bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationships between tilt angles of rectus muscles and positions of rectus muscle pulleys in patients with sagging eye syndrome
Authors: Kono Reika , Hamasaki Ichiro , Kishimoto Fumiko , Shibata Kiyo , Morisawa Shin , Morizane Yuki
Published: February 2025

Purpose

To examine the relationship between the rectus muscle (RM) angle and RM pulley displacement in patients with sagging eye syndrome (SES) without myopia.

Study design

Retrospective cross-sectional case series.

Methods

High-resolution quasi-coronal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 20 orbits of ten Japanese patients with SES but without high myopia were analyzed. The patients had no abduction deficiency. The RM angles were measured between the major axes of the horizontal and vertical RMs relative to the vertical and horizontal planes, respectively. The positions of the RM pulleys relative to the center of the globe were analyzed as previously described.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 75.8 ± 4.5 years (standard deviation). The average axial length was 23.6 ± 0.6 mm. The lateral rectus (LR) muscle angle (22 ± 6°) had moderate negative correlations with the inferior displacement of the inferior rectus (IR), superior rectus (SR), and LR pulleys (r =– 0.63,– 0.45, and– 0.45, respectively); however, no change was observed in the medial rectus (MR) pulley (r =– 0.41). No correlations were found between the angles of the SR (4 ± 8°), IR (– 13 ± 8°), and MR (– 1 ± 6°) muscles and the positions of the RM pulleys.

Conclusion

Given the correlation between increased LR muscle angle and inferior displacement of adjacent RM pulleys in SES, the LR muscle angle may serve as a diagnostic clue, even when inferior displacement is not identifiable on MRI. Further confirmation in larger studies is warranted.
“Like an Emotional Trash Can”: An Interview Study of Bhutanese School Guidance Counselors’ Perceived Challenges and Resources
Authors: Larran Julie , Hein Sascha
Published: February 2025

School counselors are responsible for students’ mental health and their increasingly complex issues. However, little is known about school counseling services in the Kingdom of Bhutan. This study conducted 28 semi-structured interviews with school guidance counselors in Bhutan, 19 online and 9 in-person, to investigate their perceived challenges and resources. The data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach to inquiry and thematic analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke (Qualitative Research in Psychology 3(2):77-101, 2006). The identified challenges and resources were grouped for further analysis according to Martin et al.’s (International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling 37(4):305-318, 2015) model of 11 factors influencing school counseling. The most often mentioned challenges were insufficient resources to cope with rising mental health needs and cultural barriers to the implementation of school guidance counseling, such as stigma and the role of corporal punishment. The most often mentioned resources were the importance of material resources, such as having a separate counseling room within the school, and the importance of support from external professionals, such as clinical counselors. In sum, the results revealed the need for (1) more resources to cope with the mental health needs of students, such as additional training, (2) more organization to systemize stakeholder collaboration and to clarify the school guidance counselors’ roles, (3) more awareness in the general population about school guidance counseling, including overcoming stigma towards mental health issues, and (4) more time for this profession to establish itself in the Kingdom.
The impact of SEC23A on 5-FU chemotherapy sensitivity and its involvement in endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Su Zhaoran , Liu Menglan , Krohn Mathias , Schwarz Sandra , Linnebacher Michael
Published: February 2025

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a significant global health burden, with chemotherapy resistance representing a significant challenge to effective treatment. SEC23A, a core component of the COPII vesicle trafficking system, is of critical importance with regard to protein transport and cellular homeostasis. Nevertheless, its function in CRC progression and chemoresistance remains uncertain. The present study investigates the correlation between SEC23A expression and sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, with particular emphasis on ER stress-induced apoptosis. Methods: A bioinformatic analysis was conducted to evaluate SEC23A expression in CRC and its association with patient prognosis. Chemotherapy sensitivity was predicted using GDSC data and validated experimentally using CRC cell lines with manipulated SEC23A expression. In order to explore the role of SEC23A in acquired drug resistance, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and 5-FU-resistant cell lines were employed. Apoptosis assays, cell cycle analysis, and ER stress modulation experiments were performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Results: SEC23A expression was significantly reduced in CRC samples compared to normal tissues. This reduction was linked to a poorer prognosis, including both overall and disease-specific survival. A correlation was observed between low SEC23A expression and increased resistance to 5-FU, as evidenced by both bioinformatic predictions and in vitro experiments. In PDX models, metastatic lesions exhibited decreased SEC23A expression following 5-FU treatment in comparison to primary tumors. Overexpression of SEC23A in 5-FU-resistant cell lines restored sensitivity to the drug and increased apoptosis. Bioinformatic and experimental analyses revealed a robust correlation between SEC23A and ER stress-related apoptotic pathways. Elevated expression of SEC23A was observed to facilitate the accumulation of misfolded proteins in response to 5-FU treatment, which in turn resulted in increased ER stress and apoptosis. Conclusions: SEC23A plays a crucial role in modulating the sensitivity of CRC cells to 5-FU by regulating ER stress-induced apoptosis. Its downregulation contributes to chemoresistance, indicating that SEC23A may serve as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in CRC. Strategies aimed at upregulating SEC23A or enhancing ER stress may provide new avenues for overcoming chemoresistance and improving treatment outcomes for CRC patients.
Intraductal laser ablation during ductoscopy in patients with pathological nipple discharge
Authors: Makineli Seher , Vriens Menno R. , van Diest Paul J. , Witkamp Arjen J.
Published: February 2025

Background

Ductoscopy is a minimally invasive micro-endoscopic approach for direct visualization and removal of intraductal lesions of the breast. A challenge of ductoscopy is an adequate treatment of intraductal lesions by complete removal to prevent exploratory duct excision surgery. This study aimed to determine the in vivo feasibility of intraductal laser ablation during ductoscopy to remove intraductal lesions in patients suffering from pathological nipple discharge (PND).

Methods

A prospective, single-center diagnostic feasibility trial was conducted between October 2022 and November 2023, enrolling adult women with unilateral PND and no radiological suspicion of malignancy. Intraductal laser ablation was performed after incomplete intraductal biopsy using a Thulium laser.

Results

Duct cannulation and subsequent ductoscopic exploration were successful in 21 patients revealing an intraductal lesion in 13 patients (61.9%). From these 13 patients, 9 patients (69.2%) underwent intraductal laser ablation due to a residual lesion after biopsy. Pathology of the removed intraductal lesions showed a papilloma in eight (88.9%) patients and a papilloma/DCIS combination in one patient (11.1%). Post-procedure, PND stopped in 77.8% of the patients (7/9). Two patients had recurrent PND complaints caused by a residual lesion.

Conclusion

Intraductal laser ablation during ductoscopy in patients with papillary lesions seems to be feasible and safe. The Thulium laser enables ablation of residual lesions and is therefore suitable for an immediate second intervention after ductoscopic removal of intraductal lesions. Further refinement and validation in a follow-up clinical trial are necessary to further assess its therapeutic efficacy.
Family Functioning and Parenting Styles in Adolescents Diagnosed with Trichotillomania
Authors: Okumuş Hande Günal , Kaşak Meryem , Çelik Yusuf Selman , Menderes Ayşe Selma Yenen , Sivri İsranur Yenen , Temeltürk Rahime Duygu , Akdemir Devrim
Published: February 2025

This study aimed to compare the family functioning and parenting styles in adolescents with trichotillomania (TTM) and healthy controls and to assess the relationships between the family functioning, parenting styles, and clinical features of TTM, including the severity of TTM, duration of illness, and concomitant psychiatric symptoms. The study sample consisted of 100 adolescents aged 12–18 years, 50 patients with TTM, and 50 healthy controls. All participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical data form, the Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale (MGH-HPS), the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale-Child Version (RCADS-CV), the Family Assessment Device (FAD), and the Perceived Parental Attitude Scale (PPAS). Results show that adolescents with TTM reported higher levels of comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms than healthy controls, and 64% of adolescents with TTM had at least one comorbid psychiatric disorder. Parents of adolescents with TTM also reported more significant impairment in the affective responsiveness, problem-solving, and general family functioning subscales of the FAD. Adolescents with TTM endorsed significantly more authoritarian perceptions of both parents on the PPAS. While the severity of hairpulling symptoms showed only a positive and significant relationship with the RCADS-CV total internalizing score, the duration of illness was positively and moderately correlated with the impairment in affective responsiveness, problem-solving, and general family functioning subscales of FAD. Finally, the RCADS-CV total internalizing score and the general functioning subscale of FAD were the most important predictors of TTM. The implications of family functioning and parenting styles, future targets for family-focused approaches in TTM, and study limitations are discussed.
Riparian structural vegetation types exhibit differential responses to local community drivers
Authors: de Simone Leopoldo , Fanfarillo Emanuele , Fiaschi Tiberio , Maccherini Simona , Bonari Gianmaria , Angiolini Claudia
Published: February 2025

Riparian vegetation consists of different Structural Vegetation Types (SVTs): woodland, shrubland, and herbaceous communities. Since each SVT may respond differently to abiotic and biotic drivers, our study aimed to disentangle the independent and shared effects of these drivers on distinct SVTs. Using a stratified random sampling approach, we collected 144 plots in a Mediterranean river of central Italy. We applied RDA and variation partitioning to assess the relative importance of local abiotic (lateral gradient, anthropogenic disturbances, environmental factors) and biotic (alien species) drivers on species richness, Shannon diversity index, and community composition of each SVT. After accounting for spatial autocorrelation, abiotic factors emerged as the main filters shaping riparian community assembly. Additionally, our results showed similar responses in the diversity of woodland and herbaceous SVTs to the independent effects of local drivers. In terms of community composition, only woodlands responded to the effects of environment, lateral gradient, and alien species. Consequently, for conservation purposes, different riparian SVTs should be managed separately, as they may respond differently to local drivers. Finally, the shared effects of certain drivers suggest that management measures addressing only a single group of factors are likely less effective.
Plasticizer modulation of dynamic mechanical properties and dielectric performance in sodium alginate-based biopolymer films
Authors: Kandil Heba , El Desouky Fawzy G.
Published: February 2025

This work focuses on the effects of various plasticizers, such as glycerol (GLY), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dioctyl phthalate (DOP) at 0%, 25%, and 50% concentrations, on the structure, dynamic mechanical behavior, and relaxation dynamics of charge carriers of sodium alginate (SA) film. The investigation of the structure was conducted using attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The AT-FTIR analysis indicated changes in the OH and C–O bands of plasticized SA films, suggesting potential intermolecular interactions between the SA matrix and the plasticizers. Moreover, XRD revealed that GLY and PEG enhanced the amorphous phase of SA, promoting flexibility, while DOP increased crystallinity. Dynamic mechanical testing revealed that the pristine SA biofilm displayed a high storage modulus (
$$\:E^{\prime}$$
) of 11 GPa at − 50 °C, indicating a stiff structure. The plasticization process with GLY, PEG, and DOP resulted in a decrease in the values to 0.09, 0.1, and 7.11 GPa, respectively, as well as a decrease in the glass transition temperature, which was attributed to weakened polymer chain interactions. The drastic reduction in storage modulus upon plasticization indicates enhanced flexibility. Dielectric measurements revealed significantly higher dielectric constants ranging from 1.65 × 106 to 0.12 × 106 at 0.1 Hz and direct current conductivity at lower frequencies, also decreasing in relaxation time for films plasticized with GLY and PEG linked to increased hydroxyl groups and higher amorphous content. These findings highlight the potential of SA films plasticized with GLY and PEG as advanced materials for electrochemical and conductive polymer electrode applications.
Second-Order, Energy-Stable and Maximum Bound Principle Preserving Schemes for Two-Phase Incompressible Flow
Authors: Li Xiaoli , Liu Hao , Zheng Nan
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we propose several linear fully discrete schemes for the mass-conserved Allen-Cahn-Navier–Stokes equation, based on the generalized stabilized exponential scalar auxiliary variable approach in time and the marker and cell (MAC) scheme in space. It is quite remarkable that our schemes can guarantee second-order accuracy in space provided the maximum bound principle (MBP) is satisfied, whereas most previous work can only possess first-order accuracy in space. We rigorously show that the constructed schemes satisfy the unconditional energy dissipation law and preserve the MBP. Finally, various numerical examples are presented to verify the theoretical results and demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed schemes.
Does a Group CBT-Course for Depressed Youth also Reduce Aggression? Results from a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Olesen Sunniva , Idsoe Thormod , Keles Serap
Published: February 2025

Aggression and depression are two of the most common forms of psychosocial difficulties in adolescents. High prevalence and disabling effects stress the need for more cost-effective interventions. Studies show that the two difficulties are closely linked regarding comorbidity, risk factors, consequences and theoretical background, making it interesting to investigate whether an intervention targeting one of them could also reduce the other. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the association between aggression and depression and to investigate whether a treatment that has been found effective in reducing depression—“Adolescents coping with depression course” (ACDC), a group-based cognitive behavioural intervention-, could also reduce aggression, either directly, or indirectly via reducing depression. The data came from a randomized control trial, with a pre- post- and follow-up longitudinal design. In total 228 youth participated in the study, of which 133 received the ACDC-intervention and 95 received usual care. Correlation analysis showed that aggression and depression were associated at all time points. Structural equation modelling showed that the intervention did have neither direct nor indirect effect on aggression. Our conclusion is that future CBT interventions with a primary aim to reduce depression might have to design intervention components that are more directly targeted toward aggression if also this potential comorbid difficulty should be addressed. Previous studies have found higher levels of comorbid aggression among depressed boys than girls. Few boys in our sample may thereby have reduced statistical power to detect potential influences on aggression.

Trial Registration: ISRCTN registry ISRCTN19700389. Registered 6 October 2015. Full Protocol: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0954-y
Barcoding the Caatinga biome bees: a practical review
Authors: Rodrigues Pedro , Teixeira Cláudia , Guimarães Laura , Ferreira Nuno G. C.
Published: February 2025

Bees play a critical role as pollinators in ecosystem services, contributing significantly to the sexual reproduction and diversity of plants. The Caatinga biome in Brazil, home to around 200 bee species, provides an ideal habitat for these species due to its unique climate conditions. However, this biome faces threats from anthropogenic processes, making it urgent to characterise the local bee populations efficiently. Traditional taxonomic surveys for bee identification are complex due to the lack of suitable keys and expertise required. As a result, molecular barcoding has emerged as a valuable tool, using genome regions to compare and identify bee species. However, little is known about Caatinga bees to develop these molecular tools further. This study addresses this gap, providing an updated list of 262 Caatinga bee species across 86 genera and identifying ~ 40 primer sets to aid in barcoding these species. The findings highlight the ongoing work needed to fully characterise the Caatinga biome’s bee distribution and species or subspecies to support more effective monitoring and conservation efforts.
Energy transfer and localization in a forced cyclic chain of oscillators with vibro-impact nonlinear energy sinks
Authors: Weidemann Tobias , Bergman Lawrence A. , Vakakis Alexander F. , Krack Malte
Published: February 2025

We theoretically investigate the strongly nonlinear dynamics, inter-modal targeted energy transfer and energy localization in an elastically coupled cyclic chain of oscillators with vibro-impact nonlinear energy sinks (VI-NESs) under symmetric harmonic standing or traveling wave forcing. Each identical sector of the chain consists of a single linear oscillator hosting a VI-NES, which is a small mass that is freely placed inside a cavity of the oscillator. We show that the VI-NESs are able to synchronize to the global standing or traveling wave response of the structure in the form of 1:1 resonance captures with the oscillators in each sector. In addition, localized states at higher amplitudes can be found where the VI-NESs synchronize to the motion of their host oscillators in only a subset of all sectors. We derive an analytical model to predict the frequency-amplitude curves of these synchronized solutions and study their local asymptotic stability analytically and their practical stability numerically. We show that the globally synchronized response can experience a modulation instability which gives rise to traveling beat waves. High and practically stable localized amplitudes only arise for sufficiently low excitation wavenumbers and weak inter-sector coupling strengths. However, even the largest practically stable amplitudes show a significant reduction of the vibration level compared to the corresponding linear resonant responses. Hence, a robust high performance of the VI-NESs is observed for all excitation wavenumbers and inter-sector coupling strengths.
Complexity in the interpretation and application of multiple guidelines for thyroid nodules: the need for coordinated recommendations for “small” lesions
Authors: Trimboli Pierpaolo
Published: February 2025

Multiple guidelines for thyroid nodule management have been developed by endocrinologists, often in collaboration with surgeons and radiologists. While there is now a lot of scientific information available to meet the needs of healthcare providers, there is not always uniformity and standardization among recommendations. Consequently, the interpretation and application of guidelines in clinical practice remain somewhat limited. In this context, the management of “small” thyroid nodule warrants full discussion. Looking at treatment guidelines, surgery is the first-line option and the risk of cancer relapse can be assessed only after at least thyroidectomy; in addition, according to guidelines of minimally invasive treatment, thermal ablation may be considered for patients with small classical papillary carcinoma. However, the Thyroid Imaging Reporting And Data Systems do not recommend biopsy in nodules less than 1 cm; and performing biopsy may yield a result that is suspicious or consistent with malignancy without specifying the cancer subtype. With these premises, facing cases of “small” nodule less than 1 cm is challenging. Even if the recommendations of guidelines sound singularly appropriate, they may seem conflicting. Coordinated guidelines are needed.
Friction Coefficient Evolution of Drying Lubricant in the Joints of Beetles by Friction Force Microscopy
Authors: Pichler Cornelia F. , Thelen Richard , van de Kamp Thomas , Hölscher Hendrik
Published: February 2025

Recent studies suggest that the joints of beetles and other insects comprise micro-structured surfaces in combination with lubricants. Here, we utilize friction force microscopy (FFM) to analyse the tribological properties of the femoro-tibial leg joints by the example of Coelorrhina aurata (metallic green flower beetle) and Otiorhynchus sulcatus (black vine weevil). To preserve the original state of the lubricant as well as the microstructures, the FFM measurements were conducted in silicone oil, which satisfies our requirements of transparency, customizable viscosity, absent health risks and lower density compared to the expected density of the lubricant. Microscopic friction was measured on fresh and air-dried samples to stress the change of the lubricant properties over time. Despite the similarity of the two beetle joints, the FFM measurements reveal different frictional properties of the respective lubricants.
Pro-Inflammatory Response to Macrotextured Silicone Implant Wear Debris
Authors: Atkins Dixon J. , Rogers Ann E. , Shaffer Kathryn E. , Moore Ian , Miller Wyatt D. , Morrissey Meghan A. , Pitenis Angela A.
Published: February 2025

Macrotextured silicone breast implants are associated with several complications, ranging from seromas and hematomas to the formation of a rare type of lymphoma, known as breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). The presence of silicone wear debris has been detected within the peri-implant region and fibrotic capsule and histological analyses reveal inflammatory cells surrounding debris particles. However, it is unclear how these debris particles are generated and released from macrotextured implant surfaces, and whether wear debris generation is related to implant stiffness. In this study, we created an accelerated implant aging model to investigate the formation of silicone wear debris produced from self-mated (“shell-shell”) tribological interactions. We created implant-like silicone elastomers from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) using Sylgard 184 base:curing agent (10:1, 12:1, and 16:1) and quantified their mechanical properties (E* = 1141 ± 472, 336 ± 20, and 167 ± 53 kPa, respectively). We created macrotextured PDMS samples using the lost-salt technique and compared their self-mated friction coefficient (< µ > = 4.8 ± 3.2, 4.9 ± 1.8, and 6.0 ± 2.3, respectively) and frictional shear stress (τ = 3.1 ± 1.3, 3.2 ± 1.7, and 2.4 ± 1.4 MPa, respectively) to those of the recalled Allergan Biocell macrotextured implant shell (E* = 299 ± 8 kPa, < µ > = 2.2, and τ = 0.8 ± 0.1). Friction coefficient and frictional shear stress were largely insensitive to variations in elastic modulus for macrotextured PDMS samples and recalled implant shells. The stiffest 10:1 PDMS macrotextured sample and the recalled implant shell both generated similar area fractions of silicone wear debris. However, the recalled implant shell released far more particles (> 10×), mainly within the range of 5 to 20 µm2 in area. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were treated with several concentrations of tribologically generated silicone wear debris. We observed widespread phagocytosis of wear debris particles and increasing secretion of inflammatory cytokines with increasing concentration of wear debris particles. Our investigation highlights the importance of avoiding macrotextured surfaces and mitigating wear debris generation from silicone implants to reduce chronic inflammation.
Estimating water surface elevation for a wetland using integrated multi-sourced remote sensing data
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Chua Lloyd H. C. , Irvine Kim N. , Teang Lihoun
Published: February 2025

Surface water plays an important role in understanding the hydrological behaviour of a wetland and is crucial for the sustainability of wetland ecosystems. Remote sensing increasingly is used for the estimation of surface water levels in larger inland waterbodies. However, there are few investigations that have employed multi-sourced remote sensing data for water level predictions in wetlands, which was the motivation for undertaking this study. Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 are among the latest satellites providing optical imagery with high spatial resolution and coverage that are available in the public domain. Different water indices have been applied to estimate surface water levels using these satellite image sources; however, what index to use for a particular application requires thorough, site-specific analysis. In this study, the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), two versions of the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), and the Water Ratio Index (WRI) were used to estimate water levels in a constructed wetland, as part of an effort to better guide regulation and decision-making for a local management agency. The satellite data were complemented with high resolution aerial photogrammetric images and LiDAR data to assess the accuracy of water level predictions provided by the satellite images. The photogrammetric images were used as reference datasets while the LiDAR data supported the development of area-elevation curves for the wetland. Accuracy assessment between the satellite and reference images was performed using the Kappa co-efficient (K). MNDWI performed better than the other water indices for both satellite data sources; however, the optimum threshold was different for each satellite (− 0.35 for Sentinel-2 and − 0.25 for Landsat-8). K values for the optimum threshold ranged between 0.72 and 0.77 for Sentinel-2 and 0.73 and 0.87 for Landsat-8. The water levels estimated using the remotely sensed data were assessed against in situ, continuously measured water levels using multiple efficiency evaluation metrics including R2, RMSE, and SSE. Estimated water levels with Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 resulted in an R2 of 0.86 and 0.88, RMSE of 0.04 m and 0.06 m, and an SSE of 0.02 m and 0.06 m, respectively. These results show that even for a small wetland, it is possible to use satellite imagery to estimate water levels with high accuracy.
Seascape Factors in the Loss of the SS Waratah
Authors: Pons D. J.
Published: February 2025

The SS Waratah was lost with all 211 lives circa 27 July 1909 off the South African eastern coast, for reasons unknown, and the wreck has not been found despite numerous searches at the time and into the present. The purpose of this paper is to identify possible sinking locations based on the interaction of meteorological fronts, Agulhas current, and bathymetric features. The route of the ship is reconstructed from historical documents, and the account of the following ship Clan Macintyre, using haversines. The analysis shows that the Waratah met the storm on the edge of the continental shelf of Algoa Bay. Multiple simulations were conducted to explore parameter variability, and the meeting location shifts accordingly, bracketing an area of 40 nm by 10 nm (nm). It is proposed that the ship sank on meeting a rogue wave in the storm, or shortly afterwards, at the continental shelf break, possibly near the head of a submarine canyon. Two locations stand out for meeting these criteria and these are 34.3482oS 26.2627oE, and 34.3942oS 25.9394oE. The work provides a new hypothesis, backed by detailed navigational modelling from the known facts, regarding where and how the ship sank. The novel contribution of this research is the combination of multiple disciplines, such as historical research, principles of maritime engineering, navigational modelling, meteorological phenomena, and oceanographic analysis, to reconstruct the ship's likely route and identify potential shipwreck locations.
Differentiating Contact with Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Infectious Individuals in a SEIR Epidemic Model
Authors: Chebotaeva Victoria , Srinivasan Anish , Vasquez Paula A.
Published: February 2025

This manuscript introduces a new Erlang-distributed SEIR model. The model incorporates asymptomatic spread through a subdivided exposed class, distinguishing between asymptomatic (

$$\hbox {E}_a$$

E
a

) and symptomatic (

$$\hbox {E}_s$$

E
s

) cases. The model identifies two key parameters: relative infectiousness,

$$\beta _{{SA}}$$

β

SA

, and the percentage of people who become asymptomatic after being infected by a symptomatic individual,

$$\kappa $$

κ

. Lower values of these parameters reduce the peak magnitude and duration of the infectious period, highlighting the importance of isolation measures. Additionally, the model underscores the need for strategies addressing both symptomatic and asymptomatic transmissions.
Locking in democracy? Transitions, returning autocratic elites, and human rights treaty commitment
Authors: Olar Roman-Gabriel
Published: February 2025

Under what conditions are new democracies more committed to human rights? Existing explanations focus on the logic of the democratic lock-in as elites in new democracies commit their countries to international human rights treaties and organizations to safeguard against future nondemocratic threats. However, this proposition receives mixed empirical support within the literature, and suffers of endogeneity as it treats all democratization episodes as equivalent. Building on insights from the democratization literature, this paper develops a novel theoretical framework that provides a more direct explanation on the conditions under which political elites in new democracies are more likely to commit to human rights treaties. Using a new measure of returning autocratic elites and an instrumental variable design, the results show that democratic cabinets with a higher share of former autocratic elites are less committed to the international human rights regime. These results have implications for democratic consolidation and human rights compliance.
Miscarriages of justice in judges’ mind: theory and experimental evidence
Authors: Ottone Stefania , Ponzano Ferruccio , Saraceno Margherita , Zarri Luca
Published: February 2025

This study investigates—both theoretically and by means of a controlled laboratory experiment—judges’ decisions in cases when either “type-I” errors (i.e., convicting an innocent defendant) or “type-II” errors (i.e., acquitting a guilty defendant) can occur. Our findings indicate that judges are sensitive to both types of error. Furthermore, in both error scenarios we detect “compensatory leniency” in judicial decision making, with participants seeming to balance the inherent trade-off between the errors by managing jointly the two key levers that they are given by our design: (1) the decision on conviction/acquittal and (2) the decision on the severity of punishment.
Composting of municipal solid waste with microbial-inoculated biochar amendment: impact on process and end-product quality
Authors: Tahsini Mohammad Javad , Nikaeen Mahnaz , Mohammadi Farzaneh , Taghipour Ahmadreza , Tahmasebi Meghdad , Nafez Amir Hossein
Published: February 2025

This study investigated the application of biochar and microbial-inoculated biochar in municipal solid waste (MSW) composting to enhance and accelerate the process. Microbial consortium from the active composting phase was utilized for inoculation and biofilm formation on the biochar surface. Five experimental windrow piles were established, including a control pile without biochar, and piles amended with either biochar or microbial-inoculated biochar. The composting process and the quality of the final product were evaluated by analyzing a range of physicochemical and biological parameters. The results demonstrated that piles amended with inoculated biochar exhibited higher levels of FDA hydrolytic activity and organic matter reduction, indicating enhanced microbial activity. Notably, piles 3 and 5, amended with biochar inoculated with a bacterial consortium and a bacterial-fungal consortium, respectively, achieved the highest composting temperatures (65 °C) and produced the highest-quality end products (C/N ratio: 10.1–11.8, Germination index: 100, and fecal coliform levels within acceptable limits) compared to the control piles. These findings provide valuable insights into the practical application of microbial-inoculated biochar in the real field of MSW composting, offering a promising approach to optimize composting efficiency and product quality.

Graphical Abstract
Organizational sustainability: the role of environmentally focused practices in enhancing environmental performance—an emerging market perspective
Authors: Khan Naveed R. , Malik Falak , Khan Mustafa Rehman , Khan Ismail , Ghouri Arsalan Mujahid
Published: February 2025

This study aims to examine the impact of environmental transformational leadership through green human resource management (GHRM) and environmental management system on environmental performance (EP) in textile manufacturing firms. In this cross-sectional study, PLS-SEM method was used to analyze 244 responses collected from managers using purposive sampling. Our findings showed that environmental transformational leadership has a significant relationship with GHRM, environmental management system, and EP. Likewise, environmental management system has a significant relationship with EP. However, GHRM has an insignificant relationship with EP. Moreover, the environmental management system complementary mediates the relationship between environmental transformational leadership and EP. Meanwhile, GHRM insignificantly mediates the relationship between environmental transformational leadership and EP. Our study provides novel contribution by examining environmentally focused practices and organizational sustainability within an under-researched, emerging market context. We offer insights into how environmental transformational leadership and environmental management system addressing environmental challenges as outlined by the SDGs. Managers are suggested to regularly identify environmental issues relevant to the firm, communicate environmental requirements to suppliers, and implement environmental life cycle assessments to redesign products or manufacturing processes.
Entrepreneurship and Evolutionary Economics
Authors: Bylund Per L.
Published: February 2025

Entrepreneurship has been expunged from contemporary mainstream economics despite being an important driver and cause of economic development and growth. However, whereas Evolutionary Economics recognizes value-creative entrepreneurship, its role and impact tend to still be understated and the vast implications not fully understood. This Element attempts to remedy this by theorizing on how entrepreneurship impacts and drives market economies, the implications for economic change and renewal, and how the pursuit of new value creation determines the evolution of an economy. We find that allowing for entrepreneurial new value creation – innovative entrepreneurship – produces a different and more dynamic understanding of the market as a process, the role of knowledge and uncertainty, economic evolution and progress, as well as has important implications for political economy.
Green water loads on prismatic obstacles
Authors: Gao Min , Draper Scott , Wolgamot Hugh A. , Chen Lifen , Taylor Paul H. , Cheng Liang
Published: February 2025

Green water loads on prismatic obstacles (representing topside structures) mounted on the raised deck of a simplified vessel are investigated using computational fluid dynamics simulations and physical model testing with emphasis on examining different structure shapes, orientation angles and relative structure size. For each scenario investigated, several flow features are identified that characterize the green water interaction with the structure and influence loads, namely delayed flow diversion, formation of a vertical jet, scattered wave formation and the development of complex wake patterns. Comparing across structures, these interactions are more pronounced for blunt objects, and the associated force impulse is larger. For example, a cube with flow at normal incidence is found to experience approximately twice the force impulse of a circular cylinder of the same projected area. Equally, rotation of the cube leads to reduced run-up height and streamwise force on the structure. To explain these trends, a theoretical model based on Newtonian flow theory is adopted. This model provides an estimate of the streamwise force exerted on obstacles in high-Froude-number flows and shows good agreement with the numerical results when the flow is supercritical, shallow (small water depth relative to structure width) and the structure is tall (large structure height relative to water depth). Despite some limitations, the model should provide an efficient force prediction tool for practical use in design.
Not all verbal labels grease the wheels of odor categories
Authors: Cao Yaxiong , Majid Asifa , Vanek Norbert
Published: February 2025

Language is known to play a crucial role in influencing how humans perceive and categorize sensory stimuli, including odors. This study investigated the impact of linguistic labeling on odor categorization among bilingual participants proficient in Chinese (L1) and English (L2). We hypothesized that L1-like linguistic labels would more robustly propel the learning of new olfactory categories compared to a condition without language, and more familiar labels would better support odor category learning. The analysis focused on comparing learning trajectories and odor categorization performance of four groups, three in which odors were paired with different sets of verbal labels and a control group that categorized odors without any verbal labeling. Following four days of intensive training, the results showed that the groups with verbal labels numerically outperformed the control group, and that the less familiar the labels sounded the more successful categorization became. However, between-group differences did not reach statistical significance. These findings, while not conclusively supporting our hypotheses, provide insights into the complex relationship between linguistic familiarity and odor category formation. The results are nested within Ad Hoc Cognition, highlighting that variations in linguistic familiarity may not induce robust enough contextual changes to differentially affect how odor categories are formed.
How to Podcast
Authors: Chikkatur Anita , Lawrence David T. , Moten Crystal
Published: February 2025

In this article, we reflect on our experiences co-producing a podcast about literary books mostly written by women of color. We describe how and why we started the podcast and how our podcast provides a model of skills that are key to doing humanities, and offer some practical advice about making podcasts.
Cross-Disciplinary Mobility and the Public Writer
Authors: Boyd Sydney
Published: February 2025

Who is the public? For a scholar, the public is anyone outside of one’s discipline. This is true within academia or without, but cross-disciplinarity as an individual means of academic scholarship tends not to be an explicit part of conversations about how to practice public humanities. This essay critically reflects on how we think about cross-disciplinary scholarship in relationship to public writing and centers mobility as a core tenet of both.
Quantum delegated and federated learning via quantum homomorphic encryption
Authors: Li Weikang , Deng Dong-Ling
Published: February 2025

Quantum learning models hold the potential to bring computational advantages over the classical realm. As powerful quantum servers become available on the cloud, ensuring the protection of clients’ private data becomes crucial. By incorporating quantum homomorphic encryption schemes, we present a general framework that enables quantum delegated and federated learning with a computation-theoretical data privacy guarantee. We show that learning and inference under this framework feature substantially lower communication complexity compared with schemes based on blind quantum computing. In addition, in the proposed quantum federated learning scenario, there is less computational burden on local quantum devices from the client side, since the server can operate on encrypted quantum data without extracting any information. We further prove that certain quantum speedups in supervised learning carry over to private delegated learning scenarios employing quantum kernel methods. Our results provide a valuable guide toward privacy-guaranteed quantum learning on the cloud, which may benefit future studies and security-related applications.
A note on separability in outer automorphism groups
Authors: Fournier-Facio Francesco
Published: February 2025

We give a criterion for separability of subgroups of certain outer automorphism groups. This answers questions of Hagen and Sisto, by strengthening and generalizing a result of theirs on mapping class groups.
Pubertal timing, depressive symptoms, and depression in adolescent males: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Tarif Dana , Heron Jon , Fraser Abigail , Elhakeem Ahmed , Joinson Carol
Published: February 2025

Background

Early pubertal timing is associated with depressive symptoms in girls, but studies in boys are limited and have yielded conflicting results.

Methods

N = 4,664 male participants from a UK birth cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children – ALSPAC). Seven indicators of pubertal timing were measured repeatedly from 7 to 17 years (age at: peak height velocity, peak weight velocity, peak bone mineral content velocity, Tanner stage 3 pubic hair, Tanner stage 3 genitalia, axillary hair, and voice break), categorised into ‘early’, ‘on-time,’ and ‘late’ (mean ± 1 SD). Depressive symptoms (binary variable indicating higher versus lower levels) were assessed at 14 and 18 years, and depression (ICD-10 diagnosis) was assessed at 18 years. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between each indicator of pubertal timing and depressive symptoms/depression, adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES) and prepubertal body mass index (BMI).

Results

Compared to males with normative pubertal development, the odds of depression at age 18 were higher in those with early age at peak height velocity (OR: 2.06; 95% CI 1.27–3.34), early age at peak weight velocity (OR: 2.10; 95% CI 1.16–3.79), and early age at Tanner genitalia stage 3 (OR: 1.81; 95% CI 1.01–3.26). There was no evidence for associations between pubertal timing and depressive symptoms at age 14 or 18.

Conclusions

We found evidence that males with an earlier pubertal timing had increased odds of depression at age 18. Early maturing boys could be targeted for interventions aimed at preventing depression.
A generalized reward processing deficit pathway to negative symptoms across diagnostic boundaries
Authors: Spilka Michael J. , Millman Zachary B. , Waltz James A. , Walker Elaine F. , Levin Jason A. , Powers Albert R. , Corlett Philip R. , Schiffman Jason , Gold James M. , Silverstein Steven M. , Ellman Lauren M. , Mittal Vijay A. , Woods Scott W. , Zinbarg Richard , Strauss Gregory P.
Published: February 2025

Background

Negative symptoms are a key feature of several psychiatric disorders. Difficulty identifying common neurobiological mechanisms that cut across diagnostic boundaries might result from equifinality (i.e., multiple mechanistic pathways to the same clinical profile), both within and across disorders. This study used a data-driven approach to identify unique subgroups of participants with distinct reward processing profiles to determine which profiles predicted negative symptoms.

Methods

Participants were a transdiagnostic sample of youth from a multisite study of psychosis risk, including 110 individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR; meeting psychosis-risk syndrome criteria), 88 help-seeking participants who failed to meet CHR criteria and/or who presented with other psychiatric diagnoses, and a reference group of 66 healthy controls. Participants completed clinical interviews and behavioral tasks assessing four reward processing constructs indexed by the RDoC Positive Valence Systems: hedonic reactivity, reinforcement learning, value representation, and effort–cost computation.

Results

k-means cluster analysis of clinical participants identified three subgroups with distinct reward processing profiles, primarily characterized by: a value representation deficit (54%), a generalized reward processing deficit (17%), and a hedonic reactivity deficit (29%). Clusters did not differ in rates of clinical group membership or psychiatric diagnoses. Elevated negative symptoms were only present in the generalized deficit cluster, which also displayed greater functional impairment and higher psychosis conversion probability scores.

Conclusions

Contrary to the equifinality hypothesis, results suggested one global reward processing deficit pathway to negative symptoms independent of diagnostic classification. Assessment of reward processing profiles may have utility for individualized clinical prediction and treatment.