bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of amorphous content in recycled fly ash on binder hydration characteristics
Authors: Yu Yuguo , Gunasekara Chamila , Elakneswaran Yogarajah , Robert Dilan , Law David W. , Setunge Sujeeva
Published: January 2025

Greening of the construction sector has witnessed the widespread practice of recycling fly ash into building materials for decades. The control of ash waste quality is an important aspect for its viability as a supplementary cementitious material, where the detailed physical and chemical characteristics play crucial roles. To better facilitate informed greener design, a novel method is leveraged to study particularly the influence of amorphous content in fly ash on binder hydration. In this study, a coupled kinetic-thermodynamic approach is implemented to realise comprehensive hydration assessment. The adopted kinetics-based model is developed following unified theory to quantify the hydration/reaction degrees for cement and fly ash. Such kinetic information is further utilised in thermodynamic analysis, powered by Gibbs energy minimisation method, to evaluate the time-dependent phase assemblage of cementitious system upon continuous hydration. The applied technique is carefully verified against a series of reported tests, before further exploited to conduct numerical explorations. Computational findings highlight the influence of amorphous content in fly ash on the chemo-physical–mechanical properties of concrete products, providing insights for future sustainable construction material design.
Tracing the movement of invasive tilapia fishes during a new invasion to inform catchment scale management strategies
Authors: O’Mara Kaitlyn , Stewart-Koster Ben , Marshall Jonathan , Venarsky Michael
Published: January 2025

Dispersal behaviour of fish expanding their range is an important component of invasion success and can evolve along dispersal pathways. Understanding the movement biology of invasive species during the spread phase of a new invasion is important for developing targeted management strategies. This study determined the extent and movement patterns of two tilapia species, Oreochromis mossambicus and Pelmatolapia mariae, in the Mitchell River catchment, northern Australia, during the spread phase of the invasion. Tilapia were only found in three locations within one sub-catchment of the Mitchell River. Strontium isotopes of tilapia otoliths revealed different movement patterns among these three locations, with active dispersal to one of the locations from both other locations. Movements made by P. mariae mostly occurred within the first two years of life. These movement patterns demonstrate active habitat seeking behaviour, mostly by juveniles, that lead to the successful establishment of tilapia at new locations within a catchment following introduction. The movement patterns revealed in this study were used to recommend priority management actions to limit the risk of tilapia spreading to vulnerable floodplain habitats and other river systems in the Gulf of Carpentaria. These include monitoring within the sub-catchment containing established tilapia and control measures applied to the established local populations to limit population growth, limiting the risk of downstream spread by reducing dispersal probability.
Application of genetic testing criteria for hereditary breast cancer in South Africa
Authors: Osler T. S. , Schoeman M. , Pretorius W. J. S. , Mathew C. G. , Edge J. , Urban M. F.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Breast cancer (BC) is the commonest cancer in South African women. A proportion are associated with a pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variant in a BC susceptibility gene. Clinical guidelines for genetic testing are used to optimise variant detection while containing costs. We assessed the detection rate in women of diverse ancestries who met the South African National Department of Health (NDOH) testing guidelines, and analysed relationships between testing criteria, participant characteristics and presence of a BRCA1/2 P/LP variant.

Methods

Records from 376 women with BC who met NDOH criteria and had genetic testing were included. Demographic, clinical and test result data were collated to describe detection rates according to criteria met, and a multivariate analysis conducted to find variables most frequently associated with a P/LP variant.

Results

P/LP variant prevalence in women meeting NDOH testing criteria was 19.9% (75/376). Women meeting ≥ 2 guideline criteria were over twice as likely to have a P/LP variant (OR 2.27, 95%CI 1.27–4.07, p = 0.006), highlighting the guidelines’ capacity to stratify risk. Family history (OR 1.97; 95%CI 1.05–3.70, p = 0.03) and Black African ancestry (OR 2.58; 95%CI 1.28–5.18, p < 0.01) were independently associated with having a BRCA1/2 P/LP variant when controlling for other variables. Notably, although Black African participants were less likely to report a family history, those that did had higher odds of a P/LP variant in BRCA1/2.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate the usefulness of the NDOH guidelines in women of diverse ancestries and provide insight into the factors associated with P/LP variants in understudied African populations.
“Just Listen to Me. Help Me Explore it.” An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring Experiences of Gender Dysphoria, Identity And Resilience in Autistic Adolescents Assigned Female at Birth
Authors: Oliver Michelle , Poysden Zoe , Crowe Eimear , Parkin Flo , Mair Ally Pax Arcari , Hendry Neil , Macey Emma , Gillespie-Smith Karri
Published: January 2025

Much of the current autism and gender literature has been based within a medical deficiency model; where both are seen as deficiencies rather than differences. However, there is currently minimal knowledge about the experiences of being an autistic adolescent who is both assigned female at birth and has gender dysphoria (GD), whilst even less is known about their experiences of social identity, self-concept and resilience. This study aims to explore experiences of GD with a particular focus on identity and resilience to promote parent and healthcare staff understanding; particularly around gender-affirming care, to foster positive mental health outcomes. Five assigned female at birth autistic adolescents, who identify as trans men/boys, took part in one-to-one semi-structured interviews, which were analysed using an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach. Five subordinate themes arose; “Having both autism and GD”, “Finding where I belong”, “Being more than labels”, “Trying to cope” and “Making support successful”. Our findings build on current literature and theory regarding the experience of concurrent autism and GD; highlighting its legitimacy, the ways in which autism impacts upon GD and how healthcare approaches and policy can increase accessibility and suitability of gender-affirming care.
Spiritual Well-Being and Hopelessness Levels in Individuals Who Have Experienced Myocardial Infarction in Turkey
Authors: Seher Efe , Çiftçi Bahar
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between spiritual well-being and hopelessness levels in individuals who have experienced myocardial infarction. The study, which was descriptive and exploratory, was conducted on patients who had experienced myocardial infarction and undergone angiography in the coronary intensive care unit and cardiology ward of Ağrı Education and Research Hospital. The population of the study consisted of 151 patients who had experienced myocardial infarction and undergone angiography between December 2022 and February 2023. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and Beck Hopelessness Scale. This study highlights the significance of the transcendent subscale of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, as it is unaffected by indicators of mental health. Findings revealed that higher transcendent subscale scores were associated with lower hopelessness levels in individuals who had experienced myocardial infarction. Body mass index, family type, marital status, and fulfilling religious duties when healthy were significantly associated with spiritual well-being and hopelessness. These results underscore the importance of considering transcendent aspects when evaluating spiritual well-being in this population. Furthermore, a strong negative correlation was found between spiritual well-being and hopelessness levels in individuals who had experienced myocardial infarction. Higher levels of spiritual well-being were significantly associated with lower levels of hopelessness. This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between spiritual well-being and hopelessness in post-myocardial infarction patients. However, limitations relevant to this study, including its single-center design and cross-sectional nature, are also noted.
Cerebromicrovascular mechanisms contributing to long COVID: implications for neurocognitive health
Authors: Fekete Monika , Lehoczki Andrea , Szappanos Ágnes , Toth Attila , Mahdi Mohamed , Sótonyi Péter , Benyó Zoltán , Yabluchanskiy Andriy , Tarantini Stefano , Ungvari Zoltan
Published: January 2025

Long COVID (also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection [PASC] or post-COVID syndrome) is characterized by persistent symptoms that extend beyond the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection, affecting approximately 10% to over 30% of those infected. It presents a significant clinical challenge, notably due to pronounced neurocognitive symptoms such as brain fog. The mechanisms underlying these effects are multifactorial, with mounting evidence pointing to a central role of cerebromicrovascular dysfunction. This review investigates key pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to cerebrovascular dysfunction in long COVID and their impacts on brain health. We discuss how endothelial tropism of SARS-CoV-2 and direct vascular infection trigger endothelial dysfunction, impaired neurovascular coupling, and blood–brain barrier disruption, resulting in compromised cerebral perfusion. Furthermore, the infection appears to induce mitochondrial dysfunction, enhancing oxidative stress and inflammation within cerebral endothelial cells. Autoantibody formation following infection also potentially exacerbates neurovascular injury, contributing to chronic vascular inflammation and ongoing blood–brain barrier compromise. These factors collectively contribute to the emergence of white matter hyperintensities, promote amyloid pathology, and may accelerate neurodegenerative processes, including Alzheimer’s disease. This review also emphasizes the critical role of advanced imaging techniques in assessing cerebromicrovascular health and the need for targeted interventions to address these cerebrovascular complications. A deeper understanding of the cerebrovascular mechanisms of long COVID is essential to advance targeted treatments and mitigate its long-term neurocognitive consequences.
Sparse keypoint segmentation of lung fissures: efficient geometric deep learning for abstracting volumetric images
Authors: Kaftan Paul , Heinrich Mattias P. , Hansen Lasse , Rasche Volker , Kestler Hans A. , Bigalke Alexander
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Lung fissure segmentation on CT images often relies on 3D convolutional neural networks (CNNs). However, 3D-CNNs are inefficient for detecting thin structures like the fissures, which make up a tiny fraction of the entire image volume. We propose to make lung fissure segmentation more efficient by using geometric deep learning (GDL) on sparse point clouds.

Methods

We abstract image data with sparse keypoint (KP) clouds. We train GDL models to segment the point cloud, comparing three major paradigms of models (PointNets, graph convolutional networks (GCNs), and PointTransformers). From the sparse point segmentations, 3D meshes of the objects are reconstructed to obtain a dense surface. The state-of-the-art Poisson surface reconstruction (PSR) makes up most of the time in our pipeline. Therefore, we propose an efficient point cloud to mesh autoencoder (PC-AE) that deforms a template mesh to fit a point cloud in a single forward pass. Our pipeline is evaluated extensively and compared to the 3D-CNN gold standard nnU-Net on diverse clinical and pathological data.

Results

GCNs yield the best trade-off between inference time and accuracy, being $$21\times $$

21
×

faster with only $$1.4\times $$

1.4
×

increased error over the nnU-Net. Our PC-AE also achieves a favorable trade-off, being $$3\times $$

3
×

faster at $$1.5\times $$

1.5
×

the error compared to the PSR.

Conclusion

We present a KP-based fissure segmentation pipeline that is more efficient than 3D-CNNs and can greatly speed up large-scale analyses. A novel PC-AE for efficient mesh reconstruction from sparse point clouds is introduced, showing promise not only for fissure segmentation. Source code is available on https://github.com/kaftanski/fissure-segmentation-IJCARS
A Comparative Analysis of the Liver Retraction with Long Surgical Gauze in Three-Port Sleeve Gastrectomy and the Four-Port Nathanson Retractor Technique
Authors: Ertekin Suleyman Caglar , Onsal Ufuk , Turgut Emre , Akyol Huseyin , Unver Mutlu , Demirpolat Muhammed Taha , Akbulut Gokhan
Published: January 2025

Background

This study evaluated the long surgical gauze (SurG) technique as a liver retraction method in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Traditional methods involve the Nathanson retractor, associated with ischemia and necrosis complications. In addition, these techniques require an additional trocar with an incision that increases postoperative pain. Our aim, therefore, was to reduce such complications through the use of SurG and evaluate recovery and outcome implications.

Methods

In this retrospective study, patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) between January and December 2023 were divided into two groups based on the liver retraction method used: NR or SurG. Demographic data, surgery times, postoperative liver enzyme levels (AST, ALT), C-reactive protein (CRP), pain scores, and analgesic use (VAS) were collected from medical records and statistically analyzed.

Results

The SurG group demonstrated significantly lower postoperative pain scores and reduced analgesic use compared to the NR group (p < 0.001). Additionally, liver enzyme levels (AST, ALT, CRP) were lower in the SurG group, indicating less liver stress. Early mobilization was achieved more quickly in the SurG group, aligning with Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols. However, the SurG method showed some limitations during the dissection of the greater curvature due to the narrower field of view.

Conclusions

The long surgical gauze method provides a viable alternative to the Nathanson retractor, offering advantages such as less postoperative pain, reduced liver stress, and quicker mobilization. Despite some technical limitations, this method can improve patient outcomes in sleeve gastrectomy.
Review of Research on Underwater Explosions Related to Ship Damage and Stability
Authors: Zhang Ruiyao , Xiao Wei , Yao Xiongliang , Zou Xiaochao
Published: January 2025

Researchers have achieved notable advancements over the years in exploring ship damage and stability resulting from underwater explosions (UNDEX). However, numerous challenges and open questions remain in this field. In this study, the research progress of UNDEX load is first reviewed, which covers the explosion load during the shock wave and bubble pulsation stages. Subsequently, the research progress of ship damage caused by UNDEX is reviewed from two aspects: contact explosion and noncontact explosion. Finally, the research progress of ship navigation stability caused by UNDEX is reviewed from three aspects: natural factors, ship’s internal factors, and explosion factors. Analysis reveals that most existing research has focused on the damage to displacement ships caused by UNDEX. Meanwhile, less attention has been paid to the damage and stability of non-displacement ships caused by UNDEX, which are worthy of discussion.
Contralateral Neurovascular Coupling in Patients with Ischemic Stroke After Endovascular Thrombectomy
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Hasan Shafiul , Sadan Ofer , Rosenthal Eric S. , Pu Yuehua , Wen Zhixuan , Fang Changgeng , Liu Xin , Duan Wanying , Liu Liping , Xiao Ran , Hu Xiao
Published: January 2025

Background

Neurovascular coupling (NVC) refers to the process of aligning cerebral blood flow with neuronal metabolic demand. This study explores the potential of contralateral NVC—linking neural electrical activity on the stroke side with cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) on the contralesional side—as a marker of physiological function of the brain. Our aim was to examine the association between contralateral NVC and neurological outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke following endovascular thrombectomy.

Methods

We concurrently recorded the CBFVs of the middle cerebral arteries and electroencephalographic (EEG) signals of patients after endovascular thrombectomy. We employed phase-amplitude cross-frequency coupling to quantify the contralateral coupling between EEG activity on the stroke side and CBFV on the contralesional side. Key neurological outcomes were measured, including changes in National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, infarct volume progression over 7 days, and modified Rankin Scale scores at 90 days.

Results

A total of 52 study participants were enrolled in our study (mean age 61.5 ± 10.4 years; 90.4% male; median preprocedural NIHSS score 14 [interquartile range 10–17]). We successfully computed contralateral NVC in 48 study participants. A significant association emerged between contralateral coupling and improvements in NIHSS scores over 7 days (theta band, P = 0.030) and in infarct volume progression (delta band, P = 0.001; theta band, P = 0.013). Stronger contralateral NVC in the delta and theta bands correlated with better outcomes at 90 days (adjusted odds ratio for delta 7.53 [95% confidence interval 1.13–50.30], P = 0.037; adjusted odds ratio for theta 6.36 [95% confidence interval 1.09–37.01], P = 0.039).

Conclusions

A better contralateral coupling between stroke-side EEG and contralesional CBFV is associated with favorable neurological outcomes, suggesting that contralateral NVC analysis may aid in assessing brain function after recanalization. Replication with a deeper understanding of the mechanisms is needed before clinical translation.
Morphology and phylogeny of Itaspiella helgolandica, an interstitial marine flatworm with circumpolar distribution
Authors: Vikberg Wernström Joel , Smith Julian , Altenburger Andreas
Published: January 2025

Flatworms in the family Otoplanidae Hallez, 1892, are ubiquitous inhabitants of the swash zone of marine sandy beaches worldwide. We present new insights into the morphology and phylogenetic position of the otoplanid Itaspiella helgolandica (Meixner, 1938) based on specimens sampled in northern Norway. While the species was originally described from the German coast, it has since been reported in the High Arctic as well as in Greenland, Canada and Alaska, indicating that it has a circumpolar distribution. Apart from these reports, I. helgolandica has received marginal scientific attention beyond the original species description, and apart from drawings, there is not much detailed data available of its morphology. We employ antibody staining and confocal laser microscopy to provide detailed morphological information on the ciliation, myoanatomy and genital organs of specimens of I. helgolandica and compare their morphology with other accounts of the species from across the Arctic. We investigate the phylogenetic relationships of Itaspiella Ax, 1955 through a Bayesian/RAxML analysis of 28S sequences and confirm the morphologically underpinned notion that this genus sits within the subfamily Otoplaninae Hallez, 1910, as the sister taxon to Xenotoplana Ax, Weidemann & Ehlers, 1978. In light of our findings, we explore the question of the apparent circumpolar distribution of Itaspiella in the context of the larger “meiofauna paradox” and touch upon various evolutionary phenomena that may have contributed to phenotypic stability despite its limited dispersal capabilities and the vicariance imposed by the complex recent geological history of the Arctic.
Oral Supplements of Combined Lactobacillus plantarum and Asparagus officinalis Modulate Gut Microbiota and Alleviate High-Fat Diet–Induced Cognitive Deficits and Neurodegeneration in Rats
Authors: Shahin Nancy N. , Ahmed‐Farid Omar A. , Sakr Ebtehag A. E. , Kamel Enas A. , Mohamed Maha M.
Published: January 2025

High-fat diet (HFD) consumption disrupts the gut microbiome, instigating metabolic disturbance, brain pathology, and cognitive decline via the gut-brain axis. Probiotic and prebiotic supplementation have been found to improve gut microbiome health, suggesting they could be effective in managing neurodegenerative disorders. This study explored the potential benefits of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 20174 (L. plantarum), prebiotic Asparagus officinalis (A. officinalis) extract, or their synbiotic combination against HFD-induced cognitive dysfunction and neurodegeneration in rats. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed either a normal diet or an HFD for 24 weeks. Starting from week 13, rats on either diet were divided into vehicle-, prebiotic-, probiotic-, and synbiotic-treated subgroups. Rats received their assigned intervention for 12 more weeks. Prebiotic, probiotic, or synbiotic treatment reverted HFD-instigated alterations in hippocampal amyloid beta, p-tau, α-synuclein, and BDNF levels, leading to restored cognitive function. The tested therapies also improved the HFD-disrupted lipid profile. Interestingly, probiotic and synbiotic therapies attenuated oxidative stress and inflammation, reinstated neurotransmitter balance, and mitigated the energy deficit in HFD-fed rats. Furthermore, L. plantarum and Asparagus administration modulated gut microbiota composition by raising Lactobacillus species and reducing Coliform and Staphylococci bacteria as well as fungi populations. These findings suggest that the oral consumption of A. officinalis prebiotics and/or L. plantarum probiotics alleviates HFD-induced cognitive deficit and neurodegeneration through modulation of the gut-brain axis with superior restorative effects being achieved by synbiotic treatment.

Graphical Abstract
Ossäre Raumforderung als Zufallsbefund im Röntgenbild – wann muss ich sie weiter abklären?
Authors: Smolle Maria Anna , Leithner Andreas
Published: January 2025

Benigne Tumoren sowie tumorähnliche Läsionen des Knochens werden oft als Zufallsbefund am Röntgenbild erstdiagnostiziert. Schon das Röntgenbild kann erste wichtige Hinweise auf das Wachstumsmuster – und somit Aggressivitätspotenzial – der Läsion geben. Die gängigste Einteilung von suspekten Knochenläsionen anhand des Röntgenbilds ist die Klassifikation nach Lodwick. Zur weiteren Diagnostik kommt heute üblicherweise eine Schichtbildgebung (Magnetresonanztomographie, Computertomographie) zum Einsatz. Viele als Zufallsbefunde am Röntgenbild diagnostizierte ossäre Läsionen können anhand ihrer Lokalisation (z. B. epiphysär, diaphysär) und Matrix (z. B. Verkalkungen, „milchglasartig“) differenzialdiagnostisch eingegrenzt werden. Kortexarrosionen, Periostreaktionen, eine heterogene Matrix, perifokale Ödemzonen und extraossäre Anteile stellen generelle „red flags“ dar, die eine weitere Abklärung inkl. Vorstellung an einem Sarkomzentrum nach sich ziehen sollten.
Propeller-rotor aerodynamic interaction in helicopter air-to-air refueling: an analytical solution for rotor trim, including a sensitivity study
Authors: van der Wall Berend G.
Published: January 2025

During helicopter air-to-air refueling the rotor of the helicopter might enter the slipstream of the tanker aircraft's propeller. Based on blade element momentum theory, the impact of this jet on rotor blade aerodynamics is formulated. Rotor controls required to re-trim are solved analytically and verified by numerical solution of the problem. The collective and cyclic controls needed for disturbance rejection are computed for a typical air-to-air refueling scenario. A propeller wake affecting the retreating side of the rotor requires much more pilot controls to retrim than an impingement on the advancing side. Variations of rotor angle of attack, propeller radius, propeller thrust and rotor thrust are performed.
Climate Change and Health Within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Palmeiro-Silva Yasna , Rivera Felipe , Hartinger Stella
Published: January 2025

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR) is at its 10th anniversary amidst a rapidly changing climate, which, together with social vulnerabilities, have led to significant impacts on human health and well-being. In the climate change and health field, the term “climate-related health risks” is often used while the term “health disaster” is less common. This article identifies opportunities and challenges that the SFDRR presents for the intersection between climate change and health. The SFDRR, through disaster risk reduction for climate change and health, complements international health- and climate change-related agendas. It expands the perspective of climate change and health beyond the classical health sphere by highlighting the importance of addressing the underlying drivers of disaster risk, most of them related to social vulnerabilities. Additionally, strong governance and leadership from the health sector might foster the integration of health-centered perspectives into climate change policies. However, the SFDRR faces challenges due to differential capacities among countries, which limit effective implementation. The role of politics, power, and diverse interests needs to be recognized in disaster-related decision-making processes, as well as the many barriers for global and systematic disaster-related data structures that limit a comprehensive understanding of disaster risk. The 10th anniversary of the SFDRR represents an opportunity to reflect on the many opportunities that it represents and on the challenges that need to be addressed. By looking for synergies among diverse agendas, initiatives, and collaborations, the SFDRR sheds some light on protecting people’s health and well-being.
The School Counselors Role in Supporting Teachers Working with Children who Have Experienced Trauma: Lessons Learned
Authors: Perryman Kristi L. , T.J. Timothy , Frost Hailey Thomas
Published: January 2025

Teachers are dealing with the challenges of educating students who have been exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) at an increasing rate (Brunzell et al., 2021; Mayor, 2021). Often their education has not prepared them for recognizing and mitigating the behaviors associated with ACE exposures. This article offers a review of current research regarding the role of the school counselor in supporting teachers. A case study provides insight into this support through a university partnership with a trauma-focused charter school. Suggestions are offered for teacher training and policy changes based on the author's experiences in working with a trauma-focused school. Specifically, there are many areas where school counselors can provide advocacy and support through efforts within their role in the areas of defining, managing, delivering, and assessing ASCA (2024). Partnering with a university can provide needed services for schools while simultaneously offering learning opportunities for students.
Simulating Long-Run Wealth Distribution and Transmission: The Role of Intergenerational Transfers
Authors: Bavaro Michele , Boscolo Stefano , Tedeschi Simone
Published: January 2025

This paper utilises the Italian Treasury DYnamic Microsimulation Model (T-DYMM) to project individual and household economic trends up to 2070, focusing on the intergenerational transmission of wealth inequality. To analyse the impact of intergenerational transfers on wealth inequality, various scenarios are compared to a baseline. The results suggest that net wealth inequality is expected to remain fairly stable until 2040, when it is expected to increase progressively, especially due to the rising size and inequality of intergenerational transfers. Demographic factors such as increased life expectancy and declining fertility are the main explanations for this phenomenon. Although certain assumptions, such as disregarding behavioural adjustments in response to tax changes, have their limitations, this study offers valuable insights into the potential impacts and timelines of inheritance tax reforms on long-term inequality transmission.
Hybrid ethics and the good soldier: the challenge of grounding military ethical thinking and education
Authors: Rebera Andrew P.
Published: January 2025

Military ethics education programmes must prepare soldiers and other military personnel to carry out their duties responsibly, honourably and, above all, ethically. But the practical, moral, and ethical reasoning employed by soldiers in their professional activities—what I call ‘military ethical thinking’—is deeply challenging. The successful interpretation and application of principles and other demands of military ethical thinking presupposes more fundamental commitments that serve as its grounding. But whether soldiers address questions of grounding in their training and education tends to depend upon their rank and role. The ethics education provided to senior officers, junior officers, NCOs, enlisted soldiers, new recruits, or conscripts varies greatly. Nonetheless, to facilitate coordination and cooperation across ranks and roles, there must be an overall unity and coherence to an ethics education programme. This paper asks which ethical approaches are best suited as grounds of military ethical thinking and education. According to a widely held view, the militaries of many democratic states are committed to ‘hybrid approaches’ to military ethical thinking and education. Here I argue that while hybrid decision-making procedures are valuable tools for soldiers facing ethically challenging situations, hybrid approaches cannot play the fundamental grounding role. Instead, I make a case for grounding military ethics education in a non-reductive virtue ethics which is based around the concept of ‘the good soldier’ and which is able to meet objections commonly put to virtue-based approaches.
Erysiphe kenjiana: a newly arrived alien species causing powdery mildew on Ulmus trees in Hungary
Authors: Molnár Orsolya , Seress Diána , Borostyán Katalin , Pintye Alexandra , Németh Márk Z.
Published: January 2025

Elm trees (Ulmus sp.) occurring naturally or planted as ornamentals in Europe are susceptible to powdery mildew (PM). In the past, the causal agent of the powdery mildew symptoms on the adaxial side of leaves of Ulmus trees was Erysiphe ulmi in Hungary. However, we identified E. kenjiana on Ulmus pumila leaves sampled from the urban area of Budapest. Identification was based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Numerous spherical chasmothecia, which were 58–94 µm in diameter, were found on the samples. The apices of the appendages were characteristically spirally twisted and flattened. Anamorphs were found only on one sample, characterized by conidiophores developing ellipsoid–cylindrical conidia singly. The mycelium was epiphytic with lobed to multilobed hyphal appressoria, mostly in opposite pairs. The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the nrDNA was amplified, and the BLAST search showed 100% similarity with E. kenjiana sequences in GenBank. In the maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis, the sequences of the Hungarian samples grouped in one clade with the sequences of other E. kenjiana specimens collected in Europe and Asia. This is the first report of the non-native E. kenjiana causing powdery mildew on Ulmus pumila in Hungary.
Influence of additives, temperature, and pressure on the morphology of nesquehonite– results from three synthesis routes
Authors: Back Jens , Ismailov Arnold , Sreenivasan Harisankar , Smått Jan-Henrik , Santos Hellen Silva , Nguyen Hoang , Levänen Erkki , Zevenhoven Ron , Kinnunen Paivo
Published: January 2025

Carbon mineralization is expected to play a key role in the mitigation of climate change, as viable and efficient carbon capture and utilization (CCU) pathway. Indeed, the process has the advantage of enabling the recycling of waste-streams such as mine tailings or desalination brine, as well as the prospect of large-scale uptake of carbon dioxide emissions. However, the applications of the produced carbonates still hinder the commercial feasibility of the existing CCU routes, especially when hydrated Mg carbonates (HMCs) are obtained. HMCs are thermodynamically unstable, which poses potential risks in long-term stability. Nesquehonite (NQ, MgCO3·3H2O) is the major product of Mg carbonation in most aqueous reaction settings at moderate temperatures (15–50 °C), which has demonstrated suitable properties for producing construction materials. At somewhat higher temperatures (50–100 °C) hydromagnesite is obtained (4MgCO3·Mg(OH)2·4H2O). Yet, the final applications are not feasible as NQ often converts to hydromagnesite or other HMCs over time causing liberation of CO2 and volume instability. A key scientific gap remains on the relationship between the morphology of NQ with the operational settings of the carbonation reaction. In turn, such understanding is needed to enable tuning NQ applications in construction materials. Therefore, the current work reports the observed features of NQ via three different synthetic routes, showing the effect of two additives (Mg acetate, and sodium dodecyl sulphate), and overpressure CO2 on the physico-chemical features of NQ formed from magnesium chloride or sulphate solutions and from brucite-water system and sCO2 conditions.
Shooting Scheme for Perturbations in Optimised Solution of the Orbital Boundary Value Problem
Authors: Vananti Alessandro , Mann Harleen Kaur , Schildknecht Thomas
Published: January 2025

Monitoring of the near-Earth space environment has become more and more important in recent times. The constantly increasing amount of space debris is a major threat for space activities and an exhaustive knowledge about the space objects population is of primary importance for civil and military applications. The surveillance of the space surrounding the Earth is achieved by means of sensors based on different technologies. Passive optical observations using ground telescopes are usually employed to track space objects in high altitude orbits. The obtained measurements are sparse, and their arcs are very short. The computation of the orbit based on these observations is challenging and several methods have been proposed. One of the known approaches relies on an optimization scheme of the classical boundary value problem. However, in the latter, the object motion is described by a Keplerian orbit without considering additional perturbations. In this novel approach, orbital perturbations are introduced in the computation procedure using a shooting model. The improved algorithm is applied to simulated observations of objects in the geostationary region under the influence of solar radiation pressure. The measured arcs are separated by intervals of one or more orbit revolutions. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated in terms of accuracy considering different levels of perturbation.
Data augmentation for numerical data from manufacturing processes: an overview of techniques and assessment of when which techniques work
Authors: Ekwaro-Osire Henry , Ponugupati Sai Lalitha , Al Noman Abdullah , Bode Dennis , Thoben Klaus-Dieter
Published: January 2025

Over the past two decades, machine learning (ML) has transformed manufacturing, particularly in optimizing production and quality control. A significant challenge in ML applications is obtaining sufficient training data, which data augmentation aims to address. While widely applied to image, text, and sound data, data augmentation for numerical data in manufacturing has seen limited investigation. This paper empirically compares three data augmentation techniques—generative adversarial networks, variational auto-encoders mixed with long-short-term memory, and warping—on four manufacturing datasets. It also provides a literature review, highlighting that generative models are the most common technique for numerical manufacturing data. Preliminary findings suggest that generative adversarial networks are effective for non-time-series numerical data, especially with datasets featuring many correlated model features, multiple machines, and sufficient instances and labels. This research enhances the understanding of data augmentation in manufacturing ML applications, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies.
Structural Priming in Sentence Production
Authors: Bencini Giulia M. L.
Published: January 2025

This Element provides an overview of structural priming research across the three main populations on which experimental priming studies have concentrated: adult monolingual speakers, first language learners, second language learners, and bilinguals. Priming studies with monolingual adults were originally designed to inform psycholinguistic models of grammatical encoding in language production. Thanks to the the implicit nature of the task, priming has turned out to be suitable for experimentally addressing questions about linguistic representation and use at the sentence level in speakers of any age. The view that priming is a form of implicit learning has sparked an interest in exploring continuity and life-long learning in language, opening up rich research areas in second language acquisition and bilingualism. Priming rightly deserves to be a part of every language scientist's tool kit.
Space is the place: extraplanetary disorder in histories of science
Authors: Rand Lisa Ruth
Published: January 2025

What happens when we take the big picture to its spatial zenith and examine histories of science from the vantage point of outer space? The answer is somewhat messy. The satellite era launched alongside Sputnik 1 in 1957 facilitated the extension of scientific order and control through technologies of planetary surveillance. Yet regimes of disorder and fragmentation that emerged through entanglements of anthropogenic and more-than-human natural forces at the planetary periphery prompt a reconsideration of the limits of that control. Enrolling the methodologies of envirotech and discard studies scholarship invites a generatively messy, vertical and extra-planetary view of scientific practices and politics from the ground up and back again, and a glimpse at the historiographical possibilities that emerge from an embrace of systemic disorder.
Response to Shieh
Authors: Travis Charles
Published: January 2025

This article is a response to Shieh from Travis.
Digital Authoritarianism and the Global Technology Industry: Evidence from Iran
Authors: Conduit Dara
Published: January 2025

The purchase of commercial spyware by at least 43 authoritarian states has drawn attention to the links between the international private technology trade and autocrats. This article sits at the intersection of the literatures on the international relations of authoritarian regimes, digital authoritarianism and the political economy of authoritarianism, asking, what impacts, if any, do the foreign technology trade relations of authoritarian regimes have on authoritarian resilience? Building a four-mechanism model to explain the interaction between the private technology trade and digital authoritarianism, the article then tests the model on a case study of Iran. It argues that while global technology companies lack the ideological or geopolitical interests that drive the engagement between authoritarian regimes and foreign states, an intense overlap in interests still exists between profit-hungry private technology companies and technology-hungry regimes. This facilitates the establishment of mutually beneficial relationships that contribute to authoritarian resilience and survival, however inadvertently.
Acceleration of the particle-in-cell code Osiris with graphics processing units
Authors: Lee Roman P. , Pierce Jacob R. , Miller Kyle G. , Almanza Maria , Tableman Adam , Decyk Viktor K. , Fonseca Ricardo A. , Alves E. Paulo , Mori Warren B.
Published: January 2025

Fully relativistic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations are crucial for advancing our knowledge of plasma physics. Modern supercomputers based on graphics processing units (GPUs) offer the potential to perform PIC simulations of unprecedented scale, but require robust and feature-rich codes that can fully leverage their computational resources. In this work, this demand is addressed by adding GPU acceleration to the PIC code Osiris. An overview of the algorithm, which features a CUDA extension to the underlying Fortran architecture, is given. Detailed performance benchmarks for thermal plasmas are presented, which demonstrate excellent weak scaling on NERSC's Perlmutter supercomputer and high levels of absolute performance. The robustness of the code to model a variety of physical systems is demonstrated via simulations of Weibel filamentation and laser-wakefield acceleration run with dynamic load balancing. Finally, measurements and analysis of energy consumption are provided that indicate that the GPU algorithm is up to

${\sim }$

14 times faster and

$\sim$

7 times more energy efficient than the optimized CPU algorithm on a node-to-node basis. The described development addresses the PIC simulation community's computational demands both by contributing a robust and performant GPU-accelerated PIC code and by providing insight into efficient use of GPU hardware.
Ultrafast dynamics of a spin-polarized electron plasma with magnetic ions
Authors: Bakri Benjamin , Crouseilles Nicolas , Hervieux Paul-Antoine , Hong Xue , Manfredi Giovanni
Published: January 2025

We construct a mean-field model that describes the nonlinear dynamics of a spin-polarized electron gas interacting with fixed, positively charged ions possessing a magnetic moment that evolves in time. The mobile electrons are modelled by a four-component distribution function in the two-dimensional phase space

$(x,v)$

, obeying a Vlasov–Poisson set of equations. The ions are modelled by a Landau–Lifshitz equation for their spin density, which contains ion–ion and electron–ion magnetic exchange terms. We perform a linear response study of the coupled Vlasov–Poisson–Landau–Lifshitz (VPLL) equations for the case of a Maxwell–Boltzmann equilibrium, focussing in particular on the spin dispersion relation. Conditions of stability or instability for the spin modes are identified, which depend essentially on the electron spin polarization rate

$\eta$

and the electron–ion magnetic coupling constant

$K$

. We also develop an Eulerian grid-based computational code for the fully nonlinear VPLL equations, based on the geometric Hamiltonian method first developed by Crouseilles et al. (J. Plasma Phys., vol. 89, no. 2, 2023, p. 905890215). This technique allows us to achieve great accuracy for the conserved quantities, such as the modulus of the ion spin vector and the total energy. Numerical tests in the linear regime are in accordance with the estimations of the linear response theory. For two-stream equilibria, we study the interplay of instabilities occurring in both the charge and the spin sectors. The set of parameters used in the simulations, with densities close to those of solids (

${\approx }10^{29}\ {\rm m}^{-3}$

) and temperatures of the order of 10 eV, may be relevant to the warm dense matter regime appearing in some inertial fusion experiments.
OP02 Osseointegrated Prosthetic Implants (Direct Skeletal Attachment) For People With Lower-Limb Amputation: A Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment
Authors: Galfrascoli Elena , Pistritto Dario Concetto , Ghiringhelli Maristella , Sterpetti Martina , Bertoni Michele , Bozzi Silvia , Asperti Federica , Cavi Raffaella
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Patients with amputation need a safe and comfortable connection with the prothesis. Traditional sockets may lead to skin tearing, pain, and limitation of movement. Osseointegrated protheses connected to residual bone may have a positive impact on patients’ quality of life. Our research question: Are there economic and organizational benefits from the introduction of a direct skeletal attachment (DSA) procedure, as well as clinical benefits?

Methods

Firstly, a systematic literature review was carried out on PubMed and Scopus, and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool was applied to assess the evidence’s quality. A health technology assessment (HTA) evaluation was conducted (EUnetHTA, 2016), adopting the perspective of a public hospital in Italy, comparing two scenarios—traditional and innovative—related to traditional protheses and the DSA approach. Seven experts (orthopedic surgery, physical medicine, and rehabilitation and physiotherapy) were involved for the administration of a qualitative questionnaire. For the economic evaluation, a cost-effectiveness analysis and budget impact analysis were defined. Finally, a multiple-criteria decision analysis was performed.

Results

The literature search yielded 314 citations published until December 2022: eight were eligible for analysis. Three were the system analysed: ‘OPRA’, ‘ISP’ and ‘OPL’. The efficacy of the systems is linked to a better distribution of bone stress: an increase in bone mineral density was recorded near the implants (respectively 28%, 27%, and 18% – after 60 months). The safety of DSA depends on the design and integrity of the connection between tissues and implant. The impact on the budget is an increase of 27 percent in costs for each patient treated. Concerning the social and ethical implications, DSA results in the preferable approach (1.48 vs 0.34), as it can limit social costs (0.29 vs −0.29).

Conclusions

The comparative evaluation was carried out using a scoring method: the main advantages related to innovative prostheses are based on effectiveness and safety, as well as social impact and organizational impact, especially due to the ability of the prostheses to reduce the risk of adverse events and long rehabilitation, with important clinical benefits and organizational savings for the hospital management.