bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognition and Activity of Daily Living Function in people with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Bode Merle , Kalbe Elke , Liepelt-Scarfone Inga
Published: July 2024

The ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) function is a multifaceted construct that reflects functionality in different daily life situations. The loss of ADL function due to cognitive impairment is the core feature for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). In contrast to Alzheimer’s disease, ADL impairment in PD can be compromised by various factors, including motor and non-motor aspects. This narrative review summarizes the current state of knowledge on the association of cognition and ADL function in people with PD and introduces the concept of “cognitive ADL” impairment for those problems in everyday life that are associated with cognitive deterioration as their primary cause. Assessment of cognitive ADL impairment is challenging because self-ratings, informant-ratings, and performance-based assessments seldomly differentiate between “cognitive” and “motor” aspects of ADL. ADL function in PD is related to multiple cognitive domains, with attention, executive function, and memory being particularly relevant. Cognitive ADL impairment is characterized by behavioral anomalies such as trial-and-error behavior or task step omissions, and is associated with lower engagement in everyday behaviors, as suggested by physical activity levels and prolonged sedentary behavior. First evidence shows that physical and multi-domain interventions may improve ADL function, in general, but the evidence is confounded by motor aspects. Large multicenter randomized controlled trials with cognitive ADL function as primary outcome are needed to investigate which pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions can effectively prevent or delay deterioration of cognitive ADL function, and ultimately the progression and conversion to PDD.
Elective full pulpotomy in mature permanent teeth diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a two years retrospective study
Authors: Jiménez-Martín Cristina , Martín-González Jenifer , Crespo-Gallardo Isabel , Montero-Miralles Paloma , Cabanillas-Balsera Daniel , Segura-Egea Juan J.
Published: July 2024

Aim

To investigate the outcome of elective full pulpotomy, using calcium silicate-based cements (CSBC), after 2 years, in symptomatic mature permanent teeth with carious lesions, diagnosed as irreversible pulpitis, and analyse the capacity of Wolters et al. (2017) classification to predict the likelihood of treatment failure.

Methods

The treatment records of 56 patients with symptomatic mature teeth with carious lesions, diagnosed as irreversible pulpitis and treated by elective full pulpotomy, using CSBCs as pulp capping materials, were reviewed. Thirteen teeth were excluded. The remaining 43 teeth were evaluated retrospectively at 24 months. Fisher`s exact test with the Lancaster’s mid-P adjustment was used to assess different outcomes amongst the diagnostic categories.

Results

Four of the cases failed before 24 months and required root canal treatment (RCT). Overall success rate at 2 years was 90.7% (39 of 43). An inverse, but non-significant, correlation was observed between the severity of pulpitis according to the Wolters classification and the treatment success rate (p > 0.05). The type of CSBC used was associated to the success rate (OR = 10.5; 95% C.I. = 0.5 – 207.4; p = 0.027), being 82% with Endosequence and 100% with Biodentine. Postoperative pain associated significantly to lower success rate (66.7%) (Odds ratio = 8.0; 95% C.I. = 0.7 – 95.9; p = 0.047).

Conclusions

Elective full pulpotomy using a CSBC was a successful choice for the treatment of mature permanent teeth with symptoms indicative of irreversible pulpitis. There were no significant differences between the success rate of mild, moderate and severe pulpitis. Postoperative pain could be considered a risk marker for failure of full pulpotomy. The term “irreversible pulpitis” should be re-signified to indicate the need for access to the pulp chamber, rather than an indication for extraction or RCT.
Synchronous citizen science with dogs
Authors: Pelgrim Madeline H. , Tidd Zachary , Byrne Molly , Johnston Angie M. , Buchsbaum Daphna
Published: July 2024

Citizen science approaches have grown in popularity over the years, partly due to their ability to reach a wider audience and produce more generalizable samples. In dogs, these studies, though, have been limited in their controls over materials or experimental protocols, with guardians typically reporting results without researcher supervision. Over two studies, we explored and validated a synchronous citizen science approach. We had dog guardians act as experimenters while being supervised by a researcher over Zoom. In study 1, we demonstrated that synchronous citizen science produced equivalent levels of performance to in-lab designs in a choice task. Consistent with past in-lab research, dogs selected a treat (vs. an empty plate) in a two-alternative forced-choice task. In study 2, we showed that Zoom methods are also appropriate for studies utilizing looking time measures. We explored dogs’ looking behaviors when a bag of treats was placed in an unreachable location, and dogs’ guardians were either attentive or inattentive while dogs attempted to retrieve the treats. Consistent with past work, dogs in the attentive condition looked at their guardian for longer periods and had a shorter latency to first look than dogs in the inattentive condition. Overall, we have demonstrated that synchronous citizen science studies with dogs are feasible and produce valid results consistent with those found in a typical lab setting.
On circuit diameter bounds via circuit imbalances
Authors: Dadush Daniel , Koh Zhuan Khye , Natura Bento , Végh László A.
Published: July 2024

We study the circuit diameter of polyhedra, introduced by Borgwardt, Finhold, and Hemmecke (SIAM J. Discrete Math.29(1), 113–121 (2015)) as a relaxation of the combinatorial diameter. We show that the circuit diameter of a system$$\{x\in \mathbb {R}^n:\, Ax=b,\, \mathbb {0}\le x\le u\}$${x∈Rn:Ax=b,0≤x≤u}for$$A\in \mathbb {R}^{m\times n}$$A∈Rm×nis bounded by$$O(m\min \{m, n - m\}\log (m+\kappa _A)+n\log n)$$O(mmin{m,n-m}log(m+κA)+nlogn), where$$\kappa _A$$κAis the circuit imbalance measure of the constraint matrix. This yields a strongly polynomial circuit diameter bound if e.g., all entries ofAhave polynomially bounded encoding length inn. Further, we present circuit augmentation algorithms for LPs using the minimum-ratio circuit cancelling rule. Even though the standard minimum-ratio circuit cancelling algorithm is not finite in general, our variant can solve an LP in$$O(mn^2\log (n+\kappa _A))$$O(mn2log(n+κA))augmentation steps.
Guidelines for clinical evaluation of chronic kidney disease in early stages
Authors: Sugawara Yuka , Kanda Eiichiro , Hamano Takayuki , Itano Seiji , Okada Hirokazu , Tomori Koji , Watanabe Yusuke , Asakura Wataru , Isaka Yoshitaka , Iseki Kunitoshi , Usui Tomoko , Suzuki Yusuke , Tanaka Mototsugu , Nishimura Rimei , Fukami Kei , Matsushita Kunihiro , Wada Jun , Watada Hirotaka , Ueki Kohjiro , Kashihara Naoki , Nangaku Masaomi ,   Research Working Group for Establishing Guidelines for Clinical Evaluation of Chronic Kidney Disease
Published: July 2024

Background

For the development of pharmaceutical products in kidney field, appropriate surrogate endpoints which can predict long-term prognosis are needed as an alternative to hard endpoints, such as end-stage kidney disease. Though international workshop has proposed estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) slope reduction of 0.5–1.0 mL/min/1.73 m /year and 30% decrease in albuminuria/proteinuria as surrogate endpoints in early and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), it was not clear whether these are applicable to Japanese patients.

Methods

We analyzed J-CKD-DB and CKD-JAC, Japanese databases/cohorts of CKD patients, and J-DREAMS, a Japanese database of patients with diabetes mellitus to investigate the applicability of eGFR slope and albuminuria/proteinuria to the Japanese population. Systematic review on those endpoints was also conducted including the results of clinical trials published after the above proposal.

Results

Our analysis showed an association between eGFR slope and the risk of end-stage kidney disease. A 30% decrease in albuminuria/proteinuria over 2 years corresponded to a 20% decrease in the risk of end-stage kidney disease patients with baseline UACR ≥ 30 mg/gCre or UPCR ≥ 0.15 g/gCre in the analysis of CKD-JAC, though this analysis was not performed on the other database/cohort. Those results suggested similar trends to those of the systematic review.

Conclusion

The results suggested that eGFR slope and decreased albuminuria/proteinuria may be used as a surrogate endpoint in clinical trials for early CKD (including diabetic kidney disease) in Japanese population, though its validity and cutoff values must be carefully considered based on the latest evidence and other factors.
AI-assisted Segmentation Tool for Brain Tumor MR Image Analysis
Authors: Lee Myungeun , Kim Jong Hyo , Choi Wookjin , Lee Ki Hong
Published: July 2024

TumorPrism3D software was developed to segment brain tumors with a straightforward and user-friendly graphical interface applied to two- and three-dimensional brain magnetic resonance (MR) images. The MR images of 185 patients (103 males, 82 females) with glioblastoma multiforme were downloaded from The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) to test the tumor segmentation performance of this software. Regions of interest (ROIs) corresponding to contrast-enhancing lesions, necrotic portions, and non-enhancing T2 high signal intensity components were segmented for each tumor. TumorPrism3D demonstrated high accuracy in segmenting all three tumor components in cases of glioblastoma multiforme. They achieved a better Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) ranging from 0.83 to 0.91 than 3DSlicer with a DSC ranging from 0.80 to 0.84 for the accuracy of segmented tumors. Comparative analysis with the widely used 3DSlicer software revealed TumorPrism3D to be approximately 37.4% faster in the segmentation process from initial contour drawing to final segmentation mask determination. The semi-automated nature of TumorPrism3D facilitates reproducible tumor segmentation at a rapid pace, offering the potential for quantitative analysis of tumor characteristics and artificial intelligence-assisted segmentation in brain MR imaging.
Exploring the use of Rasch modelling in “common content” items for multi-site and multi-year assessment
Authors: Hope David , Kluth David , Homer Matthew , Dewar Avril , Goddard-Fuller Rikki , Jaap Alan , Cameron Helen
Published: July 2024

Rasch modelling is a powerful tool for evaluating item performance, measuring drift in difficulty over time, and comparing students who sat assessments at different times or at different sites. Here, we use data from thirty UK medical schools to describe the benefits of Rasch modelling in quality assurance and the barriers to using it. Sixty “common content” multiple choice items were offered to all UK medical schools in 2016-17, and a further sixty in 2017-18, with five available in both years. Thirty medical schools participated, for sixty total datasets across two sessions, and 14,342 individual sittings. Schools selected items to embed in written assessment near the end of their programmes. We applied Rasch modelling to evaluate unidimensionality, model fit statistics and item quality, horizontal equating to compare performance across schools, and vertical equating to compare item performance across time. Of the sixty sittings, three provided non-unidimensional data, and eight violated goodness of fit measures. Item-level statistics identified potential improvements in item construction and provided quality assurance. Horizontal equating demonstrated large differences in scores across schools, while vertical equating showed item characteristics were stable across sessions. Rasch modelling provides significant advantages in model- and item- level reporting compared to classical approaches. However, the complexity of the analysis and the smaller number of educators familiar with Rasch must be addressed locally for a programme to benefit. Furthermore, due to the comparative novelty of Rasch modelling, there is greater ambiguity on how to proceed when a Rasch model identifies misfitting or problematic data.
An experimental evaluation of Siamese Neural Networks for robot localization using omnidirectional imaging in indoor environments
Authors: Cabrera Juan José , Román Vicente , Gil Arturo , Reinoso Oscar , Payá Luis
Published: July 2024

The objective of this paper is to address the localization problem using omnidirectional images captured by a catadioptric vision system mounted on the robot. For this purpose, we explore the potential of Siamese Neural Networks for modeling indoor environments using panoramic images as the unique source of information. Siamese Neural Networks are characterized by their ability to generate a similarity function between two input data, in this case, between two panoramic images. In this study, Siamese Neural Networks composed of two Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are used. The output of each CNN is a descriptor which is used to characterize each image. The dissimilarity of the images is computed by measuring the distance between these descriptors. This fact makes Siamese Neural Networks particularly suitable to perform image retrieval tasks. First, we evaluate an initial task strongly related to localization that consists in detecting whether two images have been captured in the same or in different rooms. Next, we assess Siamese Neural Networks in the context of a global localization problem. The results outperform previous techniques for solving the localization task using the COLD-Freiburg dataset, in a variety of lighting conditions, specially when using images captured in cloudy and night conditions.
Domain independent heuristics for online stochastic contingent planning
Authors: Blumenthal Oded , Shani Guy
Published: July 2024

Partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDP) are a useful model for decision-making under partial observability and stochastic actions. Partially Observable Monte-Carlo Planning (POMCP) is an online algorithm for deciding on the next action to perform, using a Monte-Carlo tree search approach, based on the UCT algorithm for fully observable Markov-decision processes. POMCP develops an action-observation tree, and at the leaves, uses a rollout policy to provide a value estimate for the leaf. As such, POMCP is highly dependent on the rollout policy to compute good estimates, and hence identify good actions. Thus, many practitioners who use POMCP are required to create strong, domain-specific heuristics. In this paper, we model POMDPs as stochastic contingent planning problems. This allows us to leverage domain-independent heuristics that were developed in the planning community. We suggest two heuristics, the first is based on the well-known $$h_{add}$$

h

add

heuristic from classical planning, and the second is computed in belief space, taking the value of information into account.
Global species hotspots and COI barcoding cold spots of marine Gastropoda
Authors: Torres Andrew F. , Wangensteen Owen S. , Renema Willem , Meyer Christopher P. , Fontanilla Ian Kendrich C. , Todd Jonathan A.
Published: July 2024

With the on-going efforts in digitising museum collections, increased participation of citizen scientists, and greater accessibility to research data, accurately determining global patterns of diversity has become more achievable. Here, we used occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, with annotation of authoritative taxonomy, to evaluate the taxonomic richness of marine gastropods and to identify global species hotspots for this group. We also reviewed the availability of genetic resources within hotspots to detect potentially important regions where reference sequences for identifying these organisms are wanting. We find 33,268 unique and valid species under 3291 genera belonging to 380 gastropod families that have been recorded from 1662 to 2023. Globally, only 12.1% of reported species are linked to a COI barcode, whilst 27.1% of the families are represented with complete mitogenomes. Georeferenced records show the wide albeit disparate distribution of observations and species counts. The compiled dataset, published by organisations that are restricted to 55 countries, reveal a seeming lack of local submissions, but nonetheless demonstrates the growing contribution of citizen science platforms. We present 28 marine provinces across the globe as putative gastropod species hotspots and call for further work and stronger involvement, particularly within COI barcoding cold spots, to address the observed genetic reference inequity. Lastly, we highlight the important and relevant role of open and inclusive science to biodiversity monitoring and research.
Differences in the seasonal development of perithecia by Neonectria ditissima on apple trees across Northern Europe
Authors: Børve Jorunn , Pampus Katharina , Haikonen Tuuli , Podavkova Andrea , Myren Gaute , Weber Roland W. S.
Published: July 2024

Ascospores discharged at rainfall and dispersed by wind can provide long-distance spread of the European canker fungus, Neonectria ditissima. Ascospores are produced by perithecia which are the sexual reproductive stage. Diffuse knowledge exists on the seasonal pattern of perithecium formation under different climatic conditions. Therefore, the development of perithecia was observed for several successive seasons at five sites in three Northern European countries. In Norway and Finland, ripe perithecia were commonly recorded throughout the year, and on individual cankers continuously for up to 28 months. In contrast, asexual reproductive structures (sporodochia) were confined to the growing season in both countries. In Northern Germany an average of 51% of cankers developed ripe perithecia by late winter, and perithecial senescence ensued in late spring. On average, ripe perithecia were present on cankers for 22 weeks. In contrast, sporodochia were observed all year round. The timing of perithecium maturation correlated with the number of days with > 2 mm rainfall in July–September. The presence of mature perithecia and sporodochia for different lengths of time in different countries has implications for regional disease management strategies.
Fixing Dockerfile smells: an empirical study
Authors: Rosa Giovanni , Zappone Federico , Scalabrino Simone , Oliveto Rocco
Published: July 2024

Docker is the de facto standard for software containerization. A Dockerfile contains the requirements to build a Docker image containing a target application. There are several best practice rules for writing Dockerfiles, but the developers do not always follow them. Violations of such practices, known as Dockerfile smells, can negatively impact the reliability and performance of Docker images. Previous studies showed that Dockerfile smells are widely diffused, and there is a lack of automatic tools that support developers in fixing them. However, it is still unclear what Dockerfile smells get fixed by developers and to what extent developers would be willing to fix smells in the first place. The aim of our study is twofold. First, we want to understand what Dockerfiles smells receive more attention from developers, i.e., are fixed more frequently in the history of open-source projects. Second, we want to check if developers are willing to accept changes aimed at fixing Dockerfile smells (e.g., generated by an automated tool), to understand if they care about them. We evaluated the survivability of Dockerfile smells from a total of 53,456 unique Dockerfiles, where we manually validated a large sample of smell-removing commits to understand (i) if developers performed the change with the intention of removing bad practices, and (ii) if they were aware of the removed smell. In the second part, we used a rule-based tool to automatically fix Dockerfile smells. Then, we proposed such fixes to developers via pull requests. Finally, we quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated the outcome after a monitoring period of more than 7 months. The results of our study showed that most developers pay more attention to changes aimed at improving the performance of Dockerfiles (image size and build time). Moreover, they are willing to accept the fixes for the most common smells, with some exceptions (e.g., missing version pinning for OS packages).
From Research to Practice: Are Multimedia Principles Present in Instructional Videos Used by Teachers in Science and History?
Authors: La Torre Sandra , Désiron Juliette C.
Published: July 2024

Over the past decades, researchers have investigated the effects of multimedia design principles to enhance learning. These evidence-based principles are known to enable students to learn from multimedia resources and support cognitive processing. However, it is unclear if and which of these multimedia design principles are implemented in instructional videos selected by teachers. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the videos screened by secondary school teachers in their classroom are consistent with the multimedia design principles based on the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. For this study a design review of 78 videos was conducted. The findings indicate variations in the application of multimedia principles. While most of the multimedia design principles were present, some were transgressed or absent. Moreover, the presence of the three different groups of principles, based on their impact on the cognitive load (i.e., reducing extraneous processing, managing essential processing, and fostering generative processing) were rarely present in the same video. Finally, this study also revealed that the teachers were actively implementing the multimedia design principles when they screened the videos in the classroom. Indeed, they frequently applied the pre-training principle (e.g., by introducing new words to the students before the screening), the segmentation principle (e.g., by pausing the video during the screening), and the generative activity principle (e.g., by asking students to complete a task during or right after the screening). Thus, the present study not only provides an insight on the design of authentic instructional videos but also highlights the addition of multimedia principles by teachers during the screening.
Adolescent educational and occupational anxiety: A three-dimensional model to fit into an attachment framework
Authors: Mallet Pascal , Vignoli Emmanuelle , Lallemand Noëlle
Published: July 2024

We propose a model of the anxiety adolescents experience about their educational and occupational future that includes three topics they worry about: (a) career failure, (b) parental disappointment, and (c) separation from loved ones to achieve one’s career. A total of 16,663 15-year-old French participants filled out a new anxiety questionnaire and other self-reports. Factor analyses showed that all three topics belong to the same type of anxiety, and suggested that the adolescents’ fear about their career is closely interwoven with parental attachment. This new kind of anxiety varied across gender and was correlated with school-adjustment and personality variables.
A Taxonomy of Home Automation: Expert Perspectives on the Future of Smarter Homes
Authors: FakhrHosseini Shabnam , Lee Chaiwoo , Lee Sheng-Hung , Coughlin Joseph
Published: July 2024

Recent advancements in digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and information and communication technologies (ICT), are transforming homes into interconnected ecosystem of services. Yet, discourse on home technologies remains fragmented due to inconsistent terminologies. This paper addresses the lack of a framework, studying distinctions between smart and non-smart homes and forecasting connectivity and automation growth. Experts (21) participated in online surveys and interviews in 2021, exploring language, structure, and technical/social aspects of basic and smarter homes. Quantitative survey data and qualitative interview analyses yield insights on defining smarter homes, barriers to adoption, and framework improvements to establish universal definitions. This study underscores the urgency of harmonizing language and concepts in the domain of smart homes, revealing user understanding gaps and usability issues as barriers. This bridges gaps for consumer engagement and tech adoption.
La:ZnO nanoparticles: an investigation on structural, optical, and microwave properties
Authors: Sakar Neslihan , Ertekin Zeynep , Oguzlar Sibel , Erol Mustafa
Published: July 2024

This paper presents the utilization of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) during the synthesis of ZnO and La:ZnO with two tasks as a solvent and a fuel source within the gel combustion technique. The use of EGME for this purpose provides one-step production of the nanoparticles (NPs) and saves a considerable amount of time. The detailed characterization of the nanoparticles was carried out by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence (PL), and Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) measurements, respectively. The NPs exhibited a hexagonal wurtzite structure with good crystallinity and a porous spongy morphology. The photoluminescence emission maxima of the synthesized NPs appeared at 500, 560, and 676 nm, upon excitation by the 372 nm of excitation. La:ZnO NPs showed significantly better photoluminescent characteristics than La-free ZnO forms. When excited at the same wavelength, La-free ZnO, 3%, and 7% La:ZnO exhibited 92, 45, and 35 μs average decay times, respectively. Finally, the microwave properties of the relative complex permittivity and permeability characteristics were also investigated and discussed in detail, which were derived from the scattering parameters of S11 and S21 in the X band regime.
An Overview of Tsetse Fly Repellents: Identification and Applications
Authors: Orubuloye Olabimpe Y. , Mbewe Njelembo J. , Tchouassi David P. , Yusuf Abdullahi A. , Pirk Christian W. W. , Torto Baldwyn
Published: July 2024

Tsetse flies are vectors of the parasite trypanosoma that cause the neglected tropical diseases human and animal African trypanosomosis. Semiochemicals play important roles in the biology and ecology of tsetse flies. Previous reviews have focused on olfactory-based attractants of tsetse flies. Here, we present an overview of the identification of repellents and their development into control tools for tsetse flies. Both natural and synthetic repellents have been successfully tested in laboratory and field assays against specific tsetse fly species. Thus, these repellents presented as innovative mobile tools offer opportunities for their use in integrated disease management strategies.
Inexact Fixed-Point Proximity Algorithm for the $$\ell _0$$ Sparse Regularization Problem
Authors: Fang Ronglong , Xu Yuesheng , Yan Mingsong
Published: July 2024

We study inexact fixed-point proximity algorithms for solving a class of sparse regularization problems involving the $$\ell _0$$

ℓ
0

norm. Specifically, the $$\ell _0$$

ℓ
0

model has an objective function that is the sum of a convex fidelity term and a Moreau envelope of the $$\ell _0$$

ℓ
0

norm regularization term. Such an $$\ell _0$$

ℓ
0

model is non-convex. Existing exact algorithms for solving the problems require the availability of closed-form formulas for the proximity operator of convex functions involved in the objective function. When such formulas are not available, numerical computation of the proximity operator becomes inevitable. This leads to inexact iteration algorithms. We investigate in this paper how the numerical error for every step of the iteration should be controlled to ensure global convergence of the inexact algorithms. We establish a theoretical result that guarantees the sequence generated by the proposed inexact algorithm converges to a local minimizer of the optimization problem. We implement the proposed algorithms for three applications of practical importance in machine learning and image science, which include regression, classification, and image deblurring. The numerical results demonstrate the convergence of the proposed algorithm and confirm that local minimizers of the $$\ell _0$$

ℓ
0

models found by the proposed inexact algorithm outperform global minimizers of the corresponding $$\ell _1$$

ℓ
1

models, in terms of approximation accuracy and sparsity of the solutions.
A Cost-Affordable Methodology of 3D Printing of Bone Fractures Using DICOM Files in Traumatology
Authors: Chrz Kristián , Bruthans Jan , Ptáčník Jan , Štuka Čestmír
Published: July 2024

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has gained popularity across various domains but remains less integrated into medical surgery due to its complexity. Existing literature primarily discusses specific applications, with limited detailed guidance on the entire process. The methodological details of converting Computed Tomography (CT) images into 3D models are often found in amateur 3D printing forums rather than scientific literature. To address this gap, we present a comprehensive methodology for converting CT images of bone fractures into 3D-printed models. This involves transferring files in Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format to stereolithography format, processing the 3D model, and preparing it for printing. Our methodology outlines step-by-step guidelines, time estimates, and software recommendations, prioritizing free open-source tools. We also share our practical experience and outcomes, including the successful creation of 72 models for surgical planning, patient education, and teaching. Although there are challenges associated with utilizing 3D printing in surgery, such as the requirement for specialized expertise and equipment, the advantages in surgical planning, patient education, and improved outcomes are evident. Further studies are warranted to refine and standardize these methodologies for broader adoption in medical practice.
FairMOE: counterfactually-fair mixture of experts with levels of interpretability
Authors: Germino Joe , Moniz Nuno , Chawla Nitesh V.
Published: July 2024

With the rise of artificial intelligence in our everyday lives, the need for human interpretation of machine learning models’ predictions emerges as a critical issue. Generally, interpretability is viewed as a binary notion with a performance trade-off. Either a model is fully-interpretable but lacks the ability to capture more complex patterns in the data, or it is a black box. In this paper, we argue that this view is severely limiting and that instead interpretability should be viewed as a continuous domain-informed concept. We leverage the well-known Mixture of Experts architecture with user-defined limits on non-interpretability. We extend this idea with a counterfactual fairness module to ensure the selection of consistently fair experts: FairMOE. We perform an extensive experimental evaluation with fairness-related data sets and compare our proposal against state-of-the-art methods. Our results demonstrate that FairMOE is competitive with the leading fairness-aware algorithms in both fairness and predictive measures while providing more consistent performance, competitive scalability, and, most importantly, greater interpretability.
Investigation of cholinesterase and α-glucosidase enzyme activities, and molecular docking and dft studies for 1,2-disubstituted cyclopentane derivatives with phenyl and benzyl units
Authors: Artunç Tekin , Çetinkaya Yasin , Taslimi Parham , Menzek Abdullah
Published: July 2024

Six known products (4–9) were prepared from reaction of adipoyl chloride with 1,2,3-trimethoxybenzene according to the literature. From (2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)(2-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclopent-1-en-1-yl)methanone (4) of them, four new 1,2-disubstituted cyclopentane derivatives (10–13) with phenyl and benzyl units were synthesized by reactions such as hydrazonation, catalytic hydrogenation and bromination. The obtained compounds 4–13 were examined for their in vitro inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and α-glucosidase enzymes. All compounds 4–13 showed inhibition at nanomolar level with Ki values in the range of 45.53 ± 7.35–631.96 ± 18.88 nM for AChE, 84.30 ± 9.92–622.10 ± 35.14 nM for BChE, and 25.47 ± 4.46–48.87 ± 7.33 for α-Glu. In silico molecular docking studies of the potent compounds were performed in the active sites of AChE (PDB: 1E66), BChE (PDB: 1P0I), and α-glucosidase (PDB: 5ZCC) to compare the effect of bromine atom on the inhibition mechanism. The optimized molecular structures, HOMO–LUMO energies and molecular electrostatic potential maps for the compounds were calculated by using density functional theory with B3LYP/6–31 + G(d,p).
Development and validation of a novel treatment adherence, satisfaction and knowledge questionnaire (TASK-Q) for adult patients with hypothalamic-pituitary disorders
Authors: Llahana Sofia , Yuen Kevin C. J.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Successful treatment outcomes of adults with hypothalamic-pituitary disorders necessitate the adoption of intricate self-management behaviors, yet current scales for evaluating treatment adherence and satisfaction are inadequate for this patient group. This research introduces a novel treatment adherence, satisfaction and knowledge questionnaire (TASK-Q) developed specifically to identify patients’ unmet needs in better assessing and managing these disorders.

Methods

The study was conducted in three phases: (1) generating items and testing content validity, (2) refining these items through a pilot study, and (3) a main study evaluating the psychometric properties of the TASK-Q scale among 262 adults in a Pituitary Nurse-led Clinic, with 152 (58%) patients completing the questionnaire.

Results

Exploratory factor analysis was used to test the factor structure and construct validity of the TASK-Q, revealing a 22-item scale divided into Satisfaction and Knowledge (17 items) and Adherence (5 items) subscales, and exhibiting high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.90). Significant correlations were identified between satisfaction and knowledge (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), satisfaction and adherence (r = 0.23, p = 0.005), and knowledge and adherence (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). Complex treatment regimens, like daily growth hormone injections and adjusting glucocorticoids during illness, negatively affected adherence (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The TASK-Q is a novel validated scale that can effectively evaluate patients’ perspectives on adherence, knowledge and satisfaction. Our findings highlight the significant impact of Advanced Nurse Practitioners in improving patient self-management behaviors, which likely leads to better treatment outcomes for people with hypothalamic-pituitary disorders.
Natural noise management in collaborative recommender systems over time-related information
Authors: Baldán Francisco J. , Yera Raciel , Martínez Luis
Published: July 2024

Recommender systems are currently a suitable alternative for providing easy and appropriate access to information for users in today’s digital information-overloaded world. However, an important drawback of these systems is the inconsistent behavior of users in providing item preferences. To address this issue, several natural noise management (NNM) approaches have been proposed, which positively influence recommendation accuracy. However, a major limitation of such previous works is the disregarding of the time-related information coupled to the rating data in RSs. Based on this motivation, this paper proposes two novel methods, named SeqNNM and SeqNNM-p for NNM focused on an incremental, time-aware recommender system scenario that has not yet been considered, by performing a classification-based NNM over specific preference sequences, driven by their associated timestamps. Such methods have been evaluated by simulating a real-time scenario and using metrics such as mean absolute error, root-mean-square error, precision, recall, NDCG, number of modified ratings, and running time. The obtained experimental results show that in the used settings, it is possible to achieve better recommendation accuracy with a low intrusion degree. Furthermore, the main innovation associated with the overall contribution is the screening of natural noise management approaches to be used on specific preferences subsets, and not over the whole dataset as discussed by previous authors. These proposed approaches allow the use of natural noise management in large datasets, in which it would be very difficult to correct the entire data.
Adsorption and transport of acid dye through polymer inclusion membrane with Aliquat 336 and TBP
Authors: Manzak Aynur , Demirbaş Özlem , Yıldız Yasemin , Teker Murat
Published: July 2024

Colour is typically the initial pollutant identified in wastewater. Membrane separation represents a novel approach to separation processes, with expectations of supplanting many traditional separation systems. The aim of this study is to investigate polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) consisting of tri octyl methyl ammonium chloride as the carrier, tributylphosphate as the modifier, poly-vinyl chloride as the base polymer and 2-Nitro phenyl pentyl ether as the plasticizer for removing an acid dye (Red Erionyl A-3G) from aqueous solution. The dye adsorption on the membrane surface and its transition to the stripping phase was achieved by placing the membrane between two glass cells. Changing the stripping solution ensured both adsorption on the membrane surface and the transfer of all the dye to the stripping stage. Using a mixture of 0.8 M salicylic acid and 0.8 M NaOH, along with stirring at 1000 rpm during the stripping phase, extraction efficiency reached 98% in the feed phase and 53% in the stripping phase. When 1 M NaOH solution was employed as the stripping solution, the membrane absorbed all the dye within 10 minutes, but there was no transition to the stripping phase. The membrane has a durability of 2 days.

Graphical abstract
Generative Modelling of Cortical Receptor Distributions from Cytoarchitectonic Images in the Macaque Brain
Authors: Nebli Ahmed , Schiffer Christian , Niu Meiqi , Palomero-Gallagher Nicola , Amunts Katrin , Dickscheid Timo
Published: July 2024

Neurotransmitter receptor densities are relevant for understanding the molecular architecture of brain regions. Quantitative in vitro receptor autoradiography, has been introduced to map neurotransmitter receptor distributions of brain areas. However, it is very time and cost-intensive, which makes it challenging to obtain whole-brain distributions. At the same time, high-throughput light microscopy and 3D reconstructions have enabled high-resolution brain maps capturing measures of cell density across the whole human brain. Aiming to bridge gaps in receptor measurements for building detailed whole-brain atlases, we study the feasibility of predicting realistic neurotransmitter density distributions from cell-body stainings. Specifically, we utilize conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGANs) to predict the density distributions of the M2 receptor of acetylcholine and the kainate receptor for glutamate in the macaque monkey’s primary visual (V1) and motor cortex (M1), based on light microscopic scans of cell-body stained sections. Our model is trained on corresponding patches from aligned consecutive sections that display cell-body and receptor distributions, ensuring a mapping between the two modalities. Evaluations of our cGANs, both qualitative and quantitative, show their capability to predict receptor densities from cell-body stained sections while maintaining cortical features such as laminar thickness and curvature. Our work underscores the feasibility of cross-modality image translation problems to address data gaps in multi-modal brain atlases.
Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of tumor-associated macrophages in cervical cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Xinmei , Zhan Jijie , Guan Ziting , Zhang Jingwei , Li Tian , Zhong Li , Zhang Changlin , Li Miao
Published: July 2024

Objectives

The role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in cervical cancer (CC) remains controversial. Here, we report a meta-analysis of the association between TAMs infiltration and clinical outcomes.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI were searched systematically from inception until December 20, 2023. Studies involving TAMs and prognosis, clinical, or pathological features were included. Quality assessments of the selected studies were assessed. The fixed-effect or random-effects model, standard mean difference (SMD), odds ratios (OR), or hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as the effect size estimate.

Results

26 eligible studies with 2,295 patients were identified. Our meta-analysis revealed that TAMs were overexpressed in CC (OR = 12.93, 95% CI = 7.73–21.61 and SMD = 1.58, 95% CI = 0.95–2.21) and that elevated TAM levels were strongly associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM) (SMD = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.90–2.01) and FIGO stages (SMD = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.08–0.85). Subgroup analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between LNM and TAMs density in tumor stroma, but not in cancer nests (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.31–0.58). Furthermore, in early stage, a stronger correlation exists between LNM and TAM density (SMD = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.75–1.66). In addition, it revealed that patients with high TAMs expression had poorer overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.55 95% CI = 1.59–4.07) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.40–3.35).

Conclusions

Our analyses suggest that a high density of TAMs predicts adverse outcomes in CC.
Hot and Fresh: Evidence of Climate-Related Suboptimal Water Conditions for Seagrass in a Large Gulf Coast Estuary
Authors: Beck Marcus W. , Flaherty-Walia Kerry , Scolaro Sheila , Burke Maya C. , Furman Bradley T. , Karlen David J. , Pratt Christopher , Anastasiou Christopher J. , Sherwood Edward T.
Published: July 2024

Seagrasses have long been a focal point for management efforts aimed at restoring ecosystem health in estuaries worldwide. In Tampa Bay, Florida (USA), seagrass coverage has declined since 2016 by nearly a third (11,518 acres), despite sustained reductions of nitrogen loads supportive of light environments for growth. Changing physical water quality conditions related to climate change may be stressing seagrasses beyond their optimal growth ranges, requiring an assessment to determine if this decline can be linked to climate stress. Three ambient water quality datasets of varying sampling designs and coverage were evaluated to characterize physicochemical environments in Tampa Bay and the potential relationships with seagrass change. Tampa Bay has become hotter and fresher with water temperature increasing by 0.03–0.04 °C per year and salinity decreasing by 0.04–0.06 ppt per year, translating to an increase of 1.3 to 1.7 °C and a decrease of 1.6 to 2.6 ppt over the last 50 years. Additionally, the number of days when temperature was above 30 °C or salinity was below 25 ppt has increased on average across all bay segments by 48 and 37 days, respectively, since 1975. These changes varied spatially and seasonally, with the most dramatic changes observed in the upper bay. Generalized Additive Models provided a weight-of-evidence that recent seagrass declines are somewhat associated with hotter and fresher conditions. Trends in warming and increased precipitation in the region are likely to continue, further creating suboptimal conditions for seagrasses in Tampa Bay. These results should compel resource managers to consider the likelihood that reduced resilience of estuarine resources due to shifting ecological baselines driven by additional climate change drivers will complicate long-standing management paradigms. While conventional management approaches that focus on limiting nutrient loads should be continued, their future effectiveness may be confounded by climate change drivers and warrant additional, complementary interventions and continuous monitoring data to support ecosystem health into the future.
Variable Effects of Experimental Sea-level Rise Conditions and Invasive Species on California Cordgrass
Authors: Gonzalez Julie A. , Ferner Matthew C. , Grosholz Edwin D.
Published: July 2024

Sea-level rise (SLR) will produce unprecedented changes in tidal marsh systems that already cope with daily tidal fluctuation, disturbances from storms, and salinity changes from droughts and runoff events. Additionally, negative impacts from non-native invasive species may alter marsh plants’ ability to respond to SLR stressors like increased inundation and salinity. Increasingly, tidal marsh communities must tolerate both changes in the physical environment from SLR and increased risk of invasion by non-native species. To assess the response of a threatened tidal marsh cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) to both stressors, we implemented a field experiment in San Francisco Bay, CA, USA, exposing cordgrass to a treatment that extended tidal inundation projected with SLR using a recently developed in situ method. At one of two field sites, we also enclosed the cordgrass with or without the invasive European green crab, Carcinus maenas. We found that cordgrass responded negatively to longer inundation, although these effects varied by site and year. In higher inundation treatments, cordgrass survival increased with increasing surface elevation of the plot. Cordgrass survival was lower in the presence of invasive green crabs relative to controls. We did not find interacting effects of responses to increased inundation and invasive species presence, which highlights the need to consider how latent or sequential effects of multiple stressors may affect ecosystems. This study demonstrates significant biological responses to invasive species presence and increased inundation. Evaluating relative effects and timing of multiple stressors, especially those induced by climate change and invasive species, will help us to manage threatened ecological communities in a changing world.
An evaluation of CNN models and data augmentation techniques in hierarchical localization of mobile robots
Authors: Cabrera Juan José , Céspedes Orlando José , Cebollada Sergio , Reinoso Oscar , Payá Luis
Published: July 2024

This work presents an evaluation of CNN models and data augmentation to carry out the hierarchical localization of a mobile robot by using omnidirectional images. In this sense, an ablation study of different state-of-the-art CNN models used as backbone is presented and a variety of data augmentation visual effects are proposed for addressing the visual localization of the robot. The proposed method is based on the adaption and re-training of a CNN with a dual purpose: (1) to perform a rough localization step in which the model is used to predict the room from which an image was captured, and (2) to address the fine localization step, which consists in retrieving the most similar image of the visual map among those contained in the previously predicted room by means of a pairwise comparison between descriptors obtained from an intermediate layer of the CNN. In this sense, we evaluate the impact of different state-of-the-art CNN models such as ConvNeXt for addressing the proposed localization. Finally, a variety of data augmentation visual effects are separately employed for training the model and their impact is assessed. The performance of the resulting CNNs is evaluated under real operation conditions, including changes in the lighting conditions. Our code is publicly available on the project website https://github.com/juanjo-cabrera/IndoorLocalizationSingleCNN.git.