bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep learning-based time-of-flight (ToF) enhancement of non-ToF PET scans for different radiotracers
Authors: Mehranian Abolfazl , Wollenweber Scott D. , Bradley Kevin M. , Fielding Patrick A. , Huellner Martin , Iagaru Andrei , Dedja Meghi , Colwell Theodore , Kotasidis Fotis , Johnsen Robert , Jansen Floris P. , McGowan Daniel R.
Published: February 2025

Aim

To evaluate a deep learning-based time-of-flight (DLToF) model trained to enhance the image quality of non-ToF PET images for different tracers, reconstructed using BSREM algorithm, towards ToF images.

Methods

A 3D residual U-NET model was trained using 8 different tracers (FDG: 75% and non-FDG: 25%) from 11 sites from US, Europe and Asia. A total of 309 training and 33 validation datasets scanned on GE Discovery MI (DMI) ToF scanners were used for development of DLToF models of three strengths: low (L), medium (M) and high (H). The training and validation pairs consisted of target ToF and input non-ToF BSREM reconstructions using site-preferred regularisation parameters (beta values). The contrast and noise properties of each model were defined by adjusting the beta value of target ToF images. A total of 60 DMI datasets, consisting of a set of 4 tracers (18F-FDG, 18F-PSMA, 68Ga-PSMA, 68Ga-DOTATATE) and 15 exams each, were collected for testing and quantitative analysis of the models based on standardized uptake value (SUV) in regions of interest (ROI) placed in lesions, lungs and liver. Each dataset includes 5 image series: ToF and non-ToF BSREM and three DLToF images. The image series (300 in total) were blind scored on a 5-point Likert score by 4 readers based on lesion detectability, diagnostic confidence, and image noise/quality.

Results

In lesion SUVmax quantification with respect to ToF BSREM, DLToF-H achieved the best results among the three models by reducing the non-ToF BSREM errors from -39% to -6% for 18F-FDG (38 lesions); from -42% to -7% for 18F-PSMA (35 lesions); from -34% to -4% for 68Ga-PSMA (23 lesions) and from -34% to -12% for 68Ga-DOTATATE (32 lesions). Quantification results in liver and lung also showed ToF-like performance of DLToF models. Clinical reader resulted showed that DLToF-H results in an improved lesion detectability on average for all four radiotracers whereas DLToF-L achieved the highest scores for image quality (noise level). The results of DLToF-M however showed that this model results in the best trade-off between lesion detection and noise level and hence achieved the highest score for diagnostic confidence on average for all radiotracers.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the DLToF models are suitable for both FDG and non-FDG tracers and could be utilized for digital BGO PET/CT scanners to provide an image quality and lesion detectability comparable and close to ToF.
Managing hydrocephalus in 54 infants under 3 months of age: A single center cohort study
Authors: Van Rijen S. R. M. , Groenendaal F. , Han K. S. , Tataranno M. L. , Woerdeman P. A.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Managing hydrocephalus in infants can be very challenging. The most used permanent hydrocephalus treatment in young patients is a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement. Obstructive hydrocephalus in selected young patients can be treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). However, in infants less than 6 months of age, the outcome of both procedures remains to be bothered with complications, revision surgeries and long-term shunt dependency. This retrospective study analyzes the management of hydrocephalus in 54 very young infants with different etiological causes.

Methods

Data was collected retrospectively from a single center university hospital over a 5-year period (2018–2022). All patients under 3 months of age with progressive ventriculomegaly confirmed by cranial ultrasound (cUS), who required neurosurgical intervention, were eligible for this study. Hydrocephalus was treated with serial tapping from a ventricular access device (VAD), placement of ventriculoperitoneal shunts and/or performing a thulium laser-assisted ETV.

Results

Twelve patients benefited sufficiently from a VAD to normalize ventricular volume lastingly. Forty-two patients required permanent treatment (28 underwent a VPS; 14 an ETV if there was obstructive hydrocephalus) at an average age of 2.5 months. The VPS failure rate was 32.1% and the ETV failure rate was 50%. Although not significantly different, patients with failed ETV tended to be younger than patients with successful ETV (p = 0.38). One week before permanent ETV treatment, relatively large ventricular volumes were measured in failed ETV patients, as compared to successful ETVs.

Conclusions

Managing hydrocephalus in very young infants remains challenging regarding surgical strategy, reducing shunt dependency and decreasing current complication rates. In addition to a VPS, an ETV has shown to be a successful treatment option for hydrocephalus in well-selected very young infants. The opportunity to decrease ventricular volume with a VAD could have contributed to the success of an ETV in this young patient group.
Hydrochromic paper-based dosimeter for monitoring UV light exposure based on the photochemical formation of gold nanoparticles
Authors: Choleva Tatiana G. , Karagianni Vasiliki I. , Giokas Dimosthenis L.
Published: February 2025

A paper-based UV dosimeter/indicator based on the solid-state photochemical reduction of gold-cationic surfactant complexes is described. Upon exposure to UV light, the photoreductive elimination of chloride ions from the CTA-AuCl4
− complex leads to the reduction of Au ions and the formation of small Au nuclei. After hydration, the Au nuclei are washed away by capillary flow and produce gold nanoparticles by coalescence and aggregation, resulting in a blue-purple coloration on the paper surface. The reaction is initiated by  UV light of variable wavelength (from UVA at 254 nm tο UVC at 365 nm) and over a wide range of UV doses (up to 3000 mJ/cm2 for UVB at 312 nm and UVC at 365 nm). This versatility allows for its application in monitoring light exposure in germicidal sterilization, UV phototherapy, and as a personal solar UV indicator. The user-friendly paper facilitates both the fabrication and use of the devices, which can be activated on demand by simply wetting the paper surface.

Graphical abstract
Too hot to handle? Heat-illness knowledge gaps and prevention shortfalls among German sports coaches
Authors: Schneider Sven , Jabakhanji Samira Barbara , Leer Sophie
Published: February 2025

Aim

Heatwaves are expected to become more frequent, longer and more intense in the future. Outdoor athletes are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change as heat can result in life-threatening heat illnesses such as heat stroke. Coaches play a crucial role in the prevention of heat-related illnesses in sports. This study aims to investigate the knowledge and practices of coaches in relation to heat-related risks in sports.

Subject and methods

This nationwide representative study was conducted among 1200 outdoor sports coaches from the ten largest outdoor sports associations in Germany. To assess the coaches’ preventive knowledge, the Knowledge of Heat-Related Illness Symptoms Index was used. In addition, the prevention practices index evaluated the implementation of preventive measures.

Results

There were significant differences in knowledge of heat symptoms across various sports. The implementation of preventive measures was also insufficient, especially in terms of hydration. Institutional support for heat protection was limited, with coaches requesting more information and training. Factors such as geographical location, coaching qualifications and type of sport impacted the extent of heat protection provided to athletes.

Conclusion

In Germany, coaches are insufficiently prepared for the health hazards of heat. Promoting educational programmes and providing appropriate equipment is essential to ensure safer sports environments.
Impact of Financial Incentives on Intimate Partner Violence for Women Living with HIV Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Hémono Rebecca , Katabaro Emmanuel , Joseph Babuu , Maila Hamza , Msasa Janeth , Hassan Kassim , Winters Solis , Prata Ndola , H. Dow William , Njau Prosper , Sabasaba Amon , I. McCoy Sandra
Published: February 2025

Financial incentives have demonstrated effectiveness in improving outcomes for people living with HIV; however, little is known about their impact on intimate partner violence (IPV) in this vulnerable population. A cluster-randomized trial investigating financial incentives and viral suppression was conducted in the Lake Zone of Tanzania (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT0420135). Between May 2021-March 2022, 32 clinics were randomized 1:1 to receive the standard of care (SOC) or to offer 22,500 TZS (~$10 USD) to individuals initiating antiretroviral therapy monthly for up to 6 months, conditional on clinic attendance. An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted to examine the effect of financial incentives on IPV among partnered women at 6 months (n = 494), with prevalence differences (PD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) estimated using generalized estimating equations. Subgroup analyses were conducted among women partnered at 6 months only and women partnered at both baseline and 6 months. Past 6-month IPV was reported by 241 (48.8%) partnered women. Emotional IPV was the most common form of violence (47.8%), followed by physical (7.5%) and sexual IPV (5.1%). There were no significant differences in past 6-month IPV between arms in the primary (49.6% SOC vs. 48.1% incentive, PD: -0.02, 95% CI: -0.18, 0.15) or subgroup analyses. These findings suggest that small, short-term financial incentives used to improve HIV treatment outcomes do not significantly alter IPV risks, however with the width of the CIs it is not possible to rule out small and moderate-sized effects. Further research among larger samples is needed as financial incentive programs are brought to scale for people living with HIV.
Ensemble learning algorithms based on easyensemble sampling for financial distress prediction
Authors: Liu Wei , Suzuki Yoshihisa , Du Shuyi
Published: February 2025

Ensemble learning algorithms show good forecasting performances for financial distress in many studies. Despite considering the feature selection and feature importance procedures, most overlook imbalanced data handling. This study proposes the Easyensemble method based on undersampling and combines it with ensemble learning models to predict financial distress. The results show that Easyensemble sampling presents better forecasting performance than SMOTE sampling. We subsequently conduct Permutation Importance (PIMP), Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), and partial dependence plots, and the experimental results show that the feature selection procedure can effectively reduce the number of indicators without affecting the prediction accuracy, improve the prediction efficiency as well as save processing time. In addition, the indicators from profitability, cash flow, solvency, and structural ratios are essential in predicting financial distress.
EU Food Law and Ultra-Processed Food Markets: Safety from What and for Whom?
Authors: Zokaityte A.
Published: February 2025

This article examines the limitations of EU food law in safeguarding public health within ultra-processed food (UPF) markets, focusing on food additives as a case study. It critiques the EU’s reliance on macronutrient profiling and consumer informational regulation, arguing these approaches inadequately address systemic health risks associated with UPFs. By analysing current food additive regulations, the article maps out gaps in the EU’s food safety assessments, including the failure to consider cumulative and long-term health effects of additive consumption. It also shows how these risks are distributed unequally within structurally inequitable UPF markets, disproportionately burdening the most vulnerable consumers. The article critiques the EU’s focus on individual responsibility for dietary choices and calls for a reassessment of food safety standards to address structural risks and ensure equitable safety access within UPF markets.
‘Do songs tell stories?’ An empirical analysis of the effect of emotional arcs on success in a national song contest
Authors: Rösch Jürgen , Rauch Maxi-Josephine
Published: February 2025

This article explores whether the lyrics of songs influence their success in a national song contest. We constructed emotional arcs from over 6.763 song lyrics and examined their impact on contest performance. Our findings reveal that these emotional arcs echo established behavioral phenomena such as the ‘paradox of negative emotion’ and the ‘peak-end rule’. Typically, songs characterized by sorrowful plots and endings receive higher scores than those with more joyful emotional themes. Furthermore, such songs are more likely to be awarded points initially. Despite this, contestants often choose songs with positive endings for their performances. To isolate the effects of lyrics from other song characteristics, we utilized Spotify metrics, including danceability, energy, and tempo. This methodology allows us to differentiate the influence of musical and lyrical elements on listener decision-making. This study contributes to the growing literature on the behavioral aspects of music and its impact on decision-making.
The Potential Burden of Informal Support: Exploring Wellbeing and Self-Care of Social Network Members of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors
Authors: Davies Ryan L. , Rice Kylie , Rock Adam J.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

In response to the paucity of quantitative studies investigating the wellbeing of informal supporters, this study aimed to investigate the psychological and physiological wellbeing of informal supporters assisting survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). It further sought to explore if mindful self-care and perceived social support predicted psychological distress among informal supporters.

Method

510 responses were received from IPV informal supporters and non-supporters. Participants completed the short version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, the Mindful Self-Care Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Informal supporters also rated their psychological and physiological symptoms.

Results

Informal supporters reported experiencing psychological symptoms, including anger, helplessness, and anxiety, along with physiological symptoms of sleep difficulties and fatigue. Informal supporters also reported higher levels of psychological distress compared to both non-supporters and normative data. Among informal supporters, mindful self-care practices, particularly supportive relationships, and perceived social support emerged as significant predictors of lower distress levels.

Conclusions

The findings underscore the importance of assessing the psychological and physiological risks on informal supporters within network-oriented approaches to IPV prevention. Additionally, the protective role of mindful self-care and perceived social support are indicated. The results have implications for interventions to enhance informal supporter well-being and suggest the need for future research, particularly utilising longitudinal designs, to further explore these relationships and address limitations of the current design. This study represents the first known quantitative attempt to explore the risks associated with being an informal supporter and advocates for the promotion of self-care practices.
Radiologic risk assessment of outdoor gamma dose rate in Çorum province, Turkey
Authors: Yılmazkaya İ. , Altinsoy N. , Şimşek V.
Published: February 2025

This study aims to obtain the absorbed dose rate in outdoor air and related health risks for the Çorum province in Turkey. Absorbed gamma dose rate readings were taken from 56 stations using portable NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The outdoor absorbed gamma dose rates (terrestrial and cosmic) varied from 21 to 110 nGyh−1 with an average value of 44.96 ± 17.27 nGyh−1. Because of the exposure of the inhabitants to the outdoor gamma the average annual effective dose was calculated as 55.14 ± 21.18 µSvy−1. The risk value of cancer for adults in this region was estimated as 1.93 × 10–4 which is below the world average.
Quantifying photosynthetic restrictions
Authors: Bellasio Chandra
Published: February 2025

Quantifying the effect of factors controlling CO2 assimilation is crucial for understanding plant functions and developing strategies to improve productivity. Methods exist in numerous variants and produce various indicators, such as limitations, contributions, and sensitivity, often causing confusion. Simplifications and common mistakes lead to overrating the importance of diffusion—whether across stomata or the mesophyll. This work develops a consistent set of definitions that integrates all previous methods, offering a generalised framework for quantifying restrictions. Ten worked examples are provided in a free downloadable spreadsheet, demonstrating the simplicity and applicability to a wide range of questions.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: examining evolving patterns in mortality, incidence, and demographics
Authors: Choday Silpa , Tran Eric , Gonzalez Miguel
Published: February 2025

Background

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, characterized by its aggressive nature and heterogeneity. This study analyzes recent trends in DLBCL including trends in hospitalization, inpatient mortality, and costs.

Methods

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2016 until 2020, a retrospective cohort study was performed to identify DLBCL hospitalization, discharges, and investigate outcomes. Trends were adjusted for age, sex, race, insurance type, mean household income, and hospital characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression has been used to analyze the data.

Results

A total of 103,588,729 records were analyzed, identifying 47,425 cases with a diagnosis of DLBCL. From 2016 to 2020, hospitalizations have increased from 14,980 to 16,565. The mean age at diagnosis was 65 (P < 0.001). Males were slightly more affected than females (57.3 vs 42.6), with an increasing trend in males from 53.7% to 62.3% (P = 0.03). The highest prevalence was observed in the White population, followed by Hispanics and African Americans. Notably, the prevalence among Hispanics increased from 10 to 12%, while there is a decreasing trend in other demographics (P = 0.05). Medicare was the most common insurance, with increasing trends, followed by Medicaid and private insurance (P = 0.6). Inpatient mortality increased from 6.1 to 7.1 (2016 to 2018) and decreased to 6.1% (2018 to 2020) (P < 0.001). The mean length of the stay remained stable at 11.8 days. However, hospital charges increased from $176,131 to $212,324. Comorbidities such as obesity, hypertension, other associated lymphomas, peripheral vascular diseases, and diabetes showed an increasing trend (P < 0.05). Discharges to home and skilled nursing facility (SNF) decreased, while there was an increase in discharges to home with home health (HH) care and short-term care (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Risk factors for DLBCL include white male sex, with the mean age of 65 years. The incidence among the Hispanic population has been increasing over the years. There are disparities in incidence and survival among different ethnic/demographic groups that need to be addressed by identifying targeted interventions and equitable healthcare access.
Lipoprotein(a) as a Causal Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Doherty Sean , Hernandez Sebastian , Rikhi Rishi , Mirzai Saeid , De Los Reyes Chris , McIntosh Scott , Block Robert C. , Shapiro Michael D.
Published: February 2025

Purpose of Review

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], an atherogenic low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-like molecule, has emerged as an important risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). This review summarizes the evidence supporting Lp(a) as a causal risk factor for ASCVD and calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS).

Recent Findings

Lp(a) is largely (~ 90%) genetically determined and approximately 20% of the global population has elevated Lp(a). The unique structure of Lp(a) leads to proatherogenic, proinflammatory, and antifibrinolytic properties. Data from epidemiological, genome-wide association, Mendelian randomization, and meta-analyses have shown a clear association between Lp(a) and ASCVD, as well as CAVS. There are emerging data on the association between Lp(a) and ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and heart failure; however, the associations are not as strong.

Several lines of evidence support Lp(a) as a causal risk factor for ASCVD and CAVS. The 2024 National Lipid Association guidelines, 2022 European Atherosclerosis Society, and 2021 Canadian Cardiology Society guidelines recommend testing Lp(a) once in all adults to guide primary prevention efforts. Further studies on cardiovascular outcomes with Lp(a) targeted therapies will provide more insight on causal relationship between Lp(a) and cardiovascular disease.
“A Role Model Is Someone Who…” A Multi-institutional Study of Clinical Role Models According to Ethnic Minority and Majority Medical Students
Authors: Spaans Isabella , de Kleijn Renske , Groot Piet , Dilaver Gönül
Published: February 2025

Purpose

It is a common conception that students who are culturally underrepresented in medicine (URiM) do not have enough representative role models. This study explores the role of ethnicity in medical students’ clinical role model definitions. The authors introduce a conceptual framework that outlines a four-stage process of role modeling: idealization, social comparison, composition, and (behavioral and symbolic) outcomes.

Method

In total, 363 Dutch medical students completed the statement “A role model is someone who…” Answers were coded based on the conceptual framework. Students also indicated if and how many role models they have (composition) and rated the ethnic similarity to their role model. URiM (N = 62) and non-URiM students (N = 301) were compared using χ
2- and t-tests.

Results

URiM and non-URiM students reported a similar number of role models and described the same stages of role modeling. However, URiM students rated the ethnic similarity to their role models lower than non-URiM peers. Additionally. students with less ethnically similar role models reported symbolic role model outcomes less frequently.

Conclusions

URiM and non-URiM students generally presented a very similar perception of clinical role models. However, URiM students identified less ethnically representative role models compared to non-URiM students, and the symbolic outcomes of role modeling appeared to be sensitive to this ethnic similarity. This discrepancy may limit the full benefits of role modeling for all students who do not have representative role models. To promote equitable learning experiences in medical education, it is recommended that future research on clinical role models continues to address the social context.
Einfluss von weiblichen Steroidhormonen auf die physische Aktivität von Frauen
Authors: Gerber Patrik , Weidlinger Susanna
Published: February 2025

Körperliche Aktivität ist für die Gesundheit essenziell. Es ist bekannt, dass erhebliche Unterschiede in Bezug auf die tatsächlich ausgeführte körperliche Aktivität zwischen menschlichen Individuen bestehen. Neben sozialen und kulturellen Faktoren könnten auch weibliche Geschlechtshormone wie Östrogen und Progesteron eine Rolle in Bezug auf die physische Aktivität spielen. Tierstudien zeigen, dass Östrogen die körperliche Aktivität über die Aktivierung bestimmter Gehirnregionen über das Melanocortinsystem fördert. Bei Mäusen und Ratten steigt die Aktivität bei hohen Östrogenspiegeln. Ähnliche Effekte wurden auch bei Kühen und Frettchen beobachtet. Bei Primaten, wie den Rhesusaffen, konnte bisher kein solcher Zusammenhang festgestellt werden. Beim Menschen sind die Ergebnisse uneinheitlich. Einzelne Studien deuten auf leicht erhöhte Aktivitätsniveaus während der Ovulation hin, jedoch bleibt ein klarer Zykluseffekt aus. Auch Hormonersatztherapien (HRT) in der Menopause zeigen keinen einheitlichen Einfluss auf das Ausmass körperlicher Aktivität. Die Forschung zum Einfluss von Geschlechtshormonen auf die körperliche Aktivität von Frauen weist erhebliche Lücken auf. Viele Studien sind veraltet, haben kleine Probandenzahlen und nutzen oft ungenaue Messmethoden wie Selbsteinschätzungen. Unterschiede in den Ergebnissen zwischen Studien könnten zudem auf Variationen in der Dauer, Dosierung und Art der hormonellen Therapien zurückzuführen sein. Technologische Fortschritte wie Smartwatches erlauben eine genauere Datenerhebung. Zukünftige Studien sind notwendig, um der Frage nach dem Einfluss von Sexualsteroiden auf die körperliche Aktivität genauer nachzugehen.
Development of ecofriendly, biodegradable electrically conductive double-layer bio-hydrogel nanocomposite for sustainable medical device applications
Authors: Vafa Zohre Jafari , Zare Ehsan Nazarzadeh , Eslam Mohammad Reza Fadavi , Makvandi Pooyan
Published: February 2025

Electrotherapy devices used for pain relief and muscle recovery often face challenges because traditional electrode materials are not biodegradable, causing environmental issues and being less compatible with the body. While current conductive hydrogels show potential, they usually lack the combination of good electrical performance, biodegradability, and body-friendliness needed for sustainable medical devices. To address these challenges, this study presents a novel, eco-friendly, electrically conductive double-layer nanocomposite bio-hydrogel developed using tragacanth gum (TG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), enhanced with carboxylated graphene (GrF) and polypyrrole (PPy). The innovative double-layer design represents a significant advancement over single-layer hydrogels, demonstrating reduced impedance and a substantial increase in conductivity (up to 4.99 × 10⁵ times) at frequencies relevant to electrotherapy applications. Specifically, the tragacanth gum/polyvinyl alcohol/carboxylated graphene@polypyrrole (TPG@PPy) bio-hydrogel exhibited a AC conductivity enhancement of up to 1.5 times compared to the tragacanth gum/polyvinyl alcohol@polypyrrole (TP@PPy) bio-hydrogel at frequency of 80 Hz. Additionally, the material’s high biodegradability, with up to 49% mass loss over 60 days in soil, confirms environmental safety. These results show that the double-layer bio-hydrogel could be a better, eco-friendly option for future electrotherapy devices, making it different from current conductive hydrogels.

Graphical Abstract
Experiences of Moderation, Moderators, and Moderating by Online Users Who Engage with Self-Harm and Suicide Content
Authors: Haime Zoë , Kennedy Laura , Grace Lydia , Biddle Lucy
Published: February 2025

Despite the growing role of content moderation online, particularly in mental health spaces, there is limited research into the effectiveness of platform practices and a lack of user-driven evidence for regulatory guidance. This study aimed to explore user accounts of moderation related to self-harm and suicide (SH/S) content online, including their experiences of being moderated and perspectives on moderation practices. Additionally, where participants were also moderators, their experiences of moderating SH/S content were explored. 14 participants were interviewed at baseline, n = 8 at 3-months and n = 7 at 6-months. They also completed daily diaries of online use between interviews. Thematic analysis was used to explore perspectives. Three key themes were identified: ‘content reporting behaviour’, exploring factors influencing decisions to report content; ‘perceptions of having content blocked’, exploring experiences and speculative accounts of SH/S content moderation; and ‘content moderation and moderators’, examining participant views on moderation approaches and their experiences of moderating. This study revealed challenges in moderating SH/S content online, and highlighted inadequacies with current procedures. Participants struggled to self-moderate online SH/S spaces, showing the need for proactive platform-level strategies. Additionally, whilst the lived experience of moderators was valued, associated risks emphasised the need for supportive measures. Policymakers and industry leaders should prioritise transparent and consistent moderation practices.
Dual impact of Nd3+ doping on CeO2 abrasives: enhancing chemical and mechanical effects in chemical–mechanical polishing
Authors: Zhang Yesheng , Lei Hong , Zhang Jianhua , Luo Liqiang
Published: February 2025

As the demand for advanced optical glass technology increases, improving polishing slurries to enhance material removal rate and reduce surface roughness has become a priority. Cerium oxide is the most widely used abrasive for glass polishing, and its polishing rate is regarded to increase as the surface Ce3⁺ content rises. To improve this, Nd3+-doped cerium oxide was prepared using a molten salt method. Morphological and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses showed that the Nd3+ doping increased Ce3⁺ content and transformed the particles into an octahedral structure. Additionally, Nd3⁺ doping enhanced the mechanical action, as evidenced by an increased friction coefficient and reduced contact angle. When the doping amount is 4%, Ce3⁺ content and material removal rate peaked at 47.87 nm/min, while the doping amount is 8%, mechanical and chemical synergy achieved the lowest surface roughness of 1.38 nm.
New Approaches for Digital Literary Mapping
Authors: Bushell Sally , Hutcheon Rebecca Louise
Published: February 2025

This Element reconsiders what the focus of digital literary mapping should be for a subject like English Literature, what digital tools should be employed and to what interpretative ends. How we can harness the digital to find new ways of understanding spatial meaning in the Humanities? Section 1 provides a brief overview of the relationship between literature, geography and cartography and the emergence of literary mapping, providing a critique of current digital methods and making the case for new approaches. The second section turns to Russian theorist Mikhail Bakhtin and explores the potential of the 'chronotope' for literature as a way of structuring digital literary maps that provides a solution to the complexities of mapping time as well as space. Sections 3 and 4 then exemplify the method by applying it first to realist novels by Dickens and Hardy then the multiple states of J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Cognitive and Social Neuroscience of Aging
Authors: Gutchess Angela
Published: February 2025

Fully updated and revised, Cognitive and Social Neuroscience of Aging, 2nd Edition provides an accessible introduction to aging and the brain. Now with full color throughout, it includes over fifty figures illustrating key research findings and anatomical diagrams. Adopting an integrative perspective across domains of psychological function, this edition features expanded coverage of multivariate methods, moral judgments, cognitive reserve, prospective memory, event boundaries, and individual differences related to aging, including sex, race, and culture. Although many declines occur with age, cognitive neuroscience research reveals plasticity and adaptation in the brain as a normal function of aging. With this perspective in mind, the book emphasizes the ways in which neuroscience methods have enriched and changed thinking about aging.
Who Tells Your Story?
Authors: Shibaike Takumi , Zhao Bi
Published: February 2025

Thousands of civil society organizations (CSOs) attend the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) every year. Through their advocacy work, CSOs define and redefine what “climate change” is really about. The Element focuses on climate advocacy for women and Indigenous peoples (IPs), two prominent climate justice frames at the UNFCCC. Which CSOs advocate for women and IPs? How and why do CSOs adopt gender and Indigenous framing? Bridging the literature on framing strategy and organizational ecology, it presents two mechanisms by which CSOs adopt climate justice frames: self-representation and surrogate-representation. The Element demonstrates that, while gender advocacy is developed primarily by women's CSOs, IPs advocacy is developed by a variety of CSOs beyond IPs organizations. It suggests that these different patterns of frame development may have long-term consequences for how we think about climate change in relation to gender and IPs.
Monotheism and Wisdom in the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Crenshaw James L.
Published: February 2025

Monotheism, belief in only one God, and wisdom, learning to cope by reason alone and teaching others to do so, faced resistance in the polytheistic world of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and lesser states including Israel. Paradoxically, in early biblical wisdom (Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes) the deity was thought to be both human-like, with disturbing attributes, and increasingly transcendent-silent, disembodied, and inactive. Like Egyptian Ma'at, God the creator established the universe by decree, a law rewarding goodness and punishing evil, the flaw in creation, never satisfactorily resolved. Satan, a semi-divine rival, bore responsibility for bad things, while Wisdom, a personified female, communicated God's will to the discerning. Combining biblical revelation and Hellenism, Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon chose piety over Job's realism and the vanity literature of Ecclesiastes. Over millennia, the concept of God evolved, continuing a process begun in Paleolithic times.
Teaching History in Higher Education
Authors: Dickinson Edward Ross
Published: February 2025

What are the distinctive characteristics of the discipline of history? How do we teach those characteristics effectively, and what benefits do they offer students? How can history instructors engage an increasingly diverse student body? Teaching History in Higher Education offers instructors an innovative and coherent approach to their discipline, addressing the specific advantages that studying history can bring. Edward Ross Dickinson examines the evolution of methods and concepts in the discipline over the past two hundred years, showing how instructors can harness its complexity to aid the intellectual engagement of their students. This book explores the potential of history to teach us how to ask questions in unique and powerful ways, and how to pursue answers that are open and generative. Building on a coherent ethical foundation for the discipline, Teaching History in Higher Education presents a range of concrete techniques for making history instruction fruitful for students and teachers alike.
International Investment Income
Authors: Joyce Joseph P.
Published: February 2025

International investments yield returns in the forms of multinational profits, dividends and interest on equity and debt, and the charges on bank loans. These payments are recorded in the current account of the balance of payments and constitute a significant component of many countries' current accounts. Foreign direct investment- (FDI)-generated income is often channeled by firms through countries with low tax rates and regulations. Emerging markets regularly have large FDI income deficits, but a substantial portion of these payments are reinvested. Portfolio securities provide income from diversified securities and lower risk. Global banking offers financing from foreign sources, which may support stability during periods of domestic crises.
Evolution and the Fate of Humankind
Authors: Corning Peter A.
Published: February 2025

In recent years we have come to understand better the forces that have shaped biological evolution over the course of time. Evolved purposiveness (teleonomy) in living systems themselves has been an important influence. Cooperative effects (synergies) of various kinds have also been influential. And the bioeconomics (functional costs and benefits) have been important constraints. Now we are facing a mounting survival crisis that may determine the future of life on Earth. We need to make a major course change, utilizing our insights into these important influences. Here is a review, and a 'prescription.'
An Economic History of India
Authors: Gupta Bishnupriya
Published: February 2025

This book offers a major new economic history of India from the reign of Akbar in the sixteenth century to India's post-independence integration into the global economy. Using concepts and theories from economics and economic history alongside extensive new data, Bishnupriya Gupta builds a new framework for understanding the economic impacts and legacies of British rule. She charts India's transition from precolonial economy to colonial rule and evaluates its economic performance from a comparative perspective, particularly in the context of the Great Divergence between Europe and Asia. Finally, she examines India's post-independence economy and the evolution of social and economic inequality through to the turn of the twenty-first century. By taking a long view, the book sheds new light on the persistent effects of historical institutions as well as the impacts of policy-driven changes. It will be essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the long-run evolution of the Indian economy.
Adapting WHO Rapid Response Teams Advanced Training Program to Saudi Arabia’s Public Health Needs: A Systematic Process
Authors: Alahmari Asma , Tabche Celine , Adawi Abdu , Alanazi Salma , Alfallaj Lenah , Aljumah Mohammed , Alkahtani Haya , Atwan Zeenah , Shami Sahar , Sulaimani Ghofran , Rawaf Salman , Alkhorisi Ahmad
Published: February 2025

Objectives

To enhance the emergency response preparedness of public health professionals in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organization Rapid Response Team Advanced Training Package (WHO RRT ATP) was adapted. It was designed to align with local cultural and operational contexts.

Methods

A 2-day workshop was conducted involving experts who reviewed and modified the adapted WHO RRT ATP training materials. The process was structured into 7 phases: needs assessment, stakeholder analysis, cultural tailoring, content adaptation, module selection, implementation planning, and evaluation framework development.

Results

Key challenges revealed included inadequate hospital coordination, shortage of trained personnel and medical services, and insufficient knowledge of disease transmission. Core training modules were adapted, and supplementary materials were reviewed. Key considerations included addressing existing gaps, cultural sensitivity, and current outbreak trends in KSA. Participants’ feedback showed high satisfaction, with 86.7% of participants providing a mean rating of 4.77 on day 1 and 80% of participants giving an average rating of 4.67 on day 2 on a Likert scale of 1-5.

Conclusions

Cultural and country needs were key factors in the workshop’s successful outcomes. The adapted training program is anticipated to significantly enhance the preparedness of health care professionals in KSA to manage public health emergencies.
Preparing for Inclusion of Agricultural Workers in Climate-Related and Other Public Health Emergencies: A Quantitative Content Analysis of County Emergency Preparedness Plans, Eastern North Carolina, 2022-2023
Authors: Iyore Efosa V. E. , Braswell Quinton , Flores Rosas Adrian , Lee Joseph G. L. , Sesay Mahdi , Russell Kelli , LePrevost Catherine E. , Garzón Lariza , Dollar Nathan T.
Published: February 2025

Objective

Agricultural workers such as migrant and seasonal farmworkers are a population uniquely vulnerable to the negative effects of climate-related disasters. The primary aim of this study was to assess how counties in eastern North Carolina (NC) incorporated best practices related to agricultural workers in emergency preparedness planning.

Methods

The authors conducted a quantitative content analysis of 47 emergency preparedness plans from 41 eastern NC counties between November 2022 and March 2023. The research team developed a codebook based on recommended best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Farmworker Advocacy Network, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and National Center for Farmworker Health. Best practices included having materials in Spanish language, mapping vulnerable populations, and garnering input from agricultural workers.

Results

Of the 47 plans evaluated, most lacked inclusion of agricultural workers in emergency preparedness planning. Furthermore, plans demonstrated few relevant best practices that address agricultural workers’ specific challenges in preparation for and recovery from climate-related disasters.

Conclusions

Public emergency preparedness plans in eastern NC rarely include mention of recommended best practices related to agricultural workers. Local emergency preparedness officials should consider collaboration with advocacy groups, community health workers, and federal emergency management agencies to build disaster resilience.
From counting stations to city-wide estimates: data-driven bicycle volume extrapolation
Authors: Kaiser Silke K. , Klein Nadja , Kaack Lynn H.
Published: February 2025

Shifting to cycling in urban areas reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves public health. Access to street-level data on bicycle traffic would assist cities in planning targeted infrastructure improvements to encourage cycling and provide civil society with evidence to advocate for cyclists’ needs. Yet, the data currently available to cities and citizens often only comes from sparsely located counting stations. This paper extrapolates bicycle volume beyond these few locations to estimate street-level bicycle counts for the entire city of Berlin. We predict daily and average annual daily street-level bicycle volumes using machine-learning techniques and various data sources. These include app-based crowdsourced data, infrastructure, bike-sharing, motorized traffic, socioeconomic indicators, weather, holiday data, and centrality measures. Our analysis reveals that crowdsourced cycling flow data from Strava in the area around the point of interest are most important for the prediction. To provide guidance for future data collection, we analyze how including short-term counts at predicted locations enhances model performance. By incorporating just 10 days of sample counts for each predicted location, we are able to almost halve the error and greatly reduce the variability in performance among predicted locations.
Racial and ethnic disparities in central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in hospitalized patients: a risk-adjusted analysis
Authors: Tripathi Sandeep , Walter Taylor , McGarvey Jeremy
Published: February 2025

Objective:

To compare the risk and exposure-adjusted central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates between racial and ethnic groups.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

15 network hospitals in Illinois and Michigan (Part of OSF HealthCare).

Patients:

Patients of all age groups who had a central line inserted and removed during the same hospitalization between 01/2018 and 06/2023.

Methods:

CLABSI rates/1000 Central line days of the four major racial and ethnic categories (Hispanic, non-Hispanic White [NHW], non-Hispanic Black [NHB], and non-Hispanic others) were analyzed by generalized Poisson regression. Confounding variables included in the regression model based on a directed acyclic graph and included age group, insurance class, language, ICU admission, diagnostic cohorts (obesity, diabetes, dialysis, cancer, neutropenia), and line usage (blood products, chemotherapy, total parenteral nutrition).

Results:

27,674 central lines (244,889 catheter days) on 23,133 unique patients (median age 64 years, 8% pediatric patients) were included in the analysis. Overall, the CLABSI rate was 1.070/1000 Central line days. 76% of the study population was NHW, 17% NHB, and 4% Hispanic. After adjusting for confounding variables, Hispanic patients had higher CLABSI rates than NHW (IRR 1.89, 95% CI 1.15–3.10, P = .013). No significant difference was observed in the CLABSI rates between NHW and NHB patients.

Conclusion:

Disparities in hospital-associated conditions persist even after controlling for patient-level risk factors and exposures, with Hispanic patients at the highest risk.
Long edges in Galton–Watson trees
Authors: Bocharov Sergey , Harris Simon C.
Published: February 2025

We establish a number of results concerning the limiting behaviour of the longest edges in the genealogical tree generated by a continuous-time Galton–Watson process. Separately, we consider the large-time behaviour of the longest pendant edges, the longest (strictly) interior edges, and the longest of all the edges. These results extend the special case of long pendant edges of birth–death processes established in Bocharov et al. (2023).
Neighborhoods on Cerro Amole, Oaxaca: Models for a Mixtec Cabecera
Authors: Whittington Stephen L. , Frykholm Soren
Published: February 2025

Intermediate levels of social organization—above the household but below the entire settlement, city, or polity—are notoriously difficult to pinpoint in archaeological contexts, but they nevertheless represent a crucial frontier for building new archaeological theory to understand daily social life in the past. Ethnographic research demonstrates that informants recognize units such as the “neighborhood” and consider them important. In Mesoamerica, organizational units such as the Mixtec siqui, Aztec calpulli, and Maya cuchcabal were often formally recognized in social, military, and economic systems. Here, a neighborhood case study is presented from San Pedro Teozacoalco in Oaxaca, Mexico. The site known as Iglesia Gentil, which is located atop a mountain today called Cerro Amole, was the cabecera, or administrative center, of Chiyo Cahnu, an important Postclassic Mixtec polity. Using distributions of architecture and artifacts across the site based on data collected with GPS units from 2013 to 2017, three complementary GIS-based models are evaluated for their ability to define neighborhoods at Iglesia Gentil. The best is based on least cost paths modified by Tobler's hiking function.
Singular SPDEs on homogeneous lie groups
Authors: Mayorcas Avi , Singh Harprit
Published: February 2025

The aim of this article is to extend the scope of the theory of regularity structures in order to deal with a large class of singular stochastic partial differential equations of the form

\begin{equation*}
\partial_t u = \mathfrak{L} u+ F(u, \xi),
\end{equation*}

where the differential operator

$\mathfrak{L}$

fails to be elliptic. This is achieved by interpreting the base space

$\mathbb{R}^{d}$

as a non-trivial homogeneous Lie group

$\mathbb{G}$

such that the differential operator

$\partial_t -\mathfrak{L}$

becomes a translation invariant hypoelliptic operator on

$\mathbb{G}$

. Prime examples are the kinetic Fokker-Planck operator

$\partial_t -\Delta_v - v\cdot \nabla_x$

and heat-type operators associated with sub-Laplacians. As an application of the developed framework, we solve a class of parabolic Anderson type equations

\begin{equation*}\partial_t u = \sum_{i} X^2_i u + u (\xi-c)\end{equation*}

on the compact quotient of an arbitrary Carnot group.
SU(2)-bundles over highly connected 8-manifolds
Authors: Basu Samik , Ghosh Aloke Kr , Sau Subhankar
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we analyse the possible homotopy types of the total space of a principal SU(2)-bundle over a 3-connected 8-dimensional Poincaré duality complex. Along the way, we also classify the 3-connected 11-dimensional complexes E formed from a wedge of S4’s and S7’s by attaching a 11-cell.