bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sociological Perspectives on AI, Intelligence and Communication
Authors: Tække Jesper 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTIntroduction. This article presents a comprehensive theoretical model to understand the societal challenges posed by AI, examining AI as a unique form of intelligence—distinct from human cognition—that functions as a computational technology integrated into societal communication processes. Using educational systems as a key example, the article explores AI's implications for functional differentiation across society. Methods. The study applies Luhmann's systems theory, emphasizing communication, double contingency, and the transformative role of digital media and AI. A sociological analysis is conducted on how AI, through virtual double contingency, affects communication within interaction, organization, and functional systems, embedding values beyond negotiation. Results. Findings indicate that AI results in algorithmic differentiation which disrupts traditional communication structures, diminishing functional autonomy within systems like education and altering social structures with profound implications for individuals and society. This transformation is analysed within three societal models: authoritarian, market‐driven, and democratic. Conclusion. While AI integration is essential to maintain European competitiveness alongside the USA and China, it also poses risks to functional differentiation and democratic principles. The article underscores the necessity of a robust regulatory framework and value‐driven approach to responsibly leverage AI's benefits without undermining societal structures or the European democratic model.
Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) Damaging Bottomland Forest in North‐Central Texas, USA
Authors: Hudak Paul F. 
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTEmerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (EAB), a phloem‐feeding beetle native to Asia, continues to destroy ash trees across the United States. The objective of this study was to assess EAB damage to green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and seedling recovery in dwindling (remnant) bottomland near a water supply reservoir in Denton County, Texas. EAB damage was extensive; however, numerous seedlings were thriving and suggest the area will recover. Large trees suffered the most damage. Of 101 large‐diameter (16–60 cm) trees, only nine were alive, and none were in good health. In a small‐diameter (2.5–15 cm) class, only 49 of 174 trees were living, and 15 were in good health. Interior excavation galleries on a recently fallen tree indicate EAB may have been present in Denton County earlier than previously documented. This study highlights the continued spread of EAB in the southern part of its range, recovery patterns, and a need for public outreach as part of an integrated management plan to address the problem.
Trends of surgical treatment and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) application for adrenal tumors: An 11‐year observational study based on electronic medical record
Authors: Luo Bingfeng , Yao Chi , Zhan Yongle , Yuan Yuan , Liao Sucai , Lu Zhenquan , Na Rong , Lo Richard K. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundAdrenal tumor is a common condition that often requires adrenalectomy. The objective of this study is to compare the safety and implementation of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) among patients who received open, laparoscopic and robotic‐assisted operation. The impact of ERAS on health economics was also preliminarily evaluated.MethodsThis is a retrospective study using the electronic medical records of patients with adrenal tumor at the University of Hong Kong‐Shenzhen Hospital between January 2013 and December 2023. All the patients received partial or total adrenalectomy via different surgical approaches.ResultsA total of 254 participants were included in our study. Among them, 229 (90.2%) received laparoscopic adrenalectomy, 12 (4.7%) received robotic‐assisted operation, and 13 (5.1%) received open surgery. The majority of the patients' costs (n = 200, 78.7%) were covered by national health insurance in China. The proportion of robotic surgery increased significantly over time (p < 0.001). Laparoscopic surgery showed significantly shorter operating time and less bleeding than open surgery (p < 0.001). Implementation of ERAS after surgery increased from 3% in 2013–2015 to 46% in 2022–2023 following the 4N protocol (no drainage, no antibiotics, no opioid analgesia, and no intravenous fluids). The out‐of‐pocket expenses for patients decreased from CNY 11 700 in 2013 to CNY 2700 in 2023.ConclusionThe proportion of ERAS has increased. Despite increased total expenses, the out‐of‐pocket expenses for patients have significantly decreased over time via implementation of the ERAS approach.
Statistical considerations in the analysis of minirhizotron data and a review of current practice in agronomic research
Authors: Riley Simon , van Santen Edzard 
Published: January 2025

AbstractA growing body of agronomic research seeks to understand the drivers of plant‐ and field‐scale patterns of crop root system distribution, and how root system distribution in turn affects crop performance. Minirhizotrons play an important role in this effort due to the unique opportunities they provide for collecting in situ root measurements, nondestructively, under field conditions, over a deep (albeit narrow) section of the soil profile. Alongside these advantages and opportunities, however, minirhizotron data also feature a number of idiosyncrasies with potentially important implications for their analysis, including (i) doubly repeated measures in time and space, (ii) non‐normal data with a potentially large number of zeros, and (iii) data subjected to spatial aggregation and, thus, the modifiable areal unit problem. Twenty years of peer‐reviewed journal articles from field trials using minirhizotrons to study cultivated species were reviewed to understand how these statistical issues are being addressed in contemporary agronomic research. The findings indicate that a large proportion of analyses make no effort to account for these issues; it is possible the authors are not aware of them or their implications. Furthermore, even where the analytical methods do reflect concern about one or more of these issues, many studies remain reliant on antiquated and potentially inefficient methods. Crop root systems researchers need to familiarize themselves with more modern, flexible approaches to statistical analysis appropriate to their data and their research objectives, while journals and reviewers need to redouble their efforts to enforce statistical rigor in the works they publish.
Symmetries, universes and phases of QCD2 with an adjoint Dirac fermion
Authors: Damia Jeremias Aguilera , Galati Giovanni , Tizzano Luigi 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
We study 2d SU(N) QCD with an adjoint Dirac fermion. Assuming that the IR limit of the massless theory is captured by a WZW coset CFT, we show that this CFT can be decomposed into a sum of distinct CFTs, each representing a superselection sector (universe) of the gauge theory corresponding to different flux tube sectors. The CFTs describing each universe are related by non-invertible topological lines that exhibit a mixed anomaly with the $$ {\mathbb{Z}}_N^{(1)} $$

ℤ
N

1

1-form symmetry. These symmetries exists along the entire RG flow thereby implying deconfinement of the massless theory. We begin by outlining the general features of the model for arbitrary N and then provide a detailed analysis for N = 2 and N = 3. In these specific cases, we explicitly determine the IR partition function, identify the symmetries, and explore relevant deformations. Based on these findings and in alignment with various previous studies, we propose a phase diagram for the massive SU(2) gauge theory and calculate its confining string tension.
Hybrid bifurcations: periodicity from eliminating a line of equilibria
Authors: López-Nieto Alejandro , Lappicy Phillipo , Vassena Nicola , Stuke Hannes , Dai Jia-Yuan 
Published: January 2025

AbstractWe describe a new mechanism that triggers periodic orbits in smooth dynamical systems. To this end, we introduce the concept of hybrid bifurcations, which consists of a bifurcation without parameters and a classical bifurcation. Our main result classifies the hybrid bifurcation when a line of equilibria with an exchange point of normal stability vanishes. We showcase the efficacy of our approach by proving stable periodic coexistent solutions in an ecosystem of two competing predators with Holling’s type II functional response.
The number of brood parasite visits affects subsequent aggression towards the parasite dummy in host males, but not in females
Authors: Požgayová Milica , Samaš Peter , Šulc Michal , Štětková Gabriela , Jelínek Václav , Honza Marcel , Procházka Petr 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Aggression towards brood parasites is an important component of host frontline defences. Hosts sometimes adjust this behaviour based on their previous experience with the parasites. Here, we explore whether host aggression towards the parasite dummy is affected by (1) the number of parasite visits prior to the dummy experiment and (2) the time elapsed since the last parasite visit (both identified from continuous video-recordings of host nests). As a model species, we used the great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), which is a major host of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). At our study site, this host shows high aggression towards the cuckoo and experiences high parasitism rates. We found that the hosts increased their aggression towards the parasite dummy with increasing number of previous parasite visits. Moreover, the hosts retained aggression at high levels if the last parasite visit occurred recently. However, these behavioural patterns were or tended to be significant only in host males. Our findings underscore the importance of individual experience in shaping host aggression towards brood parasites, at least in the more aggressive sex. Therefore, we recommend considering the information on prior host‒parasite interactions when planning dummy experiments, because it may contribute to a deeper understanding of the variability in host defences against brood parasitism.
Left atrial appendage occlusion: trends in demographics and in-hospital outcomes—a German nationwide analysis
Authors: Voran Jakob Christoph , Seoudy Hatim , Leye Marius , Kolbrink Benedikt , Schulte Kevin , Dempfle Astrid , Frank Derk , Kreidel Felix 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Background
LAAO is an interventional, prophylactic treatment to prevent cardioembolic stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Aims
The aim of this study was to assess gender differences and age-related in-hospital course of all patients undergoing left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) in Germany.

Methods
The Research Data Center of the Federal Statistical Office accessed interrogation of its Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) statistics database. In a retrospective observational manner, all German in-hospital cases from 2016 to 2022 with a coded LAAO procedure were analyzed.

Results
LAAO was performed on a total of 40,435 patients, 39.2% of whom were female. The relative frequency of procedures in the German male population over the age of 60 was twice as high as in the German female population. The median age was 78 (IQR: 72–82) years. Compared to 28.3% in 2016, in 2022 40.1% of all patients were over 80 years of age (increased by 152%). Cases of patients over 85 years of age increased from 7.7 to 11.4% during the same time period. We found an in-hospital death rate for patients < 70, 70–75, 80–85 and > 85 years of age of 0.8, 1.0, 1.4 and 2.2% respectively. Further, we saw significantly higher MACE rates (< 75 years: 4%, 75–85 years: 5%, > 85 years: 7%) in patients with a higher age. Gender was not significantly associated with a higher rate of in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions
In Germany, LAAO is increasingly performed in older patients with a strong gender imbalance. Age was independently associated with higher in-hospital MACE and mortality rates. This data provides a further basis to balance risks and benefits of LAAO as a preventive procedure and highlights the need for further prospective studies.

Graphical abstract

Trends in gender, demographics and in-hospital outcomes in a German nationwide analysis on all patients with an LAAO procedure in the years from 2016 to 2022.
Spinal cord gray matter atrophy is associated with disability in spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Kesenheimer Eva Maria , Wendebourg Maria Janina , Weidensteiner Claudia , Sander Laura , Weigel Matthias , Haas Tanja , Fischer Dirk , Neuwirth Christoph , Braun Nathalie , Weber Markus , Granziera Cristina , Sinnreich Michael , Bieri Oliver , Schlaeger Regina 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Background
With the approval of disease-modifying treatments for 5q-spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), there is an increasing need for biomarkers for disease course and therapeutic response monitoring. Radially sampled Averaged Magnetization Inversion Recovery Acquisitions (rAMIRA) MR-imaging enables spinal cord (SC) gray matter (GM) delineation and quantification in vivo. This study aims to assess SC GM atrophy in patients with 5q-SMA and its associations with clinical disability.

Methods
Twenty-one patients with 5q-SMA and twenty-one age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) prospectively underwent 3 T axial 2D-rAMIRA MR-imaging at the intervertebral disc levels C2/C3-C5/C6 and Tmax (lumbar enlargement level). Associations between SC GM areas with muscle strength tested by dynamometry, Motor Function Measure (MFM), revised upper limb module (RULM), Revised Hammersmith Scale (RHS), and SMA-Functional Rating Scale (SMA-FRS) were assessed by Spearman Rank correlations and linear regression analysis.

Results
Compared to HCs, patients had significantly reduced SC GM areas at levels C3/C4 (relative reduction (RR) = 13.6%, p < 0.0001); C4/C5 (RR = 16.7%, p < 0.0001), C5/C6 (RR = 17.1%, p < 0.0001), and Tmax (RR = 17.4%, p < 0.0001). Significant correlations were found between cervical SC GM areas and muscle strength, RULM, MFM, RHS, and SMA-FRS. In linear regression analysis, GM area C3/C4 explained 33% of RHS variance.

Conclusion
SC GM atrophy is detectable in patients with 5q-SMA and is consistently associated with clinical measures of upper limb function, physiotherapeutic assessments, and SMA-FRS indicating the clinical relevance of the observed atrophy. Further longitudinal investigations are necessary next steps to evaluate this novel and easily applicable imaging marker as a potential disease course and therapeutic response marker.
Early therapy initiation is crucial in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: prospective multimodal data from the German INHIBIT registry
Authors: Schumacher Aurelian , Hieke Alina , Spenner Marie , Schmitz Fynn , Sgodzai Melissa , Klimas Rafael , Brünger Jil , Huckemann Sophie , Motte Jeremias , Fisse Anna Lena , Gold Ralf , Pitarokoili Kalliopi , Grüter Thomas 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Background
Diagnosing chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) can be challenging, leading to delays in initiating therapy. As disability in CIDP is mainly dependent on axonal damage, the impact of delayed immunotherapy remains unclear. We multimodally investigated the clinical outcomes of patients with early CIDP regarding different treatment strategies and time points.

Methods
Patients with CIDP diagnosis within 1 year before study inclusion were systematically selected from the prospective Immune-mediated Neuropathies Biobank (INHIBIT) registry. Clinical and therapeutic data, and findings from nerve conduction study (NCS), and nerve and muscle ultrasound were correlated at inclusion and 12 months later. The patient outcomes were compared between immunotherapies. The effect of timing immunotherapy on clinical outcomes was determined using regression analysis.

Results
In total, 30 patients were included (time from diagnosis to inclusion 22 ± 19 weeks). Low amplitudes of compound muscle potential were significantly associated with pathological spontaneous activity (PSA, r = 0.467) and correlated with the Heckmatt scale (r

Sp
= 0.391). All three parameters were significantly associated with higher overall disability sum scores (NCS score r

Sp
= 0.581, PSA r = 0.385, Heckmatt scale r

Sp
= 0.472). The delays in initiating therapy resulted in progression of axonal damage (r

Sp
= 0.467) and disability (R
2 = 0.200). The combination of first-line therapies led to reduced disability progression (r = 0.773), while second-line therapies resulted in improved overall axonal damage (r = 0.467).

Conclusions
Axonal damage occurs early and is the main cause of clinical disabilities. Prompt initiation of therapy is crucial to prevent axonal damage and thereby disability progression. A comprehensive therapeutic approach, including a combination of first- or second-line therapies, may improve long-term outcomes.
Energy and QoS-aware virtual machine placement approach for IaaS cloud datacenter
Authors: Elsedimy E. I. , Herajy Mostafa , Abohashish Sara M. M. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Virtualization technology enables cloud providers to abstract, hide, and manage the underlying physical resources of cloud data centers in a flexible and scalable manner. It allows placing multiple independent virtual machines (VMs) on a single server in order to improve resource utilization and energy efficiency. However, determining the optimal VM placement is crucial as it directly impacts load balancing, energy consumption, and performance degradation within the data center. Furthermore, deciding on VM placement based on a single factor is usually insufficient to improve data center performance because many factors must be considered, and ignoring them may be too expensive. This paper improves a new multi-objective VM placement (MVMP) algorithm using a quantum particle swarm optimization (QPSO) technique. We call it QPSO-MOVMP, and its objective is to find the Pareto optimal solution for the VM placement problem by balancing different goals. This algorithm generates Pareto optimal solutions that save power by minimizing the number of running physical machines, avoid performance degradation by maintaining service level agreement (SLA), and improve load balancing by keeping server loads at optimal utilization. The experimental results show that QPSO-MOVMP had superior performance in terms of power consumption and performance degradation compared to three other multi-objective algorithms and three conventional single-objective algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed QPSO-MOVMP achieves a consumption of 2.4 × 104 watts in power. Furthermore, it outperformed the others, achieving a minimum of 12% SLA breaches while experiencing a significant surge in requests from VMs. Moreover, the proposed model generated Pareto solutions that had a better distribution than those derived from a comparative method.
Do P-glycoprotein-mediated drug-drug interactions at the blood-brain barrier impact morphine brain distribution?
Authors: Gülave Berfin , Lesmana Ariel , de Lange Elizabeth CM , van Hasselt JG Coen 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a key efflux transporter and may be involved in drug-drug interactions (DDIs) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which could lead to changes in central nervous system (CNS) drug exposure. Morphine is a P-gp substrate and therefore a potential victim drug for P-gp mediated DDIs. It is however unclear if P-gp inhibitors can induce clinically relevant changes in morphine CNS exposure. Here, we used a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model-based approach to evaluate the potential impact of DDIs on BBB transport of morphine by clinically relevant P-gp inhibitor drugs.
The LeiCNS-PK3.0 PBPK model was used to simulate morphine distribution at the brain extracellular fluid (brainECF) for different clinical intravenous dosing regimens of morphine, alone or in combination with a P-gp inhibitor. We included 34 commonly used P-gp inhibitor drugs, with inhibitory constants and expected clinical P-gp inhibitor concentrations derived from literature. The DDI impact was evaluated by the change in brainECF exposure for morphine alone or in combination with different inhibitors. Our analysis demonstrated that P-gp inhibitors had a negligible effect on morphine brainECF exposure in the majority of simulated population, caused by low P-gp inhibition. Sensitivity analyses showed neither major effects of increasing the inhibitory concentration nor changing the inhibitory constant on morphine brainECF exposure. In conclusion, P-gp mediated DDIs on morphine BBB transport for the evaluated P-gp inhibitors are unlikely to induce meaningful changes in clinically relevant morphine CNS exposure. The developed CNS PBPK modeling approach provides a general approach for evaluating BBB transporter DDIs in humans.
The nexus between agroforestry landscapes and dietary diversity: insights from Myanmar’s Central Dry Zone
Authors: Htet Khant Sandar , Plieninger Tobias , Kmoch Laura 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Context
Agroforestry plays a crucial role in increasing tree-based food production for healthy and sustainable food systems. However, the potential of farm trees to contribute to farmers' dietary diversity along multiple paths remains under-researched.

Objectives
This study aimed to fill existing knowledge gaps by investigating the role of native trees (toddy palm, jujube, and thanakha) in increasing dietary diversity within dryland agroforestry systems.

Methods
We conducted face-to-face qualitative interviews with 47 farmers from the Central Dry Zone of Myanmar (i) to appraise the multiple roles of native tree species in agroforestry landscapes, (ii) to unravel their contributions to four dietary diversity paths, and (iii) to elucidate factors driving the stability of or changes in these pathways.

Results
We found that native trees provide food directly and through interaction with crop production and livestock farming, leading to dietary diversification. Agroforestry byproducts are used as fuel and manure, and income from trading agroforestry products provides access to additional food sources. Farmers emphasized the ease of tree management and the roles they play in providing passive income and enhancing resilience to climate stressors as stabilizing factors. However, social-cultural changes, lack of extension services, the unsustainable use of tree products, and market instability were identified as destabilizing factors.

Conclusions
This study advances knowledge about the holistic contribution of agroforestry landscapes to dietary diversity by presenting evidence from dryland agroforestry systems in Myanmar. Our findings suggest a need for enhanced understanding of social and ecological changes and cultural factors in agroforestry landscapes to maintain the role of native trees in strengthening dietary diversity.