bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Do GCC Countries Stocks Interact With US and European Debt Markets?
Authors: Hanif Waqas , El Khoury Rim , Gubareva Mariya
Published: February 2025

This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of interconnectedness in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) equity markets and global bond markets, primarily focusing on European Monetary Union (EMU) and US bonds, from July 2007 to September 2023. Using innovative methodologies such as quantile connectedness and quantile coherency, we capture the dynamic relationships across different market conditions, particularly during extreme events. The quantile connectedness includes a moderate to low degree of interconnectedness during normal market conditions, intensifying during extreme market conditions. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia are identified as influential players, transcending borders to impact returns in other GCC markets. Roles of GCC countries as net transmitters or receivers of returns shift over time, necessitating adaptable investment strategies. The interconnectedness of GCC markets with bonds responds differently to global crises and turbulences, including geopolitical and health crises. Our quantile coherence analysis provides insights for risk management and portfolio allocation. These findings have crucial implications for investors, encouraging adaptive asset allocation strategies, and for policymakers to monitor intra‐regional spillovers in shaping market dynamics.
Impacts of COVID‐19 on early childhood mental health
Authors: Marsolek Marissa , Dowell Kathy
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on young children's mental health and their engagement in mental health services in the midwestern United States. Previous research investigating the impact of COVID‐19 on young children's mental health service utilization has rarely included children under 5 years. Therefore, this study examined how the COVID‐19 pandemic and the caregiver‐child relationship impacted children's mental health symptoms. It also investigated the impact of COVID‐19 and the child's symptom presentation on caregivers’ engagement and attendance in mental health treatment. Data were collected with children 0 to 5 years old (n = 486) from January 2017 to April 2022 using archival records from a community mental health organization. Participants were primarily low‐income (81.9%) and White (81.3%). Results found that the caregiver‐child relationship impacted children's mental health symptoms before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Both caregivers and children were rated as more engaged after the pandemic began if the child experienced externalizing symptoms. Children attended fewer therapy sessions after the pandemic started, and those with externalizing symptoms received more overall services than those without.
Vitamin D Screening and Supplementation—A Novel Approach to Higher Success: An Update and Review of the Current Literature
Authors: Wiedemann Thomas G. , Jin Hyun Woo , Gallagher Brendan , Witek Lukasz , Miron Richard J. , Talib Huzefa S.
Published: February 2025

In recognizing the critical role of vitamin D in bone metabolism and osseointegration, research aims to identify whether preoperative vitamin D deficiency serves as a risk factor for early implant failure. By analyzing patient outcomes and their serum vitamin D levels, studies seek to establish evidence‐based recommendations for vitamin D assessment and management in the preoperative period, with the ultimate goal of enhancing implant success rates and patient outcomes in dental implantology. Given these insights, it is important for clinicians to incorporate the preoperative evaluation of vitamin D serum levels into their standard protocol for patients undergoing dental implant procedures. The objective of this study is to review and investigate the correlation between early dental implant failure (EDIF) and reduced serum levels of vitamin D, and to evaluate the potential benefits of preoperative screening and supplementation of vitamin D in patients undergoing dental implant surgery. A literature review was performed using a selected database—PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and SCOPUS—to assess the effect of vitamin D3 level on EDIF and biological factors (i.e., peri‐implant bone level). Studies were limited to peer‐reviewed, indexed journals. Subsequently, a hypothesis was proposed that vitamin D3 supplementation would mitigate the negative effect of vitamin D3 deficiency. The potential benefit of vitamin D3 supplementation—systemic and topical—was assessed in terms of bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC) and peri‐implant bone level. The deleterious effects of low vitamin D serum levels on osseointegration of dental implants and immune system modulation are increasingly accepted. Evidence has displayed that deficiency of this vitamin can result in impaired peri‐implant bone formation. Vitamin D deficiency resulted in nearly a fourfold increase in overall EDIF incidence. Presurgical supplementation of vitamin D3 demonstrated increased levels of implant osseointegration, increased bone–implant contact, enhanced bone level maintenance, and decreased EDIF even in at‐risk demographics (i.e., diabetic subjects). The findings of this study reinforce the role of vitamin D in dental implant osseointegration. Our study, particularly, emphasizes the necessity of vitamin D supplementation for individuals with sub‐physiologic vitamin D serum levels (≤ 30 ng/mL) and those within specific risk categories: smokers, diabetics, obese individuals, and those with compromised immune systems. Adopting a proactive management plan, including screening and supplementation in these patients, may substantially enhance the clinical outcomes in dental implant surgery.
Theoretical exploration on excited state behaviors for 2‐(1H‐benzo[d]imidazole‐2‐yl)‐6‐(benzo[d]‐thiazol‐2‐yl)‐4‐bromophenol in nonpolar and polar solvents
Authors: Fu Xiaoyi , Chen Jiahe , Wang Qing , Xu Wenjing , Zhao Jinfeng
Published: February 2025

Given the potential significance of novel organic fluorophores with potential dual‐way proton transfer (PT) reaction channels, in this work we mainly focus on probing into the excited state behaviors for the novel 2‐(1H‐benzo[d]imidazole‐2‐yl)‐6‐(benzo[d]‐thiazol‐2‐yl)‐4‐bromophenol (BIBTB) fluorophore. Given the two‐way PT channels, we firstly check the stable form with hydroxyl points to imidazole and thiazole rings in solvents with different polarities. By twisting dihedral angles (θ1, θ2 and θ3) in the S0 state, we theoretically verify that the A form (hydroxyl points to thiazole ring) should be the most important part in nonpolar and moderately polar solvents, while the D structure (hydroxyl points toward imidazole ring) becomes more important in polar solvents. Mainly focusing on nonpolar cyclohexane (CYC) and polar acetonitrile (ACE) solvents, we compare the geometrical changes and infrared (IR) vibrational spectral behaviors related to hydrogen bonds. The charge reorganization resulting from frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) and predicted hydrogen bonding energies further reflects the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) tendency. By constructing potential energy curves (PECs) and searching for transition state (TS) forms, we confirm and expound the ultrafast ESIPT mechanism for the BIBTB fluorophore.
Faster Deliveries and Smarter Order Assignments for an On‐Demand Meal Delivery Platform
Authors: Mao Wenzheng , Ming Liu , Rong Ying , Tang Christopher S. , Zheng Huan
Published: February 2025

The rapid growth of on‐demand meal delivery platforms has heightened competition, making customer retention a critical priority. While prior research on order dispatch algorithms has largely focused on minimizing delivery time or delay, the direct impact of delivery performance on repeat purchases remains underexplored. Using transactional data from an online meal delivery platform in China, we empirically investigate the asymmetric effects of early and late deliveries on customer repurchasing behavior. To address potential endogeneity, we introduce driver experience and local knowledge, two previously overlooked factors in platform algorithms, as novel instrumental variables. The survival analysis shows that late deliveries significantly reduce future orders, while early deliveries provide only limited benefits. Guided by these empirical insights, we develop a simulation‐based evaluation of different order dispatch algorithms, revealing that maximizing future orders, rather than minimizing delivery time or delays, yields the highest future orders. These insights offer actionable recommendations for platform managers, stressing the importance of strategic adjustments in dispatch algorithms and integrating heterogeneous treatment effects into algorithmic design. By merging operational delivery performance with consumer behavior insights through causal inference and optimization, this study provides a novel end‐to‐end framework for creating data‐driven dispatch algorithms that enhance both service efficiency and customer retention.
Symptoms predict total knee arthroplasty more than osteoarthritis severity: A multivariable analysis of more than 7500 knees
Authors: Bianco Prevot Luca , Bensa Alessandro , Peretti Giuseppe , Filardo Giuseppe
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Multiple clinical factors may concur to determine the clinical trajectory leading towards total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients affected by knee osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to identify the main factors influencing progression to TKA in a large population of knee OA patients.

Methods

A total of 7552 knees were selected from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) multicentre database. The data collected included demographic data, Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grade, the presence of knee swelling, the frequency of swelling, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the number of knees requiring TKA. The baseline data were collected as reported by the OAI database, and patients were followed up at 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 and 96 months, documenting whether they underwent TKA during this period.

Results

A multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors independently influencing progression to TKA. At 96 months, 7.1% of knees underwent TKA. The progression to TKA correlated with age (p < 0.001), KL grade (p < 0.001), swelling frequency (p < 0.001), knee swelling (p < 0.001), VAS (p = 0.003) and KOOS (p < 0.001). Knees with KL Grades 3 and 4 had the same risk of undergoing this procedure, while the need for TKA was able to be predicted based on WOMAC pain (p = 0.035, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.864), VAS (p = 0.008, HR = 1.131) and KOOS (p = 0.02, HR = 0.966).

Conclusions

This study revealed that several factors influenced progression to TKA, including age, KL grade, knee swelling, VAS pain and KOOS. However, there was no statistically significant difference between KL 3 and KL 4 in predicting the disease trajectory, and patients' clinical symptoms, as quantified by WOMAC pain subscale, VAS and KOOS, had a greater influence on progression to TKA than knee KL OA severity.

Level of Evidence

Level IIb.
Entropic Repulsion and Local Order in Doubly Tethered Polymers on a Surface
Authors: Chu Min , Heermann Dieter W.
Published: February 2025

The behavior of (athermal) mobile doubly tethered polymers (ring‐like in 3D) is investigated, on a 2D substrate using the bond fluctuation model. The end‐monomers can move laterally within a constrained distance range. Conformational properties of loop polymers are analyzed and specifically the ordering of the 2D system of end‐monomers. For this, the director is considered between the end‐monomers for local ordering. As tethering density increases, a transition from mushroom‐like conformations to nearly upright structures is observed, as is the case for linear grafted polymers. The effects of loop repulsion are explored, i.e., entropic repulsion, and tethering density on the order parameter and orientational correlations of the directors in 2D. Despite the lack of a global phase transition, local orientational order emerges in 2D due to loop interactions in 3D.
New Mexico mental health bills would give courts more oversight authority
Authors: Enos Gary
Published: February 2025

A state behavioral health system with a long history of upheaval could be about to undergo another dramatic change, with New Mexico legislators this month advancing bills that in part would shift some oversight of behavioral health services to state courts.
The Mediating Role of Psychological Flexibility in the Relationship Between Fears of Compassion and Mindfulness in Teachers
Authors: Demirci Seyrek Özgür , Genç Ahmet , Ersanlı Ercümend
Published: February 2025

Teachers face a variety of challenges and stressors that can erode their well‐being over a long period. Compassion and mindfulness are known to affect teachers' social‐emotional competence. Psychological flexibility means that individuals accept things beyond their control and are determined to continue the actions that can make their lives meaningful. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between teachers' mindfulness and fears of compassion. This research is based on a cross‐sectional survey design. The study sample consists of 251 teachers. The instruments used include the Fears of Compassion Scale, the Mindfulness teachers'in Teaching Scale, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II, and a researcher‐developed personal information form. Findings indicate that psychological flexibility plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between mindfulness in teaching and fears of compassion. Based on the research findings, it can be argued that mindfulness in teaching, psychological flexibility, and fears of compassion are important in the classroom for both teachers and students. The foundational elements of psychological flexibility (e.g., being present at the moment, acceptance, diffusion, contextual self, values, and the ability to act in line with these values) can contribute to nurturing teachers' mindfulness skills in teaching. This, in turn, facilitates teachers in creating a compassionate, democratic, and supportive classroom atmosphere for students.
Multimethod Electrical Characterization of Thin Indium Tin Oxide Films: Structuring and Calibration Sample Development for Scanning Probe Microscopy
Authors: Hülagü Deniz , Ermilova Elena , Weise Matthias , de Préville Sophie , Hoffmann Johannes , Morán‐Meza José , Piquemal François , Hertwig Andreas
Published: February 2025

Indium tin oxide (ITO), a transparent conductive oxide, is widely used in optoelectronic applications due to its electrical conductivity, optical transparency, and chemical stability. This study employs spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) to analyze ITO layers, enabling nondestructive determination of film thickness, dielectric functions, and bulk conductivity. Electrical properties derived from SE are compared with those obtained using the four‐point probe method (4PM) to improve metrological tools for nanotechnology applications and optimize deposition process monitoring for better control of film properties. This work also investigates the chemical stability of ITO layers under etching conditions and explores the development of new sheet resistance standards for scanning microwave microscopy (SMM). The results show that ITO resistivity, calculated from fitted SE data, increases with oxygen flow rate up to 5 cm3(STP) min−1. Good agreement is observed between sheet resistance values obtained by SE and 4PM up to 3 cm3(STP) min−1. Additionally, the sheet resistance values of a distinct set of microstructured ITO samples with different ITO layer thicknesses are determined by SMM, which are highly consistent with those obtained by the 4PM.
Increase the Reliability of SERS Measurements for Sodium Metabisulfite Using Highly Uniform AgNPs on Plasma‐Treated PDMS Substrate
Authors: Nguyen Nga Thi Hang , Nguyen Toan Duc , Nghiem Lien Thi Ha , Nguyen Ngoc Thi Bich , Nguyen Kha Van , Nguyen Nghia Trong , Vu Duong
Published: February 2025

The surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), dependent on metal nanoparticle substrate structure and morphology, presents a powerful analytic tool across diverse fields such as food safety, environmental analysis, and biomedical. Hard substrate materials such as Si, glass, and metal are often used in experimental research. They are highly stable and easy to manufacture. However, the surfaces of actual samples usually have different shapes, making using rigid substrates challenging, so developing flexible SERS substrates is necessary. In this study, we focused on developing blanket substrates using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by spin coating with the substrate area concealed and treated with argon plasma jet. In the plasma‐treated area, the PDMS surface is transformed into a hydrophilic form, causing the metal nanoparticles to spread into a flat, even layer and evaporate quickly, leading to a better SERS effect when analyzing liquid samples. The results show that the limit of detection (LOD) of sodium metabisulfite (SM) is up to 0.01 mg/mL with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 15.88%.
Exploring the Potential of Perovskite/Perovskite/Silicon Triple‐Junction Pv Modules in Two‐ and Four‐Terminal Configuration
Authors: Blom Youri , Vogt Malte Ruben , Uzu Hisashi , Koizumi Gensuke , Yamamoto Kenji , Isabella Olindo , Santbergen Rudi
Published: February 2025

In the quest for advancing photovoltaic efficiency, the adoption of multijunction solar cell architectures has emerged as a promising approach. Perovskite/silicon double‐junction solar cells have already achieved efficiencies surpassing 33%, exceeding the theoretical efficiency limit for single‐junction devices. To enhance efficiency even further, exploring perovskite/perovskite/silicon (PPS) triple‐junction solar cells seems a logical next step, as they offer the potential to further reduce thermalization losses and achieve even higher efficiencies. This study delves into the potential of various configurations of PPS modules, exploring different subcell interconnections. Initially, we present an optoelectrical model to simulate the performance of these devices, incorporating both luminescence coupling and cell‐to‐module losses. This enables us to optimize the bandgap energy of the top and middle perovskite subcells under both standard test conditions (STC) and outdoor conditions. Our analysis reveals that the addition of a perovskite subcell can improve the STC efficiency up to 9%–13%. This gain in STC performance also translates into a similar gain in energy yield, meaning that triple‐junction devices produce 8%–14% more electricity than their double‐junction reference devices.
How Do Resource Efficiency and Environmental Innovation Affect Greenhouse Gas Emissions? Evidence From E‐7 Countries
Authors: Bozkaya Şeyma , Duran Feride , Bekun Festus Victor
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the determinants of environmental quality in China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, and Indonesia (E‐7 countries) using annual frequency data from 1990 to 2019. Feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) is used, while panel corrected standard error estimator (PCSE) is employed as a control estimator. The dependent variable representing the environmental quality indicator is greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Furthermore, the analysis includes following five variables that are assumed to determine environmental quality: (i) resource efficiency; (ii) renewable energy consumption (REC); (iii) growth; (iv) environmental technologies; and (v) energy efficiency. In the estimated model, GHG is used to represent environmental pollution. Conversely, the independent variables are mostly environmentally friendly variables. The results reveal that GDP, REC, and environmental technologies increase GHG emissions, while resource efficiency and energy efficiency have a positive effect on environmental quality. These findings suggest that, in shaping their environmental policies, E‐7 countries consider economic growth, environmental protection, and sustainability. The study concludes with a discussion of further policy insights.
Die sozialen Kosten des Verkehrs: subjektive Wahrnehmungen und objektive Berechnungen
Authors: Creutzig Felix , Javaid Aneeque , Gössling Stefan
Published: February 2025

Die privaten Kosten des Autos werden in Deutschland um ca. 5000 € pro Jahr unterschätzt. Die Wahrnehmung dieser Kosten würde eine Reduktion des Autoverkehrs zur Folge haben. Soziale Kosten des Verkehrs umfassen Staukosten, ungerechte Flächenverteilung, lokale Umwelt- und Gesundheitsfolgekosten sowie Klimafolgekosten. Die von der Gesellschaft getragenen Kosten der Automobilnutzung sind ebenfalls ca. 5000 € pro Jahr pro Auto und höher in der Stadt als auf dem Land. Eine höhere Kostentransparenz in der Autonutzung, eine Einpreisung der sozialen Folgenkosten und eine gerechtere Flächenverteilung in Städten würden sowohl dem Klimaschutz als auch dem Wohlergehen aller Menschen zu Gute kommen.
Sails for universal quadratic forms
Authors: Kala Vítězslav , Man Siu Hang
Published: February 2025

We establish a new connection between sails, a key notion in the geometric theory of generalised continued fractions, and arithmetic of totally real number fields, specifically, universal quadratic forms and additively indecomposable integers. Our main application is to biquadratic fields, for which we show that if their signature rank is at least 3, then ranks of universal forms and numbers of indecomposables grow as a power of the discriminant. We also construct a family in which these numbers grow only logarithmically.
Winner-take-all games: existence of equilibria and three player dice
Authors: Alpern Steve
Published: February 2025

In many competitive situations, the aim of a player is not to maximize his ‘score’ but rather its rank among other scores. Think sales contests or mutual fund rankings. Following E.J. Anderson’s game of two players entering fair casinos trying to leave with the most money, Alpern and Howard abstracted to the following winner take all game: Each player chooses a distribution from a given set. The distributions are sampled independenly and the player with the highest sample (the winner) gets a unit prize. In case of a tie the winners split the prize. An example of such a two person game is by Bell and Cover in the context ot finance, where the set is all distributions on the unit interval with mean 1/2 and the solution is the uniform distribution. Alpern and Howard extended this and solved many other such games, including two person fair dice (mean 3.5), where the solution is the usual equiprobable die. This paper establishes the existence of equilibria for games where the sets of distributions are those supported on the unit interval with no interior atoms. In addition, we solve the three player game with fair dice, where the usual equiprobable die does not form an equilibrium (only faces 1, 2, 3 and 6 have positive probability at equilibrium). We also solve the limiting case of k sided dice, where players pick any point in

$$\left[ 0,1\right]$$

0
,
1

according to a distribution with mean 1/2.
A comprehensive survey of soil microbial diversity across the Antarctic continent
Authors: Dragone Nicholas B. , Childress Mary K. , Vanderburgh Caihong , Willmore Rachel , Hogg Ian D. , Sancho Leopoldo G. , Lee Charles K. , Barrett John E. , Quandt C. Alisha , LeMonte Joshua J. , Adams Byron J. , Fierer Noah
Published: February 2025

Antarctic soils are unique from those found nearly anywhere else on Earth yet can still harbor a broad diversity of microorganisms able to tolerate the challenging conditions typical of the continent. For these reasons, microbiologists have been drawn to Antarctica for decades. However, our understanding of which microbes thrive in Antarctic soils and how they to do so remains limited. To help resolve these knowledge gaps, we analyzed a collection of 200 archived Antarctic soils—from Livingston Island on the Antarctic Peninsula to Cape Hallett in northern Victoria Land. We analyzed the prokaryotic and fungal communities in these soils using both cultivation-independent marker gene sequencing and cultivation-dependent approaches (microbial isolation), paired with extensive soil geochemical analyses. Our cultivation-independent analyses indicate that colder, saltier, and drier soils harbor less diverse communities of bacteria and fungi, distinct from those found in soils with less challenging conditions. We also built a culture collection from a subset of these soils that encompasses more than 50 bacterial and fungal genera, including cold-tolerant organisms, such as Cryobacterium and Cryomyces. By directly comparing the diversity of our cultured isolates against our cultivation-independent data, we show that many of the more abundant Antarctic taxa are not readily cultivated and highlight bacterial and fungal taxa that should be the focus of future cultivation efforts. Together, we hope that our collection of isolates, the comprehensive data compiled from the cultivation-independent analyses, and our geochemical analyses will serve as a community resource to accelerate the study of Antarctic soil microbes.
Large language models for error detection in radiology reports: a comparative analysis between closed-source and privacy-compliant open-source models
Authors: Salam Babak , Stüwe Claire , Nowak Sebastian , Sprinkart Alois M. , Theis Maike , Kravchenko Dmitrij , Mesropyan Narine , Dell Tatjana , Endler Christoph , Pieper Claus C. , Kuetting Daniel L. , Luetkens Julian A. , Isaak Alexander
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Large language models (LLMs) like Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) can assist in detecting errors in radiology reports, but privacy concerns limit their clinical applicability. This study compares closed-source and privacy-compliant open-source LLMs for detecting common errors in radiology reports.

Materials and methods

A total of 120 radiology reports were compiled (30 each from X-ray, ultrasound, CT, and MRI). Subsequently, 397 errors from five categories (typographical, numerical, findings-impression discrepancies, omission/insertion, interpretation) were inserted into 100 of these reports; 20 reports were left unchanged. Two open-source models (Llama 3-70b, Mixtral 8x22b) and two commercial closed-source (GPT-4, GPT-4o) were tasked with error detection using identical prompts. The Kruskall–Wallis test and paired t-test were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Open-source LLMs required less processing time per radiology report than closed-source LLMs (6 ± 2 s vs. 13 ± 4 s; p < 0.001). Closed-source LLMs achieved higher error detection rates than open-source LLMs (GPT-4o: 88% [348/397; 95% CI: 86, 92], GPT-4: 83% [328/397; 95% CI: 80, 87], Llama 3-70b: 79% [311/397; 95% CI: 76, 83], Mixtral 8x22b: 73% [288/397; 95% CI: 68, 77]; p < 0.001). Numerical errors (88% [67/76; 95% CI: 82, 93]) were detected significantly more often than typographical errors (75% [65/86; 95% CI: 68, 82]; p = 0.02), discrepancies between findings and impression (73% [73/101; 95% CI: 67, 80]; p < 0.01), and interpretation errors (70% [50/71; 95% CI: 62, 78]; p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Open-source LLMs demonstrated effective error detection, albeit with comparatively lower accuracy than commercial closed-source models, and have potential for clinical applications when deployed via privacy-compliant local hosting solutions.

Key Points

Question

Can privacy-compliant open-source large language models (LLMs) match the error-detection performance of commercial non-privacy-compliant closed-source models in radiology reports?

Findings

Closed-source LLMs achieved slightly higher accuracy in detecting radiology report errors than open-source models, with Llama 3-70b yielding the best results among the open-source models.

Clinical relevance

Open-source LLMs offer a privacy-compliant alternative for automated error detection in radiology reports, improving clinical workflow efficiency while ensuring patient data confidentiality. Further refinement could enhance their accuracy, contributing to better diagnosis and patient care.

Graphical Abstract
Node-RADS category on preoperative CT predicts prognosis in patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Li Xiaoxia , Lin Dengqiang , Xiong Ying , Lin Weifeng , Zhang Shaoting , Huang Shunfa , Zhou Jianjun , Dai Chenchen
Published: February 2025

Objectives

This research focused on investigating the relationship between the Node Reporting and Data System (Node-RADS) categories, determined via preoperative CT, and the outcomes of progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in individuals diagnosed with papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC).

Methods

A retrospective multicenter study initially enrolled 454 patients, with 218 eligible for analysis following partial nephrectomy or radical resection for pRCC. Prognostic factors related to PFS and CSS in pRCC patients were identified through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Subsequently, the prognostic value of Node-RADS was assessed and compared with the existing pRCC risk stratification model.

Results

In total, 218 patients (mean age, 58 years; men, 164 [75.2%]) with pRCC (186 Node-rads I tumors (85.3%), 10 Node-rads II tumors (4.6%), and 22 Node-rads III tumors (10.1%)) were included. The Node-RADS category emerged as an independent prognostic factor for PFS (III vs II vs I, hazard ratio (HR) 4.250, p < 0.001) and CSS (III vs II vs I, HR 4.466; p < 0.001). When the Node-RADS category was incorporated into Leibovich’s model, the resulting combined model demonstrated a significant improvement in predictive accuracy (C-index: 0.865 versus 0.755, p = 0.005 for PFS; and 0.921 versus 0.835, p = 0.01 for CSS).

Conclusion

The Node-RADS category has been identified as a more accurate predictor of prognosis for pRCC, regardless of pathologic lymph node involvement. These findings need further confirmation in prospective studies.

Key Points

Question

Lymph node status is important for papillary renal cell carcinoma prognosis, and there is a lack of consensus on radiological evaluation.

Findings

Node-RADS is an independent predictor of progression-free survival and cancer-specific survival in papillary renal cell carcinoma.

Clinical relevance

The Node Reporting and Data System category improves the accuracy of the Leibovich model for prognosis, which can help clinical practitioners select individualized treatment plans for each patient.

Graphical Abstract
A quantitative Lewy-fold-specific alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay as a progression marker for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Bernhardt Alexander M. , Longen Sebastian , Trossbach Svenja V. , Rossi Marcello , Weckbecker Daniel , Schmidt Felix , Jäck Alexander , Katzdobler Sabrina , Fietzek Urban M. , Weidinger Endy , Palleis Carla , Ruf Viktoria , Baiardi Simone , Parchi Piero , Höglinger Günter U. , Matthias Torsten , Levin Johannes , Giese Armin
Published: February 2025

Misfolded α-synuclein (αSyn) is the hallmark of α-synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). While seed amplification assays (SAA) have demonstrated ultrasensitive detection of misfolded αSyn, they have been primarily used reliably to provide binary (positive/negative) results for diagnostic purposes. We developed an SAA with enhanced specificity for Lewy-fold α-synucleinopathies and introduced a quantifiable measure correlating with clinical severity. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 170 patients with neurodegenerative diseases and controls was analyzed. Blinded measurements demonstrated 97.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity for Lewy-fold α-synucleinopathies, correctly identifying PD and DLB while excluding MSA. In addition, we validated the strain specificity of the assay by testing brain homogenates from 30 neuropathologically confirmed cases. A novel Lewy-fold pathology (LFP) score based on positive signals in a dilution series provided a quantitative measure of αSyn seeds. The LFP score significantly correlated with motor and cognitive impairment presented by Hoehn and Yahr stage, MDS-UPDRS III, and MoCA. Longitudinal tracking in seven PD cases showed progressive LFP score increases corresponding with clinical deterioration, highlighting the assay’s potential for monitoring disease progression at an individual level. Our Lewy-fold-specific SAA enhances ante-mortem diagnosis and differentiates Lewy-fold α-synucleinopathies from MSA. Unlike previous assays, the LFP score offers a quantitative assessment, showing promise as a progression marker and pharmacodynamic biomarker for αSyn-targeting therapies. This represents an important step toward developing an αSyn SAA that could help to track disease progression quantitatively, with potential applications in both clinical diagnostics and therapeutic trials.
Head and neck cutaneous basal cell carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of tumour features, surgical margins and recurrences
Authors: Di Maio Pasquale , Giudice Marco , Cavallero Antonio , Carnevale Claudio , Til-Pérez Guillermo , Sarría-Echegaray Pedro Luis , Copelli Chiara , Ramieri Guglielmo , Iocca Oreste
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The aim of this study was to analyse the factors affecting the status of surgical margins and recurrence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the head and neck. A secondary aim was to provide detailed demographic, clinical and topographic data to understand the biological behaviour of this skin cancer in head and neck area.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted analysing all primary head and neck BCCs treated from July 2014 to October 2021. Chi-square and logistic regression were used to assess the presence of statistically significant associations.

Results

The study cohort included 307 patients who underwent resection of 377 BCCs. The mean age of the patients was 76.86 years. There were 251 (67%) clean surgical margins, 80 (21%) positive and 46 (12%) closed. Recurrences were observed in 11 (5%) out of 218 BCCs of patients with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. The median follow-up time was 35 months. Positive margin status was significantly associated with BCC of the nose, while clean margin was correlated with neck localization (p<0.05). Clean margin status was linked with direct closure (p<0.05), while positive and closed margins were significantly associated to local flaps (p<0.05). Positive margin status was significantly related to depth of invasion below the dermis (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The location, depth of invasion and method of reconstruction of head and neck BCC influence the completeness of surgical resection. Considering the low recurrence rate, clinical observation is an acceptable management option in patients with compromised margins, especially in elderly and frail patient populations.
Scanning of chicoric acid in different parts of Cichorium intybus by high-performance thin-layer chromatography with quantitation by image analysis
Authors: Baumli Julia , Mărincean Alina-Ioana , Cimpoiu Claudia
Published: February 2025

Cichorium intybus, commonly known as chicory, is a widespread plant, valued for its medicinal properties and use as a coffee substitute, chicoric acid being one of its key constituents. This study investigates the variation in chicoric acid content across different parts of the chicory plant-flowers, leaves, root and aerial parts. Three extraction methods, namely maceration in 70% ethanol, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), and enzyme-assisted UAE were compared. A new optimized high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method was used to determine the chicoric acid quantities. The chicoric acid was separated on HPTLC silica gel F254 plates developed with a mixture of ethyl acetate‒formic acid‒acetic acid‒water (8:0.2:2:1.8, v/v) as the mobile phase. The detection was performed in UV light at 366 nm after derivatization with natural product (NP) and polyethylene glycol solution (PEG). The quantification was performed by image analysis (IA) using ImageJ software, with the green color channel offering the most sensitive detection (LOD = 2 ng/band and LOQ = 6 ng/band). The analysis revealed that leaves contained the highest concentration of chicoric acid, while roots exhibited the lowest. Enzyme-assisted UAE proved to be the most effective method. Antioxidant activity was tested using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical revealing that the chicoric acid possesses this activity. These findings highlight chicory leaves as a valuable source of chicoric acid and emphasize the importance of choosing effective extraction methods to maximize the yield of bioactive compounds.
How do 4–6 years-old children spend their time in preschool?
Authors: Júdice Pedro B. , Teno Sabrina C.
Published: February 2025

Aim

To objectively measure the time spent in different physical behaviors through ActivPAL measurement in the Portuguese preschool setting for the first time.

Subject and method

This cross-sectional investigation included children (4–6 years-old) from a preschool of the Municipality of Lisbon. The study obtained ethical approval (number JL2224), and informed consent from parents/child subjects was provided. Data was collected using the ActivPAL inclinometer/accelerometer (model ActivPAL4; PAL Technologies Ltd., Glasgow, UK), while using the GHLA (v2.2) classification algorithm on an entire day at preschool. Differences between groups were examined using independent sample t-tests.

Results

More than 180 h of data were collected throughout 4 typical days in 28 preschoolers (39% girls and 61% boys) from 3 different classes. No differences were found between classes or sex for any of the variables (p > 0.05). Our findings show that while at school preschoolers spent 39.2% sitting, 29.9% standing, and 26.1% moving around, while performing 65 sit-to-stand transitions/preschool day.

Conclusion

In comparison to previous investigations, Portuguese preschoolers were less sedentary. The fact that this school had a significant outdoor space can explain the lower sedentariness, or it can be, that Portuguese preschoolers are in fact less sedentary. More studies using larger samples are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Longitudinal patterns of regulatory violations in chemical corporations
Authors: Kluin Marieke H. A. , Blokland Arjan A. J. , Huisman Wim , Peeters Marlijn P.
Published: February 2025

Unlike criminal career research into the criminal behavior of natural persons, longitudinal research into regulatory violations by corporations is still scant. The few available longitudinal studies mostly suffer from either a small sample size or a short follow-up period, limiting the generalizability of their findings. The present study uses longitudinal data on rule violating behavior of 567 chemical corporations having to comply with the EU Seveso Directive in the Netherlands, derived from yearly inspections (N = 5.975) of the relevant safety, occupational health and environmental agencies between 2007 and 2021. The study aims to gain insight in the patterning of regulatory violations by Dutch Seveso corporations, and the extent to which these patterns are associated with sector and corporate characteristics. The results show that regulatory violation is common among Dutch Seveso corporations. A small minority of chronically violating corporations however, is responsible for a disproportional share of all observed regulatory violations. Using group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM) we distinguish several longitudinal patterns of regulatory violations in our data. Available sector and corporation characteristics are found to be only weakly associated with the patterns of regulatory violations identified.
What Does Organizational Culture Tell Us About Developmental Education Reform? Corequisite Implementation in Texas
Authors: Henning Holly N. , Danyi Morgan M. , Park-Gaghan Toby J. , Mokher Christine G.
Published: February 2025

A continuous topic of discussion in postsecondary success contexts is how institutions can assist students who need developmental education support. As part of an ongoing move away from lengthy developmental course sequences that delay students’ time-to-degree completion, corequisite education models allow students to enroll in developmental courses in the same semester as college level courses. Under HB 2223 passed in 2017, Texas mandated all public postsecondary institutions to offer corequisite education as the main form of developmental education by 2021. This research study focuses on the organizational cultures and subcultures of seven institutions from different economic and geographic regions during the four-year policy implementation in Texas using qualitative data. Based on the theoretical lenses of Birnbaum’s organizational cultures and Hatch’s organizational subcultures, findings from this multi-site case study indicate that one institution represented an anarchical culture, three demonstrated bureaucratic cultures, and the final three showed collegial cultures. Organizational subcultures included mostly enhancing types with one institution revealing a counterculture and another showing an orthogonal subculture. Institutional practices, like number of credit hours and course delivery, also differed during implementation according to institutional profiles and characteristics.
How does removing menthol tobacco product displays at point-of-sale affect adolescents’ cigarette smoking intentions? The mediating effects of social norms
Authors: Wong Jody Chin Sing , Setodji Claude Messan , Dunbar Michael S. , Martino Steven , van Valkenburg Grace , Jenson Desmond , Shadel William G.
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the psychological mechanisms through which a removal of mentholated tobacco products from retail stores affects future smoking intentions among youth. Descriptive norms and injunctive norms were examined as candidate mediators. The study was conducted in the RAND StoreLab (RSL), a life-sized replica of a convenience store developed to evaluate how changing point-of-sale (POS) tobacco advertising influences tobacco use outcomes during simulated shopping experiences. Participants were assigned to shop randomly in the RSL under one of three experimental conditions that were (1) status quo condition in which all tobacco-, sweet-, and menthol-flavors were displayed; (2) tobacco/menthol condition in which only tobacco- and menthol-flavored tobacco products were displayed (sweet characterizing flavors other than tobacco or menthol/mint were removed from the display, effectively “banned”); and (3) tobacco-only condition in which only tobacco-flavored products were displayed (all sweet- and menthol-flavored products were removed). Results revealed that injunctive norms mediated the relationship between the removal of menthol cigarettes from the POS setting and increased intentions to smoke menthol-flavored cigarettes, whereas descriptive norms were not a significant mediator. These findings suggest that targeting injunctive smoking norms in public health communications may be a promising strategy to mitigate potential unintended consequences of a menthol ban on future smoking intentions for youth.
Perspective of Clean Energy-saving by Semiconducting Quantum Dot Nanomaterials through Photoelectric and Density of States Analysis
Authors: Mollaamin Fatemeh , Monajjemi Majid
Published: February 2025

With the pressure for renewable energy resources and the enchantingly digitalized current lifestyle, the need for batteries will augment. Therefore, in this article, it has been evaluated the promising alternative alkali metals of sodium-ion and potassium-ion, batteries. The hypothesis of the hydrogen adsorption phenomenon was confirmed by density distributions of charge density differences (CDD), total density of state (TDOS), and electron localization function (ELF) for of Li[GeO–SiO], Na[GeO–SiO] or K[GeO–SiO] heterostructures that have revealed an efficient charge transfer owing to the internal electric field. Regardless of adsorption configurations of H2 molecules, the region of charge density variation is mainly concentrated between the H2 molecule and the layers of Li[GeO–SiO], Na[GeO–SiO] or K[GeO–SiO] heterostructures atoms. The maximum energy of TDOS for K[GeO–SiO] with several peaks around –0.35, –0.45, –0.6 and –0.75 a.u. with maximum density of state of ≈ 23 around –0.35 a.u. has been revealed. As the advantages of lithium, sodium or potassium over Si/Ge possess its higher electron and hole motion, allowing lithium, sodium or potassium instruments to operate at higher frequencies than Si/Ge instruments. K[GeO–SiO]–2H2 and Na[GeO–SiO]–2H2 heterostructures with band gap of 0.9230 and 0.8963 eV, respectively can be more efficient for hydrogen grabbing. The findings suggest that the proposed heterostructures offer appropriate band edge positions for saving energy in the batteries. Furthermore, the calculations have revealed that non-magnetic dopants can induce stable half-metallic ferromagnetic ground state in Li/Na/K. In particular, at the same levels of doping, the K/Na-doped [GeO–SiO] heterostructure framework exhibited the strongest H2 binding.
Evaluation of Prescription Practices for Antenatal Steroids in Pregnant Women
Authors: Jano Antalya , Madigan Caroline , Ekeke Paris
Published: February 2025

Objective

The significant racial disparity in adverse birth outcomes is unexplained by individual-level stressors. This implores us to explore modifiable prenatal care delivery characteristics. Our objective was to evaluate if racial disparities in infant respiratory outcomes were explained by inequitable exposure to antenatal steroids.

Methods

We included women who delivered infants between 23 and 34 weeks gestation in Level 3 NICU between January 2017 and December 2020. Prenatal and postnatal variables, including exposure to antenatal steroids, were collected. A community need index was assigned designating level of neighborhood deprivation. Chi squared and t tests were performed to look for racial differences in prenatal and delivery characteristics.

Results

There were no racial differences in steroid administration with 89.9% of eligible Black women and 89.8% of eligible White women completing an antenatal steroid course. Despite no differences in maternal risk factors such as diabetes, pre-eclampsia, prenatal care utilization and PPROM, Black infants were more likely to require intubation (p = 0.04), oxygen (p = 0.001), and surfactant (p = 0.008) in the delivery room compared to White infants. Compared to the lower community need groups exposed to ANS, the high need group had higher rates of chorioamnionitis and were more likely to be on Medicaid and Black race. Despite this, there were no differences in infant respiratory outcomes by community need group.

Conclusions

Despite the shift in focus to include the interaction between individuals and their community exposures, the racial disparity in birth outcomes persists. Attention should be paid to other modifiable elements of a mother’s prenatal experience.
Fine Boundary Continuity for Degenerate Double-Phase Diffusion
Authors: Ciani Simone , Henriques Eurica , Skrypnik Igor I.
Published: February 2025

We study the boundary behavior of solutions to parabolic double-phase equations through the celebrated Wiener’s sufficiency criterion. The analysis is conducted for cylindrical domains and the regularity up to the lateral boundary is shown in terms of either its p or q capacity, depending on whether the phase vanishes at the boundary or not. Eventually we obtain a fine boundary estimate that, when considering uniform geometric conditions as density or fatness, leads us to the boundary Hölder continuity of solutions. In particular, the double-phase elicits new questions on the definition of an adapted capacity.