bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does the social credit system construction reduce enterprises’ overinvestment? quasi-natural experimental evidence from China
Authors: Zhang Guozhen , Xia Yurui , Xie Yiting , Dong Yuanxiang
Published: February 2025

As an important part of improving the socialist market economic system, the social credit system focuses on the market’s micro behavior, which emphasizes the credit self-discipline of enterprises in financial management and checks the orientation for enterprises’ investment decisions. This study selected Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies for 2012–2023 as samples and used the pilot reform of China’s social credit system as a quasi-natural experiment to test the impact and mechanisms of the construction of the social credit system on enterprises’ overinvestment. The main findings show that the social credit system construction alleviates enterprises’ overinvestment behaviors, realized by the inhibiting effect of internal controls, the reverse effect of risk monitoring, and the guiding effect of business environment optimization. Heterogeneity analyses illustrate that the social credit system construction has a more obvious inhibitory effect on overinvestment for enterprises that are less subject to financing constraints, have higher internet penetration, have better financial development levels, are eastern, non-manufacturing, and large-scale. The conclusions provide new perspectives and references for the government and enterprises to re-examine the economic effects of the social credit system construction, which can promote capital usage efficiency and guide enterprises toward rational management.
Risk factors for loss to follow-up in patients with gout: A Korean prospective cohort study
Authors: Do Hyunsue , Son Chang-Nam , Choi Hyo Jin , Kim Ji Hyoun , Kim Min Jung , Shin Kichul , Kim Sang-Hyon , Choi Byoongyong , Ha You-Jung , Ahn Joong Kyong , Kim Hyun-Ok , Lee Sung Won , Lee Chang Hoon , Song Ran , Son Kyeong Min , Lee Seung-Geun , Moon Ki Won
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Gout, a common form of inflammatory arthritis, is often managed with urate-lowering therapy, but many patients only adhere to treatment during gout attacks, resulting in poor follow-up and suboptimal management. This study aimed to identify characteristics associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) and develop strategies for better patient management.

Methods

Data were analyzed from the Urate Lowering TheRApy in gout (ULTRA) registry, a prospective cohort of Korean gout patients recruited since September 2021. Patients aged 18 or older who met the 2015 ACR/EULAR classification criteria were included. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, lifestyle habits, comorbidities, and quality of life assessments using the Korean Gout Impact Scale (K-GIS) and EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) were collected at baseline, six months, and annually. LTFU was defined as missing a clinic visit for more than a year. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with LTFU.

Results

Among 269 patients, 125 (46.5%) were classified as LTFU. Patients not lost to follow-up experienced more frequent gout attacks (P = 0.020) and expressed greater concerns about future flares (P = 0.034). In contrast, LTFU patients had higher levels of anxiety (P = 0.049), depressive symptoms (P = 0.009), impaired mobility (P = 0.002), and a higher EQ-5D score (P = 0.002). Logistic regression identified frequent gout attacks, concerns about attacks, anxiety, impaired mobility, and EQ-5D scores as significant predictors of LTFU.

Conclusion

Fewer gout attacks, heightened anxiety and depression, and lower quality of life were key factors associated with LTFU. Providing emotional support and comprehensive education may enhance follow-up and improve gout management.
Seed priming and abiotic stress tolerance in carrot: Unraveling the mechanisms of improved germination
Authors: Nowicki Marcin , Nowakowska Marzena , Nowak Katarzyna , Szczechura Wojciech , Kaminski Piotr
Published: February 2025

Climate change necessitates the development of improved crops capable of withstanding future weather patterns. Carrots (Daucus carota L.), a crucial vegetable crop of global importance, face unique challenges in seed germination and seedling development due to their complex pollination biology and outcrossing reproduction mode with severe inbreeding depression if selfed. This study investigated the effects of salinity and drought stress on carrot seed germination and seedling development, with focus on the roles of seed priming, cellular processes inhibitors, and biochemical responses. Seed priming agents were hypothesized to enhance stress tolerance by modulating specific cellular and biochemical pathways, such as improving osmotic balance, enhancing antioxidant defense mechanisms, and activating stress-responsive genes. We also hypothesized that specific cellular processes and biochemical pathways influence the germination and early seedling growth of carrot seeds under salinity or drought stress. To test that hypothesis, we evaluated the effects of seed priming with various agents (e.g., water, NaCl, PEG, GA3) on germination rates and seedling vigor. Additionally, we investigated the impact of inhibitors (actinomycin D—inhibitor of transcription, cycloheximide—inhibitor of translation, hydroxyurea—inhibitor of DNA synthesis, cytochalasin—inhibitor of actin polymerization) on seed germination under stress conditions. Biochemical responses, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and antioxidant enzyme activities, were analyzed to identify genotype-specific adaptations indicative of stress tolerance. Our results revealed significant variability in germination rates and seedling growth among the studied carrot experimental lines and commercial cultivars under salinity or drought stress Seed priming enhanced germination and seedling vigor by up to 35% under salinity stress and 28% under drought stress, with notable differences observed across the priming agents. The application of inhibitors highlighted the involvement of specific cellular processes in regulation of seed germination under stress. For instance, actinomycin D reduced germination by 40% under salinity stress. Biochemical analyses indicated genotype-specific responses, with variations in ROS levels and antioxidant enzyme activities such as superoxide dismutase and peroxidase. ROS levels increased by 50% under drought stress, whereas antioxidant enzyme activities varied substantially among genotypes. These findings underscored the importance of genotype-specific adaptations in conferring salinity or drought tolerance in carrot seedlings. Future research integrating omics approaches (e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) will provide deeper insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate stress tolerance, to aid in the development of more resilient carrot varieties suitable for cultivation under adverse environmental conditions.
Comparative analysis of selected methods of carbapenemase determination among clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Pruss Agata , Skierska Alicja , Kwiatkowski Paweł , Masiuk Helena , Jursa-Kulesza Joanna , Giedrys-Kalemba Stefania , Bilska Iwona , Sienkiewicz Monika , Melnyk Maria V. , Dołęgowska Barbara
Published: February 2025

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a typical opportunistic pathogen that exhibits multiple virulence factors and antibiotic resistance conditioning mechanisms. Carbapenemases are enzymes that help bacteria to exhibit the strongest resistance against antibiotics. Therefore, in routine microbiological diagnoses, it is crucial to confirm antibiotic-resistant strains, including carbapenemase-producing bacteria strains, isolated from patients. Two types of tests play an important role here: phenotypicand molecular diagnostic methods. The latter complement phenotypic tests and a mandatory procedure to confirm the detection of carbapenemases. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of tests and methods used to identify and confirm the ability of clinical K. pneumoniae strains to produce carbapenemases. The production of carbapenemases was assessed using phenotypic and genetic methods. The strains tested showed complete resistance to most beta-lactams and varying sensitivity to drugs from the quinolone carbapenem group and aminoglycosides. Among the most commonly produced carbapenemases were the metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM) family. The most accurate phenotypic method for detecting carbapenemases was the NG CARBA-5 assay, and the PCR method confirmed these results. Notably, a few inconclusive results were obtained for NDM-positive and VIM-positive strains when the disk diffusion method and CIM test were used. Further, the Carba tube assay and the RAPIDEC CARBA NP assay produced questionable results for the OXA-48 strain group. This group also generated false-negative results on Carba’s CHROM ID medium.
Strength, extent and duration of secondary hyperalgesia induced by high-frequency electrical stimulation of the foot compared to the volar forearm of healthy human volunteers
Authors: Lebrun Louisien , Lenoir Cédric , Leone Caterina , van den Broeke Emanuel N. , Caspani Ombretta , Schilder Andreas , Pelz Bernhard , Truini Andrea , Treede Rolf-Detlef , Mouraux André
Published: February 2025

High-frequency electrical stimulation (HFS) of the skin using a multi-pin electrode activating epidermal nociceptors is used to explore spinal central sensitization in humans. Most previous studies applied HFS to the volar forearm. To prepare for clinical applications in which HFS could be applied to different body sites, this study compared the secondary hyperalgesia induced by stimulation of the foot dorsum vs. the forearm in 32 healthy volunteers. HFS consisted in five 1-s trains of 100 Hz pulses (inter-train interval: 10 s; intensity: 20x detection threshold) delivered via a novel electrode optimized for stimulation of different body sites (ten 0.25 mm pins in a 5-mm circle). Pinprick sensitivity was assessed before HFS and 30–240 minutes after HFS, at the treated site and the corresponding contralateral site. The area of hyperalgesia was quantified. HFS to the foot induced a significant increase in pinprick sensitivity of the surrounding skin, similar in magnitude to the increase at the forearm, and decaying similarly over time (half-lives 150 vs. 221 min). The radius of secondary hyperalgesia was smaller at the foot (22 mm) compared to the forearm (38 mm, p < 0.001), and decreased more rapidly over time (53 vs. 87 min, p < 0.01). Our results show that strength of HFS-induced secondary hyperalgesia can be used as indicator of spinal central sensitization across body sites, and thereby profile patients with localized or regional pain conditions. The size of the area of hyperalgesia may depend on innervation density and peripheral receptive field sizes.
The information gain of explicitly provided over self-generated contextual knowledge for behavioral control
Authors: Magnaguagno Lukas , Zahno Stephan , Hossner Ernst-Joachim
Published: February 2025

In time-pressured decisions, humans exploit contextual knowledge to reduce uncertainty about the unfolding situation and to improve behavioral control. However, in complex real-world settings, it remains unclear whether the explicit provision of contextual information is beneficial or not. We thus examined the information gain of explicitly provided information as a function of expertise, information uncertainty and acquisition phase. To this end, we measured the positioning of female handball players (N = 36 experts + 36 near-experts) in a virtual-reality defensive task as a function of their teammates’ defensive-strength patterns, which was either explicitly instructed or had to be self-generated. Furthermore, the certainty of provided information was experimentally varied (67% vs. 83% consistent information). All eight groups–expertise (2) x acquisition condition (2) x information certainty (2)–improved performance in terms of the positional difference in their defense movements, meaning that they either moved more sideways to support their neighboring teammate or remained more often in their position when no support was required. However, an explicit-knowledge test showed no differences regarding pattern detection between the acquisition conditions, implying that the performance enhancement of the self-generated groups was not due to explicit-knowledge accumulation. Most notably, experts generally benefitted from explicit instructions whereas for near-experts, an information gain could only be revealed for comparably certain information. This interaction implies that future research on explicit provision vs. self-generation of contextual knowledge should pursue a more differential approach, thereby also considering gender and age as well as personality factors.
Wnt/β-catenin signalling underpins juvenile Fasciola hepatica growth and development
Authors: Armstrong Rebecca , Marks Nikki J. , Geary Timothy G. , Harrington John , Selzer Paul M. , Maule Aaron G.
Published: February 2025

Infection by the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica, places a substantial burden on the global agri-food industry and poses a significant threat to human health in endemic regions. Widespread resistance to a limited arsenal of chemotherapeutics, including the frontline flukicide triclabendazole (TCBZ), renders F. hepatica control unsustainable and accentuates the need for novel therapeutic target discovery. A key facet of F. hepatica biology is a population of specialised stem cells which drive growth and development - their dysregulation is hypothesised to represent an appealing avenue for control. The exploitation of this system as a therapeutic target is impeded by a lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning F. hepatica growth and development. Wnt signalling pathways govern a myriad of stem cell processes during embryogenesis and drive tumorigenesis in adult tissues in animals. Here, we identify five putative Wnt ligands and five Frizzled receptors in liver fluke transcriptomic datasets and find that Wnt/β-catenin signalling is most active in juveniles, the most pathogenic life stage. FISH-mediated transcript localisation revealed partitioning of the five Wnt ligands, with each displaying a distinct expression pattern, consistent with each Wnt regulating the development of different cell/tissue types. The silencing of each individual Wnt or Frizzled gene yielded significant reductions in juvenile worm growth and, in select cases, blunted the proliferation of neoblast-like cells. Notably, silencing FhCTNNB1, the key effector of the Wnt/β-catenin signal cascade led to aberrant development of the neuromuscular system which ultimately proved lethal - the first report of a lethal RNAi-induced phenotype in F. hepatica. The absence of any discernible phenotypes following the silencing of the inhibitory Wnt/β-catenin destruction complex components is consistent with low destruction complex activity in rapidly developing juvenile worms, corroborates transcriptomic expression profiles and underscores the importance of Wnt signalling as a key molecular driver of growth and development in early-stage juvenile fluke. The putative pharmacological inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signalling using commercially available inhibitors phenocopied RNAi results and provides impetus for drug repurposing. Taken together, these data functionally and chemically validate the targeting of Wnt signalling as a novel strategy to undermine the pathogenicity of juvenile F. hepatica.
Come together: Journalism and the desire for community in Turkey
Authors: Miles Caitlin Marie
Published: February 2025

This article explores the interconnection between journalism, community and embodied experiences of nationalist politics. As journalists in Istanbul, Turkey, navigate political environment shaped by nationalist narratives and policies rooted in ethnic purity, this article asks what role do journalists envision themselves playing in imagining and realizing a more democratic and pluralistic community? To address that question, this study examines how these journalists imagine and conceptualize the idea of community and how such work is impacted by the gendered, ethnic and racialized experiences of their daily and professional lives. I argue that journalists imagine and envision community as an ideal through which to navigate and contend with a highly polarized political climate. I draw evidence from narratives and participant observation gathered from eighteen months ethnographic fieldwork in Istanbul. Through these, I trace how the ethnic, racialized and gendered hierarchies embedded in the history and the contemporary politics of Turkey come to bear on journalism, and how journalism can function as a community-building practice.
Introduction: The musical-theatrical Global South
Authors: Asare Masi , Méndez Emilio
Published: February 2025

The Introduction to this Special Issue (‘The Musical-Theatrical Global South’) of Studies in Musical Theatre delves into the expansive musical-theatrical traditions of the Global South, examining what it means to move beyond the dominant spaces of Broadway, the West End and Hollywood. The issue explores the dynamic contributions of artists from regions like Mexico City, Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Jakarta and Bogotá, who engage with local traditions and negotiate their identities within and outside imported Global North musical forms. While conventional scholarship often overlooks the Global South, this collection of articles brings attention to the rich genealogies of song, dance and theatre in these regions, complicating the traditional definition of the ‘musical’. The issue further examines the political dimensions of musical theatre in the Global South which engage with complex historical narratives. Roundtable discussions with scholars and creators from countries such as Brazil, Lebanon, India, Nigeria and South Africa provide insights into the intersections between local traditions.
Orpheus in Hell: Adaptation and reimagination of a myth in Rio de Janeiro’s musical theatre
Authors: Bádue Alex
Published: February 2025

This article explores two adaptations and reinterpretations of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in Rio de Janeiro’s musical theatre. It focuses on Orfeu na Roça (Orpheus in the Countryside) from 1868 by Francisco Correa Vasques, and Orfeu da Conceição (Orpheus of the Conception) from 1956 by Vinicius de Moraes with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim. The former is a parody of Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld (1858), which recontextualizes the myth within the rural outskirts of imperial Rio de Janeiro. The latter transplants the myth to a Black community in a favela, featuring an all-Black cast. The study delves into the musical depiction of hell in each adaptation and examines how the utilization of vernacular and popular forms of Brazilian music and dance (cateretê, fado, maxixe, bossa nova and batucada) reflect and comment on issues of social class and race during these works’ respective time periods. The article also contextualizes these works within the broader cultural, social and historical framework of their times and underscores the enduring relevance and adaptability of the Orpheus myth in diverse cultural landscapes.
The effective algorithm for constant state detection in time series.
Authors: Keino Andrei
Published: February 2025

The article introduces simple and effective algorithm for constant state detection in time series. Thealgorithm, based on sliding window of variable length, searches a sections of time series with somegiven minimal length, that have all the values in some given range. It is shown that the computationalcomplexity of aforementioned algorithm is O(N log N), where N is the length of time series.
Plasmon Properties of Polydisperse Aluminum Nanoparticles Produced in Spark Discharge
Authors: Vershinina Olesya , Lizunova Anna , Khramov Egor , Filalova Emiliia , Sanatulina Arina , Novoselov Artem , Nouraldeen Messan , Malo Dana , Kameneva Ekaterina , Kerechanina Mariia , Tokunov Yuri , Ivanov Victor
Published: February 2025

Nanoscale aluminum is a promising material for ultraviolet (UV) plasmonics for improving biosensors, light sources, and solar cells. Our study proposes a technique for producing aluminum nanoparticles with controlled average sizes using a gas discharge by adjusting the energy density released on the electrode surfaces. The key objective of this research is to investigate the impact of the variation in the dimensions of the inner and outer diameters of the electrodes on the synthesis efficiency, size distribution, and optical properties of primary nanoparticles, and to theoretically predict their potential for metal-enhanced luminescence applications. The morphology and structure of the resulting polydisperse nanoparticles were analyzed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). An increase in the average size from 15 to 26 nm and up to 7-time gain in the production rate with an increase in the energy density released on the electrodes were observed. The optical absorption spectra of the aluminum core-shell particles, both theoretically calculated through the Mie theory and experimentally obtained via spectrophotometry, exhibited plasmon resonance maxima in the deep ultraviolet range, with wavelengths spanning from 208 to 237 nm. Simulations of plasmon-enhanced fluorescence indicated a strong coupling of individual emitters to the plasmonic mode of produced aluminum nanoparticles and showed the enhancement factor ranging from 2 to 85 times, which depended on the particle size distribution, the quantum yield of the phosphor, the metal-emitter distance, and the excitation wavelength. The findings highlight that the produced polydisperse aluminum nanoparticles enhance emitter performance in the UV range, providing prospects for advancing optoelectronic devices.
Situating Trust in Cartography: Why do People Trust Maps and What does Trust in Maps Mean?
Authors: Prestby Timothy J
Published: February 2025

A longstanding assertion among cartographers is that people place a great deal of trust in maps. Despite this claim and the growing importance of understanding trust in a post-truth society, research on trust in cartography is scarce. It remains unclear why, how, and if maps are inherently trustworthy. Moreover, the existing research on trust in maps fails to define trust, or uses inconsistent definitions that muddy whether trust is actually being studied or not. This paper sets out to situate trust in cartography by examining the arguments as to why people may trust maps more than other kinds of information and by exploring how trust has been defined. I propose five reasons as to why maps may be inherently trustworthy, owing to their authoritative, objective, realistic, ubiquitous, and useful nature. I buttress each of these reasons with psychological theory and I discuss variable-specific characteristics of maps that may affect trust. Additionally, I generate a theoretical definition of trust in maps by extracting key components from existing definitions and conceptualizations. This definition emphasizes that trust in maps revolves around relying on the visual geospatial information interpreted from a map and on believing the map is accurate.
Diferencia en los contenidos cognitivos disfuncionales en fobia social entre hombres y mujeres de la población en general
Authors: Pérez-Mendoza Aura Cristina , Rincón Cristian David , Ocampo-Zuluaga Daniela , Yupana-Hernández Francy , Millán-Guiot Xiomara Magaly , Toro Ronald
Published: February 2025

La fobia social es uno de los trastornos más frecuentes en la población colombiana, por lo general, en mujeres, aun cuando también se presenta en hombres; no obstante, no hay suficiente evidencia sobre las diferencias en los contenidos cognitivos de la fobia social en función del sexo. Este capítulo tiene como objetivo establecer las diferencias en los contenidos disfuncionales en fobia social entre hombres y mujeres que viven en Colombia. Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo con una estrategia comparativa, en una muestra no probabilística por conveniencia incidental de 232 participantes, 116 hombres y 116 mujeres mayores de 18 años que viven en territorio colombiano y sin presencia de condiciones psiquiátricas o una sintomatología aguda o estar bajo los efectos de alguna sustancia psicoactiva (SPA) en el momento de la evaluación, a quienes les fue aplicado el Cuestionario de Autoesquemas Desadaptativos en Fobia Social (CAD-FS), su aplicación fue en modalidad virtual cumpliendo con las medidas sanitarias por la pandemia de covid-19. El análisis de los datos se realizó mediante el paquete estadístico Jeffrey’s Amazing Statistics Program (JASP). En los resultados, no se obtuvieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los contenidos disfuncionales de fobia social entre hombres y mujeres.
Relación entre sensibilidad al refuerzo y la ideación suicida en población masculina
Authors: Ordóñez-Penagos Alejandra , Convers-Sanchez David Andrés , Rodríguez-Ruiz Diana Melissa , Tibabisco-Velázquez Michelle Dayanna , Toro Ronald
Published: February 2025

El propósito de esta investigación fue establecer la relación entre el tipo de sensibilidad al refuerzo de activación conductual (BAS, por sus siglas en inglés) o inhibición conductual (BIS, por sus siglas en inglés), con el tipo de ideación suicida (positiva o negativa) en hombres de 18 años en adelante de Colombia. Es un estudio de tipo cuantitativo de corte transversal basado en el paradigma empírico analítico en el que la selección de la muestra se realizó de manera arbitraria y de forma no probabilística. Se utilizó el Inventario de Ideación Suicida Positiva y Negativa (PANSI, por sus siglas en inglés), para identificar el tipo de ideación suicida, categorizada como negativa cuando están presentes pensamientos negativos hacia la vida y positiva cuando están ausentes pensamientos positivos ante la vida. También se utilizó el Cuestionario de Personalidad BIS-BAS versión IPIP-R para identificar los tipos de sensibilidad al refuerzo, los cuales son inhibición y activación conductual. Según los resultados obtenidos, hay relación estadísticamente significativa entre la ideación suicida negativa con el BIS (r = .203; p = .008) y el BAS (r = .528; p < .001), así como entre la ideación suicida positiva y el BAS (r = .280; p < .001). Se evidencia una relación estadísticamente significativa entre la ideación suicida negativa y la sensibilidad al refuerzo BAS en población masculina mayor de 18 años.
“Onomasticon, Prosopografia dell’Università degli Studi di Perugia”
Authors: Quaresima Giulio , Zucchini Stefania
Published: February 2025

The paper aims to illustrate the “Onomasticon” database – Onomasticon (unipg.it) –, delving into both its scientific underpinnings and technical intricacies. Initially, a brief overview of the project's genesis, its scientific rationale, and its envisioned applications will be provided. Subsequently, attention will be directed towards the technical aspects of the database, tracing its evolution from an informatics perspective. Lastly, perspectives between the historical investigation and computational resources will be offered. The "Onomasticon" database, started in 2008 for the occasion of the 700th anniversary ceremony of the University of Perugia, serves as a repository of research findings pertaining to the institution's history of the University of Perugia and the students and professors who studied and taught there.With a focus on prosopographical studies, the database encompasses data on professors, students, courses, and the university's evolution between the Middle Ages and the modern age. From a technical point of view, the essay will explain the transition from Onomasticon 1.0 to Onomasticon 2.0, which involved the transition from a relational data model to a graph structure, which improves flexibility and performance and offers the possibility of integrating historical data with external resources like authority files and online databases enriches its utility. Challenges for the future include ensuring data reliability, addressing interpretative aspects, and enhancing the linkage with external resources. In the current research context that increasingly focuses on interdisciplinarity, the Onomasticon project stands as a testament to the fruitful collaboration between historical research and computational resources, offering valuable insights into the longstanding history of the University.
Pécs University Almanac: Goals and Results
Authors: Lengvári István
Published: February 2025

Studying in the social history of the citizens – either students or professors – of universities has a significant tradition and has produced serious results both within Hungary and abroad. It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of this research: university instructors themselves are decisive members of the knowledge elite and through higher education, they have the greatest influence in determining who gains access to this elite group.The University of Pécs’s Almanac has a twofold purpose: on one hand, it presents the academic achievement of higher education in Pécs, and on the other, it provides help for the researchers of the various professions and social history. The first volume, which covers the period from the beginning until the 1950s, was published in 2015, and the second volume, which contains data until 2000, was released in 2017. The third is under preparation, covering the heads of departments, faculties and the university between 2000 and 2020 and it is due to be published in 2023. The database containing these volumes can be accessed online with a multi-criteria query. The database only collects data on scientific work, specifically, on scientific work carried out at today’s university and its legal predecessors, so it does not include data regarding religion, the parent’s/ guardian’s name, or social status, for example.Who was included in the database? The requirement for inclusion was the existence of an academic title (nowadays, the title of PhD). Only full-time employees of the university were admitted into the database, not only from the faculties, but also from the library, or the offices if the person in question had an academic title.In summary: the Almanac project can assist in historical research but only in conjunction with the use of data gathered from archival documents and texts of recollections, correspondence, and other sources. In order to gain data about social mobility, for instance, researchers need to carry out additional gathering work, but our database can serve as a solid ground. It also helps non-historians of the university construct their departments’ or faculties’ past.
Pécs University Almanac: Aims and Results – Technical implementation of the Pécs University Almanac
Authors: Róbert Acél
Published: February 2025

The Almanac project aimed to create a book and database of teachers with an academic degree from the University of Pécs and its predecessors. To enable data collecting, we first designed and constructed a database system with a web-based client. Then a group of researchers collected the information that was obtainable about the teachers and entered it into the database. The following phase involved data unification and revision. It took two steps to create a book using the database. It was first exported using a thorough script into Word files, which the editors then looked over and reviewed. After that, a desktop publishing program was used to add the photographs and various appendices to the raw text, creating the final book.
Quando as reformas institucionais produzem os efeitos inesperados
Authors: Uali Dauda , Gugliano Alfredo Alejandro
Published: February 2025

Este artigo estuda dois processos importantes do cenário sociopolítico guineense: primeiro, os processos da institucionalização da democracia na Guiné-Bissau, com o enfoque especial em reformas institucionais e seus efeitos na estabilidade política. Em segundo lugar, analisa a transição democrática, objetivamente o papel desempenhado pela sociedade civil na construção da democracia e a sua contribuição para a estabilidade do governo. O estudo utiliza a revisão bibliográfica sistemática como o seu método principal, com respaldo no estudo de caso qualitativo e insights da literatura relevante sobre as transições democráticas na Guiné-Bissau. Como resultados, concluímos que as reformas políticas ocorridas durante a transição democrática neste país resultaram na institucionalização de uma democracia frágil, que gerou conflitos entre as elites políticas e os militares. No que refere ao papel da sociedade civil na construção do regime democrático, como resultado, concluímos que no contexto guineense, as pautas das organizações da sociedade civil são diversas, atuando em diversas esferas da sociedade: social, cultural e política. Desempenhando várias funções, como mediador de conflitos, participando ativamente nos debates públicos e o envolvimento nas questões políticas.
Healthcare Value-Based Reimbursement: A Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning Framework for Cost Optimization and Quality Improvement
Authors: Pendyala Santhosh Kumar
Published: February 2025

Value-based reimbursement (VBR) models are revolutionizing healthcare by prioritizing quality outcomes and cost efficiency over service volume.
However, their success hinges on the effective integration of healthcare data, advanced predictive analytics, and machine learning (ML) models to
address cost forecasting, risk stratification, and compliance with HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) measures. This study
proposes a robust framework leveraging cloud platforms, AI-driven analytics, and scalable data integration solutions to address these needs. Utilizing
tools like AWS S3, Apache Spark, and Snowflake, the framework integrates claims, EHR, and social determinants of health (SDoH) data to ensure seamless
interoperability and data security. Predictive models such as Gradient Boosting Machines and RNNs enhance cost prediction and patient segmentation,
achieving 88% accuracy in risk stratification and reducing the RMSE for cost forecasting to $1,200. Moreover, HEDIS compliance improved by 12%,
demonstrating the framework’s potential to streamline healthcare operations. By addressing key challenges like data silos, privacy concerns, and
scalability, this solution equips healthcare providers with actionable insights for dynamic decision-making. The findings underscore the transformative
potential of combining AI with cloud infrastructure, paving the way for data-driven, equitable, and sustainable healthcare systems.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Healthcare Data Analytics, Healthcare pricing transparency, federated learning, Cost prediction,
deep learning
Advanced Healthcare Data Analytics: A Cloud- AI Integrated Framework for Enhanced Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Pendyala Santhosh Kumar
Published: February 2025

The integration of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare data analytics has revolutionized patient care by enabling realtime, data-driven decision-making. Recent studies demonstrate significant improvements in predictive diagnostics and treatment personalization
through such integrations. For instance, the implementation of AI-driven analytics within cloud infrastructures has led to a 72.3% enhancement in
data processing efficiency, facilitating timely clinical interventions. Moreover, the adoption of machine learning algorithms in cloud-based systems has
achieved predictive accuracies exceeding 90% in disease diagnosis. This paper proposes a comprehensive Cloud-AI Integrated Analytics Framework
(CAIAF) designed to optimize healthcare data management and analytics. The framework encompasses a multi-layered architecture, including data
ingestion, processing, analytics, and presentation layers, each fortified with advanced technological tools such as Azure Synapse for data storage,
Tensor Flow for machine learning pipelines, and Apache Spark for analytics processing. Implementation across multiple healthcare institutions has
demonstrated a 94.8% reduction in data processing time and a 23.7% improvement in predictive accuracy, underscoring the framework’s potential to
enhance clinical outcomes while ensuring data security and compliance with healthcare regulations.
Keywords: Cloud-AI, Traditional Healthcare, Advanced Healthcare, Cloud-AI Integrated Analytics Framework (CAIAF)
Optimizing Health Insurance Selection Using The WASPAS Method
Authors: Prabhakaran Sushil Prabhu
Published: February 2025

Emphasizing the key factors that influence customer satisfaction, cost-effectiveness, and market performance within the industry. It investigates
the impact of various policy features, including innovation, service quality, market reach, and regulatory compliance, on consumer behavior and
health outcomes. Using the WASPAS (Weighted Sum Model with the Additive Ratio Assessment) method, the study assesses the importance of these
factors in shaping health insurance choices and policy development. The findings aim to provide valuable insights for policymakers, insurers, and
healthcare providers to optimize health insurance offerings and improve access to healthcare services. Research Significance: the different elements
of health insurance policies influence consumer decision-making and satisfaction. With the global healthcare landscape constantly evolving, the
study provides evidence on which factors are critical in achieving high customer loyalty and ensuring the effectiveness of insurance models. By
focusing on the WASPAS method, the research presents an advanced quantitative analysis to identify priority areas that can enhance health insurance
accessibility, affordability, and quality, particularly in underserved regions. Methodology: WASPAS This study employs the WASPAS (Weighted Sum
Model with the Additive Ratio Assessment) approach to assess the efficacy of various health insurance policies drawing on various factors like
cost-effectiveness and quality assurance, innovation, market reach, and regulatory compliance. The WASPAS method integrates both qualitative and
quantitative data to calculate the performance scores of each policy, allowing for a comprehensive comparison of different health insurance offerings.
Alternative: Cost-effectiveness, Quality Assurance, Innovation & R&D Investment, Market Reach & Distribution, Regulatory Compliance. Evalution
parameter: Customer Satisfaction, Revenue Growth, Operational Risk, Time to Market Result: The results of the analysis highlight that customer
satisfaction, revenue growth, and time to market significantly impact the overall performance of health insurance companies. While operational
risks remain a concern, efficient risk management and timely market introductions of new services contribute positively to both customer loyalty
and business success.
Modulation of extrinsic and intrinsic signaling together with neuronal activation enhances forelimb motor recovery after cervical spinal cord injury
Authors: Takatani Hirohide , Fujita Naoki , Imai Fumiyasu , Yoshida Yutaka
Published: February 2025

Singular strategies for promoting axon regeneration and motor recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) have been attempted with limited success. For instance, the deletion ofRhoAandPten(an extrinsic and intrinsic modulating factor, respectively) in corticospinal neurons promotes axon sprouting after thoracic SCI, however it is unable to restore motor function. Here, we examine the effects of combiningRhoA/Ptendeletion in corticospinal neurons with chemogenetic neuronal stimulation on axonal growth and motor recovery after SCI in mice. We find that this combinatorial approach promotes greater axonal growth and synaptic bouton formation in corticospinal neurons within the spinal cord compared toRhoA;Ptendeletion alone. Furthermore, chemogenetic neuronal stimulation ofRhoA;Pten-deleted corticospinal neurons improved forelimb performance in behavioral tasks after SCI compared toRhoA;Ptendeletion alone. These results demonstrate that combination therapies pairing genetic modifications with neuronal stimulation can promote greater synaptic formation and motor recovery following SCI than either strategy alone.

Significance StatementIn this study, we examined whether pairing neural stimulation with genetic deletion ofRhoAandPtenin corticospinal neurons would enhance axonal growth and motor recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). We found that this combinatorial approach, relative to singular strategies, promoted greater presynaptic bouton formation in injured corticospinal neurons in the spinal cord, resulting in improved motor recovery in those mice. These results open the possibility for even greater enhancements in healing and recovery following SCI through carefully crafted, multifaceted treatments tailored to address the specific needs of individual SCI patients.
Spatiotemporal Clustering of Functional Ultrasound Signals at the Single-Voxel Level
Authors: Lambert Théo , Niknejad Hamid Reza , Kil Dries , Montaldo Gabriel , Nuttin Bart , Brunner Clément , Urban Alan
Published: February 2025

Functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging is a well-established neuroimaging technology that offers high spatiotemporal resolution and a large field of view. Typical strategies for analyzing fUS data comprise either region-based averaging, typically based on reference atlases, or correlation with experimental events. Nevertheless, these methodologies possess several inherent limitations, including a restricted utilization of the spatial dimension and a pronounced bias influenced by preconceived notions about the recorded activity. In this study, we put forth single-voxel clustering as a third method to address these issues. A comparison was conducted between the three strategies on a typical dataset comprising visually evoked activity in the superior colliculus in awake mice. The application of single-voxel clustering yielded the generation of detailed activity maps, which revealed a consistent layout of activity and a clear separation between hemodynamic responses. This method is best considered as a complement to region-based averaging and correlation. It has direct applicability to challenging contexts, such as paradigm-free analysis on behaving subjects and brain decoding.
Characterising human disparity tuning properties using population receptive field mapping
Authors: Alvarez Ivan , Mancari Alessandro , Ip I. Betina , Parker Andrew J. , Bridge Holly
Published: February 2025

Our visual percept of small differences in depth is largely informed by binocular stereopsis, the ability to decode depth from the horizontal offset between the retinal images in each eye. While multiple cortical areas are associated with stereoscopic processing, it is unclear how tuning to specific binocular disparities is organised across human visual cortex. We used 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging to generate population receptive fields in response to modulation of binocular disparity to characterise the neural tuning to disparity. We also used psychophysics to measure stereoacuity thresholds compared to backgrounds at different depths (pedestal disparity). Ten human participants (7 female) observed correlated or anticorrelated random-dot stereograms with disparity ranging from –0.3° to 0.3°, and responses were modelled as 1-dimensional tuning curves along the depth dimension. First, we demonstrate that lateral and dorsal visual areas show the greatest proportion of vertices selective for binocular disparity. Second, with binocularly correlated stimuli, we show a polynomial relationship between preferred disparity and tuning curve width, with sharply tuned disparity responses at near-zero disparities, and broader disparity tuning profiles at near or far disparities. This relationship held across visual areas and was not present for anticorrelated stimuli. Finally, the individual thresholds for psychophysical stereoacuity at the 3 different pedestal disparities were broadly related to population receptive field tuning width in area V1, suggesting a possible limit for fine stereopsis at the earliest level of cortical processing. Together, these findings point to heterogeneity of disparity processing across human visual areas, comparable to non-human primates.

Significance StatementBinocular disparity arises from the horizonal separation of the two eyes and provides information for determining depth and 3D structure. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging and population receptive field mapping to measure tuning of multiple visual areas to binocular disparity in the human visual cortex. We additionally measured psychophysical thresholds for detecting binocular disparity and correlated these with the neural measures. The width of the disparity tuning was related to the preferred disparity across all visual areas. Disparity tuning widths in V1 were also related to psychophysical thresholds. These findings in the human are broadly comparable to non-human primates.
VIP-to-SST cell circuit motif shows differential short-term plasticity across sensory areas of mouse cortex
Authors: Rachel Jenifer , Möck Martin , Daigle Tanya L. , Tasic Bosiljka , Witte Mirko , Staiger Jochen F.
Published: February 2025

Inhibition of GABAergic interneurons has been found to critically fine-tune the excitation-inhibition balance of the cortex. Inhibition is mediated by many connectivity motifs formed by GABAergic neurons. One such motif is the inhibition of somatostatin (SST)-expressing neurons by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-expressing neurons. We studied the synaptic properties of layer (L) 2/3 VIP cells onto L4 SST cells in somatosensory (S1) and visual (V1) cortices of mice of either sex using paired whole-cell patch clamp recordings, followed by morphological reconstructions. We identified strong differences in the morphological features of L4 SST cells, wherein cells in S1 fell into the non-Martinotti cell (nMC) subclass, while in V1 presented with Martinotti cell (MC)-like features. Around 40-45% of tested SST cells were inhibited by VIP cells in both cortices. While unitary connectivity properties of the VIP-to-nMC and VIP-to-MC motif were comparable, we observed stark differences in short-term plasticity. During high-frequency stimulation of both motifs, some connections showed short-term facilitation while others showed a stable response, with a fraction of VIP-to-nMC connections showing short-term depression. We thus provide evidence that VIP cells target morphological subclasses of SST cells differentially, forming cell-type specific inhibitory motifs.

Significance statementInhibitory circuits are involved in a wide variety of cortical computations. In particular, the inhibition of somatostatin-expressing (SST) neurons by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide- expressing (VIP) neurons has been well-documented in L2/3 of sensory cortices. It was recently identified that L4 SST neurons of S1 and V1 exhibit two different morphological subtypes, namely, non-Martinotti (nMC) cells in S1 and Martinotti (MC) cells in V1. We show that L2/3 VIP neurons inhibit both SST subtypes in L4 with similar dynamics. However, we also find that under high frequency stimulations, the VIP-to-nMC motif exhibits strong short-term depression, but this was not observed in VIP-to-MC motifs. Therefore, we identified morphologically distinct, inhibitory cell-type specific motifs in sensory cortices of mouse.