bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The integration of dermatology experts into primary care to assess and treat patients with skin lesions is cost‐effective: A quasi‐experimental study
Authors: Lovén Maria , Huilaja Laura , Paananen Markus , Torkki Paulus
Published: December 2024

Background

The management of patients with skin changes can be challenging in primary healthcare; general practitioners (GPs) often lack the expertise to make accurate assessments and treatment decisions. The standard care pathway for skin changes can result in extended treatment times and costs.

Objectives

This study was designed to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of integrating a dermatologist into the primary care setting to assess and treat patients with skin disorders. The primary outcome was the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) for each malignant or pre‐malignant skin disease found and treated. The secondary outcomes included ICER for any treated skin finding, number needed to excise to find malignant or pre‐malignant skin disease, number of hospital referrals required and changes in quality of life (QoL) in the presence and absence of the integration.

Methods

This was a quasi‐experimental cohort study conducted at three primary healthcare centres in Finland. In the two intervention centres, patients with skin findings visited a dermatologist; in the control centre they visited a GP. Cost‐effectiveness was assessed using the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER). QoL was assessed with the PROMIS v1.2, calculative EQ‐5D‐3L and PROMIS Anxiety 4a instruments.

Results

In total, 186 integration and 176 control patients were included. For an additional patient treated for a (pre‐)malignant skin disease, the ICER was €852 lower and with any skin disease €381 lower in the integration group than with standard care. Fewer biopsies were required for each malignant or pre‐malignant skin disease in the integration group compared to the control group (2.1 and 6.5 per patient; p < 0.001) and lower proportion of patients were referred to hospital (8.1 vs. 17.1%, p < 0.001). Patient QoL did not differ between groups.

Conclusions

The integration of dermatological expertise into primary care settings is cost‐effective and can streamline the management of patients with skin conditions without worsening their QoL.
Study on Wax Secretion and Wax‐Secreting System of Mulberry Pest Paurocephala sauteri Enderlein (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)
Authors: Wei Hongxian , Geng Tao , Wu Huazhou , Lou Dezhao , Lu Fuping , Wang Shuchang
Published: December 2024

Paurocephala sauteri Enderlein is one of the most important pests of mulberry trees in the tropical and subtropical regions of China. This species by penetrating the veins on the back of leaves and buds of mulberry trees, nymphs and female adults can secrete wax, these wax accumulated on the mulberry leaves significantly affects photosynthesis and silkworm cultivation. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the wax‐secreting system and characteristics of wax secretion, expecting a potential strategy to control the species population. The main findings were as follows: scanning electron microscopy revealed that the nymphs and female adults secrete wax in long tubes with spherical ends, and male adults secrete honeydew. Additionally, the wax‐secreting system of the nymphs and female adults differ, the nymph owned a bending moon‐shaped wax‐secreting system, the wax‐secreting system first instar nymph consisted of one circle of rectangular, depressed cell, whereas the wax‐secreting system of second to fifth instar nymph made up of one circle of rectangular, depressed cell and one circle of round, depressed cell. There were a certain number of white pores inside of this depressed cell. Wax filaments produced by these pores are converted into a dense, tight and hollow the wax tube. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometer showed that the main constituents of P. sauteri wax are hydrocarbons. The wax tube as a water conservation pool during the P. sauteri developmental process. This physiological feature may be a key point for a potential strategy to control P. sauteri, even other secreting insects.
Implications of Large Language Models for Clinical Practice: Ethical Analysis Through the Principlism Framework
Authors: Armitage Richard C.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

The potential applications of large language models (LLMs)—a form of generative artificial intelligence (AI)—in medicine and health care are being increasingly explored by medical practitioners and health care researchers.

Methods

This paper considers the ethical implications of LLMs for medical practitioners in their delivery of clinical care through the ethical framework of principlism.

Findings

It finds that, regarding beneficence, LLMs can improve patient outcomes through supporting administrative tasks that surround patient care, and by directly informing clinical care. Simultaneously, LLMs can cause patient harm through various mechanisms, meaning non‐maleficence would prevent their deployment in the absence of sufficient risk mitigation. Regarding autonomy, medical practitioners must inform patients if their medical care will be influenced by LLMs for their consent to be informed, and alternative care uninfluenced by LLMs must be available for patients who withhold such consent. Finally, regarding justice, LLMs could promote the standardisation of care within individual medical practitioners by mitigating any biases harboured by those practitioners and by protecting against human factors, while also up‐skilling existing medical practitioners in low‐resource settings to reduce global health disparities.

Discussion

Accordingly, this paper finds a strong case for the incorporation of LLMs into clinical practice and, if their risk of patient harm is sufficiently mitigated, this incorporation might be ethically required, at least according to principlism.
Indirect Restorations for Increasing the Vertical Dimension of Occlusion
Authors: Thorpe‐Matthisson Lea , Jäggi Marco , Rohr Nadja , Zitzmann Nicola U. , Zaugg Lucia K.
Published: December 2024

Objective

This article presents a clinical case of erosive tooth wear, in which the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) has been restored using defect oriented posterior onlays and anterior veneers respecting minimal invasive treatment approaches.

Clinical Consideration

A 44‐year‐old female with the history of bulimia nervosa and bruxism expressed the desire to improve the aesthetic appearance and reestablishment of function of her worn dentition. After a 3‐month functional therapy to ease myofunctional problems using a Michigan splint, a diagnostic phase revealed the necessity for a full mouth prosthetic rehabilitation. A slight increase of the VDO of 1 mm at the incisal point was determined. Veneered lithium disilicate ceramic restorations of 0.3–0.5 mm in thickness were produced for the incisors and monolithic lithium disilicate restorations of 0.8–1.0 mm in thickness for posterior teeth.

Conclusions

Functional and aesthetic prosthodontic rehabilitation of severely worn teeth can be achieved satisfactory with minimal invasive procedures using defect oriented, indirect lithium disilicate ceramic restorations with increasing the VDO to its original state.

Clinical Significance

Indirect, minimal invasive lithium disilicate ceramic restorations are suitable to restore the VDO of severe dental erosions.
Dyadic interaction of parentification in Chinese families of maternal depression: A qualitative study
Authors: Tam Alan Tsz Lun , Cheung Mei Chun
Published: December 2024

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of parent–child dyads to understand the occurrence of parentification in Chinese families affected by parental depression. Utilizing purposive sampling, families were recruited from community mental health services in Hong Kong, focusing on parents with major depressive disorder and their adolescent children. Data were collected from 14 families through in‐depth, semistructured interviews with adolescents (n = 8) and parents (n = 12), as well as dyadic interviews (n = 8), and analyzed utilizing thematic analysis. The central theme, “Complementary Dynamic Interaction: Rippled Relationship,” captures the mutual, circular, and reciprocal interactions within parent–adolescent dyads in the context of parental depression. These findings highlight the unique dynamics of parentification in Chinese families affected by parental depression.
The Effect of Natural Disasters on Inbound Tourism: Synthetic Control Evidence From Italy
Authors: Antonaglia Federica , De Simone Elina , Dorato Lorenzo , Gaeta Giuseppe Lucio , Pinto Mauro
Published: December 2024

This study enhances the expanding but still limited body of evidence concerning the influence of natural hazards on tourism. We augment prior scholarly investigations by scrutinizing the repercussions of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake on incoming tourism, thereby addressing an existing void in the literature regarding the ramifications of extreme events on high‐income nations such as Italy. Moreover, our contribution is novel in its application of the quasi‐experimental Synthetic Control Method within the realm of tourism research. Our findings underscore the enduringly deleterious consequences of the L'Aquila hazard on tourism, persisting over a protracted temporal horizon. In particular, the analysis shows a drop in overnight stays with a pronounced effect on hotel accommodations.
Salivary Proteomics for Detecting Novel Biomarkers of Periodontitis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Corana Matteo , Baima Giacomo , Iaderosa Giovanni , Franco Francesco , Zhang Jianjian , Berta Giovanni Nicolao , Romano Federica , Aimetti Mario
Published: December 2024

Aim

Salivary content is regarded as a powerful diagnostic window for oral and systemic diseases and the proteomic profile could be useful to distinguish between different periodontal conditions. The aim of the present systematic review was to assess distinctive salivary proteins identified through untargeted proteomics in periodontitis patients compared to periodontally healthy and gingivitis subjects, as well as to provide a qualitative methodological assessment of the current literature.

Methods

Relevant studies identified from Medline via PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were retrieved to answer the following PECO question: “In systemically healthy individuals, are there any differences in salivary protein expression profiles assessed in proteomics studies between patients with periodontitis and periodontally healthy or gingivitis subjects?” Moreover, diagnostic utility of the identified markers was sought via a targeted literature search and further quantitative assessment. A modified version of the QUADAOMICS tool was used for the quality assessment of the included studies.

Results

After screening 461 relevant articles, a total of 13 studies were selected. The number of identified discriminant salivary proteins ranged from 2 to 4161. However, it was possible to identify proteins that were consistently over‐ or under‐expressed in periodontitis patients in at least 3 studies. Among these, complement C3, profilin‐1, SA100A8, and fibrinogen were consistently reported as increased in periodontitis, while cystatin‐SN and leukocyte elastase inhibitor were more elevated in periodontally healthy controls. Only 4 studies reported diagnostic accuracy measures, with SA100A8 showing an area under the curve of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.66–0.75) in meta‐analysis.

Conclusions

Untargeted proteomics techniques identified some key biological molecules which were consistently reported to be over‐ or under‐expressed in periodontitis. These findings could be useful to support novel candidate biomarkers for periodontitis. The high level of heterogeneity in methods and reporting urge to develop standardized protocols to be implemented in this research field (PROSPERO CRD42022299826).
A Common Consumption Pattern in China: Evidence and Mechanism*
Authors: Sun Yucheng , Zhou Xianbo
Published: December 2024

Using a representative sample of Chinese households, this article studies how a non‐rich household's consumption is positively affected by the consumption and income of its rich reference group. Exploiting variations in the levels of the top quantiles of county–year consumption and income distributions, we document two central results. First, non‐rich households consume more when exposed to a reference group with higher consumption and income. Second, the positive effect is the largest in the low tail of the household consumption distribution, which indicates that the common consumption effect can mitigate consumption inequality. Combining the above two findings, we refer to the impacts of a rich reference group on the consumption of non‐rich households as the common consumption effect. We find some supporting evidence that status‐signalling theory, not other classical theories, offers the most likely explanation. Relatively high‐rank non‐rich households are more motivated than low‐rank non‐rich households to signal status to their reference groups by allocating consumption toward more visible goods and services and drawing on loans. Our results hold under several robustness checks, such as controlling for confounders constant at the county level or household level, accounting for sample attrition and relaxing the exclusion restriction.
Bureaucratic prioritizing among clients in the eyes of the public: Experimental evidence from three countries
Authors: Hansen Paw H. , Pedersen Mogens Jin , Willems Jurgen
Published: December 2024

In response to workloads and service demands, frontline workers often prioritize among their clients when delivering public services. This article examines the implications of such bureaucratic prioritization on democratic governance, specifically the public's attitudes toward how frontline workers prioritize among clients. Using data from a pre‐registered, rank‐based conjoint survey experiment conducted among residents (n = 2655) in Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, we explore two key aspects of bureaucratic prioritization from the public's perspective: (1) citizens' preferences on how teachers should prioritize among students and (2) citizens' beliefs about how teachers do prioritize among students. Our findings reveal general alignments between the public's normative preferences, their descriptive beliefs, and the prioritization tendencies of real‐life teachers as documented in previous research. We discuss the implications of these results in terms of administrative legitimacy and the governance perspective of New Public Service.
Associations of poor water, sanitation, and hygiene and parasite burden with markers of environmental enteric dysfunction in preschool‐age children infected with Schistosoma mansoni in Uganda
Authors: Colt Susannah , Edielu Andrew , Lewander David , Wu Hannah W. , Webb Emily L. , Mawa Patrice A. , Nakyesige Racheal , Ayebazibwe A. Gloria K. , Friedman Jennifer F. , Bustinduy Amaya L.
Published: December 2024

Background

Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is an acquired subclinical condition of the small intestine with lasting health implications for nutritional status, linear growth and development among children. EED is characterised by structural and functional changes to the gut barrier. There are no standardised diagnostic criteria, however, a number of biomarkers have been evaluated to capture EED domains. While the causes of EED are not fully understood, risk factors include poor water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and exposure to enteric pathogens. Very few studies have evaluated the impact of schistosomiasis on EED despite repeated intestinal damage from parasite eggs passing across the gut barrier.

Methods

In a cohort of 354 preschool‐aged children aged 12–47 months with Schistosoma mansoni infection recruited from the Lake Albert region of Uganda, we assessed exposure to water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and measured markers from each EED domain: intestinal inflammation (faecal calprotectin), epithelial damage (serum intestinal fatty‐acid binding‐protein), increased permeability (urine lactulose to mannitol ratio and faecal alpha‐1 antitrypsin) and microbial translocation (serum endotoxin core antibody).

Results

In multivariable linear regression models, we found that children whose drinking water was sourced from Lake Albert had higher concentrations of intestinal fatty‐acid binding‐protein (β = 0.48, 95% CI 0.20–0.76, p < 0.001), and lack of toilet/latrine access was associated with higher concentrations of calprotectin (β = 0.48, 95% CI 0.18–0.78, p < 0.01). Higher schistosomiasis intensity (eggs per gram of stool) was associated with higher calprotectin (β = 0.10, 95% CI 0.02–0.17, p = 0.01), but not with other EED markers.

Conclusions

Few studies have investigated schistosomiasis‐related morbidities in very young children infected with schistosomiasis. Our findings from Uganda show that poor water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and heavier schistosomiasis burden are associated with intestinal inflammation and damage, contributing to EED. Improved treatment coverage for preschool‐aged children infected with schistosomiasis may reduce the burden from EED and associated long‐term morbidities.
Seroprevalence and Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) in Khuzestan Province, Iran
Authors: Boozhmehrani Mohammad Javad , Feiz‐Haddad Mohammad Hossein , Tavalla Mehdi , Nouri Mohammad , Ghoreishi Seyed Morteza
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protozoan capable of infecting warm‐blooded animals, including humans, and is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) serve as reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens like T. gondii, which can cause disease in humans if transmitted. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence and molecular prevalence of T. gondii in wild boars in Khuzestan Province, Iran.

Methods

Seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies was assessed using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), employing a commercial kit (Calbiotech), whereas molecular detection was carried out through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the B1 gene of T. gondii on tissue samples (tongue, muscle, diaphragm and heart). Thirty wild boars were sampled from the regions of Shush, Shushtar, Dezful and Abadan, and both blood and tissue samples were analysed.

Results

In this study, the seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies was found to be 83.3% (25/30) among wild boar serum samples using ELISA. Molecular detection through PCR identified T. gondii DNA in 46.7% (14/30) of tissue samples, with the highest detection rates in tongue tissues (64%), followed by muscle (21%) and diaphragm (14%). No positive results were found in heart samples, and no animal had multiple tissues testing positive. All PCR‐positive cases corresponded with positive ELISA results, and a statistically significant difference was observed in parasite prevalence across different tissues (p = 0.002).

Conclusion

Although consumption of wild boar meat is banned in Iran, illegal hunting and consumption remain a concern. The high prevalence of T. gondii in wild boars poses a potential risk for transmission through the illegal consumption of undercooked or raw meat. This study highlights the need for public health interventions to control the illegal trade of wild boar meat and reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis transmission. Further research is recommended to investigate T. gondii distribution in other tissues, including the brain, and to better understand the parasite's epidemiology in this region.
On dynamical parameter space of cubic polynomials with a parabolic fixed point
Authors: Zhang Runze
Published: December 2024

This article focuses on the connectedness locus of the cubic polynomial slice with a parabolic fixed point of multiplier . We first show that any parabolic component, which is a parallel notion of hyperbolic component, is a Jordan domain. Moreover, a continuum called the central part in the connectedness locus is introduced. This is the natural analogue to the closure of the main hyperbolic component of . We prove that is almost a double covering of the filled‐in Julia set of the quadratic polynomial .
LC-AMP-I1, a novel venom-derived antimicrobial peptide from the wolf spider
Lycosa coelestis
Authors: Wang Junyao , Liu Xi , Song Yuxin , Liu Zhonghua , Tang Xing , Tan Huaxin
Published: December 2024

Antibiotic resistance has become a critical concern in recent years, and antimicrobial peptides may function as innovative antibacterial agents to address this issue. In this work, we identified a novel antimicrobial peptide, LC-AMP-I1, derived from the venom of
Lycosa coelestis
, demonstrating substantial antibacterial properties and minimal hemolytic activity. LC-AMP-I1 was subjected to additional assessment for antibacterial efficacy, anti-biofilm properties, drug resistance, stability, and cytotoxicity
in vitro
. It exhibited comparable antibacterial efficacy to melittin against six common clinical multidrug-resistant bacteria, effectively inhibiting biofilm formation and disrupting established biofilms. Additionally, LC-AMP-I1 demonstrated minimal bacterial resistance, excellent stability, negligible mammalian cell toxicity, low hemolytic activity, and appropriate selectivity for both normal and tumor cells. When combined with traditional antibiotics, LC-AMP-I1 exhibited additive or synergistic therapeutic effects. In a neutropenic mouse thigh infection model, LC-AMP-I1 exhibited a therapeutic effect in inhibiting bacterial proliferation
in vivo
. The mechanistic investigation indicated that LC-AMP-I1 could influence bacterial cell membrane permeability at low concentrations and directly disrupt structure-function at high concentrations. The results of this work indicate that LC-AMP-I1 may function as a viable alternative to traditional antibiotics in addressing multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Genome-wide association studies, Polygenic Risk Scores and Mendelian randomisation: an overview of common genetic epidemiology methods for ophthalmic clinicians
Authors: Lee Samantha Sze-Yee , Stapleton Fiona , MacGregor Stuart , Mackey David A
Published: December 2024

Genetic information will be increasingly integrated into clinical eye care within the current generation of ophthalmologists. For monogenic diseases such as retinoblastoma, genetic studies have been relatively straightforward as these conditions result from pathogenic variants in a single gene resulting in large physiological effects. However, most eye diseases result from the cumulative effects of multiple genetic variants and environmental factors. In such diseases, because each variant usually has an individually small effect, genetic studies for complex diseases are comparatively more challenging. This article aims to provide an overview of three genetic epidemiology methods for polygenic (or complex) diseases: genome-wide association studies (GWAS), Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) and Mendelian randomisation (MR). A GWAS systematically conducts association analyses of a trait of interest against millions of genetic variants, usually in the form of single nucleotide polymorphisms, across the genome. GWAS findings can then be used for PRS construction and MR analyses. To construct a PRS, the cumulative effect of many genetic variants associated with a trait from a prior GWAS is calculated and taken as a quantitative representation of an individual’s genetic risk of a complex disease. MR studies analyse an outcome measure against the genetic variants of an exposure, and are particularly useful in investigating causal relations between two traits where randomised controlled trials are not possible or ethical. In addition to explaining the principles of these three genetic epidemiology concepts, this article provides a minimally technical description of their basic methodology that is accessible to the non-expert reader.
Irregular pulsation on 4D-CTA and quantitative wall enhancement on VW-MRI are associated with symptoms of unruptured intracranial aneurysms
Authors: Zhang Jianjian , Li Xiao , Zhang Jin , Sun Beibei , Wang Lingling , Tian Jiaqi , Mossa-Basha Mahmud , Levitt Michael R , Zhao Bing , Xu Jianrong , Zhou Yan , Zhao Huilin , Zhu Chengcheng
Published: December 2024

Background

Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (IAs) that become symptomatic have been associated with instability.

Objective

To investigate the relationship between irregular pulsation on four-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA) and aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) on vessel wall MRI (VW-MRI), and to evaluate their ability to identify symptomatic IAs.

Methods

This retrospective study included consecutive patients with IAs who underwent 4D-CTA and VW-MRI between March 2018 and May 2023. IAs were categorized as asymptomatic and symptomatic. The presence of irregular pulsation was identified on 4D-CTA video. Qualitative and quantitative AWE were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the parameters associated with symptoms.

Results

192 patients with 216 aneurysms (167 asymptomatic and 49 symptomatic) were included. IAs with irregular pulsation had significantly higher wall enhancement index (WEI) than IAs without irregular pulsation (median (IQR), 0.5 (0.2–1.1) vs 0.2 (0.0–0.6), P<0.001). Symptomatic IAs had significantly higher WEI than asymptomatic IAs (median (IQR), 0.7 (0.3–1.5) vs 0.2 (0.0–0.5), P<0.001), and more irregular pulsations (79.6% vs 25.1%, P<0.001). Both irregular pulsation (OR=6.86; 95% CI 2.62 to 17.96; P<0.001) and WEI (OR=2.56; 95% CI 1.14 to 5.71; P=0.022) were independently associated with symptoms. Combination of irregular pulsation and WEI achieved the highest area under the curve of 0.86 in identifying symptomatic aneurysms compared with irregular pulsation or WEI alone (P<0.001 and P=0.002, respectively).

Conclusion

In a large cohort of patients with unruptured IAs who underwent 4D-CTA and VW-MRI, both irregular pulsation and WEI were independently associated with symptoms. Such measures could identify IAs at higher risk of growth or rupture.
TRIM3 modulates cisplmatin-resistant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma via endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling in vitro
Authors: Mao Meiya , You Tianzi , Xu Kejun , Ding Huiqing
Published: December 2024

TRIM3 is widely recognized as a tumor suppressor gene. However, its precise role in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) remains elusive. Here, we observed a significant decrease in the expression of TRIM3 in CESC cells. Overexpression of TRIM3 suppresses cell proliferation and clonal formation. Through the establishment of cisplatin (cDDP)-resistant CESC cell lines, we discovered that the expression of TRIM3 was further downregulated in cDDP-resistant cells, while overexpression of TRIM3 enhanced cellular sensitivity to cDDP. Mechanistic investigations revealed that TRIM3 directly interacts with GRP78, a crucial protein involved in endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) pathway, promoting its ubiquitination degradation. Under cDDP treatment, the overexpression of TRIM3 in cDDP-resistant cells suppressed cell proliferation and downregulated the expression of drug-resistant genes, while simultaneously enhancing the activation of apoptosis signaling pathways. However, co-expression of TRIM3 and GRP78 restored cellular sensitivity to cDDP back to normal levels. Consequently, overexpressing TRIM3 in drug-resistant cells facilitates PERK activation and subsequent induction of apoptosis through inhibition of GRP78, ultimately suppressing drug resistance and inducing apoptosis in CESC cells. In conclution, our study suggests that the TRIM3/GRP78 axis regulates cDDP resistance in CESC cells by modulating the downstream apoptotic pathway of ERS.
Time-dependent mechanical properties and structural behaviour of graphene nanoplatelet-reinforced concrete
Authors: Yager Jacob , Haridas Haritha , Woods Joshua E. , Kontopoulou Marianna
Published: December 2024

Concrete with low volumes of Portland cement often has lower early-age compressive strength and slower strength gain with time. It has been reported that the addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) enhances concrete compressive strength. However, the ability of GNPs to increase the early-age concrete compressive strength has not been investigated, and there has been limited testing of structural elements of GNP-containing concrete. This study examines the mechanical properties of low-cement concrete between 1 and 28 days of curing with varying GNP concentrations. Furthermore, reinforced concrete beams with GNPs were tested at 3 and 28 days to investigate their structural behaviour. The results show compressive strength increases of up to 31% at early ages for a GNP concentration of 0.15 wt.% of cement, but no overall changes in the structural behaviour.
Topological classification of critical points for hairy black holes in Lovelock gravity
Authors: Zhang Meng-Yao , Zhou Hou-You , Chen Hao , Hassanabadi Hassan , Long Zheng-Wen
Published: December 2024

In various fields of mathematical research, the Brouwer degree is a potent tool for topological analysis. By using the Brouwer degree defined in one-dimensional space, we interpret the equation of state for temperature in black hole thermodynamics,

$$T=T(V,x_i)$$

T
=
T
(
V
,

x
i

)

, as a spinodal curve, with its derivative defining a new function f. The sign of the slope of f indicates the topological charge of the black hole’s critical points, and the total topological charge can be deduced from the asymptotic behavior of the function f. We analyze a spherical hairy black hole within the framework of Lovelock gravity, paying particular attention to the topological structure of black hole thermodynamics under Gauss–Bonnet gravity. Here, the sign of the scalar hair parameter influences the topological classification of uncharged black holes. When exploring the thermodynamic topological properties of hairy black holes under cubic Lovelock gravity, we find that the spherical hairy black hole reproduces the thermodynamic topological classification results seen under Gauss–Bonnet gravity.
Distinguishing black holes with and without spontaneous scalarization in Einstein-scalar-Gauss–Bonnet theories via optical features
Authors: Wang Xi-Jing , Meng Yuan , Kuang Xiao-Mei , Liao Kai
Published: December 2024

Spontaneous scalarization in Einstein-scalar-Gauss–Bonnet theory admits both vacuum-general relativity (GR) and scalarized hairy black holes as valid solutions, which provides a distinctive signature of new physics in strong gravity regime. In this paper, we shall examine the optical features of Gauss–Bonnet black holes with spontaneous scalarization, which is governed by the coupling parameter

$$\lambda $$

λ

. We find that the photon sphere, critical impact parameter and innermost stable circular orbit all decrease as the increasing of

$$\lambda $$

λ

. Using observable data from Event Horizon Telescope, we establish the upper limit for

$$\lambda $$

λ

. Then we construct the optical appearances of the scalarized black holes illuminated by various thin accretions. Our findings reveal that the scalarized black holes consistently exhibit smaller shadow sizes and reduced brightness compared to Schwarzschild black holes. Notably, in the case of thin spherical accretion, the shadow of the scalarized black hole is smaller, but the surrounding bright ring is more pronounced. Our results highlight the observable features of the scalarized black holes, providing a distinguishable probe from their counterpart in GR in strong gravity regime.
The Tolman–Ehrenfest criterion of thermal equilibrium in scalar–tensor gravity
Authors: Karolinski Numa , Faraoni Valerio
Published: December 2024

The Tolman–Ehrenfest criterion for the thermal equilibrium of a fluid at rest in a static general-relativistic geometry is generalized to scalar–tensor gravity. Surprisingly, the gravitational scalar field, which fixes the strength of the effective gravitational coupling, does not play a role in determining thermal equilibrium. As a result, heat does not sink more in a gravitational field where gravity is stronger.
Brain changes following subchronic exposure to copper oxide nanoparticles: animal experimental data analysis
Authors: Sutunkova Marina P. , Minigalieva Ilzira A. , Shelomentsev Ivan G. , Sakhautdinova Renata R. , Minigalieva Regina F. , Sutunkova Yuliya M. , Nikogoysan Karen M. , Petrov Evgeny Y. , Toropova Liubov V.
Published: December 2024

The goal of this study was to assess the health effects of (copper oxide nanparticles) CuO NPs on the brain structure and function in rats. Morphology results showed that the number of axons with the damaged myelin sheath in basal ganglia and the proportion of pathologically altered mitochondria in olfactory bulbs and basal ganglia had increased, while the concentration of myelin basic protein in blood serum remained unchanged. We also have observed the lower body weight gain, signs of hemolytic anemia, an increased platelet count, reduced locomotion and exploratory activity. We propose that the central nervous system and haematopoiesis are the targets for toxicity of CuO NPs administered intranasally during six weeks at the total dose of 0.45 mg/kg body weight.
Numerical investigation of time-dependent MHD rotating hybrid nanofluid flow over a permeable stretching sheet
Authors: Abbas Nadeem , Shatanawi Wasfi , Sheereen Sammer
Published: December 2024

We explored the three-dimensional flow characteristics of a rotating hybrid nanofluid over a permeable stretching surface, incorporating three prominent hybrid nanofluid models: Yamada–Ota, Xue, and Tiwari–Das. The study covers both multi-wall and single-wall carbon nanotubes, exhibiting properties within water. The fluid motion is induced through standard magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) on the spinning permeable stretched sheet. To establish the theoretical framework for fluid flow, we applied boundary layer approximations to the governing laws, including momentum, energy, and mass, leading to the development of partial differential equations. Applying appropriate transformations to the governing partial differential equations (PDEs) results in coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The BVP4c solver in MATLAB has employed to solve the nonlinear ODEs, along with the specified boundary conditions. A BVP4c technique within the MATLAB program has been utilized for obtaining solutions. The results are presented graphically for various physical variables such as the magnetic parameter, porosity parameter, spinning parameter, inertial coefficient, and Eckert number. Additionally, numerical data are provided in tabular format. It is noteworthy that the Yamada–Ota model demonstrates superior heat transfer performance for hybrid nanofluids compared to both the Xue and Tiwari–Das models.
Analysis of frontier hot spots in teaching and research of internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine in recent 20 years based on CNKI
Authors: Gao Zhen , Yalikun Maimaititusun , Zhang Hongying , Dong Jingcheng
Published: December 2024

Objective: To understand the research status and hot topics of internal medicine teaching in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in recent 20 years.

Methods: The relevant literature on the teaching of Chinese Internal Medicine in the past 20 years (2004–2023) was searched in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the authors, institutions, and keywords were co-occurred and/or cluster analysis by using CiteSpace6.2.R7 and VOSviewer1.6.20 software.

Results: A total of 1117 journal articles were included, showing an overall upward trend. The journal with the most published articles is “Chinese Medicine Modern Distance Education of China”, the author is Xiao Yonghua of Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, and the research institution is Henan University of Chinese Medicine, with few cross-team and cross-institutional studies. Keywords “teaching method”, “teaching reform”, “problem-based learning”, “case teaching”, and “clinical teaching” are the research hotspots. “Flipped classroom” and “presentation assimilation discussion” in teaching methods, as well as “curriculum ideology and politics” and “talent cultivation” are possible research directions.

Conclusion: Teaching method and teaching reform are the research hotspots of internal medicine teaching in TCM, and the research frontier is the refinement of teaching method, that is, flipped classroom and presentation assimilation discussion, as well as curriculum ideology and politics. However, there is a lack of large sample and multi-center studies.
You Don't Know Jack About AI
Authors: Johnson-Yu Sonja , Shah Sanket
Published: December 2024

For a long time, it was hard to pin down what exactly AI was. A few years back, such discussions would devolve into hours-long sessions of sketching out Venn diagrams and trying to map out the different subfields of AI. Fast-forward to 2024, and we all now know exactly what AI is. AI = ChatGPT. Or not.
An Iterative Benchmark Configuration Method for Quantifying Multi-core Interference
Authors: Levieux Sébastien , Singhoff Frank , Rubini Stéphane , Plasson Philippe , Gouel Pierre-Vincent , Malac-Allain Lee-Roy , Miné Lucas , Brusq Gabriel
Published: December 2024

Interference within a multi-core architecture may have several origins. Understanding where interference comes from is mandatory for verification and certification purposes. Unfortunately, the complexity of current architectures makes it difficult to quantify such interference. In this article, a new approach is introduced that enables benchmark configurations to isolate and quantify interference. An experiment with DMA interference is presented and shows a WCET overhead of up to 0.26% at 25 Mbit/s. This experiment was also able to discover and identify interference related to DMA, such as interruptive flow overhead, around 3% for 25 Mbit/s, or packet transmission memory access overhead, around 9% for 25 Mbit/s.
Improving Availability in a Robotic Application without Loss of Safety
Authors: Rincon Gema , Nicolas Carlos-F. , Poggi Tomaso
Published: December 2024

In our automated and industrialized world, ensuring safety in human-robot interaction is essential, a complex engineering task especially in dynamic environments. The widespread adoption of collaborative and autonomous robots across various sectors underscores the critical need for robust safety measures.

This article examines the current state of safety in collaborative robotics and proposes a strategy for assessing the safety of the robot task against the indications of existing standards. If the task is not considered safe in the current environment, a new task is sought for the robot, which increases its availability. These addresses dynamic environments where robots and humans coexist, allowing the autonomous robot to make task decisions based on safety considerations.
Robotics at the University of Pennsylvania from Birth to Maturity: A Review of 30 Years of Research
Authors: Bajcsy Ruzena
Published: December 2024

This article is an attempt to reexamine the evolution of robotics research at the University of Pennsylvania and all that it entailed, covering the successes and struggles of PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and a few dedicated faculty between 1972 and 2000. In 1945, Penn's Moore School of Electrical Engineering was famous for developing the first electronic digital computer, ENIAC, but after a few years, the research had diminished. In 1972, a new Department of Computer and Information Science was formed. I came to Penn from Stanford University's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory full of energy, enthusiasm, and the goal of establishing a similar lab at Penn. This article demonstrates the creativity and ingenuity of young professionals at the General Robotics, Automation, Sensing, and Perception (GRASP) Laboratory. We built hardware. We built software. We collaborated with psychologists and electrical and mechanical engineers and tried to build a community of roboticists. Our curiosity led us to build new vision and tactile systems and to investigate cooperative robotics systems on the ground and in the air. We used computational models supported and verified by experiments. Today, I am proud to say that almost all of the students who cycled through the GRASP Lab are successful in academia or industry.
Critical Minerals
Authors: Reich Martin , Simon Adam C.
Published: December 2024

Critical minerals are essential for sustaining the supply chain necessary for the transition to a carbon-free energy source for society. Copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements are particularly in demand for batteries and high-performance magnets used in low-carbon technologies. Copper, predominantly sourced from porphyry deposits, is critical for electricity generation, storage, and distribution. Nickel, which comes from laterite and magmatic sulfide deposits, and cobalt, often a by-product of nickel or copper mining, are core components of batteries that power electric vehicles. Lithium, sourced from pegmatite deposits and continental brines, is another key battery component. Rare earth elements, primarily obtained from carbonatite- and regolith-hosted ion-adsorption deposits, have unique magnetic properties that are key for motor efficiency. Future demand for these elements is expected to increase significantly over the next decades, potentially outpacing expected mine production. Therefore, to ensure a successful energy transition, efforts must prioritize addressing substantial challenges in the supply of critical minerals, particularly the delays in exploring and mining new resources to meet growing demands.

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The energy transition relies on green technologies needing a secure, sustainable supply of critical minerals sourced from ore deposits worldwide.

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Copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements are geologically restricted in occurrence, posing challenges for extraction and availability.

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Future demand is expected to surge in the next decades, requiring unprecedented production rates to make the green energy transition viable.
Microfluidic Nanobioplatform-Based Immunosensor for Monitoring of 25-Hydroxy Vitamin-D3
Authors: Chauhan Deepika , Hashmi Zimad , Raj Rishi , Solanki Pratima R.
Published: December 2024

Measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 (25-VitD3) is crucial because its deficiency is linked to a variety of disorders, including osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, some autoimmune conditions, and even Covid-19. Hence, it is important to find new methods for efficient rapid testing for clinical diagnosis and public health prevention. Here, a new nanomaterial-based microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor towards the determination of 25-VitD3 using microwave synthesized gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (GdNPs) is presented. Mask-less lithography was used to create a micro-fluidic nano-bioplatform (MNBP) and three-electrode immunosensor on a transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate. To fabricate MNBP (BSA/AB-25VitD3/CS@GdNPs/ITO), the working electrodes were functionalized with GdNPs, AB-25VitD3, and BSA (bovine serum albumin) in that order. The electrochemical response induced by the immunocomplex was measured in individual 25-VitD3 concentrations (1–100 ng ml−1). This immunosensor exhibited a higher sensitivity of 5.99 ng ml−1, limits of detection of 4.5 ng ml−1, and an analysis time of 30 min. In addition, clinical serum samples from three healthy people were used to validate the MNBP-based immunosensor, which showed a strong correlation with traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The use of proposed immunosensor to serum samples would allow early detection of 25-VitD3 deficiency, particularly in rural and resource-constrained settings.
STIM1 and lipid interactions at ER-PM contact sites
Authors: Ke Yuepeng , Gannaban Ritchel , Liu Junchen , Zhou Yubin
Published: December 2024

Store-operated calcium (Ca2+) entry (SOCE) represents a major route of Ca2+ permeation across the plasma membrane (PM) in nonexcitable cells, which plays an indispensable role in maintaining intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. This process is orchestrated through the dynamic coupling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized Ca2+ sensor stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and the PM-resident ORAI1 channel. Upon depletion of ER Ca2+ stores, STIM1 undergoes conformational rearrangements and oligomerization, leading to the translocation of activated STIM1 toward the PM. This movement is facilitated by the physical interactions between positively charged cytosolic domains within STIM1 and negatively charged phospholipids embedded in the PM, ultimately enabling its binding to and activation of the PM-embedded ORAI1 channel. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of STIM1-mediated Ca2+ signaling at ER-PM contact sites, highlighting the regulatory roles of phospholipids in the inner leaflet and sphingolipids in the outer leaflet of the PM. We also discuss the development of molecular tools that enable real-time visualization and manipulation of membrane contact sites (MCSs) at ER-PM junctions. Finally, we highlight recent progress in developing targeted therapies for human diseases linked to STIM1 mutations and dysregulated Ca2+ signaling at ER-PM MCSs.
Unmasking Vitamin B12 Deficiency Misdiagnosed as Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Authors: Jamil Maria , Nasser Zeinab , Jamil Dawood , Sheqwara Jawad Z.
Published: December 2024

Background: Pancytopenia is characterized by a decrease in all three types of blood cells. Instead of being a standalone disease, it acts as a common outcome resulting from various factors, including infections, autoimmune disorders, genetic issues, nutritional deficiencies, and malignancies. Pinpointing the root cause of pancytopenia poses a challenge but is essential for devising an effective treatment plan and predicting the likely prognosis. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common cause of megaloblastic anemia, pancytopenia, and various neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, diagnosing vitamin B12 deficiency lacks a definitive gold standard.

Case Presentation: We present two cases where patients initially exhibited pancytopenia with seemingly normal vitamin B12 levels. Based on a bone marrow biopsy, they were initially diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Subsequent investigations revealed elevated serum methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels, leading to a revised diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency. Both patients showed positive responses to adequate vitamin B12 supplementation.

Conclusion: Our case series highlights the importance of ruling out alternative causes of dysplasia in MDS when solely morphological abnormalities are observed on a bone marrow biopsy. It also underscores the crucial aspect of assessing MMA and homocysteine levels in individuals with normal vitamin B12 levels when there is a high clinical suspicion of B12 deficiency.