bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shifting routines and the industrialisation of scams: the impact of Covid-19 on deception crimes in Hong Kong
Authors: Akartuna Eray Arda , Yeung Felix Sin Wai , Manning Matthew , Bish Alexandre
Published: February 2025

We investigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on “deception” (predominantly fraud) crime rates in Hong Kong, analysing the impact of specific restrictions imposed between February 2020 and June 2023. We use an Auto ARIMA time series model to compare pre-pandemic and pandemic rates of deception. During the pandemic months, we assess changes to the deception rate based on the imposition and relaxing of Covid policies, including lockdowns, quarantine requirements, travel restrictions and financial stimulus payments. Similar to existing literature, we find that deception crimes increased during the pandemic and were always above the upper bound of ARIMA-forecasted rates of deception crimes during those months. However, contrary to findings from earlier studies during the pandemic itself, we find that periods of relaxed policies – particularly the easing of lockdown and travel restrictions – were in fact associated with higher rates of deception crimes. We consider our findings through the lens of routine activity theory and crime displacement theory. Drawing on existing studies, we provide explanations for identified trends, pointing to the shifting nature of both offender and victim routines, such as increased phone and social media usage, both during and post-pandemic. Specifically, we emphasise the industrialisation of deception (so-called “pig butchering”) in dedicated scam compounds across Southeast Asia, which engage in labour trafficking (made easier in months of eased lockdown/travel restrictions) to upscale their operations. We consider our explanations from the perspectives of routine adaptability and resilience, which we motivate as a theoretical contribution for assessing the crime implications of disruptive events more widely.
Depression as a mediator between sensory processing sensitivity and prefrontal symptoms in Spanish adults
Authors: Costa-López Borja , Ruiz-Robledillo Nicolás , Moreno Oswaldo , Tirado Camila , Albaladejo-Blázquez Natalia , Ferrer-Cascales Rosario
Published: February 2025

Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is an innate personality trait that describes how individuals perceive and capture environmental information. The extensive literature suggests that people high in SPS may present health implications, such as depressive symptoms and prefrontal symptoms. Prefrontal symptoms are related to executive functioning, especially to emotional, social, behavior control problems such as decision making or planification/organization problems, impulsivity, working memory difficulties. We recruited eight hundred Spanish adults (M = 26.66 years old, SD = 12.24) and completed the self-administer questionnaires on SPS, depression, and prefrontal symptoms. This study performed correlation and mediational analyses. Our results indicated positive associations of the depression variable with emotional (r = 0.481, p < 0.001) and behavioral (r = 0.534, p < 0.001) control problems, and also with prefrontal symptoms as a general factor (r = 0.572, p < 0.001), and SPS (r = 0.201, p < 0.001). SPS was also positively correlated with emotional (r = 0.354, p < 0.001), behavioral (r = 0.276, p < 0.001) control problems, and prefrontal symptoms as a general factor (r = 0.303, p < 0.001). Depression also showed a partial mediation between SPS and both emotional (R2 = 0.38, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.078, 0.142]) and behavioral (R2 = 0.339, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.097, 0.168]) control problems. Depression seems to mediate the relationship between SPS and prefrontal symptoms, being highly sensitive individuals with a tendency to depressive symptoms and problems related to emotional, social, and behavioral control.
Discovery of novel naphthalene-based diarylamides as pan-Raf kinase inhibitors with promising anti-melanoma activity: rational design, synthesis, in vitro and in silico screening
Authors: Elkamhawy Ahmed , Ammar Usama M. , Kim Minkyoung , Gul Anam Rana , Park Tae Jung , Lee Kyeong
Published: February 2025

Raf kinase enzymes are often dysregulated in melanoma. While sorafenib demonstrates strong activity against wild-type B-Raf, it fails to effectively inhibit the mutated form of B-Raf. In this study, sorafenib served as a lead compound for the development of new derivatives designed to enhance inhibitory activity across multiple Raf isoforms (pan-Raf inhibitors). Novel naphthalene-based diarylamide derivatives were subsequently designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their biological activity against various Raf kinase isoforms and the melanoma A375 cell line. Among these, compound 9a, containing a difluoromethoxy group, demonstrated strong inhibitory activity across B-RafWT, B-RafV600E, and c-Raf. Additionally, it induced G2/M phase arrest and triggered dose-dependent apoptosis, effectively suppressing both cell proliferation and survival. Compound 9a also exhibited high selectivity for Raf isoforms with minimal off-target effects, underscoring its specificity and therapeutic potential for Raf-driven malignancies.
Multi-isotopic evidence reveals the emergence of a cosmopolitan community at the Luistari cemetery in Eura, Finland, during the early Medieval period (600–1130 CE)
Authors: Danielisová Alžběta , Nordfors Ulla , Kertes Samuel , Wessman Anna , Ackerman Lukáš , Oinonen Markku , Etu-Sihvola Heli , Arppe Laura
Published: February 2025

This study examines the role of the Eura region as a nexus linking the inland with Baltic Sea trade routes. Luistari cemetery, spanning from the early Merovingian to Medieval periods, provides key insights into South-Western Finland’s socio-economic structure and communication networks. Despite its significance, this burial community’s chronological dynamics and regional role remain poorly understood. Using multi-isotopic evidence contextualised with archaeological data, this research explores mobility and subsistence patterns among Luistari’s population. By delineating the bioavailable strontium range in the Eura region, the study assesses the local burial community’s mobility dynamics across various chronological phases. Identification of long- and short-distance migrants, discerned through strontium and carbon isotopes in conjunction with archaeological context, enhances understanding of Luistari within the regional and Circum-Baltic framework. Multi-isotopic evidence further aids in grasping local development within environmental and climatic contexts. Analysis of the strontium isotopic data patterns, combined with carbon and nitrogen, sheds light on settlement locations and subsistence strategies of the Luistari population. Notable transformations during the Viking I period (800–880 CE), marked by the establishment of a “founding” community, and shifts in dietary and migratory patterns in periods V II-III (880–1000 CE), indicate stabilisation of the local socio-economic conditions. Period V IV (1000–1070 CE) reveals connections, both maritime and continental, as the local community integrates into long-distance communication networks. The Final Period (1070–1130 CE) then shows only limited signs of mobility. The data suggest varied mobility patterns over the long-term development of the local community coupled with visibly changing subsistence strategies.
Deep learning for time series forecasting: a survey
Authors: Kong Xiangjie , Chen Zhenghao , Liu Weiyao , Ning Kaili , Zhang Lechao , Muhammad Marier Syauqie , Liu Yichen , Chen Yuhao , Xia Feng
Published: February 2025

Time series forecasting (TSF) has long been a crucial task in both industry and daily life. Most classical statistical models may have certain limitations when applied to practical scenarios in fields such as energy, healthcare, traffic, meteorology, and economics, especially when high accuracy is required. With the continuous development of deep learning, numerous new models have emerged in the field of time series forecasting in recent years. However, existing surveys have not provided a unified summary of the wide range of model architectures in this field, nor have they given detailed summaries of works in feature extraction and datasets. To address this gap, in this review, we comprehensively study the previous works and summarize the general paradigms of Deep Time Series Forecasting (DTSF) in terms of model architectures. Besides, we take an innovative approach by focusing on the composition of time series and systematically explain important feature extraction methods. Additionally, we provide an overall compilation of datasets from various domains in existing works. Finally, we systematically emphasize the significant challenges faced and future research directions in this field.
Association of metformin administration with the serum levels of zinc and homocysteine in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Matsui Sadako , Hiraishi Chika , Sato Ryo , Kojima Takai , Matoba Keiichiro , Fujimoto Kei , Yoshida Hiroshi
Published: February 2025

Background

Metformin treatment has a risk factor of reduced serum concentrations of vitamin B12 and zinc, indicating its association with homocysteine metabolism. However, this association remains to be clarified in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) accompanied by kidney dysfunction.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 149 patients with T2DM (96 men, 53 women), including diabetic kidney disease. Serum concentrations of homocysteine, as well as vitamin B12, folic acid, and zinc, were measured in outpatient T2DM patients. The study subjects were divided into two groups: patients with and without metformin administration (Met [ +], n = 62; Met [ −], n = 87). To explore the effect of kidney function, we also analyzed the data after dividing all the patients according to kidney function (chronic kidney disease [CKD] group, n = 66; non-CKD group, n = 83).

Results

The Met ( +) group exhibited significantly higher serum zinc levels and lower serum homocysteine levels than the Met ( −) group. In the non-CKD group, metformin administration was positively associated with serum zinc levels, as demonstrated by multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors (β = 0.287, p = 0.021). However, no significant association between metformin administration and serum zinc levels was observed in the CKD group. Moreover, there were no associations between serum homocysteine levels and metformin administration.

Conclusions

The relationship between metformin treatment and serum zinc levels differed based on the presence or absence of CKD in patients with T2DM.
Using Avoidant Emotion-Focused Coping and being a Woman with Adverse Childhood Experiences as the Worst-Case Scenario for Internalising Problems
Authors: Gomis-Pomares Aitana , Lacomba-Trejo Laura , Villanueva Lidón
Published: February 2025

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) bring an increased risk for the development of internalising outcomes. Nevertheless, how the cumulative effect of ACEs combines with other variables, such as coping strategies, to give rise to internalising problems has been little studied so far. Therefore, the current study investigates which specific combinations of total ACEs, coping strategies, and sociodemographic variables influence depression, anxiety, and stress. To this end, 420 young Spanish adults (63% women) 18–20 years old (mean age = 18.92; SD = 0.77) participated in the study. Participants answered sociodemographic questions and completed the ACEs Questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, and the Brief Coping Scale. Both fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and regression models suggested that the cumulative impact of ACEs, in combination with avoidant emotion-focused coping, may conduce internalising problems in women. These findings could serve as a basis for interventions aimed at the primary screening of populations more sensitive to the development of internalising problems as well as in the re-education of adaptive coping strategies in those who have suffered ACEs, in order to avoid more severe long-term problems.
Learning automatic part orientation for powder bed fusion of metal from part data
Authors: Wenger Sebastian , Shevchenko Iryna , zur Jacobsmühlen Joschka , Krüger Jörg , Uhlmann Eckart
Published: February 2025

Part orientation is a critical parameter of laser powder bed fusion of metal, as it significantly affects manufacturing cost, production time, and surface quality. Trained/experienced personnel is required to achieve optimum results. Learning implicit part orientation schemes directly from manually prepared parts would enable automatic part orientation selection and support human operators. This study investigates the feasibility of learning part orientation schemes directly from part data. We assume that a dataset of geometries with manually chosen part orientations contains implicit patterns that can be inferred directly from 3D geometries and their features (shape, holes, etc.). Leveraging PointNet architectures, we train models on pre-defined part orientations, which output a 3D rotation for any given geometry. The impact of different formulations of 3D rotation on the training performance is evaluated and a novel z-invariant rotation definition is suggested which achieves high accuracy. The approach is assessed using four synthetic datasets with homogeneous 3D geometries and a combined dataset with mixed geometries. The approach results in an average relative angular error of 0.7° with an average standard deviation of 0.47° across all datasets with distinct geometries. The results on the mixed dataset of all geometries look equally promising with 1.26° and a standard deviation of 1.68°. Regarding the application in laser-based powder bed fusion of metal, the achieved angular error is satisfactory for accurate alignment.
An active learning intervention for in-service teachers: self-determination theory, heutagogy, neuroeducation and the (altered) flipped classroom in practice
Authors: Pretorius Lizélle
Published: February 2025

Teachers often find it challenging to make the necessary mind shift to embrace alternative pedagogies, thereby reinforcing passive learning behaviours through an over-reliance on teacher-centred practices. This familiarity with traditional pedagogy has consequently served as a stumbling block for many educational innovations. Developing a context-specific pedagogical intervention that is (i) grounded in contemporary educational theory and (ii) can readily be implemented by everyday in-service teachers is imperative to escape the passive learning landscape. This conceptual paper aims to show how the Altered Flipped Classroom Pedagogy (AFCP) was developed to support in-service teachers with limited resources to explore a more learner-centred approach. The conceptualisation of the AFCP stems from the principles of heutagogy (a theory of learning), Self-determination theory (a macro-theory of motivation), the flipped classroom (an instructional strategy) and the fundamentals of neuroeducation research (an emerging discipline). The interrelation of these four concepts is key to having a better understanding of the importance of learner-centred pedagogies for 21st-century learning. The framework also sheds light on the internal properties necessary to actuate learners’ self-determined behaviours, which in turn combats the passive learning phenomenon and empowers them for future learning paths.
Individual differences modulate prediction of Italian words based on lexical stress: a close replication and LASSO extension of Sulpizio and McQueen (2012)
Authors: Bramlett Adam A. , Wiener Seth
Published: February 2025

This study closely replicates and extends Sulpizio and McQueen (2012)’s Experiment 1, which examined how acoustic information and abstract knowledge about lexical stress are used during Italian spoken word recognition. This visual world paradigm study simultaneously presented trisyllabic Italian words visually and auditorily. The target and competitor overlapped segmentally during the first two syllables but differed in penultimate or antepenultimate stress. We replicate the original in-person eye-tracking study by using webcams to test a larger and more diverse sample (N = 47). Our findings corroborate the original study by demonstrating listeners use stress information as early as the first syllable to recognize spoken words. We found that first syllable spectral tilt and F0 information are predictive of eye-movements to antepenultimate stressed targets. We did not find overall evidence of listeners using abstract knowledge to recognize penultimate stressed words. We further extended the original study by testing participants’ individual differences in auditory sensitivity to pitch, duration, risetime, and formants, along with their working memory, lexical proficiency in English and Italian, and autism spectrum quotient. Our exploratory results showed that individuals vary in their reliance on cues and the timing of cue integration, that stress cues are integrated for recognition of both penultimate and antepenultimate stressed words, and that L1 Italian and L2 English lexical knowledge can affect eye-movements.
Giant tree versus iPad kids: Reflecting on childhood outdoor play, then and now
Authors: Shin Minsun
Published: February 2025

Childhood play experiences, particularly outdoor play, positively affect children’s holistic development and well-being. This qualitative study examined teacher education students’ perceptions through retrospective reflection on their own childhood play experiences in the past (then) compared to contemporary children’s play at present (now) to recognize the value of childhood play. Ten student teachers enrolled in various teacher education programs at one university participated in this study. Analyzing a drawing task and interviews revealed that participants recalled outdoor play as their favorite childhood play experiences, engaging in unstructured and child-initiated activities, taking risks, and creating their own rules. These outdoor experiences not only fostered social interactions but also nurtured a special emotional bond with the natural environment where they grew up and played. Furthermore, participants reported that children’s play has changed in recent times, with a decline in outdoor play due to increased parental safety concerns and the prevalence of technological devices. The teaching implications regarding prioritizing outdoor play, as well as the intersection of outdoor play and digital technology, are discussed.
Quantum variational rewinding for gravitational wave detection
Authors: Rodrigues de Miranda Benjamin , Dibenedetto Domenica , Neumann Niels , van der Schoot Ward
Published: February 2025

Gravitational waves carry information about far away phenomena which astronomers can use to form a better picture of the universe. Over the past few years, numerous gravitational waves have been detected using a method called matched filtering; however, this approach has two main drawbacks. First, it requires knowledge of the sought-after waveform beforehand. Second, it is infeasible for gravitational wave searches which are precise or cover a long time span. While attempts have been made to use classical machine learning to overcome these difficulties, the usage of quantum machine learning in this context is relatively unexplored. Quantum variational rewinding is a hybrid quantum-classical machine learning algorithm for time series anomaly detection. This work makes the first steps in investigating its potential for gravitational wave detection. Training and testing the algorithm was done without depending on synthetic data. In a noiseless simulated environment, quantum variational rewinding was able to pick out all confirmed gravitational wave signals from the background noise of a detector with perfect accuracy when filtering was applied before hand and was able to do so to a high degree of success without filtering. Anomaly detection with this algorithm was performed with two signals on quantum hardware as a proof of concept. Using Fisher information, both the capacity and the trainability of quantum variational rewinding are described so that future approaches can be compared in these regards. With new gravitational wave detectors under development, even more data will be generated for analysis in the future, compounding the existing bottlenecks in the search pipeline. As such, approaches which help tackle issues with the current approach to gravitational wave analysis are in demand, and the empirical results from this work assert that quantum computing should not be overlooked in this process.
Interaction between biochar particle size and soil salinity levels on soil properties and tomato yield
Authors: Wu Zhuqing , Fan Yaqiong , Zhou Zhengquan , Hao Xinmei , Kang Shaozhong
Published: February 2025

The enhancement of saline soil yield potential by biochar was well-documented, but the changes brought by biochar particle size on soil properties and crop performance are not well understood. To investigate the changes in soil properties and tomato yield due to biochar particle size under varying salt stress, we conducted a pot experiment in China Northwest’s solar greenhouse. A total of nine treatments were applied, with three different salt amounts of [S0 (no salt), S1 (0.3% dry weight), and S2 (0.6% dry weight)], and three biochar treatments of B0, B1, and B2 (0, 0.5% of large particles and 0.5% of small particles). Adding biochar did not significantly affect the measured soil chemical properties, except for pH, total nitrogen (TN), and Ca2+. Specifically, the addition of biochar significantly increased soil pH and TN, while reduced soil Ca2⁺ content likely due to biochar selective adsorption of Ca2⁺. Biochar particle size had opposite effects on tomato yield under varying salt stress levels. Compared to S0, the yield under B1 was 19.1% and 36.5% higher, whereas under B2, the yield was 33.1% and 44.2% lower for S1 and S2, respectively. Under no salt stress, small-size biochar increased yield by 51.0% compared to B0, largely due to the improved soil water and nutrient status. These results are of great value for developing better strategies for adding biochar with appropriate properties into saline soils to achieve greater productivity gains.

Highlights

Biochar addition significantly reduced soil Ca2+ by 16.7–37.9%, while there was no significant difference in the other cations.

Large-size biochar alleviated salt stress and improved tomato yield by promoting salt leaching and enhancing soil nutrients.

Small particle size biochar exacerbated salinity stress and reduced tomato yield under higher salinity treatments.

Small particle size biochar boosted tomato yield in soils without salinity stress.

Graphical Abstract
Efficient recovery of rare metal lanthanum from water by MOF-modified biochar: DFT calculation and dynamic adsorption
Authors: Huang Qilan , Zhang Qianru , Zhao Shuwen , Zhang Chuchen , Guan Huixin , Liu Jianqiao
Published: February 2025

In this research, a novel metal-organic framework-modified biochar composite (MIL-88b@BC) was created for the first time by modifying rice husk biochar using the excellent adsorption properties of metal-organic framework (MOF), as well as reducing the solubility of MOF using biochar as a substrate, aiming to improve the understanding of the adsorption characteristics of rare-earth metal recycling and to predict its adsorption mechanism. Density functional theory (DFT) computations allowed for rationally constructing the adsorption model. According to DFT calculations, the primary processes involved in the adsorption of La3+ were π–π interaction and ligand exchange, wherein the surface hydroxyl group played a crucial role. MIL-88b@BC interacted better with La3+ than biochar or MOF did. Accompanying batch tests with the theoretical conjecture's verification demonstrated that the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model, respectively, provided a good fit for the adsorption kinetics and isotherms. The maximum La3+ adsorption capacity of MOF@BC (288.89 mg g−1) was achieved at pH 6.0, which was significantly higher than the adsorbents' previously documented adsorption capacities. Confirming the DFT estimations, the adsorption capacity of BC@MIL-88b for La3+ was higher than that of MOF and BC. Additionally, MOF@BC can be recycled at least four times. To mitigate the growing scarcity of rare earth elements (REEs) and lessen their negative environmental effects, this work laid the path for effectively treating substantial volumes of wastewater produced while mining REEs.

Highlights

The novel composite adsorbent was prepared by MOF and biochar in situ growth method.

The adsorption mechanism was innovatively investigated based on DFT calculations.

Ligand exchange and La–O–Fe formation dominated in lanthanide ion removal.

Graphical Abstract
Beyond boundaries: a multidisciplinary approach to understand the relationship between customer satisfaction and behavior in services
Authors: Fiorentino Anna
Published: February 2025

This article investigates the complex relationship between customer satisfaction and behavior in services, aiming to provide actionable insights for managers seeking to leverage satisfaction for improved business outcomes. The link between satisfaction and behavior is characterized by anomalies and complexities, such as satisfied customers switching brands, a disproportionate effect of low levels of dissatisfaction on behavior, non-linearity, asymmetry, and zones of low behavioral response. While these insights have significantly advanced scholarly discourse, they are often difficult to apply in practice, as they tend to focus narrowly on specific aspects—such as non-linearity or the role of emotions—or prioritize satisfaction over dissatisfaction, leaving managers without a holistic framework to navigate these dynamics. This study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of how varying satisfaction levels, from extreme dissatisfaction to extreme satisfaction, influence customer buying behavior. Using a longitudinal case study of a Fortune 500 financial services company, and adopting a multidisciplinary approach that integrates the above-mentioned findings with insights from behavioral economics, neuroscience and brand equity, this article proposes a preliminary integrative model of the satisfaction-behavior curve that explains its non-linearity and asymmetry, as well as the cognitive and emotional factors that drive its inflection points. Managerial implications include prioritizing actions that move customers beyond the “indifference zone”; addressing promptly and proactively even minor dissatisfaction episodes; closely monitoring defection rates and their underlying causes. As these early findings are based on a single case study in an industry characterized by high involvement, future research should validate the proposed curve across industries and contexts, and considering moderating variables like culture, competition, and market maturity.
Experimental and numerical research on additional vehicles protection against explosives
Authors: Pyka Dariusz , Kurzawa Adam , Żochowski Paweł , Bajkowski Marcin , Magier Mariusz , Grygoruk Roman , Roszak Maciej , Jamroziak Krzysztof , Bocian Mirosław
Published: February 2025

The article presents an experimental and numerical study on the effectiveness of an additional shield mounted under the vehicles in reducing the penetration capability of the scattered mines, using the example of the MN-123 mine. For this purpose, the formation of the EFP (explosive formed penetrator) was analyzed for the classic scattered mine system with a double EFP-shaped charge. Then, after validating the numerical results against the experiment for the static tensile test, the authors performed a numerical analysis for a protective structure made of elastomer, placed between the mine and the bottom of the protected vehicle (parallel to the ground surface). Three variants of the thickness of the rubber element from 10 to 30 mm were analyzed in order to determine the impact of the shield thickness on the EFP formation process. In the final phase, the selected system was experimentally tested on a military training ground. The results obtained indicate that the use of analyzed shielding protecting bottom part of vehicles against mines and EFPs can significantly decrease the mine penetration capability. In addition, the use of the smoothed-particle hydrodynamic (SPH) method to describe the formation of the EFP projectile allowed to take into account the highly dynamic nature of the phenomenon. A novelty in the applied study is the use of an elastomeric cover in the immediate vicinity of the mine, which limits the EFP formation process and also limits the speed of the projectile. This is crucial because the key factor determining the penetrating capabilities of EFP is the high kinetic energy of the formed projectile. Based on the research conducted, areas of potential application of this type of covers can be distinguished. These will primarily be all types of heavy, armored vehicles moving in armed conflict zones, exposed to mines/IEDs/EFPs, such as armored infantry fighting vehicles and tanks.
U.S. Export Controls Across Time: Knowledge, Technology, and China
Authors: Alter Karen J.
Published: February 2025

Today export controls are all over the news. The so-called October rules regulating U.S. advanced semi-conductor chip exports to China represent a significant expansion of U.S. efforts to control the export of upstream advanced technology where the direct military applications remain unknowable. The U.S. sanctions and export control policy against Russia involve the most far-ranging and internationally coordinated export control regime since the end of the Cold War. If the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party get their way, export controls will become even more central to U.S. economic policy vis-à-vis China, and even more trade and research-collaboration restrictive. Not for the first time, U.S. export control policy is being called an act of economic war.
Pediatric Mass Casualty Incident and a Critical Care Response
Authors: Snooks Kellie C. , Wehrenberg Kelsey , Rajzer-Wakeham Kari , Nelson Heather , Rothschild Charles , Rajapreyar Prakadeshwari , Luetje Maureen , Scanlon Matthew C. , Petersen Tara L. , Meyer Michael T.
Published: February 2025

The authors offer reflections and lessons learned in a single pediatric tertiary center’s experience during a pediatric mass casualty incident (MCI). The MCI occurred at a holiday parade and the patients were brought to multiple community emergency departments for initial resuscitation prior to transfer to the Pediatric level 1 trauma center. In total, 18 children presented with severe blunt force trauma after a motor vehicle entered the parade route. Following initial triage in emergency departments, 10 of 18 children injured during the incident were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, collectively representing a system-wide stressor of emergency medicine, critical care, and surgical services. Institutional characteristics, activation of personnel and supplies, and psychosocial support for families during an MCI are important to consider in children’s hospitals’ disaster preparedness planning.
EXPECTATIONS, GENDER BIAS AND BANK OF JAPAN COMMUNICATION: DO THE JAPANESE TRUST FEMALE CENTRAL BANKERS?
Authors: Bodea Cristina , Higashijima Masaaki , Kerner Andrew
Published: February 2025

To be effective, central bankers must project expertise and an anti-inflation commitment. However, those attributes are usually male-coded, which may undermine female central bankers. We assess gender bias using a survey experiment fielded in Japan in September 2022, when, for the first time in decades, the Bank of Japan appeared to struggle with inflation. We exposed individuals to simplified Bank of Japan communication and randomly assigned attribution to male (Mr. Adachi) or female (Ms. Nakagawa) Policy Board members. Respondents trusted the Bank of Japan less and were more sceptical of its capacity to handle inflation when Ms. Nakagawa represented it.
The 2022 protests in Karakalpakstan. From lost autonomy to regional identity consolidation?
Authors: Horak Slavomir , Lepic Martin
Published: February 2025

The eruption of protests within consolidated authoritarian regimes is an infrequent event seen by many scholars as resulting from the separatist intentions of a regional elite enabled by autonomy. In this article, by analysing the July 2022 protest events in Karakalpakstan we challenge this assumed link and instead propose that the emergence of large-scale protests formed as a grassroots reaction to the symbolic loss of the region’s nominal autonomy, state repression, and the detention of popular activists. Based on semi-structured interviews in Karakalpakstan, research findings reveal a moderate and mostly non-separatist approach to the Karakalpak question and a high interconnection with Uzbekistan. The existence of an authoritarian regime in Uzbekistan and its repression mechanisms can provide a straightforward explanation of non-resistant character of Karakalpak population. However, the research showed the strong notion of Karakalpak identity, not being transformed into political demands if Uzbekistan does not harm it.
Public Humanities for Indigenous Presence and (Ancient) Pasts
Authors: Lovely Kendall
Published: February 2025

This essay will discuss the issue of Native American history and periodization where we are not allowed “premodern” histories. History prior to European contact is relegated to terms like “Pre-Columbian” and consigned to the domain of archeologists. As a reclamation of Native sovereign ancestral presence, I am interested in public humanities as an interdisciplinary way to push against the myths and stereotypes that both confine Indigenous people to static pasts, either displacing ancestors into settler national memory or oblivion. My goals in public humanities are to work toward reclamations of ancient pasts in the so-called Americas from the limited imaginations of settler skull- and arrowhead-collectors toward reasserting the ongoing lived relationships that Natives have with spaces condemned as ruins and materials as relics. I briefly mention my own work in digital curation, Red Coral Stories, to provide counternarratives from European conquest toward expanding Native American presence across space and time.
The Moral Significance of Biofixtures: A Response to Nathan Goldstein, Bridget Tracy, and Rosamond Rhodes “But I have a pacer…there is no point in engaging in hypothetical scenarios”: A Non-imminently Dying Patient’s Request for Pacemaker Deactivation
Authors: Gipe Kelsey
Published: February 2025

Based on the case report of Nathan Goldstein et al., “But I have a pacer…there is no point in engaging in hypothetical scenarios”: A Non-imminently Dying Patient’s Request for Pacemaker Deactivation, it is reasonable to conclude that it was, all-things-considered, ethically appropriate to grant the patient’s request to deactivate her pacemaker. Philosophically, and as a clinical ethicist, I support the team’s decision to honor the patient’s request for pacemaker deactivation. However, it is worth exploring a bit further whether the distress on the part of the outside hospital’s ethics committee and providers—who declined to honor the patient’s request for pacemaker deactivation—may actually track something of moral significance. In this commentary, I argue that there are reasonable grounds for holding that deactivation of a ‘biofixture’ such as a pacemaker may be more analogous in moral terms to medical aid in dying than it is to standard cases of withdrawal of life support at the end of a patient’s life.
THE COHOMOLOGY OF p-ADIC DELIGNE-LUSZTIG SCHEMES OF COXETER TYPE
Authors: Ivanov Alexander B. , Nie Sian
Published: February 2025

We determine the cohomology of the closed Drinfeld stratum of p-adic Deligne–Lusztig schemes of Coxeter type attached to arbitrary inner forms of unramified groups over a local non-archimedean field. We prove that the corresponding torus weight spaces are supported in exactly one cohomological degree and are pairwise non-isomorphic irreducible representations of the pro-unipotent radical of the corresponding parahoric subgroup. We also prove that all Moy–Prasad quotients of this stratum are maximal varieties, and we investigate the relation between the resulting representations and Kirillov’s orbit method.
Triangular patch-based wideband long-range UHF RFID tag for metallic environment
Authors: Choudhary Abhishek , Sood Deepak
Published: February 2025

A long-range, compact, wideband Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is proposed. The design features a triangular patch, designed to achieve wideband impedance matching. The tag exhibit −10 dB bandwidth from 753 to 917 MHz with a substrate thickness of 1.575 mm. The overall size of the tag is 121 × 30 × 1.575 mm3. The gain and bandwidth for varying substrate thickness is investigated. Further, two parasitic strips are designed alongside the patch to operate the tag more effectively at Federal Communications Commission (FCC) band in simultaneous with European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) band with increased read range. With parasitic strips, the tag exhibits −10 dB bandwidth from 766.5 to 896.5 MHz and 905 to 943.6 MHz which covers the bandwidth requirements in Europe, Asia, and North America. A prototype of the proposed tag is fabricated and experimentally tested with the RFID Higgs 4 IC. The tag provides a read range of over 14 m in 865–870 MHz and 13 m in 902–928 MHz when the tag is operated in free space and a read range of over 10.2 m in 865–870 MHz range and 10.3 m in 902–928 MHz range when mounted on a metallic surface of size of 200 × 200 m2 . The performance parameters of the designed tag are also compared with some commercially available designs.
GluN2B-mediated regulation of silent synapses for receptor specification and addiction memory
Authors: Kim Hyun Jin , Lee Sangjun , Kim Gyu Hyun , Sung Kibong , Yoo Taesik , Pyo Jung Hyun , Jo Hee-Jung , Lee Sanghyeon , Lee Hyun-Young , Jung Jung Hoon , Lee Kea Joo , Kim Joung-Hun
Published: February 2025

Psychostimulants, including cocaine, elicit stereotyped, addictive behaviors. The reemergence of silent synapses containing only NMDA-type glutamate receptors is a critical mediator of addiction memory and seeking behaviors. Despite the predominant abundance of GluN2B-containing NMDA-type glutamate receptors in silent synapses, their operational mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, using conditional depletion/deletion of GluN2B in D1-expressing accumbal medium spiny neurons, we examined the synaptic and behavioral actions that silent synapses incur after repeated exposure to cocaine. GluN2B ablation reduces the proportion of silent synapses, but some of them can persist by substitution with GluN2C, which drives the aberrantly facilitated synaptic incorporation of calcium-impermeable AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs). The resulting precocious maturation of silent synapses impairs addiction memory but increases locomotor activity, both of which can be normalized by the blockade of calcium-impermeable AMPAR trafficking. Collectively, GluN2B supports the competence of cocaine-induced silent synapses to specify the subunit composition of AMPARs and thereby the expression of addiction memory and related behaviors.
Mass and particle size distribution of household dust on children’s hands
Authors: Fayad-Martinez Cristina , Gidley Maribeth , Roca Matthew A. , Nitta Ryuichi , Pourmand Ali , Sharifi Arash , Adelabu Foluke , Honan Jenna K. , Ogunseye Olusola Olabisi , Beamer Paloma I. , Solo-Gabriele Helena , Ferguson Alesia
Published: February 2025

Background

Children are vulnerable to household dust exposure; however, to date, a handful of studies simultaneously report both the mass and particle size of household dust found on children’s hands after natural indoor play activities.

Objective

Evaluate a new approach to measure dust loading and characterize particle size on a child’s hands using a Coulter Counter.

Methods

The volume of particles rinsed off children’s hands was measured through counting and sizing particles (using a Coulter Counter), followed by multiplying the particle volume by the density of dust collected from the home. This mass was then normalized per total hand surface area to obtain dust loading on children’s hands. Results were compared by region (North Carolina, Florida, Arizona), age groups (6 months to 6 years), and social demographics (gender, race, ethnicity) for 101 children.

Results

The estimated median density for household dust was 1.54 g/cm3, with an average of 1.58 g/cm3 (SD = 0.43). The overall median dust loading on children’s hands was 11.13 μg/cm2 (per total hand surface area), with a range of 0.004–167.6 μg/cm2. No statistical difference was observed by region, age, nor social demographics (p > 0.05). The majority of particles (90%) from children’s hand rinses had a diameter (D90,v) <35 μm; however, these small particles represent a fraction of the total mass. This new approach succeeded at obtaining dust loadings and particle size simultaneously from the same sample, in contrast to current methods that would have required multiple methods and sample types.

Impact Statement

Children are vulnerable to household dust due to their play behavior; however, to date, limited measurements are available for the mass and particle size of dust on children’s hands after natural indoor play activities. We propose a new approach to facilitate dust loading measurements, while also obtaining the particle size of dust, through the usage of a Coulter Counter. Results showed that 90% of particles were <35 μm, which is four times smaller than the current guidelines threshold (150 μm) for risk assessments that utilize estimates for particles found on hands.
Golgi-restored vesicular replenishment retards bone aging and empowers aging bone regeneration
Authors: Liu Peisheng , Guo Hao , Huang Xiaoyao , Liu Anqi , Zhu Ting , Zheng Chenxi , Fu Fei , Zhang Kaichao , Li Shijie , Luo Xinyan , Tian Jiongyi , Jin Yan , Xuan Kun , Sui Bingdong
Published: February 2025

Healthy aging is a common goal for humanity and society, and one key to achieving it is the rejuvenation of senescent resident stem cells and empowerment of aging organ regeneration. However, the mechanistic understandings of stem cell senescence and the potential strategies to counteract it remain elusive. Here, we reveal that the aging bone microenvironment impairs the Golgi apparatus thus diminishing mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) function and regeneration. Interestingly, replenishment of cell aggregates-derived extracellular vesicles (CA-EVs) rescues Golgi dysfunction and empowers senescent MSCs through the Golgi regulatory protein Syntaxin 5. Importantly, in vivo administration of CA-EVs significantly enhanced the bone defect repair rate and improved bone mass in aging mice, suggesting their therapeutic value for treating age-related osteoporosis and promoting bone regeneration. Collectively, our findings provide insights into Golgi regulation in stem cell senescence and bone aging, which further highlight CA-EVs as a potential rejuvenative approach for aging bone regeneration.
LncRNA PVT1 links estrogen receptor alpha and the polycomb repressive complex 2 in suppression of pro-apoptotic genes in hormone-responsive breast cancer
Authors: Melone Viola , Palumbo Domenico , Palo Luigi , Brusco Noemi , Salvati Annamaria , Tarallo Antonietta , Giurato Giorgio , Rizzo Francesca , Nassa Giovanni , Weisz Alessandro , Tarallo Roberta
Published: February 2025

RNA-based therapeutics highlighted novel approaches to target either coding or noncoding molecules for multiple diseases treatment. In breast cancer (BC), a multitude of deregulated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as potential therapeutic targets also in the context of antiestrogen resistance, and the RNA binding activity of the estrogen receptor α (ERα) points additional potential candidates to interfere with estrogenic signaling. A set of lncRNAs was selected among ERα-associated RNAs in BC cell nuclei due to their roles in processes such as transcriptional regulation and epigenetic chromatin modifications. Native immunoprecipitation of nuclear ERα-interacting RNAs coupled to NGS (RIP-Seq) was performed in MCF-7 cells, leading to the identification of essential lncRNAs interacting with the receptor in multi-molecular regulatory complexes. Among these, PVT1, FGD5-AS1 and EPB41L4A-AS1 were selected for further investigation. Functional assays and transcriptome analysis following lncRNA knock-down indicated PVT1 as the master modulator of some of the most relevant BC hallmarks, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and response to hypoxia. In addition, targeted experiments identified PVT1 as a key factor in the composition of PRC2-ERα network involved in downregulation of tumor suppressor genes, including BTG2.
Dietary supplements and prevention of preeclampsia
Authors: Ushida Takafumi , Tano Sho , Matsuo Seiko , Fuma Kazuya , Imai Kenji , Kajiyama Hiroaki , Kotani Tomomi
Published: February 2025

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy complication characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and end-organ dysfunction. However, to date, no effective treatment has been established other than iatrogenic delivery, and the importance of prevention as an alternative approach to addressing PE has been emphasized. There is growing evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological prophylaxis in preventing PE. In this review, we focused on dietary supplements as non-pharmacological prophylaxis for PE. Calcium is a well-documented supplement for the prevention of PE. Daily 500 mg calcium supplementation can roughly halve the risk of PE in settings where calcium intake is low, including in Japan. According to recent systematic reviews and network meta-analyses, current evidence on the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation is inconsistent. Although vitamin D is a candidate for the prevention of PE, future large-scale randomized control trials are necessary to draw definitive conclusions. We also reviewed other dietary supplements, including vitamins (vitamins A, B6, C, and E, folic acid, and multivitamins), minerals (magnesium, zinc, and iron), amino acids (l-arginine and l-carnitine), anti-oxidants (lycopene, resveratrol, and astaxanthin), and other agents (omega-3 fatty acids, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, and s-equol). In this study, we provide a comprehensive approach to help develop better preventive strategies and ultimately reduce the burden of PE.
Prion protein promotes copper toxicity in Wilson disease
Authors: Petruzzelli Raffaella , Catalano Federico , Crispino Roberta , Polishchuk Elena V. , Elia Mariantonietta , Masone Antonio , Lavigna Giada , Grasso Anna , Battipaglia Maria , Sepe Lucia Vittoria , Akdogan Banu , Reinold Quirin , Del Prete Eugenio , Carrella Diego , Torella Annalaura , Nigro Vincenzo , Caruso Enrico , Innocenti Nicole , Biasini Emiliano , Puchkova Ludmila V. , Indrieri Alessia , Ilyechova Ekaterina Y. , Piccolo Pasquale , Zischka Hans , Chiesa Roberto , Polishchuk Roman S.
Published: February 2025

Copper (Cu) is a vitally important micronutrient, whose balance between essential and toxic levels requires a tightly regulated network of proteins. Dysfunction in key components of this network leads to the disruption of Cu homeostasis, resulting in fatal disorders such as Wilson disease, which is caused by mutations in the hepatic Cu efflux transporter ATP7B. Unfortunately, the molecular targets for normalizing Cu homeostasis in Wilson disease remain poorly understood. Here, using genome-wide screening, we identified the cellular prion protein (PrP) as an important mediator of Cu toxicity in WD. Loss of ATP7B stimulates hepatic expression of PrP, which promotes endocytic Cu uptake, leading to toxic Cu overload. Suppression of PrP significantly reduces Cu toxicity in cell and animal models of Wilson disease. These findings highlight the critical regulatory role of PrP in copper metabolism and open new avenues for exploring the therapeutic potential of PrP suppression in Wilson disease.