bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why the superb physiological capacity of birds matters
Authors: Hawkes Lucy A.
Published: February 2025

Among vertebrates, birds undertake the longest, fastest and highest migrations of any taxonomic group, largely due to their unique cardiorespiratory system, which permits for very large rates of gas exchange. Managing resultant elevated production of reactive oxygen species, and thus oxidative stress, has meant that birds can largely avoid pathologies relating to major medical challenges that now probably account for the majority of global healthcare spending. Hypoxia underlies most critical illnesses faced by humans, but the avian cardiorespiratory system can supply far more oxygen per unit of time than any mammal. Birds have high circulating glucose levels, but have adaptations to cope with the elevated production of oxidative stress brought about by hyperglycaemia. Birds also avoid the inflammatory responses brought about by obesity in humans when they seasonally gain huge fat stores. Lastly, birds live four times longer than similarly sized mammals, with seasonal endogenous muscle hypertrophy, and some birds even increase telomere length with age. A new frontier of ‘physiologging’ is emerging, making use of technologies for medical use, but that provide novel parameters for better understanding the biomechanics, energetics and ecology of a range of species. These physiologging tools are likely to provide insight into avian physiology, biomechanics and ecology including their ability to spread disease, as well as each of the medical challenges detailed in this Commentary. By virtue of their physiological capacity, the study of avian physiology is a critical area for future discovery and research using applied and interdisciplinary areas of biomechanics, ecology and physiology.
Positive consequences of group living among male bats during spermatogenesis
Authors: Komar Ewa , Szafrańska Paulina A. , Dechmann Dina K. N. , Keicher Lara , Koprowska Dominika , Shipley J. Ryan , Ruczyński Ireneusz
Published: February 2025

1. Energy can be limiting, especially for small animals with high metabolisms, particularly if they rely on ephemeral resources. Some energy-saving strategies, such as torpor, can impair physiological processes. Alternatively, group living can reduce energetic costs through social thermoregulation. This may allow individuals to maintain a high metabolism as well as processes such as gamete production. Although group living is common, its energetic benefits for heterothermic individuals during the season of sperm production have yet to be investigated.

2. We remotely quantified the daily energy expenditures of individual parti-coloured bats (Vespertilio murinus) kept solitarily and in groups during the period of spermatogenesis, using high-resolution heart rate monitoring.

3. Data showed that the energetic benefits of group living are complex. In groups, individual daily energy expenditures were more than 50% lower. Group roosting reduced the cost of thermoregulation during normothermia and allowed for a decrease in the depth, but not the duration, of torpor.

4. Group living may enable bats to buffer unfavorable environmental conditions. Energy saved this way can then be invested into fitness-relevant processes potentially making this a driver of the evolution of male sociality.
Impact of academic center for evidence-based practice star model on door-to-needle times in patients with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Li Zhen , Zheng Lili , Zheng Junke , Zhao Meiping
Published: February 2025

Objective: To explore the impact of the academic center for evidence-based practice (ACE) star model on the door-to-needle times (DNT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).
Methods: Clinical data of 159 patients with AIS, treated in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Afffliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine Alar Hospital from March 2022 to March 2024, were retrospectively analyzed. Seventy-eight patients received routine care (routine group), and 81 patients were treated using a combination of routine care with the ACE star model (ACE star group). Operating time, intervention effects, activities of daily living (ADL), neurologic outcomes, and incidence of adverse events of the two groups were compared.
Results: The duration of venous opening, computed tomography (CT) examination, and DNT in the ACE star group were shorter than those in the routine group (P<0.05). The DNT<45 minutes compliance rate, thrombolytic efficacy, and vascular recanalization in the ACE star group were higher than those in the Routine group (P<0.05). After the intervention, the ADL score of the ACE star group was significantly higher than that of the control group, while the NIHSS score was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (P>0.05).
Conclusions: Adopting routine nursing care and intervention based on the ACE-star model for patients with AIS can shorten DNT, improve thrombolytic effect and vascular recanalization rate. ACE-star model is beneficial for restoring ADL ability and improving neurological function, without significant changes in the occurrence of adverse events.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.3.11056
How to cite this: Li Z, Zheng L, Zheng J, Zhao M. Impact of academic center for evidence-based practice star model on door-to-needle times in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(3):662-667. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.3.11056
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Congenital anomalies in Okara District of Pakistan: Epidemiology, spectrum and ethno-demographic inequalities
Authors: Aqila Nawaz  , Ayesha Siddiqui  , Mahnoor Mughal  , Saima Naz  , Muhammad Wajid  , Sajid Malik
Published: February 2025

Objectives: To investigate the epidemiology, spectrum and ethno-demographic attributes of congenital anomalies (CA) in Okara district of Pakistan.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, individuals affected by CA were identified through door-to-door visits, surveys of public places, and district hospitals during the period 2015 to 2022 in Okara district of Punjab, Pakistan. Descriptive statistics were employed, and CA were classified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) databases.
Results: A total of 709 individuals/families with certain types of CA were ascertained. These anomalies were categorized into eight major and 95 minor entities. Limb defects predominated among the major groups (21%), followed by neurological disorders (16%), neuromuscular disorders (15%), sensorineural/ear defects (15%), ectodermal defects (9%), musculoskeletal defects (7%), and others (4%). Parental consanguinity was observed in 67% of the cases and 55% anomalies had familial occurrence. There were statistically significant differences among the major categories with respect to rate of parental consanguinity and familial/sporadic nature. Marked disparities were also observed in the distribution of CA with respect to ethnic groups, economic quartiles and age categories of index cases.
Conclusions: Neurological and neuromuscular defects which accounted for 31% of the sample, were of severe nature and cause of disability, whereas limb defects were mainly of minor nature. There is wide variation in the prevalence of CA across the ethno-demographic variables. A multifaceted strategy that explicitly includes marginalized and minority populations in health services and addresses environmental, genetic, and maternal health factors is necessary to prevent CA.
doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.3.9574
How to cite this: Nawaz A, Siddiqui A, Mughal M, Naz S, Wajid M, Malik S. Congenital anomalies in Okara District of Pakistan: Epidemiology, spectrum and ethno-demographic inequalities. Pak J Med Sci. 2025;41(3):643-651. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.41.3.9574
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Η απεικόνιση των μυθολογικών θεμάτων στο δημόσιο και ιδιωτικό χώρο στη Ρωμαϊκή Κρήτη
Authors: Σαρρή Μαρία
Published: February 2025

Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή καταγράφει, κατατάσσει, μελετάει και ερμηνεύει τη χρήση των μυθολογικών θεμάτων, τα οποία εντοπίζονται στον δημόσιο και ιδιωτικό χώρο στην Κρήτη των ρωμαϊκών χρόνων. Πρόκειται για ένα θέμα που χρησιμοποιεί την εικονογραφία ως μέσο προκειμένου τελικά να ρίξει περισσότερο φως στη μελέτη της κοινωνίας του νησιού σε μια περίοδο που γενικά έχει ερευνηθεί λιγότερο από άλλες για τον συγκεκριμένο τόπο.
Non-standard drawing techniques in art lessons in elementary school
Authors: Rebenkova Marina
Published: February 2025

The article discusses non-standard drawing techniques that are appropriate to use in fine art classes with primary school students. Fine art activities are one of the key ones for the development of primary school children. In this process, the child uses many skills and abilities, such as: observation, reproduction, fine motor skills, etc. These activities also allow activating his imagination, improving his sense of color and aesthetic taste. Due to its similarity to play - one of the main activities of primary school students - children better perceive this type of creativity and are interested in the work.
Features of the Educational Process for the Formation of Spiritual and Moral Values in Primary Schoolchildren (Part 3)
Authors: Vinogradova Natalya
Published: February 2025

The article discusses the problem of implementing the requirements for the construction of the educational process, during which Russian spiritual and moral values are formed in schoolchildren at the first level of school. The article reveals the state requirements for the education of civic feelings in primary schoolchildren, their acceptance of the spiritual and moral values of the multinational Russian state, reflected in the decrees of the President of the Russian Federation, as well as in the planned learning outcomes presented in the Federal State Educational Standard of Primary General Education (FSES PGE). Particular attention is paid to taking into account the psychological capabilities of children of primary school age and the conditions for creating a special educational environment in an educational organization.
Formation of Family Values in Primary Schoolchildren
Authors: Romanova V.
Published: February 2025

The article is devoted to the current problem of the formation of traditional Russian family values in children of primary school age. Tasks for primary school students are presented, which help students to realize the importance of respectful, trusting relationships in the family and the key role of the mother, the woman, the keeper of the hearth and family relations, the educator of children. The need to maintain the continuity of generations, strengthen the role of the family and family values for the upbringing and personal development of a primary school student is emphasized.
Aceleradoras económicas: ¿qué aportan al desarrollo de las regiones en Colombia? Estudio de Acelera Región, Valle del Cauca
Authors: García Herrera Carolina
Published: February 2025

Este capítulo analiza políticas y programas que apuntan al desarrollo de las comunidades por medio de la aceleración de emprendimientos. A través de una breve descripción conceptual y las reflexiones de emprendedores y profesionales en emprendimiento que participaron en Acelera Región, se espera responder a la pregunta ¿cómo se articula Acelera Región al desarrollo de las regiones en el país? Para dar respuesta, metodológicamente este proyecto presenta una caracterización del origen y desarrollo de las aceleradoras, particularmente de las aceleradoras objetivo de este estudio: Valle E y Acelera Región, y los resultados de las entrevistas semiestructuradas realizadas a dos grupos de estudio: emprendedores y expertos del ecosistema de emprendimiento, con el propósito de conocer sus perspectivas sobre el programa. Para finalizar, se presentan los resultados de la investigación y las conclusiones.
Modelo de negocios estratégicos
Authors: Cajigas Margot , Ramírez Elbar , Ramírez David
Published: February 2025

Los miembros de un ecosistema de emprendimiento tienen distintos roles frente al objetivo de aportar en el propósito de conseguir la instalación y sostenibilidad de empresas capaces de generar riqueza. A los docentes esencialmente corresponde dar soporte a los protagonistas clave: emprendedores, aportantes de las ideas de negocio e inversores, aportantes de capital. En esta perspectiva, se propone el Programa Emprendimiento Empresarial, dirigido a facilitar a esos agentes hacer modelos de negocio estratégicos, competitivos. La metodología Scrum permitió obtener un software innovador, cuya primera parte, denominada “Cómo creo mi empresa”, fundamenta al usuario, mientras la segunda, titulada “Mi modelo de negocio”, es aplicada, permitiendo al equipo emprendedor construir el modelo de negocio aprendiendo y haciendo. Así, un equipo obtiene y presenta su proyecto como un modelo de negocio capaz de soportar el análisis de potenciales inversores, con quienes se podrá unir para poner en marcha la empresa y generar desarrollo.
Code and Data Repository for Reference Vector Assisted Candidate Search with Aggregated Surrogate for Computationally Expensive Many Objective Optimization Problems
Authors: Wang Wenyu , Shoemaker Christine A.
Published: February 2025

This code is associated with the paper: Reference Vector Assisted Candidate Search with Aggregated Surrogate for Computationally Expensive Many Objective Optimization Problems.
¿Qué tan buenos son sus metadatos? Una sesión práctica de la herramienta Crossref Informes de Participación
Authors: Collins Susan , Montilla Luis
Published: February 2025

Este seminario web se realizó el 20 de febrero 2025

¿Estás interesado en comprender la calidad de los metadatos que deposita en Crossref? Únete a una sesión en la que te explicaremos nuestra herramienta de Reportes de participación. Esta herramienta muestra a los miembros de Crossref qué tan buenos son sus metadatos y te ayuda a comprender qué podrías necesitar mejorar.

Lo que aprenderás:

- Cómo usar la herramienta de Reportes de participación para ver la calidad de sus metadatos.
- Por qué los buenos metadatos son importantes para que su contenido sea más fácil de encontrar y usar.
- Pasos simples para mejorar sus metadatos para una mejor visibilidad.
Mental health implications of fracture-related infections
Authors: Walter Nike , Loew Thomas , Hinterberger Thilo , Mohokum Melvin , Alt Volker , Rupp Markus
Published: February 2025

Aims

Fracture-related infections (FRIs) are a major concern for patients and healthcare systems, yet their impact on mental health has been largely overlooked. This study aimed to assess the longitudinal impact of FRI on patients’ quality of life.

Methods

A prospective study was conducted at a level 1 trauma centre between January 2020 and December 2022. In total, 56 patients participated, with quality of life assessed at five timepoints: one week preoperatively, and one, three, six, and 12 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with adjusted post-hoc analysis.

Results

The preoperative Physical Component Summary score on the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) was 26.71, increasing to 30.40 at one month, remaining stable at three months. A modest increase was observed at six months (32.45, p = 0.003), but it decreased to 29.72 at 12 months. The preoperative Mental Component Summary score (SF-36) was 46.48, decreasing to 39.89 at one month (p = 0.027) and to 36.03 at three months (p ≤ 0.001). However, it improved at six (42.74) and 12 months (44.05). Positive changes were seen in EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) subdimensions, such as mobility, self-care, usual activities, and pain/discomfort, while anxiety/depression scores decreased over time. The EQ-5D visual analogue scale (VAS) score increased to 62.79 at six months (p ≤ 0.001) and decreased to 58.2 at 12 months (p = 0.011).

Conclusion

FRIs substantially affect mental health and quality of life, particularly during the initial three months of treatment. This study emphasizes the importance of addressing psychological aspects early in FRI management, advocating for holistic care encompassing both physical and psychological aspects of treatment.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2025;14(2):136–142.
Vibrant Rivers in Three Hybrid Books for Young Readers Addressing Climate Change and Matter Awareness
Authors: Goga Nina
Published: February 2025

Abstract: Rivers have been the starting point and location for philosophical, religious, and literary thoughts about the world and humans’ relationship to it and to the hereafter for thousands of years. Children’s literature is no exception, and through a new materialist and material ecocritical lens, this article examine rivers that speak up or are recognized as crucial for ecological interactions. The aim is to explore how rivers function both as a form of agentic inanimate matter and as nonfictional aesthetic forces in three texts for young readers addressing climate change and place awareness: The Art of Rewilding: The Return of Yellowstone’s Wolves (2022) by writer Nadja Belhadj and illustrator Marc Majewski, Save Our Forest! (2022) by Nora Dåsnes, and What Is a River? (2019) by Monika Vaicenavičienė. All three books can be described as hybrid in terms of the relationship between fiction and nonfiction, as well as in other aspects such as material design and genre conventions.
Music Faculty after Pandemic Closures: A Mixed Methods Study of Evolving Resource Preferences and Libraries
Authors: Clark Joe C. , Abbazio Jessica M. , Sauceda Jonathan
Published: February 2025

abstract: The dramatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education and the growth in popularity of commercial services such as YouTube warrant an examination of how music faculty have and have not changed their teaching practices and what role the library has played in their pedagogy. Building on a 2017 publication, this mixed methods, multiinstitutional study examined the practices of instructors at three universities to determine what materials they used to support their teaching, their preferred sources and formats of learning content, the library's role in meeting these needs, obstacles in using library resources, and the ways in which the pandemic changed their approach to using resources. Results indicated that faculty preferred for their library to invest in electronic collections over physical materials, they favored obtaining some types of materials from non-library sources, and their use of most library services had rebounded from the declines observed during institutional closures.
"América no me gusta, todo lo que dicen de la América no es verdad": Las cartas de Lucia Grandi de Racca
Authors: Sanhueza María Teresa
Published: February 2025

Abstract: This article examines the letters written by Lucia Grandi de Racca, an Italian immigrant in Argentina, and her family's experience of migration and settlement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Lucia's letters furnish a unique perspective on the daily lives of women in the Argentinean pampa and their role in maintaining family ties and cultural traditions. Communication and family bonds played a crucial role in Lucia's life, as seen through her reliance on letters to maintain emotional well-being and express her yearning for family unity despite the geographical distance. Through a close analysis of the letters, the study explores how the Racca family negotiated their new environment, maintained connections with their homeland, and constructed a sense of identity in migration. The epistolary correspondence also reveals the challenges and opportunities of migration and the complex emotions of the immigration process. This study contributes to the broader historiography of Italian emigration to America and highlights the importance of anonymous voices in shaping the understanding of the past and the need to challenge the globalization of immigration in statistics and numbers.
Fantasmas nacionales: La construcción de la nación venezolana en Falke de Federico Vegas
Authors: González-Barajas Leopoldo
Published: February 2025

Abstract: The presence of ghosts can shape how nations are understood. This article analyzes how the appearance of three ghostly presences, namely those of the dictator Juan Vicente Gómez, the Independence heroes, and the writer Rómulo Gallegos, continuously shape the Venezuelan nation in the novel Falke (2005) by Federico Vegas. By exploring what each of these ghosts represent and signify, one can understand how two different ideological dynamics have shaped Venezuela throughout its modern history. While one of these dynamics, repeated through political discourse, elevates the nation's heroic past, the other seeks to contravene this view through old literary positivist patterns. Still, both represent the deterioration of the nation.
Complaint, Anger, and Poetic Form in the Tristram Episode of The Faerie Queene
Authors: Brown Richard Danson
Published: February 2025

Abstract: This article reexamines Spenser's representation of anger through the neglected canto in which Tristram rescues a nameless lady from abuse by a nameless knight. It explores the poetic forms and recurring narrative motifs which underpin the Tristram episode, and argues that, in The Faerie Queene , the representation of anger entails critical use of the complaint mode. It shows Spenser's critical response to Lipsius's Neostoic De Constantia , a dialogue which opposes complaint as a psychological maneuver and as a rhetorical practice. The article suggests that Spenser's poetic styles are key to the interpretation of the poem's broader allegorical engagement with Courtesy.
Young People's Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Uganda: Understanding Barriers and Facilitators
Authors: Bukenya Justine N. , Ssekamatte Tonny , Komuhendo Robina , Stillman Melissa
Published: February 2025

Young people in Uganda face a range of challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. These barriers can be particularly pronounced for refugees and other vulnerable groups, and are often aggravated by gender norms and social stigma. Understanding how social norms interact with other societal structures to block or facilitate SRH access can be a critical step in supporting sexual and reproductive autonomy in Uganda and around the world.

This report highlights key findings and recommendations from a qualitative study conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, in collaboration with Makerere University School of Public Health, that explores the impact of social norms on access to SRH information and services among young people aged 15–24, in four districts in Uganda. The study relied on focus group discussions (FGDs) in both refugee and non-refugee communities and included both in-school and out-of-school participants, to help identify specific barriers and facilitators to their accessing sexual and reproductive health services.
Harmonic Mode-Locking in All-PM Er-Doped Fiber Laser NALM Configuration
Authors: Korobko Dmitry , Ribenek Valeria , Itrin Pavel , Stoliarov Dmitrii , Fotiadi Andrei , Tertyshnikova Galina
Published: February 2025

We present, to the best of our knowledge, the first demonstration of a sub-GHz harmonically mode-locked (HML) Er-doped fiber laser based on a nonlinear amplified loop mirror (NALM). This fully spliced, polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber configuration operates in a self-starting regime, delivering high-frequency pulse trains with significantly enhanced stability against environmental perturbations. The laser achieves a maximum pulse repetition rate (PRR) of ~630 MHz, corresponding to the 242nd cavity harmonic. Furthermore, we apply a supermode noise mitigation technique using continuous-wave injection from an external narrow-band source successfully stabilizing the HML operation and reducing timing jitter by more than a factor of two across the entire range of observed repetition rates. This novel design provides a robust, adjustment-free solution for high-frequency operation with exceptional stability, meeting the demands of precision and reliability required for advanced applications.
The effectiveness of Evodia rutaecarpa hot compress on the recovery of gastrointestinal function after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer: A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study
Authors: Huang Miaoxin , Li Junmiao , Huang Wei , Zhou Yuling , Cai Lei , Liu Ming
Published: February 2025

Background

Although the use of hot compresses with the herbal medicine Evodia rutaecarpa (ER) as a complementary and alternative therapy to promote recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function is gradually increasing in clinical practice, there is still a lack of relevant empirical studies. Particularly, the role of ER hot compress therapy on gastrointestinal recovery post-laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer has not been well investigated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and applicability of ER hot compress therapy for the recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study. Patients were divided into two cohorts, the ER group and the non-ER group. Propensity score matching(PSM) was introduced to limit confounding, and independent samples t-tests, non-parametric tests, or Chi-squared tests were used to compare these two cohorts.

Results

A total of 454 patients were included, with 267 (59%) receiving ER hot compress therapy and 187 (41%) not. After 1:1 PSM, 320 patients were analyzed (160 in each group). Compared to the ER group, patients in the non-ER group had shorter times to return to a semi-liquid diet (p = 0.030) and hospital stay (p<0.001), as well as lower hospital costs (p<0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed no statistically significant differences in the length of hospital stay, hospital costs, postoperative time to return to full-liquid diet, or time to return to semi-liquid diet among stage I and II tumor patients. However, except for hospital costs, the means and standard deviations of the other indicators were generally lower in the ER group. Complication incidence showed no significant difference between the two cohorts before and after PSM.

Conclusions

The use of ER hot packs after laparoscopic surgery in patients with colorectal cancer has a non-significant effect on the recovery of the gastrointestinal function and, given the results of the study, it is likely that patients with early-stage tumors may benefit more. Therefore, healthcare providers need to consider the individualization, practicality, and economics of treatment options.
Evaluating patient experience in maternity services using a Bayesian belief network model
Authors: Munassar Abrar Abdulhakim Ahmed , Simsekler Mecit Can Emre , Saad Ahmed Alaaeldin , Qazi Abroon , Omar Mohammed A.
Published: February 2025

Pregnancy and childbirth are commonly seen as positive experiences, but they can also pose distinct challenges and risks, especially when care is insufficient. This study investigates the factors influencing maternity patient experience by exploring the complex interactions among these factors. Using data from the 2021 maternity patient survey by the National Health Services (NHS) in England, we implemented a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) to model these interactions. Three structural learning models were created, namely Bayesian Search (BS), Peter-Clark (PC), and Greedy Thick Thinning (GTT). Further, sensitivity analysis was conducted to quantify interactions among the influencing factors and identify the most influential factor affecting the outcome. The results underscore the importance of recognizing the interdependencies among the eight key domains of the survey, which collectively shape maternity care experiences. These factors include the start of care in pregnancy, antenatal check-ups, care during pregnancy, labour and birth, staff caring, care in the hospital, feeding the baby, and care after birth. These findings can guide healthcare managers and decision-makers in developing proactive strategies to mitigate factors impacting maternity patient experiences. Ultimately, this study contributes to the ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of maternity care and improve outcomes for mothers and their infants.
Fire history in arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China during the last glacial period inferred from a charcoal record in Hetao Basin
Authors: Liu Siwei , Li Xinling , Zhang Shengrui , Cai Maotang , He Xinyu , Li Siyu , Ma Peixin
Published: February 2025

In arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China, the ecological environment is fragile and fire occurs frequently. Fire has an important impact on the regional ecological environment. The last glacial period is the most recent glacial period, and the climate is unstable, characterized by millennial oscillations. The research reveals regional fire evolution and driving mechanism of the last glacial period in arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China. The research can provide important theoretical reference for regional fire prevention and control in the future. Therefore, a sediment core was drilled from the southwestern part of the Hetao Basin. In this study, we extended the study sequence to 23.68-m-long, and reconstructed the history of fire during the last glacial period (MIS4 ~ MIS2). The results are as follows: (1) 72.2 ~ 59.5 ka BP: The regional fire activity was low. 59.5 ~ 49.8 ka BP: The regional fire activity was relatively higher than the previous stage. 49.8 ~ 36.9 ka BP: The regional fire activity had little change than the previous stage. 36.9 ~ 26.6 ka BP: The regional fire activity was relatively higher than the previous stage. 26.6 ~ 18.9 ka BP: The regional fire activity was relatively lower than the previous stage. 18.9 ~ 15.7 ka BP: The regional fire activity was low. (2) The regional fire activity was low during the Heinrich events in the Hetao Basin. (3) The more fire activity in the last glacial period in the Hetao Basin was due to the warm and wet climatic conditions, which promoted better regional vegetation development and increased regional biomass, which provided sufficient fuel for the occurrence of fire activity.
Open-source 3D printable forearm crutch
Authors: Mottaghi Maryam , Woods Morgan , Danier Laura , So Anita , Reeves Jacob M. , Pearce Joshua M.
Published: February 2025

Although there has been considerable progress in distributed manufacturing of open-source designs for mobility aids, there is a notable lack of affordable, open-source crutches. Crutches are a vital tool for many individuals with mobility impairments, yet the high costs limit accessibility. Even more, they are in short supply in regions undergoing conflict. The goal of this study is to address this need by leveraging the principles of free and open-source hardware and the capabilities of digital distributed manufacturing to create a low-cost, functional crutch that can be easily produced and customized locally using inexpensive desktop 3D printers. All the design files are open-source, and the design process incorporated load-bearing tests using a hydraulic actuator under static loading conditions to meet the ISO 11334-1:2007 standard for walking aids. The open-source forearm crutch developed in this study not only surpasses the requirements of the ISO method for load capacity (1,516.3 ±  169.9 N, which is 51.6% percent above needs), weighs a fraction of comparable commercial systems (0.612 kg or 27% of proprietary devices), and is customizable, but also offers a highly cost-effective solution; costing CAD $36 in material, which is less than all equivalent crutches on the open market. If recycled plastic is used, the material cost of the crutch could be further reduced to under CAD $13, making it much more accessible.
“Pet effect” patterns: Dynamics of animal presence and caregiver affect across (tele)work and non-work contexts
Authors: Delanoeije Joni , Engels Miriam , Janssens Mayke
Published: February 2025

Human-animal interactions (HAI) may relate to animal caregivers’ affect, also referred to as the “pet effect”. However, studies have not explored these associations in work contexts or evaluated longitudinal patterns of HAI with other activities across work and non-work contexts, and their associations with caregiver emotions. We therefore assess momentary associations between HAI during (tele)work and non-work time and positive and negative caregiver affect (PA/NA), identify person-level patterns of longitudinal HAI state trajectories, and analyze cross-level moderating effects of these patterns on momentary associations between HAI and PA/NA. First, we evaluated associations between momentary HAI and caregiver PA/NA including the moderating role of momentary work state (teleworking vs. not working). Second, using a data-driven approach, we applied sequence analysis to determine heterogeneity in state trajectories amongst caregivers using working activity and animal presence in five possible states (working at work/teleworking with animal/teleworking without animal/not working with animal/not working without animal), which we labelled as animal-work constellations. Similar trajectories of animal-work constellations across caregivers were grouped into clusters with recognizable patterns. Third, we assessed whether such patterns moderated momentary associations between HAI and caregiver PA/NA. Caregivers (Npersons =  324) completed ecological momentary survey data during five days with 10 prompts per day (Nobservations =  16,127) between 2017 and 2024. Results showed that momentary associations between HAI and affect were moderated by momentary work state and person-level animal-work constellation pattern, contextualizing the “pet effect”. Our results highlight the importance of microlevel investigations of animal-work constellations and validates the novel use of sequence analysis to explore the role of context and time.
Associations between cognitive activities and all-cause mortality among older adults with cognitive impairment: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Duan Linjia , Zhao Liming , Wang Ziqiong , Liu Lu , Song Ningying , He Sen
Published: February 2025

Background

Evidence on the association between cognitive activities and mortality among older adults with cognitive impairment is limited. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the association and examine whether baseline cognitive function mediates the association.

Methods

A total of 10477 older participants with cognitive impairment (median age: 95.0 [IQR: 88.0–100.0], males: 27.9%, Mini-Mental State Examination score ≤24 points) from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey conducted between 1998 and 2014 were included, with follow-up until 2018. Exposures were three prevalent cognitive activities among older adults in China: reading books/newspapers, playing cards/mah-jong, and watching TV or listening to radio, and the outcome was all-cause mortality within a 10-year follow-up period. We evaluated the association between these activities and mortality using Cox regression models and also conducted a mediation analysis to examine the role of baseline cognitive function in this association.

Results

During a follow-up period of totaling 33632.1 person-years, there were 8763 recorded deaths (83.6%). For each cognitive activity, the risk of mortality decreased with an increased frequency of engagement in these activities. Moreover, the risk of mortality significantly decreased with a greater number of cognitive activities. With zero activities as reference, adjusted hazard ratios were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.79–0.87) for one activity, 0.76 (95% CI: 0.69–0.83) for two activities, and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.53–0.86) for three activities, respectively. Stratified and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings. Additionally, baseline cognitive function partially mediated the association between cognitive activities and mortality; compared to zero activities, the mediated proportions were 15.2% (95% CI: 10.9%–22.4%) for one activity, 13.4% (95% CI: 8.9%–21.3%) for two activities, and 9.3% (95% CI: 4.2%–23.4%) for three activities, respectively.

Conclusions

Among older adults with cognitive impairment in China, the risk of all-cause mortality significantly decreased as both the frequency and number of cognitive activities increased. Baseline cognitive function only mediated a small proportion of the benefits of cognitive activities in longevity.
Continuity and change: paradigm shifts in neural induction.
Authors: Gilbert S F
Published: February 2025

The problem of "primary embryonic induction" was one of the first areas of developmental biology to become "molecularized." What had been seen as an intractable series of problems became amenable to the techniques of Northern blotting, ectopic RNA insertion, and in situ hybridization. These molecular analyses showed that some of the fundamental concepts of primary embryonic induction concluded by experimental embryologists were false. First, primary embryonic induction was not primary. The organizer tissue, itself, was the product of a prior induction. Second, the neural fate of cells was not being induced. Rather, the epidermal fate was induced and the neural state was the default, uninduced, fate of ectodermal tissues. Third, primary embryonic induction was not something unique to vertebrates. Rather, the ventral neural cord of insects formed using the same mechanisms as the dorsal neural tube of vertebrates. Fourth, the brain formed in a matter distinctly different from that the spinal cord. Despite these differences, there has been a clear and strong continuity between the experimental embryological tradition and the molecular genetic tradition, and these new results are seen by many contemporary developmental geneticists as strengthening, rather than destroying, the older science.
In vitro induction systems for analyses of amphibian organogenesis and body patterning.
Authors: Ariizumi T , Asashima M
Published: February 2025

The discovery that some well-known growth factors have inducing activity in embryogenesis has accelerated our understanding of embryonic induction. Relevant receptors, signal transduction pathways and patterns of gene expression have been characterized over the past decade. Amphibian embryos have provided an excellent model for analysis of embryonic induction because they are easily surgically manipulated and cultured in vitro, and with the addition of treatment with various inducing factors we have been able to control organogenesis and body patterning during early development in vitro. Activin A, a TGF-beta family protein, has a potent mesoderm-inducing activity on the isolated ectoderm called the animal cap. Activin induces animal caps to differentiate into various mesodermal and endodermal tissues, including beating hearts, in a dose-dependent fashion. Activin, in combination with retinoic acid, also induces the formation of the pronephros, a primitive embryonic kidney. The in vitro induced kidney was confirmed to function in vivo in a transplantation experiment. Furthermore, the activin-induced animal caps organize heads or trunk-and-tails in exactly the same manner as the organizer. The potential use of in vitro induction systems to further our understanding of vertebrate organogenesis and body patterning will be discussed.
The role of the homeodomain protein Bozozok in zebrafish axis formation.
Authors: Solnica-Krezel L , Driever W
Published: February 2025

The zebrafish bozozok (boz) gene encoding a homeodomain protein (also named Dharma/Nieuwkoid) is required during blastula stages for the formation of a complete Spemann-Mangold gastrula organizer and subsequent development of axial mesoderm and anterior neural structures. Expression of bozin the dorsal yolk syncytial layer (YSL) and overlying marginal blastomeres is activated by beta-catenin. Bozozok itself acts as a transcriptional repressor, and promotes organizer formation by directly inhibiting expression of the bmp2b (swirl) gene and by negatively regulating Wnt signaling by an unknown mechanism. boz cooperates with the Nodal-related secreted factors, Cyclops and Squint, in organizer formation. The incomplete organizer in boz mutants is deficient in expression of a number of factors such as Chordin that antagonize Bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmps), and Dickkopf 1, a Wnt antagonist. Conversely, the dorsal blastoderm of boz mutants exhibits ectopic expression of genes normally excluded from the dorsal midline such as wnt8 or tbx6. boz specifies the formation of anterior neuroectoderm by regulating Bmp and Wnt pathways in a fashion consistent with Nieuwkoop's two-step neural patterning model. boz promotes neural induction by limiting the anti-neuralizing activity of Bmp morphogens. In addition, by negative regulation of Wnt signaling, boz limits posteriorization of neuroectoderm. bozozok chordino double mutants exhibit a synergistic loss of head and trunk. This synthetic phenotype is due to dramatically increased Bmp signaling and consequent massive accumulation of cells in the tailbud at the expense of dorso-anterior structures. Therefore, boz and din act in overlapping pathways that provide the main mechanism to limit Bmp signaling in the zebrafish gastrula and allow for head and trunk development. Notably, Bozozok appears to function by repressing transcription of target genes such as swr (bmp2b) gene, and as such is the earliest acting repressor that the nascent dorsal axis is using to antagonize ventral influences.
Roles of Sox factors in neural determination: conserved signaling in evolution?
Authors: Sasai Y
Published: February 2025

Neural differentiation in amphibian embryos is initiated by the neural inducers emanating from the Spemann-Mangold organizer. The fate of uncommitted ectoderm is determined by graded BMP activity along the dorsal-ventral axis. Several transcriptional regulators acting in early neural differentiation have been identified, including Sox, Zic, Pou, HLH and Fox factors. In this paper, I review recent molecular studies on neural determination, focusing mainly on Sox factors. I also discuss the possible conservation of regulatory factors in neural differentiation, comparing Xenopus and Drosophila counterparts.
The isthmic organizer and brain regionalization.
Authors: Martinez S
Published: February 2025

Distinct neural identities are acquired through progressive restriction of developmental potential under the influence of local environmental signals. Evidence for the localization of such morphogenetic signals at specific locations of the developing neural primordium has suggested the concept of "secondary organizer regions", which regulate the identity and regional polarity of neighboring neuroepithelial areas one step further. In recent years, the most studied secondary organizer has been the isthmic organizer, which is localized at the hind-midbrain transition and controls anterior hindbrain and midbrain regionalization. Otx2 and Gbx2 expression is fundamental for positioning the organizer and for the establishment of molecular interactions that induce Fgf8 expression and then, stabilize the autoregulative loop of En1, Wnt1 and Pax2 expression. Temporospatial patterns of such gene expressions are necessary for the correct development of the organizer which, by a planar mechanism of induction, controls the normal development of the rostral hindbrain from r2 to the midbrain-diencephalic boundary. Fgf8 appears as the active diffusible molecule for isthmic morphogenetic activity and has been suggested to be the morphogenetic effector in other inductive activities revealed in other neuroepithelial regions.
Early neurogenesis in Amniote vertebrates.
Authors: Le Douarin N M
Published: February 2025

Labelling of Hensen's node in a 6-somite stage chick embryo by the quail/chick chimera method has revealed that, while moving caudalwards as the embryo elongates, the node leaves in its wake not only the notochord but also the floor plate and a longitudinal strand of dorsal endoderm. The node itself contains cells endowed with the capacity to yield midline cells (i.e. notochord and floor plate) along the whole length of the neural axis. Caudal node cells function as stem cells. They are responsible for the apical growth of the cord of cells that are at the origin of the midline structures since, if removed, neither the notochord nor the floor plate, are formed caudally to the ablation. The embryo extends however in the absence of midline cells and a neural tube develops posterior to the excision. Only dorsal molecular markers are detectable on this neural tube (e.g. Pax3 and Slug). The posterior region of the embryo in which the structures secreting Shh are missing undergo cell death within the 24 to 48 hours following its formation. Unpublished results indicate that rescue of the posterior region of the embryo can be obtained by implantation of Shh secreting cells. One of the critical roles of floor plate and notochord is therefore to inhibit the cell death programme in the axial and paraxial structures of the embryo at gastrulation and neurulation stages.
The effect of neuronal cells on kidney differentiation.
Authors: Sariola H , Holm-Sainio K , Henke-Fahle S
Published: February 2025

During embryonic growth, tissue interactions between dissimilar cells are the driving forces of morphogenesis. Although their importance has been well known for over the past 50 years, the molecular background of these interactions has remained unelucidated. The unrecognized heterogeneity of those mesenchymal cells that are involved in the epithelio-mesenchymal tissue interactions may be one reason for this. For example, studies of kidney differentiation show that the metanephric organ rudiment contains more cell-lines than previously thought. Identification of both neural crest- and mesoderm-derived cells in the nephrogenic mesenchyme helps in re-evaluating the biology of the tubule induction. The neural crest-derived cells of the nephric rudiment differentiate into neuronal cells, and later during differentiation some of them are found in the stroma. There is also experimental evidence for the role of these neuronal cells in the morphogenetic tissue interaction.
Expression of intermediate filaments (IF) in tissues and cultured cells.
Authors: Virtanen I , Heikinheimo K , Hormia M , Kivela T , Laitinen L , Thornell L E
Published: February 2025

Intermediate filaments are found in most nucleated cells as part of their cytoskeleton. Intermediate filaments are formed by different proteins in cells of major tissues types. Therefore, antibodies against intermediate filaments can be used in tissue typing, in the analysis of cell lineages during development and in the elucidation of the origin of unknown tumors.