bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the modular isomorphism problem for groups with center of index at most $$p^3$$
Authors: Brenner Sofia , García-Lucas Diego
Published: March 2024

Let p be an odd prime number. We show that the modular isomorphism problem has a positive answer for finite p-groups whose center has index $$p^3$$

p
3

, which is a strong contrast to the analogous situation for $$p = 2$$

p
=
2

.
The role of risk management orientation and the planning function of budgeting in enhancing organizational resilience and its effect on competitive advantages during times of crises
Authors: Eichholz Julia , Hoffmann Nicole , Schwering Anja
Published: March 2024

Global economic crises can have a significant impact on businesses across different sectors, often leading to difficulties or even insolvency. In such a situation, organizational resilience is often considered a means to ensure the competitive advantage. Although the concept has gained popularity in recent years, empirical research on the determinants and effects of organizational resilience remains scarce. Therefore, we first examine the potential management accounting determinants of organizational resilience. Second, we investigate the effect of organizational resilience on competitive advantage. A cross-sectional survey conducted in January and February 2021 resulted in 127 observations of medium- and large-sized German companies. We find that a risk management orientation and the importance of the planning function of budgeting are positively associated with both the adaptive capability factor and the planning factor of organizational resilience. Furthermore, we find that adaptive capability increases a company’s competitive advantage in both business-as-usual situations and in times of crisis. Our findings inform practitioners about how key management accounting concepts, such as risk management and corporate planning, can increase organizational resilience and, consequently, the positive outcomes of organizational resilience.
circFTO from M2 macrophage-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEV) enhances NSCLC malignancy by regulation miR-148a-3pPDK4 axis
Authors: Liu Qingtao , Xu Pei , Jin Mingming , Wang Lei , Hu Fengqing , Yang Qi , Bi Rui , Xiao Haibo , Jiang Lianyong , Ding Fangbao
Published: March 2024

Background

Accumulation studies found that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a predominant cell in tumor microenvironment (TME), which function essentially during tumor progression. By releasing bioactive molecules, including circRNA, small extracellular vesicles (sEV) modulate immune cell functions in the TME, thereby affecting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. Nevertheless, biology functions and molecular mechanisms of M2 macrophage-derived sEV circRNAs in NSCLC are unclear.

Methods

Cellular experiments were conducted to verify the M2 macrophage-derived sEV (M2-EV) roles in NSCLC. Differential circRNA expression in M0 and M2-EV was validated by RNA sequencing. circFTO expression in NSCLC patients and cells was investigated via real-time PCR and FISH. The biological mechanism of circFTO in NSCLC was validated by experiments. Our team isolated sEV from M2 macrophages (M2Ms) and found that M2-EV treatment promoted NSCLC CP, migration, and glycolysis.

Results

High-throughput sequencing found that circFTO was highly enriched in M2-EV. FISH and RT-qPCR confirmed that circFTO expression incremented in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Clinical studies confirmed that high circFTO expression correlated negatively with NSCLC patient survival. Luciferase reporter analysis confirmed that miR-148a-3p and PDK4 were downstream targets of circFTO. circFTO knockdown inhibited NSCLC cell growth and metastasis in in vivo experiments. Downregulating miR-148a-3p or overexpressing PDK4 restored the malignancy of NSCLC, including proliferation, migration, and aerobic glycolysis after circFTO silencing.

Conclusion

The study found that circFTO from M2-EV promoted NSCLC cell progression and glycolysis through miR-148a-3p/PDK4 axis. circFTO is a promising prognostic and diagnostic NSCLC biomarker and has the potential to be a candidate NSCLC therapy target.
Ezabenlimab (BI 754091), an anti-PD-1 antibody, in patients with advanced solid tumours
Authors: Patel Manish R. , Johnson Melissa , Winer Ira , Arkenau Hendrik-Tobias , Cook Natalie , Samouëlian Vanessa , Aljumaily Raid , Kitano Shigehisa , Duffy Christine , Ge Miaomiao , Elgadi Mabrouk , Siu Lillian L.
Published: March 2024

Background

Ezabenlimab (BI 754091) is a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting programmed cell death protein-1. We report results from open-label, dose-escalation/expansion, Phase I trials that evaluated the safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), pharmacokinetics and antitumour activity of ezabenlimab at the recommended Phase II dose in patients with selected advanced solid tumours.

Study design

Study 1381.1 (NCT02952248) was conducted in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Study 1381.4 (NCT03433898) was conducted in Japan. Study 1381.3 (NCT03780725) was conducted in the Netherlands. The primary endpoints were: number of patients experiencing dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) in the first cycle (dose escalation parts), number of patients with DLTs during the entire treatment period and objective response (dose expansion part of Study 1381.1).

Results

Overall, 117 patients received ezabenlimab intravenously every 3 weeks (80 mg, n = 3; 240 mg, n = 111; 400 mg, n = 3). No DLTs were observed and the MTD was not reached. Fifty-eight patients (52.3%) had grade ≥ 3 adverse events, most commonly anaemia (10.8%) and fatigue (2.7%). In 111 assessed patients treated with ezabenlimab 240 mg, disease control rate was 56.8% and objective response rate was 16.2%. Three patients had complete response; at data cut-off (November 2021) one remained in response and was still receiving ongoing treatment (duration of response [DoR]: 906 days). Partial responses occurred across several tumour types; DoR ranged from 67 to 757 days.

Conclusions

Ezabenlimab was well tolerated and associated with durable antitumour activity in multiple solid tumours, comparable to other immune checkpoint inhibitors in similar patient populations and treatment settings.
TGF-β1 and TGF-βR1 variants are associated with clinical outcomes in smoking-related head and neck cancer patients treated with chemoradiation through modulating microRNA-mediated regulation
Authors: Niu Zihao , Sun Peng , Zafereo Mark E. , Liu Hongliang , Wei Peng , Wu Jia , Gross Neil D. , Shete Sanjay , Wei Qingyi , Zheng Guibin , Sikora Andy G. , Calin George A. , Li Guojun
Published: March 2024

TGF-β1 and TGF-βR1 play important roles in immune and inflammatory responses. Genetic variants of TGF-β1 rs1800470 and TGF-βR1 rs334348 have emerged as potentially prognostic biomarkers for HPV-related head and neck cancer, while their prognostic effect on survival of smoking-related head and neck cancer remains unknown. This study included 1403 patients with smoking-related head and neck cancer, and all these patients were genotyped for TGF-β1 rs1800470 and TGF-βR1 rs334348. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate associations between the two functional genetic variants in microRNA binding sites of TGF-β1 and TGF-βR1 and survivals. Patients with TGF-β1 rs1800470 CT or CC genotype had 30–35% risk reductions for OS, DSS, and DFS compared to patients with TT genotype among overall patients, ever smokers, and patients administered chemoradiation. Furthermore, patients with TGF-βR1 rs334348 GA or GG genotype had significant 50–60% risk reductions for OS, DSS, and DFS compared to patients with AA genotype among overall patients and patients administered chemoradiation; among ever smokers, the risk reductions even reached 60–70%. The TCGA dataset was used for validation. These findings suggest that TGF-β1 rs1800470 and TGF-βR1 rs334348 significantly affect survival outcomes in patients with smoking-related head and neck cancer, especially in the subgroups of ever smokers and patients treated with chemoradiation. These genetic variants may serve as prognostic indicators for patients with smoking-related head and neck cancer and could play a role in advancing the field of personalized chemoradiation, thereby improving patient survival and quality of life.
The ERUS course on robot-assisted kidney transplantation
Authors: Campi Riccardo , Pecoraro Alessio , Piramide Federico , Gallo Maria Lucia , Serni Sergio , Mottrie Alex , Territo Angelo , Decaestecker Karel , Breda Alberto ,   On behalf of the European Association of Urology (EAU) Robotic Urology Section (ERUS) Robot-assisted Kidney Transplantation working group
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Robot-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT) is being increasingly performed at selected referral institutions worldwide. Yet, surgical training in RAKT is still unstructured and not grounded into formal credentialing courses including simulation, lab facilities, and modular training with animal models. As such, developing standardized, modular training programs is warranted to provide surgeons with the RAKT-specific skillset needed for a “safe” learning curve.

Methods

The 3-day course on RAKT developed at the EAU Skills Center in Orsi Academy was designed as a standardized, modular, step-by-step approach aiming to provide theoretical and practical skills. The course is held by expert proctors with extensive experience in RAKT. To maximize the course’s usefulness, a solid knowledge of robotics and transplantation is desirable for participants.

Results

From January 2016 to July 2023, 87 surgeons from 23 countries (of which 36% from extra-European countries) participated in the RAKT course performed at the EAU Skills Center in Orsi Academy. Of these, 58/87 (67%) were urologists, while 27/87 (31%) were general surgeons and 2/87 (2%) were vascular surgeons. To date, 18 participants (20.6%) are actively involved in RAKT programs at institutions included in the European Association of Urology (EAU) Robotic Urology Section (ERUS)–RAKT network.

Conclusion

Leveraging the potential of simulation, wet-lab training, live porcine models, and experienced proctors, the RAKT course performed at the EAU Skills Center in Orsi Academy represents the first structured teaching effort aiming to offer surgeons a full immersion in RAKT to train the core technical skills.
Impartiality and relative utilitarianism
Authors: Karni Edi , Weymark John A.
Published: March 2024

A novel axiomatization of relative utilitarianism is provided using the single-profile setting used in Harsanyi’s Social Aggregation Theorem. Harsanyi’s axioms are supplemented with an impartiality axiom that requires social alternative lotteries p and q to be socially indifferent when (i) two individuals have conflicting preferences for them and everybody else is indifferent and (ii) the concerned individuals’ strengths of preference for p over q have the same magnitude. This axiomatization shows that equality of the social weights can be obtained in a single-profile setting and that no interprofile condition is needed to obtain profile-independent weights in a multi-profile setting.
Impact of the medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy on foot biomechanics: a systematic literature review
Authors: Mueller Gunnar , Frosch Karl-Heinz , Barg Alexej , Schlickewei Carsten , Weel Hanneke , Krähenbühl Nicola , Priemel Matthias , Mueller Elena
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD), formally known as “adult-acquired flatfoot deformity” (AAFFD), is a complex foot deformity consisting of multiple components. If surgery is required, joint-preserving procedures, such as a medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy (MDCO), are frequently performed. The aim of this systematic review is to provide a summary of the evidence on the impact of MDCO on foot biomechanics.

Materials and methods

A systematic literature search across two major sources (PubMed and Scopus) without time limitation was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Only original research studies reporting on biomechanical changes following a MDCO were included. Exclusion criteria consisted of review articles, case studies, and studies not written in English. 27 studies were included and the methodologic quality graded according to the QUACS scale and the modified Coleman score.

Results

The 27 included studies consisted of 18 cadaveric, 7 studies based on biomechanical models, and 2 clinical studies. The impact of MDCO on the following five major parameters were assessed: plantar fascia (n = 6), medial longitudinal arch (n = 9), hind- and midfoot joint pressures (n = 10), Achilles tendon (n = 5), and gait pattern parameters (n = 3). The quality of the studies was moderate to good with a pooled mean QUACS score of 65% (range 46–92%) for in-vitro and a pooled mean Coleman score of 58 (range 56–65) points for clinical studies.

Conclusion

A thorough knowledge of how MDCO impacts foot function is key in properly understanding the postoperative effects of this commonly performed procedure. According to the evidence, MDCO impacts the function of the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon, the integrity of the medial longitudinal arch, hind- and midfoot joint pressures, and consequently specific gait pattern parameters.
Health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) after revision arthroplasty following periprosthetic femoral fractures Vancouver B2 and B3 in geriatric trauma patients
Authors: Pavlović Melina , Bliemel Christopher , Ketter Vanessa , Lenz Julia , Ruchholtz Steffen , Eschbach Daphne
Published: March 2024

Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine the outcome parameters of revision arthroplasties for periprosthetic femoral fractures (PPFF) with a particular attention to quality of life (QoL) and mobility.

Materials and methods

Retrospective single-center study of PPFF with loose implants that underwent revision arthroplasty. Depending on individual patient characteristics, either an uncemented or cemented revision stem was chosen. Data collection included demographics, complications, clinical course and outcome parameters. Follow-up took place at least one year postoperatively.

Results

Between 2008 and 2016, 43 patients could be included. Most patients (63%) were able to walk independently or with a walking aid after one year and amongst the surveyed patients 77% were able to reside at home. Concerning the QoL assessment, a high index of 0.8 ± 0.1 has been reached after one year. Mortality pointed out to be 9% after one year and 28% in general.

Conclusion

The treatment of PPFF remains challenging. Although complication rates and mortality are high in this frail collective of geriatric patients, revision arthroplasty leads to good postoperative results regarding mobility and quality of life.
Li concentration change around Cu/LiPON interface measured by TOF-ERDA
Authors: Kurihara Kyoshi , Nakamizo Shuri , Yamamoto Satoshi , Yasuda Keisuke , Majima Takuya , Yajima Takeshi , Iriyama Yasutoshi
Published: March 2024

Lithium metal is a promising anode material for the development of advanced all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) with high energy density. Among the various solid electrolytes, lithium phosphorus oxynitride glass electrolyte (LiPON) is notable for facilitating stable Li plating-stripping reactions in ASSBs employing Li metal. The aim of this study is to examine the Li/LiPON interface, with a specific emphasis on the reductive decomposition of LiPON near this interface. We employed time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis (TOF-ERDA) to assess changes in Li concentration around the Cu/LiPON interface immediately prior to the Li plating reaction. Our electrochemical measurements indicate that critical decomposition of LiPON occurs when the voltage at the Cu electrode is reduced to 0.1 V vs. Li/Li+ at 25 °C, resulting in the in situ formation of Li3P operating at 0.7 V vs. Li/Li+ as an anode material. The TOF-ERDA findings reveal that this decomposition reaction results in a layer with partial decomposition (ranging from 5 to 25% on average) extending up to approximately 30 nm from the Cu/LiPON interface. This insight is vital for enhancing the design and performance of ASSBs.

Graphical abstract
Development and validation of a novel prognostic nomogram for advanced diffuse large B cell lymphoma
Authors: Wan Mengdi , Zhang Wei , Huang He , Fang Xiaojie , Chen Yungchang , Tian Ying , Yao Yuyi , Weng Huawei , Chen Zegeng , Yu Le , Tian Yuke , Huang Huageng , Li Xudong , Hong Huangming , Lin Tongyu
Published: March 2024

Advanced diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a common malignant tumor with aggressive clinical features and poor prognosis. At present, there is lack of effective prognostic tool for patients with advanced (stage III/IV) DLBCL. The aim of this study is to identify prognostic indicators that affect survival and response and establish the first survival prediction nomogram for advanced DLBCL. A total of 402 patients with advanced DLBCL were enrolled in this study. COX multivariate analysis was used to obtain independent prognostic factors. The independent prognostic factors were included in the nomogram, and the nomogram to predict the performance of the model was established by R rms package, C-index (consistency index), AUC curve and calibration curve. The training and validation cohorts included 281 and 121 patients. In the training cohort, multivariate analysis showed that Ki-67 (70% (high expression) vs ≤ 70% (low expression), p < 0.001), LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) (elevated vs normal, p = 0.05), FER (ferritin) (elevated vs normal, p < 0.001), and β2-microglobulin (elevated vs normal, p < 0.001) were independent predictors and the nomogram was constructed. The nomogram showed that there was a significant difference in OS among the low-risk, intermediate-risk and high-risk groups, with 5-year survival rates of 81.6%, 44% and 6%, respectively. The C-index of the nomogram in the training group was 0.76. The internal validation of the training group showed good consistency. In the internal validation cohort of the training group, the AUC was 0.828, and similar results were obtained in the validation group, with a C-index of 0.74 and an AUC of 0.803. The proposed nomogram provided a valuable individualized risk assessment of OS in advanced DLBCL patients.
Novel microbial synthesis of titania nanoparticles using probiotic Bacillus coagulans and its role in enhancing the microhardness of glass ionomer restorative materials
Authors: Mansoor Afsheen , Mansoor Emaan , Mehmood Mazhar , Hassan Syed Mujtaba Ul , Shah Atta Ullah , Asjid Uzma , Ishtiaq Muhammad , Jamal Asif , Rai Akhilesh , Palma Paulo J.
Published: March 2024

Dental caries is a commonly occurring non-communicable disease throughout the world that might compromise the quality of any individual’s life. Glass ionomer cements (GIC) are the most acceptable restorative materials due to their ease of manipulation, minimal tooth loss and least invasive strategy; however, they lack mechanical stability that has become a point of concern. Nanoparticles (NPs) are an outstanding option for modifying and enhancing the properties of dental materials. The focus of this study was to prepare novel, biocompatible titania dioxide (TiO2) NPs as a dental-restorative material using an efficient probiotic Bacillus coagulans. The prepared NPs were incorporated into glass ionomer restorative material at varying concentrations and investigated for cell viability percentage, microhardness and surface morphology. Results indicated that pure 100% anatase phase TiO2 NPs with particle size of 21.84 nm arranged in smooth, spherical agglomerates and clusters forms. These NPs depicted cell viability > 90%, thus confirming their non-cytotoxic behavior. GIC restorative materials reinforced by 5% titania (TiO2) NPs demonstrated the highest microhardness in comparison to the control group and other experimental groups of the study. Surface morphology analysis revealed a reduction in cracks in this novel dental-restorative material supporting its compatible biological nature with better hardness strength and negligible crack propagation. Overall, these results indicated that TiO2 NPs produced using a biological approach could be easily used as restorative materials in dental applications.

Graphical Abstract
Protecting breeding sites: a critical goal for the conservation of the golden eagle in Mexico under global change scenarios
Authors: Gama-Rodríguez Andrea M. , García Juan A. , Lozano Luis F. , Prieto-Torres David A.
Published: March 2024

Impacts of global climate and land‐use changes on distribution patterns and breeding sites remain today poorly studied for several vulnerable emblematic bird species, including the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). Herein, we analyzed the potential effect of global climate changes and agricultural activities on the distribution patterns of this top predator across Mexico. We assessed the long-term role of protected areas (PAs) for safeguarding the species’ overall distribution and its breeding sites. We evaluated current and future (2040s, 2060s, and 2080s) threats from global change using ecological niche modeling and geographic information system approaches to determine the percentage of the species’ distribution area that overlaps with highly human-modified areas and PAs under each climate scenario. We also used niche overlap tests to assess whether the species’ breeding sites show equivalence or similarity of climatic conditions over time. Our findings revealed shifts in the Golden Eagle’s distributional area, with an overall size reduction (by ~ 57% in the 2040s and ~ 78% in the 2080s) due to future environmental changes, mainly attributable to increasingly dry and warm conditions. Mexican PAs cover ~ 12% of the Golden Eagle’s range across country, but this decreased by > 33% on average under the species’ future distributions. Although the hypothesis of equivalent climatic conditions at breeding sites over time was rejected, those sites did have long-term climate similarity (niche overlap: 0.75–0.83; P < 0.05). Considering the species’ nest site fidelity and that colonization of new areas within Mexico seems unlikely, protection of these breeding sites is a critical step for the long-term conservation of this emblematic species in Mexico.
Substrate-borne vibrations produced during the interaction with natural enemies alter aphids probing behavior
Authors: Zippari Caterina , Nieri Rachele , Hamouche Zeinab , Boucherf Abderrahmane , Tamburini Giovanni , Anfora Gianfranco , Verrastro Vincenzo , Mazzoni Valerio , Cornara Daniele
Published: March 2024

The “ecology of fear”, i.e., physiological and behavioral alterations displayed by pests in response to predation risk, has recently been proposed as a sustainable alternative to chemicals for pest control. However, the development of such a strategy requires a detailed understanding of the signals and cues underlying the pest-antagonist interaction and eliciting the prey behavioral alteration. Here, we characterized the substrate-borne vibrations produced during the interaction between the green peach aphid Myzus persicae and its antagonists, the parasitoid wasp Aphidius colemani and the ladybug Adalia bipunctata. Thereafter, coupling the electrical penetration graph (EPG) with a stimulus controller, we evaluated whether the playback of the vibrations, alone and in combination with the alarm pheromone, impacted aphid probing behavior and interaction with the host plant. Aphids responded to vibrations exhibiting longer non-probing, shorter intracellular probes, i.e. the behavior through which the insect evaluates host plant quality, delay in accessing the phloem vessels and decrease of the frequency of phloem salivation events. In contrast, on plants treated with the alarm pheromone, insects displayed longer intracellular probes. We hypothesize that the alarm pheromone, signaling a distant threat, might induce a careful evaluation of the host plant in order to decide the magnitude of the reaction. On the other hand, vibrations might indicate a closely approaching threat pushing the aphid to rush the host evaluation process and the whole feeding process. The possible repercussion of the behavioral alterations observed on the dynamics of aphid-borne plant virus transmission is also discussed.
Physical decomposition stage and ergosterol content predict the chemical composition of downed dead wood in Mediterranean dehesas
Authors: Micó Estefanía , Aguirrebengoa Martin , Quinto Javier , Juárez Margarita , Marmaneu José , Sánchez Antonio
Published: March 2024

Dead wood is a key substrate of forests that plays an important role in fertility and productivity. However, dead wood is scarce in traditionally managed forests like Mediterranean dehesas. The chemical composition of downed dead wood in Quercus pyrenaica dehesas was analysed in different physical decomposition stages as a proxy of dead wood decay length. We also assessed the contribution of fungal activity, by quantifying ergosterol, to the chemical composition of deadwood. Chemical analyses included elemental composition determination, thermogravimetry and infrared spectroscopy. Our results showed that both the physical decomposition stage and ergosterol content extensively predicted the chemical composition of Q. pyrenaica dead wood decay processes under field conditions. The physical stage was a better predictor of the C/P ratio and polysaccharides proportion, while ergosterol better predicted P content and the N/P ratio. In other cases like lignin, the relation between ergosterol content and chemical composition varied depending on the physical stage. In addition, environmental local factors differentially affected chemical composition across physical decomposition stages. We conclude that the physical decomposition stage and ergosterol content complementarily contribute to estimate the temporal behaviour of the chemical composition of dead wood in Mediterranean areas. Moreover, we recommend using the FT-IR analysis to assess the nature of temporal chemical changes in downed dead wood. Finally, our study claims to consider the potential impact of local environmental factors, such as air temperature and relative humidity, on dead wood decay processes in traditionally managed forests in the current global change scenario.
Evaluation of pericardium patch graft thickness in patients with Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation: an anterior segment OCT study
Authors: Akbas Yusuf Berk , Alagoz Nese , Sari Cem , Altan Cigdem , Yasar Tekin
Published: March 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the changes in thickness of tissues, specifically the pericardium patch graft (PPG) covering the silicone tube in Ahmed Glaucoma Valve (AGV) surgery.

Study design

Prospective observational study.

Methods

This study included cases with refractory glaucoma that underwent AGV implantation with PPG coverage. Conjunctival epithelium, stroma and PPG thickness covering the tube were measured using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) at 1, 6 and 12 months. Additionally, the same measurements were taken 1500 µm away from the tube as a control for the central measurements.

Results

Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients were evaluated in the study. Although PPG thickness decreased significantly in both regions, the amount of reduction was more pronounced centrally. Centrally, the reduction rate was 21.2% and 34.8% during the 1-6 months period and 6-12 months period, while peripherally it was 3.5% and 5.1%, respectively. No change was observed in the thickness of the epithelium during the follow-up period. There was a significant thinning of the stroma in the central and peripheral regions during the 1-6 months period (30.5% and 17%, respectively). No cases of exposure were observed during the follow-up period.

Conclusion

Although the most evident thinning of the layers covering the tube was observed in the early postoperative period, PPG showed a stable decrease even in the late period. The progressive reduction in the PPG thickness observed also in the peripheral region indicates that factors beyond mechanical forces contribute to this degenerative process. AS-OCT could be a valuable non-invasive tool in clarifying this process.
Re-evaluating GPT-4’s bar exam performance
Authors: Martínez Eric
Published: March 2024

Perhaps the most widely touted of GPT-4’s at-launch, zero-shot capabilities has been its reported 90th-percentile performance on the Uniform Bar Exam. This paper begins by investigating the methodological challenges in documenting and verifying the 90th-percentile claim, presenting four sets of findings that indicate that OpenAI’s estimates of GPT-4’s UBE percentile are overinflated. First, although GPT-4’s UBE score nears the 90th percentile when examining approximate conversions from February administrations of the Illinois Bar Exam, these estimates are heavily skewed towards repeat test-takers who failed the July administration and score significantly lower than the general test-taking population. Second, data from a recent July administration of the same exam suggests GPT-4’s overall UBE percentile was below the 69th percentile, and$$\sim$$∼48th percentile on essays. Third, examining official NCBE data and using several conservative statistical assumptions, GPT-4’s performance against first-time test takers is estimated to be$$\sim$$∼62nd percentile, including$$\sim$$∼42nd percentile on essays. Fourth, when examining only those who passed the exam (i.e. licensed or license-pending attorneys), GPT-4’s performance is estimated to drop to$$\sim$$∼48th percentile overall, and$$\sim$$∼15th percentile on essays. In addition to investigating the validity of the percentile claim, the paper also investigates the validity of GPT-4’s reported scaled UBE score of 298. The paper successfully replicates the MBE score, but highlights several methodological issues in the grading of the MPT + MEE components of the exam, which call into question the validity of the reported essay score. Finally, the paper investigates the effect of different hyperparameter combinations on GPT-4’s MBE performance, finding no significant effect of adjusting temperature settings, and a significant effect of few-shot chain-of-thought prompting over basic zero-shot prompting. Taken together, these findings carry timely insights for the desirability and feasibility of outsourcing legally relevant tasks to AI models, as well as for the importance for AI developers to implement rigorous and transparent capabilities evaluations to help secure safe and trustworthy AI.
A whole food, plant-based randomized controlled trial in metastatic breast cancer: feasibility, nutrient, and patient-reported outcomes
Authors: Campbell Erin K. , Campbell Thomas M. , Culakova Eva , Blanchard Lisa , Wixom Nellie , Guido Joseph J. , Fetten James , Huston Alissa , Shayne Michelle , Janelsins Michelle C. , Mustian Karen M. , Moore Richard G. , Peppone Luke J.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Quality of life (QOL) is among the most important outcomes for women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and it predicts survival. QOL is negatively impacted by cognitive impairment, fatigue, and weight gain. We assessed whether a whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet-promoting weight loss is feasible and might improve QOL.

Methods

Women with MBC on stable systemic treatments were randomized 2:1 to 1) WFPB dietary intervention (n = 21) or 2) usual care (n = 11) for 8 weeks. Participants attended weekly education visits and consumed an ad libitum WFPB diet (3 prepared meals/day provided). Patient-reported outcomes and 3-day food records were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks. The effects of WFPB diet on changes in outcomes were assessed by analysis of covariance model controlling for baseline.

Results

20 intervention and 10 control participants completed the trial. Intervention participants were highly adherent to the WFPB diet (94.3 % total calories on-plan). Intervention group nutrient intakes changed significantly including dietary fat (35.8 % to 20.4 % percent calories from fat, p < 0.001) and fiber content (12.7 to 30.8 g fiber/1000 kcal, p < 0.001). Perceived cognitive function (FACT-Cog total + 16.1; 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.8–31.7; p = 0.040) and emotional well-being (FACT-B emotional well-being subscale + 2.3; CI = 0.5–4.1; p = 0.016) improved in the WFPB versus the control group. Fatigue, measured by the BFI, improved within the WFPB group for fatigue severity (M = 4.7 ± 2.5[SD] to 3.7 ± 2.3, p = 0.047) and fatigue at its worst (5.8 ± 2.8 to 4.4 ± 2.4, p = 0.011).

Conclusions

Significant dietary changes in this population are feasible and may improve QOL by improving treatment-related symptoms. Additional study is warranted.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03045289. Registered 7 February 2017.
A longitudinal multi-modal dataset for dementia monitoring and diagnosis
Authors: Gkoumas Dimitris , Wang Bo , Tsakalidis Adam , Wolters Maria , Purver Matthew , Zubiaga Arkaitz , Liakata Maria
Published: March 2024

Dementia affects cognitive functions of adults, including memory, language, and behaviour. Standard diagnostic biomarkers such as MRI are costly, whilst neuropsychological tests suffer from sensitivity issues in detecting dementia onset. The analysis of speech and language has emerged as a promising and non-intrusive technology to diagnose and monitor dementia. Currently, most work in this direction ignores the multi-modal nature of human communication and interactive aspects of everyday conversational interaction. Moreover, most studies ignore changes in cognitive status over time due to the lack of consistent longitudinal data. Here we introduce a novel fine-grained longitudinal multi-modal corpus collected in a natural setting from healthy controls and people with dementia over two phases, each spanning 28 sessions. The corpus consists of spoken conversations, a subset of which are transcribed, as well as typed and written thoughts and associated extra-linguistic information such as pen strokes and keystrokes. We present the data collection process and describe the corpus in detail. Furthermore, we establish baselines for capturing longitudinal changes in language across different modalities for two cohorts, healthy controls and people with dementia, outlining future research directions enabled by the corpus.
TCMeta: a multilingual dataset of COVID tweets for relation-level metaphor analysis
Authors: Brglez Mojca , Zayed Omnia , Buitelaar Paul
Published: March 2024

The COVID pandemic spurred the use of various metaphors, some very common and universal, others depending on the language, country and culture. The use of metaphors by the general public, especially in languages other than English, has not yet been sufficiently investigated, one of the reasons being the lack of resources and automatic tools for metaphor analysis. To fill this gap, we introduce TCMeta, a dataset of tweets annotated for metaphors around COVID-19, in two languages from ten different countries. The dataset contains metaphoric phrases covering four source domains. Furthermore, we introduce a semi-automatic methodology to annotate more than 2000 tweets in English and Slovene. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first multilingual semi-automatically compiled dataset of user-generated texts aimed at investigating metaphorical language about the pandemic. It is also the first Slovene dataset of tweets annotated for metaphors.
Democratic Climate Policies with Overlapping Generations
Authors: Goussebaïle Arnaud
Published: March 2024

An extensive climate policy literature provides various recommendations for mitigating climate change, but these recommendations are not supported democratically, since the models employed consider either infinitely-lived individuals or normative social objectives (or both). In contrast, the present paper provides policy recommendations capable of incorporating democratic processes. I develop an overlapping generation model with political process micro-foundations and show how democratic climate policies are interconnected with other democratic policies. Time inconsistent social objectives combined with commitment issues lead to an inefficient tax on capital accumulation and a climate policy below the efficient level; while suppressing the tax on capital accumulation generates a climate policy even further below the efficient level. I derive a novel politico-economic Keynes–Ramsey rule for the market interest rate, which is useful for calculating the climate policy level. I show that individual pure time preference, individual altruism toward descendants, and young generation political power are key determinants of democratic climate policy ambition.
Do Commercial Place Managers Explain Crime Across Places? Yes and NO(PE)
Authors: Tucker Riley , O’Brien Daniel T.
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Some criminologists of place have argued that property owners and place managers are the key actors exerting guardianship over crime and driving differences in crime across places, giving rise to the “Neighborhoods Out of Places Explanation” (NOPE) theory of crime. However, research to date has yet to fully evaluate if crime statistically varies across properties, their owners, or surrounding geographies.

Methods

Data scraped from Yelp.com is used to identify 1070 land parcels that had at least one business receiving reviews from 2014 to 2020. 911 dispatches for disturbances are linked to parcels and measured as the rate of events per Yelp reviewer in the average year. Hierarchical negative binomial modeling-based variance decomposition techniques are used to evaluate how variation in disturbance rates is distributed across parcels, owners, census blocks, and census tracts. Hierarchical negative binomial models are used to assess the correlates of disturbance rates. Sensitivity analyses assess the correlates of disturbance rates using a single-level negative binomial model with bootstrapped standard errors as well as an alternative outcome measure based on count of 911 events.

Results

Commercial disturbance rates vary across parcels, parcel owners, and blocks. At the parcel level, higher Yelp ratings are associated with lower disturbance rates while parcel square footage and land value are associated with increased disturbance rates. Additionally, parcel-level crime disturbance rates are explained by block features such as poverty, violent crime, and the number of Yelp restaurants on the block.

Conclusions

Parcel, owner, and block features can all help explain why some restaurants have more crime than others. Future research should build on the place management perspective by investigating the wider breadth of potential actors who may exert guardianship over properties while acknowledging that offenders and targets systematically vary across geographies, making effective guardianship more difficult in some locations than others.
Structure-based inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase with 2-Aryl-6-carboxamide benzoxazole derivatives: synthesis, enzymatic assay, and in silico studies
Authors: Kuzu Burak , Alagoz M. Abdullah , Demir Yeliz , Gulcin Ilhami , Burmaoglu Serdar , Algul Oztekin
Published: March 2024

An important research topic is the discovery of multifunctional compounds targeting different disease-causing components. This research aimed to design and synthesize a series of 2-aryl-6-carboxamide benzoxazole derivatives that inhibit cholinesterases on both the peripheral anionic and catalytic anionic sides. Compounds (7–48) were prepared from 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid in three steps. The Ellman test, molecular docking with Maestro, and molecular dynamics simulation studies with Desmond were done (Schrodinger, 12.8.117). Compound 36, the most potent compound among the 42 new compounds synthesized, had an inhibitory concentration of IC50 12.62 nM for AChE and IC50 25.45 nM for BChE (whereas donepezil was 69.3 nM and 63.0 nM, respectively). Additionally, compound 36 had docking values ​​of − 7.29 kcal/mol for AChE and − 6.71 kcal/mol for BChE (whereas donepezil was − 6.49 kcal/mol and − 5.057 kcal/mol, respectively). Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that compound 36 is stable in the active gorges of both AChE (average RMSD: 1.98 Å) and BChE (average RMSD: 2.2 Å) (donepezil had average RMSD: 1.65 Å and 2.7 Å, respectively). The results show that compound 36 is a potent, selective, mixed-type dual inhibitor of both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. It does this by binding to both the catalytically active and peripheral anionic sites of cholinesterases at the same time. These findings show that target compounds may be useful for establishing the structural basis for new anti-Alzheimer agents.

Graphical abstract
Central Attention with Multi-Graphs for Image Annotation
Authors: Liu Baodi , Liu Yan , Shao Qianqian , Liu Weifeng
Published: March 2024

In recent decades, the development of multimedia and computer vision has sparked significant interest among researchers in the field of automatic image annotation. However, much of the research has primarily focused on using a single graph for annotating images in semi-supervised learning. Conversely, numerous approaches have explored the integration of multi-view or image segmentation techniques to create multiple graph structures. Yet, relying solely on a single graph proves to be challenging, as it struggles to capture the complete manifold of structural information. Furthermore, the computational complexity of building multiple graph structures based on multi-view or image segmentation is substantial and time-consuming. To address these issues, we propose a novel method called "Central Attention with Multi-graphs for Image Annotation." Our approach emphasizes the critical role of the central image region in the annotation process. Remarkably, we demonstrate that impressive performance can be achieved by leveraging just two graph structures, composed of central and overall features, in semi-supervised learning. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed method, we conducted a series of experiments on benchmark datasets, including Corel5K, ESPGame, and IAPRTC12. These experiments provide empirical evidence of our method’s capabilities.
XRD and UV–Vis studies of cellulose acetate film blended with different concentrations of nano-metal oxide
Authors: Ezzat Dina , Youssif Mortda , Elhaes Hanan , El-Nahass Mahmoud
Published: March 2024

Molybdenum Trioxide nanoparticle (MoO3-NPs) was introduced to Cellulose acetate (CA) biopolymer with different concentration using casting process by dispersed MoO3-NPs [0.0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 wt%]. Molecular structure of samples has been studied using XRD and UV–Vis. the data shown by X-ray results indicated the amorphous nature of the pure polymer. Some peaks are appeared as a result of the addition of MoO3-NPs which indicate that samples were partially crystallized. The crystallite size of nano-metal oxide was calculated for blended samples by Size–Strain Plot method which was found to increase with increasing the concentration of MoO3. UV–Vis results indicate that there exist two indirect energy band gaps; Onset band gap which observed to decreases from 1.3 eV for pure polymer to 0.78 eV for polymer blended with 1.0 wt% MoO3-NPs and HOMO–LOMO band gap which observed to decrease from 3.23 eV for pure polymer to 2.89 eV for polymer blended with 1.0 wt% MoO3-NPs. This indicate that the addition of nano-metal oxide improve the optical conduction of CA. Urbach energy was observed to increase with increasing MoO3-NPs from 0.27 eV for pure CA to 0.32 eV for 1.0 wt% MoO3-NPs concentration which may be occurred due to the creation localized states at the band gap as a result of the addition of MoO3-Nps.
Reciprocal relationships among reading and vocabulary over time: a longitudinal study from grade 1 to 5
Authors: Killingly Callula , Graham Linda J. , Tancredi Haley , Snow Pamela
Published: March 2024

Reading comprehension is contingent on both oral language comprehension and word-level reading ability, skills that are thought to be intrinsically related in the early school years. However, while previous studies examining bidirectional relationships among oral vocabulary and reading development have generally found an association between word recognition and subsequent vocabulary skills, they have yielded inconsistent results regarding whether vocabulary is linked to later word recognition. In this longitudinal study (n = 176), we assessed reciprocal relationships between expressive and receptive vocabulary and word recognition measured yearly from Grade 1 to 5. We compared results from a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) to a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM), an analytic approach which permits disaggregation of variance between children in the constructs of interest from year-to-year fluctuations within children. Expressive and receptive vocabulary were examined in separate models. Results showed that the RI-CLPMs provided a better fit to the data in contrast to the CLPMs, and provided evidence of reciprocal relationships between word recognition and both receptive and expressive vocabulary. Significant between-child variance was shown for vocabulary but not word recognition. These findings confirm that reading and vocabulary skills build upon one another across the primary years, and each is an important area of classroom instruction focus. Early and regular screening measures may serve to inform the development of timely and appropriate support and intervention.
Infrared and visible image fusion in a rolling guided filtering framework based on deep feature extraction
Authors: Cheng Wei , Lin Bing , Cheng Liming , Cui Yong
Published: March 2024

To preserve rich detail information and high contrast, a novel image fusion algorithm is proposed based on rolling-guided filtering combined with deep feature extraction. Firstly, input images are filtered to acquire various scales decomposed images using rolling guided filtering. Subsequently, PCANet is introduced to extract weight maps to guide base layer fusion. For the others layer, saliency maps of input images are extracted by a saliency measure. Then, the saliency maps are optimized by guided filtering to guide the detail layer fusion. Finally, the final fusion result are reconstructed by all fusion layers. The experimental fusion results demonstrate that fusion algorithm in this study obtains following advantages of rich detail information, high contrast, and complete edge information preservation in the subjective evaluation and better results in the objective evaluation index. In particular, the proposed method is 16.9% ahead of the best comparison result in the SD objective evaluation index.