bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cancer genetic counseling via telegenetics and telephone: A qualitative study exploring the experience of patients and genetic counselors in an Australian cancer genetics context
Authors: Finney Jessica , Fargas Verna , Gonzalez Tina , Taylor Natalie , Wakefield Claire E. , Tucker Kathy , Turbitt Erin , Williams Rachel
Published: October 2024

The demand for direct‐to‐patient (DTP) telegenetics (genetics services delivered via videoconferencing) in genetic counseling practice has rapidly increased, particularly since the COVID‐19 pandemic. Recent telegenetics literature is mostly quantitative and not in the Australian context. A qualitative interview study was conducted to address this gap. This research investigated the experiences of patients and genetic counselors (GCs), enrolled in a randomized controlled trial, using telegenetics and telephone for cancer genetic counseling appointments. Twenty‐eight semi‐structured interviews with patients (n = 22) and GCs (n = 6) were conducted following patient randomization to either a telephone or telegenetics genetic counseling appointment. The interviews explored participant's experiences of telegenetics and compared DTP telegenetics with telephone and in‐person delivery. Codebook thematic analysis was used to develop topic summaries from the data. Patient and GC participants noted positive experiences of telegenetics; with key benefits reported as reduced travel time, time and cost saving, ease, convenience, efficiency, and comfortability. Technical issues and privacy concerns were highlighted as potential disadvantages of telegenetics. All but one patient felt sufficiently emotionally supported while using telegenetics. Telegenetics has both benefits and limitations; however, generally, this cohort found telegenetics to be a suitable and acceptable mode of delivery for genetic counseling with many advantages over in‐person or telephone appointments. Further studies should be conducted to provide evidence for the long‐term implementation of telegenetics, regardless of any future COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown restrictions.
Acute mesenteric ischemia with abdominal skin mottling
Authors: Yabe Masahiro , Nomoto Yuji , Watanabe Hitomi
Published: October 2024

We report a rare case of a 90‐year‐old woman with Stage IV lung cancer awaiting transfer to hospice care who developed sudden abdominal and knee skin mottling. Elevated inflammatory markers on blood tests and emergent computed tomography led to a diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia, and the patient passed away 7 h later. Skin mottling indicates decreased blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract and is observed during mesenteric ischemia. Abdominal skin mottling may serve as an important physical finding that is detected early and suggests circulatory failure and intestinal ischemia.
The importance of source data in river network connectivity modeling: A review
Authors: Brinkerhoff Craig B.
Published: October 2024

River network connectivity (RC) describes the hydrologic exchange of water, nutrients, sediments, and pollutants between the river channel and other “sites” via heterogenous flowpaths along the river corridor. As water moves downstream it carries these constituents, creating a stream‐to‐ocean continuum of connectivity that regulates global water, carbon, and nutrient cycling. River network connectivity models have developed over many decades, culminating in recent years with network‐scale RC models that explicitly simulate the transport and exchange of water and elements from headwaters to coasts, sometimes requiring models to contain tens of millions of river reaches. These advances provide transformative insights into the aggregate effects of RC on water and material transport across scales from local to global. Yet, recent reviews have pointed to several challenges that need to be overcome to continue advancing network‐scale RC modeling. In service of these goals, I summarize recent network‐scale RC maps and models to identify similarities and differences across the large‐scale RC modeling landscape. Although our computational and upscaling abilities have significantly improved and have revealed new insights, current models are still limited by the quantity, quality, resolution, and lack of standardization of the available in situ databases and source data maps necessary for the modeling. This suggests that we can extend recent advances if we keep improving these source datasets, while continuously revisiting our physics and theory to explain those new data. In doing so, we will continue to expand the role of network‐scale RC models in informing water quality modeling and management into the future.
The effect of power states on negative word‐of‐mouth sharing: The role of interpersonal closeness
Authors: Jin Fei , Zeng Zheni , Liao Junyun
Published: October 2024

The current research investigates whether, when, and why power states, a prevalent experience in everyday life, influence negative WOM (NWOM). The authors find that low‐power consumers tend to engage more in NWOM, and this effect is driven by less image‐impairment concerns and heightened motives to protect others induced by low‐power states. We further showed that interpersonal closeness (IC)—people' feeling of proximity between they and others—moderates the positive effect of low‐power states on NWOM sharing. That is, the differences of sharing NWOM between low‐power and high‐power consumers are attenuated when facing high IC. To account for this, both image‐impairment concerns and motives to protect others mediate the effect of power states when recipients are interpersonally close others; however, only image‐impairment concerns mediate the effect of power states when recipients are interpersonally distant others. These findings make theoretical contributions to research in interpersonal communication, WOM, and power, and holds practical implications for marketers interested in understanding how NWOM spreads.
Next‐generation spatial transcriptomics: unleashing the power to gear up translational oncology
Authors: Wang Nan , Hong Weifeng , Wu Yixing , Chen Zhe‐Sheng , Bai Minghua , Wang Weixin , Zhu Ji
Published: October 2024

The growing advances in spatial transcriptomics (ST) stand as the new frontier bringing unprecedented influences in the realm of translational oncology. This has triggered systemic experimental design, analytical scope, and depth alongside with thorough bioinformatics approaches being constantly developed in the last few years. However, harnessing the power of spatial biology and streamlining an array of ST tools to achieve designated research goals are fundamental and require real‐world experiences. We present a systemic review by updating the technical scope of ST across different principal basis in a timeline manner hinting on the generally adopted ST techniques used within the community. We also review the current progress of bioinformatic tools and propose in a pipelined workflow with a toolbox available for ST data exploration. With particular interests in tumor microenvironment where ST is being broadly utilized, we summarize the up‐to‐date progress made via ST‐based technologies by narrating studies categorized into either mechanistic elucidation or biomarker profiling (translational oncology) across multiple cancer types and their ways of deploying the research through ST. This updated review offers as a guidance with forward‐looking viewpoints endorsed by many high‐resolution ST tools being utilized to disentangle biological questions that may lead to clinical significance in the future.
Second‐order computational homogenization of flexoelectric composites
Authors: Zhuang Xiaoying , Li Bin , Nanthakumar S. S. , Böhlke Thomas
Published: October 2024

Flexoelectricity shows promising applications for self‐powered devices with its increased power density. This paper presents a second‐order computational homogenization strategy for flexoelectric composite. The macro‐micro scale transition, Hill–Mandel energy condition, periodic boundary conditions, and macroscopic constitutive tangents for the two‐scale electromechanical coupling are investigated and considered in the homogenization formulation. The macrostructure and microstructure are discretized using triangular finite elements. The second‐order multiscale solution scheme is implemented using ABAQUS with user subroutines. Finally, we present numerical examples including parametric analysis of a square plate with holes and the design of piezoelectric materials made of non‐piezoelectric materials to demonstrate the numerical implementation and the size‐dependent effects of flexoelectricity.
A Systematic Review of the Impact of Vegetarian Diets on Muscle Mass and Muscle Strength in Community‐Dwelling, Healthy Adults
Authors: Smillie Linda , Minehan Michelle , Knight‐Agarwal Catherine R. , Oliver Chris , Turner Murray
Published: October 2024

Background

Loss of muscle mass and muscle strength are key characteristics of age‐related muscle decline. Dietary protein is a key nutrient that supports optimal muscle health. However, there is a strong argument to reduce intake of animal protein for health and environmental reasons. The effects of vegetarian diets on determinants of muscle health are not clear. This systematic review aimed to investigate the impact of vegetarian diets on muscle mass and muscle strength.

Methods

A systematic literature search of the CINAHL, Medline, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection databases, as well as the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting the effects of vegetarian diets on muscle mass and strength were analysed.

Results

A total of three interventions and 11 observational studied were eligible to be included (n = 14) in this review. Five of the 12 studies that reported muscle mass found no difference in muscle mass between participants consuming an omnivorous versus vegetarian diet. One observational study reported higher muscle mass for vegetarians. Of the studies that reported muscle strength (n = 5), three reported no difference between participants consuming an omnivorous and vegetarian diet.

Conclusions

Half of the included studies reported no difference in muscle mass or strength between vegetarians and omnivores. Further high‐quality studies are needed to better understand the relationship between vegetarian diets and determinants of muscle health.
Estimating Time‐Varying Exposure Effects Through Continuous‐Time Modelling in Mendelian Randomization
Authors: Tian Haodong , Patel Ashish , Burgess Stephen
Published: October 2024

Mendelian randomization is an instrumental variable method that utilizes genetic information to investigate the causal effect of a modifiable exposure on an outcome. In most cases, the exposure changes over time. Understanding the time‐varying causal effect of the exposure can yield detailed insights into mechanistic effects and the potential impact of public health interventions. Recently, a growing number of Mendelian randomization studies have attempted to explore time‐varying causal effects. However, the proposed approaches oversimplify temporal information and rely on overly restrictive structural assumptions, limiting their reliability in addressing time‐varying causal problems. This article considers a novel approach to estimate time‐varying effects through continuous‐time modelling by combining functional principal component analysis and weak‐instrument‐robust techniques. Our method effectively utilizes available data without making strong structural assumptions and can be applied in general settings where the exposure measurements occur at different timepoints for different individuals. We demonstrate through simulations that our proposed method performs well in estimating time‐varying effects and provides reliable inference when the time‐varying effect form is correctly specified. The method could theoretically be used to estimate arbitrarily complex time‐varying effects. However, there is a trade‐off between model complexity and instrument strength. Estimating complex time‐varying effects requires instruments that are unrealistically strong. We illustrate the application of this method in a case study examining the time‐varying effects of systolic blood pressure on urea levels.
Revealing Energy Density in Porous Carbon Supercapacitors Using Hydroquinone Sulfonic Acid as Cathodic and Alizarin Red S as Anodic Redox Electrolytes
Authors: Abbasi Samaneh , Hekmat Farzaneh , Shahrokhian Saeed , Chougale Mahesh , Dubal Deepak P.
Published: October 2024

Exploration of innovative strategies aiming to boost energy densities of supercapacitors without sacrificing the power density and long‐term stability is of great importance. Herein, highly porous nitrogen‐doped carbon spheres (NPCS) are decorated onto the graphite sheets (GSs) through a hydrothermal route, followed by a chemical activation. The capacitive performance of the NPCS is then enhanced by hydroquinone sulfonic acid (HSQA) incorporation in both cathodic electrolyte and electrode materials. Later, NPCS are decorated with polypyrrole (PPY), in which HSQA takes a versatile role as conjugated polymer dopant and cathodic redox additive. The capacitive performance of the negative electrodes is enhanced by incorporating of alizarin red S (ARS) as anodic redox additive. Finally, PPY(HQSA)@NPCS‐GS//NPCS‐GS asymmetric supercapacitor is assembled and tested in dual redox electrolyte system containing HQSA‐cathodic and ARS‐anodic electrolytes. This device delivers a remarkable energy density of 60.37 Wh kg−1, which is close or even better than lead acid batteries. Thus, the present work provides a novel pathway to develop high energy supercapacitors using redox active electrolytes for next‐generation energy storage applications.
Study on Preparation and Properties of Pickering Emulsions Prepared by Carboxymethyl Starch‐Xanthan Gum Nanoparticles
Authors: Cai Zheng , Chen Canjia , Huang Rui , Zhang Rui , Zhou Wei , Huang Chao , Hu Yong , Song Fenglin , Chen Yun
Published: October 2024

In this work, carboxymethyl starch‐xanthan gum nanoparticles (CXN) with different ratios are prepared by ethanol precipitation method. The effects of different ratios, NaCl content, and pH on the particle size and zeta potential of the nanoparticles are investigated, as well as the rheological properties and stability of the CXN emulsions. The results show that with the increase of xanthan gum (XG), the particle size, and zeta potential of the nanoparticles decrease and the prepared emulsions have higher shear stress and viscosity, as well as greater thermal and storage stability. Changes in pH and NaCl concentration significantly affect the particle size and zeta potential values of the nanoparticles. Excess acids or bases increase the viscosity of the emulsions. At low salt concentrations (0.05 M), the emulsion viscosity increases significantly, after which the emulsion viscosity decreases with increasing salt concentration. Neutral pH conditions at room temperature are not conducive to the stability of the emulsions. At high temperatures (100 °C), high salt concentrations, excessive acids or bases can destabilize emulsions. This study provides a new way to reduce the particle size of nanoparticles and a feasible strategy for developing long‐term stable Pickering emulsion.
A Multi‐Objective Evolutionary Algorithm Based on Bilayered Decomposition for Constrained Multi‐Objective Optimization
Authors: Yasuda Yusuke , Kumagai Wataru , Tamura Kenichi , Yasuda Keiichiro
Published: October 2024

This paper proposes a multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm based on bilayered decomposition (MOEA/BLD) for solving constrained multi‐objective optimization problems. MOEA/D is an effective method for solving unconstrained multi‐objective optimization problems. It decomposes the objective space using weight vectors and simultaneously searches for solutions for the subproblems. However, real‐world applications impose many constraints, and these constraints must be handled appropriately when searching for good feasible solutions. The proposed MOEA/BLD treats such constraints as an additional objective function. Furthermore, in addition to the conventional weight vector, an augmented weight vector is introduced that decomposes the objective space and constraint violation space hierarchically. In the first stage, the objective space is decomposed by conventional weight vectors. In the next stage, the bi‐objective space consisting of the scalarizing function and constraint violation is decomposed by augmented weight vectors. The augmented weights are adjusted so that they decrease linearly in the search process as the search gradually moves from infeasible regions to feasible regions. The proposed algorithm is compared to several state‐of‐the‐art constrained MOEA/Ds using multi‐ and many‐objective problems. The results show that the proposed method outperforms existing methods, in terms of search performance, under various conditions. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
A graph model for genomic prediction in the context of a linear mixed model framework
Authors: Montesinos‐López Osval A. , Prado Gloria Isabel Huerta , Montesinos‐López José Cricelio , Montesinos‐López Abelardo , Crossa José
Published: October 2024

Genomic selection is revolutionizing both plant and animal breeding, with its practical application depending critically on high prediction accuracy. In this study, we aimed to enhance prediction accuracy by exploring the use of graph models within a linear mixed model framework. Our investigation revealed that incorporating the graph constructed with line connections alone resulted in decreased prediction accuracy compared to conventional methods that consider only genotype effects. However, integrating both genotype effects and the graph structure led to slightly improved results over considering genotype effects alone. These findings were validated across 14 datasets commonly used in plant breeding research.
Elevated anti‐Müllerian hormone in a stallion (Equus f. caballus) with terratoma and high inguinal testicle
Authors: Dewulf Manon , Rizzoto Guilherme , Hiltrop Raphaela , Meesters Maya , Govaere Jan
Published: October 2024

This report describes a stallion presenting a unilateral high inguinal undescended testicle and a unilateral scrotal testicle teratoma. Blood tests showed increased levels of anti‐Müllerian hormone. Following castration, histological examination revealed that the teratoma contained testicular tissue, hair, hair bulbs, sebaceous glands, cartilage and endochondral bone. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report elevated anti‐Müllerian hormone levels in a stallion with both a teratoma and a high‐inguinal testicle.
Improved GPS tropospheric path delay estimation using variable random walk process noise
Authors: Young Zachary M. , Blewitt Geoffrey , Kreemer Corné
Published: October 2024

Accurate positioning using the Global Positioning System relies on accurate modeling of tropospheric delay. Estimated tropospheric delay must vary sufficiently to capture true variations; otherwise, systematic errors propagate into estimated positions, particularly the vertical. However, if the allowed delay variation is too large, the propagation of data noise into all parameters is amplified, reducing precision. Here we investigate the optimal choice of tropospheric constraints applied in the GipsyX software, which are specified by values of random walk process noise. We use the variability of 5-min estimated positions as a proxy for tropospheric error. Given that weighted mean 5-min positions closely replicate 24-h solutions, our ultimate goal is to improve 24-h positions and other daily products, such as precise orbit parameters. The commonly adopted default constraint for the zenith wet delay (ZWD) is 3 mm/√(hr) for 5-min data intervals. Using this constraint, we observe spurious wave-like patterns of 5-min vertical displacement estimates with amplitudes ~ 100 mm coincident with Winter Storm Ezekiel of November 27, 2019, across the central/eastern USA. Loosening the constraint suppresses the spurious waves and reduces 5-min vertical displacement variability while improving water vapor estimates. Further improvement can be achieved when optimizing constraints regionally, or for each station. Globally, results are typically optimized in the range of 6–12 mm/√(hr). Generally, we at least recommend loosening the constraint from the current default of 3 mm/√(hr) to 6 mm/√(hr) for ZWD every 300 s. Constraint values must be scaled by √(x/300) for alternative data intervals of x seconds.
Efficacy of Nd:YAG Laser and Intralesional Triamcinolone Injection Combination Therapy in the Postoperative Management of Keloids
Authors: Park Jun Ho , Jeong Ji Won , Park Ji-Ung
Published: October 2024

Background

Keloids, characterized by protruding scars that extend beyond the original skin damage site, cause significant emotional stress and reduced quality of life. Their exact pathogenesis remains unclear, with various hypotheses including growth factor imbalances and extracellular matrix changes. No single treatment is universally accepted, but multiple modalities like triamcinolone acetonide injection (TAC), laser therapies, and surgery are commonly used.

Methods

This retrospective study involved East Asian patients who underwent keloid scar excision between March 2019 and June 2022. Patients were divided into two groups: one receiving only TAC injections and the other a combination of TAC and Nd:YAG laser therapy. The efficacy of treatments was evaluated using the modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), with follow-ups at six and twelve months after operation.

Results

The study involved 111 patients. Both treatment groups showed significant improvements in mVSS and POSAS scores, but the combination therapy group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in POSAS scores and lower recurrence rates at 12 months compared to the TAC-only group. However, there was no significant difference in patient satisfaction between the groups.

Conclusion

Dual therapy involving TAC injection and Nd:YAG laser treatment was more effective than TAC injection alone for managing keloid scars after surgery. This combination therapy showed better outcomes in preventing keloid recurrence and improving scar status at 12 months after operation, along with significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes.

Level of Evidence II

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
Impact of low HER2 expression on response to CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment in advanced HR + /HER2- breast cancer: a multicenter real-world data analysis
Authors: Ralser Damian J. , Kiver Verena , Solomayer Erich-Franz , Neeb Caroline , Blohmer Jens-Uwe , Abramian Alina V. , Maass Nicolai , Schütz Florian , Kolberg-Liedtke Cornelia , Müller Carolin , Rambow Anna-Christina
Published: October 2024

Purpose

CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) represent the first-line therapy approach of choice for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (HR + /HER-ABC). Approximately 50% of HR + /HER2-ABC displays low HER2 expression (HER2 low). Recent data emerging from the DESTINY-Breast04 trial demonstrated practice-changing efficacy of the antibody–drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in patients with low HER2 expression. Here, we aimed to analyze the impact of low HER2 expression on CDK4/6i therapy response in a well-characterized multicenter HR + /HER-ABC cohort.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with HR + /HER2-ABC who were treated with CDK4/6i in clinical routine between November 2016 and December 2020 at four certified German Breast Cancer Centers were retrospectively identified. The cohort was stratified according to graduation of positivity in HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC; HER2 zero = IHC score 0 and HER2 low = IHC score 1 + , 2 + /fluorescence in situ hybridization negative). Subgroups were analyzed with regard to progression-free survival (PFS) following CDK4/6i initiation.

Findings

The study cohort comprised n = 448 patients. For n = 311 patients, HER2 status from the metastatic site was available. n = 91 (29.3%) cases were HER2 zero and n = 220 cases (70.7%) were HER2 low. There was no significant difference in PFS between the two groups (PFS: 17 months versus 18 months, log-rank p = 0.42). Further, we examined the influence of HER2 expression changes between primary and metastatic tissue (n = 171; HER2 gain/HER2 loss/HER2 stable expression) on CDK4/6i treatment response. Again, there was no significant difference between these three groups, respectively (PFS: 16 months versus 13 months versus 17 months, log-rank p = 0.86).

Conclusions

In our analysis, HER2 status did not have a significant impact on treatment response to CDK4/6i.
Association between provegetarian food patterns and micronutrient adequacy in preschoolers: the SENDO project
Authors: Fabios Elise , Zazpe Itziar , Martínez-González Miguel Ángel , Arias Mónica , Ruiz-Chércoles Esther , Martín-Calvo Nerea
Published: October 2024

This study aims to examine the association between different versions of a provegetarian food pattern and micronutrient adequacy in a population of children from the SENDO Project. Children aged 4–5 years old were recruited and baseline information on diet, lifestyle and socio-demographic characteristics was collected through self-administered online questionnaires completed by their parents. Scores were calculated for overall, healthful, and unhealthful provegetarian food patterns (FP) using an a priori approach. Participants were categorized into tertiles according to their scores. Micronutrient adequacy was assessed using the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) cut-off point. Multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between tertiles of each provegetarian FP and the risk of inadequate micronutrient intake (failing to meet ≥ 3 requirements). Despite lower intakes of certain micronutrients, children with higher scores in the healthful provegetarian FP did not exhibit a higher prevalence of inadequacy. Children in the highest tertile of this index had 0.47-fold lower odds (95%CI 0.23–0.95) of having ≥ 3 inadequate micronutrient intakes than their peers in the lowest tertile, after adjusting for potential confounders. In contrast, children in the highest tertile of the unhealthful provegetarian FP had 20.06-fold higher odds (95%CI 9.19–43.79) of having ≥ 3 inadequate micronutrient intakes compared to children in the lowest tertile.

Conclusions: Adherence to a healthful provegetarian food pattern is associated with improved nutritional adequacy in preschoolers, while following an unhealthful pattern is detrimental to micronutrient adequacy. These results suggest that moderate reductions in animal food consumption within a healthy diet may not compromise micronutrient adequacy in young children. Further research is needed to explore the impact of diets reduced in animal food intake on the health of children.

What is Known:• There's a notable trend towards plant-based diets due to health and sustainability concerns.• Research links plant-based diets in adults with lower risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

What is New:• A new study examines how different versions of a provegetarian food pattern affect micronutrient adequacy in children, using a moderate and stepwise approach.• Following a healthful provegetarian food pattern enhances nutritional adequacy in preschoolers, whereas an unhealthful pattern negatively impacts micronutrient adequacy.
Performance of large language artificial intelligence models on solving restorative dentistry and endodontics student assessments
Authors: Künzle Paul , Paris Sebastian
Published: October 2024

Objectives

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language model (LLM)-based AI applications (LLMAs) has tremendous implications for our society. This study analyzed the performance of LLMAs on solving restorative dentistry and endodontics (RDE) student assessment questions.

Materials and methods

151 questions from a RDE question pool were prepared for prompting using LLMAs from OpenAI (ChatGPT-3.5,-4.0 and -4.0o) and Google (Gemini 1.0). Multiple-choice questions were sorted into four question subcategories, entered into LLMAs and answers recorded for analysis. P-value and chi-square statistical analyses were performed using Python 3.9.16.

Results

The total answer accuracy of ChatGPT-4.0o was the highest, followed by ChatGPT-4.0, Gemini 1.0 and ChatGPT-3.5 (72%, 62%, 44% and 25%, respectively) with significant differences between all LLMAs except GPT-4.0 models. The performance on subcategories direct restorations and caries was the highest, followed by indirect restorations and endodontics.

Conclusions

Overall, there are large performance differences among LLMAs. Only the ChatGPT-4 models achieved a success ratio that could be used with caution to support the dental academic curriculum.

Clinical relevance

While LLMAs could support clinicians to answer dental field-related questions, this capacity depends strongly on the employed model. The most performant model ChatGPT-4.0o achieved acceptable accuracy rates in some subject sub-categories analyzed.
Effect of extending the period from oral administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride to photodynamic diagnosis during transurethral resection for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer on diagnostic accuracy and safety: a single-arm multicenter phase III trial
Authors: Taoka Rikiya , Fukuhara Hideo , Miyake Makito , Kobayashi Keita , Ikeda Atsushi , Kanao Kent , Komai Yoshinobu , Fujiwara Ryo , Sato Yusuke , Sugimoto Mikio , Tsuzuki Toyonori , Fujimoto Kiyohide , Inoue Keiji , Oya Mototsugu
Published: October 2024

Background

In Japan, the authorized period (2–4 h) between oral administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride (5-ALA) and transurethral resection for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) may restrict photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) usage. Therefore, this prospective, single-arm, phase III study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and safety of PDD at an extended administration period (4–8 h).

Methods

From January 2022 to May 2023, 161 patients with NMIBC were enrolled from eight hospitals. The primary endpoint was the blue light (BL) sensitivity of pathologically positive biopsies. The secondary endpoints were a comparison of the specificity and positive and negative prediction rates under BL and white light (WL) conditions.

Results

A total of 1242 specimens comprising 337 histological NMIBC specimens were analyzed. BL-sensitivity was 95.3%. Its lower limit of 95% confidence interval (92.4–97.3%) exceeded the threshold (70%) of non-inferiority to authorized usage. Sensitivity and specificity were significantly higher and lower for BL than those for WL (95.3% vs. 61.1%, P < 0.001; 52.7% vs. 95.2%, P < 0.001), respectively. The positive and negative predictive rates were significantly lower and higher for BL than those for WL (42.9% vs. 82.7%, P < 0.001; 96.8% vs. 86.8%, P < 0.001), respectively. Of the 145 patients receiving 5-ALA, 136 (93.8%) and 75 (51.7%) experienced 377 adverse events and 95 adverse reactions, respectively, most of which were grade 1 or 2.

Conclusion

For extended period, the efficacy of PDD for NMIBC was similar to that of authorized period, in terms of higher sensitivity and lower specificity compared with WL, and the safety was acceptable.
Invaluable invisibility: academic housekeeping within the IPCC
Authors: Lidskog Rolf , Standring Adam
Published: October 2024

This article discusses “academic housekeeping” undertaken within IPCC, understood as the work that is rarely made visible or rewarded, but is nevertheless essential to the success of the organization. It explores the conditions, motivations, and implications for individual researchers involved in the IPCC, with particular emphasis on the invisible, un(der)recognised and unrewarded work they engage in. The empirical material consists of an interview study of researchers involved in the IPCC assessment work. The article concludes with a discussion on the implications of unrewarded work for individual experts, expert organisations, and academic institutions.
Existence and Regularity of Random Attractors for Stochastic Evolution Equations Driven by Rough Noise
Authors: Blessing Neamţu Alexandra , Seitz Tim
Published: October 2024

This work establishes the existence and regularity of random pullback attractors for parabolic partial differential equations with rough nonlinear multiplicative noise under natural assumptions on the coefficients. To this aim, we combine tools from rough path theory and random dynamical systems. An application is given by partial differential equations with rough boundary noise, for which flow transformations are not available.
Replacement with sex steroids in hypopituitary men and women: implications for gender differences in morbidities and mortality
Authors: Donald Darran Mc , McDonnell Tara , O’Reilly Michael W. , Sherlock Mark
Published: October 2024

Hypopituitarism is a heterogenous disorder characterised by a deficiency in one or more anterior pituitary hormones. There are marked sex disparities in the morbidity and mortality experienced by patients with hypopituitarism. In women with hypopituitarism, the prevalence of many cardiovascular risk factors, myocardial infarction, stroke and mortality are significantly elevated compared to the general population, however in men, they approach that of the general population. The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG) is the most sexually dimorphic pituitary hormone axis. Gonadotropin deficiency is caused by a deficiency of either hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) or pituitary gonadotropins, namely follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH). HPG axis dysfunction results in oestrogen and testosterone deficiency in women and men, respectively. Replacement of deficient sex hormones is the mainstay of treatment in individuals not seeking fertility. Oestrogen and testosterone replacement in women and men, respectively, have numerous beneficial health impacts. These benefits include improved body composition, enhanced insulin sensitivity, improved atherogenic lipid profiles and increased bone mineral density. Oestrogen replacement in women also reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. When women and men are considered together, untreated gonadotropin deficiency is independently associated with an increased mortality risk. However, treatment with sex hormone replacement reduces the mortality risk comparable to those with an intact gonadal axis. The reasons for the sex disparities in mortality remain poorly understood. Potential explanations include the reversal of women’s natural survival advantage over men, premature loss of oestrogen’s cardioprotective effect, less aggressive cardiovascular risk factor modification and inadequate oestrogen replacement in women with gonadotropin deficiency. Regrettably, historical inertia and unfounded concerns about the safety of oestrogen replacement in women of reproductive age have impeded the treatment of gonadotropin deficiency.
Growth hormone – releasing hormone in the immune system
Authors: Siejka Agnieszka , Lawnicka Hanna , Fakir Saikat , Barabutis Nektarios
Published: October 2024

GHRH is a neuropeptide associated with a diverse variety of activities in human physiology and immune responses. The present study reviews the latest information on the involvement of GHRH in the immune system and inflammation, suggesting that GHRH antagonists may deliver a new therapeutic possibility in disorders related to immune system dysfunction and inflammation.
Graph neural networks in multi-stained pathological imaging: extended comparative analysis of Radiomic features
Authors: Rivera Monroy Luis Carlos , Rist Leonhard , Ostalecki Christian , Bauer Andreas , Vera Julio , Breininger Katharina , Maier Andreas
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study investigates the application of Radiomic features within graph neural networks (GNNs) for the classification of multiple-epitope-ligand cartography (MELC) pathology samples. It aims to enhance the diagnosis of often misdiagnosed skin diseases such as eczema, lymphoma, and melanoma. The novel contribution lies in integrating Radiomic features with GNNs and comparing their efficacy against traditional multi-stain profiles.

Methods

We utilized GNNs to process multiple pathological slides as cell-level graphs, comparing their performance with XGBoost and Random Forest classifiers. The analysis included two feature types: multi-stain profiles and Radiomic features. Dimensionality reduction techniques such as UMAP and t-SNE were applied to optimize the feature space, and graph connectivity was based on spatial and feature closeness.

Results

Integrating Radiomic features into spatially connected graphs significantly improved classification accuracy over traditional models. The application of UMAP further enhanced the performance of GNNs, particularly in classifying diseases with similar pathological features. The GNN model outperformed baseline methods, demonstrating its robustness in handling complex histopathological data.

Conclusion

Radiomic features processed through GNNs show significant promise for multi-disease classification, improving diagnostic accuracy. This study’s findings suggest that integrating advanced imaging analysis with graph-based modeling can lead to better diagnostic tools. Future research should expand these methods to a wider range of diseases to validate their generalizability and effectiveness.
FELRec: efficient handling of item cold-start with dynamic representation learning in recommender systems
Authors: Weimann Kuba , Conrad Tim O. F.
Published: October 2024

Recommender systems suffer from the cold-start problem whenever a new user joins the platform or a new item is added to the catalog. To address item cold-start, we propose to replace the embedding layer in sequential recommenders with a dynamic storage that has no learnable weights and can keep an arbitrary number of representations. In this paper, we present , a large embedding network that refines the existing representations of users and items in a recursive manner, as new information becomes available. In contrast to similar approaches, our model represents new users and items without side information and time-consuming finetuning, instead it runs a single forward pass over a sequence of existing representations. During item cold-start, our method outperforms similar method by 29.50–47.45%. Further, our proposed model generalizes well to previously unseen datasets in zero-shot settings. The source code is publicly available at https://github.com/kweimann/FELRec.
Multi-sensory data transmission using 5G and B5G enabled network for healthcare: survey
Authors: Joshi Purva
Published: October 2024

The study investigates the feasibility of utilizing 5G and its future iterations (B5G) networks for the transmission of multi-sensory data, including audio, visual, haptic, olfactory, and gustatory data. The advent of 5G and B5G technologies has enabled the transmission of a wide range of sensory information in real-time or near real-time, thanks to their exceptional speed, low latency, and large capacity. The idea behind this review is to explore the technological developments that facilitate the transmission of data, such as layered protocols. This article aims to provide an overall survey and use cases for sensory data transmitted using 5G and B5G networks. The objective of this survey is to focus on challenges for multiple sensor data transmission using 5G and beyond network technologies, as well as how significant is to receive this information without losing them. Moreover, it tackles the inherent difficulties associated with guaranteeing adequate bandwidth, minimal latency, high quality of service, and robust security for the transmission of multi-sensory data via wireless networks. The goal is to provide an introductory overview for researchers, engineers, and practitioners who are interested in exploiting 5G and B5G networks to leverage the revolutionary capabilities of multi-sensory data transmission. The future scope at the end also highlights how to add enhancement in this field.
Evaluation of current practice for penicillin allergy labeling using the PEN-FAST tool
Authors: Foran Mary Beth , Brown Anastasia , Thompson Julie A. , Schwob Timothy , Padilla Blanca Iris , Bush Margaret A.
Published: October 2024

Inaccurate penicillin allergy labeling may deter healthcare providers from initiating appropriate therapy and contribute to antibiotic resistance. In a rural urgent care setting, the current practice of penicillin allergy labeling was evaluated using the PEN-FAST tool. The results confirm opportunity to further evaluate and improve current practice for allergy assessment.
New Zealand's representative: Jessie Mackay, the Self-Determination for Ireland League of New Zealand and the Irish Race Congress
Authors: Marr Lisa
Published: October 2024

In January 1922, Jessie Mackay represented the Self-Determination for Ireland League of New Zealand (S.D.I.L.N.Z.) at the Irish Race Congress in Paris. Irish people around the world were invited to attend this grand ‘family reunion’, where delegates discussed ways to assist the Irish revival, created an international organisation to connect members of the Irish ‘race’ and enjoyed exhibitions of Irish art, drama, music and dancing. Among those who assembled in Paris were delegates from Australasia who represented the S.D.I.L.N.Z. and the Self-Determination for Ireland League of Australia. These Australasian delegates played a pivotal role in keeping the congress on course. This article interweaves the history of the S.D.I.L.N.Z. with biographical details of Mackay's life in 1921 and 1922. Drawing on new archival research and material from New Zealand newspapers and periodicals, it adds to previous treatments of the congress by offering a distinct Australasian point of view. It investigates the S.D.I.L.N.Z. and why Mackay was chosen to represent it, how she contributed to the congress and what she made of proceedings.
Impact of dietary restriction on development, mating, and reproduction in the natural predator Pardosa pseudoannulata
Authors: Wang Xiaoming , Li Wei , Song Li , Xie Zuojun , Liu Jie , Zhao Yao , Peng Yu
Published: October 2024

Dietary restriction-influenced biological performance is found in many animal species. Pardosa pseudoannulata is a dominant spider species in agricultural fields and is important for controlling pests. In this study, three groups – a control group (CK group), a re-feeding group (RF group), and a dietary restriction group (RT group) – were used to explore development, mating, reproduction, and the expression levels of Vg (vitellogenin) and VgR (vitellogenin receptor) genes in the spider. The findings indicated that when subjected to dietary restriction, the carapace size, weight of the spiderlings, and weight of the adults exhibited a decrease. Furthermore, the preoviposition period and egg stage were observed to be prolonged, while the number of spiderlings decreased. It was also observed that re-feeding reduced cannibalism rates and extended the preoviposition period. Dietary restriction also affected the expression of the Vg-3 gene in the spider. These results will contribute to the understanding of the impact of dietary restriction in predators of pest control, as well as provide a theoretical foundation for the artificial rearing and utilisation of the dominant spider in the field.
Evaluation of phytoplankton abundance and wastewater quality in intensive vannamei shrimp ponds in the northern coastal area of Bangka Island
Authors: Prasetiyono Eva , Nirmala Kukuh , Supriyono Eddy , Sukenda Sukenda , Hastuti Yuni Puji
Published: October 2024

Effluent waste generated from the intensive production of vannamei shrimp is known to play an essential role in increasing phytoplankton abundance and the alteration of environmental quality. This alteration is characterized by the presence of various organic compounds and their derivatives. The northern coastal area of Bangka Island represents a region in Indonesia that has witnessed significant growth and development as a vannamei shrimp cultivation zone. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate phytoplankton abundance and environmental quality in the waste of shrimp ponds in the northern coastal area of Bangka Island. The investigation procedures were carried out in four specific locations within this area, namely BL1, BL2, BL3, and BL4. The results showed the presence of five–six distinct phytoplankton groups, including a total of 11–18 genera, within the effluent discharge from these ponds. The highest abundance of phytoplankton was recorded at BL3, with a value of 2,418,375 cells ml−1. The phytoplankton groups identified at all locations included Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Chryptophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Pyrrophyta. Euglenophyta was found at BL1 and BL3 but was not observed at BL2 and BL4. Furthermore, the most abundant group found in this study was Chlorophyta. The genera Nanochloropsis, Chlorella, Microcystis, and Nitzschia were consistently found in all the surveyed ponds. The calculation results showed that all locations had a moderate level of diversity, high evenness, and the absence of dominance. Based on the findings of principal component analysis, there was a commonality in parameters that exerted a strong influence on phytoplankton abundance, including nitrate, orthophosphate, and magnesium.
Time trends in adolescent depressive symptoms from 2010 to 2019 in Norway: real increase or artifacts of measurements?
Authors: Nilsen Sondre Aasen , Stormark Kjell Morten , Bang Lasse , Brunborg Geir Scott , Larsen Marit , Breivik Kyrre
Published: October 2024

Background

Whether the recent rise in adolescent self-reported depressive symptoms is influenced by changing reporting behavior is much debated. Most studies use observed sum scores to document trends but fail to assess whether their measures are invariant across time, a prerequisite for meaningful inferences about change. We examined whether measurement noninvariance, indicative of changing perceptions and reporting of symptoms, may influence the assessment of time trends in adolescent depressive symptoms.

Methods

Data stem from the nationwide repeated cross-sectional Ungdata-surveys (2010–2019) of 560 712 responses from adolescents aged 13 to 19 years. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Kandel and Davies' six-item Depressive Mood Inventory. Using structural equation modeling, we examined measurement invariance across time, gender and age, and estimated the consequences of noninvariance on cross-cohort time trends.

Results

Across most conditions, the instrument was found measurement invariant across time. The few noninvariant parameters detected had negligible impact on trend estimates. From 2014, latent mean depressive symptom scores increased among girls. For boys, a U shaped pattern was detected, whereby an initial decrease in symptoms was followed by an increase from 2016. Larger issues of noninvariance were found across age in girls and between genders.

Conclusions

From a measurement perspective, the notion that changed reporting of symptoms has been an important driver of secular trends in depressive symptoms was not supported. Thus, other causes of these trends should be considered. However, noninvariance across age (in girls) and gender highlights that depressive symptoms are not necessarily perceived equivalently from early to late adolescence and across gender.