this area, with few initiatives to promote the availability and affordability of healthy and environmentally sustainable foods.

Conclusion

Stronger action is needed to improve Australian university food environments, including in food retail outlets, vending, catering and at campus events. Universities can demonstrate leadership by implementing university-wide policies that limit the availability of unhealthy foods and beverages (e.g. sugary drinks) on campus, and setting targets for the proportion of healthy and environmentally sustainable foods procured and sold on campus. Other stakeholders, including governments, can play a role in incentivising universities to adopt recommended actions.
Mitigation of cyclophosphamide-induced premature ovarian insufficiency in rats through bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and placental extract therapy: a comprehensive evaluation
Authors: Atwa Ahmed , Sobhy Nehal , Latif Abdel Kareem M. Abdel , Bakry Sayed
Published: February 2025

Objective

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a significant reproductive health concern characterized by the depletion of primary follicles, often resulting from exposure to genotoxic agents. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and/or placental extracts (PE) in ameliorating POI induced by cyclophosphamide, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent.

Materials and methods

Thirty-five 8–10 weeks and weight 200 ± 20 g female albino Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were evenly distributed into five groups: negative control (Group 1), positive control cyclophosphamide (CPA) (Group 2), stem cell therapy (CPA+MSCs) (Group 3), placental extract therapy (CPA+PE) (Group 4), and combination therapy (CPA+MSCs+PE) (Group 5). Rats in the CPA group received intraperitoneal (IP) cyclophosphamide injection (50 mg/kg), followed by daily (8 mg/kg) cyclophosphamide injection (14 days). Subsequently, the rats received 1 × 106 MSCs via intravenous administration and/or 50 µL of PE, followed by sacrifice after 4 weeks. Flow cytometry was used to identify MSCs. Hormone levels (FSH, LH, E2, and progesterone) were assessed using ELISA, and primordial follicles were quantified to evaluate primordial follicle reserves. Ovarian structure was histomorphologically evaluated, and PCNA immunohistochemistry was conducted. Morphometric measurements and statistical analyses were performed.

Results

Hormonal measurements revealed a decrease in E2 and progesterone levels, accompanied by an increase in FSH levels following cyclophosphamide treatment. However, after BM-MSC therapy, hormonal levels nearly returned to normal. In addition to BM-MSC therapy, PE treatment was also evaluated. PE administration resulted in partial restoration of hormonal balance, showing a mild increase in E2 and progesterone levels, with a slight reduction in FSH levels compared to the cyclophosphamide-treated group.

Histological examination revealed that cyclophosphamide caused significant loss of primordial follicles, stromal blood vessel damage, and substantial fibrosis. Interestingly, combination of MSCs and PE treatment showed some ameliorative effects on ovarian histology, with reduced fibrosis and slight preservation of ovarian follicles, although these changes were less pronounced than those observed with BM-MSC therapy alone.

Conclusion

MSCs therapy was more effective in restoring ovarian folliculogenesis, whereas combination with PE provided moderate protection against the histological and immunohistochemical alterations induced by cyclophosphamide.
Epigenetic regulation of angiogenesis and its therapeutics
Authors: Choi Dong Kyu
Published: February 2025

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from preexisting ones, is essential for normal development, wound healing, and tissue repair. However, dysregulated angiogenesis is implicated in various pathological conditions, including cancer, diabetic retinopathy, and atherosclerosis. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNAs (e.g., miRNAs), play a crucial role in regulating angiogenic gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. These modifications tightly regulate the balance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, thereby influencing endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. In recent years, epigenetic drugs, such as DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (e.g., azacitidine, decitabine), histone deacetylase inhibitors (e.g., vorinostat, romidepsin), and BET inhibitors (e.g., JQ1), have emerged as promising therapeutic strategies for targeting abnormal angiogenesis. These agents modulate gene expression patterns, reactivating silenced tumor suppressor genes while downregulating pro-angiogenic signaling pathways. Additionally, miRNA modulators, such as MRG-110 and MRG-201, provide precise regulation of angiogenesis-related pathways, demonstrating significant therapeutic potential in preclinical models. This review underscores the intricate interplay between epigenetic regulation and angiogenesis, highlighting key mechanisms and therapeutic applications. Advancing our understanding of these processes will enable the development of more effective and targeted epigenetic therapies for angiogenesis-related diseases, paving the way for innovative clinical interventions.
Circulating Micro-RNAs in Patients with Hypophosphatasia Results of the first micro-RNA analysis in HPP
Authors: Haschka Judith , Messner Zora , Feurstein Julia , Hadzimuratovic Benjamin , Zwerina Jochen , Diendorfer Andreas B , Pultar Marianne , Hackl Matthias , Kuzma Martin , Payer Juraj , Resch Heinrich , Kocijan Roland
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Adult hypophosphatasia (HPP) patients present with diffuse heterogenous symptoms often mimicking rheumatological diseases or osteoporosis and therefore accompanied by delayed diagnosis. The aim of this study was to identify circulating miRNAs in adult HPP patients and to identify potential associations with clinical patients’ characteristics.

Methods

We utilized untargeted miRNA biomarker discovery by small RNA-sequencing to investigate cell-free miRNA profiles in 24 adult HPP patients (pathogenic variant of the ALPL gene, HPP-related clinical symptoms and repeatedly low ALP) and 24 healthy controls (CTRL).

Results

Patients and CTRL were comparable in age (47.9±14.2 vs. 45.9±8.8y, p=0.980) and sex (55.5% vs. 47.8% females, p=1.000). In total, 91% of patients reported musculoskeletal pain, 41% diffuse neurological symptoms and 64% history of fractures. In total, 84 miRNAs were significantly differently expressed between HPP and CTRL in next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis(p<0.05). Of these, 14 miRNAs were selected (selection criteria: p<0.05, tissue specificity index >0.7, log2 FC >+0.8 or < -0.8) for validation using RT-qPCR, which verified 6 of 14 selected miRNAs (p<0.05; miR-122-3p, miR-140-5p, miR-143-3p, miR-155-5p, miR-451a, miR-92a-3p). Target prediction and enrichment analysis identified associations with the musculoskeletal system and the central nervous system. In total, 37 miRNAs correlated with ALP levels, but only three miRNAs with PLP (pyridoxal-5'-phosphate).

Conclusions

These findings highlight a profound involvement of multiple organ systems and the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers for the effect of HPP on various systems.
New horizons in Klinefelter syndrome: current evidence, gaps and research priorities
Authors: Lucas-Herald Angela K , Aksglaede Lise , Caspersen Ida Dyhr , Ahmed Syed Faisal , Carlomagno Francesco , Isidori Andrea M
Published: February 2025

Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) is caused by the presence of a supernumerary X-chromosome (conferring the classical 47,XXY karyotype) and is the commonest sex chromosome abnormality in men. The clinical features described in the early characterisation of the syndrome include tall stature, small testes, hypogonadism, gynecomastia and neurodevelopmental deficits. However, the syndrome presents a broad phenotypic spectrum that seems to be evolving, along with environmental and general health changes. Although a proportion of men with KS are asymptomatic, others experience numerous severe comorbidities, ranging from cardiovascular to autoimmune disorders. Once considered a hallmark of the syndrome, the inability to conceive can now be overcome with assisted reproductive technology. The neuropsychological stigmata, once overstated, thereafter inadvertently dismissed, now demand a more balanced and objective approach. Significant advances have been made in our understanding of KS over recent years, including the molecular machinery involved in the chromosomal disjunction that gives rise to the syndrome. Our understanding of the risk-benefit of testosterone replacement therapy has greatly improved; however, many gaps persist. Future work should be prioritised according to the needs of people with KS. There are opportunities for new research addressing the fields of fertility, cardiovascular prevention, neurodevelopment, quality of life and bone health. Above all, solid registries and extensive prospective longitudinal studies are needed to enrol people with KS to determine their evolving needs as they progress through their lifespan. These studies would be best initiated with international collaboration to ensure the results apply to all those with this condition worldwide.
Διερεύνηση των παραγόντων που επιδρούν στην πρόθεση χρήσης και στην υιοθέτηση των παρεχόμενων ηλεκτρονικών υπηρεσιών των πρακτόρων συζήτησης τεχνητής νοημοσύνης
Authors: Γκατζιούφα Παρασκευή
Published: February 2025

Η ταχεία ενσωμάτωση των τεχνολογιών Τεχνητής Νοημοσύνης (ΤΝ) έχει βελτιώσει σημαντικά την επικοινωνία μεταξύ των επιχειρήσεων και των πελατών τους, ιδίως μέσω της χρήσης των πρακτόρων τεχνητής νοημοσύνης (chatbots), οι οποίοι διευκολύνουν τη συνεχή αλληλεπίδραση με τους πελάτες και την παροχή υπηρεσιών, κυρίως μεταξύ των νεότερων δημογραφικών ομάδων που συμμετέχουν συχνά στην ψηφιακή επικοινωνία. Η παρούσα διατριβή διερευνά τους παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την υιοθέτηση και τη συνεχή χρήση των chatbots μεταξύ των φοιτητών πανεπιστημίων στην Ελλάδα, εφαρμόζοντας το μοντέλο της Ενοποιημένης Θεωρίας Αποδοχής και Χρήσης της Τεχνολογίας ( UTAUT2) σε συνδυασμό με μεταβλητές ποιότητας υπηρεσιών κινητής τηλεφωνίας. Η έρευνα εξετάζει τις προθέσεις υιοθέτησης τόσο των μη χρηστών όσο και τον χρηστών, τον ρόλο της ποιότητας των υπηρεσιών κινητής τηλεφωνίας στη διαμόρφωση της εμπιστοσύνης και της ικανοποίησης των τελευταίων και τους καθοριστικούς παράγοντες που επιδρούν στην προθέση συνέχισης χρήσης μετά την υιοθέτηση. Τα δεδομένα συλλέχθηκαν χωριστά από δύο ομάδες: 411 φοιτητές πανεπιστημίων που δεν είχαν ακόμη χρησιμοποιήσει chatbots και 312 φοιτητές που ήταν ήδη χρήστες. Η ομάδα των μη χρηστών ερωτήθηκε για τον εντοπισμό των παραγόντων που επηρεάζουν την πρόθεσή τους να υιοθετήσουν chatbots, ενώ η ομάδα των χρηστών παρείχε πληροφορίες σχετικά με τους καθοριστικούς επιδρώντες παράγοντες συνέχισης χρήσης και ικανοποίησης. Η ποσοτική ανάλυση των δεδομένων πραγματοποιήθηκε με τη χρήση ανάλυσης κύριων συνιστωσών (Principal Component Analysis - PCA), επιβεβαιωτικής ανάλυσης παραγόντων (Confirmatory Factor Analysis - CFA) και μοντελοποίησης δομικών εξισώσεων μερικώς ελαχίστων τετραγώνων (Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling - PLS-SEM). Τα αποτελέσματα αναδεικνύουν ότι η προσδοκία απόδοσης, η κοινωνική επιρροή, οι συνθήκες διευκόλυνσης, τα ηδονικά κίνητρα και η εμπιστοσύνη είναι κρίσιμοι προσδιοριστικοί παράγοντες της πρόθεσης των μη χρηστών να υιοθετήσουν chatbots, ενώ παράγοντες όπως η ποιότητα των πληροφοριών, οι ανησυχίες για την προστασία της ιδιωτικής ζωής, ο σχεδιασμός της διεπαφής και η κινητικότητα επηρεάζουν σημαντικά την εμπιστοσύνη και την ικανοποίηση των χρηστών. Επιπλέον, η έρευνα καταδεικνύει ότι η πρόθεση συνεχούς χρήσης καθοδηγείται από παράγοντες όπως το προσδόκιμο απόδοσης, το προσδόκιμο προσπάθειας, η εμπιστοσύνη και η κινητικότητα, με ισχυρή θετική συσχέτιση μεταξύ της ικανοποίησης και της σύστασης για τη χρήση των chatbots.
The long-term general practice healthcare of women with a history of gestational diabetes: A Scoping Review Protocol
Authors: O'Flynn James , McMorrow Rita , Foley Tony , Forde Rita , McHugh Sheena , Newman Christine , Jennings Aisling A.
Published: February 2025

Introduction Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a hyperglycaemic condition diagnosed during pregnancy. GDM is strongly associated with future development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle and pharmacological interventions can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. General practice is the recommended setting for long-term follow-up of women with a history of GDM. However, rates of follow-up are suboptimal. The evidence around long-term general practice healthcare for women with a history of GDM has not previously been reviewed. Aims The aim of this scoping review is to explore the current evidence base for the long-term care of women with a history of GDM in general practice. Study Design The study described by this protocol is a scoping review. The study design was informed by Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Methods Empirical qualitative and quantitative research studies published since 2014 will be identified from a search of the following databases: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Elsevier), CINAHL, PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete and SocIndex. The review will identify key characteristics of the literature. Framework analysis will be used to map the findings against the Chronic Care Model, a primary care-based framework that sets out the core components for optimal long-term healthcare. Results A numerical descriptive summary (using frequencies) will describe the overall extent of literature, and the range and distribution of its component parts, including the geographical and economic settings, research methods, interventions, outcomes and findings. The qualitative analysis will map interventions and descriptions of care to components of the chronic care model. Research gaps will be reported, and research needs and priorities will be suggested. Conclusion The findings of this scoping review will have the potential to inform future research efforts in the area. Registration This protocol has been registered in Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/bz2vh).
Impact of guidance issued during COVID-19 to expand take-home doses of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) in Ireland: protocol for a population-based analysis of prescribing practices and patient outcomes 2018 to 2023
Authors: Cousins Gráinne , Durand Louise , Bennett Kathleen , O'Hara Andy , Crowley Des , Lyons Suzi , Keenan Eamon
Published: February 2025

Background It is increasingly suggested that clinical guidelines and practices be updated to permanently expand relaxation around access to opioid agonist treatment (OAT) take-home doses after COVID-19. Despite a risk of OAT drug diversion, flexibility in take-home doses is valued by patients and associated with improved quality of life and retention. However, few studies have examined the effects of changes to take-home dose policies on prescribing practices and patient outcomes, with mixed results. Aims This protocol relates to three inter-related studies. The first study will examine the impact of guidance issued on March 13th 2020 to all clinicians involved in the delivery of OAT to give the maximum number of take-home doses having given due consideration to the safety of the patient, on prescribing practices for take-home doses of methadone and buprenorphine in primary care. The second study will examine the association between increased take-home doses of OAT following March 13th 2020 guidance and treatment discontinuation in primary care. The third study will examine methadone-related deaths in Ireland before and after the guidance issue, and whether methadone-related deaths varied by whether the deceased was on OAT treatment at the time of death. Methods Retrospective observational studies will be carried out. The first study will use a time series design to examine changes in prescribing practices of take-home doses. The second study will use a retrospective cohort study design with proportional hazard Cox models to evaluate the association between increased take-home doses and treatment discontinuation. The third study will use a repeated cross-sectional study design with interrupted time series analysis, stratified by OAT treatment status, to assess changes in methadone-related deaths. Discussion It is anticipated that the studies will generate evidence with potential to inform both clinical and policy decision making with respect to take-home dosing of OAT.
Anthropogenic features of salt marsh flora with varying substrate salinity, human impact and abundance of halophytes
Authors: Karasińska Wiesława , Nienartowicz Andrzej , Kunz Mieczysław , Piernik Agnieszka , Filbrandt-Czaja Anna , Kamiński Dariusz , Rutkowski Lucjan
Published: February 2025

The paper presents an assessment of the degree of flora synanthropization of salt marshes along the Noteć Canal in the vicinity of the soda works in Mątwy and Janikowo, the salt mine in Góra, and at the salt works and spa in Inowrocław, vestern Kuyavia. Salt marshes were located mainly along pipelines that supply brine from the mine to industrial production, medical care and recreation and pipelines that carry saline industrial and municipal wastewater to places of its disposal and, after preliminary treatment, to the Vistula River. 
In previous studies, we recorded the occurrence of 117 vascular plant species, which we assigned to geographical–historical groups. In this work, we present the results of further analysis, which includes the comparison of the salt marsh flora in terms of synanthropization indices with the flora of 55 natural and artificial sites from different regions of Poland.
The flora of the compared sites developed under varying substrate moisture, history of use and intensity of human impact. The range of variability of these factors was extensive, as these were both natural and degraded ecological systems, including those developed on artificial substrates. Both facultative and obligate, halophytes played an essential role in the floristic composition of many of these sites.
Numerical classification of a set of 56 floras characterised based on the values of 13 indices showed that, in terms of the degree of synanthropization, the flora of investigated salt marshes is most similar to the floras of meadows occurring in other regions of Poland, both to those in the vicinity of industrial plants and those of artificial biotopes. Numerical ordination, however, showed that the indices of permanent synanthropization and total synanthropization, as well as the index of apophytism of spontaneophytes, contributed most to the variability. Differences in the values of 13 indices of synanthropization of selected floras from the five main subgroups distinguished in the numerical classification and ordination are presented by the graphical method.
An Overview of the Impact of Statin Therapy on Cardiac Incident Risk
Authors: Świrk Urszula , Paprocka Aleksandra , Kalinowska Karolina , Fijałek Paulina , Karczmarz Jan , Gutowska Marika , Kosińska Agnieszka , Belcarz Wiktoria , Orzechowska Joanna , Orzechowski Michał
Published: February 2025

Statin therapy is a cornerstone in preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases, particularly in reducing the risk of cardiac incidents. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the impact of statin therapy on cardiac incident risk, examining its efficacy in primary and secondary prevention, the underlying mechanisms of action, associated adverse effects, and considerations for patient adherence. Evidence from large-scale randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses consistently demonstrates that statins significantly reduce the incidence of major cardiovascular events by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and exerting pleiotropic effects like improving endothelial function and stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. Although generally well-tolerated, statins may cause side effects, including muscle-related symptoms and a modest increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes. Patient adherence remains a critical factor in maximizing the therapeutic benefits of statin therapy.
Deterministic Budget-Feasible Clock Auctions
Authors: Balkanski Eric , Garimidi Pranav , Gkatzelis Vasilis , Schoepflin Daniel , Tan Xizhi
Published: February 2025

In the budget-feasible mechanism design problem, an auctioneer with a strict budget constraint is looking to acquire services from a set of self-interested providers. The auctioneer aims to design a polynomial-time strategy-proof mechanism that maximizes the value of the services she acquires, subject to the sum of payments to providers falling within her budget. This problem has attracted a great deal of attention due to its combination of practical relevance and theoretical depth. In “Deterministic Budget-Feasible Clock Auctions,” Balkanski, Garimidi, Gkatzelis, Schoepflin, and Tan provide the first such deterministic mechanism that achieves a constant-factor approximation for instances where the auctioneer’s valuation function is submodular. Moreover, this mechanism achieves an improved approximation even compared with previously known randomized mechanisms, and it takes the form of a clock auction, implying a suite of important properties that make this auction much more practical.
MIGRAÇÕES PARA ALÉM DOS PADRÕES CISHETERONORMATIVOS:
Authors: Fernandes Ulisses , Pimentel Ivan Ignácio , Oliveira Gomes da Silva Bruno
Published: February 2025

Resumo: Historicamente, os estudos no campo das migrações ignoraram a diversidade de sujeitos que compõem os fluxos migratórios, considerando as experiências do homem branco e heterossexual como universais. Mais recentemente, no entanto, este cenário começou a mudar, com a maior visibilidade acadêmica dada às mulheres e à população LGBTQIAP+ no campo das migrações. O artigo em tela tem por objetivo geral jogar luz sobre o deslocamento geográfico de pessoas LGBTQIAP+, em especial aquelas oriundas da Venezuela a partir do ano de 2017, buscando compreender como orientação sexual e identidade de gênero afetam os percursos migratórios destes sujeitos e as razões da busca pelo Brasil como local de destino.
Palavras-chave: Migração LGBTQIAP+. Refugiados. Orientação sexual. Identidade de gênero. Migrações venezuelanas.
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: Winter George
Published: February 2025

In this month's article, George Winter looks at the history of chronic fatigue syndrome and current efforts to develop therapeutics for the condition
Art That Works: Nietzsche’s Figures of Suffering
Authors: Anthony Zoe
Published: February 2025

Abstract: Forms of life produce ways of suffering through the figuration of the experience of suffering within aesthetic contexts. Aesthetic experiences give “figure” to embodied experiences of suffering. Figures are not clearly outlined shapes but rather are gestural indications that are dynamically influential. Friedrich Nietzsche, in The Birth of Tragedy , deploys several “figures” of suffering, through the characters of Dionysus, Apollo, and Silenus. This article is organized into three parts. Section one articulates Nietzsche’s interpretation of Dionysus and Apollo, with a focus on their connection to the problem of suffering. Section two argues that these figures do not sufficiently reply to the problem of suffering, thereby creating a new problem of suffering, which challenges traditional theodicy. Section three explores Nietzsche’s interpretation of the wisdom of Silenus. From these analyses, I argue that aesthetic contexts produce interpretations of suffering that potentially yield affective reorientation toward the meaninglessness of suffering and its challenge to a flourishing, life-affirming life. It achieves this by interpreting suffering within the space not of argument against life’s inherent goodness, but as, terribly, a part of it.
Modern Art as Symbolic Representation: A Critical Analysis of Modernism in Mircea Eliade’s Works
Authors: Badea Gabriel
Published: February 2025

Abstract: The present study explores the many meanings of symbols in modernity, as a fundamental concept in the history of religions, as an aesthetic category in art history, and as a method of representation and assignment of meaning in psychological theories. Ironically, Eliade was part of a cohort of academics who recaptured the original potency of the symbol (at the theoretical level), yet lived during its most significant deterioration (in the realm of social practices). Modernity is a time characterized by radical secularization of institutions, language, and human interactions. Simultaneously, it signified the independence of the empirical as opposed to the intelligible. Considering the religious importance of the symbol, as envisaged by Eliade, as a gateway to an ultimate reality (the sacred), inaccessible to all other forms of knowledge, what remains of its original power in the context of secular modernity? Does the work of art exhibit any alterations in its symbolic function? While no longer perceived as religious in the conventional sense, a significant faction of modernity endeavored to maintain a certain spiritual ambiance, serving as a gateway to the transcendent.
Two Hundred Years of Collecting at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Authors: Arnold Leroy J.
Published: February 2025

Abstract: While slaves arrived in Pennsylvania aboard the ship Isabella in 1684, little detail of this venture has been described. We have discovered two English lawsuits detailing the voyage of the slave ship Hopewell to Maryland in 1685. As this ship was managed by the same group of Bristol Quakers responsible for the Isabella , we re-examined the documents pertaining to the Isabella in more detail. The two voyages together provide a better understanding of how the direct trading of slaves was illicitly practiced in the mid-Atlantic colonies by Bristol Quakers who could target specific markets and use designated agents.
Ghost Stories of the Archive Material Legacies and Writing Music History
Authors: Castle Chase
Published: February 2025

Abstract: This article examines the beginnings of educational systems in the colonies, focusing on Francis Daniel Pastorius’s establishment of Pennsylvania’s first sustained formal school. Pastorius, confronted with a starkly different world in a new colony versus settled European life, pursued realism over humanism as one of the colony’s first educators. He helped create Philadelphia’s first school along these lines, emphasizing practical education in the vernacular. He then returned to Germantown to repeat his Philadelphia success. Due to Germantown’s ethnic diversity, he also taught English as a second language, writing a primer designed specifically for such students. Pastorius also mentored and taught students outside of the formal setting, sharing his own humanist learning. One of these mentees, Lloyd Zachary, would in time help begin the College and Academy of Pennsylvania, alongside Benjamin Franklin—thereby establishing the colony’s first school of higher education, now known as the University of Pennsylvania. Pastorius’s early work with Pennsylvania’s first school in the 1690s would bear remarkable fruit by 1749. Pastorius’s decision to follow the more modern realism movement rather than the humanist movement helped further the transformation of education in the thirteen colonies.
Inverse design of discrete Raman amplifiers using an invertible neural network for ultra-wideband optical transmission based on hollow core fibers
Authors: Wu Zheyu , Gao Ran , Wang Fei , Chang Huan , Li Zhipei , Guo Dong , Zhu Lei , Zhang Qi , Wang Guangquan , Shen Shikui , Chang Yanbiao , Xin Xiangjun
Published: February 2025

The increasing demand for higher data transmission rates in optical networks has led to significant advancements in hollow core fibers (HCFs), particularly in multi-band transmission (MBT) systems. These systems, which use the previously untapped spectrum, require efficient amplification solutions to achieve stable long-distance transmission. Raman amplifiers, and especially discrete Raman amplifiers (DRAs), have emerged as promising candidates due to their broad bandwidth and tunable gain. However, optimizing the complex multi-pump configurations in DRAs remains a long-standing challenge. In this study, we propose an inverse design method based on an invertible neural network (INN) to efficiently determine DRA pump configurations for specific gain profiles. By combining a global search via the INN and local refinement through a fully connected neural network, our method achieves precise control over the gain flatness and pump parameters. Experimental validation over a 10 km spectral transmission system shows an 18 dB gain level with a gain flatness of 2 dB, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed inverse design method. In addition, the feasibility of the proposed design in practical applications was confirmed in the 25GBaud 64-QAM data transmission experiment based on HCF. This approach offers what we believe to be new opportunities for the optimisation of wideband optical networks.
Phononically shielded multi-wavelength photonic-crystal membrane for cavity quantum optomechanics
Authors: Li Hanbing , Wang Doudou , Wang Quansen , Zhang Qiang , Li Yongmin
Published: February 2025

We propose and design a stoichiometric silicon-nitride membrane resonator featuring high reflectivity at multi-wavelengths and high mechanical quality factors. The membrane resonator has a thickness of 100 nm and 2D-photonic and phononic crystal patterns. By designing concentric holes of suitable radius on both sides of the membrane, high reflectivity at multi-wavelengths can be achieved. In particular, the simulation shows that high reflectivity can be realized at telecommunications wavelengths and alkaline atomic absorption lines, achieving reflectivity of 99.76% at 852 nm, 99.98% at 1054 nm, and 99.96% at 1566 nm, respectively. The designed device can find useful applications in cavity optomechanical systems to realize quantum frequency conversion and precise quantum measurements, and other quantum information processing tasks.
High-Q miniaturized bound state in the continuum microcavities on thin-film lithium niobate towards efficient spatial light modulation
Authors: Hu Yuefeng , He Huilin , Zhang Zixuan , Liu Zhen , Chen Ye , Wang Feifan , Yin Xuefan , Peng Chao
Published: February 2025

We report the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of high-quality factor (Q) photonic crystal microcavities on a thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) that could potentially be utilized for spatial light modulation applications. Specifically, our design features inverted trapezoidal structures to address the realistic shapes in the fabrication and employs the transverse magnetic mode to incorporate the electro-optic effect of lithium niobate via its large r33 coefficient. By leveraging the high-order topological charge of q = −2 carried by bound states in the continuum (BICs), the proposed microcavity reaches an ultra-high Q up to 1.2 × 105, showing as a milestone record for the BIC cavities on the TFLN platform, thus paving the way to efficient spatial light EO modulation upon light radiation.
Microjoule-level nanosecond pulse generation from a 1.7 µm all-fiber Tm-doped fiber laser amplification system
Authors: Zhan Ze-Yu , Deng Jia-Long , Li Ti-Jian , Liu Meng , Wu Dai-Xuan , Luo Ai-Ping , Xu Wen-Cheng , Luo Zhi-Chao
Published: February 2025

We report a 1.7 µm all-fiber Tm-doped fiber (TDF) amplification system delivering nanosecond pulse with microjoule-level energy. The seed laser is a 1.7 µm mode-locked TDF laser operating in the regime of a noise-like rectangular pulse. The width of the nanosecond rectangular pulse can be flexibly tuned by adjusting the intra-cavity polarization state. After the two-stage TDF amplifier, the maximum output average power of 3.24 W can be obtained with a pulse width of 10 ns. Taking into account the 288.4 kHz repetition rate, the pulse energy after the TDF amplification system can be up to 11.2 µJ. These results demonstrate a simple but effective method for generating high-energy nanosecond pulse at the 1.7 µm waveband, exhibiting significant potential as a high-performance laser source for biomedical imaging and material processing.