bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Region-specific impact of aging on cortical myelination and thickness
Authors: Brancaccio Arianna , Tabarelli Davide , Belardinelli Paolo
Published: February 2023

Healthy aging affects both grey and white matter. However, the trajectories of regional specific degeneration are not fully understood. Here we investigate the effects of aging on cortical thickness and myelin concentration in a large cohort of healthy participants (N = 610) aged between 18 and 89 years’ old who underwent single-site T1-weighted, T2-weighted and MTI sequences in the context of the Cam-CAN project. Participants were subdivided in three age groups representative of young, middle and late adulthood. The large size of the dataset allowed us to minimize the impact of sample variance without relying on multi-site acquisition protocols. We assessed linear changes in cortical thickness and cortical myelin concentration; the latter was assessed using both T1w/T2w ratio and MTR proxies, to evaluate which is the most stable metrics. Our results do not fit with either the anterior-posterior gradient or the last-in/first-out hypothesis. We demonstrate that aging patterns are more complex than just depending on a spatial gradient or the temporally reversed order of regional development. Moreover, we show a dissociation in aging patterns between somatosensory and motor regions both in terms of cortical thickness and myelin concentration. Finally, comparing T1w/T2w and MTR results of cortical myelination, we found the latter being a more stable and reliable proxy.

Highlights

Cortical thickness and myelo-architecture changes must be jointly considered in investigating brain aging trajectories.

We assessed linear changes in cortical thickness and myelination in a large, homogeneous and single site MRI dataset.

Motor and sensory regions show a dissociation in their aging trajectories both in terms of cortical thickness and myelin concentration.

Sensory processing regions show similar aging trajectories in both cortical thickness and myelin concentration.

MTR is a more reliable proxy for myelin concentration compared to T1w/T2w ratio.
Towards retail innovation and ambidexterity: insights from a Swedish retailer
Authors: Paredes Karla Marie B. , Olander Roese Malin , Johansson Ulf
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Incumbent retail organisations need to develop new capabilities to adapt with the increasingly competitive retail landscape. Despite the growing relevance of innovation in retail practice, the strategic management of innovation in retailing is still vastly under-researched. This explorative study thus aims to investigate how incumbent retail firms can organise for innovation from an organisational ambidexterity perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A single-case study of an established Swedish retail firm was conducted from December 2016 to July 2018 and followed up in June 2021. The authors followed the process of implementation of organisational changes aimed to increase innovation in the company, particularly the introduction of a digital marketing initiative and a corporate innovation hub. Data collection was based on nine semi-structured interviews and participant observations and unstructured interviews from 13 meetings and workshops. An abductive approach to data analysis was followed, iteratively comparing theoretical concepts and empirical data using open, axial and selective coding to distil findings into aggregated themes.

Findings

Given the inherently limited formalisation of innovation processes in most retail organisations, structural ambidexterity appears to be necessary when the aim is radical, strategic retail innovation. Structural mechanisms are able to safeguard the space and resources to focus on long-term research and projects with higher risk and uncertainty; however, integration of innovation activities to the mainstream organisation is critical. Pursuing contextual ambidexterity, wherein instead of structural solutions, employees are empowered to divide employees' time between innovation-related and efficiency-related tasks, is more likely related to retail innovations that are incremental and operational.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the emerging topic of strategic management of innovation in retailing, by explicating how incumbent retailers can organise for innovation depending on the type of innovation that is aimed for, using organisational ambidexterity as a novel perspective.
Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) based employee experience (EEX) chatbots
Authors: Pillai Rajasshrie , Ghanghorkar Yamini , Sivathanu Brijesh , Algharabat Raed , Rana Nripendra P.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

AI-based chatbots are revamping employee communication in organizations. This paper examines the adoption of AI-based employee experience chatbots by employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model is developed using behavioral reasoning theory and empirically validated by surveying 1,130 employees and data was analyzed with PLS-SEM.

Findings

This research presents the “reasons for” and “reasons against” for the acceptance of AI-based employee experience chatbots. The “reasons for” are – personalization, interactivity, perceived intelligence and perceived anthropomorphism and the “reasons against” are perceived risk, language barrier and technological anxiety. It is found that “reasons for” have a positive association with attitude and adoption intention and “reasons against” have a negative association. Employees' values for openness to change are positively associated with “reasons for” and do not affect attitude and “reasons against”.

Originality/value

This is the first study exploring employees' attitude and adoption intention toward AI-based EEX chatbots using behavioral reasoning theory.
The impact of economic sanctions on foreign direct investment: empirical evidence from global data
Authors: Nguyen Loan Quynh Thi , Ahmed Rizwan
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study investigates the impact of global economic sanctions on foreign direct investment (FDI).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered from several sources, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Global Sanction and the World Bank database, to build a dataset that consists of 172 countries during the period 2003–2019. The panel ordinary least square with a fixed-effects estimator was exploited to achieve the research objective.

Findings

The research findings reveal that sanction exerts a detrimental effect on the total inflows of FDI and its components. Regarding different types of sanctions, while military and trade sanctions have little or even no impact on greenfield investment, they have more adverse and sizable effects on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As). The authors further show that sanctions exert devastating influences through the infrastructure and economic development channels.

Practical implication

Overall, this study implies that a closer look at particular types of FDI is required when implementing policies as different types of FDI may be affected differently by changes in the economy, such as economic sanctions.

Originality/value

This paper is the first empirical study that critically investigates the impact of sanctions on the total inward FDI flows and its two components: greenfield investment and cross-border M&As. It then explores how the sanction–FDI nexus varies depending on several country-level economic factors to understand better how sanctions and different types of sanctions are related to international trade and relations.
A deep attention based approach for predictive maintenance applications in IoT scenarios
Authors: De Luca Roberto , Ferraro Antonino , Galli Antonio , Gallo Mosè , Moscato Vincenzo , Sperlì Giancarlo
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The recent innovations of Industry 4.0 have made it possible to easily collect data related to a production environment. In this context, information about industrial equipment – gathered by proper sensors – can be profitably used for supporting predictive maintenance (PdM) through the application of data-driven analytics based on artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. Although deep learning (DL) approaches have proven to be a quite effective solutions to the problem, one of the open research challenges remains – the design of PdM methods that are computationally efficient, and most importantly, applicable in real-world internet of things (IoT) scenarios, where they are required to be executable directly on the limited devices’ hardware.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors propose a DL approach for PdM task, which is based on a particular and very efficient architecture. The major novelty behind the proposed framework is to leverage a multi-head attention (MHA) mechanism to obtain both high results in terms of remaining useful life (RUL) estimation and low memory model storage requirements, providing the basis for a possible implementation directly on the equipment hardware.

Findings

The achieved experimental results on the NASA dataset show how the authors’ approach outperforms in terms of effectiveness and efficiency the majority of the most diffused state-of-the-art techniques.

Research limitations/implications

A comparison of the spatial and temporal complexity with a typical long-short term memory (LSTM) model and the state-of-the-art approaches was also done on the NASA dataset. Despite the authors’ approach achieving similar effectiveness results with respect to other approaches, it has a significantly smaller number of parameters, a smaller storage volume and lower training time.

Practical implications

The proposed approach aims to find a compromise between effectiveness and efficiency, which is crucial in the industrial domain in which it is important to maximize the link between performance attained and resources allocated. The overall accuracy performances are also on par with the finest methods described in the literature.

Originality/value

The proposed approach allows satisfying the requirements of modern embedded AI applications (reliability, low power consumption, etc.), finding a compromise between efficiency and effectiveness.
Measuring crime: a new paradigm
Authors: Ee Marilyn , Zhang Yan
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this exploratory study is to expand on a previously developed crime harm index – the California Crime Harm Index (CA-CHI) – by discussing the development of the CA-CHI and presenting a comparison of the distribution of crime count and harm in a large Western city in the United States.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used descriptive analyses, spatial univariate mapping and bivariate choropleth maps to analyze the distribution of Part I crime counts and harm.

Findings

Results of the analysis show that while there was some variation in the distribution of crime count and harm city wide, spatial mapping and statistics reveal that the geographical distribution of crime count and harm across census tracts are largely consistent.

Research limitations/implications

Minor discrepancies between the distribution of crime count and harm indicate the potential for the CA-CHI to inform law enforcement practices. However, the distributions remain largely similar at the census tract level. There is room for further development of the CA-CHI to better distinguish between the distribution of crime harm and volume.

Originality/value

No other study has used spatial mapping techniques like bivariate choropleth mapping to examine the distribution of crime volume and crime harm based on the CA-CHI in any location in California.
Building a More United Kingdom: a Conservative Case for Constitutional Reform1
Authors: Lidington David
Published: February 2023

The United Kingdom faces twin constitutional crises. The existence of the Union itself is now under stronger challenge than ever before, and many of the conventions and understandings which have underpinned the constitutional stability of the United Kingdom and the relationships between executive, Parliament and judiciary have been eroded or overthrown.

There is no single, easy way to put things right. What is needed are reforms to the working of Parliament, the Civil Service and devolution, to restore greater balance and stability to our constitution. These should include measures to strengthen the ability of Parliament to hold the executive to account and a new Civil Service Act to provide for the independence, governance and accountability of the Civil Service. To overcome the strains that now threaten the unity of the UK we need a cultural shift in UK politics in favour of partnership and mutual respect, underpinned by changes to the way we do business in both government and Parliament and by greater devolution of power within England.
The relational costs of crossing class lines
Authors: Álvarez–Rivadulla María José , Camelo Paola , Vargas–Serani Mariana , Viáfara Diana
Published: February 2023

How do low socioeconomic status students navigate cross‐class interactions in extremely unequal contexts? Previous research has described the high costs of college integration for underprivileged students, which in turn, negatively impact academic performance and general wellbeing. These studies tend to concentrate on cultural capital costs, such as catching up with assumed middle‐class or elite capital and dealing with two worlds. Less has been said about social capital costs, the costs of making friends, especially more privileged friends. Through 61 in‐depth interviews with various types of students as part of a broader ethnographic fieldwork, this article analyses the experiences of low‐income scholarship holders in an elite institution in a very unequal society, Colombia. Rather than isolating themselves or resorting to safe homophilic relations, they faced their new elite environment engaging with the hidden relational cost of making friends with more affluent students. In so doing, they had to overcome fears and experiences of discrimination and micro‐aggressions, as well as cultural and economic capital barriers, and employed either camouflaging or disclosure strategies, sometimes becoming culturally and socially omnivorous. Symbolic belonging to the institution and the acquisition of middle‐class cultural capital were among the benefits that made overcoming the costs worthy. Our results shed light on what institutions can do to reduce the costs for underprivileged students and, theoretically, unveil an important mechanism and barrier for social mobility: building cross‐class ties.
Effects of hydrodynamic cavitation and temperature on nanofiltration performance for concentrating ultrafiltered skim milk
Authors: Mishra Achyut , Panthi Ram R , Beckman Steven L , Vijayaragavan Khrupa S , Anand Sanjeev , Metzger Lloyd E
Published: February 2023

The performance of nanofiltration (NF) as influenced by hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) and filtration temperature during the concentration of milk protein concentrate (MPC) was investigated. Pasteurised skim milk was concentrated using ultrafiltration (UF) to prepare UF retentate (MPC80, 20% total solids, TS), which was then further concentrated using NF at 22°C and 50°C with or without HC treatments until permeate flux declined to 0.1 L/m2/h. Results showed that UF retentate can be concentrated to higher TS (up to 31.5%) at higher filtration temperature or by applying HC, with synergistic effect in combination of both treatments, during NF.
Primary pachydermoperiostosis associated with pigmented villonodular synovitis: An unknown association?
Authors: Rabhi Emna , Lassoued Ferjani Hanene , Majdoub Fatma , Ben Nessib Dorra , Kaffel Dhia , Maatallah Kaouther , Hamdi Wafa
Published: February 2023

Primary pachydermoperiostosis is a rare genetic disease affecting the skin and musculoskeletal system. In contrast to secondary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, primary pachydermoperiostosis is considered a benign condition. While a variety of associated abnormalities have been described in this form, any association with tumors was previously reported in the literature. We hereby describe the first case of a 20‐year‐old man with primary pachydermoperiostosis revealed by a knee synovial tumor.
CDCA4 interacts with IGF2BP1 to regulate lung adenocarcinoma proliferation via the PI3K/AKT pathway
Authors: Feng Sitong , Cao Haixia , Sui Ying , Shen Ziyang , Wu Jianzhong , Ma Rong , Feng Jifeng
Published: February 2023

Background

Lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD) remain the leading cause of death in many countries. In this study, we investigated the role of division cycle‐associated 4 (CDCA4) in the carcinogenesis of LUADs.

Methods

Real‐time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot were performed to detect the messenger RNA and protein levels of CDCA4 in cells. Cell counting kit 8, real‐time cell analysis, clone formation, EdU assays, and cell‐cycle assays were used to preliminarily investigate the proliferation and cell‐cycle–related functions of CDCA4 in lung adenocarcinoma. Immunoprecipitation assays were used to identify possible targets of CDCA4. A xenograft model was used to examine how CDCA4 knockdown affects LUAD cells growth in vivo.

Results

We found that the expression of CDCA4 was upregulated in LUAD cell lines. When CDCA4 was knocked out, the ability of LUAD cells to proliferate was dramatically reduced, and the cell cycle was stalled in the S phase. Meanwhile, boosting the CDCA4 expression had the opposite effect. The critical protein levels of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway were subsequently examined. The findings demonstrated that elevated CDCA4 lowered the phosphate and tensin homolog expression and increased the p‐PI3K and p‐AKT levels. Moreover, we demonstrated that CDCA4 favorably regulated IGF2BP1, a downstream target. The downregulation of the IGF2BP1 expression could reverse the proliferation promotion effect induced by the CDCA4 overexpression.

Conclusions

CDCA4 can operate as an oncogenic factor to control the growth of lung adenocarcinoma via the PI3K/AKT pathway.
Ten years after: Release cutting around old oaks still affects oak vitality and saproxylic beetles in a Norway spruce stand
Authors: Lariviere Delphine , Holmström Emma , Petersson Lisa , Djupström Line , Weslien Jan
Published: February 2023

It is often suggested to release oaks (Quercus robur) from competition, to ensure their survival and boost their conservational value. However, few studies have explored how long‐lasting this effect is and how it affects saproxylic beetles.

Ten years after cutting, we investigated effects of different release cutting levels (high, medium, and no release) around 140‐year‐old retained oaks in a commercial forest with Norway spruce (Picea abies).

We evaluated oak vitality using crown and dead wood measurements. Saproxylic beetles were caught in window traps, identified to species level, and grouped according to their association with oak and/or Norway spruce.

Released oaks had more light, higher temperatures, greater crown growth, and less dead wood in the crown compared to the no‐release control.

After 10 years we still found a higher abundance of oak‐associated beetles and higher overall species richness of saproxylic beetles in the released oaks. Beetle species composition significantly differed between released oaks and control.

We suggest avoiding planting trees beneath retained oaks when regenerating conifer forests and to proceed with conservation management during subsequent thinning by removing regeneration under the oak crowns. We emphasize the benefits of monitoring the retained oaks to maintain tree vitality, habitat quality, and insolation.
Public policy design and common property resources: A social network approach
Authors: Marco Jorge , Goetz Renan
Published: February 2023

This paper analyzes the extent to which two factors—social networks and the severity of the scarcity of a common property resource—affect norm‐complying behavior that favors cooperation. It assumes that those who comply with the social norm exercise social pressure on defectors. We develop an analytical framework that allows us to determine the minimum (maximum) share of norm‐complying agents at which social networks start (stop) having an influence on cooperation. Knowing these shares allows policymakers to identify the conditions under which legal and/or informal enforcement policies for cooperation are effective and how different types of social networks affect the design of these policies. We find that stable steady states exist in which compliers and defectors coexist (partial cooperation), but the stability of such states requires that the costs of coordination among compliers to exercise social pressure are high. Full cooperation is another possible steady state but is unlikely to prevail if the agents do not perceive the scarcity of the common property resource as severe. A numerical study, empirically calibrated for an aquifer in Spain, shows that subsidizing the compliers' costs of exerting social pressure may impede the attainment of a steady state based on partial cooperation. Although social networks can promote cooperation, their influence is limited. The minimum share of compliers for attaining cooperation can be reduced by informal enforcement policies by not more than 26%. We show that combinations of different types of informal enforcement policies should be applied cautiously because they may cancel each other out.
Toward an understanding of the exchange in ancient scented oils through organic residue analysis of Bronze Age Near Eastern ceramic bottles by GC‐MS
Authors: Tarhan İsmail , Massa Michele , Türkteki Murat , Türkteki Sinem
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) organic residue analysis (ORA) of samples extracted from five Early Bronze Age ceramic bottles excavated at the archaeological site of Küllüoba in Anatolia (modern Turkey), and the first attempt at directly analysing the content of this category of products. Our results show that various types of liquid have been contained in different bottles and identify the presence of dicarboxylic and oleic acids with a large amount of palmitic acid in most samples, suggesting that they may have mostly contained a plant‐based oil. The presence of diterpenoids further shows the addition of ingredients such as conifer resin and other plant‐derived products. Overall, the analytical results presented here indicate the exchange of scented oils in Anatolia already during the late third millennium BCE. The different organic residue profiles contained in different samples also suggest a range of different recipes for these products.
Characterization of archaeological lime mortars in a Ming dynasty tomb: A multi‐analytical approach
Authors: Jia Mengjun , Wei Guofeng , Grifa Celestino , Zhang Jianhui , Cui Biao , Li Min , Xu Jun , Ma Xiao
Published: February 2023

Lime mortars have played an important role in constructing ancient Chinese masonry structures, including city walls, buildings, and tombs. A tomb built with lime mortars and stones belonging a Ming high‐ranking official, Xu Jie, was discovered in Huzhou City of China. Eight different samples from Xu Jie’s tomb, representing four types of lime‐mortar‐based materials: joint mortar between stone bricks, bedding mortar, grouting mortar, and plaster mortars were collected for analysis and comparison. The characterization of the construction materials has therefore become of primary importance. The function of each mortar was reported and studies into the micro‐textural features and mineralogical compositions of those mortars were performed via a multi‐analytical approach. The joint mortars were all found to be aerial lime mortars with predominately lime. The bedding mortar was found to consist of lime, soil and sand, typical of a tabia mortar. The grouting mortar was found to consist of lime and ground contact metamorphosed limestone. Analysis of plaster sample taken from the roof of the main tomb identified the presence of calcium stearate/palmitate, indicating the usage of plant‐based tung oil as an additive. The analytical results will promote our understanding of Ming architectural technology and craftsmanship, and provide critical information for the conservation of Xu Jie’s tomb.
Testing recipes: an experimental approach to paint production processes in Levantine rock art (Spain)
Authors: Santos da Rosa Neemias , Fiore Danae , Viñas Ramon
Published: February 2023

Over more than a century, several proposals have been made on the composition and technical features of the pictorial recipes used by Levantine prehistoric painters. In this paper all these proposals are surveyed and tested through systematic experiments to determine the technical affordance of pigments and binders in different pictorial recipes. Experimental results were then used as independent analytical parameters employed as diagnostic criteria to systematically study an archaeological sample of nine sites located in the Maestrazgo region (Spain) and their surroundings. Results reveal that out of 112 experimental recipes, only 16 afforded the production of paintings technically similar to Levantine rock art.
Spatial density patterns of herbivore response to seasonal dynamics in the tropical deciduous forest of central India
Authors: Gupta Deepti , Krishnamurthy Ramesh
Published: February 2023

Resource dynamism in seasonal forests leads ungulates to differential habitat preference; hence, their distribution aligns with environmental covariates across spatial and temporal scales. Seasonal patterns of four species of ungulates, namely sambar, chital, nilgai, and wild pig, were investigated and identified as the environmental variables driving the density gradient across two seasons, summer and winter, in the tropical dry deciduous forest of Panna Tiger Reserve, central India. Distance sampling data were analyzed using density surface modeling for ungulates with a survey effort of 518 km in winter and 356 km in summer in a generalized additive modeling framework. We found that season significantly affected the spatial densities of all ungulates, with sambar, chital, and nilgai congregating in summer and wild pig in winter. All ungulates showed a clear seasonal shift to the valley in summer and preferred plateaus in winter. The spatially explicit map outputs draw attention to the seasonal hot spots for ungulates abundance and the species and season‐specific roles of environment variables in defining their distribution. These results provide a scientific basis for direct conservation efforts to the spatially prioritized habitats for cost‐effective management interventions.
Leaf‐cutting ant nests support less dense and impoverished seed assemblages in a human‐modified Caatinga dry forest
Authors: Oliveira Fernanda M. P. , Knoechelmann Clarissa M. , Wirth Rainer , Tabarelli Marcelo , Leal Inara R.
Published: February 2023

Regenerating forests make up an increasingly large portion of tropical landscapes worldwide and regeneration dynamics may be influenced by leaf‐cutting ants (LCA), which proliferate in disturbed areas and collect seeds for fungus culturing. Here, we investigate how LCA influences seed fate in human‐modified areas of Caatinga dry forest. We evaluate the seed deposition and predation on Atta opaciceps nests, foraging habitat surrounding nest and control habitat away of nest influence of 15 colonies located along a forest cover gradient during the rainy and dry seasons. For each habitat, four 50‐cm2 plots were established and all seeds on the soil surface were collected along 1 year. We recorded 13,628 seeds distributed among 47 species and 36.57% of the total seeds did not show any sign of predation. Nest mound habitats supported low‐density and species‐poor seed assemblages, which were taxonomically distinct from the control habitats. These effects only occurred in the rainy season. The proportion of undamaged seeds were similar across the habitats. While forest cover did not influence seed assemblage in terms of species richness or seed predation, it did interact with habitat type via increments in seed abundance as forest cover increased across the nests. Forest cover also affected seed composition, but only in the rainy season. These results indicate that LCA decrease seed deposition in areas under their influence, particularly on the nest mounds. As LCA profit from human disturbance in the Caatinga, their role as seed ‘sinks’ should be enhanced in disturbed Caatinga patches, particularly during the rainy season, when most of the plant recruitment occurs. Our findings reinforce the importance of LCA as drivers of forest dynamics and resilience in human‐modified landscapes.
Risk factors for and longitudinal course of male sexual dysfunction after robotic rectal cancer surgery
Authors: Hanaoka Marie , Kagawa Hiroyasu , Shiomi Akio , Hino Hitoshi , Manabe Shoichi , Yamaoka Yusuke , Kinugasa Yusuke
Published: February 2023

Aim

The aim of this work was to investigate the risk factors associated with the incidence of sexual dysfunction in patients who underwent robot‐assisted surgery with several treatment options, such as neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and lateral lymph node dissection, and clarify the longitudinal course of erectile function in risk groups.

Method

A total of 203 male patients who underwent robot‐assisted total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer between 2013 and 2019 were included. The risk factors for erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction as well as the longitudinal course of erectile function were retrospectively investigated in all cohorts and several risk groups, including those who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, lateral lymph node dissection and adjuvant chemotherapy. Erectile dysfunction was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function and ejaculatory dysfunction was assessed using original questions. The survey was performed preoperatively and at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively.

Results

Erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction occurred in 46.8% and 15.7% of the patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was an independent risk factor for erectile dysfunction. Erectile function recovered longitudinally to the preoperative level overall, as well as in lateral lymph node dissection and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy subgroups; however, recovery was poor in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy group, even at 12 months postoperatively.

Conclusion

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was found to be a risk factor for erectile dysfunction after robot‐assisted surgery for rectal cancer. Erectile function recovered postoperatively in patients undergoing lateral lymph node dissection; however, those receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy showed poor recovery, even at 12 months postoperatively.
Characterization of internal fatigue crack initiation in Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy via synchrotron radiation X‐ray computed tomography
Authors: Yoshinaka Fumiyoshi , Nakamura Takashi , Oguma Hiroyuki , Fujimura Nao , Takeuchi Akihisa , Uesugi Masayuki , Uesugi Kentaro
Published: February 2023

The initiation of internal fatigue cracks in very high cycle fatigue of Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy was investigated using synchrotron radiation X‐ray computed tomography (SR‐CT). Micro‐CT detected 28 cracks that were distributed across the examined volume of Ф1.8 × L 2.5 mm. No apparent correlation was observed between the spatial distribution, initial lengths, and initiation lives of cracks. The crack growth rate of the facet‐sized crack varied widely; some cracks propagated rapidly, whereas no crack growth was observed for other cracks over a specific period of time after detection. Using nano‐CT, the several grain‐sized internal cracks and their microstructures were clearly and nondestructively visualized. In the field of view, many primary α phases were detected; however, no other cracks were observed. The multiple facet initiation site, which is commonly observed for titanium alloys, might not be due to the concurrently initiated facets but may be caused by the small crack growth accompanied by facet formation.
Digital image analysis and assisted reading of theHER2score display reduced concordance: pitfalls in the categorisation ofHER2‐low breast cancer
Authors: Sode Michael , Thagaard Jeppe , Eriksen Jens Ole , Laenkholm Anne‐Vibeke
Published: February 2023

Aims

Digital image analysis (DIA) is used increasingly as an assisting tool to evaluate biomarkers, including human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in invasive breast cancer (BC). DIA can assist pathologists in HER2 evaluation by presenting quantitative information about the HER2 staining in APP assisted reading (AR). Concurrently, the HER2‐low category (HER2‐1+/2+ withoutHER2gene amplification) has gained prominence due to newly developed antibody‐drug conjugates. However, major inter‐ and intraobserver variability have been observed for the entity. The present quality assurance study investigated the concordance between DIA and AR in clinical use, especially concerning the HER2‐low category.

Methods and results

HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 761 tumours from 727 patients was evaluated in tissue microarray (TMA) cores by DIA (Visiopharm HER2‐CONNECT) and AR. Overall concordance between HER2‐scores were 73% (n = 552, weighted‐κ: 0.66), and 88% (n = 669, weighted‐κ: 0.70), when combining HER2‐0/1+. A total of 205 scores were discordant by one category, while four were discordant by two categories. A heterogeneous HER2 pattern was relatively common in the discordant cases and a pitfall in the categorisation of HER2‐low BC. AR more commonly reassigned a lower HER2 score (from HER2‐1+ to HER2‐0) within the HER2‐low subgroup (n = 624) compared with DIA.

Conclusion

DIA and AR display moderate agreement with heterogeneous and aberrant staining, representing a source of discordance and a pitfall in the evaluation of HER2.
Controlled structure preparation of low thermal conductivity Bi4B2O9 foams
Authors: Chen Pan , Li Yuanbing , Yin Bo , Li Shujing , Wang Hailu , Qiao Zhe , Liu Jingfei
Published: February 2023

In this contribution, Bi4B2O9 foam ceramics with porosity of 76.6%–85.8% and thermal conductivity of .062–.092(W/(m·K)) were successfully prepared for the first time by the foam casting method using bismuth oxide and boric acid as the main raw materials and gelatin as the gel forming agent. The effects of additive content and solid loading on the slurry, pore size, and distribution as well as mechanical and thermal properties of porous ceramics were investigated. The addition of gelatin led to the stable arrangement of the liquid‐gas interface, which eventually resulted in a foam with a stable pore structure. The sintered ceramics have a highly spherical morphology with typical micropores and cell window, which may also contribute to the low thermal conductivity of Bi4B2O9 foams. Bi4B2O9 foam with tailored properties and graded pore structure by adjusting the process parameters can be used as a high‐performance nuclear reactor insulation material.
Impact of remote audit on audit quality, audit efficiency, and auditors' job satisfaction
Authors: Li Yueqi , Goel Sanjay , Williams Kevin
Published: February 2023

The audit profession has experienced a digital transformation over the last decade with a rapid shift towards remote auditing forced by the recent COVID pandemic. This shift has led to changes related to the way auditors work and perceive. Through a survey of external auditors, this study addresses how the changes from on‐site audits to remote audits affect audit success (i.e., audit quality, audit efficiency, and auditors' job satisfaction); we also explore dispositional and situational factors that contribute to remote audit success. Our results show that working remotely leads to high audit efficiency. Auditors' flexibility management competency leads to high remote audit quality and efficiency; and a physical working environment conducive for concentrating on audit tasks is positively associated with audit efficiency and auditors' job satisfaction for remote audits. We also found that working remotely could enhance audit quality and efficiency when the audit firm provides sufficient support to auditors. Our study provides insights for audit firms, regulators, and other stakeholders as they evaluate the many challenges the audit profession faces in achieving remote audit success.
Viral co‐infections in leprosy: a scoping review
Authors: Fróes Luis Alberto Ribeiro , Toma Tereza Setsuko , Poderoso Rosana Evangelista , Trindade Maria Ângela Bianconcini
Published: February 2023

Context

The most reported viral co‐infections in leprosy are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T‐cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and SARS‐CoV‐2. In co‐infections, the burden of an agent can be increased or decreased by the presence of others. To address this issue, we need to fully understand their prevalence, risk factors, immunology, clinical manifestations, and treatment. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the most reported viral co‐infections in leprosy to inform clinicians and guide future research.

Methods

The authors conducted a literature search of five databases for articles on each of the aforementioned co‐infections published prior to October 2022. Two independent reviewers conducted the selection process and identified 53 papers meeting the study inclusion criteria. The data extraction process and evidence synthesis were conducted by one reviewer and double‐checked by a second one, consistent with best practice recommendations for scoping reviews.

Results

For all assessed viruses, most studies reported prevalence rates in leprosy patients higher than the general population. Studies found that HTLV, HBV, and HCV chronic infections were highest in multibacillary leprosy, whereas HIV was mostly found in paucibacillary leprosy, and SARS‐Cov‐2 affected leprosy subtypes equally. Overall, co‐infections were also associated with higher rates of leprosy reactions, except for COVID‐19. Forty‐six percent of the studies discussed issues related to treatment, which led to favorable outcomes for the most part.

Conclusions

This review summarizes the existing literature on viral co‐infections in leprosy patients, generating valuable insights and recommending areas for future research.
Leukocyte deep learning classification assessment using Shapley additive explanations algorithm
Authors: Michalski Adrian , Duraj Konrad , Kupcewicz Bogumiła
Published: February 2023

Introduction

A peripheral blood smear is a basic test for hematological disease diagnosis. This test is performed manually in many places worldwide, which requires both time and qualified staff. Large laboratories are equipped with digital morphology analyzers, some of which are based on deep learning methods. However, it is difficult to explain to scientists how they work. In this paper, we proposed to add an explanatory factor to enhance the interpretability of deep learning models in leukocyte classification.

Methods

10 297 single images of leukocytes obtained from peripheral blood smears were included in this study. Pre‐trained and fully trained VGG16 and VGG19 models were used to classify the leukocytes, and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) DeepExplainer was applied to visualize the area of cells that were significant for classification. The output images from the DeepExplainer were compared with cellular elements that are essential to laboratory practice.

Results

The accuracy of our fully trained models was 99.81% for VGG16 and 99.79% for VGG19. It achieved slightly better results than the partially trained model, which scored 98.67% for VGG16 and 98.33% for VGG19. Their SHAP explanations indicated the significance of cellular structures in microscopic examination. Explanations in the pre‐trained models have proved the cell and nucleus contours to be relevant to classification, while explanations in the fully trained models pointed to the cytoplasm area.

Conclusion

Despite different SHAP DeepExplainer explanations for fully and partially trained models, this method appears to be helpful for the verification of leukocyte classification in automated peripheral blood smear examination.
Challenging gold standard hematology diagnostics through the introduction of whole genome sequencing and artificial intelligence
Authors: Haferlach Torsten , Walter Wencke
Published: February 2023

The diagnosis of hematological malignancies is rather complex and requires the application of a plethora of different assays, techniques and methodologies. Some of the methods, like cytomorphology, have been in use for decades, while other methods, such as next‐generation sequencing or even whole genome sequencing (WGS), are relatively new. The application of the methods and the evaluation of the results require distinct skills and knowledge and place different demands on the practitioner. However, even with experienced hematologists, diagnostic ambiguity remains a regular occurrence and the comprehensive analysis of high‐dimensional WGS data soon exceeds any human's capacity. Hence, in order to reduce inter‐observer variability and to improve the timeliness and accuracy of diagnoses, machine learning based approaches have been developed to assist in the decision making process. Moreover, to achieve the goal of precision oncology, comprehensive genomic profiling is increasingly being incorporated into routine standard of care.
Automatic scoring of speeded interpersonal assessment center exercises via machine learning: Initial psychometric evidence and practical guidelines
Authors: Hickman Louis , Herde Christoph N. , Lievens Filip , Tay Louis
Published: February 2023

Assessment center (AC) exercises such as role‐plays have established themselves as valuable approaches for obtaining insights into interpersonal behavior, but they are often considered the “Rolls Royce” of personnel assessment due to their high costs. The observation and rating process comprises a substantial part of these costs. In an exploratory case study, we capitalize on recent advances in natural language processing (NLP) by developing NLP‐based machine learning (ML) models to investigate the possibility of automatically scoring AC exercises. First, we compared the convergent‐related validity and contamination with word count of ML scores based on models that used different NLP methods to operationalize verbal behavior. Second, for the model that maximized convergence while minimizing contamination with word count (i.e., a model that used both n‐grams and Universal Sentence Encoder embeddings as predictors), we investigated the criterion‐related validity of its scores. Third, we examined how the interrater reliability of the AC role‐play scores affects ML model convergence. To do so, we applied seven NLP methods to 96 assessees' transcriptions and trained 10 sets of ML models across 18 speeded AC role‐plays to automatically score assessee performance. Results suggest that ML scores recovered most of the original variance in the overall assessment ratings, and replacing one or more human assessors with ML scores maintained criterion‐related validity. Additionally, ML models seemed to exhibit higher convergence when assessors consistently detected and utilized observable behaviors to make ratings (i.e., when interrater reliability was higher). Finally, we provide a step‐by‐step guide for practitioners seeking to implement ML scoring in ACs.
The context of infants' giving gestures in mother‐infant dyads: Typical giving gestures and those contingent on exploration and play
Authors: Orr Edna , Kashy Rosenbaum Gabriela
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to focus on a niche that has not yet been investigated in infants' gesture studies that is the effect of the prior context of one specific gestural behavior (gives) on maternal behavior. For this purpose, we recruited 23 infants at 11 and 13 months of age yielded 246 giving gesture bouts that were performed in three contexts: typical when the object was offered immediately, contingent on exploration, and contingent on play. The analysis revealed that maternal responses to infants' giving gestures varied and were affected by their age and gesture context. Hence, mothers amended their responses according to the background that generated each gesture. The number of verbal responses to infants' giving gestures decreased as the infants aged, whereas the number of pretense responses increased. For infants aged 11 months, mothers generally provided motor responses to typical gestures. However, for infants aged 13 months, this trend declined and was replaced by a strong positive correlation between giving gestures contingent on play and verbal responses. We concluded that the type of activity with objects prior to employing giving gestures could enhance infants' symbolic skills because caregivers monitor the contingent act that yields the gesture that shapes their response.
Structural, optical, and thermodynamic properties of an LiCa2Mg2As3xV3−3xO12 solid‐solution garnet
Authors: Drazin John W. , Eyink Kurt , Hay Randall S.
Published: February 2023

A series of LiCa2Mg2As3xV3−3xO12 garnet powders (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.667, 0.75, and 1) were synthesized using solid‐state reaction from mixed precursor powders. A complete solid‐solution series was found between the endmembers. Energy‐dispersive spectroscopy confirmed the homogeneity of the synthesized garnets. The compositions reversibly melted between 1000 and 1160°C and had low sintering temperatures between 650 and 900°C. Thermal diffusivity, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, density, lattice parameter, thermal expansion, index of refraction, and dispersion were measured from room temperature to 800°C.
Range‐edge populations of seaweeds show niche unfilling and poor adaptation to increased temperatures
Authors: Hernández Sandra , García Ana G. , Arenas Francisco , Escribano M. Pilar , Jueterbock Alexander , De Clerck Olivier , Maggs Christine A. , Franco João N. , Martínez Brezo D. C.
Published: February 2023

Aim

Global warming is affecting the distribution of species worldwide, but the level of adaptation of edge populations to warmer temperatures remains an open question. Here, we assess the thermal tolerance of populations of two habitat‐forming seaweeds along their latitudinal range, using thermal niche unfilling to assess their resilience to global warming.

Location

European Atlantic coastline.

Taxon

Ascophyllum nodosum (Linnaeus) Le Jolis (Phaeophyceae) and Chondrus crispus Stackhouse (Rhodophyta).

Methods

We studied the ecotypic variation in upper survival temperatures (USTs) by measuring survival and growth of adults representing populations under a gradient of seawater temperature (12–30°C). Comparing the USTs with maximum seawater temperatures obtained from satellites, we investigated safety margins and niche unfilling states, both in recent history and under future climate scenarios.

Results

USTs (≈24°C) did not differ significantly between populations, except for higher values (27.9°C) for the northernmost populations (cold edge) of A. nodosum. Populations of both species had thermal safety margins over the last few decades (from 1982 to 2021). However, projections based on USTs showed that in several years these margins have been eliminated and will completely disappear in the Bay of Biscay under RCP4.5 and RCP6.0 2090–2100 IPCC scenarios for C. crispus and under RCP8.5 for both species, threatening the populations there.

Main Conclusions

Southern marginal populations were not better adapted to global warming than populations elsewhere. Both seaweed species tolerated higher temperatures than the ambient maxima, suggesting a thermal niche unfilling state with thermal safety margins in their recent history. However, those are being depleted by ongoing climate change and this trend is predicted to increase. Marine heat waves are important threats to these habitat‐forming species, transiently reducing or even eliminating safety margins in the hottest parts of the European Atlantic coastline, contributing to explaining the distributional gap there.