bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Influence Characteristics of Site Conditions on Seismic Response of Utility Tunnel
Authors: Wang Konghao , Chen Yuanyuan , Huang Ziyuan , Tang Aiping
Published: April 2024

Utility tunnels are crucial infrastructure projects for cities. Earthquakes are a leading cause of damage to these tunnels. The effect of a non-homogeneous site, as a complex site, on the seismic response of utility tunnels cannot be ignored. Therefore, in this study, a non-homogeneous three-dimensional finite element model of a utility tunnel was created using the ABAQUS 2021 software. El Centro seismic waves were inputted while changing the structural depth of burial to investigate the utility tunnel’s seismic response. This research is expected to further clarify the seismic variation in the utility tunnel under complex site conditions. The results show the following: (1) The impact of structure burial depth on the utility tunnel in a non-homogeneous site should not be neglected. The peak acceleration shows a decreasing and then increasing trend with increasing depth of burial within 10 m. Under the same site conditions, the peak accelerations and amplification factors of the soil in the clay are larger than those in the sand. (2) In identical site conditions, the utility tunnel structure experiences larger peak displacements in clay compared to sand. As the structure is buried deeper, the peak displacement of the utility tunnel gradually decreases, while the rate of decrease in the peak displacement of the utility tunnel structure gradually increases. The rate of decrease in peak displacement in clay is greater than that in sand. (3) The stress distribution of the utility tunnel structure changes as the depth of the structure increases. In the clay area, the utility tunnel structure shifts from transverse bending deformation to vertical bending deformation. In the sand area, it maintains transverse bending deformation due to the non-homogeneous site. The findings from this study offer guidance for building utility tunnels on non-homogeneous sites.
Growth Charts for Shwachman–Diamond Syndrome at Ages 0 to 18 Years
Authors: Pegoraro Anna , Bezzerri Valentino , Tridello Gloria , Brignole Cecilia , Lucca Francesca , Pintani Emily , Danesino Cesare , Cesaro Simone , Fioredda Francesca , Cipolli Marco
Published: April 2024

Shwachman–Diamond syndrome (SDS) is one of the most common inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. SDS is characterized by hypocellular bone marrow, with a severe impairment of the myeloid lineage, resulting in neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and, more rarely, anemia. Almost 15% of patients with SDS develop myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia as early as childhood or young adulthood. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is another common feature of SDS. Almost all patients with SDS show failure to thrive, which is associated with skeletal abnormalities due to defective ossification. Considering these observations, it remains unfeasible to use the common growth charts already available for the general population. To address this issue, we report how we drew up growth charts of patients with SDS aged 0 to 18 years. We analyzed height, weight, and body max index (BMI) in 121 Italian patients with SDS. Results indicated that the 50th and 3rd percentiles of weight and height of the pediatric general population correspond to the 97th and 50th percentiles of patients with SDS aged 0–18 years, respectively. In addition, the percentage increment in weight of subjects aged 14–18 years was higher in patients with SDS than in the general population. SDS-specific growth charts, such as those described here, afford a new tool, which is potentially useful for both clinical and research purposes in SDS.
The Current and Prospective Adjuvant Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Du Jeng-Shiun , Hsu Shih-Hsien , Wang Shen-Nien
Published: April 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer and is highly invasive and easily recurs. For HCC, chemotherapy shows limited effect. The gold standard for HCC treatment includes curative surgical resection or liver transplantation. However, the recurrence rate at 5 years after liver resection is estimated at approximately 70% and even at 5 years after liver transplantation, it is 20%. Therefore, improving survival outcomes after curative surgical resection of liver cancer is crucial. This review highlights the importance of identifying risk factors for HCC recurrence following radical surgical resection and adjuvant therapy options that may reduce the recurrence risk and improve overall survival, including local adjuvant therapy (e.g., transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiotherapy), adjuvant systemic therapy (e.g., small molecule targeted therapy and immunotherapy), and other adjuvant therapies (e.g., chemotherapy). However, further research is needed to refine the use of these therapies and optimize their effectiveness in preventing HCC recurrence.
Patterns of First Recurrence and Oncological Outcomes in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Patients: Does Surgical Staging Play a Role?
Authors: Bebia Vicente , Díaz-Feijoo Berta , Tejerizo Álvaro , Torne Aureli , Benito Virginia , Hernández Alicia , Gorostidi Mikel , Domingo Santiago , Bradbury Melissa , Luna-Guibourg Rocío , Gil-Moreno Antonio
Published: April 2024

Background: We aimed to determine whether surgical aortic staging by minimally invasive paraaortic lymphadenectomy (PALND) affects the pattern of first recurrence and survival in treated locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) patients when compared to patients staged by imaging (noPALND). Methods: This study was a multicenter observational retrospective cohort study of patients with LACC treated at tertiary care hospitals throughout Spain. The inclusion criteria were histological diagnosis of squamous carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and/or adenocarcinoma; FIGO stages IB2, IIA2-IVA (FIGO 2009); and planned treatment with primary chemoradiotherapy between 2000 and 2016. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed before the analysis. Results: After PSM and sample replacement, 1092 patients were included for analysis (noPALND n = 546, PALND n = 546). Twenty-one percent of patients recurred during follow-up, with the PALND group having almost double the recurrences of the noPALND group (noPALND: 15.0%, PALND: 28.0%, p < 0.001). Nodal (regional) recurrences were more frequently observed in PALND patients (noPALND:2.4%, PALND: 11.2%, p < 0.001). Among those who recurred regionally, 57.1% recurred at the pelvic nodes, 37.1% recurred at the aortic nodes, and 5.7% recurred simultaneously at both the pelvic and aortic nodes. Patients who underwent a staging PALND were more frequently diagnosed with a distant recurrence (noPALND: 7.0%, PALND: 15.6%, p < 0.001). PALND patients presented poorer overall, cancer-specific, and disease-free survival when compared to patients in the noPALND group. Conclusion: After treatment, surgically staged patients with LACC recurred more frequently and showed worse survival rates.
MRI–Ultrasound Fused Approach for Prostate Biopsy—How It Is Performed
Authors: Lang Jacob , McClure Timothy Dale , Margolis Daniel J. A.
Published: April 2024

The use of MRI–ultrasound image fusion targeted biopsy of the prostate in the face of an elevated serum PSA is now recommended by multiple societies, and results in improved detection of clinically significant cancer and, potentially, decreased detection of indolent disease. This combines the excellent sensitivity of MRI for clinically significant prostate cancer and the real-time biopsy guidance and confirmation of ultrasound. Both transperineal and transrectal approaches can be implemented using cognitive fusion, mechanical fusion with an articulated arm and electromagnetic registration, or pure software registration. The performance has been shown comparable to in-bore MRI biopsy performance. However, a number of factors influence the performance of this technique, including the quality and interpretation of the MRI, the approach used for biopsy, and experience of the practitioner, with most studies showing comparable performance of MRI–ultrasound fusion to in-bore targeted biopsy. Future improvements including artificial intelligence promise to refine the performance of all approaches.
The Impact of Adjunct Medical Therapy on Survival after Spine Metastasis: A Systematic Review and Pooled Data Analysis
Authors: Groszman Lilly , Hubermann Jonathan A. , Kooner Paul , Alamiri Nawaf , Bozzo Anthony , Aoude Ahmed
Published: April 2024

Targeted therapy has greatly improved the outlook for patients with spinal metastatic cancers. Scoring systems like the Tokuhashi or Tomita scores are commonly used to predict prognosis and inform surgical decisions, but they are outdated and fail to consider recent advancements. We aimed to investigate the current state of the literature and treatment options pertaining to advancements in targeted therapy compared to other forms of medical management for metastatic spinal tumors. This study represents the first comprehensive systematic review that encompasses the most common primary cancers that metastasize to the spine and evaluates the median overall survival (mOS) across five different medical treatment modalities as well as surgical intervention. Additionally, our study analyzes the tumor receptor status in conjunction with these treatments. A PubMed search was conducted, and according to the PRISMA guidelines, 28 articles out of 1834 met the inclusion criteria. The pooled data analysis highlighted the superior efficacy of targeted therapy, evidenced by a significant improvement in the mOS and lower hazard ratios in patients with lung and breast cancers who received targeted therapy compared to those who did not. Our study provides valuable insights into the recent advancements in the medical management of metastatic spinal tumors. Future indications include incorporating this literature into personalized treatment approaches for metastatic spinal tumors.
Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Resectable Gastric Cancer: Analysis from a Western Academic Center
Authors: Yee Elliott J. , Gilbert Danielle , Kaplan Jeffrey , Wani Sachin , Kim Sunnie S. , McCarter Martin D. , Stewart Camille L.
Published: April 2024

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are an emerging biomarker predictive of response to immunotherapy across a spectrum of solid organ malignancies. The characterization of TILs in gastric cancer (GC) treated with contemporary, multiagent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is understudied. In this retrospective investigation, we analyzed the degree of infiltration, phenotype, and spatial distribution of TILs via immunohistochemistry within resected GC specimens treated with or without NAC at a Western center. We hypothesized that NAC executes immunostimulatory roles, as evidenced by an increased number of anti-tumor TILs in the tumor microenvironment. We found significantly elevated levels of conventional and memory CD8+ T cells, as well as total TILs (CD4+, CD8+, Treg, B cells), within chemotherapy-treated tumors compared with chemotherapy-naïve specimens. We also revealed important associations between survival and pathologic responses with enhanced TIL infiltration. Taken together, our findings advocate for an immunostimulatory role of chemotherapy and underscore the potential synergistic effect of combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy in resectable gastric cancer.
Exploring the Link between BMI and Aggressive Histopathological Subtypes in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma—Insights from a Multicentre Retrospective Study
Authors: Di Filippo Giacomo , Canu Gian Luigi , Lazzari Giovanni , Serbusca Dorin , Morelli Eleonora , Brazzarola Paolo , Rossi Leonardo , Gjeloshi Benard , Caradonna Mariangela , Kotsovolis George , Pliakos Ioannis , Poulios Efthymios , Papavramidis Theodosios , Cappellacci Federico , Nocini Pier Francesco , Calò Pietro Giorgio , Materazzi Gabriele , Medas Fabio
Published: April 2024

Obesity’s role in thyroid cancer development is still debated, as well as its association with aggressive histopathological subtypes (AHSs). To clarify the link between Body Mass Index (BMI) and AHS of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), we evaluated patients who underwent thyroidectomy for DTC from 2020 to 2022 at four European referral centres for endocrine surgery. Based on BMI, patients were classified as normal-underweight, overweight, or obese. AHSs were defined according to 2022 WHO guidelines. Among 3868 patients included, 34.5% were overweight and 19.6% obese. Histological diagnoses were: 93.6% papillary (PTC), 4.8% follicular (FTC), and 1.6% Hürthle cell (HCC) thyroid carcinoma. Obese and overweight patients with PTC had a higher rate of AHSs (p = 0.03), bilateral, multifocal tumours (p = 0.014, 0.049), and larger nodal metastases (p = 0.017). In a multivariate analysis, BMI was an independent predictor of AHS of PTC, irrespective of gender (p = 0.028). In younger patients (<55 years old) with PTC > 1 cm, BMI predicted a higher ATA risk class (p = 0.036). Overweight and obese patients with FTC had larger tumours (p = 0.036). No difference was found in terms of AHS of FTC and HCC based on BMI category. Overweight and obese patients with PTC appear to be at an increased risk for AHS and aggressive clinico-pathological characteristics.
Identifying the Spatial Architecture That Restricts the Proximity of CD8+ T Cells to Tumor Cells in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Xia Yihan , Ma Junrui , Yang Xiaobao , Liu Danping , Zhu Yujie , Zhao Yanan , Fei Xuefeng , Xu Dakang , Dai Jing
Published: April 2024

The anti-tumor function of CD8+ T cells is dependent on their proximity to tumor cells. Current studies have focused on the infiltration level of CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment, while further spatial information, such as spatial localization and inter-cellular communication, have not been defined. In this study, co-detection by indexing (CODEX) was designed to characterize PDAC tissue regions with seven protein markers in order to identify the spatial architecture that regulates CD8+ T cells in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The cellular neighborhood algorithm was used to identify a total of six conserved and distinct cellular neighborhoods. Among these, one unique spatial architecture of CD8+ T and CD4+ T cell-enriched neighborhoods enriched the majority of CD8+ T cells, but heralded a poor prognosis. The proximity analysis revealed that the CD8+ T cells in this spatial architecture were significantly closer to themselves and the CD4+ T cells than to the tumor cells. Collectively, we identified a unique spatial architecture that restricted the proximity of CD8+ T cells to tumor cells in the tumor microenvironment, indicating a novel immune evasion mechanism of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in a topologically regulated manner and providing new insights into the biology of PDAC.
Clinical [18F]FSPG Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Reveals Heterogeneity in Tumor-Associated System xc− Activity
Authors: Sharkey Amy R. , Koglin Norman , Mittra Erik S. , Han Sangwon , Cook Gary J. R. , Witney Timothy H.
Published: April 2024

Background: (4S)-4-(3-[18F]fluoropropyl)-L-glutamic acid ([18F]FSPG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) provides a readout of system xc− transport activity and has been used for cancer detection in clinical studies of different cancer types. As system xc− provides the rate-limiting precursor for glutathione biosynthesis, an abundant antioxidant, [18F]FSPG imaging may additionally provide important prognostic information. Here, we performed an analysis of [18F]FSPG radiotracer distribution between primary tumors, metastases, and normal organs from cancer patients. We further assessed the heterogeneity of [18F]FSPG retention between cancer types, and between and within individuals. Methods: This retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data compared [18F]FSPG PET/CT in subjects with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC, n = 5) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC, n = 10), scanned at different institutions. Using semi-automated regions of interest drawn around tumors and metastases, the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), SUVmean, SUV standard deviation and SUVpeak were measured. [18F]FSPG time–activity curves (TACs) for normal organs, primary tumors and metastases were subsequently compared to 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) PET/CT at 60 min post injection (p.i.). Results: The mean administered activity of [18F]FSPG was 309.3 ± 9.1 MBq in subjects with NSCLC and 285.1 ± 11.3 MBq in those with HNSCC. The biodistribution of [18F]FSPG in both cohorts showed similar TACs in healthy organs from cancer patients. There was no statistically significant overall difference in the average SUVmax of tumor lesions at 60 min p.i. for NSCLC (8.1 ± 7.1) compared to HNSCC (6.0 ± 4.1; p = 0.29) for [18F]FSPG. However, there was heterogeneous retention between and within cancer types; the SUVmax at 60 min p.i. ranged from 1.4 to 23.7 in NSCLC and 3.1–12.1 in HNSCC. Conclusion: [18F]FSPG PET/CT imaging from both NSCLC and HNSCC cohorts showed the same normal-tissue biodistribution, but marked tumor heterogeneity across subjects and between lesions. Despite rapid elimination through the urinary tract and low normal-background tissue retention, the diagnostic potential of [18F]FSPG was limited by variability in tumor retention. As [18F]FSPG retention is mediated by the tumor’s antioxidant capacity and response to oxidative stress, this heterogeneity may provide important insights into an individual tumor’s response or resistance to therapy.
Correction: Soda et al. Electrochemical Detection of Global DNA Methylation Using Biologically Assembled Polymer Beads. Cancers 2021, 13, 3787
Authors: Soda Narshone , Gonzaga Zennia Jean , Pannu Amandeep Singh , Kashaninejad Navid , Kline Richard , Salomon Carlos , Nguyen Nam-Trung , Sonar Prashant , Rehm Bernd H. A. , Shiddiky Muhammad J. A.
Published: April 2024

In the original publication [...]
Pathological Insights: Enhanced Vision Transformers for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Ayana Gelan , Barki Hika , Choe Se-woon
Published: April 2024

Endoscopic pathological findings of the gastrointestinal tract are crucial for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Previous deep learning works, aimed at improving CRC detection performance and reducing subjective analysis errors, are limited to polyp segmentation. Pathological findings were not considered and only convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which are not able to handle global image feature information, were utilized. This work introduces a novel vision transformer (ViT)-based approach for early CRC detection. The core components of the proposed approach are ViTCol, a boosted vision transformer for classifying endoscopic pathological findings, and PUTS, a vision transformer-based model for polyp segmentation. Results demonstrate the superiority of this vision transformer-based CRC detection method over existing CNN and vision transformer models. ViTCol exhibited an outstanding performance in classifying pathological findings, with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) value of 0.9999 ± 0.001 on the Kvasir dataset. PUTS provided outstanding results in segmenting polyp images, with mean intersection over union (mIoU) of 0.8673 and 0.9092 on the Kvasir-SEG and CVC-Clinic datasets, respectively. This work underscores the value of spatial transformers in localizing input images, which can seamlessly integrate into the main vision transformer network, enhancing the automated identification of critical image features for early CRC detection.
H-Beta Zeolite as Catalyst for the Conversion of Carbohydrates into 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural: The Role of Calcination Temperature
Authors: Xing Xinyi , Liu Wanni , Xu Siquan , Hao Jianxiu
Published: April 2024

H-Beta zeolite is a solid acid catalyst commonly utilized in the catalytic conversion of biomass resources. In this study, H-Beta zeolite was calcined at different temperatures (350, 550, 750, and 1000 °C) to explore the effects of high temperature-induced dealumination on its physicochemical properties and its catalytic ability to convert glucose into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). It was shown that as the calcination temperature increased, the Si-O-Al bond of H-Beta zeolite was broken and its dealumination effect was enhanced. Dealumination led to the collapse of the framework of H-Beta zeolite and a reduction in the number of acid sites, which in turn reduced its catalytic performance and the efficiency of HMF formation from glucose. Furthermore, H-Beta zeolite exhibited an extraordinary catalytic ability for the production of HMF from carbohydrates. Using glucose and cellulose as substrates, superior HMF yields of 91% and 46%, respectively, were achieved under optimal reaction conditions. Further, calcination removes carbon deposits in the recovered H-Beta zeolite, but it affects the cycling stability of the catalyst. Meanwhile, the by-products formed during the synthesis of HMF from glucose catalyzed by H-Beta zeolite catalyst were also clearly detected.
Neuroprotection of Cholinergic Neurons with a Tau Aggregation Inhibitor and Rivastigmine in an Alzheimer’s-like Tauopathy Mouse Model
Authors: Zadrozny Maciej , Drapich Patrycja , Gasiorowska-Bien Anna , Niewiadomski Wiktor , Harrington Charles R. , Wischik Claude M. , Riedel Gernot , Niewiadomska Grazyna
Published: April 2024

Basal forebrain cholinergic dysfunction, most likely linked with tau protein aggregation, is a characteristic feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent evidence suggests that tau protein is a putative target for the treatment of dementia, and the tau aggregation inhibitor, hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM), has emerged as a potential disease-modifying treatment. However, its efficacy was diminished in patients already receiving approved acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. In this study, we ask whether this negative interaction can also be mimicked in experimental tau models of AD and whether the underlying mechanism can be understood. From a previous age profiling study, 6-month-old line 1 (L1) tau transgenic mice were characterized by a severe reduction in several cholinergic markers. We therefore assessed whether long-term pre-exposure with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor rivastigmine alone and in conjunction with the tau aggregation inhibitor HMTM can reverse cholinergic deficits in L1. Rivastigmine and HMTM, and combinations of the two compounds were administered orally for 11 weeks to both L1 and wild-type mice. The brains were sectioned with a focus on the basal forebrain, motor cortex and hippocampus. Immunohistochemical staining and quantification of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), tyrosine kinase A (TrkA)-positive neurons and relative optical intensity (ROI) for vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivity confirmed reversal of the diminished cholinergic phenotype of interneurons (nucleus accumbens, striatum) and projection neurons (medial septum, nucleus basalis magnocellularis) by HMTM, to a greater extent than by rivastigmine alone in L1 mice. Combined administration did not yield additivity but, in most proxies, led to antagonistic effects in which rivastigmine decreased the benefits shown with HMTM alone. Local markers (VAChT and AChE) in target structures of the basal forebrain, motor cortex and hippocampal CA3 seemed to be normalized by HMTM, but not by rivastigmine or the combination of both drugs. HMTM, which was developed as a tau aggregation inhibitor, strongly decreased the tau load in L1 mice, however, not in combination with rivastigmine. Taken together, these data confirm a cholinergic phenotype in L1 tau transgenic mice that resembles the deficits observed in AD patients. This phenotype is reversible by HMTM, but at the same time appears to be subject to a homeostatic regulation induced by chronic pre-treatment with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, which interferes with the efficacy of HMTM. The strongest phenotypic reversal coincided with a normalization of the tau load in the cortex and hippocampus of L1, suggesting that tau accumulation underpins the loss of cholinergic markers in the basal forebrain and its projection targets.
Lysine Distinctively Manipulates Myogenic Regulatory Factors and Wnt/Ca2+ Pathway in Slow and Fast Muscles, and Their Satellite Cells of Postnatal Piglets
Authors: Wang Xiaofan , Zong Xiaoyin , Ye Mao , Jin Chenglong , Xu Tao , Yang Jinzeng , Gao Chunqi , Wang Xiuqi , Yan Huichao
Published: April 2024

Muscle regeneration, representing an essential homeostatic process, relies mainly on the myogenic progress of resident satellite cells, and it is modulated by multiple physical and nutritional factors. Here, we investigated how myogenic differentiation-related factors and pathways respond to the first limiting amino acid lysine (Lys) in the fast and slow muscles, and their satellite cells (SCs), of swine. Thirty 28-day-old weaned piglets with similar body weights were subjected to three diet regimens: control group (d 0–28: 1.31% Lys, n = 12), Lys-deficient group (d 0–28: 0.83% Lys, n = 12), and Lys rescue group (d 0–14: 0.83% Lys; d 15–28: 1.31% Lys, n = 6). Pigs on d 15 and 29 were selectively slaughtered for muscular parameters evaluation. Satellite cells isolated from fast (semimembranosus) and slow (semitendinosus) muscles were also selected to investigate differentiation ability variations. We found Lys deficiency significantly hindered muscle development in both fast and slow muscles via the distinct manipulation of myogenic regulatory factors and the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway. In the SC model, Lys deficiency suppressed the Wnt/Ca2+ pathways and myosin heavy chain, myogenin, and myogenic regulatory factor 4 in slow muscle SCs but stimulated them in fast muscle SCs. When sufficient Lys was attained, the fast muscle-derived SCs Wnt/Ca2+ pathway (protein kinase C, calcineurin, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and nuclear factor of activated T cells 1) was repressed, while the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway of its counterpart was stimulated to further the myogenic differentiation. Lys potentially manipulates the differentiation of porcine slow and fast muscle myofibers via the Wnt/Ca2+ pathway in opposite trends.
A Mini-Review on Metal Oxide Semiconductor Gas Sensors for Carbon Monoxide Detection at Room Temperature
Authors: He Yaoyi , Jiao Mingzhi
Published: April 2024

Carbon monoxide can cause severe harm to humans even at low concentrations. Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) carbon monoxide gas sensors have excellent sensing performance regarding sensitivity, selectivity, response speed, and stability, making them very desirable candidates for carbon monoxide monitoring. However, MOS gas sensors generally work at temperatures higher than room temperature, and need a heating source that causes high power consumption. High power consumption is a great problem for long-term portable monitoring devices for point-of-care or wireless sensor nodes for IoT application. Room-temperature MOS carbon monoxide gas sensors can function well without a heater, making them rather suitable for IoT or portable applications. This review first introduces the primary working mechanism of MOS carbon monoxide sensors and then gives a detailed introduction to and analysis of room-temperature MOS carbon monoxide sensing materials, such as ZnO, SnO2, and TiO2. Lastly, several mechanisms for room-temperature carbon monoxide sensors based on MOSs are discussed. The review will be interesting to engineers and researchers working on MOS gas sensors.
Scabies in Infants: Series of 51 Cases
Authors: Betlloch-Mas Isabel , Boluda-Verdú Elena , Jara-Rico Noelia , Sánchez-García Verónica , Berbegal-De Gracia Laura , Chiner-Vives Eusebi
Published: April 2024

We conducted a two-year retrospective evaluation of infants aged under two years with a confirmed, clinical, or suspected diagnosis of scabies in a healthcare center in Alicante (Spain) to determine possible factors associated with diagnostic delay and poor treatment response. We collected epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and treatment variables. After describing our findings as mean values and percentages, we compared categorical variables using the Student’s t-test and the Mann–Whitney U test, and we compared continuous variables with the Chi2 test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. We included 51 infants (19 boys and 32 girls) with a mean age of 15 months. The main source of contagion was the family; half of the infants lived with four or more people. According to the International Consensus Criteria for the Diagnosis of Scabies, confirmed scabies was diagnosed in 45% of cases and clinical scabies in 47%, and 45% of cases had a diagnostic delay. Lesions mainly affected the hands, feet, and trunk, with papules in 92% of cases and burrows in 55%. The predominant symptoms were pruritus (94%) and irritability (69%). Regarding treatment, 98% of the infants received topical permethrin and 35% received oral ivermectin. Treatment failed in 76% of infants. Living in large family units was associated with a higher risk of contagion and therapeutic failure. Diagnostic delay was associated with previous misdiagnosis.
Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia
Authors: Saeedi Fajr A. , Hegazi Moustafa A. , Alsaedi Hani , Alganmi Ahmed Hussain , Mokhtar Jawahir A. , Metwalli Eilaf Majdi , Hamadallah Hanaa , Siam Ghassan S. , Alaqla Abdullah , Alsharabi Abdullah , Alotaibi Sultan Ahmed
Published: April 2024

Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections (MDRIs) constitute a major global threat due to increased patient morbidity/mortality and hospital stay/healthcare costs. A few studies from KSA, including our locality, addressed antimicrobial resistance in pediatric patients. This study was performed to recognize the incidence and clinical/microbiologic features of MDRIs in hospitalized pediatric patients. A retrospective cross-sectional study included pediatric patients < 18 years, admitted to King Abdulaziz University Hospital, between October 2021 and November 2022, with confirmed positive cultures of bacteria isolated from blood/body fluids. Patients’ medical files provided the required data. MDR organisms (MDROs) were identified in 12.8% of the total cultures. The incidence of MDRIs was relatively high, as it was detected in 42% of patients and in 54.3% of positive bacterial cultures especially among critically ill patients admitted to the NICU and PICU. Pneumonia/ventilator-associated pneumonia was the main type of infection in 37.8% of patients with MDROs. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common significantly isolated MDRO in 39.5% of MDR cultures. Interestingly, a low weight for (no need for their as terminology weight for age is standard and well-known) was the only significant risk factor associated with MDROs (p = 0.02). Mortality was significantly higher (p = 0.001) in patients with MDROs (32.4%) than in patients without MDROs (3.9%). Patients who died including 85.7% of patients with MDROs had significantly longer durations of admission, more cultures, and utilized a larger number of antibiotics than the surviving patients (p = 0.02, p = 0.01, p = 0.04, respectively). This study provided a comprehensive update on the seriously alarming problem of MDROs, and its impacts on pediatric patients. The detected findings are crucial and are a helpful guide to decid for implementing effective strategies to mitigate MDROs.
The Association of Sagittal Spinal Posture among Elementary School Pupils with Sex and Grade
Authors: Đorđević Stefan , Stanković Mima , Jorgić Bojan , Milenković Saša , Smailović Semrija , Katanić Borko , Jelaska Igor , Pezelj Luka
Published: April 2024

The objective of this research was to analyze and elucidate the sagittal spinal posture status in older elementary school children, considering their gender and grade differences. The study involved 484 school children (252 males and 232 females) from grades V to VIII, assessed for sagittal spinal posture using the Formetric 4D System. The analysis, employing the Chi-squared test of independence along with the Z-test, did not reveal significant grade-related differences (p < 0.52) in the incidence of normal sagittal alignment or diagnosed outliers. However, within grade levels, no significant difference was observed for male participants (p < 0.80), while a significant difference was identified for females (p < 0.01). Examining gender differences across grades, a disparity was noted only among seventh graders concerning normal spine alignment and outlier existence (p < 0.01), favoring male participants. Regardless of the grade, a significant gender difference emerged in the location of diagnosed outliers: kyphosis (M = 108 vs. F = 72), lordosis (M = 5 vs. F = 14), kypholordosis (M = 18 vs. F = 66), and flatback outlier of the lumbar spine (M = 27 vs. F = 11). These findings suggest potential adjustments to the curriculum and highlight the need to tailor physical education instruction based on this study’s outcomes. Consequently, these results imply the importance of a differentiated approach in preventing sagittal plane outliers of the spine in adolescent children.
Detour-RS: Reroute Attack Vulnerability Assessment with Awareness of the Layout and Resource
Authors: Gao Minyan , Biswas Liton Kumar , Asadi Navid , Forte Domenic
Published: April 2024

Recent decades have witnessed a remarkable pace of innovation and performance improvements in integrated circuits (ICs), which have become indispensable in an array of critical applications ranging from military infrastructure to personal healthcare. Meanwhile, recent developments have brought physical security to the forefront of concern, particularly considering the valuable assets handled and stored within ICs. Among the various invasive attack vectors, micro-probing attacks have risen as a particularly menacing threat. These attacks leverage advanced focused ion beam (FIB) systems to enable post-silicon secret eavesdropping and circuit modifications with minimal traceability. As an evolved variant of micro-probing attacks, reroute attacks possess the ability to actively disable built-in shielding measures, granting access to the security-sensitive signals concealed beneath. To address and counter these emerging challenges, we introduce a layout-level framework known as Detour-RS. This framework is designed to automatically assess potential vulnerabilities, offering a systematic approach to identifying and mitigating exploitable weaknesses. Specifically, we employed a combination of linear and nonlinear programming-based approaches to identify the layout-aware attack costs in reroute attempts given specific target assets. The experimental results indicate that shielded designs outperform non-shielded structures against reroute attacks. Furthermore, among the two-layer shield configurations, the orthogonal layout exhibits better performance compared to the parallel arrangement. Furthermore, we explore both independent and dependent scenarios, where the latter accounts for potential interference among circuit edit locations. Notably, our results demonstrate a substantial near 50% increase in attack cost when employing the more realistic dependent estimation approach. In addition, we also propose time and gas consumption metrics to evaluate the resource consumption of the attackers, which provides a perspective for evaluating reroute attack efforts. We have collected the results for different categories of target assets and also the average resource consumption for each via, required during FIB reroute attack.
Advances in Zr-Based Alloys
Authors: Dong Quan , Tan Jun
Published: April 2024

Due to outstanding mechanical properties [...]
Comparison of Aneurysmal and Non-Aneurysmal Spontaneous Cervical Artery Dissections in a Large Multicenter Cohort
Authors: Steinsiepe Valentin K. , Sarikaya Hakan , Mordasini Pasquale R. , Wegener Susanne , Inauen Corinne , Baumgartner Philipp , Jung Simon , Antonenko Kateryna , Fischer Urs , Gralla Jan , Umarova Roza M. , Goeggel Simonetti Barbara , van Laarhoven Constance J. H. C. M. , de Borst Gert J. , Chabriat Hugues , Heldner Mirjam R. , Arnold Marcel
Published: April 2024

Dissecting aneurysms in patients with spontaneous cervical artery dissections have, so far, been reported as “benign”, but more specific information is scarce. We aimed to elucidate (1) vascular risk factors, (2) local and ischemic symptoms, and (3) long-term prognosis compared to non-aneurysmal dissections. This case–control study included consecutive patients with spontaneous cervical artery dissection from three university hospitals in Switzerland and France, evaluated at baseline and at 3 months. In addition, further follow-ups were performed at the discretion of the treating physician. Dissecting aneurysms were diagnosed with duplex sonography, magnetic resonance angiography, and/or digital subtraction angiography. Of 1012 patients, 151 (14.9%) presented with 167 dissecting aneurysms at baseline (n = 103) or follow-up (n = 64). The median follow-up was 24.9 months (IQR: 6.8–60.8). Compared to patients without a dissecting aneurysm there were no significant differences in the vascular risk factors or local symptoms (91.4 vs. 89.8%). Ischemic strokes at baseline were less common (29.1% vs. 54.4%; OR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.28–0.60) in patients with a dissecting aneurysm, even after correction for the degree of stenosis of the dissected arteries (OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.34–0.81). Patients with a dissecting aneurysm more often had a favorable clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale Score of 0–1) at 3 months (80.6% vs. 54.5%). There was no significant difference in recurrent cerebrovascular events at 3 months or overall. The lower rate of ischemic strokes at baseline may reflect a different pathogenic mechanism, such as a smaller initial tear in the vessel wall or an increased vessel caliber from an early or primary intramural hematoma with a different shape.
The Phyloperiodic Approach Removes the “Cryptic Species” and Puts forward Multilevel Organismal Diversity
Authors: Korshunova Tatiana , Martynov Alexander
Published: April 2024

The notion of the “cryptic species” has recently become an important agenda in biodiversity research. In this study, we show, by applying a periodic-like morphological and molecular framework to the nudibranch genus Cadlina from the world’s least explored locations in the Kuril Islands in the northwestern Pacific, including a description of six new species, that the term “cryptic species” should be removed from biodiversity research terminology. We explicitly show that different species of this complex have various degrees of molecular phylogenetic distances and morphological distinctness, revealing a truly multilevel system of fine-scale differences and similarities. Therefore, to designate any of these species as “cryptic” or “non-cryptic” would be completely arbitrary, non-operational, and generally meaningless. By this, we finally strongly propose to remove the notion of “crypticity” and the term “cryptic species” (in the sense of an “indistinguishable species”) from the arsenal of modern biology, including phylogeny and taxonomy. The importance of fine-scale species differentiation in the multilevel framework is shown for addressing conservation and global warming challenges. Six new species are named after scientists who have not always received the honours they deserve, including two women who did not receive their respective Nobel Prizes.
Unique Aggregations of a Large Undescribed Solitary Tunicate in the Arabian Sea
Authors: Samimi-Namin Kaveh , Lotufo Tito Monteiro da Cruz , Hoeksema Bert W. , Tweedt Sarah M. , Meyer Christopher , Paulay Gustav
Published: April 2024

We document aggregations of an undescribed benthic solitary tunicate of the family Pyuridae from the Arabian Sea. This new genus was found forming dense thickets in shallow rocky substrates around Masirah Island and the Dhofar area in Oman. Such aggregations of tunicates have not been reported before from coral reefs in the Indo-West Pacific region and the Atlantic. This observation contributes to our understanding of the ecology and biogeography of ascidians, setting the stage for a comprehensive species description and in-depth analysis of this species.
Illumina 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Dataset of Bacterial Communities of Soil Associated with Ironwood Trees (Casuarina equisetifolia) in Guam
Authors: Jin Tao , Schlub Robert L. , Husseneder Claudia
Published: April 2024

Ironwood trees, which are of great importance for the economy and environment of tropical areas, were first discovered to suffer from a slow progressive dieback in Guam in 2002, later referred to as ironwood tree decline (IWTD). A variety of biotic factors have been shown to be associated with IWTD, including putative bacterial pathogens Ralstonia solanacearum and Klebsiella species (K. variicola and K. oxytoca), the fungus Ganoderma australe, and termites. Due to the soilborne nature of these pathogens, soil microbiomes have been suggested to be a significant factor influencing tree health. In this project, we sequenced the microbiome in the soil collected from the root region of healthy ironwood trees and those showing signs of IWTD to evaluate the association between the bacterial community in soil and IWTD. This dataset contains 4,782,728 raw sequencing reads present in soil samples collected from thirty-nine ironwood trees with varying scales of decline severity in Guam obtained via sequencing the V1–V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene on the Illumina NovaSeq (2 × 250 bp) platform. Sequences were taxonomically assigned in QIIME2 using the SILVA 132 database. Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were the most dominant phyla in soil. Differences in soil microbiomes were detected between limestone and sand soil parent materials. No putative plant pathogens of the genera Ralstonia or Klebsiella were found in the samples. Bacterial diversity was not linked to parameters of IWTD. The dataset has been made publicly available through NCBI GenBank under BioProject ID PRJNA883256. This dataset can be used to compare the bacterial taxa present in soil associated with ironwood trees in Guam to bacteria communities of other geographical locations to identify microbial signatures of IWTD. In addition, this dataset can also be used to investigate the relationship between soil microbiomes and the microbiomes of ironwood trees as well as those of the termites which attack ironwood trees.
Opportunistic Screening for Acute Vertebral Fractures on a Routine Abdominal or Chest Computed Tomography Scans Using an Automated Deep Learning Model
Authors: Kim Ye Rin , Yoon Yu Sung , Cha Jang Gyu
Published: April 2024

Objectives: To develop an opportunistic screening model based on a deep learning algorithm to detect recent vertebral fractures in abdominal or chest CTs. Materials and Methods: A total of 1309 coronal reformatted images (504 with a recent fracture from 119 patients, and 805 without fracture from 115 patients), from torso CTs, performed from September 2018 to April 2022, on patients who also had a spine MRI within two months, were included. Two readers participated in image selection and manually labeled the fractured segment on each selected image with Neuro-T (version 2.3.3; Neurocle Inc.) software. We split the images randomly into the training and internal test set (labeled: unlabeled = 480:700) and the secondary interval validation set (24:105). For the observer study, three radiologists reviewed the CT images in the external test set with and without deep learning assistance and scored the likelihood of an acute fracture in each image independently. Results: For the training and internal test sets, the AI achieved a 99.86% test accuracy, 91.22% precision, and 89.18% F1 score for detection of recent fracture. Then, in the secondary internal validation set, it achieved 99.90%, 74.93%, and 78.30%, respectively. In the observer study, with the assistance of the deep learning algorithm, a significant improvement was observed in the radiology resident’s accuracy, from 92.79% to 98.2% (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The model showed a high level of accuracy in the test set and also the internal validation set. If this algorithm is applied opportunistically to daily torso CT evaluation, it will be helpful for the early detection of fractures that require treatment.
Multi-Modal Latent Diffusion
Authors: Bounoua Mustapha , Franzese Giulio , Michiardi Pietro
Published: April 2024

Multimodal datasets are ubiquitous in modern applications, and multimodal Variational Autoencoders are a popular family of models that aim to learn a joint representation of different modalities. However, existing approaches suffer from a coherence–quality tradeoff in which models with good generation quality lack generative coherence across modalities and vice versa. In this paper, we discuss the limitations underlying the unsatisfactory performance of existing methods in order to motivate the need for a different approach. We propose a novel method that uses a set of independently trained and unimodal deterministic autoencoders. Individual latent variables are concatenated into a common latent space, which is then fed to a masked diffusion model to enable generative modeling. We introduce a new multi-time training method to learn the conditional score network for multimodal diffusion. Our methodology substantially outperforms competitors in both generation quality and coherence, as shown through an extensive experimental campaign.
Inclusive Approaches in Italian Early Childhood Education and Care: The View of Practitioners
Authors: Macagno Alessia , Ragaglia Beatrice , Henning Anne , Bulgarelli Daniela
Published: April 2024

This study presents the Italian practitioners’ perspective on the inclusion of children with disabilities in ECEC. Historically, Italy had a split system (0–3 and 3–6 divisions); only recently was the ZeroSix Integrated System established. Seven 0–3-division educators and seven 3–6-division teachers were interviewed. Their responses were analysed through a deductive content analysis, based on the eight dimensions of inclusion proposed by the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education (2017). The themes which were mainly mentioned as crucial for promoting inclusion were a child-centred approach; inclusive teaching and learning environment; inclusive social environment; and family-friendly environment. These same dimensions were also said to be challenging, together with the implementation of materials for all children. The strengths and weaknesses in inclusive processes partly differed between the two divisions. This study enriches the literature investigating how practitioners implement inclusive practices in ECEC, also analysing the differences between the 0–3 and the 3–6 divisions.