bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative experimental study on the apparent contact angle of unsaturated loess and its application in soil–water characteristics curve modeling
Authors: Fu Yingpeng , Xu Ling , Liao Hongjian 
Published: August 2024

AbstractAdvancing and receding water contact angles, often denoted as the maximum and minimum apparent water contact angles, are crucial parameters reflecting a soil's water holding capacity. These parameters play an important role in establishing theoretical soil–water characteristic curves (SWCCs) for unsaturated soils. However, pre‐assuming constant advancing and receding contact angles during soil wetting and drying processes may be erroneous due to their close correlations with the water content and void ratio. To address this research gap, systematic laboratory measurements were conducted on a loess with different void ratios and water contents. Apparent water contact angles were acquired using an axisymmetric drop shape analyzer, enabling a comprehensive dataset. Analysis of variance was employed to assess the statistically significant differences between void ratios and water contents. The results reveal a significant increase in the observed water contact angle as the void ratio decreases and a decrease with increasing water content. Although both the void ratio and water content influence the water contact angle, the latter has a more pronounced effect. The relationship between the receding water contact angle and water content/void ratio is observed to be linear. The identification of this linear relationship offers insights into the fitting of the SWCC for loess across varying void ratios. This study serves to enhance theoretical methodologies, particularly in the adaptation of contact angles, thus facilitating the development of more precise SWCC models.
Bring digital twins back to Earth
Authors: Saltelli Andrea , Gigerenzer Gerd , Hulme Mike , Katsikopoulos Konstantinos V. , Melsen Lieke A. , Peters Glen P. , Pielke Roger , Robertson Simon , Stirling Andy , Tavoni Massimo , Puy Arnald 
Published: August 2024

AbstractWe reflect on the development of digital twins of the Earth, which we associate with a reductionist view of nature as a machine. The projects of digital twins deviate from contemporary scientific paradigms in the treatment of complexity and uncertainty, and does not engage with critical and interpretative social sciences. We contest the utility of digital twins for addressing climate change issues and discuss societal risks associated with the concept, including the twins' potential to reinforce economicism and governance by numbers, emphasizing concerns about democratic accountability. We propose a more balanced alternative, advocating for independent institutions to develop diverse models, prioritize communication with simple heuristic‐based models, collect comprehensive data from various sources, including traditional knowledge, and shift focus away from physics‐centered variables to inform climate action. We argue that the advancement of digital twins should hinge on stringent controls, favoring a nuanced, interdisciplinary, and democratic approach that prioritizes societal well‐being over blind pursuit of computational sophistication.This article is categorized under:
Climate Models and Modeling > Earth System Models
Climate Models and Modeling > Knowledge Generation with Models
Climate, History, Society, Culture > Disciplinary Perspectives
Alterations of the AKT Pathway in Sporadic Human Tumors, Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer, and Overgrowth Syndromes
Authors: Menges Craig W. , Hassan Dalal , Cheung Mitchell , Bellacosa Alfonso , Testa Joseph R. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe AKT kinases are critical signaling molecules that regulate cellular physiology upon the activation of tyrosine kinase receptors and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K). AKT kinases govern many cellular processes considered hallmarks of cancer, including cell proliferation and survival, cell size, tumor invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. AKT signaling is regulated by multiple tumor suppressors and oncogenic proteins whose loss or activation, respectively, leads to dysregulation of this pathway, thereby contributing to oncogenesis. Herein, we review the enormous body of literature documenting how the AKT pathway becomes hyperactivated in sporadic human tumors and various hereditary cancer syndromes. We also discuss the role of activating mutations of AKT pathway genes in various chimeric overgrowth disorders, including Proteus syndrome, hypoglycemia with hypertrophy, CLOVES and SOLAMEN syndromes, and hemimegalencephaly.
The Dirty, Working-Class Problem
Authors: Brugge Doug , Datesman Aaron 
Published: August 2024

AbstractDiscussions of nuclear power frequently leave out consideration of the necessity of mining and processing uranium ore. When people claim nuclear power has not killed anyone, they ignore the proof of thousands of deaths of miners and the likely harm to health of nearby residents. A particularly disturbing aspect of uranium mining is that it often affects indigenous people disproportionately.
Introduction
Authors: Jolly Stellina , Ahmad Nafees , Scott Matthew 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis edited volume brings together academics from Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Australia and the Philippines, to examine lived experiences of and actual as well as potential responses to the varieties of migration, displacement, planned relocation as well as voluntary and involuntary immobility (collectively termed human mobility) that take place in the context of disasters and climate change that increasingly impact the lives of people living across Asia and the Pacific. A product of the editorial collaboration between the South Asian University and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI), the volume represents the collective efforts of members of the Asia Pacific Academic Network on Disaster Displacement. This academic network was formed in 2018 as part of a regional thematic study on human rights and disaster displacement.
BCFT One-point Functions of Coulomb Branch Operators
Authors: Bason Davide , Di Pietro Lorenzo , Valandro Roberto , van Muiden Jesse 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
We show that supersymmetry can be used to compute the BCFT one-point function coefficients for chiral primary operators, in 4d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 SCFTs with $$ \frac{1}{2} $$

1
2

-BPS boundary conditions. The main ingredient is the hemisphere partition function, with the boundary condition on the equatorial S3. A supersymmetric Ward identity relates derivatives with respect to the chiral coupling constants to the insertion of the primaries at the pole of the hemisphere. Exact results for the one-point functions can be then obtained in terms of the localization matrix model. We discuss in detail the example of the super Maxwell theory in the bulk, interacting with 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 SCFTs on the boundary. In particular we derive the action of the SL(2,ℤ) duality on the one-point functions.
Discontinuous peripheral enhancement of focal liver lesions on CT and MRI: outside the box of typical cavernous hemangioma
Authors: Matteini Francesco , Cannella Roberto , Dioguardi Burgio Marco , Torrisi Chiara , Sartoris Riccardo , Brancatelli Giuseppe , Vilgrain Valérie , Ronot Maxime , Vernuccio Federica 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
The discontinuous peripheral enhancement is a pattern of enhancement usually attributed to typical cavernous hemangioma, that is the most common benign solid lesion of the liver. The discontinuous peripheral enhancement, however, may be encountered in many other benign and malignant focal liver lesions as an atypical presentation or evolution, and hemangiomas with discontinuous peripheral hyperenhancement on hepatic arterial phase may not always have the typical post-contrast pattern on portal venous and delayed phases. Therefore, abdominal radiologists may be challenged in their practice by lesions with discontinuous peripheral enhancement. This pictorial essay aims to review the spectrum of benign and malignant focal liver lesions that may show discontinuous peripheral enhancement. A particular point of interest is the diagnostic tree pathway that may guide the radiologists in the differential diagnosis.

Graphical abstract
Analysis and forecast of crop water demand in irrigation districts across the eastern part of the Ebro river basin (Catalonia, Spain): estimation of evapotranspiration through copernicus-based inputs
Authors: Bellvert Joaquim , Pamies-Sans Magí , Quintana-Seguí Pere , Casadesús Jaume 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe agricultural sector is currently facing the uncertainty that accompanies climate change in terms of the availability of water resources, as well as the need to balance the water demand for agricultural irrigation with other uses in river basins. In Spain, irrigation districts (IDs) play a very important role in the management of water resources. The efficiency of ID water management involves finding an equilibrium between supply and demand. It is in relation to the latter where the uncertainty is greatest, because until now no tools have been available to characterize water demands with sufficient precision throughout irrigation campaigns. ID managers need precise information and the development of tools to support decision making in planning and water management. Therefore, this study aims to identify, compare and analyse the differences between the demands, allocations and consumptions of water for irrigation in different IDs of the eastern part of the Ebro basin during six consecutive growing seasons. In addition, projections of water demands up to 2100 are conducted using a dataset of six global climate models under different climate scenarios. Novel advances in remote sensing for evapotranspiration approaches using Copernicus-based inputs were used in this study. Large variabilities in water demands among IDs and in the adjustments between demands and allocations were observed, suggesting there is still much room for the improvement of water management. All climate projections have a very clear pattern indicating an upward trend in water demands until the end of the century.
High-intensity resistance training improves quality of life, muscle endurance and strength in patients with myositis: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Jensen Kasper Yde , Aagaard Per , Suetta Charlotte , Nielsen Jakob Lindberg , Bech Rune Dueholm , Schrøder Henrik Daa , Christensen Jan , Simonsen Casper , Diederichsen Louise Pyndt 
Published: August 2024

AbstractMyositis is associated with reduced quality of life, which is accompanied by significant impairments in muscle endurance and strength, altogether representing cardinal traits in patients with myositis. This randomised controlled trial aimed to investigate the effect of high-intensity resistance training on quality of life in patients with myositis. Thirty-two patients with established, stable myositis were randomised to 16 weeks of high-intensity resistance training (intervention group) or 16 weeks of usual care (control group). Primary outcome was quality of life assessed as the change in the physical component summary score (PCS) of the Short Form-36 health questionnaire from baseline to post-intervention. Secondary outcomes included functional capacity measures, such as functional index 3, and International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group (IMACS) disease activity and damage core set measures, including manual muscle testing 8 (MMT8). The primary outcome PCS showed an improvement in favour of high-intensity resistance training with a between-group difference of 5.33 (95% CI 0.61; 10.05) (p = 0.03). Additionally, functional index 3 showed a between-group difference indicating greater gains with high-intensity resistance training 11.49 (95% CI 3.37; 19.60) (p = 0.04), along with a between-group improvement in MMT8 1.30 (95% CI 0.09; 2.51) (p = 0.04). High-intensity resistance training for 16 weeks effectively improved quality of life in patients with myositis. Clinical measures of muscle endurance and muscle strength were also found to improve with high-intensity resistance training, while patients stayed in disease remission. Consequently, progressively adjusted high-intensity resistance training is feasible and causes no aggravation of the disease, while benefitting patients with myositis.Clinical trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT04486261—https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04486261.
Predictive markers for head and neck cancer treatment response: T1rho imaging in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Ai Qi Yong H. , King Ann D. , Tsang Yip Man , Yu Ziqiang , Mao Kaijing , Mo Frankie K. F. , Wong Lun M. , Leung Ho Sang , So Tiffany Y. , Hui Edwin P. , Ma Brigette B. Y. , Chen Weitian 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Objectives
To investigate the potential of T1rho, a new quantitative imaging sequence for cancer, for pre and early intra-treatment prediction of treatment response in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and compare the results with those of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Materials and methods
T1rho and DWI imaging of primary NPCs were performed pre- and early intra-treatment in 41 prospectively recruited patients. The mean preT1rho, preADC, intraT1rho, intraADC, and % changes in T1rho (ΔT1rho%) and ADC (ΔADC%) were compared between residual and non-residual groups based on biopsy in all patients after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with (n = 29) or without (n = 12) induction chemotherapy (IC), and between responders and non-responders to IC in the subgroup who received IC, using Mann–Whitney U-test. A p-value of < 0.05 indicated statistical significance.

Results
Significant early intra-treatment changes in mean T1rho (p = 0.049) and mean ADC (p < 0.01) were detected (using paired t-test), most showing a decrease in T1rho (63.4%) and an increase in ADC (95.1%). Responders to IC (n = 17), compared to non-responders (n = 12), showed higher preT1rho (64.0 ms vs 66.5 ms) and a greater decrease in ΔT1rho% (− 7.5% vs 1.3%) (p < 0.05). The non-residual group after CRT (n = 35), compared to the residual group (n = 6), showed higher intraADC (0.96 vs 1.09 × 10−3 mm2/s) and greater increase in ΔADC% (11.7% vs 27.0%) (p = 0.02).

Conclusion
Early intra-treatment changes are detectable on T1rho and show potential to predict tumour shrinkage after IC. T1rho may be complementary to DWI, which, unlike T1rho, did not predict response to IC but did predict non-residual disease after CRT.

Clinical relevance statement
T1rho has the potential to complement DWI in the prediction of treatment response. Unlike DWI, it predicted shrinkage of the primary NPC after IC but not residual disease after CRT.

Key Points

Changes in T1rho were detected early during cancer treatment for NPC.

Pre-treatment and early intra-treatment change in T1rho predicted response to IC, but not residual disease after CRT.

T1rho can be used to complement DWI with DWI predicting residual disease after CRT.
Comparative analysis of femoral bone loss: uncemented vs. cemented aseptic stem loosening in first-time revision surgery—a retrospective evaluation of 215 patients
Authors: Wagener Nele , Hardt Sebastian , Pumberger Matthias , Schömig Friederike 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Introduction
The integrity of the femoral bone is crucial when considering reconstructive options for the first-time revision of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). Aseptic loosening of primary stems, whether cemented or uncemented, significantly affects the volume and quality of resultant femoral bone loss. This study evaluates the impact of the initial fixation method on femoral bone defect patterns by comparing the extent of bone loss.

Materials and methods
A retrospective cohort of 215 patients with either cemented or uncemented stems, indicated for aseptic stem loosening, and undergoing first-time stem revision from 2010 to 2022 at our institution was analyzed. Femoral bone loss extent at first-time revision was preoperatively gauged using radiographs and categorized by the Paprosky classification. Survival probabilities pre-first-time revision for both stem types were calculated using Kaplan–Meier methods. Hazard ratios were applied to compare the risk of initial revision for uncemented versus cemented stems within the first and subsequent 2nd to 10th years post-primary implantation.

Results
Cemented stems were associated with a higher occurrence of significant bone defects of type 3a (23.53% vs. 14.02%, p = .108), 3b (39.22% vs. 1.22%, p < .001), and 4 (3.92% vs. 0.00%) compared to uncemented stems. Conversely, smaller defects of type 1 and 2 were more prevalent in uncemented stem loosening (84.76% vs. 33.33%, p < .001). Notably, cemented stems exhibited a significantly prolonged revision-free period over the complete decade following primary insertion (p < .001). The unadjusted risk of first-time revision due to stem loosening showed a tendency to an increase in uncemented stems within the initial postoperative year (HR 5.55, 95% CI 0.74; 41.67, p = .096), and an adjusted risk of 2.1 (95% CI 0.26; 16.53, p = .488). However, these differences did not reach statistical significance. In the subsequent 2nd-10th years, the risk was lower compared to cemented stems (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.39; 3.99, p = .002).

Conclusions
Uncemented primary stems necessitating first-time revision due to aseptic loosening demonstrated notably smaller femoral bone defects in comparison to primary cemented stems.
Clinical forensic medicine in emergency departments: a pilot study of a forensic training and evaluation of its effectiveness in an Italian hospital
Authors: Tambuzzi Stefano , Rossi Cecilia , Pavanello Donatella , Primavera Riccardo , Costantino Giorgio , Cattaneo Cristina 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Because emergency departments are often the first point of contact for victims of violence, it is critical to provide the appropriate treatment in compliance with all necessary medicolegal precautions. For this reason, a randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Policlinico Hospital of Milan (Italy) in which an intervention group (12 physicians) received a 6-h course on clinical forensic medicine and their performance in medicolegal procedures in claimed cases of violence was compared with that of a control group (13 physicians) by means of a 16-item assessment scale over the 3 months before and the 3 months after the course. Overall, 195 medical records were included in the statistical analysis. Out of these cases, 105 occurred before the course (60 analyzed by the control group and 45 by the intervention group) and 90 occurred after the course (45 analyzed by the control group and 45 by the intervention group). The results showed that the overall mean score of physicians who participated to the course increased from 14.0 (IQR 7.0) to 19.0 (IQR 8.0) with a p-value < 0.0001 and that the comparison between the intervention group and the control group after the course was 19.0 (IQR = 8.0) and 14.0 (IQR = 7.0), respectively, with a p-value < 0.0001. The improvement was very little and below the expectations pointing out that educational courses, although they can be a first step towards raising the ED physicians’ awareness of clinical forensics, may not be enough and that more structured training and new strategies should be implemented.
Active and non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis patients exhibit similar disability progression: results of an Italian MS registry study (ASPERA)
Authors: Chisari Clara Grazia , Amato Maria Pia , Di Sapio Alessia , Foschi Matteo , Iaffaldano Pietro , Inglese Matilde , Fermo Salvatore Lo , Lugaresi Alessandra , Lus Giacomo , Mascoli Nerina , Montepietra Sara , Pesci Ilaria , Quatrale Rocco , Salemi Giuseppe , Torri Clerici Valentina , Totaro Rocco , Valentino Paola , Filippi Massimo , Patti Francesco 
Published: August 2024

Abstract‘Active’ and ‘non-active’ secondary progressive MS (SPMS) have distinct pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical characteristics, but there is still no consensus regarding the frequency of these MS forms in the real-world setting. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of ‘active’ and ‘non-active’ SPMS in a large cohort of Italian MS patients and the differences in terms of clinical and MRI characteristics and disease progression. This multicenter study collected data about MS patients who have transitioned to the SP form in the period between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2019 and followed by the MS centers contributing to the Italian MS Registry. Patients were divided into ‘active SPMS’ and ‘non-active SPMS’, based on both reported MRI data and relapse activity in the year before conversion to SPMS. Out of 68,621, 8,316 (12.1%) patients were diagnosed with SPMS. Out of them, 872 (10.5%) were classified into patients with either ‘active’ or ‘non-active’ SPMS. A total of 237 were classified into patients with ‘active SPMS’ (27.2%) and 635 as ‘non-active SPMS’ (72.8%). ‘Non-active SPMS’ patients were older, with a longer disease duration compared to those with ‘active SPMS’. The percentages of patients showing progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) at 24 months were similar between ‘active’ and ‘non-active’ SPMS patients (67 [27.4%] vs 188 [29.6%]; p = 0.60). In the ‘active’ group, 36 (15.2%) patients showed relapse-associated worsening (RAW). Comparison of the survival curves to EDSS 6 and 7 according to disease activity did not show significant differences (p = 0.68 and p = 0.71). ‘Active’ and ‘non-active’ SPMS patients had a similar risk of achieving disability milestones, suggesting that progression is primarily attributed to PIRA and only to a small extent to disease activity.
Solving Mathematical Programs with Complementarity Constraints Arising in Nonsmooth Optimal Control
Authors: Nurkanović Armin , Pozharskiy Anton , Diehl Moritz 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThis paper examines solution methods for mathematical programs with complementarity constraints (MPCC) obtained from the time-discretization of optimal control problems (OCPs) subject to nonsmooth dynamical systems. The MPCC theory and stationarity concepts are reviewed and summarized. The focus is on relaxation-based methods for MPCCs, which solve a (finite) sequence of more regular nonlinear programs (NLP), where a regularization/homotopy parameter is driven to zero. Such methods perform reasonably well on currently available benchmarks. However, these results do not always generalize to MPCCs obtained from nonsmooth OCPs. To provide a more complete picture, this paper introduces a novel benchmark collection of such problems, which we call . The problem set includes 603 different MPCCs and we split it into a few representative subsets to accelerate the testing. We compare different relaxation-based methods, NLP solvers, homotopy parameter update and relaxation parameter steering strategies. Moreover, we check whether the obtained stationary points allow first-order descent directions, which may be the case for some of the weaker MPCC stationarity concepts. In the best case, the Scholtes’ relaxation (SIAM J. Optim. 11, 918–936, 2001) with (Math. Program. 106, 25–57, 2006) as NLP solver manages to solve 73.8% of the problems. This highlights the need for further improvements in algorithms and software for MPCCs.