bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lost for more than 85 years—rediscovery of Channa amphibeus (McClelland, 1845), the world’s most elusive snakehead species (Teleostei, Labyrinthici, Channidae)
Authors: PRAVEENRAJ JAYASIMHAN , THACKERAY TEJAS , MOULITHARAN NALLATHAMBI , VIJAYAKRISHNAN BALAJI , NANDA GOURAB KUMAR
Published: January 2025

The Chel Snakehead or Bora Chung, Channa amphibeus, is a large snakehead species endemic to the Himalayan region of India. Channa amphibeus was last recorded from specimens collected in the years between 1918 and 1933 (Shaw & Shebbeare 1938), leading to speculations that it may have gone extinct. Here, we report the re-discovery of the species after more than 85 years, based on three specimens collected in the year 2024, and additional photographic records. We also provide the first live image of C. amphibeus, along with biometric, and genetic data.
Culture and Conflict Management Strategy: The Mediating Role of Instrumental Concerns
Authors: Yamini Sara , Fousiani Kyriaki , Dabiriyan Tehrani Hossein , Wisse Barbara
Published: January 2025

This study investigated the role of individualism and collectivism—as an individual trait—in conflict management strategies (i.e., forcing, problem-solving, avoiding, compromising, and yielding) while also considering the mediating role of instrumental concerns (e.g., self-, mutual-, and other-concerns) in conflict. A time-lagged study (ensuring temporal separation of study measures) was conducted encompassing samples from three different countries. The total sample ( N = 608) comprised 237 Greek (73.4% females, Mage = 37.13, SD = 12.03), 167 Dutch (79% females, Mage = 19.41, SD = 1.86), and 204 U.S. (52.0% females, Mage = 36.68, SD = 11.62) respondents. The results showed that self-instrumental concerns (i.e., concerns about benefits or outcomes directly affecting oneself) mediated the positive relationship between vertical individualism and forcing. Moreover, other-instrumental concerns (i.e., concerns about benefits or outcomes primarily affecting others) mediated the positive relationship between vertical collectivism and yielding. Finally, mutual-instrumental concerns (i.e., concerns about benefits or outcomes that affect both oneself and others) mediated the positive relationship between horizontal collectivism and problem-solving. Emphasizing instrumental concerns as a key mechanism underlying the relationship between cultural orientation on the one hand and conflict management on the contrary can help develop targeted interventions and improve interpersonal communication and collaboration among people with different cultural values.
EXPRESS: Immersive Service: Characteristics, Challenges, and Pathways to Consumer Agency
Authors: Anderson Laurel , von Koskull Catharina , Mende Martin , Gummerus Johanna
Published: January 2025

This research introduces a novel conceptualization of immersive service, defined as service that consumers are embedded in and surrounded by, in the sense that their life experience is within the service and, in great part, constructed by it for some period of time (e.g., hospital stays, residential care, air travel). The authors examine two key questions: How can characteristics of immersive service challenge consumer agency? How do consumers bolster their agency in immersive service? They study these questions through a novel theoretical lens (Figured Worlds Theory) and based on an ethnography in a residential care facility. The analyses unearth, define, and describe four conceptually novel characteristics of immersive service: encapsulation, positionality, multivocality and protocolization. These characteristics are crucial for marketers because, as the authors find, these structural aspects of immersive service can threaten consumer agency. The research also shows how consumers overcome challenges to agency. Specifically, consumers pursue five pathways toward their individual and collective agency: expanding the figured world, voicing, seeking task responsibility, challenging figured world protocols, and playing and imagining within the figured world. These findings break new conceptual ground for scholars, while also being relevant for managers, consistent with ideals of ‘Better Marketing for a Better World’.
Conflict relocation and blood diamond policy shifts
Authors: Saab Andrew
Published: January 2025

There is substantial evidence that various aspects of violent civil conflict are tied to natural resources, of which diamonds are perhaps the most notorious. While the presence of resources themselves has been given substantial attention, existing works have overlooked a key issue: substitute resources. This article focuses on the geographic distribution of violent conflict relative to natural resource sites as a provider of information on the geostrategic organization and extraction behaviors of insurgents. Using the rise of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, a multilateral regime aimed at regulating the illicit diamond trade, and accounting for the presence of potential substitute resources, empirical evidence indicates that the regulations disrupted and delocalized conflicts away from diamond sites. Moreover, the geography of violent conflict shifted and relocated toward substitute resources such as tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold. These findings suggest that such policy efforts may have adverse unintended consequences on the structure of violent conflict and the expansion of other black markets as a byproduct of regulation-induced changes in extraction incentives.
Influence of printing orientation on properties of 3D-printed parts produced by polymer jetting technology
Authors: Bellamkonda Prasanna Nagasai , Dwivedy Maheshwar
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the impact of printing orientation on the mechanical properties and surface characteristics of parts produced using VeroWhitePlus RGD835 polymer material in a layer-based Polymer Jetting Technology process. Tensile, hardness, and surface roughness tests were conducted to evaluate the influence of different printing orientations on the properties of the printed samples. The results show that printing orientation significantly affects both the mechanical strength and surface roughness of the parts. Specifically, samples printed in the XZ, YZ, and vertical orientations exhibited 20–30% higher tensile strength and 15–25% greater hardness compared to those printed in XY and other orientations. Surface roughness values varied by up to 10 µm across orientations but did not directly correlate with tensile strength and hardness, suggesting a complex interaction between orientation, layer bonding, and material properties. This anisotropic behavior is attributed to the non-uniform absorption of light energy during the jetting process, which causes varying layer bonding and material density across different regions of the printed parts. Additionally, areas with higher energy absorption, such as the edges of layers, exhibited smoother surfaces and enhanced mechanical properties, while regions with lower energy absorption showed rougher surfaces and reduced strength. Fracture surface analysis revealed brittle fracture characteristics with localized pressures and voids between layers, weakening the material’s ability to withstand deformation. These findings provide valuable insights into the optimization of Polymer Jetting Technology processes, particularly in selecting printing orientations and adjusting process parameters such as light exposure intensity, to improve mechanical performance and surface quality.
Rethinking utopias through Hannah Arendt: Youth climate activism and the politics of possibility
Authors: Firinci Orman Turkan
Published: January 2025

This article presents a reflective analysis that utilizes Hannah Arendt’s concepts to rethink utopias, examining how youth climate activism embodies her ideas of freedom and public action. It proposes viewing utopias as spaces for ongoing political engagement rather than as fixed visions of a perfect society. Grounded in Arendt’s critique of totalitarianism, the study highlights how young activists respond to the climate crisis through collective actions that express political freedom. By focusing on the youth climate movement, the article presents activism as a resilient alternative to rigid solutions, fostering new possibilities for justice and environmental change. Arendt’s concept of natality – representing new beginnings – connects with the hope-driven nature of youth movements that reimagine the future through collective action. Ultimately, it argues that, in an Arendtian sense, youth activism cultivates conditions for freedom and transformation in the present rather than merely pursuing a distant utopia.
Effects of a home-based pelvic floor muscle training with and without action and cue observation on urinary incontinence after prostatectomy: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Russo Filippo , Temporiti Federico , Cifoletti Damiana , Benaglia Elisabetta , Franzini Claudia , Fasulo Vittorio , Paciotti Marco , Buffi Nicolò Maria , Gatti Roberto
Published: January 2025

Objective

To investigate the effects of a home-based pelvic floor muscle training with and without action and cue observation on urinary incontinence after prostatectomy.

Design

Two-armed single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Setting

Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy.

Participants

Ninety-two participants with age between 40 and 80 years and urinary incontinence after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.

Intervention

Participants were randomized into an action and cue observation ( n = 46) or control ( n = 46) group undergoing an 8-week home-based pelvic floor muscle training. Action and cue observation group observed video clips showing exercises synchronized with a visual cue indicating the correct pelvic floor muscle activation timing and imitated the observed tasks. Control group observed landscape video clips and performed the same exercises of experimental group.

Main measures

A blinded physiotherapist assessed participants for urinary leakages (24-h pad test), symptom severity (International Prostate Symptoms Score and International Prostate Symptoms Score - Quality of Life), quality of life (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form), and erectile dysfunction (International Index of Erectile Function) before and after the training.

Results

All participants improved urinary leakages, symptom severity, and quality of life after training. Action and cue observation group revealed significantly larger improvements in 24-h pad test (mean difference: 106.1 g, 95% CI: 13.4 g, 199.1 g, p = .037) than control group.

Conclusions

Home-based pelvic floor muscle training with action and cue observation led to larger improvements in urinary continence compared to the same training without action and cue observation after prostatectomy.
Patient outcomes and health care resource utilization in acute pancreatitis-related central nervous system complications: insights from a national cohort study
Authors: Shahzil Muhammad , Chaudhary Ammad Javaid , Javaid Saad , Moond Vishali , Tepe Gokturk , Faisal Muhammad Saad , Khaqan Muhammad Ali , Kutait Anas
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Central nervous system complications of acute pancreatitis (AP) can result in cerebral edema (CE). We assessed the risk of serious outcomes and health care features associated with CE in patients hospitalized with AP.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample database. Patients were divided into the AP-CE group that developed CE and the AP-only group that did not. Outcome data were analyzed using Stata software.

Results

Among 543,464 patients hospitalized with AP, 220 (0.04%) developed CE. In multivariate analysis, primary outcomes included increased length of hospital stay (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 10.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50–19.70), hospital charges (aOR USD 208,713; 95% CI 27,095–390,330), and risk of death (aOR 17.17; 95% CI 5.88–50.07) in the AP-CE group. Secondary outcomes showed patients with AP-CE had a significantly increased risk of serious complications, particularly cardiac arrest (aOR 64.24; 95% CI 24.27–170.02), and higher hospital resource utilization.

Conclusion

Patients with AP who develop CE face worse outcomes, including increased mortality risk, prolonged hospital stay, and greater resource utilization. Timely identification and effective management of CE in AP may reduce mortality and ease the health care burden associated with this neurological complication.
Associations of Traumatic Brain Injury and Mild Behavioral Impairment With Cognitive Function and Dementia
Authors: Richey Lisa N. , Daneshvari Nicholas O. , Young Lisa , Bray Michael J. C. , Gottesman Rebecca F. , Mosley Thomas , Walker Keenan A. , Schneider Andrea L. C. , Peters Matthew E.
Published: January 2025

Objective

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) may contribute additional complexity to the clinical picture of mild behavioral impairment (MBI). MBI, a behavioral analog to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), is comprised of five neuropsychiatric domains: decreased motivation, affective dysregulation, impulse dyscontrol, social inappropriateness, and abnormal perception/thought content. We investigated (1) if cross-sectional associations of cognitive status with MBI symptoms differ by TBI status and (2) if prospective associations of MBI domain positivity with incident dementia risk differ by TBI status.

Methods

2246 participants without dementia from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study were included (mean age = 75.6 years, 59.0% female). TBI was defined by self-report/ICD-9/10 codes, MBI via an established algorithm based on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, and baseline cognitive status/incident dementia using neuropsychological tests, informant interviews, and hospital/death certificate codes.

Results

Cross-sectionally, although MCI status was associated with greater odds of MBI, this did not differ based on TBI status (MCI with TBI: OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.44-2.88, MCI without TBI: OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.20-2.14). Individuals with MCI (with or without TBI) were more likely to have decreased motivation, affective dysregulation, and impulse dyscontrol. Prospectively, positivity in 1+ MBI domains was associated with increased risk of incident dementia, not differing by TBI status (no TBI and MBI: HR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.55-2.99, TBI and MBI: HR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.81-3.80).

Conclusions

Neither cross-sectional associations between cognitive status and MBI domain positivity nor prospective associations of MBI domain positivity with incident dementia risk differed by TBI status. How TBI may relate to neuropsychiatric symptomatology in the context of neurodegenerative processes requires further clarification.
Investigating the role of IL-6 in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus: Insights from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Zhang Zhiwen , Zhu Silang , Li Qian , Wei Shanshan , Yin Li , Zhu Junhao , Yang Shan , Zhang Wenjing , Lai Kuan
Published: January 2025

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a common autoimmune disease. Studies have suggested that defective stem cells could be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus, which leads to changes in the function of immune cells. By observing the cell morphology, autophagy, and senescence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from lupus mice and normal controls, this study investigated the role of IL-6 in autophagy and senescence of BMSCs and explored relevant mechanisms.

Method

Female MRL/lpr and C57 mice with similar weights and sizes at 20–22 weeks old were selected. BMSCs were isolated using the whole bone marrow adherent method. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, β-galactosidase staining, western blotting, and ELISA were used to detect autophagy and senescence.

Result

Compared with BMSCs from normal mice, BMSCs from lupus mice exhibited low autophagy and premature senescence with a senescence-associated secretory phenotype. The addition of exogenous IL-6 increased the protein levels of p-STAT3 and Bcl-2, and in the IL-6-treated group, the premature senescence of cells increased and autophagy decreased.

Conclusion

The biological functions of BMSCs from MRL/lpr lupus mice were impaired. IL-6 prevents autophagy and subsequently promotes the senescence of BMSCs by activating the IL-6/STAT3 pathway.
Revisit the First 60 Days of COVID-19: Assessment of the Global Healthcare Systems using Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Ngo Thanh , Nguyen Duc Khuong , Vo Dinh-Tri
Published: January 2025

The ongoing pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has exploded and raised important questions on the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare systems around the world to provide guidance for appropriate policy responses. While it is important to look at the current (and future) situation, it is also needed to look back into the past, especially at the first few months of the pandemic. This study re-examines the efficiency of healthcare systems around the world against the outbreak of COVID-19 in its first 62 days (23 January 2020–25 March 2020) to see if the examined countries were well prepared and well reacted to the pandemic. Results from a data envelopment analysis evaluation indicated that the global healthcare systems experienced a very low efficiency on average. Besides the absence of a coronavirus vaccine at that time, this low efficiency is typically linked to the operational scale of the healthcare systems, suggesting that countries could tightly rationalise their healthcare resources/inputs to improve the technical efficiency of their healthcare systems.
EXPRESS: Toward a Fairness-Aware Scoring System for Algorithmic Decision-Making
Authors: Yang Yi , Wu Ying , Chang Xiangyu , Li Mei , Tan Yong
Published: January 2025

Scoring systems, as a type of predictive model, have significant advantages in interpretability and transparency and facilitate quick decision-making. As such, scoring systems have been extensively used in a wide variety of industries, such as healthcare and criminal justice. However, the fairness issues in these models have long been criticized, and the use of big data and ML algorithms in the construction of scoring systems heightens this concern. This paper proposes a general framework to create fairness-aware, data-driven scoring systems. First, we develop a social welfare function that incorporates both efficiency and group fairness. Then, we transform the social welfare maximization problem into the risk minimization task in machine learning, and derive a fairness-aware scoring system with the help of mixed integer programming. Lastly, several theoretical bounds are derived for providing parameter selection suggestions. Our proposed framework provides a suitable solution to address group fairness concerns in developing scoring systems. It enables policymakers to set and customize their desired fairness requirements as well as other application-specific constraints. We test the proposed algorithm with several empirical data sets. Experimental evidence supports the effectiveness of the proposed scoring system in achieving the optimal welfare of stakeholders and in balancing the needs for interpretability, fairness, and efficiency.
Household Solid Fuel Use and Associated Factors in Somaliland: A Multilevel Analysis of Data From 2020 Somaliland Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Ali Mustafe Abdillahi , Abokor Abdirizak Hassan , Adam Farih Omer , Abdikarim Hodo , Yousuf Abdirashid M , Muse Abdisalam Hassan
Published: January 2025

This study, utilizing data from the 2020 Somaliland Demographic and Health Survey, investigates the prevalence of household solid fuel use in Somaliland and the factors associated with this practice. Our analysis reveals that a staggering 97.2% of households rely on solid fuels like wood and charcoal for cooking, with only 2.8% utilizing clean energy sources. We employed multilevel logistic regression to examine the influence of individual and community-level variables on fuel choice. Results highlight the significant roles of education level, gender of the household head, wealth status, and location of cooking in shaping fuel selection. The study, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, emphasizes the urgency of promoting clean energy alternatives, improving cooking practices, and addressing the health and environmental impacts of solid fuel usage to foster a more sustainable energy landscape in Somaliland.
A dynamic weighted joint distribution domain adaptation network for cross-machine fault diagnosis of rolling bearings
Authors: Chang Qi , Fang Congcong , Fan Longqing , Zhou Wei , Meng Xianghui
Published: January 2025

Rolling bearings are fundamental components in machinery, and precise fault diagnosis is critical for assessing the overall reliability of mechanical systems. In cross-domain fault diagnosis, domain drift presents a primary challenge, often leading to performance degradation or model failure, particularly under cross-machine conditions characterized by pronounced distributional discrepancies. This study introduces an innovative framework for cross-machine fault diagnosis, termed the dynamical joint distribution domain adaptation (DJDA) network. In the DJDA framework, a dynamic weighting mechanism is employed to adaptively and quantitatively adjust both overall alignment and individual class discrimination between domains, while simultaneously learning marginal and conditional feature distributions. The multilayer-multiple universal-order moment matching technique is utilized to enhance global distribution alignment between domains, while multiclassifier-assisted adversarial domain adaptation (multiclassifier-GADA) automatically mitigates class discrepancies. Extensive experiments reveal that the proposed framework significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods and demonstrates promising potential for application in industrial contexts.
Five Misconceptions About Interview Modes or: How to Improve Our Thinking About Face-to-Face Versus Remote Interviewing
Authors: Johannessen Lars E. F. , Rasmussen Erik Børve , Haldar Marit
Published: January 2025

New technology brings new methodological opportunities. While long limited to face-to-face interviewing, today’s interview researchers can choose from a plethora of options, including email, instant messaging, telephone, and video interviews. Consequently, the issue of interview modes and their relative strengths and weaknesses has received increased attention. In this article, we take stock of existing writings on interview modes in qualitative interview research. Drawing on key insights from more general theorizing about face-to-face and remote interaction, we identify and challenge five key assumptions in writings about interview modes: (1) that physical copresence ensures more and better data; (2) that interview modes have determinate effects on interaction; (3) that remote interviewing should seek to replicate face-to-face interviewing; (4) that interviews modes should be held constant within each study; and (5) that face-to-face interviewing is unmediated. We counter each assumption with a series of more productive methodological principles and advance instead a view we call interview mode pluralism, which offers a more nuanced and relational understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different interview modes. The article thus helps increase the methodological literacy of those conducting and evaluating qualitative interview research, enhancing the likelihood that researchers select those tools best suited for their tasks, and reducing the chance that evaluators dismiss research based on their methodological prejudice.
From Auschwitz to the West Indies: The impact of Holocaust memory on Thorkild Hansen’s “slave trilogy”
Authors: Slettebø Thomas Ewen Daltveit , Hagen Fredrik Stenhjem
Published: January 2025

In 1971, the Danish author Thorkild Hansen was awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize for his trilogy of books exploring Danish colonialism and slave trade. Hansen’s books were the first widely read and critically acclaimed accounts of Denmark’s history of slavery. Hansen started writing the books after a visit to Auschwitz in 1965. In this article, we explore the genesis of these books, and the impact of holocaust memory on Hansen’s narrative of slavery in the Danish West Indies. We argue that the trilogy’s portrayal of slavery can be understood by employing the framework of multidirectional memory, particularly the idea of anachronistic aesthetics.
Low rate of healing and high incidence of complications in benign pediatric bone tumors treated with synthetic calcium sulfate–calcium phosphate bone graft
Authors: Siddiqui Ali A , Andras Lindsay M , Myers Annika Y , Fan Bensen B , Bennett James , Illingworth Kenneth D , Skaggs David L , Tolo Vernon T
Published: January 2025

Background:

Synthetic calcium sulfate–calcium phosphate bioceramic composite has been developed as a material for bone grafting; however, the literature is limited on outcomes of benign bone tumors treated with bone grafting. This study aims to investigate the outcomes of benign pediatric bone tumors treated with a calcium sulfate–calcium phosphate composite bone graft.

Methods:

A retrospective review at a tertiary pediatric hospital with benign bone tumors treated with curettage and bone grafting with a calcium sulfate–calcium phosphate synthetic bone graft from 2008–2018 was included. Minimum follow-up was 6 months.

Results:

Twenty-seven patients met inclusion criteria with a mean age of 10.3 ± 4.5 years and follow-up was 37.2 ± 22.3 months. Diagnoses were unicameral bone cysts ( n = 16) and aneurysmal bone cysts ( n = 11). Pathologic fracture was present in 48% (13/27) of patients on admission. All patients were treated using synthetic bone grafts and 37% (10/27) with internal fixation. Following index treatment, 96% (26/27) had resolution of pain and returned to full activity at 13.4 ± 10.7 weeks. Complications occurred in 33% (9/27) of patients; one developed chronic hip pain resulting in decreased physical activity, seven had a tumor recurrence without fracture, and one had tumor recurrence with pathologic fracture. Revision surgery was required in 26% (7/27) of cases. Per the modified Neer outcomes rating system, 52% of patients had a healed bone lesion, 4% had a healing lesion with a bone defect, and 44% had a persistent/recurrent cyst.

Conclusions:

Children with benign bone tumors treated with curettage and bone grafting using a calcium sulfate–calcium phosphate composite had a high incidence of complications and revision surgery.

Level of evidence:

IV.
Interest, uptake, and feasibility trial of a real-life digital health intervention to improve lifestyle in Brazil
Authors: De Boni Raquel B , Mota Jurema C , Duncan Michael , Linconl Leonardo , Costa Giovanna Lucieri Alonso , Pimentel Sofia , Sales Kamila P , Gaspar Fabiana , Adaes Fernanda , Schuch Felipe B , Balanzá-Martinez Vicent , Kapczinski Flavio , Lima Renato S
Published: January 2025

Objective

Promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors is essential for preventing and managing chronic and mental health conditions. This study aims to present a digital health platform accessible via PC or smartphone, VIVA!, designed to foster lifestyle change among the Brazilian population. It evaluates interest, uptake, acceptability, usability, adherence, and retention over 12 weeks.

Methods

A fully online feasibility trial was conducted from April to December 2023. Participants were adults who lived in Rio de Janeiro and reported using the Brazilian Public Health System. Interest in VIVA! and uptake were assessed via recruitment metrics. Acceptability and usability were measured using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Adherence was calculated as the percentage of completed challenges over 12 weeks, and retention was tracked at 4, 8, and 12 weeks.

Results

Of 3812 individuals reached, 27.2% expressed interest in the app, with an uptake rate of 65.4%. A total of 401 participants were enrolled, predominantly women (73.3%) with higher education (61.6%). MARS acceptability scores were 2.9 for quality and 3.5 for specificity. Usability scores averaged around 3, with aesthetics rated the highest. Retention at 12 weeks was 4.5%, and the average adherence rate was 11.2%.

Conclusion

The VIVA! attracted women and highly-educated individuals, but its effectiveness was constrained by high attrition. These findings highlight key challenges in DHI implementation, including the need for robust outreach, iterative improvements, and strategies to sustain engagement. Addressing digital access, literacy inequities, and strengthening regulations are critical for the future success and equity of DHIs in public health systems.

Trial registration

The trial was registered at the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos -REBEC)—number RBR-2ssyb6q.
The Banning of Engineered Stone in Australia: An Evidence-Based and Precautionary Policy
Authors: Cavalin Catherine , Menéndez-Navarro Alfredo , Lescoat Alain
Published: January 2025

On December 13, 2023, Australia became the first country to ban engineered stone. This material contains more than 80 percent crystalline silica, agglomerated with resins, metal oxides and other (potentially toxic) substances. Engineered stone has become a mass-market product since the late 1990s and has contributed to a worldwide resurgence of accelerated forms of silicosis and a notable incidence of systemic diseases. Such a ban is a very rare event in a world where the regulatory framework governing the use of toxic substances in the workplace is generally limited to setting exposure limits. The Australian decision is exemplary in many respects: it is based on public consultation with all stakeholders, it contributes to updating biomedical knowledge that industries seek to conceal or undermine, and it is based on a realistic vision of real working conditions. In the absence of any evidence that lowering the silica content of this material would reduce occupational hazards related to toxic cocktail effects, this ban implements an evidence-based and precautionary public health policy.
Impact of Vein-to-vein Time in Patients With R/R LBCL Treated With Axicabtagene Ciloleucel
Authors: Locke Frederick L , Siddiqi Tanya , Jacobson Caron A. , Nikiforow Sarah , Ahmed Sairah , Miklos David B , Lin Yi , Lunning Matthew A , Hill Brian T. , Ghobadi Armin , Hu Zhen-Huan , Hemmer Michael T. , Zoratti Michael J , Vunnum Suresh , Tsang Jonathan , Spooner Clare , Smith Harry , Fu Christine , Patel Anik R , Miao Harry , Shahani Shilpa A. , Mirjah Debbie L. , Xu Hairong , Pasquini Marcelo C.
Published: January 2025

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell products axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel), and lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) are approved for relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma (R/R LBCL). Emerging evidence indicates that delayed CAR T-cell infusion, including prolonged time from leukapheresis to infusion, known as vein-to-vein time (V2Vt), may adversely impact clinical outcomes. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) and meta-analysis to identify differences in V2Vt in patients with R/R LBCL treated with axi-cel, tisa-cel, or liso-cel. The impact of V2Vt (<28 days versus 28 to <40 days versus 40+ days) on effectiveness and safety outcomes was evaluated in patients treated with axi-cel enrolled in a post-authorization safety study using the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research data. SLR and meta-analysis showed that patients treated with axi-cel had the shortest median V2Vt (30.6 days) compared with tisa-cel (48.4 days) or liso-cel (35.9 days). Real-world analysis of patients treated with axi-cel demonstrated that V2Vt 40+ days was associated with significantly lower complete response rate compared with V2Vt <28 days (odds ratio [OR] 0.61) or 28 to <40 days (OR 0.66) and significantly worse overall survival compared with V2Vt <28 days (hazard ratio [HR] 1.33) or 28 to <40 days (HR 1.36). Higher prolonged thrombocytopenia rates were observed in patients with axi-cel V2Vt 28 to <40 days or 40+ days compared with <28 days (OR 1.44 or 1.95, respectively). Together, these results show the impact of V2Vt on patient outcomes with axi-cel therapy and that earlier infusion with CD19-CAR therapies may be beneficial.
A Model of Zymogen Factor XII: Insights into Protease Activation
Authors: Shamanaev Aleksandr , Ma Yujie , Ponczek Michal B. , Sun Mao-fu , Cheng Qiufang , Dickeson S. Kent , McCarty Owen J.T. , Emsley Jonas , Mohammed Bassem M. , Gailani David
Published: January 2025

In plasma, the zymogens factor XII (FXII) and prekallikrein reciprocally convert each other to the proteases FXIIa and plasma kallikrein (PKa). PKa cleaves high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK) to release bradykinin, which contributes to regulation of blood vessel tone and permeability. Plasma FXII is normally in a "closed" conformation that limits activation by PKa. When FXII binds to a surface during contact activation it assumes an "open" conformation that increases the rate of activation by PKa. Mutations in FXII that disrupt the closed conformation have been identified in patients with conditions associated with excessive bradykinin formation. Using FXII structures predicted by AlphaFold, we generated models for the closed form of human FXII that we tested with site-directed mutagenesis. The best model predicts multiple interactions between the fibronectin type 2, kringle and catalytic domains involving highly conserved amino acids that restrict access to the FXII activation cleavage sites. Based on the model, we expressed FXII with single amino acid substitutions and studied their effects on FXII activation by PKa. Replacements for Arg36 in the fibronectin type 2 domain; Glu225, Asp253 or Trp268 in the kringle domain, or Lys346 near the activation cleavage site were activated >10-fold faster by PKa than wild type FXII. Adding these proteins to plasma resulted in rapid HK cleavage due to markedly enhanced reciprocal activation with PK. The results support a model that explains the behavior of FXII in solution. Conformational changes involving the identified amino acids likely occur when FXII binds to a surface to facilitate activation.
Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis reveals turnip mosaic virus infection and its aphid vector Myzus persicae cause large changes in gene regulatory networks and co-transcription of alternative spliced mRNAs in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Herath Venura , Casteel Clare L. , Verchot Jeanmarie
Published: January 2025

Background

Virus infection and herbivory can alter the expression of stress-responsive genes in plants. This study employed high-throughput transcriptomic and alternative splicing analysis to understand the separate and combined impacts on host gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana by Myzus persicae (green peach aphid), and turnip mosaic virus (TuMV).

Results

By investigating changes in transcript abundance, the data shows that aphids feeding on virus infected plants intensify the number of differentially expressed stress responsive genes compared to challenge by individual stressors. This study presents evidence that the combination of virus-vector-host interactions induces significant changes in hormone and secondary metabolite biosynthesis, as well as downstream factors involved in feedback loops within hormone signaling pathways. This study also shows that gene expressions are regulated through alternative pre-mRNA splicing and the use of alternative transcription start and termination sites.

Conclusions

These combined data suggest that complex genetic changes occur as plants adapt to the combined challenges posed by aphids and the viruses they vector. This study also provides more advanced analyses that could be used in the future to dissect the genetic mechanisms mediating tripartite interactions and inform future breeding programs.
Radioresistance in rectal cancer: can nanoparticles turn the tide?
Authors: Coelho Diogo , Estêvão Diogo , Oliveira Maria José , Sarmento Bruno
Published: January 2025

Rectal cancer accounts for over 35% of the worldwide colorectal cancer burden representing a distinctive subset of cancers from those arising in the colon. Colorectal cancers exhibit a continuum of traits that differ with their location in the large intestine. Due to anatomical and molecular differences, rectal cancer is treated differently from colon cancer, with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy playing a pivotal role in the control of the locally advanced disease. However, radioresistance remains a major obstacle often correlated with poor prognosis. Multifunctional nanomedicines offer a promising approach to improve radiotherapy response rates, as well as to increase the intratumoral concentration of chemotherapeutic agents, such as 5-Fluorouracil. Here, we revise the main molecular differences between rectal and colon tumors, exploring the complex orchestration beyond rectal cancer radioresistance and the most promising nanomedicines reported in the literature to improve neoadjuvant therapy response rates.

Graphical Abstract
Association of pre- and post-diagnosis dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) with overall survival in patients with ovarian cancer: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Wang Dong-Dong , Jia Ming-Qian , Xu He-Li , Li Yu , Liu Jia-Xin , Liu Jia-Cheng , Sun Jia-Nan , Cao Fan , Wu Lang , Liu Fang-Hua , Li Yi-Zi , Wei Yi-Fan , Li Xiao-Ying , Xiao Qian , Gao Song , Huang Dong-Hui , Zhang Tao , Gong Ting-Ting , Wu Qi-Jun
Published: January 2025

Background

The evidence on the relationship of dietary antioxidant nutrients with the survival of ovarian cancer (OC) remains scarce.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate these associations in a prospective cohort of Chinese patients with OC.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, patients with epithelial OC completed a food frequency questionnaire at diagnosis and 12 months post-diagnosis, and were followed from 2015 to 2023. Dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) were calculated based on specific antioxidant nutrients. We examined the associations of pre-diagnosis, post-diagnosis, and changes from pre-diagnosis to post-diagnosis in TAC, CDAI, and representative antioxidant nutrients with overall survival (OS) among patients with OC. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models were applied to calculate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Dose–response relationships were evaluated by restricted cubic splines.

Results

Among the total 560 patients with OC, there were 211 (37.68%) deaths during a median follow-up of 44.40 (interquartile range: 26.97–61.37) months. High pre-diagnosis TAC (HR = 0.58; 95% CI 0.38–0.8) and vitamin C intake (HRT3 vs. T1 = 0.36; 95% CI 0.21–0.61), and post-diagnosis TAC (HR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.37–0.8), CDAI (HR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.33–0.9), and β-carotene intake (HRT3 vs. T1 = 0.55; 95% CI 0.32–0.97) were significantly associated with improved OS. Compared to patients with constantly low pre- and post-diagnosis TAC and CDAI, those with consistently higher TAC (HRMedium-Medium vs. Low-Low = 0.53; 95% CI 0.29–0.97; HRHigh-High vs. Low-Low = 0.40; 95% CI 0.16–0.94) and CDAI (HRHigh-High vs. Low-Low = 0.33; 95% CI 0.12–0.88) experienced better OS.

Conclusion

High pre- and post-diagnosis TAC, and post-diagnosis CDAI were associated with improved OC survival, suggesting that consistent high-intake of antioxidant-rich food may be beneficial for the prognosis of OC.
KaRhab: an international online registry for cardiac rhabdomyomas
Authors: Herrmann Vera-Maria , Arelin Maria , Bergner Caroline G. , Herrmann Julia , Janz Paula , Kiep Henriette , Mueller Annika , Syrbe Steffen , Wagner Robert , Wannenmacher Bardo , Wolf Nadine , Weidenbach Michael , Strehlow Vincent
Published: January 2025

Background

Cardiac rhabdomyoma (RHM) is considered one of the most frequent benign heart tumors in children. However, encounters with cardiac RHM in clinical practice remain rare. Clinical information is primarily available in the form of single case reports or smaller studies with a shortage of large-scale reviews encompassing a substantial number of cases.

Results

In order to congregate existing and future information on cardiac RHM we established a web-based cardiac RHM online registry using an online survey tool. In addition we integrated previously published data from individual case reports and case series. The evaluation of this paper is intended to provide a brief overview of the cohort that we have been able to include so far. Our findings mainly confirm the previous knowledge on cardiac RHM. At the same time, our cohort shows a clear heterogeneity in the treatment methods with regard to rhabdomyomas requiring therapy and revealed a bias between literature data and our registry data with regard to symptoms and need for therapy.

Conclusion

In the view of the heterogeneity of treatment methods, a systematic overview of cardiac RHM is all the more important, especially as specific drug treatment options now exist. The registry should not just provide a comprehensive and informative overview of causes, time course, symptoms and therapeutic options of cardiac RHM but also facilitate information sharing among clinicians and researchers and serve as a basis for future clinical and pharmacological studies.
Development and experimental validation of a machine learning model for the prediction of new antimalarials
Authors: Kore Mukul , Acharya Dimple , Sharma Lakshya , Vembar Shruthi Sridhar , Sundriyal Sandeep
Published: January 2025

A large set of antimalarial molecules (N ~ 15k) was employed from ChEMBL to build a robust random forest (RF) model for the prediction of antiplasmodial activity. Rather than depending on high throughput screening (HTS) data, molecules tested at multiple doses against blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum were used for model development. The open-access and code-free KNIME platform was used to develop a workflow to train the model on 80% of data (N ~ 12k). The hyperparameter values were optimized to achieve the highest predictive accuracy with nine different molecular fingerprints (MFPs), among which Avalon MFPs (referred to as RF-1) provided the best results. RF-1 displayed 91.7% accuracy, 93.5% precision, 88.4% sensitivity and 97.3% area under the Receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) for the remaining 20% test set. The predictive performance of RF-1 was comparable to that of the malaria inhibitor prediction platform (MAIP), a recently reported consensus model based on a large proprietary dataset. However, hits obtained from RF-1 and MAIP from a commercial library did not overlap, suggesting that these two models are complementary. Finally, RF-1 was used to screen small molecules under clinical investigations for repurposing. Six molecules were purchased, out of which two human kinase inhibitors were identified to have single-digit micromolar antiplasmodial activity. One of the hits (compound 1) was a potent inhibitor of β-hematin, suggesting the involvement of parasite hemozoin (Hz) synthesis in the parasiticidal effect. The training and test sets are provided as supplementary information, allowing others to reproduce this work.
The effects of aerobic exercise on goal-directed attention and inhibitory control in individuals with high trait anxiety: an EEG study
Authors: He Mengyang , Guo Jinxia , Yu Shunyao , Lian Hao , Zhan Ruijie , Luo Rongrong , Shi Zhifei , Zhuang Zhidong , Cai Wenpeng
Published: January 2025

Anxiety is known to significantly impair cognitive function, particularly attentional control. While exercise has been demonstrated to alleviate these cognitive deficits, the precise neural mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. This study examines the effects of exercise on attentional control in individuals with high trait anxiety, based on attentional control theory, which suggests that such individuals have reduced top-down attention. Thirty-eight participants were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or a reading group. The exercise group engaged in 30 min of moderate-intensity cycling, while the reading group spent 30 min reading quietly. In Experiment 1, goal-directed attention was assessed using a cue-object paradigm, and in Experiment 2, inhibitory control was evaluated through a visual search task. EEG data indicated that the exercise group exhibited significantly larger Pd components in both experiments, suggesting enhanced attentional focus and improved inhibition of distractors. These findings suggest that aerobic exercise enhances top-down attentional processes, particularly goal-directed attention and distractor inhibition, offering potential as an intervention for individuals with high trait anxiety.
Enhanced high-energy proton radiation hardness of ZnO thin-film transistors with a passivation layer
Authors: Lee Yongsu , Lee Hae-Won , Kim Su Jin , Park Jeong Min , Lee Byoung Hun , Kang Chang Goo
Published: January 2025

Metal-oxide thin-film semiconductors have been highlighted as next-generation space semiconductors owing to their excellent radiation hardness based on their dimensional advantages of very low thickness and insensitivity to crystal structure. However, thin-film transistors (TFTs) do not exhibit intrinsic radiation hardness owing to the chemical reactions at the interface exposed to ambient air. In this study, significantly enhanced radiation hardness of Al2O3-passivated ZnO TFTs against high-energy protons with energies of up to 100 MeV is obtained owing to the passivation layer blocking interactions with external reactants, thereby maintaining the chemical stability of the thin-film semiconductor. These results highlight the potential of passivated metal-oxide thin films for developing reliable radiation-hardened semiconductor devices that can be used in harsh space environments. In addition, the relationship between low-frequency noise and defects due to oxygen vacancies was revealed, which can be utilized to improve device reliability.
Complexity of near-surface deformation and subsurface structure of the Chihshang creeping fault-line scarp, eastern Taiwan: insights from integration of geological and geophysical data
Authors: Huang W. J. , Fitrianto M. T. , Chen C. C. , Chang P. Y. , Yen I. C. , Le Béon M. , Lu S. T.
Published: January 2025

The precise position and geometry of a fault and the recognition of contemporary active strands are pivotal elements for formulating regulations for earthquake fault zones and fault setbacks. The western frontal escarpment toe of the Coastal Range in Tapo, eastern Taiwan is commonly considered as the plausible location of the N18°E-trending, east-dipping Chihshang creeping seismogenic fault. Frontal collapse and flattening of reverse faulting, in addition to fluviation and landslide have complicated the process for defining the Chihshang fault configuration. We used a multidisciplinary approach, combining site investigation, geological core analysis and correlation, resistivity prospecting, and inclinometer monitoring, to illuminate the subsurface structure and deformation of the leading edge of the Chihshang fault at Tapo Elementary School. We found that (1) the Chihshang main fault is a contact of alluvium deposits and the mudstone of Lichi mélange, and has a dip angle of approximately 77° within the resistivity gradation zone 55 m east of the toe of the geomorphic escarpment; (2) it has a 2-year cumulative horizontal displacement of 20.7 mm northwestward and continuously creeps without seasonal variation; and (3) the active deformation on the escarpment results from a combined effect of fault creeping and slow gravity sliding of the mass which is steadily supplied by the Chihshang reserve faulting. A mechanism of faulting-relay landsliding is proposed to understand the active deformation on the escarpment. Great caution is needed in the interpretation of the aseismic surface ruptures along the inferred trace of reverse creeping faults as fault branching.

Graphical Abstract