bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Jewish Refugee Children in the Soviet Interior: Voices from Tempelhof Camp, 1946–1947: Exploring Polish Jewish Children’s Testimonies amidst Holocaust Displacement
Authors: Auketayeva Laura 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
This article focuses on Polish Jewish refugee children’s accounts written between 1945 and 1947 in a German Displaced Persons (DP) camp, which describe their lives in the Soviet Union during the war. Children’s accounts often depicted a loss of childhood in having to, at times, take on adult roles in providing and caring for family members. Through these writings, many children articulated key aspects of their identities when reflecting on their family’s lives during the war. Furthermore, children’s identities were structured by awareness of their Jewishness in relation to antisemitic encounters with local children in the Soviet Union. This contributed to Jewish refugee children’s desire to strengthen their Jewish identity and belonging, as evidenced by children’s narratives of a future in Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), where they hoped to be Jewish without fear and build a new home.
Identifying the active microbes driving organosulfur cycling from taurine and methionine in marine sediment
Authors: Coskun Ömer K , Orsi William D , D’Hondt Steven , Gomez-Saez Gonzalo V 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
Studies on microbial sulfur cycling in marine sediment have primarily centered on the cycling of inorganic sulfur. The microbial diversity underlying the cycling of organosulfur compounds is largely unexplored. In this study, we present the first quantification of dissolved organic sulfur (DOS) microbial assimilation in marine surface sediments using 13C-DOS quantitative DNA stable isotope probing (qSIP). We sampled marine sediment from 493 m water depth on the Puerto Rico continental slope, measured 13C-assimilation from two DOS substrates (13C-taurine and 13C-methionine) and compared the 13C-DOS assimilation to 13C-glucose uptake. Taurine utilization was confined to bacteria, whereas methionine was degraded by bacteria and archaea, including methanogenic Methanococcoides. Globally widespread uncultivated clades of Gammaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria were the main drivers of DOS cycling and exhibited increased assimilation of carbon from taurine and methionine, compared to glucose. Only one operational taxonomic unit (OTU) affiliated with Neptuniibacter was found to assimilate taurine and methionine, but not glucose, implying that microbes exclusively utilizing both DOS substrates as a carbon source in marine sediments are rare. Still, a substantial number of bacterial taxa exhibited a higher assimilation 13C from taurine or methionine, compared to glucose, indicating their preference for both DOS substrates over glucose as a carbon source in the sediment. These results represent the first quantitative assessment of organosulfur cycling from taurine and methionine by uncultivated microbes in a marine benthic environment.
Viroid-like “obelisk” agents are widespread in the ocean and exceed the abundance of RNA viruses in the prokaryotic fraction
Authors: López-Simón Javier , de la Peña Marcos , Martínez-García Manuel 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
“Obelisks” are recently discovered RNA viroid-like elements present in diverse environments with no phylogenetic similarity to any known biological agent. Obelisks were first identified in the human gut and in a commensal bacterium acting as a replicative host. They have a circular ∼1 kb RNA genome, rod-like secondary structures, and the encoding of a protein superfamily called “Oblins”. We performed a large-scale search of Obelisks in the ocean using the Pebblescout program and the transcriptomic Sequence Archive Read databases, revealing the biogeography and abundance of these viroid-like RNA elements. We detected 45 Obelisk genomes resulting in 35 marine clusters at the species level. These Obelisks were detected in the prokaryotic fraction and to a lesser extent in the eukaryotic fraction, and distributed across all the oceans from surface to mesopelagic including the Arctic, and even in the coldest seawater of Earth beneath the Antarctic Ross Ice Shelf. The Obelisk hallmark protein Oblin-1 confirmed by 3D models was found in various marine samples. Some of the detected marine Obelisks harbour hammerhead self-cleaving ribozymes in both polarities. In the prokaryotic, but not the eukaryotic, fraction of the Tara Ocean dataset, relative abundance of Obelisks calculated by transcriptomic fragment recruitment indicated that they are abundant in marine samples, reaching or even exceeding the relative abundance of the previously discovered uncultured RNA viruses. In conclusion, Obelisks are abundant and widespread viroid-like elements that should be included in ocean biogeochemical models.
Validation of the REverSe TRanscrIptase Chain Termination assay for measuring tenofovir diphosphate in dried blood spots from a clinical pharmacokinetic trial
Authors: Sullivan Benjamin P , Craig Cosette A , Bender Andrew T , Blake Emily , Siriprakaisil Oraphan , Sukrakanchana Pra-ornsuda , Cressey Tim R , Drain Paul K , Olanrewaju Ayokunle O , Posner Jonathan D 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Background
Tenofovir diphosphate concentration in red blood cells is an objective measure of long-term oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. However, current methods for measuring tenofovir diphosphate are equipment and capital intensive, limiting widespread adoption.

Objectives
Low cost, rapid diagnostics for measuring tenofovir diphosphate may drive clinical adoption of routine drug level measurement as a tool for adherence monitoring of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based PrEP or ART. We validate a simple and accessible enzymatic assay [REverSe TRanscrIptase Chain Termination (RESTRICT)] for measuring tenofovir diphosphate in dried blood spots (DBS) obtained from a directly observed therapy study of individuals on PrEP.

Methods
We performed RESTRICT measurements on 74 DBS samples from individuals on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine regimens. We compared RESTRICT measurements with those from a gold-standard method of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The ability of RESTRICT to correctly classify DBS tenofovir diphosphate concentrations to established steady-state adherence benchmark concentrations was determined using area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs).

Results
The RESTRICT measurements of DBS samples were highly correlated with LC-MS/MS measurements of tenofovir diphosphate from DBS (r = −0.90; P &lt; 0.0001). The RESTRICT assay correctly classified DBS samples as above or below established steady-state adherence benchmark concentrations corresponding to low (AUC = 0.974), moderate (AUC = 0.936) and high (AUC = 0.955) levels of adherence.

Conclusions
The enzymatic RESTRICT assay can accurately measure tenofovir diphosphate concentrations in DBS specimens using simple procedures and readily available laboratory equipment, offering accessible objective adherence monitoring for persons receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based PrEP or ART.
MedBot vs RealDoc: efficacy of large language modeling in physician-patient communication for rare diseases
Authors: Weber Magdalena T , Noll Richard , Marchl Alexandra , Facchinello Carlo , Grünewaldt Achim , Hügel Christian , Musleh Khader , Wagner Thomas O F , Storf Holger , Schaaf Jannik 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Objectives
This study assesses the abilities of 2 large language models (LLMs), GPT-4 and BioMistral 7B, in responding to patient queries, particularly concerning rare diseases, and compares their performance with that of physicians.

Materials and Methods
A total of 103 patient queries and corresponding physician answers were extracted from EXABO, a question-answering forum dedicated to rare respiratory diseases. The responses provided by physicians and generated by LLMs were ranked on a Likert scale by a panel of 4 experts based on 4 key quality criteria for health communication: correctness, comprehensibility, relevance, and empathy.

Results
The performance of generative pretrained transformer 4 (GPT-4) was significantly better than the performance of the physicians and BioMistral 7B. While the overall ranking considers GPT-4’s responses to be mostly correct, comprehensive, relevant, and emphatic, the responses provided by BioMistral 7B were only partially correct and empathetic. The responses given by physicians rank in between. The experts concur that an LLM could lighten the load for physicians, rigorous validation is considered essential to guarantee dependability and efficacy.

Discussion
Open-source models such as BioMistral 7B offer the advantage of privacy by running locally in health-care settings. GPT-4, on the other hand, demonstrates proficiency in communication and knowledge depth. However, challenges persist, including the management of response variability, the balancing of comprehensibility with medical accuracy, and the assurance of consistent performance across different languages.

Conclusion
The performance of GPT-4 underscores the potential of LLMs in facilitating physician-patient communication. However, it is imperative that these systems are handled with care, as erroneous responses have the potential to cause harm without the requisite validation procedures.
Disparity analysis: a tale of two approaches
Authors: Opacic Aleksei , Wei Lai , Zhou Xiang 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
To understand patterns of social inequality, social science research has typically relied on statistical models linking the conditional mean of an outcome variable to a set of explanatory factors. A prime example of this approach is the Kitagawa-Oaxaca-Blinder (KOB) method. By fitting two linear models separately for an advantaged group and a disadvantaged group, the KOB method decomposes the between-group outcome disparity into two parts: a part explained by group differences in background characteristics, and an unexplained part often dubbed ‘residual inequality’. In this article, we explicate, contrast, and extend two distinct approaches to studying group disparities, which we term the descriptive approach, as epitomized by the KOB method and its variants, and the prescriptive approach, which focuses on how a disparity of interest would change under a hypothetical intervention to one or more manipulable treatments. For the descriptive approach, we propose a generalized nonparametric KOB decomposition that considers multiple explanatory variables sequentially. For the prescriptive approach, we introduce a variety of stylized interventions, such as lottery-type and affirmative-action-type interventions that close between-group gaps in treatment. We illustrate the two approaches to disparity analysis through an application to the Black-White gap in college completion rates in the U.S.
An Optically Led Search for Kilonovae to z∼0.3 with the Kilonova and Transients Program (KNTraP)
Authors: Van Bemmel Natasha , Zhang Jielai , Cooke Jeff , Rest Armin , Möller Anais , Andreoni Igor , Auchettl Katie , Dobie Dougal , Gendre Bruce , Goode Simon , Freeburn James , Jones David O , Kilpatrick Charles D , Lien Amy , Rau Arne , Spitler Lee , Suhr Mark , Valdes Fransisco 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
Compact binary mergers detectable in gravitational waves can be accompanied by a kilonova, an electromagnetic transient powered by radioactive decay of newly synthesised r-process elements. A few kilonova candidates have been observed during short gamma-ray burst follow-up, and one found associated with a gravitational wave detection, GW170817. However, robust kilonova candidates are yet to be found in un-triggered, wide-field optical surveys; a search not requiring an initial gravitational wave or gamma-ray burst trigger. Here we present the first observing run for the Kilonova and Transients Program (KNTraP) using the Dark Energy Camera. The first KNTraP run ran for 11 nights, covering 31 fields at a nightly cadence in two filters. The program is non-disruptive, can detect transients beyond the LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA horizon, is agnostic to the merger orientation, avoids the Sun and/or Galactic plane, and produces high cadence multi-wavelength light curves. The data were processed nightly in real-time for rapid identification of transient candidates, allowing for follow-up of interesting candidates before they faded away. Three fast-rising candidates were identified in real-time, however none had the characteristics of the kilonova AT2017gfo associated with GW170817 or with the expected evolution for kilonovae from our fade-rate models. After the run, the data were reprocessed, then subjected to stringent filtering and model fitting to search for kilonovae offline. Multiple KNTraP runs (3+) are expected to detect kilonovae via this optical-only search method. No kilonovae were detected in this first KNTraP run using our selection criteria, constraining the KN rate to R &lt; 1.8 × 105 Gpc−3 yr−1.
Regulation of CRISPR trans-cleavage activity by an overhanging activator
Authors: Yin Na , Yu Hongyan , Zhang Li , Luo Fei , Wang Weitao , Han Xiaole , He Yu , Zhang Yiqi , Wu You , Pu Jiu , Feng Tong , Yang Gang , Chen Tingmei , Xie Guoming 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas12a system exhibits extraordinary capability in the field of molecular diagnosis and biosensing, attributed to its trans-cleavage ability. The precise modulation of performance has emerged as a significant challenge in advancing CRISPR technology to the next stage of development. Herein, we reported a CRISPR/Cas12a regulation strategy based on an overhanging activator. The presence of overhanging domains in activators creates steric hindrances that have a substantial impact on the trans-cleavage activity and activation timing of Cas12a. The trans-cleavage activity of Cas12a can be finely tuned by adjusting the position, length, and complementarity of the overhanging domains. Moreover, specific structures exhibit characteristics of automatic delayed activation. The presence of overhanging domains enables precise and timely activation of Cas12a, facilitating multifunctional applications. This system effectively accomplishes dynamic regulation, programmable release of cargo, logical operations, and multi-enzyme detection. The flexibility and versatility of this simple and powerful CRISPR regulatory strategy will pave the way for expanded applications of CRISPR/Cas in biotechnology, bioengineering, and biomedicine.
Nitrogen stable isotope fractionation by biological nitrogen fixation reveals cellular nitrogenase is diffusion limited
Authors: Han Eunah , Kopf Sebastian H , Maloney Ashley E , Ai Xuyuan Ellen , Sigman Daniel M , Zhang Xinning 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
Biological fixation of dinitrogen (N2), the primary natural source of new bioavailable nitrogen (N) on Earth, is catalyzed by the enzyme nitrogenase through a complex mechanism at its active site metal cofactor. How this reaction functions in cellular environments, including its rate-limiting step, and how enzyme structure affects functioning remain unclear. Here we investigated cellular N2 fixation through its N isotope effect (15εfix), measured as the difference between the 15N/14N ratios of diazotroph net new fixed N and N2 substrate. The value of 15εfix underpins N cycle reconstructions and differs between diazotrophs using molybdenum-containing and molybdenum-free nitrogenases. By examining 15εfix for Azotobacter vinelandii strains with natural and mutated nitrogenases, we determined if 15εfix reflects enzyme-scale isotope effects and, thus, N2 use efficiency. Distinct and relatively stable 15εfix values for wild-type molybdenum- and vanadium-nitrogenase isoforms (2.5‰ and 5.8–6.6‰, respectively), despite changing cellular growth rate and electron availability, support 15εfix as a proxy for isoform type among extant nitrogenases. Structural mutation of active site N2 access altered molybdenum-nitrogenase 15εfix (3.0–6.8‰ for α-70VI mutant). Structure-function and isotopic modeling results indicated cellular N2 reduction is rate-limited by N2 diffusion inside nitrogenase due to highly efficient catalysis by the active site cofactor, exemplifying 15εfix as a tool to probe N2 fixation mechanisms. Diffusion-constrained reactions could reflect structural tradeoffs that protect the oxygen-sensitive cofactor from oxygen inactivation. This suggests that nitrogenase function is optimized for modern oxygenated environments and that pre-Great Oxidative Event nitrogenases were less diffusion limited and potentially exhibited larger 15εfix values.
Multi-objective cooperative control of junction-temperature oriented three-level traction converter
Authors: Liu Haitao , Xiang Chaoqun , Du Jingrun , Zhang Xinan 
Published: February 2025

Abstract
IGBT (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor) module is the core of three-level (3 L) traction converter. In order to improve the lifetime of traction converter, a model predictive torque control (MPTC) based on junction temperature constraint is proposed. Firstly, the optimization range is reduced by judging the sector where the reference voltage vector locates, as the traditional MPTC needs to be optimized 27 times in each sampling period, which requires a large amount of calculation. Secondly, by simplifying the calculation of IGBT power loss and dynamically constraining it in the cost function, the performance of optimal voltage vector balancing control can be balanced with power loss. Simulation results show that the proposed method reduces the junction temperature of the power semiconductor and prolonging the converter lifetime compared with the traditional strategy.
Sore throat or severe threat? The teleconsultation that uncovered neutropenic sepsis
Authors: Chandrakanthan Chanceeth , Ritsema Tamara S. 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACT
This case report describes a telemedicine visit by a patient with fever, sore throat, and odynophagia. The patient had recently started taking propylthiouracil (PTU) for Graves disease. She was referred to the ED, where a complete blood cell count revealed agranulocytosis with a neutrophil count of 200 cells/mm3. PTU was promptly discontinued, and she received treatment with IV piperacillin-tazobactam, resulting in an improvement in her condition. With the rise of telemedicine, clinicians must prioritize thorough history-taking to detect uncommon complications of medications and to ensure patient safety.
Internal vs external fixation of the anterior ring in unstable pelvic fractures was associated with discharge to home.
Authors: Patterson Joseph T. , Hasegawa Ian G. , Sakka Brandan , Collins Andrew P. , Shabani Soroush , Duong Andrew M. , Ding Li , Wong Monica D. , Firoozabadi Reza , Gary Joshua L. 
Published: February 2025

OBJECTIVE:
To determine if anterior internal or definitive external fixation combined with posterior internal fixation of unstable pelvic fractures was associated with frequency of discharge to home.

METHODS:

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:
Two Level 1 Trauma Centers and one academic tertiary referral center.

Patient Selection Criteria:

Patients aged ≥16 years with unstable OTA/AO 61B/C pelvis fractures treated with operative fixation of the anterior and posterior pelvic ring by three fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma surgeons from October 2020 to November 2022.

Outcome Measures and Comparisons:

The primary outcome was the adjusted odds of discharge to home with internal fixation compared with definitive external fixation of the anterior pelvic ring on multivariable analysis considering patient, injury, and treatment characteristics. Secondary outcomes included bivariable associations between anterior fixation type and intensive care unit (ICU) days, ventilator days, hospital length of stay, and hospital charges.

RESULTS:
Seventy-nine patients (65%) who were treated with internal fixation presented with higher mean Glasgow Coma Scale scores (13.5±3.6 vs 10.5±5.4, p<0.01) than 43 patients treated with definitive external fixation, but were otherwise similar to with regard to age (mean 48.1±19.9 vs 41.2±15.8, range (16-96) vs (19-77), p=0.07), sex (36.7% vs 44.2% female, p=0.42193), mean, body mass index (28.4±6.2 vs 28.7±7.4 kg/m2, p=0.93), any medical comorbidities (50.6% vs 44.2%, p=0.62), substance use ((13.9% vs 27.9%, p=0.09884), insurance type (p=0.97), mean Injury Severity Score (24.8±12.0 vs 29.5±14.0, range 5-57 vs 10-57, p=0.14), pelvis fracture pattern (p=0.12187), and preinjury living environment(p=0.67695). On multivariable analysis, patients treated with internal fixation were more frequently discharged to home (53.2% vs 27.9%, odds ratio 3.39, 95% confidence interval 1.29-9.84, p=0.0198). Patients treated with anterior internal fixation also experienced fewer mean ICU days (6.0±8.8 vs 9.8±16.3, p=0.0213), ventilator days (3.5±8.2 vs 6.9±15.9, p<0.0081), and hospital days (18.7±16.2 vs 31.2±26.7, p<0.01); and incurred less hospital charges ($278,563.29±$261,602.35 vs $580,625.98±$503,067.98, p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:
Patients who received anterior and posterior internal fixation of their unstable pelvis fractures were more likely to discharge to home than patients treated with anterior definitive external fixation and posterior internal fixation. Anterior internal fixation was also associated with fewer ICU, ventilator, and hospital days, as well as less hospital charges.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
Therapeutic Level III.
Comparative study of time-restricted eating on body composition and metabolic parameters in climacteric women with obesity: analysis of a pre-post intervention
Authors: de Morais Araújo Nathália Cavalcanti , Paixão Júlia Acioli , de Oliveira Freitas Fabiane , de Araújo Gonçalves Daniel Nunes , de Araujo Fernando Wesley Cavalcanti , da Silva Silvia Alves , do Nascimento Elizabeth 
Published: February 2025

Abstract

Objective
The physiological changes inherent to the climacteric period can trigger or aggravate overweight/obesity, among several other health disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) on body composition and cardiometabolic parameters in climacteric women with obesity submitted to caloric restriction (CR) through a hypocaloric diet.

Methods
We conducted an analysis of a clinical trial in a pre-post design that included adult climacteric women with obesity. Participants were divided into two groups: hypocaloric diet control group (n = 30) — with hypocaloric diet and free meal times, and hypocaloric diet and time-restricted eating group (HTRE) (n = 27) — with hypocaloric diet and TRE (fasting from 7 pm to 7 am), for 10 weeks. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were evaluated before and after the intervention period. A significance level of P < 0.05 was considered for all cases.

Results
Both groups showed a reduction in all anthropometric parameters, but without significant difference (P = 0.34) between groups. However, some metabolic parameters were significantly highlighted in the HTRE such as cholesterol level normalization (HTRE, 181.76 ± 34.20 mg/dL) and a decrease in plasma atherogenicity (P = 0.02), glycated hemoglobin (P < 0.001), estimated mean glucose (P = 0.02), and alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.02), unlike the hypocaloric diet control group, which did not show such significance.

Conclusions
In this study, from the perspective of body composition, similar changes were observed between the group subjected to CR alone and the group subjected to CR combined with a 12-hour overnight fast. However, there was an indication of superior improvement in glycemic and lipid parameters in the group subjected to the 12-hour overnight fast. These findings suggest the potential for TRE, as implemented, to have positive effects on reducing cardiovascular risk and other chronic metabolic diseases.