bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional brain activations correlated with association strength and prediction error during novel symbol–speech sound learning
Authors: Fraga-González Gorka , Haller Patrick , Willinger David , Gehrig Vanessa , Frei Nada , Brem Silvia
Published: January 2025

Efficient learning of letters–speech sound associations results in the specialization of visual and audiovisual brain regions, which is crucial for the development of proficient reading skills. However, the brain dynamics underlying this learning process remain poorly understood, and the involvement of learning and performance monitoring networks remains underexplored. Here we applied two mutually dependent feedback learning tasks in which novel symbol–speech sound associations were learned by 39 healthy adults. We employed functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) along with a reinforcement learning drift diffusion model to characterize trial-by-trial learning in behavior and brain. The model-based analysis showed that posterior–occipital activations during stimulus processing were positively modulated by trial-wise learning, as indicated by the increase in association strength between audiovisual pairs. Prediction errors, describing the update mechanism to learn from feedback across trials, modulated activations in several mid-frontal, striatal, and cingulate regions. Both tasks yielded similar patterns of results, despite differences in their relative difficulty. This study elucidates the processes involved in audiovisual learning that contribute to rapid visual specialization within a single experimental session and delineates a set of coactivated regions involved in learning from feedback. Our paradigm provides a framework to advance our understanding of the neurobiology of learning and reading development.
On the genus Neoscotolemon (Opiliones: Laniatores: Samooidea incertae sedis) with the description of one new species
Authors: PÉREZ-GONZÁLEZ ABEL , MAMANI VANESA , PROUD DANIEL N.
Published: January 2025

The genus Neoscotolemon Roewer, 1912, is herein reviewed and re-diagnosed for the first time using modern taxonomic standards. Neoscotolemon is removed from Grassatores incertae sedis and transferred to the superfamily Samooidea incertae sedis, transl. nov. The genera Citranus Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942, Rula Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942, and Vlachiolus Šilhavý, 1979, are considered new subjective synonyms of Neoscotolemon Roewer, 1912. Neoscotolemon pictipes (Banks, 1908) is redescribed and fully illustrated, including, for the first time, the external and genital morphology of males. Neoscotolemon armasi spec. nov. is described from Isla de la Juventud, Cuba. Five additional species are transferred to Neoscotolemon, including some that were newly ranked from subspecies to species: Neoscotolemon bolivari (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1945) comb. nov., stat. rest. (transferred from Stygnomma), N. cotilla (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1945) comb. nov., nom. rest., stat. rest. (transferred from Stygnomma), N. spinifer (Packard, 1888) comb. rest. (transferred from Stygnomma), N. tancahensis (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1951) comb. nov., stat. prom. (transferred from Stygnomma), and N. vojtechi (Šilhavý, 1979) comb. nov. (transferred from Vlachiolus). Finally, upon reexamination of Neoscotolemon lutzi Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942, the male genital morphology, herein illustrated for the first time, indicates that this species is not related to Neoscotolemon and is therefore transferred to Metapellobunus and combined as Metapellobunus lutzi (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942) comb. nov. A map is provided showing the known distribution of Neoscotolemon in the southeastern USA, Cuba, Mexico, and Belize with doubtful and unconfirmed records in Jamaica and Cayman Islands. Neoscotolemon is characterized by multiple somatic and genitalic traits. Atop the hourglass-shaped scutum magnum, there is a widely-separated pair of eyes with a large spiniform apophysis placed between them. The pedipalps are robust, and in major males they are elongated and thickened. In major and minor males, the metatarsus III is enlarged, ventrally covered with modified trichomes, and possesses aggregated pores distally. The penis has a ventral plate ending in a deep calyx, armed with two bilateral rows of macrosetae, and a short, pointed stylus that is basally fused to two laminar conductors. Although the family allocation remains uncertain, the re-diagnosis of Neoscotolemon, together with the re-description of the type species, makes this an easily recognizable genus, among Samooidea, that now contains seven species.
Synsphyronus armasi, a new species (Pseudoscorpiones: Garypidae) from the Pilbara region of Western Australia
Authors: HARVEY MARK S.
Published: January 2025

A new species of the Australasian genus Synsphyronus Chamberlin, 1930, is described from north-western Australia. Like other species of the genus, Synsphyronus armasi sp. nov. has a reduced complement of trichobothria on the chelal fingers.
Contributions of Luis F. de Armas to Hispaniolan arachnids (Arthropoda: Arachnida): over 40 years of constant work
Authors: SANTOS GABRIEL DE LOS , CARRERO-JIMÉNEZ SOLANLLY
Published: January 2025

Joining the celebration of Luis F. de Armas 80th birthday, we present a concise overview of his contributions to the knowledge of Hispaniolan arachnids. To do this, we reviewed different checklists and catalogs, and his extensive literature about these arthropods on this island.
Which Visuals Really Matter? Effects of (Counter) Stereotypical Visual Information on Candidate Evaluations
Authors: Bast Jennifer , Oschatz Corinna
Published: January 2025

Building on research on gender stereotypes and a parallel-constraint-satisfaction theory on impression formation, this project investigates the effects of gender stereotypical and counter-stereotypical visuals on voters’ evaluations of political candidates with two pre-registered experimental studies. Study 1 ( N = 1,225) is a conceptual replication of an online experiment on the effect of visual communication of fictional U.S. candidates, testing main assumptions in the context of real-world German candidates on X (formerly Twitter). In contrast to the original study, we find that visuals reinforcing masculine as well as feminine stereotypes can be detrimental to men candidates. Evaluations of women candidates were not affected by (counter) gender stereotypical visual information. Study 2 ( N = 1,058) repeats Study 1 outside of an election context. Findings differ from the first study. Moreover, no effects of visual communication are found when prior attitudes are controlled. The project highlights the importance of replicating experimental findings in different contexts.
Social Fractures in the Habitus: Paul’s κατάρτισ- Language of Preventative and Responsive Care
Authors: Hagerman Justin
Published: January 2025

While recent research has focused on human agency in Pauline literature, less attention is given to the forms of care portrayed by Paul’s κατάρτισ- language. In this article, I propose that Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of habitus provides fresh insight on how Paul’s letters restructure habitus and early Christian praxis that generate social fractures. To develop this argument, I first describe Bourdieu’s conception of habitus, which elucidates human agents’ interactions with the social fields that shape their practices. Second, I provide conceptual contextualization by exploring κατάρτισ- language in ancient medicine, philosophy, and Jewish sources, particularly in relation to current understandings of healing in Jewish and early Christian conceptualization. Third, I apply Bourdieu’s theory of habitus to Pauline texts that use forms of καταρτίζω and κατάρτισις: 1 Thess. 3.9–10; 1 Cor. 1.10; 2 Cor. 13.9–11; Gal. 6.1; Rom. 9.22–23. In the final section, I offer reflection on a Pauline theology of care in relation to his forms of care, situating Paul more critically within a cultural and theological history of caring. Paul’s letter-writing constitutes interventionist and improvisational care for healing social fractures in early Christians’ habitus.
Still Informal? Care Platforms in a Loosely Regulated Context, the Italian Case
Authors: De Vita Luisa , Ciarini Andrea
Published: January 2025

Despite the progressive marketisation of domestic and care work, care in the Italian context is still firmly anchored within a familistic welfare model in which families must rely on their own resources against limited services. The limited development of in-kind provision reflects an overload of care functions delegated to cash provision, which, however, do not contribute to the definition of a formalised system of care. About labour regulation, in Italy since 1974, domestic and care work has been regulated by a National Collective Labour Agreement (NCLA). Unfortunately, the possibility of using the NCLA is linked to the economic and social possibilities of families, who often use the various welfare schemes to pay caregivers informally. Alongside these formal and informal pathways, a growing number of digital platforms have emerged to match or facilitate connections between workers and families seeking help. The research presented first questions on the role of care platforms as a new actor in intermediation processes. Second, stemming from the Italian familistic model, the paper seeks to understand whether and how platforms contribute to the creation of new segmentation mechanisms in the market or by exploiting the unmet demand for care to present themselves as innovative actors in the provision of care services.
Anatomy of an alliance for affordable urban housing
Authors: Turok Ivan
Published: January 2025

This paper explains how an informal partnership is changing the way affordable housing is produced in Cape Town. It explores the alliance’s composition, the roles of different actors and the shifts in City Council policies and practices. The shared objective is to supplement or replace state-led housing delivery systems with a more developmental approach driven by many grassroots property enterprises. With the glue of goodwill, the alliance draws together diverse partners with different expertise, resources and legitimacy. Through collective action they have amplified the voice and capabilities of emerging micro-developers and opened the bureaucracy to outside interests. This has altered the perspectives of senior politicians and officials towards informality, and prompted the City Council to instigate wide-ranging reforms, galvanizing a momentum for change that may be difficult to arrest. The paper illustrates the power of a compelling vision supported by sound technical arguments and articulated by credible actors and organizations.
Tourism Demand Forecasting in Normal and Crisis Times: Combining Bootstrap-Aggregating and Bayesian Approaches
Authors: Liu Xinyang , Liu Anyu , Chen Jason Li , Li Gang , Song Haiyan
Published: January 2025

Taking advantage of the merits of both the bootstrap-aggregating method and the Bayesian forecasting approach, this study introduces their combination—the BayesBag method—to the tourism forecasting literature for the first time. In this study, we examine whether the novel BayesBag method can improve the forecasting performance of the traditional Autoregressive-Distributed-Lag (ADL) model in both normal (i.e., pre-COVID-19) and crisis (i.e., during the pandemic) times. This is also the first study to incorporate the global travel sentiment index as a measure of visitors’ behavioral intentions for forecasting tourism demand in a crisis situation. We conduct both ex-post and ex-ante forecasting of European monthly tourism demand, and our empirical results show that the newly proposed BayesBag method outperforms other methods in both periods.
Determination of Appropriate Furrow Length and Inflow Rate for Furrow Irrigation Practice on Smallholder Farmers at Omo Nada District for Maize (Zea Maize L.) Production
Authors: Ashine Etefa Tilahun , Bedane Minda Tadesse , Mengesha Addisu Asefa , Admassu Lakewu Robel , Tadesse Kebede Hewan
Published: January 2025

An experiment was conducted on maize at Omo Nada district on a split-plot design with the objective of determining the optimum combination of furrow length and inflow rate under smallholder farmers’ conditions. The treatments include furrow lengths (10 m, 30 m, and 50 m) in the main plot and three inflow rates based on the maximum non-erosive inflow rates in the sub-plot. The data reveals that the plant height was affected ( p < .01) by the variation of the furrow length, but the inflow rate had no significant effect ( p > .05). The maximum and minimum plant heights of 224 and 209 cm were recorded at 30 and 50 m furrow length, respectively. Furrow length has an effect on the dry biomass of maize ( p < 0.01), but there was no significant effect from the inflow rate. At a furrow length of 30 m, there was a maximum biomass production of 29,842 kg/ha, and the lowest dry biomass of 10,575 kg/ha was obtained at a 50 m furrow length. The grain yield of the maize crop was significantly ( p < .01) affected by furrow length. The maximum average grain yield obtained was 9,811 kg/ha. The minimum grain yield of 5,576 kg/ha was obtained from a 50 m furrow length. There was a 43.17% yield increment between the 30 and 50 m furrow lengths. The interaction effect shows that L2Q1, L1Q1, and L2Q3 had the maximum correlation for grain yield, dry biomass, and water productivity, respectively. The maximum grain yield of 9,864 kg/ha and the minimum grain yield of 7,527 kg/ha were obtained at L2Q1 and L3Q3 treatments, respectively. It is evident to recommend that a combination of 30 m furrow length at a 0.99 L/s inflow rate could be effective for water management.
Developing and testing the effectiveness of a videoconferencing, Meaning-Centered Coping Program among Turkish women with breast cancer: A pilot randomized trial
Authors: Ülbe Selva , Dirik Gülay
Published: January 2025

This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigated the preliminary effects of an 8-week videoconferencing Meaning-Centered Coping Program (MCCP) on women diagnosed with breast cancer. Forty-one participants with stage I, II, or III breast cancer were randomly assigned to either the MCCP or the waitlist control (WLC) group. Data were collected at baseline and after the intervention. MCCP recipients were also assessed at a 2-month follow-up. The results showed that the MCCP group had significantly greater improvements in the presence of meaning, posttraumatic growth, appraisal of breast cancer as a challenge, and anxiety, with a large effect size, compared with the WLC. In addition, improvement in the presence of meaning was observed from baseline to post-intervention and maintained at the 2-month follow-up in the MCCP group. These findings suggest that videoconferencing MCCP is a promising intervention for supporting patients’ meaning-making processes.
Does social support buffer the impact of stress on health among people living with sickle cell disease? A cross-sectional study
Authors: Onu Desmond Uchechukwu , Orjiakor Tochukwu Charles , Prince Anwanabasi Obot
Published: January 2025

In this cross-sectional study, we examined the contributions of social support in mitigating the burden that sickle cell disease (SCD) has on the well-being of patients living with the condition. SCD patients ( n = 139) in Nigeria completed measures of sickle cell distress, social support, and quality of life. Although we found that SCD distress was strongly associated with poorer quality of life, across domains; social support did not mitigate the impact that SCD distress had on the quality of life of patients. Unlike many health conditions where social support helps patient, SCD distress bears down hard on patients regardless of social support structures.
Immune Cell Biology in Peripheral Nervous System Injury
Authors: Xia Yiming , Cai Min , Zhou Yiyue , Yao Yi , Jiang Maorong , Gu Dandan , Yao Dengbing
Published: January 2025

Background:

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) exhibits remarkable regenerative capability after injury. PNS regeneration relies on neurons themselves as well as a variety of other cell types, including Schwann cells, immune cells, and non-neuronal cells.

Objectives:

This paper focuses on summarizing the critical roles of immune cells (SCs) in the injury and repair processes of the PNS.

Results:

During peripheral nerve injury, macrophages infiltrate the site under the induction of various cytokines, primarily accumulating at the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and the nerve distal to the injury site, with only a small number detected at the nerve proximal to the injury site. The phenotype of macrophages during injury remains controversial, but recent single-cell sequencing analyses may provide new insights. In peripheral nervous system injury, macrophages participate in Wallerian degeneration as well as in the reconstruction of nerve bridges and angiogenesis during axonal regeneration. Neutrophils appear early in the injury process and are primarily present at the injury site and the distal segment. After peripheral nervous system injury, immature neutrophils from the peripheral blood play a major role. Although lymphocytes constitute only a small fraction compared to macrophages and neutrophils after peripheral nervous system injury, they still play important roles, including Treg cells, B cells, and NK cells. A large number of immune cells accumulate at the injury site, contributing not only to Wallerian degeneration but also to axonal regeneration.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this paper summarizes current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of immune cell infiltration after PNS injury, providing new insights for future research on the role of immune cells in peripheral nerve injury.
Using Professional Development as a Tool for Whole-School Performance Improvement at Wilson Elementary School
Authors: Hart-Ruiz Timothy
Published: January 2025

This teaching case study explores how two school administrators support whole-school performance improvement through professional development (PD). Wilson Elementary School has seen significant academic growth as measured by state assessments. The administrators attribute these improvements to the PD structures they have implemented which focus teacher learning on improving instructional practices. Teachers appreciate the PD opportunities but have grown ambivalent about them. Many find the narrow PD focus limiting. Research on PD and leadership models are shared as potential discussion questions and activities.
Prevalence and risk factors of covert brain infarction: A community-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhang Ruinan , Yao Dongxiao , Cai Xueli , Zhang Yanli , Yang Yingying , Li Shan , Jing Jing , Wang Suying , Wang Yongjun , Pan Yuesong , Wang Yilong
Published: January 2025

Background:

Covert brain infarction (CBI) is common and poses a potential and non-negligible burden of disease worldwide. The prevalence and risk factors for CBI have been reported inconsistently in previous studies.

Aims:

This study aims to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors of CBI and its imaging phenotypes in community-dwelling adults.

Methods:

The study population was derived from the baseline survey of a population-based cohort from the Polyvascular Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and Vascular Events study, involving adults aged 50–75 years from Lishui City, Southeast China. The 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to access CBI and detect intracranial and extracranial vascular lesions. The prevalence rates of CBI and three imaging phenotypes were stratified separately by age, sex, atherosclerotic burden, and artery stenosis. The intracranial and extracranial atherosclerotic burden was graded by summing atherosclerosis scores. Multivariable logistic regression with a stepwise selection method was used to identify independent CBI risk factors.

Results:

A total of 2947 participants (mean age of 61.1 ± 6.6 years, 53.8% women) were included. CBI prevalence among study subjects was 9.6%, and the most common subtype was other chronic infarction (5.6%), followed by cavitatory lesions (4.6%) and acute cerebral infarction (0.5%). In multivariable analysis, older age (odds ratio (OR): 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40–1.83), hypertension (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.08–1.94), higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04–1.32), homocysteine (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.06–1.41), intracranial artery plaque (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.16–2.10), and severe extracranial atherosclerotic burden (OR: 6.57, 95% CI: 1.67–25.79) were associated with a higher CBI odds. There is a linear relationship between age, DBP, LDL-C, and CBI odds, while homocysteine shows a nonlinear relevancy. Age, DBP, homocysteine, and LDL-C elevation increase CBI risk.

Conclusion:

CBI prevalence in this Chinese community-based population was not low. Age, hypertension, intracranial artery plaque, extracranial atherosclerotic burden, homocysteine, LDL-C, and DBP were found to be the risk factors of CBI.
Research on facial expression recognition based on wide attention and multi-scale fusion mechanism
Authors: Guo Daipeng , Mu Jing , Xu Fei , Li Min
Published: January 2025

To solve the problem of limitations of current attention mechanisms in extracting key facial expression features and the problem of low accuracy of facial expression recognition due to insufficient consideration of feature information fusion in the receptive field by convolutional neural networks. In this paper, we propose a facial expression recognition network based on wide attention (WA) and a multi-scale fusion (MF) mechanism (wide attention and multi-scale fusion [WAMF]). WA by extracting the background information of facial expression images while focusing on texture information, thus achieving better feature extraction. The MF mechanism is added at the connection points of layers in ResNet, where features extracted from each upper layer are fused using different-sized convolutional kernels and input into the lower layer. Finally, a viewpoint-invariant Capsule Net is used as the classification network after receiving the feature maps. The proposed WAMF model was applied to two publicly available datasets, CK+ and Jaffe, achieving excellent recognition rates of 98.98% and 98.46%, respectively.
Hematopoietic stem cell microtransplantation: current situation and challenges
Authors: Li Zhengyang , Yang Yuanyuan , Peng Hongwei , Li Fei
Published: January 2025

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) stands as a cornerstone in the treatment of hematological malignancies, recognized for its remarkable efficacy. However, the persistent challenge of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) continues to represent a significant barrier, often being the leading cause of nonrelapse mortality after allo-HSCT. To address this limitation, hematopoietic stem cell microtransplantation (MST) has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy that synergistically combines chemotherapy, allo-HSCT, and cellular immunotherapy. This innovative approach is designed to retain the patient’s immune function, promote the establishment of microchimerism, and achieve a potent graft-versus-tumor (GVT) response, all while significantly minimizing the risk of GVHD. MST has primarily been applied in the treatment of hematological malignancies, where it has demonstrated promising outcomes, including marked improvements in complete remission rates, overall survival rates, and progression-free survival rates. Moreover, MST facilitates hematopoietic recovery, decreases the likelihood of infections, and reduces the incidence of GVHD, thus contributing to an improved quality of life for patients. A deeper and more comprehensive understanding of MST’s mechanisms could enhance its clinical utility and integration into standard treatment protocols. This review aims to explore the underlying mechanisms, current clinical applications, and challenges of MST, shedding light on its potential role in advancing the management of hematological malignancies.
Treatment of discoid lupus erythematosus scarring alopecia with deucravacitinib: A case report
Authors: Aw Katherine , Gavigan Genevieve
Published: January 2025

Discoid lupus erythematosus is a chronic, recurring, autoimmune skin disease causing annular, scarring plaques on the head and neck. Deucravacitinib, a tyrosine kinase 2 inhibitor in the Janus kinase inhibitor family, represents an emerging treatment option in systemic lupus erythematosus with potential applicability to discoid lupus erythematosus. We describe a 48-year-old woman with multiple treatment-refractory scalp plaques and associated alopecia treated with deucravacitinib. She demonstrated resolution of symptoms and 1–2 cm hair regrowth at a 3-month follow-up, with significant hair regrowth and reduction in plaque size at a 6-month follow-up. The patient tolerated the medication well with no side effects. This case highlights the potential of deucravacitinib as an effective therapy for refractory discoid lupus erythematosus.
The Relationship Between Transport Infrastructure and Urban Land Prices: A Study in Hanoi, Vietnam
Authors: Tuan Nguyen Tran , Lan Nguyen Thanh
Published: January 2025

The research topic related to transport infrastructure and the impact of increasing land prices has attracted the attention and research interest of many scholars, practitioners, and policymakers. This is an essential basis to provide the necessary information in allocating and regulating the land value-added accordingly. The study surveyed three suburban districts of Hanoi’s capital, with 524 survey samples. The case study focuses on a road project that is constructed and passes through three of Hanoi’s suburban areas. We collected these samples using the convenience sampling method. The authors chose to conduct a survey among households with land and real estate within a 1 km radius. The purpose of these survey samples is to gauge how the development of transportation infrastructure affects the cost of urban land. Additionally, the study put out seven hypotheses, and the findings indicated that, in line with the authors’ expectations, five of the seven hypotheses were supported. Specifically, land use change and accessibility are the two variables that had the strongest impact on land price changes in the study area, while travel time and development opportunities do not show any influence on land prices. The study’s findings further support the idea that the development of transportation infrastructure in urban periphery has altered the character of land use. The study also provides some policy implications in land price management to regulate and mobilize financial resources from land generated by infrastructure development.
Planning and Managing Migration Within the Framework of the Migration–development Nexus: A Content Analysis of Ghana’s National Migration Policy
Authors: Kutor Senanu Kwasi , Ofori Desmond Oklikah , Arku Godwin
Published: January 2025

The relationship between migration and development, especially in Global South contexts, is debated in migration studies. Given the real or perceived gains and challenges of migration, countries are formulating and implementing migration policies (including regional agreements) to maximise or minimise youth migration, return migration, climate-induced migration and protect migration-associated human rights issues. However, there is currently no study that analyses the topic for a timely understanding of trends and issues that need urgent redress. Using Ghana’s National Migration Policy as a case study, this article examines the strategic priorities and focus of the document as it relates to the migration–development nexus. The content analyses demonstrate that the policy document focuses on maximising migration gains through remittances, brain circulation, diaspora engagements, transnationalism, return migration and gender mainstreaming while minimising the cost of migration through brain drain. Although the development-oriented nature of the policy document is intriguing, gaps exist that need readdressing to meet the development concerns of the twenty-first century. Notably, there is no recognition of contextual and structural forces that hinder development, no attention to left-behind families and a mismatch between policy intents and practical actions. To this end, recommendations are provided that could potentially address the gaps identified in the review. Overall, the formulation and promulgation of Ghana’s National Migration Policy should not be seen as an end in itself but rather as a starting point to effectively manage migration and development-related issues.
Vulnerability assessment of buildings in the aftermath of 2023 Turkiye earthquake sequence
Authors: Gencturk Bora , Sezen Halil , Mieler Mike , Griffith Morgan , Gudhka Parth , Garai Rupa
Published: January 2025

The 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Turkiye, which measured 7.8 and 7.5 moment magnitude ( Mw) per the United States Geological Survey (USGS), affected 13 provinces and over 15 million people, according to the Turkish Government. The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute’s (EERI) Buildings Reconnaissance Team visited the populated centers as well as small towns in Turkiye that were most affected by these earthquakes. The team focused on understanding the overall structural performance of buildings, including correlation with maximum spectral acceleration and peak ground velocity at nearby ground motion recording stations. This article discusses the vulnerability of concrete buildings, which constitute most of the building stock in the region, performing an overall assessment of structural systems as well as components. More than 160 individual buildings at about 130 sites were observed. The construction period of these buildings varied from pre-2000s to as new as a few years old. Turkish building codes underwent significant changes after the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake and most recently in 2018. The findings in this article include not only the behavior of critical gravity and lateral structural elements but also the participation of non-structural elements in the seismic response of the structure, such as infills, non–load-bearing partitions, and perimeter unreinforced masonry infill walls. This article discusses the findings from field observations related to design, detailing, and construction practices. Findings illustrating the seismic performance of building systems and individual components such as floor slabs, beams, columns, shear walls, and foundations, with key takeaways to improve the seismic design guidelines, construction, and inspection practices, are summarized.
Introduction to a How I Treat series on acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Dombret Hervé
Published: January 2025

Edited by Associate Editor Hervé Dombret, this How I Treat series highlights the clinical approach to high-risk subgroups of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). These include adult Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)–positive ALL, Ph-like ALL, infant acute ALL, early T-cell precursor ALL, Ph-negative ALL in older patients, and postimmunotherapy relapsed B-cell ALL. Using illustrative cases, the authors outline the approach to these patients, with recommendations with regard to targeted therapies, novel therapeutic approaches, and the changing role of allogeneic stem cell transplantation.
Estimating undiagnosed dementia in England using capture recapture techniques
Authors: Mukadam Naaheed , Marston Louise , Flanagan Katie , Ma’u Etuini , Cheung Gary , Böhning Dankmar
Published: January 2025

Background

To our knowledge capture-recapture techniques have not been used to estimate dementia prevalence using routinely collected data in England, nor have they been used to estimate changes in undiagnosed dementia over time. In this study we aimed to use routinely collected electronic health records to estimate the number of undiagnosed dementia cases there are in England and how this has changed over time. We also aimed to assess whether proportion of undiagnosed cases differed by age group, ethnicity, socioeconomic deprivation and sex.

Methods

We used routinely collected primary care data linked to hospital episode statistics from 1997 to 2018. We tabulated capture of dementia in each of the two datasets and used the Lincoln-Petersen estimator to estimate numbers of missing dementia diagnoses per year along with the estimated total number of cases and the proportion of cases identified. We calculated age and sex-adjusted prevalence of dementia for each year and used proportion of cases identified to estimate the underlying population prevalence of dementia per year. We conducted beta regression to estimate how sex, age band, deprivation and ethnic group affects the proportion of dementia cases identified, adjusting for year.

Results

Proportion of cases out of the estimated total that were identified, rose from 42.4% in 1997 to 84.4% in 2018. Estimated population prevalence of dementia rose from 1997 to a high of 4.4% in 2018 in those aged ≥ 65. Proportion of dementia cases identified did not vary by sex but a lower proportion of those from the South Asian ethnic group were diagnosed compared to the White population (coeff -0.115, 95% CI -0.218 to -0.011). Compared to those aged 65–74, those aged 75–84 and 85 + had higher proportions of dementia diagnosed (75–84 Coeff 0.259, 95% CI 0.153–0.366; 85 + Coeff 0.185, 95% CI 0.079–0.291). Those living in the two most deprived areas had a higher proportion of dementia diagnosed compared to the least deprived area (IMD quintile 4 vs 1 coeff 0.093, 95% CI 0.014 to 0.173, IMD quintile 5 vs 1 coeff 0.162, 95% CI 0.083 to 0.242).

Conclusions

Proportion of dementia cases identified has increased over time and results indicate that underlying prevalence of dementia may be lower than previously estimated but this needs replication. Greater focus needs to be given to those with dementia onset at younger ages and those from South Asian backgrounds as dementia is relatively under-diagnosed in these groups.
Variables influencing telemedicine utilization via telephone appointments among rural patients
Authors: García Eliseo , Vincent Benjamin C. , Thakur Shivani , Thakur Ashish , Zabiba Fatima , Agarwal Sandhini , Cervantes Jasmin Dominguez , Zabiba Ahmed
Published: January 2025

Objective

To evaluate patient preferences when utilizing telemedicine.

Methods

A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was completed by 153 patients at a rural clinic via a convenience sampling method. The survey contained 21 statements encompassing provider confidence, patient-physician rapport, and accessibility variables. Patient responses for those who attended (n = 120) or canceled/rescheduled (n = 33) telemedicine encounters were analyzed using paired difference t-tests and t-tests of correlations between different groups of variables. An ad-hoc method patterned after the least significant differences was applied to the analysis of variance results to evaluate patient-valued variables.

Results

Patients surveyed included 82.4% female (n = 127) and 17.6% male (n = 26); 69.3% of them were Hispanic/Latino (n = 106). When reviewing the patient opinion statements, our data suggested a belief that telemedicine encounters were as good as in-person visits (n = 118, x̄ = 4.932) and that such encounters provided them with the confidence to proceed with future, in-person vein treatments (n = 117, x̄ = 4.744). Additionally, patients expressed feeling as though their personal information was safe (n = 117, x̄ = 4.897).

Conclusion

Rural patients indicated a preference for flexible encounters and for providers who strive to build trust and rapport when utilizing telemedicine.
Dietary tea tree (Melaleucae Aetheroleum) oil fortifies growth, biochemical, immune-antioxidant trait, gene function, tissue reaction, and Aeromonas sobria resistance in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Shaalan Mohamed , Mahboub Heba H. , Abdelgawad Ahmed Hosny , Abdelwarith Abdelwahab A. , Younis Elsayed M. , Elnegiry Ahmed A. , Basher Asmaa W. , El-Houseiny Walaa , Shawky Sherif M. , Orabi Sahar H. , Davies Simon J. , Mahmoud Yasmina K.
Published: January 2025

The current study had aimed to assess the long-term dietary supplementation with Melaleucae aetheroleum, tea tree essential oil (TTO). The impact on growth performance, biochemical indices, immune function, oxidant/antioxidant activity, gene expression, histopathology, and resistance against Aeromonas sobria in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was investigated. Four groups (with five replicates; G1 (control group, G2, G3, and G4) of Nile tilapia received diets enriched with TTO (doses of 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mL/kg diet) for 60 days, then fish were challenged by A. sobria. Outcomes indicated an extensive elevation in growth metrics (final body weight, weight gain, SGR, feed intake and fish body protein). Similarly, the total blood protein, albumin, total globulin levels, Serum complement-3 levels, lysozyme activity, immunoglobulin M (IgM), nitric oxide, and phagocytic activity were significantly enhanced in all treatments, notably in the 2.0 mL TTO/kg fed groups compared to the control. Lower levels of urea, creatinine, AST, ALP, ALT, cortisol, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol and body crude lipids were observed in the fish that were fed a 2.0 mL TTO/kg diet. Supplementing TTO at 2.0-mL /kg diet revealed the best results for elevating CAT, SOD, and GSH activities plus declining MDA value in hepatic homogenate. Additionally, dietary 2.0-mL TTO/kg showed the best outcomes for the intestinal morphometry plus maintaining the histological picture in spleen and liver. Concurrently, fish that were fed a 2.0 mL TTO/kg diet exhibited a substantial upregulation of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, TFG-β, IFN-γ and BCL-2 genes in the liver, while, caspase-3, and BAX were downregulated. Furthermore, TTO-enriched diets enhanced the relative percentage survival post-A. sobria challenge plus enhanced the clinical picture in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, the findings revealed that long-term exposure to dietary TTO fortified the physiological performance, oxidant/anti-oxidant stability, immune function, gene expression, histological picture, and resistance of Nile tilapia against A. sobria.
HBV DNA integration and somatic mutations in HCC patients with HBV-HCV dual infection reveals profiles intermediate between HBV- and HCV-related HCC
Authors: Li Chiao-Ling , Hsu Chia-Lang , Lin You-Yu , Ho Ming-Chih , Hu Rey-Heng , Tzeng Sheng-Tai , Wang Ya-Chun , Tanaka Yasuhito , Chen Pei-Jer , Yeh Shiou-Hwei
Published: January 2025

Background

In regions with a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, coinfected patients face a heightened risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), termed HBV/HCV-related HCC (HBCV-HCC). We aimed to investigate the contribution of preexisting chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and subsequent chronic hepatitis C (CHC) to the development of HBCV-HCC.

Methods

We examined HBV’s involvement in 93 HBCV-HCC cases by analyzing HBV DNA integration as an indicator of HCC originating from HBV-infected hepatocytes, compared with 164 HBV-HCCs and 56 HCV-HCCs as controls.

Results

Next generation sequencing revealed that 55% of HBCV-HCCs exhibited clonal HBV integration, which falls between the rates observed in HBV-HCCs (88%) and HCV-HCCs (7%), with similar integration patterns to HBV-HCCs. Common HCC somatic mutation analysis indicated HCV superinfection in HBCV-HCCs correlated with increased mutation rates in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter and beta-catenin genes. Transcriptome analysis showed a prevalence of replicating HCV over HBV in HBCV-HCCs, with preexisting HBV exerting a proliferative role. The comparison of clinical characteristics revealed similarities between HBCV-HCC and HCV-HCC patients, including later onset for HBCV-HCC, possibly due to HCV superinfection slowing carcinogenesis. Notably, HBCV-HCCs with the same driver mutation, HBV integration at the TERT promoter, tended to develop later and showed a better prognosis post-tumor resection than HBV-HCCs.

Conclusions

Our findings shed light on the interplay between preexisting CHB and subsequent CHC in elevating the risk of HBCV-HCC. These insights are crucial for understanding viral etiology-specific carcinogenesis and guiding surveillance policies for HBCV-HCC post-antiviral therapy.
Pan-cancer drivers of metastasis
Authors: Lusby Ryan , Demirdizen Engin , Inayatullah Mohammed , Kundu Paramita , Maiques Oscar , Zhang Ziyi , Terp Mikkel Green , Sanz-Moreno Victoria , Tiwari Vijay K.
Published: January 2025

Metastasis remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, irrespective of the primary tumour origin. However, the core gene regulatory program governing distinct stages of metastasis across cancers remains poorly understood. We investigate this through single-cell transcriptome analysis encompassing over two hundred patients with metastatic and non-metastatic tumours across six cancer types. Our analysis revealed a prognostic core gene signature that provides insights into the intricate cellular dynamics and gene regulatory networks driving metastasis progression at the pan-cancer and single-cell level. Notably, the dissection of transcription factor networks active across different stages of metastasis, combined with functional perturbation, identified SP1 and KLF5 as key regulators, acting as drivers and suppressors of metastasis, respectively, at critical steps of this transition across multiple cancer types. Through in vivo and in vitro loss of function of SP1 in cancer cells, we revealed its role in driving cancer cell survival, invasive growth, and metastatic colonisation. Furthermore, tumour cells and the microenvironment increasingly engage in communication through WNT signalling as metastasis progresses, driven by SP1. Further validating these observations, a drug repurposing analysis identified distinct FDA-approved drugs with anti-metastasis properties, including inhibitors of WNT signalling across various cancers.
The evolution of health policy and systems research in 11 low- and middle-income countries and the role of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research: a bibliometric analysis for 1999–2020
Authors: Paichadze Nino , Cook Emma K. , Rosen Heather E. , Kurtovic Sara , Hyder Adnan A.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Given the rapid growth of the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR), it is important to monitor the research environment, especially the evolution of HPSR research outputs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The objective of this study was to generate quantitative metrics to assess the production of HPSR publications and the role of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (the Alliance) grant-funded projects in 11 LMICs over the past 20 years.

Methods

We conducted a systematic literature search for HPSR literature from 1999 to 2020 pertaining to 11 target LMIC countries, including grey literature. We analysed the frequency of publications over time, by country and by thematic area. We then used a database of the Alliance’s previous grantees to analyse authorship by Alliance-funded investigators.

Results

HPSR publications across all 11 target countries increased steadily over the past two decades and the rate of publication increased by an average of 34% per year. The majority of HPSR publications during the study period were in health systems (23%) and health workforce (19%) thematic areas. Nineteen per cent of HPSR publications during this time were authored by Alliance-funded investigators. There was extensive heterogeneity between countries both in number of publications and in proportion of publications authored by Alliance-funded investigators.

Conclusions

Growth in the HPSR research environment reflects the expanding prominence of the HPSR field and increased HPSR research capacity in the 11 target countries. Alliance-funded investigators made an important contribution to the growth in HPSR output in these countries.
Associations between HEXACO personality traits, substance use disorders, and behavioral addictions: a protocol for a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sharifibastan Farangis , Erevik Eilin Kristine , Morken Katharina Teresa Enehaug , Pallesen Ståle
Published: January 2025

Background

While research has explored the connection between addiction and personality, no systematic study has examined how substance use disorders (SUD) and behavioral addictions specifically relate to the HEXACO model of personality. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to fill this gap by investigating the association between HEXACO personality traits and various addictions, including illegal substances (e.g., narcotics and cannabis) and behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling, gaming, social media addiction, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder) across different populations.

Methods

The protocol is in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. Searches will be conducted in databases including APA PsycINFO (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), ProQuest, Web of Science, CINAHL, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar. Empirical studies published as full papers in peer-reviewed journals or as full dissertations, in English, other European languages, or Persian, investigating the association between HEXACO personality traits and addictive disorders are eligible. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations and full-text articles, and extract data using the Covidence software. They will further assess the risk of bias and quality of the studies using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) for longitudinal and cohort studies, an adapted version of the NOS for cross-sectional studies. Publication bias will be evaluated using funnel plots, Egger’s test, and trim and fill analysis. In addition to a narrative summary, meta-analyses will be conducted if data are sufficient. Random effects models will be used to pool effect sizes. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression will be performed to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analyses will examine the robustness of the results. Data analysis will be conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA), version 4.

Discussion

This review and meta-analysis will be the first to systematically explore and integrate the evidence available on the association between the HEXACO personality traits and SUD and behavioral addictions. By consolidating information, the study will enhance our understanding of the role of personality traits in the development, maintenance, and treatment of SUD and behavioral addictions.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42023468153.