bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SCRE: special cargo relation extraction using representation learning
Authors: Reshadat Vahideh , Akcay Alp , Zervanou Kalliopi , Zhang Yingqian , de Jong Eelco
Published: June 2023

The airfreight industry of shipping goods with special handling needs, also known as special cargo, often deals with non-transparent data and outdated technology, resulting in significant inefficiency. A special cargo ontology is a means of extracting, structuring, and storing domain knowledge and representing the concepts and relationships that can be processed by computers. This ontology can be used as the base of semantic data retrieval in many artificial intelligence applications, such as planning for special cargo shipments. Domain information extraction is an essential task in implementing and maintaining special cargo ontology. However, the absence of domain information makes instantiating the cargo ontology challenging. We propose a relation representation learning approach based on a hierarchical attention-based multi-task model and leverage it in the special cargo domain. The proposed relation representation learning architecture is applied for identifying and categorizing samples of various relation types in the special cargo ontology. The model is trained with domain-specific documents on a number of semantic tasks that vary from lightweight tasks in the bottom layers to the heavyweight tasks in the top layers of the model in a hierarchical setting. Therefore, it conveys complementary input features and learns a rich representation. We also train a domain-specific relation representation model that relies only on an entity-linked corpus of cargo shipment domain. These two relation representation models are then employed in a supervised multi-class classifier called Special Cargo Relation Extractor (SCRE). The results of the experiments show that the proposed relation representation models can represent the complex semantic information of the special cargo domain efficiently.
Comparative study of outcomes between allograft intervertebral disc transplantation and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a retrospective cohort study at least 5 years of follow-up
Authors: Zhang Junyou , Ruan Dike , Xuan Anwu , He Qing , Zhang Chao , Xu Cheng , Zhu Chao , Zhou Qing
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Adjacent segment degeneration (ASDeg) after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) seriously affects the long-term efficacy of the operation. Therefore, our team has done a lot of research on allograft intervertebral disc transplantation (AIDT) to prove its feasibility and safety. This study will compare the efficacy between AIDT and ACDF in the treatment of cervical spondylosis.

Methods

All patients who received ACDF or AIDT in our hospital from 2000 to 2016 and followed up for at least 5 years were recruited and divided into ACDF and AIDT groups. The clinical outcomes including functional scores and radiological data of both groups were collected and compared preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, 60 months and last follow-up. Functional scores included Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Visual Analog Scale of Neck (N-VAS) and Arms (A-VAS) pain, the Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) and imaging dates including digital radiographs in the lateral, hyperextension and flexion positions to assess the stability, sagittal balance and mobility of the cervical spine and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to assess the degeneration of adjacent segment.

Results

There were 68 patients with 25 in AIDT group and 43 in ACDF group. Satisfactory clinical results were obtained in both groups, but the long-term NDI score and N-VAS score in the AIDT group were better. The AIDT obtained the same stability and sagittal balance of the cervical spine as fusion surgery. The range of motion of adjacent segments can be restored to the preoperative level after transplantation, but this increases significantly after ACDF. There were significant differences in the superior adjacent segment range of motion (SROM) between two groups at 12 months (P = 0.039), 24 months (P = 0.035), 60 months (P = 0.039) and the last follow-up (P = 0.011). The inferior adjacent segment range of motion (IROM) and SROM had a similar trend in the two groups. The ratio value of the greyscale (RVG) of adjacent segments showed a downward trend. At the last follow-up, the RVG decreased more significantly in the ACDF group. At the last follow-up, there was a significant difference in the incidence of ASDeg between the two groups (P = 0.000). And the incidence of adjacent segment disease (ASDis) is 22.86% in the ACDF group.

Conclusion

The allograft intervertebral disc transplantation may be as an alternative technique to traditional anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for the management of cervical degenerative diseases. For the more, the results showed it would improve cervical kinematics and reduce the incidence of adjacent segment degeneration.
Long-term dynamics of tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in central European forests
Authors: Isler Julia , Bugmann Harald , Conedera Marco , Thrippleton Timothy
Published: June 2023

Since the 1950s, the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) has progressively invaded forests in southern Switzerland and is becoming a growing concern also north of the Alps. Recent studies have increased the understanding of the species’ ecology, but its role in long-term stand dynamics remains uncertain. Therefore, we simulated the long-term dynamics of unmanaged and managed forest stands in southern and northern Switzerland under current and future climate conditions (RCP8.5) using the forest gap model ForClim. Our results indicate thatA. altissimawill increase its presence in the short term (< 100 yrs), but does not gain dominance in the long term (> 200 yrs), confirming its pioneer character. Timber harvesting led to an increasing share ofA. altissimacompared to unmanaged stands. Overall, our findings suggest that in the long run, a competitive displacement of native dominant species byA. altissimaappears unlikely, with the exception of drought-prone sites under strong climate change. Furthermore, our findings underline the importance of the frequency and intensity of forest management for the long-term abundance ofA. altissimain forest stands.
Visible and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Enables Differentiation of Normal and Early Osteoarthritic Human Knee Joint Articular Cartilage
Authors: Linus Awuniji , Tanska Petri , Sarin Jaakko K. , Nippolainen Ervin , Tiitu Virpi , Mäkelä Janne.T. A. , Töyräs Juha , Korhonen Rami K. , Mononen Mika E. , Afara Isaac O.
Published: June 2023

Osteoarthritis degenerates cartilage and impairs joint function. Early intervention opportunities are missed as current diagnostic methods are insensitive to early tissue degeneration. We investigated the capability of visible light-near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIRS) to differentiate normal human cartilage from early osteoarthritic one. Vis-NIRS spectra, biomechanical properties and the state of osteoarthritis (OARSI grade) were quantified from osteochondral samples harvested from different anatomical sites of human cadaver knees. Two support vector machines (SVM) classifiers were developed based on the Vis-NIRS spectra and OARSI scores. The first classifier was designed to distinguish normal (OARSI: 0–1) from general osteoarthritic cartilage (OARSI: 2–5) to check the general suitability of the approach yielding an average accuracy of 75% (AUC = 0.77). Then, the second classifier was designed to distinguish normal from early osteoarthritic cartilage (OARSI: 2–3) yielding an average accuracy of 71% (AUC = 0.73). Important wavelength regions for differentiating normal from early osteoarthritic cartilage were related to collagen organization (wavelength region: 400–600 nm), collagen content (1000–1300 nm) and proteoglycan content (1600–1850 nm). The findings suggest that Vis-NIRS allows objective differentiation of normal and early osteoarthritic tissue, e.g., during arthroscopic repair surgeries.
Success Through Simplicity: What Other Artificial Intelligence Applications in Medicine Should Learn from History and ChatGPT
Authors: Sedaghat Sam
Published: June 2023

Many artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have been developed for medical practice, but few have led to clinically used products. The recent hype of ChatGPT shows us that simple, user-friendly interfaces are one major factor in the applications’ popularity. The majority of AI-based applications in clinical practice are still far from simple-to-use applications with user-friendly interfaces. Therefore, simplifying operations is one key to AI-based medical applications’ success.
Outcome of patients older than 85 years hospitalized in a neurology unit
Authors: Querzola Giacomo , Bellomo Andrea , Salvadori Emilia , Pantoni Leonardo
Published: June 2023

Background

Advanced age is a major determinant of mortality and poor outcome at any level. In hospitalized patients, advanced age is a major issue in terms of prognosis, resource use, and therapeutic choices.

Aims

We aimed at assessing the 1 year outcome of elderly patients admitted to a neurology unit for various acute conditions.

Methods

Consecutive patients admitted to a neurology unit were enrolled and followed-up at 3, 6, and 12 months with structured phone interviews gathering information about mortality, disability, hospital readmissions, and place of residency. Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 85 years, availability of written consent and phone contact; no exclusion criteria were applied.

Results

Over a period of 16 months, 131 patients (88.8 ± 3.3, 92 females, 39 males) were admitted. The pre-hospitalization modified Rankin Scale (mRS) median (IQR) score, obtainable in 125 patients, was 2 (0, 3) and > 3 in 28/125 (22.4%) patients. Fifty-eight (46.8%) patients had pre-existing dementia (this information was missing for one patient). Eleven patients died during hospitalization. Of the 120 discharged patients, 60 (50%) were alive at 12 months, 41 died during follow-up (34.2%), and 19 (15.8%) were lost. At 12 months, out of the 60 alive patients, 29 (48.3%) had a mRS > 3. We did not detect predictors of 12-month survival. Predictors of 12-month worsening of functional status were pre-hospitalization mRS, pre-existing cognitive impairment, and male sex.

Conclusions

One-year mortality of elderly patients admitted to a neurology unit is extremely high. After one year, less than one fourth of elderly patients hospitalised for an acute neurological disease are left with only no-to-moderate disability.
The multidimensional prognostic index (MPI) predicts long-term mortality in old type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a 13-year follow-up study
Authors: Salis F. , Cossu E. , Mandas A.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) is a tool capable of holistically frame older patients in different settings and affected by different pathologies, establishing a risk of adverse events. Among them, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a common metabolic disease in the elderly, is responsible for complications and deaths. Few previous works have focused specifically on MPI and DM, and none have followed up the patients for more than 3 years. The aim of the present study is to analyze MPI accuracy in predicting mortality in a cohort of T2DM patients followed-up for 13 years.

Methods

The enrolled subjects were evaluated with MPI, identifying three levels of risk: MPI1 (low risk, 0.0–0.33), MPI2 (moderate risk, 0.34–0.66), and MPI3 (severe risk, 0.67–1.0), and with glycated hemoglobin, and years since T2DM diagnosis.

Results

One hundred and seven patients met the inclusion criteria. MPI3 was excluded by further analysis since it was made up of only three patients. Overall, cognitive performances, autonomies in daily living, nutritional status, risk of pressure injuries, comorbidities, and taken drugs were better (p ≤ 0.0077) in MPI1 than MPI2; moreover, the story of T2DM was shorter (p = 0.0026). Cox model showed an overall 13-year survival of 51.9%, and survival rates were significantly smaller in MPI2 (HR: 4.71, p = 0.0007). Finally, increased age (HR: 1.15), poorer cognitive abilities (HR: 1.26), vascular (HR: 2.15), and kidney (HR: 2.17) diseases were independently associated with death.

Conclusion

Our results prove that MPI predicts short-, mid-, and even long-term mortality in T2DM patients, whose death seems to be related to age and cognitive status, and even more to vascular and kidney diseases.
Why students do not engage in contract cheating: a closer look
Authors: Rundle Kiata , Curtis Guy J. , Clare Joseph
Published: June 2023

Contract cheating – students outsourcing assignments to ghost-writers and submitting it as their own – is an issue facing tertiary education institutions globally. Approximately 3% to 11% of higher education students may engage on contract cheating. Understanding why nearly 90% of students do not engage in contract cheating is as important as understanding why other students do, as it can aid in the development of effective interventions and policies. This study addressed limitations in previous research and built upon a measure of Reasons for Not Contract Cheating (RNCC). In this study, 403 university students participated in an online survey consisting of a revised version of the Reasons for Not Contract Cheating measure (RNCC-R) and measures of psychological individual differences, such as the dark triad personality traits, self-control, and autonomy. Two higher-order factors and six sub-factors were identified in the RNCC-R, which included some similarities to the original RNCC. The findings from this study demonstrate the importance of psychological individual differences, such as satisfaction of the need for autonomy, grit (perseverance of effort), and Machiavellianism, in predicting the reasons why students do not engage in contract cheating. Consistent with previous research, this study provides support for the importance of students’ motivation for learning, and their perceived morals and norms, as reasons for not engaging in contract cheating. It additionally provides evidence of the importance of the academic environment, such as respect for academic staff, as a reason why students do not engage in contract cheating.
Factors that impact burnout and psychological wellbeing in Australian postgraduate medical trainees: a systematic review
Authors: Balhatchet Belinda , Schütze Heike , Williams Nicole , Ashford Bruce
Published: June 2023

Background

Burnout and poor psychological wellbeing are common in postgraduate medical trainees. However, data relating to Australian trainees are lacking. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesise relevant research on the factors that influence burnout and psychological wellbeing in Australian postgraduate medical trainees.

Methods

A systematic PRISMA search was conducted across eight databases from January 2000 to September 2021. Empirical peer-reviewed studies were included if they focused on one or more factors influencing burnout and psychological wellbeing in Australian postgraduate medical trainees. Screening was independently conducted by two reviewers at each stage of the process. Results were synthesised and analysed using a convergent qualitative synthesis process structured according to the Job Demands-Resources model of occupational stress.

Results

Forty-eight papers were included in the final review. Factors impacting burnout and/or wellbeing (job demands) fell under four themes: (i) working hours and workload; (ii) the work and learning environment; (iii) inappropriate behaviour; and (iv) examinations and academic stress. A small number of job resources were identified.

Conclusion

Burnout and poor psychological wellbeing in Australian postgraduate medical trainees are most associated with long working hours and poor work and learning environments. There is limited research into resources that can protect against burnout and promote wellbeing. More longitudinal and qualitative research is needed to support systemic, long-term interventions that will improve the wellbeing of trainees, reduce the prevalence of burnout and ensure optimal patient care.
A Generalized Two-Component Camassa-Holm System with Complex Nonlinear Terms and Waltzing Peakons
Authors: Pan Xiaolin , Zhou Shouming , Qiao Zhijun
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we deal with the Cauchy problem for a generalized two-component Camassa-Holm system with waltzing peakons and complex higher-order nonlinear terms. By the classical Friedrichs regularization method and the transport equation theory, the local well-posedness of solutions for the generalized coupled Camassa-Holm system in nonhomogeneous Besov spaces and the critical Besov space $$B^{5/2}_{2,1}\times B^{5/2}_{2,1}$$

B

2
,
1

5
/
2

×

B

2
,
1

5
/
2

was obtained. Besides the propagation behaviors of compactly supported solutions, the global existence and precise blow-up mechanism for the strong solutions of this system are determined. In addition to wave breaking, the another one of the most essential property of this equation is the existence of waltzing peakons and multi-peaked solitray was also obtained.
Extreme Sea Levels and Their Attribution for the Canadian Pacific Coast From a Baroclinic Regional Ocean Model and Tide‐Gauge Data
Authors: Han Guoqi , Lu Jing
Published: June 2023

The existing operational storm surge model for the Canadian Pacific coast is barotropic without coupling with tides. Here a baroclinic ocean model, which includes tides, storm surges, intra‐seasonal, seasonal, and interannual variations, is developed to reproduce coastal sea levels in the northeast Pacific from 1993 to 2020. The model results are validated against observations at tide‐gauge sites, demonstrating overall good skills for tides and non‐tidal sea levels. The Gumbel distribution is applied to derive extreme sea levels from hourly sea level anomalies. The model‐based extreme sea levels agree approximately with the observation‐based ones. For the 100‐year return period, modeled total extreme sea levels range from 2.14 m at Victoria Harbour to 4.43 m at Queen Charlotte City, and modeled non‐tidal extreme sea levels from 1.02 m at Bella Bella to 1.78 m at Queen Charlotte City. On average, the model‐based values underestimate the 100‐year return level by 0.18 m for total extreme sea levels and by 0.23 m for non‐tidal extreme sea levels. Both the model‐ and observation‐based results reveal that the storm surge at periods less than 10 d accounts for 60% of the 100‐year non‐tidal extreme sea level, and the intra‐seasonal, seasonal, and interannual variations account for 40% of it. The present study improves coastal sea level modeling and model‐based extreme level estimates. Moreover, this study also demonstrates for the first time that the intra‐seasonal to interannual changes contribute substantially to extreme sea levels and that El Niño can enhance this contribution on the Canadian Pacific coast.
Lake Dynamics Modulate the Air Temperature Variability Recorded by Sedimentary Aquatic Biomarkers: A Holocene Case Study From Western Greenland
Authors: Cluett A. A. , Thomas E. K. , McKay N. P. , Cowling O. C. , Castañeda I. S. , Morrill C.
Published: June 2023

Quantitative temperature reconstructions from lacustrine organic geochemical proxies including branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) and alkenones provide key constraints on past continental climates. However, estimation of air temperatures from proxies can be impacted by non‐stationarity in the relationships between seasonal air and water temperatures, a factor not yet examined in strongly seasonal high‐latitude settings. We pair downcore analyses of brGDGTs and alkenones measured on the same samples through the Holocene with forward‐modeled proxy values based on thermodynamic lake model simulations for a western Greenland lake. The measured brGDGT distributions suggest that stable autochthonous (aquatic) production overpowers allochthonous inputs for most samples, justifying the use of the lake model to interpret temperature‐driven changes. Conventional calibration of alkenones (detected only after 5.5 thousand years BP) suggests substantially larger temperature variations than conventional calibration of brGDGTs. Comparison of proxy measurements to forward‐modeled values suggests variations in brGDGT distributions monotonically reflect multi‐decadal summer air temperatures changes, although the length of the ice‐free season dampens the influence of air temperatures on water temperatures. Drivers of alkenone variability remain less clear; potential influences include small changes in the seasonality of proxy production or biases toward specific years, both underlain by non‐linearity in water‐air temperature sensitivity during relevant seasonal windows. We demonstrate that implied temperature variability can differ substantially between proxies because of differences in air‐water temperature sensitivity during windows of proxy synthesis without necessitating threshold behavior in the lake or local climate, and recommend that future studies incorporate lake modeling to constrain this uncertainty.
Quantitative evaluation of blinking in blepharospasm using electrooculogram-integrated smart eyeglasses
Authors: Yoshimura Ayano , Hosotani Yuka , Kimura Akiko , Kanda Hiroyuki , Okita Youichi , Uema Yuji , Gomi Fumi
Published: June 2023

Smart eyeglasses with an integrated electrooculogram (EOG) device (JINS MEME ES_R®, JINS Inc.) were evaluated as a quantitative diagnostic tool for blepharospasm. Participants without blepharospasm (n = 21) and patients with blepharospasm (n = 19) undertook two voluntary blinking tests (light and fast) while wearing the smart eyeglasses. Vertical (Vv) and horizontal (Vh) components were extracted from time-series voltage waveforms recorded during 30 s of the blinking tests. Two parameters, the ratio between the maximum and minimum values in the power spectrum (peak-bottom ratio, Fourier transform analysis) and the mean amplitude of the EOG waveform (peak amplitude analysis) were calculated. The mean amplitude of Vh from light and fast blinking was significantly higher in the blepharospasm group than in the control group (P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.05). Similarly, the peak-bottom ratio of Vv from light and fast blinking was significantly lower in the blepharospasm group than in the control group (P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.05). The mean amplitude of Vh and peak-bottom ratio of Vv correlated with the scores determined using the Jankovic rating scale (P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.01). Therefore, these parameters are sufficiently accurate for objective blepharospasm classification and diagnosis.
Delineation of suitable sites for groundwater recharge based on groundwater potential with RS, GIS, and AHP approach for Mand catchment of Mahanadi Basin
Authors: Baghel Shreeya , Tripathi M. P. , Khalkho Dhiraj , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Kumar Aekesh , Elbeltagi Ahmed
Published: June 2023

Groundwater management requires a systematic approach since it is crucial to the long-term viability of livelihoods and regional economies all over the world. There is insufficient groundwater management and difficulties in storage plans as a result of increased population, fast urbanisation, and climate change, as well as unpredictability in rainfall frequency and intensity. Groundwater exploration using remote sensing (RS) data and geographic information system (GIS) has become a breakthrough in groundwater research, assisting in the assessment, monitoring, and conservation of groundwater resources. The study region is the Mand catchment of the Mahanadi basin, covering 5332.07 km2 and is located between 21°42′15.525″N and 23°4′19.746″N latitude and 82°50′54.503″E and 83°36′1.295″E longitude in Chhattisgarh, India. The research comprises the generation of thematic maps, delineation of groundwater potential zones and the recommendation of structures for efficiently and successfully recharging groundwater utilising RS and GIS. Groundwater Potential Zones (GPZs) were identified with nine thematic layers using RS, GIS, and the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method. Satty's Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to rank the nine parameters that were chosen. The generated GPZs map indicated regions with very low, low to medium, medium to high, and very high groundwater potential encompassing 962.44 km2, 2019.92 km2, 969.19 km2, and 1380.42 km2 of the study region, respectively. The GPZs map was found to be very accurate when compared with the groundwater fluctuation map, and it is used to manage groundwater resources in the Mand catchment. The runoff of the study area can be accommodated by the computing subsurface storage capacity, which will raise groundwater levels in the low and low to medium GPZs. According to the study results, various groundwater recharge structures such as farm ponds, check dams and percolation tanks were suggested in appropriate locations of the Mand catchment to boost groundwater conditions and meet the shortage of water resources in agriculture and domestic use. This study demonstrates that the integration of GIS can provide an efficient and effective platform for convergent analysis of various data sets for groundwater management and planning.
Eccentric contractions during downhill running induce Osgood‒Schlatter disease in the tibial tuberosity in rats: a focus on histological structures
Authors: Suito Hirai , Fujikawa Kaoru , Ohsako Masafumi
Published: June 2023

Osgood–Schlatter disease (OSD), a condition that affects adolescents, causes inflammation, pain, and prominence at the tibial tuberosity. The causes of OSD are not well understood, but eccentric contractions in the quadriceps have been suggested as a possible factor. To investigate this, a study was conducted in which 24 rats were divided into two groups: the downhill treadmill running (DR) group and the control (CO) group. The DR group underwent a preliminary running program for 1 week, followed by a main running program for 3 weeks. The results showed that the deep region of the tibial tuberosity in the DR group was larger than that in the CO group, and inflammatory cytokines involved in gene expression were upregulated in the DR group. The anterior articular cartilage and deep region in the DR group were also immunoreactive to substance P. Additionally, high-activity chondrocytes of small size were observed in the non-calcified matrix. Thus, the DR group exhibited symptoms similar to OSD, including inflammation, pain, and prominence. These findings suggest that eccentric contractions in the quadriceps may play a role in the development of OSD. Further research is needed to better understand the pathophysiology of this condition and develop effective treatment options.
Fc-competent multispecific PDL-1/TIGIT/LAG-3 antibodies potentiate superior anti-tumor T cell response
Authors: Yang Riyao , Huang Su , Huang Cai , Fay Nathan S. , Wang Yanan , Putrevu Saroja , Wright Kimberly , Zaman Mohd Saif , Cai Wenyan , Huang Betty , Wang Bo , Wright Meredith , Hoag Matthew R. , Titong Allison , Liu Yue
Published: June 2023

The landscape of current cancer immunotherapy is dominated by antibodies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 that have transformed cancer therapy, yet their efficacy is limited by primary and acquired resistance. The blockade of additional immune checkpoints, especially TIGIT and LAG-3, has been extensively explored, but so far only a LAG-3 antibody has been approved for combination with nivolumab to treat unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Here we report the development of a PDL1 × TIGIT bi-specific antibody (bsAb) GB265, a PDL1 × LAG3 bsAb GB266, and a PDL1 × TIGIT × LAG3 tri-specific antibody (tsAb) GB266T, all with intact Fc function. In in vitro cell-based assays, these antibodies promote greater T cell expansion and tumor cell killing than benchmark antibodies and antibody combinations in an Fc-dependent manner, likely by facilitating T cell interactions (bridging) with cancer cells and monocytes, in addition to blocking immune checkpoints. In animal models, GB265 and GB266T antibodies outperformed benchmarks in tumor suppression. This study demonstrates the potential of a new generation of multispecific checkpoint inhibitors to overcome resistance to current monospecific checkpoint antibodies or their combinations for the treatment of human cancers.
Study on the infrared dynamic evolution characteristics of different joint inclination phyllite under uniaxial compression
Authors: Chengyu Xie , Weihang Lan , Ziwei Chen , Yabin Wu
Published: June 2023

The destructive behavior of rocks and the evolution behavior of cracks are highly correlated. With the continuous development process of crack, the stress state of rock is constantly broken until entirely failed, so it is necessary to study the spatial and temporal behavior characteristics of the crack in the process of rock destruction. In this paper, the destruction process of phyllite specimens is analyzed by thermal imaging technology, and the temperature evolution process of the crack is studied to explore the infrared characteristics of the crack evolution process. Furthermore, a model for predicting rock destruction time is proposed based on Bi-LSTM recurrent neural network model combined with Attention mechanism. The results show that: (1) During the development of rock cracks, the rock surface shows a stable dynamic infrared response, and shows different evolutionary characteristics in different stages, mainly including temperature reduction in the compaction stage, temperature rise in the elastic and plastic stages, and temperature peaks in the failure stage; (2) During the evolution of the crack, rock destruction has a significant control effect on the IRT field along the fracture tangential and normal direction, and its distribution has the volatility controlled by the time; (3) The recurrent neural network method is used to predict the rock failure time, the results can be used as a method to predict the time of rock destruction, and it can be further put forward the corresponding protective measures accordingly, to maintain the long-term stability of the rock mass.
Diagnostic Rate of Malignant Lymphoma Using Soluble Interleukin 2 Receptor Levels in Patients with Cervical Lymphadenopathy
Authors: Hamaguchi Kiyomi , Tobe Yota , Ikenaga Tadashi , Michida Tetsuhiko , Takebayashi Shinji , Fujiwara Keizou , Naito Yasushi , Shinohara Shogo
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives Cervical lymph node enlargement is observed in various diseases, including malignant lymphoma (ML). Open biopsy of the enlarged lymph node is frequently required for diagnosis, especially when ML is suspected. Serum levels of soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) may be useful as a biomarker of ML. This study aimed to determine whether the measurement of serum sIL-2R levels might be useful to diagnose ML.

Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 281 patients who had undergone open cervical lymph node biopsy at our institution between 2015 and 2019, including 157 males and 124 females (age range, 5–90 years). Data on the patients' age, final diagnosis, and serum sIL-2R levels were obtained from their medical records.

Results Overall, 184 cases of MLs and 97 cases of other diseases (non-MLs [NMLs]) were recorded. The mean age was significantly higher and mean serum sIL-2R levels were significantly higher in the ML group than in the NML group. In the ML group, the serum sIL-2R levels were significantly higher in patients with T cell lymphoma than in those with B cell lymphoma. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the serum sIL-2R level for predicting ML was 0.711, and a serum sIL-2R level of 1,246 U/mL was associated with the maximum value of the sensitivity + specificity for the diagnosis of ML. Multivariate analysis revealed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve increased to 0.758 for patients aged >61 years and patients with serum sIL-2R levels of >1,246 U/mL.

Conclusions Among patients presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy, the measurement of serum sIL-2R levels could be useful for distinguishing between patients with and without ML, with a cutoff level of 1,246 U/mL for the diagnosis of ML.
Effects of Head and Neck Cancer Treatments on Gonadal Function in Adolescent and Young Adult Patients
Authors: Makita Haruna , Kobayashi Eiji , Hirai Nobuyuki , Komori Takeshi , Ueno Takayoshi , Nakanishi Yosuke , Endo Kazuhira , Kondo Satoru , Yoshizaki Tomokazu
Published: June 2023

Otorhinolaryngologists often encounter and treat adolescents and young adults (AYA; aged 15–39 years) with cancer. Thus, it is important for them to recognize the impact of cancer treatment on the fertility of patients from this generation. In this retrospective review, we evaluated 60 AYA patients who were diagnosed with head and neck cancer at our department. Regarding the risk of gonadal toxicity due to cancer treatment, according to the classification by The Japan Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guidelines 2017 for Fertility Preservation in Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Patients, one and three patients were found to be at high and intermediate risks, respectively. However, the risk of gonadal toxicity was not adequately explained in the guidelines; hence, they need to be revised. To preserve the fertility of AYA patients with head and neck cancer, patient information should be shared with appropriate obstetrics and gynecology or urology specialists before treatment. Furthermore, it is important to build a reproductive medicine network and ensure prompt collaboration with oncologists before initiating cancer treatment.
Barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Australian health professional students during the pandemic: a nationwide study
Authors: Chen Yingyan , Prichard Roslyn , Mason Matt , Tower Marion , Zimmerman Peta-Anne , Sparke Vanessa , Layh Janice , Mehdi Ahmed M. , Lin Frances Fengzhi
Published: June 2023

Using a cross-sectional online survey we investigated knowledge, attitudes, and risk perception about COVID-19 vaccination and identified factors influencing vaccine uptake among Australian health professional students from October 2021 to January 2022. We analysed data from 1114 health professional students from 17 Australian universities. Most participants were enrolled in nursing programs (n = 958, 86.8%), and 91.6% (n = 858) of the participants received COVID-19 vaccination. Approximately 27% believed COVID-19 was no more serious than seasonal influenza and that they had a low risk of acquiring COVID-19. Nearly 20% disagreed that COVID-19 vaccines in Australia were safe and perceived they were at higher-risk of acquiring COVID infection than the general population. Higher-risk perception viewing vaccination as their professional responsibility, and vaccine mandate strongly predicted vaccination behaviour. Participants consider COVID-19 information from health professionals, government websites, and World Health Organization as the most trusted information sources. The findings highlight that healthcare decision-makers and university administrators need to monitor students’ hesitancy with vaccination to improve students’ promotion of the vaccination to the general population.
Effects of 24‐week prebiotic intervention on self‐reported upper respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and markers of immunity in elite rugby union players
Authors: Parker C. , Hunter K.A. , Johnson M.A. , Sharpe G.R. , Gibson G.R. , Walton G.E. , Poveda C. , Cousins B. , Williams N.C.
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Elite rugby union players face numerous physiological and psychological stressors which can increase upper respiratory and gastrointestinal illness risk, and in turn can compromise training and competitive performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of daily prebiotic supplementation on upper respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and markers of immune function in elite rugby union players.

Methods

Thirty‐three elite rugby union players were randomly assigned to consume a prebiotic (2.8 g/day galactooligosaccharide) or placebo (2.8 g/day maltodextrin), daily for 168 days under double‐blind conditions. Participants completed daily and weekly questionnaires for self‐reported upper respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms respectively. Blood and saliva samples were collected at 0, 84, and 168 days for assessment of plasma TNF‐α and CRP, and saliva IgA respectively.

Results

The prebiotic group experienced a 2‐day reduction in upper respiratory symptom duration (P = 0.045). Gastrointestinal symptom severity and incidence were lower in the prebiotic group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.001, P = 0.041) respectively. Salivary immunoglobulin A secretion rate was 42% greater in the prebiotic group compared to the placebo group at day 168 (P = 0.004), no differences in CRP and TNF‐α were found (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

A 168‐day dietary prebiotic intervention reduced the duration of upper respiratory symptoms and reduced the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in elite rugby union players. These findings suggest that seasonal prebiotic interventions may be beneficial for reducing illness in elite rugby union players, improving their availability to train and compete.

Key points

Elite athletes are susceptible to upper respiratory symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms which may impact upon training availability and competition performance.

For the first time, this study shows that a dietary prebiotic intervention can reduce the duration of upper respiratory symptoms by 2 days in elite rugby union players.

Dietary prebiotic supplementation can improve the incidence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms experienced by elite rugby union players.

Prebiotic supplementation was able to increase salivary IgA secretion after 168 days.

These findings can inform practice suggesting that seasonal prebiotic use has the potential to modulate immune function and reduce illness in elite rugby union, which may improve a player's availability to train and compete.

The mechanisms by which prebiotics reduce URS and GIS require further research exploration.
Comparison of Imputation Strategies for Incomplete Longitudinal Data in Life-Course Epidemiology
Authors: Shaw Crystal , Wu Yingyan , Zimmerman Scott C , Hayes-Larson Eleanor , Belin Thomas R , Power Melinda C , Glymour M Maria , Mayeda Elizabeth Rose
Published: June 2023

Incomplete longitudinal data are common in life-course epidemiology and may induce bias leading to incorrect inference. Multiple imputation (MI) is increasingly preferred for handling missing data, but few studies explore MI-method performance and feasibility in real-data settings. We compared 3 MI methods using real data under 9 missing-data scenarios, representing combinations of 10%, 20%, and 30% missingness and missing completely at random, at random, and not at random. Using data from Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants, we introduced record-level missingness to a sample of participants with complete data on depressive symptoms (1998–2008), mortality (2008–2018), and relevant covariates. We then imputed missing data using 3 MI methods (normal linear regression, predictive mean matching, variable-tailored specification), and fitted Cox proportional hazards models to estimate effects of 4 operationalizations of longitudinal depressive symptoms on mortality. We compared bias in hazard ratios, root mean square error, and computation time for each method. Bias was similar across MI methods, and results were consistent across operationalizations of the longitudinal exposure variable. However, our results suggest that predictive mean matching may be an appealing strategy for imputing life-course exposure data, given consistently low root mean square error, competitive computation times, and few implementation challenges.
A mark-specific quantile regression model
Authors: Qu Lianqiang , Sun Liuquan , Sun Yanqing
Published: June 2023

Quantile regression has become a widely used tool for analysing competing risk data. However, quantile regression for competing risk data with a continuous mark is still scarce. The mark variable is an extension of cause of failure in a classical competing risk model where cause of failure is replaced by a continuous mark only observed at uncensored failure times. An example of the continuous mark variable is the genetic distance that measures dissimilarity between the infecting virus and the virus contained in the vaccine construct. In this article, we propose a novel mark-specific quantile regression model. The proposed estimation method borrows strength from data in a neighbourhood of a mark and is based on an induced smoothed estimation equation, which is very different from the existing methods for competing risk data with discrete causes. The asymptotic properties of the resulting estimators are established across mark and quantile continuums. In addition, a mark-specific quantile-type vaccine efficacy is proposed and its statistical inference procedures are developed. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the finite sample performances of the proposed estimation and hypothesis testing procedures. An application to the first HIV vaccine efficacy trial is provided.
Immune checkpoint inhibitor induced neurocognitive deficits in patients
Authors: Zeiser Robert , Prinz Marco
Published: June 2023

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Neurological outcomes in immune checkpoint inhibitor-related neurotoxicity’, by Farina et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcad169)
Executive Function Predicts Older Adults’ Lure Discrimination Difficulties on the Mnemonic Similarity Task
Authors: Jensen Adelaide , Karpov Galit , Collin Charles A , Davidson Patrick S R
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Older adults often have difficulty remembering the details of recently encountered objects. We previously found this with the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST). Surprisingly, the older adults’ MST Lure Discrimination Index (LDI) was significantly correlated with visual acuity but not with memory or executive function. Here we ran a replication with new, larger samples of young (N = 45) and older adults (N = 70). We then combined the original and replication older adult samples (N = 108) to critically examine the relative contributions of visual acuity, memory, and executive function composite scores to LDI performance using dominance analysis. This provided, to our knowledge, the first direct statistical comparison of all 3 of these factors and their interactions on LDI.

Methods

Participants completed the MST and a battery assessing visual acuity, memory, and executive function. We examined age group differences on MST performance in the new (i.e., replication) young and older adult samples and performed multiple regression and dominance analysis on the combined older adult sample.

Results

Consistent with previous findings, the older adults showed significantly poorer LDI but preserved item recognition. LDI was significantly correlated with both memory and executive function but not with visual acuity. In the combined older adult sample, all 3 composites predicted LDI, but dominance analysis indicated that executive function was the most important predictor.

Discussion

Older adults’ MST LDI difficulty may be predicted by their executive function and visual acuity. These factors should be considered when interpreting older adults’ MST performance.
Functional Connectivity Alterations of Cognitive Flexibility in Aging: Different Patterns of Global and Local Switch Costs
Authors: Li Ting , Xia Haishuo , Li Huai , He Qinghua , Chen Antao
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Cognitive flexibility declines with aging and is usually indicated by task switch costs including global and local switch costs. Cognitive flexibility in aging is associated with alterations in functional connectivity. However, whether different task-modulated connectivity mechanisms underlying global and local switch costs remain unclear.

Methods

Here we use the support vector machine to identify age-related functional connectivity in global and local switch costs between older (n = 32) and young adults (n = 33). Participants completed a cued task-switching task during the functional magnetic resonance imaging scan.

Results

Results show an age-related decline behaviorally in global but not in local switch costs. Moreover, distinct patterns of age-related alterations of connectivity were observed for each cost. Specifically, only multivariate changes in connectivity patterns were observed for local switch cost, whereas specific age-related connections were revealed for global switch cost. In older adults, the task-modulated left dorsal premotor cortex–left precuneus connectivity decreased, and the left inferior frontal junction–left inferior parietal sulcus connectivity correlated with decreased global switch cost.

Discussion

This study provides novel evidence for different neural patterns in global and local switch costs by illuminating connectivity mechanisms underlying cognitive flexibility in aging.
The Value of Medicare Coverage on Depressive Symptoms Among Older Immigrants
Authors: Jun Hankyung , Mattke Soeren , Chen Alice , Aguila Emma
Published: June 2023

Background and Objectives

The immigrant population, the primary driver of U.S. population growth, is aging and many immigrants remain uninsured. Lack of health insurance limits access to care, aggravating the already high level of depression for older immigrants. However, there is scarce evidence on how health insurance, particularly Medicare, affects their mental health. Using the Health and Retirement Study, this study examines the effect of Medicare coverage on depressive symptoms of older immigrants in the United States.

Research Design and Methods

Exploiting the fact that many immigrants are not covered by Medicare after passing age 65, we use a difference-in-difference model with propensity score weighting to compare differences in depressive symptoms pre- and post-age-65. We further stratify the sample by socioeconomic status and by race/ethnicity.

Results

Medicare coverage was significantly associated with a reduction in the probability of reporting depressive symptoms for immigrants with low socioeconomic status, especially for those below median wealth levels. The beneficial effect of Medicare coverage was also statistically significant for non-White immigrants—Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander—even when holding socioeconomic status constant.

Discussion and Implications

Our findings imply that immigration policies that expand health care protection to older immigrants can lead to further health benefits and reduce existing disparities for the aging population. Policy reforms such as providing limited Medicare access to immigrants who paid sufficient taxes but are still awaiting permanent residency status could increase coverage for the uninsured and improve participation of immigrants in the payroll system.