bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intraspecific facilitation in an intertidal foundation species plays fundamental role in promoting resistance to extreme climatic events
Authors: Harris Owen , King Nathan G. , Foggo Andy , Smale Dan A.
Published: February 2025

Atmospheric and marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent, and severe, increasingly pushing organisms past their critical thermal limits and threatening the persistence of entire populations. Under greater levels of stress, positive species interactions (e.g. facilitation) are predicted to become increasingly important in promoting population and community‐level resistance and resilience. While ecological interactions are important in driving the structure of marine benthic communities, the strength and nature of facilitative interactions under realistic stress conditions have rarely been empirically tested in these systems. Using an intertidal rocky shore dominated by the canopy‐forming macroalga Fucus serratus as a model system, we conducted a novel manipulative field experiment to simulate a realistic three‐day atmospheric heatwave and examined physiological responses of F. serratus fronds under both high and low‐density treatments. We recorded a prominent facilitative interaction between canopy‐forming plants and their sub‐canopy counterparts, which almost completely ameliorated thermal stress. This positive interaction was evident at low density treatments and despite overlying air temperatures far exceeding previous estimates of the critical thermal maximum of F. serratus. However, despite sustained intraspecific facilitation, consecutive exposures to high air temperatures led to reduced resilience of canopy‐forming plants. Our results have direct implications for assessing population‐level vulnerability to current and future warming trends. We show 1) intraspecific facilitation will likely play a pivotal role in mediating stress, even at lower canopy densities, allowing the persistence of foundation species under extreme warming, and 2) consecutive exposures to stressful temperatures will reduce thermal resilience, jeopardizing positive ecological interactions. More broadly, incorporating facilitative interactions under extreme climatic events into predictions of responses to climate change will improve the accuracy of future vulnerability assessments.
Entitlement, Disagreement and Cognitive Disaster
Authors: Thorne Michael
Published: February 2025

Epistemologists debate whether it is rationally permissible for people to disagree, for example in politics or religion, while nevertheless regarding each other's opinions as reasonable. I consider this question in relation to Crispin Wright's Wittgensteinian notion of entitlement, that is, rational warrant without evidence. I criticise Allan Hazlett's defence of the rationality of mutually recognised reasonable disagreement, which is based on the idea that one is entitled to trust a source of information if not trusting it would result in a ‘cognitive disaster’. I argue that this argument involves an equivocation in its use of the concept of a cognitive disaster.
Exploring Differences in the Lateralized Readiness Potential in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis Compared to Healthy Controls
Authors: Martell Shelby G. , Keye Shelby A. , Kim Jeongwoon , Walk Anne , Erdman John W. , Adamson Brynn , Motl Robert W. , Khan Naiman A.
Published: February 2025

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease often leading to cognitive and motor impairment. Little research has examined motor preparation and initiation outcomes in the brain among persons with MS. The lateralized readiness potential is an ERP component that indexes pre‐motor activity evaluating the stimulus (LRP‐S) and motor activation for the response (LRP‐R). We examined the LRP‐S and LRP‐R in MS and healthy controls (HC) to understand impairments in neural activity associated with response activation and selection. Persons with MS (n = 53) and HC (n = 53) completed a flanker task with concurrent EEG for LRP extraction. Paired t‐tests were conducted to determine differences for accuracy, reaction time (RT), LRP‐S, and LRP‐R. Within‐group Pearson correlations were conducted to investigate the relationship between LRP indices and behavioral performance. Participants with MS had delayed LRP‐S latency and reduced LRP‐R amplitudes compared to HC for both trial types. In the HC group, LRP‐S amplitude and latency were positively related to RT. In the MS group, LRP‐S latency was positively related to RT. In both MS and HC, incongruent LRP‐R latency was negatively related to RT, suggesting that individuals with a shorter time interval between activation and response had faster reaction times. Persons with MS had delayed response selection, and less neural response activation compared to HC. Impairment in MS is evident for both pre‐motor and motor response initiation during a selective attention task. Our study also provided evidence the relationship between action‐based components and task performance differ in persons with MS and HC.
Communication Interventions for Families with Parental Cancer With Dependents: Findings from a Scoping Review
Authors: Caparso Cinzia , Bowen Zoe , Choi Sung Won
Published: February 2025

Background

Since 2019, invasive cancer diagnoses in people younger than 50 years old have increased by 12.8%, which impacts people of childbearing age. Currently, family interventions for parents with cancer primarily focus on the impacted parent communicating the initial cancer diagnosis or at end‐of‐life messages with their dependents through in‐person interventions. Limited web‐based interventions have been developed to increase communication across all family members (e.g., parents with cancer with co‐parents or children with their parents) about communicating the impact of cancer on the individual's and family's well‐being across the cancer trajectory, a key gap to improved outcomes in this population.

Aim

This scoping review aimed to comprehensively summarize family communication interventions designed for a parent with cancer who has dependents and to identify and analyze any knowledge gaps regarding family communication interventions in this population.

Methods

A comprehensive informationist‐assisted search was completed in seven databases. Two reviewers independently performed title/abstract reviews and full‐text reviews within the Rayyan software system. Two reviewers performed data extraction.

Results

Thirty‐five articles were included, and 24 different interventions were investigated. Most articles were published by European teams (45%). Fourteen articles (40%) evaluated interventions that included the entire family, seven (20%) reported family theories, and three (9%) used a web‐based delivery. Most articles focused on the outcomes of the parent with cancer and the outcomes of their dependents (31%). Most interventions aimed to increase parent communication with dependents at end‐of‐life (43%) or at early diagnosis (32%) in the breast cancer population.

Linking Evidence to Action

In‐person communication interventions have been developed to communicate with dependents about an early or terminal cancer diagnosis. The impact of the intervention on parents with cancer and their children's outcomes were also investigated. No web‐based interventions have been published that focus on the entire family, include family‐level outcomes, or completed dyadic analysis across the family on the family‐level outcomes to determine relationships. Web‐based interventions are needed to address communication challenges for all family members affected by a cancer diagnosis, and equitable access to such interventions should be supported.
On CFRP honeycomb mechanical metamaterials under out-of-plane crushing
Authors: Wang Zhipeng , Bai Chunyu , Cui Tianning , Zhang Wei , Wu Tianxing , Yu Haotian , Liang Bo , Qin Qinghua
Published: February 2025

Honeycomb mechanical metamaterials with semi-re-entrant, square and hexagonal cells were prepared by using continuous twill weave carbon fiber prepreg. Out-of-plane crushing behavior of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) honeycomb mechanical materials was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The full-field strain evolution and distribution of buckling modes were obtained. Analytical models were proposed to predict Young's moduli, buckling half-wave numbers, and initial collapse stresses of CFRP honeycomb cores and sandwich panels. The analytical predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results. It is shown that the face sheets have significant effects on the crushing behavior of CFRP honeycombs. The strength, stiffness and energy absorption of CFRP honeycombs are dependent upon the configuration, height and boundary condition. CFRP honeycombs exhibit higher specific strength and specific energy absorption than the counterparts.
Design, Analsysis and Experimental Evaluation of A New Expansion Screw using Compliant Mechanisms
Authors: Gan Jinqiang , Chen Feng , Ge Ming-Feng , Lu Qinghua , Chen Weilin
Published: February 2025

This paper presents a design solution for a new expansion screw based on compliant mechanisms. The new expansion screw applies distributed compliant mechanisms, rhombus amplification mechanisms and right circular flexure hinges to it. The distributed compliant mechanism realizes the contraction, the rhombus amplification mechanism realizes its expansion and fixation and the right circular flexure hinges are used to reduce friction. The forces analysis of the new expansion screw when it works is used to calculate its maximum load bearing capacity. A series of simulations and experiments are carried out to demonstrate the practicability and efficiency of the new expansion screw. In experiments, the new expansion screws using ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and nylon plastic are fabricated respectively, and the expansion screws using nylon plastic already available on the market are set as a comparison.The experimental results indicate that the structure of the new expansion screws is better than the existing expansion screws on the market, and the corresponding overall bearing capacity is more than double than the expansion screw already available on the market. The new expansion screw realizes a significant increase in its bearing capacity, and shows a strong application prospect.
SCF
RMF
-dependent degradation of the nuclear lamina releases the somatic chromatin mobility restriction for meiotic recombination
Authors: Yuan Xinjie , Cai Bowei , Hamamura Yuki , Schnittger Arp , Yang Chao
Published: February 2025

Meiosis prepares the genome for sexual reproduction and is a driver of genetic diversity. Essential for both aspects are rapid chromosome movements enabling the pairing of homologous chromosomes, thereby promoting their recombination and ensuring their correct segregation afterward. However, it is unknown how meiocytes reorganize their nuclear architecture when chromosomes are tethered to the nuclear lamina in somatic cells. Here, we reveal the meiosis-specific Skp1–Cul1–F-box-protein (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase SCF
RMF
as a key regulator of this reorganization in
Arabidopsis
. We find that the nuclear lamina proteins of the CRWN family are degraded in an SCF
RMF
-dependent manner in this process. Thus, the SCF
RMF
functions to release the somatic constraints on chromosome mobility through disrupting the nuclear lamina, allowing homologous chromosomes to pair.
Atomic Sn–incorporated subnanopore-rich hard carbon host for highly reversible quasi-metallic Li storage
Authors: Jin Tong , Zhang Xin Yu , Yuan Shuai , Yu Le
Published: February 2025

The practical application of Li metal anodes has been hindered by severely irreversible side reactions for low Coulombic efficiency, uncontrollable growth of Li dendrites, and large volume change. Herein, we report subnanopore-rich carbon spheres encapsulated with Sn single atoms (Sn/CS@SC) as a Li host to address these challenges. Owing to the high Li affinity of Sn single atoms, Sn/CS@SC can promote storage of quasi-metallic Li within the inner void space other than direct plating of metallic Li on the outer surface. Moreover, the subnanopores with a strong spatial confinement effect can prevent the penetration of ester electrolyte for reduced side reactions. As expected, the Sn/CS@SC host demonstrates a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% over 600 cycles. Moreover, a full cell using a prelithiated Sn/CS@SC anode and LiNi
0.8
Co
0.1
Mn
0.1
O
2
cathode shows high capacity retention (~80%) over 500 cycles at high current density.
Nitrene-mediated glycosylation with thioglycoside donors under metal catalysis
Authors: Bai Ziqian , Wei Zenghui , Zhu Shiyang , He Gang , Wang Hao , Chen Gong
Published: February 2025

Glycosylation chemistry plays a pivotal role in glycoscience. Recent substantial developments have poised the field to address emerging challenges related to sustainability, cost efficiency, and robust applicability in complex substrate settings. The transition from stoichiometric activation to metal-catalyzed methods promises enhanced chemoselectivity and greater precision in controlling glycosidic bond breakage and formation, key to overcoming existing obstacles. Here, we report a nitrene-mediated glycosylation strategy using regular aryl sulfide glycosyl donors and easily accessible 3-methyl dioxazolone as an activator under the catalysis of iron or ruthenium. The iron-catalyzed system demonstrates exceptional catalytic reactivity, requiring as little as 0.1 mole % of catalyst at room temperature, and works well for complex peptide substrates. The ruthenium-catalyzed system can accommodate acid-sensitive functional groups and challenging low-reactivity acceptors. Mechanistic investigations have unveiled unusual multistep pathways involving sulfur imidation of sulfide donors via nitrene transfer and sulfur-to-oxygen rearrangement of
N
-acyl sulfilimines for the nitrene-mediated activation of sulfide donors.
Bat adaptations in inflammation and cell death regulation contribute to viral tolerance
Authors: Das Subham , Jain Disha , Chaudhary Priyansh , Quintela-Tizon Rita M. , Banerjee Arinjay , Kesavardhana Sannula
Published: February 2025

Bats are reservoirs for multiple viruses, some of which are known to cause global disease outbreaks. Virus spillovers from bats have been implicated in zoonotic transmission. Some bat species can tolerate viral infections, such as infections with coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses, better than humans and with less clinical consequences. Bat species are speculated to have evolved alongside these viral pathogens, and adaptations within the bat immune system are considered to be associated with viral tolerance. Inflammation and cell death in response to zoonotic virus infections prime human immunopathology. Unlike humans, bats have evolved adaptations to mitigate virus infection-induced inflammation. Inflammatory cell death pathways such as necroptosis and pyroptosis are associated with immunopathology during virus infections, but their regulation in bats remains understudied. This review focuses on the regulation of inflammation and cell death pathways in bats. We also provide a perspective on the possible contribution of cell death-regulating proteins, such as caspases and gasdermins, in modulating tissue damage and inflammation in bats. Understanding the role of these adaptations in bat immune responses can provide valuable insights for managing future disease outbreaks, addressing human disease severity, and improving pandemic preparedness.
Identification of sand injectite facies in core: their significance to developing a reservoir model for the Chestnut oilfield, UKCS
Authors: Hurst Andrew , van Oorschot Rene , Grippa Antonio , Palladino Giuseppe
Published: February 2025

Reinterpretation of the only core (taken in 1988) through the reservoir sandstone in the Chestnut oilfield changed interpretation of the reservoir from a base-of-slope turbidite system down-dip from a known slope-channel to a sand injectite reservoir. Using the base-of-slope turbidite model, four unsuccessful appraisal wells were drilled, and it was concluded that the reservoir was more complex than anticipated, or that the sedimentary model was incorrect. A new examination of the core identified numerous well-preserved characteristics associated with sand injectite reservoirs, including internal structures and hydrofractures. No firm evidence of depositional structures was found. The new interpretation led to changes in the field-wide reservoir model that transformed Chestnut from an uneconomic discovery into a producing oilfield that exceeded expectations. Examples of the injectite facies, including evidence of erosion during sand injection are provided together with evidence of hydrofractures along lithological boundaries and in mudstone intervals allowing association between hydrofractures and sand injection.
Tropical Cyclone Image Super-Resolution via Multimodality Fusion
Authors: Song Tao , Yang Kunlin , Meng Fan , Li Xin , Sun Handan , Chen Chenglizhao
Published: February 2025

The traditional super-resolution dataset construction using artificial downsampling techniques can result in information loss, insufficient diversity, and non-uniqueness. Furthermore, existing methods for image super-resolution are limited to single-modal images and cannot accommodate the complexities of multimodal images. This is problematic because diverse modal data requires individualized model design and training, which can hinder the exploitation of complementary relationships among multimodal data. In this paper, we have addressed these issues by undertaking a two-step solution approach. In the first step, we constructed a super-resolution dataset that utilized remote sensing images of tropical cyclones in “real cases”. This dataset comprises HR-LR image pairs originating from multiple sensors of varying satellite sources, resulting in multimodal data. However, the HR-LR image pairs suffer from an additional misalignment issue. Thus, in the second step, we designed a super-resolution network based on MAT to address the misalignment problem in multimodal environment. After numerous ablation experiments and comparison experiments, we have shown that our model is effective, with an improvement of 50% over the original baseline model, and an increase varying between 20% and 50% compared to other common super-resolution models. We have made our source code and data publicly available online at
https://github.com/kleenY/MMTCSR
.
Identifiable Individuals and Reality
Authors: Doerr Martin
Published: February 2025

Data of historical and ideographic sciences, such as cultural heritage studies, geography, geological evolution, biodiversity, but also experimental data of nomothetic natural sciences, are increasingly documented and published in information systems compatible with predicate-logic that refer to things in reality by unique identifiers (or “keys” most likely to be unique in some context). This can only work as a method of sharing and integrating knowledge beyond the spatial and temporal context of local projects, if the referred features or phenomena of reality are distinct and can diachronically be identified by independent observers in the same way and without a clarifying dialogue between them. In this paper, we argue that only a smaller part of the features in our environment are sufficiently distinct over a useful time-span in order to form such “identifiable individuals”. Ontological categories should each provide specific criteria for the so-called ontological individuation, i.e., about how parts of reality can be subdivided into identifiable individuals that are useful for modelling their behaviour and interactions in reality for answering specific scientific questions, obeying evidential constraints as a result of applying these criteria in observations. We motivate by several examples that there are always cases in which the individuality of such an instance may be undecidable basically within all such ontological categories and that all ontological categories are more or less effective approximations of reality. We argue that effective knowledge sharing by information systems using formal ontologies is only possible if these limitations of applicability and precision to real world phenomena are well understood and taken into account.
Integrating Economic and Environmental Analysis for Sustainable Systems: A Comprehensive Framework for Power Generation and Desalination Using Solar and Geothermal Resources
Authors: Lotfalipour Mohammad , Babaelahi Mojtaba
Published: February 2025

This study thoroughly examines a technology that uses geothermal and solar energy to generate freshwater and electricity simultaneously. It explores this novel system’s economic and environmental facets. To assess the thermodynamic properties of the system, a complex thermodynamic model is created using MATLAB and verified using Thermoflex software. Using known relationships, the equipment’s weight and capital cost are determined. The study looks at energy, exergy, and emergency, among other features of the geothermal–solar power plant. It also looks into how operational parameters affect the system’s functionality. Remarkably, the results of the study indicate that there is no discernible effect on energy and exergy efficiencies from changing the temperature in the linear parabolic trough collector’s outlet flow. Additionally, this analysis pinpoints the elements that cause the greatest energy loss and provides insightful suggestions for enhancing system functionality and cutting down on waste. The study’s findings highlight how important it is to take economic and environmental considerations into account when planning and running systems that simultaneously generate electricity and freshwater. According to the study, the economic emergy rate rose from 5.83 × 1013 to 5.76 × 1013 SeJ/h and the environmental emergy rate climbed from 4.80 × 1012 to 5.31 × 1012 SeJ/h when the temperature in flow 4 increased from 350°C to 400°C.
Novel non-invasive tests for colorectal cancer screening – A cost-effectiveness analysis
Authors: Rui Mingjun , Wang Yingcheng , You Joyce HS.
Published: February 2025

Background: To compare cost-effectiveness of 3 novel non-invasive tests (multitarget stool RNA (mt-sRNA), multitarget stool DNA 2.0 (mt-sDNA 2.0), and cell-free DNA (cf-DNA)) with guideline-recommended tests for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening from payer’s perspective. Methods: Outcomes of a hypothetical cohort of 100,000 individuals aged 45-year-old with average CRC risk (no prior CRC diagnosis, adenomatous polyps, or other disorders associated with a high lifetime risk of CRC) in the US were simulated by a lifelong Markov model. Screening strategies included: Guideline-recommended strategies (colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, computed tomographic colonography, fecal immunochemical test, high-sensitivity guaiac-based fecal occult blood testing, multitarget stool DNA), 3 novel non-invasive tests, and no screening. Scenario analyses on perfect (100%) and test-specific adherence (reported real-world adherence) were conducted. Outcomes included direct cost, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Results: All screening strategies (versus no screening) reduced CRC cases and deaths. In perfect adherence scenario, every-10-year colonoscopy was the preferred strategy (ICER=US$261/QALY). In test-specific adherence scenario, every-3-year mt-sRNA was the preferred cost-effective strategy (ICER=US$95,250/QALY). Testing cost, performance, adherence, and CRC prevalence, progression rate and utility were influential factors. Every-3-year mt-sRNA showed the highest probability (37.6%) to be cost-effective in test-specific adherence scenario at willingness-to-pay US$100,000/QALY. Conclusions: All strategies were cost-effective compared to no screening. Every-3-year mt-sRNA (preferred strategy in real-world adherence scenario) provides a cost-effective alternative when adherence to CRC screening or follow-up was not perfect in clinical practice. Impact: This is the first study to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of novel non-invasive tests versus all guideline-recommended CRC screening tests.
Screening Voice Disorders: Acoustic Voice Quality Index, Cepstral Peak Prominence, and Machine Learning
Authors: Yousef Ahmed M. , Castillo-Allendes Adrián , Berardi Mark L. , Codino Juliana , Rubin Adam D. , Hunter Eric J.
Published: February 2025

Introduction: The Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) and smoothed Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPPs) have been reported to effectively support the assessing of voice quality in persons seeking voice care across many languages. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these two measures in detecting voice disorders in American English speakers, comparing their performance to machine learning (ML) models.

Methods: This retrospective study included a cohort of 187 participants: 138 patients with clinically diagnosed voice disorders and 49 vocally healthy individuals. Each participant completed two voicing tasks: sustaining [a:] vowel and producing a running speech sample, which were then concatenated. These samples were analyzed using VOXplot software for AVQI-3 (version 03.01) and CPPs. Additionally, four ML models (Random Forest (RF), k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Decision Tree (DT)) were trained for comparison. The diagnostic accuracy of the two measures and models was assessed using various evaluation metrics, including receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden index.

Results: A cutoff score of 1.54 for the AVQI-3 (with 55% sensitivity and 80% specificity) and 14.35 dB for CPPs (with 65% sensitivity and 78% specificity) were identified for detecting voice disorders. Compared to an average ML sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 55%, CPPs offered the best balance between sensitivity and specificity, outperforming AVQI-3 and nearly matching the average ML performance.

Conclusions: Machine learning shows great potential for supporting voice disorder diagnostics, especially as models become more generalizable and easier to interpret. However, current tools like AVQI-3 and CPPs remain more practical and accessible for clinical use in evaluating voice quality than commonly implemented models. CPPs, in particular, offers distinct advantages for identifying voice disorders, making it a recommended and feasible choice for clinics with limited resources.
A utilização do termo clave rítmica em relação aos padrões percussivos brasileiros: (des)conexões musicais na América Latina
Authors: Leitão Rogério Ribeiro das Chagas
Published: February 2025

In this text we propose the study and analysis of the application of  the  term  rhythmic  key  within  the  context of  percussion  in  Brazil.  Our  objective is to verify how effective and comprehensive the use of this concept represents in this particular case. We have noticed that within the universe of Brazilian percussion, whether in its artistic practices or in teaching-learning aspects, this nomenclature has been applied. We will use references from researchers who are attentive to musical productions in  the  Americas,  especially  in  musical  processes  carried out  from  the  African diaspora. We put this theme up for debate as evidence of the relevance of research into Brazilian rhythms and percussions in a broad way, trying to contemplate their diversity.
Variations in the Medical Device Authorization and Reimbursement Landscape: A Case Study of 2 Cardiovascular Devices Across 4 Countries
Authors: Williams Marta M. , Smith Nathan R. , Uyl-de Groot Carin A. , den Uil Corstiaan A. , Ross Joseph S. , Mohamed Mohamed O. , Mamas Mamas A. , Banerjee Amitava , Ko Dennis T. , Landon Bruce , Cram Peter
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND:

The authorization process and coverage/reimbursement mechanisms for medical devices play critical roles in device adoption and usage. However, international variation in these processes remains poorly characterized, especially with regard to data transparency and the effects of reimbursement on usage.

METHODS:

This study examined publicly available databases, governmental agency recommendations and policies, and press releases from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands to compare the regulatory approval processes and coverage/reimbursement mechanisms for 2 novel cardiovascular devices introduced in the early and late 2000’s: the Watchman left atrial appendage occlusion device and the Impella percutaneous ventricular assist device. In addition to qualitative comparisons for each country, this study compared the date of the first regulatory review, time from submission to review completion, device approval date, agency approval requirements, number of review cycles, and necessity of postapproval studies as determined by the regulator, date of funding decision, final funding decision, and requirements for device reimbursement by relevant government payors.

RESULTS:

Authorization data were easily accessible for the United States and Canada but extremely limited for the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Chronologically, authorization occurred ≈10 years earlier in Europe (United Kingdom and the Netherlands) than in North America (United States and Canada) for both devices. The United States was the only country where the principal public payor (Medicare) explicitly reimbursed both procedures. The United States was similarly notable for more rapid adoption and higher utilization of both devices than the other countries, with the Watchman implanted at 3.4 devices per 100 000 adults annually and Impella used in 7 to 8 procedures per 100 000 people annually. In contrast, uptake was far lower in Canada and Europe.

CONCLUSIONS:

This research provides insights into how differences among countries in authorization and reimbursement mechanisms may impact the adoption and usage of medical devices, and may inform future policies on these processes.
Nationwide, Pragmatic, Direct-to-Patient Primary Aldosteronism Testing Program
Authors: Brown Jenifer M. , Tsai Laura C. , Abel Eva E. , Ferrebus Arnaldo , Moore Anna E. , Niebuhr Yvonne M. , Bacare Bassil , Honzel Brooke , Milks Julia , Foote Kristen , Newman Andrew J. , Parksook Wasita W. , Vaidya Anand
Published: February 2025

BACKGROUND:

Primary aldosteronism, an endocrinopathy present in ≥10% to 25% of patients with hypertension, confers excess cardiovascular risk that can be mitigated with aldosterone-directed therapy. However, only 2% of eligible patients undergo guideline-recommended screening. This study aimed to bypass clinical inertia and identify people with primary aldosteronism using pragmatic, direct-to-patient testing.

METHODS:

Hypertensive adults were recruited via online platforms and underwent virtual consent and local phlebotomy. Using a standardized diagnostic algorithm, laboratory results with interpretations were communicated to patients and primary care providers. Follow-up was ascertained at 6 to 12 months. The primary outcome was the frequency of a positive test for primary aldosteronism. Secondary outcomes included follow-up primary aldosteronism testing and implementation of aldosterone-targeted therapies.

RESULTS:

The study population (N=694) had a mean age of 63.3±11.3 years, was 52.2% female, and hailed from 41 US states. Overall, 25.4% had a positive test for primary aldosteronism. Sleep apnea, resistant hypertension, and hypokalemia were the most common testing indications, with 55.2% of participants having ≥2 indications. Over half of participants (57%) were already under endocrinology, cardiology, or nephrology care, yet had not been tested. In longitudinal follow-up of participants with a positive result, 25.5% had additional testing and 13.7% were started on aldosterone-targeted therapy (mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist or adrenalectomy).

CONCLUSIONS:

Pragmatic, direct-to-patient testing, and simplified results interpretation is a feasible, scalable method to increase primary aldosteronism diagnoses and implementation of aldosterone-targeted therapies. Given that new hypertension guidelines recommend primary aldosteronism screening in all hypertensive people, practical approaches to test, interpret, and implement results will be essential.
Investigation on the origin of the “nose” in the genus Megalothorax Willem, 1900 (Neelidae, Collembola) by the means of integrative taxonomy
Authors: PANINA KSENIA , POTAPOV MIKHAIL , RUMAK DARIA , SCHNEIDER CLÉMENT
Published: February 2025

Megalothorax Willem, 1900 is a genus of Collembola that comprises 36 species to date. For a long time, its diversity was overlooked, but recent integrative taxonomic works allowed us to understand better their seemingly cryptic diversity. Among the oddities of the genus are the so-called “nosed” species, i.e. species equipped with a frontal cuticular process, an unusual trait for Collembola.
In this work, we describe a new “nosed” species from the north of European part of Russia and redescribe the first known “nosed” species: Megalothorax sanctistephani Christian, 1998. This species is known only from peculiar places: initially the catacombs of a cathedral in Vienna, and our new findings in underground tunnel in Paris and Botanical Garden of Kaliningrad. We also used long-read sequencing to obtain new DNA data for “nosed” species of Collembola. We investigated the evolution of the “nose” using molecular and morphological phylogeny approaches.
This evolution remained unclear, as molecular and morphological data are conflicting on this specific point. The “nose” may have been acquired a single time, then lost secondarily in some species; or have been acquired independently several times.
Cold-season precipitation trend in subtropical East Asia tied to shifting westerlies: Role of Tibetan Plateau
Authors: He Chao
Published: February 2025

Precipitation in late cold season (February to April) over subtropical East Asia (STEA) exhibits a negative trend from 1979 to present, primarily due to weakening ascent motion. This study investigates the mechanism of weakening ascent over STEA, and identified the poleward shifting westerlies as a key driver. On interannual timescale, a poleward shift of the westerlies leads to weakened southern branch westerlies (SBW) on the southern side of Tibetan Plateau (TP), which further leads to a weaker downstream southerly wind component over STEA, associated with a weaker ascent motion generated by isentropic upglide of the southerly flow. During the post-1979 epoch, the SBW shows a substantial weakening trend in late cold season as a regional manifestation of the planetary-scale poleward shifting westerlies, which suppresses the ascent motion over STEA and accounts for more than a half of the decreasing precipitation over STEA in late cold season. TP plays a key role in connecting SBW to the southerly flow and ascent motion over STEA in cold season, and the absence of weakening SBW also explains the absence of drying trend over STEA in early cold season. External forcing leads to a moderate poleward shift of planetary-scale westerlies in the entire cold season based on climate model simulations, but it cannot explain the seasonality and magnitude of the observed trend in SBW. Decadal-scale internal variability may have largely boosted the poleward shifting westerlies in late cold season but offset it in early cold season.
Shaping epidemic dynamics: An historical epistemology study of the SIR model
Authors: Corteel Mathieu
Published: February 2025

This article traces the history of the Susceptible, Infected, Recovered (SIR) model in early 20th-century epidemiology (1904–27). The aim is to test the hypothesis that the active stance taken by Ross, Hudson, McKendrick, and Kermack represents a turn in the history of modern epidemiology, shifting the classical method of statistical epidemiology from a data-based model to a theory-based model. The article shows that epidemiological modeling is based on a mathematical simplification of epidemics at the time of the microbiological complexification of epidemiology. What were the implications of the mathematical theory of epidemics for the development of modern epidemiology? How can epidemic dynamics be expressed mathematically without compromising the biological representation? This is exactly what is at stake here: from the work of Ross to the standardization of the SIR model by McKendrick and Kermack, modeling has been confronted with the problem of relating its equations to the facts.
Conclusion – external threat and internal divisions: How the war in Ukraine shapes mass politics in the EU
Authors: Genschel Philipp
Published: February 2025

I review this Special Section in three steps. First, I summarize the theoretical framework, contrasting bellicist and polity-maintenance perspectives on how outside threats such as the war in Ukraine affect the mass politics of EU integration. Second, I report findings about public attitudes and party positions on the war and the EU's reactions to it. The articles show a broad permissive consensus on more policy integration, and a modest ‘Europeanization’ of party-political messaging. Third, I compare findings on four major explanatory variables: threat perceptions, country-level differences, individual identity and political ideology. The articles show a unifying effect of the war on European mass publics. The remaining disunity is mostly within, not between member states. I conclude with some speculative notes on the future of European unity.
Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Analysis: Does Ability Replace Apathy?
Authors: Hou Dan , Khan Muhammad Kaleem , Zahid Rana Muhammad Ammar , Hussain Muhammad Jameel
Published: February 2025

This study delves into the correlation existing between the managerial prowess of CEOs and the performance of sustainability initiatives, drawing insights from the upper echelon theory. Through a comprehensive triple-down analysis, we ascertain whether an augmentation in managerial capabilities expedites the adoption of practices promoting environmental, social and economic sustainability (recognized as the pillars of sustainability). Furthermore, the research delves into the impact of CEOs’ career horizons on the relationship between CEO’s managerial ability and sustainability performance. Employing a panel data methodology on a dataset encompassing Chinese publicly listed companies spanning the years 2010 to 2019, our findings reveal a positive influence of CEOs’ managerial competence on the overall sustainability endeavors of these firms. These outcomes maintain their robustness even after subjecting them to various alternative empirical examinations. The conclusions drawn from these findings substantiate the interconnection between managerial skill and sustainability performance, underscoring the discrete impacts on each facet of the sustainability pillars. The identification of the potential for fostering sustainability practices through the skillful dissemination of management skills stands as a pivotal inference with significant implications for practitioners in the field.

JEL Classification: G34, M12, Q56.
The vasoconstrictor adenosine 5′-tetraphosphate is a danger signal that induces IL-1β
Authors: Bockstiegel Judith , Engelhardt Jonas , Schuchardt Mirjam , Tölle Markus , Weindl Günther
Published: February 2025

Background

The endogenous nucleotide adenosine 5′-tetraphosphate (Ap4) is a potent vasoconstrictor. Despite its structural similarity to the danger signal adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP), the immunomodulatory effects of Ap4 remain unclear.

Methods

Modulation of interleukin (IL)-1β secretion by Ap4 was studied in both immune cells lines (THP-1, U937) and primary immune cells. Genetic and pharmacological approaches were used to characterize signaling. Cytokine production was measured using ELISA and multiplex assays, while cell viability was determined by MTT and LDH assays. Calcium influx and YO-PRO-1 uptake were assessed via microplate assays and flow cytometry, respectively. RNA sequencing and Western blotting were performed to analyze global gene expression and protein levels.

Results

We demonstrate that Ap4 stimulates IL-1β release in primed immune cells without affecting the levels of other cytokines, suggesting specificity in its immunomodulatory actions. Mechanistically, Ap4-induced IL-1β release was partially modulated by the P2X7 receptor, a key mediator of inflammation. However, unlike canonical inflammasome activators, this process was independent of potassium efflux, the NLRP3 inflammasome, and caspase-1. Ap4 specifically increased LDH release in macrophages irrespective of priming. Furthermore, Ap4-mediated calcium influx, crucial for immune cell activation, predominantly occurred through P2Y receptors rather than P2X7 receptors. Transcriptomic analysis highlighted Ap4-induced upregulation of metallothioneins, implicating metal ion homeostasis in Ap4-mediated responses.

Conclusions

Collectively, our findings suggest Ap4 as a novel pro-inflammatory mediator capable of inducing IL-1β release in innate immune cells through distinct mechanisms from classical NLRP3 inflammasome activators, shedding light on its potential role in inflammatory diseases and vascular disorders.
CYFIP1 coordinate with RNMT to induce osteosarcoma cuproptosis via AURKAIP1 m7G modification
Authors: Lin Zili , Wu Ziyi , He Yizhe , Li Xiangyao , Luo Wei
Published: February 2025

Osteosarcoma (OS) presents challenges due to its genomic instability and complexity, necessitating investigation into its oncogenesis and progression mechanisms. Recent studies have implicated m7G, a post-transcriptional modification, in the development of various cancers. However, research on m7G modification in OS remains limited. This study aimed to explore the impact of m7G modification in OS, focusing on the role and mechanism of CYFIP1, a member of m7G cap binding complexes. Our findings demonstrated prominent anti-OS effects of CYFIP1 in vitro and vivo. Mechanistically, CYFIP1 collaborated with RNMT to induce the m7G methylation of AURKAIP1 mRNA, which resulted in the stability and the increasing translation of AURKAIP1 mRNA. AURKAIP1, a kind of mitochondrial small ribosomal subunit protein, exhibited increased expression, leading to the dysregulation of mitochondrial translation. This, in turn, caused an increase in the expression of FDX1, eventually triggering cuproptosis in OS cells and repressing OS occurrence and progression. In summary, our study identified the CYFIP1/RNMT/AURKAIP1/FDX1 axis as a potential therapeutic target for OS. These insights contribute to OS research and may guide the development of novel treatments for this challenging disease.
Collaborative Improvement of Structure Shape and Surface Integrity in Titanium Alloy Hole Burnishing
Authors: Liu Jiahui , Feng Pingfa , Wang Zibiao , Zhang Jianfu , Feng Feng , Zhang Xiangyu
Published: February 2025

In the aerospace field, hole burnishing enhancement plays an essential role in improving the service performance of load-bearing holes. To satisfy the assembly accuracy and strength requirements, the structure shape and surface integrity must be considered simultaneously during the enhancement process. The current manufacturing process of hole burnishing has a relatively weak balance between the structure shape and surface integrity; therefore, it is necessary to analyze the mechanism and optimize the parameters to improve the strengthening effect of the holes. In this study, a two-dimensional longitudinal simplified model for the hole burnishing process was established, and the reasons for the surface roughness improvement of the hole wall and material accumulation on the upper surface were analyzed. Experiments were conducted to determine the influence of the burnishing parameters on the structure shape (material accumulation, shape contour, and roundness) and surface integrity (surface roughness, residual stress, and surface hardness), based on the opposite requirements of improving the structure shape and surface integrity for the burnishing depth (BD). The results showed that with an increase in the BD, the structure shape deteriorated, whereas the surface integrity improved. Fatigue behavior verification experiments were conducted, and parameter selection schemes for the collaborative improvement of the structure shape and surface integrity were discussed. For the holes of titanium alloy TB6 (Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al), the fatigue life can be increased by 162% when the BD, spindle speed, and feed rate were 0.20 mm, 200 r/min, and 0.2 mm/r, respectively.
Cutting Force and State Identification in High-Speed Milling: a Semi-Analytical Multi-Dimensional Approach
Authors: Zhang Yu , Duan Xianyin , Zhu Kunpeng
Published: February 2025

High-speed milling (HSM) is advantageous for machining high-quality complex-structure surface components with various materials. Identifying and estimating cutting force signals for characterizing HSM is of high significance. However, considering the tool runout and size effects, many proposed models focus on the material and mechanical characteristics. This study presents a novel approach for predicting micromilling cutting forces using a semi-analytical multidimensional model that integrates experimental empirical data and a mechanical theoretical force model. A novel analytical optimization approach is provided to identify the cutting forces, classify the cutting states, and determine the tool runout using an adaptive algorithm that simplifies modeling and calculation. The instantaneous un-deformed chip thickness (IUCT) is determined from the trochoidal trajectories of each tool flute and optimized using the bisection method. Herein, the computational efficiency is improved, and the errors are clarified. The tool runout parameters are identified from the processed displacement signals and determined from the preprocessed vibration signals using an adaptive signal processing method. It is reliable and stable for determining tool runout and is an effective foundation for the force model. This approach is verified using HSM tests. Herein, the determination coefficients are stable above 0.9. It is convenient and efficient for achieving the key intermediate parameters (IUCT and tool runout), which can be generalized to various machining conditions and operations.
Understanding the Machining Process of Hierarchical Micro/Nanograting Structures Used for Optical Variable Device
Authors: Geng Yanquan , Zhu Wenhan , Zhang Xiaosong , Zhang Aoxiang , Yan Yongda , Cui Hailong , Xue Bo , Wang Jiqiang
Published: February 2025

Hierarchical micro/nanograting structures have attracted increasing attention owing to their significant applications in the fields of structural coloring, anti-counterfeiting, and decoration. Thus, the fabrication of hierarchical micro/nanograting structures is important for these applications. In this study, a strategy for machining hierarchical micro/nanograting structures is developed by controlling the tool movement trajectory. A coupling Euler-Lagrange finite element model is established to simulate the machining process. The effect of the machining methods on the nanograting formation is demonstrated, and a suitable machining method for reducing the cutting force is obtained. The height of the nanograting decreases with an increase in the tool edge radius. Furthermore, optical variable devices (OVDs) are machined using an array overlap machining approach. Coding schemes for the parallel column unit crossover and column unit in the groove crossover are designed to achieve high-quality machining of OVDs. The coloring of the logo of the Harbin Institute of Technology and the logo of the centennial anniversary of the Harbin Institute of Technology on the surface of metal samples, such as aluminum alloys, is realized. The findings of this study provide a method for the fabrication of hierarchical micro/nanograting structures that can be used to prepare OVDs.