bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mid‐Term Bidding Strategy for an Energy Internet Zone Based on Distributionally Robust Optimization
Authors: Liu Yangyang , Feng Junmin , Hou Fenglong , Zhou Jiangxin , Yu Feng
Published: July 2023

Energy internet zones (EIZ) supply multiple energy carriers to customers in certain regions. They can achieve high energy efficiency by energy cascade utilization. In mid‐term, they participate in the wholesale market and retail market simultaneously. Customers can shift their energy use among different hours and energy carriers to satisfy demand according to the retail prices. Unfortunately, multiple energy systems and markets bring various uncertainties on demand and prices. In this paper, the weekly bidding strategy for the EIZ is proposed to determine the optimal bilateral contracts to sign and the optimal energy retail prices. In retail market, the satisfaction degree and elasticity matrix describe customers' response. Distributionally robust optimization is adopted to consider the distributional uncertainties of random variables and Worst‐case Conditional Value‐at‐Risk is employed for risk management. The distributional uncertainties of pool prices and elasticity matrix are discussed in this paper. An EIZ in Shanghai, China is adopted to illustrate the proposed strategy. The results have great resistance to distributional uncertainties. The risk aversion and satisfaction degree affect the EIZ's strategy in wholesale market and retail market, respectively. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Evaluation of capsules containing Valeriana fauriei root extract for sleep improvement: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over comparative trial
Authors: Ota Misato , Oiwa Yuki , Maki Yasuhito , Utaka Ichiro , Arima Sachie , Matsuo Yoichi , Makino Toshiaki , Nojiri Shunsuke
Published: July 2023

Aim

This clinical trial aimed to clarify the sleep‐ameliorating effects of capsules containing Valeriana fauriei root (VF) extract and their adverse effects.

Methods

The trial was a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over comparative clinical trial involving participants with an Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) of 6 or higher, selected by prescreening questionnaires. After randomization, the participants took VF (2 g as VF/day) or placebo capsules for two weeks and were asked to complete the Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) sleep questionnaire daily to assess their sleep status and any changes in their physical condition. On the last day of each term, the participants reported their sleep improvement experience.

Results

No significant differences were found between the VF and placebo groups on the OSA sleep questionnaire. Significantly, more participants in the VF‐treated group experienced improvements in sleep onset and quality than those in the placebo group. The sleep onset improved particularly in those with early awakening, whereas the sleep quality particularly improved in those with midnight awakening. Although a few participants experienced physical, gastrointestinal and psychological changes when taking VF capsules, there was no significant difference from the placebo group, and no serious adverse events occurred.

Conclusion

We clinically determined that VF, a folk medicine, improves sleep onset and sleep quality in people with suspected insomnia without serious adverse events at the dosage of 2 g VF/day.
Long‐term outcome in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease evaluated using the canine orthopaedic index
Authors: Engdahl Karolina , Bergström Annika , Höglund Odd , Moldal Elena R. , Emanuelson Ulf , Boge Gudrun S.
Published: July 2023

Background

Cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) is common in dogs, but studies on the long‐term treatment outcome are scarce.

Methods

The long‐term outcome in a cohort of 71 dogs with CCLD treated with tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO, n = 18), tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA, n = 23) or lateral fabellotibial suture (LFS, n = 30) was evaluated using the canine orthopaedic index.

Results

The risk of stiffness and lameness was increased in dogs treated with TPLO (stiffness: incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.33, p = 0.015; lameness: IRR 1.34, p = 0.020) or TTA (stiffness: IRR 1.26, p = 0.035; lameness: IRR 1.31, p = 0.026) when compared to LFS at a median follow‐up time of 4.6 years.

Limitations

No follow‐up veterinary examination was performed. Data were collected from only two university animal hospitals, and thus, a referral bias towards more complicated cases is possible, which may limit the generalisability of the results.

Conclusion

Clinicians can use the results to inform dog owners about the expected long‐term outcome in dogs with CCLD.
Serological survey of Leishmania infantum in apparently healthy dogs in different areas of Spain
Authors: Baxarias Marta , Mateu Cristina , Miró Guadalupe , Solano‐Gallego Laia
Published: July 2023

Background

Canine leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum is an endemic disease in Spain. The dog is considered the main reservoir, and the detection of specific serum antibodies against L. infantum antigen is the most used technique for diagnosing this infection. The LEISCAN LEISHMANIA ELISA test is a commercialized enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for the detection and measurement of canine anti‐Leishmania serum antibodies.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess seroprevalence results of apparently healthy dogs in different areas of Spain using LEISCAN.

Methods

Collection of sera from 5451 apparently healthy dogs was performed between 2020 and 2021 in different areas of Spain. Dogs were of adult age (≥12 months), were not previously diagnosed with clinical leishmaniosis or vaccinated against Leishmania and did not present clinical signs compatible with L. infantum infection. LEISCAN was performed following the manufacturer's protocol.

Results

The overall seroprevalence was 5.5%. The highest seroprevalences were found in the Southeast of Spain: Comunidad Valenciana (14%) and Región de Murcia (14%), whereas the lowest seroprevalences were found in Northern Spain: Galicia (1%), Navarra (2%) and Castilla y León (2%) (p‐value <0.001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, the seroprevalence for L. infantum in apparently healthy dogs in Spain varied from almost no infection to being over 10%.
Modal analysis of an operational offshore wind turbine using enhanced Kalman filter‐based subspace identification
Authors: van Vondelen Aemilius A. W. , Iliopoulos Alexandros , Navalkar Sachin T. , van der Hoek Daan C. , van Wingerden Jan‐Willem
Published: July 2023

Operational modal analysis (OMA) is an essential tool for understanding the structural dynamics of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). However, the classical OMA algorithms require the excitation of the structure to be stationary white noise, which is often not the case for operational OWTs due to the presence of periodic excitation caused by rotor rotation. To address this issue, several solutions have been proposed in the literature, including the Kalman filter‐based stochastic subspace identification (KF‐SSI) method which eliminates harmonics through estimation and orthogonal projection. In this paper, an enhanced version of the KF‐SSI method is presented that involves a concatenation step, allowing multiple datasets with similar environmental conditions to be used in the identification process, resulting in higher precision. This enhanced framework is applied to an operational OWT and compared to other OMA methods, such as the modified least‐squares complex exponential and PolyMAX. Using field data from a multi‐megawatt operational OWT, it is shown that the enhanced framework is able to accurately distinguish the first three bending modes with more stable estimates and lower variance compared to the original KF‐SSI algorithm and follows a similar trend compared to other approaches.
Offene Totalität. Internetprotokolle in der spätkapitalistischen Gesellschaft
Authors: Tuschling Anna
Published: July 2023

Der Beitrag bezieht technische Protokolle in den Protokollbegriff ein. Wichtiges Beispiel hierfür sind die Internetprotokolle, die den Nachrichtenverkehr zwischen vernetzten Computern regeln. Die Internetprotokolle sorgen als eine Art »Transportmechanismus« für Aufbau und Aufrechterhaltung der Computerverbindungen im Netz. In Gestalt der Internetprotokolle findet der Protokollbegriff also nicht lediglich eine Fortsetzung. Vielmehr wird der Begriff des Protokolls noch ausgeweitet. Technische Protokolle haben nicht mehr nur die Aufgabe, durch Vorschriften einen möglichst geordneten Austausch zu gewährleisten, wie es bei diplomatischen oder höfischen Protokollen der Fall ist. Ohne technische Protokolle wäre der Zusammenschluss von Rechnern nicht nur in schlechter oder ungeordneter Weise, sondern gar nicht möglich gewesen.
Reconstructing black hole exteriors and interiors using entanglement and complexity
Authors: Xu Wen-Bin , Wu Shao-Feng
Published: July 2023

Abstract

Based on the AdS/CFT correspondence, we study how to reconstruct bulk spacetime metrics by various quantum information measures on the boundary field theories, which include entanglement entropy, mutual information, entanglement of purification, and computational complexity according to the proposals of complexity=volume 2.0 and complexity=generalized volume. We present several reconstruction methods, all of which are free of UV divergence and most of which are driven by the derivatives of the measures with respect to the boundary scales. We illustrate that the exterior and interior of a black hole can be reconstructed using the measures of spatial entanglement and time-evolved complexity, respectively. We find that these measures always probe the spacetime in a local way: reconstructing the bulk metric in different radial positions requires the information at different boundary scales. We also show that the reconstruction method using complexity=volume 2.0 is the simplest and has a certain strong locality.
Combining QED and QCD transverse-momentum resummation for W and Z boson production at hadron colliders
Authors: Autieri Andrea , Cieri Leandro , Ferrera Giancarlo , Sborlini German F. R.
Published: July 2023

Abstract

In this article, we consider the transverse momentum (qT) distribution of W and Z bosons produced in hadronic collisions. We combine the qT resummation for QED and QCD radiation including the QED soft emissions from the W boson in the final state. In particular, we perform the resummation of enhanced logarithmic contributions due to soft and collinear emissions at next-to-leading accuracy in QED, leading-order accuracy for mixed QED-QCD and next-to-next-to-leading accuracy in QCD. In the small-qT region we consistently include in our results the next-to-next-to-leading order (i.e. two loops) QCD corrections and the next-to-leading order (i.e. one loop) electroweak corrections. The matching with the fixed-order calculation at large qT has been performed at next-to-leading order in QCD (i.e. at $$ \mathcal{O}\left({\alpha}_S^2\right) $$
O

α
S
2

) and at leading order in QED. We show numerical results for W and Z production at the Tevatron and the LHC. Finally, we consider the effect of combined QCD and QED resummation for the ratio of W and Z qT distributions, and we study the impact of the QED corrections providing an estimate of the corresponding perturbative uncertainties.
Circuit complexity for Carrollian Conformal (BMS) field theories
Authors: Bhattacharyya Arpan , Nandi Poulami
Published: July 2023

Abstract

We systematically explore the construction of Nielsen’s circuit complexity to a non-Lorentzian field theory keeping in mind its connection with flat holography. We consider a 2d boundary field theory dual to 3d asymptotically flat spacetimes with infinite-dimensional BMS3 as the asymptotic symmetry algebra. We compute the circuit complexity functional in two distinct ways. For the Virasoro group, the complexity functional resembles the geometric action on its co-adjoint orbit. Using the limiting approach on the relativistic results, we show that it is possible to write BMS complexity in terms of the geometric action on BMS co-adjoint orbit. However, the limiting approach fails to capture essential information about the conserved currents generating BMS supertranslations. Hence, we refine our analysis using the intrinsic approach. Here, we use only the symmetry transformations and group product laws of BMS to write the complexity functional. The refined analysis shows a richer structure than only the geometric action. Lastly, we extremize and solve the equations of motion (for a simple solution) in terms of the group paths and connect our results with available literature.
Neural embedding: learning the embedding of the manifold of physics data
Authors: Park Sang Eon , Harris Philip , Ostdiek Bryan
Published: July 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we present a method of embedding physics data manifolds with metric structure into lower dimensional spaces with simpler metrics, such as Euclidean and Hyperbolic spaces. We then demonstrate that it can be a powerful step in the data analysis pipeline for many applications. Using progressively more realistic simulated collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, we show that this embedding approach learns the underlying latent structure. With the notion of volume in Euclidean spaces, we provide for the first time a viable solution to quantifying the true search capability of model agnostic search algorithms in collider physics (i.e. anomaly detection). Finally, we discuss how the ideas presented in this paper can be employed to solve many practical challenges that require the extraction of physically meaningful representations from information in complex high dimensional datasets.
Stochastic Homogenization of Gaussian Fields on Random Media
Authors: Chiarini Leandro , Ruszel Wioletta M.
Published: July 2023

In this article, we study stochastic homogenization of non-homogeneous Gaussian free fields $$\Xi ^{g,\textbf{a}} $$

Ξ

g
,
a

and bi-Laplacian fields $$\Xi ^{b,\textbf{a}}$$

Ξ

b
,
a

. They can be characterized as follows: for $$f=\delta $$

f
=
δ

the solution u of $$\nabla \cdot \textbf{a} \nabla u =f$$

∇
·
a
∇
u
=
f

, $$\textbf{a}$$
a
is a uniformly elliptic random environment, is the covariance of $$\Xi ^{g,\textbf{a}}$$

Ξ

g
,
a

. When f is the white noise, the field $$\Xi ^{b,\textbf{a}}$$

Ξ

b
,
a

can be viewed as the distributional solution of the same elliptic equation. Our results characterize the scaling limit of such fields on both, a sufficiently regular domain $$D\subset \mathbb {R}^d$$

D
⊂

R

d

, or on the discrete torus. Based on stochastic homogenization techniques applied to the eigenfunction basis of the Laplace operator $$\Delta $$
Δ
, we will show that such families of fields converge to an appropriate multiple of the GFF resp. bi-Laplacian. The limiting fields are determined by their respective homogenized operator $${{\,\mathrm{\bar{\textbf{a}}}\,}}\Delta $$

a

¯

Δ

, with constant $${{\,\mathrm{\bar{\textbf{a}}}\,}}$$

a

¯

depending on the law of the environment $$\textbf{a}$$
a
. The proofs are based on the results found in Armstrong et al. (in: Grundlehren der mathematischen Wissenschaften, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2019) and Gloria et al. (ESAIM Math Model Numer Anal 48(2):325-346, 2014).
Entlassung von Frühgeborenen mit liegender Magensonde
Authors: Krasnitzer-Leitner Franziska , Wald Martin , Hofstätter Edda
Published: July 2023

Hintergrund

Eine komplett selbstständige Nahrungsaufnahme wird bei Frühgeborenen i. Allg. als Voraussetzung für die Entlassung aus dem Krankenhaus angesehen. Die Anforderung, vor der Entlassung das Trinken zu erlernen, stellt eine (übermäßige) Belastung für das Kind, die Eltern und die Familie dar und ist für das Gesundheitssystem mit hohen Kosten verbunden.

Fragestellung

Welche strukturellen Voraussetzungen sind für eine frühzeitige Entlassung eines Frühgeborenen mit einer Ernährungssonde erforderlich?

Material und Methode

Auswertung von klinischen Untersuchungen, Analyse internationaler Richtlinien und Diskussion von Expertenempfehlungen.

Ergebnisse

Eine gut vorbereitete Entlassung des Frühgeborenen mit liegender Magensonde verkürzt den Klinikaufenthalt um Tage bis Wochen. Mit entsprechender Nachbetreuung durch eine spezialisierte mobile Frühgeborenenversorgung ist die Verweildauer der Magensonde mit 2 bis 3 Wochen überschaubar und die Gewichtsentwicklung altersentsprechend.

Schlussfolgerung

Eine liegende Magensonde ist für Frühgeborene kein prinzipielles Entlassungshindernis. Ein begleitendes Case Management, eine fundierte Still- und Laktationsberatung sowie eine auf Frühgeborene spezialisierte mobile Kinderkrankenpflege sind erforderlich, um die für alle Beteiligten erfolgreiche Entlassung eines Frühgeborenen mit liegender Magensonde zu ermöglichen.
Selecting sensitive web info via conditional probabilities to model economics and financial variables
Authors: Monaco Andrea , Perrotta Adamaria , Mulligan Joseph
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we propose a methodology to identify relationships between web data and social/economic variables, such as inflation. Our method enables the selection of relevant time series from a large data sample by employing a criterion based on a few hypotheses regarding their dynamics. Specifically, we examine the correlation between web activities and the dynamics of two macroeconomic variables: the unemployment rate and US automotive sales. We demonstrate how changes in the search volume of specific keywords, as measured by corresponding Google Trends data, are reflected in the underlying dynamics of these variables. The findings presented in this paper, along with the versatility of our approach, suggest the potential extension of this study to other economic variables.
Developmental brain lipidomics is influenced by postnatal chlorpyrifos exposure and APOE genetic background in mice
Authors: Guardia-Escote Laia , Biosca-Brull Judit , Cabré Maria , Blanco Jordi , Mladenova-Koleva Mikaela , Basaure Pia , Pérez-Fernández Cristian , Sánchez-Santed Fernando , Domingo José L. , Colomina Maria Teresa
Published: July 2023

Lipids are a major component of the brain, and are involved in structural and neurodevelopmental processes such as neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and signaling. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is the main lipoprotein involved in lipid transport in the brain. The apoE isoforms can determine vulnerability to the toxic effects of the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF), which can interfere with normal neurodevelopment. We aimed to study the effects of postnatal exposure to CPF and of the APOE genotype on the lipid composition of the brain at early ages. For it, we used apoE3 and apoE4 targeted-replacement (TR) male mice, as well as wild-type C57BL/6. The mice were orally exposed to 1 mg/kg/day of CPF on postnatal days 10–15 and, four hours after the treatment, we obtained samples to assess the cerebral lipid composition. Differences between APOE genotypes were found in the cerebral lipid profile in the postnatal period. ApoE4-TR mice exhibited higher lipid concentrations compared to the other groups in most of the cases. CPF exposure led to a decrease in cholesteryl ester and triglyceride concentrations, while modulating the levels of phosphatidylcholine species based on the apoE isoform. Specifically, CPF treatment decreased the concentration of some species of this lipid (PC30:0, PC31:0, PC32:2, PC36:5, PC40:4 and PC40:5) in C57BL/6 mice exposed to CPF, increased (PC31:0 and PC37:6) in apoE3-TR exposed mice while exposed apoE4-TR mice remained unaltered. These results provide further insights into the lipid composition of the brain at early ages, and how it can be modulated by environmental and genetic factors.
Towards a microfluidic H295R steroidogenesis assay—biocompatibility study and steroid detection on a thiol-ene-based chip
Authors: Despicht Caroline , Munkboel Cecilie H. , Chou Hua Nee , Ertl Peter , Rothbauer Mario , Kutter Jörg P. , Styrishave Bjarne , Kretschmann Andreas
Published: July 2023

The development of cell-based microfluidic assays offers exciting new opportunities in toxicity testing, allowing for integration of new functionalities, automation, and high throughput in comparison to traditional well-plate assays. As endocrine disruption caused by environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals represents a growing global health burden, the purpose of the current study was to contribute towards the miniaturization of the H295R steroidogenesis assay, from the well-plate to the microfluidic format. Microfluidic chip fabrication with the established well-plate material polystyrene (PS) is expensive and complicated; PDMS and thiol-ene were therefore tested as potential chip materials for microfluidic H295R cell culture, and evaluated in terms of cell attachment, cell viability, and steroid synthesis in the absence and presence of collagen surface modification. Additionally, spike-recovery experiments were performed, to investigate potential steroid adsorption to chip materials. Cell aggregation with poor steroid recoveries was observed for PDMS, while cells formed monolayer cultures on the thiol-ene chip material, with cell viability and steroid synthesis comparable to cells grown on a PS surface. As thiol-ene overall displayed more favorable properties for H295R cell culture, a microfluidic chip design and corresponding cell seeding procedure were successfully developed, achieving repeatable and uniform cell distribution in microfluidic channels. Finally, H295R perfusion culture on thiol-ene chips was investigated at different flow rates (20, 10, and 2.5 µL/min), and 13 steroids were detected in eluting cell medium over 48 h at the lowest flow rate. The presented work and results pave the way for a time-resolved microfluidic H295R steroidogenesis assay.

Graphical abstract
Can we skip technetium-99 m sestamibi scintigraphy in pediatric primary hyperparathyroidism patients with positive neck ultrasound results?
Authors: He Yudi , Luo Yanwen , Jin Siqi , Wang Ou , Liao Quan , Zhu Qingli , Liu He
Published: July 2023

Background

Parathyroidectomy is the only curative treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Ultrasound (US) and technetium-99 m sestamibi (99mTc-MIBI) scintigraphy are recommended as the first-line localization imaging modalities for PHPT in adults, but the value of preoperative imaging in pediatric patients has not been reported.

Objective

To evaluate the added value of 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy in pediatric PHPT patients with positive ultrasound results.

Materials and methods

Pediatric patients (≤18 years old) who were diagnosed with PHPT and underwent surgical treatment in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2003 and January 2021 were included in this study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, preoperative localization US, 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy and pathology results were collected. Preoperative localization results were evaluated by comparison with surgical and pathological findings.

Results

There were 32 pediatric PHPT patients with median age of 14.7 ± 2.5 years who all proved to have single-gland disease without ectopic lesions. The median lesion size was 2.85 cm (range 1.0–5.8 cm). All patients underwent US and 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy. Neck US demonstrated 100% sensitivity. Of 32 patients with a positive US, 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy was concordant in 30 (93.8%). In 2 patients (6.3%), US reported suspected multigland disease, which was correctly diagnosed by 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy as single lesions.

Conclusion

In pediatric PHPT patients, US achieved high sensitivity for preoperative localization. 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy for pediatric patients with positive US results would not increase the sensitivity. Implementation of 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy could increase the specificity in pediatric patients with multigland disease suspected by US.

Graphical abstract
Association between ABO blood groups and SARS-CoV-2 infection in blood donors of Puglia region
Authors: Sticchi Damiani Alessia , Zizza Antonella , Banchelli Federico , Gigante Maddalena , De Feo Maria Lucia , Ostuni Angelo , Marinelli Valerio , Quagnano Serena , Negro Pierpaolo , Di Renzo Nicola , Guido Marcello ,   The Seroprevalence COVID Blood Donors Study Group
Published: July 2023

This is an observational multicentric cross-sectional study aiming at assessing the association between ABO blood groups and SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among the blood donors in Puglia region. Data on ABO and Rh blood groups and demographic characteristics were obtained from Blood Bank Information System. All donors were screened for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Comparison of seroprevalence among blood groups and the association between the recorded variables and seroprevalence were evaluated. A total of 35,709 donors from 22 centers were included, with a seroprevalence of 6.8%. The distribution of ABO phenotypes was blood type O (46.8%), A (34.0%), B (14.7%), and AB (4.5%). Among the 2416 donors reactive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG, the prevalent phenotype was blood type O (43.1%), followed by A (37.7%), B (14.2%), and AB (5%). The seroprevalence of phenotype A and AB was 7.5%, followed by B (6.5%) and O (6.2%). According to the adjusted analysis, there was an increase in seroprevalence in groups A and AB, compared to group O, and an increase in males compared to females. A possible effect modification was observed after stratifying for sex (p = 0.0515). A significantly lower prevalence of blood type O was found compared to A and AB, whereas no association was observed between Rh factor and seroprevalence. We hypothesized that the A antigen present in blood type A and AB can play a role in the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 receptors, resulting in an increased risk of infection. Furthermore, natural anti-A/anti-B antibodies produced in group O could block viral adhesion to cells and explain a lower risk of infection.
Laparoscopic versus robotic abdominal and pelvic surgery: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Kawka Michal , Fong Yuman , Gall Tamara M. H.
Published: July 2023

Background

The current evidence is inconclusive on whether robotic or laparoscopic surgery is the optimal platform for minimally invasive surgery. Existing comparisons techniques focus on short-term outcomes only, while potentially being confounded by a lack of standardisation in robotic procedures. There is a pertinent need for an up-to-date comparison between minimally invasive surgical techniques. We aimed to systematically review randomised controlled trials comparing robotic and laparoscopic techniques in major surgery.

Methods

Embase, Medline and Cochrane Library were searched from their inception to 13th September 2022. Included studies were randomised controlled trials comparing robotic and laparoscopic techniques in abdominal and pelvic surgery. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Short-term, health-related quality of life, and long-term, outcomes were analysed.

Results

Forty-five studies, across thirteen procedures, involving 7364 patients were included. All of the studies reported non-significant differences in mortality between robotic and laparoscopic surgery. In majority of studies, there was no significant difference in complication rate (n = 31/35, 85.6%), length of postoperative stay (n = 27/32, 84.4%), and conversion rate (n = 15/18, 83.3%). Laparoscopic surgery was associated with shorter operative time (n = 16/31, 51.6%) and lower total cost (n = 11/13, 84.6%). Twenty three studies reported on quality of life outcomes; majority (n = 14/23, 60.9%) found no significant differences.

Conclusion

There were no significant differences between robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery with regards to mortality and morbidity outcomes in the majority of studies. Robotic surgery was frequently associated with longer operative times and higher overall cost. Selected studies found potential benefits in post-operative recovery time, and patient-reported outcomes; however, these were not consistent across procedures and trials, with most studies being underpowered to detect differences in secondary outcomes. Future research should focus on assessing quality of life, and long-term outcomes to further elucidate where the robotic platform could lead to patient benefits, as the technology evolves.
The optimal treatment of type II and III odontoid fractures in the elderly: an updated meta-analysis
Authors: Huybregts Jeroen G. J. , Barot Karma A. , Recio Camila , Doucette Joanne , Mekary Rania A. , Vleggeert-Lankamp Carmen L. A.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Odontoid fractures are the most common cervical spine fractures in the elderly, with a controversial optimal treatment. The objective of this review was to compare the outcome of surgical and conservative treatments in elderly (≥ 65 years), by updating a systematic review published by the authors in 2013.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted in seven databases. Clinical outcome was the primary outcome. Fracture union- and stability were secondary outcomes. Pooled point estimates and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived using the random-effects model. A random-effects multivariable meta-regression model was used to correct for baseline co-variates when sufficiently reported.

Results

Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria, of which forty were case series and one a cohort study. No clinical differences in outcomes including the Neck Disability Index (NDI, 700 patients), Visual Analogue Scale pain (VAS, 180 patients), and Smiley-Webster Scale (SWS, 231 patients) scores were identified between surgical and conservative treatments. However, fracture union was higher in surgically treated patients (pooled incidence 72.7%, 95% CI 66.1%, 78.5%, 31 studies, 988 patients) than in conservatively treated patients (40.2%, 95% CI 32.0%, 49.0%, 22 studies, 912 patients). This difference remained after correcting for age and fracture type. Fracture stability (41 studies, 1917 patients), although numerically favoring surgery, did not appear to differ between treatment groups.

Conclusion

While surgically treated patients showed higher union rates than conservatively treated patients, no clinically relevant differences were observed in NDI, VAS pain, and SWS scores and stability rates. These results need to be further confirmed in well-designed comparative studies with proper adjustment for confounding, such as age, fracture characteristics, and osteoporosis degree.
Privacy-preserving continuous authentication using behavioral biometrics
Authors: Baig Ahmed Fraz , Eskeland Sigurd , Yang Bian
Published: July 2023

Continuous authentication modalities collect and utilize users’ sensitive data to authenticate them continuously. Such data contain information about user activities, behaviors, and other demographic information, which causes privacy concerns. In this paper, we propose two privacy-preserving protocols that enable continuous authentication while preventing the disclosure of user-sensitive information to an authentication server. We utilize homomorphic cryptographic primitives that protect the privacy of biometric features with an oblivious transfer protocol that enables privacy-preserving information retrieval. We performed the biometric evaluation of the proposed protocols on two datasets, a swipe gesture dataset and a keystroke dynamics dataset. The biometric evaluation shows that the protocols have very good performance. The execution time of the protocols is measured by considering continuous authentication using: only swipe gestures, keystroke dynamics, and hybrid modalities. The execution time proves the protocols are very efficient, even on high-security levels.
Fusion of energy sensors with missing values
Authors: Buonanno Amedeo , Di Gennaro Giovanni , Graditi Giorgio , Nogarotto Antonio , Palmieri Francesco A N , Valenti Maria
Published: July 2023

In Smart Energy Grids, the information flow used to make decisions is the result of fusion of different sources. Communication latency, possible sensor faults and inaccuracies, may negatively impact the data quality and hence the taken decisions. For these reasons, the construction of a robust representation of the input signals that replaces and/or corrects the inaccurate data is crucial for effective classification, anomaly detection and planning. Recent works on Data Fusion and data imputation suggest that the usage of other signals in the same context can empower the representation and can be a useful preprocessing task. In this work we describe an Autoencoder-based data fusion architecture with convolutional layers, skip connections and ad-hoc augmented training sets for data imputation applied to the power consumption measurements obtained by different sub-meters. Among the investigated architectures, the approach with the shared convolutional layers and an augmented dataset that consider missing data in the random positions and located in the central part (AE-A-ALL-CNN), is the most promising one. In presence of one half of the input signal, in the central part, completely erased, it improves the imputation capability, respect to two most employed approaches (denoising autoencoder and MICE) in the average of 12 %.
Bioaugmentation has temporary effect on anaerobic pesticide biodegradation in simulated groundwater systems
Authors: Aldas-Vargas Andrea , Kers Jannigje G. , Smidt Hauke , Rijnaarts Huub H. M. , Sutton Nora B.
Published: July 2023

Groundwater is the most important source for drinking water in The Netherlands. Groundwater quality is threatened by the presence of pesticides, and biodegradation is a natural process that can contribute to pesticide removal. Groundwater conditions are oligotrophic and thus biodegradation can be limited by the presence and development of microbial communities capable of biodegrading pesticides. For that reason, bioremediation technologies such as bioaugmentation (BA) can help to enhance pesticide biodegradation. We studied the effect of BA using enriched mixed inocula in two column bioreactors that simulate groundwater systems at naturally occurring redox conditions (iron and sulfate-reducing conditions). Columns were operated for around 800 days, and two BA inoculations (BA1 and BA2) were conducted in each column. Inocula were enriched from different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) under different redox-conditions. We observed a temporary effect of BA1, reaching 100% removal efficiency of the pesticide 2,4-D after 100 days in both columns. In the iron-reducing column, 2,4-D removal was in general higher than under sulfate-reducing conditions demonstrating the influence of redox conditions on overall biodegradation. We observed a temporary shift in microbial communities after BA1 that is relatable to the increase in 2,4-D removal efficiency. After BA2 under sulfate-reducing conditions, 2,4-D removal efficiency decreased, but no change in the column microbial communities was observed. The present study demonstrates that BA with a mixed inoculum can be a valuable technique for improving biodegradation in anoxic groundwater systems at different redox-conditions.

Graphical abstract
Sustained and Universal Fertility Recuperation in Kazakhstan
Authors: Kan Maxim
Published: July 2023

The fertility rates of Kazakhstan have reversed to levels not seen for several decades. The striking fertility increase poses questions regarding the extent to which this new development is shared across socio-demographic groups and the nature of fertility recuperation. The current study employs UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data and event-history modelling to analyse parity progressions to one, two, three, and four children. The results suggest a sustained fertility increase that is not merely associated with the recuperation of delayed first births, but a genuine increase across all birth orders. This pattern is evident for both main ethnicities in Kazakhstan and across educational groups. The gradual increase of higher-order births, especially among ethnic Kazakhs, indicates a reversed fertility transition and also that the previous fertility decline in the 1990s was not part of a general transition towards below-replacement fertility but rather a reflection of economic crisis after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The SIA Can’t Just Go with the FLO
Authors: Slater Joe
Published: July 2023

Hendricks (2018) has defended an argument that abortion is (usually) immoral, which he calls the impairment argument. This argument purports to apply regardless of the moral status of the fetus. It has recently been bolstered by several amendments from Blackshaw and Hendricks (2021a; 2021b). In this paper, three problems are presented for their Strengthened Impairment Argument (SIA). In the first, it is observed that even with the new modifications the argument, contrary to their insistence, does seem to depend on Marquis’ argument. In order for it not to do so, they would need to provide some other plausible reason why impairing a fetus is wrong that persists in cases of abortion. Because of the restrictions regarding what reasons can be used, they are not entitled to stipulate that some plausible reason can be found. In the second section, the use of an over-ridingness caveat – the most recent modification – is scrutinised. This is shown to either beg the question about the permissibility of abortion by assuming that opposing reasons are insufficient in most cases, or require an entirely separate argument to establish that such reasons are insufficient. Thirdly, I observe that the principle utilised in the latest version of the argument fails to account for undercutting reason, which suggest that the principle, in its current form, is false.
Support-vector classification of low-dose nitrous oxide administration with multi-channel EEG power spectra
Authors: Vrijdag Xavier C. E. , Hallum Luke E. , Tonks Emma I. , van Waart Hanna , Mitchell Simon J. , Sleigh Jamie W.
Published: July 2023

Support-vector machines (SVMs) can potentially improve patient monitoring during nitrous oxide anaesthesia. By elucidating the effects of low-dose nitrous oxide on the power spectra of multi-channel EEG recordings, we quantified the degree to which these effects generalise across participants. In this single-blind, cross-over study, 32-channel EEG was recorded from 12 healthy participants exposed to 0, 20, 30 and 40% end-tidal nitrous oxide. Features of the delta-, theta-, alpha- and beta-band power were used within a 12-fold, participant-wise cross-validation framework to train and test two SVMs: (1) binary SVM classifying EEG during 0 or 40% exposure (chance = 50%); (2) multi-class SVM classifying EEG during 0, 20, 30 or 40% exposure (chance = 25%). Both the binary (accuracy 92%) and the multi-class (accuracy 52%) SVMs classified EEG recordings at rates significantly better than chance (p < 0.001 and p = 0.01, respectively). To determine the relative importance of frequency band features for classification accuracy, we systematically removed features before re-training and re-testing the SVMs. This showed the relative importance of decreased delta power and the frontal region. SVM classification identified that the most important effects of nitrous oxide were found in the delta band in the frontal electrodes that was consistent between participants. Furthermore, support-vector classification of nitrous oxide dosage is a promising method that might be used to improve patient monitoring during nitrous oxide anaesthesia.
Science learning in 3- and 5-year-old children in the same free-choice learning environment on plant diversity
Authors: Sáez-Bondía María José , Mateo Ester , Martín-García Jorge
Published: July 2023

This study responds to the need to produce inviting learning environments that help to build intentional science learning in early childhood education. We present a free-choice science learning environment on plant diversity in the fall. From the moment it was implemented, we analyzed whether children of different educational levels acted in accordance with the objectives put forth in each activity of the environment when they are given free choice. We also explored the potential relationship between achieving the stated objectives and social interactions. The participants were 13 three-year-old children and 14 five-year-old children. The free-choice sessions were video recorded and supplemented with notes taken by three researchers in a field notebook. From the records, we categorized the data according to the actions we expected of the children in each activity, related to how they interacted with the materials and the social interactions that emerged. The results show the influence of social and material interactions, as well as the children’s previous knowledge, in attaining the objectives laid out in the design. Based on these results, we propose some principles and guidelines for designing, implementing and evaluating these learning environments in early childhood education, as well as future lines of research.
Discovery and recognition of formula concepts using machine learning
Authors: Scharpf Philipp , Schubotz Moritz , Cohl Howard S. , Breitinger Corinna , Gipp Bela
Published: July 2023

Citation-based Information Retrieval (IR) methods for scientific documents have proven effective for IR applications, such as Plagiarism Detection or Literature Recommender Systems in academic disciplines that use many references. In science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, researchers often employ mathematical concepts through formula notation to refer to prior knowledge. Our long-term goal is to generalize citation-based IR methods and apply this generalized method to both classical references and mathematical concepts. In this paper, we suggest how mathematical formulas could be cited and define a Formula Concept Retrieval task with two subtasks: Formula Concept Discovery (FCD) and Formula Concept Recognition (FCR). While FCD aims at the definition and exploration of a ‘Formula Concept’ that names bundled equivalent representations of a formula, FCR is designed to match a given formula to a prior assigned unique mathematical concept identifier. We present machine learning-based approaches to address the FCD and FCR tasks. We then evaluate these approaches on a standardized test collection (NTCIR arXiv dataset). Our FCD approach yields a precision of 68% for retrieving equivalent representations of frequent formulas and a recall of 72% for extracting the formula name from the surrounding text. FCD and FCR enable the citation of formulas within mathematical documents and facilitate semantic search and question answering, as well as document similarity assessments for plagiarism detection or recommender systems.
A Method to Correct Steady-State Relative Permeability Measurements for Inhomogeneous Saturation Profiles in One-Dimensional Flow
Authors: Zhang Guanglei , Foroughi Sajjad , Bijeljic Branko , Blunt Martin J.
Published: July 2023

Traditionally, steady-state relative permeability is calculated from measurements on small rock samples using Darcy’s law and assuming a homogenous saturation profile and constant capillary pressure. However, these assumptions are rarely correct as local inhomogeneities exist; furthermore, the wetting phase tends to be retained at the outlet–the so-called capillary end effect. We have introduced a new method that corrects the relative permeabilities, analytically, for an inhomogeneous saturation profile along the flow direction. The only data required are the measured pressure drops for different fractional flow values, an estimate of capillary pressure, and the saturation profiles. An optimization routine is applied to find the range of relative permeability values consistent with the uncertainty in the measured pressure. Assuming a homogenous saturation profile systematically underestimates the relative permeability and this effect is most marked for media where one of the phases is strongly wetting with a noticeable capillary end effect. Relative permeabilities from seven two-phase flow experiments in centimetre-scale samples with different wettability were corrected while reconciling some hitherto apparently contradictory results. We reproduce relative permeabilities of water-wet Bentheimer sandstone that are closer to other measurements in the literature on larger samples than the original analysis. Furthermore, we find that the water relative permeability during waterflooding a carbonate sample with a wide range of pore sizes can be high, due to good connectivity through the microporosity. For mixed-wet media with lower capillary pressure and less variable saturation profiles, the corrections are less significant.
Improving the Removal of Anionic Surfactant in Cardboard Industry Wastewater by Coagulation/Flocculation: Process Optimization with Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Harif S. , Aboulhassan M. A. , Bammou L. , Baicha Zakarya , Fernández Francisco José Hernández
Published: July 2023

Response surface methodology (RSM) and Box–Behnken design (BBD) were investigated to optimize the coagulation–flocculation process (CF) of cardboard industry effluent using polyaluminum chloride (PAC) and cationic polyacrylamides (c-PAM). The aim is to identify the optimum combination of coagulant dose, pH, and flocculant dosage for the highest removal efficacy of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and anionic surfactant removal. According to the results, COD reduction was principally controlled by PAC and c-PAM, while anionic surfactant was affected by pH and PAC. In addition, COD and anionic surfactant removal models fitted well with the experimental results (R2 > 0.85). Coagulation/flocculation using optimum conditions of pH, PAC, and c-PAM led to the total removal of anionic surfactant and the reduction of more than 95% of COD.
Prediction of oxygen supplementation by a deep-learning model integrating clinical parameters and chest CT images in COVID-19
Authors: Kawata Naoko , Iwao Yuma , Matsuura Yukiko , Suzuki Masaki , Ema Ryogo , Sekiguchi Yuki , Sato Hirotaka , Nishiyama Akira , Nagayoshi Masaru , Takiguchi Yasuo , Suzuki Takuji , Haneishi Hideaki
Published: July 2023

Purpose

As of March 2023, the number of patients with COVID-19 worldwide is declining, but the early diagnosis of patients requiring inpatient treatment and the appropriate allocation of limited healthcare resources remain unresolved issues. In this study we constructed a deep-learning (DL) model to predict the need for oxygen supplementation using clinical information and chest CT images of patients with COVID-19.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively enrolled 738 patients with COVID-19 for whom clinical information (patient background, clinical symptoms, and blood test findings) was available and chest CT imaging was performed. The initial data set was divided into 591 training and 147 evaluation data. We developed a DL model that predicted oxygen supplementation by integrating clinical information and CT images. The model was validated at two other facilities (n = 191 and n = 230). In addition, the importance of clinical information for prediction was assessed.

Results

The proposed DL model showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 89.9% for predicting oxygen supplementation. Validation from the two other facilities showed an AUC > 80%. With respect to interpretation of the model, the contribution of dyspnea and the lactate dehydrogenase level was higher in the model.

Conclusions

The DL model integrating clinical information and chest CT images had high predictive accuracy. DL-based prediction of disease severity might be helpful in the clinical management of patients with COVID-19.