bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imagery‐Focused Therapy for Visual Hallucinations: A Case Series
Authors: Paulik Georgie , Taylor Christopher D. J.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Visual hallucinations (VH) are more common than previously thought and are linked to higher levels of distress and disability in people with a psychotic illness. Despite this, scant attention has been given to VHs in the clinical literature, and the few therapy case series of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) published to date have not demonstrated reliable change. In other areas of clinical research, problematic mental imagery has been found to be more strongly related to negative affect in psychological disorders than negative linguistic thinking, and imagery focused techniques have commonly been found to improve the outcomes in CBT trials. Given VHs have many similarities with visual mental imagery and many of the distressing beliefs associated with VHs targeted in CBT are maintained by accompanying mental imagery (i.e., imaging a hallucinated figure attacking them), it seems plausible that an imagery‐focused approach to treating VHs may be most effective.

Methods

The current study is a multiple baseline case series (N = 11) of a 10‐session imagery‐focused therapy for VH in a transdiagnostic sample.

Results

The study had good attendance and feedback, no adverse events and only one [seemly unrelated] drop‐out, suggesting good feasibility, safety and acceptability. The majority of clients reported reduction on both full‐scale measures (administered at 3 baselines, midtherapy, posttherapy and 3‐month follow‐up) and weekly measures of VH severity and distress, ranging from medium to large effect sizes.

Conclusions

The case series suggests that an imagery‐focused approach to treating VHs may be beneficial, with a recommendation for more rigorous clinical trials to follow.
Emotion Regulation and Mentalization in Patients With Depression and Anxiety
Authors: Bryde Christensen Anne , Poulsen Stig , Højberg Trine Munk , Jessen Stine Bech , Reinholt Nina , Hvenegaard Morten , Eskildsen Anita , Arendt Mikkel , Arnfred Sidse
Published: May 2024

Objective

Theoretical conceptualizations of emotion and affect regulation have a considerable common ground. However, mentalization theory considers the ability to regulate affects as being contingent on the ability to mentalize. The aim of the present study is to examine the association between emotion regulation and mentalization, operationalized as reflective functioning, in a sample of patients with depression and/or anxiety.

Methods

The study used data from the TRAns‐diagnostic Cognitive behavioural Therapy versus standard cognitive behavioural therapy (TRACT‐RCT) trial. Patients with depression and/or anxiety (N = 291; 64.4% female; Mage = 32.2; SD = 11.0) completed the Emotion Regulation Strategies Questionnaire (ERSQ) and the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ‐6). Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine associations of the measures of ERSQ and RFQ‐6 in relation to the outcome variables, global well‐being (World Health Organization Well‐being Index; WHO‐5) and social functioning (Work and Social Adjustment Scale; WSAS).

Results

Overall, the patients had a reduced level of emotion regulation (MERSQ_Total = 1.77; SD = 0.59). However, only mildly impaired reflective functioning was found (MRFQ‐6 = 3.57; SD = 1.26). ERSQ correlated significantly with RFQ‐6 (r = −0.31), that is, more frequent use of emotion regulation strategies was associated with less hypomentalization. ERSQ was a stronger predictor of well‐being and social function than RFQ‐6.

Conclusion

In patients with anxiety and/or depression, hypomentalization as measured by the RFQ‐6 is not a major problem, but emotion regulation is. It seems that these two, theoretically related constructs, do not necessarily co‐occur. Alternatively, the RFQ‐6 scale might not capture the mentalization construct in a valid way. Emotion regulation strategies are highly related to symptomatology; therefore, they are likely to be an important target for psychotherapy.
Bulk lysis procedures alter target cell population counts
Authors: Rico Laura G. , Salvia Roser , Ward Michael D. , Petriz Jordi
Published: May 2024

To achieve high‐sensitivity cell measurements (<1 in 105 cells) by flow cytometry (FCM), the minimum number of acquired cells must be considered and conventional immunophenotyping protocols fall short of these numbers. The bulk lysis (BL) assay is a standardized erythrocyte lysing approach that allows the analysis of the millions of cells required for high‐sensitivity measurable residual disease (MRD) detection. However, this approach has been associated with significant cell loss, along with potential over or underestimates of rare cells when using this method. The aim of this study was to evaluate bulk lysis protocols and compare them with minimal sample perturbation (MSP) protocols, which are reported to better preserve the native cellular state and avoid significant cell loss due to washing steps. To achieve this purpose, we first generated an MRD model by spiking fresh peripheral blood with K562 cells, stably expressing EGFP, at known percentages of EGFP positive cells to leukocytes. Samples were then prepared with BL and MSP protocols and analyzed using FCM. For all percentages of K562 cells established and evaluated, a significant decrease of this population was detected in BL samples compared with MSP samples, even at low K562 cell percentages. Significant decreases for non‐necrotic cells were also observed in BL samples relative to MSP samples. In conclusion, the evaluation of the potential effects of BL protocols in obtaining the final count is of great interest, especially for over‐ or under‐estimation of target cells, as in the case of measurable residual disease. Since conventional flow cytometry or minimal sample perturbation assays fall short in obtaining the minimum numbers required to reach high sensitivity measurements, significant efforts may be needed to improve bulk lysis solution reagents.
Mobility target tracking with meta‐heuristic aided target movement prediction scheme in WSN using adaptive distributed extended Kalman filtering
Authors: Ramadevi N. , Subramanyam M. V. , Bindu C. Shoba
Published: May 2024

In wireless sensor networks (WSNs), target tracking has been prominently raised in recent days. Because of the frequent utilization of WSN, the attention on target tracking is greatly increased. The estimated optimal value derived from the earlier moment is rarely taken into consideration in traditional target‐tracking algorithms. One of the most crucial uses of WSNs is mobile target tracking, and it is especially used for spying. Precision surveillance is heavily dependent on localization or distance estimation, and extensive study has been done in this area. This research aims to develop a new target‐tracking network‐assisted target movement prediction model in WSN with reduced energy consumption. The major phases involved in the proposed target movement prediction in WSN are (a) mobility target tracking and (b) target movement prediction. Initially, the mobility target tracking is done with the help of adaptive distributed extended Kalman filtering (ADEKF). The mobility target tracking performance is improved by optimally tuning the parameters from ADEKF with the support of the improved squid game optimizer (ISGO). Then, the target movement prediction phase is executed with the help of input parameters like “Angle of Arrival (AoA) and Received Signal Strength (RSS),” and the optimal progress of the mobile node is predicted. The implementation outcome of the proposed tracking network‐assisted target movement prediction model is validated concerning various performance metrics. Overall performance analysis shows that the developed model offers 2.5% in terms of RMSE measures. The developed model shows better analysis while validating with existing approaches.
Visibility of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma under iodine staining on texture and color enhancement imaging
Authors: Kato Tsunetaka , Hikichi Takuto , Nakamura Jun , Hashimoto Minami , Kobashi Ryoichiro , Yanagita Takumi , Takagi Tadayuki , Suzuki Rei , Sugimoto Mitsuru , Asama Hiroyuki , Sato Yuki , Shioya Yasuo , Kobayakawa Masao , Ohira Hiromasa
Published: May 2024

Objective

Iodine staining on white light imaging (WLI) is the gold standard for detecting and demarcating esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We examined the effects of texture and color enhancement imaging (TXI) on improving the endoscopic visibility of ESCC under iodine staining.

Methods

Twenty ESCC lesions that underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection were retrospectively included. The color difference between ESCC and the surrounding mucosa (ΔEe) on WLI, TXI, and narrow‐band imaging was assessed, and ΔEe under 1% iodine staining on WLI and TXI. Furthermore, the visibility grade determined by endoscopists was evaluated on each imaging.

Result

The median ΔEe was greater on TXI than on WLI (14.53 vs. 10.71, respectively; p < 0.005). Moreover, the median ΔEe on TXI under iodine staining was greater than the median ΔEe on TXI and narrow‐band imaging (39.20 vs. 14.53 vs. 16.42, respectively; p < 0.005 for both). A positive correlation in ΔEe under iodine staining was found between TXI and WLI (correlation coefficient = 0.61, p < 0.01). Moreover, ΔEe under iodine staining on TXI in each lesion was greater than the corresponding ΔEe on WLI. The visibility grade assessed by endoscopists on TXI was also significantly greater than that on WLI under iodine staining (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The visibility of ESCC after iodine staining was greater on TXI than on WLI.
RSG1 is required for cilia‐dependent neural tube closure
Authors: Engelhardt David , Marean Amber , McKean David , Petersen Juliette , Niswander Lee
Published: May 2024

Cilia play a key role in the regulation of signaling pathways required for embryonic development, including the proper formation of the neural tube, the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. Forward genetic screens were used to generate mouse lines that display neural tube defects (NTD) and secondary phenotypes useful in interrogating function. We describe here the L3P mutant line that displays phenotypes of disrupted Sonic hedgehog signaling and affects the initiation of cilia formation. A point mutation was mapped in the L3P line to the gene Rsg1, which encodes a GTPase‐like protein. The mutation lies within the GTP‐binding pocket and disrupts the highly conserved G1 domain. The mutant protein and other centrosomal and IFT proteins still localize appropriately to the basal body of cilia, suggesting that RSG1 GTPase activity is not required for basal body maturation but is needed for a downstream step in axonemal elongation.
Research progress of lithium manganese iron phosphate cathode materials: From preparation to modification
Authors: Sun Kuo , Luo Shao‐Hua , Du Ningyuan , Wei Yu , Yan Shengxue
Published: May 2024

LiFePO4 is very promising for application in the field of power batteries due to its high specific capacity (170 mAh−1), stable structure, safety, low price, and environmental friendliness. However, it is well known that the slow electron transport and Li+ transport of LiFePO4 results in a rate performance that is far below the requirements for small batteries, resulting in a low LiFePO4 energy density. In order to solve this problem, LiMn1−xFexPO4 (LMFP) cathode material was synthesized by combining Fe and Mn in a certain ratio, and its material properties were improved. Here, we provide a detailed review of LiMn1−xFexPO4 anode material preparation. In addition, this review focuses on the preparation of LiMn1−xFexPO4 and several modification methods to compensate for the inherent deficiencies of certain materials, as well as predicting their future trends.
Enhanced Supercapacitive Performance in Catalyst‐Free Binary Composite SnO2–RuO2 Nanostructured Thin Films for Symmetric Supercapacitor Device
Authors: Rani Reenu , Sharma Meenakshi , Mohan Brij , Kumar Ashwani , Chandra Ramesh , Malik Vivek Kumar
Published: May 2024

In the present work, thin film electrodes of ruthenium oxide (RuO2), tin oxide (SnO2), and their composite SnO2–RuO2 are deposited on 304 stainless steel substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). These nanostructured electrodes are then evaluated for their suitability in electrochemical energy storage applications. A symmetric supercapacitor device (SSD) is constructed using the SnO2–RuO2 composite electrodes. Compared to individual SnO2 and RuO2 electrodes, the composite electrodes exhibit enhanced specific capacitance and cycle life. This improvement is attributed to modifications in surface morphology and electronic properties. This modified surface morphology of the composite electrode, creates favourable conditions for electrolyte interaction and ion transport, ultimately contributing to the observed increase in specific capacitance. Specifically, the composite electrode demonstrates a specific capacitance of 170.2 Fg−1 at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2, outperforming SnO2 (37.4 Fg−1). The SnO2–RuO2//SnO2–RuO2 SSD exhibites a specific capacitance of 70.0 Fg−1 at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2, coupled with energy density and power density values of 19.05 Wh kg−1 and 645 W kg−1, respectively, within a voltage window of 1.4 V. The SSD displays an impressive capacitive retention of 81.27% over 10 000 cycles, indicating its potential for practical energy storage applications.
LiF‐Rich Solid Electrolyte Interfaces Guarantee the Cycle Stability of Metal‐Organic Frameworks for Lithium Storage
Authors: Meng Chunfeng , Jiao Zichuang , Fang Mingjia , Chen Junfeng , Luo Heng , Yuan Aihua
Published: May 2024

Metal‐organic framework materials (MOFs) with hierarchical porosity, structural tunability, and rich redox‐active centers have attracted intensive attention as potential substitutes for carbonaceous anode materials. However, the practical commercialization of MOFs still remains a challenge, due to uncontrollable performance degradation. Inspired by the prolonged lifespans of traditional anode materials with LiF‐rich solid electrolyte interface (SEI), the roles of LiF are examined in enhancing the cycle stability of MOFs, with copper benzenedicarboxylate (Cu‐BDC) as an example. By adjusting the electrolyte composition, the cycle performance of Cu‐BDC material is optimized, due to the generation of LiF‐rich SEI. In the optimal 3 M LiPF6 electrolyte, the formed SEI membrane is the thinnest, and the LiF content is the highest, so the Cu‐BDC shows a specific charge/discharge capacity of 378/387.2 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1, comparing to less than 200 mAh g−1 in the electrolyte with 1% vinyl carbonate.
Transition‐Metal‐Doped TiO2 Nanorods with High‐Visible‐Light Response via a Simple Hydrothermal Method
Authors: Chen Xin , Cao Zhiyuan , Song Xianyin , Tang Jiu , Lv Yawei , Yang Zhihai , Jiang Changzhong
Published: May 2024

Transition‐metal‐ion doping is an effective method to shorten bandgap and enhance visible‐light absorption of TiO2, but there are still some serious challenges for most doping technologies, such as nonuniform doping, severe lattice damages, metal atoms agglomeration, and inactivated impurities. Herein, a simple and universal hydrothermal method is developed to realize the effective transition‐metal ions doping of TiO2 (including Fe, Co, Mn, Cu, V, and Cr). The photoelectrochemical water splitting performances of Cr‐doped TiO2 nanorods with multifarious Cr ion valence states (Cr3+ or Cr6+ ions), various Cr‐ion concentrations, with or without oxygen vacancy activation are emphatically and systematically studied. Experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the remarkably enhanced carrier separation and injection efficiencies are the key factors to improve the visible‐light photoactivity, benefiting from the homogeneous distribution of impurity atoms and the incorporation of oxygen vacancies. The Cr3+‐ion‐doped TiO2 nanorod arrays with oxygen vacancy activation (Cr3+/Ov–TiO2) displays an impressive incident photon‐to‐electron conversion efficiency of 5.4% at 450 nm visible light, far superior to the pure TiO2 of 0.03%. Furthermore, no obvious photocurrent decay is observed in the Cr3+/Ov–TiO2 photoanode after 12 h continuous light illumination.
Quantification of modeling uncertainty in the Rayleigh damping model
Authors: Ghahari Farid , Sargsyan Khachik , Taciroglu Ertugrul
Published: May 2024

Understanding and accurately characterizing energy dissipation mechanisms in civil structures during earthquakes is an important element of seismic assessment and design. The most commonly used model is attributed to Rayleigh. This paper proposes a systematic approach to quantify the uncertainty associated with Rayleigh's damping model. Bayesian calibration with embedded model error is employed to treat the coefficients of the Rayleigh model as random variables using modal damping ratios. Through a numerical example, we illustrate how this approach works and how the calibrated model can address modeling uncertainty associated with the Rayleigh damping model.
Seismic and radon signatures: A multiparametric approach to monitor surface dynamics of a hazardous 2021 rock–ice avalanche, Chamoli Himalaya
Authors: Tiwari Anil , Sain Kalachand , Tiwari Jyoti , Kumar Amit , Kumar Naresh , Paul Ajay , Shukla Vaishali
Published: May 2024

The observation of precursory signals of the 2021 Chamoli rock–ice avalanche provides an opportunity to investigate the multidisciplinary analysis approach of rock failure. On 7 February 2021, a huge rock–ice mass detached from the Raunthi peak at Chamoli district in Uttarakhand, India. The tragic catastrophe resulted in more than 200 deaths and significant economic losses. Here, we analyse radon concentration and seismic signals to characterise the potential precursory anomalies prior to the detachment. Continuous peaks of radon anomalies were observed from the afternoon of 5 to 7 February and decreased suddenly after the event, while a cumulative number of seismic tremors and amplitude variations are more intensified ~2.30 h before the main event, indicating a static to dynamic phase change within the weak zone. This study not only characterises abnormal signals but also models the rock failure mechanisms. The analysis unveils three time‐dependent nucleation phases, physical mechanisms of signal generation and a complete scenario of physical factors that affected the degree of criticality of slope failure. The results of this study suggest gradual progression of rock cracks/joints, subsequent material creep and slip advancement acceleration preceded the final failure. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of an early warning system to mitigate the impact of events like the 2021 Chamoli rock–ice avalanche.
Novel yttrium and silicon co‐doped Li1.3+x+yAl0.3−xYxTi1.7Siy(P1−yO4)3 solid electrolyte for lithium batteries: Effect on ionic conductivity and crystal structure
Authors: Anwar Hirra , Shahid Hassaan Bin , Ahmad Haseeb , Nasir Khadija , Ali Zeeshan , Ali Ghulam
Published: May 2024

Doping of superfast ionic conductors like NASICON has been shown to boost ionic conductivity and the efficiency of lithium batteries. NASICON‐type yttrium and silicon‐doped lithium aluminum titanium phosphate (LATP) solid electrolytes have been synthesized via the conventional solid‐state method at different sintering temperatures. Their intrinsic physical, chemical, and electrochemical properties are analyzed using x‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Yttrium and silicon co‐doped LATP (LAYTSP) powder sintered at 900°C exhibits homogeneous hexagonal morphology and better crystallinity than the pure LATP solid electrolyte synthesized by the same methodology. LAYSTP demonstrated a higher ionic conductivity of 5.98 × 10−6 S/cm at ambient conditions. Mixing 5%‐LiCl with LAYTSP‐900°C improved the ionic conductivity significantly up to 1.88 × 10−4 S/cm. Cell viability testing demonstrated that our cells exhibit long‐term stability and are suitable for applications requiring sustained high voltages.
Thermo‐physical characterisation of natural rocks and impact analysis of variations in their thermo‐physical properties on thermal storage performance
Authors: Seyitini Luckywell , Belgasim Basim , Enweremadu Christopher C.
Published: May 2024

In this study, the thermal characterisation of natural rock samples from Zimbabwe for low‐temperature industrial thermal energy storage (TES) applications was carried out. Thermal stability, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity and density were determined. Variations in these parameters were evaluated and their impact on thermal storage performance was analysed. Basalt and dolerite samples from different locations were found to have average specific heat capacities of 826 and 853 J/kg K, respectively, at room temperature. Insignificant variations were observed with differences of 3.4% for basalt and 1.7% for dolerite samples. Also, negligible differences of 0.3% and 0.7% in densities for rocks of the same type but of different origins were obtained for basalt and dolerite samples, respectively. However, significant variations in thermal diffusivity of all the igneous and metamorphic samples were observed with quartzite rock exhibiting the highest value of 2.1 × 10−6 m2/s, while the values for the other samples range from 0.9 × 10−6 to 1.6 × 10−6 m2/s. This implies that the thermal efficiency of sensible TES systems that use different or the same rock types from different locations can be significantly high to be overlooked. Thermo‐gravimetric analysis results revealed that the rock samples studied have good thermal stability for low‐temperature heat storage applications.
The wicked problem of naming the intangible: Abstract concepts, binary thinking, and computer vision labels
Authors: Martinez Pandiani Delfina Sol
Published: May 2024

Delving into the intricate complexities of naming and categorizing the visual evocation of abstract concepts, this paper brings to light the limitations of relying on binary thinking to tackle these inherently intricate “wicked problems.” As computer vision applications rapidly expand, the pressing challenge of accurately labeling these abstract concepts in visual media comes into focus, necessitating a close examination of the interplay between visual data, nuanced cultural meanings, and artificial intelligence (AI). This work discusses the role these concepts play in automatic visual indexing, as well as the ways in which they expose how binary frameworks curtail technical performance and perpetuate power dynamics. To address this, the paper draws upon insights from recent cognitive neuroscience research and advocates for a more comprehensive, queer, and situated understanding of these concepts. This approach highlights the significance of humanistic and ethical perspectives in shaping the trajectory of AI development.
An efficient high‐order two‐level explicit/implicit numerical scheme for two‐dimensional time fractional mobile/immobile advection‐dispersion model
Authors: Ngondiep Eric
Published: May 2024

This article constructs a new two‐level explicit/implicit numerical scheme in an approximate solution for the two‐dimensional time fractional mobile/immobile advection‐dispersion problem. The stability and error estimates of the proposed technique are deeply analyzed in the ‐norm. The developed approach is less time consuming, fourth‐order in space and temporal accurate of order , where is the time step and denotes a positive parameter less than 1. This result shows that the two‐level explicit/implicit formulation is faster and more efficient than a large class of numerical schemes widely discussed in the literature for the considered problem. Numerical experiments are performed to verify the theoretical studies and to demonstrate the efficiency of the new numerical method.
Association of body iron stores and anemia in a Ghanaian type‐2 diabetes mellitus population: A multicentered cross‐sectional study
Authors: Boadu Wina I. O. , Owiredu William K. B. A , Donkoh Emmanuel Timmy , Boadu Kwame O. , Kwayie Afia A. , Frimpong Joseph , Anto Enoch O. , Obirikorang Christian , Korsah Emmanuel E. , Ansah Ezekiel , Nyantakyi Michael , Opoku Stephen , Senu Ebenezer , Aboagye Elizabeth
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims

Anemia has been a common comorbidity in most chronic diseases, but has not been well monitored in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of anemia and its nexus with iron stores among T2DM patients in health facilities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Methods

This multicenter cross‐sectional study recruited 213 T2DM out‐patients attending the diabetic clinics at the Kumasi South Hospital and St. Michaels Hospital, Jachie Pramso, Ghana, for routine check‐ups. Self‐reported questionnaires were used to collect sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical data from study participants. Blood samples were collected to estimate hematological parameters and iron stores. Mann–Whitney U test was used to assess the difference in hematological parameters and iron stores between anemic and nonanemic patients. All p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

Of the 213 T2DM participants, the prevalence of anemia was 31.9%. More females 145 (68.1%) were registered than males 68 (31.9%). Anemic patients had significantly lower levels of mean cell volume [79.30/fL vs. 82.60/fL, p = 0.001], mean cell hemoglobin [26.60/pg vs. 27.90/pg, p < 0.0001], and mean cell hemoglobin concentration [33.10/g/dL) vs. 33.80/g/dL, p < 0.0001] than those without anemia. Serum levels of ferritin (p = 0.1140), transferrin (p = 0.5070), iron (p = 0.7950), and total iron binding capacity (p = 0.4610) did not differ significantly between T2DM patients with or without anemia.

Conclusion

Despite the high prevalence of anemia among the T2DM patients in our cohort, patients present with apparently normal iron stores. This unrecognized mild anemia must be frequently monitored among T2DM patients.
Optic nerve head neurovascular assessments in patients with schizophrenia: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Daneshvar Ramin , Naghib Maryam , Fayyazi Bordbar Mohammad Reza , Faridhosseini Farhad , Fotouhi Marziyeh , Motamed Shariati Mehrdad
Published: May 2024

Objective

The retina is a protrusion of the brain, so researchers have recently proposed retinal changes as a new marker for studying central nervous system diseases. To investigate optic nerve head neurovascular structure assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects.

Methods

The study was conducted from 2019 to 2021 at the Ibn Sina Psychiatric Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. We enrolled 22 hospitalized known cases of schizophrenia, treated with risperidone as an antipsychotic drug, and 22 healthy subjects. The two groups were matched in age and gender. In the schizophrenic group, the positive and negative syndrome scale test was used to assess the illness severity. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmic evaluations and OCTA imaging.

Results

We found that the cup/disc area ratio, vertical cup/disc ratio, and horizontal cup/disc ratio are significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy subjects (with p‐values of 0.019, 0.015, and 0.022, respectively). No statistically significant difference in the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and vascular parameters of the optic nerve head was observed between schizophrenia and healthy groups.

Conclusion

We found evidence regarding the difference in the optic nerve head tomographic properties in schizophrenia compared to healthy subjects. However, ONH vascular parameters showed no significant difference. More studies are needed for a definite conclusion.
Outcomes of bladder outlet obstruction following extensive vaginal pelvic reconstruction surgery on patient with advanced pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Chiung Huan‐Ka , Lo Tsia‐Shu , Ayedh Aisha Ayash , Harun Fazlin , Jhang Lan‐Sin , Tan Yiap Loong
Published: May 2024

Objective

To evaluate the impact of extensive vaginal pelvic reconstruction surgery (PRS) on advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP) patients with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO).

Methods

We conducted a single‐center, retrospective analysis of women who received extensive vaginal pelvic reconstruction surgery for advanced POP (POP‐Q ≥3) with BOO from January 2006 to January 2016. Data regarding preoperative evaluation, surgical procedure, and postoperative management were abstracted from medical records. Patients were considered to have BOO when detrusor pressure at maximum flow (Dmax) was ≥20 cm H2O and peak flow rate (Qmax) was ≤15 mL/s. Patients with postoperative value of Dmax lower than 20 cm H2O or Qmax higher than 15 mL/s were regarded as objectively cured.

Results

A total of 1894 patients with POP stages III or IV were assessed. The incidence of BOO was 22.8% (431/1894) within this patient population of advanced POP. One year after the vaginal PRS, the objective cure rate of BOO was 98.1%. Urodynamic parameters showed a significant increase in Qmax (P < 0.001), while Dmax (P < 0.001) and postvoid residual urine (PVR) (P < 0.001) were significantly decreased. Previous POP surgery, native tissue repair (NTR), PVR ≥200 mL, and maximal cystometric capacity (MCC) ≥500 mL increase the likelihood of persistent BOO in patients.

Conclusion

Vaginal PRS demonstrated effectiveness in treating BOO in patients with advanced POP. Irrespective of the types of transvaginal mesh (TVM), using TVM achieved better outcome than did NTR. Previous POP surgery, preoperative PVR ≥200 mL, and MCC ≥500 mL were the risk factors predicting the failure of PRS in improving BOO.
Long‐term impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on ART‐mediated births in Lombardy, Italy
Authors: Esposito Giovanna , Somigliana Edgardo , Viganò Paola , Filippi Francesca , Franchi Matteo , Corrao Giovanni , Parazzini Fabio
Published: May 2024

Synopsis

ART‐mediated births declined between December 2020 and February 2021, followed by a rapid recovery to 2019 levels. In 2022, ART‐mediated births exceeded pre‐pandemic rates.
A region of interest focused Triple UNet architecture for skin lesion segmentation
Authors: Liu Guoqing , Guo Yu , Jin Qiyu , Chen Guoqing , Saheya Barintag , Wu Caiying
Published: May 2024

Skin lesion segmentation is a crucial step for skin lesion analysis and subsequent treatment. However, it is still a challenging task due to the irregular and fuzzy lesion borders, and the diversity of skin lesions. In this article, we propose Triple‐UNet, an organic combination of three UNet architectures with suitable modules, to automatically segment skin lesions. To enhance the target object region of the image, we design a region of interest enhancement module (ROIE) that uses the predicted score map of the first UNet. The enhanced image and the features learned by the first UNet help the second UNet obtain a better score map. Finally, the results are fine‐tuned by the third UNet. We evaluate our algorithm on a publicly available dataset of skin lesion segmentation. Experiments have shown that TripleUNet achieves an accuracy of 92.5% on the ISIC‐2018 skin lesion segmentation benchmark, with Dice and mIoU of 0.909 and 0.836, respectively, which outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art algorithms.
3D‐SRDM: 3D super‐resolution of MRI volumes based on diffusion model
Authors: Wu Zhanxiong , Chen Xuanheng , Yu Jiangnan
Published: May 2024

Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is crucial for diagnosing and understanding neurological disorders, but inherent limitations hinder the visualization of fine details in brain structures. The emergence of super‐resolution techniques, especially deep‐learning methods, has improved imaging quality of MRI, by increasing MRI spatial resolution. At present, deep‐learning algorithms mostly performed super‐resolution on 2D MRI images. However, considering 3D nature of MRI, 3D models are more suitable for brain MRI super‐resolution. To achieve finer brain structural details, this study proposes a 3D brain MRI super‐resolution method based on diffusion model (3D‐SRDM), which is a fast and easily trainable neural network for the generation of high‐resolution brain MRI images. In our 3D‐SRDM model, the self‐attention module in U‐Net is replaced with 3D spatial attention mechanism. The network structure of 3D‐SRDM is optimized to reduce training parameters. Moreover, accelerated sampling from denoising diffusion implicit model is also incorporated to reduce time consumption. By these optimizations, compared with original diffusion model, the proposed model can achieve about 10‐ and 5‐fold speed increase at 4× and 8× super‐resolution of 3D brain MRI volumes, respectively, almost without affecting image quality. Thus, 3D‐SRDM has potential application value in efficiently generating high‐resolution 3D brain MRI images, thus facilitating the doctors' diagnosis.
High‐frequency photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging for skin evaluation: Pilot study for the assessment of a chemical burn
Authors: Benavides‐Lara Juliana , Siegel Amanda P. , Tsoukas Maria M. , Avanaki Kamran
Published: May 2024

Skin architecture and its underlying vascular structure could be used to assess the health status of skin. A non‐invasive, high resolution and deep imaging modality able to visualize skin subcutaneous layers and vasculature structures could be useful for determining and characterizing skin disease and trauma. In this study, a multispectral high‐frequency, linear array‐based photoacoustic/ultrasound (PAUS) probe is developed and implemented for the imaging of rat skin in vivo. The study seeks to demonstrate the probe capabilities for visualizing the skin and its underlying structures, and for monitoring changes in skin structure and composition during a 5‐day course of a chemical burn. We analayze composition of lipids, water, oxy‐hemoglobin, and deoxy‐hemoglobin (for determination of oxygen saturation) in the skin tissue. The study successfully demonstrated the high‐frequency PAUS imaging probe was able to provide 3D images of the rat skin architecture, underlying vasculature structures, and oxygen saturation, water, lipids and total hemoglobin.
Teachability of multispectral optoacoustic tomography
Authors: Li Yi , Gröhl Janek , Haney Briain , Caranovic Milenko , Lorenz‐Meyer Eva , Papatheodorou Nikolaos , Kempf Julius , Regensburger Adrian P. , Nedoschill Emmanuel , Buehler Adrian , Siebenlist Gregor , Lang Werner , Uder Michael , Neurath Markus F. , Waldner Maximilian , Knieling Ferdinand , Rother Ulrich
Published: May 2024

To date, the appropriate training required for the reproducible operation of multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) is poorly discussed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the teachability of MSOT imaging. Five operators (two experienced and three inexperienced) performed repositioning imaging experiments. The inexperienced received the following introductions: personal supervision, video meeting, or printed introduction. The task was to image the exact same position on the calf muscle for seven times on five volunteers in two rounds of investigations. In the first session, operators used ultrasound guidance during measurements while using only photoacoustic data in the second session. The performance comparison was carried out with full‐reference image quality measures to quantitatively assess the difference between repeated scans. The study demonstrates that given a personal supervision and hybrid ultrasound real‐time imaging in MSOT measurements, inexperienced operators are able to achieve the same level as experienced operators in terms of repositioning accuracy.
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A3 binds to the internal ribosomal entry site of enterovirus A71 and affects virus replication in neural cells
Authors: Lin Jhao‐Yin , Lin Jing‐Yi , Kuo Rei‐Lin , Huang Hsing‐I
Published: May 2024

Enterovirus A71 (EV‐A71) belongs to the genus Enterovirus of the Picornaviridae family and often causes outbreaks in Asia. EV‐A71 infection usually causes hand, foot, and mouth disease and can even affect the central nervous system, causing neurological complications or death. The 5′‐untranslated region (5′‐UTR) of EV‐A71 contains an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) that is responsible for the translation of viral proteins. IRES‐transacting factors can interact with the EV‐A71 5′‐UTR to regulate IRES activity. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A3 is a member of the hnRNP A/B protein family of RNA‐binding proteins and is involved in RNA transport and modification. We found that hnRNP A3 knockdown promoted the replication of EV‐A71 in neural calls. Conversely, increasing the expression of hnRNP A3 within cells inhibits the growth of EV‐A71. HnRNP A3 can bind to the EV‐A71 5′‐UTR, and knockdown of hnRNP A3 enhances the luciferase activity of the EV‐A71 5′‐UTR IRES. The localization of hnRNP A3 shifts from the nucleus to the cytoplasm of infected cells during viral infection. Additionally, EV‐A71 infection can increase the protein expression of hnRNP A3, and the protein level is correlated with efficient viral growth. Based on these findings, we concluded that hnRNP A3 plays a negative regulatory role in EV‐A71 replication within neural cells.
Targeting endothelial PDGFR‐β facilitates angiogenesis‐associated bone formation through the PAK1/NICD axis
Authors: Lin Hancheng , Lin Rongmin , Hou Jiahui , Zhu Chencheng , Liu Guanqiao , Lin Yihuang , Su Jianwen , Yang Mankai , Yang Bingsheng , Ma Yuan , Cheng Caiyu , Deng Mingye , Yu Bin , Xu Ting , Wu HangTian , Cui Zhuang
Published: May 2024

The intricate orchestration of osteoporosis (OP) pathogenesis remains elusive. Mounting evidence suggests that angiogenesis‐driven osteogenesis serves as a crucial foundation for maintaining bone homeostasis. This study aimed to explore the potential of the endothelial platelet‐derived growth factor receptor‐β (PDGFR‐β) in mitigating bone loss through its facilitation of H‐type vessel formation. Our findings demonstrate that the expression level of endothelial PDGFR‐β is reduced in samples obtained from individuals suffering from OP, as well as in ovariectomy mice. Depletion of PDGFR‐β in endothelial cells ameliorates angiogenesis‐mediated bone formation in mice. The regulatory influence of endothelial PDGFR‐β on H‐type vessels is mediated through the PDGFRβ‐P21‐activated kinase 1‐Notch1 intracellular domain signaling cascade. In particular, the endothelium‐specific enhancement of PDGFR‐β facilitates H‐type vessels and their associated bone formation in OP. Hence, the strategic targeting of endothelial PDGFR‐β emerges as a promising therapeutic approach for the management of OP in the near future.
A morphology‐based integrated teaching mode combining pathology and radiology with the aid of teaching media: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zhang Baoping , Zhang Zhidong , Guo Dingcheng , Yan Yimin , Wang Di , Wang Huihui , Lu Lizhi , Zhang Kailiang , Zhang Jie , Liu Bin
Published: May 2024

Objective

The integration of curriculum is an important approach for enhancing medical education and facilitating interdisciplinary connections among students. This study aimed to develop a new morphological integrated teaching mode for undergraduate stomatology education by combining stomatological pathology and radiology courses with instructional media.

Methods

In total, 63 undergraduates were included in this study and divided into three groups: traditional (Group T; the control group) and two experimental groups: KoPa WiFi EDU (Group K), and KoPa WiFi EDU‐cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) (Group K‐C). All participants attended a 2‐h lecture on periapical cysts and completed the first theoretical test. Subsequently, they underwent a 4‐h experimental training session on the pathology and radiology of periapical cysts using different teaching methods. Following the training, participants completed the second theoretical test and underwent the first image‐reading skill evaluation. After a 3‐month period, participants completed the third theoretical test and underwent the second image‐reading skill evaluation. The effectiveness of the teaching methods was assessed by analyzing the differences in theoretical test and experimental skill evaluation scores.

Results

There were no significant differences in the first theoretical outcomes among three groups (p > 0.05). However, the second theoretical scores, the first objective evaluation scores, and the first subjective evaluation scores were significantly higher in the integrated teaching mode (3D teaching mode with the KoPa WiFi EDU and CBCT: 89.29 ± 4.55, 81.00 ± 8.15, and 61.57 ± 5.52, respectively; 2D teaching mode with the KoPa WiFi EDU system: 80.43 ± 3.41, 73.00 ± 8.01, and 55.67 ± 5.66, respectively) than in the traditional teaching mode (72.57 ± 3.84, 69.38 ± 4.91, and 48.67 ± 5.54, respectively) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the long‐term teaching effect of the integrated mode was better than that of the traditional mode (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The morphology‐based integrated teaching mode combining pathology and radiology aroused student enthusiasm for learning, and resulted in enhanced learning outcomes in dental experimental education.
Scale morphology variability in cyprinid fishes and its significance in taxonomy using light and scanning electron microscopy: A case study of the genus Garra Hamilton, 1822 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
Authors: Faal Sima Aslan , Esmaeili Hamid Reza , Teimori Azad , Shahhossein Gholamreza , Gholamhosseini Ali , Reichenbacher Bettina
Published: May 2024

To evaluate scale morphological variability (shape, size, topological macro‐ and microstructures, ornamentation patterns) of cyprinid fishes, nine species of the genus Garra were selected and their scales from five different body regions were studied by using light and scanning electron microscopy. The scales of the examined species were thin with a central or antero–centrally positioned focus, with no cteni in the posterior part. In addition to these typical characteristics, some morphological variation was observed in the overall shape (irregular round, true oval, round‐triangular, irregular pentagonal, hexagonal, irregular hexagonal, pentagonal, ovoid), and the focus shape. These variations were mainly dependent on the fish lengths and the flank region. Morphological analysis clustered the examined species into two distinct groups. Group I consisted of G. amirhosseini and G. gymnothorax, while Group II has three subgroups, which include G. persica and G. mondica (subgroup I), G. meymehensis, G. rossica, G. nudiventris, G. hormuzensis (subgroup II), and G. rufa (subgroup III). The grouping of the studied Garra species based on the current scale morphological characters and the molecular data was only consistent for G. rossica and G. nudiventris. In addition, in the phylogenetic tree, G. persica, G. mondica, G. amirhosseini, and G. hormuzensis formed a distinct clade. However, these species did not represent close relationships in the dendrogram obtained from the scale morphology. A possible explanation why the grouping of the studied Garra species based on their scale morphological characters does not match their phylogenetic relationships is that most of the scale morphological traits vary depending on the fish size and the location of the scales on the flank. Therefore, except for some traits, that is, central or antero–centrally positioned focus, having no cteni, a specific sectioned form so called “tetra‐sectioned” type, the other examined variables are not useful enough to be used in the taxonomic study of the examined cyprinid fishes. Therefore, scale morphological characters should be used carefully for taxonomic purposes.

Research Highlights

Shape, size, topological macro‐ and microstructures, and ornamentation patterns of nine species of the genus Garra were studied by using light and scanning electron microscopy.

The scales were thin with a central or antero–centrally positioned focus, with no cteni in the posterior part.

Morphological variation was observed in the overall shape (irregular round, true oval, round‐triangular, irregular pentagonal, hexagonal, irregular hexagonal, pentagonal, and ovoid), and the focus shape.

The grouping of Garra species based on the current scale morphological characters and the molecular data was only consistent for G. rossica and G. nudiventris.
Developmental events in the mandibular salivary gland of Indian sheep (Ovis aries): Morphological and histochemical studies
Authors: Singh Amandeep , Kaur Simran , Singh Opinder
Published: May 2024

At 22nd day of fetal development, the primordial anlage of mandibular gland was first noticed as a solid epithelial bud from oral epithelium. The terminal buds were arranged in the form of clusters with undifferentiated epithelial cells and terminated in a bulb like structure in 28‐day‐old fetus. The lumenization and branching of the main cord was noticed at 35th day. The primary septa, which divide the glandular mass into lobes was observed from 53rd day onwards which resulted in the formation of distinct lobulation at 58th day. At 61st day, the capsule formation was initiated by the aggregation of mesenchymal tissue. The terminal tubules differentiated to form the secretory end pieces and the tubular portion leads to the formation of intercalated and striated ducts at 98th day. Predominantly mucous types of acinar cells were seen from 108th day onwards. The number of lobules increased with steep increase in parenchyma from 128th day onwards. Micrometrical studies revealed that the mean diameter of acinar cells and all ducts was increased with the advancement of age and the significant differences were observed between groups. Localization of acidic and neutral mucopolysaccharides was observed in mucous cells and goblet cells.

Research Highlights

The primordial anlage of mandibular salivary gland was seen at 22nd day. Lobulation of gland was appeared at 53rd day of development, however; it was completed at 58th day.

At 98th day, the terminal tubules differentiated to form the secretory end pieces. The parenchyma of the gland showed predominantly mucous type of cells from 108th day onwards.

Myoepithelial cells were first appeared as flattened basal cells initially around the developing acinar cells at 132nd day.

Localization of acidic as well as neutral mucopolysaccharides was observed in mucous cells and goblet cells.

Fine lipid droplets were observed in intralobular as well as interlobular connective tissue, however; phospholipids were observed in the cell membrane of secretory cells and ducts.