bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tools for assessing recreational fisheries compliance—an underappreciated yet essential component of management
Authors: Bova C. S. , Potts W. M. , Radford Z. , Schiefer P. , Hyder K.
Published: December 2024

Despite extensive research on the importance and impacts of recreational fisheries, there is a shortage of information on regulatory compliance in the sector. While recreational fishing has economic and social benefits, the risks to ecosystem health and resource sharing are exacerbated by non-compliance with regulations. This manuscript explores the methodologies employed for assessing non-compliance in recreational fisheries and provide recommendations on best practices for understanding non-compliance. Using EBSCOhost database searches with keywords pertaining to recreational fisheries compliance, a total of 558 studies were reviewed. Of these, only 49 studies specifically examined compliance in recreational fisheries. A broad range of methods have been used to assess compliance, including surveys, observations, law enforcement records analysis, netnography, self-reporting, modelling, and forensic investigations. Of these methods, compliance surveys, although costly, are suitable for estimating various facets of non-compliance and provide the most detailed data. While other methods, such as law enforcement records, netnography and indirect observation, are more cost-effective, they are limited to detecting the presence of some types of non-compliance and should be used initially to determine if non-compliance may exist in a fishery. Understanding the dynamics of compliance is essential for formulating effective management strategies, which aim to mitigate the adverse impacts of recreational fishing on ecosystems while maximising its socio-economic advantages. It is advisable for individuals interested in comprehending compliance within a specific recreational fishery first to employ methodologies capable of ascertaining the existence of non-compliance. Subsequently, they should implement methods to gather more detailed information on compliance, including the extent and underlying factors contributing to non-compliance, through surveys utilising indirect questioning techniques. Ultimately, this study advocates for enhanced efforts from researchers in recreational fisheries to assess non-compliance, as it poses a significant threat to the sustainability of the fishery.
Atomically Precise Cu Nanoclusters: Recent Advances, Challenges, and Perspectives in Synthesis and Catalytic Applications
Authors: Chen Mengyao , Guo Chengyu , Qin Lubing , Wang Lei , Qiao Liang , Chi Kebin , Tang Zhenghua
Published: December 2024

Atomically precise metal nanoclusters are an emerging type of nanomaterial which has diverse interfacial metal–ligand coordination motifs that can significantly affect their physicochemical properties and functionalities. Among that, Cu nanoclusters have been gaining continuous increasing research attentions, thanks to the low cost, diversified structures, and superior catalytic performance for various reactions. In this review, we first summarize the recent progress regarding the synthetic methods of atomically precise Cu nanoclusters and the coordination modes between Cu and several typical ligands and then discuss the catalytic applications of these Cu nanoclusters with some explicit examples to explain the atomical-level structure–performance relationship. Finally, the current challenges and future research perspectives with some critical thoughts are elaborated. We hope this review can not only provide a whole picture of the current advances regarding the synthesis and catalytic applications of atomically precise Cu nanoclusters, but also points out some future research visions in this rapidly booming field.
Revealing the Role of Hydrogen in Highly Efficient Ag-Substituted CZTSSe Photovoltaic Devices: Photoelectric Properties Modulation and Defect Passivation
Authors: Zhao Xiaoyue , Li Jingru , Hu Chenyang , Qi Yafang , Zhou Zhengji , Kou Dongxing , Zhou Wenhui , Yuan Shengjie , Wu Sixin
Published: December 2024

The presence of SnZn-related defects in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) absorber results in large irreversible energy loss and extra irreversible electron–hole non-radiative recombination, thus hindering the efficiency enhancement of CZTSSe devices. Although the incorporation of Ag in CZTSSe can effectively suppress the SnZn-related defects and significantly improve the resulting cell performance, an excellent efficiency has not been achieved to date primarily owing to the poor electrical-conductivity and the low carrier density of the CZTSSe film induced by Ag substitution. Herein, this study exquisitely devises an Ag/H co-doping strategy in CZTSSe absorber via Ag substitution programs followed by hydrogen-plasma treatment procedure to suppress SnZn defects for achieving efficient CZTSSe devices. In-depth investigation results demonstrate that the incorporation of H in Ag-based CZTSSe absorber is expected to improve the poor electrical-conductivity and the low carrier density caused by Ag substitution. Importantly, the C=O and O–H functional groups induced by hydrogen incorporation, serving as an electron donor, can interact with under-coordinated cations in CZTSSe material, effectively passivating the SnZn-related defects. Consequently, the incorporation of an appropriate amount of Ag/H in CZTSSe mitigates carrier non-radiative recombination, prolongs minority carrier lifetime, and thus yields a champion efficiency of 14.74%, showing its promising application in kesterite-based CZTSSe devices.
Hierarchical Polyimide Nonwoven Fabric with Ultralow-Reflectivity Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and High-Temperature Resistant Infrared Stealth Performance
Authors: Tang Xinwei , Lu Yezi , Li Shuangshuang , Zhu Mingyang , Wang Zixuan , Li Yan , Hu Zaiyin , Zheng Penglun , Wang Zicheng , Liu Tianxi
Published: December 2024

Designing and fabricating a compatible low-reflectivity electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding/high-temperature resistant infrared stealth material possesses a critical significance in the field of military. Hence, a hierarchical polyimide (PI) nonwoven fabric is fabricated by alkali treatment, in-situ growth of magnetic particles and "self-activated" electroless Ag plating process. Especially, the hierarchical impedance matching can be constructed by systematically assembling Fe3O4/Ag-loaded PI nonwoven fabric (PFA) and pure Ag-coated PI nonwoven fabric (PA), endowing it with an ultralow-reflectivity EMI shielding performance. In addition, thermal insulation of fluffy three-dimensional (3D) space structure in PFA and low infrared emissivity of PA originated from Ag plating bring an excellent infrared stealth performance. More importantly, the strong bonding interaction between Fe3O4, Ag, and PI fiber improves thermal stability in EMI shielding and high-temperature resistant infrared stealth performance. Such excellent comprehensive performance makes it promising for military tents to protect internal equipment from electromagnetic interference stemmed from adjacent equipment and/or enemy, and inhibit external infrared detection.
Control
Authors: Landau Idan
Published: December 2024

This Elements presents the major findings and theoretical advances in the area of Control. We describe the different types of control (complement, adjunct, obligatory, nonobligatory) and illustrate their profiles in several languages. It is shown that while certain features of Obligatory Control (OC) are common – nullness of PRO, nonfinite complements – they are not universal, hence should not enter its core definition. Comparing approaches to the choice of controller based on lexical meaning postulates with those based on embedding of speech acts, we conclude that the latter provide deeper insights into the core properties of OC. The fundamental semantic distinction between clauses denoting a property and those denoting a proposition proves to be important: It affects both the possibility of Partial Control in complements and the possibility of Non Obligatory Control in adjuncts. These insights are integrated in the Two-Tiered Theory of Control, laid out in the final sections.
Nietzsche's Revaluation of All Values
Authors: Brobjer Thomas H.
Published: December 2024

Why is Nietzsche's thought and philosophy still regarded as relevant today? There are a large number of possible answers to a question like this, but one of the most important and persuasive is that Nietzsche questioned and discussed the nature, character and value of our values. Nietzsche frequently turns other questions such as epistemological and ontological ones into axiological ones, making values pivotal in his thought. It is possible to argue that the revaluation of all values is both the most important and today the most relevant of Nietzsche's main philosophical themes and projects. Furthermore, the theme is intimately involved with what Nietzsche regarded as his most important work, his magnum opus (that he called his Hauptwerk), for a long period called The Will to Power but later Revaluation of All Values.
Quality inspection and error correction of fork-ear type wing-fuselage docking assembly based on multi-camera stereo vision
Authors: Zhu Y.G. , Li D. , Wan Y. , Wang Y.F. , Bai Z.Z. , Cui W.
Published: December 2024

During the automatic docking assembly of aircraft wing-fuselage, using monocular camera or dual-camera to monitor the docking stage of the fork-ear will result in an incomplete identification of the fork-ear pose-position and an inaccurate description of the deviation in the intersection holes’ position coordinates. To address this, a quality inspection and error correction method is proposed for the fork-ear docking assembly based on multi-camera stereo vision. Initially, a multi-camera stereo vision detection system is established to inspect the quality of fork-ear docking assembly. Subsequently, a spatial position solution mathematical model of the fork-ear feature points is developed, and a spatial pose determination mathematical model of fork-ear is established by utilised the elliptical cone. Finally, an enhanced artificial fish swarm particle filter algorithm is proposed to track and estimate the coordinate of the fork-ear feature points. An adaptive weighted fusion algorithm is employed to fuse the detection data from the multi-camera and the laser tracker, and a wing pose-position fine-tuning error correction model is constructed. Experimental results demonstrate that the method enhances the effect of the assembly quality inspection and effectively improves the wing-fuselage docking assembly accuracy of the fork-ear type aircraft.
On the asymptotic normality of persistent Betti numbers
Authors: Krebs Johannes , Polonik Wolfgang
Published: December 2024

Persistent Betti numbers are a major tool in persistent homology, a subfield of topological data analysis. Many tools in persistent homology rely on the properties of persistent Betti numbers considered as a two-dimensional stochastic process

$ (r,s) \mapsto n^{-1/2} (\beta^{r,s}_q ( \mathcal{K}(n^{1/d} \mathcal{X}_n))-\mathbb{E}[\beta^{r,s}_q ( \mathcal{K}( n^{1/d} \mathcal{X}_n))])$

. So far, pointwise limit theorems have been established in various settings. In particular, the pointwise asymptotic normality of (persistent) Betti numbers has been established for stationary Poisson processes and binomial processes with constant intensity function in the so-called critical (or thermodynamic) regime; see Yogeshwaran et al. (Prob. Theory Relat. Fields167, 2017) and Hiraoka et al. (Ann. Appl. Prob.28, 2018).

In this contribution, we derive a strong stabilization property (in the spirit of Penrose and Yukich, Ann. Appl. Prob.11, 2001) of persistent Betti numbers, and we generalize the existing results on their asymptotic normality to the multivariate case and to a broader class of underlying Poisson and binomial processes. Most importantly, we show that multivariate asymptotic normality holds for all pairs (r, s),

$0\le r\le s<\infty$

, and that it is not affected by percolation effects in the underlying random geometric graph.
Measuring the effectiveness of programmed instructions (PI) to learn design thinking concepts for secondary school students
Authors: Bhatt Apoorv Naresh , Chakrabarti Amaresh
Published: December 2024

Self-instructional media in education has the potential to address educational challenges such as accessibility, flexible and personalised learning, real-time assessment and resource efficiency. The objectives of this study are to (1) develop programmed instructions to teach design thinking concepts and (2) investigate its effects on secondary school students’ understanding of these concepts. A design thinking workshop was conducted with secondary school students; subsequently, their understanding of design thinking concepts gained through digital programmed instructions was evaluated. The study involved 33 novice secondary school students from grades 6 to 9 in India, who worked in teams to find and solve real-life, open-ended, complex problems during the workshop using the design thinking process. Data on (i) the individual performance in understanding design thinking concepts and (ii) team performance in design problem finding and solving were collected using individual tests and teams’ outcome evaluations, respectively. Students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the programmed instructions for supporting understanding of the concepts were also captured. Results show the positive effects on students’ understanding of design thinking concepts as well as on their problem-finding and solving skills. The results justify the use of programmed instructions in secondary school curricula to advance design thinking concepts. The current version of programmed instruction has limitations, including the absence of branching mechanisms, a detailed feedback system, multimodal content and backend functionalities. Future work will aim to address these issues and overcome these shortcomings.
Long-term trends in the incidence of hospital-acquired carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and antimicrobial utilization in a network of community hospitals in the Southeastern United States from 2013 to 2023
Authors: Kim Tark , Moehring Rebekah W. , Turner Nicholas A. , Ashley Elizabeth Dodds , Crane Linda , Padgette Polly , Payne Valerie C. , Roach Linda , Wood Brittain , Anderson Deverick J.
Published: December 2024

Background:

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are an urgent threat to healthcare, but the epidemiology of these antimicrobial-resistant organisms may be evolving in some settings since the COVID-19 pandemic. An updated analysis of hospital-acquired CRE (HA-CRE) incidence in community hospitals is needed.

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed data on HA-CRE cases and antimicrobial utilization (AU) from two community hospital networks, the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network (DICON) and the Duke Antimicrobial Stewardship Outreach Network (DASON) from January 2013 to June 2023. The zero-inflated negative binomial regression model was used owing to excess zeros.

Results:

126 HA-CRE cases from 36 hospitals were included in the longitudinal analysis. The pooled incidence of HA CRE was 0.69 per 100,000 patient days (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.57–0.82 HA-CRE rate significantly decreased over time before COVID-19 (rate ratio [RR], 0.94 [95% CI, 0.89–0.99]; p = 0.02), but there was a significant slope change indicating a trend increase in HA-CRE after COVID-19 (RR, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.06–1.66]; p = 0.01). In 21 hospitals participating in both DICON and DASON from January 2018 to June 2023, there was a correlation between HA-CRE rates and AU for CRE treatment (Spearman’s coefficient = 0.176; p < 0.01). Anti-CRE AU did not change over time, and there was no level or slope change after COVID.

Conclusions:

The incidence of HA-CRE decreased before COVID-19 in a network of community hospitals in the southeastern United States, but this trend was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Utility of post-admission SARS-CoV-2 serial testing in hospitalized patients with cancer
Authors: Usiak Shauna , Aslam Anoshe , Yan Judy , Madhavappallil Jerin , Bokhari Marissa , Romero Tiffany , Bubb Tania N. , Kodama Rich , Babady Esther , Kamboj Mini
Published: December 2024

Background:

SARS-CoV-2 asymptomatic surveillance testing (AST) is a common strategy to minimize the risk of nosocomial infection in patients and healthcare personnel. In contrast to admission screening, post-admission AST was less widely adopted.

Objective:

This study describes the diagnostic yield of post-admission serial SARS-COV-2 testing in hospitalized patients at a large cancer center with mostly double-occupancy rooms.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study design. Post-admission SARS-CoV-2 tests were examined over a 18 month study period. Positive results were reviewed to determine true hospital-onset infections using a combination criteria of screening all sample cycle threshold (Ct) values >30, results of non-concordant repeat testing, and clinical symptoms.

Results:

Post-admission serial testing of 15,048 hospitalized patients during an 18-month study period at a tertiary care cancer center detected hospital-onset infection in 1.6% (n = 245 patients). Among all hospital-onset positive SARS-CoV-2 RNA tests, 13% were clinically false positive. Most true infections were mild to moderate in severity.

Conclusions:

In summary, post-admission serial testing in a high-risk setting is a low-yield strategy with several unfavorable effects and should no longer be routinely applied.
Say it ain’t Steno: a microbiology nudge comment leads to less treatment of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia respiratory colonization
Authors: Boettcher Stormmy R. , Kenney Rachel M. , Arena Christen J. , Beaulac Amy E. , Tibbetts Robert J. , Shallal Anita B. , Suleyman Geehan , Veve Michael P.
Published: December 2024

Objective:

To describe the effect of a Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SM) respiratory culture nudge on antibiotic use in colonized patients.

Design:

IRB-approved quasi-experiment.

Setting:

Five acute-care hospitals in Michigan.

Patients:

Adult patients with SM respiratory culture between 01/01/2022 and 01/27/2023 (pre-nudge) and 03/27/2023–12/31/2023 (post-nudge). Patients with active community/hospital/ventilator-acquired pneumonia or who received SM-targeted antibiotics at the time of culture were excluded.

Methods:

A nudge comment was implemented 02/2023 stating: “S. maltophilia is a frequent colonizer of the respiratory tract. Clinical correlation for infection is required. Colonizers do not require antibiotic treatment.” The primary outcome was no treatment with SM-therapy; secondary outcomes were treatment with SM-therapy ≥72 hrs, length of stay, and in-hospital, all-cause mortality. Safety outcomes included antibiotic-associated adverse drug events (ADEs).

Results:

94 patients were included: 53 (56.4%) pre- and 41 (43.6%) post-nudge. Most patients were men (53, 56.4%), had underlying lung disease (61, 64.8%), and required invasive ventilatory support (70, 74.5%). Eleven (11.7%) patients resided in a long-term care facility. No treatment with SM therapy was observed in 13 (23.1%) pre- versus 32 (78.0%) post-nudge patients (P <0.001). There were no differences in secondary outcomes. Antibiotic-associated ADEs were common (33/41, 76%) in patients who received ≥72hrs of SM-therapy: fluid overload (18, 44%), hyponatremia (17, 42%), elevated SCr (12, 29%), hyperkalemia (5, 12%). After adjustment for confounders, post-nudge was associated with 11-fold increased odds of no treatment with SM-therapy (adjOR, 11.72; 95%CI, 4.18–32.83).

Conclusions:

A targeted SM nudge was associated with a significant reduction in treatment of colonization, with similar patient outcomes. SM-treated patients frequently developed antibiotic-associated ADEs.
About Your Child’s Eating scale: a cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the questionnaire in the Greek language
Authors: Papaleontiou Andri , Voniati Louiza , Gryparis Alexandros , Georgiou Rafaella , Siafaka Vassiliki , Tafiadis Dionysios
Published: December 2024

Feeding is an interactive process between parents and children and is related to children’s healthy nutrition, growth, and feelings about the child or parent. The effectiveness of the interaction between feeding and behaviour is strongly influenced by how well this reciprocal procedure is stimulated and supported.

The current study aimed to cross-culturally adapt and validate the About Your Child’s Eating (AYCE) questionnaire in its Greek language version for Greek-Cypriot parents and caregivers of children aged six months to 16 years with or without feeding and swallowing problems.

One hundred Greek-Cypriot parents/caregivers of children with feeding and swallowing difficulties and 100 Greek-Cypriot parents/caregivers of children without feeding and swallowing difficulties participated in this study. This study was conducted at mainstream schools and private speech-language therapy clinics in Cyprus. According to WHO, the AYCE questionnaire was translated and culturally tailored for Greek speakers.

The analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the AYCE total mean scores of parents in the Typical Development of Feeding Behaviors group (c-TDFB) (M = 44.03, SD = 11.18) and parents in the Atypical Development of Feeding Behaviors group (c-ADFB) (M = 63.56, SD: 16.22) (P < 0.001), with c-ADFB scoring significantly higher. The overall evaluation of the scale yielded a Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.916.

The validity of the AYCE questionnaire in Cyprus was also assessed. The findings demonstrate that the AYCE can be a beneficial tool for determining critical facets of the feeding parent–child interaction for preschool- and school-aged Greek-Cypriot children in Cyprus.
Second language learning of degree expressions: A computational approach
Authors: Cong Yan
Published: December 2024

Degrees, unlike entities or events, refer to comparative qualities and are closely tied to gradable adjectives such as “tall.” Degree expressions have been explored in second language (L2) research, covering areas such as learnability, first language (L1) transfer, contrastive analysis, and acquisition difficulty. However, a computational approach to the learning of degree expressions in L2 contexts, particularly for L1 Chinese learners of English, has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aims to fill this gap by utilizing natural language processing (NLP) methods, drawing insights from recent advancements in large language models (LLMs). This study extends Cong (2024)’s general-purpose assessment pipeline to specifically analyze degree expressions, predicting that surprisal metrics will correlate with proficiency levels and distinct developmental stages of L2 learners. Crucially, we address the limitations of surprisal metrics in capturing underuse or avoidance—common in L2 development—by integrating frequency-based analyses. Using an NLP pipeline developed with Stanza, we automatically identified and analyzed degree expressions, constructing linear mixed-effects models to track L2 development trajectories. Our findings reveal that as proficiency increases, learners use complex degree expressions more frequently, supporting theories linking difficulty and learnability. Higher surprisal values are associated with lower proficiency in using degree expressions, and these surprisals are more predictive of degree expressions proficiency than classic NLP measures. These results add further evidence that LLMs and NLP tools provide valuable insights into L2 development, specifically in the domain of degree expressions, expanding upon previous research and offering new approaches for understanding L2 learning processes.
European Institutional Integration and the Educational Divide in Support for the European Union
Authors: Baute Sharon , Tober Tobias
Published: December 2024

Since the 1950s, the history of European integration unfolds as a unique social experiment, witnessing the transformation of a non-existent entity into an increasingly institutionalized force. This article delves into the consequences of this ongoing institutionalization on public attitudes towards the institution itself: the European Union (EU). We argue that as European institutional integration advanced, a divide in EU support between more and less educated individuals emerged, with the latter becoming progressively less supportive. Drawing on data from eighty-five waves of the Eurobarometer survey across fifteen countries and over 820,000 individuals from 1976 to 2014, a Bayesian mixed-effects analysis reveals that the gap in support between the more and less educated significantly widened with a country's level of institutional integration. This study emphasizes the necessity of distinguishing institutional effects from temporal patterns in order to enhance our understanding of EU-related public opinion dynamics.
An asymptotic Grad–Shafranov equation for quasisymmetric stellarators
Authors: Nikulsin Nikita , Sengupta Wrick , Jorge Rogerio , Bhattacharjee Amitava
Published: December 2024

A first-order model is derived for quasisymmetric stellarators where the vacuum field due to coils is dominant, but plasma-current-induced terms are not negligible and can contribute to magnetic differential equations, with

$\beta$

of the order of the ratio induced to vacuum fields. Under these assumptions, it is proven that the aspect ratio must be large and a simple expression can be obtained for the lowest-order vacuum field. The first-order correction, which involves both vacuum and current-driven fields, is governed by a Grad–Shafranov equation and the requirement that flux surfaces exist. These two equations are not always consistent, and so this model is generally overconstrained, but special solutions exist that satisfy both equations simultaneously. One family of such solutions is the set of first-order near-axis solutions. Thus, the first-order near-axis model is a subset of the model presented here. Several other solutions outside the scope of the near-axis model are also found. A case study comparing one such solution to a VMEC-generated solution shows good agreement.
Occurrence of Trichinella spiralis in farmed wild boars (Sus scrofa): an underrated risk in China
Authors: Zhang Nian-Zhang , Wang Meng , Chen Wei-Gang , Gai Wen-Yan , Dao Thanh Thi Ha , Li Ting-Ting , Li Wen-Hui , Zhang Hai-Rui , Yin Hong , Thuy Nguyen Thi Bich , Fu Bao-Quan
Published: December 2024

Natural infection by Trichinella sp. has been reported in humans and more than 150 species of animals, especially carnivorous and omnivorous mammals. Although the presence of Trichinella sp. infection in wild boars (Sus scrofa) has been documented worldwide, limited information is known about Trichinella circulation in farmed wild boars in China. This study intends to investigate the prevalence of Trichinella sp. in farmed wild boars in China. Seven hundred and sixty-one (761) muscle samples from farmed wild boars were collected in Jilin Province of China from 2017 to 2020. The diaphragm muscles were examined by artificial digestion method. The overall prevalence of Trichinella in farmed wild boars was 0.53% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.51–0.55]. The average parasite loading was 0.076 ± 0.025 larvae per gram (lpg), and the highest burden was 0.21 lpg in a wild boar from Fusong city. Trichinella spiralis was the only species identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The 5S rDNA inter-genic spacer region of Trichinella was amplified and sequenced. The results showed that the obtained sequence (GenBank accession number: OQ725583) shared 100% identity with the T. spiralis HLJ isolate (GenBank accession number: MH289505). Since the consumption of farmed wild boars is expected to increase in the future, these findings highlight the significance of developing exclusive guidelines for the processing of slaughtered farmed wild boar meat in China.
Links between accuracy and effectiveness of laboratory medicine equipment: use of the EUnetHTA core model to compare two analyzers by measuring HbA1c
Authors: Di Resta Chiara , Sacco Chiara , Trbos Mladen , Locatelli Massimo , Banfi Giuseppe , Tomaiuolo Rossella
Published: December 2024

Objectives

In the field of Laboratory Medicine, the evolution of knowledge and the innovation of technologies are the basis of analytical and diagnostic progress, leading to the development of new solutions based on innovative technologies. However, these advances must be accompanied by evidence of appropriateness, diagnostic effectiveness, and organizational efficiency, considering the test’s first impact on patient outcomes.

Methods

The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a valid management tool to support Laboratory Medicine professionals in assessing technologies and which is the most appropriate to adopt. This study is an illustrative case of the application of HTA, exploiting the EUnetHTA Core Model, on two analyzers able to determine the glycated hemoglobin (Hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c), the Capillarys 2 Flex piercing analyzer and the HLC-723G11 analyzer in the Laboratory Medicine Service of the IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, IT). The main focus is related to potential differences in methods, organizational aspects, and clinical effectiveness of these approaches for measuring HbA1c.

Results

The EUnetHTA Core Model has proven to be the optimal method for HTA in the field of Laboratory Medicine, as it allows to highlight both the peculiarities of the methods on which the analyzers are based and the clinical efficacy of the laboratory test on specific patient populations, considering individual variations in treatment responses, assessing the potential benefits for individual patients or small groups.

Conclusions

This granular analysis helps provide insights into the effectiveness and value of healthcare interventions at the patient level, contributing to evidence-based decision-making in clinical practice and healthcare policy.
On the existence of solutions to adversarial training in multiclass classification
Authors: García Trillos Nicolás , Jacobs Matt , Kim Jakwang
Published: December 2024

Adversarial training is a min-max optimization problem that is designed to construct robust classifiers against adversarial perturbations of data. We study three models of adversarial training in the multiclass agnostic-classifier setting. We prove the existence of Borel measurable robust classifiers in each model and provide a unified perspective of the adversarial training problem, expanding the connections with optimal transport initiated by the authors in their previous work [21]. In addition, we develop new connections between adversarial training in the multiclass setting and total variation regularization. As a corollary of our results, we provide an alternative proof of the existence of Borel measurable solutions to the agnostic adversarial training problem in the binary classification setting.
Longitudinal analysis of lifestyle risk factors, nutrition status and drivers of food choice among urban migrants in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Almaty, Kazakhstan: a formative study
Authors: Bromage Sabri , Tazhibayev Shamil , Zhou Xin , Liu Chang , Tserenkhuu Enkhtsetseg , Dolmatova Oksana , Khishignemekh Munkhbat , Musurepova Leyla , Wusigale  , Tsolmon Soninkhishig , Tsendjav Enkhjargal , Enkhmaa Davaasambuu , Rai Rajesh Kumar , Enkhbat Bayarmaa , Menghe Bilige , Ganmaa Davaasambuu
Published: December 2024

Objective:

To quantify and compare concurrent within-person trends in lifestyle risks, nutrition status and drivers of food choice among urban migrants in Central Asia.

Design:

We collected panel data on household structure, drivers of food choice, nutrition knowledge and diverse measures of nutrition status and lifestyle risk from urban migrants at 0, 3, 6 and 9 months using harmonised methodology in two cities. Trends were analysed using mixed-effects models and qualitatively compared within and between cities.

Setting:

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Participants:

200 adults (22–55 years) who migrated to these cities within the past 2 years.

Results:

Adjusting for age and sex, each month since migration was positively associated with fasting TAG in Almaty (0·55 mg/dl; 95 % CI: 0·13, 0·94) and BMI (0·04 kg/m2; 95 % CI: 0·01, 0·07), body fat (0·14 %; 95 % CI: 0·01, 0·26) and fasting glucose (0·04 mmol/l; 95 % CI: 0·02, 0·05) and lipids in Ulaanbaatar (P < 0·05). In Almaty, nutrition knowledge (measured using an objective 20-point scale) declined despite improvements in diet quality (measured by Prime Diet Quality Score). The influence of food availability, price and taste on food choice increased in Almaty (P < 0·05). Upon multivariable adjustment, nutrition knowledge was positively associated with diet quality in Almaty and adherence to ‘acculturated’ diet patterns in both cities (P < 0·05). Different trends in smoking, sleep quality and generalised anxiety were observed between cities.

Conclusions:

Findings indicate heterogeneous shifts in nutrition, lifestyles and drivers of food choice among urban migrants in Central Asia and provide an evidence base for focused research and advocacy to promote healthy diets and enable nutrition-sensitive food environments.
Design and analysis of response threshold of energy selective surface based on serial LC circuits
Authors: Hu Ning , Zhu Xi , Wang He , Yin Haojie , Xu Yanlin
Published: December 2024

This paper presents a method to design the response threshold (RT) of energy selective surface (ESS) based on series LC circuits (SLC_based_ESS). A simple SLC_based_ESS structure composed of metal strips and PIN diodes is used for demonstration. According to our research, the RT is rarely related to the geometry parameters of unit cells. By contrast, the RT could be designed by introducing auxiliary structures (ASs) to SLC_based_ESS arrays. With the AS, the induced currents on diodes are enhanced and thus RT is greatly reduced. Prototypes are fabricated and measured under different power levels. The results agree well with simulations, proving an effective design of RT by the proposed method.
Persistence of anxiety and depression symptoms and their impact on the COVID-19 vaccine uptake
Authors: Shen Yanhan , Penrose Kate , Robertson McKaylee , Piltch-Loeb Rachael , Fleary Sasha , Kulkarni Sarah , Teasdale Chloe , Balasubramanian Subha , Yadav Surabhi , Chan Bai Xi Jasmine , Sanborn Jenna , Sahr Josefina Nuñez , Srivastava Avantika , Nash Denis , Parcesepe Angela
Published: December 2024

Aims

The enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and its implications for COVID-19 vaccine uptake necessitate comprehensive investigation. We aimed to characterize the persistence of moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms from July 2020 to July 2023, explore demographic associations with symptom persistence, and assess how these symptoms affected COVID-19 vaccination uptake between May 2021 and July 2023.

Methods

Participants from the national community-based CHASING COVID Cohort were enrolled between March and June 2020 and completed quarterly follow-ups until December 2023. Scores ≥10 on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item and the Patient Health Questionnaire 8-item at 14 follow-up assessments indicated moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively. Missing scores were imputed. Persistent anxiety and depression were defined as experiencing moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms ≥7 out of 14 follow-up assessments, respectively.

Results

Among 4,851 participants, 15.9% experienced persistent anxiety symptoms and 19.3% persistent depression symptoms from July 2020 to July 2023. Demographic factors associated with symptom persistence included younger age, female or non-binary gender, Hispanic ethnicity, lower education level, household income <$100k, presence of children <18 in the household, greater healthcare barriers and comorbidities. Participants with ongoing moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms had 0.95 (95% CI: 0.94, 0.97) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93, 0.96) times rates of receiving additional COVID-19 vaccine doses between May 2021 and July 2023, respectively.

Conclusions

Customized support for individuals with mental disorders may mitigate barriers to vaccine uptake. Further investigation is warranted to validate these findings and inform targeted interventions.
Introducing the Visual Conjoint, with an Application to Candidate Evaluation on Social Media
Authors: Vecchiato Alessandro , Munger Kevin
Published: December 2024

Conjoint experiments have enabled scholars to understand the preferences of citizens in a variety of political contexts. We propose a method to modify the standard text-only “box conjoint” to make the treatment higher in external validity with respect to a common target context. Citizens frequently encounter political information encoded as images and in particular in the form of politicians’ social media posts and profiles. We deploy “visual conjoint” experiments where subjects select between two images that encode the same explicit information as is standard in the box conjoint. We conduct an experiment in which we randomize the modality of a conjoint experiment where subjects evaluate the Twitter profiles of hypothetical candidates. We demonstrate that the visual conjoint more effectively encodes image-based information and social endorsement information. The visual conjoint also allows the salience of different attributes to vary naturally the way they do on social media, in contrast to the artificially enforced uniformity of the box conjoint.
Explore Washington, D.C.’s Science Scene
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: December 2024

Earth and space science hot spots are sprinkled throughout the D.C. metro region.
Compaction‐Driven Convection in the Growing Inner Core
Authors: Lim K. W. , Deguen R. , Cébron D. , Schulze A. , Mandea M.
Published: December 2024

The Earth's inner core (IC) is known to exhibit heterogeneous structures with their origins still unknown. From the onset of nucleation, the IC can grow via sedimentation and compaction of iron crystals freezing out from the fluid outer core. Previous studies of IC growth have shown entrapment of fluid within the solid matrix, and unstable density profiles in 1D can appear depending on the efficiency of fluid percolation. In this study, we perform simulations of IC growth in spherical geometries (assuming axisymmetry). We find that it is possible for the IC to develop large‐scale convective flows under certain conditions and, in some instances, produce small‐scale heterogeneites close to the IC boundary. Assuming representative values for the physical properties of the Earth's IC, we show that it is possible for the IC to exhibit compaction‐driven convection today.
Towards the Development of a Comprehensive Heatwave Proneness Index and Identification of Hotspots Across Indian Mainland
Authors: Sarkar Subharthi , Maity Rajib
Published: December 2024

Heatwaves (HWs) are one of the key‐emerging climatic hazards, with increasing duration, severity, and frequency all over the globe. Identifying HW‐prone regions and their evolving patterns is therefore essential for effective climate adaptation. To address this, we introduce the “Heat‐Wave Proneness Index (HWPI),” a novel metric to identify the key‐exposed regions or hotspots by integrating three key HW attributes—(a) the maximum annual HW magnitude, (b) the mean HW magnitude excluding the maximum (MeanX), and (c) the annual frequency (Frq) of HW events. By applying HWPI across the Indian mainland, we demonstrate its superiority to capture diverse regional variations in HW‐exposure more effectively than one of the widely‐used HW‐indices—Heat‐Wave Magnitude Index daily (HWMId). Further to validate the reliability of the proposed index, top 10 HW‐affected years are identified across India since 1951, out of which four are found from the recent past decade (2010–2019) itself. A comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis is also conducted using the proposed HWPI, over the historical (1951–2020) and future (2021–2050) periods, which reveals the western, central, north‐eastern and western peninsular India to be the most HW‐prone regions in the country. India as a whole will experience approx. two‐fold increase in HW‐ proneness toward mid‐century relative to the 1981–2010 baseline, as depicted from the multi‐model multi‐scenario analysis. Overall, we expect the newly proposed HWPI and visual identification of the future‐projected HW‐prone regions will not only be useful to the scientific community but also for the policymakers to build climate‐informed decisions sufficiently in advance.
Static and Dynamic Model Calibration for Upper Thermosphere Determination
Authors: Ruan Haibing , Lei Jiuhou , Lu Jianyong
Published: December 2024

Thermospheric density, a crucial factor in spacecraft operations, poses a significant challenge in accurate determination due to the intricate coupling of the thermosphere‐ionosphere system. Despite capturing long‐term trends, the widely used empirical models, which are used for low Earth orbit spacecraft operations, often fail to reproduce small‐scale or short‐term variations in the thermosphere. This work presents a novel approach for model improvement. The background model employed is our recently developed empirical model, which blends numerical simulations and satellite measurements. The model residuals are compiled into longitude and latitude bins, and the corresponding basic modes of describing variabilities are subsequently derived via the PCA method. The attendant amplitudes exhibit significant local time and seasonal dependencies, motivating optimized parameterization, that is, static calibration. Moreover, the present study reveals that the most dominant mode correlates to land‐sea contrasts and manifests global synchronicity upon excluding local time and seasonal dependences. This establishes the real‐time model adjustment foundation by exploiting limited calibration observations, which is referred to as dynamic calibration. The results from the dynamic calibration model indicated considerably improved thermospheric representation, especially for small‐scale or short‐term variations, toward a better thermospheric prediction.
Elastic, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of a EuCa4O(BO3)3 high-temperature piezoelectric crystal
Authors: Feng Jie , Jiang Linwen , Sun Zhigang , Yang Chen , Zheng Yanqing
Published: December 2024

A EuCa4O(BO3)3 single crystal with a diameter of 25 mm was successfully grown by the Bridgman method, and the electroelastic and thermal properties of the crystal were studied.
Characterisation of the electronic ground states of BaH+ and BaD+ by high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy
Authors: Schmitz J. R. , Merkt F.
Published: December 2024

The rovibrational energy-level structures of BaH+ and BaD+ in their X+ 1Σ+ electronic ground state have been characterised by pulsed-field-ionisation zero-kinetic-energy photoelectron spectroscopy.
A copper(ii)-based metal–organic framework: electrochemical sensing of Cd(ii) and Pb(ii) and adsorption of organic dyes
Authors: Guo Ting-Ting , Hua Bing-Long , Guo Zhuo-Yi , Zhang Meng-Qi , Wang Jin-Rong , An Yan-Yan , Li Xiao-Nan , Yan Juan-Zhi
Published: December 2024

A new metal–organic framework was assembled from a S-rich ligand and Cu(ii) ions. It exhibits efficient electrochemical performance for simultaneous determination of heavy metal ions and good adsorption of methylene blue (MB) and neutral red (NR).
Reversibly tuning thermopower enabled by phase-change electrolytes for low-grade heat harvesting
Authors: Xu Yinghong , Li Zhiwei , Li Simin , Zhang Shengliang , Zhang Xiaogang
Published: December 2024

A reversibly tunable ionic thermoelectric generator, switching between p-type and n-type functionalities, is developed using a moderate phase-change electrolyte, which demonstrates promising potential for harvesting low-grade heat into electricity.
Oxidation by Ozone of Linoleic Acid Monolayers at the Air–Water Interface in Multi-Component Films at 21 °C and 3 °C.
Authors: Woden Ben , Su Yizhou , Skoda Maximilian W. A. , Milsom Adam , Pfrang Christian
Published: December 2024

Aqueous aerosols are often covered in thin films of surface-active species, such as fatty acids which are prominent components of both sea spray and cooking emissions. The focus of our...
Nitrogen-bridgehead compounds: overview, synthesis, and outlook on applications
Authors: Grau Benedikt W. , Kumar Praveen , Nilsen Aaron , Malhotra Sanjay V.
Published: December 2024

Nitrogen bridgehead (NBH) is present in many natural products, but studies of synthetic analogues remain unexplored. This review gives an overview of NBH for potential applications.
Asymmetric isochalcogenourea-catalysed (4 + 2)-cycloadditions of ortho-quinone methides and allenoates
Authors: Scheucher Anna , Gross Christoph , Piringer Magdalena , Novacek Johanna , Ofial Armin R. , Waser Mario
Published: December 2024

Chiral isochalcogenoureas catalyse the asymmetric (4 + 2)-cycloaddition of various allenoates with ortho-quinone methides giving access to chromane derivatives with high selectivities.
Interval compression‐based model‐free control algorithm for reducing actuator execution frequency
Authors: Zhou Yitong , Chang Jing , Chen Weisheng , Dai Hao
Published: December 2024

The complexity of real‐world systems poses challenges to model‐based control, sparking significant interest in model‐free control methods. By depending exclusively on the system's input–output data, the proposed method eliminates the need to construct intricate internal system models. The implementation is straightforward, can satisfy bounded control inputs, and allows for arbitrary adjustment of the actuator's execution frequency. The proposed method establishes an iterative mechanism under the constraint of bounded control inputs. It guarantees the algorithm's convergence by ensuring the continuous narrowing of the control interval. Furthermore, the update conditions within the iterative strategy can adapt to extremely low and continuously adjusting actuator execution frequencies. The bounded stability of the control method is proven using the continuity definition of functions. Its effectiveness and feasibility are validated through simulation and experimental verification.
Dual‐polarization 3D FSR with a high selectivity and wide transmission passband
Authors: Yan Yuchen , Wu Weiwei , Ma Yuhong , Huang Jingjian , Yuan Naichang
Published: December 2024

This letter, based on 3D slotline structures (SLSs), proposes a dual‐polarization frequency selective rasorber (FSR) with a high selectivity and wide transmission passband. The broadband transmission and absorption paths are created by etching three independent SLSs onto the 3D periodic printed circuit boards (PCBs). These include an open‐circuit slotline that is loaded with both a metal strip and an LC structure at its centre, as well as two short‐circuit slotlines that are loaded with lumped resistors. With this design, two transmission zeros (TZs) are introduced to achieve a fast transition between the passband and absorption bands. Through analysing surface currents and electric field distributions, the working principle is elucidated. The proposed FSR is designed, manufactured, and measured. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the presented FSR exhibits broadband characteristics, high selectivity, and angular stability.