bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Looking at QED with Dyson–Schwinger Equations: Basic Equations, Ward–Takahashi Identities and the Two-Photon-Two-Fermion Irreducible Vertex
Authors: Oliveira Orlando , Macedo Helena Lessa , Terin Rodrigo Carmo
Published: July 2023

A minimal truncated set of the integral Dyson–Schwinger equations, in Minkowski spacetime, that allows to explore QED beyond its perturbative solution is derived for general linear covariant gauges. The minimal set includes the equations for the fermion and photon propagators, the photon-fermion vertex, and the two-photon-two-fermion one-particle-irreducible diagram. If the first three equations are exact, to build a closed set of equations, the two-photon-two-fermion equation is truncated ignoring the contribution of Green functions with large number of external legs. It is shown that the truncated equation for the two-photon-two-fermion vertex reproduces the lowest-order perturbative result in the limit of the small coupling constant. Furthermore, this equation allows to define an iterative procedure to compute higher order corrections in the coupling constant. The Ward–Takahashi identity for the two-photon-two-fermion irreducible vertex is derived and solved in the soft photon limit, where one of the photon momenta vanish, in the low photon momenta limit and for general kinematics. The solution of the Ward–Takahashi identity determines the longitudinal component of the two-photon-two-fermion irreducible vertex, while it is proposed to use the Dyson–Schwinger equation to determine the transverse part of this irreducible diagram. The two-photon-two-fermion DSE is solved in heavy fermion limit, considering a simplified version of the QED vertices. The contribution of this irreducible vertex to a low-energy effective photon-fermion vertex is discussed and the fermionic operators that are generated are computed in terms of the fermion propagator functions.
Detection of mpox virus in ambient air in a sexual health clinic
Authors: Raymenants Joren , Van Gestel Liesbeth , Coppens Jasmine , De Block Tessa , Bangwen Eugene , Rutgers Jojanneke , Hens Matilde , De Vos Elise , Coppens Sandra , Keyaerts Els , André Emmanuel , Rezende Antonio Mauro , Van Esbroeck Marjan , Vercauteren Koen , Liesenborghs Laurens
Published: July 2023

Although transmitted mainly through direct (sexual) contact, mpox virus (MPXV) can be detected in ambient air. We explored the use of air sampling for diagnosis or (genomic) surveillance of mpox in a sexual health clinic. For six out of six patients who were infected with MPXV, all four of our ambient air PCR tests were positive. For 14 uninfected patients, PCR was positive in three ambient air samples, albeit with higher cycle threshold (Ct) values. Genomic sequencing of samples from two positive patients showed matching sequences between air and clinical samples.
Characterization of the soft-tissue wall lining residual periodontal pockets and implications in periodontal wound healing
Authors: Gousopoulou Evangelia , Bakopoulou Athina , Laskaris Dimitrios , Gousopoulos Epameinondas , Apatzidou Danae A.
Published: July 2023

Aim

To characterize the soft-tissue wall of remaining periodontal pockets for wound healing-related parameters versus healthy gingival crevices in the same individuals.

Materials and methods

Gingival tissues collected from the diseased interface of pockets (GT biopsies) and from healthy gingival crevices (G biopsies) were subjected to RT2-profiler PCR Array for wound healing-related markers and network analysis of differentially expressed genes. Lymphangiogenesis-related gene expression was determined by qRT-PCR. The migration potential of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from GT biopsies (GT-MSCs) and G biopsies (G-MSCs) was evaluated by the scratch- and the transwell migration assays. The total collagen protein content was determined in GT-MSCs and G-MSCs homogenates.

Results

Gene-ontology analysis on significantly upregulated genes expressed in GT biopsies revealed enrichment of several genes involved in processes related to matrix remodeling, collagen deposition, and integrin signaling. No significantly expressed genes were seen in G biopsies. Regarding lymphangiogenesis-related genes, GT biopsies demonstrated greater expression for PROX1 than G biopsies (p = 0.05). Lower migration potential (p < 0.001), yet greater production of collagen protein (p = 0.05), was found for GT-MSCs over G-MSCs.

Conclusion

Differential expression patterns of various molecular pathways in biopsies and cell cultures of diseased versus healthy gingival tissues indicate a potential of the former for tissue remodeling and repair.

Clinical relevance

In the course of periodontitis, granulation tissue is formed within a periodontal defect in an attempt to reconstruct the site. Following treatment procedures periodontal granulation tissue remains inflamed but appears to retain healing potential.
Gesture retrieval and its application to the study of multimodal communication
Authors: Parian-Scherb Mahnaz , Uhrig Peter , Rossetto Luca , Dupont Stéphane , Schuldt Heiko
Published: July 2023

Comprehending communication is dependent on analyzing the different modalities of conversation, including audio, visual, and others. This is a natural process for humans, but in digital libraries, where preservation and dissemination of digital information are crucial, it is a complex task. A rich conversational model, encompassing all modalities and their co-occurrences, is required to effectively analyze and interact with digital information. Currently, the analysis of co-speech gestures in videos is done through manual annotation by linguistic experts based on textual searches. However, this approach is limited and does not fully utilize the visual modality of gestures. This paper proposes a visual gesture retrieval method using a deep learning architecture to extend current research in this area. The method is based on body keypoints and uses an attention mechanism to focus on specific groups. Experiments were conducted on a subset of the NewsScape dataset, which presents challenges such as multiple people, camera perspective changes, and occlusions. A user study was conducted to assess the usability of the results, establishing a baseline for future gesture retrieval methods in real-world video collections. The results of the experiment demonstrate the high potential of the proposed method in multimodal communication research and highlight the significance of visual gesture retrieval in enhancing interaction with video content. The integration of visual similarity search for gestures in the open-source multimedia retrieval stack, vitrivr, can greatly contribute to the field of computational linguistics. This research advances the understanding of the role of the visual modality in co-speech gestures and highlights the need for further development in this area.
Assessment of a mixed reality smart home controller: HoloHome pilot study on healthy adults
Authors: Mahroo Atieh , Greci Luca , Mondellini Marta , Sacco Marco
Published: July 2023

This work presents HoloHome, a Mixed Reality application that aims to provide a new means of interaction to control the Smart Home components while providing continuous support for the inhabitants, including older adults and people with limited mobility and cognitive skills. HoloHome integrates several technological paradigms such as Mixed Reality, Internet of Things, and Ambient Assisted Living to maximize the tailored domestic comfort for the Smart Home’s inhabitants while promoting their comfort, safety, and independence in performing daily activities. It is designed and implemented on Microsoft HoloLens, ensuring the connection of the Mixed Reality environment with the distributed network of domestic sensors through the WiFi-enabled microcontrollers to present an innovative method of interaction with the Smart Home and IoT network. Additionally, HoloHome provides unique services and assistive technologies mainly designed for older adults and people with short-term memory deficits to provide continuous assistance, support, and instruction for household activities. This paper conducts the assessment of HoloHome, where the proposed system's usability, cybersickness, and effectiveness are investigated. The usability of HoloHome is validated on a sample of healthy adults to highlight desirable modifications before further assessments of older adults and people with disabilities. This pilot study demonstrated a good level of perceived usability (71.5%) among healthy adults, leading toward the best possible adjustments prior to proposing the system to the more fragile users.
An analysis of Australia’s national action plan on antimicrobial resistance using a governance framework
Authors: Do Phu Cong , Alemu Yibeltal Assefa , Reid Simon Andrew
Published: July 2023

Aim

Antimicrobial resistance is a global health crisis which undermines the effectiveness of current modern therapeutics against microbial infections and demands effective governance at all levels to effectively address the challenge. The aim of the study was to analyse Australia’s National Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance using a governance framework to facilitate discussion on the state of implementation.

Methods

A governance framework was used to facilitate the systematic analysis of Australia’s National Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance through iterative coding of activities listed within the working documents.

Results

From the analysis, 1435 codes were created in congruence with the governance framework. The Australian National Action Plan was aligned with the Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance in scope of objectives. The most frequent code was research and innovation (n = 180, 12.5%). The least frequent theme discussed was equity. No strategic vision or objectives were outlined within any of the documents to measure implementation progress.

Conclusions

Overall, Australia’s governance on AMR has demonstrated siloed implementation with an absence of strategic objectives to measure progress. Governance structure, surveillance and mechanisms for stakeholder participation have been identified as potential actionable points for AMR strategy refinement that can improve overall accountability towards progress.
Assumption-light and computationally cheap inference on inequality measures by sample splitting: the Student t approach
Authors: Midões Catarina , de Crombrugghe Denis
Published: July 2023

Inference on inequality indices remains challenging, even in large samples. Heavy right tails in income and wealth distributions hinder the quality and threaten the validity of asymptotic approximations to finite sample distributions. Attempts to improve on asymptotic approximations by bootstrap techniques or permutation tests are only partial successes. We evaluate a different approach to robust inference, relying on Student t statistics obtained from split samples. This relatively simple ‘t-based’ approach requires no consistent variance estimators, no random sampling of populations, and only mild distributional assumptions. We compare its performance with that of refined bootstrap and permutation techniques. We find that the more complex bootstrap methods still have the edge in one-sample tests, where the t-approach suffers from a negative skew. In two-sample comparisons though, the t-approach offers advantages: it is undersized while bootstrap tests and permutation tests are often oversized. In certain circumstances it is less powerful than permutation tests and bootstrap tests, but for large samples, this difference dissipates. It is also more generally applicable than permutation tests and easily generates confidence intervals. These differences are illustrated with an empirical application using two different sources of household data from the Russian Federation.
Fire hazard of epoxy-based transparent wood
Authors: Martinka Jozef , Mitterpach Jozef , Štefko Tomáš , Wachter Igor , Rantuch Peter
Published: July 2023

Transparent wood is a modern bio-renewable material with great potential for both science and industrial applications. However, the fire hazard of transparent wood is still almost unexplored. This study aims to investigate the impact of pristine basswood modification to epoxy-based transparent wood on the fire hazard and to train neural networks for the prediction of heat release rate from mass loss rate of pristine basswood, epoxy-based transparent wood, and epoxy resin. Transparent wood was prepared by lignin modification in pristine small-leaved basswood (Tilia cordata Mill.) and subsequent vacuum infiltration by epoxy resin. The fire hazard of the samples was determined by the cone calorimeter at four heat fluxes of 20–50 kW m−2. The fire hazard of investigated materials was compared based on the critical heat flux, ignition temperature, heat release rate, effective heat of combustion and time to flashover. Transparent wood showed higher resistance to ignition (higher critical heat flux and ignition temperature) than pristine wood. However, other parameters (heat release rate and effective heat of combustion) were higher (worse) and the time to flashover was lower (worse) for transparent wood than for pristine wood. Trained neural networks for predicting heat release rate from the mass loss rate of wood (both pristine and transparent) and epoxy resin showed coefficients of determination from 0.70 to 0.92. Trained neural networks with a coefficient of determinations above 0.90 are usable for low-cost heat release rate measurements in both science and industrial applications.
The role and intervention of mitochondrial metabolism in osteoarthritis
Authors: Qi Zhanhai , Zhu Jiaping , Cai Wusheng , Lou Chunbiao , Li Zongyu
Published: July 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA), a prevalent degenerative joint disease, affects a substantial global population. Despite the elusive etiology of OA, recent investigations have implicated mitochondrial dysfunction as a significant factor in disease pathogenesis. Mitochondria, pivotal cellular organelles accountable for energy production, exert essential roles in cellular metabolism. Hence, mitochondrial dysfunction can exert broad-ranging effects on various cellular processes implicated in OA development. This comprehensive review aims to provide an overview of the metabolic alterations occurring in OA and elucidate the diverse mechanisms through which mitochondrial dysfunction can contribute to OA pathogenesis. These mechanisms encompass heightened oxidative stress and inflammation, perturbed chondrocyte metabolism, and compromised autophagy. Furthermore, this review will explore potential interventions targeting mitochondrial metabolism as means to impede or decelerate the progression of OA. In summary, this review offers a comprehensive understanding of the involvement of mitochondrial metabolism in OA and underscores prospective intervention strategies.
Prognostic impact of palpable prostate tumors on disease progression after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a single-center experience
Authors: Porcaro Antonio Benito , Gallina Sebastian , Bianchi Alberto , Tafuri Alessandro , Serafin Emanuele , Panunzio Andrea , Mazzucato Giovanni , Orlando Rossella , Ditonno Francesco , Ornaghi Paola Irene , Rizzetto Riccardo , Cerrato Clara , De Marco Vincenzo , Brunelli Matteo , Siracusano Salvatore , Cerruto Maria Angela , Antonelli Alessandro
Published: July 2023

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of palpable prostate tumors on digital rectal exam (DRE) on the disease progression of prostate cancer (PCa) treated with RARP surgery in a tertiary referral center.

Materials and methods

Overall, 901 patients were evaluated in a period ranging from January 2013 to October 2020. In the surgical specimen, unfavorable pathology included ISUP grade group ≥3, seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), and pelvic lymph node invasion (PLNI). Disease progression was defined as the occurrence of biochemical recurrence and/or local recurrence and/or distant metastases; its association with the primary endpoint was evaluated by Cox’s proportional model.

Results

Palpable prostate tumors were detected in 359 (39.8%) patients. The overall median (IQR) follow-up was 40 months (17–59). PCa progressed in 159 cases (17.6%). Nodularity or induration of the prostate at DRE was significantly associated with features of unfavorable pathology, increased risk of PCa progression (hazard ratio, HR = 1.902; 95% CI: 1.389–2.605; p < 0.0001) and, on multivariable analysis, was an independent prognostic factor for disease progression after adjusting for clinical and pathological variables.

Conclusions

Prostate tumors presenting with an abnormal DRE finding have an independent adverse outcome for disease progression after PCa surgery. They provide also independent prognostic information, as they may be more aggressive than impalpable PCa.
p-mTOR, p-ERK and PTEN Expression in Tumor Biopsies and Organoids as Predictive Biomarkers for Patients with HPV Negative Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: de Kort W. W. B. , de Ruiter E. J. , Haakma W. E. , Driehuis E. , Devriese L. A. , van Es R. J. J. , Willems S. M.
Published: July 2023

Background

Survival rates of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have only marginally improved in the last decades. Hence there is a need for predictive biomarkers for long-time survival that can help to guide treatment decisions and might lead to the development of new therapies. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is the most frequently altered pathway in HNSCC, genes are often mutated, amplificated and overexpressed causing aberrant signaling affecting cell growth and differentiation. Numerous genetic alterations of upstream and downstream factors have currently been clarified. However, their predictive value has yet to be established. Therefore we assess the predictive value of p-mTOR, p-ERK and PTEN expression.

Methods

Tissue microarrays (TMA’s) of HPV-negative patients with oropharyngeal (n = 48), hypopharyngeal (n = 16) or laryngeal (n = 13) SCC, treated with primary chemoradiation (cisplatin/carboplatin/cetuximab and radiotherapy), were histologically stained for p-mTOR, PTEN and p-ERK. Expression was correlated to overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS) and locoregional control (LRC). Also p-mTOR was histologically stained in a separate cohort of HNSCC organoids (n = 8) and correlated to mTOR-inhibitor everolimus response.

Results

High p-mTOR expression correlated significantly with worse OS in multivariate analysis in the whole patient cohort [Hazar Ratio (HR) 1.06, 95%CI 1.01–1.11, p = 0.03] and in the cisplatin/carboplatin group with both worse OS (HR 1.09, 95%CI 1.02–1.16, p = 0.02) and DFS (HR 1.06, 95%CI 1.00–1.12, p = 0,04). p-ERK expression correlated significantly with DFS in univariate analysis in the whole patient cohort (HR 1.03, 95%CI 1.00–1.05, p = 0.04) and cisplatin/carboplatin group (HR 1.03, 95%CI 1.00–1.07, p = 0.04). PTEN-expression did not correlate with OS/DFS/LRC. Better organoid response to everolimus correlated significantly to higher p-mTOR expression (Rs = − 0.731, p = 0.04).

Conclusions

High p-mTOR expression predicts and high p-ERK expression tends to predict worse treatment outcome in HPV negative HNSCC patients treated with chemoradiation, providing additional evidence that these markers are candidate prognostic biomarkers for survival in this patient population. Also this study shows that the use of HNSCC organoids for biomarker research has potential. The role of PTEN expression as prognostic biomarker remains unclear, as consistent evidence on its prognostic and predictive value is lacking.
Hand copy performance of young children and the illiterate, semi-illiterate, and literate adults
Authors: Zhang Can , Wang Can , Deng Zhiqing , Gao Jie , Ding Zilan , Chen Juan
Published: July 2023

Handwriting is essential for both children and adults. It is still unclear, however, how handwriting skills could be obtained. Here we tested the hand copy, the first step of handwriting, of children who started kindergarten for about one year (3–5 years old), who were in kindergarten for 2–3 years (5–6 years old), and who started elementary school for less than a year (6–7 years old). Participants were asked to copy down simple numbers and shapes under no time restraint. Their copy was also presented as visual feedback. In this case, their copy performance mainly reflects their abilities in visuomotor transformation. We found that the performance of children aged 5–6 years old was much better than that of the 3–5 years old ones, which could be due to the natural development of muscles and joints or the training at home or in kindergarten. We next tested illiterate, semi-illiterate, and literate adults with the same task to elucidate the contribution of natural development. Although illiterate adults had never been to school and could not read, they had well-developed and trained muscles and joints and had acquired fine motor skills during everyday life and work. Surprisingly, we found that the overall performance of the illiterate group was similar to that of the youngest (3–5 years old) children, which suggests that the visuomotor ability required for hand copy cannot be automatically obtained during growing up but requires specific training. Our findings provide new insights into visuomotor learning and have implications for handwriting interventions.
Uniqueness in Weighted Lebesgue Spaces for an Elliptic Equation with Drift on Manifolds
Authors: Meglioli Giulia , Roncoroni Alberto
Published: July 2023

We investigate the uniqueness, in suitable weighted Lebesgue spaces, of solutions to a class of elliptic equations with a drift posed on a complete, noncompact, Riemannian manifold M of infinite volume and dimension $$N\ge 2$$

N
≥
2

. Furthermore, in the special case of a model manifold with polynomial volume growth, we show that the conditions on the drift term are sharp.
Bioinspired Hard–Soft Interface Management for Superior Performance in Carbon Fibre Composites
Authors: Newman Ben , Randall James D. , Varley Russell J. , Stojcevski Filip , Henderson Luke C.
Published: July 2023

Nature has evolved to create materials of unmatched performance governed by the interfacial interactions between hard and soft surfaces. Typically, in a carbon fibre composite, one polymer and one type of carbon fibre is used throughout a laminate. In this work, we use a carbon fibre surface modification approach to vary the fibre–matrix interface throughout the laminate to tailor the soft–hard interfaces. We demonstrate this effect using reclaimed carbon fibre materials in a thermoset polymer, then extend this concept to a thermoplastic polymer matrix–polypropylene. The thermoset specimens examined in this work consist of 5 carbon fibre plies, featuring 0, 1, 3 or 5 surface-modified layers located at the centre of the composite. The largest improvements in physical properties for these composites (yield strength, ultimate flexural strength, and tensile modulus) were found when only 1 modified layer of carbon fibre was placed directly within the centre of the composite. Subsequent investigations revealed that for a polypropylene matrix, where the surface chemistry is tailored specifically for polypropylene, improvements are also observed when mixed surface chemistries are used. This work shows that surface modification of reclaimed carbon fibres as non-woven mats can provide significant improvements in mechanical properties performance for structural composites when used in strategically advantageous locations throughout the composite.
Lipid nanoparticles in the treatment of lung cancer—hype or hope?
Authors: Mair Anna , Nocera Fabienne , Wolf Dominik , Pircher Andreas
Published: July 2023

Lung cancer is still one of the most common cancer entities worldwide and the leading cause of cancer mortality. Despite significant advances in the diagnosis and therapy of lung cancer, many patients do not respond to existing therapies, indicating an urgent need for the development of novel treatment strategies. In recent years, nanotechnology has led to significant progress in modern medicine. Especially lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) evoked substantial interest, due to their broad application as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. In the future of lung cancer treatment, lipid nanoparticles hold the potential to provide specific, safe, and well-tolerated treatments by incorporating multiple drugs and targeting agents and enabling their trafficking to tissues or cell types of interest. This review briefly summarizes the application of LNPs in lung cancer treatment as well as their future possibilities.
Clinical and molecular characterization of 10 Chinese children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 11beta-hydroxylase deficiency
Authors: Lu Wen-Li , Ma Xiao-Yu , Zhang Jiao , Wang Jun-Qi , Zhang Ting-Ting , Ye Lei , Xiao Yuan , Dong Zhi-Ya , Wang Wei , Sun Shou-Yue , Li Chuan-Yin , Hu Rong-Gui , Ning Guang , Zhang Li-Dan
Published: July 2023

Background

The clinical manifestations of nonclassical 11beta-hydroxylase deficiency are very similar to those of non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency. For this study, we investigated the relationship between the clinical and molecular features of congenital adrenal hyperplasia caused by 11beta-hydroxylase deficiency and reviewed the related literature, which are expected to provide assistance for the clinical diagnosis and analysis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Methods

Clinical data for 10 Chinese patients diagnosed with congenital adrenal hyperplasia in our hospital from 2018 to 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. We examined the effects of gene mutations on protease activity and constructed three-dimensional structure prediction models of proteins.

Results

We describe 10 patients with 11beta-hydroxylase gene mutations (n = 5, 46,XY; n = 5, 46,XX), with 10 novel mutations were reported. Female patients received treatment at an early stage, with an average age of 2.08 ± 1.66 years, whereas male patients received treatment significantly later, at an average age of 9.77 ± 3.62 years. The most common CYP11B1 pathogenic variant in the Chinese population was found to be c.1360C > T. All mutations lead to spatial conformational changes that affect protein stability.

Conclusions

Our study found that there was no significant correlation between each specific mutation and the severity of clinical manifestations. Different patients with the same gene pathogenic variant may have mild or severe clinical manifestations. The correlation between genotype and phenotype needs further study. Three-dimensional protein simulations may provide additional support for the physiopathological mechanism of genetic mutations.
The oldest dustywing (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) from the Lower Jurassic of Germany
Authors: Makarkin Vladimir N. , Ansorge Jörg
Published: July 2023

Toarciconiopteryx dipterosimilis gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Lower Toarcian of Grimmen (Western Pomerania, Germany) based on a hind wing. This enigmatic wing superficially resembles a dipteran forewing, but analysis in detail establishes that it belongs to the Neuroptera. We assign it to the Coniopterygidae with great confidence by its great concordance with the hind wings of that family, but a small possibility remains that it might belong to the Dipteromantispidae, although the very derived haltere-like hind wings of all its known members are entirely unlike it. We, therefore, consider it to be the oldest record of Coniopterygidae. We create the new subfamily Toarciconiopteryginae subfam. nov. for it, which is distinguished from other Coniopterygidae by its hind wings possessing two branches of RP and a proximal forking of M. These conditions are also known in some Sialidae (Megaloptera), supporting the hypothesis that Coniopterygidae is the sister group of all other Neuroptera, as Megaloptera is considered by most authors to be sister to Neuroptera. New interpretations of some aspects of the Coniopterygidae venation are proposed.
Pediatrics in Artificial Intelligence Era: A Systematic Review on Challenges, Opportunities, and Explainability
Authors: Balla Yashaswini , Tirunagari Santosh , Windridge David
Published: July 2023

Background

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and Bard is disrupting a broad swathe of fields, including medicine. In pediatric medicine, AI is also increasingly being used across multiple subspecialties. However, the practical application of AI still faces a number of key challenges. Consequently, there is a requirement for a concise overview of the roles of AI across the multiple domains of pediatric medicine, which the current study seeks to address.

Aim

To systematically assess the challenges, opportunities, and explainability of AI in pediatric medicine.

Methodology

A systematic search was carried out on peer-reviewed databases, PubMed Central, Europe PubMed Central, and grey literature using search terms related to machine learning (ML) and AI for the years 2016 to 2022 in the English language. A total of 210 articles were retrieved that were screened with PRISMA for abstract, year, language, context, and proximal relevance to research aims. A thematic analysis was carried out to extract findings from the included studies.

Results

Twenty articles were selected for data abstraction and analysis, with three consistent themes emerging from these articles. In particular, eleven articles address the current state-of-the-art application of AI in diagnosing and predicting health conditions such as behavioral and mental health, cancer, syndromic and metabolic diseases. Five articles highlight the specific challenges of AI deployment in pediatric medicines: data security, handling, authentication, and validation. Four articles set out future opportunities for AI to be adapted: the incorporation of Big Data, cloud computing, precision medicine, and clinical decision support systems. These studies collectively critically evaluate the potential of AI in overcoming current barriers to adoption.

Conclusion

AI is proving disruptive within pediatric medicine and is presently associated with challenges, opportunities, and the need for explainability. AI should be viewed as a tool to enhance and support clinical decision-making rather than a substitute for human judgement and expertise. Future research should consequently focus on obtaining comprehensive data to ensure the generalizability of research findings.
Consecutive patterns in Catalan words and the descent distribution
Authors: Ramírez José L. , Rojas-Osorio Alejandra
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we compute the distribution of the descent statistic on the Catalan words avoiding a consecutive pattern of length at most three. Baril–Kirgizov–Vajnovszki began the study of patterns in Catalan words, focusing on the enumeration of those that avoid classical patterns of length 3. We make use of the symbolic method to associate functional equations satisfied by the counting generating functions. As a consequence we enumerate the set of Catalan words that avoid consecutive patterns of length 3, and we also provide the total number of descents on this set.
Maximal sparse convex surrogate-assisted evolutionary convolutional neural architecture search for image segmentation
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Xianpeng , Song Xiangman
Published: July 2023

Designing reasonable architectures of convolutional neural network (CNN) for specific image segmentation remains a challenging task, as the determination of the structure and hyperparameters of CNN depends heavily on expertise and requires a great deal of time. Evolutionary algorithm (EA) has been successfully applied to the automatic design of CNNs; however, the inherent stochastic search of EA tends to cause “experience loss” and requires very large computational resources. To deal with this problem, a maximal sparse convex surrogate model with updated empirical information is proposed in this paper to guide the evolutionary process of CNN design. This sparse convex function is transformed from a non-convex function to a maximized sparse convex function, which can better utilize the prior empirical knowledge to assist the evolutionary search. In addition, a balance strategy between computational resources and accuracy is proposed in the selection of reasonable network architectures. The proposed fully automatic design method of CNN is applied to the segmentation of steel microstructure images, and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is competitive with the existing state-of-the-art methods.
Family caregivers in primary care: a survey of German general practitioners on procedures and problems experienced in day-to-day practice
Authors: Wangler Julian , Jansky Michael
Published: July 2023

Background

By providing both assistance and support, GPs can play a central role for family caregivers. By catering to the needs of caregivers, they are capable of stabilising in-home care settings over the long term. The aim of the present study is to provide a status quo analysis of how GPs assess their options for supporting individuals providing care, as well as the focal points set by their practice, and their estimation of obstacles and challenges encountered in day-to-day practice.

Method

An online questionnaire was used to survey a total of 5112 GPs in North Rhine-Westphalia between April and November 2022 (response quota: 46%). A heterogeneous random sample was obtained (58% male, 42% female; average age: 57; 50% medium-sized town/city practice, 50% rural/small town practice). To determine significant differences between two groups, a t-test was used with independent random samples. Answers to free-form questions were analysed using a subsequent coding based on a qualitative content analysis.

Findings

A total of 70% of respondents have frequent contact with family caregivers. Some 79% consider GPs to be well-suited to the role of primary contact point for caregivers and coordinating care. GP-carer support relationships typically arise as a result of caregivers approaching GPs (90%). Topics frequently addressed involve a worsening of the care situation (77%) and changes in the care needed (86%); consultations in the initial phase of the care situation are less common (44%). While respondents perceive a complex constellation of needs on the part of family caregivers, differences in priorities are observable between GPs in urban and rural environments (involvement of consultant/support network versus proactive and psychosocial assistance). GPs experience a wide range of challenges in providing assistance to caregivers, including the timely organisation of appropriate relief programmes (87%), referring caregivers to suitable help services (80%) or the early identification of informal caregivers (60%).

Discussion

In order to strengthen the GP role, the practice team should talk to caregivers as early as possible, and refer them to suitable help and support programmes. To achieve effective support for successful care, it is important to cater equally to the needs of the persons giving and receiving care as part of the caregiver-care receiver-GP triad.
Are Nurses Ready for a Disaster in Turkey? A Hospital Case
Authors: Koçak Hatice Serap , Kaplan Serin Emine
Published: July 2023

Objective:

In Turkey, which is a land of disasters, it is vital for nurses to be prepared before a disaster, and to exhibit an effective attitude and behavior during it. Having a large number of casualties during a disaster may cause inadequacies in receiving basic health care in the hospital.

Methods:

This study was conducted in a descriptive and cross-sectional style to determine the disaster preparedness and preparedness perceptions of nurses. Data were collected with the Personal Information Form and Nurses’ Perception of Disaster Preparedness Scale (NPDPS).

Results:

Nurses’ disaster experience, drill experience, and perusal of the disaster plan positively affected the perception of disaster. The disaster preparedness of the institution positively affected the perception of disaster preparation. A significant difference was determined between the requests for information regarding disaster education and NPDPS. A statistically significant relationship was found between terrorist attacks, earthquake exposure, and the total scale score of NPDPS.

Conclusions:

Consequently, nurses and health institutions, whose responsibilities become graver in disasters, have duties such as providing treatment and medical support. Therefore, it was suggested that disaster nursing and disaster management should have been included in the in-service training of nurses.
Exploring the Role of Intermediaries in the Acceleration Stage of the Energy Transition: A Comparative Case Study of Two Local Energy Projects
Authors: Hofman Petra , Stapper Michiel , Groenleer Martijn
Published: July 2023

Transition intermediaries are expected to play an important role in the acceleration stage of the energy transition. While existing scholarship helps us understand the role of transition intermediaries in the early stages of transitions, it remains unclear what role intermediation plays in subsequent transition stages, especially at the local level where the implementation of policies and legislation takes place. In this article, we aim to investigate how intermediation takes shape in the acceleration stage of the energy transition. Drawing on the literature on transition intermediaries and intermediation at the local level, we explore the role of transition intermediaries in two local energy projects in the Netherlands. Through extensive qualitative research, we find that various actors can act as transition intermediaries and that a single actor can fulfil different intermediary roles simultaneously. Our findings contribute to the literature on transition intermediation and urban intermediaries, emphasising the key role intermediaries play in aligning innovations with existing institutional configurations. Furthermore, we highlight their role in connecting the energy transition to broader societal developments, including through citizen involvement in local and regional governance arrangements.
Resolution of the Erdős–Sauer problem on regular subgraphs
Authors: Janzer Oliver , Sudakov Benny
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we completely resolve the well-known problem of Erdős and Sauer from 1975 which asks for the maximum number of edges an n-vertex graph can have without containing a k-regular subgraph, for some fixed integer

$k\geq 3$

. We prove that any n-vertex graph with average degree at least

$C_k\log \log n$

contains a k-regular subgraph. This matches the lower bound of Pyber, Rödl and Szemerédi and substantially improves an old result of Pyber, who showed that average degree at least

$C_k\log n$

is enough.

Our method can also be used to settle asymptotically a problem raised by Erdős and Simonovits in 1970 on almost regular subgraphs of sparse graphs and to make progress on the well-known question of Thomassen from 1983 on finding subgraphs with large girth and large average degree.
Panic, False News, and the Roots of Colonial Fear
Authors: Leonard Zak
Published: July 2023

This article offers a microhistory of a forgotten panic that engulfed the north Indian city of Allahabad in 1870, when the city's European residents began to anticipate a revolt by the native infantry. Rumors of this looming event, I argue, confirmed suspicions that ill-advised income tax legislation and military retrenchment had created a combustible situation. The apparent threat of insurrection was therefore symptomatic of a more systemic ailment: burgeoning distrust between the government of India, local officials, and British civilians. Rather than undertaking counterinsurgent action against dissident Indians or so-called Wahhabi agitators, the central administration attempted to tamp down European critique of its policies. I thereby foreground the government's confrontational relationship with the Anglo-Indian press and analyze its legalistic efforts to police the new telegraph lines that brought the false news of this fictitious mutiny to metropolitan notice.
Experimental study of vortex ring impingement on concave hemispherical cavities
Authors: Ahmed Tanvir , Erath Byron D.
Published: July 2023

Discrete vortex rings impinging on concave hemispherical cavities were explored experimentally. Planar laser-induced fluorescence, two-dimensional particle image velocimetry and flow visualization techniques were employed. Five different ratios of vortex ring to hemisphere cavity radius (

$\gamma$

) were investigated, namely,

$\gamma = 1/4,1/3,2/5,$

$1/2, 2/3$

. For

$\gamma = 1/4,1/3, 2/5$

, the geometric confinement of the primary ring due to the hemispherical cavity induced loop-like instabilities in the secondary ring, which led to head-on collision and ejection of the looped ends as they orbited the primary ring. As the hemispherical cavity decreased in diameter (increasing

$\gamma$

), the dynamics were altered significantly due to the increased generation of vorticity along the edge of the hemisphere. For

$\gamma = 1/2$

, vorticity produced at the edge/lip of the hemisphere ultimately disrupted the classical formation of a secondary vortex ring from the wall-bounded vorticity. For

$\gamma = 2/3$

, the primary ring and hemisphere radius were close enough in size that the interaction was dominated by direct impact of the primary ring with the lip of the cavity. The primary vortex ring produced a vortex ring at the lip of the hemisphere that ultimately separated from the cavity, orbited around the primary ring, and then self-advected in the direction opposite to the primary vortex ring trajectory. A detailed investigation of the dynamics provided.
Measuring Closeness in Proportional Representation Systems
Authors: Luechinger Simon , Schelker Mark , Schmid Lukas
Published: July 2023

We provide closed-form solutions for measuring electoral closeness of candidates in proportional representation (PR) systems. In contrast to plurality systems, closeness in PR systems cannot be directly inferred from votes. Our measure captures electoral closeness for both open- and closed-list systems and for both main families of seat allocation mechanisms. This unified measure quantifies the vote surplus (shortfall) for elected (nonelected) candidates. It can serve as an assignment variable in regression discontinuity designs or as a measure of electoral competitiveness. For illustration, we estimate the incumbency advantage for the parliaments in Switzerland, Honduras, and Norway.
USAGE AND ACCEPTANCE OF MANAGEMENT TOOLS IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Rößler Lisa , Gericke Kilian
Published: July 2023

This paper aims to identify the reasons for neglecting and the motivations for using management tools among three groups of students participating in a project that was carried out and followed over a period of one semester. For this purpose, a survey in the form of questionnaires and interviews was created. Particular emphasis was placed on the use of project management methods, tools and techniques and respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of their usage. Additionally, the participants were asked to report limitations or distractions they had encountered. The results revealed five aspects that mainly influenced the students’ motivation in using management tools: the team atmosphere, determining responsibilities, performance transparency, expectations by the supervisors, feedback and performance evaluation. On that basis conclusions were drawn on what actions can be taken to motivate future students and designers.
Efficacy of cognitive remediation in bipolar disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Samamé Cecilia , Durante Paula , Cattaneo Brenda , Aprahamian Ivan , Strejilevich Sergio
Published: July 2023

A significant percentage of people with bipolar disorder (BD) exhibit suboptimal functional adjustment, even when appropriately treated and after symptomatic recovery is achieved. Given that cognitive impairment is one of the strongest correlates of socio-occupational outcomes and quality of life in BD, cognitive remediation (CR) is currently acknowledged as a promising treatment that could help bridge the gap between symptomatic and full functional recovery. The aim of this review was to explore the efficacy of CR approaches in improving cognitive and functional outcomes in BD patients. PubMed, PsycINFO, and CENTRAL were searched from inception to November 2022. Randomized controlled trials exploring the effects of CR on cognition and/or functional adjustment in adult BD patients were eligible. Ten studies based on seven independent trials (n = 586) were included. Change-score effect sizes (Hedges' g) were obtained for efficacy outcome measures and combined by means of meta-analytic procedures. Small but significant overall effects were observed for working memory (g = 0.32, 95% CI 0.11–0.52), planning (g = 0.30, 95% CI 0.03–0.56), and verbal learning (g = 0.40, 95% CI 0.15–0.66). However, CR was not found to exert any significant effects on functional outcomes at treatment completion or at follow-up assessment. Although CR may modestly enhance the cognitive performance of BD patients, this effect does not translate into an improvement at the functional level. The current data do not support the inclusion of CR as a treatment recommendation in clinical practice guidelines for the management of BD.
Economic rationale shaping music teacher education: the case of Spain
Authors: Zamorano-Valenzuela Felipe Javier , Aróstegui José Luis , González-Martín Cristina
Published: July 2023

This article discusses the literature on music teacher education programmes for mainstream education in order to undertake critical reflection on what we are doing and why in our university classrooms, what theories are implicit and what could be done to improve our programmes. After analysis, mainly from European contexts, and considering the Spanish one in particular, we find an influence of the economic – and, ultimately, political – rationale on substantial aspects, manifested in apparent disjunctions between musical and educational features, as well as in formal issues, fundamentally due to the European Higher Education Area. In the end, it is concluded that, without renouncing the economic aspects, curricula should be more addressed towards the integration of pedagogical and musical knowledge, and the treatment of aspects related to social justice, if we do not want an uncritical reproduction of rationalities that are often obsolete in the training of pre-service music teachers.
Tspan5 promotes the EMT process to regulate the syncytialization of trophoblast cells by activating Notch signalling
Authors: Tang Hai-Yu , Lin Mei , Liang Yong-Qian , Wang Jin-Hua , Yi Hong-Gan , Yang Man
Published: July 2023

Placental trophoblastic cells play important roles in placental development and fetal health. However, the mechanism of trophoblastic cell fusion is still not entirely clear. The level of Tspan5 in the embryo culture medium was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Fusion of BeWo cells was observed by immunofluorescence. Cell fusion-related factors and EMT-related factors were identified by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Notch protein repressor DAPT was used to verify the role of Tspan5 in BeWo cells. The expression of Tspan5 was significantly increased in embryo culture medium. The fusion of BeWo cells was observed after treatment with forskolin (FSK). Cell fusion-related factors (i.e. β-hCG and syncytin 1/2) and Tspan5 were significantly increased after FSK treatment. In addition, FSK treatment promoted EMT-related protein expression in BeWo cells. Knockdown of Tspan5 inhibited cell fusion and EMT-related protein levels. Notch-1 and Jagged-1 protein levels were significantly upregulated, and the EMT process was activated by overexpression of Tspan5 in FSK-treated BeWo cells. Interestingly, blocking the Notch pathway by the repressor DAPT had the opposite results. These results indicated that Tspan5 could promote the EMT process by activating the Notch pathway, thereby causing cell fusion. These findings contribute to a better understanding of trophoblast cell syncytialization and embryonic development. Tspan5 may be used as a therapeutic target for normal placental development.