bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and diagnostic significance of non‐invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary‐like nuclear features in Japan—A multi‐institutional study
Authors: Hirokawa Mitsuyoshi , Ito Masahiro , Motoi Noriko , Chiba Tomohiro , Imamura Yoshiaki , Yasuoka Hironao , Hino Rumi , Higuchi Miyoko , Miyauchi Akira , Akamizu Takashi
Published: December 2023

This multi‐institutional study investigated non‐invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary‐like nuclear features (NIFTP) frequency and its diagnostic significance in Japan. We reviewed 4008 thyroid nodules resected in six institutions before NIFTP was proposed. Overall, 26 cases diagnosed as non‐invasive encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 145 cases of follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA) were included. Of these nodules, 80.8% and 31.0%, respectively, were NIFTPs. In five institutions, NIFTPs were more commonly found in FTA than in PTC nodules. When NIFTP was included with PTC, the overall prevalence was 2.3%, with rates in five institutions below 5.0% (0.8%–4.4%). One NIFTP case with nuclear score 3 revealed nodal metastasis 2.5 years post‐resection, and the carcinoma cells were immunohistochemically positive for BRAF. FTAs or NIFTPs with nuclear score 2 did not metastasize. NIFTP was more common among FTA than among PTC nodules, possibly due to underdiagnosis of PTC on nuclear findings. Considering the clinical findings, molecular pathogenesis, and therapeutic strategy in Japan, NIFTP with nuclear score 2 is not different from FTA, and use of this entity terminology is not meaningful. In contrast, NIFTP with nuclear score 3 has potential for metastasis and BRAFV600E mutation. Therefore, in NIFTP cases, nuclear scores 2 and 3 should be separately reported.
Embracing eco‐cultural restoration
Authors: Bliska Hanna M. , Vidra Rebecca L. , Burke Matthew J.
Published: December 2023

The UN Decade of Restoration calls us to pursue more resilient and enduring approaches for restoration. One such approach is eco‐cultural restoration, which places the culture of local and Indigenous communities at the center of restoration. Eco‐cultural restoration shifts our understanding of what constitutes successful restoration, emphasizing the restoration of inter‐related ecological integrity and cultural diversity. To better understand the principles of eco‐cultural restoration work and how it has been implemented globally, we examined 44 papers and non‐published case studies identified through online literature repositories. We identified five key principles among eco‐cultural restoration projects: (1) centering and valuing ancestral understandings, (2) building reciprocity and trust between partners, (3) sparking learning across generations, (4) reinvigorating traditions and culture, and (5) engaging communities holistically. Along with concrete examples of restoration efforts led with eco‐cultural restoration, we offer a set of foundational questions to transform and expand traditional restoration practices.
Life is precious: A quasi‐experimental study of a community‐based program to prevent suicide among Latina adolescents in New York City
Authors: Tuda Daniela , Stefancic Ana , Lam Peter , John Dolly , Sadaghiyani Shima , Choo Tse‐Hwei , Galfalvy Hanga , Coronel Beatriz , Gil Rosa , Lewis‐Fernández Roberto
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Rising rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) among U.S. Latina adolescents urgently need attention. Life is Precious (LIP) is a culturally responsive, community‐based, afterschool‐model program offering wellness‐support services to supplement outpatient mental health treatment for Latina adolescents experiencing STB's. This 12‐month quasi‐experimental pilot study explored LIP's impact on clinical outcomes.

Methods

Latina adolescents newly enrolled in LIP and receiving outpatient treatment (n = 31) and those newly starting outpatient treatment only (n = 12; Usual Care) were assessed for Suicidal Ideation (Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire; SIQ) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire‐9). We estimated differences in mean scores using longitudinal linear mixed models and adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) of SIQ‐25%, SIQ‐50%, and PHQ‐9‐5‐point improvements using exact logistic models.

Results

The direction of the estimated impact of LIP was positive [differences (95% CIs): −15.5 (−34.16, 3.15) for SIQ; −1.16 (−4.39, 2.07) for PHQ‐9], with small‐to‐moderate nonsignificant effect sizes (0.19–0.34). LIP participants saw two to three times higher prevalence than controls of SIQ‐25%, SIQ‐50%, and PHQ‐9‐5‐point improvements; ARRs (95% CIs) were 1.91 (0.61, 3.45), 3.04 (0.43, 11.33), and 1.97 (0.44, 5.07), respectively. Suicidal behaviors also decreased in LIP.

Conclusion

The effects of LIP were in positive directions across clinical outcomes, warranting further research on its effectiveness in decreasing STBs.
PEO: Plant Expression Omnibus – a comparative transcriptomic database for 103 Archaeplastida
Authors: Koh Eugene , Goh William , Julca Irene , Villanueva Erielle , Mutwil Marek
Published: December 2023

The Plant Expression Omnibus (PEO) is a web application that provides biologists with access to gene expression insights across over 100 plant species, ~60 000 manually annotated RNA‐seq samples, and more than 4 million genes. The tool allows users to explore the expression patterns of genes across different organs, identify organ‐specific genes, and discover top co‐expressed genes for any gene of interest. PEO also provides functional annotations for each gene, allowing for the identification of genetic modules and pathways. PEO is designed to facilitate comparative kingdom‐wide gene expression analysis and provide a valuable resource for plant biology research. We provide two case studies to demonstrate the utility of PEO in identifying candidate genes in pollen coat biosynthesis in Arabidopsis and investigating the biosynthetic pathway components of capsaicin in Capsicum annuum. The database is freely available at https://expression.plant.tools/.
New records of Rhipicephalus linnaei infected by Rickettsia massiliae from Central Mexico
Authors: Nieto‐Cabrales José Francisco , Salceda‐Sánchez Beatriz , Zazueta‐Islas Héctor M. , Solís‐Cortés Marlene , Landa‐Flores Magaly Guadalupe , del Mazo‐López Juan Carlos , Valtierra‐Alzaga Laura , Soto‐Gutiérrez Juan J. , Huerta‐Jimenez Heron , Becker Ingeborg , Rodríguez‐Rojas Jorge J. , Sánchez‐Montes Sokani
Published: December 2023

Background

On the American continent, Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. comprises two species: Rhipicephalus linnaei and R. sanguineus s.s. Each species has been identified as a potential vector of at least one of five species of pathogenic bacteria of the genus Rickettsia. In particular, Rickettsia massiliae is one of three species with the greatest importance in public health at the continental level. In Mexico, this species is reported exclusively in the Nearctic states of Baja California and Chihuahua.

Aim

For this reason, the aim of this work was to provide new records of R. massiliae for the centre of the country derived from active acarological surveillance.

Materials and Methods

During the period of February–October 2019, 29 dogs from six municipalities in the state of Morelos were sampled. Hosts were visually inspected, and ticks were recovered and identified morphologically and molecularly by amplification of the 16S rDNA gene. Subsequently, five genes from members of the genus Rickettsia were amplified and sequenced.

Results

A total of 229 (117♀, 98♂ and 14 N) ticks identified as R. linnaei were recovered, two of which were positive for R. massiliae strains related to those recovered from Argentina and the United States.

Conclusions

This work provides the second record of R. massiliae infecting R. linnaei in Mexico and the Americas, increasing the geographic distribution of this Rickettsia species in the Neotropical region, and providing information on the possible role of R. linnaei as a potential vector of this microorganism.
A Review on Synthesis and Physicochemical Properties-Photocatalytic Activity Relationships of Carbon Quantum Dots Graphitic Carbon Nitride in Reduction of Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Alias Siti Hajar , Ya’akop Nur Farisha Balqis , Mohamed Nurul Najidah , Ahmad Tarmizi Nur Nazzatul Azzin , Sheikh Mohd Ghazali Sheikh Ahmad Izaddin , Nur Hadi
Published: December 2023

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major greenhouse gas present in over half of the Earth's atmosphere. Elevated CO2 emissions in the atmosphere have become a global warming issue due to the excessive use of fossil fuels by human activities.  Converting CO2 into a useful compound is crucial since CO2 exists in the environment and must be reduced. The use of semiconductor materials in photocatalysis is the best solution to degrade and potentially convert CO2 into a useful energy source. Recently, research on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has developed interest due to its phenomenal properties, such as effective charge separation and charge carrier lifetime, electron-hole recombination, and high surface area. CQDs/g-C3N4 has recently emerged as a novel technology due to its excellent physical and chemical properties, especially in the reduction of CO2. Thus, this review outlines the recent modification of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) by carbon quantum dots (CQDs), which include the synthesis of CQDs/g-C3N4 for CO2 reduction. Lastly, the review discusses physicochemical properties-photocatalytic activity relationship of CQDs/g-C3N4 in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2. This review provides a wide range of perspectives and a guideline for designing the more effective CQDs/ g-C3N4 for photocatalytic reduction of CO2.
The impact of 60 days of ‐6° head down tilt bed rest on mitochondrial content, respiration and regulators of mitochondrial dynamics
Authors: Noone John , Damiot Anthony , Kenny Helena , Chery Isabelle , Zahariev Alexandre , Normand Sylvie , Crampes François , de Glisezinski Isabelle , Rochfort Keith D. , Laurens Claire , Bareille Marie‐Pierre , Simon Chantal , Bergouignan Audrey , Blanc Stéphane , O'Gorman Donal J.
Published: December 2023

It is unclear how skeletal muscle metabolism and mitochondrial function adapt to long duration bed rest and whether changes can be prevented by nutritional intervention. The present study aimed (1) to assess the effect of prolonged bed rest on skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and dynamics and (2) to determine whether micronutrient supplementation would mitigate the adverse metabolic effect of bed rest. Participants were maintained in energy balance throughout 60 days of bed rest with micronutrient supplementation (INT) (body mass index: 23.747 ± 1.877 kg m–2; 34.80 ± 7.451 years; n = 10) or without (control) (body mass index: 24.087 ± 2.088 kg m–2; 33.50 ± 8.541 years; n = 10). Indirect calorimetry and dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry were used for measures of energy expenditure, exercise capacity and body composition. Mitochondrial respiration was determined by high‐resolution respirometry in permeabilized muscle fibre bundles from vastus lateralis biopsies. Protein and mRNA analysis further examined the metabolic changes relating to regulators of mitochondrial dynamics induced by bed rest. INT was not sufficient in preserving whole body metabolic changes conducive of a decrease in body mass, fat‐free mass and exercise capacity within both groups. Mitochondrial respiration, OPA1 and Drp1 protein expression decreased with bed rest, with an increase pDrp1s616. This reduction in mitochondrial respiration was explained through an observed decrease in mitochondrial content (mtDNA:nDNA). Changes in regulators of mitochondrial dynamics indicate an increase in mitochondrial fission driven by a decrease in inner mitochondrial membrane fusion (OPA1) and increased pDrp1s616.

image

Key points

Sixty days of −6° head down tilt bed rest leads to significant changes in body composition, exercise capacity and whole‐body substrate metabolism.

Micronutrient supplementation throughout bed rest did not preserve whole body metabolic changes.

Bed rest results in a decrease in skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiratory capacity, mainly as a result of an observed decrease in mitochondrial content.

Prolonged bed rest ensues changes in key regulators of mitochondrial dynamics.

OPA1 and Drp1 are significantly reduced, with an increase in pDrp1s616 following bed rest indicative of an increase in mitochondrial fission.

Given the reduction in mitochondrial content following 60 days of bed rest, the maintenance of regulators of mitophagy in line with the increase in regulators of mitochondrial fission may act to maintain mitochondrial respiration to meet energy demands.
Conceptual Design of Experimental Test Rig for Research on Thermo-Flow Processes During Direct Contact Condensation in the Two-Phase Spray-Ejector Condenser
Authors: Madejski Paweł , Karch Michał , Michalak Piotr , Banasiak Krzysztof
Published: December 2023

The paper presents the conceptual design of a prototype experimental facility for mixing jet-type flow condensers investigations when the steam in exhaust gases is condensed on the water jet in the presence of CO2. The proposed experimental test rig was designed to give abilities to investigate the effectiveness of jet condensers experimentally as part of the CO2 capture phase and especially to investigate Spray-Ejector Condensers (SEC) developed as the combination of ejector and condenser devices. The paper presents the design and key features of the prototype installation components. The basic design was developed based on the simulation results, and for this purpose, model of installation, including characteristics of individual components, was built. The developed model helps to evaluate the main performances of the conceptual test rig and supports the test-rig design process. The main components and the features of the steam generation unit, CO2 supply and mixing with steam, process water preparation, and H2O and CO2 separation subsystem are discussed. The measuring system was designed to test the efficiency of compression and condensation processes of the SEC fed by the CO2/H2O gas mixture. The performances of the two-phase jet condensers can be analyzed by experimental investigation and calculation of heat transferred to the cooling water during direct contact condensation with the presence of CO2. The paper presents the results of heat flowrates and their uncertainties for the selected period of the experimental test, confirming the application of the novel developed test rig.
Sub-nanosecond coherent optical manipulation of a single aromatic molecule at cryogenic temperature
Authors: Deplano Quentin , Tamarat Philippe , Lounis Brahim , Trebbia Jean-Baptiste
Published: December 2023

Single molecules trapped in the solid state at liquid helium temperatures are promising quantum emitters for the development of quantum technologies owing to their remarkable photostability and their lifetime-limited optical coherence time of the order of 10 ns. The coherent preparation of their electronic state requires resonant excitation with a Rabi period much shorter than their optical coherence time. Sculpting the optical excitation with sharp edges and a high on–off intensity ratio (∼3 × 105) from a single-frequency laser beam, we demonstrate sub-nanosecond drive of a single dibenzanthanthrene molecule embedded in a naphthalene matrix at 3.2 K, over more than 17 Rabi periods. With pulses tailored for a half-Rabi period, the electronic excited state is prepared with fidelity as high as 0.97. Using single-molecule Ramsey spectroscopy, we prove up to 5 K that the optical coherence lifetime remains at its fundamental upper limit set by twice the excited-state lifetime, making single molecules suitable for quantum bit manipulations under standard cryogen-free cooling technologies.
STAT3 palmitoylation initiates a positive feedback loop that promotes the malignancy of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in mice
Authors: Jiang Yi , Xu Yuejie , Zhu Chengliang , Xu Guifang , Xu Lei , Rao Zijian , Zhou Lixing , Jiang Ping , Malik Sara , Fang Jingyuan , Lin Hening , Zhang Mingming
Published: December 2023

Constitutive activation of the transcription factor STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) contributes to the malignancy of many cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with poor prognosis. STAT3 activity is increased by the reversible palmitoylation of Cys
108
by the palmitoyltransferase DHHC7 (encoded by
ZDHHC7
). Here, we investigated the consequences of S-palmitoylation of STAT3 in HCC. Increased
ZDHHC7
abundance in HCC cases was associated with poor prognosis, as revealed by bioinformatics analysis of patient data. In HepG2 cells in vitro, DHHC7-mediated palmitoylation enhanced the expression of STAT3 target genes, including
HIF1A
, which encodes the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF1α. Inhibiting DHHC7 decreased the S-palmitoylation of STAT3 and decreased HIF1α abundance. Furthermore, stabilization of HIF1α by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) enabled it to promote the expression of
ZDHHC7
, which generated a positive feedback loop between DHHC7, STAT3, and HIF1α. Perturbing this loop reduced the growth of HCC cells in vivo. Moreover, DHHC7, STAT3, and HIF1α were all abundant in human HCC tissues. Our study identifies a pathway connecting these proteins that is initiated by S-palmitoylation, which may be broadly applicable to understanding the role of this modification in cancer.
Amplicon-guided isolation and cultivation of previously uncultured microbial species from activated sludge
Authors: Verhoeven Maarten D. , Nielsen Per H. , Dueholm Morten K. D.
Published: December 2023

Microbes are fundamental for biological wastewater treatment. However, most microbial species found in activated sludge (AS) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have never been isolated and grown as pure cultures, thus limiting our understanding of the underlying biological processes. To change this, we here introduce an experimental setup where the plating of dispersed AS bacteria is combined with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the total plate biomass for rapid identification of growth conditions that allow for the isolation of key microbial species in AS. We show that agarose plates composed of AS fluid supplemented with various carbon sources support the growth of many previously uncultivated AS bacteria. To confirm that the approach can also be used to isolate previously uncultured species, we picked 200 colonies from the plates for growth in liquid medium. This resulted in 185 enriched cultures representing at least 76 strains based on unique 16S rRNA gene V1-V3 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). Classification of the ASVs with the MiDAS 5.1 database revealed 39 distinct genera, including AAP99,
Ca
. Brachybacter,
Ca
. Proximibacter, Ellin6067, midas_g_12, and midas_29279, which all lack pure culture representatives. Among the ASVs that obtained species-level classification, we observed 26 unique species of which 16 were only classified based on the MiDAS placeholder taxonomy highlighting the potential for culturing many novel taxa. Purification by restreaking and preparation of glycerol stocks resulted in 10 pure cultures of species commonly found in WWTPs globally, including
Rhodoferax
midas_s_1744,
Thauera
midas_s_1356,
Acidovorax
midas_s_1484,
Tessaracoccus
midas_s_1151, and
Sphingopyxis
midas_s_983.

IMPORTANCE

Biological wastewater treatment relies on complex microbial communities that assimilate nutrients and break down pollutants in the wastewater. Knowledge about the physiology and metabolism of bacteria in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may therefore be used to improve the efficacy and economy of wastewater treatment. Our current knowledge is largely based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiling, fluorescence
in situ
hybridization studies, and predictions based on metagenome-assembled genomes. Bacterial isolates are often required to validate genome-based predictions as they allow researchers to analyze a specific species without interference from other bacteria and with simple bulk measurements. Unfortunately, there are currently very few pure cultures representing the microbes commonly found in WWTPs. To address this, we introduce an isolation strategy that takes advantage of state-of-the-art microbial profiling techniques to uncover suitable growth conditions for key WWTP microbes. We furthermore demonstrate that this information can be used to isolate key organisms representing global WWTPs.
Multicenter evaluation of the Selux Next-Generation Phenotyping antimicrobial susceptibility testing system
Authors: Baker Kristin R. , Flentie Kelly , Spears Benjamin R. , Mozharov Sergey , Roberts Kristen , El ganbour Asmae , Somers Mark , Calkwood John , Liu Jamie , DaPonte Kayla , Sam Nikitha , Kaur Gurleen , Chen Felicia , Donato Jonathan , Chao Alan , Lewis Autumn , Sherman Jingzi , Mortimer Karen , Harrington Amanda T. , Traczewski Maria , Carpenter Darcie , Shortridge Dee , Lindley Jill , Diep Alexander , Norton Emmet , Green Matt , Gajewski Joe , Landrith Rebecca , Nalubega Fatuma , McCallum Justin , Beiswenger Melissa , Dolan Brittany , Brennan Kathleen , Carpenter Afton , Vacic Aleksandar , Flyer Alec N. , Pierce Virginia M. , Hooper David C. , Lewis II James S. , Stern Eric
Published: December 2023

The Selux Next-Generation Phenotyping (NGP) system (Charlestown, MA) is a new antimicrobial susceptibility testing system that utilizes two sequential assays performed on all wells of doubling dilution series to determine MICs. A multicenter evaluation of the performance of the Selux NGP system compared with reference broth microdilution was conducted following FDA recommendations and using FDA-defined breakpoints. A total of 2,488 clinical and challenge isolates were included; gram-negative isolates were tested against 24 antimicrobials, and gram-positive isolates were tested against 15 antimicrobials. Data is provided for all organism-antimicrobial combinations evaluated, including those that did and did not meet FDA performance requirements. Overall very major error and major error rates were less than 1% (31/3,805 and 107/15,606, respectively), essential agreement and categorical agreement were >95%, reproducibility was ≥95%, and the average time-to-result (from time of assay start to time of MIC result) was 5.65 hours.
DAA-mediated HCV cure reduces HIV DNA levels in HCV/HIV coinfected people
Authors: Gobran Samaa T. , Pagliuzza Amélie , Khedr Omar , Fert Augustine , Chomont Nicolas , Bruneau Julie , Klein Marina B. , Ancuta Petronela , Shoukry Naglaa H.
Published: December 2023

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) persists in HIV viral reservoirs despite antiretroviral therapy (ART). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is associated with increased HIV reservoir size and residual HIV transcription during ART. Herein, we investigated the impact of direct acting antivirals (DAA)-mediated HCV cure on the size/transcriptional activity of the HIV reservoirs and investigated predictors of HIV reservoirs decline in HCV+/HIV+ coinfected individuals. HCV+/HIV+ (
n
= 20) and HCV+/HIV− (
n
= 14) participants were examined prior to DAA treatment (baseline), at the end of treatment (EOT), and at 12–24 weeks after EOT (follow-up). In HCV+/HIV+ individuals, DAA-mediated HCV cure significantly reduced integrated HIV DNA levels, mainly in participants infected with HCV prior to HIV. Integrated HIV DNA, unspliced (US), and multiply spliced (MS) HIV RNA levels were quantified in sorted CD4+ T-cells. Despite the transient elevation of US HIV RNA at EOT, changes in US and MS HIV RNA were not statistically significant. Plasma inflammation markers were measured and DAA also reduced plasma sCD163 and sCD14. Changes in immunological/virological parameters were analyzed using multivariate random forest analysis where pre-ART peak HIV viremia and HCV viral load predicted integrated HIV DNA and US RNA changes. In conclusion, we demonstrate the beneficial impact of DAA on HIV reservoirs and immune activation, with a fraction of HIV reservoirs being DAA-sensitive in people infected with HCV before HIV. Furthermore, we identify HIV/HCV viremia as the top predictors of DAA-mediated changes in the HIV reservoirs. These findings support the need for early ART and DAA treatment in HIV/HCV coinfections.

IMPORTANCE

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can control virus replication and prolong the life of people living with HIV (PLWH). However, the virus remains dormant within immune cells in what is called the HIV reservoir. Furthermore, 2.3 million PLWH are also coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and are at risk of developing chronic liver disease and cancer. HCV treatment with direct acting antivirals (DAA) can completely cure the infection in more than 95% of treated individuals and improve their long-term health outcomes. In this study, we investigated how HCV treatment and cure affect the HIV reservoir. We demonstrate the beneficial impact of DAA treatment as it reduces the HIV reservoirs in particular in people infected with HCV before HIV. These results support the need for early ART and DAA treatment in HIV/HCV coinfections.
Smartphone use for Paediatric Calculations in Emergencies (SPaCE)
Authors: Evans Jordan , Morrison Zoe , Thomas-Turner Rhian , Bouamra Omar , Mullen Stephen , Morgan Jeff
Published: December 2023

Background

The preparation for critically ill children involves calculating drug and fluid volumes using the commonly taught WETFLAG (weight, energy, endotracheal tube, fluids, lorazepam, adrenaline, glucose) acronym. While smartphone applications (apps) are increasingly used for these calculations in clinical practice, limited studies have explored their accuracy and safety.

Aim

To assess the accuracy of three calculation methods for paediatric emergency drug doses and fluid volumes: a smartphone app, reference charts and traditional calculation methods. The secondary aims were to investigate the effect on the time taken and self-reported stress levels.

Methods

A convenience sample of healthcare professionals from four hospitals contributed. Participants calculated drug and fluid doses for fictional patients using the three different methods. The method and case order were randomised centrally. The study recorded the number of errors made during the calculations, healthcare professionals’ self-reported stress levels on a scale of 0 (no stress) to 10 (maximum stress) and the time taken for each case. The app was developed at the direct request of the study team.

Results

Ninety-six participants calculated values for six fictional cases, resulting in 576 calculations. Traditional calculation methods showed a statistically significant higher rate of error compared with the use of a smartphone app or reference charts (mean=1, 0, 0, respectively). The smartphone app outperformed both traditional calculation methods and reference charts for time taken and user-reported stress levels.

Conclusions

Traditional methods of ‘WETFLAG’ drug and fluid calculations are associated with a statistically significant increased risk of error compared with the use of reference charts or smartphone app. The smartphone app proved significantly faster and less stressful to use compared with traditional calculation methods or reference charts.
Changes in soft drinks purchased by British households associated with the UK soft drinks industry levy: a controlled interrupted time series analysis
Authors: Rogers Nina T , Pell David , Mytton Oliver T , Penney Tarra L , Briggs Adam , Cummins Steven , Jones Catrin , Rayner Mike , Rutter Harry , Scarborough Peter , Sharp Stephen , Smith Richard , White Martin , Adams Jean
Published: December 2023

Objective

To determine changes in household purchases of drinks 1 year after implementation of the UK soft drinks industry levy (SDIL).

Design

Controlled interrupted time series.

Participants

Households reporting their purchasing to a market research company (average weekly n=22 091), March 2014 to March 2019.

Intervention

A two-tiered tax levied on soft drinks manufacturers, announced in March 2016 and implemented in April 2018. Drinks with ≥8 g sugar/100 mL (high tier) are taxed at £0.24/L, drinks with ≥5 to <8 g sugar/100 mL (low tier) are taxed at £0.18/L.

Main outcome measures

Absolute and relative differences in the volume of, and amount of sugar in, soft drinks categories, all soft drinks combined, alcohol and confectionery purchased per household per week 1 year after implementation.

Results

In March 2019, compared with the counterfactual, purchased volume of high tier drinks decreased by 140.8 mL (95% CI 104.3 to 177.3 mL) per household per week, equivalent to 37.8% (28.0% to 47.6%), and sugar purchased in these drinks decreased by 16.2 g (13.5 to 18.8 g), or 42.6% (35.6% to 49.6%). Purchases of low tier drinks decreased by 170.5 mL (154.5 to 186.5 mL) or 85.8% (77.8% to 93.9%), with an 11.5 g (9.1 to 13.9 g) reduction in sugar in these drinks, equivalent to 87.8% (69.2% to 106.4%). When all soft drinks were combined irrespective of levy tier or eligibility, the volume of drinks purchased increased by 188.8 mL (30.7 to 346.9 mL) per household per week, or 2.6% (0.4% to 4.7%), but sugar decreased by 8.0 g (2.4 to 13.6 g), or 2.7% (0.8% to 4.5%). Purchases of confectionery and alcoholic drinks did not increase.

Conclusions

Compared with trends before the SDIL was announced, 1 year after implementation, volume of all soft drinks purchased combined increased by 189 mL, or 2.6% per household per week. The amount of sugar in those drinks was 8 g, or 2.7%, lower per household per week. Further studies should determine whether and how apparently small effect sizes translate into health outcomes.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN18042742.
Promotive and preventive interventions for adolescent mental health in Sub-Saharan Africa: a combined scoping and systematic review
Authors: Seekles Maaike , Twagira Fantacy , Alam Ali , Obasi Angela
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Poor mental health in adolescence is associated with mental, physical and social problems in later life. Adolescence is, therefore, a critical time for promoting mental well-being and preventing mental illness, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where adolescents are exposed to a multitude of risk factors for poor mental health. This review aimed to map the current use, effectiveness and cultural sensitivity of promotive/preventive adolescent mental health interventions in the region.

Methods

A combined scoping and systematic review was conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework through searches in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Global Health, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, covering January 2000 to December 2021.

Results

This review identified 79 papers, related to 61 unique interventions. Only five universal, school-based programmes were identified; most studies targeted orphans or HIV positive adolescents. Psychosocial interventions—aimed at strengthening knowledge, expression and psychosocial skills—produced mixed results. Structural interventions were often community-based and had limited psychosocial programming. Those that focused on HIV prevention, gender equity and parenting also produced mixed results; evidence was strongest for economic-livelihood programmes. Few studies described cultural sensitivity in detail. Some explained how the intervention aligned with local worldviews/values; had context-specific content; were based on explorations of relevant concepts; or integrated spiritual/cultural practices.

Conclusion

Preventive/promotive interventions for adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa are limited in terms of geographical spread, but broad in terms of intervention types. Targeted approaches reflect realities that adolescents in the region face in relation to socioeconomic deprivation, family disruption and poor physical health. Yet, universal interventions that focus on general well-being are limited and lack a consideration of contemporary developments in the region such as increased social media use, suicide and obesity. Economic livelihood interventions showed most consistent evidence of effectiveness. Future studies could do more to consider/report cultural sensitivity.
Neural-Singular-Hessian: Implicit Neural Representation of Unoriented Point Clouds by Enforcing Singular Hessian
Authors: Wang Zixiong , Zhang Yunxiao , Xu Rui , Zhang Fan , Wang Peng-Shuai , Chen Shuangmin , Xin Shiqing , Wang Wenping , Tu Changhe
Published: December 2023

Neural implicit representation is a promising approach for reconstructing surfaces from point clouds. Existing methods combine various regularization terms, such as the Eikonal and Laplacian energy terms, to enforce the learned neural function to possess the properties of a Signed Distance Function (SDF). However, inferring the actual topology and geometry of the underlying surface from poor-quality unoriented point clouds remains challenging. In accordance with Differential Geometry, the Hessian of the SDF is singular for points within the differential thin-shell space surrounding the surface. Our approach enforces the Hessian of the neural implicit function to have a zero determinant for points near the surface. This technique aligns the gradients for a near-surface point and its on-surface projection point, producing a rough but faithful shape within just a few iterations. By annealing the weight of the singular-Hessian term, our approach ultimately produces a high-fidelity reconstruction result. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our approach effectively suppresses ghost geometry and recovers details from unoriented point clouds with better expressiveness than existing fitting-based methods.
Text-Guided Synthesis of Eulerian Cinemagraphs
Authors: Mahapatra Aniruddha , Siarohin Aliaksandr , Lee Hsin-Ying , Tulyakov Sergey , Zhu Jun-Yan
Published: December 2023

We introduce Text2Cinemagraph, a fully automated method for creating cinemagraphs from text descriptions --- an especially challenging task when prompts feature imaginary elements and artistic styles, given the complexity of interpreting the semantics and motions of these images. We focus on cinemagraphs of fluid elements, such as flowing rivers, and drifting clouds, which exhibit continuous motion and repetitive textures. Existing single-image animation methods fall short on artistic inputs, and recent text-based video methods frequently introduce temporal inconsistencies, struggling to keep certain regions static. To address these challenges, we propose an idea of synthesizing image
twins
from a single text prompt --- a pair of an artistic image and its pixel-aligned corresponding natural-looking twin. While the artistic image depicts the style and appearance detailed in our text prompt, the realistic counterpart greatly simplifies layout and motion analysis. Leveraging existing natural image and video datasets, we can accurately segment the realistic image and predict plausible motion given the semantic information. The predicted motion can then be transferred to the artistic image to create the final cinemagraph. Our method outperforms existing approaches in creating cinemagraphs for natural landscapes as well as artistic and other-worldly scenes, as validated by automated metrics and user studies. Finally, we demonstrate two extensions: animating existing paintings and controlling motion directions using text.
Interaction-Driven Active 3D Reconstruction with Object Interiors
Authors: Yan Zihao , Su Fubao , Wang Mingyang , Hu Ruizhen , Zhang Hao , Huang Hui
Published: December 2023

We introduce an
active 3D reconstruction
method which integrates visual perception,
robot-object interaction
, and 3D scanning to recover both the exterior and
interior
, i.e., unexposed, geometries of a target 3D object. Unlike other works in active vision which focus on optimizing camera viewpoints to better investigate the environment, the primary feature of our reconstruction is an analysis of the
interactability
of various parts of the target object and the ensuing part manipulation by a robot to enable scanning of occluded regions. As a result, an understanding of part articulations of the target object is obtained on top of complete geometry acquisition. Our method operates
fully automatically
by a Fetch robot with built-in RGBD sensors. It iterates between interaction analysis and interaction-driven reconstruction, scanning and reconstructing detected moveable parts one at a time, where both the articulated part detection and mesh reconstruction are carried out by neural networks. In the final step, all the remaining, non-articulated parts, including all the interior structures that had been exposed by prior part manipulations and subsequently scanned, are reconstructed to complete the acquisition. We demonstrate the performance of our method via qualitative and quantitative evaluation, ablation studies, comparisons to alternatives, as well as experiments in a real environment.
Object Motion Guided Human Motion Synthesis
Authors: Li Jiaman , Wu Jiajun , Liu C. Karen
Published: December 2023

Modeling human behaviors in contextual environments has a wide range of applications in character animation, embodied AI, VR/AR, and robotics. In real-world scenarios, humans frequently interact with the environment and manipulate various objects to complete daily tasks. In this work, we study the problem of full-body human motion synthesis for the manipulation of large-sized objects. We propose Object MOtion guided human MOtion synthesis (OMOMO), a conditional diffusion framework that can generate full-body manipulation behaviors from only the object motion. Since naively applying diffusion models fails to precisely enforce contact constraints between the hands and the object, OMOMO learns two separate denoising processes to first predict hand positions from object motion and subsequently synthesize full-body poses based on the predicted hand positions. By employing the hand positions as an intermediate representation between the two denoising processes, we can explicitly enforce contact constraints, resulting in more physically plausible manipulation motions. With the learned model, we develop a novel system that captures full-body human manipulation motions by simply attaching a smartphone to the object being manipulated. Through extensive experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed pipeline and its ability to generalize to unseen objects. Additionally, as high-quality human-object interaction datasets are scarce, we collect a large-scale dataset consisting of 3D object geometry, object motion, and human motion. Our dataset contains human-object interaction motion for 15 objects, with a total duration of approximately 10 hours.
Scene-Aware Activity Program Generation with Language Guidance
Authors: Su Zejia , Fan Qingnan , Chen Xuelin , Van Kaick Oliver , Huang Hui , Hu Ruizhen
Published: December 2023

We address the problem of scene-aware activity program generation, which requires decomposing a given activity task into instructions that can be sequentially performed within a target scene to complete the activity. While existing methods have shown the ability to generate rational or executable programs, generating programs with both high rationality and executability still remains a challenge. Hence, we propose a novel method where the key idea is to explicitly combine the language rationality of a powerful language model with dynamic perception of the target scene where instructions are executed, to generate programs with high rationality
and
executability. Our method iteratively generates instructions for the activity program. Specifically, a two-branch feature encoder operates on a language-based and graph-based representation of the current generation progress to extract language features and scene graph features, respectively. These features are then used by a predictor to generate the next instruction in the program. Subsequently, another module performs the predicted action and updates the scene for perception in the next iteration. Extensive evaluations are conducted on the VirtualHome-Env dataset, showing the advantages of our method over previous work. Key algorithmic designs are validated through ablation studies, and results on other types of inputs are also presented to show the generalizability of our method.
DR-Occluder: Generating Occluders Using Differentiable Rendering
Authors: Wu Jiaxian , Lin Yue , Lu Dehui
Published: December 2023

The target of the occluder is to use very few faces to maintain similar occlusion properties of the original 3D model. In this paper, we present DR-Occluder, a novel coarse-to-fine framework for occluder generation that leverages differentiable rendering to optimize a triangle set to an occluder. Unlike prior work, which has not utilized differentiable rendering for this task, our approach provides the ability to optimize a 3D shape to defined targets. Given a 3D model as input, our method first projects it to silhouette images, which are then processed by a convolution network to output a group of vertex offsets. These offsets are used to transform a group of distributed triangles into a preliminary occluder, which is further optimized by differentiable rendering. Finally, triangles whose area is smaller than a threshold are removed to obtain the final occluder. Our extensive experiments demonstrate that DR-Occluder significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods in terms of occlusion quality. Furthermore, we compare the performance of our method with other approaches in a commercial engine, providing compelling evidence of its effectiveness.
High Density Ratio Multi-Fluid Simulation with Peridynamics
Authors: Yan Han , Ren Bo
Published: December 2023

Multiple fluid simulation has raised wide research interest in recent years. Despite the impressive successes of current works, simulation of scenes containing mixing or unmixing of high-density-ratio phases using particle-based discretizations still remains a challenging task. In this paper, we propose a peridynamic mixture-model theory that stably handles high-density-ratio multi-fluid simulations. With assistance of novel scalar-valued volume flow states, a particle based discretization scheme is proposed to calculate all the terms in the multi-phase Navier-Stokes equations in an integral form, We also design a novel mass updating strategy for enhancing phase mass conservation and reducing particle volume variations under high density ratio settings in multi-fluid simulations. As a result, we achieve significantly stabler simulations in mixture-model multi-fluid simulations involving mixing and unmixing of high density ratio phases. Various experiments and comparisons demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
GarmentCode: Programming Parametric Sewing Patterns
Authors: Korosteleva Maria , Sorkine-Hornung Olga
Published: December 2023

Garment modeling is an essential task of the global apparel industry and a core part of digital human modeling. Realistic representation of garments with valid sewing patterns is key to their accurate digital simulation and eventual fabrication. However, little-to-no computational tools provide support for bridging the gap between high-level construction goals and low-level editing of pattern geometry, e.g., combining or switching garment elements, semantic editing, or design exploration that maintains the validity of a sewing pattern. We suggest the first DSL for garment modeling - GarmentCode - that applies principles of object-oriented programming to garment construction and allows designing sewing patterns in a hierarchical, component-oriented manner. The programming-based paradigm naturally provides unique advantages of component abstraction, algorithmic manipulation, and free-form design parametrization. We additionally support the construction process by automating typical low-level tasks like placing a dart at a desired location. In our prototype garment configurator, users can manipulate meaningful design parameters and body measurements, while the construction of pattern geometry is handled by garment programs implemented with GarmentCode. Our configurator enables the free exploration of rich design spaces and the creation of garments using interchangeable, parameterized components. We showcase our approach by producing a variety of garment designs and retargeting them to different body shapes using our configurator. The library and garment configurator are available at https://github.com/maria-korosteleva/GarmentCode.
Neural Packing: from Visual Sensing to Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Xu Juzhan , Gong Minglun , Zhang Hao , Huang Hui , Hu Ruizhen
Published: December 2023

We present a novel learning framework to solve the transport-and-packing (TAP) problem in 3D. It constitutes a full solution pipeline from partial observations of input objects via RGBD sensing and recognition to final box placement, via robotic motion planning, to arrive at a compact packing in a target container. The technical core of our method is a neural network for TAP, trained via
reinforcement learning
(RL), to solve the NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem. Our network simultaneously selects an object to pack and determines the final packing location, based on a judicious encoding of the continuously evolving states of partially observed source objects and available spaces in the target container, using separate encoders both enabled with attention mechanisms. The encoded feature vectors are employed to compute the matching scores and feasibility masks of different pairings of box selection and available space configuration for packing strategy optimization. Extensive experiments, including ablation studies and physical packing execution by a real robot (Universal Robot UR5e), are conducted to evaluate our method in terms of its design choices, scalability, generalizability, and comparisons to baselines, including the most recent RL-based TAP solution. We also contribute the first benchmark for TAP which covers a variety of input settings and difficulty levels.
MIPS-Fusion: Multi-Implicit-Submaps for Scalable and Robust Online Neural RGB-D Reconstruction
Authors: Tang Yijie , Zhang Jiazhao , Yu Zhinan , Wang He , Xu Kai
Published: December 2023

We introduce MIPS-Fusion, a robust and scalable online RGB-D reconstruction method based on a novel neural implicit representation - multi-implicit-submap. Different from existing neural RGB-D reconstruction methods lacking either flexibility with a single neural map or scalability due to extra storage of feature grids, we propose a pure neural representation tackling both difficulties with a divide-and-conquer design. In our method, neural submaps are incrementally allocated alongside the scanning trajectory and efficiently learned with local neural bundle adjustments. The submaps can be refined individually in a back-end optimization and optimized jointly to realize submap-level loop closure. Meanwhile, we propose a hybrid tracking approach combining randomized and gradient-based pose optimizations. For the first time, randomized optimization is made possible in neural tracking with several key designs to the learning process, enabling efficient and robust tracking even under fast camera motions. The extensive evaluation demonstrates that our method attains higher reconstruction quality than the state of the arts for large-scale scenes and under fast camera motions.