bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling and parameter identification for agricultural machines
Authors: Simonelli Ruggero , Büskens Christof
Published: September 2023

A series of technical and social aspects have led the pressure to increase energy efficiency and reduce the level of environmental impact in agricultural production. Crop producers and equipment manufacturers have identified computerized assistance in operation management as an indispensable tool to optimize agricultural processes. A central place is occupied in this regard by the so called digital twins, computer models of a specific instance of an object or system, which are also capable of exchanging data with the physical counterpart and updating their state accordingly. The core of a digital twin is given by the digital mock‐up, or offline digital twin, that is the computer model of the system's physics. The goal of this work is to present the development of an offline digital twin for a novel gantry‐tractor type autonomous agricultural machine. The peculiarity of this system resides in its until now scarcely adopted mechanical design, and its ability to perform a range of processes by attaching different modules to its frame. After a brief introduction into the characteristics of a gantry‐type tractor and its role in the context of precision autonomous agriculture and controlled traffic farming, different components of the machine and dynamic phenomena are separately investigated and mathematically modeled. Particular focus is placed thereby on the study of the vehicle's longitudinal dynamics. Based on the software implementation of the mathematical models, the unknown parameters of the system model are estimated by means of nonlinear optimization techniques, using sensor data collected during field operation as the measurement reference. The accuracy of different estimation methods is then evaluated against experimental samples collected by sensors.
Developing an immersed boundary method for compressible flow
Authors: Kristoffersen Frederik , Larsson Martin , Johnsen Sverre Gullikstad , Schröder Wolfgang , Müller Bernhard
Published: September 2023

Development of a 3D sharp interface ghost node immersed boundary method (IBM) within a fluid solver based on the compressible Navier–Stokes equations is underway. The objective of the IBM is to accurately apply boundary conditions at fluid–solid interfaces. The Navier–Stokes solver is currently being verified using various test cases, including the classic cylinder in cross flow. As part of this verification process, particular attention was given to investigating the effects of different lateral boundary conditions. The results demonstrate that extrapolation boundary conditions exhibit better agreement with the literature compared to symmetry conditions, in cases with relatively narrow domains. These findings highlight the potential benefits of extrapolation boundary conditions in reducing confinement effects and removing nonphysical waves in external flow problems.
Opioid tapering and mental health crisis in older adults
Authors: Maharjan Shishir , Ramachandran Sujith , Bhattacharya Kaustuv , Bentley John P. , Eriator Ike , Yang Yi
Published: September 2023

Background

Opioid tapering and discontinuation have increased in recent years with the implementation of national prescribing guidelines. This study aimed to examine the relationship between opioid tapering velocity and mental health crisis events in older Medicare beneficiaries.

Methods

A nested case–control study was conducted using the 2012–2018, 5% national Medicare claims data. Older adults with chronic non‐cancer pain (CNCP) who were receiving long‐term opioid therapy (LTOT) were included in the study. Cases were defined as individuals experiencing mental health crisis events; controls were identified using incidence density sampling. The opioid tapering velocity was measured in the 120‐day hazard period that yielded a monthly percentage of dose change. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess the relationship of interest.

Results

A total of 42 091 older adults with CNCP were eligible for the study. Cases (n = 952) were matched with controls in a 1:2 ratio based on age (±1 year) and time of cohort entry (±30 days). A higher percentage of controls (67.65%) were on steady dose compared with cases (59.03%). In the adjusted model, tapering (aOR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.02–1.83), rapid tapering (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.11–1.91), and dose escalation (aOR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.32–2.39) were significantly associated with the mental health crisis, compared with steady dose.

Conclusion

Both opioid tapering and dose escalation are associated with mental health crisis events. Patient‐driven and gradual dose tapering, as recommended by prescribing guidelines, should be promoted to prevent mental health crisis events among older adults on LTOT.
Polyvinyl alcohol composite gel membrane modified by natural polysaccharide and waterborne polyurethane
Authors: Shao Kaiyuan , Li Xiaofeng , Tan Bowen , Wang Qingwei , Guo Zhangwei , Liu Tao , Dong Lihua
Published: September 2023

A new composite gel material was obtained by blending polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution with sodium alginate (SA), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC‐Na), waterborne polyurethane (WPU), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) were doped as an antibacterial agent. The liquid composite could to form a transparent protective gel membrane. The microstructure of the gel membrane was observed via scanning electron microscopy, and the intermolecular interaction was investigated by total reflection infrared spectroscopy. The results demonstrated a homogeneous phase and significant hydrogen bonding between chain segments. The best results indicated that the equilibrium swelling rate increased from 147% to 170%, the 3‐h water vapor transmission rate increased from 279.41 g/m2∙day to 374.75 g/m2∙day, and the water contact angle increased from 16.8° to 60.7°, relative to the PVA substrate. The properties of this composite gel material suggest possible biomedical usage, particularly in skin and wound protection scenarios.

Highlights

A novel gel film‐forming material consisting of a viscous liquid is prepared.

Adding polysaccharides modifiers resulted in significant improvements of the performance.

The bacteriostatic and antihemorrhagic properties are introduced to the material.

Low‐irritating materials were used to prepare the gel material.
Transmitted Electromagnetic Beam Steering of Pyramid All‐Dielectric Encoding Surface Microstructure
Authors: Zhao Tianqi , Zhang Peng , Fang Bo , Li Chenxia , Hong Zhi , Jing Xufeng
Published: September 2023

A transmission‐type all‐medium element is proposed to construct a coded metasurface. Due to the single‐layer metasurface unit structure, large reflection loss will be caused when the base plane is incident. In order to improve the efficiency of the coded metasurface device and reduce the reflection loss, the authors propose a double‐sided metasurface digital unit structure and introduces a wideband anti‐reflection pyramid microstructure to achieve significantly improved transmission characteristics. The optimized unit structure is coded and the coded metasurface is constructed. Different coding metasurface sequences are constructed based on 1‐bit, 2‐bit, and 3‐bit digital coding units. According to generalized Snell's law, the number of transmitted beams can be controlled. The authors introduce complex code addition theory to construct multifunctional beam control metasurface. Based on the far field scattering theory of metasurface, the addition theory of different sequences of transmission‐coded metasurface is analyzed. The addition operation of the superposition of two sets of symmetric double beams and two sets of ordinary double beams can be realized. Based on the analysis of far‐field scattering characteristics, the multifunctional coded metasurface is demonstrated, that is, multiple functions are simultaneously superimposed in one array without interference.
Strategies for a resilient, sustainable, and equitable Mississippi River basin
Authors: Guo Qizhong
Published: September 2023

The Mississippi River and its vast basin play a critical role in supporting ecological, economic, and social systems in the United States. However, managing this extensive watershed has become increasingly challenging due to a range of complex issues. This paper explores the historical developments in the watershed management of the Mississippi River, including navigation, flood control, sediment management, water supply, and pollution control. The current issues affecting the resilience, sustainability, and equity of the river and its basin are analyzed, leading to the formulation of a vision for its future. To realize this vision, various strategies are proposed, including embracing integrated water resources management, leveraging information technologies, synergizing green, grey, and blue infrastructure measures, and preparing for extreme weather events. Additionally, addressing equity issues, recognizing the water–energy–food nexus, exploring the river as a carbon capture reservoir, and investigating geoengineering concepts are also discussed. The paper concludes with essential research needs and provides recommendations to foster a resilient, sustainable, and equitable Mississippi River and its basin.
The effect of international travel on the spread of COVID‐19 in the United States
Authors: Prince Jeffrey T. , Simon Daniel H.
Published: September 2023

We examine the relationship between incoming international passengers and COVID‐19 cases and deaths during the pandemic's initial wave in the United States. We find passengers from Milan, Italy, the location of an early outbreak, were an important source of exposure, increasing the early spread of COVID‐19 in the United States. Cities that received more passengers from Milan during the first quarter of 2020 experienced more COVID‐19 cases during March 2020 than cities receiving fewer passengers from Milan. Concurrently, cities that received more passengers from China or Rome (the latter not experiencing a major outbreak until later in 2020), did not experience increased cases. These results show passengers from at least one foreign epicenter were an important source of exposure that increased COVID‐19 spread in the United States. Given Milan was a secondary hotspot, our results also illustrate the importance of a holistic view of international pandemic hotspots when considering corresponding travel policy.
Rational Design of Hollow Structural Materials for Sodium‐Ion Battery Anodes
Authors: Qin Chu , Jiang Zhong‐Jie , Maiyalagan Thandavarayan , Jiang Zhongqing
Published: September 2023

The development of sodium‐ion battery (SIB) anodes is still hindered by their rapid capacity decay and poor rate capabilities. Although there have been some new materials that can be used to fabricate stable anodes, SIBs are still far from wide applications. Strategies like nanostructure construction and material modification have been used to prepare more robust SIB anodes. Among all the design strategies, the hollow structure design is a promising method in the development of advanced anode materials. In the past decade, research efforts have been devoted to modifying the synthetic route, the type of templates, and the interior structure of hollow structures with high capacity and stability. A brief introduction is made to the main material systems and classifications of hollow structural materials first. Then different morphologies of hollow structural materials for SIB anodes from the latest reports are discussed, including nanoboxes, nanospheres, yolk shells, nanotubes, and other more complex shapes. The most used templates for the synthesis of hollow structrual materials are covered and the perspectives are highlighted at the end. This review offers a comprehensive discussion of the synthesis of hollow structural materials for SIB anodes, which could be potentially of use to research areas involving hollow materials design for batteries.
Online Current Spikes Suppression Strategy Research of Switched Reluctance Motors Based on Hybrid Torque Sharing Function
Authors: Gao Jie , Yuan Bing , Wang Huayu , Xu Meng
Published: September 2023

In this paper, an online compensation predictive control method based on hybrid torque sharing function (HTSF) is proposed to reduce current spikes in the torque sharing control of switched reluctance motor (SRM). First, predictive control is introduced to the torque sharing function (TSF) and a new cost function is designed with Laplace multiplier method by predicting the current and torque of the next cycle of SRM. Then the optimal current control amount is carried out. Second, the ratio of the torque error to the desired torque and its derivative are compensated online to the current phase at the beginning of the commutation overlap period to accurately track the torque, and the torque distribution is optimized by a HTSF at the end of the phase change to further reduce the current spikes and suppress the torque ripple. Finally, the experiment on 8/6 four‐phase SRM is achieved to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy, and the results show that the current spikes and the torque ripple are reduced by 25% and 14.5% respectively. Therefore, compared with traditional TSF control, this method can effectively reduce the SRM torque ripple and excessive current spikes. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Online Voting in Ontario Municipalities: A Standards-Based Review
Authors: Brunet James , Essex Aleksander
Published: September 2023

Over two hundred municipalities now offer online voting in Ontario, Canada, representing one of the largest deployments of digital elections worldwide. Many have eliminated the paper ballot altogether. Despite this, no provincial or federal-level standards exist. This gap leaves local election officials to create and apply their own cybersecurity requirements with varying degrees of success.

Until a standard can be developed and adopted, we turn to perhaps the most natural and immediate stand-in: The Council of Europe’s (CoE) standards for e-voting. We use this baseline to present the first standards-based analysis of online voting practices in Ontario.

Our results find the province is broadly non-compliant, with only 14% of the CoE’s 49 standards and 93 implementation guidelines categorized as fully met. We summarize these differences and identify areas for improvement in the hope of underscoring the need for domestic e-voting standards.
CAISED: A Protocol for Cast-as-Intended Verifiability with a Second Device
Authors: Müller Johannes , Truderung Tomasz
Published: September 2023

Numerous approaches for cast-as-intended verifiability have been proposed in the literature on electronic voting, balancing practical aspects and security guarantees in different ways. One of the well-established methods involves the use of a second device that allows voters to audit their submitted ballots. This approach offers several benefits, including support for flexible ballot and election types and an intuitive user experience. Moreover, solutions based on this approach are generally adaptable to a range of existing voting protocols, rather than being restricted to a particular election scheme. This approach has been successfully implemented in real-life elections, such as in Estonia [18].

In this work, we improve the existing solutions for cast-as-intended verifiability based on the use of a second device. We propose a solution that preserves the advantageous practical properties outlined above, while providing stronger security guarantees. Our method does not increase the risk of vote selling compared to the underlying voting protocol to be augmented, and it requires only comparatively weak trust assumptions to achieve this. It can be combined with various voting protocols, including commitment-based systems that provide everlasting privacy.

Overall, our work offers a new option to strengthen cast-as-intended and end-to-end verifiability for real-world Internet elections.
Ambient Assisted Living Service Conception in Nursing Homes: From Reinforced Aging in Place Services Towards Smart Digital Coordination Platform
Authors: Reerink-Boulanger Juliette , Locquet Rémi , Ric Caroline , Somat Alain
Published: September 2023

This article presents the ethical and responsive governance process designed by the Hospitalité Saint Thomas de Villeneuve to address aging in place services, care and needed support. We will first describe the genesis of a supportive community living services organization and its technical translation into Smart Digital Health Coordination Platform. Secondly, we will highlight the Living Lab methodological approach to support change. Finally, the results section will describe change evaluation program engaged and future work perspectives.
Current State of Access to Assistive Technology and Its Related Services in Dominican Republic: A Pilot Study
Authors: Muñoz Collado Rosanny Araysy , Kim JongBae
Published: September 2023

The Assistive Technology supply is highly fragmented and almost non-existent in many middle and low-resource settings with limited purchasing and no service delivery systems. In the Dominican Republic, despite the existence of a legal framework on disability, there is no comprehensive source of data about the availability of Assistive technology devices. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate about the access, use, barriers to access and users’ satisfaction of Assistive Technology (AT) in the province of Espaillat, in Dominican Republic. The WHO’s rapid Assistive Technology Assessment tool (rATA) survey was implemented as a stand-alone technique to 15 outpatient of rehabilitation services. Despite the small sample size, the information gathered provides valuable insight into the use of assistive products in the Dominican Republic. The findings of the study highlighted cost-related factors influencing AT access and low level of satisfaction.
Effectiveness of a Korean Smart Home Modification Program: Focused on People with Physical Disabilities
Authors: Moon KwangTae , Kwon Yeong-hun , Kim Jongbae
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Korean Smart Home Modification Program (KSHMP) on the activities of daily living and health-related quality of life of people with physical disabilities. The study used a single-group pre-post design with 10 people with physical disabilities living at home. During the intervention period, the KSHMP was implemented, which included occupational profile, smart home installation, setup, training, task-based feedback, and monitoring. Post-intervention changes in activities of daily living and health-related quality of life were assessed with the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and EuroQual-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). After the KSHMP, all 10 subjects improved their activities of daily living and quality of life. In addition, the occupational performance of all subjects was maintained. These results show that a customized smart home has a positive impact on improving the activities of daily living and quality of life of people with retardation and is an efficient alternative.
Real-Time Multiple Object Tracking for Safe Cooking Activities
Authors: Ngankam Hubert , Dion Philippe , Pigot Hélène , Giroux Sylvain
Published: September 2023

This work presents a real-time system for tracking multiple object in the context of meal preparation when using the Cognitive Orthosis for CoOKing (COOK). This system is called SafeCOOK. It aims to provide more capabilities to detect some dangerous situations that the current system does not consider. For example, it can locate a utensil or other kitchen object that has been left on the cooking surface of the stove while a meal is being prepared. This system uses a hybrid method based on YOLO and KCF to detect, track and drop cooking utensils as they enter and leave the cooking area, and is capable of monitoring an entire cooktop in real-time with a single camera. The software has been implemented on an embedded platform in the smart stove and has been added to it. The system produces good segmentation and tracking results at a frame rate of 1 to 4 frames per second, as demonstrated in extensive experiments using video sequences under different conditions.
Quantitative Pressure Measurement in Areas at High Risk of Pressure Ulcers in Different Positions: Pilot Study
Authors: Lee Junhee , Yoon Joon Shik
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to quantitatively analyze pressure parameters in different high-risk areas depending on the position. We reviewed the clinical records of trials of 20 healthy adults on a multi-actuated bed accompanied with pressure sensor mat. We collected average, maximal, minimal pressure, and area in the supine and bilateral side-tilt positions. Also, we analyzed the difference between each at-risk area, depending on positions. In the supine position, pressure parameters of the head, shoulders, sacrum, coccyx, and heels showed significant differences, except between the right and left heels. In the right side-tilt position, all pressure measurements of the ear, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and lateral ankle were significantly different. In the left side-tilt position, most of the pressure parameters of the ear, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and lateral ankle were significantly different, except between the elbow and ankle. We found that frequent position changing is more important than achieving optimum positioning.
PNRG: Knowledge Graph-Driven Methodology for Personalized Nutritional Recommendation Generation
Authors: Lodhi Aminah Bilal , Bilal Muhammad Abdullah , Bilal Hafiz Syed Muhammad , Khan Kifayat Ullah , Satti Fahad Ahmed , Khalid Shah , Lee Sungyoung
Published: September 2023

Chronic Diseases are a prevalent problem that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a prevalent health condition that requires careful diet and medication management and preventing chronic diseases. Traditional approaches to nutritional recommendation generation often rely on generic guidelines and population-based data, which may not account for individual dietary needs and preferences variations. In this paper, we propose a knowledge graph driven methodology for generating highly personalized nutritional recommendations that leverage the power of knowledge graphs to integrate and analyze complex data about an individual's health, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Our methodology employs a multi-step process that includes data collection and curation, knowledge graph construction, and personalized recommendation generation. We illustrate the effectiveness of our approach through a case study in which we generate personalized nutritional recommendations for a sample individual based on their specific health and dietary goals.
For People with Disabilities Who Need Medical Care “Smart Elephant Whole Body Exercise Machine” Development and Clinical Translational Research
Authors: Yang Seungwan , Kim Jongbae
Published: September 2023

It is difficult for inpatient rehabilitation patients to continue to perform rehabilitation exercises in the community after leaving the hospital. This is because various exercise programs, which are not medically proven, do not reflect the specificity of the individual and are performed collectively due to administrative and financial convenience. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the effects of exercise programs using the Smart Elephant total body exercise device and walking on mental and physical outcomes with real-time monitoring to develop a customized rehabilitation exercise program optimized for people with disabilities. To conduct this study, five non-disabled people living in the community were selected to participate in the exercise programs of Intervention A (walking), Intervention B (walking and cycling), and Intervention C (cycling) for 9 weeks to determine the effects on physical function measures, psychosocial, mental and quality of life health outcomes, participants’ feedback and satisfaction surveys, and changes in Electromyography (EMG), Electrodermal Activity (EDA), Temperature (TEMP), and oxygen saturation (SpO2) during the intervention. It is believed that it can be used as a basis for customized rehabilitation exercise that provides a validated rehabilitation exercise service model for people with disabilities in the community.
Cardiovascular System
Authors: Zucchetta Pietro , Israel Ora
Published: September 2023

Scintigraphy of the cardiovascular system in children is less common than in adults, reflecting the different nature and prevalence of cardiac diseases in paediatrics. Congenital malformations of the heart and their effect on cardiac and pulmonary functions and on myocardial perfusion are common indications in children. The first pass study is an investigation that can detect and quantify cardiac left-to-right shunts. It is used only in selected cases. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS), with or without physical or pharmacological stress, provides important information on blood supply to the myocardium. It can also evaluate myocardial contractility with gated SPECT. The gated cardiac blood pool scan, also known as radionuclide ventriculography or multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan assesses the cardiac blood pool synchronized to the child’s ECG and allows measurement of the left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF). In most centres, this study has been replaced in the last decade by echocardiography and MRI to assess the quality of the ventricular contraction and is therefore not discussed further in this chapter (Milanesi et al., Semin Nucl Med 47(2): 158–169, 2017; Venet et al., Front Pediatr 10: 909994, 2022). Vascular anomalies in children include benign tumors such as infantile hemangiomas and hemangioendotheliomas as well as low and high-flow vascular malformations. Whole-body blood pool scintigraphy with focused SPECT or SPECT/CT provides specific diagnosis for vascular anomalies and is commonly used in conjunction with radiological imaging methods, especially when those are inconclusive.
Pulmonary System
Authors: Bar-Sever Zvi , Zucchetta Pietro
Published: September 2023

Lung scintigraphy entails a perfusion scan, a ventilation scan, or a combination of both. These studies provide qualitative and quantitative information on changes in lung perfusion and ventilation that may occur in various congenital and acquired conditions. They are used for initial assessment, for follow up and for evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Perfusion scans assess the blood flow distribution in the lungs. These studies are performed following the intravenous (IV) injection of radiolabelled microparticles that occlude pre-capillary arterioles. They provide useful visual and semi-quantitative information on lung perfusion physiology and pathophysiology. Ventilation scans assess the airspaces of the lungs. They are performed by inhalation of either radiolabelled aerosols or radioactive gases. Imaging with radiolabelled gases allows dynamic scintigraphy with a single breath, rebreathing (equilibrium) and washout phases that can occasionally provide useful information. The inclusion of SPECT and SPECT/CT in perfusion and ventilation scans significantly enhances the diagnostic utility of these studies. Pulmonary embolism, the most common indication for lung scintigraphy in adults, is far less common in children. Most lung scans in children are performed to evaluate the impact of congenital heart and lung conditions on pulmonary function and to assess the effects of corrective procedures.
Genitourinary Tract
Authors: De Palma Diego , Pascual Thomas Neil
Published: September 2023

Congenital and acquired pathologies of the urinary tract are among the most common pediatric diseases. Renal radionuclide studies are a cornerstone of the evaluation of these pediatric abnormalities, being simple and safe tests, and providing unique clinical information. Dynamic renography is commonly performed in conjunction with furosemide pharmacological intervention, assesses the relative kidney function and the drainage from kidneys and ureter, Renal cortical scintigraphy evaluates congenital and acquired abnormalities in the renal parenchyma. Direct and indirect radionuclide cystography are used to evaluate vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Non-imaging radionuclide GFR measurements using a single tracer administration are more precise than biochemical tests. The latter requires an experienced team and rigorous methodology.
Rassismus und Diskriminierung im Kontext gesundheitlicher Ungleichheit – ein narratives Review
Authors: Kajikhina Katja , Koschollek Carmen , Bozorgmehr Kayvan , Sarma Navina , Hövener Claudia
Published: September 2023

Rassismus und Diskriminierung als soziale Determinanten der Gesundheit stehen auch in Deutschland zunehmend im Fokus der Public-Health-Forschung. Studien zeigen Zusammenhänge mit physischer und psychischer Gesundheit bis hin zu Veränderungen auf zellulärer Ebene auf. Neben den gesundheitsschädigenden Effekten interpersoneller und direkter Diskriminierung ist die Relevanz des strukturellen und institutionellen Rassismus für die gesundheitliche Ungleichheit bislang nur wenig beleuchtet. Im Rahmen einer narrativen Übersichtsarbeit werden relevante und aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse zusammengestellt und kritisch diskutiert sowie Handlungsempfehlungen für Forschung und Praxis abgeleitet.

Strukturelle und institutionelle Aspekte von Diskriminierung und Rassismus stehen in engem Zusammenhang mit der gesundheitlichen Lage. So steht die systematische Benachteiligung in den Bereichen Bildung, Arbeit, Wohnen sowie Gesundheitsversorgung im Zusammenhang mit der allgemeinen, psychischen und physischen Gesundheit, mit der Inanspruchnahme von Präventions- und Versorgungsleistungen sowie mit dem Gesundheitsverhalten.

Eine Analyse der Verschränkung von Lebens‑, Wohn- und Arbeitsbedingungen mit der gesundheitlichen Lage von Menschen mit (und ohne) Migrationsgeschichte – generell und in Verbindung mit Rassismus und Diskriminierung – erscheint notwendig, um gezielte Maßnahmen im Hinblick auf Verhältnisprävention abzuleiten, statt auf bloße Verhaltensprävention zu fokussieren. Neben praktischen Interventionen (Trainings, Aufklärungsarbeit, communitybasierten Ansätzen) ist die Weiterentwicklung methodischer Aspekte im Bereich der Erhebung und Analyse von Daten wichtig, um dieser Problemlage umfassend in Forschung und Praxis zu begegnen.
Financial Barriers to Surgical Conferences: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis of Registration Fees
Authors: Oiknine Noah , Vervoort Dominique , Ma Xiya
Published: September 2023

Background

Scientific meetings provide much educational value to participants of all career stages. There is a paucity of literature surrounding the costs of attending scientific meetings and how this may affect participation, especially among trainees. The objective of this study is to assess the accessibility of surgical conferences for attendees by analyzing costs related to surgical society membership and conference registration.

Methods

Societal membership and conference registration fee data were collected according to career stage (i.e., student, resident, fellow, and staff) for the fourteen surgical specialties recognized by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Fees for participants from low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) and for virtual‐only attendance options were also collected when available.

Results

Overall, we included data from 46 surgical societies (32 North American, 14 European or global). The median conference fees for students in the member and non‐member categories were 191.55 USD (IQR 42.22–320.99) and 452.40 USD (IQR 294.06–555.00), respectively, representing a 136.2% price increase if not a member. Median conference fees for residents, fellows, and staff in the member category were 65.5%, 66.9%, and 230.9% greater than that for students, respectively. Median prices for residents, fellows, and staff in the non‐member category were 49.9%, 54.9%, and 49.9% greater than that for member trainees of the same category, respectively.

Conclusions

Our results highlight the substantial costs associated with attending surgical conferences, especially for trainees, representing a significant barrier to already financially burdened trainees, especially those from LMICs, smaller institutions, or less well‐off backgrounds.
The effect of dispersal on asymptotic total population size in discrete- and continuous-time two-patch models
Authors: Grumbach Carolin , Reurik Femke N. , Segura Juan , Franco Daniel , Hilker Frank M.
Published: September 2023

Many populations occupy spatially fragmented landscapes. How dispersal affects the asymptotic total population size is a key question for conservation management and the design of ecological corridors. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of two-patch models with symmetric dispersal and two standard density-dependent population growth functions, one in discrete and one in continuous time. A complete analysis of the discrete-time model reveals four response scenarios of the asymptotic total population size to increasing dispersal rate: (1) monotonically beneficial, (2) unimodally beneficial, (3) beneficial turning detrimental, and (4) monotonically detrimental. The same response scenarios exist for the continuous-time model, and we show that the parameter conditions are analogous between the discrete- and continuous-time setting. A detailed biological interpretation offers insight into the mechanisms underlying the response scenarios that thus improve our general understanding how potential conservation efforts affect population size.
Large Amplitude Radially Symmetric Spots and Gaps in a Dryland Ecosystem Model
Authors: Byrnes Eleanor , Carter Paul , Doelman Arjen , Liu Lily
Published: September 2023

We construct far-from-onset radially symmetric spot and gap solutions in a two-component dryland ecosystem model of vegetation pattern formation on flat terrain, using spatial dynamics and geometric singular perturbation theory. We draw connections between the geometry of the spot and gap solutions with that of traveling and stationary front solutions in the same model. In particular, we demonstrate the instability of spots of large radius by deriving an asymptotic relationship between a critical eigenvalue associated with the spot and a coefficient which encodes the sideband instability of a nearby stationary front. Furthermore, we demonstrate that spots are unstable to a range of perturbations of intermediate wavelength in the angular direction, provided the spot radius is not too small. Our results are accompanied by numerical simulations and spectral computations.
Identifying dominant flow features from very-sparse Lagrangian data: a multiscale recurrence network-based approach
Authors: Iacobello Giovanni , Rival David E.
Published: September 2023

Realistic fluid flow problems often require that Lagrangian tracers are deployed in a sparse or very-sparse manner, such as for oceanic and atmospheric flows where large-scale motion needs characterisation. Data sparsity represents a significant issue in Lagrangian analysis, especially for data-driven methods that rely heavily on large datasets. We propose a multiscale spatial recurrence network (MSRN) methodology for characterising very-sparse Lagrangian data, which exploits individual tracks and a spatial recurrence criterion to identify the spatio-temporal complexity of tracer trajectories. The MSRN is an unsupervised modelling framework that does not require a priori parameter setting, and—through the quantification of persistent link activation at specific trajectory intervals—can reveal the presence of dominant looping scales in a variety of salient fluid flows. This new paradigm is shown to be successful for the study of Lagrangian tracers seeded in complex (realistic) flows, including unsteady and advection-dominated problems. This makes MSRNs an effective and versatile tool to characterise sensor trajectories in key problems such as environmental processes critical to understanding and mitigating climate change.

Graphic abstract
Characteristics of clustered heavy precipitation events at Northeast China and associated atmospheric circulations
Authors: Jiang Shunli , Han Tingting , Zhou Botao , Zhang Qiushi , Hao Xin , Li Huixin
Published: September 2023

Heavy precipitation events can exert greater impact than general precipitation on the economy, ecology, and people’s livelihoods. Based on CN05.1 daily precipitation data and the NCEP/NCAR global daily reanalysis dataset, this study analyzes the characteristics of clustered heavy precipitation (CHP) events during summer in Northeast China (NEC) during 1961–2020, with consideration of associated atmospheric circulations and moisture transport. Results indicate that CHP events occurred mainly during midsummer, especially in July. Both the frequency and the intensity of CHP events decrease after the mid-1970s, increase after the early 1980s, and then diminish again after the 2000s. The CHP events occur in association with an anomalous lower-tropospheric cyclone centered over NEC, northward and westward shifts of the western North Pacific subtropical high in the middle troposphere, and northward shift of an intensified westerly jet in the upper troposphere, in conjunction with strengthened local convective motion. Additionally, the net moisture budget begins to increase 2 days before the occurrence of CHP and peaks 6 h earlier than the CHP. Further results indicate that net moisture influx across the southern boundary of NEC made a dominant contribution to the net moisture budget. The results of this study have importance regarding the prediction of CHP events over NEC.
Identification of a TRP channel-related risk model for predicting prognosis and therapeutic effects of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Pang Chong , Xu Zhe , Han Jilong , Li Fujun , Zhu Hongyan , Zhang Jiaqi , Wang Dong , Xu Xundi
Published: September 2023

Purpose

TRP channels have been implicated in cancer progression. Our study seeks to establish a prognostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by utilizing genes related to TRP channels.

Methods

We used the TCGA and ICGC databases as training and validation cohorts, respectively. We calculated the risk scores using Lasso–Cox regression analysis based on the expression levels of prognostic genes and performed survival analysis to compare overall survival between high- and low-risk groups. Then we compared the clinicopathologic characteristics and conducted biological functional analysis. We also explored immune cell infiltration and compared the drug sensitivity.

Results

Using bioinformatics algorithms, we identified 11 TRP-related genes and calculated the risk scores. Patients in the high-risk group demonstrated worse overall survival, as well as more advanced T stage and pathologic stage. The risk score showed a significant association with the cell cycle. The high-risk group had more ICI and RTK targets with elevated expression and showed better therapeutic effect to chemotherapy including 5-fluorouracil, camptothecin, docetaxel, doxorubicin, gemcitabine, and paclitaxel. Overall, an individualized nomogram was constructed by integrating the risk score and requisite clinicopathologic parameters to predict the overall survival of HCC patients.

Conclusions

We successfully established a highly accurate prognostic model for predicting overall survival and therapeutic effects using TRP channel-related genes.
Integrated analysis of tumor microenvironment features to establish a diagnostic model for papillary thyroid cancer using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing technology
Authors: Wang Yizeng , Song Wenbin , Li Yingxi , Liu Zhaoyi , Zhao Ke , Jia Lanning , Wang Xiaoning , Jiang Ruoyu , Tian Yao , He Xianghui
Published: September 2023

Background

Characterizing tumor microenvironment using single-cell RNA sequencing has been a promising strategy for cancer diagnosis and treatment. However, a few studies have focused on diagnosing papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) through this technology. Therefore, our study explored tumor microenvironment (TME) features and identified potential biomarkers to establish a diagnostic model for papillary thyroid cancer.

Methods

The cell types were identified using the markers from the CellMarker database and published research. The CellChat package was conducted to analyze the cell–cell interaction. The SCEVAN package was used to identify malignant thyroid cells. The SCP package was used to perform multiple single-cell downstream analyses, such as GSEA analysis, enrichment analysis, pseudotime trajectory analysis, and differential expression analysis. The diagnostic model of PTC was estimated using the calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic curves, and decision curve analysis. RT-qPCR was performed to validate the expression of candidate genes in human papillary thyroid samples.

Results

Eight cell types were identified in the scRNA-seq dataset by published cell markers. Extensive cell–cell interactions like FN1/ITGB1 existed in PTC tissues. We identified 26 critical genes related to PTC progression. Further, eight subgroups of PTC tumor cells were identified and exhibited high heterogeneity. The MDK/LRP1, MDK/ALK, GAS6/MERTK, and GAS6/AXL were identified as potential ligand-receptor pairs involved in the interactions between fibroblasts/endothelial cells and tumor cells. Eventually, the diagnostic model constructed by TRPC5, TENM1, NELL2, DMD, SLC35F3, and AUTS2 showed a good efficiency for distinguishing the PTC and normal tissues.

Conclusions

Our study comprehensively characterized the tumor microenvironment in papillary thyroid cancer. Through combined analysis with bulk RNA-seq, six potential diagnostic biomarkers were identified and validated. The diagnostic model we constructed was a promising tool for PTC diagnosis. Our findings provide new insights into the heterogeneity of thyroid cancer and the theoretical basis for diagnosing thyroid cancer.
Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with chronic graft-versus-host disease in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Mougeot Jean-Luc C. , Beckman Micaela F. , Hovan Allan J. , Hasséus Bengt , Legert Karin Garming , Johansson Jan-Erik , von Bültzingslöwen Inger , Brennan Michael T. , Bahrani Mougeot Farah
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a debilitating side effect of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), affecting the quality of life of patients. We used whole exome sequencing to identify candidate SNPs and complete a multi-marker gene-level analysis using a cohort of cGVHD( +) (N = 16) and cGVHD( −) (N = 66) HCT patients.

Methods

Saliva samples were collected from HCT patients (N = 82) pre-conditioning in a multi-center study from March 2011 to May 2018. Exome sequencing was performed and FASTQ files were processed for sequence alignments. Significant SNPs were identified by logistic regression using PLINK2v3.7 and Fisher’s exact test. One cGVHD( −) patient sample was excluded from further analysis since no SNP was present in at least 10% of the sample population. The FUMA platform’s SNP2GENE was utilized to annotate SNPs and generate a MAGMA output. Chromatin state visualization of lead SNPs was completed using Epilogos tool. FUMA’s GENE2FUNC was used to obtain gene function and tissue expression from lead genomic loci.

Results

Logistic regression classified 986 SNPs associated with cGVHD( +). SNP2GENE returned three genomic risk loci, four lead SNPs, 48 candidate SNPs, seven candidate GWAS tagged SNPs, and four mapped genes. Fisher’s exact test identified significant homozygous genotypes of four lead SNPs (p < 0.05). GENE2FUNC analysis of multi-marker SNP sets identified one positional gene set including lead SNPs for KANK1 and KDM4C and two curated gene sets including lead SNPs for PTPRD, KDM4C, and/or KANK1.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that SNPs in three genes located on chromosome 9 confer genetic susceptibility to cGVHD in HCT patients. These genes modulate STAT3 expression and phosphorylation in cancer pathogenesis. The findings may have implications in the modulation of pathways currently targeted by JAK inhibitors in cGVHD clinical trials.
Reliability of intraoperative visual evoked potentials (iVEPs) in monitoring visual function during endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery
Authors: Mattogno Pier Paolo , D’Alessandris Quintino Giorgio , Rigante Mario , Granata Giuseppe , Di Domenico Michele , Perotti Valerio , Montano Nicola , Giordano Martina , Chiloiro Sabrina , Doglietto Francesco , Olivi Alessandro , Lauretti Liverana
Published: September 2023

Objective

To refine a reliable and reproducible intraoperative visual evoked potentials (iVEPs) monitoring protocol during endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery. To assess the reliability of baseline iVEPs in predicting preoperative visual status and perioperative iVEP variation in predicting postoperative visual outcome.

Methods

Sixty-four patients harboring tumors of the pituitary region were included. All patients underwent endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) with iVEPs monitoring, using a totally intravenous anesthetic protocol. Ophthalmological evaluation included visual acuity and visual field studies.

Results

Preoperatively, visual acuity was reduced in 86% and visual field in 76.5% of cases. Baseline iVEPs amplitude was significantly correlated with preoperative visual acuity and visual field (p = 0.001 and p = 0.0004, respectively), confirming the reliability of the neurophysiological/anesthetic protocol implemented.

Importantly, perioperatively the variation in iVEPs amplitude was significantly correlated with the changes in visual acuity (p < 0.0001) and visual field (p = 0.0013). ROC analysis confirmed that iVEPs are an accurate predictor of perioperiative visual acuity improvement, with a 100% positive predictive value in patients with preoperative vision loss.

Conclusions

iVEPs during EEA is highly reliable in describing preoperative visual function and can accurately predict postoperative vision improvement.

Significance

iVEPs represent a promising resource for carrying out a more effective and safe endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery.
On understanding and predicting issue links
Authors: Lüders Clara Marie , Pietz Tim , Maalej Walid
Published: September 2023

Stakeholders in software projects use issue trackers like JIRA or Bugzilla to capture and manage issues, including requirements, feature requests, and bugs. To ease issue navigation and structure project knowledge, stakeholders manually connect issues via links of certain types that reflect different dependencies, such as Epic-, Block-, Duplicate-, or Relate- links. Based on a large dataset of 16 JIRA repositories, we study the commonalities and differences in linking practices and link types across the repositories. We then investigate how state-of-the-art machine learning models can predict common link types. We observed significant differences across the repositories and link types, depending on how they are used and by whom. Additionally, we observed several inconsistencies, e.g., in how Duplicate links are used. We found that a transformer model trained on titles and descriptions of linked issues significantly outperforms other optimized models, achieving an encouraging average macro F1-score of 0.64 for predicting nine popular link types across all repositories (weighted F1-score of 0.73). For the specific Subtask- and Epic- links, the model achieves top F1-scores of 0.89 and 0.97, respectively. If we restrict the task to predict the mere existence of links, the average macro F1-score goes up to 0.95. In general, the shorter issue text, possibly indicating precise issues, seems to improve the prediction accuracy with a strong negative correlation of $$-$$
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 0.73. We found that Relate-links often get confused with the other links, which suggests that they are likely used as default links in unclear cases. Our findings particularly on the quality and heterogeinity of issue link data have implications for researching and applying issue link prediction in practice.