bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of research gaps to improve care for healthy ageing:a scoping review
Authors: Cesari Matteo , Canevelli Marco , Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan Jotheeswaran , Choi Soung-Eun , Grushevska Polina , Kumar Saloni , Chen Muyan , Jang Hyobum , Sumi Yuka , Banerjee Anshu
Published: October 2024

Objective

Several research gaps affect the improvement of care for healthy ageing. Their identification is crucial to developing a specific research prioritisation agenda supporting progress at the micro (clinical), meso (service delivery) and macro (system) levels. To achieve this, a scoping review was carried out to describe the most significant gaps impeding the improvement of care for healthy ageing.

Design

A scoping review of the literature was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. The selected articles were analysed to identify topics or areas essential for improving care for healthy ageing but requiring further support from research.

Eligibility criteria

Every type of scientific article, except for randomised controlled trials, was considered of potential interest without restrictions on publication date, type of publication and methodology.

Information sources

A systematic search (last search: 6 December 2023) was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE and Scopus.

Results

Overall, 1558 articles were retrieved from the literature. Of these, 310 were finally retained for this work. A total of 1195 research gaps were identified (average: 3.85 per article) and clustered into the 13 primary areas: ageing, care approach, caregivers, health economics, health, interventions, policies, research, settings, training, technology, specific populations and understanding the older person. In particular, research for improving the person-centred approach (n=38), better considering cultural diversities (n=27), implementing integrated care (n=25) and ensuring access to care (n=25) were the most prevalent priorities reported in the literature.

Conclusions

A wide range of factors spanning multiple disciplines, from clinical to policy levels, require special consideration, exploration and resolution. The findings of this scoping review represent an essential step in identifying gaps for developing a research prioritisation agenda to improve care for healthy ageing.
Consensus on drivers of maintenance treatment choice and patterns of care in advanced ovarian cancer
Authors: Perez-Fidalgo Alejandro , Schmalfeldt Barbara , George Angela , Gourley Charlie , Pignata Sandro , Lorusso Domenica , Barretina-Ginesta Maria Pilar , Romero Ignacio , Grimm Christoph , Van Gorp Toon , Rossing Maria , Collins Dearbhaile C , Fernebro Josefin , Bjørge Line , Leary Alexandra , de la Motte Rouge Thibault , Harter Philipp , Kurzeder Christian , Savva-Bordalo Joana , You Benoit
Published: October 2024

Objectives

Maintenance therapies, including poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and/or bevacizumab, have substantially improved the prognosis of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Owing to the variability in treatment strategies across Europe, a Delphi study was conducted among European experts to understand the heterogeneity of clinical practice and identify key factors driving maintenance treatment decisions for advanced ovarian cancer.

Methods

A pragmatic literature review was conducted to identify key questions regarding maintenance treatment strategies in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Utilizing a Delphi methodology, consensus was assessed among a panel of 16 experts using a questionnaire based on results of the pragmatic literature review.

Results

Panelists agreed thatBRCAmutation and homologous recombination status should be assessed in parallel at diagnosis, and that first-line platinum chemotherapy may be initiated concurrently. There was a consensus that alternative homologous recombination deficiency tests are acceptable provided they are clinically validated. Panelists agreed that Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and CA-125 elimination rate constant K (KELIM) scores can help assess tumor chemosensitivity and guide treatment-related decisions. Panelists defined high-risk disease as International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IV disease or stage III with residual disease after initial/interval cytoreduction. Risk of disease progression was a key determinant of choice between PARP inhibitor, bevacizumab, or both in combination, as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer.

Conclusions

Key drivers for selecting advanced ovarian cancer maintenance treatments include tumor mutational status as a key biomarker and clinician perception of the risk for early disease progression.
Comparison of survival outcomes and safety between early and late initiation of niraparib maintenance in newly diagnosed advanced epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Kim Se Ik , Kim Ji Hyun , Park Eun Young , Kim Eun Taeg , Choi Eunjin , Kim Jae-Weon , Park Sang-Yoon , Lim Myong Cheol
Published: October 2024

Objective

This multicenter retrospective cohort study aimed to compare survival outcomes and adverse events between early and late initiation of niraparib maintenance therapy in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.

Methods

We included patients with stage III–IV ovarian cancer who showed a complete or partial response to frontline platinum-based chemotherapy and received niraparib maintenance therapy between October 2019 and December 2022. The primary endpoint was the HR for progression-free survival based on the median initiation interval, which was defined as the duration between the completion of chemotherapy and commencement of maintenance therapy. The secondary endpoint was the comparison of progression-free survival at another time point that determined the interval that maximized the difference between the survival curves of the two groups using the Contal and O’Quigley method.

Results

This analysis included 146 patients who received niraparib maintenance therapy. The median age was 58 years (IQR 50–63.3). The median initiation interval was 8.4 (IQR 5.7–8.9) weeks. After adjusting for prognostic factors for progression-free survival identified through multivariable analysis, early initiation (≤8 weeks) of niraparib was associated with significantly better progression-free survival (HR=0.57; 95% CI 0.33 to 0.99; p=0.047). Furthermore, the initiation interval that maximized the difference in progression-free survival was 6 weeks. Multivariable analysis revealed that early initiation (≤6 weeks) of niraparib significantly increased progression-free survival (HR=0.37; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.76; p=0.007). The rate of treatment discontinuation due to treatment-emergent adverse events was higher (12.5% versus. 2.8%; p=0.036) in patients receiving niraparib within 6 weeks than those treated later, with no significant effect in those initiating treatment within 8 weeks.

Conclusion

Early initiation of niraparib maintenance therapy within 8 weeks of chemotherapy completion improved progression-free survival, with further benefits observed with treatment within 6 weeks in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer.
Alum-anchored IL-12 combined with cytotoxic chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade enhanced antitumor immune responses in head and neck cancer models
Authors: Fabian Kellsye P , Santiago-Sanchez Ginette , Padget Michelle R , Lassoued Wiem , Allen Clint Tanner , Battula Sailaja , Kaufman Howard , Hodge James W
Published: October 2024

Background

First-line treatment with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in recurrent and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) has improved survival. However, the overall response rate with this standard of care regimen (SOC) remains limited. Interleukin (IL)-12 is a potent cytokine that facilitates the crosstalk between innate and adaptive immunity, making it crucial in the antitumor response. Alum-anchored murine IL-12 (mANK-101) has been demonstrated to elicit robust antitumor responses in diverse syngeneic models, which were correlated with increased immune effector functions and prolonged local retention of IL-12. This study investigates the therapeutic benefit of combining mANK-101 with SOC in the MOC1 and MOC2 murine HNSCC tumor models.

Methods

MOC1 and MOC2 tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice were administered with a single intratumoral injection of mANK-101 and weekly intraperitoneal injections of cisplatin and α-programmed death 1 (PD-1) for 3 weeks. For MOC1, flow cytometry and cytokine array were performed to assess the immune effector functions associated with the combinational treatment. Multiplex immunofluorescence was employed to characterize the influence of the treatment on the immune architecture in the tumors. RNA analysis was implemented for in-depth examination of the macrophage and effector populations.

Results

In the MOC1 and MOC2 models, combination therapy with mANK-101, cisplatin, and α-PD-1 resulted in superior tumor growth inhibition and resulted in the highest rate of tumor-free survival when compared with treatment cohorts that received mANK-101 monotherapy or SOC treatment with α-PD-1 plus cisplatin. Furthermore, the combination therapy protected against tumor re-growth on rechallenge and controlled the growth of distal tumors. The improved therapeutic effect was associated with increased CD8+T-cell recruitment, increased CD8+and CD4+activity, and repolarization of the macrophage population from M2 to M1 at the tumor site. Elevated and prolonged interferon-γ expression is central to the antitumor activity mediated by the combination therapy. In addition, the combination therapy with mANK-101+cisplatin+α-PD-1 induced the formation of tertiary lymphoid structure-like immune aggregates in the peritumoral space.

Conclusion

The current findings provide a rationale for the combination of alum-tethered IL-12 with cisplatin and α-PD-1 for HNSCC.
AKAP12 positive fibroblast determines immunosuppressive contexture and immunotherapy response in patients with TNBC by promoting macrophage M2 polarization
Authors: Liu Zhenkun , Hu Siyuan , Zhao Xinlei , Xu Wenxin , Ju Feng , Gu Meiying , Weng Jialei , Du Yabing
Published: October 2024

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a molecular subtype of breast cancer with high aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are major components of the TNBC microenvironment and play an important role in tumor progression and treatment responses. Our goal is to identify specific CAFs subpopulations contributing to TNBC development.

Methods

Multiomics analyses were applied to identify the CAFs-specific genes related to immunotherapy response. The clinical significance of a CAFs subset with A-kinase anchoring protein 12 (AKAP12) positive was explored in 80 patients with TNBC through double-labeling immunofluorescence assay. Cytometry by time-of-flight and RNA sequencing were performed to elucidate the immune landscape of TNBC microenvironment and functional mechanism of AKAP12+CAFs.

Results

Multiomics analyses identified an AKAP12+CAFs subset associated with the immunotherapy response of TNBC, and a high population of these cells is correlated with poor prognosis in patients with TNBC. Intratumoral AKAP12+CAFs promote formation of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by spatially mediating macrophage M2 polarization via interleukin-34 (IL-34)/macrophage-colony stimulating factor receptor (CSF1R) signaling in TNBC. Single-cell RNA sequencing analyses revealed that AKAP12+fibroblasts interact with macrophages through the PI3K/AKT/IL-34 axis. In addition, pharmacological blockade of the IL-34/CSF1R signaling enhances the efficacy of anti-programmed cell death protein-1 antibody in TNBC rodent models.

Conclusions

AKAP12 is mainly expressed in fibroblasts in TNBC. AKAP12+CAFs population is negatively associated with the prognosis of patients with TNBC. AKAP12+CAFs shape the immunosuppressive TNBC microenvironment by releasing IL-34 to promote macrophage M2 polarization. Targeting IL-34 may boost the immunotherapeutic efficacy for TNBC.
Targeting CD93 on monocytes revitalizes antitumor immunity by enhancing the function and infiltration of CD8+T cells
Authors: Jiang Da , Huang Aiqi , Zhu Bai-Xi , Gong Jiangling , Ruan Yong-Hao , Liu Xing-Chen , Zheng Limin , Wu Yan
Published: October 2024

Background

Limited activation and infiltration of CD8+T cells are major challenges facing T cell-based immunotherapy for most solid tumors, of which the mechanism is multilayered and not yet fully understood.

Methods

Levels of CD93 expression on monocytes from paired non-tumor, peritumor and tumor tissues of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were evaluated. The underlying mechanisms mediating effects of CD93+monocytes on the inhibition and tumor exclusion of CD8+T cells were studied through both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Results

In this study, we found that monocytes in the peritumoral tissues of HCC significantly increased levels of CD93 expression, and these CD93+monocytes collocated with CD8+T cells, whose density was much higher in peritumor than intratumor areas. In vitro experiments showed that glycolytic switch mediated tumor-induced CD93 upregulation in monocytes via the Erk signaling pathway. CD93 on the one hand could enhance PD-L1 expression through the AKT-GSK3β axis, while on the other hand inducing monocytes to produce versican, a type of matrix component which interacted with hyaluronan and collagens to inhibit CD8+T cell migration. Consistently, levels of CD93+monocytes positively correlated with the density of peritumoral CD8+T cells while negatively correlated with that of intratumoral CD8+T cells. Targeting CD93 on monocytes not only increased the infiltration and activation of CD8+T cells but also enhanced tumor sensitivity to anti-PD-1 treatment in mice in vivo.

Conclusion

This study identified an important mechanism contributing to the activation and limited infiltration of CD8+T cells in solid tumors, and CD93+monocytes might represent a plausible immunotherapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.
MYH7-related myopathies: clinical, myopathological and genotypic spectrum in a multicentre French cohort
Authors: Bahout Marie , Severa Gianmarco , Kamoun Emna , Bouhour Françoise , Pegat Antoine , Toutain Annick , Lagrange Emmeline , Duval Fanny , Tard Celine , De la Cruz Elisa , Féasson Léonard , Jacquin-Piques Agnès , Richard Pascale , Métay Corinne , Cavalli Michele , Romero Norma Beatriz , Evangelista Teresinha , Sole Guilhem , Carlier Robert Yves , Laforêt Pascal , Acket Blandine , Behin Anthony , Fernández-Eulate Gorka , Léonard-Louis Sarah , Quijano-Roy Susana , Pereon Yann , Salort-Campana Emmanuelle , Nadaj-Pakleza Aleksandra , Masingue Marion , Malfatti Edoardo , Stojkovic Tanya , Villar-Quiles Rocío Nur
Published: October 2024

Background

Myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7)-related myopathies (MYH7-RMs) are a group of muscle disorders linked to pathogenic variants in theMYH7gene, encoding the slow/beta-cardiac myosin heavy chain, which is highly expressed in skeletal muscle and heart. The phenotype is heterogeneous including distal, predominantly axial or scapuloperoneal myopathies with variable cardiac involvement.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed the clinical, muscle MRI, genetic and myopathological features of 57MYH7patients. Patients received a thorough neurological (n=57, 100%), cardiac (n=51, 89%) and respiratory (n=45, 79%) assessment. Muscle imaging findings and muscle biopsies were reappraised in 19 (33%) and 27 (47%) patients, respectively.

Results

We identified three phenotypes with varying degrees of overlap: distal myopathy (70%), scapuloperoneal (23%) and axial with peculiar cervical spine rigidity called the ‘sphinx’ phenotype (7%). 14% of patients had either dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy. 31% of patients had prominent respiratory involvement, including all patients with the ‘sphinx’ phenotype. Muscle MRI showed involvement of tibialis anterior, followed by quadriceps, and erector spinae in patients with axial phenotype. Cores represented the most common myopathological lesion. We report 26 pathogenic variants ofMYH7gene, 9 of which are novel.

Conclusions

MYH7-RMs have a large phenotypic spectrum, including distal, scapuloperoneal or axial weakness, and variable cardiac and respiratory involvement. Tibialis anterior is constantly and precociously affected both clinically and on muscle imaging. Cores represent the most common myopathological lesion. Our detailed description ofMYH7-RMs should improve their recognition and management.
Temporal trends in concordance between ICD-coded and cardiac biomarker-classified hospitalisation rates for acute coronary syndromes: a linked hospital and biomarker data study
Authors: Zemedikun Dawit , Hung Joseph , Lopez Derrick , Knuiman Matthew , Youens David , Briffa Tom G , Sanfilippo Frank , Nedkoff Lee
Published: October 2024

Background

Since 2000, the definition of myocardial infarction (MI) has evolved with reliance on cardiac troponin (cTn) tests. The implications of this change on trends of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) subtypes obtained from routinely collected hospital morbidity data are unclear. Using person-linked hospitalisation data, we compared International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-coded data with biomarker-classified admission rates for ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI), non-STEMI (NSTEMI) and unstable angina (UA) in Western Australia (WA).

Methods

We used linked hospitalisation data from all WA tertiary hospitals to identify patients with a principal diagnosis of STEMI, NSTEMI or UA between 2002 and 2016. Linked biomarker results were classified as ‘diagnostic’ for MI according to established criteria. We calculated age-standardised and sex-standardised rates (ASSRs) for ICD-coded versus biomarker-classified admissions by ACS subtypes and estimated annual change in admissions using Poisson regression adjusting for age and sex.

Results

There were 37 272 ACS admissions in 30 683 patients (64.2% male), and 96% of cases had linked biomarker data, predominantly conventional cTn at the start and high-sensitive cTn from late 2013. Despite lower ASSRs, trends in MI classified with a diagnostic biomarker were concordant with ICD-coded admissions rates for both STEMI and NSTEMI. Between 2002 and 2010, STEMI rates declined by 4.1% (95% CI 5.0%, 3.1%) and 3.4% (95% CI 4.6%, 2.3%) in ICD-coded and biomarker-classified admissions, respectively, and both plateaued thereafter. For NSTEMI between 2002 and 2010, the ICD-coded and biomarker-classified rates increased 8.0% per year (95% CI 7.2%, 8.9%) and 8.0% (95% CI 7.0%, 9.0%), respectively, and both subsequently declined. For UA, both ICD-coded and biomarker-classified UA admission rates declined in a steady and concordant manner between 2002 and 2016.

Conclusions

The present study supports the validity of using administrative data to monitor population trends in ACS subtypes as they appear to generally reflect the redefinition of MI in the troponin era.
The mSQUASH is a feasible and valid measurement tool to uniformly assess daily physical activity in patients with rheumatic diseases
Authors: van der Kraan Yvonne M , Gensler Lianne , Paap Davy , Thovmasyan Ellen , Ausma Noa , Kokol Helene , Carbo Marlies , Kieskamp Stan C , de Leeuw Karina , van der Geest Kornelis S M , Bootsma Hendrika , Spoorenberg Anneke , Arends Suzanne
Published: October 2024

Background

The modified Short QUestionnaire to ASsess Health-enhancing physical activity (mSQUASH) was originally developed and validated in Dutch patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). To support world-wide distribution, applicability and comparability of measuring physical activity, our aim was to perform translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the mSQUASH into English, field testing in other rheumatic diseases and clinical validation in patients with axSpA.

Methods

The Dutch mSQUASH was translated into English according to forward–backward Beaton protocol. Semistructured interviews were conducted in representative samples of patients with axSpA (n=13), Sjögren’s disease (n=10), systemic lupus erythematosus (n=10) and giant cell arteritis/polymyalgia rheumatica (n=10) to verify relevance, comprehensiveness and comprehensibility. For construct validity (n=95), Spearman correlations were used with clinical outcome assessments. For test–retest reliability (n=82), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated. For responsiveness (n=80), standardised response means (SRM) were calculated stratified by Anchor method.

Results

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the mSQUASH into English were successfully carried out, which can serve as basis for other translations. Only minor adaptations and clarifications were implemented. Fair correlations were found between mSQUASH and Axial Spondyloarthritis Disease Activity Score (ρ=−0.31), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (ρ=−0.37) and Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society-Health Index (ρ=−0.30). Test–retest reliability was very good (ICC: 0.87). Responsiveness corresponded to the direction of self-reported changes in physical activity (SRM: 0.72 for improved, 0.06 for stable and −0.74 for worsened).

Conclusion

The mSQUASH showed good linguistic and face validity according to field testing in different rheumatic diseases. Clinical validation confirmed good construct validity, test–retest reliability and responsiveness in patients with axSpA, which supports the use of the mSQUASH in clinical practice and research.
Depression, anxiety and cognitive function in persons with inflammatory rheumatic diseases: cross-sectional results from the German National Cohort (NAKO)
Authors: Callhoff Johanna , Berger Klaus , Albrecht Katinka , Strangfeld Anja
Published: October 2024

Objective

To assess the presence of mental health disorders in persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren’s disease (SjD) (all: inflammatory rheumatic disease, iRMD) in a population-based cohort.

Methods

Baseline data from 101 601 participants of the German National Cohort (NAKO) were analysed. Self-reported physician’s diagnoses of depression and anxiety, the depression scale of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Scale (GAD-7), the depression section of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and cognitive tests on memory and executive functions were analysed. Results of participants with iRMD were compared with participants with osteoarthritis (OA), stratified by age and sex. Cognitive function was described for iRMD and OA using a linear regression model, adjusted for sex and education.

Results

n=3257 participants (3.2%) had an iRMD (2.3% RA, 0.6% AS, 0.5% PsA, 0.2% SLE, 0.1% SjD) and n=24 030 (24%) had OA. Physicians’ diagnoses of depression (26% vs 21%), anxiety (15% vs 11%), current depressive (PHQ-9 ≥10: 13% vs 9.0%) and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 ≥10: 8.6% vs 5.8%) were more frequent in iRMDs compared with OA. In all age groups, women were more often affected than men. Linear regression models showed no differences in neuropsychological test results between iRMD and OA.

Conclusion

Individuals with iRMD frequently experience mental disorders. The study provides an assessment of both self-report and test-based occurrences in this group. Depression and anxiety are more frequent in iRMD compared with OA, whereas levels of cognitive dysfunction were comparable.
Toxicity of crude oil: a systematic review of the acute impacts on Cnidaria
Authors: Vasconcelos Bruna Cristina Ferreira , Cordeiro Ralf Tarciso Silva , Gomes Paula Braga
Published: October 2024

Cnidarians are ecosystem engineers that play a fundamental role in food webs. However, they are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, such as oil spills, which can cause acute sublethal effects and in some cases, mortality. The literature on this theme is limited and fragmented, with diverse objectives and methodologies, making it challenging to identify consistent patterns and knowledge gaps. This article aims to provide a systematic review of the acute impacts of crude oil and petroleum hydrocarbons on members of the Phylum Cnidaria, to synthesize and integrate the available data. The research followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, and employed the search terms: “ crude oil” AND “acute” AND (Cnidaria OR coral), along with the names of each Cnidarian class. The search was restricted to articles published in English from 2013 to 2023, excluding studies that did not directly address the core topic. The number of records collected was relatively low, with only 30 articles identified from 20 studies. The highest number of publications occurred in 2022, and the USA was the most represented country. The Class Anthozoa, particularly corals (order Scleractinia), was the most studied. Research focused on the effects of crude oil on gametes, embryos, larvae, and adults, with most studies examining adult organisms. The majority (56.6%) utilized mixtures of crude oil hydrocarbons, while a smaller proportion (36.6%) focused on pure aromatic hydrocarbons. Most experiments employed water accommodated fractions (36.6%) and continuous flow system (20%). The most common exposure durations (30%) were 96 and 48 h, with exposure times ranging from 18 h to several days. There was significant variation in methodological approaches, underscoring the need for standardized protocols. Research on adult cnidarians primarily assessed health and morphology, lethality, genetic alterations, and symbiont efficiency. In contrast, studies on early life stages focused on lethality, larval metamorphosis, and settlement. Overall, the results indicate that responses vary considerably, particularly concerning exposure time and oil concentration, with sublethal effects at different levels. Further studies incorporating a broader range of species, novel approaches, and the combined effects of elevated temperature and UV radiation are crucial to advancing our understanding of oil impacts on cnidarians.
Evolution of fission properties in Fermium region
Authors: Rahmatinejad A. , Andreev A. V. , Bezbakh A. N. , Isaev A. V. , Mukhin R. S. , Shneidman T. M.
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we model the fission process by assuming that at certain elongation, after crossing the fission barrier, a fissile nucleus can be treated as a superposition of dinuclear systems (DNS). The distribution of primary fission fragments is described as a result of competition between evolution of initially formed DNS and its decay in relative distance. The level densities required for the calculations were microscopically derived accounting for deformation and excitation energy effects. The calculations performed for even [Formula: see text]Fm isotopes give overall good description of mass and neutron multiplicity distributions. To describe sudden onset of symmetric fission in [Formula: see text]Fm, the fissile nucleus is treated as superposition of DNS at smaller elongations than for lighter Fm isotopes, which is in line with significant reduction of half-life for [Formula: see text]Fm. Our results indicate the presence of bimodality due to coexistence of spherical and deformed mass symmetric fission modes.
Cumulative production at central rapidities due to interactions involving fluctons
Authors: Vechernin Vladimir , Yurchenko Semyon
Published: October 2024

The process of pion production in AA collisions at central rapidities with a large transverse momentum in the region kinematically forbidden for reactions with free nucleons (cumulative production) is analyzed. It is shown that in this region the dominant contribution is from the flucton–flucton interaction, leading to the emission of a quark, which then fragments into a pion. The asymptotic behavior of the inclusive cross-section at high initial energies near the kinematic boundary of the process is calculated and quark counting rules for the inclusive cross-section in this region are formulated. The found patterns can be tested in the MPD and SPD experiments at the NICA collider.
Possible candidates for the simultaneous breaking of multiple symmetries in odd-mass Kr, Br, and Rb isotopes
Authors: Han X. C. , Lu X. , Liu C. , Qi B. , Wang E. H. , Wang S. Y.
Published: October 2024

The deformations and the corresponding configurations of the odd-mass Kr, Br, and Rb isotopes are investigated using the adiabatic and configuration-fixed constrained triaxial relativistic mean field theory. Several minima with prominent triaxial deformation and proper configuration are obtained in [Formula: see text]Kr, [Formula: see text]Br, and [Formula: see text]Rb nuclei, indicating the existence of chiral doublet bands. Based on the discussions about the involved orbitals in the chiral configurations, the possible coexistence of chiral and reflection based on the pseudospin orbitals in the [Formula: see text]Kr, [Formula: see text]Br, and [Formula: see text]Rb nuclei has been suggested.
Pakistan’s Green Urbanization in the Perspective of Ecological Civilization
Authors: FAROOQ Muhammad Sabil , FEROZE Nazia , CHENG Tongshun , FEROZE Faisal
Published: October 2024

Within the context of ecological civilization, this study examines Pakistan’s path toward green urbanization. This study’s main driving force is Pakistan’s rapidly urbanizing landscape, which makes it imperative to address environmental degradation and advance sustainable development. A paradigm change towards green urbanization is required because of the multiple environmental difficulties brought about by urbanization in Pakistan, such as pollution, resource depletion, and habitat loss. This study examines the current status of green urbanization in Pakistan through a thorough analysis using a mixed-methods methodology that combines quantitative data analysis with qualitative evaluations. The findings show that, although there are regional variations in the extent of implementation, there is a growing consciousness of and desire to implement eco-friendly policies and practices within urban areas. Goals for green urbanization are seriously hampered by issues including poor infrastructure, scarce resources, and institutional capacity limitations. However, there are encouraging indications of development such as programs supporting green building techniques, sustainable transportation, and renewable energy. Beyond the confines of academia, the research has implications that teach stakeholders, legislators, and urban planners about the necessity of incorporating ecological principles into urban development initiatives. Pakistan can reduce environmental risks, increase climate change resistance, and promote inclusive, sustainable cities for future generations by adopting green urbanization.
An Early Permian transpressional continental arc and arc–arc collision recorded in the Baidunzi Complex, southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt, NW China
Authors: Hong Tong , van Staal Cees R. , Lin Shoufa , Davis Donald W. , Santos Gabriel S. , Yakymchuk Chris , Wang Kai
Published: October 2024

Our multidisciplinary study of the southern Beishan Orogen in NW China, located between the Tienshan and Solonker suture zones, sheds light on the closure of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean and the termination of orogenesis in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. We identify the Baidunzi Complex, an exotic Permian transpressional continental arc terrane, which is characterized by sheared and isoclinally folded metasedimentary and syn-kinematic plutonic rocks transformed into upper greenschist to amphibolite tectonites. The complex consists of basement rocks of thick-bedded orthoquartzite and orthogneiss, Carboniferous–Permian metasedimentary strata (including volcaniclastic sedimentary rocks, marble and marl interlayered with psammite) and the Baidunzi Intrusive Suite featuring 294–289 Ma hornblende diorite, tonalite, granodiorite and granite. The late intrusive rocks, including leucogranite to trondhjemite sills and a stitching gabbro unit, suggest an amalgamation age of 281–280 Ma between the Baidunzi and Ganquan arcs. The spatial and temporal linkage between the Baidunzi continental arc and the Liuyuan back-arc–Ganquan arc suggests that they were either built on a coeval doubly vergent subduction system or from the same north-vergent subduction system and then structurally juxtaposed by sinistral convergence. Geochronological and Hf isotope evidence, along with the continental rock affinity, indicates a close association between the Baidunzi Complex and the northern margin of the Tarim Craton during the break-up of Gondwana and the assembly of Pangaea.
MoiréTag: A Low-Cost Tag for High-Precision Tangible Interactions without Active Components
Authors: Zhang Peiyu , Ying Wen , Riggs Sara L , Heo Seongkook
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we present MoiréTag—a novel tag-like device that magnifies displacement without active components for indirect sensing of subtle tangible interactions. The device consists of two overlapping layers of stripe patterns with distinct pattern frequencies. These layers create Moiré fringes that can move faster than the actual movement of a layer. Using a customized image processing pipeline, we show that MoiréTag can reliably detect sub-mm movement in real-time (mean error = 0.043 mm) under varying lighting conditions, camera angles, and camera distances. We also demonstrate five applications of MoiréTag to showcase its potential as a low-cost solution to capture and monitor small changes in movement and other physical properties, such as force and volume, by converting them into displacement.
Experimental Analysis of Freehand Multi-object Selection Techniques in Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Displays
Authors: Shi Rongkai , Wei Yushi , Hu Xuning , Liu Yu , Yue Yong , Yu Lingyun , Liang Hai-Ning
Published: October 2024

Object selection is essential in virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs). Prior work mainly focuses on enhancing and evaluating techniques for selecting a single object in VR, leaving a gap in the techniques for multi-object selection, a more complex but common selection scenario. To enable multi-object selection, the interaction technique should support group selection in addition to the default pointing selection mode for acquiring a single target. This composite interaction could be particularly challenging when using freehand gestural input. In this work, we present an empirical comparison of six freehand techniques, which are comprised of three mode-switching gestures (Finger Segment, Multi-Finger, and Wrist Orientation) and two group selection techniques (Cone-casting Selection and Crossing Selection) derived from prior work. Our results demonstrate the performance, user experience, and preference of each technique. The findings derive three design implications that can guide the design of freehand techniques for multi-object selection in VR HMDs.
Evaluating Layout Dimensionalities in PC+VR Asymmetric Collaborative Decision Making
Authors: Enriquez Daniel , Tong Wai , North Chris , Qu Huamin , Yang Yalong
Published: October 2024

With the commercialization of virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) devices, there is an increasing interest in combining immersive and non-immersive devices (e.g., desktop computers) for asymmetric collaborations. While such asymmetric settings have been examined in social platforms, significant questions around layout dimensionality in data-driven decision-making remain underexplored. A crucial inquiry arises: although presenting a consistent 3D virtual world on both immersive and non-immersive platforms has been a common practice in social applications, does the same guideline apply to lay out data? Or should data placement be optimized locally according to each device's display capacity? This study aims to provide empirical insights into the user experience of asymmetric collaboration in data-driven decision-making. We tested practical dimensionality combinations between PC and VR, resulting in three conditions: PC2D+VR2D, PC2D+VR3D, and PC3D+VR3D. The results revealed a preference for PC2D+VR3D, and PC2D+VR2D led to the quickest task completion. Our investigation facilitates an in-depth discussion of the trade-offs associated with different layout dimensionalities in asymmetric collaborations.
VisConductor: Affect-Varying Widgets for Animated Data Storytelling in Gesture-Aware Augmented Video Presentation
Authors: Femi-Gege Temiloluwa Paul , Brehmer Matthew , Zhao Jian
Published: October 2024

Augmented video presentation tools provide a natural way for presenters to interact with their content, resulting in engaging experiences for remote audiences, such as when a presenter uses hand gestures to manipulate and direct attention to visual aids overlaid on their webcam feed. However, authoring and customizing these presentations can be challenging, particularly when presenting dynamic data visualization (i.e., animated charts). To this end, we introduce VisConductor, an authoring and presentation tool that equips presenters with the ability to configure gestures that control affect-varying visualization animation, foreshadow visualization transitions, direct attention to notable data points, and animate the disclosure of annotations. These gestures are integrated into configurable widgets, allowing presenters to trigger content transformations by executing gestures within widget boundaries, with feedback visible only to them. Altogether, our palette of widgets provides a level of flexibility appropriate for improvisational presentations and ad-hoc content transformations, such as when responding to audience engagement. To evaluate VisConductor, we conducted two studies focusing on presenters (𝑁=11) and audience members (𝑁=11). Our findings indicate that our approach taken with VisConductor can facilitate interactive and engaging remote presentations with dynamic visual aids. Reflecting on our findings, we also offer insights to inform the future of augmented video presentation tools.
Towards Adapting CLIP for Gaze Object Prediction
Authors: Chen Dazhi , Gou Gang
Published: October 2024

This paper aims to investigate the problem of gaze object prediction in single images. We propose an application-friendly network based on CLIP for gaze object prediction. To avoid domain bias, we utilize a shallow feature adapter that transfers pre-trained features to target-oriented ones. Secondly, we introduce a pooling attention block to exploit the joint representation of multimodal elements, reducing gaze point deviation. Additionally, we introduce a loss that measures the prediction quality by comparing the distribution difference between the model's predictions heatmaps and the ground truth. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superior performance of our model compared to previous models. We will provide the method code at: https://github.com/fadaishaitaiyang/CCLIP.git.
Designing Privacy-Protecting System with Visual Masking Based on Investigation of Privacy Concerns in Virtual Screen Sharing Environments
Authors: Ishida Mizuki , Ikematsu Kaori , Igarashi Yuki
Published: October 2024

Virtual meeting tools, such as Zoom, can sometimes lead to inadvertently sharing private information through screen sharing features. We conducted fundamental investigations on what concerns and strategies users have for protecting their privacy. The results indicate that while most users take actions to protect their privacy before or during meetings, a significant number of users also reported experiences with inadvertent information sharing. We also found that users avoid sharing not only personal data, such as usernames, but also information that could reveal their interests and activities, such as browsing histories or personalized recommendations. Thus, we propose a system that automatically occludes areas that users do not want to share to facilitate the management of privacy during screen sharing. We conducted a data collection experiment to construct a deep learning model to detect the areas that users do not want to share with others. We implemented our system by using this model to protect information in real time during screen sharing in virtual meeting tools.
Gaze, Wall, and Racket: Combining Gaze and Hand-Controlled Plane for 3D Selection in Virtual Reality
Authors: Wagner Uta , Albrecht Matthias , Jacobsen Andreas Asferg , Wang Haopeng , Gellersen Hans , Pfeuffer Ken
Published: October 2024

Raypointing, the status-quo pointing technique for virtual reality, is challenging with many occluded and overlapping objects. In this work, we investigate how eye-tracking input can assist the gestural ray pointing in the disambiguation of targets in densely populated scenes. We explore the concept of Gaze + Plane, where the intersection between the user's gaze and a hand-controlled plane facilitates 3D position specification. In particular, two techniques are investigated: Gaze&Wall, which employs an indirect plane positioned in depth using a hand ray, and Gaze&Racket, featuring a hand-held and rotatable plane. In a first experiment, we reveal the speed-error trade-offs between Gaze + Plane techniques. In a second study, we compared the best techniques to newly designed gesture-only techniques, finding that Gaze&Wall is less error-prone and significantly faster. Our research has relevance for spatial interaction, specifically on advanced techniques for complex 3D tasks.
Assessing the Effects of Sensory Modality Conditions on Object Retention across Virtual Reality and Projected Surface Display Environments
Authors: Siqueira Rodrigues Lucas , Schmidt Timo Torsten , Nyakatura John , Zachow Stefan , Israel Johann Habakuk , Kosch Thomas
Published: October 2024

Haptic feedback reportedly enhances human interaction with 3D data, particularly improving the retention of mental representations of digital objects in immersive settings. However, the effectiveness of visuohaptic integration in promoting object retention across different display environments remains underexplored. Our study extends previous research on the retention effects of haptics from virtual reality to a projected surface display to assess whether earlier findings generalize to 2D environments. Participants performed a delayed match-to-sample task incorporating visual, haptic, and visuohaptic sensory feedback within a projected surface display environment. We compared error rates and response times across these sensory modalities and display environments. Our results reveal that visuohaptic integration significantly enhances object retention on projected surfaces, benefiting task performance across display environments. Our findings suggest that haptics can improve object retention without requiring fully immersive setups, offering insights for the design of interactive systems that assist professionals who rely on precise mental representations of digital objects.
A Virtual Reality Approach to Overcome Glossophobia among University Students
Authors: Balachandran Aarav , Vohra Prajna , Srivastava Anmol
Published: October 2024

In the contemporary academic landscape, university students frequently deliver presentations in front of their peers and faculty, often leading to heightened levels of Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA). This study explores the potential of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) to alleviate PSA among students. Our study introduces "Manch," a realistic VR environment that simulates classroom public speaking scenarios with lifelike audience interactions and a slide-deck presentation feature. The study was conducted with N=28 participants, showing a significant reduction in PSA levels post-VR exposure, thereby establishing VR's efficacy in mitigating PSA. Additionally, we also incorporated a unique qualitative analysis through participant interviews, offering deeper insights into individual experiences with VRET. Manch shows great promise as a tool for future studies and interventions aimed at reducing PSA, particularly among university students.
Passive Stylus Tracking: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Burnah Tavish M. , Imtiaz Md. Athar , Guesgen Hans Werner , Rudolph George L. , Blagojevic Rachel
Published: October 2024

Passive stylus systems offer a simple and cost-effective solution for digital input, compatible with a wide range of surfaces and devices. This study reviews the domain of passive stylus tracking on passive surfaces, a topic previously underexplored in existing literature. We answer four key research questions: what type of systems exist in this domain, what methods do they use for tracking styli, how accurate are they, and what are their limitations?

A systematic literature review resulted in 24 papers describing passive stylus systems. Their methods primarily fall into four categories: monocular cameras with image processing, multiple camera systems with image processing, machine learning systems using high-speed cameras or motion capture hardware, and radio frequency signal-based systems with signal processing.

We found the system with the highest accuracy used a single monocular camera. In many systems, markers such as retroreflective spheres, tape, or fiducial markers were used to enhance the feature matching. We have also found stagnation and in some cases, regression in the precision and reliability of these systems over time. The limitations in these systems include the lack of varied stylus form factor support, the restriction to specific camera positions and angles, and the requirement of expensive hardware. Given these findings, we discuss the important characteristics and features of passive stylus systems and propose ways forward in this field.
GestureGPT: Toward Zero-Shot Free-Form Hand Gesture Understanding with Large Language Model Agents
Authors: Zeng Xin , Wang Xiaoyu , Zhang Tengxiang , Yu Chun , Zhao Shengdong , Chen Yiqiang
Published: October 2024

Existing gesture interfaces only work with a fixed set of gestures defined either by interface designers or by users themselves, which introduces learning or demonstration efforts that diminish their naturalness. Humans, on the other hand, understand free-form gestures by synthesizing the gesture, context, experience, and common sense. In this way, the user does not need to learn, demonstrate, or associate gestures. We introduce GestureGPT, a free-form hand gesture understanding framework that mimics human gesture understanding procedures to enable a natural free-form gestural interface. Our framework leverages multiple Large Language Model agents to manage and synthesize gesture and context information, then infers the interaction intent by associating the gesture with an interface function. More specifically, our triple-agent framework includes a Gesture Description Agent that automatically segments and formulates natural language descriptions of hand poses and movements based on hand landmark coordinates. The description is deciphered by a Gesture Inference Agent through self-reasoning and querying about the interaction context (e.g., interaction history, gaze data), which is managed by a Context Management Agent. Following iterative exchanges, the Gesture Inference Agent discerns the user’s intent by grounding it to an interactive function. We validated our framework offline under two real-world scenarios: smart home control and online video streaming. The average zero-shot Top-1/Top-5 grounding accuracies are 44.79%/83.59% for smart home tasks and 37.50%/73.44% for video streaming tasks. We also provide an extensive discussion that includes rationale for model selection, generalizability, and future research directions for a practical system etc.