bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The value of the first postoperative diagnostic I-131 scan in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Ran Bingyu , Shang Jingjie , Chen Yong , Zhou Miaoli , Li Huihu , He Wenjun , Li Yingxin , Cai Qijun , Guo Bin , Gong Jian , Xu Hao
Published: February 2024

Objective

To explore the feasibility of the postoperative diagnostic 131I whole-body planar scans (Dx-WBS) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients, and to clarify its value for accurate staging, risk stratification, and postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment management.

Design

Retrospective study from 2015 to 2021.

Setting

A total of 1294 PTC patients in the tertiary referral hospital.

Participants

Patients with differentiated thyroid cancer who underwent total/subtotal thyroidectomy were included. Patients with non-PTC pathological type, non-first RAI treatment, and incomplete data such as Dx-WBS and postablation WBS (Rx-WBS) were excluded.

Methods

The diagnostic efficacy of Dx-WBS was calculated with Rx-WBS as the reference. All patients were initially staged by the 8th edition of TNM staging, and risk stratification was performed based on clinical and pathological information. After Dx-WBS, the risk stratification was re-evaluated, and management was reconfirmed.

Results

The detection rates of Dx-WBS for residual thyroid, cervical lymph nodes, upper mediastinal lymph nodes, lung, and bone distant metastasis were 97.6%, 78.3%, 82.1%, 66.7%, and 61.2%, respectively. The risk stratification of 113 patients (8.7%) changed after Dx-WBS, of which 107 patients changed from low to intermediate risk, 2 from low to high risk, and 4 from medium to high risk. A total of 241 patients (18.6%) adjusted the RAI regimen after Dx-WBS.

Conclusion

This study confirms the diagnostic efficacy of the postoperative Dx-WBS in PTC patients and the value of Dx-WBS in accurately assessing risk stratification, as well as assisting in determining RAI treatment.
Improved 18S rDNA profiling of parasite communities in salmonid tissues using a host blocking primer
Authors: Patchett Amanda L. , Rigby Megan L. , Wynne James W.
Published: February 2024

Sensitive screening of eukaryotic communities in aquaculture for research and management is limited by the availability of technologies that can detect invading pathogens in an unbiased manner. Amplicon sequencing of 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) provides a potential pan-diagnostic test to overcome these biases; however, this technique is limited by a swamping effect of host DNA on low abundance parasite DNA. In this study, we have adapted a host 18S rDNA blocking assay to amplify eukaryotic DNA from salmonid tissue for amplicon sequencing. We demonstrate that effective salmonid 18S rDNA blocking enables sensitive detection of parasite genera in salmonid gill swabs. Furthermore, 18S rDNA amplicon sequencing with host blocking identified enriched pathogen communities in gill swabs from Atlantic salmon suffering from severe clinical gill infections compared to those exhibiting no clinical signs of gill infection. Application of host 18S rDNA blocking in salmonid samples led to improved detection of the amoebic parasite Neoparamoeba perurans, a parasite of significant threat to the Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry. These results reveal host 18S rDNA blocking as an effective strategy to improve the profiling and detection of parasitic communities in aquaculture species. This assay can be readily adapted to any animal species for improved eukaryotic profiling across agricultural and veterinary industries.
Variable practice is superior to self-directed training for laparoscopic simulator training: a randomized trial
Authors: Vamadevan Anishan , Konge Lars , Bjerrum Flemming
Published: February 2024

Background

Mastering laparoscopy is challenging—it requires specific psychomotor skills which are difficult to obtain in the operating room without potentially compromising patient safety. Proficiency-based training programs using virtual reality simulators allow novices to practice and develop their skills in a patient-safe learning environment. Variable practice leads to stronger retention and skills transfer in a non-surgical setting. The objective of this trial was to investigate if variable practice was superior to self-directed training.

Methods

A randomized trial where participants (n = 36) were randomized to proficiency-based laparoscopic simulator training of basic skills using either variable practice or self-directed training, followed by a transfer test with proficiency-based training on a procedural task (a salpingectomy). All participants returned after a period of 3–5 weeks to perform a retention test. Results: The mean time to proficiency for the basic skills tasks were 119 min (SD: 93) for the variable practice group versus 182 min (SD: 46) for the self-directed training group (p = 0.015). The time to reach proficiency during the transfer test was 103 min (SD: 57) versus 183 min (SD: 64) for the variable practice group versus the self-directed training group, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean time to proficiency for the retention test was 51 min (SD: 26) and 109 min (SD: 53) for the variable practice group and self-directed training group, respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Variable practice is superior to self-directed training for proficiency-based laparoscopic training. With variable time to practice proficiency is reduced, there is higher transfer to a procedural task, and retention is improved.
Physical activity and pain in people with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Peters Mitchell , Butson Grace , Mizrahi David , Denehy Linda , Lynch Brigid M. , Swain Christopher T. V.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Physical activity can provide analgesic benefit but its effect on cancer-related pain is unclear. This review synthesised and appraised the evidence for the effect of physical activity on pain in people living with or beyond cancer.

Methods

A systematic search of Ovid Medline and Embase was performed to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs), randomised cross-over studies (RXTs), and prospective observational studies that examined physical activity and pain outcomes in adults living with or beyond cancer. Meta-analyses were performed to generate effect estimates. Risk of bias was assessed, and the GRADE system was used to assess evidence quality.

Results

One hundred twenty-one studies (n = 13,806), including 102 RCTs, 6 RXTs, and 13 observational studies, met the criteria for inclusion. Meta-analyses of RCTs identified a decrease in pain intensity (n = 3734; standardised mean difference (SMD) − 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) − 0.45, − 0.15) and bodily pain (n = 1170; SMD 0.28; 95% CI 0.01, 0.56) but not pain interference (n = 207; SMD − 0.13, 95% CI − 0.42, 0.15) following physical activity interventions. Individual studies also identified a reduction in pain sensitivity but not analgesic use, although meta-analysis was not possible for these outcomes. High heterogeneity between studies, low certainty in some effect estimates, and possible publication bias meant that evidence quality was graded as very low to low.

Conclusion

Physical activity may decrease pain in people living with and beyond cancer; however, high heterogeneity limits the ability to generalise this finding to all people with cancer or to specific types of cancer-related pain.
New Conservation Laws and Energy Cascade for 1d Cubic NLS and the Schrödinger Map
Authors: Banica Valeria , Vega Luis
Published: February 2024

We recall some recent results concerning the Initial Value Problem of 1d-cubic non-linear Schrödinger equation (NLS) and other related systems as the Schrödinger Map. For the latter we prove the existence of a cascade of energy. Finally, some new examples of the Talbot effect at the critical level of regularity are given.
Predicting T-Cell Lymphoma in Children From 18F-FDG PET-CT Imaging With Multiple Machine Learning Models
Authors: Yang Taiyu , Liu Danyan , Zhang Zexu , Sa Ri , Guan Feng
Published: February 2024

This study aimed to examine the feasibility of utilizing radiomics models derived from 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging to screen for T-cell lymphoma in children with lymphoma. All patients had undergone 18F-FDG PET/CT scans. Lesions were extracted from PET/CT and randomly divided into training and validation sets. Two different types of models were constructed as follows: features that are extracted from standardized uptake values (SUV)-associated parameters, and CT images were used to build SUV/CT-based model. Features that are derived from PET and CT images were used to build PET/CT-based model. Logistic regression (LR), linear support vector machine, support vector machine with the radial basis function kernel, neural networks, and adaptive boosting were performed as classifiers in each model. In the training sets, 77 patients, and 247 lesions were selected for building the models. In the validation sets, PET/CT-based model demonstrated better performance than that of SUV/CT-based model in the prediction of T-cell lymphoma. LR showed highest accuracy with 0.779 [0.697, 0.860], area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with 0.863 [0.762, 0.963], and preferable goodness-of-fit in PET/CT-based model at the patient level. LR also showed best performance with accuracy of 0.838 [0.741, 0.936], AUC of 0.907 [0.839, 0.976], and preferable goodness-of-fit in PET/CT-based model at the lesion level. 18F-FDG PET/CT-based radiomics models with different machine learning classifiers were able to screen T-cell lymphoma in children with high accuracy, AUC, and preferable goodness-of-fit, providing incremental value compared with SUV-associated features.
From goat-fall to modern epilepsy surgery—the development of epilepsy care in Norway
Authors: Nakken Karl O. , Tuft Mia , Henning Oliver
Published: February 2024

Throughout history, epilepsy has been considered a mysterious and unexplained illness. People with tonic–clonic seizures were believed to be possessed by evil spirits, and in Norway, as in many other countries, these people were stigmatized, discriminated against, and often excluded from society. Only in the second part of the 19th century did a shift take place from a magical to a scientific view of the disease. Nevertheless, until the middle of the 20th century epilepsy was confused with psychiatric illness in Norway. Although people with epilepsy today are not stigmatized to the same degree as before, we still have some way to go.
A stakeholder-guided marine heatwave hazard index for fisheries and aquaculture
Authors: Kajtar Jules B. , Holbrook Neil J. , Lyth Anna , Hobday Alistair J. , Mundy Craig N. , Ugalde Sarah C.
Published: February 2024

Marine heatwaves pose an increasing threat to fisheries and aquaculture around the world under climate change. However, the threat has not been estimated for the coming decades in a form that meets the needs of these industries. Tasmanian fisheries and aquaculture in southeast Australia have been severely impacted by marine heatwaves in recent years, especially the oyster, abalone, and salmon industries. In a series of semi-structured interviews with key Tasmanian fishery and aquaculture stakeholders, information was gathered about the following: (i) the impacts they have experienced to date from marine heatwaves, (ii) their planning for future marine heatwaves, and (iii) the information that would be most useful to aid planning. Using CMIP6 historical and future simulations of sea surface temperatures around Tasmania, we developed a marine heatwave hazard index guided by these stakeholder conversations. The region experienced a severe marine heatwave during the austral summer of 2015/16, which has been used here as a reference point to define the index. Our marine heatwave hazard index shows that conditions like those experienced in 2015/16 are projected to occur approximately 1-in-5 years by the 2050s under a low emissions scenario (SSP1-2.6) or 1-in-2 years under a high emissions scenario (SSP5-8.5). Increased frequency of marine heatwaves will likely reduce productivity by both direct (mortality) and in-direct (ecosystem change, greater incidence of disease) impacts on target species. The illustrative hazard index is one step towards a marine heatwave risk index, which would also need to consider aspects of exposure and vulnerability to be of greater utility to stakeholders.
E-commerce food choice in the west: comparing business-to-consumer, online-to-offline food delivery service, and click and collect
Authors: Wang Ou , Perez-Cueto Federico J. A. , Scrimgeour Frank
Published: February 2024

This study aims to explore the significant factors driving food consumption through three e-commerce modes: Business-to-Consumer, Online-to-Offline Food Delivery Service, and Click & Collect in developed Western countries. A total of 1,461 samples were collected through online surveys in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. Descriptive analysis and ordered logistic regression were employed for data analyses. Overall, consumers’ food consumption frequencies with e-commerce were found to be significantly influenced by several socio-demographics, e-commerce food choice motives, innovation-adoption characteristics and e-service quality attributes.
P53 Alleviates the Progression of Periodontitis by Reducing M1-type Macrophage Differentiation
Authors: Liu Tingting , Chen Dongru , Tang Shanshan , Zou Zhaolei , Yang Fangyi , Zhang Yutian , Wang Dikan , Lu Huanzi , Liao Guiqing , Liu Xiangqi
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Our objective is to explore the effect of P53 on the progression of periodontitis by regulating macrophages differentiation both in vitro and in vivo. Eighteen normal and periodontitis gingival tissues were collected for detecting P53 expression and macrophages infiltration by immunofluorescence, real-time PCR (qPCR) and western-blot. The differentiation and the inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) expression of THP-1, RAW264.7 and bone marrow derived macrophage (BMDM) cells, treating with Pifithrin-α (P53 inhibitor) or Nutlin-3a (P53 activator) under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, were observed by flow cytometry, qPCR and ELISA. The severity of periodontitis, inflammatory cytokines expression and macrophages infiltration were measured in experimental periodontitis wild-type mice and p53 gene conditional knocked-out (p53-CKO) mice, which were established by ligation and LPS injection. A higher number of P53-positive macrophages was found infiltrated in periodontitis tissues. In vitro experiments showed that compared with Nutlin-3a, the proportion of M1-type macrophages and the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 were higher in Pifithrin-α treated cells under LPS stimulation. In vivo experimental periodontitis mice, the Pifithrin-α intraperitoneal injection group showed greater alveolar bone loss, higher levels of TNF-α and IL-6 secretion and more M1-type macrophages infiltration, while the Nutlin-3a intraperitoneal injection group were observed mild symptoms compared with mice in the periodontitis group. P53-CKO mice exhibited more severe periodontitis and more M1-type macrophages infiltrated in local tissues compared with wild-type mice. The activation of p53 gene could alleviate periodontitis by reducing M1-type macrophage polarization. P53 may serve as keeper in the progression of periodontitis, providing new insights into periodontitis treatment.
Electrical Resistivity of Lead-Free Solders Reinforced by Carbon Nanospheres
Authors: Plevachuk Yu. , Poverzhuk V. , Svec P. , Svec P. , Janotová I. , Janickovic D. , Rud A.
Published: February 2024

Electrical resistivity of the nanocomposites Sn96.5Ag3Cu0.5 and Sn95,5Ag3,8Cu0,7 lead-free solder alloys with minor admixtures of carbon nanospheres (0.05 wt%) was measured in a wide temperature range, including a melting-solidification region. Influence of the carbon nanospheres content on electrical resistivity values has been analyzed. Carbon nanospheres were obtained by electrical discharge method from diesel fuel, cyclohexane, and aviation kerosene. The matrix samples were produced by planar flow casting technique in the form of thin ribbons. Electrical resistivity measurements were performed using four-probe method. Hysteresis between the heating and cooling electrical resistivity curves relates to the non-equilibrium solidification.
Electrochemical properties of magnetite nanoparticles supported on carbon paste electrode in various electrolyte solutions: A study by cyclic voltammetry
Authors: Corsini M. , Fabrizi de Biani F. , Atrei A.
Published: February 2024

Electrochemical properties of magnetite nanoparticles supported on carbon paste electrodes were investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry. The measurements were performed for bare and coated with citrate magnetite nanoparticles in aqueous solutions of various electrolytes: NaCl, NaClO4, and Na2HPO4. Cyclic voltammetry curves obtained on bare and citrate functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles are rather similar indicating that the electrochemical properties of the magnetite nanoparticles are not significantly affected by the citrate coating. Cyclic voltammetry scans reveal the formation of metallic iron below −1.2 V. The defective structure of the oxide phases formed by oxidation of metallic iron seems to play an important role in the chemisorption of chloride ions and their subsequent oxidation.

Graphical Abstract
Chain algebras of finite distributive lattices
Authors: Gasanova Oleksandra , Nicklasson Lisa
Published: February 2024

We introduce a family of toric algebras defined by maximal chains of a finite distributive lattice. Applying results on stable set polytopes, we conclude that every such algebra is normal and Cohen–Macaulay, and give an interpretation of its Krull dimension in terms of the combinatorics of the underlying lattice. When the lattice is planar, we show that the corresponding chain algebra is generated by a sortable set of monomials and is isomorphic to a Hibi ring of another finite distributive lattice. As a consequence, it has a defining toric ideal with a quadratic Gröbner basis, and itsh-vector counts ascents in certain standard Young tableaux. If instead the lattice has dimension$$n>2$$n>2, we show that the defining ideal has minimal generators of degree at leastn.
Association between left atrial low-voltage area and induction and recurrence of macroreentrant atrial tachycardia in pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation
Authors: Sonoda Koichiro , Fukushima Tadatomo , Takei Asumi , Otsuka Kaishi , Hata Shiro , Shinboku Hiroki , Muroya Takahiro , Maemura Koji
Published: February 2024

Background

The relationship between induction and recurrence due to atrial tachycardia (AT) and left atrial (LA) matrix progression after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation remains unclear.

Methods

One hundred fifty-two consecutive patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF who underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and cavo-tricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation and achieved sinus rhythm before the procedure were classified into three groups according to the AT pattern induced after the procedure: group N (non-induced), F (focal pattern), and M (macroreentrant pattern) in 3D mapping.

Results

The total rate of AT induction was 19.7% (30/152) in groups F (n = 13) and M (n = 17). Patients in group M were older than those in groups N and F, with higher CHADS2/CHA2DS2-VASc values, left atrial enlargement, and low-voltage area (LVA) size of LA. The receiver operating characteristic curve determined that the cut-off LVA for macroreentrant AT induction was 8.8 cm2 (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75–0.97). The recurrence of AT at 36 months in group N was 4.1% (5/122), and at the second ablation, all patients had macroreentrant AT. Patients with AT recurrence in group N had a wide LVA at the first ablation, and the cut-off LVA for AT recurrence was 6.5 cm2 (AUC 0.94, 95%CI 0.88–0.99). Adjusted multivariate analysis showed that only LVA size was associated with the recurrence of macroreentrant AT (odds ratio 1.21, 95%CI 1.04–1.51).

Conclusions

It is important to develop a therapeutic strategy based on the LVA size to suppress the recurrence of AT in these patients.

Graphical abstract
High Prevalence of Long COVID in Common Variable Immunodeficiency: An Italian Multicentric Study
Authors: Villa Annalisa , Milito Cinzia , Deiana Carla Maria , Finco Gambier Renato , Punziano Alessandra , Buso Helena , Bez Patrick , Lagnese Gianluca , Garzi Giulia , Costanzo Giulia , Giannuzzi Gloria , Pagnozzi Chiara , Dalm Virgil A. S. H. , Spadaro Giuseppe , Rattazzi Marcello , Cinetto Francesco , Firinu Davide
Published: February 2024

The long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection represent a relevant global health problem. Long COVID (LC) is defined as a complex of signs and symptoms developed during or after SARS-CoV-2 infection and lasting > 12 weeks. In common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) patients, we previously reported higher risk of hospitalization and death during SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as prolonged swab positivity and frequent reinfections. The aim of the present study was to assess the risk of LC in an Italian cohort of CVID patients. We used a translated version of the survey proposed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collect data on LC. In the enrolled cohort of 175 CVID patients, we found a high prevalence of LC (65.7%). The most frequent LC symptoms were fatigue (75.7%), arthralgia/myalgia (48.7%), and dyspnea (41.7%). The majority of patients (60%) experienced prolonged symptoms, for at least 6 months after infection. In a multivariate analysis, the presence of complicated phenotype (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.88–5.03; p = 0.015), obesity (OR 11.17, 95% CI 1.37–90.95; p = 0.024), and female sex (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.09–3.89; p = 0.024) significantly correlated with the development of LC. In conclusion, in this multicenter observational cohort study, we demonstrated that CVID patients present an increased prevalence of LC when compared to the general population. Improved awareness on the risk of LC in CVID patients could optimize management of this new and alarming complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Paternalism at a Distance
Authors: Turner Jonathan
Published: February 2024

I argue that the distance between state and citizen gives state paternalism a pro tanto advantage over paternalism between individuals. Pace Jonathan Quong, the state neither denies nor diminishes my moral status by acting on a justified negative judgment about my rational or volitional capacities. Nor does its failure to paternalize on the basis of detailed information about individuals constitute a source of disrespect. Rather, the less discriminating nature of general legislation both reduces the risk of social stigmatization and avoids a problematic dynamic with the paternalizee. But paternalistic policies may give us reason to be concerned about superiority or contempt in policy-makers towards the citizens at whom they are directed. Governments must remain ‘faceless’ enough for paternalism to operate at a distance, but they must reassure the governed that the judgment that they can do better for them does not conceal the attitude that they are better than them.
An autonomous low-cost studio to record production-ready instructional videos
Authors: Barra Enrique , Vives Juan Quemada , López-Pernas Sonsoles , Méndez Aldo Gordillo , González Álvaro Alonso , Fuentetaja Abel Carril
Published: February 2024

Producing high-quality educational videos usually requires a large budget as it involves the use of expensive recording studios, the presence of a technician during the entire recording session and often post-production tasks. The high costs associated with video production represent a major hindrance for many educational institutions and, thus, many teachers regard high-quality video recording as inaccessible. As a remedy to this situation, this article presents SAGA (Autonomous Advanced Recording Studio in its Spanish acronym), a low-cost autonomous recording set that allows teachers to produce educational content in video format in an agile way and without the need for post-production. The article provides an overview of SAGA, including a description of its hardware and software so that anyone with basic technical knowledge can replicate and operate the system. SAGA has been used to record more than 1,500 videos including the contents of six MOOCs hosted on the MiriadaX platform, as well as four courses at UPM. SAGA has been evaluated in two ways: (1) from the video producers’ perspective, it was evaluated with a questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model, and (2) from the video consumers’ perspective, a questionnaire was conducted among MOOC participants to assess the perceived technical quality of the videos recorded with SAGA. The results show a very positive general opinion of the SAGA system, the recorded videos and the technical features thereof. Thus, SAGA represents a good opportunity for all those educational institutions and teachers interested in producing high-quality educational videos at a low cost.
An unrestricted Arnold’s cat map transformation
Authors: Turan Mehmet , Gökçay Erhan , Tora Hakan
Published: February 2024

The Arnold’s Cat Map (ACM) is one of the chaotic transformations, which is utilized by numerous scrambling and encryption algorithms in Information Security. Traditionally, the ACM is used in image scrambling whereby repeated application of the ACM matrix, any image can be scrambled. The transformation obtained by the ACM matrix is periodic; therefore, the original image can be reconstructed using the scrambled image whenever the elements of the matrix, hence the key, is known. The transformation matrices in all the chaotic maps employing ACM has limitations on the choice of the free parameters which generally require the area-preserving property of the matrix used in transformation, that is, the determinant of the transformation matrix to be $$\pm 1.$$

±
1
.

This reduces the number of possible set of keys which leads to discovering the ACM matrix in encryption algorithms using the brute-force method. Additionally, the period obtained is small which also causes the faster discovery of the original image by repeated application of the matrix. These two parameters are important in a brute-force attack to find out the original image from a scrambled one. The objective of the present study is to increase the key space of the ACM matrix, hence increase the security of the scrambling process and make a brute-force attack more difficult. It is proved mathematically that area-preserving property of the traditional matrix is not required for the matrix to be used in scrambling process. Removing the restriction enlarges the maximum possible key space and, in many cases, increases the period as well. Additionally, it is supplied experimentally that, in scrambling images, the new ACM matrix is equivalent or better compared to the traditional one with longer periods. Consequently, the encryption techniques with ACM become more robust compared to the traditional ones. The new ACM matrix is compatible with all algorithms that utilized the original matrix. In this novel contribution, we proved that the traditional enforcement of the determinant of the ACM matrix to be one is redundant and can be removed.
An Enhanced Extreme Learning Machine Based on Square-Root Lasso Method
Authors: Genç Murat
Published: February 2024

Extreme learning machine (ELM) is one of the most notable machine learning algorithms with many advantages, especially its training speed. However, ELM has some drawbacks such as instability, poor generalizability and overfitting in the case of multicollinearity in the linear model. This paper introduces square-root lasso ELM (SQRTL-ELM) as a novel regularized ELM algorithm to deal with these drawbacks of ELM. A modified version of the alternating minimization algorithm is used to obtain the estimates of the proposed method. Various techniques are presented to determine the tuning parameter of SQRTL-ELM. The method is compared with the basic ELM, RIDGE-ELM, LASSO-ELM and ENET-ELM on six benchmark data sets. Performance evaluation results show that the SQRTL-ELM exhibits satisfactory performance in terms of testing root mean squared error in benchmark data sets for the sake of slightly extra computation time. The superiority level of the method depends on the tuning parameter selection technique. As a result, the proposed method can be considered a powerful alternative to avoid performance loss in regression problems .
Besicovitch Almost Anti-periodic Solution of Octonion-Valued Cohen–Grossberg Neural Networks with Delays on Time Scales
Authors: Li Yongkun , Qi Weiwei
Published: February 2024

In this work, we put forward a concept of Besicovitch almost anti-periodic functions on time scales, which is new even when time scale $$\mathbb {T}=\mathbb {R}$$

T
=
R

or $$\mathbb {Z}$$
Z
. Based on this, we use the fixed point theorem and analytical techniques to obtain the existence, uniqueness and global exponential stability of Besicovitch almost anti-periodic solutions for a class of octonion-valued Cohen–Grossberg neural networks with time delays on time scales. Finally, the validity of the results is verified by a numerical example.
Image Contour Detection Based on Visual Pathway Information Transfer Mechanism
Authors: Cai Pingping , Cai Zhefei , Fan Yingle , Wu Wei
Published: February 2024

Based on the coding mechanism and interactive features of visual information in the visual pathway, a new method of image contour detection is proposed. Firstly, simulating the visual adaptation characteristics of retinal ganglion cells, an adaptation & sensitization regulation model (ASR) based on the adaptation-sensitization characteristics is proposed, which introduces a sinusoidal function curve modulated by amplitude, frequency and initial phase to dynamically adjusted color channel response information and enhance the response of color edges. Secondly, the color antagonism characteristic is introduced to process the color edge responses, and the obtained primary contour responses is fed forward to the dorsal pathway across regions. Then, the coding characteristics of the “angle” information in the V2 region are simulated, and a double receptive fields model (DRFM) is constructed to compensate for the missing detailed contours in the generation of primary contour responses. Finally, a new double stream information fusion model (DSIF) is proposed, which simulates the dorsal overall contour information flow by the across-region response weighted fusion mechanism, and introduces the multi-directional fretting to simulate the fine-tuning characteristics of ventral detail features simultaneously, extracting the significant contours by weighted fusion of dorsal and ventral information streams. In this paper, the natural images in BSDS500 and NYUD datasets are used as experimental data, and the average optimal F-score of the proposed method is 0.72 and 0.69, respectively. The results show that the proposed method has better results in texture suppression and significant contour extraction than the comparison method.
Neural Generalization of Multiple Kernel Learning
Authors: Ghanizadeh Ahmad Navid , Ghiasi-Shirazi Kamaledin , Monsefi Reza , Qaraei Mohammadreza
Published: February 2024

Multiple Kernel Learning (MKL) is a conventional way to learn the kernel function in kernel-based methods. MKL algorithms enhance the performance of kernel methods. However, these methods have a lower complexity compared to deep models and are inferior to them regarding recognition accuracy. Deep learning models can learn complex functions by applying nonlinear transformations to data through several layers. In this paper, we show that a typical MKL algorithm can be interpreted as a one-layer neural network with linear activation functions. By this interpretation, we propose a Neural Generalization of Multiple Kernel Learning (NGMKL), which extends the conventional MKL framework to a multi-layer neural network with nonlinear activation functions. Our experiments show that the proposed method, which has a higher complexity than traditional MKL methods, leads to higher recognition accuracy on several benchmarks.
Neural Correlates of Semantic Interference and Phonological Facilitation in Picture Naming: A Systematic Review and Coordinate-Based Meta-analysis
Authors: Arrigoni Eleonora , Rappo Eleonora , Papagno Costanza , Romero Lauro Leonor J. , Pisoni Alberto
Published: February 2024

Semantic interference (SI) and phonological facilitation (PF) effects occur when multiple representations are co-activated simultaneously in complex naming paradigms, manipulating the context in which word production is set. Although the behavioral consequences of these psycholinguistic effects are well-known, the involved brain structures are still controversial. This paper aims to provide a systematic review and a coordinate-based meta-analysis of the available functional neuroimaging studies investigating SI and PF in picture naming paradigms. The included studies were fMRI experiments on healthy subjects, employing paradigms in which co-activations of representations were obtained by manipulating the naming context using semantically or phonologically related items. We examined the principal methodological aspects of the included studies, emphasizing the existing commonalities and discrepancies across single investigations. We then performed an exploratory coordinate-based meta-analysis of the reported activation peaks of neural response related to SI and PF. Our results consolidated previous findings regarding the involvement of the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left middle temporal gyrus in SI and brought out the role of bilateral inferior parietal regions in PF.
Development of an ultra-short measure of eight domains of health-related quality of life for research and clinical care: the patient-reported outcomes measurement information system® PROMIS®-16 profile
Authors: Edelen Maria Orlando , Zeng Chengbo , Hays Ron D. , Rodriguez Anthony , Hanmer Janel , Baumhauer Judy , Cella David , Reeve Bryce B. , Herman Patricia M.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

We describe development of a short health-related quality of life measure, the patient-reported outcomes measurement information system® (PROMIS®)-16 Profile, which generates domain-specific scores for physical function, ability to participate in social roles and activities, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, pain interference, cognitive function, and fatigue.

Methods

An empirical evaluation of 50 candidate PROMIS items and item pairs was conducted using data from a sample of 5775 respondents from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Results and item response theory information curves for a subset of item pairs were presented and discussed in a stakeholder meeting to narrow the candidate item sets. A survey of the stakeholders and 124 MTurk adults was conducted to solicit preferences among remaining candidate items and finalize the measure.

Results

Empirical evaluation showed minimal differences in basic descriptive statistics (e.g., means, correlations) and associations with the PROMIS-29 + 2 Profile, thus item pairs were further considered primarily based on item properties and content. Stakeholders discussed and identified subsets of candidate item pairs for six domains, and final item pairs were agreed upon for two domains. Final items were selected based on stakeholder and MTurk-respondent preferences. The PROMIS-16 profile generates eight domain scores with strong psychometric properties.

Conclusion

The PROMIS-16 Profile provides an attractive brief measure of eight distinct domains of health-related quality of life, representing an ideal screening tool for clinical care, which can help clinicians quickly identify distinct areas of concern that may require further assessment and follow-up. Further research is needed to confirm and extend these findings.
Ranking resilience: assessing the impact of scientific performance and the expansion of the Times Higher Education Word University Rankings on the position of Czech, Hungarian, Polish, and Slovak universities
Authors: Tóth Barbara , Motahari-Nezhad Hossein , Horseman Nicki , Berek László , Kovács Levente , Hölgyesi Áron , Péntek Márta , Mirjalili Seyedali , Gulácsi László , Zrubka Zsombor
Published: February 2024

University rankings are gaining importance worldwide. While the top-ranked universities are the subject of numerous academic publications, very little literature is available on universities in the lower two-thirds of the ranking list. In this study, we analysed the sensitivity of year to year changes in position in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE) of universities from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia using hypothetical scenarios of potential changes in their research outputs. A regression model was developed that quantifies the effect of the inclusion of institutions that are new to ranking as well as dropouts on the ranking list. We also developed a method to allow customized sensitivity analysis of the subsequent year's rank from an institution's projected research output, given its current rank and research output, assuming that other ranking indicators remain unchanged over 1–2 years. It should be noted that most universities in the region have ranked below 800, and while research output has been increasing, it was observed that ranks worsened for most universities from these four countries. The Field-Weighted Citation Impact and the total volume of publications had the highest effect on rankings, while the proportion of Scimago Q1 publications did not have a consistent effect on the projected next year's ranks. In most universities, the growth in research performance indicators were below the level that would be required to offset the rank changes due to the inclusion of new entrants in ranking. The findings of this research suggest that universities have to consider complex strategies to improve their ranking focusing on other activities than research such as reputation, internationalization, or industry income. With due caution, our results might be generalized to most of the universities below 800 in the THE. The rank prediction tool presented in this article is available online at https://hecon.uni-obuda.hu/en/rank-calculator/.
Serpentirhabdias mexicanus n. sp. (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae), a parasitic lungworm of the nauyaca viper Bothrops asper (Serpentes: Viperidae) in the Mexican Neotropics
Authors: Velázquez-Brito Andrés , García-Prieto Luis , Garduño-Montes de Oca Uriel , Sosa-Jiménez Víctor Manuel , Vera-Chávez Mirna Crizel , León-Règagnon Virginia
Published: February 2024

Serpentirhabdias mexicanusn. sp. (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) is described from the lung of the nauyaca viper Bothrops asper in Puebla State, central Mexico. This new species is the fifth of the genus described having onchia. Among the species included in this group, the new species is morphologically closest to S. viperidicus and S. atroxi. However, it differs from both species mainly by having only one excretory gland (compared to two present in S. viperidicus and S. atroxi). In addition, S. mexicanusn. sp. can be separated of S. viperidicus by tail length, shape of vulval lips, geographic distribution and host species and from S. atroxi by body length, number of papillae in the cephalic region, as well as the host species and geographic distribution. In the present study, we propose the new species based on morphological, host spectrum and genetic evidence. Phylogenetic analysis indicated Serpentirhabdias as a monophyletic group, with two subgroups that are congruent with the presence/absence of onchia in the esophagostome, host association and other relevant morphological characters.
HSCNet++: Hierarchical Scene Coordinate Classification and Regression for Visual Localization with Transformer
Authors: Wang Shuzhe , Laskar Zakaria , Melekhov Iaroslav , Li Xiaotian , Zhao Yi , Tolias Giorgos , Kannala Juho
Published: February 2024

Visual localization is critical to many applications in computer vision and robotics. To address single-image RGB localization, state-of-the-art feature-based methods match local descriptors between a query image and a pre-built 3D model. Recently, deep neural networks have been exploited to regress the mapping between raw pixels and 3D coordinates in the scene, and thus the matching is implicitly performed by the forward pass through the network. However, in a large and ambiguous environment, learning such a regression task directly can be difficult for a single network. In this work, we present a new hierarchical scene coordinate network to predict pixel scene coordinates in a coarse-to-fine manner from a single RGB image. The proposed method, which is an extension of HSCNet, allows us to train compact models which scale robustly to large environments. It sets a new state-of-the-art for single-image localization on the 7-Scenes, 12-Scenes, Cambridge Landmarks datasets, and the combined indoor scenes.
Deep Learning Based Prediction of Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns Using Echocardiograms
Authors: Ragnarsdottir Hanna , Ozkan Ece , Michel Holger , Chin-Cheong Kieran , Manduchi Laura , Wellmann Sven , Vogt Julia E.
Published: February 2024

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in newborns and infants is a complex condition associated with several pulmonary, cardiac, and systemic diseases contributing to morbidity and mortality. Thus, accurate and early detection of PH and the classification of its severity is crucial for appropriate and successful management. Using echocardiography, the primary diagnostic tool in pediatrics, human assessment is both time-consuming and expertise-demanding, raising the need for an automated approach. Little effort has been directed towards automatic assessment of PH using echocardiography, and the few proposed methods only focus on binary PH classification on the adult population. In this work, we present an explainable multi-view video-based deep learning approach to predict and classify the severity of PH for a cohort of 270 newborns using echocardiograms. We use spatio-temporal convolutional architectures for the prediction of PH from each view, and aggregate the predictions of the different views using majority voting. Our results show a mean F1-score of 0.84 for severity prediction and 0.92 for binary detection using 10-fold cross-validation and 0.63 for severity prediction and 0.78 for binary detection on the held-out test set. We complement our predictions with saliency maps and show that the learned model focuses on clinically relevant cardiac structures, motivating its usage in clinical practice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work for an automated assessment of PH in newborns using echocardiograms.
A holistic approach to environmentally sustainable computing
Authors: Pazienza Andrea , Baselli Giovanni , Vinci Daniele Carlo , Trussoni Maria Vittoria
Published: February 2024

Placing sustainability at the core of computing practices, the industry is poised to pioneer positive changes and create a cleaner and more sustainable world for future generations. The environmentally sustainable computing (ESC) framework is introduced in this paper as an innovative solution to revolutionize sustainability practices across various computing domains and cover multiple aspects of sustainable information technology (IT). The ESC framework includes the entire lifecycle of computing systems, including critical stages such as design, development, monitoring, refactoring, and regulatory compliance. Through the adoption of the ESC framework, academia and industry stakeholders can gain a powerful tool to evaluate and measure sustainability factors across different computing domains and can integrate eco-friendly computing principles and patterns throughout their products and services. This can significantly reduce their carbon footprint while complying with environmental regulations. In addition to presenting the ESC framework, the paper showcases real-world use cases. The first involves a leading Italian bank, emphasizing the significance of monitoring and compliance in achieving sustainable solutions within carbon-aware computing. The second use case explores resource efficiency optimization in Kubernetes clusters, illustrating how the ESC framework aligns with cloud infrastructure management trends.
In Vitro Influence of Specific Bacteroidales Strains on Gut and Liver Health Related to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Garcia-Morena Diego , Fernandez-Cantos Maria Victoria , Escalera Silvia Lopez , Lok Johnson , Iannone Valeria , Cancellieri Pierluca , Maathuis Willem , Panagiotou Gianni , Aranzamendi Carmen , Aidy Sahar El , Kolehmainen Marjukka , El-Nezami Hani , Wellejus Anja , Kuipers Oscar P.
Published: February 2024

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become a major health risk and a serious worldwide issue. MAFLD typically arises from aberrant lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation. However, subjacent causes are multifactorial. The gut has been proposed as a major factor in health and disease, and over the last decade, bacterial strains with potentially beneficial effects on the host have been identified. In vitro cell models have been commonly used as an early step before in vivo drug assessment and can confer complementary advantages in gut and liver health research. In this study, several selected strains of the order Bacteroidales were used in a three-cell line in vitro analysis (HT-29, Caco-2, and HepG2 cell lines) to investigate their potential as new-generation probiotics and microbiota therapeutics. Antimicrobial activity, a potentially useful trait, was studied, and the results showed that Bacteroidales can be a source of either wide- or narrow-spectrum antimicrobials targeting other closely related strains. Moreover, Bacteroides sp. 4_1_36 induced a significant decrease in gut permeability, as evidenced by the high TEER values in the Caco-2 monolayer assay, as well as a reduction in free fatty acid accumulation and improved fatty acid clearance in a steatosis HepG2 model. These results suggest that Bacteroidales may spearhead the next generation of probiotics to prevent or diminish MAFLD.
Making it Short: Shortening the Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences Using Ant Colony Optimization
Authors: Karl Johannes A. , Ribeiro Leticia , Bergomi Claudia , Fischer Ronald , Dunne Simon , Medvedev Oleg N.
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences (CHIME) comprises 37 items over eight domains and was validated in German and English languages using Rasch methodology. However, the length of the scale might limit its application due to the response burden it places on participants, especially in studies that examine additional constructs. This study aimed to develop a short but comprehensive CHIME version using cutting-edge methodology.

Method

Ant colony optimization was applied to optimize and reduce item content of individual CHIME facets and create 24-item (CHIME-S) and 16-item (CHIME-XS) versions. We used data collected in New Zealand (n = 512), and in the USA, which included two independent samples (n = 605 and n = 210). The construct validity of the newly developed CHIME-S and CHIME-XS was established by correlating its scores with measures of mindfulness, affect, and distress.

Results

Overall, the ant-colony algorithm identified a stable solution which included 3 best fitting items per facet CHIME short form (CHIME-S) and the 2 best-fitting items CHIME-XS (16 items). This solution was successfully replicated across all samples and the scale demonstrated acceptable confirmatory factor analysis fit and good internal consistency, and correlated with measures of mindfulness, distress, and affect in expected directions.

Conclusions

The CHIME-S and CHIME-XS are reliable and valid short-scale versions that can be used for assessment of total mindfulness and its facets in a comprehensive way. Future research efforts are invited to validate the CHIME-S and CHIME-XS across different cultures and sample populations, aiming at establishing robustness of the measure.