bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postoperative pulmonary vascular growth in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Fujishiro Jun , Matsuda Rina , Tomari Takuji , Ichinose Akinori , Morita Kaori , Takazawa Shinya , Yoshida Mariko
Published: May 2024

Background

Postoperative pulmonary growth in congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDH) remains unclear. We investigated postoperative pulmonary vascular growth using serial lung perfusion scintigraphy in patients with CDH.

Methods

Neonates with left CDH who underwent surgery and postoperative lung perfusion scintigraphy at our institution between 2001 and 2020 were included. Patient demographics, clinical courses, and lung scintigraphy data were retrospectively analyzed by reviewing medical records.

Results

Twenty-one patients with CDH were included. Of these, 10 underwent serial lung scintigraphy. The ipsilateral perfusion rate and median age on the 1st and serial lung scintigraphy were 32% (34 days) and 33% (3.6 years), respectively. Gestational age at prenatal diagnosis (p = 0.02), alveolar–arterial oxygen difference (A-aDO2) at birth (p = 0.007), and preoperative nitric oxide (NO) use (p = 0.014) significantly correlated with the 1st lung scintigraphy. No other variables, including operative approach, were significantly correlated with the 1st or serial scintigraphy findings.

All patients improved lung perfusion with serial studies [Difference:  + 7.0 (4.3–13.25) %, p = 0.001, paired t-test]. This improvement was not significantly correlated with preoperative A-aDO2 (p = 0.96), NO use (p = 0.28), or liver up (p = 0.90). The difference was significantly larger in patients who underwent thoracoscopic repair than in those who underwent open abdominal repair [+ 10.6 (5.0–17.1) % vs. + 4.25 (1.2–7.9) %, p = 0.042].

Conclusion

Our study indicated a postoperative improvement in ipsilateral lung vascular growth, which is possibly enhanced by a minimally invasive approach, in patients with CDH.
Cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction: a poorly defined disorder from diagnosis to treatment
Authors: Krekeler Brittany N. , Howell Rebecca J.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction (CPMD) is a common clinical occurrence with very few clear diagnostic criteria and multiple pathways for treatment. Incidence of CPMD is not known, but some data suggest around 25% of people with dysphagia experience some degree of CPMD, which negatively impacts swallowing safety and efficiency. Workup and treatment of CPMD can require multidisciplinary collaboration across laryngologists, speech-language pathologists with training in dysphagia management, and gastroenterologists. The purpose of this paper is to review what is known about CPMD and identify areas of future research in CPMD diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

An overview of CPMD, relative treatments and disorders, and a discussion of future areas of research needed to improve clinical care of CPMD.

Results

Details regarding historical background, pathophysiology and treatment practiced for CPMD are included.

Conclusion

In summary, CPMD is a poorly defined disease due to a lack of understanding of its pathophysiology and the lack of consensus diagnostic criteria. Well-designed, prospective clinical trials are necessary to develop a better understanding of clinical incidence of CPMD, impact of the disorder on oropharyngeal swallowing, and how to approach treatment of the disorder surgically or in conjunction with therapy directed by a specialized speech-language pathologist.
Surgery versus sclerotherapy versus combined therapy in head and neck lymphatic malformations in the pediatric population: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Embrechts Jurriën L. A. , Hiddinga Steven , Bot Joseph C. , Hendrickx Jan-Jaap , van Eekelen Rik , Ket Johannes C. F. , Leemans C. René , de Bree Remco
Published: May 2024

Purpose

To systematically review current literature on the treatment of lymphatic malformations (LMs) of the head and neck to guide treatment strategy.

Methods and materials

A systematic review and meta-analysis of literature until 16 November 2021 was performed on treatments of LMs in the head and neck.

Results

Out of 9044 articles, 54 studies were eligible for inclusion with 26 studies providing detailed participant data. A total number of 1573 patients with a mean age of 21.22 months were analysed. Comparative meta-analysis did not reveal significant differences two proportions of volume reduction (≥ 50% and 100%) between sclerotherapy and surgical treatment. Regression demonstrated that positive predictors for volume reduction were surgery 17 (95% CI 0.26–34; p = 0.047) and treatment of macrocystic lesions 19 (95% CI 5.5–32; p = 0.006). Treatment of mixed lesions also demonstrated a trend towards achieving a greater volume reduction (p = 0.052). A higher de Serres stage of the lesion had a negative effect on the amount of volume reduction − 3.7 (95% CI − 7.0 to − 0.35; p = 0.030).

Conclusion

This comprehensive meta-analysis demonstrated no significant difference in volume reduction between various treatment modalities at study level. However, individual patient data indicated that surgery and larger cyst types are associated with a significant higher percentage of volume reduction, whereas a higher de Serres stage negatively impacted the amount of volume reduction. These findings can be used for patient counseling and treatment planning based on cyst type and de Serres stage. However volume reduction constitutes just one objective within a more complex treatment spectrum.
Visuospatial working memory in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia: a comparative analysis with Alzheimer's disease using the box task
Authors: Foxe David , Irish Muireann , Carrick James , Cheung Sau Chi , Teng Her , Burrell James R. , Kessels Roy P. C. , Piguet Olivier
Published: May 2024

Objective

This study investigated the visuospatial working memory profiles of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using a novel computerised test of visuospatial working memory: the Box Task.

Methods

Twenty-eight bvFTD and 28 AD patients, as well as 32 age-matched control participants were recruited. All participants completed the Box Task and conventional neuropsychological tests of working memory, episodic memory, and visuospatial function.

Results

Both the bvFTD and AD groups exhibited significantly more Box Task between-search errors than the control group across all set sizes. Notably, the AD group demonstrated a significantly higher error rate compared to the bvFTD group. Regression analysis revealed that whilst episodic memory impairment significantly predicted Box Task error performance in AD, this was not the case for bvFTD. Additionally, a noticeable trend was observed for attention in predicting Box Task errors in both bvFTD and AD groups. The Box Task demonstrated high utility in differentiating between bvFTD and AD, with a decision tree correctly classifying 82.1% of bvFTD patients and 75% of AD patients.

Conclusions

Our findings reveal significant visuospatial working memory impairments in bvFTD, albeit of lesser severity compared to disease-matched AD patients. The Box Task, a novel measure of visuospatial working memory, proved effective in differentiating between bvFTD and AD, outperforming many traditional neuropsychological measures. Overall, our findings highlight the utility of assessing visuospatial memory when differentiating between bvFTD and AD in the clinical setting.
Exposure to normobaric hypoxia shapes the acute inflammatory response in human whole blood cells in vivo
Authors: Schönberger Tina , Jakobs Marie , Friedel Anna-Lena , Hörbelt-Grünheidt Tina , Tebbe Bastian , Witzke Oliver , Schedlowski Manfred , Fandrey Joachim
Published: May 2024

Cells of the immune defence, especially leukocytes, often have to perform their function in tissue areas that are characterized by oxygen deficiency, so-called hypoxia. Physiological hypoxia significantly affects leukocyte function and controls the innate and adaptive immune response mainly through transcriptional gene regulation via the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Multiple pathogens including components of bacteria, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) trigger the activation of leukocytes. HIF pathway activation enables immune cells to adapt to both hypoxic environments in physiological and inflammatory settings and modulates immune cell responses through metabolism changes and crosstalk with other immune-relevant signalling pathways. To study the mutual influence of both processes in vivo, we used a human endotoxemia model, challenging participants with an intravenous LPS injection post or prior to a 4-h stay in a hypoxic chamber with normobaric hypoxia of 10.5% oxygen. We analysed changes in gene expression in whole blood cells and determined inflammatory markers to unveil the crosstalk between both processes. Our investigations showed differentially altered gene expression patterns of HIF and target genes upon in vivo treatment with LPS and hypoxia. Further, we found evidence for effects of hypoxic priming upon inflammation in combination with immunomodulatory effects in whole blood cells in vivo. Our work elucidates the complex interplay of hypoxic and inflammatory HIF regulation in human immune cells and offers new perspectives for further clinical research.
BiSpec Pairwise AI: guiding the selection of bispecific antibody target combinations with pairwise learning and GPT augmentation
Authors: Zhang Xin , Wang Huiyu , Sun Chunyun
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), capable of targeting two antigens simultaneously, represent a significant advancement by employing dual mechanisms of action for tumor suppression. However, how to pair targets to develop effective and safe bispecific drugs is a major challenge for pharmaceutical companies.

Methods

Using machine learning models, we refined the biological characteristics of currently approved or in clinical development BsAbs and analyzed hundreds of membrane proteins as bispecific targets to predict the likelihood of successful drug development for various target combinations. Moreover, to enhance the interpretability of prediction results in bispecific target combination, we combined machine learning models with Large Language Models (LLMs). Through a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) approach, we supplement each pair of bispecific targets’ machine learning prediction with important features and rationales, generating interpretable analytical reports.

Results

In this study, the XGBoost model with pairwise learning was employed to predict the druggability of BsAbs. By analyzing extensive data on BsAbs and designing features from perspectives such as target activity, safety, cell type specificity, pathway mechanism, and gene embedding representation, our model is able to predict target combinations of BsAbs with high market potential. Specifically, we integrated XGBoost with the GPT model to discuss the efficacy of each bispecific target pair, thereby aiding the decision-making for drug developers.

Conclusion

The novelty of this study lies in the integration of machine learning and GPT techniques to provide a novel framework for the design of BsAbs drugs. This holistic approach not only improves prediction accuracy, but also enhances the interpretability and innovativeness of drug design.
KIF22 promotes multiple myeloma progression by regulating the CDC25C/CDK1/cyclinB1 pathway
Authors: Zhai Meng , Miao Jiyu , Zhang Ru , Liu Rui , Li Fangmei , Shen Ying , Wang Ting , Xu Xuezhu , Gao Gongzhizi , Hu Jinsong , He Aili , Bai Ju
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematological malignancy characterized by clonal proliferation of malignant plasma B cells in bone marrow, and its pathogenesis remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the role of kinesin family member 22 (KIF22) in MM and elucidate its molecular mechanism.

Methods

The expression of KIF22 was detected in MM patients based upon the public datasets and clinical samples. Then, in vitro assays were performed to investigate the biological function of KIF22 in MM cell lines, and subcutaneous xenograft models in nude mice were conducted in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assay were used to determine the mechanism of KIF22-mediated regulation.

Results

The results demonstrated that the expression of KIF22 in MM patients was associated with several clinical features, including gender (P = 0.016), LDH (P < 0.001), β2-MG (P = 0.003), percentage of tumor cells (BM) (P = 0.002) and poor prognosis (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, changing the expression of KIF22 mainly influenced the cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, and caused G2/M phase cell cycle dysfunction. Mechanically, KIF22 directly transcriptionally regulated cell division cycle 25C (CDC25C) by binding its promoter and indirectly influenced CDC25C expression by regulating the ERK pathway. KIF22 also regulated CDC25C/CDK1/cyclinB1 pathway.

Conclusion

KIF22 could promote cell proliferation and cell cycle progression by transcriptionally regulating CDC25C and its downstream CDC25C/CDK1/cyclinB1 pathway to facilitate MM progression, which might be a potential therapeutic target in MM.
Identification of immunogenic cell death-related damage-related molecular patterns (DAMPs) to predict outcomes in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Jiayi , Shi Xinzhan , Wang Mengqi , Zhai Rundong , Wang Mengyao , Gong Zizhen , Ni Zihui , Xu Teng , Zhu Weiwen , Liu Laikui
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide, wherein the immune responses are closely associated with disease occurrence, development, and prognosis. Investigation of the role of immunogenic cell death-related genes (ICDGs) in adaptive immune response activation may provide cues into the mechanism underlying the outcome of HNSCC immunotherapy.

Methods

ICDGs expression patterns in HNSCC were analyzed, after which consensus clustering in HNSCC cohort conducted. A 4-gene prognostic model was constructed through LASSO and Cox regression analyses to analyze the prognostic index using the TCGA dataset, followed by validation with two GEO datasets. The distribution of immune cells and the response to immunotherapy were compared between different risk subtypes through multiple algorithms. Moreover, immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses were conducted to validate the prognostic value of HSP90AA1 as a predictor of HNSCC patient prognosis. In vitro assays were performed to further detect the effect of HSP90AA1 in the development of HNSCC.

Results

A novel prognostic index based on four ICDGs was constructed and proved to be useful as an independent factor of HNSCC prognosis. The risk score derived from this model grouped patients into high- and low-risk subtypes, wherein the high-risk subtype had worse survival outcomes and poorer immunotherapy response. IHC analysis validated the applicability of HSP90AA1 as a predictor of prognosis of HNSCC patients. HSP90AA1 expression in tumor cells promotes the progression of HNSCC.

Conclusions

Together, these results highlight a novel four-gene prognostic signature as a valuable tool to assess survival status and prognosis of HNSCC patients.
Unresolved haemosporidia of the Australian skink, Egernia stokesii
Authors: Zechmeisterová Kristína , Gardner Michael George , Široký Pavel
Published: May 2024

The Australian skink Egernia stokesii had been recognised as a host of two species of Plasmodium, Plasmodium mackerrasae and P. circularis; nevertheless, molecular data are available for only a single haemosporidian species of this host. Its sequences are labelled as “Plasmodium sp.” or “Plasmodium mackerrasae”, but morphological characteristics of this isolate are unavailable. Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences placed them into the clade of the genus Haemocystidium. In this study, blood samples of six E. stokesii were analysed by both, molecular and microscopic methods to clarify the haemosporidia of this lizard. Application of these approaches offered discordant results. Whereas sequence analysis clustered our isolates with lizard species of Haemocystidium, morphology of blood stages is more akin to Plasmodium than Haemocystidium. However, limited sampling, indistinguishable nuclei/merozoites and risk of possible hidden presence of mixed infection prevent reliable species identification of detected parasites or their description as new species of Haemocystidium.
Representing Infinite Periodic Hyperbolic Delaunay Triangulations Using Finitely Many Dirichlet Domains
Authors: Despré Vincent , Kolbe Benedikt , Teillaud Monique
Published: May 2024

The Delaunay triangulation of a set of points P on a hyperbolic surface is the projection of the Delaunay triangulation of the set $$\widetilde{P}$$

P
~

of lifted points in the hyperbolic plane. Since $$\widetilde{P}$$

P
~

is infinite, the algorithms to compute Delaunay triangulations in the plane do not generalize naturally. Using a Dirichlet domain, we exhibit a finite set of points that captures the full triangulation. We prove that an edge of a Delaunay triangulation has a combinatorial length (a notion we define in the paper) smaller than $$12g-6$$

12
g
-
6

with respect to a Dirichlet domain. To achieve this, we introduce new tools, of intrinsic interest, that capture the properties of length-minimizing curves in the context of closed curves. We then use these to derive structural results on Delaunay triangulations and exhibit certain distance minimizing properties of both the edges of a Delaunay triangulation and of a Dirichlet domain. The bounds produced in this paper depend only on the topology of the surface. They provide mathematical foundations for hyperbolic analogs of the algorithms to compute periodic Delaunay triangulations in Euclidean space.
Healthcare for sex workers—access, barriers, and needs
Authors: Faissner Mirjam , Beckmann Laura , Freistein Katja , Jungilligens Johannes , Braun Esther
Published: May 2024

Background

Stigma has a significant impact on the health of different societal groups and contributes to inequalities in healthcare. Sex work is associated with significant social stigma, which has detrimental effects on sex workers’ access to healthcare. This exploratory study gives first insights into the perspectives of sex workers and counselors in Germany on sex workers’ access, needs, and barriers with respect to healthcare. We focused on an established network of services for sex workers in Bochum.

Methods

We conducted in-depth guideline-based interviews with four counselors at centers that provide social and medical support for sex workers and three sex workers who use these services. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

The main barriers reported with respect to sex workers’ access to healthcare were health insurance, language barriers, bureaucracy, mobility, and discrimination. Sex work stigma within healthcare was reported to intersect with other forms of discrimination, such as racism. Specific needs and barriers were reported regarding mental health, which emerged as an important topic for sex workers. Free and anonymous healthcare offers were evaluated positively. Interviewees noted a lack of services that address the needs of sex workers beyond sexually transmitted infections, such as mental healthcare.

Conclusion

Several barriers to accessing healthcare remain for sex workers, many of which are particularly relevant for migrant sex workers from Eastern European countries. The development of additional antidiscriminatory healthcare services is necessary and should give priority to sex workers’ perspectives.
An adaptive fractional controller design for automatic voltage regulator system: sigmoid-based fractional-order PID controller
Authors: Sahin Ali Kivanc , Cavdar Bora , Ayas Mustafa Sinasi
Published: May 2024

The primary objective of a power system is to provide safe and reliable electrical energy to consumers. This objective is achieved by maintaining the stability of the power system, a multifaceted concept that can be divided into three distinct classes. The focus of this study is on one of these classes, voltage stability. A critical component in maintaining voltage stability is the automatic voltage regulator (AVR) system of synchronous generators. In this paper, a novel control method, the sigmoid-based fractional-order PID (SFOPID), is introduced with the aim of improving the dynamic response and the robustness of the AVR system. The dandelion optimizer (DO), a successful optimization algorithm, is used to optimize the parameters of the proposed SFOPID control strategy. The optimization process for the DO-SFOPID control strategy includes a variety of objective functions, including error-based metrics such as integral of absolute error, integral of squared error, integral of time absolute error, and integral of time squared error, in addition to the user-defined Zwee Lee Gaing’s metric. The effectiveness of the DO-SFOPID control technique on the AVR system has been rigorously investigated through a series of tests and analyses, including aspects such as time domain, robustness, frequency domain, and evaluation of nonlinearity effects. The simulation results are compared between the proposed DO-SFOPID control technique and the fractional-order PID (FOPID) and sigmoid-based PID (SPID) control techniques, both of which have been tuned using different metaheuristic algorithms that have gained significant recognition in recent years. As a result of these comparative analyses, the superiority of the DO-SFOPID control technique is confirmed as it shows an improved performance with respect to the other control techniques. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed DO-SFOPID control technique is validated within an experimental setup for the AVR system. The simulation results show that the proposed DO-SFOPID control technique is highly successful in terms of stability and robustness. In summary, this study provides comprehensive evidence supporting the effectiveness and superiority of the DO-SFOPID control technique on the AVR system through both simulation and experimental results.
Machine learning-based prediction of length of stay (LoS) in the neonatal intensive care unit using ensemble methods
Authors: Erdogan Yildirim Ayse , Canayaz Murat
Published: May 2024

Neonatal medical data holds critical information within the healthcare industry, and it is important to analyze this data effectively. Machine learning algorithms offer powerful tools for extracting meaningful insights from the medical data of neonates and improving treatment processes. Knowing the length of hospital stay in advance is very important for managing hospital resources, healthcare personnel, and costs. Thus, this study aims to estimate the length of stay for infants treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) using machine learning algorithms. Our study conducted a two-class prediction for long and short-term lengths of stay utilizing a unique dataset. Adopting a hybrid approach called Classifier Fusion-LoS, the study involved two stages. In the initial stage, various classifiers were employed including classical models such as Logistic Regression, ExtraTrees, Random Forest, KNN, Support Vector Classifier, as well as ensemble models like AdaBoost, GradientBoosting, XGBoost, and CatBoost. Random Forest yielded the highest validation accuracy at 0.94. In the subsequent stage, the Voting Classifier—an ensemble method—was applied, resulting in accuracy increasing to 0.96. Our method outperformed existing studies in terms of accuracy, including both neonatal-specific length of stay prediction studies and other general length of stay prediction research. While the length of stay estimation offers insights into the potential suitability of the incubators in the NICUs, which are not universally available in every city, for patient admission, it plays a pivotal role in delineating the treatment protocols of patients. Additionally, the research provides crucial information to the hospital management for planning such as beds, equipment, personnel, and costs.
Klimawandelbedingte psychosoziale Belastungen und wahrgenommene Anpassungskapazitäten bei Landwirtinnen und Landwirten
Authors: Wittmann Michael , Mano Raphael , Meyer-Habighorst Christiane , André Denise , Fünfgeld Hartmut
Published: May 2024

Die Folgen des Klimawandels auf die menschliche Gesundheit umfassen nicht nur physische, sondern auch psychosoziale Belastungen. Dieser Beitrag untersucht diese Belastungsdimension und die entsprechenden individuell wahrgenommenen Anpassungskapazitäten von Landwirtinnen und Landwirten im Rahmen einer empirischen Fallstudie im südlichen Baden-Württemberg. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung zeigen, dass leichte bis starke klimawandelbedingte psychosoziale Belastungen vorliegen, die sich in Gefühlen von Hilf‑, Macht- und Hoffnungslosigkeit, Resignation und Wunschdenken äußern. Sowohl adaptive als auch maladaptive Anpassungsmuster an diese Belastungen sind feststellbar. Die wahrgenommenen Anpassungsmuster ergänzen und beeinflussen sich oftmals gegenseitig, wobei maladaptive Anpassungsstrategien oft unterbewusst stärker direkt auf die Emotionen der Landwirtinnen und Landwirte einwirken, während adaptive Anpassungen als Reaktion auf solche Belastungen meist indirekten Einfluss ausüben. Dabei wirken adaptive Maßnahmen nicht nur belastungsmildernd, sondern tragen teilweise ihrerseits zur psychosozialen Belastung der Landwirtinnen und Landwirte bei. Die Studie zeigt, dass Klimawandelanpassungsforschung und -praxis von einem inklusiven Gesundheitsbegriff profitieren kann, welcher individuelle, kognitive Prozesse der subjektiven Wahrnehmung stärker berücksichtigt.
Experimental Study on Strength Enhancement and Porosity Variation of 3D-Printed Gypsum Rocks: Insights on Vacuum Infiltration Post-Processing
Authors: Shao Yulong , Kim Jineon , Yang Jingwei , Song Jae-Joon , Moon Juhyuk
Published: May 2024

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology has shown great potential in rock mechanics and mining engineering due to its ability to create complex and customized objects with high precision and accuracy. At present, an emerging research focus is improving the mechanical properties of 3D-printed samples, which originally has low strength and stiffness, to match those of natural rocks. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of different post-treatments on the strength enhancement of 3D-printed gypsum samples. To achieve this goal, 3D-printed gypsum samples were subjected to different post-treatments including dipped infiltration treatment and vacuum infiltration treatment using different infiltrants: water, saltwater, ColorBond, and StrengthMax. Subsequently, each sample was subjected to ultrasonic wave velocity testing and uniaxial compression experiments to characterize their mechanical properties, CT scans to investigate their microstructural characteristics. Additionally, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) tests were conducted to explore the underlying reasons for changes in macroscopic strength. Finally, the physical characteristics and mechanical properties of untreated and post-processed 3D-printed gypsum samples were compared with natural rocks. The results showed that the strength of samples treated with water and saltwater was much lower than that of those treated with ColorBond and StrengthMax, while the porosity was the opposite. In water-treated and saltwater-treated samples, water or saltwater treatment can alter particle characteristics, but weak adhesive bonding and numerous pores result in low mechanical strength. Samples treated with Colorbond or StrengthMax exhibit improved strength due to effective gap filling and cohesive structure formation, with StrengthMax-treated samples showing higher strength despite having more pores than Colorbond-treated ones. Moreover, the physical and mechanical properties of these treated samples matched a wider range of natural rock types compared to the untreated samples.
Investigating Load Arches and the Uplift Capacity of Rock Anchors: A Numerical Approach
Authors: Grindheim Bjarte , Trinh Nghia , Li Charlie C. , Høien Are Håvard
Published: May 2024

Rock anchors, which can withstand substantial forces and are essential for securing the foundations of the built environment, can fail due to steel tensile failure, bond detachment, or rock mass fracturing through uplift. In this study, uplift failure of the rock mass surrounding rock anchors was simulated using both physical and numerical models. The physical models used a specially designed testing rig with predefined sizes and different joint layouts to simulate rock mass uplift failure. The numerical models were calibrated using the physical models and used to investigate scenarios involving increased complexity and greater depths. This paper presents the load distribution within rock masses with orthogonal joints when exposed to an anchor load. Extensive analysis of the numerical models revealed that symmetrical load arches were induced in rock masses that contained a joint set oriented parallel to the loading direction. However, joints that were obliquely oriented relative to the anchor axis induced asymmetrical load arching. The greatest displacement occurred in the direction parallel to the joint set with the smallest angle to the anchor loading axis. Large-scale models with zero or near-zero in situ horizontal stress revealed that the load capacity in a rock mass with continuous vertical joints was relatively low, especially when compared to rock masses with discontinuous vertical joints. It was observed that the uplift capacity of the rock mass around an anchor decreased if the load arches of adjacent anchors overlapped; consequently, a decrease in anchor spacing was found to correspond to a decrease in uplift capacity.
Occipital artery to vertebral artery bypass for treatment of bilateral vertebral artery occlusion with QMRA as an adjunct to diagnostic assessment
Authors: Zitek Hynek , Hejcl Ales , Sadeh Morteza , Charbel Fady T. , Sames Martin
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Stroke, the second leading cause of death globally, often involves ischemia in the vertebrobasilar territory. This condition is underexplored, despite significant morbidity and mortality risks. The purpose of this study is to present a case of occipital artery to V3 segment vertebral artery bypass, emphasizing the role of quantitative magnetic resonance angiography (qMRA) in assessing flow and guiding surgical intervention.

Methods

A 66-year-old man with bilateral vertebral artery occlusion presented acute symptoms. qMRA was employed to evaluate flow dynamics and determine the feasibility of a flow augmentation bypass surgery. The occipital artery to left vertebral artery bypass (OA-to-VA) was performed, utilizing an inverted hockey-stick incision and an antegrade inside-out technique. The patency of the bypass was confirmed using both Doppler probe and Indocyanine green.

Results

Postoperative assessments, including computed tomography angiography (CTA) and qMRA, demonstrated the patency of the bypass with improved flow in the basilar artery and left vertebral artery. The patient's condition remained stable postoperatively, with residual peripheral palsy of the left facial nerve.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the presented case illustrates the efficacy of the OA-to-VA bypass in addressing symptomatic bilateral vertebral artery occlusion. The study underscores the pivotal role of qMRA in pre- and postoperative assessments, providing noninvasive flow quantification for diagnostic considerations and long-term follow-up in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency.
HIV Screening Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Women in New Orleans, LA
Authors: Ratnayake Aneeka , Gomes Gérard , Kissinger Patricia J.
Published: May 2024

There are significant disparities in HIV acquisition, with Black individuals facing disproportionately more new diagnoses. Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all people aged 13–64 should be tested at least once in their lifetime, and men at increased risk (e.g., those who have male sexual contact, multiple partners, have partners with multiple partners, or share drug injection equipment) should be tested annually. The study included young Black men who have sex with women (MSW), aged 15–26, and who live in New Orleans, LA. Survey data was used to elicit the frequency and factors associated with three self-reported outcomes: (1) history of ever HIV testing, (2) HIV screening in the last year among those who were recommended per CDC, and (3) HIV positivity. Of the 1321 men included, 694/1321 men (52.5%) reported ever having been HIV tested. There were 708/1321 (54.2%) men who met the recommendation for annual screening and 321/708 (45.3%) of these eligible men reported being tested in the previous year. Of those ever tested, 44/694 (6.3%) self-reported testing positive. In logistic regression analysis, older age (OR: 1.27, p < 0.001), prior STI testing (OR: 6.45, p < 0.001), and prior incarceration (OR:1.70, p = 0.006) were positively associated with having ever received an HIV test, and ever having a male partner (OR: 3.63, p = 0.014) was associated with HIV positivity. Initiatives to improve HIV testing rates among young Black men who have sex with women are needed to reduce the burden of HIV and help the End the Epidemic initiative.
Sample intelligence-based progressive hedging algorithms for the stochastic capacitated reliable facility location problem
Authors: Aydin Nezir , Murat Alper , Mordukhovich Boris S.
Published: May 2024

Selecting facility locations requires significant investment to anticipate and prepare for disruptive events like earthquakes, floods, or labor strikes. In practice, location choices account for facility capacities, which often cannot change during disruptions. When a facility fails, demand transfers to others only if spare capacity exists. Thus, capacitated reliable facility location problems (CRFLP) under uncertainty are more complex than uncapacitated versions. To manage uncertainty and decide effectively, stochastic programming (SP) methods are often employed. Two commonly used SP methods are approximation methods, i.e., Sample Average Approximation (SAA), and decomposition methods, i.e., Progressive Hedging Algorithm (PHA). SAA needs large sample sizes for performance guarantee and turn into computationally intractable. On the other hand, PHA, as an exact method for convex problems, suffers from the need to iteratively solve numerous sub-problems which are computationally costly. In this paper, we developed two novel algorithms integrating SAA and PHA for solving the CRFLP under uncertainty. The developed methods are innovative in that they blend the complementary aspects of PHA and SAA in terms of exactness and computational efficiency, respectively. Further, the developed methods are practical in that they allow the specialist to adjust the tradeoff between the exactness and speed of attaining a solution. We present the effectiveness of the developed integrated approaches, Sampling Based Progressive Hedging Algorithm (SBPHA) and Discarding SBPHA (d-SBPHA), over the pure strategies (i.e. SAA). The validation of the methods is demonstrated through two-stage stochastic CRFLP. Promising results are attained for CRFLP, and the method has great potential to be generalized for SP problems.
Exploring explainable AI in the tax domain
Authors: Górski Łukasz , Kuźniacki Błażej , Almada Marco , Tyliński Kamil , Calvo Madalena , Asnaghi Pablo Matias , Almada Luciano , Iñiguez Hilario , Rubianes Fernando , Pera Octavio , Nigrelli Juan Ignacio
Published: May 2024

This paper analyses whether current explainable AI (XAI) techniques can help to address taxpayer concerns about the use of AI in taxation. As tax authorities around the world increase their use of AI-based techniques, taxpayers are increasingly at a loss about whether and how the ensuing decisions follow the procedures required by law and respect their substantive rights. The use of XAI has been proposed as a response to this issue, but it is still an open question whether current XAI techniques are enough to meet existing legal requirements. The paper approaches this question in the context of a case study: a prototype tax fraud detector trained on an anonymized dataset of real-world cases handled by the Buenos Aires (Argentina) tax authority. The decisions produced by this detector are explained through the use of various classification methods, and the outputs of these explanation models are evaluated on their explanatory power and on their compliance with the legal obligation that tax authorities provide the rationale behind their decision-making. We conclude the paper by suggesting technical and legal approaches for designing explanation mechanisms that meet the needs of legal explanation in the tax domain.
Influence of density and chemical additives on paper mechanical properties
Authors: Asta Nadia , Kaplan Magdalena , Kulachenko Artem , Östlund Sören , Wågberg Lars
Published: May 2024

In this work we have investigated the effect of surface modification of fibres on the overall mechanical properties of high-density papers. Paper sheets were prepared by a combination of heat-pressing and polyelectrolyte Layer-by-Layer (LbL) modification of different softwood fibres. LbLs of Polyallylamine Hydrochloride (PAH) and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) were adsorbed onto unbleached kraft fibres and bleached Chemo-ThermoMechanical Pulp (CTMP) to improve the strength of the fibre–fibre joints in papers made from these fibres. Additionally, different sheet-making procedures were used to prepare a range of network densities with different degrees of fibre–fibre interaction in the system. The results demonstrate that interfacial adhesion within fibre–fibre joints plays a pivotal role in the network's performance, even at higher paper densities. Hygroexpansion measurements and fracture zone imaging with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) further support the claim that stronger interactions between the fibres allow for a better utilisation of the inherent fibre properties. Surface treatments and network densification significantly improved the paper sheets' mechanical properties. Specifically, LbL-treatments alone increased specific stiffness up to 60% and specific strength by over 100%. This improvement is linked to the build-up of residual stresses during drying. Due to a high interaction between the fibres during water removal the fibres become constrained, leading to increased stretching of fibre segments. Strengthened fibre joints intensify this constraint, further increasing the stretch and, consequently, the paper's strength.
Automation of the meshing process of geological data
Authors: Lo Sui Bun , Hassan Oubay , Jones Jason , Liu Xiaolong , Himmelberg Nevan C , Thornton Dean
Published: May 2024

This work proposes a novel meshing technique that is able to extract surfaces from processed seismic data and integrate surfaces that were constructed using other extraction techniques. Contrary to other existing methods, the process is fully automated and does not require any user intervention. The proposed system includes an approach for closing the gaps that arise from the different techniques used for surface extraction. The developed process is able to handle non-manifold domains that result from multiple surface intersections. Surface and volume meshing that comply with user specified mesh control techniques are implemented to ensure the desired mesh quality. The integrated procedures provide a unique facility to handle geotechnical models and accelerate the generation of quality meshes for geophysics modelling. The developed procedure enables the creation of meshes for complex reservoir models to be reduced from weeks to a few hours. Various industrial examples are shown to demonstrate the practicable use of the developed approach to handle real life data.
Strengths, Struggles, and Strategies: How Adults with Serious Mental Illness Navigate Long-Term Romantic Relationships
Authors: Stein Catherine H. , Redondo Rachel A. , Simon Sharon , Silverman Zachary J.
Published: May 2024

Married individuals and those in committed romantic relationships generally report having better mental health outcomes than their single or divorced counterparts. However, studies of romantic relationships for adults with mental illness have often ignored rewarding aspects of romantic relationships and have focused primarily on relationship difficulties. In this study, 23 adults with serious mental illness in long-term romantic relationships described their relationship strengths and struggles in small focus group discussions. Content analysis was used to characterize themes from participant accounts. Overall, participants described deep emotional bonds with their partners, a mutual willingness to work on their relationship, and good communication skills as relationship strengths. Mental health symptoms and internalized stigma were identified as major contributors to relationship struggles. Participants spontaneously identified intentional strategies that they used to navigate mental health challenges in their relationship that included self-directed, partner-directed, and couple-directed actions. Implications of findings for research and practice are discussed.
Correlates of K-12 Students’ Intertextual Integration
Authors: Espinas Daniel R. , Chandler Brennan W.
Published: May 2024

We conducted a systematic review of research involving K-12 students that examined associations among individual differences factors (e.g., working memory) and intertextual integration. We identified 25 studies published in 23 peer-reviewed journal articles and two dissertations/theses. These examined a wide range of individual difference factors, which we organized into four categories: (a) language and literacy, (b) cognition and metacognition, (c) knowledge and beliefs, and (d) motivation, emotion, and personality. We found large variation in the participants, tasks, and document types, and little systematic replication across studies. Nonetheless, results generally showed that variation in literacy, cognition, metacognition, knowledge, beliefs, and motivation are positively and moderately associated with intertextual integration. We discuss the limitations of this work and offer four recommendations for future research.
Inhibitors application time and pasture canopy capture regulate gaseous losses of urine-N
Authors: Adhikari Kamal P. , Luo Jiafa , Saggar Surinder , Giltrap Donna
Published: May 2024

Technologies have been developed for the in-situ treatment of urine patches deposited by grazing livestock to mitigate nitrogen (N) losses using N transformation inhibitors. For this mitigation to be effective, close contact between the applied inhibitors and the N in the urine patch is required (similar to N-fertilisers coated with inhibitors). This research aimed to determine the proportions of urine-N that mixed with inhibitor at or exceeding the threshold concentration (inhibitor concentration at which the nitrification rate is reduced by at least 40%) when inhibitors were applied to simulated urine patches at 4, 24 and 48 h after synthetic urine application. Three commonly used nitrification inhibitors (NIs) [dicyandiamide (DCD), 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), and 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine (nitrapyrin)] were applied at 40 mL of inhibitor per urine-patch at two different concentrations. The field studies were undertaken in two dairy-grazed pasture soils with contrasting drainage. Large proportions of applied NIs (38%–59% DCD, 27%–58% DMPP, and 31%–58% nitrapyrin) were retained in the pasture canopy. In most cases, the inhibitor threshold concentration was present only within the top 0–20 mm of the soil, with only 16%–40% of the urine-N present. In some cases, the proportions of urine-N intercepted was 12%–15% higher when inhibitors were applied 4 h after urine application compared to delayed application of 24 and 48 h after urine application. Our results revealed that a substantial proportion of N in the urine-patch remained out of the reach of the inhibitor solution. This is possibly due to the small volume (40 mL per 2 L urine patch, 1:50) of the inhibitors applied, with up to 59% of inhibitor solution retained in the pasture canopy. The time delays (4 to 48 h) between the urine deposition and the inhibitor application could have also contributed to this poor physical mixing between inhibitor and urine. Increasing the volume of water applied with the inhibitor and assessing the effect of rainfall/irrigation on increasing urine-N and inhibitor mixing warrants further consideration.
The Liouville current of holomorphic quadratic differential metrics
Authors: Shi Jiajun
Published: May 2024

In this paper we study the Liouville current of flat cone metrics coming from a holomorphic quadratic differential. Anja Bankovic and Christopher J. Leininger proved in Bankovic and Leininger (Trans Am Math Soc 370:1867–1884, 2018) that for a fixed closed surface, there is an injection map from the space of flat cone metrics to the space of geodesic currents. We manage to show that metrics coming from holomorphic quadratic differentials can be distinguished from other flat metrics by just looking at the geodesic currents. The key idea is to analyze the support of Liouville current, which is a topological invariant independent of the metric, and get information about cone angles and holonomy. The holonomy part involves some subtlety of relationship between singular foliation and geodesic lamination. We also obtain a new proof of a classical result that almost all simple geodesics of a quadratic differential metric will be dense in the surface. Furthermore, for other flat cone metrics, there is no simple dense geodesic.
Fractional Analysis of Magnetohydrodynamics Maxwell Flow Over an Inclined Plate with the Effect of Thermal Radiation
Authors: Abbas Shajar , Nisa Zaib Un , Gilani Syeda Farzeen Fatima , Nazar Mudassar , Metwally Ahmed Sayed M. , Jan Ahmed Zubair
Published: May 2024

This current study provides a comprehensive examination of a novel method for studying the dynamics of a fractionalized Maxwell flow near an inclined plate, considering non-uniform mass transfer through a permeable media. Through the use of partial differential equations, incorporating heat and mass movement effects, the study employs a combination of generalized Fick’s and Fourier’s law with the Caputo operator. Transforming the fractionalized model into dimensionless form using appropriate dimensionless values, semi-analytical solutions for the non-dimensional transmitted fractional model are obtained via the Laplace transformation method. Through graphical analysis, the precise contributions of key parameters such as heat generation, radiation, and chemical reactions are elucidated, including their impacts on the calculated heat generation parameter (Qo), radiation parameter (Nr), and others. The study’s significance lies in its implications for the design of efficient heat exchangers, fluid flow systems, and cooling components in complex engineering systems, including nuclear reactors and power generation plants. Furthermore, the fractional derivative approach offers a more accurate representation of the viscoelastic behavior of materials like polymers, crucial for optimizing fabrication processes such as extrusion and molding. The insights gained from this study extend to the realm of miniaturized fluidic devices, including bio-analysis tools, lab-on-a-chip technology, and microfluidic drug delivery systems, where improved performance and control need a grasp of Maxwell fluid dynamics. The physical outcome of this research lays the groundwork for future investigations that will maximize heat transfer efficiency in real-world systems and give insightful information on the behavior of complicated fluids. We compute and display the skin friction, mass and heat transfer rate in tabular form.