bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for mortality in patients with chikungunya: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Micheleto Jose Pedro Cassemiro , Melo Karin Araujo , Veloso Felipe Camilo Santiago , Kassar Samir Buainain , Oliveira Michelle Jacintha Cavalcante
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Chikungunya fever is a debilitating arthritic disease that can lead to atypical severe complications and sometimes be fatal. The risk factors for fatal outcomes of chikungunya fever have not been thoroughly studied. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to identify mortality risk factors in patients with chikungunya. These findings will aid clinicians in targeting high‐risk groups with severe chikungunya for timely interventions, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Objective

The objective of this study is to identify mortality risk factors in patients with chikungunya.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis by searching the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, BVS, BDTD and OpenGrey databases to identify eligible observational studies on patients with chikungunya. These studies analysed mortality risk factors, providing adjusted risk measures along with their corresponding confidence intervals (CIs). We estimated the pooled weighted mean difference and 95% CIs using a random‐effects model, and the methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale.

Results

Our search yielded a total of 334 records. After removing duplicates, we screened 275 records, reviewed 31 full articles and included seven studies in the systematic review and four in the meta‐analysis, with a total of 220,215 patients and 908 fatal cases. Diabetes Mellitus (OR = 2.86, 95% CI 1.75–4.69), hypertension (OR = 3.10, 95% CI 2.02–4.77), age ≥ 60 years (OR = 19.49, 95% CI 1.98–191.88), chronic kidney disease (OR = 5.81, 95% CI 1.30–25.99), male sex (OR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.71–2.51) and vomiting (OR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.75–2.73) are significantly and positively associated with mortality in chikungunya.

Conclusion

Elderly men with chronic diseases have a higher risk of death from chikungunya; therefore, they deserve more careful evaluation.
The neonatal mortality risk of vulnerable newborns in rural Bangladesh: A prospective cohort study within the Shonjibon trial
Authors: Hewish Alexandra , Dibley Michael J. , Raihana Shahreen , Rahman Mohammad Masudur , Islam Sajia , el Arifeen Shams , Huda Tanvir
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Preterm birth (<37 weeks), low birth weight (2500 g), small‐for‐gestational‐age (birth weight <10th percentile of a given reference), and large‐for‐gestational‐age (birth weight >90th percentile of a given reference) are indicators of vulnerable infants and risk factors for neonatal mortality. We estimated the prevalence and risk of neonatal mortality associated with these phenotypes and their mutually exclusive phenotypes in rural Bangladesh.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study in five rural districts of Bangladesh using data collected from births in the Shonjibon Trial from 2013 to 2015. We estimated the prevalence of preterm birth, low birth weight, small‐for‐gestational‐age, and large‐for‐gestational‐age infants, individually and for mutually exclusive phenotypes, using a combination of these phenotypes. Neonatal mortality associated with preterm birth, low birth weight, small‐for‐gestational‐age, large‐for‐gestational‐age, and mutually exclusive phenotypes were calculated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Poisson regression for adjusted relative risks (aRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

We included 24,314 live births in this study. The prevalence of preterm birth, low birth weight, small‐for‐gestational‐age, and large‐for‐gestational‐age was 26.2%, 22.9%, 41.7%, and 8.2%, respectively. The prevalence of babies born appropriate for gestational age, with term gestation (≥37 weeks) and normal birth weight (≥2500 g) was 33.3%. For individual phenotypes, the neonatal mortality risk was approximately 3‐fold for preterm, low birth weight, and large‐for‐gestational‐age newborns and 1.5‐fold for small‐for‐gestational‐age newborns compared with appropriate‐for‐gestational‐age, term, and normal birth weight newborns. The risk of neonatal mortality for mutually exclusive phenotypes was highest in small‐for‐gestational‐age, preterm, and low birth weight newborns (aRR = 6.3, 95% CI 4.1–9.6) relative to appropriate for gestational age, term, and normal birth weight newborns.

Conclusions

In rural Bangladesh, most infants are born with one or more vulnerable phenotypes associated with an increased risk of neonatal mortality. Our findings highlight the value of categorising newborns using mutually exclusive vulnerable phenotypes and their neonatal mortality risks, which can be used to tailor interventions to improve survival.
IgA nephropathy is associated with Opisthorchis felineus liver fluke infection: Retrospective 5‐year analysis of human kidney samples
Authors: Kovner Anna , Kapushchak Yaroslav , Hadieva Elena , Persidskij Mikhail , Pakharukova Maria
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Infection with the fish‐borne liver fluke Opisthorchis felineus, which is transmitted through the consumption of raw or undercooked fish, results in serious liver damage in humans. Currently, limited clinical and experimental data reveal kidney damage co‐occurring with chronic opisthorchiasis. We conducted a retrospective analysis of kidney autopsy samples over a five‐year period (n = 84). The aim of the study was to assess pathomorphological changes in the kidneys and evaluate whether there is an association between IgA nephropathy and liver fluke infection.

Methods

Histological analysis, immunohistochemistry, and statistical analysis were performed.

Results

In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that chronic O. felineus infection in humans was associated with tubular dystrophy, the accumulation of renal tubular casts, and glomerulosclerosis. The hypertension increases the pathomorphological changes associated with chronic opisthorchiasis. We also detected IgA and the O. felineus total antigen in glomeruli of infected people. Fisher's test showed a significant association between O. felineus infection and IgA nephropathy, as well as between O. felineus infection and glomerulosclerosis.

Conclusions

Therefore, the findings of this study highlight the importance of recognising O. felineus infection as a more than hepatobiliary disease and emphasise the need for careful, personalised monitoring of kidney function in infected individuals.
Determination of hematologic reference intervals for free‐living King vultures (Sarcoramphus papa)
Authors: Basso Enzo , Chulla Diego Rolim , Tubelli Eduardo , Wicks Sarah , Flatt Eleanor , Beirne Christopher , Whitworth Andrew
Published: February 2025

Background

As obligate scavengers, New World vultures (Cathartiformes: Cathartidae) play a key role in carcass removal and disease control. Associated with this ecosystem service, vultures are exposed to the consumption of harmful substances such as poisons, heavy metals, antibiotics, or non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs. Monitoring the health status of vulture populations is a priority and an important conservation strategy, and hematologic analysis is a practical and effective method that can be useful for this purpose.

Objectives

Report hematologic reference intervals in free‐living King vultures (Sarcoramphus papa), one of the least studied New World vulture species.

Methods

Red blood cell concentration, packed cell volume, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, MCV, MCH, MCHC, WBC concentration, differential count and absolute WBC concentration, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and total protein concentration were determined. We used a non‐parametric method to calculate the reference intervals. In addition, we compared our results with the hematologic measurands reported for the Black vulture (Coragyps atratus), the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) and the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus).

Results

With the exception of Hb, monocyte, basophil, and eosinophil concentrations, the mean hematologic measurands observed in the King vulture were similar to those recorded for the other New World vulture species, and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was lower in the King vulture compared to the Black vulture.

Conclusions

In this study, we have reported for the first time the hematologic reference intervals in a free‐living population of King vultures in Costa Rica. Future research should consider comparison among free‐living New World vulture species.
Effects of Oral Macrocyclic Lactone Heartworm Preventatives on Retinal Function and Chromatic Pupillary Light Reflex in Healthy Companion Dogs
Authors: Hopper Ryan G. , Ludwig Allison L. , Salzman Michele M. , Elazegui Ethan , Rogers Callie M. , Bentley Ellison , Mowat Freya M.
Published: February 2025

Objective

Determine the effect of oral macrocyclic lactone heartworm‐preventative medications on retinal function and chromatic pupillary light reflex (cPLR) in healthy dogs.

Animals Studied

Cross‐sectional retrospective: 60 dogs (n = 33 females) with heartworm medication administration status and electroretinogram (ERG) data available. Prospective clinical study: 25 dogs (n = 10 females) had ERG performed, 18 of which had cPLR performed.

Procedures

Retrospective: ERG amplitudes/peak times were compared between dogs that had or had not received oral heartworm preventatives. Bivariate and multiple variable linear regression models were used to evaluate relationships between ERG testing and heartworm preventive administration status, age, and sex. Prospective: ERG and cPLR testing were performed at a baseline visit (minimum 14 days since last preventative administration), and a second visit where ERG/cPLR testing was performed 4 h after oral preventative administration. Mixed effects models and Mann–Whitney U statistics were performed.

Results

Retrospective: There was no association between heartworm preventive administration status and ERG amplitudes or peak times (all p‐values > 0.12). Prospective: Heartworm preventative had no effect on light‐ and dark‐adapted ERG amplitudes or peak times (all p‐values > 0.56). Similarly, there was no effect on baseline pupil size (p = 0.83), nor on cPLR (p = 0.32).

Conclusion

No significant effects of oral macrocyclic lactones on retinal/cPLR function at preventative doses were identified. While small effects on retinal/cPLR function cannot be completely ruled out, it remains unlikely that these medications cause clinically significant visual deficits at prescribed doses, and proven antiparasitic benefits likely far outweigh small potential ophthalmic risks of administration.
Treatment of traumatic disruption of the suspensory apparatus in Thoroughbred racehorses at risk of proximal interphalangeal joint subluxation using a locking compression‐distal femur plate for double arthrodesis
Authors: Orozco Lopez David , Garcia‐Lopez Jose M. , Carpenter Ryan , Bras Jose J. , Richardson Dean W. , Ortved Kyla F.
Published: February 2025

Objective

To describe the outcome of metacarpophalangeal (MCPJ) and proximal interphalangeal joint (PIPJ) arthrodesis using a locking compression‐distal femur plate (LCP‐DFP) in Thoroughbred racehorses with traumatic disruption of the suspensory apparatus (TDSA) at risk of PIPJ subluxation.

Study design

Multicenter retrospective study.

Animals

Twenty‐six Thoroughbred racehorses.

Methods

Records of Thoroughbred racehorses with TDSA that had undergone MCPJ and PIPJ arthrodesis using an LCP‐DFP at three referral hospitals between 2020 and 2024 were reviewed for inclusion. The preoperative data collected included signalment, affected limb, and type of injury. All postoperative complications were recorded. Long‐term outcomes were obtained from medical records and telephone interviews.

Results

Nine females, 14 geldings, and three intact males with TDSA were treated via double arthrodesis using an LCP‐DFP. The most common postoperative complications included support limb laminitis, incisional drainage, implant infection with osteomyelitis, and distal interphalangeal joint subluxation. No horses developed PIPJ subluxation. Twenty (76.9%) horses developed short‐term complications. Thirteen (50%) horses survived long term (>6 months, range 6–32 months) and were reported to be pasture sound without receiving any analgesic or antiinflammatory medication.

Conclusion

Metacarpophalangeal and PIPJ arthrodesis using an LCP‐DFP in racehorses resulted in a stable construct with no horses developing subluxation of the PIPJ joint postoperatively. Arthrodesis using an LCP‐DFP was associated with a fair prognosis for pasture soundness.

Clinical significance

Application of an LCP‐DFP may prevent subluxation of the PIPJ; however, the prognosis is still affected by the high prevalence of other complications and associated mortality among horses that suffer TDSA.
Optogenetic methods to stimulate gamma motor neuron axons ex vivo
Authors: Karekal Apoorva , Mandawe Remie , Chun Cameron , Byri Sai Kiran , Cheline Danitza , Ortiz Serena , Hochman Shawn , Wilkinson Katherine A.
Published: February 2025

It is challenging to stimulate gamma motor neurons, which are important regulators of muscle spindle afferent function, without also recruiting alpha motor neurons. Here, we test the feasibility of stimulating gamma motor neuron axons using optogenetics in two transgenic mouse lines. We used an ex vivo muscle–nerve preparation in adult mice to monitor muscle spindle afferent firing, which should increase in response to gamma motor neuron‐induced lengthening of the sensory region of the muscle spindle. A force transducer measured alpha motor neuron‐mediated twitch contractions. Blue LED light (470 nm; 1–5 mW) was delivered via a light guide to the sciatic nerve. We confirmed that the more slowly conducting gamma motor neurons were recruited first in mice expressing channelrhodopsin 2 in choline acetyltransferase‐positive motor neurons, whereas alpha motor neurons required higher optical intensities, enabling co‐activation of alpha and gamma motor neurons depending on light intensity. However, this approach cannot isolate gamma motor neuron activity completely. Cre‐dependent channelrhodopsin 2 optoactivation using the putative gamma motor neuron marker neuronal PAS domain protein 1 (Npas1) also increased muscle spindle afferent firing rates and caused only small twitch contractions. This provides functional validation that Npas1 is present primarily in gamma motor neurons and can be used to manipulate gamma motor neurons independently. We propose optogenetic stimulation as a promising tool to manipulate gamma motor neuron activity.
Analysis of the Frictional Properties of Carbon Nanotube-Coated Aramid Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Singh Mayank , Yadav Ritendra , Dodla Srihari , Gautam Rakesh Kumar
Published: February 2025

This study examines the effects of mechanical behavior, thermal characteristics, and tribological variables (sliding frequency, normal load, and temperature) on the tribological performance of carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated aramid fabric-reinforced epoxy composites using a computational and data-driven machine learning (ML) approach. Predictive models for the coefficient of friction (COF) were developed based on previous tribological, mechanical, and thermal data, employing three ML algorithms: artificial neural network (ANN), gradient boosting machine (GBM), and random forest (RF). The models showed the following results—ANN: R2 = 0.9088, GBM: R2 = 0.92807, and RF: R2 = 0.85294, with the GBM model providing the best predictions. The dataset with the best performance had an error percentage of 0.003658%, while the poorest performance showed 13.56625%. Feature score analysis highlighted load, sliding frequency, and CNT content as key factors influencing COF. This data-driven ML analysis offers significant insights into the tribological behavior of fiber-reinforced polymer composites, aiding in material design and performance optimization.
Investigating the Tribological Performance and Wear Mechanisms of Stainless Steel 316L in Cold Metal Transfer-Based Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Under Varied Loads and Thermal Inputs
Authors: Lone Saboor Fayaz , Rathod Dinesh W. , Nazir Ahmad Sheikh , Sekar Shiva
Published: February 2025

In recent years, cold metal transfer (CMT)-based wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has gained significant attention in the manufacturing sector, particularly for its ability to produce components with low thermal input and high deposition rates. This study investigated the tribological behavior of SS316L walls fabricated using CMT-based WAAM, employing a ball-on-plate linear reciprocating test with tungsten carbide (WC) counter body under varying thermal inputs and applied loads (15 N, 20 N, and 25 N). The tests were conducted for 10 min at a frequency of 15 Hz and a stroke length of 2 mm. Results indicate that the coefficient of friction (COF) increased slightly with applied loads, yielding an average COF of 0.22 across all loads. Wear-rate analysis revealed that both increased applied load and heat input led to a higher wear-rate, with the maximum wear-rate (3.39 × 10−3 mm3/m) occurring at high heat input and 25 N, while the minimum wear-rate (1.2 × 10−3 mm3/m) was observed at low heat input and 15 N. Vickers microhardness results demonstrated an inverse relationship between hardness and heat input, with hardness increasing by 11% as heat input decreased from high to low. FESEM analysis of wear tracks showed significant craters, abrasive grooves, delamination, surface cracks, and particle adhesion, identifying an abrasive-dominant wear mechanism with surface fatigue, partial adhesion, and oxidative wear. Wear debris analysis showed sharper angular particles and larger irregularly shaped flakes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra confirmed δ-ferrite and γ-austenite phases pre- and postwear, with postwear analysis showing an α′-martensite peak, indicating phase transformation during wear.
Schroeder integration for sound energy decay analysis
Authors: Xiang Ning
Published: February 2025

The Reflections series takes a look back on historical articles from The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America that have had a significant impact on the science and practice of acoustics.
A stochastic and microscopic model to predict road traffic noise by random generation of single vehicles' speeds
Authors: Mascolo Aurora , Rossi Domenico , Ruggiero Alessandro , Guarnaccia Claudio
Published: February 2025

Road traffic noise is the major component of acoustic environmental pollution both in urban and rural areas. For this reason, much effort has been put into developing models to assess its impact. However, literature models are often suitable for standard conditions but can fail in non-standard ones, i.e., when the single vehicle speed cannot be neglected. Moreover, input data to literature models are not always available, e.g., if the road infrastructure is still in the design phase. The presented approach aims to try to overcome these shortcomings using a microscopic and stochastic-core model, in which the speed of each vehicle can be randomly generated using a specific speed distribution. The validation of the model, investigated through a statistical analysis of simulated continuous equivalent sound pressure levels, the error distribution, and the calculation of commonly used error metrics suggests that the proposed methodology provides good estimations of traffic noise. The errors of the model computed as the differences between measured and simulated sound levels, can be described as a distribution curve with a −0.6 dBA mean and a standard deviation of 2.3 dBA. The error metrics confirm the model's goodness, with a mean absolute error of 1.84 dBA and a coefficient of variation error of 0.03.
A hybrid design based on alternating layered fluids for the cloaking of elastic cylinders
Authors: Shi Zijian , Yu Gaokun , Gu Yiming , Wang Ning
Published: February 2025

With the combination of two critical features from Cummer–Schurig, acoustic cloaking and the scattering cancellation technique, this study reports a hybrid design for the cloaking of elastic cylinders using alternating layered fluids (the effective density to be anisotropic), which are achieved by alternately immersing HGM (a syntactic foam, light solid material with high sound velocity) and Pb (lead, a heavy solid material) in the background fluid medium. The cloaking performance of the proposed design is investigated both by the numerical simulation and by experimental measurement. For a lead cylinder of radius 50 mm, the measured visibility reduction below −5 dB is obtained in the frequency range from 18 kHz to 23 kHz. Compared with the scattering cancellation by the thin elastic shell, the proposed cloaking can be obtained at shorter wavelengths due to the suppression of more higher-order scattering. In addition, the performance of cloaking has no dependence on the incident angles, which has an advantage over the scattering cancellation using scatters distributed unevenly. This is the first experiment using layered fluids to obtain the cloaking of an elastic cylinder, which has potential application in underwater acoustic stealth.
Temporary tectonic posterior corneal lamellar graft without Descemet’s stripping for ab-interno sealing of large corneal perforation in severe dry eyes
Authors: Nanavaty Mayank A , Nanavaty Vandit M
Published: February 2025

Managing large corneal perforations in severe dry eye disease (DED) is often challenging. We describe such a case that was successfully managed with a temporary tectonic posterior corneal lamellar graft. A patient with Sjogren’s syndrome presented with filamentary keratitis and was inappropriately prescribed G. Maxitrol (Novartis, USA) along with lubricants. She returned in 6 days with bilateral corneal melts, which was worse in her left eye. The left eye had a large corneal perforation and a flat anterior chamber. She underwent an emergency temporary tectonic posterior lamellar graft to form the anterior chamber. Two 9'0 Prolene limbus-to-limbus sutures were placed to buckle the graft on the host posterior cornea. This graft was kept in situ for 3 months before removal. The melt and perforation self-healed with a scar, and 9 months after the original surgery, the patient’s vision improved to 6/9 with a scleral contact lens.
Red flags in the folds: a clinical insight into paediatric streptococcal intertrigo
Authors: von Hafe Madalena , Almeida Rui
Published: February 2025

We present a compelling case of a female infant with axillary intertrigo, presumptively caused by a streptococcal infection, successfully treated with topical antibiotics. This case highlights distinctive clinical features that aid in differentiating streptococcal intertrigo from other skin fold infections, emphasising its diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Of particular importance, this report underscores the potential for negative skin smear cultures despite an underlying streptococcal aetiology, advocating for the critical role of clinical assessment in guiding timely and effective management. To provide broader context and practical insights, we conducted an extensive review of the literature, summarising the clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges and treatment options for paediatric streptococcal intertrigo. This case serves as a valuable reference for clinicians managing similar presentations in paediatric populations.
Rationale and design of a multicentre randomised controlled trial on circulating tumour DNA-guided neoadjuvant treatment strategy for locally advanced rectal cancer (CINTS-R)
Authors: Zhou Jiaolin , Zhang Xiao , Liu Qian , Li Yongheng , Wu Guoju , Fu Wei , Yao Hongwei , Wang Zhenjun , Xue Huadan , Xu Tao , Chen Weijie , Lu Junyang , Zhang Guannan , Wu Bin , An Yang , Qiu Xiaoyuan , Xiao Yi , Lin Guole
Published: February 2025

Background

The traditional neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) combined with total mesorectal excision has been widely accepted as the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). New strategies such as total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) and neoadjuvant immunotherapy have shown great promise in certain patient populations. Currently, there is an urgent need to stratify patients before treatment to adopt the appropriate neoadjuvant strategies. Our previous study has shown that circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) effectively reflects tumour burden and genetic characteristics and has significant predictive value for tumour recurrence, demonstrating great potential in guiding the choice of neoadjuvant strategies.

Methods and analysis

The CINTS-R trial is a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a ctDNA-guided neoadjuvant treatment strategy compared with conventional neoadjuvant therapy regime in patients with LARC. The trial will enrol 470 patients diagnosed with LARC (staged cT3-4N0 or cTanyN1-2) with tumours located ≤12 cm from the anal verge across seven centres in China. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to the experimental group or the control group. Patients in the experimental group will receive different intensities of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (TNT or modified nCRT) or neoadjuvant immunotherapy based on the molecular features of the tumour, baseline ctDNA concentration and changes in ctDNA status early in treatment. Patients in the control group will receive modified nCRT. The primary endpoint is the 2-year disease-related treatment failure rate. The secondary endpoints include time to recurrence, 2-year overall survival, 2-year disease-free survival, clinical complete response (cCR) rate, near cCR rate and pathologically complete response rate, pathological tumour regression grade and quality of life.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol has been approved by the ethics committee of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, with approval number I-23PJ157, and by the institutional review boards of all the participating centres. All data will be collected and stored in a specially designed database. The results of our trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presented at national and international academic conferences.

Trial registration number

This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and the registration ID isNCT05601505.
Top 10 palliative care research priorities in France: a 3-step, mixed-methods protocol (AXEPRO study)
Authors: Barbaret Cécile , Habert-Dantigny Raphaëlle , Rouze Héloïse , Huynh Doan , Huynh Roseline , Tête Caroline , Julier-Costes Martin , Amouroux-Gorsse Valérie , Lavault Isabelle , Bret Justine , Economos Guillaume , Ecarnot Fiona , Sanchez Stéphane
Published: February 2025

Introduction

As one means to avoid waste in research investment, involving patients as full partners in research has become increasingly frequent. There is clearly a low level of investment in palliative care research. Following the guidance from the James Lind Alliance and the UK public consultation (‘Palliative and End of Life Care Research Priorities Project’), we developed a 3-step protocol aimed at prioritising 10 unanswered questions in palliative care (PC) research in France, from the viewpoint of patients, volunteers, healthcare professionals and family caregivers.

Methods and analysis

To identify unanswered questions in PC (stage 1), an unstructured questionnaire will be used. This questionnaire will be tested on patients and healthcare professionals and modified, if necessary, before being made available online for a period of 6 months. A multidisciplinary steering committee including board-certified PC physicians, methodologists, nurses, a sociologist, an anthropologist and an information specialist will analyse the data collected in order to delete duplicate questions, do a thematic and population classification of the responses, modify questions using the PICO (patient problem, intervention, comparison and outcome) format and perform a literature review on each question to identify any relevant systematic review.

Ethics and dissemination

We expect the results to have wide-ranging benefits, for example, by prompting investment in the 10 prioritised research questions. There are also potential benefits for patients and caregivers, by including them as partners in future research. Regarding the current bill being examined by the government planning to legalise euthanasia and assisted suicide in France, this study will provide new insights into how patients and caregivers are prioritising those themes. The major benefit of this study is to involve patients and family caregivers as partners in PC research. They will be consulted and their choices will be valuable resources and may prompt researchers to focus on different topics. In view of the limited funding available, PC research needs to prioritise major issues and raise its visibility.

The second stage of the study is the first-round prioritisation using a fixed format questionnaire, which will last 4 months. The third stage will consist of reaching a consensus regarding the top 10 unanswered questions in PC research, using the nominal group technique. A secondary objective during this third step is to study the reasons for the prioritisation.
Virtual reality-based fine motor skills training in paediatric rehabilitation: a protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Hervo Jeromine , Lançon Lexie , Levac Danielle E , Mensah-Gourmel Johanne , Brochard Sylvain , Bailly Rodolphe , Pons Christelle
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Fine motor skill (FMS) development during childhood is essential to many learning processes, especially in school. FMS impairment can have a major impact on children’s quality of life. Developing effective and engaging rehabilitation solutions to train FMS that engage children in the abundant practice required for motor learning can be challenging. Virtual reality (VR) is a promising intervention option offering engaging FMS training tasks and environments that align with evidence-based motor learning principles. Other potential advantages of VR for rehabilitation include accessibility for home-based use and adaptability to individual needs. The objective of this scoping review is to map the extent, range and nature of VR applications focused on FMS training in paediatric rehabilitation, including hardware, software and interventional parameters.

Methods and analysis

We are following methodological guidelines for scoping review conduct and reporting from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews recommendations. We will search four databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, PsycInfo and Scopus) for articles that meet inclusion criteria defined by the Population, Concept, Context method; specifically studies focused on development or evaluation of immersive or non-immersive VR applications to deliver FMS training in paediatric rehabilitation. Different populations of children with FMS impairments will be included (such as children with cerebral palsy, children with developmental coordination disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The first search took place in December 2023, and a second is planned for February 2025. One reviewer will complete title, abstract and full paper screening, with consultation by a second reviewer in case of uncertainty. A data extraction framework will be tested by two reviewers on five randomly selected studies to ensure inter-rater reliability, and one reviewer will complete data extraction. Quantitative and qualitative extraction will follow JBI guideline recommendations. Results will be presented in a descriptive and tabular format, including a narrative summary. Results will enhance understanding of the potential of FMS training in VR and inform subsequent directions for research and clinical practice.

Ethics and dissemination

Data for this review will be collected from the published literature. Ethical approval is not required. We will present our findings at scientific conferences and submit this review to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.
Legal interventions for perinatal depression in India: a qualitative study with clinical specialists having expertise in perinatal mental health
Authors: Behl Ritika , Nemane Vivek , Gurpur Shashikala
Published: February 2025

Objectives

To provide insights into the perspectives of clinical specialists (CSs) regarding the efficacy of existing legal interventions (health laws, policies, guidelines, etc) in addressing and managing perinatal depression (PND) in women in India, in the background of the existing policy gap.

Study design and methods

After adopting the consultative participatory approach, a qualitative study involving online, semi-structured, in-depth interviews was conducted. Purposive, and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify and invite the participants. Thematic content analysis was performed. The findings were reported in alignment with the Standards of Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.

Setting

India.

Participants

12 out of 38 invited CSs participated in the study. All invited participants either had a background in perinatal psychiatry or were experienced in working with the perinatal population and had undertaken evidence-based research regarding perinatal mental health (PMH), in the Indian setting.

Results

Five themes emerged from the collected data including (1) the epidemiology of PND in the Indian context, (2) the management of PND in India and the efficacy of the existing legal frameworks, (3) the need for legal interventions for addressing and managing PND in India, (4) role of legislative instruments, globally, in managing maternal PND and (5) advocacy for PMH by lawyers, and advocates in India.

Conclusions

The existing policy gap is associated with the violation of women’s rights. The Mental Health Care Act (MHCA), 2017 should be amended to recognise perinatal women as a vulnerable group and to prioritise their PMH needs. A nationwide policy should be introduced to ensure integrated PMH services.
Low physical activity levels of military police officers during day and night radio patrolling
Authors: Zampero Gabriele , Trevisan I , Monma F , Tinti J C , dos Santos L P , Lima T C P , Gorjão R , Hirabara S M , Pithon-Cur T C , Curi R , Santa-Rosa F A , de Souza D R
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The São Paulo State Military Police officers have a higher mortality rate than the civilian population. The radio patrolling work (RP190) is carried out by pairs of military police officers (MPOs) for 12 hours, using a police vehicle, requiring physical capabilities at any moment. However, whether the activity performed by MPOs during operational work is within the sedentary or the physically active range classification requires investigation. This cross-sectional study measured and compared the number of steps performed by MPOs during night and day shift radio patrolling.

Methods

The study participants included 170 MPOs with a median age of 35.0 (IQR: 29.0–43.0) years. All volunteers worked either the day (n=117) or night (n=53) shift and underwent step count analysis during the service shift using a Yamax pedometer (Digi-Walker SW 700, Tokyo, Japan). The data were normalised for pedometer wear time corresponding to the working service period. The MPOs in the radio patrolling programme wore the pedometer for 8.5 hours.

Results

The results show that they took an average of 2516 (95% CI 2270 to 2632) and 295.8 (95% CI 278.1 to 313.5) steps during the whole service and per hour of service, respectively. No difference in the number of steps was observed during the day compared with the night shift (2574 (IQR: 1829–3371) vs 2485 (IQR: 1502–2821), p=0.131). However, when normalised for wear time of use, the number of steps was significantly higher in the day compared with the night group (311.7±119.1 vs 260.6±108.6, p=0.009, d=0.44).

Conclusions

In conclusion, MPOs working the night shift are less physically active than MPOs working the day shift. Furthermore, MPOs’ activity can be classified into the sedentary range independently of their shifts.
Availability, cost and affordability of essential medicines for smoking cessation in low-income and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Plum Catherine , Stolbrink Marie , Ozoh Obianuju , Jayasooriya Shamanthi , Nightingale Rebecca , Mortimer Kevin , Halpin David
Published: February 2025

Smoking cessation is more effective when supported by medicines. Data on the availability, cost and affordability of these treatments in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC) are limited. Cross-sectional data for smoking cessation medications were collected from pharmacies, healthcare facilities and central medicine stores in 60 LMIC (2022–2023). Medications had varying availability, large price ranges and were essentially unaffordable. Enabling access to these medications is important in reducing tobacco consumption and associated disease. Strategies for integrating smoking cessation services into health systems are needed to reach Sustainable Development Goal targets.
Niqivut (our food)—dimensions of Inuit country food harvesting and significance in Arctic Canada: bountiful, seasonal, “soul food”
Authors: Carter Natalie Ann , van Luijk Nicolien , Dawson Jackie , Parker Colleen , Grey Kayla , Provencher Jennifer , Emiktaut Chantel , Simonee Natasha , Song Gloria , Wesche Sonia
Published: February 2025

Harvesting mammals, fishes, birds, eggs, and plants underpins Inuit culture across Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homeland in Canada). Climatic and nonclimatic drivers affect Inuit access to these items and have cascading effects on social determinants of Inuit health. A holistic understanding of the diversity and seasonality of harvesting is needed to support Inuit food sovereignty and security. Our goals were (a) to develop a broader understanding of the diversity and seasonality of harvesting country food across varied geographic contexts in Arctic Canada, and (b) further document the significance and benefits of country food as part of Inuit food sovereignty and systems across a range of communities. Knowledge holders in 14 communities spanning three Inuit regions shared knowledge and perspectives surrounding species harvested seasonally and species’ significance. Results demonstrate the range of overlapping yet diverse country food systems across Inuit regions, the seasonality and temporality of harvesting, and include a “survey” of species related to Inuit culture. This study highlights the cultural significance and benefits (nutritional, medicinal, mental health, connection to culture, and language) of country food; and reinforces that harvesting, processing, sharing, and eating country food are fundamental aspects of Inuit culture, wellbeing, and food sovereignty.
Assessing radiation exposure and room effect in the new lab with a DD neutron generator at STU
Authors: Vrban B. , Kleštinec M. , Čerba Š. , Filová V. , Lüley J. , Glavo O. , Nečas V.
Published: February 2025

The study presents an extensive simulation analysing radiation exposure levels in an under-construction laboratory at STU, equipped with a deuterium–deuterium neutron generator and X-ray lamp. The laboratory's design and radiation shielding requirements are determined based on available premises and their proximity. Due to the complexity of the task, resource-intensive SCALE MONACO Monte Carlo simulations are employed to evaluate ambient dose rates within and near the projected premises. Various approximations are explored concerning source anisotropy, secondary gammas, bremsstrahlung, and different radiation sources. Notably, the facility aims to support precise fast neutron radiography of large industrial components; thus, the first estimation of the room effect is carried out.
CTRL: Connect Collaborative and Language Model for CTR Prediction
Authors: Li Xiangyang , Chen Bo , Hou Lu , TANG Ruiming
Published: February 2025

Traditional click-through rate (CTR) prediction models convert the tabular data into one-hot vectors and leverage the collaborative relations among features for inferring the user’s preference over items. This modeling paradigm discards essential semantic information. Though some works like P5 and KAR have explored the potential of using Pre-trained Language Models (PLMs) to extract semantic signals for CTR prediction, they are computationally expensive and suffer from low efficiency. Besides, the beneficial collaborative relations are not considered, hindering the recommendation performance. To solve these problems, in this paper, we propose a novel framework
CTRL
, which is industrial-friendly and model-agnostic with superior inference efficiency. Specifically, the original tabular data is first converted into textual data. Both tabular data and converted textual data are regarded as two different modalities and are separately fed into the collaborative CTR model and pre-trained language model. A cross-modal knowledge alignment procedure is performed to fine-grained align and integrate the collaborative and semantic signals, and the lightweight collaborative model can be deployed online for efficient serving after fine-tuned with supervised signals. Experimental results on three public datasets show that CTRL outperforms the state-of-the-art (SOTA) CTR models significantly. Moreover, we further verify its effectiveness on a large-scale industrial recommender system.
Intermediate Representations for the Datacenter Computer
Authors: Benetopoulos Achilles
Published: February 2025

We have reached a point where distributed computing is ubiquitous. In-memory application data size is outstripping the capacity of individual machines, necessitating its partitioning over clusters of them; online services have high availability requirements, which can be met only by deploying systems as collections of multiple redundant components; high durability requirements can be satisfied only through data replication, sometimes across vast geographical distances. While it has arguably never been easier to procure the necessary hardware and to deploy distributed applications with a variety of tools from cluster orchestrators such as Kubernetes to newer paradigms such as functions-as-a-service, building correct and efficient distributed solutions largely remains an individual exercise.
Data Privacy Made Easy: Enhancing Applications with Homomorphic Encryption
Authors: Gouert Charles , Tsoutsos Nektarios Georgios
Published: February 2025

Homomorphic encryption is a powerful privacy-preserving technology that is notoriously difficult to configure and use, even for experts. The key difficulties include restrictive programming models of homomorphic schemes and choosing suitable parameters for an application. In this tutorial, we outline methodologies to solve these issues and allow for conversion of any application to the encrypted domain using both leveled and fully homomorphic encryption.

The first approach, called Walrus, is suitable for arithmetic-intensive applications with limited depth and applications with high throughput requirements. Walrus provides an intuitive programming interface and handles parameterization automatically by analyzing the application and gathering statistics such as homomorphic noise growth to derive a parameter set tuned specifically for the application. We provide an in-depth example of this approach in the form of a neural network inference as well as guidelines for using Walrus effectively.

Conversely, the second approach (HELM) takes existing HDL designs and converts them to the encrypted domain for secure outsourcing on powerful cloud servers. Unlike Walrus, HELM supports FHE backends and is well-suited for complex applications. At a high level, HELM consumes netlists and is capable of performing logic gate operations homomorphically on encryptions of individual bits. HELM incorporates both CPU and GPU acceleration by taking advantage of the inherent parallelism provided by Boolean circuits. As a case study, we walk through the process of taking an off-the-shelf HDL design in the form of AES-128 decryption and running it in the encrypted domain with HELM.
A Compact and Parallel Swap-Based Shuffler Based on Butterfly Network and Its Complexity Against Side Channel Analysis
Authors: Park Jong-Yeon , Kim Seonggyeom , Lee Wonil , Kang Bo Gyeong , Song Il-Jong , Oh Jaekeun , Sakurai Kouichi
Published: February 2025

A prominent countermeasure against side-channel attacks, the
hiding countermeasure
, typically involves shuffling operations using a permutation algorithm. This is especially crucial in the era of Post-quantum Cryptography, where computational characteristics of lattice and code-based cryptography heighten the need for robust defenses. In this context, securely and efficiently generating permutations is critical for an algorithm’s overall security and performance. Among the various approaches, the Fisher-Yates shuffle is widely adopted due to its security and ease of implementation. However, it is limited by a complexity of

\(\mathcal {O}(N)\)

due to its sequential nature. In response, we propose a time-area tradeoff swap algorithm,

\(\mathsf {FSS}\)

, that leverages a Butterfly Network structure, achieving only

\(\log (N)\)

depth,

\(\log (N)\)

work, and

\(\mathcal {O}(1)\)

operation time in parallel. Our analysis calculates the maximum gain an attacker can achieve through butterfly operations with

\(\log (N)\)

depth from a side-channel analysis perspective. Notably, we derive a generalized formula for the attack complexity of higher-order side-channel attacks for arbitrary input sizes, utilizing the fractal structure of the butterfly network. Moreover, our research demonstrates the efficiency and security of this permutation approach across different platforms. We include practical implementation results on ASIC as well as on CPU and GPU architectures, which underscore the algorithm’s performance advantages and robustness across diverse hardware environments. Through this exploration, we show that efficient and secure permutations can indeed be achieved with minimal randomness requirements.
Detecting Suicide Risk Among Pediatric Patients: Screening, Clinical Pathways, and Care
Authors: Horowitz Lisa M. , Lowry Nathan J. , Shi Tesia , Merai Ritika , Pao Maryland , Bridge Jeffrey A.
Published: February 2025

Youth suicide remains a leading cause of death in the United States and is especially pronounced in populations that have been historically underserved. Multipronged public health strategies aimed at addressing suicide may be particularly effective in pediatric medical settings, as most youth who die by suicide have visited a health care provider prior to their death. The finding that most youth suicide decedents have no mental illness diagnosis further underscores the importance of screening. This review highlights universal screening as a strategy to improve detection and management of at-risk youth. We present current research on evidence-based screening tools, clinical pathways to support the feasibility and fidelity of screening, brief interventions for managing positive screens, issues regarding screening and health equity, considerations for diverse populations, current innovations, and future directions for research and clinical practice. Evidence supports universal suicide risk screening through feasible clinical pathways that leverage pediatric health care providers as partners in suicide prevention.
Modeling, Monitoring, and Controlling Road Traffic Using Vehicles to Sense and Act
Authors: Monache Maria Laura Delle , McQuade Sean T. , Matin Hossein Nick Zinat , Gloudemans Derek A. , Wang Yanbing , Gunter George L. , Bayen Alexandre M. , Lee Jonathan W. , Piccoli Benedetto , Seibold Benjamin , Sprinkle Jonathan M. , Work Daniel B.
Published: February 2025

This review offers a comprehensive overview of current traffic modeling, estimation, and control methods, along with resulting field experiments. It highlights key developments and future directions in leveraging technological advancements to improve traffic management and safety. The focus is on macroscopic, microscopic, and micro-macro models, as well as state-of-the-art control techniques and estimation methods for deploying vehicles in traffic field experiments.