bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Le Petit Sot Poems
Authors: Fernández José Francisco
Published: January 2025

The collection of verse known as Le Petit Sot poems and attributed to Samuel Beckett has yet to find its place in the canon of Beckett’s literary production. It is argued that there is not enough evidence that Beckett was the author of the series. This essay focuses on a typescript which has not thus far been part of the discussion on this issue: the 13 poems of the series currently in the possession of Erika Tophoven. The renowned German translator believes that this group of “easy poems” could have been the ones selected by the author to be translated into German by Karl-Franz Lembke for the collection published by Limes Verlag in 1959. The study examines the “German connection” and explores the implications of this discovery for the debate on the author’s disputed attribution of Le Petit Sot poems.
Meetings of the Masks
Authors: Dabija Maria
Published: January 2025

From Rabelais to Pessoa and beyond, novelists and poets have often dressed themselves in alternative identities; it’s less often been observed that scholars have periodically done so too. In this paper, I am going to explore the dialectics of self-display and concealment in the realm of literary and cultural criticism, using David Damrosch’s 2000 novel Meetings of the Mind as my starting point. Playful and metatextual, it features four very different scholars, the author’s anagrammatic alter egos, engaging in lively cultural and theoretical debates at a series of comparative literature conferences. My article aims to track down the genealogy of such self-refashioning quests among scholars, with particular focus on the examples of Matthew Arnold and Mikhail Bakhtin. Tracing their influence on Damrosch’s thinking, I will argue that doubles and masks can be effective critical tools for challenging both social constructs and our own ideas.
Can We Talk More about Humor?
Authors: Rosendahl Thomsen Mads
Published: January 2025

David Damrosch’s work and lectures can hardly be said to lack wit and humor, and it is rare to find scholars who write on Finnegans Wake, P.G. Wodehouse, and Korean installation art with equal enthusiasm. Yet, it could be argued that not only in Damrosch’s Comparing the Literatures but in the profession that he writes about in general, the critical vocabulary for writing about humor and the amount of space it is given stand in contrast to how important sarcasm, puns, irony, the grotesque, caricature, etc. are to the appreciation of literature. Is it because humor is a lighter subject? Because it thrives on clarity rather than complexity and thus sets the bar too low for critics? And is humor less transferable than other modes of expression? In this article, I will suggest that a more profound inclusion of humor in comparative literary studies would benefit the discipline and its relation to culture at large. A vocabulary that can build bridges between the darker and lighter sides of literature is needed if this should be seriously meaningful – and occasionally funny.
Stories That Stuck
Authors: Helle Sophus
Published: January 2025

Scholars of world literature often treat a wide circulation as the implicit goal of any book or author, projecting onto them a will-to-circulate and thus viewing a reduced readership as a form of failure. I suggest that non-circulation can also be seen as potentially an aesthetic strategy or a cultural achievement. Some works display in either their explicit claims or their choice of form a resistance to circulation that is worth attending to in its own right. Drawing on Sarah Ahmed’s notion of stickiness and the case studies of the Babylonian epic Enuma Elish and the Medieval French romance Silence, I set out to reframe literary non-circulation.
The Early Modern Period, Dream of the Red Chamber, and World Literature
Authors: Lu Sheldon
Published: January 2025

This essay lies at the intersection of several fields: the study of the novel, world literature, early modern studies, and global modernity. It analyzes the representation of the outside world in the Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber (aka The Story of the Stone) from the 18th century. There exist frequent appearances of foreign objects as well as glimpses of China’s trade with the West in the novel, and yet the literary work maintains a China-centered worldview. The essay situates the novel in the context of nascent world literature at that time and intervenes in the field of East-West comparative literature in the early modern period. The encounter with foreign objects and material culture is a shocking and exciting discovery as described in vivid details in this novel. Yet, China’s ambivalent attitude toward introducing and embracing foreign culture results in the belated emergence of world literature on its soil.
Confrontation and Withdrawal
Authors: Guo Jian
Published: January 2025

The Bildungsroman as a sub-genre of narrative fiction depicts a person’s maturing journey in which one encounters harsh realities of the world, grows through diverse experiences, and eventually finds oneself and one’s place in the world; it is essentially about a person’s initiation into society. In this essay, I borrow R.W.B. Lewis’s coinage “denitiation” and delineate an alternative pattern to the socially oriented individual development in literature, one in which the hero’s encounter with the world leads to insurmountable disillusionment and ends with renunciation or retreat; it turns out to be an initiation out of the world. I illustrate the literature of denitiation with examples from European, American, and Chinese literatures.
Springbok Gunners – South African Artillery and the Defence of Tobruk, 20–21 June 1942
Authors: Scherman Jean Pierre
Published: January 2025

Early on 20 June 1942, Axis forces launched their assault on the port fortress of Tobruk. Defence of the port had been entrusted to Major General H.B. Klopper and his 2nd South African Infantry Division. When 10,722 Springboks surrendered the following day without many actively participating in the port’s defence, families back home in South Africa demanded answers. The aim of this article is to explain the actions of various South African artillery units deployed within the fortress. Sent to assist their comrades in arms, these men were flung into the fight in a desperate attempt to stem the Axis advance, with South Africa suffering 85 dead by the day’s end. Utilising these Springbok Gunner’s own diaries, letters and reports a new narrative has emerged concerning the South African defence of Tobruk.
Three new species of the genus Anacronicta Warren in Seitz, 1909 (Noctuidae: Pantheinae) from northeast India
Authors: IRUNGBAM JATISHWOR SINGH , FRIC ZDENEK FALTYNEK
Published: January 2025

Three new species, Anacronicta pseudonitida Irungbam & Fric, sp. nov., A. albicans Irungbam & Fric, sp. nov., and A. manipura Irungbam & Fric, sp. nov., are described from Manipur (North-East India). Another species, A. albargentea Speidel & Kononenko, 1998, is reported for the first time from North-East India (Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh). Illustrations of the habitus, male genitalia and phylogenetic tree are provided. A global checklist of the genus Anacronicta is presented herewith.
Revision of the Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 species-group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae)
Authors: SASSI DAVIDE
Published: January 2025

Three species of Metallactus Suffrian, 1866 have been revised, redescribed and critically discussed. One additional species, formerly included in Griburius Haldeman, 1849 has been transferred to Metallactus: Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov. The following synonymies are proposed: Metallactus minax Suffrian, 1866 = Metallactus mosei Schöller, 2003 syn. nov. Metallactus abstersus (Suffrian, 1866) = Metallactus incultus Suffrian, 1866 syn. nov. Type series were tracked down and a lectotype was designated for Metallactus minax, Metallactus abstersus and Metallactus incultus. Illustrations and current known distribution of the treated species are given. M. minax, formerly known from Brazil only, is reported as new for Argentina and Paraguay. Additionally, Metallactus tommasoi sp. nov. from Brazil is described as new to science.
Description of a new infaunal shrimp species (Decapoda: Alpheidae: Salmoneus) from the Atlantic coast of Florida
Authors: ANKER ARTHUR , SCIOLI JUSTIN A.
Published: January 2025

A new alpheid shrimp, Salmoneus manningi sp. nov., is described based on material collected in the Indian River Lagoon on the Atlantic coast of Florida, USA. In addition, one of the two paratypes of S. cavicolus Felder & Manning, 1986 is assigned to the new species. All specimens of S. manningi sp. nov. were extracted from burrows using a suction pump, sometimes together with the burrowing mantis shrimp, Lysiosquilla scabricauda (Lamarck, 1818), suggesting a possible symbiosis between these two crustaceans. Although S. manningi sp. nov. is morphologically similar to S. cavicolus, the two species do not appear to be closely related. In addition, S. cavicolus is reported from several new localities in the Indian River Lagoon and its previously unknown burrowing host is shown to be Alpheus floridanus Kingsley, 1878.
Sleep Deficiency and Fatigue in Adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Conley Samantha , Hwang Youri , Al-Saleh Stacy , Kamp Kendra , Cahalan Abigail , Redeker Nancy S.
Published: January 2025

Purpose:

Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms experienced by people with inflammatory bowel disease; however, interventions to treat fatigue are limited. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the relationship between sleep deficiency and fatigue in adults with inflammatory bowel disease and to describe the demographic and clinical factors associated with fatigue to inform future intervention work.

Methods:

We conducted a systematic review and reported the results using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and CENTRAL on 3/7/24. We included studies with adults (≥18 years of age) who had a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or indeterminate colitis) and measured fatigue and sleep using a validated self-report questionnaire or objective measurement.

Results:

Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria for a total sample of 16 927, of whom 58.7% (n = 9937) had Crohn’s disease, and 66.3% (n = 11 226) were female. 56.1% of the participants experienced fatigue and 66.3% experienced sleep deficiency. Sleep quality and insomnia were consistently associated with fatigue. Baseline poor sleep quality was associated with persistent and worsening fatigue over 12 to 24 months. Clinical but not objective assessment of disease activity, anxiety, depression, female gender/sex, and younger age were also associated with more severe fatigue.

Conclusions:

Sleep quality and insomnia represent important modifiable contributors to fatigue. Future research should explore whether sleep interventions can improve fatigue in this population.
Respiratory influence on cerebral blood flow and blood volume – A 4D flow MRI study
Authors: Söderström Pontus , Eklund Anders , Karalija Nina , Andersson Britt M , Riklund Katrine , Bäckman Lars , Malm Jan , Wåhlin Anders
Published: January 2025

Variations in cerebral blood flow and blood volume interact with intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, all of which play a crucial role in brain homeostasis. A key physiological modulator is respiration, but its impact on cerebral blood flow and volume has not been thoroughly investigated. Here we used 4D flow MRI in a population-based sample of 65 participants (mean age = 75 ± 1) to quantify these effects. Two gating approaches were considered, one using respiratory-phase and the other using respiratory-time (i.e. raw time in the cycle). For both gating methods, the arterial inflow was significantly larger during exhalation compared to inhalation, whereas the venous outflow was significantly larger during inhalation compared to exhalation. The cerebral blood volume variation per respiratory cycle was 0.83 [0.62, 1.13] ml for respiratory-phase gating and 0.78 [0.59, 1.02] ml for respiratory-time gating. For comparison, the volume variation of the cardiac cycle was 1.01 [0.80, 1.30] ml. Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate respiratory influences on cerebral blood flow. The corresponding vascular volume variations appear to be of the same order of magnitude as those of the cardiac cycle, highlighting respiration as an important modulator of cerebral blood flow and blood volume.
Cognitive Outcomes After Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Treatment of Late-Life Depression: Résultats cognitifs après la stimulation magnétique transcrânienne pour le traitement de la dépression chez les personnes âgées
Authors: Göke Katharina , McClintock Shawn M. , Mah Linda , Rajji Tarek K. , Lee Hyewon H. , Nestor Sean M. , Downar Jonathan , Noda Yoshihiro , Daskalakis Zafiris J. , Mulsant Benoit H. , Blumberger Daniel M.
Published: January 2025

Background

Late-life depression (LLD) is often accompanied by cognitive impairment, which may persist despite antidepressant treatment. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an efficacious treatment for depression, with potential benefits on cognitive functioning. However, research on cognitive effects is inconclusive, relatively sparse in LLD, and predominantly focused on group-level cognitive changes. This study aimed to explore individual-level cognitive changes following rTMS treatment in patients with LLD.

Method

Data were analyzed from 153 patients with LLD from the FOUR-D study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02998580) who received bilateral standard rTMS or theta burst stimulation (TBS) targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Cognitive function was assessed pre- and post-treatment using measures of executive function, information processing speed, and learning and memory. Reliable change indices, adjusted for practice effects and test-retest reliability, were employed to evaluate individual-level cognitive changes. Chi-square tests examined if proportions of cognitive improvers differed from expected proportions.

Results

Cognitive performance from baseline to end of treatment remained stable for most patients. Reliably improved performance was observed in 0.0% to 20.0% of participants across cognitive measures, while worsened performance was observed in 0.0% to 2.7%. A small but significant proportion (20.0%) of participants showed improvement in verbal learning.

Conclusions

Bilateral standard rTMS or TBS of the DLPFC in LLD yielded no substantial cognitive enhancing effects, although a small proportion showed improved verbal learning after treatment. Importantly, both interventions were cognitively safe with relatively stable performance across time. Future research is needed to explore approaches to enhance the cognitive benefits of standard rTMS and TBS in patients with LLD.
Effect of active/passive flow control based on synthetic jet of stator blades on a single stage axial compressor
Authors: Wang Guang , Chen Xiangyi , Chu Wuli
Published: January 2025

To investigate the effect of synthetic jet on the stator blade’s suction surface on the axial compressor’s performance and stability, a high-speed subsonic single-stage axial compressor is numerically simulated in this paper. The results show that there is an optimal excitation position. Under this position’s excitation, the compressor’s peak efficiency is improved, and the comprehensive stability margin is also slightly improved. The analysis of internal flow field shows that the improvement of compressor efficiency is mainly due to the reduction of stator blockage, which reduces the stator’s channel loss and outlet loss. At the same time, the reduction of stator channel blockage also optimizes the inter-stage matching of the compressor, which is of positive significance for the improvement of rotor channel flow. To further improve the stability margin of the compressor, a coupling flow control method combining the rotor casing treatment with the synthetic jet on the stator suction surface is proposed. The results show that compared with the simple casing treatment, the flow stability margin of the single axial compressor is expanded from 4.38% to 5.46%, and the peak efficiency is improved from −0.93% to only −0.3%.
Revisiting the energy-economic growth nexus in low versus high-income economies: New evidence using nonlinear DCCE, CS-NARDL, and CS-NDL approaches
Authors: Sim Khang Yi , Sek Siok Kun
Published: January 2025

This study examines the two-way asymmetric energy-economic growth relationship using novel second-generation nonstationary panel approaches, namely nonlinear dynamic common correlated effects (nonlinear DCCE), cross-sectionally augmented nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (CS-NARDL) and cross-sectionally augmented nonlinear distributed lag (CS-NDL) approaches. These models cover long panel data estimation issues of nonstationarity, heterogeneous slopes and cross-sectional dependence. However, their standard models are linear approaches and neglect asymmetric effects. Besides, economic variables might vary over time and react heterogeneously to shocks. Hence, this study fills this gap by innovating the linear models into nonlinear models to explore asymmetric relationships. The results’ robustness is checked with baseline models. This study compares the nexus in two contrasting income groups, that is, lower-income and high-income economies, from 1990 to 2019. Overall, energy consumption and gross domestic product (GDP) are positively linked in the long-run bidirectional nexus for both groups. Nevertheless, energy consumption has a weaker influence on the lower-income nations’ GDP, signifying lower energy efficiency. The favourable short-run impact of energy consumption decreases on lower-income countries’ GDP is noticeable, highlighting the importance of energy conservation. The reverse linkage's result, which reveals higher GDP accelerates energy consumption in both groups, reinforces energy conservation and the energy transition to renewables to ensure energy security. The upsurge in energy consumption due to the increased GDP is larger in lower-income economies, suggesting room for improvement in energy technologies. Furthermore, energy consumption and GDP are affected by their delayed effects. Therefore, authorities should always be alert to historical trends and potential business cycle fluctuations.
The impact of age at initial HPV vaccination on cervical cancer screening participation in a nationally representative cohort of women in the United States
Authors: Chirikova Ekaterina , Dorismond Vanessa , Cortella Alyssa M. , DeRouen Mindy C. , Sawaya George F.
Published: January 2025

Objective

A better understanding of factors associated with cervical cancer screening can inform strategies for cervical cancer prevention. This study examined the relationship between age at human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and participation in cervical cancer screening among a nationally representative sample of women in the United States.

Methods

We utilized data from the National Survey of Family Growth for the years 2015–2019 focusing on women aged 18–24 vaccinated against HPV. Age at first HPV immunization was analyzed as both a dichotomous (vaccinated at 9–12 vs. 13–23 years) and a continuous variable. The outcome measured was ever having a Pap smear. Multivariable logistic regression that accounted for complex survey design was employed to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios and differences from average marginal predictions.

Results

The study comprised 981 individuals, representing 6.05 million women. Over half of the study population had a Pap test (57.4%). Women vaccinated at ages 9–12 were less likely to participate in screening compared to those vaccinated at ages 13–23 [risk difference: −9.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) −16.7 to −1.5)] which translates into 120,260 fewer women nationwide getting cervical cancer screening. Each 1-year increase in age at first vaccination was associated with a 1.1% (95% CI, −0.1 to 2.4%) higher probability of having a Pap test, but this linear trend was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Our study underscores the importance of promoting cervical cancer screening not only among unvaccinated women but also among those who received the HPV vaccine at the recommended ages of 9–12.
Dynamic modeling and analysis of improved wave energy harvesters with novel X-structured nonlinear inerter mechanism
Authors: Li Meng , Wang Yansong , Li Yinghui
Published: January 2025

In this paper, a new passive mechanical structure, that is, an X-structured wave energy conversion system with a nonlinear inerter is proposed. The JONSWAP wave spectrum is utilized to simulate irregular waves, and the dynamic equations are deduced by the energy method and one-dimensional linear potential wave theory. The system response is calculated to analyze the performance of the nonlinear system. The potential benefits of nonlinear inerter are discussed in-depth. Increased inertance will result in a gradual decrease in resonance frequency. Whereas, when the inertance is larger than a certain limit value, the resonance frequency will be almost unchanged. Additionally, increasing the inertance helps to suppress the displacement and velocity of the system. This allows higher power to be captured without causing major damage to the mechanical structure of the system. More importantly, increasing inertance is conducive to improving the maximum power generated. In general, a nonlinear WEC system will capture more power than its linear counterpart and the case with no inerter, especially when with a small initial installation parameter. However, when the initial installation parameter becomes large, the nonlinear inerter system will capture less power than the linear inerter system and inerter-free system. This study provides innovative and novel insight into designing nonlinear ocean energy converters exploiting geometrical nonlinearities.
A chaotic behavior and stability analysis on quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolators with multi-control methodologies
Authors: Bahnasy Taher A , Amer TS , Almahalawy A , Abohamer MK , Abosheiaha HF , Elameer AS
Published: January 2025

A quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator (QZSVI) is used in applications like precision instruments, aerospace, microelectronics manufacturing, and seismic isolation to protect sensitive equipment from low-frequency vibrations. Their key advantage lies in achieving near-zero stiffness, allowing for highly effective vibration attenuation while maintaining system stability. These passive systems are cost-effective and reliable, offering superior vibration isolation without the need for external power or active control. This work proposes the use of negative displacement, velocity, and cubic velocity feedback control techniques to enhance the QZSVI’s isolation performance. We found that the composite negative velocity and cubic velocity control (NVFC + NCVFC) is more effective with low cost compared to other types of controller (its effectiveness is about 94.8%). The approximate solutions (AS) of the controlling system of equations of motion (EOM) are acquired using a multiple-scales procedure (MSP) up to the second order, and it is subsequently validated numerically through the Runge–Kutta method (RKM) from the fourth-order. Modulation equations (ME) are obtained by exploring resonance instances and solvability conditions. Time history graphs and frequency response curves, generated via MATLAB and Wolfram Mathematica 13.2, are presented to analyze stability and steady-state solutions. It is investigated how altering the parameters affects the system amplitude. Poincaré maps, Lyapunov exponent spectra (LEs), and bifurcation diagrams are presented to illustrate the system’s diverse behavior patterns. Furthermore, the transmissibility of force, displacement, and acceleration is computed and displayed. A QZSVI minimizes low-frequency vibrations, making it ideal for precision applications in metrology, automotive, aerospace, civil engineering, medical equipment, and renewable energy. It achieves superior damping, ensuring high stability and precision.
America's extraordinary penal state: A structural explanation
Authors: Garland David
Published: January 2025

Americans, above all poor Black Americans, are subject to extraordinary levels of police violence, incarceration, and penal control—levels that exist nowhere else in the developed world. This article outlines a comparative, structural explanation of America's extraordinary penal state, pointing to the structural arrangements and historical processes that created it and keep it in place; describing how these political and economic structures differ from those of other nations; and indicating how the macro-structures of political economy interact with community-level processes of social ordering and informal social control to shape street-level practices of crime, policing, and punishment. The article goes beyond the existing “political economy and punishment” literature by broadening the explicandum to include America's extraordinary levels of criminal and police violence; by describing the interaction of social and penal controls; by detailing the negative social indicators associated with America's peculiar political economy; and by highlighting causal factors such as social control deficits, state capacity limitations, and the effect of neighborhood disorganization and danger on the actions of criminal justice officials.
MRI Analysis of the Wrist: Does the Presence of Palmaris Longus Affect Median Nerve Position?
Authors: Chavez Victor B. , Smith Dean W.
Published: January 2025

Background:

Understanding the median nerve’s position relative to surrounding anatomy is essential; however, there are many variations among individuals. This study assesses differences in median nerve position with or without palmaris longus (PL). We hypothesize that PL presence alters median nerve position, resulting in a greater distance to the skin volar surface, a decreased distance to the radius volar surface, and an increased distance to the flexor carpi radialis (FCR).

Methods:

1193 wrist magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were retrospectively reviewed from 2019 to 2023. One hundred adults ages 18 to 50 meeting criteria were included for a power > 80%: 50 wrist axial plane MRIs (distal radial-ulnar joint level) with PL and 50 without PL. Measurements included the distance from the median nerve center to the skin volar surface, radius volar surface, and FCR center. Statistical analysis included Fisher exact tests and Mann-Whitney U Test (median, ranges), with significance at P-value < 0.05.

Results:

Individuals with PL had a greater distance between the median nerve and skin volar surface. The presence of PL exhibited no discernable difference in the distance between the median nerve to the radius volar surface or the FCR center. Palmaris longus presence or absence did not affect the radial/ulnar positioning of the median nerve to the FCR center.

Conclusions:

PL presence results in a deeper median nerve position within the wrist in relation to the skin volar surface. This knowledge is crucial for musculoskeletal specialists, especially during volar approach wrist surgeries and when administering anesthetic or therapeutic injections to the median nerve.
Developing human upper, lower, and deep lung airway models: Combining different scaffolds and developing complex co-cultures
Authors: Murkar Rasika S , Wiese-Rischke Cornelia , Weigel Tobias , Kopp Sascha , Walles Heike
Published: January 2025

Advanced in vitro models are crucial for studying human airway biology. Our objective was the development and optimization of 3D in vitro models representing diverse airway regions, including deep lung alveolar region. This initiative was aimed at assessing the influence of selective scaffold materials on distinct airway co-culture models. While PET membranes (30 µm thickness) were unsuitable for alveolar models due to their stiffness and relatively high Young’s modulus, a combination of collagenous scaffolds seeded with Calu-3 cells and fibroblasts, showed increased mucus production going from week 1 to week 4 of air lift culture. Meanwhile standard electrospun polymer membrane (50–60 µm thick), which possesses a considerably low modulus of elasticity, offered higher flexibility and supported co-cultures of primary alveolar epithelial (huAEC) and endothelial cells (hEC) in concert with lung biopsy-derived fibroblasts which enhanced maturation of the tissue model. As published, designing human alveolar in vitro models require thin scaffold to mimic the required ultra-thin ECM, in addition to assuring right balanced AT1/AT2 ratio for biomimetic representation. We concluded that co-cultivation of primary/stem cells or cell lines has a higher influence on the function of the airway tissue models than the applied scaffolds.
Sickle Cell Trait Does Not Cause "Sickle Cell Crisis" Leading to Exertion-Related Death: A Systematic Review
Authors: Weeks Lachelle D. , Wilson Allecia M. , Naik Rakhi P. , Efebera Yvonne A. , Murad Mohammad Hassan , Mahajan Anjlee , McGann Patrick T. , Verhovsek Madeleine , Weyand Angela C. , Zaidi Ahmar Urooj , DeBaun Michael R , Donald Chancellor , Mitchell Roger A.
Published: January 2025

Globally, an estimated 300 million individuals have sickle cell trait (SCT), the carrier state for sickle cell disease. While sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with increased morbidity and shortened lifespan, SCT has a lifespan comparable to that of the general population. However, "sickle cell crisis" has been used as a cause of death for decedents with SCT in reports of exertion-related death in athletes, military personnel, and individuals in police custody. To appraise this practice, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) convened an expert panel of hematologists and forensic pathologists to conduct a systematic review of the literature relating to the occurrence of sickle cell pain crises and exertion-related mortality in people with SCT. Multiple bibliographic databases were searched with controlled vocabulary and keywords related to "sickle cell trait," "vaso-occlusive pain," and "death," yielding 18 of 1,474 citations. Independent pairs of reviewers selected studies and extracted data. We found no studies comparing uncomplicated acute pain crises in individuals with SCT and SCD. Additionally, no study was identified to support the occurrence of acute vaso-occlusive pain crises in individuals with SCT. Further, this systematic review did not identify any evidence to support an association between SCT and sudden-unexplained death in the absence of exertion-related rhabdomyolysis. We conclude that there are no data to support the diagnosis of acute vaso-occlusive sickle cell crisis as a cause of death in SCT, nor does the available evidence support the use of SCT as a cause of exertion-related death without rhabdomyolysis.
Women and birth partners’ experiences of cervical ripening at home and in hospital
Authors: Yuill Cassandra , Harkness Mairi , Cheyne Helen , Charkin Boo , Ferreira Monica , Price Eloise , Bhide Amarnath , Black Mairead , Boyd Kathleen , Heera-Shergill Neelam , Modi Neena , Norrie John , Pasupathy Dharmintra , Sanders Julia , Stock Sarah J. , Townsend Rosemary , Williams Linda J. , McCourt Christine
Published: January 2025

Background

In the United Kingdom, induction of labour rates are rapidly rising, and around a third of pregnant women undergo the procedure. The first stage, cervical ripening, traditionally carried out in hospital, is increasingly offered outpatient – or ‘at home’. The current induction of labour rates place considerable demand on maternity services and impact women’s experiences of care, and at home cervical ripening has been suggested as potential solution for alleviating these. However, there is a lack of evidence on both women’s and birth partners’ experiences and acceptability of at home cervical ripening informing its practice.

Methods

We undertook a qualitative study of women and their birth partners’ experiences of cervical ripening at home and in hospital. Semi-structured interviews explored experiences, acceptability and consequences of cervical ripening.

Results

We identified six key themes: ‘Information and choice’; ‘Physical and sensorial environments’; ‘Pain’; ‘Uncertainty’; ‘Care during induction’; ‘Lasting effects’. Women and birth partners experienced limited choice about cervical ripening. Many reported that shared hospital spaces contributed to negative experiences, while home environments were comforting. Women were unprepared for cervical ripening-associated pain, and delays and uncertainty during induction caused anxiety. Supportive care contributed to more positive experiences; however, some reported difficult or traumatic experiences related to induction.

Conclusions

Most participants were positive about home cervical ripening, yet our study highlights the lack of information and genuine choice regarding cervical ripening and induction. Privacy, presence of birth partners and supportive care contributed to more positive experiences among women. Home cervical ripening may be acceptable to some women and birth partners in the context of informed choice and personalised care.
The attitudes of physicians toward nurse prescribing rights: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Wu Yu , Liu Jian , Fornah Lovel , Yan Zeping , Meng Lijun , Wu Shicai
Published: January 2025

Background

Nursing prescribing rights have been proposed in many countries, with physicians’ attitudes playing an important role. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of physicians toward nurse prescribing rights.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 112 Chinese physicians was conducted from January to March 2024. This study utilized a demographic information form, nurses’ prescription right knowledge questions, and a scale to measure nurse-physician collaboration. The data was analyzed with IBM SPSS-21 software using descriptive and inferential statistics. We used the mean±standard deviation, frequencies and percentages to describe the demographic information, T-test, Chi-square test or Fisher’ s exact test, and binary logistic regression analysis to analyze the correlated factors of the attitudes of physicians toward nurse prescribing rights.

Results

Of 112 physicians, 60 supported nurse prescribing rights, accounting for 53.57% of the total. The results of the single-factor analysis indicated significant differences in the aspects of sex. The binary logistic regression revealed that being female (OR = 0.195, 95%CI = 0.072 ∼ 0.529), having knowledge of nurse prescribing rights (OR = 1.513, 95%CI = 1.051 ∼ 2.176), and promoting nurse-physician collaboration (OR = 1.058, 95%CI = 1.032 ∼ 1.084) were the factors that correlated with physicians’ attitudes toward nurse prescribing rights.

Conclusions

Most physicians expressed a favorable attitude toward nurse prescribing rights. The results of this study will help advance the development of nurse prescribing rights and ultimately improve the quality of patient care.
Enhancing immunotherapy efficacy with synergistic low-dose radiation in metastatic melanoma: current insights and prospects
Authors: Rafiq Zahid , Kang Mingyo , Barsoumian Hampartsoum B. , Manzar Gohar S. , Hu Yun , Leuschner Carola , Huang Ailing , Masrorpour Fatemeh , Lu Weiqin , Puebla-Osorio Nahum , Welsh James W.
Published: January 2025

Recent advances in oncology research have highlighted the promising synergy between low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) and immunotherapies, with growing evidence highlighting the unique benefits of the combination. LDRT has emerged as a potent tool for stimulating the immune system, triggering systemic antitumor effects by remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Notably, LDRT demonstrates remarkable efficacy even in challenging metastatic sites such as the liver (uveal) and brain (cutaneous), particularly in advanced melanoma stages. The increasing interest in utilizing LDRT for secondary metastatic sites of uveal, mucosal, or cutaneous melanomas underscores its potential efficacy in combination with various immunotherapies. This comprehensive review traverses the journey from laboratory research to clinical applications, elucidating LDRT’s immunomodulatory role on the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and systemic immune responses. We meticulously examine the preclinical evidence and ongoing clinical trials, throwing light on the promising prospects of LDRT as a complementary therapy in melanoma treatment. Furthermore, we explore the challenges associated with LDRT’s integration into combination therapies, addressing crucial factors such as optimal dosage, fractionation, treatment frequency, and synergy with other pharmacological agents. Considering its low toxicity profile, LDRT presents a compelling case for application across multiple lesions, augmenting the antitumor immune response in poly-metastatic disease scenarios. The convergence of LDRT with other disciplines holds immense potential for developing novel radiotherapy-combined modalities, paving the way for more effective and personalized treatment strategies in melanoma and beyond. Moreover, the dose-related toxicities of immunotherapies may be reduced by synergistic amplification of antitumor efficacy with LDRT.
The health paradoxes of social media influencers
Authors: Mileros Martin , Norrman Charlotte , Öberg Christina
Published: January 2025

This paper describes and discusses social media influencers’ health-related costs of keeping traction as influencers. The paper is based on interviews and social media posts. Four paradoxes highlight the social media influencers’ contradictory circumstances: (1) the social media influencer’s well-being is situated between not being dependent on income and earning the income to avoid monetary stress; (2) well-being becomes associated with playing a role, while authenticity is crucial for the influencer; (3) the premises of being a successful social media influencer is what creates their despair; and (4) being exposed as a healthy role model risks harming the well-being of the social media influencer. The paper takes a unique perspective on social media influencers, focusing on their well-being rather than their promotional power. The paper helps to create socially sustainable conditions for influencers, while it adds to theory through outlining influencers’ paradoxical conditions.
Restoring riparian habitats for benefits to biodiversity and human livelihoods: a systematic map protocol for riparian restoration approaches in the tropics
Authors: Davis Sheena , Grainger Matthew , Pfeifer Marion , Pattison Zarah , Stephens Philip , Sanderson Roy
Published: January 2025

Background

Riparian zones are vital transitional habitats that bridge the gap between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They support elevated levels of biodiversity and provide an array of important regulatory and provisioning ecosystem services, of which, many are fundamentally important to human well-being, such as the maintenance of water quality and the mitigation of flood risk along waterways. Increasing anthropogenic pressures resulting from agricultural intensification, industry development and the expansion of infrastructure in tropical regions have led to the widespread degradation of riparian habitats resulting in biodiversity loss and decreased resilience to flooding and erosion. Considering climate change and its associated effects on freshwater systems, the need to build resilience and adaptive capacities is pertinent. This has prompted the need to protect existing riparian habitats and the implementation of solutions to restore these degraded habitats to recover their functional capacity. This systematic map will aim to identify and collate existing literature on approaches for riparian restoration implemented in tropical regions and identify what indicators have been used to measure outcomes for biodiversity and human well-being. The resulting collation of evidence will help to identify current knowledge gaps and inform the direction of future research.

Methods

To address the aims of this systematic map, a search of pre-identified bibliographic databases will be undertaken using a set string of search terms. In addition to this, a grey literature search will be conducted using Google Scholar and by searching for references using specialist websites. All literature that is gathered will be screened by title, abstract and full text using a two-phase screening process which adheres to a pre-determined eligibility criteria. Data will then be coded from the collated group of articles using a pre-designed data coding sheet. Heterogeneity will likely be present in the data; therefore, studies will be grouped appropriately based on the restoration strategy implemented and, on the type of outcome measured. These will be presented as sub-groups. A narrative synthesis of map findings will be produced, this will outline the distribution and frequency of restoration interventions, and outcomes measured, and will highlight evidence gaps to direct future research.
Fast agglomerative clustering using approximate traveling salesman solutions
Authors: Sieranoja Sami , Fränti Pasi
Published: January 2025

Agglomerative clustering, and Ward’s method, in particular, provide good clustering accuracy for most applications. However, its adoption has been limited by its quadratic time complexity, which makes it slow for large datasets. It also consumes O(N
2) memory for non-vectorial data. In this work, we propose a fast variant of Ward’s method that reduces the number of distance calculations and only needs O(N) memory. It works by constraining the merges to neighboring nodes on a novel fully connected graph that consists of multiple approximate traveling salesman problem (TSP) solutions. This avoids the problems caused by disconnected graph components that can occur with a k-nearest neighbors graph. The method is general and works for all types of data for which a distance function can be defined. For a dataset of size 1.28 million, the proposed method achieves a speedup factor of 25:1 compared with the best exact implementation of Ward’s method and obtains identical results. The algorithm allows a flexible compromise between clustering quality and running time. For a moderate degradation in quality (NMI 0.90 to 0.80), the speedup factor improves further to 625:1. The proposed TSP-graph can also be used in other applications that require a connected neighborhood graph.
The impact of COVID-19 on the social and cultural integration of international students: a literature review
Authors: Sin Cristina , Tavares Orlanda , Apsite-Berina Elina , Borràs Judith , Bulut-Sahin Betül , Chrančoková Martina , Czerska-Shaw Karolina , Devlin Anne Marie , Heinzmann Sybille , Jokila Suvi , Kéri Anita , Lešević Ivana , Magliacane Annarita , Nicolaou Anna , Onder-Ozdemir Neslihan , Perez-Encinas Adriana , Raikou Natassa , Soule Maria Victoria , Valančiūnas Deimantas , Voda Ana Iolanda , Zayim-Kurtay Merve
Published: January 2025

This systematic literature review summarises the state-of-the-art evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the integration of international students in their host countries and institutions. Conducted between January and May 2022, it analyses the responses to COVID-19 of the key actors involved in international student mobility: national/regional authorities, higher education institutions, and students. Findings reveal that governmental action and institutional measures were decisive in shaping international students’ integration experiences. Regarding governmental action, criticism of the policies adopted by Australia and the USA in relation to immigration and/or support stand out, in contrast to policies adopted by the Canadian authorities. Higher education institutions played an important role in mitigating the negative effects of COVID-19 on international students’ integration. These targeted different needs– material, well-being, and social– through different types of support: logistical and financial support, psychological support, and the provision of platforms for ongoing social interaction and exchange. Most studies, however, focus on the students themselves, the challenges they faced during the pandemic and their coping strategies. Common to international students’ lived experience was (dis)connectedness, with the following themes emerging as obstacles to their social and cultural integration: distress during lockdown periods, disruption of their social life and support networks, mental health issues, discrimination and racialised prejudice, and language barriers. The review concludes by proposing recommendations and by identifying avenues for future research.
Digital technologies and performance incentives: evidence from businesses in the Swiss economy
Authors: Lehmann Johannes , Beckmann Michael
Published: January 2025

Using novel survey data from Swiss firms, this paper empirically examines the relationship between the use of digital technologies and the prevalence of performance incentives. We argue that digital technologies tend to reduce the cost of organizational monitoring through improved measurement of employee behavior and performance, as well as through employee substitution in conjunction with a reduced agency problem. While we expect the former mechanism to increase the prevalence of performance incentives, the latter is likely to decrease it. Our doubly robust ATE estimates show that companies using business software and certain key technologies of Industry 4.0 increasingly resort to performance incentives, suggesting that the improved measurement effect dominates the employee substitution effect. In addition, we find that companies emerging as technology-friendly use performance incentives more frequently than their technology-averse counterparts. Both findings hold for managerial and non-managerial employees. Our estimation results are robust to a variety of sensitivity checks and suggest that Swiss businesses leverage digital technologies to enhance control over production or service processes, allowing them to intensify their management of employees through performance incentives.
The genome sequence of Greek sea-spurrey, Spergularia bocconei (Scheele) Graebn. (Caryophyllaceae)
Authors: Power Denise , Christenhusz Maarten J. M. , French Colin , Bennallick Ian , Mian Sahr , Leitch Ilia J. ,   Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Plant Genome Sizing collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: January 2025

We present a genome assembly from a specimen of Spergularia bocconei (Greek sea-spurrey; Streptophyta; Magnoliopsida; Caryophyllales; Caryophyllaceae). The genome sequence has a total length of 466.20 megabases. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 18 chromosomal pseudomolecules suggesting the individual is an allotetraploid (2n = 4x = 36). The mitochondrial and plastid genome assemblies have lengths of 327.07 kilobases and 152.41 kilobases, respectively.