bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forging a relationship between quality management and sustainable development in higher education institutions: insights from a cross-country Kano study
Authors: Grunwald Guido , Kara Ali , Spillan John E.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study’s objective is to offer a process to adapt the Kano model as a quality management (QM) tool for prioritizing students’ sustainability transformation requirements of higher education institutions (HEIs).

Design/methodology/approach

Data for this study were gathered from business students enrolled in bachelor’s programs at two state universities in the USA and one public university in Germany. In total, 239 students participated in the survey. For the Kano analysis, instead of selectively applying various evaluation rules and quality criteria, an integrative-sequential analysis process involving three steps is employed to enhance classification quality.

Findings

Results show that sustainability transformation expectations and their priority orders differ across the countries studied. Although the Kano model as a QM tool has not been extensively used by HEIs to gauge students’ sustainability expectations, it offers significant potential as part of a comprehensive process to translate stakeholder sustainability needs into HEIs’ actions.

Originality/value

As the first study adapting the Kano model as a QM tool for use in HEIs’ sustainability transformations, our study contributes to the growing body of research on incorporating QM tools and customer and stakeholder orientation into the sustainability context at HEIs.
Government Intervention in Land Markets: The Role of Industrial Policies in Shaping Land Use Costs
Authors: Li Kaishun , Li Kaiming
Published: January 2025

Industrial policies influence national economic development by allocating industrial land resources. Unlike the market‐oriented industrial land transaction systems in developed countries, China's industrial land transactions are significantly influenced by governmental intervention. However, there is insufficient research on the extent and mechanisms of industrial policy's influence on land use costs in this context. Therefore, this study combines land transactions, industrial policy, urban statistics, and listed company data, creating a dataset of 9705 land transactions from 2011 to 2020 to analyze industrial policies' impact on land use costs. The findings are as follows: First, different industrial policies have differentiated effects on land use costs, with lower costs for key industries and higher costs for heavily polluting industries. Second, the impact is more pronounced when the land parcel is situated outside the development zone, transferred by the prefecture‐level city government, and the proportion of the tertiary industry in the province is relatively low. Third, local governments achieve regulation of land use costs through industrial policies by employing listing method and transferring land to state‐owned enterprises. Furthermore, subsequent investigations reveal that industrial policies can mitigate the decline in total factor productivity caused by increased land use costs for enterprises. This article holds significant implications for optimizing industrial land resource allocation and facilitating industrial transformation and upgrading in developing countries.
Luteinizing hormone receptor knockout mouse: What has it taught us?
Authors: Huhtaniemi Ilpo T.
Published: January 2025

Luteinizing hormone (LH), along with its agonist choriongonadotropin (hCG) in humans, is the key hormone responsible for the tropic regulation of the gonadal function. LH and hCG act through their cognate receptor, the luteinizing hormone/choriongonadotropin receptor (LHCGR; more appropriately LHR in rodents lacking CG), located in the testis in Leydig cells and in the ovary in theca, luteal, and luteinizing granulosa cells. Low levels in LHCGR are also expressed in numerous extragonadal sites. Hypogonadism is observed in humans expressing inactivating mutations in the LHβ‐subunit (LHB)and LHCGR genes, confirming the crucial role of LH and LHCGR in gonadal development and function. Unraveling of the LHR structure and the advent of gene manipulation techniques enabled the production of mouse models with inactivated LHR function, that is, the LHR knockout (LuRKO) mouse, some 20 years ago. This mouse model has thereafter been instrumental in various experimental settings, alone or combined with other genetically modified mouse models, in providing novel, and in some cases unexpected, details about the LH/LHR function. We will review here the salient findings of these studies.
Do Fiscal Regimes Matter for Fiscal Sustainability in India?
Authors: Arjun  , Mishra Bibhuti Ranjan
Published: January 2025

Governments, economists, and policymakers in India have long been concerned about India's unsustainability of public debt. Therefore, the present study seeks fresh evidence of India's fiscal sustainability from 1980–81 to 2020–21. This study employs linear (model‐based) and three non‐linear models (quadratic, cubic, and kinked) to examine the fiscal sustainability in India. The regime changes are quantified using a ‘regime‐switching model‐based fiscal stability test’ that does not consider the linear fiscal response function method. The findings from the analysis point to a statistically significant fiscal sustainability outcome for the linear model but not for the non‐linear model. There is also the sign of a ‘regime‐switching’ fiscal rule in India from 1980–81 to 2020–21. The unsustainable fiscal regime has been identified only in three periods: 1983–84 to 1993–94, 2009–10 to 2012–13, and 2018–19 to 2020–21. For other periods, sustainable regimes are evident. The study finds that India's fiscal policy satisfies the ‘non‐Ponzi game condition’, as revealed by the regime‐specific reaction coefficients and the average periods of fiscal regimes. However, the country's long‐term fiscal sustainability has been jeopardised, as the debt‐stabilising condition is strictly violated. Regime‐based insensitivity, which results in an unsustainable fiscal regime lasting for more than 3 years, might expose the country to long‐term fiscal unsustainability.
Randomised controlled feasibility trial of retroperitoneal vs transperitoneal robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy: the ROPARN study
Authors: Kälble Sebastian , Engelmann Simon U. , Schrutz Hannah , Zeman Florian , Rinderknecht Emily , Haas Maximilian , Pickl Christoph , Goßler Christopher , Yang Yushan , Denzinger Stefan , Burger Maximilian , Bründl Johannes , Mayr Roman
Published: January 2025

Objectives

To assess the feasibility of trial recruitment and confirm that retroperitoneal robotic partial nephrectomy (RRPN) has the same oncological efficacy as transperitoneal robotic partial nephrectomy (TRPN), with time advantages and less peri‐operative morbidity, in a randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Patients and Methods

The study was designed as a single‐centre, open‐label, feasibility RCT. Patients with suspected localised renal cell carcinoma referred for robotic partial nephrectomy were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either TRPN or RRPN. The primary outcomes were trial feasibility, postoperative mobility and pain perception. Secondary outcomes were intra‐operative times, assessment of complications, and comparison of positive surgical margin (PSM) rates. The data on all randomised patients who underwent surgery were analysed descriptively.

Results

Sixty‐one patients underwent TRPN or RRPN (31 vs 30). Postoperative mobility within 24 h after surgery (RRPN: 77 vs TRPN: 71%; P = 0.613), median postoperative pain, assessed using a numeric rating scale (RRPN: 1.5 vs TRPN: 1.8; P = 0.509), and full bowel canalisation within 3 days (RRPN: 100% vs TRPN: 90%; P = 0.315) were more favourable in the RRPN group, but the difference was not statistically significant. In comparison to TRPN, RRPN was associated with shorter operating time (81 vs 105 min; P = 0.005), shorter time on the console (49 vs 73 min; P < 0.001) and shorter time from console to renal artery preparation (7.5 vs 18 min; P < 0.001). TRPN required a shorter time from skin incision to console (16 vs 12 min; P = 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in tumour complexity, ischaemia time, PSM rate, blood loss or complications between the two groups.

Conclusion

We present the first data from an RCT comparing RRPN with TRPN. RRPN showed significant time benefits while being a safe alternative to TRPN, with a similar PSM rate. There was less postoperative morbidity in the RRPN group, although this was not statistically significant. These results underline that dorsolateral renal tumours should be preferably resected by RRPN. Further multicentre RCTs are necessary to confirm these results.
Imaging predictors of adverse prognosis in Fabry disease cardiomyopathy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Stankowski Kamil , Figliozzi Stefano , Rojanathagoon Thanakorn , Bampatsias Dimitrios , Klettas Dimitrios , Monti Lorenzo , Bragato Renato , Masci Pier‐Giorgio , Francone Marco , Condorelli Gianluigi , Imbriaco Massimo , Pieroni Maurizio , Camporeale Antonia , Georgiopoulos Georgios
Published: January 2025

Background

Cardiac involvement represents the main cause of death in patients with Fabry disease (FD). Echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) have an established diagnostic role, but their prognostic value remains unresolved. This systematic review and meta‐analysis sought to assess the prognostic implications of imaging parameters in FD.

Methods

PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were searched for studies from inception through 1 May 2024. Studies including FD patients undergoing baseline imaging assessment and clinical follow‐up were selected. Pre‐defined study outcomes were a cardiovascular endpoint and a composite clinical endpoint. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID CRD42022342394).

Results

Fourteen studies, including 1713 FD patients (44.7% males), were selected. At pooled analysis, late gadolinium enhancement (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.45; 95% CI: 2.82–7.02), left atrium volume indexed (HR: 1.02 per mL/m2; 95% CI: 1.01–1.03), E/e′ (HR: 1.14 per unit increase; 95% CI: 1.08–1.21), left ventricular (LV) mass indexed (HR: 1.01 per mg/m2; 95% CI: 1.00–1.02), maximum LV wall thickness (HR: 1.19 per mm, 95% CI: 1.04–1.36) and LV‐global longitudinal strain (HR: 1.20 per unit increase; 95% CI: 1.16–1.25) were significantly associated with the cardiovascular endpoint, whereas T1‐mapping and LV‐ejection fraction were not. T1‐mapping was associated with the composite endpoint (HR: 0.99 per msec increase; 95% CI: 0.98–1.00). Meta‐regression analysis did not show any significant interaction between each of the potential effect modifiers.

Conclusions

Several imaging parameters were significant predictors of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with FD. Late gadolinium enhancement showed the strongest association with adverse prognosis.
Which is the most cost‐effective antiseizure medication for initial monotherapy for focal epilepsy?
Authors: Hu Yani , Chen Shunan , Mao Fengqian , Wang Suhong , Chen Jie , Hu Wei , Yu Lingyan , Dai Haibin
Published: January 2025

Objective

An increasing number of antiseizure medications (ASMs) are approved for monotherapy for focal epilepsy, but direct comparisons of the lifetime cost‐effectiveness of all existing treatment strategies are lacking. This study aims to compare the cost‐effectiveness of new ASMs and traditional ASMs as first‐line monotherapy for newly diagnosed focal epilepsy.

Method

We used a Markov model to evaluate the lifetime cost‐effectiveness of 10 ASMs in the treatment of focal epilepsy, with lacosamide (LCM) as a control, from the perspective of society in the United States. Effectiveness, cost data, and health state utilities were obtained from published literature. The cycle of the model is 6 months. Willingness to pay was defined as $150 000 per quality‐adjusted life year (QALY). One‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate parameter uncertainty, and several scenario analyses were also conducted.

Results

The base case analysis showed that carbamazepine (CBZ) was the least costly ASM and more effective than valproic acid (VPA), levetiracetam (LEV), gabapentin (GBP), topiramate (TPM), and lamotrigine (LTG) from an American social perspective. In contrast, oxcarbazepine (OXC), phenytoin (PHT), phenobarbitone (PHB), LCM, and zonisamide (ZNS) were more effective than CBZ, with incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios of $334 703.50, $325 610.99, $3 037 148.62, $1 178 954.91, and $108 153 360.85/QALY, respectively. The traditional ASMs were ranked as CBZ, PHT, VPA, and PHB; the new ASMs were ranked as OXC, LEV, LCM, LTG, TPM, GBP, and ZNS. When generic drugs are used, PHT, OXC, and CBZ remain the three most cost‐effective options.

Significance

In terms of cost‐effectiveness, CBZ monotherapy is the best option for newly diagnosed focal epilepsy, followed by OXC, PHT, VPA, LEV, PHB, LCM, LTG, TPM, GBP, and ZNS. Most traditional ASMs are more cost‐effective than new ASMs; OXC is an exception.
Changes in serum myostatin levels among patients with type C liver cirrhosis treated with direct‐acting antivirals
Authors: Suehiro Tomoyuki , Kozuru Hideko , Matusmoto Kosuke , Kugiyama Yuki , Motoyoshi Yasuhide , Saeki Akira , Nagaoka Shinya , Yamasaki Kazumi , Komori Atsumasa , Yatsuhashi Hiroshi
Published: January 2025

Aim

To clarify whether direct‐acting antiviral treatment improves serum myostatin levels of patients with cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus.

Methods

A total of 99 patients with type C liver cirrhosis were administered direct‐acting antiviral treatment. The median age was 73 years, and 58 patients were women. We measured the levels of serum myostatin, decorin, follistatin, and insulin‐like growth factor‐1, as well as the skeletal muscle mass index at baseline. We measured the sustained virological response at 48 weeks.

Results

Serum myostatin levels of the Child–Pugh class B or C group (n = 30) were significantly higher than those of the Child–Pugh class A group (n = 69) at baseline. The multivariate analysis indicated that the total bilirubin level and Mac‐2 binding protein glycosylation isomer level were independent factors associated with serum myostatin levels. Serum myostatin levels significantly decreased, whereas the skeletal muscle mass index and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 level were significantly increased at 48 weeks.

Conclusions

Direct‐acting antiviral treatment decreased serum myostatin levels and may improve sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis.
Increasing dosing intervals for biologics in atopic dermatitis‐why, who, when and how?
Authors: Jacobson M. E. , Boesjes C. M. , de Bruin‐Weller M. S. , de Graaf M. , Morimoto R. Y. , Simpson E. L.
Published: January 2025

Biologics approved and in development for atopic dermatitis offer life‐changing clinical efficacy with a relatively banal long‐term safety profile requiring no laboratory monitoring. Biologic therapies also have their drawbacks, including high payor cost and the need to be administered as every other week subcutaneous injections. Addressing these concerns, studies of longer dosing intervals have been performed in the formal clinical trial setting and during real‐world clinical care. Here, we review the current progress and evidence of dose elongation strategies in biologics for atopic dermatitis. We find that across a diverse investigational landscape, a large patient population exists that is able to maintain adequate disease control on a prolonged dosing interval. Evidence of clinical predictors of maintenance of disease control using this approach is emerging, although the impact of increased dosing intervals as a strategy to mitigate side effects is lacking. Patients experiencing good disease control are ideal candidates to engage in a shared decision‐making process between patients and providers that will facilitate an individualized dosing approach in practice.
Abundance of long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) is determined by diet rather than biosynthesis
Authors: Verhelst Pieterjan , Boyen Jens , Monroig Óscar , Rigaux Annelien , Vlaeminck Bruno , Moens Tom , De Troch Marleen
Published: January 2025

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) exhibits a remarkable phenotypic plasticity by occupying both marine and freshwater habitats and transitional areas in between. Because these habitats are characterized by different food sources with different fatty acid compositions, it remains unclear how eels from different habitats obtain essential long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC‐PUFAs) to integrate in their lipids. We studied whether the fatty acid composition of eels in three different habitats, that is, a marine lagoon, an estuary, and a river, could be related to the expression levels of genes involved in the LC‐PUFA pathways. In general, there were no significant differences in gene expression between eels from marine and freshwater habitats; gene expression in marine and freshwater specimens significantly differed from eels caught in the estuary. However, levels of essential LC‐PUFAs and fatty acid ratio markers differed significantly between eels from the river and the marine lagoon. Therefore, we conclude that the LC‐PUFA composition of the European eel is likely defined by their food intake from the local environment they are living in and potentially affected by the prevailing conditions, such as food availability, temperature, and salinity.
The relationship between primate distal fibula trabecular architecture and arboreality, phylogeny and size
Authors: Alfieri Fabio , Veneziano Alessio , Panetta Daniele , Salvadori Piero A. , Amson Eli , Marchi Damiano
Published: January 2025

The fibula, despite being traditionally overlooked compared to the femur and the tibia, has recently received attention in primate functional morphology due to its correlation with the degree of arboreality (DOA). Highlighting further fibular features that are associated with arboreal habits would be key to improving palaeobiological inferences in fossil specimens. Here we present the first investigation on the trabecular bone structure of the primate fibula, focusing on the distal epiphysis, across a vast array of species. We collected μCT data on the distal fibula for 21 species of primates, with representatives from most of the orders, and we employed a recently developed approach implemented in the R package ‘indianaBones’ to isolate the entire trabecular bone underlying an epiphysis or articular facet. After extracting both traditional trabecular parameters and novel topological indices, we tested for the posited relationship between trabecular bone and DOA. To disentangle this effect from others related to body size and phylogenetic relationship, we included a body mass proxy as covariate and employed phylogenetic comparative methods. We ran univariate/multivariate and exploratory/inferential statistical analyses. The trabecular structure of the fibular distal epiphysis in primates does not appear to be associated with the DOA. Instead, it is strongly affected by body mass and phylogenetic relationships. Although we identified some minor trends related to human bipedalism, our findings overall discourage, at this stage, the study of distal fibula trabecular bone to infer arboreal behaviors in extinct primates. We further found that body size distribution is strongly related to phylogeny, an issue preventing us from unravelling the influence of the two factors and that we believe can potentially affect future comparative analyses of primates. Overall, our results add to previous evidence of how trabecular traits show variable correlation with locomotor aspects, size and phylogenetic history across the primate skeleton, thus outlining a complex scenario in which a network of interconnected factors affects the morphological evolution of primates. This work may represent a starting point for future studies, for example, focusing on the effect of human bipedalism on distal fibula trabecular bone, or aiming to better understand the effects of body size and phylogenetic history on primate morphological evolution.
Modelling Amazon fire regimes under climate change scenarios
Authors: Saravia Leonardo A. , Allhoff Korinna T. , Bond-Lamberty Ben , Suweis Samir
Published: January 2025

Fire is one of the most important disturbances of the earth‐system, shaping the biodiversity of ecosystems and particularly forests. Climatic change and other anthropogenic drivers such as deforestation and land use change could produce abrupt changes in fire regimes, potentially triggering transition from forests to savannah or grasslands ecosystems with large accompanying biodiversity losses. The interplay between climate change and deforestation might intensify fire ignition and spread, potentially giving rise to more extensive, intense, and frequent fires, but this is highly uncertain. We use a simple forest‐fire model to analyze the possible changes in the Amazon region's fire regime that depend on climate change‐related variables. We first explored the model behavior and found that there are two possible regime changes: a critical regime that implies high variability in fire extent and mega‐fires, and an absorbing phase transition which would produce the extinction of the forest and transition to a different vegetation state. We parameterize the model using remote sensing data on fire extent and temperature, and show that it demonstrates proficiency in predicting past fires. Upon considering 21st‐century climate projections and deforestation scenarios, our findings suggest that the Amazon region is not currently nearing any of these regime changes but predict a consistent increase in fire extent mainly induced by deforestation. Therefore, stopping deforestation could be an important factor in reducing the potential for drastic alterations in tropical forests of the Amazon region.
Increased Risk of Adjacent Segment Spondylolisthesis or Instability Following L5–S1 Versus L4–S1 Fixation for L5–S1 High‐Grade Dysplastic Spondylolisthesis in Children
Authors: Guo Xinhu , Guo Zhaoqing , Li Weishi , Chen Zhongqiang , Qi Qiang , Sun Chuiguo , Zhong Woquan , Su Bin
Published: January 2025

Objective

High‐grade dysplastic spondylolisthesis (HGDS) is a relatively rare condition mainly involving the L5/S1 segment of the spine and occurring in children and adolescents. Whether surgical fixation should be L5–S1 monosegmental or extended up to L4 remains controversial. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and the risk of adjacent segment spondylolisthesis between L5–S1 monosegmental fixation and L4–S1 double‐segmental fixation for pediatric HGDS.

Methods

This is a retrospective control study Pediatric patients diagnosed with HGDS between March 2007 and October 2022 at our hospital were followed up, and their data were analyzed. The study involved 39 HGDS patients (average slip, 70.0%) divided into two groups: the L5–S1 monosegmental reduction and fusion group (L5 group, 16 patients) and the L4–S1 double‐segmental reduction and fusion group (L4 group, 23 patients). Radiographic parameters and patient‐reported outcomes were collected before surgery and at follow‐up and compared between the two groups. Additionally, the prevalence of adjacent segment spondylolisthesis and instability (ASS/ASI) was compared between the groups at the last follow‐up. Independent sample t‐tests were employed to compare normally distributed data between the two groups. Paired sample t‐tests were employed to compare preoperative data with postoperative data. The chi‐square test was utilized to compare rates.

Results

The average age was (12.5 ± 2.3) years. The L4 group had a greater slip percentage (77.6% vs. 59.2%; p < 0.001), a smaller Dub‐LSA (60.3° vs. 69.7°; p = 0.022), and a higher slip grade (p = 0.002) than the L5 group, indicating more severe spondylolisthesis in the L4 group. Clinical parameters, namely the visual analog scale, Oswestry disability index, and Japanese Orthopedic Association‐29 score, did not significantly differ between the two groups. The L5 group had a higher rate of ASS/ASI than the L4 group (6/16, 37.5% vs. 0/23, 0%; p = 0.002). Of all the ASS/ASI patients, one underwent a second surgery due to L4 spondylolisthesis 2 years after the primary surgery. The remaining five exhibited no symptoms or mild symptoms.

Conclusions

For pediatric HGDS, both L5–S1 monosegmental fixation and L4–S1 fixation can achieve satisfactory outcomes. However, there is a higher risk of ASS/ASI following L5–S1 fixation than following L4–S1 fixation.
Supervision of Pediatric Anesthesia After‐Hours: A Survey of Pediatric Anesthetists in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Cai Steven , Taverner Fiona
Published: January 2025

Background

After‐hours pediatric anesthesia may pose increased risks, with a heightened potential for sudden cardio‐respiratory decline. While mortality rates are low in Australia and New Zealand, critical events and morbidity occur more frequently and present ongoing challenges. However, little is known about how trainees are supervised during these high‐risk periods.

Methods

An anonymized online survey of members of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia in New Zealand and Australia (SPANZA) was conducted to explore supervising anesthetists attitudes towards after‐hours supervision. The survey examined the influence of patient age, medical history, trainee experience, and surgery type on supervision practices.

Results

Respondents identified age and physical status as key risk factors but reported providing less direct supervision than recommended by international studies, especially for non‐complex surgeries in healthy children. Trainee experience was a significant factor in supervision decisions.

Conclusion

Pediatric anesthetists in Australia and New Zealand recognize major risk factors but tend to supervise more remotely after‐hours. Further research is needed to evaluate the effects of these supervision practices on outcomes.
The wheat NLR pair RXL/Pm5e confers resistance to powdery mildew
Authors: Guo Guanghao , Bai Kaihong , Hou Yikun , Gong Zhen , Zhang Huaizhi , Wu Qiuhong , Lu Ping , Li Miaomiao , Dong Lingli , Xie Jingzhong , Chen Yongxing , Zhang Panpan , Zhu Keyu , Li Beibei , Li Wenling , Dong Lei , Yang Yijun , Qiu Dan , Wang Gaojie , Ahn Hee‐Kyung , Zhao He , Yuan Chengguo , Shi Wenqi , Xue Minfeng , Yang Lijun , Yu Dazao , Zhao Yusheng , Chen Yuhang , Li Hongjie , Hu Tiezhu , Han Guan‐Zhu , Jones Jonathan D G , Liu Zhiyong
Published: January 2025

Powdery mildew poses a significant threat to global wheat production and most cloned and deployed resistance genes for wheat breeding encode nucleotide‐binding and leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) immune receptors. Although two genetically linked NLRs function together as an NLR pair have been reported in other species, this phenomenon has been relatively less studied in wheat. Here, we demonstrate that two tightly linked NLR genes, RXL and Pm5e, arranged in a head‐to‐head orientation, function together as an NLR pair to mediate powdery mildew resistance in wheat. The resistance function of the RXL/Pm5e pair is validated by mutagenesis, gene silencing, and gene‐editing assays. Interestingly, both RXL and Pm5e encode atypical NLRs, with RXL possessing a truncated NB‐ARC (nucleotide binding adaptor shared by APAF‐1, plant R proteins and CED‐4) domain and Pm5e featuring an atypical coiled‐coil (CC) domain. Notably, RXL and Pm5e lack an integrated domain associated with effector recognition found in all previously reported NLR pairs. Additionally, RXL and Pm5e exhibit a preference for forming hetero‐complexes rather than homo‐complexes, highlighting their cooperative role in disease resistance. We further show that the CC domain of Pm5e specifically suppresses the hypersensitive response induced by the CC domain of RXL through competitive interaction, revealing regulatory mechanisms within this NLR pair. Our study sheds light on the molecular mechanism underlying RXL/Pm5e‐mediated powdery mildew resistance and provides a new example of an NLR pair in wheat disease resistance.
Digital phenotyping of social functioning and employment in people with schizophrenia: Pilot data from an international sample
Authors: Lane Erlend , Gray Lucy , Kimhy David , Jeste Dilip , Torous John
Published: January 2025

Aim

Individuals living with schizophrenia experience significant impairments in social functioning. As a major clinical outcome, social functioning requires appropriate measurement tools that can capture its dynamic nature. Digital phenotyping, using smartphone technology to collect high volume ecologically valid data, can potentially capture these facets. We investigated the viability of digital data, such as GPS, Accelerometer, and screen activation as a proxy for common social functioning measurements.

Methods

We used an ordinary least squares linear regression approach to compare the performance of digital signals with the performance of past social functioning scale (SFS) scores for predicting current SFS scores and subdomain values in 62 individuals with schizophrenia using smartphone and clinical assessments over the course of a year. The outcome of interest was the current SFS, for which we compared the capacity of the digital data (active and passive), and prior SFS scores to predict SFS scores.

Results

Overall, the sub‐scale models in order of performance (measured by RMSE score) were: (i) employment, (ii) social engagement, (iii) interpersonal behavior, (iv) recreation, (v) prosocial activities, (vii) performance, and (vii) competence. Digital data were particularly capable of predicting subdomain scores for employment (R2 = 0.746, Mean Squared Error (MSE) = 1.663) and social engagement (R2 = 0.710, MSE = 2.318).

Conclusions

Digital phenotyping may have the capacity to operate as a proxy for certain social functioning measures. Future research should expand on this pilot data by focusing on establishing the reliability and validity of digital phenotyping to measure social functioning, and exploring which subdomains of social functioning are best measured digitally.
Diverse Care Needs Assessment for Older Adults in China: A Latent Profile Analysis Study
Authors: Chen Junyu , Wang Qing , Ding Zichun , Wang Meng , Chen Lixia , Xu Guihua
Published: January 2025

Background

Grasping the nuanced needs of older adults is paramount for the efficacious provision of day‐care services. Our study sought to identify the demand patterns for day‐care services in China and to explore the underlying factors. This study aims to offer useful evidence that can refine nursing care strategies and guide policy development within day‐care settings.

Methods

We implemented a comprehensive electronic survey comprising 46 questions targeting older adults across nine day‐care centers in Nanjing, China. Employing latent profile analysis (LPA), we systematically examined and categorized the demand characteristics for day‐care services. This analysis was conducted using Mplus version 8.3 and SPSS version 26.0 software, ensuring a rigorous and precise methodological approach.

Results

Our study involved a comprehensive survey of 1016 older adults. The participants were categorized into three groups based on their demand for day‐care services: high demand (n = 127), medium demand (n = 197), and low demand (n = 692). The low‐demand group exhibited higher levels of social support and better activities of daily living (ADL) scores compared to their counterparts. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that older adults characterized by male gender, advanced age, higher levels of education, receipt of support from a child, presence of chronic diseases, and lower social support and ADL scores exhibited a statistically significant inclination towards moderate to high demand for day‐care services (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The demand for day‐care services for older adults in China is intricately influenced by a complex array of interrelated factors. Tailoring service offerings to meet the varied physical and emotional needs of older adults is essential, with a particular focus on health and wellness management in day‐care centers.
A Route Well Travelled. The archaeology of the A14 Huntingdon to Cambridge Road Improvement Scheme
Authors:   Headland Archaeology Ltd, West Emma , Christie Claire ,   Headland Archaeology, Moretti Debora ,   University of Hertfordshire, Scholma-Mason Owain ,   Headland Archaeology Ltd, Smith Alex ,   Headland Archaeology Ltd
Published: January 2025

The National Highways A14 Road Improvement Scheme between Cambridge and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire gave rise to one of the largest commercial archaeological projects ever undertaken in the UK. Excavations over 232ha took place between 2016 and 2022 from the Great Ouse Valley near Huntingdon in the west to the higher clay lands towards Cambridge in the east. They involved a huge collaborative team led by MOLA-Headland Infrastructure and revealed groundbreaking archaeology of all periods, from mammoths to medieval villages. This monograph is intended to act as gateway to the project's findings, synthesizing the results in a series of period-based chapters and linking back to the detailed site and specialist reports and the entire digital archive of the project hosted by the Archaeology Data Service.
Andariegos: prácticas culturales de los recolectores itinerantes de café del municipio de Pereira, Colombia
Authors: Saldarriaga Ramírez Carolina
Published: January 2025

El presente artículo se centra en una descripción del grupo cultural de recolectores andariegos, conocidos en la región de los Andes colombianos por su importancia para el desarrollo de los procesos técnicos del cultivo de café, en especial durante la cosecha. A través de una investigación de corte etnográfico realizada en el año 2020 en Pereira, departamento de Risaralda, se analizaron las dinámicas de vida y prácticas culturales de los recolectores andariegos, quienes se distinguen de otros jornaleros del café en términos de su relación con la tierra y con la familia. Se llevaron a cabo dieciséis entrevistas semiestructuradas con recolectores, andariegos y productores de café, junto con tareas de observación en campo y de revisión bibliográfica. Los resultados de la investigación revelan que los recolectores andariegos se diferencian significativamente de los campesinos cafeteros en sus prácticas y dinámicas de vida. Su relación con la tierra y la familia muestra particularidades distintivas, evidenciando un modelo de subsistencia, identidad y apego diferente al de otros trabajadores del campo. En este sentido, el artículo busca profundizar en la comprensión de la identidad y del papel de los recolectores andariegos dentro de la cultura cafetera de la región. Mediante un enfoque descriptivo, se exploran los aspectos sociales, económicos y culturales que caracterizan a este grupo de individuos, aportando una perspectiva de los mismos como parte del entramado de la producción y de la cultura cafetera en los Andes colombianos.
Benefits of Using Functional Joint Coordinate Systems in In Vitro Knee Testing
Authors: Nagle Tara , Loss Jeremy G , Colbrunn Robb
Published: January 2025

To measure knee joint kinematics, coordinate systems (CS) must be assigned to the tibia and femur. Functional CS have been shown to be more reproducible than Anatomical. This study aims to quantify the benefits of using Functional CS in in vitro testing. Seven cadaveric knee joints were loaded in a 6-Degree of Freedom (DOF) joint simulator. Anatomical CS were established for each joint and Functional CS were calculated based on joint kinematics during passive motion. Loading profiles were applied to the knee joints using different CS definitions. Resulting kinematics and kinetics were obtained to quantify the 1) reduction in intra-knee kinematic response variation, 2) reduction in kinematic cross-talk, 3) reduction in inter-knee kinematic response variation, and 4) improvement in force control performance, when using Functional CS compared to Anatomical. Functional CS, compared to Anatomical, 1) significantly reduced intra-knee kinematic response variation across 12 combined loading conditions for nearly all DOF, 2) significantly reduced kinematic cross-talk during anterior-posterior, varus-valgus and internal-external rotation laxity testing across many DOF, 3) significantly reduced inter-knee kinematic response variation for all DOFs over a gait profile and combined loading conditions, and 4) significantly improved Anterior-Posterior and Varus-Valgus force/torque control performance during dynamic loading profiles. The advantage of using Functional CS for in vitro testing has been demonstrated across all considered domains. Functional CS should be used when performing in vitro knee joint testing.
Theoretical modeling and modal analysis of multi-element coupled transducers
Authors: Sun Hao , Lan Yu , Lu Wei , Zhou Tianfang
Published: January 2025

Low-frequency transducers are considerably smaller than the wavelength. When multiple low-frequency transducers are closely packed, they couple with the surrounding water and form a transducer–water–transducer coupling structure called multi-element coupled transducers (MCT). This study presents a theoretical model of the MCT based on radiation and mutual radiation theory and analyzes it under multiple resonance frequencies and vibration modes. The MCT comprising N single-degree-of-freedom elements possesses N resonance frequencies and corresponding vibration modes, and the resonance frequency varies with the spacing between elements. Additionally, the elements have different vibration amplitudes, with the phases of vibration among the elements manifesting as different combinations of in-phase and anti-phase in different vibration modes. Validation is performed through finite element analysis (FEA) and measurements of binary and ternary coupled transducer prototypes. The prototypes comprise bender transducers closely packed in a vertical configuration. The theoretical predictions agree with the FEA and measurement results. Thus, the theoretical model contributes to enhancing the understanding of acoustic transducer behavior in coupled configurations and optimizing the design of low-frequency acoustic arrays.
Spinal presentations in children with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy on nusinersen treatment across the SMA-REACH UK network: a retrospective national observational study
Authors: Abbott Lianne , Main Marion , Wolfe Amy , Rohwer Annemarie , Baranello Giovanni , Munot Pinki , Manzur Adnan , Muntoni Francesco , Scoto Mariacristina
Published: January 2025

Background

Prior to the introduction of disease-modifying treatments (DMTs), children with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) typically did not survive beyond the age of 2 years; management was mainly palliative. Novel therapies have made this a treatable condition, resulting in increased life expectancy and more time spent upright. Survival and improved function mean spinal asymmetry is a new complication with limited data on its prevalence and severity and no current guidelines on management and treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the spinal presentation and management of type 1 SMA children on nusinersen across the SMA-REACH UK network.

Methods

Spinal presentation and management of 80 children (age range 4 months–14 years, median 4 years 2 months) with type 1 SMA on nusinersen across the SMA-REACH UK network were reviewed through retrospective data analysis.

Results

There were 60 type 1 children who developed a spinal asymmetry, of which 40 had kyphosis and 50 used a supportive thoraco-lumbar-sacral orthosis (TLSO). TLSOs were predominantly a one-piece jacket with abdominal hole, advised to be worn when upright during the day. Reduced neck range of movement was found in 33, 1 of these had plagiocephaly and 5 had torticollis. Of those with reduced neck range of movement, 26 (79%) had spinal asymmetry. Spinal surgery was performed in 7.

Conclusions

Our study confirms high prevalence of spinal asymmetry in this cohort, requiring long-term management planning. It provides information on presentation and treatment options, facilitating development of guidelines for these new complications observed in children surviving longer with DMTs.
Linear stability of a time-dependent, spherically symmetric background in beyond Horndeski theory and the speed of gravity waves
Authors: Mironov S. , Sharov M. , Volkova V.
Published: January 2025

We address a dynamical, spherically symmetric background in beyond Horndeski theory and formulate a set of linear stability conditions for high energy perturbation modes in the parity odd sector above an arbitrary solution. In this general setting we derive speeds of propagation in both radial and angular directions for the only dynamical degree of freedom in the parity odd sector. We also briefly comment on the propagation speeds of the parity even modes over a dynamical, spherically symmetric background. In particular, we demonstrate that the class of beyond Horndeski theories, which satisfy the equality of gravity waves’ speed to the speed of light over a cosmological background, feature gravity waves propagating at luminal speeds above a time-dependent inhomogeneous background as well.
Deep learning-based superconductivity prediction and experimental tests
Authors: Kaplan Daniel , Zheng Adam , Blawat Joanna , Jin Rongying , Cava Robert J. , Oudovenko Viktor , Kotliar Gabriel , Sengupta Anirvan M. , Xie Weiwei
Published: January 2025

The discovery of novel superconducting materials is a long-standing challenge in materials science, with a wealth of potential for applications in energy, transportation and computing. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled expediting the search for new materials by efficiently utilizing vast materials databases. In this study, we developed an approach based on deep learning (DL) to predict new superconducting materials. We have synthesized a compound derived from our DL network and confirmed its superconducting properties in agreement with our prediction. Our approach is also compared to previous work based on random forests (RFs). In particular, RFs require knowledge of the chemical properties of the compound, while our neural net inputs depend solely on the chemical composition. With the help of hints from our network, we discover a new ternary compound Mo20Re6Si4, which becomes superconducting below 5.4 K. We further discuss the existing limitations and challenges associated with using AI to predict and, along with potential future research directions.
Estimating DNS Source and Cache Dynamics under Interval-Censored Age Sampling
Authors: Xiao Di , Li Xiaoyong , Cline Daren , Loguinov Dmitri
Published: January 2025

Since inception, DNS has used a TTL-based replication scheme that allows the source (i.e., an authoritative domain server) to control the frequency of record eviction from client caches. Existing studies of DNS predominantly focus on reducing query latency and source bandwidth, both of which are optimized by increasing the cache hit rate. However, this causes less-frequent contacts with the source and results in higher staleness of retrieved records. Given high data-churn rates at certain providers (e.g., dynamic DNS, CDNs) and importance of consistency to their clients, we propose that cache models include the probability of freshness as an integral performance measure. We derive this metric under general update/download processes and present a novel framework for measuring its value using remote observation (i.e., without access to the source or the cache). Besides freshness, our methods can estimate the inter-update distribution of DNS records, cache hit rate, distribution of TTL, and query arrival rate from other clients. Furthermore, these algorithms do not require any changes to the existing infrastructure/protocols.
Faster and Better Quantum Software Testing through Specification Reduction and Projective Measurements
Authors: Oldfield Noah H. , Laaber Christoph , Yue Tao , Ali Shaukat
Published: January 2025

Quantum computing (QC) promises polynomial and exponential speedups in many domains, such as unstructured search and prime number factoring. However, quantum programs yield probabilistic outputs from exponentially growing distributions and are vulnerable to quantum-specific faults. Existing quantum software testing (QST) approaches treat quantum superpositions as classical distributions. This leads to two major limitations when applied to quantum programs: (1) an exponentially growing sample space distribution and (2) failing to detect quantum-specific faults such as phase flips. To overcome these limitations, we introduce a QST approach, which applies a reduction algorithm to a quantum program specification. The reduced specification alleviates the limitations (1) by enabling faster sampling through quantum parallelism and (2) by performing projective measurements in the mixed Hadamard basis. Our evaluation of 143 quantum programs across four categories demonstrates significant improvements in test runtimes and fault detection with our reduction approach. Average test runtimes improved from 169.9s to 11.8s, with notable enhancements in programs with large circuit depths (383.1s to 33.4s) and large program specifications (464.8s to 7.7s). Furthermore, our approach increases mutation scores from

\(54.5\%\)

to

\(74.7\%\)

, effectively detecting phase flip faults that non-reduced specifications miss. These results underline our approach’s importance to improve QST efficiency and effectiveness
Enriching Responses with Crowd-sourced Knowledge for Task-oriented Conversational Agents
Authors: Wei zhaohui , Liao Lizi , Xiang Xinguang , Du Xiaoyu
Published: January 2025

Task-oriented conversational agents strive to aid users across various tasks by concentrating on generating suitable responses to guarantee successful task accomplishment. Nonetheless, several factors have a substantial influence on user contentment beyond task fulfillment, requiring further investigation. Within this work, we aim to analyze diverse behavioral patterns of conversational agents with the goal of enhancing user satisfaction. Our findings lead to the exploration of three different enriched response generation schemes: EnRG-ATT, EnRG-TIP, and EnRG-SIM. Specifically, EnRG-ATT is designed to integrate the model’s capabilities with a dual attention mechanism across two distinct modalities of external resources. It employs a pair of gates to regulate the utilization of such sources efficiently. More elegantly, we introduce EnRG-TIP, which simplifies response enrichment as a sequence prediction problem and exploits the pre-trained language model to capture user tips related to the conversation. Moreover, building on the efficiency of grounding on similar responses, EnRG-SIM further enhances response generation by inserting similar responses into the training sequences, to direct the pre-trained model’s attention towards this additional knowledge. Our comprehensive experiments demonstrate that our three proposed methods not only achieve good task completion but also generate responses that yield higher user satisfaction.