bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epigenetic memory as crucial contributing factor in directing the differentiation of human iPSC into pancreatic β-cells in vitro
Authors: Diane Abdoulaye , Mu-U-Min Razik Bin Abdul , Al-Siddiqi Heba Hussain
Published: January 2025

Impaired insulin secretion contributes to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus through autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells and the pathogenesis of severe forms of type 2 diabetes mellitus through β-cell dedifferentiation and other mechanisms. Replenishment of malfunctioning β-cells via islet transplantation has the potential to induce long-term glycemic control in the body. However, this treatment option cannot widely be implemented in clinical due to healthy islet donor shortage. Emerging β-cell replacement with human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) provides high remedial therapy hopes. Thus, tremendous progress has been made in developing β-cell differentiation protocols in vitro; however, most of the differentiated iPSC-derived β-cells showed immature phenotypes associated with low efficiency depending on the iPSC lines used, creating a crucial barrier for their clinical implementation. Multiple mechanisms including differences in genetic, cell cycle patterns, and mitochondrial dysfunction underlie the defective differentiation propensity of iPSC into insulin-producing β-cells. Accumulating evidence recently indicated that, following the reprogramming, epigenetic memory inherited from parental cells substantially affects the differentiation capacity of many iPSC lines. Therefore, differences in epigenetic signature are likely to be essential contributing factors influencing the propensity of iPSC differentiation. In this review, we will document the impact of the epigenome on the reprogramming efficacy and differentiation potential of iPSCs and how targeting the epigenetic residual memory could be an additional strategy to improve the differentiation efficiency of existing protocols to generate fully functional hPSC-derived pancreatic β-cells for diabetes therapy and drug screening.
How effective and sustainable is proctoring in robotic surgery? A retrospective analysis based on interviews with surgeons
Authors: Günther Veronika , Nees Frauke , Maass Nicolai , von Otte Sören , Ruchay Zino , Pape Julian , Ackermann Johannes , Alkatout Ibrahim
Published: January 2025

Background

Robot-assisted surgery is one of several minimally invasive techniques which have become increasingly important in recent years. Education and training are key factors of sustainable success, and surgical tutoring by an experienced external surgeon (proctoring) has emerged as a very useful method of training surgeons. Proctoring enables surgeons to train their respective skills and eventually improve the overall quality of surgical care.

Methods

To evaluate the sustainability of proctoring, we conducted telephone interviews with colleagues who participated in a single-center surgical proctoring program. The aim was to analyze the feasibility of the concept for being established in the future, how well it suits the surgeons (depending on their individual work experience), and which areas of clinical practice would benefit from proctoring. Furthermore, the surgeons provided free-text comments to the questions on a feedback form handed out after the proctoring.

Results

Surgical skills were significantly enhanced and operating times were reduced after proctoring. Given favorable structural conditions, the number of cases and the case-mix index were also significantly increased. It was found that the learning needs of surgeons differ, depending on their medical function, work experience, and the frequency of robotic surgery. On the feedback forms, proctoring was consistently rated as a positive and supportive measure.

Conclusions

Proctoring is an important aspect of the individual development of surgeons. Depending on learning needs, a structured curriculum is crucial and should be established for the future. Regular feedback modules should be a part of any surgical training concept.
Evaluation of ILAR and PRINTO classifications for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: oligoarticular JIA vs early-onset ANA-positive JIA
Authors: Küçükali Batuhan , Yıldız Çisem , Gülle Buğra Taygun , Gezgin Yıldırım Deniz , Bakkaloğlu Sevcan A.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

The International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) classification was revisited by the Pediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization (PRINTO) in 2018. Classifications should establish uniform groups to assist physicians in providing optimal care. Therefore, we evaluated changes proposed by PRINTO to highlight their impact on forming consistent groups regarding uveitis and treatment responses, particularly focusing on early-onset anti-nuclear antibody (ANA)-positive JIA.

Methods

Pediatric patients diagnosed with JIA according to ILAR and PRINTO classification, with a minimum of 1-year of follow-up, were enrolled, excluding those meeting the exclusion criteria for both the oligoarticular JIA and the early-onset ANA-positive JIA groups.

Results

Among the 139 enrolled patients, 110 (79.1%) had oligoarticular JIA, while 15 (10.8%) had early-onset ANA-positive JIA. The below-age-5 criterion demonstrated the strongest association with uveitis, while the below-age-7 provided similar associations without substantial exclusions (odds ratio (OR) 8.62 [2.50–29.81] vs 7.45 [2.37–26.66]). Patients with a single ANA positivity at a titer ≥ 1/160 and age of onset below 7 had a notably higher risk of new-onset uveitis and biologic DMARD requirement (OR 7.95 [2.37–26.66] and 3.6 [1.42–9.09], respectively).

Conclusion

The inclusion of age of disease onset and ANA positivity with a titer ≥ 1/160 has enhanced uniformity in uveitis risk and treatment response, including failure of conventional synthetic DMARDs. Additionally, a single ANA positivity at a ≥ 1/160 titer rather than requiring two instances yields similar consistency. However, the joint count criteria failed to form consistent groups. PRINTO’s classification places a significant proportion of patients into the “other JIA” group, necessitating further classification for improved clinical utility.

Key Points•Inclusion of age and ANA positivity criteria increased uniformity among the subgroups.•Single ANA positivity at a ≥ 1/160 titer can be sufficient instead of twice.•Early utilization of bDMARDs may be beneficial for early-onset ANA-positive JIA group.•PRINTO classification must further classify the “other JIA” before being implemented in clinical practice.
Radiographic entheseal lesions of the pelvic region are more prevalent in radiographic axSpA than in age- and sex-matched controls and are associated with more severe spinal disease
Authors: Wink F. R. , Diemel T. , Arends S. , Spoorenberg A.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

In axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), entheseal involvement is common, which contributes significantly to disease burden and may also lead to structural damage. Although radiographs of the pelvis are widely available in axSpA, information on entheseal damage and associated characteristics are lacking. Therefore, we assessed the prevalence of radiographic entheseal lesions at the pelvic region in radiographic (r-) axSpA compared with controls and explored associations with patient and disease characteristics.

Methods

Pelvic radiographs of 167 consecutive r-axSpA patients were randomized with 100 pelvic radiographs from age- and sex-matched controls. Radiographs were blinded for patient information and sacroiliac joints and bilaterally evaluated for erosions/cortical irregularities, enthesophytes, and calcifications by two trained readers at the greater and lesser trochanter, os ischium, and iliac crest.

Results

Entheseal lesions were observed in 127 (76%) of r-axSpA patients and 58 (58%) controls. R-axSpA patients showed significantly more (bilateral) entheseal lesions than controls at all entheseal sites. Most lesions were found at the os ischium, erosions/cortical irregularities were most prevalent, and calcification was the most specific lesion in r-axSpA. Patients with lesions were significantly older, had longer symptom duration, and more severe spinal radiographic damage than patients without lesions. Enthesophytes were found significantly more often in patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25.

Conclusion

Structural entheseal lesions observed at pelvic radiographs are not specific but occur often in r-axSpA patients. Treating physicians should keep in mind that these entheseal lesions are associated with more severe axial disease and high BMI which may be relevant for treatment decisions.

Key Points• Pelvic radiographic entheseal lesions are significantly more prevalent in r-axSpA patients than in controls.• Radiographic entheseal lesions are associated with longer symptom duration and more spinal radiographic damage.• Pelvic enthesophytes are found significantly more often in r-axSpA patients with BMI ≥ 25.
An advanced regional integrated water vapor estimation model utilizing least squares support vector machine for the upper Rhine graben region
Authors: Wang Lingke , Kutterer Hansjörg
Published: January 2025

Integrated Water Vapor (IWV) is crucial in environmental research, offering insights into atmospheric dynamics. Direct IWV measurement is challenging, necessitating alternative estimation technologies. Existing methods including Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), radiosondes, water vapor radiometers (WVR), satellite remote sensing, and numerical weather models (NWM), have specific limitations. GNSS and WVR provide high precision and temporal resolution (e.g., 5 min) but are limited to specific locations. Radiosondes, while accurate, have sparse spatial distribution and low temporal resolution (e.g., twice daily). Satellite remote sensing offers broad spatial resolution but lower temporal resolution (hours to days) and reduced accuracy under cloudy conditions and due to satellite tracks. NWMs provide global hourly products but their accuracy depends on meteorological data and model precision.

This study introduces a regional IWV predictive model using Machine Learning to address these challenges. Utilizing IWV data from GNSS stations, the study develops a predictive model based on least squares support vector machine, which autonomously determines optimal parameters to enhance performance. The model enables accurate IWV estimation at any location within a region, using inputs such as latitude, longitude, altitude, and temperature, achieving an average root mean square error of 0.95 mm. The model’s performance varies across seasons and terrains, showing adaptability to diverse conditions. The model’s reliability is validated by comparing its predictions with the conventional ERA5 IWV method, showing a 61% improvement rate. This refined IWV estimation model is applied for regional climate analysis, demonstrating its practical utility in environmental research, specifically for the Upper Rhine Graben Region.
Does the use of engorged adult ticks of Rhipicephalus microplus as substrate modifies the acaricidal behavior of Metarhizium anisopliae?
Authors: Fernández-Salas Agustín , Romero-Pérez Juan Bernardo , Alonso-Díaz Miguel Ángel
Published: January 2025

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is one of the most promising alternatives to regulate tick populations. However, these fungi may lose acaricidal effectiveness over time, due to the storage period and/or successive cultivation on artificial media. It is known that using arthropod pests as a substrate for EPF could potentially alter their acaricidal behavior over time, however, studies using ticks for this purpose are scarce. Hence, the aims of this research were: (1) to isolate strains of Metarhizium anisopliae from paddocks of cattle farms, (2) to evaluate the effect of engorged adult ticks of Rhipicephalus microplus as a substrate on the tickicide behavior of Metarhizium anisopliae strains, and (3) to determine the lethal time of each M. anisopliae strain to kill 50% (LT50) and 99% (LT99) of engorged ticks. First, the natural acaricidal effect of 10 strains of M. anisopliae sensu lato isolated from soils of cattle farms on R. microplus was evaluated. Second, the influence of substrate (R. microplus, Galleria mellonella and Sabouraud dextrose agar [SDA]) on the acaricidal activity and virulence index (lethal time) of each strain during four generations was evaluated. Strains MaV69, MaV60 and MaV67 showed more than 90% mortality at day 20 post-treatment. The use of engorged adult ticks as substrate increased the virulence of five M. anisopliae s.l. strains. Larvae of G. mellonella and SDA as substrate did not modify the acaricidal behavior of the 10 strains evaluated. Seven of ten EPF decreased their LT50 and three decreased their LT99 as an index of their virulence enhancement.
Exploring macroinvertebrate community assembly rules: unraveling the effects of flow intermittency and poor ecological potential on environmental filtering and limiting similarity through functional traits
Authors: Szeles Júlia , B-Béres Viktória , Bozóki Tamás , Fekete Judit , Ficsór Márk , Boda Pál , Várbíró Gábor
Published: January 2025

Flow intermittency and poor environmental conditions can occur separately or simultaneously, affecting the occurrence of trait states in stream macroinvertebrate assemblages. Within the framework of limiting similarity theory, we investigate whether environmental filtering or limiting similarity serves as the primary driver force under three environmental conditions: unstressed (perennial environment and good ecological potential), single-stressed (intermittent condition or poor ecological potential), and multi-stressed (intermittent condition and poor ecological potential) environments. Our analysis validated neutral trait states that are not influenced by different environmental stressors. In unstressed environments, limiting similarity is the primary driver force shaping the macroinvertebrate community. In stressed environments, however, the type of stress determines the influence of environmental filtering. It is not the quantity but rather the quality of stress that increases the influence of environmental filtering. Flow intermittency has a more pronounced effect on the aquatic community than poor ecological potential because it eliminates living conditions, while poor ecological conditions merely restrict them. As anticipated, we observed that certain trait states have specific responses indicating that different driver forces influence them across various environmental conditions. Our study provides valuable insights for managing freshwater habitats and developing adaptive conservation strategies considering increasing drought frequency worldwide.
Hybrid Nanofluids-Based Direct Absorption Solar Collector: An Experimental Approach
Authors: Huminic Gabriela , Huminic Angel , Fleacă Claudiu , Dumitrache Florian
Published: January 2025

In the last years, studies have demonstrated the potential of hybrid nanofluids to enhance the performance of direct absorption solar collectors. These working fluids containing noble metals (gold, silver) are known for their local surface plasmon resonance which is the main cause for the increased absorption within the solar spectrum. In the current paper, new direct absorption solar collectors prototypes using water-ethylene glycol solution and 0.1 wt.% silver nanoparticles + reduced graphene oxide dispersed in water-ethylene glycol mixture were designed, built, and tested under outdoor conditions, at two flow rates (1.0 and 1.5 l·min−1) and two inlet temperatures (20

$$^\circ{\rm C}$$

∘

C

and 30

$$^\circ{\rm C}$$

∘

C

), over several days in September 2023, at Brasov, Romania. The results suggested that by using silver nanoparticles + reduced graphene oxide nanofluid, the efficiency is improved related to water-ethylene glycol solution. The maximum relative enhancement in efficiency was 16.72% related to the base fluid. Also, at 1.0 l·min−1, the instantaneous and accumulative energies delivered were about 13.51% and 42.91%, respectively, higher than the water-ethylene glycol solution. Finally, the current results were compared to other research carried out on full-scale direct absorption solar collectors tested in outdoor conditions.
Operationalizing the ICF Core Sets for Autism and ADHD: A Multiple-Methods Feasibility Study
Authors: Alehagen Lovisa , Hasslinger John , Wessman Elina , Black Melissa , Lundin Remnélius Karl , Helander Johan , Zander Eric , Bölte Sven
Published: January 2025

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) standard for assessing individual functioning. Over the last decade, the ICF has been made more accessible for autism and ADHD through the development and validation of tailored shorter ICF versions for these diagnoses, ICF Core Sets. To further enhance their applicability in research and practice, these Core Sets have been operationalized and implemented on an online platform, the ICF CoreSets platform. Here, we describe the iterative development process of the CoreSets platform. This multiple-methods study examines user feedback on the operationalization of the Core Sets and the feasibility of the CoreSets platform as a functional assessment for autism and ADHD. We collected a total of 678 assessments from the CoreSets platform. Individuals diagnosed with autism and/or ADHD, their relatives, participants from the general population, and professionals completed and provided feedback on the usability of the CoreSets platform. Qualitative feedback via interviews and focus groups were also collected. Qualitative data were analysed via content analysis, while quantitative data were examined using univariate and descriptive techniques. Findings show that the ICF CoreSets platform is feasible and user-friendly, but areas for improvement were also indicated, leading to additional refinement of the operationalization and platform. The operationalization of the ICF Core Sets and their implementation in the CoreSets platform appears adequate for use in research and practice, particularly after revisions indicated by future users, and is now ready for psychometric standardization.
Gender Differences in the Development of Children’s Conduct Problems: A Four-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Álvarez-Voces María , Romero Estrella
Published: January 2025

Gender differences in the trajectories of conduct problems have received very little attention in the literature. The present four-year longitudinal study explores gender differences in conduct problems trajectories through early childhood, assessing gender-specific predictors and outcomes. We identified gender-separated conduct problems trajectories in a sample of 2246 young children (M
age in wave 1 = 4.25; 48.5% girls) using latent class growth analyses. We found five trajectories for girls (i.e., low, average, downward, upward, and stable high) and four for boys (i.e., low, average, stable high, and upward). Low parental warmth was related to the most problematic trajectories only in girls. The interpersonal psychopathic trait (grandiose-deceitful) was more pronounced in girls with higher conduct problems scores relative to other psychopathic traits, whereas in boys, the impulsive trait stood out. Meanwhile, boys’ trajectories were more diverse in terms of negative outcomes (e.g., bullying, victimization) than those of girls. This study contributes to the body of work on heterogeneity in conduct problems by identifying different trajectories according to gender, and shows the relevance of gender in understanding the predictors, development, and outcomes of conduct problems.
Colonisation of the Fiji Islands by the Lurcher Yoma sabina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)
Authors: Fitzsimons James A.
Published: January 2025

Documenting new colonisations of species and rates of establishment on islands is important for studying ecological interactions with resident species and adds to our understanding of island biogeography. Here, I document the apparent recent establishment of the Lurcher Yoma sabina in the Fiji Islands, a butterfly species previously unrecorded in Fiji in the published literature, some 830 km away from its closest known occurrence in Vanuatu. Based on records in iNaturalist, colonisation is likely to have occurred in the early 2020s.
Accuracy of remote, video-based supraventricular tachycardia detection in patients undergoing elective electrical cardioversion: a prospective cohort
Authors: Cramer Iris , van Esch Rik , Verstappen Cindy , Kloeze Carla , van Bussel Bas , Stuijk Sander , Bergmans Jan , van ’t Veer Marcel , Zinger Svitlana , Montenij Leon , Bouwman R. Arthur , Dekker Lukas
Published: January 2025

Unobtrusive pulse rate monitoring by continuous video recording, based on remote photoplethysmography (rPPG), might enable early detection of perioperative arrhythmias in general ward patients. However, the accuracy of an rPPG-based machine learning model to monitor the pulse rate during sinus rhythm and arrhythmias is unknown. We conducted a prospective, observational diagnostic study in a cohort with a high prevalence of arrhythmias (patients undergoing elective electrical cardioversion). Pulse rate was assessed with rPPG via a visible light camera and ECG as reference, before and after cardioversion. A cardiologist categorized ECGs into normal sinus rhythm or arrhythmias requiring further investigation. A supervised machine learning model (support vector machine with Gaussian kernel) was trained using rPPG signal features from 60-s intervals and validated via leave-one-subject-out. Pulse rate measurement performance was evaluated with Bland–Altman analysis. Of 72 patients screened, 51 patients were included in the analyses, including 444 60-s intervals with normal sinus rhythm and 1130 60-s intervals of clinically relevant arrhythmias. The model showed robust discrimination (AUC 0.95 [0.93–0.96]) and good calibration. For pulse rate measurement, the bias and limits of agreement for sinus rhythm were 1.21 [− 8.60 to 11.02], while for arrhythmia, they were − 7.45 [− 35.75 to 20.86]. The machine learning model accurately identified sinus rhythm and arrhythmias using rPPG in real-world conditions. Heart rate underestimation during arrhythmias highlights the need for optimization.
High-Order Well-Balanced Methods for the Euler Equations of Gas Dynamics with Gravitational Forces and the Ripa Model
Authors: Gómez-Bueno I. , Castro M. J. , Parés C.
Published: January 2025

Different well-balanced high-order finite-volume numerical methods for the one-dimensional compressible Euler equations of gas dynamics with gravitational force and for the Ripa model have been proposed in the literature. Most of them preserve either a given family of hydrostatic stationary solutions exactly or all of them approximately. The goal of this paper is to design a general methodology to obtain high-order finite-volume numerical methods for a class of one-dimensional hyperbolic systems of balance laws that preserve approximately all the hydrostatic equilibria and exactly a given family of them. Many fluid models for which the velocity is an eigenvalue of the system belong to this class, the Euler equations and the Ripa model among them. The methods proposed here are based on the design of well-balanced reconstruction operators that require the exact or the approximate computation of local hydrostatic equilibria. To check the efficiency and the well-balancedness of the methods, a number of numerical tests have been performed: the numerical results confirm the theoretical ones.
Global Phase Portrait of a Rolling Motion of Ships Equation
Authors: Álvarez–Ramírez Martha , Llibre Jaume
Published: January 2025

This paper studies the global dynamics of the rolling motion of ships in random beam seas model described by the equation

$$\begin{aligned} \ddot{x}+ (2\mu + \delta x^2){\dot{x}} + \omega ^2 x-\frac{1}{a^2} x^3=0, \end{aligned}$$

x
¨

+

(
2
μ
+
δ

x
2

)

x
˙

+

ω
2

x
-

1

a
2

x
3

=
0
,

where

$$0 < \mu \ll 1$$

0
<
μ
≪
1

,

$$0< \delta < 1$$

0
<
δ
<
1

,

$$\omega =1$$

ω
=
1

and

$$0< a < 3$$

0
<
a
<
3

. We fully explain its dynamics in the Poincaré compactification of

$${{\mathbb {R}}}^2$$

R

2

.
Deutschlands Außenpolitik im Wandel: Der lange Weg und die Grenzen der Versöhnung mit Griechenland
Authors: Karpouchtsis Charalampos Babis
Published: January 2025

Der Artikel stellt die Grundzüge deutscher Versöhnungspolitik gegenüber Griechenland dar, diskutiert sie vor dem Hintergrund aktueller Entwicklungen und bezieht neueste Erkenntnisse des Autors ein. Der Text argumentiert, dass Versöhnungspolitik einen Wandel deutscher Außenpolitik darstellt, der unmittelbar mit der Geschichte des Landes zusammenhängt und hohe Komplexität aufweist. Der Artikel zeigt die Grenzen dieser Politik auf und bietet eine kurze Empfehlung.
Synthetic Receptors Decorated on Nanoparticles for Selective and Sensitive Glyphosate Detection
Authors: Gokturk Ilgım , Ovezova Mamajan , Yilmaz Gaye Ezgi , Turkmen Deniz , Yilmaz Fatma , Denizli Adil
Published: January 2025

Herein, an innovative glyphosate imprinted poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-N-methacroyl-(L)-phenylalanine methyl ester nanoparticles (MIP@NPs) based plasmonic nanosensor featured with high sensitivity and selectivity was constructed by using the molecular imprinting technique and used for real-time glyphosate detection. The characterization of nanoparticles was performed by the nano Zetasizer and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while nanosensors were characterized by the Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) and contact angle measurement. Control experiments were conducted to evaluate the imprinting efficiency on the signal response using a non-imprinted surface plasmon resonance (NIP SPR) nanosensor prepared without adding glyphosate pesticide into the polymerization mixture. The MIP@NPs integrated molecularly imprinted surface plasmon resonance (MIP SPR) nanosensor having synthetic molecular recognition elements yielded a novel biosensing platform for label-free detection and real-time monitoring of glyphosate pesticide. The MIP SPR nanosensor detected the target glyphosate molecule 4.950 times more selectively than the competitor molecule malathion while 3.918 times more selectively than the competitor molecule malaoxon. In addition, the imprinting efficiency factor was found to be 6.76, indicating that the molecular imprinting process was successful. In addition, the imprinting factor was found to be 6.76. Kinetic studies and adsorption characteristics of glycosate adsorption were carried out to assess adsorption dynamics. The linear concentration range for glyphosate detection was 0.001 ppm–10.000 ppm of pesticide, and the detection limit was found to be 0.120 ppb. Studies on the repeatability of the MIP SPR nanosensor revealed that even after five cycles, the signal response for glyphosate detection did not change significantly with relative standard deviation, RSD<1.5 value. The artificial urine selected as the real sample was spiked with glyphosate at a final concentration of 10.000 ppm to evaluate the matrix effect, and the glyphosate amount was reported.
Social interventions for children in street situations in South Africa: socio-legal protection by the South African Department of Social Development
Authors: Matarise Fungai , Chibonore Wilma Claris
Published: January 2025

The protection of children in street situations is a key policy issue that is mostly spearheaded by governments, the non-profit sector, private sector and religious organisations. Children in street situations are a vulnerable population. In South Africa, projects and programs to protect children in need of care and protection emanate from the Department of Social Development (DSD) which is one of the leading government agencies with responsibilities over children in need of care and protection in the country. Though problems experienced by children in street situations have been widely studied, there exists limited research which explores how these children as juridical subjects are targets of specific public policies and social programmes designed purposely for them. This paper situates and analyses the socio-legal and policy contexts for the social protection of children in street situations in South Africa and the role played by the Department of Social Development as the main government entity responsible for vulnerable children. The study adopted a qualitative approach where data was collected through face to face and telephone interviews with social workers who work with children in street situations in Pretoria. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study findings reveal that children in street situations in South Africa fall under a broad category of children in need of care and protection. The children are not viewed as a distinct group, hence, there are no targeted interventions specifically for them as existing interventions are universal for all vulnerable children in South Africa. Thus, social policy for children in need of care and protection should be implemented to target specific groups of children within the broader category of children in need of care and protection in the country.
Laparoscopic Resection of Retroperitoneal Low Grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma With Literature Review
Authors: Lesko Dusan , Soltes Marek , Tomasurova Diana , Katuchova Jana
Published: January 2025

This report details a successful laparoscopic resection of a retroperitoneal low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma. A 57-year-old woman with a BMI of 44.2 presented with recurrent back pain. Imaging via computed tomography (CT) identified a solid tumor measuring 6.5 × 5.7 × 9.2 cm situated in the right retroperitoneum, located between the right kidney and iliac artery, and posterior to the inferior vena cava (IVC). The tumor was successfully removed laparoscopically. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis as a low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, commonly referred to as Evans tumor. The patient experienced an uneventful recovery and was discharged on the fourth postoperative day, asymptomatic. This case highlights the rarity of an Evans tumor within the retroperitoneal space. Follow-up PET-CT and MRI performed one year later returned negative results.
Historiographic Reasoning
Authors: Tucker Aviezer
Published: January 2025

Historiographic reasoning from evidentiary inputs is sui generis. Historiography is neither empirical, nor self-knowledge, nor a genre of fiction or ideology. Historiographic reasoning is irreducible to general scientific or social science reasoning. The book applies Bayesian insights to explicate historiographic reasoning as probable. It distinguishes epistemic transmission of knowledge from evidence from the generation of detailed historiographic knowledge from multiple coherent and independent evidentiary inputs in three modular stages. A history of historiographic reasoning since the late 18th century demonstrates that there was a historiographic scientific revolution across the historical sciences in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The underdetermination of historiography by the evidence, counterfactual historiographic reasoning, and false reasoning and other fallacies are further explained and discussed in terms of the probabilistic relations between the evidence and historiography.
Lowcountry Conjure Magic
Authors: Moses Sharon K.
Published: January 2025

Cat Island, South Carolina, was once the location of slave trade activities, including capture of Native Americans for export and the rise of plantations in the Lowcountry for indigo and rice production, from the sixteenth to mid-nineteenth centuries. This Element examines the Hume Plantation Slave Street Project led by the author, and archaeological evidence for hoodoo magic and ritual practices involving “white magic” spells used for protection and treatments for illness and injury, and, alternately, for 'black magic,' in spells used to exact harm or to kill. This Element is intended as a contribution to the collective knowledge about hoodoo magic practices in the Lowcountry, centered on the Hume Plantation grounds during this period of American history. It is an attempt to examine how attitudes and practices may have changed over time and concludes with a look at select contemporary hoodoo activities conducted in local cemeteries.
Africa in Urban History
Authors: Njoh Ambe J.
Published: January 2025

This Element in Global Urban History seeks to promote understanding of the urban history of Africa. It does so by undertaking four main tasks. Firstly, it employs race, ethnicity, class, and conflict theory as conceptual frameworks to analyze the spatial structures, social, and political-economic dynamics of African cities from global, comparative, and transnational perspectives. Secondly, it proposes a new typology of the continent's cities. Thirdly, it identifies and draws into focus an important but oft-ignored part of Africa's urban history, namely Indigenous cities. It focuses more intensely on the few that still exist to date. Fourthly, it employs conflict, functional, and symbolic interactionist theories as well as elements of the race ideology to explain the articulation of racism, ethnicity, and classism in the continent's urban space. This is done mainly but not exclusively from historical perspectives.
Mathematical Notations
Authors: Schlimm Dirk
Published: January 2025

This Element lays the foundation, introduces a framework, and sketches the program for a systematic study of mathematical notations. It is written for everyone who is curious about the world of symbols that surrounds us, in particular researchers and students in philosophy, history, cognitive science, and mathematics education. The main characteristics of mathematical notations are introduced and discussed in relation to the intended subject matter, the language in which the notations are verbalized, the cognitive resources needed for learning and understanding them, the tasks that they are used for, their material basis, and the historical context in which they are situated. Specific criteria for the design and assessment of notations are discussed, as well as ontological, epistemological, and methodological questions that arise from the study of mathematical notations and of their use in mathematical practice.
Social mixing patterns of United States healthcare personnel at a quaternary health center: a prospective observational study
Authors: Pischel Lauren , Aguolu Obianuju G , Ahmed Noureen , Campbell Melissa M , Borg Ryan , Duckwall Chelsea , Willebrand Kathryn , Zaleski Agnieska , Paintsil Elliott E , Muenker M. Catherine , Malik Amyn A , Kiti Moses C , Warren Joshua L , Jenness Samuel M , Lopman Ben A , Belsky Justin , Martinello Richard A , Yildirim Inci , Ko Albert I , Omer Saad B
Published: January 2025

Background:

Understanding healthcare personnel’s (HCP) contact patterns are important to mitigate healthcare-associated infectious disease transmission. Little is known about how HCP contact patterns change over time or during outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

This study in a large United States healthcare system examined the social contact patterns of HCP via standardized social contact diaries. HCP were enrolled from October 2020 to June 2022. Participants completed monthly surveys of social contacts during a representative working day. In June 2022, participants completed a 2-day individual-level contact diary. Regression models estimated the association between contact rates and job type. We generated age-stratified contact matrices.

Results:

Three-hundred and sixty HCP enrolled, 157 completed one or more monthly contact diaries and 88 completed the intensive 2-day diary. In the monthly contact diaries, the median daily contacts were 15 (interquartile range (IQR) 8–20), this increased slightly during the study (slope-estimate 0.004, p-value 0.016). For individual-level contact diaries, 88 HCP reported 2,550 contacts over 2 days. HCP were 2.8 times more likely to contact other HCP (n = 1,592 contacts) than patients (n = 570 contacts). Rehabilitation/transport staff, diagnostic imaging technologists, doctors, nurses, mid-level, and laboratory personnel had higher contacts compared with the lowest contact group (Nursing aids). Contact matrices concentrated in working-age populations.

Conclusions:

HCP contacts concentrate in their work environment, primarily with other HCP. Their contacts remained stable over time even during large changes to societal contact patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. This stability is critical for designing outbreak and pandemic responses.
Ultrasound-induced dense granular flows: a two-time scale modelling
Authors: Martin H.A. , Mangeney A. , Jia X. , Maury B. , Lefebvre-Lepot A. , Maday Y. , Dérand P.
Published: January 2025

Understanding the mechanisms behind the remote triggering of landslides by seismic waves at micro-strain amplitude is essential for quantifying seismic hazards. Granular materials provide a relevant model system to investigate landslides within the unjamming transition framework, from solid to liquid states. Furthermore, recent laboratory experiments have revealed that ultrasound-induced granular avalanches can be related to a reduction in the interparticle friction through shear acoustic lubrication of the contacts. However, investigating slip at the scale of grain contacts within an optically opaque granular medium remains a challenging issue. Here, we propose an original coupling model and numerically investigate two-dimensional dense granular flows triggered by basal acoustic waves. We model the triggering dynamics at two separated time scales – one for grain motion (milliseconds) and the other for ultrasound (10

${\rm \mu} {\rm s}$

) – relying on the computation of vibrational modes with a discrete element method through the reduction of the local friction. We show that ultrasound predominantly propagates through the strong-force chains, while the ultrasound-induced decrease of interparticle friction occurs in the weak contact forces perpendicular to the strong-force chains. This interparticle friction reduction initiates local rearrangements at the grain scale that eventually lead to a continuous flow through a percolation process at the macroscopic scale – with a delay depending on the proximity to the failure. Consistent with experiments, we show that ultrasound-induced flow appears more uniform in space than pure gravity-driven flow, indicating the role of an effective temperature by ultrasonic vibration.
THE COVERING NUMBERS OF SOME MYCIELSKI IDEALS MAY BE DIFFERENT
Authors: SPINAS OTMAR
Published: January 2025

We show that in the Silver model the inequality

$\mathrm {cov}(\mathfrak {C} _2) < \mathrm {cov}(\mathfrak {P}_2)$

holds true, where

$\mathfrak {C}_2$

and

$\mathfrak {P}_2$

are the two-dimensional Mycielski ideals.
Team familiarity, task familiarity, and quality competition: Evidence from Japanese sake brewing
Authors: Zhang Sen , Yuan Hang , Zhao Mengru , Kim Donghoon , Hori Keisuke , Hoshino Yusuke , Shimizu Hiroshi
Published: January 2025

Using longitudinal data on teams and quality competition results, this study examines the impact of team and task familiarity on brewing excellence in the Japanese sake industry from 1956 to 2018. Sake production involves teamwork at every stage, but while some teams work together long term, others experience high turnover. The study highlights two factors: team familiarity, the collective experience of working together, and task familiarity, the individual experience of the task. High familiarity can strengthen team bonds and improve teamwork, but it can also limit the inflow of new knowledge and thus hinder innovation. This study uses data from national quality competitions and brewer lists, and considers the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 as an external shock to address endogeneity and estimate the causal relationship between familiarity and competition outcomes. The empirical results show that increases in both team and task familiarity are negatively associated with quality superiority.
Singing the ‘Pope’s Dregs’: The Liber Precum Publicarum of 1560 And its Use
Authors: BURKE JAMES
Published: January 2025

The passing of the Elizabethan Act of Uniformity in 1559 and the publication of the Elizabethan Book of Common Prayer later that year returned the language of public worship to English, but a Latin translation of that prayer book issued in 1560 — the Liber precum publicarum — allowed certain scholastic institutions to continue using Latin liturgies. Seldom has this volume been discussed in detail, despite its important implications for composers connected to those institutions in permitting the continued composition of Latin-texted music for liturgical, rather than merely extra-liturgical or devotional, use. This article considers the background to the Liber precum publicarum, assesses its contents, and examines the extent to which it was acquired and used by the few institutions for which it was produced. It finds that the volume was apparently not acquired by those institutions, owing probably to the political and religious climates of Oxford and Cambridge in the 1560s. It therefore casts light on why little (or indeed any) Latin-texted polyphony composed for bona fide liturgical use survives from the reign of Elizabeth I.
Wolbachia does not give an advantage to the ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836) when it develops on an infected host
Authors: Kryukova Natalia A. , Polenogova Olga V. , Rotskaya Ulyana N. , Zolotareva Karina A. , Chertkova Ekaterina A.
Published: January 2025

The effect of Wolbachia on the viability and antimicrobial activity of the ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor was evaluated in laboratory experiments. Two lines of the parasitoid, Wolbachia-infected (W+) and Wolbachia-free (W−), were used. Parasitoid larvae were fed with a host orally infected with a sublethal dose of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and on the host uninfected with Bt. Parasitoid survival was assessed at developmental stages from second-instar larvae to adults. At all developmental stages, there were no statistically significant differences in survival between lines W+ and W−, regardless of host Bt infection. In both W+ and W− lines, the expression of lysozyme-like proteins, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and Hsp70 genes was analysed in fourth-instar larvae fed with an infected and uninfected host. In addition, lysozyme-like activity and antibacterial activity were evaluated. The expression of AMPs was significantly higher in W− larvae and did not get induced during the feeding on the Bt-infected host. mRNA expression of lysozyme-like proteins and lysozyme activity were significantly higher in W+ larvae than in W− larvae and did not get induced when the larvae were fed with the infected host. In whole-body homogenates of H. hebetor larvae fed with the uninfected host, antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis) was significantly higher in the W+ line and did not get induced during the feeding with the Bt-infected host. Therefore, there is no obvious immunostimulatory effect of Wolbachia in H. hebetor larvae when they feed on a host infected with an entomopathogenic bacterium.
Tropical forests and cocoa production: synergies and threats in the chocolate market
Authors: Araújo Gustavo Júnior , Martello Felipe , Sabino William Oliveira , Oliveira Andrade Tamires , Costa Luciano , Teixeira Juliana Stephanie Galaschi , Giannini Tereza Cristina , Carvalheiro Luísa Gigante
Published: January 2025

Cocoa is an important agricultural product that plays a crucial role in local communities in South America. In Brazil, it is traditionally grown in agroforestry systems, which are more sustainable and contribute to biodiversity conservation. However, the recent expansion of intensive monocultures in tropical forests poses significant threats to this activity. Using historical data on land use and cocoa productivity at the municipality level from Brazil’s primary cocoa-producing states, we show that maintaining and restoring forest cover are positively correlated with cocoa productivity, particularly in areas with less anthropogenic disturbance. This highlights the dependence of cocoa production on ecosystem services. Recent data reveal that in municipalities where local agriculture is less reliant on cocoa, only larger farms have benefitted from increased forest cover, probably due to their greater dependence on fragments of natural habitat for ecosystem services. In municipalities that are more reliant on cocoa, the effects of forest cover were not detected, while strong negative effects of forest fragmentation were observed in both small- and large-scale farms. We emphasize the importance of preserving natural forests near cocoa plantations to optimize productivity in Amazon and Atlantic Forest agroforestry, especially in deforested areas.
Persian version of the International ICD-11 Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (IPGDS): Validity and reliability
Authors: Yousefi Shahab , Abdoli Fatemeh , Ahmad Ashouri , Hajar Aliyaki
Published: January 2025

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the International ICD-11 Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (IPGDS).

Methods

A total of 554 participants (18 years and older, 326 women) completed the Persian IPGDS along with other measures. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. The study assessed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and reliability of the Persian IPGDS.

Results

CFA supported a 4-dimensional model, indicating good structural validity of the Persian IPGDS. Convergent validity was established through correlations with measures of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Significance of results

These findings suggest that the Persian IPGDS exhibits satisfactory psychometric properties, making it a valid tool for measuring Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) in Persian-speaking Iranian adults.
Emotional ecosystems: Understanding the relationship between family interactions and anxiety among cancer caregivers
Authors: Makinde Keisha White , Benson Jacquelyn J. , Pitzer Kyle A. , Mitchell Maysara , Oliver Debra Parker , Demiris George , Washington Karla T.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Recent studies have challenged the assumption that families are invariable sources of support for cancer caregivers, noting that relationships with family members can have both positive and negative effects on caregiver well-being. This study expands upon prior literature to examine the relationship between cancer caregivers’ perceptions of the quality of their family interactions and their symptoms of anxiety.

Methods

We employed secondary analysis of baseline data from a multisite randomized clinical trial of an intervention for cancer caregivers conducted at 3 large academic palliative care clinics. We performed linear regression analyses to analyze the relationship between caregivers’ perceptions of the quality of their family interactions and their symptoms of anxiety; additional models were estimated to further characterize this relationship with the addition of relevant covariates: race, ethnicity, sex, marital/relationship status, relationship to patient, employment status, household income, and perceived social support received from friends and significant others. We also conducted a sub-analysis of data provided by caregivers who were married or partnered to examine the relationship between their perceptions of the quality of their family interactions and their symptoms of anxiety with relationship satisfaction as a covariate.

Results

Among our analytic sample (n = 244), we identified a significant negative relationship between cancer caregivers’ perceptions of the quality of their family interactions and their symptoms of anxiety; this relationship remained statistically significant with the addition of covariates. Relationship satisfaction was not found to be a statistically significant covariate in our sub-analysis of married or partnered caregivers.

Significance of results

Study results provide strong support for the development, testing, and implementation of interventions to improve family interactions as a strategy to reduce caregiver anxiety.