bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 10 Year Long‐Lived Cellular and Humoral MERS‐CoV Immunity Cross‐Recognizing the Wild‐Type and Variants of SARS‐CoV‐2: A Potential One‐Way MERS‐CoV Cross‐Protection Toward a Pan‐Coronavirus Vaccine
Authors: Alosaimi Bandar , Awadalla Maaweya , Alturaiki Wael , Chen Zhao , Zhang Zhaoyong , Zhu Airu , Rebh Fatimah , Alshukairi Abeer N. , Zhao Jincun , Alkadi Haitham S.
Published: January 2025

MERS is a respiratory disease caused by MERS‐CoV. Multiple outbreaks have been reported, and the virus co‐circulates with SARS‐CoV‐2. The long‐term (> 6 years) cellular and humoral immune responses to MERS‐CoV and their potential cross‐reactivity to SARS‐CoV‐2 and its variants are unknown. We comprehensively investigated long‐lasting MERS‐CoV‐specific cellular and humoral immunity, and its cross‐reactivity against SARS‐CoV‐2 and its variants, in individuals recovered from MERS‐CoV infection 1–10 years prior. Two cohorts of MERS‐CoV survivors (31 unvaccinated, 38 COVID‐19 vaccinated) were assessed for MERS‐CoV IgG, memory CD4+/CD8+ T cells, and neutralizing antibodies against MERS‐CoV and SARS‐CoV‐2 variants. MERS‐CoV IgG levels and T cell responses were higher in the 1–5 vs 6–10 year postinfection groups. Vaccinated MERS‐CoV survivors had significantly elevated MERS‐CoV IgG and neutralization compared to unvaccinated. Both groups demonstrated cross‐reactive neutralization of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants. MERS‐CoV survivors vaccinated against SARS‐CoV‐2 had higher anti‐MERS IgG, cellular immunity, and neutralization than unvaccinated survivors. MERS‐CoV immune responses can persist for a decade. COVID‐19 vaccination boosted humoral and cellular immunity in MERS‐CoV survivors, suggesting the benefits of vaccination for this population. These findings have implications for pan‐coronavirus vaccine development.
Multi‐Decadal Variations of Severe Cyclonic Storm Frequency Over the Bay of Bengal and Associated Mechanisms
Authors: Hrudya P. H. , Konda Gopinadh , Chowdary Jasti S. , Gnanaseelan C. , Parekh Anant
Published: January 2025

The present study explores the multi‐decadal variability of Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) frequency over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) during post‐monsoon season for the period 1950–2022. The SCS frequency displays noticeable decadal/multi‐decadal variability during the study period, and shows a strong relationship with mid‐tropospheric relative humidity (RH) and sea surface temperature (SST) over BoB. Influence of the large‐scale climate modes, such as Atlantic Multi‐decadal Oscillation (AMO) in modulating the BoB SCS frequency on multi‐decadal time scale is highlighted. It is found that AMO exhibits a significant out‐of‐phase relationship with SCS decadal frequency over the BoB. Detailed analysis suggests that large‐scale circulation changes associated with the negative phase of AMO (strong SCS decade) induced low‐level convergence extending from western Indian Ocean to southern BoB favour increased SCS frequency. A negative AMO (strong SCS period) induced zonally oriented upper‐level convergence and divergence centres, corroborated by the Walker circulation, helped to modulate the low‐level circulation over BoB. High RH and warm SSTs associated with the negative AMO further supported the increased SCS frequency over BoB. In the case of weak SCS decade, positive AMO induced low‐level divergence over southern BoB through atmospheric teleconnections provides unfavourable conditions for SCS formation. In addition to this, changes in the tropospheric temperature over the mid‐latitudes caused by mid‐latitude Rossby waves also contributed to the differences in SCS frequency on the multi‐decadal time scale. This study highlights the role of AMO in modulating the multi‐decadal SCS frequency over the BoB. The results presented here are useful for improving the decadal prediction of cyclone frequency over the BoB.
pH and ROS Dual‐Responsive Core‐Cross‐Linked Micelles Based on Boronic Ester Linkage for Efficient PTX Delivery
Authors: Yu Sunqi , Chen Siyuan , Tong Tianrui , Yan Yunfeng , Shuai Qi
Published: January 2025

Micelle‐based drug delivery systems (DDS) have emerged as a promising solution to address challenges associated with the in vivo delivery of hydrophobic anticancer chemotherapeutics. However, micelles still encounter issues such as drug pre‐leakage and poor stability in physiological conditions. To overcome these limitations, we developed a core‐cross‐linking strategy utilizing amphiphilic copolymers, mPEG‐b‐P(AVL‐co‐LA) (mPPAL), functionalized with phenylboronic acid (PBA), and catechol by CuAAc “click” chemistry, respectively. These copolymers self‐assembled into core‐cross‐linked micelles (CLMs), featuring boronic ester bonds, which were characterized through a series of evaluations. The CLMs exhibited a rational particle size, uniform morphology, low critical micelle concentration (CMC), high PTX loading capacity, and excellent stability. Two promising micelles, CLM1 and CLM3, were identified, and their responsiveness to acidic pH and elevated levels of ROS was confirmed to enable controlled PTX release. The results of MTT assay and hemolytic analysis demonstrated high biocompatibility and potential in vivo application of these selected CLMs. The anticancer efficacy of the selected PTX‐CLMs was further validated through MTT assay and 3D tumor spheroid studies. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry demonstrated rapid intracellular uptake of the CLMs. In vivo biodistribution studies demonstrated successful accumulation in the targeted tumor tissue. These findings suggest that the boronic ester‐based CLMs developed in this study are a promising nanocarrier for effective PTX delivery.
Defects Calculation and Accelerated Interfacial Charge Transfer in a Photoactive MOF‐Based Heterojunction
Authors: Lin Yi‐Ming , Cheng Wen‐Wen , Zhang Li‐Chang , Chen Xi‐Fan , Chen Ruiqi , Wang Shouguo , Yang Qingqing , Wang Junzhong , Xiao Juan‐Ding
Published: January 2025

Photocatalytic hydrogen production is currently considered a clean and sustainable route to meet the energy and environmental issues. Among, heterojunction photocatalysts have been developed to improve their photocatalytic efficiency. Defect engineering of heterojunction photocatalysts is attractive due to it can perform as electron trap and change the band structure to optimize the interfacial separation rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Here, the MOF‐based heterojunction photocatalysts with theoretically high reduction and oxidation abilities are successfully synthesized, denoted ZrO2/Pt/Zr‐MOF‐X, with tuned linker defectivity through an in situ electrochemical route. The defectivity are rationally calculated from the TG and 1H NMR results. A positive correlation is found between the defectivity and photocatalytic activity, and ZrO2/Pt/Zr‐MOF‐6 with the optimized defectivity of ca. 35% exhibits the highest hydrogen production rate of up to 2923 µmol g−1 h−1, illustrating the importance of structural defects in heterojunction photocatalysts. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy and electron spin resonance results unveil the highest carrier concentration and charge separation efficiency in the defected heterostructure of ZrO2/Pt/Zr‐MOF‐6 through a direct Z‐scheme contact, leading to its efficient photocatalysis through the high redox power.
Low‐Impedance Hybrid Carbon Structures on SiOX: A Sequential Gas‐Phase Coating Approach
Authors: Zhang Xiaoguang , Zhao Mingcai , Costa Carlos M. , Zhang Juan , Scheiba Frieder , Lanceros‐Méndez Senentxu , Wang Wei , Zhang Qi
Published: January 2025

Carbon coating on SiOX surface is crucial for enhancing initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and cycling performance in batteries, while also buffering volume expansion. Despite its market prevalence, the effects of the carbon layer's quality and structure on the electrochemical properties of SiOX remain underexplored. This study compares carbon layers produced via gas‐phase and solid‐phase coating methods, introducing an innovative technique that sequentially uses two gases to develop a low‐impedance hybrid carbon structure. In this approach, C3H8 is first deposited to create a short‐range, vertically ordered carbon architecture, followed by C2H2 to establish a long‐range, layered structure, effectively filling the gaps. This results in a dense hybrid carbon layer characterized by minimal defects, high crystallinity, and excellent electronic conductivity. The dominant vertical configuration enhances Li‐ion migration. The SiO@C3H8@C2H2 prepared through this method yields a specific surface area of 1.14 m2 g⁻¹ and a high reversible capacity of 1574.9 mAh g⁻¹, alongside an ICE of 83.7%. It showcases remarkable cycling stability, retaining 86.6% capacity after 1000 cycles at room temperature, and performs effectively under varied temperatures and discharging conditions. This low‐impedance carbon structure provides a significant reference for other anodes that also require a carbon layer.
BIPVslim: Entwicklung kompakter PV‐integrierter Fassadenelemente am Fallbeispiel des CAE Energy Efficiency Centers
Authors: Böke Jens , Suwannapruk Natchai , Vongsingha Puttakhun , Stephan Andreas , Denz Paul‐Rouven
Published: January 2025

Die Integration von Photovoltaik (PV) in Gebäude erschließt ein großes Flächenpotenzial für die solare Energiegewinnung und trägt damit maßgeblich zur Energiewende in Deutschland bei. Neben den Dachflächen kommt den Fassaden eine besondere Bedeutung zu. Allerdings führt die Überhitzung in Konstruktionen nach aktuellem Stand der Technik zu hohen Konstruktionstiefen aufgrund notwendiger Hinterlüftung. In der hier beschriebenen Studie wurde eine schlanke Lösung für BIPV‐Warmfassaden entwickelt und beispielhaft am CAE Energy Efficiency Center in Würzburg als Demonstrationsfassade umgesetzt. Das System nutzt Phasenwechselmaterialien (PCM) zur latenten Kühlung und Vakuumisolationspaneele (VIP) zur Wärmedämmung. Der integrale Ansatz ermöglichte eine signifikante Reduktion der Systemdicke bei gleichzeitig hoher Dämmleistung. Angesichts der erfolgreich umgesetzten Demo‐Fassade mit durchgeführtem Monitoring kommt die Untersuchung im Ergebnis zu einer positiven Einschätzung der strukturellen, thermischen und energetischen Eigenschaften der Entwicklung.
Introduction to the Concepts: The Past, Present, and Future of AI
Authors: Aaltonen Päivi , Kurvinen Emil
Published: January 2025

This chapter introduces this book’s background, context, and perspectives. The current literature on the topic is vast, multidisciplinary, and hosting increasingly complex concepts, thus our purpose is to create a first stepping stone to the topic. Our main goal is to address the fundamental question, what is AI—where are we now, how did we get here and where are we going—from economic, societal, and technical perspectives. In this chapter, we seek to differentiate between AI conceptualizations, applications, and technologies by creating a summary of the parallel histories of the concept and discussing the lenses through various theoretical paradigms seek to understand AI.
AI Adoption Challenges in Family-Owned Firms: A Case Study
Authors: Worek Maija , Aaltonen Päivi
Published: January 2025

AI transformation is reshaping organizations and societies, pushing firms to embrace new technologies. In the presence of abundant technology, personnel, and personnel management becomes increasingly crucial in creating a competitive edge. Family firms, making up a significant portion of businesses worldwide, serve as an example of industrial firms with existing leveraged emphasis on softer values, yet face significant challenges in AI adoption. Various models used to understand digital transformation, such as the Technology-Organization-Environment model and the Technology Acceptance Model, may not adequately explain the complexities involved in AI adoption, particularly regarding familial factors like trust and collaboration. Family firms are often slow in adopting technology due to concentrated ownership, risk aversion, and a focus on non-financial goals. This study explores the specific challenges family-owned businesses experience in AI adoption and responses to these challenges. By examining five family-owned firms, the research aims to contribute to the understanding of technology adoption by identifying barriers and forming categories that can inform future studies on family firms and AI technology.
Mild acute biliary pancreatitis: still a surgical disease. A post-hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study
Authors: Cioffi Stefano Piero Bernardo , Spota Andrea , Virdis Francesco , Altomare Michele , Mingoli Andrea , Cimbanassi Stefania , Nava Francesca Laura , Nardi Silvana , Di Martino Marcello , Di Saverio Salomone , Ielpo Benedetto , Pata Francesco , Pellino Gianluca , Sartelli Massimo , Damaskos Dimitris , Coccolini Federico , Pisanu Adolfo , Catena Fausto , Podda Mauro ,   the MANCTRA-1 study group
Published: January 2025

Background

The current standard of care for mild acute biliary pancreatitis (MABP) involves early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC) to reduce the risk of recurrence. The MANCTRA-1 project revealed a knowledge-to-action gap and higher recurrence rates in patients admitted to medical wards, attributable to fewer ELCs being performed. The project estimated a 35% to 70% probability of narrowing this gap by 2025. This study evaluates the safety of suboptimal ELC implementation and identifies risk factors for recurrent acute biliary pancreatitis (RAP) in patients not undergoing ELC after an MABP episode.

Methods

We conducted a post-hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 registry, including MABP patients who did not undergo ELC during the index hospitalization, excluding those with related complications. The primary outcome was the 30-day hospital readmission rate due to RAP. We performed multivariable logistic regression to find risk factors associated with the primary outcome.

Results

Between January 2019 and December 2020, 1920, MABP patients from 150 centers were included in the study. The 30-day readmission rate due to RAP was 6%. Multivariable logistic regression found the admission to a medical ward (internal medicine or gastroenterology) (OR = 1.95, p = 0.001) and a positive COVID-19 test (OR = 3.08, p = 0.029) as independent risk factors for RAP.

Conclusion

Our analysis offers valuable insights into the management of MABP, particularly in centers where ELC cannot be fully implemented due to logistical and clinical constraints, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the admitting ward, prompt access to surgical care is crucial in reducing the risk of early recurrence, highlighting the need to implement surgical consultation pathways within MABP care bundles.
Taurine protection attenuates bisphenol-A-induced behavioral, neurochemical, and histopathological alterations in male rats
Authors: Nazmy Mohamed M. , Noor Neveen A. , Mohammed Faten F. , Khadrawy Yasser A. , Radwan Nasr M.
Published: January 2025

Due to the continuous exposure to bisphenol-A (BPA), the current study was conducted to evaluate taurine’s neuroprotective action against BPA’s adverse effect on the brain. Rats were grouped into control, BPA-treated rats, and taurine + BPA-treated rats. At the end of the 35-day treatment period, the memory of the rats was evaluated using the novel object test and the Y-maze test. An open-field test was used to measure motor activity. The changes in monoamines, monoamine oxidase (MAO), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), Na+,K+,ATPase, oxidative stress, caspase-3, and histopathology were evaluated in the cortical and hippocampal tissues of all groups. Data analysis by ANOVA revealed that BPA treatment induced motor hyperactivity and short- and long-term memory impairment. In the cortex, BPA decreased serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), MAO, Na+,K+,ATPase, and nitric oxide (NO) and increased dopamine (DA), AChE, lipid peroxidation (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and caspase-3. In the hippocampus, BPA increased 5-HT, DA, NE, MAO, AChE, MDA, NO, GSH, and caspase-3 and decreased Na+,K+,ATPase. These neurochemical changes were accompanied by significant histopathological alterations. Taurine treatment prevented memory impairment and motor hyperactivity induced by BPA. Taurine attenuated the neurochemical changes, oxidative stress, and caspase-3 level. Taurine improved the histopathological change induced by BPA. In conclusion, taurine significantly prevented BPA-induced cognitive deficits, motor coordination impairments, neurotransmitter imbalances, histopathological alterations, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.
Liraglutide mitigates dexamethasone-induced fatty acid synthase (FASN) and the cluster of differentiation36 (CD36) expression: a potential treatment for glucocorticoid-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Authors: Selim Dahshan Hassan , Mokhlis Hamada Ahmed , Elsayed Abdelrahman M. , Shatat Abdel-Aziz S. , Salama Salama Abdou , Ismail Raed Shahat
Published: January 2025

The clinical use of dexamethasone (DXM) is associated with the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the mechanisms by which DXM-induced NAFLD is still incompletely known. Therefore, the current study aims to test the hypothesis that DXM-induced NAFLD is mediated by dysregulation of key genes involved in lipid metabolism and liraglutide (LG) can ameliorate these effects. The histopathological and biochemical analysis assessed the effects of DXM and/or LG in liver tissue. The computational analysis was performed to detect the glucocorticoid response elements (GRE) in the promotor regions of FASN and CD36 genes. The effects of DXM and LG on the expression of FASN and CD36 were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot (WB) and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses. The NAFLD induced by high-fat diet (HFD) and DXM was manifested by increased levels of liver enzymes, deterioration of histological architecture of the liver tissue and accumulation of fat droplets. Computational analysis revealed that the promotor regions of FASN and CD36 harper several GRE. Most importantly, treatment with DXM decreased phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) levels, while LG upregulate it. In addition, treatment with DXM increased expression of FASN and CD36, whereas LG ameliorated these effects in a dose-dependent manner. DXM-induced NAFLD is mediated by upregulation of FASN and CD36 expression which may be attributed to GRE. LG coupling with DXM mitigates this induction by downregulating FASN and CD36 levels and therefore mitigates the development of NAFLD.
Exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate chemotherapeutically induced damage in rats’ parotid salivary gland
Authors: Zakaria Ahmed , Sultan Nessma , Nabil Nesreen , Elgamily Mahitabe
Published: January 2025

Objective

A nanometer-sized vesicles originating from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), called exosomes, have been extensively recognized. This study defines the impact of BMMSCs and their derived exosomes on proliferation, apoptosis and oxidative stress (OS) levels of CP-induced parotid salivary gland damage.

Methods

BMMSCs were isolated from the tibia of four white albino rats and further characterized by flowcytometric analysis. BMMSCs-derived exosomes were harvested and underwent characterization using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), western blot analysis and BCA assay. Fifty-six healthy white albino male rats weighting from 200 to 250 g were allocated into 4 groups (n = 14); Group I, rats received phosphate buffered saline (PBS), group II, rats were intraperitoneally injected with CP, group III& IV received CP and after 3 days they were intravenously injected with either BMMSCs (group III) or BMMSCs-exosomes (group IV). Histological, and immunohistochemical studies using proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were done after 7 and 14 days. The OS was measured using malondialdehyde (MDA) and apoptosis was measured by annexin V-FITC/PI.

Results

BMMSCs and exosomes treated groups showed better histological features approximating the normal architecture of the control group. The percentage of PCNA positively stained cells were significantly higher in the exosomes treated group in comparison to all other groups. MDA assay test revealed that the exosomes were able to reduce the OS when compared to the cell-based therapy using BMMSCs. Annexin V revealed that BMMSCs-exosomes significantly reduced the percentage of apoptotic cells compared to other treated groups.

Conclusions

BMMSCs-exosomes could improve the CP-induced cytotoxicity in rats’ parotid salivary gland.
Efgartigimod treatment for therapy-refractory autoimmune encephalitis with coexistent NMDAR and LGI1 antibodies: a case report and literature review
Authors: Xu Jiaming , Guo Zhenli , Zhao Jie , Chen Yun , Liu Zhijun , Wu Yan
Published: January 2025

The Fc receptor (FcRn) inhibitors can ameliorate autoimmune conditions such as myasthenia gravis through a rapid and specific clearance of serum IgG levels, and they also have potential for future use in a wider variety of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases. Some patients with therapy-refractory autoimmune encephalitis (AE) continue to be unresponsive to initial and secondary treatment regimens. A 32-year-old male presented with predominant psychiatric symptoms and seizures, along with imaging evidence indicating multifocal cerebral cortical involvement. Neural antibody testing revealed dual positivity for N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibodies in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping revealed the presence of the DQB1*03:01 and DQB1*06:01 alleles in the patient. Treatment with efgartigimod, the FcRn inhibitor, led to significant clinical improvements accompanied by a significant decrease in both anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 antibody levels. Herein, we report a rare case of therapy-refractory anti-NMDAR AE coexisting with positive LGI1 antibodies. Efgartigimod demonstrates promising potential for treating antibody-mediated AE.

Clinical trial number Not applicable.
Factors Associated with the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Rural Northern Victoria, Australia
Authors: Hamilton Andrew J. , Bourke Lisa , Ranmuthugala Geetha , Glenister Kristen M. , Simmons David
Published: January 2025

About one-third of Australians use the services of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); but debate about the role of CAM in public healthcare is vociferous. Despite this, the mechanisms driving CAM healthcare choices are not well understood, especially in rural Australia. From 2016 to 2018, 2,679 persons from the Goulburn Valley, northern Victoria, were surveyed, 28% (755) of whom reporting visiting CAM practitioners. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model was used to assess associations between various socio-demographic variables and the use of CAM services. The strongest significant inverse (p < 0.05) association with CAM use overall was being unemployed, with markedly lower odds of using CAM than those employed full-time (OR 0.22 [0.12, 0.41]). The next strongest inverse relationship was being retired (OR 0.44 [0.30, 0.65]). The strongest positive associations were with English spoken at home (OR 2.38 [1.34, 4.24]), private health insurance (hospital cover) (1.57 [1.28, 1.91]), being Australian born (OR 1.61 [1.14, 2.28]), and female sex (1.25 [1.02, 1.52])). Females had significantly higher odds of using osteopathy than males (OR 1.98 [1.33, 2.96]) but there were no significant sex differences for chiropractic or massage. This is the first such study conducted solely for a rural Australian population. The drivers of CAM use differed from previous nation-wide studies and they varied across modalities. The factors identified here as being associated with CAM use could be used by CAM practitioners in developing person-centred services. Similarly, the findings are relevant to primary-care services in understanding what sectors of society might eschew conventional health care for CAM in rural regions, where health services are often limited.
Association of Hospital-Based Social Needs Interventions with Potentially Preventable Admissions
Authors: Knox Margae J. , Brewster Amanda L. , Ahern Jennifer , Shortell Stephen M. , Hague Emily L. , Rodriguez Hector P.
Published: January 2025

Background

External incentives increasingly encourage hospitals to address health-related social needs, yet limited evidence exists about whether social needs interventions are associated with quality indicators like potentially preventable admissions.

Objective

We analyze whether four hospital interventions—meal delivery, transportation to health services, mobile clinics, and community-oriented violence prevention programs—are associated with potentially preventable hospitalizations.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis of survey-based and claims-based data.

Participants

In total, 813 hospitals from 14 states, representing 6,003,739 adult all-payer hospital admissions.

Approach

This study merged 2017 Healthcare Cost Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases with 2017 American Hospital Association survey data. Generalized linear models for each of the four interventions were separately estimated to assess the association with potentially preventable hospitalizations, controlling for hospital and patient characteristics. Sensitivity analyses restricted regression modeling to adult Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.

Key Results

A minority (13%) of hospital admissions were potentially preventable. 24% of hospitals offered transportation to health services, 16% offered mobile clinic services, 16% offered violence prevention programs, and 9% offered meal delivery. In adjusted analyses, hospital meal delivery was associated with 1.1% lower predicted probability of a potentially preventable hospitalization (95% confidence interval (CI) −2.1% to −0.1%), with a stronger relationship among Medicaid beneficiaries (−2.3%, 95% CI −3.5% to −1.0%). Associations for other social needs interventions were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Hospital meal delivery was associated with significantly lower probability of potentially preventable hospitalizations, with larger effects for Medicaid beneficiaries. Meal delivery may support hospital quality. More nuanced understanding about the reach of social needs interventions is needed to further examine the impact of these hospital-based services on patient outcomes.

Visual Abstract
Gender and sex differences in colorectal cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment
Authors: González-Flores Encarnación , Garcia-Carbonero Rocio , Élez Elena , Redondo-Cerezo Eduardo , Safont María José , Vera García Ruth
Published: January 2025

Males have a higher incidence and mortality rate from colorectal cancer (CRC) compared with females. This review examines the reasons for these differences, including risk factors, screening participation, interpretation of screening tests, presentation and tumour types, pathophysiology (particularly the impact of sex hormones on tumour-related gene expression, microsatellite instability, micro-RNA expression, and the tumour microenvironment), and the efficacy and toxicity of treatment. Sex differences in hormones and body composition are responsible for some of the sexual dimorphism in CRC incidence and outcomes, particularly the pathophysiology, CRC presentation, the pharmacokinetics of cytotoxic therapies, and the impact of treatment on outcomes. However, gender differences also play a role, affecting risk factors, access to or participation in screening and treatment, and patients’ experience of treatment (e.g. adverse events and sequelae). Sex and gender issues warrant further investigation in CRC to optimise treatment outcomes for patients.
Time to break up? The case for tailor-made digital platform regulation based on platform-governance standard types
Authors: Degen Konrad , Gleiss Alexander
Published: January 2025

The rise of hybrid-conglomerate platforms like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta (GAMAM) has led to significant market power concentration and negative competition implications, right down to calls for their potential breakups. To expand dominance, these platforms leverage extensive ecosystems with strategic control over resources and customer relationships, often at the expense of others. We conduct a qualitative meta-analysis of 87 empirical platform-governance problem cases from a regulatory perspective. Using a decomposition approach, we develop a taxonomy of competition problems induced by platform governance and identify four governance standard types (i.e., growth, consolidation, extension, and protect and capture), representing platform lifecycle phases from a regulatory perspective. Each standard type describes the platform owner’s governance strategy, consequent competition problems, and potential remedies. Our findings show how lack of regulation of digital platforms’ governance design has contributed to their growing market power and that effective regulatory intervention requires making platform governance more open and neutral. Moreover, we emphasize the need for platform governance regulation that shifts the burden of proof for regulatory compliance from regulators to platform owners.
Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related diabetes mellitus associated with high signal intensity in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas at an early clinical stage
Authors: Suzuki Masaki , Hirota Yushi , Urai Shin , Yamamoto Masaaki , Sofue Keitaro , Ogawa Wataru
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment but can give rise to immune-related adverse events such as ICI-related diabetes mellitus (DM).

Case presentation

We herein present the case of a 59-year-old Japanese man with malignant melanoma who developed ICI-related DM after 18 months of nivolumab treatment. He experienced marked hyperglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis without a personal or family history of diabetes. Laboratory findings revealed initial preservation of insulin secretion but a rapid decline in C-peptide levels in the absence of islet autoantibodies. He was therefore diagnosed with ICI-related DM. This case fulfilled the criteria for fulminant type 1 DM but lacked the typical human leukocyte antigen alleles associated with conventional type 1 diabetes. No metastasis or morphological changes were apparent on CT scans of the pancreas, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography did not show dilation or interruption of the main pancreatic duct. However, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed high signal intensity with low apparent diffusion coefficient values in the pancreas, likely indicative of fibrosis or infiltration of inflammatory cells.

Discussion

This case underscores that ICI-related DM should be considered a potential immune-related adverse event as well as pointing to the benefit of diffusion-weighted imaging for assessment of pancreatic involvement at an early stage of the disease.
Antimicrobial prescribing quality in Australian emergency departments: an analysis of the Hospital NAPS data set
Authors: Zosky-Shiller Lenna , Thursky Karin , Park Sarah , James Rodney , Hall Lisa , Chen Caroline , Ierano Courtney
Published: January 2025

Objective:

To analyze antimicrobial prescribing practices in Australian emergency departments (ED), identifying prescribing areas requiring improvement. This aims to inform antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) strategies to enhance antimicrobial prescribing quality.

Design

Retrospective analysis of the Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS) data set.

Setting

EDs in public and private Australian hospitals (n = 652).

Participants

Hospitals (n = 652) that participated in the Hospital NAPS from 2013 to 2022.

Methods

Data were collected by trained auditors from participating hospitals with the use of a standardized auditing tool, the Hospital NAPS. Data from 2013 to 2022 were analyzed descriptively. Variables assessed included guideline compliance and appropriateness by antimicrobial and indication, and reasons for inappropriateness.

Results

There were 3,098 antimicrobial prescriptions from EDs included for analysis. Guideline compliance (63.5%) and appropriateness (70.4%) in EDs were lower compared to overall prescribing practices from all departments. The most commonly prescribed antimicrobial was ceftriaxone (16.9%, n = 523), and the most common indication was empiric prescribing for community-acquired pneumonia (16.0%, n = 497). Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (53.2%, n = 99), and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (54.3%, n = 57), were the antimicrobial and indication with the lowest rates of appropriateness respectively. Ceftriaxone prescribing also had a low rate of appropriateness (62.3%, n = 326). Selection of antimicrobials with too broad of a spectrum was the most common reason for inappropriateness (40.2%).

Conclusion

Antimicrobial prescribing quality in EDs warrants improvement. Recommended targets for AMS interventions are the excessive and inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials such as ceftriaxone and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in common respiratory and urinary tract infections.
Economics in a world amid flux
Authors: Boettke Peter J.
Published: January 2025

This essay is in celebration of the contributions of Mario Rizzo. I argue that among contemporary economists in the Austrian School of Economics tradition it is Rizzo that advanced, more than his contemporaries, the scientific research program of rational choice as if the choosers were human beings; the dynamic subjectivism and the agony of choice and social interaction; the causal processes and the institutional dynamics that make up a complex social order; and the role of law, politics and civil society in shaping commercial life. In making this argument, I attempt to arbitrage the contributions of two essays of Rizzo’s: ‘Law Amid Flux’ and ‘The Genetic-Causal Tradition and Modern Economic Theory’.
A large-eddy simulation study of water tunnel interference effects for a marine propeller in crashback mode of operation
Authors: Kroll Thomas Bahati , Mahesh Krishnan
Published: January 2025

Marine propellers are studied in design and off-design modes of operation like crashback, where the propeller rotates in reverse while the vehicle is in forward motion. Past experiments (Jessup et al., Proceedings of the 25th Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, St John's, Canada, 2004; Proceedings of the 26th Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, Rome, Italy, 2006) studied the marine propeller David Taylor Model Basin 4381 in the open-jet test section of the 36-inch variable pressure water tunnel (VPWT). In crashback, a significant discrepancy with unclear sources exists between the mean propeller loads from the VPWT and open-water towing tank (OW) experiments (Ebert et al., 2007 ONR Propulsor S & T Program Review, October, 2007). We perform large-eddy simulation at

$Re=561\,000$

and advance ratios

$J=-0.50$

and

$-0.82$

with the VPWT geometry included, contrasting to the unconfined (OW) case at those same

$J$

and

$Re=480\,000$

. We identify and delineate the water tunnel interference effects responsible, and demonstrate that these effects resemble those of a symmetric solid model or bluff body. Solid blockage due to jet expansion and nozzle blockage due to proximity to the tunnel nozzle are identified as the primary interference effects. Their impact varies with the advance ratio

$J$

and strengthens for higher magnitudes of

$J$

. The effective length scale to assess the severity of interference effects is found to be larger than the vortex ring diameter.
The development of a task to study advice taking across nations and its application in a China-Germany comparison
Authors: Schultze Thomas , Chen Zhijun
Published: January 2025

Advice taking is a crucial part of decision-making and has attracted the interest of scholars across the world. Laboratory research on advice taking has revealed several robust phenomena, such as sensitivity to advice quality or a tendency to underutilize advice. Despite extensive investigations in different countries, cultural differences in advice taking remain understudied. Knowing whether such cultural differences exist would not only be interesting from an academic standpoint but might also have consequences for multinational organizations and businesses. Here, we argue that prior laboratory research on cultural differences in advice taking is hindered by confounding factors, particularly the confound between participants’ cultural background and task difficulty. To draw a valid conclusion about cultural differences in advice taking, it is vital to develop a decision task devoid of this confound. Here, we develop such a judgment task and demonstrate that the core phenomena of advice taking manifest in a sample of German participants. We then use this task in a cross-national comparison of German and Chinese participants. While the core phenomena of advice taking consistently manifested in both samples, some differences emerged. Most notably, Chinese participants were more receptive of advice, even though they still underutilized it. This greater reliance on advice was driven by Chinese participants’ greater preference for averaging their own and the advisor’s judgments. We discuss how our findings extend current understanding of the nuanced interplay between cultural values and the dynamics of advice taking.
Germs, infections, and the erratic ‘natural laboratory’ of Antarctica: from Operation Snuffles to the Killer Kleenex
Authors: Heggie Vanessa
Published: January 2025

Historians have written copiously about the shift to ‘germ theories’ of disease around the turn of the twentieth century, but in these accounts an entire continent has been left out: Antarctica. This article begins to rebalance our historiography by bringing cold climates back into the story of environmental medicine and germ theory. It suggests three periods of Antarctic (human) microbial research – heroic sampling, systematic studies, and viral space analogue – and examines underlying ideas about ‘purity’ and infection, the realities of fieldwork, and the use of models in biomedicine. It reveals Antarctica not as an isolated space but as a deeply complex, international, well-networked node in global science ranging from the first international consensus on pandemic-naming through to space flight.
Fishery Collapse and the American Fertilizer Industry: A Case Study of the Pacific Guano Company
Authors: Rude Emelyn
Published: January 2025

This article focuses on the nineteenth-century fertilizer manufacturer the Pacific Guano Company, and seeks to understand how it adapted its production in response to the collapse of the Maine menhaden fishery in 1879. This collapse devastated the national market for fish scrap, the firm’s primary input. The company managed to maintain relatively consistent fertilizer output throughout this period of uncertainty by embracing new materials and by actively seeking more stable sources of these novel ingredients. Outwardly, the company gave no indications that it was dealing with supply chain disruption, even though it was, at the same time, rapidly rewriting the recipes for its core products. This disconnect demonstrates how generic categories of nature can help a firm adapt to a crisis and how an environmental change as significant as a fishery collapse can be hidden from the public.
Industrial Consumers Versus Cartelized Producers: The French Carmaker Louis Renault and the Aluminium Cartel, 1911–1944
Authors: Fridenson Patrick
Published: January 2025

The repeated proliferation of restraints to competition should not overshadow the agency of downstream firms when confronted with the ability of cartels to challenge the established innovation strategies of their consumers. This article explores the relations between Renault and the aluminium cartels during the first half of the twentieth century, in peace and war. Strategies were similar on both sides: the creation and maintenance of a balance of power, compromise, and the reopening of competition. Yet, when the cartel set up an automotive department and then rallied to the idea of a people’s car, it attracted the interest of broader stakeholders—engineers, other suppliers, the government, and even trade unions—but failed to persuade carmakers. Large industrial consumers can limit the impact of cartels, and destabilize them, by resorting to vertical integration. However, their underlying aim is not necessarily to destroy the cartel but rather to obtain better terms for their own business. Ultimately, their market power enables them to achieve relative stability. Who derives the main benefits from these compromises, both vertically and horizontally, as they sometimes limit or extend the scope of action of both parties?
Accommodating cosmopolitan experiences: Jiang Dunfu’s 蔣敦復 and Wang Tao’s 王韜 autobiographical processing of their treaty port years
Authors: Eicher Sebastian
Published: January 2025

With the establishment of the treaty ports in 1842, contact between China and the Western world intensified. In Shanghai, the most extensive exchange of knowledge and ideas took place between the missionaries of the London Missionary Society and their Chinese assistants. By working and translating for the missionaries, these traditionally educated men gained intimate insights into the West and Western learning and established close personal relationships with the missionaries. But in the process, they also became outcasts, as working for Westerners was viewed critically by their contemporaries. This article sets out to analyse the way in which Jiang Dunfu 蔣敦復 (1808–1867) and Wang Tao 王韜 (1828–1897) processed and accommodated these cosmopolitan experiences in Shanghai in their prose autobiographies.
Cosmopolitanism and imperial women in the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Northern Dynasties (304–581)
Authors: Han Soojung
Published: January 2025

This article explores the roles imperial women played in the practices and systems of the northern states during the Sixteen Kingdoms (304–439) and Northern Dynasties periods (386–581), two of the most politically turbulent periods in Chinese history. The article will focus particularly on the absence of crown princesses and intermarriage practice in Northern Wei, and the appearance of coterminous empresses in Former Zhao and Northern Zhou. While a vast scholarship has viewed the rulership strategies and policies of the Northern Dynasties as a process of Sinicization, or one-sided acculturation, this article considers the perspective of the northern rulers who were aware of a multicultural populace. In an effort to shore up their power in court and rule effectively over a dispersed, heterogenous population, these northern rulers enforced agendas employing imperial women as the medium through which to engage elites of diverse backgrounds and tie these groups to their imperial families. Imperial women served in critical roles that brought to the court a delicate balance among various powerful factions, lending stability to the reigns of emperors and promoting cosmopolitanism in a period prior to Tang (618–907).
I can’t kill them, but I can throw them over the bridge: Does the emotionality of moral questions influence bilinguals’ moral judgements?
Authors: Kyriakou Andreas , Mavrou Irini
Published: January 2025

Previous research suggests that emotion words elicit lower emotional reactivity in languages acquired later in life (LX), prompting bilinguals to make less emotional decisions when responding to emotionally charged moral dilemmas in the LX compared to their first language (L1). This study investigated the influence of word emotionality on bilinguals’ moral judgements by manipulating the degree of emotiveness of the moral questions (i.e., emotive versus neutral conditions) accompanying different types of moral dilemmas (i.e., personal/sacrificial versus impersonal/realistic). Mixed effects logistic regression models revealed that the use of the LX increased the number of utilitarian decisions in both the emotive and the neutral conditions but only in the sacrificial moral dilemmas. Moreover, the emotive questions led to more deontological moral judgements than the neutral questions but only in the L1. Taken together, these findings provide further insight into the impact of emotion on bilinguals’ moral decision-making.
Second language embodiment of action verbs: the impact of bilingual experience as a multidimensional spectrum
Authors: Lu Xiaojun , Yang Jing
Published: January 2025

Embodiment theories postulate that language processing inherently engages the sensorimotor system. This study explores the embodiment of action verbs in the second language (L2) and the effects of various L2 experiences (L2 age of acquisition, exposure, dominance, and proficiency) on L2 embodiment. Sixty-one Chinese–English bilinguals participated in two experiments judging semantic relatedness: Experiment 1 involved verb–picture pairs, while Experiment 2 focused on verb–verb pairs. Both experiments were conducted in the participants’ first language (Chinese) and second language (English), with the stimuli depicting actions performed by specific effectors (e.g., mouth, hand, and foot). Results showed that participants took longer to reject mismatched verb–picture pairs and semantic-unrelated verb–verb pairs when the actions shared the same effector (e.g., walk–run) than those involving different effectors (e.g., eat–touch). Moreover, L2 age of acquisition, exposure, and dominance correlated with the L2 embodiment effect, with L2 age of acquisition and exposure modulating this effect. This study enhances our understanding of L2 embodied semantics and illuminates the impact of multidimensional L2 experiences on embodiment.
How Could Solar Climate Intervention Strategies Affect Agriculture?
Authors: Sidder Aaron
Published: January 2025

Geoengineering approaches such as stratospheric aerosol injection hold the promise of limiting warming, but among the many potential risks and concerns, their impacts on agriculture remain largely unexplored.
Discordance, accuracy and reproducibility study of pathologists’ diagnosis of melanoma and melanocytic tumors
Authors: Haggenmüller Sarah , Wies Christoph , Abels Julia , Winterstein Jana T. , Heinlein Lukas , Nogueira Garcia Carina , Utikal Jochen S. , Wohlfeil Sebastian A. , Meier Friedegund , Hobelsberger Sarah , Gellrich Frank F. , Sergon Mildred , Hauschild Axel , French Lars E. , Heinzerling Lucie , Schlager Justin G. , Ghoreschi Kamran , Schlaak Max , Hilke Franz J. , Poch Gabriela , Korsing Sören , Sarfert Cosimo , Berking Carola , Heppt Markus V. , Erdmann Michael , Haferkamp Sebastian , Drexler Konstantin , Schadendorf Dirk , Sondermann Wiebke , Goebeler Matthias , Schilling Bastian , Kather Jakob Nikolas , Fröhling Stefan , Llamas-Velasco Mar , Requena Luis C. , Ferrara Gerardo , Fernandez-Figueras Maite , Fraitag Sylvie , Müller Cornelia S. L. , Starz Hans , Kutzner Heinz , Barnhill Raymond , Carr Richard , Resnik Kenneth S. , Braun Stephan Alexander , Holland-Letz Tim , Brinker Titus J.
Published: January 2025

Accurate melanoma diagnosis is crucial for patient outcomes and reliability of AI diagnostic tools. We assess interrater variability among eight expert pathologists reviewing histopathological images and clinical metadata of 792 melanoma-suspicious lesions prospectively collected at eight German hospitals. Moreover, we provide access to the largest panel-validated dataset featuring dermoscopic and histopathological images with metadata. Complete agreement is achieved in 53.5% of cases (424/792), and a majority vote ( ≥ five pathologists) in 90.9% (720/792). Considerable discordance is observed for non-invasive melanomas (complete agreement in only 10/73 cases). The expert panel disagrees with the local pathologists’ and dermatologists’ diagnoses in 14.9% and 33.5% of cases, respectively. This variability highlights the diagnostic challenges of early-stage melanomas and the need to reconsider how ground truth is established in routine care and AI research. Including at least two pathologists or virtual panels may contribute to more consistent diagnostic results.