bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Process evaluation of a Structured E-parenting Support (STEPS) in the OPTIMA randomised controlled trial: a protocol
Authors: Hedstrom Ellen , Kostyrka-Allchorne Katarzyna , French Blandine , Glazebrook Cristine , Hall Charlotte Lucy , Kovshoff Hanna , Lean Nancy , Sonuga-Barke Edmund
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Structured E-parenting Support(STEPS) is a digital application (app) designed to help parents manage behaviour of their children who are referred to mental health services and are waiting for an assessment or treatment. STEPS is currently being evaluated in the Online Parent Training for the Initial Management of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder randomised controlled trial. Alongside the examination of STEPS’ clinical and cost-effectiveness, we are conducting a process evaluation to better understand the contextual factors that may influence study outcomes. The purpose of this protocol is to describe the aims, objectives and methodology of the process evaluation prior to it taking place to add to the fidelity and rigour of the trial process and outcomes. Our goal is to adapt STEPS to optimise its benefits in future applications.

Methods

In line with the Medical Research Council guidelines for evaluating complex interventions, the process evaluation will adopt a mixed method design using qualitative data collected from clinicians and parent interviews and app usage data from participants assigned to the intervention arm.

Analysis

Qualitative data from semistructured interviews and free text box responses included in trial questionnaires will be analysed thematically using framework analysis to better understand how parents use STEPS, how it works and key factors that could aid or hinder its effective implementation in routine clinical practice.

Ethics

The application for ethical approval for the study was submitted to the North West—Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee and received a favourable opinion on further information on 26 November 2021, reference number 21/NW/0319.

Dissemination

The process evaluation aims to explore how a digital app might support parents in managing their child’s behaviour. Implications for policy and research will be explored and the clinical implications of offering the app to a wider audience to address the lack of support to parents as highlighted in this paper. We plan to publish findings in international, peer-reviewed journals as well as present at conferences.

Trial registration number

The trial has been prospectively registered on 18 November 2021;ISRCTN816523503.https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN16523503.
Comparison of outcomes from tunnelled femorally inserted central catheters and peripherally inserted central catheters: a propensity score-matched cohort study
Authors: McManus Craig , Mifflin Nicholas , Rivera Renz , Vause Sophie , Tran Ton , Ostroff Matthew , Harrowell Lorenza , Frost Steven , Alexandrou Evan
Published: May 2024

Objectives

To compare catheter-related outcomes of individuals who received a tunnelled femorally inserted central catheter (tFICC) with those who received a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in the upper extremities.

Design

A propensity-score matched cohort study.

Setting

A 980-bed tertiary referral hospital in South West Sydney, Australia.

Participants

In-patients referred to the hospital central venous access service for the insertion of a central venous access device.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome of interest was the incidence of all-cause catheter failure. Secondary outcomes included the rates of catheters removed because of suspected or confirmed catheter-associated infection, catheter dwell and confirmed upper or lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Results

The overall rate of all-cause catheter failure in the matched tFICC and PICC cohort was 2.4/1000 catheter days (95% CI 1.1 to 4.4) and 3.0/1000 catheter days (95% CI 2.3 to 3.9), respectively, and when compared, no difference was observed (difference −0.63/1000 catheter days, 95% CI −2.32 to 1.06). We found no differences in catheter dwell (mean difference of 14.2 days, 95% CI −6.6 to 35.0, p=0.910); or in the cumulative probability of failure between the two groups within the first month of dwell (p=0.358). No significant differences were observed in the rate of catheters requiring removal for confirmed central line-associated bloodstream infection (difference 0.13/1000 catheter day, 95% CI −0.36 to 0.63, p=0.896). Similarly, no significant differences were found between the groups for confirmed catheter-related DVT (difference −0.11 per 1000 catheter days, 95% CI −0.26 to 0.04, p=1.00).

Conclusion

There were no differences in catheter-related outcomes between the matched cohort of tFICC and PICC patients, suggesting that tFICCs are a possible alternative for vascular access when the veins of the upper extremities or thoracic region are not viable for catheterisation.
Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting the occurrence of renal dysfunction after treatment of immune checkpoint inhibitor: a retrospective case–control study
Authors: Su Jianan , Chen Pengwei , Yang Yaping , Gao Ziqing , Bi Zhuofei , Feng Min
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) may lead to renal adverse events, notably including renal dysfunction. To early predict the probability of renal dysfunction after ICIs therapy, a retrospective case–control study was conducted.

Methods

Clinical information on ICIs-treated patients was collected. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to identify risk factors for renal dysfunction after ICIs treatment. Moreover, a nomogram model was developed and validated internally.

Results

A total of 442 patients were included, among which 35 (7.9%) experienced renal dysfunction after ICIs treatment. Lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (OR 0.941; 95% CI 0.917 to 0.966; p<0.001), concurrent exposure of platinum(OR 4.014; 95% CI 1.557 to 10.346; p=0.004), comorbidities of hypertension (OR 3.478; 95% CI 1.600 to 7.562; p=0.002) and infection (OR 5.402; 95% CI 1.544 to 18.904; p=0.008) were found to be independent associated with renal dysfunction after ICIs treatment. To develop a predictive nomogram for the occurrence of renal dysfunction after ICIs treatment, the included cases were divided into training and validation groups in a ratio of 7:3 randomly. The above four independent risk factors were included in the model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the predictiive model were 0.822 (0.723–0.922) and 0.815 (0.699–0.930) in the training and validation groups, respectively.

Conclusions

Lower baseline eGFR, platinum exposure, comorbidities of hypertension and infection were predictors of renal dysfunction in ICIs-treated patients with cancer. A nomogram was developed to predict the probability of renal dysfunction after ICIs treatment, which might be operable and valuable in clinical practice.
Trajectories of depressive symptoms and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and mortality: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Min Jiahao , Cao Zhi , Chen Han , Wang Xiaohe , Xu Chenjie
Published: May 2024

Background

Depressive symptoms are established risk factors for various health outcomes. However, previous studies assessed depressive symptoms at a single time point, neglecting individual variations over time.

Aims

To identify depressive symptoms trajectories through repeated measures and examine their associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and mortality.

Methods

This study included 20 634 UK Biobank participants free of CVD and cancer at baseline with two or more assessments of depressive symptoms during 2006–2016. Group-based trajectory modelling identified depressive symptoms trajectories. Incident CVD, cancer and mortality were followed up until 2021 through linked registries.

Results

Six depressive symptoms trajectories were identified: no symptoms (n=6407), mild-stable (n=11 539), moderate-stable (n=2183), severe-decreasing (n=206), moderate-increasing (n=177) and severe-stable (n=122). During a median follow-up of 5.5 years, 1471 CVD cases, 1275 cancer cases and 503 deaths were documented. Compared with the no symptoms trajectory, the mild-stable, moderate-stable and severe-stable trajectories exhibited higher CVD risk, with hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CIs) of 1.19 (1.06 to 1.34), 1.32 (1.08 to 1.34) and 2.99 (1.85 to 4.84), respectively. Moderate-increasing and severe-stable trajectories were associated with higher mortality risks, with HRs (95% CIs) of 2.27 (1.04 to 4.93) and 3.26 (1.55 to 6.88), respectively. However, the severe-decreasing trajectory was not associated with higher risks of adverse outcomes. We did not find significant associations between any trajectory and cancer.

Conclusions

Trajectories related to stable and increasing depressive symptoms, but not the trajectory associated with severe depressive symptoms at the initial assessment but decreasing at the follow-up, were associated with higher risks of CVD and mortality. Alleviating severe depressive symptoms at the initial onset may mitigate CVD and mortality risks.
Contour Neurovascular System for endovascular embolization of cerebral aneurysms: a multicenter cohort study of 10 European neurovascular centers
Authors: Griessenauer Christoph J , Ghozy Sherief , Biondi Alessandra , Hecker Constantin , Wodarg Fritz , Liebig Thomas , Patankar Tufail , Lamin Saleh , Martínez-Galdámez Mario , Cognard Christophe , Fiehler Jens , Dorn Franziska , Dmytriw Adam A , Killer-Oberpfalzer Monika
Published: May 2024

Background

Intrasaccular devices have become increasingly popular in the treatment of cerebral aneurysms, particularly at the bifurcation. Here we evaluate the Contour Neurovascular System, an intrasaccular device for the endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms, in a multicenter cohort study, the largest to the best of our knowledge.

Methods

Consecutive patients with intracranial aneurysms treated with the Contour Neurovascular System between February 2017 and October 2022 at 10 European neurovascular centers were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed. Patient and aneurysm characteristics, procedural details, and angiographic and clinical outcomes were evaluated.

Results

During the study period, 279 aneurysms (median age of patients 60 years, IQR 52–68) were treated with Contour. In 83.2% of patients the device was placed electively, whereas the remaining patients were treated in the setting of acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. The most common locations were the middle cerebral artery (26.5%) followed by the anterior communicating region (26.2%). Median aneurysm dome and neck size were 5.2 mm (IQR 4.2–7) and 3.9 mm (IQR 3–5). Contour size 7 (39%) and 9 (25%) were most used. Thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications occurred in 6.8% and 0.4% of aneurysms, respectively. Raymond-Roy 1 and 2 occlusions at last follow-up were achieved in 63.2% and 28.3%, respectively, resulting in adequate occlusion of 91.5% of aneurysms.

Conclusion

This is the largest multicenter study reporting the outcome on the Contour Neurovascular System. At 1 year, the self-evaluated data on safety and efficacy are comparable to data of existing intrasaccular devices. Contour is a promising technology in the treatment of cerebral aneurysms.
The pEGASUS-HPC stent system for intracranial arterial stenosis: a single-center case series
Authors: Pielenz Daniel , Klisch Joachim , Fiorella David , Gawlitza Matthias , Steinbrecher Andreas , Leinisch Elke , Lobsien Elmar , Hoffmann Karl-Titus , Lobsien Donald
Published: May 2024

Background

Intracranial arterial stenting is a technique for the treatment of symptomatic stenosis. In this single-center retrospective case series we evaluated a novel low profile laser-cut stent with an antithrombogenic hydrophilic polymer coating (pEGASUS-HPC, Phenox GmbH, Bochum, Germany) for the treatment of intracranial stenosis in the setting of acute ischemic stroke and elective cases.

Methods

All patients treated with pEGASUS-HPC for one or more intracranial arterial stenoses at our institution were retrospectively included. Clinical, imaging and procedural parameters as well as clinical and imaging follow-up data were collected.

Results

We performed 43 interventions in 41 patients with 42 stenoses in our neurovascular center between August 2021 and February 2024. Twenty-one patients (51.2%) were female and the mean±SD age was 71±10.8 years. Thirty-seven (86.1%) procedures were performed in the setting of endovascular acute ischemic stroke treatment. Technical or procedural complications occurred in seven patients (16.3%), six in the thrombectomy group and one in the elective group. One stent-related hemorrhagic complication (subarachnoid hemorrhage) occurred in emergency cases and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in one patient treated in an elective setting. Overall stenosis reduction following pEGASUS-HPC stent implantation was 53.0±18.0%. On follow-up imaging, which was available for 16 patients (37.2%) after an average of 32±58.6 days, 62.5% of the stents were patent.

Conclusion

Our single-center case series demonstrates the feasibility of using the pEGASUS-HPC stent system, especially in emergency situations when thrombectomy fails.
Fat intravasation, fat emboli and fat embolism syndrome in adult major trauma patients with intraosseous catheters: a systematic review
Authors: Ellington Matt , Hibberd O , Aylwin C
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Intraosseous (IO) administration of medication, fluids and blood products is accepted practice for critically injured patients in whom intravenous access is not immediately available. However, there are concerns that high intramedullary pressures resulting from IO infusion may cause bone marrow intravasation and subsequent fat embolisation. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise the existing evidence describing fat intravasation, fat embolism and fat embolism syndrome (FES) following IO infusion.

Methods

A systematic search of CINAHL, MEDLINE and Embase was undertaken using the search terms “intraosseous”, “fat embolism”, “fat intravasation” and “fat embolism syndrome”. Two authors independently screened abstracts and full texts, against eligibility criteria and assessed risk of bias. A grey literature search (including references) was undertaken. Inclusion criteria were: all human and animal studies reporting novel data on IO-associated fat emboli. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis.

Results

22 papers were identified from the search, with a further 5 found from reference lists. N=7 full papers met inclusion criteria. These papers were all translational animal studies. The overall risk of bias was high. Studies demonstrated that fat intravasation and fat embolisation are near universal after IO infusion, but of uncertain clinical significance. The initial IO flush appears to cause the highest intramedullary pressure and highest chance of fat intravasation and embolisation. No conclusions could be drawn on FES.

Conclusions

IO catheters remain a useful intervention in the armamentarium of trauma clinicians. Although their use is widely accepted, there is a paucity of evidence investigating fat embolisation in IO infusions. Despite this, pulmonary fat emboli after IO infusion are very common. The existing data are of low quality with a high risk of bias. More research is needed to address this important subject.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42023399333.
Soil surface greenhouse gas emissions and hydro-physical properties as impacted by prairie cordgrass intercropped with kura clover
Authors: Varikuti Vaishnavi , Chakraborty Poulamee , Xu Suite , Mahal Navreet K. , Kumar Sandeep
Published: May 2024

Prairie cordgrass (PCG) is a perennial crop which has the potential for biofuel production under marginal lands. The intercropping of a perennial legume, kura clover (KC) with PCG can reduce the use of chemical fertilizer while maintaining the soil hydro-physical conditions. The objective of this study was to compare the soil hydro-physical properties and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes under PCG intercropped with KC (PCG–KC), and PCG fertilized with graded levels of N (0, 75, 150, and 225 N kg ha−1). During the summer of 2021, soil samples (0–10 cm) were collected. Additionally, gas samples were collected weekly from April through September of the same year. Soil water retention, saturated hydraulic conductivity ( Ksat), thermal conductivity (λ), soil organic carbon (SOC), and total N (TN) concentrations were measured. Soil pore characteristics were measured using X-ray computed tomography. The PCG–KC had 1.42 g kg−1 TN and 24 g kg−1 SOC at 0–10 cm, non-significant to PCG-75, 150, and 225 N. Nonetheless, TN significantly increased in both PCG–KC and other fertilized treatments compared to the control. Intercropping boosted macroporosity (0.024 cm3 cm−3), Ksat (+50%), and lowered λ (−1%), compared to the N fertilized treatments. Soil cumulative CO2 under PCG–KC (1012.67 kg C ha−1) was similar to PCG-75, 150 N, but lower than PCG-225 N (1418.66 kg C ha−1). Overall, this study showed that PCG–KC can be a sustainable option over the use of N fertilizers since they had similar levels of hydro-physical characteristics and had a comparable ability to mitigate GHG emissions.
A vibration model of a flexible multiple shaft gear system with the tip relief modification
Authors: Xu Yajun , Li Xinbin , Liu Jing , Pang Ruikun
Published: May 2024

The fixed-shaft gear system (FSGS) is one critical part in gear transmission systems (GTSs), whose vibrations can significantly influence performances of GTSs. To reduce the vibrations of rigid FSGS caused by installation and manufacture errors, the tooth profile modifications without the shaft deformation were widely introduced. This paper establishes a flexible multiple shaft gear system (FMSGS) model of an unmanned underwater vehicle, which can obtain vibrations of rotor at different axial positions. However, the previous rigid FSGS model cannot obtain those vibrations. In the FMSGS model, the Timoshenko beam elements are applied to the establishment of shaft segments considering flexibility. The meshing stiffness for helical gears with different ranges of tooth profile modification are quantitatively expressed by a gear slicing method. Based on the kinetic relationship between the gear pairs, shaft segment, and bearings, the dynamic equations of FMSGS are derived. By comparing the time-domain waveforms and spectra of FMSGS, the effects of the tooth profile modification amounts and lengths on the vibrations of FMSGS are revealed. The proposed FMSGS model is validated by an experiment. This study extends the dynamic methods of FSGSs, and some suggestions on the vibration control of FSGSs are given.
First-mover advantage in music
Authors: Sobchuk Oleg , Youngblood Mason , Morin Olivier
Published: May 2024

Why do some songs and musicians become successful while others do not? We show that one of the reasons may be the “first-mover advantage”: artists that stand at the foundation of new music genres tend to be more successful than those who join these genres later on. To test this hypothesis, we have analyzed a massive dataset of over 920,000 songs, including 110 music genres: 10 chosen intentionally and preregistered, and 100 chosen randomly. For this, we collected the data from two music services: Spotify, which provides detailed information about songs’ success (the precise number of times each song was listened to), and Every Noise at Once, which provides detailed genre tags for musicians. 91 genres, out of 110, show the first-mover advantage—clearly suggesting that it is an important mechanism in music success and evolution.
Reduced Outer Space Algorithm for Globally Computing Affine Sum-of-Ratios Problems
Authors: Jiao Hongwei , Ma Junqiao , Shang Youlin
Published: May 2024

This paper investigates the affine sum-of-ratios problem (SRP) which has numerous applications in many fields of economy and engineering. For globally computing the affine SRP, based on equivalent transformation and new affine relaxation problem, a reduced outer space branch-and-bound algorithm is designed. The designed algorithm has been proven to converge to a global optimal solution of the problem (SRP) eventually. Meanwhile, the maximum iteration time for the algorithm in the worst case is estimated by analyzing its computational complexity. Finally, numerical experimental results indicate that the presented algorithm is robust and effective.
Structured Deep Graph Clustering Network Based on Consistency Constraint
Authors: Huang Bin , Wang Denghui
Published: May 2024

Graph clustering is an essential task in data analysis. Recently, there has been a notable trend in the application of deep learning in graph clustering. However, it is worth noting that existing deep graph clustering methods primarily focus on the topological information of nodes while overlooking the use of attribute information in the learned feature representations. In addition, they do not address the consistency of the space distribution in attribute and structure clustering results. To tackle these critical issues, a novel structured deep graph clustering network with consistency constraint (CC-DGC) is proposed. The network first constructs an autoencoder to learn and transmit hierarchical attribute information to the graph autoencoder (GAE). Subsequently, the GAE integrates the received hierarchical attribute information with extracted topological information to generate enhanced clustering representations. Moreover, this paper designs a consistency constraint module to promote consistency between the autoencoder and the GAE by optimizing the cluster space distributions they produce. Finally, the feature extraction and clustering classification processes are synchronized and optimized in a self-supervised manner within a unified framework. Extensive experiments illustrate that the proposed CC-DGC demonstrates superiority over the state-of-the-art deep graph clustering methods on five benchmark datasets.
Study on the Effect of Multi-Gap Arrester Truncation on the Overvoltage of Lightning Intrusion Wave
Authors: Huang Weixiang , Lin Xiuqing , Chen Qianyi , Deng Yeqiang , Wang Yu , Pan Caiwei
Published: May 2024

Lightning protection near the fan is the key point of lightning protection in wind farm, which affects the safe and effective delivery of wind power resources. At present, the three-phase multi-gap arrester installed on a base tower behind the collector can cooperate with the zinc oxide arrester to reduce the system failure caused by the arrester failure. However, the chopped wave generated by the multi-gap arrester when it acts is transmitted to the fan box transformer along the line, which may threaten the insulation of the transformer winding. Based on the above problems, this paper builds a simulation model on ATP to analyze the impact of wave clipping of multi-gap arrester on the insulation of fan transformer windings, considers the conventional installation mode and the limit installation mode of multi-gap arrester, and calculates that the wave clipping overvoltage generated by multi-gap arrester after being struck by lightning in two cases is the impact on the insulation of fan transformer. Through the simulation analysis, it is found that the higher the amplitude of the lightning current, the larger the amplitude of the overvoltage generated by the truncated wave, the steeper the wave head, and the greater the threat to the insulation of the fan box. The damage degree of round lightning is less than that of counter lightning. When a multi-gap arrester is installed in a collector tower, the 100[Formula: see text]kA lightning current may destroy the insulation of the fan box transformer winding and require additional protective measures. It is recommended that the multi-gap arrester be installed from the next pole tower of the collector tower in the wind farm.
Hybrid Physical-Virtual Digital Twin System for Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Love Allen , Behseresht Saeed , Pastrana Omar Alejandro Valdez , Sakai James , Park Young Ho
Published: May 2024

This study presents a hybrid physical–virtual digital twin system to enhance additive manufacturing (AM). The system aims to achieve real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and improved 3D printing control. It integrates sensing-driven and simulation-driven digital twins into a comprehensive hybrid digital twin environment (HDTE) tailored for the Creality Ender-5 Plus 3D printer within the Unity 3D virtual environment. The AM process simulation employs a three-dimensional transient finite element model, enabling precise predictions of thermodynamics, residual stress, final distortion, and solidification parameters. To enhance real-time insights, external sensors like thermocouples, thermal cameras, and LIDAR ranging sensors continuously collect temperature and location data during 3D printing. Experimental results confirm the HDTE’s accuracy. Position assessment experiments show their ability to replicate component positions under varying conditions, while temperature assessment experiments demonstrate their capacity to mimic temperature variations promptly and accurately. The study also provides a detailed analysis of nodal temperature distribution within a 3D printed plate, indicating potential for predictive defect detection and print parameter optimization. Additionally, the study integrates a closed-loop control mechanism, ensuring rigorous quality control, although a detailed exposition of this system is reserved for future publications. This paper bridges the gap between virtual design and physical AM production, offering real-time monitoring, predictive capabilities, and automated control. These advancements enhance efficiency, reduce material waste, and promote sustainability. As this system evolves, it promises to revolutionize additive manufacturing, ushering in a data-driven era of intelligent 3D printing across industries.
Modeling Industry 4.0 Enablers for Advancement in Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Hariom  , Rajak Sonu , Kumar Amit
Published: May 2024

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) focuses on improving agility, productivity, quality, and transparency in business operations through a cyber-physical value chain. This research explores the concepts, capabilities, and enablers of I4.0 concerning India’s manufacturing sector. In addition, this research also analyzes the enablers, considering their significance in realizing I4.0. The study employs a mixed-method approach, utilizing a literature review and expert insights to explore the usability of I4.0 for the manufacturing sector in a developing nation and identify the factors leading to its successful implementation. Further, using a quantitative approach, these enabling factors are arbitrated to determine their ranking of implementation that provides support and guidelines to the experts for realizing I4.0 capabilities in the manufacturing sector. The uniqueness of this research lies in its ability to explore and analyze the I4.0 enablers beyond the organizational and technical capabilities of the organization, which is the gap present in many of the available research.
Analyzing the performance of short-read classification tools on metagenomic samples toward proper diagnosis of diseases
Authors: Irankhah Leili , Khorsand Babak , Naghibzadeh Mahmoud , Savadi Abdorreza
Published: May 2024

Accurate knowledge of the genome, virus and bacteria that have invaded our bodies is crucial for diagnosing many human diseases. The field of bioinformatics encompasses the complex computational methods required for this purpose. Metagenomics employs next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to study and identify microbial communities in environmental samples. This technique allows for the measurement of the relative abundance of different microbes. Various tools are available for detecting bacterial species in sequenced metagenomic samples. In this study, we focus on well-known taxonomic classification tools such as MetaPhlAn4, Centrifuge, Kraken2, and Bracken, and evaluate their performance at the species level using synthetic and real datasets. The results indicate that MetaPhlAn4 exhibited high precision in identifying species in the simulated dataset, while Kraken2 had the best area under the precision-recall curve (AUPR) performance. Centrifuge, Kraken2, and Bracken showed accurate estimation of species abundances, unlike MetaPhlAn4, which had a higher L2 distance. In the real dataset analysis with samples from an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research, MetaPhlAn4, and Kraken2 had faster execution times, with differences in performance at family and species levels among the tools. Enterobacteriaceae and Pasteurellaceae were highlighted as the most abundant families by Centrifuge, Kraken2, and MetaPhlAn4, with variations in abundance among ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD), and control non-IBD (CN) groups. Escherichia coli (E. coli) has the highest abundance among Enterobacteriaceae species in the CD and UC groups in comparison with the CN group. Bracken overestimated E. coli abundance, emphasizing result interpretation caution. The findings of this research can assist in selecting the appropriate short-read classifier, thereby aiding in the diagnosis of target diseases.
The maximal violation of the Svetlichny inequality for “X” states and the extended GHZ states
Authors: Chen Yue-Qiu , Yong Xi , Zheng Zhu-Jun
Published: May 2024

For a quantum system, violation of a Svetlichny inequality indicates the existence of genuine nonlocality. Through the same mathematical analysis approach, we derive the analytical expressions of the maximal violation of the Svetlichny inequality for certain three-qubit pure states and mixed “X” states. These pure states represented in the five-parameter form belong to extended GHZ states. It is convenient to use the obtained expression to distinguish the genuine nonlocal states in these states. We also obtain the analytical expression of the maximal violation of Svetlichny inequality for a subclass of four-qubit “X” states. We show the application potentiality of these expressions by designing two schemes where quantum resources are converted from less qubits “X” states to more qubits “X” states.
Exploitation Process for Machine Learning Systems
Authors: Okuda Satoshi , Uchihira Naoshi
Published: May 2024

In recent years, many companies have been involved in the development of machine learning systems. However, developing machine learning systems presents unique challenges compared with the traditional IT system development. In software engineering, research has been conducted on software development methodologies for machine learning systems, but most of these studies focused on the development process of individual machine learning systems, and limited research has investigated the exploitation process of continuously enhancing machine learning systems after their development and deployment. Thus, this paper focuses on the exploitation process, in which the collaboration between the machine learning systems and humans evolves gradually. Specifically, four stages of the exploitation process are proposed: visualization for machine learning, human-centered machine learning assistance, machine learning-centered human assistance, and autonomy without human involvement. Then, the characteristics and challenges of each stage are clarified. In addition, this paper examines the important aspect of trust in this context. The findings of this study are expected to provide guidelines for advancing machine learning systems incrementally in collaboration with humans from the perspective of the exploitation process rather than focusing on the development process.
Exact solutions of an anisotropic universe in a modified teleparallel gravity model via the Noether and B.N.S. approaches
Authors: Tajahmad Behzad
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we present the Noether symmetries of locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi-type I (LRS BI), an anisotropic model, in the context of the teleparallel gravity. We study a certain modified teleparallel theory based on the action that, in particular, contains a coupling between the scalar field and field strength (magnetism part). We derive the symmetry generators and show that, by means of cyclic variables approach, one can not obtain a suitable solution for field equations. Hence by the use of beyond Noether symmetry (B.N.S.) approach, we solve the equations which carry Noether currents as well. By data analysis of the obtained results, compatible results with observational data at the last half of the age of universe which is accelerating are demonstrated.
Enhanced energy-storage performance with optimized thermally stable dielectric property in BNT–BST ceramics modified by KNN doping
Authors: Li Shurong , Zhang Chenglong , Li Suzhi , Zhang Le , Wu Haijun
Published: May 2024

Developing environmental-friendly materials with high-density energy storage is of paramount importance to meet the burgeoning demands for energy storage. In this study, we harness the modulation of a multicomponent solid solution by introducing KNN as a third element into the BNT–BST system, thereby achieving a marked enhancement in both energy storage performance and the temperature stability of the dielectric constant. BNBST–4KNN stands out for its exceptional dielectric stability, with a dielectric constant variation rate within 10% across a broad temperature range of [Formula: see text]C to [Formula: see text]C, a feat attributed to the flattening and broadening of the [Formula: see text] peak. BNBT–2KNN exhibits superior energy storage capabilities, with an energy storage density of 1.324 J/cm3 and an energy storage efficiency of 72.3%, a result of the P–E loop becoming more slender. These advancements are pivotal for the sustainable progression of energy storage technologies.
Green Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles Using Flower Extracts: A Promising Route for Enhanced Microelectronics Packaging
Authors: Perumal M. Venkatesh , Nagarajan S. , Srinivasan R. , Jayamoorthy K. , Usharani T.
Published: May 2024

This works aims to prepare a highly dispersible, high electrical and thermally conductive, low cost copper nanoparticles, with an average particle size of 30–40[Formula: see text]nm, by reducing an aqueous solution of copper(II) solution through bio-route using leaves of senna auriculata (Cassia Auriculata flowers). The resultant copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) possess a reduction in melting point which can be suitably used as a conductive copper nanoink material for printed circuitry boards and also as a low-cost replacement for silver and gold nanoinks in inkjet printing of conductive patterns. The green-synthesized CuNPs are characterized using FT-IR, UV-Visible, and photoluminescence studies and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and X-ray diffraction studies. All the obtained results confirmed the presence of copper nanoparticles in the sample. The prepared CuNPs is expected to provide promising advances as nanopastes for sustainable fabrication of copper electrodes and die attachment materials for the production of next-generation power semiconductors.
Comparative Analysis of Peltier Devices and Flexible Heater Strips for Enhancing Bandwidth in Thermo-Active Soft Actuators
Authors: Exley Trevor , Johnson Daniel , Jafari Amir
Published: May 2024

Soft actuators are a new generation of robotic actuators designed for safer and more adaptable physical human-robot interaction, that can be triggered by various stimulating mechanisms, including pneumatic, electric, electromagnetic, light, magnetic, and thermal sources. Among the different types of soft actuators, thermoresponsive ones that utilize heat as the stimulus show great potential due to their ability to deliver a relatively high force-to-size ratio without the need for external air pumps, tethers, high voltage sources, or complex designs. However, a major drawback of such actuators is their limited bandwidth. Traditional methods rely on Joule heating for actuation, with the actuator deflating when the heat source is turned off and ambient temperature takes over. Recently, the Peltier mechanism has been introduced as an alternative approach for active heating and cooling. This research paper presents a comparative analysis of the Peltier and flexible heater mechanisms in terms of the bandwidth and energy consumption of phase-change thermo-active soft actuators. The study aims to assess the potential of Peltier-based actuation in addressing the bandwidth limitations observed in traditional soft actuators. The findings reveal that Peltier-based actuation can significantly improve actuation speed in thermoresponsive soft actuators. However, it is important to note that the performance of Peltier-based actuators decreases after a few cycles unless additional measures, such as the use of an external fan, are implemented. This increase in performance comes at the cost of higher energy consumption, which should be carefully considered in practical applications.
Closed-Form Kinematics Solutions for Redundant Medical Robots with Joint Limits and Singularity Avoidance
Authors: Prokhorenko Leonid , Mishchenkov Denis , Klimov Daniil , Poduraev Yuri
Published: May 2024

Closed-form forward and inverse position, velocity and acceleration kinematics problems solutions are developed for a redundant medical robot family. Developed solutions allow one to choose a specific joint as a set one. Solutions work in constant time, suitable for real-time operation. Methods for joint limit and singularity avoidance are proposed. Simulation experiments are performed on simulated KUKA MED 14 r820 robot.
Per-Subject Oculomotor Plant Mathematical Models and the Reliability of Their Parameters
Authors: Melnyk Kateryna , Friedman Lee , Katrychuk Dmytro , Komogortsev Oleg
Published: May 2024

The practical value of oculomotor plant mathematical models (OPMMs) has been demonstrated across various domains, including biometrics and eye movement prediction. To further enhance their utilization, new optimization approaches are commonly developed and introduced within the research community. In this study, we demonstrate a new integration of a previously developed per-subject optimization procedure for an Enderle OPMM and introduce methods to evaluate the reliability of OPMM parameters using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance (KCC). We evaluated two per-subject OPMM models, Bahill and Enderle, using the 'GazeBase' eye movement dataset. The models differed in accuracy, expressed as the per-sample error in degrees of visual angle, based on the differences between the actual and predicted saccade trajectories. We found that some of the parameter estimates for both models were quite unreliable. We discuss the importance of addressing low-reliability issues and suggest methods to modify the models to enhance reliability and performance.
Eye Strokes: An Eye-gaze Drawing System for Mandarin Characters
Authors: Tong Derek C.W. , Tan Xuet Ying , Chen Alex Q.
Published: May 2024

Studies showed that 61% of the elderly in Singapore are English illiterate, and it is essential to find alternatives for non-English literate patients who have literacy in the next most common language, Mandarin. Many eye typing solutions use Mandarin hanyu pinyin, a phonetic system similar to eye typing in the English language. However, most Mandarin-speaking elderly in Singapore are not familiar with Mandarin hanyu pinyin despite being able to read and write Mandarin characters, which makes eye typing redundant. We propose Eye Strokes, a technique to capture eye gaze, as an input modality to identify Mandarin characters for motor neurone disease patients to communicate. This method uses the eye gaze as strokes in a Mandarin character to predict and identify the Mandarin word the user intends to communicate. The proof-of-ideation evaluation discussed in the paper shows that our technique is feasible with promising character prediction accuracy for further investigations, although some limitations exist.
Zero-Shot Segmentation of Eye Features Using the Segment Anything Model (SAM)
Authors: Maquiling Virmarie , Byrne Sean Anthony , Niehorster Diederick C. , Nyström Marcus , Kasneci Enkelejda
Published: May 2024

The advent of foundation models signals a new era in artificial intelligence. The Segment Anything Model (SAM) is the first foundation model for image segmentation. In this study, we evaluate SAM's ability to segment features from eye images recorded in virtual reality setups. The increasing requirement for annotated eye-image datasets presents a significant opportunity for SAM to redefine the landscape of data annotation in gaze estimation. Our investigation centers on SAM's zero-shot learning abilities and the effectiveness of prompts like bounding boxes or point clicks. Our results are consistent with studies in other domains, demonstrating that SAM's segmentation effectiveness can be on-par with specialized models depending on the feature, with prompts improving its performance, evidenced by an IoU of 93.34% for pupil segmentation in one dataset. Foundation models like SAM could revolutionize gaze estimation by enabling quick and easy image segmentation, reducing reliance on specialized models and extensive manual annotation.
Learning Gaze-aware Compositional GAN from Limited Annotations
Authors: Aranjuelo Nerea , Huang Siyu , Arganda-Carreras Ignacio , Unzueta Luis , Otaegui Oihana , Pfister Hanspeter , Wei Donglai
Published: May 2024

Gaze-annotated facial data is crucial for training deep neural networks (DNNs) for gaze estimation. However, obtaining these data is labor-intensive and requires specialized equipment due to the challenge of accurately annotating the gaze direction of a subject. In this work, we present a generative framework to create annotated gaze data by leveraging the benefits of labeled and unlabeled data sources. We propose a Gaze-aware Compositional GAN that learns to generate annotated facial images from a limited labeled dataset. Then we transfer this model to an unlabeled data domain to take advantage of the diversity it provides. Experiments demonstrate our approach's effectiveness in generating within-domain image augmentations in the ETH-XGaze dataset and cross-domain augmentations in the CelebAMask-HQ dataset domain for gaze estimation DNN training. We also show additional applications of our work, which include facial image editing and gaze redirection.
Covariance Matrix Adaptation MAP-Annealing: Theory and Experiments
Authors: Zhao Shihan , Tjanaka Bryon , Fontaine Matthew C. , Nikolaidis Stefanos
Published: May 2024

Single-objective optimization algorithms search for the single highest-quality solution with respect to an objective. Quality diversity (QD) optimization algorithms, such as Covariance Matrix Adaptation MAP-Elites (CMA-ME), search for a collection of solutions that are both high-quality with respect to an objective and diverse with respect to specified measure functions. However, CMA-ME suffers from three major limitations highlighted by the QD community: prematurely abandoning the objective in favor of exploration, struggling to explore flat objectives, and having poor performance for low-resolution archives. We propose a new quality diversity algorithm, Covariance Matrix Adaptation MAP-Annealing (CMA-MAE), and its differentiable quality diversity variant, Covariance Matrix Adaptation MAP-Annealing via a Gradient Arborescence (CMA-MAEGA), that address all three limitations. We provide theoretical justifications for the new algorithm with respect to each limitation. Our theory informs our experiments, which support the theory and show that CMA-MAE achieves state-of-the-art performance and robustness on standard QD benchmark and reinforcement learning domains.
(Invited) Bulk Traps in Layered 2D Gate Dielectrics
Authors: Shin Jaemin , Pathan Tyafur , Zhou Guanyu , Hinkle Christopher L.
Published: May 2024

In this work, we synthesize new 2D layered dielectrics and fabricate metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors to determine their viability for scaled gate dielectrics (ZrNCl, HfNCl, BiOCl, and Mg(OH)2) in transition metal dichalcogenide-based transistors. While successful synthesis and fabrication was demonstrated, the properties of the dielectrics were decidedly underwhelming for device applications. The dielectric constants, in most cases, were only marginally better than SiO2 (k = 4-6), the leakage currents were too high due to poor band offsets, and most importantly, the bulk trap density, as seen previously in III-V devices, was very high. Overall, there still is no viable 2D gate dielectric for scaled field effect transistors.
Realization of Atomically Uniform ALD-Al2O3 and TiO2 on SiO2 and GeO2 by UV-Ozone Treatment
Authors: Kirihara Yoshiharu , Yoshida Tomoki , Mikawa Sorato , Ito Shunichi , Ishikawa Ryousuke , Nohira Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

Thermally oxidized SiO2/Si and GeO2/Ge are difficult to form very thin oxide films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) due to the chemical inertness of the oxide film surface. In this study, the effect of surface modification of insulating films by the UV-Ozone (UVO) method on ALD was investigated with the aim of controlling the atomic layer thickness and producing a uniform oxide film. The results show that UVO treatment can deposit atomic layer-thick films on SiO2 or GeO2 without delay. This may be due to the formation of dangling bonds on the oxide film surface, which improves the reactivity between the surface and the precursor during initial layer formation.
Mitigation of Performance Degradation of PEM Water Electrolyzers by Power Distribution Control of Fluctuating Renewable Energy
Authors: Watanabe Keiji , Hutapea Yasir Arafat , Hayashi Akari
Published: May 2024

Durability of a PEM electrolysis cell against voltage fluctuation prepared from actual wind power data was analyzed. Two fluctuation patterns were prepared; the pattern A prepared by scaling the wind power data and the pattern B prepared by applying the power distribution control (PDC), that is, converting the pattern A into an alternative sequence of a high-operating rate pattern and a low-operating rate pattern. During 240-h durability tests, the current density continuously decreased for the pattern A, while no distinguishable decrease was observed for the pattern B except the initial 30 h. It was found that the performance degradation is mostly reversible and attributed to increase in the diffusion overpotential consistently with the previous studies. Our results suggest that the PDC suppresses reversible degradation by avoiding gas stagnation at the anode surface, which is important for mitigating irreversible degradation during long-term operation.
A Model Validatory Approach in Determining Solar Panel Tilting Angles and Orientations at the Brikama Environment of The Gambia
Authors: Ayua Tyoyima John , Camara Musa
Published: May 2024

This paper determines the solar panel optimal tilt angle and orientations at the Brikama environment of The Gambia. This was achieved by comparing mathematical model results with experimental data collected using a PV module (Model AP-120) manufactured by AstroPower, USA, and a single-axis tracker technology at the same location and months of the year. The experimental tilt angles obtained range from 5.1°-28.2° with an average angle of 14.8° while the mathematical model approach obtained the tilt angle to be within the range of 9.1°-22.3° with a mean value of 15.5°. The generated power analysis revealed that the peak power produced by the solar panel was recorded at an angle of 30° due South and the mean power gain from the orientation of the PV panel ranged from 3.6-48.1W. The mean power result suggests that, in comparison to a horizontal position, solar collecting efficiency is higher at the optimal tilt angle.