bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postural adjustments and perceptual responses of Nordic running: concurrent effects of poles and irregular terrain
Authors: Ivaniski-Mello André , Cubillos-Arcila Diana Maria , Dell’Anna Stefano , de Liz Alves Lucas , Martinez Flávia Gomes , Buzzachera Cosme Franklim , Saute Jonas Alex Morales , Peyré-Tartaruga Leonardo Alexandre
Published: January 2024

Purpose

In the natural environment, humans must continuously negotiate irregular and unpredictable terrain. Recently, the poles have been extensively used during trial running events. However, we know little about how humans adjust posture and bilateral coordination to use poles in irregular terrain. Here, we compared kinematics, bilateral coordination and perceptual responses between regular (compact dust) and irregular terrain (medium-length grass) during running at preferred speed with and without poles.

Methods

In this transversal observational study, thirteen young healthy adults (8 men; mean ± SD; age 29.1 ± 8.0 years, body mass 76.8 ± 11.4 kg; height 1.75 ± 0.08 m) were evaluated during running at a self-selected comfortable speed with and without poles on regular and irregular terrains.

Results

Our results show that, despite more flexed pattern on lower-limb joints at irregular terrain, the usage of poles was not enough to re-stabilize the bilateral coordination. Also, the perceived exertion was impaired adding poles to running, probably due to more complex movement pattern using poles in comparison to free running, and the invariance in the bilateral coordination.

Conclusion

Besides the invariability of usage poles on bilateral coordination and lower-limb kinematics, the runners seem to prioritize postural stability over lower limb stiffness when running in medium-length grass given the larger range of ankle and knee motion observed in irregular terrain. Further investigations at rougher/hilly terrains will likely provide additional insights into the neuromotor control strategies used to maintain the stability and on perceptual responses using poles during running.
An update of predictive biomarkers related to WEE1 inhibition in cancer therapy
Authors: Wang Zizhuo , Li Wenting , Li Fuxia , Xiao Rourou
Published: January 2024

Purpose

WEE1 is a crucial kinase involved in the regulation of G2/M checkpoint within the cell cycle. This article aims to comprehensively review the existing knowledge on the implication of WEE1 as a therapeutic target in tumor progression and drug resistance. Furthermore, we summarize the current predictive biomarkers employed to treat cancer with WEE1 inhibitors.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was conducted to analyze the association between WEE1 inhibition and cancer progression, including tumor advancement and drug resistance. Special attention was paid to the identification and utilization of predictive biomarkers related to therapeutic response to WEE1 inhibitors.

Results

The review highlights the intricate involvement of WEE1 in tumor progression and drug resistance. It synthesizes the current knowledge on predictive biomarkers employed in WEE1 inhibitor treatments, offering insights into their prognostic significance. Notably, the article elucidates the potential for precision medicine by understanding these biomarkers in the context of tumor treatment outcomes.

Conclusion

WEE1 plays a pivotal role in tumor progression and is a promising therapeutic target. Distinguishing patients that would benefit from WEE1 inhibition will be a major direction of future research.
Toxocarosis in a patient with autism spectrum disorder presenting with severe hypereosinophilia and acute respiratory distress: a case report
Authors: Üblagger Daniel , Auer Herbert , Bezakova Milina , Kirchlechner Veronika
Published: January 2024

A boy with known autism spectrum disorder was transferred to our department due to a rapidly worsening respiratory situation. The patient’s history revealed previous treatment with albendazole against a Toxocara infection 2 weeks prior in Poland. Blood analysis showed such severe eosinophilia and markedly elevated levels of IgE that, initially, a hematologic malignancy was suspected. However, diagnostic workup including autoimmune diagnostic, molecular genetic testing, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), bone marrow aspiration, and parasitological testing led to the diagnosis of an insufficiently treated Toxocara infection. Treatment with albendazole and prednisone (six cycles for 4 weeks each) was administered. This treatment regime led to prompt improvement of symptoms and normalization of laboratory findings.
Robust and compact maximum margin clustering for high-dimensional data
Authors: Cevikalp Hakan , Chome Edward
Published: January 2024

In the field of machine learning, clustering has become an increasingly popular research topic due to its critical importance. Many clustering algorithms have been proposed utilizing a variety of approaches. This study focuses on clustering of high-dimensional data using the maximum margin clustering approach. In this paper, two methods are introduced: The first method employs the classical maximum margin clustering approach, which separates data into two clusters with the greatest margin between them. The second method takes cluster compactness into account and searches for two parallel hyperplanes that best fit to the cluster samples while also being as far apart from each other as possible. Additionally, robust variants of these clustering methods are introduced to handle outliers and noise within the data samples. The stochastic gradient algorithm is used to solve the resulting optimization problems, enabling all proposed clustering methods to scale well with large-scale data. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed methods are more effective than existing maximum margin clustering methods, particularly in high-dimensional clustering problems, highlighting the efficacy of the proposed methods.
Classification of orbital tumors using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Allam Esraa , Salem Abdel-Badeeh M. , Alfonse Marco
Published: January 2024

Orbital tumors are the most common eye tumors that affect people all over the world. Early detection prevents the progression to other regions of the eye and the body. Also, early identification and treatment could reduce mortality. A computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD) system to help physicians diagnose tumors is in great demand in ophthalmology. In recent years, deep learning has demonstrated promising outcomes in computer vision systems. This work proposes a CAD system for detecting various forms of orbital tumors using convolutional neural networks. The system has three stages: preprocessing, data augmentation and classification. The proposed system was evaluated on two datasets of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images containing 1404 MRI T1-weighted images and 1560 MRI T2-weighted images. The results have shown that the system is capable of detecting and classifying the tumor in each image type, and the recognition rate for the T1-weighted image is 98% and for the T2-weighted image is 97%.
Deep learning algorithm for fully automated measurement of sagittal balance in adult spinal deformity
Authors: Löchel Jannis , Putzier Michael , Dreischarf Marcel , Grover Priyanka , Urinbayev Kudaibergen , Abbas Fahad , Labbus Kirsten , Zahn Robert
Published: January 2024

Aim

Deep learning (DL) algorithms can be used for automated analysis of medical imaging. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of an innovative, fully automated DL algorithm for analysis of sagittal balance in adult spinal deformity (ASD).

Material and methods

Sagittal balance (sacral slope, pelvic tilt, pelvic incidence, lumbar lordosis and sagittal vertical axis) was evaluated in 141 preoperative and postoperative radiographs of patients with ASD. The DL, landmark-based measurements, were compared with the ground truth values from validated manual measurements.

Results

The DL algorithm showed an excellent consistency with the ground truth measurements. The intra-class correlation coefficient between the DL and ground truth measurements was 0.71–0.99 for preoperative and 0.72–0.96 for postoperative measurements. The DL detection rate was 91.5% and 84% for preoperative and postoperative images, respectively.

Conclusion

This is the first study evaluating a complete automated DL algorithm for analysis of sagittal balance with high accuracy for all evaluated parameters. The excellent accuracy in the challenging pathology of ASD with long construct instrumentation demonstrates the eligibility and possibility for implementation in clinical routine.
Integrating porphyrin-based nanoporous organic polymers with electrochemical aptasensors for ultratrace detection of kanamycin
Authors: Tian Guanghui , Guo Feng , Fan Chuanbin , Zong Zi-Ao , Wang Junli , Tegudeer Zhuorigebatu , Gao Wen-Yang
Published: January 2024

The synthesis and characterization of two new porphyrin-based porous organic polymers (POPs) via Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction and leverage the two obtained POPs is reported for the fabrication of electrochemical aptasensors to detect kanamycin at an ultratrace level. The resultant electrochemical aptasensor demonstrates a high linear relationship with the logarithmic value of kanamycin concentration in the range 5 × 10−5–5 μg/L with the limit of detection of 17.6 pg/L or 36.3 fM. During the analysis of real samples from milk and river, a relative standard deviation of less than 4.39%, and good recovery values in the range 97.0–105% were obtained.

Graphical Abstract
Applications of bioclimatology to assess effects of climate change on viticultural suitability in the DO León (Spain)
Authors: del Río S. , Álvarez-Esteban R. , Alonso-Redondo R. , Álvarez R. , Rodríguez-Fernández M. P. , González-Pérez A. , Penas A.
Published: January 2024

Spain accounts for 13.1% of the world’s vineyard area, and viticulture is crucial for the socioeconomic and cultural sectors. Vineyards are among the perennial crops that can suffer most negative impacts under climate change which can pose challenges to the sustainability of viticulture. Local and regional studies are needed to assess these impacts to help implement effective strategies in response to climate change. To this end, our approach involves integrating both conventional agroclimatic indices and those new bioclimatic indices that have proven to be essential for the characterization and demarcation of vineyards into species distribution models to assess areas suitable for viticulture under climate change projections. The proposed methodology was tested in a viticultural region located in northwestern Spain (DO León). An ensemble platform was used to build consensus models encompassing three general circulation models, two emission scenario pathways and two time horizons. Only the predictors that effectively characterize each grape variety were included in the models. The results revealed increases in the continentality index, compensated thermicity index, hydrothermic index of Branas, and temperature range during ripening in all the future scenarios analyzed in comparison to current conditions. Conversely, the values for the annual ombrothermic index and growing season precipitation may decrease in the future. The pattern of changes for 2070 will be more pronounced than for 2050. A significant loss of future habitat suitability was detected within the limits of the study area for the grape varieties analyzed. This negative impact could be counteracted to some degree with new and favorable areas for the cultivation of vineyards in territories located at the north of the DO limits. We suggest that our results could help policymakers to develop practices and strategies to conserve existing grape varieties and to implement efficient adaptation measures for mitigating or anticipating the effects of climate change on viticulture.
Facts and trends in dental antibiotic and analgesic prescriptions in Germany, 2012–2021
Authors: Albrecht Helena , Schiegnitz Eik , Halling Frank
Published: January 2024

Objectives

The study aims to overview German dentists’ development of antibiotic and analgesic prescriptions from 2012 to 2021.

Materials and methods

A longitudinal database analysis was performed based on the annual reports of the “Research Institute for Local Health Care Systems” (WIdO, Berlin).

Results

From 2012 until 2021, dental antibiotic prescriptions fell by 17.9%. In contrast, the dental proportion of antibiotic prescriptions compared to all antibiotic prescriptions in Germany increased from 9.1 to 13.6%. Aminopenicillins enhanced their share from 35.6 to 49.4%, while clindamycin prescriptions declined from 37.8 to 23.4%. The proportion of ibuprofen prescriptions significantly increased from 60.4% in 2012 to 79.0% in 2021.

Conclusions

Since 2013, the most frequently prescribed antibiotic by German dentists has been amoxicillin reaching nearly half of all dental antibiotic prescriptions in 2021. Simultaneously, the proportion of clindamycin has steadily decreased, but the level is still high compared to international data. During the past decade, ibuprofen as a first-line analgesic in German dentistry was continuously gaining in importance.

Clinical relevance

Aminopenicillins have the best risk–benefit balance in dentistry, but the use of antibiotics generally must be limited only to cases of severe infections or compromised patients. Pre-existing diseases or permanent medications should always be considered when choosing an analgesic.
Testing the ‘differences in virtual and physical head pose’ and ‘subjective vertical conflict’ accounts of cybersickness
Authors: Palmisano Stephen , Stephenson Lance , Davies Rodney G. , Kim Juno , Allison Robert S.
Published: January 2024

When we move our head while in virtual reality, display lag will generate differences in our virtual and physical head pose (known as DVP). While DVP are a major trigger for cybersickness, theories differ as to exactly how they constitute a provocative sensory conflict. Here, we test two competing theories: the subjective vertical conflict theory and the DVP hypothesis. Thirty-two HMD users made continuous, oscillatory head rotations in either pitch or yaw while viewing a large virtual room. Additional display lag was applied selectively to the simulation about the same, or an orthogonal, axis to the instructed head rotation (generating Yaw-Lag + Yaw-Move, Yaw-Lag + Pitch-Move, Pitch-Lag + Yaw-Move, and Pitch-Lag + Pitch-Move conditions). At the end of each trial: (1) participants rated their sickness severity and scene instability; and (2) their head tracking data were used to estimate DVP throughout the trial. Consistent with our DVP hypothesis, but contrary to subjective vertical conflict theory, Yaw-Lag + Yaw-Move conditions induced significant cybersickness, which was similar in magnitude to that in the Pitch-Lag + Pitch-Move conditions. When extra lag was added along the same axis as the instructed head movement, DVP was found to predict 73–76% of the variance in sickness severity (with measures of the spatial magnitude and the temporal dynamics of the DVP both contributing significantly). Ratings of scene instability were also found to predict sickness severity. Taken together, these findings suggest that: (1) cybersickness can be predicted from objective estimates of the DVP; and (2) provocative stimuli for this sickness can be identified from subjective reports of scene instability.
The demographic, laboratory and genetic factors associated with long Covid-19 syndrome: a case–control study
Authors: Torki Ensiye , Hoseininasab Fahimeh , Moradi Marjan , Sami Ramin , Sullman Mark J. M. , Fouladseresht Hamed
Published: January 2024

Long Covid-19 syndrome (LCS) manifests with a wide range of clinical symptoms, yet the factors associated with LCS remain poorly understood. The current study aimed to investigate the relationships that demographic characteristics, clinical history, laboratory indicators, and the frequency of HLA-I alleles have with the likelihood of developing LCS. We extracted the demographic characteristics and clinical histories from the medical records of 88 LCS cases (LCS+ group) and 96 individuals without LCS (LCS− group). Furthermore, we evaluated the clinical symptoms, serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, laboratory parameters, and the frequencies of HLA-I alleles. Following this we used multiple logistic regression to investigate the association these variables had with LCS. Subjects in the LCS+ group were more likely to have experienced severe Covid-19 symptoms and had higher body mass index (BMI), white blood cell, lymphocyte counts, C-reactive protein (CRP), and IL-6 levels than those in the LCS− group (for all: P < 0.05). Moreover, the frequencies of the HLA-A*11, -B*14, -B*38, -B*50, and -C*07 alleles were higher in the LCS+ group (for all: P < 0.05). After adjusting for the most important variables, the likelihood of suffering from LCS was significantly associated with BMI, CRP, IL-6, the HLA-A*11, and -C*07 alleles, as well as a positive history of severe Covid-19 (for all: P < 0.05). Our study showed that a history of severe Covid-19 during the acute phase of the disease, the HLA-A*11, and -C*07 alleles, higher BMI, as well as elevated serum CRP and IL-6 levels, were all associated with an increased likelihood of LCS.
Longitudinal study of human polyomaviruses viruria in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Dolci Maria , Colico Caterina , Ambrogi Federico , Favi Evaldo , Signorini Lucia , Perego Marta , Campioli Edoardo , Maina Kevin Kamau , Ferrante Pasquale , Ferraresso Mariano , Delbue Serena
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Immunosuppression after kidney transplantation (KTx) exposes recipients to Human Polyomaviruses (HPyVs) infections, whose natural history is still misunderstood.

Methods

Allograft biopsies, and urine from 58 donor-recipient pairs were collected before KTx (T0) and 1 (T1), 15 (T2), 30 (T3), 60 (T4), 90 (T5), 180 (T6), 270 (T7), 360 (T8), and 540 (T9) days after transplant. Specimens were tested for JC (JCPyV) and BK (BKPyV), by quantitative Real-Time PCR. The course of post-KTx HPyVs viruria, and the association between JCPyV viruria in recipients and donors, were evaluated.

Results

HPyVs were detected in 3/58 (5.2%) allograft biopsies. HPyVs viruria was present in 29/58 (50%) donors and 41/58 (70.7%) recipients. JCPyV DNA was detected in 26/58 (44.8%) donors and 25/58 recipients (43.1%), 19 of whom received kidney from JCPyV positive donor, whereas BKPyV genome was detected in 3 (5.2%) donors and 22 (37.9%) recipients. The median time of JCPyV, and BKPyV first episode of replication was 1, and 171 days post KTx, respectively. At T0, JCPyV viruria of donors was associated with increased risk of JCPyV replication post-KTx; recipients with JCPyV positive donors showed lower risk of BKPyV replication post-KTx.

Conclusions

The results suggested that JCPyV may be transmitted by allograft, and that its replication post KTx might prevent BKPyV reactivation. Future investigation regarding correlation between chronic exposure to immunosuppressive agents and HPyVs urinary replication are warranted.
Teleworking antecedents: an exploration into availability bias as an impediment
Authors: Godefroid Marie-E. , Borghoff Vincent , Plattfaut Ralf , Niehaves Björn
Published: January 2024

Telework technologies have been known since the 1970s, yet their adoption levels remained low until Covid-19-related lockdowns and curfews. The known rational and non-rational technology acceptance theory and biases cannot fully explain this effect. One of the possible answers to fill this gap could be availability bias which has probably also affected the lag in adopting other technologies. To examine this phenomenon, we conducted a qualitative study with 22 interviews with individuals from different organizational backgrounds and telework adoption levels. Following a combination of inductive and deductive coding, we identified three key aspects of availability bias: intention, cognitive visibility, and cognitive transfer. The findings also allowed us to delineate this bias further from other biases, e.g., the status quo bias, and classical technology acceptance models, e.g., UTAUT. Thereby, this study examines a bias so far only very limitedly researched in the information systems and extends technology acceptance and cognitive bias literature. The findings should also enable practitioners to question their way of working and technology use more thoroughly.
Social network type contributes to purpose in life among older people, mediated by social support
Authors: Bakhshandeh Bavarsad Maryam , Stephens Christine
Published: January 2024

A sense of Purpose in Life is an important aspect of ageing well which is related to older adult’s social relationships. Social network types and the different sources of support they provide are theorized here as a pathway to maintaining a sense of purpose as we age. The study utilized a population sample from the 2016 and 2020 NZ Health, Work, and Retirement (NZHWR) longitudinal survey waves; N = 2869 (mean age of 65.82 years (SD = 6.40). A structural equation model investigated the relationship between Social Network Type and Purpose in Life and the mediating role of Social Support. The final model had a good fit to the data and explained 33.7% of the variance in Purpose in Life. Private, Self-Contained and Family Dependent network types (2016) were negatively related to Purpose in Life 4 years later (2020). Support from sense of Attachment, Reassurance of Worth, Reliable Alliance and Social Integration played a mediating role between Social Network type and Purpose in Life. These findings highlight the importance of social networks in maintaining a sense of purpose among older adults and highlight pathways for the types of networks, and kinds of social support they offer, which contribute to a sense of purpose in life. They underscore the importance of social support for the well-being of older adults and highlight the need to consider the quality and type of social networks and support they provide, when designing interventions to enhance well-being.
NewsCom-TOX: a corpus of comments on news articles annotated for toxicity in Spanish
Authors: Taulé Mariona , Nofre Montserrat , Bargiela Víctor , Bonet Xavier
Published: January 2024

In this article, we present the NewsCom-TOX corpus, a new corpus manually annotated for toxicity in Spanish. NewsCom-TOX consists of 4359 comments in Spanish posted in response to 21 news articles on social media related to immigration, in order to analyse and identify messages with racial and xenophobic content. This corpus is multi-level annotated with different binary linguistic categories -stance, target, stereotype, sarcasm, mockery, insult, improper language, aggressiveness and intolerance- taking into account not only the information conveyed in each comment, but also the whole discourse thread in which the comment occurs, as well as the information conveyed in the news article, including their images. These categories allow us to identify the presence of toxicity and its intensity, that is, the level of toxicity of each comment. All this information is available for research purposes upon request. Here we describe the NewsCom-TOX corpus, the annotation tagset used, the criteria applied and the annotation process carried out, including the inter-annotator agreement tests conducted. A quantitative analysis of the results obtained is also provided. NewsCom-TOX is a linguistic resource that will be valuable for both linguistic and computational research in Spanish in NLP tasks for the detection of toxic information.
A Bebras Computational Thinking (ABC-Thinking) program for primary school: Evaluation using the competent computational thinking test
Authors: Zapata-Cáceres María , Marcelino Pedro , El-Hamamsy Laila , Martín-Barroso Estefanía
Published: January 2024

Bebras tasks are considered to develop Computational Thinking (CT) and are currently used for this purpose in many studies. However, the relationship between Bebras tasks and CT is recent and, given the scarcity of validated instruments for assessing CT that are not associated with a specific learning environment, the expected development of CT through Bebras tasks has not been sufficiently evaluated, especially in Primary School. For this reason, we designed the ABC-Thinking program for the development of CT in which a set of Bebras tasks were selected and categorised according to the CT skills they were related to, specific lesson plans were designed to integrate these tasks in a 12-week curriculum, and teachers were trained to apply the program. Using the competent Computational Thinking test (cCTt) in a pre-post-test experimental design, we looked to determine whether Primary School students developed specific CT skills after the program, and, therefore, whether Bebras could be considered suitable for the development of this competence. The results show a significant development in specific CT skills, interesting findings in the gender differences in this development, and between high and low performers. Finally, qualitative data indicate the suitability of the ABC-Thinking program with respect to teachers’ practice.
Structure sense in students’ quantity comparison and repeating pattern extension tasks: an eye-tracking study with first graders
Authors: Pitta-Pantazi Demetra , Demosthenous Eleni , Schindler Maike , Lilienthal Achim J. , Christou Constantinos
Published: January 2024

There is growing evidence that the ability to perceive structure is essential for students’ mathematical development. Looking at students’ structure sense in basic numerical and patterning tasks seems promising for understanding how these tasks set the foundation for the development of later mathematical skills. Previous studies have shown how students use structure sense in enumeration tasks. However, little is known about students’ use of structure sense in other early mathematical tasks. The main aim of this study is to investigate the ways in which structure sense is manifested in first-grade students’ work across tasks, in quantity comparison and repeating pattern extension tasks. We investigated students’ strategies in quantity comparison and pattern extension tasks and how students employ structure sense. We conducted an eye-tracking study with 21 first-grade students, which provided novel insights into commonalities among strategies for these types of tasks. We found that for both tasks, quantity comparison and repeating pattern extension tasks, strategies can be distinguished into those employing structure sense and serial strategies.
Numerical validation of analytical formulas for channel flows over liquid-infused surfaces
Authors: Miyoshi Hiroyuki , Rodriguez-Broadbent Henry , Crowdy Darren G.
Published: January 2024

This paper provides numerical validation of some new explicit, asymptotically exact, analytical formulas describing channel flows over liquid-infused surfaces, an important class of surfaces of current interest in surface engineering. The new asymptotic formulas, reproduced here, were derived in a recent companion paper by the authors. The numerical validation is done by presenting a novel computational method for calculating longitudinal flow in a periodic channel involving finite-length closed liquid-filled grooves with a flat two-fluid interface, a challenging problem given the two-fluid nature of the flow. The formulas are asymptotically exact for wide channels where the grooves on the lower wall of the channel are well separated; the numerical method devised here, however, is subject to no such restrictions. Significantly, it is shown here that the asymptotic formulas remain good global approximants for the flow over a wide range of flow geometries, including those well outside the asymptotic parameter range for which they were derived. It is found that the formulas are more reliable for liquid-infused surfaces than for superhydrophobic surfaces.
Barriers to Healthcare for Latinx Autistic Children and Adolescents
Authors: Grosvenor Luke P , Cohen Ryan J , Gordon Nancy P , Massolo Maria L , Cerros Hilda J , Yoshida Cathleen K. , Ames Jennifer L , Croen Lisa A.
Published: January 2024

Purpose: To understand the ways in which autistic Latinx children experience disparities in diagnosis, healthcare, and receipt of specialty services. Methods: 417 individuals who identified as Latinx caregivers of autistic children who were members of the same integrated healthcare system in Northern California were surveyed. Responses were analyzed using the child’s insurance coverage (Government or Commercial) and caregiver’s primary language (Spanish or English). Results: Compared to the commercially-insured, government-insured participants accessed several services at a higher rate and were less likely to cite the high cost of co-pays as a barrier. Conclusion: There were no significant differences in service access by language status, but Spanish speakers were more likely to cite health literacy as a barrier to receiving care.
Differences Between Black and White Caregivers in the Association Between Autism Diagnostic Process Satisfaction and Service Use
Authors: Fisher Allison P. , Lynch James D.
Published: January 2024

Background

Black families of children with autism spectrum disorder have less access to high quality, culturally responsive care for their children.

Method

We assessed satisfaction and service utilization among fifty (29%) Black caregivers and 124 (71%) White caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. We also examined whether race moderated the association between satisfaction and service utilization.

Results

We did not identify racial differences in satisfaction or service utilization. Race moderated the association between satisfaction and total service use, F(170) = 5.29, p =.02, therapy service use, F(163) = 3.59, p =.046, and community service use, F(169) = 4.76, p =.046. For Black families, there was a positive association between satisfaction and service use. There was no association between satisfaction and service use among White families.

Discussion

Satisfaction may be particularly important among Black families, who have been mistreated by the healthcare system and frequently face discrimination. Our results suggest the importance of culturally responsive care for Black families.
The effect of high-intensity gamma radiation on PETG and ASA polymer-based fused deposition modelled 3D printed parts
Authors: Cressall Sam , Phillips Chris O. , Al-Shatty Wafaa , Deganello Davide
Published: January 2024

There is growing interest in the application of 3D printing for demanding environments subject to gamma radiation in areas such as the nuclear industry and space exploration. In this work, the effect of gamma radiation on fused deposition modelled 3D printed parts composed of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) and acrylic styrene acrylonitrile (ASA) polymers was studied. Dose levels of up to 2.25 MGy were applied to the printed components, doses equivalent to over 1 year operating near spent nuclear fuel cells. Infrared spectroscopy showed the evidence of cross-linking by the formation of peaks corresponding to –OH and C–H bonds. Tensile and hardness testing was used to assess changes in mechanical properties and showed a reduction in ultimate tensile stress and maximum strain in parts made from both polymers, but with PETG retaining greater strength and ductility than ASA, especially at intermediate gamma exposure. Young’s modulus and hardness showed either modest increases or a fairly flat response with exposure. Mechanical properties were heavily dependent on the build structure, with horizontal build samples pulled parallel to the filament direction being several times stronger than vertical build samples pulled normal to the layers. Non-irradiated samples pulled parallel to the filament direction were indicative of ductile failure, with rough surfaces, distinct infill and wall regions and evidence of thinning occurring after fracture, but irradiated fracture surfaces were flatter, smoother and without local thinning, suggesting gamma radiation-induced embrittlement in the material. For samples pulled perpendicular to the filament direction, all fractures occurred between layers, creating flat fracture surfaces with no evidence of necking and indicative of brittle failure regardless of whether the samples were irradiated.
Evaluation of Genetic or Cellular Impairments in Type I IFN Immunity in a Cohort of Young Adults with Critical COVID-19
Authors: Covill L. E. , Sendel A. , Campbell T. M. , Piiroinen I. , Enoksson S. Lind , Borgström E. Wahren , Hansen S. , Ma K. , Marits P. , Norlin A. C. , Smith C. I. E. , Kåhlin J. , Eriksson L. I. , Bergman P. , Bryceson Y. T.
Published: January 2024

Several genetic and immunological risk factors for severe COVID-19 have been identified, with monogenic conditions relating to 13 genes of type I interferon (IFN) immunity proposed to explain 4.8% of critical cases. However, previous cohorts have been clinically heterogeneous and were not subjected to thorough genetic and immunological analyses. We therefore aimed to systematically investigate the prevalence of rare genetic variants causing inborn errors of immunity (IEI) and functionally interrogate the type I IFN pathway in young adults that suffered from critical COVID-19 yet lacked comorbidities. We selected and clinically characterized a cohort of 38 previously healthy individuals under 50 years of age who were treated in intensive care units due to critical COVID-19. Blood samples were collected after convalescence. Two patients had IFN-α autoantibodies. Genome sequencing revealed very rare variants in the type I IFN pathway in 31.6% of the patients, which was similar to controls. Analyses of cryopreserved leukocytes did not indicate any defect in plasmacytoid dendritic cell sensing of TLR7 and TLR9 agonists in patients carrying variants in these pathways. However, lymphocyte STAT phosphorylation and protein upregulation upon IFN-α stimulation revealed three possible cases of impaired type I IFN signaling in carriers of rare variants. Together, our results suggest a strategy of functional screening followed by genome analyses and biochemical validation to uncover undiagnosed causes of critical COVID-19.
Autoantibody-Mediated Depletion of IL-1RA in Still’s Disease and Potential Impact of IL-1 Targeting Therapies
Authors: Hoffmann Marie-Christin , Cavalli Giulio , Fadle Natalie , Cantoni Eleonora , Regitz Evi , Fleser Octavian , Klemm Philipp , Zaks Marina , Stöger Elisabeth , Campochiaro Corrado , Tomelleri Alessandro , Baldissera Elena , Bittenbring Jörg Thomas , Zimmer Vincent , Pfeifer Jochen , Fischer Yvan , Preuss Klaus-Dieter , Bewarder Moritz , Thurner Bernhard , Fuehner Sabrina , Foell Dirk , Dagna Lorenzo , Kessel Christoph , Thurner Lorenz
Published: January 2024

Background

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) resemble a continuum of a rare, polygenic IL-1β-driven disease of unknown etiology.

Objective

In the present study we sought to investigate a potential role of recently described autoantibodies neutralizing the interleukin-1(IL-1)-receptor antagonist (IL-1-Ra) in the pathogenesis of Still’s disease.

Methods

Serum or plasma samples from Still’s disease patients (AOSD, n = 23; sJIA, n = 40) and autoimmune and/or inflammatory disease controls (n = 478) were analyzed for autoantibodies against progranulin (PGRN), IL-1Ra, IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP), and IL-36Ra, as well as circulating IL-1Ra and IL-36Ra levels by ELISA. Biochemical analyses of plasma IL-1Ra were performed by native Western blots and isoelectric focusing. Functional activity of the autoantibodies was examined by an in vitro IL-1β-signaling reporter assay.

Results

Anti-IL-1-Ra IgG were identified in 7 (27%) out of 29 Still’s disease patients, including 4/23 with AOSD and 3/6 with sJIA and coincided with a hyperphosphorylated isoform of endogenous IL-1Ra. Anti-IL-36Ra antibodies were found in 2 AOSD patients. No anti-PGRN or anti-IL-18BP antibodies were detected. Selective testing for anti-IL-1Ra antibodies in an independent cohort (sJIA, n = 34) identified 5 of 34 (14.7%) as seropositive. Collectively, 8/12 antibody-positive Still’s disease patients were either new-onset active disease or unresponsive to IL-1 blocking drugs. Autoantibody-seropositivity associated with decreased IL-1Ra plasma/serum levels. Seropositive plasma impaired in vitro IL-1Ra bioactivity, which could be reversed by anakinra or canakinumab treatment.

Conclusion

Autoantibodies neutralizing IL-1Ra may represent a novel patho-mechanism in a subgroup of Still’s disease patients, which is sensitive to high-dose IL-1 blocking therapy.
Synthesis of Poly(styrene)-g-Poly(oleic acid) Graft Copolymers via Reversible Addition/Fragmentation Transfer (RAFT) Polymerization Using a Poly Oleic Acid Macro-RAFT Agent
Authors: Göktaş Melahat , Aykaç Cengiz , Hazer Baki , Ashby Richard D.
Published: January 2024

In this study, a new polymeric oleic acid-derived macro addition/fragmentation transfer agent was utilized to produce a poly(styrene)-g-poly(oleic acid) graft copolymer. The double bond of oleic acid was initially saturated with bromine and the condensation polymerization between the carboxylic acid and the bromide resulted in polyoleic acid with pendant bromide groups. Xanthate groups were exchanged with the bromide groups to obtain the poly(oleic acid) macro RAFT agent (Pole-Xa). Poly(styrene)-g-poly(oleic acid) (PS-g-Pole) graft copolymers were synthesized via reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization of styrene and the reaction was evaluated in view of the polymerization kinetics. The effects of polymerization temperature and reaction time on graft copolymer yield, conversion and molecular weight were investigated. In the RAFT polymerization of styrene, the rate constant (k) was found to be 1.83 × 10–3 L/mol/dk and 7.27 × 10–4 L/mol/dk for the polymerization temperatures of 80 and 90 °C, respectively. The structural characteristics and thermal properties of the obtained products were characterized using FT-IR, 1H-NMR, GPC, TGA, DSC and SEM–EDX.
Evaluation of Thermodynamic Model of Pd(II) Complex Formation with Isosaccharinic Acid
Authors: Kimuro Shingo , Taneichi Yayoi , Iwata Hajime , Ishidera Takamitsu , Kitamura Akira , Tachi Yukio , Tanaka Takeru , Hirano Kana , Hieda Manami , Miyabe Shunsuke , Kawamoto Daisuke
Published: January 2024

Palladium-107 is one of the selected radionuclides in the safety assessment of geological disposal of radioactive waste. Although isosaccharinic acid (ISA) forms strong complexes with many elements and enhances element solubility, the thermodynamic evaluation of the complex of Pd with ISA has not been conducted. In this study, the solubility of Pd(OH)2 at pH 8.5–12.5 in the presence of ISA was investigated under inert gas (N2) atmosphere. Furthermore, the coordination state of aqueous Pd and ISA was investigated by X-ray absorption and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. According to experimental results, the number of OH ligands in the mixed complex depends on pH. The thermodynamic model and conditional equilibrium constants of the Pd-ISA complex were estimated by slope analyses of solubility experiments at different pH levels and ionic strengths based on the specific ion interaction theory. Hence, the impact of complexation with ISA on Pd(II) solubility under disposal conditions could be quantified using the proposed thermodynamic models in this study.
Investigating heat exchanger tube performance: second law efficiency analysis of a novel combination of two heat transfer enhancement techniques
Authors: Mertaslan Onur Metin , Keklikcioglu Orhan
Published: January 2024

In the study, the focus was on evaluating the second law efficiency of a heat exchanger tube operating under continuous heat flux and turbulent flow conditions. The evaluation involved the use of a hybrid GnP and Fe3O4 and modified coiled wire as passive heat transfer enhancement techniques. The primary objective was to investigate the impact of these combined techniques on thermal and hydraulic performance, entropy generation number, Bejan number and second law efficiency. To achieve this, different mass fractions of GnP and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were used in the hybrid nanofluid, along with two forms of modified coiled wire: barrel type and hourglass type. The experimental results indicated that the utilization of hybrid nanofluids and modified helical inserts led to a noticeable improvement in the second law efficiency of the heat exchanger tube. However, it was observed that the differences in entropy generation number and Bejan number between the barrel and hourglass types were not significant, mainly due to higher frictional losses associated with the latter. The highest recorded second law efficiency was 0.416, while the lowest entropy generation number was 0.118. These values were achieved through the combined use of GnP and Fe3O4 with a mass fraction of 0.4% and a barrel-type coiled wire insert with a pitch ratio of 0.5.
Habitat configuration influences mammal populations at a wider spatial extent than habitat composition: a meta-analysis of forest mammal datasets
Authors: Gengler Nicholas W. , Acevedo Miguel A. , Branch Lyn C.
Published: January 2024

Context

The spatial extent at which landscape variables most strongly influences wildlife populations (i.e., scale of effect) is of key importance to ecology and conservation. Many factors can influence scales of effect, but these relationships are poorly understood. In particular, the way scales of effect vary with different landscape metrics has not been extensively tested.

Objectives

Our study tested whether metrics of landscape configuration have wider or narrower scales of effect than habitat composition. We also examined how species traits and landscape context influence the magnitude of differences in scales of effect between metrics.

Methods

We calculated scales of effect for four metrics of habitat configuration and one metric of composition directly from species presence/absence data in online repositories including 102 species of forest mammals from 33 studies across the globe. We then compared the magnitudes and variability of scales of effect using Hedge’s g.

Results

Two metrics of configuration (flux and patch density) had significantly wider scales of effect than habitat composition, while the differences between the other two metrics of configuration and composition were not statistically significant. The magnitude of the difference between metrics varied among samples, but none of the factors tested explained this variability.

Conclusions

For forest mammals, the scale of effect of a configuration metric can be expected to be 15–20% wider than a composition metric. However, this pattern may not hold for metrics of configuration that do not quantify attributes of the landscape that mediate species dispersal or that are correlated with the metric of composition.
On-the-fly image-level oversampling for imbalanced datasets of manufacturing defects
Authors: Theodoropoulos Spyros , Zajec Patrik , Rožanec Jože M. , Kyriazis Dimosthenis , Tsanakas Panayiotis
Published: January 2024

Visual defect recognition and its manufacturing applications have been an upcoming topic in recent AI research. Defect datasets are often severely imbalanced and can be additionally burdened with separating classes of high visual similarity. Although various methods of data augmentation have been proposed to mitigate the class imbalance, they often fail to cope with tinier minority classes or have fidelity issues with smaller defects while, at the same time, needing significant computational resources to train. Also, augmentation based on vector-based oversampling struggles to produce high-fidelity inputs and is hard to apply on custom CNN architectures, which often perform better for this type of problem. Our work presents an image-level oversampling method based on an instance-based image generator that can be applied to any CNN directly during the training process without increasing the order of training time required. It is based on identifying a small number of the most uncertain base samples close to the estimated class boundaries and using them as seeds for augmentation. The resulting images are of high visual quality preserving small class differences, and they also improve the classifier boundary leading to higher recall scores than other state-of-the-art approaches.
Multibody Models Generated from Natural Language
Authors: Gerstmayr Johannes , Manzl Peter , Pieber Michael
Published: January 2024

Computational models are conventionally created with input data, script files, programming interfaces, or graphical user interfaces. This paper explores the potential of expanding model generation, with a focus on multibody system dynamics. In particular, we investigate the ability of Large Language Model (LLM), to generate models from natural language. Our experimental findings indicate that LLM, some of them having been trained on our multibody code Exudyn, surpass the mere replication of existing code examples. The results demonstrate that LLM have a basic understanding of kinematics and dynamics, and that they can transfer this knowledge into a programming interface. Although our tests reveal that complex cases regularly result in programming or modeling errors, we found that LLM can successfully generate correct multibody simulation models from natural-language descriptions for simpler cases, often on the first attempt (zero-shot).

After a basic introduction into the functionality of LLM, our Python code, and the test setups, we provide a summarized evaluation for a series of examples with increasing complexity. We start with a single mass oscillator, both in SciPy as well as in Exudyn, and include varied inputs and statistical analysis to highlight the robustness of our approach. Thereafter, systems with mass points, constraints, and rigid bodies are evaluated. In particular, we show that in-context learning can levitate basic knowledge of a multibody code into a zero-shot correct output.
Trends in the Incidence of Disseminated Cryptococcosis in Japan: A Nationwide Observational Study, 2015–2021
Authors: Akazawa Hidemasa , Hagiya Hideharu , Koyama Toshihiro , Otsuka Fumio
Published: January 2024

Background

Cryptococcus species can cause severe disseminated infections in immunocompromised hosts. This study investigated the epidemiological features and trends in disseminated cryptococcosis in Japan.

Methods

We used publicly available Infectious Diseases Weekly Reports to obtain data on the incidence of disseminated cryptococcosis in Japan from 2015 to 2021. Patient information, including age, sex, and regional and seasonal data, were extracted. The Joinpoint regression program was used to determine the age-adjusted incidence rate (AAR) per 100,000 population, annual percentage change (APC), and average APC (AAPC).

Results

A total of 1047 cases of disseminated cryptococcosis were reported, of which those aged ≥ 70 years accounted for 68.8%. The AAR in men was significantly higher than that in women (median: 0.13 vs. 0.09: p = 0.0024). APC for the overall cases increased by 9.9% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] − 5.4–27.7) from 2015 to 2018 and then decreased by 3.3% (95% CI − 15.5–10.7) from 2018 to 2021. AAPC for the entire study period was 3.1% (95% CI − 1.5–8.0), indicating a possible increase in its number, although not statistically significant. In terms of regional distribution, the average AAR was highest in Shikoku District (0.17) and lowest in Hokkaido District (0.04). Northern Japan exhibited a significantly lower median AAR (median [interquartile range]: 0.06 [0.05, 0.08]) than the Eastern (0.12 [0.12, 0.13]), Western (0.11 [0.10, 0.13]), and Southern (0.14 [0.12, 0.15]) regions. No seasonal variation in incidence was observed.

Conclusion

The prevalence of disseminated cryptococcosis has not increased in Japan. Geographically, the incidence is lower in Northern Japan. Further investigations that incorporate detailed clinical data are required.