bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
App-basierte Anpassung des Cochlea-Implantats durch den Patienten
Authors: Büchner Andreas
Published: January 2025

Heute ist die Versorgung hochgradig Schwerhöriger und ertaubter Patienten mit einem Cochlea-Implantat Routine. Allein an der Medizinischen Hochschule in Hannover werden pro Jahr mehr als 500 Patienten mit einem Cochlea-Implantat (CI) versorgt, d. h. der Patienten-Pool der CI-versorgenden Zentren steigt jedes Jahr signifikant. Weltweit sind mittlerweile etwa 1 Mio. Patienten mit einem derartigen System versorgt, allein in Deutschland schätzt man die Zahl der Versorgten auf über 60.000. Es versteht sich von selbst, dass bei der großen Zahl an CI-Patienten eine zentrale jährliche Routinekontrolle für alle Patienten auf Dauer in den Implantationszentren nicht zu leisten ist. Auch möchten viele Patienten Anreisewege und Zeitaufwand reduzieren, ohne jedoch auf die Kompetenz großer Kliniken verzichten zu müssen. Zur gleichen Zeit steigt der Kostendruck durch die Krankenkassen, und es entsteht die Notwendigkeit, Behandlungen effizienter zu gestalten bei gleicher oder gar besserer Versorgungsqualität. Hier kann und wird die Telemedizin in Form von App-basierter Nachsorge in Zukunft ihren Beitrag leisten.
Effect of alloy modification on the wear protection coatings made of Ni- and Co-based materials and surface machinability via ultrasonic milling process
Authors: Willeke Maraike , Giese Marcel , Lorenz Swenja , Treutler Kai , Schröpfer Dirk , Wesling Volker , Kannengießer Thomas
Published: January 2025

Wear-resistant coatings are required for highly efficient and economical steel components in equipment, process, and power plant engineering to withstand high corrosive, tribological, thermal, and mechanical stresses. Co-alloys are used as wear-resistant coatings for steel components, tailored to the specific application. The substitutability of Co alloys with Ni-based wear protection systems, in addition to price and supply uncertainties, is facilitated by the combination of innovative welding and machining processes such as ultrasonic-assisted milling. The aim of the study is to improve the machinability of two different hard-facing alloys while maintaining the same wear protection potential. Therefore, the wear-resistant alloys NiMoCrSi (Colmonoy C56) and CoMnCrSi (Tribaloy T400) were modified by the alloying additions Nb, Hf, and Ti and then applied to a carbon-manganese steel S355 using the plasma transfer arc (PTA) welding process. The influence of the alloying additions on the microstructure as well as on the formation of the hard phases of the build-up welds is compared. For example, the inclusion of the alloying element Nb results in the formation of a more refined hard phase and reduces the machining force required for C56 and T400. In most cases, the wear resistance potential has been maintained. In order to improve the machinability of the hard facings, the optimization of the demanding machining conditions by alloy modifications of the Co- and Ni-based alloys is also presented. It is shown that some of the modified alloys have significantly better machinability than the conventional alloy.
Isolation of New Strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria from the Vaginal Microbiome of Postmenopausal Women and their Probiotic Characteristics
Authors: Barman Indrajeet , Seo Hoonhee , Kim Sukyung , Rahim Md Abdur , Yoon Youjin , Hossain Mohammed Solayman , Shuvo Md Sarower Hossen , Song Ho-Yeon
Published: January 2025

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), traditionally consumed as fermented foods, are now being applied to the medical field beyond health-functional food as probiotics. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously discover and evaluate new strains with suitable probiotic characteristics, mainly focusing on safety. In this study, we isolated eight new strains from postmenopausal vaginal fluid using culturomics approaches, an emerging area of interest. Data showed that most strains possessed significant cell surface hydrophobicity (≥ 76%), auto-aggregation capacity (17 to 61%), strong adhesion activity (8 to 34%), and excellent resistance to gastric acid, bile salt, and digestive enzyme, enhancing their survival in the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, the strains exhibited functional characteristics, including substantial antibacterial activity with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 12.5 to 50%. They also harbored bacteriocins genes, produced short-chain fatty acids (acetate and propionate), exhibited significant phagocytic activity, possessed high antioxidative properties, rapidly depleted sodium nitrite, and exhibited proteolysis and β-glucosidase activity. In addition, heat-killed LAB strains significantly reduced the gene expressions of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-β, IL-6, and iNOS in macrophages. Safety assessment revealed no cytotoxicity in macrophage cell lines. All strains tested negative for biogenic amine or H2O2 production, displayed no gelatinase or hemolytic activity, lacked virulence genes or detrimental enzymes, and displayed antibiotic susceptibility. In summary, these newly isolated strains demonstrate excellent probiotic functionality with a strong focus on safety, making them promising candidates for future drug development in the relevant fields.
Investigations into the occurrence of microstructures by means of in-situ depth measurements during percussion drilling with ultrashort laser pulses
Authors: Feuer A. , Feuer R. , Boley S. , Förster D. J. , Neuenschwander B. , Hagenlocher C. , Michalowski A. , Graf T.
Published: January 2025

A model-based data analysis of the depth measurements performed during percussion drilling in stainless steel reveals the occurrence of microstructures by observed deviations from model expectations. For the data analysis, an adaptive correction factor

$${c}_{\text{A}}$$

c
A

was introduced into an analytical drilling model to account for changes in the absorptance caused by the microstructures. The analysis of the temporal evolution of

$${c}_{\text{A}}$$

c
A

during drilling shows that the presence of microstructures coincides with an increased absorption, while the formation of a single borehole tip is associated with a reduced absorption.
Assessing body awareness and upper extremity functionality in breast cancer survivors with and without lymphedema: a comparative analysis with healthy controls
Authors: Pirinççi Cansu Şahbaz , Cihan Emine , Yaman Fatıma
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To determine whether body awareness and upper extremity functionality are affected in patients with or without lymphedema development after breast cancer surgery (BCS) in comparison with individuals without a history of cancer.

Methods

The study included a total of 102 individuals, including 34 who developed lymphedema after BCS (mean age: 43.88 ± 12.13 years), 34 who did not develop lymphedema after BCS (age: 44.67 ± 11.20 years), and 34 without a history of any cancer surgery (age: 45.41 ± 12.13 years). The participants’ demographic data were recorded. Body awareness was evaluated using the Body Awareness Questionnaire, and upper extremity functionality was evaluated using the Quick-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire.

Results

The demographic data of the groups were similar (p > 0.05). While there were differences between the BCS groups in terms of operative time (p < 0.001) and operated breast (p = 0.001), the number of lymph nodes dissected and the type of surgery performed were homogeneously distributed (p > 0.05). Body awareness and upper extremity functionality were significantly lower in the lymphedema group than in the BCS group without lymphedema and the control group (p = 0.021 and p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

The development of upper extremity lymphedema after BCS adversely affects both body awareness and upper extremity functionality.
Entropy-minimizing dynamical transport on Riemannian manifolds
Authors: Bocchi Gabriele , Porretta Alessio
Published: January 2025

Given a smooth Riemannian manifold (M, g), compact and without boundary, we analyze the dynamical optimal mass transport problem where the cost is given by the sum of the kinetic energy and the relative entropy with respect to a reference volume measure

$$e^{-V}dx$$

e

-
V

d
x

. Under the only assumption that the prescribed marginals lie in

$$L^1(M)$$

L
1

(
M
)

, and a lower bound on the Ricci curvature, we characterize the minimal curves as unique weak solutions of the optimality system coupling the continuity equation with a backward Hamilton–Jacobi equation (with source given by the logarithm of the density). We give evidence that the entropic cost enhances diffusive effects in the evolution of the optimal densities, proving

$$L^1\rightarrow L^\infty $$

L
1

→

L
∞

regularization in time for any initial-terminal data, and smoothness of the solutions whenever the marginals are positive and smooth. We use displacement convexity arguments (in the Eulerian approach) and gradient bounds from quasilinear elliptic equations. We also prove the convergence of optimal curves towards the classical Wasserstein geodesics, as the entropic term is multiplied by a vanishing parameter, showing that this kind of functionals can be used to build a smoothing approximation of the standard optimal transport related to the Wasserstein distance.
Quantitative determination of leptin hormone using gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow assay
Authors: Zor Erhan , Alpaydin Sabri , Bingol Haluk
Published: January 2025

A lateral flow assay (LFA) has been developed that can be used in point-of-care (PoC) use for the sensitive determination of leptin hormone. The limit of detection value was 0.158 ng/mL and the limit of quantification value was 0.479 ng/mL for leptin hormone. The stability studies showed that the assay response was equal to the initial value even after 6 months. LFA accuracy tests performed in commercial artificial serum samples were compared with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The obtained recovery values between 95 and 110% show that the developed LFA can be used for quantitative determination of leptin hormone. As the result of the study, a fast and disposable assay was developed for the determination of leptin hormone, which can be performed with a small amount of sample in less than 15 min without the need for long-term analysis stages, qualified personnel, expensive equipment and devices.

Graphical Abstract
Recent developments and future directions in point-of-care next-generation CRISPR-based rapid diagnosis
Authors: Hassan Youssef M. , Mohamed Ahmed S. , Hassan Yaser M. , El-Sayed Wael M.
Published: January 2025

The demand for sensitive, rapid, and affordable diagnostic techniques has surged, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, driving the development of CRISPR-based diagnostic tools that utilize Cas effector proteins (such as Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13) as viable alternatives to traditional nucleic acid-based detection methods. These CRISPR systems, often integrated with biosensing and amplification technologies, provide precise, rapid, and portable diagnostics, making on-site testing without the need for extensive infrastructure feasible, especially in underserved or rural areas. In contrast, traditional diagnostic methods, while still essential, are often limited by the need for costly equipment and skilled operators, restricting their accessibility. As a result, developing accessible, user-friendly solutions for at-home, field, and laboratory diagnostics has become a key focus in CRISPR diagnostic innovations. This review examines the current state of CRISPR-based diagnostics and their potential applications across a wide range of diseases, including cancers (e.g., colorectal and breast cancer), genetic disorders (e.g., sickle cell disease), and infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, malaria, Zika virus, and human papillomavirus). Additionally, the integration of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the accuracy, scalability, and efficiency of CRISPR diagnostics is discussed, alongside the challenges of incorporating CRISPR technologies into point-of-care settings. The review also explores the potential for these cutting-edge tools to revolutionize disease diagnosis and personalized treatment in the future, while identifying the challenges and future directions necessary to address existing gaps in CRISPR-based diagnostic research.
“A Sane Island in an Ocean of Madness”: A Case of Alternative Organisational Ethics Through Post-Growth Values
Authors: Robra Ben , Pazaitis Alex , Levy Arnaud
Published: January 2025

Unprecedented runaway climate change and ecological degradation is argued to be caused by the dominant capitalist mode of production’s reliance on endless economic growth and capital accumulation. Businesses and organisations are expected to act in an ecologically and socially ethical way to help avert the crisis. Yet, there has arguably been little progress in this direction. The conventional ethical frameworks are generally subsumed under capitalism’s reliance on growth that effectively delegate business ethics to a peripheral and, often, contradictory pursuit, insufficient to influence ecologically and socially sustainable business conduct. We therefore explore an alternative approach by operationalising business ethics through organisational values from a post-growth perspective. By analysing the case of a social cooperative, we highlight how post-growth organisational values emerge through the organisation’s history, the members’ experience, and active contrasting to the dominant capitalist value systems. We contribute to business ethics scholarship by highlighting the potential of post-growth organisational ethics and values in creating contrasts to the dominant capitalist values. Our research further contributes to sustainability scholarship, particularly post-growth perspectives, by highlighting that organising through post-growth values in contrast to the dominant economic system is not only possible, but essential to achieve sustainability. Ultimately, our research illustrates the need for political engagement in upholding organisational ethics, in the face of the ecological crisis.
Low-temperature vacuum evaporation as a novel dehydration process for the long-term preservation of transplantable human corneal tissue
Authors: McIntosh Owen D. , Britchford Emily R. , Beeken Lydia J. , Hopkinson Andrew , Sidney Laura E.
Published: January 2025

Globally there is a shortage of available donor corneas with only 1 cornea available for every 70 needed. A large limitation to corneal transplant surgery is access to quality donor tissue due to inadequate eye donation services and infrastructure in many countries, compounded by the fact that there are few available long-term storage solutions for effectively preserving spare donor corneas collected in countries with a surplus. In this study, we describe a novel technology termed low-temperature vacuum evaporation (LTVE) that can effectively dry-preserve surplus donor corneal tissue, allowing it to be stored for approximately 5 years, shipped at room temperature, and stored on hospital shelves before rehydration prior to ophthalmic surgery. The dry-preserved corneas demonstrate equivalent biological characteristics to non-dried donor tissue, with the exception that epithelial and endothelial cells are removed and keratocytes are rendered non-viable and encapsulated within the preserved extracellular matrix. Structure and composition of the dried and rehydrated corneas remained identical to that of non-dried control corneas. Matrix-bound cytokines and growth factors were not affected by the drying and rehydration of the corneas. The ability to preserve human donor corneas using LTVE will have considerable impact on global corneal supply; utilisation of preserved corneas in lamellar keratoplasties, corneal perforations, ulcers, and tectonic support, will allow non-preserved donor tissue to be reserved for where it is truly required.
Self-Enforcing Environmental Agreements with the Optimal Intensity of Cooperation
Authors: Eichner Thomas , Schopf Mark
Published: January 2025

This paper analyzes international environmental agreements in three-stage games consisting of a membership subgame, the signatories’ decision on the intensity of cooperation, and an emissions subgame. Signatories may act as Stackelberg leaders or play Nash. In the Stackelberg game, the highest intensity of cooperation between signatories is optimal. In the Nash game, a moderate or the highest intensity of cooperation is optimal if emissions are strategic substitutes. In this case the equilibrium emissions and the stable coalition of the Nash game with optimal cooperation intensity are identical to the equilibrium emissions and the stable coalition of the Stackelberg game with the highest cooperation intensity. Finally, we apply our results to coalition formation games of the literature. In the applied Nash games, optimizing with respect to the cooperation intensity may enlarge the stable coalition up to the grand coalition which implements the first best.
The genetic structure of the ash obligate moth prays fraxinella suggests that it is not affected by current habitat fragmentation
Authors: Plenderleith Fiona A. , Lancaster Lesley T. , Stockan Jenni A. , Travis Justin M. J. , Mitchell Ruth J.
Published: January 2025

Tree diseases may cause the extirpation or functional extinction of a common tree species on large spatial scales. For example, ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is expected to cause widespread loss of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior). This type of widespread loss of a tree species may have consequences for the ability of some insects to move between woodlands, particularly obligate species (species reliant on one tree species for food). Our aim was to use ddRAD-seq genetic data to determine the population structure of Prays fraxinella (ash bud moth), an ash-obligate micro-moth, and to assess its ability to maintain connectivity across fragmented patches of native broadleaf woodlands. We found no evidence of genetic structuring at local (up to 44 km) spatial scales, and no evidence of inbreeding. At regional scales (up to 426 km), we found evidence of mixed ancestry and long-distance dispersal. Our research highlights that given its ability to maintain gene flow in areas where woodlands have historically been very fragmented, P. fraxinella may continue to maintain connectivity under moderate future tree losses under ongoing ash dieback outbreaks. Implications for insect conservation: Our research highlights the potential indirect impacts of ash-dieback through losses in connectivity. This approach should be extended to other ash-obligate species, under various levels of existing fragmentation, to inform conservation strategies more fully for managing ash dieback.
Exploring the morphological and optical properties of N-doped ZnO heterojunctions
Authors: Solaymani Shahram , Sabbaghzadeh Jamshid , Kulesza Slawomir , Bramowicz Miroslaw , Ghaderi Atefeh , Tajbakhsh Niloofar , Dejam Laya , Mohammadpour Mojtaba , Țălu Ștefan , Rychlik Kazimierz , Shayegan Amirhossein Salehi
Published: January 2025

Nitrogen-doped zinc oxide (N:ZnO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates via radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and subsequently annealed at 300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C to assess their viability and stability as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) materials. Structural and compositional analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XRD analysis revealed preferential crystallite orientations along the (100), (002), (101), and (110) planes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements indicated particle sizes two to four times larger than those derived from XRD, suggesting a sub-granular internal structure, as XRD probes coherently diffracting domains. XPS analysis of the N 1 s spectra identified two distinct peaks at approximately 397 eV and 407.5 eV, indicating nitrogen incorporation into the ZnO matrix. Photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed that nitrogen doping induced the formation of interstitials and defects associated with oxygen and zinc vacancies. Optical measurements showed that the (N:ZnO) thin films exhibited an average optical band gap of approximately 3.1 eV, with 80% transmittance in the visible spectrum. A linear relationship was observed between the band gap energy and the tail width. Except for the film annealed at 600 °C, all annealed films showed a reduction in peak photoluminescence intensity with increasing annealing temperature. Finally, no significant changes in the electrical performance of the p-N/n-Si diode were observed as a result of annealing-induced surface modifications. The results provide valuable insights into the optimization of (N:ZnO) thin films for use in international optoelectronic and photovoltaic research, where advancements in TCOs are critical for the development of high-performance, sustainable technologies.
Photoluminescence and scintillation properties of Eu3+-doped BaCl2–BaO–TeO2 glasses
Authors: Suzuki Tsubasa , Muneta Shuntaro , Kawano Naoki , Nakauchi Daisuke , Ichiba Kensei , Okazaki Kai , Kato Takumi , Takebuchi Yuma , Kagaya Fumito , Shinozaki Kenji , Yanagida Takayuki
Published: January 2025

Eu2O3-doped oxychloride tellurite glasses were fabricated, and their luminescent characteristics were investigated for glass scintillators. Luminescent peaks originating from the transition between 4f energy levels of Eu3+ were observed at 577, 592, 612, 652, and 701 nm under 530 nm light. These luminescent peaks were also observed when irradiated with X-ray, and the maximum intensity was observed at a Eu2O3 concentration of 3.0%. Furthermore, scintillation decay times of about 0.64 ms were detected from the Eu2O3-doped oxychloride tellurite glasses. Moreover, the 3.0% Eu2O3-doped oxychloride tellurite glass exhibited the lowest afterglow level (177 ppm) that was lower than that of a Tl-doped CsI single crystal.
Conservation-led palaeolimnology: a review of applied palaeolimnology and lessons to improve accessibility and value to conservation practice
Authors: Siggery Ben , Bennion Helen , Murphy Richard , Morse Stephen , Waite Mike
Published: January 2025

The integration of palaeolimnology into conservation practice is crucial for effective ecosystem management and restoration. Palaeoecological data provide a unique long-term perspective on key ecological challenges and enable decision makers to better understand pre-disturbance conditions, natural system dynamism and responses to change. Despite this there exist well-recognised accessibility issues and a clear research-implementation gap, in particular, poor communication and lack of understanding of conservation practitioners’ constraints. This study evaluates the accessibility and value of palaeolimnological research to conservation practice by interrogating 60 key applied research papers identified via a rigorous pre-screening process to ensure relevance. The papers were assessed on the use of best practice accessibility criteria, from knowledge-exchange literature, and conservation-practitioner feedback was gathered on the value of conservation recommendations made within the papers. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of accessible research, our review reveals that essential accessibility criteria are inconsistently applied. Although there has been an increase in accessibility practices over time, co-production practices (including co-authorship, co-design of research, and linkage to relevant environmental legislation), showed no significant increase, despite being advocated for by the research community. Practitioner review highlighted the need for research to provide clear, actionable recommendations, and papers that detailed specific management or restoration guidance were particularly well-received, as were those that considered financial implications and summarised their findings more clearly. Equally, many papers were criticised for overly technical language and poor expression, generic suggestions, and a lack of practical consideration in their recommendations. The study highlights the importance of improving accessibility and co-production of knowledge to ensure that research outputs are accessible, relevant, and feasible to guide conservation efforts. To enhance the relevance and impact of applied palaeolimnology, we propose five key recommendations: (1) situate recommendations within existing practice and knowledge; (2) consider the practicalities for practitioners, including material and socio-economic aspects; (3) use clear and simple language; (4) employ easy-to-interpret diagrams and bullet points for recommendations; and (5) improve accessibility of older work. These recommendations are key in helping palaeolimnology progress towards a ‘gold standard’ of applied research, where it can be employed to greater effect to support conservation practice.
Evaluating genomic selection and speed breeding for Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat using stochastic simulations
Authors: Nannuru Vinay Kumar Reddy , Dieseth Jon Arne , Lillemo Morten , Meuwissen Theodorus H. E.
Published: January 2025

Genomic selection-based breeding programs offer significant advantages over conventional phenotypic selection, particularly in accelerating genetic gains in plant breeding, as demonstrated by simulations focused on combating Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat. FHB resistance, a crucial trait, is challenging to breed for due to its quantitative inheritance and environmental influence, leading to slow progress using conventional breeding methods. Stochastic simulations in our study compared various breeding schemes, incorporating genomic selection (GS) and combining it with speed breeding, against conventional phenotypic selection. Two datasets were simulated, reflecting real-life genotypic data (MASBASIS) and a simulated wheat breeding program (EXAMPLE). Initially a 20-year burn-in phase using a conventional phenotypic selection method followed by a 20-year advancement phase with three GS-based breeding programs (GSF2F8, GSF8, and SpeedBreeding + GS) were evaluated alongside over a conventional phenotypic selection method. Results consistently showed significant increases in genetic gain with GS-based programs compared to phenotypic selection, irrespective of the selection strategies employed. Among the GS schemes, SpeedBreeding + GS consistently outperformed others, generating the highest genetic gains. This combination effectively minimized generation intervals within the breeding cycle, enhancing efficiency. This study underscores the advantages of genomic selection in accelerating breeding gains for wheat, particularly in combating FHB. By leveraging genomic information and innovative techniques like speed breeding, breeders can efficiently select for desired traits, significantly reducing testing time and costs associated with conventional phenotypic methods.
Cryopreservation of pufferfish sperm in small and large volumes: the effect on kinetic parameters, and fertilization and hatching rates
Authors: Asturiano J. F. , Yoshida M. , Pérez L. , Gallego V.
Published: January 2025

Cryopreservation of fish gametes has many potential applications for ecological, scientific and aquaculture purposes, and cryobank management has been established for many freshwater and marine fish. Nevertheless, there are no studies for the long-term conservation of pufferfish (Takifugu alboplumbeus) sperm, thus the objectives of this work were (i) to develop a new cryopreservation protocol for pufferfish sperm using different sperm:extender ratios and vials; and (ii) to assess the fertilization capacity of cryopreserved sperm. Results showed that cryopreserved sperm samples showed excellent post-thawing motility results when they were frozen in straws, reaching values over 60% with both 1:20 and 1:50 sperm:extender dilution ratios. Samples frozen in cryotubes showed slightly lower motility results (around 50%) than those obtained in the straws. Due to the excellent results obtained in the cryopreservation trials, in vitro fertilization trials were undertaken using different sperm:egg ratios with both fresh and cryopreserved sperm. High fertilization (FR) and hatching (HR) rates (over 90%) were reached using high 1:105 and 1:106 ratios. However, when the spermatozoa amount was limited in the fertilization micro-environment (using lower egg:sperm ratios of 1:103 and 1:104), the cryopreserved sperm generated lower values of FR and HR than the fresh sperm. These results suggest that for achieving high FR and HR, it is essential to use 10 times more cryopreserved sperm than fresh sperm. We then recommend using egg:sperm ratios of 1:104 and 105 (for fresh and cryopreserved sperm, respectively) for "Takifugu" species in order to optimize the amount of gametes collected during aquaculture procedures. This study has laid the basis for the establishment of cryopreservation protocols in pufferfish, that will be helpful for further reproduction in captivity programs and genetic cryobanking.
Resolving a puzzle about moral responsibility and logical truth
Authors: Geddes Alexander
Published: January 2025

Lampert and Waldrop have recently presented a puzzle about moral responsibility and logical truth, in which they derive a contradiction from three apparently plausible principles: (A) no one is responsible for any logical truth; (B) if no one is responsible for something, then no one is responsible for what it strictly implies; and (C) someone is responsible for something. They argue that, in response, we must give up (B)—a principle that plays a key role in arguments for incompatibilism. In this paper, I argue that this response is mistaken, and that the lesson to be drawn lies elsewhere. For the puzzle also rests on a conception of logical truth according to which there are contingent logical truths. And, given this conception, (A) is false—for reasons independent of (B). So the import here concerns, not a connection between responsibility and the debate over incompatibilism, but a connection between responsibility and the debate over the correct conception of logical truth: one can hold on to (A), or hold on to the relevant conception of logical truth, but not both.
Algal–bacterial bioremediation of cyanide-containing wastewater in a continuous stirred photobioreactor
Authors: AbdelMageed Mona F. , ElRakaiby Marwa T.
Published: January 2025

This study reports the isolation and characterization of highly resistant bacterial and microalgal strains from an Egyptian wastewater treatment station to cyanide-containing compounds. The bacterial strain was identified as Bacillus licheniformis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolate removed up to 1 g L−1 potassium cyanide, 3 g L−1 benzonitrile, and 1 g L−1 sodium salicylate when incubated as 10% v/v in MSM at 30 ℃. However, it failed to degrade potassium thiocyanate at all tested concentrations. The microalgal isolate was identified by electron microscopy as a strain of Chlorella spp.. Algal toxicity was tested by incubating the microalgae as 6% v/v in MSM containing 2 g L− 1 NaHCO3 with increasing concentrations of the pollutants. Results showed that 0.05 g L−1 KCN, 1.5 g L−1 benzonitrile, 5 g L −1 KSCN, and 5 g L−1 sodium salicylate inhibited 93%, 96%, 75%, and 21% of algal growth, respectively. In a continuous stirred photobioreactor, the bacterial-microalgal microcosm detoxified synthetic wastewater containing 0.2 g L−1 KCN, 0.1 g L−1 benzonitrile, and 0.5 g L−1 sodium salicylate in 3.5 days of hydraulic retention time. System failure was recorded when the KCN concentration was increased to 0.25 g L−1. The effluent had no inhibitory effect on the germination of Lepidium sativum seeds in phytotoxicity testing. Temperature, pH, and chitosan effects were assessed on the algal/bacterial settleability. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the tested parameters. The microcosm represents a potential candidate for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing cyanide compounds.
Simulation of the biocide distribution in soil using PELMO coupled with COMLEAM
Authors: Kiefer Nadine , Klein Judith , Rohr Mirko , Noll Matthias , Burkhart Michael , Klein Michael , Kalkhof Stefan
Published: January 2025

Biocides, applied in building materials as antimicrobial protectants, can be leached out by rain, presenting substantial environmental risks as confirmed by studies on aquatic environments. However, these biocides are consistently released throughout the year in a diluted form, posing unique challenges for the prediction of transport, transformation, and ecotoxicity assessment in soil. To address this challenge, we combined COMLEAM, which predicts leaching from facades into the soil, with the FOCUS PELMO pesticide model to predict biocide distribution in soil. The study predicted the concentration of the commonly used biocides 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one (BIT), 2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolinone-3-one, and terbutryn at various soil depths over 600 days, thereby evaluating the influence of different leaching simulations, absorption, and degradation kinetics on the PELMO simulation results. The findings suggest an effective simulation of biocide behavior in soil, with a tendency to overestimate the risk associated with short-acting in-can preservatives like BIT and provide more precise predictions for long-acting film preservatives. Biocide concentrations showed little variance in the upper layers and increased discrepancies at greater depths. This integrated approach provides a cost-effective means for predicting environmental risks and formulating management strategies, especially when paired with experimentally determined soil-specific degradation and absorption values.
Adapting the product group-specific nutritional functional units to the Spanish context
Authors: Torán-Pereg Paula , Kyttä Venla , Pardo Guillermo , Saarinen Merja
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Nutritional aspects have recently been integrated into the life cycle assessment (LCA) of foods through the use of nutrient indices as functional units (nFU). In this study, we develop the nFU indices for each product group presented in the Spanish plate model, by adapting the approach introduced in our previous studies into a Spanish context.

Methods

The product grouping followed the Spanish plate model covering protein-rich foods, sources of carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits, and fats. For each group, separate nFUs were created by identifying the most important nutrients for each product group, based on the nutrients obtained from them in the current Spanish food consumption. Finally, the new nFUs were showcased by conducting cradle-to-plate nLCA for the selection of typical Spanish foods.

Results and discussion

Adapting the method to formulate the nFUs to different target population led to different selection of nutrients being included in the indices for each product group, highlighting the need to tailor the methodology depending on the population under study. The nLCA results demonstrated the importance of integrating nutritional aspects into comparative LCAs of foods in all the studied product groups, also including the new product group of fats, which was the first time used in nLCA in this study.

Conclusions

The results demonstrated that the product-group-specific approach is a systematic and reproducible method to formulate nFU indices and that it can be consistently adapted also to other target populations with relevant data available. For more extensive coverage of health aspects in LCA, the inclusion of non-nutrient compounds should be promoted.
Adaptation and psychometric validation of the school anxiety inventory in a university population
Authors: Martínez-Monteagudo María Carmen , Crespo Andrea , Delgado Beatriz , García-Fernández José Manuel
Published: January 2025

The objective of this study was to adapt and validate the School Anxiety Inventory to a university population, analyzing its factorial structure, internal consistency, convergent validity, and sex differences. The School Anxiety Inventory - University Version (SAI-UV) was administered to a sample of 1,404 Spanish college students (63.82% female and 36.18% male) aged 18 to 49 (M = 21.32). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to analyze the dimensional structure of the SAI-UV. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and test-retest reliability (3-week interval) were calculated for the SAI-UV scores. The convergent validity of the SAI-UV was also verified, and sex differences were analyzed. A correlated three-factor structure was found, based on the analyzed school situations (Anxiety about Social Evaluation, Anxiety about Academic Failure, and Anxiety about Aggression). Furthermore, a three-factor structure was found for the anxiety response systems (Cognitive Anxiety, Physiological Anxiety, and Behavioral Anxiety). Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were acceptable. The correlations obtained supported the inventory’s convergent validity. As for sex differences, females obtained higher mean scores as compared to males on all of the factors. Therefore, the psychometric properties of the SAI-UV were satisfactory, determining that it has a reliable and valid inventory for the analysis of school anxiety in university students.
Evidence for MedTech – the Swedish case of health technology assessment and a new tool to navigate it
Authors: Darwich Adam S. , Palmcrantz Susanne , Hollmark Malin , Gonzalez Guve Bertil
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Medical technology manufacturers and innovators have raised the need for more transparency on health technology assessment (HTA) and evidence requirements. The aim of this project was to develop and evaluate an evidence generation tool, a process map to support evidence generation in the context of Swedish HTA. This was facilitated by mapping the Swedish HTA system and processes.

Methods

The project undertook a mixed methods approach. Data collection and analysis was carried out to inform mapping of the HTA system and its processes, and evidence generation. A series of discussions were carried out with experts to refine the material. An expert workshop was organised to gather wider input on the current state of evidence generation for medical devices in Sweden. A proof-of-concept usability study was carried out to evaluate the evidence generation tool. The material was developed into a website.

Results

Here we present an analysis of the Swedish HTA system and processes, and hurdles for medical device evidence generation. A tool was developed, evaluated, and presented on a dedicated website to support evidence generation for medical devices in the context of Swedish HTA.

Conclusions

Evidence evaluation needs to be adapted for medical devices through wider and more informed collaboration between industry, assessors, patient representatives, and other stakeholder groups. This may increase the likelihood of more conclusive HTA. Further, improving the knowledge among companies and researchers on the HTA process may lead to more efficient clinical evidence generation. Further dissemination of the evidence generation tool may facilitate this.
Evaluating the prognostic value of radiomics and clinical features in metastatic prostate cancer using [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT
Authors: Molin Kaylee , Barry Nathaniel , Gill Suki , Hassan Ghulam Mubashar , Francis Roslyn J. , Ong Jeremy S. L. , Ebert Martin A. , Kendrick Jake
Published: January 2025

Prostate cancer is a significant global health issue due to its high incidence and poor outcomes in metastatic disease. This study aims to develop models predicting overall survival for patients with metastatic biochemically recurrent prostate cancer, potentially helping to identify high-risk patients and enabling more tailored treatment options. A multi-centre cohort of 180 such patients underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans, with lesions semi-automatically segmented and radiomic features extracted from lesions. The analysis included two phases: univariable and multivariable. Univariable analysis used Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models to correlate individual features with overall survival. Multivariable analysis used the LASSO Cox proportional hazards method to create 13 models: radiomics-only, clinical-only, and various combinations of radiomic and clinical features. Each model included six features and was bootstrapped 1000 times to obtain concordance indices with 95% confidence intervals, followed by optimism correction. In the univariable analysis, 6 out of 8 clinical features and 68 out of 89 radiomic features were significantly correlated with overall survival, including age, disease stage, total lesional uptake and total lesional volume. The optimism-corrected concordance indices from the multivariable models were 0.722 (95% CI 0.653–0.784) for the clinical model, 0.681 (95% CI 0.616–0.745) for the radiomics model, and 0.704 (95% CI 0.648–0.768) for the combined model with three clinical and three radiomic features, when extracting radiomic features from the largest lesion only. While univariable analysis showed significant prognostic value for many radiomic features, their integration into multivariable models did not improve predictive accuracy beyond clinical features alone.
Instant gait classification for hip osteoarthritis patients: a non-wearable sensor approach utilizing Pearson correlation, SMAPE, and GMM
Authors: Choi Wiha , Jeong Hieyong , Oh Sehoon , Jung Tae-Du
Published: January 2025

This study aims to establish a methodology for classifying gait patterns in patients with hip osteoarthritis without the use of wearable sensors. Although patients with the same pathological condition may exhibit significantly different gait patterns, an accurate and efficient classification system is needed: one that reduces the effort and preparation time for both patients and clinicians, allowing gait analysis and classification without the need for cumbersome sensors like EMG or camera-based systems. The proposed methodology follows three key steps. First, ground reaction forces are measured in three directions-anterior–posterior, medial–lateral, and vertical-using a force plate during gait analysis. These force data are then evaluated through two approaches: trend similarity is assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient, while scale similarity is measured with the Symmetric Mean Absolute Percentage Error (SMAPE), comparing results with healthy controls. Finally, Gaussian Mixture Models (GMM) are applied to cluster both healthy controls and patients, grouping the patients into distinct categories based on six quantified metrics derived from the correlation and SMAPE. Using the proposed methodology, 16 patients with hip osteoarthritis were successfully categorized into two distinct gait groups (Group 1 and Group 2). The gait patterns of these groups were further analyzed by comparing joint moments and angles in the lower limbs among healthy individuals and the classified patient groups. This study demonstrates that gait pattern classification can be reliably achieved using only force-plate data, offering a practical tool for personalized rehabilitation in hip osteoarthritis patients. By incorporating quantitative variables that capture both gait trends and scale, the methodology efficiently classifies patients with just 2–3 ms of natural walking. This minimizes the burden on patients while delivering a more accurate and realistic assessment. The proposed approach maintains a level of accuracy comparable to more complex methods, while being easier to implement and more accessible in clinical settings.
Analysis of greenhouse gas production at the El Prat del Llobregat wastewater treatment plant, Spain: the decarbonization challenge
Authors: Urrea Vivas M. A. , Seguí-Amórtegui L. , Guerrero-García-Rojas H.
Published: January 2025

The process of decarbonization of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) has become a global priority. WWTP consume large amounts of energy and emit Greenhouse Gases (GHG) to remove pollutants. Therefore, this article quantitatively analyzes the greenhouse gas emissions produced during the wastewater treatment of one of the largest and most modern wastewater treatment plants in Europe, the El Prat del Llobregat Wastewater Plant. The assessment focused on evaluating the mass and energy balance of the entire process. Identifying the organic load present was essential for determining the impact on the generation of (GHG) during the wastewater treatment and regeneration process. According to the characteristics of the system, the inventory of total emissions is established, identifying the direct emissions produced by each of the stages (carbon dioxide and methane emissions) and the indirect emissions produced by the use of electricity and chemicals, respectively. The results revealed that the highest direct greenhouse gas emission was observed in the biological reactor with the value of 2.5 kgCO2eq/kg COD, 0.08 kg N2O/kgNremoved and 0.0062 kgCH4/kgCOD. The annual GHG emissions from CH4, N2O and CO2 emissions from the water and sludge line are equivalent to 3432 tCO2 eq, apart from the emission caused by flaring biogas, which represents 578.39 tCO2eq. The largest contribution comes from indirect emissions, where energy consumption generates 3,459,105 tCO2/eq. The largest energy consumer in the entire WWTP were the biological reactor with secondary settling and the tertiary treatment, which accounts for 45.20% and 14.8% of the total energy needs respectively.
Observational Study on Enhancing End-of-Life Care Competence Through OSCE: Educational Implications
Authors: Mora-Delgado Juan , Lojo-Cruz Cristina , Bández Manuel J. , Rosety-Rodríguez Manuel , García Ángel Estella
Published: January 2025

End-of-life care training is a critical component of medical education, yet gaps remain in adequately preparing students for these complex interactions. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) have emerged as a vital tool to assess clinical competence in real-world scenarios. This study aimed to evaluate medical students’ competencies in palliative care using a specialized OSCE station focused on end-of-life skills. A cohort of 118 final-year medical students at the University of Cádiz completed an OSCE that tested abilities in diagnosis, communication, ethical decision-making, and professionalism. Students demonstrated high proficiency in diagnostic competencies, particularly in identifying underlying pathologies and managing refractory symptoms. However, significant variability emerged in skills related to communication, managing advance directives, and obtaining informed consent for palliative sedation. Statistical analyses revealed areas of both strength and challenge, with items related to ethical-legal considerations showing higher difficulty and variability among students. Our findings underscore the need for curricular enhancements that integrate technical training with ethical and communicative aspects of palliative care. Improving student preparation in these domains is essential to equip future physicians with the holistic skills necessary for compassionate end-of-life care.
RL4CEP: reinforcement learning for updating CEP rules
Authors: Mdhaffar Afef , Baklouti Ghassen , Rebai Yassine , Jmaiel Mohamed , Freisleben Bernd
Published: January 2025

This paper presents RL4CEP, a reinforcement learning (RL) approach to dynamically update complex event processing (CEP) rules. RL4CEP uses Double Deep Q-Networks to update the threshold values used by CEP rules. It is implemented using Apache Flink as a CEP engine and Apache Kafka for message distribution. RL4CEP is a generic approach for scenarios in which CEP rules need to be updated dynamically. In this paper, we use RL4CEP in a financial trading use case. Our experimental results based on three financial trading rules and eight financial datasets demonstrate the merits of RL4CEP in improving the overall profit, when compared to baseline and state-of-the-art approaches, with a reasonable consumption of resources, i.e., RAM and CPU. Finally, our experiments indicate that RL4CEP is executed quite fast compared to traditional CEP engines processing static rules.