bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetical predicted causal relationship between gut microbiota and different types of kidney diseases
Authors: Chen Zi-Jin , Wang Rui , Yao Meng-Ying , Zhao Jing-Hong , Liang Bo
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Although recent research suggests that alterations in gut microbiota play a critical role in the pathophysiology of kidney diseases, the causal relationship between specific intestinal flora and the risk of kidney diseases remains unclear. Here, we investigated the causal relationship between gut microbiota and different kidney diseases through Mendelian randomization analysis.
Methods: Gut microbiota and three types of kidney diseases, including diabetic nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, and membranous nephropathy, were identified from large-scale genome-wide association studies summary data. Inverse variance weighted method was employed to estimate causal relationships. Cochran’s Q test was utilized to uncover any heterogeneity. The Mendelian randomization Egger intercept test was employed to detect horizontal pleiotropy, and the leave-one-out method was used for testing the stability. In addition, the reverse, multivariable, and two step Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted to assess the causation possibilities. Furthermore, the associations between three types of kidney diseases and immune infiltration were determined.
Results: We identified 1,531 single nucleotide polymorphisms. There were 6 positive and 9 negative causal effects between gut microbiota and three types of kidney diseases. Specifically, Dialister was a protective factor for diabetic nephropathy while LachnospiraceaeUCG008 was a risk factor. Clostridiuminnocuum was a protective factor for IgA nephropathy, while ChristensenellaceaeR.7, Clostridiumsensustricto1, LachnospiraceaeUCG004, LachnospiraceaeUCG010, Oscillospira, RuminococcaceaeUCG010, and Terrisporobacter were risk factors for IgA nephropathy. Butyricicoccus, Catenibacterium, Flavonifractor, and Lachnospira were associated with an increased risk of membranous nephropathy, while RuminococcaceaeUCG011 was associated with a decreased risk of membranous nephropathy. Sensitivity analysis indicated the results were robust. No significant pleiotropy or heterogeneity was identified. Notably, the reverse Mendelian randomization analysis did not reveal any causal relationship. After adjusting for environmental confounders, including CO, PM 2.5, PM10, and exposure to tobacco smoke at home, these causal relationships still exist. Additionally, immune infiltration analysis indicated unique immune cell distribution in each type of kidney disease, which are largely consistent with later two step approach.
Conclusion: This study uncovered the causal relationship between gut microbiota and three types of kidney diseases. This discovery provides fresh perspectives on how microbes contribute to kidney diseases, paving the way for more in-depth clinical studies.
Reimagining Entrepreneurial Ecosystems through Novel University-Driven Collaborative Formats
Authors: Vujovic Pavlina , Baloutsos Stratos
Published: February 2025

Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (EE s) constitute complex systems with various interacting elements that are central in the process of generating innovation. While there is significant research on mature ecosystems, our understanding of the mechanisms that affect EE s is still limited when discussing early-stage EE s. In this context, universities are known to play an important role in orchestrating ecosystems. This article reimagines EE s as Activity Systems using Activity Theory and explores a university-driven cross-European EE collaborative format. The “Start For Future” ecosystem is used as a testbed to understand how the implementation of a holistic, inclusive entrepreneurial transformation model, can create a set of “congruencies” which enable ecosystem actors to collaborate and co-create despite inherent problems. Hence, this work identifies factors that facilitate the innovation process, the collaboration between ecosystem actors, and showcases the importance of universities in EE s as a trusted intermediary and a focal point for collaborative formats.
How Thomas Bartholin the Younger Read his Rudbeck: A Forgotten Debate on Historical Method in Seventeenth-Century Scandinavia
Authors: Norris Matthew
Published: February 2025

In 1689 the Danish royal antiquary Thomas Bartholin the Younger (1659–1690) published a celebrated antiquarian work on the attitudes, customs, and rituals of the pagan inhabitants of Scandinavia. It has been deemed significant both for influencing the development of the historical conception of the ‘Viking Age’ in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and for introducing a rigorous source-critical methodology to Scandinavian historiography, inspired by the French Benedictine scholar Jean Mabillon, and foreshadowing the scientific history of the coming centuries. Yet modern assessments of the work have rarely questioned the consistency with which Bartholin applied his principles to solve historical problems, and have never made note of the fact that he framed his methodological reform as a bitter critique of contemporary Swedish scholarship. Exploring the overlooked debate generated by Bartholin’s book, this article shows that it accentuated an internal friction in late seventeenth-century historiography between opposing views concerning historical evidence.
The first fossil insects from the marine Oligocene Menilite Formation in Poland (Odonata, Coleoptera)
Authors: NEL ANDRÉ , BERNARD RAFAŁ , SZYBIAK ROBERT , DARAŻ BOGUSŁAW
Published: February 2025

Lestes polonicus sp. nov. and Calosoma winnicaensis sp. nov., respectively, the first Oligocene Lestidae and Carabidae from Poland, are described from the marine Menilite Formation. Lestes polonicus sp. nov. is the ninth species of the Eocene-Oligocene Lestes group with a longitudinal intercalary row of cells in the area between MP and CuA, confirming its abundance and diversity during this period, and extending its distribution to the easternmost part of Central Europe. This group has not been recorded later during the Miocene and Pliocene. With the described species, the genus Calosoma seems to have been as diverse during the Oligocene as it is today in Europe.
Two new species of Pseudohydnum (Auriculariales, Basidiomycota) from the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in China
Authors: LEI LEI , LUANGHARN THATSANEE , YU FENG-MING , ZHAO QI
Published: February 2025

Pseudohydnum, a genus of jelly fungi, is characterized by its distinctive spinous hymenophores and gelatinous basidiomata. This study introduces two new species, viz., P. motuoense and P. purum, which were collected from the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in China. These two species were described based on macro-micromorphological evidence and molecular phylogeny of combined LSU (Large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal region) and ITS (Internal transcribed spacer region). Morphologically, P. motuoense differs from other Pseudohydnum members in its shell-shaped to kidney-shaped pileus and expanded stipe base, while P. purum is different in its sucker-like and white pileus. The phylogenetic result showed that P. motuoense and P. purum formed independent branches with strong support values. Descriptions, illustrations, and phylogenetic analysis results of both new species are provided.
Polystichum cretaceum (Polystichum sect. Cyrtogonellum, Dryopteridaceae), a new fern from Guangxi, China
Authors: CHEN XIAO-HUA , SHU JIANG-PING , XU YI-DA , LIU HONG-MEI , CHEN LI-JUN , HE JIAO , ZHENG XI-LONG , GU YU-FENG
Published: February 2025

Polystichum (Dryopteridaceae) is a cosmopolitan fern genus known for its rich species diversity, with its primary diversity center in eastern Asia. In this study, we describe a novel species, Polystichum cretaceum, discovered in Napo County, Baise City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. This species is distinguished by its dwarf habit, fronds simple or 1-pinnate (pinnae 2–4 pairs), pilose or glabrous surface, and fenestrate perispores. This new species resembles P. fraxinellum but differs by having oval pinnae with entire margins and free veins, while P. fraxinellum has ovate-lanceolate pinnae with slightly recurved margins and anastomosing veins. Phylogenetic analysis suggests a close relationship between P. cretaceum and P. minimum. However, P. minimum differs in having obliquely ovate lateral pinnae with shallowly incised-toothed margins and acuminate apices.
A Comprehensive Analysis on Nutritional Composition of Floral Honeys Commonly Available in Bangladesh
Authors: Hasan Mahmudul , Sakib Shaikh , Islam M. , Haque Md.
Published: February 2025

Honey, a natural product of honeybees, boasts a complex composition that varies greatly depending on its floral source. Its therapeutic and antimicrobial activity can be attributed to its rich nutritive composition, including sugars, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds like phenolics, flavonoids, and hydrogen peroxide. This study delves into the nutritional values of various types of honey, emphasizing the significance of understanding their unique compositions and potential therapeutic properties associated with diverse floral sources. The study encompassed eight different honey varieties, including monofloral and polyfloral types, and scrutinized their proximate composition, dietary elements, and nutritional factors. The results revealed that among the honeys, Khalisha blossom honey boasts the highest carbohydrate content at 78.18%, with protein levels ranging from 0.30% to 0.95% and no fat particles detected. Additionally, the energy content ranged from 293 to 316 kcal per 100 grams of honey. Overall, Khalisha blossom honey emerged as the honey variety with the highest nutritional value, exhibiting its potential as a robust and healthy food choice for the country people. Furthermore, the research highlights notable differences in nutritional composition when compared to honey from other regions, such as Africa, Asia, and Europe, particularly in terms of carbohydrate, moisture, and vitamin content. This analysis is pivotal for understanding the unique nutritional and therapeutic attributes of Bangladeshi honey varieties, promoting informed dietary choices, and advocating for standardized quality assurance practices.
The Amplified Glacial Arctic Tide Regime – Sensitivities and Feedback on the Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Sulzbach Roman , Bagge Meike , Schindelegger Michael , Klemann Volker
Published: February 2025

Numerical tide simulations for the Arctic Ocean under glacial conditions imply a macro- to megatidal regime in contrast to its present-day microtidal regime. Applying a barotropic ocean tide model, we study the sensitivity of this regime change driven by the semidiurnal M2 tide to a set of modeling parameters. We find that the near-resonant tidal oscillation system is sensitive to changes in the paleo bathymetry due to glacial isostatic adjustment, as well as to the effect of ocean self-attraction and loading, resulting in an amplification of the dominantM2 tide by a factor of up to four. Furthermore, the modeling framework is used to investigate the back-effect of the Arctic resonance on the world oceans. This feedback contributes +289 GWof internal wave dissipation (13% of the global figure). The results are contextualized by an analytical model of cylindrical symmetry. This model illustrates the driving mechanism for the amplified glacial Arctic tide regime as an interplay of shelf- and deep-ocean-resonance at semidiurnal frequencies.
‘Because I didn’t get what I wanted from God’: A multi-level perspective on the role of religious beliefs in (de)conversion processes in Flanders
Authors: KLAVER Kaya , VAN PRAAG Lore , LOOBUYCK Patrick , VERSCHRAEGEN Gert
Published: February 2025

In this study, we focus on the role of religious beliefs in initiating (de)conversion processes, based on 43 interviews with people who have (de)converted from/to the Islam, Christianity, Judaism or a secular worldview in Flanders in the last 5 to 10 years. While in everyday discourses on religion, religious beliefs are interpreted as the sole reason why people belong to a religious community or why they leave or change this community, we wanted to investigate how factors at the micro-, meso-, and macro-level influence such beliefs which are at the heart of (de)conversion processes. Thematic analyses were conducted to understand the relatively recent (de)conversion pathways, using a multi-level perspective. Three main themes were revealed from our data analyses: (1) finding meaning in life events and life, (2) change in significant others and reference groups, and (3) secularising society.
Can zoning reform change urban development patterns? Evidence from Auckland
Authors: Greenaway-McGrevy Ryan , Jones James Allan
Published: February 2025

In 2016, Auckland implemented a widespread upzoning to encourage medium density infill housing. This article describes the institutional processes preceding the reform, quantifies the changes in land use across the metropolitan area and documents subsequent changes in residential housing starts. We show that approximately three-quarters of residential land was upzoned, predominantly in areas close to transportation network access, and between 5 and 25 km of the central business district (CBD). Six years on from the reform, housing starts have increased; are located closer to the CBD, employment locations and transportation network access points; and are predominantly infill and attached housing. Spatial decompositions show that these patterns are exclusively driven by changes in housing starts in upzoned areas.
A qualitative study on the role of alcohol in the lives of a group of sexual minority women in South Africa
Authors: Padmanabhanunni Anita , McKenzie Sharon
Published: February 2025

Despite extensive research on alcohol misuse in South Africa, a significant gap remains in the literature regarding the experiences of sexual minorities, defined as individuals whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from heteronormative expectations. International studies have confirmed that sexual minority women are at a higher risk of harmful alcohol use compared with their heterosexual counterparts. This disparity is attributed to the distinctive and chronic stressors that sexual minorities face. There remains a paucity of research in South Africa on the experience of alcohol misuse among sexual minority women. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature. Twenty-five sexual minority women from diverse backgrounds residing in Cape Town, South Africa, participated in the study. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the study explored participants’ lived experiences of alcohol misuse and their perspectives of the reasons for initiating such use. The findings indicate that alcohol served as an emotional regulation strategy, helping them to manage emotional distress arising from experiences of rejection, stigma, and discrimination related to their sexual minority status. Rejection and ostracism from family and religious communities were identified as salient sources of distress precipitating alcohol misuse. In addition, participants identified childhood sexual abuse and internal conflicts related to reconciling their sexual identity with cultural and religious beliefs as key drivers of their alcohol misuse. The findings underscore the importance of addressing individual, familial, and societal-level factors in efforts to reduce harmful alcohol consumption within this population.
More Sources Create Greater Audience Engagement: An Investigation into the Relationship Between the Number of News Sources and Audience Responses
Authors: Ju Youngkee , Lee Pureum
Published: February 2025

Journalism quality has been examined primarily through a normative lens and investigated through descriptive methods that overlook news consumers’ actual responses to it. Taking a more empirical, media-effects approach, we explore how a particular index of journalism quality—the quantity of news sources—relates to audience engagement. The concept of multiple news sources inherently involves normative elements of quality journalism, such as being truthful, impartial, and complete. This study examines how responses by news consumers to COVID-19 news coverage varied based on the number of sources cited in each news story. We quantified the sources in pandemic news coverage from two South Korean newspapers and one broadcast television channel, comparing them with recipients’ responses in the form of comments, emotional expressions, and recommendations. Our findings reveal that the number of news sources used in COVID-19 health crisis coverage was associated with the number of comments made by news consumers. Similarly, audience clicks on emotional expressions increased as the number of news sources increased. Furthermore, there were more consumer recommendations for COVID-19 news coverage when the news media cited a greater number of sources. These findings underscore the implications of the multiple-source effect on audience engagement and suggest avenues for improving journalism quality.
Dependent Neoliberalism, US Aid and Central American Asylum Seekers
Authors: Gonzales Toribio Alfonso
Published: February 2025

This article is about Central American asylum seekers from the perspective of dependency theory and Gramscian international relations. It argues that Northern Central American asylum seekers are fleeing the contradictions of the hegemonic US-led neoliberal development model that depends on migration and remittances as its main source of hard currency. This article is grounded in structural/conjectural analysis and supported with quantitative methods. I suggest that the increase in asylum seekers is a function of US aid through the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI), which contributes to the conditions that people flee and to US apprehensions of Guatemalan, Salvadoran, and Honduran nationals, leaving would-be migrants no choice but to apply for asylum. I conclude that the security and development model imposed on the region under the conditions of US hegemony, and US migration control policies designed to apprehend and deport asylum seekers are producing the very crisis they purport to resolve.
Orbital Apex Syndrome Caused by Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Following Nasal Endoscopic Surgery: A Case Report
Authors: Peng Chen , Xing Zhimin , Geng Congli , Liu Yan , Liu Yidi
Published: February 2025

Orbital apex syndrome (OAS) is a severe orbital condition caused by impairment of cranial nerves after inflammation or local compression. The report details an uncommon case of OAS caused by herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) following endoscopic sinus surgery. A 52-year-old male exhibited symptoms of OAS in the postoperative phase; however, imaging examination and endoscopic evaluations failed to support that surgical damage and bacterial infection were the cause. The distinctive skin manifestations of herpes zoster around eye were the important clue for diagnosis. The patient was diagnosed with OAS caused by HZO and recovered after antiviral treatment for two weeks. During a one-month follow-up, the patient reported no eye-related sequelae. This case highlights the significance of early diagnosis and prompt intervention to achieve optimal clinical outcomes.
Opioid exposure in gestation, postnatal adversity, and preschool-age cognitive functioning
Authors: Ravi Sanjana , Molnar Andrew E. , Cárdenas Emilia F. , Kujawa Autumn , Humphreys Kathryn L.
Published: February 2025

Children prenatally exposed to opioids exhibit impairments in cognitive functioning and have an increased likelihood of experiencing other forms of adversity. Given that these other forms of early life adversity are linked to lower levels of cognitive functioning, it is important to determine whether the association between opioid exposure and cognitive functioning is better explained by other forms of adversity. The current study used a practical design (i.e., caregiver report of a preschool-aged child’s exposure to opioids during gestation) to examine the associations between prenatal opioid exposure status (i.e., presence or absence of exposure), postnatal adversity, and preschool-age cognitive functioning. Forty-four preschool-age children, 21 with prenatal opioid exposure (20 of whom were adopted) and 23 comparison children, and their caregivers were invited to a laboratory session during which the child completed a neuropsychological assessment battery while caregivers were interviewed about their child and completed questionnaires. Regression analysis was conducted to examine whether prenatal opioid exposure status explained variation in cognitive functioning over and above child adversity. Children with prenatal opioid exposure had lower full-scale IQ scores than comparison children (Cohen’s d =−0.86). After accounting for exposure to postnatal adversity, prenatal opioid exposure status explained 6.01% of the variance in full-scale IQ scores. Taken together, our results suggest that the association between prenatal opioid exposure status and cognitive functioning at preschool age is not better explained by postnatal adversity. These findings underscore efforts to reduce opioid use among people who are pregnant or likely to become pregnant.
Level of sedation in patients with COVID-19 supported with ECMO: A comparative analysis of the critical care consortium international database
Authors: Heinsar Silver , Labib Ahmed , Cespedes Marcela , Riera Jordi , White Nicole , Zaaqoq Akram , Jacobs Jeffrey P , Buscher Hergen , Alexander Peta M. A. , Ciullo Anna , Aftab Muhammad , Suen Jacky Y , Bassi Gianluigi Li , Lorusso Roberto , Fraser John F , Peek Giles ,   On behalf of the COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium (COVID Critical)
Published: February 2025

Background

Liberation from sedation may be beneficial for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome supported by veno-venous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Currently, there is limited evidence to support this approach. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the 90-day patient mortality of different sedation strategies in COVID-19 patients supported with VV ECMO.

Methods

Retrospective, observational sub-study of the COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium database including COVID-19 patients supported with VV ECMO. Two cohorts were compared: high sedation patients who received neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) throughout ECMO and low sedation patients who did not receive NMBA consistently. Patients’ level of sedation during ECMO was also considered. The primary outcome was 90-day in-hospital mortality and was assessed using cause-specific Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

224 low and 104 high sedation patients were included. Pre-ECMO respiratory condition prior was similar between groups, except for the ratio of partial pressure of oxygen to inspired fraction of oxygen, which was lower in the high sedation group at 93 [61–130] than the low sedation group at 106 [69–140]. No difference was observed in disease severity scores between cohorts. Low sedation patients had longer ECMO runs, more circuit changes, but lower infectious and hemorrhagic complications. Higher sedation was associated with a hazard ratio for death of 3.23 (95% CI 2.16–4.83) compared to low sedation.

Conclusions

Reduced sedation in COVID-19 ECMO patients is feasible and may be associated with improved survival and reduced complications compared to continuous paralysis, albeit with longer ECMO runs.
Cognitive Authority Theory: Reframing health inequity, disadvantage and privilege in palliative and end-of-life care
Authors: Hunt Katherine J , May Carl R
Published: February 2025

Background:

There persist disparities in access to quality palliative and end-of-life care, often based on avoidable injustice. Research and theory to explain this health inequity focuses on structural or individual-based factors, overlooking important relational factors between health professionals, patients and families.

Aim:

To apply Cognitive Authority Theory in palliative and end-of-life care to explain neglected relational drivers of inequity in access and experience.

Methods:

Cognitive Authority Theory, a middle-range theory of power relations between individuals and authority over knowledge, was developed from empirical and review data. This paper demonstrates its utility in explaining an overlooked component of inequity in palliative care: interactions between health professionals and patients/caregivers.

Results:

Using examples from the palliative care literature, we characterise how people who are socially disadvantaged have fewer resources to exploit during consultations with health professionals which makes it difficult for them to have their voices heard, their choices prioritised by others, and to express their expertise. We examine the implications of health professionals’ judgements of expertise for care access, experience, involvement and appropriateness. We offer a fresh perspective on the mechanisms by which stereotypes, bias and power imbalances between health professionals and patients reinforce existing health inequities, drawing on the role of social privilege in shaping inequity in palliative care.

Conclusion:

This paper provides a new language to articulate relational drivers of inequity in palliative care. It explains how to use Cognitive Authority Theory to design and interpret research to determine how healthcare interactions reinforce both social privilege and social disadvantage at end-of-life.
Assessing the Incremental Health Care Utilization and Expenditures Associated With Serious Psychological Distress by Living Arrangements Among Older Adults
Authors: Chu Jun , Mair Christine A. , Yamashita Takashi , Chen Jie
Published: February 2025

Older adults suffering from serious psychological distress (SPD) have higher health care utilization and expenditures. However, it is unknown whether living alone might further amplify differences in health care usage and costs among older adults with SPD. Using pooled data from 2007-2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we estimated the incremental care expenditures and utilization associated with SPD among older adults living alone and living with others. The results show that in both living arrangements, having SPD is associated with increases in emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and prescription fill-ups, which leads to higher total prescription expenditures. However, the incremental differences of SPD-related incremental usage and expenditures between older adults living alone and living with others were similar. Our findings call for targeted community programs for older adults that go beyond eliminating physical loneliness, and innovative care coordination strategies that prioritize mental health and preventative care among older adults.
Prospective External Validation of an AI-Based Emergency Department Pneumonia Disposition Prediction Tool
Authors: Jhaveri Aaditeya , Abolhassani Farbod , Fine Benjamin
Published: February 2025

Purpose: This shadow deployment evaluated an externally-developed AI tool to predict disposition using chest X-rays (CXR) in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the Emergency Department (ED). Retrospective and prospective external validations were conducted to assess differences between the 2 evaluations and across subgroups to inform deployment decisions. Methods: The CNN was retrospectively validated (n = 17 689) from November 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, and prospectively validated on “suspected-CAP” patients (n = 3062) from Jan 1 to Jan 31, 2023. Calibration and standard metrics, including AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV, were calculated. Subgroup analyses were conducted for age, sex, modality, and CXR projection (PA vs AP). Results: The model’s AUC was 67% in both validations. The prospective evaluation showed a non-significant increase in sensitivity (65% vs 59%) and PPV (64% vs 63%), while specificity (68% vs 73%) and NPV (69% vs 70%) slightly decreased. NPV was very high for younger patients in the prospective evaluation (95%); PPV was moderately high for older patients (81%). Sensitivity dropped significantly in females under 31 years (50%), and specificity was reduced in females over 86 years (38%). Conclusion: This study showed moderate, consistent performance in both retrospective and prospective validations. While this consistency is encouraging, further direct comparisons are needed to determine whether both validation approaches are necessary in different clinical settings. Subgroup analysis suggests the tool may be helpful to accelerate discharge in younger patients (high NPV) and possibly for admission in older patients (high PPV).
Navigating co-production with disadvantaged service users: Local heritage as an agent of value co-creation
Authors: Broadhurst Kate , Parker Steven
Published: February 2025

Co-production involves citizens and service providers collaborating in the design and delivery of services, but its application to disadvantaged individuals remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining the Y Heritage project in the Midlands, UK, which implemented co-production with disadvantaged young people as a means to develop local heritage services. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through interviews and observations with service users and providers over the project’s duration. Findings highlight the challenges and opportunities of engaging young people with multiple disadvantages in co-production, revealing that tailored, creative approaches can foster empowerment, resilience, and social inclusion. The study concludes that co-production in non-traditional service contexts, such as heritage, can address barriers to participation, generating meaningful outcomes for marginalized groups. These insights offer practical guidance for practitioners and expand theoretical understanding of co-production’s potential in addressing complex social challenges.
Activation of SIRT3/AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy promotes quercetin-induced ferroptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wang Jin , Yang Jia-Hui , Xiong Di , Chen Ling
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Quercetin has been reported to inhibit the growth of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but the mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the involvement of sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) and the autophagy-dependent form of cell death, ferroptosis, in the pathogenesis of OSCC, and observe the impacts of quercetin on ferroptosis and SIRT3/AMPK/mTOR-mediated autophagy.

Methods

SIRT3 knock out or overexpressing SCC15 cell line was generated, treated with indicated drugs, and malondialdehyde (MDA) and ROS levels were measured. Roles of SIRT3 in regulating autophagy-mediated ferroptosis were assessed by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting.

Results

SIRT3 overexpression increased levels of MDA and ROS, reducing cell viability, and SIRT3 knockout produced the opposing effect. SIRT3 overexpression upregulated ATG16L1 expression and the conversion of LC3-Ⅰ to LC3-Ⅱ, triggering autophagy. Suppression of autophagy by ATG16L1 knockout impaired SIRT3-triggered ferroptosis. Use of an AMPK inhibitor antagonized the induction of ferroptosis by SIRT3 in SCC15 cells, indicating the involvement of the AMPK/mTOR pathway. Additionally, quercetin significantly increased the levels of SIRT3, p-AMPK, ATG16L1, and the ratio of LC3-Ⅱ/Ⅰ, but reduced cell viability and p-mTOR in SCC15 cells. Autophagy and AMPK inhibitors, or SIRT3 deletion significantly antagonized the impacts of quercetin on the autophagy-mediated ferroptosis in cancer cells.

Discussion

SIRT3 overexpression activated the AMPK/mTOR pathway and triggered ATG16L1-mediated autophagy, promoting ferroptosis in SCC15 cells, and we proposed that quercetin may be a promising therapeutic drug for OSCC.
Political Participation and Public Perceptions: Testing and Revisiting Afghanistan’s Social Contract After Taliban 2.0
Authors: Wani Nassir Ul Haq , Latif Lyla , Ramez Ahmad Shah
Published: February 2025

This study applies the social contract theory to examine political participation in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. While recognising Afghanistan’s unique historical and cultural context, we argue that social contract theory provides a valuable framework for understanding governance dynamics in this complex setting. The study surveyed 400 respondents across six Afghan provinces, exploring public perceptions of governance, political engagement and democratic processes. Our findings reveal that despite Afghanistan’s distinct traditions, many citizens hold expectations of government that align with social contract principles. A majority (67.95%) believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, citing security, economic issues and restrictions on women’s rights as key concerns. Notably, 91.5% of respondents support elections as the means of selecting leadership, indicating a strong desire for democratic processes. The study also found widespread support (78.5%) for peace negotiations with opposition groups. These results demonstrate the relevance of social contract theory in understanding the evolving relationship between Afghan citizens and the Taliban government. By adapting this framework to incorporate local customs and Islamic governance principles, we gain insights into both the unique aspects of Afghanistan’s political landscape and the universal challenges of state-building in post-conflict societies. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of governance in non-Western contexts and offers valuable insights for policymakers and scholars working on state-building in complex cultural and political environments.
Are Parental Nonstandard Work Schedules a Barrier to Their School Involvement?
Authors: Ballentine Kess L. , Pilarz Alejandra Ros
Published: February 2025

Parental school involvement is consistently associated with better child development outcomes. Although parental work schedules are expected to shape school involvement, little empirical research examines this relationship. Using nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort 2010 to 2011 ( N = 6,047), we estimated associations between parents’ work schedules and multiple indicators of school involvement. Compared to daytime schedules, flexible variable schedules were associated with more parental school involvement. Working a regular nonstandard schedule or employer-set variable schedule was not associated with school involvement, except that working nights was associated with attending fewer school events. We found limited evidence of heterogeneity by family structure or parent gender. These findings suggest parental work schedule flexibility may benefit child outcomes through increased parental involvement.
D-optimal sensor placement for load identification in wind turbine rotor blades
Authors: Liangou Theodora , Zilakos Ilias , Anyfantis Konstantinos N
Published: February 2025

Accurate load identification is a prerequisite for monitoring damage processes such as fatigue accumulation. This work approaches the load recognition problem in an inverse inferential setting by processing readings from a strain sensor grid mounted on the operating wind turbine rotor blade. The aeroelastic pressure field is considered an equivalent lumped load vector applied at given stations along the blade’s length, and its magnitude is the quantity of inferential interest. The technical challenge of optical sensor placement is addressed through D-optimal designs that promise sensor architectures, that is, locations and features, which offer a minimal uncertainty propagation of the sensor readings to the load inferences. Synthetic data are generated through finite element simulations based on an actual composite material geometry to demonstrate and quantitatively assess the effectiveness of the process. D-optimal sensor grid designs are obtained through the employment of Genetic Algorithms. Further reduction of the involved epistemic uncertainty due to the problem’s inherent ill-conditioning is assessed by evaluating sensor grids with increasing sensor numbers. The proposed inferential scheme presents a robust way to approach the inverse load identification problem.
Negative Group Affective Tone and Innovation: Nonlinear Moderating Role of Team Mindfulness
Authors: Wang Ping , Zhang Xiaojie , Quan Xijian
Published: February 2025

Teams often experience negative affective states during the execution of innovative tasks. Negative group affective tone does not necessarily lead to unfavorable outcomes. Grounded in the theories of affect-as-information and mindfulness, this study proposes that team mindfulness nonlinearly moderates the relationship between negative group affective tone and team innovation through the mechanism of external knowledge acquisition. Data collected from 62 research and development teams were analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses. The empirical findings support our hypotheses. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
The brain-boosting power of exergames in neurological disabilities
Authors: Prosperini Luca , Pezzella Francesca Romana , Quartuccio Maria Esmeralda , Alcamisi Irene , Cruciani Alessandro , Ruggieri Serena
Published: February 2025

Purpose of the research

We propose a framework on how to implement exergames in the rehabilitation process.

Major findings

An increasing body of research is showing that exergames improve balance, motor dexterity, and cognitive functions. People suffering from stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, dementia, and many other neurological conditions may benefit from exergames. Similar to other rehabilitation strategies, playing exergames enhances neuroplasticity and facilitates functional recovery in individuals with neurological disabilities. Alongside pharmacological treatments, rehabilitation interventions, including exergames, are essential in neurological diseases to achieve functional restoration, promote independence, enhance quality of life, and prevent secondary complications.

Conclusions

Exergames are an emerging tool in the field of digital rehabilitation. They provide fun, engaging, and effective interventions for adaptive physical and cognitive training. The integration of exergames into a comprehensive neurorehabilitation program has stepped up considerably following the first COVID-19 pandemic wave that led to widespread disruptions in healthcare systems.
Bodies of whiteness: Space invading Viktor Orbán’s ethnonationalism
Authors: Halász Katalin
Published: February 2025

The article maps moments of relations between two bodies and their proximity to the somatic norm of whiteness: that of Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, and of the author, an émigré mother returning to Hungary to vote at the General Election on 3 April 2022. The context of the encounter is the public space of the official Instagram account of the Prime Minister, and the photos of him posted in the run up to the General Election. Viktor Orbán not only displays white hegemonic masculinities in his social media platform but sets out the role for white ethnic Hungarian mothers in reproducing a nation built on racialized exclusion. The article traces affective disruption and unease engendered by the racialized and gendered norms of national belonging delineated by the current leader of the Hungarian government. Working with Nirmal Puwar’s Space Invaders, it examines the possibilities of creating a sense of belonging from an ambivalent position of being both in and out of place.
Linguistic cues for automatic assessment of Alzheimer’s disease across languages
Authors: Rentoumi Vassiliki , Vassiliou Evangelos , Pittaras Nikiforos , Demiraj Admir , Papageorgiou Manolis , Sali Dimitra , Papatriantafyllou Athina , Griziotis Panagiotis , Chardouveli Artemis , Pattakos Konstantinos , Paliouras George
Published: February 2025

Background

Most common forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, are associated with alterations in spoken language.

Objective

This study explores the potential of a speech-based machine learning (ML) approach in estimating cognitive impairment, using inputs of speech audio recordings.

Methods

We develop an automatic ML pipeline that ingests multimodal inputs of audio and transcribed text, mapping speech and language to domain-specific biomarkers optimized for high explainability and predictive ability. The resulting features are fed through a multi-stage pipeline to determine efficient classification configurations.

Results

We evaluated the system on large real-world datasets, achieving above 90% and 70% weighted average F1 scores for two-class (AD versus normal controls) and three-class (AD versus mild cognitive impairment versus normal controls) classification tasks, respectively. Model performance remains stable across different population characteristics.

Conclusions

The study introduces a robust, non-invasive method for gauging the cognitive status of AD and MCI patients from speech samples, with the potential of generalizing effectively to multiple types of diseases/disorders which may burden language.
Improving the combustion performance of ammonia in a spark-ignition engine by mixing methane coupled with multiple spark ignition: An optical study
Authors: Uddeen Kalim , Tang Qinglong , Shi Hao , Turner James WG
Published: February 2025

Ammonia (NH3) has recently emerged as a promising alternative fuel for both internal and external combustion engines. The combustion of pure ammonia does not produce unwanted pollutant emissions such as oxides of carbon, total unburned hydrocarbon (THC), and particulates. Additionally, ammonia contains 17.8% by mass of hydrogen (H2), making it a potential fuel for hydrogen storage. However, its narrow flammability range, low reactivity, and low flame propagation speed have limited its engine performance. To address these issues, this study was conducted to explore the use of multiple flame generation and ammonia-methane blend approaches to enhance the flame propagation speed of ammonia and improve engine performance. The study utilized a novel metal liner to generate multiple flames inside the combustion chamber and installed four spark plugs, as well as an additional spark plug at the top of the cylinder head, similar to a spark-ignition engine. Furthermore, the study investigated the effect of adding methane to ammonia combustion, with methane fractions ranging from 30% to 60% in terms of energy fraction. The combustion process was initiated with various spark ignition cases, and a high-speed natural flame-luminosity (NFL) technique was utilized to capture various combustion cases. The results showed that multiple flames inside the chamber led to stable ammonia combustion, resulting in better engine efficiency due to a faster flame propagation rate. Additionally, the study found that increasing the methane fraction in the ammonia fuel mixture increased the in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate (HRR), improving engine performance significantly. However, higher NOx emissions were observed with increasing methane fraction in the fuel mixture, resulting from both fuel-bound and thermal NOx caused by higher in-cylinder temperatures. The study also found that higher THC and CO2 emissions were observed while increasing the methane fraction in the fuel mixture. Moreover, multiple spark ignition cases produced lower THC than the single spark plug case because it burned the air-fuel mixture rapidly.
Caring for an older person with dementia: Behavioral problems in the eyes of family caregivers and migrant home care workers
Authors: Ayalon Liat , Ulitsa Natalie , Nebowsky Anna-Eva , Schweda Mark , von Kutzleben Milena
Published: February 2025

The present study addresses the perspectives of Israeli family caregivers and migrant care workers on behavioral problems of persons with dementia. We thematically analyzed interviews with 21 migrant home care workers and 17 family members. Three main themes reported by both family members and migrant home care workers were identified. The first theme concerned the main challenges associated with caring for a person with dementia. The second theme concerned the management of the care recipient’s behavioral problems. The last theme concerned the relationship between family members and the migrant home care worker in the context of the care provided to a family member with dementia. Our findings stress that the different stakeholders have quite similar perspectives concerning what the most challenging behaviors associated with dementia are as well as ways to address them. Moreover, both family members and migrant home care workers recognize the role of family members as mediators and as those who ensure adequate working relations of the migrant care workers and thus, are directly responsible for protecting the mental and physical wellbeing of the worker. Policy stakeholders and clinicians responsible for this caregiving arrangement should use these insights to better prepare family members and migrant home care workers for this caregiving context and the challenges it brings.
Actions of basketball players integrating computer vision and sports biomechanics
Authors: Pang Haolin , Zhang Donglan
Published: February 2025

To address the issues of subjectivity, data acquisition challenges, low analysis efficiency, and lack of real-time feedback in traditional basketball player action research, this study applied a DeepLabCut model that integrates computer vision and sports biomechanics. By combining image processing and keypoint detection techniques, the model effectively recognizes and analyzes basketball player actions, offering a significant improvement over conventional methods. Firstly, the collected action videos were subjected to data preprocessing, including image size adjustment, grayscale processing, and normalization; then, the DeepLabCut model was utilized for keypoint detection to identify the key action parts of basketball players; finally, the detection results were analyzed and validated through the calculation of biomechanical parameters in sports. The research results showed that DeepLabCut performed excellently in keypoint detection accuracy and processing speed. Compared to traditional methods, its average error was only 4.63 pixels and the average processing time was only 45.7 milliseconds. This research highlights the significance of DeepLabCut and sports biomechanics in enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of action analysis in basketball player action research.