bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Learning Models for Predicting Malignancy Risk in CT-Detected Pulmonary Nodules: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Wulaningsih Wahyu , Villamaria Carmela , Akram Abdullah , Benemile Janella , Croce Filippo , Watkins Johnathan
Published: May 2024

Background

There has been growing interest in using artificial intelligence/deep learning (DL) to help diagnose prevalent diseases earlier. In this study we sought to survey the landscape of externally validated DL-based computer-aided diagnostic (CADx) models, and assess their diagnostic performance for predicting the risk of malignancy in computed tomography (CT)-detected pulmonary nodules.

Methods

An electronic search was performed in four databases (from inception to 10 August 2023). Studies were eligible if they were peer-reviewed experimental or observational articles comparing the diagnostic performance of externally validated DL-based CADx models with models widely used in clinical practice to predict the risk of malignancy. A bivariate random-effect approach for the meta-analysis on the included studies was used.

Results

Seventeen studies were included, comprising 8553 participants and 9884 nodules. Pooled analyses showed DL-based CADx models were 11.6% more sensitive than physician judgement alone, and 14.5% more than clinical risk models alone. They had a similar pooled specificity to physician judgement alone [0.77 (95% CI 0.68–0.84) v 0.81 (95% CI 0.71–0.88)], and were 7.4% more specific than clinical risk models alone. They had superior pooled areas under the receiver operating curve (AUC), with relative pooled AUCs of 1.03 (95% CI 1.00–1.07) and 1.10 (95% CI 1.07–1.13) versus physician judgement and clinical risk models alone, respectively.

Conclusion

DL-based models are already used in clinical practice in certain settings for nodule management. Our results show their diagnostic performance potentially justifies wider, more routine deployment alongside experienced physician readers to help inform multidisciplinary team decision-making.
The ocrelizumab wearing-off phenomenon is associated with reduced immunomodulatory response and increased neuroaxonal damage in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Monteiro Isabel , Nicolella Valerio , Fiorenza Mariano , Novarella Federica , Carotenuto Antonio , Lanzillo Roberta , Mauriello Lucia , Scalia Giulia , Castaldo Giuseppe , Terracciano Daniela , Brescia Morra Vincenzo , Moccia Marcello
Published: May 2024

Objective

The wearing-off phenomenon is common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with ocrelizumab. We aim to evaluate the presence and severity of wearing-off to ocrelizumab in relation to demographic and MS clinical variables, immune profiling, and a marker of neuroaxonal damage (plasma neurofilament light chain (pNfl)).

Methods

This cross-sectional study included MS patients treated with ocrelizumab from at least 1 year. Wearing-off questionnaire and blood samples were collected between 21 and 23 weeks after the previous ocrelizumab infusion. Lymphocyte subpopulations were evaluated on peripheral blood using flow cytometry. PNfl was evaluated using fully automated chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay.

Results

We included 106 people with MS (age 49.5 ± 11.6 years; females 42.3%; wearing-off 57.6%). On regression models, wearing-off was associated with higher pNfl, CD8, CD3, and CD3CD27 lymphocytes. Most frequent wearing-off symptoms were cognitive, sensory, and balance problems; wearing-off started < 1 week (9.4%), 1–4 weeks (10.7%) or > 4 weeks (10.7%) before infusion; 44.8% of the complaints were moderate to severe. Severity of wearing-off was associated with higher pNfl and CD8 lymphocytes.

Conclusions

Wearing-off is common in people with MS treated with ocrelizumab, and is associated with reduced immunomodulation (higher T lymphocytes) and increased neuroaxonal damage, suggesting reduced treatment response.
Determinants of antibiotic prescription in children with adenovirus respiratory tract infections
Authors: Buonsenso Danilo , Camporesi Anna , Viozzi Francesca , Lazzareschi Ilaria , Manca Lavinia , Caci Annamaria , Menna Daniele , Santangelo Rosaria , Sanguinetti Maurizio , Raffaelli Francesca , Fiori Barbara , Zampino Giuseppe , Valentini Piero
Published: May 2024

We performed this study to evaluate factors associated with antibiotic prescriptions in children with adenovirus infection, since no studies have attempted to address this aspect in the pediatric population. Retrospective study of children younger than 18 years of age tested positive for adenovirus on a syndromic nasopharyngeal test from 2018 to 2023. We compared the need of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), invasive ventilation, and other respiratory support, viral etiologies, clinical presentations, imaging, and laboratory results in the precovid (2018–2019) and covid (2020–2022) period. The use of antibiotics was studied with multivariable logistic regression including demographic as well as clinical data as covariates. Two hundred fifty-eight patients were enrolled. One hundred fifty-eight patients received an antibiotic (mean duration 6.2 (±2.7) days (median 4; IQR: 4–7)). Presence of seizures and C-reactive protein values as predictors for antibiotic prescription (OR for seizures: 12.17; 95% CI: 1.42–103.91; p = 0.022; OR for CrP: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01–1.04; p = 0.001). Seventy-four patients received intravenous antibiotics (74/156, 47.4%). Risk factors for intravenous antibiotic were the presence of decay (OR: 3.74; 95% CI: 1.25–11.71; p = 0.018), CrP values (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00–1.03; p = 0.001), and presence of seizures (OR: 16.34; 95% CI: 2.65–100.83; p = 0.003). Duration of intravenous antibiotics correlated with the presence of seizures (Coeff: 1.6; 95% CI: 0.41–2.89; p = 0.009) even when adjusted for CrP values.

    Conclusion: The clinical presentation of adenovirus infection in children is non-specific, leading to frequent antibiotic prescription despite bacterial co-infections was rare. Higher CrP values and presenting with seizures are significantly associated with a higher risk of receiving antibiotics. Rapid microbiological tests and newer biomarkers can help clinicians to improve antibiotic prescription in this cohort of children.

What is Known:•Adenovirus infection is a common cause of fever and respiratory tract infections in children.•Children with adenovirus infections frequently receive antibiotics, but determinants of this practice are poorly established.

What is New:• Higher C-reactive protein values and presenting with seizures are significantly associated with antibiotic prescription. • Since the beginning of COVID-19 and implementation of rapid diagnostics, less children with adenovirus infection received antibiotics.
Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma: from genesis to molecular pathways and therapeutic strategies
Authors: Gurzu Simona , Szodorai Rita , Jung Ioan , Banias Laura
Published: May 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are the most common primary liver cancers. Little is known about the combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-ICC) variant and the proper therapeutic strategies. Out of over 1200 available studies about cHCC-ICC, we selected the most representative ones that reflected updated information with application to individualized therapy. Based on literature data and own experience, we hypothesize that two molecular groups of cHCC-ICC can be identified. The proposed division might have a significant therapeutic role. Most cases develop, like HCC, on a background of cirrhosis and hepatitis and share characteristics with HCC; thus, they are named HCC-type cHCC-ICC and therapeutic strategies might be like those for HCC. This review also highlights a new carcinogenic perspective and identifies, based on literature data and the own experience, a second variant of cHCC-ICC called ICC-type cHCC-ICC. Contrary to HCC, these cases show a tendency for lymph node metastases and ICC components in the metastatic tissues. No guidelines have been established yet for such cases. Individualized therapy should be, however, oriented toward the immunoprofile of the primary tumor and metastatic cells, and different therapeutic strategies should be used in patients with HCC- versus ICC-type cHCC-ICC.
The efficiency and safety of temozolomide and PD-1/L1 inhibitors in pretreated NSCLC with brain metastasis: a retrospective cohort
Authors: Li Xiaobing , Wu De , Tang Jing , Wu Yuebing
Published: May 2024

Objective

Previous research has shown that both temozolomide (TMZ) and PD-1/L1 inhibitors (PD-1/L1) alone exhibit certain potential in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases (BM), in this study, we will explore combining the two in order to seek new effective treatment options for NSCLC with BM.

Material and methods

During 2021.1 to 2023.12, we collected the date of these pretreated-NSCLC with BM who accept the treatment of TMZ and PD-1/L1, the objective response ratio (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were set as the primary endpoint, meanwhile, the toxicity of such regimen was also recorded.

Results

About 42 patients are enrolled, our primary analysis demonstrated that the ORR of such regimen toward NSCLC with BM was 26.19%, with Approximate intracranial and extracranial lesion ORR was 6% and 20% respectively, the DCR was about 64.29%, the mean PFS and OS was about 4 m and 8.5 m. Further analysis indicated that the efficiency correlated with the diagnosis-Specific Graded Prognostic Assessment (ds-GPA) score. Moreover, the toxicity can also be tolerated, indicating the application potential of such regimen against NSCLC with BM.

Conclusions

Our results exhibited that with tolerated toxicity, the combination of TMZ and PD-1/L1 shows promising efficiency against NSCLC with BM, this would be of great significance for the treatment of NSCLC with brain metastasis. However, due to the limitation of sample and retrospective property, the real value of such regimen needed to be further confirmed in the future.
An unusual case of nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Wildes Dermot Michael , Fitzsimons Aisling , Doyle Brendan , Green Andrew , Sweeney Clodagh , Awan Atif
Published: May 2024

Background

Alport syndrome is a genetically heterogenous disorder resulting from variants in genes coding for alpha-3/4/5 chains of Collagen IV, which results in defective basement membranes in the kidney, cochlea and eye. The syndrome has different inheritance patterns and historically, was thought of as a disease affecting solely males.

Case

A 15-year-old female presented with pedal oedema, hypertension and proteinuria. She underwent a kidney biopsy which showed findings in keeping with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Her condition was refractory to steroids. Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome genetics were sent, revealing a rare pathogenic variant in the COL4A5 gene.

Conclusion

Heterozygous females with X-linked Alport syndrome can develop chronic kidney disease and hearing loss. Clinicians should be mindful when reviewing kidney histology to include Alport syndrome as a differential for female patients. COL4A3-5 genes should be included in all steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome genetic panels.
Effectiveness of the socioecological informed contextual treatment summary and care plan (TSSCP-P, Brazil) for breast cancer survivors: a randomized, controlled study
Authors: das Graças Silva Matsubara Maria , Bergerot Cristiane Decat , Ashing Kimlin Tam , Makdissi Fabiana Baroni Alves , Elias Simone , De Domenico Edvane Birelo Lopes
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an intervention using the Treatment Summary and Survivorship Care Plan (TSSCP-P) on self-efficacy and quality of life (QoL) in breast cancer survivors.

Method

A clinical study, randomized and controlled, conducted to assess self-efficacy and QOL in breast cancer survivors. The participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received individualized nursing consultations guided by the TSSCP-P, while the control group received standard care. Self-efficacy and QoL were assessed at three evaluation moments using validated scales: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Plus Anm Morbidity (FACT B + 4) and Perceived General Self-Efficacy Scale. Statistical analyses, including regression analysis and hypothesis tests, were conducted to examine the effects of the intervention on self-efficacy and QoL.

Results

Female breast cancer survivors (N = 101) were recruited. The intervention group demonstrated a significant improvement in self-efficacy over time compared to the control group (p = 0.01). However, no significant differences were observed in the overall QoL scores between the two groups. Subscale analysis revealed a significant improvement in physical well-being for the intervention group (p = 0.04), while emotional well-being showed a non-significant improvement (p = 0.07). The study suggests that individualized care plans and support strategies, such as the TSSCP-P, can positively influence breast cancer survivors’ self-efficacy and certain aspects of their QoL.

Conclusion

These findings highlight the potential benefits of the TSSCP-P intervention in enhancing self-efficacy among breast cancer survivors. However, further research is needed to explore its impact on overall QoL and its effectiveness across different stages of breast cancer, as well as with longer follow-up periods.

Clinical trial registration number

Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC- RBR-2m7qkjy; UTN code: U1111-1257–3560), registered in April 19th, 2022.
Laboratory Tests of Large-Scale Block Models on the Load Transfer and Failure Mechanisms of Rock Masses Subjected to Anchor Loading
Authors: Grindheim Bjarte , Li Charlie C. , Høien Are Håvard , Angell Brage
Published: May 2024

This paper presents a laboratory testing rig designed to investigate the failure mechanisms and load transfer of rock masses under rock anchor loading. The study revealed that joint patterns significantly affect the strength and capacity of the rock mass, with existing design approaches based on apex angles of 90$$^{\circ }$$

∘

or 60$$^{\circ }$$

∘

found to be potentially overly conservative. Joint orientation and spacing should be included in the anchor design to obtain a more precise design criterion. In all the studied patterns, increasing the horizontal and vertical stress increased the block models’ capacity, and load arching did not occur in the model with an unfavourable joint orientation. This study also revealed that the failure surface followed the joints in all tests and that the block model capacity was significantly higher than estimated with the design principle based on the weight of the overlying rock. The findings of this work have important implications for designing rock anchoring systems in mining and civil engineering demonstrate that joint orientation and block size significantly affect the rock mass capacity. This study confirms the need to consider the influence of in situ stresses on rock mass capacity when designing of rock anchors. Overall, this work guides the development of more precise design criteria for rock anchors, contributing to more efficient and effective rock engineering practices.
Micro-computed tomographic analysis of the morphology of maxillary lateral incisors
Authors: Wolf Thomas Gerhard , Rempapi Theodora , Schumann Sven , Campus Guglielmo , Spagnuolo Gianrico , Armogida Niccolò Giuseppe , Waber Andrea Lisa
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the morphology of maxillary lateral incisors (MxLI) using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT).

Materials and methods

The root canal configurations (RCC) of maxillary lateral incisors (MxLI) of a mixed Swiss-German population were examined using micro-CT, 3D imaging, and a 4-digit system code indicating the main root canal from coronal to apical thirds and the main foramina number.

Results

The most frequently observed RCC of MxLI were 1-1-1/1 (Vertucci I/Ve I, 80.0%), 1-1-2/2 (Ve V, 7.3%), 1-2-1/1 (Ve III, 6.4%), 2-1-1/1 (Ve II, 1.8%), and 1-1-1/2 (1.8%)(n = 110). Three additional RCC were observed less frequently (0.9%). The MxLI showed one physiological foramen in 89.1%, two in 9.1%, and seldom three (1.8%). Most accessory canals were identified in the apical third of a root (20.0%), and no accessory canals in 72.7% of the samples.

Conclusions

Detailed information on the internal morphology of MxLI of a Swiss-German population is given. The most frequently observed RCC of MxLI is 1-1-1/1 (Ve I). However, accessory canals may occur in all apical thirds, and 20% of all teeth investigated showed a challenging RCC for clinical treatment.

Clinical relevance

This study offers clinicians comprehensive data on MxLI morphology, emphasizing the significance of understanding varied RCC and accessory canal presence for improving root canal treatment outcomes. Over 25% of teeth exhibited complex RCC or accessory canals, influencing decisions during root canal treatment.
Wind as a Driver of Peat CO2 Dynamics in a Northern Bog
Authors: Campeau A. , He H. , Riml J. , Humphreys E. , Dalva M. , Roulet N.
Published: May 2024

Excess CO2 accumulated in soils is typically transported to the atmosphere through molecular diffusion along a concentration gradient. Because of the slow and constant nature of this process, a steady state between peat CO2 production and emissions is often established. However, in peatland ecosystems, high peat porosity could foster additional non-diffusive transport processes, whose dynamics may become important to peat CO2 storage, transport and emission. Based on a continuous record of in situ peat pore CO2 concentration within the unsaturated zone of a raised bog in southern Canada, we show that changes in wind speed create large diel fluctuations in peat pore CO2 store. Peat CO2 builds up overnight and is regularly flushed out the following morning. Persistently high wind speed during the day maintains the peat CO2 with concentrations close to that of the ambient air. At night, wind speed decreases and CO2 production overtakes the transport rate leading to the accumulation of CO2 in the peat. Our results indicate that the effective diffusion coefficient fluctuates based on wind speed and generally exceeds the estimated molecular diffusion coefficient. The balance between peat CO2 accumulation and transport is most dynamic within the range of 0–2 m s−1 wind speeds, which occurs over 75% of the growing season and dominates night-time measurements. Wind therefore drives considerable temporal dynamics in peat CO2 transport and storage, particularly over sub-daily timescales, such that peat CO2 emissions can only be directly related to biological production over longer timescales.
Unconstrained lightweight control interface for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery using MediaPipe framework and head-mounted display
Authors: Rhee Wounsuk , Kim Young Gyun , Lee Jong Hyeon , Shim Jae Woo , Kim Byeong Soo , Yoon Dan , Cho Minwoo , Kim Sungwan
Published: May 2024

Robotic surgery is preferred over open or laparoscopic surgeries due to its intuitiveness and convenience. However, prolonged use of surgical robots can cause neck pain and joint fatigue in wrist and fingers. Also, input systems are bulky and difficult to maintain. To resolve these issues, we propose a novel input module based on real-time 3D hand tracking driven by RGB images and MediaPipe framework to control surgical robots such as patient side manipulator (PSM) and endoscopic camera manipulator (ECM) of da Vinci research kit. In this paper, we explore the mathematical basis of the proposed 3D hand tracking module and provide a proof-of-concept through user experience (UX) studies conducted in a virtual environment. End-to-end latencies for controlling PSM and ECM were 170 ± 10 ms and 270 ± 10 ms, respectively. Of fifteen novice participants recruited for the UX study, thirteen managed to reach a qualifiable level of proficiency after 50 min of practice and fatigue of hand and wrist were imperceivable. Therefore, we concluded that we have successfully developed a robust 3D hand tracking module for surgical robot control and in the future, it would hopefully reduce hardware cost and volume as well as resolve ergonomic problems. Furthermore, RGB image driven 3D hand tracking module developed in our study can be widely applicable to diverse fields such as extended reality (XR) development and remote robot control. In addition, we provide a new standard for evaluating novel input modalities of XR environments from a UX perspective.
Immersive virtual reality applied to the rehabilitation of patients with lower limb amputation: a small randomized controlled trial for feasibility study
Authors: Steckel Bibiana Mayer , Schwertner Rafaela , Bücker Joana , Nazareth Ana Clara de Paula , Bizarro Lisiane , Oliveira Alcyr Alves de
Published: May 2024

Limb amputation significantly impacts the socioeconomic and health aspects of affected individuals, with clinical issues such as phantom limb pain (PLP), phantom limb telescopy (PLT), residual limb pain (RLP), and decreased balance necessitating improved treatments. Although interventions utilizing Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) have been explored, conducting Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT) within this population presents challenges. This study serves as a feasibility study derived from a small RCT, aiming to investigate the effects of an IVR intervention protocol on individuals with lower limb amputation (LLA) while addressing methodological challenges and exploring alternative study designs. Participants were randomly assigned to either the Control Group (CG), receiving no intervention, or the Intervention Group (IG), undergoing 16 IVR sessions over 8 weeks, with twenty-one participants completing the protocol. Sessions involved observing physical exercises via a head-mounted display. All participants were assessed for pain and balance pre- and post-intervention. IG participants were also evaluated for pain, sense of presence in the virtual environment, and cybersickness on intervention days. Results indicated a significant negative correlation between RLP and time since amputation in the Intervention Group. Analysis of results between IG and CG post-assessment suggests potential benefits of IVR in improving balance and reducing PLT. Despite challenges related to sample size and participant retention, multicenter collaborations and home-based interventions are proposed to mitigate these limitations. This feasibility study lays a foundation for future research aiming to optimize VR interventions for improved outcomes in patients with LLA.
Performance of the Roche Elecsys® IGRA SARS-CoV-2 test for the detection and quantification of virus-reactive T cells in COVID-19-vaccinated immunosuppressed patients and healthy subjects
Authors: Carretero Diego , Giménez Estela , Albert Eliseo , Colomer Ester , Montomoli Marco , Hernani Rafael , Piñana José Luis , Górriz José Luis , Solano Carlos , Navarro David
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Comparing the performance of commercially available SARS-CoV-2 T-cell immunoassay responses may provide useful information for future observational or intervention studies as well as to their potential customers.

Method

Whole blood was collected from a total of 183 subjects fully vaccinated against COVID-19: 55 healthy controls (Group 1), 50 hematological patients (Group 2), 50 chronic kidney disease patients (Group 3), and 28 elderly nursing home residents (Group 4). Samples were tested with the Roche Elecsys® IGRA (Interferon-gamma release assay) SARS-CoV-2 test (Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland), the Euroimmun SARS-CoV-2 test (Euroimmun, Lubeck, Germany), the SARS-CoV-2 T Cell Analysis Kit (Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany), and a flow-cytometry for intracellular cytokine (IFN-γ) staining-based immunoassay (FC-ICS).

Results

Overall, the Roche Elecsys® assay returned the highest number of positive results (151/179; 84.3%), followed by the Euroimmun test (127/183; 69%), and the FC-ICS (135/179; 75%). The Kappa coefficient of agreement was best between IGRAs (0.64). Most discordant results across assays involved patients from Group 2. Overall, IFN-γ concentrations measured by both IGRAs correlated strongly (rho = 0.78; 95% CI 0.71–0.84; P < 0.001) irrespective of the study group. The frequencies of SARS-CoV-2-reactive IFN-γ T cells and IFN-γ concentrations measured by the IGRAs correlated moderately for CD4+ T cells, however, weakly for CD8+ T cells. SARS-CoV-2-experienced participants displayed stronger responses than SARS-CoV-2-naïve when IGRAs, rather than FC-ICS, were used.

Conclusion

The SARS-CoV-2 immunoassays evaluated in the present study did not return interchangeable qualitative or quantitative results either in seemingly healthy individuals or in immunosuppressed patients.
Tracing Mine Water Flows in a Dolomite Quarry, South Africa, Using Hydrochemistry and Stable Isotopes
Authors: Diamond Roger , van Staden Christel , Dippenaar Matthys
Published: May 2024

South Africa has a growing population, a relatively dry climate, and abundant mining activity, all of which increase the importance of water management. The Mooiplaas Dolomite Quarry, south east of Pretoria, has been mining metallurgical grade dolomite since 1969, within the productive karst aquifers of the Malmani Subgroup, Transvaal Supergroup. This study was conducted to elucidate the flow of water around the site, including the mine water and groundwater. The site was investigated by sampling precipitation, surface water, groundwater, and mine water for hydrochemical and stable isotope analysis from 2011 to 2017, totalling over 400 samples. Levels of nitrate in groundwater and mine water were marginally above drinking water limits, from explosives residues, and ammonia in the nearby Hennops River was unacceptably high due to municipal sewage outfalls, but otherwise, water quality was very good. Alkalinity from rock weathering, aided by crushing of dolomite, was the main control on water chemistry. Combined analysis of dissolved matter (TDS, nitrate, Mg, etc.) suggested that the dewatering of the mine and resultant recharge from the slimes dams caused an aerated zone of groundwater, which mixed with regional groundwater flowing beneath the site. Stable isotopes, with an evaporated signature from the mine open water bodies, also showed how mine operations cause recharge to groundwater and subsequent seepage back into the pit lakes. The mine appears not to contaminate the regional groundwater; however, mine designs should avoid situations where process water flows via groundwater back into pits, causing excessive dewatering costs.
Food resource partitioning between males and females of Volcano Sunbird (Cinnyris preussi) on Mount Cameroon
Authors: Janeček Štěpán , Uceda-Gómez Guillermo , Janečková Petra , Tropek Robert , Fominka Nestor Tajoacha , Njie Marcus Mokake , Mlíkovský Jiří , Kamga Solange Mekuate , Molua Lucas Lyonga , Ewome Francis Luma
Published: May 2024

Competition for nectar is expected to result in feeding niche differentiation. Here, we targeted the sexually size-dimorphic Volcano Sunbird (Cinnyris preussi) on Mount Cameroon. We investigated whether males and females feed on different plant species, whether females with shorter bills than males prefer shorter flowers, and whether larger dominant males visit more energetic flowers that produce higher amounts of nectar sugars. We also asked whether feeding niches were spatially separated along the elevation gradient and whether this separation varied between the two contrasting seasons. We collected data on the frequency of visits to individual plant species and analyzed the male-to-female ratios in the mist-netted dataset. In addition, we estimated production of nectar sugar in individual habitats and seasons. Despite the large dataset collected, encompassing 6476 bird–plant interactions, our findings did not provide evidence of differences in the spectra of the visited plant species. In addition, females did not visit flowers with shorter tubes, nor did males visit flowers that produced higher amounts of sugars. However, we observed a sex-specific dispersion of sunbirds during the wet season. During the dry breeding season, both males and females feed mainly in nectar-rich montane and submontane forests. In the wet season, the production of nectar sugar in these habitats decreased dramatically, and females largely disappeared. In contrast, female activity increased in the lowest and highest parts of the altitudinal range. Our findings on elevational movements are important in the current context, in which species face potential threats from habitat destruction and climate change.
Anomaly detection and defense techniques in federated learning: a comprehensive review
Authors: Zhang Chang , Yang Shunkun , Mao Lingfeng , Ning Huansheng
Published: May 2024

In recent years, deep learning methods based on a large amount of data have achieved substantial success in numerous fields. However, with increases in regulations for protecting private user data, access to such data has become restricted. To overcome this limitation, federated learning (FL) has been widely utilized for training deep learning models without centralizing data. However, the inaccessibility of FL data and heterogeneity of the client data render difficulty in providing security and protecting the privacy in FL. In addition, the security and privacy anomalies in the corresponding systems significantly hinder the application of FL. Numerous studies have been proposed aiming to maintain the model security and mitigate the leakage of private training data during the FL training phase. Existing surveys categorize FL attacks from a defensive standpoint, but lack the efficiency of pinpointing attack points and implementing timely defenses. In contrast, our survey comprehensively categorizes and summarizes detected anomalies across client, server, and communication perspectives, facilitating easier identification and timely defense measures. Our survey provides an overview of the FL system and briefly introduces the FL security and privacy anomalies. Next, we detail the existing security and privacy anomalies and the methods of detection and defense from the perspectives of the client, server, and communication process. Finally, we address the security and privacy anomalies in non-independent identically distributed cases during FL and summarize the related research progress. This survey aims to provide a systematic and comprehensive review of security and privacy research in FL to help understand the progress and better apply FL in additional scenarios.
No selection lemma for empty triangles
Authors: Fabila-Monroy R. , Hidalgo-Toscano C. , Perz D. , Vogtenhuber B.
Published: May 2024

Let P be a set of n points in general position in the plane.
The Second Selection Lemma states that for any family of $$\Theta(n^3)$$

Θ
(

n
3

)

triangles spanned by P, there exists a point of the plane that lies in a constant fraction of them.
For families of $$\Theta(n^{3-\alpha})$$

Θ
(

n

3
-
α

)

triangles, with $$0\le \alpha \le 1$$

0
≤
α
≤
1

, there might not be a point in more than $$\Theta(n^{3-2\alpha})$$

Θ
(

n

3
-
2
α

)

of those triangles.
An empty triangle of P is a triangle spanned by P
not containing any point of P in its interior. Bárány conjectured that there exists an edge
spanned by P that is incident to a super-constant number of empty triangles of P. The number of empty triangles
of P might be as low as $$\Theta(n^2)$$

Θ
(

n
2

)

; in such a case, on average, every edge spanned by P is incident to a constant number
of empty triangles. The conjecture of Bárány suggests that for the class of empty triangles the above upper bound
might not hold. In this paper we show that, somewhat surprisingly,
the above upper bound does in fact hold for empty triangles.
Specifically, we show that for any integer n and real number $$0\leq \alpha \leq 1$$

0
≤
α
≤
1

there exists a point set of size n with $$\Theta(n^{3-\alpha})$$

Θ
(

n

3
-
α

)

empty triangles such that any point of the plane is only in $$O(n^{3-2\alpha})$$

O
(

n

3
-
2
α

)

empty triangles.
Backing biodiversity: understanding nature conservation behaviour and policy support in Australia
Authors: Borg Kim , Hatty Melissa , Klebl Christoph , Wibisono Susilo , Smith Liam , Louis Winnifred , Dean Angela J.
Published: May 2024

Community mobilisation is essential to prevent further biodiversity loss and protect the natural environment. This includes engaging in public- and private-sphere behaviours, and community support of relevant government policies. This purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the factors associated with public- and private-sphere nature conservation behaviour and policy support. We utilised data from a survey of 4,048 Australians, representative for age, gender, and geographic location, which measured engagement in nature conservation behaviours and support for diverse conservation policies. Hierarchical Multiple Regressions were conducted to assess relationships between behaviour and policy support with the key independent variables of awareness (of biodiversity issues), connection (to nature), and concern (about biodiversity issues), and socio-demographic covariates. Overall, community support for nature conservation policies was high, not just for incentive measures but for regulations and penalties. Regression models explained 22.9% of the variance in public-sphere behaviour, 30.2% of the variance in private-sphere behaviour, and 43.5% of the variance in policy support. Concern made one of the strongest contributions for all outcomes, and was substantially stronger for policy support compared to behaviour. Awareness and connection also made independent contributions to all outcomes. Socio-demographic variables explained a smaller proportion of unique variance for policy support (1.0%) compared to behaviour (public-sphere: 9.6%, private-sphere: 6.3%). Notably, for public-sphere behaviour, younger age explained almost as much variance as concern. Implications for practitioners and policymakers seeking to engage the general population in conservation support are discussed.
Echocardiographic monitoring of myocardial function in a female patient with right heart Loeffler endocarditis at thrombotic stage after Epstein-Barr-virus infection
Authors: Kandels Joscha , Pawluczuk J , Stöbe Stephan , Hagendorff Andreas
Published: May 2024

Background

Transthoracic echocardiography is usually the first non-invasive imaging modality for the detection of Loeffler endocarditis at thrombotic stage. In the recent decade 3D echocardiography and deformation imaging already proved as a helpful tool for the monitoring of left and right ventricular heart disease.

Case presentation

The present case illustrates the diagnostic role of 3D echocardiography and deformation imaging in the acute stage of right sided Loeffler endocarditis in a 70-year-old Western European (German) woman. This case proves that myocardial involvement due to inflammation can be detected at subclinical stages by speckle tracking echocardiography. Acute deterioration of left and right ventricular function and the early response to prednisolone therapy can objectively be monitored. In addition, alterations of effective stroke volume can quantitatively be assessed by 3D right ventricular volumetry with exclusion of thrombus formation in the volume measurements.

Conclusion

This case underlines the importance of 3D echocardiography and deformation imaging as a helpful diagnostic tool in disease management in the acute phase of Loeffler endocarditis at thrombotic stage.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Impairment and Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders
Authors: Dickson Sophie J. , Oar Ella L. , Kangas Maria , Johnco Carly J. , Lavell Cassie H. , Seaton Ashleigh H. , McLellan Lauren F. , Wuthrich Viviana M. , Rapee Ronald M.
Published: May 2024

Anxiety disorders are common, emerge during childhood, and pose a significant burden to society and individuals. Research evaluating the impact of anxiety on functional impairment and quality of life (QoL) is increasing; however, there is yet to be a systematic review and meta-analysis of these relationships in pediatric samples. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to determine the extent of impairments in functioning and QoL that young people with anxiety disorders experience relative to their healthy peers, as well as sociodemographic and clinical moderators of these relationships. Studies were included when they compared young people (mean age range within studies 7–17 years) with a primary clinical anxiety disorder to a healthy comparison group and measured impairment and/or QoL via a validated instrument. A total of 12 studies met criteria for this review (N = 3,129 participants). A majority of studies (K = 9) assessed impairment as an outcome measure, and three assessed QoL outcomes. Meta-analysis of nine studies (N = 1,457 children) showed large relationships between clinical anxiety and life impairment (g = 3.23) with the strongest effects seen for clinician report (g = 5.00), followed by caregiver (g = 2.15) and child (g = 1.58) report. The small number of studies and diversity in methodology prevented quantitative investigation of moderating factors. In the systematic review of QoL outcomes, all three studies reported significantly poorer QoL for youth with anxiety disorders relative to unaffected peers. Findings support the importance of measuring functioning and QoL as outcomes in clinical research and practice among anxious young people.

This study is registered with PROSPERO under the identification number CRD42023439040.
Space–time exploration of the east–west gap in economic development and digital financial inclusion: evidence from China pre and post-COVID-19
Authors: Li Jiaqi
Published: May 2024

The East–West imbalance in China’s economic development has profoundly affected all aspects of society, but the emergence of digital financial inclusion offers potential opportunities to address this issue. This study examines 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020, and Exploratory Space–time Data Analysis is employed to specify the temporal and spatial changes in the East–West disparity in economic development and digital financial inclusion. The main findings are: First, inequality in economic development is associated with a decline in spatial autocorrelation. With the acute exacerbation of inequalities after the pandemic, enhancing spatial dependence through regional cooperation would be conducive to reducing disparities. Second, economic development, digital financial inclusion, and its components (usage and coverage) have hot spots in the East and cold spots in the West. Before the pandemic, significant advancements in the West mitigated the East–West gap, but the East–West divergence in economic development worsened after the COVID-19 explosion. Third, distinct from economic development, digital financial inclusion and its key elements (usage) not only have a growing regional dependence, but also that the pandemic has not disrupted improvements in the West. More importantly, there is a significant regional overlap between digital financial inclusion, usage, and economic development, implying spatial and attributable connections among them. Consequently, governments should consider digital financial inclusion as a policy tool to relieve the worsening inequality in economic development between the East and West during the post-pandemic stage.
Nickel-doped silver nanoclusters as a mechanism to capture photons
Authors: Ahmed Abdallah Y. A. , Hamed Mohammed S. G. , Ike Jude N. , Mola Genene Tessema
Published: May 2024

Narrow width of optical absorption of conducting polymers and photons energy losses have been the challenges for fabricating highly efficient thin-film organic solar cell. Nickel-doped silver nanoclusters (Ni/Ag NCs) are employed here to capture more photons using polymers blend solar absorber medium to improve solar cell performances. The poly-3-hexylthiophene and (6-6)phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester molecules blend were used a solar absorber layer in this investigation. The solar cells fabricated with NCs exhibited enhanced opt-electronic properties compared to the reference solar cell. Consequently, the experimental results suggest that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) has substantially increased with the incorporations of NCs in absorber layer, which is dependent on the concentrations of NCs in the medium. The maximum PCE achieved, in this work, is $$\eta $$
η
= 6.2% at 2% of NCs by weight, which has exhibited to the lowest energy losses compared to other doping levels. This improvement in PCE is attributed to the occurrence of local surface plasmon resonance effect due to the inclusion of Ni/Ag NCs in polymer matrix. The results provide valuable insights on the use of Ni/Ag NCs for efficient photons capture in thin-film polymers blend medium.
Back to the Roots: Reconstructing Large and Complex Cranial Defects using an Image-based Statistical Shape Model
Authors: Li Jianning , Ellis David G. , Pepe Antonio , Gsaxner Christina , Aizenberg Michele R. , Kleesiek Jens , Egger Jan
Published: May 2024

Designing implants for large and complex cranial defects is a challenging task, even for professional designers. Current efforts on automating the design process focused mainly on convolutional neural networks (CNN), which have produced state-of-the-art results on reconstructing synthetic defects. However, existing CNN-based methods have been difficult to translate to clinical practice in cranioplasty, as their performance on large and complex cranial defects remains unsatisfactory. In this paper, we present a statistical shape model (SSM) built directly on the segmentation masks of the skulls represented as binary voxel occupancy grids and evaluate it on several cranial implant design datasets. Results show that, while CNN-based approaches outperform the SSM on synthetic defects, they are inferior to SSM when it comes to large, complex and real-world defects. Experienced neurosurgeons evaluate the implants generated by the SSM to be feasible for clinical use after minor manual corrections. Datasets and the SSM model are publicly available at https://github.com/Jianningli/ssm.
A comparative approach for estimating microstructural characteristics of BaTi1−xZrxO3 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) nanoparticles via X-ray diffraction patterns
Authors: Ateia Ebtesam E. , Reda Mahasen , El-Dek S. I. , Arman M. M.
Published: May 2024

Barium titanate materials are currently a special topic for scientific research due to their effective technological applications. The tetragonal BaTi1-xZrxO3 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using a modified citrate technique. The current work provides a comparative approach for the calculation of crystallite size, stress, strain, and elastic characteristics based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Various models have been developed to analyze XRD data; these models differ in their assumptions, mathematical approaches, and the type of information they provide. The Scherrer model ignores lattice micro-structures that develop in nanostructures, such as intrinsic strain. To overcome such drawbacks, three Williamson-Hall models, (the uniform deformation model (UDM)), the uniform stress deformation model (USDM), and the uniform deformation energy density model (UDEDM) have been discussed. According to the USDM model, with increasing Zr ion concentrations, interplanar space increases, causing a drop in Young’s modulus. All the previous approaches take into account the diffraction angle (2θ)-dependent peak broadening, which is thought to represent a combination of size and strain-driven induced broadening.

Graphical Abstract
Derivation of optical solitons for perturbed highly dispersive conformable fractional nonlinear Schrödinger equation with sextic-power law refractive index
Authors: Rabie Wafaa B. , Ahmed Hamdy M. , Akgül Ali
Published: May 2024

In this article, the modified extended direct algebraic method is applied for the perturbed highly dispersive nonlinear Schrödinger equation with conformable fractional derivative and sextic-power law refractive index. Various types of solutions are extracted such as bright solitons, dark solitons, combo bright-dark solitons, singular solitons, singular periodic wave solutions, exponential wave solutions and rational solutions. The impact of the fractional derivative is illustrated graphically using examples of some of the retrieved solutions with various values of fractional order.
Challenges, progress, and future perspectives for cyanobacterial polyhydroxyalkanoate production
Authors: Rueda Estel , Gonzalez-Flo Eva , Mondal Soumila , Forchhammer Karl , Arias Dulce María , Ludwig Katharina , Drosg Bernhard , Fritz Ines , Gonzalez-Esquer C. Raul , Pacheco Sara , García Joan
Published: May 2024

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a promising bio-based alternative to traditional plastics derived from petroleum. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms that produce PHA from CO2 and sunlight, which can potentially reduce production costs and environmental footprint in comparison to heterotrophic bacteria cultures because (1) they utilize inorganic carbon sources for growth and (2) they do not require intensive aeration for oxygenation. Moreover, supplementing precursors such as propionate, acetate, valerate, etc., can be used to obtain various copolymers with plastic customizable properties in comparison to the classical homopolymers, such as polyhydroxybutyrate, PHB. This critical review covers the latest advances in PHA production, including recent discoveries in the metabolism interplay between PHA and glycogen production, and new insights into cultivation strategies that enhance PHA accumulation, and purification processes. This review also addresses the challenges and suggests potential solutions for a viable industrial PHAs production process.
Enhancing human-machine pair inspection with risk number and code inspection diagram
Authors: Dai Yujun , Liu Shaoying , Xu Guangquan
Published: May 2024

Software inspection is a widely-used approach to software quality assurance. Human-Machine Pair Inspection (HMPI) is a novel software inspection technology proposed in our previous work, which is characterized by machine guiding programmers to inspect their own code during programming. While our previous studies have shown the effectiveness of HMPI in telling risky code fragments to the programmer, little attention has been paid to the issue of how the programmer can be effectively guided to carry out inspections. To address this important problem, in this paper we propose to combine Risk Number with Code Inspection Diagram (CID) to provide accurate guidance for the programmer to efficiently carry out inspections of his/her own programs. By following the Code Inspection Diagram, the programmer will inspect every checking item shown in the CID to efficiently determine whether it actually contain bugs. We describe a case study to evaluate the performance of this method by comparing its inspection time and number of detected errors with our previous work. The result shows that the method is likely to guide the programmer to inspect the faulty code earlier and be more efficient in detecting defects than the previous HMPI established based on Cognitive Complexity.