bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning for Bond Yield Forecasting: The LSTM‐LagLasso
Authors: Nunes Manuel , Gerding Enrico , McGroarty Frank , Niranjan Mahesan , Sermpinis Georgios
Published: January 2025

We present long short‐term memory (LSTM)‐LagLasso, a novel explainable deep learning approach applied to bond yield forecasting. Our method involves feature selection from a large universe of potential features and forecasts bond yields using dynamic LSTM networks. It examines the internal gating signals of a trained LSTM and explains their dynamics through exogenous variables that may influence bond price formation. By considering these variables at various lags and using the Lasso technique for feature selection, we demonstrate how different hidden units within the LSTM dynamically adjust to make predictions across different temporal regimes and how their evolution is shaped by various external factors. In an empirical study on government bond yield forecasting, we demonstrate the statistical accuracy of LSTM‐LagLasso compared to a multilayer perceptron (MLP) and highlight its explainability.
Mcl‐1 is a Gatekeeper Molecule to Regulate the Crosstalk Between Ferroptotic Agent‐Induced ER Stress and TRAIL‐Induced Apoptosis
Authors: Lee Young‐Sun , Vafaeinik Farzaneh , Mouakkad Lila , Kim Dong‐Hyun , Song Xinxin , Zhang Lin , Lee Yong J.
Published: January 2025

We previously reported that ferroptosis interplays with apoptosis through the integration of two independent pathways: the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling pathway and the mitochondria‐dependent apoptotic signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated a potential gatekeeper molecule, Mcl‐1, between the two signal transduction pathways. Morphology studies and cell death analyses confirmed that a combination treatment of ferroptotic agent erastin (ERA) and apoptotic agent TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand) synergistically enhances TRAIL‐induced apoptosis in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma BxPC3 and human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells. We further observed that ERA upregulated the proapoptotic proteins PUMA (p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis) and NOXA, as well as the anti‐apoptotic protein Mcl‐1 (myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1). These results suggest that ERA upregulates these molecules which results in maintenance of the balance between them. Interestingly, this balance was offset when BxPC3 cells and HCT116 cells were treated with ERA in combination with TRAIL. Our studies suggest that the imbalance between PUMA and NOXA and Mcl‐1 during the combined treatment is responsible for ERA‐enhanced TRAIL‐induced apoptosis. This hypothesis was tested by employing a HCT116 Mcl‐1 knock‐in of phosphorylation site mutant (S121A/E125A/S159A/T163A) and investigated the synergistic interaction between the ERA and TRAIL. Along with morphology and cell death studies, immunoblotting analyses revealed that HCT116 Mcl‐1 knock‐in mutant cells effectively inhibited reduction of Mcl‐1 and apoptosis promoted by the combination treatment. Moreover, ERA enhanced Mcl‐1 inhibitor‐induced apoptosis. Collectively, our studies suggest that Mcl‐1 is a gatekeeper molecule between the ER stress pathway and the mitochondria‐dependent apoptotic pathway.
Breast MRI to Screen Women With Extremely Dense Breasts
Authors: Sitges Carla , Mann Ritse M.
Published: January 2025

Women with extremely dense breasts are at a higher risk of breast cancer, and the sensitivity of mammography in this group is reduced due to the masking effect of overlapping tissue. This review examines supplemental screening methods to improve detection in this population, with a focus on MRI. Morphologic techniques offer limited benefits, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) shows inconsistent results, and ultrasound (US), while improving cancer detection rates (CDR), results in a higher rate of false positives. Functional imaging techniques show better performance, molecular breast imaging increases CDR but is limited in availability, and contrast‐enhanced mammography is promising, with good results and as an accessible technique, but requires further validation. MRI, with sensitivity ranging from 81% to 100%, is the most supported modality. Despite strong evidence for MRI in this population, high costs, use of contrast, and longer scan times hinder widespread use. Abbreviated MRI protocols aim to overcome these barriers by reducing costs and scan duration. As personalized screening becomes a future focus, MRI remains the most effective option for women with extremely dense breasts.

Level of Evidence

1

Technical Efficacy

Stage 5
Evaluation of Rainfall Variability Over Major River Basins of India Using Multi Temporal Satellite Data Products
Authors: Choubey Saurabh , Kumar Prashant , Chander Shard , Kumari Rina
Published: January 2025

High resolution remotely sensed rainfall data is indispensable to accurately monitor rainfall variability at a river basin scale under climate change. The aim of the study is to assess the change in rainfall climatology and determine the performance of three GPM rainfall products (IMERG Final_Run, GSMaP_Gauge and recently developed GSMaP_ISRO) against in situ observation over major Indian River basins for the monsoon season rainfall during 2000–2020. The analysis provides valuable insights into the issues in the rainfall products and their performance under varying rainfall intensity (low, moderate and heavy) and orography. Results indicate that mean monsoon rainfall is better represented in GSMaP_ISRO than IMERG Final_Run and GSMaP_Gauge estimates. GSMaP_ISRO outperformed IMERG Final_Run and GSMaP_Gauge with smaller root‐mean‐square error and higher correlation coefficient. It was observed that the performance of GPM rainfall is influenced by rainfall intensity and terrain height of basins. In particular, for high rainfall occurrence, the Brahmaputra and Barak basins in northeast India exhibited large uncertainties in IMERG Final_Run and GSMaP_Gauge products. The statistical evaluation of different rainfall scores (POD, FAR and CSI) suggested that the GSMaP_ISRO rainfall has significant skill over Indian river basins. A significant improvement is observed over Brahmaputra (RMSD = 34.46, CC = 0.92, FAR = 0.26), Barak and others (RMSD = 65.75, CC = 0.95, FAR = 0.29) and Cauvery basin (RMSD = 23.1, CC = 0.8, FAR = 0.15) for GSMaP_ISRO estimates. These findings provide valuable information on the accuracy of GPM rainfall necessary for hydro‐meteorological applications.
Diet quality indicators and organic food consumption in mothers of young children
Authors: Woś Karolina , Dobrowolski Hubert , Gajewska Danuta , Rembiałkowska Ewa
Published: January 2025

Background

The health benefits of organic food provide one reason for consuming it. Various studies have shown that regular organic food consumers (REG eco‐con) follow a healthier diet. However, this topic has not been explored in Poland. This study aimed to evaluate the diet quality of mothers with children under 6 years old, residing in three provinces of Poland, who consumed organic food at varying frequencies. Data were collected using validated questionnaires.

Results

Among the mothers surveyed (N = 667), 84% achieved an average Diet Quality Index (DQI) score, indicating a neutral impact of their diet on health. Meanwhile, 15% of respondents exhibited diets with a high intensity of health‐promoting characteristics. Women with a higher frequency of organic food consumption displayed more health‐promoting dietary behavior. Regular organic food consumers demonstrated significantly higher DQI and Pro‐Healthy Diet Index (pHDI) scores than those with lower organic food consumption frequency. The REG eco‐con mothers also reported significantly more frequent consumption of vegetables, fruit, whole‐grain bread and cereals, fermented dairy products, legumes, and fish. Respondents who rated their state of health as better than that of their peers were characterized by more frequent consumption of organic food.

Conclusion

An organic diet may play a significant role in an individual's quality of life and well‐being. The results of this study could be relevant for the organic food sector and policymakers in developing nutritional transformation towards sustainability. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
Ultra‐Wideband Simultaneous Manipulations of Fundamental and Harmonic Waves Based on Space‐Time Coding Metasurface: Basic Principles and mmWave Applications
Authors: Liu Yujie , Wang Yu , Fu Xiaojian , Luo Jiang , Zhu Ziyi , Xu Hang , Wang Peng , Fu Yuan , Cao Liu , Xu Yongjun , Cui Tie Jun
Published: January 2025

A 2‐bit millimeter‐wave (mmWave) space‐time coding metasurface (STCM) based on an innovative theoretical mechanism and encoding strategy to boost the performance of wireless communications is proposed. Specifically, this metasurface can switch between four different modes by controlling the working states of the active components loaded on the metasurface element. Combined with a simple, efficient, and robust mechanism and encoding strategy, it achieves arbitrary phase controls of the fundamental and harmonic frequencies over an ultra‐wideband range. Based on these developments, a single‐aperture, multi‐channel mmWave wireless communication system is constructed that basically spans the entire V‐band. It is demonstrated that different data are transmitted under the quadrature phase shift keying modulation scheme at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies, with an operating bandwidth exceeding 25 GHz. Furthermore, the research has achieved an ultrafast single‐aperture communication rate, while seamlessly integrating information modulation and beamforming into the system. The proposed mmWave STCM‐based communication architecture, both compact and miniaturized, offers an efficient and low‐complexity solution for achieving comprehensive coverage, affordability, high capacity, and reliable communications in the next‐generation wireless networks.
Visualizing the selective localization of carbon nanotubes in immiscible polymer blends
Authors: Ramakrishnan Shashank , Mohseni Majid , dos Anjos Erick Gabriel Ribeiro , Sundararaj Uttandaraman
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the migration mechanisms of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in 80/20 polyvinylidenefloride/polystyrene (PVDF/PS) and 80/20 polyvinylidenefloride /polycaprolactone (PVDF/PCL) blends. We contrasted the migration of MWCNTs in a low‐viscosity, semi‐crystalline PCL phase versus that in a high‐viscosity, amorphous PS phase. With a 1 vol% loading of MWCNTs, the PVDF/PCL system required 54% higher processing work relative to the neat blend, while the PVDF/PS system required 360% higher work. A visualization system was used to capture the changes in the structure of the blend throughout the mixing process. The structural changes in the blend were correlated with the processing Work and the morphology through electron microscopy. Using the Young equation, for the PVDF/PCL blend, MWCNT is predicted to have a thermodynamic affinity to migrate to the interface, while preferring to remain in the PVDF phase for the PVDF/PS system. However, in practice, for the PVDF/PCL system, the MWCNTs are localized in the PCL phase, while the MWCNTs remained scattered between the PS and PVDF phases for the PVDF/PS system. The viscoelastic properties of the polymers, specifically the viscosity of the minor component, played a crucial role in the migration mechanism. Due to a better dispersion of MWCNTs, the rheological and electromagnetic properties of the PVDF/PCL system are significantly higher.

Highlights

In‐situ visualization of carbon nanotubes migration during blending.

Examining the influence of viscosity of the blend on the migration of nanofiller.

Correlating the torque of mixing to the morphology of blends.
Compression behavior of the CFRP square tubes after low‐velocity impact
Authors: Wu Ye , Lin Fangjun , Huang Jiabao , Wang Fangxin
Published: January 2025

This work investigates the impact resistance and compression after impact (CAI) strength of carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer (CFRP) square tubes with varying wall thicknesses and diameters. Low‐velocity impact (LVI) tests are conducted on CFRP square tubes with three wall thicknesses and diameters at four incident energy levels, followed by compression tests on the impacted specimens. The results, including impact response history and failure morphology captured by the digital image correlation (DIC) technology, reveal that augmenting the wall thickness of CFRP square tubes substantially boosts their impact resistance and load‐bearing capabilities, evidenced by a remarkable 176.17% enhancement in CAI strength when the wall thickness is increased from 1.5 to 2.5 mm under a 20 J impact energy. Conversely, enlarging the diameter tends to diminish rigidity and impact resistance; however, it marginally augments CAI strength and residual strength.

Highlights

CAI strength of CFRP square tubes with varying geometries was investigated.

DIC graph providing a comprehensive understanding of failure mechanisms.

Failure mode was distinguished based on the low‐velocity characterization.
Optimization of Extraction Process, Structural Characterization, and Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Activity Evaluation of Polysaccharides From the Medicinal and Edible Plant: Cistanche deserticola Ma
Authors: Xue Tao‐Tao , Zheng Dong‐Xuan , Hou Qiang , Wen Li‐Mei , Wang Bao‐Juan , Geng Ruo‐Yu , Wang Qian‐Qian , Dai Wu , Tian Li‐Ying , He Sheng‐Qi , Yang Jian‐Hua , Hu Jun‐Ping
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Cistanche deserticola Ma (CD), an edible and medicinal plant native to Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu in China, is rich in bioactive polysaccharides known for their health‐promoting properties. The polysaccharides of C. deserticola (CDPs) have been shown to possess a range of beneficial activities, including immunomodulatory, anti‐aging, antioxidant, and anti‐osteoporosis effects.

Objective

This study seeks to identify the optimal conditions for extracting CDPs using hot water. Additionally, it aims to evaluate their chemical properties, antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic effects, and cytotoxicity. The findings will provide a theoretical foundation for the potential use of CDPs in functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

Methodology

The study employed response surface methodology to optimize the hot water extraction conditions for CDPs. The extracted CDPs were characterized using a range of chemical, spectroscopic, and instrumental analyses. Furthermore, their antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic effects, and cytotoxicity were evaluated through relevant assays to assess their potential health benefits.

Results

Under optimal conditions, the yield of CDPs was 45.85% ± 1.91%. CDPs were identified as acidic heteropolysaccharides with a wide molecular weight distribution, ranging from 0.3 to 128.2 kDa. They were composed primarily of glucose (51.21%), arabinose (32.86%), galactose (17.88%), and smaller amounts of galacturonic acid (4.66%), rhamnose (1.85%), mannose (1.32%), glucosamine hydrochloride (1.08%), and xylose (0.56%). Antioxidant assays demonstrated that CDPs exhibited significant free radical scavenging activity, metal ion chelation, and reducing power. Additionally, CDPs inhibited α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase in vitro through a mixed‐type mechanism, as well as static fluorescence quenching. Cytotoxicity assays showed that CDPs were nontoxic to L02 and AML12 cells.

Conclusion

This study offers a theoretical foundation for the potential use of CDPs in functional foods and pharmaceuticals and provides valuable insights for the development of new antioxidant and hypoglycemic agents from natural sources.
Enhanced water resistance in post‐crosslinked polyurethane dispersion films using ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether
Authors: Kwon Yong Rok , Park Jun Ho , Kim Hae Chan , Chang Young‐Wook , Kim Dah Hee , Kim Dong Hyun
Published: January 2025

A post‐crosslinked polyurethane dispersion (PUD) with excellent water resistance was prepared using ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDGE) as a crosslinker. An anionic PUD was synthesized using dimethylol propionic acid as an internal emulsifier. During the curing process of the PUD film, the hydrophilic carboxylic acid and amine groups of PUD were consumed by the reaction with EGDGE. The reduction of hydrophilic functional groups and the increase of the crosslinking density effectively improved the water resistance of PUD films. In addition, the tensile strength of the PUD film increased from 54.2 MPa to a maximum of 75.3 MPa. The crosslinked structure reduced the crystallinity of the PUD film, which led to an increase in transparency.

Highlights

Novel EGDGE‐crosslinked PUD films with enhanced water resistance were developed.

PUD samples introduced with EGDGE indicated favorable storage stability.

Crosslinking reduced hydrophilic groups, improving thermal and mechanical stability.

Optimized EGDGE content (6 wt%) yielded maximum tensile strength (75.3 MPa).

Transparency increased due to suppressed phase separation in crosslinked PUDs.
Massive Sampling Strategy for Antibody–Antigen Targets in CAPRI Round 55 With MassiveFold
Authors: Raouraoua Nessim , Lensink Marc F. , Brysbaert Guillaume
Published: January 2025

Massive sampling with AlphaFold2 improves protein–protein complex predictions. This has been shown during the last CASP15‐CAPRI blind prediction round by the AFsample tool. However, more difficult targets including antibody–antigen binding remain challenging. CAPRI Round 55 consisted of three antibody–antigen targets and one heterotrimer. We used our AlphaFold2‐based MassiveFold, running 6 prediction pools, each with their own set of parameters, to produce in total more than 6000 predictions per target. We show here that massive sampling categorically produces acceptable to high quality predictions, however it is clear that the AlphaFold2 confidence score cannot be used to identify the best models in the set. We also show that, contrary to what was done before for CASP15‐CAPRI with AFsample, increasing the sampling without activating the dropout provides the best models for most of the targets of Round 55.
Capacitance Boosting of Antiferroelectric‐Hf0.2Zr0.8O2/Al2O3 Blocking Layer Using Y2O3 Interfacial Layer for Charge Trap Flash Memory
Authors: Lee Jehoon , Eom Deokjoon , Lee Heesoo , Lee Woohui , Oh Joohee , Park Changyu , Kim Hyoungsub
Published: January 2025

A Y2O3 interfacial layer is introduced to enhance the capacitance of the blocking layer stacked with antiferroelectric (AFE)‐Hf0.2Zr0.8O2 (HZO) and Al2O3 films in charge trap flash (CTF) memories. The ultrathin Y2O3 film, with a target thickness of 2 nm, intermixes with the HZO film during the atomic layer deposition (250 °C) of HZO and promotes stabilization of the AFE tetragonal phase during postmetallization annealing (600 °C). Significant increases in the spontaneous polarization and maximum dielectric constant are achieved in the AFE‐HZO/Y2O3 structure compared with the single‐layer AFE‐HZO structure. When Si3N4‐based CTF devices are fabricated with an AFE‐HZO/Al2O3 blocking layer utilizing the capacitance‐boosting effect, the introduction of a Y2O3 interfacial layer results in performance enhancement in terms of memory window and programming efficiency. These improvements are attributed to the enhanced negative capacitance effect, which stems from the increased spontaneous polarization in the AFE‐HZO film due to Y2O3 doping.
Effects, Mechanisms of Action and Application of Vitex agnus‐castus for Improvement of Health and Female Reproduction
Authors: Sirotkin Alexander V.
Published: January 2025

This narrative review describes the provenance and chemical composition of Vitex agnus‐castus, as well as the currently available knowledge concerning its action. To search the related articles, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS databases between the years 1995 and 2024, and the keywords “Vitex,” “review,” “fertility,” “ovarian” and “mechanisms” were used in various combinations. The data listed in this review demonstrate that Vitex agnus‐castus and its constituents (isoflavones and essential oils) affect a number of physiological actions via multiple extra‐ and intracellular mechanisms of action. This makes it an efficient drug in both traditional and modern medicine for the treatment of a number of illnesses. The main described target of Vitex agnus‐castus is female reproduction. It can up‐regulate ovarian cycle and fecundity via a wide spectrum of mediators from hypothalamic, pituitary and ovarian hormones up to intracellular regulators of proliferation, apoptosis, oxidation and dopamine receptors. These effects determine its potential action as protector and medicine against a number of female reproductive disorders and reproduction‐related health problems including menstrual disorders, premenstrual syndrome, cyclic mastalgia, corpus luteum insufficiency, abnormal production of progesterone and prolactin, low fertility and infertility, hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Nevertheless, further high‐quality studies are needed to firmly establish the biological and clinical efficacy of this plant.
Curcumin: A Potential Detoxifier Against Chemical and Natural Toxicants
Authors: Kumar Harsh , Dhalaria Rajni , Kimta Neetika , Guleria Shivani , Upadhyay Navneet Kumar , Nepovimova Eugenie , Dhanjal Daljeet Singh , Sethi Nidhi , Manickam Sivakumar
Published: January 2025

The human body gets exposed to a variety of toxins intentionally or unintentionally on a regular basis from sources such as air, water, food, and soil. Certain toxins can be synthetic, while some are biological. The toxins affect the various parts of the body by activating numerous pro‐inflammatory markers, like oxidative stresses, that tend to disturb the normal function of the organs ultimately. Nowadays, people use different types of herbal treatments, viz., herbal drinks that contain different spices for detoxification of their bodies. One such example is turmeric, the most commonly available spice in the kitchen and used across all kinds of households. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is a natural polyphenol. Curcumin is a medicinal compound with different biological activities, such as antioxidant, antineoplastic, anti‐inflammatory, and antibacterial. Hence, this review gives a comprehensive insight into the promising potential of curcumin in the detoxification of heavy metals, carbon tetrachloride, drugs, alcohol, acrylamide, mycotoxins, nicotine, and plastics. The review encompasses diverse animal‐based studies portraying curcumin's role in nullifying the different toxic effects in various organs of the body (especially the liver, kidney, testicles, and brain) by enhancing defensive signaling pathways, improving antioxidant enzyme levels, inhibiting pro‐inflammatory markers activities and so on. Furthermore, this review also argues over curcumin's safety assessment for its utilization as a detoxifying agent.
Investigation of the Structural, Mechanical, Thermal, and Magneto‐Electronic Properties of Promising Ferrite Spinel Oxides XFe2O4 (X = Ge and Sm): A First‐Principle Approach
Authors: Bashir Tahira , Alotaibi Khalid M. , Ali Sajad , Ullah Hayat , Safeen Kashif , Safeen Akif , Immad‐Uddin  , Iqbal Yousuf , Din Syed Taj Ud
Published: January 2025

This study employs first‐principles computations to analyze ferrite spinels GeFe2O4 and SmFe2O4 using density functional theory (DFT). Structural stability calculations reveal that GeFe2O4 favors an antiferromagnetic phase, while SmFe2O4 stabilizes in a ferrimagnetic phase. Both compounds are elastically stable and ductile, and exhibit lattice constants consistent with experimental values, validating the reliability of the calculations. A significant drop in Debye temperature (from 495 to 233 K) occurs when Ge is replaced by Sm, while high melting temperatures indicate thermal stability over broad temperature ranges. The spin‐polarized electronic band structure confirms the metallic nature of both materials. Furthermore, the Curie temperature and magnetic moment of SmFe2O4, calculated using Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA + U) and the Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof (HSE) methods, underline its potential for spintronic applications.
Greenwood Statistic Under Distortion Measurement Errors
Authors: Yao Chaolin , Zhang Jun
Published: January 2025

In this paper, we address the crucial necessity of understanding the behavior of the Greenwood statistic when dealing with data corrupted by multiplicative measurement errors. The unobservable variable is subject to a multiplicative distortion influenced by an unknown smoothing function dependent on a confounding variable. We introduce the conditional mean calibrated Greenwood statistic and its variants, including the coefficient of variation, to adapt to this complex situation. The asymptotic results we present showcase their effectiveness even when such distortions are present. Moreover, for general distributions of the unobserved variable, we extend the methodology by proposing calibrated‐modified Greenwood statistics and the coefficient of variation. These methods are demonstrated to be asymptotically efficient under various assumptions about the distortion function. Furthermore, we conduct Monte Carlo simulation experiments to assess the performance of the proposed estimators and test statistics, during which we compare our proposed test statistics with existing ones. For illustrative purposes, these methods are then applied to analyze a real‐world dataset.

MSC2020 Classification: 62G05, 62G08, 62G20
Sustainable Migration and Depopulation: A Methodological Proposal From the Perspective of the SDGs
Authors: Carracedo Patricia , Puertas Rosa , Miró Pau , Hervás David
Published: January 2025

Sustainable development requires orderly migratory flows that avoid the resulting socio‐economic tensions in the countries of origin and destination. Issues such as climate, armed conflicts and the lack of job stability encourage human displacement towards large cities, simultaneously generating problems of human densification at the destination and depopulation in the abandoned areas. In this study, we analyzed the link between the determinants of quality of life and immigration, with the aim of identify the factors that need to be strengthened in the “emptied” territories and, in this way, achieve a reasonable distribution of the population. We use a methodological advance of the random forest in order to correctly address the complexity and variability of the data. The study is limited to Spain's 19 autonomous regions, which suffer from both depopulation and overpopulation, covering a broad period that guarantees the robustness of the results (2008–2021). There is evidence of the importance of the labor market, health and education in the settlement of migrants. Decision‐makers need to strengthen these aspects in under‐inhabited areas by directing financial resources towards enhancing their attractiveness. This will make it possible to redirect this human exodus by re‐establishing the economic and social order of the territories as a whole.
A Generalized Bayesian Stochastic Block Model for Microbiome Community Detection
Authors: Lutz Kevin C. , Neugent Michael L. , Bedi Tejasv , De Nisco Nicole J. , Li Qiwei
Published: January 2025

Advances in next‐generation sequencing technology have enabled the high‐throughput profiling of metagenomes and accelerated microbiome studies. Recently, there has been a rise in quantitative studies that aim to decipher the microbiome co‐occurrence network and its underlying community structure based on metagenomic sequence data. Uncovering the complex microbiome community structure is essential to understanding the role of the microbiome in disease progression and susceptibility. Taxonomic abundance data generated from metagenomic sequencing technologies are high‐dimensional and compositional, suffering from uneven sampling depth, over‐dispersion, and zero‐inflation. These characteristics often challenge the reliability of the current methods for microbiome community detection. To study the microbiome co‐occurrence network and perform community detection, we propose a generalized Bayesian stochastic block model that is tailored for microbiome data analysis where the data are transformed using the recently developed modified centered‐log ratio transformation. Our model also allows us to leverage taxonomic tree information using a Markov random field prior. The model parameters are jointly inferred by using Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling techniques. Our simulation study showed that the proposed approach performs better than competing methods even when taxonomic tree information is non‐informative. We applied our approach to a real urinary microbiome dataset from postmenopausal women. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the urinary microbiome co‐occurrence network structure in postmenopausal women has been studied. In summary, this statistical methodology provides a new tool for facilitating advanced microbiome studies.
Testing Covariates Effects on Bivariate Reference Regions
Authors: Lado‐Baleato Óscar , Roca‐Pardiñas Javier , Cadarso‐Suárez Carmen , Gude Francisco
Published: January 2025

Correlated clinical measurements are routinely interpreted via comparisons with univariate reference intervals examined side by side. Multivariate reference regions (MVRs), i.e., regions that characterize the distribution of multivariate results, have been proposed as a more adequate interpretation tool in such situations. However, MVR estimation methods have not yet been fully developed and are rarely used by physicians. The multivariate distribution of correlated measurements might change with certain patient characteristics (e.g., age or gender), and their effect on the shape of an MVR can be complex, involving interaction terms. For instance, the reference region shape for a given set of continuous covariates might vary across groups with respect to the value of a categorical variable. This paper examines the use of a bootstrap‐based hypothesis test for examining the effect of covariates on bivariate reference regions, testing the effect of factor‐by‐region interactions. An estimation algorithm based on smoothing splines was used to construct the bivariate reference region for a pediatric anthropometric dataset, and the bootstrapping procedure was used to determine the effect of age and gender on the shape of the reference region. (Height, weight) bivariate distribution was shown to depend on the interaction between age and gender. The bootstrapping procedure confirmed that a bivariate growth chart is desirable over univariate age‐gender body mass index (BMI) percentile curves. Whereas the well‐known BMI criterion detects only two atypical situations (i.e., underweight, overweight), the bootstrap‐tested bivariate reference region detected abnormally large or small body frames for different ages and genders.
Sample Size Adjustment in Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trials
Authors: Wu Liwen , Wang Junyao , Wahed Abdus S.
Published: January 2025

Clinical trials are often designed based on limited information about effect sizes and precision parameters with risks of underpowered studies. This is more problematic for SMARTs where strategy effects are based on sequences of treatments. Sample size adjustment offers flexibility through re‐estimating sample size during the trial to ensure adequate power at the final analysis. While this adaptation is common for standard clinical trials, corresponding methods to perform sample size adjustment have not been adapted to SMARTs. In this paper, we propose a sample size adjustment procedure for SMARTs. Sample sizes are re‐calculated at the interim analysis based on the conditional power derived from a bivariate non‐central chi‐square distribution. We demonstrate through simulation studies that even with an underpowered initial sample size due to miss‐specified parameters at the design stage, the proposed method can maintain desirable power at the end of the study, and additional resources are only invested in trials that show promising conditional power at the interim analysis.
Evaluating Meta‐Learners to Analyze Treatment Heterogeneity in Survival Data: Application to Electronic Health Records of Pediatric Asthma Care in COVID‐19 Pandemic
Authors: Bo Na , Jeong Jong‐Hyeon , Forno Erick , Ding Ying
Published: January 2025

An important aspect of precision medicine focuses on characterizing diverse responses to treatment due to unique patient characteristics, also known as heterogeneous treatment effects (HTE) or individualized treatment effects (ITE), and identifying beneficial subgroups with enhanced treatment effects. Estimating HTE with right‐censored data in observational studies remains challenging. In this paper, we propose a pseudo‐ITE‐based framework for analyzing HTE in survival data, which includes a group of meta‐learners for estimating HTE, a variable importance metric for identifying predictive variables to HTE, and a data‐adaptive procedure to select subgroups with enhanced treatment effects. We evaluate the finite sample performance of the framework under various observational study settings. Furthermore, we applied the proposed methods to analyze the treatment heterogeneity of a written asthma action plan (WAAP) on time‐to‐ED (Emergency Department) return due to asthma exacerbation using a large asthma electronic health records dataset with visit records expanded from pre‐ to post‐COVID‐19 pandemic. We identified vulnerable subgroups of patients with poorer asthma outcomes but enhanced benefits from WAAP and characterized patient profiles. Our research provides valuable insights for healthcare providers on the strategic distribution of WAAP, particularly during disruptive public health crises, ultimately improving the management and control of pediatric asthma.
Achieving Ultralow Lattice Thermal Conductivity and High Thermoelectric Performance in Bi2Te2.7Se0.3 Alloys via Introducing Organic & Inorganic Nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Tao , Li Shujing , Wang Ziyuan , Ge Zhenhua , Zhang Yongsheng , Xin Hongxing , Li Di , Zhang Jian , Qin Xiaoying
Published: January 2025

N‐type Bi2Te2.7Se0.3(BTS) is a state‐of‐the‐art thermoelectric material owing to its excellent thermoelectric properties near room temperatures for commercial applications. However, its performance is restricted by its comparatively low figure of merit ZT. Here, it is shown that a 14% increase in power factor (PF) (at 300 K) can be reached through incorporation of inorganic GaAs nanoparticles due to enhanced thermopower originating from the energy‐dependent carrier scattering. Besides, further incorporation of organic nanophase PEDOT: PSS can reduce its lattice thermal conductivity by 59% due to the strong scattering of middle‐ and low‐frequency phonons. As a result, a peak ZT value of ZTmax ≈ 1.31 (at 373 K) and an average ZTave ≈ 1.10 (300–473 K) are achieved for the BTS/(0.4 wt.% GaAs + 0.5 wt.% PEDOT: PSS) sample. The present work demonstrates that incorporation of organic–inorganic nanophase is an effective way to improve the performance of BTS.
Targeting Nanotherapeutics for Highly Efficient Diagnosis and Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus through Regulation of Immune Response
Authors: Liu Ting , Lin Zhiming , Zhang Xi , Yang Yu , Huang Guanning , Yu Yanzi , Xie Bin , He Lizhen , Chen Tianfeng
Published: January 2025

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by the production of pathogenic autoantibodies, particularly antidouble‐stranded (ds) DNA antibodies, which contribute to multiorgan damage (lupus nephritis, LN). Hence, there is an urgent need to recognize and eliminate SLE‐specific anti‐ds DNA antibodies to enhance the SLE treatment. Herein, mesoporous silica (MSNs) loaded with SeC and surface‐modified ctDNA are constructed to effectively specific bind and eliminate pathogenic anti‐dsDNA antibodies for treatment SLE in 125 plasm and enabling swift LN diagnosis in 36 kidney tissue from SLE patients. As expected, the clearance ratio of anti‐dsDNA antibodies by nanotherapeutics is significantly greater compared to other products commonly used in clinical therapies and exhibits biocompatibility and safety in patients. Moreover, MSNs‐DNA can also help visualize the distribution of anti‐dsDNA antibodies in the lesions of the kidney. Importantly, the combination strategy (MSNs‐DNA@SeC) can effectively remove antibodies and reduce UP production by the regulation of B cells and T cells in female MRL/lpr SLE model mice to alleviate related symptoms. Collectively, the resultant data not only presents a straightforward method for the systematic design of nanomedicine targeting SLE to enhance the effects on diagnosis and treatment, but also elucidates the potential mechanisms involving anti‐dsDNA antibodies in the pathogenesis and progression of SLE.
Intolerance of Ambiguity Mediates the Links Between Systems Thinking With Dichotomous Thinking and Attributional Complexity in a Canadian Sample
Authors: Davis Adam C. , Stroink Mirella L.
Published: January 2025

Dichotomous thinking is often employed to break down and simplify wicked problems (e.g., climate change) arising from complex adaptive systems (CASs). However, these dilemmas display emergent properties that cannot be reduced to the individual systemic parts. In contrast, systems thinking is considered to be essential in understanding the behaviour of CASs. The capacity to work with the ambiguity of CASs and wicked problems has been posited to be an integral aspect of a systems mindset. If so, this may help to explain why systems thinkers are believed to be disinclined towards dichotomous thinking and why they prefer multicausal explanations for complex phenomena. Across 359 Canadian undergraduate participants, results showed that systems thinking negatively predicted dichotomous thinking and positively predicted attributional complexity. Intolerance of ambiguity partially mediated both of these associations. Therefore, systems thinkers may avoid using dichotomous modes of thought and prefer multicasual attributions because they are comfortable dealing with ambiguity.
Longitudinal joint in decked bulb‐tee beams for accelerated bridge construction with ribbed GFRP bars: Ultimate load and fatigue evaluation
Authors: Khalafalla Imad Eldin , Sennah Khaled
Published: January 2025

Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques have gained prominence due to their potential to minimize construction time and traffic disruptions while enhancing sustainability. This study investigates the use of ultra‐high‐performance concrete (UHPC) and glass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars to address critical challenges in bridge durability and longevity. A novel UHPC‐filled precast deck joint was developed for a decked bulb‐tee (DBT) girder system, utilizing GFRP bars to eliminate corrosion‐related issues typical of steel reinforcement. Two actual‐size, GFRP‐reinforced, precast concrete deck slabs were erected to perform fatigue tests using the footprint of the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) truck wheel loading to verify the design. Each slab had 200 mm thickness, 2500 mm width, and 3500 mm length in the direction of traffic and rest over braced twin steel girders. The closure strip between connected precast slabs has a width of 125 mm with a vertical shear key. GFRP bars in the precast slab projected into the closure strip with a headed end to provide a 100 mm embedment length. Two types of fatigue tests were performed (i) accelerated variable amplitude cyclic loading and (ii) constant amplitude cyclic loading, followed by loading the slab monotonically to failure. Results demonstrated the system's superior fatigue performance and high ultimate load capacity, making it a promising solution for durable, efficient bridge construction.
Value of anatomopathological examination in goats with a positive comparative intradermal tuberculin test as part of a tuberculosis control programme
Authors: Navarro Jose A. , Sanchez Joaquin , Buendia Antonio J.
Published: January 2025

Background

Caprine tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium caprae. A tuberculosis control programme has been implemented using the comparative intradermal tuberculin (CIT) test. However, infection with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculsis and infection with or vaccination against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) may have a negative impact on specificity. Therefore, a postmortem examination is necessary to verify the tuberculosis status of each animal where positive predictive value is low.

Methods

Thirty‐seven CIT‐positive goats from 14 herds with a previously tuberculosis‐free status were slaughtered between 2015 and 2020, and postmortem examination was carried out at the School of Veterinary Medicine of Murcia.

Results

Anatomopathological examination ruled out the presence of tuberculosis lesions. In 23 of the goats, the anatomopathological examination revealed the presence of the paucibacillary form of paratuberculosis (associated with MAP infection), and in another six goats, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection was confirmed. Positive reactors have not reappeared in any of the herds in the annual CIT tests up to the year 2023.

Limitations

Only those herds that sent their positive animals to the veterinary school were included in the study. Participation in the postmortem analysis was not mandatory for farmers.

Conclusions

Anatomopathological examination is a useful, rapid and economically viable tool to determine the tuberculosis status of goat herds.
Association of the SNP in akirin 2 Gene With Growth and Carcass Traits in Zavot Cattle
Authors: Ertan Osman Tufan , Arzik Yunus , Daldaban Fadime , Arslan Korhan , Akyuz Bilal
Published: January 2025

Understanding the genetic factors that influence meat yield is crucial due to the economic importance of average daily live weight gain (ADWG) in livestock. This study investigates the relationship between the c.*188G>A SNP in the 3′‐UTR region of the akirin 2 gene and growth traits in Zavot cattle, focusing on the gene's role in muscle development. Genotyping of the c.*188G>A SNP was conducted using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, revealing frequencies of 0.09 for AA, 0.75 for AG and 0.16 for GG genotypes, respectively. Our findings demonstrate a significant association between this SNP and ADWG, as well as percentage. These results suggest that the c.*188G>A SNP within akirin 2 could serve as a valuable DNA marker for predicting ADWG and percentage traits in Zavot cattle.
Autonomy Within Sovereignty: The Multiscalar Hydropolitics of the Kurdistan Regional Government
Authors: Meihami Rozita , Andik Behnam , Jafari Milad , Mianabadi Hojjat , Houshmand Ehsan , Talebi Mahshid
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the hydropolitical issues faced by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) within domestic and international contexts. Domestically, water politics and hydraulic missions of the KRG are primarily shaped by disputes with the Iraq Federal Government (IFG) over territory, oil revenue distribution, and the historical pursuit of Kurdish independence. On the international stage, the KRG's water management is influenced by large‐scale upstream hydro‐infrastructural development, the economic benefits of oil transactions, conflict involving Kurdish nonstate armed groups, and the IFG's domestic and foreign policies. Employing a historical approach to hydropolitics, this paper, through a focused review of secondary data, underscores the domestic and international dimensions of the KRG's transboundary water politics. The findings reveal that power dynamics underpin both water conflict and cooperation—the KRG strives for quasi‐independent autonomy while grappling with the IFG's pursuit of maintaining centralized territorial control. Water, therefore, in the Tigris basin, has transformed into an instrument for regional actors to exert political pressure and pursue their respective interests.
Heat transfer analysis in hydromagnetic two‐phase Williamson fluid through tilted channel: Applications of gold and silver nanoparticles in solar thermal energy
Authors: Nazeer Mubbashar , Almohammadi Saja Mohammad , Radwan Neyara , Ahmad Wakeel
Published: January 2025

The heat transfer analysis in Poiseuille hydromagnetic multiphase flow of Williamson fluid suspended by gold and silver nanoparticles is discussed through the inclined channel under the impact of no‐slip boundary conditions. The present conducted research is novel as no one has explored the heat transfer analysis in the fluid‐particle suspension model of electrically conducting Williamson fluid mixed with gold and silver nanoparticles through steeply inclined channel. The highly nonlinear complex partial differential equations are transformed into simplified form by using the appropriate dimensionless transformation then obtain the analytical solution by adopting the regular perturbation method. The perturbation solution is also compared with the numerical solution. The velocity and temperature profiles are significantly affected by Hartmann number. Approximately 19% (gold suspension) and 20% (silver suspension) increment is observed in fluid phase and particle velocities respectively. The multiphase flow of non‐Newtonian (Williamson) fluid provides greater heat transfer to the system with the suspension of gold (10%) and silver (13%) nanoparticles as compared to multiphase Newtonian fluid with these suspensions. The heat transfer rate of multiphase flows is greater than single‐phase flows. The current study will help to understand the flow and heat transfer mechanism of two‐phase flows with the suspension of gold and silver nanoparticles through inclined parallel plates under the impact of the constant magnetic field. Further, the current study can help to design modern solar cell devices to store more solar energy due to the low heating release of considered nanoparticles. The present research is original and has not been conducted before.
Co-creation of Knowledge
Authors: Poto Margherita Paola , Vita Laura , Peftiyev Igor , Madani Zia , Peftieva Olena
Published: January 2025

(English) This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of co-creation as a methodological approach, specifically within the context of ocean literacy. It is structured into five sections, each aimed at deepening the understanding and practical application of co-creation. Section 1 sets the stage by outlining the chapter’s scope and structure. Section 2 defines co-creation, starting from its relevance in climate law studies, then describes its two components, and then focuses on its specific application in ocean literacy. In Sect. 3, the concept of knowledge co-creation is aligned with the two thematic pathways. This section bridges the theoretical foundations with the practical implications of co-creation in enhancing ocean literacy. Section 4 examines the co-creation process by reflecting on the guiding questions used during the OIN Living Laboratory in Copenhagen, in May 2024. These questions played a crucial role in directing the discussions and activities of the working group, showcasing a structured approach to exploring co-creation that could be replicated in future projects. The chapter culminates in Sect. 5, which presents the ideas developed by the co-creation group during the Living Laboratory, demonstrating how co-creation can be effectively understood and implemented in ocean literacy. This section translates theoretical concepts into practical, actionable insights, enabling readers to experiment with and apply co-creation approaches and contribute to ocean literacy.