bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ionic Strength‐Induced Compartmentalization for Nanogel‐in‐Microgel Colloids
Authors: Pieper Maria I. , Mathews Hannah F. , Pich Andrij
Published: January 2025

Compartmentalization is crucial for control over complex biological cascade reactions. In microgels, the formation of discrete compartments allows for simultaneous uptake and orthogonal release of physicochemically distinct drugs, among others. However, many state‐of‐the‐art approaches yielding compartmentalized microgels require the use of specific, though not always biocompatible, components and temperatures well above the physiological range, which may damage possible biological cargo. Therefore, a novel technique to fabricate compartmentalized microgels by exploiting ionic strength‐induced precipitation as a mechanism for compartmentalization is developed. For this, a droplet‐based microfluidic approach in which preformed nanogels are incorporated into poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐ or poly(acrylamide)‐based microgels is employed. Allowing contact between the nanogel–monomer mixture and a salt solution only at the cross junction inhibits premature precipitation of the nanogels and aggregates form on the chip. It is demonstrated that this method is applicable to a variety of nanogel species in both stimuli‐responsive and non‐stimuli‐responsive microgel networks. For temperature‐responsive nanogel compartments in non‐responsive microgels, anisotropic shape change is investigated by adjusting temperature or salt concentration or changing the solvent. Lastly, an exemplary uptake and release experiment demonstrates highly selective drug absorption, paving the way for more advanced biomimetic polymer structures.
Enhancing Flexible Perovskite Photovoltaic Cells and Modules Through Light‐Trapping and Light‐Shifting Strategies
Authors: He Mingzhu , Gao Yin , Tan Huilin , Zhang Haoyang , Zhuang Zexing , Wu Shaohang , Gao Yanyan , Zhang Cuiling , Liu Liang , Luo Qinrong , Qin Li , Jia Peng , Liu Chong , Schropp Ruud E.I. , Mai Yaohua
Published: January 2025

Flexible perovskite photovoltaic devices are typically constructed on flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates, which exhibit near‐ultraviolet absorption and high visible‐light reflection, leading to significant optical losses. To address this issue, a reusable optical‐management sticker tailored for flexible substrates has been proposed in this work. The sticker incorporates a light‐shifting material that converts near‐ultraviolet light into visible light, enabling photoelectric conversion of near‐ultraviolet light. Additionally, the sticker features a light‐trapping microstructure that creates a refractive index gradient from PEN to air, thereby achieving a significant anti‐reflection effect. As a result, the efficiency of a flexible perovskite solar cell reached 23.05% (certified 22.46%) under 1 sun AM1.5G illumination and 36.65% (certified 34.03%) under 1000 lux artificial light illumination. Furthermore, scaling this solution to large‐area modules has yielded remarkable improvements, achieving a breakthrough certified efficiency of 20.48% (aperture area 21 cm2) in flexible perovskite photovoltaic modules.
Structural reliability assessment of a historical reinforced concrete building using numerical analysis and NDT techniques
Authors: Orbán Zoltán
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a case study of a methodology for assessing the structural reliability of an early reinforced concrete structure using a combination of primarily non‐destructive diagnostic and advanced numerical analysis methods. The case study examines the historical Csíky Gergely Theater in Kaposvár, Hungary, built in 1911. At that time, the design methodology and construction process were carried out using a relatively rudimentary standard framework. This study demonstrates that a multi‐phase assessment procedure integrating numerical analysis and primarily non‐destructive testing techniques can significantly reduce structural analysis uncertainty. This approach allows for an optimal selection of the reliability index (βtarget), even when deviating from design standards. Based on this modified reliability index and considering the diagnostic and material test results, the partial factors used for the assessment can be optimally adjusted, and in most cases reduced, compared to those in design codes for new structures. Consequently, the extent of structural interventions needed to increase the load‐bearing capacity can be minimized.
Excess cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents initiating antipsychotic treatment compared to young adults: results from a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Højlund Mikkel , Wesselhoeft Rikke , Heinrichsen Michella , Pagsberg Anne Katrine , Correll Christoph U. , Steinhausen Hans‐Christoph
Published: January 2025

Antipsychotic treatment is associated with cardiometabolic risks that may be especially detrimental to children and adolescents. In this Danish population‐based cohort study, we included individuals with psychiatric diagnoses who initiated antipsychotics in 2000‐2021 at age 6‐31 years. We assessed the risk of cardiometabolic adverse events up to 10 years following incident exposure to antipsychotics, compared to age‐ and sex‐matched unexposed individuals with psychiatric diagnoses. Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) after adjustment using high‐dimensional propensity scores, including age, sex, calendar time, hospital diagnoses, and prescription drug use. HRs were compared between incident exposure in youths (6‐17 years) and young adults (18‐31 years), and between incident exposure in children (6‐11 years) and adolescents (12‐17 years). The total cohort consisted of 335,093 individuals, including 36,092 subjects exposed to antipsychotics (children and adolescents: 8,547, mean follow‐up: 6.8±3.2 years; young adults: 27,545, mean follow‐up: 6.5±3.4 years) and 299,001 age‐, sex‐ and calendar‐matched unexposed subjects. The incidence rate of cardiometabolic events was higher for young adults initiating antipsychotics than for children and adolescents (23.2 vs. 14.1 events/1,000 person‐years). However, the adjusted excess risk of cardiometabolic events was significantly higher in exposed compared to unexposed children and adolescents (HR=1.87, 95% CI: 1.71‐2.05) than in exposed compared to unexposed young adults (HR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.40‐1.51) (p<0.001). The excess risk of cardiometabolic events was even higher when antipsychotic treatment was initiated before age 12 years (HR=2.44; 95% CI: 1.99‐2.98) than at age 12‐17 years (HR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.52‐1.87) (p=0.012). Concerning specific cardiometabolic outcomes, there was an effect of age at antipsychotic initiation on the risks of metabolic syndrome (p=0.011) and obesity (p<0.001), that were higher among children and adolescents than young adults. Thus, initiation of antipsychotic treatment before age 18 years is associated with an excess risk of cardiometabolic events compared to age‐ and sex‐matched youths with psychiatric disorders but unexposed to antipsychotics. The excess cardiometabolic risk is significantly higher than that of individuals who start antipsychotic treatment in early adulthood, and significantly higher for treatment onset in childhood compared to adolescence. On the basis of these findings, recommendations are provided about the use of antipsychotics in children and adolescents.
A novel approach for improving formation of soft zone in 22MnB5 and DP600 materials by resistance spot welding
Authors: Hidiroğlu Mehtap , Kahraman Nizamettin
Published: January 2025

In this study, 1.5-mm thick Al-coated hot formed boron alloy 22MnB5 with martensitic structure and Zn-coated DP600 with dual phase structures, which are frequently used together in the automotive industry, were used. Instead of traditional alternating current (AC), a new generation medium–frequency direct current (MFDC) resistance spot welding method was utilized in the joining process. The uniqueness of this work is that it aims to improve the properties of the soft zone formed in the heat effect zone (HAZ) of 22MnB5 materials during resistance spot welding (RSW). For this purpose, a fixture was designed and manufactured for regional rapid cooling (RRC) of the HAZ following the welding process. During RSW, 6.5 kA welding current, 3.6 bar electrode force and 500 ms welding time were used. This RRC method aims to reduce defects in the joint strength caused by hardness changes. Welding processes were carried out in molds designed and produced in accordance with tensile-shear and cross-tension tests. Afterwards, tensile-shear, cross-tension, and fatigue tests were applied to the welded samples. In addition, the effects of the developed system on the weld zones of these samples were examined by microstructure and hardness studies. The tensile-shear and cross-tension results revealed that the regional cooling exhibited approximately 4–6% higher strength, respectively. As a result of the hardness tests, it was observed that the hardness of the tempered soft zone in the 22MnB5 HAZ of the joint increased by 6% with RRC. However, it was determined that through this developed system, RRC in fatigue tests decreased in the fatigue life of the samples at all loads.
Synthesis of bi-functional amphiphilic acrylamide copolymers based on polymerizable spans for prospective EOR
Authors: Al-Sabagh Ahmad M. , El-Tabey Amira E. , Saleh Nermin E. , Elsharaky Elsayed A.
Published: January 2025

Three polymerizable spans based on sorbitan monoesters were synthesized and copolymerized with the acrylamide at different ratios to prepare nine amphiphilic copolymers via the inverse emulsion copolymerization technique. The FTIR, 1H-NMR, and viscosity average molecular weight ways characterized the synthesized monomers and copolymers. The general designation for the copolymers is PSnSs. Surface active and thickening properties for the aqueous solutions of the prepared copolymers were investigated. The influence of salts' concentration and temperature variation on the apparent viscosity and surface/interfacial activity was studied for the selected copolymers, and their emulsification ability was also examined. The results showed that the attached polymerizable spans enhanced the properties and capabilities of the acrylamide copolymers. This enhancement increased with increasing the attached monomers' ratio and lipophilic chain length. The copolymer PS60S-3 displayed the best values and capabilities with values at 0.2 wt% in distilled water for the γ
ST,
γ
IFT, and η
app equal 42.25 mN.m−1, 13.3 mN.m−1, and 495.76 mPa.s, respectively. It has the potential to be used as a bi-functional flooding agent.
Repeatability of radiomic features in myocardial T1 and T2 mapping
Authors: Manzke Mathias , Laqua Fabian C. , Böttcher Benjamin , Klemenz Ann-Christin , Weber Marc-André , Baeßler Bettina , Meinel Felix G.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To investigate the test–retest repeatability of radiomic features in myocardial native T1 and T2 mapping.

Methods

In this prospective study, 50 healthy volunteers (29 women and 21 men, mean age 39.4 ± 13.7 years) underwent two identical cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations at 1.5 T. The protocol included native T1 and T2 mapping in both short-axis and long-axis orientation. For T1 mapping, we investigated standard (1.9 × 1.9 mm) and high (1.4 × 1.4 mm) spatial resolution. After manual segmentation of the left ventricular myocardium, 100 radiomic features from seven feature classes were extracted and analyzed. Test–retest repeatability of radiomic features was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and classified as poor (ICC < 0.50), moderate (0.50–0.75), good (0.75–0.90), and excellent (> 0.90).

Results

For T1 maps acquired in short-axis orientation at standard resolution, repeatability was excellent for 6 features, good for 29 features, moderate for 19 features, and poor for 46 features. We identified 15 features from 6 classes which showed good to excellent reproducibility for T1 mapping in all resolutions and all orientations. For short-axis T2 maps, repeatability was excellent for 6 features, good for 25 features, moderate for 23 features, and poor for 46 features. 12 features from 5 classes were found to have good to excellent repeatability in T2 mapping independent of slice orientation.

Conclusion

We have identified a subset of features with good to excellent repeatability independent of slice orientation and spatial resolution. We recommend using these features for further radiomics research in myocardial T1 and T2 mapping.

Key Points

Question

The study addresses the need for reliable radiomic features for quantitative analysis of the myocardium to ensure diagnostic consistency in cardiac MRI.

Findings

We have identified a subset of radiomic features demonstrating good to excellent repeatability in native T1 and T2 mapping independent of slice orientation and resolution.

Clinical relevance

Radiomic features have been proposed as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various heart diseases. By identifying a subset of particularly reproducible radiomic features our study serves to inform the selection of radiomic features in future research and clinical applications.

Graphical Abstract
An audit on the assessment and management of osteoporosis in a Parkinson’s and related diseases clinic in Australia
Authors: Amarasekera Nethmi Nuwanji , Taylor Janice , Coppin Christopher , Lewis Simon J. G.
Published: January 2025

Background

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonian syndromes are at increased risk of falls and should be actively screened and treated for osteoporosis. In 2024, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) revised their practice guidelines for diagnosing and managing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men aged over 50 years.

Objective

We conducted the first Australian study to audit these guidelines in patients with PD and atypical parkinsonian syndromes.

Method

We audited all PD, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Multiple System Atrophy cases attending our neurology service between January and March 2024 against the RACGP osteoporosis guidelines. We identified patients at risk of osteoporosis or minimal trauma fractures and assessed if they had been referred to their general practitioner (GP) for appropriate management or were already receiving appropriate osteoporosis treatment.

Results

This audit evaluated 230 patients, 199 of which had PD. We identified 78 patients over the age of 50 years with risk factors that should trigger a GP bone health assessment as per the guidelines. Twenty-six of these patients were already being managed appropriately. However, only 12 of the remaining 52 ‘at risk’ patients (23%) were directed to seek screening for osteoporosis by their GP, leaving 77% (40/52) without appropriate guidance.

Conclusion

Our major recommendations include following the guidelines and referring patients for a bone health screen with their GP if they have risk factors for osteoporosis. This audit highlighted that assessment of osteoporosis and fracture risk by Specialists needs to be improved.
Biomarkers in Ataxia-Telangiectasia: a Systematic Review
Authors: Tiet M. Y. , Guțu B.-I. , Springall-Jeggo P. , Coman D. , Willemsen M. , Van Os N. , Doria M. , Donath H. , Schubert R. , Dineen R. A. , Biagiotti S. , Prayle A. P. , Group A. T. Biomarker Working , Hensiek A. E. , Horvath R.
Published: January 2025

Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) is a very rare multisystem disease of DNA repair, associated with progressive disabling neurological symptoms, respiratory failure, immunodeficiency and cancer predisposition, leading to premature death. There are no curative treatments available for A-T but clinical trials have begun. A major limiting factor in effectively evaluating therapies for A-T is the lack of suitable outcome measures and biomarkers. We have performed a systematic review to collect the information currently available on biomarkers for A-T both in patients and preclinical studies. We have identified 56 reports discussing potential A-T biomarkers in both pre-clinical models and patients. These studies report on diagnostic biomarkers but prognostic biomarkers and responsive markers of clinical status are currently lacking. Some biomarkers of neurodegeneration in A-T show promise, including non-invasive neuroimaging biomarkers. Some biomarkers of oxidative stress and responsive markers to radiotherapy and steroid treatment have potential value in clinical trials. The formation of the A-T biomarker working group with international experts is an important step forward to facilitate the sharing of materials, data and expertise with the common goal of finding effective biomarkers for A-T.
Total functioning capacity scale in Huntington's disease: natural course over time
Authors: van der Zwaan K. F. , Feleus S. , Dekkers O. M. , Roos R. A. C. , de Bot S. T.
Published: January 2025

Background and objectives

The total functioning capacity (TFC) assessment has been integral to Huntington's disease (HD) research and clinical trials, measuring disease stage and progression. This study investigates the natural progression of function in HD, focusing on changes in TFC scores related to age and CAG-repeat length, and evaluates TFC's strengths and weaknesses in longitudinal studies.

Methods

Using Enroll-HD platform's clinical dataset version 5, including Registry-3, we analysed data from 21,079 participants, with 16,083 having an expanded CAG repeat. Our final analysis encompassed 15,527 patients and 52,457 visits, with TFC scores ranging from 0 to 13.

Results

Alluvial charts show that most individuals maintain maximum functional capacity over time. 3505 individuals experienced change in TFC scores, over the subsequent 4 years, 2224 (64.1%) experienced declining TFC scores, while 661 (18.6%) showed improvement within a year. The remaining 17.3% exhibited stable TFC scores. Age-related changes followed a specific sequence: occupation, household chores/finances, daily living, and care. Longer CAG-repeat lengths were linked to earlier functional decline, with some geographic regions showing earlier losses in specific domains. Reduced penetrance CAG-repeat groups exhibited different trajectories from full penetrance HD participants.

Discussion

When we focus on those who experienced a change in TFC score, the number of HD patients with regained functional capacity is substantial, even considering interrater variability, which may influence outcome assessments in clinical trials. The TFC effectively reflects changes in functional domains as intended. Analysis of the reduced penetrance group suggests potential selection biases in seeking medical attention earlier and for reasons unrelated to HD.
Explaining cognitive function in multiple sclerosis through networks of grey and white matter features: a joint independent component analysis
Authors: Lageman Senne B. , Jolly Amy , Sahi Nitin , Prados Ferran , Kanber Baris , Eshaghi Arman , Tur Carmen , Eierud Cyrus , Calhoun Vince D. , Schoonheim Menno M. , Chard Declan T.
Published: January 2025

Cognitive impairment (CI) in multiple sclerosis (MS) is only partially explained by whole-brain volume measures, but independent component analysis (ICA) can extract regional patterns of damage in grey matter (GM) or white matter (WM) that have proven more closely associated with CI. Pathology in GM and WM occurs in parallel, and so patterns can span both. This study assessed whether joint-ICA of GM and WM features better explained cognitive function compared to single-tissue ICA. 89 people with MS underwent cognitive testing and magnetic resonance imaging. Structural T1 and diffusion-weighted images were used to measure GM volumes and WM connectomes (based on fractional anisotropy weighted by the number of streamlines). ICA was performed for each tissue type separately and as joint-ICA. For each tissue type and joint-ICA, 20 components were extracted. In stepwise linear regression models, joint-ICA components were significantly associated with all cognitive domains. Joint-ICA showed the highest variance explained for executive function (Adjusted R
2 = 0.35) and visual memory (Adjusted R
2 = 0.30), while WM-ICA explained the highest variance for working memory (Adjusted R
2 = 0.23). No significant differences were found between joint-ICA and single-tissue ICA in information processing speed or verbal memory. This is the first MS study to explore GM and WM features in a joint-ICA approach and shows that joint-ICA outperforms single-tissue analysis in some, but not all cognitive domains. This highlights that cognitive domains are differentially affected by tissue-specific features in MS and that processes spanning GM and WM should be considered when explaining cognition.
The value of magnetic resonance imaging of the optic nerve for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in patients with optic neuritis
Authors: Pihl-Jensen Gorm , Frederiksen Jette Lautrup
Published: January 2025

Background

Although optic neuritis (ON) is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), lesions of the optic nerve are not included as an anatomical substrate for dissemination in space and time (DIS and DIT).

Objective

To assess the increase in sensitivity of including MRI lesions of the optic nerve for the diagnosis of MS in patients with ON.

Methods

We included patients consecutively referred with first time, monosymptomatic ON, with no known cause of the ON, who underwent orbital MRI including fat suppressed T2 and T1-sequences with and without gadolinium contrast.

Results

One hundred and twenty patients were included. Optic nerve T2 lesions and/or T1-contrast enhancement was shown in 104 patients. Sixty-three patients were diagnosed with MS at baseline. Nine patients developed MS during follow-up. The inclusion of optic nerve MRI lesions led to the diagnosis of 8 additional patients and increased sensitivity to 0.99 (95% CI 0.96–1.00) compared to 0.88 (95% CI 0.79–0.95) for 2017 criteria, while decreasing the specificity to 0.81 (95% CI 0.70–0.92) compared to 1.00.

Conclusion

Amending the diagnostic criteria for MS to include MRI lesions of the optic nerve as a substrate for DIS and DIT may increase sensitivity and lead to more rapid diagnosis of MS.
CoGames: Development of an adaptive smartphone-based and gamified monitoring tool for cognitive function in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Pless Silvan , Woelfle Tim , Lorscheider Johannes , Wiencierz Andrea , Reyes Óscar , Luque Carlos , Calabrese Pasquale , Granziera Cristina , Kappos Ludwig
Published: January 2025

Aim

As part of the development of a smartphone-based app for monitoring MS disease activity and progression (dreaMS, NCT05009160), we developed six gamified tests with multiple difficulty levels as a monitoring tool for cognition. This study quantified the relative difficulty between levels and investigated their reliability, ability to depict practice effects, and user acceptance.

Methods

Healthy volunteers played each game, covering five cognitive domains, twice per day for 11 consecutive days. Linear mixed models determined the relative difficulty of the levels. Spearman's correlation of the two daily repetitions measured test–retest reliability. Difficulty increased daily except for days 2, 6, and 11, when the easiest level (“Beginner”) was repeated to estimate practice effects. Participants rated enjoyment and other components of acceptance on a 5-point scale.

Results

We included 82 participants from April to July 2023 in Basel, Switzerland, of which 76 (51 female, age: 40.3 ± 13.9 years, range 18–69) completed the study according to protocol. Generally, mean performances decreased with higher difficulty levels. Across all levels of all games, the median test–retest correlation was 0.825 (range of medians 0.55–0.9). Mean performance in level “Beginner” improved across all games. The mean enjoyment rating was 3.9 (range: 3.1–4.3).

Conclusion

Our study showed that the CoGames yield reliable measures across different cognitive domains and difficulty levels and were enjoyable to play. The observed practice effects must be considered, but also indicate sensitivity to change. These results support the hypothesis that adaptive gamified digital tests can serve as a reliable and well-accepted monitoring tool of cognition in PwMS.
Automated analysis of spoken language differentiates multiple system atrophy from Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Šubert Martin , Tykalová Tereza , Novotný Michal , Dušek Petr , Klempíř Jiří , Rusz Jan
Published: January 2025

Background and objectives

Patients with synucleinopathies such as multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) frequently display speech and language abnormalities. We explore the diagnostic potential of automated linguistic analysis of natural spontaneous speech to differentiate MSA and PD.

Methods

Spontaneous speech of 39 participants with MSA compared to 39 drug-naive PD and 39 healthy controls matched for age and sex was transcribed and linguistically annotated using automatic speech recognition and natural language processing. A quantitative analysis was performed using 6 lexical and syntactic and 2 acoustic features. Results were compared with human-controlled analysis to assess the robustness of the approach. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using sensitivity analysis.

Results

Despite similar disease duration, linguistic abnormalities were generally more severe in MSA than in PD, leading to high diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve of 0.81. Compared to controls, MSA showed decreased grammatical component usage, more repetitive phrases, shorter sentences, reduced sentence development, slower articulation rate, and increased duration of pauses, whereas PD had only shorter sentences, reduced sentence development, and longer pauses. Only slower articulation rate was distinctive for MSA while unchanged for PD relative to controls. The highest correlation was found between bulbar/pseudobulbar clinical score and sentence length (r
= −0.49, p
= 0.002). Despite the relatively high severity of dysarthria in MSA, a strong agreement between manually and automatically computed results was achieved.

Discussion

Automated linguistic analysis may offer an objective, cost-effective, and widely applicable biomarker to differentiate synucleinopathies with similar clinical manifestations.
Retrospective discrimination of PNES and epileptic seizure types using blood RNA signatures
Authors: Bullinger Katie , Dhakar Monica , Pearson Andrea , Bumanglag Argyle , Guven Emine , Verma Rashi , Amini Elham , Sloviter Robert S. , DeBruyne Jason , Simon Roger P. , Meller Robert
Published: January 2025

Objectives

The ability to differentiate epileptic- and non-epileptic events is challenging due to a lack of reliable molecular seizure biomarker that provide a retrospective diagnosis. Here, we use next generation sequencing methods on whole blood samples to identify changes in RNA expression following seizures.

Methods

Blood samples were obtained from 32 patients undergoing video electroencephalogram (vEEG) monitoring. Blood samples were collected in PaxGene tubes at baseline (admission) and following a seizure event (4–6 h and 24 h later or discharge). EEG and video of clinical events were reviewed by the clinical team and study epileptologist and were classified as epileptic seizure, psychogenic nonepileptic spell (PNES), or other. RNA was extracted from blood and RNA expression was determined using RNA-sequencing.

Results

We show significant differences in RNA profiles between patients that did or did not experience an epileptic seizure. Compared to baseline patients with PNES show large increases in RNA expression 4–6 h and 24 h post seizure. Conversely, genes that changed following epileptic seizure showed more modest changes associated with a decrease in immune system function. Transcript usage was changed between patients with PNES and epileptic seizure at all three time points examined. Lists of genes differentially expressed following PNES or epileptic seizure vs. all baseline samples were used as classifiers for prediction. Models generated using random forest and radial support vector machine algorithms were 100% accurate at predicting both PNES and epileptic seizures.

Significance

These data suggest that blood gene expression changes may have utility to retrospectively identify patients who have suffered a seizure or seizure-like event as a cause of transient loss of consciousness.
Resistance of Pinus pinea to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus explained by the dynamic response of phytohormones, antioxidant activity, and stress-related gene expression
Authors: Nunes da Silva Marta , Santos Carla S. , Solla Alejandro , Gamir Jordi , Flors Victor , Sampedro Luis , Zas Rafael , Vasconcelos Marta W.
Published: January 2025

Key message

The effects of MJ on pine trees are species-specific and trigger a resistant phenotype to the PWN. A more dynamic response of hormones and gene expression in Pinus pinea explains the high resistance to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus of this species.

Knowledge on hormonal and genetic mechanisms of pine trees in response to the pinewood nematode (PWN; Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is limited. To describe tree defence strategies against B. xylophilus, this study used the plant stress hormone methyl jasmonate (MJ) on four pine species with different susceptibility (Pinus pinaster < P. radiata ≈ P. sylvestris < P. pinea). Three-year-old trees were sprayed with MJ at 0, 25, and 50 mM, and 2 months later challenged with the PWN. Multiple samples were taken to assess nematode content, oxidative stress, secondary metabolites, phytohormone levels, and stress-related gene expression. Nematode infestation in trees correlated negatively with the water content of needles and phenolics of stems, and positively with the concentration of indole-3-carboxylic acid in stems. MJ spray reduced in a dose-dependent manner the nematode content in P. pinaster and P. sylvestris. The effects of MJ were species-specific, although a more pronounced impact was observed in the susceptible P. pinaster species, leading to a decrease of chlorophyll and water loss and to the upregulation of the gene involved in the biosynthesis of terpenoids (AFS). After MJ spray, increased levels of JA-Ile were observed in P. pinea only. Hormone profiling, predisposition to activate antioxidant response, and gene expression in P. pinea trees provide evidence of why this species is highly resistant to B. xylophilus. On the contrary, the lack of effective hormonal changes in P. pinaster explained the lack of defence responses to B. xylophilus of this susceptible species. This study is a first approach to explore biochemical, molecular, and hormonal interactions between Pinus species and the PWN, and presents unprecedented insights into alterations induced by exogenous MJ in regulating defence mechanisms in pine trees.
Surgery for primary ventral hernias and risk of postoperative pain, nausea: a population-based register study
Authors: Ali Fathalla , Wallin Göran , Wahlin Rebecka Rubenson , Montgomery Agneta , Rogmark Peder , Sandblom Gabriel
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors for postoperative pain and nausea after open repair for primary ventral hernias.

Method

A population-based registry study was conducted based on data assembled from the Swedish national ventral hernia repair register between January 2016 and December 2021and cross-matched with the Swedish perioperative register.

Results

Altogether 2064 open ventral hernia repairs were registered, including 816 (39.5%) performed on women. Of these, 91 (4.4%) were registered to suffer postoperative nausea or vomiting (PONV) and 403 (19.5%) postoperative pain (PP). In both univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses, significant predictors of postoperative nausea and pain included male gender, which was associated with lower odds of both postoperative nausea (multivariable OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.18–0.49, P < 0.001) and postoperative pain (multivariable OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.44–0.83, P = 0.002). Additional predictors of postoperative nausea included emergency surgery (multivariable OR: 4.08, 95% CI: 1.10-15.08, P = 0.035), operative time > 40 min (multivariable OR: 4.15, 95% CI: 2.24–7.69, P < 0.001). Conversely total intravenous anesthesia was associated with lower incidence of PONV (multivariable OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.22–0.74, P = 0.003). Other factors, such as age, BMI, smoking status, ASA classification, hernia size, surgery type, operative time, and anesthesia type, were not significantly associated with postoperative pain after adjusting for other variables.

Conclusion

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are significantly reduced with total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) compared to inhalation anesthesia, with no notable difference in postoperative pain between the two methods.
Adaptive caching for operation-based versioning of models
Authors: Pietron Jakob , Raab Heiko , Tichy Matthias
Published: January 2025

In a collaborative multi-user model-driven engineering context, it becomes important to track who changed what model part how and why. Operation-based versioning addresses this need by persisting a meaningful edit history which enables a single user to navigate through a model’s evolution over time, to analyze arbitrary previous model versions, or to trace the impact of an operation. However, to load a distinct prior version, it must be restored by reapplying all previous operations, which is time-consuming and, thus, interrupts a user’s workflow. Caching with a fixed distance between caches helps to overcome this problem to the cost of increasing memory requirements. Further, there is no caching approach supporting branches, merges, and possibly resolved conflicts. We propose two advanced caching strategies for operation-based versioning capable of the previously mentioned features: zonal and adaptive caching. Both strategies reduce the memory in use by not applying the same static distance between two caches across the whole edit history. Instead, the distance increases depending on a version’s age and its distance to a branch’s head. Both strategies aim to reduce the restoration time of arbitrary prior versions below a threshold to not interrupt a user’s flow of thought. Zonal caching employs predefined distances compatible with a broad range of model sizes. In contrast, adaptive caching derives the distances individually depending on the initial time to load the model on a user’s computer and the model’s size.We conducted controlled experiments with models of varying sizes and compared the time to restore model versions and the memory in use for no caching, caching with static distances, zonal, and adaptive strategies on different computers. The developed strategies decrease the time to restore a version remarkably while using less memory than static caching. Our results show that for all considered systems and models individual adaptive caching reduces memory usage even further compared to zone-based caching while still satisfying application responsiveness requirements.
Impromptu: a framework for model-driven prompt engineering
Authors: Morales Sergio , Clarisó Robert , Cabot Jordi
Published: January 2025

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems are capable of synthesizing complex artifacts such as text, source code or images according to the instructions provided in a natural language prompt. The quality of the input prompt, in terms of both content and structure, has a large impact on the quality of the output. This has given rise to prompt engineering, the process of designing natural language prompts to best take advantage of the capabilities of generative AI systems. This paper describes , a model-driven engineering framework to support the creation, management and reuse of prompts for generative AI.  offers a domain-specific language (DSL) to define multimodal prompts in a modular and tool-independent way. The language offers additional features such as versioning, prompt chaining and multi-language support. Moreover, it provides tool support to adapt prompts for specific generative AI systems, execute those prompts on a generative AI system and validate the quality of the response that is generated.  is available as a Langium-based Visual Studio Code plugin.
Antifungal activity of traversianal, a diterpenoid aldehyde from Cercospora sp. ME202, against the rice blast fungus, Pyricularia oryzae
Authors: Ino Masatoshi , Kihara Junichi , Ishihara Atsushi , Ueno Makoto
Published: January 2025

Here, we evaluated the antifungal activity of traversianal, a diterpenoid derived from Cercospora sp. ME202, against Pyricularia oryzae, which causes rice blast. Traversianal had concentration-dependent inhibitory activity against conidial germination and inhibited hyphal growth in a TLC bioassay. Staining conidia for viability with fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide showed that the fungicidal activity was associated with cell membrane damage over time. Pretreatment of rice leaves with traversianal before inoculation decreased the number of blast lesions. These results suggest that traversianal has potential for controlling rice blast.
A three-dimensional kinematic analysis of bipedal walking in a white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar) on a horizontal pole and flat surface
Authors: Fujiwara Takafumi , Ito Kohta , Shitara Tetsuya , Nakano Yoshihiko
Published: January 2025

Gibbons, a type of lesser ape, are brachiators but also walk bipedally and without forelimb assistance, not only on the ground but also on tree branches. The arboreal bipedal walking strategy of the gibbons has been studied in previous studies in relation to two-dimensional (2D) kinematic analysis. However, because tree branches and the ground differ greatly in width, leading to a constrained foot contact point on the tree branches, gibbons must adjust their 3D joint motions of trunk and hindlimb on the tree branches. Furthermore, these motor adjustments could help minimize the center of mass (CoM) mediolateral displacement. This study investigated the kinematic adjustment mechanism necessary to enable a gibbon to walk bipedally on an arboreal-like substrate using 3D measurements. Trials were recorded with eight video cameras that were placed around the substrate. The CoM position on the body, the Cardan angles of the hindlimb joints and trunk, and spatiotemporal parameters were calculated. Asymmetry of thorax, pelvis, trunk, and left and right hindlimb joint motion was observed in the pole and flat conditions. In the pole condition, the narrower step width and the smaller range of motion of the mediolateral CoM displacement were observed with increased hip adduction and knee eversion angles. These kinematic adjustments might place the knee and foot directly under the body during the single support phase, producing a reduced step width and the amount of the mediolateral CoM displacement of a gibbon.
Germany’s macroeconomic drivers during the pandemic and inflation surge
Authors: Hohberger Stefan
Published: January 2025

This paper estimates a three-region macroeconomic model to analyse the key drivers of Germany’s GDP, inflation, and wage growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation surge. Incorporating COVID-related demand and supply shocks, trade in commodities, and endogenous ELB periods, the results highlight that (i) the 2020–2021 downturn was primarily driven by domestic and global lockdown shocks, (ii) the 2021–2022 inflation surge resulted from rising commodity prices, recovering global demand, and supply-side pressures, and (iii) wage growth per hour was shaped by opposing demand and supply forces. The model’s estimated shocks closely align with external indicators, supporting its empirical plausibility.
AI in the classroom: Exploring students’ interaction with ChatGPT in programming learning
Authors: Güner Hacer , Er Erkan
Published: January 2025

As being more prevalent in educational settings, understanding the impact of artificial intelligence tools on student behaviors and interactions has become crucial. In this regard, this study investigates the dynamic interactions between students and ChatGPT in programming learning, focusing on how different instructional interventions influence their learning and AI-interaction. Conducted over three sessions, students were allowed to use ChatGPT to complete programming tasks. The first session had no guidance, the second included hands-on training in prompt writing and effective ChatGPT use, and the third provided a lab guide with sample prompts. After each session, students took a post-test on the activity’s subject. Analyzing students’ prompting behaviors, five AI interaction profiles were identified: AI-Reliant Code Generators, AI-Reliant Code Generator & Refiners, AI-Collaborative Coders, AI-Assisted Code Refiners, and AI-Independent Coders. These profiles were examined to understand their evolution across interventions and their relationship with students’ learning performance. Findings revealed significant changes in profile distribution across interventions, and a notable difference between students’ post-test scores and their AI interaction profiles. Besides, training in prompting skills and effective use of AI significantly impacted students’ interactions with AI. These insights can contribute to the knowledge of integrating generative AI tools in education, highlighting how AI can enhance teaching practices. Understanding student-AI interaction dynamics can allow educators to tailor instructional strategies for optimal learning. This study also underscores the importance of guidance on effective AI use and prompting skills, which can lead students to use AI more meaningfully for their learning.
Exploring the Impacts of Economic Policies, Policy Uncertainty, and Politics on Carbon Emissions
Authors: Chiou Wan-Jiun Paul , Fu Shan-Heng , Lin Jeng-Bau , Tsai Wei
Published: January 2025

Addressing climate change challenges through managing and mitigating CO2 emissions has taken center stage in shaping economic policies. This paper analyzes the intricate interplay among economic policies, their uncertainty, political dynamics, and CO2 emissions by utilizing the U.S. data from 1973 to 2024. Our empirical results derived from the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model with dummy variables indicate that expansionary monetary policies and higher corporate tax rates may increase CO2 emissions. Political factors, including economic policy uncertainty and the political climate, yield long-term impacts on CO2 emissions. The dominant party in the legislative branch, but not the presidency, emerges as a key determinant in carbon dioxide emission control, underscoring the significance of consensus-building in democratic processes, yet with variation in effects across different chambers. The robustness of these key findings is reaffirmed through different models. The findings suggest that party affiliation does not always dictate environmental policy outcomes, emphasizing the complexity of policy formulation and its representation within legislative bodies, providing insight to decision-makers when economic policies are considered.
Promoting mathematical competence development through programming activities
Authors: Brandsæter Andreas , Berge Runar Lie
Published: January 2025

The reasons for teaching programming in school are indeed manifold. Programming can for example be utilized as a vehicle for understanding and learning particular mathematical subject matter, or as a tool for solving mathematical problems. In this paper, however, we propose to utilize programming as a vehicle for developing mathematical competencies such as problem-solving, exploration, modeling, reasoning, representation, generalization, and abstraction. We perform a design study utilizing a systematic, iterative development process for designing teaching sessions, focusing on one mathematical competence at a time. We apply the proposed methodology on a set of teaching sessions that are developed, implemented, and tested in a range of classroom settings. Based on this development process, we conclude that programming can be used to develop mathematical competencies. Furthermore, we identify a set of teacher practices that can be used to facilitate mathematical competence development in programming activities.
Trophy fish heads are a source of body size information for historical and contemporary ecology
Authors: O’Connell Matthew , Humphries Paul , Kopf R. Keller , Bond Jennifer , Spennemann Dirk H. R. , McCasker Nicole
Published: January 2025

This study investigated whether trophy taxidermy specimens of Australia’s largest freshwater fish, Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), can provide accurate records of historical body size. Taxidermy mounts came mostly from informal collections in hotels from across the Murray–Darling Basin, south-eastern Australia, comprising 20% whole-body and 80% head forms. We compared the morphology of mounts to live Murray cod, collected from the mid–Murray River in 2018, and identified the head morphometrics that most accurately described length and weight of whole mounts and live fish. Eight morphological characters were analysed for 60 whole mounts, 172 head mounts and 51 live fish. We found that inter-orbital distance, inter-nare width and upper jaw length were relatively robust to taxidermy processes and were reliable features for predicting fish total length and total weight. Shrinkage in head morphometrics due to taxidermy was evident, however, and we recommend that this be considered when reconstructing length and weight measures. We discuss how estimated body length and weight from head morphometrics of trophy fish, coupled with analysis of the accompanying remaining tissue and hard parts, opens up opportunities to explore patterns in genetics, life history, movement and trophic ecology of historical fish populations and of past environments.
Hypomorphic RAG2 Deficiency Promotes Selection of Self-Reactive B Cells
Authors: Thouvenel Christopher D. , Tipton Christopher M. , Yamazaki Yasuhiro , Zhang Ting-ting , Rylaarsdam Stacey , Hom Jennifer R. , Snead Catherine , Zhu Chengsong , Li Quan-Zhen , Lee Yu Nee , Kawai Tomoki , Haque Neshatul , Zimmermann Michael T. , Ponnan Sivasankaran Munusamy , Jackson Shaun W. , James Rich G. , Sanz Ignacio , Notarangelo Luigi D. , Torgerson Troy R. , Ochs Hans D. , Rawlings David J. , Allenspach Eric J.
Published: January 2025

Reduced function or hypomorphic variants in recombination-activating genes (RAG) 1 or 2 result in a broad clinical phenotype including common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and even adult-onset disease. Milder RAG variants are less characterized. Here we describe the longitudinal course of a milder combined RAG deficiency in 3 of 7 siblings sharing the same RAG2 mutations over a 50-year study. Whole-genome and repertoire sequencing, bacteriophage immunizations, and deep immunophenotyping were used to compare affected and unaffected family members. The clinical phenotype of three affected siblings with hypomorphic RAG deficiency ranged from combined immunodeficiency and early mortality to a late-onset CID with hyper-IgM phenotype. T cells were remarkably similar across affected siblings, yet CDR3 skewing and regulatory T cell defects were not observed. B cell analysis showed elevated unswitched CD27+ and CD21low cells as well as features of an autoreactive antibody repertoire and presence of secreted autoantibodies, yet no clinical autoimmunity was present. Most striking was an expanded polyclonal marginal zone-like B cell population (IgM+IgD+CD27+) utilizing the self-reactive unmutated VH4-34 receptor demonstrating that hypomorphic RAG deficiency can promote expansion of self-reactive B cells. This process, however, was not sufficient to trigger clinical autoimmunity. Utilizing multiple approaches, we functionally measured the specific RAG2 variant effects and assessed how selection and secondary triggers altered the BCR repertoire and immunophenotype overtime. Overall, we demonstrate a broad disease spectrum in siblings with identical hypomorphic RAG deficiency, highlighting that phenotypic divergence can result from expansion of IgM + memory B cells.