bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complementary Reinnervation in Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
Authors: Mueller Andreas H. , Klinge Kathleen , Foerster Gerhard , Burk Fabian
Published: February 2025

Objectives

To achieve glottal gap closure in unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) through complementary ansa cervicalis nerve muscle pedicle laryngeal reinnervation (ANMP‐LR).

Introduction

ANMP‐LR is easy to learn and does not require recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) transection.

Materials and Methods

Twelve patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) were included, who received ANMP‐LR and could be followed up for at least 6–24 months. At baseline, after 3–6 (T1), 12 (T2) and 24 months (T3), Voice Handicap Index (VHI), perceived roughness (R) and breathiness (B), sound pressure level (SPLmax), maximum phonation time (MPT), Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and glottal gap (GG) were recorded.

Results

R and B were significantly reduced at T1, MPT and SPLmax increased significantly up to T1 (MPT to 15.8 s; SPLmax to 91.5 dB). Similarly, VHI dropped significantly and the residual glottal gap (GG) was significantly reduced between T0 and T1. All outcomes remained stable until T3. There was a non‐significant tendency to further improvement until T3 in SPLmax and GG.

Discussion

The T1–T3 outcomes of the complementary ANMP‐LR are comparable with the standard LR and also with thyroplasty. As with all LR techniques, younger patients and those with shorter paralysis benefit more. Patients with evidence of unfavorable laryngeal synkinesis are more likely to benefit from a standard LR with RLN transection.

Conclusions

Younger patients with insufficient synkinetic reinnervation and persisting or progressive glottis closure insufficiency in UVFP benefit from early reinnervation. When the easy‐to‐learn ANMP technique is used, any partial rehabilitation that has already been achieved or any remaining chance of spontaneous reinnervation via the RLN is not compromised.

Level of Evidence: 3
Identification and Validation of Biomarkers in Metabolic Dysfunction‐Associated Steatohepatitis Using Machine Learning and Bioinformatics
Authors: Zhang Yu‐Ying , Li Jin‐E , Zeng Hai‐Xia , Liu Shuang , Luo Yun‐Fei , Yu Peng , Liu Jian‐Ping
Published: February 2025

Background

The incidence of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is increasing annually. MASH can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the early diagnosis of MASH is challenging.

Aim

To screen prospective biomarkers for MASH and verify their effectiveness through in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Methods

Microarray datasets (GSE89632, GSE48452, and GSE63067) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database were used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between patients with MASH and healthy controls. Machine learning methods such as support vector machine recursive feature elimination and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were utilized to identify optimum feature genes (OFGs). OFGs were validated using the GSE66676 dataset. CIBERSORT was utilized to illustrate the variations in immune cell abundance between patients with MASH and healthy controls. The correlation between OFGs and immune cell populations was evaluated. The OFGs were validated at both transcriptional and protein levels.

Results

Initially, 37 DEGs were identified in patients with MASH compared with healthy controls. In the enrichment analysis, the DEGs were mainly related to inflammatory responses and immune signal‐related pathways. Subsequently, using machine learning algorithms, five genes (FMO1, PEG10, TP53I3, ME1, and TRHDE) were identified as OFGs. The candidate biomarkers were validated in the testing dataset and through experiments with animal and cell models. The malic enzyme (ME1) gene (HGNC:6983) expression was significantly upregulated in MASH samples compared to controls (0.4353 ± 0.2262 vs. −0.06968 ± 0.3222, p = 0.00076). Immune infiltration analysis revealed a negative correlation between ME1 expression and plasma cells (R = −0.77, p = 0.0033).

Conclusion

This study found that ME1 plays a regulatory role in early MASH, which may affect disease progression by mediating plasma cells and T cells gamma delta to regulate immune microenvironment. This finding provides a new idea for the early diagnosis, monitoring and potential therapeutic intervention of MASH.
Development of High‐Performance HTPB and Cerium Oxide‐Based Polyurethane Composite Liners for Solid Rocket Motors
Authors: Tahir Naveed Ahmad , Zubir Syazana Ahmad
Published: February 2025

Polyurethanes based on hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) have been utilized as liners in solid rocket motors due to their compatibility with propellant systems and flexible mechanical properties. However, enhancing the liners' thermal stability and mechanical strength remains a significant challenge in extreme operational environments. This study focuses on the development of an advanced composite liner for solid rocket motors (SRMs) based on HTPB and cerium oxide (CeO₂) reinforced polyurethanes (PUs). The novel HTPB/CeO₂ polyurethane composite has been synthesized to enhance the mechanical and thermal properties essential for high‐performance SRMs. These composites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), rheological analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical testing, x‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermal conductivity measurements, and the limited oxygen index (LOI). With increasing CeO₂ content, the pot life decreased from 377 to 201 min. In contrast, thermal stability, as indicated by T₅%, improved from 321°C to 357°C. The inclusion of CeO₂ altered the amorphous nature of the PU composites, as confirmed by both DSC and XRD results. Additionally, tensile strength increased from 3.89 to 7.94 MPa, and elongation at break increased from 495% to 600% at a CeO₂ loading of 9% before decreasing to 362% at 12% loading. CeO₂ acted as a reinforcing agent and contributed to improving flame retardancy. These findings confirm the potential of the HTPB/CeO₂‐based composite liner to outperform traditional materials in terms of mechanical properties, thermal stability, and flame retardancy.
Tobramycin Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
Authors: Macatangay Nathaniel J. , Engdahl Samantha , Pettit Rebecca S.
Published: February 2025

Background

Patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) are commonly treated for pulmonary exacerbations with intravenous tobramycin, but data on tobramycin pharmacokinetics in PCD is lacking. The objective of this study was to compare tobramycin pharmacokinetics in pediatric patients with PCD to those with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods

This retrospective study included pediatric patients hospitalized for a pulmonary exacerbation between January 2018 and June 2023. Included patients were treated with systemic tobramycin and had two concentrations usable to calculate patient‐specific pharmacokinetics. Each patient with PCD was matched 1:2 to patients with CF based on age. The primary outcome was tobramycin elimination rate constant.

Results

Seven patients with PCD were matched to 14 patients with CF. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. The final tobramycin dose was not significantly different between groups (9.3 vs. 11.8 mg/kg, p = 0.192). All doses were infused over 30 min every 24 h. Tobramycin elimination rate constant (0.510 vs. 0.493 h−1, p = 0.433) and volume of distribution (0.31 vs. 0.23 L/kg, p = 0.640) were not different between groups. No patient experienced acute kidney injury. Additionally, both groups experienced similar duration of tobramycin therapy (12.3 vs. 9.6 days, p = 0.184) and length of stay (12.0 vs. 12.6 days, p = 0.801).

Conclusions

No difference in tobramycin elimination rate constant was found between patients with PCD and those with CF. Clinical outcomes were not significantly different between groups. Although not statistically significant, a lower tobramycin dose was observed in patients with PCD.
Synthesis, antibacterial evaluation and preliminary mechanism study of novel isoquinoline‐3‐carboxylic acid derivatives containing an acylhydrazone disulfone moiety
Authors: Sun Shuaipeng , Fang Peiyao , Xu Zhiyuan , Zhang Jing , Feng Gang , Ding Haixin
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND

Limitations in the use and availability of copper‐based fungicides and antibiotics has led to a scarcity of bactericidal agents. It is urgent to develop green bactericides with new modes‐of‐action and effective chemotypes.

RESULTS

A bioactive substructure splicing approach was applied to optimize the structure of the natural product isoquinolin‐3‐carboxylic acid (IQ3CA). The structure–activity relationship analysis showed that the increase of sulfur atomic oxidation state and small groups on the sulfone will be beneficial for antibacterial activities. The difulone compound SF2 showed the most potent activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) and Acidovorax citrulli (Ac), with median lethal effective concentration values of 2.52, 2.62 and 1.12 μg mL−1, respectively, which were superior to those of IQ3CA and kasugamycin. The protective and curative effects of compound SF2 against Ac were 69.31% and 55.64%, respectively, which were better than those of thiodiazole copper (58.37% and 43.08%). Furthermore, preliminary mechanistic investigations indicated that compound SF2 could increase membrane permeability, reduce exopolysaccharide content, and inhibit both bacterial motility and biofilm formation.

CONCLUSIONS

A series of novel isoquinoline‐3‐acylhydrazone derivatives incorporating thioether/disulfone moieties were synthesized, and bioassay results showed compound SF2 demonstrated remarkable antibacterial activity by disrupting bacterial membranes. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
Repairing Lattice Defects by an Orienting Strategy in a Porous Crystal: Boosting Inverse C2H6/C2H4 Separation
Authors: Tang Jie , Wang Qian , Zhang Hujun , Huang Yuhang , Duan Jingui , Jin Wanqin
Published: February 2025

Defects are a common occurrence in various materials, making their repair a topic of widespread attention. However, the repair of atomic‐scale lattice defects in porous crystals presents a substantial challenge. Herein, the repair of a linker‐defective framework (NTU‐70D) is presented through an orienting strategy to obtain a perfect framework (NTU‐70P). Caused by steric hindrance from adjacent carboxylates of isonicotinic acid (INA), the lattice linker defect in NTU‐70D is repaired by formic acid‐assistant (pushed to the opposite direction by steric hindrance) installation of additional INAs in a defined direction, an unprecedented example in PCP chemistry. The resulting NTU‐70P exhibits regular and smooth nano‐channels that are adorned with more OINA sites, leading to a significant increase in C2H6 uptake (51.0 to 90.2 cm3 g−1) and C2H6/C2H4 selectivity (1.6 to 2.5), as evidenced by modeling calculations and in situ IR analysis. Furthermore, it demonstrates a notable ability to produce poly‐grade C2H4 (with a record value of 46.4 mL g−1) from C2H6‐containing mixtures. This work presents the first example of repaired porous crystals for boosted inverse C2H6/C2H4 separation, and the insights gained into the lattice repair offer avenues for the development of rich defective systems in practical applications.
Copernicus Services and Geohazards Management. Lessons Learnt from Citizens’ Observatories
Authors: Montoya-Montes Isabel , Quental Lídia , Galindo Inés , Holohan Eoghan P. , Jaud Marion , Parker Kieran , Rodrigues Domingos , Gonçalves Pedro , Sánchez Nieves , García Inmaculada , Le Dantec Nicolas , Lemon Kirstin , Ramalho Elsa , Machado Susana , Le Berre Iwan , Gouveia Fatima P. , Pinto Claudia , Béjar-Pizarro Marta , Herrera Gerardo , Gomes Rui Carrilho
Published: February 2025

With the AGEO Project focused on the assessment and management of geohazards, particular attention was paid to Copernicus EMS, as it supports all phases of the emergency management cycle: preparedness, prevention, disaster risk reduction, emergency response and recovery. The uptake of the Copernicus EMS in the EU Atlantic Region from 2012–2022 is reviewed. Surveys undertaken during the AGEO project highlighting the perception and awareness of stakeholders, as well as their suggestions for improvements or new requirements, are summarised. Uptake of Copernicus and Earth Observation (EO) products in the frame of the citizen observatories on geohazards is also addressed. Finally, strategic recommendations for strengthening the use of Copernicus products and services, and for new Copernicus products for the Atlantic Region are given.
Introduction: Experiences of Health Risks
Authors: Burton-Jeangros Claudine
Published: February 2025

The idea of risk, which asserts that nothing happens by chance, has profoundly impacted society over the past decades. However, predictions tend to be challenged by unexpected situations and by the complexity of social processes surrounding actual experiences of vulnerability and danger. I propose to focus on experiences of health risks to better understand how people domesticate their personal vulnerability, including material, affective, symbolic, and interpersonal elements. I consider both how citizens and experts actually think, act, and interact around these experiences, across a range of health risks.
Conclusion: Health and Risk in Social Contexts
Authors: Burton-Jeangros Claudine
Published: February 2025

This general conclusion offers a synthesis of the main insights gained on the challenges people encounter when they navigate the uncertainty of modern life, most often formulated in terms of risk probabilities by institutions. Through the lens of the experiences of health risks, I have been interested in how they manage to handle health risks and uncertainty through the elaboration of symbolic meanings, combining risk evidence, experiential or embodied knowledge, emotional reactions, and moral judgments that together support their concrete actions. I emphasize the systems of relations that shape power dynamics around the prevention of health risks and contribute to health inequalities. I also discuss how the idea of risk is redefining relationships with individual and collective health.
Groupthink in Individual Decision-Making
Authors: Charles Aurelie
Published: February 2025

This chapter provides an understanding of the relationship between this “gut feeling”, the inner sense of personal identity, and the identities attached to the social groups surrounding one’s life experience. It shows that social identities bring us closer or make us depart from the inner self in the way individuals make decisions (Sect. 1.2), act upon those decisions (Sect. 1.3) which eventually impact on the allocation of resources in human interactions (Sect. 1.4). Finally, it shows that the market economy and associated revealed preferences in market exchange are just the tip of the iceberg in the way group biases at the psychological level affect the process of resource allocation. Collective biases then aggregate at the macro-level in a non-systemic fashion whereby the aggregation of choices by individuals with multiple identities is unpredictable, unless dominant patterns of group behaviour can be identified and acted upon. Hence, the chapter ends by calling for a widening of the resource allocation spectrum from market to social interactions where the rule of legitimacy over access to resources refer to identity-based entitlement in exchange.
WATS up? What About Teacher Shortage? International Perspectives from Denmark, Germany, and Sweden
Authors: Boström Lena , Kreienbaum Maria Anna , Wüllner Sabrina , Andersen Frans , Bostedt Göran , Lindqvist Marcia Håkansson
Published: February 2025

This article gives an insight into a research-based network with the intention to explore, explain and compare the state of the current situation of teacher shortage in Denmark, Germany and Sweden. The project is funded by a research grant for three years by the Swedish Research Council. The aim of the network is to share and transfer knowledge and insights, as well as to gain new international perspectives. A long-term goal is to expand the network. In this article, the current state of teacher shortage in the mentioned countries is described. Also, the research questions, the research process and methodological approach(es) of the first year as well as the first results are presented. All in all, teacher shortage is a multi-faceted and complex phenomenon. It is evident that more research has to be carried out to identify causes and measures on different levels and in different phases to highlight interdependencies.
Bootstrapping the critical behavior of multi-matrix models
Authors: Khalkhali Masoud , Pagliaroli Nathan , Parfeni Andrei , Smith Brayden
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Given a matrix model, by combining the Schwinger-Dyson equations with positivity constraints on its solutions, in the large N limit one is able to obtain explicit and numerical bounds on its moments. This technique is known as bootstrapping with positivity. In this paper we use this technique to estimate the critical points and exponents of several multi-matrix models. As a proof of concept, we first show it can be used to find the well-studied quartic single matrix model’s critical phenomena. We then apply the method to several similar “unsolved” 2-matrix models with various quartic interactions. We conjecture and present strong evidence for the string susceptibility exponent for some of these models to be γ = 1/2, which heuristically indicates that the continuum limit will likely be the Continuum Random Tree. For the other 2-matrix models, we find estimates of new string susceptibility exponents that may indicate a new continuum limit. We then study an unsolved 3-matrix model that generalizes the 3-colour model with cubic interactions. Additionally, for all of these models, we are able to derive explicitly the first several terms of the free energy in the large N limit as a power series expansion in the coupling constants at zero by exploiting the structure of the Schwinger-Dyson equations.
Matrix moment approach to positivity bounds and UV reconstruction from IR
Authors: Wan Shi-Lin , Zhou Shuang-Yong
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Positivity bounds in effective field theories (EFTs) can be extracted through the moment problem approach, utilizing well-established results from the mathematical literature. We generalize this formalism using the matrix moment approach to derive positivity bounds for theories with multiple field components. The sufficient conditions for obtaining optimal bounds are identified and applied to several example field theories, yielding results that match precisely the numerical bounds computed using other methods. The upper unitarity bounds can also be easily harnessed in the matrix case. Furthermore, the moment problem formulation also provides a means to reverse engineer the UV spectrum from the EFT coefficients, often uniquely, as explicitly demonstrated in examples such as string amplitudes and the stu kink theory.
Quantum chaos in the sparse SYK model
Authors: Orman Patrick , Gharibyan Hrant , Preskill John
Published: February 2025

Abstract

The Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model is a system of N Majorana fermions with random interactions and strongly chaotic dynamics, which at low energy admits a holographically dual description as two-dimensional Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity. Hence the SYK model provides a toy model of quantum gravity that might be feasible to simulate with near-term quantum hardware. Motivated by the goal of reducing the resources needed for such a simulation, we study a sparsified version of the SYK model, in which interaction terms are deleted with probability 1−p. Specifically, we compute numerically the spectral form factor (SFF, the Fourier transform of the Hamiltonian’s eigenvalue pair correlation function) and the nearest-neighbor eigenvalue gap ratio r (characterizing the distribution of gaps between consecutive eigenvalues). We find that when p is greater than a transition value p
1, which scales as 1/N
3, both the SFF and r match the values attained by the full unsparsified model and with expectations from random matrix theory (RMT). But for p < p
1, deviations from unsparsified SYK and RMT occur, indicating a breakdown of holography in the highly sparsified regime. Below an even smaller value p
2, which also scales as 1/N
3, even the spacing of consecutive eigenvalues differs from RMT values, signaling a complete breakdown of spectral rigidity. Our results cast doubt on the holographic interpretation of very highly sparsified SYK models obtained via machine learning using teleportation infidelity as a loss function.
Baryonic spindles from conifolds
Authors: Suh Minwoo
Published: February 2025

Abstract

We construct supersymmetric AdS
3 × Σ solutions with baryonic charge in the Betti-vector truncation of five-dimensional gauged

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= 4 supergravity where Σ is a spindle. The truncation is obtained from type IIB supergravity on AdS
5 × T
1,1. The solutions realize supersymmetry by the anti-twist. The dual field theories are 2d

$$ \mathcal{N} $$

N

= (0, 2) SCFTs from the Klebanov-Witten theory compactified on a spindle. We calculate the holographic central charge of the solutions and it precisely matches the result from the gravitational block.
Relationships between population size and fitness in four common and four rare alpine plant species
Authors: Inniger Hannah , Prati Daniel , Fischer Markus
Published: February 2025

Due to habitat fragmentation and climate change, many plant populations become smaller and more isolated and thus more prone to local extinction. Whereas it is well established for lowland species that plants of small populations have lower individual fitness, alpine species have not been sufficiently studied in this respect. It is also not clear whether relationships between population size and fitness vary between naturally rare and common species. We assessed how population size and rarity affect seed set, seed mass, seed number, total seed mass per fruit, germination, time to germination, offspring survival and offspring size in four congeneric alpine plant species pairs (Androsace chamaejasme Wulfen, A. puberula Jord. & Fourr., Primulaceae; Gentiana acaulis L., G. alpina Vill., Gentianaceae; Potentilla crantzii (Crantz) Fritsch, P. nivea L., Rosaceae; Viola calcarata L., V. lutea Huds., Violaceae). Across all eight species, plants from smaller populations produced fewer seeds and had lower total seed mass per fruit than plants from larger populations. This demonstrates that population size also affects fitness in alpine species. Rare species did not have lower individual fitness than common species. Therefore, naturally rare species might be well adapted to their environment. Relationships between population size and fitness were equally pronounced in rare and common species. We conclude that plant fitness is reduced in small populations in alpine species, also in common species.
Implementing tin-prefiltration in routine clinical CT scans of the lower extremity: impact on radiation dose
Authors: Marth Thomas , Kajdi Georg Wilhelm , Stern Christoph , Sutter Reto
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Several studies have demonstrated the potential of tin-prefiltration to reduce radiation dose while maintaining diagnostic image quality for musculoskeletal imaging. Still, no study has reported data on the impact of tin-prefiltration on radiation dose reduction for clinical routine scanning.

Materials and methods

Retrospective inclusion of 300 clinically indicated CT scans of the pelvis, knee, and ankle before January 2020 (without tin filter) and after December 2020 (with tin filter). For each joint, 50 examinations with tin-prefiltration and 50 examinations without tin-prefiltration were selected. Dose parameters were extracted, calculated, and compared. Subjective and quantitative parameters for image quality were assessed.

Results

The CTDIvol, DLP, and effective dose were reduced significantly in all tin-prefiltered examinations compared to the non-tin-prefiltered examinations (p < 0.001): CTDIvol was 65% lower in the pelvis, 73% lower in the knee, and 54% lower in the ankle. This reduced the effective dose of 61%, 71%, and 60%, respectively. In absolute numbers, the reduction of the median effective dose delivered in a single CT scan of the pelvis was − 2.29 mSv, − 0.15 mSv for the knee, and − 0.03 mSv for the ankle. No difference in diagnostic image quality, depiction of bone anatomy and soft tissues, and image artifacts was observed (p > 0.05). Subjective and objective image noise was higher in tin-prefiltered pelvis CT (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The implementation of tin-prefiltration in clinical routine scan protocols significantly reduced the effective radiation dose for unenhanced CT scans of the lower extremities between 60 and 70%.
Movement and sound production in yearling humpback whales: age-class comparisons
Authors: Zeh Julia M. , Lammers Marc O. , Pack Adam A. , Parks Susan E.
Published: February 2025

The juvenile period is an important stage of growth and development across animals, often consisting of graded stages of physical and social development. For cetaceans, locomotor and social development are key to survival after weaning; individuals require dive capabilities for successful foraging and navigating their aquatic habitat as well as robust acoustic signaling abilities to mediate complex social interactions. Although adult diving and sound production behavior have been studied, little is known about the development of these abilities of juvenile baleen whales. To address this gap in our understanding of baleen whale ontogeny, we used suction cup sound and movement recording tags deployed on 11 humpback whales (3 calves, 5 yearlings, and 3 adults) on their breeding ground in Hawai’i. We recorded deeper and longer dives and shorter intervals at the surface for yearlings compared to calves, suggesting increased aerobic capacity for diving in yearlings. A contact call commonly produced by adults was recorded on yearling tags but not detected from any of the tagged calves, reflecting development in social signaling with age. These data provide an important preliminary understanding of development and differences across age classes. Based on the tag data, yearlings appear to occupy an intermediate state of development, approaching the dive and sound production abilities of adults, and showing evidence of physiological maturation during the first year of life.
The potential impact of the extended vitamin D fortification policy during pregnancy varies by continent of origin - a population-representative Swedish cohort
Authors: Forsby Mathilda , Winkvist Anna , Mooney Ciara , Dangardt Frida , Kindblom Jenny M. , Bärebring Linnea , Augustin Hanna
Published: February 2025

Purpose

We aimed to explore the potential impact of Sweden’s extended fortification policy, launched in 2018, on vitamin D intake during pregnancy, depending on continent of origin.

Methods

The population-representative GraviD cohort was conducted within the antenatal care in 2013–2014 in Southwestern Sweden. Background data including country of origin were collected through questionnaires. In the third trimester, participants (N = 1761) answered a vitamin D questionnaire which included intakes of margarine, milk, and fermented milk. Reported vitamin D intake in 2013–2014 was compared to simulated vitamin D intake following the 2018 vitamin D fortification policy expansion.

Results

Pre-expansion reported median intake of vitamin D from fortified foods differed by continent of origin (p < 0.001). Pre-expansion intake was highest among participants from Northern Europe (2.4 µg/day) compared to those from Continental Europe (2.0 µg/day, p = 0.002), Asia (1.6 µg/day, p < 0.001), and Africa (2.0 µg/day, p = 0.001). Post-expansion simulated median vitamin D intake from fortified foods was higher among participants from Northern Europe (6.3 µg/day) compared to Asia (5.0 µg/day, p < 0.001) and Africa (5.0 µg/day, p = 0.013). Participants from Continental Europe had the largest change (3.6 µg/day) between pre- and post-expansion, while those born in Asia had the smallest change (2.9 µg/day).

Conclusion

The Swedish fortification policy expansion had a positive potential impact on vitamin D intake during pregnancy, but the effect depended on the continent of origin. The potential impact was smallest for participants from Asia and Africa, indicating that the current Swedish fortification policy is most beneficial for individuals of European origin.
A map-reduce algorithm to find strongly connected components of directed graphs
Authors: Ji Fujun , Jin Jidong
Published: February 2025

Online social networks have become ubiquitous platforms, comprising intricately linked structures that reflect complex user interactions. Analyzing the interconnected component structure of these large directed graphs is pivotal for critical applications like viral marketing and contagion prediction. This paper presents a parallel algorithm to efficiently discover strongly connected components in massive social graphs by distributing computation across clustered servers. Our proposed distributed approach conducts localized connected component extraction during the Map phase. The merged aggregation in the Reduce phase then uncovers global maximum interconnected sets spanning the fragmented structures. We employ mathematical induction across Map-Reduce stages to demonstrate the algorithm’s correctness for obtaining exhaustive component enumeration across servers. Implementation and complexity analysis on synthetic benchmark graphs highlight significant efficiency gains, with the algorithm demonstrating near-linear speedup for increasing data-set and cluster sizes. The proposed technique advances the state-of-the-art for extracting strongly connected structures from colossal real-world social networks, enabling actionable insights around influence cascades and contagion pathways underlying these intricate linkage patterns.
The course of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in hematological patients treated with vincristine, bortezomib, or lenalidomide: the NOVIT study
Authors: Maksten Eva Futtrup , Mørch Carsten Dahl , Jakobsen Lasse Hjort , Kragholm Kristian Hay , Blindum Pernille From , Simonsen Mikkel Runason , Ejskjaer Niels , Dybkær Karen , Gregersen Henrik , Madsen Jakob , El-Galaly Tarec C. , Severinsen Marianne Tang
Published: February 2025

Purpose

To assess and describe chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a well-known complication to cancer treatment, using different methodologies in hematological patients.

Methods

Patients scheduled for treatment with vincristine, bortezomib, or lenalidomide were included in this longitudinal observational study. The patients were examined for CIPN before treatment (baseline), before each chemotherapy cycle, one month after end of treatment, and one year after baseline using patient-reported outcomes (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group-Ntx-13 (FACT/GOG-Ntx-13)) and clinician-assessed outcomes (the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) and the Total Neuropathy Score-clinical version (TNSc©)).

Results

A total of 23 patients with 171 examination visits were included between 2020 and 2022. Four patients were treated with vincristine, five with bortezomib, and fourteen with bortezomib and lenalidomide combined. Defining CIPN as a ≥ 10% decrease in the FACT/GOG-Ntx-13, 11 patients (47.8%) developed CIPN during treatment and follow-up. CTCAE score for paresthesia increased from baseline throughout treatment until 1 month after the last treatment (p ≤ 0.045). Overall, the highest proportion of CIPN was present at cycle 3–4 and 1 month after last treatment.

Conclusion

This study describes the course of CIPN in patients treated with vincristine, bortezomib, or lenalidomide using both patient-reported and clinician-assessed outcomes. The highest proportion of CIPN was present at cycle 3–4 and 1 month after treatment, at which timepoints clinicians must be especially aware of CIPN.

Trial registration

Registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (Trial Registration Number: NCT04393363) on March 19, 2020.
An increase in micro-vessels beneath the pleural surface on computed tomography as a preoperative predictor of pleural adhesions: a prospective study
Authors: Kawamura Tomoyuki , Kobayashi Naohiro , Yanagihara Takahiro , Goto Yukinobu , Ichimura Hideo , Sato Yukio
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Pleural adhesions, which may be present in varying degrees and involve blood vessels, often complicate thoracic surgery. The blood flow within pleural adhesions can be identified on computed tomography (CT) as micro-vessels beneath the pleural surface (MVBP). We conducted a prospective study to assess if MVBP can be detected on preoperative CT to predict intraoperative pleural adhesions.

Methods

This prospective study investigated the preoperative CT images of patients scheduled to undergo surgery for lung tumors. MVBP was defined as positive when lung vessels were identified below the pleura on CT. MVBP was evaluated for each lung segment, and intraoperative findings of pleural adhesions on the segments were then recorded.

Results

This study included 173 patients, with 1532 segments evaluated. Pleural adhesions were found in 51 patients and confirmed in 92 segments. The number of segments evaluated preoperatively as MVBP-positive was 134 (9%), of which 36 (26.9%) had pleural adhesions. Multivariable analysis identified that MVBP was an independent significant predictor (odds ratio = 2.29, 95% confidence interval 1.09–4.80, P = 0.028) of pleural adhesions on a per-patient basis.

Conclusions

MVBP is a valuable predictor of pleural adhesions. The method is useful in clinical practice because it does not require additional examinations and is easy to assess.
The normal width of the lateral incisors in the maxilla in an European population
Authors: Artioli Irene , Ndayisaba Aline , Ndayisaba Jean-Pierre , Crismani Adriano Giacomo
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Dental anomalies are clinical alterations that originate during the tooth formation process. This prospective study aims to establish the norm and hypoplasia values for maxillary lateral incisors. Additionally, it aims to describe the relationship between the width of the lateral and the central incisors, considering gender, age, and body height.

Materials and methods

The first 103 consecutive patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The upper jaw of each patient was scanned, and the scans were saved as standard tessellation language (STL) files. The upper incisors of each digital cast were measured on the computer. Two examiners performed the same measurements independently.

Results

The average size of the maxillary central incisor was 8.59 ± 0.51 mm, while the average size of the maxillary lateral incisor was 6.64 ± 0.46 mm. A formula describing a relationship between the central (x) and lateral (y) incisors was defined with a linear regression analysis y = 1.88 + 0.55 * x. Width of maxillary incisors [11, 12, 21, 22] increased with height (p = 0.028, p = 0.016, p = 0.016, p = 0.046 respectively).

Conclusions

Hypoplasia of the maxillary lateral incisor can be defined for teeth with a mesiodistal width less than 6.18 mm in a patient that is represented with the test group. A relationship between the maxillary lateral incisors and central incisors could have been established by means of a formula.

Clinical relevance

The width of the maxillary lateral incisors allows a precise orthodontic and prosthetic planning.
Mating system and female mate choice of Enneapterygius etheostoma (Tripterygiidae) in Tateyama, Chiba, Japan
Authors: Weeks Mike I. , Yukishige Sawako , Sunobe Tomoki
Published: February 2025

In this study, we investigated mating system and mate choice of the triplefin blenny Enneapterygius etheostoma on a rocky reef at Banda, Tateyama Bay, Chiba, Japan, from 21 May to 19 July 2020. The larger males maintained a territory, while the smaller ones joined reproduction as a sneaker. The females visited the territorial males to spawn. The mating success of each territorial male was evaluated by the number of females they spawned with, and eight morphological traits were measured and analyzed to investigate the factors to determine their mating success. There was a significant difference in mating success among the territorial males. However, it was suggested that females choose males regardless of morphological traits and did not always choose the same males. The mating success of territorial males may be determined by chance or mate-choice copying by females.
Homogenized multiscale modelling of an electrically active double poroelastic material representing the myocardium
Authors: Miller Laura , Penta Raimondo
Published: February 2025

In this work, we present the derivation of a novel model for the myocardium that incorporates the underlying poroelastic nature of the material constituents as well as the electrical conductivity. The myocardium has a microstructure consisting of a poroelastic extracellular matrix with embedded poroelastic myocytes, i.e. a double poroelastic material. Due to the sharp length scale separation that exists between the microscale, where the individual myocytes are clearly resolved from the surrounding matrix, and the length of the entire heart muscle, we can apply the asymptotic homogenization technique. The novel PDE model accounts for the difference in the electric potentials, elastic properties as well as the differences in the hydraulic conductivities at different points in the microstructure. The differences in these properties are encoded in the coefficients and are to be computed by solving differential cell problems arising when applying the asymptotic homogenization technique. We present a numerical analysis of the obtained Biot’s modulus, Young’s moduli as well as shears and the effective electrical activity. By investigating the poroelastic and electrical nature of the myocardium in one model, we can understand how the differences in elastic displacements between the extracellular matrix and the myocytes affect mechanotransduction and the influence of disease.
Moderating Effects of Age and Gender on the Relationship Between Pediatric Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms and Parental Accommodation
Authors: DuBois Megan C. , Realbuto Evan , Flessner Christopher A.
Published: February 2025

Parental accommodation is a well-established anxiogenic parenting practice that is ubiquitous among parents of youth with obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS). Accommodation is associated with heightened symptom severity (i.e., high levels of accommodation reinforce and maintain OCS). The present study sought to evaluate whether child age and gender moderated the relationship between parental accommodation and symptom severity. Participants included parents of children with a broad range of psychiatric disorders, as well as some youth with no psychiatric disorder (N = 61, children ages 7–17). Parents completed questionnaires related to their accommodation practices and their child’s obsessive–compulsive symptoms. Age significantly moderated the relationship between accommodation and symptom severity, such that the relationship was stronger among older children. Gender significantly moderated the relationship between accommodation and symptom severity, such that the relationship was stronger among boys. Additional research is needed to further delineate the impact of age and gender on parental accommodation and OCS.
Generative Artificial Intelligence: Evolving Technology, Growing Societal Impact, and Opportunities for Information Systems Research
Authors: Storey Veda C. , Yue Wei Thoo , Zhao J. Leon , Lukyanenko Roman
Published: February 2025

The continuing, explosive developments in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), built on large language models and related algorithms, has led to much excitement and speculation about the potential impact of this new technology. Claims include artificial intelligence (AI) being poised to revolutionize business and society and dramatically change personal life. However, it is not clear how this technology, with its significantly distinct features from past AI technologies, has transformative potential or how researchers in information systems should react to it. In this paper, we consider the evolving and emerging trends of AI in order to examine its present and predict its future impacts. Many existing papers on GenAI are either too technical for most information systems researchers or lack the depth needed to appreciate the potential impacts of GenAI. We, therefore, attempt to bridge the technical and organizational communities of GenAI from a system-oriented sociotechnical perspective. Specifically, we explore the unique features of GenAI, which are rooted in the continued change from symbolism to connectionism, and the deep systemic and inherent properties of human-AI ecosystems. We retrace the evolution of AI that proceeded the level of adoption, adaption, and use found today, in order to propose future research on various impacts of GenAI in both business and society within the context of information systems research. Our efforts are intended to contribute to the creation of a well-structured research agenda in the information systems community to support innovative strategies and operations enabled by this new wave of AI.
Development of a Microcontroller-Based Recurrent Neural Network Predictive System for Lower Limb Exoskeletons
Authors: Slucock T. , Howells G. , Hoque S. , Sirlantzis K.
Published: February 2025

Practical deployments of exoskeletons can often be limited by cost, limiting access to their usage by those that would benefit from them. Minimising cost whilst not harming effectiveness is therefore desirable for exoskeleton development. For Control Systems governing assistive and rehabilitative exoskeletons that react to the wearer’s movements, there will inevitably be some delay between when their wearer intends to move and when the exoskeleton can assist with this movement. This can lead to situations where a user may be limited by their own assistive exoskeleton, reducing their ability to move freely. A potential solution to this is to provide a proactive method of control, where the most likely path of the wearer’s movement is predicted ahead of the wearer making the motion themselves. This can be used to give the user assistance immediately as they are walking, as well as potentially pre-emptively adjust their gait if they suffer from predictable gait deficiencies. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Data Collection, Implementation, and Effectiveness of an LSTM Recurrent Neural Network dynamically predicting future movement based off of prior movement. These methods were developed to use off the shelf, Low-Cost Microcontrollers as to minimise their Financial, Weight, and Power Impact on an overall Low-Cost exoskeleton design, as well as to evaluate how effective such an implementation would be when compared to running such a Neural Network on a more powerful processor. The created model was capable of achieving similar accuracies to far more powerful models on High-Powered Laptops.
The equity and efficiency effects of energy subsidy cost-recovery
Authors: Humes Harry , Farrell Niall
Published: February 2025

Energy subsidies, such as renewable energy price supports or energy efficiency subsidies, are commonly recovered via surcharges on energy consumption; either a flat-rate household charge or a surcharge on the price per unit of electricity. This paper compares the equity and efficiency effects of commonly-employed methods by calibrating a social welfare function according to societal preferences for inequality sourced from the empirical literature. When comparing a flat-rate household charge with a surcharge on the price per unit, we find that an electricity price surcharge is welfare maximising in the majority of considered circumstances. It is less regressive, despite the obvious price distortion. We quantify the welfare loss of this price distortion for a 2015/16 Irish case study. Switching from a flat-rate household charge to a price surcharge reduces consumer surplus by an additional 0.7% to 3%, depending on the price elasticity of demand. There is a strong distributional effect. Under likely rates of price elasticity, switching from a flat-rate household charge to a price surcharge results in an annual average welfare gain of €8.31 for households in the first (lowest) quintile of the income distribution, whilst households in the fifth (highest) quintile incur a loss of €11.83. We find that while efficiency grows in relative importance as the magnitude of the subsidy cost increases, equity still outweighs the efficiency loss in many circumstances given likely societal preferences for inequality. Should policy costs be negative, a flat-rate levy is welfare-maximising under all conditions.
Gender Differences and Physical Limitations in the Association Between Subjective Well-Being and Cultural Consumption Among Older People
Authors: Carella Maria , Misuraca Roberta
Published: February 2025

The present study examines the association between patterns of cultural engagement and subjective well-being amongst older adults, with a focus on gender differences and physical limitations. We carried out a latent class analysis using Italian data from a 2018 survey to identify the profiles of cultural consumers, exploring the relationship between these profiles and life, leisure, and friendship satisfaction. The results show that allocating more time to diverse cultural experiences was associated with higher levels of subjective well-being, even in the presence of gender differences and physical limitations. Women who engaged in diverse cultural experiences with increased intensity and who participated in highbrow activities exhibited higher levels of leisure and friendship satisfaction than men. Moreover, the analysis emphasizes the potential of cultural participation for aging adults dealing with physical challenges documenting that their participation in a diverse range of cultural activities is positively associated with friend and leisure satisfaction. The findings highlight the importance of cultural participation in enhancing older adults’ well-being; it is hoped that they will be used to inform the development of targeted welfare policies.