bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sezary syndrome revealed by PD‐L1 blockade for tumor stage mycosis fungoides
Authors: Delaleu Jérémie , Battistella Maxime , Ram‐Wolff Caroline , Moins‐Teisserenc Hélène , Ta Van‐Anh , Roelens Marie , Rivet Jacqueline , Lebbé Céleste , Mourah Samia , Louveau Baptiste , Bouaziz Jean‐David , Bagot Martine , de Masson Adèle
Published: January 2024

Cutaneous T‐cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are unique non‐Hodgkin lymphomas due to the proliferation of skin‐homing T cells. Sezary syndrome (SS), a subtype of CTCL, typically presents as erythroderma with specific blood involvement and seldomly evolves from tumor‐stage mycosis fungoides (MF). The article examines the case of a 62‐year‐old female patient who developed SS while under atezolizumab treatment for tumor‐stage transformed MF. Postdiagnosis, she underwent treatments including topical corticosteroids, phototherapy, and other drug regimens, experiencing both complete responses and relapses over the years. Three years postdiagnosis, her condition deteriorated with facial tumor lesions, confirmed as MF. Despite multiple treatments, including oral drugs, radiation therapy, and a range of other therapeutic agents, her condition did not show sustained improvement. The patient was then administered atezolizumab, an antibody targeting programmed death ligand 1 (PD‐L1). Although initial results saw a disappearance of her skin tumors, the subsequent cycles led to symptoms consistent with stage IVA1 SS, coupled with an evident shift in malignant T‐cell clone dominance. Atezolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, impedes the interaction of PD‐L1 with its receptor PD1, which is notably overexpressed in malignant T‐cells of SS. This case illustrates the emergence of SS during the course of atezolizumab treatment for a transformed MF condition, underlining the potential risks and complexities in using PD‐L1 inhibitors for treating CTCL.
The Clinical Behavior and Recurrence Patterns of Oral Cavity Cancer in Oral Lichen Planus Patients
Authors: Yosefof Eyal , Kurman Noga , Edri Nofar , Rosenfeld Eli , Bachar Gideon , Shpitzer Thomas , Yehuda Moshe , Mizrachi Aviram , Najjar Esmat
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder involving epithelia with squamous differentiation. Although described as a potential malignant precursor, the characteristics of malignancies arising among these patients are not widely described. Our goal was to describe the patterns of disease recurrence of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) arising on the background of OLP.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of all surgically treated patients with OSCC at a university‐affiliated tertiary care center between 2000 and 2020.

Results

Two hundred seventy‐nine patients with OSCC treated surgically were included. Forty (14.3%) had OLP. The mean age of patients with OLP was 70.9 years compared with 64.3 years for non‐OLP patients (p = 0.03). OLP patients had a significantly higher rate of disease recurrence, persistence, or multiple primary disease (70% vs. 33.9%, p < 0.001). The mean number of sequential oncologic events for each patient with recurrence was also significantly higher among OLP patients (1.86 vs. 1.36, p = 0.03), a difference explained by a higher rate of multiple primary presentations (0.71 vs. 0.28, p = 0.008). A significant difference in disease‐free survival (DFS) was demonstrated between the groups as patients with OLP had a lower 5‐year DFS (34.7% vs. 61.3%, log‐rank p value <0.001). On multivariate analysis, OLP was significantly associated with multiple primary events (p < 0.001, Odds ratio = 7.42, 95% confidence interval 2.9–19).

Conclusions

OSCC patients with OLP background demand close clinical follow‐up, as multiple primary disease is significantly more common and the DFS is significantly lower among these patients. A thorough clinical evaluation for all oral cavity subsites is mandatory.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 134:3146–3151, 2024
Treatment of Residual Palatal Collapse in Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Using a Palatal Device
Authors: Tschopp Samuel , Janjic Vlado , Borner Urs , Tschopp Kurt
Published: January 2024

Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has increasingly become an alternative therapy for obstructive sleep apnea patients with CPAP intolerance. Stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve during sleep enhances airway patency and alleviates collapse. Suboptimal responses to HNS often stem from insufficient palatal coupling and residual velar collapse. Combining palatal devices, such as Velumount®, with HNS represents a simple and cost‐effective strategy to treat residual palatal collapse. Patients desiring conservative treatment for residual palatal obstruction under HNS may consider this combined approach. Laryngoscope, 134:3412–3414, 2024
Elucidating the response mechanisms of hydrological and sediment connectivity to the river network structure, vegetation, and topographic features in the Jinghe River Basin
Authors: Liu Shuai , Wu Lei , Guo Zongjun , Zhang Huiyong , Du Bailin
Published: January 2024

The management of basin water and soil resources greatly benefits from investigating the spatial changes and primary determinants of hydrological and sediment connectivity from perspectives of topographic features, vegetation characteristics, structural features of river networks. However, quantifying the effects of influencing factors and their interactions on connectivity is still a challenge in the field of studies of surface processes. To address this challenge, we applied the geographical detector model (GDM) and random forest (RF) to quantify the relative importance and explanatory power of topographic factors, vegetation features, and river network structure on the hydrological connectivity and sediment connectivity and to clarify the interaction mechanism of various factors in the Jinghe River Basin. Results indicate that from 2005 to 2020, the mean value of hydrological connectivity (ICH) witnessed a decreasing trend from −5.47 to −5.58. Similarly, the mean value of sediment connectivity (ICS) declined over the same period from −9.74 to −10.05, with high values registered in valleys and low values in plains. The river density (D) and hydrological weight factor (normalized SCS‐CN) exhibited a greater spatial explanatory power on ICH than other parameters, reaching 0.149 and 0.182, respectively. The vegetation factor (0.299) and sediment weight factor (0.410) manifested considerably more influence over ICS. Spatial integration between relevant elements can enhance our understanding of basin connectivity. Interactions between vegetation, topography, and river network structure provide more explanatory power compared to interactions among same‐type features. Ultimately, this study offers a theoretical template for understanding the management of soil and water resources in the Jinghe River Basin, as well as the spatial variability in soil erosion.
Analysis of response signals to minimally invasive laser modulation in laser cutting
Authors: de Oliveira Lopes M. , Schneider F. , Petring D. , Gillner A.
Published: January 2024

A robust real‐time monitoring system for the laser cutting process has been targeted by researchers and users for several decades without significant breakthrough. The use of coaxial photodiodes provides a cost‐effective and straightforward system; however, the assessment of the process state based on the spatially integrated detected signals can lead to misinterpretation due to the numerous and interacting parameter dependencies of the signals. To obtain a clear correlation of the signals to the process state, minimally invasive laser modulation stimulates characteristic state‐dependent response signals. In this study, the response signals to a laser power modulation are analyzed in the visible and infrared range. Furthermore, a spatially and temporally resolved analysis of the process response is enabled by means of high‐speed videography. This provides a comprehensive understanding of the process state in terms of temperature and geometry response to the modulation and offers a reliable exploitation of process emissions for real‐time monitoring and control applications.
The effect of carbon addition on the mechanical properties and fracture behaviors of cobalt‐chromium‐iron‐ manganese‐nickel high entropy alloy
Authors: Leng C. , Yang H. , Yi G. , Lo H. , Li J. , Li Y.
Published: January 2024

The uniaxial tensile and cupping tests of cobalt‐chromium‐iron‐manganese‐nickel high entropy alloy were performed to investigate the effect of solid soluted carbon addition on the strengthening mechanism. The results revealed that at 0.5 at % carbon, the tensile strength, uniform elongation, and cupping strength of the sample were promoted. However, the brittleness fracture appeared by further increasing carbon to 1.0 at %, as caused by the carbides along grain boundary.
Spatiotemporal omics of life energy: Towards medicine of frequencies and terahertz drugs
Authors: Wang Li‐Ping , Gao Feng , Zhao Zhou‐Xiang , Liu Shi‐hao , Xu Rui‐Song , Guo Jun , Zhang Feng
Published: January 2024

The quantum mechanisms how life efficiently utilizes energy and transmits information remain unclear yet. Frequency medicine, an emerging cross‐discipline of both quantum mechanics and biomedicine, is a promising turning point for biomaterials and medicine developing from the matter level to the energy level. Recognizing the pivotal role of molecular vibrational frequencies in resonant energy coupling and transmission underscores the potential of frequency medicine to precisely regulate biomaterial vibrations, influencing interactions and reactions in living organisms. At present, scientists have unveiled sophisticated phototherapeutics; nevertheless, their advancement necessitates the precise mapping of the life energy. In contrast to genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics studied on the matter level, omics of frequencies related to medicine should be on the energy level. Herein, starting from the history of frequency medicine, and followed by the introduction of vibrational strong coupling applications in life sciences, we emphasize the significance, necessity, and urgency of studying spatiotemporal omics of medicine frequencies. By decoding the energy atlas of life, we can acquire profound insights into the quantum mechanisms that govern life processes from an energy standpoint. We anticipate that the integration of biomaterials with spatiotemporal frequency omics related to medical research will contribute significantly to advancing the goals of precision medicine, potentially revolutionizing pharmaceuticals, such as terahertz drugs.
Integrated commercial and operations planning model for schedule design, aircraft rotation and crew scheduling in airlines
Authors: Garg Ankur , Agarwal Yogesh , Srivastava Rajiv Kumar , Jakhar Suresh Kumar
Published: January 2024

The commercial and operations planning in airlines has traditionally been a hierarchical process starting with flight schedule design, followed by fleet assignment, aircraft rotation planning and finally the crew scheduling. The hierarchical planning approach has a drawback that the optimal solution for a planning phase higher in hierarchy may either be infeasible for the subsequent phase or may lead to a sub‐optimal overall solution. In this paper, we solve a profit‐maximizing integrated planning model for clean‐sheet “rotated” schedule design with flight re‐time option and crew scheduling for a low‐cost carrier (LCC) in an emerging market. While the aircraft rotation problem has been traditionally modeled in the literature as a daily routing of individual aircraft for maintenance requirement, in this work we address the requirement of planned aircraft rotations as part of schedule design for LCCs. The planned aircraft routing is important in our case to create as many via‐flights as possible due to the underserved nature of the emerging market. We solve this large‐scale integer‐programming problem using two approaches – Benders Decomposition and Lagrangian Relaxation. For Lagrangian Relaxation, we exploit the special structure of our problem and intuitive understanding behind the Lagrangian duals to develop a multiplier adjustment approach to find an improved lower bound of integrated model solution. The crew‐pairing sub‐problem is solved using column generation through multi‐label shortest path algorithm followed by branch‐and‐price for integer solution. We test our solution methodology on a flight universe of 378 unique flights for different problem sizes by varying the number of aircraft available for operations. Our computational results show that within a reasonable run time of few hours both the approaches, Benders Decomposition and Lagrangian Relaxation, are successful in finding lower bounds of the integrated model solution, which are higher than the solution of traditional hierarchical approach by 0.5%–2.5%. We find Lagrangian Relaxation methodology to usually attain an improved solution faster than the Benders Decomposition approach, particularly for large‐scale problems.
Measuring neurobehavioral side effects of corticosteroids in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A scoping review
Authors: Bhasin Shreya , Brown Joshua , Dorste Anna , Samsel Chase , Vrooman Lynda M. , Muriel Anna C.
Published: January 2024

Corticosteroids are essential to curative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment, yet have significant neuropsychiatric side effects that decrease quality of life for patients and families. We conducted a scoping review, following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) guidelines, to describe the existing measurement tools used to evaluate neurobehavioral side effects of corticosteroids in pediatric ALL. From various databases and registers, 4047 studies were identified. Twenty‐four articles met inclusion criteria. Clinical assessment was most used to evaluate these symptoms. Twelve validated measures were identified. Existing data about neuropsychiatric side effects of corticosteroids in pediatric ALL are extremely heterogeneous, creating challenges for standardized assessment and management.
A collaborative framework for unifying typical multidimensional solar cell simulations – Part I. Ten common simulation steps and representing variables
Authors: Ma Fa‐Jun , Wang Shaozhou , Yi Chuqi , Zhou Lang , Hameiri Ziv , Bremner Stephen , Hao Xiaojing , Hoex Bram
Published: January 2024

Multidimensional simulations for diverse solar cells often encounter distinctive configurations, even when employing the same simulation software. The complexity and inefficiency of this process are further exacerbated when employing different simulators. From our extensive decade‐long experience in numerical simulations of diverse solar cells, we have identified ten common simulation steps intrinsic to typical electrical and optical simulations. Subsequently, we propose ten sets of variables that encompass all the relevant details required for these steps. To address the challenge of varying information requirements for each variable across different simulations, we assign a list, a versatile data type, to each variable. This approach, by design, enables concise, coherent, and flexible input, accommodating the unique demands of each simulation. However, to ensure unambiguous simulations, precise specifications for these variables are essential. Computer code has been successfully implemented to ensure adherence to specifications and expedite variable synchronization with Sentaurus, the de facto standard for device simulation. Within this framework, users are only tasked with editing variables in a plain text file, obviating the need for in‐depth knowledge of Sentaurus. This streamlines the prerequisites for engaging in numerical simulation significantly. Through thoughtful design considerations, we preserve the simulation capacity while simultaneously enhancing productivity considerably. This open‐source framework welcomes global collaboration within the photovoltaic community and has the potential to generate an extensive dataset for cost‐effective artificial intelligence training.
iDVEIP: A computer‐aided approach for the prediction of viral entry inhibitory peptides
Authors: Kao Hui‐Ju , Weng Tzu‐Hsiang , Chen Chia‐Hung , Chen Yu‐Chi , Huang Kai‐Yao , Weng Shun‐Long
Published: January 2024

With the notable surge in therapeutic peptide development, various peptides have emerged as potential agents against virus‐induced diseases. Viral entry inhibitory peptides (VEIPs), a subset of antiviral peptides (AVPs), offer a promising avenue as entry inhibitors (EIs) with distinct advantages over chemical counterparts. Despite this, a comprehensive analytical platform for characterizing these peptides and their effectiveness in blocking viral entry remains lacking. In this study, we introduce a groundbreaking in silico approach that leverages bioinformatics analysis and machine learning to characterize and identify novel VEIPs. Cross‐validation results demonstrate the efficacy of a model combining sequence‐based features in predicting VEIPs with high accuracy, validated through independent testing. Additionally, an EI type model has been developed to distinguish peptides specifically acting as Eis from AVPs with alternative activities. Notably, we present iDVEIP, a web‐based tool accessible at http://mer.hc.mmh.org.tw/iDVEIP/, designed for automatic analysis and prediction of VEIPs. Emphasizing its capabilities, the tool facilitates comprehensive analyses of peptide characteristics, providing detailed amino acid composition data for each prediction. Furthermore, we showcase the tool's utility in identifying EIs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2).
Implementation of bubble continuous positive airway pressure for children with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia in intensive care unit of Dhaka Hospital, Bangladesh—Effect on pneumonia mortality
Authors: Chisti Mohammod J. , Clemens John D. , K. M. Shahunja , Shahid Abu S. M. S. B. , Sarmin Monira , Afroze Farzana , Shaly Nusrat J. , Kabir Farhad , Rahman Ahmed E. , El Arifeen Shams , Ahmed Tahmeed , Duke Trevor
Published: January 2024

Background

After the completion of a randomized trial at Dhaka Hospital in 2013, bubble continuous positive airway pressure (BCPAP) oxygen therapy was incorporated as the part of the standard treatment for children with severe pneumonia with hypoxemia in an intensive care unit at Dhaka Hospital in August 2013 instead of World Health Organization (WHO) standard low flow oxygen therapy.

Objective

To understand the long‐term effectiveness of the introduction of bCPAP oxygen therapy by comparing pneumonia mortality in the post‐trial period (August 2013 to December 2017) with the pre‐trial (February 2009 to July 2011) and trial periods (August 2011 to July 2013).

Methods

It was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected hospital data of all admissions. Mortality rates of all children with WHO‐defined pneumonia, and the subset of children with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia (oxygen saturation <90%) were evaluated.

Results

The analysis covered 10,107 children with pneumonia: 2523 in the pre‐trial (414 with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia; none of them received bCPAP), 2959 during the trial (376 with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia; 79 received bCPAP), and 4625 in the post‐trial period (1208 with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia; 1125 had bCPAP). The risk of death from pneumonia in the post‐trial period was lower than in pre‐trial (adjusted risk ratio [RR] = 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.58–0.92; p = 0.007), among children with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia, the risk of death was lower in the post‐trial period than in the pre‐trial (adjusted RR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.37‐0.58, p < 0.001), and the trial period (adjusted RR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.51–0.95; p = 0.023).

Conclusion

After the introduction of bCPAP oxygen therapy as part of the routine management of severe pneumonia and hypoxemia in the ICU of the Dhaka hospital, we observed significantly lower mortality, even after accounting for measurable confounding.
The Near‐Infrared‐II Optical Tuning and Electronic Engineering of MoS2 Bilayers Doped by Halogen Elements
Authors: Ma Shuangxiong , Zhang Yunguang , Cao Jingzhao , Ren Yani , Wang Huan , Zhao Qiyi
Published: January 2024

The improvement of optical absorption behavior of the second near‐infrared region (NIR‐II, 1000–1350 nm) based on new function materials is significant for the development of biomedicine and optical imaging. Therefore, the electronic structures and optical absorption of 2H phase MoS2 doped by F, Cl, Br, and I atoms with various doping concentrations are calculated, results show that halogen elements introduced extra transition allowed bands which is about 1.0 eV wide to 2H‐MoS2, and the increasing of impurity concentration can trigger strong spin splits. The transformation of electronic structures leads to 2H‐MoS2 metallic behaviors, improves transition efficiency, and lowers photon energy loss. More importantly, strong light–mass interaction is verified and breaks the energy level degeneracy, makes absorption peaks at 0.6–1.0 eV photon energy region, successfully extends the work region of 2H‐MoS2 to NIR‐II window, greatly improves the optical response and application potential in the photoelectric field. These results not only prove the potential of halogen elements as dopants in bandgap engineering of 2H‐MoS2 but also may indicate a direction for seeking new generation function materials that own excellent performance in the NIR‐II window, which is of great significance to promote the development of optoelectronics and bioimaging applications.
A case of attempted transbronchial spigot insertion for fistulous pyothorax in the residual pleural airspace after pleurectomy/decortication for malignant pleural mesothelioma
Authors: Miyata Ryo , Morizono Shoichiro , Umehara Tadashi , Harada‐Takeda Aya , Kamimura Go , Aoki Masaya , Nagata Toshiyuki , Ueda Kazuhiro
Published: January 2024

Pleurectomy/decortication for malignant pleural mesothelioma is a relatively recent surgical approach for which there is a dearth of information on complications, especially in the late postoperative period. A 70‐year‐old man was diagnosed with right epithelioid malignant pleural mesothelioma and underwent pleurectomy/decortication. Computed tomography at 6 months after surgery revealed nodules on the surface of the right lung. These nodules gradually increased in size and were diagnosed as recurrent disease. Immunotherapy was started, but treatment was discontinued a few days after the first course due to pneumonitis. Subsequent oral prednisolone therapy for about 2 months ameliorated pneumonitis, but fistulous pyothorax developed. During attempted transbronchial occlusion of the responsible bronchus, some spigots penetrated the empyema cavity. Open window thoracotomy was performed on the following day. This case suggests that if there is no change in diameter between the proximal and distal parts of the responsible bronchus, transbronchial occlusion should not be chosen.
A hybrid observer for linear systems under delayed sporadic measurements
Authors: Guarro Marcello , Ferrante Francesco , Sanfelice Ricardo G.
Published: January 2024

This paper proposes a hybrid observer for state estimation over a network. The network provides delayed measurements of the output of the plant at time instants that are not necessarily periodic and are accompanied by timestamps provided by a clock that synchronizes with the clock of the observer in finite time. The proposed observer, along with the plant and communication network, are modeled by a hybrid dynamical system that has two timers, a logic variable, and two memory states to capture the mechanisms involved in the events associated with sampling and arrival of information, as well as the logic in the estimation algorithm. The hybrid model also includes a generic clock synchronization scheme to cope with a mismatch between the clocks at the plant and the observer. Convergence properties of the estimation error of the system are shown analytically and supported by numerical examples.
In Silico ADME/Tox Profiling of Mushroom Secondary Metabolites
Authors: Shakoor Bushra , Yaqoob Nazia , Shafiq Nusrat , Bin Jardan Yousef A. , Nafidi Hiba‐Allah , Bourhia Mohammed
Published: January 2024

Traditional medicinal plant examination has increased in recent years since plants enable them to supplement current pharmaceutical treatments. In silico screening and pharmacokinetic screening, which employ computer mechanics, can increase the number of active compounds and reveal their mechanism of action. In silico ADME screening is less expensive, quicker, and more secure than in vivo ADME testing, which is lengthy, costly, and dangerous for animals. The SwissADME and protox‐II are free tools that offer free accessibility to various chemical attributes, after receiving the structures of the examined compounds in canonical SMILES format. A total of 50 viable compounds from mushrooms that had been previously described in the research were tested for ADME qualities and toxicity, and their outcomes were then analyzed. Future research will be aided by an understanding of a compound‘s ADME/T properties, and the findings will be helpful to scientists.
Liquid Metal Doping Induced Asymmetry in Two‐Dimensional Metal Oxides
Authors: Ghasemian Mohammad B. , Zavabeti Ali , Allioux Francois‐Marie , Sharma Pankaj , Mousavi Maedehsadat , Rahim Md. Arifur , Khayyam Nekouei Rasoul , Tang Jianbo , Christofferson Andrew J. , Meftahi Nastaran , Rafiezadeh Somayeh , Cheong Soshan , Koshy Pramod , Tilley Richard D. , McConville Chris F. , Russo Salvy P. , Ton‐That Cuong , Seidel Jan , Kalantar‐Zadeh Kourosh
Published: January 2024

The emergence of ferroelectricity in two‐dimensional (2D) metal oxides is a topic of significant technological interest; however, many 2D metal oxides lack intrinsic ferroelectric properties. Therefore, introducing asymmetry provides access to a broader range of 2D materials within the ferroelectric family. Here, the generation of asymmetry in 2D SnO by doping the material with Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) is demonstrated. A liquid metal process as a doping strategy for the preparation of 2D HZO‐doped SnO with robust ferroelectric characteristics is implemented. This technology takes advantage of the selective interface enrichment of molten Sn with HZO crystallites. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate a strong tendency of Hf and Zr atoms to migrate toward the surface of liquid metal and embed themselves within the growing oxide layer in the form of HZO. Thus, the liquid metal‐based harvesting/doping technique is a feasible approach devised for producing novel 2D metal oxides with induced ferroelectric properties, represents a significant development for the prospects of random‐access memories.
How Digital Geographies Render Value: Geofences, the Blockchain, and the Possibilities of Slow Alternatives
Authors: Crampton Jeremy
Published: January 2024

This chapter proceeds in two parts. First, it situates the way that digital geographies render value by creating new markets for the creation, extraction, and capture of that value. Two digital geographies are highlighted: geofences/geoframing and cryptocurrencies on the blockchain. Drawing on the renewed interest in theorizing the digital urban growth machine, I analyze these new markets as forms of toxic innovation dominated by a focus on growth and extractive value. Second, I examine the possibilities for alternative responsible innovation that creates social value, which I call the Slow Data Economy. Inspired by the ethics of slowness, slow data centers accountability, the human-in-the-loop, local co-design, and vision making for the future city. By working with the possibilities of responsible innovation, I explore how the Slow Data Economy can be a form of “capital switching” in which investment is switched from a focus on growth and extraction to care and repair.
A hybrid model of CNN and LSTM autoencoder-based short-term PV power generation forecasting
Authors: Ibrahim Mohamed Sayed , Gharghory Sawsan Morkos , Kamal Hanan Ahmed
Published: January 2024

Solar energy is one of the main renewable energies available to fulfill global clean energy targets. The main issue of solar energy like other renewable energies is its randomness and intermittency which affects power grids stability. As a solution for this issue, energy storage units could be used to store surplus energy and reuse it during low solar generation intervals. Also, in order to sustain stable power grid and better grid operation and energy storage management, photovoltaic (PV) power forecasting is inevitable. In this paper, new hybrid model based on deep learning techniques is proposed to predict short-term PV power generation. The proposed model incorporates convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoder network. The new model differentiates itself in accomplishing high prediction accuracy by extracting spatial features in time series via CNN layers and temporal features between the time series data through LSTM. The introduced model is tested on dataset of power generation from southern UK solar farm and the weather data corresponding to same location and time intervals; the forecasting performance of the suggested model is evaluated in metrics of root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). The used model is compared with different models from the literature either of pure type of network such as LSTM and gated recurrent unit (GRU) or hybrid combination of different networks like CNN-LSTM and CNN-GRU. The results show that proposed model provides enhanced results and reduces training time significantly compared to other competitive models, where the performance of the proposed model improved averagely by 5% to 25% in terms of RMSE and MAE performance metrics, and the execution time of training significantly reduced with almost 70% less compared to other models.
Utility of in vivo metabolomics to support read-across for UVCB substances under REACH
Authors: Kamp H. , Kocabas N. Aygun , Faulhammer F. , Synhaeve N. , Rushton E. , Flick B. , Giri V. , Sperber S. , Higgins L. G. , Penman M. G. , van Ravenzwaay B. , Rooseboom M.
Published: January 2024

Structure-based grouping of chemicals for targeted testing and read-across is an efficient way to reduce resources and animal usage. For substances of unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products, or biological materials (UVCBs), structure-based grouping is virtually impossible. Biology-based approaches such as metabolomics could provide a solution. Here, 15 steam-cracked distillates, registered in the EU through the Lower Olefins Aromatics Reach Consortium (LOA), as well as six of the major substance constituents, were tested in a 14-day rat oral gavage study, in line with the fundamental elements of the OECD 407 guideline, in combination with plasma metabolomics. Beyond signs of clinical toxicity, reduced body weight (gain), and food consumption, pathological investigations demonstrated the liver, thyroid, kidneys (males only), and hematological system to be the target organs. These targets were confirmed by metabolome pattern recognition, with no additional targets being identified. While classical toxicological parameters did not allow for a clear distinction between the substances, univariate and multivariate statistical analysis of the respective metabolomes allowed for the identification of several subclusters of biologically most similar substances. These groups were partly associated with the dominant (> 50%) constituents of these UVCBs, i.e., indene and dicyclopentadiene. Despite minor differences in clustering results based on the two statistical analyses, a proposal can be made for the grouping of these UVCBs. Both analyses correctly clustered the chemically most similar compounds, increasing the confidence that this biological approach may provide a solution for the grouping of UVCBs.
Molecular characteristics and improved survival prediction in a cohort of 2023 ependymomas
Authors: Pohl Lara C. , Leitheiser Maximilian , Obrecht Denise , Schweizer Leonille , Wefers Annika K. , Eckhardt Alicia , Raffeld Mark , Sturm Dominik , Pajtler Kristian W. , Rutkowski Stefan , Fukuoka Kohei , Ichimura Koichi , Bockmayr Michael , Schüller Ulrich
Published: January 2024

The diagnosis of ependymoma has moved from a purely histopathological review with limited prognostic value to an integrated diagnosis, relying heavily on molecular information. However, as the integrated approach is still novel and some molecular ependymoma subtypes are quite rare, few studies have correlated integrated pathology and clinical outcome, often focusing on small series of single molecular types. We collected data from 2023 ependymomas as classified by DNA methylation profiling, consisting of 1736 previously published and 287 unpublished methylation profiles. Methylation data and clinical information were correlated, and an integrated model was developed to predict progression-free survival. Patients with EPN-PFA, EPN-ZFTA, and EPN-MYCN tumors showed the worst outcome with 10-year overall survival rates of 56%, 62%, and 32%, respectively. EPN-PFA harbored chromosome 1q gains and/or 6q losses as markers for worse survival. In supratentorial EPN-ZFTA, a combined loss of CDKN2A and B indicated worse survival, whereas a single loss did not. Twelve out of 200 EPN-ZFTA (6%) were located in the posterior fossa, and these tumors relapsed or progressed even earlier than supratentorial tumors with a combined loss of CDKN2A/B. Patients with MPE and PF-SE, generally regarded as non-aggressive tumors, only had a 10-year progression-free survival of 59% and 65%, respectively. For the prediction of the 5-year progression-free survival, Kaplan-Meier estimators based on the molecular subtype, a Support Vector Machine based on methylation, and an integrated model based on clinical factors, CNV data, and predicted methylation scores achieved balanced accuracies of 66%, 68%, and 73%, respectively. Excluding samples with low prediction scores resulted in balanced accuracies of over 80%. In sum, our large-scale analysis of ependymomas provides robust information about molecular features and their clinical meaning. Our data are particularly relevant for rare and hardly explored tumor subtypes and seemingly benign variants that display higher recurrence rates than previously believed.
Trophic niches of Collembola communities change with elevation, but also with body size and life form
Authors: Lux Johannes , Xie Zhijing , Sun Xin , Wu Donghui , Scheu Stefan
Published: January 2024

Climate change will likely increase habitat loss of endemic tree species and drives forest conversion in mountainous forests. Elevation gradients provide the opportunity to predict possible consequences of such changes. While species compositions of various taxa have been investigated along elevation gradients, data on trophic changes in soil-dwelling organisms are scarce. Here, we investigated trophic changes of the Collembola communities along the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, China. We sampled Collembola in primary forests at seven elevations (800–1700 m asl). We measured individual body lengths and bulk stable isotopes on species level. We further categorized Collembola species into life forms. The community-weighted means of Δ15N and Δ13C values as well as minimum Δ15N values and isotopic uniqueness of Collembola communities increased with increasing elevation, while the range of Δ15N values decreased. Maximum and minimum of Δ13C values differed between elevations but showed no linear trend. Further, Δ15N values of Collembola species occurring across all elevations increased with elevation. Changes in Δ15N values with elevation were most pronounced in hemiedaphic species, while Δ13C values increased strongest with elevation in euedaphic species. Δ15N values increased with decreasing body size in hemiedaphic and euedaphic species. Overall, the results suggest that Collembola species functioning as primary decomposers at lower elevations shift towards functioning as secondary decomposers or even predators or scavengers at higher elevation forests. The results further indicate that access to alternative food resources depends on Collembola life form as well as body size and varies between ecosystems.
Gefügeveränderungen an Bronzeteilen während experimenteller archäologischer Kremierungen
Authors: Haubner Roland , Strobl Susanne , Fritzl Michaela , Konrad Michael
Published: January 2024

In der späten Bronzezeit (ca. 1300–800 v. Chr.) waren Brandbestattungen die dominierende Bestattungsform über weite Teile Europas. In Anlehnung an Bronzeartefakten aus Brandgräbern der Fundstelle Inzersdorf ob der Traisen wurden archäologische Experimente durchgeführt. Kremierungsversuche mit Schweinen sollten zeigen, wie sich Bronzeobjekte in Bezug auf ihre Position am Scheiterhaufen und den unterschiedlichen Bedingungen, während der Kremierung verändern. Gewölbte Bronzeplättchen (sogenannte „Buckelchen“) aus Cu10%Sn wurden auf ein Leichentuch und verschiedene Kleidungsstücke aufgenäht, gemeinsam mit einem Schwein kremiert, aus dem abgebrannte Scheiterhaufen geborgen und abschließend metallographisch untersucht.

Durch metallographische Analysen soll eine Abschätzung der Temperaturen erfolgen, welcher die einzelnen Bronzeobjekte während der Kremierung ausgesetzt waren. Die Gefügeveränderungen variieren zwischen kaum verändert, rekristallisiert bis aufgeschmolzen.

Vergleiche mit bronzezeitlichen „Buckelchen“ sollen Erkenntnisse über die seinerzeitigen Kremierungbedingungen und die damals erreichten Temperaturen bringen.
Ein neuer Blickwinkel auf die merkmalsorientierte Ordnung von Vierecken
Authors: Kaiser Peter
Published: January 2024

In diesem Artikel betrachten wir das Haus der Vierecke aus einem neuen Blickwinkel. Aufbauend auf der Analyse von Volkert, [14], untersuchen wir merkmalsorientierte Ordnungen. Im Gegensatz zu Volkert erzeugen wir das entstehende Haus jedoch nicht als „Flurbereinigung“ eines kompletten Systems, sondern als einen „natürlich gewachsenen Graphen“ . Insbesondere erlaubt uns dies die, durch die Merkmale aufgeprägten, Zusammenhänge zwischen den Vierecken zu verdeutlichen.
Requirements and software engineering for automotive perception systems: an interview study
Authors: Habibullah Khan Mohammad , Heyn Hans-Martin , Gay Gregory , Horkoff Jennifer , Knauss Eric , Borg Markus , Knauss Alessia , Sivencrona Håkan , Li Polly Jing
Published: January 2024

Driving automation systems, including autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance, are an important safety-critical domain. Such systems often incorporate perception systems that use machine learning to analyze the vehicle environment. We explore new or differing topics and challenges experienced by practitioners in this domain, which relate to requirements engineering (RE), quality, and systems and software engineering. We have conducted a semi-structured interview study with 19 participants across five companies and performed thematic analysis of the transcriptions. Practitioners have difficulty specifying upfront requirements and often rely on scenarios and operational design domains (ODDs) as RE artifacts. RE challenges relate to ODD detection and ODD exit detection, realistic scenarios, edge case specification, breaking down requirements, traceability, creating specifications for data and annotations, and quantifying quality requirements. Practitioners consider performance, reliability, robustness, user comfort, and—most importantly—safety as important quality attributes. Quality is assessed using statistical analysis of key metrics, and quality assurance is complicated by the addition of ML, simulation realism, and evolving standards. Systems are developed using a mix of methods, but these methods may not be sufficient for the needs of ML. Data quality methods must be a part of development methods. ML also requires a data-intensive verification and validation process, introducing data, analysis, and simulation challenges. Our findings contribute to understanding RE, safety engineering, and development methodologies for perception systems. This understanding and the collected challenges can drive future research for driving automation and other ML systems.
The tongue microbiome of young patients with chronic kidney disease and their healthy mothers
Authors: Hoefer Karolin C. , Weber Lutz T. , Barbe Anna Greta , Graf Isabelle , Thom Stefanie , Nowag Angela , Scholz Claus J. , Wisplinghoff Hilmar , Noack Michael J. , Jazmati Nathalie
Published: January 2024

Objectives

Oral microbiome plays a crucial role in the incidence and development of oral diseases. An altered intestinal microbiome has been reported in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to characterize the tongue microbiome of young patients with CKD compared to their healthy mothers to identify the influence of CKD-associated factors on resilient tongue ecosystem.

Material and methods

Thirty patients with CKD (mean age, 14.2 years; 16 males and 14 females) and generalized gingivitis were included in the study. Swabs of the posterior tongue were collected from the patients and 21 mothers (mean age 40.8 years). Next-generation sequencing of 16S rDNA genes was employed to quantitatively characterize microbial communities.

Results

The bacterial communities were similar in terms of richness and diversity between patients and mothers (p > 0.05). In patients with CKD, 5 core phyla, 20 core genera, and 12 core species were identified.

Conclusions

The tongue microbiome of the study participants showed no relevant CKD-associated differences compared to their mothers and appears to be a highly preserved niche in the oral cavity. Differences observed in the abundance of individual species in this study could be attributed to the age rather than CKD, even after a mean disease duration of 11 years.

Clinical relevance

CKD and its associated metabolic changes appear to have no detectable impact on the resilient tongue microbiome observed in young patients.
Gender gap in deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease: preliminary results of a retrospective study
Authors: Somma Teresa , Bove Ilaria , Vitulli Francesca , Solari Domenico , Bocchino Andrea , Palmiero Carmela , Scala Maria Rosaria , Zoia Cesare , Cappabianca Paolo , Esposito Felice
Published: January 2024

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment of PD for both women and men. However, discussions have been reported about the impact of STN-DBS surgery in PD. The aim of our study is to identify differences between men and women in terms of pre- and post-DBS symptoms and try to explain the possible causes. In the current study, we evaluated the gender impact on STN-DBS in PD at the Department of Neurosurgery of University of Naples “Federico II” from 2013 to 2021. Motor and non-motor symptoms were evaluated. To compare the data before and after surgery and between the genders, Wilcoxon-Mann–Whitney tests were performed. A total of 43 patients with PD were included; of them, 17 (39%) were female. Baseline evaluation revealed no gender differences in the age of onset (p = 0.87). Not significant differences were noted in the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) pre-surgery score, but if we consider UPDRS subscores of motor examination, significant clinical improvement was reported in both male and female in terms of UPDRS pre- and post-surgery (p < 0.001). STN-DBS is a highly effective treatment for motor and non-motor symptoms of PD for both women and men but our study hints towards gender-specific outcomes in motor domains. Improving our knowledge in this field can allow us to implement strategies to identify new directions in the development of an adequate treatment of PD in terms of surgical intervention and in consideration of the gender.
The impact of eco-innovation on environmental performance in different regional settings: new evidence from Chinese cities
Authors: Wu Lichao , Wang Lili , Philipsen Niels J. , Fang Xinyi
Published: January 2024

Eco-innovation is crucial for pollutants emissions reduction and environmental improvement. However, little is known on how it functions in relation to different technology capabilities and regulations. Using economic and environmental information collected for 285 Chinese cities in the period of 2005–2017, this paper investigates how eco-innovation functions in different contexts. First, different from the existing literature that has mainly focused on direct eco-innovation, our study shows that indirect eco-innovation—spillovers from other regions—can have an even greater impact than direct eco-innovation. This demonstrates the importance of absorbing eco-innovation spillovers from other regions to reduce the amount of pollutants and strengthen environmental performance, in particular for regions without sufficient local R&D capabilities. Second, this study investigates how different kinds of environmental regulation can function differently in stimulating new eco-innovation, which stresses the importance of differentiated instruments in incentivizing firms to adopt eco-innovation and maximize their contributions to environmental performance. In addition, our study also emphasizes the role that cities’ financial development plays in influencing the connection among eco-innovation, different kinds of environmental regulation and environmental performance. An understanding of these mechanisms is critical for the government to improve eco-innovation activities accordingly and make policies that fit specific regional contexts.
The Power of a Human Bridge: Motivating Older Adults to Long-Term Engagement with Touchscreen Devices in a SDT-Based Learning Session
Authors: Oppl Sabrina , Kronberger Nicole , Stary Christian , Oppl Stefan
Published: January 2024

The rapid development of digital technology and its pervasiveness in everyday life requires everybody to develop the skills necessary to engage with such technology for one’s mundane tasks and communication needs. The first steps towards developing these skills can be particularly challenging for older adults, who might need to fundamentally adapt their learned and long-practiced routines. Maintaining motivation in these initial steps is crucial for sustained engagement. The present study examines factors that can contribute to promote motivation in a facilitated learning session based on Self-Determination-Theory. We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study in which we examined people’s motivation to engage with digital technology, based on observational data as well as interviews with 33 older adults before and immediately after participating in a facilitated learning session. To investigate sustained effects on motivation, further interviews were conducted 3 months after participation. We found that satisfying the need for relatedness by learning together with peers and receiving support from facilitators was a prerequisite for this target group to develop a sense of competence and autonomy, which can lead to sustained motivation. Long-term motivational effects could not only be explained by the immediate effects of the learning intervention, but were identified to be dependent also on individual needs and predispositions. These findings were aggregated in a typology that identifies relevant influence factors and explains the potential motivational effects for different parts of the target group. It supports learning and technology designers to adapt to the addressed user group.