bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conceptual Design of an Industrial System for Automatic Radiogram Analysis
Authors: Sikora Ryszard  , Chady Tomasz  , Baniukiewicz Piotr  , Caryk Marcin  , Łopato Przemysław  , Napierała Lech  , Pietrusewicz Tomasz  , Psuj Grzegorz
Published: February 2025

In this work a conceptual design of an Intelligent System for Radiogram Analysis (ISAR) is presented. ISAR is a complete system, containing both hardware and software solutions, that aims to support radiologists in their work. On the hardware side, we have a PC station with digital radiography scanner. The software side consists of application, that supports variety of scanner standards and implements number of functions designed to augment human-based defect recognition. ISAR also evaluates welds quality and returns information about welding defects to the database. Classification of defects is based on fuzzy logic standards. In this paper, hardware integration and implemented functions are described.
Quantification of Sigma Phase Precipitation by Magnetic Non Destructive Testing
Authors: Rebello João M. A.  , Sacramento Rodrigo  , Areiza Maria C. L.  , Santos de Assis K.
Published: February 2025

Duplex stainless steels (DSS) are two-phase materials the microstructure of which consists of grains of ferrite (δ) and austenite (γ). DSS exhibit a combination of attractive properties: strength, toughness and ductility, stress corrosion cracking resistance and low cost, when compared to the conventional stainless steel. DSS are increasingly used in the oil refinery industry, mainly due to their economical combination of strength and corrosion resistance even in H2S containing environments. However, DSS attain these attractive properties after a controlled solution heat treatment carried out during manufacture, leading to an equal and balanced proportion of the volume fractions of δ and γ phases. Regarding the DSS magnetic properties, it is known that δ is ferromagnetic and γ is paramagnetic. Any further heat treatment carried out after manufacture, welding operation for example, will change the original 50% δ and γ base metal phase proportion. So the weld heat affected zone microstructure, where temperatures reach values between 300°C and 1000°C give origin to non-balanced δ and γ phases. Besides, exposition to these high temperatures may lead to precipitation of a deleterious phase, named sigma (σ), and when this occurs the material becomes brittle and its corrosion resistance to H2S is severely impaired. In the present work, the degradation of the material was intentionally obtained by thermally treating DSS specimens, at temperatures ranging from 750°C up to 800°C, after solution heat treatment at 1200°C giving rise to different σ phase contents. These specimens were analyzed by optical microscopic techniques to determine the volumetric fraction of the σ phase. The results showed that samples heat treated in this way, exhibited volumetric fraction of σ phase ranging from zero to 15.63%. In parallel, eddy currents (EC) testing and swept frequency analyses were employed to detect σ phase. A probe consisting of one coil, with cylindrical geometry, 1000 wire turns and a ferrite core of 10mm diameter was designed for the implementation of this technique. The probe exhibited its higher sensitivity at low frequencies around 4 kHz and its inductance was 22.42 mH. The results showed that magnetic testing is a reliable technique to detect and quantify the σ phase in DSS.
Nondestructive Characterization of Neutron Induced Embrittlement in Nuclear Pressure Vessel Steel Microstructure by using Electromagnetic Testing
Authors: Altpeter I.  , Dobmann G.  , Hübschen G.  , Kopp M.  , Tschuncky R.
Published: February 2025

Using nuclear power for energy generation, pressure vessel walls are exposed to neutron fluences of different levels depending on the distance to the core. Hence materials undergo a change of microstructure in terms of embrittlement, to be measured as toughness reduction and shift of the Ductile–to-Brittle Transition Temperature (DBTT) to higher temperatures. Normally plant safety concerning this change in microstructure is ensured by destructive testing of surveillance samples. These are standard tensile and Charpy specimens which consist of exactly the same material as the pressure vessel and its weldments, being exposed to accelerated irradiation rates within special irradiation channels allowing a pronounced ageing. During revision downtime of the plant these samples are tested destructively in standard tensile tests at 423 K and 548 K respectively or by measuring the impact energy as a function of temperature in Charpy tests to determine the shift of DBTT. It is demonstrated that electromagnetic parameters allow characterizing the changes in the microstructure generated through neutron irradiation. After a defined calibration process a quantitative characterization of the embrittlement especially in terms of DBTT is possible. This has been demonstrated for reactor pressure vessel steels according to western design as well as to eastern specifications. As testing methods 3MA (Micromagnetic, Multiparameter, Microstructure and stress Analysis) and dynamic magnetostriction using EMATs (ElectroMagnetic Acoustic Transducers) have been applied.
Simulation Assisted Diagnostic of Switching Arcs
Authors: Schmidt Hans-Peter  , Anheuser Michael  , Kosse Sylvio
Published: February 2025

A diagnostic method for low voltage switching arcs is proposed where the magnetic field of the switching current is used to determine the arc movement. The magnetic field of the switching current density is recorded with an array of field sensors. The time and space resolved readings are compared with results from simulations of the arc. Parameters of the simulation and therefore current densities are adapted to reconstruct the measurement readings. So an inversion of the ill conditioned integral equation is not necessary. Results with a hardly optimized set up showed that this approach may be successfully applied to measure arc movements.
Magnetic Response Field of Spherical Defects within Conductive Components
Authors: Kreutzbruck M.  , Thomas H.-M.  , Casperson R.  , Reimund V.  , Pelkner M.
Published: February 2025

The determination of magnetic distortion fields caused by inclusions hidden in a conductive matrix using homogeneous current flow needs to be addressed in multiple tasks of electromagnetic non-destructive testing and materials science. This includes a series of testing problems such as the detection of tantalum inclusions hidden in niobium plates, metal inclusion in a nonmetallic base material or porosity in aluminum laser welds. Unfortunately, straightforward tools for an estimation of the defect response fields above the sample using pertinent detection concepts are still missing. In this study the Finite Element Method (FEM) was used for modeling spherically shaped defects and an analytical expression developed for the strength of the response field including the conductivity of the defect and matrix, the sensor-to-inclusion separation and the defect size. Finally, the results also can be useful for Eddy Current Testing problems, by taking the skin effect into consideration.
Computation of the magnetostatic field in nonlinear media via the integral equation formalism: Application to the characterization of Magnetic Flux Leakage NDT system
Authors: Fnaiech Emna Amira  , Prémel Denis  , Marchand Claude  , Bisiaux Bernard
Published: February 2025

This paper deals with the development of a fast numerical semi-analytical model dedicated to the simulation of the non-destructive testing of ferromagnetic tubes by using the magnetic flux leakage method(MFL). Taking into account the characteristic of the ferromagnetic material, the B-H curve, the numerical model is based on the generalized boundary element method which implies the evaluation of two magnetic fictitious scalar densities. Integral equations are discretized via the Galerkin's method and the particularity of this paper lies in the implementation of high order basis functions for the interpolation of the scalar unknowns. Simulated data provided by the numerical model are compared to FE data in order to show the validity of the numerical approach.
Rapid Prototyping of Interface and Control Software for an Intelligent Toilet
Authors: Magnusson Charlotte  , Alm Norman  , Edelmayer Georg  , Mayer Peter  , Panek Paul
Published: February 2025

In the Friendly Rest Room (FRR) project a series of paper sketches and computer implemented prototypes were designed to obtain information about user preferences with regard to the user interface. The first stages in the process were performed with the help of the user group, while later prototypes were tested in end user tests. The results point to the importance of a combination of visual, audible and tactile information as well as underlining the importance of incorporating real end users in the design process. In parallel to the user interface software design also a control program to steer the FRR prototypes was implemented and successfully tested in laboratory settings and partly also in real life environment.
Experience of Testing with Elderly Users
Authors: Knall Gunilla  , Sourtzi Panayota  , Liaskos Joseph
Published: February 2025

The experiences and knowledge gained from user tests with primary (elderly) and secondary (caretakers) users carried out at two of the five different User Research Bases (URBs) in the FRR Project, located in Lund and Athens, have been analyzed for commonalities and differences. Aim of the tests was to actively involve users in all the phases of development of the FRR, including needs assessment, actual measurements, reporting of requirements, and evaluation of designed components. Working with people with different abilities proved to be a challenging research experience in both URBs. In-depth understanding about what test persons need, think and feel about their difficulties in daily life was only possible through recognition of the importance of the role of test persons in this interaction. Valuable experience was gained about how to manage difficulties during interaction with test persons and prototypes as well as working in a multidisciplinary team and in collaboration with other URBs from different scientific and cultural backgrounds. It is concluded that rest rooms of today are often unnecessarily inaccessible and the test results of the FRR project have increased the knowledge on how to improve the design of toilets; and this, comparing the results from the different URBs, does not really seem to differ from culture to culture.
Meeting the Challenges of Demographic Change
Authors: Dayé Gertraud
Published: February 2025

The shifts in age-group ratios in the population are confronting all continents with new challenges. At the moment Europe is at the top of the old age statistics with the highest life expectancy rate. The changes in the age structure of the population mean new socio-political responsibilities both today and in the future. Participation of older persons in all decisions concerning them, has to apply not only for age policies and social programmes, but also for the design of all kinds of equipment, technical aids, plans for flats or homes for older persons, - including restrooms. EURAG European Federation of Older Persons, welcomes the approach of User Driven Research promoted by the European Commission, GD Research as an important contribution to bringing the European Union closer to its citizens.
Development of a Powered Wheelchair Interface Using a Neural Network System for People with Disabilities
Authors: Nihei Misato  , Kitamura Kazuya  , Sakai Misono  , Sato Haruhiko  , Shino Motoki  , Kamata Minoru  , Inoue Takenobu
Published: February 2025

Independent mobility is an important element for children's development and beneficial in helping them acquire physical and intellectual activities. Unfortunately, existing interface devices for powered wheelchairs are inaccessible to individuals with muscular impairment of their upper/lower limbs or who have involuntary movements of their extremities. This research aims to develop an autonomous mobility device, which adapts the self-learning system to personal characteristic movements. This device incorporates a light sensor to reduce the physical burden and uses a learning algorithm, such as a neural network system. In this paper, we describe the measurement of the user's movement, the establishment of a neural network system, which discriminates the target movement, and the overall system evaluation.
The Management of Security: Successes and Failures
Authors: Seely Bruce  , Hollander Rachel  , Ahmad Tayseer
Published: February 2025

Proposed types of responses to various kinds of disaster, both natural and man-made. The importance of listening to groups who are generally ignored, particularly women. A number of areas for future study are identfied which should lead to better preparation for disasters on the part of both experts and (the widest possible number of) stakeholders.
Conclusions: Conference Intangibles of Security
Authors: Wedin Lars
Published: February 2025

Summation of the conference; security is a broad concept involving a number of facets. National security and personal security will always involve certain compromises and trade-offs. Yet the various levels of security- personal, societal, national, international- are indivisible, that is they cannot be treated in isolation as each is dependent on the others. Policy makers and (especially) military planners need to be aware, or made aware, of the many ethical issues raised by their actions: such awareness should serve to reduce conflict. Academic security research can help in this aim and this conference has contributed towards that aim.
NATO's DAT Policy, Structure and Military Concept
Authors: Charvat J.P.I.A.G.
Published: February 2025

This paper is written from several NATO briefing documents regarding the Alliance's fight against terrorism that have been published on the NATO website or other NATO briefing documents. A brief overview of Alliance anti-terrorism operations and their objectives is given in addition to details of organization policy and guidance. The need to constantly evaluate NATO strategies to deal with the problem of terrorism is emphasized.
The Nexus Between Terrorism and Organized Crime
Authors: Markovic Vesna
Published: February 2025

This paper describes a growing trend of the establishment of relationships between organized crime groups and terrorist organizations. Various types of criminal activities that terror organizations have been found to have been involved with are detailed in a series of case studies. The case studies describe involvement in various smuggling activates including cigarettes, drugs, arms, counterfeit products, and people. A call is made for greater attention to this problem and international action to prevent it.
New Issues in Security Education: Geo-Visual Analytics
Authors: Conti Giuseppe  , De Amicis Raffaele
Published: February 2025

The fast evolving geo-political environment at European level, which is being strongly influenced by the process of enlargement of today's European Union and NATO towards the East, poses new security challenges that need to be addressed within the curricula of agents dealing with the governance of the security sector. The consequent increase in mobility among people and goods considerably broadens the range of security threats. This is testified by the mounting attention being paid by both NATO and the European Community to the definition of specific security sector education frameworks which are providing the means for reforming education and training within the defence domain. However, besides dealing with legal, strategic and geopolitical issues, the new security education models should not disregard the significant advancements that science and technology have delivered in very many fields related to defence and homeland security and the great impact that these may have at the operational level and therefore for the overall security. In fact today's challenges clearly cannot be tackled only through judicial and legislative measures. Instead it requires a reform in the way security experts are trained and educated, embracing a multidisciplinary technological perspective. In this chapter we claim that the security sector governance can be greatly enhanced through the adoption, within the curricula of security operators at different levels, of new technologies capable of increasing the level of context awareness of the actors and, at the same time, which can deliver better response to unexpected events or crises whenever these occur. Starting from the aforementioned outlook, this chapter highlights the importance of educating the forthcoming generations of security experts to the use of geospatial technologies and in particular it discusses the importance being played within this context by the advent of the recent discipline of Geo-Visual Analytics (GVA). The chapter presents their use to the curricula of those engaged in security both within military and civilian educational institutions. The chapter presents how GVA can be beneficial both as enabling technology capable of supporting security operators in the aftermath of incidents or as simulation platforms to train operators to develop strategies and responses.
Development of Research and Professional Education for Working and Living Environmental Protection and Emergency Management at the Faculty of Occupational Safety in Niš
Authors: Nikolić Vesna  , Andjelković Branislav  , Vasović Dejan
Published: February 2025

Professional education for working and living environmental security is observed in the paper as an important prerequisite for the establishment of general policy of security and improvement of the security sector both nationally and locally. Accordingly, the development of such professional education has been presented in the paper, as well as research activity at the Faculty of Occupational Safety in Niš, Serbia. In addition, the paper touches upon several future developmental directions of educational and research work in this field.
Western Balkans Transition and the Role of the European Union
Authors: Belloni Roberto
Published: February 2025

This chapter describes recent economic, security and political developments in the Western Balkans, focusing in particular on the role outsiders such as the European Union (EU) have played in influencing these developments. After surveying the region's major development since roughly 2005, the chapter briefly examines EU policy towards the region, suggesting the need for a more coherent and purposeful EU effort to steer the Western Balkans towards European integration.
A Tale of Two Tracers: Glucose Metabolism and Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography Imaging in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Mosconi Lisa  , Berti Valentina  , McHugh Pauline  , Pupi Alberto  , de Leon Mony J.
Published: February 2025

The development of prevention therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) would greatly benefit from biomarkers that are sensitive to subtle brain changes occurring prior to the onset of clinical symptoms, when the potential for preservation of function is at the greatest. In vivo brain imaging is a promising tool for the early detection of AD through visualization of abnormalities in brain structure, function and histopathology. Currently, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging with amyloid-beta (Aβ) tracers and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-Deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) is largely utilized in the early and differential diagnosis of AD. Aβ PET tracers bind to Aβ plaques in brain, and provide an in vivo estimate of AD pathology. FDG-PET is used to measure glucose metabolism, a marker of brain activity. This paper reviews brain Aβ- and FDG-PET studies in AD patients as well as in non-demented individuals at risk for AD. We then discuss the potential of combining symptoms-sensitive FDG-PET measures with pathology-specific Aβ-PET to improve the early detection of AD.
Florbetaben to Trace Amyloid-β in the Alzheimer Brain by Means of PET
Authors: Barthel Henryk  , Sabri Osama
Published: February 2025

PET imaging of amyloid-β has recently emerged as a valuable biomarker to support the in vivo diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). So far, however, no tracer is available suitable for general clinical routine application. Florbetaben is a promising18F-labeled amyloid-β-targeted PET tracer currently in Phase2/3 clinical development. This review provides an overview on the current knowledge and future research activities on florbetaben. Recently, the first worldwide multi-center trial to test the diagnostic performance of amyloid-β PET in AD was conducted with this tracer. From this trial, a sensitivity and specificity of 80 and 91% in the discrimination between patients with probable AD and age-matched healthy controls was reported. Ongoing florbetaben PET trials deal with correlating the in vivo PET signal to post mortem histopathology evaluation, and with investigating the value of the tracer to predict progression to AD at the stage of mild cognitive impairment. The preclinical and clinical data currently available verify florbetaben as a safe and efficacious PET tracer suitable for detection of amyloid-β deposition in the brain. The results of the ongoing trials will contribute to current knowledge on the characteristics of florbetaben, and will help to determine the future potential of florbetaben PET imaging as a visual adjunct to supplement the routine clinical “AD diagnostic toolbox”.
Combining MRI Modalities to Study Visual and Default-Mode Networks in a-MCI
Authors: Sala-Llonch Roser  , Bosch Beatriz  , Arenaza-Urquijo Eider M.  , Rami Lorena  , Bargalló Núria  , Junqué Carme  , Molinuevo José-Luis  , Bartrés-Faz David
Published: February 2025

Patients with pure amnestic MCI (a-MCI) are reported to have cognitively preserved visual processing skills. However, functional and anatomical abnormalities and/or reorganizations might be already detectable in the brain networks that underlie these cognitive functions. To investigate this possibility, we conducted an integrated multi-modal MRI study using task-fMRI, high resolution structural MRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) in 15 a-MCI patients and 15 matched Healthy Elders (HE). Using fMRI data, we identified an Activation Task Related Pattern (ATRP), including areas related to complex visual processing, and a Deactivation Task Related Pattern (DTRP), or default-mode network (DMN). These two networks were further characterized regarding their structural properties (gray matter volumes and white matter pathways). Within the ATRP, we found increased fMRI responses for the a-MCI group in the frontal lobe, and greater involvement of ventral visual areas. However, there were no differences in ATRP-related white matter or gray matter measures. Regarding the DTRP, a-MCI showed spatial functional reorganizations in coincidence with those reported in DMN studies. Moreover, structural abnormalities in a-MCI patients were clearly found in the DTRP (reduced GM volumes and less fiber tract integrity). In summary, the work presented here highlights the importance of conducting integrated multi-modal MRI studies in early stages of dementia based on spared cognitive domains in order to identify incipient functional abnormalities in critical areas of the DMN and their precise anatomical substrates, possibly reflecting early neuroimaging biomarkers in dementia.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of Neurodegenerative and Ventricular Changes in the Elderly
Authors: Cohen Ronald A.  , Gongvatana Assawin  , Ott Brian R.
Published: February 2025

Ventricular enlargement is a common finding among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and has recently been shown to occur from an early disease stage. A possible pathophysiological link between ventricular enlargement and AD has been suggested, with faulty cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) clearance implicated as one possible mechanism. We examined whether ventricular enlargement is associated with CSF amyloid beta (Aβ) early in the disease, even before cognitive symptoms are present, as one would expect to observe this relationship if CSF clearance is impaired. Baseline CSF biomarker data (Aβ, tau, and phosphorylated tau) and MRI brain volumetric measures were obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Data from 288 participants classified as cognitively asymptomatic (n = 87), mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 136), or mild AD (n = 65) were analyzed by multiple linear regression with brain volumes and age as independent variables, and each biomarker as dependent variables. Ventricular volume was negatively associated with CSF Aβ in APOE ϵ4-positive cognitively asymptomatic participants. In contrast, ventricular volume was not associated with Aβ among ϵ4-positive MCI or AD patients. Tau concentrations were negatively associated with ventricular volume among ϵ4-positive AD patients. These findings indicate that increased ventricular volume is associated with decreased CSF Aβ among cognitively asymptomatic people who are at risk for AD based on ϵ4 genotype. The effects of APOE ϵ4 genotype on these relationships are currently not well understood, but may involve impaired CSF clearance and possibly CSF-blood-brain barrier dysfunction.
Cognitive Event-Related Potentials: Biomarkers of Synaptic Dysfunction Across the Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Olichney John M.  , Yang Jin-Chen  , Taylor Jason  , Kutas Marta
Published: February 2025

Cognitive event-related brain potential (ERP) studies of decision-making and attention, language, and memory impairments in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are reviewed. Circumscribed lesions of the medial temporal lobe (MTL), as may be the case in individuals with amnestic MCI, generally produce altered plasticity of the late positive P600 component, with relative sparing of earlier sensory ERP components. However, as the neuropathology of AD extends to neocortical association areas, abnormalities of the P300 and N400 (and perhaps even P50) become more common. Critically, ERP studies of individuals at risk for AD may reveal neurophysiological changes prior to clinical deficits, which could advance the early detection and diagnosis of “presymptomatic AD”.
Detection of Alzheimer's Disease with Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Deformation-Based Morphometry
Authors: Friese Uwe  , Meindl Thomas  , Herpertz Sabine C.  , Reiser Maximilian F.  , Hampel Harald  , Teipel Stefan J.
Published: February 2025

Novel MRI based acquisition and analysis techniques are increasingly used as biomarkers to discriminate between Alzheimer's disease and normal aging. Evaluating the diagnostic utility of the various approaches in use is difficult though because of significant methodological differences between studies. In this research we directly compare the diagnostic utility of deformation-based morphometry (DBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with data derived from the same group of patients with probable AD and healthy control participants. DBM was used to assess regional relative volume reductions in patients compared to controls. Distributed cortical atrophy effects were found in frontal, parietal, and temporal regions. As DTI measures, mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy were employed to index white matter integrity. The results also point to widespread decline of white matter integrity in frontal, parieto-occipital, and temporal regions in AD. Concerning diagnostic utility, we found that the discrimination performance was best for maps of mean diffusivity and DBM. In a logistic regression model a combination of modalities reached a classification accuracy of AUC = 0.86 after leave-one-out cross-validation. We discuss the results with regard to the feasibility of current MRI based biomarkers for future applications in clinical research settings.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) Based Individual Prediction of Cognitive Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment Using a Support Vector Machine Analysis
Authors: Haller Sven  , Nguyen Duy  , Rodriguez Cristelle  , Emch Joan  , Gold Gabriel  , Bartsch Andreas  , Lovblad Karl O.  , Giannakopoulos Panteleimon
Published: February 2025

The aim of this study was to predict further cognitive decline in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using an individual level support vector machine (SVM) classification analysis of white matter derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Thirty-five healthy controls (HC) and 67 MCI subjects had DTI at baseline. MCI subjects were neuropsychologically followed for after one year and categorized into 40 stable (sMCI; 9 single domain amnestic, 7 single domain frontal, 24 multiple domain) and 27 progressive (pMCI; 7 single domain amnestic, 4 single domain frontal, 16 multiple domain). Fractional anisotropy (FA), longitudinal (LD), radial (RD) and mean (MD) diffusivity were assessed using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). Statistical analyses included both group comparisons and individual classification using SVM using 10 fold cross validation. FA was significantly higher in HC compared to MCI in a distributed network including the ventral part of the corpus callosum, right temporal and frontal pathways. There were no significant group-level differences between sMCI versus pMCI or between MCI subtypes after correction for multiple comparisons. SVM analysis allowed for an individual classification with accuracies up to 91.4% (HC versus MCI) and 98.4% (sMCI versus pMCI). When considering the MCI subgroups separately, the minimum SVM classification accuracy for stable versus progressive cognitive decline was 97.5% in the multiple domain MCI group. SVM analysis of DTI data provided highly accurate individual prediction of cognitive decline in MCI regardless of MCI subtype, indicating that this method may become an easily applicable tool for early individual detection of MCI subjects evolving to dementia.
Multiple Diffusion Indices Reveals White Matter Degeneration in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Tract-Based Spatial Statistics Study
Authors: Shu Ni  , Wang Zhiqun  , Qi Zhigang  , Li Kuncheng  , He Yong
Published: February 2025

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease involving the decline of memory and other cognitive functions. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a transition phase between normal aging and early AD. The degeneration patterns of the white matter across the brain in AD and MCI remain largely unclear. Here we used diffusion tensor imaging and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to investigate white matter changes in multiple diffusion indices (e.g., fractional anisotropy, axial, radial and mean diffusivities) in both AD and MCI patients. Compared with the normal controls, the AD patients had reduced fractional anisotropy and increased axial, radial and mean diffusivities in widespread white matter structures, including the corpus callosum and the white matter of lateral temporal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus and the fronto-parietal regions. Similar white matter regions with reduced anisotropy were also found in MCI patients but with a much less extent than in AD. Between the AD and MCI groups, there were significant differences in the axial and mean diffusivities of the white matter tracts adjacent to the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus without anisotropy changes. Taken together, our findings based upon multiple diffusion indices (FA, axial, radial and mean diffusivities) suggest distinct degeneration behaviors of the white matter in AD and MCI.
Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative: A Plan to Accelerate the Evaluation of Presymptomatic Treatments
Authors: Reiman Eric M.  , Langbaum Jessica B.S.  , Fleisher Adam S.  , Caselli Richard J.  , Chen Kewei  , Ayutyanont Napatkamon  , Quiroz Yakeel T.  , Kosik Kenneth S.  , Lopera Francisco  , Tariot Pierre N.
Published: February 2025

There is an urgent need to find effective presymptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatments that reduce the risk of AD symptoms or prevent them completely. It currently takes too many healthy people, too much money and too many years to evaluate the range of promising presymptomatic treatments using clinical endpoints. We have used brain imaging and other measurements to track some of the earliest changes associated with the predisposition to AD. We have proposed the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative (API) to evaluate investigational amyloid-modifying treatments in healthy people who, based on their age and genetic background, are at the highest imminent risk of developing symptomatic AD using brain imaging, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and cognitive endpoints. In one trial, we propose to study AD-causing presenilin 1 [PS1] mutation carriers from the world's largest early-onset AD kindred in Antioquia, Colombia, close to their estimated average age at clinical onset. In another trial, we propose to study apolipoprotein E (APOE) ϵ4 homozygotes (and possibly heterozygotes) close to their estimated average age at clinical onset. The API has several goals: 1) to evaluate investigational AD-modifying treatments sooner than otherwise possible; 2) to determine the extent to which the treatment's brain imaging and other biomarker effects predict a clinical benefit—information needed to help qualify biomarker endpoints for use in pivotal prevention trials; 3) to provide a better test of the amyloid hypothesis than clinical trials in symptomatic patients, when these treatments may be too little too late to exert their most profound effect; 4) to establish AD prevention registries needed to support these and other presymptomatic AD trials; and 5) to give those individuals at highest imminent risk of AD symptoms access to the most promising investigational treatments in clinical trials.
Effects of a 6-Month Cognitive Intervention on Brain Metabolism in Patients with Amnestic MCI and Mild Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Förster Stefan  , Buschert Verena C.  , Teipel Stefan J.  , Friese Uwe  , Buchholz Hans-Georg  , Drzezga Alexander  , Hampel Harald  , Bartenstein Peter  , Buerger Katharina
Published: February 2025

The effect of cognitive intervention on brain metabolism in AD is largely unexplored. Therefore, we aimed to investigate cognitive parameters and18FDG PET to test for effects of a cognitive intervention in patients with aMCI or mild AD. Patients with aMCI (N = 24) or mild AD (N = 15) were randomly assigned either to cognitive intervention groups (IGs), receiving weekly sessions of group-based multicomponent cognitive intervention, or active control groups (CGs), receiving pencil-paper exercises for self-study. We obtained resting-state FDG-PET scans and neuropsychological testing at baseline and after six-months. Normalized FDG-PET images were analyzed using voxel-based SPM5 approaches to determine longitudinal changes, group-by-time interactions and correlations with neuropsychological outcome parameters. Primary global cognitive outcome was determined by analyses of covariance with MMSE and ADAS-cog scores as dependent measures. Both, aMCI and AD subgroups of CGs showed widespread bilateral cortical declines in FDG uptake, while the AD subgroup of IGs showed discrete decline or rather no decline in case of the aMCI subgroup. Group by time analyses revealed strongest attenuation of metabolic decline in the aMCI subgroup of the IGs, involving left anterior temporal pole and anterior cingulate gyrus. However, correlation analyses revealed only weak non-significant associations between increased FDG uptake and improvement in primary or secondary outcome parameters. Concurrently, there was significant improvement in global cognitive status in the aMCI subgroup of the IGs. A six-month cognitive intervention imparted cognitive benefits in patients with aMCI, which were concurrent with an attenuated decline of glucose metabolism in cortical regions affected by neurodegenerative AD.
Complexity of MRI White Matter Hyperintensity Assessments in Relation to Cognition in Aging and Dementia from the Sunnybrook Dementia Study
Authors: Gao Fu-qiang  , Swartz Richard H.  , Scheltens Philip  , Leibovitch Farrell S.  , Kiss Alex  , Honjo Kie  , Black Sandra E.
Published: February 2025

Purpose: Quantification methods for white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on Magnetic Resonance Imaging are heterogeneous, deterring their application. This study compared three WMH rating scales, varying in complexity, and a volumetric method, to evaluate trade-offs between complexity and clinical utility in differentiating dementia subgroups and in correlating with cognition. Methods: WMH were rated using the Fazekas, Age-Related White Matter Changes (ARWMC) and Scheltens scales, and segmented by computational volumetry in 108 patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), 23 with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and 34 normal controls (NC). Global and hippocampal atrophy, age and education, were accounted for in correlations of WMH with cognitive domains. Results: Intra- and inter-rater reliability were high (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.88–0.97) across rating scales. WMH scores of all scales were highly correlated with volumes (Spearman r = 0.78–0.90, Ps < 0.001), as well as with each other (Spearman r = 0.86–0.91, Ps < 0.001). The Fazekas scale showed significant separation between AD, MCI and NC using non-parametric analysis, while the ARWMC and Scheltens' scales, and WMH volumes demonstrated significant correlations (standardized β = −0.19 to −0.24, Ps < 0.05) with cognitive domain scores using multivariate regression analysis, controlling for age, education, global and hippocampal atrophy in patients with AD. Conclusions: This study suggests that the degree of complexity of WMH rating scales did not affect validation against WMH volumes, but did vary in validation against cognition. The simplest scale performed best in separating cognitive subgroups, but the more complex scales and quantification correlated better with cognitive measures, especially executive function. Hence the best choice of scale depends on the particular application.
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies can be Differentiated by High Resolution MR Imaging of the Hippocampus
Authors: Firbank Michael J.  , Blamire Andrew M.  , Teodorczuk Andrew  , Mitra Dipayan  , Teper Emma  , O'Brien John T.
Published: February 2025

The medial temporal lobe is affected early on in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the presence of medial temporal atrophy can be used in the differential diagnosis of AD. However, the hippocampus has a complex structure, and subregions of the hippocampus are differentially affected in different dementia types. We used high resolution (0.3 mm in-plane) coronal 3T MR imaging of the medial temporal lobe in 16 subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 16 with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and 16 similarly aged healthy subjects to investigate differences in the hippocampus subregions. On the anterior section of the hippocampus body, regions of interest were manually drawn blind to diagnosis on the CA1, CA2 & CA3/4 subregions, and the width of the subiculum and entorhinal cortex was measured. Controlling for intracranial volume, age and years of education, we found the subiculum thickness was significantly reduced in AD (2.03 ± 0.29 mm) compared to both control (2.37 ± 0.28 mm, p = 0.008) and DLB (2.35 ± 0.24 mm, p = 0.001) subjects. The area of CA1 was likewise reduced in AD compared to controls and DLB. In the hippocampus images, a hypointense line is visible between CA1 and CA3/4. This line was significantly less distinct in AD, suggesting disease related changes to this region. Future studies should investigate whether subiculum thickness or the hypointense line could be a diagnostic feature to help discriminate AD from DLB.
Using Contextual Information in the Input Interface of a Spoken Dialogue System
Authors: Lopez-Cozar Ramon  , Espejo Gonzalo  , Abalos Nieves  , Griol David
Published: February 2025

This paper proposes a new technique to enhance the performance of the input interface of spoken dialogue systems, which relies on the correction of speech recognition errors at two levels: statistical and linguistic. experiments carried out with a spoken dialogue system designed for the fast food domain show that the technique allows enhancing word accuracy, speech understandint and task completion rules.
Virtual Classrooms: Making the Invisible, Visible
Authors: Zhang Tongzhen  , Callaghan Vic  , Shen Ruimin  , Davies Marc
Published: February 2025

In this ‘work in progress’ paper, we describe research into e-learning and virtual reality at Shanghai Jiaotong University (SJTU) and Essex University respectively. We use our experience to propose a novel virtualised learning model and architecture to support online learners and teachers to visualize important learning related information that has hitherto been invisible to users of online learning systems. The purpose of this work is to enhance the learners' experience (eg by introducing dynamic learning communities), and to help teachers by providing more efficient feedback tools to improve their teaching (eg by creating the notion of a ‘virtual learner’ to represent a group of similar ability learners). In undertaking this research we address challenges, such as learner community composition, virtual classroom construction, avatar modelling, collaborative Q&A machine interaction, etc and propose some novel solutions that will form our future research and experimental agenda.
Investigation into Learning Styles based Grouping in e-Learning
Authors: Mand Manbir Singh  , Wang Fang
Published: February 2025

Individuals use various methods of learning to assimilate information. Modern online learning has the demand to take various learning styles into teaching design and to form more effective groups for better collaborative learning. This can be important as the way information is provided to students may well affect their ability to understand and remember the information present to them. This paper investigates different learning styles and creates a learning recommendation system to suggest learning groups accordingly. A Java tool is provided by making use of the VARK model including visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic learning styles. Responses to a set of questions indicate the learning style(s) of preference, and compare to peers taking the same test. The result of our experiment on 20 university students indicate most students had a dominant learninig style and groups with the same learning styles could be made for improving collaborative learning.
Towards an Intelligent Learning Environment Using Ontology Based Reasoning
Authors: Čech Pavel
Published: February 2025

The aim of the paper is to suggest a system that should be able to determine relevant topics and corresponding resources that the user should study. The purpose of the system is to help novice users to target their attention in their learning effort. The system should imitate the role of a tutor who guides the students through a certain domain and recommends topics to be learnt in order to fulfill a given task. The proposed approach is consists of ontological modeling and rule based reasoning.
Personalized Health Care and Information Services for Elders
Authors: Gachet Diego  , Buenaga Manuel  , Ascanio Juan R.  , Aznar Miguel
Published: February 2025

The concept of the information society is now a common one, as opposed to the industrial society that dominated the economy during the last years. It is assumed that all sectors should have access to information and reap its benefits. Elder people are, in this respect, a major challenge, due to their lack of interest in technological progress and their lack of knowledge regarding the potential benefits that information society technologies might have on their lives. The Naviga Project (An Open and Adaptable Platform for the Elder people and Persons with Disability to Access the Information Society) is an European effort, whose main goal is to design and develop a technological platform allowing elder people and persons with disability to access the Internet and the Information Society. NAVIGA also allows the creation of services targeted to social networks, mind training and personalized health care. In this paper we focus on the health care and information services designed on the project, the technological platform developed, and details of a representative element, the virtual reality hand rehabilitation.
Acute and Long-term Sequelae of Blast Exposure in Dutch Soldiers Deployed in Afghanistan; Preliminary Results
Authors: Vermetten Eric  , Eland Pieter F.  , Wertheim Wim  , Smith Yolande  , Linn Cisca F.H.H.
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are at high risk for exposure to combat events. The occurrence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) or concussion related to these events is of interest. In the last two decades much interest has been given to the prevalence of PTSD in returning soldiers. The Dutch deployment in Uruzgan was also characterized by the frequent occurrence of blasts caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). A timely and proper assessment of the impact of an IED blast is necessary for the health and sustainability of military personnel during missions. OBJECTIVE: We designed and implemented a protocol for the assessment of comorbid PTSD or depression and long term follow-up of soldiers who were exposed to blast of IED. Method: From November 2009 to August 2010 all Dutch soldiers who were exposed (during deployment in Afghanistan) to a blast from IED or grenades within 25 meters were assessed with the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE, McCrea, 2001)). This was performed within 24 hours (T1) in theatre, by a specially trained nurse or doctor. Three to six months after their return (T2) home this group of non-injured soldiers (n=106) was invited to be reassessed by a series of self-report and clinical instruments. After the test a clinical interview was performed with a clinical neuropsychologist to assess PTSD or depression. Concurrent treatment in hospital or in the outpatient department was not influenced and if necessary, the patient was referred to the psychiatrist for PTSD, rehabilitation center or other specialist for medical problems. RESULTS: In the acute phase, MACE was helpful to structure the assessment. Immediate in-theatre assessment will prevent retrospective bias when asked about event-related aspects later. Preliminary results of all MACE assessment on T1 (n=98), as well as the detailed follow-up assessment (T2) in the first cohort of 56 Dutch soldiers show few cases of PTSD (n=2), and no cases of mTBI on clinical assessment. Fatigue and subjective concentration problems were found in respectively, 12 and 21%. Impact of the event was reported as mild in most cases. Conclusions: These first results show mild effects on subjective symptom reporting after blast exposure, except for fatigue and subjective concentration. Extensive neuropsychological assessment indicated a reduced ability to store new information and an impairment of the long-term memory in a significant group. A limitation for the interpretation of these data is the absence of a control group, yet, the performance is remarkable and will need to be followed up. Careful recording of effects of blast exposure through targeted screening and structured assessment is essential to evaluate symptom onset, and long-term effects.
The Importance of Developing a Valid Definition of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion
Authors: Castro Carl Andrew  , Wiederhold Brenda K.
Published: February 2025

A valid definition of a symptom-based injury requires five components – an event, a reaction, unique symptoms, impairment, and a time course. In the case of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or concussion, existing clinical definitions lack one or several of these components, thus hindering proper clinical diagnosis and research into the mechanisms, cause and treatment of mTBI/concussion. Recommendations for addressing this lack of definition validation are discussed.