bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brittle initiation of dissolution–precipitation creep in plagioclase-rich rocks: insights from the Bergen arcs, Norway
Authors: Moore Jo , Piazolo Sandra , Beinlich Andreas , Austrheim Håkon , Putnis Andrew
Published: May 2024

The initiation of ductile shear zones commonly occurs spatially associated with fluid-rock reactions along brittle precursors. In many cases the relative timing of fracturing, fluid infiltration, reaction, and recrystallisation is unclear, making it difficult to disentangle mechanisms of shear zone initiation from subsequent deformation and recrystallisation. Here we present the study of the transition from a dry plagioclase-diopside-garnet-scapolite host granulite-facies lithology to (1) a low strain amphibolite-facies rock, and (2) a transition from low strain to high strain amphibolite-facies lithologies. Hydration of the granulite-facies precursor at amphibolite-facies conditions produces an assemblage comprised dominantly of plagioclase-amphibole-zoisite-clinozoisite-kyanite-scapolite-quartz. Detailed study of plagioclase chemistry and microstructures across these two transitions using Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) and Wavelength Dispersive Spectrometry (WDS) allows us to assess the degree of coupling between deformation and fluid-rock reaction across the outcrop. Plagioclase behaves dominantly in a brittle manner at the hydration interface and so the initial weakening of the rock is attributed to grain size reduction caused by fracture damage and fluid infiltration at amphibolite-facies conditions. Extensive fracturing-induced grain size reduction locally increases permeability and allows for continuing plagioclase and secondary mineral growth during shear. Based on plagioclase microstructures, such as, an inherited but dispersed crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO), truncation of chemical zoning, and the dominance of fine (5–150 µm), slightly elongate, polygonal grains we conclude that deformation is dominantly facilitated by dissolution–precipitation creep assisted by grain boundary sliding in the shear zone.
Outcome prediction of SSTR-RADS-3A and SSTR-RADS-3B lesions in patients with neuroendocrine tumors based on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/MR
Authors: Gao Jing , Zhou Jinxin , Liu Chang , Pan Yu , Lin Xiaozhu , Zhang Yifan
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-targeted PET imaging has emerged as a common approach to evaluating those patients with well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The SSTR reporting and data system (SSTR-RADS) version 1.0 provides a means of categorizing lesions from 1 to 5 according to the likelihood of NET involvement, with SSTR-RADS-3A (soft-tissue) and SSTR-RADS-3B (bone) lesions being those suggestive of but without definitive NET involvement. The goal of the present study was to assess the ability of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/MR imaging data to predict outcomes for indeterminate SSTR-RADS-3A and 3B lesions.

Methods

NET patients with indeterminate SSTR-RADS-3A or SSTR-RADS-3B lesions who underwent 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/MR imaging from April 2020 through August 2023 were retrospectively evaluated. All patients underwent follow-up through December 2023 (median, 17 months; (3–31 months)), with imaging follow-up or biopsy findings ultimately being used to classify lesions as malignant or benign. Lesion maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) along with minimum and mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmin and ADCmean) values were measured and assessed for correlations with outcomes on follow-up.

Results

In total, 33 indeterminate SSTR-RADS-3 lesions from 22 patients (19 SSTR-RADS-3A and 14 SSTR-RADS-3B) were identified based upon baseline 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/MR findings. Over the course of follow-up, 16 of these lesions (48.5%) were found to exhibit true NET positivity, including 9 SSTR-RADS-3A and 7 SSTR-RADS-3B lesions. For SSTR-RADS-3A lymph nodes, a diameter larger than 0.7 cm and an ADCmin of 779 × 10−6mm2/s or lower were identified as being more likely to be associated with metastatic lesions. Significant differences in ADCmin and ADCmean were identified when comparing metastatic and non-metastatic SSTR-RADS-3B bone lesions (P < 0.05), with these parameters offering a high predictive ability (AUC = 0.94, AUC = 0.86).

Conclusion

Both diameter and ADCmin can aid in the accurate identification of the nature of lesions associated with SSTR-RADS-3A lymph nodes, whereas ADCmin and ADCmean values can inform the accurate interpretation of SSTR-RADS-3B bone lesions.
Low skeletal muscle mass predicts melanoma-specific survival in melanoma patients treated with adjuvant immune checkpoint blockade
Authors: Mengoni Miriam , Braun Andreas Dominik , Hinnerichs Mattes Simon , Aghayev Anar , Tüting Thomas , Surov Alexey
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Adjuvant immunotherapy with immune checkpoint blockade(ICB) has greatly reduced the risk of recurrence and metastatic spread in early and advanced melanoma. However, not all patients benefit from adjuvant treatment: many patients show disease recurrence despite therapy, while those without recurrence harbor the risk for potentially irreversible adverse events. Biomarkers to select patients benefitting most from adjuvant therapy are currently lacking. As body composition assessment using CT images has shown promising results as a prognostic biomarker in stage IV melanoma, we aim to study the applicability of body composition parameters also in adjuvant melanoma treatment.

Methods

We analyze body composition features via CT scans in a retrospective cohort of 109 patients with resected stage IIB-IV melanoma receiving an adjuvant first-line treatment with ICB in our department. In this analysis, we focus on the impact of body composition, especially the presence of low skeletal muscle mass (LSMM), on patients’ survival and occurrence of adverse events (AEs).

Results

In uni- and multivariate analyses, we identify an association between CT-measured LSMM and melanoma-specific survival in patients treated with adjuvant ICB. Furthermore, LSMM is associated with a lower risk for therapy-related AEs, especially hypothyroidism, fatigue, and xerostomia. Conventional serological biomarkers e.g. S100 and LDH and measures of adipose tissue compartments did not show a correlation with survival or the occurrence of AEs.

Conclusions

LSMM constitutes a novel biomarker for melanoma-specific survival in patients treated with adjuvant ICB.
Bumble bee diet breadth increases with local abundance and phenophase duration, not intraspecific variation in body size
Authors: Glenny Will R. , Runyon Justin B. , Burkle Laura A.
Published: May 2024

Patterns of abundance across space and time, and intraspecific variation in body size, are two species attributes known to influence diet breadth and the structure of interaction networks. Yet, the relative influence of these attributes on diet breadth is often assumed to be equal among taxonomic groups, and the relationship between intraspecific variation in body size on interaction patterns is frequently neglected. We observed bee–flower interactions in multiple locations across Montana, USA, for two growing seasons and measured spatial and temporal patterns of abundance, along with interspecific and intraspecific variation in body size for prevalent species. We predicted that the association between spatial and temporal patterns of abundance and intraspecific variation in body size, and diet breadth, would be stronger for bumble bee compared to non-bumble bee species, because species with flexible diets and long activity periods can interact with more food items. Bumble bees had higher local abundance, occurred in many local communities, more intraspecific variation in body size, and longer phenophases compared to non-bumble bee species, but only local abundance and phenophase duration had a stronger positive association with the diet breadth of bumble bee compared to non-bumble bee species. Communities with a higher proportion of bumble bees also had higher intraspecific variation in body size at the network-level, and network-level intraspecific variation in body size was positively correlated with diet generalization. Our findings highlight that the association between species attributes and diet breadth changes depending on the taxonomic group, with implications for the structure of interaction networks.
Master–slave elimination scheme for arbitrary smooth nonlinear multi-point constraints
Authors: Boungard Jonas , Wackerfuß Jens
Published: May 2024

Nonlinear multi-point constraints are essential in modeling various engineering problems, for example in the context of (a) linking individual degrees of freedom of multiple nodes to model nonlinear joints, (b) coupling different element types in finite element analysis, (c) enforcing various types of rigidity in parts of the mesh and (d) considering deformation-dependent Dirichlet boundary conditions. One method for addressing constraints is the master–slave elimination, which offers the benefit of reducing the problem dimension as opposed to Lagrange multipliers and the penalty method. However, the existing master–slave elimination method is limited to linear constraints. In this paper, we introduce a new master–slave elimination method for handling arbitrary smooth nonlinear multi-point constraints in the system of equations of the discretized system. We present a rigorous mathematical derivation of the method. Within this method, new constraints can be easily considered as an item of a “constraint library”; i.e. no case-by-case-programming is required. In addition to the theoretical aspects, we also provide helpful remarks on the efficient implementation. Among others, we show that the new method results in a reduced computational complexity compared to the existing methods. The study also places emphasis on comparing the new approach with existing methods via numerical examples. We have developed innovative benchmarks which encompass all relevant computational properties, and provide analytical and reference solutions. Our findings demonstrate that our new method is as accurate, robust and flexible as the Lagrange multipliers, and more efficient due to the reduction of the total number of degrees of freedom, which is particularly advantageous when a large number of constraints have to be considered.
Accelerating aeroelastic UVLM simulations by inexact Newton algorithms
Authors: Schubert Jenny , Steinbach Marc C. , Hente Christian , Märtins David , Schuster Daniel
Published: May 2024

We consider the aeroelastic simulation of flexible mechanical structures submerged in subsonic fluid flows at low Mach numbers. The nonlinear kinematics of flexible bodies are described in the total Lagrangian formulation and discretized by finite elements. The aerodynamic loads are computed using the unsteady vortex-lattice method wherein a free wake is tracked over time. Each implicit time step in the dynamic simulation then requires solving a nonlinear equation system in the structural variables with additional aerodynamic load terms. Our focus here is on the efficient numerical solution of this system by accelerating the Newton algorithm. The particular structure of the aeroelastic nonlinear system suggests the structural derivative as an approximation to the full derivative in the linear Newton system. We investigate and compare two promising algorithms based on this approximation, a quasi-Newton type algorithm and a novel inexact Newton algorithm. Numerical experiments are performed on a flexible plate and on a wind turbine. Our computational results show that the approximation can indeed accelerate the Newton algorithm substantially. Surprisingly, the theoretically preferable inexact Newton algorithm is much slower than the quasi-Newton algorithm, which motivates further research to speed up derivative evaluations.
Optimal sizing of a proposed stand-alone hybrid energy system in a remote region of southwest Egypt applying different meta-heuristic algorithms
Authors: Abdelsattar Montaser , Mesalam Abdelgayed , Diab Ahmed A. Zaki , Fawzi Abdelrahman , Hamdan I.
Published: May 2024

Hybrid energy system (HES) is considered a solution to the energy supply issue, particularly in rural areas to achieve their sustainable development goals. The rise in energy consumption has increased the appeal of renewable resources, because of their potential to supply consumers with competitive, carbon-free electricity. This paper suggests strategies for managing energy and the most recently published optimizers for designing a stand-alone HES positioned in a remote region of southwest Egypt. This HES includes two green energy sources (wind and solar) and a storage system for energy (battery) as the first backup in addition to a second backup (diesel). The most recent sizing techniques employing the Chernobyl disaster optimizer, dynamic control cuckoo search (DCCS), and gold rush optimizer have been suggested to obtain the optimal design of the utilized HES. Furthermore, an in-depth evaluation of the applied optimization approaches has been achieved based on a comparative study. A detailed analysis of the studied algorithms aims to identify the optimum algorithm that provides the lowest possible cost at the highest level of reliability for the proposed HES. The simulation results verified that, the DCCS algorithm outperformed other algorithms, indicating its potential for achieving promising solutions.
Comparative analysis of spatial transport characteristics of spring cold-front-type sandstorms in the Hexi Corridor
Authors: Zhang Chunyan , Li Yanying , Wu Wen , Ma Xingwei , Nie Xin
Published: May 2024

In this study, we investigate the spatial transport characteristics of cold-front-type sandstorms with different intensities in the Hexi Corridor based on the hourly observation data from 13 ground-based meteorological stations in the Hexi Corridor, the data in the upper and lower layers from the Meteorological Information Comprehensive Analysis And Process System, and the three-dimensional aerosol observation data of the Vertical Feature Mask product obtained from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization of the United States. The results show that the influence range and horizontal transport distance of cold-front-type sandstorms in the Hexi Corridor are determined by the intensity, thickness and width of the upper-level troughs and the intensity of cold fronts. Generally, cold fronts pass through the Hexi Corridor from noon to evening and stay in this region for a long time or move slowly, which is favorable to the horizontal long-distance transport of sandstorms. The intensity of the 200 hPa upper-level jets is directly proportional to both the influence range and transport distance of sandstorms which primarily occur on the left side of the exit area of an upper-level jet. The strengthening of upper-level jets induces the formation of the vertical circulation cell at middle and low levels. The ascending branch of the circulation cell lifts sand-dust particles from the surface to the upper layers, and the descending branch transports upper-level momentum to the near-surface. This circulation situation increases the near-surface wind speed and forms sandstorms. The occurrence time and descending branch of the secondary circulation cell caused by upper-level jets are important indicators for predicting the occurrence time and falling area of sandstorms. Dust aerosols are mainly concentrated at a height of 2–6 km,.,and they can reach the height of 12 km. When the dust is concentrated at the height of 2–8 km, and the wind speed of 500 hPa and 300 hPa reaches 28 and 32 m s− 1 or above respectively, the cold front sandstorm can realize the long distance transport of thousands of kilometers.
Statistical downscaling of precipitation in northwestern Iran using a hybrid model of discrete wavelet transform, artificial neural networks, and quantile mapping
Authors: Taie Semiromi Majid , Koch Manfred
Published: May 2024

Downscaling of daily precipitation from Global Circulation Models (GCMs)-predictors at a station level, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, has remained a formidable challenge yet. The current study aims at proposing a coupled model of Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT), Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), and Quantile Mapping (QM) for statistical downscaling of daily precipitation. Given the historic (1978–2005) and future (2006–2100) predictors of eight-selected GCMs under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5, a viable DWT-ANN model was developed for each station. Subsequently, we linked QM to DWT-ANN for bias correction and drizzle effect postprocessing of the DWT-ANN-historic/future projected precipitation. The skill of DWT-ANN-QM was demonstrated using various evaluation metrics, including Taylor diagram, Quantile–Quantile plot, Empirical Cumulative Distribution Function, and wet/dry spell analysis. We appraise the efficacy of the coupled model at 12 weather stations over the Gharehsoo River Basin (GRB) in northwestern Iran. Compared to the observed wet/dry spells, the dry-spells were better simulated via DWT-ANN-QM rather than the wet-spells wherein length and exceedance probability of the spells were overestimated. Results indicated that the future precipitation across the GRB will rise, on average, from 10 to 17% depending on weather station. Seasonal spatial distribution of the middle future (2041–2070) precipitation illustrated that an increase for fall and winter, especially, is expected, whereas the amount of the future spring and summer precipitation is projected to be declined. Having been developed and tested in a semi-arid basin, the efficacy of the coupled model should be further assessed in more humid climates.
Sexually transmitted infection and teenage pregnancy in adolescents having parents with schizophrenia: a retrospective cohort study of 64,350 participants
Authors: Hsu Ju-Wei , Chen Li-Chi , Huang Kai-Lin , Tsai Shih-Jen , Bai Ya-Mei , Su Tung-Ping , Chen Tzeng-Ji , Chen Mu-Hong
Published: May 2024

Background

The risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and teenage pregnancy in the offspring of parents with schizophrenia remain unknown.

Methods

From the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 5,850 individuals born between 1980 and 1999 having any parent with schizophrenia and 58,500 age-, sex-, income- and residence-matched controls without parents with severe mental disorders were enrolled in 1996 or on their birthdate and followed up to the end of 2011. Those who contracted any STI or became pregnant in adolescence during the follow-up period were identified.

Results

Cox regression analyses demonstrated that offspring of parents with schizophrenia (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.44), especially daughters (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.06–1.58), were more likely to contract any STI later in life than the control comparisons. In addition, daughters of parents with schizophrenia had an elevated risk of being pregnant in their adolescence (HR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.29–1.67) compared with those having no parents with severe mental disorders.

Discussion

The positive relationship between parental schizophrenia and offspring STIs and teenage pregnancy necessitates clinicians and public health officers to closely monitor the sexual health in the offspring of parents with schizophrenia so that optimal and prompt preventive measures can be taken in the at-risk group.
Green subsidies as strategic trade policy tools
Authors: Buccella Domenico , Fanti Luciano , Gori Luca , Sodini Mauro
Published: May 2024

In a third-country market model in which two export countries adopt environmental policies (taxes and subsidies), this article analyses how an abatement (“green”) subsidy can become a potential strategic trade policy tool. When governments set the optimal policy considering their local environmental damages, a rich set of equilibria arises. In contrast to the standard result, it is shown that subsidising pollution abatement can 1) emerge as the unique Pareto-efficient Nash equilibrium of the policy game, 2) be the only feasible environmental policy when environmental awareness is low, irrespective of the efficiency of the cleaning technology, and 3) emerge as the unique Pareto-inefficient Nash equilibrium of the policy game at the end of the ecological transition. The article also tackles some dynamic issues that the policy game implies.
Social cognition training using virtual reality for people with schizophrenia: a scoping review
Authors: Pérez-Ferrara D. A. , Flores-Medina G. Y. , Landa-Ramírez E. , González-Sánchez D. J. , Luna-Padilla J. A. , Sosa-Millán A. L. , Mondragón-Maya A.
Published: May 2024

To date, many interventions for social cognition have been developed. Nevertheless, the use of social cognition training with virtual reality (SCT-VR) in schizophrenia is a recent field of study. Therefore, a scoping review is a suitable method to examine the extent of existing literature, the characteristics of the studies, and the SCT-VR. Additionally, it allows us to summarize findings from a heterogeneous body of knowledge and identify gaps in the literature favoring the planning and conduct of future research. The aim of this review was to explore and describe the characteristics of SCT-VR in schizophrenia. The searched databases were MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and CINAHL. This scoping review considered experimental, quasi-experimental, analytical observational and descriptive observational study designs. The full text of selected citations was assessed by two independent reviewers. Data were extracted from papers included in the scoping review by two independent reviewers. We identified 1,407 records. A total of twelve studies were included for analyses. Study designs were variable, most research was proof-of-concept or pilot studies. Most SCT-VR were immersive and targeted interventions. Number of sessions ranged from 9 to 16, and the duration of each session ranged from 45 to 120 min. Some studies reported a significant improvement in emotion recognition and/or theory of mind. However, SCT-VR is a recent research field in which the heterogeneity in methodological approaches is evident and has prevented the reaching of robust conclusions. Preliminary evidence has shown that SCT-VR could represent a feasible and promising approach for improving SC deficits in schizophrenia.
Blood pressure monitoring in elderly migraineurs starting an anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody: a real-world prospective study
Authors: Mascarella Davide , Andrini Giorgia , Baraldi Carlo , Altamura Claudia , Favoni Valentina , Lo Castro Flavia , Pierangeli Giulia , Vernieri Fabrizio , Guerzoni Simona , Cevoli Sabina
Published: May 2024

Background

While monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the CGRP pathway have revolutionized migraine management due to their improved tolerance and adherence, concerns remain about their potential impact on blood pressure (BP), especially in older patients, due to CGRP-mediated vasodilation blockade. Given the growing use of these therapies in older populations, assessing their cardiovascular (CV) safety is of paramount importance.

Methods

This multicentric observational prospective study focused on migraine sufferers aged ≥ 60 who began erenumab, galcanezumab, or fremanezumab for prevention. Baseline, three-month, and twelve-month BP measurements were collected. Changes in antihypertensive medication and "Newly or Worsened Hypertensive" patients (NWHP) were assessed.

Results

Among 155 patients receiving anti-CGRP mAbs (40 Erenumab, 47 Galcanezumab, 68 Fremanezumab), 42.5% had hypertension history and 39% were on antihypertensive treatment. No significant systolic or diastolic BP changes occurred at any time point compared to baseline (all p > 0.05), with no differences between the three groups. After one year, 20/155 (12.9%) patients were considered NWHP; 11/20 had prior hypertension, and 5/11 adjusted antihypertensive therapy. Among 9/20 newly hypertensive patients, 5/9 had a single measurement above the normal threshold with no requirement for new pharmacological therapy. A higher baseline BP value was associated with increased BP (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

The study concludes that treatment with anti-CGRP mAbs over one year does not significantly affect BP in patients aged ≥ 60, nor does it increase the incidence of hypertension compared to general population trends. Nonetheless, continuous monitoring and further long-term studies are necessary to fullya scertain the cardiovascular safety of these medications in the elderly.
Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors use and the risk of alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abouelmagd Moaz Elsayed , Abdelmeseh Maickel , Elrosasy Amr , Saad Yousef Hesham , Alnajjar Asmaa Zakria , Eid Mahmoud , Hassan Atef , Abbas Abdallah
Published: May 2024

Background

The management of Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses considerable challenges, necessitating the pursuit of innovative therapeutic approaches. Recent research has spotlighted the promising role of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) in reducing the prevalence of AD, utilizing their vasodilatory properties to suggest a potential neuroprotective effect. This meta-analysis and systematic review aims to assess the relationship between the use of PDE5Is and the risk of AD.

Methods

A detailed examination was carried out across several electronic databases till March 2024, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL, and Embase. The focus was on identifying studies that compare the occurrence of AD among PDE5I users vs non-users. Through a random-effects model, pooled hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated, in alignment with guidelines from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and the PRISMA standards.

Results

This analysis included six studies, cumulating a participant count of 8,337,313, involving individuals treated with sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil, against a control group undergoing other or no treatments. The cumulative HR for AD risk among PDE5I users versus the control group was 0.53 (95% CI: 0.32–0.86, p = 0.008), signaling a markedly reduced likelihood of AD development in the PDE5I group. Particularly, sildenafil usage showed a significant risk reduction (HR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.31–0.70, p < 0.001), while findings for tadalafil and vardenafil were not significant. Test of subgroup differences found no difference between male and female participants in the risk of AD.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the use of PDE5Is is associated with a reduced risk of AD, highlighting its potential as a protective agent against neurodegenerative diseases. Given the very low quality of evidence and the heterogeneity among the included studies, further high-quality research is warranted to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Register number PROSPERO 2024: CRD42024522197.
Measuring digital development: ranking using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and network readiness index (NRI)
Authors: Bánhidi Zoltán , Dobos Imre
Published: May 2024

The Network Readiness Index (NRI) is one of the most prominent indicators that shows the digital development of countries. In contrast to the International Digital Economy and Social Index (I-DESI) of the European Union (EU), in 2020, it showed the development of 134 countries compared to 45 countries in I-DESI of EU, which measures only the most developed countries. The aim of this paper is to provide a viable alternative framework to the equal weights scheme of the original NRI scoring model using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Without Explicit Input (WEI) method and Common Weight Analysis (CWA) method. After determining the common weights, we compare the digital development of the countries in the NRI dataset based on the results obtained, focusing on the countries of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region and the former Soviet Union.
Perceptions on and impacts of environmental changes under multiple stressors: a case study from two communities in northern Fennoscandia
Authors: Eilola Salla , Horstkotte Tim , Forbes Bruce C. , Habeck Joachim Otto , Komu Teresa , Rasmus Sirpa , Fagerholm Nora
Published: May 2024

Against the backcloth of particularly fast environmental change in the Arctic, this study juxtaposes local perceptions of environmental change in two communities in the boreal zone of Northern Europe with scientific data. The local knowledge was gathered through an online participatory mapping survey among the two communities and scientific evidence was gathered from various peer-reviewed and official monitoring sources. Local knowledge of environmental change in Savukoski (Finland) resembles that in Jokkmokk (Sweden). Most perceived changes are in line with scientific studies, public discourse, and local concerns in the Arctic. What differs, however, is the degree of correspondence between local and scientific knowledge on certain phenomena: some dynamics are well documented in both local and scientific observations whereas other dynamics require more nuanced scientific research, particularly considering their relevance for local livelihoods. Among these are: berry yields, the abundance of mosquitoes and other Nematocera, peatland thaw and frost, and changes in river and lake ice conditions. It is noteworthy that in both Savukoski and Jokkmokk, for many people the most impactful changes are caused by resource extraction rather than climate change. Local concerns and perceptions of environmental change are not all shared nor easily translate into adaptation strategies, but nonetheless they have clear policy implications.
Precipitation and hydrological extremes during the warm season in response to climate change: the example from the Polish Carpathians
Authors: Wypych Agnieszka , Ustrnul Zbigniew
Published: May 2024

This study assesses the long-term variability of extreme precipitation events in the Carpathian region of Poland in relation to climate change and its potential impact on river regime. Focusing on eight catchments with undisturbed runoff regimes, the research utilized daily data from May to October between 1951 and 2022. This data included precipitation totals from 23 gauging stations, discharge values from eight water level gauging stations, and gridded precipitation data from the E-OBS dataset. Additionally, future projections for 2026–2060 under two RCP scenarios (4.5 and 8.5) were generated using five GCM-RCM model combinations from the EURO-CORDEX simulations. The study explored the relationship between precipitation and discharge, using probability techniques to identify extreme events. This study highlights the strong linkages between extreme precipitation and discharge in the region, indicating an elevated flood risk due to increased precipitation variability and volume. Despite no significant trends in the frequency of precipitation extremes being observed in the historical analysis, an increase in seasonal precipitation totals is projected, although with considerable uncertainty.
Establishment of a neutrophil extracellular trap-related prognostic signature for colorectal cancer liver metastasis and expression validation of CYP4F3
Authors: Tang Xiao-Li , Xu Zi-Yang , Guan Jiao , Yao Jing , Tang Xiao-Long , Zhou Zun-Qiang , Zhang Zheng-Yun
Published: May 2024

Liver metastasis stands as the primary contributor to mortality among patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC). Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) emerge as pivotal players in the progression and metastasis of cancer, showcasing promise as prognostic biomarkers. Our objective is to formulate a predictive model grounded in genes associated with neutrophil extracellular traps and identify novel therapeutic targets for combating CRLM. We sourced gene expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Neutrophil extracellular trap-related gene set was obtained from relevant literature and cross-referenced with the GEO datasets. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through screening via the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and random forest modeling, leading to the establishment of a nomogram and subtype analysis. Subsequently, a thorough analysis of the characteristic gene CYP4F3 was undertaken, and our findings were corroborated through immunohistochemical staining. We identified seven DEGs (ATG7, CTSG, CYP4F3, F3, IL1B, PDE4B, and TNF) and established nomograms for the occurrence and prognosis of CRLM. CYP4F3 is highly expressed in CRC and colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM), exhibiting a negative correlation with CRLM prognosis. It may serve as a potential therapeutic target for CRLM. A novel prognostic signature related to NETs has been developed, with CYP4F3 identified as a risk factor and potential target for CRLM.
Stand structural effects on growth distribution and growth efficiency in Scots pine and Mediterranean pine in Spain
Authors: Ordóñez Cristobal , Maguire Douglas A. , Pando Valentín , Bravo Felipe
Published: May 2024

Understanding the growth efficiency of individual trees, or growth per unit of resource utilization, can inform silvicultural management strategies to maximize tree and stand growth. Stand structure—the size and spatial distributions of trees within the stand—strongly influences water, light, and nutrient availability, as well as the resource-use efficiency of each tree. Key silvicultural tools for stand management include manipulating tree density, size distribution, and arrangement by controlling natural regeneration, artificial seeding, planting seedlings, and/or subsequent thinning of established trees. We analyzed two sets of plots from even-aged stands of common coniferous species in central Spain, 106 pure Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and 92 pure Mediterranean pine (Pinus pinaster), to examine the dynamics of the dominance hypothesis, the relationship between stand structure and growth, and the relationship between structure and growth efficiency. Our main findings revealed a negative impact of size-class uniformity on stand growth in both Scots pine and Mediterranean pine, while the positive effect of tree size on growth efficiency was supported for Mediterranean pine stands but uncertain for Scots pine. At the operational level, our results highlight how thinning intensity is more important than the thinning method in Mediterranean pinewoods and how thinning can benefit the provision of multiple ecosystem services. We also recommend integrating dominance effects on growth into individual tree modelling.
Trans-eyelid distribution of epinastine to the conjunctiva following eyelid application in rabbits
Authors: Mochizuki Takaharu , Hata Tatsuya , Mori Naoto , Yamazaki Takashi , Noto Takahisa , Mano Hidetoshi
Published: May 2024

Purpose

To reveal the penetration of epinastine, an anti-allergic ophthalmic agent, into the eyelid and its distribution to the conjunctiva after administration of a cream formulation on rabbit eyelid skin.

Study design

Experimental study.

Methods

Rabbits were treated with 0.5% epinastine cream on hair-shaved eyelids, followed by preparation of eyelid tissue slices to determine spatial tissue distribution of epinastine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) quantification using laser-microdissected tissues and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI). In addition, following either eyelid application of 0.5% epinastine cream or ocular instillation of 0.1% epinastine eye drops, concentration-time profiles of epinastine in the palpebral conjunctiva and bulbar conjunctiva were determined using LC-MS/MS.

Results

Laser microdissection coupled with LC-MS/MS analysis detected high concentrations of epinastine around the outermost layer of the eyelid at 0.5 h post-administration that gradually diffused deeper into the eyelid and was distributed in the conjunctival layer at 8 and 24 h post-administration. Similar time-dependent drug distribution was observed in high-spatial-resolution images obtained using DESI-MSI. Epinastine concentrations in the conjunctival tissues peaked at 4–8 h after administration of 0.5% epinastine cream and then decreased slowly over 72 h post-administration. In contrast, epinastine concentrations peaked quickly and decreased sharply after epinastine eye drop administration.

Conclusion

After the application of epinastine cream to the eyelid skin, epinastine gradually permeated the eyelid. The compound was retained in the conjunctiva for 8–24 h post-administration, indicating that epinastine cream is a promising long-acting formulation for treating allergic conjunctivitis.
Beyond biophobia: positive appraisal of bats among German residents during the COVID-19 pandemic - with consequences for conservation intentions
Authors: Straka Tanja M. , Coleman Joanna L. , Macdonald Ewan A. , Rogge Svea , Kingston Tigga , Jacobs Maarten H.
Published: May 2024

Bats are often considered to be objects of biophobia, i.e., the tendency to respond with a negative emotion, such as fear or disgust, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, existing studies have rarely compared both positive and negative emotions towards bats, leading to a potential negativity bias. This is crucial given the importance of emotions to bat-related human behaviours, such as in bat conservation-related actions. Via two online surveys conducted among German residents, we aimed to (i) assess positive and negative emotions towards bats, (ii) examine emotional shifts during the pandemic and (iii) explore how emotions, along with socio-demographics, predict the intent to perform bat-conservation actions. The first survey was undertaken ten months after the official declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic (December 2020 - January 2021), when bats gained societal attention due to speculation about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the second one ran twelve months later (January 2022). Overall, respondents held higher positive emotions than negative ones towards bats in both surveys, with no significant emotional shift observed. Positive emotions positively correlated with intentions to perform bat-conservation actions, while negative emotions showed no such relationship. Although our findings might be context-specific to populations in Germany or Europe, given European-Union legislation protecting bats and their habitats, they highlight the nuanced and complicated emotions that can be associated with certain species. Understanding these emotions can guide targeted conservation strategies and public outreach. Our results caution against overly generalising discussions of biophobia in conservation.
Automatic construction of direction-aware sentiment lexicon using direction-dependent words
Authors: Park Jihye , Lee Hye Jin , Cho Sungzoon
Published: May 2024

Explainability, which is the degree to which an interested stakeholder can understand the key factors that led to a data-driven model’s decision, has been considered an essential consideration in the financial domain. Accordingly, lexicons that can achieve reasonable performance and provide clear explanations to users have been among the most popular resources in sentiment-based financial forecasting. Since deep learning-based techniques have limitations in that the basis for interpreting the results is unclear, lexicons have consistently attracted the community’s attention as a crucial tool in studies that demand explanations for the sentiment estimation process. One of the challenges in the construction of a financial sentiment lexicon is the domain-specific feature that the sentiment orientation of a word can change depending on the application of directional expressions. For instance, the word “cost” typically conveys a negative sentiment; however, when the word is juxtaposed with “decrease” to form the phrase “cost decrease,” the associated sentiment is positive. Several studies have manually built lexicons containing directional expressions. However, they have been hindered because manual inspection inevitably requires intensive human labor and time. In this study, we propose to automatically construct the “sentiment lexicon composed of direction-dependent words,” which expresses each term as a pair consisting of a directional word and a direction-dependent word. Experimental results show that the proposed sentiment lexicon yields enhanced classification performance, proving the effectiveness of our method for the automated construction of a direction-aware sentiment lexicon.
A sentiment corpus for the cryptocurrency financial domain: the CryptoLin corpus
Authors: Gadi Manoel Fernando Alonso , Sicilia Miguel Ángel
Published: May 2024

The objective of this paper is to describe Cryptocurrency Linguo (CryptoLin), a novel corpus containing 2683 cryptocurrency-related news articles covering more than a three-year period. CryptoLin was human-annotated with discrete values representing negative, neutral, and positive news respectively. Eighty-three people participated in the annotation process; each news title was randomly assigned and blindly annotated by three human annotators, one in each different cohort, followed by a consensus mechanism using simple voting. The selection of the annotators was intentionally made using three cohorts with students from a very diverse set of nationalities and educational backgrounds to minimize bias as much as possible. In case one of the annotators was in total disagreement with the other two (e.g., one negative vs two positive or one positive vs two negative), we considered this minority report and defaulted the labeling to neutral. Fleiss’s Kappa, Krippendorff’s Alpha, and Gwet’s AC1 inter-rater reliability coefficients demonstrate CryptoLin’s acceptable quality of inter-annotator agreement. The dataset also includes a text span with the three manual label annotations for further auditing of the annotation mechanism. To further assess the quality of the labeling and the usefulness of CryptoLin dataset, it incorporates four pretrained Sentiment Analysis models: Vader, Textblob, Flair, and FinBERT. Vader and FinBERT demonstrate reasonable performance in the CryptoLin dataset, indicating that the data was not annotated randomly and is therefore useful for further research1. FinBERT (negative) presents the best performance, indicating an advantage of being trained with financial news. Both the CryptoLin dataset and the Jupyter Notebook with the analysis, for reproducibility, are available at the project’s Github. Overall, CryptoLin aims to complement the current knowledge by providing a novel and publicly available Gadi and Ángel Sicilia (Cryptolin dataset and python jupyter notebooks reproducibility codes, 2022) cryptocurrency sentiment corpus and fostering research on the topic of cryptocurrency sentiment analysis and potential applications in behavioral science. This can be useful for businesses and policymakers who want to understand how cryptocurrencies are being used and how they might be regulated. Finally, the rules for selecting and assigning annotators make CryptoLin unique and interesting for new research in annotator selection, assignment, and biases.
Review of the cost-effectiveness of surveillance for hereditary pancreatic cancer
Authors: Wang Louise , Levinson Rachel , Mezzacappa Catherine , Katona Bryson W.
Published: May 2024

Individuals with hereditary pancreatic cancer risk include high risk individuals (HRIs) with germline genetic susceptibility to pancreatic cancer (PC) and/or a strong family history of PC. Previously, studies have shown that PC surveillance in HRIs can downstage PC diagnosis and extend survival leading to pancreatic surveillance being recommended for certain HRIs. However, the optimal surveillance strategy remains uncertain, including which modalities should be used for surveillance, how frequently should surveillance be performed, and which sub-groups of HRIs should undergo surveillance. Additionally, in the ideal world PC surveillance should also be cost-effective. Cost-effectiveness analysis is a valuable tool that can consider the costs, potential health benefits, and risks among various PC surveillance strategies. In this review, we summarize the cost-effectiveness of various PC surveillance strategies for HRIs for hereditary pancreatic cancer and provide potential avenues for future work in this field. Additionally, we include cost-effectiveness studies among individuals with new-onset diabetes (NoD), a high-risk group for sporadic PC, as a comparison.

Graphical Abstract
Thermal lensing and photoacoustics as potential tools for nanomaterial characterization: a review
Authors: Swapna M. S. , Sankararaman S. , Korte D.
Published: May 2024

This comprehensive review highlights the versatile applications of photothermal techniques, particularly thermal lens spectrometry (TLS) and photoacoustic spectrometry (PAS), in the field of nanomaterials characterization. TLS is an effective technique in the trace detection of different compounds in liquid samples, photodegradation studies, and analysis of photocatalytic reaction rate, as well as the study of molecular dynamics, impacting both environmental and catalytical research. It enables the optimization of thermal diffusivity in soot nanofluids and offers insights into seed germination and plant yield enhancement in nanobiophotonics. The review also explores the thermal and elastic characterization of Fe2O3 polymorphs by photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS). Investigating the metal mirror demonstrates PAS’s efficacy in determining its reflection coefficient and thermal diffusivity. ZnO nanoparticles’ strong absorption on diatomite surfaces is revealed through PAS, emphasizing their effectiveness in light absorption enhancement. Furthermore, PA techniques address working frequency limitations in studying silicon-based nanomaterials. Thus, thermal lens and photoacoustic spectroscopy assume pivotal roles in unveiling the nuanced attributes of various nanostructured materials, thereby propelling advancements in the realms of science and technology.
A Self-Applied Psychological Treatment for Gambling-Related Problems via The Internet: A Pilot, Feasibility Study
Authors: Diaz-Sanahuja Laura , Suso-Ribera Carlos , Lucas Ignacio , Jiménez-Murcia Susana , Tur Cintia , Gual-Montolio Patricia , Paredes-Mealla Macarena , García-Palacios Azucena , Bretón-López Juana María
Published: May 2024

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an online psychological intervention for individuals with gambling-related problems, supported by ecological momentary assessments and interventions (EMAs and EMIs), along with weekly phone-calls, before conducting a randomized controlled trial. Participants were required to complete 3 of the 8 modules of the program based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and extensions and innovations of CBT. The study measured the outcomes of feasibility (i.e., reach, appropriateness, technology literacy and technology usability, fidelity, and adherence). In terms of reach, 19.8% (n = 11) of the initial population met the inclusion criteria and completed the three modules (mean age = 41; 90.9% men). The perceived appropriateness and the technology usability after the first use were both excellent, fidelity and adherence to the online treatment (73.3%) were adequate. Adherence to the EMAs and the weekly phone calls were more modest (54.51% and 66.67%, respectively). The results of the present study show that an online treatment for gambling problems enhanced by EMA and EMI might be feasible but challenges were noted in terms of reach and adherence to these assessments and calls. These challenges are important to consider for future trials and the scalability of treatments for individuals with gambling disorders.