bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable and Low-Cost Greenhouse Soil Moisture Monitoring Using Battery-Free RFID Sensors
Authors: Wang Ju , Chang Liqiong , Aggarwal Shourya , Abari Omid , Keshav Srinivasan
Published: January 2025

Intelligent irrigation based on measurements of soil moisture levels in every pot in a greenhouse can not only improve plant productivity and quality but also save water. However, existing soil moisture sensors are too expensive to deploy in every pot. We therefore introduce GreenTag, a low-cost RFID-based soil moisture sensing system whose accuracy is comparable to that of an expensive soil moisture sensor. Our key idea is to attach two RFID tags to a plant’s container so that changes in soil moisture content are reflected in their Differential Minimum Response Threshold (DMRT) metric at the reader. We show that a low-pass filtered DMRT metric is robust to changes both in the RF environment (e.g., from human movement) and in pot locations. In addition, we propose a fast DMRT acquisition algorithm and a time-efficient tag query protocol, which can reduce the sensing latency by 90%. In a realistic setting, GreenTag achieves a 90-percentile moisture estimation errors of 5%, which is comparable to the 4% errors using expensive soil moisture sensors. Moreover, this accuracy is maintained despite changes in the RF environment and container locations. We also show the effectiveness of GreenTag in a real greenhouse.
UVC: An Unified Deep Video Compression Framework
Authors: Tang Lv , Zhang Xinfeng , Zhang Li
Published: January 2025

Recently, many works have applied deep learning techniques to video compression tasks, achieving promising results and advancing the field of deep learning video compression (DLVC). However, the architecture design of existing DLVC is rigid and limited in terms of flexibility. Specifically, different networks must be designed for different scenarios, such as delay-constrained or non-delay-constrained scenarios. Frequent switching between networks would reduce the speed of modern deep learning platforms and increase maintenance costs. To address this problem, we propose a unified deep video compression (UVC) framework that can be freely switched to different application scenarios without changing the network architecture. Our proposed UVC framework is based on the explicit-compression and implicit-generation perspective, which contains two sub-networks: the explicit reference frame compression network (ERFCN) and the implicit reference frame generation network (IRFGN). The aim of ERFCN is to compress the current frame with the help of the reference frame. To improve the performance of ERFCN, we first introduce the Transformer in this network, which can fully remove the spatial redundancy of the input image and is beneficial for the following inter-prediction process. We also develop a novel long-range motion estimation module for inter-prediction to generate motion vectors based on global motion information between two frames, which can handle long-range complex motion relations. The aim of IRFGN is to capture the temporal relationship between forward and backward reconstructed frames and synthesize a high-quality implicit reference frame for the current frame. To achieve this, we design the split spatial-temporal attention and multi-scale prediction module. We conduct extensive experiments on three widely used video compression databases (HEVC, UVG, and MCL-JVC), and the results demonstrate the superiority of our approach over other related DLVC methods.
Evaluation-Free Time-Series Forecasting Model Selection via Meta-Learning
Authors: Abdallah Mustafa , Rossi Ryan A. , Mahadik Kanak , Kim Sungchul , Zhao Handong , Bagchi Saurabh
Published: January 2025

Time-series forecasting models are invariably used in a variety of domains for crucial decision-making. Traditionally these models are constructed by experts with considerable manual effort. Unfortunately, this approach has poor scalability while generating accurate forecasts for new datasets belonging to diverse applications. Without access to skilled domain-knowledge, one approach is to train all the models on the new time-series data and then select the best one. However, this approach is nonviable in practice. In this work, we develop techniques for fast automatic selection of the best forecasting model for a new unseen time-series dataset, without having to first train (or evaluate) all the models on the new time-series data to select the best one. In particular, we develop a forecasting meta-learning approach called
AutoForecast
that allows for the quick inference of the best time-series forecasting model for an unseen dataset. Our approach learns both forecasting models performances over time horizon of the same dataset and task similarity across different datasets. The experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach over state-of-the-art (SOTA) single and ensemble methods and several SOTA meta-learners (adapted to our problem) in terms of selecting better forecasting models (i.e., 2X gain) for unseen tasks for univariate and multivariate testbeds.
AutoForecast
has also significant reduction in inference time compared to the naïve approach (doing inference using all possible models and then selecting the best one), with median of 42X across the two testbeds. We release our meta-learning database corpus (348 datasets), performances of the 322 forecasting models on the database corpus, meta-features, and source codes for the community to access them for forecasting model selection and to build on them with new datasets and models which can help advance automating time-series forecasting problem. In our released database corpus, we unveil new traces of Adobe computing cluster usage for production workloads.
An Interpretable Deep Learning-based Model for Decision-making through Piecewise Linear Approximation
Authors: Guo Mengzhuo , Zhang Qingpeng , Zeng Daniel Dajun
Published: January 2025

Full-complexity machine learning models, such as the deep neural network, are non-traceable black-box, whereas the classic interpretable models, such as linear regression models, are often over-simplified, leading to lower accuracy. Model interpretability limits the application of machine learning models in management problems, which requires high prediction performance, as well as the understanding of individual features’ contributions to the model outcome. To enhance model interpretability while preserving good prediction performance, we propose a hybrid interpretable model that combines a piecewise linear component and a nonlinear component. The first component describes the explicit feature contributions by piecewise linear approximation to increase the expressiveness of the model. The other component uses a multi-layer perceptron to increase the prediction performance by capturing the high-order interactions between features and their complex nonlinear transformations. The interpretability is obtained once the model is learned in the form of shape functions for the main effects. We also provide a variant to explore the higher-order interactions among features. Experiments are conducted on synthetic and real-world datasets to demonstrate that the proposed models can achieve good interpretability by explicitly describing the main effects and the interaction effects of the features while maintaining state-of-the-art accuracy.
Conversational Voice User Interfaces supporting Individuals with Down Syndrome: A Literature Review
Authors: Cibrian Franceli L. , Valdez Concepción , Min Lauren , Genaro Motti Vivian
Published: January 2025

Conversational Voice User Interfaces (CVUIs) are widely used in commercial applications such as personal assistants. CVUIs are beneficial for most users as they enable interaction through speech and natural language. However, recent studies indicate that underrepresented user groups, such as individuals with speech impairments and specifically those with Down syndrome, face challenges in using voice commands to control CVUIs. The anatomical and physiological differences affecting the voice, speech, fluency, and prosody of users with Down syndrome hinder their experience with CVUIs. This paper presents the results of 43 papers related to the use of voice user interfaces supporting individuals with Down syndrome, showing that (1) the most used form factor for voice assistants are displays with or without speakers; (2) although most of the papers related to speech-to-text technologies are about data sets aimed at supporting speech recognition, most of them are created involving a small sample size; and (3) there is high interest in including individuals with Down syndrome in evaluation phases mainly to address their communication skills, therapy, and general assistance. We discuss the design and evaluation stages, as well as how to make CVUIs more accessible and inclusive for individuals with Down syndrome in particular and neurodiverse users in general.
Dysfunctional mitochondrial bioenergetics sustains drug resistance in cancer cells
Authors: Gnocchi Davide , Nikolic Dragana , Russo Silvia , Matrella Maria Laura , Paparella Rosa R. , Kumar Sujeet , Karki Subhas S. , Sabbà Carlo , Cocco Tiziana , Lobasso Simona , Mazzocca Antonio
Published: January 2025

Resistance to drugs is one of the major issues affecting the response to pharmacological treatments for tumors. Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the development of cancer drug resistance (CDR), and several approaches to overcome it have been suggested. However, the biological basis of CDR remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether mitochondrial damage and consequent mitochondrial dysfunction are major causes of drug resistance in different tumors. To this end, we used cell lines from three tumors: hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and colon cancer. We then applied a protocol that recapitulates chemotherapy regimens in patients, rendering each cell line resistant to the drug commonly used in their respective treatments. The combination of cellular respiration analysis, gene expression analysis of cytochrome c oxidase isoforms, and mass spectrometry assessment of cardiolipin reveals that mitochondrial dysfunction is the underlying cause of the resistant phenotype. Importantly, we disclosed for the first time the rapid inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) by L-lactate, the major product of fermentation. Finally, we demonstrated that inhibition of lactic acid fermentation and activation of OXPHOS can increase drug sensitivity in all tested drug-resistant cancer cells. Taken together, our results suggest that inhibiting fermentation and enhancing mitochondrial function in cancer cells may be a concrete option to control the worrisome phenomenon of CDR.
Influence of work intensity on acute kidney injury risk during simulated occupational heat stress
Authors: Hess Hayden W. , Heikkinen Molly E. , Tourula Erica , Hite M. Jo , Rivers Kelli , Zoh Roger S. , Johnson Blair D. , Hostler David , Schlader Zachary J.
Published: January 2025

We demonstrate that violation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health heat stress recommendations by exceeding allowable work intensity by ∼120 W or environmental limits by ∼4°C wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) at 30-min work-rest per hour results in a modest elevation in peak core temperature but does not augment acute kidney injury risk compared with scenarios that adhered to the NIOSH recommendations during simulated occupational heat stress.
Supplementary Figure 8 from Spatial and Single-Cell Analyses Reveal Heterogeneity of DNAM-1 Receptor–Ligand Interactions That Instructs Intratumoral γδT-cell Activity
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Wang Hui , Lu Zhengjing , Liu Xiangjun , Chai Wenjia , Wang Wei , Feng Jun , Yang Shen , Yang Wei , Cheng Haiyan , Chen Chenghao , Zhang Shihan , Sun Nian , Liu Qiaoyin , Li Qiliang , Song Wenqi , Jin Fang , Zeng Qi , Wang Shengcai , Su Yan , Wang Huanmin , Ni Xin , Gui Jingang
Published: January 2025

Supplementary Figure 8 Enriched pathways and functional characteristics of CD8 T and NK cells. (A) The enriched KEGG pathways in CD8 T cells from high-ratio and low-ratio groups are shown in dot plots. The dot size in KEGG enrichment analysis represents enriched gene numbers. (B) and (C) Cell-cycle score and GSVA score analysis of CD8 T cells. (D) Violin plots showing the expression levels of DNAM-1, TIGIT, CD96, PD-1, TIM-3, IFN-γ, granzyme B and perforin in CD8 T cells. (E) The enriched KEGG pathways in NK cells from high-ratio and low-ratio groups are shown in dot plots. The dot size in KEGG enrichment analysis represents enriched gene numbers. (F) and (G) Cell-cycle score and GSVA score analysis of NK cells. (D) and (H) Violin plots showing the expression levels of DNAM-1, TIGIT, CD96, PD-1, TIM-3, IFN-γ, granzyme B and perforin in NK cells.
Supplementary Figure 7 from Spatial and Single-Cell Analyses Reveal Heterogeneity of DNAM-1 Receptor–Ligand Interactions That Instructs Intratumoral γδT-cell Activity
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Wang Hui , Lu Zhengjing , Liu Xiangjun , Chai Wenjia , Wang Wei , Feng Jun , Yang Shen , Yang Wei , Cheng Haiyan , Chen Chenghao , Zhang Shihan , Sun Nian , Liu Qiaoyin , Li Qiliang , Song Wenqi , Jin Fang , Zeng Qi , Wang Shengcai , Su Yan , Wang Huanmin , Ni Xin , Gui Jingang
Published: January 2025

Supplementary Figure 7 Metabolic states of high-ratio and low-ratio tumor cells. (A) Enriched metabolic reactions in high-ratio and low-ratio tumor cells revealed by COMPASS analysis. (B) Changes in metabolic KEGG pathways revealed by spatial metabolome analysis. (C) The heatmaps of representing metabolites.
Supplementary Figure 4 from Spatial and Single-Cell Analyses Reveal Heterogeneity of DNAM-1 Receptor–Ligand Interactions That Instructs Intratumoral γδT-cell Activity
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Wang Hui , Lu Zhengjing , Liu Xiangjun , Chai Wenjia , Wang Wei , Feng Jun , Yang Shen , Yang Wei , Cheng Haiyan , Chen Chenghao , Zhang Shihan , Sun Nian , Liu Qiaoyin , Li Qiliang , Song Wenqi , Jin Fang , Zeng Qi , Wang Shengcai , Su Yan , Wang Huanmin , Ni Xin , Gui Jingang
Published: January 2025

Supplementary Figure 4 Quality control and annotation genes for NB tumor spatial transcriptome analysis. (A) Violin plots and heatmaps showing the number of features, RNA counts and percent mitochondrial transcripts found in NB tumor sample following quality control. (B) UMAP plot showing the major cell types in spatial transcriptome analysis. Dots represent individual cells, and colors represent different cell populations. (C) UMAP plots and dot plots showing the expression of the genes for annotating the major cell types identified in NB tumor.
Supplementary Figure 14 from Spatial and Single-Cell Analyses Reveal Heterogeneity of DNAM-1 Receptor–Ligand Interactions That Instructs Intratumoral γδT-cell Activity
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Wang Hui , Lu Zhengjing , Liu Xiangjun , Chai Wenjia , Wang Wei , Feng Jun , Yang Shen , Yang Wei , Cheng Haiyan , Chen Chenghao , Zhang Shihan , Sun Nian , Liu Qiaoyin , Li Qiliang , Song Wenqi , Jin Fang , Zeng Qi , Wang Shengcai , Su Yan , Wang Huanmin , Ni Xin , Gui Jingang
Published: January 2025

Supplementary Figure 14 The effects of soluble CD155 or CD155 on NB cells on DNAM-1, PD-1, TIM-3 and TIGIT expression levels in γδT cells during the interaction with NB microenvironment. (A-C) α-CD155 is used in the co-culture of γδT cells and SH-SY5Y cells. DNAM-1, PD-1, TIM-3 and TIGIT are detected by FACS after 24 h co-culture (left) and MFI is labeled in the representative FACS histograms (right). (D-G) α-CD155 is used in the co-culture of γδT cells and primary NB tumor cells. DNAM-1, PD-1, TIM-3 and TIGIT expression are detected by FACS after 24 h co-culture (left) and MFI is labeled in the representative FACS histograms (right). (H-K) DNAM-1, PD-1, TIM-3 and TIGIT expression are detected by FACS after 24 h NB TTCS treatment (left) and MFI is labeled in the representative FACS histograms (right). The results are expressed as the means ± SEMs from at least three independent experiments. Significant differences between groups are represented by ns no significance, * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01.
Supplementary Figure 11 from Spatial and Single-Cell Analyses Reveal Heterogeneity of DNAM-1 Receptor–Ligand Interactions That Instructs Intratumoral γδT-cell Activity
Authors: Wang Xiaolin , Wang Hui , Lu Zhengjing , Liu Xiangjun , Chai Wenjia , Wang Wei , Feng Jun , Yang Shen , Yang Wei , Cheng Haiyan , Chen Chenghao , Zhang Shihan , Sun Nian , Liu Qiaoyin , Li Qiliang , Song Wenqi , Jin Fang , Zeng Qi , Wang Shengcai , Su Yan , Wang Huanmin , Ni Xin , Gui Jingang
Published: January 2025

Supplementary Figure 11 Low-dose doxorubicin affects the expression of CD112 and CD155 in NB cells. (A) The apoptosis of SH-SY5Y and SK-N-BE2 cells treated with low-dose doxorubicin (0.1 μM) is detected by FACS (left) and AV+ proportion is labeled in the representative FACS histograms. (B-F) CD112 and CD155 expression in SH-SY5Y and SK-N-BE2 cells or primary NB tumor cells treated with low-dose doxorubicin (0.1 μM) are detected by FACS and Western blot. MFI is labeled in the representative FACS histograms. (G) and (H) The cytotoxicity assays are performed to detected γδT-cell cytotoxicity against SH-SY5Y and SK-N-BE2 cells pretreated with 0.1 μM doxorubicin. The results are expressed as the means ± SEMs from at least three independent experiments. Significant differences between groups are represented by * p < 0.05 and *** p < 0.001.
Different PD-L1 Assays Reveal Distinct Immunobiology and Clinical Outcomes in Urothelial Cancer
Authors: Galsky Matthew D. , Kockx Mark , Roels Juliette , Van Elzen Roos , Guan Xiangnan , Yuen Kobe , Rishipathak Deepali , Anker Jonathan F. , Gnjatic Sacha , Izadmehr Sudeh , Sanjabi Shomyesh , Johnston Robert J. , Peterson Maureen , Koeppen Hartmut , David Justin M. , Gupta Saurabh , Bamias Aristotelis , Arranz Jose Angel , Kikuchi Eiji , De Santis Maria , Davis Ian D. , Williams Patrick , Bernhard Sandrine , Mellman Ira , Grande Enrique , Banchereau Romain , Mariathasan Sanjeev
Published: January 2025

Testing for PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) is used to predict immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) benefit but has performed inconsistently in urothelial cancer (UC) clinical trials. Different approaches are used for PD-L1 IHC. We analyzed paired PD-L1 IHC data on UC samples using the SP142 and 22C3 assays from the phase 3 IMvigor130 trial and found discordant findings summarized by four phenotypes: PD-L1 positive by both assays (PD-L1 double positive; PD-L1DP), PD-L1 positive by the SP142 assay only (SP142 single positive; SP142SP), PD-L1 positive by the 22C3 assay only (22C3 single positive; 22C3SP), and PD-L1 negative by both assays double negative (PD-L1 double negative; PD-L1DN). PD-L1DP and SP142SP UCs were associated with more favorable ICB outcomes and increased dendritic-cell (DC) infiltration. SP142 PD-L1 staining co-localized with DC-LAMP, a DC marker, while 22C3 staining was more diffuse. 22C3SP UCs, associated with worse outcomes, were enriched in tumor cell–dominant PD-L1 expression. Multiplex IHC in an independent ICB-treated cohort confirmed that tumor cell–dominant PD-L1 expression was associated with shorter survival. Using different PD-L1 assays, we uncovered that SP142 may preferentially stain PD-L1–expressing DCs, key to orchestrating antitumor immunity, while tumor cell–dominant PD-L1 expression, which underlies a subset of “PD-L1 positive” specimens, is associated with poor ICB outcomes.
Figure 4 from A Cost-Effective Two-Step Approach for Multi-Cancer Early Detection in High-Risk Populations
Authors: Geng Shuaipeng , Li Shiyong , Wu Wei , Chang Yinyin , Mao Mao
Published: January 2025

Performance and cost-effectiveness comparison in a screening of five million people. A, Pretest probability and posttest probability for cancer with positive and negative results. Ratio, the ratio of posttest probability for positive to negative. B, Detailed breakdown of the cost implications and detection probabilities for each approach.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating: real-life intra- and extrapulmonary impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor
Authors: Vincken Stefanie , Verbanck Sylvia , Braun Sue , Buyck Nathalie , Zienebergh Cindy , Knoop Christiane , Vanderhelst Eef
Published: January 2025

Introduction. Elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) has shown significant improvements in pulmonary and nutritional status in persons with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). Less is known about the extrapulmonary impact of ETI and effects on airway microbiology, lung clearance index (LCI) and fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO).
Methods. A multicentre prospective observational trial, including 79 pwCF ≥ 18 years eligible for ETI. Assessments were done at the initiation of, and 3 and 6 months into treatment with ETI. Outcomes included forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), LCI, FeNO, sputum or cough swab culture, body mass index (BMI), cystic fibrosis questionnaire-revised respiratory domain (CFQ-R RD), sinonasal outcome test-22 (SNOT-22), general anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), fecal elastase-1 (FE-1), adherence to baseline therapies, exacerbation rate and adverse events.
Results. Our cohort included 79 pwCF (31±11(SD) years) with a baseline ppFEV1 of 68±23. Forty-two (53%) pwCF were previously treated with a CFTR modulator. In the entire study group, there were significant improvements from baseline in ppFEV1, LCI, FeNO, annualized exacerbation rate, BMI, CFQ-R RD and SNOT-22 (p<0.05 for all). Airway culture positivity for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa also decreased during the study period. There was no significant change in FE-1, GAD-7 or PHQ-9. Adherence to dornase alfa and hypertonic saline decreased.
Conclusion. ETI treatment led to significant improvements in respiratory and nutritional status, alongside a decrease in adherence to chronic supportive therapies. We did not observe any significant changes in exocrine pancreas function or in questionnaire scores for depression and anxiety.
Rare Encounter: A Case Report of Hepatic Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor – An Uncommon Mesenchymal Tumor in the Liver
Authors: Paula Diogo , Amaral Maria João , Madeira Joana , Simões João , Lázaro André , Silva Nuno , Tralhão José Guilherme
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) is a rare neoplastic mesenchymal tumor, more frequently found in the uterus, although it can occur in different organs. Hepatic PEComa is extremely rare, with only a few cases described in the literature. Case Presentation: We present a case report of a 33-year-old female patient with a history of macroprolactinoma. She was initially referred to our Department due to a 9-mm hepatic nodule incidentally diagnosed in an abdominal ultrasound in 2018. She was asymptomatic. Follow-up ultrasound showed a growth from 9 mm to 16 mm in 2019 and 30 mm in a liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in 2022. The case was discussed in a multidisciplinary team meeting, and since malignant transformation or hepatocellular carcinoma could not be ruled out, the decision was to undergo hepatic resection. An open hepatic subsegmentectomy of segment 5 was performed, with uneventful postoperative period. The definitive diagnosis was hepatic PEComa. Conclusion: Hepatic PEComas are rare liver tumors, and their preoperative diagnosis is challenging due to the lack of specific radiological features. In most cases, the diagnosis is only confirmed through histopathological and immunohistochemical studies. Resection of the lesion appears to be the curative treatment; however, due to the rarity of the condition, there are no studies comparing surgical treatment with other options. In our case, the hypervascular lesion was initially misdiagnosed as an adenoma. PEComas should be considered as a differential diagnosis in liver nodules with well-defined margins and increased uptake in the arterial phase in computed tomography or MRI scan. Surgical resection was curative, and no recurrence was detected during the patient’s follow-up.
Low Occurrence of Ocular Adverse Events after CAR-T Cell Therapy: A National Cohort Study
Authors: Murty Tara , Wai Karen M. , Rahimy Ehsan , Mruthyunjaya Prithvi
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies have demonstrated remarkable therapeutic efficacy in leukemias and lymphomas that were previously considered incurable. However, concerns persist over potential risks related to toxicities, including those secondary to activation of the patient’s immune system. Methods: To investigate ocular adverse effects associated with CAR-T cell therapy, a retrospective cohort study was designed in which data were obtained from the TriNetX aggregated electronic health records database through August 2024, with data analysis performed in August 2024. Billing codes were used to identify patients receiving autologous CAR-T therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of a hematological malignancy: tisagenlecleucel, brexucabtagene autoleucel, lisocabtagene maraleucel, ciltacabtagene autoleucel, idecabtagene vicleucel, or axicabtagene ciloleucel. Results: In a cohort of 684 patients on CAR-T therapy with at least 6 months of follow up, the most prevalent ocular adverse effects were related to vision changes (1.9%), which included vitreous opacities, visual disturbances, diplopia, and visual discomfort; inflammation (1.8%), which included optic neuritis, conjunctivitis, optic papillitis, chorioretinal inflammation, iridocyclitis, zoster ocular disease; and dry eyes (1.6%), which included dry eye syndrome, keratitis, and ocular manifestations of Vitamin A deficiency. Conclusion: In the period of 6 months following CAR-T therapy infusion, ocular adverse effects were rare in patients receiving CAR-T cell therapy, indicating that patients without existing eye conditions do not need routine pre-screening or directed follow up after treatment, unless symptomatic. Ongoing monitoring and reporting of ocular adverse events will be important given the durable effects of CAR-T therapy in the treatment of hematologic cancers as well as increasing indications for CAR-T therapy in malignant and non-malignant disease.
COPD: Schätzung der Änderungsrate der Lungenfunktion anhand klinischer Spirometriedaten aus der elektronischen Patientenakte
Authors: Gülsen Askin
Published: January 2025

Rationale: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), accurately estimating lung function from electronic health record (EHR) data would be beneficial but requires addressing complexities in clinically obtained testing. This study compared analytic methods for estimating rate of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) change from EHR data. Methods: We estimated rate of FEV1 change in patients with COPD from a single centre who had ≥3 outpatient tests spanning at least 1 year. Estimates were calculated as both an absolute mL/year and a relative %/year using non-regressive (Total Change, Average Change) and regressive (Quantile, RANSAC, Huber) methods. We compared distributions of the estimates across methods focusing on extreme values. Univariate zero-inflated negative binomial regressions tested associations between estimates and all-cause or COPD hospitalisations. Results were validated in an external cohort. Results: Among 1417 participants, median rate of change was approximately -30 mL/year or -2%/year. Non-regressive methods frequently generated erroneous estimates due to outlier first measurements or short intervals between tests. Average change yielded the most extreme estimates (minimum=-3761 mL/year), while regressive methods, and Huber specifically, minimized extreme estimates. Huber, Total Change and Quantile FEV1 slope estimates were associated with all-cause hospitalisations (Huber incidence rate ratio 0.98, 95% CI 0.97 to 0.99, p<0.001). Huber estimates were also associated with smoking status, comorbidities and prior hospitalisations. Similar results were identified in an external validation cohort. Conclusions: Using EHR data to estimate FEV1 rate of change is clinically applicable but sensitive to challenges intrinsic to clinically obtained data. While no analytic method will fully overcome these complexities, we identified Huber regression as useful in defining an individual’s lung function change using EHR data.
Early deficits in speech perception in carriers of the p.Pro51Ser variant in the COCH gene: a prospective longitudinal evaluation of speech perception in quiet and noise.
Authors: Moyaert Julie , Gommeren Hanne , Mertens Griet , Lammers Marc J.W. , Vanderveken Olivier , Janssens de Varebeke Sebastien , Verhaert Nicolas , Denys Sam , van de Berg Raymond , Pennings Ronald , Fransen Erik , Van Rompaey Vincent , Gilles Annick
Published: January 2025

The primary concern among adults with regard to their hearing is the difficulty in comprehending speech, particularly in noisy environments. The constant need to listen attentively leads to heightened frustration, fatigue and decreased concentration. According to research, high-frequency hearing loss could have negative implications on speech perception and make it even harder to communicate. In this study, the focus is on patients with DFNA9 as it is one of the most common forms of non-syndromic high-frequency hearing loss. These patients carry the p.Pro51Ser variant in the COCH gene, which leads to progressive decline of hearing and vestibular function. Despite various cross-sectional studies on the natural progression of hearing levels, speech perception in silence and noisy surroundings is largely unexplored in this group of patients.
Method. For the longitudinal analysis of speech perception, 101 heterozygous carriers were enrolled. In addition, a control group composed of individuals with normal hearing, who matched the patients with DFNA9 in terms of age and sex, was recruited. All patients underwent pure-tone audiometry, speech perception in quiet (SPIQ), and in noise (SPIN).The SPIQ outcomes reveal a mean SRT of 28.18 dB SPL for male carriers and 29.29 dB SPL for female carriers in the youngest age group (18-29 years). With increasing age, a steep decrease was noticed, and no speech discrimination ability in quiet remained for carriers in their seventh decade. Differences between carriers and control participants seem evident in the third decade of life and become more pronounced in the decades that follow. The SPIN displayed a similar trend, varying from -5 dB SNR in the youngest age group, to no speech-in-noise thresholds in patients above the age of 60 years. In contrast, the matched group exhibited a SRT range from -5.5 to -3.25 dB SNR for males, and from -6.23 to -4.58 dB SNR for females from the second/third to the seventh decade. This stands in contrast to the DFNA9 population, where male carriers reach values of -5.18 dB SNR and female carriers reach -3.12 dB SNR as early as in the fourth decade. This study indicates poor performance on speech understanding in quiet and noise in DFNA9 patients in comparison with the group with normal hearing, even at a young age. Therefore, future research should not only investigate pure-tone audiometry, but also speech perception. Moreover, reimbursing hearing aids based on speech-in-noise testing could prove to be more advantageous than based on pure-tone audiometry.
Aknenarben: Innovative Lösungen für die steigende Nachfrage in der Praxis
Authors: Schulz Andrea
Published: January 2025

Background: Acne scarring is an unfortunate sequela affecting up to 95% of patients with acne and carries profound psychosocial impact. Both nonablative fractional lasers (NAFL) and microneedling with radiofrequency (MNRF) have demonstrated comparable efficacy in the treatment of atrophic acne scars. Objective: To determine whether alternating NAFL and MNRF is superior to NAFL alone in the treatment of atrophic acne scars. Methods and materials: This was a prospective, single-center, double-blinded, split-face clinical trial. Twenty patients with atrophic acne scars who had their facial halves randomized to receive either NAFL alone or NAFL alternating with MNRF. Patients received 4 total treatments at 4-week intervals. Results: Ninety days after the final treatment, both facial halves demonstrated a significant improvement in the mean global échelle d'évaluation clinique des cicatrices d'acné (ECCA) score from baseline (p < .001 for both halves). The average percentage improvement at the final end point was 20% to 30% from baseline. No significant difference was noted between facial halves for mean global ECCA score or percentage improvement at any time point.
Constructing and Validating Models for Predicting Gleason Grade Group Upgrading Following Radical Prostatectomy in Localized Prostate Cancer: A Comparison between Machine Learning Algorithms and Conventional Logistic Regression
Authors: Gui Qian , Wang Xin , Wu Dandan , Guo Yonglian
Published: January 2025

Introduction: The occurrence of Gleason grade group upgrading (GGU) significantly impacts both treatment strategy development. We aim to develop an optimal predictive model to assess the risk of GGU in patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa), by comparing traditional logistic regression (LR) with seven machine learning algorithms.
Methods: A retrospective collection of clinical data was conducted on patients who underwent RP at Wuhan Central Hospital (January 2017 to December 2023, n=177) and Jiangxi Cancer Hospital (July 2019 to February 2024, n=87). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was employed to filter the clinical characteristics of patients. Subsequently, models were conducted using multivariate LR, along with seven diverse machine learning algorithms: eXtreme Gradient Boosting, Decision Tree, Multilayer Perceptron, Naive Bayes, k-Nearest Neighbors, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machine. By employing the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, brier score, recall, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis, we compared the predictive capabilities and clinical utility of eight models to identify the optimal one.
Results: In the evaluation of eight models, the LR model demonstrated superior performance. In the modeling set, it achieved an AUC of 0.826 (95% CI: 0.808 - 0.845), accuracy of 0.765, and a brier score of 0.167. In the validation set, it kept good results with an AUC of 0.819 (95% CI: 0.758 - 0.880), accuracy of 0.725, and a brier score of 0.180. The calibration curve, brier score， and DCA also demonstrated the excellent calibration and net benefit of the LR model.
Conclusions: After conducting a comprehensive multi-model comparison, we concluded that the LR model was optimal for predicting GGU, which was confirmed by external validation. Our study also revealed percent free prostate-specific antigen density as a predictive factor for GGU, offering a novel approach for managing localized PCa patients.
Interstitielle Lungenerkrankung bei idiopathischen inflammatorischen Myopathien – nicht nur Haut und Muskeln sind bedeutsam
Authors: Sticherling Michael
Published: January 2025

Objective: Identify the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors in patients with idiopathic infiammatory myopathy (IIM) combined with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Methods: IIM-ILD patients who were hospitalized at Guangxi Medical University from January 2017 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed and classified as having dermatomyositis (DM)-ILD or -ILD. Clinical and laboratory results were analyzed. Results: There were 39 males and 111 females, the mean age of disease onset was 50.4 ± 12.3 years, and the median disease duration was 3 months (range: 1–6). Ninety-seven patients had DM-ILD, and 53 had ASS-ILD. The DM-ILD group had 72% positivity for the anti-MDA5 antibody and 5.2% positivity for the anti-Mi-2 antibody; the ASS-ILD group had 67.9% positivity for the anti-Jo-1 antibody and 17% positivity for the anti-EJ antibody. Muscle symptoms, skin ulcers, rash, rapidly progressing interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD), and elevated levels of serum carcinoembryonic antigen were more common in DM-ILD patients (all p < 0.05). However, pericardial effusion and pleural effusion, elevated creatinine kinase, and elevated C-reactive protein were more common in ASS-ILD patients. After a median follow-up of 15.5 months, there were more deaths in the DM-ILD group (42.3% vs. 13.2%, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that RP-ILD, dyspnea, and the usual interstitial pneumonia type of ILD had negative associations with overall survival (OS), and arthralgia had a positive association with OS (all p < 0.05).
Syntactic Scrambling in Broca’s Aphasia: Turkish Sample
Authors: Arslan Berkay , Çiyiltepe Müge Müzeyyen , Karaman Müzeyyen
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Broca’s Aphasia (BA) is a language disorder that causes grammatical errors in the language production skills of patients. Contemporary studies revealed the fact that BA patients also have difficulty in analyzing the meaning of phrases and sentences and comprehending the real meaning of the discourse produced by the speaker. The purpose of this study is to investigate possible effect of syntactic movement by changing the word positions in the sentence with morphological markers in order to produce clauses without changing the meaning on the phrasal comprehension skills of Turkish speaking patients with BA.
Method: A total of 300 participants were divided as study (n= 150) and control (n= 150) groups between ages of 27 – 89. A test that included 20 relative clauses and 9 noun clauses (in total 29 phrases) was assigned to the BA patients and control group. Relative clause phrases originated from simple sentences by adding suffixes to the verb as a function of Turkish morphology. Each suffix indicated a specific noun, object or subject, and each figure in the test was related to one of them. A researcher asked participants to match the demanded clause with the 6 possiblly related pictures for relative clause and 3 for noun clauses.
Results: Findings indicated that BA patients in our study had a lack of comprehending relative clauses due to the syntactic movement of words in the object and subject positions. Compared to the responses of the control group, participants with BA had significantly lower scores when the object and subject positions have moved from their original positions. BA patients also obtained significantly lower scores in object type questions
Conclusion: Our findings support the fact that comprehension processing in BA should be investigated profoundly to be able to understand the nature of the disorder in different languages. In Turkish, syntactic movement of words to form a relative clause caused the BA patients to have significant problems to assign the semantic roles to the words in the existance of movement or change in their original positions.
Keywords: Broca’s aphasia, comprehension, syntactic movement, relative clause, aphasia, language
Proteomics and Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation: A Pilot Study Nested in the PREDIMAR Trial
Authors: Razquin Cristina , Fernandez-Irigoyen Joaquín , Barrio-López María Teresa , López Begoña , Ravassa Susana , Ramos Pablo , Macías-Ruíz Rosa , Ibañez Criado Alicia , Santamaría Enrique , Goni Leticia , Castellanos Eduardo , Ibañez Criado Jose Luis , Tercedor Luis , García-Bolao Ignacio , Martínez-González Miguel A. , Almendral Jesús , Ruiz-Canela Miguel
Published: January 2025

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia worldwide. Although catheter ablation is the most efficacious therapy, relapses occur frequently (30%) in the first year after ablation. Novel biomarkers of recurrence are needed for a better prediction of recurrence and management of AF. In this pilot study, we aimed to analyze the baseline proteome of subjects included in a case-control study to find differential proteins associated with AF recurrence. Methods: Baseline serum proteomics (354 proteins) data from 16 cases (recurrent AF) and 17 controls (non-recurrent) were obtained using MS/MS analysis. A false discovery rate was performed using a nonlinear fitting method for the selection of proteins. Logistic regression models were used to further analyze the association between differentially expressed proteins and AF recurrence. Results: Ten proteins were differentially represented in cases vs. controls. Two were upregulated in the cases compared to the controls: keratin type I cytoskeletal 17 (Fold-change [FC] = 2.14; p = 0.017) and endoplasmic bifunctional protein (FC = 1.65; p = 0.032). Eight were downregulated in the cases compared to the controls: C4bpA (FC = 0.64; p = 0.006), coagulation factor XI (FC = 0.83; p = 0.011), CLIC1 (FC = 0.62; p = 0.017), haptoglobin (FC = 0.37; p = 0.021), Ig alpha-2 chain C region (FC = 0.49; p = 0.022), C4bpB (FC = 0.73; p = 0.028), N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase subunit gamma (FC = 0.61; p = 0.033), and platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha chain (FC = 0.84; p = 0.038). Conclusion: This pilot study identifies ten differentially expressed serum proteins associated with AF recurrence, offering potential biomarkers for improved prediction and management.
Automated Insulin Delivery Systems for treatment of type 1 diabetes: Strategies for Optimal Performance
Authors: Nimri Revital , Phillip Moshe
Published: January 2025

Background: The use of automated insulin delivery (AID) devices is now widespread in the management of type 1 diabetes (T1D), being used for younger and older children, adolescents and adults. The integration of insulin pumps with continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and smart management software in AID systems has significantly improved glycemic management compared to the separate application of each diabetes technology. The efficacy of AID systems has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) but it is their application in real-world studies that fully demonstrates their impact for people with T1D. Summary: Available AID systems differ in how they are initiated and how they calculate and deliver insulin, which dictates the parameters that can be adjusted for each system. Here we discuss how each system can be best optimized for each individual user, taking into account their activities of daily life, including mealtimes and physical activity, with a focus on commercially available systems for pediatrics (Medtronic MiniMed 780G, Tandem Control IQ, Omnipod 5, CamDiab CamAPS and BetaBionics iLet. Another FDA-cleared AID is the Tidepool Loop, which, although not yet in real-world on-label use, is currently utilized in its open-source format). We also look at the essential process of initiating AID therapy with these devices and how to navigate the important first steps, once the decision to start using an AID system has been made. Key Messages: AID systems should be considered for all individuals with T1D who wish to use them, with a strong emphasis on ensuring equitable access to this technology. Achieving success with AID requires comprehensive guidance, education, and support with a focus on core diabetes management principles. These systems are relatively easy to initiate, from any prior therapy and at any time, including shortly after diagnosis, using personalized and appropriately proactive settings. Effective meal management remains crucial for achieving optimal glycemic control, while regular follow-up and timely adjustments to AID settings are essential for maintaining their effectiveness over time.
Clinical and demographic factors associated with a delayed TSH rise in infants with congenital hypothyroidism: a retrospective review of a 10-year cohort in Indiana
Authors: Matharu Preet K. , Martin Louis J. , Eugster Erica A.
Published: January 2025

Introduction:
The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of a delayed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) rise in infants with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) born in Indiana. Additionally, we sought to determine whether there are differences in clinical or demographic factors associated with this delayed cohort compared to those seen in infants detected early.
Methods:
Newborn screen (NBS) results were collected for all cases of CH diagnosed between 2012-2022. Infants with a delayed TSH rise had an initial normal NBS followed by an abnormal NBS, and a confirmatory serum TSH value >20 mU/mL. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify if demographic and clinical factors (gestational age, birth weight, race, sex, ethnicity, and maternal age) were associated with a delayed rise in TSH. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between TSH concentration versus selected factors and timing of diagnosis.
Results:
73 infants met our inclusion criteria for a delayed diagnosis (16% prevalence). Lower gestational age and birth weight Z scores were associated with higher odds of a delayed TSH rise (each p ≤ 0.001). Lower TSH values were also found to be associated with a delayed diagnosis (p=0.010).
Conclusion:
Our study confirms that prematurity is a significant contributing factor for having a delayed diagnosis of CH. In contrast, other demographic factors such as race, sex, ethnicity, and maternal age do not appear to be associated with a delayed diagnosis. Other post-natal factors that may be associated with an increased risk of a delayed rise in TSH in infants with CH require further exploration.
Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Regulate Th17/Treg in a Rat Model of Allergic Rhinitis by Activating IL-2/JAK3/STAT5 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Hou Yun , Li Fei Fei , Kong Jiang Wei , Wang Youhu , Pan Yunyan , Ding Hao , Wei Xu Dong
Published: January 2025

Introduction: To investigate how adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) regulate the balance between regulatory T cells (Treg) and Th17 cells through the IL-2/JAK3/STAT5 signaling pathway in a rat model of allergic rhinitis (AR).
Methods: Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were used to treat an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR rat model. The pathological changes and nasal symptoms were observed by HE staining and scanning electron microscopy. The concentrations of OVA-sIgE, IL-10, and IL-17 in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expressions of JAK-3, STAT-5, forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), and retinoic acid-associated orphan receptor γt (RORγt) in nasal mucosa were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of IL-2, JAK-3, and STAT-5 proteins in nasal mucosa was detected by Western blotting, and the expression patterns of these proteins were analyzed.
Results: ADSCs significantly reduced nasal symptoms and histological abnormalities by significantly reducing the levels of OVA-sIgE and IL-10. The expressions of IL-2, JAK-3, STAT-5, IL-2, JAK-3, STAT-5, Foxp3 mRNA, and RORγ t mRNA in the nasal mucosa of AR rats were significantly increased.
Conclusion: ADSC can control the development of Treg/Th17 cells by the IL-2/JAK-3/STAT-5 signaling pathway and reduce OVA-induced allergic inflammation.