bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motives of Peer Volunteers Aged Over 50 in Physical Activity Programs: A Scoping Review
Authors: Bilsborough Helena , Davies Amy , Todd Chris , Stathi Afroditi , Hawley-Hague Helen
Published: January 2025

Peer-volunteering schemes can facilitate health improvement via increasing physical activity levels. Understanding what motivates peer volunteers is valuable for the feasibility of volunteering schemes. This scoping review aims to explore the motivations of peer volunteers aged over 50 who participate in programs that promote physical activity. Four databases were searched in March 2023 with no date restrictions. The inclusion criteria were adults over 50 years of age, experience in physical activity peer-volunteering schemes, assessed volunteer motivation, and uses English language. Nine studies were included (252 participants, aged 54–85) Peer-volunteer and volunteering characteristics were extracted from the papers. An inductive thematic analysis approach was taken to analyze the motivation data. The themes were then mapped onto theoretical constructs of motivation. Three themes of motivation emerged that could enable us to better design peer-volunteer recruitment strategies: altruistic (giving back), personal improvement (meeting goals), and past experience (helping others overcome experienced barriers). The review suggested that peer-volunteer motivations fall in line with the mechanisms of motivation suggested by psychological theories such as social cognitive and self-determination theories. To improve peer-volunteer uptake and retention, appropriate theoretical frameworks should be employed to inform the content of future interventions to ensure that volunteers will have their motivations met.
Can There Be “Normal” Sport in an Abnormal World? Sport Boycott and Athlete Activism for Ceasefire in Gaza
Authors: Bannoura Daniel , Dreidi Omar , Macauley Michael D. , McCullough Kaiya , O’Keeffe Rebecca , Pijetlovic Katarina , Chen Chen , Rochon Roc , Sailofsky Daniel
Published: January 2025

This paper is an edited transcript of an online panel recorded on April 9, 2024, with commentaries provided at the start and the end. Speakers underscore the urgency for the sport industry and governing bodies to react to the genocidal violence in Gaza. Athletes for Ceasefire’s co-founder Omar Dreidi introduces the rationale behind this newly formed coalition. Ultimate Palestine’s Daniel Bannoura recounts the tension in promoting ultimate frisbee in Palestine amidst apartheid and genocide. Sport law scholar Katarina Pijetlovic highlights the discriminatory treatment of Palestine by international sport governing bodies. Irish Sport for Palestine’s Rebecca O’Keeffe and Michael D. Macauley discuss the long tradition of Irish solidarity with Palestinians’ anti-colonial struggles. Former professional soccer player Kaiya McCullough challenges athletes to deepen their understandings of the connections between Black and Palestinian liberation.
Quantum Entanglement at the Superradiance of a Condensate of Electron–Hole Pairs in Semiconductor Heterostructures
Authors: Vasil’ev P. P.
Published: January 2025

The quantum properties of superradiant pulses generated at the radiative recombination of an electron–hole condensate in semiconductor heterostructures at room temperature have been studied using optical homodyne tomography. Signatures of the quantum entanglement of superradiant states, which are superpositions of two coherent states, have been revealed. It has been demonstrated that reconstructed Wigner functions under certain conditions are very similar to the Wigner functions of the Schrödinger cat states.
Epidemiology and outcomes of patients with cardiac arrest in the emergency department of a lower middle-income country
Authors: Edmond Marie Cassandre , Fang Anna Potter , Poola Nivedita , Normil Manouchka , Payant Sherley Jean Michel , Luc Pierre Ricot , Rimpel Linda , Checkett Keegan , Strokes Natalie , Calixte Manise , Marsh Regan H , Rouhani Shada A
Published: January 2025

Background

Advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) for cardiac arrest is a cornerstone of emergency care and yet remains poorly studied in low- and middle-income countries. We characterised the clinical epidemiology and outcomes of cardiac arrest and ACLS in an ED in central Haiti, a lower middle-income country with a nascent emergency care system.

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational study of adult and paediatric patients who suffered cardiac arrest in an academic hospital ED in central Haiti from January 2019 to August 2020. Patients were identified prospectively at the time of clinical care. Data on demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentation, management with or without ACLS and outcomes were extracted from patient charts using a standardised form and analysed in SAS V.9.4. The primary outcome was survival to 24 hours after arrest.

Results

We identified 161 patients who suffered cardiac arrest in the ED. The mean age was 45 years; 55.9% were female, and 82.6% were aged >18. Common presenting diagnoses were pneumonia (16.1%), sepsis (14.9%), congestive heart failure/cardiogenic shock (11.2%) and cerebrovascular accident (10.6%). Few patients were on cardiac or oxygen saturation monitors (23.1%; 63.5%) prior to arrest. 43 (27%) patients received ACLS (two patients missing data). Among these, 58.1% had initial rhythm assessed, and 2/25 (8%) patients had shockable rhythms. The median time to arrest was 23.6 hours. Sustained return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in two patients (4.7%). Among patients for whom ACLS was not initiated, the majority were due to poor prognosis (66.4%) or irreversible cause (22.4%) in the setting of available resources. One patient survived to 24 hours; none survived to hospital discharge.

Conclusion

In this lower middle-income setting, cardiac arrest in the ED was associated with poor survival despite ACLS. Survival may be impacted by limited resources for prearrest monitoring as well as for ongoing critical care.
Effects of improved partner notification on the transmission of HIV andN. gonorrhoeaamong men who have sex with men: a modelling study
Authors: Reitsema Maarten , Wallinga Jacco , van Benthem Birgit H B , Op de Coul Eline L M , Van Sighem Ard , Schim van der Loeff Maarten , Xiridou Maria
Published: January 2025

ObjectivesMen who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionally affected by HIV in the Netherlands. Partner notification (PN) is an important element in controlling the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. We investigated the effects of improving PN on the transmission of HIV andNeisseria gonorrhoeae(NG) among MSM in the Netherlands.

MethodsWe developed an agent-based model that describes the transmission of HIV and NG among MSM. In the baseline scenario, 14.3% and 29.8% of casual and steady partners of the index case get notified and tested for HIV/STI after 3 weeks (percentage notified and tested (PNT)). We examined the following scenarios: (1) increase PNT to 41% for both partner types; (2) decrease the time between the index and the partners tested to 1 week and (3) combine scenarios 1 and 2. Effects are expressed as cumulative change from the baseline simulation over 15 years.

ResultsIncreasing PNT could lead to a decrease in gonorrhoea cases of 45% (IQR 39.9% to 49.9%), with an increase in the number of HIV/STI tests of 4.4% (IQR 1.6% to 7.3%), but no change in HIV infections (−5.4%; IQR −21% to 7.9%). Decreasing the time between tests could lead to a change in new NG infections of −14.2% (IQR −17.2% to −10%), no change in HIV infections (8.2%; IQR −1.3% to 20%) or in the number of HIV/STI tests performed (−0.4%; IQR −1.5 to 0.6%). Scenario 3 led to a change in NG infections of −56.8% (IQR −63.8% to −47.4%), no change in HIV infections (11.5%; IQR −11.1% to 33.9%) or in the number of HIV/STI tests (−0.5%; IQR: −4.9% to 4.3%).

ConclusionsIncreasing the percentage of sexual partners notified and tested for HIV/STI may have only a small effect on HIV but could reduce the number of new NG infections substantially. However, it could lead to an increase in the number of HIV/STI tests performed.
Population structure and sub-legal catch in a California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) fishery in Baja California, Mexico
Authors: Mansfield Elizabeth J. , Bracamontes Miguel Angel , Schnurle Kersten , Wong Aleah , Micheli Fiorenza
Published: January 2025

Promoting sustainable fisheries is a global challenge. Growing numbers of initiatives identify sustainable fishing practices through certification programs. One of the most widespread and impactful is the Marine Stewardship Council, which, in 2004, certified the California spiny lobster ( Panulirus interruptus, Palinuridae) trap fishery of Baja California, Mexico as the first certified small-scale fishery in a developing nation. Despite this success, questions about the possible impact of high bycatch of sub-legal lobster, and the efficacy of current management practices under scenarios of increasing future stressors, remain. This study quantifies (1) catch structure and sub-legal bycatch rate of a fishing cooperative of Baja California, Mexico; and (2) rate of sub-legal recaptures. We found high rates of sub-legal bycatch (82.0%) consistent with previous studies. Multiple recaptures occurred in ∼12% of tagged sub-legal individuals, raising questions about the potential impact of multiple recaptures. Results support previous assumptions of high post-release survival of sub-legal individuals but highlight a need for research on potential impacts of multiple recaptures to increase fishery sustainability and resilience, especially under potential future stressful conditions.
Crossing the streams: improving data quality and integration across the One Health genomics continuum with data standards and implementation strategies
Authors: Griffiths Emma J. , Jurga Emil , Wajnberg Gabriel , Shay Julie A. , Cameron Rhiannon , Barclay Charlie , Sehar Anoosha , Dooley Damion , John Nithu Sara , Scott Andrew , Johnson Lisa A. , Robertson James , Schonfeld Justin , Bastedo D. Patrick , Tang Joshua , Yin Xianhua , Rehman Attiq , Wallace Rhiannon L. , Thomas Krysty , Eagle Shannon H.C. , McAllister Tim , Diarra Moussa S. , Nash John H.E. , Topp Ed , Van Domselaar Gary , Taboada Eduardo , Tamber Sandeep , Kess Tony , Broadbent Jordyn , Poulin-Laprade Dominic , Smith Derek D. N. , Reid-Smith Richard , Zaheer Rahat , Laing Chad R. , Carrillo Catherine D. , Hsiao William W.L.
Published: January 2025

The Canadian Genomics Research and Development Initiative for Antimicrobial Resistance (GRDI-AMR) uses a genomics-based approach to understand how health care, food production and the environment contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Integrating genomics contextual data streams across the One Health continuum is challenging because of the diversity in data scope, content and structure. To better enable data harmonization for analyses, a contextual data standard was developed. However, development of standards does not guarantee their use. Implementation strategies are critical for putting standards into practice. This work focuses on the development of implementation strategies to better operationalize data standards across the Canadian federal genomics ecosystem. Results include improved understanding of complex data models that can create challenges for existing systems. Technical implementation strategies included spreadsheet-based solutions, new exchange formats, and direct standards integration into new databases. Data curation exercises highlighted common data collection and sharing issues, which informed improved practices and evaluation procedures. These new practices are contributing to improved data quality and sharing within the GRDI-AMR consortium as evidenced by publicly available datasets. The implementation strategies and lessons learned described in this work are generalizable for other standards and can be applied more broadly within other initiatives.
Daily and seasonal spatial behaviour of waved whelk Buccinum undatum: implications for fishery management and restoration
Authors: Uboldi Thomas , MacGregor K. A. , Lavoie M-F. , McKindsey C. W. , Gendreau Y. , Pettré J. , Chauvaud Laurent , Olivier F. , Tremblay Réjean
Published: January 2025

Many marine invertebrate fisheries are vulnerable to overexploitation and require conservation measures to ensure their sustainability. In recent years, landings of waved whelk Buccinum undatum (Linnaeus, 1758) have fallen considerably along the coasts of the St. Lawrence (Canada), dropping by up to 76% in some fishing areas. Local overfishing may be explained, in part, by the species’ oviparous reproduction, which limits larval dispersion and population interactions. Using a two year long-term acoustic telemetry study, we tracked 20 individuals to assess their general movement behaviour and potential to disperse within an area. Tagged individuals displayed considerable daily movements (from a mean of 2 to 16 m/h), with no sensible differences between day and night. Both speed and habitat usage potential (HUP) varied among seasons, most likely due to the species' reproductive cycle: HUP was significantly larger during the breeding season of May (4570 m2) and June (2779 m2) than in the preceding winter months (1046 m2). Although some individuals moved over a considerable depth range, we did not observe seasonality over the bathymetric gradient of the area. Overall, the species' restricted HUP limits individual dispersal, resulting in very poor connection between neighbouring populations and making B. undatum vulnerable to local overfishing.
Discovering motifs to fingerprint multi-layer networks: a case study on the connectome of C. Elegans
Authors: Sharma Deepak , Renz Matthias , Hövel Philipp
Published: January 2025

Motif discovery is a powerful and insightful method to quantify network structures and explore their function. As a case study, we present a comprehensive analysis of regulatory motifs in the connectome of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Leveraging the Efficient Subgraph Counting Algorithmic PackagE (ESCAPE) algorithm, we identify network motifs in the multi-layer nervous system of C. elegans and link them to functional circuits. We further investigate motif enrichment within signal pathways and benchmark our findings with random networks of similar size and link density. Our findings provide valuable insights into the organization of the nerve net of this well-documented organism and can be easily transferred to other species and disciplines alike.

Graphical abstract
Unveiling the flux tube structure in full QCD
Authors: Baker M. , Cea P. , Chelnokov V. , Cosmai L. , Papa A.
Published: January 2025

We present lattice Monte Carlo results on the chromoelectric field created by a static quark–antiquark pair in the vacuum of QCD with 2+1 dynamical staggered fermions at physical masses. After isolating the nonperturbative, confining part of the field, we characterize its spatial profile for several values of the physical distances between the sources, ranging from about 0.5 fm up to the onset of string breaking. Moreover, we compare our results with a model of QCD vacuum as disordered chromomagnetic condensate.
Adenomyosis Affects Fertility and ART Procedures as Well as Outcomes: An Invited Opinion
Authors: Sison-Aguilar Angela G.
Published: January 2025

The effect of adenomyosis on reproduction can only be determined if there are clear definitions of this disease entity. Adenomyosis should be distinct from endometriosis rather than regarded as a subclassification. The diagnosis of adenomyosis should employ standard criteria that are accessible, replicable, noninvasive, and cost-effective. The Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment (MUSA) is a standard and validated system to diagnose adenomyosis. However, not all markers in the MUSA correlate with clinically relevant outcomes. Analysis of outcomes according to each individual sonographic marker may be the key to correctly identifying significant phenotypes of adenomyosis and evaluating its true impact on reproduction.
Fertility Rates in Cambodia: A Bumpy Road
Authors: Sokteang Sean , Ou Pichetra , Pirtea Paul , Ziegler Dominique de
Published: January 2025

In ancient times, Cambodia was home to one of the largest city complexes on earth, Angkor. At its apogee in the 12th century, the whole city of Angkor expanded over [Formula: see text] hectares and had a population of 1–2 million people, which was only equaled by that of Ancient Rome. Angkor subsequently declined but remained occupied until the 18th century, at the beginning of the French protectorate.

In modern times, Cambodia became embedded in the global conflict against the occupying Japanese troops during World War II. This was followed by a lasting war that engulfed the whole Southeast Asia area, but the toll paid by the population remained limited. In the second half of the 20th century, Cambodia suddenly became the site of an acute drama, one of the worst that the world has known since the Holocaust. The Khmer Rouge regime led to the collapse of the whole country’s social system and triggered a brutal rise in mortality—direct and induced—and gender imbalance. Together with increased mortality, which eradicated approximately a third of the country’s population, there was a profound drop in fertility.

The nearly total collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime after Cambodia was freed in 1979 was followed by an important rise in fertility leading to a rebound effect or “baby boom” during the 80s. Today, as in 1960 before the Khmer Rouge drama, global fertility rates in Cambodia are similar to those of its neighbor, Vietnam. Total fertility rates, which neared six children per woman in Vietnam and Cambodia in 1960, have, however, dropped in both countries and stand just at population replacement level.
Th–U–Pb dating of euhedral monazites in radiolarian-bearing deposits: implication for the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the Meliatic mélange in the Western Carpathians
Authors: Potočný Tomáš , Molčan Matejová Marína , Méres Štefan , Plašienka Dušan
Published: January 2025

As a crucial segment of the geological structure of the Western Carpathians, the Meliata Superunit represents a remnant of the closure of the Meliata Ocean. Its composition is defined by the blueschist facies Bôrka Nappe, a low-grade Jurassic sedimentary complex with olistostromes that constitutes the Meliata Unit
sensu stricto
, and a polygenous mélange including blocks of both unmetamorphosed and metamorphosed rocks. This study focused on the origin and processes associated with development of the Meliata Superunit, specifically examining the fine-grained marine sediments that form the matrix of the polygenous mélange. Our results from the Honce and Dobšiná localities indicate that the matrix of the polygenous mélange can be differentiated into two groups that are similar in lithology, but differ in their metamorphic overprint. The first group consists of unmetamorphosed or low-grade shales containing Upper Jurassic radiolarians. The second group is composed of phyllites, which exhibit a medium- to high-grade mineral assemblage, together with phantoms of radiolarians. A common sign of both groups is the presence of euhedral monazites, which were dated by electron probe microanalysis U–Th–Pb methods to an Early Cretaceous age of 150–95 Ma. We conclude that the sedimentation of the studied marine sediments occurred during the Jurassic and that these sediments were partially involved in the subduction process. Subsequent exhumation and the formation of an accretionary wedge led to their mixing with unmetamorphosed deposits during the Early Cretaceous, followed by reworking into a mélange. This mixing was accompanied by the incorporation of lithologically variable blocks of older, more resistant rocks and is recorded by the growth of post-kinematic monazite porphyroblasts.
Asleep at the Keyboard? Assessing the Security of GitHub Copilot’s Code Contributions
Authors: Pearce Hammond , Ahmad Baleegh , Tan Benjamin , Dolan-Gavitt Brendan , Karri Ramesh
Published: January 2025

There is burgeoning interest in designing AI-based systems to assist humans in designing computing systems, including tools that automatically generate computer code. The most notable of these comes in the form of the first self-described “AI pair programmer,” GitHub Copilot, which is a language model trained over open-source GitHub code. However, code often contains bugs—and so, given the vast quantity of unvetted code that Copilot has processed, it is certain that the language model will have learned from exploitable, buggy code. This raises concerns on the security of Copilot’s code contributions. In this work, we systematically investigate the prevalence and conditions that can cause GitHub Copilot to recommend insecure code. To perform this analysis we prompt Copilot to generate code in scenarios relevant to high-risk cybersecurity weaknesses, for example, those from MITRE’s “Top 25” Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) list. We explore Copilot’s performance on three distinct code generation axes—examining how it performs given diversity of weaknesses, diversity of prompts, and diversity of domains. In total, we produce 89 different scenarios for Copilot to complete, producing 1,689 programs. Of these, we found approximately 40% to be vulnerable.
Retrofitting: Principles and Practice
Authors: Kelly Terence , Su Ziheng Aaron
Published: January 2025

Retrofitting radically new functionality onto production software tests every skill of the programmers craft. A practical case study illuminates principles for bolting new tricks onto old dogs.
CoDE-GAN: Content Decoupled and Enhanced GAN for Sketch-guided Flexible Fashion Editing
Authors: Sun Zhengwentai , Zhou Yanghong , Mok P. Y.
Published: January 2025

Rapid advancements in generative models, including generative adversarial networks (GANs) and diffusion models, have made possible of automated
image editing
through the use of text descriptions, semantic segmentation, and/or reference style images. Nevertheless, in terms of fashion image editing, it often requires more flexible, and typically iterative, modifications to the image content that existing methods struggle to achieve. This paper proposes a new model called Content Decoupled and Enhanced GAN (CoDE-GAN), which is formulated and trained for the task of image editing, drawing on methods from image reconstruction, more specifically, image inpainting with sketch-guidance. Through this proxy task, the trained model can be used for flexible image editing, generating new images with consistent colours and required textures based on sketch inputs. In this new model, a content decoupling block is introduced including specially designed dual encoders, which pre-process inputs and transform into separated structure and texture representations. Moreover, a content enhancing module is designed and applied to the decoder, improving the colour consistency and refining the texture of the generated images. The proposed CoDE-GAN can achieve coarse-to-fine results in one single stage. Extensive experiments on three datasets, covering human, garment-only and scene images, show that CoDE-GAN outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in terms of both generated image quality and editing flexibility. The code and dataset are available at:
https://github.com/Taited/CoDE-GAN.
Maximizing Long-Term Task Completion Ratio of UAV-Enabled Wirelessly-Powered MEC Systems
Authors: Zhu Shaojun , Zhu Bincheng , Chi Kaikai , Qiu Jiefan , Shi Hailong , Gao Xingyu
Published: January 2025

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) enabled wirelessly-powered mobile edge computing (MEC) is emerging as a powerful technology for boosting computational capability and energy supplementation in Internet of Things (IoT). This work addresses the long-term task completion ratio maximization problem in UAV-enabled wirelessly-powered MEC systems. Besides the large number of optimization parameters, the environment can only be partially observed as the UAVs cannot cover the whole network area. Then it is very challenging to obtain good solutions due to the lack of global information. We introduce a novel distributed multi-agent deep reinforcement learning (MADRL) framework for optimizing UAVs’ actions and resource allocation, considering the constraints of tasks that vary in size, arrival times, and required computation completion time. To decouple the complicated parameters, we divide the problem into two manageable subproblems: UAVs’ action decision and resource allocation under a given UAV’s action. We employ a distributed DRL scheme for the former subproblem to cope with the partially observable nature. By revealing some important properties of the later subproblem, we design an efficient two-stage optimal algorithm to minimize the total consumed energy of nodes while maximizing the task-completing number. Extensive simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, achieving over a 50% improvement in task completion ratio compared to baseline schemes in some scenarios.
Investigating the Progression of the Mental Models Formed by Programmers Learning Parallel Programming
Authors: Bidlake Leah , Aubanel Eric , Voyer Daniel
Published: January 2025

Research on mental model representations developed by programmers during parallel program comprehension is important for informing and advancing teaching methods including model-based learning and visualizations. The goals of the research presented here were to determine: how the mental models of programmers change and develop as they learn parallel programming, the quality of their mental models after learning parallel programming, and what type of information is part of their mental models when examining code for the presence of data races. Participants were experienced C programmers and included both university students and professionals. The mental models of participants were analyzed by having them perform a code tracing task where they externalized their mental models by drawing diagrams while tracing the execution of parallel code. We also analyzed their mental models by having participants determine the presence of data races in parallel code and then answer multiple choice and open-ended questions related to the code. The results presented in this article indicate that programmers’ mental models progress from a weaker execution model and a stronger situation model before learning parallel programming, to a stronger execution model and a weaker situation model after learning parallel programming. The thematic analysis of the open-ended responses that indicate what components of code programmers used to determine whether or not a data race was present provides insight into the topics that should be emphasized when teaching parallel programming.
Art in Anatomy session as a method of formative feedback in preclerkship medical education
Authors: Chun Saewon , Liang Cindy , Thomann Charity , Amin Shaimaa N. , Trinh Christina , Araujo Camila , Hassan Sherif S.
Published: January 2025

Art in Anatomy sessions could be incorporated in systems-based curricula as a supplementary learning method with the benefit of providing formative feedback to the learners and the educators.
Possible brain regions involved in parturition in mice
Authors: Wang Xia , Zang Yueling , Ma Yunhe , Li Jun , Li Xing , Li Qiping , Liao Xiang , Chen Xiaowei , Han Jian , Zhao Xiaoling , Qin Han , Jian Tingliang
Published: January 2025

Parturition is a vital physiological process in the reproduction of female mammals. Here, the authors established a method that combined retrograde tracing, c-Fos immunofluorescence staining, and fiber photometry to study the roles of central-peripheral neural pathways involved in parturition. Our method is simple and reliable to investigate the roles of central-peripheral neural pathways involved in a range of physiological processes in freely moving animals.
Structural and functional remodeling for elite cyclists during exercise; pressure-volume loops and hemodynamic forces analysis
Authors: Pellegrino Alessio , Toncelli Loira , Vanni Simone , Modesti Alessandra , Pedrizzetti Gianni , Modesti Pietro Amedeo
Published: January 2025

Analysis of the hemodynamic forces shows that the functional changes that occur in elite cyclists during exercise are characterized by increased hemodynamic forces generation in systole, and facilitated relaxation in early diastole.
Surfactant protein levels and genetic variants as biomarkers for COVID-19 severity in children
Authors: Sicher Natalie , Aldrich Brycen , Zhang Shaoyi , Mazur Lauren , Juarez Susan , Lehman Erik , Liu Dajiang , Gandhi Chintan K.
Published: January 2025

Surfactant dysfunction is linked to other pulmonary diseases, but its role in pediatric coronavirus (COVID-19) is unclear. We found elevated plasma surfactant protein (SP)-A levels, but not SP-B or SP-D, significantly associated with severe COVID-19. A plasma SP-A threshold of 10 ng/mL predicted severe COVID-19. The rs8192340 of SFTPC was associated with decreased risk of severe COVID-19 before, but not after, Bonferroni correction. These findings suggest plasma SP-A may serve as a potential biomarker for pediatric COVID-19 severity.
Two-week paramedic hospital training augments blood pressure response to isometric handgrip exercise in healthy young men
Authors: Hori Amane , Kume Daisuke , Saito Ryuji , Hasegawa Daisuke , Suijo Kenichi , Mizuno Masaki , Hotta Norio
Published: January 2025

Exposure to prolonged stressful situations augmented the blood pressure response to submaximal isometric exercise in healthy young men. This finding suggests that monitoring cardiovascular responses during exercise under chronic stress conditions could be important.
Cortical acetylcholine response to deep brain stimulation of the basal forebrain in mice
Authors: Shanazz Khadijah , Xie Kun , Oliver Tucker , Bogan Jamal , Vale Fernando L. , Sword Jeremy , Kirov Sergei A. , Terry Alvin , O’Herron Philip , Blake David T.
Published: January 2025

Peak acetylcholine responses to deep brain stimulation of the subpallidal basal forebrain increases with increased frequency and number of pulses. Long recovery periods in the 10s of seconds support “volume” versus “phasic” transmission of acetylcholine. Donepezil administration enhances the effect of stimulation on cortical acetylcholine release.
Disseminated Chickenpox Following Live Varicella Vaccination in a Crohn’s Disease Patient on Combination Immunosuppression
Authors: Solano Quintin , Uttal Sarah , Higgins Peter D. R. , Berinstein Jeffrey A.
Published: January 2025

Novel therapeutics used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease pose an increased risk of viral reactivation in patients. We present a case of a patient with refractory Crohn’s disease (CD) who developed primary varicella (chickenpox) of a vaccine‐viral strain after receiving combination immunosuppression with high‐dose corticosteroids, tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi), and a Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) in the hospital. While this patient recovered and did not experience long term adverse effects, her case provides an opportunity for improvement. To improve safety, healthcare facilities should develop protocols that use electronic medical records enhanced with clinical decision support systems to identify and protect immunocompromised patients from inappropriate live vaccinations.
Autotransplantation of a Third Molar to Replace Compromised Molar With the Individual Three‐Dimensional Printed Ultrasonic Osteotome: A Case Report
Authors: Bi Cheng , Zhang Wen , Peng Bin
Published: January 2025

Tooth autotransplantation is widely used to replace congenitally missing teeth or teeth with irreversible damage. This case report presents a personalized ultrasonic osteotome that enables precise preparation, minimizes bone trauma, enhances the initial stability of the transplanted tooth, and contributes to a favorable prognosis. The procedure is as follows: a 25‐year‐old female patient presented with a porcelain‐fused‐to‐metal crown on Tooth #19, which had detached due to severe decay, rendering the tooth unsalvageable. Tooth #32 exhibited mesial inclination, resulting in decay of Tooth #31. After presenting treatment plan, the patient provided informed consent by signing the necessary documentation to proceed with the autotransplantation of Tooth #32 to replace Tooth #19. Tooth #32 was extracted and immediately scanned chairside using a 3Shape scanner. A custom‐designed, tooth root–shaped ultrasonic osteotome was fabricated using 3D printing technology to match the shape of Tooth #32. Tooth #19 was extracted using a minimally invasive technique. The alveolar socket of Tooth #19 was prepared using the customized 3D‐printed ultrasonic osteotome and a computer‐aided rapid prototyping resin model. Tooth #32 was then transplanted into the socket and secured with figure‐eight suspension sutures. To prevent damage to bone cells and periodontal tissues from overheating during socket preparation, the ultrasonic osteotome was designed with a porous, water‐cooled system, effectively addressing this issue. After 24 months of follow‐up, the transplanted tooth met success criteria, with no signs of pathological radiolucency, root resorption, or pain in the donor tooth. The alveolar socket, prepared with the personalized ultrasonic osteotome, ensured an optimal fit for the donor tooth, maintaining its stability and minimizing postoperative complications. The use of 3D printing technology to create a personalized ultrasonic osteotome represents an innovative advancement in tooth transplantation, supporting the development of digital and minimally invasive techniques in this field.
Myoepithelioma‐Like Tumor of the Vulva
Authors: Ma Jiansheng , Meng Qingda , Chen Fangshu , Wei Jiang
Published: January 2025

Background: Myoepithelioma‐like tumor of the vulvar region (MELTVR) is a rare mesenchymal tumor that typically arises in the female vulva.

Case Presentation: Here, we report a case of a 48‐year‐old woman who presented with a 2‐year history of subcutaneous mass in the vulvar region. As the mass rapidly increased in the last 2 months, personal slight swelling pain appeared. Histologically, the tumor exhibited a distinctive feature of abundant tumor cells and sparse mucus regions. While each region appeared alternately, the sparse mucus region was about 30% of the whole tumor. The tumor had two types of cells, namely, epithelioid and spindle cells. The tumor‐rich region demonstrated a cell type of epithelioid, showing hermaphroditic cytoplasm, the center‐located nucleus, and abundant chromatin of fasciculate or cord‐braid arrangement, whereas the cell of the mucus region was fusiform or epithelioid with partial vacuole‐shaped and small visible nucleolus, exhibiting red‐stained cytoplasm and loose chromatin. Immunohistochemically, vimentin, smooth muscle actin (SMA), and P16 were diffuse positive in tumor cells, whereas desmin, cytokeratin (CK), P40, P63, CK5, HMB45, MyoD1, myogenin, S100, and SOX10 were all negative. While the proliferation index of Ki‐67 was about 7%, the expression of SMARCBl/lNI‐1 protein was absent. The pathological diagnosis is myoepithelioma‐like tumor of the vulva (right labia majora). Finally, the tumor was surgically and completely removed, and no recurrence or metastasis was found after 6 months of follow‐up.

Conclusions: Histologically, the morphology of MELTVR is changeable and variation existed for each individual tumor. Moreover, it needs to be differentiated from various other types of tumors, whereas more reports and studies are required to further clarify MELTVR.
Cockroaches as Reservoirs, Vectors, and Potential Sentinels of Multidrug‐Resistant Bacteria in Ugandan Communities: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Kakooza Steven , Ssajjakambwe Paul , Nalubega Rebecca , Namazi Betty , Nantume Aisha , Ssentamu Geoffrey , Nabatta Esther , Nalumenya David , Wanyana Mariam , Munyiirwa Damien F. N. , Namuyinda Dorcus , Tsuchida Sayaka , Ushida Kazunari , Kaneene John Baligwamunsi
Published: January 2025

Background: Cockroaches could play a role in the transmission dynamics of antimicrobial‐resistant bacteria (ARB) at variable interfaces in Ugandan communities, acting as both reservoirs and vectors. This study investigated the burden and diversity of ARB carried by cockroaches in human settlements in Uganda, so as to understand their role in the spread of these pathogens and their potential as sentinels in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance programs.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on two unpublished studies by Makerere University students. Study one and study two sampled 58 and 110 cockroaches, respectively, from secondary schools in Kampala. Cockroach species identification was determined based on physical characteristics. Bacterial isolation and characterization were performed through microbiological analyses including standard culture methods, biochemical tests, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS), disc diffusion method, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: Majority of the cockroaches (over 80%) were Periplaneta americana. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was prevalent among the isolates, with over 30% of the isolates being resistant to three or more antibiotic classes. Specifically, MDR (over 90%) was rampant in the extended spectrum beta‐lactamase (ESBL)– or AmpC‐producing Escherichia coli and enterococci isolates. Critical World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogens, such as ESBL‐/AmpC‐producing Enterobacteriaceae, and carbapenem‐resistant E. coli, were also identified. The most abundant resistance determinants (tetracycline and sulphonamide) were tetA, sul1, and sul2 for E. coli, and tetM and tetL for enterococci.

Conclusion: The findings accentuate the potential role of cockroaches: (1) in transmitting multidrug‐resistant bacteria at the human–animal–environment interface and (2) as sentinels in the surveillance of community‐generated AMR.
Effect of Manipulation Methods and Storage Environments on the Microstructural, Chemical, and Mechanical Properties of Calcium‐Enriched Mixture Cement
Authors: Roghanizadeh Leyla , Torabzadeh Hassan , Parhizkar Ardavan , Akbarzadeh Baghban Alireza , Asgary Saeed
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different manipulation methods and storage environments on the microstructural, chemical, and mechanical properties of calcium‐enriched mixture (CEM) cement. Four sample groups were examined, including nondried (ND‐I) and dried (D‐I) groups placed directly in an incubator, dried samples stored in phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) (D‐P), and dried samples stored in distilled water (D‐W). Various analyses, including Vickers microhardness, compressive strength, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) were conducted after incubating the samples for 7 days. The data were analyzed by Shapiro–Wilk, Levene, independent t, one‐way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD tests. Key findings include the ND‐I group exhibited a significantly longer setting time but the lowest microhardness and compressive strength. D‐P showed the highest microhardness, while D‐W displayed the highest compressive strength. FTIR analysis revealed vibration modes related to (PO4)3− ions and Si compounds in all groups, with dried groups showing more vibrations of (PO4)3− ions and OH groups, and D‐P and D‐W groups displayed vibration modes of (CO3)2− ions. XRD analysis indicated increased tri/dicalcium silicate reflections in CEM groups exposed to PBS or distilled water. D‐I and D‐W groups presented hexagonal or rectangular cubic and needle‐like crystals, while D‐P showed a homogeneous globular structure covered with fine crystals. The order of the weight percentage of major elemental constituents of D‐P group was oxygen, calcium, phosphorus, zirconium, barium, carbon, silicon, and sulfur. Incremental placement, drying each increment, and exposing CEM to PBS/tissue fluids result in a faster set and more tolerant cement with a more uniform microstructure. The formation of hydroxyapatite can occur on the surface of the set cement.
A Coinfection Model of Bacterial Meningitis and Hepatitis B Diseases With Optimal Control and Cost‐Effectiveness Analysis
Authors: Belay Malede Atnaw , Okelo Jeconia Abonyo , Theuri David Mwangi , Alemneh Haileyesus Tessema , Alemu Negesse Yizengaw
Published: January 2025

In this work, a compartmental model for the coinfection of bacterial meningitis and Hepatitis B was formulated and analyzed. The most sensitive parameters were identified, including the contact rates for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and bacterial meningitis, the progression rate of bacterial meningitis, and the recruitment rate. Based on the results of the sensitivity analysis, the system was extended into an optimal control model by incorporating four intervention strategies: bacterial meningitis prevention, Hepatitis B vaccination for susceptible individuals, and treatments for individuals infected with bacterial meningitis, those with chronic Hepatitis B, and those who are coinfected. The controls are characterized using Pontryagin’s maximum principle. The optimality system is simulated using the forward–backward sweep Runge–Kutta scheme. Subsequently, the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) analysis method is applied to determine the most cost‐effective strategy. The results indicate that combining bacterial meningitis prevention efforts with Hepatitis B vaccination represents the most cost‐effective intervention.
Evaluation of a Luminex‐Based Multiplex Immunoassay of Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses in Senegal
Authors: Sankhe Safietou , Diarra Maryam , Barry Mamadou Aliou , Faye Martin , Talla Cheikh , Camara Diogop , Mbanne Maimouna , Sembene Pape Mbacke , Sall Amadou Alpha , Fall Gamou , Faye Oumar , Loucoubar Cheikh , Faye Ousmane , Vigan-Womas Ines , Ricks Keersten Michelle , Radzio-Basu Jessica , Diagne Moussa Moise
Published: January 2025

Given the growing threat posed by viral hemorrhagic fevers, the development of surveillance tools is crucial to provide accurate and rapid solutions. Public health response involves risk assessment as well as effective and sustainable surveillance to ensure downstream communication and preparedness. A serological approach that offers high precision and throughput, cost efficiency, and multiplexing capacity is critical. In this work, we evaluated a Luminex‐based multiplex microsphere immunoassay for five hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) among the World Health Organization (WHO) blueprint. This five‐plex MagPix immunoassay confirmed the presence of Rift Valley fever and Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, but also revealed the exposure of human populations to hantaviruses in Senegal, underscoring the importance of regular serosurveillance in the identification of HFV hotspots.
MYC and HSF1 Cooperate to Drive Sensitivity to Polo-like Kinase 1 Inhibitor Volasertib in High-grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Williams Imade , O’Malley Matthew , DeHart Haddie , Walker Bobby , Ulhaskumar Vrushabh , Jothirajah Pranav , Ray Haimanti , Landrum Lisa M. , Delaney Joe R. , Nephew Kenneth P. , Carpenter Richard L.
Published: January 2025

Ovarian cancer is a deadly gynecologic disease with frequent recurrence. Current treatments for patients include platinum-based therapy regimens with PARP inhibitors specific for homologous recombination–deficient high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOC). Despite initial effectiveness, patients inevitably develop disease progression as tumor cells acquire resistance. Toward the development of new therapeutic avenues, we describe a gene amplification involving both heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) and MYC, wherein these two genes are co-amplified in more than 30% of patients with HGSOC. We further found that HSF1 and MYC transcriptional activities were highly correlated with human HGSOC tumors and cell lines, suggesting that they may cooperate in the disease. CUT&RUN sequencing for HSF1 and MYC revealed overlapping HSF1 and MYC binding throughout the genome. Moreover, the binding peaks of both transcription factors in HGSOC cells were nearly identical, and a protein–protein interaction between HSF1 and MYC was detected, supporting molecular cooperation. Supporting a functional cooperation of these two transcription factors, the growth of HGSOC cells with the co-amplification was dependent on both HSF1 and MYC. To identify a therapeutic target that could take advantage of this unique HSF1 and MYC dependency, polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) was correlated with HSF1 and MYC in HGSOC specimens. Targeting PLK1 with volasertib revealed a greater than 200-fold increased potency in HSF1–MYC co-amplified HGSOC cells compared with those with wild-type HSF1 and MYC copy numbers. Although the success of volasertib and other PLK1 inhibitors in clinical trials has been modest, the current study suggests that targeting PLK1 using a precision medicine approach based on HSF1–MYC co-amplification as a biomarker in HGSOC would improve therapy response and patient outcomes.

Significance:

We show that HSF1 and MYC genes are co-amplified in more than 30% of HGSOC and demonstrate that HSF1 and MYC functionally cooperate to drive the growth of HGSOC cells. This work provides the foundation for HSF1 and MYC co-amplification as a biomarker for treatment efficacy of the polo-like kinase 1 inhibitor volasertib in HGSOC.
A Melanoma Brain Metastasis CTC Signature and CTC:B-cell Clusters Associate with Secondary Liver Metastasis: A Melanoma Brain–Liver Metastasis Axis
Authors: Bowley Tetiana Y. , Ortiz Mireya C. , Lagutina Irina V. , Steinkamp Mara P. , Fahy Bridget N. , Tawfik Bernard , Harari-Turquie Moises , Marchetti Dario
Published: January 2025

Melanoma brain metastasis is linked to dismal prognosis and low overall survival and is detected in up to 80% of patients at autopsy. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are the smallest functional units of cancer and precursors of fatal metastasis. We previously used an unbiased multilevel approach to discover a unique ribosomal protein large/small subunit (RPL/RPS) CTC gene signature associated with melanoma brain metastasis. In this study, we hypothesized that CTC-driven melanoma brain metastasis secondary metastasis (“metastasis of metastasis” per clinical scenarios) has targeted organ specificity for the liver. We injected parallel cohorts of immunodeficient and newly developed humanized NBSGW (huNBSGW) mice with cells from CTC-derived melanoma brain metastasis to identify secondary metastatic patterns. We found the presence of a melanoma brain–liver metastasis axis in huNBSGW mice. Furthermore, RNA sequencing analysis of tissues showed a significant upregulation of the RPL/RPS CTC gene signature linked to metastatic spread to the liver. Additional RNA sequencing of CTCs from huNBSGW blood revealed extensive CTC clustering with human B cells in these mice. CTC:B-cell clusters were also upregulated in the blood of patients with primary melanoma and maintained either in CTC-driven melanoma brain metastasis or melanoma brain metastasis CTC–derived cells promoting liver metastasis. CTC-generated tumor tissues were interrogated at single-cell gene and protein expression levels (10x Genomics Xenium and HALO spatial biology platforms, respectively). Collectively, our findings suggest that heterotypic CTC:B-cell interactions can be critical at multiple stages of metastasis.

Significance:

This study provides important insights into the relevance of prometastatic CTC:B-cell clusters in melanoma progression, extends the importance of the CTC RPL/RPS gene signature beyond primary metastasis/melanoma brain metastasis driving targeted organ specificity for liver metastasis (“metastasis of metastasis”), and identifies new targets for clinical melanoma metastasis therapies.