bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The clinical and cost effectiveness of a STAndardised DIagnostic Assessment for children and adolescents with emotional difficulties: the STADIA multi‐centre randomised controlled trial
Authors: Sayal Kapil , Wyatt Laura , Partlett Christopher , Ewart Colleen , Bhardwaj Anupam , Dubicka Bernadka , Marshall Tamsin , Gledhill Julia , Lang Alexandra , Sprange Kirsty , Thomson Louise , Moody Sebastian , Holt Grace , Bould Helen , Upton Clare , Keane Matthew , Cox Edward , James Marilyn , Montgomery Alan
Published: January 2025

Background

Standardised Diagnostic Assessment tools, such as the Development and Well‐Being Assessment (DAWBA), may aid detection and diagnosis of emotional disorders but there is limited real‐world evidence of their clinical or cost effectiveness.

Methods

We conducted a multicentre, two‐arm parallel group randomised controlled trial in eight large National Health Service Trusts in England providing multidisciplinary specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Participants (5–17 year‐olds with emotional difficulties referred to CAMHS) were randomly assigned (1:1), following referral receipt, to either receive the DAWBA and assessment‐as‐usual (intervention group) or assessment‐as‐usual (control group). Data were self‐reported by participants (parents and/or young person, depending on age) at baseline, 6‐ and 12‐month post‐randomisation and collected from clinical records up to 18 months post‐randomisation. The primary outcome was a clinician‐made diagnosis decision about the presence of an emotional disorder within 12 months of randomisation. Trial registration: ISRCTN15748675.

Results

In total, 1,225 children and young people (58% female sex) were randomised (615 intervention; 610 control). Adherence to the intervention (full/partial completion) was 80% (494/615). At 12 months, 68 (11%) participants in the intervention group received an emotional disorder diagnosis versus 72 (12%) in the control group (adjusted risk ratio (RR) 0.94 [95% CI 0.70, 1.28]). The intervention was not cost effective. There was no evidence of any differences between groups for service‐related or participant‐reported secondary outcomes, for example, CAMHS acceptance of the index referral (intervention 277 (45%) versus control 262 (43%); RR: 1.06 [95% CI: 0.94, 1.19]) was similar between groups.

Conclusions

As delivered in this pragmatic trial, we found no evidence for the effectiveness or cost effectiveness of using a Standardised Diagnostic Assessment tool in aiding the detection of emotional disorders or clinical outcomes in clinically referred children and young people. Despite regular efforts to encourage clinicians to view the DAWBA report and consider its findings as part of assessment and diagnosis, we did not collect data on usage and therefore cannot confirm the extent to which clinicians did this. As a pragmatic trial that aimed to test the effectiveness of incorporating the DAWBA into usual practice and clinical care, our study found that, in the format as delivered in this trial, there was no impact on diagnosis or clinical outcomes.
Probiotic Potential, Safety Aspects, and Application of Pediococcus pentosaceusP107 in Food Matrix
Authors: Blumberg Thayane Garcia , da Silva Taiciane Gonçalves , Oliveira Jordan Teixeira , dos Santos Pereira Elisa , Andreazza Robson , Fiorentini Ângela Maria , Pieniz Simone
Published: January 2025

The aim was to evaluate the probiotic properties and safety aspects of the isolate Pediococcus pentosaceus P107 as well as its tolerance and survivability in a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) environment and its viability during storage in natural yogurt. The in vitro evaluation of probiotic properties was based on GIT tolerance, bile salt resistance, and tolerance to acidic conditions. The safety aspects were assessed using gelatinase, DNAse, hemolytic activity tests, antimicrobial susceptibility, and cytotoxicity. The functional yogurt was prepared with the isolate P107 and microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory analyzes were performed. The results showed that P. pentosaceus P107 has probiotic potential without virulence factors and exhibits good viability under simulated GIT conditions and during storage in a food matrix (yogurt), maintaining concentrations of > 6 log CFU mL−1 a good sensory acceptability. It is concluded that P. pentosaceus P107 has a probiotic potential and microbiological safety for use in food.
Identification and Classification of Multi‐Species Biofilms on Polymeric Surfaces Using Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Chaudhry Muhammad Mudassir Arif , Bane Mayuri , McAllister Tim , Paliwal Jitendra , Narváez‐Bravo Claudia
Published: January 2025

Biofilm‐associated contamination poses significant challenges to the food industry, particularly in ensuring effective sanitization and reliable detection. This study explores the use of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) range for non‐destructive detection and classification of biofilms on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) surfaces. Multi‐species biofilms composed of Comamonas sp., Raoultella sp., and Escherichia coli were formed at 10°C and 25°C and biofilm protein and polysaccharide contents were determined. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS‐DA) were used to differentiate among four classes of TPU coupons, including blank (BLANK), control (CTRL), intermediate‐strength biofilms formed at 10°C (S10), and strong biofilms formed at 25°C (S25). PCA successfully clustered samples based on spectral profiles of the classes, identifying significant wavelength regions at 1451 and 1926 nm, which correlated with the water, protein, and polysaccharide content of multi‐species biofilms. PLS‐DA provided a classification accuracy ranging from 68% to 100%, with the highest classification accuracy (100%) observed for BLANK and biofilm‐contaminated (S25) TPU coupons and the lowest accuracy (68%) for CTR. Additionally, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) was employed to predict the protein content of biofilms, achieving reliable predictions both in calibration ( of 0.81) and external validation ( of 0.72). These findings demonstrate the potential of HSI to detect and classify biofilm‐infected TPU coupons utilizing wavebands associated with proteins, polysaccharides and water. Hence, HSI can be used as a rapid and non‐destructive alternative to traditional methods for biofilm detection, including chemical‐based methods such as BioDetect (SANI MARC) and fluorescence‐based imaging methods like BACTISCAN.
Medicare Part D: Major Shifts With the Inflation Reduction Act and a Way Forward
Authors: Upchurch Gina , Saliba Debra
Published: January 2025

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 introduced major changes in the Part D benefit that aim to improve medication access and correct several of the financial misalignments in the current Part D benefit. The changes address financial obligations of Medicare beneficiaries, the federal government, Part D plan sponsors (i.e., insurance companies), and drug manufacturers. The changes include new brand and biologic manufacturer obligations to beneficiaries eligible for the low‐income subsidy. Effects on the drug supply chain and stakeholder behaviors remain to be seen but current financial arrangements inform likely responses. Currently, the Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) nestled between the plans, drug manufacturers, and pharmacies heavily influence manufacturers' list prices and squeeze community pharmacies. With the IRA restructuring of Part D, plans are likely to interject more administrative obstacles before beneficiaries can obtain higher‐cost therapies, while drug manufacturers might alter their patient assistance programs. Manufacturers have already begun to change their assistance programs at many safety net pharmacies. Many Medicare beneficiaries who relied on these deeply discounted medications will face significant late enrollment penalties if they do enroll in Part D plans, creating a major barrier to participation. Providers and policymakers should understand the Part D changes and leverage the skills of pharmacists to support community and team‐based care that improves access to medications and ensures that medications are doing more good than harm.
The evolution of research at the intersection of industrial ecology and artificial intelligence
Authors: Gong Yongyue , Ma Fengmei , Wang Heming , Tzachor Asaf , Sun Wenju , Zhu Junming , Liu Gang , Schandl Heinz
Published: January 2025

The intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and industrial ecology (IE) is gaining significant attention due to AI's potential to enhance the sustainability of production and consumption systems. Understanding the current state of research in this field can highlight covered topics, identify trends, and reveal understudied topics warranting future research. However, few studies have systematically reviewed this intersection. In this study, we analyze 1068 publications within the IE–AI domain using trend factor analysis, word2vec modeling, and top2vec modeling. These methods uncover patterns of topic interconnections and evolutionary trends. Our results identify 71 trending terms within the selected publications, 69 of which, such as “deep learning,” have emerged in the past 8 years. The word2vec analysis shows that the application of various AI techniques is increasingly integrated into life cycle assessment and the circular economy. The top2vec analysis suggests that employing AI to predict and optimize indicators related to products, waste, processes, and their environmental impacts is an emerging trend. Lastly, we propose that fine‐tuning large language models to better understand and process data specific to IE, along with deploying real‐time data collection technologies such as sensors, computer vision, and robotics, could effectively address the challenges of data‐driven decision‐making in this domain.
Boosting circular economy solutions in the construction sector using a life cycle assessment
Authors: Marrucci Luca , Daddi Tiberio , Iraldo Fabio
Published: January 2025

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) management activities have had wide‐ranging adverse impacts on the Earth's climate. Addressing the problems of construction and demolition waste production requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach and specific attention to the development of sustainable circular on‐site practices. This study compares recycled products against conventional products already available on the market. This study applied a life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the benefits of secondary raw material (SRM)‐based products compared to conventional virgin raw materials. Focusing on a Spanish case study that had foreseen the revitalization of a degraded area, the construction of a small utility building, and road construction, this analysis also assessed the overall environmental footprint of the overall construction work. The results showed that, despite the impact savings achieved by opting for SRM‐based products rather than conventional solutions, the production stages still have the greatest impact on the scale of construction, with the sole exception of the construction of small facilities where the construction itself was the largest contributor. Climate change; water scarcity; freshwater eutrophication; resource use, energy carriers; and resource use, minerals and metals were the most significant impact categories both in the analysis of the construction products and the overall construction work. An LCA is vital in the construction and demolition sector because it provides a holistic understanding of the environmental impacts associated with the different stages of a project's life cycle fostering the implementation of circular on‐site practices.
Comparison of children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with and without autism traits in terms of emotion regulation, clinical characteristics and functionality
Authors: Kılıç Buket , Kültür Sadriye E. Ç.
Published: January 2025

This study aims to demonstrate that children and adolescents diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who exhibit autism traits have a more severe clinical profile in terms of emotion regulation, clinical features related to ADHD, and functionality, compared to those diagnosed with ADHD without these traits. 50 patients with and 64 patients without autism traits between the ages of 8–16 were recruited for the study among the children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School‐Age Children‐Present and Lifetime Version, DSM‐5‐2016‐Turkish Adaptation (K‐SADS‐PL‐DSM‐5‐T) was used to exclude the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and detect comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. The Social Reciprocity Scale (SRS) was completed by parents to determine groups based on autism traits. Children completed the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) and the Affective Reactivity Index (ARI). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Affective Reactivity Index‐Parent Report (ARI‐P) and Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale‐Parent Report (WFIRS‐P) were completed by the parents. We found that the group with autism traits had significantly more hyperactivity/inattention, conduct problems, emotional problems, and peer problems and significantly more irritability and frequent separation anxiety disorder. Although there was no significant impairment in functionality in either group, the level of impairment was significantly higher in the group with autism traits. Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder who exhibit autism traits experience higher levels of irritability and separation anxiety disorder, as well as greater impairment in functionality, compared to those without these traits.
Implementing a Discrete Choice Experiment Within Consumer Sensory Evaluation to Better Understand Purchase Intention
Authors: Hoffman Samuel , Signorini Guilherme , Soldavini Ashley M. , Simons Christopher T.
Published: January 2025

Discrete choice experiments (DCE) offer a potential avenue to incorporate product specific contextual information into sensory consumer testing. This work integrates a taste variable into a DCE framework and compares the results against those obtained via traditional sensory methodology. Fruit puree taste profile was altered to induce taste variability while controlling confounding sensory variables. The taste levels were combined with extrinsic product specific attributes within a DCE. The same taste levels were also subjected to traditional overall liking rating. Comparison of the results showed the taste‐level preferences obtained via the DCE were consistent with those found via overall liking. The DCE was also capable of providing simultaneous insights into consumer preferences for extrinsic product attributes that were unable to be captured via the overall liking test. The results provide initial support for the usage of a DCE with an integrated taste variable as an alternative sensory consumer testing method.
Oral health articles in primary care journals: A bibliometric review
Authors: Akhtar Sumayyah , Silk Hugh , Savageau Judith A. , Stevens Gregg A.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Primary care lacks emphasis on oral health (OH) despite its major effects on one's overall health. This mixed‐methods bibliometric study was conducted to assess the content of OH in primary care journals.

Methods

Sixty‐seven of the most influential journals were identified from primary care specialties and disciplines using Scopus CiteScore metrics and expert opinion. For each specialty, one journal was chosen as the “core journal.” A search string was then developed to extract OH related articles found within a ten‐year time frame (2012–2021) which were subsequently analyzed for OH content, trends, and article type.

Results

Of the 1784 articles extracted, 1068 met inclusion criteria. When compared with the total number of articles published by journals in any category, OH articles comprised less than 1% of total articles published between 2012 and 2021. Family medicine showed a borderline significant increase in OH articles over this time period while pediatrics showed a significant decline. Among the core journals, there was a statistically significant decline in OH articles published in geriatrics and pediatrics. Case reports and review articles were the most common type of OH article published. General oral lesions and population‐specific OH delivery were the most common topics published.

Conclusion

This review highlights the relatively low prevalence of OH articles in primary care journals and defines the most prevalent types of OH articles. Further studies are needed to understand the reasons for the lack of OH articles in primary care journals and the implications for primary care providers and learners.
What are the important risk factors for excessive daytime sleepiness in a population‐based cohort?
Authors: Theorell‐Haglöw Jenny , Ulander Martin , Brandberg John , Claesson Martin , Franklin Karl A. , Hedner Jan , Hultin Magnus , Iredahl Fredrik , Lindberg Eva , Ljunggren Mirjam , Malinovschi Andrei , Mannila Maria , Pesonen Ida , Prakash Anthony , Sahlin Carin , Sköld Magnus , Spaak Jonas , Tanash Hanan , Zou Ding , Grote Ludger
Published: January 2025

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a common complaint in the general population and is associated with cardiovascular disease and increased mortality. We aimed to investigate whether sleep duration is related to excessive daytime sleepiness in the general population, both in itself and in combination with other factors. We performed a cross‐sectional analysis in the population‐based Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) cohort (n = 27,976; 14,436 females; aged 50–64 years) to assess how sleep‐related factors along with anthropometric, lifestyle, socioeconomic factors as well as somatic disease and psychological distress, were related with EDS assessed by the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). Analyses were performed using logistic regression modelling with EDS defined by an ESS score of ≥11 as the main outcome. Both short and long sleep duration were related to EDS with increasing ORs for decreasing sleep duration (7 h vs. reference (8 h): OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.02–1.3 to ≤4 h: 1.9; 1.4–2.5). In addition to sleep‐related factors such as insomnia (1.3; 1.2–1.4), poor sleep quality (1.2; 1.04–1.4), snoring (1.5; 1.4–1.6), and nocturnal gastro‐oesophageal reflux (1.5; 1.21–1.8), psychological distress showed a strong association with EDS. This included sadness/depression (1.2; 1.1–1.3), stress (some stress: 1.4; 1.1–1.7 to constant stress over 5 years: 1.7; 1.3–2.2), and self‐rated "control in life" (lowest quartile: 1.7; 1.6–2.0). Daytime sleepiness is multifactorial and associated with both sleep duration and sleep quality. Strong associations were also established with factors related to psychological distress. Further research may investigate interventions targeting both sleep and psychological health to reduce daytime sleepiness at the societal level.
Generalization of anomaly detection in bridge structures using a vibration‐based Siamese convolutional neural network
Authors: Ghiasi Alireza , Zhang Zhen , Zeng Zijie , Ng Ching Tai , Sheikh Abdul Hamid , Shi Javen Qinfeng
Published: January 2025

Corrosion is one of the main damages in steel bridges, which appears as a loss of material and sectional area and causes member failure over time. A reliable bridge management system not only should help in preventing catastrophic structural failure by employing an in‐time anomaly detection approach for all the bridges within a network but also should reduce overall network costs commonly raised by expensive inspections. This paper proposes a deep learning approach to generalize anomaly detection due to section losses in steel bridges based on Siamese convolutional neural network (SCNN). A series of steel beams and bridges with various cross‐sections and lengths are considered to examine the performance of SCNN in generalizing anomaly detection in these structures. The study considered data from finite element simulations and experiments. The results reveal that the proposed integrated SCNN can detect anomalies successfully according to Australian standard AS7636 with reasonably high accuracy.
Development of a Questionnaire Assessing Nurses' Situational Awareness to Missed Care
Authors: Vexler Marina , Drach‐Zahavy Anat , Srulovici Einav
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to develop and validate the Situational Nursing Awareness Probe—Missed Nursing Care Edition (SNAP‐MNC) questionnaire, a novel tool designed to assess nurses' situational awareness in the context of missed nursing care. Data were collected from March to October 2022, following a rigorous five‐phase questionnaire development process. The five‐item questionnaire was developed through literature review and expert evaluation, establishing face and content validity. It was tested with 190 nurses across three shifts. Construct validity was assessed via confirmatory factor analysis, reliability via Cronbach's alpha, and criterion validity by correlating with the MISSCARE survey. The final five‐item questionnaire demonstrated suitability for assessing personal situational awareness. The findings established content, construct, criterion validity, and good internal reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis displayed suitable loadings and an excellent fit to a one‐dimensional model. Nurses received, on average, low situational awareness scores. The SNAP‐MNC effectively assesses nurses' situational awareness, focusing on missed nursing care. This tool evaluates the identification of relevant clinical factors, understanding their implications, and projecting strategies to address challenges, offering actionable insights for improving nursing care quality and outcomes.
An emerging fungal disease is spreading across the globe and affecting the blueberry industry
Authors: Bradshaw Michael , Ivors Kelly , Broome Janet C. , Carbone Ignazio , Braun Uwe , Yang Shirley , Meng Emma , Warres Brooke , Cline William O. , Moparthi Swarnalatha , Llanos Alejandro K. , Apaza Walter , Liu Miao , Carey Julie , El Ghazouani Mehdi , Carvalho Rita , Elliott Marianne , Boufford David , Coetzee Tiaan , de Wet Johan , Mitchell James K. , Quijada Luis , Meeboon JamJan , Takamatsu Susumu , Crouch Uma , LaGreca Scott , Pfister Donald H.
Published: January 2025

Powdery mildew is an economically important disease caused by c. 1000 different fungal species. Erysiphe vaccinii is an emerging powdery mildew species that is impacting the blueberry industry. Once confined to North America, E. vaccinii is now spreading rapidly across major blueberry‐growing regions, including China, Morocco, Mexico, and the USA, threatening millions in losses.

This study documents its recent global spread by analyzing both herbarium specimens, some over 150‐yr‐old, and fresh samples collected world‐wide.

Our findings were integrated into a ‘living phylogeny’ via T‐BAS to simplify pathogen identification and enable rapid responses to new outbreaks. We identified 50 haplotypes, two primary introductions world‐wide, and revealed a shift from a generalist to a specialist pathogen.

This research provides insights into the complexities of host specialization and highlights the need to address this emerging global threat to blueberry production.
Assessment of Clinical Predictability of Overbite Reduction and Curve of Spee Levelling in Clear Aligner Treatment
Authors: Dianiskova Simona , Rongo Roberto , Sirignano Domenico , D'Amelio Rosalinda , Oliva Giorgio , Valletta Rosa , D'Antò Vincenzo
Published: January 2025

Objective

This retrospective study aims to assess the predictability of Overbite (OVB) reduction and Curve of Spee (COS) levelling in patients with deep bite malocclusion treated with Clear Aligner Therapy (CAT). The research evaluates the accuracy of the prescribed movements in growing and non‐growing patients.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐six patients treated with Invisalign from January 2018 using SmartTrack were included. Digital models at pre‐treatment, virtual plan and post‐treatment phases were collected and analysed using Geomagic Control X. Accuracy was assessed for COS levelling, OVB reduction and individual tooth movements. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, paired t‐tests and linear regression between accuracy of the movements and the age of the patient.

Results

The study found that the prescribed movements in ClinCheck often overestimated the achieved outcomes. The mean accuracy for COS levelling was 62%, and for OVB reduction, it was 61%. No significant association was observed between the accuracy and the age of the patient.

Conclusion

Clear Aligner Therapy demonstrated moderate accuracy in achieving prescribed movements for COS levelling and OVB reduction. Clinicians should exercise caution in virtual treatment planning and may need to consider potential modifications to software projections to enhance desired outcomes. Further research comparing different aligner protocols and brands is warranted to advance understanding and improve treatment predictability.
Is allocation among reproductive tissues coordinated with seed size?
Authors: Wenk Elizabeth H. , Abramowicz Konrad , Falster Daniel S. , Westoby Mark
Published: January 2025

To produce viable seeds, plants must simultaneously allocate mass to other reproductive tissues; however, it remains unclear how big these investments are, relative to seeds, and how much the balance of investment across diverse species reflects broader variation in their life history strategies. In particular, species are known to vary in their seed mass, and the resources they invest in pollen attraction versus seed provisioning. We quantified overall reproductive investment and its partitioning among different reproductive tissues for 14 woody perennial species in a recurrent‐fire heath community. Integrating two lineages of evolutionary theory led to the prediction that relative investment in different reproductive tissues would be correlated with a species' seed mass, and the data supported this. Species with larger seeds were found to mature a smaller proportion of ovules, to expend more of pre‐zygotic investment on discarded tissues, and to invest more in seed provisioning compared to pollen attraction. These patterns were similar when investment is assessed as nitrogen and phosphorus content instead of biomass. A little more than half of this correlation was phylogenetically conservative, reflecting the tendency for many species in the locally abundant and species‐rich family Proteaceae to have large seeds, low seed set and relatively lower investment in pollen attraction. The total biomass of accessory tissues – reproduction‐related mass not directly invested in the seed – ranged from 95.8 to 99.8% of total investment for species in this study. Counting only seeds thus substantially underestimates total reproductive investment. Many studies have established that the seed mass of a species positions it along a colonization‐competition life‐history spectrum. Here we have shown that relative investment in pollen‐attraction versus provisioning tissues and in successful versus discarded ovules are also associated with seed mass. The seed mass spectrum among angiosperms is therefore connected with a spectrum of reproductive allocation strategies.
Pear‐Shaped Disc as a Risk Factor for Postoperative Sclerotic Modic Changes After Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Authors: Xiao Yang , Shuai Wenbin , Zhang Zhuang , Liu Limin , Song Yueming , Yang Xi
Published: January 2025

Objective

Pear‐shaped disc could increase the risk of intraoperative end‐plate injury, which may lead to postoperative sclerotic Modic Changes (MCs). However, there are no studies on the relationship between pear‐shaped disc and postoperative sclerotic MCs. Therefore, this study investigates the risk factors for postoperative sclerotic MCs following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Specifically, the study focuses on the impact of pear‐shaped disc on the occurrence of postoperative sclerotic MCs and evaluates its influence on clinical outcomes.

Methods

A total of 411 patients undergoing TLIF between January 2018 and January 2022 were included. Among them, 50 developed postoperative sclerotic MCs, while 361 did not. The two groups were matched based on various parameters. Clinical and radiographic evaluations, including visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), lumbar X‐ray, CT, and MRI, were performed. Statistical analysis included independent sample t test, Pearson's chi‐square test, and binary logistic regression analysis.

Results

After pairing, a total of 100 patients were included, including 50 patients in postoperative sclerotic MCs group and 50 patients in non‐MCs group. There were 27 pear‐shaped discs in the postoperative sclerotic MCs group, significantly higher than 7 in the non‐MCs group (p < 0.001). Besides, BMI, endplate injury, and cage subsidence in the postoperative sclerotic MCs group were significantly higher than those in the non‐MCs group, but the fusion rate was significantly lower than that in the non‐MCs group. The postoperative and follow‐up SL and surgical corrections of SL in postoperative sclerotic MCs group were significantly higher than those in non‐MCs group. The independent risk factors identified for postoperative sclerotic MCs include pear‐shaped disc and higher BMI.

Conclusion

Pear‐shaped disc and higher body mass index (BMI) as independent risk factors for postoperative sclerotic MCs. Patients with sclerotic MCs exhibited a lower fusion rate, increased cage subsidence, and poorer symptom improvement compared to those without MCs.
Epigenetic Mechanisms Driving Adaptation in Tropical and Subtropical Plants: Insights and Future Directions
Authors: Miryeganeh Matin
Published: January 2025

Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and Noncoding RNAs, play a critical role in enabling plants to adapt to environmental changes without altering their DNA sequence. These processes dynamically regulate gene expression in response to diverse stressors, making them essential for plant resilience under changing global conditions. This review synthesises research on tropical and subtropical plants—species naturally exposed to extreme temperatures, salinity, drought, and other stressors—while drawing parallels with similar mechanisms observed in arid and temperate ecosystems. By integrating molecular biology with plant ecology, this synthesis highlights how tropical plants provide valuable models for understanding resilience strategies applicable across broader plant taxa. This review underscores the potential of epigenetic mechanisms to inform conservation strategies and agricultural innovations aimed at bolstering plant resilience in the face of climate change.
Parental Living Donor Liver Transplantation as a Solution in Medical Treatment‐Resistant Cystathionine‐β‐Synthase Deficiency: A Single‐Center Case Series
Authors: Huang Yong‐Fa , Wei Lin , Qu Wei , Zeng Zhi‐Gui , Sun Li‐Ying , Zhu Zhi‐Jun
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Cystathionine‐β‐synthase deficiency (CBSd) is an inherited metabolic liver disease causing morbidities in eyes, skeleton, brain, and vasculature. Despite its potential lethality due to thromboembolism and liver failure, sole diagnosis of CBSd seemed not to fulfill the enlistment criteria for deceased donor liver transplantation in previous reports.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed three cases of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for pediatric CBSd patients responding poorly to conservative treatment in Beijing Friendship Hospital, and a literature review was performed.

Results

Patients 1 and 3 received donated partial liver from heterozygous carrier parents, and Patient 2 received donated partial liver from a CBS‐competent parent. Patient 2 developed portal thrombus 1 day after LDLT, which was resolved with surgical thrombectomy and reconstruction. Patients 1 and 3 had their resected liver donated to other patients with advanced liver cancer, and the domino grafts functioned well until the death due to tumor recurrence.

Conclusion

Parental LDLT, whether from carriers or not, is an appropriate alternative for CBSd patients resistant to medical treatment. Risk of peri‐operative thromboembolism might be higher in CBSd than in other LDLT cases, and explanted livers with CBSd could serve as domino grafts.
Intraspecific and intra‐individual chemodiversity and phenotypic integration of terpenes across plant parts and development stages in an aromatic plant
Authors: Ziaja D. , Müller C.
Published: January 2025

Some plant species produce an extraordinary diversity of specialized metabolites. The diverse class of terpenes is characteristic for many aromatic plants, and terpenes can occur as both emitted volatiles and stored compounds. Little is known about how intraspecific chemodiversity and phenotypic integration of both emitted volatile and stored terpenes differ intra‐individually across plant development and between different plant parts, and studies considering both spatial and temporal scales are scarce.

To comprehensively investigate this diversity, we used the aromatic plant Tanacetum vulgare that differs in foliar terpene composition, forming chemotypes. We collected emitted volatile terpenes of both young and old leaves during the rosette, elongated stem, and flowering stage as well as emitted volatiles of flower heads at the flowering stage. Moreover, at the flowering stage, stored terpenes were extracted from different plant parts, including roots. Terpene profiles were measured with (TD)‐GC‐MS.

The composition of emitted volatile terpenes depended on the specific combination of chemotype, plant part, and time point; the chemodiversity of emitted volatiles was mainly affected by the development stage, indicating that at specific development stages individuals require a higher chemodiversity, potentially to mediate different interactions. For stored terpenes, intra‐individual differences, mostly between aboveground and belowground plant parts, were found only for specific components of chemodiversity, such as richness and evenness, but not for functional Hill diversity. Phenotypic integration differed mainly across development stage and plant part for emitted volatile terpenes, and across chemotype and plant part for stored terpenes.

Our results suggest that intraspecific chemodiversity of terpenes and their integration is a highly plastic trait that may be shaped in dependence of interactions with the environment, and the value that each plant part contributes to the fitness of an individual. Such variation on different scales, both spatially and temporally, should be considered in chemical ecological studies.
Body Composition in Adults Born at Very Low Birthweight—A Sibling Study
Authors: Sandboge Samuel , Kuula Juho , Hauta‐alus Helena , Kaseva Nina , Jussinniemi Laura , Björkqvist Johan , Hovi Petteri , Eriksson Johan G. , Mäkitie Outi , Pietiläinen Kirsi H. , Kajantie Eero
Published: January 2025

Background

Individuals born preterm at very low birthweight (VLBW, < 1500 g) tend to attain a smaller adult body size compared with term‐born peers but less is known regarding specific body composition characteristics.

Objectives

We aimed to assess whether adults born at VLBW have less beneficial body composition characteristics, potentially mediating the association between VLBW birth and cardiometabolic disease. Sibling controls were used to account for the potential influence of shared genetic and/or lifestyle factors.

Methods

This cohort study featured 77 adults born at VLBW and 70 term‐born siblings. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry assessment took place at a mean age of 29 years. Fat mass (FM) distribution was calculated by dividing appendicular by truncal FM. Appendicular skeletal mass (ASM) measurements were used to calculate two indices: Skeletal mass index (SMI, ASM divided by height squared) and ASM/BMI (ASM divided by body mass index). Data were analysed by linear mixed models. An exploratory analysis subdivided the VLBW group by size at gestational age [small or appropriate for gestational age (SGA, defined as a birthweight < 2 SD, or AGA)].

Results

Participants born at VLBW were lighter (−4.7 kg, 95% CI −8.2, −1.2) and shorter (−4.3 cm, 95% CI −6.2, −2.4) than sibling peers. After controlling for sex, age, and maternal factors, they had lower limb/trunk fat ratios (−0.06, 95% CI −0.11, −0.003), LBM (−2.02 kg, 95% CI −3.92, −0.12), ASM (−1.22 kg, 95% CI −2.14, −0.30) and ASM/BMI (−0.05, 95% CI −0.10, −0.004). FM and SMI did not differ between groups. In the subgroup analysis, findings were limited to those born VLBW + SGA.

Conclusions

Individuals born at VLBW had, on average, lower limb/trunk fat ratios and lower relative ASM compared with term‐born siblings. A more centralised fat distribution, as well as lower appendicular muscle mass, could potentially mediate the association between VLBW birth and cardiometabolic risk.
The 1435 Scipio–Caesar debate in Venetian Zadar and the political horizons of the first Dalmatian humanists☆
Authors: Špoljarić Luka
Published: January 2025

The controversy over the relative merits of Publius Cornelius Scipio and Gaius Julius Caesar, which involved two major Italian humanists, Poggio Bracciolini and Guarino Veronese, is one of the more famous episodes from the early history of the humanist movement. It is less well known that this controversy provoked a debate in Zadar, the central city of Venetian Dalmatia, which took place in November of 1435 after the arrival of the Anconitan merchant and humanist Ciriaco Pizzicolli in the city. This paper reconstructs the Zadar debate, identifying its participants and analysing how their backgrounds and political horizons influenced their engagement with humanism and their take on the controversy. In the focus are Juraj Benja of Zadar and Petar Cipiko of Trogir, two patricians long celebrated as the pioneers of the humanist movement in Dalmatia. By exploring their lives, humanist manuscripts, letters and notes, this paper argues that the Dalmatian humanists had no less strong views on the controversy than their counterparts in Italy, and that this was the result of the Venetian war over Dalmatia with Sigismund of Luxembourg.
How Do Single Mothers Evaluate and Cope with Living in Rural Peripheries? Insights into the Interplay of Social and Spatial Disadvantage*
Authors: Keim‐Klärner Sylvia , Bernard Josef , Decker Anja
Published: January 2025

When social and spatial disadvantages meet, are they doubled? Empirical studies have convincingly demonstrated that disadvantages tend to accumulate. Our paper advances this scholarship by focusing on the under‐researched issue of social positions, subjective perspectives, and agency among single mothers in rural peripheries characterized by weak labor markets and accessibility issues. Drawing from problem‐centered interviews conducted in eastern Germany and Czechia, we investigate how single mothers perceive and evaluate the local and regional opportunities available to them. Additionally, we employ the concept of coping to analyze how they navigate spatial constraints. Our findings reveal that while our respondents encounter various spatial limitations and some feel ensnared in cycles of accumulating disadvantages, they often view these constraints as balanced or outweighed by the advantages of their living environment. Our in‐depth analysis identifies room to maneuver in coping with spatial disadvantages and sheds light on the costs and risks associated with different coping strategies. In conclusion, we argue that incorporating a perspective on agency and subjectivity into research on inequalities allows for a nuanced understanding of the interrelation of social and spatial disadvantages.
Complements of unions: Insights on spaceability and applications
Authors: Araújo Gustavo , Barbosa Anderson , Baganha Raposo Anselmo , Ribeiro Geivison
Published: January 2025

This paper presents two general criteria to determine spaceability results in the complements of unions of subspaces. The first criterion applies to countable unions of subspaces under specific conditions and is closely related to the results of Kitson and Timoney [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 378 (2011), 680–686]. This criterion extends and recovers some classical results in this theory. The second criterion establishes sufficient conditions for the complement of a union of Lebesgue spaces to be ‐spaceable, or not, even when they are not locally convex. We use this result to characterize measurable subsets having positive measure. Armed with these results, we have improved existing results in environments such as Lebesgue measurable function sets, spaces of continuous functions, sequence spaces, nowhere Hölder function sets, Sobolev spaces, non‐absolutely summing operator spaces and even sets of functions of bounded variation.
Sex‐specific differences in mortality and neurocardiac interactions in the Kv1.1 knockout mouse model of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP)
Authors: Paulhus Kelsey , Kumar Praveen , Kneale Kelly , Hutson T. Noah , Gautier‐Hall Nicole M. , Shiau Deng‐Shan , Watts Megan , Trosclair Krystle , Dhaibar Hemangini A. , Dominic Paari , Iasemidis Leonidas , Glasscock Edward
Published: January 2025

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a devastating complication of epilepsy with possible sex‐specific risk factors, although the exact relationship between sex and SUDEP remains unclear. To investigate this, we studied Kcna1 knockout (Kcna1−/−) mice, which lack voltage‐gated Kv1.1 channel subunits and are widely used as a SUDEP model that mirrors key features in humans. To assess sex differences, we first performed survival analysis, EEG‐ECG recordings, seizure threshold testing and retrospective analysis of previous intracardiac pacing data. We then applied a novel modelling approach across organs (organomics) to uncover potential sex‐specific differences in brain–heart communication. Our findings revealed female Kcna1−/− mice have significantly longer lifespans than males, suggesting lower SUDEP rates. Although no sex differences were found in seizure frequency, duration, burden, susceptibility or interictal heart rate variability, females showed a higher incidence of bradycardia during spontaneous seizures than males, as well as resistance to inducible ventricular tachyarrhythmias in response to programmed electrical stimulation. Two captured SUDEP events, one per sex, displayed similar patterns of ictal bradycardia in both sexes, progressing to postictal cardiorespiratory failure. Going beyond traditional seizure and cardiac metrics, organomics analysis revealed that seizures affect brain–heart communication differently between sexes. Females exhibited more effective resetting of brain–heart interactions postictally than males. This finding may contribute to the lower SUDEP risk in females and underscores the complex interplay between sex, cardiac function and brain–heart communication in determining SUDEP susceptibility. Furthermore, seizure‐resetting measures could represent a promising class of biomarkers for SUDEP risk stratification.

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Key points

Female Kcna1−/− mice live longer than males, suggesting lower sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) rates.

There are no sex differences in seizure metrics or interictal heart rate variability.

Females show more bradycardia during seizures and are resistant to inducible ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Seizures affect brain–heart communication differently between the sexes.

Seizures in females reset brain–heart interactions more effectively postictally, potentially lowering SUDEP risk.
Spin caloritronics as a probe of nonunitary superconductors
Authors: Matsushita Taiki , Mizushima Takeshi , Masaki Yusuke , Fujimoto Satoshi , Vekhter Ilya
Published: January 2025

Superconducting spintronics explores the interplay between superconductivity and magnetism, sparking substantial interest in nonunitary superconductors as a platform for magneto-superconducting phenomena. However, identifying nonunitary superconductors remains challenging. We demonstrate that spin current driven by thermal gradients sensitively probes the nature of the condensate in nonunitary superconductors. Spin polarization of the condensate in momentum space induces the superconducting spin Seebeck effect, where a spin current is generated along thermal gradients without a thermoelectric charge current. Notably, the nonvanishing superconducting spin Seebeck effect provides a smoking gun evidence of nonunitary superconductivity because it reflects the spin polarization of the condensate in momentum space, irrespective of whether the net pair spin magnetization vanishes. At the same time, the spin chirality of the condensate induces the spin Nernst effect, where a spin current is generated perpendicular to thermal gradients in nonunitary superconductors. These spin caloritronic phenomena offer a definitive probe of nonunitary superconductors.
Plasticity of human resilience mechanisms
Authors: Leone Giovanni , Casanave Hannah , Postel Charlotte , Fraisse Florence , Vallée Thomas , de La Sayette Vincent , Dayan Jacques , Peschanski Denis , Eustache Francis , Gagnepain Pierre
Published: January 2025

The hippocampus’s vulnerability to trauma-induced stress can lead to pathophysiological disturbances that precipitate the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The mechanisms of resilience that foster remission and mitigate the adverse effects of stress remain unknown. We analyzed the evolution of hippocampal morphology between 2016/2017 and 2018/2019, as well as the memory control mechanisms crucial for trauma resilience. Participants were individuals exposed to the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks (
N
= 100), including chronic (
N
= 34) and remitted (
N
= 19) PTSD, and nonexposed (
N
= 72). We found that normalization of inhibitory control processes, which regulate the resurgence of intrusive memories in the hippocampus, not only predicted PTSD remission but also preceded a reduction in traumatic memories. Improvement in control mechanisms was associated with the interruption of stress-induced atrophy in a hippocampal region that includes the dentate gyrus. Human resilience to trauma is characterized by the plasticity of memory control circuits, which interacts with hippocampal neuroplasticity.
Disorder-order transition–induced unusual bandgap bowing effect of tin-lead mixed perovskites
Authors: Gao Han , He Dong , Chen Zehua , Gao Peili , He Dongsheng , Li Zhaoning , Zhang Xusheng , Xiu Jingwei , Sun Qiang , Chen Shuming , Wei Su-Huai , Yu Shu-Hong , He Zhubing
Published: January 2025

Owing to the predominant merit of tunable bandgaps, tin-lead mixed perovskites have shown great potentials in realizing near-infrared optoelectronics and are receiving increasing attention. However, despite the merit, there is still a lack of fundamental understanding of the bandgap variation as a function of Sn/Pb ratio, mainly because the films are easy to segregate in terms of both composition and phase. Here, we report a fully stoichiometric synthesis of monocrystalline FAPb

1−
x

Sn

x

I
3
nanocrystals as well as their atomic-scale imaging. On the basis of the systematic measurements of the monocrystalline materials, strain and Coulomb interaction–induced atomic ordering was revealed to be responsible for the unusual discontinuous bandgap jumping near
x
= 0.5 from the expected bowing effect. As a result, both FAPb
0.6
Sn
0.4
I
3
and FAPb
0.4
Sn
0.6
I
3
have the lowest bandgaps of around 1.27 electron volts, while that of FAPb
0.5
Sn
0.5
I
3
is 1.33 electron volts. Correspondingly, their based light-emitting diodes can emit infrared lights with the wavelengths reaching 930 nanometers.