bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trial of labor after caesarean section in low risk pregnancies: is it risky?
Authors: Kehl Sven , Düster Hanna , Weiss Christel , Bader Simon , Schneider Michael , Beckmann Matthias W. , Dammer Ulf , Pretscher Jutta
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the influence of a previous caesarean section on adverse composite maternal and perinatal outcome in women who attempted a trial of labor.

Methods

This historical cohort study analyzed maternal and perinatal outcome in women with otherwise low risk pregnancies at term who underwent a trial of labor after a caesarean section (TOLAC). The primary outcome measure was the adverse composite outcome. Secondary outcome measures were amongst others the caesarean section rate and the mode of vaginal delivery.

Results

The adverse composite outcome was more frequently in the previous caesarean section group compared to women with no previous caesarean Sect. (22.3% vs. 15.6%, p < 0.0001). The percentage of caesarean Sect. (15.4% vs. 8.2%, p < 0,0001), uterine rupture (1.0% vs. 0.02%, p < 0.0001), placental abruption (1.1% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.0014), vaginal operative delivery (16.0% vs. 8.6%, p < 0.0001), pH < 7.10 (3.7% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.0151), base excess < -12 (3.2% vs. 2.2%, p = 0.0297), abnormal cardiotocography (22.5% vs. 13.9%, p < 0,0001) and fetal blood analysis (6.2% vs. 2.6%, p < 0.0001) was significantly higher in women with a previous caesarean section. Taking the parity into account, these differences could only been seen in women without a previous vaginal delivery. In parous women with a previous vaginal delivery and a caesarean section in history, the adverse composite did not differ between the groups. Only the rate of pH < 7.1 was higher in women after a caesarean Sect. (4.5% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.0436).

Conclusion

Trial of labor after caesarean in otherwise low risk pregnancies is associated with a higher rate of complications especially if there is no history of vaginal delivery.
The digital scent device 20: an automated, self-administered odor identification test
Authors: Sabiniewicz Agnieszka , Wittig Sophia , Haehner Antje , Müller Christopher , Galvao Claudia , Nakanishi Marco , Hummel Thomas
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Assessing olfactory function is highly significant in clinical practice, particularly in the context of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Recent approaches in this field emphasize the importance of reducing the time and cost devoted to olfactory testing procedures. Hence, the aim of the present study was to examine the reliability and basic characteristics of Digital Scent Device 20 (DSD-20), an innovative olfactory test consisting of 20 “universal odors”, in a European population.

Methods

A total of 88 participants (mean age = 45.1, SD = 20.3) volunteered for the study. The sample consisted of 37 normosmic controls and 51 dysosmic patients.

Results

The correlation between DSD-20 and the total score in Sniffin’ Sticks was high (TDI; R = .80, p < .001), and the test correlated with the individual components of the Sniffin’ Sticks test. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between DSD-20 test and retest was very high (R = .88, p < .001), which was additionally confirmed by a Bland-Altman plot. Essential characteristics of the DSD-20 are its simplicity in self-administration, speed of application, portability, and the fact that it can be reused.

Conclusion

Overall, the present study confirms previous notions on DSD-20 by demonstrating its high reliability and usefulness in separating patients with hyposmia/anosmia and normosmic controls.
Cochlear implantation in syndromic patients: difficulties and lessons learnt
Authors: Saleeb Mina Fayez , Fiky Lobna El , Mostafa Badr Eldin , Mady Ossama Mustafa , Teaima Ahmed Abdelmoneim
Published: August 2024

Objective

Identify the prevalence of syndromes in a cohort of patients who underwent cochlear implantation, to report on the presence of inner and middle ear malformations and highlight the surgical difficulties encountered.

Study design

Observational, retrospective study.

Setting

Tertiary referral children’s hospital pediatric cochlear implant program.

Material & methods

An IRB-approved retrospective chart review of children undergoing cochlear implantation at a tertiary academic medical center, from 2018 to 2023. Preoperative imaging data of syndromic patients in that cohort with special attention to the presence of inner ear or middle ear malformations were collected. Abnormal intraoperative findings and difficulties reported by the surgeons were also noted.

Results

1024 children were unilaterally implanted for bilateral profound hearing loss. There were 45 cases diagnosed with associated syndromes (4.3%). The commonest syndromes were Jervell and Lange Nielsen (JLN) syndrome followed by Waardenberg syndrome (WS), in a prevalence of 34% and 32% respectively. These syndromes had no associated inner ear malformations (IEM). Less common syndromes included Branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome, CHARGE association and Treacher Collins syndrome, 3 cases each, and keratosis icthyosis deafness syndrome (KID), Usher syndrome and Albino, 2 cases each and an H syndrome case. There were 9 cases (20%) with IEM, with 6 cases of perilymph gusher. Two cases had middle ear anomalies and one case had a facial nerve course abnormality. The outcome of these cases was similar to non-syndromic cases.

Conclusion

Children with syndromic HL should be dealt with on a case by case scenario to diagnose inner and middle ear malformations. Additional disabilities can affect the rehabilitation procedures. All children with congenital hearing loss should undergo pediatric, cardiologic, ophthalmologic and nephrologic examination in order to exclude the syndromic etiology of hearing loss.
Swallowing outcomes after tracheal resection and anastomosis: full versus mini infrahyoid laryngeal drop
Authors: ElSobki Ahmed Abdel-Fattah , El-Kholy Noha Ahmed , Abdou Eslam Hamed Elsayed , Ibrahim Reham A.E. , Amer Ayman , El-Deeb Mohamed , Ibrahim Alsobky Mahmoud Elsaid , Negm Ahmed
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Tracheal resection anastomosis has been established as the definitive surgery for high grade postintubation subglottic stenosis. To achieve a relaxed tension-free anastomosis, various laryngeal release techniques were discussed in literature with potential effect on postoperative swallowing dysfunction. This study aims to compare the difference in swallowing outcomes following two methods of infrahyoid laryngeal release: with and without fracture of the superior thyroid horns.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was carried out at our tertiary referral hospitals including cases with grade III and IV subglottic stenosis treated by partial crico-tracheal resection with thyro-tracheal anastomosis. The patients were divided into two groups according to the method used in laryngeal release; mini infrahyoid release (group A) or infrahyoid full release (group B) where full means with fracture of the superior thyroid horn bilaterally while mini means their preservation. Swallowing assessment preoperatively and postoperatively was done by comparing swallowing dysfunction symptoms, Gugging swallowing screen (GUSS) score and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) according to penetration aspiration scale (PAS).

Results

A total of 71 patients were included; 46 in Group A and 25 in Group B. Clinical swallowing evaluation one week postoperatively showed statistically significant difference between the two groups being affected in 80.04% and 100% of patients in group A and B, respectively. The mean postoperative GUSS were 18 ± 1.32 in group A patients in comparison to 8.84 ± 5.18 in group B (p-value < 0.001). With FEES assessment, group A had full improvement of their swallowing abilities one month after the surgery while patients in group B had significantly lower PAS scores. Unfavourable scores for both the GUSS test and PAS were associated with increasing patients’ age in group B.

Conclusion

In this retrospective cohort study, cases with mini infrahyoid laryngeal release had significantly better swallowing outcomes and full resolution of dysphagia in comparison to full laryngeal release. Also, full laryngeal release is associated with delayed resolution of swallowing difficulty in older patients. This point should be considered during preoperative patient selection and counselling.
The role of GABA in modulation of taste signaling within the taste bud
Authors: Mikami Ayaka , Huang Hai , Hyodo Aiko , Horie Kengo , Yasumatsu Keiko , Ninomiya Yuzo , Mitoh Yoshihiro , Iida Seiji , Yoshida Ryusuke
Published: August 2024

Taste buds contain 2 types of GABA-producing cells: sour-responsive Type III cells and glial-like Type I cells. The physiological role of GABA, released by Type III cells is not fully understood. Here, we investigated the role of GABA released from Type III cells using transgenic mice lacking the expression of GAD67 in taste bud cells (Gad67-cKO mice). Immunohistochemical experiments confirmed the absence of GAD67 in Type III cells of Gad67-cKO mice. Furthermore, no difference was observed in the expression and localization of cell type markers, ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 2 (ENTPD2), gustducin, and carbonic anhydrase 4 (CA4) in taste buds between wild-type (WT) and Gad67-cKO mice. Short-term lick tests demonstrated that both WT and Gad67-cKO mice exhibited normal licking behaviors to each of the five basic tastants. Gustatory nerve recordings from the chorda tympani nerve demonstrated that both WT and Gad67-cKO mice similarly responded to five basic tastants when they were applied individually. However, gustatory nerve responses to sweet–sour mixtures were significantly smaller than the sum of responses to each tastant in WT mice but not in Gad67-cKO mice. In summary, elimination of GABA signalling by sour-responsive Type III taste cells eliminates the inhibitory cell–cell interactions seen with application of sour–sweet mixtures.
A randomized controlled clinical trial on multimodal prehabilitation in colorectal cancer patients to improve functional capacity: preliminary results
Authors: Pesce Antonio , Fabbri Nicolò , Colombari Simona , Uccellatori Lisa , Grazzi Giovanni , Lordi Rosario , Anania Gabriele , Feo Carlo Vittorio
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Major colorectal surgery is associated with 20 to 40% reduction in physiological and functional capacity and higher level of fatigue 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. The primary aim of this study was to analyse the effects of a multimodal prehabilitation program in colorectal cancer patients to improve functional capacity. The secondary outcome was to evaluate postoperative complications and length of postoperative hospital stay as well as to determine the costs of implementation and indirect costs.

Methods

A single centre, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted. Patients of age > 18 years undergoing elective colorectal resection for colonic cancer were eligible. Exclusion criteria were metastatic disease, severe walking impairments, renal failure stage > 2, ASA score > 3, preoperative chemo-radiation therapy. Patients have been randomized either to prehabilitation intervention groups, receiving 4-week trimodal prehabilitation (physical exercise and nutritional and psychological support) or to control receiving no prehabilitation. Both groups followed enhanced recovery programs and received rehabilitation accordingly. The primary outcome for functional capacity was measured by the 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT) 4 and 8 weeks after surgery; to evaluate post-operative complications the Clavien-Dindo classification was used.

Results

An interim analysis of 71 patients undergoing colorectal surgery was performed, with 35 assigned to interventional arm and 36 to control arm. Baseline characteristics were comparable in both groups. The prehabilitation group showed a significant increase in mean 6MWT distance pre-operatively compared to the control group, with an increase of 96 m (523 ± 24.6 vs. 427 ± 25.3, p = 0.01). At 4 and 8 weeks, the prehabilitation group maintained significant improvements, with an increase of 103 m (514 ± 89 vs. 411 ± 115, p = 0.003) and 90 m (531 ± 82 vs. 441 ± 107, p = 0.008), respectively. There were no statistical significant differences in post-operative complications and hospital length of stay between the two groups.

Conclusions

The preliminary results of this study indicate that it is feasible to implement a prehabilitation protocol lasting approximately 4 weeks. This protocol appears to yield a significant improvement in the physical performance of patients with colon cancer undergoing elective colorectal resection at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery.

Graphical abstract
Development, validation and reliability of scales and items for heat wave risk assessment of pregnant women
Authors: KC Ashish , Maharjan Sujeena , Basnet Omkar , Malla Honey , Gurung Rejina , Pokharel Sunil Mani , Ghimire Gyanu Kumari , Vaezghasemi Masoud , Schröders Julia
Published: August 2024

Introduction: The 1.2 °C rise of global ambient temperature since the pre-industrial era has led to an increase the intensity and frequency of heatwaves. Given the heightened vulnerability of pregnant women to heat stress, there is an urgent need for tools which accurately assess the knowledge, risk, and perception of pregnant woman toward heatwaves, enabling effective policy actions. In this research, we developed and validated tools to evaluate pregnant women’s perceptions of heat wave risks and behaviors. Method: We developed 50 items across seven constructs using the Health Belief Model, identified through a systematic literature review. The constructs comprised 8 Knowledge(K) items, 4 in Perceived Vulnerability (PV), 5 in Perceived Severity (PS), 6 in Perceived Benefit (PB), 4 in Perceived Barrier (PBa), 5 in Cue to Action(Cu) and 18 in Adaptation(A). Cognitive testing was performed with a separate group of pregnant women(n = 20). The tested tools were then administered to 120 pregnant women residing during the spring-summer 2023. Construct validation utilized exploratory factor analysis. Results: The Principal Axis Factoring Method was employed in the EFA with oblimin rotation for 51 items, considering communality > 0.20, and aiming to extract three factors. Across the three factors with Cronbach’s alpha > 0.70, a total of 11 items were distributed. Factor 1 included Perceived Severity (PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS5); Factor 2 included Cue to Action (Cu1, Cu2, Cu3, and Cu4); and Factor 3 encompassed Perceived Vulnerability (PV1, PV2, PV4). Only two of the retained items had factor loadings > 0.50, namely PV4 and PS5. Consequently, the three constructs measuring Perceived Severity, Cues to Action, and Perceived Vulnerability using the HBM among pregnant women were deemed valid. Conclusion: Our study has successfully validated a highly reliable tool which stands ready for application in assessing pregnant women’s risk perception regarding heatwaves.
Impact of occlusal stabilization splints on global body posture: a prospective clinical trial
Authors: Hampe Tristan , Fürstberger Laura , Kordsmeyer Tobias L. , Penke Lars , Mahler Alannah M. , Mäder Clemens M. , Bürgers Ralf , Krohn Sebastian
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Body posture of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) has been investigated using different methods, whereas outcome and conclusions were controversial. The present clinical trial aimed to investigate the effects of splint therapy on global body posture.

Materials and methods

24 subjects (20 females, 4 males; age 24.2 ± 4.0 years) with TMD symptoms were examined clinically (RDC/TMD) and subsequently, splint fabrication was initiated. Along with routine therapy, all subjects underwent three-dimensional pre- and post-treatment full body scans in standing and upright sitting posture using a Vitus Smart XXL 3D scanner. Each scan was acquired in triplicate and evaluated in duplicate, measuring twelve standing and nine sitting postural parameters. Influencing factors were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and additional Bland-Altman analyses verified the significance of the ANOVA results.

Results

The increase of Forward Head angles and the decrease of Round Shoulders angles were consistent for both positions and sides. Forward Head angles were significantly influenced by limited mandibular mobility and myofascial pain. Round Shoulders angles showed a significant correlation with myofascial pain, joint noises and the absence of limited mandibular mobility.

Conclusion

The influence of occlusal splints on global posture is limited and only small effects on cervicocranial parameters were found. In the present study, the average head position of post treatment measurements was more centered on the body’s core, whereas the shoulders were tilted more anteriorly.

Clinical relevance

Understanding the limited influence of occlusal splints on cervicocranial parameters underscores the need for multimodal treatment strategies for TMD patients.
GMMDA: Gaussian mixture modeling of graph in latent space for graph data augmentation
Authors: Li Yanjin , Xu Linchuan , Yamanishi Kenji
Published: August 2024

Graph data augmentation (GDA), which manipulates graph structure and/or attributes, has been demonstrated as an effective method for improving the generalization of graph neural networks on semi-supervised node classification. As a data augmentation technique, label preservation is critical, that is, node labels should not change after data manipulation. However, most existing methods overlook the label preservation requirements. Determining the label-preserving nature of a GDA method is highly challenging, owing to the non-Euclidean nature of the graph structure. In this study, for the first time, we formulate a label-preserving problem (LPP) in the context of GDA. The LPP is formulated as an optimization problem in which, given a fixed augmentation budget, the objective is to find an augmented graph with minimal difference in data distribution compared to the original graph. To solve the LPP problem, we propose GMMDA, a generative data augmentation (DA) method based on Gaussian mixture modeling (GMM) of a graph in a latent space. We designed a novel learning objective that jointly learns a low-dimensional graph representation and estimates the GMM. The learning is followed by sampling from the GMM, and the samples are converted back to the graph as additional nodes. To uphold label preservation, we designed a minimum description length (MDL)-based method to select a set of samples that produces the minimum shift in the data distribution captured by the GMM. Through experiments, we demonstrate that GMMDA can improve the performance of graph convolutional network on Cora, Citeseer and Pubmed by as much as $$7.75\%$$

7.75
%

, $$8.75\%$$

8.75
%

and $$5.87\%$$

5.87
%

, respectively, significantly outperforming the state-of-the-art methods.
Securing the IoT ecosystem: ASIC-based hardware realization of Ascon lightweight cipher
Authors: Khan Safiullah , Inayat Kashif , Muslim Fahad Bin , Shah Yasir Ali , Atif Ur Rehman Muhammad , Khalid Ayesha , Imran Malik , Abdusalomov Akmalbek
Published: August 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) nodes consist of sensors that collect environmental data and then perform data exchange with surrounding nodes and gateways. Cybersecurity attacks pose a threat to the data security that is being transmitted in any IoT network. Cryptographic primitives are widely adopted to address these threats; however, the substantial computation demands limit their applicability in the IoT ecosystem. In addition, each IoT node varies with respect to the area and throughput (TP) requirements, thus demanding flexible implementation for encryption/decryption processes. To solve these issues, this work implements the NIST lightweight cryptography standard, Ascon, on a SAED 32 nm process design kit (PDK) library by employing loop folded, loop unrolled and fully unrolled architectures. The fully unrolled architecture can achieve the highest TP but at the cost of higher area utilisation. Unrolling by a lower factor results in lower area implementations, enabling the exploration of design space to tackle the trade-off between area and TP performance of the design. The implementation results show that, for loop folded architecture, Ascon-128 and Ascon-128a require 36.7k $$\upmu \textrm{m}^{2}$$

μ

m
2

and 38.5k $$\upmu \textrm{m}^{2}$$

μ

m
2

chip area, respectively compared to 277.1k $$\upmu \textrm{m}^{2}$$

μ

m
2

and 306.6k $$\upmu \textrm{m}^{2}$$

μ

m
2

required by their fully unrolled implementations. The proposed implementation strategies can adjust the number of rounds to accommodate the varied requirements of IoT ecosystems. An implementation with an open-source 45 nm PDK library is also undertaken for enhanced generalization and reproducibility of the results.
Multiple habitat graphs: how connectivity brings forth landscape ecological processes
Authors: Savary Paul , Clauzel Céline , Foltête Jean-Christophe , Vuidel Gilles , Girardet Xavier , Bourgeois Marc , Martin François-Marie , Ropars Lise , Garnier Stéphane
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Habitat connectivity is integral to current biodiversity science and conservation strategies. Originally, the connectivity concept stressed the role of individual movements for landscape-scale processes. Connectivity determines whether populations can survive in sub-optimal patches (i.e., source-sink effects), complete life cycles relying on different habitat types (i.e., landscape complementation), and benefit from supplementary resources distributed over the landscape (i.e., landscape supplementation). Although the past decades have witnessed major improvements in habitat connectivity modeling, most approaches have yet to consider the multiplicity of habitat types that a species can benefit from. Without doing so, connectivity analyses potentially fail to meet one of their fundamental purposes: revealing how complex individual movements lead to landscape-scale ecological processes.

Methods

To bridge this conceptual and methodological gap, we propose to include multiple habitat types in spatial graph models of habitat connectivity, where nodes traditionally represent a single habitat type. Multiple habitat graphs will improve how we model connectivity and related landscape ecological processes, and how they are impacted by land cover changes.

Results

In three case studies, we use these graphs to model (i) source-sink effects, (ii) landscape supplementation, and (iii) complementation processes, in urban ecosystems, agricultural landscapes, and amphibian habitat networks, respectively. A new version of the Graphab open-source software implements the proposed approach.

Conclusion

Multiple habitat graphs help address crucial conservation challenges (e.g., urban sprawl, biological control, climate change) by representing more accurately the dynamics of populations, communities, and their interactions. Our approach thereby extends the ecologist’s toolbox and aims at fostering the alignment between landscape ecology theory and practice.
Commutative Poisson algebras from deformations of noncommutative algebras
Authors: Mikhailov Alexander V. , Vanhaecke Pol
Published: August 2024

It is well-known that a formal deformation of a commutative algebra $$\mathcal {A}$$
A
leads to a Poisson bracket on $$\mathcal {A}$$
A
and that the classical limit of a derivation on the deformation leads to a derivation on $$\mathcal {A}$$
A
, which is Hamiltonian with respect to the Poisson bracket. In this paper we present a generalization of it for formal deformations of an arbitrary noncommutative algebra $$\mathcal {A}$$
A
. The deformation leads in this case to a Poisson algebra structure on $$\Pi (\mathcal {A}){:}{=}Z(\mathcal {A})\times (\mathcal {A}/Z(\mathcal {A}))$$

Π
(
A
)
:
=
Z
(
A
)
×
(
A
/
Z
(
A
)
)

and to the structure of a $$\Pi (\mathcal {A})$$

Π
(
A
)

-Poisson module on $$\mathcal {A}$$
A
. The limiting derivations are then still derivations of $$\mathcal {A}$$
A
, but with the Hamiltonian belong to $$\Pi (\mathcal {A})$$

Π
(
A
)

, rather than to $$\mathcal {A}$$
A
. We illustrate our construction with several cases of formal deformations, coming from known quantum algebras, such as the ones associated with the nonabelian Volterra chains, Kontsevich integrable map, the quantum plane and the quantized Grassmann algebra.
Human herpesvirus reactivation and its potential role in the pathogenesis of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Gáspár Zsófia , Szabó Bálint Gergely , Ceglédi Andrea , Lakatos Botond
Published: August 2024

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has precipitated a global pandemic with substantial long-term health implications, including the condition known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), commonly referred to as Long COVID. PASC is marked by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, neurological issues, and autonomic dysfunction that persist for months beyond the acute phase of COVID-19. This review examines the potential role of herpesvirus reactivation, specifically Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), in the pathogenesis of PASC. Elevated antibody titers and specific T cell responses suggest recent herpesvirus reactivation in some PASC patients, although viremia is not consistently detected. SARS-CoV-2 exhibits endothelial trophism, directly affecting the vascular endothelium and contributing to microvascular pathologies. These pathologies are significant in PASC, where microvascular dysfunction may underlie various chronic symptoms. Similarly, herpesviruses like CMV also exhibit endothelial trophism, which may exacerbate endothelial damage when reactivated. Evidence suggests that EBV and CMV reactivation could indirectly contribute to the immune dysregulation, immunosenescence, and autoimmune responses observed in PASC. Additionally, EBV may play a role in the genesis of neurological symptoms through creating mitochondrial dysfunction, though direct confirmation remains elusive. The reviewed evidence suggests that while herpesviruses may not play a direct role in the pathogenesis of PASC, their potential indirect effects, especially in the context of endothelial involvement, warrant further investigation.
The effect of cognitive reserve on the cognitive connectome in healthy ageing
Authors: Habich Annegret , Garcia-Cabello Eloy , Abbatantuono Chiara , Gonzalez-Burgos Lissett , Taurisano Paolo , Dierks Thomas , Barroso José , Ferreira Daniel
Published: August 2024

During ageing, different cognitive functions decline at different rates. Additionally, cognitive reserve may influence inter-individual variability in age-related cognitive decline. These complex relationships can be studied by constructing a so-called cognitive connectome and characterising it with advanced graph-theoretical network analyses. This study examined the effect of cognitive reserve on the cognitive connectome across age. A total of 334 cognitively healthy participants were stratified into early middle age (37–50 years; n = 110), late middle age (51–64 years; n = 106), and elderly (65–78 years; n = 118) groups. Within each age group, individuals were subdivided into high and low cognitive reserve. For each subgroup, a cognitive connectome was constructed based on correlations between 47 cognitive variables. Applying graph theory, different global network measures were compared between the groups. Graph-theoretical network analyses revealed that individuals with high cognitive reserve were characterized by a stable cognitive connectome across age groups. High cognitive reserve groups only differed in modularity. In contrast, individuals with low cognitive reserve showed a marked reconfiguration of cognitive connectomes across age groups with differences extending over a variety of network measures including network strength, global efficiency, modularity, and small-worldness. Our results suggest a stabilizing effect of cognitive reserve on the cognitive connectome. Gaining further insights into these findings and underlying mechanisms will contribute to our understanding of age-related cognitive decline and guide the development of strategies to preserve cognitive function in ageing.
Beyond cancer treatment: dermo-aesthetic and other wellness recommendations for breast cancer patients
Authors: Falcón González Alejandro , Gallegos Sancho María Isabel , González Flores Encarnación , Galve Calvo Elena , Ruiz Vozmediano Julia , Domingo García Paloma , López Martos Ricardo , Sánchez Rivas Elena , Iglesias Urraca Carmen María , Gómez Calvo Ana Isabel , De Mariscal Polo Amaia , Ramos-Medina Rocío , Rivero Maria , Martínez Marín Virginia
Published: August 2024

Breast cancer, a prevalent malignancy among women, has various physical and psychological impacts. This comprehensive review offers an in-depth look at multidisciplinary dermo-aesthetic intervention approaches, emphasizing the balance between oncological therapies and the management of these effects. The information presented spans specialties such as aesthetic medicine, plastic surgery, dermatology, physiotherapy, nutrition, odontology, and gynecology. This review, which serves as a clinical guide, aims to establish a safe protocol for non-medical interventions involving oncologists, physicians, and specialists from various areas in patients with breast cancer focused on improving their quality of life. This work offers personalized and integrative care strategies for the eradication of cancer. However, it is still necessary for patients to consult with their oncologist before undergoing any dermo aesthetic treatment. However, it is still necessary for patients to consult with their oncologist before undergoing any dermo aesthetic treatment.
On Finite Parts of Divergent Complex Geometric Integrals and Their Dependence on a Choice of Hermitian Metric
Authors: Svensson Ludvig
Published: August 2024

Let X be a reduced complex space of pure dimension. We consider divergent integrals of certain forms on X that are singular along a subvariety defined by the zero set of a holomorphic section of some holomorphic vector bundle $$E \rightarrow X$$

E
→
X

. Given a choice of Hermitian metric on E we define a finite part of the divergent integral. Our main result is an explicit formula for the dependence on the choice of metric of the finite part.
Structural and optical properties of Cr3+ doped SiO2 nanophosphor
Authors: Koao L. F. , Phokojoe R. A. , Moji R. G. , Motloung S. V. , Motaung T. E. , Swart H. C.
Published: August 2024

SiO2:x% Cr3+ (0 ≤ x ≤ 8) nanopowder samples were synthesized using the sol-gel method. The effect of Cr3+ doping concentration on the SiO2 nanoparticles was studied for possible application in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Structure and optical properties of undoped and Cr3+ doped SiO2 nanoparticles were investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed the amorphous phase for undoped SiO2 (A-SiO2) nanopowder. However, above 0.8% Cr3+ there were secondary peaks due rhombohedral structure of chromium (III) oxide (R-Cr2O3). Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) spectra showed a reflectance peak at around 320 nm for the undoped sample. The results showed that when the concentration of Cr3+ is increased there was an emergence of reflectance peaks at around 309, 419, and 553 nm which were attributed to the presence of the Cr2O3 lattices. The photoluminescence (PL) results revealed that with an increase in the amount of Cr3+, the maximum peaks in blue and near red emerge at around 2.82 and 1.89 eV, respectively. Those peaks may be due to defects within both SiO2 and R-Cr2O3. The emission peaks of undoped and Cr3+ doped SiO2 match well with the Uv-vis results. The international illumination colour chromaticity showed that above 0.8% Cr3+ the colour shifts from yellow to blue with an increase in Cr3+ concentration. The investigation indicated that Cr3+ doped SiO2 have a potential application in blue and yellow LED chips for lighting.
Position paper on high fidelity simulations for coupled processes, multi-physics and chemistry in geological disposal of nuclear waste
Authors: Churakov S. V. , Claret F. , Idiart A. , Jacques D. , Govaerts J. , Kolditz O. , Prasianakis N.I. , Samper J.
Published: August 2024

This opinion paper describes the major coupled T(Thermal)-H(Hydro)-M(Mechanical)-C(Chemical) processes in geological repository systems and the frontier of related model development. Particular focus is made on the analysis of existing approaches and open research questions with respect to the further development of coupled codes and models for realistic multi-scale simulations of repository systems. These include the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in acceleration of computer codes; sensitivity analysis, inverse modelling and optimisation; software engineering and collaborative platforms for model development.
Navigating Process Drift: The Power of CUSUM in Monitoring Air Quality Processes and Maintenance Operations
Authors: Riaz Muhammad , Alshammari Huda , Abbas Nasir , Mahmood Tahir
Published: August 2024

Nowadays, manufacturers face intense pressure to maintain a high standard of quality. Due to the damage to machine components, manufacturing processes degrade over time, resulting in substandard products. Generally, statistical process control tools such as control charts aid in identifying patterns and trends indicative of process changes. This investigation delves into the effectiveness of cumulative sum control charts using the sample mean and median as plotting statistics. Run-length measurements assess performance after the charts experience linear and quadratic drifts in non-normal setups under zero- and steady-state conditions. The findings reveal that Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) charts outperform zero-state monitoring compared to steady-state monitoring. Notably, the CUSUM chart for the mean is suitable for normal and Gamma distributions, exhibiting a greater ability for drift detection under biased and unbiased Average Run Lengths. This study offers valuable insights into enhancing manufacturing quality through effectively implementing and comparing Shewhart, Exponentially Weighted Moving Average, and CUSUM charts. By evaluating their performance under various conditions and comparing them with other control chart methods, this research provides valuable guidance for industries seeking to improve process monitoring and product quality. It is essential to acknowledge that the findings are based on specific experimental conditions and may not fully capture the complexity of real-world manufacturing environments. For practical purposes, the suggested charts are also applied to real-world case studies, including air quality (focusing on five metal oxide chemistry sensors: carbon monoxide concentration, non-metonic hydrocarbons, benzene, total nitrogen oxides, and nitrogen dioxide) and maintenance data (including air temperature, rotating speed, and equipment failure).
A systematic study of data augmentation for protected AES implementations
Authors: Li Huimin , Perin Guilherme
Published: August 2024

Side-channel attacks against cryptographic implementations are mitigated by the application of masking and hiding countermeasures. Hiding countermeasures attempt to reduce the Signal-to-Noise Ratio of measurements by adding noise or desynchronization effects during the execution of the cryptographic operations. To bypass these protections, attackers adopt signal processing techniques such as pattern alignment, filtering, averaging, or resampling. Convolutional neural networks have shown the ability to reduce the effect of countermeasures without the need for trace preprocessing, especially alignment, due to their shift invariant property. Data augmentation techniques are also considered to improve the regularization capacity of the network, which improves generalization and, consequently, reduces the attack complexity. In this work, we deploy systematic experiments to investigate the benefits of data augmentation techniques against masked AES implementations when they are also protected with hiding countermeasures. Our results show that, for each countermeasure and dataset, a specific neural network architecture requires a particular data augmentation configuration to achieve significantly improved attack performance. Our results clearly show that data augmentation should be a standard process when targeting datasets with hiding countermeasures in deep learning-based side-channel attacks.
Drive-by damage detection methodology for high-speed railway bridges using sparse autoencoders
Authors: de Souza Edson Florentino , Bragança Cássio , Ribeiro Diogo , Bittencourt Túlio Nogueira , Carvalho Hermes
Published: August 2024

High-speed railway bridges are essential components of any railway transportation system that should keep adequate levels of serviceability and safety. In this context, drive-by methodologies have emerged as a feasible and cost-effective monitoring solution for detecting damage on railway bridges while minimizing train operation interruptions. Moreover, integrating advanced sensor technologies and machine learning algorithms has significantly enhanced structural health monitoring (SHM) for bridges. Despite being increasingly used in traditional SHM applications, studies using autoencoders within drive-by methodologies are rare, especially in the railway field. This study presents a novel approach for drive-by damage detection in HSR bridges. The methodology relies on acceleration records collected from multiple bridge crossings by an operational train equipped with onboard sensors. Log-Mel spectrogram features derived from the acceleration records are used together with sparse autoencoders for computing statistical distribution-based damage indexes. Numerical simulations were performed on a 3D vehicle–track–bridge interaction system model implemented in Matlab to evaluate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed approach, considering several damage scenarios, vehicle speeds, and environmental and operational variations, such as multiple track irregularities and varying measurement noise. The results show that the proposed approach can successfully detect damages, as well as characterize their severity, especially for very early-stage damages. This demonstrates the high potential of applying Mel-frequency damage-sensitive features associated with machine learning algorithms in the drive-by condition assessment of high-speed railway bridges.
Additively manufactured resin transfer molding (RTM) plastic tooling for producing composite T-joint structures
Authors: Aldhahri Khalid S. , Klosterman Donald A.
Published: August 2024

Resin transfer molding (RTM) is a manufacturing process used to produce high-quality composite parts that offer exceptionally high strength-to-weight ratios, superb stiffness, and excellent resistance to corrosion and fatigue. These composites are typically composed of carbon or glass fibers infused with a liquid thermosetting resin that hardens during a high-temperature cure cycle. A matched metal mold is usually required to produce RTM products. The mold cavity is shaped to the desired geometry of the finished composite part, and channels or gates allow the resin to flow into it. In cavity mold design, there are numerous challenges related to resin injection gates, vents, and the direction of resin flow. The challenges include considerations for filling time and the flow dynamics of the materials. These issues often require costly iterations to perfect the cavity design for a given part. This study focuses on the use of additive manufacturing (AM) in developing and fabricating plastic prototype molds that can be used to produce a limited number of finished composite parts, such as T-joints. These joints usually suffer from weaknesses in the deltoid regions, where the web and flanges meet. Accordingly, the influence of using different deltoid filler materials on the mechanical performance of T-joints was investigated experimentally under tensile loading to ensure the reliability and durability of the fabricated parts. The main goal is to present innovative and economical approaches, allowing for rapid and low-cost iteration of composite designs and solving the problem of deltoid regions using appropriate filling materials.
A secured deep learning based smart home automation system
Authors: Sanjay Chitukula , Jahnavi Konda , Karanth Shyam
Published: August 2024

With the expansion of modern technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT), the concept of smart homes has gained tremendous popularity with a view to making people’s lives easier by ensuring a secured environment. Several home automation systems have been developed to report suspicious activities by capturing the movements of residents. However, these systems are associated with challenges such as weak security, lack of interoperability and integration with IoT devices, timely reporting of suspicious movements, etc. Therefore, the given paper proposes a novel smart home automation framework for controlling home appliances by integrating with sensors, IoT devices, and microcontrollers, which would in turn monitor the movements and send notifications about suspicious movements on the resident’s smartphone. The proposed framework makes use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for motion detection and classification based on pre-processing of images. The images related to the movements of residents are captured by a spy camera installed in the system. It helps in identification of outsiders based on differentiation of motion patterns. The performance of the framework is compared with existing deep learning models used in recent studies based on evaluation metrics such as accuracy (%), precision (%), recall (%), and f-1 measure (%). The results show that the proposed framework attains the highest accuracy (98.67%), thereby surpassing the existing deep learning models used in smart home automation systems.
Wellbeing in stroke and aphasia (WISA): protocol for a feasibility study setting up an accessible service offering psychological therapy to people with post-stroke aphasia
Authors: Northcott Sarah , Baker Caroline , Thomas Shirley , Iddon Joanne , James Kirsty , Hilari Katerina
Published: August 2024

Background and aim

Following a stroke, around a quarter of people will have aphasia, a language disability. Aphasia can have a devastating long-term impact on a person’s psychological wellbeing, yet their language difficulties make it challenging to access mental health care. The Wellbeing In Stroke and Aphasia (WISA) study aims to evaluate the feasibility of setting up an accessible psychological service for people with aphasia.

Methods

The service will be open to people with post-stroke aphasia (n = 30) who live in the UK, are able to access the service either in the university clinic or via telehealth and are not currently receiving therapy from a mental health professional. Participants will be offered up to 8 therapy sessions over 6 months, either one-to-one, with family, or in a group. The intervention is Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), a brief psychological therapy, delivered by speech and language therapists with training in SFBT under the supervision of a stroke-specialist clinical psychologist. As part of this service, a protocol for addressing mental health care has been developed. Feasibility will be assessed by monitoring referral rates, therapy received, discharge processes, resource capability, costs, challenges, and adverse events. Patient-reported outcome measures collected pre and post intervention will assess mental wellbeing, mood, participation, and satisfaction with therapy and the service. A purposive sample will take part in in-depth interviews following therapy.

Discussion

Given the high levels of psychological distress in this client group, there is a need to investigate innovative ways to provide accessible and acceptable psychological support.
Fuzzy disturbance observer-based fuzzy swing suppression control of a ‘mooring-heavy lift crane-cargo’ coupled system
Authors: Wang Hongdu , Yang Wenying , Yang Xiaolong , Wang Junrong , Shi Chenchen
Published: August 2024

In this paper, an adaptive fuzzy disturbance observer (FDO)-based control is proposed for the swing suppression of the mooring-heavy lift crane (HLC)-cargo system in the presence of a wave disturbance. First, the dynamic model of the HLC system is determined by employing the Lagrangian method, and the wave force is modeled as an exosystem with unknown terms based on the Jonswap spectrum. Then, based on the HLC model and the wave force exosystem, an FDO is established to determine the wave disturbances, and a fuzzy approximator is developed to estimate the unknown terms. A novel disturbance estimation error observer is first developed to facilitate the parameter adaptive updating law. Subsequently, by augmenting the HLC system and disturbance estimation error system, an FDO-based fuzzy antiswing control method is proposed in terms of the linear matrix inequality technique to suppress the swing. The closed-loop system stability is examined by using the Lyapunov method. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by numerical simulation.
Reconsidering the “Southern Veto”: The Two-Thirds Rule at Democratic National Conventions, 1832–1936
Authors: Heersink Boris
Published: August 2024

Beginning from 1832, the Democratic Party required a two-thirds majority at national conventions for the nomination of presidential candidates. Despite assessments that this “two-thirds rule” produced excessively long and disruptive nomination battles and low-quality presidential candidates, the rule survived until 1936. The rule's longevity is generally attributed to it functioning as a “Southern veto”: while the Democratic Party performed strongest electorally in the South in this period, the region's representation at conventions was small in comparison. By setting the bar for presidential nominations high, the South was given the ability to block unacceptable candidates. However, while the “Southern veto” argument is pervasive, there are little data and few concrete examples of Southern delegates blocking Democratic nominations through the two-thirds rule. In this paper, I reassess the two-thirds rule's history and appliance and show that Southern states barely had enough votes to block nominations and generally would need to vote against a candidate at a rate of nearly 90 percent to do so. As a result, the South almost never vetoed candidates: in only one case (Martin Van Buren in 1844) was Southern opposition pivotal in preventing a candidate with majority support from winning the nomination. Additionally, the two-thirds rule was generally accepted by broad majorities in the party (both Southern and non-Southern) and, while Southerners were among the defenders of the rule, representatives of the region were also among those opposing it. These findings suggest that the two-thirds rule rarely functioned as a Southern veto—not because the South had no power in the Democratic Party but because the necessity of maintaining intraparty consensus applied regardless of the existence of the two-thirds rule.
Neuro-Vision-Training (NVT)
Authors: Poschenrieder Julian , Kerkhoff Georg
Published: August 2024

Zusammenfassung: Neurovisuelle Funktionen sind bei 50 % aller hirngeschädigten Patient_innen beeinträchtigt, und für die Rehabilitation und Integration der Betroffenen in Alltag und Beruf entscheidend. Hier stellen wir mit dem Neuro-Vision-Training (NVT) die Hauptfunktionen eines neuen, KI-basierten Software-Programms zur visuellen Rehabilitation vor. Es ermöglicht Diagnostik und Training folgender neurovisueller Funktionen: schnelle Blickbewegungen (Sakkaden), langsame Augenfolgebewegungen, Sensitivität im Gesichtsfeld (Kontrast, Farbe, Bewegung), visuelle Exploration, Lesen, visuelles Multitasking und Arbeitsgedächtnis. Das NVT kann sowohl von Behandler_innen in einer Klinik, Ambulanz oder Praxis, als auch simultan im Heimtraining genutzt werden. Dieses hybride, neurovisuelle Training ermöglicht eine höhere Trainingsintensität. Gleichzeitig kann so dem Fachkräftemangel, vor allem auch in ländlichen Regionen begegnet werden. Zahlreiche praktische Anwendungsbeispiele demonstrieren den Nutzen des Programms in der neurovisuellen Rehabilitation.