bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Model Pendugaan Diameter Pohon Eucalyptus Pellita Clone EP0077AA Berbasis Citra Foto (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)
Authors: Mohta Muhammad Vio , Azwin Azwin , Muhammad Ikhwan
Published: January 2024

The use of remote sensing to estimate the potential of forest stands continues to develop and one of them is using unmanned aerial vehicle (PUTA) technology. But such an important parameter as the diameter of the trunk at chest level cannot be measured from the orthopoto. This research aims to determine a correlation model of aerial crown diameter with trunk diameter at breast height in PUTA-based trees. This research began in October to November l 2022 in the PT area. Arara Abadi, Minas District, Riau region. Aerial measurements of crown diameter were carried out on orthophotos of 36-month-old eucalyptus (Eucalyptus pellita) forest stands, while stem diameter at breast height was carried out terrestrially. The correlation model equations used are Linear, Power, Exponential, Polynomial, and Logarithmic. The research results show that the best model is a non-linear (polynomial) model with a positive linear correlation between stem diameter and aerial crown diameter with the equation y ꞊ 0.2537x – 0.0058x2 – 0.4812 with a coefficient of determination (R2) 0.9047 and a coefficient of correlation (r) of 0.9511. This explains that the variable diameter at chest height influences the diameter of the aerial canopy by 90.47%
The Fourrée Hyperpyra of John V Palaeologus
Authors: Cowell Sam
Published: January 2024

The great revival and reconquests undertaken by Andronikos III Palaeologus were shattered upon his death. Erstwhile allies and family turned on each other in the wake of the premature death of the emperor, with deadly intrigue undertaken for who should control the regency of young John V, heir of the late Basileus. Campaigns in the previous decade that were successfully restoring northern Greece and the Balkans into Byzantine hands were at once abandoned when private dispute spilled over into civil war. On the one side stood the foreign mother of the young emperor, Anna of Savoy. On the other stood John Cantacuzene, best friend and right-hand man of John V’s father. At stake was a squabbling patchwork of semi-independent statelets with various degrees of allegiance to the empire. During a period when the empire could ill afford it, precious resources were squandered on in-fighting. When John Cantacuzene found himself the brief winner of the civil war before his subsequent deposition, he no longer dined on dishes of silver and gold but pewter. The crown jewels of the empire had been pawned away to Venice and the riches of the Romans wasted away on fighting that only hurt the Romans themselves. Thus, riding out from his palace in the finest bejeweled splendor the heirlooms of late antiquity had to offer, the emperor returned home wearing a glass crown. From an empire on the rebound in 1341, Byzantium was shattered and near fatally weakened in 1353.
Catalog of New Varieties
Authors: Taylor Lloyd W. H.
Published: January 2024

1. Campania, Cales. AE Unit, 7.75g, 22.5mm, c. 317 to 280 BC. Head of Apollo to left, wearing laurel wreath with leaves in opposing pairs, pentagram behind, CAΛENO before, dotted border / Acheloios Savo as a man-faced bull standing right on single line, lyre above, nothing below Acheloios, CAΛENO in ex. Taliercio- ; MSP -. Previously unknown without control mark beneath Acheloios. Artemide Kunstauktionen eLive 23, lot 15.
Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Urdu version of the back pain functional scale in low back pain patients
Authors: Afzal* Muhammad Waqar , Ahmad Ashfaq , Gilani Syed Amir , Zulfaqar Nimra , Fatima Sahar , Mahmmod Tahir
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Translation and validation of important scales in other languages reduce bias in reporting the functional status of the patient. OBJECTIVE: To translate the Back Pain Functional Scale into Urdu (BPFSu), adapt it for use in other cultures, and evaluate its psychometric properties. METHOD: According to Beaton guidelines, translation and cultural adaption was carried out. On 100 Urdu-literate men and women aged 18–60 years with lower back pain, the final BPFSu was assessed for psychometric qualities. First at baseline and again after 7 days, participants completed the BPFSu, the Functional Rating Index (FRI), and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). RESULTS: Internal consistency of the BPFSu was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.937). No floor and ceiling effects were found Excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.882, CI 95%; 0.830–0.919) was achieved. Spearman correlation coefficient showed criterion validity with the NPRS (rho =â⁢⁢0.701, p⩽ 0.001) and Pearson correlation coefficient showed construct validity with the FRI (r=â⁢⁢0.740, p⩽ 0.001). The minimum detectable changes were 9.96, while the standard error of measurement was 3.6. CONCLUSION: The BPFSu is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing physical function in individuals experiencing low back discomfort.
Evaluation of 25(OH) vitamin D3 and quadriceps strength correlation in postmenopausal women: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Özbudak Pınar , Karataş Özlem , Kaçar Cahit
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is common in postmenopausal women and is associated with low vitamin D intake, increased age, decreased absorption. Especially at advanced age, vitamin D deficiency may increase muscle weakness and disbalance resulting in increased risk of fracture. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D3 levels and quadriceps muscle strength in postmenopausal women. METHODS: We evaluated bilateral qadriceps muscle strength in postmenopausal women with isokinetic test. We evaluated the correlation of muscle power with measurements of parathormone, vitamin D, Calcium, creatinine, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total creatine kinase. RESULTS: The mean vitamin D level of 95 participants included in the study was 18.24 ± 8.94 ng/ml. Vitamin D levels were found to be deficient (< 10 ng/ml) in 23 (24.1%), insufficient in 62 (65.26%) and normal in 10 (10.53%) of the 95 participants. A weak negative correlation was observed between participants’ vitamin D levels and PT values (r=-0.271, p= 0.012). A moderate negative correlation was found between ALP and vitamin D levels (r=-0.317, p= 0.002). However, there was no significant correlation between vitamin D levels and the 60∘ and 90∘ flexion and extension peak torque values (All p values > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D levels and muscle strength weren’t statistically significant. Few studies are available in the related literature, highlighting the need for further research to achieve a clearer consensus.
Dynamic spinal orthoses self-reported effects in patients with back pain due to vertebral fragility fractures: A multi-center prospective cohort study
Authors: de Sire Alessandro , Lippi Lorenzo , Calafiore Dario , Marotta Nicola , Mezian Kamal , Chiaramonte Rita , Cisari Carlo , Vecchio Michele , Ammendolia Antonio , Invernizzi Marco
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Vertebral fragility fractures (VFFs) commonly result from low bone mass and microarchitecture deterioration of bone tissue. spinal orthoses are common non-pharmacological options for managing vertebral fracture pain. However, the effects of spinal orthoses on pain, physical functioning, and quality of life (QoL) are still debated. OBJECTIVE: This survey aimed to investigate the patients-reported outcomes of a dynamic spinal orthosis prescribed in the routine clinical practice of VFFs management. METHODS: This multi-center national-wide prospective cohort study assessed older patients (aged > 60 years) diagnosed with acute VFFs and prescribed with a dynamic spinal orthosis (Spinfast®). A survey questionnaire was realized and included sections on patient characterization, osteoporosis characterization, spinal orthosis, clinical outcomes, pain medications, and osteoporosis medications. The questionnaire was administered at baseline and after three months. A total of 68 patients completed the questionnaire at three months. Most patients had one or two VFFs and were treated with pain medications and osteoporosis medications. Compliance and tolerability of the spinal orthosis were assessed, and clinical outcomes such as pain intensity, physical functioning, and QoL were measured. RESULTS: The results showed no significant differences in outcomes between age subgroups. Italian physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians were commonly involved in the management of VFFs patients. Sixty-six patients completed the questionnaire. The results showed that pain intensity, physical functioning and QoL improved after three months of spinal orthosis wearing (p< 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The correct management of VFFs is mandatory to improve pain and reduce disability, and our findings suggested a positive role of dynamic spinal orthosis to improve the comprehensive management of VFFs patients. However, high-quality research trials are warranted to provide clear recommendations for the correct clinical management of VFF.
Normal values of scapular muscle activity ratio during arm elevation and the relationship to muscle strength and sex difference
Authors: Ijiri Tomohito , Suzuki Toshiaki
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: The normal value of the scapular muscle activity ratio during arm elevation is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To obtain normal values of the scapular muscle activity ratio during arm elevation in healthy individuals. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 47 healthy people. The participants performed shoulder flexion and lowered task with 90-degree movements every 2 seconds. Muscle activities of scapular muscles were measured. For normalization, the maximum isometric contraction of the shoulder flexion was measured at 90∘ (reference contraction). The integrated electromyographic value (IEMG) obtained during the task was normalized by IEMG during the reference contraction and the relative IEMG value was calculated. Then, the scapular muscle activity ratio was computed. The relationship between muscle strength and other factors was also investigated. RESULTS: The median values for upper trapezius/serratus anterior and upper trapezius/lower trapezius were often approximately 1, and that for upper trapezius/middle trapezius was often between 1 and 2. The shoulder flexion isometric strength and scapular muscle activity ratio showed significant negative correlations in multiple phases. CONCLUSION: Normal values for upper trapezius/serratus anterior and upper trapezius/lower trapezius during arm elevation and lowering were generally 1. Low muscle strength may contribute to an abnormal scapular muscle activity balance.
Relationships between flexion strength and dexterity of the toes and physical performance
Authors: Watanabe Kota , Ashida Yuzo , Hirota Kento , Taniguchi Tatsuya , Miyamoto Hiroki , Teramoto Atsushi
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Toe function is characterised by the strength and dexterity of toe motion. However, previous studies have mostly focused on the importance of toe strength. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between flexion strength and dexterity of the toes and physical performance. METHODS: Twenty healthy participants were included in this study. The flexion force of each toe was measured using a digital force gauge, and the toe dexterity was evaluated using the marble pick-up and rock-paper-scissors tests. These parameters were statistically analysed in relation to physical performance, including repeated side step and balance ability, which was evaluated using centre of pressure (COP) data during single-leg standing, tiptoe standing, and single-leg drop-jumping. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between the first toe flexion force and the total trajectory length of the COP during one-leg standing and between the time required for marble pick-up and the rock-paper-scissors score and the COP during single-leg drop-jumping. CONCLUSION: The results underscore the importance of flexion strength and dexterity of the toes in human physical performance and the necessity for the evaluation and improvement of both functions.
Comparison of trunk muscle activity during lumbar stabilization exercises on stable and unstable surfaces
Authors: Sekine Chie , Yamamoto Mayu , Hirabayashi Ryo , Yokota Hirotake , Edama Mutsuaki
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Lumbar stabilization exercises (LSE) provide dynamic trunk stability, promote muscle strength and endurance, and improve low back pain rehabilitation and performance. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the differences in trunk muscle activity during LSEs on stable and different unstable surfaces. METHODS: Fifteen healthy males performed three exercises (elbow-toe, hand-knee, and side bridge) on stable (floor) and unstable surfaces. Muscle activity of the bilateral rectus abdominis, internal oblique, external oblique, and erector spinae were recorded. Data were compared using the Friedman test. Pairwise comparisons were performed using Wilcoxon’s signed rank test if significant differences were observed. RESULTS: In the elbow-toe exercise, muscle activity of the rectus abdominis and right internal oblique increased in the following order: floor, low-difficulty, and high-difficulty unstable surface. In the hand-knee exercise, muscle activity of the internal oblique on the lower-extremity elevated side, external oblique, and erector spinae on the upper-extremity elevated side were greater on unstable surface exercise performance. In the side bridge exercise, rectus abdominis muscle activity was highest on a high-difficulty unstable surface. CONCLUSION: Trunk muscle activity increased during exercise on unstable surfaces. Since the effects of unstable surfaces vary depending on muscle and exercise types, exercise difficulty and surface stability must be considered accordingly.
Determinants of outcomes for patients with chronic low back pain and fear-avoidance beliefs following treatment with specific stabilisation exercises
Authors: Ikwuanusi Stephanie , Tella Abidemi , Akinbo Sunday , Nwaedozie Obianuju , Adje Mishael
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Specific stabilisation exercises (SSE) can combat the debilitating effects of chronic non-specific low back pain (CLBP), improve disability, pain and fear-avoidance beliefs (FAB). OBJECTIVE: To elicit the determinants of outcome in patients with CLBP with associated FABs after treatment with SSE. METHOD: Twenty-nine patients (20 females) with CLBP were classified using FAB questionnaire into high or low Work and Physical Activity (PA) subscales. After 4-week treatment, evaluations were done for pain, disability and lumbar spine active range of motion (AROM). Data was analysed exploratory-descriptively with a significance level set at p< 0.05. RESULTS: Participants were aged 55.24 ± 11.91 years. They scored 19 (65.5%) and 5 (17.2%) respectively on Work and PA subscales. The post-intervention evaluation showed significant differences in all outcomes, but no significant difference between patients with high or low FAB scores for both subscales. PA scores correlated significantly with pain while work scores correlated significantly with disability. Participants’ gender predicted disability, pain and AROM with moderate to large effect sizes. CONCLUSION: SSE can potentially improve disability, pain and range of motion for patients with chronic low back pain regardless of FABQ status. Gender and baseline patient status are potential determinants of outcome of treatment using SSE.
Functional assessment and quality of life of patients after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in the late follow-up period
Authors: Ogrodzka-Ciechanowicz Katarzyna , Kurzeja Piotr , Sorysz Tomasz
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Due to the systematically increasing number of shoulder replacement procedures among older people, the need to assess their quality of life is becoming more and more important. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to functionally assess the shoulder joint and the quality of life of patients before and after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA). METHODS: The observational study included 15 patients after the rTSA procedure (randomly selected). The quality of life and shoulder joint function before and after rTSA were assessed using the following scales: SF-36, Constant-Murley Score, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Scale (DASH) and the University of California-Los Angeles Shoulder Rating Scale (UCLA scale) and Simple Shoulder Test (SST). RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences (p< 0.001) between measurements in the overall scores of the SF-36 questionnaire. Statistically significant differences (p< 0.001) were found between measurements in terms of the Constant-Murley, DASH, UCLA and SST scales results. CONCLUSIONS: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty significantly improved the patients’ quality of life and the functional condition of the operated limb.
The combined detection of hematological indicators is used for the differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer and benign-colorectal lesions
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Wu Yang-Yang , Qin Yuan-Yuan , Lin Fa-Quan
Published: January 2024

OBJECTIVE:

This article aims to investigate the clinical value of hemoglobin/red cell distribution width ratio (Hb/RDW), C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) and plateletcrit (PCT) combined with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in colorectal cancer (CRC) auxiliary diagnosis.

METHODS:

We retrospectively analyzed in 718 subjects (212 with CRC, 209 with benign colorectal lesions (BCL), 111 with other cancers, and 186 healthy controls).

RESULTS:

The CAR, PCT, and CEA in the CRC group were higher than those in the BCL, other cancers, and the healthy control group. However, Hb/RDW in the CRC group was lower than the other three groups. Moreover, there were significant differences in Hb/RDW and CEA among different T-N-M stages (all [Formula: see text] 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that low level of Hb/RDW and high level of CAR, CEA, PCT were risk factors for CRC, and are correlated with CRC stage. Additionally, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of Hb/RDW[Formula: see text]CEA (AUC: 0.735), CAR[Formula: see text]CEA (AUC: 0.748), PCT[Formula: see text]CEA (AUC: 0.807) was larger than that of Hb/RDW (AUC: 0.503), CAR (AUC: 0.614), or PCT (AUC: 0.713) alone (all [Formula: see text] 0.001) in distinguishing CRC from BCL.

CONCLUSIONS:

Hb/RDW, CAR, PCT, and CEA are independent risk factors for CRC. Hb/RDW, CAR, and PCT combined with CEA have significant value for auxiliary differential diagnosis of CRC and BCL.
The importance of biglycan, decorin and TGF-1 levels in the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Karataş Fatih , Acat Murat , Karatas Hatice Gulsah , İnci Fatih , Dikiş Özlem Sengören
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: Despite Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ranks among the most deadly cancers worldwide, and currently, apart from a low percentage, targetable molecules have not been identified in its etiopathogenesis. The relationship between the proteoglycans decorin and biglycan, which are present in the extracellular matrix of cells, and transforming growth factor Beta-1 (TGF-B1), has been shown in many cancers. We investigated the significance of these molecules in NSCLC. METHODS: Fasting serum levels of decorin, biglycan, and TGF-B1 were obtained from 48 newly diagnosed NSCLC patients and compared with those of 48 adult control subjects matched for age and demographics. Demographic data, baseline laboratory values, and ELISA results were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The median age was 65(39–83) similar in both groups. There was no relation between demographic and clinical parameters and the levels of decorin, biglycan, and TGF-B1 in the NSCLC group. However, in comparison to the control group, NSCLC patients had significantly higher levels of biglycan (42.55 ± 27.40 vs. 24.38 ± 12.05 ng/mL, p= 0.026) and TGF-B1 (15.55 ± 9.16 vs. 10.07 ± 7.8 pg/mL, p= 0.001), while decorin levels were significantly lower (6.64 ± 1.92 vs. 10.28 ± 3.13 ng/mL, p= 0.002). In the multivariate regression analysis; Decorin < 8.13 ng/mL (OR, 10.96; 95% CI: 3.440–34.958), current smoking (OR, 3.81; 95% CI: 1.320–10.998), COPD (OR, 43.6; 95% CI: 2.082–913.081), and lower BMI (OR, 1.22; 95% CI: 1.070–1.405, p= 0.003) were identified as independent predictive markers for NSCLC diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The decreased serum decorin level is an independent marker for NSCLC. Further studies are needed to investigate the prognostic significance of decorin on survival and its potential as a target in treatment.
Significance of antibody numbering systems in the development of antibody engineering
Authors: Patel Riya , Verma Pratibha , Nagraj Anil Kumar , Gavade Akshata , Sharma Om Prakash , Patil Jaspal
Published: January 2024

Immunotherapy has become increasingly popular in recent years for treating a variety of diseases including inflammatory, neurological, oncological, and auto-immune disorders. The significant interest in antibody development is due to the high binding affinity and specificity of an antibody against a specific antigen. Recent advances in antibody engineering have provided a different view on how to engineer antibodies in silico for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. In order to improve the clinical utility of therapeutic antibodies, it is of paramount importance to understand the various molecular properties which impact antigen targeting and its potency. In antibody engineering, antibody numbering (AbN) systems play an important role to identify the complementarity determining regions (CDRs) and the framework regions (FR). Hence, it is crucial to accurately define and understand the CDR, FR and the crucial residues of heavy and light chains that aid in the binding of the antibody to the antigenic site. Detailed understanding of amino acids positions are useful for modifying the binding affinity, specificity, physicochemical features, and half-life of an antibody. In this review, we have summarized the different antibody numbering systems that are widely used in antibody engineering and highlighted their significance. Here, we have systematically explored and mentioned the various tools and servers that harness different AbN systems.
Enhancing smart home appliance recognition with wavelet and scalogram analysis using data augmentation
Authors: Salazar-González José L. , Luna-Romera José María , Carranza-García Manuel , Álvarez-García Juan A. , Soria-Morillo Luis M.
Published: January 2024

The development of smart homes, equipped with devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), has opened up new possibilities to monitor and control energy consumption. In this context, non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) techniques have emerged as a promising solution for the disaggregation of total energy consumption into the consumption of individual appliances. The classification of electrical appliances in a smart home remains a challenging task for machine learning algorithms. In the present study, we propose comparing and evaluating the performance of two different algorithms, namely Multi-Label K-Nearest Neighbors (MLkNN) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), for NILM in two different scenarios: without and with data augmentation (DAUG). Our results show how the classification results can be better interpreted by generating a scalogram image from the power consumption signal data and processing it with CNNs. The results indicate that the CNN model with the proposed data augmentation performed significantly higher, obtaining a mean F1-score of 0.484 (an improvement of +0.234), better than the other methods. Additionally, after performing the Friedman statistical test, it indicates that it is significantly different from the other methods compared. Our proposed system can potentially reduce energy waste and promote more sustainable energy use in homes and buildings by providing personalized feedback and energy savings tips.
Vehicle side-slip angle estimation under snowy conditions using machine learning
Authors: Novotny Georg , Liu Yuzhou , Morales-Alvarez Walter , Wöber Wilfried , Olaverri-Monreal Cristina
Published: January 2024

Adverse weather conditions, such as snow-covered roads, represent a challenge for autonomous vehicle research. This is particularly challenging as it might cause misalignment between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and the actual direction of travel. In this paper, we extend previous work in the field of autonomous vehicles on snow-covered roads and present a novel approach for side-slip angle estimation that combines perception with a hybrid artificial neural network pushing the prediction horizon beyond existing approaches. We exploited the feature extraction capabilities of convolutional neural networks and the dynamic time series relationship learning capabilities of gated recurrent units and combined them with a motion model to estimate the side-slip angle. Subsequently, we evaluated the model using the 3DCoAutoSim simulation platform, where we designed a suitable simulation environment with snowfall, friction, and car tracks in snow. The results revealed that our approach outperforms the baseline model for prediction horizons ⩾ 2 seconds. This extended prediction horizon has practical implications, by providing drivers and autonomous systems with more time to make informed decisions, thereby enhancing road safety.
Improving extreme learning machine model using deep learning feature extraction and grey wolf optimizer: Application to image classification
Authors: Kali Ali Selma , Boughaci Dalila
Published: January 2024

The Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) is a highly efficient model for real-time network retraining due to its fast learning speed, unlike traditional machine learning methods. However, the performance of ELM can be negatively impacted by the random initialization of weights and biases. Moreover, poor input feature quality can further degrade performance, particularly with complex visual data. To overcome these issues, this paper proposes optimizing the input features as well as the initial weights and biases. We combine both Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Convolutional AutoEncoder (CAE) extracted features to optimize the quality of the input features. And we use our hybrid Grey Wolf Optimizer-Multi-Verse Optimizer (GWO-MVO) metaheuristic for initializing weights and biases by applying four fitness functions based on: the norm of the output weights, the error rate on the training set, and the error rate on the validation set. Our method is evaluated on image classification tasks using two benchmark datasets: CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100. Since image quality may vary in real-world applications, we trained and tested our models on the dataset’s original and noisy versions. The results demonstrate that our method provides a robust and efficient alternative for image classification tasks, offering improved accuracy and reduced overfitting.
Decoding the growth of multimodal learning: A bibliometric exploration of its impact and influence
Authors: Joseph Jeena , Thomas Binu , Jose Jobin , Pathak Nitish
Published: January 2024

Scholarly interest in the emerging topic of multimodal learning and its ethical considerations, which integrates a variety of informational forms to enhance learning, has significantly increased during the past ten years. This paper aims to pinpoint the conceptual foundations and development trend of multimodal learning through thorough bibliometric research. By examining patterns, trends, and linkages within the published literature using a sizable collection of articles from the Scopus database, this research attempts to map the scientific landscape of multimodal learning. According to our study, multimodal learning is becoming more popular in a variety of academic disciplines. The major works and new trends in the subject were highlighted by emphasizing key publications and significant authors. While developing trends and recurrent study subjects were determined using keyword analysis, the major papers having the greatest influence on the field were found utilizing co-citation analysis. The collaborative network analysis also revealed a vibrant academic community with expanding global ties, fostering an atmosphere that is conducive to cutting-edge multimodal learning research. With its insights on the past, present, and likely future paths of multimodal learning, this study is an invaluable resource for academics, teachers, and decision-makers.
Quantitative EEG Spectral and Connectivity Analysis for Cognitive Decline in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Zawiślak-Fornagiel Katarzyna , Ledwoń Daniel , Bugdol Monika , Grażyńska Anna , Ślot Maciej , Tabaka-Pradela Justyna , Bieniek Izabela , Siuda Joanna
Published: January 2024

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered to be the borderline of cognitive changes associated with aging and very early dementia. Cognitive functions in MCI can improve, remain stable or progress to clinically probable AD. Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) can become a useful tool for using the analytical techniques to quantify EEG patterns indicating cognitive impairment. Objective: The aim of our study was to assess spectral and connectivity analysis of the EEG resting state activity in amnestic MCI (aMCI) patients in comparison with healthy control group (CogN). Methods: 30 aMCI patients and 23 CogN group, matched by age and education, underwent equal neuropsychological assessment and EEG recording, according to the same protocol. Results: qEEG spectral analysis revealed decrease of global relative beta band power and increase of global relative theta and delta power in aMCI patients. Whereas, decreased coherence in centroparietal right area considered to be an early qEEG biomarker of functional disconnection of the brain network in aMCI patients. In conclusion, the demonstrated changes in qEEG, especially, the coherence patterns are specific biomarkers of cognitive impairment in aMCI. Conclusions: Therefore, qEEG measurements appears to be a useful tool that complements neuropsychological diagnostics, assessing the risk of progression and provides a basis for possible interventions designed to improve cognitive functions or even inhibit the progression of the disease.
Interaction Between Arteriosclerosis and Amyloid-β on Cognitive Function
Authors: Frentz Ingeborg , van Arendonk Joyce , Leeuwis Anna E. , Vernooij Meike W. , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Bos Daniel , De Deyn Peter Paul , Wolters Frank J. , Ikram M. Arfan
Published: January 2024

Background: Dementia is a multifactorial disease, with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular pathology often co-occurring in many individuals with dementia. Yet, the interplay between AD and vascular pathology in cognitive decline is largely undetermined. Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the joint effect of arteriosclerosis and AD pathology on cognition in the general population without dementia. Methods: We determined the interaction between blood-based AD biomarkers and CT-defined arteriosclerosis on cognition in 2,229 dementia-free participants of the population-based Rotterdam Study (mean age: 68.9 years, 52% women) cross-sectionally. Results: Amyloid-β (Aβ)42 and arterial calcification were associated with cognitive performance. After further adjustment for confounders in a model that combined all biomarkers, only arterial calcification remained independently associated with cognition. There was a significant interaction between arterial calcification and Aβ42 and between arterial calcification and the ratio of Aβ42/40. Yet, estimates attenuated, and interactions were no longer statistically significant after adjustment for cardio metabolic risk factors. Conclusions: Arteriosclerosis and AD display additive interaction-effects on cognition in the general population, that are due in part to cardio metabolic risk factors. These findings suggest that joint assessment of arteriosclerosis and AD pathology is important for understanding of disease etiology in individuals with cognitive impairment.
RETRACTED: Distance magic labeling of join of graphs and big data analysis
Authors: Sivakumaran V. , Sankar K.
Published: January 2024

This article has been retracted. A retraction notice can be found at https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-219433.
Hybrid and ensemble models by coupled with automated meta-heuristic algorithms for compressive and flexural strength and slump of high-performance concrete
Authors: Zhang Mingming , Wu Qingling
Published: January 2024

High-performance concrete (HPC) is a specialized type of concrete designed to meet stringent performance and uniformity standards that are difficult to achieve with conventional materials and standard mixing, placing, and curing methods. The testing process to determine the mechanical properties of HPC specimens is complex and time-consuming, and making improvements can be difficult after the test result does not meet the required properties. Anticipating concrete characteristics is a pivotal facet in the realm of High-Performance Concrete (HPC) manufacturing. Machine learning (ML)-driven models emerge as a promising avenue to tackle this formidable task within this context. This research endeavors to employ a synergy of ML hybrid and ensemble frameworks for the prognostication of the mechanical attributes within HPC, encompassing compressive strength (CS), slump (SL), and flexural strength (FS). The formulation of these hybrid and ensemble constructs was executed through the integration of Support Vector Regression (SVR) with three distinct meta-heuristic algorithms: Prairie Dog Optimization (PDO), Pelican Optimization Algorithm (POA), and Mountain Gazelle Optimizer (MGO). Some criteria evaluators were used in the training, validation, and testing phases to assess the robustness of the established models, and the best model was proposed for practical applications through comparative analysis of the results. As a result, the hybrid and ensemble models were the potential methods to predict concrete properties accurately and efficiently, thereby reducing the need for expensive and time-consuming testing procedures. In general, the ensemble model, i.e., SVPPM, had a more suitable performance with high values of R2 equal to 0.989 (MPa), 0.984 (mm), and 0.992 (MPa) and RMSE = 3.82 (MPa), 9.5 (mm), and 0.30 (MPa) for CS, SL, FS compared to other models, respectively.
RETRACTED: A corpus-based Japanese translation model using fuzzy semantic optimal control technique
Authors: Fu Zhiyu , Fu Zhihui
Published: January 2024

This article has been retracted. A retraction notice can be found at https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-219433.
Modeling of Aquila Optimizer with Hybrid ResNet-DenseNet enabled Breast Cancer Classification on Histopathological Images
Authors: Chandana Mani R.K. , Kamalakannan J.
Published: January 2024

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer amongst women that threatens the health of women, initial diagnosis of BC becomes essential. Though there were several means to diagnose BC, the standard way is pathological analysis. Precise diagnosis of BC necessitates experienced histopathologists and needs more effort and time for completing this task. Recently, machine learning (ML) was successfully implemented in text classification, image recognition, and object recognition. With the emergence of computer aided diagnoses (CAD) technology, ML was effectively implemented for BC diagnosis. Histopathological image classification depends on deep learning (DL), particularly convolution neural network (CNN), which frequently needs a large amount of labelled training models, whereas the labelled data was hard to obtain. This study develops an Aquila Optimizer(AO) with Hybrid ResNet-DenseNet Enabled Breast Cancer Classification on Histopathological Images (AOHRD-BC2HI). The proposed AOHRD-BC2HI technique inspects the histopathological images for the diagnosis of breast cancer. To accomplish this, the presented AOHRD-BC2HI technique uses hybridization of Resnet with Densenet (HRD) model for feature extraction. Moreover, the HRD method can be enforced for feature extracting procedure in which the DenseNet (feature value memory by concatenation) and ResNet (refinement of feature value by addition) were interpreted. For BC detection and classification, the DSAE model is utilized. The AO algorithm is exploited to improve the detection performance of DSAE model. The experimental validation of the presented AOHRD-BC2HI approach is tested using benchmark dataset and the results are investigated under distinct measures.Also the proposed model achieved the accuracy of 96%. The comparative result reports the improved performance of the presented AOHRD-BC2HI technique over other recent methods.
RETRACTED: Acceleration and deceleration control algorithm of CNC system based on deep neural network reinforcement learning and MCU
Authors: Zheng Guangyuan , Cheng Chen , Dong Xinling , Liu Yi
Published: January 2024

This article has been retracted. A retraction notice can be found at https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-219433.
Enhanced real-time road-vehicles’ detection and tracking for driving assistance
Authors: Farag Wael , Nadeem Muhammad
Published: January 2024

Road-object detection, recognition, and tracking are vital tasks that must be performed reliably and accurately by self-driving car systems in order to achieve the automation/autonomy goal. Other vehicles are one of the main objects that the egocar must accurately detect and track on the road. However, deep-learning approaches proved their effectiveness at the expense of very demanding computational power and low throughput. They must be deployed on expensive CPUs and GPUs. Thus, in this work, a lightweight vehicle detection and tracking technique (LWVDT) is suggested to fit low-cost CPUs without sacrificing robustness, speed, or comprehension. The LWVDT is suitable for deployment in both advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) functions and autonomous-car subsystems. The implementation is a sequence of computer-vision techniques fused together and merged with machine-learning procedures to strengthen each other and streamline execution. The algorithm details and their execution are revealed in detail. The LWVDT processes raw RGB camera pictures to generate vehicle boundary boxes and tracks them from frame to frame. The performance of the proposed pipeline is assessed using real road camera images and video recordings under different circumstances and lighting/shading conditions. Moreover, it is also tested against the well-known KITTI database, achieving an average accuracy of 87%.
A comparison of the effects of green tea and cocoa on glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Alkhudaydi Hind Mesfer S. , Spencer Jeremy P.E.
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND:

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is among the most frequent chronic diseases in virtually all countries, posing a global health threat. Therefore, Preventive interventions are critical for reducing the enormous burden of diabetes. Flavanols may assist people with metabolic disorders to maintain glucose homeostasis by inhibiting digestive enzymes and glucose transporters. Green Tea (GT) and cocoa have gotten much attention since their flavanols are high.

OBJECTIVES:

To investigate the effects of polyphenols from GT and cocoa (>4 weeks) on reducing the incidence of complications and improving glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity in adult patients with T2DM through outcomes Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), Fasting Blood Insulin (FBI), Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR).

METHODOLOGY:

An electronic research programme was applied, using different databases (including Web of Science, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane Reviews) to find studies that have evaluated the impact of polyphenols from GT and cocoa on reducing the incidence of complications and improving glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity in adult patients with T2DM. Articles published between 2005 and 2021 in English were selected.

RESULTS:

15 and 7 studies involved 738 participants on GT (348 male/390 female). In contrast, the ones focused on cocoa had 331 participants (83 male/ 248 female) with T2DM aged 18–65 years, and a BMI range of 25–34.9 kg/m2 was identified and included in the present review. 43 and 27% of studies were low-risk bias in cocoa and GT, respectively. The results of the meta-analysis showed no significant difference in FBG levels following GT and cocoa consumption compared to the control group (SMD: –0.08; 95% CI: –0.43 to 0.28; P = 0.68 and SMD: –0.65; 95% CI, –1.40 to 0.10; P = 0.09, respectively). Also, the results showed no significant difference for GT and cocoa intervention (SMD: 0.18; 95% CI: –0.27 to 0.64; P = 0.43 and SMD: –0.80; 95% CI: –1.92 to 0.31; P = 0.16, respectively). In addition, the results of the HbA1c analysis showed no significant reduction after GT and cocoa consumption (SMD: –0.41; 95% CI: –0.85 to 0.03; P = 0.07 and SMD, –0.37; 95% CI, –0.77 to 0.04; P = 0.08, respectively). There was no evidence that GT and cocoa interventions effectively improved HOMA-IR (SMD: 0.02; 95% CI: –0.16 to 0.20; P = 0.80 and SMD, –1.65; 95% CI, –3.77 to 0.46; P = 0.13, respectively

CONCLUSION:

The evidence shows that the short-term administration of cocoa and GT did not significantly reduce the FBG, FBI, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR levels in adult patients with T2DM.
Medical comorbidities in patients with prolonged disorder of consciousness: A narrative review
Authors: Estraneo Anna , Briand Marie-Michele , Noé Enrique
Published: January 2024

BACKGROUND: A few studies specifically addressed medical comorbidities (MCs) in patients with severe acquired traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury and prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC; i.e., patients in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, VS/UWS, or in minimally conscious state, MCS). OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview on incidence of MCs in patients with pDoC. METHODS: Narrative review on most impacting MCs in patients with pDoC, both those directly related to brain damage (epilepsy, neurosurgical complications, spasticity, paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, PSH), and those related to severe disability and prolonged immobility (respiratory comorbidities, endocrine disorders, metabolic abnormalities, heterotopic ossifications). RESULTS: Patients with pDoC are at high risk to develop at least one MC. Moderate or severe respiratory and musculoskeletal comorbidities are the most common MCs. Epilepsy and PSH seem to be more frequent in patients in VS/UWS compared to patients in MCS, likely because of higher severity in the brain damage in VS. Endocrine metabolic, PSH and respiratory complications are less frequent in traumatic etiology, whereas neurogenic heterotopic ossifications are more frequent in traumatic etiology. Spasticity did not significantly differ between VS/UWS and MCS and in the three etiologies. MCs are associated with higher mortality rates, worse clinical improvement and can impact accuracy in the clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The frequent occurrence of several MCs requires a specialized rehabilitative setting with high level of multidisciplinary medical expertise to prevent, appropriately recognize and treat them. Comprehensive rehabilitation could avoid possible progression to more serious complications that can negatively impact clinical outcomes.
A study of concept similarity in Wikidata
Authors: Ilievski Filip , Shenoy Kartik , Chalupsky Hans , Klein Nicholas , Szekely Pedro
Published: January 2024

Robust estimation of concept similarity is crucial for applications of AI in the commercial, biomedical, and publishing domains, among others. While the related task of word similarity has been extensively studied, resulting in a wide range of methods, estimating concept similarity between nodes in Wikidata has not been considered so far. In light of the adoption of Wikidata for increasingly complex tasks that rely on similarity, and its unique size, breadth, and crowdsourcing nature, we propose that conceptual similarity should be revisited for the case of Wikidata. In this paper, we study a wide range of representative similarity methods for Wikidata, organized into three categories, and leverage background information for knowledge injection via retrofitting. We measure the impact of retrofitting with different weighted subsets from Wikidata and ProBase. Experiments on three benchmarks show that the best performance is achieved by pairing language models with rich information, whereas the impact of injecting knowledge is most positive on methods that originally do not consider comprehensive information. The performance of retrofitting is conditioned on the selection of high-quality similarity knowledge. A key limitation of this study, similar to prior work lies in the limited size and scope of the similarity benchmarks. While Wikidata provides an unprecedented possibility for a representative evaluation of concept similarity, effectively doing so remains a key challenge.
Context-aware composition of agent policies by Markov decision process entity embeddings and agent ensembles
Authors: Merkle Nicole , Mikut Ralf
Published: January 2024

Computational agents support humans in many areas of life and are therefore found in heterogeneous contexts. This means that agents operate in rapidly changing environments and can be confronted with huge state and action spaces. In order to perform services and carry out activities satisfactorily, i.e. in a goal-oriented manner, agents require prior knowledge and therefore have to develop and pursue context-dependent policies. The problem here is that prescribing policies in advance is limited and inflexible, especially in dynamically changing environments. Moreover, the context (i.e. the external and internal state) of an agent determines its choice of actions. Since the environments in which agents operate can be stochastic and complex in terms of the number of states and feasible actions, activities are usually modelled in a simplified way by Markov decision processes so that, for example, agents with reinforcement learning are able to learn policies, i.e. state-action pairs, that help to capture the context and act accordingly to optimally perform activities. However, training policies for all possible contexts using reinforcement learning is time-consuming. A requirement and challenge for agents is to learn strategies quickly and respond immediately in cross-context environments and applications, e.g., the Internet, service robotics, cyber-physical systems. In this work, we propose a novel simulation-based approach that enables a) the representation of heterogeneous contexts through knowledge graphs and entity embeddings and b) the context-aware composition of policies on demand by ensembles of agents running in parallel. The evaluation we conducted with the “Virtual Home” dataset indicates that agents with a need to switch seamlessly between different contexts, e.g. in a home environment, can request on-demand composed policies that lead to the successful completion of context-appropriate activities without having to learn these policies in lengthy training steps and episodes, in contrast to agents that use reinforcement learning. The presented approach enables both context-aware and cross-context applicability of untrained computational agents. Furthermore, the source code of the approach as well as the generated data, i.e. the trained embeddings and the semantic representation of domestic activities, is open source and openly accessible on Github and Figshare.