bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence‐Based Medicine in Otolaryngology Part 15: Introduction to Peer Review—A Framework for Clinicians
Authors: Morcos Mary , Aguilar Erika Celis , Zhou Allen , Ahanotu Adaobi , Teng Stephanie , Randolph Gregory W. , Schmalbach Cecelia E. , Shin Jennifer J.
Published: December 2024

Peer review is an essential cornerstone of scientific advancement. This process involves understanding study design, data analytics, and interpretation of the evidence. For clinicians who are performing their initial peer reviews, and even for seasoned reviewers who assess complex manuscripts, it can be helpful to have a standard approach. We therefore provide a conceptual framework for peer review which builds upon experiences that are already familiar to trainees and practicing clinicians, by drawing parallels between patient encounters and peer review. This framework has been used in successive years as a didactic tool for our trainees who are being mentored toward excellence in peer review.
Perinatal Outcomes in Appropriately Grown Monochorionic Diamniotic Twins With Intermittent Absent and Reversed End‐Diastolic Umbilical Artery Flow Compared to Selective Fetal Growth Restriction Type III
Authors: Schlant Elizabeth , Birk Abby , Baschat Ahmet , Kush Michelle , Goodman Lindsey , Olson Sarah , Voegtline Kristin , Miller Jena , Rosner Mara
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Umbilical artery Doppler intermittent absent and reversed end‐diastolic flow (iAREDF) is associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality in monochorionic twins with selective fetal growth restriction. The clinical significance of umbilical artery iAREDF in appropriately grown monochorionic twins is not well described.

Methods

This is a single‐institution retrospective cohort study describing characteristics and outcomes of monochorionic diamniotic twins with appropriate for gestational age growth and umbilical artery iAREDF in comparison to monochorionic diamniotic twins with selective fetal growth restriction and iAREDF, or sFGR type III. The cohorts were compared for antenatal resolution of iAREDF, estimated gestational age at delivery, fetal and maternal complications, delivery characteristics, and survival outcomes.

Results

Ten appropriately grown monochorionic diamniotic twin pairs with umbilical artery iAREDF and 23 with sFGR Type III delivered at a mean gestational age of 30.4 (± 5) weeks and 30.7 (± 4) weeks, respectively (p = 0.93). No significant differences were observed in the Doppler course (deterioration or improvement) prior to delivery, fetal or maternal complications, delivery characteristics (with the exception of the persistence of the growth differences), or survival outcomes between groups.

Conclusions

Monochorionic diamniotic twins with intermittent absent and reversed end‐diastolic umbilical artery velocity may be at increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes even if criteria for selective fetal growth restriction are not met.
Mechanical and antimicrobial properties of green and photoactive AgTiO2/poly(3hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) electrospun membranes
Authors: Ladhari Safa , Vu Nhu‐Nang , Saidi Alireza , Assadi Amine Aymen , Nguyen‐Tri Phuong
Published: December 2024

The rise of antibiotic‐resistant microbes and concerns over non‐biodegradable waste highlight the need for innovative materials with integrated functionalities that address these critical issues. In this study, we synthesized poly(3hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) electrospun nanofibers blended with gelatin (Ge) and loaded with photoactive AgTiO2 nanoparticles with improved mechanical and biological properties. Biological tests revealed excellent antibacterial activity of the prepared membrane, with efficiency exceeding 99% against Escherichia coli and 95% against Staphylococcus epidermidis after 90 and 60 min of exposure to low‐power commercial LED lights, respectively. Filtration studies using a dead‐end stainless‐steel cell reveal that both bacteria are eliminated (>99% after one filtration cycle). Results of the viability test showed that blending PHB with Ge improves the membrane's anti‐biofouling properties. The membranes were also characterized using SEM and EDX mapping techniques for morphological and elemental analysis, DSC and TGA to evaluate thermal properties and crystallinity, and FTIR to confirm chemical structure. Moreover, the electrospun membranes exhibited enhanced mechanical properties with the addition of Ge. PHB/Ge/3 wt% AgTiO2 sample showed 2.2 times better tensile strength and 1.89 times improved Young's modulus compared to PHB membranes. Finally, the breakdown of PHB/Ge/AgTiO2 membranes occurred progressively over only 8 weeks, showing the membranes' green and sustainable nature.

Highlights

Antibacterial efficacy of 99% against E. coli and 95% against S. epidermidis.

Microfiltration efficiency >99% achieved in one filtration cycle.

Mechanical strength is enhanced by 2.2 times with the addition of gelatin.

Effective anti‐biofouling is confirmed by CLSM and SEM tests.

Membranes degraded within 8 weeks in natural soil.
Intergenerational Transmission and Age Differences of Education Anxiety Among Children and Adolescents
Authors: Zhang Ke , Ding Kezhu , Yu Zhanyu
Published: December 2024

This study examined 1337 children or adolescents from various educational stages (primary, junior, and senior high school levels) along with their parents. First, we examined the effects of parental education anxiety, children's academic anxiety, children's self‐academic achievement expectation, and parental self‐blame on the progression of children and adolescents. Moreover, we investigated the interactions between parental education anxiety and children's academic anxiety. Additionally, the potential mediating influences exerted by children's self‐academic achievement expectation and parental self‐blame were explored within distinct phases of childhood and adolescence. The results showed that: (1) As children and adolescents grow older, their academic anxiety levels tend to rise. In comparison to primary school students, junior high school students exhibited higher self‐academic achievement expectation, whereas senior high school students showed diminished ones; (2) Parental education anxiety was a significant predictor of their children's academic anxiety; (3) The transmission of education anxiety across generations was influenced by the mediating role of children's self‐academic achievement expectation; (4) The mediating impact of children's self‐academic achievement expectation was significant in junior and senior high school, while its significance was not observed in primary school; (5) The intergenerational transmission of education anxiety was mediated through parental self‐blame; (6) The mediating effect of parental self‐blame was noteworthy in primary and junior high school, but the latter half path of parental self‐blame did not attain significance in senior high school. This results verified the intergenerational transmission of education anxiety, affirming the substantial positive predictive link between parental education anxiety and children's academic anxiety. Notably, children's self‐academic achievement expectation emerged as mediators during junior and senior high school, whereas parental self‐blame played a mediating role during primary and junior high school.
Study on the Crystallization Behavior of Polyether Ether Ketone Thin Films Under Thermal Annealing
Authors: Bai Yun , Wang Min , Shen Zhibang , Xu Chunwei , Liu Changhui , Yang Yunyun , Zhou Hao , Chen Yu
Published: December 2024

Due to its excellent biocompatibility, high‐temperature resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, radiation resistance, and ease of processing and shaping, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) has been widely used in the field of oral medicine. In this study, we conducted an in‐depth investigation of the thermal annealing process of PEEK films at different temperatures. The grazing incidence wide‐angle x‐ray scattering (GIWAXS) results indicate that the PEEK molecular chains tend to align in an edge‐on orientation in the film, and annealing at different temperatures leads to the formation of two crystalline phases, A and B, with a spacing of 4.46 Å for (200) A and 4.69 Å for (200) B. The crystallization behavior during the annealing process was characterized using in situ GIWAXS, revealing an increase in the film's crystallinity in the early stages of annealing. Due to enhanced polymer chains mobility, the B phase is formed. However, during annealing at 200°C, the intensity of the (200) B peak initially increases and then decreases, indicating the instability of the B phase, which can be disrupted by excessive molecular mobility. Mechanical property characterization results demonstrate that as the annealing temperature increases, the film's elongation at break and modulus decrease.
Nasal High‐Flow Therapy Versus Low‐Flow Oxygen Therapy Post‐Discharge in Infants With Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Mariani Alessia , Ghezzi Elisabetta , Pesenti Nicola , Ophorst Marijike , Polimeni Valentina , Gangi Silvana , Colnaghi Mariarosa , Mosca Fabio , Lavizzari Anna
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Low‐flow oxygen therapy (LFOT) has been the only option for infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) requiring supplemental oxygen after discharge for years. Nasal high‐flow therapy (NHFT) has more recently become available as a home device. We compared the impact of NHFT and LFOT on respiratory morbidity and lung function over the first 4 years in infants with BPD requiring respiratory support post‐discharge.

Method

We retrospectively analyzed data on respiratory morbidity and lung function assessed by tidal breathing flow‐volume loop (TBFVL) analysis available from follow‐up visits of infants with BPD discharged home with LFOT or NHFT up to 4 years. We compared long‐term respiratory outcomes by applying a mixed model, adjusting for mechanical ventilation, overall respiratory support duration, pulmonary hypertension, oxygen therapy, caffeine therapy, and smoking exposure.

Results

We included 26 infants discharged with LFOT and 47 with NHFT. The two groups were homogeneous for baseline demographics and BPD severity. Infants in the NHFT group were weaned from respiratory support earlier compared to the LFOT group (median [IQR] 8.0 [4.0; 12.0] vs 14.5 [6.0; 21.5] months, p 0.046). After applying a mixed model, the NHFT group showed a lower incidence of upper (p = 0.025) and lower respiratory tract infections (p = 0.003), wheezing (p: 0.001), and need for bronchodilator (p = 0.028) and systemic steroids (p < 0.001) during the initial 4 years. Lung function testing did not highlight between‐group differences.

Conclusions

NHFT as an alternative to LFOT may positively impact long‐term clinical outcomes of infants with BPD requiring noninvasive respiratory support post‐discharge.
Environmental Performance and SDGs: How Do Income Disparity, Urbanization, Resource Consumption, and Female Employers Affect the Ecological Footprint in Emerging Economies?
Authors: Zheng Li , Zaman Shah , Zaman Qamar Uz , Zhao Yuhuan , Iqbal Shahid
Published: December 2024

The significance of environmental deterioration as a pressing issue has led to its prominence in global discussions on strategies for prevention. It can be asserted that there exists a universal agreement that the enhancement of environmental quality is imperative for the promotion of sustainable development and societal well‐being, especially in emerging economies. In this perspective, the present research uses panel data of the E7 economies from 1992 to 2021 to assess the effects of income disparity, urbanization, resources consumption (nonrenewable and renewable energy consumption), and women employers on ecological footprint. This study employs second‐generation empirical techniques such as CIPS and CADF unit root tests, Westerlund bootstrap cointegration, and DFE/MG/PMG‐ARDL models to check the relationships between the studied variables. The empirical findings of this study reveal that in the E7 countries, the ecological footprint is increased with an increased income disparity and nonrenewable energy consumption. On the other hand, urbanization, renewable energy consumption, and female employers help reduce the ecological footprint. Additionally, the results of the causality measure under the Dumitrescu and Hurlin test unveil bidirectional causality between all the independent variables except nonrenewable energy and ecological footprint. From the policy perspective, the selected countries must implement policies that promote equitable income distribution, planned urbanization to promote compact cities, efficient transportation systems, and green infrastructure, and provide opportunities for women to attain higher positions in organizations, particularly at the managerial and decision‐making levels in order to address the adverse environmental consequences in emerging economies.
Edge‐Induced Synergy of Ni‐Ni Defects in NiFe Layered‐Double‐Hydroxide for Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation Reaction
Authors: Zhang Rongrong , Wu Qilong , Han Yun , Zhang Yaowen , Wu Xiaofeng , Zeng Jianrong , Huang Keke , Du Aijun , Chen Jun , Zhou Dong , Yao Xiangdong
Published: December 2024

Defect engineering is widely regarded as a promising strategy to enhance the performance of electrocatalysts for water splitting. In this work, defective NiFe layered double hydroxide (NiFe LDH) with a high density of edge sites (edge‐rich NiFe LDH) is synthesized via a simple reduction process during the early stages of nucleation. The introduction of edges into oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts modulates the electronic structure of the active sites. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analyses revealed that the edges facilitated the formation of unsaturated Ni‐Ni coordination, which is crucial for promoting the deprotonation of the OH* intermediate. Consequently, the edge‐rich NiFe LDH exhibited a significantly lower overpotential of 228 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm⁻2, compared to 275 mV for pristine NiFe LDH. The assembled membrane electrode can reach a current density of 1000 mA cm⁻2 at a cell voltage of 2.5 V. This study highlights the role of edge effects in defect engineering to enhance OER activity and provides valuable theoretical insights for the design of efficient electrocatalysts.
Surface p‐Type Self‐Doping Facilitating the Enhanced Performance of Air‐Processed Carbon‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Tong Zhensang , Sang Kaihang , Zhou Huanyi , Wu Dongqi , Zhao Suxin , Zhang Junfang , Yang Ye , Pang Qi , Guan Anxiang , Zhou Liya , Cheng Hanchi , Chen Peican
Published: December 2024

The fabrication of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in the ambient environment offers considerable promise for practical applications, yet it also poses considerable challenges. Water is known to cause structural deterioration, which has a negative effect on the stability and efficiency of perovskite‐based devices. The presence of defects is believed to provide pathways for water infiltration into the perovskite. Therefore, one important strategy for avoiding perovskite hydration is the passivation of perovskite defects. Herein, a simple antisolvent additive engineering approach is employed. By adding the additive with functional groups of CO, NH2, and CF3 to the antisolvent ethyl acetate, the defects in the perovskite thin film are successfully reduced and significantly mitigated the possibility of H2O infiltrating the perovskite lattice through the defects. Additionally, the addition of methyl 2‐amino‐4‐(trifluoromethyl)benzoate results in a p‐type self‐doping effect at the interface of the perovskite film, thereby improving hole extraction and transport. The power conversion efficiency of hole‐transport layer‐free carbon‐based PSCs fabricated in ambient air conditions is 19.17% (0.04 cm2) and 17.78% (1 cm2), respectively. Moreover, the optimized unencapsulated devices retain 90.6% of their original efficiency after being kept for 1200 h in conditions of 70% relative humidity.
Explaining Microservices' Cascading Failures From Their Logs
Authors: Soldani Jacopo , Forti Stefano , Roveroni Luca , Brogi Antonio
Published: December 2024

Context

Identifying the possible root causes of observed failures is crucial in microservice applications, as much as explaining how such possible root failures propagated across the microservices forming an application. This can indeed help pick countermeasures avoiding observed failures to happen again, e.g., by introducing circuit breakers or bulkheads avoiding the root failures to propagate and cause those observed.

Objective

This paper aims at enabling to explain observed failures in microservice applications, either searching for all possible cascading failures or focusing only on those starting in a known root cause.

Method

We propose a log‐based root cause analysis technique, which declaratively determines the cascading failures that possibly caused an observed failure. We also enable exploiting our proposed technique in practice, by introducing a logging methodology to instrument applications to log their failures and service interactions, and by enabling to analyse such logs through yRCA, a prototype implementation of our proposed root cause analysis technique.

Results

The practical usability of our proposed technique is assessed by means of a case study and controlled experiments. The case study shows the low effort for instrumenting a third‐party application to produce the logs needed by our technique and its effectiveness in explaining injected failures. The controlled experiments further assess our technique's effectiveness and performances in explaining failures obtained with an existing chaos testbed.

Conclusion

Our proposed technique can help to identify the cascading failures that possibly caused an observed failure in a microservice application. It can be used to determine all possible cascading failures, or to explain how cascading failures propagated from a known root cause (e.g., identified with some other existing root cause analyser).
A Comprehensive Review of Analytical Methods on Everolimus: A Basis for Cleaning Residue Quantitation
Authors: Gohel Jagdish , Kotadiya Rajendra
Published: December 2024

The development and validation of analytical methods for assessing cleaning residues are essential for pharmaceutical manufacturing, particularly to meet the maximum allowable carryover limits through precise detection and quantification of residues. This review explores various analytical techniques for quantifying Everolimus residues, including spectrophotometric, chromatographic hyphenated, and advanced miscellaneous methods, each evaluated for sensitivity, specificity, and applicability. The hyphenated techniques, accounting for 65% of reported methods, are favored for their superior trace‐level sensitivity, while chromatographic methods (25%) are valued for robustness and precision. By providing a comparative analysis of each technique's strengths and limitations, this review serves as a practical guide for selecting the most appropriate analytical approach to cleaning validation. The insights offered support the establishment of acceptance criteria, guide sampling method selection, and contribute to optimizing cleaning processes, ultimately helping manufacturers ensure regulatory compliance and reduce cross‐contamination risks. This review thus acts as a foundational resource for improving cleaning validation practices and aligning analytical method selection with industry standards to safeguard product integrity and patient safety.
Why create a new protocol or a new consensus in the ultrasound diagnosis of endometriosis?
Authors: Guerriero S. , Alcázar J. L. , Oyarce H. , Timmerman D. , Hudelist G. , Condous G.
Published: December 2024

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Deslandes and Leonardi. Click here to view the article.
Introduction
Authors: Beaumont Caitríona , Colpus Eve , Davidson Ruth
Published: December 2024

Everyday Welfare in Modern British History addresses forms of action and activism used by individuals and groups who undertake the work of experiential expertise in relation to welfare cultures. In this Introduction we conceive of “experiential experts” as individuals whose action and activism have been catalysed by their personal experiences and knowledge. These individuals have asserted an expert witness status in welfare practice and sought out new forums to expand the scope, inclusivity and applicability of welfare services. We utilise Robert Pinker’s idea of “a state of welfare” as the springboard to re-conceptualise the history of everyday welfare in twentieth-century Britain. In doing so, we engage anew with what Pinker argued was the need to consider welfare through the lens of people “faring well”. Building on this intervention the chapters in the book offer routes into examining ways people identified with how to live a life where they “far[ed] well”, contested models of “faring well” that were applied to them through formal welfare provision and protested perceived injustices around what it meant to “fare well”.
Communities of Care: Working-Class Women’s Welfare Activism, 1920–1970s
Authors: Davidson Ruth
Published: December 2024

This chapter examines working-class women’s relationship to welfare and how their ongoing experiences of poverty and dependency have led them to challenge welfare regimes through activism underpinned by claims to experiential expertise. Drawing on the concept of “communities of experience” it will explore how the situated reality of care can build shared social knowledge across working-class women which creates a specific type of community of experience, a community of care. It will draw on three distinct case studies which each exemplify the consequences for working-class women of the inadequacy of social supports at different chronological moments. They will explore the lived experience of how the classed and gendered nature of caregiving undercut women’s citizenship. But will argue that this lived experience allowed women, often marginal to the political and policy processes, some measure of experiential expertise. It will trace how working-class women used this to challenge vested interests, whilst also assessing the limitations of this form of expertise. Overall, this chapter seeks to evidence empirically these complicated, messy, but also important, new ways of exploring histories of experience by recounting the history of working-class women and welfare in twentieth-century Britain.
The “Housewife as Expert”: Re-thinking the Experiential Expertise and Welfare Activism of Housewives’ Associations in England, 1960–1980
Authors: Beaumont Caitríona
Published: December 2024

This chapter contests long-held assumptions that housewives lost status as experiential experts in the wake of the Second World War and with the coming of the British welfare state. It has been argued that from the 1960s housewives no longer influenced policy debates or engaged in effective activism. Indeed, by the 1970s housewives were more likely to be portrayed as beleaguered and subservient than as experts and activists. Drawing on the idea that experiential expertise emerges from “communities of experience”, which in turn enables activism, this chapter offers an original and alternative viewpoint. Instead of fading into the background during the 1960s and 1970s housewives’ associations became even more outspoken about the right of wives and mothers to “fare well”. The chapter highlights the success of their activism but also considers its limitations by asking whose experience and expertise were foregrounded. Re-conceptualising the expertise and activism of housewives’ associations during these years challenges the demise of the “housewife as expert” construct. It reveals for the first time the impact housewives’ associations had on welfare policy and offers a new analysis of the women’s movement during these two transformative decades.
Justifying Experience, Changing Expertise: From Protest to Authenticity in Anglophone “Mad Voices” in the Mid-Twentieth Century
Authors: Millard Chris
Published: December 2024

Between the 1960s and 1980s, many accounts written in English by people who had been inmates in asylums and psychiatric hospitals were republished, or newly commented-upon, creating a canon of English-speaking historical “mad voices”. Insofar as this canon was limited to those who had been institutionalised, it stretched back to the end of the eighteenth century. From at least the 1830s, changes emerged in the justifications given by the authors for writing and publishing these accounts. Before this time they are predominantly published by those who never accept that they are mad and focus on the injustice of their confinement. By the 1960s, there is an established sense that the authenticity of the madness narrated is a key (although ambivalent) part of the value of publication. This chapter focuses on the “paratextual” elements of the various accounts—principally the “acknowledgements”, “preface” and “foreword”—as writing positioned outside the main story, but central to justifying it. The aim is to bring these different justifications to the fore and to argue that we should maintain distance between accounts that are justified in radically different ways, and contain radically different authorial assumptions about their content and potential value.
Intersphinktäre Resektion zum Schließmuskelerhalt beim ultratiefen Rektumkarzinom – Ein Update
Authors: Kneist Werner
Published: December 2024

Die Indikation zum Sphinktererhalt bei Patienten mit einem sehr tief sitzenden Rektumkarzinom ist in vielerlei Hinsicht eine Herausforderung und auch an die Beherrschung der intersphinktären Resektion gebunden. In dieser Arbeit sollen die zunehmend definierten Operationstechniken kurz vorgestellt und aktuell eingeordnet werden.
Ulzera und diabetischer Fuß
Authors: Tanasov Andrei , Nwabudike Lawrence Chukwudi , Tiplica George-Sorin
Published: December 2024

Die Komplexität des diabetischen Fußes resultiert aus komplexen pathophysiologischen Mechanismen, verschiedenen klinischen Erscheinungsformen, schweren Komplikationen mit erheblichen Beeinträchtigungen der Lebensqualität und dem Bedarf an speziellen, individualisierten Behandlungen. Insbesondere im Fall von diabetischen Fußgeschwüren sind klassische Therapien nicht immer effektiv, daher werden neue Behandlungsstrategien benötigt. Die vorliegende Übersicht zielt darauf ab, alternative Therapien mit aktuellen Wirksamkeitsdaten für diabetische Fußgeschwüre vorzustellen, die geeignete Optionen bei refraktären Geschwüren sein könnten. Plättchenreiches Plasma und Stammzellen haben eine regenerative und entzündungshemmende Wirkung und zeigen gute Ergebnisse bei der Behandlung von diabetischen Geschwüren, während die Ozontherapie die lokale Durchblutung und den Antioxidationsstatus verbessert. Tragbare Geräte könnten entscheidend für die langfristige Überwachung von Patienten mit diabetischem Fuß werden, da sie die Identifizierung von Geschwüren oder Infektionen frühzeitig ermöglichen. Es gibt auch Literaturberichte über alternative Behandlungen (Madenbehandlung, Honigverbände, Akupunktur), die erfolgreich bei refraktären Geschwüren eingesetzt wurden und aufzeigen, wie vielfältig das Management des diabetischen Fußes sein kann.
Secondary size distributions for single drop impacts at high wall superheat
Authors: Werner Ryan , Mayhew Eric , Kim Kenneth , Chol-Bum Kweon , Michael James B.
Published: December 2024

The impingement of liquid sprays on hot walls is used extensively in both spray-cooling systems and in combustor fuel injection applications. At low and moderate wall temperatures, the secondary size distributions have been reported in the literature. For high wall superheat conditions, particularly for real multicomponent fuels, this secondary size distribution has received less attention. Understanding the resultant size distribution for a spray-wall impact is key to capturing vaporization and local mixture for fuel-spray impingement. In this study, single drop impacts for a range of single-component (n-decane) and multicomponent jet fuel (F-24) are characterized through dual-view imaging. Secondary droplets are captured for impact Weber numbers of 100–600 and wall temperatures spanning the nucleate and film boiling (Leidenfrost) regimes. Imaging through a transparent sapphire substrate is used to capture the impact phenomena and impact-induced breakup of impacting drops. We report empirical correlations for the secondary droplet size for single-component (n-decane) and multicomponent (F-24) liquid fuels with varying wall temperature to provide validation datasets for spray-wall simulations.
Asynchronous parallel reinforcement learning for optimizing propulsive performance in fin ray control
Authors: Liu Xin-Yang , Bodaghi Dariush , Xue Qian , Zheng Xudong , Wang Jian-Xun
Published: December 2024

Fish fin rays constitute a sophisticated control system for ray-finned fish, facilitating versatile locomotion within complex fluid environments. Despite extensive research on the kinematics and hydrodynamics of fish locomotion, the intricate control strategies in fin-ray actuation remain largely unexplored. While deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has demonstrated potential in managing complex nonlinear dynamics; its trial-and-error nature limits its application to problems involving computationally demanding environmental interactions. This study introduces a cutting-edge off-policy DRL algorithm, interacting with a fluid–structure interaction (FSI) environment to acquire intricate fin-ray control strategies tailored for various propulsive performance objectives. To enhance training efficiency and enable scalable parallelism, an innovative asynchronous parallel training (APT) strategy is proposed, which fully decouples FSI environment interactions and policy/value network optimization. The results demonstrated the success of the proposed method in discovering optimal complex policies for fin-ray actuation control, resulting in a superior propulsive performance compared to the optimal sinusoidal actuation function identified through a parametric grid search. The merit and effectiveness of the APT approach are also showcased through comprehensive comparison with conventional DRL training strategies in numerical experiments of controlling nonlinear dynamics.
Seismic evidence for fluid migration on the outer Chukchi Shelf, Arctic Ocean
Authors: Lehmann Carsten , Jokat Wilfried , Coakley Bernard
Published: December 2024

Methane released from shelf regions is considered to be an important contributor to climate change. Knowledge of potential emissions from specific regions is therefore critical for estimating expected climate change. To this end, we use multichannel seismic data acquired in 2011 to image the subsurface and identify upwelling gas migration structures along the outer Chukchi Shelf in the Arctic Ocean. We examine the upper 2500 ms TWT of sediments for distinct sedimentary structures and anomalous seismic velocities. The data show a wide distribution of bright spots as a consequence of the fluid migration from deeper sources throughout the study area. However, no bottom simulating reflector is identified in the study area to indicate the base of a likely gas hydrate zone. Furthermore, high seismic velocities and strong ground reflectors are not observed, suggesting an absence of submarine permafrost from the outer Chukchi Shelf.
Predictors of quality of life and resilience in patients with ovarian cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Schilling Larissa , Toussaint Anne , Weigel Angelika , Lewitz Dorothea , Aust Golo , Töllner Jeanne , Oskay-Özcelik Gülten , Hasenburg Annette , Löwe Bernd , Schmalfeldt Barbara
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the psychosocial burdens of patients with ovarian cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Ovarian cancer patients answered a quantitative survey assessing their resilience (BRS) and quality of life (FACT-G7) as well as clinical (first- vs. ≥ second-line treatment), demographic (age < 65 vs. ≥ 65 years) and COVID-19 pandemic-related psychosocial impairment, i.e. anxiety (GAD7); depression (PHQ2); global physical, mental, and social health (PROMIS items). Analyses of variance were applied to compare psychological impairment between patients on first- vs. ≥ second-line treatment and between patients aged < vs. ≥ 65 years at start of treatment. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate predictors of patients' resilience and quality of life based on demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables.

Results

Most of the 93 patients rated their physical and mental health, and satisfaction with social activities as good. Eighty-seven (91.4%) were somewhat or very concerned about the pandemic. Patients on first-line therapy reported a better quality of life (p = 0.03) and better general health (p = 0.014) than those on at least second-line therapy. Patients < 65 years old reported significantly more concern about the pandemic than older patients (p = 0.008). Predictors of resilience were severity of anxiety (GAD-7) and mental health. Predictors of quality of life were general health, severity of depression (PHQ-2), and type of therapy.

Conclusions

Patients in first line of treatment and younger patients could benefit from support in coping with pandemic-related burdens, meaning that attention should be paid to potential psychological distress, which should be treated alongside the cancer.
Gender bias detection on hate speech classification: an analysis at feature-level
Authors: Nascimento Francimaria R. S. , Cavalcanti George D. C. , Costa-Abreu Marjory Da
Published: December 2024

Hate speech is a growing problem on social media due to the larger volume of content being shared. Recent works demonstrated the usefulness of distinct machine learning algorithms combined with natural language processing techniques to detect hateful content. However, when not constructed with the necessary care, learning models can magnify discriminatory behaviour and lead the model to incorrectly associate comments with specific identity terms (e.g., woman, black, and gay) with a particular class, such as hate speech. Moreover, some specific characteristics should be considered in the test set when evaluating the presence of bias, considering that the test set can follow the same biased distribution of the training set and compromise the results obtained by the bias metrics. This work argues that considering the potential bias in hate speech detection is needed and focuses on developing an intelligent system to address these limitations. Firstly, we proposed a comprehensive, unbiased dataset to unintended gender bias evaluation. Secondly, we propose a framework to help analyse bias from feature extraction techniques. Then, we evaluate several state-of-the-art feature extraction techniques, specifically focusing on the bias towards identity terms. We consider six feature extraction techniques, including TF, TF-IDF, FastText, GloVe, BERT, and RoBERTa, and six classifiers, LR, DT, SVM, XGB, MLP, and RF. The experimental study across hate speech datasets and a range of classification and unintended bias metrics demonstrates that the choice of the feature extraction technique can impact the bias on predictions, and its effectiveness can depend on the dataset analysed. For instance, combining TF and TF-IDF with DT and MLP resulted in higher bias, while BERT and RoBERTa showed lower bias with the same classifier for the HE and WH datasets. The proposed dataset and source code will be publicly available when the paper is published.
Age-related genomic alterations and chemotherapy sensitivity in osteosarcoma: insights from cancer genome profiling analyses
Authors: Outani Hidetatsu , Ikegami Masachika , Imura Yoshinori , Nakai Sho , Takami Haruna , Kotani Yuki , Inoue Akitomo , Okada Seiji
Published: December 2024

Background

Osteosarcoma, the most common primary bone malignancy, has a complex genetic basis and two incidence peaks. In younger patients, the standard treatment involves wide surgical resection combined with adjuvant chemotherapy; however, the role of chemotherapy in elderly patients remains controversial. The aims of this study were to investigate genetic differences between younger and elderly patients with osteosarcoma and to identify genetic signatures associated with chemotherapy response.

Methods

Genetic alterations were analyzed using cancer genome profiling data for 204 patients with osteosarcoma obtained from the Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics.

Results

The mutation spectrum was consistent with previous results for osteosarcoma. CCNE1, MCL1, MYC, and RB1 alterations were significantly associated with a younger age, while CDK4, CDKN2A, CDKN2B, H3F3A, KMT2D, MDM2, RAC1, and SETD2 alterations were significantly associated with an older age. Age, unsupervised clustering of gene alterations, and MYC amplifications were significantly associated with the response to ifosfamide. Notably, both clustered mutation signatures and MYC amplification were correlated with age.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that distinct oncogenic mechanisms contribute to differential sensitivity to chemotherapy in younger and elderly patients. Cancer genome profiling may aid in chemotherapy selection, and its early implementation is recommended to optimize treatment strategies.
Unravelling the art of developing skilled communication: a longitudinal qualitative research study in general practice training
Authors: Verheijden Michelle , Timmerman Angelique , de Buck Dorien , de Bruin Anique , van den Eertwegh Valerie , van Dulmen Sandra , Essers Geurt T. J. M. , van der Vleuten Cees , Giroldi Esther
Published: December 2024

Doctor-patient communication is a core competency in medical education, which requires learners to adapt their communication flexibly to each clinical encounter. Although conceptual learning models exist, information about how skilled communication develops over time is scant. This study aims to unpack this process of communication learning and to identify its facilitators. We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study employing a constructivist grounded theory approach in a General Practice training setting. Over a 6-month period, we closely monitored 8 first-year and 5 third-year trainees (n = 13) by means of clinical observations, stimulated recall interviews and audio diaries. In an iterative process of data collection and analysis, we triangulated these sources across trainees (horizontal analysis) and over time (vertical analysis) to identify how themes evolved. This analysis led us to the construction of a six-stage cyclic conceptual model during which trainees: (1) have an impactful experience; (2) become aware of own communication; (3) look for alternative communication behaviours; (4) experiment with new behaviours; (5) evaluate the effectiveness; and (6) internalise the new communication behaviours. Additionally, conditions were found to support learning and reflection. Becoming a skilled communicator seems to require a continuous approach, with repeated practice and reflection to adapt and internalise communication in the clinical encounter. Consequently, we recommend that trainees be supported with tailored feedback to strengthen their communication repertoire. Ideally, they should be guided by supervisors who serve as coaches in a safe learning environment with regular, planned learning activities.
Identification of a drought stress response module in tomato plants commonly induced by fungal endophytes that confer increased drought tolerance
Authors: González Ortega-Villaizán Adrián , King Eoghan , Patel Manish K. , Rodríguez-Dobreva Estefanía , González-Teuber Marcia , Ramos Patricio , Vicente-Carbajosa Jesús , Benito Begoña , Pollmann Stephan
Published: December 2024

Global climate change exacerbates abiotic stresses, as drought, heat, and salt stresses are anticipated to increase significantly in the coming years. Plants coexist with a diverse range of microorganisms. Multiple inter-organismic relationships are known to confer benefits to plants, including growth promotion and enhanced tolerance to abiotic stresses. In this study, we investigated the mutualistic interactions between three fungal endophytes originally isolated from distinct arid environments and an agronomically relevant crop, Solanum lycopersicum. We demonstrated a significant increase in shoot biomass under drought conditions in co-cultivation with Penicillium chrysogenum isolated from Antarctica, Penicillium minioluteum isolated from the Atacama Desert, Chile, and Serendipita indica isolated from the Thar Desert, India. To elucidate plant gene modules commonly induced by the different endophytes that could explain the observed drought tolerance effect in tomato, a comprehensive transcriptomics analysis was conducted. This analysis led to the identification of a shared gene module in the fungus-infected tomato plants. Within this module, gene network analysis enabled us to identify genes related to abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, ABA transport, auxin signaling, ion homeostasis, proline biosynthesis, and jasmonic acid signaling, providing insights into the molecular basis of drought tolerance commonly mediated by fungal endophytes. Our findings highlight a conserved response in the mutualistic interactions between endophytic fungi isolated from unrelated environments and tomato roots, resulting in improved shoot biomass production under drought stress.
Designing and Validating a Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia-Specific Quality of Life Rating Scale (HSPQoL)
Authors: Siow Sue Faye , Fleming Jane , Barlow-Stewart Kristine , Wali Gautam , Kumar Kishore R. , Sue Carolyn M.
Published: December 2024

Patients with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) report reduced quality of life (QoL) compared to the general population. Generic QoL measures do not address disease-specific aspects such as spasticity, access to specialty HSP clinics, and bladder symptoms. We designed and validated a HSP-specific QoL scale (HSPQoL), intended for use in standard clinical settings and clinical trials. HSP-specific items were added to the RAND 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to form HSPQoL. Following literature review/expert input, 23 items were presented to a panel of HSP clinicians, patients, and patient representatives (n = 12) using a modified Delphi process. Items were ranked for clarity and relevance (inclusion criteria: 80% consensus). 21/23 items met the inclusion criteria. Interviews with patients (n = 5) assessed suitability, comprehension, clarity, and response options to additional items. Based on cognitive interview results, items were modified (n=4), removed (n=7), or added (n=3). Sixty-one patients completed the HSPQoL and EQ5D-5L for evaluation of construct validity and 19 patients repeated the HSPQoL for evaluation of test–retest reliability. 15/17 additional items moderately to strongly correlated with pre-existing SF-36 subscores (Spearman correlation 0.319–0.771, p < 0.05). Exploratory factor analyses showed high percentage of variance in the first component (> 45%). HSPQoL demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha 0.94), test–retest reliability (ICC 0.957), and convergent validity with EQ5D-5L (r = 0.725). In conclusion, demonstrated validity and reliability of the HSPQoL confirms consideration of its use for assessing specific QoL in individuals with HSP.
The carved monuments of La Milpa, Belize: Results of photogrammetric and epigraphic documentation
Authors: Helmke Christophe , Hammond Norman , Valdez Fred , Guderjan Thomas
Published: December 2024

La Milpa, situated in northern Belize, stands out as one of the region's largest archaeological sites, having served as the capital of an ancient Maya city-state. Its significance is indicated by extensive monumental architecture, with the epicenter covering approximately 8.8 ha. The site's corpus of monuments, comprising 23 stelae and several altars, underscores its prominence in northern Belize, rivaling the corpora of sites such as Nim li Punit and Caracol. Despite its remote location, La Milpa has garnered the attention of researchers, particularly since the first modern survey of the site in 1988. Subsequent studies—in particular, that by Nikolai Grube in the 1990s—has provided detailed analyses of the site's corpus of carved monuments. Recent efforts, including epigraphic documentation in 2019, serve to enhance our understanding of La Milpa's dynastic history through traditional epigraphic and computational photographic methods. Utilizing field observations, raking light photography, and 3D photogrammetric models, we have refined previous analyses and provide new insights into the iconography and textual segments of the monuments. Here, we present the results of these recent efforts as well as our new analyses of a selection of monuments.
Chemsex, psychische Gesundheit und internalisierte Homonegativität bei Männern, die Sex mit Männern haben
Authors: Schecke Henrike , Bohn Annette , Scherbaum Norbert , Sander Dirk , Stöver Heino , Deimel Daniel
Published: December 2024

Zusammenfassung: Zielsetzung: Chemsex bedeutet Substanzkonsum im sexuellen Kontext und ist mit Männern, die Sex mit Männern haben assoziiert. Typische Substanzen sind Methamphetamine, GHB/GBL, Ketamin und Mephedron. Chemsex ist mit psychischer Belastung assoziiert. Internalisierte Homonegativität gilt als Erklärungsansatz. Die Studie überprüft die Hypothese, ob Chemsex-Verhalten mit einem höheren Ausmaß an psychischer Belastung und internalisierter Homonegativität einhergeht und welche Rolle georeferenzierte Dating-Apps bei Chemsex-Konsumenten spielen. Methodik: Die Datenerhebung erfolgte als Onlineumfrage. Es wurden Daten zu Depressivität (PHQ-9), Somatisierung (PHQ-15) und generalisierter Angst (GAD 7) und internalisierter Homonegativität (Reaction to Homosexuality Scale) erhoben. Ergebnisse: N=280 berichteten von Chemsex (CS), N=534 konsumierten andere Substanzen im sexuellen Kontext, N= 170 konsumierten im sexuellen Kontext nicht (NSSK). Es zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede zwischen CS und NSSK bei der Somatisierung. CS wies ein signifikant geringeres Ausmaß internalisierter Homonegativität auf. CS nutzten signifikant häufiger georeferenzierte Dating-Apps. Schlussfolgerung: Internalisierte Homonegativität war unter Chemsex-Konsumenten am geringsten ausgeprägt und scheint Chemsex-Verhalten nicht zu begünstigen. Die psychische Belastung war erhöht. Möglicherweise tragen soziale Normierungsprozesse, verstärkt durch die Verwendung von Dating-Apps, zur Erklärung von Chemsex bei.