bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Definition and diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease: guideline “Parkinson’s disease” of the German Society of Neurology
Authors: Hopfner Franziska , Höglinger Günter ,   German Parkinson’s Guidelines Group, Bähr Mathias , Becktepe Jos , Berg Daniela , Brockmann Kathrin , Ceballos-Baumann Andrés , Claßen Joseph , Deuschl Cornelius , Deuschl Günther , Dodel Richard , Ebersbach Georg , Eggers Carsten , van Eimeren Thilo , Fanciulli Alessandra , Fimm Bruno , Folkerts Ann-Kristin , Gausepohl Madeleine , Hasan Alkomiet , Hermann Wiebke , Hilker-Roggendorf Rüdiger , Höllerhage Matthias , Jost Wolfgang , Kalbe Elke , Kassubek Jan , Klebe Stephan , Klein Christine , Klietz Martin , Köglsperger Thomas , Kühn Andrea , Krack Paul , Krismer Florian , Kuhlenbäumer Gregor , Levin Johannes , Liepelt-Scarfone Inga , Lingor Paul , Loewenbrück Kai , Löhle Matthias , Maaß Sylvia , Maetzler Walter , Menzel Regina , Meyer Philipp T , Mollenhauer Brit , Neumann Manuela , Odin Per , Outeiro Tiago , Pötter-Nerger Monika , Reese René , Reetz Kathrin , Rieß Olaf , Ruf Viktoria , Schneider Anja , Schrader Christoph , Schnitzler Alfons , Seppi Klaus , Sixel-Döring Friederike , Storch Alexander , Tönges Lars , Walter Uwe , Wächter Tobias , Warnecke Tobias , Wegner Florian , Winkler Christian , Witt Karsten , Woitalla Dirk , Zeuner Kirsten , Trenkwalder Claudia
Published: September 2024

Background

Accurate definition and operational criteria for diagnosing Parkinson’s disease (PD) are crucial for evidence-based, patient-centered care.

Objective

To offer evidence-based recommendations for defining and diagnosing PD, incorporating contemporary clinical, imaging, biomarker, and genetic insights.

Methods

The guideline development began with the steering committee establishing key PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, outcome) questions, which were refined by the coauthors. Systematic literature searches identified relevant studies, reviews, and meta-analyses. Recommendations were drafted, evaluated, optimized, and voted upon by the German Parkinson’s Guideline Group.

Results

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is now understood to encompass a broader spectrum of etiologies than previously recognized. Advances in molecular pathogenesis, neuroimaging, and early clinical phenotypes suggest that PD is not a uniform disease entity and is often not idiopathic. This necessitates an updated framework for PD definition and diagnosis. The German Society for Neurology now endorses a broader concept of PD, incorporating both idiopathic and hereditary forms, as opposed to the previously narrower concept of “idiopathic Parkinson syndrome.” The revised guidelines recommend using the 2015 Movement Disorders Society diagnostic criteria, emphasize the importance of long-term clinical follow-up for improved diagnostic accuracy, and highlight the significance of non-motor symptoms in clinical diagnosis. Specific recommendations are provided for the use of imaging and fluid biomarkers and genetic testing to support the clinical diagnosis.

Conclusion

The updated guidelines from the German Society for Neurology enhance diagnostic accuracy for PD, promoting optimized clinical care.
Atypical sphingosine-1-phosphate metabolites—biological implications of alkyl chain length
Authors: Glueck Melanie , Lucaciu Alexandra , Subburayalu Julien , Kestner Roxane Isabelle , Pfeilschifter Waltraud , Vutukuri Rajkumar , Pfeilschifter Josef
Published: September 2024

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid signaling molecule with pleiotropic implications by both auto- and paracrine signaling. Signaling occurs by engaging five G protein-coupled receptors (S1P1-5) or intracellular pathways. While the extensively studied S1P with a chain length of 18 carbon atoms (d18:1 S1P) affects lymphocyte trafficking, immune cell survival and inflammatory responses, the biological implication of atypical S1Ps such as d16:1 or d20:1 remains elusive. As S1P lipids have far-reaching implications in health and disease states in mammalian organisms, the previous contrasting results may be attributed to differences in S1P’s alkyl chain length. Current research is beginning to appreciate these less abundant atypical S1P moieties. This review provides an up-to-date foundation of recent findings on the biological implications of atypical S1P chain lengths and offers a perspective on future research endeavors on S1P alkyl chain length–influenced signaling and its implications for drug discovery.
Why do we study sphingolipids?
Authors: Futerman Anthony H.
Published: September 2024

Research on sphingolipids has proliferated exponentially over the past couple of decades, as exemplified in the findings reported at the International Leopoldina Symposium on Lipid Signaling held in Frankfurt in late 2023. Most researchers in the field study how sphingolipids function in regulating a variety of cellular processes and, in particular, how they are dysregulated in numerous human diseases; however, I now propose that we implement a more holistic research program in our study of sphingolipids, which embraces a sense of awe and wonder at the complexities and beauty of sphingolipids and of sphingolipid metabolism. I will outline the chemical complexity of sphingolipids, their modes of interaction within the lipid bilayer, and their biosynthetic pathways. I will then briefly touch upon the ability of current neo-Darwinian mechanisms to explain the emergence of both sphingolipids and of the complex pathways that generate them. Although such discussion is normally considered taboo in biological circles, I nevertheless submit that in-depth analysis of the minutiae of metabolic pathways, such as those of the sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway, raises challenges to current neo-Darwinian mechanisms that should not be shunned or ignored.
Unveiling the neuroplastic capacity of the bilingual brain: insights from healthy and pathological individuals
Authors: Quiñones Ileana , Gisbert-Muñoz Sandra , Amoruso Lucía , Manso-Ortega Lucia , Mori Usue , Bermudez Garazi , Robles Santiago Gil , Pomposo Iñigo , Carreiras Manuel
Published: September 2024

Research on the neural imprint of dual-language experience, crucial for understanding how the brain processes dominant and non-dominant languages, remains inconclusive. Conflicting evidence suggests either similarity or distinction in neural processing, with implications for bilingual patients with brain tumors. Preserving dual-language functions after surgery requires considering pre-diagnosis neuroplastic changes. Here, we combine univariate and multivariate fMRI methodologies to test a group of healthy Spanish-Basque bilinguals and a group of bilingual patients with gliomas affecting the language-dominant hemisphere while they overtly produced sentences in either their dominant or non-dominant language. Findings from healthy participants revealed the presence of a shared neural system for both languages, while also identifying regions with distinct language-dependent activation and lateralization patterns. Specifically, while the dominant language engaged a more left-lateralized network, speech production in the non-dominant language relied on the recruitment of a bilateral basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuit. Notably, based on language lateralization patterns, we were able to robustly decode (AUC: 0.80 ± 0.18) the language being used. Conversely, bilingual patients exhibited bilateral activation patterns for both languages. For the dominant language, regions such as the cerebellum, thalamus, and caudate acted in concert with the sparsely activated language-specific nodes. In the case of the non-dominant language, the recruitment of the default mode network was notably prominent. These results demonstrate the compensatory engagement of non-language-specific networks in the preservation of bilingual speech production, even in the face of pathological conditions. Overall, our findings underscore the pervasive impact of dual-language experience on brain functional (re)organization, both in health and disease.
Redescription of Dracovermis occidentalis (Digenea: Liolopidae) infecting American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis from the Bon-Secour River (Mobile–Tensaw River Delta, Alabama, USA) and a revised phylogeny for Liolopidae
Authors: Dutton Haley R. , Bullard Stephen A. , Brule John H. , Kelly Anita M.
Published: September 2024

We examined several American alligators, Alligator mississippiensis (Daudin, 1802) (Crocodilia: Alligatoridae) from Louisiana, Alabama, and South Carolina in August 2022. The intestine of one alligator from Alabama was infected by Dracovermis occidentalis Brooks and Overstreet, 1978 (Platyhelminthes: Digenea: Liolopidae Odhner, 1912), a seldom collected and incompletely described trematode that lacks a representative nucleotide sequence. Liolopidae comprises 5 genera and 15 species: Liolope spp. infect giant salamanders; Helicotrema spp. infect turtles and lizards; Harmotrema spp. infect snakes; Paraharmotrema spp. infect turtles; and Dracovermis spp. infect crocodilians. Based on our study of the newly collected specimens and the holotype of D. occidentalis, we redescribe D. occidentalis, correct errors in its original description, and provide an updated phylogeny for Liolopidae that, for the first time, includes Dracovermis Brooks and Overstreet, 1978. Our specimens were identified as D. occidentalis by having testes in the posterior 1/3 of the body, a pretesticular cirrus sac, a spined and eversible cirrus, a bipartite seminal vesicle, and a post-acetabular vitellarium. A phylogenetic analysis of the D1–D3 domains of the nuclear large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S) recovered Liolopidae as monophyletic; however, low taxon sampling in the group precludes hypothesis-testing about liolopid-vertebrate cophyly. This is the first collection for morphological study of the type species for Dracovermis since the genus was proposed 46 years ago, the first record of a liolopid from Alabama, and the first phylogenetic analysis that includes Dracovermis.
Die Geschichte der Mathematischen Gesellschaft der DDR (Teil II): von der Gründung bis zur Wende
Authors: Sperber Wolfram
Published: September 2024

Der Artikel beschreibt die Tätigkeit und die Rahmenbedingungen der Mathematischen Gesellschaft der DDR, MGDDR, von der Gründung bis zur Wende. Er setzt die Darstellung der Vorgeschichte der MGDDR fort, die aus den Entwicklungen Deutschlands nach dem II. Weltkrieg resultiert, siehe auch Teil 1 [1]. Einerseits entwickelte die MGDDR in der DDR ein eigenständiges mathematisches Leben und förderte vielfältige Aktivitäten in der mathematischen Schulbildung und Weiterbildung, andererseits war die MGDDR in die Politik von Partei und Staat in der DDR eingebunden, was sich etwa in der Überwachung und Verhinderung von Kontakten zu mathematischen Fachgesellschaften und Mathematikern aus nicht-sozialistischen Ländern zeigt.
Why are inner planets not inclined?
Authors: Clarke Andrew , Fejoz Jacques , Guardia Marcel
Published: September 2024

Poincaré’s work more than one century ago, or Laskar’s numerical simulations from the 1990’s on, have irrevocably impaired the long-held belief that the Solar System should be stable. But mathematical mechanisms explaining this instability have remained mysterious. In 1968, Arnold conjectured the existence of “Arnold diffusion” in celestial mechanics. We prove Arnold’s conjecture in the planetary spatial 4-body problem as well as in the corresponding hierarchical problem (where the bodies are increasingly separated), and show that this diffusion leads, on a long time interval, to some large-scale instability. Along the diffusive orbits, the mutual inclination of the two inner planets is close to $\pi /2$
π
/
2
, which hints at why even marginal stability in planetary systems may exist only when inner planets are not inclined. More precisely, consider the normalised angular momentum of the second planet, obtained by rescaling the angular momentum by the square root of its semimajor axis and by an adequate mass factor (its direction and norm give the plane of revolution and the eccentricity of the second planet). It is a vector of the unit 3-ball. We show that any finite sequence in this ball may be realised, up to an arbitrary precision, as a sequence of values of the normalised angular momentum in the 4-body problem. For example, the second planet may flip from prograde nearly horizontal revolutions to retrograde ones. As a consequence of the proof, the non-recurrent set of any finite-order secular normal form accumulates on circular motions – a weak form of a celebrated conjecture of Herman.
A second Artemisia pollen peak in autumn in Vienna: reaching the point of no return?
Authors: Bastl Katharina , Bastl Maximilian , Morgenstern Christina , Eckl-Dorna Julia , Schepelmann Martin
Published: September 2024

The Artemisia (mugwort) pollen season usually ranges from July until September, with one peak period around mid-August in Vienna (Austria). During the last decade, Artemisia pollen was also recorded later in September. This pattern was concluded by a significant peak pollen concentration day in autumn of 2023, which exceeded the usual summer peak pollen concentration day. The Artemisia pollen data from Vienna for the last ten years (2014–2023) were therefore analysed for a temporal trend. In addition, weather data from Vienna (temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity and sun hours) were retrieved and analysed to find a possible association with Artemisia pollen indices. No significant trend could be observed regarding the Artemisia pollen season parameters and no correlation was found between the weather data and the Artemisia pollen integrals during summertime. However, a significant positive correlation was found between higher temperatures during autumn and the occurrence of Artemisia pollen during this time. This suggests that a significant change in the Artemisia pollen season can be expected during years with a mild, summer-like autumn. Until now, it is not clear which species of Artemisia cause the pollination in autumn. A. annua and A. verlotiorum are two major suspects that could have established themselves in Vienna, but further evidence is needed. Considering the impact of global climate change, the shift in the pollen season for Artemisia described in this study could represent a point of no return.
Leveraging interpretable machine learning in intensive care
Authors: Bohlen Lasse , Rosenberger Julian , Zschech Patrick , Kraus Mathias
Published: September 2024

In healthcare, especially within intensive care units (ICU), informed decision-making by medical professionals is crucial due to the complexity of medical data. Healthcare analytics seeks to support these decisions by generating accurate predictions through advanced machine learning (ML) models, such as boosted decision trees and random forests. While these models frequently exhibit accurate predictions across various medical tasks, they often lack interpretability. To address this challenge, researchers have developed interpretable ML models that balance accuracy and interpretability. In this study, we evaluate the performance gap between interpretable and black-box models in two healthcare prediction tasks, mortality and length-of-stay prediction in ICU settings. We focus specifically on the family of generalized additive models (GAMs) as powerful interpretable ML models. Our assessment uses the publicly available Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care dataset, and we analyze the models based on (i) predictive performance, (ii) the influence of compact feature sets (i.e., only few features) on predictive performance, and (iii) interpretability and consistency with medical knowledge. Our results show that interpretable models achieve competitive performance, with a minor decrease of 0.2–0.9 percentage points in area under the receiver operating characteristic relative to state-of-the-art black-box models, while preserving complete interpretability. This remains true even for parsimonious models that use only 2.2 % of patient features. Our study highlights the potential of interpretable models to improve decision-making in ICUs by providing medical professionals with easily understandable and verifiable predictions.
Diptera as predators in biological control: applications and future perspectives
Authors: Burgio Giovanni , Dindo Maria Luisa , Pape Thomas , Whitmore Daniel , Sommaggio Daniele
Published: September 2024

The role of dipteran predators in biological pest control programs is reviewed and discussed. Diptera encompasses a large number of potentially efficient predators for biological pest control, yet only a few species are routinary used. The families Syrphidae and Cecidomyiidae provide some of the most successful examples of biological control, but other families (e.g., Muscidae, Sarcophagidae, Sciomyzidae) also include species with that potential. Most applications of Diptera as predators involve the conservation biological control approach, while the augmentative approach has involved only a few species, almost exclusively of Syrphidae and Cecidomyiidae. In a few cases, classical biological control has been employed. Commercialization of species mainly to be used in the augmentative approach is discussed, also focusing on the critical issues linked to rearing methods. The dual services performed by Diptera (pollination as adults and biological control as larvae) have been studied in detail for Syrphidae only, but would deserve further study in other families, e.g., Sarcophagidae. This is the first review in which the use of predatory Diptera in biological control programs is investigated for all families and in all types of applications. This review recommends a multi-taxon approach in the use of Diptera in biological control since a large number of taxa have considerable potential, although this has not yet been tested in practical applications.
Aerial dispersion of Xanthomonas fragariae during trimming leaves of angular leaf spot diseased strawberry propagation plants
Authors: Kastelein P. , Evenhuis A. , Krijger M. C. , van der Wolf J. M.
Published: September 2024

The bacterium Xanthomonas fragariae is the causative agent of angular leaf spot (ALS) of strawberry, a Regulated Non-Quarantine Pest in Europe (EPPO A2) for plant propagation material. Field experiments were conducted to explore if X. fragariae is dispersed through the air during trimming ALS-diseased strawberry plants with dry or wetted leaves. Trimming the leaves led to dissemination of leaf fragments to the nearby surroundings. A sharp decrease in the amount of leaf fragments within the first 5 m distance downwind from the strawberry plants was found. Furthermore, air quality monitors demonstrated that during trimming 0.5 – 10 μm sized particles were ejected into the air, resulting in short periods with increased particle densities 45 cm above ground level, which could be detected at least 50 m downwind. At this height X. fragariae was detected by means of air samplers, as evidenced with a combination of dilution-plating and TaqMan assays, at 25 m distance downwind from ALS-diseased plants. A sharp decrease in the density of X. fragariae colony forming units (cfu) within the first 10 m distance from the source plants was found. The densities of X. fragariae cfu were strongly associated with the particle densities. Results indicate that during trimming leaves of strawberry propagation crops with ALS-diseased plants there is a considerable risk of deposition of airborne X. fragariae inoculum on nearby nursery beds. Whether this airborne inoculum can result in infections is discussed.
Baseline survey of environmental parameters, radiation, and drip water hydrochemistry in Niah Caves (Sarawak, Malaysia)
Authors: Mohan Viswanathan Prasanna , Dodge-Wan Dominique
Published: September 2024

Relict caves in fenglin karst may typically have numerous entrances and openings. Hence, they host a variety of environments in which parameters such as light, airflow, humidity, and temperature may vary significantly over short distances. Similarly, drip water hydrochemistry, including isotopic values, may vary due to different contributions of various sources and residence time in the karst. This study investigated environmental parameters, including radiation, using hand-held instruments, along a transect within several major caves in the Niah karst of Sarawak (Malaysia). This has led to a baseline data set which showed an inverse relationship between humidity and temperature, gamma radiation levels that are about 25% of that in surrounding non-karst region, and high percentages of twilight zones in the studied caves. Airflow was found to be variable, with high values of 530 m3/s in Painted Cave and 122 m2/s in parts of Gan Kira passage, with flow towards the southeast at the time of the study. The hydrochemistry of the drip water and surface water was also analyzed and found to be dominantly Ca–Mg–Cl water type which indicates dissolution of minerals through water–rock interaction. In addition, the cave environment, particularly air temperature, humidity, and ventilation, also influences the drip water composition and isotopic values. Three different origins (precipitation, evaporation, and paleo-recharge) of drip water have been identified through the δ18O-δ2H diagram. Enriched isotopic values were observed in the cave entrance due to increased evaporation caused by lower humidity and higher air temperature. Factor analysis identifies the key geochemical processes responsible for the drip water chemistry. The outcome of this study provides the first baseline environmental data for the Niah caves, which could support future initiatives for sustainable management of this famous archeological site in southeast Asia.
Parenting in Overdrive: A Meta-analysis of Helicopter Parenting Across Multiple Indices of Emerging Adult Functioning
Authors: McCoy Shelly S. , Dimler Laura M. , Rodrigues Luiza
Published: September 2024

Previous research suggests helicopter parenting may be disproportionately associated with lower levels of adjustment during emerging adulthood. However, the size, direction, and significance of the effects of helicopter parenting across different indicators of emerging adult functioning has not been empirically established. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analytic investigation was to clarify the magnitude of the effect of helicopter parenting across multiple indices of well-being, including: internalizing behaviors (anxiety and depressive symptoms), academic adjustment, self-efficacy and regulatory skills. We also explored whether parent gender moderates these associations. An analysis of 53 studies and 111 effect sizes revealed that helicopter parenting was associated with increased internalizing behaviors and reduced academic adjustment, self-efficacy and regulatory skills. Parent gender did not moderate these associations. The findings are discussed in terms of future directions, particularly the need to identify potential moderators. In conclusion, these findings support recommendations for autonomy-supportive parenting practices during emerging adulthood.
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Influenced Veteran Parents’ Harsh Parenting: Do Parental PTSD and Parental Role Matter?
Authors: Wang Xiafei , Sherpa Choyang L. , Piera-Tyree Lisette R. , Gump Brooks B. , Marfilius Kenneth J. , Genovese Jennifer C. , Smith Carrie J. , Allen Jacqueline
Published: September 2024

Prior studies show a heightened risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic because of financial difficulties and parenting stress, but little is known about what happened to the veteran families. This study aimed to examine the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on veteran parents’ harsh parenting – creating a potential for child maltreatment. Further, we explored the potential moderating effects of parental PTSD and parental role on the association between COVID-19 impacts and veteran harsh parenting. We recruited 509 veteran parents from Qualtrics online research panel and assessed the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., perceived threat, financial and psychological impacts) on the participants, parental PTSD, and parents’ past year prevalence of corporal punishment and psychological aggression. We used Mplus 8.8 to build main models, two-way moderation models, and three-way moderation models. There was a significant association between COVID-19 pandemic impacts and harsh parenting (Corporal punishment: β = 0.09, p < 0.05; Psychological aggression: β = 0.10, p < 0.05), while parental PTSD was a significant moderator (Corporal punishment: β = 0.10, p < 0.05; Psychological aggression: β = 0.08, p < 0.05). Parents with higher levels of PTSD were more vulnerable to the negative influences of COVID-19 on their harsh parenting. However, the association between COVID-19 pandemic impacts and harsh parenting did not differ by parental role. Our study findings contribute to the current knowledge of veteran families during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide implications for both Veteran Affairs services and child protective services.
The monotonicity of essence
Authors: Vincent William
Published: September 2024

Kit Fine’s logic of essence and his reduction of modality crucially rely on a principle called the ‘monotonicity of essence’. This principle says that for all pluralities, xx and yy, if some xx belong to some yy, then if it is essential to xx that p, it is also essential to yy that p. I argue that on the constitutive notion of essence, this principle is false. In particular, I show that this principle is false because it says that some propositions are essential to yy even though those propositions are only about some of its members. I then consider modifications to the principle appealing to consequential essence and argue that such a modification is inconsistent with a central desideratum of Fine’s approach to metaphysics, what I call his neutrality condition.
Analyzing the reporting error of public transport trips in the Danish national travel survey using smart card data
Authors: Sfeir Georges , Rodrigues Filipe , Abou-Zeid Maya , Pereira Francisco Camara
Published: September 2024

Household travel surveys have been used for decades to collect individuals and households’ travel behavior. However, self-reported surveys are subject to recall bias, as respondents might struggle to recall and report their activities accurately. This study examines the time reporting error of public transit users in a nationwide household travel survey by matching, at the individual level, five consecutive years of data from two sources, namely the Danish national travel survey (TU) and the Danish smart card system (Rejsekort). Survey respondents are matched with travel cards from the Rejsekort data solely based on the respondents’ declared spatiotemporal travel behavior. Approximately, 70% of the respondents were successfully matched with Rejsekort travel cards. The findings reveal a median time reporting error of 11.34 min, with an Interquartile Range of 28.14 min. Furthermore, a statistical analysis was performed to explore the relationships between the survey respondents’ reporting error and their socio-economic and demographic characteristics. The results indicate that females and respondents with a fixed schedule are in general more accurate than males and respondents with a flexible schedule in reporting their times of travel. Moreover, trips reported during weekdays or via the internet displayed higher accuracies compared to trips reported during weekends and holidays or via telephone interviews. This disaggregated analysis provides valuable insights that could help in improving the design and analysis of travel surveys, as well accounting for reporting errors/biases in travel survey-based applications. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights underlying the psychology of travel recall by survey respondents.
Techno-Wantons: Adaptive Technology and the Will of Tomorrow
Authors: White Ben
Published: September 2024

Recent work within the tradition of 4E cognitive science and philosophy of mind has drawn attention to the ways that our technological, material, and social environments can act as hostile, oppressive, and harmful scaffolding. These accounts push back against a perceived optimistic bias in the wider literature, whereby, according to the critics, our engagements with technology are painted as taking place on our terms, to our benefit, in ways uncomplicated by political realities. This article enters into that conversation, and aims to highlight a specific form of threat from emerging technology: the threat of the ‘techno-wanton. ’ Drawing on classic work on personhood by Harry Frankfurt, I argue that emerging forms of adaptive technology threaten to degrade the depth and reflexivity of our economy of preferences. Techno-wantonness is a wanton-like state of diminished agency and personhood, whereby adaptive technology facilitates the wanton satisfaction of shallow preferences and the weakening of higher order volition. I argue that the concept of ‘mind invasion’, within the context of the hostile scaffolding literature has been applied too broadly, to the detriment of our analysis, and argue that the notion of ‘techno-wantonness’ should replace ‘mind invasion’ in regard to a specific class of case. In short, the new concept allows for a more subtle distinction between scaffolding impinging on an unwilling mind and technology that panders to the preferences of initially often very willing users.
Perfluoroalkyl substances: a risk for the aquatifc environment? A 1-year case study in river waters of central Italy
Authors: Castellani Federica , Galletti Mara , Charavgis Fedra , Cingolani Alessandra , Renzi Sonia , Nucci Mirko , Protano Carmela , Vitali Matteo
Published: September 2024

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a large class of persistent emerging pollutants, ubiquitous in different environmental compartments. In this study, twenty-one PFASs were determined in seventy-eight water samples collected from six different rivers in the Umbria region (central Italy) during a 13-month monitoring campaign. The sum of the twenty-one target analytes (Σ21PFASs) ranged from 2.0 to 68.5 ng L−1, with a mean value of 22.0 ng L−1. The highest concentrations of Σ21PFASs were recorded in the warmest months (from June to September) due to reduced river streamflow caused by low rainfall and high temperatures. PFASs with a number of carbon atoms between four and nine prevail over C10–C18 congeners due to their higher water solubility and to their increased use in industry. PFBA, followed by PFPeA, PFHxA, and PFOA, was the most abundant congeners detected in the analyzed river water samples. Finally, the calculation of risk quotients (∑RQs) has allowed to assess the risk for three aquatic organisms (fish, algae, and daphnid) deriving from the exposure to PFASs. The survey showed that the risk for the three aquatic organisms during the four seasons and throughout the year was always negligible. The only exception was a low risk for fish and daphnid in GEN river considering the annual exposure.
MRI features of histological subtypes of thyroid cancer in comparison with CT findings: differentiation between anaplastic, poorly differentiated, and papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Maeda Takahide , Kato Hiroki , Ando Tomohiro , Kawaguchi Masaya , Shibata Hirofumi , Ogawa Takenori , Noda Yoshifumi , Hyodo Fuminori , Matsuo Masayuki
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the MRI features of the main histological subtypes of thyroid cancer and enable differentiation between anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC), and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Materials and methods

This study included 79 patients with histopathologically proven thyroid cancer (14 ATCs, 8 PDTCs, and 57 PTCs) who underwent neck MRI. MRI images were retrospectively reviewed and compared between the three pathologies.

Results

The maximum diameter was larger in ATCs and PDTCs than in PTCs (65.2 mm and 38.4 mm vs. 26.0 mm, p < 0.01). The signal intensity ratio of the solid components on T2-weighted images (T2WIs) was higher in ATCs than in PTCs (1.13 vs. 0.89, p < 0.05). The predominant signal intensity of the solid components on T2WI exhibited hyperintensity relative to the spinal cord in ATCs more frequently than in PTCs (71% vs. 30%, p < 0.01), whereas hypointensity was more frequent in PTCs than in ATCs and PDTCs (60% vs. 0% and 13%, p < 0.01). Intratumoral ring-shaped hypointensity on T2WI was more frequent in ATCs than in PDTCs and PTCs (64% vs. 13% and 18%, p < 0.01). An ill-defined margin was more frequent in ATCs and PDTCs than in PTCs (93% and 63% vs. 25%, p < 0.01). Extrathyroidal extension, tracheal invasion, esophageal invasion, vascular invasion, and venous thrombosis were more frequently observed in ATCs than in PTCs (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

MRI could characterize the differences between ATCs, PDTCs, and PTCs.
Barriers and Enablers to Data-Based Decision Making in Australian Place-Based Community Initiatives: A Qualitative Study Informed by the COM-B Model and Theoretical Domains Framework
Authors: Villanueva Karen , Beatson Ruth , Hilton Olivia , Lee Wan Yi , Macmillan Caitlin , Molloy Carly , Sherker Shauna , Goldfeld Sharon
Published: September 2024

This study investigated barriers and enablers to collecting, reporting, and using data and evidence-based lead indicators in decision-making. Four Australian place-based initiatives (PBI) focused on improving child health and reducing inequities participated. Eight interviews with PBI leaders revealed barriers and enablers aligned with all three Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation factors of the COM-B model of behaviour. Difficulties sharing data across services and with the PBI was a main barrier. Enablers were largely related to opportunity factors (e.g., data access) and demonstrating to service providers the benefits to families. Interventions targeting multiple barriers and enablers are needed for consistent, routine use of lead indicators.
Sweeping effects on curling and friction estimation
Authors: Sonobe Hinako , Aoki Yamato , Miya Osuke , Murata Kei , Ogihara Eri , Okawara Yasuaki , Ozaki Sachi , Tomizawa Nishiki , Murata Jiro
Published: September 2024

Precisely estimating and controlling the friction of a stone on ice is one of the abilities that is essential for good curling players. We propose here a new, simple, and player-friendly method for measuring friction using only stopwatches. As for friction control, it is known that friction must be modified by sweeping using brushes. It is widely performed not only to extend the stopping range of the stone but also to control the curls, although there is little scientific evidence to support the curl-controlling effects. We conducted a measurement to examine the effects, and we propose a potential method for assisting players to try similar kinds of quantitative studies themselves. The results we obtained suggest positive effects of the left–right asymmetric sweeping with 95% reliability for sweeping on the opposite half-side to assist curling.
Explainable biometrics: a systematic literature review
Authors: Tucci Cesare , Della Greca Attilio , Tortora Genoveffa , Francese Rita
Published: September 2024

Biometric systems are largely based on Machine Learning (ML) algorithms which are often considered as a black-box. There is a need to provide them with explanations to make their decision understandable. In this paper, we conduct a Systematic Literature Review aiming at investigating the present adoption of explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques in biometric systems. By examining the biometric tasks performed by the selected papers (e.g., face detection or face spoofing), the datasets adopted by the different approaches, the considered ML models, the XAI techniques, and their evaluation methods. We started from 496 papers and, after an accurate analysis, selected 47 papers. Results revealed that XAI is mainly adopted in biometric systems related to the face biometric cues. The explanations provided were all based on model-centric metrics and did not consider how the end-users perceived the explanations, leaving wide space for the biometric researchers to apply the XAI models and enhance the explanation evaluation into an HCI perspective.
Impact of Cloud Vertical Overlap on Cloud Radiative Effect in the Korean Integrated Model (KIM) Seasonal Simulations during Boreal Summer and Winter
Authors: Kim So-Young
Published: September 2024

Exponential-random vertical overlap of clouds is applied for radiative processes in a research version of the Korean Integrated Model (KIM) to replace the maximum-random vertical overlap of clouds. The cloud radiative effect (CRE) increases overall when the exponential-random overlap is used. This is because vertically continuous clouds, which are assumed to overlap maximally under the maximum-random overlap assumption, can be relaxed to random overlap depending on the vertical distance between cloud layers and the specified decorrelation length of clouds. CRE is more enhanced by considering the latitudinal dependency of cloud decorrelation length based on previous observational studies. This alleviates biases in CRE, which is underestimated overall, except in the low latitudes where the CRE is overestimated in the present simulations. The interaction between radiative and convective processes plays a role in decreasing CRE over the tropical western Pacific region, where strong convections develop, although the direct impact of applying the exponential-random overlap is to decrease the vertical overlap between ice clouds. The simulation of temperature in the lower troposphere is improved owing to the changes in cloud overlap. The warm bias over the Eurasian continent, in particular, is alleviated as more shortwave fluxes are reflected due to increased CRE.
Ultrasound assessment of gastrointestinal luminal contents: a narrative review
Authors: Su Heidi Y. , Taylor Kirstin M. , Friedman Antony B. , Cataletti Giovanni , Maconi Giovanni
Published: September 2024

Gastro-intestinal ultrasound (GIUS) is a non-invasive and cost-effective tool, widely used as a first-line diagnostic method in patients presenting with abdominal complaints, especially in patients affected by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In this setting, gastro-intestinal ultrasound has been especially used to evaluate the bowel wall features (thickening, stratification, vascularization) and complications related to IBD (fistulas, abscesses). Nevertheless, gastro-intestinal ultrasound can be also used to detect and evaluate the content of several segments of the gut. In fact, there is a growing interest in utilizing GIUS for suspected functional disorders, where assessing intestinal content may play a significant diagnostic role, as well as directing therapy. In our review, we provided a sonographic description of GIUS appearances of bowel content in various pathological and physiological conditions, offering potential applications in clinical practice and providing insights for further research.
Nozzle Flow Characterization of the SNU Hypersonic Shock Tunnel
Authors: Kim Jinyoung , Kim Jinhwi , Hur Jungmu , Lee Bok Jik , Jeung In-Seuck
Published: September 2024

This paper presents the operational capabilities and the characteristics of the nozzle flow of the Seoul National University Hypersonic Shock Tunnel (SHyST), a recently added impulse facility designed to produce high-enthalpy flows reaching up to 5 MJ/kg through hypersonic contoured nozzles. Within this investigation, emphasis is placed on the design and utilization of a pitot rake, serving as an essential instrument for quantifying pitot pressure and Mach number distributions throughout the test section. The experimental results confirm the presence of axis-symmetric behavior and spatial–temporal uniformity of the freestream Mach number at the nozzle outlet and along the test section. In addition, the study demonstrates a good agreement with the predictions of numerical simulation. Mach number validation is further supported by the measurement of shock standoff distance through schlieren visualization.
Device architectures for photoelectrochemical water splitting based on hematite: a review
Authors: Nasejje Stella , Mukhokosi Emma Panzi , Diale Mmantsae , Velauthapillai Dhayalan
Published: September 2024

Hydrogen production by photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a sustainable means that can avert the effects of global warming caused by fossil fuels. For decades, a suitable semiconductor that can absorb solar radiation in the visible region has been a focal research question. Hematite has a theoretical Solar-To-Hydrogen efficiency of 15% which is higher than the 10% benchmark for PEC water splitting. Despite being cheap, chemically stable, and bearing a desired band gap, hematite has not reached this projection due to challenges like band edge mismatch, short hole diffusion length and charge recombination. Various articles have shown hetero-structuring is a reliable solution to some challenges due to enhanced spectral range, enhanced carrier mobility, strong built-in electric field and thus increase in efficiency. However, these articles lack scientific rationale on the performance of hematite and its hetero-structures on different substrates, which is the basis for this review. Our analysis suggests that hetero-structure improves hematite’s PEC performance due to increased spectral range, enhanced carrier mobility and built-in electric field. This review article is organized as follows: a brief PEC background, performance parameters, Physical and Crystallographic properties of hematite, device configurations, performance of hematite and its hetero-structures on different substrates.

Graphical Abstract
Towards an Indigenous-Informed Multispecies Collaboratory
Authors: Wooltorton Sandra , White Peta J.
Published: September 2024

How does Australia’s latest Indigenous defeat relate to Environmental Education? The answer is direct complicity. This paper begins with the premise that the failure of Australia’s 2023 referendum on “The Voice to Parliament” is directly connected with education. The chapter builds on the proposition that local and Indigenous public knowledge could — and should — be the heart of environmental education. We apply a post-qualitative practice that is underpinned by innovative feminisms and the post-qualitative methods within a Multispecies Collaboratory, an experimental way of transforming our learning by attending to the responsive, relational world of all beings. We use this practice to think with while exploring socio-ecological relations, especially our own. Collaboratory colleagues include rivers with their kincentric ecologies, urban park ecosystems and backyard kin or families. Journaling, creative writing and photography record our learning journeys. The article concludes that continuing colonisation, epistemic violence and a culture of denial reinforce the dominant paradigm of silencing Indigenous voices. We argue that an Indigenous-informed onto-epistemology of living place can — and should — inform the heart and practice of environmental education, and an Indigenous-informed Multispecies Collaboratory is one way to deepen the multispecies engagement that underpins environmental education.
A sufficient condition for the quasipotential to be the rate function of the invariant measure of countable-state mean-field interacting particle systems
Authors: Yasodharan Sarath , Sundaresan Rajesh
Published: September 2024

This paper considers the family of invariant measures of Markovian mean-field interacting particle systems on a countably infinite state space and studies its large deviation asymptotics. The Freidlin–Wentzell quasipotential is the usual candidate rate function for the sequence of invariant measures indexed by the number of particles. The paper provides two counterexamples where the quasipotential is not the rate function. The quasipotential arises from finite-horizon considerations. However, there are certain barriers that cannot be surmounted easily in any finite time horizon, but these barriers can be crossed in the stationary regime. Consequently, the quasipotential is infinite at some points where the rate function is finite. After highlighting this phenomenon, the paper studies some sufficient conditions on a class of interacting particle systems under which one can continue to assert that the Freidlin–Wentzell quasipotential is indeed the rate function.
“Join the team” clinical research workforce development model: A new paradigm in healthcare career opportunities
Authors: Marusina Kate , Kishchenko Olga , Griffiths Angela
Published: September 2024

The University of California (UC) Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center has established the “Join the Team” model, a Clinical Research Coordinator workforce pipeline utilizing a community-based approach. The model has been extensively tested at UC Davis and demonstrated to generate a viable pathway for qualified candidates for employment in clinical research. The model combines the following elements: community outreach; professional training materials created by the Association for Clinical Research Professionals and adapted to the local environment; financial support to trainees to encourage ethnic and socioeconomic diversity; and internship/shadowing opportunities. The program is tailored for academic medical centers (AMCs) in recognition of administrative barriers specific to AMCs. UC Davis’s model can be replicated at other locations using information in this article, such as key program features and barriers faced and surmounted. We also discuss innovative theories for future program iterations.
Dietary Variability in the Varna Chalcolithic Cemeteries
Authors: Gaydarska Bisserka , Roe Joe , Slavchev Vladimir
Published: September 2024

This article presents the results of AMS radiocarbon dating, stable isotope analysis, and FRUITS dietary modelling to investigate dietary variability among sixty individuals buried at Varna in the mid-fifth millennium bc. The principal pattern was the isotopic clustering of some forty-three per cent of the population, which suggests a ‘Varna core diet’, with the remainder showing a wider variety of isotopic profiles. While there is a slight trend for heightened meat and fish consumption among male individuals compared to female and undetermined individuals, the authors found no clear correlation between dietary variation and the well-attested differentiation in material culture in the graves. Three children had isotopic profile and estimated diets unmatched by any of the adults in the sample. Two scenarios, dubbed ‘regional’ and ‘local’, are presented to explain such dietary variability at Varna.