bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental investigation on hole bearing behavior and failure mechanism of double‐lap hybrid composite/titanium bolted joints
Authors: Liu Dongxu , Zhang Deyuan
Published: January 2025

In this paper, a new co‐curing process for hybrid titanium alloy foils into composite laminates was put forward. Meanwhile several pull‐out specimens were tested to obtained the bonding response between titanium alloy and composites. And the size of titanium alloy foils in double‐lap hybrid composite/titanium bolted joints were designed according to the response. Then these double‐lap bolted joints were fabricated and tested. The test results revealed that hole bearing responses of hybrid specimens were significantly better than composite specimens. Moreover, the hole bearing strengths of hybrid specimens with 33% titanium content were more 40% higher than composites specimens. And the degree of bearing strength enhancement exceeded the degree of weight gain of the specimen. Meanwhile, the hole damage morphologies of these double‐lap specimens were characterized. It could be found that the edge length had a significant effect on the failure form of the double‐lap bolted joints, and the area affected by hole failure could be significantly reduced by increasing the edge length appropriately. The structure of hybrid titanium alloy foils within a bolted joint area of composite laminates will provide a reference for improving hole bearing strength.

Highlights

A new co‐curing process for hybrid titanium alloy foils into composite laminates was created.

Hole bearing strengths of hybrid composite/titanium bolted joints are higher than composite specimens.

Increasing the edge length can effectively reduce the area of the hole failure affected zone.
Resource‐Efficient Adaptive Variational Quantum Algorithm for Combinatorial Optimization Problems
Authors: Wu Sheng‐Yao , Song Yan‐Qi , Li Run‐Ze , Qin Su‐Juan , Wen Qiao‐Yan , Gao Fei
Published: January 2025

Variational quantum algorithms (VQAs) are quantum‐classical hybrid algorithms that are promising for the near future. The Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) is a representative VQA for solving combinatorial optimization problems. However, the parameterized quantum circuit (PQC) of QAOA still has room for improvement. The existing method, called ADAPT‐QAOA, has improved the PQC of QAOA, but the circuit depth remains deep. A Resource‐Efficient Adaptive VQA (RE‐ADAPT‐VQA) that utilizes gates from a new gate pool is proposed to construct a PQC. RE‐ADAPT‐VQA incrementally integrates parameterized quantum gates based on the gradient until the predefined stopping criteria are satisfied, and a rollback mechanism is proposed to ensure that the circuit remains shallow. The algorithm is experimentally simulated to solve Max‐Cut problem and the maximum independent set problem. The results show that RE‐ADAPT‐VQA significantly reduces circuit depth, single‐qubit gates, and CNOT gates compared to existing methods, while maintaining the same level of energy error.
Hardware‐Efficient Quantum Random Access Memory Design with a Native Gate Set on Superconducting Platforms
Authors: Wang Yun‐Jie , Zhang Sheng , Sun Tai‐Ping , Zhao Ze‐An , Xu Xiao‐Fan , Zhuang Xi‐Ning , Liu Huan‐Yu , Xue Cheng , Duan Peng , Wu Yu‐Chun , Chen Zhao‐Yun , Guo Guo‐Ping
Published: January 2025

Quantum Random Access Memory (QRAM) is a critical component for enabling data queries in superposition, which is the cornerstone of quantum algorithms. Among various QRAM architectures, the bucket‐brigade model stands out due to its noise resilience. This study presents a hardware‐efficient native gate set for implementing bucket‐brigade QRAM on superconducting platforms. The experimental feasibility of the proposed gate set is demonstrated, showing high fidelity and reduced complexity. By leveraging the complementary control property in QRAM, the approach directly substitutes the conventional gates with the new gate set, eliminating decomposition overhead and significantly reducing circuit depth and gate count.
Quantifying Quantum Steering with Limited Resources: A Semi‐supervised Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Lu Yansa , Chen Zhihua , Ma Zhihao , Fei Shao‐Ming
Published: January 2025

Quantum steering, an intermediate quantum correlation lying between entanglement and nonlocality, has emerged as a critical quantum resource for a variety of quantum information processing tasks such as quantum key distribution and true randomness generation. The ability to detect and quantify quantum steering is crucial for these applications. Semi‐definite programming (SDP) has proven to be a valuable tool to quantify quantum steering. However, the challenge lies in the fact that the optimal measurement strategy is not priori known, making it time‐consuming to compute the steerable measure for any given quantum state. Furthermore, the utilization of SDP requires full information of the quantum state, necessitating quantum state tomography, which can be complex and resource‐consuming. In this work, the semi‐supervised self‐training model is used to estimate the steerable weight, a pivotal measure of quantum steering. The model can be trained using a limited amount of labeled data, thus reducing the time for labeling. The features are constructed by the probabilities derived by performing three sets of projective measurements under arbitrary local unitary transformations on the target states, circumventing the need for quantum tomography. The model demonstrates robust generalization capabilities and can achieve high levels of precision with limited resources.
Single Photon Sources from 2D‐Materials and Interfacing with Waveguides for Quantum Technological Applications
Authors: Raj Akriti , Sahu Swapnasagar , Narayani Peddarapu Lakshmi , Sharma Lakshminarayan , Banerjee Siddharth , Tripathi Laxmi Narayan
Published: January 2025

Photonic quantum technological applications require single photon sources as sources of qubits. Two‐dimensional (2D) material platforms have emerged as deterministic, scalable, and on‐chip integrated sources of single photons. Generation and control of the sources remain challenging yet rewarding research problems. Interfacing the sources with waveguides is a significant task for integrated quantum technological applications such as quantum information processing, quantum cryptography, and quantum networking. In this work, a comprehensive review of the formation and control of single photon sources from 2D materials is presented. The creation and control of these quantum emitters working both at room and low temperatures are critically analyzed. The methodology of deterministic formation and position‐controlled single photon sources are elaborated and pictorially explained. Major single photon sources are compared from various 2D and other resources. In the end, the application of single photons in quantum technological applications such as quantum communications, quantum computation, and quantum sensing are discussed.
A High‐Order Finite‐Time Observer for External Force Estimation of Collaborative Robots
Authors: Li Zeyu , Wei Hongxing , Liu Chengguo , Zhang Haochen , Wei Yifan , Liu Gang
Published: January 2025

The ability to rapidly and accurately estimate external forces applied to collaborative robots is crucial for ensuring safe physical human‐robot interaction and minimizing injury risk from potential collisions. In this research, a novel finite‐time observation method for sensorless collaborative robots to estimate time‐varying external forces is put forward. First, a generalized finite‐time observer is constructed by integrating generalized momentum dynamics and adding fractional power terms into the classical higher‐order finite‐time method to achieve the estimation of time‐varying external forces using joint control torque. A performance analysis approach is introduced to assess this higher‐order finite‐time observer with mixed fractional power terms, demonstrating optimization of dynamic response speed and steady‐state robustness. Furthermore, a Lyapunov‐based recursive verification is provided to confirm the finite‐time convergence and convergence bounds of this generalized observer. Finally, experiments are conducted on the AUBO I5 robot in two practical scenarios. The results demonstrate that the proposed observer significantly improves the detection speed of collision force by more than 5%, while simultaneously reducing the estimation error by over 4% in comparison to those of the existing finite‐time observers. Moreover, the estimation error of time‐varying interaction force is reduced by over 23% in comparison to existing ones. Furthermore, the collision detection and safe response experiments of a real collaborative robot body and end‐effector have been successfully accomplished.
Comparison of soil Mehlich‐3 phosphorus quantified by colorimetry and inductively coupled plasma: A case study for temperate agroecosystems
Authors: Ziadi Noura , Gagnon Bernard , Lafond Jean , Coté Sylvie , Bipfubusa Marie
Published: January 2025

Phosphorus (P) is one of the most limiting essential nutrients for agricultural production and its availability to crops is assessed by various methods. Mehlich‐3, however, remains the most used method worldwide. For decades, the colorimetric method by blue ascorbic acid‐molybdate reaction has been used to determine soil P concentration following Mehlich‐3 extraction. Since early 1990s, the use of automated methods to quantify soil nutrients including P has expanded rapidly, and the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectroscopy is becoming one of the most popular instruments in routine soil testing. The main objective of this study was to compare ICP (where M3P is Mehlich‐3 P, M3P‐ICP) with colorimetric (M3P‐Col) methods to estimate soil P using data from soil samples (3020) collected between 2005 and 2021 from 16 experiments conducted under different agroecosystems in Canada and Europe. Five case studies were assessed: (1) laboratory incubation, (2) native lowbush blueberry, (3) soil depth, (4) soil tillage, and (5) annual field crops versus perennial forage. In each study, a regression equation was established between soil M3P‐ICP and M3P‐Col. Results indicated that the two methods were strongly related in all studies (0.82 < r2 < 0.99; p < 0.001), where soil P measured by ICP (2.1–352 mg kg−1) was higher than that measured by colorimetry (0.6–339 mg kg−1) except for the incubation study. Most important P differences were observed with forage and blueberry. Further analysis revealed that large differences between M3P‐ICP and M3P‐Col occurred primarily due to soil total C content. Soil pH, clay and Fe content, and previous crops also affected the relationship.
Decades of coffee plantation alters soil methane uptake and soil organic carbon pools in China
Authors: Zhang Fulan , Sun Hao , Raza Syed Turab , Zhu Yingmo , Yin Wen , Fan Danhua , Ma Rongjun , Rong Li , Ye Tao , Chen Zhe
Published: January 2025

The conversion of forest into coffee plantation through deforestation has become one of the main land use changes in tropical region, yet its impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) and methane (CH4) uptake remains unclear, leading to uncertainties in estimating carbon fluxes in tropical area. The main coffee planting areas in China and the adjacent forests were selected to explore the effects of forest‐to‐coffee conversion and coffee stand ages on SOC and CH4 uptake. We conducted our study by comparing coffee plantations of varying ages to the nearby forests within the same area. We treated the different‐aged coffee plantations as our experimental groups and used the forests as our control groups. This paired comparison allowed us to exclude external factors such as climate, soil type, and vegetation differences, ensuring that our analysis focused on the effects of stand age alone. The 25‐year, 43‐year, and 55‐year coffee plantations reduced SOC by 51%, 66%, and 65% compared to nearby forests, while soil microbial biomass carbon decreased by approximately 60%. Coffee stand age influenced ambient CH4 uptake significantly: soils in 43‐ and 55‐year‐old coffee plantations and natural forests acted as CH4 sinks, while the 25‐year‐old stand showed weak CH4 emission. In 25‐year, 43‐year, and 55‐year coffee plantations, the CH4 uptake rates were 87%, 54%, and 65% lower, respectively, compared to the CH4 uptake rates in the natural forests nearby. Soil moisture, inorganic nitrogen content, and CH4 monooxygenase (MMO) activity were the main factors affecting CH4 uptake rates across land uses in the ambient CH4 background. Further CH4 metabolism indicated a close relationship between ambient CH4 uptake, CH4 oxidation, and methanogenesis pathways. Our study highlights the reduction of SOC pools in coffee plantations in China is accompanied with the reduction of CH4 uptake and changed metabolism of CH4‐oxidizing microorganisms.
Applying AIXE to Compare Domestic Smart Speakers
Authors: Spallazzo Davide , Sciannamè Martina , Ceconello Mauro
Published: January 2025

The chapter describes and analyses the results of a comparative study conducted on domestic smart speakers and aimed at assessing the user experience they entail. About 1400 respondents from US and UK answered the AIXE (AI user eXperience Evaluation) questionnaire, evaluating the smart speaker they commonly use in their daily life (typically, Amazon Echo, Google Nest, and similar). The results provide an overview of different UX dimensions deemed relevant by the users and highlight different performances of the analysed devices.
Networks abroad and culture: global individual-level evidence
Authors: Turati Riccardo
Published: January 2025

This paper analyzes whether natives with a network abroad have a distinctive cultural stance compared to similar individuals without such connections within the same region. Using individual-level data on connectedness from the Gallup World poll across 2256 within-country regions over 148 countries, it characterizes individuals’ cultural stance based on three traits: pro-social behavior, religiosity, and gender-egalitarian attitudes. The paper shows that natives who have a connection abroad are characterized by stronger pro-social behavior, religiosity, and gender-egalitarian attitudes. To address potential biases arising from omitted variables, it controls for an extensive array of individual characteristics and region-by-year fixed effects. The results are robust to employing comprehensive measures of connectedness, employing matching techniques, and assessing selection biases related to unobservable factors. Finally, by leveraging both country and individual-level heterogeneity, the analysis indicates that the pro-social behavior stance of connected individuals is fairly consistent across different contexts and individuals, while the findings on religiosity and gender-egalitarian attitudes are more sensitive to local and individual factors. The paper therefore shows that factors enhancing or dampening this relation are cultural trait specific.
A prospective ecological momentary assessment study of an ayahuasca retreat: exploring the salutary impact of acute psychedelic experiences on subacute affect and mindfulness skills in daily life
Authors: Sznitman Sharon R. , Behar Yoel A. , Dicker-Oren Sheila Daniela , Shochat Tamar , Meiri David , Butto Nader , Roe David , Bernstein Amit
Published: January 2025

Rationale

To examine the acute effects of ayahuasca use and their relationship to sub-acute changes in affect and mindfulness in a non-clinical sample, addressing the need for a better understanding of ayahuasca’s immediate and short-term impacts as interest in its use grows.

Objectives

Using prospective ecological assessment, this study investigates how ayahuasca used at a 4-day retreat affects positive/negative affect and mindfulness skills in daily living compared to pre-retreat. Additionally, we explore acute psychedelic experiences during the ayahuasca retreat, assessed retrospectively 1–2 days post-retreat, as potential mechanisms for theorized effects in daily living post-retreat.

Methods

Thirty-six participants reported positive/negative affect and mindfulness skills three times daily for 5 days before and after the retreat. Baseline assessments included lifetime psychedelic experience, and post-retreat assessments covered acute ayahuasca experiences. Mixed-effect linear models were used to analyze the data.

Results

Post-retreat, we observed reduced negative affect, increased positive affect, and enhanced mindfulness skills in daily living. Ayahuasca-induced acute experiences, such as time/space transcendence, emotional breakthrough and challenging experiences predicted greater subacute positive affect. Notably, none of these experiences were linked to subacute improvements in negative affect or mindfulness. No participants showed clinically significant adverse responses post-retreat, and only 5.5% exhibited some degree of potentially clinically significant deterioration in affect.

Conclusions

Ayahuasca use may lead to improvement in mood and mindfulness skills, and key acute psychedelic experiences induced by ayahuasca may be important to some of these salutary effects, positive affect in particular.
Robust discrimination between closely related species of salmon based on DNA fragments
Authors: Ellisor Debra , Gregg Mary , Folz Angela , Possolo Antonio
Published: January 2025

Closely related species of Salmonidae, including Pacific and Atlantic salmon, can be distinguished from one another based on nucleotide sequences from the cytochrome c oxidase sub-unit 1 mitochondrial gene (COI), using ensembles of fragments aligned to genetic barcodes that serve as digital proxies for the relevant species. This is accomplished by exploiting both the nucleotide sequences and their quality scores recorded in a FASTQ file obtained via Next Generation (NextGen) Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA extracted from Coho salmon caught with hook and line in the Gulf of Alaska. The alignment is done using MUSCLE (Muscle 5.2) [1], applied to multiple versions of each fragment perturbed according to the nucleobase identification error probabilities underlying the quality scores. The Damerau-Levenshtein distance was used to determine the genetic barcode of the candidate species that is closest to each aligned, perturbed fragment. The “votes” that the sampled fragments cast for the different candidate species are then pooled and converted into identification probabilities, using weights determined by the entropy of the fragment-specific identification probability distributions. This novel approach to quantify the uncertainty associated with measurements made using NextGen Sequencing can be applied to discriminate closely related species, hence to value-assignment for reference materials supporting determinations of the authenticity of seafood, for example, NIST Reference Materials 8256 and 8257 (Coho salmon) [2].
Regularity of Conjugacies of Linearizable Generalized Interval Exchange Transformations
Authors: Ghazouani Selim , Ulcigrai Corinna
Published: January 2025

We consider generalized interval exchange transformations (GIETs) of

$$d\ge 2$$

d
≥
2

intervals which are linearizable, i.e. differentiably conjugated to standard interval exchange maps (IETs) via a diffeomorphism h of [0, 1] and study the regularity of the conjugacy h. Using a renormalization operator obtained accelerating Rauzy–Veech induction, we show that, under a full measure condition on the IET obtained by linearization, if the orbit of the GIET under renormalization converges exponentially fast in a

$${\mathcal {C}}^2$$

C

2

distance to the subspace of IETs, there exists an exponent

$$0<\alpha <1$$

0
<
α
<
1

such that h is

$${\mathcal {C}}^{1+\alpha }$$

C

1
+
α

. Combined with the results proved by the authors in [4], this implies in particular the following improvement of the rigidity result in genus two proved in [4] (from

$${\mathcal {C}}^1$$

C

1

to

$${\mathcal {C}}^{1+\alpha }$$

C

1
+
α

rigidity): for almost every irreducible IET

$$T_0 $$

T
0

with

$$d=4$$

d
=
4

or

$$d=5$$

d
=
5

, for any GIET which is topologically conjugate to

$$T_0$$

T
0

via a homeomorphism h and has vanishing boundary, the topological conjugacy h is actually a

$${\mathcal {C}}^{1+\alpha }$$

C

1
+
α

diffeomorphism, i.e. a diffeomorphism h with derivative Dh which is

$$\alpha $$

α

-Hölder continuous.
Are we underestimating pathological fracture risk in malignant bone lesions of the proximal humerus?
Authors: Weschenfelder Wolfram , Weschenfelder Friederike , Spiegel Christian , Schrenk Karin Gabriela , Hofmann Gunther Olaf
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study is aimed at evaluating the distribution of metastatic bone disease (MBD), with a particular focus on the humerus, and its association with pathological fractures. Factors for contributing to the underestimation of fracture risk were assessed, including their impact on surgical management.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed patient records of patients undergoing surgical treatment for MBD at our institution between 2005 and 2023. The analysis included factors such as medical history, tumour type, metastatic status, surgical method, lesion location, and imaging. The images of local and staging studies (CT chest/abdomen/pelvis, CT skeleton body, bone scan, PET/CT) were reviewed by two observers. Group comparisons were made based on lesion localisation.

Results

The two most affected bone regions were the proximal femur (39.4%), followed by the proximal humerus (13.5%). Lesions of the proximal humerus were significantly more likely to be associated with pathological fractures compared to those of the proximal femur and other localisations (p < 0.01). Identified potential causes include less frequent depiction of the proximal humerus during staging (29% vs. 79% and 51%; p < 0.01) and overall lower Mirel’s scores despite the number of fractures (8 vs. 10 and 9; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Metastatic bone disease (MBD) in the proximal humerus is less frequently captured in current staging imaging, particularly CT chest/abdomen/pelvis. Additionally, fracture prediction using Mirel’s scoring often underestimates the actual risk. Staging investigations should include this region more comprehensively, and even when correctly imaged, better tools are needed to evaluate bone metastases effectively.
The global prevalence of interstitial lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Prasanna Hari , Inderjeeth Charles A. , Nossent Johannes C. , Almutairi Khalid B.
Published: January 2025

This study aims to review the literature and estimate the global pooled prevalence of interstitial lung disease among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA-ILD). The influence of risk factors like geography, socioeconomic status, smoking and DMARD use will be explored. A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA and JBI guidelines. Studies published between January 1980 and February 2024 were sourced from 7 electronic databases and screened for eligibility. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to produce pooled prevalences and the potential between-study heterogeneity was identified using sensitivity, subgroup, meta-regression and correlation analyses. 33 studies were included in this meta-analysis containing 14,281 RA patients. The global pooled prevalence of RA-ILD was 21.38% (CI: 0.1542–0.2886), with a high heterogeneity (I2) of 98%. The prevalence of usual interstitial pneumonia and non-specific interstitial pneumonia among RA patients were 11.01% and 6.86% respectively. Africa had the highest RA-ILD prevalence with an imprecise estimate of 38.15% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 2.29–94.2) and Europe had the lowest prevalence of 10.15% (CI: 2.86–30.23). Other risk factors associated with a higher prevalence of RA-ILD included living in low-income countries, smoking and DMARD use. The biggest limitation of this study is the high heterogeneity of results and underrepresentation of Oceania and low-income countries. This study has clarified the global prevalence of RA-ILD. The risk factors identified in this study can aid clinicians in identifying high-risk populations and highlight the need for screening these populations. Smoking cessation should also be encouraged.
Tunica vaginalis or dartos as second layer coverage for distal and mid-shaft penile hypospadias, quo vadis?
Authors: Ramez Mohamed , Hashem Abdelwahab , Bazeed Mahmoud , Dawaba Mohamed S. , Helmy Tamer E.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To compare between the dartos and tunica vaginalis flaps as covering layers in denovo distal or mid-shaft penile hypospadias underwent tubularized incised plate (TIP) repair.

Methods

This is a single-center, randomized trial was for denovo distal or mid-shaft penile hypospadias. Children with history of orchiectomy, orchiopexy and inguinal hernia repair were excluded. Eighty-eight patients were divided into two groups: the first used dartos flap (DF), while the second used tunica vaginalis flap (TVF). The primary outcome was to assess the incidence of urethrocutaneous fistula. The secondary outcome was to assess cosmetic outcome using paediatric penile perception score (PPPS) and hypospadias objective scoring evaluation (HOSE).

Results

Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics showed no statistically significant. Median operative time (IQR) was 100 (90, 120) and 145 (140, 150) minutes in in DF and TVF Groups, respectively (p < 0.001). Urethrocutaneous Fistula was detected in 9 (20.9%) in DF group and 2 (4.9%) in TVF group (p 0.029). Meatal stenosis occurred in 3 (7%) in DF group and 2 (4.9%) in TVF group. Penile torque was diagnosed in one (2.4%) in TVF group. There was no significant difference in total PPPS score (p = 0.076), however, there was a significant difference in total HOSE score in the favour to TVF group (p = 0.024). At 12 months, testicular ascent occurred in 0% and 3 (7.3%) in DF and TVF groups, respectively (p = 0.071).

Conclusion

Compared to dartos flap, tunica vaginalis flap significantly helps in reduction of fistula rate. However, it has significant more operative time.
Comparison of failure rates between full-barium and striped barium distal shunt catheters: a matched case–control study
Authors: Rahm Sage P. , Laskay Nicholas M. B. , McClugage Samuel G. , Jackson Joshua D. , Arynchyna-Smith Anastasia , Rozzelle Curtis J. , Rocque Brandon G.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

We hypothesize that distal shunt catheters fully impregnated with barium are more prone to failure compared to distal catheters with only a barium stripe. We sought to evaluate this distinction using a matched case–control study.

Methods

Patient records over an 8-year period were queried for distal shunt revisions for fracture or disconnection (cases). A control group of patients with confirmed functioning distal catheters was queried from the same period and matched based on patient age at exploration/revision. Data were collected via chart review, including demographics, hydrocephalus etiology, distal catheter type, and patient age at revision. Independent T-test, chi-squared, and binomial logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results

There were 194 patients included in the study: 97 patients with distal shunt revision and 97 controls with a functional distal shunt system. The mean patient age at distal catheter revision was 12.87 ± 4.59 years, and the mean patient age of the control group was 12.81 ± 4.59 years. The most common etiology was premature intraventricular hemorrhage (32%). Of the distal failures, 41.2% had fully impregnated barium catheters, while 58.8% had striped barium catheters. Of the control group, 76/97 (78%) patients had barium-striped distal shunt catheters and 21/97 (22%) had fully impregnated catheters. Logistic regression analysis showed that fully impregnated catheters were more likely than striped barium to fail, p = 0.004 (OR = 2.54, 95% CI 1.35–4.77).

Conclusion

In a matched case–control format, odds of failure of fully impregnated distal catheters were 2.54 greater than striped barium catheters.
The tumor immune microenvironment in primary cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Zilberg Catherine , Ferguson Angela L. , Lyons J. Guy , Gupta Ruta , Damian Diona L.
Published: January 2025

Melanoma is an immunogenic tumor. The melanoma tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is made up of a heterogenous mix of both immune and non-immune cells as well as a multitude of signaling molecules. The interactions between tumor cells, immune cells and signaling molecules affect tumor progression and therapeutic responses. Understanding the composition and function of the TIME in primary cutaneous melanoma is useful for prognostication and therapeutic decisions. This review provides an overview of the components of the TIME in primary cutaneous melanoma, and their influence on clinical outcomes.
Surgeon’s imposter syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: El Boghdady Michael , Ewalds-Kvist Béatrice
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Imposter syndrome (IS) refers to the psychological experience of imagining that one’s achievements do not originate from one’s own authentic competence. Surgeons are constantly faced with life-threatening decisions and can easily feel inadequate or insecure despite their years of training and experience. Imposter syndrome can distress surgeons at all career stages and has profound psychological and professional consequences. We aimed to review imposter syndrome in surgeons.

Methods

A systematic search was performed in compliance with The PRISMA checklist. Search was performed in the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. We included articles about IS in surgeons. We excluded narrative articles, commentaries and studies involving medical students or other specialties. Citations were quality assessed by MERSQI and evidence graded (GRADE). Risk of bias was assessed among the included citations.

Results

The search revealed 695 citations, from which a final list of 12 was compiled after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants included trainees and consultant surgeons across various surgical specialties. The following research questions were answered: Are surgeons with IS predisposed to mental or physical challenges? Do surgeons experience gender differences in IS? Can the feeling of IS be reduced?

Conclusion

There is a high prevalence of imposter syndrome among surgeons. Surgeons with IS are predisposed to experience mental or physical challenges. Female surgeons experience IS more frequently than their male counterparts. Feelings of IS can decline with increasing age but also with other included methods. Risks and multiple preventative measures were explored. The key to reducing IS is to train oneself to discern fact from fiction, thereby undermining distorted thoughts that perpetuate feelings of being an imposter.
The treatment of acute traumatic aortic injuries with TEVAR: a retrospective analysis of 19 cases in a level-1 trauma center
Authors: Liese-Landolt F. , Pape H.-C. , Jukema G. N.
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Blunt traumatic aortic injury (TAI) is a critical condition and a leading cause of mortality in trauma patients, often resulting from high-speed accidents. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has developed into the preferred therapeutic approach due to its minimally invasive nature and promising outcomes. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of TEVAR for managing TAI over a 10-year period at a Level-1 trauma center.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 19 patients with acute TAI treated with TEVAR between 2012 and 2022 at the University Hospital Zurich. Data were collected from digital records and analyzed according to the Fillinger TEVAR reporting framework. Outcomes included technical success, perioperative complications, and long-term graft durability.

Results

The cohort had a mean age of 39 years and included patients with severe polytrauma. Technical success was achieved in 95% of cases, with no intraoperative deaths or need for open surgical conversion. Perioperative complications were minimal, and the reintervention rate was 5.3%. This study evaluates 10 years of clinical experience managing TAI with TEVAR. Long-term follow-up, with a median duration of 29 months, revealed no graft-related complications or secondary interventions. Imaging confirmed sustained graft integrity, and clinical outcomes were favorable.

Conclusion

TEVAR is a reliable and effective treatment for traumatic aortic injuries, offering excellent technical success rates and minimal perioperative and long-term complications. This study highlights TEVAR’s advantages in managing polytrauma patients and its role as a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery. Additionally, the findings emphasize the need for comprehensive long-term follow-up protocols. Future research should aim to address challenges related to device durability and the integration of advanced imaging techniques to further enhance patient outcomes and broaden the applicability of TEVAR in trauma care.
Estimating simplet counts via sampling
Authors: Kim Hyunju , Moon Heechan , Bu Fanchen , Ko Jihoon , Shin Kijung
Published: January 2025

Simplicial complexes are higher-order combinatorial structures which have been used to represent real-world complex systems. In this paper, we focus on the local patterns in simplicial complexes called simplets, a generalization of graphlets. We study the problem of counting simplets of a given size in a given simplicial complex. For this problem, we extend a sampling algorithm based on color coding, from graphs to simplicial complexes, with essential technical novelty. We theoretically analyze our proposed algorithm named SC3, showing its correctness, unbiasedness, convergence, and time/space complexity. Through extensive experiments on sixteen real-world datasets, we show the superiority of SC3 in terms of accuracy, speed, and scalability, compared to the baseline methods. We use the counts given by SC3 for simplicial complex analysis, especially for characterization, which is further used for simplicial complex clustering, where SC3 shows a strong ability of characterization with domain-based similarity. Additionally, we explore a variant of simplet counting (specifically, estimating the relative counts of simplets) under realistic scenarios where the entire simplicial complex is not provided at once but can only be partially accessed, for instance, through a limited number of API calls. For such scenarios, we propose a random-walk-based sampling algorithm, SCRW, and analyze its theoretical properties. In our experiments, SCRW requires, on average,

$$16.5\times $$

16.5
×

less memory than SC3, while the speed-accuracy trade-offs provided by the two methods are comparable.
Reciprocal relationships between adolescent mental health difficulties and alcohol consumption
Authors: Kiri Janet , Hall James , Cortese Samuele , Brandt Valerie
Published: January 2025

The directionality of the relationship between adolescent alcohol consumption and mental health difficulties remains poorly understood. This study investigates the longitudinal relationship between alcohol use frequency, internalizing and externalizing symptoms from the ages of 11 to 17. We conducted a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model across three timepoints (ages: 11yrs, 14yrs, 17yrs; 50.4% female) in the Millennium Cohort Study (N = 10,647). Survey weights were used to account for attrition. At each timepoint, past month alcohol use frequency was self-reported, parents and cohort members reported internalizing/externalizing symptoms using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. We controlled for alcohol expectancies, sex, and four cumulative risk indices (perinatal risk, early childhood adverse parenting, longitudinal parent-level risk occurrence, and persistent household socioeconomic deprivation). More frequent past month alcohol use at age 11 predicted increased internalizing symptoms at age 14 (β = 0.06; p =.01). More frequent past month alcohol use at age 14 predicted increased externalizing symptoms at age 17 (β = 0.11; p <.001). Increased internalizing symptoms consistently predicted reduced alcohol use at the next timepoint throughout the study period (11 years: β= -0.04; p =.03; 14 years: β= -0.09; p <.001). Increased externalizing symptoms at age 11 predicted increased alcohol consumption at age 14 (β = 0.06; p =.004). Frequent adolescent alcohol consumption represents a significant risk for subsequent mental health difficulties. Externalizing symptoms and alcohol use frequency appear to exacerbate one another. Internalizing symptoms may reduce the risk of frequent alcohol consumption. Incorporating routine alcohol screening into adolescent mental health treatment settings could reduce the risk of comorbid externalizing and alcohol use disorders.
Fecal metabolomic analysis of the role of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in the therapeutic mechanism of Timosaponin AIII in Sjögren’s syndrome
Authors: Pang Fengtao , Jiang Quan , Tang Xiaopo , Li Kesong
Published: January 2025

Introduction/objectives

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory and difficult-to-treat autoimmune disease. Timosaponin AIII (TAIII), a plant-derived steroidal saponin, effectively inhibits cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. This study explored the mechanisms of action of TAIII in SS treatment by studying gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) using fecal metabolomics.

Methods

The model group used non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The treatment group was classified into TAIII and hydroxychloroquine groups. The gut microbiota, SCFAs, and metabolites were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, respectively.

Results

TAIII effectively alleviated dry mouth in NOD mice, slowed the progression of salivary gland tissue injury, reduced inflammatory factor expression, and increased the levels of aquaporins 1 and 5. TAIII regulated SCFA content and tryptophan metabolism by altering the abundance of the Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, thereby reducing the inflammatory response. TAIII can improve imbalances in the gut microbiota and the metabolic levels of related SCFAs and tryptophan, thereby reducing the level of inflammation.

Conclusion

The significant differences observed in the abundance of the Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group between the treatment and control groups indicated the potential relationship between bacteria and metabolites in SS.

Key Points• The safe and effective treatment of SS with traditional Chinese medicine• Multi-means study on intestinal flora, short-chain fatty acids, and metabonomics
Assessing early therapeutic drug monitoring of adalimumab as a predictor of treatment efficacy and immunogenicity in rheumatic diseases: “early therapeutic drug monitoring of adalimumab”
Authors: Ortiz-Fernández Patricia , Iniesta-Navalón Carles , Urbieta-Sanz Elena , Gascón-Cánovas Juan José
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in inflammatory rheumatic diseases (RMDs) is gaining interest. However, there are unresolved questions about the best practices for implementing TDM effectively in clinical settings.

Objective

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate whether early TDM of adalimumab predicts drug survival at 52 weeks in patients with RMDs. The secondary objective was to identify factors associated with pharmacokinetic failure and treatment discontinuation.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study included patients aged ≥ 18 years with RMDs who initiated adalimumab therapy. Early TDM was performed within the first 26 weeks, and adalimumab trough levels (ATL) and anti-drug antibodies were measured. Drug survival was assessed at 52 weeks and defined as the time from adalimumab initiation to discontinuation for any reason. Multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing outcomes.

Results

The study included 194 patients, of whom 56.7% exhibited ATL below the therapeutic range during the first 26 weeks. In the multivariate analysis, subtherapeutic concentrations were significantly associated with higher weight (OR = 1.02; p = 0.040) and ankylosing spondylitis diagnosis (OR = 3.68; p < 0.001). At 52 weeks, 43.8% of patients had discontinued adalimumab. Low ATL (< 1 µg/mL) was strongly associated with treatment discontinuation (OR = 7.31; p < 0.001), while concomitant methotrexate reduced this risk (OR = 0.46; p = 0.026).

Conclusions

Early TDM of adalimumab predicts drug persistence and underscores its clinical relevance as a proactive tool to guide personalized treatment and reduce the risk of treatment failure. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating TDM into routine practice to optimize therapeutic outcomes.

Key Points• Early TDM of adalimumab in rheumatic diseases shows that low drug exposure predicts reduced drug survival at 52 weeks.• Approximately half of the patients exhibit low adalimumab exposure with the standard dose (40 mg every other week).• Body weight and methotrexate use significantly impact adalimumab levels.• Immunogenicity, found in 14.4% of patients with low ADL levels, underscores the need for early ADA detection to prevent non-response and discontinuation.
A place in the shade? Shaded spaces as a domain of geographical research: a literature review (1990–2024)
Authors: Gabellieri Nicola
Published: January 2025

The study of shade and shaded spaces has attracted growing interest in a number of disciplines. Although geographic studies specifically focused on this subject are relatively rare, there is a substantial body of interdisciplinary research that addresses the theme of shade in relation to ecological, urban, medical and social research interests. There have recently been calls to further analyze these spaces, especially if we consider their importance in relation to climate change. In response to this, this paper aims to examine shade as a field of geographical research through a literature review. Ninety-four articles published in international journals between 1990 and 2024 were identified. The articles were analyzed with particular reference to the distribution in time of the publications, the geographic location of the case studies, interdisciplinary connections, research interests, and the methodologies used. The study reveals the interdisciplinary nature of shade studies and their growth in recent years. The literature analysis enables us to identify dominant research trends and at the same time highlight certain gaps. The study also emphasizes the value of shade as a resource, its many benefits, and its environmental and social significance as a geographical factor at various levels. In conclusion, this paper seeks to bring the topic of shade to the forefront of research, encouraging further empirical studies with a particular focus on the right to shade and climate change mitigation.
Depersonalization, Alienation, and Depresentation in Husserl and Beyond
Authors: Fazakas István
Published: January 2025

In a late manuscript, Husserl explicitly addresses the problem of depersonalization. Depersonalization is described as a rupture in a certain layer of experience, which, however, does not touch the fundamental unity of the underlying genesis. After a brief recapitulation of historical approaches to depersonalization, I’ll come to comment on this passage. To assess Husserl’s contribution to the clinical understanding, and more specifically to the phenomenology of depersonalization, it is essential to understand his concept of personhood. In Husserl’s account of personhood, we can identify a tension between the unity and continuity of the transcendental genesis of the personal ego and the self-alienation and de-presentation at play in this genesis. Drawing on the French reception of Husserl’s phenomenology and Eugen Fink’s notion of de-presentation, I suggest that transcendental temporalization not only cannot function as a fail-safe in the case of depersonalization but may even be at the core of the loss of the sense of personhood. To account for the fact of personalization, one must re-evaluate the notion of empathy in the relation of the self to itself.
Performance Comparison of ROS2 Middlewares for Multi-robot Mesh Networks in Planetary Exploration
Authors: Chovet Loïck Pierre , Garcia Gabriel Manuel , Bera Abhishek , Richard Antoine , Yoshida Kazuya , Olivares-Mendez Miguel Angel
Published: January 2025

Recent advancements in Multi-Robot Systems (MRS) and mesh network technologies pave the way for innovative approaches to explore extreme environments. The Artemis Accords, a series of international agreements, have further catalyzed this progress by fostering cooperation in space exploration, emphasizing the use of cutting-edge technologies. In parallel, companies across various sectors’ widespread adoption of the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) underscores its robustness and versatility. This paper evaluates the performances of available ROS 2 MiddleWare (RMW), such as FastRTPS, CycloneDDS and Zenoh, over a mesh network with a dynamic topology. The final choice of RMW is determined by the one that would most fit the scenario: an exploration of the extreme extra-terrestrial environment using a Multi-Robot Systems (MRS). The conducted study in a real environment highlights Zenoh as a potential solution for future applications, showing a reduced delay, reachability, data overhead and CPU usage while being competitive on the RAM usage over a dynamic mesh topology.
Design Optimisation of Fully Actuated UAVs Using Hybrid Optimisation
Authors: Al-zubaidi Salim , Stol Karl
Published: January 2025

During the past few years, there has been a rise in novel fully actuated multirotor UAV configurations, each customised to perform a different task. These configurations must be optimised to extract their full potential for the different use cases. The main issue with existing optimisation methods is the computational cost required to produce a design when the optimisation includes both continuous and discrete variables, such as off-the-shelf components. We propose a hybrid optimisation method using continuous surrogate methods with localised parameter sweep. The continuous stage aims at finding the optimal value for the continuous design variables and reduces the search space for the discrete design variables. Empirical models for the off-the-shelf components are used to reduce the size of the continuous stage of the optimisation. The localised search method consists of a parameter sweep of the discrete design variables within a certain threshold of the optimal parameters from the first stage. Three case studies confirm the method’s capabilities with different configurations and optimisation setups, comparing optimality, success rate and computational cost. The optimal design from the hybrid method is consistent with the baseline methods used for comparison within each case study, with a minimum success rate of 30% while reducing cost by 98%. Compared to specialised discrete methods, the improvement in computational cost is inconsistent; however, it achieves a reduction of 99.3% with certain design requirements. A comparison to another hybrid method was also performed, with the proposed method maintaining its cost, optimality and success rate better than the SQP-DSS method when increasing method complexity.