bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical efficacy of cell-free fat extract and its effects on bone marrow edema in patients with early to mid-stage knee osteoarthritis: a clinical trial in comparison with hyaluronic acid
Authors: Zhang Changchun , Lu Yuanshi , Huang Yuanxia
Published: February 2025

Background

Previous studies have shown that hyaluronic acid can delay the progression of knee osteoarthritis. Existing research has extracted a bright red fluid called cell-free fat extract from human adipose tissue, which may play an important role in delaying the progression of osteoarthritis. By comparing with intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of intra-articular injection of CEFFE on both clinical efficacy and the reduction of bone marrow edema in patients with early to mid-stage knee osteoarthritis.

Methods

A total of 48 patients with KOA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade II-III) symptoms were randomly divided into CEFFE group (24 cases) and HA group (24 cases). The patients in the CEFFE group received five injections of CEFFE (2 ml, 1 time/week), and the patients in the HA group received five injections of HA (2 ml, 1 ml/10 mg, 1 time/week). All the patients underwent clinical assessments using rating scales, including VAS, WOMAC and Lysholm Knee Score. These assessments were conducted at pre-treatment and at 3-week, 6-week, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up timepoints post-treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated at the 6-month follow-up after the treatment. The changes in subchondral bone marrow edema before and 6 months after treatment were assessed by grading BME on MRI of the affected knees.

Results

A total of 52 knees from 46 patients were included in the final analysis. Comparison of VAS score, WOMAC score, and Lysholm score between the two groups revealed that the differences between pre-treatment and 3 weeks post-treatment were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). For the VAS score and WOMAC score at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-treatment, the CEFFE group was lower than the HA group (P < 0.05). For the Lysholm score, the CEFFE group was higher than the HA group (P < 0.05). Compared with pre-treatment, VAS scores and WOMAC scores were lower and Lysholm scores were higher at all post-treatment time points (P < 0.05). At 6 months post-treatment, the clinical efficacy of the CEFFE group was significantly better than that of the HA group (P < 0.05). At 6 months post-treatment, MRI grading showed that subchondral BME was reduced to different degrees in both groups, with the reduction being more pronounced in the CEFFE group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that intra-articular injection of CEFFE into the knee joint could enhance the durability of tissue-specific cells (especially chondrocytes) and improve cellular metabolic processes, preventing the continued progression of osteoarthritis. Both CEFFE and HA were found to improve clinical symptoms and reduced subchondral bone marrow edema in the treatment of early to mid-stage knee osteoarthritis. However, CEFFE was more effective than HA in achieving these outcomes.
Single-nucleus transcriptomes reveal the underlying mechanisms of dynamic whitening in thermogenic adipose tissue in goats
Authors: Li Manman , Ma Nange , Luo Shujie , Lu Yuyi , Yan Xixi , Li Yang , Li Xinmei , Li Zhuohui , Wu Zhipei , Wei Zhenyu , Wang Wei , Fan Huimei , Jiang Yu , Xiong Yan , Wang Yu
Published: February 2025

Background

Thermogenic adipose tissue, both beige and brown, experiences whitening as animals are exposed to warmth and age, but the potential mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we employed single-nucleus RNA-seq to construct a cell atlas during whitening progression and identified the characteristics of thermogenic adipocytes.

Results

Our histological studies and bulk transcriptome gene expression analysis confirmed that both perirenal and omental adipose tissues (pAT and oAT) exhibited progressive whitening in goats. Compared to the classic brown adipocytes in mice, goat thermogenic adipocytes were more closely related in gene expression patterns to human beige adipocytes, which was also confirmed by adipocyte type- and lineage-specific marker expression analysis. Furthermore, trajectory analysis revealed beige- and white-like adipocytes deriving from a common origin, coexisting and undergoing the transdifferentiation. In addition, differences in gene expression profiles and cell communication patterns (e.g., FGF and CALCR signaling) between oAT and pAT suggested a lower thermogenic capacity of oAT than that of pAT.

Conclusions

We constructed a cell atlas of goat pAT and oAT and descripted the characteristics of thermogenic adipocytes during whitening progression. Altogether, our results make a significant contribution to the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind the whitening of thermogenic adipocytes, and providing new insights into obesity prevention in humans and cold adaptation in animals.
Financial integration and economic growth: impact of renewable energy investments, technology transfer, and climate change on Europe and central Asian economies
Authors: Nassani Abdelmohsen A. , Imran Muhammad , Khan Shiraz , Zaman Khalid , Khan Haroon ur Rashid , Haffar Mohamed
Published: February 2025

Financial integration plays an important role in fostering global economic growth. Energy demand, technology transfer, sustainable production, and climate change have emerged as key drivers of sustainable development. This study explores the influence of financial integration, bolstered by renewable energy-induced trade, industry-driven technology, and environmental concerns, on regional economic growth. This study analyzes a panel of 39 high- and upper-middle-income European and Central Asian countries in 2017–2021. Using a panel generalized method of moments estimator, we reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between regional economic growth and carbon emissions. Moreover, renewable energy-induced trade contributes positively to regional growth while trade openness and technology transfer further enhance this growth. Industry-driven technology negatively impacts regional growth owing to inadequate financial integration. The absence of sustainable energy infrastructure and industrialization also negatively impacts regional growth. Our study underscores the importance of increasing financial integration to promote sustainable energy-driven trade openness and technology transfer in line with the United Nations’ sustainable development agenda.
Intracranial ewings sarccoma mimicking middle 1/3rd parasagittal meningioma
Authors: Pandey Sharad , Kumar Pankaj , Paliwal Purnima , Saxena Achal , Deshpande Sumit , Monica N.
Published: February 2025

Background

Ewing sarcoma is a malignant tumor arising in bone and soft tissue in children and young adults. Intracranial Ewing’s Sarcoma may be found as a result of metastasis from extracranial sites. Primary Ewing’s Sarcoma affecting the central nervous system (CNS) is rare, which is commonly intraparenchymal located either supratentorial or in the spinal cord. An extra-axial /Extradural presentation of ES is extremely rare.

Case presentation

20-year-old female with intracranial Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) mimicking Right middle 1/3rd Parasagittal meningioma came with headache, Hemiparesis and urinary incontinence. The patient underwent craniotomy and Gross total resection of tumor. The postoperative imaging showed complete excision and underwent chemo-radiotherapy. This case highlights the diagnostic challenge that extra-axial/Dural Ewing’s sarcoma can pose for neurosurgeons as early diagnosis can prevent distant metastases.

Conclusion

Primary intracranial ES is a CNS primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET). Primary ES tumors can mimic intracranial meningiomas. Neurological symptoms are caused by large tumors with intracranial extension. Wide local excision is the treatment of choice. Chemotherapy has been shown to improve long-term survival rates and lower recurrence rates. Radiotherapy can be given as adjunct to improve survival rates.
Uncommon radiological findings of aggressive primary central nervous system lymphoma in an immunocompetent patient
Authors: Diker Sevda , Ortaş Nasıf , Ozankaya Çağın , Kararlı Kemal
Published: February 2025

Background

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) accounts for only 2–5% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. However, its radiologic features are variable and diagnosis can be difficult. Inappropriate treatments before biopsy can lead to inconclusive pathologic findings because the tumor is highly corticosteroid sensitive. Knowing the features related to PCNSL helps put this aggressive tumor on the list of initial diagnoses.

Case presentation

An immunocompetent 55-year-old male patient was admitted with epileptic seizures. Brain imaging findings such as intratumoral hemorrhages and increased perfusion led to an initial diagnosis of cranial metastases. Corticosteroid administration as an anti-edema treatment caused prominent regression of the tumor. Biopsy performed after tumor regrowth revealed highly aggressive diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Conclusions

It is important to be aware of the usual, but also the rare features of PCNSL because it has distinct treatment and prognostic implications compared with other brain tumors and disorders.
Effects of sodium alginate and calcium on quality attributes of Shepherd’s purse under ultrasound impregnation during blanching processing
Authors: Wu Qihui , Zhang Zhongyuan , Bao Yihong , Li Dajing , Wen Xin , Feng Lei , Nie Meimei , Dai Zhuqing , Xu Yayuan
Published: February 2025

This study aimed to improve the quality of blanched Shepherd’s purse. Before blanching, Shepherd’s purse was impregnated, combined with ultrasonic treatment (US) (0, 5, 15 min) and different impregnators (calcium chloride (Ca), glucose (Gl), sodium alginate (Al)) to investigate the effects on the quality of blanched Shepherd’s purse. The contents of ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds and calcium were determined after blanching for 1 min, and the color, structure and volatile substances were analyzed. It was found that ultrasonic assisted sodium alginate impregnation for 15 min and calcium chloride treatment (Al + Ca + US15) produced very favorable effects on the quality characteristics of blanched Shepherd’s purse. Specifically, the ascorbic acid content of Al + Ca + US15 was 1.57 folds higher than that of the control group (CK), and the gallic acid and rutin content increased by 35.2% and 24.7%, respectively, compared to the CK. Additionally, the calcium content in Al + Ca + US15 was 1.27 folds higher than that in the CK. Furthermore, compared with CK, Al + Ca + US15 treatment of blanched Shepherd’s purse ΔE value was significantly reduced by 49.1%. Microstructure analysis revealed no significant difference in the internal cell space after Al + Ca + US15 treatment, and the cell morphology remained normal. In addition, the volatile data indicated that the impregnation treatment decreased the loss of volatiles after blanching. Overall, the treatment of ultrasound assisted impregnation has been found to be bio-protective for leaf vegetables when exposed to heat.

Graphical Abstract
Morphological spectrum of congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract in hospitalized pediatric population: a single-center prospective observational study
Authors: Bhat Nucksheeba Aziz , Ashraf Mohd , Khan Naseer Ul Hassan , Jan Muzafar , Sheikh Rayees Yousuf , Hussain Sheikh Quyoom , Sheikh Waseem Shafi
Published: February 2025

Background

The range of congenital anomalies affecting the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) is wide, extending from asymptomatic ectopic kidneys to severe bilateral kidney agenesis.

Objective

To unveil the spectrum of morphological anomalies in the kidneys and urinary tract among patients hospitalized in the pediatric nephrology unit.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study. Over 2 years, patients admitted to the pediatric nephrology unit and found to have CAKUT underwent comprehensive evaluation, including lab tests, imaging, and radionuclide scans for morphological characterization of the CAKUT subtype.

Results

Among the 650 patients admitted to the pediatric nephrology unit, 116 cases were identified as CAKUT, yielding a prevalence rate of 17.8% among patients hospitalized in the pediatric nephrology unit. Among these, 67 of 116 (57.7%) were male, with the majority (85%) aged 0 to 5 years. Abnormal ultrasonographic (USG) led to the evaluation of CAKUT in 46 of 116 (39.7%) cases, followed by recurrent fevers (19.8%), and urinary dribbling (12%). Anemia and renal dysfunction were the main laboratory abnormalities in 90/116 (77.5%) and 40/116 (34.5%) respectively). CAKUT cases were categorized as non-obstructive in 78/116 (68.1%) and obstructive in 37/116 (31.9%) based on USG findings. Primary vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) in 25/116 (21.6%) and ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 18/116 (15.6%) were the most common non-obstructive and obstructive anomalies respectively. Among VUR cases, grade II and grade III VUR accounted for 09/25(36%) and 7/25 (28%) respectively, associated with hypertension in 18/25 (72%) and renal scarring in 04/25 (16%). Ureteropelvic junction obstruction was present in 18/116 (15.5%), typically mild in 14/18 (61%) on ultrasonography. Posterior urethral valves accounted for 16/116 (13.7%) of cases, presenting with renal dysfunction in 13/16 (81%) and hydronephrosis in 12/16 (75%).

Conclusion

This study provides valuable insights into the clinical patterns and morphological diversity of CAKUT. These findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management for optimizing outcomes.
Investigating causal effects of income on health using two-sample Mendelian randomisation
Authors: Igelström Erik , Munafò Marcus R. , Brumpton Ben M. , Davies Neil M. , Davey Smith George , Martikainen Pekka , Campbell Desmond , Craig Peter , Lewsey Jim , Katikireddi S. Vittal
Published: February 2025

Background

Income is associated with many health outcomes, but it is unclear how far this reflects a causal relationship. Mendelian randomisation (MR) uses genetic variation between individuals to investigate causal effects and may overcome some of the confounding issues inherent in many observational study designs.

Methods

We used two-sample MR using data from unrelated individuals to estimate the effect of log occupational income on indicators of mental health, physical health, and health-related behaviours. We investigated pleiotropy (direct effects of genotype on the outcome) using robust MR estimators, CAUSE, and multivariable MR including education as a co-exposure. We also investigated demographic factors and dynastic effects using within-family analyses, and misspecification of the primary phenotype using bidirectional MR and Steiger filtering.

Results

We found that a 10% increase in income lowered the odds of depression (OR 0.92 [95% CI 0.86–0.98]), death (0.91 [0.86–0.96]), and ever-smoking (OR 0.91 [0.86–0.96]), and reduced BMI (− 0.06 SD [− 0.11, − 0.003]). We found little evidence of an effect on alcohol consumption (− 0.02 SD [− 0.01, 0.05]) or subjective wellbeing (0.02 SD [− 0.003, 0.04]), or on two negative control outcomes, childhood asthma (OR 0.99 [0.87, 1.13]) and birth weight (− 0.02 SD, [− 0.01, 0.05]). Within-family analysis and multivariable MR including education and income were imprecise, and there was substantial overlap between the genotypes associated with income and education: out of 36 genetic variants significantly associated with income, 29 were also significantly associated with education.

Conclusions

MR evidence provides some limited support for causal effects of income on some mental health outcomes and health behaviours, but the lack of reliable evidence from approaches accounting for family-level confounding and potential pleiotropic effects of education places considerable caveats on this conclusion. MR may nevertheless be a useful complement to other observational study designs since its assumptions and limitations are radically different. Further research is needed using larger family-based genetic cohorts, and investigating the overlap between income and other socioeconomic measures.
Assessing Magnetotelluric Data Quality Based on Linearity and Phase Differences
Authors: Chen Hao , Zhang Lili
Published: February 2025

Numerous parameters have been proposed to constrain the influence of noisy data during magnetotelluric (MT) impedance estimation. However, the relationship between these parameters and noise can vary significantly across different case studies. This study presents a novel method for evaluating MT data quality using phase differences (PD) between electric and magnetic fields and linearity metrics. First, it categorizes measured MT data into three high-quality types and two low-quality types based on phase difference patterns. Then, PD analysis and linearity metrics are combined to identify the data type of each event, revealing temporal variations in quality. Third, other parameters, e.g., the error between predicted and observed electric fields, magnetic polarization direction, and the diagonal element of the hat matrix, are plotted together to examine their relationship with the noise and thus assist in removing the noise. Finally, four MT time series from the USArray project are used to demonstrate the proposed technique in discriminating between high-quality signals and noise. This technique enhances the preselection strategy for impedance estimation. Understanding data quality characteristics aids in selecting appropriate parameters to mitigate noise influence and assess impedance reliability by verifying the existence of high-quality data.
High-order recursive convolution method for viscoacoustic wave modeling
Authors: Jin Chao , Zhou Bing , Riahi Mohamed Kamel , Zemerly Mohamed Jamal
Published: February 2025

Accurate and efficient modeling method is important for the study of seismic wave propagation and crucial for the full waveform inversion. High-order temporal numerical methods can improve the performance of viscoacoustic wave modeling at the aspects of computational accuracy and efficiency. Based on the staggered AdamsBashforth time stepping scheme, we present the high-order recursive convolution method, which is obtained by the Taylor series expansion and offers arbitrary order by the number of terms retained, to calculate the temporal convolutions for viscoacoustic wave modeling. The theoretical analysis of the high-order recursive convolution method demonstrates the achievement of high accuracy of viscoacoustic wave modeling, and the proposed method beats the conventional high-order auxiliary-differential-equation method in terms of the computer memory cost and runtime. The 1D and 2D numerical examples that verify the superiority of the proposed method. In a 2D case with a 1000×000 grid, the fourth-order recursive convolution method reduces computation time to 73% and memory requirements to 88% compared to the fourth-order auxiliary differential equation method, while maintaining the same accuracy level. Numerical tests on the Marmousi model demonstrate the accuracy and feasibility of the high-order recursive convolution method for heterogeneous models.
Impact of in-situ stress perturbation and weak overburden on wellbore stability: Pluto gas field, Northwest Shelf, Australia
Authors: Mandal Partha Pratim , Aljuaydi Haitham Saeed A , Sarmadivaleh Mohammad , Rezaee Reza , Ghosh Sayantan
Published: February 2025

Despite significant progress, drilling a stable borehole and limiting failure of the formation surrounding the wellbore remains a significant challenge. Detailed geomechanical analysis, regional structural trends, distribution of fracture/fault networks, and understanding of possible stress regimes are necessary inputs to prevent wellbore failures during drilling, field development, and production. To understand the wellbore failures observed in the Pluto gas field located inside the Dampier Sub-Basin, Northwest Shelf of Western Australia, a comprehensive geomechanical modelling was performed on six gas wells, considering local fault orientations, pore pressure, rock failure criteria, drilling direction, and mud weight design factor. The uncertainties in input geomechanical parameters for optimum mud weight design were addressed using a stochastic algorithm. In the study area, in-situ stress profiles do not match the regional stress profile. Localized stress perturbations and the possible tendency of a transitional stress regime, i.e., reverse to strike-slip faulting regime exists. The maximum principal horizontal stress (SHmax) orientation follows the local structural pattern rather than the regional SHmax direction. The experimental rock mechanical data of the Muderong shale (UCS ranges from 5 to 20 MPa and internal friction coefficient averaged to 0.5), calibrated with empirical rock-type based strength formula and recovered core images, suggest the presence of a weak cap rock. A combination of local stress perturbation, relatively poor strength of the overlying rock, and the local depositional setting contribute to the observed wellbore failures. Combining the above factors, a probabilistic risk analysis approach is proposed as a practical solution for safe wellbore planning and reduction of drilling costs.
Αξιοποίηση της βαθιάς μάθησης για την ακριβή διάγνωση της ρήξης του πρόσθιου χιαστού συνδέσμου και την ανίχνευση ανωμαλιών της άρθρωσης του γονάτου στην ιατρική απεικόνιση
Authors: Σιούρας Αθανάσιος
Published: February 2025

Η ακριβής διάγνωση της ρήξης του πρόσθιου χιαστού συνδέσμου (ACL) είναι ζωτικής σημασίας για την αποτελεσματική θεραπεία και αποκατάσταση των τραυματισμών στο γόνατο, οι οποίοι είναι ιδιαίτερα συχνοί στους αθλητές. Οι πρόσφατες εξελίξεις στην τεχνολογία της βαθιάς μάθησης έχουν βελτιώσει σημαντικά την ανίχνευση τραυματισμών του ACL μέσω μελετών μαγνητικής τομογραφίας (MRI). Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή έχει ως στόχο να διερευνήσει και να βελτιώσει την εφαρμογή τεχνικών βαθιάς μάθησης για την ακριβή αναγνώριση και αξιολόγηση των τραυματισμών του ACL στην ιατρική απεικόνιση. Πραγματοποιήθηκε συστηματική ανασκόπηση για τη σύνοψη των υφιστάμενων μεθοδολογιών βαθιάς μάθησης που αφορούν την ανίχνευση τραυματισμών στο γόνατο, αναδεικνύοντας τα πλεονεκτήματα και τους περιορισμούς των τρεχουσών προσεγγίσεων. Βάσει αυτής της θεμελίωσης, αναπτύχθηκε μια ελαφριά διαδικασία βαθιάς μάθησης με χρήση του YOLOv5-Nano για την αναγνώριση υγιών πρόσθιων χιαστών συνδέσμων σε οβελιαίες τομές MRI, επιτυγχάνοντας υψηλή ακρίβεια και αποδοτικότητα με ελάχιστους υπολογιστικούς πόρους. Επιπλέον, η διατριβή εισάγει τον Δείκτη Μοσχεύματος Θεσσαλίας (Thessaly Graft Index - TGI), έναν δείκτη που βασίζεται στην τεχνητή νοημοσύνη για την αξιολόγηση της επούλωσης μοσχεύματος μετά από ανακατασκευή του ACL. Ο TGI επέδειξε ισχυρή συσχέτιση με τα κλινικά και λειτουργικά αποτελέσματα, αποδεικνύοντας τη δυνατότητά του ως αξιόπιστο εργαλείο για μετεγχειρητική αξιολόγηση. Για την αντιμετώπιση της ανισορροπίας των κατηγοριών και τη βελτίωση της διαγνωστικής ακρίβειας, διαμορφώθηκε ένα καινοτόμο υβριδικό πλαίσιο βαθιάς μάθησης, επαναπροσδιορίζοντας την ταξινόμηση της ρήξης του ACL ως πρόβλημα ανίχνευσης νεότητας (novelty detection). Αυτή η προσέγγιση αξιοποίησε την αληθοκρατική σημασιολογική αβεβαιότητα και επέδειξε ανώτερη απόδοση σε πολλαπλά σύνολα δεδομένων, συμπεριλαμβανομένων δοκιμών σε διασταυρούμενες βάσεις δεδομένων με δημόσια και κλινικά δεδομένα MRI. Τα ευρήματα της διατριβής υπογραμμίζουν τη δυνατότητα της βαθιάς μάθησης να επιτύχει επιδόσεις αντίστοιχες με αυτές του ανθρώπου στη διάγνωση τραυματισμών στο γόνατο μέσω MRI. Οι βασικές συνεισφορές περιλαμβάνουν την ανάπτυξη αποδοτικών μοντέλων, την εισαγωγή νέων διαγνωστικών δεικτών και την απόδειξη ισχυρών ικανοτήτων γενίκευσης σε ποικίλα σύνολα δεδομένων. Αυτές οι εξελίξεις ανοίγουν το δρόμο για την ευρεία κλινική εφαρμογή της βαθιάς μάθησης στην ακριβή και οικονομικά αποδοτική διάγνωση τραυματισμών του ACL, υποσχόμενες σημαντικές βελτιώσεις στα αποτελέσματα των ασθενών και στην αποδοτικότητα της υγειονομικής περίθαλψης.
Comprehensive Overview - Outcomes and Challenges of Bariatric Surgery - Physical, Psychological and Nutritional Considerations
Authors: Doman Katarzyna , Komada Dawid , Hermanowicz Kamil , Oleksy Daria , Najdek Agnieszka , Kaczmarska Urszula , Woźniak Aleksandra , Mycyk Marcin , Nowak Julia , Cioch Michał Jakub
Published: February 2025

Obesity, defined by excessive and abnormal body fat accumulation, leads to various health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers, significantly affecting the health and increasing the risk of mortality. Bariatric surgery offers a treatment for severe obesity, with restrictive and malabsorptive methods like sleeve gastrectomy (SG), adjustable gastric banding (AGB), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), biliopancreatic diversion (BPD). While bariatric surgery is effective for weight loss and health improvement, it is not without complications. Postoperative challenges include surgical complications, bone loss, nutritional deficiencies and changes in metabolism. Post-bariatric surgery patients may face psychological challenges such as emotional dysregulation, eating disorders like loss of control eating or binge eating, and body image concerns related to excess skin. This article explores the various impacts of bariatric surgery, addressing both physical and psychological challenges. It emphasizes the importance of holistic patient care, considering both physical outcomes and mental health post-surgery, to ensure long-term success.
Materials and methodsThe article is a result of the review of the scientific literature searched by keywords “bariatric surgery”, “negative outcomes”, “obesity’’ available in Pubmed database. This overview does not cover all possible postoperative complications in bariatric surgery, but focuses on selected issues important for a comprehensive strategy for managing obesity.
Aim of the studyThe aim of the study is to review the various complications and long-term effects of bariatric surgery, with a particular focus on specific issues that are important for a holistic approach to obesity treatment.
Health Implications of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids: Usage, Risks, and Treatment Approaches - The Literature Review
Authors: Jodłowski Krzysztof , Dubniewicz Ewa , Majewska Paula , Staszek Alicja , Łoskot Wiktoria , Szwech Jan , Matczak Mateusz , Jasiński Karol , Broda Aleksandra , Hoksa Kacper
Published: February 2025

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are commonly used to enhance athletic performance and physical appearance, but their abuse is linked to a range of serious health consequences, including cardiovascular, liver, and psychological disorders, as well as infertility. Despite the growing concern over AAS misuse, current research is limited by methodological constraints, including a lack of randomized controlled trials and long-term studies. The review explores the health implications of AAS use, highlighting the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to managing AAS-related health issues, emphasizing harm reduction, pharmacological interventions, and fertility preservation techniques. It also underscores the need for improved healthcare support, education, and trust-building to address the challenges associated with AAS abuse effectively.
Furthermore, the review highlights significant gaps in the literature, such as the absence of comprehensive guidelines for harm reduction and the scarcity of longitudinal data on the long-term effects of AAS. The findings suggest a critical need for continued research, better medical management, and societal interventions to mitigate the risks associated with AAS use and provide effective care for affected individuals.
Exploring Novel Non-Operative Treatments for Osteoarthritis: An Examination of Innovative Therapies
Authors: Bakuła Piotr Robert , Jałocha Kamila , Zygadło Joanna
Published: February 2025

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease that significantly impacts the quality of life of millions worldwide, particularly the elderly. While conventional non-surgical treatments, such as NSAIDs, intra-articular injections, and physical therapy, provide symptomatic relief, their long-term efficacy and safety remain limited. Recent advancements in understanding OA pathophysiology have spurred the development of innovative therapeutic strategies targeting disease progression. This review examines emerging pharmacological and regenerative approaches, including disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs), biologics, and cell-based therapies. Cutting-edge technologies such as RNA interference, CRISPR/Cas9, and advanced regenerative medicine are also explored for their potential to revolutionize OA management. Additionally, the integration of novel therapies with traditional interventions is discussed, highlighting opportunities for a more personalized, multimodal approach to OA care. Despite significant progress, challenges such as translational hurdles, cost barriers, and long-term efficacy require further investigation. This review emphasizes the transformative potential of emerging therapies in addressing the unmet needs of OA patients and shaping future treatment paradigms.
Does the consumption of soya products affect cholesterol levels, blood pressure, or other cardiovascular health indicators?
Authors: Walendzik Aleksandra , Racisz Kinga , Duda Joanna , Kędzia Jakub , Obcowska Alicja , Racisz Paweł , Sencerek Łukasz
Published: February 2025

Introduction and Purpose
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)  are the leading factor of mortality among people in the world. For this reason, people are trying to find factors that could improve the condition of the circulatory system. Soy is one of the most popular products in Asian cuisine. Its consumption is increasing due to a strong interest in vegetarian cuisine, in which soy is an important element. As its popularity grows, more and more research is being done to see if it has cardiovascular disease-preventing properties.
Aim of the study
This study aims to analyse the current state of knowledge regarding the effect of soy consumption on: hypertension, lipid profile, biomarkers of inflammation, vascular epithelium and impact on mortality caused by cardiovascular diseases.
Material and methods
For this review, we analyzed articles that we found in Pubmed and Google Scholar and that were related to our topic. 
Conclusion
Many studies have shown a beneficial effect of soy products on lipid profile, especially in lowering LDL-C levels. Soy consumption may have an impact on modulating inflammatory markers, but further research is needed. Researchers have shown that soy may have a role in lowering blood pressure, especially in people with hypertension or an increased risk of CVD. Soy can be a part of our daily, healthy diet, but its impact on all-cause mortality and CVD depends on many factors such as people's age, comorbidity, dietary context and type of consumed soy ( e.g. fermented or not fermented).
The Bobwhite Population Decline: Its History, Genetic Consequences, and Studies on Techniques for Locating and Assessing Current Populations
Authors:   , Whitt Jeffrey Glen
Published: February 2025

The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) population decline is a severe, rangewide phenomenon beginning >150 years ago and continuing today. In this investigation, I: 1. document the timeline of bobwhite population decline and unintended genetic consequences of attempted remedies, 2) develop a model useful for predicting possible locations of potentially sustainable bobwhite populations in semiarid rangeland in Texas and Oklahoma, and 3) examine the relationship between population monitoring data and meteorological factors. While breeding season call counts of male bobwhite have been used for >70 years to provide estimates of fall populations for hunting, most studies of call counts have focused on mathematics and statistical accuracy of the count, largely overlooking the influence of meteorological factors on call counts. Here, I present the results of >4,400 individual point counts and examine their relationship with meteorological variables recorded at each stop. Humidity was positively correlated with the number of birds recorded (ρ = 0.275, p < 0.001) and temperature was negatively correlated (ρ = -0.252, p < 0.001). The number of birds recorded was significantly higher in wet years than in drought years. There was no significant correlation between wind velocity and number of birds recorded. These results suggest that, while weather does influence call counts and efforts should be made to record meteorological conditions when collecting call count data, the influence of weather may not easily factor into the analysis. These results also provide another line of evidence for decreased breeding behavior during high temperatures. With the increased focus on bobwhite habitat management on a regional scale, there is a need for reliable methods to identify potential bobwhite habitat. To identify bobwhite habitat in semiarid rangeland, I performed classification of LANDSAT scenes of Clay County, Texas from July and December 2015. Stands of mature little bluestem provide excellent bobwhite nesting cover and could be identified using LANDSAT imagery. I scored habitat by type, compared these scores with the results of breeding season call counts from 2014 and 2015 and found significant correlation. When used in combination with other landscape data, this approach can provide a regional context to inform conservation and management decisions.
Four Evening Service Settings of Joel Martinson: An American's Contribution to Anglican Evensong Repertoire
Authors:   , Gordon Gary
Published: February 2025

The Evening Service settings of great British composers like Charles Stanford, A. Herbert Brewer, Charles Wood and Herbert Howells are well known and performed often throughout the world. However, little is known about the body of settings created by American composers. There are currently approximately 75 American composers dating from 1890 to the present, with Evening Service settings in print. Joel Martinson, based in Dallas, Texas, is an American composer, church musician, concert organist, and presenter. Although Martinson has composed four Evening Service settings (Evening Service for the St. Mark's School 1996, Evening Service for the Incarnation 2000, Evening Service for Church of the Nativity 2002, and Evening Service for the Transfiguration 2015), these works are not widely known outside of Dallas and small Anglican circles, nor is the value of his contributions to Anglican Evensong repertoire recognized. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that Martinson's four settings make a valuable American contribution to Anglican repertoire through his neo-classical style and creative counterpoint. The four settings are modern and challenging but remain approachable for both choir and audience.
Decision Making in Alternative Modes of Transportation: Two Essays on Ridesharing and Self-Driving Vehicles
Authors:   , Amirkiaee Seyede Yasaman
Published: February 2025

This manuscript includes an investigation of decision making in alternative modes of transportation in order to understand consumers' decision in different contexts. In essay 1 of this study, the motives for participation in situated ridesharing is investigated. The study proposes a theoretical model that includes economic benefits, time benefits, transportation anxiety, trust, and reciprocity either as direct antecedents of ridesharing participation intention, or mediated through attitude towards ridesharing. Essay 2 of this study, focuses on self-driving vehicles as one of the recent innovations in transportation industry. Using a survey approach, the study develops a conceptual model of consumers' anticipated motives. Both essays use partial least square- structural equation modeling for assessing the proposed theoretical models.
Development and Testing of Gold(I) and Europium(III) Based Sensors for Environmental Applications
Authors:   , Benton Erin Nicole
Published: February 2025

This dissertation focuses on the development, characterization, and analysis of luminescent materials and coatings for sensing applications, including CO2, heavy metals, and silver. Chapter 2 involves the use of a gold(I) pyrazolate trimer that is able to detect silver ions with an AgNP medium. Detection of silver is vital, because there is an influx of silver into our environment caused by the increased use of AgNP. Therefore, having a sensor that is able to differentiate between and detect only Ag ions is an important first step to solving the toxicity mystery of AgNPs. Chapter 3 focuses on the development of sensor coatings containing a Eu(III) based luminescent system for sensing dissolved CO2 without the aid of an absorption-based dye. It is well-known that monitoring CO2 levels in our environment is important since even at low concentrations it can cause adverse health effects to the human body. This work demonstrates a pH-sensitive Eu complex being used directly as a CO2 sensor without the aid of any other absorption-based dye. Chapter 4 explores the idea of developing a heavy metal sensor for lead and its ability to detect lead in wide concentration range upon changing the pH of the medium and the polymer matrix. Different heavy metals have toxicity at different concentrations, therefore, being able to change the dynamic range of the sensor is advantageous. This research is the first step towards developing a luminescent Pb sensor with a tunable dynamic range.
Implementations of Fuzzy Adaptive Dynamic Programming Controls on DC to DC Converters
Authors:   , Chotikorn Nattapong
Published: February 2025

DC to DC converters stabilize the voltage obtained from voltage sources such as solar power system, wind energy sources, wave energy sources, rectified voltage from alternators, and so forth. Hence, the need for improving its control algorithm is inevitable. Many algorithms are applied to DC to DC converters. This thesis designs fuzzy adaptive dynamic programming (Fuzzy ADP) algorithm. Also, this thesis implements both adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) and Fuzzy ADP on DC to DC converters to observe the performance of the output voltage trajectories.
A Pedagogical Guide to the Piccolo Trumpet
Authors:   , Goldman Casey
Published: February 2025

The modern piccolo trumpet is required by professional trumpet players for the performance of solo repertoire, chamber music, orchestra, and wind band. Students in universities around the world study the piccolo trumpet in preparation for professional careers, but relatively few pedagogical tools exist to specifically focus on the nuanced techniques of the instrument such as articulation, range, and sound production. The purpose of this project is to create a pedagogical guide that can serve as a method for students learning the modern piccolo trumpet.
College and Career Readiness of Students with Autism
Authors:   , Stello Christina N
Published: February 2025

With one in every 59 individuals now diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a significant increase in college enrollment for these students, yet, alarmingly, this population has the highest college dropout rate. Using Rawl's social justice theory as the frame, this qualitative study identified the perceptions of students with ASD, their college professors, and the director of the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA). Perceptions were examined through open-ended surveys regarding awareness of autism, knowledge of student civil rights, and the availability and adequacy of resources provided through the ODA. In addition, the students with autism participated in semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The findings of this study are consistent with other studies in reflecting barriers experienced by students with ASD, such as poor transition planning, communication, and self-advocacy limitations. The variance among reported perceptions revealed a lack of awareness and continuity of resources and support for students with autism, hindering their successful transition from high school to and through post-secondary education. Both students and professors expressed a lack of knowledge of students' rights at the college level and of how to access needed accommodations. These findings reveal the need for a greater awareness of supports needed by students with ASD as they enter college. The findings provide implications for professionals who provide transition services for individuals with ASD.
Sing Rāga, Embody Bhāva: The Way of Being Rasa
Authors:   , Krishnamurthy Thanmayee
Published: February 2025

The rasa theory of Indian aesthetics is concerned with the nature of the genesis of emotions and their corresponding experiences, as well as the condition of being in and experiencing the aesthetic world. According to the Indian aesthetic theory, rasa ("juice" or "essence," something that is savored, that is tasted) is an embodied aesthetic experienced through an artistic performance. In this thesis, I have investigated how the aesthetics of rasa philosophy account for creative presence and its experiences in Karnatik vocal performances. Beyond the facets of grammar, Karnatik rāga performance signifies a deeper ontological meaning as a way to experience rasa, idiomatically termed as rāga-rasa by South Indian rāga practitioners. A vocal performance of a rāga ideally depends on a singer's embodied experience of rāga and rāga-bhāva (emotive expression of rāga), as much as it does on his/her theoretical knowledge and skillset of a rāga's svaras (scale degrees), gamakas (ornamentation), lakṣhaṇās (emblematic phrases), and so on. Reflecting on my own experience of being a Karnatik student and performer for the last two decades, participant observation, interviews, and analysis of Indian aesthetic theory of rasa, I propose a way of understanding that to sing rāga is to embody bhāva opening the space that brings rasa into being. Reflecting on the epistemology of rāga theory, particularly its smaller entities of svaras and gamakas, and through a phenomenological description of the process through which a vocalist embodies rāga (including how a guru transmits this musical embodiment to his shishya [disciple]), I argue that the notion of rāga-rasa itself has agency in determining the nature of svaras and its gamakas in a rāga performance. Additionally, focusing on the relationship between performers and rasikas (drinkers of the juice), this thesis examines how the embodiment of rāga-bhāva and the experience of rasa open the possibility for musicians and audiences to live rāga-rasa in a performance.
Extracting Temporally-Anchored Spatial Knowledge
Authors:   , Vempala Alakananda
Published: February 2025

In my dissertation, I elaborate on the work that I have done to extract temporally-anchored spatial knowledge from text, including both intra- and inter-sentential knowledge. I also detail multiple approaches to infer spatial timeline of a person from biographies and social media. I present and analyze two strategies to annotate information regarding whether a given entity is or is not located at some location, and for how long with respect to an event. Specifically, I leverage semantic roles or syntactic dependencies to generate potential spatial knowledge and then crowdsource annotations to validate the potential knowledge. The resulting annotations indicate how long entities are or are not located somewhere, and temporally anchor this spatial information. I present an in-depth corpus analysis and experiments comparing the spatial knowledge generated by manipulating roles or dependencies. In my work, I also explore research methodologies that go beyond single sentences and extract spatio-temporal information from text. Spatial timelines refer to a chronological order of locations where a target person is or is not located. I present corpus and experiments to extract spatial timelines from Wikipedia biographies. I present my work on determining locations and the order in which they are actually visited by a person from their travel experiences. Specifically, I extract spatio-temporal graphs that capture the order (edges) of locations (nodes) visited by a person. Further, I detail my experiments that leverage both text and images to extract spatial timeline of a person from Twitter.
The Power of Place: A Qualitative Evaluation of Stream Monitoring Data Usage by Decision-Makers in Dane County, Wisconsin
Authors:   , Semlow Andrea R.
Published: February 2025

Has years of citizen-based nutrient sampling and baseline water quality monitoring efforts only had a "trivial" impact on natural resource management decisions? This thesis will explore this and other findings from a qualitative evaluation of the Rock River Coalition (RRC) citizen-based stream monitoring project in Dane County, Wisconsin, USA. These findings are the culmination of 47 semi-structured interviews with decision-makers from seven client-identified categories and participant observations of board meetings and other watershed groups. Interview questions focused on current strategies of data design and dissemination with the goal of constructing a clearer picture of existing data usage by Dane County decision-makers. In the wider picture of citizen science and community-based research, this case study aims to highlight barriers to data use and potential solutions. The results of this case study were understood through four key frames: (1) Bourdieu's concept of symbolic capital, (2) Barzilai‐Nahon's theory of network gatekeeping, (3) Newman et al.'s framework for leveraging the power of place, and (4) a Foucauldian approach to the production of scientific knowledge. The findings of this study highlight the presence of gatekeeping mechanisms within the scientific field as well as government institutions, problematize the practice of placemaking, assert there is untapped symbolic capital to be wielded by citizen scientists, and trace the "innovation" of volunteer water monitoring data in Dane County.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Engagement Journalism in Local News: An Ethnographic Study of the Dallas Morning News
Authors:   , Wise Hannah Marie
Published: February 2025

The Dallas Morning News is a leader in using engagement journalism to increase and retain digital subscribers. This ethnography examined the efficacy of the engagement journalism work by the News in rebuilding trust and forming relationships with its audience. This research is exceptionally timely as more newsrooms are erecting paywalls to their content and asking their audiences to offer monetary support in exchange for greater access and engagement by journalists. This work is examined through two mass communications theories: functionalism, which says a society can be viewed like an ecosystem as a "system in balance" consisting of complex sets of interrelated activities, each of which supports the others in maintaining the system as a whole; and the dual responsibility model, which says that companies should operate in the best interests of all in the community who depend on them, not only those who benefit financially. Additionally, the work is considered from a human-interaction design standpoint to evaluate whether the News has created affordances that enable the journalists and the readers to communicate, and whether the journalists are effectively practicing service design when publishing news and information for the audience.