bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal distribution patterns and assembly mechanisms of eukaryotic plankton communities in Liujiaxia Reservoir at the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Chen Lingyun , Cheng Jihua , Wanma Yangcuo , Zhu Shiying , Warren Alan , Ning Yingzhi
Published: December 2024

Eukaryotic plankton are important parts of the aquatic ecosystem and their community composition and spatiotemporal distribution patterns are affected by environmental factors. The Liujiaxia Reservoir is located at the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and is a vital resource for communities and agriculture in the region. Revealing the plankton diversity and their correlation with environmental factors is essential for understanding the ecological processes and mechanisms by which plankton contribute to, and maintain the ecosystem function of, the Liujiaxia Reservoir and beyond. This study investigated the detailed spatiotemporal distribution patterns and assembly mechanisms of eukaryotic plankton communities in Liujiaxia Reservoir for three periods during 2021. Significant spatial and temporal variations of abundance and community distribution of eukaryotic plankton were demonstrated. In addition, environmental factors such as water transparency, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, and pH were confirmed to have the most significant impact on the distribution of these communities in the reservoir. The dominant eukaryotic plankton group was Pyrrophyta, and the species interactions were predominantly cooperative. The trophic level index indicated excellent overall water quality in the reservoir. Deterministic processes were demonstrated as the predominant factors governing the assembly of eukaryotic plankton communities. This study provides valuable insight into the eukaryotic plankton community structure in the Liujiaxia Reservoir and reveals the complex relationships between plankton communities, environmental factors, and water quality.

IMPORTANCE

Based on 18S rDNA high-throughput sequencing, the spatiotemporal distribution patterns and assembly mechanisms of eukaryotic plankton communities were investigated. This study provides valuable insight into the eukaryotic plankton community structure in the Liujiaxia Reservoir in the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and the relationships between eukaryotic plankton communities, environmental factors, and water quality. Through the dynamic changes of these communities, the water quality of the reservoir was assessed to provide basic data for the protection of its biodiversity. The findings of the present study will help to improve knowledge and understanding of the ecological processes and mechanisms by which plankton contribute to ecosystem function in the Liujiaxia Reservoir and beyond.
Depletion of key gut bacteria predicts disrupted bile acid metabolism in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Peterson Daniel , Weidenmaier Christopher , Timberlake Sonia , Gura Sadovsky Rotem
Published: December 2024

The gut microbiome plays a key role in bile acid (BA) metabolism, where a diversity of metabolic products contribute to human health and disease. In particular, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is characterized by a low concentration of secondary bile acids (SBAs), whose transformation from primary bile acids (PBAs) is an essential function performed solely by gut bacteria. BA-transformation activity mediated by the bile acid inducible (bai) operon has been functionally characterized in the genus
Clostridium
, and homologous bai gene sequences have been found in metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) belonging to other taxa in the human gut, but it is unclear which species of bai-carrying bacteria perform physiologically significant amounts of bile acid transformation in healthy and sick individuals. Here, we analyzed hundreds of stool samples with paired metagenomic and metabolomic data from IBD patients and controls and found that the abundance of the bai operon in metagenomic samples was highly predictive of that sample’s high- or low-SBA metabolic state. We further found that bai genes from the
Clostridium
species best characterized as BA transformers were more prevalent in IBD patients than in non-IBD controls, while bai genes from uncharacterized taxa known only from MAGs were much more physiologically relevant in non-IBD samples. These un-isolated clades of BA-transforming bacteria merit further research; as beyond their prevalence in the human population, we found some cases in which they engrafted in IBD patients who had undergone fecal microbiota transplantation and experienced a clinical response.

IMPORTANCE

In this paper, we identify specific bacteria that perform an important metabolic function in the human gut and demonstrate that in the guts of a large subset of patients with IBD, these bacteria are missing and the function is defective. This is a rare example where the correlation between the absence of specific bacteria and the dysfunction of metabolism is directly observed, not in mice nor in the lab, but in physiologic microbial communities in the human gut. Our results point to a path for studying how a small but important set of bacteria is affected by conditions in the IBD gut and perhaps to the development of interventions to mitigate the loss of these bacteria in IBD.
Silent otitis media with multiple intracranial complications
Authors: Rajasekaran Valli , Mohanraj Lekhaa , Prabhu Nithya Dharani
Published: December 2024

A man in his early 40s, with no comorbidities, presented with a swelling in the right postauricular region for 5 days, which had progressively increased in size. He also gave a history of ear pain 2 months back. He denied history of ear discharge, difficulty hearing, giddiness or tinnitus. There was no history of fever, headache or seizures. On examination, the right pinna and external auditory canal were normal. The tympanic membrane was greyish white and intact. A swelling of size 4×3 cm was noted over the right mastoid region. High-resolution CT of the temporal bone showed right otomastoiditis with suspected mastoid cortical breach. Contrast-enhanced MRI was performed and revealed a bony defect in the mastoid cortex with adjacent pachymeningitis, subdural empyema, cerebellar and temporal lobe abscess. The patient was started on empirical intravenous antibiotics. Neurosurgical evaluation was performed and he underwent surgical evacuation of the abscess. 3 weeks later, he underwent a cortical mastoidectomy. He has been on regular follow-up for 6 months with no further complaints.
Researchers’ agency and the boundaries of global mental health: perspectives from and about Latin America
Authors: Montenegro Cristian , Abarca-Brown Gabriel , Flores Elaine C , Susser Ezra , Rivera Eliut , Paniagua-Ávila Alejandra , Florence Ana Carolina , Mascayano Franco
Published: December 2024

The decolonise global health movement has critically reassessed the field’s historical and political underpinnings, urging researchers to recognise biases and power imbalances through reflexivity and action. Genuine change is seen as the outcome of the researcher’s self-awareness, often leaving the underlying structures of global health—and global mental health (GMH)—in the background. Here, we problematise how expectations around agency and change have been mobilised in discussions around decolonisation, highlighting the gradual and contingent nature of international collaboration in GMH.

We present three international research initiatives based in or focused on South America: RedeAmericas, the Platform for Social Research on Mental Health in Latin America and the HEalthcaRe wOrkErS project. Instead of comparing the three initiatives directly we identify and discuss common elements among them that challenge and redefine the boundaries of GMH by leveraging local leadership, creating hybrid expert profiles and implementing principles of equity and epistemic justice. Particular attention is given to the fragmentary translation of these principles into the project’s concrete activities.

The interplay of agency and the structural confines of GMH is examined in each initiative, expanding the notion of ‘boundaries’ in the field beyond geographical or institutional demarcations. Using the notion of milieu, we call for a more nuanced understanding of the field as simultaneously shaping and being shaped by the tentative collaborative infrastructures developed by researchers. We advocate for a reconceptualisation of GMH that is as diverse and complex as the issues it seeks to address.
Pain determinants and quality of life in Guillain-Barre syndrome: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Papri Nowshin , Mohammed Asif , Rahman Md. Mantaka , Hasan Imran , Azam Rufydha , Saha Tamal , Shaon Farzana Tamanna Ummey , Jahan Israt , Hayat Shoma , Ara Gulshan , Islam Badrul , Islam Zhahirul
Published: December 2024

Background

Pain is a serious manifestation in both the acute and chronic stages of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). We evaluated the frequency, characteristics and associated factors of pain and its impact on quality of life (QoL) among patients with GBS.

Methods

We enrolled 644 patients with GBS from prospective cohort studies in Bangladesh conducted between 2010 and 2024. Data were collected at enrolment and at standard follow-up time points up to 26 weeks. Pain intensity was measured by a pain numeric rating scale. Group differences were tested using the χ² or Fisher’s exact test, longitudinal changes were analysed with repeated-measures analysis of variance and correlations were analysed with Spearman’s rank test.

Results

The median age of the patients was 31 years, with 70% men. During enrolment, 71% of patients reported pain, which persisted among 38% at week 13 and 26% at week 26. Pain was significantly associated with disease severity, muscle weakness and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin in both the acute and chronic stages. Patients with acute pain had a higher proportion of axonal GBS (p=0.000) than those without pain. Chronic pain was associated with higher age (p=0.006), male sex (p=0.000), preceding diarrhoea (p=0.033) and dysautonomia (p=0.000). Higher pain intensity was reported among women (p=0.027), patients with higher age (p=0.029) and severe form of GBS (p=0.038) compared with counter groups. Acute pain was significantly associated with the ‘self-care’ (p=0.023), ‘usual activities’ (p=0.049) and ‘anxiety/depression’ (p=0.048) domains of QoL, whereas chronic pain was associated with the ‘anxiety/depression’ (p=0.005) domain.

Conclusions

Pain presented as a serious symptom negatively affecting the QoL in GBS. Systematic evaluation of pain is recommended to ensure a personalised treatment approach for GBS.
Inequalities in COVID-19 impact on preschool mental health in India: key moderators of adverse outcome
Authors: Sharp Helen , Wright Nicky , Bozicevic Laura , Supraja Thirumalai Ananthanpillai , Pickles Andrew , Hill Jonathan , Chandra Prabha S.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Worldwide research suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic had little to no overall effect on preschool children’s mental health, but that the impact is variable depending on pre-existing and COVID-19-related inequalities. Evidence from low- and middle-income country settings is sparse, yet effects may be more variable due to greater inequalities. We provide the first empirical evidence for the impact of the pandemic on emotional and behavioural problems in Indian preschool children, after accounting for normative age-related change, and test whether the impact varied depending on COVID-19-related inequalities.

Methods

Families participating in an Indian-based prospective longitudinal birth cohort (Bangalore Child Health and Development Study) provided data at age 2 years (before COVID-19) and again during COVID-19 (n=528). Mothers reported child emotional and behavioural problems and a range of COVID-19-related adverse experiences.

Results

There was a small overall pandemic effect on emotional (rate ratio (RR)=1.31, p=0.040), but not behavioural problems, after adjusting for age-related change. However, compared with the lowest risk level, emotional and behavioural problems rose higher compared with whole sample age-expected rates in families who reported the highest levels of perceived negative impact of COVID-19-related adversities (moderation p<0.001, RR=2.43 and p<0.001, RR=1.32), COVID-19 life events (p<0.001, RR=3.28, and p<0.001, RR=1.26) and time the child spent playing alone (p<0.001, RR=2.49). Emotional problems rose higher with high perceived COVID-19 maternal stress (p=0.013, RR=1.57) and with increased child mobile phone use (p<0.001, RR 1.48). Secondary analyses controlling for variation in age trends within moderator subgroups revealed these to be rarely significant. Where significant and accounted for, having more children living at home emerged as protective, whereas living below the poverty line emerged as a risk for adverse pandemic impact on child mental health.

Conclusion

A small overall increase in preschool mental health problems was evident. However, this masked substantial worsening of such problems in families with elevated COVID-19 adversities in India. These findings can inform the targeting of policy and practice initiatives to better mitigate adverse longer-term mental health outcomes arising from the pandemic response.
Initial experience of parenchyma-sparing liver resection with systematic selective hepatic vein reconstruction for colorectal metastases
Authors: Trehub Yevhenii , Fretland Åsmund Avdem , Zelinskyi Artem , Kharkov Dzmitrii , Babashev Oleksii , Chieverdiuk Dmytro , Shchebetun Artem , Khyzhniak Kyrylo , Pavlovskii Maksym , Strokan Andrii , Zemskov Sergii
Published: December 2024

Objectives

This study aims to assess the feasibility and short-term and intermediate-term technical success rate of the concept of systematic selective hepatic vein (HV) reconstruction for parenchyma-sparing hepatectomies (PSHs) in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) in accordance with stage 2a of the IDEAL framework.

Design

The prospective case series of patients deemed eligible and operated on according to the concept.

Setting

All patients were treated by a single surgical team in three hospitals in Ukraine from June 2022 to November 2023.

Participants

The study included nine cases of resectable CRLM with at least one lesion located in the hepatocaval confluence with HV(s) invasion, for whom reconstruction of the HV(s) allowed for additional parenchyma preservation, being an alternative to major or extended hepatectomy.

Interventions

Liver resections with different types of HVs reconstruction (primary closure, patching, end-to-end anastomosis with or without grafting) were performed after a thorough evaluation of the future liver remnant volume, volume of potentially additionally preserved parenchyma and possibility of future repeat hepatectomies.

Main outcome measures

Postoperative morbidity, short-term and long-term patency of the reconstructed vessels, and the volume of additionally preserved parenchyma were the focus.

Results

Segmental resection was performed in four cases, two with graft interposition. Patch reconstruction was performed for three HVs and two inferior vena cava resections. Two cases required primary closure. No mortality was observed, while the major morbidity rate was 33%. The short-term and long-term patency of the reconstructed HVs was 88.9% and 66.7%, respectively. HV reconstructions allowed the preservation of additional parenchyma (mean 495.4 mL, 95% CI 350.2 to 640.7). A decision-making algorithm to be used within the described approach is proposed.

Conclusions

Selective HV reconstruction is a feasible approach for PSH for CRLM. Further studies are needed to compare this approach to convenient major hepatectomies.
Predicting the likelihood ofBRCA1/2germline pathogenic variants in unselected patients with breast cancer: analysis of more than 10,000 individuals
Authors: Sun Jie , Yao Lu , Chen Jiuan , Hu Li , Zhang Juan , Xu Ye , Xie Yuntao
Published: December 2024

Background

Models for accurately predicting the likelihood ofBRCA1/2germline pathogenic variants (PVs) based on a large cohort of unselected patients with breast cancer are limited.

Methods

A logistic regression model to predict theBRCA1/2carrier probability, named PKCBRCA, was established and validated based on 10 167 unselected Chinese patients with breast cancer treated in Peking University Cancer Hospital between October 2003 and August 2020. All patients were tested forBRCA1/2germline variants. The discrimination and calibration of the model were assessed.

Results

A total of 601 (5.9%) patients carriedBRCA1/2germline PVs in the entire cohort of 10 167 unselected patients with breast cancer. The cohort was separated into a training set (n=6331; 387 (6.1%)BRCA1/2carriers) and a validation set (n=3836; 214 (5.6%)BRCA1/2carriers). Five variables strongly associated withBRCA1/2carrier probability were incorporated in the establishment of PKCBRCA including age of diagnosis, bilateral breast cancer, family history of breast or ovarian cancer, hormone receptor and ERBB2. PKCBRCA showed a good ability to discriminate both in the training set (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)=0.77) and in the validation set (AUC=0.77).

Conclusion

Our model provides a useful tool for accurately assessing theBRCA1/2carrier probability for unselected patients with breast cancer.
Community of trauma care partnering with stakeholders to improve injury outcomes: survey analysis and panel development
Authors: Appelbaum Rachel D , Newcomb Anna B , Price Michelle A , Joseph Katherine , Moreno Ashley N , Hennessy Morgan , Fortin Princess , Bixby Pam J , Prentiss Sue , McConnell-Hill Alexandra , Flayter Rochelle , Dicker Rochelle A , Kozar Rosemary A , Haut Elliott R , Stein Deborah M
Published: December 2024

Background

In June 2021, the Injury Research Engagement Project (I-REP) was established. In 2022, we preformed focus group analysis with patients/caregiver and researchers that resulted in themes in preferences, motivations, and best practices to increase participation in trauma research. The importance of trust and well-established relationships was common across all groups. In this study, we aimed to further evaluate preferences regarding research procedures and outcomes, and develop a panel for sustained patient engagement.

Methods

We performed a multiphase, mixed methods study to elicit trauma stakeholders’ perspectives regarding aspects of research. Previously published phase 1 involved focus group analysis. Phase 2 vignette-based surveys and phase 3 panel formation are described here. One survey was completed by patients/caregivers, and the second by trauma researchers. We compared the responses using independent t-tests. This was followed by a webinar and development of an I-REP panel of patients/caregivers.

Results

60 patients/caregivers and 114 researchers participated in the online surveys, with completion rates of 68% and 69%, respectively. The majority of patients/caregivers were >45 years, female (66.7%), and >3 years out from their or their family member’s injury (68.6%). The majority of the researchers were >35 years and male (56.2%). Participants were asked to gauge their perceptions of different research scenarios. The analysis identified themes emerging across groups. Several survey findings differed from phase 1, including motivations to participate (payment) and consent preferences (timing, approach). Racial and ethnic demographics of the participants were not collected.

Conclusions

Engaging trauma stakeholders results in research more relevant to patients’ needs and priorities. Qualitative engagement methods that intentionally include a more diverse population and determining the appropriate format for specific questions may lead to results that are be more generalizable. The educational webinar was well received, and several participants opted to serve as I-REP panelists to collaborate with trauma researchers moving forward.

Level of evidence

IV.
Adversarial Network Optimization under Bandit Feedback: Maximizing Utility in Non-Stationary Multi-Hop Networks
Authors: Dai Yan , Huang Longbo
Published: December 2024

Stochastic Network Optimization (SNO) concerns scheduling in stochastic queueing systems and has been widely studied in network theory. Classical SNO algorithms require network conditions to be stationary w.r.t. time, which fails to capture the non-stationary components in increasingly many real-world scenarios. Moreover, most existing algorithms in network optimization assume perfect knowledge of network conditions before decision, which again rules out applications where unpredictability in network conditions presents.

Motivated by these issues, this paper considers Adversarial Network Optimization (ANO) under bandit feedback. Specifically, we consider the task of i) maximizing some unknown and time-varying utility function associated with scheduler's actions, where ii) the underlying network topology is a non-stationary multi-hop network whose conditions change arbitrarily with time, and iii) only bandit feedback (the effect of actually deployed actions) is revealed after decision-making. We propose the UMO2 algorithm, which does not require any pre-decision knowledge or counterfactual feedback, ensures network stability, and also matches the utility maximization performance of any "mildly varying" reference policy up to a polynomially decaying gap. To our knowledge, no previous algorithm can handle multi-hop networks or achieve utility maximization guarantees in ANO problems with bandit feedback, whereas ours is able to do both.

Technically, our method builds upon a novel integration of online learning techniques into the Lyapunov drift-plus-penalty method. Specifically, we propose meticulous analytical techniques to jointly balance online learning and Lyapunov arguments, which is used to handle the complex inter-dependency among queues in multi-hop networks. To tackle the learning obstacles due to potentially unbounded queue sizes and negative queue differences, we design a new online linear optimization algorithm that automatically adapts to the unknown (potentially negative) loss magnitudes. Finally, we also propose a bandit convex optimization algorithm with novel queue-dependent learning rate scheduling that suites drastically varying queue lengths in utility maximization. Our new insights and techniques in online learning can also be of independent interest.
Beaver: A High-Performance and Crash-Consistent File System Cache via PM-DRAM Collaborative Memory Tiering
Authors: Pan Qinglin , Qi Ji , He Jiatai , Zhang Heng , Yu Jiageng , Wu Yanjun
Published: December 2024

The in-memory cache layer is crucial in building a file system. Crash-consistency is highly desirable for applications running on the file system, ensuring that data is written in an all-or-none fashion during unexpected system failures or crashes. However, existing works fail to achieve both high read and write performance in constructing a crash-consistent cache layer.

In this paper, we propose Beaver, a new in-memory file system cache that achieves both crash-consistency and high read/write performance. Beaver exploits a read/write distinguishable memory hierarchy involving both PM and DRAM. Beaver uses the PM to serve write operations for crash-consistency and high write performance, and uses the DRAM to serve read operations for high read performance. We also introduce a kprefetcher to asynchronously move data from PM to DRAM off the critical path of write operations. We extensively evaluated Beaver with the latest file system cache using real-world applications and popular benchmarks. Application evaluation results show that Beaver outperformed other file system caches by up to 16.1% and 11.0% on RocksDB and MinIO, respectively. Beaver's source code is available at https://github.com/PanQL/Beaver.
Beyond Data Points: Regionalizing Crowdsourced Latency Measurements
Authors: Sharma Taveesh , Schmitt Paul , Bronzino Francesco , Feamster Nick , Marwell Nicole P.
Published: December 2024

Despite significant investments in access network infrastructure, universal access to high-quality Internet connectivity remains a challenge. Policymakers often rely on large-scale, crowdsourced measurement datasets to assess the distribution of access network performance across geographic areas. These decisions typically rest on the assumption that Internet performance is uniformly distributed within predefined social boundaries, such as zip codes, census tracts, or neighborhood units. However, this assumption may not be valid for two reasons: (1) crowdsourced measurements often exhibit non-uniform sampling densities within geographic areas; and (2) predefined social boundaries may not align with the actual boundaries of Internet infrastructure.

In this paper, we present a spatial analysis on crowdsourced datasets for constructing stable boundaries for sampling Internet performance. We hypothesize that greater stability in sampling boundaries will reflect the true nature of Internet performance disparities than misleading patterns observed as a result of data sampling variations. We apply and evaluate a series of statistical techniques to: (1) aggregate Internet performance over geographic regions; (2) overlay interpolated maps with various sampling unit choices; and (3) spatially cluster boundary units to identify contiguous areas with similar performance characteristics. We assess the effectiveness of the techniques we apply by comparing the similarity of the resulting boundaries for monthly samples drawn from the dataset. Our evaluation shows that the combination of techniques we apply achieves higher similarity compared to directly calculating central measures of network metrics over census tracts or neighborhood boundaries. These findings underscore the important role of spatial modeling in accurately assessing and optimizing the distribution of Internet performance, which can better inform policy, network operations, and long-term planning decisions.
Modeling and Simulating Rydberg Atom Quantum Computers for Hardware-Software Co-design with PachinQo
Authors: Ludmir Jason Zev , Huo Yuqian , DiBrita Nicholas S. , Patel Tirthak
Published: December 2024

Quantum computing has the potential to accelerate various domains: scientific computation, machine learning, and optimization. Recently, Rydberg atom quantum computing has emerged as a promising quantum computing technology, especially with the demonstration of the zonal addressing architecture. However, this demonstration is only compatible with one type of quantum algorithm, and extending it to compile and execute general quantum algorithms is a challenge. To address it, we propose PachinQo, a framework to co-design the architecture and compilation for zonal addressing systems for any given quantum algorithm. PachinQo's evaluation demonstrates its ability to improve a quantum algorithm's estimated probability of success by 45% on average in error-prone quantum environments.
MUDGUARD: Taming Malicious Majorities in Federated Learning using Privacy-preserving Byzantine-robust Clustering
Authors: Wang Rui , Wang Xingkai , Chen Huanhuan , Decouchant Jérémie , Picek Stjepan , Laoutaris Nikolaos , Liang Kaitai
Published: December 2024

Byzantine-robust Federated Learning (FL) aims to counter malicious clients and train an accurate global model while maintaining an extremely low attack success rate. Most existing systems, however, are only robust when most of the clients are honest. FLTrust (NDSS '21) and Zeno++ (ICML '20) do not make such an honest majority assumption but can only be applied to scenarios where the server is provided with an auxiliary dataset used to filter malicious updates. FLAME (USENIX '22) and EIFFeL (CCS '22) maintain the semi-honest majority assumption to guarantee robustness and the confidentiality of updates. It is therefore currently impossible to ensure Byzantine robustness and confidentiality of updates without assuming a semi-honest majority. To tackle this problem, we propose a novel Byzantine-robust and privacy-preserving FL system, called MUDGUARD, to capture malicious minority and majority for server and client sides, respectively. Our experimental results demonstrate that the accuracy of MUDGUARD is practically close to the FL baseline using FedAvg without attacks (approximate 0.8% gap on average). Meanwhile, the attack success rate is around 0%-5% even under an adaptive attack tailored to MUDGUARD. We further optimize our design by using binary secret sharing and polynomial transformation leading to communication overhead and runtime decreases of 67%-89.17% and 66.05%-68.75%, respectively.
Towards Understanding and Analyzing Instant Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Authors: Hu Yufeng , Sun Yingshi , Wu Lei , Zhou Yajin , Chang Rui
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we examine a novel category of services in the blockchain ecosystem termed Instant Cryptocurrency Exchange (ICE) services. Originally conceived to facilitate cross-chain asset transfers, ICE services have, unfortunately, been abused for money laundering activities due to two key features: the absence of a strict Know Your Customer (KYC) policy and incomplete on-chain data of user requests. As centralized and non-transparent services, ICE services pose considerable challenges in the tracing of illicit fund flows laundered through them. Our comprehensive study of ICE services begins with an analysis of their features and workflow. We classify ICE services into two distinct types:
Standalone
and
Delegated.
We then perform a measurement analysis of ICE services, paying particular attention to their usage in illicit activities. Our findings indicate that a total of 12,473,290 illegal funds have been laundered through ICE services, and 432 malicious addresses were initially funded by ICE services. Based on the insights from measurement analysis, we propose a matching algorithm designed to evaluate the effectiveness of ICE services in terms of efficiency and prevention of traceability. Our evaluation reveals that 92% of the user requests analyzed were completed in less than three minutes, underscoring the efficiency of ICE services. In addition, we demonstrate that the algorithm is effective in tracing illicit funds in situations where ICE services are used in malicious activities. To engage the community, the entire dataset used in this study is open-source.
PyGim : An Efficient Graph Neural Network Library for Real Processing-In-Memory Architectures
Authors: Giannoula Christina , Yang Peiming , Fernandez Ivan , Yang Jiacheng , Durvasula Sankeerth , Li Yu Xin , Sadrosadati Mohammad , Luna Juan Gomez , Mutlu Onur , Pekhimenko Gennady
Published: December 2024

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are emerging models to analyze graph-structure data. GNN execution involves both compute-intensive and memory-intensive kernels. The latter kernels dominate execution time, because they are significantly bottlenecked by data movement between memory and processors. Processing-In-Memory (PIM) systems can alleviate this data movement bottleneck by placing simple processors near or inside to memory arrays. This work investigates the potential of PIM systems to alleviate the data movement bottleneck in GNNs, and introduces PyGim, an efficient and easy-to-use GNN library for real PIM systems. We propose intelligent parallelization techniques for memory-intensive kernels of GNNs tailored for real PIM systems, and develop an easy-to-use Python API for them. PyGim employs a cooperative GNN execution, in which the compute- and memory-intensive kernels are executed in processor-centric and memory-centric computing systems, respectively, to fully exploit the hardware capabilities. PyGim integrates a lightweight autotuner to tune the parallelization strategy of the memory-intensive kernel of GNNs and enable high programming ease. We extensively evaluate PyGim on a real-world PIM system that has 16 PIM DIMMs with 1992 PIM cores connected to a Host CPU. In GNN inference, we demonstrate that it outperforms prior state-of-the-art PIM works by on average 4.38× (up to 7.20×), and state-of-the-art PyTorch running on Host by on average 3.04× (up to 3.44×). PyGim improves energy efficiency by 2.86× (up to 3.68×) and 1.55× (up to 1.75×) over prior PIM and PyTorch Host schemes, respectively. In memory-intensive kernel of GNNs, PyGim provides 11.6× higher resource utilization in PIM system than that of PyTorch library (optimized CUDA implementation) in GPU systems. Our work provides useful recommendations for software, system and hardware designers. PyGim is publicly and freely available at https://github.com/CMU-SAFARI/PyGim facilitate the widespread use of PIM systems in GNNs.
Neural Image Compression with Regional Decoding
Authors: Jin Yili , Li Jiahao , Li Bin , Lu Yan
Published: December 2024

As advancements are made in technology such as AR/VR and high-resolution photography, there is a growing need for a function in image compression named
regional decoding
. This function lets an image be encoded as a whole, but allows for an arbitrary region to be decoded using only a small part of the bitstream. However, existing neural image compression methods lack support for this crucial functionality.

In this article, we propose a novel approach called the
slicing en/decoder
, which addresses the need for
regional decoding
while maintaining performance on par with state-of-the-art methods. Our approach is based on the insight that, during the compression process, local information within pixels holds greater importance than global information. By leveraging this understanding, we divide the image into different bitstreams according to cross-boundary patterns. Consequently, for a selected region, our method can intelligently choose specific portions of the bitstreams to decode only that particular region of interest. Furthermore, we extend the application of our method to 360° image compression, allowing for efficient encoding and decoding of immersive visual content. Moreover, our proposed technique offers the capability to decode regions identically, which paves the way for future advancements in regional video decoding.

Our experimental results demonstrate that our method maintains performance on par with state-of-the-art methods while providing the functionality of
regional decoding
. In conclusion, this article presents a significant step forward in image compression technology, offering enhanced flexibility and efficiency for emerging applications in digital media.
Guided Bone Regeneration in the Posterior Mandible Using a Resorbable Metal Magnesium Membrane and Fixation Screws: A Case Report
Authors: Franke Thomas , Korzinskas Tadas
Published: December 2024

Background: Due to bone loss, implant placement in the posterior mandible is often impossible without prior augentative procedures. The reconstruction of bone defects with horizontal and vertical components using particulated bone grafts requires the placement of a mechanically stable structure for stabilization of the grafting material. Although titanium‐reinforced membranes and titanium meshes have been shown to be effective in this indication, the necessity of their removal, often in a separate surgical procedure, is seen as a disadvantage. Since the introduction of a new resorbable magnesium metal membrane and fixation screw, a mechanically stable and resorbable system might provide an alternative option for guided bone regeneration (GBR) in the posterior mandible.

Case Presentation: A 61‐year‐old patient was presented with large edentulous areas in all posterior regions and requested fixed dentures in Areas 34–36. Tooth 33 was extracted and treated with an immediate implantation of a ceramic implant, whereas Positions 34–36 were treated with a two‐stage approach. The site was augmented horizontally, with a slight vertical component using autologous and allogenic bone and a new completely resorbable magnesium metal membrane and fixation screw. During the initial healing period, the patient reported a tingling sensation at the site of the augmentation. This is an observation that is specific to the magnesium products and is potentially caused by the release of hydrogen gas as the metal degrades and is resorbed. Upon re‐entry at 3 months, it was clinically observed that there was a very dense and vascularized bone that was sufficient for placing two 5.5 × 10 mm ceramic dental implants.

Conclusion: A completely resorbable magnesium membrane and fixation screw were able to support the bony regeneration in a large GBR situation in the posterior mandible. Due to the use of a new material for GBR, different clinical observations were made compared to the standard material choices.
Dupilumab in Combination With JAK Inhibitor for Refractory Moderate‐to‐Severe Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Song Xiaoting , Liu Bo , Peng Chengyue , Tan Yen , Zhao Zuotao
Published: December 2024

Data on combined use of dupilumab and Janus kinases inhibitors (JAKi) in refractory atopic dermatitis (AD) are insufficient, impeding proper head‐on comparison. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in combination with JAKi in real‐world settings. A total of 16 patients (8 male and 8 female, aged 5–73) with refractory moderate‐to‐severe AD receiving 16 weeks of combination treatment of dupilumab and JAKi were included in this study: 7 patients treated with dupilumab and baricitinib 2 mg daily, 5 treated with dupilumab and abrocitinib 100 mg daily, and 4 treated with dupilumab and upadacitinib 15 mg daily. Demographics and disease characteristics at baseline, after 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks, as well as adverse events, were collected. Significant improvement in clinical scores was achieved in all groups, while no significant difference among the three groups was observed. No adverse events led to treatment discontinuation during the 16‐week treatment period. The combination of dupilumab and JAKi could be a novel and favorable option for refractory moderate‐to‐severe AD, and the recommended doses of the three approved JAKi (baricitinib, abrocitinib, and upadacitinib) as add‐on therapy were probably similar in effectiveness. Limited by the absence of comparison between JAKi alone and the combination of the two therapies, the conclusion needed to be further validated.
The Relationship Between Upper‐Limb Lymphedema and Fatigue Among Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Soltanipur Masood , Yarmohammadi Hossein , Shahshenas Sina , Abbasvandi Fereshteh , Montazeri Ali , Sheikhi Zahra
Published: December 2024

Background: Breast cancer survivors (BCSs) often face long‐term complications, with upper‐limb lymphedema and cancer‐related fatigue (CRF) being challenging. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between upper‐limb lymphedema and fatigue among BCSs.

Method: This cross‐sectional study was performed on 102 BCSs, of which 31 (30.4%) had breast cancer–related lymphedema. Duration, stage, and excess volume were considered as indicators of breast cancer–related lymphedema severity. QoL was measured using the EORTC QLQ‐C30. The score of the fatigue symptom scale was used based on EORTC QLQ‐C30 for CRF assessment. Also, the brief fatigue inventory was used to measure the severity of fatigue among participants.

Results: The mean fatigue symptom scale and brief fatigue inventory scores were 37.90 ± 24.59 and 3.69 ± 1.25, respectively. The mean fatigue symptom scale was significantly different among BCSs with BMI ≤ 25 and BMI > 25 (29.59 ± 24.49 vs. 41.51 ± 23.88, p = 0.026). Also, the mean brief fatigue inventory was significantly different among BCSs with the number of dissected lymph nodes (LNs) ≤ 5 and > 5 (3.52 ± 1.18 vs. 4.08 ± 1.34, p = 0.042). Additionally, women with breast cancer–related lymphedema had significantly higher scores of fatigue symptom scale and brief fatigue inventory (46.59 ± 27.12 vs. 34.11 ± 22.56, p = 0.03, and 4.75 ± 1.21 vs. 3.22 ± 0.96, p = 0.001, respectively). Except for a weak correlation between BMI and fatigue symptom scale and brief fatigue inventory (r: 0.279, p = 0.004, and r: 0.313, p = 0.001, respectively), there was no other significant relationship between CRF and study variables such as breast cancer–related lymphedema duration, stage, and excess volume. Meanwhile, fatigue symptom scale and brief fatigue inventory were significantly correlated with global health and functional scale scores of EORTC QLQ‐C30. The ROC curve which models the diagnostic efficacy for fatigue symptom scale showed an AUC of 0.634 (p = 0.034, 95% CI: 0.510–0.759), while the ROC curve which models the diagnostic efficacy for brief fatigue inventory showed an AUC of 0.821 (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.735–0.908).

Conclusion: This study highlighted that while breast cancer–related lymphedema was associated with increased CRF, the severity of lymphedema did not significantly correlate with CRF. Additionally, CRF might be an indicator of breast cancer–related lymphedema among BCSs.
West Nile Virus Monitoring in Flanders (Belgium) During 2022–2023 Reveals Endemic Usutu Virus Circulation in Birds
Authors: Sohier C. , Breman F. C. , Vervaeke M. , De Regge N.
Published: December 2024

The recent emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in some European countries has triggered an increase in animal and human cases across Europe. Wild birds, serving as key reservoirs for WNV and USUV, often act as crucial indicators for the introduction and spread of these viruses. Currently, there is no durable large‐scale monitoring for WNV in Belgium, and specific monitoring for USUV is lacking. In Flanders, passive WNV monitoring in birds has been in place for many years, while initial efforts to initiate active monitoring started in 2022. Here, we present the results of a limited study conducted during the vector seasons of 2022 and 2023 in Flemish bird populations to actively and passively monitor the prevalence of WNV and additionally assess the presence of USUV. Several real‐time reverse transcription‐PCR tests were employed for virus detection, revealing the absence of WNV‐RNA during both vector seasons. Conversely, USUV‐RNA was identified in 2022 through active surveillance, affecting two (5.5%) out of 36 birds (Corvus corone), and in passive surveillance, impacting eight (72.7%) out of 11 birds (Turdus merula [6] and Rhea pennata [2]). In 2023, active surveillance was more extensive and identified 16 (7.2%) USUV‐RNA positive birds (Buteo buteo [1], T. merula [14] and Athene noctua [1]) out of 222 examined birds, while passive surveillance detected two (7.1%) positive birds (T. merula [1], and Larus marinus [1]) out of 28. Viral sequence information was obtained from seven USUV‐positive birds using whole genome sequencing or Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis placed all identified strains within the Africa 3 lineage. This restricted WVN monitoring effort in Flanders did not reveal WNV presence, but found indications of an endemic USUV circulation in Belgium. It is crucial to intensify monitoring efforts for WNV in the coming years, considering its endemic status in several European countries and its expanding geographical range in northern Europe.
Longitudinal Active Avian Influenza Surveillance in Bangladesh From 2017–2022 Reveals Differential IAV and H5 Infection and Viral Burden Associated With Bird Species, Sex, and Age
Authors: Harrington Walter N. , Turner Jasmine C. M. , Barman Subrata , Feeroz Mohammed M. , Hasan Md. Kamrul , Akhtar Sharmin , Jeevan Trushar , Mukherjee Nabanita , Seiler Patrick , Franks John , Walker David , McKenzie Pamela , Kercher Lisa , Webster Robert G. , Webby Richard J.
Published: December 2024

Influenza viruses are a major global health burden with up to 650,000 associated deaths annually. Beyond seasonal illness, influenza A viruses (IAVs) pose a constant pandemic threat due to novel emergent viruses that have evolved the ability to jump from their natural avian hosts to humans. Because of this threat, active surveillance of circulating IAV strains in wild and domestic bird populations is vital to our pandemic preparedness and response strategies. Here, we report on IAV surveillance data collected from 2017 to 2022 from wild and domestic birds in Bangladesh. We note evidence to suggest that male birds show a higher risk of IAV, including highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus, positivity than female birds. The data was stratified to control for selection bias and confounding variables to test the hypothesis that male birds are at a higher risk of IAV positivity relative to female birds. The association of IAV and A(H5) largely held in each stratum, and double stratification suggested that the phenomena was largely specific to ducks. Finally, we show that chickens, male birds, and juvenile birds generally have higher viral loads compared to their counterparts. These observations warrant further validation through active surveillance across various populations. Such efforts could significantly contribute to the enhancement of pandemic prediction and risk assessment models.
Metabolic Inhibition Induces Pyroptosis in Uveal Melanoma
Authors: Varney Scott D. , Erkes Dan A. , Mersky Glenn L. , Mustafa Manal U. , Chua Vivian , Chervoneva Inna , Purwin Timothy J. , Alnemri Emad , Aplin Andrew E.
Published: December 2024

Few treatment options are available for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. Although the bispecific tebentafusp is FDA approved, immunotherapy has largely failed, likely given the poorly immunogenic nature of uveal melanoma. Treatment options that improve the recognition of uveal melanoma by the immune system may be key to reducing disease burden. We investigated whether uveal melanoma has the ability to undergo pyroptosis, a form of immunogenic cell death. Publicly available patient data and cell line analysis showed that uveal melanoma expressed the machinery needed for pyroptosis, including gasdermins D and E (GSDMD and E), caspases 1, 3, 4, and 8, and ninjurin-1. We induced cleavage of GSDMs in uveal melanoma cell lines treated with metabolic inhibitors. In particular, the carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) inhibitor, etomoxir, induced propidium iodide uptake, caspase 3 cleavage, and the release of HMGB1 and IL-1β, indicating that the observed cleavage of GSDMs led to pyroptosis. Importantly, a gene signature reflecting CPT1A activity correlated with poor prognosis in patients with uveal melanoma and knockdown of CPT1A also induced pyroptosis. Etomoxir-induced pyroptosis was dependent on GSDME but not on GSDMD, and a pyroptosis gene signature correlated with immune infiltration and improved response to immune checkpoint blockade in a set of patients with uveal melanoma. Together, these data show that metabolic inhibitors can induce pyroptosis in uveal melanoma cell lines, potentially offering an approach to enhance inflammation-mediated immune targeting in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.

Implications: Induction of pyroptosis by metabolic inhibition may alter the tumor immune microenvironment and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy in uveal melanoma.
Supplementary Table 2 from Clotting Promotes Glioma Growth and Infiltration Through Activation of Focal Adhesion Kinase
Authors: Knowles Lynn M. , Wolter Carolin , Linsler Stefan , Müller Simon , Urbschat Steffi , Ketter Ralf , Müller Andreas , Zhou Xiangda , Qu Bin , Senger Sebastian , Geisel Jürgen , Schmidt Tim , Eichler Hermann , Pilch Jan
Published: December 2024

Detailed MRI settings
Supplementary Movie_2 from Clotting Promotes Glioma Growth and Infiltration Through Activation of Focal Adhesion Kinase
Authors: Knowles Lynn M. , Wolter Carolin , Linsler Stefan , Müller Simon , Urbschat Steffi , Ketter Ralf , Müller Andreas , Zhou Xiangda , Qu Bin , Senger Sebastian , Geisel Jürgen , Schmidt Tim , Eichler Hermann , Pilch Jan
Published: December 2024

U87MG cells on day 2 after embedding in fibrin
Supplementary Fig. 2 from Clotting Promotes Glioma Growth and Infiltration Through Activation of Focal Adhesion Kinase
Authors: Knowles Lynn M. , Wolter Carolin , Linsler Stefan , Müller Simon , Urbschat Steffi , Ketter Ralf , Müller Andreas , Zhou Xiangda , Qu Bin , Senger Sebastian , Geisel Jürgen , Schmidt Tim , Eichler Hermann , Pilch Jan
Published: December 2024

Effect of thrombin and CaCl2 on glioblastoma growth in suspension or embedded in 3D matrigel.