bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Redefining Ormyridae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) with establishment of subfamilies and description of new genera
Authors: van Noort Simon , Mitroiu Mircea‐Dan , Burks Roger , Gibson Gary , Hanson Paul , Heraty John , Janšta Petr , Cruaud Astrid , Rasplus Jean‐Yves
Published: April 2024

The circumscription of the family Ormyridae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) is revised after phylogenetic analysis based on ultra‐conserved elements (UCEs) and comparative morphological assessment of the chalcid ‘Gall Clade’. Six genera are treated in the family, including two new genera, Halleriaphagus van Noort and Burks, gen. nov., and Ouma Mitroiu, gen. nov. One genus, Eubeckerella Narendran, is re‐assigned to the family, and Ormyrulus Bouček is synonymised with Ormyrus Westwood, syn. nov., resulting in the new combination Ormyrus gibbus (Bouček), comb. nov. The six genera are classified in three subfamilies, two of which are newly described, Asparagobiinae van Noort, Burks, Mitroiu and Rasplus, subfam. nov., and Hemadinae van Noort, Burks, Mitroiu and Rasplus, subfam. nov. Halleriaphagus is established for the newly described type species Halleriaphagus phagolucida van Noort and Burks, sp. nov., and Ouma is erected for O. daleskeyae Mitroiu, sp. nov., and O. emazantsi Mitroiu, sp. nov. Asparagobius is revised with description of Asparagobius bouceki van Noort, sp. nov., and Asparagobius copelandi Rasplus and van Noort, sp. nov. Asparagobius and Halleriaphagus are classified in Asparagobiinae, Hemadas in Hemadinae and Eubeckerella, Ormyrus and Ouma in Ormyrinae. The molecular support defining the ormyrid clade is corroborated by the proposed morphological synapomorphy of a foliaceous prepectus overlying the tegula base. Identification keys to the genera of Ormyridae and to the species of Asparagobius and Ouma are provided. Online Lucid identification keys and images of all the species treated herein are available at: http://www.waspweb.org.

Zoobank Registration: LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8811695B-EE57-4C18-A6B6-E63D267E2373.
The novel HLA‐A*24:627 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Sun Tie Cheng , Li Dong Mei , Zhang Rong Fang , Wang Dong Mei , Jia Yan Jun
Published: April 2024

The HLA‐A*24:627 allele differs from HLA‐A*24:02:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 172 in exon 2.
Cerebral blood flow regulation in hypobaric hypoxia: role of haemoconcentration
Authors: Turner Rachel , Rasmussen Peter , Gatterer Hannes , Tremblay Joshua C. , Roche Johanna , Strapazzon Giacomo , Roveri Giulia , Lawley Justin , Siebenmann Christoph
Published: April 2024

During acute hypoxic exposure, cerebral blood flow (CBF) increases to compensate for the reduced arterial oxygen content (CaO2). Nevertheless, as exposure extends, both CaO2 and CBF progressively normalize. Haemoconcentration is the primary mechanism underlying the CaO2 restoration and may therefore explain, at least in part, the CBF normalization. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that reversing the haemoconcentration associated with extended hypoxic exposure returns CBF towards the values observed in acute hypoxia. Twenty‐three healthy lowlanders (12 females) completed two identical 4‐day sojourns in a hypobaric chamber, one in normoxia (NX) and one in hypobaric hypoxia (HH, 3500 m). CBF was measured by ultrasound after 1, 6, 12, 48 and 96 h and compared between sojourns to assess the time course of changes in CBF. In addition, CBF was measured at the end of the HH sojourn after hypervolaemic haemodilution. Compared with NX, CBF was increased in HH after 1 h (P = 0.001) but similar at all later time points (all P > 0.199). Haemoglobin concentration was higher in HH than NX from 12 h to 96 h (all P < 0.001). While haemodilution reduced haemoglobin concentration from 14.8 ± 1.0 to 13.9 ± 1.2 g·dl−1 (P < 0.001), it did not increase CBF (974 ± 282 to 872 ± 200 ml·min−1; P = 0.135). We thus conclude that, at least at this moderate altitude, haemoconcentration is not the primary mechanism underlying CBF normalization with acclimatization. These data ostensibly reflect the fact that CBF regulation at high altitude is a complex process that integrates physiological variables beyond CaO2.

image

Key points

Acute hypoxia causes an increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, as exposure extends, CBF progressively normalizes.

We investigated whether hypoxia‐induced haemoconcentration contributes to the normalization of CBF during extended hypoxia.

Following 4 days of hypobaric hypoxic exposure (corresponding to 3500 m altitude), we measured CBF before and after abolishing hypoxia‐induced haemoconcentration by hypervolaemic haemodilution.

Contrary to our hypothesis, the haemodilution did not increase CBF in hypoxia.

Our findings do not support haemoconcentration as a stimulus for the CBF normalization during extended hypoxia.
Coaching Across Borders: Lessons From Finnish High-Performance Ice Hockey Coaches
Authors: Bespomoshchnov Vladislav A. , Mallett Clifford J. , Saarinen Mika , Vähälummukka Mika , Arvaja Markus
Published: April 2024

Sport coaching has become globalized. Finnish ice hockey is an example of this globalization of a coaching workforce. Indeed, the success of Finnish ice hockey teams in the international arena has been fueling the demand for coaches and players from this country worldwide. Yet, despite the increasing trends of migration of the workforce in sports, there is limited research that is conducted on the experiences of foreign coaches. Thus, in this study, we aimed to expand our understanding of the work of high-performance coaches in the globalized sports context. A case study design was adopted. The participants were 14 Finnish high-performance head coaches with transnational career experiences across 11 nations. Qualitative data were collected via semistructured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis guided how the authors made sense of these data. Three major themes were (a) preparation practices, (b) acculturation, and (c) emerging learning experiences. The findings provide helpful insights for (a) coach developers when preparing practitioners to work in different cultural settings, (b) club administrators to further inform their decisions when recruiting and working with foreign coaches, and (c) sports’ governing bodies to develop policies to support coaches’ acculturation in the new country.
Performance characteristics of highly automated HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG testing
Authors: Crawford Katharine H. D. , Selke Stacy , Pepper Gregory , Goecker Erin , Sobel Aniela , Wald Anna , Johnston Christine , Greninger Alexander L.
Published: April 2024

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections are one of the most common and stigmatized infections of humankind, affecting more than 4 billion people around the world and more than 100 million Americans. Yet, most people do not know their infection status, and antibody testing is not recommended, partly due to poor test performance. Here, we compared the test performance of the Roche Elecsys HSV-1 IgG and HSV-2 IgG, DiaSorin LIAISON HSV-1/2 IgG, and Bio-Rad BioPlex 2200 HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG assays with the gold-standard HSV western blot in 1,994 persons, including 1,017 persons with PCR or culture-confirmed HSV-1 and/or HSV-2 infection. Across all samples, the Bio-Rad and Roche assays had similar performance metrics with low sensitivity (<85%) but high specificity (>97%) for detecting HSV-1 IgG and both high sensitivity (>97%) and high specificity (>98%) for detecting HSV-2 IgG. The DiaSorin assay had a higher sensitivity (92.1%) but much lower specificity (88.7%) for detecting HSV-1 IgG and comparatively poor sensitivity (94.5%) and specificity (94.2%) for detecting HSV-2 IgG. The DiaSorin assay performed poorly at low-positive index values with 60.9% of DiaSorin HSV-1 results and 20.8% of DiaSorin HSV-2 results with positive index values <3.0 yielding false positive results. Based on an estimated HSV-2 seroprevalence of 12% in the United States, positive predictive values for HSV-2 IgG were 96.1% for Roche, 87.4% for Bio-Rad, and 69.0% for DiaSorin, meaning nearly one of every three positive DiaSorin HSV-2 IgG results would be falsely positive. Further development in HSV antibody diagnostics is needed to provide appropriate patient care.

IMPORTANCE

Serological screening for HSV infections is currently not recommended in part due to the poor performance metrics of widely used commercial HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG assays. Here, we compare three Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared automated HSV-1 and HSV-2 IgG assays to the gold-standard western blot across nearly 2,000 samples. We find that not all commercially available HSV assays are created equal, with comparably low sensitivities for HSV-1 IgG across platforms and high false positivity rates for DiaSorin on HSV-2 IgG. This study is the first large-scale comparison of performance metrics for the Bio-Rad and Roche assays in over 10 years. Our study confirms that there remains room for improvement in HSV serological diagnostic testing—especially in regard to low sensitivities for HSV-1 IgG detection—and highlights that some previously less-studied assays may have better performance metrics than previously considered typical of commercially available HSV-2 IgG assays.
Integrating safety, security, sustainability, and social responsibility principles into the U.S. bioeconomy
Authors: Attal-Juncqua Aurelia , Getz John , Morhard Ryan , Gronvall Gigi Kwik
Published: April 2024

Bioindustrial manufacturing is undergoing rapid expansion and investment and is seen as integral to nations’ economic progress. Ensuring that bioindustrial manufacturing benefits society as the field expands is of critical, urgent importance. To better understand the industry’s ethical trajectory and to shape policy, we explored the views of biotechnology leaders on four aspects of ethical and social responsibility—safety, security, social responsibility, and sustainability—what we have termed “4S principles.” We identified policy actions governments and other stakeholders may take to maximize societal benefits in industrial biotechnology.

IMPORTANCE

We analyzed biotech leaders’ views on safety, security, social responsibility, and sustainability to recommend policies to maximize benefits and economic growth.
Multiple pathways impact the swarming motility of
Pseudomonas fluorescens
Pf0-1
Authors: Pastora Alexander B. , Rzasa Kara M. , O’Toole George A.
Published: April 2024

Swarming motility in pseudomonads typically requires both a functional flagellum and the production/secretion of a biosurfactant. Published work has shown that the wild-type
Pseudomonas fluorescens
Pf0-1 is swarming deficient due to a point mutation in the
gacA
gene, which until recently was thought to inactivate rather than attenuate the Gac/Rsm pathway. As a result, little is known about the underlying mechanisms that regulate swarming motility by
P. fluorescens
Pf0-1. Here, we demonstrate that a Δ
rsmA
Δ
rsmE
Δ
rsmI
mutant, which phenotypically mimics Gac/Rsm pathway overstimulation, is proficient at swarming motility. RsmA and RsmE appear to play a key role in this regulation. Transposon mutagenesis of the Δ
rsmA
Δ
rsmE
Δ
rsmI
mutant identified multiple factors that impact swarming motility, including pathways involved in flagellar synthesis and biosurfactant production/secretion. We find that loss of genes linked to biosurfactant Gacamide A biosynthesis or secretion impacts swarming motility, as does loss of the alternative sigma factor FliA, which results in a defect in flagellar function. Collectively, these findings provide evidence that
P. fluorescens
Pf0-1 can swarm if the Gac/Rsm pathway is activated, highlight the regulatory complexity of swarming motility in this strain, and demonstrate that the cyclic lipopeptide Gacamide A is utilized as a biosurfactant for swarming motility.

IMPORTANCE

Swarming motility is a coordinated process that allows communities of bacteria to collectively move across a surface. For
P. fluorescens
Pf0-1, this phenotype is notably absent in the parental strain, and to date, little is known about the regulation of swarming in this strain. Here, we identify RsmA and RsmE as key repressors of swarming motility
via
modulating the levels of biosurfactant production/secretion. Using transposon mutagenesis and subsequent genetic analyses, we further identify potential regulatory mechanisms of swarming motility and link Gacamide A biosynthesis and transport machinery to swarming motility.
Could traces of fluoroquinolones in food induce ciprofloxacin resistance in
Escherichia coli
and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
? An
in vivo
study in
Galleria mellonella
with important implications for maximum residue limits in food
Authors: Gestels Zina , Baranchyk Yuliia , Van den Bossche Dorien , Laumen Jolein , Abdellati Said , Britto Xavier Basil , Manoharan-Basil Sheeba Santhini , Kenyon Chris
Published: April 2024

We hypothesized that the residual concentrations of fluoroquinolones allowed in food (acceptable daily intake—ADIs) could select for ciprofloxacin resistance in our resident microbiota. We developed models of chronic
Escherichia coli
and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
infection in
Galleria mellonella
larvae and exposed them to ADI doses of ciprofloxacin via single dosing and daily dosing regimens. The emergence of ciprofloxacin resistance was assessed via isolation of the target bacteria in selective agar plates. Exposure to as low as one-tenth of the ADI dose of the single and daily dosing regimens of ciprofloxacin resulted in the selection of ciprofloxacin resistance in
K. pneumoniae
but not
E. coli
. This resistance was associated with cross-resistance to doxycycline and ceftriaxone. Whole genome sequencing revealed inactivating mutations in the transcription repressors,
ramR
and
rrf2
, as well as mutations in
gyrA
and
gyrB
. We found that ciprofloxacin doses 10-fold lower than those classified as acceptable for daily intake could induce resistance to ciprofloxacin in
K. pneumoniae
. These results suggest that it would be prudent to include the induction of antimicrobial resistance as a significant criterion for determining ADIs and the associated maximum residue limits in food.

IMPORTANCE

This study found that the concentrations of ciprofloxacin/enrofloxacin allowed in food can induce
de novo
ciprofloxacin resistance in
Klebsiella pneumoniae
. This suggests that it would be prudent to reconsider the criteria used to determine “safe” upper concentration limits in food.
Partial Molar Ectopic Pregnancy: A diagnostic challenge
Authors: Kadirvel Vinodhini , Singh Sweta , Purkait Suvendu , Shahin Mohammed
Published: April 2024

Here, we present a rare case of a primigravida who presented to us with symptoms and signs suggestive of an ectopic gestation, which turned out to be a partial mole in histopathological examination. Since it is a very rare occurrence, we would like to publish the case details in this case report.
Personalised prediction of maintenance dialysis initiation in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3–5: a multicentre study using the machine learning approach
Authors: Hoang Anh Trung , Nguyen Phung-Anh , Phan Thanh Phuc , Do Gia Tuyen , Nguyen Huu Dung , Chiu I-Jen , Chou Chu-Lin , Ko Yu-Chen , Chang Tzu-Hao , Huang Chih-Wei , Iqbal Usman , Hsu Yung-Ho , Wu Mai-Szu , Liao Chia-Te
Published: April 2024

Background

Optimal timing for initiating maintenance dialysis in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3–5 is challenging. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model for early personalised prediction of maintenance dialysis initiation within 1-year and 3-year timeframes among patients with CKD stages 3–5.

Methods

Retrospective electronic health record data from the Taipei Medical University clinical research database were used. Newly diagnosed patients with CKD stages 3–5 between 2008 and 2017 were identified. The observation period spanned from the diagnosis of CKD stages 3–5 until the maintenance dialysis initiation or a maximum follow-up of 3 years. Predictive models were developed using patient demographics, comorbidities, laboratory data and medications. The dataset was divided into training and testing sets to ensure robust model performance. Model evaluation metrics, including area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and F1 score, were employed.

Results

A total of 6123 and 5279 patients were included for 1 year and 3 years of the model development. The artificial neural network demonstrated better performance in predicting maintenance dialysis initiation within 1 year and 3 years, with AUC values of 0.96 and 0.92, respectively. Important features such as baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria significantly contributed to the predictive model.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the efficacy of an ML approach in developing a highly predictive model for estimating the timing of maintenance dialysis initiation in patients with CKD stages 3–5. These findings have important implications for personalised treatment strategies, enabling improved clinical decision-making and potentially enhancing patient outcomes.
Air leak test in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (ALTIPICU): rationale and protocol for a prospective multicentre observational study
Authors: Lacarra Boris , Hayotte Aurélie , Naudin Jérôme , Maroni Arielle , Geslain Guillaume , Poncelet Géraldine , Levy Michael , Resche-Rigon Matthieu , Dauger Stéphane
Published: April 2024

Introduction

In children, respiratory distress due to upper airway obstruction (UAO) is a common complication of extubation. The quantitative cuff-leak test (qtCLT) is a simple, rapid and non-invasive test that has not been extensively studied in children. The objective of the ongoing study whose protocol is reported here is to investigate how well the qtCLT predicts UAO-related postextubation respiratory distress in paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients.

Methods and analysis

Air Leak Test in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit is a multicentre, prospective, observational study that will recruit 900 patients who are aged 2 days post-term to 17 years and ventilated through a cuffed endotracheal tube for at least 24 hours in any of 19 French PICUs. Within an hour of planned extubation, the qtCLT will be performed as a sequence of six measurements of the tidal volume with the cuff inflated then deflated. The primary outcome is the occurrence within 48 hours after extubation of severe UAO defined as combining a requirement for intravenous corticosteroid therapy and/or ventilator support by high-flow nasal cannula and/or by non-invasive ventilation or repeat invasive mechanical ventilation with a Westley score ≥4 with at least one point for stridor at each initiation. The results of the study are expected to identify risk factors for UAO-related postextubation respiratory distress and extubation failure, thereby identifying patient subgroups most likely to require preventive interventions. It will also determine whether qtCLT appears to be a reliable method to predict an increased risk for postextubation adverse events as severe UAO.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Robert Debré University Hospital institutional review board (IRB) on September 2021 (approval #2021578). The report of Robert Debré University Hospital IRB is valid for all sites, given the nature of the study with respect to the French law. The results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

NCT05328206.
Development of a compact bidirectional promoter-driven dual chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) construct targeting CD19 and CD20 in the Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system
Authors: Khaniya Asmita , Rad S M Ali Hossieni , Halpin Josh , Tawinwung Supannikar , McLellan Alexander , Suppipat Koramit , Hirankarn Nattiya
Published: April 2024

Background

A bidirectional promoter-driven chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cassette provides the simultaneous expression of two CARs, which significantly enhances dual antigen-targeted CAR T-cell therapy.

Methods

We developed a second-generation CAR directing CD19 and CD20 antigens, incorporating them in a head-to-head orientation from a bidirectional promoter using a single Sleeping Beauty transposon system. The efficacy of bidirectional promoter-driven dual CD19 and CD20 CAR T cells was determined in vitro against cell lines expressing either, or both, CD19 and CD20 antigens. In vivo antitumor activity was tested in Raji lymphoma-bearing immunodeficient NOD-scid IL2Rgammanull(NSG) mice.

Results

Of all tested promoters, the bidirectional EF-1αpromoter optimally expressed transcripts from both sense (CD19-CAR) and antisense (GFP.CD20-CAR) directions. Superior cytotoxicity, cytokine production and antigen-specific activation were observed in vitro in the bidirectional EF-1αpromoter-driven CD19/CD20 CAR T cells. In contrast, a unidirectional construct driven by the EF-1αpromoter, but using self-cleaving peptide-linked CD19 and CD20 CARs, showed inferior expression and in vitro function. Treatment of mice bearing advanced Raji lymphomas with bidirectional EF-1αpromoter-driven CD19/CD20 CAR T cells effectively controlled tumor growth and extended the survival of mice compared with group treated with single antigen targeted CAR T cells.

Conclusion

The use of bidirectional promoters in a single vector offers advantages of size and robust CAR expression with the potential to expand use in other forms of gene therapies like CAR T cells.
Machine learning classification of sphalerons and black holes at the LHC
Authors: Grefsrud Aurora Singstad , Buanes Trygve , Koutroulis Fotis , Lipniacka Anna , Masełek Rafał , Papaefstathiou Andreas , Sakurai Kazuki , Sjursen Therese B. , Slazyk Igor
Published: April 2024

In models with large extra dimensions, “miniature” black holes (BHs) might be produced in high-energy proton–proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In the semi-classical regime, those BHs thermally decay, giving rise to large-multiplicity final states with jets and leptons. On the other hand, similar final states are also expected in the production of electroweak sphaleron/instanton-induced processes. We investigate whether one can discriminate these scenarios when BH or sphaleron-like events are observed in the LHC using machine learning (ML) methods. Classification among several BH scenarios with different numbers of extra dimensions and the minimal BH masses is also examined. In this study we consider three ML models: XGBoost algorithms with (1) high- and (2) low-level inputs, and (3) a Residual Convolutional Neural Network. In the latter case, the low-level detector information is converted into an input format of three-layer binned event images, where the value of each bin corresponds to the energy deposited in various detector subsystems. We demonstrate that only a small number of detected events are sufficient to effectively discriminate between the sphaleron and BH processes. Separation between BH scenarios with different minimal masses is possible with an order of 10 events passing the preselection. A sufficient number of events could be observed in combined Run-2 and -3 data, if the production cross section is not much smaller than the present limit $$\sim 0.1$$

∼
0.1

 fb. We find, however, that a large number of events is needed to discriminate between BH hypotheses with the same minimal BH mass, but different numbers of extra dimensions.
Unimodular proca theory: breaking the U(1) gauge symmetry of unimodular gravity via a mass term
Authors: Isichei Raymond , Magueijo João
Published: April 2024

We study the Hamiltonian structure of unimodular-like theories, where the cosmological constant (or other supposed constants of nature) are demoted from fixed parameters to classical constants of motion. No new local degrees of freedom are present as a result of a U(1) gauge invariance of the theory. Hamiltonian analysis of the action reveals that the only possible gauge fixing that can be enforced is setting the spatial components of the four-volume time vector $$\mathcal{T}^{i}\approx 0$$

T

i

≈
0

. As a consequence of this, the gauge-fixed unimodular path integral is equivalent to the minisuperspace unimodular path integral. However, should we break the U(1) gauge invariance, two things happen: a massless propagating degree of freedom appears, and the (gauge-invariant) zero-mode receives modified dynamics. The implications are investigated, with the phenomenology depending crucially on the target “constant”.
Bluefin Trevally Optimizer (BTO): A Metaheuristic Algorithm Using Fuzzy Logic Controller for Feature Selection Problem
Authors: Dutta Debashis , Rath Subhabrata
Published: April 2024

Metaheuristic algorithms are increasingly used for feature selection (FS) problems due to their robustness and searchability. This study presents a unique optimization technique called fuzzy bluefin trevally optimizer (BTO). BTO draws its inspiration from bluefin’s cooperative nature and sudden ambush behavior. The trevally will jump out of the water and attack its food in the air or even snag it off the water when it is sufficiently close to it. This study uses mathematical modeling to create an optimization algorithm to replicate dynamic patterns and behaviors. Since parameters play a critical role in optimization, we use the fuzzy concept for dynamic parameter adaptation in fuzzy BTO. By introducing the idea of signature and demonstrating that fuzzy BTO converges to the global optimal point, the mathematical basis for the proposed algorithm is provided. The convergence of fuzzy BTO is proved using the Markov chain property. On benchmark functions (BF), the effectiveness of the suggested strategies is evaluated and compared with other metaheuristic algorithms. Then the proposed algorithms are applied to a fuzzy FS problem. Then they are compared with traditional and recent metaheuristic algorithms on the UCI machine learning repository datasets. Finally, the statistical significance is examined using the Kruskal–Wallis test (KWT).
Evaluating Gesture Generation in a Large-scale Open Challenge: The GENEA Challenge 2022
Authors: Kucherenko Taras , Wolfert Pieter , Yoon Youngwoo , Viegas Carla , Nikolov Teodor , Tsakov Mihail , Henter Gustav Eje
Published: April 2024

This article reports on the second GENEA Challenge to benchmark data-driven automatic co-speech gesture generation. Participating teams used the same speech and motion dataset to build gesture-generation systems. Motion generated by all these systems was rendered to video using a standardised visualisation pipeline and evaluated in several large, crowdsourced user studies. Unlike when comparing different research articles, differences in results are here only due to differences between methods, enabling direct comparison between systems. The dataset was based on 18 hours of full-body motion capture, including fingers, of different persons engaging in a dyadic conversation. Ten teams participated in the challenge across two tiers: full-body and upper-body gesticulation. For each tier, we evaluated both the human-likeness of the gesture motion and its appropriateness for the specific speech signal. Our evaluations decouple human-likeness from gesture appropriateness, which has been a difficult problem in the field.

The evaluation results show some synthetic gesture conditions being rated as significantly more human-like than 3D human motion capture. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been demonstrated before. On the other hand, all synthetic motion is found to be vastly less appropriate for the speech than the original motion-capture recordings. We also find that conventional objective metrics do not correlate well with subjective human-likeness ratings in this large evaluation. The one exception is the Fréchet gesture distance (FGD), which achieves a Kendall’s tau rank correlation of around -0.5. Based on the challenge results we formulate numerous recommendations for system building and evaluation.
Gaze-Based Intention Estimation: Principles, Methodologies, and Applications in HRI
Authors: Belardinelli Anna
Published: April 2024

Intention prediction has become a relevant field of research in Human–Machine and Human–Robot Interaction. Indeed, any artificial system (co)-operating with and along humans, designed to assist and coordinate its actions with a human partner, would benefit from first inferring the human’s current intention. To spare the user the cognitive burden of explicitly uttering their goals, this inference relies mostly on behavioral cues deemed indicative of the current action. It has been long known that eye movements are highly anticipatory of the single steps unfolding during a task, hence they can serve as a very early and reliable behavioral cue for intention recognition. This conceptual review aims to draw a line between insights in the psychological literature on visuomotor control and relevant applications of gaze-based intention recognition in technical domains, with a focus on teleoperated and assistive robotic systems. Starting from the cognitive principles underlying the relationship between intentions, eye movements, and action, the use of eye tracking and gaze-based models for intent recognition in Human–Robot Interaction is considered, with prevalent methodologies and their diverse applications. Finally, special consideration is given to relevant human factors issues and current limitations to be factored in when designing such systems.
EdiTor: Edge-guided Transformer for Ghost-free High Dynamic Range Imaging
Authors: Guan Yuanshen , Xu Ruikang , Yao Mingde , Huang Jie , Xiong Zhiwei
Published: April 2024

Synthesizing the high dynamic range (HDR) image from multi-exposure images has been extensively studied by exploiting convolutional neural networks (CNNs) recently. Despite the remarkable progress, existing CNN-based methods have the intrinsic limitation of local receptive field, which hinders the model’s capability of capturing long-range correspondence and large motions across under/over-exposure images, resulting in ghosting artifacts of dynamic scenes. To address the above challenge, we propose a novel
Ed
ge-gu
i
ded
T
ransf
or
mer framework (EdiTor) customized for ghost-free HDR reconstruction, where the long-range motions across different exposures can be delicately modeled by incorporating the edge prior. Specifically, EdiTor calculates patch-wise correlation maps on both image and edge domains, enabling the network to effectively model the global movements and the fine-grained shifts across multiple exposures. Based on this framework, we further propose an exposure-masked loss to adaptively compensate for the severely distorted regions (
e.g.
, highlights and shadows). Experiments demonstrate that EdiTor outperforms state-of-the-art methods both quantitatively and qualitatively, achieving appealing HDR visualization with unified textures and colors.
Dynamic-ACTS - A Dynamic Graph Analytics Accelerator For HBM-Enabled FPGAs
Authors: Jaiyeoba Oluwole , Skadron Kevin
Published: April 2024

Graph processing frameworks suffer performance degradation from under-utilization of available memory bandwidth, because graph traversal often exhibits poor locality. A prior work, ACTS [
24
], accelerates graph processing with FPGAs and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). ACTS achieves locality by partitioning vertex-update messages (based on destination vertex IDs) generated online after active edges have been processed. This work introduces Dynamic-ACTS which builds on ideas in ACTS to support dynamic graphs. The key innovation is to use a hash table to find the edges to be updated. Compared to Gunrock, a GPU graph engine, Dynamic-ACTS achieves a geometric mean speedup of 1.5X, with a maximum speedup of 4.6X. Compared to GraphLily, an FPGA-HBM graph engine, Dynamic-ACTS achieves a geometric speedup of 3.6X, with a maximum speedup of 16.5X. Our results also showed a geometric mean power reduction of 50% and a mean reduction of energy-delay product of 88% over Gunrock. Compared to GraSU, an FPGA graph updating engine, Dynamic-ACTS achieves an average speedup of 15X.
Addition of Contrast-enhanced Mammography to Tomosynthesis for Breast Cancer Detection in Women with a Personal History of Breast Cancer: Prospective TOCEM Trial Interim Analysis
Authors: Berg Wendie A. , Berg Jeremy M. , Bandos Andriy I. , Vargo Adrienne , Chough Denise M. , Lu Amy H. , Ganott Marie A. , Kelly Amy E. , Nair Bronwyn E. , Hartman Jamie Y. , Waheed Uzma , Hakim Christiane M. , Harnist Kimberly S. , Reginella Ruthane F. , Shinde Dilip D. , Carlin Bea A. , Cohen Cathy S. , Wallace Luisa P. , Sumkin Jules H. , Zuley Margarita L.
Published: April 2024

In this prospective trial interim report, adding contrast-enhanced mammography to digital breast tomosynthesis increased breast cancer detection with limited increase in recalls in women with personal history of breast cancer.
BI-RADS Category Assignments by GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and Google Bard: A Multilanguage Study
Authors: Cozzi Andrea , Pinker Katja , Hidber Andri , Zhang Tianyu , Bonomo Luca , Lo Gullo Roberto , Christianson Blake , Curti Marco , Rizzo Stefania , Del Grande Filippo , Mann Ritse M. , Schiaffino Simone
Published: April 2024

Based on breast imaging reports written in three languages, GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and Google Bard achieved moderate agreement with human reader–assigned Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System categories but also yielded a high percentage of discordant category assignments that would negatively impact clinical management.
A Systematic Evaluation of Dupilumab for Bullous Pemphigoid Treatment
Authors: Ye Shengzhen , Ling Guihua , Chen Mingling
Published: April 2024

This paper systematically reviews the current articles regarding the use of dupilumab in the treatment of bullous pemphigoid (BP) to evaluate its safety and efficacy. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for publications on dupilumab for BP from inception to 10 March, 2023. A total of 26 studies were included for systematic review. The primary outcome was clinical remission, and the secondary outcomes were recurrence and adverse events. Among 96 patients, 71.8% (n = 69/96) received systemic or topical steroids, immunosuppressants, immunomodulators, intravenous immunoglobulins, antihistamines, plasmapheresis, rituximab, and omalizumab, but none of them were successful. After dupilumab treatment, 66.7% (n = 64/96) of patients achieved complete remission, 25.0% (n = 24/96) had partial remission, 5.2% (n = 5/96) showed no remission, and no patients experienced deterioration. In addition, 1.0% (n = 1/96) and 2.0% (n = 2/96) patients stopped using dupilumab due to adverse reactions and cost, respectively. The average remission time was 4.5 months. 46.2% (n = 25/96) of the patients were followed up with a median follow‐up of 8 months and only 2 patients relapsed at 8 and 7 months, respectively. Adverse event was 16.9% (n = 12/71), of which transient eosinophilia was the most common. This study indicates that the dupilumab is a promising treatment for BP with high clinical benefit associated with low recurrence rate, adverse event rate, and mortality. However, a large‐scale randomized controlled trial is needed to further confirm the safety and efficacy of dupilumab in patients with BP treatment.
Impact of Respiratory Bacterial Findings on Patients with Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Authors: Cho Hyun Kyu , Moon Seong Mi , Kim Hyoung-Tae , Shin Beomsu
Published: April 2024

Background. Distinct bacterial strains may affect the prognosis of patients with chronic respiratory diseases. However, little is known about the clinical significance of respiratory bacteria in patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA), a progressive and debilitating disease caused by Aspergillus spp. Objectives. This study aimed to analyze data obtained from CPA patients and their sputum or bronchial washing samples and investigate the prevalence and composition of respiratory bacteria and clinical implications. Patients and Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients diagnosed with CPA between March 2019 and February 2023 in a tertiary referral hospital. We assessed the clinical characteristics and overall and pneumonia‐specific survival rates of patients with CPA based on the presence of bacteria. Results and Conclusions. We included 142 patients with CPA. The most commonly identified bacteria were Klebsiella pneumoniae (22.5%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.8%) and Escherichia coli (4.2%). Patients with isolated bacteria had a higher prevalence of older age, female sex, diabetes, and a history of extrathoracic malignancy than those without isolated bacteria (P = 0.024, 0.013, 0.021, and 0.034, respectively). Furthermore, over a median follow‐up of 11 (4–21) months, the pneumonia‐specific mortality rate was 13.4% (19/142), which was higher in patients with isolated bacteria than in those without (P = 0.045, log‐rank test). Particularly, patients with the presence of P. aeruginosa had a significantly higher mortality rate from pneumonia than those without the presence of P. aeruginosa (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.34; P = 0.015). In conclusion, CPA patients with isolated bacteria, especially P. aeruginosa, showed higher mortality rates due to pneumonia. Performing tests to identify bacteria in the lower respiratory tract of patients with CPA may be helpful in predicting future prognosis. Further studies are required to validate these findings in diverse ethnic groups.
Incorporating Adaptive Sparse Graph Convolutional Neural Networks for Segmentation of Organs at Risk in Radiotherapy
Authors: Hu Junjie , Yu Chengrong , Zhu Shengqian , Zhang Haixian
Published: April 2024

Precisely segmenting the organs at risk (OARs) in computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in radiotherapy’s treatment planning, aiding in the protection of critical tissues during irradiation. Renowned deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) and prevailing transformer-based architectures are widely utilized to accomplish the segmentation task, showcasing advantages in capturing local and contextual characteristics. Graph convolutional networks (GCNs) are another specialized model designed for processing the nongrid dataset, e.g., citation relationship. The DCNNs and GCNs are considered as two distinct models applicable to the grid and nongrid datasets, respectively. Motivated by the recently developed dynamic-channel GCN (DCGCN) that attempts to leverage the graph structure to enhance the feature extracted by the DCNNs, this paper proposes a novel architecture termed adaptive sparse GCN (ASGCN) to mitigate the inherent limitations in DCGCN from the aspect of node’s representation and adjacency matrix’s construction. For the node’s representation, the global average pooling used in the DCGCN is replaced by the learning mechanism to accommodate the segmentation task. For the adjacency matrix, an adaptive regularization strategy is leveraged to penalize the coefficient in the adjacency matrix, resulting in a sparse one that can better exploit the relationships between nodes. Rigorous experiments on multiple OARs’ segmentation tasks of the head and neck demonstrate that the proposed ASGCN can effectively improve the segmentation accuracy. Comparison between the proposed method and other prevalent architectures further confirms the superiority of the ASGCN.
Changes in Indoor Air Quality in Public Facilities before and after the Enactment of Taiwan’s Indoor Air Quality Management Act
Authors: Chen Hsiu-Ling , Chih Pei-Shan , Chuang Kai-Jen , Chuang Hsiao-Chi , Chang Li-Te
Published: April 2024

South Korea was the first to administer the Indoor Air Quality Control Act in 1996, followed by Taiwan’s implementation in 2012. This study investigated indoor air quality (IAQ) in public facilities before and after the enactment of Taiwan’s Indoor Air Quality Management (IAQM) Act in 2012 to assess the effectiveness of the Act. The study also calculates health risks for employers, and consumers/visitors separately. The mean concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) after the IAQM Act’s enactment was higher than before, except for government offices. The lowest attainment rates for CO2, below 80%, were 73% in hospitals and 78% in libraries. As for formaldehyde, average concentrations were higher after the IAQM Act’s implementation, except for the exhibition room and library. Notably, improvements in particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) levels were evident in hospitals and libraries compared to other environments (attainment rates increased from 85% to 100% and 89% to 94%, respectively). However, in schools, preschools, and public transport spaces, unattainment rates worsened. Regarding cancer risk from formaldehyde exposure in the public, the 95% of upper risk limits ranged from 3.44 × 10−5 in the public transport system to 8.80 × 10−4 in preschools. Our findings highlight the necessity of integrating more measurement data after IAQM Act implementation and formulating management strategies based on risk assessments for future investigations.
Impact of the Antioxidant Hydroxytyrosol on the Quality of Post‐Thawed Stallion Semen
Authors: Alharbi Yousef M. , Ali Mohamed , Alharbi Mohammed S.
Published: April 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of including hydroxytyrosol (HT) antioxidant on the viability of sperm after the processes of cooling and freezing. HT antioxidants were used in the HF‐20 extender at concentrations of 1.25, 2.5, 5, and 10 μg/ml. The HF‐20 extender was a basic extender and was used for the control group. The post‐thawed semen exhibited significantly higher total motility in the 2.5 HT and 10 HT treatment groups than the control group. The straight line velocity (VSL) of the 2.5 HT group exhibited a significantly high value compared with the control group. However, the average path velocity (VAP), linearity (LIN), straightness index (STR), and wobble (WOB) revealed identical findings across all groups. The findings of the analysis of HOST, normal morphology, major abnormalities, and minor abnormalities revealed that there were no significant differences between the HT groups and the control groups. Nevertheless, the use of HT antioxidant for freezing semen led to a notable enhancement (p < 0.05) in both acrosome integrity and vitality tests when compared to the control group. In this case, the lower quantities of HT (1.25 and 2.5 μg/ml; p < 0.05) preserve the DNA fragmentation compared with the 5 HT, 10 HT, and control groups. In conclusion, the HT antioxidant has shown the capacity to enhance the quality of frozen‐thawed spermatozoa and positively influence the viability and integrity of DNA inside the frozen‐thawed spermatozoa. Additional research should be conducted to assess the fertility potential of cryopreserved stallion semen.
A Case Report of Roundworms Causing Intestinal Obstruction in a Child
Authors: Krishnaraju Tushar , Jena Suvendu Sekhar , Yadav Amitabh , Nundy Samiran
Published: April 2024

Background. Soil‐transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a common global health issue that affects underprivileged communities without adequate access to clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. Ascaris lumbricoides is the main species that infects humans. Among varied presentations, intestinal obstruction is common among children. Early detection of intestinal obstruction due to STH is critical to prevent severe complications. Here, we present the case of a 10‐year‐old child with acute intestinal obstruction due to roundworms. Case Report. A 10‐year‐old boy presented to the emergency department with recurrent abdominal pain, distention, and vomiting for three months with signs of peritonitis on examination. CT scan of the abdomen revealed roundworms in the distal ileum and a cocoon formed by adhesions of small bowel loops. Intraoperatively, worm balls were found in the proximal jejunum and ileum, causing small bowel obstruction, and a diseased segment of ileum had to be resected. The worms were removed, and an ileostomy was created. The patient was treated with albendazole and intravenous antibiotics such as ceftriaxone and metronidazole. An early closure of ileostomy was performed after 20 days. Histopathology showed roundworm eggs in the appendix and small bowel mucosa. Discussion. Ascaris lumbricoides infestation is a common cause of intestinal obstruction in children, and early detection is critical for avoiding severe complications. Prompt and appropriate treatment with antihelminthics and antibiotics is necessary to achieve a good outcome. In rare cases, surgical intervention may be required to treat intestinal obstruction caused by STH infections. In conclusion, the prevalence of STH infections highlights the need for public health interventions, such as improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, and for early detection and treatment to prevent severe complications such as intestinal obstruction.
Experimental Study on the Boundary Reflection Effect of Stress Wave Propagation Based on the Newly Developed Test Apparatus
Authors: Wu Jian , Gao Yan-Tang , Tang Shao-Hui , Zeng Zhi-Quan , Miao Ning , Zhong Yun-Zhi , Huang Lei , Liu Quan-Sheng
Published: April 2024

There is a ubiquitous boundary reflection effect of stress wave propagation in the indoor experimental studies. It is critical to improve the validity of waveform data by optimizing boundary materials to absorb reflection waves. In the present study, a calculation method for the optimal wave impedance of boundary materials was proposed based on the transmission and reflection principle of one‐dimensional stress waves at the interface of different media. By using the calculation method, the optimal wave impedance value of the boundary material was obtained. A one‐dimensional stress wave propagation test apparatus was developed for exploring the improvement effect of absorbing materials on the boundary reflection effect. One‐dimensional stress wave propagation experimental studies in the complete red sandstone samples were carried out by setting various boundary absorbing materials such as pine pad, rubber pad, and steel pad. The results indicated that the experimental test results were consistent with the theoretical calculation results. In the stress wave propagation tests, the optimal wave impedance value of the boundary material was 1.12 × 106 kg/m2·s. When the pine pads were used as boundary absorbing materials, the suppression effect of boundary reflection effects is relatively the best. The present study provides references for analyzing the characteristics and mechanism of stress wave propagation and attenuation.