bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comorbid conditions and survival among Black women with ovarian cancer
Authors: Richards Alicia R. , Johnson Courtney E. , Montalvo Nachalie Ramos , Alberg Anthony J. , Bandera Elisa V. , Bondy Melissa , Collin Lindsay J. , Cote Michele L. , Hastert Theresa A. , Haller Kristin , Khanna Namita , Marks Jeffrey R. , Peters Edward S. , Qin Bo , Staples Jeanine , Terry Paul D. , Lawson Andrew , Schildkraut Joellen M. , Peres Lauren C.
Published: January 2025

Background

Black women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) have worse survival and a higher burden of comorbid conditions compared with other racial groups. This study examines the association of comorbid conditions and medication use for these conditions with survival among Black women with EOC.

Methods

In a prospective study of 592 Black women with EOC, the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) based on self‐reported data, three cardiometabolic comorbidities (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia), and medication use for each cardiometabolic comorbidity were evaluated. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the association of comorbid conditions and related medication use with all‐cause mortality while adjusting for relevant covariates overall and by histotype (high‐grade serous [HGS]/carcinosarcoma vs. non‐HGS/carcinosarcoma) and stage (I/II vs. III/IV).

Results

A CCI of ≥2 was observed in 42% of the cohort, and 21%, 67%, and 34% of women had a history of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, respectively. After adjusting for prognostic factors, a CCI ≥2 (vs. 0; hazard ratio [HR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.71) and type 2 diabetes (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.10–1.84) were associated with an increased risk of mortality. The increased risk of mortality for type 2 diabetes was present specifically among women with HGS/carcinosarcoma (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.10–1.97) and among women with stage III/IV disease (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.10–1.98). The authors did not find evidence that hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or medication use for the cardiometabolic comorbidities meaningfully impacted survival.

Conclusion

Comorbid conditions, especially type 2 diabetes, had a significant adverse impact on survival among Black women with EOC.
National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer centers: Significant improvement in mortality and symptom control, further opportunities remain toward health equity
Authors: Barrett Nadine , Mesa Ruben
Published: January 2025

The article by Thamm et al. reports that studies predominantly reported superior outcomes at comprehensive cancer centers (CCCs) compared to non CCCs in metrics related to patient mortality and survival, with non‐CCCs potentially being both more accessible and lower cost. In this editorial, the authors discuss bidirectional collaborative learning opportunities between both type of cancer center that may benefit cancer patients at both types of centers.
Green Tea Catechins as Perpetrators of Drug Pharmacokinetic Interactions
Authors: Kyriacou Nicki M. , Gross Annette S. , McLachlan Andrew J.
Published: January 2025

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a commonly consumed beverage or dietary supplement. As a natural product with a myriad of proposed health benefits, patients are likely to consume green tea while taking their medications unaware of its potential to interact with drugs and influence drug efficacy and safety. Catechins are the abundant polyphenolic compounds in green tea (e.g., (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate), which are reported to influence determinants of drug pharmacokinetics, such as drug solubility and the activity of drug transporters and drug metabolizing enzymes. This review summarized the results of clinical studies investigating the influence of green tea catechins on the pharmacokinetics of clinically used medications. The majority of analyses (72%) reported significant decreases (by 18–99%) in systemic drug exposure with green tea consumption (atorvastatin, celiprolol, digoxin, fexofenadine, folic acid, lisinopril, nadolol, nintedanib, raloxifene, and rosuvastatin). One analysis (6%) reported a 50% increase in drug systemic exposure (sildenafil) and for 22% of analyses drug pharmacokinetics were not affected by green tea consumption (fluvastatin, pseudoephedrine, simvastatin, and tamoxifen). For most drugs reporting an interaction, green tea catechins were proposed to decrease intestinal drug absorption by inhibiting OATP uptake (particularly OATP1A2), enhancing P‐gp efflux activity or reducing drug solubility. Case reports have associated changes in drug pharmacokinetics with green tea consumption to changes in drug efficacy or safety (e.g., nadolol and erlotinib). These findings prompt the need for further research in relating evidence from existing literature to predict additional clinically important green tea–drug interactions and to provide appropriate recommendations for patients and clinicians.
The Shift to Virtual: A Mediator/Program Administrator's Perspective
Authors: Crowley Margaret
Published: January 2025

The COVID‐19 global pandemic thrust conflict resolution into the virtual world. This article is a reflection on the shift from in person to virtual mediation, lessons learned, and predictions for the future of the field.
Unveiling loose smut resistance in Indian bread wheat germplasm: Gene postulation and pedigree analysis
Authors: Bhandhari Divya , Bala Ritu , Srivastava Puja , Kaur Jaspal , Sharma Vineet Kumar
Published: January 2025

The present study is aimed at the postulation of Ut genes in loose smut‐resistant bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes and establishing a correlation with their pedigree. Loose smut caused by Ustilago segetum tritici (Ust) is an internal seed‐borne disease of wheat that can be managed through chemical seed treatment. However, due to the absence of evident symptoms, seed treatment is not a regular practice in the farming community. Thus, the use of resistant cultivars is an efficient and sustainable approach for the management of loose smut of wheat. The majority of current wheat cultivars are susceptible to loose smut. Therefore, there is a pressing need for the development of resistant cultivars, which requires the identification of resistant donors with known resistant genes. In this study, field screening for 3 years resulted in the identification of 124 bread wheat genotypes conferring stable resistance against Ust race T11. Molecular marker‐based identification of Ut genes (Ut4–Ut11) revealed the presence of these genes either singly or in combination in 118 genotypes. Among them, six genotypes showed different combinations of five Ut genes, namely, WH 1218 and HI 1633 (Ut4, Ut6, Ut8, Ut9, Ut11), HD 3377 (Ut4, Ut6, Ut8, Ut9, Ut10), WH 1218 and HI 1633 (Ut4, Ut6, Ut9, Ut10, Ut11), and HD 3226 (Ut4, Ut5, Ut6, Ut9, Ut11). The genotypes with multiple genes for loose smut resistance can be used as donors for transferring the resistance into the high‐yielding cultivars. Furthermore, the pedigree of each genotype was analyzed to find the gene source of the postulated Ut genes. None of the genotypes showed consistent association with the gene source of the postulated Ut gene present in the pedigree. Thus, no association between molecular marker‐based postulation and pedigree of genotypes was inferred. However, the root pedigree of common parents revealed five putative sources of loose smut resistance, that is, Chris, Thatcher, Federation, New‐Thatch, and Ostka‐Galicyjska, in most of the genotypes under evaluation in the present study.
Pipeline ShiftAddNet: An FPGA‐Based CNN Implementation With Low Hardware Consumption Targeting Constrained Devices
Authors: Kiat Wei‐Pau , Kong Lee Wai , Tan Hung‐Khoon , Ng Hui‐Fuang
Published: January 2025

ShiftAddNet is a recently proposed multiplier‐less CNN that replaces conventional multiplication with cheaper shift and add operations, which makes it suitable for hardware implementation. In this paper, we present the first implementation of ShiftAddNet FPGA inference core, which achieves low area consumption and fast computation. ShiftAddNet combined the convolutional layer of the DeepShift‐PS (denoted as Shift‐Accumulate, sac) and AdderNet (denoted as Add‐Accumulate, aac) into a single computational stage. Due to this reason, there are data dependencies between the sac and aac, which prohibits them from being executed in parallel, resulting in more operations compared to other multiplier‐less CNNs like DeepShift‐PS and AdderNet. To overcome this performance bottleneck, we proposed a novel technique to allow pipeline processing between sac and aac, effectively reducing the latency. The proposed ShiftAddNet‐18 was evaluated on a small ResNet‐18, achieving 11.37 ms of latency per image, which is 69.21% faster than the original version that takes 19.24 ms. On a denser network, the proposed pipeline ShiftAddNet‐101 requires only 61.92 ms as compared to the original version of 98.85 ms, showing a latency reduction of 37.1%. Compared to the state‐of‐the‐art multiplier‐less CNN core (e.g., AdderNet), our work is 20% slower in latency but provides higher accuracy and consumes less DSP.
Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration of Solitary Lung Nodules and the Triple Diagnosis Technique: Does Triple Diagnosis Improve Diagnostic Accuracy?
Authors: Sinclair Jason , Preston Peace , Esebua Magda , Nguyen Van , Caruso Carla , Kunin Jeffrey , Layfield Lester J.
Published: January 2025

Background

Endobronchial ultrasound guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS‐TBNA) is the predominant method for investigation of centrally located solitary pulmonary nodules. The method is associated with good to excellent diagnostic sensitivity and specificity with the positive predictive value of the test reaching 100% and reported negative predictive values for FNA of pulmonary nodules ranging from 53% to 97%. The impact of correlating cytologic results with imaging and clinical findings for improvement of negative predictive value has been poorly studied.

Materials and Methods

An electronic search of the cytology records of the University of Missouri was made for all EBUS‐TBNA specimens with surgical pathology follow‐up. The associated imaging and clinical impressions were obtained. The clinical impression/assessment was the assessment given in the clinical summary section of the clinical note. Results of each technique were designated as benign, indeterminate, or malignant. Diagnostic triplets were constructed, and calculation of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value was performed for each modality as well as the triplets.

Results

Search revealed a total of 254 cases with definitive surgical follow up. Thirty‐two of these were excluded because they were either cytologically non‐diagnostic or fell into one of the intermediate categories. One hundred sixty‐three and 84 of these cases had definitive imaging or clinical interpretive results respectively. Definitive diagnostic triplets were obtained in 58 cases (22.8%). Cytology was associated with a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 81.1%. Its positive predictive value was 87.7% and its negative predictive value was 54.5%. Imaging was associated with a sensitivity of 90.7%, a specificity of 22.2%, a positive predictive value of 75.4% and a negative predictive value of 47.6% and these statistics were 96.7%, 33.3%, 78.4%, and 80.0% respectively for clinical analysis. The positive predictive value of a triplet analysis was 92.9% and the negative predictive value was 100%.

Conclusions

Diagnostic triplets were obtainable in only a minority of cases, but they resulted in significant improvement in positive and negative predictive values.
An Inducible Neural Stem Progenitor Cell Model for Testing Therapeutic Interventions Against Neurodegeneration FENIB
Authors: Giustini Alessandro , Maiocchi Alice , Serangeli Ilaria , Pedrini Martina , Quintiliani Anna , Sabato Valentina , Bonato Francesca , Seneci Pierfausto , Lupo Giuseppe , Passarella Daniele , Miranda Elena
Published: January 2025

Familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies (FENIB) is a neurodegenerative pathology caused by accumulation of mutant neuroserpin (NS) polymers inside the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of neurons, leading to cellular toxicity and neuronal death. To date, there is no cure for FENIB, and only palliative care is available for FENIB patients, underlining the urgency to develop therapeutic strategies. The purpose of this work was to create a cellular system designed for testing small molecules able to reduce the formation of NS polymers. Our results show the generation and characterisation of a novel cell culture model for FENIB based on neural stem progenitor cells (NPCs) with inducible expression of either wild type (WT) or G392E NS, a variant that causes severe FENIB. We also report the use of these novel cell lines to explore the effects of four different proteolysis targeting chimaera (PROTAC) compounds, small bivalent molecules engineered to bind to the E3 ubiquitin ligase cereblon, and to NS through a recruiting motif based on the small molecule embelin. This approach aims to enhance the degradation of mutant NS after retro‐translocation to the cytosol by facilitating its targeting to the proteasome. Our results show little toxicity and no variation in NS levels with any of the compounds tested. In conclusion, this work sets the basis for future attempts to identify molecules able to prevent NS accumulation inside the ER of cultured cells.
Compartmentalization Device of Microenvironment for Analyzing iPSCs Differentiation
Authors: Fukai Daiki , Toyoda Taro , Takao Hidekuni , Shimokawa Fusao , Terao Kyohei
Published: January 2025

This paper reports on a microdevice for compartmentalizing the solution microenvironment that can fractionate the space surrounding spheroids during the culture and differentiation processes, with the aim of verifying the effects of cell–cell interactions in the solution microenvironment on iPS cell differentiation. In this paper, we demonstrated that spheroids of iPS cells were successfully formed on the device and fractionated their microenvironment by a detachable compartmentalization frame (DCF) formed by 3D printing technology.
Comparative Context of Hard‐Tissue Sexual Dimorphism in Early Hominins: Implications for Alpha Taxonomy
Authors: Balolia Katharine L. , Wood Bernard
Published: January 2025

Sexual dimorphism is one of the main factors confounding attempts to generate sound alpha taxonomic hypotheses in the early hominin fossil record. To better understand how between‐sex variation may confound alpha taxonomic assessments, we consider some of the factors that drive hard‐tissue sexual dimorphism in extant primates. We review the socioecological correlates of body size sexual dimorphism, how sexual selection may be associated with craniofacial sexual dimorphism in the context of visual signaling, and how sex‐specific patterns of growth and development in primates contribute to intra‐specific variation. To illustrate how variation associated with inferred sexual dimorphism has the potential to confound alpha taxonomic assessments in early hominins, we focus on its impact on our understanding of a single taxon, Paranthropus boisei. We suggest that regions of the skeleton likely to be influenced by sexual selection should be avoided when generating alpha taxonomic hypotheses.
Co‐Benefits of Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency Gains Through Combined Use of Controlled‐Release Urea and Conventional Urea in Rice
Authors: Yang Linsheng , Lakshmanan Prakash , Tu Debao , Sun Xueyuan , Zhou Yongjin , Xu Youzun , Li Zhong , Wu Wenge , Liu Xiaoyan , Luo Ting , Xi Min
Published: January 2025

Combined use of controlled‐release urea and conventional urea (CCU) is considered a practical strategy to simultaneously achieve the dual benefits of crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). However, the overall impact of CCU on rice production is not well understood. A meta‐analysis was conducted to determine the effect of CCU on rice yield and NUE in China. The results revealed that CCU increased rice yield by 6.22% and NUE by 16.5% compared with conventional urea. Significant yield and NUE gains from CCU were evident only when the ratio of controlled‐release urea to total nitrogen input reached 0.6 or above. Rice yield and NUE were increased simultaneously at nitrogen rates ranging from 150 to 225 kg ha−1, with no significant improvement in grain yield and NUE with nitrogen supply beyond 290 and 327 kg ha−1, respectively. In addition, rice yield and NUE were significantly greater with split rather than single application of CCU. Also, rice yield and NUE were increased when mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP) and soil available nitrogen (AN) were more than 10°C, 800 mm, and 50 mg kg−1, respectively. Soil pH and organic matter content were significant determinants of rice yield and NUE gains with CCU. Our findings clearly demonstrate that the combined use of controlled‐release urea and conventional urea will deliver significant gains in rice yield and NUE and that it should be proposed as an effective measure for sustainable rice production.
Bayesian Effect Size Ranking to Prioritise Genetic Risk Variants in Common Diseases for Follow‐Up Studies
Authors: Crouch Daniel J. M. , Inshaw Jamie R. J. , Robertson Catherine C. , Ng Esther , Zhang Jia‐Yuan , Chen Wei‐Min , Onengut‐Gumuscu Suna , Cutler Antony J. , Sidore Carlo , Cucca Francesco , Pociot Flemming , Concannon Patrick , Rich Stephen S. , Todd John A.
Published: January 2025

Biological datasets often consist of thousands or millions of variables, e.g. genetic variants or biomarkers, and when sample sizes are large it is common to find many associated with an outcome of interest, for example, disease risk in a GWAS, at high levels of statistical significance, but with very small effects. The False Discovery Rate (FDR) is used to identify effects of interest based on ranking variables according to their statistical significance. Here, we develop a complementary measure to the FDR, the priorityFDR, that ranks variables by a combination of effect size and significance, allowing further prioritisation among a set of variables that pass a significance or FDR threshold. Applying to the largest GWAS of type 1 diabetes to date (15,573 cases and 158,408 controls), we identified 26 independent genetic associations, including two newly‐reported loci, with qualitatively lower priorityFDRs than the remaining 175 signals. We detected putatively causal type 1 diabetes risk genes using Mendelian Randomisation, and found that these were located disproportionately close to low priorityFDR signals (p = 0.005), as were genes in the IL‐2 pathway (p = 0.003). Selecting variables on both effect size and significance can lead to improved prioritisation for mechanistic follow‐up studies from genetic and other large biological datasets.
WTAP/IGF2BP3 Mediated m6A Modification of SOD2 mRNA Aggravates the Tumourigenesis of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zhou Chengfu , Wang Meng , Du Xinming , Xue Lingkai , Zhu Xiangchao , Li Xiaomin , Zhao Qiang
Published: January 2025

Wilms tumor 1‐associated protein (WTAP) has been validated to be a crucial regulator in the tumorigenesis and advancement of diverse malignancies. This study intended to probe the impacts of WTAP on colorectal cancer (CRC) progression from the perspective of N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification. The differential expression patterns of WTAP in clinical CRC samples and cultured cell lines were validated via qRT‐PCR and western blot. Cell function tests were conducted with colony formation, transwell, and CCK‐8. MeRIP‐qPCR was conducted to identify the WTAP‐mediated SOD2 (Superoxide dismutase 2) mRNA modification in CRC cells. Animal experiments were adopted to evaluate the function of WTAP in vivo. WTAP exhibited high expression pattern in CRC samples along with cells. Silencing of WTAP potently restrained the growth of CRC tumorigenesis in virto and in vivo. Mechanically, SOD2 was identified as an m6A target of WTAP. WTAP‐mediated m6A modification of SOD2 mRNA elevated its stability in an IGF2BP3‐dependent manner. Meanwhile, SOD2 overexpression could reverse the tumor suppressive effect induced by WTAP silencing. Molecular therapy targeting WTAP‐SOD2 may offer novel insights and perspectives for the treatment of CRC.
The Effect of Cryopreservation on T‐Cell Subsets by Flow Cytometry Automated Algorithmic Analysis and Conventional Analysis
Authors: Min Qian , Lv Qiao , Jiang Lu , Chen Qian , Peng Jin , Zhou Hongli , Zhou Ju , Dai Qian , Zhou Jianyun , Huang Qing
Published: January 2025

Background

Low‐temperature cryopreservation is a common method for scientific research and clinical sample preservation when utilizing flow cytometry. In flow cytometry data analysis, traditional manual “gating” is susceptible to past experience and faces the challenge of manual subjective bias, time‐consuming, and multidimensional data analysis. With the development of algorithms, the advantages of dimensionality reduction and clustering in result analysis are gradually becoming more prominent.

Methods

Flow cytometry was used to detect the effects of cryopreservation and freeze–thaw cycle on T‐cell subsets, and to analyze the data using automated algorithmic analysis and conventional manual “gating” methods.

Results

The results showed that the number and viability of cells decreased slightly after one freeze–thaw within 2 weeks of cryopreservation, and there was no significant change in the subpopulation proportions and spatial locations by both analysis methods. The changes were significant with the increase of cryopreservation time and freeze–thaw cycle, which may be due to changes in the molecular conformation of the maker as a result of cryopreservation.

Conclusion

The results indicate that both analysis methods have reached similar conclusions, but the repeatability and objectivity of automated algorithmic analysis have compensated for the uncertainty brought about by the subjective discretization of traditional manual “gating.” In addition, the automated algorithmic analysis more intuitively highlights the spatial positional variations in the relationships between cell populations.
Fabrication of thin‐film composite mixed matrix membrane with 2D magnesium oxide for gas separation application
Authors: Zainuddin Muhd Izzudin Fikry , Ahmad Abdul Latif , Adnan Mohamad Alif
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND

Increased concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission leads to climate change. Hollow‐fibre membrane technology seems feasible due to its high packing density, facile processability and easily tuneable properties. A mixed matrix membrane is designed to overcome the balance of solution–dissolution phenomena. However, ensuring optimized dispersion of fillers at the outermost selective skin layer region appears to be challenging. In this study, a thin‐film composite mixed matrix membrane (TFCMMM) is fabricated with a facile dip‐coating method comprising a PES substrate, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating layer and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanosheet as the additive filler in the coating layer.

RESULTS

The loading of the MgO nanosheet was varied from 0 to 10 wt% in the PDMS coating solution. Mixed gas performance showed a similar trend to the single gas permeation test, with lower gas permeance and selectivity due to the effect of competitive sorption between the binary gas mixtures. The permeance–selectivity trade‐off was absent until the MgO loading of 1.00 wt%, when CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 improved by 35.13% and 27.55%, respectively, over pristine TFCMMM. When the MgO loading was increased beyond 2.5 wt%, filler agglomeration and leaching caused the formation of non‐selective voids, reducing CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 selectivity. The improvement in selectivity observed in this study was due to an increased tortuous pathway of the gas penetrant due to the presence of a high‐aspect‐ratio MgO nanosheet, resulting in slower diffusion of gas through the PDMS selective layer of the TFCMMM.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide additional insights into the fabrication of TFCMMM using an MgO nanosheet as an additive filler in the coating layer, specifically for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 separation. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
H19/miR‐484 axis serves as a candidate biomarker correlated with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Li Yancai , Liu Chunlong , Jin Qianqi , Yu Haizhen , Long Huaijin
Published: January 2025

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appears to be a common neurological developmental deficit disorder in pediatric patients, resulting in a tremendous burden on society.

Purpose

The article aimed to explore early diagnostic markers for ASD.

Methods

Levels of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 and microRNA‐484 (miR‐484) were detected using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The Spearman method was applied for the correlation analysis with ASD severity. To evaluate the role of H19 and miR‐484 role in ASD diagnosis, the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted. Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the targeting relationship between H19 and miR‐484. The functions and pathways related to miR‐484 target genes were annotated by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis.

Results

Elevated H19 levels were detected in ASD patients, which was positively correlated with disease severity. MiR‐484 showed a decreasing trend in ASD patients, while it was negatively related to disease severity. Both H19 and miR‐484 can distinguish ASD cases from controls with an AUC of 0.878 and 0.868, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay determined the target relationship between H19 and miR‐484., and their combination showed the highest diagnostic value for ASD (AUC = 0.906). GO and KEGG analysis demonstrated the targeted genes of miR‐484 were related to the development of ASD, and EIF4G2 and SMARCA2 were the main core genes.

Conclusion

H19 and miR‐484 were dysregulated in ASD patients and were both associated with disease severity. The combined H19 and miR‐484 represented a high diagnostic value for ASD.
AI‐Driven Microscopy: Cutting‐Edge Approach for Breast Tissue Prognosis Using Microscopic Images
Authors: Mahmood Tariq , Saba Tanzila , Al‐Otaibi Shaha , Ayesha Noor , Almasoud Ahmed S.
Published: January 2025

Microscopic imaging aids disease diagnosis by describing quantitative cell morphology and tissue size. However, the high spatial resolution of these images poses significant challenges for manual quantitative evaluation. This project proposes using computer‐aided analysis methods to address these challenges, enabling rapid and precise clinical diagnosis, course analysis, and prognostic prediction. This research introduces advanced deep learning frameworks such as squeeze‐and‐excitation and dilated dense convolution blocks to tackle the complexities of quantifying small and intricate breast cancer tissues and meeting the real‐time requirements of pathological image analysis. Our proposed framework integrates a dense convolutional network (DenseNet) with an attention mechanism, enhancing the capability for rapid and accurate clinical assessments. These multi‐classification models facilitate the precise prediction and segmentation of breast lesions in microscopic images by leveraging lightweight multi‐scale feature extraction, dynamic region attention, sub‐region classification, and regional regularization loss functions. This research will employ transfer learning paradigms and data enhancement methods to enhance the models' learning further and prevent overfitting. We propose the fine‐tuning employing pre‐trained architectures such as VGGNet‐19, ResNet152V2, EfficientNetV2‐B1, and DenseNet‐121, modifying the final pooling layer in each model's last block with an SPP layer and associated BN layer. The study uses labeled and unlabeled data for tissue microscopic image analysis, enhancing models' robust features and classification abilities. This method reduces the costs and time associated with traditional methods, alleviating the burden of data labeling in computational pathology. The goal is to provide a sophisticated, efficient quantitative pathological image analysis solution, improving clinical outcomes and advancing the computational field. The model, trained, validated, and tested on a microscope breast image dataset, achieved recognition accuracy of 99.6% for benign and malignant secondary classification and 99.4% for eight breast subtypes classification. Our proposed approach demonstrates substantial improvement compared to existing methods, which generally report lower accuracies for breast subtype classification ranging between 85% and 94%. This high level of accuracy underscores the potential of our approach to provide reliable diagnostic support, enhancing precision in clinical decision‐making.
Accelerometers can correctly count orthopaedic patients' early post‐operative steps while using walking aids
Authors: Tsamassiotis Spiros , Schwarze Michael , Gehring Philipp , Karkosch Roman F. , Tücking Lars‐René , Einfeldt Ann‐Kathrin , Jakubowitz Eike
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Effective rehabilitation after orthopaedic surgery is critical. The early post‐operative phase is increasingly managed in outpatient settings, necessitating objective measures such as step counts to monitor rehabilitation progress. However, it remains unclear if commercially available wearables or accelerometers using simple algorithms can accurately count steps in early post‐operative conditions. We hypothesised that only accelerometers could accurately determine the number of steps under these conditions.

Methods

This case series involved 20 healthy subjects, 7 female and 13 males, walking in a circle at varying speeds under partial loading with three different walking aids (forearm crutches, walking frame and rolling walker) and four wearables (Vivofit 4, Fenix 3HR, Fitbit Charge 3 and Omron HJ‐325) and one accelerometer (AX6) worn on the wrist, hip and ankle. The two‐point and modified three‐point gait patterns commonly used post‐operatively were simulated. The primary end point was the relative error (RE), defined as RE = (manual count − automated count)/manual count, of each wearable measurement compared to visual and video step counting, the gold standard.

Results

The RE of AX6 and Fitbit was less than 0.1 for all walking aids except the rolling walker, with AX6 showing the lowest standard deviation (SD) compared to other wearables. Other wearables had significantly higher RE. Increased gait speed generally improved accuracy, reducing RE in most devices, except for the AX6, which showed the opposite trend. At 0.6 m/s, only AX6 achieved an RE below 0.1. The ankle was identified as the best measuring location.

Conclusion

During the early post‐operative period, commercial wearables can only accurately count steps under specific conditions and should be used cautiously for monitoring steps in the early post‐operative phase. However, accelerometers with appropriate coding appear suitable for this purpose.

Level of Evidence

Level III diagnostic study.
Synchrony dynamics of dissolved organic carbon in high‐mountain streams: Insights into scale‐dependent processes
Authors: Gómez‐Gener Lluís , Deluigi Nicola , Battin Tom J.
Published: January 2025

In high‐mountain landscapes, organic carbon (OC) is often limited and heterogeneously stored in poorly developed soils, snow, ground ice, and glaciers. Climate change influences the dynamics of OC mobilization to—and processing into—the recipient streams. Dynamics vary from seasonal (e.g., snow melt in spring) to daily (e.g., ice melt in summer) depending on the location of the streams within the catchment. Capturing the temporal richness of stream biogeochemical signals has become a reality with the advent of high‐resolution sensors. In this study, we applied wavelet analysis to high‐frequency discharge (Q) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measurements from nine streams in the Swiss Alps to investigate the persistence of synchrony in Q (SQ) and DOC (SDOC) among streams, and their response to drainage network position, climate, and land cover gradients across different time scales. Our findings revealed that SQ and SDOC decayed non‐linearly over the first ~ 5 km and stabilized from this point onwards, indicating that localized controls influenced synchrony within single basins, but drivers operating at regional scale acted as synchrony stabilizers. We also showed that short‐term (0–10 d) SQ and SDOC were strongly influenced by the distance between streams and network connectivity. In contrast, catchment‐related properties (i.e., altitude or land cover) were more important drivers of SQ and SDOC dynamics at longer time scales (> 50 d). However, the degree to which local catchment properties controlled synchrony patterns at the longest timescales depended both on response variables (i.e., Q vs. DOC) and land cover (i.e., vegetation vs. glacier). Elucidating the most prominent timescales of SDOC is relevant given the hydrological alterations projected for high‐mountain regions. We show that glaciers impose a unique seasonal regime on DOC concentration, potentially overriding the effects of other local hydrological or biogeochemical processes during downstream transport. Consequently, SDOC dynamics in high‐mountain streams may change as glaciers shrink, thereby altering downstream opportunities for biogeochemical transformations.
Achieving over 500% Improvement in Optical Efficiency for VHOE‐Lightguide Near‐Eye Glasses with Exit Pupil Expansion
Authors: Yu Yeh‐Wei , Lin Chung‐Wei , Sun Chi , Lin Wen‐Kai , Su Wei‐Chia , Chang Chih‐Yao , Lai Wen‐Chin , Chen Ching‐Yuan , Lee Tsung‐Xian , Lin Shiuan‐Huei , Cheng Chih‐Yuan , Chen Chih‐Hung , Sun Wen‐Shing , Yang Tsung‐Hsun , Sun Ching‐Cherng
Published: January 2025

This paper proposes an optimized spectrum distribution of the input image to significantly enhance the optical efficiency of volume holographic optical element (VHOE)‐based lightguides with exit pupil expansion (EPE). VHOEs‐based lightguides can suppress the eye‐glow effect and use multiplexing to expand field of view (FOV) with good color performance. Along with the demonstration of good image quality, it makes VHOEs one of the best choices for couplers of EPE lightguide. This method utilizes the Model named “Volume Hologram being an Integrator of the Lights Emitted from Elementary Light Sources (VOHIL)” to derive an analytical solution for the wavelength‐angular degeneracy properties of VHOEs, enabling the authors to calculate the peak wavelength distribution that passes through the lightguide. To prove the concept, by meticulously controlling the wavelength distribution and the full width at half maximum of the input light spectrum with a dispersion holographic optical element, a remarkable increase in efficiency is achieved. This approach yields an optical efficiency of 9% for the lightguide with a 30° FOV, representing a 5.63‐fold improvement over conventional VHOE‐based EPE lightguides. It is three times better than the best record of published efficiency in SRG‐based EPE lightguides. This breakthrough has significant potential for advancing the development of high‐performance, user‐friendly near‐eye glasses.
A Review on the Extraction, Structural Characterization, Function, and Applications of Peptidoglycan
Authors: Yao Xu , Yi Zhongkai , Xu Min , Han Ye
Published: January 2025

Peptidoglycan (PGN) is the primary component of bacterial cell walls, consisting of linear glycan chains formed by alternating linkages of N‐acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N‐acetylmuramic acid (NAM) through glycosidic bonds. It exhibits biological activity in various aspects, making it a biologically significant macromolecule with extensive industrial application. This review aims to explore the latest research advancements in the extraction techniques, structural characterization, functions, and applications of PGN. The review compares the advantages and limitations of traditional chemical lysis methods with modern mechanical‐assisted and bio‐assisted extraction techniques, discusses chemical composition analysis techniques and structural characterization methods of PGN. The review emphasizes the potential of PGN in immune modulation, specific recognition, and adsorption functions. Furthermore, the review examines potential applications of PGN in vaccine development, the livestock industry, the removal of harmful substances, and protein bioprocessing. In the end, based on the current development trend, future research directions for PGN are proposed, including in‐depth studies on the mechanisms of PGN in different hosts and its immunomodulatory effects in various disease models. It is expected that a comprehensive reference framework for the research and application of PGN will be provided through this review, offering ideas and directions for further development and utilization.
An Oriented Interpenetrating Network Structure Multi‐Stimuli Responsive Hydrogel
Authors: Tong Hui , Pan Ziwei , Fu Xie , Zhou Yulong , Zhang Xia , Zhang Kun , Kang Shuai , Luo Jinling , Lu Wenqiang , Douadji Lyes
Published: January 2025

As a recent focal point of research, soft electronics encompass various factors that synergistically enhance their mechanical properties and ensure stable electrical performance. However, challenges such as immiscible conductive fillers, poor phase interfaces, and unstable conductive networks hinder the overall efficacy of these materials. To address these issues, a hydrogel featuring an oriented interpenetrating network structure (OIPN) is developed. The pyrrole monomer is in situ polymerized within the confined space of PVA macromolecular chains at low temperatures, resulting in a double network structure. Subsequently, the conductive hydrogel with an OIPN configuration is synthesized through directional freezing combined with salting out techniques. After doping phytic acid (IP6), non‐covalent bonds dynamically reinforce the dual network architecture and the pathways for conductivity transfer. Due to its distinctive OIPN structure, the hydrogel containing 50% PPy and 2.3% IP6 exhibits remarkable conductivity (75 µs mm−1), excellent stretchability (400%), optimal multi‐stimuli sensing responses (mechanical and gaseous stimuli), and outstanding device stability (over 2600 cycles at 40% strain). This multifunctional hydrogel presents a promising strategy for advancing applications in soft electronic materials.
Technical Pearls for Breast Reconstruction in Low BMI Asian Women With the Profunda Artery Perforator Flap
Authors: Wong Allen Wei‐Jiat , Cheong David Chon‐Fok , Kuo Wen‐Ling , Chen Chia‐Fang , Huang Jung‐Ju
Published: January 2025

Background

The deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap is currently the gold standard for autologous breast reconstruction. In cases where the DIEP is contraindicated, the profunda artery perforator (PAP) flap is now the preferred second‐line option in our institution. The PAP flap poses unique challenges to the reconstructive surgeon, especially in Asian women with low body mass index (BMI). Herein, we share the unique technical pearls when performing breast reconstruction in this population.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort studies, where data were collected on all consecutive patients who underwent breast reconstruction by the senior author, from June 2015 to February 2023. Only patients who underwent the PAP free flap reconstructions were included in this study. The PAP flap design was based on the transverse pattern in the upper medial third of the thigh. The flap is inset in the transverse fashion in the mastectomy pocket, utilizing either the internal mammary pedicle, lateral thoracic pedicle, or the thoracodorsal pedicle.

Results

A total of 32 free PAP flaps were performed for 31 Asian patients. The average age was 39.5 years old (range 25–60), and the average BMI was 21.3 (range 18.5–27.4). An average of 5.0 of myocutaneous perforators (range 1–7) can be identified in each donor site. The average flap was 7.8 cm wide (range 6–10), 21.3 cm long (range 15–30), weighing 259.6 g (range 145–555), with an average of 1.3 perforators (range 1–3) and a pedicle length 5.9 cm (range 4–10). The critical steps to a successful reconstruction with the PAP flap lie with the appropriate patient selection, pre‐operative imaging, flap design, inset, and donor site management.

Conclusions

East Asian women tend to have lower BMI and smaller breasts and are good candidates for the PAP flap.
Perspectives of UK Physiotherapists With Expertise in Rheumatology on the Barriers and Facilitators Influencing the Identification of Axial Spondyloarthritis by First Contact Practitioners in Primary Care: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Jones Carissa , Greene Gerard
Published: January 2025

Background

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) poses a significant diagnostic challenge to health care professionals, with opportunities for early recognition often being missed in primary care. With musculoskeletal First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) rapidly becoming common place in primary care settings, the question is raised as to whether FCPs are adequately considering axSpA as a potential diagnosis. Swift recognition and timely referral are the antecedents to early diagnosis and better outcomes for people with suspected axSpA; therefore, it is imperative that FCPs can readily identify this condition. To date, no research has been conducted to thoroughly understand the determinants influencing axSpA identification by FCPs specifically.

Aim

To explore perceived barriers and facilitators to axSpA identification by FCPs in primary care according to UK physiotherapists with rheumatology expertise.

Method

A qualitative research design was undertaken using a constructivist methodological approach. Data were collected via virtual semi‐structured interviews and analysed using a grounded theory coding strategy to identify key themes.

Results

Ten physiotherapists with expertise in rheumatology were recruited using purposive sampling. Four themes pertaining to barriers were identified: (1) disease‐specific factors, (2) patient factors, (3) clinician factors, and (4) system factors. Five themes relating to facilitators emerged: (1) education and training, (2) axSpA screening, (3) referral pathways, (4) clinical governance around the FCP role, and (5) peer support.

Conclusion

Study findings highlight a multitude of barriers that may impede the identification of axSpA by FCPs. Participants also proposed several solutions to help overcome these obstacles, thereby facilitating earlier diagnosis for individuals with the condition.
High‐Speed Video Blink Analysis Improves Detection of Facial Palsy in Early Guillain‐Barré Syndrome
Authors: Winkel Antony , Sanders Lauren , Cook Mark , Roberts Leslie
Published: January 2025

Introduction/Aims

Electrophysiological investigations in early Guillain‐Barré Syndrome (GBS) can be nondiagnostic. Improved testing for facial weakness in the early phase of GBS may improve diagnostic processes, as such weakness is found in approximately 50% of patients with GBS. This work pilots the utility of high‐speed video analysis to complement blink reflex testing in early GBS.

Methods

This work prospectively evaluated consecutive patients admitted to a metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia, with suspected acute GBS within the first 14 days of neurological symptoms and compared them to a cohort of healthy controls. Blink reflex testing, mechanically‐activated masseter reflexes, and analysis of high‐speed video recordings of the evoked blinks were performed at admission (day 0), day 7, and day 21 (±2 days).

Results

19 suspected GBS patients (12 GBS and 7 mimics) were compared to 22 healthy controls. At the first test, 83% of GBS patients and 29% of mimics demonstrated blink reflex abnormalities. 50% of GBS manifested video abnormalities (14% mimics), but abnormalities preceded electrophysiological changes in two GBS patients. The calculated reference values for peak lid velocity and lid excursion by video analysis were ~160 mm/s and 7–8 mm, respectively, with slightly different values for ipsilateral versus contralateral responses.

Discussion

Combining high‐speed video analysis and blink reflex testing improves the detection of facial involvement in early GBS and helps discriminate from mimic disorders. Further work in a larger cohort is required to validate the sensitivity and specificity of this technique.
Data Augmentation for the POD Formulation of the Parametric Laminar Incompressible Navier–Stokes Equations
Authors: Muixí Alba , Zlotnik Sergio , Giacomini Matteo , Díez Pedro
Published: January 2025

A posteriori reduced‐order models (ROM), for example, based on proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), are essential to affordably tackle realistic parametric problems. They rely on a trustful training set, that is a family of full‐order solutions (snapshots) representative of all possible outcomes of the parametric problem. Having such a rich collection of snapshots is not, in many cases, computationally viable. A strategy for data augmentation, designed for parametric laminar incompressible flows, is proposed to enrich poorly populated training sets. The goal is to include in the new, artificial snapshots emerging features, not present in the original basis, that do enhance the quality of the reduced basis (RB) constructed using POD dimensionality reduction. The methodologies devised are based on exploiting basic physical principles, such as mass and momentum conservation, to construct physically relevant, artificial snapshots at a fraction of the cost of additional full‐order solutions. Interestingly, the numerical results show that the ideas exploiting only mass conservation (i.e., incompressibility) are not producing significant added value with respect to the standard linear combinations of snapshots. Conversely, accounting for the linearized momentum balance via the Oseen equation does improve the quality of the resulting approximation and therefore is an effective data augmentation strategy in the framework of viscous incompressible laminar flows. Numerical experiments of parametric flow problems, in two and three dimensions, at low and moderate values of the Reynolds number are presented to showcase the superior performance of the data‐enriched POD‐RB with respect to the standard ROM in terms of both accuracy and efficiency.
A Finite Volume Framework for Damage and Fracture Prediction in Wire Drawing
Authors: Whelan Andrew , Tang Tian , Pakrashi Vikram , Cardiff Philip
Published: January 2025

This article presents the implementation of the canonical Lemaitre and Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) damage models and a more recent phase‐field type model within a Lagrangian, geometrically nonlinear, cell‐centred finite volume framework. The proposed segregated solution procedure uses Picard‐type defect (deferred) outer corrections, where the primary unknowns are cell‐centre displacements and pressures. Spurious zero‐energy modes (numerical oscillations in displacement and pressure) are avoided by introducing stabilisation (smoothing) diffusion terms to the pressure and momentum equations. Appropriate scaling of the momentum “Rhie–Chow” stabilisation term is shown to be important in regions of plasticity and damage. To accurately predict damage and fracture in wire drawing where hydrostatic pressure is high, novel variants of the Lemaitre model with crack‐closure and triaxiality effects are proposed. The developed methods are validated against the notched round bar and flat notched bar experimental cases and subsequently applied to the analysis of axisymmetric wire drawing. It is shown that the proposed finite volume approach provides a robust basis for predicting damage in wire drawing, where the proposed novel Lemaitre model with crack‐closure effects was shown to be the most suitable for predicting experimentally observed fracture.