bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immune Aging and Its Implication for Age-Related Disease Progression
Authors: Sato Yuki
Published: January 2025

As life expectancy increases globally, the prevalence and severity of age-related disease has risen, significantly impacting patients' quality of life and increasing dependency on the health care system. Age-related diseases share several pathological commonalities, and emerging evidence suggests that targeting these biological processes ameliorate multiple age-related diseases. Immune aging plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases, given its involvement not only in controlling infection and cancer but also in facilitating tissue homeostasis and repair. Aging causes compositional and functional changes in both innate and adaptive immune cells, thereby significantly contributing to the pathogenesis of age-related disease and systemic low-grade inflammation, termed as “inflammaging.” This review article aims to describe the current understanding of immune aging and its impact on age-related diseases with particular emphasis on kidney and autoimmune disease. Additionally, this review highlights tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) as a hallmark of immune aging, exploring their roles in inflammation, tissue damage and potential therapeutic targeting.
Hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple primary malignancy: A Retrospective Study of 106 Cases
Authors: Li Yifei , Feng Liuxing , Lin Chundong , Wu Lupeng
Published: January 2025

Background: Multiple primary malignancies (MPM) are a rare scenario, particularly in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Research addressing MPM patients with HCC is limited. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study to explore the clinical features and outcomes of MPM patients involving HCC.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed records of patients diagnosed with HCC from January 2013 to October 2023 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University. HCC patients with extrahepatic tumors were identified. Their clinical characteristics and survival data were were further analyzed.
Results:Among the 1556 patients with HCC, 106 (6.8%) were identified with EHPM, of which 29 were synchronous and 77 were metachronous. A total of 96 patients had double primary cancers, and 10 patients had triple primary cancers. The most common EHPMs were lung cancer (15%), followed by colorectal tumors and stomach cancer. Compared with the synchronous group, the curative treatment rate of HCC and EHPM in the metachronous group is higher. During follow-up period, 29 patients died, of which 20 (69%) died from HCC-related causes. The median overall survival (OS) time was 88 months, with 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year cumulative survival rates of 92.4%, 88%, 82.5%, and 69.6%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year HCC-specific OS (HOS) rates were 81.8%, 75.8%, and 71.9%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that Child-Pugh class (B-C), HCC tumor size >5cm, non-radical treatment for HCC or EHPM, HCC recurrence, BCLC staging (C-D), and synchronous appearance were significantly associated with shorter OS and HOS. Factors such as Childs class, tumor size, treatment modality, and synchronous presentation were identified as independent predictors of OS through Cox analysis. Childs class, tumor size, non-radical treatment, BCLC staging, and HCC recurrence were found to be independent factors affecting HOS.
Conclusions: The occurrence of extrahepatic primary tumors is not rare, underscoring the importance for oncologists being alert to the development of secondary tumor development in HCC patients. However, the co-occurrence of other primary tumors alongside HCC does not appear to worsen patient prognosis. Notably, curative resection, where feasible, emerges as a vital factor in extending patient survival.
Discovery in the neotropical region of a parasitic genus of Keroplatidae, Planarivora Hickman, and notes on its relationships (Diptera, Mycetophiloidea)
Authors: Matile Loïc
Published: January 2025

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A new Bibio from Brazil (Diptera, Bibionidae)
Authors: Hardy D. Elmo
Published: January 2025

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Novos longicórneos neotrópicos da coleção Viehmann, com notas sinonímicas (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)
Authors: Martins Ubirajara R.
Published: January 2025

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Fundamentalismo religioso, capitalismo racial y crisis civilizatoria
Authors: Lozano Betty Ruth
Published: January 2025

As igrejas evangélicas de orientação fundamentalista, tornadas neoconservadoras a partir dos anos 1980, costumam ser apreciadas tanto pela direita quanto pela esquerda por seu potencial eleitoral. Este artigo busca desvendar o neoconservadorismo como um complemento do neoliberalismo, cuja função principal é a salvaguarda dos valores da sociedade ocidental cristã, capitalista e branca, através da difusão de suas teologias que podem ser mais bem descritas como ideologias religiosas de opressão: a Teologia da Prosperidade, a Teologia do Domínio e a Guerra Espiritual. Mostra-se como a pretensão de salvar a sociedade ocidental, percebida como estando em perigo devido às lutas das multidões de oprimidos de diferentes formas, e a de gerar crescimento econômico, se concretiza em ações de guerra, fome, expropriação e extermínio ao longo de todo o planeta, sob a legitimação dessas “teologias” que fortalecem a supremacia branca.
(No) Todo es gentrificación
Authors: Jajamovich Guillermo
Published: January 2025

The review analyses the contributions of the book ¨Vender una ciudad. Gentrificación y turistificación en los centros históricos” [Selling a city. Gentrification and touristification in historic centres]". Published by the University of Seville in 2022, it contextualises the contribution of Dr. in Geography Ibán Díaz Parra of the University of Seville, within the debate between critical urban studies and decolonial perspectives. Through the intersection of gentrification and touristification in the historic centres of Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Seville, the review highlights the book’s theoretical and methodological contributions, the use of qualitative and quantitative techniques, and its comparative approach. It also emphasizes the reconstruction of the trajectory of the concept of gentrification itself. Finally, critical observations are made regarding the proposed articulation between urban neoliberalism and the discourse of returning to the built city, as well as risks in certain critical perspectives and discussions about the circulation of policies.
Alfonso García Robles y el Tratado de Tlatelolco: entre la guerra fría y la desnuclearización en América Latina
Authors: Avalos Martín López
Published: January 2025

This paper argues that Mexican participation in the negotiation process for the signing of the Treaty of Tlatelolco can be explained by the characteristics of Mexican postwar foreign policy. Mexico worked hard to build an active foreign policy that expressed its recent political evolution, which emerged from the revolution of 1910-1920. The figure and thought of Ambassador Alfonso García Robles are taken as an example of a strategist of Mexican international relations. Through this guiding thread, we can see that Mexican foreign policy has a liberal doctrinal basis, but is anchored in Latin American history. This experience will be reflected in the period of the Cold War when it joined the Committee of the 18 Nations in Geneva and, later, when considering one of the most critical events of this period, the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962. This event would justify launching the denuclearization initiative as a joint call from the Latin American region, although Mexico and Brazil led the coordination in the negotiations. A detailed description is made of the XVIII session of the UN General Assembly where the will to denuclearize Latin America is made concrete.
Tratamento de superfícies na Vila Belga: escolhas, impactos e relações com a paisagem urbana central de Santa Maria (RS)
Authors: Silva Manuela Ilha
Published: January 2025

The aim of this text is to analyze the results of the surface treatment in an intervention carried out in 2012 at Vila Belga, an architectural railway complex located in Santa Maria (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Based on abibliographical review and documentary research, the aim is to gather the few records found so far about the colors adopted in the buildings to support reflection on the latest intervention, which adopted intense colors,like other national historic centers. The results allow to conclude that have reverberated more external trends than a surface treatment that reinforces local values, generating contrasts that until then had not existedbetween the complex and the urban landscape in which it is located.
Esquadrias tradicionais e novas inserções em fachadas de edificações históricas em Belém (PA)
Authors: Barbosa Messias Bezerra , Norat Roseane da Conceição Costa
Published: January 2025

A preservação de edificações engloba seus bens integrados, a exemplo das esquadrias, como importantes elementos compositivos. As transformações das esquadrias podem comprometer a leitura da edificação e da paisagem urbana. Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo documentar as esquadrias de fachadas nas edificações históricas de Belém (Pará, Brasil), no bairro da Cidade Velha, que congrega diversas etapas da ocupação e transformações na cidade e pode refletir padrões similares em outros locais. Os resultadosapresentam os elementos formais e tipológicos a partir de inventário de portas e janelas de fachadas na área de pesquisa, identificando os padrões tradicionais e as novas inserções, nem sempre compatíveis. Foi possível apresentar os materiais construtivos, estado de conservação, morfologia e sistemas de abertura e fechamento das esquadrias tradicionais e inserções, bem como traçar a genealogia das esquadrias em Belém, por meio de seus remanescentes dos séculos XVIII, XIX e XX.
Patrimônio histórico de Pernambuco: a pátina do tempo versus intervenções urbano-religiosas em uma igreja de Olinda (PE)
Authors: Santos Júlia Oliveira dos , Rocha Eudes Arimatéa
Published: January 2025

O estudo destaca a importância da análise regular de manifestações patológicas em edificações históricas com foco na caracterização histórica e intervenções recentes. Explora a distinção entre danos causados por agentes externos e tendências naturais da degradação dos elementos construtivos, enfatizando a responsabilidade profissional nas inspeções não destrutivas e análises qualiquantitativas. A pesquisa se constrói sob uma perspectiva urbanística, ao analisar a fachada e adro da Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves em Olinda, Pernambuco, mostrando a relevância da atualização do mapa de danos como ferramenta nas inspeções regulares para facilitar manutenções preventivas em edificações histórico-religiosas. Os resultados sobrepostos apontam um contraste entre o desempenho e uso da edificação às condições de conservação do espaço urbano-religioso.
Reflexões sobre o III Seminário Patrimônio Cultural Universitário
Authors: Machado Matheus Bonini , Neves Rodrigo Augusto das , Braga Sofia Diogo
Published: January 2025

The III Seminário Patrimônio Cultural Universitário took place in September 2024 in São Paulo, organized by the Center of Cultural Preservation of the University of São Paulo (CPC-USP), an entity of USP’s Office of Culture and Extension under the leadership of Professors Dr. FláviaBrito do Nascimento and Dr. Joana Mello de Carvalho Silva. The event aimed to foster discussions on the identification, management, research, dissemination, and preservation of cultural assets tied to university lifeand experiences, based on the diverse interpretations and valuations of everyday university life. The Seminar brought together over 130 participants over four days of programming, including researchers, professionalsin the field, students, and other interested individuals. Attendees engaged in discussions through conferences featuring guests from Latin American universities, panel discussions involving professionals and faculty members from Brazilian universities working on related themes, and an open call for papers that received more than 100 submissions from across Brazil. This report provides an overview of the event from the perspective of members of its Organizing Committee, along with brief reflections on the discussions raised during its execution.
Functional Brain Networks Underlying Autobiographical Event Simulation: An Update
Authors: Momeni Ava , Addis Donna Rose , Feredoes Eva , Klepel Florentine , Rasheed Maiya M. , Chinchani Abhijit M. , Kousssis Nikitas C. , Woodward Todd S.
Published: January 2025

fMRI studies typically explore changes in the BOLD signal underlying discrete cognitive processes that occur over milliseconds to a few seconds. However, autobiographical cognition is a protracted process and requires fMRI tasks with longer trials to capture the temporal dynamics of the underlying brain networks. In the current study, we provided an updated analysis of the fMRI data obtained from a published autobiographical event simulation study, with a slow event-related design (34-sec trials), that involved participants recalling past, imagining past, and imagining future autobiographical events, as well as completing a semantic association control task. Our updated analysis using Constrained Principal Component Analysis for fMRI retrieved two networks reported in the original study: (1) the default mode network, which activated during the autobiographical event simulation conditions but deactivated during the control condition, and (2) the multiple demand network, which activated early in all conditions during the construction of the required representations (i.e., autobiographical events or semantic associates). Two novel networks also emerged: (1) the Response Network, which activated during the scale-rating phase, and (2) the Maintaining Internal Attention Network, which, while active in all conditions during the elaboration of details associated with the simulated events, was more strongly engaged during the imagination and semantic association control conditions. Our findings suggest that the default mode network does not support autobiographical simulation alone, but it co-activates with the multiple demand network and Maintaining Internal Attention Network, with the timing of activations depending on evolving task demands during the simulation process.
Young Children’s Understanding of Helping as Increasing Another Agent’s Utility
Authors: Schlingloff-Nemecz Laura , Pomiechowska Barbara , Tatone Denis , Revencu Barbu , Mészégető Dorottya , Csibra Gergely
Published: January 2025

Instrumental helping is one of the paradigmatic “prosocial” behaviors featured in developmental research on sociomoral reasoning, but not much is known about how children recognize instances of helping behaviors or understand the term ‘help’. Here, we examined whether young children represent helping as a second-order goal and take it to mean increasing the utility of another agent. In Study 1, we tested whether 12-month-old infants would expect an agent who previously helped to perform an action that reduced the Helpee’s action cost. We found that while infants expected agents to act individually efficiently (Experiment 1C), they did not expect the agent to choose the action that maximally reduced the Helpee’s cost compared to an action that reduced the cost less (Experiment 1A) or not at all (Experiment 1B). In Study 2, we examined whether three-year-old preschoolers (1) maximize a Helpee’s cost reduction when prompted to help in a first-person task, and (2) identify in a third-party context which of two agents, performing superficially similar behaviors with varying effects on the Helpee’s action options, actually helped. Contrary to our predictions, preschoolers did not help in a way that maximally reduced the Helpee’s cost in (1). In (2), however, they indicated that the agent who reduced the Helpee’s action cost was the one who helped. Taken together, these results support the proposal that, at least by preschool age, children possess a second-order utility-based concept of helping, but that they may not exhibit efficiency when choosing their own helping actions.
Improved A* and DWA fusion algorithm based path planning for intelligent substation inspection robot
Authors: Zhang Wei , Li Wanli , Zheng Xiang , Sun Bing
Published: January 2025

To solve the intelligent substation inspection robot path planning with low global efficiency, search node redundancy, and may even fail under a dynamic obstacle environment, which is normally based on the A* or dynamic window approach (DWA) algorithms. This study attempted to use the improved A* algorithm and an enhanced DWA algorithms for intelligent substation inspection robot path planning to improve its path planning ability under dynamic inspection. In this study, The neighborhood traversal rule of the A* is refined, and the DWA evaluation function is adjusted to align with the specific demands of intelligent substation inspection. Simulation results demonstrate that combining the improved A* algorithm with the enhanced DWA significantly reduces the inspection path length by 24.4% compared to traditional A* in fixed point inspection condition. This integration greatly enhances the dynamic path-planning performance of substation inspection robots, particularly in terms of path smoothness and inspection efficiency.
Internalized Sexism and Well-Being in the United States
Authors: Andersson Matthew A. , McSwain Anastasia N.
Published: January 2025

Although structural sexism in state-level institutions is harmful to women’s and men’s health, less is known about how micro-level structural sexism relates to well-being. Using the 2017 and 2021 Gallup Values and Beliefs of the American Public surveys (N = 1,501 in 2017; N = 1,248 in 2021), we investigate diverse approaches to internalized sexism. Although we find no significant associations with self-rated health, gender traditionalism is linked to greater depressive and anxiety symptoms for women and men, providing the first population evidence for its universal harm in the United States. Although benevolent sexism shows no associations with mental well-being, hostile sexism is linked to greater symptoms among men. A diminished sense of mastery consistently accounts for these relationships, showing promise as a potential mechanism. These findings are suppressed by political conservatism and religious involvement, both of which lead to reporting greater—rather than diminished—well-being.
Isolation, screening, and characterization of heavy metal-resistant bacteria from solid waste dumping sites in Central Gondar, Northwest, Ethiopia
Authors: Dinku Abebech , Jiru Tamene Milkessa
Published: January 2025

Objective

Heavy metal pollution is one of the more recent problems of environmental degradation caused by rapid industrialization and human activity. The objective of this study was to isolate, screen, and characterize heavy metal-resistant bacteria from solid waste disposal sites.

Methods

In this study, a total of 18 soil samples were randomly selected from mechanical sites, metal workshops, and agricultural land that received wastewater irrigation. Isolation and screening of the isolates were based on multiple heavy metal (copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb)) resistance potential. Morphological, biochemical, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques were used to identify the isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the potential isolates was further examined at various concentrations (3, 6, 12, 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL). Each isolate's ability to biodegrade and resist antibiotics was also examined.

Results

About 21 bacterial isolates were obtained. Among these, six potential isolates (Agri10−2Is2, Agri10−3Is2, Agri10−3Is1, AL10−1Is2, AL10−3Is1, and GA10−2Is1) were selected. The isolates displayed varied colony morphologies and biochemical characterization features. Phylogenetic tree results revealed that Agri10−2Is2, Agri10−3Is2, Agri10−3Is1, AL10−1Is2, AL10−3Is1, and GA10−2Is1 were identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus species, Bacillus tequilensis, Klebiesella species, and Cronobacter sakazakii, respectively. Every isolate gave a different MIC value. The biodegradation capacity of Agri10−2Is2, Agri10−3Is2, Agri10−3Is1, AL10−1Is2, AL10−3Is1, and GA10−2Is1 was 92.2%, 92.57%, 92.37%, 92.66%, 92.85%, and 92.52% against Cu; 95.07%, 94.07%, 93.07%, 93.4%, 91.4%, and 94.4% on Cr; and 95.51%, 94.53%, 95.62%, 96.87%, 94.86%, and 97.09% against Pb, respectively. All isolates were found to be resistant to the tested antibiotics.

Conclusion

This study concludes that the selected bacterial isolates could be potential agents for bioremediation of heavy metal-polluted environments.
Correlation study between magnetic resonance imaging-quantitated cardiac iron deposition and left ventricular function in patients with β-thalassemia major in China
Authors: Peng Shuai , Xu Fengming , Yang Guangxin , Zhang Yanyan , Tang Qin , Liu Rongrong , Peng Peng
Published: January 2025

Objective:

To explore the correlation between cardiac iron deposition and left ventricular function indicators, such as left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, left ventricular end-systolic volume index, and left ventricular ejection fraction, and to evaluate the accuracy of predicting patients with cardiac iron deposition by using left ventricular ejection fraction as an index.

Methods:

This quantitative cross-sectional study involved one hundred and fifty transfusion-dependent patients with β-thalassemia major who were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging to obtain T2* values, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, left ventricular end-systolic volume index, and left ventricular ejection fraction. The relationship between cardiac R2* values and left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, left ventricular end-systolic volume index, and left ventricular ejection fraction was analyzed.

Results:

Out of the 150 patients, cardiac iron overload was not observed for 92 patients, 42 patients exhibited mild to moderate cardiac iron overload, and 16 patients were severe cardiac iron overloaded. A linear correlation was not observed between the cardiac R2* values and left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, left ventricular end-systolic volume index, and left ventricular ejection fraction ( P > 0.05). For the left ventricular ejection fraction index, the sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and the agreement rate were 83.3%, 63.2%, 8.6%, 98.9%, and 64.0%, respectively; also, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.348.

Conclusions:

A linear correlation was not observed between cardiac R2* values and left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, left ventricular end-systolic volume index, and left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with β-thalassemia major. Therefore, using left ventricular ejection fraction as an indirect index to predict cardiac iron deposition may be not reliable in clinical practice.
Free vibration analysis of sandwich graphene-reinforced nanocomposite truncated conical shells with auxetic honeycomb core
Authors: Khoddami Maraghi Zahra , Safari Iman , Ghorbanpour Arani Ali , Shekari Amir Mohammad , Saeidnejad Sadegh , Zahedi Bidgoli Abbas
Published: January 2025

In this research, the free vibrations of a truncated conical sandwich shell with a re-entrant auxetic core and polymeric nanocomposite face sheets reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) are investigated. This study explores, for the first time, the influence of GNP distribution patterns, honeycomb core geometry, and shell parameters on the natural frequencies of truncated conical shells. A first-order shear deformation shell theory (FSDT) is applied to enhance the accuracy of results, especially for thick shells. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposite face sheets are calculated using the rule of mixtures and the Halpin-Tsai model. The governing equations and boundary conditions are derived using Hamilton’s principle. Exact solutions for the governing equations in the circumferential direction are obtained using harmonic trigonometric functions, while the differential quadrature method (DQM) is employed for solving equations along the shell. After verifying the convergence and accuracy of the proposed analysis, the effects of various factors on the natural frequencies are examined, including the geometric characteristics of the auxetic honeycomb core, the mass fraction and distribution pattern of GNPs, the shell geometry, and the boundary conditions. The results show that increasing the side thickness in the core cells of the auxetic honeycomb decreases natural frequencies. However, increasing the core’s overall thickness relative to the shell thickness can either increase or decrease the natural frequencies, depending on the vibration mode. Additionally, distributing GNPs near the inner and outer surfaces of the shell yields the highest natural frequencies due to enhanced flexural stiffness. This study provides valuable insights for designing advanced conical shell structures with optimized vibration performance, applicable in aerospace, automotive, and civil engineering industries.
The Parenthood Penalty in Creative Occupations: How the Covid-19 Pandemic Made Existing Inequalities Worse
Authors: Feder Tal , Florisson Rebecca , O’Brien Dave , Taylor Mark , McAndrew Siobhan
Published: January 2025

Creative occupations are well-known for inequalities and exclusions. This article focuses on one such excluded group—creative workers who are the parents of young children—to examine the impact of the pandemic on their creative careers. We use the Household Quarterly Labour Force Survey, a large and nationally representative database of UK workers covering the period of 2015–2021. We run regression analyses to estimate the multidimensional impact of working in the creative field, gender, parenting and the pandemic period. The analysis demonstrates a clear parenthood penalty in creative occupations. For women with young children working in the ‘core’ creative occupations this penalty equates to working around nine fewer hours per week. This penalty is in addition to the general penalty for being a woman parent (25 fewer hours per week). The pandemic saw a further hit to ‘core’ creative parents’ working hours, and mothers suffered the heaviest reduction in working hours. Reduced working hours will exacerbate existing gendered inequalities in creative occupations. Based on the figures presented in the article, more must be done by policy interventions and employer activity to prevent even greater exclusions from creative work for mothers.
Investigating effect of tool geometry on drilling performance of carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene thermoplastic composite
Authors: Pathak Shashi R , Malik Anup , Mali Harlal S
Published: January 2025

The current research explores the impact of tool geometry on the drilling performance of carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene thermoplastic composite. Three distinct tools, namely conventional twist drill (CTD), split point drill (SPD), and brad spur drill (BSD), were used to investigate their geometrical effect on the critical parameters such as drilling temperature (DT), thrust force (TF), exit delamination factor (EDF), and surface roughness (SR). Increasing spindle speed caused the drilling temperature to increase, while increasing the feed rate caused it to decrease. Thrust force increased and decreased in response to increased feed rate and spindle speed, respectively. The exit delamination factor decreased by changing the feed rate from 60 mm/min to 120 mm/min and again started to increase up to 180 mm/min. Surface roughness increased as the feed rate increased from 60 to 120 mm/min and then decreased when the feed rate increased from 120 to 180 mm/min. Drilling with Brad spur tool with a feed rate of 60 mm/min and a spindle speed of 900 rpm provided the optimized result. Compared to the conventional twist drill, the brad spur drill produced 37.72%, 49.53%, 16.67%, and 34.25% less drilling temperature, thrust force, exit delamination factor, and surface roughness, respectively.
Analysis of Health Determinants in Cleft Palate Patients
Authors: Baker Katherine E. , Boydstun Anna G. , McMinn Mary E. , Hecox Emily E. , Edwards Shelley R. , Walker Savannah C. , Humphries Laura S. , Hoppe Ian C.
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study aims to analyze health determinants affecting patients with cleft palate, specifically examining the relationships between the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), failure to thrive (FTT), and healthcare utilization within the initial 30 days and first year of life.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with a cleft palate at a tertiary care center over an 11-year period. Data included demographics, weight percentile trends, pediatric emergency department (PED) visits, hospital admissions, SVI scores, cleft palate type, and FTT diagnoses. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS.

Results

Social Vulnerability Index was not significantly correlated with health outcomes in cleft palate. Patients with FTT exhibited lower gestational age ( P = .002) and birth ( P = .005), one-month ( P = .001), and one-year ( P = .001) weight percentiles. FTT diagnosis was associated with increased PED visits ( P = .000) and hospital admission ( P = .000) in the first year of life. Early presentation to the PED was associated with increased PED visits ( P = .000) and hospital admissions ( P = .004) within the first year of life.

Conclusion

No direct link was found between SVI and FTT. Early hospital readmission emerged as a significant outcome, indicating increased healthcare utilization in patients that require early medical intervention. Failure to thrive significantly impacted healthcare utilization, emphasizing the importance of addressing feeding issues early in this patient population. This study contributes to understanding health disparities in cleft palate patients and highlights the need for nuanced exploration of regional factors influencing outcomes.
It's Time to Define the Global Burden of Velopharyngeal Insufficiency
Authors: Alter Noah , Stone Amy , Powell Maria , Gordon Elisa J. , Anan Beyhan , Hamdan Usama , Yin Zhijun , Pontell Matthew E.
Published: January 2025

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) predominantly affects children with cleft palate, undermining their ability to communicate. As a result, intelligible speech generation is one of the most important outcomes following cleft palate repair. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the elevated incidence of cleft palate, unavailability of speech services, and suboptimal surgical outcomes has contributed to a substantial yet poorly defined global burden of VPI. Tracking speech outcomes in LMICs is essential to assessing VPI severity and identifying patients needing care. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are well-suited to accommodate this goal.
EXPRESS: Analyzing Professional Ethics of Physicians Using Online Patient Reviews: a Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Wang Kanix , Mai Feng , Shan Zhe , Zhang Dawei (David) , Peng Xiaosong (David)
Published: January 2025

The erosion of professional ethics in medicine has severe consequences for patients and society. Existing approaches often rely on retrospective analysis and lack the precision and timeliness needed to effectively identify and mitigate risks. Although patient online reviews offer a unique opportunity to proactively detect ethical issues by providing candid, unsolicited feedback on healthcare experiences, few studies have empirically established the link between patient reviews and ethical breaches in medicine. This research introduces a novel machine learning framework to derive text-based indicators of physicians’ professional ethics using online patient reviews. Our approach leverages large language models to extract ethics-related comments and employs few-shot contrastive learning to train multi-label classifiers. Empirical validation studies suggest that the ethical indicators can help predict a wide range of adverse outcomes including drug-related deaths, disciplinary actions, malpractice claims, and rent-seeking behaviors. Our framework offers promising avenues for proactively managing ethical risks in healthcare and other professional services.
Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors and Severe Urinary Tract Infections: Real-World Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies
Authors: Aboukaoud Mohammed , Morhi Yocheved , Osher Ester
Published: January 2025

Objective:

There is limited knowledge about severe urinary tract infections associated with SGLT2i, despite this being the basis for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning. We aim to provide real-world evidence to clarify this relationship further.

Data source:

A literature review was performed in PubMed and Embase for cohort studies published up to August 2024 using PICO-consistent terms.

Study selection and data extraction:

Cohort studies in English involving new users of SGLT2i that compare SGLT2i with glucagon-like receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), DPP4i, and other glucose-lowering medications and report severe urinary tract infection (UTI).

Data synthesis:

The random-effect model determined the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for severe UTI. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to identify sources of heterogeneity. In 11 cohort studies involving 679 617 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a median age of 64 (interquartile range [IQR] = 56-72) and 42% (IQR = 39%-51%) females, it was found that the use of SGLT2i was associated with a reduced risk of severe UTI compared with both composite glucose-lowering medications (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.60-0.88) and DPP4i (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.43-0.54). There was no significant difference in the risk compared with GLP-1RA (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.78-1.14).

Relevance to patient care and clinical practice:

The lack of increased risk for severe UTI reassures physicians when assessing benefit-risk to continue SGLT2i after a severe UTI. This may enhance patient adherence and improve diabetes management. Furthermore, our findings show no significant risk increase in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients who would benefit significantly from SGLT2i.

Conclusion:

SGLT2i does not appear to pose a greater risk of severe UTI than other oral glucose-lowering medications. This contributes to the existing literature on UTI, accounting for the event’s severity. However, more data are needed to assess the potential association between SGLT2i and life-threatening UTI events.
PRRX1-Rearranged Mesenchymal Tumor in a Core Needle Biopsy
Authors: Grosse Claudia , Noack Petar , Grosse Alexandra
Published: January 2025

PRRX1-rearranged mesenchymal tumors are a recently described subset of soft tissue tumors, characterised by a PRRX1::NCOA1/2 or PRRX1::KMT2D gene fusion and by distinctive morphological features. 1 They show a circumscribed, multi-nodular growth pattern with bland spindle cells in a myxo-collagenous stroma, surrounded by staghorn-like vessels with perivascular hyalinization. First described by Lacambra et al in 2019, 2 they were originally named PRRX1-NCOAx-rearranged fibroblastic tumors. A total of 22 tumors have been reported since then. 1 – 7 Later, a subsequent study expanded the molecular spectrum of these tumors by detecting an alternative PRRX1::KMT2D fusion and variable degrees of S100 and SOX10 expression in a subset of tumors, which led to a proposed revision of the original nomenclature to PRRX1-rearranged mesenchymal tumors, a term, that comprises also tumors with non- NOCA1/2 fusion partners and allows for the possibility of partial neural or neuroectodermal differentiation. Loss of RB1 has been recently detected in two PRRX1-rearranged mesenchymal tumors on immunohistochemistry and FISH analysis, 7 suggesting a potential overlap with RB1-deficient soft tissue tumors. As an emerging entity, PRRX1-rearranged mesenchymal tumors have not been included (yet) in the publication of the 2020 World Health Organization classification of soft tissue and bone tumors. 8
Mechanisms of Apoptosis and Pulmonary Fibrosis Resulting From Sulfur Mustard-Induced Acute Pulmonary Injury in Rats
Authors: Hu Xiaoxuan , Zhang Na , Zhong Yuxu , Liu Tao , Zhu Xiaoji
Published: January 2025

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a highly toxic bifunctional alkylating agent that inflicts severe damage on the respiratory tract. Although numerous studies have examined the mechanisms underlying SM-induced pulmonary injury, the exact pathways involved remain unclear. This study aims to investigate an acute pulmonary injury model, with SM administered as a single intraperitoneal injection (8 mg/kg) or single intratracheal instillation (2 mg/kg) at equal toxicity doses (1LD50). The results revealed that epithelial cells in the alveolar septa of the intraperitoneal SM group exhibited a significantly higher expression of apoptotic markers, including pro-apoptotic protein Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 proteins, than those in the tracheal SM group. Conversely, the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was significantly lower in the intraperitoneal SM group than in the tracheal SM group, as confirmed by TUNEL staining and immunohistochemical staining. The intraperitoneal SM group exhibited markedly higher expression of fibrosis-related proteins, including MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, collagen type I, collagen type III, TGF-β1, and Smad7, than the tracheal SM group. These markers, detected through immunohistochemical immunolabeling, indicate a more significant fibrotic response in the intraperitoneal group. In summary, this study demonstrates that intraperitoneal exposure to SM results in increased apoptosis, elevated expression of pro-apoptotic proteins, and fibrosis-related proteins in the alveolar epithelial cells compared with intratracheal exposure, even at equivalent toxicity levels. Our findings highlight the suitability of the intraperitoneal route for further investigation and identify apoptotic and fibrosis-related proteins as potential targets for intervention in SM-induced pulmonary injury.
“Do you know who we are? We’re the educators, the real-life superstars”: Remixing hip-hop pedagogy with an affinity group
Authors: Thomson Charlie , Riddle Stewart , Hickey Andrew
Published: January 2025

In this article, we present findings from a study undertaken with nine teachers working in diverse mainstream and alternative schooling contexts in Queensland, Australia, who participated in a year-long affinity group to understand the ways in which hip-hop pedagogy could support their pedagogical practice, professional identity, and well-being. Hip-hop pedagogy centers on a participatory ethic of collaboration and shared expression, which is also central to the affinity group method. The remixing of hip-hop pedagogy through the affinity group enabled teachers to (a) express vulnerability as an educator, (b) maintain safe spaces for learning and teaching, (c) share stories of practice, and (d) confront a lack of recognition that permeates schooling in this present moment. We contend that engaging in an affinity group provides creative opportunities for collective teacher professional and personal development, alongside the rich potential for affective engagement through hip-hop pedagogy as a praxis-based pedagogy.
Tales of the unexpected: Promissory representation in times of uncertainty and economic downturn
Authors: Algra-Maschio Frank , Thomas Sonam , Thomson Robert
Published: January 2025

According to widely held views on good democratic practice, when political parties are in government, they should generally keep the promises they made to voters during the previous election campaigns that brought them to power. But what happens when things change dramatically between the times of promising and governing? We develop and test a theory of how economic uncertainty and change affects promise keeping. We argue that when parties formulate election pledges amid high levels of uncertainty, they make promises that can be kept even when significant negative economic changes transpire. We test the implications of the theory using a mixed methods approach, including a quantitative analysis of over 9000 election pledges made by parties from 13 countries. We also present new quantitative and qualitative evidence on pledge fulfillment by Australian parties, which offers a highly relevant test of the impact of unexpected events.
Diagnostic changes in a specialized psychiatric outpatient clinic for migrants: An observational study
Authors: Bruhn Maja , Skammeritz Signe , Lindberg Laura Glahder , Norredam Marie , Mortensen Erik Lykke , Carlsson Jessica
Published: January 2025

Culture significantly influences the understanding, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders, particularly among migrant patients. This observational study examines the frequency and timing of diagnostic changes among migrant patients in a specialized psychiatric outpatient clinic. Furthermore, the study includes a qualitative sub-study to provide insights into the diagnostic process. Out of the 119 migrant patients included in the study, 27.7% changed referral diagnoses during treatment. Diagnostic changes occurred in 15.7% of cases by the end of treatment, 13.4% at midterm, and 9.1% after the initial assessment. No significant associations were found between diagnostic changes and sociodemographic or treatment-related factors. While the qualitative sub-study primarily offered broader insights into the cultural aspects of treatment and the clinical encounter, rather than establishing causal effects on the diagnostic process, it revealed how acculturative stress and cultural identity influenced the presentation of symptoms. The study is conducted in a real-life clinical setting and, thus, reflects the everyday clinical practice of diagnostic changes at a specialized cultural psychiatric clinic. The findings from this study indicate that in addition to a culturally sensitive assessment, time is an important factor for diagnostic changes, which can be essential knowledge for clinical practice when planning diagnostic assessment and treatment. The findings underscore the need for enhancing clinicians’ cultural competencies through targeted training, emphasizing cultural awareness in clinical practice.
Research on student behavior recognition method based on human physiological information perception
Authors: Li Bo , Chen Mengle , Zhao Qi , Yang Xu , An Xiaofeng
Published: January 2025

Artificial intelligence technology can assist teaching and learning by monitoring students’ learning behavior, while the traditional methods of recognizing student behavior suffer from environmental limitations, data singularity, and subjective intervention by the experimenter. Therefore, this paper proposed a student behavior recognition method based on the perception of human physiological information. The method first gathers physiological information about students’ body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure using the smart bracelet and constructs a student behavior dataset based on the three behaviors of students’ study, entertainment, and sleep for behavioral annotation and preprocessing of the data. Second, three methods of feature extraction are applied: the K-means algorithm, the Apriori algorithm, and statistical features. Finally, using a random forest classifier, a student behavior recognition model based on physiological data is built for experimental comparison and evaluation. The experimental results show that under a single feature extraction method, the feature extraction using the Apriori algorithm improves the model performance most significantly, the Random Forest classifier is the most effective for student behavior recognition, and the model accuracy reaches 96.72% after using the three feature extraction methods at the same time. Furthermore, this paper builds a system for recognizing student behavior based on human physiological data and validates the model’s efficacy and real-time performance in authentic scenarios. The proposed method allows educators to better assist students’ learning and manage them holistically.
Design and parameters optimization for solid organic fertilizer loading and spreading machines based on the discrete element method
Authors: Liang Xudong , Wang Zehe , Yi Jinggang
Published: January 2025

The application of solid organic fertilizer is primarily a manual process, leading to inefficiencies and substantial labor demands. The complexity of the task, combined with the market’s lack of machinery capable of both loading and spreading, presents significant challenges. This study introduced the design of an integrated machine that facilitates the loading, transporting, and spreading of solid organic fertilizer. Utilizing the discrete element method, we simulated these processes to refine the machine’s efficiency. EDEM software was used for simulation calculation. The goal was to identify optimal parameters for the machine’s loading and spreading functions. Factors such as forward speed, spreading roller speed, and spreading height were evaluated for their impact on spreading uniformity, using Design-Expert software for experimental design. Through the Box–Behnken experimental approach, a second-order regression model was developed and refined. This optimization process identified the most effective combination of operational parameters: a forward speed of 0.42 meters per second, a spreading roller speed of 216 revolutions per minute, and a spreading height of 545 millimeters. These specifications were intended for the integrated machine, enhancing the efficiency of organic fertilizer loading, transport, and spreading activities.
Anlotinib as Maintenance Therapy After First-Line Chemotherapy Combined with Consolidation Radiation for Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Ma Jinbo , Ma Xiaoyan , Zhang Wei , Hu Shanliang , Zang Rukun , Wu Xiaolong , Song Jie
Published: January 2025

Background

Small cell lung cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but local recurrence and distant metastasis occur shortly after treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the real-world value of anlotinib as a maintenance therapy in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) after first-line chemotherapy and consolidative thoracic radiotherapy (CTRT).

Patients and Methods

A total of 150 patients with ES-SCLC treated with first-line chemotherapy and CTRT from April 2017 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. After the completion of chemoradiotherapy, patients received anlotinib according to their desire. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after the first diagnosis, and the secondary endpoints were prognostic factors and safety.

Results

The ORR and DCR of patients with ES-SCLC were 50.0% and 80.3%, respectively, in the anlotinib group and 42.9% and 69.0% in the no-maintenance therapy group. The 3-year OS rates were 27.6% and 12.6% in the anlotinib and observation groups (HR = 2.52, P = 0.003), and the median OS times were 23.8 months and 15.3 months. The 3-year PFS rates were 18.2% and 8.8% in the anlotinib and observation groups (HR = 1.76, P = 0.034) with median PFS times of 11.5 months and 8.8 months. After stratification on the basis of clinical response, patients who achieved CR plus PR after chemoradiotherapy had a longer median OS in the anlotinib and observation groups (34.0 months vs 24.8 months, HR = 2.40, P = 0.009). There were higher incidence rates of hand–foot syndrome (27.3% vs 10.5%, P = 0.001), gingival bleeding/hemoptysis (18.5% vs 4.8%, P = 0.015) and rash (33.3% vs 4.8%, P < 0.001) in the anlotinib group than in the observation group.

Conclusion

Maintenance therapy with anlotinib improved the survival of patients with ES-SCLC after first-line chemotherapy and CTRT. Owing to the small sample size of the real-world trial, the reliability of our study needs to be confirmed in more studies.
Genetic Networks of Drug Resistance in Epilepsy: Outputs of a Computational and Translational Disease Framework
Authors: Kobayashi Eliane
Published: January 2025

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