bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supra- and infra-tentorial degeneration patterns in primary lateral sclerosis: a multimodal longitudinal neuroradiology study
Authors: Kleinerova Jana , Tahedl Marlene , Tan Ee Ling , Delaney Siobhan , Hengeveld Jennifer C. , Doherty Mark A. , McLaughlin Russell L. , Hardiman Orla , Chang Kai Ming , Finegan Eoin , Bede Peter
Published: March 2024

Background

Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) is traditionally solely associated with progressive upper motor neuron dysfunction manifesting in limb spasticity, gait impairment, bulbar symptoms and pseudobulbar affect. Recent studies have described frontotemporal dysfunction in some patients resulting in cognitive manifestations. Cerebellar pathology is much less well characterised despite sporadic reports of cerebellar disease.

Methods

A multi-timepoint, longitudinal neuroimaging study was conducted to characterise the evolution of both intra-cerebellar disease burden and cerebro-cerebellar connectivity. The volumes of deep cerebellar nuclei, cerebellar cortical volumes, cerebro-cerebellar structural and functional connectivity were assessed longitudinally in a cohort of 43 individuals with PLS.

Results

Cerebello-frontal, -temporal, -parietal, -occipital and cerebello-thalamic structural disconnection was detected at baseline based on radial diffusivity (RD) and cerebello-frontal decoupling was also evident based on fractional anisotropy (FA) alterations. Functional connectivity changes were also detected in cerebello-frontal, parietal and occipital projections. Volume reductions were identified in the vermis, anterior lobe, posterior lobe, and crura. Among the deep cerebellar nuclei, the dorsal dentate was atrophic. Longitudinal follow-up did not capture statistically significant progressive changes. Significant primary motor cortex atrophy and inter-hemispheric transcallosal degeneration were also captured.

Conclusions

PLS is not only associated with upper motor neuron dysfunction, but cerebellar cortical volume loss and deep cerebellar nuclear atrophy can also be readily detected. In addition to intra-cerebellar disease burden, cerebro-cerebellar connectivity alterations also take place. Our data add to the evolving evidence of widespread neurodegeneration in PLS beyond the primary motor regions. Cerebellar dysfunction in PLS is likely to exacerbate bulbar, gait and dexterity impairment and contribute to pseudobulbar affect.
CHD8-related disorders redefined: an expanding spectrum of dystonic phenotypes
Authors: Sorrentino Ugo , Boesch Sylvia , Doummar Diane , Ravelli Claudia , Serranova Tereza , Indelicato Elisabetta , Winkelmann Juliane , Burglen Lydie , Jech Robert , Zech Michael
Published: March 2024

Background

Heterozygous loss-of-function variants in CHD8 have been associated with a syndromic neurodevelopmental-disease spectrum, collectively referred to as CHD8-related neurodevelopmental disorders. Several different clinical manifestations, affecting neurodevelopmental and systemic domains, have been described, presenting with highly variable expressivity. Some expressions are well established and comprise autism spectrum disorders, psychomotor delay with cognitive impairment, postnatal overgrowth with macrocephaly, structural brain abnormalities, gastrointestinal disturbances, and behavioral and sleep-pattern problems. However, the complete phenotypic spectrum of CHD8-related disorders is still undefined. In 2021, our group described two singular female patients with CHD8-related neurodevelopmental disorder and striking dystonic manifestations, prompting the suggestion that dystonia should be considered a possible component of this condition.

Case series presentation

We describe three additional unrelated female individuals, each carrying a different CHD8 frameshift variant and whose clinical presentations were primarily characterized by young-onset dystonia. Their dystonic manifestations were remarkably heterogeneous and ranged from focal, exercise-dependent, apparently isolated forms to generalized permanent phenotypes accompanied by spasticity and tremor. Neurocognitive impairment and autistic behaviors, typical of CHD8-related disorders, were virtually absent or at the mild end of the spectrum.

Conclusions

This work validates our previous observation that dystonia is part of the phenotypic spectrum of CHD8-related neurodevelopmental disorders with potential female preponderance, raising new challenges and opportunities in the diagnosis and management of this condition. It also highlights the importance of in-depth neurologic phenotyping of patients carrying variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, as the connection between neurodevelopmental and movement disorders is proving closer than previously appreciated.
Cortical and spinal responses to short-term strength training and detraining in young and older adults in rectus femoris muscle
Authors: Gomez-Guerrero Gonzalo , Avela Janne , Jussila Ilkka , Pihlajamäki Esa , Deng Fu-Yu , Kidgell Dawson J. , Ahtiainen Juha P. , Walker Simon
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Strength training mitigates the age-related decline in strength and muscle activation but limited evidence exists on specific motor pathway adaptations.

Methods

Eleven young (22–34 years) and ten older (66–80 years) adults underwent five testing sessions where lumbar-evoked potentials (LEPs) and motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were measured during 20 and 60% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Ten stimulations, randomly delivered, targeted 25% of maximum compound action potential for LEPs and 120, 140, and 160% of active motor threshold (aMT) for MEPs. The 7-week whole-body resistance training intervention included five exercises, e.g., knee extension (5 sets) and leg press (3 sets), performed twice weekly and was followed by 4 weeks of detraining.

Results

Young had higher MVC (~ 63 N·m, p = 0.006), 1-RM (~ 50 kg, p = 0.002), and lower aMT (~ 9%, p = 0.030) than older adults at baseline. Young increased 1-RM (+ 18 kg, p < 0.001), skeletal muscle mass (SMM) (+ 0.9 kg, p = 0.009), and LEP amplitude (+ 0.174, p < 0.001) during 20% MVC. Older adults increased MVC (+ 13 N·m, p = 0.014), however, they experienced decreased LEP amplitude (− 0.241, p < 0.001) during 20% MVC and MEP amplitude reductions at 120% (− 0.157, p = 0.034), 140% (− 0.196, p = 0.026), and 160% (− 0.210, p = 0.006) aMT during 60% MVC trials. After detraining, young and older adults decreased 1-RM, while young adults decreased SMM.

Conclusion

Higher aMT and MEP amplitude in older adults were concomitant with lower baseline strength. Training increased strength in both groups, but divergent modifications in cortico-spinal activity occurred. Results suggest that the primary locus of adaptation occurs at the spinal level.
Identifying the most accurate machine learning classification technique to detect network threats
Authors: Farouk Mohamed , Sakr Rasha Hassan , Hikal Noha
Published: March 2024

Insider threats have recently become one of the most urgent cybersecurity challenges facing numerous businesses, such as public infrastructure companies, major federal agencies, and state and local governments. Our purpose is to find the most accurate machine learning (ML) model to detect insider attacks. In the realm of machine learning, the most convenient classifier is usually selected after further evaluation trials of candidate models which can cause unseen data (test data set) to leak into models and create bias. Accordingly, overfitting occurs because of frequent training of models and tuning hyperparameters; the models perform well on the training set while failing to generalize effectively to unseen data. The validation data set and hyperparameter tuning are utilized in this study to prevent the issues mentioned above and to choose the best model from our candidate models. Furthermore, our approach guarantees that the selected model does not memorize data of the threats occurring in the local area network (LAN) through the usage of the NSL-KDD data set. The following results are gathered and analyzed: support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), logistic regression (LR), adaptive boost (AdaBoost), gradient boosting (GB), random forests (RFs), and extremely randomized trees (ERTs). After analyzing the findings, we conclude that the AdaBoost model is the most accurate, with a DoS of 99%, a probe of 99%, access of 96%, and privilege of 97%, as well as an AUC of 0.992 for DoS, 0.986 for probe, 0.952 for access, and 0.954 for privilege.
Sesquiterpenes of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus microcarpus alter root growth and promote host colonization
Authors: Plett Jonathan M. , Wojtalewicz Dominika , Plett Krista L. , Collin Sabrina , Kohler Annegret , Jacob Christophe , Martin Francis
Published: March 2024

Trees form symbioses with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, maintained in part through mutual benefit to both organisms. Our understanding of the signaling events leading to the successful interaction between the two partners requires further study. This is especially true for understanding the role of volatile signals produced by ECM fungi. Terpenoids are a predominant class of volatiles produced by ECM fungi. While several ECM genomes are enriched in the enzymes responsible for the production of these volatiles (i.e., terpene synthases (TPSs)) when compared to other fungi, we have limited understanding of the biochemical products associated with each enzyme and the physiological impact of specific terpenes on plant growth. Using a combination of phylogenetic analyses, RNA sequencing, and functional characterization of five TPSs from two distantly related ECM fungi (Laccaria bicolor and Pisolithus microcarpus), we investigated the role of these secondary metabolites during the establishment of symbiosis. We found that despite phylogenetic divergence, these TPSs produced very similar terpene profiles. We focused on the role of P. microcarpus terpenes and found that the fungus expressed a diverse array of mono-, di-, and sesquiterpenes prior to contact with the host. However, these metabolites were repressed following physical contact with the host Eucalyptus grandis. Exposure of E. grandis to heterologously produced terpenes (enriched primarily in $$\gamma$$
γ
-cadinene) led to a reduction in the root growth rate and an increase in P. microcarpus–colonized root tips. These results support a very early putative role of fungal-produced terpenes in the establishment of symbiosis between mycorrhizal fungi and their hosts.
Polydopamine functionalized dendritic fibrous silica nanoparticles as a generic platform for nucleic acid-based biosensing
Authors: Xue Xiaoting , Persson Helena , Ye Lei
Published: March 2024

Accurate and rapid detection of nucleic acid sequences is of utmost importance in various fields, including disease monitoring, clinical treatment, gene analysis and drug discovery. In this study, we developed a "turn-on" fluorescence biosensor that enables simple and highly efficient detection of nucleic acid biomarkers. Our approach involves the utilization of 6-carboxyfluorescein modified single-stranded DNA (FAM-ssDNA) as molecular recognition element, along with polydopamine-functionalized dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS). FAM-ssDNA serves as both specific molecular recognition element for the target analyte and reporter capable of transducing a detectable signal through Watson–Crick base pairing. The polydopamine-functionalized DFNS (DFNS@DA) exhibits strong binding to FAM-ssDNA via polyvalent metal mediated coordination leading to effective quenching by fluorescence resonance energy transfer. In the presence of a complementary target sequence, FAM-ssDNA forms hybridized structure and detaches from DFNS@DA, which causes an increased fluorescence emission. The analytical system based on FAM-ssDNA and DFNS@DA demonstrates exceptional sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid response for the detection of nucleic acid sequences, leveraging the high adsorption and quenching properties of DFNS@DA. For the first proof of concept, we demonstrated the successful detection of microRNA (miR-21) in cancer cells using the FAM-ssDNA/DFNS@DA system. Our results highlight the promising capabilities of DFNS@DA and nucleic acid-based biosensors, offering a generic and cost-effective solution for the detection of nucleic acid-related biomarkers.

Graphical abstract
Impedance changes of the Li-ion cell in the course of discharge
Authors: Křivík Petr
Published: March 2024

The paper deals with the measurement of the cell impedance parameters during discharging of the Li-ion NCR18650B cell. Re (Z) and Im (Z) of the battery were measured by PEIS method. The results of the impedance changes during discharging and charging were plot to Nyquist diagrams. The important values namely Rs, Rsei, Rct, Csei, Qsei, Cdl, α, and σ were found during discharging of the Li-ion cell with and without using CPE element.

Graphical abstract
Notfallkompetenzen für Medizinstudierende
Authors: Noll Christoph , Golon Sina , Kloppenburg Kira , Kluwe Lara-Sophie , Triefenbach Antonia , Behrends Marianne , Mücke Urs , Mikuteit Marie , Steffens Sandra
Published: March 2024

Hintergrund

Studierenden fehlt es in der Ausbildung noch an ausreichender Übungszeit zur Bildung von notfallmedizinischen Kompetenzen und klinischer Entscheidungsfindung [3]. Aspekte der Patient:innensicherheit und ökonomische Zwänge in einer Notaufnahme erschweren eine zielgerichtete kompetenzorientierte Lehre.

Fragestellung

Können mittels Virtual Reality (VR), eingebettet in einem Blended-Learning-Konzept, Studierenden der Humanmedizin die notwendigen Kompetenzen für die klinische Entscheidungsfindung in der Notfallmedizin vermittelt werden?

Material und Methoden

In einem Blended-Learning-Konzept mit verpflichtender Online-Vorbereitung und einer Peer-geführten VR-Simulation (Lerneinheit) in einer virtuellen Notaufnahme wurden Studierende in der Erstversorgung einer Notfallpatientin trainiert. Zusammen mit einer real-simulierten strukturierten Übergabe und anschließendem strukturiertem Feedback erfolgte eine Nachbereitung (Reflexion) der Lehrveranstaltung. Die Evaluierung der Lerneinheit erfolgte über einen Fragebogen zu den Punkten Simulation – Realität und Immersion, subjektive Kompetenzerweiterung und Vorbereitung zur Veranstaltung und über eine Befragung zur subjektiven Kompetenzeinschätzung vor und nach der Veranstaltung.

Ergebnisse und Diskussion

Im Rahmen eines curricularen Wahlpflichtangebots wurde unser Konzept im Studienjahr 2022/2023 von 40 % (n = 120) der Studierenden des 4. Studienjahrs an der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover (MHH) genutzt. Das entwickelte Konzept ermöglicht es, Medizinstudierenden im 4. Studienjahr kompetenzorientiertes Notfallmanagement für Hochrisikosituationen zu vermitteln. Durch die Nutzung von VR können die Studierenden realistische Notfallszenarien in einer sicheren und kontrollierten Umgebung üben, ohne die Sicherheit der Patient:innen zu gefährden.

Graphic abstract
Whole-exome sequencing is feasible on a fresh-frozen skin sample of intravascular large B cell lymphoma
Authors: Bagnoli Filippo , Pini Giuditta , Ziccheddu Bachisio , Bonometti Arturo , Alberti-Violetti Silvia , Venegoni Luigia , Isimbaldi Giuseppe , Da Vià Matteo Claudio , Ferrari Angela , Baldini Luca , Neri Antonino , Onida Francesco , Bolli Niccolò , Berti Emilio
Published: March 2024

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare aggressive extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The predominant, if not exclusive, growth of neoplastic cells within the lumina of small-sized vessels represents the hallmark of the disease. Diagnosis is challenging due to the absence of marked lymphadenopathy, the highly heterogeneous clinical presentation, and the rarity of the condition. Clinical presentation is characterized by variable combinations of nonspecific signs and symptoms (such as fever and weight loss), organ-specific focal manifestations due to altered perfusion, and hemophagocytic syndrome. The rarity of this entity and the paucity of neoplastic cells in biopsy samples hamper the study of recurrent molecular abnormalities. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of a different approach to recover a sufficient amount of DNA of acceptable quality to perform next-generation sequencing studies. Here, we report the findings of whole-exome next-generation sequencing performed on a fresh-frozen cutaneous sample of IVLBCL, paired with the patient saliva used as germline DNA. To increase the cancer cell fraction, only the subcutaneous tissue was selected. With this approach, we obtained high-quality DNA and were able to identify oncogenic mutations specific for this entity and recapitulating its post-germinal center origin, even if the tumor fraction was low. Molecular studies performed on fresh-frozen cutaneous sample are feasible in IVLBCL, especially when analysis is restricted to the subcutaneous tissue. Wide adoption of this reproducible and cost-effective approach may foster further studies, which may be of help in supporting diagnosis, providing pathogenetic insights, and guiding treatment decisions.
Computerized Segmentation Method for Nonmasses on Breast DCE-MRI Images Using ResUNet++ with Slice Sequence Learning and Cross-Phase Convolution
Authors: Hizukuri Akiyoshi , Nakayama Ryohei , Goto Mariko , Sakai Koji
Published: March 2024

The purpose of this study was to develop a computerized segmentation method for nonmasses using ResUNet++ with a slice sequence learning and cross-phase convolution to analyze temporal information in breast dynamic contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) images. The dataset consisted of a series of DCE-MRI examinations from 54 patients, each containing three-phase images, which included one image that was acquired before contrast injection and two images that were acquired after contrast injection. In the proposed method, the region of interest (ROI) slice images are first extracted from each phase image. The slice images at the same position in each ROI are stacked to generate a three-dimensional (3D) tensor. A cross-phase convolution generates feature maps with the 3D tensor to incorporate the temporal information. Subsequently, the feature maps are used as the input layers for ResUNet++. New feature maps are extracted from the input data using the ResUNet++ encoders, following which the nonmass regions are segmented by a decoder. A convolutional long short-term memory layer is introduced into the decoder to analyze a sequence of slice images. When using the proposed method, the average detection accuracy of nonmasses, number of false positives, Jaccard coefficient, Dice similarity coefficient, positive predictive value, and sensitivity were 90.5%, 1.91, 0.563, 0.712, 0.714, and 0.727, respectively, larger than those obtained using 3D U-Net, V-Net, and nnFormer. The proposed method achieves high detection and shape accuracies and will be useful in differential diagnoses of nonmasses.
Promoting Reflection on the Process of Recovery: Unique Contributions from Literature and the Humanities for Practitioner
Authors: Lysaker Paul H. , Roe David , Lysaker John T.
Published: March 2024

Recovery from serious mental illness requires persons to make their own meaning and deal with evolving challenges and possibilities. Psychiatric rehabilitation thus must offer more than manualized curricula that address symptoms and skills. We suggest that exposure to the humanities and in particular literature may offer practitioners unique avenues for developing interventions that are sensitive to the processes that enable meaning to be made. We suggest that through what the poet Keats called negative capability, reading novels may enhance practitioners? abilities to see and accept uncertainty, tolerate ambiguity without need for complete resolution, and accept the complex and ambiguous nature of persons. As an illustration we described how reading two novels, The Trial and Slaughterhouse-Five enhanced the process of meaning making while supporting the recovery of one prototypical person with serious mental illness during his efforts to make sense of his experience of returning to work.
Crosstalk between vault RNAs and innate immunity
Authors: Avila-Bonilla Rodolfo Gamaliel , Martínez-Montero Juan Pablo
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Vault (vt) RNAs are noncoding (nc) RNAs transcribed by RNA polymerase III (RNA Pol III) with 5ʹ-triphosphate (5ʹ-PPP) termini that play significant roles and are recognized by innate immune sensors, including retinoic acid-inducible protein 1 (RIG-I). In addition, vtRNAs adopt secondary structures that can be targets of interferon-inducible protein kinase R (PKR) and the oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS)/RNase L system, both of which are important for activating antiviral defenses. However, changes in the expression of vtRNAs have been associated with pathological processes that activate proinflammatory pathways, which influence cellular events such as differentiation, aging, autophagy, apoptosis, and drug resistance in cancer cells.

Results

In this review, we summarized the biology of vtRNAs and focused on their interactions with the innate immune system. These findings provide insights into the diverse roles of vtRNAs and their correlation with various cellular processes to improve our understanding of their biological functions.
Development and Factor Structure of Problematic Multidimensional Smartphone Use Scale
Authors: Geçer Ekmel , Yıldırım Murat , Bağci Hakkı , Atar Cihat
Published: March 2024

Living in an intensifying technological and digital environment makes people more engaged with smartphones and related internet platforms. Alongside its highly debated advantages and disadvantages, modern smartphone use is a global phenomenon which has been mainly debated within the context of cultural and technology relationships which also influence cross-cultural activities. Focusing on one of the modern factors (i.e., smartphone use) that impact human behavior, this article presents the development of a measure of the Multidimensional Smartphone Use Scale (MSUS) and tests its factor structure to offer a scale that covers smartphone-related problems from a broader perspective. Using an online survey, a total of 514 participants took part in the current study. The scale was developed to measure a multidimensional conception of smartphone use-related problems and behavioral disorders including nomophobia, ringxiety, textiety, and phubbing which were supported with exploratory and confirmatory factors analyses. The MSUS indicated good internal consistency reliability ranging from α = .75 to α = .89. This article presents the preliminary evidence regarding the reliability and validity of the MSUS which can be used in a wide range of settings to measure maladaptive modes of smartphone use and related behaviors.
International constitutional advising: Introducing a new dataset
Authors: Lerner Hanna , Pereira David Futscher , Schlager Nina
Published: March 2024

The article presents the first systematic comparative study on the growing involvement of international organizations in national constitution making around the world. Over the past three decades, the emerging field of international constitutional advising has undergone an intense process of institutionalization and professionalization, mirroring the increasing role constitution making is playing in both national and international politics. Despite the vast scope of the phenomenon, the involvement of foreign constitutional advisors in domestic constitution-drafting or constitutional reforms has received little scholarly attention. This article takes the first steps towards addressing this lacuna empirically, by introducing a new dataset on 46 international organizations involved in 730 constitutional advising projects in 145 countries between 1989 and 2017. We classified the organizations based on their type, their headquarters’ location, the countries they target, the kind of advising activities they perform and the level of directness of the advising intervention. While generally, we find a significant correlation between more direct constitutional advising activities and larger relative changes in the quality of democracy and larger numbers of constitutional systems in a country, the article suggests avenues for more nuanced research to better understand constitutional advising’s impact.
On the relation between affinely adjustable robust linear complementarity and mixed-integer linear feasibility problems
Authors: Biefel Christian , Schmidt Martin
Published: March 2024

We consider adjustable robust linear complementarity problems and extend the results of Biefel et al. (SIAM J Optim 32:152–172, 2022) towards convex and compact uncertainty sets. Moreover, for the case of polyhedral uncertainty sets, we prove that computing an adjustable robust solution of a given linear complementarity problem is equivalent to solving a properly chosen mixed-integer linear feasibility problem.
Experimental Construction and Validation of Revised Drucker–Prager Model Using Finite Element Method for Moisture Condensation Zone in Bentonite-Bonded Silica Sand
Authors: Okimura Yasuhiko , Imamura Rei , Shimo Kohei , Hanai Takashi , Kato Yusuke , Hashimoto Kunihiro , Faiz Muhammad Khairi , Okane Toshimitsu , Miyashita Tomoyuki , Yoshida Makoto
Published: March 2024

For predicting casting deformation by FEM (finite element method) thermal stress analysis, this paper experimentally constructed and validated the Drucker–Prager (DP) model and its revised model (RDP) for the condensation zone of bentonite-bonded sand molds. The condensation zone has been known as a remarkably low-strength region in the mold, and its mechanical response should be dominant to the casting deformation. To construct the models through uniaxial and triaxial compression tests, the test pieces reproducing the condensation zone were prepared by permeating water vapor through a test piece of bentonite-bonded sand. The constructed models were then applied to the FEM stress analysis of the triaxial test to validate them by comparing the analytical stress–strain curves with the experiment. The experimental stress–strain curve after permeating water did not show any distinct yielding point; however, the analytical curve with the original DP model clearly exhibited a yielding point due to the yield criterion of the model. The distinct yielding criterion should be essentially fatal to reproduce the stress–strain relationship of the condensation zone. Contrarily, the RDP model reproduced the experimental curve with less than 10 % error and was found to be advantageous for modeling the smooth stress–strain relationship of the condensation zone.
Multilateralism and Soft Power Made-in-China: (re)Adjusting Role Conception to Meet International Expectations
Authors: Duarte Paulo Afonso Brardo , Gupta Amit , Delvaje Bruna Cristina
Published: March 2024

This article addresses the specificities of the new multilateralism made-in-China under Xi Jinping. We argue that China has been investing in a combination of Soft Power and Multilateralism to foster a friendly worldwide environment whilst promoting China’s geopolitical reemergence. Drawing on role theory, we assess whether there has been a shifting trend on China’s soft power and multilateralism, to cope both with international expectations on China’s new role and China’s own role conception. We conclude that China’s gradual turn towards multilateralism and soft power is a complementary strategy to China’s longstanding use of bilateralism. It provides China with new institutions and ways to prosper as Chinese interests are no longer effectively fulfilled within the old Bretton Woods system. This article aims to deepen the existing literature on China’s soft power, whilst highlighting the novel developments in China’s multilateral initiatives and soft power including the impact of EU’s de-risking approach toward China – not yet addressed by current studies.
The impact of radiomics in the management of soft tissue sarcoma
Authors: De Angelis Riccardo , Casale Roberto , Coquelet Nicolas , Ikhlef Samia , Mokhtari Ayoub , Simoni Paolo , Bali Maria Antonietta
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare malignancies. Pre-therapeutic tumour grading and assessment are crucial in making treatment decisions. Radiomics is a high-throughput method for analysing imaging data, providing quantitative information beyond expert assessment. This review highlights the role of radiomic texture analysis in STSs evaluation.

Materials and methods

We conducted a systematic review according to the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus using the search terms: ‘radiomics [All Fields] AND ("soft tissue sarcoma" [All Fields] OR "soft tissue sarcomas" [All Fields])’. Only original articles, referring to humans, were included.

Results

A preliminary search conducted on PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus provided 74 and 93 studies respectively. Based on the previously described criteria, 49 papers were selected, with a publication range from July 2015 to June 2023. The main domains of interest were risk stratification, histological grading prediction, technical feasibility/reproductive aspects, treatment response.

Conclusions

With an increasing interest over the last years, the use of radiomics appears to have potential for assessing STSs from initial diagnosis to predicting treatment response. However, additional and extensive research is necessary to validate the effectiveness of radiomics parameters and to integrate them into a comprehensive decision support system.
A new possible marker: can pennation angle defined by ultrasound predict the frailty?
Authors: Yurumez Busra , Metin Yavuz , Atmis Volkan , Karadavut Mursel , Ari Sinan , Gemci Emine , Yigit Seher , Ozalp Ates Funda Seher , Gozukara Melih Gaffar , Kaplankiran Ceren , Cosarderelioglu Caglar , Yalcin Ahmet , Aras Sevgi , Varli Murat
Published: March 2024

Background

Frailty indicates older people who are vulnerable to stressors. The relation between ultrasonographic parameters of muscle and frailty among older people has yet to be investigated.

Aims

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between frailty and the ultrasonographic measurements of the rectus femoris muscle (RFM).

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 301 participants who were ≥65 years. The FRAIL questionnaire assessed frailty. The thickness, cross-sectional area (CSA), fascicle length, pennation angle (PA), stiffness, and echogenicity of RFM were assessed by ultrasound. The accuracy of parameters in predicting the frailty was evaluated by ROC analysis.

Results

Of all 301 participants, 24.6% were frail. Pre-frail and frail participants had significantly lower thickness (p = 0.002), CSA (p = 0.009), and fascicle length (p = 0.043) of RFM compared to robust. PA was significantly lowest in frails (p < 0.001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that PA values lower than 10.65 degrees were an independent predictor of frailty (OR = 0.83, 95% Cl: 0.70–0.97, p = 0.019). Results of ROC analysis demonstrated a satisfactory result between the PA and frailty (AUC = 0.692, p < 0.001).

Discussion

Thickness, CSA, and PA of RFM were found to be lower in frail subjects, which may indicate the changes in muscle structure in frailty. Among all parameters, lower PA values were independent predictors of frailty. These findings may indicate a novel ultrasound-based method in frailty, that is more objective and unrelated to the cross-sectional evaluation.

Conclusions

Ultrasonographic measurements of RFM, especially the lower PA may predict frailty in older people. As an objective and quantitative method, PA may be used to define frailty with acceptable sensitivity.
Pilotstudie zu beruflicher Gratifikation und Gesundheit
Authors: Böckelmann I. , Zavgorodnii I. , Litovchenko O. , Krasnoselskyi M. , Thielmann B.
Published: March 2024

Hintergrund

Onkologen unterliegen hohen – allgemein im ärztlichen Tätigkeitsfeld und typisch in der Onkologie zutreffenden – psychischen Arbeitsbelastungen, die eine mehr oder weniger starke Beanspruchung bedeuten können. Krisenzeiten verstärken das Gefühl der negativen Beanspruchung. Viele Studien bestätigen den Zusammenhang zwischen Effort-Reward-Imbalance bzw. beruflichen Gratifikationskrisen im normalen Arbeitsalltag und verschiedenen Erkrankungen. Aufgrund fehlender Studiendaten war das Ziel dieser Pilotstudie, die subjektive psychische und physische Gesundheit ukrainischer Onkologen während der Krisensituationen zu ermitteln. Es soll der Frage nachgegangen werden, inwiefern Assoziationen zwischen Verausgabung, Belohnung sowie Overcommitment und der Gesundheit der Ärzteschaft gelten.

Methodik

An dieser Pilotstudie nahmen 23 Onkologen (12 Männer und 11 Frauen) im Alter zwischen 26 und 72 Jahren (im Mittel 47,4 ± 12,74 Jahre) freiwillig teil. Die durchschnittliche Dauer der Berufstätigkeit lag bei 19,0 ± 11,92 Jahren. Es wurden Daten mittels des Fragebogens Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI) mit Fragen zum Overcommitment (OC) und des Beschwerdefragebogens (BFB) erhoben. Es erfolgte eine Einteilung zwischen Befragten mit einem normalen ERI-Ratio (≤ 1) oder hohen ERI-Ratio (> 1) für die Gruppenvergleiche der gesundheitlichen Beschwerden. Zudem erfolgte eine Korrelationsanalyse zwischen den ERI-Subskalen, OC und den BFB-Skalen.

Ergebnisse

Die Verteilung von Alter und Berufsjahren war über die ERI-Gruppen identisch. Bei einer Spannweite von 0,20 bis 1,76 Punkten wiesen einige Onkologen (39,1 %) eine hohe Effort-Reward-Imbalance auf. Die Gesamtstichprobe bot eine durchschnittliche Ausprägung des ERI (0,93 ± 0,40 Punkte). Bei 26,1 % (n = 6) der Gesamtstichprobe fand sich ein erhöhtes OC (> 16 Punkte), wobei 1 Proband davon auch ein ERI > 1 aufwies. Alle 6 Onkologen boten zwar mehr psychische, physische und gesamte Symptomatik im BFB an, was jedoch im Vergleich zu der Gruppe mit einem normalen ERI statistisch nicht signifikant war. Bei 39,1 % (n = 9) der Gesamtstichprobe konnten neurotische Werte im BFB nachgewiesen werden (4 Probanden mit ERI > 1). BFB-Skalen korrelierten nicht mit den ERI-Subskalen und OC.

Diskussion

Die Daten zeigen eine hohe Beschwerdeprävalenz (39,1 %) sowohl in der Gruppe mit normaler Effort-Reward-Imbalance (35,7 %) als auch in der Gruppe mit hoher ERI-Ratio (44,4 %). Hohen Beanspruchungen kann unterschiedlich lang entgegengewirkt werden. Daher bedarf es betrieblicher Maßnahmen zum Gesundheitserhalt, gerade auch in Krisensituationen. Hier könnte die Arbeitsmedizin in der Ukraine von einem Erfahrungsaustausch zur ganzheitlichen arbeitsmedizinischen Vorsorge mit Arbeitsmedizinern in Deutschland profitieren.
A predictive-reactive strategy for flight test task scheduling with aircraft grounding
Authors: Tian Bei , Xiao Gang , Shen Yu
Published: March 2024

In flight test engineering, the flight test duration (FTD) affects the aircraft’s delivery node and directly impacts costs. In the actual flight test process, the environmental status updates frequently, and various uncertain events are often encountered, which affect the flight test progress and project implementation. Therefore, when scheduling flight test tasks, rescheduling should be taken into account. This paper proposes a predictive-reactive strategy based on a deep reinforcement learning approach to solve the flight test task scheduling problem with consideration of aircraft grounding. In the predictive stage, a constructive heuristic algorithm is designed to generate an initial schedule. The rescheduling problem is solved by the appropriate rescheduling method that aims to optimize the FTD deviation, task reallocation, and workload cost simultaneously. The problem is modeled as a Markov decision process, including the well-designed state features, rewards, and actions based on different rescheduling methods. The policy is trained by the proximal policy optimization algorithm. At last, numerical results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach.
Critical Solvation Structures Arrested Active Molecules for Reversible Zn Electrochemistry
Authors: Zheng Junjie , Zhang Bao , Chen Xin , Hao Wenyu , Yao Jia , Li Jingying , Gan Yi , Wang Xiaofang , Liu Xingtai , Wu Ziang , Liu Youwei , Lv Lin , Tao Li , Liang Pei , Ji Xiao , Wang Hao , Wan Houzhao
Published: March 2024

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) have attracted increasing attention in next-generation energy storage systems due to their high safety and economic. Unfortunately, the side reactions, dendrites and hydrogen evolution effects at the zinc anode interface in aqueous electrolytes seriously hinder the application of aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Here, we report a critical solvation strategy to achieve reversible zinc electrochemistry by introducing a small polar molecule acetonitrile to form a “catcher” to arrest active molecules (bound water molecules). The stable solvation structure of [Zn(H2O)6]2+ is capable of maintaining and completely inhibiting free water molecules. When [Zn(H2O)6]2+ is partially desolvated in the Helmholtz outer layer, the separated active molecules will be arrested by the “catcher” formed by the strong hydrogen bond N–H bond, ensuring the stable desolvation of Zn2+. The Zn||Zn symmetric battery can stably cycle for 2250 h at 1 mAh cm−2, Zn||V6O13 full battery achieved a capacity retention rate of 99.2% after 10,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. This paper proposes a novel critical solvation strategy that paves the route for the construction of high-performance AZIBs.
Overcoming systemic and institutional challenges in policy implementation in South Africa's water sector
Authors: Adom Richard Kwame , Simatele Mulala Danny
Published: March 2024

The water sector in South Africa is faced with numerous challenges, among which include; increased flooding and prolonged droughts caused by increased climate variability, rapid population growth, unsustainable water demands and withdrawals by various water users, deficiencies in institutional management and infrastructural maintenance, lack of political will with accompanying high levels of corruption and steady deteriorations in all sub-sectors of the economy. Other significant challenges include provision of water in rural communities, water pollution especially from poorly operated wastewater treatments works, acid mine drainage, nutrients from agriculture, siltation of dams. A combination of these factors has led to high levels of water scarcity and an immense burden on the water supply. However, it must be noted that in 1994, South Africa (SA) embarked on developing numerous policies and strategies to address water challenges. While some levels of success have been achieved in terms of policy formulation, there is, however, a lack of comprehensive coordination and synergy that cut across the broad objectives of these policies in meeting environmental, social and economic targets and aspirations. Additionally, the implementation of the policies and programmes is stalled by structural, systemic and institutional factors, coupled with new challenges arising from climatic variabilities. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods together with rapid appraisal of existing literature, we explore systemic and institutional factors impeding the implementation of policies and strategies designed to drive South Africa's water sector as envisaged within the National Development Plan of 2012. We argue that the water sector is faced with multifarious and interweaving challenges such as inadequate human capital, changes in climatic conditions, limited financial resources, infrastructural deficiencies largely linked to poor urban planning and rapid growth of informal settlements, rampant corruption and mismanagement, lack of stakeholders' involvement and compartmentalisation of institutions. This paper, therefore, recommends a community-based approach that enforces transparency and the participation of civil society, cross-sectoral cooperation and a broad range of stakeholders and decentralisation of policy implementation strategies.
»König wer?« Zur (De‑)Popularisierung der Harzer Sagenfigur König Hübich
Authors: Penke Niels
Published: March 2024

Der Beitrag rekonstruiert die Popularisierungsgeschichte der Harzer Sagenfigur König Hübich. Ausgehend von den Schriften Jakob Grimms hat dieser im 19. Jahrhunderte eine weitreichende Popularisierung erfahren, die sich zunächst auf weit verbreitete Sagensammlungen und ein großes Interesse der Germanischen Altertumskunde stützt. Solange Hübich für eine dem nordischen/germanischen Gott Odin/Wotan verwandte oder sogar mit ihm identische Gestalt gehalten wird, halten sich wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzungen und literarische Darstellungen die Waage. Als der germanistische Diskurs diese Annahme verwirft, erfährt Hübich eine umfassende Transformation und wird in Kinderbüchern und auf Postkarten zum niedlichen Zwerg gemacht. Zwar erscheinen auch nach 1900 noch einige auflagenstarke Bücher mit Hübich-Bezug, seinen sukzessiven Popularitätsschwund und Abstieg zur Lokalfigur können diese nicht verhindern.
Democracy without curriculum: how unschooling contributes to a home education rooted in democracy and agency for young people
Authors: English Rebecca , Krogh Chris , Liberto Giuliana
Published: March 2024

It is widely accepted that young people’s lives are more complex than ever before and this complexity is making classroom life difficult for many. In response, around 30,000 Australian young people are choosing home education (Moir & English, 2022). While many consider home educators to be ideologically inflexible and religiously fundamental, this stereotype does not reflect the Australian home education movement (Moir & English, 2022; English, 2021a, 2021b). Indeed, many parents are making a “choice without markets” (Aurini & Davis, 2005), attempting to address the top-down, centralised and inflexible curriculum increasingly found in schools (English, 2021a, 2021b, Van Galen, 1991). This paper explores the democratic potential of unschooling, a widely adopted, but frequently misunderstood, approach to home education that has, at its heart, a democratic educational approach rooted in agency (Romero, 2018; Riley, 2021). Unschooling moves beyond civics and citizenship to a lived experience of democracy for young people. Through an analysis of extant home education literature as well as data from the inquiry into homeschooling from the New South Wales upper house (Select Committee into Home Schooling, 2014) we propose that the greatest threat to democracy for change in curriculum is too much regulatory control over home education while the greatest benefit of unschooling is its emphasis on participatory democracy and agency for young people.
A Sequential Sampling Approach to the Integration of Habits and Goals
Authors: Zhang Chao , van Wissen Arlette , Dotsch Ron , Lakens Daniël , IJsselsteijn Wijnand A.
Published: March 2024

Habits often conflict with goal-directed behaviors and this phenomenon continues to attract interests from neuroscientists, experimental psychologists, and applied health psychologists. Recent computational models explain habit-goal conflicts as the competitions between two learning systems, arbitrated by a central unit. Based on recent research that combined reinforcement learning and sequential sampling, we show that habit-goal conflicts can be more parsimoniously explained by a dynamic integration of habit and goal values in a sequential sampling model, without any arbitration. A computational model was developed by extending the multialternative decision field theory with the assumptions that habits bias starting points of preference accumulation, and that goal importance and goal relevance determine sampling probabilities of goal-related attributes. Simulation studies demonstrated our approach’s ability to qualitatively reproduce important empirical findings from three paradigms – classic devaluation, devaluation with a concurrent schedule, and reversal learning, and to predict gradual changes in decision times. In addition, a parameter recovery exercise using approximate Bayesian computation showcased the possibility of fitting the model to empirical data in future research. Implications of our work for habit theories and applications are discussed.
gym-flp: A Python Package for Training Reinforcement Learning Algorithms on Facility Layout Problems
Authors: Heinbach Benjamin , Burggräf Peter , Wagner Johannes
Published: March 2024

Reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms have proven to be useful tools for combinatorial optimisation. However, they are still underutilised in facility layout problems (FLPs). At the same time, RL research relies on standardised benchmarks such as the Arcade Learning Environment. To address these issues, we present an open-source Python package (gym-flp) that utilises the OpenAI Gym toolkit, specifically designed for developing and comparing RL algorithms. The package offers one discrete and three continuous problem representation environments with customisable state and action spaces. In addition, the package provides 138 discrete and 61 continuous problems commonly used in FLP literature and supports submitting custom problem sets. The user can choose between numerical and visual output of observations, depending on the RL approach being used. The package aims to facilitate experimentation with different algorithms in a reproducible manner and advance RL use in factory planning.
Phenomenological Evaluation of an Undergraduate Clinical Needs Finding Skills Through a Virtual Reality Clinical Immersion Platform
Authors: King Christine E. , Salvo Dalton
Published: March 2024

Clinical immersion programs have been widely used in higher education, particularly in biomedical engineering (BME) programs, to allow students to identify and evaluate the unmet clinical needs. However, due to limited space and extensive safety protocols required to enter hospitals, access for undergraduate students to shadow physicians is limited. BME students need to be trained to identify and evaluate unmet clinical needs through observation and experience to remain competitive in the medical device landscape. To be able to allow students to immerse themselves into clinical environments remotely and be able to visualize the full spectrum of healthcare workers and equipment that support a procedure beyond what is available through online video records, we have developed a virtual reality (VR) clinical immersion platform. The applicability and overall student satisfaction of using VR learning environments was investigated through a pilot undergraduate BME unmet clinical needs finding course in the spring of 2022. Pre- and post-course survey analyses revealed that the VR clinical immersion experiences did greatly increase immersion within a medical procedure, and students felt sensations of presence and embodiment. Given the results of this study, VR learning environments can provide a means for students to perform unmet clinical needs through virtual clinical immersion. However, these technologies to support environments should be readily accessible within the classroom.