bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monoclinic Angle of the B19′ Phase in a Cold Worked NiTi
Authors: Li Yingchao , Bakhtiari Sam , Xu Dawn , Yang Hong , Liu Yinong
Published: February 2025

This study evaluated the monoclinic angle of the B19′ martensite in a cold worked equiatomic Ni50Ti50 alloy by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. It also presents a minimum error approach to determining the small changes to the monoclinic angle based on Fast Fourier Transformation patterns generated from high resolution TEM micrographs. The monoclinic angle of the B19′ martensite was found to reduce from 97.3° in the annealed state to 93.8° after 24.4% cold deformation by wire drawing. Such finding may help to interpret some common experimental observations such as the reduction of transformation strains in cold worked NiTi shape memory alloys or in alloys after thermal transformation cycling.
Health-Related Experiences as a Motivation for Pursuing Health Professional Education
Authors: Osborne Emma , Anderson Vivienne , Robson Bridget
Published: February 2025

Health professional students may experience overlaps between their own lives and their course of study. Such experiences may include: personal experiences of illness or disability; family illness, caregiving or bereavement; and collective experiences of health inequities. However, little is known about the role of such experiences in students’ decisions to study health. We describe findings from interviews with 22 students and graduates in Aotearoa New Zealand, who self-identified as having experienced significant overlaps between their study and own lives. Participants described studying health in response to health-related experiences in four ways: meeting family needs; improving life for others in similar situations; exposure to healthcare as consolidating interests; and making meaning after bereavement. We also explore contexts in which participants made decisions about study, including family support, secondary school, and early tertiary study. We argue that health-related experiences and commitment to whānau| family should be recognised more widely in exploring why and how students select health professional qualifications. We also identify the importance of academic and career mentoring programmes throughout secondary and early tertiary education which nurtured students’ aspirations for success in sciences and health education.
Streamlining Legal Document Management: A Knowledge-Driven Service Platform
Authors: Bellandi Valerio , Castano Silvana , Montanelli Stefano , Siccardi Stefano
Published: February 2025

Managing legal documents, particularly court judgments, can pose a significant challenge due to the extensive and continuously growing volume of involved data. The IDJ platform proposed in this paper aims to tackle this challenge by providing knowledge-driven services designed to enforce the streamlined management of legal documents. The IDJ platform consists of a set of modules, repositories, and data flows that interoperate to realize service pipelines enforcing legal document analytics and exploration processes based on a combination of Natural Language Processing (NLP), machine learning, and syntactic rules. In the paper, we describe two service pipelines enforcing knowledge-driven processes over legal documents, namely the entity-based document analytics, and the concept-based document exploration. A comprehensive experimentation of the proposed knowledge-based service pipelines in a real scenario is finally provided, by considering a corpus repository of Italian court decisions collected in the framework of the Next Generation UPP (NGUPP) digital justice project.
Association between COVID-19 history and postoperative delirium in elderly patient undergoing elective surgery: a prospective, two-center observational cohort study
Authors: Duan Wen , Yang Jin-Jin , Fang Pan-Pan , Zhu Wen-Jie , Zhang Yue , Li Xin-Yu , Ma Da-Qing , Shan Yang-Yang , Liu Xue-Sheng , Yang Jian-Jun
Published: February 2025

Purpose

An increased incidence of delirium was reported in patients especially in elderly patient during the acute phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, whether COVID-19 history increases the risk of postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between COVID-19 history and POD in elderly patients undergoing elective surgeries.

Methods

In this prospective, two center cohort study, 500 elderly patients undergoing elective surgeries from March to May 2023 were analyzed. The primary exposure was a history of COVID-19. The primary outcome was POD assessed with 3-min diagnostic confusion assessment method or confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit within three days after surgery. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to balance the differences between patients with or without a history of COVID-19. The association between COVID-19 history and POD was estimated using a logistic regression model with IPTW. Additionally, we next exploringly conducted subgroup analysis and assessed interaction effects to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 history on POD based on frailty/pre-frailty, cancer, surgical type/classification, sex, profession, and residence type.

Results

In this cohort, 412 patients had a history of COVID-19 with an incidence 16% of POD while 88 were uninfected with 15.9% of POD incidence. There was no association between COVID-19 history and POD [adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) 1.20 (0.80–1.79), P = 0.378] in elderly patients undergoing elective surgery. However, POD was significantly increased in patients with COVID-19 history who were pre-frailty/frailty or with cancers [ORadj 2.41 (1.19–5.10) and ORadj 2.29 (1.23–4.39), respectively].

Conclusion

This preliminary exploratory study found no association between a history of COVID-19 and POD in elderly patients undergoing elective surgery.

Trial registration

Registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Center (https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=192846) with No. ChiCTR2300069308 on Mar 13, 2023.
Provision of Practicum in Australian Postgraduate Courses Preparing Special/Inclusive Educators
Authors: Stephenson Jennifer , Ganguly Rahul , Kemp Coral , Sarandrea Anne Marie , Salisbury Catherine
Published: February 2025

The importance of professional experience is clearly recognised in initial teacher education and in other professions. In this study, we explore one element of professional experience for trainee special/inclusive educators, placement in an educational setting for practicum, and how it is provided in postgraduate Australian special/inclusive education courses. We extracted data from publicly available material for all Australian postgraduate courses designed to prepare special and/or inclusive educators. Available data included the length of practicum, content of the unit related to practicum, supervision and placement arrangements, and assessment. We found that only 59% of courses included a unit that required completion of a practicum placement. Given there are no mandatory standards for special/inclusive educators, there was considerable variation in the way practical skills were assessed, the content of practicum units, mentoring arrangements and personnel involved. Practicum placements ranged from 10 to 30 days, and only two courses provided more than one placement. Further research is needed to consider the broader range of professional experiences that may be embedded in courses. We suggest that longer practicum placements should be mandatory in special/inclusive educator professional preparation and should include assessment of the implementation of specific evidence-based practices including collaboration with others.
Red meets brown: investigating the antiliberal political convergence of Italy’s extremes
Authors: Guerra Nicola
Published: February 2025

This study examines the political communication strategies of the Italian Marxist-Leninist and neo-Stalinist party, Sovereign and Popular Democracy (DSP), through a qualitative thematic analysis of its online discourse. The analysis identifies the core elements of the party’s agenda and assesses their potential alignment with the red-brownist movement, often linked to the pro-Russian far right. The research investigates the historical and political intersections between the Stalinist communist sphere and the postfascist Eurasianist and red-brownist factions. Particular attention is given to their shared anti-Western stance and historical connections to ‘left-wing fascism’ in the post-Second World War era. Italy provides a crucial case study, given its postwar role as a hub for radical movements on both the left and the right. The analysis also considers the ideological trajectory of the Italian far-right, particularly the Jeune Europe movement, to situate DSP’s discourse within broader historical and ideological frameworks.
Impact of Breakfast Consumption Timing versus Breakfast Omission on Post-Lunch Glycaemia and Insulinaemia in Adolescent Girls: A Randomised Crossover Trial
Authors: Afeef Sahar , Zakrzewski-Fruer Julia K. , Thackray Alice E. , Barrett Laura A. , Tolfrey Keith
Published: February 2025

Adolescent girls often skip breakfast due to time constraints and reduced morning appetite. This study examined the acute impact of breakfast consumption timing versus breakfast omission (BO) on glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to lunch in infrequent breakfast-consuming girls. Fifteen girls (13.1±0.8 years) completed three conditions in a randomised crossover design: early-morning breakfast consumption (EM-BC; 8:30), mid-morning breakfast consumption (MM-BC; 10:30), and BO. A standardised lunch was provided at 12:30, followed by a 2-h post-lunch observation period. Blood and expired gas samples were collected periodically. Linear mixed models with Cohen’s d effect sizes compared outcomes between conditions. Pre-lunch glucose and insulin incremental area under the curve (iAUC) were higher in the breakfast conditions versus BO (P≤0.009), with no differences between breakfast conditions. MM-BC reduced post-lunch glucose iAUC by 36% and 25% compared with BO and EM-BC, respectively (P<0.001, d=0.92–1.44). A moderate, non-significant 15% reduction in post-lunch glucose iAUC was seen with EM-BC versus BO (P=0.077, d=0.52). These reductions occurred without changes in post-lunch insulinemia (P≥0.323) and were accompanied by increased post-lunch carbohydrate oxidation compared with BO (P≤0.018, d=0.58–0.75); with no differences between EM-BC and MM-BC. MM-BC lowered glycaemic response over the experimental period compared with BO (P=0.033, d=0.98) and EM-BC (P=0.123, d=0.93), with no difference between EM-BC and BO. Compared with BO, both breakfast conditions lowered post-lunch glycaemic responses with mid-morning breakfast eliciting a greater second-meal effect than early-morning breakfast. These findings indicate the breakfast-to-lunch meal interval may be a crucial factor affecting postprandial glycaemia in infrequent breakfast-consuming girls.
School Food and Nutrition Environments in the Pacific Islands: Opportunities to support healthier diets
Authors: Burkhart Sarah , Singh Pragya , Hunter Danny , Raneri Jessica E.
Published: February 2025

The Pacific Islands region is home to a diversity of countries and territories, who are at the forefront of climate change and the triple burden of malnutrition. In recent years there has been increasing interest in schools as a setting for transforming food systems, improving nutrition and health outcomes, increasing educational outcomes and enhancing livelihoods in the Pacific Islands. This review examines and describes current school food and nutrition initiatives within the literature that aim to promote healthier, sustainable diets within the Pacific Islands region. As there is a paucity of literature in this area of interest in the Pacific Islands, the review focuses on the policy landscape, the provision of food near, and in schools, nutrition education, and future opportunities. The available literature demonstrates that there is broad regional interest and momentum from numerous stakeholders to enhance SFNE in the Pacific Islands, with several opportunities for future activities. While there are frameworks to explore food environments available there is a need for a Pacific Islands school food environment conceptual framework that captures aspects, both within and around schools, that can guide research and assessment for robust comparable data collection. This may in turn support healthier SFNE and ultimately nutritious food choices for children and adolescents
The Cold War as a label, meaning, and referent
Authors: Mahoney James
Published: February 2025

In this article, I discuss the Cold War as a label, meaning, and referent in academic research. I consider how the label “the Cold War” focuses attention on the conflict between the United States and USSR and draws attention away from the Global South. I show how academics often use the category the Cold War as a diminished subtype of interstate war, with the adjective cold calling attention to the absence of direct military combat. I analyze the meanings and referents associated with different ways of “casing” the Cold War: a case of cold war, a case of interstate rivalry, and a case of empire building. I also examine the separate meanings of the Cold War when it is treated as a world-historical time versus an event. Using the essays in this special issue, I examine how sociologists study the Cold War as an empirical referent. I find that the cultural orientation of sociology emphasizes symbolic and performative aspects of the Cold War that are not traditionally emphasized in work on the Cold War.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and the Longitudinal Fetal Growth Trajectories in Twin Pregnancies
Authors: Shu Xinyu , Yao Mi , Li Chenglong , Chen Na , Zhang Yan , Kang Xin , Juan Juan , Yang Huixia
Published: February 2025

Although it is well established that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with fetal overgrowth in singleton pregnancies, little is known about its role in twins. We aimed to explore the relationship between GDM and the longitudinal fetal growth in twin pregnancies. This was a retrospective matched cohort study of GDM and non-GDM twin pregnancies delivered ≥36 weeks without other complications. All the women performed ≥3 ultrasounds after 22 weeks. Linear mixed models (LMMs) were used to explore the relationships between longitudinal fetal growth trajectories and GDM. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) and generalized estimating equation (GEE) were applied to identify the latent growth patterns and investigate their relationships with GDM. In total, 215 GDM and 645 non-GDM twins were included, the majority of the patients did not require medication therapy (n = 202, GDMA1). LMM revealed that, compared with non-GDM, GDM was associated with an average increase in fetal weight of 4.36 g (95% CI [1.25, 7.48]) per week. GBTM and GEE further revealed that GDM increased the odds of fetal weight trajectory to nearly 40% of the total fetal weight trajectory, classified into the high-speed group (aOR = 1.39, 95% CI [1.03, 1.88]), associating with a 49.44 g (95% CI [11.41, 87.48]) increase in birth weight. Subgroup analysis revealed that all these differences were only significant among the GDMA1 pregnancies (p < .05). GDM (GDMA1) is significantly associated with an increase in fetal weight during gestation in twin pregnancies. However, this acceleration is mild, and its significance requires further exploration.
An Integrated Global‐To‐Regional Scale Workflow for Simulating Climate Change Impacts on Marine Ecosystems
Authors: Ortega‐Cisneros Kelly , Fierros‐Arcos Denisse , Lindmark Max , Novaglio Camilla , Woodworth‐Jefcoats Phoebe , Eddy Tyler D. , Coll Marta , Fulton Elizabeth , Oliveros‐Ramos Ricardo , Reum Jonathan , Shin Yunne‐Jai , Bulman Cathy , Capitani Leonardo , Datta Samik , Murphy Kieran , Rogers Alice , Shannon Lynne , Whitehouse George A. , Adekoya Ezekiel , Dias Beatriz S. , Fuster‐Alonso Alba , Hansen Cecilie , Husson Bérengère , McGregor Vidette , Morell Alaia , Morzaria Luna Hem‐Nalini , Ouled‐Cheikh Jazel , Ruzicka James , Steenbeek Jeroen , Stollberg Ilaria , Subramaniam Roshni C. , Tulloch Vivitskaia , Bryndum‐Buchholz Andrea , Harrison Cheryl S. , Heneghan Ryan , Maury Olivier , Pozo Buil Mercedes , Schewe Jacob , Tittensor Derek P. , Townsend Howard , Blanchard Julia L.
Published: February 2025

As the urgency to evaluate the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems increases, there is a need to develop robust projections and improve the uptake of ecosystem model outputs in policy and planning. Standardizing input and output data is a crucial step in evaluating and communicating results, but can be challenging when using models with diverse structures, assumptions, and outputs that address region‐specific issues. We developed an implementation framework and workflow to standardize the climate and fishing forcings used by regional models contributing to the Fisheries and Marine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison Project (FishMIP) and to facilitate comparative analyses across models and a wide range of regions, in line with the FishMIP 3a protocol. We applied our workflow to three case study areas‐models: the Baltic Sea Mizer, Hawai'i‐based Longline fisheries therMizer, and the southern Benguela ecosystem Atlantis marine ecosystem models. We then selected the most challenging steps of the workflow and illustrated their implementation in different model types and regions. Our workflow is adaptable across a wide range of regional models, from non‐spatially explicit to spatially explicit and fully‐depth resolved models and models that include one or several fishing fleets. This workflow will facilitate the development of regional marine ecosystem model ensembles and enhance future research on marine ecosystem model development and applications, model evaluation and benchmarking, and global‐to‐regional model comparisons.
N2O Emission From a Subtropical Forest Is Dominantly Regulated by Soil Denitrifiers Under Exogenous N Enrichment and Seasonal Precipitation Distribution Change
Authors: Han Xiaoge , Xu Changchao , Tan Xiangping , Nie Yanxia , He Jinhong , Deng Qi , Shen Weijun
Published: February 2025

Nitrogen‐rich tropical/subtropical forest soil acts as a terrestrial source of nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas commonly affected by soil nitrogen availability and soil moisture. However, in tropical and subtropical regions experiencing both elevated nitrogen deposition and altered precipitation regimes, it is unclear whether nitrogen deposition and precipitation regimes have interactive effects on forest soil N2O emissions and what roles N2O‐associated nitrifiers/denitrifiers play in these interactions. We conducted a 2 year field study in a subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest in southern China by applying four treatments: nitrogen addition (N), seasonal precipitation distribution change (PC), both nitrogen addition and seasonal precipitation distribution change (NPC) and a control (C). We found that N2O efflux from the forest soil was significantly greater in the wet season than in the dry season, but was promoted by 77.4% by the NPC treatment only in the dry season. Soil moisture and pH decreased in the PC and N treatments, respectively. The abundance of nitrifying gene AOA‐amoA and denitrifying gene nosZ in the wet season and the abundance of denitrifying gene nirK in the dry season differed significantly among the four treatments. A structural equation model showed that precipitation change was more important than nitrogen addition in affecting soil properties (e.g., moisture and pH) and N2O‐associated nitrifiers/denitrifiers, while soil nirK‐ and nosZ‐denitrifiers were the dominant functional microbes in regulating N2O emissions. The results support predictions of future nitrogen losses (N2O) in subtropical forests in the context of interactions between elevated nitrogen deposition and altered precipitation regimes.
A hybrid single quantum dot coupled cavity on a CMOS-compatible SiC photonic chip for Purcell-enhanced deterministic single-photon emission
Authors: Zhu Yifan , Liu Runze , Yi Ailun , Wang Xudong , Qin Yuanhao , Zhao Zihao , Zhao Junyi , Chen Bowen , Zhang Xiuqi , Song Sannian , Huo Yongheng , Ou Xin , Zhang Jiaxiang
Published: February 2025

The ability to control nonclassical light emission from a single quantum emitter by an integrated cavity may unleash new perspectives for integrated photonic quantum applications. However, coupling a single quantum emitter to cavity within photonic circuitry towards creation of the Purcell-enhanced single-photon emission is elusive due to the complexity of integrating active devices in low-loss photonic circuits. Here we demonstrate a hybrid micro-ring resonator (HMRR) coupled with self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) for cavity-enhanced deterministic single-photon emission. The HMRR cavity supports whispering-gallery modes with quality factors up to 7.8×103. By further introducing a micro-heater, we show that the photon emission of QDs can be locally and dynamically tuned over one free spectral ranges of the HMRR ( ~ 4 nm). This allows precise tuning of individual QDs in resonance with the cavity modes, thereby enhancing single-photon emission with a Purcell factor of about 4.9. Our results on the hybrid integrated cavities coupled with two-level quantum emitters emerge as promising devices for chip-based scalable photonic quantum applications.
Validation of L-type calcium channel blocker amlodipine as a novel ADHD treatment through cross-species analysis, drug-target Mendelian randomization, and clinical evidence from medical records
Authors: Þorsteinsson Haraldur , Baukmann Hannes A. , Sveinsdóttir Hildur S. , Halldórsdóttir Dagmar Þ. , Grzymala Bartosz , Hillman Courtney , Rolfe-Tarrant Jude , Parker Matthew O. , Cope Justin L. , Ravarani Charles N. J. , Schmidt Marco F. , Karlsson Karl Æ.
Published: February 2025

ADHD is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that significantly affects life outcomes, and current treatments often have adverse side effects, high abuse potential, and a 25% non-response rate, highlighting the need for new therapeutics. This study investigates amlodipine, an L-type calcium channel blocker, as a potential foundation for developing a novel ADHD treatment by integrating findings from animal models and human genetic data. Amlodipine reduced hyperactivity in SHR rats and decreased both hyperactivity and impulsivity in adgrl3.1−/− zebrafish. It also crosses the blood-brain barrier, reducing telencephalic activation. Crucially, Mendelian Randomization analysis linked ADHD to genetic variations in L-type calcium channel subunits (α1-C; CACNA1C, β1; CACNB1, α2δ3; CACNA2D3) targeted by amlodipine, while polygenic risk score analysis showed symptom mitigation in individuals with high ADHD genetic liability. With its well-tolerated profile and efficacy across species, supported by genetic evidence, amlodipine shows potential to be refined and developed into a novel treatment for ADHD.
Frontostriatal regulation of brain circuits contributes to flexible decision making
Authors: Duan Ying , Ma Zilu , Tsai Pei-Jung , Lu Hanbing , Xiao Xiang , Wang Danni , Siddiqi Aslaan , Stein Elliot A. , Michaelides Michael , Yang Yihong
Published: February 2025

Deficits in behavioral or cognitive flexibility that are linked to altered activity in both cortical and subcortical brain regions, are often observed across multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-nucleus accumbens (NAc) pathway in rats plays a critical role in flexible control of behavior. However, the modulation of this pathway on activity and functional connectivity with the rest of the brain remains unclear. In this study, we first confirmed the role of the mPFC-NAc pathway in behavioral flexibility using a set-shifting task in rats and then evaluated the causal effects of mPFC-NAc activation induced by chemogenetic stimulation of the terminal axons of the NAc with DREADD expression on whole-brain activity and functional connectivity measured by functional MRI. mPFC-NAc activation improved performance on the set-shifting task by reducing perseverative errors. Additionally, stimulation of this pathway increased activity in a set of brain regions within the basal ganglia-thalamus-cortical loop network including NAc, thalamus, hypothalamus and various connected cortical regions, while also decreased functional connectivity strength of NAc-mPFC, NAc-secondary motor cortex (M2), and various cortical circuits. Moreover, performance on the set-shifting task was related to the functional connectivity strength of the above frontostriatal and cortical circuits. These findings provide insights into the link between specific frontostriatal circuits on decision making flexibility, which may inform potential future interventions for behavioral flexibility deficits.
Parental perception of the application of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for dental caries treatment among Iraqi school children: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Albujeer Ammar , Ghasemi Hadi , Namdari Mahshid , Taher Abbas , Almahafdha Alya , Khoshnevisan Mohammad H.
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The present study aimed to assess parental acceptance of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) treatment for dental caries in children in Najaf city, Iraq.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was used, involving 670 parents of children aged 6–7 years from primary schools in Najaf city, Iraq, during the academic year 2023–2024. The participants were selected via a multistage random sampling method. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather the participants’ views on tooth staining caused by SDF application to cavitated teeth. Statistical procedures included descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and ordinal logistic regression.

Results

In total, 670 parents were recruited for this study. The mean age of the participants was 34.47 ± 8.2 Approximately half of the respondents were male and aged 31–50 years, and approximately three-fourths of the parents reported having a low education level and were in the low-income category. Parental acceptance of SDF treatment was greater for posterior teeth, with 51.2% agreeing, and 24.2% strongly agree. For anterior teeth, acceptance was lower, with only 23.3% agreeing and 10.7% strongly agreeing. Parental age (p = 0.008), education level (p < 0.001), and income (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with acceptance of SDF treatment for posterior teeth. However, for anterior teeth, parental education (p < 0.001) and income (p = 0.029) were significantly associated with acceptance of SDF treatment.

Conclusion

Parents showed high acceptance of SDF treatment, particularly for posterior teeth, although concerns about aesthetics affected their views of anterior teeth. Improving parents’ awareness and addressing their apprehensions could increase the adoption of this evidence-based caries management approach for children.
Structural insights into human brachyury DNA recognition and discovery of progressible binders for cancer therapy
Authors: Newman Joseph A. , Gavard Angeline E. , Imprachim Nergis , Aitkenhead Hazel , Sheppard Hadley E. , te Poele Robert , Clarke Paul A. , Hossain Mohammad Anwar , Temme Louisa , Oh Hans J. , Wells Carrow I. , Davis-Gilbert Zachary W. , Workman Paul , Gileadi Opher , Drewry David H.
Published: February 2025

Brachyury is a transcription factor that plays an essential role in tumour growth of the rare bone cancer chordoma and is implicated in other solid tumours. Brachyury is minimally expressed in healthy tissues, making it a potential therapeutic target. Unfortunately, as a ligandless transcription factor, brachyury has historically been considered undruggable. To investigate direct targeting of brachyury by small molecules, we determine the structure of human brachyury both alone and in complex with DNA. The structures provide insights into DNA binding and the context of the chordoma associated G177D variant. We use crystallographic fragment screening to identify hotspots on numerous pockets on the brachyury surface. Finally, we perform follow-up chemistry on fragment hits and describe the progression of a thiazole chemical series into binders with low µM potency. Thus we show that brachyury is ligandable and provide an example of how crystallographic fragment screening may be used to target protein classes that are difficult to address using other approaches.
Evaluating normative representation learning in generative AI for robust anomaly detection in brain imaging
Authors: Bercea Cosmin I. , Wiestler Benedikt , Rueckert Daniel , Schnabel Julia A.
Published: February 2025

Normative representation learning focuses on understanding the typical anatomical distributions from large datasets of medical scans from healthy individuals. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) leverages this attribute to synthesize images that accurately reflect these normative patterns. This capability enables the AI allowing them to effectively detect and correct anomalies in new, unseen pathological data without the need for expert labeling. Traditional anomaly detection methods often evaluate the anomaly detection performance, overlooking the crucial role of normative learning. In our analysis, we introduce novel metrics, specifically designed to evaluate this facet in AI models. We apply these metrics across various generative AI frameworks, including advanced diffusion models, and rigorously test them against complex and diverse brain pathologies. In addition, we conduct a large multi-reader study to compare these metrics to experts’ evaluations. Our analysis demonstrates that models proficient in normative learning exhibit exceptional versatility, adeptly detecting a wide range of unseen medical conditions. Our code is available at https://github.com/compai-lab/2024-ncomms-bercea.git.
Excellent energy storage properties in lead-free ferroelectric ceramics via heterogeneous structure design
Authors: Chai Qizhen , Liu Zhaobo , Deng Zhongqi , Peng Zhanhui , Chao Xiaolian , Lu Jiangbo , Huang Houbing , Zhang Shujun , Yang Zupei
Published: February 2025

Dielectric capacitors with ultrahigh power density have emerged as promising candidates for essential energy storage components in electronic and electrical systems. They enable enhanced integration, miniaturization, and lightweight design. However, the development of dielectric materials for cutting-edge energy storage applications has been significantly limited by their low recoverable energy storage density (W
rec) and energy efficiency (η), especially at moderate electric fields. In this study, we fabricated 0.85K0.5Na0.5NbO3-0.15Sr0.7Nd0.2ZrO3 ceramics with an outstanding energy storage performance (W
rec ~ 7 J cm−
3, η ~ 92% at 500 kV cm−
1; W
rec ~ 14 J cm−
3, η ~ 89% at 760 kV cm−
1). The exceptional energy storage performance can be primarily attributed to the heterogeneous structure, where orthorhombic and tetragonal polar nanoregions are embedded in a cubic matrix. This work provides a good paradigm for designing dielectric materials with ultrahigh energy storage density and excellent energy efficiency at a moderate applied electric field, aligning with the stringent demands for advanced energy storage applications.
Non-Hermitian Dirac cones with valley-dependent lifetimes
Authors: Xie Xinrong , Ma Fei , Rui W. B. , Dong Zhaozhen , Du Yulin , Xie Wentao , Zhao Y. X. , Chen Hongsheng , Gao Fei , Xue Haoran
Published: February 2025

Relativistic quasiparticles emerging from band degeneracies in crystals play crucial roles in the transport and topological properties of materials and metamaterials. Quasiparticles are commonly described by Hermitian Hamiltonians, with non-Hermiticity usually considered detrimental. In this work, we show that such an assumption of Hermiticity can be lifted to bring quasiparticles into non-Hermitian regime. We propose a concrete lattice model containing two Dirac cones with valley-dependent lifetimes. The lifetime contrast enables an ultra-strong valley selection rule: only one valley can survive in the long-time limit regardless of the excitation, lattice shape and other details. This property leads to an effective parity anomaly with a single Dirac cone and offers a simple way to generate vortex states. Additionally, extending non-Hermitian features to boundaries generates valley kink states with valley-locked lifetimes, making them effectively unidirectional and more resistant against inter-valley scattering. All these phenomena are experimentally demonstrated in a non-Hermitian electric circuit lattice.
Anisotropy visualisation from X-ray diffraction of biological apatite in mixed phase calcified tissue samples
Authors: Scott Robert , Lyburn Iain D. , Cornford Eleanor , Bouzy Pascaline , Stone Nicholas , Greenwood Charlene , Gosling Sarah , Arnold Emily L. , Bouybayoune Ihsanne , Pinder Sarah E. , Rogers Keith
Published: February 2025

X-ray diffraction is widely used to characterise the mineral component of calcified tissue. Broadening of the diffraction peaks yields valuable information on the size of coherently diffracting domains, sometimes loosely described as crystallite size or crystallinity. These domains are markedly anisotropic, hence a single number describing their size is misleading. We present a novel variation on a method for visualising crystallographic anisotropy in X-ray diffraction data. This provides an intuitively interpretable depiction of crystalline domain size and anisotropy. The new method involves creating a polar plot of calculated domain thickness for peaks in a diffractogram versus crystallographic direction. Points with the least error are emphasised. Anisotropic domain dimensions are calculated by refining an ellipsoidal model in a whole pattern fit. These dimensions are then used to overlay an ellipse on the peak broadening plot. This is illustrated by application of the method to calcifications in breast tissue with suspected cancer, which frequently contain whitlockite as well as nanocrystalline apatite. Like most biogenic apatite, this exhibits markedly anisotropic peak broadening. The nature of this anisotropy offers potentially useful information on normal function and pathology of calcified tissue and is a frequently neglected crystallographic feature of these materials.
Tracing the Neovolcanic zone along the sediment-covered regions of the Red Sea Rift
Authors: Preine Jonas , Augustin Nico , Mitchell Neil C. , van der Zwan Froukje M. , Wölfl Annne-C , Schade Martin , Izzeldin Yousif A. , Osman Mudather A. M. , Hübscher Christian
Published: February 2025

The Red Sea Rift is an ultra-slow spreading rift filled with Miocene salt and younger sediments. While volcanic features can be observed in exposed areas in the southern Red Sea Rift, evidence of volcanism in the sediment-blanketed regions in the central and northern Red Sea Rift has been lacking, leaving open whether the mid-ocean rift axis continues beneath them. Here, we present new multichannel seismic and high-resolution bathymetric data of these blanketed regions. Our data reveals multiple instances where oceanic crust can be traced beneath the evaporite cover, forming volcanic edifices protruding through the sediment cover. We identify abundant circular depressions in the sediment cover as volcanic craters, which formed by deep-sea explosive volcanism or caldera collapses. The common occurrence of volcanic features in the sediment-covered regions supports the continuous formation of oceanic crust along large parts of the Red Sea Rift.
New approach to improve COP and heat recovery in transcritical CO2 refrigeration system for milk processing application
Authors: Singha Prosenjit , Das Chayan , Dasgupta Mani Sankar , Bhattacharyya Souvik , Hafner Armin
Published: February 2025

In hot climates, subcooling or after-cooling is an effective method to enhance the coefficient of performance (COP) of CO2 transcritical refrigeration system. This study investigates improvement of two contemporary subcooling arrangements: Integrated mechanical subcooling (IMS) and dedicated mechanical subcooling (DMS) and evaporative cooling arrangement to gascooler by introduction of gravity-fed evaporator in a dual evaporator parallel compression system suitable for milk processing. Using location-specific average meteorological data, the performance of the proposed systems is evaluated for Pune, India. Comparative analysis is conducted against a baseline transcritical CO2 system with flash gas bypass but lacking any subcooling arrangement. A considerable improvement in COP is observed when subcooling is combined with parallel compression. Incorporation of evaporative cooling with parallel compression yields 62.3% improvement in COP over the flash gas bypass system. However, heat recovery potential is considerably reduced by adopting evaporative cooling. Additionally, the study quantifies a potential reduction in water consumption of 45.6% over a system using flash gas bypass with an indirect evaporative cooling arrangement, and a reduction of 34.3% over a system employing parallel compression with a split gas cooler indirect evaporative cooling arrangement.
An amplification-free digital droplet assay for influenza A viral RNA based on CRISPR/Cas13a
Authors: Liu Jiayan , An Taixue , Peng Jingjie , Zhu Qinjiang , Zhao Heyang , Liang Zhiyu , Mo Kai , Liu Tiancai , Wu Kun
Published: February 2025

Scheme of the amplification-free digital droplet assay. Two innovations: (1) polystyrene capture beads to concentrate the target RNA from a dilute sample and (2) the “confinement” effect amplifies the concentration of the target molecule.
Effect of consumption of anthocyanin-rich products on NMR lipoprotein subclasses and biomarkers in hypercholesterolemic subjects: a randomized controlled trial (the AppleCOR study)
Authors: Pedret A. , Llauradó E. , Calderón-Pérez L. , Companys J. , Pla-Pagà L. , Salamanca P. , Sandoval-Ramírez B. A. , Besora-Moreno M. , Catalán Ú. , Fernández-Castillejo S. , Ludwig I. , Macià A. , Rubió-Piqué L. , Sampson M. , Remaley A. T. , Valls R. M. , Motilva M. J. , Solà R.
Published: February 2025

Anthocyanin-rich products (RFA and AI) decreased LDLc; ApoB; total, large, and small LDL-P; LDL size; TG/HDL ratio, large TRL, and GlycA and alanine versus WFA. Thus, anthocyanin-rich products provided greater protection against CVD risk than WFA.
Subterranean marvels: microbial communities in caves and underground mines and their promise for natural product discovery
Authors: Salazar-Hamm Paris S. , Homan Frances E. , Good Shyleigh A. , Hathaway Jennifer J. M. , Clements Ashley E. , Haugh Evelyn G. , Caesar Lindsay K.
Published: February 2025

Subterranean microbial communities possess unique and untapped biosynthetic potential.
Enhanced flexible supercapacitors with boron-doped graphene electrodes and carbon quantum dot gel electrolytes
Authors: Koroglu Dilara , Bingol Haluk , Uralcan Betul
Published: February 2025

Flexible solid-state supercapacitors are designed with enhanced capacitance, bending cycle stability and energy density.
Carbon dot-based fluorescent sensor for selective and sensitive detection of persulfate
Authors: Zhang Tingyu , Cai Tingting , Zhang Yi , Yu Tanlai
Published: February 2025

Persulfate, a powerful oxidizing agent, is extensively employed in numerous industries.
Photoelectrochemical water splitting with In2O3−x nanofilm/black Ti–Si–O composite photoanode
Authors: Cui Jianing , Ding Dongyan , Yue Shengzhe , Chen Zhi
Published: February 2025

Fabricating TiO2 with heterostructures is one of the important ways to enhance its photocatalytic activity.
Hetero-Diels–Alder reactions of (isobenzo)furans
Authors: DeAngelis Christopher J. , Newton Christopher G.
Published: February 2025

Herein we comprehensively review hetero-Diels–Alder reactions of (isobenzo)furans and their applications, including the synthesis of heteroaromatics, polymers, and natural products.
Urban Travel Chain Estimation Based on Combination of CHMM and LDA Model
Authors: Xiao Chenxi , Tang Jinjun , Lee JaeYoung Jay , Liang Yunyi
Published: February 2025

Understanding travel patterns and predicting travel destinations has gained significant attention in the field of transportation research. This study proposes a methodology that utilizes continuous hidden Markov models (CHMMs) to estimate activity sequences for each travel chain and employs a travel destination prediction model based on a random forest (RF) model. Furthermore, it explores the optimization of the results from HMM using the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model and applies it in predicting travel destinations. In the experiment, the dataset collected from unique travellers in Seoul city, South Korea, is used to validate the proposed model, which includes time stamps of origin and destination, location, travel mode and transfer nodes. Research findings show that during the modelling phase of the continuous hidden Markov model, the Gaussian mixture model categorizes the feature vectors into eight distinct groups. The estimated membership probability indicates involvement in four different activities. It also explains the relationship between derived activities. Finally, given the observed features, the proposed model provides an effective method for estimating the most likely sequence of activities in the travel chain. The results can help conduct further activity‐based traffic demand analysis and improve the service quality of the transportation system.
Melkerknoten
Authors: Ludwig Ralf J.
Published: February 2025

Der Melkerknoten ist eine an den Händen auftretende Zoonose, die durch das Paravaccinia-Virus verursacht wird. Reservoir sind Kühe. Die Ansteckung erfolgt durch Kontakt mit den Tieren oder Kontaktflächen. Nach einer Inkubationszeit von ca. einer Woche zeigen sich klinisch zunächst Erytheme, dann kleine Papeln an den Händen. Im weiteren Verlauf kommt es zu einem umgebenden weißen Ring, dann zu einer Sekretbildung und schließlich zur narbenfreien Abheilung. Die Diagnose wird mittels Anamnese und Klinik gestellt. Tragen entsprechender Schutzkleidung (Handschuhe) schützt vor der Infektion.
Erythrasma
Authors: Ludwig Ralf
Published: February 2025

Das Erythrasma manifestiert sich v.a. auf feuchter Haut. Klinisch imponieren gelb/rot-braune Maculae, v.a. in den Zwischenzehenräumen, inguinal und/oder axillär. Subjektiv kann Juckreiz auftreten. Das Erythrasma ist häufig (ca. 5% der Bevölkerung in gemäßigten Breitengraden betroffen; in tropischen Klimazonen wesentlich häufiger – bis zu 20%). Es können alle Altersgruppen betroffen sein; geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede sind nicht bekannt. Es handelt sich um eine bakterielle Infektion der oberen Hautschichten mit Corynebacterium minutissimum. Aufgrund der Produktion von Porphyrin durch C. minutissimum wird die Diagnose mittels Wood-Licht-Untersuchung (rötliche Fluoreszenz) gestellt. Die Therapie mit topischer Applikation von Fusidinsäure für 14 Tage führt in über 90% der Patienten zu einer Abheilung. Rezidive sind häufig, diese sprechen jedoch ebenfalls gut auf die lokale antibiotische Therapie an.
Innovatives in der Proktologie
Authors: Ernst Fedor , Sterzing Daniel
Published: February 2025

Die letzten 30 Jahre waren in der Proktologie eine äußerst innovative Zeit, in der proktologische Leiden mit neuen Therapien und Methoden behandelt wurden. Allerdings mussten sich diese Innovationen einer wissenschaftlichen Evaluation stellen und konnten in einigen Fällen den Erwartungen nicht vollständig gerecht werden. Besonders die Reproduzierbarkeit der Ergebnisse durch andere Anwender entsprach oft nicht den vielversprechenden Resultaten der Erstautoren. Beim Hämorrhoidalleiden wurde v.a. versucht, die schmerzhaften Folgen der klassischen Hämorrhoidektomie zu vermeiden. Diskutiert werden der anale Lift, die Laserhämorrhoidoplastie, die Radiowellentherapie und die Embolisation der Aa. haemorrhoidales.

Im Kontext des Fistelleidens ist die Schonung des Sphinkterapparats von höchster Bedeutung, während gleichzeitig ein Rezidiv oder eine Persistenz der Fistel vermieden werden soll. Hier kommen innovative Methoden wie der Fistelplug, die LIFT-Technik, die Lasertherapie sowie die Stammzelltherapie zum Einsatz, die im Folgenden kritisch gewürdigt werden.

Ein besonderes Augenmerk liegt auf der Therapie der Stuhlinkontinenz. Leider haben sich einige vielversprechende Ansätze, wie der künstliche Darmsphinkter, das Magnetband und die Radiofrequenztherapie, als wenig erfolgreich erwiesen. Fortschritte wurden in der Behandlung HPV-bedingter Erkrankungen erzielt. Aktuelle Studien belegen die Relevanz einer HPV-bedingten Dysplasie bei der Entwicklung eines Analkarzinoms, dies unterstreicht das notwendige Screening durch die innovative HRA (High Resolution Anoskopie).

Als Innovation wird auch immer wieder die Materialität der proktologischen Untersuchungsgeräte bezeichnet. Die Entwicklung zu Single-use-Geräten ist unverkennbar, begründet mit Hygiene- und Kostenaspekten. Diese Sichtweise blendet die Nachhaltigkeit sowie die Schadstoffbilanz durch Kunststoffe und in den Geräten verbaute Batterien und LEDs leider vollkommen aus.
SAA & BPR in der Praxis – hyperglykämische Entgleisung
Authors: Kuhnke Rico , Grautoff Steffen
Published: February 2025

Anhand eines Fallbeispiels arbeiten wir einen interessanten Einsatz Algorithmen-konform auf. Hierzu nutzen wir die Standardarbeitsanweisungen (SAA) und Behandlungspfade Rettungsdienst (BPR) der 6-Länder-Arbeitsgruppe.
Unique Surgical Challenges in Early Life Epilepsy
Authors: Perry Michael Scott , Hansen Daniel
Published: February 2025

The incidence of epilepsy is highest at the extremes of age. Drug resistance is present in approximately one-third of people with epilepsy but occurs at higher than average rates in children with seizure onset before age 3 years, owing to a variety of etiologies unique to this age group. Epilepsy surgery is an effective therapeutic option for drug-resistant epilepsy but is vastly underutilized. Epilepsy surgery in children under age 3 comes with distinct clinical challenges related to brain anatomy, evolving developmental maturation, and limitations of evaluation and surgical strategies. However, epilepsy surgery can lead to seizure freedom or significant seizure reduction in this age group. Early seizure control may have a significant positive impact on long-term cognitive development, making urgency of surgical referral of immense importance. This review highlights available evidence on the safety and efficacy of epilepsy surgery in early-life epilepsy, identifying barriers to surgical therapy, describing utilization of available evaluation and surgical strategies, and examining risks and benefits of earlier surgical consideration in this vulnerable population.
Possibility and potential intervention targets of saffron extract in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: A Review
Authors: Shi Huiyang , Liu Xuan , Zhao Peiyi , Huang Wei , Wang Hebin , Jin Heying , Zhu Junyou , Wang Jianwu , Li Tianjiao
Published: February 2025

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disorder characterized by dry skin, eczema-like lesions, and severe itching. The multifaceted etiology of AD, which is not yet fully understood, includes genetic predispositions, immune dysfunctions(such as an impaired skin barrier and abnormal immune regulation), imbalances in the skin microbiota, and environmental factors, among others. In the field of AD treatment, the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine is becoming an emerging trend. Given the potential side effects and reduced efficacy of conventional therapeutic drugs, Chinese herbal medicines offer patients new treatment options because of their unique efficacy and low toxicity. Some saffron extracts derived from saffron and gardenia , such as crocin, crocetin, and safranal, have shown promising potential in the treatment of AD. These natural ingredients not only possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties similar to those of traditional Chinese medicines but also demonstrate excellent effects in promoting the repair of damaged skin barriers. Therefore, this article reviews the therapeutic potential of saffron extract in the treatment of AD, with a special focus on its mechanisms and potential interventions, while emphasizing the importance of herbal medicines as alternatives to traditional treatments, providing AD patients with safer and more effective treatment options.