bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Study of Gravity and Magnetic Inversion for Estimating Sedimentary Basin Geometry Using Synthetic Data
Authors: Ahmady F N
Published: February 2025

Indonesia hosts 128 sedimentary basins with potential reserves of oil and natural gas. Accurate estimation of basement geometry during the initial exploration phase is critical for identifying petroleum systems within these basins. Gravity and magnetic methods are commonly employed for this purpose, utilizing inversion techniques to analyze basements configuration. This study investigates the effectiveness of gravity and magnetic data inversion in estimating basement depth and geometry, using synthetic models as the basis for analysis. The synthetic models incorporate two proposed basement configurations, characterized by a combination of horst and graben structures. Forward modeling was used to simulate gravity and magnetic anomalies corresponding to these configurations. The inversion results demonstrate that both gravity and magnetic methods can effectively estimate the basement structure. However, the results indicate that magnetic inversion demonstrates slightly superior performance in terms of misfit accuracy when compared to the synthetic model. It should be noted that these comparative results may not be applicable to all scenarios. It can be inferred that the accuracy of this inversion approach heavily relies on a priori information as an input, such as the estimated basement depth, the density contrast between the sediment and basement rock, and the filter parameters. These factors are crucial for enhancing the precision of the results.
Numerical Study for the Detection of Fault using Electrical Resistivity Tomography
Authors: Jubaedah Neng E. , Parnadi Wahyudi W.
Published: February 2025

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) is a well-known standard geophysics technique for identification of geological phenomena such as faulting. The resolving power of this method is constrained by electrode spacing, device used, electrode configuration, resistivity contrast, and so on. On faulting, fault types are assumed to influence greater than the other parameter. In this research, we carried out a simulation study to detect the resolving power of ERT system using available software in public domain. Three different electrode configurations were used, namely Wenner, Schlumberger, and Dipole-dipole. We varied electrode spacing and resistivity contrast and fault types to yield optimal result. The results of this research are the most optimal model for identifying fault zones was a model that used a Dipole-dipole array with an electrode spacing of 1 m. The smaller the electrode spacing and the greater the number of cells in modelling, it produces a higher resolution modelling cross-section, so that the inversion results are more accurate to the models.
Relocation of Microearthquake around Wayang Windu Geothermal Field
Authors: Nulhotimah Fitri , Muksin Umar , Asra Nadiatul , Sidrah Ithahira Nurul
Published: February 2025

Microearthquakes frequently occur along active faults near volcanoes and in geothermal exploitation areas. One such region with high seismic activity is the Wayang Windu Geothermal Field in West Java. This study aims to determine the initial locations and relocate microearthquakes in this geothermal area to analyze the underlying causes of seismic activity. The seismic data were recorded by more than 30 seismic stations across the Wayang Windu geothermal area between 2013 to 2015. The initial localization of earthquakes was performed using the HYPO71 program, identifying 1,313 seismic events. These data were then relocated using the Coupled Velocity Hypocenter Method, which improved the accuracy of earthquake locations and identified three seismic clusters: the Garut Cluster, the Wayang-Windu Cluster, and the Gunung Kendang Cluster. The results demonstrate that microearthquake relocation enhances data quality, allowing for a more precise analysis of earthquake distribution and causes.
Liquefaction potential evaluation using near-surface seismic refraction tomography: a case study
Authors: Hanafi L A , Hardiyatmo H C , Faris F
Published: February 2025

The most common and preferred method of evaluating liquefaction potential is using simplified method based on Standard Penetration Test (SPT) blow counts. However, there are conditions where the application of SPTs are limited or simply not feasible. When these conditions arise, alternative methods, such as in situ shear-wave velocity (VS
) measurement, may be applied. In situ VS
measurement can be conducted using several different methods, such as crosshole, downhole, suspension logger, seismic cone, spectral or multichannel analysis of surface waves, and surface reflection or refraction. Compared with other VS
measurement methods, the use of near-surface seismic refraction tomography for liquefaction evaluation is still limited at best. Hence, this study aims to use a series of seismic refraction tomography data to assess the liquefaction potential at Yogyakarta – Bawen toll road in Magelang, Central Java. VS
values were derived from seismic refraction tomographies at four sites. Bore log data and index properties from laboratory tests were also used for the evaluation. The liquefaction factor of safety (FS) were calculated using VS
-based simplified method and the liquefaction potential were expressed with the Liquefaction Potential Index (LPI). Liquefaction potential evaluations using SPT blow counts were also calculated for comparison purpose. The study finds that both VS
-based and SPT-based evaluations reached the same conclusion: sites A to C are potentially liquefiable, while site D is non-liquefiable. But, evaluation with VS
found to be more conservative than with SPT. Findings from this study suggest that the use of near-surface seismic refraction tomography for liquefaction potential evaluation may be justified in certain conditions, such as in a preliminary investigation.
Glass art in the age of quantum tech
Authors: Kondratyeva Oksana
Published: February 2025

Stained glass has been used for centuries to create wonderful colours and patterns using light. Oksana Kondratyeva describes how she has worked with Rigetti Computing to make an unusual new quantum-inspired piece of stained-glass art.
Transcendental and Linguistic Idealism
Authors: Weiss Bernhard
Published: February 2025

The chapter takes Realism to be the claim that representation is responsible to a reality which is independent of our representations of it. Two broad Idealist strategies for rejecting Realism then emerge: one strategy rejects the idea that reality is independent of our representations; the other rejects the idea that representation is responsible to reality. Without wishing to attack the first sort of strategy, the chapter notes that it proceeds by attempting to find our contribution to the nature of reality and thus treads the path of Transcendental Idealism, encountering well-known difficulties en route. The second Idealist strategy incurs no such obligations. The chapter’s investigation turns to consider two versions of this strategy: one version focuses on mental representation as primary and the other focuses on linguistic representation as primary. It notes that the former has difficulty accounting for the normative structure of the conceptual—of mental representation—without appealing to the reality to which mental representation is responsible. So, the prognosis for a rejection of Realism in this direction is bleak. The chapter turns then to versions of the strategy which take linguistic representation as primary, labelling these Linguistic Idealism. It closes by garnering support for the position from Wittgenstein’s later writings, in particular, from his arguments for the autonomy of grammar.
Linguistic Instrumentalism
Authors: Keller John A , Keller Lorraine Juliano
Published: February 2025

Unless we are willing to countenance the sceptical possibility that most of our thought and talk is meaningless, it would seem that something must guarantee that the ontology presupposed by semantics aligns with the truth about ontology. One motivation for Linguistic Idealism is that it provides such a guarantee. We argue here that such a guarantee is not actually needed to avoid scepticism, since semantics can successfully ‘do its job’ of systematically pairing meanings with utterances even if it has false ontological presuppositions. More broadly, we explore and defend a form of anti-realism about linguistics according to which correct or acceptable linguistic theories can have false presuppositions and thus fail to be true. We argue that this is partly due to the fact that linguistic ‘laws’ or principles themselves—the things that govern or explain language and linguistic competence—do not need to be true in order to ‘do their job’.
Heritage languages and syntactic theory
Authors: D’Alessandro Roberta , Putnam Michael T , Terenghi Silvia
Published: February 2025

This volume explores a wide range of structural phenomena in typologically diverse heritage languages using current Minimalist theoretical approaches. Heritage languages have been the focus of extensive research in the last three decades; by virtue of their inherent diversity stemming from initial learning conditions, they pose significant challenges to traditional methods of linguistic description that rely on uniform conceptions of what ‘knowledge of language’ should be. Despite the existence of inter- and intra-speaker variation in the grammars of heritage languages, there are also significant shared development trends and structural outcomes that cannot be considered to be purely circumstantial. The studies presented in this volume illustrate the practicality and usefulness of subjecting domains of heritage language syntax to rigorous formal analysis. The chapters also have implications for theory-building efforts within the current Minimalist landscape; they force a reassessment of our understanding of the ideal speaker-hearer (Chomsky, 1965) in the context of bi- and multi-competent individuals and communities. In line with recent trends in contemporary Minimalism that largely eschew the notion of traditional parameters and an enriched view of Universal Grammar, the integration of heritage languages into syntactic theory adds an important piece of the puzzle relating to linguistic competence. The volume also in some respects calls for a re-evaluation of the prevailing stance that the syntax of heritage languages is predominantly immune to significant decay or change.
Parallel changes in pronominal clitic systems
Authors: Frasson Alberto
Published: February 2025

This study discusses the structure and the properties of pronominal clitics from the perspective of heritage Romance and Slavic languages, focusing in particular on changes in clitic paradigms of heritage Venetan and Bulgarian. While the former displays a peculiar distribution of subject clitics, the latter displays a parallel behavior for object clitics. The two types of clitics are clearly very different, both in terms of grammatical function as well as placement restrictions, but they allow for parallel analyses in heritage varieties of the two languages. The behavior of these clitics challenges previous models of structural deficiency of functional words, allowing for an analysis that takes into account predictable change patterns in heritage languages. The final goal of the present contribution is to propose a theoretical framework for the analysis of clitics in heritage languages, with respect to their structural and distributional properties.
Introduction
Authors: Fitzsimmons Michael P
Published: February 2025

From its accession in the late sixteenth century, the Bourbon dynasty sought to accrue power to the Crown, primarily by not calling an Estates General. During the eighteenth century, in the absence of the Estates General and in response to increasing fears of despotism, the parlement of Paris began to assert a greater role for itself. The suppression of the parlement in 1771 and again in 1787 heightened concern about despotism and led to the rise of the idea of a constitution to redress excessive royal power. After a failed meeting of an Assembly of Notables to address a fiscal crisis, Crown bankruptcy led to the convening of an Estates General in May 1789. In June 1789, deputies proclaimed the National Assembly and three days later the Assembly vowed not to disband until it had produced a constitution. The meeting of the night of August 4, 1789, with its renunciation of privilege, which until this time had been the functional equivalent of a constitution, expanded the constitutional project from a task of weeks or months to one of years. The Constitution of 1791, promulgated in September 1791, made a constitution a compact between monarch and people, asserted legal equality as the essential element of political legitimacy, and inaugurated electoral democracy. Its impact was immediate and its legacy enduring. Despite efforts by the negotiators at the Congress of Vienna to proscribe constitutionalism, a wave of revolutions erupted in 1848 and created constitutions based on the French model.
The Descent into Crisis
Authors: Fitzsimmons Michael P
Published: February 2025

Louis XVI came to the throne in 1774 and, with some hesitation, restored the parlement of Paris. French support of the successful bid by American colonists to gain independence heightened Louis’s popularity, but the war had been financed by loans, which later led to a fiscal crisis as deficits mounted. Continued borrowing after the war elevated tensions between Crown and parlement and those tensions were exacerbated by the Diamond Necklace Affair, which embittered Louis’s relations with the parlement. The Crown convened an Assembly of Notables to address the fiscal crisis by breaching clerical and noble tax privileges with a uniform land tax, but it failed. The failure led to a debate on privilege, especially fiscal privilege, and its role in the French state.
The Erosion of Monarchy-Centered Government
Authors: Fitzsimmons Michael P
Published: February 2025

The failure of the Assembly of Notables left the Crown in a difficult position because it had hoped an endorsement by the Notables would strengthen its program before the parlement. The two sides reached a settlement, but relations continued to deteriorate. In May 1788, the Crown suspended the parlements, but only the parlement of Paris acquiesced to its suspension, shifting the momentum of events from Paris to the provinces. Brittany and Dauphiné became a focus, with Brittany a symbol of defense of privilege and Dauphiné representing the ideal of the union of orders. Crown bankruptcy in August 1788 weakened its position and Louis announced that he would call a meeting of the Estates General. He reestablished the parlements to their former duties. Initially popular when it returned, the parlement marginalized itself when it called for the forthcoming Estates General to use the forms of 1614.
The Pledge of a Constitution
Authors: Fitzsimmons Michael P
Published: February 2025

The Estates General opened in May 1789, but immediately fell into a deadlock over procedures for deliberations and voting. Two sets of conciliatory conferences failed to achieve any resolution and the Third Estate, which had renamed itself “the commons,” chose to move ahead unilaterally. The entry of members of the clergy into the chamber of the commons beginning on June 13 presented an opportunity. On June 17, in an effort to break the stalemate, the commons declared itself the National Assembly. The Crown called for a royal session at which the king would address all deputies, but on June 20, when members of the National Assembly went to their meeting room, it was locked and heavily guarded by royal troops. Fearing dissolution, members of the Assembly relocated to a nearby tennis court and vowed not to disband until they had given France a constitution.
The Role of the Change Leader
Authors: Bruskin Signe
Published: February 2025

Managing or leading organizational changes is challenged in practice and a process perspective. It’s essential to acknowledge that organizational changes happen naturally and continuously. Hence, it becomes a matter of facilitation and handling the organizational changes through a continuous dialogue with employees. In a process philosophical approach, every organizational member becomes a change agent, and everyone has the power to influence and shape changes, not only the leader. This final chapter loops back to the transformation mentioned in the introduction and emphasizes how micro actions can be applied strategically to support the transformation and ensure employees’ well-being in an ever-changing organization by balancing the paradox of doubt and action.
Counting Paul
Authors: White Benjamin L
Published: February 2025

This chapter traces the long history of forgery detection from the Hellenistic period up to the mid-twentieth century, just before the advent of the computer. Ancient, medieval, and early-modern analyses of style were impressionistic. In the nineteenth century, the argumentation became increasingly precise, with particular features of style identified as revelatory of the authorial stylome and with more detailed evidence provided. The chapter sets the stylistic analysis of the Pauline Epistles alongside developments in the wider field of stylometry. In some instances, biblical scholars were pioneers of stylometric methods, and in other cases they lagged behind by continuing to fixate on outdated practices. This chapter also introduces terminology and concepts from the field of computational stylistics and begins to describe authorship studies on the Pauline Epistles within the framework of the various kinds of games that can be played in authorship attribution studies.
Politics of Humanity
Authors: Kalaycioglu Elif
Published: February 2025

This chapter develops the book’s theoretical framework on politics of humanity. It proposes that politics of humanity are authorized by an idea of humanity and work to bring it into being as a subject with moral, juridical, or cultural standing in global politics. That movement relies on a set of symbolic resources with which humanity is represented. The ensuing constructions of humanity bound this collective subject, producing social orders. These social orders of humanity generate desires for inclusion, linked to social capacities and the subjectivities they promise and make possible. Finally, constructions of humanity also give rise to political orders, which make certain political visions and corresponding actions feasible and legitimate in relation to this subject, while marginalizing and sanctioning others. This framework provides analytical traction into the productive politics of humanity that course within and beyond UNESCO’s World Heritage regime.
Adjudicating a Diverse Humanity
Authors: Kalaycioglu Elif
Published: February 2025

This chapter analyzes the regime’s implementation between 1994 and 2010, under the partial paradigm shift of the Global Strategy. With that change, two iterations of humanity began to circulate in the regime. The first is the original vision of a rarefied humanity, attached to art and world-historical resources, and facilitating the pursuit of civilizational, world-making subjectivities. The second is a diverse humanity constructed through anthropological resources, such as vernacular and living cultures. I analyze the complex negotiations of subjectivity that take place at this intersection by focusing on nominations from Africa, as the Global Strategy’s priority region. I locate these negotiations in a broader and fraught context, marked by debates on what universal value means in relation to a diverse humanity, and who can adjudicate it. The chapter concludes with the implications of these dynamics for peace and solidarity, including their more robust possibilities, which emerge from the nested narratives of humanity put forth by nominations associated with the history of the slave trade.
The Oxford English Literary History
Authors: Eisaman Maus Katharine
Published: February 2025

This book surveys the rich English literary tradition, 1603–1660, in the context of the eventful decades between the accession of James I and the restoration of Charles II. Part I describes the ‘social rules of writing’. Who could become a writer in the early seventeenth century? How could a literary career be pursued? How was literary work disseminated? And how did those practices change between 1603 and 1660? Part II of the book discusses the period’s most innovative and important literary genres. Genres that receive special attention include satiric city comedy, country house poetry, chorography, masque, tragedy, tragicomedy, religious poetry, epic, the poetry of love and friendship, and a variety of kinds of prose.
A Sense of Place
Authors: Eisaman Maus Katharine
Published: February 2025

Several distinctive new genres developed or revived in the early seventeenth century evoke particular places: satiric city comedy, ‘country house’ and prospect poetry, and ‘chorography’ or the literary mapping of England. This chapter considers these various kinds of ‘place poetry’ together, arguing that they share a set of common concerns, contrasting an imagined ‘rural’ ethos with disturbing but exciting ‘urban’ innovations, reflecting upon changing political realities and the future of a society in turmoil. Writers discussed include Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, Aemelia Lanyer, Thomas Carew, Andrew Marvell, Michael Drayton, and John Denham. Foreign and exotic places are more characteristic of masque, tragedy, and tragicomedy, which will be covered in Chapter 5.
A Hybrid View of Commitment
Authors: Alonso Facundo M
Published: February 2025

We often appeal to the notion of an agent’s commitment to action to characterize, for example, an agent’s faithfulness to a promise she has given to another, her robust disposition to pursue a goal she values or cares about, and her determination to stick to that goal. In the philosophy of action, that notion is often associated with the idea of an agent’s intention to act. In ethics, it is primarily associated with the idea of an agent’s commitment to, or endorsement of, a certain norm. This chapter argues that both these ideas, of intention and of normative endorsement, are central to the—or, at least, an—ordinary notion of an agent’s (psychological) commitment to action. In so doing, the chapter also sheds light on important features of intention.
Noninvasive fetal genotyping using deep neural networks
Authors: Schwammenthal Yonathan , Rabinowitz Tom , Basel-Salmon Lina , Tomashov-Matar Reut , Shomron Noam
Published: February 2025

Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a powerful diagnostics tool that is widely studied in the context of liquid biopsy in oncology and other fields. In obstetrics, maternal plasma cfDNA have already proven its utility, enabling noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which has become a standard for detecting chromosomal aberrations. However, identification of point mutations responsible for monogenic diseases (NIPT-M) remains limited, even when accounting to fragment specific characteristics (i.e. fragmentomics). While genotyping of individual genomes is performed today using deep learning (DL) algorithms, cfDNA-based noninvasive fetal genotyping is performed only using traditional statistical and machine-learning methods. This study introduces the first DL-based framework for cfDNA based genotyping, heralding a significant stride toward genome-wide NIPT-M. Using unique ultra-deep whole genome sequencing (WGS) data, we were motivated to develop an efficient model, especially when compared with current DL methods for WGS. This facilitates the integration of previously overlooked levels of information, encompassing DNA nucleotides, fragments, mutation regions, samples, and familial traits. Employing this novel approach, we surpass the performance of existing methodologies, successfully detecting three deleterious mutations, and allowing for NIPT-M as early as the 7th week of gestation. Our proposed approach brings genome-wide NIPT for all mutation types closer to clinical feasibility, enabling families and healthcare providers to make well-informed decisions and alleviating the anxieties and uncertainties associated with pregnancy.
Multiply robust difference-in-differences estimation of causal effect curves for continuous exposures
Authors: Hettinger Gary , Lee Youjin , Mitra Nandita
Published: February 2025

Researchers commonly use difference-in-differences (DiD) designs to evaluate public policy interventions. While methods exist for estimating effects in the context of binary interventions, policies often result in varied exposures across regions implementing the policy. Yet, existing approaches for incorporating continuous exposures face substantial limitations in addressing confounding variables associated with intervention status, exposure levels, and outcome trends. These limitations significantly constrain policymakers’ ability to fully comprehend policy impacts and design future interventions. In this work, we propose new estimators for causal effect curves within the DiD framework, accounting for multiple sources of confounding. Our approach accommodates misspecification of a subset of intervention, exposure, and outcome models while avoiding any parametric assumptions on the effect curve. We present the statistical properties of the proposed methods and illustrate their application through simulations and a study investigating the heterogeneous effects of a nutritional excise tax under different levels of accessibility to cross-border shopping.
Biologic Safety and Efficacy in Patients with Down Syndrome and Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Westerkam Linnea L , Santiago-Soltero Karla , Charrow Alexandra , Frew John W , Sayed Christopher J
Published: February 2025

Patients with Down syndrome (DS) have increased incidence of inflammatory conditions, including hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), which may require biologic medications for optimal disease management. This retrospective cohort study evaluated 27 patients with DS and co-morbid HS and demonstrated that biologics are well tolerated and effective in this cohort.
zk-DCIAExchange: SGX protected fair exchange with distributed zero knowledge proof for data confidentiality and authentication
Authors: Zhan Jing , Li Bo , Zhao Jiang , Zhao Yong
Published: February 2025

Blockchain-based data transaction protocols augmented with zero-knowledge proofs offer fairness to the participants, yet they encounter challenges pertaining to both security and efficiency. We propose the zk-DSTARK, a zk-STARK-based protocol that enables distributed generation of zero-knowledge proofs, significantly reducing the computational burden. And zk-DSTARK inherits zk-STARK’s feature of single proof generation for multiple uses, improving the efficiency of successive transactions. Furthermore, we propose a fair exchange system named zk-DCIAExchange for off-chain verification, which is based on zk-DSTARK and intel software guard extensions (SGX). This system not only minimizes on-chain overhead but also ensures the security and fairness of the transaction. Experimental results show that, in continuous transactions scenarios, the time overhead for subsequent transactions is diminished by 99.9% compared to the first transaction; compared to zero knowledge contingent payment (ZKCSP), our scheme achieves a remarkable 92% reduction in time overhead, and a 26.3% reduction when compared to FairSwap; with 32 distributed nodes and a trace length of 216, the proof generation time is reduced by ~85.45%; the additional verification time introduced by the SGX is ~0.45 s, which is deemed acceptable, and the on-chain verification overhead is reduced by ~7.2% compared to the ZKCSP and ~54.4% compared to FairSwap.
Postoperative atrioventricular block after surgery for congenital heart disease: incidence, recovery, and risks
Authors: Kruse Kristin , Matsubara Muneaki , Schaeffer Thibault , Palm Jonas , Klawonn Frank , Osawa Takuya , Niedermaier Carolin , Heinisch Paul Philipp , Piber Nicole , Balling Gunter , Hager Alfred , Ewert Peter , Hörer Jürgen , Ono Masamichi
Published: February 2025

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine the incidence of postoperative complete atrioventricular block, the time to recovery or permanent pacemaker implantation, and the predictors for postoperative atrioventricular block after congenital heart surgery.

METHODS

Patients who underwent open heart surgery from January 2001 to January 2024 were analyzed and predictors of atrioventricular block were identified using a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

Among 9765 congenital heart surgeries, 333 (3.4%) were complicated by atrioventricular block, and 193 patients (1.9%) underwent permanent pacemaker implantation. The highest rates of atrioventricular block were found in patients who underwent repair of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (27.3%), followed by Konno procedure (20.0%), and mitral valve replacement (16.0%), and arterial switch with closure of ventricular septal defect and arch repair (15.0%). In 134 (1.4%) patients with transient atrioventricular block, the median time to resolution was 4 days (interquartile ranges: 2-8 days). After 7 postoperative days, 75% had resolved, and after 12 postoperative days, 90% had resolved. Risk factors for the development of atrioventricular block were older age at operation (odds ratio: 1.012, p = 0.001), preoperative endocarditis (2.422, p < 0.001), longer aortic cross-clamp time (1.018, p < 0.001), and high-risk procedures (1.397, p = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative atrioventricular block is not rare after congenital heart surgery, with more than half of them needing permanent pacemaker implantation. Older age at operation, preoperative endocarditis, longer aortic cross-clamp time, and high-risk procedures were risks for the development of atrioventricular block. Pacemaker implantation should be delayed to the 12th postoperative day, when 90% of transient blocks have resolved.
Evoked delayed potential ablation for post-myocardial infarction ventricular tachycardia: results from a large prospective multicentre study
Authors: de Riva Marta , Evertz Reinder , Lukac Peter , Dekker Lukas R C , Blaauw Yuri , ter Bekke Rachel M A , Kimura Yoshitaka , Beukema Rypko J , Ouss Alexandre , Mulder Bart A , Vernooy Kevin , Wijnmaalen Adrianus P , Zeppenfeld Katja
Published: February 2025

Aims

The optimal substrate ablation approach for post-myocardial infarction (MI) ventricular tachycardia (VT) is unknown. Proposed ablation targets are prone to individual interpretation making the ablation outcome potentially operator dependent. Evoked delayed potentials (EDPs) are a well-defined target. Evoked delayed potential ablation was effective in preventing post-MI VT recurrence in a prior study. The aims of this study were to assess long-term outcomes of EDP ablation in a large multicentre cohort of post-MI patients and to compare ablation outcomes between centres with and without prior experience in EDP ablation.

Methods and results

Patients with post-MI VT undergoing ablation in one centre performing EDP ablation since 2013 and five centres without prior experience in EDP ablation were prospectively included. A uniform mapping protocol including right ventricular extra-stimulation aiming to EDP identification was followed. Ablation endpoints were EDP elimination and VT non-inducibility. Patients were followed for VT recurrence, mortality, heart transplant, and left ventricular assist device implantation. In total, 130 patients were included. The protocol was successfully performed in 99%, and in 94%, EDPs were identified and ablated. In total, 78% of patients were rendered non-inducible. Ventricular tachycardia-free survival was 78% [95% confidence interval (CI) 71–85] and 71% (95% CI 63–80) at 6 and 12 months, respectively. No difference in VT-free survival was observed among centres with and without prior experience in EPD ablation.

Conclusion

In a large multicentre prospective cohort of patients with post-MI VT, EDP ablation resulted in good long-term outcomes. Importantly, VT recurrence rates did not differ among centres with and without prior experience in EDP ablation, indicating that this approach can be easily reproduced by operators previously not familiar with the technique.
Decreased METTL3 in atrial myocytes promotes atrial fibrillation
Authors: Shi Jian , Zhu Xi-Yu , Yu Rong-Huang , Liu Wen-Xue , Yang Jie , Tang Lu , Kong Chui-Yu , Luo Han-Qing , Chen Fen , Xie Wen-Sen , Fu Jia-Lei , Wang Jing-Jie , Zhou Qian , Zhou Qing , Wang Dong-Jin
Published: February 2025

Aims

Methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3) plays a crucial role in cardiovascular diseases, but its involvement in atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. The study aims to explore the relationship between METTL3 and AF in atrial myocytes.

Methods and results

The protein level of METTL3 was evaluated in left atrial appendages (LAAs) from patients with persistent AF and in experimental AF models. cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) transgenic mice and CaCl2-acetylcholine (ACh)-injected mice were used as AF mice models. Methyltransferase like 3 was globally and atrial conditionally deleted in vivo to assess its role in AF. Confocal fluorescence microscopy was employed to examine calcium handling in atrial myocytes. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing was performed to identify the downstream target genes of METTL3. Methyltransferase like 3 protein and RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification levels were significantly reduced in the LAAs of patients with AF and experimental AF models. Genetic inhibition of METTL3 promoted the development of AF in CREM transgenic mice and CaCl2-ACh-injected mice. Knockdown of METTL3 in atrial myocytes resulted in enhanced calcium handling. Reduced METTL3 levels increased SR Ca2+-ATPase Type 2a activity by up-regulating protocadherin gamma subfamily A, 10. Decreased METTL3 protein in atrial myocytes was attributed to down-regulation of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein 1/ubiquitin-specific peptidase 9 X-linked axis.

Conclusion

Our study established the pathophysiological role of METTL3 involved in the development of AF and provided a potential mechanism-based target for its treatment.
Draft genome of the endemic alpine ground beetle Carabus (Platycarabus) depressus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from long-read sequencing of a frozen archived specimen
Authors: Gauthier Jérémy , Cardenas Cody Raul , Nari Matilde , Gillett Conrad P D T , Toussaint Emmanuel F A
Published: February 2025

The rapid advancement of genomic technologies has enabled the production of highly contiguous reference genomes for non-model organisms. However, these methods often require exceptionally fresh material containing unfragmented high molecular weight nucleic acids. Researchers who preserve field-collected specimens in ethanol at ambient temperatures, prior to transferring them to long-term frozen archives, face challenges in applying advanced genomic approaches due to DNA and RNA fragmentation under suboptimal preservation conditions. To explore the potential of such preserved specimens as sources of reference genomes, we utilized Nanopore MinION technology to generate genomic data from a frozen archived specimen of the endemic alpine ground beetle Carabus (Platycarabus) depressus. Using a rapid in-house protocol for high molecular weight DNA extraction, followed by sequencing on a single flow cell, we produced 8.75 million raw reads with an N50 of 2.8 Kb. The resulting assembly achieved remarkable completeness, recovering up to 98% of BUSCO genes, despite a moderate N50 of 945 Kb. This genome is only the second available for the taxonomically diverse genus Carabus and highlights the feasibility of performing short-to-long-read sequencing from frozen archived specimens commonly housed in natural history collections. These findings open new avenues for advancing non-model organism genomics and its downstream applications.
Racial-Ethnic Differences in Care Networks of Older Adults: Empirical Exploration of Possible Explanations
Authors: Lin Zhiyong
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Previous research on eldercare among minority populations often highlights the role of values, beliefs, and social expectations, placing greater emphasis on ideational factors than on sociostructural and health factors in explaining racial-ethnic differences in care arrangements. This study aims to describe the extent to which care received by older adults varies by race-ethnicity and to explore possible explanations for these variations using the behavioral model of health care use.

Methods

Data were sourced from the 2018 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), a nationally representative survey of Medicare beneficiaries aged 68 and older. Latent class analyses were used to develop a care network typology with combinations of care from different sources. Multinomial regression models assessed various predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with racial-ethnic differences in the distribution of constructed care network types. Formal mediation analysis tested potential mediators of these differences.

Results

Black and Hispanic older adults tended to receive care from children and extended kin caregivers, while White older adults were more likely to receive care from their spouses and perform self-care with assistive technologies. Mediation analyses revealed that racial-ethnic differences in care networks were primarily attributable to enabling factors, including family configurations, social networks, and socioeconomic status. Limited evidence was found for the roles of predisposing factors, measured by care preferences, and need factors, measured by health conditions, in explaining these differences.

Discussion

The findings highlight the need for more research and policy interventions to address the diverse challenges faced by socially disadvantaged older adults.
LRP8 inhibits bladder cancer cell ferroptosis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin-SCD1 positive feedback loop
Authors: Zhao Yong , Shi Guohong , Huang Xiang , Zhang Zhongyuan , Liao Kaijun , Xiong Hao , Feng Zhiqiang , Mao Shihui , Zhang Xu
Published: February 2025

Background

Advanced bladder cancer (bc) patients often have poor prognoses due to issues such as recurrence and drug resistance. The discovery of ferroptosis has opened new avenues for bc treatment; however, the specific regulatory mechanisms remain to be explored. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms influencing ferroptosis in bc cells, with a particular focus on the role of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8 (LRP8).

Methods

We utilized reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot to assess the expression of LRP8 in bc cells, activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and the expression of genes related to fatty acid synthesis. We measured changes in ferroptosis levels by evaluating mitochondrial membrane potential, Fe2+, malondialdehyde, and reactive oxygen species levels. A xenograft mouse model was employed to validate the impact of LRP8 on bc progression.

Results

Cell experiments demonstrated a significant upregulation of LRP8 expression in bc cells. Knockdown of LRP8 induced ferroptosis in bc cells, a process directly triggered by the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway mediated by LRP8 upregulated the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), subsequently leading to the suppression of ferroptosis. In vivo experiments indicated that LRP8 knockdown significantly impaired bc growth, accompanied by inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin-SCD1 axis.

Conclusion

LRP8 mediates the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids through the Wnt/β-catenin-SCD1 positive feedback loop, thereby inhibiting ferroptosis in bc cells. These findings provide a promising target for the regulation of ferroptosis in bc cells.
Limits of Random Motzkin Paths with KPZ Related Asymptotics
Authors: Bryc Włodzimierz , Kuznetsov Alexey , Wesołowski Jacek
Published: February 2025

We study Motzkin paths of length $L$ with general weights on the edges and endpoints. We investigate the limit behavior of the initial and final segments of the random Motzkin path viewed as a pair of processes starting from each of the two endpoints as $L$ becomes large. We then study macroscopic limits of the resulting processes, where in two different regimes we obtain Markov processes that appeared in the description of the stationary measure for the KPZ equation on the half-line and of conjectural stationary measure of the hypothetical KPZ fixed point on the half-line. Our results rely on the behavior of the Al-Salam–Chihara polynomials in the neighbourhood of the right end of their orthogonality interval and on the limiting properties of the $q$-Pochhammer and $q$-Gamma functions as $q\nearrow 1$.
Segal K-theory of vector spaces with an automorphism
Authors: Bianchi Andrea , Kranhold Florian
Published: February 2025

We describe the Segal $K$-theory of the symmetric monoidal category of finite-dimensional vector spaces over a field $\mathbb{F}$ together with an automorphism, or, equivalently, the group-completion of the $E_\infty $-algebra of maps from $S^{1}$ to the disjoint union of classifying spaces $\mathrm{B}\mathrm{GL}_{d}(\mathbb{F})$, in terms of the $K$-theory of finite field extensions of $\mathbb{F}$. A key ingredient for this is a computation of the Segal $K$-theory of the category of finite-dimensional vector spaces with a nilpotent endomorphism. We also discuss the topological cases of $\mathbb{F}=\mathbb{C},\mathbb{R}$.
Monitoring Emerging Contaminants in Soil and Household Dust Samples by Non-Targeted Analysis in the Greater Miami Area, Florida
Authors: Dias Cappelini Luciana Teresa , Ogunbiyi Olutobi Daniel , Guimarães Ferreira Vinícius , Cuchimaque Lugo Carolina , Perez Monica Beatriz , Monem Mymuna , George Florence , Gardinali Piero , Bagner Daniel M , Quinete Natalia
Published: February 2025

Background

Emerging organic contaminants are increasingly present in the environment, with several pollution sources. Soil and household dust are critical pathways for human exposure, posing significant health risks, especially for vulnerable children.

Objective

The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the presence of emerging contaminants in soil and house dust samples in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Florida, evaluating how seasonal, socioeconomic, and geographic factors influence the distribution of these pollutants.

Methods

Soil and house dust samples were collected from 49 families twice a year between May 2022 and February 2024. Samples were processed by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and analyzed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Chemical identification was performed using Compound Discoverer software.

Results

The predominant compounds in soil were personal care products (PCP)/surfactants, industrial products, and pesticides in the dry season, while pharmaceuticals were found in higher abundance in the rainy season. The most abundant compounds in household dust were pharmaceuticals, industrial products and PCP/surfactants in the dry season, while pesticides stood out in the rainy season. Geographically, the central Miami region presented a wider diversity of contaminants in dust and more PCP/surfactants in soil, while the northern region presented greater contamination by pharmaceuticals and industrial products in soil and more surfactants in dust. Overall, lower-income regions showed greater diversity and abundance of pollutants in dust and soil.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the distribution of organic pollutants in soil and house dust is influenced by seasonal, socioeconomic, and geographic factors. These differences highlight the need for adaptive environmental policies and integrated strategies to mitigate the risks associated with exposure to these pollutants in urban environments, protecting public health.

Highlights

Seasonal variations significantly influence the distribution of emerging contaminants in soil and household dust. Socioeconomic and geographic factors contribute to distinct contamination patterns across Miami-Dade and Broward.
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin contributes to endometriotic lesion proliferation and disease-associated inflammation
Authors: Aleksieva Stanimira , Lingegowda Harshavardhan , Sisnett Danielle J , McCallion Alison , Zutautas Katherine B , Vo Dan Hoang Nguyet , Childs Timothy , Lessey Bruce , Tayade Chandrakant
Published: February 2025

Endometriosis is a chronic disorder in which endometrial-like tissue presents outside the uterus. Patients with endometriosis have been shown to exhibit aberrant immune responses within the lesion microenvironment and in circulation which contribute to the development of endometriosis. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an alarmin involved in cell proliferation and the induction of T helper 2 (Th2) inflammation in various diseases, such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and pancreatic and breast cancer. Recent studies have detected TSLP within endometriotic lesions and shown that its concentrations are elevated in the peritoneal fluid of patients compared with control subjects. However, its role in disease pathophysiology remains unclear. Here, we compared TSLP messenger RNA and protein expression between patient eutopic endometrium, endometriotic lesions, and control endometrial samples. We also assessed its effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of human endometriosis-representative cell lines, as well as on lesion development and inflammation in a mouse model of the disease. We demonstrated that TSLP expression was elevated in the stroma of patient endometriotic lesions compared with control endometrial samples. In cell lines, TSLP treatment reduced the apoptosis of endometrial stromal cells and promoted the proliferation of THP-1 cells. In mice induced with endometriosis, TSLP treatment induced a Th2 immune response within the lesion microenvironment, and led to TSLP receptor modulation in macrophages, dendritic cells, and CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, treatment increased murine endometriotic lesion proliferation. Overall, these results suggest that TSLP modulates the endometriotic lesion microenvironment and promotes a Th2 immune response that could support lesion development.
Probabilistic consequence relations
Authors: Égré Paul , Ripley Ellie
Published: February 2025

This paper investigates logical consequence defined in terms of probability distributions, for a classical propositional language using a standard notion of probability. We examine three distinct probabilistic consequence notions, which we call material consequence, preservation consequence and symmetric consequence. While material consequence is fully classical for any threshold, preservation consequence and symmetric consequence are subclassical, with only symmetric consequence gradually approaching classical logic at the limit threshold equal to 1. Our results extend earlier results obtained by J. Paris in a $\text{Set-Fmla}$ setting to the Set-Set setting, and consider open thresholds beside closed ones. In the Set-Set setting, in particular, they reveal that probability 1 preservation does not yield classical logic, but supervaluationism, and conversely positive probability preservation yields subvaluationism.