bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Trafficking in the Horn of Africa with Emphasis on the Eastern Route to the Gulf States through Djibouti
Authors: Tadesse Getye Abneh , Tafesse Tesfaye
Published: February 2025

Human trafficking is a global issue involving myriad drivers and forms of exploitation due to the involvement of various actors. This research explored human trafficking in the Horn of Africa (HoA), focusing on the eastern route to the Gulf States through Djibouti. Using a phenomenology study design, interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 18 participants. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis technique. The findings revealed that various drivers, including community perceptions of migration, political conditions, and social media platforms, drive human trafficking in the HoA. The findings further indicated that the HoA has become a hotspot for various forms of human trafficking, including commoditisation for forced labour and sexual exploitation and trafficking for ransom. The findings suggest that governments in the HoA should focus on changing community perceptions of migration by creating a democratic political culture and raising awareness about the advantages and disadvantages of social media platforms to curb human trafficking. Findings reveal the necessity of a more sophisticated study investigating the various drivers contributing to human trafficking and forms of human trafficking in the HoA.
Does the Indian Diaspora Work as a Strategic Asset for the Indian Economy? An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Singhal Nidhi , Kumar Naresh
Published: February 2025

International migration plays a vital role in attracting foreign direct investment to their respective host countries and channeling remittances to their home country. Remittances from the diaspora contribute to the circular flow of money in the economy and increase aggregate demand along with economic growth. The present study examines the role of the Indian diaspora in the growth of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) to the host countries and the contribution of international remittances to the economic growth of home country, that is, India. The study developed two models, first, considering Indian OFDI and the role of the diaspora and bilateral investment treaties covering 35 OECD host countries. Using FMOLS regression, a positive and significant impact of diaspora and bilateral investment treaties is found on OFDI growth in India. Moreover, in the second model, the study found that the international remittances sent by the diaspora to their home country are contributing to the economic growth of India. The study recommends that active policymakers in India should deliberate on the effective management of international migration and develop initiatives for strengthening the social networks between India and the host countries.
Do Preschool Peers Create a Sustaining Environment in Kindergarten? Evidence from the ECLS-K:2011
Authors: Shea Zhiling Meng , Zhang Qing , Jenkins Jade Marcus , Watts Tyler W.
Published: February 2025

Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort 2011, we examine (i) whether more preschool attendees in a kindergarten classroom relate to higher academic and social skills for children who did not go to preschool, (ii) whether more preschool attendees in the classroom moderate the benefits of preschool attendance (child N = 11,360; class N = 2,460; 67% White; 51% males; Mage = 5.6 years), and (iii) whether more preschool attendees in the classroom relate to teachers’ perceptions of children’s skills and their instructional content. In contrast to prior analyses using the 1998 cohort of the ECLS-K, we found no evidence of an association between the classroom percentage of preschool-attending peers and children’s academic, executive function, and behavioral and prosocial skills. However, we found that the percentage of preschool peers was associated with teachers’ perceptions of children’s reading skills and teachers’ instructional time spent on advanced reading content.
Exploring Healthcare Students’ Perceptions about Race and Privilege at a Large Academic Medical Center: A Pilot Study of a Peer Education Program
Authors: Brown Elizabeth A. , Pelzer Dante , Reed Katrina Black , Jackman-Rogers Chinieka , Kimmell Madison
Published: February 2025

Amid the racial unrest stemming from the summer of 2020, in the United States, many institutions had difficult conversations about race and the impact of racism with employees, students, and patients. In January 2021 and February 2021, we recruited undergraduate students for the Peer Education Program (PEP), a voluntary program conducted at a large academic medical center, and encouraged students to have a safe space to discuss controversial topics in healthcare. From April 2021 to July 2021 four interdisciplinary healthcare students met once a month for 1 hr to discuss privilege, race/racism, leadership, and advocacy and their influence on health equity. Four students completed PEP, and three students completed the program evaluation survey. Conventional content analysis was used to code data and identify major themes to evaluate PEP. Students described privilege in a positive context, using words like “freedom,” “special right/advantage,” and “opportunity.” Race was viewed as (1) a way to discriminate, (2) a “man-made concept” used to establish racial hierarchy, and (3) insignificant due to the complexity of human beings. Students realized there are several required steps to adopt and sustain social change in healthcare, which led to the “The Four A’s of Social Change”: Awareness, Acknowledgment, Action, and Advocacy. Program strengths included topics, guest speakers, and open dialogue. Recommended changes included allocating more time for dialogue and increasing the frequency of monthly meetings. To be an influential and empathetic leader in healthcare, one must understand the impact that privilege and race/racism have on patients and equitable healthcare.
Snorkelling with orcas (killer whales) in Skjervøy, Northern Norway: Ambivalent encounters in a crowded tourism space
Authors: Hale Sadie E
Published: February 2025

The opportunity to snorkel with orcas (killer whales) near the Norwegian Arctic town of Skjervøy is unparalleled globally, due to the absence of regulations prohibiting the activity, requiring licenses, or limiting the number of boats. Since 2017, the annual arrival of orcas and other large whale species in winter has been attracting increasing numbers of tourists, leading to crowding and sometimes risky situations at sea that are described as a ‘wild west’. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Skjervøy across two winter seasons, the article first describes how whale watching emerged in this low-regulation context, and the consequences of the growing popularity of snorkelling activities. Second, it examines tourists’ self-reported responses to their snorkelling experiences, revealing that many people see encounters with wild orcas as a form of redemption or apology for the ways that humans have mistreated the species, particularly in captivity. The embodied experience of immersion in orcas’ Arctic habitat begins a process of recontextualisation, whereby a species understood to have suffered at human hands is imagined anew according to principles of freedom and autonomy. For other tourists, their awe at the opportunity to observe orcas up close is complicated by feelings of unease about their role in a sometimes-chaotic activity that can disturb the whales, shaped by the experience of sharing the sea space with numerous other tourists and boats. In the final section, the article suggests that these ‘ambivalent encounters’ undermine their hopes for a benign form of human-whale encounter, as the crowding creates an image of humans ‘chasing’ the whales.
Normative data for the CERAD verbal episodic memory tests in a sample of older illiterate Korean women
Authors: Ahn Hyejin , Joung Haejung , Byun Min Soo , Park Jee Eun , Jung Gijung , Yi Dahyun , Lee Dong Young
Published: February 2025

Background

Verbal episodic memory tests in the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD) neuropsychological battery require literacy. While modified administrations are provided for illiterate individuals, there are no norms for evaluating the performance of illiterate subjects.

Objective

Assessing the performance of illiterate individuals has limitations, since existing norms were developed on data from literate populations. The purpose of this study is to provide normative data for illiterate Korean older women.

Methods

The participants analyzed in this study were all illiterate. Among a sample of 109 non-demented older adults recruited from community centers for dementia, only 9 were men. Thus, the current analysis developed norms for women. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participants’ characteristics and test scores. Linear regressions were conducted to examine the effect of age on verbal episodic memory tests.

Results

Age was found to be significantly associated with performance on all word list tests. Age was divided into two groups based on the average value for sufficient sample size and showed a significant difference in test performance: 60–75, ≥76 years.

Conclusions

Evaluating illiterate women using existing standards has the limitation of underestimating their performance relative to their actual skills. The present normative data are expected to enable researchers and clinicians to more accurately evaluate the results of the three verbal episodic memory tests, including the Word List Memory, Word List Recall, and Word List Recognition in older illiterate Korean women.
Estrogen Receptor Βeta Stimulation as a Possible Novel Therapeutic Target for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Özistanbullu Deniz , Wilhelm Raphael , Reichenbach Gabi , Doll Monika , Bahrami Karola , Zöller Nadja , Schnütgen Frank , König Anke , Scheller Theresia , Winkler Lars , Spahn Pascal , Jaeger Manuel , Nicolay Jan P. , Pfeilschifter Josef M. , Schilling Bastian , Kaufmann Roland , Koch Alexander , Kippenberger Stefan , Kleemann Johannes , Meissner Markus
Published: February 2025

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL), including mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS), are rare hematological malignancies with limited curative treatment options. Despite early-stage responsiveness, these malignancies often relapse in advanced stages, highlighting the need for novel, durable therapies. As other non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) MF and SS have a greater incidence rate in males than females. The endocrine contribution to this gender difference is unknown. Although several studies could show a potential role of ERβ on NHL lymphomagenesis, its impact on CTCL development is unknown. In this study, we investigated LY500307, a selective ERβ agonist, as a potential treatment for CTCL. Our results show that LY500307 selectively reduced the viability of CTCL cells, sparing non-cancerous skin cells. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that CTCL cells accumulated significantly higher concentrations of LY500307 compared to normal skin cells, likely contributing to its selective cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, LY500307 induced apoptosis, G2/M cell cycle arrest, and increased sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents, particularly MMAE. Furthermore, LY500307 treatment significantly reduced tumor growth in a CTCL xenograft mouse model without notable toxicity. These findings suggest LY500307 as a promising therapeutic agent for CTCL, warranting further clinical investigation, including the potential for topical applications.
Prognostic effects of different nephroureterectomy techniques for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: a network meta-analysis
Authors: Wen Huan , Zhou Yu , Yang Lin
Published: February 2025

Background

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is an aggressive malignant tumor, with surgical intervention as the primary treatment. This study evaluates the prognostic effects of laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (LNU), open radical nephroureterectomy (ONU), robot-assisted laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (Robotic LNU), and hand-assisted laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (Hand LNU) in the treatment of UTUC through a network meta-analysis.

Methods

A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases was conducted for randomized controlled trials meeting the criteria from database inception until April 2024. Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to compare the effects of each surgical method on overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall recurrence rate (ORE).

Results

Seventeen randomized controlled trials were included in this network meta-analysis. The results indicated that LNU significantly improved CSS compared to ONU [HR = 0.81, 95%CI= (0.7, 0.93)], while there were no significant differences between Hand LNU and Robotic LNU compared to ONU. Among minimally invasive surgeries, Hand LNU significantly shortened CSS compared to LNU [HR = 1.49, 95%CI=(1.1, 2.03)]. Regarding ORE, no significant differences were found between LNU, Hand LNU, and Robotic LNU compared to ONU, although LNU had a higher recurrence rate than Robotic LNU [HR = 1.705, 95%CI=(1.007, 3.001)]. For OS, both LNU [HR = 0.84, 95%CI=(0.75, 0.94)] and Robotic LNU [HR = 0.81, 95%CI=(0.68, 0.96)] were significantly better than ONU, whereas Hand LNU significantly shortened OS compared to LNU and Robotic LNU. There were no significant differences in progression-free survival (PFS) between LNU and ONU. The cumulative efficacy ranking indicated that Robotic LNU ranked highest for ORE and OS, while LNU ranked first for CSS.

Conclusion

Robotic LNU demonstrates advantages in prolonging OS and reducing recurrence rates, while LNU excels in improving CSS. Although Hand LNU shows suboptimal effects in some comparisons, it remains valuable, and surgical choices should be based on individualized needs.
Exploring different modelling approaches to forecast the community acute respiratory infections burden in children: an Italian epidemiological time series study
Authors: Boracchini Riccardo , Canova Benedetta , Ferrara Pietro , Barbieri Elisa , Lovaglio Pietro Giorgio , Scamarcia Antonio , Corrao Giovanni , Donà Daniele , Giaquinto Carlo , Di Chiara Costanza , Cantarutti Anna
Published: February 2025

Background

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in young children pose a significant global health challenge, leading to high rates of illness and death. They are estimated to be the fourth leading cause of mortality worldwide, particularly impacting children under five. This study aimed to identify the most effective time series model(s) for forecasting the epidemiological season burden of ARIs for the current 2023/2024 period in Italy.

Methods

Data on the burden of ARIs’ in children aged 0–14 years were retrieved from Pedianet, an Italian paediatric primary care database which includes over 200 family paediatricians. We analysed monthly incidence rates of ARIs from September 2010 to September 2023, following the typical seasonal pattern of these infections. Several forecasting models were compared to predict the future burden of ARI: Error, Trend, Seasonality (ETS); Seasonal Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA); Unobserved Component Model (UCM); and Trigonometric, Box Cox, ARMA errors, Trend, Seasonal (TBATS). We evaluated each model's accuracy by examining the residuals and the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). The period between March 2020 and February 2022 was forecasted to represent the normal trend without COVID-19. Model parameters were estimated using the in-sample and out-of-sample approach.

Results

The analysis included data from over 1.4 million cases of ARIs retrieved in children aged 0–14 years. The ETS model was implemented to predict the pandemic period. Overall, our findings suggest that exponential smoothing models as ETS (MAPE = 6.85) and TBATS (MAPE = 6.87) were most effective in predicting future trends in monthly ARIs’ burden compared to other methods (i.e., UCM MAPE = 11.08, and SARIMA MAPE = 25.33).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that exponential smoothing models are preferable for forecasting pediatric ARIs’ burden trends in Italy. However, epidemiological data from the ongoing season are crucial for understanding whether residual pandemic effects continue affecting respiratory infection patterns.
CTCF is selectively required for maintaining chromatin accessibility and gene expression in human erythropoiesis
Authors: Yang Xue , Cheng Li , Xin Ye , Zhang Jianxiang , Chen Xinfeng , Xu Jinchao , Zhang Mengli , Feng Ruopeng , Hyle Judith , Qi Wenjie , Rosikiewicz Wojciech , Xu Beisi , Li Chunliang , Xu Peng
Published: February 2025

Background

CTCF is considered as the most essential transcription factor regulating chromatin architecture and gene expression. However, genome-wide impact of CTCF on erythropoiesis has not been extensively investigated.

Results

Using a state-of-the-art human erythroid progenitor cell model (HUDEP-2 and HEL cell lines), we systematically investigate the effects of acute CTCF loss by an auxin-inducible degron system on transcriptional programs, chromatin accessibility, CTCF genome occupancy, and genome architecture. By integrating multi-omics datasets, we reveal that acute CTCF loss notably disrupts genome-wide chromatin accessibility and the transcription network. We detect over thousands of decreased chromatin accessibility regions but only a few hundred increased regions after CTCF depletion in HUDEP-2 and HEL lines, suggesting the role of CTCF in maintaining proper chromatin openness in the erythroid lineage. CTCF depletion in the erythroid context notably disrupts the boundary integrity of topologically associating domains and chromatin loops but does not affect nuclear compartmentalization. We find erythroid lineage-specific genes, including some metabolism-related genes, are suppressed at immature and mature stages. Notably, we find a subset of genes whose transcriptional levels increase upon CTCF depletion, accompanied by decreased chromatin accessibility regions enriched with the GATA motif. We further decipher the molecular mechanism underlying the CTCF/GATA2 repression axis through distal non-coding chromatin regions. These results suggest a suppressive role of CTCF in gene expression during erythroid lineage specification.

Conclusions

Our study reveals a novel role of CTCF in regulating erythroid differentiation by maintaining its proper chromatin openness and gene expression network, which extends our understanding of CTCF biology.
Engineering of the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901 to synthesize astaxanthin
Authors: Betterle Nico , Gasparotto Eliana , Battagini Elia , Ceschi Edoardo , Bellamoli Francesco , Nixon Peter J. , Ballottari Matteo
Published: February 2025

Background

Astaxanthin is a red pigment required by feed, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries for its pigmentation and antioxidant properties. This carotenoid is one of the main high-value products that can nowadays be derived from microalgae cultivation, raising important industrial interest. However, state-of-the-art astaxanthin production is the cultivation of the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis (or lacustris), which faces high costs and low production yield. Hence, alternative and efficient sources for astaxanthin need to be developed, and novel biotechnological solutions must be found. The recently discovered cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901 is a promising photosynthetic platform for the large-scale production of high-value products, but its potential has yet to be thoroughly tested.

Results

In this study, the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901 was engineered for the first time to our knowledge to produce astaxanthin, a high-value ketocarotenoid, by expressing recombinant β-ketolase (bKT) and a β-hydroxylase enzymes (CtrZ). During photoautotrophic growth, the bKT-CtrZ transformed strain (called BC) accumulated astaxanthin to above 80% of the total carotenoid. Moreover, BC cells grew faster than wild-type (WT) cells in high light and continuous bubbling with CO2-enriched air. The engineered strain reached stationary phase after only 4 days of growth in an airlift 80-mL photobioreactor, producing 7 g/L of dry biomass, and accumulated ~ 10 mg/L/day of astaxanthin, which is more than other CO2-consuming multi-engineered systems. In addition, BC cells were cultivated in a 330-L photobioreactor to link lab-scale experiments to the industrial scale-up.

Conclusions

The astaxanthin volumetric productivity achieved, 10 mg/L/day, exceeds that previously reported for Haematococcus pluvialis, the standard microalgal species nowadays used at the industrial level for astaxanthin production, or for other microalgal strains engineered to produce ketocarotenoids. Overall, this work identifies a new route to produce astaxanthin on an industrial scale.
Non-fasting versus fasting before percutaneous cardiac procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Balbaa Elsayed , Ibrahim Ahmed A. , Bazzazeh Mohammad , Tabassum Shehroze , Ramadan Shrouk , Gadelmawla Ahmed Farid , Elshimy Abdelrahman , Altobaishat Obieda , Abuelazm Mohamed
Published: February 2025

Background and objective

Despite the absence of scientific evidence, fasting before percutaneous cardiac catheterization is still recommended to minimize complications. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the outcomes of non-fasting protocols in patients undergoing percutaneous cardiac procedures.

Materials and methods

A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, WOS, Embase, and Cochrane was conducted until September 2024. Dichotomous outcomes were pooled using risk ratio (RR), while continuous outcomes were pooled using standardized mean difference (SMD). PROSPERO ID: CRD42024586147.

Results

Five RCTs with 2034 patients were included. There was no significant difference between both groups regarding patient satisfaction score [SMD − 0.65, 95% CI (− 1.39, 0.09), P = 0.08], intra/postoperative aspiration (RR 1.00, 95% CI [0.20, 4.96], P = 1.00), postprocedural pneumonia (RR 0.60, 95% CI [0.14, 2.51], P = 0.49), emergency endotracheal intubation (RR 0.99, 95% CI [0.10, 9.51], P = 1.00), nausea/vomiting (RR 0.89, 95% CI [0.46, 1.76], P = 0.75), anti-emetic use (RR 0.49, 95% CI [0.24, 1.03], P = 0.06), hypoglycemia (RR 0.74, 95% CI [0.43, 1.28], P = 0.28), and the need for inotrope/vasopressor therapy (RR 1.03, 95% CI [0.81, 1.30], P = 0.82). However, the non-fasting approach significantly decreased the sensation of tiredness/fatigue (SMD − 0.31 with 95% CI [− 0.51, − 0.11], P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The non-fasting protocol demonstrated comparable efficacy, safety, and overall satisfaction to the conventional fasting approach.

Review registration 

PROSPERO CRD42024586147.
Relationship between surface ground motion and strain observed by a helically wound fiber-optic cable
Authors: Tsuji Shuhei , Araki Eiichiro , Matsumoto Hiroyuki , Machida Yuya , Yokobiki Takashi
Published: February 2025

This study used numerical tests and in situ observations to characterize the relationship between ground motion and strain measured using a newly developed borehole fiber-optic strainmeter with a helically wound sensor. This strainmeter is designed for the broadband observations across geodetic and seismic ranges, featuring a sensor fiber helically wound to accommodate a long baseline within the confined space of a borehole, thereby enhancing the sensitivity to multiple components of strain tensors. Therefore, the sensitivity of the strain tensor and its relationship with ground velocity were analyzed through numerical tests and compared with in situ records. The sensitivities of specific components within the strain tensor were evaluated based on the geometrical configuration of the sensor, revealing that areal and normal strains in the horizontal plane were particularly sensitive in these borehole fiber-optic strainmeters. To validate these theoretical characteristics, in situ records from the borehole fiber-optic strainmeter were comparatively analyzed with data from existing linear strainmeters and seismometers. The borehole fiber-optic strainmeter was installed in a 20-m-deep borehole at the Kamioka Mine in central Japan in March 2023. The strain and velocity measurements were concurrently conducted using a collocated linear strainmeter and a broadband seismometer, utilizing the P- and S-phases of teleseismic and local earthquakes as comparative signals. This comparison confirmed the sensitivity to areal and normal strains detected by the linear strainmeter. Additionally, the sensitivity of the strainmeter to strain in various directions was assessed by comparison with a seismometer. These analyses also indicated that the contrast in elastic properties between the strainmeter sensor and the surrounding rocks affected the scaling of the strain amplitude in situ. Moreover, the inhomogeneity of the surrounding media induced variations in strain amplitudes, especially in the shear waves.

Graphical Abstract
Head-to-head comparison of 18F-FDG and 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT in common gynecological malignancies
Authors: Li Tengfei , Zhang Jintao , Yan Yuanzhuo , Zhang Yue , Pei Wenjie , Hua Qingchu , Chen Yue
Published: February 2025

Background

68Ga-FAPI (fibroblast activation protein inhibitor) is a novel and highly promising radiotracer for PET/CT imaging. It has shown significant tumor uptake and high sensitivity in lesion detection across a range of cancer types. We aimed to compare the diagnostic value of 68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG PET/CT in common gynecological malignancies.

Methods

This retrospective study included 35 patients diagnosed with common gynecological tumors, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and cervical cancer. Among the 35 patients, 27 underwent PET/CT for the initial assessment of tumors, while 8 were assessed for recurrence detection. The median and range of tumor size and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) were calculated.

Results

Thirty-five patients (median age, 57 years [interquartile range], 51–65 years) were evaluated. In treatment-naive patients (n = 27), 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT led to upstaging of the clinical TNM stage in five (19%) patients compared with 18F-FDG PET/CT. No significant difference in tracer uptake was observed between 18F-FDG and 68Ga-FAPI for primary lesions: breast cancer (7.2 vs. 4.9, P = 0.086), ovarian cancer (16.3 vs. 15.7, P = 0.345), and cervical cancer (18.3 vs. 17.1, P = 0.703). For involved lymph nodes, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrated a higher SUVmax for breast cancer (9.9 vs. 6.1, P = 0.007) and cervical cancer (6.3 vs. 4.8, P = 0.048), while no significant difference was noted for ovarian cancer (7.0 vs. 5.9, P = 0.179). Furthermore, 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrated higher specificity and accuracy compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT for detecting metastatic lymph nodes (100% vs. 66%, P < 0.001; 94% vs. 80%, P < 0.001). In contrast, sensitivity did not differ significantly (97% vs. 86%, P = 0.125). For most distant metastases, 68Ga-FAPI exhibited a higher SUVmax than 18F-FDG in bone metastases (12.9 vs. 4.9, P = 0.036).

Conclusions

68Ga-FAPI PET/CT demonstrated higher tracer uptake and was superior to 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting primary and metastatic lesions in patients with common gynecological malignancies.

Trial registration

ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100044131. Registered 10 October 2022, https://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100044131.
Spatial modelling of the shared impact of sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities in Africa
Authors: Bolarinwa Obasanjo Afolabi , Odimegwu Clifford , Mohammed Aliu , Gayawan Ezra
Published: February 2025

Background

Women with disabilities remain highly vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health problems, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where their sexual and reproductive rights, such as access to sexual health information and contraception, are often neglected. This study investigated the spatial patterns of the shared impact of sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities in Africa.

Methods

We used the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data involving 16,157 women with disabilities from ten African countries for this study. The data were analysed using both spatial and Bayesian inference to account for the shared component model patterns between sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities while accounting for factors unique to each outcome. Bayesian inference via the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) was used for implementation. Priors for shared effects ​were set as log-normal distributions, while Gaussian priors were assigned to fixed effects. Intrinsic Conditional Autoregressive (ICAR) priors modelled spatial dependencies between districts, introducing spatial autocorrelation based on shared boundaries. Penalised Complexity (PC) priors controlled precision parameters to balance model complexity.

Results

The study revealed low sexual health knowledge (ranging from 3% in Nigeria to 27% in Uganda) and modern contraceptive use (ranging from 1% in DR Congo and Chad to 27% in Uganda) among women with disabilities across the countries surveyed. The spatial patterns showed diverse intra-country and inter-country disparities of sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among the women, with lower shared impact observed in Mauritania, Nigeria, Uganda, Chad, and DR Congo relative to Kenya, Malawi, Mali, South Africa, and Rwanda. Factors that influence sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities include education, marital status, place of residence, community literacy level, community socio-economic status, and age.

Conclusions and recommendations

Sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities in Africa remain low, albeit with varied intra-country and inter-country spatial disparities. Therefore, spatial areas with low sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use should be given more attention when implementing measures to promote the use of modern contraceptives among women with disabilities. Promoting sexual health knowledge and modern contraceptive use among women with disabilities in Africa could significantly contribute towards the realisation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal agenda of “leaving no one behind”.
Estimation of Ganciclovir Exposure in Adults Transplant Patients by Machine Learning
Authors: Sayadi Hamza , Fromage Yeleen , Labriffe Marc , Billat Pierre-André , Codde Cyrielle , Arraki Zava Selim , Marquet Pierre , Woillard Jean-Baptiste
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Valganciclovir, a prodrug of ganciclovir (GCV), is used to prevent cytomegalovirus infection after transplantation, with doses adjusted based on creatinine clearance (CrCL) to target GCV AUC0-24 h of 40–60 mg*h/L. This sometimes leads to overexposure or underexposure. This study aimed to train, test and validate machine learning (ML) algorithms for accurate GCV AUC0-24 h estimation in solid organ transplantation.

Methods

We simulated patients for different dosing regimen (900 mg/24 h, 450 mg/24 h, 450 mg/48 h, 450 mg/72 h) using two literature population pharmacokinetic models, allocating 75% for training and 25% for testing. Simulations from two other literature models and real patients provided validation datasets. Three independent sets of ML algorithms were created for each regimen, incorporating CrCL and 2 or 3 concentrations. We evaluated their performance on testing and validation datasets and compared them with MAP-BE.

Results

XGBoost using 3 concentrations generated the most accurate predictions. In testing dataset, they exhibited a relative bias of -0.02 to 1.5% and a relative RMSE of 2.6 to 8.5%. In the validation dataset, a relative bias of 1.5 to 5.8% and 8.9 to 16.5%, and a relative RMSE of 8.5 to 9.6% and 10.7% to 19.7% were observed depending on the model used. XGBoost algorithms outperformed or matched MAP-BE, showing enhanced generalization and robustness in their estimates. When applied to real patients’ data, algorithms using 2 concentrations showed relative bias of 1.26% and relative RMSE of 12.68%.

Conclusions

XGBoost ML models accurately estimated GCV AUC0-24 h from limited samples and CrCL, providing a strategy for optimized therapeutic drug monitoring.

Graphical Abstract
Interpreting Agricultural Activities in Historical Aerial Photographs
Authors: Callaway Graham
Published: February 2025

Historical aerial photographs from the early twentieth century have great interpretive potential for understanding the agricultural landscapes they record. In addition to building a chronology of farm layout, historical images can record particular crops and other agricultural activities, adding nuance to interpretations of historical agricultural space. Identifying particular crops and other activities requires practice and skill. This article presents a set of basic interpretive tools for understanding what is recorded in historical aerial photographs of farmland. An extended example is presented from Lunenburg County, Virginia.
“To Scratch and Crow under Our Own Vine and Fig Tree”
Authors: Jones-Branch Cherisse
Published: February 2025

Established in Chicago in 1922, the National Federation of Colored Farmers counteracted Black farmers’ marginalization in such national agrarian organizations as the American Farm Bureau Federation. It further leveraged its newspaper, the Modern Farmer, to recruit members in the first half of the twentieth century. Between the 1920s and the late 1940s the organization shifted from being extremely critical of the Farm Bureau to later embracing what it offered to farmers regardless of their racial backgrounds.
A Controversial International Cooperation
Authors: Zhang Ruisheng
Published: February 2025

The China–United States Agricultural Mission from 1946 to 1948 was the first cooperative project on agricultural technology and trade organized by the governments of the Republic of China and the United States. The mission committee comprised delegates from the United States led by Claude B. Hutchison and delegates from China led by Zou Binwen. The delegates developed a comprehensive plan for agricultural development, technology imports, infrastructure construction, and international trade, which soon came under criticism as a vision for the economic and technological colonization of China. Although this plan was not adopted in mainland China, it incubated an organizational structure for the Sino-American Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction and provided a blueprint for agricultural development in Taiwan. This mission, which merits close attention in both academic and diplomatic circles, provided both referential significance and important lessons for later cooperation in technology and trade between the United States and the People's Republic of China.
Corruption as a Local Advantage: Evidence from the Indigenization of Nigerian Oil
Authors: Rexer Jonah M.
Published: February 2025

Multinationals in the extractive sectors of weak states face resource theft by armed groups. Criminality is often abetted by state corruption, even though firms are willing to pay for protection. I study indigenization in Nigeria’s oil sector, which increased local firms’ participation substantially. Despite lower quality, local firms increase output by reducing oil theft. A bargaining model illustrates that political connections align law enforcement incentives, solving commitment problems. Data on law enforcement raids show that local firms receive preferential protection. Connections to military elites drive the local advantage. The aggregate gains from indigenization are at most between 2.3 and 5.7 percent of GDP. (JEL D73, F23, L71, O13, O17, Q34, Q35)
The Decline of Too Big to Fail
Authors: Berndt Antje , Duffie Darrell , Zhu Yichao
Published: February 2025

For globally systemically important banks (GSIBs) with US headquarters, we find significant reductions in market-implied probabilities of government bailout after the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), along with roughly 170 percent higher wholesale debt financing costs for these banks after controlling for insolvency risk. Since the GFC, bank creditors appear to expect much larger losses in the event that a GSIB approaches insolvency. In this sense, we estimate a decline of “too big to fail.” (G01, G12, G21, G28, G33, H81)
Land Rental Markets: Experimental Evidence from Kenya
Authors: Acampora Michelle , Casaburi Lorenzo , Willis Jack
Published: February 2025

Do land market frictions cause misallocation in agriculture? In a field experiment in western Kenya, we randomly subsidize owners to rent out land. Induced rentals mostly persist after the subsidy ends and increase output and value added, consistent with misallocation. Gains from trade arise from renters choosing higher-value crops, having higher productivity, and adopting more nonlabor inputs, while renters use similar quantities of labor as owners. Induced rentals are not those with the largest predicted gains, underlining the importance of the joint distribution of gains and frictions, with frictions arising from search, risk, and learning.(JEL C93, O13, O18, Q12, Q15, Q24, R52)
Conformational heterogeneity in the dGsw purine riboswitch: role of Mg²⁺ and 2’-dG in aptamer folding
Authors: Chaudhury Susmit Narayan , Ding Erdong , Jespersen Nathan Edward , Onuchic Jose N. , Sanbonmatsu Karissa Y
Published: February 2025

Recent advancements in RNA structural biology have focused on unraveling the complexities of non-coding mRNA elements like riboswitches. These cis-acting regulatory regions undergo structural changes in response to specific cellular metabolites, leading to up or downregulation of downstream genes. The purine riboswitch family regulates many prokaryotic genes involved in purine degradation and biosynthesis. They feature an aptamer domain organized around a 3-way helical junction, where ligand encapsulation occurs at the junctional core. In our study, we chemically probed the aptamer domain of the 2’-dG-sensing purine riboswitch from Mesoplasma florum (dGsw) under various solution conditions to understand how Mg²⁺ and 2’-dG influence riboswitch folding. Here, we find that efficient 2’-dG binding strongly depends on Mg²⁺, indicating that Mg²⁺ is essential for priming dGsw for ligand interactions. We identified a previously undescribed sequence in the 5’ tail of dGsw that is complementary to a conserved helix. The inclusion of this region in a construct led to intramolecular competition between the alternate helix, Palt, and P1. Mutational analysis confirmed that 5’ flanking end of the aptamer domain forms an alternate helix in the absence of ligand. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that this alternative conformation is stable. This helix may, therefore, facilitate the formation of an anti-terminator helix by opening the 3-way junction surrounding the 2’-dG binding site. Our study further establishes the importance of a closed terminal P1 helix conformation for metabolite binding and suggests that the delicate interplay between P1 and Palt may fine-tune downstream gene regulation. These insights offer a new perspective on riboswitch structure and enhance our understanding of the role that a conformational ensemble plays in riboswitch activity and regulation.
Individualism-Collectivism (I-C) indices do not mediate the negative association between non-referent downward counterfactual thinking and prevention pride in Australian university students
Authors: Broomhall Anne Gene
Published: February 2025

Non-referent downward counterfactual thinking pertains to visualising how life events could have turned out for the worse without identifying who is blameworthy for the negative outcome. A key question is whether its link to prevention pride corresponds to the direction articulated in the Functional Theory – that is, in general, downward counterfactual thinking is positively associated with prevention goal-attainment, and this could be facilitated by greater adherence to social norms that maintain the status quo. This research question was investigated in a cross-sectional study using a sample of Australian university students (N = 209, Mage = 24.48, SD = 8.23; Range = 18-56). Contrary to the Functional Theory of Counterfactual Thinking, it was found that more frequent non-referent downward counterfactual thinking was associated with lower prevention pride. Non-referent downward counterfactuals did not significantly predict Individualism-Collectivism indices (i.e., social harmony, self-control, social identification, and social sharing of recognition). Amongst the I-C indices, only social identification and social sharing of recognition were found to be significantly positively and negatively associated with prevention pride, respectively. However, the I-C indices did not mediate the negative association between non-referent downward counterfactual thinking and prevention pride. Therapeutic implications were discussed in relation to the “wake-up call” principle to help individuals take preventative actions in the future.
A Simple Integral Equation Approach for Optimal Investment Stopping Problems with Partial Information
Authors: Xing Jie , Ma Jingtang , Zheng Harry
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we study a finite horizon optimal investment stopping problem with an unobservable random variable for the return of a risky asset. Using the Bayesian filter and the dual control approach, we transform the original primal problem into a dual finite horizon optimal stopping problem, which results in the dual value function satisfying a variational inequality with two state variables. For a class of utility functions that includes power utility and non–hyperbolic absolute risk aversion utility, we show that the free boundary satisfies a Volterra-type nonlinear integral equation with expectation over the joint distribution of the dual state process and the filtered probability process, and we simplify and solve the integral equation with the dimension reduction and backward recursive methods. We also construct two simple closed-form approximations for the free boundary using its asymptotic properties and show their accuracy and efficiency with numerical examples. Furthermore, we demonstrate that different model parameters may lead to one, two, or no free boundaries with a simple example.

Funding: J. Xing was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 12101151] and the Youth Foundation of Guizhou University of Finance and Economics [Grant 2022KYQN10]. J. Ma was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 12071373]. H. Zheng was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of the United Kingdom [Grant EP/V008331/1].
Understanding Athletics Academic Advisors’ Experience with Job Burnout
Authors: O’Rourke Felicia
Published: February 2025

Chronic stress and burnout are prevalent in Division I athletics, yet there is limited research on job burnout and workplace stress among academic advisors specializing in Division I athletics. This study contributes a deeper understanding of the experiences of Division I athletics academic advisors regarding job burnout and its contributing factors. The study also introduces two athletics academic advising models in Division I and examines how job burnout manifests within these models. Interviews with eight participants uncovered four themes that articulate how participants experience constant stress and highlight the areas of work that shape their job burnout. Findings assist professionals in the field in developing a better grasp of what is influencing job burnout and its ramifications.
El impacto del cultivo de cacao en los niveles de pobreza
Authors: Lahura Erick , Santos Pintado Sintia Yanela , Tapia Tovar Gibel Andrea
Published: February 2025

Cocoa production in Peru has seen remarkable growth in recent years, positioning it as a potential driver for poverty reduction. This study examines the relationship between cocoa cultivation and poverty levels in cocoa-producing regions during the 2008–2019 period. The analysis employs panel data regression models estimated using pooled OLS, fixed effects, and random effects approaches. To address omitted variable bias, control variables, and the Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) estimator are incorporated. The results indicate that a 20% increase in productivity leads to a 0.2 percentage point reduction in poverty rates, while price fluctuations have no significant effect. These findings underscore the importance of policies focused on enhancing cocoa productivity as a means to alleviate poverty.
Reconciling Keynes and Tinbergen?
Authors: Pinzón-Fuchs Erich
Published: February 2025

In 1944, just five years after the controversy between John Maynard Keynes and Jan Tinbergen, Lawrence R. Klein found himself in a unique position. As a leading expert on Keynesian economics in the United States, Klein was recruited at the Cowles Commission to rebuild Tinbergen’s macro-econometric model of the US economy. This paper explores Klein’s macro-econometric approach as a serious attempt to reconcile Tinbergen’s work with Keynes’s criticisms. For Klein, macro-econometric modeling was not merely a tool for generating insights about the economic world but also a practice that took seriously the inherent limitations of statistical and mathematical methods. Ultimately, it was this complex practice—rather than econometric techniques alone—that enabled macroeconomists to discover, understand, and articulate concrete observations about the economy.
Introduction of Incidence Wave using Generalized TF/SF for FDTD Analysis of Layered Media
Authors: Yang Chao , Xie Haiyan , Qiao Hailiang , Zhai Xinyang , Chen Zaigao , Gao Yinjun
Published: February 2025

In scattering analysis of layered media using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, conventional total-field/scattered-field (TF/SF) technique cannot inject the plane wave source. To overcome this limitation, this paper extends a generalized TF/SF (G-TF/SF) technique that embeds the TF/SF boundary within the convolutional perfectly matched layer (CPML), thus facilitating the handling of 3D electromagnetic scattering from layered media. The G-TF/SF method effectively mitigates edge effects in numerical calculations for infinite layered media. Numerical simulations validate the effectiveness of the G-TF/SF method. The method is expected to be helpful in scattering models of rough surfaces.
Dual-input Electromagnetic Inverse Scattering Algorithm Based on Improved U-net
Authors: Yang Chun Xia , Meng Jun Jie , Wei Shuang , Tong Mei Song
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we propose a dual-input inversion method based on deep learning to improve the accuracy of electromagnetic imaging using the back propagation algorithm (BP). An improved U-Net network is utilized to reconstruct the scatterers. Unlike other deep learning inversion methods, we input both the scatterer distribution data from BP imaging and the scattered field data received by the antennas into the neural network for training. This approach leads to a more accurate prediction of scatterer positions and characteristics. Compared to predicting the scatterers using only the scattered field as input, adding the BP imaging results at the input provides the neural network with more information, significantly reduces the learning difficulty, minimizes errors, and enhances the quality of imaging. To address potential gradient vanishing and spatial information loss during network training, we integrate attention mechanisms and residual modules into the basic U-Net network. The former helps the network extract important relevant information under different contrast conditions, while the latter focuses on solving the problems of gradient vanishing and explosion. Simulation experiments confirm that our dual-input inversion method significantly reduces the average error, outperforming traditional single-input reconstruction methods.