bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are tropical oceanic islands overlooked? Knowledge gaps regarding the vulnerability of amphibians to global anthropogenic threats
Authors: Auguste Renoir J. , Deacon Amy E. , Hulme Mark F. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Climate and land-use changes are major threats to amphibian conservation. However, amphibians on tropical oceanic islands appear to have been overlooked with regards to their vulnerability to global anthropogenic threats. Here we examine whether there are gaps in research evaluating the vulnerability of tropical oceanic island amphibians to climate and land-use changes. We carried out a systematic review of the literature on experimental studies published during 1 July 1998–30 June 2022, to evaluate whether there are knowledge gaps in relation to geographical scope, taxonomic representation, life stage assessment, the factors affecting amphibians and how species and populations respond to these factors. Of 327 articles on climate change and 451 on land-use change, the research of only 18 was carried out on tropical oceanic islands, only on anurans, and < 20% of the authors were affiliated with an oceanic island institution. These 18 studies were on only five islands, and the range of families and life stages assessed was limited. We also found uneven research into the factors affecting oceanic island amphibians and their responses; analyses involving the effect of temperature on amphibian range expansion or contraction were the most common, with few studies of the effects of salinity. The scarcity and unevenness of research from oceanic islands limit our understanding of the effects of climate and land-use changes on amphibians. We discuss potential reasons for these knowledge gaps and recommend ways to address them, such as more equitable distribution of resources and provision of training and research opportunities for island-based biologists.
Climate Migration and the Right to Exclude
Authors: Boscov-Ellen Dan 
Published: January 2025

AbstractMuch mainstream political philosophy assumes that states have a broad right to decide who is granted entry and membership into their political community. On this conventional view, admission of migrants and refugees is understood as mostly a matter of general humanitarian duty or voluntary beneficence rather than as a specific obligation of justice. Through an analysis of climate-related migration from Central America's Dry Corridor to the United States, I argue that many such migrants may in fact be owed admission as reparation for injustice, and that the character of this injustice raises broader challenges for the conventional view.
Ukraine's Challenge to Europe: The EU as an Ethical and Powerful Geopolitical Actor
Authors: Vachudova Milada Anna , Koval Nadiia 
Published: January 2025

AbstractIn this essay, we bridge the gap between two understandings of the power of the European Union (EU): as a normative actor, guided by ethical principles and empowered by the internal market, and as a geopolitical actor, building its own military capabilities and ready to defend its interests through deterrence and defense. In view of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we challenge the established “values vs. interests” dichotomy and argue that defending liberal democratic values is an essential foundation of the EU's existing and potential geopolitical power. We show how, over the last decade, opting for short-term expediency and capitulating to a kind of realpolitik “regime indifference” in dealings with authoritarian regimes at home and abroad have severely weakened the EU and also diminished Ukraine's capacities to defend itself as it fights for these shared values on the battlefield. We argue that it is in the EU's strategic interest to strengthen its commitment to values-based foreign and defense policies, revive a meritocratic and credible enlargement process, and work with the United States to provide more effective military assistance to Ukraine in its fight for liberal democratic values and a rules-based European security order.
SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination status in six ethnic groups in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, May to November 2022
Authors: Campman Sophie L. , Boyd Anders , Schinkel Janke , Coyer Liza , Agyemang Charles , Galenkamp Henrike , Koopman Anitra D.M. , Chilunga Felix P. , Koopsen Jelle , Zwinderman Aeilko H. , Jurriaans Suzanne , Stronks Karien , Prins Maria 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
We studied severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and vaccination status among six ethnic groups in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We analysed participants of the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting cohort who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies between 17 May and 21 November 2022. We categorized participants with antibodies as only infected, only vaccinated (≥1 dose), or both infected and vaccinated, based on self-reported prior infection and vaccination status and previous seroprevalence data. We compared infection and vaccination status between ethnic groups using multivariable, multinomial logistic regression. Of the 1,482 included participants, 98.5% had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (P between ethnic groups = 0.899). Being previously infected and vaccinated ranged from 41.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 35.0–47.9%) in the African Surinamese to 67.1% (95% CI = 59.1–75.0%) in the Turkish group. Compared to participants of Dutch origin, participants of South-Asian Surinamese (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.31, 95% CI = 1.50–7.31)), African Surinamese (aOR = 10.41, 95% CI = 5.17–20.94), Turkish (aOR = 3.74, 95% CI = 1.52–9.20), or Moroccan (aOR = 15.24, 95% CI = 6.70–34.65) origin were more likely to be only infected than infected and vaccinated, after adjusting for age, sex, household size, trust in the government’s response to the pandemic, and month of study visit. SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination status varied across ethnic groups, particularly regarding non-vaccination. As hybrid immunity is most protective against coronavirus disease 2019, future vaccination campaigns should encourage vaccination uptake in specific demographic groups with only infection.
From Contextualism to Contrastivism in Moral Theory
Authors: Sinnott-Armstrong Walter 
Published: January 2025

AbstractIn Morality by Degrees, Alastair Norcross presents contextualist accounts of good and right acts as well as harm and free will. All of his analyses compare what is assessed with “the appropriate alternative,” which is supposed to vary with context. This paper clarifies Norcross's approach, distinguishes it from previous versions of moral contextualism and contrastivism, and reveals difficulties in adequately specifying the context and the appropriate alternative. It also shows how these difficulties can be avoided by moving from contextualism to a kind of contrastivism that does not claim that any alternative is or is not appropriate or relevant.
Family and carer experiences of advanced care planning processes and outcomes
Authors: Whiteford Gail , Curley Dan , Mooney Graeme , Kinsman Leigh , Lower Tony , Hobbs Megan 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Objectives
Despite practice development in the area of advanced care planning (ACP) and systems wide changes implemented to support ACP processes, there has been a paucity of research which has addressed the experiences of a key stakeholder group – family and carers – as they navigate their way through these often very challenging processes. The study described in this article focussed on this key group.

Methods
In-depth qualitative interviews were undertaken with family members and carers in a regional area of Australia in order to illuminate their lived experiences of ACP processes.

Results
Thematic analysis of the narrative data yielded 4 key themes: Being overwhelmed on the ACP journey; unifying effects of completing and using an advanced care directive (ACD); experiencing the highlights and lowlights of care; and paying it forward in advice to staff, carers and families.

Significance of Results
The ACP journey is unique for each carer/family and can be overwhelming. Whilst he lived experiences of families/carers indicated that the quality of care received was of a high standard, feedback to staff suggested their communications be timelier and more empathic. All participants in this study reported benefitting from engaging in ACP early and appreciated support to do so. All benefitted from the preparation of an ACD and found the outcomes (in terms of concordance) gratifying.
Vision and method in global historical sociology
Authors: Go Julian , Lawson George 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Recent years have seen the development of a range of approaches concerned with theorizing and empirically demonstrating the significance of “transboundary entanglements” – patterns of connections between and across social sites. This work, spanning disciplines from sociology to international relations, and including subfields from postcolonial scholarship to global history, seeks to transcend the methodological nationalism associated with much preexisting historical social science by examining how, and with what effect, transboundary entanglements are formed and transformed over time. To date, however, the rich theoretical and substantive contributions made by these approaches have not been matched by comparable attention to the methodological principles and transposable procedures that can be used to analyze transboundary entanglements. This article contributes to this task. We make the case for a principle we call “global methodological relationalism” and explore how this principle can be operationalized through a three-step procedure: first, track relations across a boundary; second, follow these relations over time and across cases to establish variation; and third, provide an explanation of this variation. We highlight sites of overlap and contrast with existing methods for case selection, tracing historical processes, and making causal claims in small-N research, and establish the ways in which a “global historical sociology” oriented around “global methodological relationalism” can assess the significance of “transboundary entanglements.”
A feasibility study on using soft insoles for estimating 3D ground reaction forces with incorporated 3D-printed foam-like sensors
Authors: Willemstein Nick , Sridar Saivimal , van der Kooij Herman , Sadeghi Ali 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Sensorized insoles provide a tool for gait studies and health monitoring during daily life. For users to accept such insoles, they need to be comfortable and lightweight. Previous research has demonstrated that sensorized insoles can estimate ground reaction forces (GRFs). However, these insoles often assemble commercial components restricting design freedom and customization. Within this work, we incorporated four 3D-printed soft foam-like sensors to sensorize an insole. To test the insoles, we had nine participants walk on an instrumented treadmill. The four sensors behaved in line with the expected change in pressure distribution during the gait cycle. A subset of this data was used to identify personalized Hammerstein–Wiener (HW) models to estimate the 3D GRFs while the others were used for validation. In addition, the identified HW models showed the best estimation performance (on average root mean squared (RMS) error 9.3%,

$ {R}^2 $

=0.85 and mean absolute error (MAE) 7%) of the vertical, mediolateral, and anteroposterior GRFs, thereby showing that these sensors can estimate the resulting 3D force reasonably well. These results were comparable to or outperformed other works that used commercial force-sensing resistors with machine learning. Four participants participated in three trials over a week, which showed a decrease in estimation performance over time but stayed on average 11.35% RMS and 8.6% MAE after a week with the performance seeming consistent between days two and seven. These results show promise for using 3D-printed soft piezoresistive foam-like sensors with system identification regarding the viability for applications that require softness, lightweight, and customization such as wearable (force) sensors.
Exploring Causal Relationships and Adjustment Timescales of Aerosol‐Cloud Interactions in Geostationary Satellite Observations and CAM6 Using Wavelet Phase Coherence Analysis
Authors: Zhou Xiaoli , Painemal David , Gettleman Andrew , Feingold Graham 
Published: January 2025

AbstractWe present for the first time within the cloud physics context, the application of wavelet phase coherence analysis to disentangle counteracting physical processes associated with the lead‐lag phase difference between cloud‐proxy liquid water path (LWP) and aerosol‐proxy cloud droplet number concentration (Nd) in an Eulerian framework using satellite‐based observations and climate model outputs. This approach allows us to identify the causality and dominant adjustment timescales governing the correlation between LWP and Nd. Satellite observations indicate a more prevalent positive correlation between daytime LWP and Nd regardless of whether LWP leads or lags Nd. The positive cloud water response, associated with precipitation processes, typically occurs within 1 hr, while the negative response resulting from entrainment drying, usually takes 2–4 hr. CAM6 displays excessively rapid negative responses along with overly strong negative cloud water response and insufficient positive response, leading to a more negative correlation between LWP and Nd compared to observations.
Ice‐kNN‐South: A Lightweight Machine Learning Model for Antarctic Sea Ice Prediction
Authors: Lin Yongcheng , Yang Qinghua , Li Xuewei , Dong Xiaoran , Luo Hao , Nie Yafei , Wang Jiuke , Wang Yiguo , Min Chao 
Published: January 2025

AbstractAccurately predicting Antarctic sea ice on a subseasonal‐to‐seasonal scale remains a challenge for current numerical models, partly due to imperfect model parameterizations and the extensive computational resources required. Here, we have developed a lightweight machine learning model, Ice‐k‐nearest neighbor (kNN)‐South, to predict Antarctic sea ice concentration anomaly (SICA) up to 90 days in advance. The lightweight sea ice prediction model can be executed efficiently with limited computational resources. Compared with anomaly persistence, climatology, and the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts predictions, the Ice‐kNN‐South exhibits improved performance for almost 90 lead days, as evaluated by the mean absolute error (MAE), anomaly correlation coefficient (ACC), and integrated ice edge error (IIEE). Besides, the improvements of Ice‐kNN‐South are more pronounced in regions with high SICA variability by implementing a multi‐scale structure that combines field‐to‐field and grid‐to‐grid predictions. Furthermore, Ice‐kNN‐South shows the most significant enhancement in predictive skill during the summer and autumn seasons, particularly in summer. In contrast, relatively smaller enhancements are observed in the West Pacific Ocean and the Ross Sea during winter and spring. Even during the years of minimum sea ice areas (SIAs) in 2017, 2022, 2023, and 2024, Ice‐kNN‐South accurately captures sea ice variations, maintaining monthly averaged SIA errors below 8.5% compared to satellite observations within a 30‐day lead time. These findings suggest a potential approach to improve the accuracy of Antarctic sea ice predictions, particularly for the use of data‐driven models.
VCP downstream metabolite glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) inhibits CD8+T cells function in the HCC microenvironment
Authors: Cheng Cheng , Zha Qingrui , Sun Linmao , Cui Tianming , Guo Xinyu , Xing Changjian , Chen Zhengxiang , Ji Changyong , Liang Shuhang , Tao Shengwei , Chu Junhui , Wu Chenghui , Chu Qi , Gu Xuetian , Zhang Ning , Fu Yumin , Deng Shumin , Zhu Yitong , Wang Jiabei , Liu Yao , Liu Lianxin 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
CD8+T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are often functionally impaired, which limits their ability to mount effective anti-tumor responses. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this dysfunction remain incompletely understood. Here, we identified valosin-containing protein (VCP) as a key regulator of CD8+T cells suppression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our findings reveal that VCP suppresses the activation, expansion, and cytotoxic capacity of CD8+T cells both in vitro and in vivo, significantly contributing to the immunosuppressive nature of the TME. Mechanistically, VCP stabilizes the expression of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1-like protein (GPD1L), leading to the accumulation of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), a downstream metabolite of GPD1L. The accumulated G3P diffuses into the TME and directly interacts with SRC-family tyrosine kinase LCK, a critical component of the T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway in CD8+T cells. This interaction heightens the phosphorylation of Tyr505, a key inhibitory residue, ultimately reducing LCK activity and impairing downstream TCR signaling. Consequently, CD8+T cells lose their functional capacity, diminishing their ability to fight against HCC. Importantly, we demonstrated that targeting VCP in combination with anti-PD1 therapy significantly suppresses HCC tumor growth and restores the anti-tumor function of CD8+T cells, suggesting synergistic therapeutic potential. These findings highlight a previously unrecognized mechanism involving VCP and G3P in suppressing T-cell-mediated immunity in the TME, positioning VCP as a promising upstream target for enhancing immunotherapy in HCC.
Skeletal abnormalities caused by a Connexin43R239Q mutation in a mouse model for autosomal recessive craniometaphyseal dysplasia
Authors: Fujii Yasuyuki , Okabe Iichiro , Hatori Ayano , Sah Shyam Kishor , Kanaujiya Jitendra , Fisher Melanie , Norris Rachael , Terasaki Mark , Reichenberger Ernst J. , Chen I-Ping 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Craniometaphyseal dysplasia (CMD), a rare craniotubular disorder, occurs in an autosomal dominant (AD) or autosomal recessive (AR) form. CMD is characterized by hyperostosis of craniofacial bones and metaphyseal flaring of long bones. Many patients with CMD suffer from neurological symptoms. The pathogenesis of CMD is not fully understood. Treatment is limited to craniofacial surgery. Here, we report a knock in (KI) mouse model for AR CMD carrying a Cx43R239Q mutation. Cx43

KI/KI
mice replicate typical features of AR CMD, including thickening of craniofacial bones, club-shaped femurs, and widened diaphyseal cortical bones. Female Cx43

KI/KI
mice display remarkably more bone overgrowth than male Cx43

KI/KI
mice as they age. In contrast to Cx43

+/+
littermates, Cx43

KI/KI
mice exhibit periosteal bone deposition and increased osteoclast (OC) numbers in the endosteum of long bones. Although formation of resting OCs in Cx43

+/+
and Cx43

KI/KI
mice is comparable, the actively resorbing Cx43

KI/KI
OCs have reduced resorption on bone chips. Cx43

KI/KI
mice display reduced osteocyte dendrites. RNA from Cx43

KI/KI
femoral cortical bones show reduced expression levels of Sost, Tnf-α, IL-1β, Esr1, Esr2, and a lower Rankl/Opg ratio. Moreover, the Cx43R239Q mutation results in altered spatial expression of Cx43 protein and mild reduction of gap junction and hemichannel activity. The distinct phenotype seen in Cx43

KI/KI
mice but not in Cx43 ablation models suggests that Cx43 loss-of-function is unlikely the main cause of AR CMD. Additional studies are required to investigate new roles of CMD-mutant Cx43.
Computational design of highly signalling-active membrane receptors through solvent-mediated allosteric networks
Authors: Chen K.-Y. M. , Lai J. K. , Rudden L. S. P. , Wang J. , Russell A. M. , Conners K. , Rutter M. E. , Condon B. , Tung F. , Kodandapani L. , Chau B. , Zhao X. , Benach J. , Baker K. , Hembre E. J. , Barth P. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Protein catalysis and allostery require the atomic-level orchestration and motion of residues and ligand, solvent and protein effector molecules. However, the ability to design protein activity through precise protein–solvent cooperative interactions has not yet been demonstrated. Here we report the design of 14 membrane receptors that catalyse G protein nucleotide exchange through diverse engineered allosteric pathways mediated by cooperative networks of intraprotein, protein–ligand and –solvent molecule interactions. Consistent with predictions, the designed protein activities correlated well with the level of plasticity of the networks at flexible transmembrane helical interfaces. Several designs displayed considerably enhanced thermostability and activity compared with related natural receptors. The most stable and active variant crystallized in an unforeseen signalling-active conformation, in excellent agreement with the design models. The allosteric network topologies of the best designs bear limited similarity to those of natural receptors and reveal an allosteric interaction space larger than previously inferred from natural proteins. The approach should prove useful for engineering proteins with novel complex protein binding, catalytic and signalling activities.
Efficient and accurate determination of the degree of substitution of cellulose acetate using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and machine learning
Authors: Rhein Frank , Sehn Timo , Meier Michael A. R. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Multiple linear regression models were trained to predict the degree of substitution (DS) of cellulose acetate based on raw infrared (IR) spectroscopic data. A repeated k-fold cross validation ensured unbiased assessment of model accuracy. Using the DS obtained from 1H NMR data as reference, the machine learning model achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.069 in DS on test data, demonstrating higher accuracy compared to the manual evaluation based on peak integration. Limiting the model to physically relevant areas unexpectedly showed the
$${\hbox {C}{-}\hbox {H}}$$
peak to be the strongest predictor of DS. By applying a n-best feature selection algorithm based on the F-statistic of the Pearson correlation coefficient, several relevant areas were identified and the optimized model achieved an improved MAE of 0.052. Predicting the DS of other cellulose acetate data sets yielded similar accuracy, demonstrating that the developed models are robust and suitable for efficient and accurate routine evaluations. The model solely trained on cellulose acetate was further able to predict the DS of other cellulose esters with an accuracy of
$$\approx 0.1-0.2$$
in DS and model architectures for a more general analysis of cellulose esters were proposed.