bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3D Reconstruction with Fast Dipole Sums
Authors: Chen Hanyu , Miller Bailey , Gkioulekas Ioannis
Published: November 2024

We introduce a method for high-quality 3D reconstruction from multi-view images. Our method uses a new point-based representation, the regularized dipole sum, which generalizes the winding number to allow for interpolation of per-point attributes in point clouds with noisy or outlier points. Using regularized dipole sums, we represent implicit geometry and radiance fields as per-point attributes of a dense point cloud, which we initialize from structure from motion. We additionally derive Barnes-Hut fast summation schemes for accelerated forward and adjoint dipole sum queries. These queries facilitate the use of ray tracing to efficiently and differentiably render images with our point-based representations, and thus update their point attributes to optimize scene geometry and appearance. We evaluate our method in inverse rendering applications against state-of-the-art alternatives, based on ray tracing of neural representations or rasterization of Gaussian point-based representations. Our method significantly improves 3D reconstruction quality and robustness at equal runtimes, while also supporting more general rendering methods such as shadow rays for direct illumination.
GarVerseLOD: High-Fidelity 3D Garment Reconstruction from a Single In-the-Wild Image using a Dataset with Levels of Details
Authors: Luo Zhongjin , Liu Haolin , Li Chenghong , Du Wanghao , Jin Zirong , Sun Wanhu , Nie Yinyu , Chen Weikai , Han Xiaoguang
Published: November 2024

Neural implicit functions have brought impressive advances to the state-of-the-art of clothed human digitization from multiple or even single images. However, despite the progress, current arts still have difficulty generalizing to unseen images with complex cloth deformation and body poses. In this work, we present GarVerseLOD, a new dataset and framework that paves the way to achieving unprecedented robustness in high-fidelity 3D garment reconstruction from a single unconstrained image. Inspired by the recent success of large generative models, we believe that one key to addressing the generalization challenge lies in the quantity and quality of 3D garment data. Towards this end, GarVerseLOD collects 6,000 high-quality cloth models with fine-grained geometry details manually created by professional artists. In addition to the scale of training data, we observe that having disentangled granularities of geometry can play an important role in boosting the generalization capability and inference accuracy of the learned model. We hence craft GarVerseLOD as a hierarchical dataset with
levels of details (LOD)
, spanning from detail-free stylized shape to pose-blended garment with pixel-aligned details. This allows us to make this highly under-constrained problem tractable by factorizing the inference into easier tasks, each narrowed down with smaller searching space. To ensure GarVerseLOD can generalize well to in-the-wild images, we propose a novel labeling paradigm based on conditional diffusion models to generate extensive paired images for each garment model with high photorealism. We evaluate our method on a massive amount of in-the-wild images. Experimental results demonstrate that GarVerseLOD can generate standalone garment pieces with significantly better quality than prior approaches while being robust against a large variation of pose, illumination, occlusion, and deformation. Code and dataset are available at garverselod.github.io.
V^3: Viewing Volumetric Videos on Mobiles via Streamable 2D Dynamic Gaussians
Authors: Wang Penghao , Zhang Zhirui , Wang Liao , Yao Kaixin , Xie Siyuan , Yu Jingyi , Wu Minye , Xu Lan
Published: November 2024

Experiencing high-fidelity volumetric video as seamlessly as 2D videos is a long-held dream. However, current dynamic 3DGS methods, despite their high rendering quality, face challenges in streaming on mobile devices due to computational and bandwidth constraints. In this paper, we introduce V
3
(Viewing Volumetric Videos), a novel approach that enables high-quality mobile rendering through the streaming of dynamic Gaussians. Our key innovation is to view dynamic 3DGS as 2D videos, facilitating the use of hardware video codecs. Additionally, we propose a two-stage training strategy to reduce storage requirements with rapid training speed. The first stage employs hash encoding and shallow MLP to learn motion, then reduces the number of Gaussians through pruning to meet the streaming requirements, while the second stage fine tunes other Gaussian attributes using residual entropy loss and temporal loss to improve temporal continuity. This strategy, which disentangles motion and appearance, maintains high rendering quality with compact storage requirements. Meanwhile, we designed a multi-platform player to decode and render 2D Gaussian videos. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of V
3
, outperforming other methods by enabling high-quality rendering and streaming on common devices, which is unseen before. As the first to stream dynamic Gaussians on mobile devices, our companion player offers users an unprecedented volumetric video experience, including smooth scrolling and instant sharing. Our project page with source code is available at https://authoritywang.github.io/v3/.
Designing triangle meshes with controlled roughness
Authors: Ceballos Inza Victor , Fykouras Panagiotis , Rist Florian , Häseker Daniel , Hojjat Majid , Müller Christian , Pottmann Helmut
Published: November 2024

Motivated by the emergence of rough surfaces in various areas of design, we address the computational design of triangle meshes with controlled roughness. Our focus lies on small levels of roughness. There, roughness or smoothness mainly arises through the local positioning of the mesh edges and faces with respect to the curvature behavior of the reference surface. The analysis of this interaction between curvature and roughness is simplified by a 2D dual diagram and its generation within so-called isotropic geometry, which may be seen as a structure-preserving simplification of Euclidean geometry. Isotropic dihedral angles of the mesh are close to the Euclidean angles and appear as Euclidean edge lengths in the dual diagram, which also serves as a tool for visualization and interactive local design. We present a computational framework that includes appearance-aware remeshing, optimization-based automatic roughening, and control of dihedral angles.
3DGSR: Implicit Surface Reconstruction with 3D Gaussian Splatting
Authors: Lyu Xiaoyang , Sun Yang-Tian , Huang Yi-Hua , Wu Xiuzhe , Yang Ziyi , Chen Yilun , Pang Jiangmiao , Qi Xiaojuan
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we present an implicit surface reconstruction method with 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS), namely 3DGSR, that allows for accurate 3D reconstruction with intricate details while inheriting the high efficiency and rendering quality of 3DGS. The key insight is to incorporate an implicit signed distance field (SDF) within 3D Gaussians for surface modeling, and to enable the alignment and joint optimization of both SDF and 3D Gaussians. To achieve this, we design coupling strategies that align and associate the SDF with 3D Gaussians, allowing for unified optimization and enforcing surface constraints on the 3D Gaussians. With alignment, optimizing the 3D Gaussians provides supervisory signals for SDF learning, enabling the reconstruction of intricate details. However, this only offers sparse supervisory signals to the SDF at locations occupied by Gaussians, which is insufficient for learning a continuous SDF. Then, to address this limitation, we incorporate volumetric rendering and align the rendered geometric attributes (depth, normal) with that derived from 3DGS. In sum, these two designs allow SDF and 3DGS to be aligned, jointly optimized, and mutually boosted. Our extensive experimental results demonstrate that our 3DGSR enables high-quality 3D surface reconstruction while preserving the efficiency and rendering quality of 3DGS. Besides, our method competes favorably with leading surface reconstruction techniques while offering a more efficient learning process and much better rendering qualities.
Quark: Real-time, High-resolution, and General Neural View Synthesis
Authors: Flynn John , Broxton Michael , Murmann Lukas , Chai Lucy , DuVall Matthew , Godard Clément , Heal Kathryn , Kaza Srinivas , Lombardi Stephen , Luo Xuan , Achar Supreeth , Prabhu Kira , Sun Tiancheng , Tsai Lynn , Overbeck Ryan
Published: November 2024

We present a novel neural algorithm for performing high-quality, highresolution, real-time novel view synthesis. From a sparse set of input RGB images or videos streams, our network both reconstructs the 3D scene and renders novel views at 1080p resolution at 30fps on an NVIDIA A100. Our feed-forward network generalizes across a wide variety of datasets and scenes and produces state-of-the-art quality for a real-time method. Our quality approaches, and in some cases surpasses, the quality of some of the top offline methods. In order to achieve these results we use a novel combination of several key concepts, and tie them together into a cohesive and effective algorithm. We build on previous works that represent the scene using semi-transparent layers and use an iterative learned render-and-refine approach to improve those layers. Instead of flat layers, our method reconstructs layered depth maps (LDMs) that efficiently represent scenes with complex depth and occlusions. The iterative update steps are embedded in a multi-scale, UNet-style architecture to perform as much compute as possible at reduced resolution. Within each update step, to better aggregate the information from multiple input views, we use a specialized Transformer-based network component. This allows the majority of the per-input image processing to be performed in the input image space, as opposed to layer space, further increasing efficiency. Finally, due to the real-time nature of our reconstruction and rendering, we dynamically create and discard the internal 3D geometry for each frame, generating the LDM for each view. Taken together, this produces a novel and effective algorithm for view synthesis. Through extensive evaluation, we demonstrate that we achieve state-of-the-art quality at real-time rates.
A Time-Dependent Inclusion-Based Method for Continuous Collision Detection between Parametric Surfaces
Authors: Chen Xuwen , Yu Cheng , Ni Xingyu , Chu Mengyu , Wang Bin , Chen Baoquan
Published: November 2024

Continuous collision detection (CCD) between parametric surfaces is typically formulated as a five-dimensional constrained optimization problem. In the field of CAD and computer graphics, common approaches to solving this problem rely on linearization or sampling strategies. Alternatively, inclusion-based techniques detect collisions by employing 5D inclusion functions, which are typically designed to represent the swept volumes of parametric surfaces over a given time span, and narrowing down the earliest collision moment through subdivision in both spatial and temporal dimensions. However, when high detection accuracy is required, all these approaches significantly increases computational consumption due to the high-dimensional searching space. In this work, we develop a new time-dependent inclusion-based CCD framework that eliminates the need for temporal subdivision and can speedup conventional methods by a factor ranging from 36 to 138. To achieve this, we propose a novel time-dependent inclusion function that provides a continuous representation of a moving surface, along with a corresponding intersection detection algorithm that quickly identifies the time intervals when collisions are likely to occur. We validate our method across various primitive types, demonstrate its efficacy within the simulation pipeline and show that it significantly improves CCD efficiency while maintaining accuracy.
Geometry-Aware Retargeting for Two-Skinned Characters Interaction
Authors: Jang Inseo , Choi Soojin , Hong Seokhyeon , Kim Chaelin , Noh Junyong
Published: November 2024

Interactive motion between multiple characters is widely utilized in games and movies. However, the method for generating interactive motions considering the character's diverse mesh shape has yet to be studied. We propose a Spatio Cooperative Transformer (SCT) to retarget the interacting motions of two characters having arbitrary mesh connectivity. SCT predicts the residual of root position and joint rotations considering the shape difference between the source and target of interacting characters. In addition, we introduce an anchor loss function for SCT to maintain the geometric distance between the interacting characters when they are retargeted. We also propose a motion augmentation method with deformation-based adaptation to prepare a source-target paired dataset with an identical mesh connectivity for training. In experiments, our method achieved higher accuracy for semantic preservation and produced less artifacts of inter-penetration between the interacting characters for unseen characters and motions than the baselines. Moreover, we conducted a user evaluation using characters with various shapes, spanning low-to-high interaction levels to prove better semantic preservation of our method compared to previous studies.
An Impulse Ghost Fluid Method for Simulating Two-Phase Flows
Authors: Sun Yuchen , Chen Linglai , Zeng Weiyuan , Du Tao , Xiong Shiying , Zhu Bo
Published: November 2024

This paper introduces a two-phase interfacial fluid model based on the impulse variable to capture complex vorticity-interface interactions. Our key idea is to leverage bidirectional flow map theory to enhance the transport accuracy of both vorticity and interfaces simultaneously and address their coupling within a unified Eulerian framework. At the heart of our framework is an impulse ghost fluid method to solve the two-phase incompressible fluid characterized by its interfacial dynamics. To deal with the history-dependent jump of gauge variables across a dynamic interface, we develop a novel path integral formula empowered by spatiotemporal buffers to convert the history-dependent jump condition into a geometry-dependent jump condition when projecting impulse to velocity. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in simulating and visualizing several interface-vorticity interaction problems with cross-phase vortical evolution, including interfacial whirlpool, vortex ring reflection, and leapfrogging bubble rings.
Tencers: Tension-Constrained Elastic Rods
Authors: Dandy Liliane-Joy , Vidulis Michele , Ren Yingying , Pauly Mark
Published: November 2024

We study ensembles of elastic rods that are tensioned by a small set of inextensible cables. The cables induce forces that deform the initially straight, but flexible rods into 3D space curves at equilibrium. Rods can be open or closed, knotted, and arranged in arbitrary topologies. We specifically focus on equilibrium states with no contacts among rods. Our setup can thus be seen as a generalization of classical tensegrities that are composed of rigid rods and tensile cables, to also support rods that elastically deform. We show how this generalization leads to a rich design space, where complex target shapes can be achieved with a small set of elastic rods. To explore this space, we present an inverse design optimization algorithm that solves for the length and placement of cables such that the equilibrium state of the rod network best approximates a given set of input curves. We introduce appropriate sparsity terms to minimize the number of required cables, which significantly simplifies fabrication. Using our algorithm, we explore new classes of bending-active 3D structures, including elastic tensegrity knots that only require a few internal cables. We design and fabricate several physical models from basic materials that attain complex 3D shapes with unique structural properties.
A Mesh-based Simulation Framework using Automatic Code Generation
Authors: Herholz Philipp , Stuyck Tuur , Kavan Ladislav
Published: November 2024

Optimized parallel implementations on GPU or CPU have dramatically enhanced the fidelity, resolution and accuracy of physical simulations and mesh-based algorithms. However, attaining optimal performance requires expert knowledge and might demand complex code and memory layout optimizations. This adds to the fact that physical simulation algorithms require the implementation of derivatives, which can be a tedious and error-prone process. In recent years, researchers and practitioners have investigated the concept of designing systems that allow for a more expressive definition of mesh-based simulation code. These systems leverage domain-specific languages (DSL), automatic differentiation or symbolic computing to enhance readability of implementations without compromising performance. We follow this line of work and propose a symbolic code generation approach tailored to mesh-based computations on parallel devices. Our system extends related work by incorporating collision handling and a data access synchronization approach, enabling rapid sparse matrix assembly.
ELMO: Enhanced Real-time LiDAR Motion Capture through Upsampling
Authors: Jang Deok-Kyeong , Yang Dongseok , Jang Deok-Yun , Choi Byeoli , Lee Sung-Hee , Shin Donghoon
Published: November 2024

This paper introduces ELMO, a real-time upsampling motion capture framework designed for a single LiDAR sensor. Modeled as a conditional autoregressive transformer-based upsampling motion generator, ELMO achieves 60 fps motion capture from a 20 fps LiDAR point cloud sequence. The key feature of ELMO is the coupling of the self-attention mechanism with thoughtfully designed embedding modules for motion and point clouds, significantly elevating the motion quality. To facilitate accurate motion capture, we develop a one-time skeleton calibration model capable of predicting user skeleton off-sets from a single-frame point cloud. Additionally, we introduce a novel data augmentation technique utilizing a LiDAR simulator, which enhances global root tracking to improve environmental understanding. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, we compare ELMO with state-of-the-art methods in both image-based and point cloud-based motion capture. We further conduct an ablation study to validate our design principles. ELMO's fast inference time makes it well-suited for real-time applications, exemplified in our demo video featuring live streaming and interactive gaming scenarios. Furthermore, we contribute a high-quality LiDAR-mocap synchronized dataset comprising 20 different subjects performing a range of motions, which can serve as a valuable resource for future research. The dataset and evaluation code are available at https://movin3d.github.io/ELMO_SIGASIA2024/
On the Monniaux Problem in Abstract Interpretation
Authors: Fijalkow Nathanael , Lefaucheux Engel , Ohlmann Pierre , Ouaknine Joël , Pouly Amaury , Worrell James
Published: November 2024

The Monniaux Problem in abstract interpretation asks, roughly speaking, whether the following question is decidable: given a program
P
, a safety (
e.g.
, non-reachability) specification φ, and an abstract domain of invariants

\(\mathcal {D} \)

, does there exist an inductive invariant

\(\mathcal {I} \)

in

\(\mathcal {D} \)

guaranteeing that program
P
meets its specification φ. The Monniaux Problem is of course parameterised by the classes of programs and invariant domains that one considers. In this paper, we show that the Monniaux Problem is undecidable for unguarded affine programs and semilinear invariants (unions of polyhedra). Moreover, we show that decidability is recovered in the important special case of simple linear loops.
SymBChainSim: A Novel Simulation System for Info-Symbiotic Blockchain Management
Authors: Diamantopoulos Georgios , Bahsoon Rami , Tziritas Nikos , Theodoropoulos Georgios
Published: November 2024

Despite the recent increase in the popularity of blockchain, the technology suffers from the trilemma trade-off between security, decentralisation and scalability, prohibiting adoption and limiting the efficiency and effectiveness of the induced system. Addressing the trilemma trade-off calls for dynamic management and configuration of the blockchain system. In particular, choosing an effective and efficient consensus protocol for balancing the trilemma trade-off when inducing the blockchain-based system is acknowledged to be a challenging problem, given the dynamic and complex nature of the blockchain environment. DDDAS approaches are particularly suitable for tackling this challenge. In previous work, the authors presented a novel DDDAS-based blockchain architecture and demonstrated that it offers a promising approach for dynamically adjusting the parameters of a blockchain system to optimise for the trade-off. This paper presents a novel simulation tool that can support and satisfy the DDDAS requirements for a dynamically re-configurable blockchain system. The tool supports the simulation and the dynamic switching of consensus protocols, analysing their trilemma trade-off. The simulator design is modular and allows the implementation and analysis of a wide range of consensus protocols and their implementation scenarios. The paper also presents a quantitative evaluation of the tool.
Care to Explain? AI Explanation Types Differentially Impact Chest Radiograph Diagnostic Performance and Physician Trust in AI
Authors: Prinster Drew , Mahmood Amama , Saria Suchi , Jeudy Jean , Lin Cheng Ting , Yi Paul H. , Huang Chien-Ming
Published: November 2024

In this multisite prospective study of simulated artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted chest radiograph diagnosis involving 220 physicians, AI explanation type (local vs global) differentially impacted physician diagnostic performance and trust in AI advice.
Interstitial Lung Abnormalities on Unselected Abdominal and Thoracoabdominal CT Scans in 21 118 Patients
Authors: Sverzellati Nicola , Milanese Gianluca , Ryerson Christopher J. , Hatabu Hiroto , Walsh Simon L. F. , Papapietro Vito Roberto , Gazzani Silvia Eleonora , Bacchini Emanuele , Specchia Francesco , Marrocchio Cristina , Milone Francesca , Ledda Roberta Eufrasia , Silva Mario , Iezzi Elisa
Published: November 2024

More than 40% of all interstitial lung abnormalities were unreported in an unselected sample of more than 20 000 patients who underwent either abdominal or thoracoabdominal CT for various clinical indications.
Predictive value of triglyceride-glucose index for the evaluation of coronary artery disease severity and occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events
Authors: Siverio-Morales Orlando , Mora-Fernández Carmen , Hernández-Carballo Carolina , Martín-Núñez Ernesto , González-Luis Ainhoa , Martín-Olivera Alberto , Navarro-González Juan F. , Donate-Correa Javier
Published: November 2024

This retrospective study demonstrates significant associations between the TyG index and the occurrence and severity of CAD, as well as indicates the clinical value of the TyG index as a potential predictor for MACE.
Perisaccadic perceptual mislocalization strength depends on the visual appearance of saccade targets
Authors: Baumann Matthias P. , Denninger Anna F. , Hafed Ziad M.
Published: November 2024

Brief visual probes are grossly mislocalized when presented in the temporal vicinity of saccades. Although the mechanisms of such mislocalization are still under investigation, one component of them could derive from corollary discharge signals associated with saccade movement commands. Here, we were motivated by the observation that superior colliculus movement bursts, one source of corollary discharge, vary with saccade target image appearance. If so, then perisaccadic mislocalization should also do so, which we confirmed.
Implementing Bernstein Operational Matrices to Solve a Fractional‐Order Smoking Epidemic Model
Authors: Al Hallak Jalal , Alshbool Mohammed , Hashim Ishak
Published: November 2024

This paper leverages the Bernstein operational matrices method for the first time in order to resolve the nonlinear fractional smoking epidemic model presented in terms of Caputo’s fractional derivative. An approximate solution is derived using Bernstein’s operational matrices and strategically chosen collocation points. This is followed by the validation of the proposed method’s accuracy and reliability against the established Runge–Kutta fourth‐order method. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparative analysis is conducted against two prominent techniques: the fractional differential transform method (FDTM) and the q‐homotopy analysis transform method (q‐HATM). The results show a superior and significant performance regarding accuracy as well as approximation. A residual corrected error technique is employed to enhance the precision of the presented method, thus effectively minimising absolute errors.
Socioeconomic Inequalities in Participation in Colorectal Cancer Screening in Ontario, Canada: A Decomposition Analysis
Authors: Jalili Faramarz , Austin Nichole , Lavergne M. Ruth , Hajizadeh Mohammad
Published: November 2024

Background:

The relationship between socioeconomic status and colorectal cancer screening in Canada remains poorly understood. This study aims to measure and explain the extent of socioeconomic inequalities in colorectal cancer screening participation in Ontario, Canada.

Methods:

This study assesses socioeconomic inequalities in colorectal cancer screening uptake in Ontario among adults of ages 50 to 74 years (n = 12,039) utilizing cross-sectional data from the 2017 to 2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). The Wagstaff index and the Erreygers index were used to quantify and decompose income-related inequality in colorectal cancer screening participation.

Results:

The results revealed an overall colorectal cancer screening rate of 71.7%, with higher rates among females (78.4%) compared with males (69.4%). The positive values of the Wagstaff index (0.193; 95% confidence interval, 0.170–0.215) and the Erreygers index (0.156; 95% confidence interval, 0.138–0.174) indicated a pro-rich inequality in colorectal cancer screening participation in Ontario (i.e., screening is more concentrated among wealthier individuals). The decomposition analysis identified income (71.61%), education (8.61%), and language barriers with healthcare providers (5.76%) as the primary factors contributing to the observed income-related inequality in colorectal cancer screening participation.

Conclusions:

Income is the primary driver of socioeconomic inequality, requiring targeted strategies to boost screening rates among low-income residents. Addressing education and language barriers through awareness initiatives and language support can reduce socioeconomic inequalities in cancer screening uptake in Ontario.

Impact:

Our study reveals significant socioeconomic inequality in colorectal cancer screening in Ontario, driven by income, education, and language barriers, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to promote equitable access.
Modeling the Acute Mucosal Toxicity of Fractionated Radiotherapy Combined with the ATM Inhibitor WSD0628
Authors: Garcia Darwin A. , Rathi Sneha , Connors Margaret A. , Grams Michael , Vaubel Rachael A. , Bakken Katrina K. , Ott Lauren L. , Carlson Brett L. , Hu Zeng , Decker Paul A. , Eckel-Passow Jeanette E. , Burgenske Danielle M. , Zhong Wei , Trzasko Joshua D. , Herman Michael G. , Elmquist William F. , Remmes Nicholas B. , Sarkaria Jann N.
Published: November 2024

Ataxia Telangiectasia–mutated (ATM) inhibitors are being developed as radiosensitizers to improve the antitumor effects of radiotherapy, but ATM inhibition can also radiosensitize normal tissues. Therefore, understanding the elevated risk of normal tissue toxicities is critical for radiosensitizer development. This study focused on modeling the relationship between acute mucosal toxicity, radiation dose, fractionation schedule, and radiosensitizer exposure. The ATM inhibitor WSD0628 was combined with single or fractionated doses of radiation delivered to the oral cavity or esophagus of Friend Leukemia virus B (FVB) mice. The potentiation by WSD0628 was quantified by a sensitizer enhancement ratio (SER), which describes the changes in radiation tolerance for radiation combined with WSD0628 relative to radiation-only regimens. WSD0628 profoundly enhanced radiation-induced acute oral and esophageal toxicities. For oral mucosal toxicity, the enhancement by WSD0628 with 3 fractions of radiation resulted in an SER ranging from 1.3 (0.25 mg/kg) to 3.1 (7.5 mg/kg). For the 7.5 mg/kg combination, the SER increased with increasing number of fractions from 2.2 (1 fraction) to 4.3 (7 fractions) for oral toxicity and from 2.2 (1 fraction) to 3.6 (3 fractions) for esophageal toxicity, which reflects a loss of the normal tissue sparing benefit of fractionated radiation. These findings were used to develop a modified biologically effective dose model to determine alternative radiation schedules with or without WSD0628 that result in similar levels of toxicity. Successful radiosensitizer dose escalation to a maximally effective therapeutic dose will require careful deliberation of tumor site and reduction of radiation dose volume limits for organs at risk.
Assessment of the Safety of Alternative Antibiotics in Children with Confirmed Beta-Lactam Antibiotic Allergy
Authors: Kuzucu Fatma Nur , Genis Cankat , Sengül Emeksiz Zeynep , Selmanoglu Ahmet , Dibek Mısırlıoglu Emine
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Beta-lactam antibiotics (BLAs) are the most common cause of drug hypersensitivity reactions in children, and it is important to find safe alternative antibiotics for these children. This study evaluates the selection, safety to alternative antibiotics in patients with confirmed BLA allergies based on diagnostic tests. Methods: At the Pediatric Immunology and Allergy Clinic of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, a retrospective evaluation of diagnostic tests (including skin prick, intradermal, and drug provocation tests) was conducted to identify alternative antibiotics for patients with confirmed BLA. Patients were also contacted by telephone to assess their use of these alternative drugs. Results: The study included 80 patients with confirmed beta-lactam allergy (BLA). The BLAs causing reactions were categorized into two groups: penicillins (75%, n = 60) and cephalosporins (25%, n = 20). Among the penicillins, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (ACA) was the most common at 68.8%, while among the cephalosporins, ceftriaxone was the most common at 16.3%. Of the 55 patients with ACA allergy, 53 underwent controlled administration with clarithromycin, with 52 showing no reaction. In addition, no reaction was observed in patients who received DPT with cefuroxime (n: 16), phenoxymethyl penicillin (n: 9), cefdinir (n: 1), and cefixime (n: 1), while there was no reaction in the controlled administration with clindamycin. Alternative treatments were tested in 13 patients with a confirmed ceftriaxone allergy. No adverse reactions were observed in 9 patients who underwent DPT with ACA and in 10 patients who were exposed to clarithromycin under controlled conditions. Finally, 54 of the 80 patients (67.5%) were successfully contacted and none reported a reaction to the alternative drugs. Conclusion: For patients with confirmed BLA, macrolides may be considered as preferred alternatives. In addition, beta-lactams with different side chains may be safe alternatives after diagnostic evaluation, taking into account the risk of cross-reactivity.
Rhabdomyolysis Occurred Again after Changing Chemotherapy Regimens in Ovarian Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Cao Shaocong , Peng Tao
Published: November 2024

Introduction: The incidence of chemotherapy-induced rhabdomyolysis is rare, but it is a syndrome that may cause death and should be paid attention to clinically. Case Presentation: Here, we report a case of rhabdomyolysis in an ovarian cancer patient after chemotherapy. After the symptoms were relieved, the chemotherapy regimen was changed, and rhabdomyolysis occurred again. Conclusion: The occurrence of rhabdomyolysis is mainly caused by certain specific chemotherapy drugs such as gemcitabine and paclitaxel and is not closely related to other factors such as the patient’s constitution or genetic factors. And the occurrence of rhabdomyolysis can be caused by conventional doses of drugs rather than high dose. If rhabdomyolysis occurs and is completely relieved, chemotherapy may be considered again depending on the patient’s condition and physical condition. However, caution should be exercised in selecting drugs to avoid recurrence of rhabdomyolysis, and the condition should be closely monitored.
ERNICA Evidence Based Guideline on Surgical Aspects of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Premature Neonates
Authors: Hulscher Jan , Irvine Willemijn , Conforti Andrea , Di Cesare Antonio , Ichino Martina , Sfeir Rony , Madadi Sanjanig Omid , Strohm Joanna , Hukkinen Maria , Moschino Laura , Norsa Lorenzo , Kokešová Alena , Bakx Roel , Kooi Elisabeth , Obermann-Borst Sylvia , Palleri Elena , Vermeulen Marijn , Spruce Marie , Rolle Udo , Miserez Marc , de Haro Jorgeu Irene , Keyzer-Dekker Claudia , Fascetti Leon Francesco , den Uijl Iris , Eaton Simon , Burgos Carmen Mesas
Published: November 2024

Background
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe intestinal condition primarily affecting preterm neonates. It has ahigh mortality rate, particularly in infants with a birth weight of below 1500 grams or for those requiring surgical intervention. The European Reference Network for Inherited and Congenital Anomalies (ERNICA) has developed a clinical practice guideline to aid clinical decision-making pertaining to the surgical treatment and management of NEC in preterm neonates.
Summary
This guideline was developed in accordance with the Guidelines 2.0 checklist and GRADE methodology. A multidisciplinary group of Europe’s top experts collaborated with patient representatives to develop this guideline. After selecting critical points in care for which recommendations are required, a systematic review of the literature and critical appraisal of the evidence was performed. The Evidence to Decision framework was used as a guide to structure the consensus meetings and draft the recommendations. The panel developed seven recommendations and three good-practice statements on the following topics: indications for surgery, peritoneal drainage, surgical technique, management of extensive NEC, enteral feeding and neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature neonates with NEC. The certainty of evidence was graded as (very) low for most recommendations. However, the panel weighed up the benefits and harms in light of all relevant arguments and expert opinion.
Key Messages
This guideline provides recommendations on caring for premature neonates with NEC. These recommendations can assist clinicians in their care decisions and can inform families on treatment options and relevant considerations. This guideline will be revised every five years to ensure it remains up to date.
Red Scalp Disease: An underdiagnosed entity.
Authors: Asz Sigall Daniel , Segarra-Ponce Alejandra , Olvera-Lerma Sofía , Cano-Aguilar Luis Enrique , Corona-Rodarte Eduardo
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Red scalp disease or scalp rosacea, an inflammatory dermatosis, is frequently misdiagnosed as scarring alopecia due to nonspecific trichoscopic findings and limited case reports. While facial rosacea is well-documented, rosacea affecting extrafacial sites, such as the scalp, remains underrecognized. Accurate diagnosis is crucial to avoid unnecessary treatments and to establish appropriate prognosis.
Case Report: A 70-year-old male with an asymptomatic red scalp for one year, unresponsive to topical treatments, presented to our clinic. Examination revealed diffuse erythema with papules and pustules. Trichoscopy showed vascular polygons, “caterpillar hair” vessels, linear arterial branching, and hairpin vessels. Diagnosis of scalp rosacea was made, and significant improvement was observed after two months of oral tetracycline therapy.
Discussion/Conclusion: Red scalp disease is characterized by diffuse erythema, inflammatory lesions, and vascular changes. Patients often exhibit mild facial photosensitivity but may not show prominent facial rosacea symptoms. Distinct trichoscopic patterns can assist in accurate diagnosis. Early recognition and treatment with systemic antibiotics, such as tetracyclines, are crucial to prevent progression to more severe inflammation. Increased awareness among dermatologists and trichologists is essential to enhance the diagnosis and management of this condition.
Malignant Transformation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Mature Cystic Teratoma of the Ovary: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Data
Authors: Wu Sarah Y. , Giannini Andrea , Girardo Marlene , Schmitt Alessandra , Magrina Javier F. , Butler Kristina
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Mature cystic teratomas (MCTs) are the most common neoplasm of the ovary, occurring in 10–20% of women during their lifetimes. MCTs may rarely undergo malignant transformation, of which squamous cell carcinoma is the most common histopathology. This rare malignancy is poorly understood; therefore, medical and surgical treatment have yet to be optimized to produce the best outcomes for patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in MCT (SCC-MCT). We aimed to characterize the clinicopathologic features, surgical treatment, adjuvant treatment, and prognosis of SCC-MCT. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE through Ovid and PubMed for relevant articles on malignant transformation of squamous cell carcinoma in MCT of the ovary. 155 studies were identified, yielding clinical information on 654 unique patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess factors influencing overall survival (OS). Disease-free survival and OS of cases with follow-up were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier life table analysis. Survival rates were assessed with the log-rank test. Results: We found that SCC-MCT generally presented in postmenopausal patients with tumor sizes greater than 10 cm. Patients diagnosed with FIGO stage I disease had better survival than later stage disease, and higher FIGO stage was independently associated with worse OS. Longer OS was associated with younger age at diagnosis, low preoperative levels of SCC Ag and CA-125, and treatment with lymphadenectomy. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy were not associated with improved survival. Conclusion: The prognosis of SCC-MCT is dependent on a variety of factors including age, serum tumor marker levels, and surgical treatment. Prognosis regardless of adjuvant treatment modality chosen for late-stage malignancy is generally poor. Future research focusing on collecting patient outcome data from international centers is needed to better guide treatment choices.
Pragmatic effects of intersubjective evidentiality
Authors: Napoli Maria
Published: November 2024

I aim here to analyze the semantic and pragmatic functions of the negative question oukh horâis? ‘don’t you see?’ in the context of dialogic interactions in Classical Greek. In light of recent studies on the intersubjective impact of evidential strategies, especially, though not exclusively, on their use in interrogative contexts, I propose to interpret oukh horâis? as a non-canonical, assertive question with an evidential intersubjective value, primarily encompassing the domain of visual evidentiality but also allowing the expression of inferential evidentiality. It is shown that the oukh horâis? strategy enables the speaker to (i) engage the hearer by guiding their focus to a visual source of information which is relevant to the construction of their interaction, (ii) make the hearer responsible, and (iii) share responsibility, ultimately with an agreement-seeking function. The analysis is corpus-based and investigates the occurrences of oukh horâis? in all the plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes. Furthermore, it examines the occurrences of the non-negative question horâis? ‘do you see?’ for comparative purposes.
Aerobic bacterial group as an early-stage biomarker from faecal samples of patients with colorectal cancer without distant metastasis
Authors: Lee D. , Ahn K. , Yun K. , Oh Y. , Park Y.S. , Kim Y.S. , Gim J.-A. , Mun S. , Mun J.-W. , Han K. , Ahn Y.J.
Published: November 2024

The current approaches for detecting most colorectal polyps and early neoplasms lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity, potentially hindering treatment and ultimately reducing survival rates. Here, we performed a metagenomic analysis to identify microbiome markers in stool samples from patients with early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). We compared the composition of gut microbiota between patients with CRC and healthy individuals, specifically focusing on patients with early-stage CRC, defined as those without core mutations (KRAS, BRAF) for CRC diagnosis, stable microsatellite instability, and distant metastasis. The aim of our study is to identify potential biomarkers from gut microbiota at different cancer stages in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, thereby proposing a novel non-invasive method for the early diagnosis of CRC. Specific microbes were detected from groups divided based on the TNM criteria, with one group classified by tumour size only (named the T group) and another group with lymph node metastasis (named the TN group). Aerobic bacteria, such as Delftia, Stenotrophomonas, Sphingobacterium, Rhodococcus, Devosia, Ensifer, and Psychrobacter were predominantly detected in patients with CRC without lymph node metastasis. The diagnostic prediction was evaluated using the CatBoost algorithm; these microbes presented high diagnostic accuracy with a receiver operating characteristics-area under curve of 0.8, which was validated using qPCR. In conclusion, this study identified specific aerobic microbial groups as non-invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis in patients with CRC without genetic or environmental factors.
Alternaria youyangensis sp. nov. (Ascomycota: Pleosporaceae) from leaf spot of Fagopyrum esculentum in China
Authors: HUANG JIA HUI , GOU YA NAN , NWE ZIN MAR , AUNG SEIN LAI LAI , DENG JIAN XIN , LI MEI JIA
Published: November 2024

Alternaria is a widely distributed fungal genus as saprophytes, endophytes, and pathogens. An Alternaria species was isolated from the leaf spot of Fagopyrum esculentum in Banxi Town, Youyang County, Chongqing municipality, China. The obtained strains were determined based on morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rDNA region, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1), RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2), a major Alternaria allergen (Alt a 1), endopolygalacturonase (EndoPG) and an anonymous region gene (OPA10-2) gene sequences. The results indicate that the present species is a novel species, which is described and illustrated as Alternaria youyangensis sp. nov. in this study.
Navigating the Pandemic: Insights into Food Security From Oman’s Experience
Authors: Abdel-Gadir Sufian Eltayeb Mohamed
Published: November 2024

This study examines the influence of COVID-19 and climate change on food security in Oman using econometric methods. Time series data from 1990 to 2022 encompassing variables such as carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), real GDP per capita (RGDPc), inflation rate (INF), and a pre/post-coronavirus dummy variable (DUMV) are analyzed. The dependent variable, FOOD_Impit, serves as a food security proxy, with data sourced from the World Development Indicators and Global Food Security Index databases. The study employs Johansen cointegration, canonical cointegrating regression (CCR), fully modified least squares (FMOLS), to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on food security in Oman. Johansen and CCR cointegration tests confirm a long-term cointegrating relationship among the variables in Oman, indicating their relevance to food security. However, the analysis reveals that while climate change, represented by CO2 levels, significantly and adversely impacts food security in Oman, the effects of COVID-19, real GDP per capita, and inflation rate are statistically insignificant. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into the dynamics of food security and supply chains in Oman. It highlights the severe impact of climate change on food security and advocates for urgent policy reforms. Specifically, it recommends that policymakers focus on enhancing climate resilience within the food sector and invest in boosting domestic food production to reduce import dependency. The study also calls for further research to address potential omitted variables and refine the understanding of food security determinants in Oman, ensuring more robust policy formulation and implementation.

JEL classification: F11, F15, F04
“Everybody’s Mind is Different. Like, It’s Not Gonna Work the Same”: An Exploratory Study of Youth Perspectives on Mental Health
Authors: Rose Theda , Leitch Judith , Forrester Patrice , Hayes-Lawson Ariya
Published: November 2024

Youths’ perspectives, unique from adults, are shaped by their developmental experiences. This study contextualizes the meaning of mental health and being mentally healthy from adolescent perspectives. Four focus groups of students in grades 9 to 12 ( N = 27) were recruited from a school in an urban city. Participants were mainly female ( n = 22) and majority students of color (e.g., Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx; n = 21). Researchers interpreted the data through a pragmatic lens. Three main themes emerged: Describing Mental Health, Defining Mentally Healthy, and Integrating the Role of Social Environments. Two subthemes were also identified. The study highlights the significance of including youth contributions in defining terms such as mental health and being mentally healthy and underscores the importance of the environmental context to youth’s conceptualization of mental health, with a focus on resiliency-building factors. Findings have applicability for incorporating youth voice in interventions designed to improve youth mental health and foster positive youth development.
Network Dynamics of Risk and Protective Factors in Forensic Psychiatric Patients: Exploring Substance Use Disorder and Treatment Motivation
Authors: Bant Lotte , Bogaerts Stefan
Published: November 2024

This study investigated longitudinal networks of risk and protective factors and treatment motivation among forensic psychiatric patients (FPPs) with and without substance use disorder (SUD) at admission (T1) and unconditional release (T2). The sample consisted of 468 FPP ( Mage = 53.97, SDage = 9.99, 86.5% male, 34.6% SUD), and networks were estimated using the Gaussian Graphical Model. The most central network factors were impulsivity, treatment motivation, and treatment violation. For the protective factors, the strongest correlations emerged between problem insight and treatment motivation at T1, and between social and coping skills at T2. For risk factors this was between hostility and treatment violation at T1, and antisocial behavior and treatment violation at T2. While larger sample sizes and stability issues should be considered in future studies, the networks approach provides important implications for tailored inpatient forensic treatment.