bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconciling Preemption Bounding with DPOR
Authors: Marmanis Iason , Kokologiannakis Michalis , Vafeiadis Viktor
Published: April 2023

There are two major techniques for scaling up stateless model checking: dynamic partial order reduction (DPOR), which only explores executions that differ in the ordering of racy accesses, and preemption bounding, which only explores executions containing up to k preemptions (preemptive context-switches).

Combining these two techniques is challenging because DPOR-equivalent executions often contain a different number of preemptions, making it incorrect to cut explorations that exceed the preemption bound. To restore completeness, prior work has weakened the DPOR algorithm, which often results in the exploration of many redundant executions.

We propose an alternative approach. Starting from an optimal DPOR algorithm, we achieve completeness by allowing some slack on the preemption-bound of the explored executions. We prove that the required slack does not exceed the number of threads of the program (minus two), and that this upper limit is tight.
Feature Necessity & Relevancy in ML Classifier Explanations
Authors: Huang Xuanxiang , Cooper Martin C. , Morgado Antonio , Planes Jordi , Marques-Silva Joao
Published: April 2023

Given a machine learning (ML) model and a prediction, explanations can be defined as sets of features which are sufficient for the prediction. In some applications, and besides asking for an explanation, it is also critical to understand whether sensitive features can occur in some explanation, or whether a non-interesting feature must occur in all explanations. This paper starts by relating such queries respectively with the problems of relevancy and necessity in logic-based abduction. The paper then proves membership and hardness results for several families of ML classifiers. Afterwards the paper proposes concrete algorithms for two classes of classifiers. The experimental results confirm the scalability of the proposed algorithms.
Gaussian Gabor frames, Seshadri constants and generalized Buser–Sarnak invariants
Authors: Luef Franz , Wang Xu
Published: April 2023

We investigate the frame set of regular multivariate Gaussian Gabor frames using methods from Kähler geometry such as Hörmander’s $${\overline{\partial }}$$

∂
¯

-$$L^2$$

L
2

estimate with singular weight, Demailly’s Calabi–Yau method for Kähler currents and a Kähler-variant generalization of the symplectic embedding theorem of McDuff–Polterovich for ellipsoids. Our approach is based on the well-known link between sets of interpolation for the Bargmann-Fock space and the frame set of multivariate Gaussian Gabor frames. We state sufficient conditions in terms of a certain extremal type Seshadri constant of the complex torus associated to a lattice to be a set of interpolation for the Bargmann-Fock space, and give also a condition in terms of the generalized Buser-Sarnak invariant of the lattice. In particular, we obtain an effective Gaussian Gabor frame criterion in terms of the covolume for almost all lattices, which is the first general covolume criterion in multivariate Gaussian Gabor frame theory. The recent Berndtsson–Lempert method and the Ohsawa–Takegoshi extension theorem also allow us to give explicit estimates for the frame bounds in terms of certain Robin constant. In the one-dimensional case we obtain a sharp estimate of the Robin constant using Faltings’ theta metric formula for the Arakelov Green functions.
Safety and efficacy associated with single-fraction high-dose-rate brachytherapy in localized prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zeng Hong , Dai Jindong , Cao Dehong , Wang Minghao , Zhao Jinge , Zeng Yuhao , Xu Nanwei , Xie Yandong , Liu Haolin , Zeng Hao , Sun Guangxi , Shen Pengfei
Published: April 2023

Objective

Although single-fraction high-dose-rate brachytherapy (SFHDR) for localized prostate cancer has been tried in clinical trials, relevant medical evidence is currently lacking. It is necessary to systematically analyze the safety and efficacy of SFHDR.

Methods

Comprehensive and systematic searches for eligible studies were performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases. The primary endpoints included safety and efficacy, represented by toxic effects and biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS), respectively. The proportion rates were used as the effect measure for each study and were presented with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and related 95% prediction interval (PI). Restricted maximum-likelihood estimator (REML) and the Hartung–Knapp method were used in the meta-analysis.

Results

Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria for quantitative analysis, including 1440 patients. The median age of patients was 66.9 years old (62–73 years old) and the median follow-up was 47.5 months (12–75 months). The estimates of cumulative occurrence for severe gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxic effects were 0.1% (95% CI 0–0.2%) and 0.4% (95% CI 0–1.2%), and for grade 2 toxic effects were 1.6% (95% CI 0.1–4.7%) and 17.1% (95% CI 5.4–33.5%), respectively. The estimate of 3‑year bRFS was 87.5% (95% CI 84.4–90.3%) and 71.0% (95% CI 63.0–78.3%) for 5‑year bRFS. The pooled bRFS rates for low-risk patients were 99.0% (95% CI 85.2–100.0%) at 3 years and 80.9% (95% CI 75.4–85.9%) at 5 years, and the risk group was found to be statistically correlated with bRFS (3-year bRFS, P < 0.01; 5‑year bRFS, P = 0.04).

Conclusion

SFHDR is associated with favorable tolerability and suboptimal clinical benefit in patients with localized prostate cancer. Ongoing and planned high-quality prospective studies are necessary to verify its safety and efficacy.
E3 ubiquitin ligase on the biological properties of hematopoietic stem cell
Authors: Zhan Qianru , Wang Jing , Zhang Heyang , Zhang Lijun
Published: April 2023

Hematopoietic stem cells are a group of heterogeneity cells with the potential to differentiate into various types of mature blood cells. Their basic biological properties include quiescence, self-renewal, multilineage differentiation, and homing ability, with the homing of exogenous hematopoietic stem cells after transplantation becoming a new focus, while the first three properties share some similarity in mechanism due to connectivity. In various complex mechanisms, the role of E3 ubiquitin ligases in hematopoietic homeostasis and malignant transformation is receiving increasing attention. As a unique part, E3 ubiquitin ligases play an important role in physiological regulation mechanism of posttranslational modification. In this review, we focus on the recent progress of the crucial role of E3 ubiquitin ligases that target specific proteins for ubiquitination to regulate biological properties of hematopoietic stem cells. Additionally, this paper deals with E3 ubiquitin ligases that affect the biological properties through aging and summarizes the relevant applications of targeting E3 ligases in hematopoietic malignancies. We present some ideas on the clinical application of E3 ubiquitin ligase to regulate hematopoietic stem cells and also believe that it is meaningful to study the upstream signal of these E3 ubiquitin ligases because hematopoietic stem cell dysfunction is caused by deficiency of some E3 ligases.
Effectiveness of patient triage at the orthopedic hospital and the hygiene concept in a professional handball team in the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
Authors: Varganov Pavel , Riediger Christian , Lohmann Christoph , Illiger Sebastian
Published: April 2023

The first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV‑2) pandemic wave in Germany in spring 2020 challenged the largely unprepared healthcare system. A prevention concept was implemented to protect the vulnerable patient group at our orthopedic department. The patient triage during the pre-admission process included screening for symptoms and obtaining information on travel, occupation, contact and cluster (TOCC) [16].

In March 2020, all sporting events were also cancelled or postponed [12]. Mitigation strategies for sport activities were necessary to restart training and competition. For the professional handball team of the Sport Club Magdeburg (SCM), a hygiene concept including strict mitigation measures combined with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test regime was implemented.

We reviewed 15,739 patient contacts in a 12-month period at orthopedic department during the SARS-CoV‑2 pandemic. This epidemiological, retrospective study presents the results of patient triage detecting cases with suspected SARS-CoV‑2 infections when entering the clinic. We also considered 2328 inpatient PCR test results and the infection rates among the medical staff. At the same period, professional athletes underwent 1428 PCR tests as a part of the hygiene concept.

During the triage process, 333 cases (2.12%) with suspected SARS-CoV‑2 infections were detected at the orthopedic outpatient department. Three patients had a positive PCR test result after triage. Another four positive PCR tests were found among the inpatient group and one positive result among the medical staff. In the athletes’ cohort, none of the 1428 PCR tests was positive.

Patient triage as a part of the preadmission process is an effective tool to protect the maximum-care hospital from a SARS-CoV‑2 mass outbreak. A hygiene concept with a defined PCR test regime protects a professional athlete team from SARS-CoV‑2 infections during international competition and training.

Graphic abstract
Targeting mitochondrial dynamics by AZD5363 in triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell–derived spheres
Authors: Fu Yingqiang , Dong Wei , Xu Yuting , Li Lin , Yu Xin , Pang Yuheng , Chan Liujia , Deng Yuhan , Qian Cheng
Published: April 2023

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) have been suggested to contribute to chemotherapeutic resistance and disease relapse in breast cancer. Thus, BCSCs represent a promising target in developing novel breast cancer treatment strategies. Mitochondrial dynamics in BCSCs were recently highlighted as an available approach for targeting BCSCs. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) cultured breast cancer stem cell spheres model was constructed. Mitochondrial dynamics and functions were analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. We have demonstrated that the protein levels of FIS 1 and Mitofusin 1 were significantly increased in BCSCs. Moreover, Capivasertib (AZD5363) administration could suppress Mitofusin1 expression in BCSCs. Our use of MitoTracker Orange and annexin V double-staining assay suggested that AZD5363 could induce apoptosis in BCSCs. The sensitivity of stem cell spheres to doxorubicin was investigated by CCK8 assay, and our results indicated that AZD5363 could re-sensitize BCSCs to Doxo. Flow cytometry analysis identified doxo-induced CD44 and CD133 expression in BCSCs could be suppressed by AZD5363. In combination with AZD536, doxo-induced apoptosis in the BCSCs was significantly increased. In conclusion, our study explored, for the first time, that AZD5363 could target mitochondrial dynamics in 3D cultured stem cell spheres (BCSCs) by regulating Mitofusin.
A posteriori error analysis and adaptivity for high-dimensional elliptic and parabolic boundary value problems
Authors: Merle Fabian , Prohl Andreas
Published: April 2023

We derive a posteriori error estimates for the (stopped) weak Euler method to discretize SDE systems which emerge from the probabilistic reformulation of elliptic and parabolic (initial) boundary value problems. The a posteriori estimate exploits the use of a scaled random walk to represent noise, and distinguishes between realizations in the interior of the domain and those close to the boundary. We verify an optimal rate of (weak) convergence for the a posteriori error estimate on deterministic meshes. Based on this estimate, we then set up an adaptive method which automatically selects local deterministic mesh sizes, and prove its optimal convergence in terms of given tolerances. Provided with this theoretical backup, and since corresponding Monte-Carlo based realizations are simple to implement, these methods may serve to efficiently approximate solutions of high-dimensional (initial-)boundary value problems.
Reachability in Two-Parametric Timed Automata with one Parameter is EXPSPACE-Complete
Authors: Göller Stefan , Hilaire Mathieu
Published: April 2023

Parametric timed automata (PTA) have been introduced by Alur, Henzinger, and Vardi as an extension of timed automata in which clocks can be compared against parameters. The reachability problem asks for the existence of an assignment of the parameters to the non-negative integers such that reachability holds in the underlying timed automaton. The reachability problem for PTA is long known to be undecidable, already over three parametric clocks. A few years ago, Bundala and Ouaknine proved that for PTA over two parametric clocks and one parameter the reachability problem is decidable and also showed a lower bound for the complexity classPSPACENEXP. Our main result is that the reachability problem for two-parametric timed automata with one parameter isEXPSPACE-complete. Our contribution is two-fold. For theEXPSPACElower bound, inspired by [13, 14], we make use of deep results from complexity theory, namely a serializability characterization ofEXPSPACE(in turn based on Barrington’s Theorem) and a logspace translation of numbers in Chinese remainder representation to binary representation due to Chiu, Davida, and Litow. It is shown that with small PTA over two parametric clocks and one parameter one can simulate serializability computations. For theEXPSPACEupper bound, we first give a careful exponential time reduction from PTA over two parametric clocks and one parameter to a (slight subclass of) parametric one-counter automata over one parameter based on a minor adjustment of a construction due to Bundala and Ouaknine. For solving the reachability problem for parametric one-counter automata with one parameter, we provide a series of techniques to partition a fictitious run into several carefully chosen subruns that allow us to prove that it is sufficient to consider a parameter value of exponential magnitude only. This allows us to show a doubly-exponential upper bound on the value of the only parameter of a PTA over two parametric clocks and one parameter. We hope that extensions of our techniques lead to finally establishing decidability of the long-standing open problem of reachability in parametric timed automata with two parametric clocks (and arbitrarily many parameters) and, if decidability holds, determinining its precise computational complexity.
The Influence of Diabetes Mellitus on Mortality of Patients After Lower Extremity Amputation: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Yang Dong , Shu Hongxin , Lun Yu , Li Cong , Yang Yu
Published: April 2023

Objective

The influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on mortality following lower extremity amputation (LEA) remains controversial. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to determine the influence of DM on long‐term mortality (LTM) and short‐term mortality (STM) after amputation.

Materials and methods

The Medline, the Cochrane library, and Embase databases were searched. The primary and secondary outcomes were LTM and STM following amputation. One‐year and 30‐day all‐cause mortality after amputation were considered as LTM and STM, respectively. A random‐effects model was utilized to pool results. To evaluate the stability of results, subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted.

Results

Twenty‐three cohort studies with a total of 58,219 patients were included, among which 31,750 (54.5%) patients had DM. The mean score of included studies evaluated by Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was 7.65, indicating moderate to high quality. The pooled results showed no significant difference in 1‐year LTM (risk ratio [RR], 0.96; 95% CI 0.86–1.07) after amputation. However, 3‐year (RR, 1.22; 95% CI 1.01–1.47) and 5‐year (RR, 1.18; 95% CI 1.07–1.31) LTMs of DM patients were obviously higher than that of NDM (non‐diabetes mellitus) patients. The STM of the DM group was significantly lower than the NDM group (RR, 0.80; 95% CI 0.64–0.98).

Conclusions

The current study revealed that DM patients had an obvious lower STM following LEA, but the risk of DM on LTM after amputation was gradually increased with time. More attention should be paid to the long‐term survival of DM patients after LEA.
Development of bovine elastin/tannic acid bioactive conjugate: physicochemical, morphological, and wound healing properties
Authors: Abdel-Aty Azza M. , Barakat Amal Z. , Abdel-Mageed Heidi M. , Mohamed Saleh A.
Published: April 2023

Elastin is a functional protein of the dermal extracellular matrix and a critical component of skin wound healing. In severe wounds, skin cells do not produce enough elastin; therefore, the ability to transfer elastin to tissue is highly advantageous. This study aims to develop and characterize the bovine elastin/tannic acid (E/T) conjugate for wound healing applications. A simple conjugation method between the extracted bovine elastin (E) and tannic acid (T) was applied herein. The developed E/T conjugate showed the best binding efficiency besides controlled delivery of T content up to 7 days in acidic, alkaline, and aqueous media. The E/T conjugate exhibited great T content stability when stored at 40 °C for 60 days. The incorporation of T into E significantly improved the moisture, swelling, and solubility properties of the E/T conjugate. The micro-morphological study of the E/T conjugate confirmed the deposition of T on E fibers, whereas FTIR spectra of the E/T conjugate demonstrated the interaction between E and T functional groups. Markedly improved thermal stability was demonstrated for E/T conjugate over native E via thermogravimetric analysis. In vivo studies on Wistar rats demonstrated that the E/T conjugate considerably impacts the wound closure rate, scar disappearance, and acceleration of the wound healing process compared to the native E. According to these findings, the newly developed E/T conjugate can be used as a potential biomedical product in wound healing applications.
The influence of stimulus history on directional coding in the monarch butterfly brain
Authors: Beetz M. Jerome , el Jundi Basil
Published: April 2023

The central complex is a brain region in the insect brain that houses a neural network specialized to encode directional information. Directional coding has traditionally been investigated with compass cues that revolve in full rotations and at constant angular velocities around the insect’s head. However, these stimulus conditions do not fully simulate an insect’s sensory perception of compass cues during navigation. In nature, an insect flight is characterized by abrupt changes in moving direction as well as constant changes in velocity. The influence of such varying cue dynamics on compass coding remains unclear. We performed long-term tetrode recordings from the brain of monarch butterflies to study how central complex neurons respond to different stimulus velocities and directions. As these butterflies derive directional information from the sun during migration, we measured the neural response to a virtual sun. The virtual sun was either presented as a spot that appeared at random angular positions or was rotated around the butterfly at different angular velocities and directions. By specifically manipulating the stimulus velocity and trajectory, we dissociated the influence of angular velocity and direction on compass coding. While the angular velocity substantially affected the tuning directedness, the stimulus trajectory influenced the shape of the angular tuning curve. Taken together, our results suggest that the central complex flexibly adjusts its directional coding to the current stimulus dynamics ensuring a precise compass even under highly demanding conditions such as during rapid flight maneuvers.
Hygroscopic phase field fracture modelling of composite materials
Authors: Au-Yeung Kit , Quintanas-Corominas Adria , Martínez-Pañeda Emilio , Tan Wei
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates the effect of moisture content upon the degradation behaviour of composite materials. A coupled phase field framework considering moisture diffusion, hygroscopic expansion, and fracture behaviour is developed. This multi-physics framework is used to explore the damage evolution of composite materials, spanning the micro-, meso- and macro-scales. The micro-scale unit-cell model shows how the mismatch between the hygroscopic expansion of fibre and matrix leads to interface debonding. From the meso-scale ply-level model, we learn that the distribution of fibres has a minor influence on the material properties, while increasing moisture content facilitates interface debonding. The macro-scale laminate-level model shows that moisture induces a higher degree of damage on the longitudinal ply relative to the transverse ply. This work opens a new avenue to understand and predict environmentally assisted degradation in composite materials.
Garlic consumption in relation to colorectal cancer risk and to alterations of blood bacterial DNA
Authors: Speciani Michela Carola , Gargari Giorgio , Penagini Roberto , Mutignani Massimiliano , Ferraroni Monica , Natale Arianna , Katsoulis Michail , Cintolo Marcello , Leone Pierfrancesco , Airoldi Aldo , Vecchi Maurizio , Bonzi Rossella , Ciafardini Clorinda , Oreggia Barbara , Carnevali Pietro , Guglielmetti Simone , Riso Patrizia , La Vecchia Carlo , Rossi Marta
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Garlic consumption has been inversely associated to intestinal adenoma (IA) and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, although evidence is not consistent. Gut microbiota has been implied in CRC pathogenesis and is also influenced by garlic consumption. We analyzed whether dietary garlic influence CRC risk and bacterial DNA in blood.

Methods

We conducted a case–control study in Italy involving 100 incident CRC cases, 100 IA and 100 healthy controls matched by center, sex and age. We used a validated food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary habits and garlic consumption. Blood bacterial DNA profile was estimated using qPCR and16S rRNA gene profiling. We derived odds ratios (ORs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of IA and CRC according to garlic consumption from multiple conditional logistic regression. We used Mann–Whitney and chi-square tests to evaluate taxa differences in abundance and prevalence.

Results

The OR of CRC for medium/high versus low/null garlic consumption was 0.27 (95% CI = 0.11–0.66). Differences in garlic consumption were found for selected blood bacterial taxa. Medium/high garlic consumption was associated to an increase of Corynebacteriales order, Nocardiaceae family and Rhodococcus genus, and to a decrease of Family XI and Finegoldia genus.

Conclusions

The study adds data on the protective effect of dietary garlic on CRC risk. Moreover, it supports evidence of a translocation of bacterial material to bloodstream and corroborates the hypothesis of a diet-microbiota axis as a mechanism behind the role of garlic in CRC prevention.
Plasma metabolomic response to high-carbohydrate meals of differing glycaemic load in overweight women
Authors: Durainayagam Brenan , Mitchell Cameron J. , Milan Amber M. , Kruger Marlena C. , Roy Nicole C. , Fraser Karl , Cameron-Smith David
Published: April 2023

Background

Metabolomic dysregulation following a meal in overweight individuals with the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) involves multiple pathways of nutrient storage and oxidation.

Objective

The aim of the current study was to perform an acute cross-over intervention to examine the interactive actions of meal glycaemic load (GL) on the dynamic responses of the plasma metabolome in overweight females.

Methods

Postmenopausal women [63 ± 1.23y; Healthy (n = 20) and MetS (n = 20)] ingested two differing high-carbohydrate test meals (73 g carbohydrate; 51% energy) composed of either low glycemic index (LGI) or high (HGI) foods in a randomised sequence. Plasma metabolome was analysed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS).

Results

In the overweight women with MetS, there were suppressed postprandial responses for several amino acids (AAs), including phenylalanine, leucine, valine, and tryptophan,p < 0.05), irrespective of the meal type. Meal GL exerted a limited impact on the overall metabolomic response, although the postprandial levels of alanine were higher with the low GL meal and uric acid was greater following the high GL meal (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

MetS participants exhibited reduced differences in the concentrations of a small set of AAs and a limited group of metabolites implicated in energy metabolism following the meals. However, the manipulation of meal GL had minimal impact on the postprandial metabolome. This study suggests that the GL of a meal is not a major determinant of postprandial response, with a greater impact exerted by the metabolic health of the individual.

Trial registrationAustralia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12615001108505 (21/10/2015)
Parasitic and predatory behavior of Alysia manducator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on blow fly larvae feeding on an adult pig carcass in the Western Cape Province of South Africa: preliminary observations and forensic implications
Authors: Adetimehin Adeyemi Daniel , Mole Calvin Gerald , Finaughty Devin Alexander , Heyns Marise
Published: April 2023

Wasps are part of the entomofauna associated with vertebrate carrion. They are known to parasitize and prey on specific life stages of insect hosts such as eggs, larvae, pupae, and/or adults associated with vertebrate carrion. However, reports of parasitic behavior of wasps on carrion-associated insect life stages and their possible forensic implications are non-existent in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This study is part of ongoing research investigating the entomofauna and their pattern of succession on an adult pig carcass in Cape Town, South Africa. During this study, the parasitic wasp Alysia manducator was noted parasitizing and preying on blow fly larvae associated with the decomposing carcass. The arrival of A. manducator coincides with the occurrence of blow fly eggs and/or larvae on the carcass. These wasps were seen in close association with the eggs and larvae of blow flies on various parts of the carcass and some wasps were seen dragging fly larvae attached to their ovipositors away from one part of the carcass to another. Some A. manducator were also observed walking over several larvae on the carcass while exhibiting a stabbing behavior presumably in search of a host for oviposition. We suggest that the observations recorded in this study are of considerable forensic importance as the dragging effect and predatory and stabbing behavior exhibited by A. manducator could potentially disrupt the feeding and development of the fly larvae on the carcass. This could subsequently alter the process of carcass decomposition and/or affect minimum post-mortem interval estimations.
E-cigarette effects on vascular function in animals and humans
Authors: Daiber Andreas , Kuntic Marin , Oelze Matthias , Hahad Omar , Münzel Thomas
Published: April 2023

Smoking tobacco cigarettes is a significant (cardiovascular) health risk factor. Although the number of tobacco cigarette users declined over the last decades, shisha smoking and e-cigarette vaping partially compensated for this health benefit. E-cigarettes may create highly addicted dual users (vaping and smoking). E-cigarettes seem not to represent a healthier alternative to tobacco smoking, although they may be less harmful. E-cigarette vaping causes oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and associated cardiovascular sequelae. This is primarily due to a significant overlap of toxic compounds in the vapor compared to tobacco smoke and, accordingly, a substantial overlap of pathomechanistic features between vaping and smoking. Whereas the main toxins in vapor are reactive aldehydes such as formaldehyde and acrolein, the toxic mixture in smoke is more complex, comprising particulate matter, reactive gases, transition metals, volatile organic compounds, and N-nitrosamines. However, it seems that both lifestyle drugs impair endothelial function to a quite similar extent, which may be due to the role of oxidative stress as the central pathomechanism to mediate endothelial dysfunction and vascular damage. Finally, the main selling argument for e-cigarette use that they help to quit smoking and get rid of nicotine addiction may be false because it seems that e-cigarettes instead trigger the opposite—younger entrance age and more frequent use. With our review, we summarize the adverse health impact of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes, emphasizing the detrimental effects on endothelial function and cardiovascular health.
Meta-heuristics for portfolio optimization
Authors: Erwin Kyle , Engelbrecht Andries
Published: April 2023

Portfolio optimization has been studied extensively by researchers in computer science and finance, with new and novel work frequently published. Traditional methods, such as quadratic programming, are not computationally effective for solving complex portfolio models. For example, portfolio models with constraints that introduce nonlinearity and non-convexity (such as boundary constraints and cardinality constraints) are NP-Hard. As a result, researchers often use meta-heuristic approaches to approximate optimal solutions in an efficient manner. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of over 140 papers that have applied evolutionary and swarm intelligence algorithms to the portfolio optimization problem. These papers are categorized by the type of portfolio optimization problem considered, i.e., unconstrained or constrained, and are further categorized by single-objective and multi-objective approaches. Furthermore, the various portfolio models used, as well as the constraints, objectives, and properties in which they differ, are also discussed in a detailed analysis. Based on the findings of the reviewed work, guidance for future research in portfolio optimization is given. Possible areas for future work include dynamic portfolio optimization, predictive pricing, the further investigation of multi-objective approaches.
Long-term survival of monolithic tooth-supported lithium disilicate crowns fabricated using a chairside approach: 15-year results
Authors: Rauch Angelika , Lorenz Lea , Reich Sven , Hahnel Sebastian , Schmutzler Anne , Schierz Oliver
Published: April 2023

Objectives

To investigate the clinical performance of chairside fabricated tooth-supported posterior single crowns from lithium disilicate ceramic.

Materials and methods

Thirty-four crowns (IPS e.max CAD, Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein) were inserted between 2006 and 2007 and again evaluated after 15 years. Survival and success rates were calculated according to Kaplan–Meier, and the quality of the crowns was evaluated by using modified United States Public Health (USPHS) criteria.

Results

Twenty-two crowns were available for recall; six patients were defined as dropouts. The mean observation period was 15.2 years (± 0.2). Six failures occurred (1 technical/5 biological) resulting in a survival rate of 80.1%. The success rate was 64.2%. The roughness of the crowns increased (p = 0.021) and the majority of adhesive gaps were discolored (p = 0.001) in comparison to baseline. The color, tooth, and crown integrity remained stable over the follow-up period (p ≥ 0.317).

Conclusion

The fabrication of tooth-supported lithium disilicate crowns using a chairside approach yielded acceptable long-term survival and success rates. Due to discoloration, the long-term use of dual-cure self-adhesive resin cements might result in unpleasing esthetic results.

Clinical relevance

The performance of posterior lithium disilicate single crowns revealed excellent to good clinical quality and an acceptable number of events after 15 years of clinical service.
The role of artificial intelligence in developing a banking risk index: an application of Adaptive Neural Network-Based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS)
Authors: Ahmed Ibrahim Elsiddig , Mehdi Riyadh , Mohamed Elfadil A.
Published: April 2023

Banking risk measurement and management remain one of many challenges for managers and policymakers. This study contributes to the banking literature and practice in two ways by (a) proposing a risk ranking index based on the Mahalanobis Distance (MD) between a multidimensional point representing a bank’s risk measures and the corresponding critical ratios set by the banking authorities and (b) determining the relative importance of a bank’s risk ratios in affecting its financial standing using an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System. In this study, ten financial ratios representing five risk areas were considered, namely: Capital Adequacy, Credit, Liquidity, Earning Quality, and Operational risk. Data from 45 Gulf banks for the period 2016–2020 was used to develop the model. Our findings indicate that a bank is in a sound risk position at the 99%, 95%, and 90% confidence level if its Mahalanobis distance exceeds 4.82, 4.28, and 4.0, respectively. The maximum distance computed for the banks in this study was 9.31; only five out of the forty-five banks were below the 4.82 and one below the 4.28 and 4.0 thresholds at 3.96. Sensitivity analysis of the risks indicated that the Net Interest Margin is the most significant factor in explaining variations in a bank’s risk position, followed by Capital Adequacy Ratio, Common Equity Tier1, and Tier1 Equity in order. The remaining financial ratios: Non-Performing Loans, Equity Leverage, Cost Income Ratio, Loans to Total Assets, and Loans to Deposits have the least influence in the order given; the Provisional Loans Ratio appears to have no influence.
Estimated preventable COVID-19-associated deaths due to non-vaccination in the United States
Authors: Jia Katherine M. , Hanage William P. , Lipsitch Marc , Johnson Amelia G. , Amin Avnika B. , Ali Akilah R. , Scobie Heather M. , Swerdlow David L.
Published: April 2023

While some studies have previously estimated lives saved by COVID-19 vaccination, we estimate how many deaths could have been averted by vaccination in the US but were not because of a failure to vaccinate. We used a simple method based on a nationally representative dataset to estimate the preventable deaths among unvaccinated individuals in the US from May 30, 2021 to September 3, 2022 adjusted for the effects of age and time. We estimated that at least 232,000 deaths could have been prevented among unvaccinated adults during the 15 months had they been vaccinated with at least a primary series. While uncertainties exist regarding the exact number of preventable deaths and more granular data are needed on other factors causing differences in death rates between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups to inform these estimates, this method is a rapid assessment on vaccine-preventable deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 that has crucial public health implications. The same rapid method can be used for future public health emergencies.
Anything new under the sun? Insights from a history of institutionalized AI ethics
Authors: Casiraghi Simone
Published: April 2023

Scholars, policymakers and organizations in the EU, especially at the level of the European Commission, have turned their attention to the ethics of (trustworthy and human-centric) Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, there has been little reflexivity on (1) the history of the ethics of AI as an institutionalized phenomenon and (2) the comparison to similar episodes of “ethification” in other fields, to highlight common (unresolved) challenges.

Contrary to some mainstream narratives, which stress how the increasing attention to ethical aspects of AI is due to the fast pace and increasing risks of technological developments, Science and Technology Studies(STS)-informed perspectives highlight that the rise of institutionalized assessment methods indicates a need for governments to gain more control of scientific research and to bring EU institutions closer to the public on controversies related to emerging technologies.

This article analyzes how different approaches of the recent past (i.e. bioethics, technology assessment (TA) and ethical, legal and social (ELS) research, Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)) followed one another, often “in the name of ethics”, to address previous criticisms and/or to legitimate certain scientific and technological research programs. The focus is on how a brief history of the institutionalization of these approaches can provide insights into present challenges to the ethics of AI related to methodological issues, mobilization of expertise and public participation.
Are women breaking the glass ceiling? A gendered analysis of the duration of sick leave in Spain
Authors: Martín-Román Ángel L. , Moral Alfonso , Pinillos-Franco Sara
Published: April 2023

We study the gender gap in the duration of sick leave in Spain by splitting this duration into two types of days – those which are related to biological characteristics and those derived from behavioral reasons. Using the Statistics of Accidents at Work for 2011–2019, we found that women presented longer standard durations (i.e., purely attached to physiological reasons) compared to men. However, when estimating individuals’ efficiency as the ratio between actual and standard durations, we found that women were more inefficient at lower levels of income, whereas in case of men, this occurred at higher levels of income. These results were reinforced when considering that men and women do not recover from the same injury at the same rate. Women were more efficient than men across all the compensation distribution, especially at higher income levels.
League competitions and fairness
Authors: Arlegi Ritxar , Dimitrov Dinko
Published: April 2023

We formulate two fairness principles and characterize the league competition systems that satisfy them. The first principle requires that all players should have the same chance of being the final winner if all players are equally strong, while the second states that the league competition should not favor weaker players. We apply these requirements to a class of systems which includes round-robin tournaments as a particular case.
Analysing and predicting wildlife–vehicle collision hotspots for the Swiss road network
Authors: Laube Patrick , Ratnaweera Nils , Wróbel Anna , Kaelin Ivo , Stephani Annette , Reifler-Baechtiger Martina , Graf Roland F. , Suter Stefan
Published: April 2023

Context

Wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) are a significant threat for many species, cause financial loss and pose a serious risk to motorist safety.

Objectives

We used spatial data science on regional collision data from Switzerland with the objectives of identifying the key environmental collision risk factors and modelling WVC risk on a nationwide scale.

Methods

We used 43,000 collision records with roe deer, red deer, wild boar, and chamois from 2010 to 2015 for both midlands and mountainous landscape types. We compared a fixed-length road segmentation approach with segments based on Kernel Density Estimation, a data-driven segmentation method. The segments’ environmental properties were derived from land-cover geodata using novel neighbourhood operations. Multivariate logistic regression and random forest classifiers were used to identify and rank the relevant environmental factors and to predict collision risk in areas without collision data.

Results

The key factors for WVC hotspots are road sinuosity, and two composite factors for browsing/forage availability and traffic noise—a proxy for traffic flow. Our best models achieved sensitivities of 82.5% to 88.6%, with misclassifications of 20.14% and 27.03%, respectively. Our predictions were better in forested areas and revealed limitations in open landscape due to lack of up-to-date data on annual crop changes.

Conclusions

We illustrate the added value of using fine-grained land-cover data for WVC modelling, and show how such detailed information can be annotated to road segments using spatial neighbourhood functions. Finally, we recommend the inclusion of annual crop data for improving WVC modelling.
Scientific production of an oral implantology journal: a 5-year bibliometric study
Authors: Espinosa-Giménez Julián , Paredes-Gallardo Vanessa , Gómez-Adrián María Dolores , Bellot-Arcís Carlos , García-Sanz Verónica
Published: April 2023

Oral implantology is a science in constant evolution, with a considerable number of articles being published every year in scientific journals. Publications can be analyzed through bibliometric analysis, thus observing the evolution and trends of the articles published in the journal. To evaluate, through bibliometric analysis, the scientific production of Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research (CIDRR) and its evolution and trends in the last 5 years (2016–2020).All articles published in CIDRR in the last 5 years were reviewed and classified according to the year of publication, volume, number, the number of authors, demographic data of the first and last author, the geographical scope of the article, the number of affiliations of the authors, research topic, type of study, and study design. The association between these variables and citation counts was also analyzed. 599 articles were analyzed. 77.4% were authored by 4–6 authors, obtaining 78.4% from 1 to 3 different affiliations. Male researchers predominated in both the first and last authorship. China showed the highest number of publications when comparing the origin of the authors’ affiliations individually; however, most researchers (40.9%) were from the European Union (EU)-Western Europe area. The most studied topic was the implant/abutment design/treatment of the surface (19.1%). Clinical research articles accounted for 92.99% of the publications, of which cross-sectional observational studies prevailed (21.7%). The presence of articles from the United States of America-Canada and EU-Western Europe was positively correlated with the impact factor. This study revealed an increasing trend in Asian research production, particularly Chinese, whereas production of European origin showed a decrease. Clinical studies increased their relative weight to the detriment of translational ones. A growing tendency in the relative weights of female authors was appreciated. Journal citations were associated with certain study variables.
Could olfactory identification be a prognostic factor in detecting cognitive impairment risk in the elderly?
Authors: Delgado-Lima Alice Helena , Bouhaben Jaime , Martínez-Zujeros Sergio , Pallardo-Rodil Beatriz , Gómez-Pavón Javier , Delgado-Losada María Luisa
Published: April 2023

Aging contributes to the deterioration of the olfactory system in humans. Several studies indicate that the olfactory identification test alone may function as a screening test for olfactory dysfunction and they are more feasible to apply in clinical practice. Olfactory identification may be a predictor for cognitive impairment. Multiple studies have considered the use of odor identification as a measure to identify the conversion from normality to mild cognitive impairment or dementia. The objectives were (i) to elucidate the associations between cognitive status and olfactory identification performance in aging; (ii) understand the predictive value of olfactory capacity in identifying subjects with cognitive impairment risk; and (iii) to study how cognitive status and olfactory identification relate with other variables of wellness in aging, such as functional capabilities and clinical measures. For this purpose, a group of 149 participants (77.15 ± 7.29 years; 73 women of 76.7 ± 8 years and 76 men of 77.6 ± 6.52 years) were recruited and were subjected to a sociodemographic questionnaire, a psychological screening tool of general cognitive status, an olfactory identification evaluation, and clinical measures. The participants were divided into groups based on their cutoff scores of previous scientific reports about the Spanish version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Our results indicate an age-associated decline in olfactory identification ability and intensity of odor perception. The predictive ability of olfactory identification scores for the risk of mild and severe impairment is around 80%. Olfactory identification decreases with cognitive function. Performance in odor identification is associated with impairment of episodic memory and executive functions. These findings further our current understanding of the association between cognition and olfaction, and support olfactory assessment in screening those at higher risk of dementia.
Multisite harmonization of diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space using the COMBined Association Test
Authors: Saito Yuya , Kamagata Koji , Andica Christina , Taoka Toshiaki , Tuerxun Rukeye , Uchida Wataru , Takabayashi Kaito , Owaki Mana , Yoshida Seina , Yamazaki Keigo , Naganawa Shinji , Aoki Shigeki
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This multisite study aimed to use the COMBined Association Test (COMBAT), a harmonization technique that uses regression of covariates with an empirical Bayesian framework, to harmonize diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) variations caused by scanner, site, and protocol differences.

Materials and methods

This study included multisite diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) data of 45 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and 82 cognitively normal (CN) participants from the AD neuroimaging initiative database. The dMRI data were obtained with twob values (0 and 1000 s/mm2) from 27 institutions and three different 3-Tesla MRI scanners (two vendors). The ALPS index was calculated from multisite dMRI data, and COMBAT was used to harmonize the factors causing site variations. Welch’st test was used, Cohen’sdwas calculated to compare the difference in the ALPS index between AD and CN before and after harmonization, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the relationships between the ALPS index and the cognitive score, [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET), and [18F] florbetapir (AV45)-PET standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs).

Results

COMBAT harmonized scanner differences and increased Cohen’sdof the left and right ALPS indexes between AD and CN from 0.288 to 0.438 and 0.328 to 0.480, respectively. The ALPS indexes were significantly different between AD and CN after harmonization (P < 0.05) but not before it. Moreover, Pearson’s correlation coefficients between the ALPS index and cognitive score, FDG-PET, and AV45-PET SUVRs were higher after harmonization than before it.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the application of COMBAT harmonization to eliminate between-scanner, site, and protocol variations in the ALPS index calculated from DTI-ALPS using dMRI and possibly facilitate the use of the ALPS index in multi-center studies.
Enhanced chip analysis with computed tomography for estimation of chip segmentation frequency
Authors: Diaz Ocampo Daniel , Koch Jeanne , González Germán , Zanger Frederik , Heizmann Michael
Published: April 2023

This work presents an enhancement of a method for analyzing metallic chips produced during turning processes in order to estimate the chip segmentation frequency. Therefore, the resulting 3D image of a computer tomography scan of the chip can be transformed virtually into a straight chip by describing the course of the chip in three-dimensional space by a trajectory. Along this trajectory, the chip point cloud is sliced in thin layers which can be transformed to a straight chip. To estimate the segment rate, the height course describing the segmentation of the chip is extracted on the serrated side of the point cloud by means of nearest neighbor interpolation. The resulting signals are compared with the measurements of the chip surface using an optical microscope, whereby only two straight chips could be analyzed. The comparison shows a nearly perfect match between the two signals and is confirmed by a Pearson correlation coefficient of over $${86}\%$$

86
%

for both signals. Furthermore, a statistical comparison with the acoustic emissions of the turning process reveals satisfying similarities for the chip segmentation frequency with respect to the compression factor.