bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical properties of pediatric low-grade gliomas in children with and without neurofibromatosis type 1
Authors: McIlvain Grace , Hayes Laura L. , Walter Andrew W. , Averill Lauren W. , Kandula Vinay , Johnson Curtis L. , Nikam Rahul M.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Prognoses for pediatric brain tumors are suboptimal, as even in low-grade tumors, management techniques can lead to damage in the developing brain. Therefore, advanced neuroimaging methods are critical for developing optimal management plans and improving patient care. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has allowed for the characterization of adult gliomas by their mechanical properties, which are uniquely sensitive to the complex interplay of cellularity, vasculature, and interstitium. However, pediatric tumors differ in behavior and cytoarchitecture, and their mechanical properties have never been assessed.

Methods

Here, we conduct the first study of pediatric brain tumor mechanical properties by using MRE to measure tissue stiffness and damping ratio in low grade gliomas (LGGs). We additionally measure the mechanical properties of non-neoplastic focal abnormal signal intensities (FASIs) in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

Results

23 patients age 4–17 years who had MR imaging results consistent with a primary LGG or with NF1 were included in this study. We found that pediatric gliomas are on an average 10.9% softer (p = 0.010) with a 17.3% lower (p = 0.009) viscosity than reference tissue. Softness of tumors appeared consistent across tumor subtypes and unrelated to tumor size or contrast-enhancement. In NF1 we found that, unlike gliomas, FASIs are stiffer, though not significantly, than reference tissue by an average of 10.4% and have a 16.7% lower damping ratio.

Conclusions

Measuring tumor mechanical properties patterning and heterogeneity has potential to aid in prediction of biological behavior and inform management strategies for pediatric patients.
Comparative Outcomes of Superomedial and Inferior Pedicles in Breast Reduction and Mastopexy: A Meta-Analysis of 5123 Breasts
Authors: Tanas Yousef , Tanas Julie
Published: October 2024

Background

Superomedial and inferior pedicles are two commonly used techniques in breast reduction and mastopexy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare the clinical outcomes associated with these two techniques.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies. We included all studies with data comparing superomedial and inferior pedicles. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan version 5.4.

Results

The search yielded 1075 studies, of which 15 were included in the meta-analysis, encompassing 2633 patients (5123 breasts), with 3491 breasts receiving superomedial pedicles and 1632 breasts receiving inferior pedicles. Superomedial pedicles were associated with significantly shorter operative length (MD = − 24.71, 95% CI = − 37.63 to − 11.79, p = 0.0002), higher BREAST-Q breast satisfaction scores (MD = 10.34, 95% CI = 7.72 to 12.96, p < 0.00001), lower infection rates (RR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.24 to 0.86, p = 0.02), higher incidence of seroma (RR = 3.00, 95% CI = 1.15 to 7.79, p = 0.02), and higher incidence of decreased nipple–areola complex (NAC) sensation (RR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.12 to 2.01, p = 0.006). No significant differences were observed in asymmetry, fat necrosis, NAC loss, and hematoma.

Conclusion

Superomedial pedicles demonstrated higher incidences of decreased NAC sensation and seroma formation, lower incidence of infection, shorter operative length, and higher BREAST-Q breast satisfaction scores compared to inferior pedicles. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the long-term aesthetic outcomes associated with both techniques.

Level of Evidence III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
Bacterial phylotypes associated with rock-dwelling Umbilicaria Lichens from Arctic/Subarctic areas in North America and Northern Europe
Authors: He Zichen , Naganuma Takeshi , Faluaburu Merry Sailonga , Nakai Ryosuke , Kanda Hiroshi , Uchida Masaki , Imura Satoshi , Hahn Martin W.
Published: October 2024

The diversity of bacteria associated with lichens has received increasing attention. However, studies based on next-generation sequencing of microbiomes have not yet been conducted in the Arctic and Subarctic regions. In this study, rock-dwelling lichens belonging to the Umbilicariaceae family were sampled from the Arctic and Subarctic biological zones. The primary research purpose was to undertake a comparative investigation of the bacterial composition and diversity, identify potential indicators, and explore their potential metabolic pathways. 18S rRNA gene sequences of the fungal partner belonging to the genus Umbilicaria (Ascomycota) and the algal partner affiliated with the lineage Trebouxia (Chlorophyta). Comparing Umbilicaria spp. with a previous study in the Antarctic zone, the fungal partners were more inclined to cluster by sampling region. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were established based on a predetermined similarity threshold for V3-V4 sequences, which were ascribed to 19 bacterial phyla, and ten of them were consistently present in all samples. The most distinct zonal indicator genera based on OTU frequencies from Arctic and Subarctic lichens were Capsulimonas (Armatimonadota) and Jatrophihabitans (Actinomycota), respectively. Although the Subarctic zone had higher biodiversity and species richness based on alpha-diversity, the beta-diversity showed that the main species of bacterial communities were not significantly different, and the predictions of metabolic pathways based on the bacterial microbiome in lichen samples from the two zones were similar. These findings provide evidence that the geographical and/or bioclimatic environment and the different lichen-forming fungal species mainly and partially influence bacterial microbiomes and metabolic pathways.
The mitochondrial genomes of the reef-dwelling spiny lobsters Panulirus echinatus and Panulirus interruptus with insights into the phylogeny and adaptive evolution of protein-coding genes in the Achelata
Authors: Baker Alyssa M. , Stephens Natalie C. , Diniz Fabio Mendonca , León F. J. García-de , Baeza J. Antonio
Published: October 2024

Temperature and oxygen levels drive the evolution of morphological, behavioral, and physiological traits in marine invertebrates, including crustaceans. Environmental conditions are also expected to prompt the adaptive evolution of mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs), which are vital for energy production via the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. We formally tested for adaptive evolution in mitochondrial protein-coding genes in representatives of the decapod infraorder Achelata, including two spiny lobsters, Panulirus echinatus and P. interruptus, for which we sequenced complete mitochondrial genomes (15,644 and 15,659 bp long, respectively). A phylomitogenomic analysis supported the monophyly of the genus Panulirus, the families Palinuridae and Scyllaridae, and the infraorder Achelata. Over the strong negative selection background observed for mitochondrial PCGs in the Achelata, signatures of positive selective pressure were detected within PCGs in equatorial Panulirus spp. and deepwater Scyllaridae. In Panulirus spp. inhabiting equatorial latitudes with consistently high temperatures, the Datamonkey analysis RELAX suggested intensified purifying selection strength in 9 of the 13 PCGs and relaxation in purifying selection strength in atp6, while aBSREL, BUSTED, and MEME recovered signatures of positive selection on PCGs within Complex I, III, and IV PCGs. Likewise, in Scyllaridae species inhabiting depths with low-oxygen levels, RELAX indicated relaxed selection strength in 6 of the 13 PCGs, while aBSREL, BUSTED, and MEME recovered signatures of positive selection on PCGs within Complexes I, III, IV, and V. The newly assembled mitochondrial genomes of P. echinatus and P. interruptus represent new genomic resources to aid with the conservation and management of lobsters targeted by major fisheries and contribute to our understanding of how environmental conditions drive adaptive evolution in spiny and slipper lobster mitochondrial PCGs.
Olfactory and gustatory chemical sensor systems in the African turquoise killifish: Insights from morphology
Authors: Giaquinto Daniela , Fonsatti Elisa , Bortoletti Martina , Radaelli Giuseppe , De Felice Elena , de Girolamo Paolo , Bertotto Daniela , D’Angelo Livia
Published: October 2024

Smell and taste are extensively studied in fish species as essential for finding food and selecting mates while avoiding toxic substances and predators. Depending on the evolutionary position and adaptation, a discrete variation in the morphology of these sense organs has been reported in numerous teleost species. Here, for the first time, we approach the phenotypic characterization of the olfactory epithelium and taste buds in the African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri), a model organism known for its short lifespan and use in ageing research. Our observations indicate that the olfactory epithelium of N. furzeri is organized as a simple patch, lacking the complex folding into a rosette, with an average size of approximately 600 µm in length, 300 µm in width, and 70 µm in thickness. Three main cytotypes, including olfactory receptor neurons (CalbindinD28K), supporting cells (β-tubulin IV), and basal cells (Ki67), were identified across the epithelium. Further, we determined the taste buds’ distribution and quantification between anterior (skin, lips, oral cavity) and posterior (gills, pharynx, oesophagus) systems. We identified the key cytotypes by using immunohistochemical markers, i.e. CalbindinD28K, doublecortin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY) for gustatory receptor cells, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) for supporting cells, and Ki67, a marker of cellular proliferation for basal cells. Altogether, these results indicate that N. furzeri is a microsmatic species with unique taste and olfactory features and possesses a well-developed posterior taste system compared to the anterior. This study provides fundamental insights into the chemosensory biology of N. furzeri, facilitating future investigations into nutrient-sensing mechanisms and their roles in development, survival, and ageing.
Preoperative nTMS analysis: a sensitive tool to detect imminent motor deficits in brain tumor patients
Authors: Moritz Ina , Engelhardt Melina , Rosenstock Tizian , Grittner Ulrike , Schweizerhof Oliver , Khakhar Rutvik , Schneider Heike , Mirbagheri Andia , Zdunczyk Anna , Faust Katharina , Vajkoczy Peter , Picht Thomas
Published: October 2024

Background

One of the challenges in surgery of tumors in motor eloquent areas is the individual risk assessment for postoperative motor disorder. Previously a regression model was developed that permits estimation of the risk prior to surgery based on topographical and neurophysiological data derived from investigation with nTMS (navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation). This study aims to analyze the impact of including additional neurophysiological TMS parameters into the established risk stratification model for motor outcome after brain tumor surgery.

Methods

Biometric and clinical data of 170 patients with glioma in motor eloquent areas were collected prospectively. In addition, the following nTMS parameters were collected bihemispherically prior to surgery: resting motor threshold (RMT), recruitment curve (RC), cortical silent period (CSP) and a nTMS based fibertracking to measure the tumor tract distance (TTD). Motor function was quantified by Medical Research Council Scale (MRCS) preoperatively, seven days and three months postoperatively. Association between nTMS parameters and postoperative motor outcome was investigated in bivariate and multivariable analyses.

Results

The bivariate analysis confirmed the association of RMT ratio with the postoperative motor outcome after seven days with higher rates of worsening in patients with RMT ratio > 1.1 compared to patients with RMT ratio ≤ 1.1 (31.6% vs. 15.1%, p = 0.009). Similarly, an association between a pathological CSP ratio and a higher risk of new postoperative motor deficits after seven days was observed (35.3% vs. 16.7% worsening, p = 0.025). A pathological RC Ratio was associated postoperative deterioration of motor function after three months (42.9% vs. 16.2% worsening, p = 0.004). In multiple regression analysis, none of these associations were statistically robust.

Conclusions

The current results suggest that the RC ratio, CSP ratio and RMT ratio individually are sensitive markers associated with the motor outcome 7 days and 3 months after tumor resection in a presumed motor eloquent location. They can therefore supply valuable information during preoperative risk–benefit-balancing. However, underlying neurophysiological mechanisms might be too similar to make the parameters meaningful in a combined model.
Tectal glioma: clinical, radiological, and pathological features, and the importance of molecular analysis
Authors: Imoto Ryoji , Otani Yoshihiro , Fujii Kentaro , Ishida Joji , Hirano Shuichiro , Kemmotsu Naoya , Suruga Yasuki , Mizuta Ryo , Kegoya Yasuhito , Inoue Yohei , Umeda Tsuyoshi , Hokama Madoka , Washio Kana , Yanai Hiroyuki , Tanaka Shota , Satomi Kaishi , Ichimura Koichi , Date Isao
Published: October 2024

Tectal glioma (TG) is a rare lower grade glioma (LrGG) that occurs in the tectum, mainly affecting children. TG shares pathological similarities with pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), but recent genetic analyses have revealed distinct features, such as alterations in KRAS and BRAF. We conducted a retrospective review of cases clinically diagnosed as TG and treated at our institute between January 2005 and March 2023. Six cases were identified and the median age was 30.5 years. Four patients underwent biopsy and two patients underwent tumor resection. Histological diagnoses included three cases of PA, one case of astrocytoma, and two cases of high-grade glioma. The integrated diagnosis, according to the fifth edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Tumours of the central nervous system, included two cases of PA and one case each of diffuse high-grade glioma; diffuse midline glioma H3 K27-altered; glioblastoma; and circumscribed astrocytic glioma. Among the three patients who underwent molecular evaluation, two had KRAS mutation and one had H3-3A K27M mutation. Our results demonstrate the diverse histological and molecular characteristics of TG distinct from other LrGGs. Given the heterogeneous pathological background and the risk of pathological progression in TG, we emphasize the importance of comprehensive diagnosis, including molecular evaluation.
Meta-analysis of mortality-associated factors in primary Sjögren’s syndrome patients with interstitial lung disease
Authors: Pang Ruochen , Ma Xiaopeng , Guo Huifang , Qi Xuan
Published: October 2024

The study aims to conduct a meta-analysis on 5-year survival rate and mortality-related factors in the patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome concomitant with interstitial lung disease (pSS-ILD). Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we searched various platforms and databases until November 22, 2023. We used the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) for quality assessment and extracted study characteristics and effect sizes. The pooled 5-year survival rate, hazard ratios (HRs), and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were then calculated. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Patients with pSS-ILD. Mortality in patients with pSS-ILD. Out of 188 articles, seven met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis estimated a 5-year survival rate of 82% (73%-91%). Mortality-related factors estimated by the meta-analysis included older age (HRs = 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.09, P < 0.0001), history of smoking (HRs = 3.44, 95% CI 2.14–5.53, P < 0.00001), anti-SSA antibody positivity (HRs = 0.41, 95% CI 0.20–0.85, P = 0.02), anti-SSB antibody positivity (HRs = 0.42, 95% CI 0.18–0.98, P = 0.04), reduced forced vital capacity (FVC; HRs = 0.96, 95% CI 0.95–0.98, P < 0.0001), reduced 6-min walk distance (6MWD; HRs = 0.99, 95% CI 0.99–1.00, P = 0.0008), presence of a reticular abnormality (HRs = 3.03, 95% CI 1.54–5.95, P = 0.001), and decreased arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) levels (HRs = 0.99, 95% CI 0.97–1.00, P = 0.04). The 5-year survival rate for pSS-ILD is 82%. Older age, history of smoking, anti-SSA antibody negativity, anti-SSB antibody negativity, reduced FVC, reduced 6MWD, presence of a reticular abnormality, and decreased PaO2 levels increase the mortality risk in pSS-ILD.
Trajectories and drivers signalling the end of agricultural abandonment in Trás-os-Montes, Portugal
Authors: Imbrechts Lien , Azevedo João C. , Verburg Peter
Published: October 2024

Agricultural abandonment has given rise to novel landscape dynamics worldwide. This paper investigates abandonment and post-abandonment dynamics in continental Portugal as a hotspot of landscape change. We mapped the spatial patterns and drivers of recent (1995–2018) land use changes in a remote mountainous region as post-abandonment trajectories, based on detailed land use/land cover data made available by the Portuguese government. We showed that ‘Revegetation’ trajectories, indicative of agricultural abandonment, were still widespread between 1995 and 2007. However, between 2007 and 2018, the landscape was much more stable with ‘Return to agriculture’ as the dominant change trajectory. To understand what drives landscape changes after abandonment, we explored the influence of a wide range of potential biogeophysical and socio-economic drivers on the observed trajectories. We contrasted different landscape outcomes in binary logistic regression models with the potential underlying drivers as independent variables. The regressions revealed that the most significant determinants of these alternating dynamics are existing land use, climate, slope, protection regime and accessibility. The results of the regressions are at times counterintuitive and give important indications of the changing spatio-temporal scales at which these variables exert influence on the landscape outcomes. However, the regression models’ limited accuracies highlight the need for deeper investigation of the socio-economic and historic context of the observed changes. Improved understanding of the (drivers of) alternative dynamics following agricultural abandonment can help inform policy decisions regarding agriculture and cultural landscape preservation.
Regular Polygonal Vortex Filament Evolution and Exponential Sums
Authors: Chamizo Fernando , de la Hoz Francisco
Published: October 2024

When taking a regular planar polygon of $M$
M
sides and length $2\pi $
2
π
as the initial datum of the vortex filament equation, $\mathbf{X}_{t}= \mathbf{X}_{s}\wedge \mathbf{X}_{ss}$

X
t

=

X
s

∧

X

s
s

, the solution becomes polygonal at times of the form $t_{pq} = (p/q)(2\pi /M^{2})$

t

p
q

=
(
p
/
q
)
(
2
π
/

M
2

)
, with $\gcd (p,q)=1$
gcd
(
p
,
q
)
=
1
, and the corresponding polygon has $Mq$
M
q
sides, if $q$
q
is odd, and $Mq/2$
M
q
/
2
sides, if $q$
q
is even. Moreover, that polygon is skew (except when $q = 1$
q
=
1
or $q = 2$
q
=
2
, where the initial shape is recovered), and the angle $\rho $
ρ
between two adjacent sides is a constant. In this paper, we give a rigorous proof of the conjecture that states that, at a time $t_{pq}$

t

p
q

, $\cos ^{q}(\rho /2) = \cos (\pi /M)$

cos
q

(
ρ
/
2
)
=
cos
(
π
/
M
)
, if $q$
q
is odd, and $\cos ^{q}(\rho /2) = \cos ^{2}(\pi /M)$

cos
q

(
ρ
/
2
)
=

cos
2

(
π
/
M
)
, if $q$
q
is even. Since the transition of one side of the polygon to the next one is given by a rotation in $\mathbb{R}^{3}$

R
3

determined by a generalized Gauss sum, the idea of the proof consists in showing that a certain product of those rotations is a rotation of angle $2\pi /M$
2
π
/
M
, which is equivalent to proving that some exponential sums with arithmetic content are purely imaginary.
Anti-ovarian cancer migration and toxicity characteristics of a platinum(IV) pro-drug with axial HDAC inhibitor ligands in zebrafish models
Authors: Begum Salma , Irvin Scheldon D. , Cox Carol K. , Huang Zhouyang , Wilson Justin J. , Monroe Jerry D. , Gibert Yann
Published: October 2024

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer related death in the United States. Cisplatin is a platinum-based anti-cancer drug used against ovarian cancer that enters malignant cells and then damages DNA causing cell death. Typically, ovarian cancer cells become resistant to cisplatin making it necessary to increase subsequent dosage, which usually leads to side-effects including irreversible damage to kidney and auditory system tissue. Ovarian cancer resistance is often associated with upregulation of histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes that cause DNA to adopt a closed configuration which reduces the ability of cisplatin to target and damage DNA. Compound B, a platinum(IV) complex with two axial phenylbutyrate (PBA) HDAC inhibitor ligands attached to a cisplatin core, can simultaneously inhibit HDAC activity and damage DNA causing decreased cancer cell viability in cisplatin-sensitive (A2780) and -resistant (A2780cis) ovarian cancer cell lines. However, compound B was not previously evaluated in vivo. As simultaneously inhibiting HDAC-mediated resistance with cisplatin treatment could potentiate the platinum drug’s effect, we first confirmed the anti-cancer effect of compound B in the A2780 and A2780cis cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide spectrophotometric assay. Then, we used zebrafish embryo and transgenic animal models to comparatively analyze the effect of cisplatin, compound B, and controls on general organismal, auditory, and renal system toxicity, and cancer metastasis. We found that lower dosages of compound B (0.3 or 0.6 µM) than of cisplatin (2.0 µM) could cause similar or decreased levels of general, auditory, and renal tissue toxicity, and at 0.6 µM, compound B reduces cancer metastasis more than 2.0 µM cisplatin.
Higher education in Nordic countries: analyzing the construction of policy futures
Authors: Kallo Johanna , Välimaa Jussi
Published: October 2024

In this special issue, we analyze how societies in different countries have responded and continue to respond to the fact that the future is and has always been unpredictable and unforeseeable. The starting point for these studies is the recognition that the world situation is more complex than ever before due to current and foreseeable global challenges. The most serious of these threats and challenges are climate crises, natural disasters, and habitat degradation. To address the growing uncertainties arising from these challenges, societies around the world are placing increasing expectations on higher education and science, and are adopting proactive measures, such as various foresight techniques, to improve their preparedness and long-term resilience. In this special issue, we aim to provide fresh perspectives on foresight and preparedness for the future, especially in the Nordic context in the fields of higher education and scientific research. The special issue focuses on four Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden—while maintaining a global perspective on the changes occurring around them.
Raising Awareness of Plant Biodiversity and Combating Zoocentrism with Citizen Science: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students Pursuing Animal-Related Degrees in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Forti Lucas Rodriguez , Szabo Judit K.
Published: October 2024

Low plant awareness has been described for the general public, academics, and students from elementary to university level. Here we describe the proportion of plants in biodiversity inventories conducted by 110 undergraduate students enrolled in animal-related degrees at a rural Brazilian university. Observations were collected during three practical courses and were submitted to a global citizen-science platform. Students collected a predetermined number of observations in three months, which probably contributed to the similar temporal patterns of animal and plant observations. In total, plants represented 60% of observations and plants-to-animals ratio per student was not affected by gender. While plants were better represented, most observations depicted planted urban trees and other cultivated or potted plants. Being sessile, plants are easier to observe and photograph than animals. Using a citizen-science platform can increase perception of plants as an essential part of local biodiversity, building a better ground for global plant conservation.
Quality of life after stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastasis: an assessment from a prospective national registry
Authors: Pham Duy Q. , Sheehan Darrah E. , Sheehan Kimball A. , Katsos Konstantinos , Fadul Camilo E.
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is frequently used in the management of brain metastasis patients. However, there is an urgent need to evaluate post-treatment outcomes and quality of life metrics for patients undergoing SRS for brain metastases.

Methods

The NeuroPoint Alliance (NPA) SRS Quality Registry conducted prospective enrollment of patients undergoing SRS from 2017 to 2024. Patients with brain metastases from lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma were included in the analysis. Outcomes of interest included quality of life metrics, as captured by the five-dimension Euro-QOL (EQ-5D) at 6–12 months and last record follow-up, overall survival, local progression, out-of-field progression, and overall intracranial progression.

Results

522 patients comprised our analytic cohort, and 315 patients had available EQ-5D data at the time of SRS and final follow-up. 264 (47.8%), 197 (35.7%), and 91 (16.5%) patients had 1, 2–4, and 5–14 lesions pre-SRS, respectively. The median overall survival time from diagnosis was 27.3 months. The median time-to-local progression was not reached. At final follow-up, 107 (34.0%) patients had improvement, 51 (16.2%) patients had stable, and 113 patients (35.9%) had worsening EQ-5D scores when compared to baseline. For 44 (13.9%) patients mixed responses across the EQ-5D indices were reported. Linear regression analysis showed that male sex, smoking status, primary tumor type, time-to-overall progression, cumulative intracranial tumor volume (CITV), and baseline EQ-5D were statistically significantly associated with EQ-5D single index at the final follow-up.

Conclusion

Real-world data from the SRS NPA Registry demonstrated that most patients with brain metastasis had no change or improvement in quality of life after SRS. Baseline EQ-5D was predictive of EQ-5D single index at final follow-up, and, as such, EQ-5D at baseline would be a valuable assessment measure for brain metastasis patients undergoing SRS.
Science losing its way: examples from the realm of microbial N2-fixation in cereals and other non-legumes
Authors: Giller Ken E. , James Euan K. , Ardley Julie , Unkovich Murray J.
Published: October 2024

Background

Despite more than 50 years of research, no robust evidence suggests that inoculation of cereals and other non-legumes with free-living and/or endophytic bacteria leads to fixation of agronomically significant quantities of dinitrogen gas (N2) from the atmosphere. A plethora of new products claims to increase the growth and yields of major cereals and other crops through stimulating N2-fixation by inoculating with bacteria.

Scope

We review the literature on N2-fixation by bacteria in the rhizosphere and as endophytes in non-legume plants. We find no unequivocal evidence that these bacteria fix agriculturally significant amounts of N2 from the atmosphere in non-legumes. Research since the 1930s has followed repeated, overlapping cycles that have concluded that plant-growth-promoting hormones were the primary reason for crop response to microbial inoculants.

Conclusion

We contend that regulations are required to prevent the sale of inoculant products with unsubstantiated and spurious claims. Such regulations should require that unequivocal evidence is provided and independently verified, that: (i) the inoculant bacterium can fix N2 from the atmosphere (i.e. that it possesses all the genes required to make nitrogenase), (ii) it has a clear mechanism to protect nitrogenase from poisoning by free oxygen, (iii) the bacterium is present in sufficient numbers throughout the growth cycle of the plant, (iv) that enhanced respiration can be detected from the putative N2-fixing tissues, (v) that inoculation of the non-legume growing in an N-free medium leads to prolific growth and accumulation of nitrogen, and (vi) more than one method is used to confirm quantitatively significant inputs from N2-fixation in the field.
Survey response rates in European comparative surveys: a 20-year decline irrespective of sampling frames or survey modes
Authors: Jabkowski Piotr , Cichocki Piotr
Published: October 2024

This paper assesses trends in three survey outcome rates within four prominent crossnationalcomparative surveys conducted in European countries in the 21st century: theEuropean Quality of Life Survey, the European Social Survey, the European ValuesStudy, and the International Social Survey Programme. These projects are recognisedfor their high-quality sampling and fieldwork procedures, extensive track records, andcommitment to rigorous methodological standards. The analysis is based on 753national surveys conducted on probability samples of the general population in 36European countries from 1999 to 2018. We investigated whether two essential surveycharacteristics, namely sampling frames and data collection modes, moderated thedecrease of survey outcome rates over time. To analyse these relationships, thesurvey year was included as the explanatory variable, and we applied multi-level linearregressions with surveys nested within countries. Additionally, the project name wasincorporated as a fixed factor, and the sampling frame and mode of data collectionwere control variables for the effect of time. Our study provides valuable insights intothe challenges of conducting high-quality Pan-European cross-national comparativesurveys over nearly two decades. We observed a consistent decline in survey outcomerates, irrespective of country or project. Neither the sampling frame nor the datacollection mode moderated this decline. Hence, even though personal register samplesand Face-to-Face interviews are often regarded as enhancements to overall surveyquality, their application does not effectively counter the factors causing a decline insurvey outcome rates.
Implicit knowledge in unawareness structures
Authors: Belardinelli Gaia , Schipper Burkhard C.
Published: October 2024

Awareness structures by Fagin, Halpern (Artif Intell 34:39–76, 1988) (FH) feature a syntactic awareness correspondence and accessibility relations modeling implicit knowledge. They are a flexible model of unawareness, and best interpreted from an outside modeler’s perspective. Unawareness structures by Heifetz et al. (J Econ Theory, 130:78–94, 2006, Games Econ Behav 62:305–324, 2008) (HMS) model awareness by a lattice of state spaces and explicit knowledge via possibility correspondences. Sublattices thereof can be interpreted as subjective views of agents. Open questions include (1) how implicit knowledge can be defined in HMS structures, and (2) in which way FH structures can be extended to model the agents’ subjective views. In this paper, we address (1) by defining implicit knowledge such that it is consistent with explicit knowledge in HMS models. We also introduce a variant of HMS models that instead of explicit knowledge, takes implicit knowledge and awareness as primitives. Further, we address (2) by introducing a category of FH models that are modally equivalent relative to sublanguages and can be interpreted as agents’ subjective views depending on their awareness. These constructions allow us to show an equivalence between HMS and FH models. As a corollary, we obtain soundness and completeness of HMS models with respect to the Logic of Propositional Awareness, based on a language featuring both implicit and explicit knowledge.
Assessment of indoor radon levels at multiple floors of an apartment building in the historic center of Rome (Italy): a comprehensive study
Authors: Soldati Gaia , Ciaccio Maria Grazia , Cannelli Valentina , Piersanti Antonio , Galli Gianfranco
Published: October 2024

The urbanized area of Rome is largely built over volcanic deposits, characterized by a significant radionuclides content and consequently a high radon emanation potential. An accurate monitoring of workplaces and residential dwellings constitutes a first step towards mitigating the indoor radon exposure. Since radon diffusion dynamics involves complex interactions among many environmental parameters on different time scales, a proper assessment of radon concentration variations can be better achieved by means of active monitoring approaches. We present here the results of 1 year of continuous measurements conducted in six premises (five apartments and a basement) at different floors of the same building in the Esquilino district, in the historical center of Rome. Collecting annual series of radon concentration enables us to identify fluctuations over a seasonal scale, with radon generally decreasing in the warm season. The simultaneous tracking of different floors should cancel the influence of geogenic radon and of building characteristics like age, typology, and construction materials. While the basement shows the highest radon concentration, indicating a major contribution from the ground, we observe indoor radon levels comparable at all the upper floors, questioning the common belief that high-risk exposure be limited to the lowest storeys. The use of active devices makes it possible to discriminate between average indoor radon measured during the day and overnight, when residents are more likely to be at home. Our analysis provides the characterization of the dynamics of the gas emanation and transport inside the buildings and of its temporal fluctuations, in relation to the environmental and meteorological conditions. Since the experiment was performed in the Roman urban contest, we cannot ignore the specificity of the retrieved data, affected not only by endogenous factors like life habits relative to ventilation and conditioning of the apartments, but also by exogenous factors, among which the warmer microclimate compared to the surrounding suburban and rural areas, due to the effects of urbanization (urban heat island effect).
An Annotated WWII Underwater Archaeology Bibliography
Authors: McKinnon Jennifer F.
Published: October 2024

With four decades of WWII underwater archaeology publications, the time is nigh to create a comprehensive bibliography and conduct an analysis of trends within the growing subfield. This paper presents a decade-by-decade analysis of academic publications accessible through a number of search engines and databases. It analyzes the papers through the categories of author gender, heritage type, region, and focus. Finally, it provides the data set by which this analysis was accomplished in a comprehensive bibliography.
Assessing the influence of latency variability on EEG classifiers - a case study of face repetition priming
Authors: Li Yilin , Sommer Werner , Tian Liang , Zhou Changsong
Published: October 2024

Data-driven strategies have been widely used to distinguish experimental effects on single-trial EEG signals. However, how latency variability, such as within-condition jitter or latency shifts between conditions, affects the performance of EEG classifiers has not been well investigated. Without explicitly considering and disentangling such attributes of single trials, neural network-based classifiers have limitations in measuring their contributions. Inspired by domain knowledge of subcomponent latency and amplitude from traditional cognitive neuroscience, this study applies a stepwise latency correction method on single trials to control for their contributions to classifier behavior. As a case study demonstrating the value of this method, we measure repetition priming effects of faces, which induce large reaction time differences, latency shifts, and amplitude effects in averaged event-related potentials. The results show that within-condition jitter negatively impacts classifier performance, but between-condition latency shifts improve accuracy, whereas genuine amplitude differences have no significant influence. While demonstrated in the case of priming effects, this methodology can be generalized to experiments involving many kinds of time-varying signals to account for the contributions of latency variability to classifier performance.
Application of feedforward and recurrent neural networks for model-based control systems
Authors: Krok Marek , Hunek Wojciech P. , Mielczarek Szymon , Buchwald Filip , Kolender Adam
Published: October 2024

In this paper, a new study concerning the usage of artificial neural networks in the control application is given. It is shown, that the data gathered during proper operation of a given control plant can be used in the learning process to fully embrace the control pattern. Interestingly, the instances driven by neural networks have the ability to outperform the original analytically driven scenarios. Three different control schemes, namely perfect, linear-quadratic, and generalized predictive controllers were used in the theoretical study. In addition, the nonlinear recurrent neural network-based generalized predictive controller with the radial basis function-originated predictor was obtained to exemplify the main results of the paper regarding the real-world application.
Perceptions and Cultural Practices of Vaping Among Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Women in Australia
Authors: Grant Ruby , Mooney-Somers Julie , Power Jennifer , Pennay Amy , McNair Ruth , Segan Catherine , Jones Jami , Bourne Adam
Published: October 2024

Background

The rising prevalence of vaping poses new challenges and opportunities for health policy and public health interventions. Given that, historically, smoking has been more prevalent among lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women than other women, this study explores LBQ women’s perceptions and experiences of vaping.

Methods

Sixty LBQ women and some non-binary people (aged 18–72) participated in in-depth qualitative interviews between May and July 2023, providing insights into the emerging prevalence and nature of vaping within LBQ women’s communities. Thematic analysis techniques were employed to identify key themes, including (1) risk perceptions and social stigma, (2) gendered perceptions of vaping, and (3) experiences of vaping-related harms.

Results

Results highlight gendered perceptions of vaping among LBQ women, with participants describing vaping as a feminine practice, influenced by flavour choices and the visual aesthetics of vape devices. Despite perceiving vaping as more socially acceptable than smoking, some participants expressed a sense of embarrassment about vaping, while others reported substantial challenges and health concerns.

Conclusion

Concerns about vaping-related harms, addiction, and the evolving social dynamics of vaping contribute to LBQ women’s engagement with this emerging practice. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing targeted harm reduction strategies and support services tailored to LBQ women’s unique needs in the evolving landscape of vaping.

Policy Implications

Health and social policy may require specific responses to address higher rates of vaping among LGBTQ populations, including LBQ women.
Integrating higher-order relations for enhanced twitter bot detection
Authors: Reiche Sebastian , Cohen Sarel , Simonov Kirill , Friedrich Tobias
Published: October 2024

Bot detection is a critical task in preserving the integrity of social networks and mitigating online disinformation. Despite advances in graph-based methods for detecting bots, these models often rely on follow relations, assuming that users sharing similar characteristics are more likely to connect. However, these methods often fail to address complex behavioral patterns indicative of coordinated bot activities, allowing bot developers to avoid detection more easily. We investigate the potential of integrating behavioral and higher-order relations, focusing on Retweet, Co-Retweet (where two users retweet the same tweet) and Co-Hashtag (where two users frequently use the same hashtag), and compare these against conventional follower and following relations. We further explore the process of relation creation, particularly highlighting the Co-Hashtag relation’s robustness against data collection flaws and its ability to mitigate shortcomings in the collection of datasets. Our experiments not only contribute to the ongoing efforts to address challenges in bot detection, but also open up new avenues for exploring how complex network patterns can be employed for social network analysis.
Bringing a justice lens to ocean access
Authors: Hein Jonas , Klepp Silja , Bercht Anna Lena
Published: October 2024

Maritime spaces have transformed rapidly the last decades. Open waters and beaches have become restricted and sometimes privatized enclosures. Different forms of extractivism have led to biodiversity loss and in particular to declining fish populations. Additionally, large-scale coastal and marine infrastructure projects, such as deepening and widening of shipping channels, have destroyed important habitats. These profound socio-ecological transformations have had an impact on geographies of resource access and control and consequently on the ability of actors to access, use and benefit from coastal and marine space. Moreover, changes in the lending policies of local banks have posed additional and severe challenges for fishers’ ability to fish. Such processes effect in particular the livelihoods of coastal and small-scale fisher communities and consequently increase existing inequalities and injustices. We suggest to bring the literature on ocean justice and access and property into dialogue and develop a heuristic for analysing inequalities and justice claims. Based on qualitative case studies focussing on the Sicily (Italy), the Elbe estuary (Germany) and the Lofoten (Norway), we show that investigating access relations facilitates the identification of unequal societal relationships with nature. Our cases illustrate that power relations in which privatization processes and access relations are embedded, determine whether injustices can be translated into justice claims and how successful these claims are. Moreover, unequal socio-ecological relations are also influenced by what we call translocal justice. Translocal justice is often lost in processes of commodification, privatization and in the rescaling of political authority and power, as local ties and confidential relationships vanish.
A simple method for automatic recreation of railway horizontal alignments
Authors: Castro Alberte , Casal Gerardo , Santamarina Duarte , Vázquez-Méndez Miguel E.
Published: October 2024

This paper deals with the problem of recreating horizontal alignments of existing railway lines. The main objective is to propose a simple method for automatically obtaining optimized recreated alignments located as close as possible to an existing one. Based on a previously defined geometric model, two different constrained optimization problems are formulated. The first problem uses only the information provided by a set of points representing the track centerline while the second one also considers additional data about the existing alignment. The proposed methodology consists of a two-stage process in which both problems are solved consecutively using numerical techniques. The main results obtained applying this methodology are presented to show its performance and to prove its practical usefulness: an academic example used to compare with other methods, and a case study of a railway section located in Parga (Spain) in which the geometry of its horizontal alignment is successfully recovered.
An explicit incompressible scheme based on the MPS method to simulate slump flow
Authors: Xu Tibing , Koshizuka Seiichi , Inaba Yohei , Gakuhari Yuichiro
Published: October 2024

In this study, an explicit incompressible scheme based on the Moving Particle Semi-implicit method (MPS) is applied to simulate slump flow. In the numerical method, the pressure Poisson equation is explicitly solved to obtain the pressure field. In simulating slump flow caused by fresh concrete, the fluid is treated to be non-Newtonian fluid and a regularized Bingham model is employed to calculate the viscosity. Flow characteristics in the slump flow are reproduced by the numerical method, and in good agreement with experimental measurements. The parameters including the rheological regularized parameter, yield stress, plastic viscosity, and particle distance, are examined in the simulations. It is found that the explicit incompressible scheme can well reproduce the concrete spreading. The yield stress in the rheology model affects the spreading distance significantly while the plastic viscosity plays an important role in the acceleration stage of the material spreading.
Sidon–Ramsey and $$B_{h}$$-Ramsey numbers
Authors: Espinosa-García Manuel A. , Montejano Amanda , Roldán-Pensado Edgardo , Suárez J. David
Published: October 2024

For a given positive integer k, the Sidon–Ramsey number $${{\,\textrm{SR}\,}}(k)$$

SR

(
k
)

is defined as the minimum value of n such that, in every partition of the set [1, n] into k parts, there exists a part that contains two distinct pairs of numbers with the same sum, i.e., one of the parts is not a Sidon set. In this paper, we investigate the asymptotic behavior of this parameter and two generalizations of it. The first generalization involves replacing pairs of numbers with h-tuples, such that in every partition of [1, n] into k parts, there exists a part that contains two distinct h-tuples with the same sum, i.e., there is a part that is not a $$B_h$$

B
h

set. The second generalization considers the scenario where the interval [1, n] is substituted with a d-dimensional box of the form $$\prod _{i=1}^d[1,n_i]$$

∏

i
=
1

d

[
1
,

n
i

]

. For the general case of $$h\ge 3$$

h
≥
3

and d-dimensional boxes, before applying our method to obtain the Ramsey-type result, we establish an upper bound for the corresponding density parameter.