bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of affective and negative symptoms on the development of psychosis in a six-year follow-up of a community-based population
Authors: Ergül Ceylan , Binbay Tolga , Kırlı Umut , Elbi Hayriye , Alptekin Köksal , van Os Jim , Drukker Marjan
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The Clinical High Risk (CHR) concept has a limited transition risk to psychotic disorders (PD). This study investigates the association between affective and negative symptoms, currently not included in the CHR concept, and the risk of transition to PD in a community-based population of 2185 participants in Turkey.

Methods

Participants were assessed twice over six years using a multistage sampling technique. Two separate linear regression analyses were conducted on data from both assessments, investigating the relationship between affective and negative symptoms, subclinical and clinical psychotic experiences (PE) and progression to PD.

Results

The overall transition rate to PD was 1.3%. The analysis showed no increased risk of developing PD for the 'subclinical PE only' group at follow-up, compared to the 'no PE' group. However, being classified as having 'clinical PE only' (OR: 6.23; p = 0.010) and 'clinical PE + affective/negative symptoms' (OR: 8.48; p = 0.001) at baseline was associated with an increased risk of developing PD at follow-up. The presence of 'affective/negative symptoms' at baseline was associated with an increased risk of incident subclinical PE (RR: 1.98; p = 0.001), incident clinical PE (RR: 3.14; p = 0.001), and incident PD (RR: 4.21; p = 0.030) at follow-up.

Conclusion

The results confirm the significance of the baseline severity of positive symptoms in predicting the transition to PD and suggest that both positive and affective/negative symptoms impact the transition risk to PD and incident psychotic symptoms. This highlights the potential utility of defining CHR groups based on a combination of positive, affective, and negative symptoms.
Scoring probability maps in the basketball court with Indicator Kriging estimation
Authors: Carlesso Mirko Luigi , Cappozzo Andrea , Manisera Marica , Zuccolotto Paola
Published: November 2024

Measuring players’ and teams’ shooting performance in the basketball court can give important information aimed to the definition of both game strategies and personalized training programs. From a methodological point of view, the estimation of the scoring probability can be faced by resorting to different tools in the field of statistical or algorithmic modelling. As a matter of fact, the most natural theoretical framework for this problem is that of spatial statistics, with the particularity that the analysis is based on the binary measurement variable informing about whether a shot is made or missed. In this paper we propose the use of spatial statistics tools suited to this specific context, namely lorelograms to investigate the spatial correlation and Indicator Kriging to draw scoring probability maps. A structured case study is presented, dealing with all the teams of the Italian Basketball First League, based on a non-public dataset containing substantive additional information, that allows interesting insights about assisted and uncontested shots.
Applying acoustic telemetry, vessel tracking and fisher knowledge to investigate and manage fisher-shark conflict at Lord Howe Island, Australia
Authors: Mitchell Jonathan D. , Camilieri-Asch Victoria , Gudge Sallyann , Jaine Fabrice R. A. , Peddemors Victor M. , Langlois Tim J.
Published: November 2024

Fisher-shark conflict is occurring at Lord Howe Island, Australia due to high levels of Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) depredation (where sharks consume hooked fish) and bycatch. Depredation causes costly loss of target catch and fishing gear and increased mortality of target species, and sharks can be injured or killed when bycaught. This study applied acoustic telemetry and vessel tracking from 2018 to 2021 to identify; (1) how the movements of 30 tagged sharks and activity of six fishing vessels overlapped, and (2) where key ‘hotspots’ of overlap occurred. Fisher surveys were also conducted to collect information about mitigating shark interactions. Residency index analysis indicated that three sharks tagged at a fish waste dumping site had markedly higher residency. Core home ranges of sharks overlapped with higher fishing activity at four ‘hotspots’. Statistical modelling indicated positive linear effects of fishing activity and bathymetric complexity on shark detections and tagged sharks were present for 13% of the total time that vessels were fishing close to acoustic receivers. Spatio-temporal overlaps between shark movements and fishing activity could potentially have occurred because sharks learned to associate fishing vessels with food (i.e. hooked fish) and because fishers and sharks utilise highly productive shelf edge areas, however more research is needed to investigate these relationships. Fishers reported that rotating fishing areas and reducing time at each location, fishing deeper than 100 m, and using electric reels and lures instead of bait, reduced bycatch and depredation. The integrated approach used here identified practical methods for reducing fisher-shark conflict, improving socio-economic outcomes for fishers and conservation prospects for this unique shark population.
Characterizing the top trading cycles rule for housing markets with lexicographic preferences when externalities are limited
Authors: Klaus Bettina
Published: November 2024

We consider a housing market model with limited externalities where agents care both about their own consumption via demand preferences and about the agent who receives their endowment via supply preferences [we extend the associated lexicographic preference domains introduced in Klaus and Meo (Econ Theory 76:779– 811, 2023)]. If preferences are demand lexicographic, then our model extends the classical Shapley–Scarf housing market (Shapley and Scarf, J Math Econ 1:23–37, 1974) with strict preferences model. Our main result is a characterization of the corresponding top trading cycles (TTC) rule by individual rationality, pair efficiency, and strategy-proofness (Theorem 1), which extends that of Ekici (Theo Econ 19:551–564, 2024) from classical Shapley–Scarf housing markets with strict preferences to our model. Two further characterizations are immediately obtained by strengthening pair efficiency to either Pareto efficiency or pairwise stability (Corollaries 1 and 2). Finally, we show that as soon as we extend the preference domain to include demand lexicographic as well as supply lexicographic preferences (e.g., when preferences are separable), no rule satisfying individual rationality, pair efficiency, and strategy-proofness exists (Theorem 2).
Assessment of transfer-time and time-to-surgery as risk factors to survival in Gastroschisis (GS) in a LMIC; an eight-year review
Authors: Obeida Alaa , El-Hussein Rawan , NasrEldin Hadeer Mohamed , Allam Mohammad , Bahaaeldin Khaled , Kaddah Sherif , Shalaby Aly
Published: November 2024

Background

The management of Gastroschisis in LMICs continues to be a challenge and is associated with very poor outcomes in contrast with HICs where survival rates near 100%. The purpose of this work is to provide an overview of survival over the past 8 years in a high-flow tertiary centre in Africa. It also investigates the effect of transfer-time and time-to-surgery on outcome.

Methods

Retrospective case note review of all GS admissions. The variables assessed were gender, gestational age, weight, type of GS, transfer time, time to surgery and type of surgery. The primary outcome was survival.

Results

A total of 171 GS cases were identified: 148 simple, 23 complex. Seven died before surgery. The median age at surgical intervention was 8.5 h (range, 0–48). Closure options ranged from single-staged (primary fascial, skin, umbilical flap and sutureless closure) or a staged (silo) closure. Overall survival was 34.5%. Cases transferred under 8 h had a 46% survival. Surgery under 12 h of life had highest survival, 45%. Simple GS survived better than complex GS (40% vs 10%). Primary closure had a significantly better survival compared to staged closure (51% vs 18%).

Conclusions

Transfer-time < 8 h plays a vital role in survival of GS cases. Surgical intervention within 12 h of birth showed a statistically significant improvement in outcome. Primary closure was associated with better survival rates.

Level of Evidence

Level III.
Optimal Algorithms for Online b-Matching with Variable Vertex Capacities
Authors: Albers Susanne , Schubert Sebastian
Published: November 2024

We study the b-matching problem, which generalizes classical online matching introduced by Karp, Vazirani and Vazirani (STOC 1990). Consider a bipartite graph

$$G=(S\dot{\cup }R,E)$$

G
=
(
S

∪
˙

R
,
E
)

. Every vertex

$$s\in S$$

s
∈
S

is a server with a capacity

$$b_s$$

b
s

, indicating the number of possible matching partners. The vertices

$$r\in R$$

r
∈
R

are requests that arrive online and must be matched immediately to an eligible server. The goal is to maximize the cardinality of the constructed matching. In contrast to earlier work, we study the general setting where servers may have arbitrary, individual capacities. We prove that the most natural and simple online algorithms achieve optimal competitive ratios. As for deterministic algorithms, we give a greedy algorithm RelativeBalance and analyze it by extending the primal-dual framework of Devanur, Jain and Kleinberg (SODA 2013). In the area of randomized algorithms we study the celebrated Ranking algorithm by Karp, Vazirani and Vazirani. We prove that the original Ranking strategy, simply picking a random permutation of the servers, achieves an optimal competitiveness of

$$1-1/e$$

1
-
1
/
e

, independently of the server capacities. Hence it is not necessary to resort to a reduction, replacing every server s by

$$b_s$$

b
s

vertices of unit capacity and to then run Ranking on this graph with

$$\sum _{s\in S} b_s$$

∑

s
∈
S

b
s

vertices on the left-hand side. Additionally, we extend this result to the vertex-weighted b-matching problem. Technically, we formulate a new configuration LP for the b-matching problem and conduct a primal-dual analysis.
A Retrospective Review of Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of Dysphagia in Patients with Dermatomyositis
Authors: Cheng Ivy , Wong Christina Sze Man , Chan Henry Hin Lee
Published: November 2024

Background: Dermatomyositis is a rare autoimmune-mediated disease characterised by distinctive rash and progressive muscle weakness. Patients with dermatomyositis may develop swallowing disorders (dysphagia) due to the inflammation of muscles involved in swallowing which may lead to serious health consequences. However, to date, the clinical characteristics of and risk factors for dysphagia in dermatomyositis remain poorly understood. This retrospective study aimed to identify the characteristics and risk factors for dysphagia in dermatomyositis. Methods: All patients with clinical diagnosis of dermatomyositis (ICD-9-CM 701.3) were identified and retrieved retrospectively via hospital electronic record over a 10-year period for review. Results: A total of 231 patients were identified with 149 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (median age [range] = 54.5 [3–92] years; 51 males) were recruited. The incidence of dysphagia was 18.8%, with predominantly pharyngeal phase impairments. Six patients had silent aspiration. Dysphagia was positively correlated with the age of diagnosis (r[148] = 0.187, p = 0.023), mortality (r[149] = 0.186, p = 0.023), presence of underlying malignancy (r[149] = 0.222, p = 0.007), methylprednisolone use (r[149] = 0.166, p = 0.042) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg; r[149] = 0.217, p = 0.008), and negatively correlated with disease duration (r[147]=-0.273, p < 0.001). Moreover, it was more likely to have symptomatic dysphagia in patients prescribing systemic corticosteroid (OR[95%CI] = 4.43[1.02, 19.27], p = 0.047) and IVIg (OR[95%CI] = 6.39[1.14, 35.68], p = 0.035). Discussion: Dysphagia was associated with advanced age, increased mortality and malignancy in patients with dermatomyositis. Routine screening of dysphagia is recommended at initial diagnosis and severe disease activity requiring high dose systemic steroid and IVIg use.
Use of antibodies against Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 for detection of cellular proteins with monomethylated arginine residues that are potentially involved in viral transformation
Authors: Graesser Christian , Nord Ruth , Flaswinkel Heinrich , Kremmer Elisabeth , Meese Eckart , Caban Karolina Magdalena , Fröhlich Thomas , Grässer Friedrich A. , Hart Martin
Published: November 2024

Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) contains two arginine-glycine (RG) repeats that contain symmetric/asymmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA/ADMA) and monomethylarginine (MMA) residues. We generated mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against a monomethylated GRGRGG-containing repeat located between amino acids 328 and 377 of EBNA1. In addition to detecting MMA-modified EBNA1, we also had the goal of identifying cellular proteins that bind to MMA-modified EBNA1 in EBV-positive Raji cells. Furthermore, we hypothesized that antibodies against MMA-modified EBNA1 might also recognize cell factors that use an MMA-modified surface structure similar to that of EBNA1 to bind to their common targets. Using a combination of immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, we identified a number of such cellular proteins, including SNRPD1-3, ALY/REF, RPS15, DIDO1, LSM12, LSM14A, DAP3, and CPSF1. An NACA complex protein that was shown previously to bind to the glycine-alanine repeat of EBNA1 was also identified. The proteins identified in this study are involved in splicing, tumorigenesis, transcriptional activation, DNA stability, and RNA processing or export.
Anti‐microtubular activity of total alkaloids and aqueous extract of Detarium microcarpum a medicinal plant harvested in Mali
Authors: Dembele Niaboula , Somboro Aimé Ainin , Traore Nah , Badiaga Mamadou , Cisse Salimatou , Cisse Mody , Nick Peter
Published: November 2024

Detarium microcarpum, is a species confined to drier regions of west and central Africa used to treat various diseases including cancer. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of secondary metabolites (alkaloids) The aim of this work is to study the effect of total aqueous extracts and alkaloid fractions from D. microcarpum leaves, bark and roots on Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. ‘Bright Yellow 2’ (BY-2) tobacco cell line GFP-TuA3 expressing a N-terminal fusion of GFP. The plant was harvested in two different regions of Mali with a contrasting climate. The effects of the extracts on the microtubules was followed by spinning disc confocal microscopy. We showed that the anti-microtubular effect of the extracts is dose-dependent, depends of the sampling site and the part of the plant used. Total alkaloids extracted of D. microcarpum bark have more effect on microtubules than leaf and root. The bioactivity‐guided fractionation should be used to screen out the biologically active compounds of the total alkaloid extracts of the bark of D. microcarpum.
The prospective relationship between anxiety symptoms and eating disorder symptoms among adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of a bi-directional relationship
Authors: Trompeter Nora , Dârvariu Ștefana , Brieva-Toloza Anna V. , Opitz Marie-Christine , Rabelo-da-Ponte Francisco Diego , Sharpe Helen , Desrivieres Sylvane , Schmidt Ulrike , Micali Nadia
Published: November 2024

Anxiety symptoms and eating disorder symptoms commonly co-occur in adolescents. However, there is divergent evidence on the prospective relationship between the two factors. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarises the existing literature on the prospective and bi-directional relationship between anxiety symptoms and eating disorder symptoms in adolescence. A systematic search across six databases was conducted on the 11th June 2024. Studies were included if they assessed the prospective relationship between anxiety symptoms and eating disorder symptoms, or vice versa, in adolescence. 19,591 studies were screened, of which 54 studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the full review. Four meta-analyses were conducted. Anxiety symptoms were associated with subsequent eating disorder symptoms, increases in eating disorder symptoms, and higher odds of eating disorders, including their onset. Conversely, eating disorder symptoms were associated with subsequent anxiety symptoms, increases in anxiety symptoms, and higher odds of subsequent anxiety disorders. Current evidence suggests that anxiety symptoms and eating disorder symptoms do not merely co-occur during adolescence, but are prospectively and bi-directionally linked. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of this relationship, as well as individual differences in symptom trajectories.
Developing English language learners’ speaking skills through applying a situated learning approach in VR-enhanced learning experiences
Authors: Yan Weijian , Lowell Victoria Lynn , Yang Li
Published: November 2024

A situated learning environment is crucial for language learners to develop speaking skills as learners can apply their speaking skills in context, helping them adapt language use to various situations and improve their language proficiency and communication effectiveness. Although various features of situated learning environments have been explored across different subject areas and in many platforms, there is limited research on their application to language learning within VR environments. This convergent mixed-method study adopts a situated learning framework and examines the impact of situated learning on learners’ English-speaking performance, specifically in areas of fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, and explores learners’ perception of the instruction based on the situated learning approach. Sixteen first-year English majors at a university in China participated in eight role-play speaking classes using the desktop-based VR application, Immerse. The study involved pre- and post-assessments of speaking performance and semi-structured interviews with six participants. Paired samples t-tests were used to assess the difference in the speaking performance and respective areas, and a thematic analysis was adopted to explore learners’ perceptions of the instruction based on the situated learning approach. Quantitative findings show a significant improvement in learners’ speaking performance (t(15) = 7.41, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.82), with notable progress in fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data indicated the authenticity of the context and activities, the collaborative nature of the tasks, the expert guidance, and the opportunities for reflection all contribute to a comprehensive learning experience that aligns well with the principles of situated learning.
Relationships among eye dimensions in magnetic resonance images by sex, age, and strabismus type in Japanese patients with acquired strabismus and high myopia
Authors: Kono Reika , Hamasaki Ichiro , Kishimoto Fumiko , Shimizu Takehiro , Kindo Hiroya , Shibata Kiyo , Morisawa Shin , Morizane Yuki
Published: November 2024

Purpose

To investigate the relationships among eye dimensions in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans by sex, age, and strabismus type in Japanese patients with acquired strabismus and high myopia.

Study design

Retrospective clinical case series.

Methods

We included 58 eyes of 29 patients with acquired strabismus and high myopia (mean age ± standard deviation: 60.2 ± 14.7 years, axial length [AL]: 28.69 ± 2.12 mm). For all eyes, the equatorial diameter of the globe/AL ratio (EAR) and the globe/orbit volume ratio (GOR) were measured using MRI. EAR and GOR values were compared between the following groups: 9 men vs. 20 women; 8 younger (< 56 years) vs. 21 older (≥ 56 years) patients; and non-esotropia strabismus (NES: 7 patients) vs. esotropia (ET: 13 patients) vs. restrictive strabismus (RS: 9 patients) groups.

Results

Female patients had a smaller EAR (0.87 ± 0.07) and larger GOR (0.38 ± 0.04) than male patients (0.92 ± 0.05 and 0.35 ± 0.03, both P < 0.01). Older patients had a smaller EAR (0.87 ± 0.07) than younger ones (0.93 ± 0.04, P < 0.01), without significant differences in GOR. EAR (NES: 0.92 ± 0.06, ET: 0.86 ± 0.06, RS: 0.89 ± 0.09) significantly differed among the three strabismus groups (P = 0.02: post-hoc test: NES vs. ET, P = 0.02; NES vs. RS, P = 0.49; RS vs. ET, P = 0.67), but no significant differences in GOR were found (P = 0.12).

Conclusions

Among patients with acquired strabismus and high myopia, women, older patients, and those with esotropia exhibit a smaller EAR and longer sphere shape with AL as the major axis. The parameter EAR might be useful for evaluating the pathogenesis of strabismus associated with high myopia.
Understanding simulation-based learning for health professions students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: a scoping review
Authors: Zhang Luocheng , Patterson Freyr , Penman Adriana , Forbes Roma
Published: November 2024

Simulation-based learning (SBL) is an important component in health professions education and serves as effective preparation or a substitution for clinical placements. Despite their widely accepted benefits, students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds may not experience the same learning outcomes from engaging in SBL as their local peers due to complex factors. Supporting students from CALD backgrounds in SBL is vital, not only to optimise their learning experiences and outcomes, but also ensure inclusive health professions education. While the literature on the participation of students from CALD backgrounds in SBL activities is emerging, this scoping review was conducted to (1) map the evidence on how SBL impacts the learning outcomes of health professions students from CALD backgrounds; and (2) understand how students from CALD backgrounds perceive their SBL experiences. Following Arskey and O’Malley’s framework and Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews, a search was conducted in January 2024 using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Ten papers met the inclusion criteria. This review highlighted three themes: (1) diverse learning outcomes of SBL; (2) facing linguistic and cultural challenges that are inherent to SBL; and (3) preparation, reflection, and support to actively participate in SBL activities. This review indicates that SBL could enhance clinical skills and confidence in students from CALD backgrounds. However, well-designed SBL activities to meet the learning needs of students from CALD backgrounds are currently lacking and further research across broader health professions fields is needed.
Artificial intelligence application and high-performance work systems in the manufacturing sector: a moderated-mediating model
Authors: Zahoor Sajjad , Chaudhry Iffat Sabir , Yang Shuili , Ren Xiaoyan
Published: November 2024

This empirical investigation examines the complex dynamics between Artificial Intelligence (AI), Potential Development (PD), Training Initiatives (TI), and High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS) within manufacturing firms to gain valuable insights into how AI technologies influence high-performance work systems through employee development and training. Using a purposive sampling technique, around two hundred employees from twenty-four manufacturing firms in the textile, automotive, steel, and pharmaceutical sectors participated in the self-administered survey. The empirical analysis of the data sets was conducted using the PLS-SEM approach. This result demonstrated positive associations between AI, PD, and HPWS, emphasizing the key role of AI in supporting employee development and improving high-performance work systems. Furthermore, training’s amplification effect on the relation between artificial intelligence and professional development highlighted the significance of employees’ upskilling for AI integration. Conversely, the mediating role of PD between AI adoption and HPWS effectiveness highlighted the significant role of employee professional development in achieving HPWS through AI integration within the systems. The study offered insight into the mediation of PD between AI and HPWS effectiveness, emphasizing its centrality in translating AI-driven advances into tangible organizational outcomes. The study findings have significant ramifications for both theory and practice. Theoretically, this research adds to an evolving dialogue surrounding AI’s effects on HR practices and organizational outcomes; practically speaking, organizations can utilize this research’s insights in strategically integrating AI technologies, designing tailored training programs for their employees, and creating an environment conducive to ongoing employee development.
Nanocellulose composites: synthesis, properties, and applications to wastewater treatment
Authors: Mbisana Mesha , Keroletswe Ngonye , Nareetsile Florence , Mogopodi Dikabo , Chibua Inonge
Published: November 2024

The growing worldwide environmental and water pollution challenges require the use of renewable biomass-based materials to purify water systems. The remarkable qualities of nanocellulose (NC) and its eco-friendliness make it a desirable material for this purpose. Hence, many investigations have been conducted on the optimization of NC-based materials for water purification. This review presents the first examination of the progress made in creating emerging NC composites using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and aluminosilicates. MIPs, MOFs, and aluminosilicates endow NC composites with stability, multifunctionality, and extended reusability. The applications of these composites to wastewater treatment, such as the removal of toxic heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and microorganisms are discussed. Finally, the economic viability, challenges, and future perspectives of these emerging NC composites and their applications are discussed. The research gaps demonstrated in this review will enable the exploration of new areas of study on functionalised NC composites, leading to enhanced industrial applications. Moreover, the utilisation of NC composites with suitably modified components results in multifunctional adsorbents that have great potential for effectively eliminating many contaminants simultaneously.
Hyperfuzzing: black-box security hypertesting with a grey-box fuzzer
Authors: Blackwell Daniel , Becker Ingolf , Clark David
Published: November 2024

Despite being a severe error where programs inadvertently reveal confidential information, insecure flows rarely receive explicit attention during software testing. LeakFuzzer uses an input-output non-interference property, specialised via a security flow policy for the program under test, to advance the state of the art. It detects insecure flows by using hypertesting for violations of the program’s non-interference property. LeakFuzzer extends the capabilities of the state of the art fuzzer, AFL++, and thus inherits its advantages such as scalability, automated input generation, high coverage and low developer intervention. It can thus detect the same set of errors as AFL++, as well as being able to detect violations of secure information flow policies at small additional performance costs. This offers a significant advance in scalability and automation for the state of the art. We evaluated LeakFuzzer on a diverse set of 12 C and C++ benchmarks containing known bugs that cause confidential information to be disclosed, ranging in size from just 80 to over 900k lines of code. Nine of these are taken from real-world CVEs including Heartbleed and a recent error in PostgreSQL. Given 20 24-hour runs, LeakFuzzer can find 100% of the insecure flows in the SUTs whereas existing techniques using the CBMC model checker and AFL++ augmented with different sanitizers can only find 40% at best.
Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in left ventricular assist device and heart transplant recipients: a mini-review
Authors: Alyaydin Emyal , Parianos Danaë , Hermes-Laufer Julia , Nägele Matthias P. , Castro Liesa , Papathanasiou Maria , Reinecke Holger , Flammer Andreas J.
Published: November 2024

In recent years, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) emerged as promising therapeutic agents in managing heart failure (HF). They demonstrated a significant impact on reducing HF hospitalizations and related mortality in patients with reduced and preserved ejection fraction. However, evidence supporting their use in patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and heart transplant (HT) recipients is still limited. We identified six key studies investigating the safety and efficacy of SGLT2i in LVAD and HT recipients. In patients with LVAD, prescription of SGLT2i was predominantly associated with improved fluid management and reduced pulmonary artery pressures. However, the results regarding their effects on body weight, hemoglobin A1c, diuretic use, and right ventricular function were contradictory. In terms of safety, SGLT2i were generally well-tolerated in the LVAD population, and the reported incidence of adverse events was low. In HT recipients, SGLT2i were associated with better glycemic control and weight reduction. No relevant adverse events were reported. Despite these encouraging results, the long-term safety and efficacy of SGLT2i in these vulnerable patient populations are yet to be investigated. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to address existing gaps in evidence and help integrate SGLT2i into clinical practice for LVAD and HT recipients.

Graphical abstract
Problem Posing as a Way of Promoting Individual Mathematical Thinking in STEM Contexts – The Case of Climate Change
Authors: Siller Hans-Stefan , Vorhölter Katrin , Just Janina
Published: November 2024

Problems encountered in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) contexts cannot be adequately described or solved with the knowledge of a single discipline. Instead, a high level of inter- and transdisciplinary knowledge and methods is required to overcome them. These help to pose problems about the complex challenges and solve them in a creative way. The better the knowledge within one and of different disciplines is interlinked, the more targeted questions can be formulated and answered. Mathematical concepts serve as the foundation for many of the pressing problems of our time. At the same time, these problems offer a wide range of opportunities for individualized exploration. They are equally suitable for students with different interests and levels of ability, as everyone can identify and work on an individual problem within the given context. However, numerous studies have shown that posing adequate mathematical problems must be learnt as well as knowledge from different disciplines is not automatically linked or transferred to other situations. The ability to grasp the formal structure of a problem, recognize problems, and find connecting problems are characteristics of mathematically gifted children and young people that need to be promoted. In our theory-based contribution, we use a concrete context to illustrate which possible mathematically rich problems can be posed by students of different ages and abilities. This approach facilitates the development of their individual abilities according to their interests and potential.
A Holistic Network Analysis of the Money Laundering Threat Landscape: Assessing Criminal Typologies, Resilience and Implications for Disruption
Authors: Akartuna Eray Arda , Johnson Shane D. , Thornton Amy
Published: November 2024

Objective

This article visualises money laundering, a crime spanning hundreds of different actors, methods and value instruments, as a network. Possible combinations of money laundering actions and schemes are analysed through a holistic visualisation to draw policy-relevant insights into their prevention.

Methods

A prior scoping review of money laundering typologies identified 793 activities that a money launderer can take to obfuscate illicit funds. These actions form the basis of a directed network graph showcasing all possible combinations of money laundering schemes. Three network-based analyses are then conducted: (1) centrality analysis, to determine the most ‘important’ money laundering actions as priorities for prevention, (2) resilience analysis to simulate iterative interventions against different money laundering actions to assess their impact on the wider network and (3) subgroup analysis to identify groups of commonly undertaken schemes (i.e. “typologies”).

Results

Money laundering is found to be a highly resilient process crime, with specific interventions often unable to prevent schemes from displacing to alternative activities to launder their funds. However, benefits of tactically displacing criminals to more easily detectable schemes are discussed. The formulation of money laundering typologies through more empirically robust processes is also motivated, in place of compartmentalised reports that remain the current standard practice.

Conclusions

Network analysis is motivated as an effective way of visualising complex process crimes with vast criminal opportunities such as money laundering, allowing policy-relevant insights to be drawn in terms of resource-allocation, strategy and prioritisation. Theoretical and policy implications of the current study are discussed in the context of crime scientific theories.
Flood-related hazard criteria during the human evacuation of underground spaces through stairs: a state-of-the-art review
Authors: Aparicio Uribe Carlos H. , Russo Beniamino , Téllez-Álvarez Jackson , Martínez-Gomariz Eduardo
Published: November 2024

Due to the increasing urbanisation trend and more recurrent flood events worldwide that are affecting exposed habitable areas like underground spaces. This state-of-the-art review presents a comprehensive analysis of the available literature that focuses on defining instability criteria for hazard assessment during human evacuation of underground flooded stairs. The studies are outlined in three main groups: theoretical, experimental campaigns and numerical approaches. Several methods for defining specific criteria were found, most of these criteria were described as a function of water depth (D) alone or in combination with velocity (V) highlighting the importance of these two water-related parameters for flood-related hazard evaluation. Succinctly, the most relevant findings and limitations of these studies are discussed and summarised in tables. A comparison with other flood-related hazard criteria in plain and mild-slope areas is presented. Finally, potential future investigation lines are proposed. Thus, this state-of-the-art review could offer a comprehensive overview of the topic and stimulate new exploratory studies in this research field yielding valuable insights that can be easily transmitted to stakeholders or non-experts and foster urban resilience during floods.
Plant-soil feedback responses to drought are species-specific and only marginally predicted by root traits
Authors: Enderle Eileen , Hou Fangbin , Hinojosa Leonardo , Kottman Hidde , Kasirga Nigâr , de Vries Franciska T.
Published: November 2024

Background and aims

The increasing occurrence of extreme drought events under climate change alters the composition and functioning of plant communities worldwide. Drought-induced changes in plant-soil feedback (PSF), reciprocal effects on fitness between plants and their associated soil microbial communities, are one mechanism through which these changes in vegetation occur, but they remain difficult to predict. Because of their direct link to rhizosphere microbial communities, we expect root traits to predict drought-induced PSF shifts.

Methods

In the conditioning phase of a greenhouse experiment, we subjected 12 common grassland species to drought. In the feedback phase, all species were grown under ambient conditions with their own microbial inoculum. Their growth was compared to growth in sterile soil to assess total PSF or soil inoculated with microbes from three other species to assess specific PSF. We used root traits to predict PSF under drought and ambient conditions.

Results

Drought altered the magnitude and direction of PSF in a quarter of the species, which was consistent between total and specific PSF. Total PSF was best predicted by the first axis of the root trait space (high specific root length to high root diameter and root nitrogen content) and was not responsive to drought. Specific PSF was weakly predicted by root traits and changed in response to drought.

Conclusion

Our results show that drought can modify the feedbacks between plants and their microbial communities with implications for vegetation dynamics. Root traits have limited capacity to predict these shifts, but can predict PSF of the total microbial community independent of drought.
Online Misleading Information About Women’s Reproductive Health: A Narrative Review
Authors: John Jennifer N , Gorman Sara , Scales David , Gorman Jack
Published: November 2024

Misinformation about reproductive health threatens to harm health outcomes, compromise medical trust, and enable misinformed policy restrictions. In recent years, reproductive health misinformation has proliferated online due to ideological campaigns and limited content moderation for reproductive health topics. Developing evidence-based practices to counter reproductive health misinformation requires an understanding of the content that women are exposed to online, which is currently lacking. This review sought to identify common claims and narratives about reproductive health on social media and the internet that could easily mislead. We performed a narrative review of articles about online reproductive health misinformation, from which we extracted misleading claims and narratives. We conducted a qualitative content analysis to describe the ways in which the claims and narratives could be misleading. We found that potentially misleading claims and narratives about reproductive topics relating to contraception and abortion, fertility, chronic disease, breast cancer, maternal health, and vaccines abound across social media platforms and websites, with 112 identified in total. One-third of this content could mislead by claiming that evidence-based interventions were associated with unattributed risks. Twenty-three percent made medical recommendations that do not align with professional guidelines. Fourteen percent promoted alternative medicine. Smaller numbers of claims and narratives exaggerated risks of medical interventions, discouraged evidence-based interventions, directly undermined medical trust, and proposed inaccurate biological mechanisms. Healthcare professionals can proactively promote evidence-based medical decision-making by increasing their awareness of prominent misleading claims and narratives.
Visual cues of soft-tissue behaviour in minimal-invasive and robotic surgery
Authors: Trute Robin Julia , Alijani Afshin , Erden Mustafa Suphi
Published: November 2024

Minimal-invasive surgery (MIS) and robotic surgery (RS) offer multiple advantages over open surgery (Vajsbaher et al. in Cogn Syst Res 64:08, 2020). However, the lack of haptic feedback is still a limitation. Surgeons learn to adapt to this lack of haptic feedback using visual cues to make judgements about tissue deformation. Experienced robotic surgeons use the visual interpretation of tissue as a surrogate for tactile feedback. The aim of this review is to identify the visual cues that are consciously or unconsciously used by expert surgeons to manipulate soft tissue safely during Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) and Robotic Surgery (RS). We have conducted a comprehensive literature review with papers on visual cue identification and their application in education, as well as skill assessment and surgeon performance measurement with respect to visual feedback. To visualise our results, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in the form of a matrix across identified research features, where papers are clustered and grouped in a comparative way. The clustering of the papers showed explicitly that state-of-the-art research does not in particular study the direct effects of visual cues in relation to the manipulation of the tissue and training for that purpose, but is more concentrated on tissue identification. We identified a gap in the literature about the use of visual cues for educational design solutions, that aid the training of soft-tissue manipulation in MIS and in RS. There appears to be a need RS education to make visual cue identification more accessible and set it in the context of manipulation tasks.
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Trait Variation Across Varying Temperature-Light Regimes
Authors: Wong Melisa C. , Dowd Michael
Published: November 2024

Seagrass trait variation, which results from both local genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity, has important effects on ecosystems. Physical drivers underlie these processes and are important determinants of trait variation. Despite this, few studies examine multivariate predictive relationships between sets of physical drivers and sets of seagrass traits. Here, we use redundancy analysis to define this relationship for eelgrass Zostera marina, using traits that represent bed structure, morphology, and physiology and physical drivers that emphasize light conditions and temperature variability on different time scales. We found a relationship between plant size (i.e., leaf length and width, rhizome width, number of leaves) and shoot density that dominated the trait variation. Specifically, as temperatures became warmer, more variable, and light was less limiting, plants became smaller (shorter, narrower, and fewer leaves, thinner rhizomes) but beds became denser. Plant biomass (leaf area index), which increased with decreasing temperature variability and bottom light, further refined this relationship. Overall, temperature variability (i.e., daily temperature range, heat accumulation, time in the optimal temperature range, and tidal and meteorological variability), as well as bottom light, were important predictors of eelgrass traits. We further identified three distinct temperature-light regimes across which traits differed; these included the cool low variability temperature regime with low light, the warm high variability temperature regime with high light, and the intermediate case between these endpoints. Our study identifies specific temperature and light drivers that define certain eelgrass traits and provides a multivariate statistical model that can be used to predict eelgrass trait values from known physical conditions.
Enhancing Road Drainage Systems for Extreme Storms: Integration of a High-Precision Flow Diversion Module into SWMM Code
Authors: Ren Yuting , Shao Zhiyu , Zhang Qi , Feng Wang , Xu Lei , Gong Huafeng , Yost Scott , Chen Lei , Chai Hongxiang
Published: November 2024

Urban road networks function as surface passage for floodwater transport during extreme storm events to reduce potential risks in the city. However, precise estimation of these flow rates presents a significant challenge. This difficulty primarily stems from the intricate three-dimensional flow fields at road intersections, which the traditional one-dimensional models, such as Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), fail to precisely capture. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional hydraulic models are overly complex and computationally intensive and thus not particularly efficient. This study addresses these issues by integrating a semiempirical flow diversion formula into the SWMM source code. The semiempirical formula, derived from hydraulic experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations, captures the flow dynamics at T-shaped intersections. The modified SWMM’s performance was evaluated against experimental data, and the original SWMM, the two-dimensional MIKE21, and the three-dimensional FLUENT models. The results indicate that the modified SWMM matches the precision of the two-dimensional MIKE21, while significantly reducing computational time. Compared to MIKE21, this study achieved a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.9729 and a root mean square error of 0.042, with computational time reduced by 99%. The modified SWMM is suitable for real-sized urban road networks. It provides a high-precision tool for urban road drainage system computation that is crucial for effective stormwater management.
The Effects of Mandatory Private Disclosure On Public Disclosure—Evidence from CbCR
Authors: Müller Raphael , Voget Johannes , Zental Jan
Published: November 2024

We analyze the effect of increased mandatory private disclosure to fiscal authorities on voluntary public disclosure decisions. We exploit the introduction of Country-by-Country Reporting (CbCR), which requires large multinational corporations to report detailed geographic segment information to fiscal authorities to prevent income shifting. Using both difference-in-differences and regression discontinuity designs in our empirical approach, we investigate how multinational corporations respond to CbCR in their public disclosure of geographic information in financial statements and the narrative part of annual reports. We find that firms subject to CbCR decrease their disclosure of qualitative and sensitive geographic information. This effect is particularly pronounced for firms potentially subject to higher scrutiny by tax authorities and for firms with a stronger international presence. Our results suggest that private and public disclosure of geographic information are substitutes in the context of the mandatory private reporting requirement under CbCR.
Introduction to Catastrophe Risk Modelling
Authors: Mignan Arnaud
Published: November 2024

Focusing on the physics of the catastrophe process and addressed directly to advanced students, this innovative textbook quantifies dozens of perils, both natural and man-made, and covers the latest developments in catastrophe modelling. Combining basic statistics, applied physics, natural and environmental sciences, civil engineering, and psychology, the text remains at an introductory level, focusing on fundamental concepts for a comprehensive understanding of catastrophe phenomenology and risk quantification. A broad spectrum of perils are covered, including geophysical, hydrological, meteorological, climatological, biological, extraterrestrial, technological and socio-economic, as well as events caused by domino effects and global warming. Following industry standards, the text provides the necessary tools to develop a CAT model from hazard to loss assessment. Online resources include a CAT risk model starter-kit and a CAT risk modelling 'sandbox' with Python Jupyter tutorial. Every process, described by equations, (pseudo)codes and illustrations, is fully reproducible, allowing students to solidify knowledge through practice.
Recycling the Roman Villa
Authors: Munro Beth
Published: November 2024

Though abandoned between the third and seventh centuries CE, many Roman villas enjoyed an afterlife in late antiquity as a source of building materials. Villa complexes currently serve as a unique archaeological setting in that their recycling phases are often better preserved than those  at urban sites. Building on a foundational knowledge of Roman architecture and construction, Beth Munro offers a retrospective study of the material value of and deconstruction processes at villas. She explores the technical properties of glass, metals, and limestone, materials that were most frequently recycled; the craftspeople who undertook this work, as well as the economic and culture drivers of recycling. She also examines the commissioning landowners and their rural networks, especially as they relate to church construction. Bringing a multidisciplinary lens to recycling practices in antiquity, Munro proposes new theoretical and methodological approaches for assessing architectural salvage and reprocessing within the context of an ancient circular economy.