bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research progress on application of dental stem cells in alveolar bone and periodontal regeneration
Authors: Liu Zhaoyong , Guo Chengbin , Guo Jing , Huang Shan , Du Peng
Published: September 2024

Periodontal disease is a prevalent inflammatory condition affecting the tissues and bone surrounding the teeth, posing significant challenges to oral health. Current treatments often fall short due to incomplete removal of bacteria and plaque, irreversible damage to gums and bone, and their cost and time‐consuming nature. Stem cell therapy offers a promising alternative that potentially addresses these limitations. This review delves into the biology, mechanisms, and applications of dental stem cells (DSCs) in alveolar bone and periodontal regeneration. We begin with an overview of various stem cell types and their characteristics, highlighting their role in tissue regeneration and the mechanisms involved. Subsequently, we examine preclinical and clinical studies that demonstrate the efficacy and safety of DSC therapy, showcasing their potential in restoring periodontal health. The discussion also extends to the critical challenges and future directions in the field, emphasizing the necessity for standardized protocols and rigorous research to fully integrate DSC‐based therapies into routine clinical practice. This review underscores the transformative potential of DSCs in regenerative dentistry, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding that can propel further advancements and ultimately improve patient outcomes in periodontal therapy.
Clinical Features and Novel Pathogenic Variants of Chinese Patients With McLeod Syndrome and Chorea‐Acanthocytosis
Authors: Yu Hao , Li Ling , Li Xiaoyan , Liu Haipeng
Published: September 2024

Background

McLeod syndrome (MLS) and chorea‐acanthocytosis (ChAc) are exceedingly rare diseases characterized by a variety of movement disorders including chorea, dystonia, and Parkinsonism. Genetic analysis plays a key role in early and accurate diagnosis, but relevant variants are still under investigation. This study aims to explore new pathogenic variants in Chinese patients with MLS and ChAc and to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the clinical heterogeneity among these patients.

Methods

Eighteen Chinese patients who presented with choreatic movements with negative HTT genetic testing were identified and underwent targeted next‐generation sequencing, verified by Sanger sequencing.

Results

Two novel XK variants (c.970A>T, c.422_423del) were identified in three index MLS patients and six novel VPS13A variants (c.9219C>A, c.3467T>A, c.4208dup, c.9243_9246del, c.5364del, c.556‐290_697‐483del) in five index ChAc patients. One copy number variant of VPS13A (g.79827595_79828762del/c.556‐290_697‐483del) was firstly described in Chinese population.

Conclusion

As the currently largest descriptive study of MLS and ChAc patients in China, this study expands on the clinical and genetic spectrum of XK and VPS13A, contributing to the clinical diagnosis of MLS and ChAc.
Theoretical Analysis and Field Investigation on Bearing Characteristics of the Long‐Core SDCM Pile Under Vertical Load in Multilayered Soil
Authors: Gong Zhiyu , Dai Guoliang , Liu Hongbo , Chen Xinsheng , Ouyang Haoran , Jiang Jianxiong
Published: September 2024

The long‐core SDCM pile is a typical type of stiffened deep cement mixing (SDCM) pile, it could be widely exploited in coastal geotechnical engineering because of its high bearing capacity, low settlement, green, and economic advantages. The long‐core SDCM pile is constituted by a PHC pipe pile and cemented soil, the height of the PHC pipe pile is upward than the depth of the cemented soil reinforcement. This study implements a theoretical approach to load transfer analysis of the long‐core SDCM pile under vertical load in layer soil. Herein, the shear constitutive models of the DCM pile‐PHC pipe pile interface and the fictitious soil pile‐PHC pipe pile interface are double exponential models, the compression constitutive model of the soil under the pile and the shear constitutive models of the DCM pile–soil interface and the fictitious soil pile–soil interface are ideal elastic–plastic models. The results obtained from this calculation model can match well with the data from on‐site tests and other analytical solutions. The theoretical model is used to analyze the key parameters LD/LP, DD/DP, Ec, and Ep of the long‐core SDCM pile. The LD/LP and DD/DP are the critical parameters affecting the bearing characteristics, and the minor settlement is affected by the changes of Ec and Ep.
Determination of Compaction Parameters of Cement‐Lime Soils: Boosting‐Based Ensemble Models
Authors: Tilahun Yonas , Qinghua Xiao , Ashango Argaw Asha , Han Xiangyu
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the application of artificial intelligence (AI) models to predict soil compaction characteristics, specifically maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC), which are critical for stabilizing construction foundations. Traditional methods for determining MDD and OMC are labor‐intensive and often influenced by factors such as soil type, plasticity, and compaction energy (E). The research employed AI models, including random forest regression (RF‐R), gradient boosting regression (GB‐R), XGBoosting regressor (XGB‐R), and multilinear regression (ML‐R), trained on a comprehensive dataset of soil properties. For the first time, compaction energy has been used as an input variable to predict soil cement lime stabilized compaction parameters. Among the models, GB‐R demonstrated the highest prediction accuracy for MDD and OMC, outperforming RF‐R, XGB‐R, and ML‐R. The performance of built‐in models has been measured by three new index performance metrics: the a20‐index, the index of scatter (IS), and the index of agreement (IA), in addition to four common metrics. Taylor diagrams confirmed the robustness of these predictions during lab testing. A sensitivity analysis revealed that MDD and OMC were most influenced by plastic limit (PL), compaction energy (E), liquid limit (LL), and plasticity index (PI). Additionally, curve‐fitting techniques were applied to model the relationship between MDD, OMC, and these key factors. The results indicated that the GB‐R model, particularly when focused on essential features, provided superior accuracy compared to traditional regression methods, offering a reliable tool for soil stabilization assessments in construction.
Recent advances of silk‐fibroin‐based hydrogel in the field of antibacterial application
Authors: Zou Pan , Li Xiaoliang , Zhao Haiyun , Qu Shenhong , Jiang Zhichao , Lei Xi , Wu Cimin , Liu Ling
Published: September 2024

Silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel has been popular in the wound dressing and tissue engineering fields for its good biocompatibility, biodegradation and water retention ability. The development of functional SF‐based hydrogels has gained attention in recent decades in medical fields. Multifunctional SF hydrogel is prepared by the addition and combination of therapeutic agents with cell growth promoting, antibacterial, antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. In particular, the antibacterial activity of SF‐based hydrogel is essential in clinical practice. Despite this growing interest in functional silk protein hydrogels and their potential antimicrobial applications, a comprehensive review on this topic is currently lacking. Therefore, this review aims to provide an in‐depth understanding of the advanced status of the antibacterial application of SF‐based hydrogel, mainly focused on different components loaded. The review begins by briefly introducing the preparation methods of SF‐based hydrogel. Subsequently, the review summarizes diverse components loaded into the hydrogel to provide a comprehensive understanding in the antibacterial field. Furthermore, the article reviews the biomedical applications of antibacterial aspects including tissue engineering, sustained drug release, wound repair and adhesive use. Also the challenges associated with developing SF‐based hydrogels are analyzed alongside future prospects. We hope that this study will contribute to promoting the application and innovation of SF material in the clinical antibacterial field. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Use of cardiopulmonary exercise testing to identify mechanisms of exertional symptoms in children with long COVID
Authors: Lowe Adam , Sabati Arash , Bhatia Rajeev
Published: September 2024

Background

Little is known about the mechanisms of exercise intolerance and exertional symptoms in children with long COVID. Through utilization of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), this study is the first of its kind to evaluate exertional symptoms and attempt to identify potential mechanism of long COVID‐19 in children.

Objective

To determine if CPET will uncover potential reasons for persistent symptoms of long COVID when there is no indication of cardiopulmonary or upper airway disease.

Methods

We performed a retrospective chart review study involving children 6–17 years of age with symptoms of long COVID at Phoenix Children''s Hospital from January 1, 2021, to June 1, 2022. Symptoms included but were not limited to exercise intolerance, fatigue, shortness of breath, dyspnea on exertion, and chest pain. We recorded any measurable abnormalities present on CPET after comparing it to established normal reference ranges. Range, median, and SD of data points were calculated and p values were determined using the Mann–Whitney U and Fisher's exact test.

Results

Twenty‐three children with exertional symptoms consistent with long COVID were identified. The most frequent symptoms reported during exercise include dyspnea on exertion (35%), followed by chest pain (30%) and dizziness (13%). Nearly half of the children (47%) demonstrated decreased exercise capacity with 30% displaying limitations due to deconditioning, 22% limited by body habitus, and 13% due to bronchospasm. Other contributing factors include ventilation to perfusion mismatch and volitional hyperventilation.

Conclusion

Decreased aerobic activity due to multiple factors was found in 47% of children with a history of COVID‐19. This study illustrates the importance of ongoing research into this phenomenon to elucidate its mechanism and assist physicians in making decisions regarding referral to specialists for further testing.
Preoperative physiotherapy for improving the reserve capacity in a patient with esophageal cancer and frailty: A case report
Authors: Takahashi Yusuke , Okura Kazuki , Sakamoto Ririko , Hasegawa Kakeru , Nagaki Yushi , Wakita Akiyuki , Sato Yusuke
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Frailty is significantly correlated with a higher incidence of medical complications during hospitalization after esophagectomy. As frailty is thought to be a reversible condition, improving the reserve capacity through preoperative physical therapy is expected to reduce the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). Herein, we report our experience with preoperative physical therapy in a patient with esophageal cancer who was considered to have inadequate fitness for surgery owing to poor physical performance.

Case Presentation

A 72‐year‐old man (height: 169.5 cm, weight: 54.7 kg, body mass index: 18.9 kg/m2) with esophagogastric junction tumors (cStage IIIA) was hospitalized and scheduled to undergo surgery based on preoperative screening. He was categorized as frail according to the revised Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria and the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short‐Form indicated severe malnutrition. We focused on physical therapy to improve exercise tolerance and prevent PPCs and devised a short‐term intensive physical therapy program comprising minimal exercises that the patient could perform efficiently. The program consisted of only inspiratory muscle training and aerobic exercises. His maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and 6‐min walking distance improved by 30 cm H2O and 145 m, respectively, on the day before surgery compared with those on day 8. The percentage predicted value of the MIP improved from 56.6% at the start of physical therapy to 102.9% on the day before surgery. On day 43, the patient underwent subtotal esophagectomy and was able to ambulate on postoperative day 5 without respiratory complications.

Conclusion

We conducted a short‐term, intensive, and minimal preoperative physical therapy program for a patient with esophageal cancer who had physical frailty. Preoperative physical therapy to increase the reserve capacity may result in a favorable postoperative course even in patients with physical frailty.
Assimilating atmospheric motion vector winds using a feature track correction observation operator
Authors: Hoffman Ross N. , Liu Hui , Lukens Katherine E. , Garrett Kevin , Ide Kayo
Published: September 2024

Atmospheric motion vector (AMV) winds have positive impacts in operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems. These impacts might be improved with better treatment of the following error characteristics of AMVs. First, AMVs may have wind errors due to height assignment errors. Second, AMVs may have additional wind‐speed biases in addition to those due to height assignment errors. Third, AMVs are representative of motion in a possibly thick atmospheric layer, not a single atmospheric level. Previous work proposed a variational feature track correction (FTC) method in which an observation operator is implemented that averages the NWP background winds optimally in the vertical. Here, a prototype feature track correction observation operator (FTC‐OO) is implemented in the NOAA/NCEP data assimilation (DA) system. The parameters describing the vertical averaging are determined offline based on previous DA cycles. The FTC‐OO reduces the observation minus background standard deviation by about 4%. Global observing‐system experiments (OSEs) are performed comparing the FTC‐OO with the operational observation operator. The forecast verification sample is 41 10‐day forecasts. The OSEs show that the FTC‐OO improves forecast skill, primarily for tropical geopotential height. Additional OSEs are performed that include Aeolus wind observations. The hypothesis that the Aeolus winds would enhance the impact of the FTC‐OO was not borne out in these experiments—the Aeolus observations alone have a significant positive impact, but the impact of the FTC method in the presence of the Aeolus
observations is neither enhanced nor degraded compared with the impact of the FTC method alone.
Spatial Distribution Control of Room‐Temperature Single Photon Emitters in the Telecom Range from GaN Thin Films Grown on Patterned Sapphire Substrates
Authors: Kim Hyemin , Song Yong‐Ho , Ko Young‐Ho , Cho Yong‐Hoon
Published: September 2024

Spatial distribution‐controlled single‐photon emitters operating is demonstrated in telecom wavelength range at room‐temperature with GaN thin film grown on a patterned sapphire substrate (PSSs) with varying pattern sizes and dimensions. The analysis focuses on the various optical properties of defects within the GaN thin film, particularly their interactions with PSS. The confocal fluorescence mapping at room temperature revealed localized single‐photon emitters inside the GaN layers located between the patterns. In addition, compared to conventional sapphire substrates, PSS can scatter photons outside the total reflection cone, thereby enhancing the light extraction efficiency. From the samples, the single photon emission is observed in the telecom wavelength ranging from 1.1 to 1.35 µm at room temperature, which is critical for advancing quantum communication technologies, and elucidate how the physical characteristics of PSS influence the performance and efficiency of GaN‐based single‐photon emitters.
Hip Dips Technique: Filling Lateral Depressions with Hyaluronic Acid of Large Particles
Authors: Lourenco Luciana , Medeiros Helena , Ferreira Luísa , Favoretto Dias de Oliveira Natasha , Lopes Roberta , Sigrist Rosa
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Hip dips, often referred to as the pronounced trochanteric depression, can be caused by athletic muscular definition or the ageing process. This depression might impact the desirable contour of the buttocks in some female patients.

Patients and Methods

A technique is described for female patients exhibiting moderate to severe degrees of lateral trochanteric depression. This technique utilizes a specific marking, a well-thought-out plan and a designated product. Eleven patients were selected to use this technique to improve their trochanteric depression and enhance their buttocks contour without undergoing surgery. The product used was Sofiderm Subskin, which was applied at the intermediate subcutaneous layer.

Results

The authors report favourable aesthetic results with the proposed technique, and the patients expressed high satisfaction levels.

Discussion

Though safe for injection, the lateral gluteal depression can still be challenging to expand. The product chosen has both a high G prime and a large molecular size, contributing to its resistance to deformation.

Conclusion

The hip dips technique using hyaluronic acid for the augmentation of lateral depression has shown to be minimally invasive; it provides quick results without significant risks or downtime.
A Secure Authenticated Healthcare Data Analysis Mechanism in IoMT‐Enabled Healthcare
Authors: Wazid Mohammad , Nautiyal Shivansh , Das Ashok Kumar , Shetty Sachin , Islam SK Hafizul
Published: September 2024

We frequently wait long when we go to the hospital for a doctor's appointment. However, many people cannot afford to stay in such lengthy lines in today's busy world. Daily, we observe that manually performing such tasks takes considerable time, and automating such processes can save time. Securing the information the user provides, medical staff, and devices is crucial. Before accessing such information, the user must be authenticated to ensure that unauthorized persons cannot retrieve patient records. Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) has revolutionized the healthcare industry with the emergence of IoT‐based healthcare systems, called Internet‐of‐Medical‐Things (IoMT). It offers efficient and personalized patient care. However, the vast amounts of sensitive patient data transmitted and stored within these systems raise serious concerns about data security and privacy. This article proposes a secure healthcare data analysis mechanism with user sign‐in authentication capability for the IoMT‐enabled healthcare system (SA‐IoMTH). It addresses the unique security challenges faced by these systems. The formal security verification using the scyther tool and a security analysis of SA‐IoMTH are provided, proving its security against various possible attacks. The proposed SA‐IoMTH outperforms the other existing approaches. Finally, a smartphone application is also implemented for SA‐IoMTH to check its usefulness in real‐world scenarios.
Privacy Re‐Identification Attacks on Tabular GANs
Authors: Alshantti Abdallah , Rasheed Adil , Westad Frank
Published: September 2024

Generative models are effective in producing realistic tabular synthetic data that resembles the properties and distribution of real datasets. While synthetic data has numerous applications across various domains, generative models are susceptible to overfitting, which can lead to the leakage of sensitive information from training data. Privacy attacks exacerbate this issue by attempting to identify original data records from synthetic data, especially when the attacker possesses some knowledge about the generative model. In this work, we investigate the privacy risks associated with using generative adversarial networks (GANs) to create tabular synthetic datasets. More specifically, we develop privacy reconstruction attacks designed to identify training samples by minimizing their proximity to synthetic records. Our experimental analysis considers various scenarios of reconstruction attacks, in which attackers have different levels of access to the generative models. Additionally, we propose multi‐objective optimization using evolutionary algorithms to perturb synthetic samples closer to original training data points. The experimental results show that reconstruction attacks can effectively identify training samples, with privacy threats significantly increasing when attackers have access to the generative model. Furthermore, our findings indicate that using evolutionary algorithms in reconstruction attacks further heightens the risk of identifying confidential samples. Comparing our attacks against state‐of‐the‐art privacy attacks on tabular GANs further reveals that our reconstructions attacks are considerably more effective in recovering real data records.
Revealing the Dynamic Recrystallization Mechanism and Hot Workability of Fe–0.15C–10Mn Medium‐Mn Steel through Grain Size Distribution and 3D Processing Maps
Authors: Sun Xiaoyun , Liu Qi , Duan Yuanpei , Jian Huadong , Bao Mingzhi , Wang Shubo
Published: September 2024

An in‐depth understanding of thermal deformation of medium‐Mn steels (MMnSs) is crucial for the forming fabrication of key automotive components. In this work, the Fe–0.15C–10Mn MMnSs are compressed under conditions of 900–1150 °C/0.001–10 s−1. Two‐stage models, dynamic recovery (DRV) and dynamic recrystallization (DRX), are constructed and proved to be accurately predictive with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.997% and average absolute relative error (AARE) of 2.67%. Based on the analysis of microstructure evolution, the discontinuous DRX occured at a specific deformation condition of 900 °C–10 s−1, while the continuous DRX generated at other deformed conditions. The discontinuous DRX grains only distributed along pre‐existing grain boundaries, showing a necklace‐like grain structure with multiple small zigzag protrusions at the boundary. While continuous DRX grains with low dislocation density distributed both along and inside the pre‐existing grain boundaries. The developed 3D processing map identified high strain rate (0.1–10 s−1) as instability domains, in which heterogeneous microstructure are observed. Consequently, optimum hot working domain is determined to be 975–1150 °C/0.001–0.05 s−1. Complete DRX and subsequent growth of small DRXed grains result in a homogeneous microstructure, contributing to the optimal processing zone with η > 0.29.
Understanding machine learning predictions of wastewater treatment plant sludge with explainable artificial intelligence
Authors: Nasir Fuad Bin , Li Jin
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the use of machine learning (ML) models for wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge predictions and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) techniques for understanding the impact of variables behind the prediction. Three ML models, random forest (RF), gradient boosting machine (GBM), and gradient boosting tree (GBT), were evaluated for their performance using statistical indicators. Input variable combinations were selected through different feature selection (FS) methods. XAI techniques were employed to enhance the interpretability and transparency of ML models. The results suggest that prediction accuracy depends on the choice of model and the number of variables. XAI techniques were found to be effective in interpreting the decisions made by each ML model. This study provides an example of using ML models in sludge production prediction and interpreting models applying XAI to understand the factors influencing it. Understandable interpretation of ML model prediction can facilitate targeted interventions for process optimization and improve the efficiency and sustainability of wastewater treatment processes.

Practitioner Points

Explainable artificial intelligence can play a crucial role in promoting trust between machine learning models and their real‐world applications.

Widely practiced machine learning models were used to predict sludge production of a United States wastewater treatment plant.

Feature selection methods can reduce the required number of input variables without compromising model accuracy.

Explainable artificial intelligence techniques can explain driving variables behind machine learning prediction.
Synthesis of novel composite material with spent coffee ground biochar and steel slag zeolite for enhanced dye and phosphate removal
Authors: Noorin Shazia , Paul Tanushree , Ghosh Arnab , Yee Jurng‐Jae , Park Sung Hyuk
Published: September 2024

Rising concerns over water scarcity, driven by industrialization and urbanization, necessitate the need for innovative solutions for wastewater treatment. This study focuses on developing an eco‐friendly and cost‐effective biochar‐zeolite composite (BZC) adsorbent using waste materials—spent coffee ground biochar (CGB) and steel slag zeolite (SSZ). Initially, the biochar was prepared from spent coffee ground, and zeolite was prepared from steel slag; their co‐pyrolysis resulted in novel adsorbent material. Later, the physicochemical characteristics of the BZC were examined, which showed irregular structure and well‐defined pores. Dye removal studies were conducted, which indicate that BZC adsorption reach equilibrium in 2 h, exhibiting 95% removal efficiency compared to biochar (43.33%) and zeolite (74.58%). Moreover, the removal efficiencies of the novel BZC composite toward dyes methyl orange (MO) and crystal violet (CV) were found to be 97% and 99.53%, respectively. The kinetic studies performed with the dyes and phosphate with an adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g L−1 suggest a pseudo‐second‐order model. Additionally, the reusability study of BZC proves to be effective through multiple adsorption and regeneration cycles. Initially, the phosphate removal remains high but eventually decreases from 92% to 70% in the third regeneration cycle, highlighting the robustness of the BZC. In conclusion, this study introduces a promising, cost‐effective novel BZC adsorbent derived from waste materials as a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. Emphasizing efficiency, reusability, and potential contributions to environmentally conscious water treatment, the findings highlight the composite's significance in addressing key challenges for the removal of toxic pollutants from the aqueous solutions.

Practitioner Points

A novel biochar‐zeolite composite (BZC) material has been synthesized.

Excellent removal of dyes by BZC (~95%) was achieved as compared to their counterparts

The kinetic studies performed suggest a pseudo‐second‐order model.

BZC proves to be highly effective for multiple adsorption studies.

Excellent reusability showed potential as a robust adsorbent
Applied Linguistics in the Social Sciences and the Indonesian Context
Authors: Stroupe Richmond , Roosman Lilie M.
Published: September 2024

The field of applied linguistics has
developed out of traditional linguistics research with a unifying focus on the relationship
between theory and practice. This introductory chapter discusses how the field
of applied linguistics has broadened to encompass multidisciplinary research
while investigating practical language issues with the goal of addressing
“real-world” problems. Researchers in the field now investigate diverse,
contemporary topics such as language education, corpus linguistics, second
language acquisition, English as a lingua franca, and the intersection of
language with culture, gender, media, and other social variables and constructs.
This introductory chapter highlights recent contributions to the field by local
researchers, and also presents how the sections in this volume further
contribute to the body of applied linguistics knowledge, providing insights
from the multilingual, multicultural context of Indonesia. The authors in these
sections focus on research areas including the relationship between linguistics
and education, corpus linguistics, language use in society and media, and
clinical linguistics. This volume provides an opportunity to raise the
awareness of non-Western perspectives and research in applied linguistics,
enriches understanding in the field, and offers insight into the diverse social
and linguistic contexts of Indonesia.
Connecting Texts and Thoughts: How Translanguaging and Multilingual Writings Reflect Hybrid Identities in Colonial Times
Authors: Al Azkaf Afwa Zakia , Yannuar Nurenzia , Basthomi Yazid , Febrianti Yusnita
Published: September 2024

Indonesian multilingualism has been affected by outside factors including colonialism and globalization. During the Dutch colonial period in the early 1900s, Indonesian intellectuals wrote mainly in Dutch, and occasionally English and other regional languages. A hybrid identity was embraced as these speakers moved from one language to another in their speech. This study seeks to examine the manner in which a multilingual writer constructs his self-identity while expressing his opinions through newspaper columns, as well as the influence of colonialism on the writer’s self-identification. Using qualitative analysis of textual data taken from Indonesian newspapers published in the 1930s and 1970s, this study demonstrates that the multilingual writer recognized his hybrid self-identity since he could utilize a different language in different contexts. A hybrid identity was developed by the multilingual writer when he created a meaning-making system, shaped experience, and acquired understanding or knowledge using various languages in his repertoire. Despite the different identities, he remained loyal to one primary identity.
Time Reference and Telicity in Agrammatic Aphasia in Bahasa Indonesia
Authors: Soniawati Siti Eka , Anjarningsih Harwintha , Laksman-Huntley Myrna
Published: September 2024

Several cross-inflectional-language studies claim that reference to time and telicity marked by verbs are difficult for agrammatic speakers. Thus, the PADILIH claims that time reference referring to the past is difficult and AAM claims that the combination of argument structure (transitivity & telicity) and time reference is relatively difficult for agrammatic speakers. It is predicted that a similar phenomenon is observed in the agglutinative Indonesian. Furthermore, filling in the gap in rehabilitation method in the Aphasia Test for Diagnosis, Information and Rehabilitation (TADIR), which currently has no standard guidelines, it is interesting to examine telicity and time reference in addition to the accompanying deficit. BI verbs have the potential to indicate telicity through inherent meaning by referring to the two semantic parameters of time reference including dynamism and durativity, while time reference is simultaneously marked by aspectual adverbs and temporal lexical adverbs. Ten participants were divided into two groups, with one group comprised of agrammatic speakers and a second group comprised of five speakers without brain damage (NBDs) as controls. Agrammatism was determined based on the TADIR, and both groups of speakers were tested with the Test for Assessing Reference of Time (TART) and Verbal Sentence Production (SPP-verbal). The validated sentences have the patterns of subject + verb (intransitive) in basic and derived verb forms. The results of the study, in line with the PADILIH hypothesis both in production and comprehension tasks, show that referring to the past that requires discourse linking tends to be difficult. The performance of agrammatic speakers is lower than that of the controls in both temporal and lexical adverb tasks. However, the AAM hypothesis cannot be fully generalized. In both the production and comprehension tasks the atelic verbs are not difficult; however, telic verbs are difficult. Clinical contribution as a complement of rehabilitation method (TADIR) is the evaluation of the difficulty of derived verbs and time reference, and an adaptive method by manipulating a series of tests that involves three time frames and stresses on especially the forms of derived verbs. This finding has implications for efforts to develop the integrity of sentences triggered by a decrease in the lexical level and the development of the language potential of agrammatic speakers who may be indicated by memory disorders.
Total and symmetry resolved entanglement spectra in some fermionic CFTs from the BCFT approach
Authors: Gaur Himanshu
Published: September 2024

Abstract

In this work, we study the universal total and symmetry-resolved entanglement spectra for a single interval of some 2d Fermionic CFTs using the Boundary Conformal Field theory (BCFT) approach. In this approach, the partition of Hilbert space is achieved by cutting out discs around the entangling boundary points and imposing boundary conditions preserving the extended symmetry under scrutiny. The reduced density moments are then related to the BCFT partition functions and are also found to be diagonal in the symmetry charge sectors. In particular, we first study the entanglement spectra of massless Dirac fermion and modular invariant Z2-gauged Dirac fermion by considering the boundary conditions preserving either the axial or the vector U(1) symmetry. The total entanglement spectra of the modular invariant Z2-gauged Dirac fermion are shown to match with the compact boson result at the compactification radius where the Bose-Fermi duality holds, while for the massless Dirac fermion, it is found that the boundary entropy term doesn’t match with the self-dual compact boson. The symmetry-resolved entanglement is found to be the same in all cases, except for the charge spectrum which is dependent on both the symmetry and the theory. We also study the entanglement spectra of N massless Dirac fermions by considering boundary conditions preserving different chiral U(1)N symmetries. Entanglement spectra are studied for U(1)M subgroups, where M ≤ N, by imposing boundary conditions preserving different chiral symmetries. The total entanglement spectra are found to be sensitive to the representations of the U(1)M symmetry in the boundary theory among other behaviours at O(1). Similar results are also found for the Symmetry resolved entanglement entropies. The characteristic log log (ℓ/ϵ) term of the U(1) symmetry is found to be proportional to M in the symmetry-resolved entanglement spectra.
Non-minimal couplings to U(1)-gauge fields and asymptotic symmetries
Authors: Fuentealba Oscar , Henneaux Marc , Mas Jules
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We analyse the asymptotic symmetries of electromagnetism non-minimally coupled to scalar fields, with non-minimal couplings of the Fermi type that occur in extended supergravity models. Our study is carried out at spatial infinity where minimal and non-minimal couplings exhibit very different asymptotic properties: while the former generically cannot be neglected at infinity, the latter can. Electromagnetic non-minimal couplings are in that respect similar to gravitational minimal couplings, which are also asymptotically subdominant. Because the non-minimally interacting model is asymptotic to the free one, its asymptotic symmetries are the same as the ones of the free theory, i.e., described by angle-dependent u(1) gauge transformations. We also analyse the duality symmetry and show that it is broken to its compact subgroup by the asymptotic conditions. Finally, we consider logarithmic gauge transformations and use them to simplify the symmetry algebra.
Validation of the hip disability osteoarthritis outcome Score-12 shortform in a German cohort
Authors: Büttner Matthias , Wunderlich Felix , Drees Philipp , Afghanyar Yama , Fischer Sebastian , Schippers Philipp , Eckhard Lukas
Published: September 2024

Introduction

To consider the inherent respondent burden of PROMs, the HOOS-12 as a shortform of the well-established HOOS questionnaire has been published. While the HOOS-12 has been validated in an initial study, further evaluation in other, non-English speaking cohorts is necessary. We therefore aimed to evaluate responsiveness, convergent construct validity, internal consistency, and floor and ceiling effects of the HOOS-12 in a cross-sectoral german cohort.

Materials and Methods

European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions scores and HOOS data of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) were used for the analyses. HOOS-12 scores were calculated from the full length HOOS. Statistical analysis was conducted, investigating internal consistency, floor and ceiling effects, convergent and discriminant validity, responsiveness, and known-group comparisons.

Results

A ceiling effect was present for postoperative HOOS-12 score and its pain, function and QoL subscales. Internal consistency was high between baseline and all follow ups, inter-item correlation was high (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.30) for HOOS-12 score and all subscales. Correlation of HOOS-12 pain with HOOS pain was high (r = 0.9). Correlation of HOOS-12 function with HOOS ADL and HOOS S/R was high (r = 0.89, r = 0.74). Correlation was moderate between HOOS-12 pain and HOOS-12 function with its respective EQ-5D score (r=-0.58, r=-0.59).

Conclusion

The HOOS-12 showed good convergent construct validity and is responsive to changes in pain, function, QoL and hip impact between preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. A substantial ceiling effect for all subscales at 1 year postoperatively limits the ability to capture variance across particularly well performing patients.

Trial Registration

The Trial is registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (https://www.drks.de; DRKS00013972; 23 March 23, 2018).
Changes in participatory and societal outcomes during the waiting period for cochlear implantation – an observational study
Authors: Nijmeijer Hugo G.B. , Philpott N. , van der Wilt GJ , Donders A. R.T , George E. , Boerboom R. , Frijns J. H.M. , Kaandorp M. , Huinck W. J. , Mylanus E. A.M.
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Various factors, including an aging population and expanding eligibility criteria, may increase the demand for cochlear implants (CIs), potentially resulting in longer waiting times. In most Dutch CI centers, the time between referral and surgery exceeds 6 months. Clinical experience suggests that during the waiting period for cochlear implantation, hearing and communication difficulties increase. Simultaneously, there is an interest in outcomes more closely aligned with patient values and needs, which resulted in the SMILE (Societal Merit of Interventions on hearing Loss Evaluation) study. This paper presents results on observed changes in societal and participatory outcomes during waiting time in participants with a time to CI surgery exceeding 6 months.

Methods

SMILE is a prospective multi-center study including 232 individuals who were referred for unilateral CI. Continuous and nominal data from multiple questionnaires, sent immediately after referral and shortly before surgery, were analyzed by computing differences, Cohen’s D, and odds ratios.

Results

Of the total 232 participants, 102 had a time between inclusion and surgery exceeding 6 months. Of these, 89 had (partially) filled out surveys at both time points. Of all the domain scores 55% did not show differences between timepoints. All Cohen’s D estimates were relatively small, ranging from − 0.298 to 0.388 for those outcomes that showed noteworthy changes.

Conclusion

Waiting time from referral to surgery, even though exceeding 6 months, was observed to not seriously affect non-clinically-prioritized patients in an adverse way. Future investigations should identify subgroups on tolerable waiting times regarding short- and long-term outcomes.

Trial registration

Trial registration number at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05525221, 25-8-2022.
Net Present Value Calculations for Mining Post-Closure Financial Assurance
Authors: Chambers David M.
Published: September 2024

Most regulatory jurisdictions now require financial assurance for mines for post-closure activities, which typically include long-term monitoring and maintenance, and most importantly post-closure water treatment. Critical choices in calculating post-closure financial assurance include using a reputable cost estimation model to establish the amount needed for reclamation, selecting a realistic net return-on-investment for post-closure trust funds, and choosing the period of time over which the net present value calculation of the financial assurance is based. A conservative estimate of the amount of financial assurance is warranted to protect the public from assuming these costs. However, some regulatory agencies use financial assurance estimate practices that are arbitrary. The data and procedures needed to analyze and recommend conservative net present value calculations are readily available, but in too many instances are not being utilized.
H-1B Visas and Wages in Accounting: Evidence from Big 4 Payroll and the Ethics of H-1B Visas
Authors: Bourveau Thomas , Stice Derrald , Stice Han , White Roger
Published: September 2024

We use payroll data from a Big 4 accounting firm to examine the starting wage differentials for H-1B visa holders. Prior research in other industries has found mixed results, but primarily relies on surveyed salary data. We observe that relative to U.S. citizen new hires—matched on office, position, and time of hire—newly hired accountants with H-1B visas receive starting salaries that are lower by approximately 10%. This finding calls into question the efficacy of regulatory mandates thought to prevent H-1B visa holders from being paid less than U.S. citizens in similar roles. In further tests, we find evidence that the hiring of H-1B visa holders has no or some small positive effect on the wages of peer U.S. citizen new hires (weakly indicative of complementarities or synergies), but no evidence of H-1B hiring driving down the wages for U.S. citizen peer new hires.
Decent Policing: Police Professionalism Beyond the Legalism-Autonomy-Axis
Authors: Bäckström Stina , Schwarz Eva
Published: September 2024

The status of the police as a profession in democratic societies is a contested issue. At stake is whether the police have an autonomous field of action related to a set of important values, or whether they are simply upholding and executing a set of given rules. In recent research, this issue has been framed in terms of two opposing sets of attitudes among police officers: legalism and autonomy. Even though their precise definitions vary the terms have recently, perhaps most prominently in Scandinavia, become a standard framework for describing the ends of a continuum. Core elements of legalism is strict adherence to the law and a rejection of discretionary innovation. The autonomous police favor practical police work, focus on efficiency, and honor the internal code of silence. This paper presents an alternative approach, modelled on Aristotle’s conception of the virtue of justice, that questions the usefulness of the legalism-autonomy-axis as a starting point for a normative discussion. Our alternative is a form of police professionalism we call decent policing. Central to our argument, developed with the help of concrete examples, will be the idea that lawfulness, properly understood, does not stand in tension with at least one important sense of autonomy, but in fact requires it. In addition to contributing to the normative discussion of these terms, the paper should thus also be seen as a conceptual intervention, enabling a more precise and nuanced discussion of the ethical and epistemological dimensions of police work.
Influence of Plant Phenology on Chemical Composition of Monarda fistulosa L. Organs and their Bioactive Properties
Authors: Gontar Łukasz , Geszprych Anna , Sitarek-Andrzejczyk Monika , Osińska Ewa
Published: September 2024

Monarda fistulosa L. above-ground organs, collected at three phases of plant phenology, were investigated as potential raw materials for application in the food industry. They were evaluated regarding essential oil (EO) content, composition, and antimicrobial activity, as well as characteristics of phenolic fractions and antioxidant properties, which may determine health benefits and potential use in food preservation. The dominant constituent of leaf EO was carvacrol. In the inflorescence EO carvacrol content was especially high at the full flowering phase (45.12%), while during the fruit setting phase its content was lower than that of p-cymene (39.75%) and thymoquinone (25.04%). In the agar dilution test, leaf and inflorescence EOs inhibited the growth of the six tested microorganisms at the concentration range of 0.156–0.625 µL/mL. Leaves collected at the vegetative phase of plant growth were characterised by the highest content of rosmarinic acid and didymin. Inflorescences harvested during the flowering of plants were rich in linarin. Flavonoid content was highly correlated with antioxidant activity of extracts. Due to these properties, M. fistulosa extracts and essential oils could be used in the food industry as natural preservatives or antioxidants, thereby contributing to the development of safer and more sustainable food products.
Transarterial radioembolization vs transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads for treating hepatocellular carcinoma: a cost-effectiveness analysis in Japanese healthcare system
Authors: Shirota Go , Sato So , Yasunaga Hideo , Aso Shotaro , Akahane Masaaki , Itoh Daisuke , Abe Osamu
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is effective for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma; however, it awaits approval in Japan. This study aimed to simulate the cost-effectiveness of TARE over chemoembolization when TARE is approved in Japan and identify the requirements for cost-effectiveness.

Materials and methods

A Markov model was constructed to analyze the costs and effectiveness associated with TARE and transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE) for 2-month cycles over 5 years. In the primary analysis, the intention-to-treat survival data were used to calculate transition probabilities, whereas the ancillary analysis assessed the per-protocol survival data. DEB-TACE costs were calculated using the Japanese nationwide claims Diagnosis Procedure Combination database between April 2018 and March 2022, whereas TARE costs were estimated using database and international sources. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was determined based on the payer’s perspective and compared with the Japanese willingness-to-pay threshold of 5 million Japanese yen (JPY) (31,250 USD) per quality-adjusted life years (QALY).

Results

From the claims database, 6,986 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who received DEB-TACE were identified. In the primary analysis, the ICER was 5,173,591 JPY (32,334 USD)/QALY, surpassing the Japanese willingness-to-pay threshold. However, the ancillary analysis showed a lower ICER of 4,156,533 JPY (25,978 USD)/QALY, falling below the threshold. The one-way deterministic sensitivity analysis identified progression-free survival associated with TARE and DEB-TACE, DEB-TACE costs, and radioactive microsphere reimbursement price as key ICER influencers. The primary analysis suggested that setting the reimbursement price of radioactive microspheres below 1.399 million JPY (8,744 USD), approximately 2.8% lower than the price in the United Kingdom, would place the ICER below the Japanese willingness-to-pay threshold.

Conclusions

Under specific conditions, TARE can be a more cost-effective treatment than DEB-TACE. If the reimbursement price of radioactive microspheres is set approximately 2.8% lower than that in the United Kingdom, TARE could be cost-effective compared with DEB-TACE.