bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Achieving a Large Energy Gap in Bi(110) Atomically Thin Films
Authors: Yuan Qing , Li Yafei , Guo Deping , Lou Cancan , Cui Xingxia , Mei Guangqiang , Jiao Chengxiang , Huang Kai , Hou Xuefeng , Ji Wei , Cao Limin , Feng Min
Published: August 2023

Metal–insulator transition has long been one of the key subjects in condensed matter systems. Herein, the emergence of a large energy gap (Eg, 0.8–1.0 eV) in Bi(110) two‐atomic‐layer nanoribbons grown on a SnSe(001) substrate is reported, which normally has an intrinsic semimetal‐like characteristic. The existence of this abnormally large Eg in Bi(110) is, however, determined by Bi coverage. When coverage is above ≈64 ± 2%, Eg vanishes, and instead, a Bi(110) semimetal‐like phase appears through a singular insulator–metal transition. Measurements using qPlus atomic force microscopy demonstrate that either insulating or semimetal‐like Bi(110) possesses a distorted black phosphorous structure with noticeable atomic buckling. Density function theory fully reproduces the semimetal‐like Bi(110) on SnSe(001). However, none of the insulating phases with this large Eg could be traced. Although the underlying mechanism of the large Eg and the insulator‐metal transition requires further exploration, experiments demonstrate that similar results can be achieved for Bi grown on SnS, the structural analog of SnSe, exhibiting an even larger Eg of ≈2.3 eV. The experimental strategy may be generalized to utilization of group‐IV monochalcogenides to create Bi(110) nanostructures with properties unachievable on other surfaces, providing an intriguing platform for exploring the interesting quantum electronic phases.
A Novel Fault Diagnosis Method for Train Real‐Time Ethernet Network Based on Physical Layer Electrical Signal Features
Authors: Zhu Yongli , Nie Xiaobo , Li Yunchuan , Nie Chenhao , Wang Chongxu , Gao Zhu
Published: August 2023

Train real‐time ethernet network (TREN) is responsible for the transmission of train control commands and equipment status information. Due to the harsh and changeable climatic environments, complex electromagnetic environments, and long service, the TREN has a high incidence of physical layer failures, which affects train operation safety. This paper presents a novel fault diagnosis method in which waveform electrical signal features are extracted from the physical layer signal of TREN. Random forest is used for identifying typical failure modes of actual TREN, and the model parameters are optimized to improve diagnostic performance. Finally, the physical layer signals of actual TREN are collected. The results show that the performance of the proposed fault diagnosis method is better than other advanced methods. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Paternal perinatal mental health: progress, challenges and future direction
Authors: Philpott Lloyd Frank
Published: August 2023

The transition to first‐time or subsequent fatherhood is a time of great happiness and joy for most men. However, some men may find it difficult to adjust to their new role and responsibilities, and maladjustment can lead to stress, anxiety and depression. These adverse perinatal mental health outcomes represent a significant public health concern given the potential negative short‐ and long‐term implications for fathers, their families and wider society.
Write‐It‐Out: A Teaching Response to Foster Complete Word Analysis
Authors: Stouffer Joe
Published: August 2023

The author presents a teaching prompt to instruct readers who seemingly guess at words with no or limited use of grapheme‐phonemic correspondences.
Dystonic head tremor in paroxysmal dyskinesia in 17 dogs (2021–2023)
Authors: Liatis Theofanis , De Decker Steven
Published: August 2023

Background

Dystonia is a common component of the movement disorder paroxysmal dyskinesia (PD) in dogs. However, the incidence of dystonic head tremor (DHT) in these dogs has not previously been evaluated.

Methods

The medical records of dogs presenting with PD between 2021 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed, and those with available video footage and the presence of a head tremor were selected for further analysis.

Results

Seventeen of the 39 (43.6%) dogs diagnosed with PD that had video footage available manifested DHT. Poodle or Poodle‐cross was the most commonly affected breed (7/17). DHTs were described as fine irregular head tremors accompanied by cervical dystonia (17/17), truncal (11/17) or head (10/17) sway, shifting limb (10/17) or single limb (6/17) dystonia, freezing (8/17), ataxia (6/17), ptyalism (5/17), falling (5/17), kyphosis (4/17) and prayer posture (4/17). Neurological examination and advanced imaging, when available, were within normal limits.

Limitations

The limitations of the study include its retrospective nature, the lack of video recordings for all PD patients and the lack of electrophysiological evaluation of tremors and electroencephalography.

Conclusions

DHT exists in dogs with PD; it has characteristic features, and it should be considered in differential diagnoses for dogs with head tremors.
Bayesian estimation methods for survey data with potential applications to health disparities research
Authors: Wu Stephanie M. , Stephenson Briana Joy K.
Published: August 2023

Understanding how and why certain communities bear a disproportionate burden of disease is challenging due to the scarcity of data on these communities. Surveys provide a useful avenue for accessing hard‐to‐reach populations, as many surveys specifically oversample understudied and vulnerable populations. When survey data is used for analysis, it is important to account for the complex survey design that gave rise to the data, to avoid biased conclusions. The field of Bayesian survey statistics aims to account for such survey design while leveraging the advantages of Bayesian models, which can flexibly handle sparsity through borrowing of information and provide a coherent inferential framework to easily obtain variances for complex models and data types. For these reasons, Bayesian survey methods seem uniquely well‐poised for health disparities research, where heterogeneity and sparsity are frequent considerations. This review discusses three main approaches found in the Bayesian survey methodology literature: (1) multilevel regression and post‐stratification, (2) weighted pseudolikelihood‐based methods, and (3) synthetic population generation. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, examine recent applications and extensions, and consider how these approaches may be leveraged to improve research in population health equity.

This article is categorized under:

Applications of Computational Statistics > Clinical Trials

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Bayesian Methods and Theory

Applications of Computational Statistics > Health and Medical Data/Informatics

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Sampling
Long‐read direct RNA sequencing of the mitochondrial transcriptome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals condition‐dependent intron abundance
Authors: Koster Charlotte C. , Kleefeldt Askar A. , van den Broek Marcel , Luttik Marijke , Daran Jean‐Marc , Daran‐Lapujade Pascale
Published: August 2023

Mitochondria fulfil many essential roles and have their own genome, which is expressed as polycistronic transcripts that undergo co‐ or posttranscriptional processing and splicing. Due to the inherent complexity and limited technical accessibility of the mitochondrial transcriptome, fundamental questions regarding mitochondrial gene expression and splicing remain unresolved, even in the model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Long‐read sequencing could address these fundamental questions. Therefore, a method for the enrichment of mitochondrial RNA and sequencing using Nanopore technology was developed, enabling the resolution of splicing of polycistronic genes and the quantification of spliced RNA. This method successfully captured the full mitochondrial transcriptome and resolved RNA splicing patterns with single‐base resolution and was applied to explore the transcriptome of S. cerevisiae grown with glucose or ethanol as the sole carbon source, revealing the impact of growth conditions on mitochondrial RNA expression and splicing. This study uncovered a remarkable difference in the turnover of Group II introns between yeast grown in either mostly fermentative or fully respiratory conditions. Whether this accumulation of introns in glucose medium has an impact on mitochondrial functions remains to be explored. Combined with the high tractability of the model yeast S. cerevisiae, the developed method enables to monitor mitochondrial transcriptome responses in a broad range of relevant contexts, including oxidative stress, apoptosis and mitochondrial diseases.
Learning to Give Useful Hints: Assistance Action Evaluation and Policy Improvements
Authors: Schmucker Robin , Pachapurkar Nimish , Bala Shanmuga , Shah Miral , Mitchell Tom
Published: August 2023

We describe a fielded online tutoring system that learns which of several candidate assistance actions (e.g., one of multiple hints) to provide to students when they answer a practice question incorrectly. The system learns, from large-scale data of prior students, which assistance action to give for each of thousands of questions, to maximize measures of student learning outcomes. Using data from over 190,000 students in an online Biology course, we quantify the impact of different assistance actions for each question on a variety of outcomes (e.g., response correctness, practice completion), framing the machine learning task as a multi-armed bandit problem. We study relationships among different measures of learning outcomes, leading us to design an algorithm that for each question decides on the most suitable assistance policy training objective to optimize central target measures. We evaluate the trained policy for providing assistance actions, comparing it to a randomized assistance policy in live use with over 20,000 students, showing significant improvements resulting from the system’s ability to learn to teach better based on data from earlier students in the course. We discuss our design process and challenges we faced when fielding data-driven technology, providing insights to designers of future learning systems.
A Student-Centered Learning Analytics Dashboard Towards Course Goal Achievement in STEM Education
Authors: Buvari Sebastian , Viberg Olga , Iop Alessandro , Romero Mario
Published: August 2023

Online learning has become an everyday form of learning for many students across different disciplines, including STEM subjects in the setting of higher education. Studying in these settings requires students to self-regulate their learning to a higher degree as compared to campus-based education. A vital aspect of self-regulated learning is the application of goal-setting strategies. Universities act to support students’ goal-setting through the achievement of course learning outcomes, which work both as a promise and metric of academic achievement. However, a lack of clear integration between course activities and course learning outcomes leaves a dissonance between students’ study efforts and the course progress. This demo study presents a student-centered learning analytics dashboard aimed at assisting students in their achievement of course learning goals in the setting of STEM higher education. The dashboard was designed using a design science methodological approach. Thirty-seven students have contributed to its development and evaluation during different stages of the design process, including the conceptual iterative design and prototyping. The preliminary results show that students found the tool to be easy to use and useful for the achievement of the course goals.
Zwischen Wandel und sozialer Gerechtigkeit: Herausforderungen des Gesundheits- und Sozialwesens
Authors: Kehl Konstantin
Published: August 2023

Soziale Gerechtigkeit ist eine Chiffre, um die sich viele sozial- und gesundheitspolitische Diskurse ranken. Das teils essayistische Abschlusskapitel stellt die Grundideen des Liberalismus und Republikanismus vor, die bis heute unsere Vorstellungen von sozialer (Un-)Gerechtigkeit prägen, und setzt sich mit den theoretischen Weiterentwicklungen von John Rawls und Michael Walzer auseinander. Auf dieser Basis vertiefen wir das Thema in Bezug auf die Schweiz sowie aktuelle Diskurse und Herausforderungen im Gesundheits- und Sozialwesen.
Post-Quantum Cryptographic Schemes for Security Enhancement in 5G and B5G (Beyond 5G) Cellular Networks
Authors: Bhatt Saurabh , Bhushan Bharat , Srivastava Tanya , Anoop V. S.
Published: August 2023

5G is the fifth generation of broadband cellular network and beyond 5G can be the 6G, which will be the sixth generation of broadband cellular network. Even though studies about 5G are still evolving, 6G has become a hot topic for cellular researchers these days. The expansion in the field of 5G and 6G is still in infancy stage as many problems still need to be solved. Out of these, security of data transmission is a premier concern. Therefore, cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important for these cellular networks. This paper is focused upon providing the in-depth overview of 5G and B5G networks. The paper aims to evaluate the insights of the security services of 6G networks and outlines various data security techniques used by 5G networks. The paper also provides introduction to quantum computing for cryptography and evaluates various post-quantum cryptography techniques. Finally, some novel research trends and directions in correlation of security of 5G and beyond 5G networks are listed to guide further research in the area.
Network Architectures and Protocols for Efficient Exploitation of Spectrum Resources in 5G
Authors: Archana Kande , Kamakshi Prasad V. , Ashok M. , Anantha Raman G. R.
Published: August 2023

With the emergence of 5G technology with its enhanced architecture, there are unprecedented possibilities in terms of Quality of Service (QoS), data rate, latency, and capacity. This chapter throws light on different aspects of 5G technology and associated technological innovations. It has support for user diversity, devise diversity, and other dimensions. It focuses on the architecture of 5G technology, its underlying mechanisms, support for Device-to-Device (D2D) communication, Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) enhancements, advanced interference management, enhanced utility of ultra-dense networks, spectrum sharing, and cloud technologies associated with 5G networks. It also proposes a methodology with spectrum broker with underlying components with delay-aware and energy-efficient approach to leverage 5G base stations leading to the reduction of energy consumption. The concept of queueing delays is considered while proposing the scheme for delay-sensitive communications with energy efficiency. The spectrum broker has mechanisms to achieve this. Simulation study with the proposed scheme shows the energy efficiency of the proposed scheme when compared with the state of the art. This chapter not only provides the required know-how on different technologies but also provides the simulation study that may trigger further investigation into the resource management in 5G networks.
Security Services for Wireless 5G Internet of Things (IoT) Systems
Authors: Malik Ayasha , Parihar Veena , Bhushan Bharat , Chaganti Rajasekhar , Bhatia Surbhi , Astya Parma Nand
Published: August 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging field that has evolved in recent past years and tends to have a major effect on our lives in the coming future. The development of communication techniques is very rapid and tends to achieve many innovative results. With the invention of 5th Generation mobile networks, i.e., 5G, it is becoming an exciting and challenging topic of interest in the field of wireless communication. 5G networks have the ability to connect millions or billions of nodes without affecting the quality of throughput and latency. The 5G technology can develop a truly digital society in which every device may be connected through the Internet. IoT is an emerging technology in which everything can be connected and communicated via the Internet, the term everything may include computing devices, humans, software, platforms, and solutions. The development of this technology leads to the advent of a number of solutions that are helpful for humankind, for example, smart retailing creation of smart cities, smart farming, intelligent transport systems, smart eco-systems, etc. While IoT is a revolutionary technology in the progression of the Internet, it still has some significant challenges for implementation like ensuring security, performance issues, quality of support and saving of energy, etc. Furthermore, the paper elaborates on the motivation of combining two technology together named IoT and 5G for better communication. Additionally, the paper illustrates the basic architecture of IoT enabling 5G and discussed various solutions to provide communication. Moreover, the paper also discussed the various challenges and research gaps of 5G-IoT technology.
Reduction to master integrals via intersection numbers and polynomial expansions
Authors: Fontana Gaia , Peraro Tiziano
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Intersection numbers are rational scalar products among functions that admit suitable integral representations, such as Feynman integrals. Using these scalar products, the decomposition of Feynman integrals into a basis of linearly independent master integrals is reduced to a projection. We present a new method for computing intersection numbers that only uses rational operations and does not require any integral transformation or change of basis. We achieve this by systematically employing the polynomial series expansion, namely the expansion of functions in powers of a polynomial. We also introduce a new prescription for choosing dual integrals, de facto removing the explicit dependence on additional analytic regulators in the computation of intersection numbers. We describe a proof-of-concept implementation of the algorithm over finite fields and its application to the decomposition of Feynman integrals at one and two loops.
Flows of rotating extremal attractor black holes
Authors: Iizuka Norihiro , Ishibashi Akihiro , Maeda Kengo
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We investigate the attractor mechanism of five-dimensional extremal rotating black holes in Einstein gravity minimally coupled with a multiplet complex scalar. By imposing regularity on the horizon, we show that the only possible attractor value of the scalar field is zero in our setup and that the local geometry is determined by the Myers-Perry black hole solution. We numerically obtain the extremal AdS black hole solutions interpolating the near horizon geometry to the asymptotic AdS spacetime under the existence of a bare potential of the scalar field. The black hole energy and the angular momenta are discretized for the usual Dirichlet boundary condition. Under the general boundary condition, we also find hairy extremal AdS black holes in which the energy is smaller than that of the extremal Myers-Perry AdS black hole solution for the same angular momentum.
Fermionic CFTs at large charge and large N
Authors: Dondi Nicola , Hellerman Simeon , Kalogerakis Ioannis , Moser Rafael , Orlando Domenico , Reffert Susanne
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We study the large-charge sector of large-N fermionic cfts in three dimensions. Depending on the model and the nature of the fixed charge, we find two types of descriptions: in terms of a superfluid or a Fermi sphere. We explicitly compute the conformal dimensions of the lowest operator of fixed charge and in the superfluid case verify the eft predictions for the phonon spectrum.
Quantum oscillons may be long-lived
Authors: Evslin Jarah , Romańczukiewicz Tomasz , Wereszczyński Andrzej
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Hertzberg has constructed a quantum oscillon that decays into pairs of relativistic mesons with a power much greater than the radiation from classical oscillon decay. This result is often construed as a proof that quantum oscillons decay quickly, and so are inconsequential. We apply a construction similar to Hertzberg’s to the quantum kink. Again it leads to a rapid decay via the emission of relativistic mesons. However, we find that this is the decay of a squeezed kink state to a stable kink state, and so it does not imply that the quantum kink is unstable. We then consider a time-dependent solution, which may be an oscillon, and we see that the argument proceeds identically.
Higgs phases at non-zero density from holography
Authors: Henriksson Oscar , Hippeläinen Antti , Hoyos Carlos , Jokela Niko , Piispa Aleksi
Published: August 2023

Abstract

We show how Higgs phases at non-zero density can be described using a simple analytic method for gauge theories possessing a holographic dual. We introduce co-dimension one branes in a bottom-up gravity dual that are sources of form flux, such that the effective curvature radius is changed when the brane is crossed. This mimics the expected flow produced by color branes nucleating in a top-down model.
Assessment of the quality of different commercial providers using artificial intelligence for automated cephalometric analysis compared to human orthodontic experts
Authors: Kunz Felix , Stellzig-Eisenhauer Angelika , Widmaier Lisa Marie , Zeman Florian , Boldt Julian
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the accuracy of various skeletal and dental cephalometric parameters as produced by different commercial providers that make use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted automated cephalometric analysis and to compare their quality to a gold standard established by orthodontic experts.

Methods

Twelve experienced orthodontic examiners pinpointed 15 radiographic landmarks on a total of 50 cephalometric X‑rays. The landmarks were used to generate 9 parameters for orthodontic treatment planning. The “humans’ gold standard” was defined by calculating the median value of all 12 human assessments for each parameter, which in turn served as reference values for comparisons with results given by four different commercial providers of automated cephalometric analyses (DentaliQ.ortho [CellmatiQ GmbH, Hamburg, Germany], WebCeph [AssembleCircle Corp, Seongnam-si, Korea], AudaxCeph [Audax d.o.o., Ljubljana, Slovenia], CephX [Orca Dental AI, Herzliya, Israel]). Repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVAs) were calculated and Bland–Altman plots were generated for comparisons.

Results

The results of the repeated measures ANOVAs indicated significant differences between the commercial providers’ predictions and the humans’ gold standard for all nine investigated parameters. However, the pairwise comparisons also demonstrate that there were major differences among the four commercial providers. While there were no significant mean differences between the values of DentaliQ.ortho and the humans’ gold standard, the predictions of AudaxCeph showed significant deviations in seven out of nine parameters. Also, the Bland–Altman plots demonstrate that a reduced precision of AI predictions must be expected especially for values attributed to the inclination of the incisors.

Conclusion

Fully automated cephalometric analyses are promising in terms of timesaving and avoidance of individual human errors. At present, however, they should only be used under supervision of experienced clinicians.
Überproportional angestiegene Inzidenz proximaler Femurfrakturen in einem Level-One-Traumazentrum
Authors: Schippers Philipp , Gercek Erol , Wunderlich Felix , Wollstädter Jochen , Afghanyar Yama , Arand Charlotte , Drees Philipp , Eckhard Lukas
Published: August 2023

Hintergrund

Proximale Femurfrakturen stellen mit mehr als 20 % die häufigste Frakturentität in Deutschland dar. Gleichzeitig müssen proximale Femurfrakturen aufgrund eines Beschlusses des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses (G-BA) von 2019 innerhalb von 24 h operiert werden. Um einen subjektiv wahrgenommen Anstieg des Arbeitspensums in der Unfallchirurgie an einem überregionalen Traumazentrum (ÜTZ) zu quantifizieren, wurde die Anzahl der proximalen Femurfrakturen von 2016 bis 2022 analysiert. Proximale Femurfrakturen wurden hierfür aufgrund ihrer Häufigkeit und der Homogenität in der Behandlung ausgewählt.

Methode

Anhand der ICD-10-Diagnosen wurden alle operierten proximalen Femurfrakturen der Jahre 2016–2022 mitsamt der Postleitzahl an einem ÜTZ ausgewertet.

Ergebnis

Die Anzahl der operativ versorgten proximalen Femurfrakturen ist von 2016 bis 2022 um 100 % gestiegen. Der größte Anstieg wurde mit 60 % von 2020 bis 2022 verzeichnet. Gleichzeitig kam es zu einer deutlichen Vergrößerung des Einzugsradius der versorgten Patienten.

Schlussfolgerung

Am untersuchten ÜTZ kam es im (inter-)nationalen Vergleich zu einem überproportionalen Anstieg der versorgten proximalen Femurfrakturen. Der Anstieg des Einzugsradius und die Zunahme der versorgten Patienten im Stadtgebiet zeigen, dass immer weniger Krankenhäuser an der Notfallversorgung teilnehmen. Mögliche Erklärungen sind ein Ressourcenmangel, verstärkt durch die COVID-19-Pandemie und den Fachkräftemangel, Schnittstellenproblematiken an Bundesländergrenzen oder strenge Vorgaben des G‑BA in der Versorgung der proximalen Femurfrakturen. Es ist bei gleich gebliebener Infrastruktur im untersuchten ÜTZ von einem deutlich erhöhten Arbeitsaufkommen für alle beteiligten Professionen auszugehen.

Graphic abstract
Preclinical evaluation of EpCAM-binding designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) as targeting moieties for bimodal near-infrared fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging of cancer
Authors: Houvast Ruben D. , Badr Nada , March Taryn , de Muynck Lysanne D. A. N. , Sier Vincent Q. , Schomann Timo , Bhairosingh Shadhvi , Baart Victor M. , Peeters Judith A. H. M. , van Westen Gerard J. P. , Plückthun Andreas , Burggraaf Jacobus , Kuppen Peter J. K. , Vahrmeijer Alexander L. , Sier Cornelis F. M.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) can play a key role in improving radical resection rates by assisting surgeons to gain adequate visualization of malignant tissue intraoperatively. Designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) possess optimal pharmacokinetic and other properties for in vivo imaging. This study aims to evaluate the preclinical potential of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-binding DARPins as targeting moieties for near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging of cancer.

Methods

EpCAM-binding DARPins Ac2, Ec4.1, and non-binding control DARPin Off7 were conjugated to IRDye 800CW and their binding efficacy was evaluated on EpCAM-positive HT-29 and EpCAM-negative COLO-320 human colon cancer cell lines. Thereafter, NIRF and PA imaging of all three conjugates were performed in HT-29_luc2 tumor-bearing mice. At 24 h post-injection, tumors and organs were resected and tracer biodistributions were analyzed.

Results

Ac2-800CW and Ec4.1-800CW specifically bound to HT-29 cells, but not to COLO-320 cells. Next, 6 nmol and 24 h were established as the optimal in vivo dose and imaging time point for both DARPin tracers. At 24 h post-injection, mean tumor-to-background ratios of 2.60 ± 0.3 and 3.1 ± 0.3 were observed for Ac2-800CW and Ec4.1-800CW, respectively, allowing clear tumor delineation using the clinical Artemis NIRF imager. Biodistribution analyses in non-neoplastic tissue solely showed high fluorescence signal in the liver and kidney, which reflects the clearance of the DARPin tracers.

Conclusion

Our encouraging results show that EpCAM-binding DARPins are a promising class of targeting moieties for pan-carcinoma targeting, providing clear tumor delineation at 24 h post-injection. The work described provides the preclinical foundation for DARPin-based bimodal NIRF/PA imaging of cancer.
Effects of hsa_circ_0074854 on colorectal cancer progression, construction of a circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network, and analysis of immune infiltration
Authors: Fang Guida , Xu Dalai , Zhang Tao , Qiu Lei , Gao Xuzhu , Wang Gang , Miao Yongchang
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Circular RNAs have been demonstrated to be closely associated with the onset and metastasis of colorectal cancer. However, the roles and clinical diagnostic value of most circRNAs in colorectal cancer remain unclear.

Methods

We detected the differential expression of circRNAs in CRC tissues and cells and investigated their relationship in conjunction with clinical pathological features. Additionally, we performed cellular functional experiments in CRC cell lines to explore the functions of circRNAs. To further validate the potential ceRNA network, qPCR was performed to assess the expression of miRNA and mRNA in CRC cells after differential expression of circRNAs knockdown. Furthermore, database analysis was utilized to explore the relationship between the predicted mRNAs and immune infiltration in CRC.

Results

Our research findings indicate a positive correlation between hsa_circ_0074854 expression and advanced clinical pathological features, as well as an unfavorable prognosis. Knockdown of hsa_circ_0074854 was observed to inhibit proliferation and migration capabilities of colorectal cancer cells, affecting the cell cycle progression, and simultaneously promoting apoptosis. A competing endogenous RNA mechanism may exist among circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs. Furthermore, the expression of target genes displayed correlations with the abundance of certain immune cells.

Conclusion

We propose a novel ceRNA network and evaluate the interplay between target genes and immune cells, providing novel insights for the diagnosis and targeted therapy of CRC.
Impact of laparoscopic repair on type III/IV giant paraesophageal hernias: a single-center experience
Authors: El-Magd E.-S. A. , Elgeidie A. , Elmahdy Y. , El Sorogy M. , Elyamany M. A. , Abulazm I. L. , Abbas A.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Giant paraesophageal hernia (GPEH) is a challenging problem for surgeons because of its high recurrence rate. This study was conducted to compare the outcomes in type IV vs. type III GPEHs after laparoscopic repair. Other outcomes included peri-operative morbidity and long-term quality of life.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 130 GPEH patients in a period between 2010 and 2019 underwent a tailored laparoscopic repair in our tertiary center with a minimum follow-up of 48 months. Operative steps included hernial sac excision, crural repair, relaxing incisions, and mesh cruroplasty with special indications.

Results

The study enrolled 90 patients with type III and 40 patients with type IV GPEH. Type IV GPEH patients were older, more fragile, and scored worse on ASA classification, aside from having a more challenging surgical technique (wider crura, weaker muscles, increased need for release incisions, and mesh cruroplasty).Type IV GPEHs had a prolonged operative durations, and a higher conversion rate. Additionally, the same group showed increased morbidity, mortality, and re-operation rates. With a mean follow-up of 65 months (range 48–150 months), the incidence of recurrence was 20.7%, with an increased incidence in type IV GPEH (37.5% vs. 13.33% in type III GPEH). Type IV GPEH, low pre-operative albumin, larger crural defect, and low surgeon experience were significant risk factors for recurrence after laparoscopic repair of GPEH.

Conclusion

Type IV GPEH has a higher peri-operative morbidity and recurrence rate; so, a more tailored laparoscopic repair with a high surgeon experience is needed.
Synthesizing differentially private location traces including co-locations
Authors: Narita Jun , Murakami Takao , Hino Hideitsu , Nishigaki Masakatsu , Ohki Tetsushi
Published: August 2023

Privacy-preserving location synthesizers have been widely studied to perform private geo-data analysis. They have also been used for generating datasets for research or competitions. However, existing location synthesizers do not take into account the friendship information of users. Because friends tend to visit the same place at the same time in practice, a location synthesizer should consider such co-locations of friends to generate a more realistic dataset. In this paper, we propose a novel location synthesizer that generates location traces including co-locations of friends. Our location synthesizer models the information about the co-locations with two parameters:friendship probabilityandco-location count matrix. Our synthesizer generates a synthetic graph based on the friendship probability and then generates synthetic co-locations using the synthetic graph and the co-location count matrix. The two parameters in our synthesizer provide strong privacy guarantees—the friendship probability provides node differential privacy (DP) and the co-location count matrix provides user-level DP. We evaluate our synthesizer using two real datasets. Our experimental results show that our synthesizer preserves co-locations and other statistical features while providing DP with reasonable privacy budgets, e.g., 0.2-node DP and 2-user-level DP.
Simulating porcelain firing effect on the structure, corrosion and mechanical properties of Co–Cr–Mo dental alloy fabricated by soft milling
Authors: Lekatou Angeliki G. , Emmanouilidou Sevasti , Dimitriadis Konstantinos , Baikousi Maria , Karakassides Michael A. , Agathopoulos Simeon
Published: August 2023

This study aims at evaluating the effect of simulating porcelain firing on the microstructure, corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of a Co–Cr–Mo alloy fabricated by Metal Soft Milling (MSM). Two groups of Co-28Cr-5Mo specimens (25 × 20 × 3 mm) were prepared by MSM: The as-sintered (AS) specimens and the post-fired (PF) specimens that were subjected to 5 simulating porcelain firing cycles without applying the ceramic mass onto their surface. Phase identification by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), microstructure examination by optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), corrosion testing by cyclic polarization and chronoamperometry in simulated body fluid (SBF), the latter test accompanied by Cr3+ and Cr6+ detection in the electrolyte through the 1.5-diphenylcarbazide (DPC) method and UV/visible spectrophotometry, and mechanical testing by micro-/nano-indentation were conducted to evaluate the effect of the post-firing cycles on the properties of Co–Cr–Mo. The results were statistically analyzed by the t test (p < 0.05: statistically significant). All specimens had a mixed γ-fcc and ε-hcp cobalt-based microstructure with a dispersion of pores filled with SiO2 and a fine M23C6 intergranular presence. PF led to an increase in the ε-Co content and slight grain coarsening. Both AS and PF alloys showed high resistance to general and localized corrosion, whereas neither Cr6+ nor Cr3+ were detected during the passivity-breakdown stage. PF improved the mechanical properties of the AS-alloy, especially the indentation modulus and true hardness (statistically significant differences: p = 0.0009 and 0.006, respectively). MSM and MSM/simulating-porcelain firing have been proven trustworthy fabrication methods of Co–Cr–Mo substrates for metal-ceramic prostheses. Moreover, the post-firing cycles improve the mechanical behavior of Co–Cr–Mo, which is vital under the dynamically changing loads in the oral cavity, whereas they do not degrade the corrosion performance.
Industry 4.0 and circular economy for emerging markets: evidence from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Indian food sector
Authors: Despoudi Stella , Sivarajah Uthayasankar , Spanaki Konstantina , Charles Vincent , Durai Vel Kandhan
Published: August 2023

The linear economic business model was deemed unsustainable, necessitating the emergence of the circular economy (CE) business model. Due to resource scarcity, increasing population, and high food waste levels, the food sector has been facing significant sustainability challenges. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those in the food sector, are making efforts to become more sustainable and to adopt new business models such as the CE, but adoption rates remain low. Industry 4.0 and its associated technological applications have the potential to enable CE implementation and boost business competitiveness. In the context of emerging economies facing significant resource scarcity constraints and limited technology availability, CE principles need to be adapted. CE could create a new job economy in emerging economies, bringing scale and a competitive advantage. This study explores the enablers of and barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption for CE implementation in fruit and vegetable SMEs in India from a resource-based perspective. The purpose is to develop an evidence-based framework to help inform theory and practice about CE implementation by SMEs in emerging economies. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts in food SMEs. The interview transcripts were first subjected to thematic analysis. The analysis was then complemented with sentiment and emotion analyses. Subsequently, hierarchical cluster analysis, k-means analysis, and linear projection analysis were performed. Among others, the findings suggest that Industry 4.0 plays a key role in implementing CE in SMEs in emerging economies such as India. However, there are specific enablers and barriers that need to be considered by SMEs to develop the resources and capabilities needed for CE competitive advantage.
Persistence Initialization: a novel adaptation of the Transformer architecture for time series forecasting
Authors: Haugsdal Espen , Aune Erlend , Ruocco Massimiliano
Published: August 2023

Time series forecasting is an important problem, with many real world applications. Transformer models have been successfully applied to natural language processing tasks, but have received relatively little attention for time series forecasting. Motivated by the differences between classification tasks and forecasting, we propose PI-Transformer, an adaptation of the Transformer architecture designed for time series forecasting, consisting of three parts: First, we propose a novel initialization method called Persistence Initialization, with the goal of increasing training stability of forecasting models by ensuring that the initial outputs of an untrained model are identical to the outputs of a simple baseline model. Second, we use ReZero normalization instead of Layer Normalization, in order to further tackle issues related to training stability. Third, we use Rotary positional encodings to provide a better inductive bias for forecasting. Multiple ablation studies show that the PI-Transformer is more accurate, learns faster, and scales better than regular Transformer models. Finally, PI-Transformer achieves competitive performance on the challenging M4 dataset, both when compared to the current state of the art, and to recently proposed Transformer models for time series forecasting.
A Re-evaluation of Online Pornography Use in Germany: A Combination of Web Tracking and Survey Data Analysis
Authors: von Andrian-Werburg Maximilian T. P. , Siegers Pascal , Breuer Johannes
Published: August 2023

Several researchers have questioned the reliability of pornography research's findings. Following a recent call to use more reliable data sources, we conducted two analyses to investigate patterns and predictors of online pornography use (OPU). Our analyses were based on data from a large-scale German online web tracking panel (N = 3018) gathered from June 2018 to June 2019. The study we present here has two parts: In the first part, we looked at group differences (gender and age) in tracked OPU. Overall, this part's results confirm questionnaire-based research findings regarding sex and age differences. In the second part of our study, we combined the web tracking data with data from an online survey which was answered by a subset of the tracking participants (n = 1315) to assess the relevance of various predictors of OPU that have been identified in previous research. Again, our results mostly echoed previous findings based on self-reports. Online pornography was used more by males and younger individuals, while relationship status, sexist attitudes, and social dominance orientation were not associated with OPU. However, we did find differences in OPU between members of different religious communities. Our study confirms some critical findings on OPU from previous questionnaire-based research while extending existing research by providing a more fine-grained analysis of usage patterns based on web tracking data.
Modeling specific aneuploidies: from karyotype manipulations to biological insights
Authors: Truong My Anh , Cané-Gasull Paula , Lens Susanne M. A.
Published: August 2023

An abnormal chromosome number, or aneuploidy, underlies developmental disorders and is a common feature of cancer, with different cancer types exhibiting distinct patterns of chromosomal gains and losses. To understand how specific aneuploidies emerge in certain tissues and how they contribute to disease development, various methods have been developed to alter the karyotype of mammalian cells and mice. In this review, we provide an overview of both classic and novel strategies for inducing or selecting specific chromosomal gains and losses in human and murine cell systems. We highlight how these customized aneuploidy models helped expanding our knowledge of the consequences of specific aneuploidies to (cancer) cell physiology.
A new formulation of the surface charge/surface potential relationship in electrolytes with valence less than three
Authors: Nødland Oddbjørn , Hiorth Aksel
Published: August 2023

Surface complexation models (SCMs) based on Gouy-Chapman theory are often used to describe adsorption of ions onto mineral surfaces. To compensate for the buildup of charge at a solid surface, the composition of the electric diffuse layer next to the surface must balance the surface charge. To calculate the diffuse layer composition, several nonlinear equations and integrals must be solved, usually with an iterative approach. Before convergence, charge balance is typically not fulfilled. One numerical difficulty is that, because of these charge balance errors, the iterative solver may attempt to take the square root of a negative number. Herein, we show that for electrolytes containing only monovalent or divalent ions (i.e., most electrolytes encountered in practice), we can greatly simplify the integrals and eliminate the appearance of complex-valued integrands; it is even possible to derive explicit analytical formulas. Furthermore, using the new method prevents converging to non-physical roots of the Grahame equation, which links surface potential to surface charge. To the best of our knowledge, the presented formulation has not been implemented in geochemical modelling software before, although similar mathematical expressions have been presented in the literature. In Gouy-Chapman theory, ions can only be distinguished by their charges, but this is not consistent with all experimental findings. We present a model that allows for the preferential accumulation of ions in the diffuse layer. The model, which is implemented mathematically by including ion exchange sites with a variable exchange capacity, is flexible and more numerically tractable than the standard models for the diffuse layer.
Bayesian model evaluation for multiple scenarios
Authors: Aanonsen Sigurd Ivar , Fossum Kristian , Mannseth Trond
Published: August 2023

Traditional uncertainty analysis for subsurface models is typically based on a single dynamic model with a number of uncertain parameters. Improved and more robust forecasting can be obtained by combining several models in a Bayesian setting using model averaging. The traditional Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA), however, suffers from several drawbacks, such as too large sensitivity to prior model assumptions and instability with respect to measurement perturbations, especially when the number of measurements is large. We suggest a modified version of BMA (MBMA) where the calculations are stabilized using an ensemble of measurements. Bayesian stacking (BS) is a method that is directly focused on the performance of the combined predictive distribution of several models. The original version of BS (BSLOO) is based on leave-one-out cross-validation and requires a Bayesian inversion for each data point which may be very time consuming. We suggest a modified version of stacking (MBS) that requires only a single history match and uses an ensemble of measurements. MBS may be used with either prior (MBS-pri) or posterior (MBS-post) predictive distributions. The behavior of the methods is illustrated using three synthetic, linear examples. One is a simple mixture model. The other two are inspired by 4D seismic data. The results with MBS-pri are very similar to the results with MBMA. The results with MBS-post are similar to those of BSLOO when the data are uncorrelated. MBS can take into account correlated data or measurement errors, while correlations are neglected in the BSLOO weight calculations.
An early onset cone dystrophy due to CEP290 mutation: a case report
Authors: Binder Anastasia , Kohl Susanne , Grasshoff Ute , Schäferhoff Karin , Stingl Katarina
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Biallelic mutations in the CEP290 gene cause early onset retinal dystrophy or syndromic disease such as Senior-Loken or Joubert syndrome. Here, we present an unusual non-syndromic case of a juvenile retinal dystrophy caused by biallelic CEP290 mutations imitating initially the phenotype of achromatopsia or slowly progressing cone dystrophy.

Methods

We present 13 years of follow-up of a female patient who presented first with symptoms and findings typical for achromatopsia. The patient underwent functional and morphologic examinations, including fundus autofluorescence imaging, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, electroretinography, color vision and visual field testing.

Results

Diagnostic genetic testing via whole genome sequencing and virtual inherited retinal disease gene panel evaluation finally identified two compound heterozygous variants c.4452_4455del;p.(Lys1484Asnfs*4) and c.2414T > C;p.(Leu805Pro) in the CEP290 gene.

Conclusions

CEP290 mutation causes a wide variety of clinical phenotypes. The presented case shows a phenotype resembling achromatopsia or early onset slowly progressing cone dystrophy.
Exploring the impact of AI on teacher leadership: regressing or expanding?
Authors: Ghamrawi Norma , Shal Tarek , Ghamrawi Najah A.R.
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to investigate the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on teacher leadership, specifically examining whether AI is expanding or regressing teacher leadership, as perceived by teachers who were using AI in their teaching practices. Using a qualitative research design, the study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from 13 teachers from five countries. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study indicated that the use of AI has the potential to both expand and regress teacher leadership. AI can expand teacher leadership by providing tools for personalization, curriculum development, automating administrative tasks, and supporting professional development. However, AI was also viewed to be regressing teacher leadership, by narrowing the role because technology was taking over some of its aspects. Five sets of competencies were suggested by teachers for teacher leaders to sustain their roles in an AI era. The study concludes that the impact of AI on teacher leadership depends on how it is implemented and integrated into the education system. It highlights the importance of continued research and training in this area to inform future education policies and practices.