bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy in HR+/HER2− breast cancer: an umbrella review
Authors: Pu Dongqing , Xu Debo , Wu Yue , Chen Hanhan , Shi Guangxi , Feng Dandan , Zhang Mengdi , Liu Zhiyong , Li Jingwei
Published: January 2024

Background

The use of Cyclin-Dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors has profoundly changed the challenge of endocrine therapy (ET) resistance in hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative (HER2−) breast cancer. However, there is currently no comprehensive evaluation of the evidence for the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors. We conducted an umbrella review to explore the impact of CDK4/6 inhibitor combined with ET on breast cancer by summarizing and assessing the meta-analysis (MA) and systematic review (SR) evidence.

Methods

Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to August 1st, 2022. Eligible studies were assessed for methodological quality, report quality, and evidence quality using the AMSTAR-2 scale, PRISMA 2020, and GRADE grading systems, respectively. We summarized all efficacy outcomes of CDK4/6 inhibitors for breast cancer and reported them in narrative form.

Results

Our study included 24 MAs and SRs. The strongest evidence demonstrated that CDK4/6 inhibitor combined with ET significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) in advanced breast cancer (ABC). A large body of moderate to high evidence showed a significant association between combination therapy and objective response rate (ORR), and clinical benefit response (CBR) benefit in ABC. Low evidence suggested some degree of benefit from combination therapy in second progression-free survival (PFS2) and time to subsequent chemotherapy (TTC) outcomes in ABC and invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) outcomes in early breast cancer.

Conclusions

Based on current evidence, CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with ET have great confidence in improving PFS, OS, ORR, and CBR outcomes in patients with ABC, which provides more rational and valid evidence-based medicine for CDK4/6 inhibitor promotion and clinical decision support.
Derivation and validation of a nomogram based on clinical characteristics to diagnose endometriosis associated ovarian cancer preoperatively
Authors: Xu Ting , Nie Xianglin , Zhang Lin , Meng Huangyang , Jiang Yi , Wan Yicong , Cheng Wenjun
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The preoperative diagnosis of endometriosis associated ovarian cancer (EAOC) remains challenging for lack of effective diagnostic biomarker. We aimed to study clinical characteristics and develop a nomogram for diagnosing EAOC before surgery.

Methods

A total of 87 patients with EAOC and 348 patients with ovarian endometrioma (OEM) were enrolled in our study. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and Logistic regression were utilized to select variables and construct the prediction model. The performance of the model was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and calibration plots, while decision curve analyses (DCAs) were conducted to assess clinical value. Bootstrap resampling was used to evaluated the stability of the model in the derivation set.

Results

The EAOC patients were older compared to the OEM patients (46.41 ± 9.62 vs. 36.49 ± 8.09 year, P < 0.001) and proportion of postmenopausal women was higher in EAOC group than in the OEM group (34.5 vs. 1.5%, P < 0.001). Our prediction model, which included age at diagnosis, tumor size, cancer antigen (CA) 19–9 and risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA), demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.858 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.795–0.920) in the derivation set (N = 304) and an AUC of 0.870 (95% CI: 0.779–0.961) in the validation set (N = 131). The model fitted both the derivation (Hosmer–Lemeshow test (HL) chi-square = 12.600, P = 0.247) and the validation (HL chi-square = 8.210, P = 0.608) sets well.

Conclusion

Compared to patients with OEM, those with EAOC exhibited distinct clinical characteristics. Our four-variable prediction model demonstrated excellent performance in both the derivation and validation sets, suggesting its potential to assist with preoperative diagnosis of EAOC.
Ultrasound-based deep learning radiomics nomogram for risk stratification of testicular masses: a two-center study
Authors: Fang Fuxiang , Sun Yan , Huang Hualin , Huang Yueting , Luo Xing , Yao Wei , Wei Liyan , Xie Guiwu , Wu Yongxian , Lu Zheng , Zhao Jiawen , Li Chengyang
Published: January 2024

Objective

To develop an ultrasound-driven clinical deep learning radiomics (CDLR) model for stratifying the risk of testicular masses, aiming to guide individualized treatment and minimize unnecessary procedures.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 275 patients with confirmed testicular lesions (January 2018 to April 2023) from two hospitals, split into training (158 cases), validation (68 cases), and external test cohorts (49 cases). Radiomics and deep learning (DL) features were extracted from preoperative ultrasound images. Following feature selection, we utilized logistic regression (LR) to establish a deep learning radiomics (DLR) model and subsequently derived its signature. Clinical data underwent univariate and multivariate LR analyses, forming the "clinic signature." By integrating the DLR and clinic signatures using multivariable LR, we formulated the CDLR nomogram for testicular mass risk stratification. The model’s efficacy was gauged using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), while its clinical utility was appraised with decision curve analysis(DCA). Additionally, we compared these models with two radiologists' assessments (5–8 years of practice).

Results

The CDLR nomogram showcased exceptional precision in distinguishing testicular tumors from non-tumorous lesions, registering AUCs of 0.909 (internal validation) and 0.835 (external validation). It also excelled in discerning malignant from benign testicular masses, posting AUCs of 0.851 (internal validation) and 0.834 (external validation). Notably, CDLR surpassed the clinical model, standalone DLR, and the evaluations of the two radiologists.

Conclusion

The CDLR nomogram offers a reliable tool for differentiating risks associated with testicular masses. It augments radiological diagnoses, facilitates personalized treatment approaches, and curtails unwarranted medical procedures.
Localization of nitric oxide–producing hemocytes in Aedes and Culex mosquitoes infected with bacteria
Authors: Bergmann Stella , Graf Emily , Hoffmann Pascal , Becker Stefanie C. , Stern Michael
Published: January 2024

Mosquitoes are significant vectors of various pathogens. Unlike vertebrates, insects rely solely on innate immunity. Hemocytes play a crucial role in the cellular part of the innate immune system. The gaseous radical nitric oxide (NO) produced by hemocytes acts against pathogens and also functions as a versatile transmitter in both the immune and nervous systems, utilizing cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) as a second messenger. This study conducted a parallel comparison of NO synthase (NOS) expression and NO production in hemocytes during Escherichia coli K12 infection in four vector species: Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Culex pipiens molestus, and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. Increased NOS expression by NADPH diaphorase (NADPHd) staining and NO production by immunofluorescence against the by-product L-citrulline were observed in infected mosquito hemocytes distributed throughout the abdomens. NADPHd activity and citrulline labeling were particularly found in periostial hemocytes near the heart, but also on the ventral nerve chord (VNC). Pericardial cells of Ae. aegypti and Cx. p. molestus showed increased citrulline immunofluorescence, suggesting their involvement in the immune response. Oenocytes displayed strong NADPHd and citrulline labeling independent of infection status. This comparative study, consistent with findings in other species, suggests a widespread phenomenon of NO’s role in hemocyte responses during E. coli infection. Found differences within and between genera highlight the importance of species-specific investigations.
AI and data-driven media analysis of TV content for optimised digital content marketing
Authors: Nixon Lyndon , Apostolidis Konstantinos , Apostolidis Evlampios , Galanopoulos Damianos , Mezaris Vasileios , Philipp Basil , Bocyte Rasa
Published: January 2024

To optimise digital content marketing for broadcasters, the Horizon 2020 funded ReTV project developed an end-to-end process termed “Trans-Vector Publishing” and made it accessible through a Web-based tool termed “Content Wizard”. This paper presents this tool with a focus on each of the innovations in data and AI-driven media analysis to address each key step in the digital content marketing workflow: topic selection, content search and video summarisation. First, we use predictive analytics over online data to identify topics the target audience will give the most attention to at a future time. Second, we use neural networks and embeddings to find the video asset closest in content to the identified topic. Third, we use a GAN to create an optimally summarised form of that video for publication, e.g. on social networks. The result is a new and innovative digital content marketing workflow which meets the needs of media organisations in this age of interactive online media where content is transient, malleable and ubiquitous.
Familiar but also radical? The moderating role of regional clusters for family firms in the emergence of radical innovation
Authors: Grashof Nils
Published: January 2024

Family firms are widely acknowledged to be the most predominant form of organization and hold a great relevance in most economies. Nevertheless, despite their popularity, research has thus far yielded inconsistent findings with regard to their innovative performance. This paper aims to address this research gap by focussing on a specific form of innovation: radical innovation. It seeks to determine the propensity of family firms to generate such innovations. Furthermore, by considering the heterogeneity between regions and firms, this paper also investigates the potential moderating effects of being located in a regional cluster and firm size. Based on various data sources, it is empirically shown that family firms are on average less capable of producing radical innovation than non-family firms. However, the corresponding regional context matters in this regard. By being located within regional clusters, family firms can reap the benefits of localization externalities, leading to produce more radical innovations than being located outside regional clusters.
Analysis of a spatial point pattern in relation to a reference point
Authors: Sadahiro Yukio , Matsumoto Hidetaka
Published: January 2024

This paper develops a new method for analyzing the relationship between a set of points and another single point, the latter of which we call a reference point. This relationship has been discussed in various academic fields, such as geography, criminology, and epidemiology. Analytical methods, however, have not yet been fully developed, which has motivated this paper. Our method reveals how the number of points varies by the distance from a reference point and by direction. It visualizes the spatial pattern of points in relation to a reference point, describes the point pattern using mathematical models, and statistically evaluates the difference between two sets of points. We applied the proposed method to analyze the spatial pattern of the climbers of Mt. Azuma, Japan. The result gave us useful and interesting findings, indicating the method’s soundness.
Small nucleolar RNA Snora73 promotes psoriasis progression by sponging miR-3074-5p and regulating PBX1 expression
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Guo Hui , Zhang Xiaoguang , Wang Ling , Wei Feng , Zhao Yike , Wang Bo , Meng Yibo , Li Yanling
Published: January 2024

Chronic psoriasis is a kind of immune-mediated skin illness and the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis remain incompletely understood. Here, we used small RNA microarray assays to scan the differential expressed RNAs in psoriasis patient samples. The downstream miRNAs and its targets were predicted using bioinformatics analysis from online bases and confirmed using fluorescence in situ hybridization and dual‑luciferase report gene assay. Cell ability of proliferation and migration were detected using CCK-8 and transwell assays. The results showed that a new snoRNA Snora73 was upregulated in psoriasis patient samples. Overexpression of Snora73 significantly increased psoriasis cells viability and migration, while knockdown of Snora73 got the opposite results. Mechanistically, our results showed that Snora73 acted as a sponge for miR-3074-5p and PBX1 is a direct target of miR-3074-5p in psoriasis cells. Furthermore, miR-3074-5p suppressed psoriasis cell proliferation and migration, while PBX1 promoted cell proliferation and migration in psoriasis. Collectively, these findings reveal a crucial role of Snora73 in progression of psoriasis through miR-3074-5p/PBX1 signaling pathway and suggest a potential therapeutic strategy.
Progress, challenges and prospects of the modified Taungya system in Ghana
Authors: Narh John
Published: January 2024

Forest landscape restoration through agroforestry has been implemented as a Nature-based Solution to deforestation in the Global South with varied outcomes. The Modified Taungya System (MTS) is one of such programmes introduced in Ghana to address socio-economically-induced degradation of forest reserves. For two decades since its establishment, there has not been any examination of  a synthesised findings on the MTS and their implication for the prospects of the programme. Using the PRISMA method to select empirical studies, this article examines the state of reforestation under the MTS by reflecting on the conditions of success and failures of the programme. In doing so, two interrelated arguments are advanced. First, the MTS seems to be successful when farmers are well-educated about the programme and their future benefits in the reserves that they enrich. Second, the MTS has largely failed to achieve its full potentials for forest recovery due to bribery, corruption and nepotism that have bedevilled land demarcation to, and delays in signing benefit sharing agreement with, farmers. There is a need for a thorough sensitisation on the MTS to enhance its transparency. Besides, the MTS needs to be remodified if it would be one of the strategies to contribute to the Bonn Challenge and for a durable climate mitigation.
Perception and Awareness about Monkeypox and Vaccination Acceptance in an At-Risk Population in Brescia, Italy: An Investigative Survey
Authors: Crosato Verena , Formenti Beatrice , Gulletta Maurizio , Odolini Silvia , Compostella Silvia , Tomasoni Lina Rachele , Matteelli Alberto , Castelli Francesco
Published: January 2024

Before 2022, monkeypox virus (Mpox) infection in humans was seldom reported outside Africa. During the May 2022 outbreak, most cases were detected among men who have sex with men (MSM). Since Mpox is largely unknown to the general population, through a self-completion questionnaire, we investigated the behaviours and knowledge of our at-risk population belonging to the sexually transmitted infection (STI) outpatient clinic of the Infectious Diseases Unit of the ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Italy, between August and October 2022. Most patients that took part in the compilation are HIV positive MSM. The other participants were HIV-seronegative patients with other STIs. Overall, 144 questionnaires were compiled. Most of the participants were Italians (130;90%) and males (139;96.5%) between 30 and 60 years (118;82%). Almost all (136;94%) reported having heard about Mpox and more than half (80;56%) received information about the transmission. Twenty-four respondents (16%) received information from health professionals and 14 (10%) believed that the information received was complete. Although 41% of respondents thought they were at risk of getting the infection and 62% were afraid to get it, the majority (56%) did not increase the precautions taken. When asked if they would accept a vaccine to prevent the disease, more than a third (32%) of respondents expressed hesitation or complete refusal to be vaccinated. Based on our results, what emerges is that there is still a lack of knowledge and awareness about Mpox. To address this issue, targeted health promotion and education strategies that provide the necessary resources to reduce risk behaviours and enhance connections with healthcare professionals are needed.
Bootstrapping and Persuasive Argumentation
Authors: Melchior Guido
Published: January 2024

That bootstrapping and Moorean reasoning fail to instantiate persuasive argumentation is an often informally presented but not systematically developed view. In this paper, I will argue that this unpersuasiveness is not determined by principles of justification transmission but by two straightforward principles of rationality, understood as a concept of internal coherence. First, it is rational for S to believe the conclusion of an argument because of the argument, only if S believes sufficiently many premises of the argument. Second, if S doubts that a source O is reliable and believes that information i is delivered by O, then S rationally suspends judgment about the truth of i. This paper aims to accomplish two tasks. First, it provides a thorough analysis of why bootstrapping argumentation is not an instance of rational persuasion. Second, it contains a more general theory about preconditions and limits of persuasive argumentation.
Is there a black hole in the center of the Sun?
Authors: Caplan Matthew E. , Bellinger Earl P. , Santarelli Andrew D.
Published: January 2024

There is probably not a black hole in the center of the Sun. Despite this detail, our goal in this work to convince the reader that this question is interesting and that work studying stars with central black holes is well motivated. If primordial black holes exist then they may exist in sufficiently large numbers to explain the dark matter in the universe. While primordial black holes may form at almost any mass, the asteroid-mass window between $10^{-16} - 10^{-10}\ \textrm{M}_{\odot }$

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remains a viable dark matter candidate and these black holes could be captured by stars upon formation. Such a star, partially powered by accretion luminosity from a microscopic black hole in its core, has been called a ‘Hawking star.’ Stellar evolution of Hawking stars is highly nontrivial and requires detailed stellar evolution models, which were developed in our recent work. We present here full evolutionary models of solar mass Hawking stars using two accretion schemes: one with a constant radiative efficiency, and one that is new in this work that uses an adaptive radiative efficiency to model the effects of photon trapping.
The impact of tumor microenvironment: unraveling the role of physical cues in breast cancer progression
Authors: Akinpelu Ayuba , Akinsipe Tosin , Avila L. Adriana , Arnold Robert D. , Mistriotis Panagiotis
Published: January 2024

Metastasis accounts for the vast majority of breast cancer-related fatalities. Although the contribution of genetic and epigenetic modifications to breast cancer progression has been widely acknowledged, emerging evidence underscores the pivotal role of physical stimuli in driving breast cancer metastasis. In this review, we summarize the changes in the mechanics of the breast cancer microenvironment and describe the various forces that impact migrating and circulating tumor cells throughout the metastatic process. We also discuss the mechanosensing and mechanotransducing molecules responsible for promoting the malignant phenotype in breast cancer cells. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the mechanobiology of breast cancer carries substantial potential to propel progress in prognosis, diagnosis, and patient treatment.
Dated Truths Without Dated Powers
Authors: Giannini Giacomo , Donati Donatella
Published: January 2024

Dispositionalism is the theory of modality according to which all (metaphysical and natural) modal truths are made true by some actual irreducibly dispositional property. The relationship between Dispositionalism and time is yet to be satisfactorily explored. In this paper we contribute to this task by examining how Dispositionalism deals with ‘dated truths’: propositions involving a specific time, e.g. “It might rain at 12.30”. We examine two possible accounts: the first, 'Dated Manifestations Strategy', is the idea that powers are very fine-grained, and tend towards temporally very specific manifestations. We argue that such strategy should not be adopted, for it leads to unnecessary violations of ontological parsimony; it is unable to accommodate an ontology of platonic universals; and it is incapable of offering a principled explanation of the forward-looking nature of powers. We offer an alternative account, the "Duration Strategy", which relies on an independently determined arrow of time and the existence of some “duration facts” that specify how long a power takes to bring about its manifestation. We argue that the Duration Strategy is to be preferred. We then flesh out the account by exploring the connection between powers, duration facts, and processes.
A qualitative analysis of knowledge graphs in recommendation scenarios through semantics-aware autoencoders
Authors: Bellini Vito , Di Sciascio Eugenio , Donini Francesco Maria , Pomo Claudio , Ragone Azzurra , Schiavone Angelo
Published: January 2024

Knowledge Graphs (KGs) have already proven their strength as a source of high-quality information for different tasks such as data integration, search, text summarization, and personalization. Another prominent research field that has been benefiting from the adoption of KGs is that of Recommender Systems (RSs). Feeding a RS with data coming from a KG improves recommendation accuracy, diversity, and novelty, and paves the way to the creation of interpretable models that can be used for explanations. This possibility of combining a KG with a RS raises the question whether such an addition can be performed in a plug-and-play fashion – also with respect to the recommendation domain – or whether each combination needs a careful evaluation. To investigate such a question, we consider all possible combinations of (i) three recommendation tasks (books, music, movies); (ii) three recommendation models fed with data from a KG (and in particular, a semantics-aware deep learning model, that we discuss in detail), compared with three baseline models without KG addition; (iii) two main encyclopedic KGs freely available on the Web: DBpedia and Wikidata. Supported by an extensive experimental evaluation, we show the final results in terms of accuracy and diversity of the various combinations, highlighting that the injection of knowledge does not always pay off. Moreover, we show how the choice of the KG, and the form of data in it, affect the results, depending on the recommendation domain and the learning model.
Racial effects on masimo pulse oximetry: impact of low perfusion index
Authors: Sharma Vikrant , Barker Steven J. , Sorci Rebecca , Park Linus , Wilson William C.
Published: January 2024

Purpose: Evaluate the SpO2-SaO2 difference between Black and White volunteer subjects having a low perfusion index (Pi) compared to those having a normal Pi. Methods: The Pi data were abstracted from electronic files collected on 7183 paired SpO2-SaO2 samples (3201 Black and 3982 White) from a recently reported desaturation study of 75 subjects (39 Black and 36 White) where SaO2 values were sequentially decreased from 100 to 70%. The Pi values from that dataset were divided into two groups (Pi ≤ 1 or Pi > 1) for analysis. A Pi value ≤ 1 was considered “low perfusion” and a Pi value > 1 was considered “normal perfusion”. Statistical calculations included values of bias (mean difference of SpO2-SaO2), precision (standard deviation of the difference), and accuracy (root-mean-square error [ARMS]). During conditions of low perfusion (Pi ≤ 1, range [0.1 to 1]), overall bias and precision were + 0.48% ± 1.59%, while bias and precision were + 0.19 ± 1.53%, and + 0.91 ± 1.57%, for Black and White subjects, respectively. Results: During normal perfusion (Pi > 1, range [1 to 12]), overall bias and precision were + 0.18% ± 1.34%, while bias and precision were -0.26 ± 1.37%, and − 0.12 ± 1.31%, for Black and White subjects, respectively. ARMS was 1.37% in all subjects with normal perfusion and 1.64% in all subjects with low perfusion. Conclusion: Masimo SET® pulse oximeters with RD SET® sensors are accurate for individuals of both Black and White races when Pi is normal, as well as during conditions when Pi is low. The ARMS for all conditions studied is well within FDA standards. This study was conducted in healthy volunteers during well-controlled laboratory desaturations, and results could vary under certain challenging clinical conditions.
Co-offending and the Persistence of Violence: A Dynamic Analysis
Authors: Meneghini Cecilia , Calderoni Francesco
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Previous research underscores the influence of prior violent co-offending on subsequent violent behavior, linking it to a social contagion mechanism akin to the internalization of violence. However, these studies are limited by disregarding the entirety of a criminal career and overlooking diverse co-offending dynamics beyond co-offenders’ characteristics. This study examines the longitudinal impact of prior violent (solo and co-) offending on future individual-level violent behavior among Italian organized crime offenders.

Methods

Leveraging criminal career data from 9819 Italian organized crime offenders, we model offending choices through a discrete-time Markov process. Subsequently, employing dynamic random-effects probit models, we quantify the influence of prior violent (solo and co-) offending on future violence, considering various confounders and unobserved individual-level effects.

Results

Violence is a persistent and long-lasting behavior among organized crime offenders. Prior violent co-offending has a greater impact than prior violent solo offending on the probability of future violence. Prior violent co-offending increases the probability of future violent co-offending but does not impact the probability of future violent solo offending.

Conclusions

The results show that co-offending promotes the transmission of violence but fail to support the internalization of violent behavior postulated by prior studies. We propose possible alternative mechanisms of violence transmission that operate through self-sustaining dynamics of violent co-offending within criminal groups. Although limited data on individual characteristics constrains interpretation, our results imply that violence transmission dynamics are independent from the individual characteristics of the co-offenders and more directly connected to group effects.
Healthcare Chaplaincy for Geriatric Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study into the Outcomes of Catholic Chaplaincy Interventions in Belgium
Authors: Desmet Lindsy , Dezutter Jessie , Vandenhoeck Anne , Dillen Annemie
Published: January 2024

The present non-randomized clinical trial examined the short-term outcomes of one-on-one chaplaincy interventions with 416 geriatric patients in Belgium. Participants were interviewed one or two days before a potential chaplaincy intervention (baseline measurement), and one or two days after a potential intervention (post-measurement). Patients in the non-randomized intervention group received an intervention by the chaplain, while the non-randomized comparison group did not. Patients in the intervention group showed a significant decrease in state anxiety and negative affect, and a significant improvement in levels of hope, positive affect, peace, and Scottish PROM-scores, compared to the comparison group. Levels of meaning in life and faith did not significantly change after the chaplaincy intervention. This study suggests that geriatric patients may benefit from chaplaincy care and recommends the integration of chaplaincy care into the care for older adults.
Experiences of Awe and Gratitude and Related Triggers Among Religious Brothers and Sisters: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in Germany
Authors: Büssing Arndt , Weit Michael , Baumann Klaus
Published: January 2024

A cross-sectional survey among religious brothers and sisters (n = 250) with their specific lifestyle and related spiritual practices stated moments of awe perceptions. They responded to both the Awe/Gratitude scale and to free text fields to substantiate their quantitative responses. Qualitative content analysis of their free text responses resulted in six main categories of awe triggers: (1) Nature, (2) Special Moments, (3) Transcendence Perceptions, (4) Religious practices, (5) Distinct People, and (6) Aesthetics, Art and Culture. Awe perceptions can be an immediate feeling and the outcome of a process of reflection in response to admiration, inspiration, and elevation. As these perceptions are related to psychological well-being and prosocial behaviors, their training can generate positive effects on quality of life.
Constructing a 30-item test for character amnesia in Chinese
Authors: Langsford Steven , Xu Zebo , Cai Zhenguang G.
Published: January 2024

In the digital age, handwriting literacy has declined to a worrying degree, especially in non-alphabetic writing systems. In particular, Chinese (and also Japanese) handwriters have suffered from character amnesia (提笔忘字), where people cannot correctly produce a character though they can recognize it. Though character amnesia is widespread, there is no diagnostic test for it. In this study, we developed a fast and practical test for an individual’s character amnesia rate calibrated for adult native speakers of Mandarin. We made use of a large-scale handwriting database, where 42 native Mandarin speakers each handwrote 1200 characters from dictation prompts (e.g., 水稻的稻, read shui3 dao4 de1dao4 meaning “rice from the word rice-plant”). After handwriting, participants were presented with the target character and reported whether their handwriting was correct, they knew the character but could not fully handwrite it (i.e., character amnesia), or they did not understand the dictation phrase. We used a two-parameter Item Response Theory to model correct handwriting and character amnesia responses, after excluding the don’t-know responses. Using item characteristics estimated from this model, we investigate the performance of short-form tests constructed with random, maximum discrimination, and diverse difficulty subsetting strategies. We construct a 30-item test that can be completed in about 15 min, and by repeatedly holding out subsets of participants, estimate that the character amnesia assessments from it can be expected to correlate between r = 0.82 and r = 0.89 with amnesia rates in a comprehensive 1200 item test. We suggest that our short test can be used to provide quick assessment of character amnesia for adult Chinese handwriters and can be straightforwardly re-calibrated to prescreen for developmental dysgraphia in children and neurodegenerative diseases in elderly people.
Martingale defects in the volatility surface and bubble conditions in the underlying
Authors: Stahl Philip , Blauth Jérôme
Published: January 2024

The martingale theory of bubbles enables testing for asset price bubbles by analyzing option prices. As recently shown by Piiroinen et al. (Asset price bubbles: an option-based indicator, 2018), the SABR model is a strict local martingale when its parameterization implies a positive correlation between stock and option prices. We operationalize this theoretical result and analyze stock price bubbles in 2576 stocks over 26 years. Martingale defect conditions are absorbed quickly by options markets, but identify high proportions in significant and permanent changes in distribution of price returns, option trading activity, short interest in the underlying, and institutional ownership. These results confirm many common assumptions about stock price bubbles. These bubbles are temporally clustered, and tend to occur in periods of positive market development. Martingale defects are rare in market corrections, which indicates that they are a result of overoptimistic speculation.
Determinants of manuscript submissions to fully open access journals: elasticity to article processing charges
Authors: Asai Sumiko
Published: January 2024

Article processing charges that authors and research institutions pay to make articles open access are increasing. If manuscript submission is price elastic, then rising charges will cause a significant reduction in submissions, leading to decreased revenues under constant acceptance rates. Therefore, the elasticity of manuscript submission to article processing charge is one of the determinants of publishers’ charges. However, several studies that investigated the determinants of article processing charges did not consider this elasticity. This study investigated the determinants of submissions, including the elasticity to article processing charge, by formulating the number of manuscript submissions to fully open access journals published by Hindawi and Elsevier in 2022. Moreover, this study formulated manuscript submissions using both list prices and charges paid to Elsevier that OpenAPC collected to compare the results. The estimation results reveal that the two publishers increase their revenues by raising the article processing charges due to the inelasticity. Moreover, these conclusions do not depend on the data set used, although the number of observations sourced from OpenAPC is small.
Evaluation of the in vitro effects of concentrations of antibiotics on three Enterobacteriaceae isolates
Authors: Delik Eda , Eroğlu Berfin , Tefon-Öztürk Burcu Emine
Published: January 2024

Due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, bacteria are now exposed to sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of antibiotics in various environments. In recent years, exposure of bacteria to sub-MICs of antibiotics has led to the widespread emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study, three bacterial species from the Enterobacteriaceae family (Raoultella ornithinolytica, Pantoea agglomerans and Klebsiella quasivariicola) were isolated from water. The antibiotic susceptibility of these bacteria to 16 antibiotics was then investigated. The effects of sub-MICs of four selected antibiotics (kanamycin, chloramphenicol, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin) on the growth, biofilm formation, surface polysaccharide production, siderophore production, morphology, and expression of the translational/transcriptional regulatory transformer gene rfaH of these bacteria were analysed. The MICs of kanamycin, chloramphenicol, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin were determined to be 1, 2, 0.03 and 0.03 µg/mL for R. ornithinolytica; 0.6, 6, 0.03 and 0.05 µg/mL for P. agglomerans; and 2, 5, 0.04 and 0.2 µg/mL for K. quasivariicola. The growth kinetics and biofilm formation ability decreased for all three isolates at sub-MICs. The surface polysaccharides of R. ornithinolytica and P. agglomerans increased at sub-MICs. There was no significant change in the siderophore activities of the bacterial isolates, with the exception of MIC/2 meropenem in R. ornithinolytica and MIC/2 kanamycin in K. quasivariicola. It was observed that the sub-MICs of meropenem and ciprofloxacin caused significant changes in bacterial morphology. In addition, the expression of rfaH in R. ornithinolytica and K. quasivariicola increased with the sub-MICs of the selected antibiotics.
Evolutionary preservation of CpG dinucleotides in RAG1 may elucidate the relatively high rate of methylation-mediated mutagenesis of RAG1 transposase
Authors: Fawzy Mariam M. , Nazmy Maiiada H. , El-Sheikh Azza A. K. , Fathy Moustafa
Published: January 2024

Recombination-activating gene 1 (RAG1) is a vital player in V(D)J recombination, a fundamental process in primary B cell and T cell receptor diversification of the adaptive immune system. Current vertebrate RAG evolved from RAG transposon; however, it has been modified to play a crucial role in the adaptive system instead of being irreversibly silenced by CpG methylation. By interrogating a range of publicly available datasets, the current study investigated whether RAG1 has retained a disproportionate level of its original CpG dinucleotides compared to other genes, thereby rendering it more exposed to methylation-mediated mutation. Here, we show that 57.57% of RAG1 pathogenic mutations and 51.6% of RAG1 disease-causing mutations were associated with CpG methylation, a percentage that was significantly higher than that of its RAG2 cofactor alongside the whole genome. The CpG scores and densities for all RAG ancestors suggested that RAG transposon was CpG denser. The percentage of the ancestral CpG of RAG1 and RAG2 were 6% and 4.2%, respectively, with no preference towards CG containing codons. Furthermore, CpG loci of RAG1 in sperms were significantly higher methylated than that of RAG2. In conclusion, RAG1 has been exposed to CpG mediated methylation mutagenesis more than RAG2 and the whole genome, presumably due to its late entry to the genome later with an initially higher CpG content.
Transient breathing dynamics during extinction of dissipative solitons in mode-locked fiber lasers
Authors: Yuan Zichuan , Luo Si , Dai Ke , Yao Xiankun , Tao Chenning , Ling Qiang , Zhang Yusheng , Guan Zuguang , Chen Daru , Cui Yudong
Published: January 2024

The utilization of the dispersive Fourier transformation approach has enabled comprehensive observation of the birth process of dissipative solitons in fiber lasers. However, there is still a dearth of deep understanding regarding the extinction process of dissipative solitons. In this study, we have utilized a combination of experimental and numerical techniques to thoroughly examine the breathing dynamics of dissipative solitons during the extinction process in an Er-doped mode-locked fiber laser. The results demonstrate that the transient breathing dynamics have a substantial impact on the extinction stage of both steady-state and breathing-state dissipative solitons. The duration of transient breathing exhibits a high degree of sensitivity to variations in pump power. Numerical simulations are utilized to produce analogous breathing dynamics within the framework of a model that integrates equations characterizing the population inversion in a mode-locked laser. These results corroborate the role of Q-switching instability in the onset of breathing oscillations. Furthermore, these findings offer new possibilities for the advancement of various operational frameworks for ultrafast lasers.

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Production and evaluation of novel functional cream cottage cheese fortified with bovine colostrum and probiotic bacteria
Authors: Abdeen El-Sayed M. , Hamed Ahmed M. , Ismail Hesham A.
Published: January 2024

Nutrient-dense colostrum can be employed as a functional food ingredient. This work aimed to produce novel functional probiotic Cream cottage cheese (FPC) using probiotic (ABT) culture and bovine colostrum powder (BCP) at levels of 1, 2, and 3%. Physicochemical and functional properties (antioxidant activity, fatty acid profile, and antibacterial activity) were analyzed. The outcome revealed that hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess were increased while springiness and chewiness were decreased for the treated cheeses. In FPC, medium-chain fatty acids were the predominant forms, followed by short- and long-chain fatty acids, polyunsaturated (PUFA), and small amounts of monounsaturated (MUFA). The antioxidant activity of all the cheese samples was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by increasing the quantity of colostrum powder and lengthening storage time. Color parameters were influenced by enrichment with BCP, whether in fresh or stored samples. With the addition of BCP, the growth of lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacteria was enhanced, whereas that of pathogenic bacteria, mold and yeast, and coliform groups was inhibited. Cheeses fortified with 2% BCP had significantly higher score values than those in the other treatments. Therefore, it could be concluded that cottage cheese fortified with 2% BCP has high nutritional value and health benefits.
Heat Source Model Development for Thermal Analysis of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Using Bayesian Optimization and Machine Learning
Authors: Kusano Masahiro , Watanabe Makoto
Published: January 2024

To understand the correlation between process, structures, and properties in laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), it is essential to use numerical analysis as well as experimental approaches. A finite element thermal analysis uses a moving heat source model represented as a volumetric heat flux to simulate heat input by laser. Because of its computational efficiency, finite element thermal analysis is suitable for iterative procedures such as parametric study and process optimization. However, to obtain valid simulated results, the heat source model must be calibrated by comparison with experimental results for each laser scanning condition. The need for re-calibration limits the applicable window of laser scanning conditions in the thermal analysis. Thus, the current study developed a novel heat source model that is valid and precise under any laser scanning condition within a wide process window. As a secondary objective in the development, we quantitatively evaluated and compared the four heat source models proposed to date. It was found that the most suitable heat source model for the L-PBF is conical one among them. Then, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to represent the heat source model as a function of laser power and scanning velocity. Consequently, the thermal analysis with the novel model is valid and precise within the wide process window of L-PBF.
Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of CEUS for renal cell carcinoma and angiomyolipoma: a narrative review
Authors: Dipinto Piervito , Canale Vittorio , Minelli Rocco , Capuano Marco Alex , Catalano Orlando , Di Pierro Giovanni Battista , Anceschi Umberto , Perdonà Sisto , Tufano Antonio
Published: January 2024

Incidental findings of renal masses are increasing. However, a substantial portion of surgically treated renal masses turn out to be benign on histopathological examination. Thus, there is a clear need for improved pre-surgical assessment to minimize unnecessary invasive procedures. The challenge intensifies when distinguishing between renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and angiomyolipoma (AML) in renal lesions smaller than 4 cm with minimal adipose tissue. In such cases, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has emerged as a valuable diagnostic tool, by utilizing both qualitative and quantitative parameters. Quantitative measures offer objectivity, reliability, and reproducibility compared to qualitative parameters, enabling the characterization of RCC subtypes and differentiation from AML. Qualitative features as enhancement pattern, degree, and peak were less helpful in distinguishing triphasic minimal fat AML (TAML) from epithelioid AML (EAML), with the pseudocapsule sign potentially being the only distinguishing qualitative feature. The pseudocapsule sign was more frequently observed in ccRCCs (38.0%) than in AMLs (15.6%). Moreover, it was detected in 40.0% of EAMLs and 34.5% of ccRCCs but not in TAMLs due to similar growth patterns between EAMLs and low-grade ccRCCs. Quantitative measures such as the time-to-peak (TTP) ratio can further enhance diagnostic accuracy and also TOC ratio should be considered, as it was higher in clear cell RCCs (ccRCCs) and in EAMLs compared to TAMLs, indicating behavior similar to ccRCCs. However, CEUS remains an operator-dependent exam.
Research on Vibration Characteristics of a Flexible Vehicle-Ladder Track System
Authors: Wang Huan , Gu Aijun , Fan Qiang , Xing Xing , Liu Jingyu
Published: January 2024

As a means of vibration reduction, the ladder track has seen broad implementation in urban rail transit. However, issues such as increased vibration noise, rail corrugation, and fastener failure have been observed in certain sections of the ladder track during later operation. To investigate the mechanisms behind these phenomena and provide comprehensive insights into the system's response to various operational conditions, this study employed vehicle-track coupled dynamic theory to establish a three-dimensional finite element model of the flexible vehicle-ladder track system. The vibration transmission and dynamic response characteristics of the vehicle-ladder track system were analyzed. The findings revealed that the vehicle-track resonance and anti-resonance phenomena were more prominent in the medium- to low-frequency range. At specific frequencies, the wheelset exhibited various vibration modes, and the fastener force was found to closely correlate with the ladder vibration mode. Furthermore, the influence of speed on diverse components of the vehicle-ladder track system, in terms of maximum vibration and the dominant vibration frequency range, differed considerably. This study provides a more comprehensive and reasonable exploration of the modeling and dynamic behavior of vehicle-ladder track systems.
DB-GPT: Large Language Model Meets Database
Authors: Zhou Xuanhe , Sun Zhaoyan , Li Guoliang
Published: January 2024

Large language models (LLMs) have shown superior performance in various areas. And LLMs have the potential to revolutionize data management by serving as the "brain" of next-generation database systems. However, there are several challenges that utilize LLMs to optimize databases. First, it is challenging to provide appropriate prompts (e.g., instructions and demonstration examples) to enable LLMs to understand the database optimization problems. Second, LLMs only capture the logical database characters (e.g., SQL semantics) but are not aware of physical characters (e.g., data distributions), and it requires to fine-tune LLMs to capture both physical and logical information. Third, LLMs are not well trained for databases with strict constraints (e.g., query plan equivalence) and privacy-preserving requirements, and it is challenging to train database-specific LLMs while ensuring database privacy. To overcome these challenges, this vision paper proposes a LLM-based database framework (), including automatic prompt generation, DB-specific model fine-tuning, and DB-specific model design and pre-training. Preliminary experiments show that achieves relatively good performance in database tasks like query rewrite and index tuning. The source code and datasets are available at github.com/TsinghuaDatabaseGroup/DB-GPT.
In situ monitoring of stress corrosion at the Alloy 625|NaCl interface
Authors: Wu Fuli , Zhu Yongyan , Yuan Boyu , Li Liang
Published: January 2024

Digital holography was used for in situ monitoring of the dynamic stress corrosion processes occurring at the Alloy 625|0.5 M NaCl interface. The introduction of elastic deformation to Alloy 625 through constant extension rate tensile loading increased the anodic and corrosion currents. These increases were attributed to the increased stress caused by elastic deformation, which increased the number of defects in the oxide film on the surface of Alloy 625 and promoted stress corrosion; this was verified by the fact that the accept density (NA) was nearly ten times greater with elastic deformation than without elastic deformation. Intergranular corrosion (IGC) was induced without elastic deformation. IGC induction occurred because chloride ions were readily adsorbed at the grain boundaries and were more active than the grain bodies. However, the application of elastic deformation induced cracks on the alloy surface to enhance stress corrosion, and it inhibited the development of IGC because the cracks were more susceptible to corrosion than the grain boundaries. In-line digital holography revealed that the cracks were initiated in a certain area and progressively advanced to adjacent areas with applied elastic tensile stress.