bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orthogonal time-frequency space modulation for underwater mobile acoustic communications
Authors: Xue Yukang , Zhu Xiyuan , Zheng Y. Rosa
Published: February 2025

This paper presents a new turbo decision feedback equalizer and decoder (TDFED) for the orthogonal time-frequency space (OTFS) system of underwater mobile acoustic communications where the communication channel suffers from severe multipath and Doppler effects simultaneously. The proposed TDFED employs a set of feedforward and feedback filters in the time domain instead of the common approach that employs a normalized least mean square equalizer in the delay-Doppler domain. The receiver also utilizes low-complexity improved proportionate normalized least mean square channel estimation in the delay-Doppler domain. Practical OTFS modulation schemes are designed for acoustic transmission at a center frequency of 115 kHz and a symbol rate of 11.5 ksps (kilo-symbols-per-second). Several lake experiments in mobile communication scenarios are conducted to evaluate the proposed OTFS in comparison to the single-carrier coherent modulation (SCCM) and the orthogonal frequency division modulation (OFDM) schemes. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed OTFS receiver effectively reduces the accuracy requirements of the Doppler compensation algorithm compared to the SCCM and OFDM schemes. The proposed TDFED algorithm achieves a much better bit error rate against long-multipath fading and severe Doppler shift than the existing delay-Doppler domain equalizers.
The microbiome-restorative potential of ibezapolstat for the treatment of
Clostridioides difficile
infection is predicted through variant PolC-type DNA polymerase III in Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospiraceae
Authors: McPherson Jacob K. , Hurdle Julian G. , Baker Matthew L. , Hussain Tahir , Kumar Ashok , Garey Kevin W.
Published: February 2025

Ibezapolstat (IBZ), a first-in-class antibiotic targeting the PolC-type DNA polymerase III alpha-subunit (PolC) in low G + C bacteria, is in clinical development for the treatment of
Clostridioides difficile
infection (CDI). In the phase 2 trials, IBZ had potent activity against
C. difficile
while sparing or causing regrowth of Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Erysipelotrichales, common commensal low G + C bacteria. The purpose of this study was to utilize
in silico
approaches to better interpret the narrower than expected IBZ spectrum of activity. IBZ susceptibility to human commensal microbiota was predicted using genomic analysis and PolC phylogenetic tree construction in relation to
C. difficile
and commensal low G + C bacteria. Protein structure prediction was performed using AlphaFold2 and binding pocket homology modeling was performed using Schrodinger Maestro and UCSF ChimeraX. An amino acid phylogenetic tree identified certain residues that were phylogenetically variant in Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Erysipelotrichales and conserved in
C. difficile
. Chemical modeling showed that these residues ablated key PolC•IBZ predicted interactions including two lysine “
gates
” (
CdiPolC
Lys1148 and
CdiPolC
Lys1327) that “
latch
” onto the compound; an “
anchoring
” interaction (
CdiPolC
Thr1331) to the central moiety; and a stabilized set of
C. difficile
sensitizer residues (
CdiPolC
Thr1291 and
CdiPolC
Lys1292) that resulted in the prolonged inhibition of a catalytic residue (
CdiPolC
Asp1090). The observed IBZ sparing of Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae/Coprobacillaceae was predicted using
in silico
techniques. Further studies that confirm a PolC structural basis for the IBZ narrower than expected activity are needed to confirm these
in silico
phylogenetic and chemical modeling data.
Record High Critical Temperature Among Bismuthides of the 122 Family: BaAg1.8Bi2 with a Monoclinically Distorted CaBe2Ge2 Structure
Authors: Sadakov A. V. , Usoltsev A. S. , Vlasenko V. A. , Gavrilkin S. Yu. , Shilov A. I. , Pervakov K. S. , Rakhmanov E. O. , Morozov I. V.
Published: February 2025

A new superconductor BaAg1.8Bi2 with a previously unknown variant of the monoclinically distorted CaBe2Ge2 structure (space group C2/m) has been crystallized in the form of single crystals from a bismuth flux. The temperature and magnetic field dependences of the magnetic susceptibility and resistance have shown that this compound transits to a superconducting state at the temperature T
c = 5.4 K. According to the found Ginzburg–Landau parameter κ = 27, this compound is a type-II superconductor with the first and second critical fields H
c1(0) = 53 Oe and H
c2(0) = 2.1 × 104 Oe and the critical current density reaching 4.4 kA/cm2 at 2.5 K. It can be assumed that, similar to some superconducting 112 type bismuthides, superconductivity in this compound is due to the planar square bismuth sublattice contained in the fluorite-like [BiAg0.8] layer rather than to the [AgBi] layers where Ag atoms are locally disordered. This could explain the unusually high T
c value for bismuthides belonging to the CaBe2Ge2 structural type and its derivatives.
Model and Program Repair via Group Actions and Structure Unwinding
Authors: Attie Paul C. , Cocke William L.
Published: February 2025

Given a program

\(P\)

, one can construct a Kripke structure

\(\mathcal{M}\)

. Model checking verifies that

\(P\)

satisfies a behavioral property given by a temporal logic formula

\(\varphi\)

by checking that

\(\mathcal{M}\)

models

\(\varphi\)

. However,

\(\mathcal{M}\)

can be exponentially large in

\(P\)

. The action of a symmetry group

\(G\)

on

\(\mathcal{M}\)

and

\(\varphi\)

can produce a smaller structure

\(\overline{\mathcal{M}}\)

. When

\(\mathcal{M}\)

does not satisfy

\(\varphi\)

, one can look for a substructure that satisfies

\(\varphi\)

. We call this
substructure-repair
.

We show that repairs of

\(\overline{\mathcal{M}}\)

lift to repairs of

\(\mathcal{M}\)

, i.e., we can repair a concurrent program by repairing the smaller structure

\(\overline{\mathcal{M}}\)

and symmetrizing the resulting program. The substructures of

\(\overline{\mathcal{M}}\)

map to substructures of

\(\mathcal{M}\)

preserved by

\(G\)

. We present relative completeness results, which give conditions under which the existence of a repair of

\(\mathcal{M}\)

implies the existence of a repair of

\(\overline{\mathcal{M}}\)

.

In cases where there is no repair of a Kripke structure

\(\mathcal{M}\)

w.r.t. a formula, we show that there are instances where it is possible to ”unwind”

\(\mathcal{M}\)

to generate a structure

\(\mathcal{M'}\)

that is strongly bisimilar to

\(\mathcal{M}\)

and for which a repair exists. This leads to a natural semantic notion,
repairability
, which is not preserved by strong bisimulation. We illustrate the combined use of symmetry reduction and unwinding to effect a repair.

Finally, we provide closed-form results for the reductions in number of states in the Kripke structure that can be achieved by symmetry reduction.
Principled Mining, Forecasting and Monitoring of Honeybee Time Series with EBV+
Authors: Hossain Mst. Shamima , Faloutsos Christos , Baer Boris , Kim Hyoseung , Tsotras Vassilis J.
Published: February 2025

Honeybees, as natural crop pollinators, play a significant role in biodiversity and food production for human civilization. Bees actively regulate hive temperature (homeostasis) to maintain a colony’s proper functionality. Deviations from usual thermoregulation behavior due to external stressors (e.g., extreme environmental temperature, parasites, pesticide exposure, etc.) indicate an impending colony collapse. Anticipating such threats by forecasting hive temperature and finding changes in temperature patterns would allow beekeepers to take early preventive measures and avoid critical issues. In that case, how can we model bees’ thermoregulation behavior for an interpretable and effective hive monitoring system?

In this paper, we propose the
principled
EBV + (Electronic Bee-Veterinarian plus) method based on the thermal diffusion equation and a novel
‘sigmoid’
feedback-loop (P) controller for analyzing hive health with the following properties: (i) it is
effective
on multiple, real-world beehive time sequences (recorded and streaming), (ii) it is
explainable
with only a few parameters (e.g., hive health factor) that beekeepers can easily quantify and trust, (iii) it issues proactive alerts to beekeepers before any potential issue affecting homeostasis becomes detrimental, and (iv) it is scalable with a time complexity of
O(t)
for reconstructing and
O(t×m)
for finding cuts of a sequence with C time-ticks. Experimental results on multiple real-world time sequences showcase the potential and practical feasibility of EBV+. Our method yields accurate forecasting (up to 72% improvement in RMSE) with up to
600
times fewer parameters compared to baselines (ARX, seasonal ARX, Holt-winters, and DeepAR), as well as detects discontinuities and raises alerts that coincide with domain experts’ opinions. Moreover, EBV+ is scalable and fast, taking less than
1 minute
on a stock laptop to reconstruct two months of sensor data.
Inhibition of Bif-1 confers cardio-protection in myocardial infarction
Authors: Xu Yi , Zheng Zhirui , Jiang Xin , Wang Xinqiuyue , Xu Qiuxia , Lu Xianneng , Huang Yipu , Qin Yuan , Hou Ning , Liu Yun
Published: February 2025

Myocardial infarction (MI) remains a major cause of chronic heart failure. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is an emerging therapeutic strategy to prevent adverse remodeling of the infarcted heart. However, little is known about how Bax-interacting protein 1 (Bif-1), a member of the endophilin B family, is involved in mediating cardiac ER stress in ischemic heart disease. Here, a combination of a left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation mouse model and an adenovirus-based transfection strategy was used to investigate the effect of Bif-1 on cardiac remodeling and function after MI. 4-Phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) was used to understand the role of ER stress in cardiac remodeling. To discover the molecular mechanism, an RNA sequencing study was performed. We found that Bif-1 expression was highly elevated in the heart infarct border zone post-MI and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) treated with oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). Adenovirus-based knockdown of Bif-1 protected the heart from MI as demonstrated by attenuated maladaptive remodeling and preserved contractile function. ER stress inhibition by 4-PBA alleviated the adverse effects of Bif-1 overexpression on cardiac structure and function. Furthermore, we explored the underlying mechanism by RNA sequencing and identified Bif-1 as a molecule involved in cardiac lipid metabolism. In conclusion, our study identifies Bif-1 as a negative regulator of cardiac protection in MI. Inhibition of Bif-1 alleviates ER stress which may restore lipid metabolism homeostasis, to preserve cardiac function post-MI. Therefore, Bif- 1 is a potential novel therapeutic target for ischemic heart disease.
A mechanism of CALHM1 ion channel gating
Authors: Ma Zhongming , Paudel Usha , Wang Maria , Foskett J. Kevin
Published: February 2025

The Calcium Homeostasis Modulator (CALHM) proteins comprise a family of six genes, some of which have been demonstrated to function as ion channels. CALHM1, the founding member, is an extracellular Ca2+- and voltage-gated large-pore non-selective ion channel. The mechanisms by which Ca2+ and voltage regulate CALHM1 channel gating are unknown. Cryo-electron microscopic structures of CALHM1 and its paralogs have provided little insights into these features, although they have suggested that the amino-termini, including an amino-terminal helix (NTH) and the first transmembrane helix (TM1) may possess significant flexibility. Here we investigated the role of the amino terminus in gating regulation of human CALHM1 channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Deletion of the NTH and the proximal end of TM1 markedly reduced the voltage-dependence of channel gating, whereas extracellular Ca2+ retained ability to close the channel, indicating that the amino-terminus is not the Ca2+-regulated gate. Furthermore, inhibition of channel currents by ruthenium red was independent of the presence of the amino terminus and was mediated by effects on channel gating rather than pore block. Introduction of a cysteine residue into the proximal end of TM1 enabled complete inhibition of the channel by a crosslinking reagent under conditions in which the channel was in a closed state. Our findings indicate that while the NTH plays a role in voltage-dependent gating, it does not act as the gate itself. Instead, our results suggest that the gate in CALHM1 is formed by proximal regions of the first transmembrane domain.
Kidney cell response to acute cardiorenal and isolated kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Burfeind Kevin G. , Funahashi Yoshio , Su Xiao-Tong , Lackey Anne E. , Hagen Matt W. , Blanche Sienna , Emathinger Jacqueline M. , Hebert Jessica F. , McDonough Alicia A. , Gurley Susan B. , Nelson Jonathan W. , Hutchens Michael P.
Published: February 2025

Acute cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) represents a critical intersection of cardiac and renal dysfunction with profound clinical implications. Despite its significance, the molecular underpinnings that mediate cellular responses within the kidney during CRS remain inadequately understood. We employed single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) to dissect the cellular transcriptomic landscape of the kidney following in a translational model of CRS, cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/PCR) in comparison to ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). In each dataset, we found that proximal tubule (PT) cells of the kidney undergo significant gene expression changes, with decreased expression of genes critically important for cell identity and function, indicative of dedifferentiation. Based on this, we created a novel score to capture the dedifferentiation state of each kidney cell population and found that certain epithelial cell populations, such as the PT S1 and S2 segments, as well as the distal convoluted tubule, exhibited significant dedifferentiation response. Interestingly, the dedifferentiation response in the distal nephron differed in magnitude between IRI and CA/CPR. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of PT response to IRI and CA/CPR revealed similarities between the two models and key differences, including enrichment of immune system process genes. Transcriptional changes in both mouse models of AKI highly correlated with a dataset of human biopsies from patients diagnosed with acute kidney injury (AKI). This comprehensive single nucleus transcriptomic profiling provides valuable insights into the cellular mechanisms driving CRS.
Association of genetic liability to allergic diseases with overall and early-onset colorectal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Alduhayh Saleh , Laskar Ruhina Shirin , Jiang Xia , Zhu Zhaozhong , Vincent Emma E. , Constantinescu Andrei-Emil , Buchanan Daniel D. , Grant Robert C. , Phipps Amanda I. , Brenner Hermann , Huang Wen-Yi , Kweon Sun-Seog , Li Li , Pearlman Rachel , Castellví-Bel Sergi , Gruber Stephen B. , Li Christopher I. , Pellatt Andrew , Platz Elizabeth A. , Van Guelpen Bethany , Zheng Wei , Chan Andrew T. , Figueiredo Jane C. , Ogino Shuji , Ulrich Cornelia M. , Gunter Marc J. , Haycock Philip , Severi Gianluca , Murphy Neil , Dimou Niki
Published: February 2025

Background: Tumor immunosurveillance theory supports that allergic conditions could decrease cancer risk. However, observational evidence yielded inconsistent results for the association between allergic diseases and colorectal cancer risk. We used Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine potential causal associations of allergies with risk of overall and early-onset colorectal cancer. Methods: Genome-wide association study summary statistic data were used to identify genetic variants associated with allergic diseases (Nvariants=65) and individual allergic conditions (asthma, hay fever/allergic rhinitis, eczema). Using two-sample MR, we examined these variants in relation to incident overall (Ncases=52,775 cases) and early-onset colorectal cancer (Ncases=6,176). The mediating role of white blood cells was examined using multivariable MR. Results: In inverse-variance weighted models, genetic liability to allergic diseases was inversely associated with overall (ORper log(odds)= 0.90 [95% CI= 0.85-0.96]; P< 0.01) and early-onset colorectal cancer (OR= 0.83 [95% CI= 0.73-0.95]; P= 0.01). Similar inverse associations were found for hay fever/allergic rhinitis or eczema, while no evidence of association was found between liability to asthma-related phenotypes and colorectal cancer risk. Multivariable MR adjustment for eosinophils weakened the inverse associations for liability to allergic diseases for overall (OR= 0.96 [95% CI= 0.89-1.03]; P= 0.26) and early-onset colorectal cancer (OR= 0.86 [95% CI= 0.73-1.01]; P= 0.06). Conclusions: Our study supports a potential causal association between liability to allergic diseases, specifically hay fever/allergic rhinitis or eczema, and colorectal cancer, possibly at least in part mediated via eosinophil counts. Impact: Our results provide evidence that allergic responses may also have a role in immunosurveillance against colorectal cancer.
Landfall-induced changes in Tropical Cyclone Veronica’s surface winds
Authors: Kepert Jeffrey D.
Published: February 2025

Severe Tropical CycloneVeronica impacted theAustralian northwest coast in March 2019. Synthetic-aperture radar observations showed that the eyewall wind maximum shifted from the left forward quadrant, characteristic of the motion-induced asymmetry for Southern Hemisphere storms, to the right forward quadrant as Veronica approached land. Analysis of a large body of similar observations showed that the majority of cyclones within 200 km of land have an eyewall surface wind asymmetry with the strongest winds in the offshore-flow semicircle, similar to that in Veronica, rather than an asymmetry consistent with motion. In contrast, cyclones further from land mostly have the expected motion-induced asymmetry. Simulations with a dynamical tropical cyclone boundary layer demonstrate that the rightwards shift of the wind maximum in Veronica was consistent with asymmetric surface friction due to the proximity to land. Analysis of the simulated vertical structure revealed that the asymmetry comprised two counter-rotating spirals, similar to those described in a companion paper. The effect of this change in surface wind asymmetry on storm impact is argued to be likely modest, because it occurs largely in the offshore flow, usually away from people and infrastructure.
Bilateral Breast Cancer
Authors: Tada Keiichiro
Published: February 2025

This article is a review of the characteristics of bilateral breast cancer (BBC). Synchronous bilateral breast cancer (SBBC) and metachronous bilateral breast cancer (MBBC) account for 2.9-3.9% and 4.1-4.6% of all new breast cancer cases, respectively. The risk factors for SBBC include older patient age and lobular histology. On the other hand, younger age, lobular histology, and positive family history (or genetic factors) are the risk factors for MBBC. Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy in patients with mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes has been reported to increase survival rates. The prognosis of patients with SBBC is worse than the prognosis of patients with unilateral breast cancer (UBC). The prognosis of patients with MBBC compared to patients with UBC remains undetermined because the ages of patients and the intervals between the occurrence of two primary breast cancers appear to have a major impact on survival outcomes. The differences between SBBC and MBBC need clarification to increase our understanding of BBCs.
The Relational Space of Teacher Aides and Teachers: The ‘Ins’ and ‘Outs’ of Inclusive Education
Authors: Sinnema Claire , Rodway Joelle , MacArthur Jude , Cann Rachel
Published: February 2025

Inclusive education is vital for the rights of all children to education to be met and teacher aides are key players in inclusive education efforts. But inclusive education policy aspirations, like other policies, often fail to be fully realised. In this article we focus on the inclusion of teacher aides in educational networks and the extent to which both teacher aides and teachers can access, borrow, and leverage each other's resources. Our investigation drew on social capital theory and social network analysis to provide insights into this aspect of inclusive education. We administered a social network survey to 701 educators in two communities of learning—comprising four and eight schools respectively. Our analysis involved whole network statistics, analysis of TA-inclusive dyads, centrality measures, statistical tests of the centrality measures, core-periphery analyses, and sociograms. We found that patterns of relational activity between TAs and other educators were low; connections (of any kind) were infrequent. While teacher aides were accessible to others from a network perspective, people did not directly access them. They were, despite policy aspirations to the contrary, rarely considered valued sources of knowledge and expertise or identified as collaborators. In most schools, teacher aides were on the periphery of the network. It is clear that ambitious and well-intentioned inclusive education policies are not yet working as intended. We argue for the vital contribution of the relational space—the relational ties amongst teachers and teacher aides­— to realizing inclusive education goals. In turn, we argue for educational leadership focused on belonging and inclusion not only for students, but also for all of the adults who support inclusive education aspirations in school communities.
The Environmental Concern-Behavior Gap in South Africa: An Income-Based Analysis
Authors: Kirsten Frederich , Biyase Mduduzi
Published: February 2025

Despite widespread concern for environmental issues, a noticeable gap between concern and pro-environmental actions persists across countries and cultures. This study examines this gap in South Africa, analyzing the relationship between income and pro-environmental behavior using the ISSP 2020 Environment dataset. Linear regression results reveal that income positively correlates with concern-behavior gaps in recycling and green purchase behavior, however insignificant for the concern-public environmental activism gap. Lower-income individuals display smaller gaps; they have less environmental concern but engage more in recycling, possibly for economic survival. Conversely, higher-income individuals display greater environmental concern but have relatively low recycling, green purchase behaviors and tendencies for public environmental activism. These findings underscore the potential for policymakers to leverage the strong pro-environmental behavior habits of lower-income groups by supporting sustainable practices that offer both economic and environmental benefits while encouraging higher-income groups to adopt more active environmental practices.
Moral distress in South African child protection social workers: A qualitative study
Authors: Boonzaaier Emma , Molakeng Mahloma , Crofford Elmien , Fouché Ansie
Published: February 2025

Moral distress among South African child protection social workers (CPSWs) remains unexplored despite familiarity with the concept. A qualitative analysis of interviews with 20 CPSWs in two South African provinces interpreted their reports of workplace risk through a moral distress lens. Thematic analysis identified that internal and external constraints are contributing to experiences of moral distress among CPSWs in South Africa, paving the way for developing solutions to mitigate these causes. Policy-level changes, operational improvements for CPSWs, and guidance to help CPSWs create their own solutions, might follow because of the dissemination of our study findings.
Topology, integrity, and stability analysis of weft-knitted textiles
Authors: Maharaj Levi Kapllani , Amantides Chelsea , Dion Genevieve , Shapiro Vadim , Breen David E.
Published: February 2025

Despite their long-time existence and significant capabilities, computational modeling, simulation, and design tools have been underutilized for textiles in general, specifically limiting the ability of knitted textiles to be widely deployed and to reach their full industrial potential in advanced functional fabrics and garments. These computational tools require a robust representation and efficient evaluation of the spatial, material, and physical properties of textile structures. An example of an efficient modeling method for knitted fabrics is TopoKnit, a process-oriented representation for capturing the topology of weft-knitted textiles. In this paper, we extend TopoKnit and present new algorithms that may be used to determine additional topological structures and assess the structural integrity and stability of knitted textiles modeled by this fundamental data structure. We compare our results with outputs from a commercial software system to confirm the effectiveness and validity of our algorithms. These new capabilities provide a foundation for open technologies that can accurately model and predict the geometric and mechanical properties/behaviors of knitted textiles. They will support the development of computational design and analysis tools that will obviate the expensive and wasteful trial-and-error process of knitting and testing actual fabrics in the preproduction phase of textile manufacturing.
Few and Different: Detecting Examinees With Preknowledge Using Extended Isolation Forests
Authors: Smith Nate R. , Keller Lisa A. , Feinberg Richard A. , Liu Chunyan
Published: February 2025

Item preknowledge refers to the case where examinees have advanced knowledge of test material prior to taking the examination. When examinees have item preknowledge, the scores that result from those item responses are not true reflections of the examinee’s proficiency. Further, this contamination in the data also has an impact on the item parameter estimates and therefore has an impact on scores for all examinees, regardless of whether they had prior knowledge. To ensure the validity of test scores, it is essential to identify both issues: compromised items (CIs) and examinees with preknowledge (EWPs). In some cases, the CIs are known, and the task is reduced to determining the EWPs. However, due to the potential threat to validity, it is critical for high-stakes testing programs to have a process for routinely monitoring for evidence of EWPs, often when CIs are unknown. Further, even knowing that specific items may have been compromised does not guarantee that any examinees had prior access to those items, or that those examinees that did have prior access know how to effectively use the preknowledge. Therefore, this paper attempts to use response behavior to identify item preknowledge without knowledge of which items may or may not have been compromised. While most research in this area has relied on traditional psychometric models, we investigate the utility of an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, extended isolation forest (EIF), to detect EWPs. Similar to previous research, the response behavior being analyzed is response time (RT) and response accuracy (RA).
Prisoners of the womb: Pregnant prisoners in William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and Measure for Measure
Authors: Pickard Louisa
Published: February 2025

This article explores the early modern concept of the womb as a prison and how Shakespeare challenges it through his depictions of pregnant prisoner characters. Through the portrayal of Hermione in A Winter's Tale and Juliet in Measure for Measure, where expecting mothers are relocated from the feminine space of the birth room to more masculine spaces of the prison and courts, Shakespeare metaphorically inverts this concept. These two women are depicted as imprisoned by their wombs and a male desire to regain control, with the extent of their marginalisation bound by their social and marital status.
Effect of direct ageing on the microstructure, tensile properties and fracture behavior of a Re-bearing polycrystalline nickel-based superalloy
Authors: Mukhtarov Shamil , Shakhov Ruslan , Ganeev Artem , Imayev Valery
Published: February 2025

The effect of post-forging heat treatment on the microstructure and tensile properties of the heavily alloyed nickel-based superalloy SDZhS-15 (Ni-37(Co,Cr,Mo,W,Re)-12.5(Al,Ti,Nb,Ta)-0.17(B,C,La,Y,Ce), wt.%)) intended for disc applications at temperatures up to 850 °C was studied. The as-cast superalloy was subjected to homogenization, subsolvus hot forging, and various heat treatments, including either solution treatment at subsolvus temperature and ageing or direct ageing. The tensile tests showed that the strength/ductility combination at T = 20–850 °C was appreciably better in the fine-grained condition. SEM study revealed that the fraction of intergranular brittle cleavage fracture increased with increasing the test temperature and at transition from the fine-grained condition obtained via direct ageing to the coarse-grained one obtained via solution heat treatment and ageing.
An easier way to die?—A qualitative interview study on specialist palliative care team members’ views on dying under sedation
Authors: Bazata Jeremias , Meesters Sophie , Bozzaro Claudia , Handtke Violet , Schildmann Jan , Heckel Maria , Ostgathe Christoph , Bausewein Claudia , Schildmann Eva ,   For the SedPall Study Group
Published: February 2025

Background:

Professionals’ personal perceptions of sedated patients in the context of palliative care may influence their opinion on sedation as treatment option. However, little is known of palliative care professionals’ perception of patients dying under sedation.

Aim:

To explore German specialist palliative care team members’ views on and perception of the dying process under sedation.

Design:

Qualitative phenomenological study using semi-structured interviews ( n = 59). Interviews took place in-person after recruitment via a contact person and were transcribed verbatim. Framework Analysis was used for analysis.

Setting/participants:

Physicians, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, chaplains, and social workers from 10 palliative care units and 7 specialist palliative homecare teams across 12 German cities.

Results:

Participants’ views on patients dying under sedation can be grouped into: (i) those who perceived an influence of sedation on the dying process with and without positive and/or negative connotations and (ii) those who saw no difference between dying with or without sedation. Positive connotations referred to the perception of sedation providing an easier path. Concerns were mainly related to the deprivation of patients regarding a conscious dying. The metaphorical description of sedation as “sleep” was common among participants.

Conclusions:

The wide range of perceptions of patients dying under sedation may be rooted in different judgements regarding aspects of a good death. Clarifying ideals of a good death with professionals, patients, and relatives before sedation may support transparent decision-making and help avoid conflicts or moral distress.
Percutaneous cryoablation of renal tumors adjacent to critical structures: impact of adjacent organ type on local tumor control
Authors: Ozawa Mizuki , Sone Miyuki , Sugawara Shunsuke , Itou Chihiro , Kimura Shintaro , Kusumoto Masahiko , Matsui Yoshiyuki
Published: February 2025

Background

Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) adjacent to critical structures can be safely treated using percutaneous cryoablation with adjunctive techniques. However, there are only a few reports describing the factors affecting local tumor control after percutaneous cryoablation for such RCCs.

Purpose

To evaluate the factors affecting local tumor control in the percutaneous cryoablation of RCCs adjacent to critical structures.

Material and Methods

A total of 403 tumors from 328 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with histologically proven RCCs adjacent to critical structures with at least 1 year of follow-up after treatment were included. Hereditary RCCs were excluded. Of the 403 tumors, 40 met the criteria. Owing to the tumor location, all procedures were performed using adjunctive techniques. Baseline, perioperative, and follow-up data were collected and factors affecting local tumor progression were evaluated. Comparisons between groups with and without local tumor progression were performed using Fisher's exact test or Wilcoxon's rank sum test.

Results

The median follow-up was 1289.5 days. Local tumor progression was observed in 7/40 (17.5%) patients. Univariate analysis revealed that significant factors affecting local tumor progression were situated adjacent to the ureter ( P = 0.005), requiring adjunctive techniques other than hydro- and/or pneumo-dissection ( P = 0.005), as well as the distance between tumors and critical structures ( P = 0.04). The ice-ball margin tended to be smaller in the group with local tumor progression but this was not significant ( P = 0.07).

Conclusion

Renal tumors adjacent to the ureter may result in local tumor progression after cryoablation compared with tumors adjacent to other organs.
An authorization framework for body area network: A policy verification and smart contract-based integrity assurance approach
Authors: Abdunabi Ramadan , Al Amin Md , Basnet Rejina
Published: February 2025

Body area networks (BANs) frequently generate sensitive healthcare data from sensors and other devices. Security and privacy breaches in BAN systems can compromise information affecting patients’ physical health, emotional state, and financial well-being. The lack of well-defined security perimeters and qualified personnel to administer security in such dynamic environments requires an authorization framework for protecting patient data, where access depends on the users’ credentials, location, and time. Toward this end, this work aims to define a secure system architecture to incorporate fine-grained information access management. It also leverages a spatiotemporal attribute-based access control (STABAC) model to make it possible to enforce location and time factors with BAN policies and required attributes to make access decisions. The BAN policies have various dynamic constraints that may conflict with each other or introduce inconsistencies. Therefore, this work proposes a formal verification framework using timed colored Petri nets to ensure such errors are not introduced. The blockchain network is utilized to maintain policy integrity, where STABAC verifies policy integrity from the network through smart contract services before making access decisions. Finally, the policy and attribute management framework ensures that STABAC maintains a verified set of policies and attributes for authorizing uninterrupted care and services.
Association of low-grade proteinuria with changes of lupus nephritis in kidney biopsy in SLE patients
Authors: Timlin Homa , Koirala Abbal , Gross Matthew , Geetha Duvuru , Kamel Ihab , Atta Mohamed G.
Published: February 2025

Background

A kidney biopsy is essential for definitive histopathological diagnosis in lupus nephritis, informing therapeutic strategies. Current guidelines (ACR and EULAR/ERA-EDTA) do not include a kidney biopsy for patients with isolated proteinuria of less than 500 mg/g. We explored the histopathologic findings in patients with SLE with proteinuria ≤500 mg/g.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of 27 biopsies of lupus patients with proteinuria ≤500 mg/g who underwent a kidney biopsy at Johns Hopkins. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained from a review of the medical records. The study was approved by the Office of Human Subjects Research and Institutional Review Board.

Results

Most individuals were females (93%) and African American (56%), with a mean age of 42.1 (12.4) years at the time of biopsy. Twelve individuals had no prior history of lupus nephritis. The average creatinine at the biopsy was 1.05 mg/dl, and UPCR was 0.27 grams/gram. Most patients (100%) were on hydroxychloroquine, 41% were on prednisone, and 33% were on mycophenolate mofetil. Kidney biopsies were most commonly performed based on extra-renal disease activity, new-onset or worsening proteinuria (88.9%) and worsening dsdNA levels (55.6%). At the time of biopsy, 55.6% of patients presented with extrarenal lupus, most commonly arthritis or arthralgias and mucosal ulcers. Of the 27 patients, 23 patients had evidence of lupus nephritis (85.1%), including class III (33%), V (30%), III/V (7%), class II (4%) and class I (11%). Nine patients had a UPCR of 200 mg/g or lower. Among these patients, 22% did not show signs of lupus nephritis in the kidney biopsy, 44% had class V LN, and 11% had class I and III LN. Kidney biopsy was well tolerated, with the majority (93%) not developing post-biopsy complications.

Conclusions

We identified patients with proteinuria ≤500 mg/g who had lupus nephritis, with the majority ranging from Class III to V with only one class II. This study supports that normal or low UPCR <500 mg/g lacks the sensitivity to detect early lupus nephritis. Better biomarkers for the cutoff of biopsy are needed to improve kidney outcomes and trial design.
From Exclusion to Inclusion: Empowering LGBT Integration with Allies, Workplace Strategies and Family Role Models
Authors: Sowmya Amancherla , Balasundaram Sathiyaseelan , Basavaraj Santosh , Yadav Radha
Published: February 2025

The workplace encounters challenge due to the absence of inclusive environments, resulting in potential loss of top-tier talent, diminished productivity and diminished business performance. This research endeavours to construct a comprehensive framework for the integration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals, focusing on embedding gender and sexual minorities. This study examines the relationship between diversity-friendly workplace management and LGBT integration through advocacy by allies (ABA) and family role modelling. The research framework is constructed based on the principles of sociometric, signalling and family systems theory and is undertaken within the Indian IT/ITES sector, involving 546 employees across 9 technology parks through a survey methodology. The analysis was carried out utilizing Smart PLS software, employing structural equation modelling and making predictions using partial least squares. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed. Findings demonstrate that effective management of diversity-friendly workplaces has a favourable impact on the integration of LGBT individuals in work environments. Results also suggest that ABA plays a supporting role in this relationship through complementary mediation, while the influence of family role modelling is moderated. This study contributes substantially to both theoretical understanding and managerial practices. A cross-cultural, longitudinal and a qualitative perspective could have added more insights to the study.
Improving safety performance through a user-centric knowledge-based system for fall risk assessment
Authors: Chellappa Vigneshkumar , Salve Urmi Ravindra
Published: February 2025

Background

Fall from height (FFH) incidents remain a significant concern in the construction industry worldwide. Experts suggested integrating the knowledge management (KM) concept into safety risk assessment (RA) to improve safety performance. However, a notable gap exists regarding a dedicated KM system for fall RA, particularly for formwork operations.

Objective

This study aims to develop and evaluate a knowledge-based system that facilitates fall RA for vertical formwork operations in Indian construction projects.

Methodology

A mixed-method approach was adopted to develop and evaluate the knowledge-based system. First, the Delphi survey was adopted to acquire knowledge from the thirteen experts on causes of falls, individuals at risk, safety risk levels, and preventive measures. Next, the document analysis was conducted to acquire the best safety practices, accident records, research publications, and guidelines/standards for vertical formwork operations. Once the knowledge was captured, a knowledge-based system was designed to store and reuse the acquired knowledge. The proposed system was then evaluated using a survey with the 20 potential end-users based on three criteria: effectiveness, system benefits, and challenges the system addresses. The inter-rater reliability was analyzed using Krippendorff's alpha, a statistical measure assessing consistency among multiple raters. Additionally, the researchers conducted a descriptive statistical analysis of the data.

Results

The results indicate that the proposed system offers numerous benefits to builders in (1) ensuring that end-users, regardless of their site location, have easy access to vertical formwork safety knowledge; (2) helping users with job site learning of safety RA skills; (3) effectively sharing safety knowledge; (4) facilitating the fall RA process on-the-job for safety heads; (5) helping to improve safety performance; and (6) saving time that is spent on RA.

Conclusion

The proposed knowledge-based system is anticipated to assist users in making decisions in the construction organizations during vertical formwork activities during fall RA.
Complication Rates and Cost of Endoscopic and Open Surgical Approaches to Management of Craniosynostosis: A Large, National, Inpatient Cohort Evaluation
Authors: Kwon Daniel Y. , Villavisanis Dillan F. , Choe Allison , Seyidova Nargiz , Oleru Olachi , Shamamian Peter , Wang Carol , Sarosi Alex , Taub Peter J.
Published: February 2025

To compare outcomes, complications, and costs between endoscopic and open surgical approaches in the management of craniosynostosis using a large national database.

Retrospective cohort study.

National Inpatient Sample database, including inpatient hospital discharge data from 2018 to 2021 across 48 states and Washington, D.C.

The present study included 1099 patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of craniosynostosis. Among them, 183 (16.6%) underwent endoscopic surgery and 916 (83.3%) underwent open surgery.

Surgical management of craniosynostosis, classified as either an endoscopic or open approach.

Length of hospital stay, total procedure costs, and rates of inpatient complications, including surgical and medical complications.

Endoscopic surgery was associated with a significantly shorter length of stay (mean 1.6 days vs 3.7 days, P < .001) and lower total costs ($ 66 815.90 vs $ 146 271.21, P < .001) compared to open procedures. It demonstrated lower rates of surgical complications (0.5% vs 7.9%, P < .001) and neurologic complications, primarily dural tears (0.5% vs 7.0%, P < .001). There were no differences in inpatient mortality between groups.

Endoscopic approaches to craniosynostosis offer advantages over open techniques, including reduced length of stay, costs, and complications. The present findings support the increasing adoption of endoscopic methods for craniosynostosis management. Future studies should assess the long-term impact on head shape durability and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) Phenotype Associated With Unique Compound Heterozygous POLG Variants: Case Presentation and Review of the Literature
Authors: Finn Laura S. , Goldstein Amy , Hedrick Holly L.
Published: February 2025

We report a teenage patient with a delayed diagnosis of compound heterozygous POLG pathogenic variants [( POLG c. 1943 C>G, p.P648R) and ( POLG c. 679 C>T, p.R227W)] who presented with fatigue and neuropathy, as well as long standing malnutrition and cachexia, erroneously attributed to an eating disorder. She experienced multiple bowel perforations and pathologic examination revealed jejunal diverticula and features of visceral neuromyopathy. In addition to ganglion cell mega-mitochondrial inclusions, there were multiple foci of interrupted muscularis mucosae, an alteration not previously recognized in the intestines of patients with primary mitochondrial disorders. We provide a detailed account of the gastrointestinal pathologic findings in this patient and compare with prior cases of Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) phenotypes.
Sloughing Esophagitis in the Pediatric Age Group: Clinicopathologic Characteristics of 12 Cases
Authors: Rubrecht Ashlie , Saulino David , Nasri Elham , Esnakula Ashwini K. , Gonzalo David H. , Feely Michael M. , Beasley Genie L , Shenoy Archana
Published: February 2025

Background:

Sloughing esophagitis (esophagitis dissecans superficialis) is a benign, self-limited condition of uncertain etiology. It is most common in adults; pediatric literature is limited.

Methods:

Ten years of records were queried for esophageal biopsies containing terms “sloughing” and/or “dissecans.” Histologic inclusion criteria were “two-tone” appearance, sloughing/flaking of superficial epithelium, and parakeratosis. Degree of inflammation was documented and medical records were reviewed.

Results:

Fourteen patients were identified ranging from 1 to 19 years (mean = 14 years) and included 3 males and 11 females. Two patients were excluded due to lack of histologic criteria/unavailability of slides for review. Of the 12 cases evaluated, 6 showed a classic inflammation pattern, 5 had minimal or no inflammation, and 1 displayed severe acute inflammation. Endoscopy did not correlate with histology. Sloughing esophagitis is traditionally associated with Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) use; though 5/12 patients were taking medication for anxiety or depression, only 3 were taking SSRIs. Five patients had marijuana/cannabinoid exposure.

Conclusion:

Sloughing esophagitis can present in the pediatric population across a wide age range. Similar to the adult population, etiology may be linked to medications. Additional associations such as marijuana/cannabinoid exposure need further clinical investigation. A subset of patients had a history of or subsequently developed eosinophilic esophagitis.
Evaluation of intraocular pressure and mean ocular perfusion pressure changes following intravitreal anti-VEGF injections
Authors: Colizzi Benedetta , Romano Dario , Lunardon Sofia , Sabbatini Lorenzo , Rossetti Luca Mario
Published: February 2025

Objective

To evaluate changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) and mean ocular perfusion pressure (MOPP) following intravitreal anti-VEGF injections (IVI) and to assess influencing factors.

Methods

In a prospective study, 119 eyes received anti-VEGF IVI, with 60 eyes treated in the supine position and 59 eyes in the seated position. IOP was assessed using an iCare IC200 rebound tonometer before, immediately after, and at 5 and 30 min post-injection. MOPP was calculated at the same time points. Ocular biometric and demographic data were collected to analyze their impact on IOP changes.

Results

IOP increased from 15.76 ± 4.34 mmHg at baseline to 49.79 ± 15.73 immidiately post-IVI, then decreased to 29.96 ± 10.55 at 5 min and 21.80 ± 7.36 at 30 min. MOPP dropped from 54.02 ± 10.7 mmHg to 35.7 ± 19.7 mmHg immediately post-IVI, recovering to 40.68 ± 15.9 at 5 min and 51.08 ± 12.2 at 30 min. Supine patients exhibited higher IOP, but maintained higher MOPP compared to seated patients. Only 25% of glaucoma patients returned to baseline IOP within 30 min, compared to 48.9% of non-glaucomatous patients (p = 0.02). Phakic patients have greater IOP changes across time, with significant differences at 5 min ( p = 0.03).

Conclusion

IVI induced IOP increases and MOPP decreases are significant but normalized to baseline +2SD within 30 min in 67.77% and 97.52% of patients. Glaucomatous and phakic patients are at higher risk for prolonged IOP elevation, requiring careful management.