bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adolescents abroad and bullying
Authors: Ferry-Meystre Murielle
Published: February 2025

This article draws on a larger research project investigating Swiss adolescents’ study abroad (SA) experiences and
offers a detailed case study centered on the social integration of a 16-year-old student, Lily, during her year in England. A
highly sociable individual and a skilled basketball player, Lily’s narrative sheds light on the intricate challenges associated
with social integration during a SA program, revealing complex power dynamics among teenage high school students, with bullying
emerging as a poignant manifestation. It challenges the prevailing discourse that often idealizes language learning during
immersion as a straightforward and enjoyable process within a friendly and supportive host environment. Instead, it delves into
the sensitive issue of adolescents abroad facing instances of bullying. Communities of practice and
othering provide valuable insights into the unfriendly attitudes exhibited by the hosts and Lily’s defensive
response, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the dynamics at play during adolescent SA experiences.
In nature, there are fluctuating electric fields outside an infinite solenoid
Authors: Boyer Timothy H
Published: February 2025

Because the relativistic transformation of time involves spatial coordinates, multipole moments can take on very di¤erent values in relatively-moving inertial frames. As a related aspect, an in…-nite solenoid of…nite cross-section will have non-zero uctuating electric…elds outside its winding arising from the discrete charges carrying the solenoid currents. In the rest frame of the solenoid, the time averages of these uctuations vanish and may be ignored. However, these time- uctuating electric…elds have non-zero time averages in an inertial frame where the solenoid is moving perpendicular to its axis and play an important role in the classical electromagnetic interpretation of the Aharonov-Bohm phase shift. Here we illustrate these ideas for a circular current loop, and then note their applicability to solenoids and toroids. The ideal magnetic moment with no charges and no spatial extent is completely unphysical, and is seen to lead, in a moving inertial frame, to a di¤erent and incorrect average electric…eld from that where discrete charges are used and the radius of the magnetic moment is…nite.
Incorporating IYPT problems into large-enrollment introductory physics labs for inquiry-based learning
Authors: Wei XianTao , Wang Zhongping , Zhao Wei , Zhang Zengming , Sun Lazhen
Published: February 2025

In 2010, the International Young Physicists' Tournament (IYPT) was introduced to China as an exploratory practical physics activity for young students. Over the past decade, accompanied by annual competitions, students have gradually come to appreciate this research and learning approach around open-ended problems. Since 2018, we have established a lab focused on inquiry-based learning around the annual IYPT problems and redesigned introductory physics laboratory course, serving a large number of first-year students. Since then, the teaching team has continuously refined the teaching process and arrangements. This article focuses on introducing the entire teaching program and student feedback for the redesigned introductory physics laboratory that incorporating IYPT Problems with inquiry-based physics experimental teaching methods to serve a large number of students. We hope to provide valuable references for other institutions.
Efficient and eco-friendly preparation of hydrophilic boron nitride nanosheets for enhanced filtration properties
Authors: Wang Yongliang , Zhang Chao , Du Daozhong , Wang Yun , Li Ruitao , Liu Zhenqiang , Yang Kaiwen
Published: February 2025

The exceptional properties of boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) render them promising for diverse applications. Nevertheless, the obstacles of effectively readying them and their restricted ability to disperse in liquids are current constraints. In this study, a simple and efficient glucose-assisted mechanochemical exfoliation method was developed to achieve simultaneous exfoliation and functionalization of BNNSs. The BNNSs yield reached 87.5%, featuring grafted hydroxyl groups at the edges and well dispersed in water. Furthermore, the prepared BNNSs were dispersed into water and subsequently incorporated into a nanofiltration membrane using vacuum filtration. The vacuum filtration produced the BNNSs nanofiltration membrane with high water flux and flexibility interception rate due to its excellent dispersibility. The optimal interception rate of the BNNSs filter membrane for a 2 mg•ml-1 Congo red (CR) solution was 96.12%, and the optimal flux of the BNNSs filter membrane for pure water was 1312 L•m-2•h-1•bar-1 according to the experiments. Additionally, the adsorption performance of BNNSs with different functionalized groups (e.g., hydroxyl and amino) for CR and heavy metal ions (copper ions) was studied through density functional theory (DFT) theoretical calculations. This study not only present a highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method for preparing hydrophilic BNNSs to enhance their yield, but also investigated and predicted the interception rate and flux of BNNSs nanofiltration membranes functionalized with different functional groups for water contaminated with metal ions and dyes.
A theoretical framework for the design of two-wire antagonistic SMA systems based on the butterfly-like stress–strain behavior
Authors: Hmede Rodayna , Waibaye Adoum , Cesare Noëlie Di , Chapelle Frédéric , Lapusta Yuri , Destrebecq Jean-François , Balandraud Xavier
Published: February 2025

Specific thermomechanical responses of shape memory alloy (SMA) components used in actuators or mechanism architectures need to be taken into account right from the design phases. This paper presents a simple modeling framework for rapid analysis of a system composed of two antagonistic SMA wires for which the ambient temperature lies between the martensite-start and austenite-start temperatures of the alloy. The influence of significant factors are addressed in the paper: the procedure for initializing the system (prestressed or not) before entering the thermal actuation sequence, the impact of the variation in Young’s modulus of the SMA wires during their phase transformation, and the influence of an external force applied to the system. The two-wire model, based on piecewise-linear one-dimensional mechanical equations generalizing the temperature-dependent stress–strain behavior of the SMA, describes the butterfly-like force–displacement response of the wires under cyclic thermal actuation. Its construction is based on experimental data obtained from uniaxial tensile tests on individual wires, as well as on a Joule-activated two-wire antagonistic device. We show that the simplicity of the model’s formalism allows pre-sizing of devices involving two-wire antagonistic SMA architectures on the basis of force, stroke and useful work.
Distributed time-varying optimal resource allocation: A collective neurodynamic approach
Authors: Cai Xin , Chen Xingzhi , Sun Ming , Gao Bingpeng
Published: February 2025

A collective neurodynamic approach is presented in this paper to solve a distributed time-varying resource allocation problem in which both non-quadratic local objective functions and a global equality constraint vary with time. Resorting to a dynamic average consensus protocol to estimate certain global information, a novel neurodynamic approach with a two-time scale structure is proposed to track asymptotically the time-varying optimal resource allocation of the given problem in a distributed manner. It is analyzed that the presented neurodynamic model, which is regarded as a singular perturbation system, converges to the time-varying optimal resource allocation by the singular perturbation theory. At last, the obtained results are verified by two numerical examples, from which the designed method has better convergence accuracy than the existing work.
Detectable signals of post-Born lensing curl B-modes
Authors: Robertson Mathew , Fabbian Giulio , Carron Julien , Lewis Antony
Published: February 2025

Curl lensing, also known as lensing field-rotation or shear B-modes, is a distinct post-Born observable caused by two lensing deflections at different redshifts (lens-lens coupling). For the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the field-rotation is approximately four orders of magnitude smaller than the CMB lensing convergence. Direct detection is therefore challenging for near-future CMB experiments such as the Simons Observatory (SO) or CMB `Stage-4' (CMB-S4). Instead, the curl can be probed in cross-correlation between a direct reconstruction and a template formed using pairs of large-scale structure (LSS) tracers to emulate the lens-lens coupling. In this paper, we derive a new estimator for the optimal curl template specifically adapted for curved-sky applications, and test it against non-Gaussian complications using N-body cosmology simulations. We find non-foreground biases to the curl cross-spectrum are purely Gaussian at the sensitivity of SO. However, higher-order curl contractions induce non-Gaussian bias at the order of 1σ for CMB-S4 using quadratic estimators (QE). Maximum a-Posteriori (MAP) lensing estimators significantly reduce biases for both SO and CMB-S4, in agreement with our analytic predictions. We also show that extragalactic foregrounds in the CMB can bias curl measurements at order of the signal, and evaluate a variety of mitigation strategies to control these biases for SO-like experiments. Near-future observations will be able to measure post-Born lensing curl B-modes.
Constraints on typical relic gravitational waves based on data of LIGO
Authors: Zhang Minghui , Wen Hao
Published: February 2025

Relic gravitational waves (RGWs) from the early universe carry crucial and fundamental cosmological information. Therefore, it is of extraordinary importance to investigate potential RGW signals in the data from observatories such as the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA network. Here, focusing on typical RGWs from the inflation and the first-order phase transition (by sound waves and bubble collisions), effective and targeted deep learning neural networks are established to search for these RGW signals within the real LIGO data (O2, O3a and O3b). Through adjustment and adaptation processes, we develop suitable Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to estimate the likelihood (characterized by quantitative values and distributions) that the focused RGW signals are present in the LIGO data. We find that if the constructed CNN properly estimates the parameters of the RGWs, it can determine with high accuracy (approximately 94% to 99%) whether the samples contain such RGW signals; otherwise, the likelihood provided by the CNN cannot be considered reliable. After testing a large amount of LIGO data, the findings show no evidence of RGWs from: 1) inflation, 2) sound waves, or 3) bubble collisions, as predicted by the focused theories. The results also provide upper limits of their GW spectral energy densities of h^2Ω_{gw} ~10^{-5}, respectively for parameter boundaries within 1) [β∈(-1.85,-1.87) × α∈(0.005,0.007)], 2) [β/H_{pt}∈(0.02,0.16)× α∈(1,10)×T_{pt}∈(5∗10^9,10^10)Gev], and 3) [β/H_{pt}∈(0.08,0.2)× α∈(1,10)×T_{pt}∈(5∗10^9,8∗10^10) Gev]. In short, null results and upper limits are obtained, and the analysis suggests that our developed methods and neural networks to search for typical RGWs in the LIGO data are effective and reliable, providing a viable scheme for exploring possible RGWs from the early universe and placing constraints on relevant cosmological theories.
QCD axion bubbles in the presence of ALP resonant conversion
Authors: Li Hai-Jun
Published: February 2025

The QCD axion bubbles can form due to an explicit breaking of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry in the early Universe. In this paper, we investigate the modified formation of QCD axion bubble in the presence of axionlike particle (ALP), considering its resonant conversion to QCD axion. We consider a general scenario where the QCD axion mixes with ALP before the QCD phase transition. In this scenario, the energy density of the ALP can be adiabatic transferred to the QCD axion at a temperature $T_R$, resulting in the suppression of the cosmic background temperature $T_B$ at which the energy density of the QCD axion equals that of the radiation. The QCD axion bubbles form when the QCD axions arise during the QCD phase transition. Finally, we briefly discuss the impact of the formation of QCD axion bubbles on the formation of primordial black holes.
Optimised solution-phase synthesis of NanoMIPs for protein detection in electrochemical diagnostics
Authors: Stephen Andrei N , Holden Mark A , Sullivan Mark Vincent , Turner Nicholas W , Dennison Sarah R , Reddy Subrayal M
Published: February 2025

NanoMIPs are nanoscale molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) ranging in size between 30 to 300 nm offering a high affinity binding reagent as an alternative to antibodies. They are being extensively research for applications in biological extraction, disease diagnostics and biosensors. Various methodologies for nanoMIP production have been reported demonstrating variable timescales required, sustainability, ease of synthesis and final yields. We report herein a fast (< 1hr) method for one pot aqueous phase synthesis of nanoMIPs using an acrylamide-based monomer and N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide crosslinker. NanoMIPs were produced for a model protein template namely haemoglobin from bovine species. We demonstrate that nanoMIPs can be produced within 15 minutes. We investigated reaction quenching times between 5 and 20 minutes. Dynamic light scattering results demonstrate a distribution of particle sizes (30 nm to 900 nm) depending on reaction termination time, with hydrodynamic particle diameter increasing with increasing reaction time. We attribute this to not only particle growth due to polymer chain growth but based on AFM analysis, also a tendency (after reaction termination) for particles to agglomerate at longer reaction times. Batches of nanoMIPs ranging 400 to 800 nm, 200 to 400 nm and 100 to 200 nm were isolated using membrane filtration. The batches were captured serially on decreasing pore size microporous polycarbonate membranes (800 to 100 nm) and then released with sonication to isolate nanoMIP batches in the aforementioned ranges. Rebinding affinities of each batch were determined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, by first trapping nanoMIP particles within an electropolymerized thin layer. Binding constants determined for NanoMIPs using the E-MIP sensor approach are in good agreement with surface plasmon resonance results. We offer a rapid (<2 hr) and scalable method for the mass production (40-80 mg per batch) of high affinity nanoMIPs.
DeepAir: Deep learning and satellite imagery to estimate high-resolution PM2.5 at scale
Authors: Guo Wenxuan , Hu Zhaoping , Jin Ling , Xu Yanyan , Gonzalez Marta
Published: February 2025

Air pollution, specifically PM2.5, has become a significant global concern owing to its detrimental impacts on public health. Even so, the high-resolution monitoring of air pollution is still a challenge on a global scale. To cope with this, machine learning techniques have been utilized to infer the concentration of air pollutants at a fine scale. In this study, we propose DeepAir, a learning framework for estimating PM2.5 concentrations at a fine scale with sparsely distributed observations. DeepAir integrates a pre-trained convolutional neural network with the LightGBM method. This framework estimates the PM2.5 concentration of a given patch, utilizing a synergy of geographical information, meteorological conditions, and satellite observations. We select California as the focal region and train the model with data from 2014 to 2017 provided by 130 PM2.5 observation stations in the state. Upon training, the model can be applied to estimate the daily PM2.5 concentrations at 1km resolution across California. Our methodology meticulously incorporates meteorological variables, with a particular emphasis on wildfire propagation, and contemplates the complex interplay of various features. To ascertain the efficacy of our model, we employ the 10-fold cross-validation technique, which confirms that our model surpasses traditional machine learning and standalone deep learning methods.
Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will and Alain Resnais’s Night and Fog
Authors: Lothe Jacob
Published: February 2025

Concentrating on the narrative ethics of documentary film, chapter 2 discusses two films inspired by memories of historical events. The chapter first considers Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will (1935), a documentary film that chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nürnberg. It shows that, in spite of Riefenstahl’s claims to the contrary, Triumph of the Will is thoroughly and knowingly complicit in Nazi ideology. The chapter then turns to the French director’s Alain Resnais’s Night and Fog (1956), one of the first attempts to document, and remember, the Nazi concentration camps by activating and exploring the resources of film narrative. There is, the chapter argues, a problematic tension in Night and Fog between the voiceover commentary, which hardly mentions that most of the victims of the Holocaust were Jews, and Resnais’s use of film footage from the concentration and extermination camps to which Jews were deported.
Jenny Erpenbeck’s Aller Tage Abend (The End of Days)
Authors: Lothe Jacob
Published: February 2025

Chapter 7 discusses how, in her novel The End of Days Aller Tage Abend (2012), Erpenbeck, via her third-person narrator whose perspective approaches those of her focalized characters, asks: what would the child who dies at the narrative’s beginning have experienced had she not died? What would have changed if she did not die? That these questions have an ethical dimension becomes obvious once the reader relates them to the Holocaust, the historical event that underlies the narrative discourse. Responding as a creative writer to her own questions, Erpenbeck reveals that the girl who died turns out to be alive after all. Erpenbeck shows how the protagonist experiences a series of wars and totalitarian regimes in twentieth-century Europe. For the narrator, whose temporal vantage point and ethical stance approximate that of Erpenbeck as implied author, the Holocaust becomes a postmemory; for the protagonist, it is a painful, traumatic memory.
Green Candle
Authors: Chesnut R Andrew
Published: February 2025

This chapter explores Santa Muerte’s evolving role in social and criminal justice through the symbol of the green candle. Unlike her associations with punishment or vengeance, the green candle emphasizes her support for legal matters, societal fairness, and equal justice. Santa Muerte serves as both protector and advocate for devotees, especially those navigating a flawed legal system. As a supernatural attorney, she provides relief and advocacy, crossing lines between folk Catholicism, Afro-Latin traditions, and socio-political justice. The chapter highlights the green candle’s significance in bridging the pursuit of equity and mercy, particularly for the marginalized within the Mexican judicial landscape.
‘In One Word, the Disorder is Universal’: Horses, Hounds, and Security
Authors: Jaffré Marc W S
Published: February 2025

Chapter 2 continues the overview of institutional development within the royal household begun in the first chapter with an analysis of the Royal Stables, the Hunting Establishment, the Military Household, and the Provostship of the Household. It emphasizes the dialogue between the king’s needs and tastes and those of his courtiers as a driver for institutional development. Even in household departments, like the Hunt, where the king’s tastes played a particularly important role, new creations and developments were often the product of courtiers attempting to anticipate Louis XIII’s tastes, rather than the monarch’s initiative. When innovations were directly instituted by the king, such as the creation of the musketeers, these creations did not correspond to overarching plans for the court, but rather were ad hoc decisions and responses to specific contingencies. The chapter reveals how disputes were frequently the mechanism through which institutional development occurred. Cardinal Richelieu’s criticisms of and aspersions directed towards Louis XIII’s household were the product of a disconnect between the French court’s familiar culture and Richelieu’s fantasies of clearly delineated hierarchies, which would have made the court easier to control.
‘In Bravery, Diet, and Furniture, They Exceed the Greatest of the Noblesse’: Finance and Financiers
Authors: Jaffré Marc W S
Published: February 2025

Chapter 6 deals with the cost of the court, court finance and accounting practices, and the place held by financiers within court society. The chapter demonstrates that the cost of the court remained more or less constant over the course of Louis XIII’s reign, that court expenses were increasingly dwarfed by the ballooning costs of warfare, and that the court’s cost was rarely the focus of public criticism. The court’s expenses were administered by a variety of accountants who employed myriad accounting practices to face the challenges posed by their management of royal expenditure. This analysis reveals the extent to which the accountants themselves were behind the elaboration and clarification of rules on how officers should be paid, as well as how invested the heads of household departments were in their authority over the expenditure and accounting of their departments. Major institutional innovations, though fuelled by financial exigencies, did not follow a logic of modernization or rationalization but were designed to produce one-off windfalls. The chapter additionally shows that financiers and accountants were active participants in court life, serving the king’s meals, participating in his hunts, leveraging their fortunes for political advantage, and seeking favourable marriages with the sword nobility for their daughters. Despite this strong attachment to the court, the monarchy often resorted to the blackmail and extortion of financial officers in order to fill its coffers. This was not a solid basis for financing the state’s expenditure and often led in the longer term to bankruptcies and severe disruption of royal finance.
‘The God of the Race’: Louis XIII and his Itinerant Court
Authors: Jaffré Marc W S
Published: February 2025

Chapter 8 is concerned with the peripatetic nature of Louis XIII’s court. It highlights just how extensive and frequent Louis’s voyages were, challenging narratives that the court was becoming increasingly fixed in Paris. It reveals the physical dangers the court faced while on the move, the extent to which Louis’s progresses impeded the natural running of government, and the devastating impact the court could have on the towns it sojourned in. However, progresses could not be avoided as they continued to be vital tools for exerting political pressure, securing provinces, meeting with other sovereigns, building relationships with notables and provinces, and responding to political and security imperatives. Progresses allowed the court to participate in royal entries, the organization of which French monarchs had more influence over than has often been assumed. The chapter also exposes the complex mechanisms that underpinned the court’s travels, securing lodgings for and supplying the court during its travels. Even when the court remained in the Île-de-France region, it was by no means fixed, and Louis split his time across a variety of palaces, the most important of which were the Louvre in Paris, Fontainebleau, and the two châteaux of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. As the reign wore on, the king spent less and less time in Paris and more time in Fontainebleau and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, fuelling the construction of noble palaces in these two towns. Cardinal Richelieu sought to establish his own separate nexus of power in Rueil not far from Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Versailles, accentuating the polycentric nature of the court and undermining royal prestige.
The emerging role and therapeutical implications of ferroptosis in wound healing
Authors: Zhao Yanan , Chen Zhiyang , Xie Shenghao , Xiao Feng , Hu Qian , Ju Zhenyu
Published: February 2025

Wound healing is a complex biological process involving multiple steps, including hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. A novel form of regulated cell death, ferroptosis, has garnered attention because of its involvement in these processes. Ferroptosis is characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides and is tightly regulated by lipid metabolism, iron metabolism, and the lipid-peroxide repair network, all of which exert a significant influence on wound healing. This review highlights the current findings and emerging concepts regarding the multifaceted roles of ferroptosis throughout the stages of normal and chronic wound healing. Additionally, the potential of targeted interventions aimed at modulating ferroptosis to improve wound-healing outcomes is discussed.
Functional characterization of Type IV basal cells in rat fungiform taste buds
Authors: Bigiani Albertino , Tirindelli Roberto , Rhyu Mee Ra , Mapelli Jonathan
Published: February 2025

Taste buds, the end organs of taste, consist of a diverse population of sensory cells that is constantly renewed. Cell differentiation begins with Type IV basal cells, which are ovoid elements located inside the taste bud near its base. These cells are post-mitotic precursors that give rise to all other cell types, including glial-like cells (Type I cells) and chemoreceptors (Type II and Type III cells). Despite their critical role in cell turnover, Type IV basal cells are relatively unknown in terms of functional features. Here, we used Lucifer yellow labelling and patch-clamp technique to investigate their electrophysiological properties in the rat fungiform taste buds. All Type IV basal cells showed voltage-gated sodium currents (INa), albeit at a far lower density (17 pA/pF) than chemoreceptors (444 pA/pF), which fire action potentials during sensory transduction. Furthermore, they lacked calcium homeostasis modulator (CALHM) currents, which are required for neurotransmitter release by some chemoreceptor types. Amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) was found to be only present in a subset of Type IV basal cells. Interestingly, Type IV basal cells shared some membrane features with glial-like cells, such as high cell capacitance and low INa density; however, input resistance was greater in Type IV basal cells than in glial-like cells. Thus, although Type IV basal cells may eventually differentiate into distinct cell lineages, our findings indicate that they are quite homogeneous in terms of the electrophysiological characteristics, with the exception of functional ENaCs, which appear to be only expressed in one subset.
Pleiotropic regulation of bacterial toxin production and Allee effect govern microbial predator–prey interactions
Authors: Suma Harikumar R , Stallforth Pierre
Published: February 2025

Bacteria are social organisms, which are constantly exposed to predation by nematodes or amoebae. To counteract these predation pressures, bacteria have evolved a variety of potent antipredator strategies. Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas, for instance, evade amoebal predation by the secretion of amoebicidal natural products. The soil bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens HKI0770 produces pyreudione alkaloids that can kill amoebae. Even though the mode of action of the pyreudiones has been elucidated, the spatiotemporal dynamics underlying this predator–prey interaction remain unknown. Using a combination of microscopy and analytical techniques, we elucidated the intricate relationship of this predator–prey association. We used the chromatic bacteria toolbox for intraspecific differentiation of the amoebicide-producing wildtype and the non-producing mutant within microcosms. These allow for variations in nutrient availability and the emergence of predation-evasion strategies of interacting microorganisms. Imaging of the co-cultures revealed that the amoebae initially ingest both the non-producer as well as the toxin-producer cells. The outcomes of predator–prey interactions are governed by the population size and fitness of the interacting partners. We identified that changes in the cell density coupled with alterations in nutrient availability led to a strong Allee effect resulting in the diminished production of pyreudione A. The loss of defence capabilities renders P. fluorescens HKI0770 palatable to amoebae. Such a multifaceted regulation provides the basis for a model by which predator–prey populations are being regulated in specific niches. Our results demonstrate how the spatiotemporal regulation of bacterial toxin production alters the feeding behaviour of amoeba.
Immuno-epidemiologic mapping of HLA diversity across glioma patient cohorts
Authors: Xiong Zujian , Walsh Kyle M , Sneiderman Chaim T , Nisnboym Michal , Hadjipanayis Costas G , Agnihotri Sameer , Eagar Todd N , Wang Hong , Pollack Ian F , Forsthuber Thomas G , Li Xuejun , Raphael Itay , Kohanbash Gary
Published: February 2025

Background

Individual-level characteristics underlying population-level variation in glioma risk and outcomes remain incompletely understood. Cancer immunosurveillance, host immunity, and some immunotherapies center on the ability of an individual’s immune cells to recognize antigen epitopes presented on MHC molecules. Inter-individual variation in HLA alleles can elicit distinct repertoires of tumor antigen for presentation to immune cells. Therefore, HLA alleles may impact glioma incidence and prognosis.

Methods

HLA class I (HLA-I) alleles were identified using sequencing data from four large glioma cohorts and healthy cohorts, matched on ancestry, and race- and age-matched imputed cohorts developed by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were referred to determine odds ratio incidence estimated by logistic regression. HLA prognostication was quantified by Cox regression.

Results

We analyzed 1,215 cases of glioma patients from non-Hispanic Whites and Asians. The HLA-I allelic frequencies of gliomas generally corresponded to their distribution within each race. However, specific HLA-I alleles were significantly associated with glioma incidence and prognosis, which differ between races but were independent of age and sex. Notably, non-Hispanic White glioma patients exhibited greater HLA homozygosity rates compared with race-matched controls. HLA-C01:02 and HLA-C07:02 displayed opposing effects on glioma prognosis between races. The distinct effects were associated with their capability of presenting specific mutations that appeared at the initial or late phase of glioma progression.

Conclusions

Expression of specific HLA-I alleles are associated with glioma incidence and prognosis within race. HLA-I-homozygosity is a risk factor for glioma in non-Hispanic Whites. These findings may guide development of precision-guided immunotherapies for glioma.
Local tumor control and neurological outcomes after surgery for spinal hemangioblastomas in sporadic and Von-Hippel-Lindau Disease: A multicenter study
Authors: Wach Johannes , Basaran Alim Emre , Vychopen Martin , Tihan Tarik , Wostrack Maria , Butenschoen Vicki M , Meyer Bernhard , Siller Sebastian , Schmidt Nils Ole , Onken Julia , Vajkoczy Peter , Santos Alejandro N , Rauschenbach Laurèl , Dammann Philipp , Sure Ulrich , Klingler Jan-Helge , Doria-Medina Roberto , Beck Jürgen , Blaß Bianca-Ioana , Gizaw Christine Juliane , Hohenhaus Romina , Krieg Sandro , Alhalabi Obada T , Klein Lukas , Thomé Claudius , Kögl Nikolaus , Kunert Przemyslaw , Czernicki Tomasz , Pantel Tobias , Middelkamp Maximilian , Eicker Sven Oliver , Kattaa Ahed H , Park David J , Chang Steven D , Kilinc Fatma , Czabanka Marcus , Güresir Erdem
Published: February 2025

Background

Spinal hemangioblastomas (sHBs) are rare vascular tumors with significant neurological implications. Their management, particularly in von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, remains challenging due to recurrence and functional decline. Timely identification and intervention are critical for optimal outcomes.

Methods

This international, multicenter retrospective cohort study included 357 patients (199 VHL-associated, 158 sporadic) from 13 neuro-oncological centers. Clinical and imaging data were analyzed to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and functional outcomes using the Modified McCormick Scale (mMCS) at 12 months. Secondary analyses identified factors associated with VHL disease in sHBs.

Results

Complete resection (CR) was achieved in 87.7% of cases, leading to significantly improved PFS at 72 months (sporadic: 95.1%, VHL-associated: 91.1%; HR: 0.18, 95%CI: 0.08–0.4). Multivariable analysis identified predictors of unfavorable outcomes at 12 months: Preoperative mMCS ≥2 (OR: 5.17, p=0.008), intramedullary tumor location (OR: 9.48, p=0.01), and preoperative bleeding (OR: 31.12, p=0.02). Factors independently associated with VHL disease in sHBs included non-cervical tumor location (OR: 2.08, p=0.004), intramedullary growth (OR: 2.39, p<0.001), and age <43 years (OR: 3.24, p<0.001). Functional improvements were observed in most patients, particularly those with sporadic sHBs.

Conclusions

Complete surgical resection is essential for long-term tumor control and favorable functional outcomes in both sporadic and VHL-associated sHBs. Early intervention, particularly in mild symptomatic and progressive cases, before neurological deterioration or hemorrhage, optimizes recovery. This study, the largest of its kind in a multicentric international setting, provides robust evidence to guide the management of both sporadic and VHL-associated sHBs.
Smart Kanata: A framework for autonomous decision-making in rapid follow-up observations of cataclysmic variables
Authors: Uemura Makoto , Koga Yuzuki , Sazaki Ryosuke , Yukino Tomoya , Nakaoka Tatsuya , Imazawa Ryo , Kato Taichi , Nogami Daisaku , Isogai Keisuke , Kojiguchi Naoto , Taguchi Kenta , Tampo Yusuke , Maehara Hiroyuki , Ikeda Shiro
Published: February 2025

Studying the early stages of transient events provides crucial information about the fundamental physical processes in cataclysmic variables (CVs). However, determining an appropriate observation mode immediately after the discovery of a new transient presents challenges due to significant uncertainties regarding its nature. We developed a framework designed for autonomous decision-making in prompt follow-up observations of CVs using the Kanata $1.5$ m telescope. The system, named Smart Kanata, first estimates the class probabilities of variable star types using a generative model. It then selects the optimal observation mode from three possible options based on the mutual information calculated from the class probabilities. We have operated the system for ${\sim}300$ d and obtained 21 samples, among which automated observations were successfully performed for a nova and a microlensing event. In the time-series spectra of the nova V4370 Oph, we detected a rapid deepening of the absorption component of the H$\alpha$ line. These initial results demonstrate the capability of Smart Kanata in facilitating rapid observations and improving our understanding of outbursts and eruptions of CVs and other galactic transients.
A case of pembrolizumab-induced bullous pemphigoid treated with dupilumab
Authors: Rossi Agnese , Brancorsini Donatella , Gioacchini Helena , Campanati Anna
Published: February 2025

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a class of drugs used in cancer treatment that promote the immune system’s response by blocking the inhibitor signals from tumour cells, such as PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. Despite their clinical benefit, these monoclonal antibodies unspecifically activate the immune system and can lead to the development of ‘immune-related adverse events’. Cutaneous toxicities are the most frequent immune-related adverse events, reported in approximately 30–50% of patients treated with immunotherapy; the most common dermatologic toxicities are represented by rash, vitiligo, pruritus and lichenoid reactions. Usually these reactions are mild and it is not necessary to suspend immunotherapy. Potentially life-threatening skin toxicities, such as immunobullous eruption, are rare and may appear in approximately 1% of patients. In this report we describe a case of bullous pemphigoid, the most frequent bullous disease, that developed after treatment with pembrolizumab for a metastatic melanoma. The diagnosis, first suspected by the referring clinic, was confirmed by performing serology and biopsy with direct immunofluorescence. At the beginning, the patient was treated with high doses of systemic corticosteroids, without suspending the immunotherapy treatment. Subsequently, due to the continuous relapses, we decided to suspend pembrolizumab and systemic corticosteroid and to begin an off-label treatment with dupilumab. The following case gives cause for reflection about the management of a drug-induced disease in a immunocompromised patient, while exploring his therapeutic options.
An immunoregulatory amphipathic peptide derived from Fasciola hepatica helminth defense molecule (FhHDM‐1.C2) exhibits potent biotherapeutic activity in a murine model of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Lalor Richard , Tanaka Akane , Shiels Jenna , Dixit Aakanksha , Hoadley Sabine , Dufourd Eloïse , Hamon Siobhan , To Joyce , Taggart Clifford C. , Weldon Sinead , O'Brien Bronwyn , Greer Judith , Dalton John P. , Donnelly Sheila
Published: February 2025

The helminth defense molecules (HDM) are a family of immune regulatory peptides exclusively expressed by trematode worms. We have previously demonstrated that in vivo FhHDM‐1, the archetypal member of the HDMs, regulated macrophage responses to inflammatory ligands, thereby ameliorating the progression of immune‐mediated tissue damage in several murine models of inflammatory disease. Accordingly, we postulated that an understanding of the structure–function relationship of the HDMs would facilitate the identification of the minimal bioactive peptide, which would represent a more synthesizable, cost‐effective, potent biotherapeutic. Thus, using a combination of bioinformatics, structural analyses, and cellular assays we discovered a 40 amino acid peptide derivative termed FhHDM‐1.C2. This peptide contains a 12 amino acid motif at its N‐terminus, which facilitates cellular interaction and uptake, and an amphipathic α‐helix within the C‐terminus, which is necessary for lysosomal vATPase inhibitory activity, with both regions linked by a short unstructured segment. The FhHDM‐1.C2 peptide exhibits enhanced regulation of macrophage function, compared with the full‐length FhHDM‐1, and potent prevention of the progression of relapsing–remitting‐experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) when administered prophylactically or therapeutically. The protective effect of FhHDM‐1.C2 is not associated with global immune suppression, which places the HDMs peptides as an improved class of biotherapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Comparing the HDMs from several zoonotic trematodes revealed a similar capacity for immune regulation. These important new advances into the structure–function relationship of the lead HDM peptide, FhHDM‐1, encourage further prospecting and screening of the broader trematode family of peptides for the discovery of novel and potent immune‐biotherapeutics.
How to Determine a Therapeutic Reference Range for a Psychotropic Drug Systematically? Recommendations of the TDM Task Force of the AGNP
Authors: Hart Xenia M. , Amann Friederike , Baumann Pierre , Havemann-Reinecke Ursula , Schoretsanitis Georgios , Steimer Werner , Unterecker Stefan , Zernig Gerald , Gründer Gerhard , Hiemke Christoph
Published: February 2025

Background:

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is essential for controlling pharmacogenetic and pharmacokinetic variations and for optimizing pharmacotherapy. However, its value is often underestimated because of nonsystematic recommendations for target ranges in the literature. The purpose of this study was to emphasize transparency and systematization in the forthcoming Updates to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Neuropsychopharmakologie und Pharmakopsychiatrie (AGNP)-TDM Consensus Guidelines.

Methods:

Here, a stepwise method for determining therapeutic reference ranges (TRRs) in psychiatry is introduced. By using various data types, a multidimensional approach for establishing a range is presented. The data types were classified based on how effectively they supported the target ranges. This method was demonstrated for 3 drugs commonly used in psychiatry (aripiprazole, olanzapine, and escitalopram).

Results:

Despite the methodological shortcomings in published concentration-effect studies, the approach used here enabled the determination of reference ranges by combining multiple types of data. The lower limit of the TRR is ideally derived from studies that link blood drug concentrations to clinical effectiveness, particularly symptom-specific responses, after fixed-dose treatment. The upper limit depends on the concentrations associated with adverse reactions or maximal response. Thresholds can be estimated using receiver operating characteristic analyses. Preliminary thresholds were derived from responder concentration data or from expected drug concentrations under approved doses. Positron emission tomography studies were used to further validate these ranges.

Conclusions:

This study proposed a new standard for determining the TRR of psychotropic drugs, thereby enhancing their clinical utility and validity. Adjusting blood levels to these ranges should improve response rates and medication tolerance.
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation Thresholds Based on Waveform Shape and Implications for Guideline Limits
Authors: Gajda Gregory B.
Published: February 2025

The objective of this paper is to derive basic restrictions for induced internal electric field and reference levels for external magnetic flux density for a class of periodic non-sinusoidal waveforms as multiples of the existing limits applicable to sinusoidal waveforms in current exposure standards. The Law of Electrostimulation and the Spatially Extended Nonlinear Node computational model were used to derive peripheral nerve stimulation thresholds of the internal electric field for both non-sinusoidal and sinusoidal waveforms. Threshold ratios (non-sinusoidal to sinusoidal) permitted basic restrictions and reference levels to be derived as multiples of the sinusoidal ones. Intercomparisons of threshold ratios from both models suggest that they are in agreement for flat-topped flux density waveforms with fast rise-times relative to the period but showed a discrepancy for the continuous sinusoid. Results from the computational model were used to establish the threshold ratios used in the conversion. Resulting non-sinusoidal basic restrictions and reference levels were found to have the same functional relationship with frequency as the sinusoidal ones, consisting of two ranges: a flat rheobase and a frequency-dependent (basic restriction) or inverse frequency-dependent (reference level) portion that intersects the rheobase at a transition frequency that is waveform-dependent. Above the transition frequency, the non-sinusoidal basic restriction was found to be inversely related to the flux density rise-time, resulting in an increased limit for fast-rising waveforms. The transition frequencies of fast-rising waveforms were found to be lowered relative to the sinusoidal one. Above the same transition frequency, the non-sinusoidal reference level is flat with frequency and was found to be approximately 79% lower than the sinusoidal one.
Likelihood Functions for Bioassay Measurements for Development, Selection, and Calibration of Biokinetic Models
Authors: Klumpp John , Poudel Deepesh
Published: February 2025

Internal dosimetrists are concerned with the development, selection, and calibration of biokinetic models to calculate radiation doses from incorporated radionuclides. This is accomplished using measurements of radionuclides in organs, tissues, and excreta, i.e., bioassay measurements. Each bioassay measurement has a corresponding likelihood function, which represents the relative likelihood of different biokinetic model parameters resulting in the measurement value. In order for a bioassay measurement to be interpreted properly, the correct likelihood function must be determined. Failing to use the correct likelihood function for each bioassay measurement results in improperly weighting certain measurements over other measurements, which in turn leads to incorrect dose estimates. This paper describes the correct likelihood functions to use for a wide variety of bioassay measurements, as well as a description of how to use them. These likelihood functions represent the vast majority of those likely to be needed for interpreting bioassay measurements. Therefore, this paper may serve as a tool kit that can be used by academic and occupational internal dosimetrists.
Study on the Assessment Method of Occupational Radiation Dose to Interventional Radiology Staff Wearing Two Personal Dosimeters in China for the Period 2015–2021
Authors: Fan Shengnan , Zhou Wenshan , Li Mengxue , Wang Tuo , Deng Jun , Sun Quanfu
Published: February 2025

Considering workers in interventional radiology occupationally exposed to relatively higher radiation dose, it is imperative to reasonably and reliably assess the occupational exposure of these workers. This paper presents a method to evaluate the occupational exposure to the interventional radiology workers monitored by using two personal dosimeters, based on data from 115,997 workers collected by the Chinese Registry of Radiation Workers in China during the period 2015–2021. It was observed that only 17.7% (20,572 in 115,997) of interventional radiology staff had a meaningful measurable result. The scatter plot of H
p(10)over-H
p(10)under vs. H
p(10)over was obtained to classify between the proper use group and misuse group. In addition, it was found that the effective dose calculated using the single-dosimeter approach proposed by Martin and Magee was close to those obtained using two other double-dosimeter approaches. Furthermore, the Swiss ordinance algorithm was chosen to assess the occupational exposure as a conservative estimation method. Meanwhile, it was also found that the average annual effective dose in tertiary hospitals is significantly higher than that in secondary hospitals in China (Z = −2.491, p < 0.05/3 = 0.017). Based on these observations, rigorous surveillance, quality control measures, and better workload management are still necessary to correctly evaluate the occupational exposure of interventional radiology staff. Our results are expected to provide a feasible and accurate method for the evaluation of occupational radiation dose to interventional radiology staff wearing two personal dosimeters and contribute to effective prevention and control of radiation health risks.
Research Priorities for Maternal Immunization
Authors: Englund Janet A. , Kachikis Alisa
Published: February 2025

Background:

The maternal immunization platform has multiple vaccines already being utilized with more vaccines being considered.

Methods:

We describe areas with knowledge gaps regarding maternal immunization including (1) pathogen, (2) vaccine product, (3) vaccine strategy, (4) implementation research and (5) Regulatory and Public Health Policy.

Results:

Despite advances in clinical research during pregnancy, many questions remain regarding vaccine administration, products, coadministration of vaccines and vaccine acceptance. Issues regarding maternal antibody transfer in high-risk pregnancies need further study.

Conclusions:

Moving new maternal vaccines forward will take support from a broad array of experts.