Contemporary science education reforms such as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) demand assessments to understand students' ability to use science knowledge to solve problems and design solutions. To elicit such higher-order ability, educators need performance-based assessments, which are challenging to develop. One solution that has been broadly adopted is Evidence-Centered Design (ECD), which emphasizes interconnected models of the learner, evidence, and tasks. Although ECD provides a framework to safeguard assessment validity, its implementation requires diverse expertise (e.g., content and assessment), which is both costly and labor-intensive. To address this challenge, this study proposed integrating the ECD framework into Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) to generate NGSS-aligned assessment items automatically. This integrated MAS system ensembles multiple large language models with varying expertise, enabling the automation of complex, multi-stage item generation workflows traditionally performed by human experts. We examined the quality of AI-generated NGSS-aligned items and compared them with human-developed items across multiple dimensions of assessment design. Results showed that AI-generated items have overall comparable quality to human-developed items in terms of alignment with NGSS three-dimensional standards and cognitive demands. Divergent patterns also emerged: AI-generated items demonstrated a distinct strength in inclusivity, while also exhibiting limitations in clarity, conciseness, and multimodal design. AI- and human-developed items both showed weaknesses in evidence collectability and student interest alignment. These findings suggest that integrating ECD into MAS can support scalable and standards-aligned assessment design, while human expertise remains essential.
Chao‐Wen Chen, Yung‐Sung Yeh, Ta‐Chien Chan
et al.
Abstract Introduction The acute care system faced significant challenges in managing healthcare emergencies due to a lack of coordination between emergency services and logistical support. This disorganization undermined collaboration and response efficiency. Methods Taiwan's Presidential Hackathon introduced an innovative approach to improving the trauma system by integrating digital pipeline science through public–private partnerships (PPPs). This initiative specifically addressed inefficiencies and complexities in the acute care ecosystem, brought to light by the catastrophic 2014 gas explosion in Kaohsiung City. Results The hackathon led to the development of a unified digital platform for emergency data management. This platform significantly enhanced communication, data sharing, and coordination across healthcare sectors, culminating in the implementation of a digital pre‐hospital emergency care system across multiple administrative regions. Conclusion Our experience demonstrated the effectiveness of leveraging digital technologies, PPPs, and the hackathon model to revolutionize emergency healthcare management and response systems through cross‐sector collaboration.
Emanuela Longo, Elena Giuliano, Agnese Gagliardi
et al.
In ophthalmology, developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial to overcome anatomical and physiological barriers, such as rapid tear turnover and blinking, which limit the efficacy of conventional formulations like eye drops. Poloxamers, especially the derivatives 407 (P407) and 188, are amphiphilic triblock copolymers characterized by an intriguing thermo-reversible behavior, making them ideal candidates for the development of in situ hydrogels for ocular applications. Various thermo-sensitive poloxamer-based hydrogels were designed to be easily instilled as liquids at room temperature, gelling promptly upon contact with the corneal surface. These systems promoted a controlled release of active compounds, significantly improving their adhesion to the ocular surface. This review discusses the most relevant scientific literature on the topic, with particular attention to studies published in recent years. The results demonstrated that poloxamer formulations are capable of overcoming typical ocular barriers, thereby increasing drug bioavailability. The intrinsic biocompatibility of poloxamers contributes to the safety and tolerability of the system. Furthermore, P407 showed additional wound healing features. The combination of biocompatibility and thermo-reversible behavior makes poloxamer-based hydrogels a promising platform for the development of innovative ocular drug delivery systems able to enhance therapeutic efficacy and patient comfort.
In this paper, the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of spike and modal-deep stall cells in a centrifugal compressor are studied at a small mass-flow rate. Three operating points are selected at different stall stages, and the internal unstable flow mechanism is deeply explored based on the downtrend of pressure ratio and isentropic efficiency on the external characteristic curve. The dimensionless mass flow rate (M*) is proposed to reflect the centrifugal compression rate of the whole machine under various stall conditions. A hump-like pulse is captured at deep stall conditions, and its fluctuation amplitude is an order of magnitude different from the near-stall to stall conditions. The fluctuation characteristics at different operating conditions are quantitatively analyzed from the perspective of the time domain. The fluctuation and spectral characteristics of flow field parameters at different stall conditions are obtained by collecting dynamic data of the flow field at different positions and performing a fast Fourier transform. The characteristic frequency of the flow field is closely correlated with the spatiotemporal flow structure. The fitting curve of static pressure distribution along the blade profile at deep stall conditions is increasingly divergent. The stall signals of two different modes are captured by the frequency-domain analysis of the pressure fluctuation on the inner flow surface of the impeller. The spatiotemporal correlation between the evolution of stall clusters in the impeller domain and the existence of vaneless diffusers and volutes is explored, from the axial flow of the impeller domain to circumferential flow. The stall mechanism of circumferential flow in the vaneless zone of the centrifugal compressor is deeply explored from the time domain and frequency domain based on the pressure fluctuation and its root mean square error value.
Abstract Background The heterogeneity of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in published clinical studies on vaginal relaxation syndrome (VRS) hinders cross-study comparisons and integration of evidence-based findings, impeding the development of robust clinical evidence. Objective To comprehensively investigate the current use of PROs and PROMs in VRS research, compile a comprehensive catalog, and provide guidance for selecting outcome measures and tools VRS patients. Methods This study systematically searched clinical studies on VRS treatment published up to December 2024 in PUBMED, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases, focusing primarily on pelvic floor muscle training, physical energy therapies, and surgical interventions. PROs and PROMs were extracted, organized into a structured catalog, and categorized by thematic domains. The COSMIN checklist was applied to assess the measurement properties of commonly used PROMs. Results A total of 69 studies were included, comprising 14 randomized controlled trials (1193 patients) and 55 observational studies (3327 patients), totaling 4520 participants. These studies reported 68 PROs and 57 PROMs. The most commonly used PROMs were the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI, 47.83%), Vaginal Laxity Questionnaire (VLQ), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12), and Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire (SSQ). Notably, 42 PROMs (73.68%) appeared only once. Conclusions PROs for surgical and non-surgical VRS treatments are similar, but non-surgical interventions include additional outcomes, such as overall efficacy and patient’s vaginal tightness satisfaction. The high proportion of unvalidated PROMs (81.09%) underscores the need for standardized, disease-specific measures. Future Delphi surveys and expert consensus are anticipated to facilitate the development of a comprehensive core outcome set (COS) and core outcome measurement set (COMS) for VRS.
Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics
Abstract We investigate the effects of the bottom-quark induced processes on the doubly polarized cross sections of $$W^+W^-$$ W + W - pair production at the LHC. The method to extract the on-shell single-top contribution is provided. Results for phenomenological and experimental analyses are given at next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD + EW accuracy, with the leading contribution from the gluon–gluon and photon–photon fusion included. We found that the contribution of the bottom-quark induced processes, after the subtraction of the on-shell tW channel, is largest for the doubly longitudinal polarization. At the integrated cross section level, using a fiducial ATLAS cut with a jet veto, the effect is $$9\%$$ 9 % compared to the NLO value of the light-quark contribution. It increases to $$13\%$$ 13 % after removing the jet veto. A bound of the tW interference is calculated for various kinematic distributions, showing that this interference effect is, in general, smaller for the no jet veto case. Relevant scale uncertainties are calculated to help us decide on the importance of this interference.
Astrophysics, Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity
The Science of Science (SoS) explores the mechanisms underlying scientific discovery, and offers valuable insights for enhancing scientific efficiency and fostering innovation. Traditional approaches often rely on simplistic assumptions and basic statistical tools, such as linear regression and rule-based simulations, which struggle to capture the complexity and scale of modern research ecosystems. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) presents a transformative opportunity for the next generation of SoS, enabling the automation of large-scale pattern discovery and uncovering insights previously unattainable. This paper offers a forward-looking perspective on the integration of Science of Science with AI for automated research pattern discovery and highlights key open challenges that could greatly benefit from AI. We outline the advantages of AI over traditional methods, discuss potential limitations, and propose pathways to overcome them. Additionally, we present a preliminary multi-agent system as an illustrative example to simulate research societies, showcasing AI's ability to replicate real-world research patterns and accelerate progress in Science of Science research.
Abstract Objective Pancreatic cancer (PC) originates and progresses with genetic mutations in various oncogenes and suppressor genes, notably KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53, and SMAD4, prevalent across diverse PC cells. In addition to genetic mutations/deletions, persistent exposure to high-risk factors, including obesity, induces whole-genome scale epigenetic alterations contributing to malignancy. However, the impact of obesity on DNA methylation in the presymptomatic stage, particularly in genes prone to PC mutation, remains uncharacterized. Results We analyzed the methylation levels of 197 loci in six genes (KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53, SMAD4, GNAS and RNF43) using Illumina Mouse Methylation BeadChip array (280 K) data from pancreatic exocrine cells obtained from high-fat-diet (HFD) induced obese mice. Results revealed no significant differences in methylation levels in loci between HFD- and normal-fat-diet (NFD)-fed mice, except for RNF43, a negative regulator of Wnt signaling, which showed hypermethylation in three loci. These findings indicate that, in mouse pancreatic exocrine cells, high-fat dietary obesity induced aberrant DNA methylation in RNF43 but not in other frequently mutated PC-related genes.
In the rapidly evolving field of data science, efficiently navigating the expansive body of academic literature is crucial for informed decision-making and innovation. This paper presents an enhanced Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) application, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based system designed to assist data scientists in accessing precise and contextually relevant academic resources. The AI-powered application integrates advanced techniques, including the GeneRation Of BIbliographic Data (GROBID) technique for extracting bibliographic information, fine-tuned embedding models, semantic chunking, and an abstract-first retrieval method, to significantly improve the relevance and accuracy of the retrieved information. This implementation of AI specifically addresses the challenge of academic literature navigation. A comprehensive evaluation using the Retrieval-Augmented Generation Assessment System (RAGAS) framework demonstrates substantial improvements in key metrics, particularly Context Relevance, underscoring the system's effectiveness in reducing information overload and enhancing decision-making processes. Our findings highlight the potential of this enhanced Retrieval-Augmented Generation system to transform academic exploration within data science, ultimately advancing the workflow of research and innovation in the field.
There is now a general consensus amongst philosophers in the values in science literature that values necessarily play a role in core areas of scientific inquiry. We argue that attention should now be turned from debating the value-free ideal to delineating legitimate from illegitimate influences of values in science, a project we dub "The New Demarcation Problem." First, we review past attempts to demarcate the uses of values and propose a categorization of the strategies by where they seek to draw legitimacy from. Next, we propose a set of desiderata for what we take to be a satisfactory solution and present a case study where conflicting sets of values clearly impinge on science, but where the legitimacy of their influence is ambiguous. We use these desiderata and the case study to illustrate what we take to be the strengths and weaknesses of current strategies. To be clear, our goal is not to answer the question we pose, but to articulate a framework within which a solution can be judged.
Knowledge of anatomical variations in the base of the skull and anatomical landmarks is crucial for clinical procedures by surgeons, ENT physicians, and radiologists. This study investigated morphometric and anatomical variations in the foramen magnum, occipital condyles, hypoglossal canals, and jugular foramina to improve knowledge of the base of the skull’s complex anatomy and consider the anatomical variations via a morphometric study. One hundred and sixty intact skulls were investigated. Morphometric measurements showed that the foramen magnum, occipital condyles, hypoglossal canals, and jugular foramina were all significantly larger in males than females and could be useful for sex determination. Increased awareness of morphological location and anatomical landmark variation can improve surgical proficiency.
Astrid Klipfel, Yaël Frégier, Adlane Sayede
et al.
Graph neural networks are widely used in machine learning applied to chemistry, and in particular for material science discovery. For crystalline materials, however, generating graph-based representation from geometrical information for neural networks is not a trivial task. The periodicity of crystalline needs efficient implementations to be processed in real-time under a massively parallel environment. With the aim of training graph-based generative models of new material discovery, we propose an efficient tool to generate cutoff graphs and k-nearest-neighbours graphs of periodic structures within GPU optimization. We provide pyMatGraph a Pytorch-compatible framework to generate graphs in real-time during the training of neural network architecture. Our tool can update a graph of a structure, making generative models able to update the geometry and process the updated graph during the forward propagation on the GPU side. Our code is publicly available at https://github.com/aklipf/mat-graph.
Leigh N. Fletcher, Thibault Cavalié, Davide Grassi
et al.
ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) will provide a detailed investigation of the Jovian system in the 2030s, combining a suite of state-of-the-art instruments with an orbital tour tailored to maximise observing opportunities. We review the Jupiter science enabled by the JUICE mission, building on the legacy of discoveries from the Galileo, Cassini, and Juno missions, alongside ground- and space-based observatories. We focus on remote sensing of the climate, meteorology, and chemistry of the atmosphere and auroras from the cloud-forming weather layer, through the upper troposphere, into the stratosphere and ionosphere. The Jupiter orbital tour provides a wealth of opportunities for atmospheric and auroral science: global perspectives with its near-equatorial and inclined phases, sampling all phase angles from dayside to nightside, and investigating phenomena evolving on timescales from minutes to months. The remote sensing payload spans far-UV spectroscopy (50-210 nm), visible imaging (340-1080 nm), visible/near-infrared spectroscopy (0.49-5.56 $μ$m), and sub-millimetre sounding (near 530-625\,GHz and 1067-1275\,GHz). This is coupled to radio, stellar, and solar occultation opportunities to explore the atmosphere at high vertical resolution; and radio and plasma wave measurements of electric discharges in the Jovian atmosphere and auroras. Cross-disciplinary scientific investigations enable JUICE to explore coupling processes in giant planet atmospheres, to show how the atmosphere is connected to (i) the deep circulation and composition of the hydrogen-dominated interior; and (ii) to the currents and charged particle environments of the external magnetosphere. JUICE will provide a comprehensive characterisation of the atmosphere and auroras of this archetypal giant planet.
The present study aimed to explore the mechanism by which PAMK alleviates cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced ferroptosis in thymocytes. One-day-old goslings were divided into four groups (10 goslings/group). The CON and CTX groups were fed a basic diet. The PAMK and CTX + PAMK groups were fed the basic diet mixed with PAMK (400 mg/kg). Moreover, the CTX and CTX + PAMK groups were given a daily injection of 40 mg/kg BW of CTX (at 19, 20, and 21 days of age). On the other hand, the CON and PAMK groups were given 0.5 mL of sterilized saline into the leg muscle (at 19, 20, and 21 days of age). The goslings were fed for 28 days. The ferroptosis pathway was enriched in transcriptome sequencing. Compared to the CON group, the thymus in the CTX group underwent injury, and the mitochondria of thymocytes showed features of ferroptosis. PAMK treatment alleviated ferroptosis in thymocytes and thymus injury, and CTX-induced elevated levels of oxidative stress and iron content restored GPX4 protein expression (p < 0.05) and inhibited the CTX-induced activation of the ferroptosis pathway (p < 0.05). Conclusively, PAMK could reduce thymus injury by alleviating CTX-induced thymocyte ferroptosis in gosling to alleviate the immunosuppression caused by CTX in the organism.