bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
O Brics, o Sul Global e a transformação da ordem mundial: o Novo Banco de Desenvolvimento | BRICS, the Global South, and the world order transformation: the New Development Bank
Authors: Bolfarine Caixeta Marina , Dias Pithan Bruna , Silva Ferreira José Paulo , Mariano Marcelo
Published: January 2025

O Brics como projeto do Sul Global para uma nova ordem internacional ocorre tanto mediante a construção de posicionamentos contestatórios como proposta normativa e institucional alternativa. Documentos oficiais do Novo Banco de Desenvolvimento foram examinados à luz da literatura científica e da Teoria Crítica para responder à questão: De que forma o Brics, por meio do NBD, promove iniciativas que representam e beneficiam o Sul Global na ordem internacional? Na primeira parte, definimos o Sul Global e a ordem internacional como a gênese do bloco. Na segunda, discutimos mudanças incrementais na operação do NBD, com foco na carteira de projetos e especial ênfase no projeto em Aparecida de Goiânia. Na terceira, apresentamos a investida contra institucionalista do NBD com resultados ainda incertos e potencial transformador. Consideramos, por fim, o Brics como instrumento de barganha dos países membros e oportunidade para a cooperação internacional e o desenvolvimento.
Alineamientos y realineamientos: Discusiones en torno al candidato latinoamericano para BRICS. Un análisis sobre las posiciones de Brasil como miembro fundador y de Argentina como el aspirante fallido | Alignments and realignments: Discussions around the Latin American candidate for BRICS. An analysis of the positions of Brazil as a founding member and Argentina as the failed candidate
Authors: Giaccaglia Clarisa
Published: January 2025

Los BRICS han inaugurado una nueva fase en la evolución del grupo a partir de la cual la discusión relativa a la ampliación de sus miembros se tornó central. Si bien una veintena de países se mostraron interesados en adherirse, sólo seis candidatos fueron formalmente invitados, siendo Argentina el único latinoamericano convocado. Cabe entonces preguntarnos: ¿De qué manera se desarrollaron las conversaciones para esta ampliación de membresías en el marco de un orden internacional de alineamientos complejos? Particularmente, ¿qué posición defendió el gobierno de Brasil durante estas negociaciones? ¿Cómo fue el proceso de toma de decisiones en Argentina? El presente artículo se propone analizar las discusiones en torno al candidato latinoamericano para BRICS, focalizándose en las posiciones sostenidas, por un lado, por Brasil como miembro fundador del bloque y, por otra parte, por Argentina que fue invitado a sumarse pero que posteriormente decidió no materializar su ingreso. El trabajo busca lograr una comprensión más acabada de la reciente metamorfosis de BRICS con el objeto de contribuir al conocimiento de un bloque de países que se ha vuelto crucial para el entendimiento del actual orden internacional caracterizado por una re-significación de los alineamientos internacionales.
Global Competition, Uneven and Combined Development, and Regulatory Reforms: a critical analysis of the World Bank's Doing Business ranking | Competição Global, Desenvolvimento Desigual e Combinado e Reformas Regulatórias: uma análise crítica do ranking Doing Business do Banco Mundial
Authors: Matos dos Santos Tiago
Published: January 2025

In the last 30 years, performance indicators such as international rankings have gained relevance and influence in Global Development Governance. Mostly hosted by organizations from the North, these instruments have been noted for their ability to shape the behavior of states and induce reforms in a variety of areas. In this article, I focus on the World Bank Doing Business (DB) ranking, a tool responsible for inducing thousands of reforms in the regulatory environment of several economies in the South. Drawing on the Uneven and Combined Development (U&CD) approach, I analyze the origins, functioning and contradictions surrounding this tool. I argue that, while promoting a development perspective based on the neoliberal paradigm of deregulation and global competition, the Doing Business suggests a poor and ahistorical view of the International, which is also incapable of recognizing the nature of the inequality between central and peripheral states under global capitalism.
Traços e tramas da diáspora: uma análise de Um lençol de infinitos fios, de Susana Ventura
Authors: Dos Santos Esteves Natacha , Favaro Bortoletto Fernanda , Diamante Ferreira Ferreira Geniane
Published: January 2025

No contexto sócio-político e cultural atual do Brasil, os fluxos de chegada de imigrantes no solo brasileiro estão cada vez mais emergentes. A partir do interesse de escritores nas questões migratórias, surgem exemplos de obras literárias que abordam essa temática. Um lençol de infinitos fios, de Susana Ventura é publicado em 2019 para contribuir com as produções que tematizam a realidade e os desafios que imigrantes experienciam ao chegar no Brasil. Este estudo objetiva discutir os efeitos da diáspora nas personagens da obra infanto-juvenil Um lençol de infinitos fios (2019). Sob a ótica de reflexões teóricas pós-coloniais sobre a diáspora, o pertencimento e a resistência, além de teorias que versam sobre o preconceito, pôde-se discutir a respeito das identidades híbridas e em constante negociação das personagens da obra, das diferenças culturais e físicas das personagens que são recebidas na sociedade brasileira com discriminação, bem como as relações de poder dos grupos que estão em posição hegemônica na sociedade. Além disso, compreendeu-se as relações das personagens com seus múltiplos locais de pertencimento e atos de resistência que demonstraram o senso crítico das personagens e o fortalecimento de laços com sua cultura original.
SCHWARCZ, Lilia Moritz. Óculos de cor: ver e não enxergar. São Paulo: Companhia das Letrinhas, 2022. v. 1. 144 p.
Authors: Carnaval Marilya Mariany
Published: January 2025

O livro de literatura juvenil Óculos de cor: ver e não enxergar, escrito pela historiadora e antropóloga Lilia Moritz Schwarcz e ilustrado por Suzane Lopes, foi publicado no Brasil em 2022 pela Editora Companhia das Letrinhas. O livro foi vencedor do Prêmio Jabuti em 2023 na categoria juvenil. 
No prefácio do livro Óculos de Cor, a autora cita a frase “não se estuda o escravismo sem emoção e sem um sentimento de vergonha e remorso”1 e afirma que a escravidão — um sistema que criou formas de violência e crueldade desenvolvidas coletivamente por vários povos europeus — é um trauma histórico que ainda não foi elaborado o suficiente e muito menos superado no Brasil, destacando sua posição como uma pessoa/escritora branca. Ao trazer a reflexão do racismo contemporâneo em seu livro, a autora coloca que não há como não sentir vergonha e remorso, mesmo que a história do livro, criada por ela, seja de uma aventura com personagens que apontam para “janelas de esperanças” (Schwarcz, 2022, p. 9).
O descentramento do sujeito pelo discurso e seus efeitos: relação entre o lugar social e a posição-sujeito no ato de dizer
Authors: Soares da Silva Aurílio , Pinto Francisco Neto Pereira
Published: January 2025

Neste trabalho, buscamos demostrar como o lugar social determina a posição-sujeito no discurso ao permutar pelas diferentes formações discursivas. Para isso, realizamos análises no discurso do então deputado estadual de São Paulo, Arthur do Val (Podemos), impulsionado pelo seu discurso de que as mulheres ucranianas são fáceis porque são pobres, para assim observarmos como o indivíduo é interpelado em sujeito se constitui discursivamente, descentrando-se, em seu de dizer, ao representar posições-sujeito diversas a partir do lugar social ocupado. Assim, analisamos o caso, ainda que não exaustivamente, em três situações distintas, quais sejam: a) um áudio compartilhado pelo WhatsApp, em que expõe uma visão machista sobre as mulheres ucranianas; b) o discurso de retratação pelo que disse no áudio; e c) o discurso de defesa no processo de cassação de seu mandato em decorrência do que disse no áudio. Nas análises, observamos que, ao transitar por formações discursivas diversas, o sujeito se dispersa em posições-sujeitos distintas, no impasse da heterogeneidade discursiva, possibilitando-o permutar de uma posição machista, passando por uma postura responsável, chegando a uma manobra combativa, na busca de se desvencilhar do peso da responsabilidade no processo de cassação do mandato que lhe é imputado em decorrência daquilo que proferiu.
Multiple interpretations of minds in the translation of David Almond’s Skellig
Authors: Braga Lee Isabela , Da Silva Igor Antônio Lourenço
Published: January 2025

The present article addresses the translation of young adult literature from a cognitive literary lens, aiming to investigate how multiple interpretations are prompted by literature and whether translational choices point to a translator’s attitude. It associates the concepts of narration and focalisation with the resources used by readers to construct a mental model of characters’ minds. It is argued that different narration and focalisation strategies pose different demands on readers’ theory of mind, the system of inferences used to interpret people’s mental states. In addition, it relates translational choices to an implied translator’s image of her readership and source text, employing the concepts of translator’s voice and positioning. That is exemplified through and analysis of the translation into Brazilian Portuguese of David Almond’s Skellig, focusing on three passages in which young characters interact. By doing so, the article not only shows how literature stimulates cognitive development, but also challenges the idea that literature for young readers is deprived of literary value and provides only literal readings, and purports that the translator’s attitude conditions whether translational choices convey a meaning-restrictive or -expanding idea of children’s and young adult literature.
Notas a partir da “sobrevida” da dramaturgia para a infância no contexto da mediação editorial do Concurso Nacional de Teatro Infantil
Authors: Grazioli Fabiano Tadeu , Carlos Hohlfeldt Antônio
Published: January 2025

A popularidade de obras da dramaturgia infantil brasileira junto ao público mirim não é resultado da leitura do texto dramatúrgico, mas do acesso às montagens desses textos (Zilberman, 2005). Assim, é possível afirmar que a dramaturgia para a infância publicada no Brasil até, pelo menos, meados da década de 1990 (salvo casos muito específicos), não se destinava à leitura da criança (recepção por meio do texto impresso), mas ao público adulto formado pelos profissionais das diversas linguagens ligadas ao teatro, a quem cabe realizar a encenação, essa sim direcionada à criança. Neste estudo, busca-se confirmar e exemplificar o argumento exposto, mirando um exemplo da dramaturgia publicada na década de 1970, no contexto dos concursos de dramaturgia realizados no Brasil, em especial do Concurso Nacional de Teatro Infantil, o Teatro infantil – 1976, composto de quatro peças premiadas. Desse modo, percebe-se a edição do volume em questão – a exemplo do que ocorria a cada edição do concurso e de outros certames realizados no Brasil – em um contexto que o considera o primeiro movimento de mediação editorial (Chartier, 2002a, 2002b), capaz de possibilitar que textos importantes consigam se estabelecer, permanecer e chegar aos períodos seguintes, em que seja possível encontrar outros leitores.
rede de processos metamórficos na literatura dos povos Maraguá e Macuxi
Authors: Gama-Khalil Marisa Martins
Published: January 2025

O artigo trata do tema das metamorfoses relacionadas à literatura infantil e juvenil por meio de um enfoque sobre a literatura indígena contemporânea dos povos Maraguá e Macuxi. Tem-se como objetivo explanar acerca de três processos metamórficos na referida literatura, os quais alcançam as seguintes possibilidades de compreensão: em primeiro lugar, pela sua construção mimética, compreendendo o procedimento da mimesis como uma metamorfose; em segundo, pela temática engendrada nas narrativas indígenas, nas quais há uma incidência significativa de encantarias metamórficas devido ao animismo, constitutivo de sua cosmogonia; e, em terceiro, pela proposta de recepção descolonizadora e transformadora/metamórfica sugerida por essa ficção. O tratamento teórico será, em linhas gerais, fundamentado pelas teorias de Roland Barthes e Luiz Costa Lima acerca da mimesis; pela noção de animismo e perspectivismo contemplada, respectivamente, nos estudos de Philippe Descola e de Eduardo Viveiros de Castro; pela concepção de encantaria de João de Jesus Paes Loureiro; e por estudos norteados por perspectivas teóricas relacionadas ao pós-colonialismo e afins, como os de Miguel Nenevé, Georges Balandier, Arturo Escobar, Aníbal Quijano, Homi Bhabha e Ailton Krenac.
Ressignificações decoloniais da resistência autóctone feminina na história latino-americana: representações literárias de Anacaona
Authors: Becher Tatiane Cristina , Fleck Gilmei Francisco
Published: January 2025

O gênero romance histórico, por meio das modalidades que apresentam um viés crítico/decolonial (Fleck, 2017), possibilita ressignificações literárias de personagens ocultadas ou subjugadas pela historiografia tradicional hegemônica europeia sobre a colonização da América (Aínsa, 1991; Esteves, 2010). Uma das figuras majoritariamente excluídas dos registros oficiais é Anacaona (Vallejo, 2015), cacica taína que vivia em Guanahaní, território insular que abriga, atualmente, as nações do Haiti e da República Dominicana. Apesar de não figurar nos anais da história ou no imaginário coletivo latino-americano de maneira significativa, Anacaona representa um símbolo de resistência feminina perante a colonização espanhola dos séculos XV e XVI, pois liderou seu povo até ser enforcada e ter sua comunidade dizimada pelos colonizadores hispânicos. Apresentamos, neste artigo, nossa análise comparativa de duas obras nas quais Anacaona é representada ficcionalmente: Anacaona, Golden Flower (2015), de Edwidge Danticat, e Anacaona: la última princesa del Caribe (2017), de Jordi Díez Rojas. Resultado de uma pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, nesta escrita temos como objetivo demonstrar como a imagem dessa autóctone é ressignificada em diferentes diegeses, analisadas comparativamente com documentos da historiografia tradicional como Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias ([1552] 2011), do frei Bartolomeu de Las Casas, e De Orbo Novo ([1530] 1912), do cronista Pietro Martire d’Anghiera. Apontamos, assim, para a potencialidade de ressignificação do passado dos romances históricos contemporâneo de mediação (Fleck, 2017), como projetos literários decoloniais.Palavras-chave: Romance histórico contemporâneo de mediação; “Conquista” da América; Anacaona; estudos decoloniais.
Building Berkeley
Authors: Ford Jason
Published: January 2025

With civil works nearing completion it was time to concentrate on installing the reactors at Berkeley nuclear power station
Brain Power
Authors: Excell Jon
Published: January 2025

A UK developed medical implant is at the heart of a pioneering clinical trial that could transform the treatment of severe childhood epilepsy.
Bo M Urban Micro-Mobility Vehicle Moves to Production
Authors: Ford Jason
Published: January 2025

Skills acquired in high-end automotive have been applied to develop a smooth user experience
Return to Sender
Authors: McCann Ellie
Published: January 2025

The recently completed OSIRIS-REx mission, first launched in 2016, marked NASA’s first-ever sample return from an asteroid.
The Role of Monitoring Solutions in Aerospace
Authors: Stein Audrey , PfüTzner Tina
Published: January 2025

How monitoring solutions drive aerospace excellence
Verify Before Take Off
Authors: Sugarman Scott
Published: January 2025

How to use real and simulated hardware to ensure airworthiness
AS AULAS DE EDUCAÇÃO FÍSICA COM O NOVO ENSINO MÉDIO NO TERRITÓRIO DO RECÔNCAVO
Authors: Jamile de Oliveira Sousa  , Fabio Santana Nunes
Published: January 2025

A Educação Física Escolar tem sua inclusão na área das linguagens a muitos anos como afirma os autores. Segundo Neira e Nunes (2022, p.14) A Educação Física foi inserida na área de linguagens nos anos 70 quando os guias curriculares incluíram a matéria de comunicação e expressão. Em 1990 houve uma afirmação da educação enquanto sendo da área de códigos e linguagens pelos parâmetros curriculares nacionais, em 2013 ocorreu a legitimidade pelas diretrizes curriculares nacionais da educação básica e atualmente a reafirmação pela Base Nacional Comum Curricular.
Ellis-van Creveld Syndrome: A Rare Case Report with Emphasis on Skeletal Manifestations
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Lifeline Multi Speciality Hospital, Kerala, India., Shah Ibad , Majeed Ibrahim S ,   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Lifeline Multi Speciality Hospital, Kerala, India.
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (EVC) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by growth retardation, dysplastic nails, cardiac defects, dental abnormalities, and polydactyly. Early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management are essential for improving patient outcomes.

Case Report: We present a case of a 12-year-old male with EVC, born to consanguineous parents, who presented with bilateral bowing of the legs and difficulty walking. The patient exhibited classic features of EVC, including short stature, bilateral polydactyly, dysplastic nails, dental anomalies, and a history of cardiac defects. Radiological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis.

Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and comprehensive management in EVC syndrome. Recognizing the characteristic clinical features is key to timely intervention and improved quality of life.

Keywords: Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, chondrodysplasia, polydactyly, ectodermal dysplasia, multidisciplinary management.
Ochronotic Arthropathy of the Shoulder – A Rare Case Report
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedics, Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore,560066. India, Nair Ayyappan V , V Kiran ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore,560066. India, Rajan Aravind ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore,560066. India, Bharadwaj MS Bharath ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Malathi Manipal Hospital, 45th Cross Rd, opp. Bangalore, Kottapalya, 9th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560069, Daware Manisha Ashwin ,   Fellowship in Rheumatology, Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore ,560066. India, Khan Prince Shanavas ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Apollo Adlux Hospital, Angamali, Kochi, Kerala, 683576, India
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Alkaptonuria is a metabolic disorder due to accumulation of homogentisic acid, leading to destruction of major joints. Very few cases of ochronosis with shoulder involvement have been reported in literature.

Case Report: We report a 31-year-old male who presented with shoulder pain for 4 months. Clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging showed tear of the long head of biceps tendon and labral tear. On arthroscopy, we discovered that there was blackish discoloration of the glenoid rim. On investigating further, homogentisic aciduria was found (865; normal value <0.99), suggesting a diagnosis of alkaptonuria. Our patient had relief of symptoms following debridement and biceps tenodesis at 12 weeks.

Conclusion: Arthroscopy helps in the diagnosis and treatment of ochronosis with shoulder involvement.

Keywords: Ochronosis, alkaptonuria, arthropathy, arthroscopy, homogentisic acid.
A dual-axicon lens for converting a Gaussian beam into a quasi-Bessel beam with sub-Airy disk spot size
Authors: Sun Haiyin
Published: January 2025

A novel dual-axicon lens is proposed. Theoretical analysis results show that this lens can convert an input Gaussian beam into a quasi-Bessel beam that has a sub-Airy disk far field spot size. This dual-axicon lens may find practical applications.
Towards real-time diffuse optical tomography with a handheld scanning probe
Authors: DALE ROBIN , Ross Nick , Howard Scott , O'Sullivan Thomas , Dehghani Hamid
Published: January 2025

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) performed using deep-learning allows high-speed reconstruction of tissue optical properties, and could thereby enable image-guided scanning, e.g. to enhance clinical breast imaging. Previously published models are geometry specific, and therefore require extensive data generation and training for each use case, and restrict the scanning protocol at the point of use. To overcome these obstacles, a novel transformer-based architecture is proposed to encode spatially unstructured DOT measurements, enabling a single trained model to handle arbitrary scanning pathways and measurement density. The model is demonstrated with breast tissue-emulating simulated and phantom data, yielding - for 24 mm-deep absorption (μa) and reduced scattering (μs') images respectively - average RMSEs of 0.0095±0.0023 cm¯¹ and 1.95±0.78 cm¯¹, Sørensen-Dice coefficients of 0.55±0.12 and 0.67±0.1, and anomaly contrast of 79±10\% and 93.3±4.6% of the ground-truth contrast, with an effective imaging speed of 14 Hz. The average absolute μa and μs' values of homogeneous simulated examples were within 10% of the true values.
Repeatability of RRate measurements in children during triage in two Ugandan hospitals
Authors: Asdo Ahmad , Mawji Alishah , Omara Isaac , Aye Ishebukara Ivan Aine , Komugisha Clare , Novakowski Stefanie K. , Pillay Yashodani , Wiens Matthew O. , Akech Samuel , Oyella Florence , Tagoola Abner , Kissoon Niranjan , Ansermino John Mark , Dunsmuir Dustin
Published: January 2025

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children globally. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) pneumonia diagnosis relies on accurate assessment of respiratory rate, which can be unreliable when completed by nurses with less-advanced training. To inform more accurate measurements, we investigate the repeatability of the RRate app used by nurses in Ugandan district hospitals. This secondary analysis included 3,679 children aged 0–5 years. The dataset had two sequential measurements of respiratory rate collected by 14 nurses using the RRate app. We measured agreement between respiratory rate observations while indicating observations’ clustering around WHO fast-breathing thresholds. WHO thresholds are 60 breaths per minute (bpm) for under two months (Age-1), 50 bpm for two to 12 months (Age-2), and 40 bpm for 12.1 to 60 months (Age-3). We assessed the repeatability of the paired measurements per user through the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and calculated an overall ICC value. The respiratory rate measurement took less than 15 seconds for 7,277 (98.9%) of the measurements. Despite respiratory rates clustering around WHO thresholds, breathing classification based on the thresholds (Fast vs normal) was altered between sequential measurements in only 12.6% of children. The mean (SD) respiratory rate by age group was 60 (13.1) bpm for Age-1, 49 (11.9) bpm for Age-2, and 38 (10.1) for Age-3, and the bias (Limits of Agreements) were 0.3 (−10.8–11.3) bpm, 0.4 (−8.5–9.3) bpm, and 0.1 (−6.8, 7.0) bpm for Age-1, Age-2, and Age-3 respectively. The repeatability of the paired respiratory rate measurements was high, with an ICC ≥ 90% for 12 of 14 users and an overall ICC value (95% CI) of 0.95 (0.94–0.95). The RRate measurements were efficient and repeatable. The simplicity, repeatability, and efficiency support its usage in LMICs healthcare facilities, and endorses a more widespread clinical adoption.
Food habit, physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents in selected schools of Madhyapur Thimi municipality, Nepal: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Baral Samiksha , Singh Anil Kumar , Aryal Arjun , Subedi Jwala , Dhakal Utsav , Khanal Anita
Published: January 2025

A dramatic rise in obesity is caused by unhealthy eating habits combined with lower levels of physical activity, and the under nutrition problem is still unresolved. Focusing on the nutritional needs of adolescents could be a significant step toward breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, chronic diseases, and poverty. This study aims to assess food habit, levels of physical activity and nutritional status of adolescents in Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Bhaktapur. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was conducted. Cluster random sampling technique with validated, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Ethical approval, written informed consent and assent were obtained. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to measure level of physical activity. Nutritional Status was measured in terms of BMI for age z-score. Height and weight were measured by using UNICEF Stadiometer and Seca Scale. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis was applied for the further analysis using SPSS V 20. Among the 460 participants, 19.6% were overweight, while 8.5% were underweight. Factors showing a statistical association with being overweight included the mother’s occupation, fruit avoidance, exposure to mass media advertisements, junk food consumption. Almost all the participants (93%) consumed junk food with (57.5%) consuming daily or alternately. Regarding physical activity, 65.4% of participants engaged in moderate activity, 30.7% were inactive and only 3.9% engaged in high levels of physical activity. The level of physical activity did not show a significant association with being overweight. Public health nutritionists should actively engage adolescents in developing interventions that promote healthy eating habits and reduce junk food consumption, as adolescents are more susceptible to food marketing than adults. Physical activity alone may not be responsible for being overweight as dietary modification plays vital role in maintaining normal body weight.
Feasibility and acceptability for LION, a fully remote, randomized clinical trial within the VA for light therapy to improve sleep in Veterans with and without TBI: An MTBI2 sponsored protocol
Authors: Elliott Jonathan E. , Brewer Jessica S. , Keil Allison T. , Ligman Brittany R. , Bryant-Ekstrand Mohini D. , McBride Alisha A. , Powers Katherine , Sicard Savanah J. , Twamley Elizabeth W. , O’Neil Maya E. , Hildebrand Andrea D. , Nguyen Thuan , Morasco Benjamin J. , Gill Jessica M. , Dengler Bradley A. , Lim Miranda M.
Published: January 2025

Sleep-wake disturbances frequently present in Veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). These TBI-related sleep impairments confer significant burden and commonly exacerbate other functional impairments. Therapies to improve sleep following mTBI are limited and studies in Veterans are even more scarce. In our previous pilot work, morning bright light therapy (MBLT) was found to be a feasible behavioral sleep intervention in Veterans with a history of mTBI; however, this was single-arm, open-label, and non-randomized, and therefore was not intended to establish efficacy. The present study, LION (light vs ion therapy) extends this preliminary work as a fully powered, sham-controlled, participant-masked randomized controlled trial (NCT03968874), implemented as fully remote within the VA (target n = 120 complete). Randomization at 2:1 allocation ratio to: 1) active: MBLT (n = 80), and 2) sham: deactivated negative ion generator (n = 40); each with identical engagement parameters (60-min duration; within 2-hrs of waking; daily over 28-day duration). Participant masking via deception balanced expectancy assumptions across arms. Outcome measures were assessed following a 14-day baseline (pre-intervention), following 28-days of device engagement (post-intervention), and 28-days after the post-intervention assessment (follow-up). Primary outcomes were sleep measures, including continuous wrist-based actigraphy, self-report, and daily sleep dairy entries. Secondary/exploratory outcomes included cognition, mood, quality of life, circadian rhythm via dim light melatonin onset, and biofluid-based biomarkers. Participant drop out occurred in <10% of those enrolled, incomplete/missing data was present in <15% of key outcome variables, and overall fidelity adherence to the intervention was >85%, collectively establishing feasibility and acceptability for MBLT in Veterans with mTBI.
Mobile clinics routing and scheduling in the Witzenberg region of South Africa
Authors: Callaghan Hannah J. , Potgieter Linke , Le Roux Nadia
Published: January 2025

Despite much literature on operations research applied to various healthcare problems, impactful implementation in public healthcare is limited, which often results in allocative inefficiency. This article uses a mobile clinic routing and scheduling problem in the Witzenberg region of South Africa as a case study to demonstrate the improvement of implementation success through cross-disciplinary collaboration, and also to propose a new three-stage approach for modelling a mobile clinic problem that incorporates continuity of care, fairness, and minimisation of distance travelled. Mobile clinics are used in many countries to improve access to healthcare for rural communities. Decision makers must assign farms or villages to mobile clinics, and determine their monthly visit schedules. To improve implementation success, we follow a collaborative three-phased mixed-methods approach with healthcare professionals to improve workload balance, fairness, and transportation cost. During phase 1, qualitative and quantitative data are gathered through qualitative research methods. In phase 2, fairly distributed optimal routes and schedules are designed using a three-stage model that incorporates a multi-vehicle routing problem to determine daily routes, a knapsack problem to establish a fair allocation of these daily routes between different clinics, and another variation on the vehicle routing problem to determine the monthly visit schedule that minimises the distance between the last farm visited on each consecutive day in the case of having to return to a farm the next day. Different input parameter estimations result in different routes and schedules. In phase 3, AHP is performed with main decision makers to determine their preferred solution. Final routes and schedules are designed based on model results, AHP results, and contextual input from decision makers. In our case study, an improved workload balance, a 23% reduction in total distance travelled, and buy-in to implement the changes, were obtained.
Label-free determination of diffusion coefficients at the nanoscale through modelling of the Surface Plasmon Resonance signal
Authors: Zingale Gabriele Antonio , Pandino Irene , Calcagno Damiano , Perina Maria Luisa , Tuccitto Nunzio , Grasso Giuseppe
Published: January 2025

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is normally used to measure the kinetic parameters of biomolecular interactions between a molecule immobilized on a gold surface and another one flowing in a microfluidic channel above the surface. During the SPR measurements, convection-diffusion phenomena occur inside the microfluidic channels, but they are generally minimized by appropriate experimental setup in order to obtain diffusion free kinetic parameters of the molecular interactions. In this work, for the first time, a commercial SPR apparatus has been used to obtain non canonical scientific parameters. Indeed, a specifically designed SPR experimental setup is described for carrying out measurements of the diffusion coefficient (D) of molecules in solutions. The high precision and reproducibility of the approach, as well as the wide applicability of the newly proposed SPR based method for the measurement of D of many different molecules and biomolecules, are here demonstrated and illustrated in detail.
Targeting necroptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells: In Silico insights into 8,12-dimethoxysanguinarine from Eomecon Chionantha through molecular docking, dynamics, DFT, and MEP studies
Authors: Alhawarri Maram B. , Al-Thiabat Mohammad G. , Dubey Amit , Tufail Aisha , Banisalman Katreen , Al Jabal Ghazi A. , Alkasasbeh Eman , Al-Trad Esra’a Ibrahim , Alrimawi Bilal Harieth
Published: January 2025

Breast cancer remains a significant challenge in oncology, highlighting the need for alternative therapeutic strategies that target necroptosis to overcome resistance to conventional therapies. Recent investigations into natural compounds have identified 8,12-dimethoxysanguinarine (SG-A) from Eomecon chionantha as a potential necroptosis inducer. This study presents the first computational exploration of SG-A interactions with key necroptotic proteins—RIPK1, RIPK3, and MLKL—through molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD), density functional theory (DFT), and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analyses. Molecular docking revealed that SG-A exhibited a stronger affinity for MLKL (-9.40 kcal/mol) compared to the co-crystallized ligand (-6.29 kcal/mol), while its affinity for RIPK1 (-6.37 kcal/mol) and RIPK3 (-7.01 kcal/mol) was lower. MD simulations further demonstrated the stability of SG-A within the MLKL site, with RMSD values stabilizing between 1.4 and 3.3 Å over 300 ns, indicating a consistent interaction pattern. RMSF analysis indicated the preservation of protein backbone flexibility, with average fluctuations under 1.7 Å. The radius of gyration (Rg) results indicated a consistent value of ~15.3 Å across systems, confirming the role of SG-A in maintaining protein integrity. Notably, SG-A maintains two critical H-bonds within the active site of MLKL, reinforcing the stability of the interaction. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated a significant reduction in MLKL’s conformational space upon SG-A binding, implying enhanced stabilization. Dynamic cross-correlation map (DCCM) analysis further revealed that SG-A induced highly correlated motions, reducing internal fluctuations within MLKL compared to the co-crystallized ligand. MM-PBSA revealed the enhanced binding efficacy of SG-A, with a significant binding free energy of -31.03 ± 0.16 kcal/mol against MLKL, surpassing that of the control (23.96 ± 0.11 kcal/mol). In addition, the individual residue contribution analysis highlighted key interactions, with ARG149 showing a significant contribution (-176.24 kcal/mol) in the MLKL-SG-A complex. DFT and MEP studies corroborated these findings, revealing that the electronic structure of SG-A is conducive to stable binding interactions, characterized by a narrow band gap (~0.16 units) and distinct electrostatic potential favourable for necroptosis induction. In conclusion, SG-A has emerged as a compelling inducer of necroptosis for breast cancer therapy, warranting further experimental validation to fully realize its therapeutic potential.
ChatGPT-4o can serve as the second rater for data extraction in systematic reviews
Authors: Motzfeldt Jensen Mette , Brix Danielsen Mathias , Riis Johannes , Assifuah Kristjansen Karoline , Andersen Stig , Okubo Yoshiro , Jørgensen Martin Grønbech
Published: January 2025

Background

Systematic reviews provide clarity of a bulk of evidence and support the transfer of knowledge from clinical trials to guidelines. Yet, they are time-consuming. Artificial intelligence (AI), like ChatGPT-4o, may streamline processes of data extraction, but its efficacy requires validation.

Objective

This study aims to (1) evaluate the validity of ChatGPT-4o for data extraction compared to human reviewers, and (2) test the reproducibility of ChatGPT-4o’s data extraction.

Methods

We conducted a comparative study using papers from an ongoing systematic review on exercise to reduce fall risk. Data extracted by ChatGPT-4o were compared to a reference standard: data extracted by two independent human reviewers. The validity was assessed by categorizing the extracted data into five categories ranging from completely correct to false data. Reproducibility was evaluated by comparing data extracted in two separate sessions using different ChatGPT-4o accounts.

Results

ChatGPT-4o extracted a total of 484 data points across 11 papers. The AI’s data extraction was 92.4% accurate (95% CI: 89.5% to 94.5%) and produced false data in 5.2% of cases (95% CI: 3.4% to 7.4%). The reproducibility between the two sessions was high, with an overall agreement of 94.1%. Reproducibility decreased when information was not reported in the papers, with an agreement of 77.2%.

Conclusion

Validity and reproducibility of ChatGPT-4o was high for data extraction for systematic reviews. ChatGPT-4o was qualified as a second reviewer for systematic reviews and showed potential for future advancements when summarizing data.
Optimization design and application of library face recognition access control system based on improved PCA
Authors: Lin Na , Ding Yan , Tan Yulei
Published: January 2025

The application of face recognition technology in Library Access Control System (LACS) has an important impact on improving the security and management efficiency of the library. However, the traditional face recognition methods have some limitations in the face of complex environmental conditions such as illumination and posture change. To solve this problem, an improved method combining the Aggregating Spatial Embeddings for Face Recognition (ASEF) algorithm and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is proposed. The PCA algorithm is optimized by introducing beta prior and full probability Bayesian model. In addition, the research also integrates K-means Clustering Algorithm (KA) to further improve the accuracy and efficiency of face recognition. The experiment showed that the improved PCA method had an average recognition rate of 92.6%, an average recognition speed of 0.40s, and higher accuracy compared to other related methods, reaching 96%. In practical applications, the system quickly and accurately completes the identification of personnel entry and exit, and improves the efficiency and security of library access management.
Integrative metabolomics and transcriptomics profiling reveals differential expression of flavonoid synthesis in Ophiopogon japonicus (L. f.) Ker-Gawl. in adaptation to drought
Authors: Cheng Tingting , Lin Juan , Zhou Xia , Wang Hongsu , Zhou Xianjian , Huang Xiaopeng , Chen Tiezhu
Published: January 2025

Drought is one of the consequences of climate change that severely affects plant growth and development. Ophiopogon japonicus (L. f.) Ker-Gawl. (Chinese name: Chuanmaidong, abbreviated as CMD) is a commonly used herbaceous plant whose growth and development are strongly affected by drought. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the transcriptomic and metabolic responses of two CMD varieties (EP and CP) to drought stress. CP utilized a small number of differentially expressed genes to regulate a greater number of differential metabolites compared to EP, suggesting that it may be more drought tolerant. In addition, integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that transcription factors such as WRKY, TIFY, and C2H2 regulate flavonoid synthesis in CMD. These findings provide ideas for in-depth analysis of the mechanism of CMD against drought stress, and provide a theoretical basis for breeding high-quality drought-tolerant varieties.
Survival machine learning methods for mortality prediction after heart transplantation in the contemporary era
Authors: Liou Lathan , Mostofsky Elizabeth , Lehman Laura , Salia Soziema , Barrera Francisco J. , Wei Ying , Cheema Amal , Lala Anuradha , Beam Andrew , Mittleman Murray A.
Published: January 2025

Although prediction models for heart transplantation outcomes have been developed previously, a comprehensive benchmarking of survival machine learning methods for mortality prognosis in the most contemporary era of heart transplants following the 2018 donor heart allocation policy change is warranted. This study assessed seven statistical and machine learning algorithms–Lasso, Ridge, Elastic Net, Cox Gradient Boost, Extreme Gradient Boost Linear, Extreme Gradient Boost Tree, and Random Survival Forests in a post-policy cohort of 7,160 adult heart-only transplant recipients in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) database who received their first transplant on or after October 18, 2018. A cross-validation framework was designed in mlr. Model performance was also compared in a seasonally-matched pre-policy cohort. In the post-policy cohort, Random Survival Forests and Cox Gradient Boost had the highest performances with C-indices of 0.628 and 0.627. The relative importance of some predictive variables differed between the pre-policy and post-policy cohorts, such as the absence of ECMO in the post-policy cohort. Survival machine learning models provide reasonable prediction of 1-year posttransplant mortality outcomes and continual updating of prediction models is warranted in the contemporary era.
Innovameter: Agent-based modeling of innovation determinants in American and European countries
Authors: Rodríguez Arles , Gaitán-Angulo Mercedes , Gómez-Caicedo Melva Inés , Robayo-Acuña Paula , Ruíz-Castro Iván Ricardo
Published: January 2025

This article discusses the dynamics of innovation in America and Europe, focusing on variables such as access to technology, education, and life expectancy. To do this, the article proposes an agent-based model called the Innovameter. The dependent variable is the Global Innovation Index. The paper focuses on data analysis through correlation analysis and multiple hierarchical regressions to determine the contribution of specific variables related to the pillars of the Global Innovation Index and indicators of the Human Development Index. After analyzing the data, an agent-based model was built to parameterize these main variables by defining two levels of abstraction: at the global level, there is the country, where birth rates, life expectancy, ICT use, and research and development are defined. At the local level, we define the individuals who have an age, years of schooling, and income. A series of experiments were conducted by selecting data from 30 countries. From the results of the experiments, a nonparametric correlation analysis was performed, and correlation indices were obtained indicating a relationship between the predicted outcomes and the outcomes in the global index. The proposed model aims to provide suggestions on how the different variables can become the norm in most of the countries studied.
Decreased risk-proneness with increasing age in equally raised and kept wolves and dogs
Authors: Jean-Joseph Hillary , Kortekaas Kim , Range Friederike , Kotrschal Kurt
Published: January 2025

A basic mechanism of domestication is the selection for fearlessness and acceptance of humans as social partners, which may affect risk-taking behavior and the ability to use humans as social support, both at the behavioural and physiological levels. We combined behavioural observations with heart rate parameters (i.e., HR and heart rate variability, HRV) in equally raised and housed wolves and dogs to assess the responses to food offered in the vicinity of a potential stressor (an unknown spinning object) with and without social support from a familiar human. Based on previous studies on neophobia in wolves and dogs, we expected dogs to be less scared of the object, approach more quickly, show less ambivalent behaviour, lower HR, and higher HRV, than wolves, especially at the presence of a human partner. However, we found that mainly age and the presence of a familiar human affected the behaviour of our subjects: older wolves and dogs were generally bolder and faster to approach the food and the familiar human’s presence increased the likelihood of taking it. HR rate parameters were affected by age and the stage of the test. Wolves and dogs showed particularly high HRs at the beginning and end of the test sessions. We conclude that in our paradigm, wolves’ and dogs’ risk-proneness varied with age, rather than species. Additionally, the presence of a familiar human increased the motivation of both, dogs and wolves to take the food.
Accurate multi-behavior sequence-aware recommendation via graph convolution networks
Authors: Kim Doyeon , Tanwar Saurav , Kang U.
Published: January 2025

How can we recommend items to users utilizing multiple types of user behavior data? Multi-behavior recommender systems leverage various types of user behavior data to enhance recommendation performance for the target behavior. These systems aim to provide personalized recommendations, thereby improving user experience, engagement, and satisfaction across different applications such as e-commerce platforms, streaming services, news websites, and content platforms. While previous approaches in multi-behavior recommendation have focused on incorporating behavioral order and dependencies into embedding learning, they often overlook the nuanced importance of individual behaviors in shaping user preferences during model training. We propose MBA (Multi-Behavior sequence-Aware recommendation via graph convolution networks), an accurate framework for multi-behavior recommendations. MBA adopts a novel approach by learning embeddings that capture both the dependencies between behaviors and their relative importance in influencing user preferences. Additionally, MBA employs sophisticated sampling strategies that consider the sequential nature of behaviors during model training, ensuring that the model effectively learns from the entire behavioral sequence. Through extensive experiments on real-world datasets, we demonstrate the superior performance of MBA compared to existing methods. MBA outperforms the best competitor, achieving improvements of up to 11.2% and 11.4% in terms of HR@10 and nDCG@10, respectively. These findings underscore the effectiveness of MBA in providing accurate and personalized recommendations tailored to individual user preferences.
Tracing fineware production in the Neo-Assyrian empire: Neutron activation analysis of common and Palace Ware in the upper Tigris River Valley, Turkey
Authors: Hartenberger Britt E. , Davenport James A. , Matney Timothy
Published: January 2025

In the Iron Age, the Neo-Assyrian empire (c. 900–600 BC) conquered territory across southwest Asia and established regional capitals along its borders to secure its gains. Governors at these centers oversaw resource extraction and craft production for shipment to the imperial heartland in modern-day northern Iraq. Metals and textiles were the crafts most carefully managed by the administration. We know less about centralized control over ceramic production but hypothesize that fineware production and distribution would have been of interest to imperial administrators. A fineware type known as Palace Ware has been found throughout the empire and is considered an indicator of elite Assyrian dining traditions. Excavations at one regional capital, Ziyaret Tepe (ancient Tušhan) produced pottery of various skill levels used by residents. In this study neutron activation analysis (NAA) was used to characterize and compare the fabrics used to make Palace Ware vessels with more common wares to see if the former vessels were imported from the imperial heartland. Palace Ware is macroscopically distinct, but this does not always indicate an import. Chemical composition of the samples fell into four main groups, and both Palace and common ware were found to have similar compositions. Comparison of these data with those from contemporary sites showed that the two main Ziyaret groups matched the chemical composition of pottery from the Assyrian capitals of Nimrud and Nineveh. Our conclusions show that there is considerable homogeneity in the clays of the upper Tigris river valley in Turkey and the lower Tigris in northern Iraq. Given this similarity, it is possible that Palace Ware at Tušhan was produced locally, imported, or both. If it was manufactured locally, as has been shown at the urban center of Tell Sheikh Hamad, potters in the imperial peripheries may have produced fineware pottery independent of direct imperial control.