bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Guiding Principles for Conducting Research with a Health Equity Lens
Authors: Hudson Darrell
Published: January 2025

Centering equity in research means that research teams must consider equity at each stage of the research process, applying principles of health equity from ideation and question formation to developing the specific research process and investigative team to the intentional disseminate of research findings. The goal of this chapter is to translate the guiding principles around power and privilege by providing actionable steps population health researchers can undertake at each phase of the research process, with attention to principles of equity and intersections by race, gender, class, age, sexuality, ability, and other factors. Therefore, this chapter emphasizes the importance of using community-engaged approaches, ones in which authentic relationships that are intentionally developed, to center people’s lived experiences in the development of solutions to health inequities. The chapter also encourages scholars to use a theoretical framework that prioritizes equity in order to guide their research approach. Two frameworks are underscored in this chapter, Critical Race Theory and Fundamental Cause Theory. Finally, the chapter describes ways to center equity in the implementation and dissemination process, especially if the objective is to develop best practices that can address health inequities. Taken together, this chapter provides theoretical and procedural guideposts to integrate principles of health equity throughout the research process.
Why Racial Capitalism and Scientific Racism Threaten Promoting Antiracism and Health Equity in Public Health
Authors: Gilbert Keon L , Gee Gilbert
Published: January 2025

Our existing theories have led to blind spots in assessing power and racial privilege. This chapter explores how individual-level theories have pointed us towards a limited view of health promotion in the U.S. Health equity has not been advanced because of a lack of focus on theories and indicators of racial privilege and how that has stymied our ability to conduct fully antiracist science and health promotion practice. To advance the science, practice, and evidence base of public health requires theories that center the lived experiences of racialized groups, the political constraints of these communities, and the assets that can be enhanced to promote equitable health outcomes.
Developing a Social Justice–Informed Curriculum for Public Health and Medicine
Authors: Everette Tekisha , Carter Chelsey , Lowery Amelea , Keene Danya
Published: January 2025

The field of public health does not currently hold one definition of social justice. This chapter offers a definition of social justice in public health that can serve as an anchor for the emerging theories and frameworks around power and privilege. This definition recognizes the many definitions found across the field and models how faculty can orient toward this definition through their curricular design and implementation. The chapter then discusses the application of this definition and its core principles to curriculum and course design, highlighting one case study: a concentration in social justice at the Yale School of Public Health.
Established Adulthood
Authors: Mehta Clare M
Published: January 2025

This book presents the theory of established adulthood, a newly conceptualized period of development roughly spanning the years from 30 to 45. While the later years of this period (40–45) are often combined with midlife, this book highlights the ways in which the ages 30–45 constitute a unique developmental period. The rise of emerging adulthood in developed countries has resulted in the postponement of enduring commitments in work and relationships until the 30s and 40s. Consequently, established adulthood is an important and eventful period of the lifespan during which intense focus and energy is directed toward the formation and maintenance of a long-term committed partnership, progressing in a chosen career, and for those who become parents, raising young children. Because of the convergence of these developmental tasks in the 30s and 40s, established adults may experience heightened stress as they struggle to manage multiple demands in work and relationships. However, for many, this period brings with it a number of rewards including a stronger sense of self and increased social and professional confidence. Chapters in this book cover a wide range of topics including career development, romantic relationships, having (or not having) children, friendships, relationships with parents, and physical health. Each chapter also considers how the career and care crunch, that is negotiating competing work and family responsibilities, influences different domains of development. The book incorporates the lived experiences of established adults, taken from over 400 hours of interview data, bringing the experience of established adulthood to life.
‘You Have Those Adult Responsibilities, but You’re Still Getting Your Feet on the Ground’: Experiences of Being an Established Adult
Authors: Mehta Clare M
Published: January 2025

This chapter presents the four main features of established adulthood, proposing that 1) established adulthood is a time when people become adults, 2) established adulthood is a time of stability with some instability, 3) established adulthood is a time of increased responsibility and commitment, and 4) established adulthood is a time of flourishing. Established adulthood is brought to life as established adults describe their experiences of these features in their own lives, demonstrating the complexity and diversity of experience during this period of the lifespan. The chapter concludes by suggesting that there are likely to be many versions of and pathways through established adulthood.
‘My Friends Circle Has Changed with Each Decade’: Friendships in Established Adulthood
Authors: Mehta Clare M
Published: January 2025

In the hierarchy of adult relationships, friendships often come behind partners, parents, and children. This may especially be the case in established adulthood when responsibilities related to work, romantic relationships, and caring for others leave little time for socializing. This chapter examines friendships during established adulthood, describing changes in friendships over time, including changes in conversational topics and activities and changes in the size and quality of friendship networks. The chapter also explores making friendships in established adulthood, describing reductions in opportunities to make friends in adulthood and the importance of intentionality. Barriers and facilitators to making friends, including partners and children, are also considered. Finally, the chapter describes how the career and care crunch impacts the formation and maintenance of friendships in established adulthood and makes suggestions for how policy makers and employers can support friendships during this period of the lifespan.
‘Who Else Has Seen You Through All the Things in Life?’: Relationships with Parents in Established Adulthood
Authors: Mehta Clare M
Published: January 2025

The parent-child relationship is often one of the most important and longest enduring social ties people have (Fingerman, Huo, & Birditt, 2020). This chapter explores established adults’ relationships with their parents, capturing the complexity of this important and distinctive relationship. The chapter starts by describing the experiences of established adults who have positive relationships with parents, even when they live far apart, and how parents and children provide emotional and instrumental support to one another. The next section explores strained relationships between established adults and their parents and describe how established adults negotiate setting boundaries. The chapter then investigates established adults’ experiences of their parents’ aging and death. Finally, the chapter considers how parents may contribute to and/or alleviate the career and care crunch, either by requiring care for themselves or providing care for grandchildren.
Queering Governance and International Law
Authors: Biddolph Caitlin
Published: January 2025

What might it mean to read international law as queer, even as it (re)installs exclusionary gendered, sexualized, and racialized configurations of (il)legality? How might queering complicate international law’s exclusionary and subversive discourses of gender, sexuality, and violence? This book engages queer, feminist, and postcolonial approaches to international law and international relations to address these questions and their implications for contemporary practices of international law. Through a case study of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the book traces how discourses of gender, sexuality, and violence constitute international law as a (queer) governance mechanism that is simultaneously violent and contains the seeds of queer potential and justice. It explores how international law is a site and agent of governance that (re)produces civilizational logics and cis-heteronormative discourses of gender, sexuality, and violence. This is evident in an analysis of the ICTY as an example of international law. The book argues that international law violates gendered and racialized populations through the designation of bodies and populations as feminized victims and hyper-heteromasculine, homophobic perpetrators, and that international law functions as the paternal intervener. However, the queer critique developed in this book also recognizes how the violence of international law can be subverted, and how victims, survivors, and oppressed groups might find justice within and beyond international law. By queerly analyzing these legal discourses and logics, this book shows how governance and international law reinforce gendered and racial hierarchies, but that, through and against international law, these hierarchies might be queered and dismantled.
Queer Concepts and Methods
Authors: Biddolph Caitlin
Published: January 2025

Chapter 2 offers the queer conceptual and methodological approaches that anchor the book. It introduces queer poststructural discourse analysis as a novel method for deconstructing discourses of gender, sexuality, and violence in international law. Drawing on feminist, queer, postcolonial, and poststructural epistemologies and methods, the chapter articulates the politics of representation, performativity, and power that animate the organizing logics and discourses of international law as a (queer) governance mechanism. The queer methods advanced in this chapter also emphasize the necessity of reflexivity in research; the inseparability of gender, sexuality, and violence; and the queering of poststructural concepts and tools.
Logics of Governance and International Law at/of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
Authors: Biddolph Caitlin
Published: January 2025

Chapter 3 traces the logics of governance that constitute the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the case study of international law that is the focus of this book. In particular, the chapter introduces four origin stories that constitute the ICTY and the rationale given for its creation: “Never Again” and war crimes tribunals; detention camps in Bosnia; (non)interventions in the post–Cold War period; and the promise of international law. Each of these origin stories depends on civilizational logics and cis-heteronormative discourses of gender, sexuality, and violence. The chapter also focuses on Balkanism as an example of international law’s civilizational logics. At the ICTY and in broader discourses on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Balkanism constructs a “superior” (western) Europe and an “inferior” former Yugoslavia in gendered and gendering, and violent and violating, ways. The chapter provides the foundations for the queer analysis of ICTY texts conducted in the following chapters.
Governing through Adjudication
Authors: Biddolph Caitlin
Published: January 2025

Chapter 4 argues that international law is a violent governance mechanism that reproduces civilizational logics and cis-heteronormative discourses of gender, sexuality, and violence. Through an analysis of selected International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) cases and texts, it identifies three forms of legal violence: victimization, denunciation, and paternalism. All three forms of violence construct people in the former Yugoslavia as feminized victims or hyper-heteromasculine perpetrators and assign international law and legal actors a moral responsibility to intervene in and adjudicate their fates through international criminal justice. In doing so, the chapter reveals how the ICTY—as an example of international law—is a (queer) governance mechanism that is gendering, agential, and violating in its construction of violent and violated bodies as pejoratively queer. By deconstructing these discourses, the chapter suggests that these violent practices can be altered.
Subverting International Law and Violence at/of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
Authors: Biddolph Caitlin
Published: January 2025

Chapter 5 traces how international law can be a site and space of subversion and resistance. Continuing the queer analysis of International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) texts from the preceding chapter, this chapter argues that as a (queer) governance mechanism, international law is not only gendered and gendering, constitutive and agential, and violent and violating, but subversive and queer too. The chapter focuses on two examples of subversive bodies and practices: “noisy” survivors and “complex” perpetrators. It argues that these legal subjects both (re)produce and subvert cis-heteronormative discourses of gender, sexuality, and violence in international law, demonstrating the queer logics of law and justice. The chapter suggests that as simultaneously violent and subversive, international law can be both a constraining and empowering mechanism for victims, survivors, and oppressed groups in their quest for justice. Queering governance and international law allows for the recognition of this seemingly contradictory finding.
Distinct patterns of genome size evolution in each bryophyte lineage are not correlated with whole genome duplication
Authors: Patel Nikisha , Budke Jessica M , Bainard Jillian
Published: January 2025

Background and Aims

Genome size varies by orders of magnitude across land plants, and the factors driving evolutionary increases and decreases in genome size vary across lineages. Bryophytes have the smallest genomes relative to other land plants and there is growing evidence for frequent whole genome duplication (WGD) across the lineage. However, the broad patterns of genome size, chromosome number, and WGD have yet to be characterized across bryophytes in a phylogenetic context.

Methods

In the present study, we use a phylogenetic comparative approach and leverage previously published data on genome size, chromosome number, and WGD to reconstruct the evolutionary history of these traits across the three major bryophyte lineages: hornworts, liverworts, and mosses. We infer ancestral haploid chromosome numbers for each lineage and introduce a novel metric for assessing polyploidy using chromosome counts.

Key Results

Each lineage of bryophytes exhibits a distinct pattern of genome size evolution and prevalence of WGD, with mosses having the most dynamic genome sizes and highest propensity for WGD. We found that 21.3% of mosses and 13% of liverworts species have naturally occurring polyploids. In addition, haploid genome size (1C) is most dynamic in the mosses which includes 15 transitions to larger genomes and nine reversals, largely in the orders Dicranales and Hypnales.

Conclusions

There is no correlation between genome size and WGD or genome size and chromosome number, potentially suggesting rapid genome downsizing following WGD. As bryophytes are poikilohydric (desiccation tolerant) plants, having large genomes may be physiologically prohibitive given the cost to growth and metabolism associated with them. These findings emphasize the unique evolution of the bryophytes broadly and of the hornworts, liverworts, and mosses individually, and should therefore serve as impetus for more in-depth experimental studies of genome size evolution and WGD in bryophytes.
Comparative pericarp biomechanics and germination physiology of Raphanus raphanistrum and Raphanus pugioniformis indehicent fruits
Authors: Steinbrecher Tina , Bhattacharya Samik , Binder Jonathan , Kleemeier Katharina , Przesdzink Felix , Groene Franziska , Jacoblinnert Kyra , Mummenhoff Klaus , Leubner-Metzger Gerhard
Published: January 2025

The biomechanical, morphological and ecophysiological properties of plant seed/fruit structures are adaptations that support survival in unpredictable environments. High phenotypic variability of noxious and invasive weed species such as Raphanus raphanistrum (wild radish) allow diversification into new environmental niches. Dry indehiscent fruits (thick and lignified pericarp [fruit coat] enclosing seeds) have evolved many times independently. Here, we demonstrate that the hard pericarp of Raphanus species (Brassicaceae) imposes mechanical dormancy by preventing full phase-II water uptake of the enclosed seeds. A multiscale biomechanics and imaging (microscopy, X-ray, finite element stress simulation, puncture force analysis) approach was used to comparatively investigate the indehiscent fruits of R. raphanistrum (global weed), R. pugioniformis (endemic weed) and R. sativus (cultivated radish). This demonstrated that the apparently unilocular fruits of Raphanus species develop from two fused valves, that pericarp rupture to permit germination is confined to the midvalve regions (MVR), and that each MVR contains a predeterimed breaking zone which is biomechanically defined by the internal shape of the seed chambers. Direct biomechanical analysis revealed great variability in within-fruit and between-fruits pericarp resistences. We conclude that variability in pericarp-imposed dormancy provides a bet-hedging strategy to affect soil seed bank persistence and prolong the germinability period.
Probation, Technical Compliance and the ‘Drowning’ of Hope
Authors: Phillips Jake , Ali Adam , Dockley Anita , Lewis Sarah , Stevens Kam , Farrall Stephen
Published: January 2025

Hope and optimism are central to processes of reform. However, in the context of the dramatic restructuring and reorganizations that the probation service in England and Wales has undergone in the past decade, there are questions over the extent to which such hopes are realizable. We seek to explore the concept of hope in transforming individual’s lives away from engagement in crime. Via an analysis of interviews that were co-produced with people with experience of probation and undertaken with practitioners, those who have been supervised, and those on ‘the edge’ of the criminal justice system, we find that peoples’ hopes can be categorized as deep or institutional hopes. We argue that many probationers and staff members’ ‘deep’ hopes were ‘drowned’ by bureaucratic, managerial and risk-focussed cultures. There was evidence that probation staff wanted to instil a sense of hope in those that they supervise but that the current regime does not easily facilitate the creation and fulfilment of such hopes. We conclude by identifying ways in which probation could—given adequate resources and structures—become a more hopeful process for people under supervision.
Is prophylactic lymph node dissection efficacious in salvage esophagectomy after definitive chemoradiotherapy?
Authors: Kuriyama Kengo , Okamura Akihiko , Hayami Masaru , Kanamori Jun , Tamura Masahiro , Takahashi Naoki , Terayama Masayoshi , Kanie Yasukazu , Maruyama Suguru , Watanabe Masayuki
Published: January 2025

Background

Salvage esophagectomy for esophageal cancer after definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is a high-risk surgery, and radical lymph node dissection (RLND) can cause severe complications. However, the significance of RLND in salvage surgery remains unclear.

Methods

This study included 55 patients who underwent curative-intent salvage esophagectomy after dCRT for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We evaluated the prognostic impact of lymph node dissection of each station using efficacy indexes (EIs) and compared the outcomes between RLND and limited lymph node dissection (LLND).

Results

Nine (16.4%) patients underwent RLND and 46 (83.6%) underwent LLND. Patients who underwent RLND had greater operative blood loss and a greater number of resected lymph nodes compared to patients who underwent LLND (P = 0.053 and 0.002, respectively). However, the incidence of postoperative complications was not significantly different between the groups. The EIs of the cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes were zero because no patients with involved nodes at these stations remained alive at 5 years. In contrast, perigastric lymph nodes had relatively high EIs. Overall and cancer-specific survival did not differ significantly between patients who underwent RLND and those who underwent LLND (P = 0.475 and 0.808, respectively).

Conclusions

The EIs of the cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes were zero, and RLND did not improve survival. Depending on tumor status, LLND may be sufficient for salvage esophagectomy.
Idiopathic relapsing-remitting steroid-dependent pericarditis with transient constriction: a case report
Authors: Cattaneo Fabio , Pasini Matteo , Pedrazzini Giovanni Battista
Published: January 2025

Background

Constrictive pericarditis is an uncommon complication of idiopathic pericarditis long thought to be irreversible, often requiring pericardiectomy to ensure recovery. Recently, transient constriction has been described in the setting of long-standing pericarditis with active inflammation.

Case summary

We report the case of a 16-year-old male with an idiopathic relapsing-remitting pericarditis, refractory to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), who developed constrictive physiology. Despite proper tapering, the patient developed five relapses during steroid treatment, which led to IL-1 receptor antagonist starting. After a long treatment with anakinra, constrictive physiology resolved. Disappointingly, discontinuation of interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) treatment was followed by a relapse of pericarditis, in the absence of signs of constriction.

Discussion

Our case sustains that constrictive physiology may be a transient phenomenon, when the inflammation is still active and fibrotic transition has not been completed. When NSAIDs and steroid prove to be ineffective, IL-1R antagonist may represent a potential treatment for constrictive pericarditis, although there remains little evidence on de-escalation of IL-1R antagonist treatment in pericarditis.
Prevalence and risks of sleep bruxism in children and adolescents presenting for orthodontic treatment
Authors: Koch Ryan , Monegro Alberto , Warunek Stephen , Tanberg William , Al-Jewair Thikriat
Published: January 2025

Objectives

This study determined the prevalence and risks of definite sleep bruxism (SB) among children and adolescents presenting for orthodontic treatment.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of 7–16-year-old subjects pursuing orthodontic treatment for the first time. The presence or absence of SB was determined using an overnight mandibular movement monitoring inertial measurement sensor, worn by each participant for two consecutive nights. Data from the sensor were extrapolated, then processed and analyzed to automatically identify rhythmic masticatory muscle activity for SB assessment. SB risks were evaluated from previously validated questionnaires, clinical examinations, lateral cephalometric radiographs, and digital study models.

Results

A total of 87 subjects with a mean age of 12.82 years ± 2.24 and body mass index of 21.45 ± 5.49 participated in the study. The prevalence of SB was 60.7%. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that SB had statistically significant association with microarousals (events/h) (β=0.31, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.25–0.36, P < .001) and maxillary 6–6 dimension (mm) (β = 0.08, 95% CI 0.02–0.13, P = .008). A second model excluding microarousals showed that SB had a statistically significant association with sleep efficiency (SE) percentage (β = −0.15, 95% CI −0.28 to −0.01, P = .026) and obstructive respiratory disturbance index (ORDI) (events/h) (β = 0.33, 95% CI 0.15–0.51, P < .001).

Conclusions and implications

In a growing orthodontic population, definite SB is very common. SB is related to microarousals, maxillary intermolar width, SE percentage, and ORDI.
Long-term health effects of a third-generation waste-to-energy plant: the experience of Turin (Italy)
Authors: Gandini Martina , Farina Elena , Bena Antonella , Ivaldi Cristiana , Crosetto Laura
Published: January 2025

The long-term study on adverse health effects of the third-generation waste-to-energy (WTE) plant located in Turin, Italy, is part of a broader health surveillance system. We considered 369 236 subjects living in areas with different levels of emission fallout, as well as a control group, from 1 January 2014, until the end of the follow-up period. Hospital admissions for cardiac diseases (ICD-IX: 390–429), ischaemic heart diseases (ICD IX: 410–414), chronic heart failure (ICD IX: 428.0, 428.2, 428.9), cerebrovascular diseases (ICD IX: 430–438), acute respiratory diseases (ICD IX: 460–466, 480–487), and COPD (ICD IX: 490–492, 494, 496) were evaluated for the population considered. Cox models were used, considering individual characteristics and overall environmental exposure. We also considered all births (n = 8296) of women residing in the area at the time of delivery during the study period. Log-binomial models were run separately for each outcome (sex ratio, multiple births, preterm births, on term low birthweight and small for gestational age births), adjusting for exposure to other pollution sources and maternal characteristics. Miscarriages were evaluated using hospital admissions registries. No relationship was found for the outcomes considered in the wider area, neither with hospital admissions nor with adverse reproductive outcomes. There is an association with chronic heart failure and ischaemic heart diseases in the maximum exposure area, but the small number of events suggests caution in interpreting this result. This study confirm results of other health surveillance lines, showing no evident harmful effects of the WTE plant.
Identification and segmentation of branch whorls and sawlogs in standing timber using terrestrial laser scanning and deep learning
Authors: Pehkonen Mika , Vastaranta Mikko , Holopainen Markus , Hyyppä Juha , Kukko Antero , Pyörälä Jiri
Published: January 2025

Gaining insight into the wood quality of standing timber could facilitate more precise utilization of wood material, thereby promoting a more sustainable use of forest resources. In this study, we utilized convolutional neural network–based object detectors to segment individual branch whorls and sawlog sections from images derived from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds. TLS was employed to capture the point clouds of 479 Norway spruce sample trees (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) from 14 stands in southeastern Finland. Subsequently, the trees were harvested and the sawlogs measured with X-ray at an industrial sawmill. The convolutional neural network–based branch whorl detector was trained with 2D images of the stem sections of trees in the TLS point clouds from which the branch whorls were manually annotated. The sawlog section detector was trained with 2D TLS images of whole trees in which sawlogs were automatically annotated, using the sawmill measurements. Comparing the detections of the whorl detector with those of the X-ray measurements yielded a root-mean-squared error of 7.73 (64.41%) for the whorl count. Additionally, we conducted further comparison of the detections against a dataset in which the whorls were manually measured from the TLS images, resulting in a root-mean-squared error of 3.99 (20.60%). The detections made by the sawlog detector in the TLS images of whole trees were utilized to calculate the predicted log length and volume, which were then compared with the sawmill measurements of the reference logs. In this comparison, the root-mean-squared error of log length was 0.73 m (15.18%), and that of volume was 0.10 m3 (36.62%). The results indicate that the whorl detector can be utilized for extracting branching features of standing timber that can serve as predictors of the internal wood quality. However, directly depicting the internal knot structure with external branch whorl detections poses a challenge. Additionally, while the sawlog detector demonstrated moderate performance in sawlog segmentation, the accuracies of the predicted log length and volume were relatively weak. Nevertheless, we anticipate that deep learning–based approaches can enhance the autonomous characterization of standing timber, e.g. when laser scanners in harvesters become more commonplace.
Legitimating non-state actor engagement in global climate governance
Authors: Yang Hai , Walker Hayley
Published: January 2025

Our study examines how international organizations seek to legitimate non-state actor engagement to elite audiences, using the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as an illustrative case. We employ the prism of legitimation, a process whereby international organizations justify their institutional designs, decision-making procedures and policy outcomes with a view to enhancing legitimacy. We unpack legitimation along two vectors: normative and operational. Normative legitimation seeks to justify a particular norm, while operational legitimation explains how the organization meets a norm—or why it fails to do so. The latter constitutes a blind spot in existing literature. Based on a qualitative analysis of official documents and interviews with UNFCCC secretariat officials, we present two findings. First, the secretariat has sought to justify the need for non-state actor engagement by accentuating its significance for procedural and performance legitimacy. Second, in response to contestation over its engagement practices, the secretariat advances operational claims. It has underscored multiple constraints to its agency, the tension between ever-rising audience demands and a finite supply of engagement opportunities, and a unique organizational environment. Our analysis highlights the need to recognize the complex operational realities international organizations face when making normative demands or gauging the appropriateness of global governance.
The US factor in Chinese perceptions of militarized artificial intelligence
Authors: Zeng Jinghan
Published: January 2025

Leading military forces around the world have expressed enormous interest in artificial intelligence (AI) due to its military potential. This policy paper examines Chinese perceptions of the military use of AI by studying Chinese-language scholarly materials. A key finding is that, while the Chinese strategic community has explored the military use of AI across various countries, the United States plays a central and unique role in shaping Chinese perceptions of militarized AI. The US serves as a global near-competitor, providing a benchmark for China to measure its own development and competitiveness. In addition, the US acts as a role model for the Chinese military to emulate in terms of its ideas, policies and practices. Consequently, American success in AI has become a primary source of anxiety among the Chinese strategic community, prompting self-reflection and accelerating the development of ambitious Chinese AI plans. Contrary to the popular narrative in Washington that China has already surpassed the US in the global AI race, Chinese discussions reveal considerable admiration for American AI leadership, with a focus on catching up rather than overtaking the US. This paper suggests that both the US and China need to play their parts in mitigating the risks of a global AI race.
Winnie Mice: A Chronic and Progressive Model of Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Chieppa Marcello , De Santis Stefania , Verna Giulio
Published: January 2025

Recent trends show a continuous worldwide rise in the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC), leading to increased interest in its etiology and pathogenesis, which is currently unknown. To gain a better mechanistic understanding of this disease, many mouse models have been developed over the last several years, with variations of dextran sodium sulfate administration representing the most widely employed. The Winnie mouse strain was created through elicited random mutations in Muc2, resulting in a progressive, chronic intestinal inflammation localized to the colon that worsens over time. Moreover, Winnie mice display immunologic and microbiota features that are similar to those that can be found in UC patients. Phenotypically, the presence, albeit rare, of rectal prolapse and other complications impacting quality of life can be observed in Winnie mice, as well as extraintestinal manifestations that are often associated with UC. While Winnie mice are currently less studied compared to other more established models of colitis, much has been discovered in the initial years of its use as a UC-like model. In summary, the use of Winnie mice adds to the growing armamentarium that is required to develop precision-based medicine for its future application in treating complex multifactorial diseases, such as UC.
Research on time series analysis of data products in electric power marketing management information platform based on recurrent neural networks
Authors: Wang Leilei , Zhu Pingfei , Liu Junyan , Wang Yukun , Bai Ling , Zhu Xinpo
Published: January 2025

The power marketing management information platform can promote the energy industry's decision-making ability for power marketing business and improve demand-side management. Due to the large number of power marketing users and heterogeneous data, traditional time series analysis methods are difficult to flexibly deal with this scenario, and deep learning methods based on feedforward neural networks have weak modeling capabilities for the time dimension of data, making it difficult to effectively use these data to support decision-making. To this end, this study proposes a new time series analysis model for the power marketing management information platform, which uses a recurrent neural network (RNN) enhanced by an attention mechanism. By integrating the long-term time dependency modeling capability of RNN and the adaptive extraction capability of the attention mechanism, the model can efficiently represent time series data. Experimental evaluation shows that our method greatly outperforms traditional models and achieves higher prediction accuracy on several key performance indicators.
Exhaust waste heat recovery system using thermoelectric generator: a prospective of novel simulation technique toward low-carbon technology
Authors: Kubenova Marzhan , Kuterbekov Kairat , Bekmyrza Kenzhebatyr , Kabyshev Asset , Kabdrakhimova Gaukhar , Atamurotov Farruh , Ibrahim Wubshet
Published: January 2025

This study numerically optimizes energy harnessing in vehicle engines using three heat exchanger fin designs: wall to wall, pyramid, and hexagonal. Two thermoelectric generator (TEG) array configurations are compared for electrical power generation. Results show the wall-to-wall fin provides the highest heat transfer, producing 161 W of power from 13 590.53 W of heat. Both TEG configurations generate similar output, with the series offering slightly higher voltage. The flow direction has minimal impact, but increasing the number of heat exchangers boosts efficiency. The total system output reaches 27 763.60 W with a four-parallel exchanger setup and an efficiency of 1.72.
Is Systemic Dissemination of BCG Following Neonatal Vaccination Required for Protection Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis?
Authors: Kollmann Tobias R , Amenyogbe Nelly , Schaltz-Buchholzer Frederik , Bæk Ole , Campbell James , Lynn David J , Campbell Anita J , Aaby Peter , Stabell Benn Christine , Netea Mihai G , Divangahi Maziar
Published: January 2025

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and is a leading cause of death. BCG is the only licensed TB vaccine. Preclinical studies have shown that in adults, intravenous administration of BCG improves protection against TB. We hypothesize that intradermal administration of BCG to the human newborn leads to low-grade BCG bacteremia and that this systemic dissemination improves protection against Mtb infection. This hypothesis is based on supporting observations including animal and human studies. It is a testable hypothesis and offers to deliver immediately actionable insight to advance the global efforts against TB.
Primary schools’ readiness for SARS-CoV-2 preventive measures in Maputo City, Mozambique: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Bauhofer Adilson Fernando Loforte , Pololo Ramígio , Chissaque Assucênio , Campos Fernanda , Ussivane Édio , António Luciana , Iahaia Fátima , Miranda Emerson , Gatambire Aline , Gonçalves Luzia , de Deus Nilsa , Inlamea Osvaldo
Published: January 2025

Background

To reduce the spread and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), schools implemented a series of non-pharmacological interventions such as handwashing stations and cleaning protocols. A baseline assessment of the available interventions and readiness scores for SARS-CoV-2 prevention was conducted in primary schools in Maputo City, Mozambique.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between August and October 2023. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire that assessed the availability of preventive measures. Readiness scores were calculated, based on the relative frequency of available preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2, recommended by the government. Schools with readiness scores of 100% were considered ready.

Results

Of the enrolled schools, 60.6% (66/109) were from the public sector. The median readiness score for preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 implemented in schools was 70%. Water was the most frequent available measure, with 98.2% (107/109). Ash/soap for handwashing (47.7% [52/109]) and functioning thermometers (31.2% [34/109]) were the least available measures. Private schools showed significantly higher readiness scores compared with public schools (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Private compared with public schools had higher readiness scores for preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 in Maputo City, Mozambique. These findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to improve readiness in public schools.
TLR7 responses in glomerular macrophages accelerate the progression of glomerulonephritis in NZBWF1 mice
Authors: Tanaka Reika , Murakami Yusuke , Ellis Dorothy , Seita Jun , Yinga Wu , Kakuta Shigeru , Kumano Keiki , Fukui Ryutaro , Miyake Kensuke
Published: January 2025

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies and damage to multiple organs. Glomerulonephritis, a manifestation involving glomerular deposition of immune complexes and complement components, significantly contributes to disease morbidity. Although the endosomal single-stranded RNA sensor TLR7 is known to drive glomerulonephritis by promoting autoantibody production in B cells, the contribution of macrophage TLR7 responses to glomerulonephritis remains poorly understood. Here, we have examined Tlr7‒/‒ NZBWF1 mice and found that TLR7-deficiency ameliorates lupus nephritis by abolishing autoantibody production against RNA-associated antigens, C3 deposition, and macrophage accumulation in glomeruli. Furthermore, TLR7 signaling increased CD31 expression on glomerular endothelial cells and Ly6Clow macrophages but not on T and B cells, suggesting that CD31 mediates TLR7-dependent migration of monocyte into glomeruli. Compared to their splenic counterparts, glomerular macrophages produced IL-1β in a TLR7-dependent manner. In addition, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of glomerular macrophages revealed that TLR7 signaling induced expression of lupus associated genes including those encoding Chitinase 3 like 1, ferritin heavy chain 1, IKKε, and complement factor B (CfB). Although serum CfB did not increase in NZBWF1 mice, TLR7-dependent CfB protein expression was detected in glomerular macrophages. In addition, TLR7 signaling promoted C3 cleavage and deposition predominantly on mesangial cells. These findings suggest that TLR7 responses in glomerular macrophages accelerates the progression of glomerulonephritis in NZBWF1 mice.
Therapeutic drug monitoring versus Bayesian AUC-based dosing for vancomycin in routine practice: a cost–benefit analysis
Authors: Claus Barbara O M , De Smedt Delphine , De Cock Pieter A
Published: January 2025

Background

AUC-based dosing with validated Bayesian software is recommended as a good approach to guide bedside vancomycin dosing.

Objectives

To compare treatment and vancomycin-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) costs between Bayesian AUC-based dosing and conventional therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) using steady-state plasma concentrations of vancomycin administered as continuous infusion in hospitalized non-critically ill patients with severe Gram-positive infection.

Methods

A cost–benefit analysis presented as a return on investment (ROI) analysis from a hospital perspective was conducted using a decision tree model (TDM versus AUC-based dosing) to simulate treatment cost (personnel, serum sampling and drug cost), vancomycin-associated AKI risk and cost up to 14 days. ROI was calculated against AUC-based software cost. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (respectively OWSA and PSA) were performed to check for robustness.

Results

In base case, an overall cost per patient of €621.0 with TDM and €543.6 with AUC-based dosing resulted in a treatment saving of €77.4 per patient when applying AUC-based dosing. This saving against the software cost (€26.9/patient) generated an ROI per patient of €1.9 per invested € in software [€1.9 (95% CI 1.6–2.2) in PSA]. Enrolling 900 AUC-based dosed patients annually translated to a net saving of €45 469. Software break-even was reached after 313 patients. In OWSA, a higher AKI risk with TDM strongly contributed to a positive ROI.

Conclusions

AUC-based dosing appeared a cost-saving strategy compared with conventional TDM when applying base-case settings of vancomycin-associated AKI risk, treatment and AKI costs.
Genetic insights into the first detection of Paracoccus marginatus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) in Australia
Authors: Yadav Sonu , Patel Shreya , Kithulgoda Sachinthi , Brown Haidee , Thistleton Brian
Published: January 2025

Species spread in a new environment is often associated with founders’ effect, and reduced effective population size and genetic diversity. However, reduced genetic diversity does not necessarily translate to low establishment and spread potential. Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink is a polyphagous pest that has invaded 4 continents in around 34 years. It was first detected in the Northern Territory, Australia in July 2023. Following this, we collected 45 specimens from 20 suburbs across 3 regions. Using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S and 28S), we examined molecular diagnostics robustness, genetic diversity, haplotype network, and demographics (Tajima D) of the recently detected Australian population. We compared our samples with publicly available sequences deposited on GenBank. All 3 genes were suitable for molecular diagnosis with a 100% identity score. For all 3 genes, we found low nucleotide diversity, haplotype diversity, and negative Tajima D in the newly detected P. marginatus population, suggesting a recent single founder event by a few individuals. Comparing our study’s sequences with global sequences showed low haplotype diversity, nucleotide diversity, and Tajima’s D, suggesting that despite low genetic diversity at the 3 genes, P. marginatus has successfully invaded South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Our study highlights the role of demographic and life history traits in the species’ invasion success. We provide a baseline dataset from the first detection of P. marginatus in Australia. Further analysis of the spread can provide insights into invasive species’ adaptation in a novel environment.
Rare malignant ovarian tumors: a review
Authors: Ishikawa Mitsuya
Published: January 2025

There are many histologic types of gynecologic malignancies. I reviewed three rare ovarian tumor types that have poor prognoses. Ovarian mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) is a newly described histological type known for its aggressive behavior. It is thought to arise from mesonephric duct remnants of the female genital tract and is typically associated with endometriosis. Although MLA has some similarities to endometrioid carcinoma, they have different prognoses. Recurrence of MLA is common, even in early stage cases, and distant metastases, especially in the lungs, are often seen. MLA is characterized by positive immunohistochemical-staining for TTF-1, GATA3, PAX2, and CD10, and negative staining for estrogen and progesterone receptors. Data on treatment for MLA are scarce, and further studies are needed. Adult granulosa cell tumors, the most common type of malignant ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors, have an indolent growth pattern. Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and radiotherapy have all shown some efficacy. However, debulking surgery remains the most important treatment because tumor disruption or remnants are risk factors for recurrence. Late recurrence is also characteristic of this tumor. Malignant transformations of mature teratoma are suspected when the patient is relatively old and the tumor is large. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common somatic malignancy. Treatment must be tailored to the transformed histology. Chemotherapy and radiation have shown some efficacy; however, the prognosis is extremely poor in advanced cases. Because these three types of ovarian tumors are rare, research on possible treatments has been difficult, but recent significant advances in drug therapy are expected to lead to the development of effective treatments.
Evaluating treatment effect modifiers using data from randomized two-sequence, two-period crossover clinical trials: application to a diabetes study
Authors: Emoto Ryo , Igeta Masataka , Matsui Kota , Ishii Kiyoaki , Takamura Toshinari , Matsui Shigeyuki
Published: January 2025

Type 2 diabetes is known as a heterogeneous disease with diverse pathophysiology. The identification of treatment effect modifiers for personalized medicine, however, has been difficult in basic research due to complex biological mechanisms related to various genetic and nongenetic factors, and in clinical research due to confounding bias and limited sample sizes. In this paper, we focus on a two-sequence, two-period crossover (CO) clinical trial of type 2 diabetes with baseline markers as a new strategy for analyzing treatment effect modification that allows confounding elimination and efficiency enhancement by within-patient treatment comparison. We provide a framework for statistical analysis of treatment effect modification and develop methods for testing for treatment effect modification and estimating individualized predictors of treatment differences in the CO trial with limited sample size. Numerical assessments showed that the efficiency of the proposed CO analysis was substantially higher than the standard analysis based on parallel-group comparison in these analyses. Application to the diabetes trial showed that markers based on gene expression in peripheral blood cells before pharmacological treatment significantly modified the effect of the treatment on the response and that marker-based predictors produced two subgroups of patients for whom different treatments should be recommended.