bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Absence of magnetic order in RuO2: insights from μSR spectroscopy and neutron diffraction
Authors: Keßler Philipp , Garcia-Gassull Laura , Suter Andreas , Prokscha Thomas , Salman Zaher , Khalyavin Dmitry , Manuel Pascal , Orlandi Fabio , Mazin Igor I. , Valentí Roser , Moser Simon
Published: October 2024

Altermagnets are a novel class of magnetic materials, where magnetic order is staggered both in coordinate and momentum space. The metallic rutile oxide RuO2, long believed to be a textbook Pauli paramagnet, recently emerged as a putative workhorse altermagnet when resonant X-ray and neutron scattering studies reported nonzero magnetic moments and long-range collinear order. While some experiments seem consistent with altermagnetism, magnetic order in RuO2remains controversial. We show that RuO2is nonmagnetic, both in bulk and thin film. Muon spectroscopy complemented by density-functional theory finds at most 1.14 × 10−4 μB/Ru in bulk and at most 7.5 × 10−4 μB/Ru in 11 nm epitaxial films, at our spectrometers’ detection limit, and dramatically smaller than previously reported neutron results that were used to rationalize altermagnetic behavior. Our own neutron diffraction measurements on RuO2single crystals identify multiple scattering as the source for the false signal in earlier studies.
Effects of the recognition sites of MOFs on turn-off fluorescence detection of Fe3+
Authors: Li Senlin , Gu Yanan , Zhao Bo , Cai Haocheng , Zhao Zhuo , Sun Qiaozhen , Zhang Bingguang
Published: October 2024

Two Cd(ii) coordination polymers are designed to investigate the effect of recognition sites on turn off fluorescence detection of Fe3+.
Exploration of molybdenum oxide precursors: a theoretical study of MoxOy (x = 1–10) clusters
Authors: Han Tongying , Zhang Mingxiang , Zhang Aixinye , Chi Yuhua , Guo Wenyue , Li Jia , Ding Feng , Zhao Wen
Published: October 2024

This work constructed a comprehensive database of stable MoxOy cluster structures, elucidating their stability and structural evolution mechanisms.
Promoted thermoelectric performance in cubic-phase GeTe via grain-boundary phase elimination under phase diagram guidance
Authors: Zhang Fudong , Ma Baopeng , Luo Yiyuan , Zhu Lujun , Wang Weishuai , Shi Yalin , Jia Beiquan , Ge Zhen-Hua , Yang Zupei , Wu Di , He Jiaqing
Published: October 2024

The Ag8GeTe6 grain boundary phase gets eliminated in cubic-phase δ-TAGS as guided by a quaternary phase diagram.
Quantitatively detecting and characterizing metallic lithium in lithium-based batteries
Authors: Zheng Zhi , Fang Xue , Deng Wei , Li Peng , Zheng Xiaobo , Zhang Hang , Li Lin , Chou Shulei , Chen Yuan , Tang Yongbing , Wang Jiazhao
Published: October 2024

Quantitative detection and characterization methods for analysis of metallic Li and related inactive components of Li batteries and their related characteristics are discussed.
Production of nanochitins via a shell biorefinery process for self-assembly applications as photonic films and Pickering emulsions
Authors: Zhu Xuhai , Peng Fuyan , Li Hui , Lin Rongjun , Lu Rui , Lu Fang
Published: October 2024

A simple, environmentally friendly, and flexible shell biorefinery process for integrated utilization of all NCh products in high-value applications, such as photonic films and Pickering emulsions.
Catalytic C–N bond formation strategies for green amination of biomass-derived molecules
Authors: Zhong Yan , Liu Feng , Li Jingsha , Guo Chunxian
Published: October 2024

Recent advances in the amination of biomass-derived molecules to generate valuable nitrogenous chemicals by employing thermocatalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis strategies are reviewed.
Rational design of the La-doped CuCoAl hydrotalcite catalyst for selective hydrogenation of furfuryl alcohol to 1,5-pentanediol
Authors: Tan Jingjing , Huang Hailong , Zhang Yuanna , Cui Jinglei , Zhang Jing , Huang Long , Wang Yongzhao , Zhu Yulei
Published: October 2024

A near 60% yield of 1,5-PeD was achieved over a La/CuCoAl-DP catalyst under 160 °C, 4 MPa H2 within 2 h. The excellent activity of this catalyst was derived from the synergistic catalysis of the Cu0, CoOx, La(OH)3 and Cu–La interface.
Catalyst derived from in situ-formed amorphous carbon to enhance the hydrogen sorption behavior of MgH2
Authors: Cheng Ying , Li Fengxin , Jing Changyong , Zhao Jieyu , Shi Biqing , Tang Lin , Zheng Yidan , Zhang Wei
Published: October 2024

In situ-generated amorphous carbon and MgO catalyze the improved sorption properties of MgH2.
Shooting short-wavelength nonlinear optical materials with targeted balance performances in hydroxyborates through first-principles high-throughput screening
Authors: Li Chenxu , Tudi Abudukadi , Cheng Huanhuan , Liu Qingyu , Yang Zhihua , Pan Shilie
Published: October 2024

High-throughput screening of 222 hydroxyborates identified three as promising short-wavelength ultraviolet nonlinear optical. with phase-matching second harmonic generation capacity extending to the solar blind region (200–280 nm).
Ir/XuPhos-catalyzed direct asymmetric reductive amination of ketones with secondary amines
Authors: Luo Zhou , Fan Tianxiang , Luo Jingyan , Liu Yuanyuan , Zhang Junliang
Published: October 2024

We herein report a novel iridium catalyst with XuPhos as a chiral monodentate phosphine ligand for the direct asymmetric reductive amination of ketones with secondary amines, providing a series of chiral tertiary amines efficiently.
Electrochemical 1,2-hydrogen atom transfer functionalizations of N-(benzyloxy)phthalimides
Authors: Fu Xin , Ran Tingting , Liu Jie
Published: October 2024

We describe a straightforward and efficient electrochemical approach for the cathodic benzylic C–H hydroxyalkylation and arylation of N-(alkyloxy)phthalimides mediated by the 1,2-HAT of alkoxy radicals.
Unexpected full-color luminescence produced from the aggregation of unconventional chromophores in novel polyborosilazane dendrimers
Authors: Li Yuang , Zhu Yingli , Li Xiangcheng , Chen Pingan
Published: October 2024

This work reports the novel example of an yttrium-branched polyborosilazane polymer exhibiting orange-yellow clusteroluminescence, and PY3 samples with ultra-broad emission spectra covering the range of 400–750 nm.
Magnetic–chemotactic hybrid microrobots with precise remote targeting capability
Authors: You Ming , Zhang Shuming , Chen Binjie , Mou Fangzhi , Guan Jianguo
Published: October 2024

Synthetic microrobots equipped with hybrid magnetic and chemotactic engines can achieve precise remote targeting for bacteria elimination.
Ladder-type materials with D–π–D architectures as robust gain media for organic lasers
Authors: Liu Cheng-Fang , Gao Kun , Zhao Ting , Si Lin , Ding Chuanqi , Liu Xu , Li Xiangchun , Lai Wen-Yong
Published: October 2024

A new series of ladder-type materials with donor–π–donor (D–π–D) architectures and diphenylamine (DPA) end-cappers, namely LBDT, LIDT and LIDTT, were developed as robust gain media for organic lasing.
A robust iterative learning control for linear system with variable initial state and trail length
Authors: Wei Yun‐Shan , Wang Jia‐Xuan , Zhang Yu‐Ting , Xu Qing‐Yuan
Published: October 2024

To address the variable initial state and trail length this paper first presents a robust PD‐type open‐closed‐loop iterative learning control (ILC) law for a multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) linear discrete‐time system. It is demonstrated that the convergence condition is dependent on the PD‐type feed‐forward learning gains, while an appropriate feedback learning gain can improve the ILC convergence performance. As a special case of PD‐type open‐closed‐loop ILC law, P‐type and D‐type open‐closed‐loop ILC laws are deduced. The three developed ILC laws ensure that as the number of iterations approaches infinity, the expectation of ILC tracking error will be constrained within a limited range, where the boundary is proportional to the initial state variation. Through a numerical simulation, the effectiveness of the proposed ILC laws is illustrated.
Optimizing customized bus services for multi‐trip urban passengers: A bi‐objective approach
Authors: Guan Yunlin , Wang Yun , Guo Haonan , Liu Xiaobing , Yan Xuedong
Published: October 2024

Customized bus services typically focus on single‐trip requests, which often struggle to accommodate the growing needs for varied multiple trips in urban daily travel. This paper addresses the customized bus routing problem for passengers with multiple trips. A bi‐objective mathematical model is established for maximizing the operational profit and minimizing the travel costs by considering the characteristics of the multi‐trip requests and time‐dependent travel time. Besides, a novel profit objective function is proposed considering the service's completion status and the starting price. Since the proposed mixed integer linear programming model is an NP‐hard problem, a non‐dominated sorting genetic algorithm II‐based method is proposed to handle different sizes of instances. Finally, the instances with multi‐trip requests are carried out to test the accuracy of the model and the effectiveness of our method compared with Gurobi and the local search‐based multi‐objective algorithm approach.
Review of recent trends of advancements in multilevel inverter topologies with reduced power switches and control techniques
Authors: Choudhary Anurag , Kumar Rohit , Letha Shimi Sudha , Bakhsh Farhad Ilahi , Singh Arshdeep , Khan Mohammad Junaid
Published: October 2024

Currently, multilevel inverters (MLI) are comprehensively used to integrate renewable energy sources with the grid or high‐power applications. MLI has outstanding properties such as high‐level output voltage with tremendous power quality and negligible harmonics distortion. General MLI topologies have a more complex circuit, high overall cost and installation area. Due to a large number of power switches and isolation of control circuit, fewer power electronic switches and DC source along with its suitable control logic is the need of the hour. Therefore, a lot of research scope exists in this area. Here, some of the topologies with a fewer number of power switches are reviewed and scrutinized. An extensive analysis of the topologies, control strategy and applications are presented here, suggesting suitable multilevel inverter solutions to the known industrial application or new research.
1-arcsecond imaging of the ELAIS-N1 field at 144MHz using the LoTSS survey with the international LOFAR telescope
Authors: Ye Haoyang , Sweijen Frits , van Weeren Reinout J. , Williams Wendy , de Jong Jurjen , Morabito Leah K. , Rottgering Huub , Shimwell Timothy W. , Best P. N. , Bondi Marco , Brüggen Marcus , de Gasperin Francesco , Tasse Cyril
Published: October 2024

We present the first wide area (2.5 × 2.5 deg2) LOFAR high band antenna image at a resolution of 1.2″ × 2″ with a median noise of ≈80 µJy beam−1. It was made from an 8-hour International LOFAR Telescope (ILT) observation of the ELAIS-N1 field at frequencies ranging from 120 to 168 MHz with the most up-to-date ILT imaging methods. This intermediate resolution falls between the highest possible resolution (0.3″) achievable by using all ILT baselines and the standard 6-arcsec resolution in the LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey (LoTSS) image products utilising the LOFAR Dutch baselines only. This is the first demonstration of the feasibility of imaging using the ILT at a resolution of ~1″, which provides unique information on source morphology at scales that fall below the surface brightness limits at higher resolutions. The total calibration and imaging computational time is approximately 52 000 core hours, which is nearly five times more than required to produce a 6″ resolution image. We also present a radio source catalogue containing 2263 sources detected over the 2.5 × 2.5 deg2 image of the ELAIS-N1 field, with a peak intensity threshold of 5.5σ. The catalogue has been cross-matched with the LoTSS deep ELAIS-N1 field radio catalogue, and its flux density and positional accuracy have been investigated and corrected accordingly. We find that ~80% of sources that we expect to be detectable based on their peak brightness in the LoTSS 6″ resolution image are detected in this image, which is approximately a factor of two higher than for 0.3″ resolution imaging in the Lockman Hole, implying there is a wealth of information on these intermediate scales.
Beyond the Hellings–Downs curve: Non-Einsteinian gravitational waves in pulsar timing array correlations
Authors: Bernardo Reginald Christian , Ng Kin-Wang
Published: October 2024

Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) have revealed galaxy-size gravitational waves (GWs) in the form of a stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB), correlating the radio pulses emitted by millisecond pulsars. This discovery naturally leads to the question of the origin and the nature of the SGWB; the latter is synonymous to testing how quadrupolar the inter-pulsar spatial correlation is. In this paper, we investigate the nature of the SGWB by considering correlations beyond the Hellings–Downs (HD) curve of Einstein’s general relativity. We scrutinize the HD and non-Einsteinian GW correlations with the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves and the Chinese PTA data, and find that both data sets allow a graviton mass of mg ≲ 1.04 × 10−22 eV/c2 and subluminal traveling waves. We discuss gravitational physics scenarios beyond general relativity that could host non-Einsteinian GW correlations in the SGWB and highlight the importance of the cosmic variance inherited from stochastic variations across realizations in interpreting PTA observations.
Spectral characteristics of a rotating solar prominence in multiple wavelengths
Authors: Pietrow A. G. M. , Liakh V. , Osborne C. M. J. , Jenkins J. , Keppens R.
Published: October 2024

We present synthetic spectra corresponding to a 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a rotating prominence in the Ca II 8542 Å, H α, Ca II K, Mg II k, Ly α, and Ly β lines. The prominence rotation resulted from angular momentum conservation within a flux rope where asymmetric heating imposed a net rotation prior to the thermal-instability-driven condensation phase. The spectra were created using a library built on the Lightweaver framework called Promweaver, which provides boundary conditions for incorporating the limb-darkened irradiation of the solar disk on isolated structures such as prominences. Our spectra show distinctive rotational signatures for the Mg II k, Ly α, and Ly β lines, even in the presence of complex, turbulent solar atmospheric conditions. However, these signals are barely detectable for the Ca II 8542 Å, H α, and Ca II K spectral lines. Most notably, we find only a very faint rotational signal in the H α line, thus reigniting the discussion on the existence of sustained rotation in prominences.
Adverse selection in tontines
Authors: Moenig Thorsten , Zhu Nan
Published: October 2024

Several recent studies have cited the theoretical work of Valdez et al. [Insur: Math Econ 39(2):251–266, 2006] as evidence that there is less adverse selection in tontine-style products than in conventional life annuities. We argue that the modeling work and results of Valdez et al. [Insur: Math Econ 39(2):251–266, 2006] do not unconditionally support such a claim. Conducting our own analyses structured in a similar way but focusing on the relative instead of absolute change in annuity vs. tontine investments, we find that an individual with private information about their own survival prospect can potentially adversely select against tontines at the same, or even higher levels than against annuities. Our results suggest that the investor’s relative risk aversion is the driving factor of the relative susceptibility of the two products to adverse selection.
Working with Liminality: A Dramatherapeutic Intervention with Immigrants in a Day Care Centre in Greece
Authors: Apergi Atalandi
Published: October 2024

Immigrants and refugees face many and consequent losses in their lives. Most display a remarkable degree of resilience in coping with the new difficult and often discriminatory circumstances. Some, however, are unable to deal effectively with the new reality and experience a fractured sense of self, even a loss of identity. This article examines how working dramatherapeutically with a group of women from different countries offered them a safe place where feelings could be shared and a sense of belonging experienced, where the disconnected aspects of the self could be addressed and a context created for ritualistic practices to enable them to move on from the past. Art-making and theatre provided the grounds for expansion and community, where identities could be re-discovered and ‘thresholds’ created to assist the participants deal more effectively with their daily lives. The paper concludes with some personal thoughts and questions arising from working with this vulnerable population.
Theatre and Schools: Validations, Critiques and the Legacy of the Sixties
Authors: Fiaschini Fabrizio
Published: October 2024

This paper has been organized into three sections. The first synthesizes aspects of contemporary theatre practices in schools (especially in Italy) since the 1960s, highlighting some critical aspects common to different theoretical and methodological approaches. The second section focuses on community tensions, in particular on the hopes and anxieties of new generations. The third section aims at evaluating the underestimated potential of theatre practices in building communicative bridges between schools and the outside world, in the life of the community, thus fostering creative processes of social identity and renewal.
Life-Story; Meaning Making through Dramatherapy in a Palliative Care Context
Authors: Redhouse Rebecca
Published: October 2024

This article discusses an in-depth case study exploring the use of dramatherapy in the creation of an individual life-story within a palliative care context. Fundamental to an evaluation of the project is the understanding that ‘end of life’ is a life phase which presents particular challenges to therapist and client. The therapists’ goal of helping their client reach a more integrated sense of themselves is challenged by the awareness of imminent death, and a tension between openly discussing and/or colluding in the denial of this fact. My experience of working as part of an arts therapies team within the multi-disciplinary team of an adult hospice has convinced me of the contribution dramatherapy has to make to end of life care. Dramatherapy is a natural ally in the creation of life-stories, with its emphasis on story, roles and audience.
Refashioning Heredity
Authors: Powell James Lawrence
Published: October 2024

Vavilov continued to try to appease Lysenko, but again was unsuccessful and the OGPU, the predecessor to the NKVD, opened a file on the geneticist. Meanwhile, the failed agricultural policies of Stalin and Lysenko led in the early 1930s to a famine called the Holodomor that cost millions of lives in Ukraine. With Stalin’s approval, Lysenko’s criticism of Vavilov became more open, and he doubled-down on his claim that he could easily transform one species into another. Vavilov was set to become the president of the International Genetics Congress, scheduled for Moscow in 1937, but Stalin canceled the meeting and forbade Soviet scientists from traveling outside the country.
Pseudoscience Defeats Science
Authors: Powell James Lawrence
Published: October 2024

After establishing his reputation on his claims that he could “vernalize” wheat, Lysenko next began to claim that he could also transform cotton and potatoes into other special. Mainstream biologists who criticized Lysenko began to disappear, and his followers assumed control of Soviet agriculture. The NKVD’s file on Vavilov continued to grow, while Lysenko openly denounced him in threatening language. Lysenko began to assume higher positions within the Soviet government, even becoming vice chairman of the Council of the Soviet Union, from which he was seated above Stalin. In 1939, Vavilov was arrested and subjected to a show trial that featured testimony from a man who had been shot three years earlier. He died of starvation in 1943 and his body was dumped in a common grave.
Rise and Fall
Authors: Powell James Lawrence
Published: October 2024

Lysenko spent the war years in remote Omsk and afterward resumed his attack on genetics and modern biology. He and his followers began to make ever more absurd claims, such as that warblers could hatch cuckoos. Lysenko triumphed at the 1948 conference of the Lenin Academy, at which, with Stalin’s backing, he announced the rejection of genetics as the official policy of the Soviet Union. Biologists were fired, laboratories destroyed, books removed from library shelves, and curricula redone to comport with Lysenkoism. Stalin and Lysenko cooked up a plan to transform the grassy steppes into forests, but like almost everything else that Lysenko tried, it failed. After Stalin’s death in 1953, Khrushchev first criticized Lysenko, but then changed his mind. But with Khrushchev’s fall, Lysenko had lost his last protector, and he was banished to a rural farm. But by then, Soviet biology had been crippled and it would take generations to recover.
Big Brother, Little Brother
Authors: Powell James Lawrence
Published: October 2024

After the victory of Chinese Communists in 1949 and the ascension of Mao Zedong, China began to copy the policies of its “big brother,” the Soviet Union, including the wholesale adoption of Lysenkoism. But after Stalin’s death, word reached China that Lysenko had fallen out of favor, causing the Chinese authorities to back away from his pseudoscience. It was replaced by Mao’s own agricultural “constitution,” a collection of absurd policies that included, for example, dense planting of seedlings so that the plants could somehow support each other. This led to the famine of the Great Leap Forward, in which at least forty-five million Chinese died.
Jewish Physics
Authors: Powell James Lawrence
Published: October 2024

When Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933, he immediately began to fire Jews from positions in government and universities, saying, “We do not need them.” This led to an exodus of German scientists, physicists in particular, who, had they remained in Germany, would have been invaluable to the German war effort. One German physicist, Philipp Lenard, espoused what he called German, or Aryan, physics, which led him to bitterly oppose Einstein, who had left Germany for America and never returned. Lenard’s example shows how even a Nobel laureate could be transformed into an ardent Nazi. Even non-Jews who fell out of favor with the Nazis, such as another Nobel laureate, Werner Heisenberg, could be dubbed “white Jews” and denied positions in German universities.
A Predictable Emergency
Authors: Powell James Lawrence
Published: October 2024

By the time the COVID-19 virus made its appearance in late 2019, the United States had conducted several simulations intended to provide the best response if and when the next pandemic arrived. One, called Crimson Contagion, predicted much of what happened when COVID-19 began, but almost none of its recommendations had been followed. As cases began to show up in the United States, President Trump consistently and deliberately played down the seriousness of the virus, saying, “This is a flu,” and, “Relax, we’re doing great. . . . It all will pass.” Trump initially supported lockdowns, but then refused to allow them. He endorsed quack remedies such as hydroxychloroquine and even appeared to support injections of bleach.
Politicization of COVID-19 Denial
Authors: Powell James Lawrence
Published: October 2024

Studies by the Pew Research Center and others showed a profound difference between the number of deaths in red states versus blue ones. Before vaccines became widely available, there was virtually no difference in excess deaths between the two. After the vaccines arrived, excess deaths among Republicans were significantly higher, the price of self-inflicted science denial. One dangerous outcome of COVID-19 and vaccination denial is a falling confidence in medicine generally. One study found that even in 2021, the number of Republicans who got the flu vaccine had fallen from above 60 percent to just above 40 percent. To the south, the so-called Tropical Trump, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, emulated his namesake in also calling COVID-19 “a little flu” and openly discouraging Brazilians from getting vaccinated. One group of researchers put the number of excess (unnecessary) deaths in Brazil between January 2020 and April 2021 at 370,000.
Mechanisms linking prenatal environment and linear growth: the case of Ramadan during pregnancy
Authors: Pradella Fabienne , Ewijk Reyn
Published: October 2024

Despite established links between prenatal nutritional deprivation and impaired offspring growth, the underlying dynamics and potential moderators remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the dynamics underlying Ramadan during pregnancy and its associations with children’s linear growth, using data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey (1993 – 2015). We exploit Ramadan during pregnancy as a natural experiment, separating exposure from maternal background characteristics and season of birth effects. Employing OLS and logistic regressions, we explore two key mechanisms predicted by medical theory. First, the realization of health impairments in response to prenatal shocks is influenced by postnatal circumstances. Our results reveal significant growth impairments primarily in children raised under poor sanitary conditions, which is a risk factor for diminished linear growth by itself. Secondly, we assess whether prenatal Ramadan prompts epigenetic shifts towards earlier reproductive activity, potentially at the expense of height growth. Our data shows that prenatally exposed women tend to have their first childbirth at a younger age, though menarche onset remains unaffected. These results suggest that postnatal environments play a crucial role in mitigating sensitivity to prenatal shocks, highlighting the critical need for favorable living conditions for all children.
Disparities in overall and site-specific cancer mortality among immigrant generations in Sweden: A nationwide follow-up study over three decades
Authors: Tollosa Daniel Nigusse , Zendehdel Kazem , Boffetta Paolo , Pukkala Eero , Rostila Mikael
Published: October 2024

We examined the overall and site-specific cancer mortality disparities among first-generation – separately in adults (G1) and children (G1.5) at immigration – and second-generation (G2) immigrants and their countries of origin using population-based registries in Sweden, encompassing over 8.5 million individuals aged 20 and above residing in Sweden since 1990, with follow-up until December 31, 2023. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted, stratified by gender, to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals compared to natives. Mortality rates for most cancers transitioned from lower in G1 towards the rate of natives in G2. However, elevated mortality rates were sustained across generations for liver cancer in males and stomach cancer in females. Among G2, mortality from lymphohematopoietic cancers in males, and lung and cervix uteri cancers in females were elevated – by 10%, 9%, and 17% respectively compared to natives. Country of origin analyses revealed substantial disparities. For instance, G2 females with Nordic parental origin had a 13% higher risk of death from lung cancer, while those with non-Western parental origin had a 54% lower risk as compared to natives. These findings suggest a generational and arrival-age dynamics of cancer mortality and highlight target groups for cancer prevention and control among immigrants.
Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence, and Mental Health Outcomes: Causal Inference with Ambiguous Exposures
Authors: Johansson Fred , Magnusson Kristoffer
Published: October 2024

Social exposures and their impact on mental health has proven hard to capture, partly owing to the complex and multifaceted nature of social reality. Sexual harassment and sexual violence (SHV) are no exceptions. SHV can be conceptualized as a continuum of negative sexual experiences whose severity vary depending on multiple determinants. Further, SHV can be conceptualized as either discrete events or as a generally hostile sexual environment represented by latent variables. With any of these conceptualizations, SHV constitutes a broad construct containing many kinds of negative experiences. This ambiguity poses challenges for determining the mental health consequences, as different forms of SHV may vary in terms of their mental health impact. We discuss different conceptualizations of SHV in relation to mental health outcomes through the lens of the potential outcomes framework, with a focus on the consistency condition. The multiple versions of treatment theory is presented to show how to provide formal interpretations of causal estimates under ambiguous exposures. Lastly, we provide suggestions on how the increase the clarity and interpretability of the effects of SHV on mental health, by increasing the precision of the causal questions and the use of more specific definitions of SHV.
Drinking motives link positive and negative life events to problematic alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study
Authors: Geda Daniel W , Stangl Bethany L , Arsenault Avery , Thompson Matthew F , Schwandt Melanie L , Goldman David , Ramchandani Vijay A , Diazgranados Nancy , Luk Jeremy W
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Stressful life events are associated with problematic drinking, and alcohol misuse has been exacerbated during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While coping motives may account for this association, positive life events (PLEs) and enhancement motives are understudied. To address these gaps, we examined the associations of history of alcohol use disorder (AUD), negative life events (NLEs), and PLEs with problematic alcohol use and tested coping and enhancement motives as mediators.

Methods

The sample included baseline and follow-up data from 241 participants enrolled in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol Study. Endorsements of past year PLEs and NLEs and their associations with problematic alcohol use were examined. Among the 202 current drinkers, path analyses tested mediational pathways via coping and enhancement motives.

Results

The top two PLEs were change in work conditions (21.6%) and taking a vacation (20.3%). The top two NLEs were change in social activities (36.5%) and major change in recreation (26.6%). Individuals with a history of AUD and those who experienced more NLEs reported higher coping and enhancement motives, which were associated with higher problematic alcohol use. Individuals who experienced more PLEs reported lower coping motives, which was associated with lower problematic alcohol use.

Conclusions

Besides coping motives, enhancement motives were also associated with pandemic problematic alcohol use. Alcohol interventions targeting reward- and relief-driven drinking patterns may be beneficial to individuals with a history of AUD and those who experienced more NLEs. More research is needed to study PLEs which may help inform the development of strength-based alcohol interventions.
Phosphatidylethanol as an outcome measure in treatment aimed at controlled drinking
Authors: Hammarberg Anders , Ingesson Hammarberg Stina , Redegren Cuellar Susanna , Guterstam Joar
Published: October 2024

Background

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a specific marker of alcohol intake, used both as a screening method for hazardous use and as an outcome measure in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, what cut-off values to apply for hazardous use in a treatment setting is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the correlation between PEth and self-reported drinking and identify the optimal cut-off for hazardous use, for patients with AUD and a stated goal of controlled drinking.

Methods

We used data from a randomized controlled trial of two different psychological treatments aiming for controlled drinking, conducted within specialized addiction care in Stockholm, Sweden. A total of 181 patients left samples that could be included in the current analysis. Outcomes were measured at five different time points over 2 years of follow-up. PEth 16:0/18:1 values were correlated with subjective reports of recent drinking based on the Timeline Follow-Back Method.

Results

The correlation between PEth and self-reported alcohol intake increased significantly over time, with the weakest correlation found at baseline (Spearman’s ρ = 0.42) and the strongest at the 104-week follow-up (ρ = 0.69). When used to indicate hazardous drinking according to Swedish guidelines (≥10 units per week), receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed PEth ≥ 0.22 μmol/l to be the optimal cut-off.

Conclusions

PEth is a useful outcome measure that can be used to validate subjective reports of current drinking. In a treatment setting aimed at controlled drinking, the accuracy of patients’ self-report measures seems to improve over time. In this context, a PEth value of ≥0.22 μmol/l is a sensitive and specific indicator of hazardous drinking.
A scalable two-stage Bayesian approach accounting for exposure measurement error in environmental epidemiology
Authors: Lee Changwoo J , Symanski Elaine , Rammah Amal , Kang Dong Hun , Hopke Philip K , Park Eun Sug
Published: October 2024

Accounting for exposure measurement errors has been recognized as a crucial problem in environmental epidemiology for over two decades. Bayesian hierarchical models offer a coherent probabilistic framework for evaluating associations between environmental exposures and health effects, which take into account exposure measurement errors introduced by uncertainty in the estimated exposure as well as spatial misalignment between the exposure and health outcome data. While two-stage Bayesian analyses are often regarded as a good alternative to fully Bayesian analyses when joint estimation is not feasible, there has been minimal research on how to properly propagate uncertainty from the first-stage exposure model to the second-stage health model, especially in the case of a large number of participant locations along with spatially correlated exposures. We propose a scalable two-stage Bayesian approach, called a sparse multivariate normal (sparse MVN) prior approach, based on the Vecchia approximation for assessing associations between exposure and health outcomes in environmental epidemiology. We compare its performance with existing approaches through simulation. Our sparse MVN prior approach shows comparable performance with the fully Bayesian approach, which is a gold standard but is impossible to implement in some cases. We investigate the association between source-specific exposures and pollutant (nitrogen dioxide [NO2])-specific exposures and birth weight of full-term infants born in 2012 in Harris County, Texas, using several approaches, including the newly developed method.
Inhibition of benzo[a]pyrene-induced DNA adduct in buccal cells of smokers by black raspberry lozenges
Authors: Chen Kun-Ming , Krebs Nicolle M , Sun Yuan-Wan , Sun Dongxiao , Liao Jiangang , Reinhart Lisa , Krzeminski Jacek , Amin Shantu , Stoner Gary , Mallery Susan R , El-Bayoumy Karam
Published: October 2024

Using LC–MS/MS analysis we previously showed for the first time (Carcinogenesis 43:746–753, 2022) that levels of DNA damage induced by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), an oral carcinogen and tobacco smoke (TS) constituent, were significantly higher in buccal cells of smokers than those in nonsmokers; these results suggest the potential contribution of B[a]P in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in humans. Treating cancers, including OSCC, at late stages, even with improved targeted therapies, continues to be a major challenge. Thus interception/prevention remains a preferable approach for OSCC management and control. In previous preclinical studies, we and others demonstrated the protective effects of black raspberry (BRB) against carcinogen-induced DNA damage and OSCC. Thus, to translate preclinical findings, we tested the hypothesis in a Phase 0 clinical study that BRB administration reduces DNA damage induced by B[a]P in the buccal cells of smokers. After enrolling 27 smokers, baseline buccal cells were collected before the administration of BRB lozenges (5/day for 8 weeks, 1 gm BRB powder/lozenge) at baseline, at the middle and the end of BRB administration. The last samples were collected 4 weeks after BRB cessation (washout period). B[a]P-induced DNA damage (BPDE-N2-dG) was evaluated by LC–MS/MS. BRB administration resulted in a significant reduction in DNA damage: 26.3% at the midpoint (P = .01506) compared to baseline, 36.1% at the end of BRB administration (P = .00355), and 16.6% after BRB cessation (P = .007586). Our results suggest the potential benefits of BRB as a chemopreventive agent against the development of TS-initiated OSCC.
Enhancing motor skill learning through multiple sessions of online high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation in healthy adults: insights from EEG power spectrum
Authors: Guo Feng , Niu Maolin , Hanson Nicholas J , Guo Jianrui , Zhou Kuo , Zhao Tan , Ren Yinghui
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on finger motor skill acquisition. Thirty-one healthy adult males were randomly assigned to one of three groups: online HD-tDCS (administered during motor skill learning), offline HD-tDCS (delivered before motor skill learning), and a sham group. Participants engaged in a visual isometric pinch task for three consecutive days. Overall motor skill learning and speed–accuracy tradeoff function were used to evaluate the efficacy of tDCS. Electroencephalography was recorded and power spectral density was calculated. Both online and offline HD-tDCS total motor skill acquisition was significantly higher than the sham group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Motor skill acquisition in the online group was higher than offline (P = 0.132, Cohen’s d = 1.46). Speed–accuracy tradeoff function in the online group was higher than both offline and sham groups in the post-test. The online group exhibited significantly lower electroencephalography activity in the frontal, fronto-central, and centro-parietal alpha band regions compared to the sham (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that HD-tDCS application can boost finger motor skill acquisition, with online HD-tDCS displaying superior facilitation. Furthermore, online HD-tDCS reduces the power of alpha rhythms during motor skill execution, enhancing information processing and skill learning efficiency.
Functional connectivity across the lifespan: a cross-sectional analysis of changes
Authors: Doval Sandra , Nebreda Alberto , Bruña Ricardo
Published: October 2024

In the era of functional brain networks, our understanding of how they evolve across life in a healthy population remains limited. Here, we investigate functional connectivity across the human lifespan using magnetoencephalography in a cohort of 792 healthy individuals, categorized into young (13 to 30 yr), middle (31 to 54 yr), and late adulthood (55 to 80 yr). Employing corrected imaginary phase-locking value, we map the evolving landscapes of connectivity within delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma classical frequency bands among brain areas. Our findings reveal significant shifts in functional connectivity patterns across all frequency bands, with certain networks exhibiting increased connectivity and others decreased, dependent on the frequency band and specific age groups, showcasing the dynamic reorganization of neural networks as age increases. This detailed exploration provides, to our knowledge, the first all-encompassing view of how electrophysiological functional connectivity evolves at different life stages, offering new insights into the brain’s adaptability and the intricate interplay of cognitive aging and network connectivity. This work not only contributes to the body of knowledge on cognitive aging and neurological health but also emphasizes the need for further research to develop targeted interventions for maintaining cognitive function in the aging population.
First diagnosis of severe coarctation of the aorta necessitating percutaneous intervention during pregnancy: a case report
Authors: Van Berendoncks An M , Mannaerts Dominique , Berzenji Lawek , Jacquemyn Yves , Hendriks Jeroen M H
Published: October 2024

Background

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a common congenital heart defect that affects about 3–4 in every 10 000 live births. Despite clear signs on clinical examination, the diagnosis is sometimes not made until adulthood. An increasing number of patients with CoA are reaching child-bearing age. Unrepaired CoA or severe recurrent stenosis during pregnancy is a significant concern, as it poses a high risk of maternal and foetal complications and even death.

Case summary

A 21-year-old woman was referred to the cardiology department at 17 weeks’ gestation for management of arterial hypertension and unexplained systolic murmur. She had been diagnosed with hypertension elsewhere the year before presentation, but unfortunately, this remained unexplored. She had been started on labetalol early in the pregnancy. Clinical examination showed a loud systolic heart murmur extending from parasternal to subclavicular and scapular areas. Pulses in the lower extremities were very weak, and blood pressure was slightly elevated with a significant gradient between the upper and lower extremities. Echocardiography showed remarkable absence of pulsatile flow in the abdominal aorta and narrowing just distal to the subclavian artery with typical diastolic tail pattern on suprasternal imaging. Cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed the presence of a severe coarctation distal to the subclavian artery and presence of multiple collaterals allocating this patient in the extremely high-risk category with a risk of up to 40%–100% of maternal cardiac event during pregnancy. An extensive multidisciplinary team meeting was convened. After initial medical optimization, increased claudication and signs of placental hypoperfusion necessitated an endovascular procedure under general anaesthesia at 23 weeks’ gestation. A Bentley BeGraft Plus stent (16 × 38 mm) was successfully placed. Postoperative ultrasound showed biphasic placental perfusion and normalization of blood pressure and ankle-brachial indices. At 36 weeks’ gestation, the patient gave birth to a healthy child.

Discussion

Coarctation of the aorta should be considered in any young patient with arterial hypertension. Altered maternal haemodynamics during pregnancy resulted in severe symptomatic CoA and reduced placental flow necessitating percutaneous intervention during pregnancy. A multidisciplinary pregnancy heart team is essential for optimal treatment management in these high-risk patients.
Successful intravascular lithotripsy after all other options failed with stent under-expansion: a case report and review of alternative options
Authors: Breitbart Philipp , Billig Hannah , Schöfthaler Christoph , Korosoglou Grigorios
Published: October 2024

Background

Stent under-expansion, often caused by severe circumferential coronary calcification, must be prevented as it increases the risk of neoatherosclerosis and stent thrombosis. Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is an effective lesion preparation strategy to enable sufficient expansion of a stent that was initially not sufficiently expanded.

Case summary

A 62-year-old male patient presented in our emergency department due to unstable angina. Coronary angiography revealed one-vessel coronary artery disease with high-grade stenosis of the proximal to mid right coronary artery. Direct implantation of a drug-eluting stent was performed. However, stent under-expansion was noticed. Post-dilatation with semi-compliant balloon up to 24 bar was unsuccessful. Subsequent dilatation with an ultra-high-pressure OPN non-compliant balloon at 50 bar resulted to balloon rupture but stent under-expansion remained. Therefore, IVL was performed, resulting in complete stent expansion already at 4 bar. The patient was put on dual platelet treatment, and his further clinical course was uneventful after 6 months of follow-up.

Discussion

The present case report highlights the role of IVL as a safe and effective treatment option in case of immediate stent under-expansion. This has significant implications on daily practice as under-expansion may lead to high rates of in-stent restenosis and stent thrombosis. Furthermore, this case report underlines the impact of lesion preparation, even in presumably less complex lesion by angiographic criteria.
Von Willebrand factor exacerbates heart failure through formation of neutrophil extracellular traps
Authors: Mang Ge , Chen Jianfeng , Sun Ping , Ma Ruishuang , Du Jingwen , Wang Xiaoqi , Cui Jingxuan , Yang Mian , Tong Zhonghua , Yan Xiangyu , Wang Dongni , Xie Huiqi , Chen Yujia , Yang Qiannan , Kong Yingjin , Jin Jiaqi , Wu Jian , Zhang Maomao , Yu Bo
Published: October 2024

Background and Aims

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide and characterized by significant co-morbidities and dismal prognosis. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) aggravate inflammation in various cardiovascular diseases; however, their function and mechanism of action in HF pathogenesis remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of a novel VWF-SLC44A2-NET axis in HF progression.

Methods

NET levels were examined in patients with HF and mouse models of transverse aortic constriction (TAC) HF. PAD4 knockout mice and NET inhibitors (GSK-484, DNase I, NEi) were used to evaluate the role of NETs in HF. RNA sequencing was used to investigate the downstream mechanisms. Recombinant human ADAMTS13 (rhADAMTS13), ADAMTS13, and SLC44A2 knockouts were used to identify novel upstream factors of NETs.

Results

Elevated NET levels were observed in patients with HF and TAC mouse models of HF. PAD4 knockout and NET inhibitors improved the cardiac function. Mechanistically, NETs induced mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiomyocytes, inhibiting mitochondrial biogenesis via the NE-TLR4-mediated suppression of PGC-1α. Furthermore, VWF/ADAMTS13 regulated NET formation via SLC44A2. Additionally, sacubitril/valsartan amplifies the cardioprotective effects of the VWF-SLC44A2-NET axis blockade.

Conclusions

This study established the role of a novel VWF-SLC44A2-NET axis in regulating mitochondrial homeostasis and function, leading to cardiac apoptosis and contributing to HF pathogenesis. Targeting this axis may offer a potential therapeutic approach for HF treatment.