bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A study on the manufacturing method of the ancient coins, Sangpyeong Tongbo in Korea
Authors: Choi Jung Eun 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

The coin cast during the Joseon Dynasty (14th -20th ) is called Sangpyeong Tongbo, and was first minted in the 17th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, there were significant difficulties in the supply and demand of copper, which was reflected in the material characteristics of Sangpyeong Tongbo. This study analysed the components on 134 samples of Sangpyeong Tongbo coins from the 18th and 19th centuries, and three samples were selected to analyse the manufacturing methods and materials through internal impurity observations, composition, and microstructures. An optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to observe the microstructures, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used for component analysis. The results revealed that 134 coins presented a very high lead content, and iron (Fe) was also detected in all coins. This outcome is thought to reduce the costs of coins. Inside the coins, impurities such as Cu2S, PbS, ZnS, FeAs, and Cu2Sb were detected, all of which seem to have originated from copper or lead ores. The poor quality of the Sangpyeong Tongbo, as documented in historical records describing the mixing of rubble stone to reduce coin quality, suggests that large amounts of lead were added to increase the weight, and that copper or lead ores were used without sufficient smelting.
Willingness of Chinese Clinical Researchers to Participate in International Clinical Research Training: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Chen Yun , Zhu Shengjie , Zhu Haoqing , Li Pei 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
The reform of medical education in China, particularly the emphasis on lifelong learning, has transformed its structure and content, prioritizing the integration of clinical research with practice. However, limited access to research training resources poses challenges for clinical physicians. With the acceleration of globalization, enhancing physicians' global competencies has become increasingly important, highlighting the need for international clinical research training. This study explores Chinese physicians' willingness to participate in such training and identifies factors influencing their preferences to inform future program design.
Methods
An online questionnaire consisting of 24 questions was designed and distributed via the "NEJM Medical Frontiers" WeChat platform. The survey targeted clinical physicians and clinical researchers across China, aiming to assess their willingness to engage in international clinical research, along with their research background, training needs, and preferences. Convenience sampling was employed for participant recruitment. From January 11 to February 7, 2023, a total of 324 fully completed questionnaires were received, among which 312 were valid. Statistical analysis consisted primarily of descriptive analysis and chi-square tests.
Results
Between January 11 and February 7, 2023, 324 questionnaires were completed, of which 312 were valid. Most respondents were physicians (66.7%, n=208), with the remainder from universities, research institutes, or pharmaceutical-related companies (33.3%, n=104).Overall, 247 respondents (78.9%) expressed interest in international clinical research training. Those with a doctoral degree and first-author experience in SCI-indexed publications (68.4%, n=121, P=0.040), particularly those with 1–9 publications (72.2%, n=109, P=0.028), were significantly more likely to show interest.
These respondents also prioritized learning clinical research design methods (mean score: 7.28 vs. 6.52, P=0.009), especially randomized controlled trials (n=118, P=0.048).
Conclusion
This study revealed a high demand for international clinical research training among clinical researchers in China. Physicians with higher academic qualifications and prior SCI publication experience demonstrated a greater need to conduct higher-quality clinical research, making them more inclined to pursue international training. Their primary expectations for training focused on research design, particularly large-scale randomized controlled trials.
Disentangling Density and Geometry in Weather Regime Dimensions using Stochastic Twins
Authors: Platzer Paul , Chapron Bertrand , Messori Gabriele 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Large-scale atmospheric variability can be summarised using a small number of recurring patterns called \say{weather regimes}. The properties of weather regimes have been widely investigated in the literature, including through the \say{local dimension}: an instantaneous geometrical estimate of the number of degrees of freedom, emanating from the multifractal formalism of dynamical systems. In atmospheric and ocean science, the local dimension has been interpreted as a measure of predictability. The different weather regimes display differing values of local dimension. It was also shown that the local dimension decreases when the atmosphere projects most strongly on a single weather regime, and increases during regime transitions. This was interpreted as confirming the physical grounding and dynamical footprint of weather regimes. However, the drivers of local dimension variations remain to be elucidated. In particular, recent work has shown that variations in local dimension originate not only from changes in multifractal geometric properties but also from changes in sampling density. In this work, we propose a methodology to isolate the density-based variations of local dimension for the large-scale atmospheric circulation in the North-Atlantic. We build \say{stochastic twins} of the atmosphere in the space of truncated empirical orthogonal functions, based on the Gaussian mixture model used to define weather regimes from ERA5-reanalysis 500 hPa geopotential height fields. These stochastic twins bear a similar sampling density as the atmosphere, but they are not multifractal and therefore they have a constant local geometry and a fixed number of degrees of freedom. Estimates of density-based variations of local dimension using stochastic twins allow to explain more than 50% of the total variations of local dimension, proving that a large fraction of local dimension variations is not related to changes in local geometry. The dimension estimated from stochastic twins also allows to reproduce the previously observed decrease of dimension near peak weather regime index, indicating that this universal behavior is a density-based phenomenon, and cannot be attributed to the multifractal nature of atmospheric circulation. However, the sampling density-based variations of the local dimension can still provide useful information on the properties of weather regimes. Additionally, we show that the full range of local dimension variations cannot be explained by density-based estimates alone, so that the remaining variability is likely due to changes in local geometry, and therefore in number of degrees of freedom. The methodology presented in this paper can be applied to any observed system whose sampling distribution can be approximated, and provides a new means to interpret local dimension estimates of real-world atmospheric or ocean data.
New avian protein sequences improve resolution of palaeoproteomic approaches to taxonomic identification &amp; reveal widespread intraspecies variability
Authors: Codlin Maria , Yeomans Lisa , Stiller Josefin , Demarchi Beatrice 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Biomolecules offer unparalleled insights into ancient life, from evolutionary pathways of organisms to the health and cultural practices of our ancestors. Biomineral-associated proteins, such as those found in bone, teeth, and eggshell, have become instrumental for studying ancient life, as they often endure post-mortem degradation far longer than DNA. Harnessing advancements in avian genomics, we annotate bone and eggshell protein sequences for 112 Anatidae (ducks, geese and swans) species, a biologically complex group of birds that are also central to many archaeological and ecological questions.

While palaeoproteomics (the study of ancient proteins by mass spectrometry) conventionally assumes that protein sequences vary only at the species level or above, our research demonstrates widespread evidence for single amino acid polymorphisms (SAPs) occurring within-species. Furthermore, we construct a phylogenetic tree from 13 proteins that aligns with mtDNA-based phylogenies, while revealing highly variable topologies for individual protein trees, underscoring the need for caution when using fragmented proteins for taxonomic identification and identifying evolutionary relationships.

However, with the comprehensive taxonomic coverage of Anatidae proteins, clear taxonomic patterns are evident in the proteins that enable reliable identification of bone and eggshell. We demonstrate this application to archaeological material from Teotihuacan, Mexico, and Shubayqa, Jordan. We highlight that extensive curated protein datasets accompanied by rigorous standards for assessing SAPs as taxonomic biomarkers are fundamental for correct taxonomic identification, setting new benchmarks for palaeoproteomic applications in archaeology, ecology, and evolutionary biology.
Utilizing a 20-plane systematic ultrasound protocol to detect fetal structural abnormalities during the first trimester
Authors: Wang Ronghua , Ling Wen , Lin Jianzhai , Wu Qiumei , LV Guorong , Liu Min , Chen Jinwen , Weng Zongjie 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Objective
Most first-trimester prenatal ultrasound studies and reviews to date described observations of fetal anatomical structures; however, explicit standard sectional images or standardized ultrasound examination protocols are lacking. This study aimed to ascertain the efficacy of systematic ultrasound screening for fetal structural abnormalities.
Method
This retrospective analysis examined the results of first-trimester systematic ultrasound screenings performed of 30,336 fetuses between June 2019 to and 2022 and compared them with second- and third-trimester ultrasound screening, postpartum examination, and post-mortem examination results.
Results
Among the 30,336 fetuses, 4.1% (1,240) had structural abnormalities, of which 37.1% (460/1,240) were severe. Overall, 32.2% (399/1,240) of the structural abnormalities were detected via the systematic ultrasound screening, among which 79.7% (318/399) were severe. Of the 318 fetuses with severe abnormalities, 69.1% (220) featured nuchal translucency (NT); 21.1% (220/1,240) of the fetuses with structural abnormalities presented with increased NT versus 46.1% of those with severe structural abnormalities. Of the structural abnormalities detected by the systematic ultrasound screening, 54.6% featured increased NT. Systematic ultrasound screening had a sensitivity of 32.2% and specificity of 99.82% for the identification of fetal structural abnormalities. Areas by sensitivity level were as follows: ≥80%, anterior abdominal wall abnormalities, syndromes, edema/coelomic hydrops; 50–80%, nervous system structural abnormalities; 30–50%, other abnormalities and limb and skeleton structural abnormalities; and < 30%, congenital heart defects and facial, gastrointestinal tract, urogenital system, and thoracic and lung-related structural abnormalities. Combined screening exhibited higher sensitivity than systematic ultrasound screening alone (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Systematic ultrasound screening detected most serious fetal structural abnormalities; however, its efficacy varied significantly among systems and diseases. Increased NT may be an important indicator of serious structural abnormalities. Furthermore, combined screening of fetal structural abnormalities has higher efficacy.
Profiling the cell-specific small non-coding RNA transcriptome of the human placenta
Authors: Telkar Nikita , Hui Desmond , Peñaherrera Maria S. , Yuan Victor , Martinez Victor D. , Stewart Greg L. , Beristain Alexander G. , Lam Wan L. , Robinson Wendy P. 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

The human placenta is the composite of multiple cell types, each which contributes uniquely to placental function. Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) are regulators of gene expression and can be cell-specific. The sncRNA transcriptome of individual placental cell types has not yet been investigated due to difficulties in their procurement and isolation. Using a custom sequencing method, we explored the expression of seven sncRNA species (miRNA, piRNA, rRNA, scaRNA, snRNA, snoRNA, tRNA) from whole chorionic villi and four major sample-matched FACS-sorted cell type (cytotrophoblast, stromal, endothelial, Hofbauer) samples from 9 first trimester and 17 term placentas. After normalization for technical variables, samples clustered primarily by cell type lineage. No sncRNAs were uniquely expressed by cell type, however, mean expression differed by cell type for 115 sncRNAs. Known placentally-expressed sncRNAs showed differing expression by cell type and trimester. Expression of few sncRNAs varied by sex. Lastly, sample-matched sncRNA expression and DNA methylation correlation was not significant, although high correlation (> R2 ± 0.6) was observed for some sncRNA-CpG pairs. This study represents the first exploration of the sncRNA transcriptome of bulk placental villi and placental cell types, informing about the expression and regulatory patterns underlying human placental development.
Small-Medium Enterprises Owners’ Preference for E-Wallet Payment in Transactions
Authors: Vales Josh Patrick R. , Delda Janika Mikyla S. , Cua Alwyn Gabriel Y. , Balagtas Colin D. , Capisin Jaztin Rey V. , Nares John Albert M. 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

This study investigated the preference of e-wallets among SME owners in the downtown area of Davao City, focusing on the relationship between demographic factors and e-wallet preferences. Despite the growing adoption of e-wallets for business transactions, limited research has examined the demographic influences on their use. The study employed a descriptive-comparative research design, surveying 100 SME owners using a 27-item questionnaire. The findings reveal that middle-aged SME owners (ages 40–49) in the retail sector with 3–5 years of business experience are likelier to adopt e-wallets, prioritizing security and performance. Younger SME owners (ages 18–29) also exhibited significant differences in e-wallet use, indicating generational variations in technology adoption. Other demographic factors, including income, industry, and operations, did not show considerable influence. The study concludes that age is a key factor in e-wallet adoption and recommends targeted strategies by e-wallet providers to promote broader usage and enhance trust in digital payment systems.
Comparison of adverse events between intensity-modulated radiation therapy and Tomotherapy for early-stage breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Xia Yan , Yang Yan-Cheng , Ren Hang-Qi , Wang Yan-Zun , Li Qing-Feng , Yu Ya-Yuan , Yang Guang-Ran , Li Yang-ke , Jin Kai-Cheng , Luo Qi-Fa , Bian Zhi-Heng , Zeng Tian , Li Jun-Qing 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Introduction: Early-stage breast cancer treated with adjuvant radiotherapy with two different techniques, Tomotherapy (TOMO) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and their acute adverse events in terms of skin toxicity, localized edema, sore throat, tracheal mucositis, nausea, mucositis oral, esophagitis and pneumonitis outcomes are compared. Material/methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adverse events comparing IMRT and TOMO in early-stage breast cancer, we reviewed the data of female patients who received lumpectomy or mastectomy for breast cancer in the Oncology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University from September 2021 to February 2024. A total of 315 female patients were enrolled in this study, including 130 in the TOMO group and 185 in the IMRT group. In this study, the adverse events of the two groups of patients were compared and analyzed. Results: The median age of this retrospective cohort was 47 years (range, 20–74 years). The length of follow-up was 3 months. 185 patients (59%) received IMRT and 130 patients (41%) underwent TOMO. No significant difference was observed in terms of menopausal status, laterality, pathology, estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, triple negative, clinical T stage, clinical N stage or Surgical methods. Negative HER-2 over-expression was found in 38% and 51% of TOMO and IMRT group respectively (P = 0.053).With regard to the the degree of tumor differentiation,the Poor-Moderate differentiation was 69% in TOMO group while 81% in IMRT group(P = 0.052).There was 66% and 55% of TOMO and IMRT group respectively receiving Hormone therapy(p = 0.5). But there is no statistical differences in demographic and tumor characteristics between TOMO group and IMRT group. The comparison adverse events between TOMO and IMRT shown that there were no significant differences in localized edema, sore throat, tracheal mucositis, nausea, mucositis oral, esophagitis between the TOMO and the IMRT groups. Compared these two groups, the TOMO group had a higher proportion of 3–4 grade skin toxicity [16.2% (TOMO) versus 7.6% (IMRT), P = 0.017]. The pneumonitis in the TOMO group was lower than the IMRT group [0.0% (TOMO) versus 4.3% (IMRT), P = 0.016]. Conclusions: Compared to IMRT, TOMO decreases the incidence of radiation Pneumonitis but fail to improve acute skin toxicity. Base on our research, TOMO may contribute to higher odds for acute skin toxicity, which should be payed more attention by clinicians.
Health-Related Quality of Life and Utility Scores of Colorectal Cancer Patients in Shanghai
Authors: Peng Yuxin , Suo Yue , Zhu Zhixu , Ye Jinghong , Wei Yan 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. CRC and its treatment heavily impact patients' physical and mental health, often causing physical limitations, anxiety, and depression. Assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in CRC patients is increasingly recognized as important, but more research is needed on influencing factors. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the quality of life of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and analyze other possible influencing factors to provide reference suggestions for improving the health-related quality of life of colorectal cancer patients. METHODS This study included patients diagnosed with CRC from secondary and tertiary hospitals in Hongkou district, Shanghai, China from 2020 to 2022. The HRQoL and utility scores of these patients were measured using the five-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L). The EQ-5D-5L utility scores were derived from the Chinese EQ-5D-5L Value Set. The relationships between HRQoL and the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were further analyzed using Tobit regression. RESULTS Statistical analysis showed that the overall mean health utility scores of colorectal cancer patients were between 0.853 (SD = 0.214). Problems in the pain/discomfort dimension were reported by 50.68%, followed by problems in the anxiety/depression (47.34%), mobility (39.06%), self-care (33.25%) and usual activities (32.63%) dimensions. Besides, the Kruskal Wallis test showed that educational level, average annual household income, TNM stage, whether hospitalization or not, and payment burden significantly impacted the HRQoL of CRC patients. Specifically, higher education level, higher average annual household income, earlier TNM stage, hospitalization, and less payment burden corresponded to higher HRQoL. CONCLUSION In CRC patients, different annual average household income, TNM cancer stage, hospitalization status, and payment burden can significantly diminish HRQoL. Therefore, healthcare institutions should comprehensively consider various factors affecting the HRQoL and further improve the care of cancer patients in order to improve the physical function and psychological flexibility of patients and improve the HRQoL of patients.
Plasticity versus phylogenetic restrictions in flowering time of coexisting species in experimental annual plant assemblages
Authors: Chaves Rocío , Montesinos-Navarro Alicia , Ferrandis Pablo , Luzuriaga Arantzazu L. 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Flowering timing is a critical event in the lifetime of angiosperms, being particularly sensitive to environmental conditions, although the range of flowering response should be ultimately constrained by evolutionary history. We hypothesized that a) if phylogenetic constraints prevail over phenotypic plasticity in the expression of flowering phenology, flowering peaks would be more segregated in diverse assemblages than in assemblages composed of close relatives; b) conversely, if flowering time is mainly a plastic trait, drought would induce significant flowering overlap, irrespective of the phylogenetic diversity in the assemblage. We designed assemblages with annual plants of semiarid systems of Spain, considering two contrasted levels of phylogenetic diversity (PD) and two water availability treatments in a common garden experiment, where we analysed the flowering segregation among species. High PD assemblages resulted in greater flowering overlap, while assemblages composed of close relatives segregated more their flowering peaks. Water stress triggered flowering synchronization both in neighborhoods with high and low phylogenetic diversity. Our findings corroborate that in the very diverse Iberian gypsophilous annual plant communities, it is phenotypic plasticity in response to water availability, rather than phylogenetic constraints what modulates species segregation of flowering phenology, potentially affecting species coexistence.
Growth over Climate? Aviation and the Paris Agreement
Authors: Suomalainen Emilia 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Aviation is one of the most challenging sectors in terms of its climate impact. While technologies for decarbonising the sector are being developed, they remain either technologically immature, suitable for only a limited range of cases, and/or unavailable on larger scale, at least in the decade to come. How are the limitations of technological solutions to reducing aviation emissions recognised in key transport strategy documents? In this work, this question is examined empirically for both the European Union and Finland by analysing EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and Finland’s Government resolution on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from aviation. The findings indicate that these strategies are strongly focused on technological solutions to the detriment of demand management, thus inverting the avoid–shift–improve hierarchy of emission reduction. Mode shift and demand reduction are only explored covertly. Though the policy documents refer to the Paris Agreement, the creation of emission reduction targets covering international aviation is not proposed while at least the Finnish document acknowledges the shortcomings of current schemes (ICAO’s CORSIA). The documents also fail to underline that the proposed technological solutions are unlikely to reduce aviation emissions significantly in the medium term (by the 2030s). These shortcomings are however recognised in other more technical reports (notably the European Aviation Environmental Reports), though the implications in terms of respecting the Paris Agreement are not spelled out. This means the climate impact of aviation is likely to continue unabated, which only increases the pressure to reduce emissions in other sectors.