bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catastrophic Cooling Instability in Optically Thin Plasmas
Authors: Waters Timothy , Stricklan Amanda
Published: January 2025

The solar corona is the prototypical example of a low-density environment heated to high temperatures by external sources. The plasma cools radiatively, and because it is optically thin to this radiation, it becomes possible to model the density, velocity, and temperature structure of the system by modifying the MHD equations to include an energy source term that approximates the local heating and cooling rates. The solutions can be highly inhomogeneous and even multiphase because the well-known linear instability associated with this source term, thermal instability, leads to a catastrophic heating and cooling of the plasma in the nonlinear regime. Here we show that there is a separate, much simpler linear instability accompanying this source term that can rival thermal instability in dynamical importance. The stability criterion is the isochoric one identified by Parker (1953), and we demonstrate that cooling functions derived from collisional ionization equilibrium are highly prone to violating this criterion. If catastrophic cooling instability can act locally in global simulations, then it is an alternative mechanism for forming condensations, and due to its nonequilibrium character, it may be relevant to explaining a host of phenomena associated with the production of cooler gas in hot, low density plasmas.
Financial Sustainability and Influence Dynamics in Yemen's Conflict-Affected NGO Landscape: Unveiling ‘Sheikh’ Organizations
Authors: Elayah Moosa , Al-Awami Hasan , Al-Qobati Enas , Schulpen Lau
Published: January 2025

This study examines the role of Sheikh NGOs as financial gatekeepers in Yemen’s NGO sector, showing how their control over aid distribution reinforces dependency and limits local NGOs' autonomy. Through interviews with 45 stakeholders, the research reveals the challenges that local NGOs face in achieving financial sustainability amid economic instability, political turmoil, and dwindling donor support. The findings indicate a significant asymmetry in funding, with Sheikh NGOs monopolizing resources, which constrains the flexibility and innovation of smaller NGOs. Integrating dependency theory, the study illustrates how reliance on intermediaries reinforces power imbalances, while collective impact theory highlights the potential for transformative partnerships. Successful collaborations, like those between the Youth Leadership Development Foundation and local NGOs, underscore the need for Sheikh NGOs to adopt more supportive roles, empowering smaller organizations. This study calls for a reconfiguration of roles within Yemen's NGO sector, advocating a shift from dependency to partnership. In fostering collaboration and supporting local NGO autonomy, stakeholders can build a more equitable and resilient framework, ultimately enhancing humanitarian efforts in Yemen.
2-[18F]Fluoropropionic Acid PET Imaging of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity
Authors: Azcona Juan A. , Wacker Anja S. , Lee Chul-Hee , Fung Edward K. , Jeitner Thomas M. , Manzo Onorina L. , Di Lorenzo Annarita , Babich John W. , Amor-Coarasa Alejandro , Kelly James M.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Treatment of pediatric cancers with doxorubicin is a common and predictable cause of cardiomyopathy. Early diagnosis of treatment-induced cardiotoxicity and intervention are major determinants for the prevention of advanced disease. The onset of cardiomyopathies is often accompanied by profound changes in lipid metabolism, including an enhanced uptake of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Therefore, we explored the utility of 2-[18F]fluoropropionic acid ([18F]FPA), an SCFA analog, as an imaging biomarker of cardiac injury in mice exposed to doxorubicin.

Procedures

Cardiotoxicity and cardiac dysfunction were induced in mice by an 8-dose regimen of doxorubicin (cumulative dose 24 mg/kg) administered over 14 days. The effects of doxorubicin exposure were assessed by measurement of heart weights, left ventricular ejection fractions, and blood cardiac troponin levels. Whole body and cardiac [18F]FPA uptakes were determined by PET and tissue gamma counting in the presence or absence of AZD3965, a pharmacological inhibitor of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1). Radiation absorbed doses were estimated using tissue time-activity concentrations.

Results

Significantly higher cardiac [18F]FPA uptake was observed in doxorubicin-treated animals. This uptake remained constant from 30 to 120 min post-injection. Pharmacological inhibition of MCT1-mediated transport by AZD3965 selectively decreased the uptake of [18F]FPA in tissues other than the heart. Co-administration of [18F]FPA and AZD3965 enhanced the imaging contrast of the diseased heart while reducing overall exposure to radioactivity.

Conclusions

[18F]FPA, especially when co-administered with AZD3965, is a new tool for imaging changes in fatty acid metabolism occurring in response to doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy by PET.
Recent advances in electrochemical sensing and remediation technologies for ciprofloxacin
Authors: Kini Vrinda , C S Sreelakshmi , Mondal Debasmita , Sundarabal Nethaji , Nag Pooja , Sadani Kapil
Published: January 2025

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is an extensively used broad-spectrum, fluoroquinolone antibiotic used for treating diverse bacterial infections. Effluent treatment plants (ETPs) worldwide lack technologies to detect or remediate antibiotics. CIP reaches the aquatic phase primarily due to inappropriate disposal practices, lack of point-of-use sensing, and preloaded activated charcoal filter at ETPs. The co-existence of bacteria and CIP in such aqueous pools has promoted fluoroquinolone resistance in bacteria and should be minimized. The worldwide accepted standard detection methodologies for the detection of CIP are high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, which are lab-based, require state-of-the-art equipment, and are expensive. Hence, it is difficult to integrate them for on-site monitoring. Further, the current remediation technologies like conventional sludge-treatment techniques fail to remove antibiotics such as CIP. Several point-of-use technologies for the detection of CIP are being investigated. These typically involve the development of electrochemical sensors where substrates, modifiers, biorecognition elements, and their chemistries are designed and optimized to enable robust, point-of-use detection of CIP. Similarly, remediation techniques like adsorption, membrane filtration, ion exchange, photocatalysis, ozonation, oxidation by Fenton’s reagent, and bioremediation are explored, but their onsite use is limited. The use of these sensing and remediation technologies in tandem is possibly the only way the issues related to antimicrobial resistance may be effectively tackled. This article provides a focused critical review on the recent advances in the development of such technologies, laying out the prospects and perspectives of their synergistic use to curb the menace of AMR and preserve antibiotics.
Barriers to transition to resource-oriented sanitation in rural Ethiopia
Authors: Abebe Thomas Ayalew , Novotný Josef , Hasman Jiří , Mamo Biruk Getachew , Tucho Gudina Terefe
Published: January 2025

Recycling excreta resources through resource-oriented toilet systems (ROTS) holds transformative potential, yet adoption remains limited, especially where benefits could be high. This study aims to understand constraints hindering the adoption of ROTS in one such area in Ethiopia. Based on a survey among 476 households comprising 2393 individuals, we examine the plans to use ROTS and willingness to pay for ROTS and apply structural equation modelling to analyze the drivers of these two outcomes while comparing the explanative power of the extended technology acceptance model, extended theory of planned behaviour, and their combined model. While 40% of households expressed a plan to use ROTS and 20% reported willingness to pay for a subsidized ROTS with a biogas unit, merely 7% revealed both the plan to use and sufficient willingness to pay, highlighting the need to target both these complementary outcomes concurrently. The theory of planned behaviour showed the best explanative power, also revealing that these two outcomes are influenced by partly distinct sets of factors. Findings imply that common efforts to ease objective constraints through subsidies, which incentivize willingness to pay, are necessary but not sufficient for facilitating the adoption of ROTS. To simultaneously enhance intentions to use, it is also recommended to target psychosocial drivers, such as perceived behavioural control and perceived community support, through awareness creation, behaviour change activities, and community engagement techniques.
Analysis of sex-specific disease patterns associated with human lifespan
Authors: Cruces-Salguero Sara , Sol Joaquim , Larrañaga Igor , Pamplona Reinald , Mar Javier , Jove Mariona , Matheu Ander
Published: January 2025

Disability and multimorbidity increase with aging and constitute a challenge for the health system. However, different individuals display different aging trajectories, and understanding the underlying relationships between lifespan and disease is fundamental for identifying the different patterns in human lifespan. A previous study explored associations between lifespan and age of onset of diseases of different organ systems, prevalence of escapers, and percentage of life free of disease (health span), comparing them between genders in Catalonian population. In this retrospective study, we analyzed a cohort of 41,063 old individuals (20,722 men, with a mean lifespan of 79 years [50–109], and 20,341 women, with a mean lifespan of 84 years [50–109]) deceased between 2014 and 2019 in Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain) taken from the Basque Health Service electronic health records data lake and analyzed and contrasted the above cited characteristics. Longevity, defined by age above the mean lifespan of the population, showed a protective effect against developing diseases, with higher lifespans delaying the onset of all diseases both at single and multisystemic levels. Furthermore, individuals with the lowest and highest lifespans were the ones presenting the healthier profiles, with fewer systems altered. There were specific differences according to sex, with women exhibiting decreased mortality risk despite having greater multimorbidity and men having less multimorbidity. In addition, men reached the highest lifespans with a smaller number of comorbidities. These results define the aging trajectories of the Basque population, extend the characterization of the human aging, and provide insight into sex-specific differences in multimorbidity and survival risk.
Crisis and Change in Post-Zeitenwende German Security Policy
Authors: Nabers Dirk , Stengel Frank A.
Published: January 2025

This article examines the nexus between crisis and change in the context of German security policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s announcement of a Zeitenwende (historic turning point) on 27 February 2022, a few days after the Russian attack, suggests a substantial change in German foreign and security policy. Germany’s reorientation has renewed the debate about change and continuity in German foreign and security policy (notably regarding antimilitarism). Particularly prominent in the discourse is the notion of crisis, which this paper specifically focuses on. We ask first, at a theoretical level, how we can best understand the conceptual nexus between crisis and foreign policy change and second, empirically, how crisis and change are connected in the specific case of the German Zeitenwende. In the attempt to analyze the link between crisis and foreign policy change, we propose that understanding how once-unthinkable policies are made possible requires that we turn our attention to dynamics of discursive change. We illustrate the argument with a mixed-methods analysis of German parliamentary debates between 1987 and 2023.
Frauen mit Tötungsdelikten – im Maßregelvollzug und im Strafvollzug
Authors: Findeis Hannelore , Kröber Hans-Ludwig
Published: January 2025

Ziel der Arbeit ist es, Krankheits- und Lebensläufe sowie Merkmale der Tatkonstellationen psychisch erheblich gestörter und psychischer gesunder Frauen, die ein Tötungsdelikt begangen haben, darzustellen. Erfasst wurden alle im psychiatrischen Maßregelvollzug Berlins untergebrachten Frauen mit versuchtem oder vollendeten Tötungsdelikt. Von diesen 12 Patientinnen litten 9 unter einer schizophrenen Erkrankung, 2 unter einer Substanzabhängigkeit und eine unter einer Persönlichkeitsstörung. Diese Fälle werden im Hinblick auf relevante Merkmale beschrieben sowie kasuistisch skizziert. Parallel dazu werden die Fälle der 6 Frauen, die 2013 im Berliner Strafvollzug eine lebenslange Freiheitsstrafe wegen Mordes verbüßten, ihre Taten also bei voller Schuldfähigkeit begangen haben, knapp dargestellt. Deutlich wird bei dieser kleinen Gruppe, dass sich Tatmotivationen und soziale Kontexte sehr markant von denen psychisch gestörter Täterinnen unterscheiden. Im Geschlechtervergleich zeigte sich bei den Frauen eine wesentlich geringere Anzahl von vollendeten Tötungsdelikten, was nicht nur auf Unterschieden in der physischen Kraft, sondern auch der destruktiven Entschlossenheit beruhen könnte.
Small Interfering RNA Therapy for the Management and Prevention of Hypertension
Authors: Ren Liwei , Danser A. H. Jan
Published: January 2025

Purpose of Review

To review currently existing knowledge on a new type of antihypertensive treatment, small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting hepatic angiotensinogen.

Recent Findings

Targeting angiotensinogen synthesis in the liver with siRNA allows reaching a suppression of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity for up to 6 months after 1 injection. This might revolutionize antihypertensive treatment, as it could overcome non-adherence, the major reason for inadequate blood pressure control. Animal data support that its effects on blood pressure and end-organ damage are fully comparable to those of classical RAS blockers, and phase I and II clinical trials confirm its antihypertensive effectiveness and long-term action. Although its side effect profile is placebo-like, its long-term effects also pose a threat in patients who require immediate restoration of RAS activity, like in shock. Here tools are being developed, called REVERSIR, that allow immediate annihilation of the siRNA effect in the liver.

One subcutaneous injection of angiotensinogen siRNA lowers blood pressure for 6 months without severe side effects. The decrease in angiotensinogen and blood pressure can be reversed with a drug called REVERSIR if needed.
China in the Year 2050: A Look Backwards
Authors: Bell Daniel A.
Published: January 2025

This article discusses China’s political history from 2025 to 2050. In 2025, there was strong support for the political system due to measures that curbed corruption, reduced pollution, and alleviated poverty, but intellectuals felt stifled by increased repression. From 2025 to 2035—known as China’s “Lost Decade”—China’s economy worsened and relations with the USA further deteriorated, nearly leading to war. The next fifteen years—known as China’s “Golden Age”—saw unparalleled prosperity, an open and pluralistic political system, the setting up of the East Asian Union, and sustained cooperation with the USA to deal with global challenges. Nobody knows what will happen after 2050, but we need optimistic and realistic political scenarios to inspire change for the future.
(When) Does Informal Labor Close Political Gender Gaps? Theory and Evidence from Urban India
Authors: Rains Emily
Published: January 2025

There is a well-established link between women’s labor force and political participation. However, most of this literature focuses on women’s participation in the formal economy in high-income countries, while the vast majority of employed women in poorer countries work in the informal economy in positions that provide far fewer resources, networks, and skill-building opportunities than those in the formal economy. This article examines how women’s participation in the informal economy distinctly shapes their political engagement. I argue that (a) though participating in the informal economy is unlikely to increase interest in politics or civic-skill development that influences political efficacy, (b) working outside the home in any capacity expands women’s problem-solving networks in ways that facilitate group claim-making. I test the argument with original survey and social networks data from over 9000 urban slum households in three Indian cities. The findings elucidate why existing models linking women’s labor force participation and political participation may not generalize for much of the world’s labor force and contributes novel empirical evidence to a growing but nascent literature on the political implications of urban informality in the Global South.
Successful staged surgery for advanced esophageal cancer after conversion pancreatoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy
Authors: Sato Yuta , Tanaka Yoshihiro , Hatanaka Yuji , Horaguchi Takeshi , Fukada Masahiro , Yasufuku Itaru , Asai Ryuichi , Tajima Jesse Yu , Murase Katsutoshi , Matsuhashi Nobuhisa
Published: January 2025

Background

Complex surgery during initial cancer treatment can limit surgical options when planning management of a secondary malignancy. Subtotal esophagectomy and pancreatoduodenectomy are the most invasive and difficult procedures in gastroenterological surgery. Surgical cases in which subtotal esophagectomy was performed after pancreatoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy are extremely rare and challenging procedures due to the resulting complicated anatomical changes.

Case presentation

A 60-year-old man with a history of conversion pancreatoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy for advanced pancreatic head cancer was diagnosed as having advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, we chose a two-staged surgery with thoracoscopic subtotal esophagectomy. Following percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, we performed subtotal esophagectomy, systematic lymph-node dissection, and esophagostomy as the first-stage operation. Fifty-six days later, we performed gastrointestinal reconstruction with pedicle jejunum and microvascular anastomosis by the percutaneous route as the second-stage operation. Postoperatively, the patient was relieved without major complications, and the tumors were amenable to curative pathologic resection.

Conclusions

The greatest advantages of staged surgery are to reduce surgical invasiveness and to circumvent the lower rate of curability. Our procedure reported here may be recommended as an option for staged resection and reconstruction in patients with advanced esophageal cancer after pancreatoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy.
Detection, quantification, and characterization of airborne Aspergillus flavus within the corn canopy
Authors: Weaver Mark A. , Park Lilly C. , Brewer Michael J. , Grodowitz Michael J. , Abbas Hamed K.
Published: January 2025

Aflatoxin contamination of corn can occur when developing kernels are infected by the plant pathogen Aspergillus flavus. One route of infection is from airborne conidia. We executed a series of experiments within the corn canopy during two growing seasons and in two states to document the abundance and dynamics of the airborne A. flavus population. We did not observe any significant diurnal changes in the conidial density (p = 0.171) or any effect of sampler height (p = 0.882) within the canopy. Significant changes (p < 0.001) were noted during the season, with a trend towards increased airborne populations with later stages of corn development and more than a 20-fold increase from July to August. The median aflatoxigenicity of airborne isolates from a corn canopy in Texas was about 50 times higher than the corresponding population in Mississippi. It was also noteworthy that highly aflatoxigenic, weakly sporulating S-morphotypes accounted for 14–30% of the airborne isolates in Mississippi at a site with historically rare abundance of S-morphotypes. The genetic diversity was high among the 140 analyzed airborne isolates, with 76 unique haplotypes identified and 55 haplotypes occurring only in 1 isolate. Even in the context of this highly diverse population, a haplotype matching that of a commercial biocontrol strain was found in 13 of the 70 isolates from Mississippi and 1 of the 70 isolates from Texas. The airborne A. flavus population is genetically diverse (Shannon’s index = 1.4 to 1.6), similar to grain samples in other surveys, and much less aflatoxigenic in Mississippi than in Texas.
Business Innovation and Internationalisation in Female-Owned Businesses: A Fuzzy-set QCA Approach
Authors: Machado Diana , Correia Aldina , Braga Alexandra , Salamzadeh Aidin , Braga Vítor
Published: January 2025

Female entrepreneurship is increasingly important to create new jobs and contribute to countries’ social and economic growth. This paper aims to examine how innovation and internationalisation interact from a female entrepreneurship perspective. Our research was based on the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method as a means of exploring the causal complexity between female entrepreneurship (condition), innovation, and internationalisation (conditions and outcomes). Our results suggest that female entrepreneurship alone is neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition for the outcome (high internationalisation or innovation). Nevertheless, the results indicate that female entrepreneurship is important in achieving a high level of internationalisation. This study provides policymakers with evidence of the gains of promoting female entrepreneurship in their respective countries. Our study advances knowledge in two ways. It explores the interplay between innovation and internationalisation from the perspective of female entrepreneurship. It applies fuzzy-set methods to the three concepts simultaneously.
Evolution, Complexity, and Life History Theory
Authors: Veit Walter , Gascoigne Samuel J. L. , Salguero-Gómez Roberto
Published: January 2025

In this article, we revisit the longstanding debate of whether there is a pattern in the evolution of organisms towards greater complexity, and how this hypothesis could be tested using an interdisciplinary lens. We argue that this debate remains alive today due to the lack of a quantitative measure of complexity that is related to the teleonomic (i.e., goal-directed) nature of living systems. Further, we argue that such a biological measure of complexity can indeed be found in the vast literature produced within life history theory. We propose that an ideal method to quantify this complexity lies within life history strategies (i.e., schedules of survival and reproduction across an organism’s life cycle), as it is precisely these strategies that are under selection to optimize the organism’s fitness. In this context, we set an agenda for future steps: (1) how this complexity can be measured mathematically, and (2) how we can engage in a comparative analysis of this complexity across species to investigate the evolutionary forces driving increases or, for that matter, decreases in teleonomic complexity.
The Sendai Framework and Satellite Security
Authors: Hamill-Stewart Jessie
Published: January 2025

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR) aims to play a fundamental role in increasing global resilience. The focus of this research is to consider analysis of risks and recovery related to satellite disruption within the context of the SFDRR. Analysis of satellite disruption has often been more technical and less focused on supporting recovery. This research considers the framework’s relevance for preventing disruption to satellite systems and global recovery measures for related disasters that emerge due to dependence on satellites. First, the use of space terminology within the framework is considered. Next, principles within the SFDRR that are relevant to satellite system disruption are highlighted, and this is followed by presentation of key gaps relevant to this disruption, before potential improvements to expand the framework are proposed. This article outlines how concepts within the SFDRR could help to improve recovery from a disaster that occurs due to worst-case-scenario type satellite disruption. In this case, critical satellites are disrupted, preventing access to fundamental services such as navigation and timing. The aims of this research are to consider how the SFDRR can be expanded to consider disruption to critical satellite systems, by identifying aspects of the framework that are applicable to this type of disaster. Another outcome is to contribute to wider disaster recovery literature by encouraging consideration of disasters involving disruption to digital services.
Patient-physician communication in advanced kidney disease: a narrative review
Authors: Golsorkhi Mohadese , Ebrahimi Niloufar , Vakhshoori Mehrbod , Norouzi Sayna , Abdipour Amir
Published: January 2025

The increasing prevalence of kidney failure highlights the crucial need for effective patient-physician communication to improve health-related quality of life and ensure adherence to treatment plans. This narrative review evaluates communication practices in the context of advanced kidney disease, focusing on the frameworks of shared decision-making, advanced care planning, and communication skills training among nephrologists. The findings highlight the significant gaps in patient-physician communication, particularly in the domains of advanced care planning, shared decision-making, and dialysis withdrawal. When communication in such situations falls short, it affects patient satisfaction and outcomes. Effective communication is essential for managing advanced kidney disease, requiring a patient-centered approach that includes patients, families, and healthcare providers in care planning. This review advocates for a more integrated, empathic approach to healthcare interactions, emphasizing the importance of including patients, their families, and healthcare providers in a collaborative model based on goals of care. Moreover, it highlights the role of patient-reported outcome measures and patient experience of care in assessing the quality of care in dialysis settings. Here, we call for enhanced training programs regarding communication skills for physicians and emphasize the need for systemic changes to foster patient-centered communication.

Graphical abstract
Emergent Untrained Combined Functions in Equivalence Classes
Authors: Reid Dean , Keenan Mickey
Published: January 2025

Three experiments examined whether each of the functions controlled by different stimuli in an equivalence class would become integrated in a test for transfer of function. In Experiment 1, a paper-and-pencil protocol was used to establish two 3-member equivalence classes (A1, B1, C1 & A2, B2, C2). Nonsense syllables were used for all stimuli except for B1 and C1 which were pictures of blue and green discs, respectively. Participants then were presented with five boxes containing discs of five different colors, including blue and green. Participants were instructed to respond as they felt appropriate. Across all participants varying numbers of blue and green discs were placed on B1 and C1, respectively. Responding at A1 included combinations of blue and green discs by seven out of eight participants. These results were replicated after the classes were extended to include D and E stimuli. In Experiment 2, the overall procedure was repeated, however, there was a pretraining condition in which participants were instructed to select and place discs of their choosing on each of B1 and C1. In general, responding within both classes was consistent with results in Experiment 1. Two participants placed similar combinations of colored discs at A1, D1, and E1 but retained the single colors at B1 and C1. Experiment 3 changed the B1 and C1 stimuli to nonsense syllables and trained the function to placing colored discs at B1 and C1. It was found that results were similar to those found in both Experiments 1 and 2. Results are discussed in the context of procedures used to investigate the emergence of novel behavior.
Axial Vibration of a Viscoelastic FG Nanobeam with Arbitrary Boundary Conditions
Authors: Kadioglu Hayrullah Gun , Yayli Mustafa Ozgur
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study investigates the axial vibration of a viscoelastic functionally graded (FG) nanobeam under deformable boundary conditions for the first time. The primary focus is on exploring the effects of damping and scale parameters on the dynamic behavior of the nanobeam.

Methods

The governing equation of the viscoelastic FG nanobeam is formulated by incorporating nonlocal elasticity theory and the Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic model. The Fourier sine series is chosen as the axial displacement function, with higher-order derivatives obtained using Stokes transforms. The Fourier coefficient is determined through the governing equation and incorporated into the deformable boundary conditions. The resulting eigenvalue problem provides solutions for both rigid and constrained general boundary conditions.

Conclusions

The study presents solutions for various boundary conditions, comparing the results with existing literature. The analysis reveals significant findings, including the observation that damping has a greater influence on fundamental frequencies in higher modes, and that the impact of damping decreases as the nonlocal scale parameter increases. These findings are presented through tables and graphs to highlight the effects of damping and scale parameters on the dynamic behavior of the nanobeam.
Virulent and multidrug-resistant Aeromonas in aquatic environments of Kerala, India: potential risks to fish and humans
Authors: Nagar Vandan , Ansari Farhat , Vaiyapuri Murugadas , Joseph Toms C.
Published: January 2025

Aeromonas inhabit diverse aquatic habitats and are recognized as both opportunistic and primary pathogens of fish and humans. This study delineates the biochemical and gyrB sequence-based molecular identification of 14 Aeromonas strains isolated from aquatic environments in Kerala, India, identifying them as A. dhakensis (50%), A. hydrophila (28.6%), and A. jandaei (21.4%). These strains exhibit a high prevalence of virulence genes (act, flaA, ser, gcat, lip, and ela) implicated in pathogenesis in both fish and humans. These findings underline the emergence of A. dhakensis, often misidentified as A. hydrophila, as a potential pathogen, highlighting the necessity for comprehensive identification methods. Significantly, all strains demonstrated beta-hemolysis and moderate to strong biofilm formation, enhancing their infectivity potential. Moreover, all isolates exhibited multidrug resistance, with a multiple antimicrobial resistance (MAR) index ranging from 0.39 to 0.56, and a significant presence of class 1 (500–1100 bp) and class 2 (250–700 bp) integrons, indicating their potential risk to both fish and human populations. Our results underscore the role of aquatic environment as a repository for virulent and multidrug-resistant Aeromonas spp., emphasizing the imperative for prudent antimicrobial usage and regular monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in these environments.
Challenges in safe environmental applications of biochar: identifying risks and unintended consequence
Authors: Dong Mingying , Jiang Mengyuan , He Lizhi , Zhang Zirun , Gustave Williamson , Vithanage Meththika , Niazi Nabeel Khan , Chen Bo , Zhang Xiaokai , Wang Hailong , He Feng
Published: January 2025

Over the past 10–15 years, biochar has garnered significant global attention in agriculture and environmental science. While most research has focused on the benefits of biochar application in soil enhancement, water quality improvement, and climate change mitigation, the potential risks associated with its use have often been overlooked. This oversight is critical, as the environmental fate of biochar is contingent upon understanding these risks. Once released into the environment, biochar can interact with environmental media, potentially releasing associated pollutants and threatening ecosystems. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the unintended environmental and health risks associated with biochar during its production and application to select appropriate types for sustainable development. This review was conducted by systematically analyzing and synthesizing relevant studies from Web of Science, focusing on recent advancements and key debates in the field. It categorizes biochar risks into endogenous and exogenous risks based on the source of pollutants carried by biochar. The review analyzes in detail the impacts of raw materials, preparation processes, and application scenarios on the unintended environmental risks of biochar. Furthermore, it provides a thorough overview of the adverse effects on animals, plants, microorganisms, and human health, elucidating the mechanisms of pollutant release, aging, and nano-effects from environmental geochemical processes involving biochar. Additionally, this review summarizes the environmental risk assessment methods of biochar, providing a reference for its safe application and the sustainable development of biochar-related research.

Graphical Abstract
[11C]MK-6884 PET imaging reveals lower M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor availability following cocaine self-administration in male rats
Authors: Gollapelli Krishna K. , Krizan Ivan , Bhoopal Bhuvanachandra , Damuka Naresh , Moriarty Carson , Miller Mack , Sai Kiran K. Solingapuram , Gould Robert W.
Published: January 2025

Background

Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) remains a significant problem in the United States, with high rates of relapse and no present FDA-approved treatment. The acetylcholine neurotransmitter system, specifically through modulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) function, has shown promise as a therapeutic target for multiple aspects of CUD. Enhancement of the M4 mAChR subtype via positive allosteric modulation has been shown to inhibit the behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine across several rodent models of CUD. However, it is unclear how cocaine exposure affects M4 mAChR expression or distribution.

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of cocaine self-administration on M4 mAChR availability using [11C]MK-6884 in vivo PET imaging in rats that self-administered cocaine (cocaine SA) or sucrose pellets (control).

Methods

Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered cocaine or sucrose pellets for 15 days under 2-h or 4-h sessions followed by PET imaging with [11C]MK-6884, a radiolabeled M4 selective positive allosteric modulator to determine the effects of cocaine on [11C]MK-6884 standard uptake values with cerebellum as reference (SUVr).

Results

Cumulative cocaine intake ranged between 324 and 776 mg/kg. Cocaine self-administration was associated with significantly lower [11C]MK-6884 SUVrs in the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum compared to cocaine-naive rats, with a negative correlation between radiotracer SUVrs and cocaine intake in the hippocampus.

Conclusions

These results suggest that cocaine self-administration decreases M4 mAChR availability, providing further support for pursuing activation/enhancement of M4 mAChR function as a viable pharmacotherapeutic approach for CUD.
Efficacy of bortezomib combined with Hyper-CVAD in adults with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia or positive measurable residual disease; effect of bortezomib in leukemia
Authors: Ramos Peñafiel Christian Omar , Pérez Sámano Daniela , Gallardo Rodríguez Adán Germán , Terreros Palacio Camila , Olarte Carrillo Irma , Martínez Murillo Carlos , Barranco Lampón Gilberto , Cabrera García Álvaro , Martínez Tovar Adolfo
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Despite advances in the treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), relapse remains the most significant challenge in improving prognosis. Measurable residual disease (MRD) assessment can predict bone marrow relapse based on MRD positivity. As access to innovative therapies remains limited because of the high cost, chemotherapy is the widely utilized treatment option. The efficacy of a combination of bortezomib and Hyper-CVAD has been reported in patients with multiple myeloma; however, its efficacy has not yet been confirmed in patients with ALL.

Methods

This prospective cohort study involved patients with ALL who presented with MRD-positive results or relapse and received treatment with a combination of bortezomib and Hyper-CVAD at two reference centers in Mexico City.

Results

Of the 20 patients with positive MRD included in this study, 60% (n = 12) exhibited MRD negative results after combination treatment, 30% (n = 6) persisted positive MRD results, and 10% (n = 2) passed away. Of the 23 patients with bone marrow relapse, 43.5% (n = 10) achieved a second complete remission (2CR), 34.8% (n = 6) exhibited refractory status, and 21.7% (n = 5) passed away. To achieve a 2CR, 20% (n = 2) patients required less than four cycles of treatment, 50% (n = 5) required four cycles (two A and B cycles each), and 30% (n = 3) required six cycles.

Conclusion

The combination of bortezomib and Hyper-CVAD treatment exhibited better results in achieving MRD negative results, indicating its potential as a promising first-line treatment strategy for ALL.
Psycholinguistics and Phonology
Authors: Du Naiyan , Durvasula Karthik
Published: January 2025

Research over the last few decades has consistently questioned the sufficiency of abstract/ discrete phonological representations based on putative misalignments between predictions from such representations and observed experimental results. The authors first suggest that many of the arguments ride on misunderstandings of the original claims from generative phonology, and that the typical evidence furnished is consistent with those claims. They then focus in on the phenomenon of incomplete neutralisation and show that it is consistent with the classic generative phonology view. The authors further point out that extant accounts of the phenomenon do not achieve important desiderata and typically do not provide an explanation for either the phenomenon itself, or why there are actually at least two different kinds of incomplete neutralisation that don't stem from task confounds. Finally, they present new experimental data and explain that the phenomenon is an outcome of planning using abstract/discrete phonological knowledge.
Cultural adaptation process of six stigma assessment scales among Kannada speaking population in South India
Authors: Annajigowda Harshitha H , Mendon Gurucharan Bhaskar , Cherian Anish V. , Wahid Syed Shabab , Kohrt Brandon A. , Rüsch Nicolas , Evans-Lacko Sara , Brohan Elaine , Henderson Claire , Thornicroft Graham , Loganathan Santosh
Published: January 2025

For several years stigma researchers in India have relied on Western instruments or semi-structured stigma scales in their studies. However, these scales have not been rigorously translated and adapted to the local cultural framework. In the current study, we describe the cultural adaptation of six stigma scales with the purpose of using it in the native language (Kannada) based on translation steps of forward translation, expert review and synthesis, cultural equivalence, back translation and cognitive interview processes.

Several items were modified in the target language at each stage of the cultural adaptation process as mentioned in the above steps across all scales. Cultural explanations for the same have been provided. Concepts such as “community forest” and “baby sitting" was replaced with equivalent native synonyms. We introduced native cultural and family values such as “joint family system” and modified the item of housing concept in one of the tools. The concept of “privacy” in the Indian rural context was observed to be familial than individual-based and modification of corresponding items according to the native context of “privacy”. Finally, items from each scale were modified but retained without affecting the meaning and the core construct.
American Political Violence (The Government and Opposition/Leonard Schapiro Lecture 2023)
Authors: King Desmond
Published: January 2025

Amongst the ways in which American democracy is distinct, the Weberian anomaly stands out: the United States equates to a classical Weberian state with the routine trappings of bureaucratic power, national organization, stable territorial parameters, a legal code and military power. But it is at best a quasi-Weberian state in respect of state monopolization of legitimate violence. The scope of the Second Amendment means the federal government has control in many instances over the use of physical force but historically this authority coexists with the (explicit or implicit) delegation of political violence to societal actors. In this article I argue that the legitimation of political violence outside the state is endogenous to the American constitutional settlement, a feature which arises from the country's origins and the institutional arrangements adopted in key constitutional clauses and judicial decisions.
Sites of Disremembering: Narrative Tactics of Remembering the Past in Qasr and Heshmatieh Neighborhoods of Tehran
Authors: Golrokh Shamin , Saedi Maryam
Published: January 2025

By applying narrative inquiry and cartographic reconfiguration of two significantly transformed neighborhoods, Qasr and Heshmatieh, in Tehran, in this study we analyze the practice of remembering within the context of memory politics. We aim to critically examine how residents of these neighborhoods, situated near major state security and military facilities, alter their recollections of the past. Inspired by de Certeau's concepts of strategy and tactics, the analysis seeks to identify the narrative tactics employed by interviewees to interpret the often imposed transformations of the area. Our findings underscore the process of “disremembering” as a hallmark of the transformation, perpetuated through constant “replacements.” Furthermore, they highlight four layers of transformation in the area, discussed within the framework of significant literature on Tehran's spatial transformation.
Time-dependent nonlinear gravity–capillary surface waves with viscous dissipation and wind forcing
Authors: Shelton Josh , Milewski Paul , Trinh Philippe H.
Published: January 2025

We develop a time-dependent conformal method to study the effect of viscosity on steep surface waves. When the effect of surface tension is included, numerical solutions are found that contain highly oscillatory parasitic capillary ripples. These small-amplitude ripples are associated with the high curvature at the crest of the underlying viscous-gravity wave, and display asymmetry about the wave crest. Previous inviscid studies of steep surface waves have calculated intricate bifurcation structures that appear for small surface tension. We show numerically that viscosity suppresses these. While the discrete solution branches still appear, they collapse to form a single smooth branch in the limit of small surface tension. These solutions are shown to be temporally stable, both to small superharmonic perturbations in a linear stability analysis, and to some larger amplitude perturbations in different initial-value problems. Our work provides a convenient method for the numerical computation and analysis of water waves with viscosity, without evaluating the free-boundary problem for the full Navier–Stokes equations, which becomes increasingly challenging at larger Reynolds numbers.
Overlapping and differential neuropharmacological mechanisms of stimulants and nonstimulants for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a comparative neuroimaging analysis
Authors: Pan Nanfang , Ma Tianyu , Liu Yixi , Zhang Shufang , Hu Samantha , Shekara Aniruddha , Cao Hengyi , Gong Qiyong , Chen Ying
Published: January 2025

Background

Psychostimulants and nonstimulants have partially overlapping pharmacological targets on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but whether their neuroimaging underpinnings differ is elusive. We aimed to identify overlapping and medication-specific brain functional mechanisms of psychostimulants and nonstimulants on ADHD.

Methods

After a systematic literature search and database construction, the imputed maps of separate and pooled neuropharmacological mechanisms were meta-analyzed by Seed-based d Mapping toolbox, followed by large-scale network analysis to uncover potential coactivation patterns and meta-regression analysis to examine the modulatory effects of age and sex.

Results

Twenty-eight whole-brain task-based functional MRI studies (396 cases in the medication group and 459 cases in the control group) were included. Possible normalization effects of stimulant and nonstimulant administration converged on increased activation patterns of the left supplementary motor area (Z = 1.21, p < 0.0001, central executive network). Stimulants, relative to nonstimulants, increased brain activations in the left amygdala (Z = 1.30, p = 0.0006), middle cingulate gyrus (Z = 1.22, p = 0.0008), and superior frontal gyrus (Z = 1.27, p = 0.0006), which are within the ventral attention network. Neurodevelopmental trajectories emerged in activation patterns of the right supplementary motor area and left amygdala, with the left amygdala also presenting a sex-related difference.

Conclusions

Convergence in the left supplementary motor area may delineate novel therapeutic targets for effective interventions, and distinct neural substrates could account for different therapeutic responses to stimulants and nonstimulants.
Viroporins: discovery, methods of study, and mechanisms of host-membrane permeabilization
Authors: Alcaraz Antonio , Nieva José L.
Published: January 2025

The ‘Viroporin’ family comprises a number of mostly small-sized, integral membrane proteins encoded by animal and plant viruses. Despite their sequence and structural diversity, viroporins share a common functional trend: their capacity to assemble transmembrane channels during the replication cycle of the virus. Their selectivity spectrum ranges from low-pH-activated, unidirectional proton transporters, to size-limited permeating pores allowing passive diffusion of metabolites. Through mechanisms not fully understood, expression of viroporins facilitates virion assembly/release from infected cells, and subverts the cell physiology, contributing to cytopathogenicity. Compounds that interact with viroporins and interfere with their membrane-permeabilizing activity in vitro, are known to inhibit virus production. Moreover, viroporin-defective viruses comprise a source of live attenuated vaccines that prevent infection by notorious human and livestock pathogens. This review dives into the origin and evolution of the viroporin concept, summarizes some of the methodologies used to characterize the structure–function relationships of these important virulence factors, and attempts to classify them on biophysical grounds attending to their mechanisms of ion/solute transport across membranes.
Advancing paleoanthropology beyond default nulls
Authors: Bedetti Matteo , Allen Colin
Published: January 2025

While we are sympathetic with Stibbard-Hawkes’ approach, we disagree with the proposal to switch to a “cognitively modern” null for all Homo species. We argue in favor of a more evidence-driven approach, inspired by recent debates in comparative cognition. Ultimately, parsing the contributions of different genetic and extra-genetic factors in human evolution is more promising than setting a priori nulls.