bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Versatile Synaptotagmin‐1 Nanobody Provides Perturbation‐Free Live Synaptic Imaging And Low Linkage‐Error in Super‐Resolution Microscopy
Authors: Queiroz Zetune Villa Real Karine , Mougios Nikolaos , Rehm Ronja , Sograte‐Idrissi Shama , Albert László , Rahimi Amir Mohammad , Maidorn Manuel , Hentze Jannik , Martínez‐Carranza Markel , Hosseini Hassan , Saal Kim‐Ann , Oleksiievets Nazar , Prigge Matthias , Tsukanov Roman , Stenmark Pål , Fornasiero Eugenio F. , Opazo Felipe
Published: July 2023

Imaging of living synapses has relied for over two decades on the overexpression of synaptic proteins fused to fluorescent reporters. This strategy alters the stoichiometry of synaptic components and ultimately affects synapse physiology. To overcome these limitations, here a nanobody is presented that binds the calcium sensor synaptotagmin‐1 (NbSyt1). This nanobody functions as an intrabody (iNbSyt1) in living neurons and is minimally invasive, leaving synaptic transmission almost unaffected, as suggested by the crystal structure of the NbSyt1 bound to Synaptotagmin‐1 and by the physiological data. Its single‐domain nature enables the generation of protein‐based fluorescent reporters, as showcased here by measuring spatially localized presynaptic Ca2+ with a NbSyt1‐ jGCaMP8 chimera. Moreover, the small size of NbSyt1 makes it ideal for various super‐resolution imaging methods. Overall, NbSyt1 is a versatile binder that will enable imaging in cellular and molecular neuroscience with unprecedented precision across multiple spatiotemporal scales.
Exploration of heat and mass transport in oscillatory hydromagnetic nanofluid flow within two verticals alternatively conducting surfaces
Authors: Singh Jitendra Kumar , Hanumantha  , Kolasani Suneetha , Hussain Syed M.
Published: July 2023

The key attention of this paper is to explore the heat and mass transport in oscillatory hydromagnetic Titanium alloy water nanofluid flow within two vertical alternatively non‐conducting and conducting walls enclosing Darcy‐Brinkman porous medium. Motional induction is considered because it is sufficiently strong in comparison to Ohmic dissipation. Hall phenomenon is considered because the electromotive force induced due to revolving of fluid particle about the magnetic field lines is significant. Suitable physical laws (constitutive and field equations) are used to derive the equations leading the flow model. An analytical approach is followed to extract the solutions of the flow model. The quantities of physical interest such as wall shear stress (WSS), rate of heat transport rate (RHT) and rate of mass transport rate (RMT) at the walls are obtained from the extracted solutions. The physical insight into flow manners is discovered from the graphs and tables generated from the numerical computation of the solutions. It is important to note from the study that the volume concentration of nanofluid and magnetic diffusion produce resistivity in the flow and tends to slow down the fluid flow. Magnetic diffusion weakens the strength of the primarily motional induced magnetic field.
Linear Regression
Authors: Starbuck Craig
Published: July 2023

This chapter covers one of the most valuable tools for people analytics professionals: linear regression. Concepts, assumptions, and step-by-step implementations are presented for both simple and multiple linear regression as well as methods for testing more complex moderated and mediated relationships.
Linear Model Extensions
Authors: Starbuck Craig
Published: July 2023

This chapter covers methods of extending the linear regression model for mixed effects, non-linear relationships, and use cases that involve examining changes to variable and model-level performance with stepwise variable selection procedures. Comparing and interpreting coefficients across multiple models is also discussed.
Predictive Modeling
Authors: Starbuck Craig
Published: July 2023

This chapter progresses from explanatory to predictive models. Topics include cross-validation, model performance metrics, prediction intervals, bias–variance tradeoff, tree-based algorithms, and various types of models with utility in classification and forecasting applications.
Research Design
Authors: Starbuck Craig
Published: July 2023

This chapter provides an overview of the elements of research, including research questions, hypotheses, methods, and designs. Factors influencing internal and external validity are also discussed.
Measurement and Sampling
Authors: Starbuck Craig
Published: July 2023

This chapter surveys variable types and measurement scales as well as probability and non-probability sampling methods. In addition, topics in sampling and nonsampling error and scale reliability and validity are covered.
Data Preparation
Authors: Starbuck Craig
Published: July 2023

This chapter explains data architecture concepts needed to properly integrate and extract data from analytics platforms as well as methods of screening and cleaning data (e.g., missingness, outliers, data binning, one-hot encoding, feature engineering).
Analysis of Differences
Authors: Starbuck Craig
Published: July 2023

This chapter examines parametric tests and nonparametric alternatives for testing whether statistical differences are observed in data measured on discrete and continuous scales. Methods of quantifying the magnitude of observed differences are also reviewed.
‘How Do We Move Back?’ – A Case Study of Joint Problem-Solving at an Interactive Tabletop Mediated Activity
Authors: Sunnen Patrick , Arend Béatrice , Heuser Svenja , Afkari Hoorieh , Maquil Valérie
Published: July 2023

The interactive tabletop activity ‘Orbitia’ aims at developing collaborative conduct among participants. We provide a detailed account of how a group of three participants jointly solve a problem in the Orbitia environment. In our conversation analytic case study, we analyze the situated processes at the group level of description to develop a better understanding of how problems are jointly solved in a group at an ITT-mediated activity and to gain design knowledge about inducing such episodes. More precisely, we identified six problem-solving moves: signaling a problem and accounting for it, formulating the problem and converging on a solution, seeking and identifying the competent first agent, co-instructing the first agent, assessing the solution(s), taking up a solution.
Augmented Cognition Compass: A Taxonomy of Cognitive Augmentations
Authors: Felicini Nicola , Mortara Letizia
Published: July 2023

Despite long-standing practices in human augmentation, the field of Augmented Cognition still lacks a generalized ‘theory of augmentation’ which guides the selection of such augmentations. We do not yet have a taxonomy that could help understand which augmentation to use to address which type of cognitive problem. By reviewing past applications of cognitive augmentation, this paper provides a framework that helps navigating the growing knowledge and guides the selection of cognitive-enhancing augmentations. Like a compass, the proposed taxonomy can be used to map previous steps in the field, to navigate the current state of the art, and to orient future research directions.
Einleitung
Authors: Luig Christina
Published: July 2023

Mit der Schulinspektion besteht seit über 15 Jahren ein datenbasiertes Instrument Neuer Schulsystemsteuerung in den deutschen Bundesländern. Es handelt sich dabei um die Bewertung schulischer Qualität auf Grundlage normativer Maßstäbe, um letztlich Schulen dazu anzuregen, Qualitätssicherungs- und Entwicklungsmaßnahmen zu ergreifen. Allerdings haben mittlerweile eine Vielzahl von Befunden zur Schulinspektion gezeigt, dass sich die anvisierte Wirkungsweise dieses Steuerungsinstruments nicht eindeutig nachweisen lässt.
Von der Verschiebung des Fokus in der Schulinspektionsforschung
Authors: Luig Christina
Published: July 2023

Das Instrument Schulinspektion war anfänglich und auch in den letzten Jahren häufig Gegenstand empirischer Forschung. Während zu Beginn ausschließlich Fragen nach der Akzeptanz und dem Nutzen von Schulinspektion bearbeitet wurden, finden sich zunehmend Forschungsarbeiten zur schulinspektionsbezogenen Zusammenarbeit etwa zwischen Schule und Schulaufsicht. Zentrale Erkenntnisse beider Forschungsstränge werden in diesem Kapitel fundiert aufbereitet und vor dem Hintergrund governanceanalytischer Prämissen kritisch betrachtet.
Zwischenfazit und Herleitung der Fragestellungen
Authors: Luig Christina
Published: July 2023

In diesem Kapitel soll bisher Erarbeitetes zusammengefasst werden, um argumentativ nachvollziehbar und gebündelt die Herleitung der Fragestellungen sowie das Forschungsinteresse der vorliegenden Arbeit darzulegen. Ziel ist es, Begründungslinien aus den theoretisch-konzeptionellen Grundlagen und der Analyseperspektive der Educational Governance sowie aus dem dargestellten Forschungsstand zusammenzuführen, um die sich daraus ergebenen Forschungsdesiderata herauszustellen. Wie diese in der vorliegenden Studie aufgegriffen werden, wird am Ende dieses Kapitels dargelegt.
Qualitätsanalyse in Nordrhein-Westfalen
Authors: Luig Christina
Published: July 2023

Nachdem im vorherigen Kapitel die bundeslandspezifische Betrachtung der Handlungskoordination begründet wurde, werden nun die konkreten Regelungsstrukturen dargelegt, die das Handeln der betrachteten Akteure speziell für Nordrhein-Westfalen rahmen. So werden zum einen die behördliche Struktur der Schulaufsicht und das Verständnis ihres Steuerungsauftrags präzisiert wie auch aktuelle schulaufsichtliche Entwicklungen skizziert. Zum anderen wird das Schulinspektionsverfahren, die Qualitätsanalyse, hinsichtlich der Akteurskonstellation und ihrer Konzeption detailliert dargelegt.
Ergebnisse
Authors: Luig Christina
Published: July 2023

In diesem Kapitel werden die Ergebnisse überwiegend kategorienbasiert und in Form dichter Beschreibungen der Interviewaussagen, die beispielhaft mit Textbelegen angereichert sind, dargelegt. Die Darstellung ist entlang der Fragestellungen dreigeteilt strukturiert: Zunächst werden Erkenntnisse zu den subjektiven Vorstellungen der Akteure zur Qualitätsanalyse und ihren Rollen geschildert. Es folgen Aussagen zur Handlungskoordination in der betrachteten Akteurskonstellation und schließlich die von den Akteuren genannten Vorschläge zur Weiterentwicklung der Qualitätsanalyse.
BPS states meet generalized cohomology
Authors: Galakhov Dmitry
Published: July 2023

Abstract

In this note we review a construction of a BPS Hilbert space in an effective supersymmetric quiver theory with 4 supercharges. We argue abstractly that this space contains elements of an equivariant generalized cohomology theory $$ {E}_G^{\ast}\left(-\right) $$

E
G
∗

−

of the quiver representation moduli space giving concretely Dolbeault cohomology, K-theory or elliptic cohomology depending on the spacial slice is compactified to a point, a circle or a torus respectively, and something more amorphous in other cases. Furthermore BPS instantons — basic contributors to interface defects or a Berry connection — induce a BPS algebra on the BPS Hilbert spaces representing Fourier-Mukai transforms on the quiver representation moduli spaces descending to an algebra over $$ {E}_G^{\ast}\left(-\right) $$

E
G
∗

−

as its representation. In the cases when the quiver describes a toric Calabi-Yau three-fold (CY3) the algebra is a respective generalization of the quiver BPS Yangian algebra discussed in the literature, in more general cases it is given by an abstract generalized cohomological Hall algebra.
Revisiting lifetimes of doubly charmed baryons
Authors: Dulibić Lovro , Gratrex James , Melić Blaženka , Nišandžić Ivan
Published: July 2023

Abstract

We present updated predictions for lifetimes of doubly charmed baryons, within the heavy quark expansion, including available NLO αs contributions and newly-computed terms in the 1/mc series. Our improved results confirm the expected hierarchy$$ \tau \left({\Xi}_{cc}^{+}\right)<\tau \left({\Omega}_{cc}^{+}\right)<\tau \left({\Xi}_{cc}^{++}\right), $$
τ

Ξ
cc
+

<
τ

Ω
cc
+

<
τ

Ξ
cc

+
+

,

while the predicted lifetime $$ \tau \left({\Xi}_{cc}^{++}\right) $$
τ

Ξ
cc

+
+

= 0.32 ±$$ {0.5}_{-0.7}^{+0.8} $$

0.5

−
0.7

+
0.8

ps is consistent with the recent LHCb determination. We provide predictions for the lifetime ratios of the $$ {\Xi}_{cc}^{+} $$

Ξ
cc
+

and $$ {\Omega}_{cc}^{+} $$

Ω
cc
+

baryons relative to the $$ {\Xi}_{cc}^{++} $$

Ξ
cc

+
+

baryon, namely $$ \tau \left({\Xi}_{cc}^{+}\right)/\tau \left({\Xi}_{cc}^{++}\right) $$
τ

Ξ
cc
+

/
τ

Ξ
cc

+
+

= 0.22 ± 0.05 ± 0.04 and $$ \tau \left({\Omega}_{cc}^{+}\right)/\tau \left({\Xi}_{cc}^{++}\right) $$
τ

Ω
cc
+

/
τ

Ξ
cc

+
+

= 0.52 ±$$ {0.13}_{-0.02}^{+0.03} $$

0.13

−
0.02

+
0.03

.
Multi-objective task allocation for collaborative robot systems with an Industry 5.0 human-centered perspective
Authors: Calzavara Martina , Faccio Maurizio , Granata Irene
Published: July 2023

The migration from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 is becoming more relevant nowadays, with a consequent increase in interest in the operators’ wellness in their working environment. In modern industry, there are different activities that require the flexibility of human operators in performing different tasks, while some others can be performed by collaborative robots (cobots), which promote a fair division of the tasks among the resources in industrial applications. Initially, these robots were used to increase productivity, in particular in assembly systems; currently, new goals have been introduced, such as reducing operator’s fatigue, so that he/she can be more effective in the tasks that require his/her flexibility. For this purpose, a model that aims to realize a multi-objective optimization for task allocation is here proposed. It includes makespan minimization, but also the operator’s energy expenditure and average mental workload reduction. The first objective is to reach the required high productivity standards, while the latter is to realize a human-centered workplace, as required by the Industry 5.0 paradigms. A method for average mental workload evaluation in the entire assembly process and a new constraint, related to resources’ idleness, are here suggested, together with the evaluation of the methodology in a real case study. The results show that it is possible to combine all these elements finding a procedure to define the optimal task allocation that improves the performance of the systems, both for efficiency and for workers’ well-being.
Thermal streak spacing in fully developed duct flow with different Reynolds and Prandtl numbers
Authors: Sharma Mohit Pramod , Tiselj Iztok , Kren Jan , Mikuž Blaž , Cizelj Leon
Published: July 2023

The present study investigates the behaviour of thermal streaks on a heated foil which is cooled with turbulent flow in a square duct channel. Real-time infrared thermography is used to visualize and measure the spacing between the thermal streaks. A stainless-steel foil with a thickness of 25 microns is cooled by water. The experiments were performed in a range of Reynolds numbers from 5000 to 20000 and Prandtl numbers from 3 to 7. The mean temperature, root-mean-square of temperature and autocorrelation function have been calculated and used to measure the average thermal streak spacing and power spectra in the spanwise and streamwise directions. The root mean square temperature was 0.3 °C to 0.5 °C which corresponds to roughly 10% of the mean temperature difference between foil and water. The uncertainty in mean temperature difference and root mean square temperature was around 5% and 10%, respectively. The measured thermal streak spacing was 100 wall unit to 180 wall unit under the present experimental range. The uncertainty in measured thermal streak spacing was around 2.5%. The effects of Reynolds number, Prandtl number and heat flux on the thermal streak spacing and also on the statistics of the temperature field have been presented and discussed in this paper. A new correlation has been proposed to predict the dimensionless thermal streak spacing. The error in the prediction is estimated within ± 15 %.
Mechanisms of bacterial inhibition and tolerance around cold atmospheric plasma
Authors: Zhang Hao , Zhang Chengxi , Han Qi
Published: July 2023

The grim situation of bacterial infection has undoubtedly become a major threat to human health. In the context of frequent use of antibiotics, a new bactericidal method is urgently needed to fight against drug-resistant bacteria caused by non-standard use of antibiotics. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is composed of a variety of bactericidal species, which has excellent bactericidal effect on microbes. However, the mechanism of interaction between CAP and bacteria is not completely clear. In this paper, we summarize the mechanisms of bacterial killing by CAP in a systematic manner, discuss the responses of bacteria to CAP treatment that are considered to be related to tolerance and their underlying mechanisms, review the recent advances in bactericidal applications of CAP finally. This review indicates that CAP inhibition and tolerance of survival bacteria are a set of closely related mechanisms and suggests that there might be other mechanisms of tolerance to survival bacteria that had not been discovered yet. In conclusion, this review shows that CAP has complex and diverse bactericidal mechanisms, and has excellent bactericidal effect on bacteria at appropriate doses.

Key points

• The bactericidal mechanism of CAP is complex and diverse.

• There are few resistant bacteria but tolerant bacteria during CAP treatment.

• There is excellent germicidal effect when CAP in combination with other disinfectants.
Self-reported dizziness, falls, and self-rated health in a rural population in Denmark
Authors: Grønlund Casper , Djurhuus Bjarki Ditlev , Holm Ellen Astrid , Homøe Preben
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To investigate associations between dizziness, hearing loss, medication, and self-perceived health in the region of Lolland-Falster in Denmark.

Methods

A cross-sectional population-based study using data from questionnaires and physical examinations between February 8th, 2016, and February 13th, 2020. Individuals aged 50 years or above in the region of Lolland-Falster were randomly invited to participate.

Results

Of 10,092 individuals (52% female), the mean age was 64.7 and 65.7 years for females and males, respectively. 20% reported dizziness during the past 30 days, and prevalence increased with age. 24% of dizzy females suffered from falls compared to 21% of males. 43% sought treatment for dizziness. Logistic regression revealed a higher odds ratio of dizziness in groups with poor self-perceived health (OR = 2.15, 95% CI [1.71, 2.72]) and very poor self-perceived health (OR = 3.62 [1.75, 7.93]) compared to moderate self-perceived health. A higher OR was found for seeking treatment for dizziness in the group that had experienced falls (OR = 3.21 [2.54, 4.07]). 40% reported hearing loss. Logistic regression revealed a higher OR for dizziness in the group with severe hearing loss (OR = 2.40 [1.77, 3.26]) and moderate hearing loss (OR = 1.63 [1.37, 1.94]) compared to no hearing loss.

Conclusion

One of five participants reported dizziness during the last month. Dizziness was negatively associated with self-perception of good health also after adjusting for comorbidities. Almost half of the dizzy participants sought treatment for dizziness and 21% experienced falls. Identification and treatment of dizziness are important to prevent falls from happening.

Clinical trial registration

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02482896).
MicroRNA expression associated with low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia outcomes
Authors: Winters Ashley N. , Berry Alex K. , Dewenter Tracy A. , Chowdhury Nowrin U. , Wright Kelly L. , Cameron Jennifer E.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Only a fraction of low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) progresses to high-grade CIN; however, the biological processes that differentiate progressive CIN from CIN that resolves naturally are poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important epigenetic regulators of gene expression and thus, miRNA expression profiling can reveal the dysregulated biology underlying disease processes. The purpose of this case–control study was to reveal miRNA expression patterns and predict the underlying biological pathways that are associated with clinical outcomes of low-grade CIN.

Methods

Women with low-grade CIN diagnosis and definitive clinical outcomes (n = 51) were identified retrospectively using electronic clinical records. Comprehensive miRNA expression profiling was performed on the low-grade CIN diagnostic cervical biopsies retrieved from pathology archives. Differential miRNA expression was analyzed by comparing women with CIN that progressed to women with CIN that resolved naturally.

Results

Differential expression of 29 miRNAs was observed in low-grade CIN that progressed to high-grade compared to low-grade CIN that resolved. Of these, 24 were significantly downregulated in progressive CIN, including miR-638, miR-3196, miR-4488, and miR-4508, while 5 miRNAs, including miR-1206a, were significantly upregulated. Computational gene ontology analysis based on the discovered miRNAs and their putative mRNA targets revealed biological processes associated with oncogenic phenotypes.

Conclusion

Distinct miRNA expression profiles are associated with clinical outcomes of low-grade CIN. The functional effects of the differentially expressed miRNAs may be biological determinants of CIN progression or resolution.
Expansion microscopy in honeybee brains for high-resolution neuroanatomical analyses in social insects
Authors: Kraft Nadine , Muenz Thomas S. , Reinhard Sebastian , Werner Christian , Sauer Markus , Groh Claudia , Rössler Wolfgang
Published: July 2023

The diffraction limit of light microscopy poses a problem that is frequently faced in structural analyses of social insect brains. With the introduction of expansion microscopy (ExM), a tool became available to overcome this limitation by isotropic physical expansion of preserved specimens. Our analyses focus on synaptic microcircuits (microglomeruli, MG) in the mushroom body (MB) of social insects, high-order brain centers for sensory integration, learning, and memory. MG undergo significant structural reorganizations with age, sensory experience, and during long-term memory formation. However, the changes in subcellular architecture involved in this plasticity have only partially been accessed yet. Using the western honeybee Apis mellifera as an experimental model, we established ExM for the first time in a social insect species and applied it to investigate plasticity in synaptic microcircuits within MG of the MB calyces. Using combinations of antibody staining and neuronal tracing, we demonstrate that this technique enables quantitative and qualitative analyses of structural neuronal plasticity at high resolution in a social insect brain.
Micro-mechanical numerical analysis on ductile damage in multiaxially loaded anisotropic metals
Authors: Brünig Michael , Koirala Sanjeev , Gerke Steffen
Published: July 2023

The paper deals with numerical analysis of the effect of stress state and loading direction with respect to the rolling direction on damage and fracture behavior of anisotropic metals. The continuum damage model has been enhanced to take into account the influence of production-induced anisotropies and loading direction on damage criteria and on evolution equations of damage strains. Constitutive parameters are determined using experimental results taken from tests with uni- and biaxially loaded specimens. The focus of the paper is on three-dimensional micro-mechanical numerical analyses of micro-defect-containing representative volume elements covering a wide range of stress states. These calculations lead to more insight in the different damage and failure processes on the micro-scale and their influence on the macroscopic damage laws. With the obtained numerical results it is possible to detect general trends, to propose governing equations for the damage criteria, to develop evolution equations for the damage strains, and to identify constitutive parameters of the anisotropic material model. It is shown that the anisotropic behavior and the loading direction with respect to the principal axes of anisotropy affect the evolution of damage mechanisms on the micro-level as well as the corresponding damage strains.
Histological evaluation following treatment of recession-type defects with coronally advanced flap and a novel human recombinant amelogenin
Authors: Chackartchi Tali , Bosshardt Dieter D. , Imber Jean-Claude , Stähli Alexandra , Sacks Hagit , Nagy Katalin , Sculean Anton
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To histologically evaluate the effects of a novel human recombinant amelogenin (rAmelX) on periodontal wound healing / regeneration in recession-type defects.

Materials and methods

A total of 17 gingival recession-type defects were surgically created in the maxilla of three minipigs. The defects were randomly treated with a coronally advanced flap (CAF) and either rAmelX (test), or a CAF and placebo (control). At three months following reconstructive surgery, the animals were euthanized, and the healing outcomes histologically evaluated.

Results

The test group yielded statistically significantly (p = 0.047) greater formation of cementum with inserting collagen fibers compared with the control group (i.e., 4.38 mm ± 0.36 mm vs. 3.48 mm ± 1.13 mm). Bone formation measured 2.15 mm ± 0.8 mm in the test group and 2.24 mm ± 1.23 mm in the control group, respectively, without a statistically significant difference (p = 0.94).

Conclusions

The present data have provided for the first-time evidence for the potential of rAmelX to promote regeneration of periodontal ligament and root cementum in recession-type defects, thus warranting further preclinical and clinical testing.

Clinical relevance

The present results set the basis for the potential clinical application of rAmelX in reconstructive periodontal surgery.
Change in child mental health during the Ukraine war: evidence from a large sample of parents
Authors: McElroy Eoin , Hyland Philip , Shevlin Mark , Karatzias Thanos , Vallières Frédérique , Ben-Ezra Menachem , Vang Maria Louison , Lorberg Boris , Martsenkovskyi Dmytro
Published: July 2023

The ongoing war in Ukraine is expected to negatively impact the mental health of the country’s population. This study aims to provide a preliminary estimate of the degree of change in the mental health problems of Ukrainian children following Russia’s invasion in February 2022, and to identify the sociodemographic and war-related risk factors associated with these changes. A nationwide, opportunistic sample of 1238 parents reported on a single randomly chosen child within their household as part of The Mental Health of Parents and Children in Ukraine Study. Data were collected between July 15th and September 5th, 2022. Participants completed modified versions of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17) which was adapted to capture change in the frequency of symptoms since the beginning of the war. Parents reported increases across all 17 indicators of internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems of the PSC-17. Increased problems were most pronounced within the internalizing domain, with 35% of parents reporting that their child worried more since the beginning of the war. A number of individual, parental, and war-related factors were associated with increases across the three domains. Exposure to war trauma, pre-existing mental health problems, and child age were among the strongest predictors of change. This survey provides preliminary evidence that the Russian war on Ukraine has led to an increase in common mental health problems among children in the general population. Further research is required to determine the extent and sequela of this increase, and to develop intervention strategies for those most in need.
The effect of duration and time preference on the gap between adult and child health state valuations in time trade-off
Authors: Lang Zhongyu , Attema Arthur E. , Lipman Stefan A.
Published: July 2023

Composite time trade-off (cTTO) utilities have been found to be higher when adults value health states for children than for themselves. It is not clear if these differences reflect adults assigning truly higher utilities to the same health state in different perspectives, or if they are caused by other factors, which are not accounted for in the valuation procedure. We test if the difference between children’s and adults’ cTTO valuations changes if a longer duration than the standard 10 years is used. Personal interviews with a representative sample of 151 adults in the UK were conducted. We employed the cTTO method to estimate utilities of four different health states, where adults considered states both from their own and a 10-year-old child’s perspective, for durations of 10 and 20 years. We corrected the cTTO valuations for perspective-specific time preferences in a separate task, again for both perspectives. We replicate the finding that cTTO utilities are higher for the child perspective than for the adult perspective, although the difference is only significant when controlling for other variables in a mixed effects regression. Time preferences are close to 0 on average, and smaller for children than adults. After correcting TTO utilities for time preferences, the effect of perspective is no longer significant. No differences were found for cTTO tasks completed with a 10- or 20-year duration. Our results suggest that the child–adult gap is partially related to differences in time preferences and, hence, that correcting cTTO utilities for these preferences could be useful.
Autoimmune liver disease and multiple sclerosis: state of the art and future perspectives
Authors: Villani Rosanna , Serviddio Gaetano , Avolio Carlo , Cassano Tommaso , D’Amico Emanuele
Published: July 2023

Clinical observations suggest that the prevalence of autoimmune diseases is changing over time. Both autoimmune liver diseases and multiple sclerosis have shown a significant increase in the last decades. Although the coexistence of autoimmune diseases within individuals and families is a common phenomenon, the extent to which liver disease and multiple sclerosis co-occur is not clear. Case reports and few studies have reported the possible coexistence of multiple sclerosis with thyroid diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is unknown whether there is a definite association between multiple sclerosis and autoimmune liver diseases. We reviewed the literature to summarize the available studies on the association between different autoimmune liver diseases (autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis) and treated or untreated multiple sclerosis.
Quality of life in people with visual impairment compared with the general population
Authors: Bonsaksen Tore , Brunes Audun , Heir Trond
Published: July 2023

Aim

The aim of the present study was to examine quality of life and its associated factors among adults with visual impairment in Norway.

Subject and methods

Of the 1216 adults contacted, 736 (61% response rate) participated in a cross-sectional survey. A general population probability sample served as reference (n=1792, 36% response rate). Differences between the populations were examined with independent t-tests for continuous variables and with Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Quality of life covariates were investigated with linear regression analysis.

Results

People with visual impairment had lower quality of life than the general Norwegian population, across all age groups (mean QOL: 6.8 versus 7.6, p<0.001) and within all age groups (all p<0.01). Compared with the general population, people with visual impairment were less likely to report the highest levels and more likely to report intermediate levels of quality of life. Higher quality of life was associated with lower onset-age of impaired vision (B=-0.11, p<0.001), having employment (B=0.36, p=0.02), lower levels of loneliness (B=-0.28, p<0.001) and higher levels of social support (B=0.40, p<0.001) and general self-efficacy (B=0.07, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Quality of life was lower among people with visual impairment and may be increased by promoting work participation, social inclusion, connectedness, and coping.
MFLD-net: a lightweight deep learning network for fish morphometry using landmark detection
Authors: Saleh Alzayat , Jones David , Jerry Dean , Azghadi Mostafa Rahimi
Published: July 2023

Monitoring the morphological traits of farmed fish is pivotal in understanding growth, estimating yield, artificial breeding, and population-based investigations. Currently, morphology measurements mostly happen manually and sometimes in conjunction with individual fish imaging, which is a time-consuming and expensive procedure. In addition, extracting useful information such as fish yield and detecting small variations due to growth or deformities, require extra offline processing of the manually collected images and data. Deep learning (DL) and specifically convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have previously demonstrated great promise in estimating fish features such as weight and length from images. However, their use for extracting fish morphological traits through detecting fish keypoints (landmarks) has not been fully explored. In this paper, we developed a novel DL architecture that we call Mobile Fish Landmark Detection network (MFLD-net). We show that MFLD-net can achieve keypoint detection accuracies on par or even better than some of the state-of-the-art CNNs on a fish image dataset. MFLD-net uses convolution operations based on Vision Transformers (i.e. patch embeddings, multi-layer perceptrons). We show that MFLD-net can achieve competitive or better results in low data regimes while being lightweight and therefore suitable for embedded and mobile devices. We also provide quantitative and qualitative results that demonstrate its generalisation capabilities. These features make MFLD-net suitable for future deployment in fish farms and fish harvesting plants.
Commitment-based negotiation semantics for accountability in multi-agent systems
Authors: Sloan Phillip , Ajmeri Nirav
Published: July 2023

Negotiation is a key form of interaction in multi-agent systems. Negotiation enables agents to come to a mutual agreement about a goal or plan of action. Current negotiation approaches use traditional interaction protocols which do not capture the normative meaning of interactions and often restrict agent autonomy. These traditional negotiation approaches also have difficulty specifying accountability. This paper seeks to address this gap in maintaining autonomy and capturing accountability during negotiation through the use of normative commitments. We propose Nala, a commitment-based negotiation semantics. Nala uses commitments to provide normative meaning to agent interactions. The nature of commitments support in capturing accountability through the violation of created commitments. We illustrate Nala’s usage via a case study using a game scenario where agents participate in negotiation to bring about their goals in a research constrained environment.
The rosetta stone of successful ageing: does oral health have a role?
Authors: Poser Maximilian , Sing Katie E. A. , Ebert Thomas , Ziebolz Dirk , Schmalz Gerhard
Published: July 2023

Ageing is an inevitable aspect of life and thus successful ageing is an important focus of recent scientific efforts. The biological process of ageing is mediated through the interaction of genes with environmental factors, increasing the body’s susceptibility to insults. Elucidating this process will increase our ability to prevent and treat age-related disease and consequently extend life expectancy. Notably, centenarians offer a unique perspective on the phenomenon of ageing. Current research highlights several age-associated alterations on the genetic, epigenetic and proteomic level. Consequently, nutrient sensing and mitochondrial function are altered, resulting in inflammation and exhaustion of regenerative ability.

Oral health, an important contributor to overall health, remains underexplored in the context of extreme longevity. Good masticatory function ensures sufficient nutrient uptake, reducing morbidity and mortality in old age. The relationship between periodontal disease and systemic inflammatory pathologies is well established. Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease are among the most significant disease burdens influenced by inflammatory oral health conditions. Evidence suggests that the interaction is bi-directional, impacting progression, severity and mortality. Current models of ageing and longevity neglect an important factor in overall health and well-being, a gap that this review intends to illustrate and inspire avenues for future research.
Still viable despite criticism: complexities of evaluating the performance of ICDPs
Authors: Hübner Anna
Published: July 2023

Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) are widely used in countries of the Global South to link conservation with rural socio-economic advances. Notwithstanding, ICDPs face much criticism. A dominant complaint is that ICDPs fail to provide evidence concerning the very purpose they were established for, namely, to erase poverty and institutional capacity barriers, which invariably lead to the reduction of adverse human impacts on nature. Here, I explore the challenges that ICDPs face in seeking to provide empirical proof for positive long-term effects at the local level. I highlight certain specific difficulties in monitoring and evaluating ICDPs, and also examine the role that performance evaluation may play for ICDPs as instruments leading to transformative change. Besides the fact that a diverse set of stakeholders, through negotiations of power, constantly challenge the implementation of ICDPs, I argue that the goals and values of donor parties ultimately drive the overall evaluation and long-term sustainability of ICDPs and will govern transformative change. Future research is needed to explore this relationship more fully.
Potent molecular-targeted therapies for gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma
Authors: Ooki Akira , Osumi Hiroki , Fukuda Koshiro , Yamaguchi Kensei
Published: July 2023

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), which are characterized by neuroendocrine differentiation, can arise in various organs. NENs have been divided into well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) based on morphological differentiation, each of which has a distinct etiology, molecular profile, and clinicopathological features. While the majority of NECs originate in the pulmonary organs, extrapulmonary NECs occur most predominantly in the gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) system. Although platinum-based chemotherapy is the main therapeutic option for recurrent or metastatic GEP-NEC patients, the clinical benefits are limited and associated with a poor prognosis, indicating the clinically urgent need for effective therapeutic agents. The clinical development of molecular-targeted therapies has been hampered due to the rarity of GEP-NECs and the paucity of knowledge on their biology. In this review, we summarize the biology, current treatments, and molecular profiles of GEP-NECs based on the findings of pivotal comprehensive molecular analyses; we also highlight potent therapeutic targets for future precision medicine based on the most recent results of clinical trials.
A Multimodal Omics Framework to Empower Target Discovery for Cardiovascular Regeneration
Authors: Li Ziwen , Brittan Mairi , Mills Nicholas L.
Published: July 2023

Ischaemic heart disease is a global healthcare challenge with high morbidity and mortality. Early revascularisation in acute myocardial infarction has improved survival; however, limited regenerative capacity and microvascular dysfunction often lead to impaired function and the development of heart failure. New mechanistic insights are required to identify robust targets for the development of novel strategies to promote regeneration. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enabled profiling and analysis of the transcriptomes of individual cells at high resolution. Applications of scRNA-seq have generated single-cell atlases for multiple species, revealed distinct cellular compositions for different regions of the heart, and defined multiple mechanisms involved in myocardial injury-induced regeneration. In this review, we summarise findings from studies of healthy and injured hearts in multiple species and spanning different developmental stages. Based on this transformative technology, we propose a multi-species, multi-omics, meta-analysis framework to drive the discovery of new targets to promote cardiovascular regeneration.
SCORE: approximating curvature information under self-concordant regularization
Authors: Adeoye Adeyemi D. , Bemporad Alberto
Published: July 2023

Optimization problems that include regularization functions in their objectives are regularly solved in many applications. When one seeks second-order methods for such problems, it may be desirable to exploit specific properties of some of these regularization functions when accounting for curvature information in the solution steps to speed up convergence. In this paper, we propose the SCORE (self-concordant regularization) framework for unconstrained minimization problems which incorporates second-order information in the Newton-decrement framework for convex optimization. We propose the generalized Gauss–Newton with Self-Concordant Regularization (GGN-SCORE) algorithm that updates the minimization variables each time it receives a new input batch. The proposed algorithm exploits the structure of the second-order information in the Hessian matrix, thereby reducing computational overhead. GGN-SCORE demonstrates how to speed up convergence while also improving model generalization for problems that involve regularized minimization under the proposed SCORE framework. Numerical experiments show the efficiency of our method and its fast convergence, which compare favorably against baseline first-order and quasi-Newton methods. Additional experiments involving non-convex (overparameterized) neural network training problems show that the proposed method is promising for non-convex optimization.
Indirect comparisons of efficacy of zanubrutinib versus orelabrutinib in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma or relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma
Authors: Song Yuqin , Zhou Keshu , Yang Shenmiao , Hu Jianda , Zou Dehui , Gao Sujun , Pan Ling , Wang Tingyu , Yang Haiyan , Zhang Huilai , Zhou Daobin , Ji Jie , Xu Wei , Feng Ru , Jin Jie , Lv Fangfang , Huang Haiwen , Fan Xiaosi , Xu Sheng , Zhu Jun
Published: July 2023

We conducted two indirect comparisons to estimate the efficacy of zanubrutinib versus orelabrutinib in Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) or R/R mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). An unanchored matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) was performed in R/R CLL/SLL patients. Individual patient data from zanubrutinib trial (BGB-3111-205) were adjusted to match the aggregated data from the orelabrutinib trial (ICP-CL-00103). A naïve comparison was performed in R/R MCL for the different response assessment methodology and efficacy analysis set between the zanubrutinib (BGB-3111-206) and orelabrutinib (ICP-CL-00102) trials. Efficacy outcomes included ORR and PFS. In R/R CLL/SLL patients, after matching, IRC-assessed ORR was comparable (86.6% vs. 92.5%; risk difference, -5.9% [95% CI: -15.8%-3.8%]); IRC-assessed PFS was similar with a favorable trend in zanubrutinib over orelabrutinib (HR, 0.74 [95% CI: 0.37-1.47]) and the 18-month PFS rate was numerically higher in zanubrutinib (82.9% vs. 78.7%). In R/R MCL patients, naïve comparison showed investigator-assessed ORR was similar (83.7% vs. 87.9%; risk difference, -4.2% [95% CI: -14.8%-6.0%]), and CR rate was significantly higher in zanubrutinib over orelabrutinib (77.9% vs. 42.9%; risk difference, 35.0% [95% CI: 14.5%, 53.7%]). Investigator-assessed PFS was similar with a favorable trend (HR, 0.77 [95% CI: 0.45-1.32]) in zanubrutinib over orelabrutinib and the 12-month PFS rate was numerically higher in zanubrutinib (77.5% vs. 70.8%). MAIC result showed zanubrutinib demonstrated favorable PFS over orelabrutinib for R/R CLL/SLL patients. The naïve comparison showed zanubrutinib had favorable PFS and higher CR rate than orelabrutinib for R/R MCL patients.
Progress is impossible without change: implementing automatic item generation in medical knowledge progress testing
Authors: Falcão Filipe Manuel Vidal , Pereira Daniela S.M. , Pêgo José Miguel , Costa Patrício
Published: July 2023

Progress tests (PT) are a popular type of longitudinal assessment used for evaluating clinical knowledge retention and long-life learning in health professions education. Most PTs consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) whose development is costly and time-consuming. Automatic Item Generation (AIG) generates test items through algorithms, promising to ease this burden. However, it remains unclear how AIG-items behave in formative assessment (FA) modalities such as PTs compared to manually written items. The purpose of this study was to compare the quality and validity of AIG-items versus manually written items. Responses to 126 (23 automatically generated) dichotomously scored single best-answer five-option MCQs retrieved from the 2021 University of Minho PT of medicine were analyzed. Procedures based on item response theory (IRT), dimensionality testing, item fit, reliability, differential item functioning (DIF) and distractor analysis were used. Qualitative assessment was conducted through expert review. Validity evidence of AIG-items was assessed by using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The PT proved to be a viable tool for assessing medical students cognitive competencies. AIG-items were parallel to manually written-items, presenting similar indices of difficulty and information. The proportion of functional distractors for both AIG and manually written items was similar. Evidence of validity for AIG-items was found while showing higher levels of item quality. AIG-items functioned as intended and were appropriate for evaluating medical students at various levels of the knowledge spectrum.
Combined use of the extended theory of connections and the onto-semiotic approach to analyze mathematical connections by relating the graphs of f and f’
Authors: Rodríguez-Nieto Camilo Andrés , Rodríguez-Vásquez Flor Monserrat , Moll Vicenç Font
Published: July 2023

The literature reports that students have difficulties connecting different meanings, multiple representations of the derivative, and performing reversibility processes between representations of f and f’. The research goal is to analyze the mathematical connections that university students establish when solving tasks that involve the graphs of f and f’ when the two functions do not have associated symbolic expressions. Seven students from the first year of undergraduate studies in mathematics from a university in southern Mexico participated. For data collection, two tasks involving the graphical context of the derivative were applied. An analysis of the mathematical activity was carried out by the participants with the analysis model proposed by the onto-semiotic approach, and thematic analysis with types of mathematical connections from the extended theory of connections was carried out to infer the connections made in that mathematical activity, which allowed us to consider the reversibility connection between the graphs of f and f’ as the encapsulation of a portion of the mathematical activity. Four students establish the reversibility relationship between the graph of f and the graph of f’. It has been concluded that some students can establish the reversibility connection between the graphs of f and f’, but the complexity of the mathematical activity that encapsulates the connection explains (by showing everything that the student must do) why some students are not able to establish it.