bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facultative Parthenogenesis in a Zoo‐Held Northern Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon
Authors: Booth Warren , Levine Brenna A. , Berg Craig S. , Schuett Gordon W.
Published: September 2024

Over the past several decades, facultative parthenogenesis (FP)—the ability of a sexually reproducing species to reproduce asexually—in vertebrates has been removed from the realm of obscurity and placed firmly in a position where it warrants focused scientific attention. Likely fueled by increased recognition of the trait, the availability of molecular tools capable of disentangling FP from long‐term sperm storage, and the availability of potential cases originating from both zoological and private collections, a wealth of papers has been published revealing the diversity of vertebrate systems in which FP occurs. Specifically, cases have been reported in squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes), crocodiles, birds, and elasmobranch fishes (sharks, rays, and skates). Nonetheless, gaps remain in species documentation, and it is important to analyze and report on new cases. In this paper, we provide a DNA–based analysis confirming FP in a zoo‐maintained northern water snake, Nerodia sipedon, a viviparous natricine species that is common and widely distributed in North America. Additionally, we provide information on the sexual development and health of the male parthenogen. Encouragingly, zoological institutions, aquaria, university laboratories, and private collections continue to be rich sources for the further study and documentation of FP in vertebrate species, advancing our understanding of this reproductive trait.
Regularity of Unipotent Elements in Total Positivity
Authors: Chen Haiyu , Xie Kaitao
Published: September 2024

Let G be a connected reductive group split over $$\mathbb R$$
R
. We show that every unipotent element in the totally nonnegative monoid of G is regular in some Levi subgroups, confirming a conjecture of Lusztig.
Selected physical and mechanical properties of particleboards manufactured with addition of Betula bark post-extraction residues
Authors: Maksymiuk Gabriela , Jeżo Aleksandra , Rižikovs Jānis
Published: September 2024

As awareness grows regarding the necessity for sustainable technologies across various industries, including wood-based composites, there’s a heightened demand for ecological solutions. One of the proposed solutions is the partial replacement of wood raw materials in composites with forestry and agricultural waste, thus contributing to the circular economy. Suberin, which is a natural polyester present in tree bark, after depolymerization can be converted into suberinic acids, and after this process, post-extraction solid residues (SAR suberinic acid residues) remain, which include suberin monomers, lignin, cellulose and esters. In this study, it was decided to use this waste in the form of a powder with dimensions of 0.250 mesh as a filler for particleboards. Three-layer boards were prepared in four variants of SAR share in all layers (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%). The physical and mechanical properties of the manufactured boards were tested—modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, internal bond strength, screw withdrawal resistance, thickness swelling, water absorption, density profile, contact angle. The formaldehyde and total volatile compounds emissions of the boards were also determined. As a result of the research, it was shown that the addition of SAR has a positive effect on the properties of the panels, but only up to the level of 10%, whereas for boards with a SAR content of 15%, a statistically significant decrease in mechanical and physical properties was noted. The values ​obtained, however, were still within the required assumptions of the European Standards. Only the IB value obtained for the SAR 15% variant did not meet the requirements of the EU Standards. As shown, SAR addition significantly minimizes the emissions from boards, however, it decreases also the hydrophobicity. This study shows a great potential in applying post-extraction residues from bark as a filler material for wood-based panels.
MRI-based prediction of the need for wide resection margins in patients with single hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wang Yanshu , Qu Yali , Yang Chongtu , Wu Yuanan , Wei Hong , Qin Yun , Yang Jie , Zheng Tianying , Chen Jie , Cannella Roberto , Vernuccio Federica , Ronot Maxime , Chen Weixia , Song Bin , Jiang Hanyu
Published: September 2024

Objectives

To develop an MRI-based score that enables individualized predictions of the survival benefit of wide over narrow resection margins.

Materials and methods

This single-center retrospective study (December 2011 to May 2022) included consecutive patients who underwent curative-intent resection for single Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) 0/A HCC and preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI. In patients with narrow resection margins, preoperative demographic, laboratory, and MRI variables independently associated with early recurrence-free survival (RFS) were identified using Cox regression analyses, which were employed to develop a predictive score (named “MARGIN”). Survival outcomes were compared between wide and narrow resection margins in a propensity-score matched cohort for the score-stratified low- and high-risk groups, respectively.

Results

Four hundred nineteen patients (median age, 54 years; 361 men) were included, 282 (67.3%) undergoing narrow resection margins. In patients with narrow resection margins, age, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 400 ng/mL, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) > 200 mAU/mL, radiological involvement of liver capsule, and infiltrative appearance were associated with early RFS (p values, 0.002–0.04) and formed the MARGIN score with a testing dataset C-index of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.65–0.84). In the matched cohort, wide resection margin was associated with improved early RFS rate for the high-risk group (MARGIN score ≥ − 1.3; 71.1% vs 41.0%; p = 0.02), but not for the low-risk group (MARGIN score < − 1.3; 79.7% vs 76.1%; p = 0.36).

Conclusion

In patients with single BCLC 0/A HCC, the MARGIN score may serve as promising decision-making to indicate the need for wide resection margins.

Clinical relevance statement

The MARGIN score has the potential to identify patients who would benefit more from wide resection margins than narrow resection margins, improving the postoperative survival of patients with single BCLC 0/A hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Key Points

Age, AFP, PIVKA-II, radiological involvement of liver capsule, and infiltrative appearance were associated with early RFS and formed the MARGIN score.

The MARGIN score achieved a testing dataset C-index of 0.75.

Wide resection margins were associated with improved early RFS for the high-risk group, but not for the low-risk group.

Graphical Abstract
Exploring first-degree family history in a cohort of Portuguese Alzheimer’s disease patients: population evidence for X-chromosome linked and recessive inheritance of risk factors
Authors: Tábuas-Pereira Miguel , Bernardes Catarina , Durães João , Lima Marisa , Nogueira Ana Rita , Saraiva Jorge , Tábuas Teresa , Coelho Mariana , Paquette Kimberly , Westra Kaitlyn , Kun-Rodrigues Célia , Almeida Maria Rosário , Baldeiras Inês , Brás José , Guerreiro Rita , Santana Isabel
Published: September 2024

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) heritability is estimated to be around 70–80%. Yet, much of it remains to be explained. Studying transmission patterns may help in understanding other factors contributing to the development of AD.

Objective

In this study, we aimed to search for evidence of autosomal recessive or X- and Y-linked inheritance of risk factors in a large cohort of Portuguese AD patients.

Methods

We collected family history from patients with AD and cognitively healthy controls over 75 years of age. We compared the proportions of maternal and paternal history in male and female patients and controls (to search for evidence of X-linked and Y-linked inherited risk factors). We compared the risk of developing AD depending on parents’ birthplace (same vs. different), as a proxy of remote consanguinity. We performed linear regressions to study the association of these variables with different endophenotypes.

Results

We included 3090 participants, 2183 cognitively healthy controls and 907 patients with AD. Men whose mother had dementia have increased odds of developing AD comparing to women whose mother had dementia. In female patients with a CSF biomarker-supported diagnosis of AD, paternal history of dementia is associated with increased CSF phosphorylated Tau levels. People whose parents are from the same town have higher risk of dementia. In multivariate analysis, this proxy is associated with a lower age of onset and higher CSF phosphorylated tau.

Conclusions

Our study gives evidence supporting an increased risk of developing AD associated with an X-linked inheritance pattern and remote consanguinity.
Baseline characteristics of children in the Early Glasses Study
Authors: Steltman J. S. , Nordmann M. , Sanders D. , Asjes-Tydeman W. L. , Dehpoor T. , Tissen I. , van Ommen R. , Wiersma-Hartman C. , van Keulen M. M. , Bakker D. , Loudon S. E. , Simonsz H. J.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The relationship between refractive error at age 1 and the risk of developing amblyopia or accommodative esotropia, and the protection offered by early glasses, is unknown. These are determined in the Early Glasses Study, a prospective, population-based, longitudinal, randomized controlled study. We report baseline findings.

Methods

Healthy children aged 12–18 months were recruited at Children’s Healthcare Centres (CHCs) and received an entry orthoptic examination followed by cycloplegic retinoscopy. Children with amblyopia, strabismus, ophthalmic disease or very high refractive error were excluded. Those exceeding the AAPOS 2003 Criteria (> + 3.5D spherical equivalent (SE), > 1.5D astigmatism, > 1.5D anisometropia) were randomized into wearing glasses or not, and are followed-up by research orthoptists. Other children are followed-up by regular vision screening at CHCs and visual acuity is measured in all children at age 4.

Results

Parents of 865 children were called, 123 were excluded. Of 742 children enrolled, 601 underwent the entry orthoptic examination at age 14.5 ± 1.7 months. Mean SE was + 1.73 ± 1.18D, astigmatism -0.70 ± 0.44D, anisometropia 0.21D (IQR: 0–0.25). Of 62 (10.3%) children exceeding the Criteria, 52 were randomized into wearing glasses or not. Of 539 other children, 522 are followed up at CHCs. In total, 31 were excluded: 2 had strabismus and amblyopia, 7 strabismus, 2 amblyopia suspect, 1 strabismus suspect, 1 squinting during sinusitis, 4 excessive refractive error, 9 myopia, 2 ptosis, 1 oculomotor apraxia, 1 Duane syndrome, 1 congenital nystagmus.

Conclusion

Prevalence of strabismus (10/601) was as expected, but prevalence of amblyopia (2/601) was low, suggesting that common amblyopia develops later than generally thought.

Key messages

What is known

High refractive errors cause amblyopia, but no study has determined the exact relationship between the kind and size of refractive error at age 1 and the risk to develop amblyopia, and assessed the protective effect of glasses in a controlled, population-based, longitudinal study.

What is new

At baseline, 601 children received a full orthoptic examination followed by retinoscopy in cycloplegia at the age of 14.5 ± 1.7 months; 10.3% had high refractive error exceeding spherical equivalent > + 3.5D, > 1.5D astigmatism, > 1D oblique astigmatism or > 1.5D anisometropia.

The prevalence of amblyopia was lower (0.3%) than expected, suggesting that most amblyopia develops after the first year of life.

The prevalence of anisometropia, associated with amblyopia in older children, was low (0.8%).
ADHD and cognitive disengagement syndrome symptoms related to self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in early adolescents
Authors: Thornton Keely E. , Wiggs Kelsey K. , Epstein Jeffery N. , Tamm Leanne , Becker Stephen P.
Published: September 2024

The current study examined attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) dimensions and cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) symptoms in relation to self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) in an early adolescent sample. Participants were 341 adolescents ages 10–12 years (52.2% female; 37.8% people of color) recruited from the community. Caregivers reported on CDS and ADHD symptoms. Adolescents completed a rating scale and were administered an interview assessing SITBs. We estimated associations using logistic regression in a stepped fashion: (1) no adjustment, (2) adjustment for sex, race, family income, and psychotropic medication use, and (3) further adjustment for depressive symptoms. In this early adolescent community sample, 22.9% reported a history of suicidal ideation, 8.2% reported a history of a suicide plan, 6.2% reported a history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and 16.4% met a clinical cutoff for current suicide risk. Across most analyses using rating scale or interview methods, higher mean CDS scores were related to endorsement of suicidal ideation and planning. ADHD inattentive (IN) and hyperactive-impulsive (HI) symptoms were associated with endorsement of NSSI, and ADHD-IN symptoms were associated with thoughts of suicide and/or plan measured via questionnaire, though effects were less robust and not significant, potentially due to low base rates impacting statistical power. This study adds to a growing body of research highlighting the importance of screening for CDS symptoms among individuals with and without ADHD. More research, especially longitudinal work, is needed that examines possible differential pathways to SITBs by ADHD and CDS symptoms to advance SITB prevention, early detection, and intervention.
Work domain modeling of human-automation interaction for in-vehicle automation
Authors: Zhang You , Lintern Gavan
Published: September 2024

Automated driving systems are deployed on public roads with little empirical support for the dominant justifications of enhanced safety and enhanced productivity. Furthermore, development of automated driving systems has been piecemeal rather than systematic while research on driver-automation interaction has relied on individual analysis of accidents and on observational studies of driving behavior in a simulator or on the road. In this paper, we apply Work Domain Analysis to develop a more systematic and comprehensive model of automated driving. We use a strategy of layering the driving automation onto the resulting Abstraction-Decomposition Space for manual driving to mimic the existing design strategy of introducing automation to take over driving functions previously the responsibility of the human driver. Our analysis shows that automation does not unequivocally supports dominant driving values. Furthermore, our analysis revealed subtle interdependencies between human and technological functions. We conclude that an Abstraction Decomposition Space offers a systematic view of driver-automation interaction that can suggest new insights for automation design.
Learning to learn for few-shot continual active learning
Authors: Ho Stella , Liu Ming , Gao Shang , Gao Longxiang
Published: September 2024

Continual learning strives to ensure stability in solving previously seen tasks while demonstrating plasticity in a novel domain. Recent advances in continual learning are mostly confined to a supervised learning setting, especially in NLP domain. In this work, we consider a few-shot continual active learning setting where labeled data are inadequate, and unlabeled data are abundant but with a limited annotation budget. We exploit meta-learning and propose a method, called Meta-Continual Active Learning. This method sequentially queries the most informative examples from a pool of unlabeled data for annotation to enhance task-specific performance and tackles continual learning problems through a meta-objective. Specifically, we employ meta-learning and experience replay to address inter-task confusion and catastrophic forgetting. We further incorporate textual augmentations to avoid memory over-fitting caused by experience replay and sample queries, thereby ensuring generalization. We conduct extensive experiments on benchmark text classification datasets from diverse domains to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of meta-continual active learning. We also analyze the impact of different active learning strategies on various meta continual learning models. The experimental results demonstrate that introducing randomness into sample selection is the best default strategy for maintaining generalization in meta-continual learning framework.
Reinforcement learning-based drone simulators: survey, practice, and challenge
Authors: Chan Jun Hoong , Liu Kai , Chen Yu , Sagar A. S. M. Sharifuzzaman , Kim Yong-Guk
Published: September 2024

Recently, machine learning has been very useful in solving diverse tasks with drones, such as autonomous navigation, visual surveillance, communication, disaster management, and agriculture. Among these machine learning, two representative paradigms have been widely utilized in such applications: supervised learning and reinforcement learning. Researchers prefer to use supervised learning, mostly based on convolutional neural networks, because of its robustness and ease of use but yet data labeling is laborious and time-consuming. On the other hand, when traditional reinforcement learning is combined with the deep neural network, it can be a very powerful tool to solve high-dimensional input problems such as image and video. Along with the fast development of reinforcement learning, many researchers utilize reinforcement learning in drone applications, and it often outperforms supervised learning. However, it usually requires the agent to explore the environment on a trial-and-error basis which is high cost and unrealistic in the real environment. Recent advances in simulated environments can allow an agent to learn by itself to overcome these drawbacks, although the gap between the real environment and the simulator has to be minimized in the end. In this sense, a realistic and reliable simulator is essential for reinforcement learning training. This paper investigates various drone simulators that work with diverse reinforcement learning architectures. The characteristics of the reinforcement learning-based drone simulators are analyzed and compared for the researchers who would like to employ them for their projects. Finally, we shed light on some challenges and potential directions for future drone simulators.
From Non-Traditional Sexual Behavior to Non-Legitimate Victims: Moral Virtue, Victim Blame, and Helping Intentions Toward a Woman Victim of Image-Based Sexual Abuse
Authors: Pacilli Maria Giuseppina , Pagliaro Stefano , Giovannelli Ilaria , Spaccatini Federica , Berlin Elisa , Rollero Chiara
Published: September 2024

Image-based sexual abuse represents an increasingly common form of gender-based violence, consisting of the act of non-consensually capturing, distributing, or threatening to distribute sexually explicit material depicting another person. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how women victims’ noncompliance with traditional female sexuality influences bystanders’ perceptions of the phenomenon. Specifically, we experimentally examined whether a woman’s sexual agency (high vs. low) and the length (steady vs. transient) of the relationship with the perpetrator affected her moral evaluation, victim blaming, and participants’ willingness to support her. A sample of 597 adults (65.7% women, Mage = 31.29 years) took part in the study. The findings indicated that while a transient (vs. steady) relationship with the perpetrator significantly lowered the woman’s perceived moral virtue and increased the extent to which she was blamed for the incident, a high (vs. low) woman’s sexual agency decreased participants’ helping intentions towards her. Additionally, results showed that men were less likely than women to attribute moral virtue and help the victim. Lastly, through the mediation of moral virtue and victim blaming, the length of the relationship indirectly influenced participants’ helping intentions.
PD-L1 and VEGF dual blockade enhances anti-tumor effect on brain metastasis in hematogenous metastasis model
Authors: Masuda Chinami , Onishi Shinichi , Yorozu Keigo , Kurasawa Mitsue , Morinaga Mamiko , Wakita Daiko , Sugimoto Masamichi
Published: September 2024

Immunotherapy improves survival outcomes in cancer patients, but there is still an unmet clinical need in the treatment of brain metastases. Here, we used a mouse model to investigate the antitumor effect of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) dual blockade on metastatic brain tumors and evaluated immune responses during treatment. After establishing hematogenous brain metastasis by transplanting murine bladder carcinoma MBT2 cells stably expressing secNLuc reporter via the internal carotid artery of C3H/HeNCrl mice, we observed the formation of metastases not only in the brain parenchyma but also in the ventricles. The observed pathological areas showed that metastases in the ventricle were histologically larger than that in the brain parenchyma. Regarding the total tumor burden in the whole brain as revealed by Nluc activities, the combination of anti-PD-L1 antibody and anti-VEGF antibody showed a stronger anti-tumor effect than each single agent. Anti-PD-L1 antibody alone enhanced CD8+ T cell priming in regional lymph nodes, increased the proportion of activated CD8+ T cells in whole brain, and increased the density of CD8+ cells in the brain parenchyma. Furthermore, anti-VEGF antibody alone decreased microvessel density (MVD) in ventricular metastases, and the combination treatment increased intratumoral CD8+ cell density in the brain parenchyma and ventricular metastases. These results suggest that PD-L1 blockade enhanced cancer immunity not only in brain metastases lesions but also in the regional lymph nodes of the metastases, and that the addition of VEGF blockade increased the antitumor effect by increasing the infiltration of activated CD8+ T cell and decreasing MVD.
The use of image analysis in improving knowledge and skills on the example of teaching the biology of algae and fungi
Authors: Vydra Marek , Kováčik Jozef
Published: September 2024

We investigated the effect of short-term teaching (3 weeks) using image analysis on gymnasium/secondary school students’ (ISCED3A) skills (science process skills, SPS) and knowledge using Fiji (ImageJ) software. The theoretical teaching was combined with IT-based education (measurement of the area or signal intensity on photos from scientific papers using algae Ulva or Coccomyxa and the fungus Glomerella) and students formed conclusions from data and answered knowledge questions. Experimental education increased score (post-test/pre-test) in the area of knowledge (by 102%) and SPS (by 44%) and greater impact of IT implementation on the development of girls’ SPS and knowledge was found. Besides, the Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a more intense improvement of students who had greater deficiencies in pre-test. This experimental gymnasium group (n = 53) also retained a higher score in re-test in comparison with control gymnasium students (without the implementation of image analysis, n = 54) and detailed analysis of individual questions revealed that there was a development of SPS, especially those that were emphasized in the experimental teaching. Another control group “university students” (ISCED5A, n = 19) had a higher score in re-test than the experimental gymnasium group, but the area of knowledge was comparable. These results indicate that the involvement of IT improves SPS and knowledge of gymnasium students at the level comparable with university students. The test and worksheets are attached for free use with the aim of improving the teaching of less interesting topics such as botany.
Mathematics teachers’ beliefs about their roles in teaching mathematics: orchestrating scaffolding in cooperative learning
Authors: Li Rangmei , Cevikbas Mustafa , Kaiser Gabriele
Published: September 2024

Teaching methods to promote cooperative learning may shape mathematics teachers’ roles in the classroom, requiring a shift from direct supervision to delegating authority to small groups of students. While it is widely acknowledged that mathematics teachers’ beliefs play a crucial role in shaping their instructional practices and behaviors, there is limited research on how mathematics teachers’ beliefs about their professional roles influence their scaffolding behaviors in cooperative learning environments. The aim of this qualitative study is to investigate mathematics teachers’ beliefs about their roles in cooperative learning and the relationships between their beliefs and instructional scaffolding practices, which are highly important in cooperative learning environments. In this study, we investigate the teaching practices of four middle school mathematics teachers in Beijing, China, through videotaping of their teaching and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The results show that the participating in-service mathematics teachers held conflicting beliefs about their roles, oscillating between direct supervision (as specialist and controller) and delegation of authority (as observer and facilitator). These beliefs could be identified in different patterns of teacher–student interaction, including unidirectional interactions, non-scaffolding interactions, and scaffolding interactions. In this paper, we critically examine these findings and conclude with a reflection on the limitations of this study and its implications for future research and practice.
3D characterization of kinematic fields and poroelastic swelling near the tip of a propagating crack in a hydrogel
Authors: Li Chenzhuo , Zubko Danila , Delespaul Damien , Kolinski John Martin
Published: September 2024

In fracture mechanics, polyacrylamide hydrogel has been widely used as a model material in experiments due to its optical transparency, the brittle nature of its failure, and low Rayleigh wave velocity. Indeed, linear elastic fracture mechanics has been used successfully to model the fracture of polyacrylamide hydrogels. However, in soft materials such as hydrogels, the crack opening can be extremely large, leading to substantial geometric and material nonlinearity at the crack tip. Furthermore, poroelasticity may also modify the local mechanical state within the polymer network due to solvent migration. Direct characterization of the kinematic fields and the poroelastic response at the crack tip is lacking. Here we use a hybrid digital image correlation—particle tracking technique to retrieve high-resolution 3D particle trajectories near the tip of a slowly propagating crack, and measure the near-tip 3D kinematic fields in-situ. With this method, we charactherize the displacement fields, rotation fields, stretch fields, strain fields, and swelling fields. These measurements confirm the complex multi-axial stretching near the crack tip and the substantial geometric nonlinearity, particularly in the wake of the crack, where material rotation exceeds $$30^{\circ }$$

30
∘

. Comparison between the measured fields and the corresponding prediction from linear elastic fracture mechanics highlights an increasing disagreement in the direct vicinity of the crack tip, particularly for displacement component $$u_x$$

u
x

and the through-thickness strain component $$\varepsilon _{zz}$$

ε

zz

. Significant swelling occurs due to solvent migration, with a strong correlation to the local stretch.
Efficacy of intrauterine autologous blood cell derivatives in enhancing endometrial thickness and IVF outcomes for women with recurrent implantation failure: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Tiwari Shivangi , Poojari Vidyashree G. , Mundkur Anjali , Adiga Prashanth , Kumar Pratap , Bhatele Prashant , Palanivel Vasanthi
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of intrauterine infusion of autologous blood cell derivative (ABCD) on endometrial thickness and pregnancy outcomes in a group of patients who underwent IVF with recurrent implantation failure (RIF) and who had either a normal endometrium or thin endometrium.

Methods

This retrospective study included 63 patients who experienced RIF at the Department of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, KMC, Manipal, between January 2021 and March 2024 and who received three doses of intrauterine ABCD infusion to prepare the endometrium for frozen embryo transfer (FET).

Results

We enrolled 63 RIF patients, 30 with a normal endometrium (NEM) and 33 with a thin endometrium (TEM). The endometrial thickness (EMT) significantly increased across all the groups. After 3 cycles of intrauterine ABCD infusion, the mean increases in EMT in the NEM and TEM groups were 0.77 mm and 1.36 mm, respectively, which were statistically significant. Among the 62 completed FET cycles, 40.3% were positive for beta-hCG. The clinical pregnancy rate was 33.8% (40% in the NEM group, 28.1% in the TEM group), and the live birth rate was 24.2% (30% in the NEM group, 18.8% in the TEM group). A total of 9.7% of pregnancies had spontaneous miscarriages. Moreover, the EMT did not differ between the pregnant and nonpregnant groups.

Conclusion

Intrauterine ABCD infusion improves the pregnancy outcomes of patients with RIF, regardless of the EMT. The results of this study revealed that endometrial receptivity improved significantly along with the EMT.
Trends in patient age at planned oocyte cryopreservation
Authors: Shavit Tal , Hasson Joseph , Hyman Jordana Hadassah , Tsafrir Avi
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The outcome of planned oocyte cryopreservation (POC) is inversely related to the age at the time of oocyte cryopreservation commencing in the mid-30 s. We sought to evaluate whether the age of women undergoing POC has changed over the last decade.

Methods

The study employed a retrospective, observational multicenter design. It included all women who had at least one POC cycle in two large private IVF units belonging to the same medical organization in Israel. The main outcome measure was age at the first cycle. Data on the total number of women each year and their age at the first cycle were recorded.

Results

Between 2011 and the end of 2023, 4488 women underwent POC. The average age at the first retrieval was 36.2 years (± 2.4). In 2011, the average age was 38.3 years (± 2.6), which decreased to 35.4 years (± 2.5) in 2023. The trendline indicates a decline in the average age of 3.0 months per year (β =  − 0.252, F = 301.8, p < 0.001). The proportion of women aged < 36 at their first POC cycle increased from 14% in 2011 to 54% in 2023.

Conclusions

The age at the time of POC has significantly declined over the past decade. This trend may potentially lead to higher overall birth rates from POC, though further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.
The spectrum of radioactive water vapor: the H219O radio-isotopologue
Authors: Voronin Boris A. , Tennyson Jonathan , Chesnokova Tatyana Yu. , Chentsov Aleksei V. , Bykov Aleksandr D.
Published: September 2024

The absorption spectrum of H219O, a radioactive isotopologue of the water molecule, is predicted using variational nuclear motion calculated based on a high precision potential energy function and ab initio dipole moment surface. Vibrational - rotational energy levels and wave functions, line centers and Einstein coefficients for dipole transitions are calculated. Predicted transition wavenumbers are improved by extrapolating known empirical energy levels of the stable H216O, H217O and H218O isotopologues to H219O. A line list for possible atmospheric application is presented which includes air line broadening coefficients. The calculations span a wide spectral range covering infrared and visible wavelengths, and are appropriate for temperatures up to 1000 K. Windows suitable for observing absorption by H219O are identified and comparisons made with the infrared spectra of water vapor in natural abundance, H215O and H214O.
Activation cross section for 85Rb(n,2n)84mRb and 85Rb(n,p)85mKr reactions with uncertainty propagation and covariance analysis
Authors: Mehta Mayur , Singh N. L. , Singh Ratankumar , Makwana R. , Subhash P. V. , Chauhan Rakesh , Suryanarayana S. V. , Katovsky K.
Published: September 2024

The cross section of 85Rb(n,2n)84mRb and 85Rb(n,p)85mKr reactions were measured at neutron energy range 12–20 MeV using activation analysis followed by off-line γ-ray spectroscopic technique. The quasi mono-energetic neutrons were produced through 7Li(p,n)7Be reaction. The measurements were done relative to 27Al(n,α)24Na reference monitor reaction cross section. The detailed uncertainty propagation from the attributes present in measurements was performed using covariance analysis. The γ-ray self-attenuation and background low neutron energy corrections were performed in the measurement studies. Theoretical calculations were performed by TALYS-1.96 nuclear code. The comparison of measured values with the available data in EXFOR database and evaluated data from JENDL-5 and EAF-2010 shows the measured cross section values of 85Rb(n,p)85mKr reaction were slightly higher than the published values, evaluated data and theoretical data while for 85Rb(n,2n)84mRb, the measured values were consistent with the published data.
Verification of seasonal correction factor for indoor radon concentration in Slovakia
Authors: Müllerová Monika , Smetanová Iveta , Brandýsová Alžbeta , Benková Viktória , Csicsay Kristian
Published: September 2024

The results of a pilot study performed on data from selected dwellings in Slovakia suggested that the best agreement between measured and calculated annual mean indoor radon activity concentration (RAC) were obtained by using seasonal correction factors (SCF) determined for winter season. In this paper, SCF was applied on results obtained during a new, independent radon survey conducted in homes during years 2022–2023. In this study, 79 rooms were monitored throughout the year in four cycles based on 3 month indoor radon measurements. The preliminary results show a good agreement between measured and calculated annual mean RAC.
Nested case–control sampling without replacement
Authors: Shin Yei Eun , Saegusa Takumi
Published: September 2024

Nested case–control design (NCC) is a cost-effective outcome-dependent design in epidemiology that collects all cases and a fixed number of controls at the time of case diagnosis from a large cohort. Due to inefficiency relative to full cohort studies, previous research developed various estimation methodologies but changing designs in the formulation of risk sets was considered only in view of potential bias in the partial likelihood estimation. In this paper, we study a modified design that excludes previously selected controls from risk sets in view of efficiency improvement as well as bias. To this end, we extend the inverse probability weighting method of Samuelsen which was shown to outperform the partial likelihood estimator in the standard setting. We develop its asymptotic theory and a variance estimation of both regression coefficients and the cumulative baseline hazard function that takes account of the complex feature of the modified sampling design. In addition to good finite sample performance of variance estimation, simulation studies show that the modified design with the proposed estimator is more efficient than the standard design. Examples are provided using data from NIH-AARP Diet and Health Cohort Study.
Cognitive Training During Midlife: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhu Chen , Arunogiri Shalini , Li Qi , Thomas Elizabeth H. X. , Gurvich Caroline
Published: September 2024

Midlife has been suggested to be a crucial time to introduce interventions for improving cognitive functions. The effects of cognitive training (CT) in healthy middle-aged populations and more specifically during the menopausal transition have not been systematically investigated. To investigate the effects of CT on cognition in healthy middle-aged adults and specifically in females during the menopause transition, literature was searched inception to July 2023 and studies were included that examined the effects of CT on a defined cognitive outcome. The improvement on cognitive performance following CT was the main outcome measured as mean difference (from baseline to immediate post) estimates with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) in meta-analysis and was discussed with the support of subgroup analysis based on outcome type (i.e., far or near-transfer) and cluster tabulations. Nineteen articles were included in the qualitative synthesis with a total of 7765 individuals, and eight articles were included in the meta-analyses. CT was categorized into six type clusters: Game-based CT, General CT, Speed of Processing Training, Working Memory Training, Strategy-based CT, and Cognitive Remediation. Cognitive outcome was divided into six clusters: working memory, verbal memory, language, executive function, attention/processing speed, and visual memory. Meta-analysis reported significant improvement in the domain of executive function (0.48, 95% CI 0.08–0.87), verbal memory (0.22, 95% CI 0.11–0.33), and working memory (0.16, 95% CI 0.05–0.26). CT confers benefits on various cognitive domains, suggesting a potential role of CT to promote optimal cognitive functioning in the midlife and specifically in women during the menopause transition.
Testing the AQ10 as a Predictor of Poor Work-Related Psychological Wellbeing Among Newly Ordained Anglican Clergy in England
Authors: Francis Leslie J. , Smith Greg , McKenna Ursula
Published: September 2024

Although the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ10) was originally designed to identify referrals for professional diagnosis for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), recent studies suggest that this instrument may also be tapping more generalised affective disorders. Working with this revised interpretation and a slightly revised measure (dropping one item), this study examines the predictive power of the AQ10 to account for additional variance, after personal and personality factors have been taken into account, on the two scales of the Francis Burnout Inventory. Data provided by 388 Anglican curates serving in their second year of ministry in the Church of England or the Church in Wales demonstrated that 3.8% of the participants recorded six or more red flags on the AQ10 (and so qualified for referral for specialist diagnostic assessment) and that higher scores on the revised AQ10 are associated with significantly lower levels of satisfaction in ministry and with significantly higher levels of emotional exhaustion in ministry. These data suggest that screening with the AQ10 may be helpful in identifying clergy vulnerable to professional burnout and to poor work-related psychological wellbeing, as well as identifying qualification for referral for specialist diagnostic assessment.
Life, sense-making, and subjectivity. Why the enactive conception of life and mind requires phenomenology
Authors: Bogotá Juan Diego
Published: September 2024

One of the ideas that characterises the enactive approach to cognition is that life and mind are deeply continuous, which means that both phenomena share the same basic set of organisational and phenomenological properties. The appeal to phenomenology to address life and basic cognition is controversial. It has been argued that, because of its reliance on phenomenological categories, enactivism may implicitly subscribe to a form of anthropomorphism incompatible with the modern scientific framework. These worries are a result of a lack of clarity concerning the role that phenomenology can play in relation to biology and our understanding of non-human organisms. In this paper, I examine whether phenomenology can be validly incorporated into the enactive conception of mind and life. I argue that enactivists must rely on phenomenology when addressing life and mind so that they can properly conceptualise minimal living systems as cognitive, as well as argue for an enactive conception of biology in line with their call for a non-objectivist science. To sustain these claims, I suggest that enactivism must be further phenomenologised by not only drawing from Hans Jonas’s phenomenology of the organism (as enactivists often do) but also from Edmund Husserl’s thoughts on the connection between transcendental phenomenology and biology. Additionally, phenomenology must be considered capable of providing explanatory accounts of phenomena
The POSE-2 Procedure for People with Obesity: A Safe and Effective Treatment Option
Authors: Jense Marijn T. F. , Hodde Tymen , Palm-Meinders Inge H. , Bours Paul H. A. , Soufidi Khalida , Boerma Evert-Jan G. , Greve Jan Willem M.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Besides lifestyle interventions, medication, and surgery, endoscopic options are becoming part of the current treatment landscape for people with obesity. With the POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery Endoscopic) procedure, endoluminal folds are created in the stomach with full-thickness sutures. Recently, the modified version, POSE-2, was introduced in clinical practice. This study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the POSE-2 procedure after one year in patients with obesity.

Materials and Methods

All patients treated with the POSE-2 procedure between March 2019 and November 2022 in the Zuyderland Medical Center and the Dutch Obesity Clinic were included in this retrospective data study. Inclusion criteria are as follows: age between 18 and 65 years and a BMI > 30 kg/m2. All patients with contraindications for the POSE-2 procedure were excluded.

Results

Forty-nine patients were included of which 86% were female, with a mean age of 46 years and mean BMI of 34.6 kg/m2. Total weight loss was evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months and was 11.5%, 13.2%, and 14.8%, respectively. A median of 14 anchor sutures was used in a median procedure time of 50 min. All patients except one had same day discharge. Postprocedural complaints were mild and consisted of nausea and vomiting (36.7%) and pain (54.2%). No complications were recorded in this group. One week postprocedure, most patients (95.9%) reported feeling satisfied between meals.

Conclusion

The POSE-2 procedure can be applied as a safe and effective treatment for people with obesity. This study presents a positive effect on weight reduction and no complications after 1 year of follow-up.

Graphical Abstract
Effects of Si Solution on Stability of Early 3d Transition-Metal Tri-Aluminides, Al3T (T = Sc, Ti and V)
Authors: Fang C. M. , Que Z. P. , Fan Z.
Published: September 2024

Addition of the early 3d transition metals results in formation of primary Al3T (T = Sc, Ti and V) phases in Al alloys during casting. The newly formed Al3T particles not only improve the mechanical performance of the products but also act as grain-refiners in the solidification processes. Meanwhile, experiments found impacts of impurities, such as Si, on the formation of the Al3T phases; the mechanism is not fully understood. We here investigate effects of Si solution on the stability and crystal chemistry of the Al3T phases using first-principles density-functional theory. The study has revealed a rich variety of effects of Si solution on the Al3T phases. Si solution stabilizes the D022-Al3Ti structure so that it becomes the ground state, taking over the binary D023 phase. Si solution in D022-V occurs only at elevated temperature. Si solution has little impact on the Al3Sc phase relationship. The obtained information helps characterize the (Al, Si)3 T particles in Al products, understand their role in solidification and further design new Al alloys of desirable properties.
Development of a Frugal Onboard Tire Pressure Monitoring Control System
Authors: Pai Anand , Sunil Neelanshu , Ashik Afraz , Padmasali Anjan N. , Kini Savitha G. , Shenoy B. Satish
Published: September 2024

Tires, the bridge between vehicles and roads, play an unparalleled role in both performance and safety. In everyday use, the tire health is often neglected, with factors such as tread depth, inflation pressure, and tire damage overlooked by most users, leading to $$\sim$$
∼
30% of cars in developed nations, operating with underinflated tires, a situation exacerbated in developing nations. Hence, innovations such as tire Pressure Monitoring Systems have become imperative. The objective of the current work is to develop an economical, direct, on-board tire pressure monitor for automotive tire health upkeep. This is achieved through the integration of a pressure sensor and transmitter with an Arduino, and wireless transmission of the data to the dashboard display. While the initial model, tested on a bicycle, effectively displayed tire pressure on the handlebar-mounted LCD screen with an accompanying LED indicating deviations from the standard pressure, the current design has lot of scope for improvement by the utilization of a wireless technologies for the pressure sensors for continuous monitoring of tire pressures in a range of vehicles from two-wheelers to heavy vehicles.
Assessing energy efficiency of natural gas in China’s transition towards carbon neutrality
Authors: Zheng Jinhui , Guo Meiyu , Lo Kevin , Lian Beilei , Chen Yumin , Wu Yi , Lin Lijie
Published: September 2024

As countries worldwide strive for a sustainable energy transition, the role of natural gas in achieving carbon neutrality targets has gained increasing attention. This study evaluates the energy efficiency of natural gas (EENG) in China from 2008 to 2021, using the Slacks-Based Measure Data Envelopment Analysis model to examine temporal dynamics and regional disparities. The spatial Durbin model is employed to investigate the factors influencing EENG, considering spatial spillover effects. The results reveal an overall improvement in China’s EENG over time, with significant temporal and regional variations. Urbanization, environmental regulation, natural gas infrastructure, industrial structure, and technological innovation are found to have significant positive impacts on EENG, with notable spatial spillover effects and regional heterogeneity. These findings contribute to the literature on sustainable energy transitions and provide valuable insights for policymakers to develop targeted strategies for enhancing natural gas efficiency and achieving carbon neutrality in China.
Impact of Nitrogen and Water on Barley Grain Yield and Malting Quality
Authors: Cammarano Davide , Holland Jonathan , Gianinetti Alberto , Baronchelli Marina , Ronga Domenico
Published: September 2024

Barley is among the most important crops in northern latitudes especially for malting and distilling. Inter-annual weather variability in terms of rainfall and temperature patterns can impact crop uptake of soil water and nitrogen, which influences the crop growth and development. The present study shows the effects of nitrogen and water applied on: (i) specific grain quality traits necessary for distilling; (ii) plant biomass, nitrogen, and yield; and (iii) farmer’s marginal net return. The experiment was conducted during the growing seasons of 2018 and 2019 at the James Hutton Institute (UK) with two nitrogen fertilizers and two irrigation levels. During the growing season soil mineral nitrogen and soil water content and plant biomass and nitrogen were measured. At harvest yield, yield component, and grain quality traits were determined.2018 was a very dry growing season, as opposed to the wetter 2019 respect to the long-term growing season rainfall (1974–2017). Grain yield in 2018 was higher for the irrigated treatment, but in 2019 the irrigation, due to high rainfall, had lower yield. Environmental conditions impacted grain quality, and the patterns of soil water and mineral N affecting the final quality traits. Despite variable weather conditions the grain quality requirements from the industry of either beer or whisky are met.