bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship Between Diaphragm Thickness, Thickening Fraction, Dome Excursion, and Respiratory Pressures in Healthy Subjects: An Ultrasound Study
Authors: Yamada Toru , Minami Taro , Yoshino Shumpei , Emoto Ken , Mabuchi Suguru , Hanazawa Ryoichi , Hirakawa Akihiro , Hashimoto Masayoshi
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Diaphragm ultrasonography is used to identify causes of diaphragm dysfunction. However, its correlation with pulmonary function tests, including maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory pressures (MEP), remains unclear. This study investigated this relationship by measuring diaphragm thickness, thickening fraction (TF), and excursion (DE) using ultrasonography, and their relationship to MIP and MEP. It also examined the influence of age, sex, height, and BMI on these measures.

Methods

We recruited healthy Japanese volunteers and conducted pulmonary function tests and diaphragm ultrasonography in a seated position. Diaphragm ultrasonography was performed during quiet breathing (QB) and deep breathing (DB) to measure the diaphragm thickness, TF, and DE. A multivariate analysis was conducted, adjusting for age, sex, height, and BMI.

Results

Between March 2022 and January 2023, 109 individuals (56 males) were included from three facilities. The mean (standard deviation) MIP and MEP [cmH2O] were 72.2 (24.6) and 96.9 (35.8), respectively. Thickness [mm] at the end of expiration was 1.7 (0.4), TF [%] was 50.0 (25.9) during QB and 110.7 (44.3) during DB, and DE [cm] was 1.7 (0.6) during QB and 4.4 (1.4) during DB. Multivariate analysis revealed that only DE (DB) had a statistically significant relationship with MIP and MEP (p = 0.021, p = 0.008). Sex, age, and BMI had a statistically significant influence on relationships between DE (DB) and MIP (p = 0.008, 0.048, and < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

In healthy adults, DE (DB) has a relationship with MIP and MEP. Sex, age, and BMI, but not height, are influencing factors on this relationship.
New alginate-gelatine method for casting of staining inside firearm barrels
Authors: Schyma Christian , Berthold Matthias
Published: March 2024

Contact shots to the head often leave behind biological traces inside firearm barrels, a phenomenon of great forensic interest. Until now, the visualization and preservation of these traces presented a significant challenge, lacking a reliable method. This study addresses this gap by searching for a suitable method to extract the traces within a casting. Using alginate or gelatine as suitable materials, the results were hampered by serious adhesion issues and their extraction out of the firearm barrel was impeded. Finally, the combination of 11% gelatine with 1% alginate, introduced into the barrel around a ‘central spine’, succeeded to consistently produce replicable castings. Experimental contact shots displayed a distinct staining gradient from the muzzle to the rear of the barrel, as revealed through endoscopy and proved in the macroscopic casting. The technique proved effective for various common handgun barrels and successfully preserved blood and gunshot residue (GSR) patterns within the barrel. This method offers the dual benefits of visually mapping staining patterns and securing localized samples for targeted molecular genetic analysis in forensic investigations.
The cross talk of ubiquitination and chemotherapy tolerance in colorectal cancer
Authors: Rong Ze , Zheng Kaifeng , Chen Jun , Jin Xiaofeng
Published: March 2024

Ubiquitination, a highly adaptable post-translational modification, plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular protein homeostasis, encompassing cancer chemoresistance-associated proteins. Recent findings have indicated a potential correlation between perturbations in the ubiquitination process and the emergence of drug resistance in CRC cancer. Consequently, numerous studies have spurred the advancement of compounds specifically designed to target ubiquitinates, offering promising prospects for cancer therapy. In this review, we highlight the role of ubiquitination enzymes associated with chemoresistance to chemotherapy via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cell cycle perturbation. In addition, we summarize the application and role of small compounds that target ubiquitination enzymes for CRC treatment, along with the significance of targeting ubiquitination enzymes as potential cancer therapies.
Observational longitudinal study on Toxoplasma gondii infection in fattening beef cattle: serology and associated haematological findings
Authors: Dini Filippo M. , Jacinto Joana G. P. , Cavallini Damiano , Beltrame Andrea , Del Re Flavia S. , Abram Laura , Gentile Arcangelo , Galuppi Roberta
Published: March 2024

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is a globally distributed zoonotic infection with significant implications for human and animal health. This study investigated the prevalence of T. gondii infection in a population of beef cattle at three different stages of their productive lifespan and examined the impact of T. gondii serological status on blood parameters. A commercial beef fattening unit in Italy was the setting for this research, which involved a biosecurity assessment upon cattle arrival, blood sampling at three time points and Toxoplasma-specific serological testing using indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFAT). Results revealed a dynamic pattern of T. gondii seropositivity in cattle, with an initial prevalence of 30.6% at arrival (T0) that increased to 44.6% at 14 days (T1) and then decreased slightly to 39.3% at slaughter after 5 months (T2). Interestingly, seroconversion was observed during the study, indicating ongoing infections, and antibody waning occurred in some animals. In terms of blood parameters, seropositive cattle exhibited significantly lower mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and a higher neutrophil–lymphocyte (N/L) ratio, suggesting an activation of the innate immune response. Furthermore, cattle with higher antibody titres displayed higher neutrophil counts. However, all blood parameters with a statistical significance were within the reference range. This study provides for the first time a longitudinal investigation on the serological status for T. gondii in naturally exposed beef cattle. These findings provide valuable insights into the clinico-pathological aspects of natural T. gondii exposure in cattle and underscore the importance of monitoring and managing T. gondii infection in livestock production systems.
Stereotactic frame-based biopsy of infratentorial lesions via the suboccipital-transcerebellar approach with the Zamorano-Duchovny stereotactic system—a retrospective analysis of 79 consecutive cases
Authors: Kaes Manuel , Beynon Christopher , Kiening Karl , Neumann Jan-Oliver , Jakobs Martin
Published: March 2024

Objective

Lesions of the posterior fossa (brainstem and cerebellum) are challenging in diagnosis and treatment due to the fact that they are often located eloquently and total resection is rarely possible. Therefore, frame-based stereotactic biopsies are commonly used to asservate tissue for neuropathological diagnosis and further treatment determination. The aim of our study was to assess the safety and diagnostic success rate of frame-based stereotactic biopsies for lesions in the posterior fossa via the suboccipital-transcerebellar approach.

Methods

We performed a retrospective database analysis of all frame-based stereotactic biopsy cases at our institution since 2007. The aim was to identify all surgical cases for infratentorial lesion biopsies via the suboccipital-transcerebellar approach. We collected clinical data regarding outcomes, complications, diagnostic success, radiological appearances, and stereotactic trajectories.

Results

A total of n = 79 cases of stereotactic biopsies for posterior fossa lesions via the suboccipital-transcerebellar approach (41 female and 38 male) utilizing the Zamorano-Duchovny stereotactic system were identified. The mean age at the time of surgery was 42.5 years (± 23.3; range, 1–87 years). All patients were operated with intraoperative stereotactic imaging (n = 62 MRI, n = 17 CT). The absolute diagnostic success rate was 87.3%. The most common diagnoses were glioma, lymphoma, and inflammatory disease. The overall complication rate was 8.7% (seven cases). All patients with complications showed new neurological deficits; of those, three were permanent. Hemorrhage was detected in five of the cases having complications. The 30-day mortality rate was 7.6%, and 1-year survival rate was 70%.

Conclusions

Our data suggests that frame-based stereotactic biopsies with the Zamorano-Duchovny stereotactic system via the suboccipital-transcerebellar approach are safe and reliable for infratentorial lesions bearing a high diagnostic yield and an acceptable complication rate. Further research should focus on the planning of safe trajectories and a careful case selection with the goal of minimizing complications and maximizing diagnostic success.
Active model learning of stochastic reactive systems (extended version)
Authors: Muškardin Edi , Tappler Martin , Aichernig Bernhard K. , Pill Ingo
Published: March 2024

Black-box systems are inherently hard to verify. Many verification techniques, like model checking, require formal models as a basis. However, such models often do not exist, or they might be outdated. Active automata learning helps to address this issue by offering to automatically infer formal models from system interactions. Hence, automata learning has been receiving much attention in the verification community in recent years. This led to various efficiency improvements, paving the way toward industrial applications. Most research, however, has been focusing on deterministic systems. In this article, we present an approach to efficiently learn models of stochastic reactive systems. Our approach adapts $$L^*$$

L
∗

-based learning for Markov decision processes, which we improve and extend to stochastic Mealy machines. When compared with previous work, our evaluation demonstrates that the proposed optimizations and adaptations to stochastic Mealy machines can reduce learning costs by an order of magnitude while improving the accuracy of learned models.
Cuproptosis-Related Gene FDX1 Suppresses the Growth and Progression of Colorectal Cancer by Retarding EMT Progress
Authors: Wang Chao , Guo Jingjing , Zhang Yun , Zhou Shusheng , Jiang Bing
Published: March 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a usual cancer and a kind of lethiferous cancer. Cuproptosis-related gene ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) has been discovered to act as a suppressor, thereby suppressing some cancers’ progression. But, the regulatory functions of FDX1 in CRC progression keep vague. In this work, at first, through TCGA database, it was revealed that FDX1 exhibited lower expression in COAD (colon adenocarcinoma) tissues, and CRC patients with lower FDX1 expression had worse prognosis. Furthermore, FDX1 expression was verified to be down-regulated in CRC tissues (n = 30) and cells. It was further uncovered that FDX1 expression was positively correlated with CDH1 and TJP1 (epithelial marker), and negatively correlated with CDH2, TWIST1, and FN1 (stromal marker), suggesting that FDX1 was closely associated with the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) progress. Next, it was demonstrated that overexpression of FDX1 suppressed cell viability, invasion, and migration in CRC. Furthermore, it was verified that FDX1 retarded the EMT progress in CRC. Lastly, through rescue assays, the inhibited CRC progression mediated by FDX1 overexpression was rescued by EGF (EMT inducer) treatment. At last, it was uncovered that the tumor growth and metastasis were relieved after FDX1 overexpression, but these changes were reversed after EGF treatment. In conclusion, FDX1 inhibited the growth and progression of CRC by inhibiting EMT progress. This discovery hinted that FDX1 may act as an effective candidate for CRC treatment.
Germline pathogenic variants associated with triple-negative breast cancer in US Hispanic and Guatemalan women using hospital and community-based recruitment strategies
Authors: Godinez Paredes Jesica M , Rodriguez Isabel , Ren Megan , Orozco Anali , Ortiz Jeremy , Albanez Anaseidy , Jones Catherine , Nahleh Zeina , Barreda Lilian , Garland Lisa , Torres-Gonzalez Edmundo , Wu Dongjing , Luo Wen , Liu Jia , Argueta Victor , Orozco Roberto , Gharzouzi Eduardo , Dean Michael
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Recruit and sequence breast cancer subjects in Guatemalan and US Hispanic populations. Identify optimum strategies to recruit Latin American and Hispanic women into genetic studies of breast cancer.

Methods

We used targeted gene sequencing to identify pathogenic variants in 19 familial breast cancer susceptibility genes in DNA from unselected Hispanic breast cancer cases in the US and Guatemala.

Recruitment across the US was achieved through community-based strategies. In addition, we obtained patients receiving cancer treatment at major hospitals in Texas and Guatemala.

Results

We recruited 287 Hispanic US women, 38 (13%) from community-based and 249 (87%) from hospital-based strategies. In addition, we ascertained 801 Guatemalan women using hospital-based recruitment. In our experience, a hospital-based approach was more efficient than community-based recruitment. In this study, we sequenced 103 US and 137 Guatemalan women and found 11 and 10 pathogenic variants, respectively. The most frequently mutated genes were BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, and ATM. In addition, an analysis of 287 US Hispanic patients with pathology reports showed a significantly higher percentage of triple-negative disease in patients with pathogenic variants (41% vs. 15%). Finally, an analysis of mammography usage in 801 Guatemalan patients found reduced screening in women with a lower socioeconomic status (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Guatemalan and US Hispanic women have rates of hereditary breast cancer pathogenic variants similar to other populations and are more likely to have early age at diagnosis, a family history, and a more aggressive disease. Patient recruitment was higher using hospital-based versus community enrollment. This data supports genetic testing in breast cancer patients to reduce breast cancer mortality in Hispanic women.
Persistent poverty disparities in incidence and outcomes among oral and pharynx cancer patients
Authors: Karanth Shama , Mistry Shilpi , Wheeler Meghann , Akinyemiju Tomi , Divaker Joel , Yang Jae Jeong , Yoon Hyung-Suk , Braithwaite Dejana
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Disparities in oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer based on race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status have been reported, but the impact of living within areas that are persistently poor at the time of diagnosis and outcome is unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether the incidence, 5-year relative survival, stage at diagnosis, and mortality among patients with oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers varied by persistent poverty.

Methods

Data were drawn from the SEER database (2006–2017) and included individuals diagnosed with oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers. Persistent poverty (at census tract) is defined as areas where ≥ 20% of the population has lived below the poverty level for ~ 30 years. Age-adjusted incidence and 5-year survival rates were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the association between persistent poverty and advanced stage cancer. Cumulative incidence and multivariable subdistribution hazard models were used to evaluate mortality risk. In addition, results were stratified by cancer primary site, sex, race/ethnicity, and rurality.

Results

Of the 90,631 patients included in the analysis (61.7% < 65 years old, 71.6% males), 8.8% lived in persistent poverty. Compared to non-persistent poverty, patients in persistent poverty had higher incidence and lower 5-year survival rates. Throughout 10 years, the cumulative incidence of cancer death was greater in patients from persistent poverty and were more likely to present with advanced-stage cancer and higher mortality risk. In the stratified analysis by primary site, patients in persistent poverty with oropharyngeal, oral cavity, and nasopharyngeal cancers had an increased risk of mortality compared to the patients in non-persistent poverty.

Conclusion

This study found an association between oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer outcomes among patients in persistent poverty indicating a multidimensional strategy to improve survival.
How much do we know about the metastatic process?
Authors: Rodriguez-Tirado Carolina , Sosa Maria Soledad
Published: March 2024

Cancer cells can leave their primary sites and travel through the circulation to distant sites, where they lodge as disseminated cancer cells (DCCs), even during the early and asymptomatic stages of tumor progression. In experimental models and clinical samples, DCCs can be detected in a non-proliferative state, defined as cellular dormancy. This state can persist for extended periods until DCCs reawaken, usually in response to niche-derived reactivation signals. Therefore, their clinical detection in sites like lymph nodes and bone marrow is linked to poor survival. Current cancer therapy designs are based on the biology of the primary tumor and do not target the biology of the dormant DCC population and thus fail to eradicate the initial or subsequent waves of metastasis. In this brief review, we discuss the current methods for detecting DCCs and highlight new strategies that aim to target DCCs that constitute minimal residual disease to reduce or prevent metastasis formation. Furthermore, we present current evidence on the relevance of DCCs derived from early stages of tumor progression in metastatic disease and describe the animal models available for their study. We also discuss our current understanding of the dissemination mechanisms utilized by genetically less- and more-advanced cancer cells, which include the functional analysis of intermediate or hybrid states of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Finally, we raise some intriguing questions regarding the clinical impact of studying the crosstalk between evolutionary waves of DCCs and the initiation of metastatic disease.
A service mesh approach to integrate processing patterns into microservices applications
Authors: Nicolas-Plata Antonio , Gonzalez-Compean Jose Luis , Sosa-Sosa Victor Jesus
Published: March 2024

Cloud is the new enabler of data processing, archiving and analyzing, wherein offered services are built with flexible and low-coupling schemes following a microservice architecture, which is commonly managed by service mesh managers. Microservice architecture allows designers to build microservice systems based on design patterns. However, current service mesh managers are based only on pipeline patterns and delegate the construction of other patterns to virtual container managers. This limitation prevents designers from defining new patterns that can provide microservice systems with different features. This paper presents a new approach for constructing microservices systems that integrate processing patterns following a service mesh strategy. This approach will enable designers to create processing patterns not considered in current service meshes and to build designs based on the combination of patterns. The approach proposes the integration of components for implicit handling of processing patterns; this means that service mesh core tasks such as discovery process, microservice coupling and workload management become transparent, eliminating manager or end-user intervention. Encouraging results were obtained, in terms of performance and execution flexibility, in a case study, where a set of existing applications collaborating in a traditional workflow was converted into a microservice application integrating processing patterns (parallel and distributed) generated following this new approach.
The obligation to obey the law: exploring National Differences
Authors: van Rooij Benjamin , Fine Adam , Shalvi Shaul , Feldman Yuval , Scheper Eline , Yunmei Wu , Leib Margarita , Cheng Qian , Wanhong Zhang
Published: March 2024

People vary in the extent to which they generally feel obligated to obey the law. The Obligation to Obey the Law (OOL) plays a major role in how people respond to legal rules and whether they comply or violate such rules. Most existing research on OOL has been non-comparative. The present paper explores national differences in OOL by analyzing data from a survey conducted among a convenience sample (n = 716) of law students in the Netherlands, the US, Israel, and China. In contrast to what existing research on procedural justice and OOL would lead us to expect, the data do not reveal significant differences in OOL across markedly different national populations. It explores why no such differences have been found and what the implications of these findings are for our understanding of OOL and compliance more broadly.
Coalition Stability in International Environmental Matching Agreements
Authors: Süring Charlotte , Weikard Hans-Peter
Published: March 2024

This study presents empirically calibrated simulations of three different variants of environmental matching agreements aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. We determine whether matching agreements can produce larger stable coalitions and increase abatement contributions and payoffs as compared to standard agreements. The matching agreements we analyze feature uniform matching rates by which coalition members match the unconditional contributions of (i) the other coalition members, (ii) all other players, or (iii) only non-members, while non-members do not commit to any matching and maximize their individual payoffs. The simulation considers twelve asymmetric world regions with linear abatement benefits and quadratic costs, calibrated based on the STACO 3 model, and uses emissions data from the shared socioeconomic pathways database. We find that the first variant of the matching game fails to produce any stable coalitions and thus performs worse than the standard agreement that produces a stable two-player coalition. The second variant produces a stable grand coalition and significantly increases the abatement and payoff levels beyond the non-cooperative Nash baseline. Partial coalitions are unstable in this game. The third variant produces a two-player coalition similar to the standard coalition formation game, but with different members and higher abatement and payoff levels due to the matching mechanism.
Continuation of Pediatric Care after Transfer to Adult Care Among Autistic Youth Overlap of Pediatric and Adult Care
Authors: Sirrianni Joseph , Hanks Christopher , Rust Steve , Hart Laura C.
Published: March 2024

The transition from pediatric to adult health care is a vulnerable time period for autistic adolescents and young adults (AYA) and for some autistic AYA may include a period of receiving care in both the pediatric and adult health systems. We sought to assess the proportion of autistic AYA who continued to use pediatric health services after their first adult primary care appointment and to identify factors associated with continued pediatric contact. We analyzed electronic medical record (EMR) data from a cohort of autistic AYA seen in a primary-care-based program for autistic people. Using logistic and linear regression, we assessed the relationship between eight patient characteristics and (1) the odds of a patient having ANY pediatric visits after their first adult appointment and (2) the number of pediatric visits among those with at least one pediatric visit. The cohort included 230 autistic AYA, who were mostly white (68%), mostly male (82%), with a mean age of 19.4 years at the time of their last pediatric visit before entering adult care. The majority (n = 149; 65%) had pediatric contact after the first adult visit. Younger age at the time of the first adult visit and more pediatric visits prior to the first adult visit were associated with continued pediatric contact. In this cohort of autistic AYA, most patients had contact with the pediatric system after their first adult primary care appointment.
Obstetric and maternal outcomes of IVF and oocyte donation pregnancies among women ages 40–45—a large cohort study
Authors: Rahav-Koren Roni , Shalev-Ram Hila , Haikin-Herzberger Einat , Levi Mattan , Wiser Amir , Miller Netanella
Published: March 2024

Purpose

To analyze the perinatal and maternal outcomes of women ranging in age from 40 to 45 years who gave birth after in vitro fertilization or oocyte donation, compared to spontaneous conception.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used electronic data from a national healthcare service from 2000 through 2019. Three groups were compared: spontaneous pregnancy (SC), in vitro fertilization (IVF) utilizing autologous oocytes, and pregnancies resulting from oocyte donation (OD). The primary study outcomes were preterm labor (PTL) before 37 weeks of gestation, and infants classified as small for gestational age (SGA).

Results

The cohort included 26,379 SC, 2237 IVF pregnancies, and 300 OD pregnancies for women ages 40–45 years at delivery. Women with OD or IVF had a higher incidence of PTL < 37 weeks compared to women with SC (19.7% vs. 18% vs. 6.9%, p = 0.001), PTL < 34 (7% vs. 4.5% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.001), PTL < 32 (3.7 vs. 2.1 vs. 0.6, p = 0.001). A multivariable logistic regression for PTL < 37 weeks demonstrated that age (OR = 1.18) and hypertensive diseases (OR = 3.4) were statistically significant factors. The OD group had a lower rate of SGA compared to SC (1% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.001), while the IVF group had a higher rate of SGA compared to SC (9.1% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.001). Hypertensive diseases in pregnancy were significantly higher among the OD group and the IVF group compared to SP pregnancies (3.3% vs. 1%, p = 0.002; 2.3% vs. 1%, p = 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

Women ages 40–45 undergoing IVF or OD have a greater risk of PTL, possibly due to higher rates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
Sparse Resultant-Based Minimal Solvers in Computer Vision and Their Connection with the Action Matrix
Authors: Bhayani Snehal , Heikkilä Janne , Kukelova Zuzana
Published: March 2024

Many computer vision applications require robust and efficient estimation of camera geometry from a minimal number of input data measurements. Minimal problems are usually formulated as complex systems of sparse polynomial equations. The systems usually are overdetermined and consist of polynomials with algebraically constrained coefficients. Most state-of-the-art efficient polynomial solvers are based on the action matrix method that has been automated and highly optimized in recent years. On the other hand, the alternative theory of sparse resultants based on the Newton polytopes has not been used so often for generating efficient solvers, primarily because the polytopes do not respect the constraints amongst the coefficients. In an attempt to tackle this challenge, here we propose a simple iterative scheme to test various subsets of the Newton polytopes and search for the most efficient solver. Moreover, we propose to use an extra polynomial with a special form to further improve the solver efficiency via Schur complement computation. We show that for some camera geometry problems our resultant-based method leads to smaller and more stable solvers than the state-of-the-art Gröbner basis-based solvers, while being significantly smaller than the state-of-the-art resultant-based methods. The proposed method can be fully automated and incorporated into existing tools for the automatic generation of efficient polynomial solvers. It provides a competitive alternative to popular Gröbner basis-based methods for minimal problems in computer vision. Additionally, we study the conditions under which the minimal solvers generated by the state-of-the-art action matrix-based methods and the proposed extra polynomial resultant-based method, are equivalent. Specifically, we consider a step-by-step comparison between the approaches based on the action matrix and the sparse resultant, followed by a set of substitutions, which would lead to equivalent minimal solvers.
Social dynamics in interpersonal emotion regulation: A theoretical framework for understanding direct and indirect other-based processes
Authors: López-Pérez Belén , Polias Shayne , Zuffianò Antonio , Gummerum Michaela
Published: March 2024

Interpersonal emotion regulation involves having emotions changed in a social context. While some research has used the term to refer to instances where others are used to alter one’s own emotions (intrinsic), other research refers to goal-directed actions aimed at modifying others’ emotional responses (extrinsic). We argue that the self-other distinction should be applied not only to the target (who has their emotion regulated) but also to the means (whether the agent uses themselves or others to achieve the regulation). Based on this, we propose interpersonal emotion regulation can take place when an agent changes a target’s emotions by affecting a third party’s emotion who will shift the emotion of the target in turn (direct other-based interpersonal ER) or by impacting a third party’s emotion (indirect other-based interpersonal ER). We discuss these processes and the conditions that lead to their emergence reconciling findings from different fields and suggesting new research venues.
Adjuvant re-irradiation vs. no early re-irradiation of resected recurrent glioblastoma: pooled comparative cohort analysis from two tertiary centers
Authors: Straube Christoph , Combs Stephanie E. , Bernhardt Denise , Gempt Jens , Meyer Bernhard , Zimmer Claus , Schmidt-Graf Friederike , Vajkoczy Peter , Grün Arne , Ehret Felix , Zips Daniel , Kaul David
Published: March 2024

Background

The optimal management strategy for recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) remains uncertain, and the impact of re-irradiation (Re-RT) on overall survival (OS) is still a matter of debate. This study included patients who achieved gross total resection (GTR) after a second surgery after recurrence, following the GlioCave criteria.

Methods

Inclusion criteria include being 18 years or older, having histologically confirmed locally recurrent IDHwt or IDH unknown GBM, achieving MRI-proven GTR after the second surgery, having a Karnofsky performance status of at least 60% after the second surgery, having a minimum interval of 6 months between the first radiotherapy and the second surgery, and a maximum of 8 weeks from second surgery to the start of Re-RT.

Results

A total of 44 patients have met the inclusion criteria. The median OS after the second surgery was 14 months. All patients underwent standard treatment after initial diagnosis, including maximum safe resection, adjuvant radiochemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Re-RT did not significantly impact OS. However, MGMT promoter methylation status and a longer interval (> 12 months) between treatments were associated with better OS. Multivariate analysis revealed the MGMT status as the only significant predictor of OS.

Conclusion

Factors such as MGMT promoter methylation status and treatment interval play crucial roles in determining patient outcomes after second surgery. Personalized treatment strategies should consider these factors to optimize the management of rGBM. Prospective research is needed to define the value of re-RT after second surgery and to inform decision making in this situation.
Women’s Work Characteristics and Fertility Expectations
Authors: Yarger Jennifer , Brauner-Otto Sarah R.
Published: March 2024

Previous research has shown that employment is an important social context affecting fertility, yet relatively little is known about the extent to which work characteristics affect fertility expectations. Using over 25 years of data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we analyzed the associations between part-time work and characteristics associated with autonomy over working time, specifically self-employment and managerial/professional occupation, and childbearing expectations among women ages 18–45 (N = 4,415). Logistic regression models for longitudinal data reveal that work characteristics are significantly associated with fertility expectations, but that the specific nature of the relationship varies by parity. Among women with one child, those working part-time had predicted probabilities of expecting to have additional children that were 2% higher than those working full-time. In contrast, among women without any children, those working part-time had predicted probabilities that were 2% lower than those working full-time. Similar contrasting relationships by parity were found when comparing self-employed women to employees and managers/professionals to those in other occupations. Findings were consistent across racial and ethnic groups. These results suggest that different mechanisms link work characteristics to fertility plans for mothers and non-mothers, specifically that role incompatibility and work-family conflict are more salient for mothers but that financial strain is so for non-mothers.
Traces of Bildung in Upper Secondary Science Education: A Critical Investigation of Chemistry Teachers’ Orientation Towards Promoting Bildung in Chemistry Education
Authors: Clucas Paul , Sjöström Jesper
Published: March 2024

There is a need of a component in science education that can orient students to the complexity characterising the natural sciences position in relation to a globalised risk society and the Anthropocene. Recently, the implications of the German philosophical and educational construct Bildung have been discussed in this regard. In this paper, we investigate in what aspect an orientation towards promoting Bildung manifests in Swedish upper secondary school chemistry teachers’ visions and views for their teaching. In view of the reported impact of neoliberal policy in narrowing the scope of education, with such narrowing possibly excluding dimensions of philosophical-ethical reflection in science teaching, we also investigate in what aspect economic goals associated with neoliberalism might hinder a Bildung orientation in the vision and views of the five chemistry teachers that were interviewed. Results revealed “Bildung-related elements” to be present in the chemistry teaching visions of all the teachers, however without strong Bildung orientation. Significantly, four of the five teachers reported contextual factors consistent with the impact of neoliberal policy in education as marginalising their work to realise Bildung-related elements. In addition, factors outside of teachers’ awareness were also found to marginalise Bildung. Common for all five teachers were neoliberal values at the level of teachers’ implicit beliefs, with our analysis pointing to the possibility that teachers view Bildung-related elements in their chemistry teaching as commodifiable entities. We argue that these implicit beliefs disempower the teachers in relation to a teaching praxis that seeks to guide students towards their own Bildung.
Deep learning-based automatic pipeline for 3D needle localization on intra-procedural 3D MRI
Authors: Zhou Wenqi , Li Xinzhou , Zabihollahy Fatemeh , Lu David S. , Wu Holden H.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Accurate and rapid needle localization on 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is critical for MRI-guided percutaneous interventions. The current workflow requires manual needle localization on 3D MRI, which is time-consuming and cumbersome. Automatic methods using 2D deep learning networks for needle segmentation require manual image plane localization, while 3D networks are challenged by the need for sufficient training datasets. This work aimed to develop an automatic deep learning-based pipeline for accurate and rapid 3D needle localization on in vivo intra-procedural 3D MRI using a limited training dataset.

Methods

The proposed automatic pipeline adopted Shifted Window (Swin) Transformers and employed a coarse-to-fine segmentation strategy: (1) initial 3D needle feature segmentation with 3D Swin UNEt TRansfomer (UNETR); (2) generation of a 2D reformatted image containing the needle feature; (3) fine 2D needle feature segmentation with 2D Swin Transformer and calculation of 3D needle tip position and axis orientation. Pre-training and data augmentation were performed to improve network training. The pipeline was evaluated via cross-validation with 49 in vivo intra-procedural 3D MR images from preclinical pig experiments. The needle tip and axis localization errors were compared with human intra-reader variation using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results

The average end-to-end computational time for the pipeline was 6 s per 3D volume. The median Dice scores of the 3D Swin UNETR and 2D Swin Transformer in the pipeline were 0.80 and 0.93, respectively. The median 3D needle tip and axis localization errors were 1.48 mm (1.09 pixels) and 0.98°, respectively. Needle tip localization errors were significantly smaller than human intra-reader variation (median 1.70 mm; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The proposed automatic pipeline achieved rapid pixel-level 3D needle localization on intra-procedural 3D MRI without requiring a large 3D training dataset and has the potential to assist MRI-guided percutaneous interventions.
Functional determinants for the second variation
Authors: Baranzini Stefano
Published: March 2024

We study the determinant of the second variation of an optimal control problem for general boundary conditions. Generically, these operators are not trace class and the determinant is defined as a principal value limit. We provide a formula to compute this determinant in terms of the linearisation of the extrenal flow. We illustrate the procedure in some special cases, proving some Hill-type formulas.
Retinol binding protein 4 and type 2 diabetes: from insulin resistance to pancreatic β-cell function
Authors: Fan Jiahua , Hu Jinxing
Published: March 2024

Background and aim

Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is an adipokine that has been explored as a key biomarker of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in recent years. Researchers have conducted a series of experiments to understand the interplay between RBP4 and T2DM, including its role in insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell function. The results of these studies indicate that RBP4 has a significant influence on T2DM and is considered a potential biomarker of T2DM. However, there have also been some controversies about the relationship between RBP4 levels and T2DM. In this review, we update and summarize recent studies focused on the relationship between RBP4 and T2DM and its role in insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell function to clarify the existing controversy and provide evidence for future studies. We also assessed the potential therapeutic applications of RBP4 in treating T2DM.

Methods

A narrative review.

Results

Overall, there were significant associations between RBP4 levels, insulin resistance, pancreatic β-cell function, and T2DM.

Conclusions

More mechanistic studies are needed to determine the role of RBP4 in the onset of T2DM, especially in terms of pancreatic β-cell function. In addition, further studies are required to evaluate the effects of drug intervention, lifestyle intervention, and bariatric surgery on RBP4 levels to control T2DM and the role of reducing RBP4 levels in improving insulin sensitivity and pancreatic β-cell function.
Extension-based constructions of locally repairable fractional repetition codes
Authors: Daǧlı Mehmet
Published: March 2024

Fractional Repetition (FR) codes break the data into smaller fragments and distribute these fragments across multiple storage nodes. This paper focuses on extension-based construction methods for obtaining new FR codes from existing FR codes. Additionally, it formulates a particular case of extension codes as an exact cover problem, enabling an algorithmic construction of FR codes.
Vehicle’s Lateral Motion Control Using Dynamic Mode Decomposition Model Predictive Control for Unknown Model
Authors: Kim Guntae , Park Chaehun , Jeong Cheolmin , Kang Chang Mook , Cho Jaeil , Lee Hyungchae , Lee Jaeho , Kang Donghyun
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we present a data-driven modeling method for lateral motion control of unknown vehicle models. Vehicle’s motion can be modeled linearly but this model has complex and nonlinear characteristic. Therefore, it is necessary to know the exact information of the car chassis and requires a knowledge and understanding of dynamics. To solve these drawbacks, we linearly represent full vehicle's lateral dynamics which include nonlinear behavior using dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), one of the data driven modeling methods. To determine the validity of the model obtained using the DMD method, we conducted a simulation of the comparison of the output states between the existing model and the model obtained through DMD modeling, using the scenario of a dynamic maneuver called a double line change during lateral motion of a vehicle. After determination of validation is completed, we designed a lane keeping system by applying a model predictive control to specifically evaluate the model of the proposed method. Performance was derived by comparing the error caused by the vehicle driving on the course with the controller of the simulation. The performance of the proposed approach has been evaluated through simulations and is useful when the model is inaccurate.
Non-metallic decorative inlays in La Tène jewellery - contribution of archaeometry to the understanding of production technologies
Authors: Zlámalová Cílová Zuzana , Čisťakova Viktoria , Brychová Veronika , Lapčák Ladislav , Březinová Gertruda , Kmječ Tomáš , Matoušková Šárka , Čižmářová Hana
Published: March 2024

The study provides a detailed investigation into several representatives of La Tène jewellery. Primarily, it deals with non-metallic decorative inlays from the Late La Tène period, particularly with their application on a metal base. Unique artefacts have been selected for the study, all coming from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A prime representative of the finds is a torc coming from a La Tène burial site in Prague (Czech Republic, Central Europe). In this geographical context, such finds are rather exceptional. The torc examined is remarkable both in terms of its origin and the production technology utilised, namely the application of decorative inlays made of red opaque glass. Available literature classifies this decorative element as an enamel technique. The highly specific type of red soda high-lead glass applied there was examined using LA-ICP-MS. Based on the trace elements detected, it can be established that the glass is most likely related to contemporary Egyptian production. Other items of the artefact set consist of two Münsingen brooches from Moravia and an exceptional brooch from Slovakia. The latter find was found to be decorated with coral (as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy). Besides identifying the materials of the decorations, we were also able to characterize the binder between individual decorative inlays and their metal base. The analysis of the binder has revealed the presence of birch tar (determined by FTIR and GC/MS). The results obtained expand the knowledge about the production technologies applied to the jewellery from the La Tène period.
The technology of polychrome glazed ceramics in Ifriqiya: new data from the site of Chimtou
Authors: Occari V. , Möller H. , Fenwick C. , Quinn P. , Freestone I. C. , Chaouali M. , von Rummel P.
Published: March 2024

Ifriqiya (roughly Tunisia and eastern Algeria) is believed to have played a significant role in the diffusion of ceramic glazed technologies into other regions of the Western Mediterranean. However, due to limited analysis on North African glazed ceramics, its role in technology transfer remains poorly understood. This paper uses SEM–EDS and petrographic analyses to understand the technology employed in the production of Tunisian ceramics through the study of 30 polychrome glazed ceramics from a medieval settlement at the site of Chimtou (ancient Simitthus), Tunisia, dated to the late ninth-twelfth century. The results show that these are lead-rich glazes with varying contents of alkalis, coloured with copper, iron and manganese oxide and applied over a calcareous body. Opaque glazes were obtained using cassiterite crystals as opacifier or by adding crushed quartz. The use of lead stannate as a colourant and opacifier in one light yellow glaze raises questions about the mechanisms of introduction of tin opacification technology in North Africa. Scrap metal seems to have been used as a source of lead for the glazes; while iron slag was probably used as a source of iron to colour the glaze in one sample, pointing to a cross-craft interaction between glazemaking and metallurgy.
Developing a Soil Salinity Model from Landsat 8 Satellite Bands Based on Advanced Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Elshewy Mohamed A. , Mohamed Mostafa H. A. , Refaat Mervat
Published: March 2024

Soil salinity is a significant challenge in numerous regions across the globe, including Egypt. The potential consequences encompass negative impacts on crop yield, human well-being, and eco-logical systems. The utilization of remote sensing and machine learning techniques is increasingly becoming recognized as cost-effective methodologies for the cartographic representation of soil salinity. The present work employed Landsat 8 satellite imaging data and sophisticated machine learning techniques to delineate and assess soil salinity levels in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. In this work, several machine learning techniques were employed to forecast the salinity values of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the designated geographical region. These algorithms encompassed support vector machines (SVM), regression trees, Gaussian linear regression, and tree-based ensemble in addition to linear regression analysis. A variety of instances were generated to develop an optimal model that accurately characterizes the salinity TDS values within the study area. This was achieved by utilizing the band values extracted from the Landsat 8 satellite imagery. The approach that demonstrated the highest performance was observed when employing the Blue, Red, and shortwave infrared bands in conjunction with the SVM-Quadratic SVM model. This particular configuration yielded an R2 value of 0.86 and an RMSE value of 175.98. The findings of this work demonstrate the feasibility of precisely mapping soil salinity through the utilization of Landsat 8 satellite imaging data and machine learning techniques. The provided data can be utilized to identify regions characterized by elevated levels of soil salinity, as well as for the formulation of effective approaches aimed at addressing this issue.
Can AnatomicalTerms.info with its synonyms and succinct open definitions be a solution to address variations in usage of anatomical terminology?
Authors: Gobée O. Paul , Sulaiman Sara , Boaz Noel T. , Mork Amy Lovejoy , Whitmore Ian
Published: March 2024

Anatomy, the study of human structure, is foundational to medicine. Its language has a long history, with contributions from authors hailing from diverse cultures and countries, adhering to various scientific traditions, speaking different languages, and practicing medicine across a wide gamut of specialties. The resultant disparity in terms provides challenges both for students in learning and for interdisciplinary communication. We report here on a user-friendly look-up web site, “AnatomicalTerms.info” that links aTerminologica Anatomicaterm to alternative terms in usage: synonyms, polysemes, eponyms, homonyms, and terms in other languages. Accompanying open-source definitions are generated with the help of “Definition Machine” software, that supports creating the most concise and accessible definitions for anatomical terms, eschewing superfluous description, thus reducing cognitive load of learners of anatomy looking up terms. AnatomicalTerms.info is a readily accessible online source for both the authoritative and alternatively used terms that can accurately cross-reference and/or disambiguate anatomical structures across disciplinary and cultural divides. As such, it can serve as a useful educational and clinical resource that is also flexibly open to additions and expansion as anatomical and clinical needs dictate.