bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hiatal Hernia and Zenker's Diverticulotomy Outcomes
Authors: Wallerius Katherine P. , Peraza Lazaro R. , Ali Hawa M. , O'Byrne Thomas J. , Awadallah Andrew S. , Bayan Semirra L. , Song Louis Wong Kee , Ekbom Dale C.
Published: December 2024

Objective

To compare reflux symptoms, Zenker's diverticulum recurrence, and clinical outcomes in patients with and without a history of hiatal hernia who underwent Zenker's diverticulotomy (ZD).

Study Design

Single institution retrospective review.

Setting

Tertiary care academic hospital.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients with and without a history of hiatal hernia who underwent ZD via an open stapler, rigid endoscopic CO2 laser, stapler, or harmonic scalpel technique from January 2006 to December 2020 was performed. Data were abstracted for patient demographics, reflux symptoms, and rates of adverse events and symptomatic recurrence.

Results

A total of 426 patients were included in the study, 97 (22.8%) of which had a history of hiatal hernia. Eleven patients (11.3%) with a history of hiatal hernia had undergone Nissen fundoplication prior to ZD. Patients with a history of hiatal hernia showed less symptomatic improvement postoperatively. Significant differences were noted in the change in the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT‐10) (P < .01) and Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) (P = .03) where patients without a history of hiatal hernia improved more than hiatal hernia patients. Despite these differences in symptom relief, rates of postoperative complications and rates of recurrence did not significantly differ between groups. The median time to recurrence was similar for both groups.

Conclusion

Patients without a history of hiatal hernia had significantly larger improvements in EAT‐10 and RSI scores compared to patients with a history of hiatal hernia. However, these differences in scores may not represent clinically meaningful differences. There were no significant differences in postoperative adverse events or in recurrence of the Zenker's diverticulum between groups.
Neutrophil‐to‐Lymphocyte Ratio and Pembrolizumab Outcomes in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Truong Angeline A. , Lee Rex H. , Wu Xin , Algazi Alain P. , Kang Hyunseok , El‐Sayed Ivan H. , George Jonathan R. , Heaton Chase M. , Ryan William R. , Jeon Yena , Kim Mi‐Ok , Ha Patrick K. , Wai Katherine C.
Published: December 2024

Objective

To determine the relationship between pretreatment neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and 6‐month progression‐free survival (PFS)/2‐year overall survival (OS) among patients with recurrent or metastatic (R/M) oral cavity cancer on pembrolizumab.

Study Design

This study was a retrospective, observational study performed at a tertiary care academic center.

Setting

Participants included patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) who began pembrolizumab treatment at the University of California, San Francisco between May 2016 and May 2022.

Methods

The primary outcome was a 6‐month PFS. The secondary outcome was a 2‐year OS. NLR was treated as a continuous variable. Disease progression was determined using radiographic criteria, adopted from the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.

Results

Fifty‐two patients with OCSCC were included. Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) indication was recurrence/metastasis for all patients. The median pretreatment NLR was 5.7 (interquartile range: 3.6‐7.6). Twenty‐seven (55%) patients received pembrolizumab alone. Of those receiving treatment for R/M prior to ICI, 9 (18%) received salvage surgery and adjuvant therapy, 2 (4%) received chemotherapy alone, 1 (2%) received chemoradiation, and 10 (20%) received salvage surgery. Nineteen (36.5%) patients had distant metastases at the start of ICI. Six‐month PFS was 46%. Two‐year OS was 44%. NLR was independently associated with 6‐month PFS [hazard ratio, HR: 1.05 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.01‐1.11), P = .028] and 2‐year OS [HR: 1.12 (95% CI: 1.05‐1.20), P < .001].

Conclusion

Higher pretreatment NLR was associated with poorer 6‐month PFS and 2‐year OS in OCSCC patients treated with pembrolizumab.
How to be a Better Surgeon: The Evidence for Surgical Coaching
Authors: Padia Reema , Wang Cynthia , Henry LaKeisha , Ishman Stacey L. , Jamal Nausheen
Published: December 2024

Surgical coaching has made a positive contribution to surgical training and practice; however, the otolaryngology–head and neck surgery literature is lacking. The operating environment for practicing surgeons, and specifically otolaryngologists, is continually changing due to advancements in technology and new practice patterns. These changes in practice, however, have not come with a coordinating system for operative feedback once surgical training is completed. In this commentary, we explore surgical coaching, its applicability to otolaryngology, and encourage its more widespread acceptance and implementation.
Floral Volatile Organic Compounds of Mitchella repens (Rubiaceae)
Authors: Grennan Aleel K. , Murphy Kathleen C. , Fowler Mary , Bengtson Adam , Turner Jay , Horan Lucas , Fitzpatrick Julia , Desilets Logan
Published: December 2024

Mitchella repens (partridgeberry; family Rubiaceae) is a creeping, understory plant native to eastern North America. The twinned, tubular flowers of this distylous plant are bright white and produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Partridgeberry has intermorph incompatibility and thus requires pollinators to move pollen from one morph to the other. Despite partridgeberry being a common member of forest communities, little is known about its pollination syndrome. Using headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis the floral VOCs were identified, with the four predominant molecules being α‐pinene, camphene, D‐limonene, and verbenone. The VOC profile contained 27 molecules consisting mostly of monoterpenes. Two independent sample t‐tests confirmed that each morph produced statistically similar floral VOC profiles (p > 0.1). Additionally, two of the predominant VOC molecules, α‐pinene and D‐limonene, were measured throughout the 5‐day flowering cycle. Simple linear regressions of these compound levels versus days after flowering (DAF) confirmed that α‐pinene and D‐limonene both decreased with flower age. Insect visits were observed to correlate with α‐pinene and D‐limonene concentrations, peaking at 1–2 DAF and then declining through 5 DAF.
Coming out of the Integrative Oncology Comfort Zone: Addressing Healthcare Providers' Wartime‐Related Concerns
Authors: Eliyas Shir , Gressel Orit , Ben‐Arye Eran , Vagedes Jan , Samuels Noah , Kassem Sameer
Published: December 2024

Study objective

To assess the impact of a personalized integrative medicine (IM) intervention on healthcare providers (HCPs) expressing war‐related emotional/spiritual and physical concerns.

Methods

Physicians, nurses, para‐medical and other HCPs from 5 hospital departments in northern Israel underwent IM treatments provided by IM‐trained practitioners working in integrative oncology (IO) care settings. The two main HCP‐reported concerns were scored (from 0 to 6) before and following the intervention using the Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing questionnaire. Post‐intervention narratives were examined for emotional/spiritual keywords (ESKs).

Results

Of 190 participating HCPs, 121 (63.7%) expressed ESKs in post‐treatment narratives (ESK group), with 69 not expressing ESKs (nESK group). Both groups had similar demographic and professional backgrounds, and reported improved measure yourself concerns and well‐being (MYCAW) QoL‐related concerns immediately post‐intervention. However, between‐group analysis found significantly greater improvement in the ESK group for the first (p < 0.001) and second (p = 0.01) MYCAW concerns, as well as emotional/spiritual concerns (p < 0.001). Pain‐related concerns improved similarly in both groups, with improved scores continuing to 24‐h post‐treatment.

Conclusions

HCPs with war‐related emotional/spiritual and physical QoL‐related concerns showed significant improvement following the IM intervention. This was more significant among those reporting ESKs for their two major and emotional/spiritual concerns, with pain scores improving similarly in both groups. Future research needs to explore specific and non‐specific effects of IM intervention provided by IO practitioners working outside their “comfort zone”, fostering collaboration between IM and mental health providers to address HCP wellbeing and resilience during a time of national crisis.
Efficient Ethanol Sensor Based on Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanorods on Radio Frequency Sputtered ZnO/Pt/SiO2/Si Substrate
Authors: Bhunia Amit Kumar , Mandal Biswajit , Guha Prasanta Kumar
Published: December 2024

The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensing device is developed by using hydrothermally grown vertically aligned 1D ZnO nanorods (ZnO NRs) on radio frequency sputtered ZnO/Pt/SiO2/Si substrate. Before the fabrication of the sensor device, the microstructure, morphology, and temperature stability of the NRs are characterized using x‐ray diffraction, absorption and emission spectrum, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Observation shows the formation of well‐vertically aligned, temperature‐stable (up to 900 °C) ZnO NRs with a hexagonal wurzite phase. The NRs show enhanced defects, vacancies, and interstitial‐related green emission (503 nm) and red emission (655 nm) with a bandgap of ≈3.74 eV. The observed Raman active E1 and A1 modes are prominent for such NRs. The sensing device exhibits a selective response to ethanol as compared with other VOCs (e.g., methanol, ethanol, and 2‐propanol). The oxygen‐vacancy‐rich ZnO NRs show enhanced ethanol sensing with a speedy response time (87–97 s) and recovery characteristics time (66–169 s). The device shows a lower detection limit for ethanol ≈4.5 ppm. The ethanol sensing mechanism and the advantages of the as‐grown vertically aligned ZnO NRs structure as sensing material are also discussed. The device shows excellent long‐term stability (≈20 weeks) and reproducing capability for ethanol.
Structural, Electronic, and Magnetic Properties of Ferrimagnetic Double‐Perovskite Ba2GdRuO6: Density Functional Theory and Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Kerrai Hamza , Zaim Ahmed , Kerouad Mohamed
Published: December 2024

In this study, the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the double‐perovskite Ba2GdRuO6 are investigated using both first‐principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulations. Spin–orbit coupling is incorporated to accurately capture the interactions between the 4d and 4f electrons, which play a crucial role in determining the material's magnetic and electronic properties. The calculations showed that the ferrimagnetic structure, with an optimal lattice parameter of 8.41 Å, is the most stable configuration. Additionally, the density of states and band structure calculations reveal a semiconducting nature at the Fermi level, with a total magnetic moment of 4 . To further investigate the system, Monte Carlo simulations are performed to study the effect of crystal fields on the transition temperatures. The results reveal several critical phenomena, including compensation temperature, critical endpoints, and first‐ and second‐order phase transitions.
Impact of Sodium‐Glucose Co‐Transporter‐2 Inhibitors on Exercise‐Induced Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Satoh Taijyu , Yaoita Nobuhiro , Higuchi Satoshi , Nochioka Kotaro , Yamamoto Saori , Sato Haruka , Tatebe Shunsuke , Yamada Kaito , Yamada Yusuke , Komaru Kohei , Chiba Naoki , Sarashina Yuki , Mori Ryuichi , Nakada Mitsuru , Hayashi Hideka , Suzuki Hideaki , Takahama Hiroyuki , Ota Hideki , Yasuda Satoshi
Published: December 2024

Patients with borderline pulmonary hypertension (PH) often experience shortness of breath or exacerbation of PH during exercise, known as exercise‐induced PH. However, the pathogenesis of exercise‐induced post‐capillary PH (post‐EIPH) and its treatment strategies remain unclear. Recent guidelines and consensus documents have highlighted the benefits of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in heart failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to investigate the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with post‐EIPH and CKD. This single‐center prospective cohort study enroled 10 patients with CKD (age, 68 years; female, 60%) who exhibited post‐EIPH between 1 July 2022 and 31 December 2023. Post‐EIPH was defined as a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP)/cardiac output (CO) slope > 2 and peak PCWP during exercise ≥ 25 mmHg measured by catheterization. The patients received SGLT2 inhibitor treatment for 6 months. At rest, patients with post‐EIPH had borderline‐PH (21.5 ± 1.8 mmHg), with preserved left and right ventricular function. SGLT2 inhibitors treatment significantly reduced the PCWP/CO slope during exercise (3.9 ± 1.2 vs. 2.4 ± 1.2 mmHg/L/min, p = 0.013) and improved the 6‐min walking distance (489.9 ± 80.2 vs. 568.3 ± 91.9 m, p = 0.014). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lower left ventricular global longitudinal strain in patients with post‐EIPH, which was increased by SGLT2 inhibitor treatment (−13.8 ± 2.0 vs. −17.3 ± 2.0%, p = 0.003). SGLT2 treatment inhibitors mitigated post‐EIPH hemodynamic abnormalities and exercise intolerance, suggesting their potential as its therapeutic option.
Inflammasomes and their roles in autoimmune diseases
Authors: Pan Minghui , Yang Jie , Jiang Zhengfan
Published: December 2024

Autoimmune diseases are immune disorders in which the immune system mistakenly targets and attacks the normal cells, tissues, and organs of the patients. The etiology of autoimmune diseases is complex and multifactorial. This review aims to provide a general introduction to the immunological functions of inflammasomes and describe the role of inflammasomes in disorders characterized by self‐directed inflammation, with a particular focus on several common autoimmune diseases. We reviewed current research on the mechanisms of inflammasome activation and inflammasomes' contribution to autoimmune diseases. Inhibitors targeting inflammasome components were also explored for their potential in therapeutic applications. With increasing research on mechanisms of inflammation of the pathologic conditions, accumulated evidence suggests that the aberrant or uncontrolled activation of inflammasomes contributes to the pathogenesis and development of autoimmune diseases. Additionally, inflammasome‐targeting drugs have shown promise in treating autoimmune diseases. Insights into the mechanisms governing inflammasome activation and their roles in autoimmune diseases could contribute to the development of novel anti‐inflammatory drugs for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases with enhanced targeting precision and reduced adverse reactions.
Assisted reproductive technology in Japan: A summary report for 2022 by the Ethics Committee of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Authors: Katagiri Yukiko , Jwa Seung Chik , Kuwahara Akira , Iwasa Takeshi , Ono Masanori , Kato Keiichi , Kishi Hiroshi , Kuwabara Yoshimitsu , Taniguchi Fuminori , Harada Miyuki , Iwase Akira , Sugino Norihiro
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This descriptive analysis evaluated the 2022 assisted reproductive technology (ART) data collected by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology registry.

Methods and Results

In 2022 (cutoff date 30 November 2023), 634 of 635 registered ART facilities participated; 602 implemented ART treatment, with 543 630 registered cycles and 77 206 neonates (9.1% and 10.6% increases from the previous year). For fresh cycles, freeze‐all in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles increased, resulting in 2183 and 2822 neonates, respectively. In total, 275 296 cycles resulted in oocyte retrieval, with 158 247 (57.5%) freeze‐all cycles. Total single embryo transfer (ET) and singleton pregnancy rates were 82.4% and 97.2%, respectively. The singleton live birth rate was 97.4%. The number of frozen–thawed ET (FET) cycles was 264 412, with 98 348 pregnancies and 72 201 neonates. The single ET rate was 85.3%. The rate of singleton pregnancies was 96.9%; that of singleton live births was 96.9%. Per registered cycle, women had a mean age of 37.6 (standard deviation: 4.8) years; 210 322 cycles (38.7%) were conducted for women aged ≥40 years.

Conclusions

Significant growth in ART cycles and outcomes reflects the impact of recent expanded insurance coverage.
Stress‐related coping and its relationship to well‐being in nursing assistants and personal care aides in nursing homes and assisted living
Authors: Sloane Philip D. , Efird‐Green Lea , Reed David , Travers Jasmine L. , Perreira Krista M. , Lathren Christine , Bluth Karen , Zimmerman Sheryl
Published: December 2024

INTRODUCTION

Professional caregivers (nursing assistants and personal care aides) in nursing homes (NH) and assisted living (AL) provide the majority of long‐term residential care for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Their work is stressful, but until recently, no measures were available to assess stress in this workforce. Using the new Long‐Term Care Cope (LTC COPE) scale, this study evaluates the relationship of coping with staff demographic characteristics and outcomes; the findings can be used to develop and evaluate interventions to improve staff well‐being.

METHODS

We used a cross‐sectional online questionnaire completed by professional caregivers working in a purposive selection of 10 NHs and three AL communities in California, New York, and North Carolina. The sample included 391 professional caregivers and had a representative distribution by age; it was 87% female; 42% non‐Hispanic/Latinx (NHL) Black, 25% NHL White, 20% Hispanic/Latinx, and 7% NHL Asian. Worker job satisfaction, mental health, and health‐related quality of life were examined in relation to caregiver demographics and the following approaches to coping as measured by the LTC COPE: avoidance, adaptive psychological strategies, active engagement, maladaptive psychological strategies, minimizing emotional impact, and substance use. Statistical comparisons used non‐parametric Spearman correlation coefficients.

RESULTS

Little difference in coping strategies was noted by sex and education; older caregivers used adaptive psychological strategies more than younger caregivers; and traditionally minoritized adults (NHL Black, NHL Asian, and Hispanic/Latinx), compared to NHL White adults, more often used adaptive and less often used maladaptive psychological coping strategies. The use of maladaptive and avoidance strategies was strongly associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and burnout.

DISCUSSION

Professional caregivers report using a wide variety of coping strategies, with multiple strategies being the norm, and both adaptive/engaged and maladaptive/disengaged approaches are common. Certain coping approaches are strongly linked to depression, anxiety, and burnout; attention to training and support of adaptive and positive coping may augment other efforts to improve job satisfaction and performance. The LTC COPE scale has the potential to guide and evaluate practices to improve workers’ well‐being.

Highlights

Professional caregivers in nursing homes and assisted living generally use multiple strategies to cope with work‐related stress.

Certain coping approaches are strongly linked to depression, anxiety, and burnout.

The Long‐Term Care Cope scale has potential to guide and evaluate practices to improve worker well‐being.
Intangible Heritage and the Complexities of Inequality in the Politics of Belonging
Authors: Kuutma Kristin , Seljamaa Elo-Hanna
Published: December 2024

This article elaborates on marked silences and inadequate affordances of belonging for minorities in the UNESCO-related living heritage framework. How is the ICH Convention implementation addressing possibilities for reduction of inequalities? What role does academic research play in generating a representation of minorities in the living heritage configuration? Our discursive perspective on the academic heritage scholarship in policy-making contexts, and analysis of the politics of belonging or marked representational silences draws on ethnographic examples mostly from Estonia—an East European setting where identity construction and claims reflect the twentieth century changes in the socio-political history and positions.
Twenty Years of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: Experiences from the Implementation of the Convention in Poland (2011–2023)
Authors: Schreiber Hanna
Published: December 2024

This paper presents the institutional history of the implementation of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Poland in the years 2011–2023. It presents institutions, organs, bodies, legal framework and administrative solutions aimed at safeguarding intangible heritage in Poland. It also discusses current developments in the area of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in an urban context using the example of the activities of the Warsaw Intangible Cultural Heritage Team.
Music as Heritage
Authors: de Oliveira Pinto Tiago
Published: December 2024

Seeing music as a cultural heritage within the UNESCO Conventions on World Heritage (1972) and on Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) has been a challenge for the understanding of both the musicological approach to music within this framework and the concept of ICH as such. While the material properties of music (musical scores etc.), do not fall under the World Heritage concept, but are rather elements of the Memory of the World (MoW) Programme (documents and archives), the research on music as ICH has revealed that at least 60% of the inscribed elements in the UNESCO Representative List of the ICH are specifically music-related (musical instruments) or clearly music-based (rituals, dances etc.).

The aim of this essay is to give an insight into the multifaceted role and properties of music that become especially evident and raise questions regarding the UNESCO ICH Convention.
Intangible Cultural Heritage: Challenges and Expectations
Authors: Wulf Christoph
Published: December 2024

Using the example of the canto a tenore Sardinian pastoral songs the article examines four central aspects of intangible cultural practices. (1) the human body as medium, (2) practices of communication and interaction, (3) mimetic learning and practical knowledge, (4) the performativity of cultural practices. Based on this analysis the article examines ten central elements of intangible cultural practices, such as producing culture, enabling identification, dealing with difference, overcoming crises and imparting practical knowledge.
Museums as Facilitators in the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage
Authors: Lüdtke Hartwig
Published: December 2024

The museum is the ideal partner institution for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH). It preserves, presents, and explains the relevant tools and equipment, as well as the respective items produced. At the same time, the museum can also make past epochs tangible through demonstrations and participative events which “re-enact” intangible cultural heritage. The idea of re-enactment was already part of the philosophy behind the first open-air museums that opened around the turn of the twentieth century. The museum is thus primarily a place for analogue experiences, just as the preservation of ICH is mostly an analogue activity, usually with no virtual substitute. This essay mostly draws on examples from the German-speaking world.
Living Heritage as a Global Public Good and Sustainable Development
Authors: Petrillo Pier Luigi
Published: December 2024

The paper analyses the evolution of the legal protection of intangible cultural heritage from a comparative perspective and verifies the impact produced by the UNESCO Convention on intangible cultural heritage in 9 countries (Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Jordan, Cyprus, Spain, Burkina Faso, Korea and Japan) to try to demonstrate how the protection of ICH is necessary for sustainable development.
Anthropology as a Catalyst in Living Heritage World-Making Projects: The Case of the Voladores Ceremony in Mexico
Authors: Amescua-Chávez Cristina , Rebollo Cruz Montserrat Patricia
Published: December 2024

The chapter delves into the intricacies of the Ritual Ceremony of the Voladores and its dynamics within the framework of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2018, the Totonac Voladores found themselves in a confrontational stance against a beer company’s inappropriate use of their image, thereby challenging the sway of corporate influence. The narrative underscores the pivotal role played by their historical interactions with governmental entities and organizational processes pre-dating their inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It sheds light on how community-led engagements, featuring ethically committed anthropologists alongside various actors within the ICH social framework (including academics and government representatives), contribute to shaping distinct world-making projects capable of challenging prevailing power dynamics. Anthropologists, in this context, emerge as architects of intelligibility, bridging the interests of diverse stakeholders and fostering opportunities for local-global connections and community empowerment. The Voladores’ s case shows that the inscription alone falls short in ensuring safeguarding of living heritage, but it also demonstrates how the UNESCO 2003 Convention can become a practical tool for local communities to better navigate inherently unequal social landscapes. The chapter highlights the Voladores’ journey as a potential blueprint for other communities seeking to defend and safeguard their heritage.
Well-posedness of Keller–Segel systems on compact metric graphs
Authors: Shemtaga Hewan , Shen Wenxian , Sukhtaiev Selim
Published: December 2024

Chemotaxis phenomena govern the directed movement of microorganisms in response to chemical stimuli. In this paper, we investigate two Keller–Segel systems of reaction–advection–diffusion equations modeling chemotaxis on thin networks. The distinction between two systems is driven by the rate of diffusion of the chemo-attractant. The intermediate rate of diffusion is modeled by a coupled pair of parabolic equations, while the rapid rate is described by a parabolic equation coupled with an elliptic one. Assuming the polynomial rate of growth of the chemotaxis sensitivity coefficient, we prove local well-posedness of both systems on compact metric graphs, and, in particular, prove existence of unique classical solutions. This is achieved by constructing sufficiently regular mild solutions via analytic semigroup methods and combinatorial description of the heat kernel on metric graphs. The regularity of mild solutions is shown by applying abstract semigroup results to semi-linear parabolic equations on compact graphs. In addition, for logistic-type Keller–Segel systems we prove global well-posedness and, in some special cases, global uniform boundedness of solutions.
A higher-order quadratic NLS equation on the half-line
Authors: Himonas A. Alexandrou , Yan Fangchi
Published: December 2024

The well-posedness of the initial-boundary value problem for higher-order quadratic nonlinear Schrödinger equations on the half-line is studied by utilizing the Fokas solution formula for the corresponding linear problem. Using this formula, linear estimates are derived in Bourgain spaces for initial data in spatial Sobolev spaces on the half-line and boundary data in temporal Sobolev spaces suggested by the time regularity of the linear initial value problem. Then, the needed bilinear estimates are derived and used for showing that the iteration map defined via the Fokas solution formula is a contraction in appropriate solution spaces. Finally, well-posedness is established for optimal Sobolev exponents in a way analogous to the case of the initial value problem on the whole line with solutions in classical Bourgain spaces.
Relative energy method for weak–strong uniqueness of the inhomogeneous Navier–Stokes equations far from vacuum
Authors: Crin-Barat Timothée , Škondrić Stefan , Violini Alessandro
Published: December 2024

We present a weak–strong uniqueness result for the inhomogeneous Navier–Stokes equations in $$\mathbb {R}^d$$

R

d

($$d=2,3$$

d
=
2
,
3

) for bounded initial densities that are far from vacuum. Given a strong solution, i.e. a solution satisfying the equation as an identity in $$L^2$$

L
2

, and a Leray–Hopf weak solution, we establish that they coincide if the initial data agree. Our proof strategy is based on the relative energy method and new $$W^{-1,p}$$

W

-
1
,
p

-type stability estimates for the density. A key point lies in proving that every Leray–Hopf weak solution originating from initial densities far from vacuum remains distant from vacuum at all times.
A modified spatiotemporal nonlocal thermoelasticity theory with higher-order phase delays for a viscoelastic micropolar medium exposed to short-pulse laser excitation
Authors: Abouelregal Ahmed E. , Marin Marin , Öchsner Andreas
Published: December 2024

At the microscale and nanoscale, materials exhibit size-dependent behaviors that classical models cannot capture. This analysis introduces a size-dependent higher-order thermoelastic heat conduction model, incorporating spatial and temporal nonlocal effects in a micropolar visco-thermoelastic medium subjected to laser pulse heat flux. The two-phase delay model, featuring higher-order temporal derivatives, captures the complex interactions among mechanical, thermal, and viscous properties in materials where size effects are significant. By including phase lag, the model effectively addresses non-Fourier heat conduction in short-duration laser pulse scenarios. It accurately predicts temperature distribution, stress response, and microrotation effects in microscale and nanoscale materials. The study visually represents how factors such as micropolarity, higher-order effects, phase delay, nonlocal index, and viscosity influence the size-dependent mechanical behavior of the half-space structure. The numerical results highlight the importance of size-dependent phenomena in nanostructures, revealing deviations from classical predictions due to nonlocal interactions. Overall, the proposed spatiotemporal nonlocal homogenization model serves as a valuable tool for analyzing the complex mechanical and thermal characteristics of nanomaterials.
Proportions of IgA antibodies targeting glycosylated epitopes of secreted Escherichia coli mucinase YghJ in initial plasmablast response differ from salivary and intestinally secreted IgA
Authors: Riaz Saman , Steinsland Hans , Andersen Ann Z. , Boysen Anders , Hanevik Kurt
Published: December 2024

Mucosal infections normally cause an immune response including activation of antigen-specific B cells in regional mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. After recirculation of plasmablasts, and maturation at mucosal surfaces or bone marrow, plasma cells produce secretory or systemic IgA. It remains uncertain to what extent secretory and systemic IgA share the same target specificities. For vaccine candidate optimization, it is important to know whether IgA targeting of glycosylated epitopes of a protein antigen vary between mucosal and systemic sites. We evaluated glycosylated epitope specificity of systemic and mucosally secreted IgA against YghJ, a potential vaccine candidate antigen secreted by most pathogenic Escherichia coli. IgA from intestinal lavage, saliva, serum, and blood-derived antibody in lymphocyte supernatants (ALS) were collected from 21 volunteers following experimental infection with enterotoxigenic E. coli. Methods for preparing IgA from saliva and ALS were developed, and multiplex bead flow cytometric immunoassays were used to determine levels of IgA targeting natively glycosylated YghJ and estimating what proportion of these antibodies specifically targeted glycosylated epitopes. Following infection, anti-YghJ IgA levels increased substantially for most volunteers across all four specimen types. Target specificity of ALS IgA correlated well with serum IgA, but not with mucosally secreted IgA. Furthermore, glycosylation-specific proportion of salivary IgA was higher than, and did not correlate with, intestinally secreted IgA. These results indicate a new degree of complexity to our understanding of epitope-targeting and tissue specificity of mucosal antibody responses. Our findings also suggest that all features of an intestinal IgA response may not be well reflected in serum, saliva, or ALS, which are commonly used proxy specimens for evaluating intestinal immune responses.
Evolving strategies for addressing CAR T-cell toxicities
Authors: Rankin Alexander W. , Duncan Brynn B. , Allen Cecily , Silbert Sara K. , Shah Nirali N.
Published: December 2024

The field of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has grown from a fully experimental concept to now boasting a multitude of treatments including six FDA-approved products targeting various hematologic malignancies. Yet, along with their efficacy, these therapies come with side effects requiring timely and thoughtful interventions. In this review, we discuss the most common toxicities associated with CAR T-cells to date, highlighting risk factors, prognostication, implications for critical care management, patient experience optimization, and ongoing work in the field of toxicity mitigation. Understanding the current state of the field and standards of practice is critical in order to improve and manage potential toxicities of both current and novel CAR T-cell therapies as they are applied in the clinic.
Can We Ethically Influence Learning Processes by Technology? Effects of Interruptions on Knowledge Assessment
Authors: Jörs Julian Marvin , De Luca Ernesto William
Published: December 2024

The real-time availability of information and the intelligence of information systems have changed the way we deal with information. Current research is primarily concerned with the interplay between internal and external memory, i.e., how much and which forms of cognitively demanding processes we handle internally and when we use external storage media (analog on paper, digital on the computer). This interplay influences how and what we memorize and learn consequently. This study was motivated by the finding that people perform significantly worse in a quiz setting when they obtain content from external sources instead of reading the same content directly in the question system. In our experiments, we wanted to investigate whether interruption by the user interface (ethical appeal or forced time delay) can improve performance in the quiz when users obtain external content. We evaluated the results of 262 valid participants to complete one of three topics at random and then randomly assigned them to one of three possible conditions (ethical appeal, forced time delay, no interruption). The calculated one-way ANOVA shows a statically significant F-value ($$3.25,\,p < 0.05$$

3.25
,

p
<
0.05

), and the separate t-tests show that an ethical appeal ($$t = 2.29,\,p < 0.05$$

t
=
2.29
,

p
<
0.05

) and an enforced delay ($$t = 2.08,\,p < 0.05$$

t
=
2.08
,

p
<
0.05

) lead to a significantly higher mean of quiz scores across all three topics. The mean values of the quiz scores of the ethical appeal and the forced time delay are not significantly different. The present results should contribute to further studies of proactive learning interfaces.
Metabolomic heterogeneity of ageing with ethnic diversity: a step closer to healthy ageing
Authors: Trivedi Dakshat , Hollywood Katherine A. , Xu Yun , Wu Fredrick C. W. , Trivedi Drupad K. , Goodacre Royston
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Outside of case–control settings, ethnicity specific changes in the human metabolome are understudied especially in community dwelling, ageing men. Characterising serum for age and ethnicity specific features can enable tailored therapeutics research and improve our understanding of the interplay between age, ethnicity, and metabolism in global populations.

Objective

A metabolomics approach was adopted to profile serum metabolomes in middle-aged and elderly men of different ethnicities from the Northwest of England, UK.

Methods

Serum samples from 572 men of White European (WE), South Asian (SA), and African-Caribbean (AC) ethnicities, ranging between 40 and 86 years were analysed. A combination of liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) was used to generate the metabolomic profiles. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) based classification models were built and validated using resampling via bootstrap analysis and permutation testing. Features were putatively annotated using public Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) and Golm Metabolite Database (GMD). Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) scores were used to determine features of interest, after which pathway enrichment analysis was performed.

Results

Using profiles from our analysis we classify subjects by their ethnicity with an average correct classification rate (CCR) of 90.53% (LC–MS data) and 85.58% (GC–MS data). Similar classification by age (< 60 vs. ≥ 60 years) returned CCRs of 90.20% (LC–MS) and 71.13% (GC–MS). VIP scores driven feature selection revealed important compounds from putatively annotated lipids (subclasses including fatty acids and carboxylic acids, glycerophospholipids, steroids), organic acids, amino acid derivatives as key contributors to the classifications. Pathway enrichment analysis using these features revealed statistically significant perturbations in energy metabolism (TCA cycle), N-Glycan and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis linked pathways amongst others.

Conclusion

We report metabolic differences measured in serum that can be attributed to ethnicity and age in healthy population. These results strongly emphasise the need to consider confounding effects of inherent metabolic variations driven by ethnicity of participants in population-based metabolic profiling studies. Interpretation of energy metabolism, N-Glycan and fatty acid biosynthesis should be carefully decoupled from the underlying differences in ethnicity of participants.
Thermal and non-thermal bioprocessing: a comprehensive review on millet starch properties and digestibility
Authors: Nanje Gowda N. A. , Kambhampati Vivek , Pulivarthi Manoj K. , Chauhan Ruchi , Pandiselvam Ravi , Farahnaky Asgar
Published: December 2024

Millets are known for their unique nutritional composition and functional properties, making them a promising solution to nutritional challenges and food security. This review examines the effects of various processing techniques, both thermal (such as cooking, boiling, roasting, and extrusion) and non-thermal biological (such as fermentation and germination), on the properties of millet starch, its digestibility, and nutritional value. Thermal processing methods cause gelatinization, retrogradation, and structural changes in millets, which in turn affect their digestibility, texture, and nutritional attributes. Non-thermal bioprocessing methods, like fermentation, modify starch composition and increase the availability of bioactive compounds in millets, while germination boosts nutritional content and reduces anti-nutritional factors. This review summarizes recent research explaining the mechanisms through which these processing techniques influence millet starch properties and addresses the importance of optimizing processing parameters such as time, temperature, and moisture levels to achieve desired product characteristics while minimizing nutrient loss. Additionally, the implications of these processing methods for improving the functionality, sensory qualities, and nutritional value of millet-based products are discussed. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into processing strategies to enhance the nutritive value and functionality of millets in diverse food applications.
Status of Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis Resistance Breeding in Africa
Authors: Onditi John O. , Whitworth Jonathan L.
Published: December 2024

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the major crops in Africa with the potential of improving food and nutritional security. Potato cyst nematodes (PCN), Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis have more recently been reported as a new pest challenging production of the crop in the region. This review analyses development and selection of PCN resistant cultivars in Africa as a PCN control strategy with major focus on sources of host resistance in existing cultivars. A limited number of studies on development and selection of PCN resistant cultivars were found. Despite this, there were multiple PCN resistances particularly among cultivars originally sourced from Europe and grown by farmers in the region. This review proposed identification and utilization of resistant cultivars already adopted by farmers as an immediate strategy for PCN control while waiting for the development of new resistant cultivars as a long-term solution to the problem.
Quantitative Oculomotor and Vestibular Profile in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6 – Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tarnutzer Alexander A. , Garces Pilar , Antoniades Chrystalina A.
Published: December 2024

Whereas several studies have reported on quantitative oculomotor and vestibular measurements in spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6), selecting the most suitable paradigms remains challenging. We aimed to address this knowledge gap through a systematic literature review and providing disease-specific recommendations for a tailored set of eye-movement recordings in SCA6. A literature search (MEDLINE, Embase) was performed focusing on studies reporting on quantitative oculomotor and/or vestibular measurements in SCA6-patients. Oculomotor and vestibular parameters were extracted and correlations with various epidemiologic and clinical parameters were sought. Twenty-two studies were included reporting on 154 patients. Abnormalities observed included reduced pursuit gain (58/69), frequent square-wave jerks (23/40), spontaneous downbeat nystagmus (DBN, 34/55) and triggered nystagmus including positional nystagmus (25/34) and vertical (“perverted”) head-shaking nystagmus (21/34), gaze-evoked nystagmus (48/70) and angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (aVOR)-suppression (21/25), and high-frequency aVOR-deficits (26/33). For horizontal visually-guided saccades (VGS), changes in metrics (36/66) were frequently observed, whereas saccade velocity was usually preserved (39/44) and saccade latency within normal limits. Reduced high-frequency aVOR gains, VGS-latency and metrics correlated with disease severity. Longitudinal data indicated deterioration of individual video-head-impulse testing gains over time. A broad range of oculomotor and vestibular domains are affected in SCA6. Impairments in pursuit, saccade metrics, gaze-holding (gaze-evoked nystagmus, DBN) and high-frequency aVOR were most frequently identified and as such, should be prioritized as disease markers. Quantitative oculomotor testing in SCA6 may facilitate an early diagnosis and prove valuable in monitoring disease progression.
Comparing Environmental Literacy in Stem and Non-Stem Preschools: Evaluating the Impact on Young Children's Understanding and Attitudes
Authors: Ramulumo Moleboheng , Shabalala Nonkanyiso Pamella
Published: December 2024

The importance of environmental literacy in early childhood education lies in its inclusion of the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes for understanding the environment and making well-informed decisions. In preschool settings, promoting environmental literacy helps children develop foundational knowledge about natural systems, cultivates curiosity and encourages responsible environmental behaviour. This study investigates the incorporation of environmental literacy in preschools in Bloemfontein, South Africa, differentiating between STEM-focused and non-STEM settings. It also assesses the influence of this integration on the understanding and attitudes of young children towards the environment. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, including pilot research to enhance the approach and triangulation to guarantee the accuracy of the data. The findings indicates that children attending preschools with a STEM concentration demonstrate higher levels of environmental literacy compared to their counterparts in non-STEM environments. This research highlights the need of including environmental education into all academic programs, employing hands-on, inquiry-based methods and ensuring equal opportunities for environmental learning for everyone. Optimising environmental education, namely by integrating STEM subjects, is of significance for preparing children to properly address future environmental issues.
Solution rheology of poly(ionic liquid)s: current understanding and open questions
Authors: Matsumoto Atsushi
Published: December 2024

Poly(ionic liquid)s are ion-containing polymers possessing ionic liquid structures on their repeating units. Owing to the unique physicochemical properties of ionic liquids, many existing studies have found that the properties of poly(ionic liquid)s are distinct from those of conventional ion-containing polymers, such as poly(sodium styrene sulfonate). A lot of scientific efforts have been made to understand the relationship between the chemical structure and the material properties of poly(ionic liquid)s, and several good review papers are available in the literature. The aim of this short review is to summarize key results on the viscoelastic properties of poly(ionic liquid)s in solution. We discuss in detail the counterion condensation and the charge screening in poly(ionic liquid) solutions.

Graphical Abstract
Practical stability in terms of two measures of sheaf solutions of impulsive set control differential equations
Authors: Wang Peiguang , Li Fangran , Bao Junyan
Published: December 2024

We define the sheaf solutions of impulsive set control differential equations in this study. Then, for the initial value problem of such equations, we investigate the (uniformly) practical stability and strict (uniformly) practical stability in terms of two measures of the sheaf solutions by using Lyapunov functions method.
Automatic evaluation of planners in dynamic scenes during human–robot interaction
Authors: Hernández Óscar G. , Morell Vicente , Úbeda Andrés , Jara Carlos A.
Published: December 2024

The evaluation of planners is essential to guarantee the efficiency and performance of trajectories executed by collaborative robots in human–robot interaction (HRI) contexts. The main objective of this research is to develop a method that allows obtaining an automated assessment of the performance of planners widely used in robotic environments. In addition to analyzing specific metrics such as planning time, path length, smoothness, and clearance, this paper introduces novel contributions, including a unique method for dynamic scene evaluation and a new comprehensive and global performance index, named Total Performance Index (TPIx), which encompasses all the aforementioned metrics. The system proposed is composed of a collaborative robot and an RGB-D sensor to monitor the environment using 3D data to perform safe trajectories during multiple tasks. In this quantitative evaluation, two single-query planners (RRT, KPIECE) and two multiple-query planners (SPARS, PRM) were analyzed. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method to automatically evaluate the planners used by collaborative robots. Therefore, this study contributes to the advancement of collaborative robotics by introducing updated methods for planner evaluation and aims to facilitate the development of more efficient and adaptive systems in light of recent advancements in robotic technologies.