bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nicaragua y las preguntas necesarias. Comentario al libro “Ciudadanía y Violencia: Una aproximación a sus múltiples expresiones en Nicaragua”, de Mario Sánchez, Douglas Castro y Rony Rodríguez
Authors: Cruz José Miguel
Published: September 2015

La violencia todavía gobierna en Centroamérica. Después de décadas de discriminación social y económica, violencia política, guerras civiles, revoluciones, transiciones políticas, pactos de paz y elecciones, múltiples expresiones de violencia siguen dictando la forma en que los centroamericanos viven, construyen su ciudadanía y ejercen el poder. Laviolencia ya no es prerrogativa exclusiva del Estado, pero el Estado sigue siendoun actor fundamental en su producción y propagación. La violencia ya no ladictan solo los poderosos, pero los poderosos todavía la entienden mejor y la usan más efectivamente. La violencia ya no es el último instrumento de contestación de los marginados. En realidad nunca lo fue. Pero muchos desposeídos siguen interpretando a la violencia como la mejor manera de recuperar el futuro y la dignidad.
Comentario al libro “Luchar por la justicia al viento del espíritu. Autobiografía y esbozo de historia de mi generación”, de Juan Hernández Pico
Authors: Vijil Josefina
Published: September 2015

Los versos de Celaya convertidos en canción y que Piquito incluyó textualmente en el libro resumen su vida y el quehacer del sector dela Compañía de Jesús en la región de la que también nos habla. “Maldigo la poesía de quien no toma partido hasta mancharse” verbalizan lo que tantas personas sentimos: nuestra ética, nuestros principios exigen un compromiso con diferentes causas, no exento de riesgos: de equivocarnos, de apoyar a quien no debimos, de analizar superficialmenteuna situación, de tomar decisiones incorrectas. Pero el riesgo de “mancharse” no es excusa para no comprometerse.
Hacer el bien: alma en las palabras. Comentario al libro “Luchar por la justicia al viento del espíritu: Autobiografía y esbozo de historia de mi generación”, de Juan Hernández Pico, S.J.
Authors: Rocha Urtecho Luis
Published: September 2015

El título de esta Presentación Hacer el bien,al igual que el párrafo que la antecede, los tomé del Prólogo que hizo a su libro Juan Hernández Pico,S.J., viejo amigo y jesuita con mayúscula florida, según decía, en casos como éste, el P. Azarías H. Pallais. Lo de alma en las palabras me lo sugirió su citade Javier Melloni: La palabra es el éxtasis del silencio…, que en este 148 aniversario del nacimiento de Rubén Darío me conducea evocar en Prosas Profanas que cada palabra tiene un alma. Verdad aquí cabalmente cumplida, pues recordar habiendo hecho el bien, a pesar de muchos pesares, es amar en la Cumbre de la Memoria, libro del poeta Angel Martínez Baigorri,S.J., sobre el que escribió Ignacio Ellacuría,S.J., mártir de la UCA de El Salvador, y uno de los más entrañables personajes de nuestra historia centroamericana y de este libro, calificando Ignacio a Angel de poeta esencial,como en el fondo siempre lo será el mismo Ellacuría, y también Pico (a quien meva costar, por el cariño que todos le tenemos, no llamar Piquito en este comentario), esencialmente poeta pues pone alma en sus palabras, y que en estas páginas nos recuerda una historia que jamás debe ser olvidada, de hacedores de la historia centroamericana, y de quienes ofrendaron su vida como el más alto de los cantos.
Memoria de la presentación de “Ixcan: el campesino indígena se levanta”, de Ricardo Falla, S.J.
Authors: Pu Joj Jeremías
Published: September 2015

Martes 24 de febrero de 2015 Antes de venir a la capital para la visita al Ixcán, tuvimos la presentación del libro Popol Wuj en Fe y Alegría No. 49. Hubo buena participación de maestros y maestras. La actividad que organicé junto a José Luis salió excelente. Creía al principio que no iba a haber gente que participara, pero, poco a pocofueron llegando. La actividad dio inicio a las 2:45 de la tarde. Terminamos casi a las 5:00 dela tarde. Sabía que iba a terminar a esa hora porque nos retrasamos por la gente que no llegaba.
Evaluación de la erosión hídrica del suelo en la finca “Santos García” ubicada en el cerro Las Mesas, Matagalpa, mediante el uso del radionucleido ambiental 137Cesio
Authors: Pérez Matus María José , Cruz Karla Hypatia , Ramírez Roustan Elías , López Lezama Cipriano A
Published: September 2015

Se evaluó el proceso de erosión hídrica presente en la finca “Santos García”, Ciudad Darío, Matagalpa. Para cuantificar las pérdidas de suelo se empleó la técnica nuclear del 137 Cesio (como radioisótopo trazador ambiental). A su vez, se analizó la influencia de factores e indicadores que intervienen en el proceso de pérdida de suelo: pendiente y precipitación, textura (método Bouyoucos), color (tabla Munsell), materia orgánica (digestión húmeda con dicromato de potasio), pH (método Potenciométrico) y capacidad de intercambio catiónico (acetato de amoniopH 7 1N). Los resultados obtenidos reflejan grandes pérdidas de suelo asociadas a las características fisicoquímicas de éste. Se manifiesta la urgente necesidad de implementar medidas de conservación de suelo que permitan la sustentabilidad agrícola en el sitio de estudio.
Censo de asentamientos urbanos del departamento de Managua
Authors: Robleto Giovanna , Solórzano Alberto , Lacayo Laura
Published: September 2015

El crecimiento acelerado de la población en los principales centros urbanos del departamento de Managua ha puesto de manifiesto una realidad: la de los asentamientos informales. Éstos muestran características distintas a la de la ciudad formal, y el estudio de las condiciones de vida, acceso a infraestructura básica y equipamiento, así como de las estrategias organizativas que desarrollan en su largo y costoso proceso de consolidación, nos permiten acercarnos al fenómeno con el fin de contribuir al debate y reflexión de una problemática, enfatizando la necesidad de implementar acciones integrales.
Comentario al libro “Nicaragua: mi lectura de su historia contemporánea” de Onofre Guevara
Authors: López Baltodano Mónica
Published: September 2015

En casa de mis padres, como seguramente ocurre en otros hogares nicaragüenses, los asuntos políticos del país han sido siempre el pan de cada día.No sé si era una forma inconsciente de hacer que nosotros, sus hijos, nos interesáramos. Pero ellos siempre platicaban en la salao en el comedor, de manera que, aunque no quisiéramos, teníamos de alguna manera que atender lo que decían.Siendo estudiante, algunas veces les escuché decir cosas como éstas: “¿Ya leíste lo que escribió Onofre?.... Mirá, dale una ojeada al artículo de Onofre… yo creo que Onofre exagera…. es que Onofre es bien intransigente con esto de los socialistas…. Es muy importante este trabajo de Onofre. Hay que leer ese libro de Onofre…”.
El Movimiento Estudiantil Internacional
Authors: Bellanger Rodríguez Wendy
Published: September 2015

Los estudiantes universitarios, organizados a nivel mundial bajo el paraguas del International Student Movement (Movimiento Estudiantil Internacional), realizaron del 17 al 22 de noviembre la Global Week of Action o “Semana de acción global”, en la que se desarrollaron actividades y protestas, y se promovieron reflexiones entorno al lema: We are students; not customers (Somos estudiantes, no clientes). Una delas universidades alemanas que apoyó esta actividad fue la Philipps Universität, donde pude conocer la lógica y formas de actuar de este movimiento social.
Preparation of Iron-Nickel Alloy Nanostructures via Two Cationic Pyridinium Derivatives as Soft Templates
Authors: Zhou Jingxin , Jiao Tifeng , Guo Wenfeng , Wang Bo , Guo Haiying , Cui Linfan , Zhang Qingrui , Chen Yan , Peng Qiuming
Published: September 2015

In this paper, crystalline iron-nickel alloy nanostructures were successfully prepared from two cationic pyridinium derivatives as soft templates in solution. The crystal structure and micrograph of FeNi alloy nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and the content was confirmed by energy-dispersive spectrometry. The results indicated that the as-prepared nanostructures showed slightly different diameter ranges with the change of cationic pyridinium derivatives on the surface. The experimental data indicated that the adsorption of cationic pyridinium compounds on the surface of particles reduces the surface charge, leading to an isotropic distribution of the residual surface charges. The magnetic behaviours of as-prepared FeNi alloy nanostructures exhibited disparate behaviours, which could be attributed to their grain sizes and distinctive structures. The present work may give some insight into the synthesis and character of new alloy nanomaterials with special nanostructures using new soft templates.
Strain-Rate Dependence of Elastic Modulus Reveals Silver Nanoparticle Induced Cytotoxicity
Authors: Caporizzo Matthew Alexander , Roco Charles M. , Ferrer Maria Carme Coll , Grady Martha E. , Parrish Emmabeth , Eckmann David M. , Composto Russell John
Published: September 2015

Force-displacement measurements are taken at different rates with an atomic force microscope to assess the correlation between cell health and cell viscoelasticity in THP-1 cells that have been treated with a novel drug carrier. A variable indentation-rate viscoelastic analysis, VIVA, is employed to identify the relaxation time of the cells that are known to exhibit a frequency dependent stiffness. The VIVA agrees with a fluorescent viability assay. This indicates that dextran-lysozyme drug carriers are biocompatible and deliver concentrated toxic material (rhodamine or silver nanoparticles) to the cytoplasm of THP-1 cells. By modelling the frequency dependence of the elastic modulus, the VIVA provides three metrics of cytoplasmic viscoelasticity: a low frequency modulus, a high frequency modulus and viscosity. The signature of cytotoxicity by rhodamine or silver exposure is a frequency independent twofold increase in the elastic modulus and cytoplasmic viscosity, while the cytoskeletal relaxation time remains unchanged. This is consistent with the known toxic mechanism of silver nanoparticles, where metabolic stress causes an increase in the rigidity of the cytoplasm. A variable indentation-rate viscoelastic analysis is presented as a straightforward method to promote the self-consistent comparison between cells. This is paramount to the development of early diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Paternally expressed imprinted genes establish postzygotic hybridization barriers in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Wolff Philip , Jiang Hua , Wang Guifeng , Santos-González Juan , Köhler Claudia
Published: September 2015

Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon causing parent-of-origin specific differential expression of maternally and paternally inherited alleles. While many imprinted genes have been identified in plants, the functional roles of most of them are unknown. In this study, we systematically examine the functional requirement of paternally expressed imprinted genes (PEGs) during seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana. While none of the 15 analyzed peg mutants has qualitative or quantitative abnormalities of seed development, we identify three PEGs that establish postzygotic hybridization barriers in the endosperm, revealing that PEGs have a major role as speciation genes in plants. Our work reveals that a subset of PEGs maintains functional roles in the inbreeding plant Arabidopsis that become evident upon deregulated expression.
A Trimming‐π Strategy for Constructing Functional Conductive Metal‐Organic Frameworks Using Metalloporphyrazine Units
Authors: Jiao Junqiang , Yang Mingyu , Ye Xiangxin , Zhang Yi , Jiang Yi , Meng Zheng
Published: February 2025

Developing functional metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) with high electrical conductivity is crucial for their applications as advanced electronic materials. In this work, we for the first time construct a new family of functional and highly conductive MOFs using metalloporphyrazine (MPz) ligands based on a trimming‐π concept via cutting the benzene ring from molecular metallopthalocynine (MPc). The deprotonation‐after‐coordination synthetic method affords crystalline MPz‐Cu‐NH MOFs with square lattices. Four‐point probe conductivity measurements reveal the high room temperature electrical conductivity of MPz‐based MOFs ranging from 3.5 × 10‐2 to 1.3 × 10‐1 S cm−1, two orders of magnitude higher than the MPc‐based MOF counterparts. Temperature‐dependent conductivity measurements and electronic band structure analysis demonstrate ultra‐small activation energies with potential metallic conducting behavior for the MPz‐Cu‐NH MOFs. Encapsulation of the aromatic guest molecules with different electron‐donating and ‐withdrawing features allows the conductivity modulation of the CuPz‐Cu‐NH in a wide range spanning two orders of magnitude. These conductive MPz‐Cu‐NH MOFs with built‐in MPz functional units exhibit MPz identity‐dependent sensing performance, and realize highly sensitive detection of NH3 and NO2 using a low driving voltage of 0.1 V.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Onto-Norms and Gender Equality: Unveiling the Invisible Gender Norms in AI Ecosystems in the Context of Africa
Authors: Ndaka Angella K. , Ratemo Harriet A. M. , Oppong Abigail , Majiwa Eucabeth B. O.
Published: February 2025

Populations are impacted differently by Artificial Intelligence (AI), due to different privileges and missing voices in STEM space. Continuation of biased gender norms is exhibited through data and propagated by the AI algorithmic activity in different sites. Specifically, women of colour continue to be underprivileged in relation to AI innovations. This chapter seeks to engage with invisible and elemental ways in which AI is shaping the lives of women and girls in Africa. Building on Annemarie Mol’s reflections about onto-norms, this chapter utilized informal sessions, participant observation, digital content analysis, and AI model character analysis, to identify the gender norms that shape and are shaped by different AI social actors and algorithms in different social ontologies using Kenya and Ghana as case studies. The study examines how onto-norms propagate certain gender practices in digital spaces through character and the norms of spaces that shape AI design, training and use. Additionally the study explores the different user behaviours and practices regarding whether, how, when, and why different gender groups engage in and with AI-driven spaces. By examining how data and content can knowingly or unknowingly be used to drive certain social norms in the AI ecosystems, this study argues that onto-norms shape how AI engages with the content that relates to women. Onto-norms specifically shape the image, behaviour, and other media, including how gender identities and perspectives are intentionally or otherwise, included, missed, or misrepresented in building and training AI systems. To address these African women related AI biases, we propose a framework for building intentionality within the AI systems, to ensure articulation of women’s original intentions for data, hence the use of personal data to perpetuate further gender biases in AI systems.
Trust Me, I Am an Intelligent and Autonomous System: Trustworthy AI in Africa as Distributed Concern
Authors: Nkwo Makuochi Samuel , Adamu Muhammad
Published: February 2025

Over the last decade, we’ve witnessed the re-convergence of Human–computer Interaction (HCI) to emerging spaces such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, edge computing and so on. Specific to the agentistic turn in HCI, researchers and practitioners have grappled with the central issues around AI as a research programme or a methodological instrument—from cognitive science emphasis on technical and computational cognitive systems to philosophy and ethics focus on agency, perception, interpretation, action, meaning, and understanding. Even with the proliferation of AI discourses globally, researchers have recognised how the discourse of AI from Africa is undermined. Consequently, researchers interested in HCI and AI in Africa have identified the growing need for exploring the potentials and challenges associated with the design and adoption of AI-mediated technologies in critical sectors of the economy as a matter of socio-technical interest or concern. In this chapter, we consider how the normative framing of AI in Africa—from ethical, responsible, and trustworthy—can be better understood when their subject matters are conceived as a Latourian “Distributed Concern”. Building on Bruno Latour’s analytical framing of “matters of facts” as “matters of concerns”, we argue that operationalising trustworthy AI as a distributed concern—which is ethical, socio-cultural, geo-political, economic, pedagogical, technical, and so on—entails a continual process of reconciling value(s). To highlight the scalable dimension of trustworthiness in AI research and design, we engaged in sustained discursive argumentation in showing how the procedural analysis of trust as a spectrum might explicate the modalities that sustained the normalisation of trustworthy AI as ethical, lawful, or robust.
Extracellular Fine Fiber-Induced Carcinogenesis and Its Prevention
Authors: Toyokuni Shinya , Maeda Yuki , Lyu Qinying , Mi Danyang , Kong Yingyi
Published: February 2025

Cancer, dysregulated proliferation of basically monoclonal autologous cells causing destruction of the preexistent normal structure, has been present from the ancient days.
Pathways to Repair or Remove Lysosomes Damaged by Extracellular Fine Particles
Authors: Kuma Akiko , Yoshimori Tamotsu
Published: February 2025

Exogenous and endogenous fine particles such as environmental materials (e.g., silica, asbestos, alum), toxic protein aggregates (e.g., α-synuclein, amyloid-β), and endogenous crystals (e.g., cholesterol crystals, uric acid crystals) are internalized into the cell by the endocytic pathway or phagocytosis. Because lysosomes are the terminal compartments of these pathways, lysosomes are known to be damaged by exocytosed extracellular fine particles. Lysosomal membrane damage allows the leakage of the lysosomal contents such as cathepsins, H+, Ca2+, and iron into the cytosol, which is harmful to the cell. Numerous studies have suggested that lysosomal damage is tightly associated with toxicity of exogenous particles, inflammatory responses, and diseases including those involving neurodegeneration. To preserve lysosomal integrity, cells have several mechanisms for the repair or elimination of compromised lysosomes collectively called the “lysosomal damage response”. This review summarizes recent findings on the responses to lysosomal damage, focusing on extracellular fine particles.
Neurodegenerative Disorder and Fine Particulate Matter
Authors: Kawahara Hironori , Hanayama Rikinari
Published: February 2025

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), diverse membranous vesicles secreted by cells, include microvesicles, exosomes, and other cell-specific types. They efficiently deliver proteins and nucleic acids to distal parts and are implicated in the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders. Additionally, long-term exposure to extracellular microparticles, notably particulate matter (PM) 2.5, is suspected to induce neuroinflammation via oxidative stress mechanisms. Production of macrovesicles relies on the ARRDC1 and ARF6/RhoA pathways, whereas exosome production involves both ESCRT-dependent and ESCRT-independent pathways. In neurodegenerative disorders, EVs play various roles: microglia-derived EVs activate endothelial cells and neurons in stroke models, EVs accelerate α-synuclein aggregation and hinder autophagy in Parkinson's disease, patient-derived muscle cell small Extracellular vesicles (sEVs) worsen motor neuron death in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and microglia-derived EVs influence neuronal transmission through the hippocampus, leading to synaptic spine reduction in Alzheimer's disease. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the involvement of EVs in disease onset remain largely unknown, emphasizing the need for further investigations.
Extracellular Vesicle Isolation and Analysis Using Nanowires
Authors: Chattrairat Kunanon , Yasui Takao
Published: February 2025

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been considered as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in therapeutic treatments. Although applications of EVs in health care are being started and more are expected, EV studies have not yet provided a deep understanding of EV biogenesis and functions. So, comprehensive study of EVs continues. To gain a better understanding of EVs, the reliable isolation and analysis of EVs are necessary. In addition, the quality and quantity of isolated EVs play a crucial role in EV analysis. Large numbers of studies have been conducted to isolate or analyze EVs with high yield, purity, sensitivity, and selectivity. During the past decade, EV studies have been largely enabled by existing analytical techniques. However, these techniques are still deficient for the isolation of high-yield and high-purity homogeneous EVs and their specific subtypes from complex matrices such as physiological fluids. Nanowires are two-dimensional nanomaterials that have unique properties, such as a high volume-to-surface ratio, a high aspect ratio, and a capacity for integration with microfluidics. Demonstrations of nanowires capturing EVs from various biological samples, such as plasma, serum, and urine, have been made. Additionally, EVs captured on nanowires can be analyzed with their biomolecules, such as miRNAs and membrane proteins, for identification of various diseases. This chapter explores nanowire technology in EV studies, and looks at its challenges and future prospects.
Magnetic Nanoparticles for Diagnostics and Therapy
Authors: Ichiyanagi Yuko
Published: February 2025

Magnetic materials have long been essential to human life. Nanometer-sized magnetic particles have recently attracted attention for the development of magnetic materials, such as electronic devices, and other fields such as medicine. Here, we introduce the development of nanosized magnetic particles produced using our unique manufacturing method for biomedical applications. We discuss the possibility of cancer thermotherapy using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for therapeutic applications and magnetic resonance imaging for diagnostic applications. We expect a trend toward nano-theranostics in which MNPs can simultaneously be used for treatment and diagnosis.
Engineered and Artificial Exosomes for Non-viral Drug Delivery Nanocarriers
Authors: Maeki Masatoshi , Tokeshi Manabu
Published: February 2025

This chapter overviews the expanding field of engineered and artificial exosomes as cutting-edge non-viral drug delivery nanoparticles. Exosomes are expected to be natural carriers for drug delivery systems and clinical trials are in progress for several exosome-based nanomedicines. While therapeutic potential of exosomes has been demonstrated, several challenges must be overcome for practical applications including the need for: scalable manufacturing, standardization, and efficient drug loading. To overcome them, various methodologies have been developed for the production of engineered and artificial exosomes through bioengineering and micro/nanobiotechnology, thereby presenting a promising solution to the limitations of natural exosomes. In this chapter, various production methods are discussed, including: top-down, bottom-up, and biohybrid methodologies; drug-loading techniques; and membrane fusion methods for engineered exosome production. Furthermore, this chapter highlights the use of microfluidic devices in the production of artificial exosomes and presents a novel approach for the precise control of particle size and composition. Utilizing nanotechnology, molecular biology, and pharmacology, engineered and artificial exosomes allow the development of novel non-viral drug delivery systems by improving biocompatibility, increasing specificity, and expanding payload capacity.
Toward Digital Bioanalysis of Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Shinoda Hajime , Watanabe Rikiya
Published: February 2025

A wide array of extracellular vesicles within living organisms plays a crucial role in mediating physiological functions and is involved in significantly to various diseases and viral infections. Understanding the composition of these vesicles is essential to identify disease origins and develop effective diagnostics and therapeutics. However, current technologies typically analyze groups of vesicles together, leading to averaged information that lacks insight into individual vesicle components, such as the number of molecular species and their correlation with diseases. To enhance our understanding of extracellular vesicles, we have developed SATORI, a cutting-edge technology capable of identifying and rapidly detecting RNA from viruses, which are examples of extracellular vesicles, at the single-molecule level. Additionally, we created an automated platform (opn-SATORI) and a portable platform (COWFISH) based on SATORI, which serve as the initial step in clinical applications for the high-throughput diagnosis of viral infections, such as COVID-19. In this chapter, we introduce our latest technology, SATORI, and discuss its future potential for the comprehensive analysis of extracellular vesicles and use in the diagnosis of viral infections.
Membrane Dynamics of Exosomes as Revealed by Single-Molecule Imaging
Authors: Suzuki Kenichi G. N. , Hirosawa Koichiro M. , Isogai Tatsuki , Yasuda Tomokazu , Hanashima Shinya
Published: February 2025

Exosomes or small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) play a pivotal role in diverse intercellular communications, notably in the selective metastasis of cancer cells. The membranes of sEVs exhibit abundance in raft-associated molecules such as sphingolipids. A recent elucidation revealed that sEV membranes manifested a composition characterized by the coexistence of raft-like and nonraft-like domains as discerned by the assessment of fluorescence anisotropy and lifetimes. Furthermore, it turned out that sEVs retain some asymmetry in the inner and outer leaflets. In light of the unequivocal heterogeneity inherent in sEVs, it is imperative to meticulously scrutinize the behaviors exhibited by each subtype of sEV particles. This review proposes a strategy to identify the subtypes of sEV, encapsulating extant findings and prospects.
Glycan Remodeling by Small Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Kizuka Yasuhiko
Published: February 2025

Glycosylation of proteins is a fundamental and frequent process that regulates protein functions and is associated with various diseases. Glycan biosynthesis is catalyzed by sequential actions of many glycosyltransferases in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, but how their intracellular activity is regulated remains largely unresolved. Recently, an increasing number of reports have demonstrated that glycans and related molecules are included in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), and their physiological and pathological roles in sEVs have been actively studied. Furthermore, a few glycosyltransferases, such as GnT-V (MGAT5), have also been demonstrated to be included in sEVs and transferred from cell to cell via incorporation of these glycosyltransferase-loaded sEVs by recipient cells. Moreover, glycan structures in the recipient cells have been shown to be remodeled by the incorporation of glycosyltransferase-positive sEVs. These findings demonstrate a novel non-genetic sEV-mediated mechanism of glycan remodeling of cells, highlighting a new concept in which glycosyltransferases are transferred among cells via sEVs for regulating glycan expression.
Analysis of Immune Responses Induced by Inhaled Fine Particulates
Authors: Kuroda Etsushi
Published: February 2025

Inhaled fine particulates, such as particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and sand dust, are closely associated with the onset of respiratory diseases, especially with allergic disorders. These fine particulates travel through the respiratory tract via inhalation and are deposited deep into the lungs. These deposited particulates are engulfed by alveolar macrophages, which serve as sentinel cells of the lungs, and subsequently removed from the lungs, indicating that alveolar macrophages play a crucial role in clearing particulates in the lungs. On the other hand, some particulates stimulate alveolar macrophages to induce inflammatory responses. Thus, the detailed role of alveolar macrophages in response to inhaled fine particulates is still unclear.
Harnessing DNA and Energy Cargo: Unveiling the Active Biogenesis and Applications of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Takano Sotaro , Okamoto Akihiro
Published: February 2025

Human microbiota, akin to human cells releasing exosomes, produce spherical biological nanoparticles, bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs). These BEVs are composed of lipid bilayers and encapsulate a variety of biological molecules from their source cells such as signaling molecules, genetic materials, and proteins.
Swarming rate and timing of unmanaged honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera carnica) in a forest environment
Authors: Rutschmann B. , Kohl P. L. , Steffan-Dewenter I.
Published: February 2025

Investigating the life history of social insect colonies and the demography of their populations are important for their conservation, but data collection is challenging. There is a growing interest in understanding the population status of wild-living honeybee colonies across Europe, for which it is critical to collect data on survival and natality rates. Although survival rates can be investigated through regular inspections of wild nests, the accurate quantification of natality rates (i.e., the number of swarms produced per colony per year) remains a significant challenge. Using digital weight scales, we remotely monitored the natural swarming behavior of ten unmanaged Apis mellifera carnica colonies housed in static-volume hives (45 L) in a forest region of southern Germany. During the 2019 season, between mid-May and late June, we recorded 17 swarming events, averaging 1.7 swarms per colony. Our observations offer a reference point for the timing, frequency, and size of honeybee swarms that helps us understand the natural reproductive patterns of wild-living honeybees in a temperate forest environment.
Religiously inspired baby boom: evidence from Georgia
Authors: Chung Seung-Hun , Deopa Neha , Saxena Kritika , Stone Lyman
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the Georgian Orthodox Church’s response to declining fertility rates through a 2007 intervention, wherein the Patriarch personally baptized 3

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and higher-parity children. Employing synthetic control and interrupted time series methods using macro data, we find suggestive evidence of increased fertility rates. Validating these findings with micro data from a representative sample of Georgian women, we use quasi-experimental variation generated by religion, ethnicity, and marital status of the women and the timing of the announcement to estimate the causal impact using the difference-in-differences estimator. We find a 17% increase (0.3 children per woman) in the national total fertility rate, a 42% increase in Georgian Orthodox women’s birth rate within marriage (an increase in annual hazard rate of 3.5 percentage points), and a 100% increase in their 3

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and higher-order birth rate within marriage (1.3 percentage points higher annual hazard rate). The impact of the intervention also correlates with higher marriage rates and reduced reported abortions, aligning with the church’s goals. This research emphasizes the potential impact of non-economic factors such as religion and the influence of traditional authority figures on shifting fertility patterns in industrialized, educated, and low-fertility societies.
How useful is contrast-enhanced MRI in the long-term surveillance of glioma? A multicentre retrospective longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Cakmak Marcus , Mohammadian Sepehr , Keil Vera C. W. , Schouten Joost W. , de Witt Hamer Philip C. , van der Vaart Thijs , Balvers Rutger K. , Wamelink Ivar J. H. G. , Barkhof Frederik , van den Bent Martin , Vries Mark , Smits Marion
Published: February 2025

Objective

To examine whether MRI with routine gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) administration in the long-term surveillance of adult-type diffuse glioma identifies tumour progression earlier than T2-weighted (T2w) and/or T2w fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI only.

Materials and methods

In this longitudinal retrospective multicentre cohort study patients with histopathologically confirmed adult-type diffuse glioma and at least two years survival after diagnosis in 2009–2010 were included. Progression was determined by the treating physician or during the multidisciplinary team meeting and defined as the moment a change in treatment or follow-up was required. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients that showed an increase of abnormalities on both contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (CET1w) and T2w/T2w-FLAIR at the time of progression. Chi-square testing was performed to analyse the relationship between the detection of progression on both scan sequences, with calculating the Phi coefficient to determine the degree of association.

Results

One hundred eight consecutive patients were included (58 male; 53 grade 2, 21 grade 3, 34 grade 4). Progression was present in 82 patients and was determined on both CET1w and T2w/T2w-FLAIR images in 59 patients (72.0%). In 20 patients (24.4%), progression was determined based solely on T2w/T2w-FLAIR abnormalities. Only three patients showed progression exclusively on CET1w (3.7%). There was a strong positive significant relationship between the detection of progression on both scan types (p < 0.001; Phi = 0.467).

Conclusion

An increase in CET1w abnormalities was generally accompanied by an increase in T2w/T2w-FLAIR abnormalities, raising the question of whether routine administration of GBCA is always necessary for long-term survivors of glioma.

Key Points

Question
Long-term survivors with glioma undergo many contrast-enhanced MRI scans, which involve a patient, financial, and environmental burden.

Findings
In almost all patients, an increase in T2w/T2w-FLAIR abnormalities was present at the time of tumour progression, mostly but not always accompanying contrast-enhancing findings.

Clinical relevance
T2w/T2-FLAIR MRI seems to detect glioma progression in long-term surviving patients similar to contrast-enhanced T1w MRI, raising the question of whether the routine administration of GBCA is necessary and justified in patients under long-term surveillance of glioma.

Graphical Abstract
Listening to the multidisciplinary care team: exploring the pediatric palliative care needs in advanced chronic kidney disease
Authors: Nenner Vanessa , Napierala Hendrik , Jonas Maria Agnes , Kubiak Nina , Thumfart Julia
Published: February 2025

Background

Pediatric palliative care (PPC) aims to improve the quality of life for children with life-limiting conditions, such as advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), from the time of diagnosis. However, PPC is not commonly integrated into routine pediatric nephrology care. This study explores the perspectives and experiences of healthcare providers (HCPs) to better understand the experiences and specific barriers related to PPC integration for children and adolescents with advanced CKD.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study with 23 HCPs, including nurses, psychologists, social workers, and physicians from seven German pediatric nephrology centers, analyzing semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews using structured content analysis.

Results

Five main categories emerged from the analysis, revealing HCPs’ perceptions of CKD as a life-limiting condition, HCPs’ moral distress in addressing end-of-life issues, and barriers to PPC integration. Although HCPs reported comprehensive multidisciplinary support for end-of-life situations, a lack of interprofessional communication occasionally hindered coordinated care. HCPs rarely addressed CKD’s life-limiting nature proactively. A fear of diminishing hope led HCPs to avoid conversations about prognosis unless in response to a therapeutic crisis. PPC was mostly reserved for end-of-life cases, as HCPs associated PPC with terminal care and expressed concerns over distressing families.

Conclusions

This study highlights the gap between guidelines recommending early integration of PPC and daily nephrology practice, which tends to introduce PPC late in the course of the disease. Training for nephrology teams could improve the quality of life for children with advanced CKD and their families by promoting early integration of primary PPC principles.

Graphical abstract
Interaction between a bubble curtain with waves and currents: implications on sediment dispersal
Authors: Covarrubias-Contreras B. Rodrigo , Torres-Freyermuth Alec , Tinoco Rafael O. , Figueroa-Espinoza Bernardo
Published: February 2025

Bubble curtains are widely used for different environmental applications relying on the generation of recirculation cells. Prior studies suggest that bubble curtains can modify the morphology of rivers and channels by keeping sediment in suspension, and as an alternative for sediment transport control. However, their use in coastal environments is still relatively unexplored. We investigate the interaction between the recirculation cell induced by a bubble curtain with incoming currents and waves. Laboratory experiments were carried out on a wave-current flume facility equipped with a bubble diffuser. Simulated cases considered different characteristics of the bubble curtain, water level, currents, and waves. Free-surface elevation and velocity were measured concurrently with high spatial resolution. Experimental observations show that the bubble curtain modifies wave- and current-induced velocity profiles. For unidirectional currents, as the flow approaches the curtain, the velocity magnitude decreases near the surface and increases near the bed due to the recirculation cell. In the presence of waves, the recirculation flow affects both the wave-induced velocity and asymmetry, both important parameters for sediment transport. Thus, synthetic particles were used as sediment proxy to investigate the role of the recirculation cell on the wave-induced near bed transport. Experimental results highlight the effects of both the bubble curtain recirculation cells and the structure of the diffuser itself in sediment deposition. These experiments reveal the potential of bubble curtains for modifying hydrodynamics and deposition patterns in coastal zones, and provide a novel data set which can be used for the calibration and validation of numerical models.
Investigation of the memristive properties of the device form and thin film form of BST and CeO2 films with different arrays
Authors: Akin Ozlem , Efeoglu Hasan
Published: February 2025

In this study, a memristor structure known as a missing circuit element was produced. This study consists of a total of six samples in both thin film and device form with different arrays of BST film and CeO2 film on SiO2/Si substrate. The effects of different arrays and device forms of these two films on memristive behavior were investigated. It was observed that the structures exhibited memristive behavior due to the difference in ion mobility in films with different dielectric constants. It was also observed that the structures changed their memristive behavior in the annealing process performed at different temperatures. It was observed that the memristive behaviors examined imitated the connection strength of artificial synapses, and they are suitable for the production of multi-bit memristors or analog memristors suitable for the creation of artificial neuromorphic networks.
Suppression of magnetohydrodynamic interfacial wave instabilities by means of parametric anti-resonance
Authors: Horstmann Gerrit Maik , Kuhn Julia , Dohnal Fadi
Published: February 2025

The high electrolytic currents in aluminum reduction cells can provoke magnetohydrodynamic wave instabilities in the liquid-liquid cryolite-Al interface. Most critical for the safe operation of aluminum smelters is the metal pad roll (MPR) instability, which can set the interface into self-growing rotational wave motions. Such interface instabilities are commonly averted by keeping the poorly conducting cryolite layer sufficiently thick, but at the detriment of the energy efficiency. Mohammad et al. (in: Eskin (ed) Light Metals 2022. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series, Springer, Cham, 2022; JOM 74:1908–1915, 2022) have recently demonstrated that the cryolite layer can be markedly reduced when adding an oscillating component to the electrolytic current, inhibiting exponential growth of the MPR instability. We dedicate this paper to the investigation of the underlying physics behind this new suppression technique. We analyze the MPR stability using a simplified mechanical model, which reduces the mathematical problem to a set of two coupled Mathieu’s differential equations. The state of stability is calculated both numerically using Floquet theory and analytically by applying the complexification-averaging method. Our analysis reveals that observed stability patterns can essentially be attributed to a simultaneous occurrence of parametric resonance and anti-resonance. We identify ideal system parameters and show ways to verify the rather exotic phenomenon of parametric anti-resonance in MPR experiments.
The role of gender, age, and income in demand-side management acceptance: A literature review
Authors: Henriksen Ida Marie , Strömberg Helena , Branlat Jennifer , Diamond Lisa , Garzon Giulia , Kuch Declan , Yilmaz Selin , Motnikar Lenart
Published: February 2025

Demand-side management (DSM) programs aiming to both reduce and render household consumption more flexible are becoming increasingly essential due to ongoing energy crises and the growing integration of renewable energy into energy production. The active involvement of households and energy users is crucial to fully unlock the potential of DSM programs. As this paper demonstrates, despite more than thirty years of feminist scholarly work focusing on the home as an important site of the production of gender inequality, few of these insights have been taken into account by DSM designers. Additionally, we note a broader pattern concerning gaps in knowledge regarding the diverse perspectives of energy users and their domestic contexts, all of which create obstacles to successful rollout and scalability. This paper uses the concepts of the social license to automate and intersectionality to analyze the existing literature on DSM programs. We find that three primary barriers in household DSM programs have been addressed: 1) there is an unresolved tension between DSM technology being perceived as a masculine domain and the home as a feminine domain; 2) low-income households face challenges in accessing the technology needed to enable both flexibility and savings; and 3) disparities in opportunities for youth and the elderly to participate in DSM programs are insufficiently considered. Based on these findings we argue that user diversity—not only conceived of as separate identity category variables but also as implicating overlapping and possible mutually reinforcing marginalizations– is needed to form a starting point in DSM program design for fair and scalable solutions.
Ten-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score in post-menopausal women with low bone mineral density
Authors: Wani Kaiser , Sabico Shaun , Veronese Nicola , Al-Masri Abeer A. , Al-Daghri Nasser M.
Published: February 2025

Background

Reports on the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and bone mineral density (BMD) remain inconsistent and hence more population-based studies on this subject are needed.

Aims

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine (L1-L4) and femoral neck (right and left) with 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores in Saudi postmenopausal women.

Methods

A cohort of 1,450 postmenopausal women with risk factors for bone loss were analyzed using the data from the Chair for Biomarkers of Chronic Diseases (CBCD) Osteoporosis database. BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Anthropometric and biochemical parameters, including fasting glucose and lipid profiles, were measured. ASCVD risk scores were calculated using the ASCVD Risk Estimator Plus tool. BMD tertiles were analyzed for their association with ASCVD risk.

Results

Women with osteoporosis had significantly lower BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and metabolic dysfunction markers compared to those with normal BMD. Significant negative correlations were observed between ASCVD risk scores and BMD at femoral neck sites in women with osteopenia and osteoporosis. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that women in the lowest BMD tertiles had significantly higher odds of intermediate to high ASCVD risk scores, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.90 for the lumbar spine, 2.19 for the right femoral neck, and 2.04 for the left femoral neck.

Conclusions

The study identified significant associations between lower BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck sites and elevated 10-year ASCVD risk scores in postmenopausal women, particularly among those with osteopenia and osteoporosis. These findings demonstrate the importance of assessing cardiovascular risk in women with low BMD to enable early prevention and management strategies.
Teachers’ Responses to Identity-Based Bullying: Social Inequality, Identity, and Diversity at Teacher and School Level
Authors: Görzig Anke , Betts Lucy R. , Maunder Rachel , Monks Claire P. , De Amicis Leyla , Bennett Samuel
Published: February 2025

Teachers play a crucial role in addressing school bullying, yet many factors can affect their approaches. Identity-based social exclusion, where children are excluded by peers due to their stigmatised identities, is a distinct form of lower bullying rates associated with more detrimental outcomes. The social inequalities and power imbalances reflected in this type of bullying have shown to originate from multiple levels of a socio-ecological system. This study applies a socio-ecological approach to investigate teachers’ responses to identity-based peer exclusion accounting for social identity, inequality, and diversity at teacher and school levels. Educators from UK primary and secondary schools (N = 422) completing an online survey were randomly allocated to an identity-based social exclusion vignette targeting different identities (i.e. ethnicity, appearance, disability, gender expression/sexuality) and asked about their responses (i.e. victim-blaming, perceived seriousness, empathy, self-efficacy, responsibility, intervention likelihood). Characteristics of teachers (gender, LGBTQ + , ethnical/cultural minority, ethnic/cultural similarity to students) and their schools (diversity, socioeconomic status, teacher training and school support) were also assessed. Hierarchical regression analyses showed significant effects of teacher and school characteristics on teachers’ responses to the identity-based bullying. Further, a series of school-type by vignette ANOVAs revealed some differences in teachers’ responses by type of school and targeted identity. The findings highlight some of the teacher and school level characteristics that contribute to how teachers respond to different types of identity-based bullying among students, set against the background of a socio-ecological approach relating to social inequality and identity. Practical implications for teacher training and school-level conditions are discussed.