bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
More than just statics: Temporal dynamic changes of intrinsic brain activity in cigarette smoking
Authors: Wen Mengmeng , Yang Zhengui , Wei Yarui , Huang Huiyu , Zheng Ruiping , Wang Weijian , Gao Xinyu , Zhang Mengzhe , Fang Keke , Zhang Yong , Cheng Jingliang , Han Shaoqiang
Published: June 2021

Smoking is companied with altered intrinsic activity of the brain measured by amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation. Evidence has revealed that human brain activity is a highly dynamic and rapidly changing system. How exactly cigarette smoking affect temporal dynamic intrinsic brain activity is not fully understood nor is it clear how smoking severity influences spontaneous brain activity. Dynamic amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (dALFF) was used to examine the dynamic temporal variability in 93 participants (63 smokers, 30 nonsmokers). We further divided smokers into light and heavy smokers. The temporal variability in intrinsic brain activity among these groups was compared. Correlation analyses were performed between dALFF in areas showing group differences and smoking behaviour (e.g., the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence [FTND] scores and pack‐years). Smokers showed significantly increased dALFF in the left inferior/middle frontal gyrus, right orbitofrontal gyrus, right insula, left superior/medial frontal gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus than nonsmokers. Light smokers showed increased dALFF variability in the left prefrontal cortex. Heavy smokers showed increased dynamics in specific brain regions, including the right postcentral gyrus, right insula and left precentral gyrus. Furthermore, the temporal variability in dALFF in the left superior/medial frontal gyrus, left superior/middle frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and right insula was positively correlated with pack‐years or FTND. Combined, these results suggest that smokers increase stable and persistent spontaneous brain activity in prefrontal cortex, involved impaired gold‐directed action and value‐based decision‐making. In addition, individuals with heavier smoking severity show increased perturbance on spontaneous brain activity of perception and sensorimotor, related to increased reliance.
First record of Aphis lugentis in Australia, tended by native ants on Senecio odoratus
Authors: Petit Sophie , Weyland John J. , Brumley Cameron , Kehoe Monica A. , Wang Cuiping
Published: June 2021

We report the discovery of the invasive aphid Aphis lugentis for the first time in Australia. This aphid specialises on Compositae, particularly on Senecio species. Aphids were tended by several ant species at a site on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, which is unlikely to be the location of the original introduction. We recommend the investigation of the distribution of A. lugentis in Australia and its impacts on plant hosts including threatened species and associated native ant and aphid community structures.
Intrauterine devices as an exposure risk for urinary tract infections: A scoping review
Authors: Lo Claire T. , Abraham Abin , Lipworth Loren , Aronoff David M.
Published: June 2021

Background

The intrauterine device (IUD) as a potential source of uro‐gynecologic infection has raised concern for decades. While a causal link between IUD and pelvic inflammatory disease has been refuted, the relationship between IUDs and urinary tract infections (UTIs) remains incompletely understood.

Methods

We used a PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library search strategy to identify studies evaluating UTI occurrence and microbial signatures among women exposed to IUD. We evaluated the question, "what is currently known about the IUD as an exposure risk for UTIs?"

Results

Nine studies met inclusion criteria and were summarized in this structured, scoping review. Studies to date have not reported a significant association between IUD exposue and UTI occurence. While all nine studies acknowledged the breadth of contraceptive methods, none evaluated the impact of different IUD types (i.e., copper vs. hormone‐eluting) on UTI incidence.

Conclusion

Small sample sizes and inconsistent UTI definitions limit the current literature. Future studies should rigorously define the UTI phenotype and evaluate the association of UTI with IUD exposure accounting for known covariates.
Critical care resource use associated with tourism in Central Australia
Authors: Robson Briony , McAnulty Greg , Secombe Paul
Published: June 2021

Objective

Tourism to regional and remote Australia is increasing. Its impact on regional critical care services is incompletely understood. We describe tourist admissions and their impact on critical care resources relative to the local population.

Design

Single‐centre retrospective study using prospectively collected data from January 2009 to December 2018.

Setting

Australian regional intensive care unit.

Participants

All critical care admissions for patients aged over 18 years for whom postcode data were available were included.

Outcome measures

Primary outcome was hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes examined resource use (intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, mechanical ventilation, interhospital transfer) and admission diagnosis.

Results

Tourists comprise 6.1% of critical care admissions, occupying 5.7% of intensive care unit bed days. They were less likely to be Indigenous (6.3% vs 72.7%), but older (61.5 vs 49.2 years) and male (65.4% vs 52.6%). They were more frequently admitted following acute myocardial infarction (14.2% vs 8.9%) or trauma (20.0% vs 5.0%). There was no difference in hospital mortality (2.9% vs 4.0%) or intensive care unit mortality (2.4% vs 1.8%); however, tourists were more than twice as likely to require interhospital transfer (31.7% vs 14.0%). These findings persisted after adjustment for illness severity.

Conclusion

Tourists are an appreciable caseload of this regional intensive care unit and are more likely to require interhospital transfer. There was no difference in mortality. Further research is required across regional and rural Australia to better understand the epidemiology and impact of tourism on critical care resources, and the economic implications of becoming unwell in a regional area.
How rural is rural? The relationship between rural background of medical students and their career location intentions
Authors: Poole Phillippa , Van Lier Dylan , Verstappen Antonia , Bagg Warwick , Connell Charlotte J.W. , Nixon Garry , Wilkinson Tim J.
Published: June 2021

Objective

Rural background is associated with greater interest in rural practice. However, there is no universally agreed definition of ‘rural’ background used in medical school selection. This study explored the association between definitions of ‘rural’ background and students’ intended career locations.

Design

Prospective cohort study using survey data on career intention, hometown size, rurality of background, home address, high school and intended career location.

Setting

University of Auckland, New Zealand (NZ).

Participants

Commencing medical students 2009‐2017, inclusive.

Main outcome measures

Univariate associations between student background according to 7 definitions of ‘rural’, and 3 definitions of intended practice location based on population size: urban intention (>100 000); regional intention (25 000‐100 000); rural intention (<25 000).

Results

The sample size was 1592 students. 27.4% had a rural background by at least one definition. All definitions of rural background were associated with a greater rural intention. Applying a restrictive definition of rural (population<25 000) was associated with a higher likelihood of rural intention, but captured a smaller number of students. There was strong agreement between the population size of a student's background and intended practice location (chi‐square P < .0001).

Conclusion

Rural intention varies by definition, but the number of students captured by each definition is important. Applying a binary or overly restrictive definition may limit interested students. Medical schools should adopt a definition of ‘rural’ that optimises the number of eligible students and their propensity to work rurally. Further, alternative ways of identifying students with rural intentions without a rural background should be explored.
Central role of ultrasound in the evaluation of testicular function and genital tract obstruction in infertile males
Authors: Garolla Andrea , Grande Giuseppe , Palego Pierfrancesco , Canossa Andrea , Caretta Nicola , Di Nisio Andrea , Corona Giovanni , Foresta Carlo
Published: June 2021

Background

Scrotal color Doppler ultrasonography and transrectal ultrasonography provide crucial information about the clinical status of testes and male accessory glands.

Objective

To analyze the impact of ultrasound in the evaluation of infertile males.

Materials and Methods

A total of 1120 records from infertile men were retrospectively evaluated (from January 2016 up to June 2020). Data on physical examination, semen analysis, sperm culture, scrotal color Doppler ultrasonography and transrectal ultrasonography, as well as sex hormones were analyzed. Among them, 238 reports from oligozoospermic/azoospermic infertile patients (P) fulfilling the inclusion criteria were considered for data analysis. Patients were subdivided into two groups according to follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) values (Pa with FSH < 8 U/L and Pb with FSH ≥ 8 U/L). Sixty‐three fertile volunteers (mean ± SD years) were enrolled as controls (C).

Results

A higher prevalence of ultrasound abnormalities was recorded in P compared to C. Pb group had significantly lower bitesticular volume compared to Pa and C. Pa had a higher prevalence of transrectal ultrasonography abnormalities than Pb (69.9% vs. 38.4%), whereas Pb had a higher prevalence of abnormalities at scrotal color Doppler ultrasonography (60.0% vs. 28.3%, both p < 0.01). Bitesticular volume was inversely proportional to the number of altered seminal parameters and able to predict gonadotropin levels. A bitesticular volume <17 cc was associated with a higher risk of azoospermia (odds ratio = 1.799). Intratesticular vascularization was inversely correlated with gonadotropin levels and directly correlated with sperm count. A higher prevalence of prostate and seminal vesicle alterations was detected in patients and in Pa group, when compared with Pb group.

Discussion and Conclusion

Ultrasound abnormalities are correlated with seminal parameters and may guide the clinician in the diagnostic workflow of male infertility, suggesting spermatogenesis impairment or genital tract obstructions.
Effect of three network visualizations on students' social‐cognitive engagement in online discussions
Authors: Ouyang Fan , Chen Si , Li Xu
Published: June 2021

Social learning analytics (SLA) tools are designed to visually demonstrate online discussions with a goal to foster student engagement. However, empirical studies indicate controversial results of the effect of SLA tools on student engagement. This design‐based research designs a student‐facing SLA tool to demonstrate discussions from three perspectives and further uses mixed methods to investigate the effects of the tool. Results indicate the tools have positive influences on increasing student social‐cognitive engagement. The social network visualization has positive influences on both socially active and inactive students; it particularly increases peripheral students' social engagement. The topic network visualization improves all students' perspective expressions, indicating that demonstrating students' interested topics may increase cognitive engagement. The cognitive network visualization triggers students' information sharing, which is considered as the beginning of online engagement development. Based on the results, this research proposes integrated implications by considering learning theory, pedagogical supports and tool development.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

SLA tools are designed to turn learning data into actionable insights of student engagement.

Network‐oriented, content‐oriented and process‐oriented analytics are three major approaches.

Extant empirical studies indicate controversial results of the effect of SLA tools on student engagement.

What this paper adds

This research designs a SLA tool to demonstrate student engagement via three network visualizations.

This research uses mixed methods to examine students' social‐cognitive engagement.

Results show that the designed SLA tools have positive influences on increasing students' engagement.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Design of SLA tools needs to consider learner agency, disposition and characteristic in the local context.

Instructors should deliberately guide students reflect on the information demonstrated in the SLA tool.

Future SLA design should make integrate multiple analytic results to reflect engagement in varied ways.
Single dose of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) induces neutralising antibody and polyfunctional T‐cell responses in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Harrington Patrick , Doores Katie J. , Radia Deepti , O’Reilly Amy , Lam Ho Pui Jeff , Seow Jeffrey , Graham Carl , Lechmere Thomas , McLornan Donal , Dillon Richard , Shanmugharaj Yogita , Espehana Andreas , Woodley Claire , Saunders Jamie , Curto-Garcia Natalia , O'Sullivan Jennifer , Raj Kavita , Kordasti Shahram , Malim Michael H. , Harrison Claire , de Lavallade Hugues
Published: June 2021

Patients receiving targeted cancer treatments such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been classified in the clinically extremely vulnerable group to develop severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), including patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) taking TKIs. In addition, concerns that immunocompromised individuals with solid and haematological malignancies may not mount an adequate immune response to a single dose of SARS‐CoV‐2 BNT162b2 (Pfizer‐BioNTech) vaccine have been raised. In the present study, we evaluated humoral and cellular immune responses after a first injection of BNT162b2 vaccine in 16 patients with CML. Seroconversion and cellular immune response before and after vaccination were assessed. By day 21 after vaccination, anti‐Spike immunoglobulin G was detected in 14/16 (87·5%) of the patients with CML and all developed a neutralising antibody response [serum dilution that inhibits 50% infection (ID50) >50], including medium (ID50 of 200–500) or high (ID50 of 501–2000) neutralising antibodies titres in nine of the 16 (56·25%) patients. T‐cell response was seen in 14/15 (93·3%) evaluable patients, with polyfunctional responses seen in 12/15 (80%) patients (polyfunctional CD4+ response nine of 15, polyfunctional CD8+ T‐cell response nine of 15). These data demonstrate the immunogenicity of a single dose of SARS‐CoV‐2 BNT162b2 vaccine in most patients with CML, with both neutralising antibodies and polyfunctional T‐cell responses seen in contrast to patients with solid tumour or lymphoid haematological malignancies.
Is off‐clamp robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy beneficial for renal function? Data from the CLOCK trial
Authors: Antonelli Alessandro , Cindolo Luca , Sandri Marco , Veccia Alessandro , Annino Filippo , Bertagna Francesco , Carini Marco , Celia Antonio , D'Orta Carlo , De Concilio Bernardino , Furlan Maria , Giommoni Valentina , Ingrosso Manuela , Mari Andrea , Nucciotti Roberto , Olianti Catia , Porreca Angelo , Primiceri Giulia , Schips Luigi , Sessa Francesco , Bove Pierluigi , Simeone Claudio , Minervini Andrea ,   the AGILE Group (Italian Group for Advanced Laparo‐Endoscopic Surgery)
Published: June 2021

Objectives

To compare the functional outcomes of on‐ vs off‐clamp robot‐assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) within a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Materials and Methods

The CLOCK study (CLamp vs Off Clamp the Kidney during robotic partial nephrectomy; NCT 02287987) is a multicentre RCT including patients with normal baseline function, two kidneys and masses with RENAL scores ≤ 10. Pre‐ and postoperative renal scintigraphy was prescribed. Renal defatting and hilum isolation were required in both study arms; in the on‐clamp arm, ischaemia was imposed until the completion of medullary renorraphy, while in the off‐clamp condition it was not allowed throughout the procedure. The primary endpoint was 6‐month absolute variation in estimated glomerular filtration rate (AV‐GFR); secondary endpoints were: 12, 18 and 24‐month AV‐GFR; 6‐month estimated glomerular filtration rate variation >25% rate (RV‐GFR >25); and absolute variation in ipsilateral split renal function (AV‐SRF). The planned sample size was 102 + 102 cases, after taking account crossover of cases to the alternate study arm; a 1:1 randomization was performed. AV‐GFR and AV‐SRF were compared using analysis of covariation, and RV‐GFR >25 was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Intention‐to‐treat (ITT) and per‐protocol analyses (PP) were performed.

Results

A total of 160 and 164 patients were randomly assigned to on‐ and off‐clamp RAPN, respectively; crossover was observed in 14% and 43% of the on‐ and off‐clamp arms, respectively. We were unable to find any statistically significant difference between on‐ vs off‐clamp with regard to the primary endpoint (ITT: 6‐month AV‐GFR −6.2 vs −5.1 mL/min, mean difference 0.2 mL/min, 95% confidence interval [CI] −3.1 to 3.4 [P = 0.8]; PP: 6‐month AV‐GFR −6.8 vs −4.2 mL/min, mean difference 1.6 mL/min, 95% CI −2.3 to 5.5 [P = 0.7]) or with regard to the secondary endpoints. The median warm ischaemia time was 14 vs 15 min in the ITT analysis and 14 vs 0 min in the PP analysis.

Conclusion

In patients with regular baseline function and two kidneys, we found no evidence of differences in functional outcomes for on‐ vs off‐clamp RAPN.
Biodiversity as insurance: from concept to measurement and application
Authors: Loreau Michel , Barbier Matthieu , Filotas Elise , Gravel Dominique , Isbell Forest , Miller Steve J. , Montoya Jose M. , Wang Shaopeng , Aussenac Raphaël , Germain Rachel , Thompson Patrick L. , Gonzalez Andrew , Dee Laura E.
Published: June 2021

Biological insurance theory predicts that, in a variable environment, aggregate ecosystem properties will vary less in more diverse communities because declines in the performance or abundance of some species or phenotypes will be offset, at least partly, by smoother declines or increases in others. During the past two decades, ecology has accumulated strong evidence for the stabilising effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning. As biological insurance is reaching the stage of a mature theory, it is critical to revisit and clarify its conceptual foundations to guide future developments, applications and measurements. In this review, we first clarify the connections between the insurance and portfolio concepts that have been used in ecology and the economic concepts that inspired them. Doing so points to gaps and mismatches between ecology and economics that could be filled profitably by new theoretical developments and new management applications. Second, we discuss some fundamental issues in biological insurance theory that have remained unnoticed so far and that emerge from some of its recent applications. In particular, we draw a clear distinction between the two effects embedded in biological insurance theory, i.e. the effects of biodiversity on the mean and variability of ecosystem properties. This distinction allows explicit consideration of trade‐offs between the mean and stability of ecosystem processes and services. We also review applications of biological insurance theory in ecosystem management. Finally, we provide a synthetic conceptual framework that unifies the various approaches across disciplines, and we suggest new ways in which biological insurance theory could be extended to address new issues in ecology and ecosystem management. Exciting future challenges include linking the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning and stability, incorporating multiple functions and feedbacks, developing new approaches to partition biodiversity effects across scales, extending biological insurance theory to complex interaction networks, and developing new applications to biodiversity and ecosystem management.
High membrane expression of CMTM6 in hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with tumor recurrence
Authors: Muranushi Ryo , Araki Kenichiro , Yokobori Takehiko , Chingunjav Batbayar , Hoshino Kouki , Dolgormaa Gantumur , Hagiwara Kei , Yamanaka Takahiro , Ishii Norihiro , Tsukagoshi Mariko , Igarashi Takamichi , Watanabe Akira , Kubo Norio , Harimoto Norifumi , Shimoda Yuki , Sano Rie , Oyama Tetsunari , Saeki Hiroshi , Shirabe Ken
Published: June 2021

CKLF‐like MARVEL transmembrane domain–containing protein 6 (CMTM6) maintains membrane PD‐L1 expression by controlling its endosomal recycling. However, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the correlation among CMTM6, B7 family ligands, and CD8‐positive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and the molecular function of CMTM6 in HCC have not been established. We performed immunohistochemistry to evaluate the relationships among CMTM6 expression, clinicopathological factors, B7 family ligands expression, and CTL infiltration in HCC samples. Moreover, we established CMTM6‐knockout human HCC cell lines to evaluate the function of human CMTM6 in immune regulation and tumor viability. CMTM6 expression was positively associated with membrane B7 family ligands expression and CTL infiltration in HCC samples. High CMTM6 expression in HCC tissues was associated with the expression of the proliferation marker Ki‐67 and shorter recurrence‐free survival. In vitro analysis showed the downregulation of membrane B7 family ligands and proliferation potency in the CMTM6‐knockout human HCC cell line. High membrane CMTM6 expression was associated with tumor recurrence and proliferation via the regulation of membranous B7 family ligands expression. Thus, CMTM6 might be a biomarker to predict the risk of HCC recurrence and a therapeutic target to suppress tumor growth and increase CTL activity.
Rank‐1 Lattices for Efficient Path Integral Estimation
Authors: Liu Hongli , Han Honglei , Jiang Min
Published: June 2021

We introduce rank‐1 lattices as a quasi‐random sequence to the numerical estimation of the high‐dimensional path integral. Previous attempts at utilizing rank‐1 lattices in computer graphics were very limited to low‐dimensional applications, intentionally avoiding high dimensionality due to that the lattice search is NP‐hard. We propose a novel framework that tackles this challenge, which was inspired by the rippling effect of the sample paths. Contrary to the conventional search approaches, our framework is based on recursively permuting the preliminarily selected components of the generator vector to achieve better pairwise projections and minimize the discrepancy of the path vertex coordinates in scene manifold spaces, resulting in improved rendering quality. It allows for the offline search of arbitrarily high‐dimensional lattices to finish in a reasonable amount of time while removing the need to use all lattice points in the traditional definition, which opens the gate for their use in progressive rendering. Our rank‐1 lattices successfully maintain the pixel variance at a comparable or even lower level compared to Sobol′ sampler, which offers a brand new solution to design efficient samplers for path tracing.
Learning Multiple‐Scattering Solutions for Sphere‐Tracing of Volumetric Subsurface Effects
Authors: Leonard L. , Höhlein K. , Westermann R.
Published: June 2021

Accurate subsurface scattering solutions require the integration of optical material properties along many complicated light paths. We present a method that learns a simple geometric approximation of random paths in a homogeneous volume with translucent material. The generated representation allows determining the absorption along the path as well as a direct lighting contribution, which is representative of all scatter events along the path. A sequence of conditional variational auto‐encoders (CVAEs) is trained to model the statistical distribution of the photon paths inside a spherical region in the presence of multiple scattering events. A first CVAE learns how to sample the number of scatter events, occurring on a ray path inside the sphere, which effectively determines the probability of this ray to be absorbed. Conditioned on this, a second model predicts the exit position and direction of the light particle. Finally, a third model generates a representative sample of photon position and direction along the path, which is used to approximate the contribution of direct illumination due to in‐scattering. To accelerate the tracing of the light path through the volumetric medium toward the solid boundary, we employ a sphere‐tracing strategy that considers the light absorption and can perform a statistically accurate next‐event estimation. We demonstrate efficient learning using shallow networks of only three layers and no more than 16 nodes. In combination with a GPU shader that evaluates the CVAEs’ predictions, performance gains can be demonstrated for a variety of different scenarios. We analyze the approximation error that is introduced by the data‐driven scattering simulation and shed light on the major sources of error.
Automatic Surface Segmentation for Seamless Fabrication Using 4‐axis Milling Machines
Authors: Nuvoli S. , Tola A. , Muntoni A. , Pietroni N. , Gobbetti E. , Scateni R.
Published: June 2021

We introduce a novel geometry‐processing pipeline to guide the fabrication of complex shapes from a single block of material using 4‐axis CNC milling machines. This setup extends classical 3‐axis CNC machining with an extra degree of freedom to rotate the object around a fixed axis. The first step of our pipeline identifies the rotation axis that maximizes the overall fabrication accuracy. Then we identify two height‐field regions at the rotation axis's extremes used to secure the block on the rotation tool. We segment the remaining portion of the mesh into a set of height‐fields whose principal directions are orthogonal to the rotation axis. The segmentation balances the approximation quality, the boundary smoothness, and the total number of patches. Additionally, the segmentation process takes into account the object's geometric features, as well as saliency information. The output is a set of meshes ready to be processed by off‐the‐shelf software for the 3‐axis tool‐path generation. We present several results to demonstrate the quality and efficiency of our approach to a range of inputs.
LoBSTr: Real‐time Lower‐body Pose Prediction from Sparse Upper‐body Tracking Signals
Authors: Yang Dongseok , Kim Doyeon , Lee Sung‐Hee
Published: June 2021

With the popularization of games and VR/AR devices, there is a growing need for capturing human motion with a sparse set of tracking data. In this paper, we introduce a deep neural network (DNN) based method for real‐time prediction of the lower‐body pose only from the tracking signals of the upper‐body joints. Specifically, our Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU)‐based recurrent architecture predicts the lower‐body pose and feet contact states from a past sequence of tracking signals of the head, hands, and pelvis. A major feature of our method is that the input signal is represented by the velocity of tracking signals. We show that the velocity representation better models the correlation between the upper‐body and lower‐body motions and increases the robustness against the diverse scales and proportions of the user body than position‐orientation representations. In addition, to remove foot‐skating and floating artifacts, our network predicts feet contact state, which is used to post‐process the lower‐body pose with inverse kinematics to preserve the contact. Our network is lightweight so as to run in real‐time applications. We show the effectiveness of our method through several quantitative evaluations against other architectures and input representations with respect to wild tracking data obtained from commercial VR devices.
Quad Layouts via Constrained T‐Mesh Quantization
Authors: Lyon M. , Campen M. , Kobbelt L.
Published: June 2021

We present a robust and fast method for the creation of conforming quad layouts on surfaces. Our algorithm is based on the quantization of a T‐mesh, i.e. an assignment of integer lengths to the sides of a non‐conforming rectangular partition of the surface. This representation has the benefit of being able to encode an infinite number of layout connectivity options in a finite manner, which guarantees that a valid layout can always be found. We carefully construct the T‐mesh from a given seamless parametrization such that the algorithm can provide guarantees on the results' quality. In particular, the user can specify a bound on the angular deviation of layout edges from prescribed directions. We solve an integer linear program (ILP) to find a coarse quad layout adhering to that maximal deviation. Our algorithm is guaranteed to yield a conforming quad layout free of T‐junctions together with bounded angle distortion. Our results show that the presented method is fast, reliable, and achieves high quality layouts.
Two‐step Temporal Interpolation Network Using Forward Advection for Efficient Smoke Simulation
Authors: Oh Young Jin , Lee In‐Kwon
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we propose a two‐step temporal interpolation network using forward advection to generate smoke simulation efficiently. By converting a low frame rate smoke simulation computed with a large time step into a high frame rate smoke simulation through inference of temporal interpolation networks, the proposed method can efficiently generate smoke simulation with a high frame rate and low computational costs. The first step of the proposed method is optical flow‐based temporal interpolation using deep neural networks (DNNs) for two given smoke animation frames. In the next step, we compute temporary smoke frames with forward advection, a physical computation with a low computational cost. We then interpolate between the results of the forward advection and those of the first step to generate more accurate and enhanced interpolated results. We performed quantitative analyses of the results generated by the proposed method and previous temporal interpolation methods. Furthermore, we experimentally compared the performance of the proposed method with previous methods using DNNs for smoke simulation. We found that the results generated by the proposed method are more accurate and closer to the ground truth smoke simulation than those generated by the previous temporal interpolation methods. We also confirmed that the proposed method generates smoke simulation results more efficiently with lower computational costs than previous smoke simulation methods using DNNs.
Interactive Photo Editing on Smartphones via Intrinsic Decomposition
Authors: Shekhar Sumit , Reimann Max , Mayer Maximilian , Semmo Amir , Pasewaldt Sebastian , Döllner Jürgen , Trapp Matthias
Published: June 2021

Intrinsic decomposition refers to the problem of estimating scene characteristics, such as albedo and shading, when one view or multiple views of a scene are provided. The inverse problem setting, where multiple unknowns are solved given a single known pixel‐value, is highly under‐constrained. When provided with correlating image and depth data, intrinsic scene decomposition can be facilitated using depth‐based priors, which nowadays is easy to acquire with high‐end smartphones by utilizing their depth sensors. In this work, we present a system for intrinsic decomposition of RGB‐D images on smartphones and the algorithmic as well as design choices therein. Unlike state‐of‐the‐art methods that assume only diffuse reflectance, we consider both diffuse and specular pixels. For this purpose, we present a novel specularity extraction algorithm based on a multi‐scale intensity decomposition and chroma inpainting. At this, the diffuse component is further decomposed into albedo and shading components. We use an inertial proximal algorithm for non‐convex optimization (iPiano) to ensure albedo sparsity. Our GPU‐based visual processing is implemented on iOS via the Metal API and enables interactive performance on an iPhone 11 Pro. Further, a qualitative evaluation shows that we are able to obtain high‐quality outputs. Furthermore, our proposed approach for specularity removal outperforms state‐of‐the‐art approaches for real‐world images, while our albedo and shading layer decomposition is faster than the prior work at a comparable output quality. Manifold applications such as recoloring, retexturing, relighting, appearance editing, and stylization are shown, each using the intrinsic layers obtained with our method and/or the corresponding depth data.
STALP: Style Transfer with Auxiliary Limited Pairing
Authors: Futschik D. , Kučera M. , Lukáč M. , Wang Z. , Shechtman E. , Sýkora D.
Published: June 2021

We present an approach to example‐based stylization of images that uses a single pair of a source image and its stylized counterpart. We demonstrate how to train an image translation network that can perform real‐time semantically meaningful style transfer to a set of target images with similar content as the source image. A key added value of our approach is that it considers also consistency of target images during training. Although those have no stylized counterparts, we constrain the translation to keep the statistics of neural responses compatible with those extracted from the stylized source. In contrast to concurrent techniques that use a similar input, our approach better preserves important visual characteristics of the source style and can deliver temporally stable results without the need to explicitly handle temporal consistency. We demonstrate its practical utility on various applications including video stylization, style transfer to panoramas, faces, and 3D models.
Algorithms for Microscopic Crowd Simulation: Advancements in the 2010s
Authors: van Toll W. , Pettré J.
Published: June 2021

The real‐time simulation of human crowds has many applications. Simulating how the people in a crowd move through an environment is an active and ever‐growing research topic. Most research focuses on microscopic (or ‘agent‐based’) crowd‐simulation methods that model the behavior of each individual person, from which collective behavior can then emerge.

This state‐of‐the‐art report analyzes how the research on microscopic crowd simulation has advanced since the year 2010. We focus on the most popular research area within the microscopic paradigm, which is local navigation, and most notably collision avoidance between agents. We discuss the four most popular categories of algorithms in this area (force‐based, velocity‐based, vision‐based, and data‐driven) that have either emerged or grown in the last decade. We also analyze the conceptual and computational (dis)advantages of each category. Next, we extend the discussion to other types of behavior or navigation (such as group behavior and the combination with path planning), and we review work on evaluating the quality of simulations.

Based on the observed advancements in the 2010s, we conclude by predicting how the research area of microscopic crowd simulation will evolve in the future. Overall, we expect a significant growth in the area of data‐driven and learning‐based agent navigation, and we expect an increasing number of methods that re‐group multiple ‘levels’ of behavior into one principle. Furthermore, we observe a clear need for new ways to analyze (real or simulated) crowd behavior, which is important for quantifying the realism of a simulation and for choosing the right algorithms at the right time.
Belt and Road Initiative in Central Asia: Anticipating socioecological challenges from large‐scale infrastructure in a global biodiversity hotspot
Authors: Foggin J Marc , Lechner Alex M , Emslie‐Smith Matthew , Hughes Alice C , Sternberg Troy , Dossani Rafiq
Published: June 2021

Until recently, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has overlooked many of the social and environmental dimensions of its projects and actions in favor of more immediate economic and sociopolitical considerations. The main focus of investments under BRI has largely been to improve transport, telecommunication, and energy infrastructures. However, in Central Asia, biodiversity is not only foundational for the livelihoods and socioeconomic wellbeing of communities, it also shapes people's culture and identities. Furthermore, ecosystem services derived from functioning landscapes bring enormous benefit for millions of people downstream through integrated and transboundary water systems. Already under pressure from climate‐induced melting of glaciers, the fate of ecologically important areas is considered in light of the potential harm arising from large‐scale linear infrastructure projects and related investments under China‐led BRI. Following review of some of the anticipated impacts of BRI on mountain environments and societies in the region, we highlight several emerging opportunities and then offer recommendations for development programs—aiming fundamentally to enhance the sustainability of BRI investments. Leveraging new opportunities to strengthen partner countries’ priority Sustainable Development Goals and enhancing their agency in the selection of collaborations and the standards to use in environmental impact and risk assessments are recommended.
Insights into the potential role of alpha1‐antitrypsin in COVID‐19 patients: Mechanisms, current update, and future perspectives
Authors: Marzouk Saber , Attia Noha , Mashal Mohamed
Published: June 2021

In this work, we provide an up‐to‐date summary of the available molecular‐ and cell‐related mechanisms by which alpha1‐antitrypsin (AAT) protein could be of benefit in treating COVID‐19 patients. As well, we demonstrate the current status in terms of the ongoing clinical trials using AAT in COVID‐19 patients. Finally, we touch on the potential role gene therapy and stem cell‐based gene therapy could have in such emerging and serious condition caused by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus.
Consequences of oral antithrombotic use in patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Laville Solène M. , Lambert Oriane , Hamroun Aghiles , Metzger Marie , Jacquelinet Christian , Laville Maurice , Frimat Luc , Fouque Denis , Combe Christian , Ayav Carole , Pecoits‐Filho Roberto , Stengel Bénédicte , Massy Ziad A. , Liabeuf Sophie ,   the CKD‐REIN Study Collaborators
Published: June 2021

We assessed the risks of bleeding, acute kidney injury (AKI), and kidney failure associated with the prescription of antithrombotic agents (oral anticoagulants and/or antiplatelet agents) in patients with moderate‐to‐advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD‐REIN is a prospective cohort of 3022 nephrology outpatients with CKD stages 2–5 at baseline. We used cause‐specific Cox proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for bleeding (identified through hospitalizations), AKI, and kidney failure. Prescriptions of oral antithrombotics were treated as time‐dependent variables. At baseline, 339 (11%) patients (65% men; 69 [60–76] years) were prescribed oral anticoagulants only, 1095 (36%) antiplatelets only, and 101 (3%) both type of oral antithrombotics. Over a median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow‐up period of 3.0 (IQR, 2.8–3.1) years, 152 patients experienced a bleeding event, 414 patients experienced an episode of AKI, and 270 experienced kidney failure. The adjusted HRs (95% confidence interval [95% CI]) for bleeding associated with prescriptions of antiplatelets only, oral anticoagulants only, and antiplatelet + oral anticoagulant were, respectively, 0.74 (95% CI, 0.46–1.19), 2.38 (95% CI, 1.45–3.89), and 3.96 (95% CI, 2.20–7.12). An increased risk of AKI risk was associated with the prescription of oral anticoagulants (adjusted HR, 1.90, 95% CI, 1.47–2.45) but not the prescription of antiplatelets (HR, 1.24, 95% CI, 0.98–1.56). Kidney failure was not associated with the prescription of oral antithrombotics of any type. This study confirms the high risk of AKI associated with oral anticoagulants prescription in patients with CKD and also highlights the potential aggravating effect of combining vitamin K antagonist (VKA) and antiplatelets on the risk of bleeding.
Financial inclusion, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna Scheme and economic growth: Evidence from Indian States
Authors: Singh Bhanu Pratap , Kumari Annu , Sharma Tanya , Malhotra Abhishek
Published: June 2021

The study examines the impact of financial inclusion, promoted through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY) scheme, on the economic performance across the Indian states. Using the index of financial inclusion developed in Sarma (2008), the current study develops a three‐dimensional financial inclusion index for 25 major Indian states from 2011 to 2016 to assess the status of financial inclusion across Indian states. The impact of financial inclusion promoted through the PMJDY scheme on the economic performance of the Indian states is investigated using bootstrap corrected fixed effects estimation and inference in the dynamic panel. The study's finding suggests that most Indian states fall under the low or medium level of financial inclusion. The dynamic panel results reveal a positive and significant association between financial inclusion and economic growth across Indian states. Further, results show PMJDY scheme marginally improved the pace of economic growth but failed to improve the overall economic prosperity level across states. Poor usage of financial services and a rise in the number of dormant accounts after the PMJDY scheme's launch are the significant limitations of the PMJDY scheme's failure.
Searching for new predators of the invasive Halyomorpha halys: the role of the black garden ant Lasius niger
Authors: Bulgarini Giacomo , Castracani Cristina , Mori Alessandra , Grasso Donato A. , Maistrello Lara
Published: June 2021

In recent years, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, Cappaeini) has become an invasive pest in North America and Europe, where it caused extensive damage to agriculture, resulting in great economic losses. Evaluating the potential of native predators in the invaded areas, ants might represent good candidates thanks to their biology, ecology, and behavior. In Italy, H. halys proved to be the top key pest in pear orchards, where the black garden ant, Lasius niger (L.) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae, Lasiini), is the most abundant ant species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predatory ability of L. niger on the eggs and on all the juvenile instars of H. halys under laboratory conditions. The results indicate that L. niger significantly reduces the survival of the second and third nymphal instars by 56 and 58%, respectively, but it is unable to reduce the egg hatching and the survival of the first, fourth, and fifth instars. Our preliminary results obtained in laboratory conditions suggest a possible role of the ant L. niger in controlling H. halys invasion mainly acting on the smaller and more mobile nymphal stages. The effective role of this species as potential biocontrol agents of H. halys in fruit orchards in association with other ant species as well as with other predatory insects is discussed.
Analysis in the ethical decision‐making of dental, nurse and physiotherapist students, through case‐based learning
Authors: Macpherson Ignacio , Roqué María Victoria , Martín‐Sánchez Juan Carlos , Segarra Ignacio
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Training in ethical competencies is perceived with special interest among the objectives of health education. The dimensions of the person such as integrity, autonomy and dignity influence the choice of interventions, but the different specialties of the health sciences conceive these dimensions with different perspectives depending on the clinical setting. These divergences can be detected during the first years of undergraduate studies, and it is important to know the professional bias and its possible causes.

Materials and Methods

A procedure was developed through case‐based learning (CBL) to assess various characteristics of decision‐making during the early stages of student training. A semi‐quantitative method was designed based on the narrative responses of a case with ethical implications in the field of gender violence. The method was applied to 294 undergraduate students in nursing (95), physiotherapy (109) and dentistry (90) from the Faculty of Health Sciences of a Spanish university. A frequency analysis of the narrative responses of the students to the proposed case was carried out, using the chi‐square test to determine any association between the variables studied: gender, specialty and ethical knowledge.

Results

Four types of response categories were detected, as a result of combining the personal conversation, report to legal authority or require assistance of other teams. The most common option in dentists is conversation only, while physical therapists include the assistance of other teams. In nursing, a balance is observed between both possibilities. The results show that student responses differ significantly among specialties and also differ significantly according to test scores on ethical knowledge. However, no significant differences were found between the responses provided by men and women.

Conclusion

Most of the health sciences students highly valued their own capacity for dialogue and reflection to approach situations with complex ethical dimensions. We consider that case‐based learning (CBL), in combination with narrative analysis is a valid means of evaluating the professional ethical competencies of students in health sciences careers applied to a common goal.
Improving clinical outcomes via responsible antimicrobial use in horses
Authors: Isgren C. M.
Published: June 2021

The growing problem of antimicrobial resistance affects veterinarians on a daily basis. Antimicrobial stewardship and responsible prescribing are essential for a future with effective antimicrobials, as it is unlikely that new antimicrobials will become available for use in horses in the near future. Extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Salmonella spp. are pathogens of significant concern but there are also other opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas spp., α‐haemolytic Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp. and Acinetobacter spp. which, due to their high intrinsic resistance, have limited treatment options in adult horses. It is essential that highest priority critically important antimicrobials such as ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, rifampicin and polymyxin B are used prudently in horses and ideally based on culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). For example, the use of polymyxin B at a low anti‐endotoxic dose rather than at a higher antimicrobial dose in horses for the treatment of systemic inflammatory response syndrome is a potential driver for resistance to colistin (polymyxin E), an antimicrobial used as a last resort in the treatment of multidrug resistant (MDR) Enterobacteriaceae infections in humans. Serum procalcitonin levels are used in humans to distinguish noninfectious inflammatory conditions from inflammation caused by bacteria and other infectious agents and are also used to guide cessation of antimicrobial treatment. Although no such studies have been performed in horses, this or other markers may prove to be helpful in guiding antimicrobial treatment decisions in the future. Optimising sampling techniques and good communication with the microbiology laboratory are essential for generating the accurate culture and AST results that underpin appropriate antimicrobial use. Additionally, there is clearly a need for national and international harmonisation of laboratory methods in order to improve the reliability and consistency of results reported by different laboratories.