bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shedding light on evanescent shadows — Exploration of non-anticommuting γ5 in Dimensional Regularisation
Authors: Ebert Paul L. , Kühler Paul , Stöckinger Dominik , Weißwange Matthias
Published: February 2025

Abstract

The mathematical consistency of the BMHV scheme of dimensional regularisation (DReg) comes at the cost of requiring symmetry-restoring counterterms to cancel the regularisation-induced breaking of gauge and BRST invariance. There is no unique way to extend a 4-dimensional theory to D dimensions, and different choices can be made for the dimensionally regularised fermions, evanescent parts of their kinetic terms and evanescent gauge interactions. Here we present a detailed study of the impact of changing such evanescent details. We leverage this freedom to identify a particularly convenient formulation that simplifies practical calculations. In order to thoroughly study the available options, we focus on a general abelian chiral gauge theory including scalar fields and adopt a general approach to the BMHV implementation. This allows for specialisation to various models and different approaches, including those from the literature. Importantly, our model can be specialised to the abelian sector of the Standard Model (SM). Consequently, this article also serves as a roadmap for upcoming applications to the full SM.
Erratum to: Dispersive analysis of B → K(∗) and Bs → ϕ form factors
Authors: Gubernari Nico , Reboud Méril , van Dyk Danny , Virto Javier
Published: February 2025

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP12(2023)153
Compton scattering from superstrings
Authors: Azevedo Thales , Matamoros Daniel E. A. , Menezes Gabriel
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We propose a candidate Compton amplitude which is valid for any (integer) quantum spin and free from any spurious poles. We consider the cases of electromagnetism and gravity. We obtain such amplitudes by calculating the corresponding ones from superstring theory involving states on the leading Regge trajectory. To extract the associated field-theory amplitudes a few considerations in the form of simple physical constraints are required, such as: soft momentum transfer, compactification of polarizations and consistent factorization in the physical channels. We believe the present exploration will be significantly relevant for the physics of compact binary systems with spin.
Reading-off the non-geometric scalar potentials with U-dual fluxes
Authors: Biswas Sayan , Leontaris George K. , Shukla Pramod
Published: February 2025

Abstract

In the context of four-dimensional

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 1 type IIB superstring compactifications, the U-dual completion of the holomorphic flux superpotential leads to four S-dual pairs of fluxes, namely (F, H), (Q, P), (P′, Q′) and (H′, F′). It has been observed that the scalar potentials induced by such generalized superpotentials typically have an enormous amount of terms, making it hard to study any phenomenological aspects such as moduli stabilization. In this regard, we present a set of generic master formulae which not only formulate the scalar potential in a compact way but also enable one to read-off the various scalar potential pieces by simply knowing a set of topological data of the compactifying Calabi Yau and its mirror threefold. We demonstrate the applicability of our master formulae by reading-off the scalar potentials for five explicit models, and using a set of axionic flux combinations we show that 76276 terms arising from the flux superpotential in a 𝕋6
/(ℤ2
× ℤ2)-based model can be equivalently expressed by using 2816 terms, while 11212 terms arising from the flux superpotential in a Quintic-based model can be equivalently expressed by 668 terms! We argue that the master formulae presented in this work can be useful in an analytic exploration of the rich landscape of the non-geometric flux vacua.
Holographic Carrollian currents for massless scattering
Authors: Ruzziconi Romain , Saha Amartya
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We show that the Ward identities of a Carrollian CFT stress tensor at null infinity reproduce the leading and subleading soft graviton theorems for massless scattering in the bulk. We deduce the expressions of the stress tensor components in terms of the bulk radiative modes, and these components turn out to be local at

$$ \mathcal{I} $$

I

in terms of the twistor potentials. This analysis makes the correspondence between the large-time limit of Carrollian amplitudes and the soft limit of momentum space amplitudes manifest. We then construct Carrollian CFT currents from the ascendants of the hard graviton operator, which satisfy the Lw
1+∞
algebra. We show that the large-time limit of their Ward identities implies an infinite tower of projected soft graviton theorems in the bulk, while their finite-time OPEs encode the collinear limit of scattering amplitudes.
Spherical branes and the BMN matrix quantum mechanics
Authors: Bobev Nikolay , Bomans Pieter , Gautason Friðrik Freyr
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We study the maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on S

d
using supersymmetric localisation and holography. We argue that the analytic continuation in dimension to d = 1 yields a Euclidean version of the BMN matrix quantum mechanics. This system can be analysed at large N using supersymmetric localisation and leads to explicit results for the free energy on S

d
and the expectation value of supersymmetric Wilson loops. We show how these results can be reproduced at strong gauge coupling using holography by employing spherical D-brane solutions. We construct these solutions for any value of d using an effective supergravity description and pay particular attention to the subtleties arising in the d → 1 limit. Our results have implications for the BMN matrix quantum mechanics and the physics of circular D0-branes.
Light-cone actions and correlators of self-dual theories in AdS4
Authors: Chowdhury Chandramouli , Doran George , Lipstein Arthur , Monteiro Ricardo , Nagy Silvia , Singh Kajal
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Self-dual Yang-Mills and Einstein gravity in Euclidean AdS4 are useful toy models because they can be described by simple scalar Lagrangians exhibiting a new manifestation of the colour/kinematics duality, as recently shown by two of the authors. In this paper, we clarify how the self-dual sectors fit into the full theories. In particular, we explicitly construct the light-cone action for Yang-Mills theory and Einstein gravity in AdS4 in terms of positive and negative helicity fields, where we are able to pinpoint the self-dual sector as expected. We then show that the boundary correlators of these theories take a remarkably simple form in terms of Feynman diagrams in half of flat space, acted on by certain differential operators. We also analyse their soft limits and show that they exhibit Weinberg-like soft factors, where the soft pole which appears in scattering amplitudes is replaced by a derivative with respect to the energy.
Exploring chirality structure in nucleon decay
Authors: Hamaguchi Koichi , Hor Shihwen , Nagata Natsumi , Takahashi Hiroki
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Baryon number is an accidental symmetry in the Standard Model, but its violation is theoretically anticipated, making the search for such processes a promising avenue for discovering new physics. In this paper, we explore how measurements of different nucleon decay channels can reveal the structure of the underlying theory. We investigate the chirality structure of baryon-number violating interactions through lifetime measurements of strangeness-conserving nucleon-decay channels. By employing an effective field theory approach, we demonstrate that the ratio of partial decay widths of proton decay channels, Γ(p → ηℓ
+)/Γ(p → π
0
ℓ
+), where ℓ
+ denotes a positron or anti-muon, is sensitive to this chirality structure. Furthermore, we find that in certain new physics models, both anti- lepton and anti-neutrino channels provide valuable insights into the model’s structure. Our results highlight the importance of searching for various decay channels in upcoming nucleon decay experiments.
Pseudospectra of complex momentum modes
Authors: García-Fariña David , Landsteiner Karl , Romeu Pau G. , Saura-Bastida Pablo
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We initiate the study of stability and pseudospectra of complex momentum modes of asymptotically anti-de Sitter black holes. Similar to quasinormal modes, these can be defined as the poles of the holographic Green’s function, albeit for real frequency and complex momentum. Their pseudospectra are in stark contrast to the pseudospectra of quasinormal modes of AdS black holes. Contrary to the case of quasinormal mode pseudospectra, the resolvent is well-defined, and the numerical approximation shows fast convergence. At zero frequency, complex momentum modes are stable normal modes of a Hermitian operator. Even for large frequencies, they show only comparatively mild spectral instability. We also find that local potential perturbations cannot destabilize the lowest complex momentum mode.
Drinfel’d doubles, twists and all that. . . in stringy geometry and M theory
Authors: Çatal-Özer Aybike , Doğan Keremcan , Yetişmişoğlu Cem
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Drinfel’d doubles of Lie bialgebroids play an important role in T-duality of string theories. In the presence of H and R fluxes, Lie bialgebroids should be extended to proto Lie bialgebroids. For both cases, the pair is given by two dual vector bundles, and the Drinfel’d double yields a Courant algebroid. However for U-duality, more complicated direct sum decompositions that are not described by dual vector bundles appear. In a previous work, we extended the notion of a Lie bialgebroid for vector bundles that are not necessarily dual. We achieved this by introducing a framework of calculus on algebroids and examining compatibility conditions for various algebroid properties in this framework. Here our aim is two-fold: extending our work on bialgebroids to include both H- and R-twists, and generalizing proto Lie bialgebroids to pairs of arbitrary vector bundles. To this end, we analyze various algebroid axioms and derive twisted compatibility conditions in the presence of twists. We introduce the notion of proto bialgebroids and their Drinfel’d doubles, where the former generalizes both bialgebroids and proto Lie bialgebroids. We also examine the most general form of vector bundle automorphisms of the double, related to twist matrices, that generate a new bracket from a given one. We analyze various examples from both physics and mathematics literatures in our framework.
Analyzing the semileptonic and nonleptonic Bc → J/ψ, ηc decays
Authors: Biswas Aritra , Nandi Soumitra , Sahoo Shantanu
Published: February 2025

Abstract

This study focuses on the decay of the B

c
meson to S-wave charmonia. Starting with lattice inputs on B

c
→ J/ψ form factors, we have obtained the B

c
→ η

c
form factors using heavy quark spin symmetry (HQSS) relations between the associated form factors after parametrizing and extracting the possible symmetry breaking corrections. Using the q
2 shapes of these form factors, we have computed the branching fractions

$$ \mathcal{B} $$

B

(

$$ {B}_c^{-} $$

B
c
−

→ η

c

ℓ

−

$$ \overline{\nu} $$

ν
¯

) (with ℓ = τ, μ(e)) and the decay rate distributions and have predicted the Standard model estimate for the observable R(η

c
) = Γ(

$$ {B}_c^{-} $$

B
c
−

→ η

c

τ

−

$$ \overline{\nu} $$

ν
¯

)/Γ(

$$ {B}_c^{-} $$

B
c
−

→ η

c

μ

−

$$ \overline{\nu} $$

ν
¯

) = 0.310 ± 0.042. In addition, we have estimated the radial wave functions

$$ {\psi}_{B_c}^R $$

ψ

B
c

R

(0),

$$ {\psi}_{J/\psi}^R $$

ψ

J
/
ψ

R

(0) and

$$ {\psi}_{\eta_c}^R $$

ψ

η
c

R

(0) at small Bc J/ψ ηc quark-antiquark distances from the available information on the form factors from lattice, the lattice inputs on the decay constants f

J/ψ
,

$$ {f}_{\eta_c} $$

f

η
c

,

$$ {f}_{B_c} $$

f

B
c

and experimental data on radiative and rare decays of the J/ψ and η

c
mesons. To do so, we choose the theory framework of non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) effective theory. Using our results, we have predicted the branching fractions of a few non-leptonic decays of B

c
→ J/ψ or η

c
and other light mesons. We have also updated the numerical estimates of the cross sections σ(e
+
e

−
→ J/ψη

c

, η

c

γ) and predicted the branching fractions of Z boson decays to either J/ψ or η

c
final states or both.
Imaging Mofette Structures in the Ohře Rift System, Czech Republic, Using Radio-Magnetotelluric Data
Authors: Rulff Paula , Weckmann Ute , Kalscheuer Thomas , Willkommen Gregor , Buntin Laura Maria , Platz Anna
Published: February 2025

The pathways of fluids and mantle-originated carbon dioxide in the seismically active Ohře (Eger) Rift system appearing as mofettes at the surface are currently subject to investigation, especially by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program “Drilling the Eger Rift”. If the aquifers show significant contrast in electrical resistivity to the host rocks, they can be investigated with geo-electromagnetic methods. However, imaging complex fluid and CO2 pathways in detail in near-surface structures is challenging, because, in contrast to the background stratigraphy, they are often oriented in near-vertical directions. Therefore, we aim to investigate how the shallow aquifer structures can be examined best with an inductive electromagnetic method. For this purpose, we collected radio-magnetotelluric data in the Hartoušov mofette field and evaluated them by two- and three-dimensional inversions. Data from a nearby magnetotelluric station, drill hole data, gas flux measurements and electrical resistivity tomography models were used to assess the reliability and robustness of our inversion results. We concluded that the near-surface fluid reservoirs are adequately depictable, while the migration paths of gaseous CO2 cannot be traced properly due to a lack of resistivity contrast. Our model analyses suggest that imaging the given geological setting with fluids and gases ascending in anastomosing pathways benefits from a fine-scale three-dimensional inversion approach because the fluids mostly appear as local conductive reservoir-like anomalies, which can be falsely projected onto the profiles during inversion in two dimensions. The resistivity models contribute with detailed images of the near-surface aquifers to the geodynamic model of the Ohře Rift.
Reduced GIRK expression in midbrain dopamine neurons during prolonged abstinence from fentanyl self-administration
Authors: Pachenari Narges , Channell Amy L. , Belilos Andrew J. , Dienel Samuel J. , Moussawi Khaled
Published: February 2025

Rationale

Despite decades of research and medical development, relapse to drug seeking continues to be a significant challenge in the treatment of substance use disorders. GABAB receptor (GABAB-R) agonists have been shown preclinically to inhibit relapse by acting on midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons and are sometimes used off-label for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Studies in rodent models show reduced GABAB-R signaling in DA neurons after exposure to stimulants. Similarly, our recent data demonstrated reduced GABAB-R currents in DA neurons during prolonged abstinence from fentanyl vapor self-administration (SA). However, the mechanism of opioid-induced changes in GABAB-R currents is not well understood. In addition, GABAB-R agonists are plagued with a plethora of side effects limiting their potential clinical use.

Objectives

In this study we aimed to answer the following questions: first, can we use GABAB-R positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) to inhibit relapse to opioid seeking? Secondly, how do opioids result in reduced GABAB-R signaling during prolonged abstinence?

Approach

To this end, we tested the effects of a novel GABAB-R PAM (KK-92A) on reinstatement of drug seeking in a rat model of intravenous (IV) fentanyl SA. Using in situ hybridization with RNAscope, we examined the effects of opioids on mRNA levels of various genes involved in GABAB-R signaling, in two rodent models of opioid addiction including a rat model of IV fentanyl SA and a mouse model of fentanyl vapor SA.

Results

Our results show that KK-92A inhibits relapse to fentanyl but not sucrose-seeking in rats, and fentanyl SA results in reduced mRNA levels of the G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channel subtypes 2 and 3 (GIRK2/3).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that PAMs like KK-92A are a potential therapeutic strategy for opioid use disorder and their effect is likely due to rectifying GABAB-R mediated inhibition of midbrain DA neurons, which is reduced after opioid SA due to reduced GIRK2/3 expression.
Comparison of locking plate and conservative treatment in elderly patients with displaced proximal humerus fractures
Authors: Bezirgan Uğur , Kısmet Malik , Kıratlıoğlu Yusuf , Yalçın Mehmet , Armangil Mehmet
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aimed to compare the outcomes of conservative treatment and locking plate osteosynthesis in displaced proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients.

Methods

The study included patients over the age of 60 who were admitted to a tertiary trauma centre between 2020 and 2023, all diagnosed with 2-, 3-, or 4-part proximal humerus fractures. A total of 45 patients underwent either conservative management or locking plate fixation. In the older cohort, patients with Neer Type 2–4 fractures were treated conservatively using Velpeau immobilization. Displaced fractures, specifically 3- and 4-part fractures per the Neer classification, were treated surgically with locking plate fixation. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Constant Shoulder score, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score, and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, with a minimum follow-up period of one year. Radiographic assessment focused on varus collapse, medial cortex displacement, greater tubercle displacement, absence of fracture lines, and callus formation. Complications, including nonunion, malunion, and avascular necrosis, were also recorded.

Results

Of the 45 patients, 22 underwent locking plate fixation (Group A), while 23 were managed conservatively (Group B). In terms of fracture type, 20 patients were classified as Neer Type 2, 23 as Neer Type 3, and 2 as Neer Type 4. The mean patient age was 73.38 years. Functional scores (DASH, ASES, and Constant) were similar between the two groups, and no significant differences were observed in radiographic parameters. However, complications were significantly more frequent in the locking plate group compared to the conservative group. Two patients who underwent surgery experienced nonunion at the humeral neck. Additionally, secondary surgery was required in one patient due to postoperative infection and in another due to screw penetration into the joint. While no correlation was found between humeral neck malunions and functional outcomes, a negative correlation was observed between tubercle malunions and functional scores.

Conclusion

In elderly patients with proximal humerus fractures, no significant differences in functional outcomes were observed between locking plate fixation and conservative treatment. However, locking plate fixation was associated with a higher incidence of complications and secondary surgeries. Thus, it appears that locking plate fixation does not offer superior outcomes compared to conservative management in this patient population.
Local clinical practice patterns in urolithiasis guidelines: a critical evaluation from Turkey
Authors: Sarica Kemal , Güzel Rasim , Bayraktar Zeki , Yildirim Salih , Yasar Hikmet , Sarica Göksu , Sahın Cahit
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the current clinical practice patterns regarding the utilization of “Urolithiasis Guidelines” in Turkey and to identify critical factors influencing their application by urologists.

Methods

The study targeted practicing urologists in Turkey, primarily those involved in the management of urolithiasis, to assess their perspectives and experiences regarding the clinical application of established guidelines. A total of 415 urology specialists were invited to participate in a survey-based study conducted via Google Forms. Participation was voluntary, and 65.08% of the invited urologists completed the survey.

Results

Among the respondents, 84.7% reported utilizing the available guidelines in their routine clinical practice, with varying frequencies of reference. The primary motivations for guideline use were the prevention of potential complications and the avoidance of legal risks, as indicated by 90.5% of respondents. While 56.9% of participants adhered to the guidelines as a clinically standardized practice, 41.6% reported applying the recommendations on a case-by-case basis. Notably, 41.0% of respondents emphasized the need for locally adapted versions of guideline texts. Additionally, nearly half of the participants reported receiving no formal education or training on the significance, content, and practical application of these guidelines. Furthermore, 12.7% expressed skepticism about the evidence-based foundation of the guidelines, questioning whether the recommendations were derived from rigorously conducted studies.

Conclusion

The available urolithiasis guidelines are recognized as valuable resources offering key recommendations for the effective and safe management of urolithiasis. However, findings from this survey highlight significant variability in clinical practice patterns due to local conditions and the individual experience and attitudes of practicing urologists. The application of guideline recommendations is further influenced by perceptions regarding their development, content, and practicality. Insights gathered from this study may contribute to improving the preparation, dissemination, and implementation of urolithiasis guidelines, particularly in adapting them to local clinical settings.
A retrospective cohort study of laparoscopic enhanced view totally extra-peritoneal Rives-Stoppa (eTEP-RS) repair of incisional ventral hernias in patients with morbid obesity
Authors: Rayman Shlomi , Molham Mohamad , Orgad Ran , Gelman Hana , Gorgov Eliyahu , Mnouskin Youri
Published: February 2025

Background

Incisional hernia (IH) repair in morbidly obese (MO) patients poses significant challenges due to higher risks of complications and recurrence. Traditional open repairs are linked to increased morbidity, driving interest in minimally invasive techniques. The enhanced view totally extra-peritoneal Rives-Stoppa (eTEP-RS) technique shows promise as a laparoscopic method for IH repair, but data on its efficacy and safety in MO patients are limited. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and feasibility of the eTEP-RS approach specifically for IH repair in this high-risk population.

Methods

Analysis of a retrospective cohort of consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic eTEP-RS for IH repair between 2017 and 2022 which included 135 patients, categorized into two groups based on body mass index (BMI): the MO group (BMI > 35 kg/m2) and the control group (BMI ≤ 35 kg/m2). We compared demographics, comorbidities, hernia characteristics, intra-operative data, post-operative outcomes, and hernia recurrence rates.

Results

Patients in the MO group had significantly more type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 18, 51% vs n = 25, 25%; p = 0.004), hypertension (n = 35, 73% vs n = 75, 53%; p = 0.017), dyslipidemia (n = 29, 60% vs n = 58, 41%; p = 0.021), ASA score 3 (n = 18, 52% vs n = 23, 23%; p = 0.004), a history of previous umbilical hernia repair (n = 13, 27% vs n = 13, 9.2%; p = 0.002), and bariatric surgery (n = 10, 29% vs n = 13, 13%; p = 0.035). There were no differences in intra-operative characteristics, operative times, or intra-operative complications between groups. During a median follow-up period of 1 year (IQR 40–680 days), there were no differences in hernia recurrence (n = 2, 5.7% vs n = 9, 9%; p = 0.07), time to recurrence, or chronic analgesia usage between groups.

Conclusion

The laparoscopic eTEP-RS approach was safe and effective for IH repair in patients with MO, demonstrating comparable post-operative outcomes and recurrence rates to those with a lower BMI in a selected cohort of patients.
Identification of the difference threshold for sequential curvature gain variations of redirected walking
Authors: Lee Chang-Gyu
Published: February 2025

Redirected walking was developed so that humans can experience a relatively large virtual space while walking through a relatively small real space. Then, follow-up studies were conducted to find detection and difference thresholds to prevent human perception of redirection. Based on these values, the human perception of redirection can be prevented by limiting the redirection magnitude or the variation magnitude of redirection. However, when the desired curvature gain is two or three times greater than the difference threshold, it should be divided and presented during more than two sequential sampling intervals. Meanwhile, it has not been revealed how the difference threshold changes when a curvature gain variation smaller than the difference threshold occurs during more than two sequential sampling intervals. Therefore, through psychophysical study, this paper found the difference threshold when a curvature gain variation smaller than the difference threshold is presented for more than two sequential sampling intervals. As a result, the difference threshold was found to be 2.36
$$^\circ $$
/m when the reference curvature gain was between 1.5
$$^\circ $$
/m and 3.5
$$^\circ $$
/m. This value is not significantly different from the difference threshold when curvature gain variation is presented without considering the difference threshold. In the future, we plan to identify difference threshold when the curvature gain variation that is smaller than the difference threshold occurs discontinuously.
Generalised André-Pink-Zannier conjecture for Shimura varieties of Abelian type
Authors: Richard Rodolphe , Yafaev Andrei
Published: February 2025

In this paper we prove the generalised André-Pink-Zannier conjecture (an important case of the Zilber-Pink conjecture) for all Shimura varieties of abelian type. Questions of this type were first asked by Y. André in 1989. We actually prove a general statement for all Shimura varieties, subject to certain assumptions that are satisfied for Shimura varieties of abelian type and are expected to hold in general. We also prove another result, a 

$p$

p

-adic Kempf-Ness theorem, on the relation between good reduction of homogeneous spaces over 

$p$

p

-adic integers with Mumford stability property in

$p$

p

-adic geometric invariant theory.
Active Arm Swing During Running Improves Rotational Stability of the Upper Body and Metabolic Energy Efficiency
Authors: Koo Young-Jun , Ogihara Naomichi , Koo Seungbum
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The kinematic benefits of arm swing during running for upper body stability have been previously investigated, while its role in metabolic energy efficiency remains controversial. To address this, this study aimed to test the hypothesis that active arm swing during running reduces both torso angular motion around the longitudinal axis and metabolic energy consumption.

Methods

We employed forward dynamics musculoskeletal running simulations with different arm conditions to investigate the hypothesis. Full-body musculoskeletal running models, incorporating 150 muscles, were developed using artificial neural network-based running controllers. Three arm conditions were simulated using the running models and controllers: active arm swing, passive arm swing, and fixed arms.

Results

Our results revealed that the active arm swing model demonstrated the lowest total metabolic energy consumption per traveling distance. The costs of transport were 5.52, 5.73, and 5.82 J/kg-m for active, passive, and fixed arm models, respectively. Interestingly, while metabolic energy consumption in the upper limb muscles was higher during active arm swing, the total energy consumption was lower. Additionally, the longitudinal rotation of the torso was minimal in the active arm swing condition.

Conclusion

These findings support our hypothesis, demonstrating that active arm swing during running reduces the angular motion of the torso and the metabolic energy consumption. This study provides evidence that arm swing during running is performed actively as an energy-saving mechanism. These results contribute to understanding of running biomechanics and may have implications for performance optimization in sports and rehabilitation settings.
From bench to bedside: murine models of inherited and sporadic brain arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Ricciardelli Ashely R. , Genet Gael , Genet Nafiisha , McClugage Samuel T. , Kan Peter T. , Hirschi Karen K. , Fish Jason E. , Wythe Joshua D.
Published: February 2025

Brain arteriovenous malformations are abnormal vascular structures in which an artery shunts high pressure blood directly to a vein without an intervening capillary bed. These lesions become highly remodeled over time and are prone to rupture. Historically, brain arteriovenous malformations have been challenging to treat, using primarily surgical approaches. Over the past few decades, the genetic causes of these malformations have been uncovered. These can be divided into (1) familial forms, such as loss of function mutations in TGF-β (BMP9/10) components in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, or (2) sporadic forms, resulting from somatic gain of function mutations in genes involved in the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway. Leveraging these genetic discoveries, preclinical mouse models have been developed to uncover the mechanisms underlying abnormal vessel formation, and thus revealing potential therapeutic targets. Impressively, initial preclinical studies suggest that pharmacological treatments disrupting these aberrant pathways may ameliorate the abnormal pathologic vessel remodeling and inflammatory and hemorrhagic nature of these high-flow vascular anomalies. Intriguingly, these studies also suggest uncontrolled angiogenic signaling may be a major driver in bAVM pathogenesis. This comprehensive review describes the genetics underlying both inherited and sporadic bAVM and details the state of the field regarding murine models of bAVM, highlighting emerging therapeutic targets that may transform our approach to treating these devastating lesions.
Mapping the extent and exploring the drivers of cocoa agroforestry in Nigeria, insights into trends for climate change adaptation
Authors: Koralewicz Anita , Vlcek Jan , Menor Imma Oliveras , Hirons Mark , Akinyugha Akinyemi , Olowoyo Olalekan Sikiru , Ajayi-Ebenezer Mercy , Owen Oliver
Published: February 2025

Climate change threatens West Africa’s cocoa sector due to rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall, exacerbating concerns for environmental degradation and socio-economic challenges. In Nigeria, modernization efforts promoting full-sun cocoa have been linked to deforestation and biodiversity loss. The promotion of traditional cocoa agroforestry methods are regaining interest as an approach to climate adaptation and forest restoration. This case study on Ekiti State, Nigeria, aims to understand the physical extent to which full-sun and agroforestry cocoa practices have been employed, while exploring the complex and interlinked dynamics informing land use decision-making in the area. Remote sensing leveraging tasseled cap indices for Sentinel 2 data were used to delineate cocoa agroforestry from full-sun systems. Interviews with policymakers and local cocoa producers across 15 out of 16 local government areas were analyzed through thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Agroforestry constituted 18% of Ekiti land while full-sun cocoa covered 13%. Thus, 57% of cocoa cover in Ekiti State was agroforestry. The classification had overall spatial differentiation accuracy of 73.1% with a kappa statistic of 68% indicating substantial agreement strength between the classification and the collected validation data. Interviews were similarly aligned, with 74% of respondents using agroforestry or mixed methods. The continued use, despite government promotion of full-sun methods, suggests limited policy uptake and the enduring value of agroforestry for farmers. This research can contribute to improved monitoring of cocoa-driven tree loss and provide important context for policy and program design to enhance climate change adaptation in similar cocoa producing regions.
Mind the naive forecast! a rigorous evaluation of forecasting models for time series with low predictability
Authors: Beck Nico , Dovern Jonas , Vogl Stefanie
Published: February 2025

In the field of time series forecasting, numerous machine learning studies have assessed the performance of new methods on highly volatile data from macroeconomics and finance. Unlike in other domains, where models are also compared to simpler statistical or naive baselines, they mostly compare the performance solely relative to other complex models. This approach may lead to limited conclusions and reduce the practical significance of the results, as it overlooks the unpredictability of some highly volatile time series in the datasets used. We apply state-of-the-art methods from time-series econometrics and machine learning, including autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), exponential smoothing (ETS), Bayesian vector autoregressive model (BVAR), long-short term memory neural networks (LSTM), historical consistent neural networks (HCNN), deep vector autoregressive neural networks (DeepVAR), temporal fusion transformers (TFT), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). Our results demonstrate that no method consistently outperforms the naive (no-change) forecast for highly volatile time series from two popular datasets containing exchange rates and stock prices, rendering comparative analysis between complex models less meaningful. In contrast, when applied to more predictable macroeconomic price indices, many of the methods significantly outperform naive forecasts. We find that the performance of machine learning models deteriorates more than that of statistical models for high-volatility time series. This study highlights the critical importance of using appropriate benchmark models, including cost-effective, simple approaches, on datasets that permit meaningful conclusions.
A comparative evaluation of clustering-based outlier detection
Authors: Sánchez Vinces Braulio V. , Schubert Erich , Zimek Arthur , Cordeiro Robson L. F.
Published: February 2025

We perform an extensive experimental evaluation of clustering-based outlier detection methods. These methods offer benefits such as efficiency, the possibility to capitalize on more mature evaluation measures, more developed subspace analysis for high-dimensional data and better explainability, and yet they have so-far been neglected in literature. To our knowledge, our work is the first effort to analytically and empirically study their advantages and disadvantages. Our main goal is to evaluate whether or not clustering-based techniques can compete in efficiency and effectiveness against the most studied state-of-the-art algorithms in the literature. We consider the quality of the results, the resilience against different types of data and variations in parameter configuration, the scalability, and the ability to filter out inappropriate parameter values automatically based on internal measures of clustering quality. It has been recently shown that several classic, simple, unsupervised methods surpass many deep learning approaches and, hence, remain at the state-of-the-art of outlier detection. We therefore study 14 of the best classic unsupervised methods, in particular 11 clustering-based methods and 3 non-clustering-based ones, using a consistent parameterization heuristic to identify the pros and cons of each approach. We consider 46 real and synthetic datasets with up to 125k points and 1.5k dimensions aiming to achieve plausibility with the broadest possible diversity of real-world use cases. Our results indicate that the clustering-based methods are on par with (if not surpass) the non-clustering-based ones, and we argue that clustering-based methods like KMeans−− should be included as baselines in future benchmarking studies, as they often offer a competitive quality at a relatively low run time, besides several other benefits.
Experimental Compressed Liquid Density Measurements and Correlation of the Binary Mixture {n-Pentane (R601) + Trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propene (R1233zd(E))}
Authors: Menegazzo Davide , Lombardo Giulia , Vallese Laura , Bobbo Sergio
Published: February 2025

Regulations like the F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573 and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, along with efforts to mitigate climate change, drive research into alternatives to fluorinated greenhouse gases for high-temperature heat pumps and power generation. Ideal refrigerants should have low GWP, high efficiency, non-flammability, non-toxicity, material compatibility and cost effectiveness. HCFOs have emerged as promising candidates, both as pure fluids and in mixtures with HCs. These blends show efficiency and potential non-flammability for high-temperature applications, but experimental data on their thermophysical properties remain scarce. This study presents the first experimental measurements on the {n-pentane (R601) + trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propene (R1233zd(E))} binary system. In particular, the compressed liquid density of three mixture compositions have been measured employing a vibrating tube densimeter within the temperature range from 283.15 K to 423.15 K and at pressures ranging from 1 MPa to 12 MPa. A novel technique was applied to ensure a combined uncertainty (k=2) not greater than 0.0003 mol

$$\cdot$$

·

mol

$$^{-1}$$

-
1

in the mixture composition, leading to final combined uncertainty (k=2) on the liquid density of no more than 0.2%. Finally, a new mixture model based on the Helmholtz-energy-explicit Equation of State has been developed from such experimental data. This model accurately represents the behaviour of the binary mixture, enhancing the available understanding of its thermodynamic properties.
Teaching to whom and with whom: the role of context in developing preservice teachers’ self-efficacy for teaching engineering and coding via robotics
Authors: Kidd Jennifer , Gutierrez Kristie , Lee Min Jung , Rhemer Danielle , Pazos Pilar , Kaipa Krishna , Ringleb Stacie , Ayala Orlando
Published: February 2025

Due to mandates for the inclusion of engineering and computer science standards for K-6 schools nationwide, there is a need to understand how teacher educators can help develop preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) teaching self-efficacy in these areas. To provide experience teaching and learning engineering and coding, PSTs in an instructional technology course were partnered with undergraduate engineering students in an electromechanical systems course to teach robotics lessons to fifth graders (10–11 year olds) over Zoom. A multi-case study approach explored teaching self-efficacy development for three preservice teachers during their robotics project experiences using multiple data sources, including surveys, reflections, interviews, and Zoom recordings, which were examined to identify how the project's social and intrapersonal context influenced the development of each PST’s teaching self-efficacy for engineering and coding. The PSTs gained teaching self-efficacy through all four sources of teaching self-efficacy, although not all PSTs benefited from all four types, nor did they benefit equally. These sources also influenced the PSTs’ intention to integrate engineering and coding into their future classrooms. This study demonstrates the potential of providing PSTs with the opportunity to teach robotics to children during their teacher preparation programs to support the development of their teaching self-efficacy for engineering and coding. When conducted in the context of a college course, such opportunities can be thoughtfully structured to leverage positive interactions with peers and elementary students and to take advantage of low-stakes environments, like afterschool clubs, offering PSTs settings rich in sources of self-efficacy information.
Decoding sustainable entrepreneurship current research and future direction through application of machine learning-based structured topic modeling on intellectual corpus
Authors: Abbas Muhammad Hassan , Bullut Mehmet , Ali Hassnian
Published: February 2025

This study leverages structured topic modeling (STM) to decode the expansive intellectual corpus on sustainable entrepreneurship, utilizing a dataset of 363 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus over a decade. Focused on “sustainable entrepreneurship” and related terms, the STM method integrated document-specific metadata to enhance the analysis of thematic developments. The findings revealed ten distinct topics, such as innovation in firm performance, sustainability in business models, and the role of education in sustainable intentions, highlighting the interplay between these themes and their evolution. This research identifies key thematic areas and examines the influence of source titles and publication years on topic prevalence, indicating shifts in academic focus and identifying emerging trends. The study’s implications suggest integrating sustainability into core business and educational strategies, enhancing the understanding of sustainable entrepreneurship’s dynamic nature, and providing a foundation for future scholarly and practical efforts.
Non-equilibrium Phase Coexistence in Boundary-Driven Diffusive Systems
Authors: Sasa Shin-ichi , Nakagawa Naoko
Published: February 2025

Liquid–gas phase coexistence in a boundary-driven diffusive system is studied by analyzing fluctuating hydrodynamics of a density field defined on a one-dimensional lattice with a space interval

$$\varLambda $$

Λ

. When an interface width

$$\ell $$

ℓ

is much larger than

$$\varLambda $$

Λ

, the discrete model becomes the standard fluctuating hydrodynamics, where the phase coexistence condition is given by the local equilibrium thermodynamics. In contrast, when

$$\ell < \varLambda $$

ℓ
<
Λ

, the most probable density profile is determined by a new variational principle, where the chemical potential at the interface is found to deviate from the equilibrium coexistence chemical potential. This means that metastable states at equilibrium stably appear near the interface as the influence of the particle current. The variational function derived in the theoretical analysis is also found to be equivalent to the variational function formulated in an extended framework of thermodynamics called global thermodynamics. Finally, the validity of the theoretical result is confirmed by numerical simulations.
Exploring sex-specific hematological changes and their impact on quality of life in patients with prolactinoma
Authors: Detomas Mario , Deutschbein Timo , Dolce Pasquale , Möhres Yvonne , Fassnacht Martin , Altieri Barbara
Published: February 2025

Context

Despite prolactin´s (PRL) role in stimulating hematopoiesis, anemia is commonly observed in men with macroprolactinomas. However, hematological changes in men with microprolactinomas and women with prolactinomas remain unexplored, and the impact of erythropoietic alterations on quality of life (QoL) is still unclear.

Objective

To explore sex-related changes in red blood cell (RBC) parameters and their potential impact on QoL at initial diagnosis of prolactinoma and after normalization of PRL under dopamine agonists.

Design

Retrospective, monocentric study involving 205 patients with prolactinoma (127 women, 62%). The SF-36 QoL questionnaire was administered to 57 women and 34 men.

Results

In women, no significant changes in RBC parameters were observed at diagnosis or after PRL normalization, regardless the adenoma size. Conversely, men with microprolactinoma showed a significant increase in hematocrit (HCT) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels after PRL normalization (median HCT 42.3 vs.44.0%; Hb 14.5 vs. 15.1 g/dL; both p < 0.005). Men with macroprolactinoma exhibited similar improvements (HCT 40.2 vs. 43.9%; Hb 14.0 vs. 15.1 g/dL; both p < 0.0001). In men, hypogonadism was observed in 73% of patients at baseline, and in 11% after PRL normalization. In male patients where SF-36 was administered at diagnosis and after PRL normalization, energy improvement was observed (median 50 vs. 60, p < 0.05). While changes in Hb and HCT were not significantly impacting the QoL of women and men, persistence of hypogonadism after PRL normalization, negatively impacted all the QoL scores of men.

Conclusion

Patients with prolactinoma show sex-dependent changes in RBC parameters. Unlike women, men exhibit decreased HCT and Hb levels irrespective of adenoma size. Of note, the failure to recover from hypogonadism significantly affected the QoL of men.
The role of BRAF testing of Rathke’s cleft cysts to identify missed papillary craniopharyngioma
Authors: Candy Nicholas G. , Mignone E. , Quick E. , Koszyca B. , Brown A. , Chapman I. M. , Torpy D. J. , Vrodos N. , Santoreneos S. , De Sousa S. M. C.
Published: February 2025

Aim

The differential diagnosis of cystic sellar/suprasellar lesions includes craniopharyngioma (CP) and Rathke’s cleft cyst (RCC). Histological differentiation between cystic papillary craniopharyngioma (pCP) and RCC using light microscopy alone is challenging. A major point of difference is that virtually all pCPs are clonal for the BRAF V600E variant, whereas RCCs are not. Noting that BRAF testing of RCCs is not current standard practice, we hypothesised that routinely performing BRAF studies in RCCs might uncover otherwise missed pCPs.

Method

We performed a retrospective cohort study of all RCCs operated on at Flinders Medical Centre, the Memorial and Royal Adelaide Hospitals, between 2001 and 2023. In cases with sufficient tissue, we performed BRAF V600E immunohistochemistry (IHC) and BRAF next generation sequencing (NGS) of extracted tumour DNA.

Results

Of eleven patients with suitable operative specimens, one patient with an initial diagnosis of RCC was revised to pCP following BRAF testing with equivocal positivity on BRAF IHC and clear identification of the V600E variant on NGS. The patient’s subsequent clinical course was aggressive and more compatible with pCP than RCC.

Conclusion

This study highlights the potential value of BRAF testing in RCCs to identify missed pCP, which is an especially timely finding given the advent of primary medical therapy with BRAF inhibition for pCP. In the absence of guidelines advising on the use of BRAF studies in sellar lesions, we suggest consideration of BRAF testing of all RCCs, particularly if there is squamous metaplasia or disease recurrence.
Home as mind: AI extenders and affective ecologies in dementia care
Authors: Krueger Joel
Published: February 2025

I consider applications of “AI extenders” to dementia care. AI extenders are AI-powered technologies that extend minds in ways interestingly different from old-school tech like notebooks, sketch pads, models, and microscopes. I focus on AI extenders as ambiance: so thoroughly embedded into things and spaces that they fade from view and become part of a subject’s taken-for-granted background. Using dementia care as a case study, I argue that ambient AI extenders are promising because they afford richer and more durable forms of multidimensional integration than do old-school extenders like Otto’s notebook. They can be tailored, in fine-grained ways along multiple timescales, to a user’s particular needs, values, and preferences—and crucially, they can do much of this self-optimizing on their own. I discuss why this is so, why it matters, and its potential impact on affect and agency. I conclude with some worries in need of further discussion.