bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic impacts of wind farms in small and rural areas: a case study in North-eastern Spain
Authors: Almazán-Gómez M. Á. , Bielsa J. , Cazcarro I. , Langarita R. , Rodríguez-López G.
Published: February 2025

It is now clear that the adoption of renewable energies is of high importance in addressing climate change. In this sense, this work aims to contribute to the discussion on the net socioeconomic effects of renewable energy deployment on the places, especially rural areas, in which the plants are installed. To this end, we particularise the analysis to the case of wind power in an Aragonese county: Matarraña, in North-eastern Spain. We use the input–output approach to account for the local direct, indirect, and potentially induced effects in terms of value added and employment. Unlike previous versions of this methodology, the multiregional input–output method, with a high level of spatial and sectoral disaggregation, allows us to identify the place and the economic sector in which those effects occur. This high granularity of both the data and the model we use constitutes one of the main contributions of the paper. At the same time, we take into account the temporal sequence of the effects, an aspect that is essential in this case. Our results provide information on the issue of local acceptance of renewable energy deployments. Specifically, they suggest that, in the absence of other compensations, wind power does not seem to generate meaningful economic value or employment in the area (Matarraña county) where the windmills are installed.

Graphical abstract
Reduced repetition of Eurasian Chaffinch’s social calls near scree slopes in a Mediterranean forest
Authors: Pérez-González Javier , Hidalgo Toledo Sebastián P. , Guillén Ferreira José A. , Hidalgo de Trucios Sebastián J. , Rey-Gozalo Guillermo
Published: February 2025

Birds use songs and calls as communicative signals. The production of bird vocalizations depends on stimuli that prompt or deter communications. The quartzite scree slopes (pedrizas) in the Mediterranean forests of southwestern Spain might potentially engender conflict situation for bird communication. These open areas entail enhanced sound transmission and heightened predation. In this study, we investigate whether the presence of pedrizas influences the characteristics of Eurasian Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) social calls. We employed portable recorders to capture chaffinch vocalizations both within the forest and in the proximity to the pedrizas in the Mediterranean forest of the Monfragüe National Park (Spain). We found that the number of ‘chink’ repeats in chaffinch social calls was reduced in proximity to pedrizas compared to those recorded in the forest. This trend persisted across different conditions. Our finding lends support to the coexistence of stimuli in pedrizas that both prompt and deter bird communication. As a consequence, a conflict might arise, leading chaffinches to potentially respond by emitting social calls while simultaneously shortening the duration of vocalizations to minimize the risk of attracting undetected predators.
Long-Run Trends and Cycles in US House Prices
Authors: Caporale Guglielmo Maria , Gil-Alana Luis Alberiko
Published: February 2025

This paper analyses US nominal house prices at an annual frequency over the period from 1927 to 2022 by means of a very general time series model. This includes both a (linear and non-linear) deterministic and a stochastic component, with the latter allowing for fractional orders of integration at both the long-run and the cyclical frequencies. The results are heterogeneous depending on the model specification and on whether or not the series have been logged. Specifically, a linear model appears to be more appropriate for the logged data whilst a non-linear one appears to be a better fit for the original ones. Further, the order of integration at the zero or long-run frequency is much higher than at the cyclical one. The former is in fact around 1 in all specified models, which implies a high degree of persistence of this component. Finally, the order of integration of the cyclical structure implies that cycles have a periodicity of about 8 years, but it is almost insignificant in all cases.
Matrix Solutions of Biot’s Poroelasticity in Saturated Multilayered Media
Authors: Yue Zhongqi Quentin
Published: February 2025

This paper presents analytical formulations for systematically deriving the solutions of Biot’s poroelasticity in saturated multilayered media of either full-space or halfspace extents. The number of the saturated multilayer media is either

$n+2$

n
+
2

for full-space extent or

$n+1$

n
+
1

for halfspace extent, where

$n$

n

is a positive or zero integer. The applied loadings include the internal forces and liquid source for full-space and both internal and external loadings for halfspace region with eight cases of four boundary conditions. The mathematical tools for the formulations are classical and include the two-dimensional Fourier transform, the Hankel transform, Laplace transform as well as linear algebra. The solutions are expressed in matrix forms and each matrix is explicitly expressed with clear physical meaning and well-defined elements. The matrix solutions in the Fourier and Laplace transform domains are axially symmetric about the vertical axis. The internal and boundary conditions can be four-dimensional and the matrix solutions in the physical domain are also four-dimensional.
Inter-organizational pooling of NICU nurses in the Dutch neonatal network: a simulation-optimization study
Authors: Leeftink Gréanne , Morris Kimberley , Antonius Tim , de Vries Willem , Hans Erwin
Published: February 2025

Neonatology care, the care for premature and severely ill babies, is increasingly confronted with capacity challenges. The entire perinatal care chain, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), operates at high occupation levels. This results in refusals, leading to undesirable transports to other centers or even abroad, which affects quality of care, length of stay, and safety of these babies, and places a heavy burden on patients, their families, and involved caregivers. In this work we assess the improvement potential of network collaboration strategies that focus on reducing the number of patient transports, by allowing flexible deployment of nurses over the existing NICUs to match short-term changes in patient demand. We develop a discrete event simulation with an integrated optimization module for shift allocation and transfer optimization. A case study for the Dutch national NICU network, involving 9 NICU locations and current transport of 15% of all NICU patients in case of no flexible deployment, shows the potential of transporting staff instead of patients: About 70% of patient transports can be eliminated in case of 15-50% capacity sharing, and about 35% of nationwide transports is eliminated with up to 15% capacity sharing in the Dutch’s main conurbation area only.
Probabilistic scoring lists for interpretable machine learning
Authors: Hanselle Jonas , Heid Stefan , Fürnkranz Johannes , Hüllermeier Eyke
Published: February 2025

A scoring system is a simple decision model that checks a set of features, adds a certain number of points to a total score for each feature that is satisfied, and finally makes a decision by comparing the total score to a threshold. Scoring systems have a long history of active use in safety-critical domains such as healthcare and justice, where they provide guidance for making objective and accurate decisions. Given their genuine interpretability, the idea of learning scoring systems from data is obviously appealing from the perspective of explainable AI. In this paper, we propose a practically motivated extension of scoring systems called probabilistic scoring lists (PSL), as well as a method for learning PSLs from data. Instead of making a deterministic decision, a PSL represents uncertainty in the form of probability distributions, or, more generally, probability intervals. Moreover, in the spirit of decision lists, a PSL evaluates features one by one and stops as soon as a decision can be made with enough confidence. To evaluate our approach, we conduct case studies in the medical domain and on standard benchmark data.
Identification of anthropogenic activities interference in the seismic catalog for Banat and Danubian region, Romania
Authors: Rău Adina , Dinescu Raluca , Popa Mihaela , Radulian Mircea , Lungu Mihail
Published: February 2025

Banat and Danubian regions are among the most active zones in terms of crustal seismicity in Romania. Even though active seismic monitoring started in the early 20th century, the data sets got more performant with the development and expansion of seismic network monitoring in the late 1970’s. One particularity regarding seismic data acquisition is that in many cases anthropogenic activity, such as mining and quarry exploitation, interferes with natural seismicity. We aim to bring forward a series of data extracted from the ROMPLUS catalog to identify anthropogenic interference. To this aim, we propose a procedure based on multiple discrimination criteria, such as local time of event occurrence, magnitude, location concerning the nearest exploitation site, depth, and P wave input analysis (polarity and waveform). Identifying and filtering the anthropogenic events from the catalog will result in better imaging and characterizing of the natural seismic phenomenon in Banat and Danubian zones, improving the regional seismic hazard assessment this way.
Role of shearing wave elastography in detecting early diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Shaker Amr M. , Sleem Shaza Y. , Aly Mayssa I. , Habib Asmaa H. , Hassan Mona G.
Published: February 2025

Background

Diabetes mellitus is one of the systemic diseases affecting the kidneys that eventually develop end-stage kidney disease. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a reliable and non-invasive ultrasonography test used to determine tissue elasticity. The aim of this study is to detect early diabetic nephropathy by measuring renal stiffness using shear wave elastography (SWE), renal resistivity indices, and laboratory findings in DN patients.

Methods

Shear wave elastography and color duplex sonography assessments were performed in 60 diabetic nephropathy patients (divided according to eGFR into 3 stages: stage I-II-III diabetic nephropathy with equal groups of 20 patients in each stage) and 20 healthy age-matched control subjects. The SWE-derived mean value of the tissue stiffness, given in kilopascals (kPa), was correlated to patients’ clinico-laboratory data (serum creatinine and eGFR) and resistive index.

Results

There is a statistically significant increase in SWE and RI in the diabetic group than control group and a statistically significant increase in SWE (mean) in CKD stage II and III when compared with CKD stage I, SWE can be used to discriminate between diabetic groups and control group at a cutoff level of > 10.5 (kPa), and also, SWE (mean) can be used to discriminate between CKD stage II and III patients at a cutoff level of > 41 (kPa), with 66.7% sensitivity and 64.9% specificity.

Conclusion

Shear wave elastography is a sensitive, non-invasive, and specific diagnostic tool for the detection of diabetic nephropathy and differentiation between different stages of DN.
The Protective Effect of Boric Acid Against High Fructose-Induced Liver and Kidney Damage in Rats
Authors: Yüksel Duygu , Başeğmez Mehmet , Kan Fahriye
Published: February 2025

This study aimed to determine the protective role of boric acid (BA) in high fructose (HF)-induced liver and kidney toxicity in a young rat model. High-fructose consumption causes serious damage to liver and kidney tissue in healthy individuals and contributes to the emergence of various metabolic diseases. Thirty-two healthy female Wistar albino rats (250–300 g weight and 3–4 months) were randomly distributed into four equal groups (n = 8): control, high fructose % 20 (HF), boric acid 20 mg/kg (BA), and HF + BA. High fructose was freshly prepared and administered to the rats as 20 g of d-fructose dissolved in 100 mL of tap water daily for a duration of 30 days. Boric acid (20 mg/kg) was administered through gastric gavage throughout the 30-day study period. At the end of study, blood, liver, and kidney were collected from rats. The results indicated that high fructose induced increased glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and urea levels in rat serum. Boric acid administration significantly decreased glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and urea levels in HF + BA groups. The results indicated that high fructose-induced oxidative stress by increasing the level of MDA and by decreasing GSH levels, and CAT activity in the liver and kidney of rats. However, oral BA administration significantly decreased MDA levels and increased GSH levels, and CAT activity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, BA significantly reduced high fructose-induced histopathological and Immunohistochemistry alteration in the liver and kidney tissues. In conclusion, BA may prevent the oxidative imbalance and histopathological and immunohistochemical damage caused by high fructose in liver and kidney tissues in rats.
Predicting recoverability of collapsed food webs through perturbation and dimension reduction
Authors: Patnaik Swastik , Baruah Gaurav
Published: February 2025

Biodiversity collapse, driven by increasing environmental changes, poses significant threats to ecosystem stability and the provision of essential ecosystem services. Understanding the recoverability of collapsed food webs thus is crucial for devising effective conservation strategies. This study delves into the theoretical exploration of the recoverability of food webs from a collapsed state. Through simple tools like dimension reduction, propagation of species-specific perturbation, and dynamical simulations, we explore whether simple tri-trophic food webs can be recovered from a collapsed state. Our study examines in detail the topological features of food webs that could either facilitate or impede their recovery. We demonstrate that the recoverability of complex food webs can be predicted by using a simple dimension-reduced model, with certain structural factors that could constrain the full recovery of collapsed food webs. Furthermore, we found that such a simple dimension-reduced model can accurately capture the rate of recovery for complex collapsed food webs. In addition, dynamic simulations highlighted the significance of topological features such as connectance and the number of predator links in determining recoverability. Our dimension-reduced modeling framework offers insights into the feasibility of restoring entire complex predator–prey networks through species-specific interventions. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of ecosystem resilience and aids in the development of targeted conservation strategies.
Dealing with organised crime and the financing of terrorism: an introduction to the special issue
Authors: D’Souza Nikki , Robinson Paul , Ralph Liam , Antonopoulos Georgios A.
Published: February 2025

This is an introduction to the articles submitted to the special issue of Trends in Organised Crime on dealing with organised crime and the financing of terrorism. The aim of the special issue is to draw together a range of empirical studies from around the world outlining important considerations for dealing with the relevant phenomena, including the key challenges and solutions for policy makers and practitioners.
Discovery of a second, distinct development pattern of leukemic conversion from paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Authors: Tokushige Junji , Taoka Kazuki , Nishikawa Masako , Jona Masahiro , Nakazaki Kumi , Yatomi Yutaka , Kurokawa Mineo
Published: February 2025

The incidence of leukemic conversion during the clinical course of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) has been reported to be 0.6–2.9%. Such an association is logically linked to the progression of PNH to acute leukemia, especially the M6 subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML-M6). In many of these cases (11/26, 42%), leukemic conversion from PNH is associated with development of AML-M6. A literature review including our cases showed that this leukemic conversion from PNH has two distinct development patterns. In type 1, leukemic clones were derived from non-PNH clones in most cases, and the PNH phenotype of erythrocytes disappeared with progression. In one of our cases, however, the patient was diagnosed with concomitant PNH and AML-M6, and leukemic cells were observed alongside CD55-negative and CD59-negative PNH clones. In Type 2 cases such as this one, conversion of PNH is characterized by the coexistence of leukemic cells with PNH clones. Flow cytometry revealed that CD34-positive blast cells were deficient in CD55 and CD59. In Type 2, PNH clones do progress into malignancies, albeit rarely, demonstrating a distinct second development pattern of leukemic conversion from PNH.
Developed a solar still unit for saltwater desalination: numerical prediction and performance verification
Authors: Ibrahim Ayman , El Mahallawy Nahed , Elsebaee Islam , Megahed Hebatullah , Aboelasaad Galal , El-Bediwy Abdelalim , Dewedar Osama
Published: February 2025

In the globe, there is a rise in water demand for agricultural, industrial, and domestic purposes. Single-basin solar stills (SBSS) have been a subject of research in various countries, particularly in regions with water scarcity or limited access to clean drinking water. In this work, SBSS for desalinating high-salinity water were developed, tested, and evaluated based on a developed numerical model using MATLAB R2021a program to predict the best productivity through the best selection of raw materials used to develop the SBSS. A four-inclined SBSS was fabricated and examined experimentally according to numerical model findings for best design parameters at Marsa Matrouh, 31° 21′ 10.44″N, 27°14′14.10″ E, Agricultural Station—Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt. The hourly experimental results are compared with the numerical results. A good correlation between the numerical and the experimental results with variations in water, and glass temperatures of 9, and 18% respectively, and a variation in cumulative productivity by 11%. The results clearly showed that instantaneous productivity increases by decreasing water depth to 10 mm and using the SBSS unit partially insulated from the bottom of the basin. Adding insulation in front of the sides and back of tempered glass increases the shading area and decreases water temperature hence the cumulative productivity by 15%. The cumulative productivity reached 3 L for the SBSS unit partially insulated from the bottom of the basin with an area of 0.6 m2 for only 12 h working system at a water depth of 10 mm.
Impact of metastasectomy on survival in patients with oligometastatic stage 4a lung cancer: a retrospective analysis
Authors: Ulusan Ahmet , Elma Bekir , Danaci Hilal Zehra Kumbasar , Sanli Maruf , Isik Ahmet Feridun
Published: February 2025

The aim of our study is to evaluate the impact of metastasectomy on survival in patients with oligometastatic stage 4 lung cancer. Fifty-nine oligometastatic lung cancer cases operated on in our clinic between January 2015 and January 2024 were retrospectively examined. Demographic characteristics, metastasis type, metastasis locations, treatments applied, location of the primary tumor, histological type of the tumor, and metastasectomy status of the patients included in the study were evaluated. All patients underwent surgery for primary lung cancer. Generally, the mass in the lung was excised first. The metastasis was then removed. When brain surgery became a priority in some brain metastases, the metastasis was first removed and then the lesion in the lung was completely removed. In patients with oligometastasis, the tumor was either completely removed surgically or a complete cure was achieved with radiotherapy. All patients were stage 4a patients with metastases. The median age of the patients was 61 (36–76) years. 31 (52.6%) of the patients were aged 60 and over. 96.6% (n:57) of the patients were male and 3.4% (n:2) were female. Histopathological diagnosis was 35.6% squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 42.4% adeno cancer. 61.0% of the patients had brain metastases and 23.7% had adrenal metastases. The hospital stay of the patients was 14.0 ± 9.9 days. Disease-free survival time was 18.3 ± 24.4 months and overall survival time was 13.6 ± 11.5 months. While 32.2% (n:19) of the patients were alive, 67.8% (n:40) died. The survival rate was statistically significantly higher in patients who underwent metastasectomy compared to those who did not undergo metastasectomy (p = 0.027). The risk factors were found to be significantly associated with survival in the logistic regression analysis included metastasectomy (OR: 3.942, p = 0.030), diagnosis (SCC) (OR: 9,000, p = 0.042), recurrence (OR: 5.248, p = 0.012), adjuvant RT (OR: 0.298, p = 0.045), and neoadjuvant therapy (OR: 4.154, p = 0.040). In stage 4a lung cancer patients with oligometastasis, curative treatment of metastasis (metastasectomy) has a positive effect on survival. The low rate of radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments given after metastasectomy will protect patients from the side effects of these treatments.
Enhanced degradation of textile wastewater by activated carbon–assisted Fenton oxidation: economic analysis and ANN-based optimization
Authors: Kadıoğlu Elif Nihan , Atalay Eroğlu Handan , Öztürk Hacer , Akbal Feryal , Kuleyin Ayşe
Published: February 2025

This study aims to improve the removal organic contaminants from biologically pre-treated textile wastewater using activated carbon (AC)–assisted Fenton oxidation. The optimum conditions for Fenton process were found to be pH 3.0, 2 mM Fe2+ and 10 mM H2O2. Reed activated carbon (RAC), produced from Phragmites australis, and commercial activated carbon (CAC) were used to enhance Fenton process under optimized conditions. Different doses and reaction times of RAC and CAC were tested to improve chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour removal. The results showed that COD removal was 64% within the first 10 min, in the Fenton process. When RAC and CAC were added (2 g/L), COD removal increased to 83% and 88%, respectively. Colour removal was nearly complete at 436, 525, and 620 nm for both AC types. The total operational costs for textile wastewater treatment were calculated as 0.660 USD/m3 for Fenton process, 4.160 USD/m3 for CAC-assisted Fenton process, and 2.950 USD/m3 for RAC-assisted Fenton process. Additionally, artificial neural networks (ANNs) results demonstrated the success of the RAC and CAC-assisted Fenton systems, with determination coefficients (R
2) of 0.9503 and 0.9440, respectively. In this context, high R
2 values indicate that the model predicts the results of the RAC and CAC-assisted Fenton systems well and demonstrates the high efficiency of these systems.

Graphical Abstract
Abrupt onset or exacerbation of anorexia nervosa following recent infections: a mini-review and a case report with an atypical manifestation of PANS
Authors: Raffaele Lavalle , Cristina Tournour , Serena Rubano , Nadia Delsedime , Matteo Panero , Giovanni Abbate-Daga
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study examines the connection between infections and the abrupt onset or exacerbation of anorexia nervosa (AN) in the context of PANS (Pediatric Acute–Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections).

Methods

The authors conducted a literature review and present a case study of a 17-year-old girl treated at the University of Turin Eating Disorder Unit, whose AN presented with an abrupt onset following an infection and was characterized by a rapid and favorable course.

Results

The review includes 30 cases derived from six studies, suggesting that AN can manifest as PANS/PANDAS, with subjects, mainly adolescents, experiencing sudden or exacerbated eating restrictions alongside obsessive–compulsive behaviors. Some cases improved with antibiotics or standard psychiatric treatments, although age, symptom severity, and diagnostic markers like D8/17 varied across studies. Data on treatment follow-up also varied.

The report refers to the case of V., a 17-year-old girl who developed AN following an intestinal infection. After significant weight loss and amenorrhea, she was hospitalized for 29 days, receiving psychiatric care, nutritional rehabilitation, and pharmacological treatment. Over 2 months of residential care and ongoing outpatient therapy, she improved notably, though mild body dysmorphophobia persisted.

Conclusions

While evidence suggests a possible link between infections and AN, research is still limited and inconsistent. Infections may trigger AN through autoimmune mechanisms or by initiating weight loss, particularly in younger patients. Although further studies are needed to clarify this relationship, infections should be considered in AN diagnosis, especially in pediatric cases.

Level of Evidence: Level V, a narrative review and a case report.
Light Management in 2D Perovskite Toward High-Performance Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: Dong Kailian , Jiang Tao , Chen Guoyi , Cui Hongsen , Wang Shuxin , Zhou Shun , Wang Chen , Yang Yi , Yao Fang , Tao Chen , Ke Weijun , Fang Guojia
Published: February 2025

Two-dimensional Dion-Jacobson (DJ) perovskite has garnered significant attention due to its superior responsivity and operation stability. However, efforts are predominantly focused on discovering new organic spacer to synthesize novel perovskites, while material-form-associated light management, which is crucial for enhancing the photodetector’s efficiency, is largely overlooked. Herein, we introduced surface light management strategy into DJ-type perovskite system by synthesizing surface-patterned BDAPbBr4 (BPB, BDA = NH3(CH2)4NH3) microplates (MPs) using template-assisted space-confined method, which was further elucidated by theoretical optical simulation. By leveraging surface-patterned MPs to enhance light absorption, the BPB-based photodetectors (PDs) achieved remarkable photoresponse in ultraviolet region, marked by a high on/off ratio (~ 5000), superior responsivity (2.24 A W−1), along with large detectivity (~ 1013 Jones) and low detection limit (68.7 nW cm−2). Additionally, the PDs showcased superior light communication and imaging capabilities even under weak-light illumination. Notably, the anisotropic nature of the surface-patterned MPs conferred excellent polarization sensitivity to the PD. These results represented the first demonstration of BPB perovskite in weak-light communication and imaging, as well as in polarized light detection. Our findings offer valuable insights into enhancing photodetector performance and optoelectronic applications through surface light management strategies.
Sustainable thermal buffering of microencapsulated bio-phase change materials through an engineered biochar dopant
Authors: Atinafu Dimberu G. , Choi Ji Yong , Nam Jihee , Yun Beom Yeol , Kim Sumin
Published: February 2025

Climate change and unbalanced energy demand and consumption require innovative approaches to the development of sustainable and renewable energy technologies. Phase change materials (PCMs) present exceptional solutions for zero-energy thermal management due to their outstanding energy storage density at an isothermal phase transition. However, the low thermal transport and thermal stability of bulk PCMs, as well as the expensive and complex synthesis of additive materials, hinder their large-scale utilization. In this study, food-waste-derived engineered biochar (FW) is produced via slow pyrolysis to improve the thermal properties of a microencapsulated bio-PCM (B28). The thermal performance of biochar-PCM composites is evaluated based on two biochar preparation systems: varying activation temperatures (carbonized at 400 °C followed by KOH activation at different temperatures (500–800 °C)) and varying mass ratios between KOH and biochar. The introduction of a low (0.63 wt%) engineered biochar dopant significantly improves the thermal diffusivity of B28 by more than 1.3-fold. The biochar-PCM microcapsule composites present fusion and crystalline isothermal phase transition temperatures of 29.4 ± 0.38 °C and 16.7 ± 0.13 °C, respectively. Moreover, the bio-PCM exhibits a highly efficient energy per unit mass of 61.6 kJ kg–1, which is 101.7% of the energy storage capacity of bulk B28. Additionally, the composite demonstrates high thermal stability with decomposition occurring above 195 °C, thus enabling an increase of > 20 °C in the onset decomposition point compared with pristine B28. Further analysis reveals the impact of the KOH/biochar mass ratio on the thermal properties of bio-PCM. Sample FW6PCM, in which the biochar is activated at 600 °C with a KOH/biochar mass ratio of 1, exhibits the highest enthalpy storage capacity. This study suggests a promising strategy for designing high-performance, eco-friendly, and scalable bio-based composite PCMs by overcoming the long-standing bottleneck of microcapsules, which is crucial for advanced thermal management applications such as cooling and green buildings.

Graphical Abstract
Relationships between mental health and styles of help-seeking among care workers in comparison with the general population
Authors: Matsui Tomoko , Oba Hikaru , Uchida Ryosuke , Teraguchi Tsukasa
Published: February 2025

Background

Care workers in long-term nursing homes often experience burdens and a high rate of resignations. This study aimed to investigate the mental health of care workers and to examine the relationship between the tendency to seek help and their mental health, through a comparison with the general population to address this issue.

Methods

Online surveys were conducted separately with 273 care workers and 260 general public using a questionnaire platform. They were asked about their demographic variables, mental health [the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) and stressors], help-seeking styles (self-directed, excessive, and avoidant help-seeking), and usage on use of psychological support services. The analyses were performed except for missing responses.

Results

Overall, 132 (48.4%) care workers scored higher than the cutoff point on the K6. Regarding stressors identified by the care workers, most of the contents were related to work-related matters and workplace relationships, as demonstrated through qualitative analysis. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that the interaction term between each help-seeking style and participant group was non-significant. Meanwhile, age (β = −0.116, p = 0.009), excessive help-seeking (β = 0.120, p = 0.014), and avoidant help-seeking (β = 0.331, p < 0.001) were associated with the K6.

Conclusion

This study revealed the tendency of care workers’ help-seeking behavior and its relationship to mental health. Improving care workers’ help-seeking skills and adjusting their work environment are essential for maintaining and enhancing their mental health.
Is t(11;14) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma a favorable outcome in the novel agent era?
Authors: Li Ye , Deng Jingjing , Jian Yuan , Zhang Zhiyao , Chen Wenming
Published: February 2025

Background

t(11;14) is considered a standard risk factor in multiple myeloma (MM). However, recent studies suggested that its impact in the context of novel agents remained controversial.

Methods

This retrospective analysis examined the clinical profiles of 375 newly diagnosed patients with MM and compared the outcomes between those with t(11;14) and those with normal cytogenetics.

Results

The median progression-free survival (PFS) of the 84 patients with t(11;14) was 36 months (95% confidence interval (CI), 23.5–48.5), which was significantly shorter than the median PFS of 65 months (95% CI, 23.0–107.0) for the 59 patients with normal cytogenetics (p = 0.011). Median overall survival (OS) was not reached in either group (p = 0.977). When combined with 1q21 + , t(11;14) showed a trend toward poorer PFS (median PFS: 36 vs. 65 months; p = 0.130). In the presence of high-risk cytogenetics (HRCAs), t(11;14) was associated with a worse PFS (median PFS: 9 vs. 38 months, p = 0.015) and a trend toward shorter OS (median OS: 33 vs. 49 months, p = 0.096). Multivariate analysis indicated that t(11;14) was a poor prognostic factor for PFS. 1q21 + was a detrimental prognostic factor, particularly in the t(11;14) group. Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) may be a beneficial treatment option for patients with t(11;14).

Conclusion

In this study, patients with MM with t(11;14) demonstrated poorer PFS than those with normal cytogenetics. Further investigations are required to evaluate the impact of t(11;14) in patients newly diagnosed with MM in the era of novel agents.
The First ABO Incompatible Kidney Transplantation from Living Donor in Slovakia – A Challenge How to Expand the Kidney Donor Pool
Authors: Bystricanova Andrea , Breza Jan , Javorkova Michaela , Cirbusova Martina , Cvoligova Marcela , Chrastina Martin , MARIS Juraj , Otavkova Jana , Zilinska Zuzana
Published: February 2025

Kidney transplantation is the most effective and cheapest treatment for terminal kidney failure. The transplantation programme is limited by the shortage of organs from deceased donors, therefore in many countries and in Slovakia a complementary programme of kidney transplantation from living donors has been established for years. Until recently, in addition to a negative cross-examination, an important condition for kidney transplantation was compatibility in the ABO system, but the development of elimination methods ensuring the removal of specific isoagglutinins and the availability of immunomodulatory and biologic drugs affecting the production of antibodies have made it possible to overcome the ABO barrier and safely transplant kidneys from ABO incompatible living donors. These transplantations offer hope, especially to those patients who have an ABO incompatible donor but have failed a kidney exchange program. We present a case of the first ABO incompatible living donor kidney transplantation in Slovakia, where a patient with blood group O received a kidney from his father with blood group B after desensitization preparation. The chances of success in the kidney exchange programme in the Slovak database were minimal. The aim of this case report is to draw attention to ABO incompatible living donor transplantation, which have the potential to increase the number of living donor kidney transplantation, including pre-emptive transplantation, and to reduce the waiting time for kidney transplantation in patients who do not have a living donor.
The EU’s neoliberal constitutionalism(s)
Authors: Grégoire Guillaume
Published: February 2025

Beyond their differences, the various currents of neoliberalism share a common legal agenda: economic constitutionalism. From ordoliberal Ordnungspolitik to new classical macroeconomics and public choice, from Hayek’s ‘constitution of liberty’ to Vanberg’s ‘constitutional political economy’, an institutional agenda has emerged around a number of key tenets: enhancing the competition between jurisdictions through (state and international) federalism; safeguarding the competitive functioning of the market through supra-legislative rules; limiting fiscal policies and disciplining public spending through balanced budget rules; neutralising monetary policy through independent and price stability-oriented central banks. These key tenets of neoliberal constitutionalism infuse the three layers of the European economic constitution: the fundamental freedoms of movement pave the way to normative competition between national legislations (microeconomic constitution); competition law guarantees the competitive structure of the market (mesoeconomic constitution); European Economic and Monetary Union implements the rules of budgetary discipline and monetary stability (macroeconomic constitution). This does not imply that the European Union is solely a neoliberal project or that the European Union’s current neoliberal path is irreversible. But it does at least raise questions about the actual room for manoeuvre left by this rigid ‘economic constitution’ to public institutions in dealing with the various current crises.
Feminine fox, not so feminine box: constraints on linguistic relativity effects for grammatical and conceptual gender
Authors: Brand James , Preininger Mikuláš , Kříž Adam , Ceháková Markéta
Published: February 2025

The influence of grammatical gender on conceptual representations of gender has proven to be a controversial topic in the linguistic relativity literature, with empirical evidence in support of the Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis being highly task and context-dependent, as well as being modulated by the type of items being investigated (animates/inanimates). In this paper, we take a megastudy approach in order to investigate differences in results based on explicit and implicit paradigms that modulate the role of language and gender in their design. We present analyses of three experiments focussing on participants (total N = 4,621) with a grammatically gendered L1 (Czech), a non-grammatically gendered L1 (English) and L1-Czech in L2-English, and on three distinct semantic categories – people, animals and inanimates (total Nitems = 1,208). Our results indicate that the most reliable effects of grammatical gender influencing conceptual gender (outside of the domain of people) are observed for items representing animals, with Czech participants showing congruency effects in both explicit and implicit paradigms, even in their L2. The evidence for effects on inanimates is substantially weaker and is highly restrained to explicit tasks. We discuss these results in relation to the Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis and highlight important methodological considerations for future research.
The Causal Effect of Affluence on Voter Turnout: New Evidence from Lottery Winnings
Authors: Geys Benny , Sørensen Rune J.
Published: February 2025

Affluent citizens commonly record higher election turnout than less affluent citizens. Yet, the causal effect of affluence on voter turnout remains poorly understood. In this article, we rely on Norwegian administrative data to estimate the impact of random, exogenous shocks in (unearned) income on individual-level voter turnout. Exploiting the random timing and size of lottery wins for identification, our main findings suggest that a lottery windfall in the years just before an election boosts individuals’ turnout probability by 1.6 to 1.9 percentage points. Crucially, these point estimates reflect only a small share of turnout differences observed across the income distribution. Hence, our findings strongly suggest that most of the commonly observed positive income-turnout associations do not reflect a causal relationship.
Soviet Nationalities Policies and Post-Ottoman State Formation: A Scholarly Agenda
Authors: Bar Sadeh Roy
Published: February 2025

In 1926, an official delegation of prominent Muslim scholars from the Soviet Union visited Mecca. The delegation came to the holy city just a few months after the Soviet Union had become the first country to recognize the rule of ʿAbd al-ʿAziz ʿAbd al-Rahman al Saʿud (1875–1936; Ibn Saʿud) over the Hijaz. The delegation’s members attended an international Muslim congress, met with Saudi officials, and performed the hajj. Before departing they issued a statement supporting Saudi sovereignty, noting that Ibn Saʿud had “purified the [Islamic] holy lands” from the rule of the Hashemite dynasty (r. 1916–24), the Saudis’ predecessors. The Saudi state warmly welcomed this Soviet support, publishing the delegation’s statement in Umm al-Qura (est. 1924), their official weekly.1
21st-Century Arabic Literary Remixes of the Arab-Soviet Romance
Authors: Litvin Margaret
Published: February 2025

After an absence of more than fifteen years, Russian and Soviet themes began to reappear in contemporary Arabic fiction around 2005, as Russia started to regain prominence in Arab politics and Arabic writers began rediscovering some of the transnational entanglements that the Cold War’s unipolar ending had largely occluded. Contemporary Arabic fiction writers have put Russian and Soviet material to many uses; this essay focuses on four: satirizing Soviet internationalism through depictions of dormitory racism; mocking the gender assumptions behind Arab nationalism and internationalism; humanizing jihadi fighters; and speaking beauty to power. The sheer diversity of these uses (and of others not covered here) shows that “How has Russian literature influenced Arabic literature?” is the wrong question. Future research should ask, rather, what local hungers the Russian/Soviet legacy has fed, what artistic and rhetorical resources it has offered, and how Arab writers have reimagined it.
Multidimensional outcome of first-episode psychosis: a network analysis
Authors: Cuesta Manuel J , Gil-Berrozpe Gustavo J , Sánchez-Torres Ana M , Moreno-Izco Lucía , García de Jalón Elena , Peralta Víctor ,   SEGPEPs Group
Published: February 2025

Background

Few studies have examined the long-term outcomes of first-episode psychosis (FEP) among patients beyond symptomatic and functional remission. This study aimed to broaden the scope of outcome indicators by examining the relationships between 12 outcomes of FEP patients at 20.9 years after their initial diagnosis.

Methods

At follow-up, 220 out of 550 original patients underwent a new assessment. Twelve outcomes were assessed via semistructured interviews and complementary scales: symptom severity, functional impairment, personal recovery, social disadvantage, physical health, number of suicide attempts, number of episodes, current drug use, dose-years of antipsychotics (DYAps), cognitive impairment, motor abnormalities, and DSM-5 final diagnosis. The relationships between these outcome measures were investigated using Spearman’s correlation analysis and exploratory factor analysis, while the specific connections between outcomes were ascertained using network analysis.

Results

The outcomes were significantly correlated; specifically, symptom severity, functioning, and personal recovery showed the strongest correlations. Exploratory factor analysis of the 12 outcomes revealed two factors, with 11 of the 12 outcomes loading on the first factor. Network analysis revealed that symptom severity, functioning, social disadvantage, diagnosis, cognitive impairment, DYAps, and number of episodes were the most interconnected outcomes.

Conclusion

Network analysis provided new insights into the heterogeneity between outcomes among patients with FEP. By considering outcomes beyond symptom severity, the rich net of interconnections elucidated herein can facilitate the development of interventions that target potentially modifiable outcomes and generalize their impact on the most interconnected outcomes.
Association between the functional brain network and antidepressant responsiveness in patients with major depressive disorders: a resting-state EEG study
Authors: Choi Kang-Min , Hwang Hyeon-Ho , Yang Chaeyeon , Jung Bori , Im Chang-Hwan , Lee Seung-Hwan
Published: February 2025

Background

Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that the heterogeneous antidepressant responsiveness in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with diverse resting-state functional brain network (rsFBN) topology; however, only limited studies have explored the rsFBN using electroencephalography (EEG). In this study, we aimed to identify EEG-derived rsFBN-based biomarkers to predict pharmacotherapeutic responsiveness.

Methods

The resting-state EEG signals were acquired for demography-matched three groups: 98 patients with treatment-refractory MDD (trMDD), 269 those with good-responding MDD (grMDD), and 131 healthy controls (HCs). The source-level rsFBN was constructed using 31 sources as nodes and beta-band power envelope correlation (PEC) as edges. The degree centrality (DC) and clustering coefficients (CCs) were calculated for various sparsity levels. Network-based statistic and one-way analysis of variance models were employed for comparing PECs and network indices, respectively. The multiple comparisons were controlled by the false discovery rate.

Results

Patients with trMDD were characterized by the altered dorsal attention network and salience network. Specifically, they exhibited hypoconnection between eye fields and right parietal regions (p = 0.0088), decreased DC in the right supramarginal gyrus (q = 0.0057), and decreased CC in the reward circuit (qs < 0.05). On the other hand, both MDD groups shared increased DC but decreased CC in the posterior cingulate cortex.

Conclusions

We confirmed that network topology was more severely deteriorated in patients with trMDD, particularly for the attention-regulatory networks. Our findings suggested that the altered rsFBN topologies could serve as potential pathologically interpretable biomarkers for predicting antidepressant responsiveness.
Implementation of the EU’s Health Technology Assessment regulation: where does existing methods guidance require concretization and what are the relevant methodological options?
Authors: Goetz Gregor , Schandelmaier Stefan , Busse Reinhard , Wild Claudia , Panteli Dimitra
Published: February 2025

Objectives

The EUnetHTA Core Model® is well-established in the HTA community. Some recommendations of corresponding guidance documents leave room for alternative methodological choices. Considering the new HTA regulation (HTAR), we aimed to identify needs for concretization (NCs) in EUnetHTA guidance and provide indicative methodological options.

Methods

We carried out a qualitative document analysis and structured group discussion. Twenty-two EUnetHTA documents were screened using transparent criteria. Identified NCs were classified into topics according to the PRISMA statement and presented to Austrian HTA practitioners (n = 11) during a structured group discussion. Participants rated NC’s importance. To identify potential solutions, selected key handbooks for generic (Cochrane) and HTA-specific (IQWIG/NICE) evidence synthesis were systematically reviewed and matching content was charted against the NCs.

Results

Thirty-two topics with varying numbers of NCs were identified, twenty-six during the screening process, and six from the group discussion. Most of the topics related to evidence synthesis methods (nine topics), evidence eligibility criteria (nine topics), risk of bias (three topics), and certainty assessment (three topics). Other topics related to information sources, search strategy, data collection process, data items, effect measures, and reporting bias. One or more methodological approaches and recommendations could be identified for each identified topic from the included methodological handbooks.

Conclusions

Our analysis identified a need for concretization in some EUnetHTA guidelines. The structured overview of methodological options may support HTA doers in adapting and applying the guidelines to the national and local practical context.