bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of OviTex 1S, reinforced tissue matrix, for the repair of post renal transplant incisional hernias: Four case reports
Authors: Abed Mariam , Bradley Angus , Ghazanfar Abbas
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Incisional hernia is one of the known complications of renal transplant surgery, with a reported incidence between 1.1% to 3.8%. Depending on the site and extent of incisional hernia, it may require surgery particularly if it contains the transplanted kidney either partially or completely. The current common clinical practice is to repair incisional hernias using polypropylene meshes, which have their own risks and benefits. Biological meshes, which are made from human or animal-derived connective tissue, are also in use and have a less inflammatory response. Recently, hybrid meshes have been developed. These are composed of both biological and synthetic products. One such example is OviTex 1S permanent, which is a sterile reinforced tissue matrix composed of ovine (sheep) derived extracellular matrix and monofilament polypropylene. In this case report, we are sharing our experience with the use of OviTex 1S in the repair of post-renal transplant incisional hernias.

CASE SUMMARY

We report four cases of post-renal transplant incisional hernia with a median time of 27 months post-surgery. The median size of the defect was 15 cm long. There was no post-operative complication. One patient required renal transplant biopsy after mesh repair, which was easily performed compared with polypropylene meshes repaired hernias in the past.

CONCLUSION

The OviTex 1S mesh provides benefits in hernial repairs pKTx, but cost is an issue, and their long-term viability is unclear. Continued use and reporting will help build a more informed picture.
Patient-reported outcomes three months after treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures or dislocations
Authors: de Haas Louise E. M. , van de Lücht Veronique A. P. , van Hoorn Bastiaan T. , Salentijn Dorien A. , Groenwold Rolf H. H. , Schep Niels W. L. , van Heijl Mark
Published: February 2025

Aims

To evaluate patient-reported outcomes three months after treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures or dislocations, and to identify factors that are associated with worse patient-reported outcomes.

Methods

This cross-sectional, multicentre snapshot study included all adult patients with metacarpal and phalangeal fractures or dislocations during a three-month period between August and October 2020. The primary outcome was the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) three months after injury. The MHQ scores were compared to normative MHQ scores of 90 points of the affected hand of patients who sustained unilateral trauma derived from a previous study. Subgroup analyses were performed for the most common injury types. Multivariable linear regression was used to study associations between patient characteristics and worse MHQ scores.

Results

The MHQ scores of 512 patients were analyzed. The median MHQ score was 80 (IQR 65 to 91) for nonoperatively treated patients (n = 398) and 78 (IQR 66 to 85) for operatively treated patients (n = 114). After nonoperative treatment, 104/398 patients (26%) reached a MHQ score equal to or better than the normative MHQ score, ranging between 11% (1/9) and 42% (13/31) among the nine most common injury types. After operative treatment, this was 11% (13/114), ranging between 10% (3/29) and 31% (5/16) among the three most common injury types. No significant differences in MHQ scores were found between common injury types. Older age, the presence of hand comorbidities, and referral to hand therapy were associated with a worse MHQ score after nonoperative treatment.

Conclusion

These results suggest that most patients have not returned to a normal hand function within three months following metacarpal and phalangeal fractures or dislocations. Older age, the presence of hand comorbidities, and referral for hand therapy were associated with worse hand functioning after nonoperative treatment. The findings are relevant for clinicians to evaluate recovery and for patients to manage their expectations.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2025;6(2):227–236.
La angustia moral y la sensibilidad ética en profesionales de cuidados críticos: Una revisión de alcance
Authors: Sánchez-Alfaro Luis Alberto , Giraldo Valencia Daniela Alejandra
Published: February 2025

Objetivo: Describir y sintetizar la literatura científica publicada entre 2017 y 2023 sobre las repercusiones psicológicas de la angustia moral y la sensibilidad ética en profesionales sanitarios de Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos. Metodología: se diseñó una Revisión de alcance realizando búsquedas en las siguientes bases de datos: Medline,Scopus,Sciencedirect,Dialnet,Scielo. Se utilizaron ecuaciones de búsqueda como: “Effects of moral distress AND health personnel”, “effects of ethical sensitivity AND healthcare personnel”. Se extrajo información sobre variables relacionadas con angustia moral y sensibilidad ética, se diseñó una base de datos para clasificar la información, sintetizarla y realizar un análisis hermenéutico. Resultados: se identificaron factores internos y externos relacionados con angustia moral y sensibilidad ética. Los factores internos fueron frustración, impotencia y enojo; los factores externos estuvieron relacionados con las políticas del hospital, la jerarquía en la UCI y la falta de comunicación. Al sufrir angustia moral y disminuir la sensibilidad ética se identificó falta de empatía y fatiga mental. Sin embargo, hay mayor desarrollo de la sensibilidad ética cuando se realizan actividades grupales para búsqueda de nuevos conocimientos y estrategias de comunicación asertiva. Conclusión: los profesionales sanitarios que trabajan en UCI están expuestos a sufrir angustia moral y su sensibilidad ética se pone a prueba diariamente. A raíz de la pandemia por COVID-19 los desafíos éticos experimentados se hacen más evidentes, esto ha aumentado síntomas de angustia moral como sentimientos de culpa, preocupación y pérdida de confianza. La sensibilidad ética es importante en las UCI para reconocer y comprender los problemas del personal sanitario.
Surplus, Mobility, and Resistance: The Literary Forms of Psychoactive Plants
Authors: Gao Menglu
Published: February 2025

Abstract: This article revises the existing Marxist accounts of plantation capitalism by exploring how literary forms of nineteenth-century psychoactive plants (i.e., plants that are used to make alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, opium, etc.) could conversely contain agency and resistance. Putting Jane Austen's Mansfield Park (1814) and Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies (2008) in dialogue, I look for moments when plant life acquires agency and transgresses the system of exchange in the exact contexts where mass production and wide circulation of psychoactive products endow their plants with exchangeability and logistical mobility. While ecocritical accounts often observe a parallel between environmental degradation in the Anthropocene and capitalism's suicidal tendency, my reading shows that anti-colonial resistance can also emerge from the vitality—rather than the destruction—of the more-than-human world, which capitalism unexpectedly promotes but is not able to incorporate.
Comparative study of the temperature-sensitive materials for D-shaped optical fiber-based temperature sensor
Authors: Kaysir Md Rejvi , Nahid Elora , Islam Md Jahirul , Hossain Sheikh Shahriar , Rahman Mohammad
Published: February 2025

Optical fiber-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors provide exceptional sensitivity, a compact design, and the capability for remote monitoring, making them ideal for advanced detection systems. Temperature-responsive liquids such as chloroform, chloroform-ethanol mixtures, and ethanol-glycerol mixtures hold significant potential in biomedical optical fiber sensors due to their ability to react to temperature changes. These liquids exhibit significant refractive index (n) changes with temperature (T), quantified by the thermo-optic coefficient (dn/dT), enabling precise, non-invasive, and real-time temperature monitoring. This study explores the incorporation of different temperature-sensitive analytes into a D-shaped double-channel optical fiber for a wide range of temperature sensing in a single sensing platform. The double-channel sensor employs gold as the plasmonic material and channel 1 is filled with a fluid having a constant refractive index of 1.33, while channel 2 is filled with temperature-sensitive liquids. The refractive index of channel 2 is modeled as the base refractive index adjusted by the product of dn/dT and the temperature difference relative to a reference. Sensitivity analyses span temperatures from 283.15 °K (10°C) to 343.15 °K (70°C), addressing biomedical and industrial sensing applications. The findings indicate that chloroform and mixtures of chloroform with ethanol demonstrate exceptional sensitivity as temperature-sensitive analytes. Chloroform achieves a maximum refractive index sensitivity of 429.82 nm/RIU in the RI range of 1.33–1.45 and temperature sensitivity of 5 nm/°K. A 50:50 chloroform-ethanol mixture enhances refractive index sensitivity to 714.28 nm/RIU in the range of 1.33–1.40 while maintaining 5 nm/°K temperature sensitivity. In contrast, a 34:66 ethanol-glycerol mixture exhibits a refractive index sensitivity of -453.72 nm/RIU in the range of refractive index 1.33–1.44 and temperature sensitivity of -5 nm/°K. These findings establish chloroform and its mixtures as highly promising candidates for efficient optical temperature sensing in both biomedical and industrial applications.
Characterising people who inject drugs, and association with HIV infection: A situation analysis in Kampala City, Uganda
Authors: Mudiope Peter , Mathers Bradley , Nangendo Joanita , Mutyaba Samuel , Mutamba Byamah B. , Alamo Stella , Nanyenya Nicholus , Makumbi Fredrick , Laker-Oketta Miriam , Wanyenze Rhoda
Published: February 2025

Uganda implements interventions for injection drug use, but significant barriers hinder efforts to effectively reach and support persons who inject drugs (PWID). We describe characteristics of PWID, and associated risk behaviour, to inform the designing of programmes that are tailored to clients’ needs and preferences. A cross-sectional survey (August 23rd to December 5th, 2023) in Kampala interviewed 354 PWID (≥18-years) at selected venues(bars,lodges, street corners and ghetto). Peer eductors and counsellors administered a structured questionnaire covering socio-demographics, drug use, sexual risk, and medical history. HIV serostatus was determined by self-report or testing for consenting participants without history of recent testing Binary logistic regression was used to establish the relationship between HIV infection and risky drug- and sexual behaviour of PWID. Participants were predominantly Ugandan (95.2%), male (73.2%), unmarried (55.9%), unemployed (81.8%), with higher levels of education and varying ages. Mental disorders were prevalent, with 48.7% reporting at least one underlying condition, including depression (30.8%) and anxiety (9.6%). Physical health issues included fever (32.9%), cough (32.5%), malaria (22%), and sexually transmitted infections (15%). Over 82.6% were introduced to drugs by close acquaintances. HIV prevalence among participants was 3.7%, higher in females (8.4%) and non-Ugandans (16.7%). Being female and experiencing difficulty accessing sterile injection materials were associated with HIV-positive status. Our study provides valuable insight into the socio-demographic, mental, physical health, and HIV risk behaviour of PWID in Kampala, Uganda. The findings indicate significant vulnerabilities to injecting drug use, mental disorders, and high-risk behaviors that predispose this population to HIV infection. Despite a low HIV prevalence in this population compared to previous estimates, the interplay between drug use, risky injecting practices, and sexual behaviour suggests an urgent need for targeted interventions to address these intertwined challenges.
Understanding the quality of ethnicity data recorded in health-related administrative data sources compared with Census 2021 in England
Authors: Razieh Cameron , Powell Bethan , Drummond Rosemary , Ward Isobel L. , Morgan Jasper , Glickman Myer , White Chris , Zaccardi Francesco , Hope Jonathan , Raleigh Veena , Akbari Ashley , Islam Nazrul , Yates Thomas , Murphy Lisa , Mateen Bilal A. , Khunti Kamlesh , Nafilyan Vahe
Published: February 2025

Background

Electronic health records (EHRs) are increasingly used to investigate health inequalities across ethnic groups. While there are some studies showing that the recording of ethnicity in EHR is imperfect, there is no robust evidence on the accuracy between the ethnicity information recorded in various real-world sources and census data.

Methods and findings

We linked primary and secondary care NHS England data sources with Census 2021 data and compared individual-level agreement of ethnicity recording in General Practice Extraction Service (GPES) Data for Pandemic Planning and Research (GDPPR), Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Ethnic Category Information Asset (ECIA), and Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (TT) with ethnicity reported in the census. Census ethnicity is self-reported and, therefore, regarded as the most reliable population-level source of ethnicity recording. We further assessed the impact of multiple approaches to assigning a person an ethnic category. The number of people that could be linked to census from ECIA, GDPPR, HES, and TT were 47.4m, 43.5m, 47.8m, and 6.3m, respectively. Across all 4 data sources, the White British category had the highest level of agreement with census (≥96%), followed by the Bangladeshi category (≥93%). Levels of agreement for Pakistani, Indian, and Chinese categories were ≥87%, ≥83%, and ≥80% across all sources. Agreement was lower for Mixed (≤75%) and Other (≤71%) categories across all data sources. The categories with the lowest agreement were Gypsy or Irish Traveller (≤6%), Other Black (≤19%), and Any Other Ethnic Group (≤25%) categories.

Conclusions

Certain ethnic categories across all data sources have high discordance with census ethnic categories. These differences may lead to biased estimates of differences in health outcomes between ethnic groups, a critical data point used when making health policy and planning decisions.
Process of use of evidence products by frontline maternal, newborn and child health staff at the facility level in Ghana
Authors: Abekah-Nkrumah Gordon , Ottie-Boakye Doris , Owusu Richmond , Ermel Johnson , Issiaka Sombié , Baku Anita Asiwome Adzo
Published: February 2025

Although the use of evidence products has been identified as beneficial in improving reproductive, maternal and child health, very little is known about the processes that facilitate the use of these evidence products by frontline Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Reproductive and Child Health (RNCH/RCH) practitioners in decision-making on the issues that confront them in their line of work. The study examined the nature, processes, and barriers, to the use of evidence products for care decision-making by frontline MNCH/RCH staff in selected health facilities in Ghana. Using a qualitative case study design, interviews of 24 frontline RNCH/RCH practitioners across 16 healthcare facilities in the Greater Accra, Eastern, and Ashanti regions of Ghana were conducted. The study employed a semi-structured interview guide modelled along the Action Cycle phase of the Knowledge-To-Action (KTA) framework, and the objectives of the study. Themes were built out of the transcribed data. The study revealed that the processes that facilitate the use of evidence products include problem identification activities (such as service evaluation, using accepted benchmarks, inadequate logistics for providing service and client feedback) and, adapting knowledge to their local context. The usual suspects of socio-cultural and health systems-related factors such as resource constraints and human factors were found to hinder the use of evidence products in providing RNCH/RCH services. The study contributes to knowledge by operationalising the KTA, simplifying the concept of knowledge sustainability and makes it easy for adoption and implementation especially at the frontline. Appropriate interventions that rely on strong education to navigate the societal norms and beliefs that inhibit the uptake of evidence-based care by clients will be essential in improving the use of evidence to inform practice decisions.
Impact of varying light intensities on morphology, phytochemistry, volatile compounds, and gene expression in Thymus vulgaris L.
Authors: Hashemifar Zahra , Sanjarian Forough , Naghdi Badi Hassanali , Mehrafarin Ali
Published: February 2025

Light is a crucial factor in plant growth and development. Plants exposed to light stress experience various effects on their growth. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of different light intensities on morpho-physiological traits, phytochemical compounds, and gene expression related to the biosynthesis of voletile in Thymus vulgaris L. The results demonstrated that light intensity (20, 50, 70 and 100%) had a significant impact on morpho-physiological characteristics, pigments content, antioxidant enzymes activities, as well as the content of MDA, H2O2, anthocyanin, thymol, carvacrol, phenols, flavonoids, essential oils, and monoterpenes. Moreover, the expression of the biosynthesis genes of monoterpene compounds was significantly influenced by light intensity. While an increase in light intensity led to higher leaf count (164.6%) and biomass (33.5%), it was accompanied by a decrease in leaf area, stem length, and internode length. The highest levels of chlorophyll a (4.92 mgg-1 FW) and b (1.75 mgg-1 FW), carotenoids (907.31 µ Mg-1FW), MDA (9.93 µ Mg-1FW), anthocyanin, SOD (29.62 Umg − 1 Protein), thymol (41.2%), and carvacrol (4.46%) were observed at 70% treatment and decreased as light intensity increased. Also, H2O2, catalase and polyphenol oxidase activities, phenols, flavonoids, essential oils, and monoterpenes increased with higher light intensity, with the highest H2O2 concentration recorded at 100% (4.43 fold). Importantly, key genes involved in monoterpene biosynthesis, including DXR, TPS, CYP71D178, and CYP71D179, exhibited significantly enhanced expression under full light conditions compared to other light intensities. In conclusion, increased light intensity stimulated the elevation of oxidative indicators, antioxidant activity and enhancing the expression of genes involved in phytochemical compound biosynthesis and consequently leading to the accumulation of volatile compounds in Thymus vulgaris L. Future research will focus on investigating the combined effects of various abiotic stresses at the field level and extending the stress duration to evaluate potential additive effects.
Untrained perceptual loss for image denoising of line-like structures in MR
images
Authors: Pfaehler Elisabeth , Pflugfelder Daniel , Scharr Hanno
Published: February 2025

In the acquisition of Magnetic Resonance (MR) images shorter scan times lead to higher image noise. Therefore, automatic image denoising using deep learning methods is of high interest. In this work, we concentrate on image denoising of MR images containing line-like structures such as roots or vessels. In particular, we investigate if the special characteristics of these datasets (connectivity, sparsity) benefit from the use of special loss functions for network training. We hereby translate the Perceptual Loss to 3D data by comparing feature maps of untrained networks in the loss function. We tested the performance of untrained Perceptual Loss (uPL) on 3D image denoising of MR images displaying brain vessels (MR angiograms - MRA) and images of plant roots in soil. In this study, 536 MR images of plant roots in soil and 450 MRA images are included. The plant root dataset is split to 380, 80, and 76 images for training, validation, and testing. The MRA dataset is split to 300, 50, and 100 images for training, validation, and testing. We investigate the impact of various uPL characteristics such as weight initialization, network depth, kernel size, and pooling operations on the results. We tested the performance of the uPL loss on four Rician noise levels (1%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) using evaluation metrics such as the Structural Similarity Index Metric (SSIM). Our results are compared with the frequently used L1 loss for different network architectures. We observe, that our uPL outperforms conventional loss functions such as the L1 loss or a loss based on the Structural Similarity Index Metric (SSIM). For MRA images the uPL leads to SSIM values of 0.93 while L1 and SSIM loss led to SSIM values of 0.81 and 0.88, respectively. The uPL network’s initialization is not important (e.g. for MR root images SSIM differences of 0.01 occur across initializations, while network depth and pooling operations impact denoising performance slightly more (SSIM of 0.83 for 5 convolutional layers and kernel size 3 vs. 0.86 for 5 convolutional layers and kernel size 5 for the root dataset). We also find that small uPL networks led to better or comparable results than using large networks such as VGG (e.g. SSIM values of 0.93 and 0.90 for a small and a VGG19 uPL network in the MRA dataset). In summary, we demonstrate superior performance of our loss for both datasets, all noise levels, and three network architectures. In conclusion, for images containing line-like structures, uPL is an alternative to other loss functions for 3D image denoising. We observe that small uPL networks have better or equal performance than very large network architectures while requiring lower computational costs and should therefore be preferred.
Results of quality rights on human rights engagement, stigma and attitudes towards mental health among Colombian medical students
Authors: Agudelo-Hernández Felipe , Vélez-Botero Helena , Guapacha-Montoya Marcela
Published: February 2025

Background

Training healthcare professionals in human rights approaches is fundamental for humanizing medical practice and promoting patient autonomy.

Aims

To evaluate the impact of Quality Rights strategy training on human rights engagement, stigma reduction and attitudes towards mental health among medical students in Colombian.

Method

A pre-experimental study with pre-post measures was conducted, involving 194 medical students, during the first semester of 2024 in Manizales, Caldas, Colombia. To assess notions and commitment to human rights were used the Human Rights Exposure in Social Work and Human Rights Engagement in Social Work. Attitudes toward people with mental disorders were measured using the Community Attitudes Towards the Mentally III (CAMI) scale, and attitudes toward mental health education were assessed using the Mental Illness Clinicians’ Attitude Scale (MICA). The intervention was based on QualityRights, an initiative of the World Health Organization, which aims to improve the quality of care in mental health services and to promote the human rights of people with psychosocial disabilities. Initial data comparisons were made using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Pretest and postest data were compared using the Wilcoxon test.

Results

Statistically significant improvements were observed in human rights understanding, reduced stigmatizing attitudes toward mental health and decreased authoritarianism. While students demonstrated enhanced human rights knowledge and less stigmatizing attitudes, we observed a concurrent decrease in benevolence scores.

Conclusion

The Quality Rights training strategy shows promise in improving medical students’ understanding of mental health conditions and promoting empathetic practices. However, ongoing sustained and monitoring strategies are necessary to ensure long-term adoption of human rights-based attitudes and practices in healthcare settings.
MEASURING

SOCIETAL WELL-BEING
Authors: Arnaut Cátia , Velez Lapão Luis , Brites Correia da Silva Rui
Published: February 2025

In contemporary policy discourse, the imperative to enhance national well-being is gaining unprecedented attention. However, the complexity inherent in the multitude of indicators often poses challenges in formulating effective strategies.

This study seeks to address this issue by identifying and focussing on the most statistically significant indicators that influence well-being from a comprehensive dashboard of 142 elements. By concentrating on a mere 7% of these indicators, policymakers can strategically guide public and social policies with minimal information loss. Such a streamlined approach not only optimises decision-making processes but also offers a novel framework for budget allocation and policy prioritisation.

Notably, the integration of factors such as income inequality and environmental considerations results in distinctive outcomes, challenging prevailing well-being assessment methods and potentially altering the hierarchical nation rankings. These insights are expected to prompt a reassessment among researchers and policymakers regarding the conventional metrics of national well-being and the strategic responses required by governments.
The Necessity of Advancing Our Knowledge on Assistive Technologies to Better Support Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Mackenzie Genevieve , Ferrari Julia
Published: February 2025

Individuals with ADHD may benefit from assistive technologies (ATs). ATs include FM systems, MontivAIDR, Time Aids, iSelfControl and Kurzweil. Eligibility for acquiring these ATs is discussed first. The importance of eligibility is highlighted because the review of the literature suggests that these ATs may promote academic success among students with ADHD. Unfortunately, most of the research on the efficacy of ATs is directed at learning disabilities. Consequently, a review of ATs that support students with learning disabilities is provided with the overarching goal to encourage researchers to determine how ATs that support students with learning disabilities may also support students with ADHD. Finally, we discuss the ways in which ATs can maintain their efficacy over time for students with ADHD through the implementation of a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework. Concluding remarks will follow.
A Pelvic Mass in a Young Patient With Crohn's Disease
Authors: Evers Charles D. , Ravindran Aishwarya , Rosenblum Frida , Weber Frederick
Published: February 2025

Castleman disease (CD) is a rare group of lymphoproliferative disorders subdivided based on clinical features. Although not fully understood, the pathogenesis of both CD and Crohn's disease involves a combination of immune dysregulation and infectious and environmental factors. Interleukin-6, a proinflammatory cytokine, is associated with both diseases and can serve as a common therapeutic target in CD. We report a rare case of coexisting unicentric Castleman disease in a young patient with Crohn's disease.
Enhancing Early Childhood Teachers’ Creativity through the Implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum: An Experimental Study in Surakarta
Authors: Wahyuningsih Siti , Rasmani Upik Elok Endang , Winarji Bambang , Nurjanah Novita Eka , Jumiatmoko  , Fitrianingtyas Anjar , Zuhro Nurul Shofiatin
Published: February 2025

Creativity is a crucial skill for early childhood education (ECE) teachers in fostering innovative and adaptive learning environments. The Merdeka Curriculum (Independent Curriculum) in Indonesia provides teachers with the flexibility to design and implement innovative teaching strategies tailored to students’ needs. This study examines the impact of the Merdeka Curriculum on ECE teachers’ creativity using a quantitative experimental method with a One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design. A total of 100 ECE teachers in Surakarta participated in this study. Creativity was assessed before and after three months of curriculum implementation. The results showed a significant increase in teachers’ creativity scores from 49.80 (pretest) to 89.55 (posttest). A paired-samples t-test confirmed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001), and the N-Gain score analysis indicated a high level of effectiveness (0.78). These findings suggest that the Merdeka Curriculum fosters teacher creativity by allowing greater autonomy in instructional design and innovative pedagogical practices. However, challenges such as limited professional training and inadequate resources hinder optimal curriculum implementation. This study contributes to the existing literature on teacher creativity by demonstrating the effectiveness of curriculum flexibility in enhancing instructional innovation. Future research should explore the long-term impacts across different regions and examine policy interventions that support sustainable teacher development in ECE settings.
«Fiducia supplicans» y la homosexualidad: entre la doctrina perenne y una pastoral renovada. Reflexiones a partir del caso peruano
Authors: Lecaros Véronique , Piccone Camere Carlos
Published: February 2025

El artículo analiza la declaración Fiducia supplicans y su impacto en la pastoral de la Iglesia católica desde la perspectiva de misericordia del papa Francisco. Este documento propone una apertura moral-pastoral inclusiva que ha generado diversas reacciones: positivamente valorada en el hemisferio norte, rechazada en el sur global, especialmente en África, e ignorada en países conservadores como el Perú, caso de estudio del artículo. Esta diversidad de respuestas subraya la necesidad de debatir sobre la unidad de la Iglesia y la adaptabilidad de sus normas a distintos contextos culturales. El artículo también explora la relación entre la homosexualidad y ciertas interpretaciones bíblicas, cuestionando la viabilidad de cambios pastorales sin reconsiderar los fundamentos doctrinales. En medio de una crisis de credibilidad moral de la Iglesia, se enfatiza la necesidad de enfrentar la cuestión sexual con honestidad y valentía, argumentando que una reevaluación exegética podría promover un abordaje más coherente de la homosexualidad.
El imaginario biocéntrico: una nueva época para la teología moral
Authors: Giménez Carlos
Published: February 2025

En este artículo se abordan algunos de los más importantes desafíos que la cultura contemporánea presenta para la teología moral. Se comienza por investigar qué supone el «cambio de época» con el que el papa Francisco nos llama a dialogar, descubriendo que —según atestiguan autores de diferentes disciplinas científicas— se trata de un profundo cambio de cosmovisión: es el nacimiento de un nuevo imaginario, el biocéntrico, el tercero en la historia del pensamiento occidental. La teología moral debe adentrarse en él, desplegando sus propias potencialidades y dejando que el Evangelio lo permee y enriquezca. En concreto, es necesario afrontar su reformulación a través de la metáfora absoluta «vida orgánica » y siguiendo los tres principios rectores: el holismo —el todo es superior a la parte—, el dinamismo —todo evoluciona— y la interconexión —todo está conectado. Sólo así podrá responderse a los signos de los tiempos y la teología cumplirá su misión propia.
WHEARTY, Bridget. 2022. Digital Codicology: Medieval Books and Modern Labor.
Authors: Ford Gabriel
Published: February 2025

Review
An Absence Made Present
Authors: Bisschop Peter C.
Published: February 2025

This essay introduces the remarkable correspondence in Sanskrit between the Dutch Indologist J. Ph. Vogel (1871–1958) and the Kashmiri pandit Nityanand Shastri (1874–1942). After presenting two Sanskrit letters from their correspondence together with an annotated English translation, the essay considers several aspects of these letters, both in the light of the Sanskrit epistolary tradition itself and in comparison with those of other cultures. The essay also draws attention to the difference in cultural idiom when Vogel writes in Sanskrit and when he writes to the same correspondent in English.
MODELING OF THE THERMAL REGIME OF VERTICAL ENCLOSING STRUCTURES OF BUILDINGS
Authors:   Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Moscow, Russia, Giyasov A.I. , Anikanova T.V.
Published: February 2025

In the energy audit of the thermal regime of the structural shell of buildings, the study of temperature changes on the sur-face and inside the structure plays a crucial role. This study shows that modern software makes it possible to simulate the behavior of enclosing structures with high accuracy when the climatic parameters of the environment change. The paper considers the influence of changes in outdoor the air temperature from +10 ºC to –50 ºC on heterogeneous vulnerable parts of buildings. By modeling temperature changes at different points on the surface of the fence outside, on the surface inside, and in the thickness of vertical and horizontal structures, a mathematical relationship was established between the outdoor air temperature and the surface temperature of the fence in vulnerable parts (support of the balcony, support of the floor slab, in the corners of the window opening). When the outdoor temperature decreases to –50 °C, the temperatures on the surface and inside the enclosing structure changes according to linear mathematical dependencies. At positive outdoor temperatures, the temperature change of the vertical enclosing structure with a window opening occurs according to a power dependence. For horizontal enclosing elements, it is possible to generalize the dependence of the temperature change. The results give prerequisites for design solutions for vulnerable parts of buildings to improve the thermal protection of enclosing structures.
THE QUALITY CONTROL OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES REINFORCED WITH EXTERNAL COMPOSITE REINFORCEMENT
Authors:   RUDN University, Moscow, Russia, Morozova J.A. , Okolnikova G.E. ,   Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Moscow, Russia
Published: February 2025

This article reviews the quality control (QC) of concrete structures reinforced with external composite reinforcement in the construction of bridges and overpasses. The study presents an overview of various methods of QC of carbon fiber stick-ing to study the application of carbon fiber in the construction industry and the main directions of development. The article considers four non-destructive testing methods that can assess the condition of an external reinforcement system without damaging the structure: ultrasonic flaw detection, pulse-echo, vibration diagnostics, and acoustic emission. To achieve this goal, theoretical methods were applied based on previously published works. The article considers the applicability of external reinforcement systems made of polymer composite as a load-bearing material in bridge structures. The study of the application of carbon fiber materials is based on the analysis of the literature. Basic QC methods can detect defects in composite materials such as delamination, voids, and cracks. The paper considered the applicability of carbon fiber and composites in construction, in particular, as an alternative to traditional structural materials such as steel. Regular use of SVA control methods helps to extend the service life of structures and reduce the risk of emergency situations, which is a key factor for the sustainable development of infrastructure and to ensure public safety.
Microinjection of angiotensin II into zebrafish embryos induces transient dilation and elastin disruption of the dorsal aorta
Authors: Tanifuji Shota , Uchida Keiko , Kawahara Genri , Nakamura Takashi , Iida Saki , Hayashi Yukiko K. , Yokoyama Utako
Published: February 2025

The effects of angiotensin II (AngII) on blood vessel development and remodeling have been extensively investigated in mice and humans. However, its action on the vessels in the zebrafish remains largely unknown. To investigate whether AngII affects vascular morphology in vivo, we administered AngII into the endothelial‐specific transgenic reporter zebrafish (Tg[kdrl:EGFP]) at the 1‐cell stage. The average dorsal aortic diameter of five serial positions was significantly increased by 20% in AngII‐injected zebrafish compared with buffer‐injected controls at 5 days post‐fertilization. Histological studies in AngII‐injected zebrafish at 8 weeks post‐fertilization showed that elastic fiber formation was partly attenuated, with enhanced matrix metalloproteinase‐2 expression in the dorsal aorta without dilation. These results suggest that AngII induced transient aortic expansion in early larvae and may affect vascular elastic fiber formation in adult zebrafish. The use of the AngII‐injected zebrafish model is a potential tool to dissect the mechanisms of disruption of elastic vascular wall formation in the aorta.
Matrix weights and a maximal function with exponent 3/2
Authors: Treil Sergei , Volberg Alexander
Published: February 2025

We build an example of a simple sparse operator for which its norm with scalar A
2 weight has linear estimate in

[

w

]

A

2

${\left[w\right]}_{{A}_{2}}$

, but whose norm in matrix setting grows at least as

[

W

]

A

2

3
/
2

${\left[W\right]}_{{\mathbf{A}}_{2}}^{3/2}$

for specially constructed weights from A
2. We also demonstrate a matrix weighted maximal function with the same estimate from below.
High-efficiency photocathode for green hydrogen generation from sanitation water using bismuthyl chloride/poly-o-chlorobenzeneamine nanocomposite
Authors: Aldosari Eman , Rabia Mohamed , Zhang Qinfang , Mohamed S. H.
Published: February 2025

A high-efficiency photocathode for green hydrogen generation from sanitation water without the use of a sacrificial agent has been fabricated using a bismuthyl chloride/poly-o-chlorobenzeneamine (BiOCl/POCBA) core–shell nanocomposite with the inclusion of additional bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) material. This combination results in a highly promising composite with excellent optical properties. The nanocrystalline size of the composite is evaluated at 15 nm. This nanocomposite exhibits strong photon absorbance across most of the optical spectrum and features a promising bandgap of 2.1 eV. The application of the BiOCl/POCBA photocathode for hydrogen gas generation was tested using a three-electrode cell immersed in sanitation water, which acts as a promising self-sacrificing agent. The study was conducted under various light conditions, with the produced photocurrent measured at 0.016 mA cm−2. The sensitivity of this photocathode was evaluated by testing the current density (J
ph) under different photon energies ranging from 2.3 to 3.6 eV. The produced J
ph varied significantly with these photon energies, from −0.024 to −0.019 mA cm−2, respectively. When the photon energy decreased to 1.7 eV, the produced J
ph reduced to −0.018 mA cm−2. Given its great stability, potential for mass production, and eco-friendly nature, this photocathode is a promising candidate for the industrial-scale production of renewable energy from sanitation water.
Enhanced bioactivity and degradation behavior of zinc via micro-arc anodization for biomedical applications
Authors: Dong Hongzhou , Xu Weize , Virtanen Sannakaisa , Wang Yuxin
Published: February 2025

Zinc-based alloys have attracted increasing interest as absorbable implant metals due to their suitable degradation rate and biocompatibility. However, a high concentration of Zn2+ due to the degradation process results in high cytotoxicity, and low osteogenesis remains a problem. In this work, a compact coating well integrated into the substrate was fabricated on the surface of zinc via micro-arc oxidation (MAO). The coating is mainly composed of ZnO. The addition of phosphate in the coating reinforced the adhesive strength between Zn and the coating. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate a superior corrosion resistance of MAO-P samples as compared to the substrate. Long-term immersion measurements in simulated body fluid indicate that the coating improved the bioactivity of the substrate, which is promising in view of orthopedic applications.
Effect of empagliflozin treatment on laboratory and clinical findings of patients with glycogen storage disease type Ib: first study from Türkiye
Authors: Köse Engin , Özçay Figen , Aydın Halil İbrahim , Kasapkara Çiğdem Seher , İnci Aslı , Küçükcongar Yavaş Aynur , Tümer Leyla , Eminoğlu Fatma Tuba
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Empagliflozin has been used for the treatment of over 100 glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSDIb) patients worldwide since 2019. We aimed to evaluate the effect of empagliflozin treatment on the laboratory and clinical findings of patients with GSDIb in Türkiye.

Methods

Included in this multicenter study were 10 patients with GSDIb, and whose demographic, clinical and laboratory data were analyzed retrospectively. Further data for the study were garnered through a survey of patients and caregivers to evaluate the effects of empagliflozin treatment on quality of life (QoL).

Results

The mean age at which the empagliflozin treatment was started was 73.2 (4–239) months. The mean duration of empagliflozin treatment was 16.9 (8–39) months. Glucosuria was identified in eight (80 %) patients undergoing empagliflozin treatment, while urogenital infections were detected in six (60 %) and hypoglycemia in two (20 %). An analysis of neutrophil levels revealed increased absolute neutrophil counts following empagliflozin treatment. Skin and/or mucosal lesions were noted in nine (90 %) patients prior to the initiation of empagliflozin treatment, but persisted in only one patient following empagliflozin treatment (10 %) (p=0.008). Empagliflozin treatment resulted in a decrease in the frequency of hospitalizations due to infection (p=0.0015). Furthermore, 80 % of the patients reported positive impact on their well-being as a result of the empagliflozin treatment, and 70 % of parents reported improvement in physical performance and activities, in the sleep quality of both the patient and parents, and in mobility.

Conclusions

This study revealed empagliflozin to be effective in improving the neutrophil counts of patients with GSD Ib and in enhancing the QoL of both the patients and their caregivers.
Signs and objects in op-ed articles on loneliness in the US and Singapore newspapers: a semiotic interpretation
Authors: Delante Nimrod L. , Soo Wansing Esther , Toh Lin Lin Audrey
Published: February 2025

Semiotics uncovers signs and objects in narrative accounts and vivid descriptions in the larger body of texts through the power of an interpretant. A sign is an idea that stands for something bigger while an object is a possible interpretation or meaning of that idea. An interpretant is best thought of as the understanding that we have of the sign-object relation. In this study, we attempted to answer two research questions: (1) What signs do descriptive accounts of loneliness signify, and what objects do these significations suggest? (2) How do these sign-object relations accomplish awareness and understanding of loneliness as a deep human emotion? By thematically analysing 30 opinion articles on loneliness published in the US and Singapore newspapers, we were able to decipher the signs that op-ed articles on loneliness suggest, and we seemed to have unravelled the meanings of these signs. We seemed to have found two signs in our interpretation and meaning making: (1) In the US, loneliness exists due to the rapid deterioration of deep and meaningful human connections, and (2) In Singapore, loneliness that is made overt is a sign of human weakness. What object does the first sign suggest? We surmise that our material body has enormous power to connect with other human beings in the physical world in which we live. Fundamentally realizing the power of our lived body and our lived mind can allow us to sustain meaningful human connections that matter to our mental health. For the second sign, we argue that Singaporeans in general tend to create a binary self of which they are ensnared into a double identity that somehow explains who they are. However, this rise of embodying a binary self or a double identity in the Asian context seems to conceal difficult, heavy, and pervasive emotions such as loneliness bringing a debilitating impact on mental health. Theoretical and cultural implications invite Singaporeans to embrace vulnerability and human frailty as a way of dealing with loneliness as a dangerous emotion. Practical implications also draw into the power of embracing vulnerability and human frailty so that individuals can manage and overcome difficult emotions such as loneliness that has bearing on the kind of life they want to live.
Syntheses, crystal structures, and characterizations of two new Zn(ii)/Ni(ii) coordination polymers constructed by N-donor ligands and sulfate-bridge
Authors: Wang Huilin , Li Sai , Zhang Hua , Su Beihao , Wang Xiuyan
Published: February 2025

Two new coordination polymers, {(NH2(CH3)2)2[Zn2(bipy)(SO4)3]}
n
(1) and [Ni(phen)(SO4)(H2O)2]
n
(2) (bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized by using metal sulfate, nitrogen-containing ligands, and different template agents under solvothermal conditions and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. 1 exhibits binuclear units and SO4
2− connect two Zn(ii) ions’ centers. It shows 2D layer structure and further extends into 3D supramolecular framework by N–H⋯S hydrogen bonds. Moreover, 2 possesses a 1D double-chain structure and form 2D layer by hydrogen-bonding interactions. And we further explored the infrared (IR) of 1 and 2 and luminescent properties of 1.
Wettbewerb, Cronyismus und Populismus
Authors: Hesse Nils
Published: February 2025

Das Verhältnis von Populisten zum marktwirtschaftlichen Wettbewerb ist umstritten und ambivalent. Ebenso ambivalent erscheint ihr Verhältnis zu Cronyismus und Klientelismus, gegen die sich Populisten in der Opposition häufig wenden, zu denen sie in Regierungsverantwortung aber oft selbst neigen. Der Beitrag löst diese Ambivalenzen auf, indem er als Triebkraft populistischer Bewegungen ein Aufbegehren gegen die Verquickung von politischer und wirtschaftlicher Macht identifiziert, das jedoch nicht mit einer konsistenten Vorstellung davon verbunden ist, wie politische und wirtschaftliche Macht dauerhaft begrenzt werden kann. Anhand von Beispielen aus der Geschichte des Populismus wird gezeigt, warum Populisten nicht konsequent auf Wettbewerb als Antwort auf Cronyismus setzen und warum eine Wettbewerbsordnung ein geeignetes Mittel ist, um der Entstehung populistischer Bewegungen entgegenzuwirken.