bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bridging the gap: An outlook of oncofertility care in Africa
Authors: Odhiambo Martin , Muteshi Charles 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThis article examines existing literature on oncofertility in Africa and explores the barriers to oncofertility care. Patient‐level barriers include lack of awareness about fertility preservation options, financial constraints, and the heavy emotional burden of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare‐provider barriers encompass lack of awareness, prioritization of prompt cancer treatment, and implicit biases. Health‐system barriers include limited facilities that can provide assisted reproductive technologies, limited insurance coverage for oncofertility services, weak referral systems, and the absence of national guidelines on oncofertility care. Socio‐cultural barriers include religious objections, misinformation contributing to mistrust of fertility preservation options, and ethical dilemmas related to discussing future fertility with cancer patients whose primary focus is survival or with pediatric patients. This article also explores ways of improving oncofertility care in the region. These include educational initiatives for healthcare providers, capacity building, incorporation of oncofertility services into national cancer control programs, development of a centralized referral system, telemedicine, and increasing awareness to cancer patients.
A Complex Presentation of Multiple Myeloma With Renal Complications in a Young Female: Diagnostic Challenges and Treatment Approach
Authors: Prajapati Hem , Patel Yash M. , Parmar Ajay C. , Patel Sahaj Y. , Shaikhjiwala Tasin Mohammedyakub 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTA previously healthy 30‐year‐old woman experienced worsening back pain, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, and facial puffiness. After 18 months of these symptoms, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which was also damaging her kidneys. The treatment involved a combination of medications and blood transfusions, leading to improved kidney function. Despite the challenges of managing her condition as a mother of young children, she remains hopeful. This case emphasizes the need for awareness of multiple myeloma in younger patients and the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary care for managing this chronic illness.Trial Registration: The authors have confirmed clinical trial registration is not needed for this submission
Liver transplantation in glycogen storage disease type III: A case‐series
Authors: Gay Simon , Bigot Adrien , d'Alteroche Louis , Dujardin Fanny , Fromont‐Hankard Gaëlle , Tressel Nathalie , Salame Ephrem , Maillot François 
Published: January 2025

AbstractGlycogen storage disease type III (GSD III) is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by a deficiency of liver and muscle amylo‐1,6‐glucosidase. This condition presents with severe hepatic symptoms in childhood, mostly hepatomegaly, hypoglycemia in half of patients, while muscular complications may predominate in adulthood. Hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are common complications in older patients. Therefore, regular monitoring, including HCC screening, is essential for effective disease management. In some severe cases, liver transplantation (LT) may be necessary to treat life‐threatening complications. Here, we report the cases of three adult patients who required LT during the course of GSD III. Case #1: Diagnosis of GSD III was made in childhood, with development of hepatocellular carcinoma requiring partial hepatectomy followed by LT due to post‐operative complications. The patient recovered well and had favorable surveillance over a seven‐year period. Case #2: Diagnosis of GSD III in early childhood, with progression to cirrhosis in adulthood. Severe hepatic encephalopathy necessitated urgent transplantation, with a favorable recovery, although muscular symptoms remained present. Case #3: Diagnosis of GSD III in childhood, followed by later development of hepatocellular adenocarcinoma requiring LT. The patient recovered well and did not exhibit post‐transplant muscular symptoms. Post‐LT outcome was positive for all three GSD III patients, with significant improvement in liver function and no complications related to immunosuppression. Long‐term hepatic monitoring is essential for early detection of complications such as cirrhosis and HCC. LT indications should be individually evaluated, preferring less invasive options. These cases highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the effective management of GSD III, with particular attention to hepatic and muscular surveillance.
Pyridinium surfactants can modulate the UV response of methyl green dye‐doped polymeric films for sensor development
Authors: Signorelli Daiany Ceccon , Patiño‐Agudelo Álvaro Javier , Ferreira Gabriel Max Dias , Mageste Aparecida Barbosa , Thomasi Sérgio Sherrer , Ferreira Giovana Azevedo , Ferreira Guilherme Max Dias 
Published: January 2025

AbstractConcerns about ultraviolet radiation (UV‐R) are increasing due to climate change. The effects of UV‐R on living organisms depend on exposure duration and intensity, making it crucial to monitor UV‐R levels. In this study, we investigated the role of surfactants as photosensitizing or stabilizing agents in a colorimetric sensor based on a polymeric film doped with methyl green dye. The films were synthesized using the casting technique from a filmogenic solution containing either carboxylated polyvinyl alcohol (P1) or hydroxylated polyvinyl alcohol (P2). We evaluated the impact of surfactant structure (dodecylpyridinium chloride, C12; hexadecylpyridinium chloride, C16; or sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) and concentration on the colorimetric response of the films to UV‐R. Color changes were monitored using the CIELab system. The results showed that, under UV‐R exposure for up to 5 h, films without surfactants did not lose their blue hue (negative b* parameter in CIELab). While SDS stabilized the dye in the polymeric matrix, films containing pyridinium surfactants (C12 or C16) changed color from blue to pale yellow (positive b* parameter in CIELab). The color change, which was modulated by surfactant concentration, was attributed to radical reactions involving the pyridinium surfactants, influenced by their hydrophobicity and the polymer structure. These results represent a significant advancement in colorimetric sensors for UV‐R, as they allow for the modulation of the sensor's response time through surfactant concentration in the polymeric film.
Enhancing Optical Sectioning in Structured Illumination Microscopy With Axially Confined Fringe Modulation
Authors: Li Jiaoyue , Chen Xiaofei , Wen Kai , An Sha , Zheng Juanjuan , Ma Ying , Wang Xiaofang , Dan Dan , Yao Baoli , Nienhaus G. Ulrich , Gao Peng 
Published: January 2025

AbstractOptical sectioning structured illumination microscopy (OS‐SIM) is a fast, minimally invasive 3D imaging technique that has found widespread application in the biosciences. It is based on sample illumination with several illumination fringe patterns featuring distinct mutual phase shifts, from which an axially sectioned image is reconstructed. Its optical sectioning capability is commonly attributed to the attenuation of the fringe modulation of light collected from planes displaced from the focal plane. However, in addition to this effect, which is governed solely by the detection optics, optical sectioning can be further enhanced by confining the fringe modulation axially via partially coherent illumination (PCI). To establish guidelines for optimal illumination field shaping, both theoretically and experimentally are investigated, the optical sectioning strength of OS‐SIM upon variation of the two key parameters, modulation period and angular spectrum of the incident illumination. By using PCI with OS‐SIM, nearly fivefold and 1.4‐fold enhanced axial resolution have achieved for scattering (non‐fluorescent) and fluorescent samples, respectively. This work elucidates the optical sectioning mechanism of OS‐SIM and provides a perspective for further optimization.
Semigroup Dynamics and Chaotic Behavior in Second‐Order Partial Differential Equations on H1×L2$$ {H}^1\times {L}^2 $$ Space
Authors: Menchih Manal , Hilal Khalid , Kajouni Ahmed 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on the dynamics of a second‐order partial differential equation within the space described by
Under suitable conditions on the parameters , and , we demonstrate that the solution of the linearized version of our proposed model generates mixing, chaotic, and distributionally chaotic strongly continuous semigroups on the product space . Additionally, our treatment of the nonhomogeneous model establishes that its solution, while not generating a strongly continuous semigroup, exhibits chaotic and distributionally chaotic behavior on the space . Moreover, we provide a compelling application of our proposed model, showcasing instances where chaos manifests.
Cover Image
Authors: He Yongxi , Zhang Jiacheng , Zhang Yiqun , Duan Xuechao , Zhou Jinzhu , Gao Wenjie , Li Xun , Fan Guanheng , Li Peng 
Published: January 2025

The cover image is based on the article Porous structural battery composite for coordinated integration of mechanical and electrical functionalities by Yongxi He et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.29060.
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Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy at Cell Surfaces to Study Physical Properties of Heparan Sulfate Chains and Protein‐Heparan Sulfate Interactions
Authors: Grossdorf Alexandra , Obser Tobias , Wang Yuanyuan , Gorzelanny Christian 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTHeparins and heparan sulfates (HS) are highly sulfated glycosaminoglycans that contribute to various physiological and pathophysiological processes such as coagulation, signal transduction, and extracellular matrix organization. In addition to its use as an anticoagulant, HS is therefore considered a promising compound for various biomedical applications such as tissue engineering. The wide range of different biological activities is facilitated by the large structural diversity of HS. At the molecular level, the biological properties of HS are linked to the interaction with HS‐binding proteins, which is controlled by a complex code of sulfation. A comprehensive understanding of the HS structure and associated biological properties is essential for the effective exploitation of HS in biomedical applications. In the present study, we used super‐resolution microscopy in combination with single‐molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) to characterize HS on cell surfaces. Following our previous studies, we used melanoma cells as a model system. We found punctate accumulations of HS on the surface of melanoma cells in colocalisation with nanometric cellular protrusions. These protrusions were less prominent on surfaces of HS‐deficient melanoma cells. Applying SMFS experiments, we characterized the apparent length and flexibility of single HS chains and discussed the impact of HS‐binding proteins on the structural configuration of HS. Melanoma cells with an altered sulfation after knockout of the HS 6‐O sulfotransferase 1, were used as reference. Our data analysis suggests that the apparent median length of single HS chains was 137 nm, whereas chain segments of approximately 50 nm were involved in HS‐protein interactions. In conclusion, we have successfully applied super‐resolution microscopy and SMFS to study the distribution and structural configuration of HS on the surface of mammalian cells. In the future, genetic engineering of mammalian cells may allow the production of defined HS tailored for specific biomedical applications, such as anticoagulation or tissue regeneration.
Tracheobronchitis in Noncritically Ill Children With Tracheostomy: Can Quantitative Tracheal Cultures Assist in the Management?
Authors: García‐Boyano Miguel , Climent Alcalá Francisco José , Rodríguez Alonso Aroa , García Fernández de Villalta Marta , Zubiaur Alonso Oihane , Rabanal Retolaza Ignacio , Quiles Melero Inmaculada , Calvo Cristina , Escosa‐García Luis 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTBackground and ObjectivesBacteria in tracheal aspirate samples from children with tracheostomy can indicate infection or colonization. Our study aimed to determine whether bacterial counts > 104 or > 105 CFU (colony forming units)/mL are more frequently associated with tracheobronchitis. Additionally, we aimed to examine the association between bacterial count and variables distinguishing colonization from infection in tracheobronchitis, along with clinical severity indicators.MethodsRetrospective cohort study of children with tracheostomy at La Paz University Hospital, Madrid (June 2018–April 2023). Inclusion criteria were tracheal aspirate cultures with bacterial growth in noncritical patients under 18. For multiple cultures within the same episode, the first showing bacterial growth was considered; when multiple isolates were present, the highest bacterial count was used.ResultsWe analyzed 552 tracheal aspirate cultures from 62 children. Among the 447 cultures with bacterial growth (81%), 113 (25.3%) were related to episodes of tracheobronchitis. No significant differences were found in bacterial counts > 104 or > 105 CFU/mL between tracheobronchitis episodes and those not meeting criteria for tracheobronchitis or pneumonia (p = 0.405, p = 0.485) or when compared to pneumonia (p = 0.553, p = 0.552). Similarly, in tracheobronchitis episodes, no differences were observed in the bacterial count for variables distinguishing colonization from infection or in clinical severity indicators, except for antibiotic prescriptions, which were significantly higher with bacterial counts > 105 CFU/mL (p = 0.037).ConclusionsWe were unable to demonstrate an association between higher bacterial counts in tracheal aspirate and tracheobronchitis in children with tracheostomy. This raises doubts about the reliability of bacterial count as a diagnostic tool for tracheobronchitis.
Farming Technologies, Migration and Left‐Behind Women in China: A Socio‐Technical Perspective
Authors: Kaufmann Lena , Tao Han 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThis article sheds new light on the connection between agriculture and rural‐urban migration in contemporary China. Focusing on migrants' places of origin and the case of paddy rice fields, it investigates how rural families cope with the dual challenges of migrating to cities for employment and preserving their fields as safety net resources. In the absence of the middle generation, and especially men, due to migration, it is especially older women who face a double burden of caring not only for the fields but also for their grandchildren. This article is based on multi‐sited ethnographic fieldwork in rural and urban China, including participant observation and interviews with migrating and left‐behind farmers, as well as the analysis of local gazetteers, media reports, agricultural reports and statistics. Taking a socio‐technical perspective on migration, which is also relevant beyond China, the article discusses three exemplary land‐use strategies with a focus on the gendered implications of these strategies. It demonstrates how women who stay draw strategically on available manual and industrial farming technologies and knowledge to actively deal with their households' predicament. It argues that paying more attention to those who stay and their material world enables a better understanding of migration processes and the specific agency of left‐behind women. Moreover, this provides insights into subtly changing family and gender dynamics, including challenging the binary division of technologies used for productive or reproductive labour. In so doing, this article contributes an original, qualitative exploration of the understudied rural side of migration.
Identifying early warning signals of cancer formation
Authors: Yu Chong , Li Wenbo , Fang Xiaona , Wang Jin 
Published: January 2025

AbstractIt is increasingly clear that cancer is a complex systemic disease and one of the most fatal diseases in humans. Complex systems, including cancer, exhibit critical transitions in which the system abruptly shifts from one state to another. However, predicting these critical transitions is difficult as the system may show little change before the tipping point is reached. Models for predicting cancer are generally not accurate enough to reliably predict where these critical transitions will occur. Additionally, there is often a gap between theoretical results and clinical practice. To address these issues, we conducted a study using gastric cancer as a representative to reveal the tipping point of cancer and develop a feasible method for clinical monitoring. We used gene regulatory networks and a landscape framework to quantify the formation of gastric cancer. Since the dissipation cost of cancer cells is different from that of normal cells, we calculated the entropy product rate (EPR) and mean flux to quantify the thermodynamic cost and dynamical driving force in predicting critical transitions of cancer, which can serve as early warning signals. Both the EPR and mean flux change sharply near the point when the cancer state is about to emerge and/or the normal state is about to disappear. Moreover, the peak or sharp upward trends of the signals occur much earlier than critical slowdown and flickering frequency. These significant variations can be used as early warning signals for cancer. To further explore early warning signals in clinical and experimental trials, we calculated the difference in cross correlations (ΔC) forward and backward in time for the stochastic gene expression time series. This time‐irreversible measure gives a rise to peak before the bifurcation points, which can help detect precancerous and metastatic early warning signals in clinical practice rather than just theoretical calculation. This study is crucial for effectively identifying early warning signals for cancer in clinical and experimental settings.
Estimation of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Without Gold Standards
Authors: Sun Ao , Zhou Xiao‐Hua 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThe ideal evaluation of diagnostic test performance requires a reference test that is free of errors. However, for many diseases, obtaining such a “gold standard” reference is either impossible or prohibitively expensive. Estimating test accuracy in the absence of a gold standard is therefore a significant challenge. In this article, we introduce and categorize existing methods for evaluating diagnostic tests without a gold standard, considering factors such as the type and number of tests, as well as the structure of the observed data. For each method, we provide a comprehensive introduction and analysis of its underlying assumptions, model architecture, identifiability, estimation techniques, and inference procedures. We use R to conduct simulations for widely applicable models, validating assumptions, comparing models, and assessing their reliability. Additionally, we present real‐world examples along with the corresponding R code for these models, enabling readers to better understand how to apply them effectively. Beyond diagnostic medicine, we underscore that the issue of imperfect gold standards affects other fields, drawing parallels to the noisy label problem in machine learning. By highlighting similarities and differences across these domains, we open pathways for further research. The primary aim of this article is to consolidate existing methods for assessing test accuracy in the absence of a gold standard and to provide practical guidance for researchers seeking to apply these methods effectively.
A Bayesian Multivariate Model With Temporal Dependence on Random Partition of Areal Data for Mosquito‐Borne Diseases
Authors: Pavani Jessica , Quintana Fernando Andrés 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTMore than half of the world's population is exposed to mosquito‐borne diseases, leading to millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Analyzing this type of data is complex and poses several interesting challenges, mainly due to the usually vast geographic area involved, the peculiar temporal behavior, and the potential correlation between infections. Motivation for this work stems from the analysis of tropical disease data, namely, the number of cases of dengue and chikungunya, for the 145 microregions in Southeast Brazil from 2018 to 2022. As a contribution to the literature on multivariate disease data, we develop a flexible Bayesian multivariate spatio‐temporal model where temporal dependence is defined for areal clusters. The model features a prior distribution for the random partition of areal data that incorporates neighboring information. It also incorporates an autoregressive structure and terms related to seasonal patterns into temporal components that are disease‐ and cluster‐specific. Furthermore, it considers a multivariate directed acyclic graph autoregressive structure to accommodate spatial and inter‐disease dependence. We explore the properties of the model through simulation studies and show results that prove our proposal compares well to competing alternatives. Finally, we apply the model to the motivating dataset with a twofold goal: finding clusters of areas with similar temporal trends for some of the diseases and exploring the existence of correlation between two diseases transmitted by the same mosquito.
An Ordinal Collaboration Network Model With Zero Truncated Poisson Latent Variables and Its Application
Authors: Qi Yang , Yu‐Zhu Tian , Yi‐Jing Zhang , Yue Wang , Zhi‐Bao Mian 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTLink prediction has traditionally been regarded as a binary classification problem, aiming to predict whether a link exists between two nodes in a given network. However, this binary framework fails to account for the cooperation intensity or the diversity of relationships. For example, in collaboration networks, the cooperation intensity often varies depending on the number of collaborations. Therefore, building on the premise of existing collaborations, this study models the relationships between authors as an ordinal multiclass problem to more accurately characterize varying levels of cooperation intensity. Then, the ordinal collaboration network model with zero‐truncated Poisson latent variables is constructed. The maximum likelihood estimation method is used to estimate the model parameters, and the performance of the model is evaluated by numerical simulation. Finally, this paper applies the ZTP‐OCN model to the collaboration network of statistical journals to verify its validity in predicting the cooperation intensity. The results show that the model can describe the cooperation relationship with different intensity well.
Production and assembly of ultra‐thin concrete shells using prefabrication
Authors: Fernandes Paulo , Elbashir Douaa , Cavaco Eduardo , Almeida Nuno , Henriques Pedro 
Published: January 2025

AbstractThis paper outlines the structural solutions and methodology developed for (1) the industrial production of an ultra‐thin double‐curvature shell prototype, prefabricated in ultra‐high performance fiber‐reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) modules, and (2) the on‐site assembly of the shell structure, involving prestressing and dry connections, and fixing to the foundations. To address the different challenges, including the double‐curvature shape, ultra‐thin thickness leading to high slenderness, the use of UHPFRC, small tolerances, precise dry indented connections, and the positioning of prestressing strands, a steel formwork, and vertical concreting were chosen. A support apparatus was developed to ensure structural integrity, working both as anchor plates of the prestressing strands and as connecting devices between the superstructure and the foundation. The methodology was developed using a realistic 3D digital model and validated (molds, production, assembly, and supports) in producing a reduced‐scale shell model, used to characterize the shell structural response under seismic loads on the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering's seismic table. The scale‐up of the process was made with the construction of a 15‐m full‐scale prototype of the shell structure.