bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic Energy Forecasting Through Quantile Regression in Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Pernigo Luca , Sen Rohan , Baroli Davide
Published: February 2025

Accurate energy demand forecasting is crucial for sustainable and resilient energy development. To meet the Net Zero Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 scenario in the DACH countries, increased renewable energy production, energy storage, and reduced commercial building consumption are needed. This scenario's success depends on hydroelectric capacity and climatic factors. Informed decisions require quantifying uncertainty in forecasts. This study explores a nonparametric method based on
reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (RKHS)
, known as kernel quantile regression, for energy prediction. Our experiments demonstrate its reliability and sharpness, and we benchmark it against state-of-the-art methods in load and price forecasting for the DACH region. We offer our implementation in conjunction with additional scripts to ensure the reproducibility of our research.
A Flexible and Holistic Multi-Agent Framework for Local Energy Aggregation Approaches
Authors: Bettermann Michael , De Meer Hermann
Published: February 2025

A growing number of communities have expressed a desire for self-sufficiency and the reduction of carbon emissions. These are two of the reasons why the interest of self-governed local energy community approaches has caught the attention of many. In [2], the notion of locality is kept rather vague. However, often the range of a low- or medium-voltage grid level is chosen for, e.g., local energy market designs [1], which coincides with the locality definition in this paper. A key difference between these concepts lies in the coordination approach. For instance, local energy markets focus on utilising market mechanisms, while other aggregation concepts, such as energy cells, rely on more technical approaches and may directly control assets to optimise energy consumption. This paper refers to these methodologies as local aggregation approaches. The goal of this paper is to provide a holistic and flexible model of local aggregation approaches, which provides structure during the design phase, but leaves enough flexibility to allow for adjustments, according to the local communities' needs and capabilities. Throughout this paper, a
holistic
model refers to a model, which operates in its whole local spectrum (e.g., a low-voltage grid), summarising all major entities and their concerns. The contributions of this paper are:

(1) An approach for the development of a holistic model of local aggregation approaches, allowing a coherent realisation of variations, such as virtual power plants or energy islands

(2) A holistic model which allows the integration of:

(a) Infrastructure provider signalling for intelligent grid operation, such as flexible grid tariffs

(b) Communication with external entities, such as the wholesale market

(c) Coordination algorithms adjusted to the local environment

(d) Strategies for preference maximisation on the consumer level
Field Survey of Wireless M-Bus Encryption for Energy Metering Applications in Residential Buildings
Authors: Gaertringen Friedrich Hiller V. , Galenzowski Johannes , Bao Kaibin , Waczowicz Simon , Hagenmeyer Veit
Published: February 2025

The wireless Metering-Bus (M-Bus) is widely used in Germany to transmit meter data for heat cost allocation as well as cold and warm water consumption in multi-family apartment buildings. This metering data poses significant privacy risks as it can reveal inhabitants' behaviors. Consequently, the German Heating Cost Ordinance demands this transmission to be both interoperable and secure. However, the wireless M-Bus standard EN 13757 specifies security features as optional. In our work, we conducted a field study by recording sensor telegrams in four cities to assess the implementation of these security features. We analyzed the presence of encryption and the types of metering applications in use. Our findings reveal that about 48.5% of the recorded sensor devices did not have encryption enabled. Additionally, the use of encryption was found to correlate with specific manufacturers, indicating a systematic acceptance of privacy risks. To demonstrate the impact of unencrypted wireless M-Bus radio telegrams on the privacy, we recorded a wireless M-Bus based warm water meter over a period of several weeks and show that inhabitants' presence and sleep cycles can be inferred from the recordings. These findings underscore the need for mandatory security features in the operation of wireless M-Bus based metering applications to protect consumer privacy.
A Distributed Game Theoretic Approach for Optimal Battery Use in an Energy Community
Authors: Kirsch Nicolas , Salizzoni Giulio , Kamgarpour Maryam , Gorecki Tomasz
Published: February 2025

With the recent rise of decentralized energy resources like solar panels and batteries, energy communities have grown in popularity. Without collaborative load management, some of the locally produced electricity in the energy community could be unused and sold back to the grid, hindering its economic and environmental benefits. In this paper, we introduce a game to model an energy community with a shared energy source and to determine how to distribute the generated electricity. The goal is to compute a Nash equilibrium so that no participant has an incentive to leave the community. To do so with minimal information sharing between members, a distributed approach is considered. The game structure should incentivize self-consumption in the energy community. We then integrate the game in a receding horizon control framework. This approach is tested on real photovoltaic data and reduces costs for the energy community. Its robustness to imperfect solar forecasting is also evaluated, showing that uncertainty induces minimal increases in cost.
Data-Driven Identification and Operational Optimization of Energy-Flexible Thermal Supply Systems
Authors: Zangenberg Jan , Wendt Jonas , Koch Tobias , Kapser Tobias , Weigold Matthias
Published: February 2025

The accelerating expansion of renewable energies in Europe and the rest of the world leads to the challenge of adapting energy demand to the increasingly volatile renewable electricity generation. To contribute to this goal, thermal supply systems can be used for demand response by utilizing their dedicated and inherent thermal energy storages and optimizing the loading and unloading operation. In this paper we present a method for the data driven system identification and operational optimization of industrial thermal supply systems. This method aims at developing optimization problems for the control of thermal supply system and identifying system dynamics specifically for this purpose. The method includes parameter identification and validation of individual components, such as compression chillers and thermal storages, using the system's measurement data. From the identified component dynamics an overall optimization model is formulated and tested, taking into account the interactions between single components. Finally, the optimization model is deployed, and the optimized control signals are passed onto the real systems components. For permanent application of the optimization, monitoring und maintenance of the model are integrated as a last and recurring step of the method. This includes updating model parameters in case of increasing mismatch between model and reality over time. These steps are successfully implemented in the real-world example of the cooling supply system of a climatized room at the ETA Research Factory at the Technical University of Darmstadt. In this example the room's thermal capacity is used to vary its cooling supply depending on time-variable electricity prices. The model is deployed as a model predictive control loop, regularly updating its optimal trajectory using electricity prices of a representative period from 2023. Just by optimizing the room's temperature control a reduction in energy cost of 10.06% compared the conventional operation was achieved. This results in a reduction of electricity related carbon emissions of 4.93%.
Forecasting and Optimization as a Service for Energy Management Applications with the Energy Service Generics Framework
Authors: Wölfle David , Schmeck Hartmut
Published: February 2025

Energy management, in sense of computing optimized operation schedules for devices, will likely play a vital role in future carbon neutral energy systems, as it allows unlocking energy efficiency and flexibility potentials. However, energy management systems need to be applied at large scales to realize the desired effect, which clearly requires minimization of costs for setup and operation of the individual applications. In order to push the latter forward, we promote an approach to split the complex optimization algorithms employed by energy management systems into standardized components, which can be provided as a service with marginal costs at scale. In this work we contribute a practical example how such services can be implemented utilizing the
Energy Service Generics
framework, a software explicitly designed to allow scientists and practitioners to derive fully functional web services from forecasting or optimization algorithms. To this end the implementation of typical components of forecasting or optimization services for energy management applications is discussed based on functional source code listings of a simple photovoltaic (PV) power generation forecast service.
Interactive Simulation of Swiss Energy and Environment Designed for Gaming and Choice Experiments
Authors: Simpson Toby , Multerer Michael , Krause Rolf
Published: February 2025

We introduce a simple, low-latency model for the simulation and analysis of energy transition pathways in Switzerland. It is designed as the calculation and data storage layer of the "Ensured Energy" game (Figure 1), developed as part of the SFOE SWEET-SURE project.
Controllability Architecture for Energy Devices
Authors: Hill Alexander , Bruhn Jan-Henrik , Pieper Christian
Published: February 2025

We present a novel control architecture to model Renewable Energy Resources. The proposed concept sets a focus on how to model Read and Control Capabilitiess (RCCs) of different energy devices, like Energy Storage Systems, Photovoltaic Systems or Heat Pumps. A second focus of the model is the self-description of the devices in a digitalized energy system. We explain how we combine RCCs with self-description into a compact model and show an example how to model a heat pump with this architecture. We believe that developing a more sophisticated RCC-model is useful for developing and comparing optimization algorithms for energy systems.
From the Editor-in-Chief
Authors: Gorla Daniele
Published: February 2025

With the start of the Autumn, we are all back to our job, full of many exciting experiences done in the summer. In this fourth issue of 2024, we provide reports on some of them, namely the 2024 edition of FoSSaCS, LICS, andWiL, collected by the conference coordinator of SIGLOG News, Joost-Pieter Katoen.
SIGLOG Monthly 254: October 2024
Authors: Anastasiadi Elli
Published: February 2025

October 2024 edition of SIGLOG Monthly, featuring deadlines, calls and community announcements.
A Prototype for Integral Elimination
Authors: Lemaire François , Roussel Louis
Published: February 2025

We present in this extended abstract some ongoing work which has been presented in [13]. This extended abstract contains no new results w.r.t. [13], and is intended to present our prototype integral_elimination for performing Integral Elimination. This prototype is a first step to the generalization of the differential elimination algorithms for the integral case, where the differentiation is replaced by an integration operator.

Our approach is incomplete and still needs an important theoretical development. However it is already sufficient to handle nontrivial examples The originality of our approach consists in using new types of reductions and introducing exponential terms during the computations. Our prototype has been implemented in Python using SymPy.

We briefly motivate the context, and present some examples treated by our prototype.
Sparse Hensel Lifting Algorithms for Multivariate Polynomial Factorization
Authors: Chen Tian
Published: February 2025

Each quarter we are pleased to present abstracts of recent doctoral dissertations in Computer Algebra and Symbolic Computation. We encourage all recent Ph.D. graduates who have defended in the past two years (and their supervisors), to submit their abstracts for publication in CCA.

Please send abstracts to the CCA editors  for consideration.
SIGCSE News in Brief
Authors: Smith Julie M. , Wallace Charles
Published: February 2025

This issue contains updates about Koli Calling, the SIGCSE TS, and CompEd conferences. We are also pleased to feature a piece focused on the ethics work of Benjamin Xie and on the sustainability work of Samuel Mann. This issue also has a contribution from SIGCSE Board member Rodrigo Silva Duran outlining the new ACM open access publishing policy.
Environmental Exposures and Health Risks: A Metabolomics Perspective on Exposomics Research
Authors: Stanciu Ana Ruxandra , Gillespie Claire , Britz-McKibbin Philip
Published: February 2025

Exposomics refers to the comprehensive analysis of environmental exposures over the lifespan and assessment of their biological effects on human health. This new frontier in environmental research promises new insights for assessment of the hazards of complex chemical exposures as compared to targeted biomonitoring of a limited panel of known toxicant(s). Metabolomics plays a pivotal role in expanding exposomic initiatives that require orthogonal separation methods coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry while using minimally invasive specimens from prospective cohort studies that can capture early life exposures. However, several grand analytical challenges remain, including high-throughput metabolomic data workflows that are scalable to large populations, the identification of unknown contaminants and their contact sources, and elucidating the impact of multiple co-exposures at critical stages of development. In this review, we outline new advances in metabolomic technologies for exposomics research over the past five years that are urgently needed to guide regulatory policies via better exposure mitigation and strategies to improve metabolic resilience.
Statistical Thermodynamics of the Protein Ensemble: Mediating Function and Evolution
Authors: Hilser Vincent J. , Wrabl James O. , Millard Charles E.F. , Schmitz Anna , Brantley Sarah J. , Pearce Marie , Rehfus Joe , Russo Miranda M. , Voortman-Sheetz Keila
Published: February 2025

The growing appreciation of native state conformational fluctuations mediating protein function calls for critical reevaluation of protein evolution and adaptation. If proteins are ensembles, does nature select solely for ground state structure, or are conformational equilibria between functional states also conserved? If so, what is the mechanism and how can it be measured? Addressing these fundamental questions, we review our investigation into the role of local unfolding fluctuations in the native state ensembles of proteins. We describe the functional importance of these ubiquitous fluctuations, as revealed through studies of adenylate kinase. We then summarize elucidation of thermodynamic organizing principles, which culminate in a quantitative probe for evolutionary conservation of protein energetics. Finally, we show that these principles are predictive of sequence compatibility for multiple folds, providing a unique thermodynamic perspective on metamorphic proteins. These research areas demonstrate that the locally unfolded ensemble is an emerging, important mechanism of protein evolution.
Pathways to Crime and Antisocial Behavior: A Critical Analysis of Psychological Research and a Call for Broader Ecological Perspectives
Authors: Verona Edelyn , Fox Bryanna
Published: February 2025

The United States has one of the highest rates of correctional supervision among all nations in the world, reflecting the disproportionate incarceration of racial minorities and economically disadvantaged groups. Scholars have emphasized the role of structural factors and governmental policies in long-term shifts in crime and incarceration. However, much of the psychological research on crime and antisocial behaviors has not deeply considered this broader context, focusing mostly on individual and proximal environmental risk factors. This article presents a novel synthesis of large cross-disciplinary literatures that have not been previously integrated. After a brief summary of dominant themes in psychological research on the topic, we review the strong evidence, primarily from fields outside of psychology, for structural forces that explain pathways into criminal justice involvement, independent of individual-level explanations. A broader ecological framework is outlined to help unconfound individual and structural influences, with the hope of motivating policy change that is evidence-based and equitable.
Pathogenesis of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis and Related Disorders
Authors: Altintas Mehmet M. , Agarwal Shivangi , Sudhini Yashwanth , Zhu Ke , Wei Changli , Reiser Jochen
Published: February 2025

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the morphologic manifestation of a spectrum of kidney diseases that primarily impact podocytes, cells that create the filtration barrier of the glomerulus. As its name implies, only parts of the kidney and glomeruli are affected, and only a portion of the affected glomerulus may be sclerosed. Although the diagnosis is based primarily on microscopic features, patient stratification relies on clinical data such as proteinuria and etiological criteria. FSGS affects both children and adults and has an elevated risk of progression to end-stage renal disease. The prevalence of FSGS is rising among various populations, and the efficacy of various therapies is limited. Therefore, understanding the pathophysiology of FSGS and developing targeted therapies to address the complex needs of FSGS patients are topics of great interest that are currently being studied across various clinical trials. We discuss the etiology of FSGS, describe the major contributing pathophysiological pathways, and outline emerging therapeutic strategies along with their pitfalls.
Experimental Study and Numerical Analysis of the Mechanical Properties of Lifting Anchors Subjected to Combined Tensile and Shear Forces in Precast Concrete Components
Authors: Tan Jun , Zhai Chuan-Ming , Zhang Chao , Gao Xiaofei , Sun Guojun
Published: February 2025

To study the mechanical properties of the lifting anchor under combined tension and shear, the failure mode and bearing capacity of lifting anchor under different load angles are systematically analyze through the comparison of test and finite element numerical simulation results. Firstly, 16 concrete specimens with embedded lifting anchor were subjected to testing at eight different load angles. Then the finite element software Abaqus was utilized to simulate the specimens, and the obtained results were compared with the experimental data to verify the accuracy of the finite element simulation of the mechanical properties of the lifting anchor under combined tension and shear, which provides a basis for the stress analysis of the complex lifting state in the future. The results show that with the increase of load angle, the ultimate bearing capacity and tensile–shear coupling stiffness of the lifting anchor increase gradually. The ultimate combined load of the specimen increased by about 41% from 0° to 90°. The mathematical statistics method was applied to fit the test data, and the calculation formula of the load‐bearing capacity of the lifting anchor under the combined action of tension and shear is established. The average R‐squared value of the calculation formula is 0.95, which is in good agreement with the experimental data and improves the design and evaluation accuracy of this type of structure.
Deciphering Microbial Carbohydrate Metabolism: Unveiling Mechanistic Insights Into Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Kumar Navin , Sain Swagata , Solanki Bhawna
Published: February 2025

The human gut, comprising the stomach, intestine, and colon, hosts a diverse and host‐specific microbial community known as the gut microbiota. The symbiotic relationship between humans and their microbiota is highly conserved and has evolved over time, playing a crucial role in maintaining overall health and well‐being. Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses have revealed the pivotal role of gut microbiota in regulating body homeostasis, influencing various physiological processes ranging from metabolism to the immune system. Several studies have demonstrated that microbial dysbiosis is associated with severe clinical conditions, including Type 2 diabetes. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes exhibit a distinct gut microbiota composition, characterized by reduced diversity and an altered relative abundance of certain bacterial species. This dysbiosis can result in chronic low‐grade inflammation and metabolic endotoxemia. Type 2 diabetes is also marked by persistent low‐grade inflammation, where inflammatory cytokines contribute to impaired glucose metabolism and insulin resistance. The relationship between the gut microbiota and diabetes is complex, necessitating further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and to develop effective therapies. This review provides valuable insights into the potential role of the gut microbiota in influencing various aspects of diabetes, including glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and inflammation. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of the gut microbiota as a potential therapeutic target for managing Type 2 diabetes.
High‐Accuracy Long‐Read Sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PSNK363 Isolated From the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Authors: Dang Thi-Binh , Sung Nackmoon , Lim Kyunghyun , Lee Soyoung , Jeon Jaehyun , Jheon Sanghoon
Published: February 2025

Long‐read sequencing is a valuable technique for high‐precision genome analysis. Despite the widespread use of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv genome sequence as a reference for genetic variation analysis, its suitability for comparing clinical strains is limited. Therefore, we constructed the first known whole genome of a clinical M. tuberculosis strain, PSNK363, isolated from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, using high‐quality high‐fidelity (HiFi) read sequencing and compared its genetic variations to those of H37Rv. PSNK363 was cultured to obtain genomic DNA, which was subjected to de novo whole‐genome assembly using PacBio Sequel II with long‐read HiFi sequencing. The sequences were compared to the reference genome H37Rv. HiFi long‐read sequencing of M. tuberculosis PSNK363, with an accuracy of 99.99%, revealed a single circular chromosome of 4,422,110 bp, which is 10,578 bp longer than the H37Rv chromosome. The assembly had an average G + C content of 65.6%, 4079 protein‐coding sequences, 53 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Most genes (72.7%) were assigned as putative functions, whereas the remaining 27.3% were annotated as hypothetical. Comparison with H37Rv revealed a large inversion in the PSNK363 genome, which contains most of the deletion and insertion variants. M. tuberculosis PSNK363 had a longer genome sequence, more protein‐coding genes, and a larger inversion region than H37Rv. High‐accuracy whole‐genome sequencing of PSNK363 holds the potential for enriching virulence databases and identifying informative loci for drug resistance analysis in M. tuberculosis isolates in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Ivabradine for Incessant Atrial Tachycardia in a 1‐Year‐Old Child After Tetralogy of Fallot Repair
Authors: Balweel Haikal , Sukardi Rubiana , Marwali Eva Miranda , Eri Rifqi Rizkani , Tafriend Novaro Adeneur , Harsoyo Agus
Published: February 2025

Background: Ivabradine is a novel drug with the ability to reduce heart rate without compromising myocardial contractility or blood pressure. Studies on this drug exist mainly for heart failure and coronary artery disease; for arrhythmia, the studies are limited to small sample trials and case series, mostly unrandomized. Additionally, its evidence for arrhythmia in pediatric patients is limited. Here, we present a case of successful ivabradine administration for incessant atrial tachycardia in a 1‐year‐old child following tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair.

Case: A 1‐year‐old child experienced incessant tachyarrhythmia episodes after TOF repair. Multiple standard therapies, including adenosine, amiodarone, multiple cardioversions, beta‐blockers, and digoxin, failed to convert the rhythm. Considering the limited therapy options and existing case reports, ivabradine was administered at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg. Subsequently, sinus rhythm was restored 8 h after its administration, with the heart rate significantly decreased, and the patient returned to a stable hemodynamic status.

Discussion: Ivabradine may be an option for incessant atrial tachycardia in pediatric patients. Although most tachyarrhythmias following TOF repair occur due to a reentry mechanism, focal mechanisms can also occur, suggested by timing, gradual acceleration after cardioversion and its response to ivabradine. Future studies are needed to further understand the safety and efficacy of ivabradine for atrial tachycardia in pediatric patients.
Cyclosporin‐Induced Gingival Enlargement in a Periodontitis Patient With Pemphigus Vulgaris: A Case Report
Authors: Chong Wee-Jian , Ibrahim Norliwati , Mohd-Said Shahida
Published: February 2025

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting mucous membranes and skin, with potential life‐threatening risks. It is typically characterized by blisters within the oral cavity with or without subsequent skin involvement. Given the importance of timely intervention, dental professionals are responsible for diagnosing this condition, as prompt detection and intervention greatly influence the disease progression and prognosis.

Case Description: A 44‐year‐old male patient presented with swollen and bleeding gums, accompanied by multiple chronic ulcers in the oral cavity. He was initially diagnosed with PV in 2018; his case posed significant challenges, including drug‐influenced gingival enlargement and the psychological burden of managing a chronic, relapsing condition.

Management and Prognosis: The patient received treatment with an immunosuppressive medication (cyclosporin) along with long‐term systemic steroids (prednisolone). In November 2022, cyclosporin was replaced with a steroid‐sparing medication (methotrexate) to control drug‐influenced gingival enlargement. The periodontal condition improved after 3 months of changing the medication regimen, nonsurgical periodontal therapy, and reinforced oral hygiene practices. The patient undergoes regular medical evaluations every 6 months with the dermatology department.

Clinical Implications: Effective management of PV necessitates long‐term systemic steroid therapy, often supplemented with immunosuppressive agents, to control the disease and minimize relapse risks. Regular clinical assessments are essential for patients receiving steroid and immunosuppressive treatment to monitor potential side effects, including cyclosporin‐induced gingival enlargement. If gingival enlargement is compounded by periodontal disease, it can further complicate the management of PV. Drug‐induced gingival enlargement has a favorable prognosis and is reversible upon discontinuation or substitution of the causative medication. An interdisciplinary approach involving primary clinicians, dentists, and the healthcare team is crucial to addressing the patient’s signs and symptoms effectively.
Oral Metastasis From Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Report of a New Case and a Scoping Review
Authors: Gioco Gioele , Patini Romeo , Marchesini Denise , Rupe Cosimo , Staderini Edoardo , Lucchese Alberta , De Corso Eugenio , Lajolo Carlo
Published: February 2025

Objectives: This study is aimed at describing an unusual case of oral metastasis from colorectal adenocarcinoma and at performing a scoping review analyzing the available literature on such cases.

Materials and Methods: We present a rare case of oral metastasis from colorectal adenocarcinoma in a 37‐year‐old Italian woman. Clinical oral examination showed the presence of a swollen lesion in the vestibular gingiva of the right mandibular region, associated with Grade III mobility of the second premolar. Radiographic examination revealed a radiolucency apical to the first molar and second premolar associated with the rhizolysis of these teeth. Furthermore, we conducted a scoping literature review of the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) guidelines.

Results: The second premolar was extracted, and an incisional biopsy of the osteolytic lesion was performed for histological and immunohistochemical examination, which revealed an adenocarcinoma fragment with mucinous characteristics and a morphology and immunophenotype compatible with caudal‐related homeobox transcription factor 2 (CDX2) and cytokeratin (CK) 20. In conclusion, the lesion was indicative of oral metastasis from colorectal adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, the review of the existing literature in the English language yielded 112 cases of oral metastases from colorectal adenocarcinoma, which were included in our analysis.

Conclusions: Although oral metastasis from colorectal adenocarcinoma has been reported previously, it is a rare manifestation.

Clinical Relevance: Because of the rarity of oral metastasis and possible variations in the clinical and histological presentations, correct diagnosis can be challenging and requires careful clinical and histopathological evaluations with adjuvant immunohistochemical studies.
Microscopic polyangiitis With Pauci‐Immune Glomerulonephritis Associated With Gastrointestinal Tuberculosis
Authors: Monroy-Portillo Alexis , Vargas-San José Nancy , De León-Perez Werner , Moreno-Alvarado Rodolfo
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is a prevalent disease in Guatemala, present in 20–25 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants. Extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) accounts for only 10%–17% of TB cases. The diagnosis of EPTB is challenging, especially in low‐resource settings, because TB can present with clinical characteristics of rheumatological, oncological, or other infectious diseases. Occasionally, mycobacterial infection stimulates the immune system, inducing the generation of antibodies that may lead to autoimmune diseases secondary to primary TB infection, such as vasculitis. To the best of our knowledge, no data have been reported on the prevalence of vasculitis, although some studies worldwide have determined that small‐vessel vasculitis is the most common. Here, we present a case report of a male patient with EPTB diagnosed with Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA).

Methods: A 17‐year‐old boy with no past medical history visited the emergency room with a three‐day history of gastrointestinal bleeding. During hospitalization, acute kidney injury (AKI), disseminated lymphadenopathy, imaging studies, renal biopsy, and immunological tests were performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Results: Endoscopy revealed a duodenal lesion containing Mycobacterium TB DNA. Further investigation of AKI led to autoimmune serological tests and kidney biopsy, confirming the diagnosis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)–positive pauci‐immune GN. The patient was treated with antituberculous agents, steroids, and plasmapheresis. However, he developed alveolar hemorrhage and respiratory failure leading to death.

Conclusion: TB is a common disease in low‐income countries, with the pulmonary form being the most common presentation; however, the bacteria can spread to any organ, known as EPTB. It is important to consider that the inflammatory reaction associated with any form of TB can generate other types of noninfectious inflammatory diseases, such as ANCA–positive pauci‐immune GN.
An Uncommon Cause of Hip Pain Originating From the Iliopsoas Muscle: A Case Report
Authors: Ozcan Mustafa , Acar Emre , Akdogan Efe Kemal , Erduran Mehmet
Published: February 2025

A 43‐year‐old man presented with chronic left hip pain that had increased in severity in the last week. Imaging studies discovered a mass in the iliopsoas muscle. The mass was excised, and pathological examination revealed pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma. The patient was followed up for 2 years and demonstrated no recurrence, with good clinical results. Clinicians should follow a systematic diagnostic approach involving a detailed medical history, a comprehensive physical examination, imaging studies, and laboratory tests to evaluate masses in the iliopsoas region, leading to timely diagnosis and appropriate management. Rhabdomyosarcoma is already a rare malignancy in adults. Therefore, having it in the iliopsoas compartment makes this case unique. To our knowledge, there was only one previously reported case of rhabdomyosarcoma involving the iliopsoas.
Drift‐Diffusion Modeling of Attentional Shifting During Frustration: Associations With State Frustration and Trait Irritability
Authors: Bellaert Nellia , Castagna Peter J. , Deveney Christen M. , Crowley Michael J. , Tseng Wan-Ling
Published: February 2025

Irritability, a prevalent and impairing symptom in many mood and anxiety disorders, is characterized by aberrant responses to frustrative nonreward. Past research investigating irritability have used a cued‐attention task with rigged feedback, the affective Posner task (AP), to induce frustrative nonreward. Previous studies have not been successful in linking differences in self‐reported irritability to traditional AP metrics (i.e., reaction time and accuracy). Computational modeling, via the estimation of parameters reflecting latent cognitive processes, may provide insight into the cognitive mechanisms of irritability and reveal potential targets for mechanism‐based interventions. This study applied the drift‐diffusion model (DDM) to the AP to determine if DDM parameters are associated with individual differences in irritability. Young adults (N = 152, Mage = 20.93 ± 1.98) completed the AP and self‐reported state frustration and trait irritability. Multiple linear regressions were used to evaluate whether DDM parameters better predict state frustration and trait irritability over traditional AP metrics. Higher state frustration was predicted by lower decision threshold during the frustration block and larger decrease in this parameter between nonfrustration and frustration blocks, over traditional AP metrics. These findings demonstrate the potential of applying the DDM to study frustrative nonreward in healthy adult populations. The utility of DDM awaits validation in populations with clinical levels of irritability.
Association of Dietary Intake With the Risk of Atopic Diseases: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Dai Xixia , Lei Li , Jiang Ling , Hu Yibo , Wu Songjiang , Chen Menglu , Liang Yixuan , Chen Jing , Fu Chuhan , Zeng Qinghai
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Previous observational studies have shown an association between specific dietary intake and atopic diseases. However, few studies have analyzed the causal effects of dietary factors on risk of atopic diseases. Therefore, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to explore these relationships.

Methods: In this study, we obtained summary statistics on dietary intake and atopic diseases including atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, and allergic rhinitis from large genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) in European populations. MR analysis was performed using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented with MR Egger, weighted median, maximum likelihood, and weighted model analysis methods.

Results: Our study included 34 diet‐related exposure factors. The results indicated that increased intake of filtered coffee could reduce the risk of developing atopic dermatitis. Conversely, higher average monthly intake of other alcoholic drinks was associated with an increased risk of atopic dermatitis. For allergic asthma, higher intake of filtered coffee was identified as a protective factor, while increased average weekly intake of spirits and cherry were considered risk factors. Furthermore, an increase in average weekly intake of beer plus cider was found to potentially lower the risk of allergic conjunctivitis. However, we did not discover any causal association between the risk of allergic rhinitis and the dietary intake factors.

Conclusion: This MR study validates the potential causal effects of specific dietary intake on different atopic diseases and provides strong support for the development of individualized prevention strategies and health interventions at the family level.
Accuracy of the Identification and Prognosis Prediction of SOFA‐Based Sepsis‐3 for Septic Patients in the Emergency Department Compared With Sepsis‐2
Authors: Zhang Yi-Jie , Fang Wei , Wang Zhen
Published: February 2025

Aim: To evaluate the value of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, a Sepsis‐3 criterion, for identification and prognosis prediction among adult patients with sepsis in the emergency department (ED) compared with the Sepsis‐2.

Methods: Adult patients with suspected sepsis presenting to the ED were retrospectively identified via Sepsis‐2/Sepsis‐3 criteria. The vital signs, laboratory test results, etc., were collected, and the SOFA/quick SOFA (qSOFA) scores and National Early Warning Score (NEWS) were calculated accordingly. ROC curves were generated to evaluate mortality prediction accuracy.

Results: Among the 481 patients included, 288/339 met the Sepsis‐2/Sepsis‐3 criteria, respectively, with moderate between‐protocol consistency (Kappa = 0.507, p < 0.001; concordance = 77.3%); 115 patients (23.9%) died in hospital or within 28 days. SOFA/qSOFA scores and NEWS were significantly greater in the sepsis and death groups (p < 0.001), but there was no between‐group difference for Sepsis‐2/Sepsis‐3. The temperature (T) and respiratory rate (RR) increased in the death group, whereas the systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased. The usefulness of the SOFA score (AUC = 0.644) for predicting mortality was lower than that of qSOFA score (AUC = 0.716) and NEWS (AUC = 0.718), which could be improved (AUC = 0.701–0.721) by combining with two/three of variables (T, RR, and SBP).

Conclusion: Compared with Sepsis‐2, Sepsis‐3 identified more patients with sepsis and was suitable for ED use. The SOFA score had lower mortality prediction accuracy than the qSOFA score and NEWS, which could be significantly improved by combining with two/three variables (T, RR, and SBP).
Cyber Shopping Beyond Boundaries: The Metaverse Revolution in e‐Commerce and Consumer Behavior
Authors: Jafar Rana Muhammad Sohail , Jabeen Manahil , Hussain Safdar , Niu Ben , Sham Rohana , Al-Adwan Ahmad Samed
Published: February 2025

The metaverse is swiftly flattering an important player in the e‐commerce domain. It provides innumerable opportunities and indicates a revolutionary paradigm shift in e‐commerce. Online businesses can now create virtual storefronts that enable immersive, lifelike product exploration within the metaverse, in contrast to traditional brick‐and‐mortar stores that cater to local customers. Current research offers a novel conceptual framework based on theories of interactive media effects and the stimulus–organism–response paradigm to understand consumer purchase intentions in the metaverse. Carefully gathered data from 342 survey participants were then examined using the analytical tools of structural equation modelling (SEM) and importance–performance map analysis (IPMA). The results of the study shed light on how much perceived augmentation and interaction affect consumers’ cognitive and emotive reactions, including feelings of realism, immersion, and telepresence. Remarkably, these reactions have a significant influence on how customers behave. The study’s distinctive worth is found in its creative recommendations, which can help tech firms and metaverse developers improve the purchasing experience in this dynamic digital environment.
Centering Humanizing, Individualized Care Amid Systemic Barriers: A Qualitative Exploration of Provider Approaches to Palliative and End‐of‐Life Care for Unhoused Adults
Authors: Ingle M. Pilar , Cutforth Asia , Hasche Leslie , Matatall Elise K.
Published: February 2025

Palliative and end‐of‐life (PEOL) care offers many benefits to those with life‐limiting illness; however, people experiencing homelessness face systemic and social barriers to accessing such care. Healthcare (HC) and social service (SS) providers who work with unhoused individuals have essential roles and insight for how PEOL needs are addressed among this population which may inform opportunities to improve care. This study, therefore, explores Colorado‐based HC and SS providers’ approaches working with unhoused individuals with PEOL needs. An exploratory–descriptive qualitative approach was used to conduct semistructured interviews with HC and SS providers in Colorado who provided direct care or services to adults. An iterative thematic analysis approach was used to code and analyze interviews. Seventeen providers were interviewed between June and September 2022, representing settings including hospitalist specialty services, hospice, housing/homeless services, aging services, and community mental health. Amid systemic challenges, including lack of resources and pervasive stigma toward unhoused individuals, providers highlighted person‐centered and holistic approaches to care that prioritize building trust and honoring dignity and autonomy. Providers emphasized the importance of organizational commitment to these humanizing approaches while transforming culture surrounding poverty and end‐of‐life. Further, interviews identified potential solutions to improve PEOL care for individuals experiencing homelessness, including specialized interventions (e.g., mobile palliative care). These findings highlight realistic, humanizing approaches to care providers can incorporate into everyday practice and support the need for specialized PEOL services, policy reform in housing and HC (better housing solutions, hospice reimbursement, etc.), and efforts to address and disrupt homelessness stigma.
Identification of Novel USH2A Mutations in a Consanguineous Chinese Family With Usher Syndrome
Authors: Wang Haolin , Wei Bo , Guo Jiaxin , Wu Xiawei , Zou Tongdan , Wang Ting , Zhang Tiantian , Gong Bo , Hao Jilong , Zhang Houbin , Wang Le
Published: February 2025

Usher syndrome (USH) is a rare genetic disease characterized by sensorineural deafness and blindness called retinitis pigmentosa, and it is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern with a prevalence of four to 17 per 100,000 people worldwide. In this study, a consanguineous Chinese family with USH, including two affected individuals and five unaffected individuals, was recruited. All subjects received an ophthalmic examination and an auditory examination. The two USH patients exhibited severe early‐onset hearing and vision loss. DNA samples from the two USH patients were analyzed using whole‐exome sequencing. A novel homozygous frameshift mutation (NM_206933.4:c.6379_6380delinsC, p.G2127Pfs∗25) in USH2A, resulting in a truncated USH2A protein lacking 3051 amino acids, was identified in the proband. In addition, novel compound mutations in USH2A (one allele harboring NM_206933.4:c.9958G>T, p.G3320C; NM_206933.4:c.8284C>G, p.P2762A; and the other NM_206933.4:c.6379_6380delinsC; p.G2127Pfs∗25) were identified in the other affected individual. In silico analysis predicts that while the p.G3320C mutation has little impact on the local structure around the mutation site, the p.P2762A substitution may alter the protein’s interaction with its binding partners. In addition, p.G2127Pfs∗25 causes a truncation of a major portion of the protein that severely disrupts the protein structure and results in the loss of its function. In conclusion, this study identified novel USH mutations in USH2A and expanded the spectrum of disease‐associated variants in the USH2A gene, which will promote the molecular screening of genetic mutations in USH patients.
Investigation of Concentrated Semitransparent Photovoltaic System for Hot and Humid Climatic Conditions
Authors: Kumar Pitchai Marish , Karthick Alagar , Kaliappan Seeniappan , Muhibbullah Md
Published: February 2025

Artificial illumination and heating constitute the majority of the building’s energy usage. Buildings account for 40% of worldwide energy use. Building‐integrated concentrated photovoltaic systems represent an innovative technology. Concentrated sunlight enhances the quantity of solar radiation that reaches photovoltaic cells. This project involves the design and fabrication of a distinctive stepped optiwave concentrating system that employs semitransparent photovoltaic (STPV) modules. Two separate modules have been created to evaluate the effectiveness of the optiwave STPV and STPV systems. Evaluations and comparisons of electrical and thermal performance are available for both the optiwave photovoltaic (OPV) system and the STPV module. The trials are conducted in the Coimbatore Region of Tamil Nadu, India, situated at 11.0168° north latitude and 76.9558° east longitude. Output power and electrical efficiency are metrics of the electrical performance of OPV and STPV. The highest electrical efficiency of the OPV and STPV modules is 11.5%, with the STPV module slightly exceeding it at 10.5%. Specific reports indicate that the OPV system produces 10.5% greater revenue than the STPV system. This culminates in an assessment of the ecological expenses and the amortisation period for embodied energy. OPVs possess the potential for space applications necessitating maximal energy per unit area. Research on orbital propulsion vectoring systems for satellites and space stations may intensify as space exploration and satellite deployment proliferate.
Experimental Study of CAD‐Based Scaled Alignment and Object Pose Estimation for RGB‐D Sensor
Authors: Dong Yiyang , Liang Minghui , Payandeh Shahram
Published: February 2025

Pose estimation of objects is one of the main tasks for robotics to understand their environments and for monitoring tasks of grasping and manipulation of objects. In this paper, we present an experimental study of CAD‐based object pose estimation to detect object locations and estimate their orientations using the prior defined models. Specifically, our study pipeline is developed for RGB‐D sensors and consists of three steps. First, we incorporate an objection detection method using RGB images, which can result in the definition of the bounding boxes, instance masks, and class labels of detected objects with missing pose information. Then, we leverage the depth values of the masked pixels and known camera intrinsics to generate point clouds of objects. Finally, we align CAD models, defined in canonical poses, to the scan objects, achieving pose estimation and complete representation for the objects. Given that there may exist many challenges for such alignment task such as scale differences, partial overlap, noise, and outliers, we introduce two alignment approaches, namely, scale iterative closest point (SICP) and coherent point drift (CPD), and present a comprehensive experimental study of their accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency. In particular, we observe that the methods are sensitive to the initial relative poses of objects. To address this problem, we introduce a multipose initialization scheme to improve their robustness. Our experimental results show that both methods can achieve accurate alignment; however, scale ICP (SICP) is time‐efficient, while CPD is more robust to noise and occlusions. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using RGB‐D sensors, an object detection module, and point cloud alignment methods for accurate object detection and pose estimation.