bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The wide binary frequency of metal-poor stars
Authors: Lodieu N. , Pérez Garrido A. , Zhang J.-Y. , Martín E. L. , Rebolo López R. , Pérez-Toledo F. , Clavero R. , Nespral D.
Published: January 2025

Context. This study is aimed at identifying possible low-mass and sub-stellar companions to stars with well-determined metallicities. We investigate the multiplicity of metal-poor stars along with its impact on formation processes in the conditions of the early universe.

Aims. Our goal is to look for wide common proper motion companions to metal-poor stars and study the binarity frequency at low metallicity with astrometry from large-scale catalogues, including Gaia, Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) Hemisphere Survey (VHS), and Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE).

Methods. We used the stellar parameter determination from the latest release of the Gaia catalogue to identify metal-poor stars over the entire sky. We combined the Gaia sample with other public catalogues and spectroscopic determinations for a given sub-sample to refine the stellar metallicities. We also considered, as input, other public catalogues of metal-poor stars to look for co-moving companions. We also obtained our own high-resolution images of a sub-sample with the lucky imaging technique.

Results. We only found a few bona fide co-moving systems among a sample of 610 metal-poor stars with metallicities below −1.5 dex in the full sky. We inferred a multiplicity rate below 3%, with 3σ completeness for projected separations larger than 8 au, after taking into account incompleteness and any other limiting factors of our search. At closer separations, we found a minimum binary fraction of 20% that appears to be relatively independent of metallicity.

Conclusions. We conclude that the multiplicity fraction of solar-type stars is relatively independent of metallicity for close-in companions with projected separations below ∼8 au. At separations between 8 and 10 000 au, the binary fraction of metal-poor stars drops significantly to a few percent and is significantly lower than the multiplicity derived for the solar-metallicity case. We interpret these similarities and differences as being due to the chemistry at work in molecular clouds as well as disruption effects attributed to the old age of sub-dwarfs.
MeerKAT HI imaging of the jellyfish galaxy ESO 137-001
Authors: Ramatsoku M. , Serra P. , Sun M. , Smirnov O. M. , Makhathini S.
Published: January 2025

We present MeerKAT H I observations of ESO 137-001, a quintessential jellyfish galaxy with long multi-phase tails formed due to the interaction with the intra-cluster medium of its host galaxy cluster, ACO 3627. Our observations reveal the presence of H I in both the disc and outer regions of the galaxy for the first time, with a total H I mass of (3.5 ± 0.4)×108 M⊙. ESO 137-001 is at an advanced stage of gas stripping; it is extremely H I deficient and seems to have lost 90% of its initial H I mass; about 2/3 of the surviving H I is found at larger radius than expected for a normal H I disc and forms ∼40 kpc tail coincident with the tail detected at other wavelengths. Only ∼10% of the surviving H I is still found within the stellar disc, consistent with the expectation of an outside-in truncation due to ram pressure. Similarly to other jellyfish galaxies, ESO137-001 has a high star formation rate for the low amount of H I detected. We measure an H I depletion time of 0.29 Gyr. However, when taking into account the total gas (H I + H2) content, the depletion time is consistent with typical values measured in nearby spiral galaxies. This suggests that ESO 137-001 is at its current stage of ram pressure interaction characterised by an efficient H I stripping, rather than an enhanced conversion of H I to H2, which was recently observed in some other jellyfish galaxies.
ForestFlow: predicting the Lyman-α forest clustering from linear to nonlinear scales
Authors: Chaves-Montero J. , Cabayol-Garcia L. , Lokken M. , Font-Ribera A. , Aguilar J. , Ahlen S. , Bianchi D. , Brooks D. , Claybaugh T. , Cole S. , de la Macorra A. , Ferraro S. , Forero-Romero J. E. , Gaztañaga E. , Gontcho A Gontcho S. , Gutierrez G. , Honscheid K. , Kehoe R. , Kirkby D. , Kremin A. , Lambert A. , Landriau M. , Manera M. , Martini P. , Miquel R. , Muñoz-Gutiérrez A. , Niz G. , Pérez-Ràfols I. , Rossi G. , Sanchez E. , Schubnell M. , Sprayberry D. , Tarlé G. , Weaver B. A.
Published: January 2025

On large scales, the Lyman-α forest provides insights into the expansion history of the Universe, while on small scales, it imposes strict constraints on the growth history, the nature of dark matter, and the sum of neutrino masses. This work introduces ForestFlow, a novel framework that bridges the gap between large- and small-scale analyses, which have traditionally relied on distinct modeling approaches. Using conditional normalizing flows, ForestFlow predicts the two Lyman-α linear biases (bδ and bη) and six parameters describing small-scale deviations of the three-dimensional flux power spectrum (P3D) from linear theory as a function of cosmology and intergalactic medium physics. These are then combined with a Boltzmann solver to make consistent predictions, from arbitrarily large scales down to the nonlinear regime, for P3D and any other statistics derived from it. Trained on a suite of 30 fixed-and-paired cosmological hydrodynamical simulations spanning redshifts from z = 2 to 4.5, ForestFlow achieves 3 and 1.5% precision in describing P3D and the one-dimensional flux power spectrum (P1D) from linear scales to k = 5 Mpc−1 and k∥ = 4 Mpc−1, respectively. Thanks to its conditional parameterization, ForestFlow shows similar performance for ionization histories and two ΛCDM model extensions – massive neutrinos and curvature – even though none of these are included in the training set. This framework will enable full-scale cosmological analyses of Lyman-α forest measurements from the DESI survey.
ZTF SN Ia DR2: Properties of the low-mass host galaxies of Type Ia supernovae in a volume-limited sample
Authors: Burgaz U. , Maguire K. , Dimitriadis G. , Smith M. , Sollerman J. , Galbany L. , Rigault M. , Goobar A. , Johansson J. , Kim Y.-L. , Alburai A. , Amenouche M. , Deckers M. , Ginolin M. , Harvey L. , Muller-Bravo T. E. , Nordin J. , Phan K. , Rosnet P. , Nugent P. E. , Terwel J. H. , Graham M. , Hale D. , Kasliwal M. M. , Laher R. R. , Neill J. D. , Purdum J. , Rusholme B.
Published: January 2025

In this study, we explore the characteristics of ‘low-mass’ (log(M⋆/M⊙) ≤ 8) and ‘intermediate-mass’ (8 < log(M⋆/M⊙) ≤ 10) host galaxies of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the second data release (DR2) of the Zwicky Transient Facility survey. We investigated their correlations with different sub-types of SNe Ia. We used the photospheric velocities measured from the Si IIλ6355 feature, SALT2 light-curve stretch (x1), and host-galaxy properties of SNe Ia to re-investigate the existing relationship between host galaxy mass and Si IIλ6355 velocities. We also investigated sub-type preferences for host populations. We show that the more energetic and brighter 91T-like SNe Ia tend to reside among the younger host populations, while 91bg-like SNe Ia are found among the older populations. Our findings suggest that high-velocity SNe Ia (HV SNe Ia) do indeed come from older populations, but they can also come from young populations as well. Therefore, while our findings can partly provide support for HV SNe Ia in the context of single degenerate progenitor models, they indicate that HV SNe Ia (rather than comprising a different population) might be a continued distribution with different explosion mechanisms. Lastly, we investigate the specific rate of SNe Ia in the volume-limited SN Ia sample of DR2 and compare our results with other surveys.
Dynamics of the β Pictoris planetary system and possibility of an additional planet
Authors: Lacquement A. , Beust H. , Faramaz-Gorka V. , Duchêne G.
Published: January 2025

Context. The β Pictoris system is a well-known young planetary system, extensively studied for more than 40 years. It is characterized by a dusty debris disk, in addition to the presence of two already known planets. This makes it a particularly interesting case for studying the formation and evolution of planetary systems at a stage where giant planets have already formed, most of the protoplanetary gas has dissipated, and terrestrial planets could emerge.

Aims. Our goal here is to explore the possibility of additional planets orbiting beyond the outermost known one, β Pictoris b. More specifically, we aim to assess whether additional planets in the system could explain the discrepancy between the predicted cutoff of the disk inner cavity at ~28 au with only two planets, and the observed one at ~50 au.

Methods. We performed an exhaustive dynamical modeling of the debris disk and the carving of its inner edge, by introducing one or two additional planets beyond β Pictoris b, coplanar with the disk. Guided by theoretical predictions for the parameter space – mass, semi-major axis, eccentricity – allowed for additional planets, we further carried out a set of N-body simulations, using the symplectic integrator RMVS3.

Results. Our simulations indicate that an additional planet with a low eccentricity of 0.05, a mass between 0.15 and 1 MJup, and a semi-major axis between 30 and 36 au would be consistent with the observations of an inner debris disk edge at 50 au. We also explored the hypotheses of a higher eccentricity and the presence of two additional lower-mass planets instead of one, which could also account for these observations.

Conclusions. While we find that one or even two additional planets could explain the observed location of the disk inner edge, these hypothetical planets remain in most cases below the current observational limits of high-contrast imaging. Future observational campaigns with improved sensitivity will help to lower these limits and perhaps detect that planet.
Ultrasonic wave field image augmentation in PZT sensors using generative machine learning and Coulomb coupling
Authors: Banerjee Pragyan , Ojha Shivam , Kalimullah Nur M. M. , Shelke Amit , Habib Anowarul
Published: January 2025

This paper presents an approach to overcome the time-intensive nature of the Coulomb coupling imaging method by employing Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) for data augmentation. Coulomb coupling, an experimental technique, is essential for visualizing ultrasonic wave propagation in piezoelectric materials and is valuable in various domains including materials research. It provides valuable insights such as finding mechanical properties and detecting anomalies in piezoelectric materials. However, the efficiency of this method is hindered by traditional time expansive point-by-point scanning. Integrating advanced machine learning into Coulomb coupling imaging has emerged as a promising solution to address this issue. Nonetheless, the lack of sufficient data has been a significant challenge. The key contribution is the use of GANs to create synthetic yet realistic images from a limited set of real data, effectively overcoming the issue of data scarcity. A large number of artificial images were successfully generated, expediting model training and enhancing generalization. This study is the first to use GANs in Coulomb coupling imaging, showing its transformative potential. By overcoming data limitations, the proposed approach enhances Coulomb coupling imaging and enables its integration with advanced technologies like AI-driven predictive modeling and real-time adaptive imaging. This opens new frontiers for applications in materials science and other imaging modalities.
Prophylactic Fresh Frozen Plasma Administration: Failure to Reduce Blood Loss or Transfusion Requirements after Routine Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Authors: Snow Norman , Lucas Aaron E.
Published: January 2025

Cardiopulmonary bypass may result in a variety of coagulation disorders, some of which result in overt hemorrhage. The routine use of blood products to normalize clotting factors in the postbypass period is expensive and may subject the patient to the risk of hepatitis and isoimmunization. We studied the effects of routine administration of four units of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) on standard clotting factors, mediastinal blood loss, and transfusion requirements in a randomized prospective fashion. Twenty-seven patients received plasma and 26 did not. There were no differences in the preoperative clotting studies, blood counts, liver functions, pump time, cross clamp time or type of surgery between the groups.

No differences were noted between the two groups in homologous blood requirements, clotting parameters or mediastinal blood loss. Patients receiving FFP had slightly lower hematocrits in the early postoperative period.

The routine use of FFP had no discernibleeffect on post-bypass hemorrhage or blood usage in a series of open heart operations, most of which were coronary revascularization. The clotting factors in the single reoperated patient were normal. Technical factors and precise heparin reversal play a more important role in postoperative hemostasis than plasma. We cannot recommend the routine administration of FFP after cardiopulmonary bypass.
The incentives for information sharing and online expansion strategy in medical supply chains
Authors: You Mingchuan , Zhang Zhiyong , Shi Yonngqiang
Published: January 2025

Recently, online shopping for medical products has gradually normalized, promoting the acceleration of medical e-commerce. This improves the channel layout, subsequently broadening the consumer market and augmenting enterprise performance. Considering a two-stage supply chain com- posed of a medical manufacturer and a dealer with more accurate demand information, this paper focuses on the online channel expansion strategy with information sharing. Four distinct sales modes are developed: traditional sales, dual-channel, O2O and multi-channel. For each modality, an inves- tigation of the information sharing motivation and impact of online expansion on enterprise profits and patient surplus is conducted. Intriguingly, a dealer may be incentivized to share information ex- clusively under multi-channel mode, accompanied by either a moderate level of public welfare or high online preference. Moreover, the online entry decision is independent of information sharing strategy. Specifically, O2O and multi-channel are more conducive to dealer, whereas manufacturer prefers the dual-channel. In addition, online expansion can not only prove to be a “win–win” situation for both manufacturer and dealer, but can also increase patient surplus.
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) as a Potential Target for
Anti-Aging: Role of Therapeutic Apheresis
Authors: Jarzebska Natalia , Rodionov Roman N. , Voit-Bak Karin , Straube Richard , Mücke Anna , Tselmin Sergey , Rettig Ronny , Julius Ulrich , Siow Richard , Gräßler Jürgen , Passauer Jens , Kok Yannick , Mavberg Philip , Weiss Norbert , Bornstein Stefan R. , Aswani Andrew
Published: January 2025

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are large structures composed of chromatin,
histones and granule-derived proteins released extracellularly by neutrophils.
They are generally considered to be a part of the antimicrobial defense
strategy, preventing the dissemination of pathogens. However, overproduction of
NETs or their ineffective clearance can drive various pathologies, many of which
are associated with advanced age and involve uncontrolled inflammation,
oxidative, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative stress as underlying mechanisms.
Targeting NETs in the elderly as an anti-aging therapy seems to be a very
attractive therapeutic approach. Therapeutic apheresis with a specific filter to
remove NETs could be a promising strategy worth considering.
Correlation between Left Ventricular Mass and Cardiac Troponin T in Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Leviner Dror B. , Touitou Ayelet R. , Adawi Salim , Sharoni Erez
Published: January 2025

Cardiac troponin levels might rise significantly after cardiac surgeries as a surgical outcome rather than ischemic myocardial damage alone, making the diagnosis of postoperative (type 5) myocardial infarction challenging. Previous studies have demonstrated that cardiac troponin is related to left ventricular mass, but this correlation was not investigated after cardiac surgery. We aimed to study a possible correlation between postoperative cardiac troponin levels and left ventricular mass index in patients who underwent cardiac surgery to refine the diagnosis of type 5 myocardial infarction, but observed no such correlation regardless of preoperative troponin levels or surgery type.
Frühe Erfassung von zukünftigen Pandemieeffekten bei Menschen mit
schweren psychischen Erkrankungen: Können laufende bevölkerungsrepräsentative
Kohortenstudien einen Beitrag leisten?
Authors: Wittmann Felix G. , Luppa Melanie , Höhn Anna , Wege Natalia , Ascone Leonie , Lohse Luzie , Hurlemann René , Meisenzahl Eva , Lambert Martin , Bajbouj Malek , von Lilienfeld-Toal Marie , Riedel-Heller Steffi G.
Published: January 2025

Diese Übersicht geht der Frage nach, ob laufende
bevölkerungsrepäsentative Kohorten zukünftige Pandemieeffekte auf Menschen mit
schweren psychischen Erkrankungen detektieren können.

Literaturrecherche mit anschließender Analyse und Evaluation
bezüglich relevanter Messungen und Kriterien.

Keine der laufenden deutschen bevölkerungsbasierten Kohortenstudien
inkludieren Personen mit schweren psychischen Störungen nach den gängigen
diagnostischen Kriterien. Vier Kohorten umfassen Menschen mit schwerer
Depressivität und Ängstlichkeit.

Bevölkerungsrepräsentative Kohorten leisten keinen
nennenswerten Beitrag zur schnellen Erfassung von zukünftigen Pandemieeffekten
im Hinblick auf Menschen mit schweren psychischen Erkrankungen.
Patientenkohorten erschienen geeigneter, um Erkenntnisse zum Schutz dieser
vulnerablen Gruppe unter Pandemiebedingungen zu generieren. Diese gilt es
aufzubauen und zu pflegen.
Outcomes and Complications of Chait Trapdoor Cecostomy in Pediatric Patients with Therapy-Resistant Constipation and Fecal Incontinence: A 14-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Jonker Charlotte Anne Louise , Koppen Ilan , Benninga Marc A. , Jong Justin R. de , Gorter Ramon
Published: January 2025

Aim of the Study To assess the incidence and types of complications and patient-reported outcomes in pediatric patients with therapy-resistant constipation or fecal incontinence (FI) without constipation who underwent Chait Trapdoor™ cecostomy (CTC). The findings contribute to the discussion on selecting the optimal antegrade continence (ACE) procedure for this population.

Materials and Methods A retrospective review was conducted on all pediatric patients with therapy-resistant constipation or FI without constipation who underwent a CTC procedure at our tertiary referral center between 2009 and 2023. Postoperative complications were classified using the Clavien-Madadi classification. At their most recent follow-up in 2023, patients reported satisfaction with their CTC.

Results The study included 62 children (median age 12 years [IQR 8–14; range 1–17], 42% male), with a median follow-up of 4 years (IQR 2–8, range 0–14). Underlying diagnoses were functional constipation (n = 39, 63%), spina bifida (n = 11, 18%), and anorectal malformations (n = 5, 8%). A total of 49/62 patients (79%) experienced 89 CTC-related complications. Minor complications (Clavien-Madadi I–II) affected 29 patients (47%) and most commonly included granulation. Major complications (Clavien-Madadi III–IV) requiring surgery occurred in 32% of patients. Despite these complications, 40/62 (65%) patients reported satisfaction with their CTC, as determined by partial or complete symptom resolution.

Conclusions Although complications were common, 65% of the patients reported satisfaction with their CTC. These findings emphasize the need for thorough patient selection, informed counseling on potential risks, and individualized management strategies to enhance outcomes.
Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Electrophile [2+4] Annulation of Benzynes
Authors: Wang Chuan , Dong Haiyan , Ding Xinrang
Published: January 2025

Cross-electrophile coupling (XEC) reactions have emerged as powerful tools for C–C bond formation, whereas annulation employing arynes provides unique approaches to polycyclic arenes. Herein, we report a nickel-catalyzed cross-electrophile [2+4] annulation using benzynes and a 1-bromo-2-(2-chlorovinyl)arenes as C-2 and C-4 synthons, respectively. This proof-of-concept study not only provides a new method for synthesizing polysubstituted phenanthrenes, but also substantiates the feasibility of merging XEC reaction and aryne chemistry.
Challenges and perspectives with understanding the concept of mental
fatigue
Authors: Oliver Liam , Goodman Stephen , Sullivan John , Peake Jonathan , Kelly Vincent
Published: January 2025

Mental fatigue is referred to as a psychophysiological or neurobiological state
caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity. Sport and exercise
science research studies have investigated the effects of experimentally induced
mental fatigue on cognitive performance, with mixed results. It has been
suggested that negative effects of mental fatigue on cognition performance in
laboratory studies could translate to impaired sport performance. However, it
remains unclear if impairments in sport performance are due to mental fatigue
and how mental fatigue may differ from physical fatigue. Fatigue is well
understood as a complex multifactorial construct involving interactions between
physiological and neuropsychological responses across brain regions. It may be
prudent for researchers to return to the origins of fatigue and cognition before
attempting to connect mental fatigue and sport cognition. This article reviews
the concept of mental fatigue, its mechanisms and neuroanatomical basis, models
of cognition relevant to sports science, investigates how mental fatigue may
influence cognition, and suggests future research directions. Mental fatigue as
a construct separated from fatigue could be an oversight that has hindered the
development of our understanding of mental fatigue. Future sports science
research could work to enhance our knowledge of our definitions of fatigue.
Transoral Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy: A Useful Complementary Tool in Sleep Surgery
Authors: Elsobki Ahmed , Elshaer Mohammed , Ghabn Hassan , El-deeb Mohamed E. , Suliman Luci
Published: January 2025

Introduction Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) is performed widely, and several studies have demonstrated its validity as it provides clinical information not available by routine clinical inspection alone.

Objective This study aims to evaluate the role of transoral drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) in the evaluation of tongue-palate (TP) interaction and its impact on surgical outcomes.

Methods A total of 42 patients with known obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) were classified into two groups according to TP interaction (the absence of space between tongue and palate with the visual impression that the tongue is pushing the soft palate) into +ve and –ve TP interaction. Snoring according to the visual analogue scale (VAS), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and sleep study data were recorded before and after the pharyngoplasty operation.

Results There was a statistically significant difference between studied groups postoperative regarding minimal oxygen saturation, snoring index, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), the ESS, and visual analogue scale of snoring (p = 0.003*, p < 0.001*, p < 0.001*, p = 0.004*, and p = 0.003*, respectively). It displayed a marked higher average improvement among cases with –ve than in those with +ve TP interaction in terms of snoring index, AHI, and ESS.

Conclusion The Transoral DISE Has A Valuable Role In Evaluating And Assessing TP Interaction And Its Importance On Surgical Outcomes. Cases With Positive TP Interaction Show Poor Response To Isolated Palatopharyngeal Expansion And Need Further Analysis To Create A Better Treatment Plan And Improve Outcomes.
Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcomes of Urinary Tract Infections among Patients Undergoing Thyroidectomy: Insights from the ACS-NSQIP
Authors: Waqar Usama , Ahmed Warda , Fazal Zoha Zahid , Chaudhry Ahmad Areeb , Iftikhar Haissan , Ziauddin Afsheen , Abbas Syed Akbar
Published: January 2025

Introduction Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a rare postoperative complication following thyroidectomy.

Objective This study aimed to assess the clinicodemographic factors associated with the development of UTIs and subsequent outcomes among patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Methods This retrospective study used the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database to analyze patients who underwent thyroidectomy from 2005 to 2019. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors and associations of UTIs with postoperative morbidity and mortality.

Results In a cohort of 180,373 identified thyroidectomy patients, 0.28% contracted a UTI. Significant risk factors associated with UTIs included age > 60 years (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.187, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.618–2.956), female gender (OR 1.767, 95% CI 1.372–2.278), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Classification 3 to 5 (OR 1.463, 95% CI 1.185–1.805), partially (OR 4.267, 95% CI 2.510–7.253) or totally dependent functional health status (OR 9.658, 95% CI 4.170–22.370), pulmonary disease (OR1.907, 95% CI 1.295–2.808), chronic steroid therapy (OR 1.649, 95% CI 1.076–2.527), inpatient procedure (OR 1.507, 95% CI 1.251–1.814), and operative time > 150 minutes (OR 1.449, 95% CI 1.027–2.044). Additionally, UTIs were independently associated with postoperative complications, including pulmonary, vascular, or cardiac complication; stroke; acute renal failure; infectious complications; sepsis; septic shock; pneumonia; prolonged length of stay; unplanned reoperation; and mortality.

Conclusion While UTIs are rare after thyroidectomy, they carry a significant burden on patient outcomes. Preoperative optimization of comorbidities and reducing operative times may help mitigate the risk of UTIs. Optimized care for postoperative UTI patients is also recommended to prevent complications and improve outcomes.
Postoperative Hearing Outcomes and Usefulness of Endoscopy-Assisted Tympanoplasty in Pars Tensa Cholesteatoma
Authors: Kurioka Takaomi , Mizutari Kunio
Published: January 2025

Introduction In recent years, transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) has gained widespread recognition as an excellent surgical field for blind spots such as the sinus tympani (ST) when compared to microscopic ear surgery (MES).

Objective To investigate the postoperative hearing results for pars tensa cholesteatoma and the indications for utilizing endoscopy.

Methods The medical records of 16 patients (10 men and 6 women) with pars tensa cholesteatoma, who received initial surgical treatment between 2018 and 2022, were reviewed. We performed MES, TEES, or endoscopy-assisted MES (dual approach) depending on the pathological involvement in the mastoid cavity and ST.

Results The mean age of the patients was 45 years, and the surgical techniques utilized were MES in 2 cases, TEES in 7 cases, and dual approach in 7 cases. The preoperative pathological classification was stage I in 3 patients and stage II in 13 patients. The overall surgical success rates of postoperative hearing outcomes were 69% and 50% (1/2 patients) in the TEES group, 71% (5/7 patients) in the MES group, and 71% (5/7 patients) in the dual approach group. The successful cases (n = 11) were significantly younger and demonstrated better mastoid pneumatization than unsuccessful cases (n = 5).

Conclusion Endoscopy-assisted MES is appropriate for treating pars tensa cholesteatoma when pathological involvement is present at the deep bottom of the ST. Early surgical intervention and good eustachian tube function are crucial for improving hearing prognosis. Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery can be particularly useful in identifying and removing residual cholesteatoma within the ST.
Identification of Potential High-Risk Patients on the Basis of PROMs in a Certified Centre for Joint Replacement (EndoProthetikZentrum) Using the Example of Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Osmanski-Zenk Katrin , Klinder Annett , Ellenrieder Martin , Darowski Martin , Goosmann Martin , Mittelmeier Wolfram
Published: January 2025

Background In addition to clinical parameters, the subjective assessment by the patient to evaluate the operative outcome of an arthroplasty is becoming increasingly important. Questionnaires are used to identify patients who have not achieved the treatment goal at an early stage so that further interventions can be indicated.

Material and Methods A questionnaire consisting of different PROMs was completed pre- and 3 months postoperatively by patients who had been treated with a hip arthroplasty. A standardised follow-up examination of these patients was carried out 12 to 16 weeks postoperatively, after which it was determined whether further therapy was necessary to achieve the treatment goal. Different consequences were defined for this.

Results Significant differences were found between the groups of consequences of follow-up examinations over both time points, but also when postoperative scores were considered exclusively. Furthermore, the correlations for the postoperative scores and some consequences of the clinical follow-up for the Oxford Hip Score (OHS), the OHS functional score and the Euroquol-5D show moderate effects. Thus, the collection of these postoperative scores is sufficient to identify potential high risk patients. Based on a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, threshold values could be determined for these scores, for which a follow-up examination is recommended.

Conclusion Patients who could not achieve functional improvement, pain reduction and improvement in quality of life after implantation of a total hip replacement must be identified at an early stage. The results of our study show that with the help of the Oxford Hip Score and Euroquol-5D, which are answered by the patients three months postoperatively, such high risk patients can be identified. This finding is an added value for the further development of the EndoCert certification system and holistic quality assurance in arthroplasties, while the personnel and time effort remain manageable.
Determination of critical field anisotropy in metal-oxide compounds from the experimental data for polycrystals
Authors: Fogel’ N. Ya. , Dmitrenko I. M. , Glukhov A. M. , Pokhila A. S.
Published: January 2025

Resistive transitions in magnetic fields are measured and the critical fields are determined for polycrystalline samples of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ with different microstructures. It is shown that for ceramic samples with weak bonds for good polycrystals, the R(T) dependence can lead to critical fields characterizing the material of the granules rather than the granular medium. The values of parameters dHc2‖/dT and dHc21/dT, for the Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ single crystals are determined from a comparison of the experimental data for polycrystals with the results of the theory based on the percolation concept. It is shown that for very strong magnetic fields, the nonuniformity of Tc in the sample does not prevent a correct determination of the anisotropy parameters of a metal-oxide compound. The universal nature of the form of resistive transitions in a magnetic field is discussed for polycrystals of high-temperature superconductors with different microstructures.
Superconducting junctions formed by a metal and the ceramic Y–Ba–Cu–O in an rf field
Authors: Balkashin O. P. , Yanson I. K. , Pilipenko Yu. A.
Published: January 2025

Current–voltage characteristics of junctions formed by a superconductor (Ta, Sn) or a normal metal (Cu) with the superconducting ceramic Y–Ba–Cu–O are measured. Under the effect of rf radiation, current steps are formed due to the transient Josephson effect. All irradiated junctions have relatively low values of critical and excess currents and a small limiting voltage of Josephson steps. For copper–ceramic junctions, the current steps have a finite slope and are observed right up to the temperature 77 K.
High-frequency acoustic properties of yttrium ceramics
Authors: Gaiduk A. L. , Zherlitsyn S. V. , Prikhod’ko O. R. , Fil’ V. D. , Seminozhenko V. P. , Nesterenko V. F. , Pershin S. A.
Published: January 2025

The behavior of acoustic characteristics in yttrium ceramics is studied at a frequency of about 50 MHz. The temperature region above 30–40 K is characterized by pronounced hysteresis effects whose intensity is determined by the porosity of samples and the uniformity of their composition relative to oxygen. It is supposed that crystallite twinning due to additional stresses emerging in a sample is responsible for these effects. Possible mechanisms of emergence of such stresses are considered. At T < 20 K, the velocity of sound linearly increases with decreasing temperature, passes through a maximum at T∼ 1 K and then decreases. Such a behavior is typical of amorphous bodies and in all probability is due to the interaction between elastic waves and two-level systems.
Isochoric thermal conductivity of solid CO2 with N2O and Xe impurities
Authors: Konstantinov V. A. , Manzhelii V. G. , Smirnov S. A.
Published: January 2025

Isochoric thermal conductivity and thermal pressure of solid CO2 smaples with N2O and Xe impurities are investigated. Temperature and concentration dependences of thermal conductivity are analyzed. The concept of minimum thermal conductivity is used to explain the obtained results.
Room-temperature unconventional topological Hall effect in a van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2
Authors: Algaidi Hanin , Zhang Chenhui , Liu Chen , Ma Yinchang , Zheng Dongxing , Li Peng , Zhang Xixiang
Published: January 2025

The prominent properties of van der Waals (vdW) magnets make them a promising platform for prospective spintronic applications. Fe3GaTe2 is a newly discovered vdW material that exhibits room-temperature ferromagnetism and topological spin textures. In this paper, we report the observation of an unconventional topological Hall effect (THE) up to room temperature in Fe3GaTe2. When the current flows along the ab plane, a conventional anomalous Hall effect is observed under an out-of-plane magnetic field, which can be depicted by the intrinsic Karplus–Luttinger mechanism. Intriguingly, by rotating the magnetic field to align with the current direction, unexpected Hall resistivity cusps emerge. This Hall resistivity anomaly can be explained by the in-plane THE, which may originate from the noncoplanar spin structures in Fe3GaTe2. These spin structures have a nonzero scalar spin chirality and act as a fictitious magnetic field that produces a real-space Berry curvature. By extracting the topological Hall resistivity at different temperatures, a THE phase diagram is successfully constructed, showing a maximum value of 1.48 μΩ cm at 250 K. The room-temperature THE reveals the great potential of Fe3GaTe2 for spintronic applications.
Study on the influence of the parameters of the roller swaging process on the no-load starting torque of self-lubricating spherical plain bearings
Authors: Wang Qiang , Gu Ruijie , Chen Bo , Li Fenfang , Lyu Xuan
Published: January 2025

The no-load starting torque of the self-lubricating spherical plain bearings (SSPBs) is directly related to the safety and service life of the aircraft. Therefore, the no-load starting torque can be reasonably controlled, which is one of the key technologies for the application of the SSPBs. The roller swaging process was described in this paper, and a 3D elastic-plastic simulation model of the process was established. The influence of the process parameters such as the swaging load, the rotational speed of the swaging tool, and the feeding speed on the no-load starting torque were quantitatively investigated. Finally, the roller swaging experimentation and the no-load starting torque experimentation were conducted, and the simulation results were compared with the experimental results. The study shows that the experimental results are in good agreement with the simulation results. The swaging load has a significant impact on the no-load starting torque, while the feeding speed has a relatively small impact on it. According to the bearing type of MS14101-9, to make its no-load starting torque meet the requirements of the aviation standards, the swaging load should be controlled to not more than 5000N, the rotational speed of the swaging tool should not be more than 250 rpm, and the feeding speed should be in the range of 0.1–0.2 mm/s. This research provides a theoretical reference for the reasonable control of the no-load starting torque of the bearing during the roller swaging process, which has important engineering and technical value.
Simulation of the transition of respiratory droplets to aerosol states: Implications for pathogen spread
Authors: Zodo George , Konka Harshavardhan , Stevanovic Svetlana , Schluter Jorg
Published: January 2025

Airborne viruses constitute a real threat to the world and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Despite the intensive research in this field, the physical mechanisms of the droplet dynamics and aerosols carrying these viruses are far from being fully understood. Among the many variables that have critical impact on the dispersion of the virus carrying droplets and aerosols are the temperature and relative humidity, as these primarily determine the longevity of the liquid phase of the droplets. While previous research studied the dispersion of the virus carrying droplets and aerosols due to different physical and boundary conditions, we focus on the aerosols in the range below 10 μm as these have shown to be the most likely pathway for airborne transmission. In this study, the spatial and size evolution of droplets injected by the mouth through coughing are analyzed numerically and compared for different combinations of temperature and relative humidity. Of special interest would be tracking the aerosol droplets in part of an indoor location that serves as the volume that a conversation partner would draw breath from. We present quantitative data in dependence of temperature and relative humidity plotted against time assisting quantifying the possibility of transmission. An Eulerian–Lagrangian approach is used to study the multiphase flow consisting of a continuous fluid formed of air and water vapor and discrete droplets formed of liquid water. We present an analysis on the number of aerosolized droplets reaching a conversation partner depending on temperature and relative humidity. It was concluded that for aerosol transmission to a conversation partner, the humidity has the largest influence on the aerosolized droplets.
Magnetic micro-protrusion arrays with wrinkled polypyrrole surfaces for enhancing the performance of flexible pressure sensors
Authors: Sun Ruixue , Lu Jie , Li Pei , Yang Pingan , Jiang Jianchun , Shou Mengjie , Liao Changrong
Published: January 2025

Flexible sensing technology has been developed and improved rapidly in recent years, attracting widespread attention and research. Magnetic composites have great potential in the field of flexible sensing due to their excellent conductivity and magnetic controllability. Here, a performance enhanced flexible double-layer piezocapacitive sensor, PPy-SMPA, was proposed. The sensor consists of a substrate with surface micro-protrusion arrays formed by magnetic materials and a wrinkled PPy sensitive layer polymerized by chemical deposition. The internal micro-capacitance model of the sensor at different pressures was constructed, and the effects of the distribution degree of magnetic particles and the aspect ratio of the micro-protrusion on the equivalent capacitance were discussed. The sensor exhibited excellent cyclic stability, dynamic characteristics, and mechanical durability, with sensitivity reaching five times that of the planar substrate sensor in the low pressure range. On this basis, sensing arrays and grip strength tests were performed to accelerate practical development, and these sensors were integrated into smart insoles for fall detection early warning, demonstrating their potential applications in wearable devices, smart homes, and human health monitoring.
The ecdysone-induced bZIP transcription factor MafB establishes a positive feedback loop to enhance vitellogenesis and reproduction in the
Aedes aegypti
mosquito
Authors: Wang Jia-Lin , Zhong Zi-Qian , He Ya-Zhou , Tian Jun-Hua , Wang Yu-Feng , Raikhel Alexander S.
Published: January 2025

Female mosquitoes require a vertebrate blood meal to activate reproduction, transmitting numerous devastating human diseases. Vitellogenesis is a central event of female reproduction that involves the massive production of vitellogenin (Vg) in the fat body and the maturation of ovaries. This process is controlled by the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E); however, its molecular regulatory basis remains not completely understood. We found that the expression of
Aedes aegypti muscle aponeurosis fibromatosis B
(
AaMafB
), coding for a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor, was significantly up-regulated after a blood meal. The 20E-bound ecdysone receptor–ultraspiracle heterodimer directly targeted the ecdysone response element in the promoter of
AaMafB
, activating its transcription. Coimmunoprecipitation assays illustrated the interaction between
Aa
MafB and Cap “n” collar C (
Aa
CncC), another bZIP transcription factor. RNA interference–mediated depletion of
Aa
MafB or
Aa
CncC led to impaired ovarian growth, decreased expression of
AaVg
and Halloween genes, and reduced 20E levels. The
Aa
MafB–
Aa
CncC heterodimer directly activated the transcription of
AaVg
and
AaShade
by targeting the antioxidant response element in their promoters. Together, our results indicate that
AaMafB
functions as an early 20E response gene, the product of which heterodimerizes with
Aa
CncC to maintain high 20E levels and facilitates activation of
AaVg
in mosquitoes after a blood meal.
Transparent communication in public transit
Authors: Falcone Mariasophia
Published: January 2025

The growing need for sustainable lifestyle practices, both individual and collective, has sparked ongoing debates
on environmental and social sustainability. Public transit plays a key role in these discussions, for its capability to meet both
(Mattioli 2016; Miller et al. 2016).
Recently, public bodies have successfully used participatory web tools, such as social media and websites, to promote services and
engage users. This approach has fostered increased trust and improved perceptions of transparency by making information more
accessible (Criado et al. 2013; Song and Lee
2016). Dialogic features in texts, pointing to interaction between writer and audience (Bondi 2022), can create the impression of transparent communication, thereby showcasing willingness to
build an open dialogue. Therefore, this study analyzes dialogic features on the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority’s (MTA) website and Instagram, revealing how both platforms distinctively resort to
dialogicity to enhance communicative transparency and align with the audience’s expectations.
Metaphorical patterns in news discourse on COP27
Authors: Iori Ilaria
Published: January 2025

This study investigates metaphorical patterns in news discourses on COP27 in the New York Times
and China Daily and aims to explore how metaphors are used to negotiate responsibility and commitments to climate
change. News discourse plays a crucial role in shaping real-world events and reporting on the Conferences of the Parties (COP) on
climate change is therefore crucial for fostering transparency in international climate politics (Gupta 2010). The results show how metaphors are used as argumentative devices, allowing for indirect
comparisons that can be extended, reversed, and twisted (A’Beckett 2012).
Responsibilities are metaphorically attributed in COP27 reports and reveal how the newspapers dialogically modify metaphorical
frames (e.g., fight), with different countries playing various roles in the frame (e.g., victims or culprits).
Eisenhart lift for scalar fields in the FLRW universe
Authors: Chiba Takeshi , Houri Tsuyoshi
Published: January 2025

The Eisenhart lift of Riemannian type describes the motion of a particle as a geodesic in a higher-dimensional Riemannian manifold with one additional coordinate. It has recently been generalized to a scalar field system by introducing one additional vector field. We apply this approach to a scalar field system in the Friedmann–Lemaitre–Robertson–Walker universe and classify the symmetries of the system. In particular, for a scalar field potential consisting of the square of a combination of exponential functions with specific index

e

±

6

4

ϕ

, we find nontrivial (conformal) Killing vector fields and Killing tensor fields. Moreover, for a potential written as an exponentiation of a combination of exponential potentials with general index, we find nontrivial conformal Killing vector fields. By introducing the coordinate along the conformal Killing vector field, we can solve the equations of motion completely. We also classify the symmetries of multiple scalar field system.
A rotable tunable ultra-wideband microwave absorber and simple coding application of gradient structure
Authors: Qiao Shi , Luo Jie , Fang Xiang , Wu Zhuang , Zeng Yanan , Yang Yuntao , Xue Qian , Xiong Jiayi , Fei Hongbin , Zou Yanhong
Published: January 2025

Tunable Microwave Absorbers Can Improve The performance and flexibility of the system. Inspired by the rotation of the fan, we have designed a gradient-structured rotating tunable microwave absorber (GRTMA), which consists of two gradient distribution units on top and bottom. GRTMA has the advantages of good low-frequency performance and ultra-broadband absorption and can switch between double absorption peaks and single absorption peaks by rotating the upper unit. Experimental results have shown that GRTMA can achieve 90% absorption within the 2.56–18 Ghz range, with a bandwidth of 15.44 Ghz. The absorption peak position can be switched by rotation. The simulation results show that different materials can be filled in the upper and lower layers, and the phase difference can be modulated by rotation. This is the basis for coding metamaterials and can be used to enhance the radar cross-section reduction performance of microwave absorbers. Traditional coding metamaterials require pre-designed unit structures with phase differences, and then simulated arrangement to achieve coding effects. Once the arrangement is determined, it cannot be directly changed. Our GRTMA can achieve coding solely through rotation, which greatly improves the flexibility of encoding metamaterials. The feasibility of our gradient-structured rotation encoding was also demonstrated through simple coding experiments in the C-band. Therefore, The GRTMA has extremely high application value in the field of microwave absorption, providing a new direction for the design of tunable microwave absorbers and coding metamaterials.