bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of pomegranate consumption on blood pressure in adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Bahari Hossein , Omidian Kosar , Goudarzi Kian , Rafiei Hossein , Asbaghi Omid , Hosseini Kolbadi Kosar Sadat , Naderian Moslem , Hosseini Ali
Published: February 2024

Considering the main component of cardiovascular disease and due to the high prevalence of hypertension, controlling blood pressure is required in individuals with various health conditions. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) which studied the effects of pomegranate consumption on blood pressure have shown inconsistent findings. As a result, we intended to assess the effects of pomegranate consumption on systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure in adults. Systematic literature searches up to January 2024 were carried out using electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, to identify eligible RCTs assessing the effects of pomegranate on blood pressure as an outcome. All the individuals who took part in our research were adults who consumed pomegranate in different forms as part of the study intervention. Heterogeneity tests of the selected trials were performed using the I2 statistic. Random effects models were assessed based on the heterogeneity tests, and pooled data were determined as the weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Of 2315 records, 22 eligible RCTs were included in the current study. Our meta‐analysis of the pooled findings showed that pomegranate consumption significantly reduced SBP (WMD: −7.87 mmHg; 95% CI: −10.34 to −5.39; p < 0.001) and DBP (WMD: −3.23 mmHg; 95% CI: −5.37 to −1.09; p = 0.003). Individuals with baseline SBP > 130 mmHg had a significantly greater reduction in SBP compared to individuals with baseline SBP < 130 mmHg. Also, there was a high level of heterogeneity among studies (SBP: I2 = 90.0% and DBP: I2 = 91.8%). Overall, the results demonstrated that pomegranate consumption lowered SBP and DBP in adults. Although our results suggest that pomegranate juice may be effective in reducing blood pressure in the pooled data, further high‐quality studies are needed to demonstrate the clinical efficacy of pomegranate consumption.
The moist halo region around shallow cumulus clouds in large eddy simulations
Authors: Gu Jian‐Feng , Plant Robert Stephen , Holloway Christopher E. , Clark Peter A.
Published: February 2024

In this study, the moist buffering halo region of shallow maritime cumulus clouds is systematically investigated using large eddy simulations with various grid resolutions and numerical choices. Autocorrelation analyses of cloud liquid water and relative humidity suggest a converged size of 200–300 m for moist patches outside clouds when the model resolution is below 50 m, but may overestimate this size due to noncloudy moist regions. Based on a composite analysis, the structure of the moist halo immediately outside individual clouds is examined. It is found that, regardless of model resolution, the distribution of relative humidity in the halo region does not depend on cloud size, but on the real distance away from the cloud boundary, indicating some size‐independent length scales are responsible for the halo formation. The relative humidity decays with distance more quickly with finer horizontal resolution, which is possibly related to the model resolution dependence of the cloud spectrum. The halo size near the cloud base is larger than that within the cloud layer and this feature is robust across all simulations. Further analyses of backward and forward Lagrangian trajectories originating from the moist halo region reveal the possible role for subcloud coherent structures in cloud‐base halo formation. Possible mechanisms explaining cloud halo sizes and associated length scales are discussed.
Multi‐objective Bayesian modeling and optimization of 3D printing process via experimental data‐driven method
Authors: Ding Chunfeng , Wang Jianjun , Ma Yan , Tu Yiliu (Pual) , Ma Yizhong
Published: February 2024

The instability of product quality and low printing efficiency are the main obstacles to the widespread application of 3D printing in the manufacturing industry. Optimizing printing parameters can substantially improve product quality and printing efficiency. However, existing methods for optimizing process parameters primarily rely on computationally expensive numerical simulations or costly physical experiments, which cannot balance model accuracy and experiment cost. To the best of our knowledge, almost no relevant papers have been found to address the issues of product quality and printing efficiency in 3D printing from experimental data‐driven perspective. In this paper, we propose a method that integrates multiobjective Bayesian optimization (MOBO) with experimental data‐driven, aiming at obtaining more accurate optimization results at a lower cost. Distinguishing from previous studies, the proposed method utilizes experimental data instead of predicted values to update the model and find the optimal process parameters based on expected hypervolume improvement. The results of the 3D printing case study show that the proposed method can better model and optimize the highly fluctuating 3D printing process and obtain the optimal process parameters at a much lower cost. In addition, confirmatory experiments verify that the proposed method achieves higher printing efficiency while maintaining product quality.
Laser‐Synthesized Co‐Doped CuO Electrocatalyst: Unveiling Boosted Methanol Oxidation Kinetics for Enhanced Hydrogen Production Efficiency by In Situ/Operando Raman and Theoretical Analyses
Authors: Jung Sieon , Senthil Raja Arumugam , Min Ahreum , Kumar Anuj , Moon Cheol Joo , Choi Myong Yong
Published: February 2024

The present study details the strategic development of Co‐doped CuO nanostructures via sophisticated and expedited pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL) technique. Subsequently, these structures are employed as potent electrocatalysts for the anodic methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), offering an alternative to the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Electrochemical assessments indicate that the Co–CuO catalyst exhibits exceptional MOR activity, requiring a reduced potential of 1.42 V at 10 mA cm–2 compared to that of pure CuO catalyst (1.57 V at 10 mA cm–2). Impressively, the Co–CuO catalyst achieved a nearly 180 mV potential reduction in MOR compared to its OER performance (1.60 V at 10 mA cm−2). Furthermore, when pairing Co–CuO(+)ǀǀPt/C(−) in methanol electrolysis, the cell voltage required is only 1.51 V at 10 mA cm−2, maintaining remarkable stability over 12 h. This represents a substantial voltage reduction of ≈160 mV relative to conventional water electrolysis (1.67 V at 10 mA cm−2). Additionally, both in situ/operando Raman spectroscopy studies and theoretical calculations have confirmed that Co‐doping plays a crucial role in enhancing the activity of the Co–CuO catalyst. This research introduces a novel synthetic approach for fabricating high‐efficiency electrocatalysts for large‐scale hydrogen production while co‐synthesizing value‐added formic acid.
Clinical decision rules for appendicitis are not used by surgeons in training: A survey
Authors: Bahta Nadir Noureldin Abdella , Gram‐Hanssen Anders , Jonsson Isabella , Petersen Stine Mette , Rosenberg Jacob , Fonnes Siv
Published: February 2024

Backgrounds

We aimed to investigate surgeons in training knowledge of clinical decision rules (CDR) for diagnosing appendicitis and their attitudes toward implementing them.

Methods

We included surgeons in training practicing in East Denmark who independently could decide to perform a diagnostic laparoscopy for suspected appendicitis. The survey was developed in Research Electronic Data Capture and face‐validated before use. It consisted of three parts: (1) the characteristics of the surgeons, (2) their diagnostic approach, and (3) their knowledge and attitude toward introducing CDR in the clinic. Data were collected in January 2023.

Results

We achieved 83 (90%) responses, and 52% of surgeons in training believed that appendicitis was difficult to diagnose. Their diagnostic approach mostly included symptoms and physical examinations for abdominal pain, and C‐reactive protein. A total of 48% knew of at least one clinical decision rule, and 72% had never used a clinical decision rule. Regarding the necessity of CDR in clinical practice, surgeons in training options were divided into thirds: not needed, neither needed nor not needed, and needed. Surgeons in training indicated that CDR needed to be validated and easily applied before they would implement them.

Conclusion

Approximately 3/4 of surgeons in training had never utilized a clinical decision rule to diagnose appendicitis, and only half knew of their existence. The symptoms and findings incorporated in most CDR aligned with their diagnostic approach. They were conflicted if CDR needed to be implemented in clinical practice.
Using DNA metabarcoding to separate natural and human provided food in wild boar diet at the northern distribution range of Europe
Authors: Mysterud Atle , Davey Marie , Fossøy Frode , Grøntvedt Carl Andreas , Rolandsen Christer M.
Published: February 2024

Wild boar Sus scrofa is increasing in numbers and extending its distribution across Europe and is difficult to control due to high reproductive potential. Dietary quality is a main determinant of wild boar population dynamics, and the extent to which they rely on human‐provided food provide a key to limit their distribution. Yet, we lack data on wild boar diet from northern Europe. Here we use DNA‐metabarcoding of faecal samples (n = 50) to determine wild boar diet during fall and winter in Norway. We mainly aimed to quantify the extent to which wild boar relies on natural or human‐provided food sources. A secondary aim was to determine whether diet varies with individual characteristics (sex, age or weight), season (winter or fall), and between the two regions with wild boar in Norway. We found a high degree of diet variability between individuals. Individuals consuming high amounts of edible fungi consumed low amounts of plant material. The (heavier) male wild boars consumed 50% more human provided food than the (lighter) female wild boars. There was no clear effect of age, season (winter versus fall), or region on diet with the sample size available. The negative correlation between plants and fungi in each sample suggests that using multiple primers targeting different taxa can provide quantitative diet information, and points to an important role of fungi (truffles) during winter and fall. The large individual variation in diet may reflect opportunistic feeding tactics in Scandinavian boreal forests, driven by a lack of acorns and few crops. Our study has relevance for understanding limitations of wild boars at their northern distribution range in Europe, and thus also provides important information for management.
M5-branes and D4-branes wrapped on a direct product of spindle and Riemann surface
Authors: Suh Minwoo
Published: February 2024

Abstract

We construct multi-charged AdS3× ⅀ ×$$ {\Sigma}_{\mathfrak{g}} $$

Σ
g

and AdS2× ⅀ ×$$ {\Sigma}_{\mathfrak{g}} $$

Σ
g

solutions from M5-branes and D4-branes wrapped on a direct product of spindle, ⅀, and Riemann surface, $$ {\Sigma}_{\mathfrak{g}} $$

Σ
g

. Employing uplift formula, we obtain these solutions by uplifting the multi-charged AdS3× ⅀ and AdS2× ⅀ solutions to seven and six dimensions, respectively. We further uplift the solutions to eleven-dimensional and massive type IIA supergravity and calculate the holographic central charge and the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy, respectively. We perform the gravitational block calculations and, for the AdS3× ⅀ ×$$ {\Sigma}_{\mathfrak{g}} $$

Σ
g

solutions, the result precisely matches the holographic central charge from the supergravity solutions.
A heavy QCD axion and the mirror world
Authors: Dunsky David I. , Hall Lawrence J. , Harigaya Keisuke
Published: February 2024

Abstract

We study the mirror world with dark matter arising from the thermal freeze-out of the lightest, stable mirror particle — the mirror electron. The dark matter abundance is achieved for mirror electrons of mass 225 GeV, fixing the mirror electroweak scale near 108 GeV. This highly predictive scenario is realized by an axion that acts as a portal between the two sectors through its coupling to the QCD and mirror QCD sectors. The axion is more massive than the standard QCD axion due to additional contributions from mirror strong dynamics. Still, the strong CP problem is solved by this ‘heavy’ axion due to the alignment of the QCD and mirror QCD potentials. Mirror entropy is transferred into the Standard Model sector via the axion portal, which alleviates overproduction of dark radiation from mirror glueball decays. This mirror scenario has a variety of signals: (1) primordial gravitational waves from the first-order mirror QCD phase transition occurring at a temperature near 35 GeV, (2) effects on large-scale structure from dark matter self-interactions from mirror QED, (3) dark radiation affecting the cosmic microwave background, and (4) the rare kaon decay, K+ → (π+ + axion). The first two signals do not depend on any fundamental free parameters of the theory while the latter two depend on a single free parameter, the axion decay constant.
Geography, landownership inequality, and literacy: historical evidence from Greek regions
Authors: Benos Nikos , Karagiannis Stelios , Tsitou Sofia
Published: February 2024

Our work sheds light on the joint role of human capital and geography during the early stages of the transition from stagnation to growth in early twentieth century Greece. We uncover a robust association between geography and literacy. We also show that geography is correlated with land inequality and thus establish that land distribution is a channel through which geography influences literacy. Finally, the impact of geography on human capital formation weakens with industrialization. Our work contributes to the literature on geography and human capital in the transition from stagnation to growth since Greece was at the early stages of the industrial era during the study period.
Olive oil nanoemulsion containing curcumin: antimicrobial agent against multidrug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Confessor Maine Virgínia Alves , Agreles Maria Anndressa Alves , Campos Luís André de Almeida , Silva Neto Azael Francisco , Borges Joyce Cordeiro , Martins Rodrigo Molina , Scavuzzi Alexsandra Maria Lima , Lopes Ana Catarina Souza , Kretzschmar Elisangela Afonso de Moura , Cavalcanti Isabella Macário Ferro
Published: February 2024

The present work aimed to develop, characterize, and evaluate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of two nanoemulsions (NEs) containing 500 µg/mL of curcumin from Curcuma longa (CUR). These NEs, produced with heating, contain olive oil (5%) and the surfactants tween 80 (5%) and span 80 (2.5%), water q.s. 100 mL, and were stable for 120 days. NE-2-CUR presented Ø of 165.40 ± 2.56 nm, PDI of 0.254, ζ of − 33.20 ± 1.35 mV, pH of 6.49, and Entrapment Drug Efficiency (EE) of 99%. The NE-4-CUR showed a Ø of 105.70 ± 4.13 nm, PDI of 0.459, ζ of − 32.10 ± 1.45 mV, pH of 6.40 and EE of 99.29%. Structural characterization was performed using DRX and FTIR, thermal characterization using DSC and TG, and morphological characterization using SEM, suggesting that there is no significant change in the CUR present in the NEs and that they remain stable. The MIC was performed by the broth microdilution method for nine gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates resistant to antibiotics and biofilm and efflux pump producers. The NEs mostly showed a bacteriostatic profile. The MIC varied between 125 and 250 µg/mL. The most sensitive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, for which NE-2-CUR showed a MIC of 125 µg/mL. The NEs and ceftazidime (CAZ) interaction was also evaluated against the K. pneumoniae resistant clinical isolates using the Checkerboard method. NE-2-CUR and NE-4-CUR showed a synergistic or additive profile; there was a reduction in CAZ MICs between 256 times (K26-A2) and 2 times (K29-A2). Furthermore, the NEs inhibited these isolates biofilms formation. The NEs showed a MBIC ranging from 15.625 to 250 µg/mL. Thus, the NEs showed physicochemical characteristics suitable for future clinical trials, enhancing the CAZ antibacterial and antibiofilm activity, thus becoming a promising strategy for the treatment of bacterial infections caused by multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae.

Key points

• The NEs showed physicochemical characteristics suitable for future clinical trials.

• The NEs showed a synergistic/additive profile, when associated with ceftazidime.

• The NEs inhibited biofilm formation of clinical isolates.
Investigating the Contraction Pattern of the Zygomaticus Major Muscle and its Clinical Relevance: A Functional MRI Study
Authors: Rams Daniel J. , Alfertshofer Michael , Batko Jakub , Gotkin Robert H. , Perdikis Galen , Szczepanek Elżbieta , Urbanik Andrzej , Koziej Mateusz , Ostrogórska Monika , Cotofana Sebastian
Published: February 2024

Background

Our understanding of facial anatomy has significantly evolved, yet the detailed contraction patterns of facial muscles and their presentation during clinical imaging remain largely unexplored. Understanding the contraction patterns and visual presentation of these muscles, particularly the zygomaticus major could enhance pre-surgical facial assessments and the development of new treatment strategies.

Methods

A total of 34 healthy young individuals (17 female, 17 male) with a mean age of 23.6 (2.4) years [range: 20–30] were investigated regarding the length, thickness, width, and angle of the zygomaticus major muscle in five different facial expressions (i.e., repose, anger, joy, surprise, and sadness) utilizing MR imaging.

Results

Joyful expressions caused a reduction in muscle length to 85.6% of its original length and an increase in width (103.4%), thickness (108.4%), and facial angle (2.72°) when compared to that in repose, suggesting isotonic contraction. Conversely, expressions of anger, surprise, and sadness generally led to muscle stretching, seen through changes in length (98.9%, 104.3%, and 102.7%, respectively), width (98.8%, 96.5%, and 99.4%, respectively), and thickness (91.2%, 91.0%, and 102.7%, respectively), with variable alterations in facial angle (0.55°, 1.85°, and 1.00°, respectively) depending on the specific expression.

Conclusion

This MRI-based study indicates that the zygomaticus major muscle experiences isotonic contraction, characterized by decreased length and increased width and thickness. The findings underline the importance of muscle thickness as a reliable parameter in assessing facial muscle function and offer valuable guidance for practitioners in accurately evaluating muscle performance during different facial expressions.

No Level Assigned

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
A perspective on neuroethology: what the past teaches us about the future of neuroethology
Authors: Beetz M. Jerome
Published: February 2024

For 100 years, the Journal of Comparative Physiology-A has significantly supported research in the field of neuroethology. The celebration of the journal’s centennial is a great time point to appreciate the recent progress in neuroethology and to discuss possible avenues of the field. Animal behavior is the main source of inspiration for neuroethologists. This is illustrated by the huge diversity of investigated behaviors and species. To explain behavior at a mechanistic level, neuroethologists combine neuroscientific approaches with sophisticated behavioral analysis. The rapid technological progress in neuroscience makes neuroethology a highly dynamic and exciting field of research. To summarize the recent scientific progress in neuroethology, I went through all abstracts of the last six International Congresses for Neuroethology (ICNs 2010–2022) and categorized them based on the sensory modalities, experimental model species, and research topics. This highlights the diversity of neuroethology and gives us a perspective on the field’s scientific future. At the end, I highlight three research topics that may, among others, influence the future of neuroethology. I hope that sharing my roots may inspire other scientists to follow neuroethological approaches.
The spheroidal trackball: generalising the fixed trackball for virtual camera navigation
Authors: González-Toledo Daniel , Cuevas-Rodríguez María , Molina-Tanco Luis , Reyes-Lecuona Arcadio
Published: February 2024

Virtual trackball techniques have become a standard in 3D applications, particularly for interfaces with limited degrees of freedom such as touchscreens or mice. The fact that we are used to them does not mean that they cannot be improved upon. Recent research has highlighted the significance of considering users’ mental models of a preferred rotation axis, as it can improve performance, perceived usability and perceived workload. Building upon these findings, this paper introduces the spheroidal trackball framework—a novel method for orbiting the virtual camera around elongated objects. The paper presents the mathematical formulation and the evaluation of the technique. The formulation offers enough information to implement the approach. The evaluation shows the advantages of this approach over the fixed spherical trackball for this class of objects, in terms of task performance, usability and perceived workload. This research constitutes an advancement in the refinement of 3D user interaction techniques, opening new avenues of innovation in this still evolving field.
Advances in the antitumor mechanisms of tripartite motif-containing protein 3
Authors: Teng Wei , Ling Yuanguo , Liu Zongwei , Jiang Lishi , Fu Genyuan , Zhou Xingwang , Long Niya , Liu Jian , Chu Liangzhao
Published: February 2024

The tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) protein family has steadily become a hotspot in tumor-related research. As a member of the E3 ubiquitin ligase family, TRIM is working on many crucial biological processes, including the regulation of tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, and autophagy. Among the diverse TRIM superfamily members, TRIM3 operates via different mechanisms in various types of tumors. This review primarily focuses on the current state of research regarding the antitumor mechanisms of TRIM3 in different cancers. A more in-depth study of TRIM3 may provide new directions for future antitumor treatments. Our review focuses on TRIM3 proteins and cancer. We searched for relevant articles on the mechanisms by which TRIM3 affects tumorigenesis and development from 1997 to 2023 and summarized the latest progress and future directions. Triad-containing motif protein 3 (TRIM3) is an important protein, which plays a key role in the process of tumorigenesis and development. The comprehensive exploration of TRIM3 is anticipated to pave the way for future advancements in antitumor therapy, which is expected to be a new hallmark for cancer detection and a novel target for drug action. TRIM3 is poised to become a significant milestone in cancer detection and a promising focal point for drug intervention. Recent years have witnessed notable progress in research aimed at unraveling the antitumor mechanism of TRIM3, with far-reaching implications for practical tumor diagnosis, treatment protocols, efficacy evaluation, economics, and pharmaceutical utilization.
Risk factors for rebleeding and mortality following prophylactic transarterial embolization for patients with high-risk peptic ulcer bleeding: a single-center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zetner Dennis , Rasmussen Ida Roost , Frykman Camilla Palmquist , Jensen Lasse Rehné , Jensen Ruben Juul , Possfelt-Møller Emma , Taudorf Mikkel , Penninga Luit
Published: February 2024

Background

To investigate factors associated with risk for rebleeding and 30-day mortality following prophylactic transarterial embolization in patients with high-risk peptic ulcer bleeding.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed medical records and included all patients who had undergone prophylactic embolization of the gastroduodenal artery at Rigshospitalet, Denmark, following an endoscopy-verified and treated peptic Sulcer bleeding, from 2016 to 2021. Data were collected from electronic health records and imaging from the embolization procedures. Primary outcomes were rebleeding and 30-day mortality. We performed logistical regression analyses for both outcomes with possible risk factors. Risk factors included: active bleeding; visible hemoclips; Rockall-score; anatomical variants; standardized embolization procedure; and number of endoscopies prior to embolization.

Results

We included 176 patients. Rebleeding occurred in 25% following embolization and 30-day mortality was 15%. Not undergoing a standardized embolization procedure increased the odds of both rebleeding (odds ratio 3.029, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.395–6.579) and 30-day overall mortality by 3.262 (1.252–8.497). More than one endoscopy was associated with increased odds of rebleeding (odds ratio 2.369, 95% CI 1.088–5.158). High Rockall-score increased the odds of 30-day mortality (odds ratio 2.587, 95% CI 1.243–5.386). Active bleeding, visible hemoclips, and anatomical variants did not affect risk of rebleeding or 30-day mortality. Reasons for deviation from standard embolization procedure were anatomical variations, targeted treatment without embolizing the gastroduodenal artery, and technical failure.

Conclusions

Deviation from the standard embolization procedure increased the risk of rebleeding and 30-day mortality, more than one endoscopy prior to embolization was associated with higher odds of rebleeding, and a high Rockall-score increased the risk of 30-day mortality. We suggest that patients with these risk factors are monitored closely following embolization. Early detection of rebleeding may allow for proper and early re-intervention.

Graphical abstract
Supportive care needs and associated factors among caregivers of patients with colorectal cancer: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhang Menghan , Wang Xin , Shao Mengwei , Du Ruofei , Zhou Huiyue , Zhu Jizhe , Zhang Haoning , Ma Bin , Chen Changying , Wang Tao
Published: February 2024

To assess the level of supportive care needs of caregivers of colorectal cancer patients and explore the related key influencing factors. Totaling 283 caregivers of patients with colorectal cancer were investigated in this study. Firstly, caregivers were invited to complete a set of questionnaires, including the general information questionnaire, the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Partners and the Caregivers of cancer patients, the Caregiver Preparedness Scale, the Benefit Finding Scale, and the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity. Univariate and multivariate linear regression were performed to investigate the associated factors of supportive care needs. The caregivers of patients with colorectal cancer have a moderate level of needs, scored at 2.71 ± 0.42. Caregiver preparedness, benefit finding, and financial toxicity were significantly negatively associated with the supportive care needs of caregivers (r =  − 0.555, P < 0.001; r =  − 0.534, P < 0.001; and r =  − 0.615, P < 0.001, respectively). Our multivariate regression analysis identified some factors that directly affected the supportive care needs of caregivers, including the duration of illness, tumor stage, the age and educational level of caregivers, caregiver preparedness, benefit finding, and financial toxicity (R2 = 0.574, F = 23.337, P < 0.001). Supportive care needs are common among caregivers of colorectal cancer patients. Higher caregiver preparedness, benefit finding, and financial toxicity tend to ease these needs. Healthcare workers should have an in-depth understanding of the needs of caregivers of colorectal cancer patients and actively provide targeted financial/informational/technical/emotional support to promote nursing skills and reduce caregivers’ burdens.
Investigating psychological mechanisms linking pain severity to depression symptoms in women cancer survivors at a cancer center with a rural catchment area
Authors: Chow Philip I. , Cohn Wendy F. , Finan Patrick H. , Eton David T. , Anderson Roger T.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Women cancer survivors, especially those in rural areas, with high levels of depression may be acutely susceptible to pain due to the ways they think, feel, and behave. The current study seeks to elucidate the relationship between symptoms of depression and pain severity in women cancer survivors, by examining the putative mediators involved in this relationship, specifically their self-efficacy for managing their health, how overwhelmed they were from life’s responsibilities, and relational burden.

Methods

Self-report data were collected from 183 cancer survivors of breast, cervical, ovarian, or endometrial/uterine cancer, who were between 6 months and 3 years post-active therapy.

Results

Women cancer survivors with higher (vs. lower) symptoms of depression had more severe pain. Individual mediation analyses revealed that survivors with higher levels of depression felt more overwhelmed by life’s responsibilities and had lower self-efficacy about managing their health, which was associated with greater pain severity. When all mediators were simultaneously entered into the same model, feeling overwhelmed by life’s responsibilities significantly mediated the link between survivors’ symptoms of depression and their pain severity.

Conclusions

The relationship between symptoms of depression and pain severity in women cancer survivors may be attributed in part to their self-efficacy and feeling overwhelmed by life’s responsibilities. Early and frequent assessment of psychosocial factors involved in pain severity for women cancer survivors may be important for managing their pain throughout the phases of cancer survivorship.
MCMSTStream: applying minimum spanning tree to KD-tree-based micro-clusters to define arbitrary-shaped clusters in streaming data
Authors: Erdinç Berfin , Kaya Mahmut , Şenol Ali
Published: February 2024

Stream clustering has emerged as a vital area for processing streaming data in real-time, facilitating the extraction of meaningful information. While efficient approaches for defining and updating clusters based on similarity criteria have been proposed, outliers and noisy data within stream clustering areas pose a significant threat to the overall performance of clustering algorithms. Moreover, the limitation of existing methods in generating non-spherical clusters underscores the need for improved clustering quality. As a new methodology, we propose a new stream clustering approach, MCMSTStream, to overcome the abovementioned challenges. The algorithm applies MST to micro-clusters defined by using the KD-Tree data structure to define macro-clusters. MCMSTStream is robust against outliers and noisy data and has the ability to define clusters with arbitrary shapes. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm exhibits notable speed and can handling high-dimensional data. ARI and Purity indices are used to prove the clustering success of the MCMSTStream. The evaluation results reveal the superior performance of MCMSTStream compared to state-of-the-art stream clustering algorithms such as DenStream, DBSTREAM, and KD-AR Stream. The proposed method obtained a Purity value of 0.9780 and an ARI value of 0.7509, the highest scores for the KDD dataset. In the other 11 datasets, it obtained much higher results than its competitors. As a result, the proposed method is an effective stream clustering algorithm on datasets with outliers, high-dimensional, and arbitrary-shaped clusters. In addition, its runtime performance is also quite reasonable.
Deep Learning Glioma Grading with the Tumor Microenvironment Analysis Protocol for Comprehensive Learning, Discovering, and Quantifying Microenvironmental Features
Authors: Pytlarz M. , Wojnicki K. , Pilanc P. , Kaminska B. , Crimi A.
Published: February 2024

Gliomas are primary brain tumors that arise from neural stem cells, or glial precursors. Diagnosis of glioma is based on histological evaluation of pathological cell features and molecular markers. Gliomas are infiltrated by myeloid cells that accumulate preferentially in malignant tumors, and their abundance inversely correlates with survival, which is of interest for cancer immunotherapies. To avoid time-consuming and laborious manual examination of images, a deep learning approach for automatic multiclass classification of tumor grades was proposed. As an alternative way of investigating characteristics of brain tumor grades, we implemented a protocol for learning, discovering, and quantifying tumor microenvironment elements on our glioma dataset. Using only single-stained biopsies we derived characteristic differentiating tumor microenvironment phenotypic neighborhoods. The study was complicated by the small size of the available human leukocyte antigen stained on glioma tissue microarray dataset — 206 images of 5 classes — as well as imbalanced data distribution. This challenge was addressed by image augmentation for underrepresented classes. In practice, we considered two scenarios, a whole slide supervised learning classification, and an unsupervised cell-to-cell analysis looking for patterns of the microenvironment. In the supervised learning investigation, we evaluated 6 distinct model architectures. Experiments revealed that a DenseNet121 architecture surpasses the baseline’s accuracy by a significant margin of 9% for the test set, achieving a score of 69%, increasing accuracy in discerning challenging WHO grade 2 and 3 cases. All experiments have been carried out in a cross-validation manner. The tumor microenvironment analysis suggested an important role for myeloid cells and their accumulation in the context of characterizing glioma grades. Those promising approaches can be used as an additional diagnostic tool to improve assessment during intraoperative examination or subtyping tissues for treatment selection, potentially easing the workflow of pathologists and oncologists.

Graphical Abstract
URI-CADS: A Fully Automated Computer-Aided Diagnosis System for Ultrasound Renal Imaging
Authors: Molina-Moreno Miguel , González-Díaz Iván , Rivera Gorrín Maite , Burguera Vion Víctor , Díaz-de-María Fernando
Published: February 2024

Ultrasound is a widespread imaging modality, with special application in medical fields such as nephrology. However, automated approaches for ultrasound renal interpretation still pose some challenges: (1) the need for manual supervision by experts at various stages of the system, which prevents its adoption in primary healthcare, and (2) their limited considered taxonomy (e.g., reduced number of pathologies), which makes them unsuitable for training practitioners and providing support to experts. This paper proposes a fully automated computer-aided diagnosis system for ultrasound renal imaging addressing both of these challenges. Our system is based in a multi-task architecture, which is implemented by a three-branched convolutional neural network and is capable of segmenting the kidney and detecting global and local pathologies with no need of human interaction during diagnosis. The integration of different image perspectives at distinct granularities enhanced the proposed diagnosis. We employ a large (1985 images) and demanding ultrasound renal imaging database, publicly released with the system and annotated on the basis of an exhaustive taxonomy of two global and nine local pathologies (including cysts, lithiasis, hydronephrosis, angiomyolipoma), establishing a benchmark for ultrasound renal interpretation. Experiments show that our proposed method outperforms several state-of-the-art methods in both segmentation and diagnosis tasks and leverages the combination of global and local image information to improve the diagnosis. Our results, with a 87.41% of AUC in healthy-pathological diagnosis and 81.90% in multi-pathological diagnosis, support the use of our system as a helpful tool in the healthcare system.
Rabi-oscillation spectroscopy of the hyperfine structure of the muonium atom for high-precision determination of the muon mass
Authors: Torii Hiroyuki A.
Published: February 2024

Muonium (Mu) is a hydrogenlike atom comprising a positive muon and an electron, both pointlike leptons. Spectroscopy of Mu is a promising method in the search for new physics in particle-physics research, superior to that of hydrogen for which the uncertainty in the proton radius and its internal structure gives limitations. Microwave spectroscopy of the Mu hyperfine structure (HFS) provides the most precise estimation of the magnetic moment and the mass of the muon, opening a way to search for a physics beyond the Standard Model. MuSEUM Collaboration is studying Mu-HFS at the J-PARC muon facility in Japan, aiming at a precision one order of magnitude better than before. With our new spectroscopic technique which does not require any frequency sweep or Fourier transformation, the resonance frequency can be obtained directly by fitting a simulated function to the time evolution of the Rabi oscillation at a fixed microwave frequency. This method, named Rabi-oscillation spectroscopy, can improve the precision by eliminating systematic uncertainties due to power fluctuations. After a decade of our study under zero magnetic field with fruitful results, we are about to start our experiment under a high magnetic field.
No such thing as a free movie? Cross-country evidence on the potential impact of AVOD streaming services
Authors: McKenzie Jordi , Crosby Paul , Collins Alan , Chmura Thorsten
Published: February 2024

This study investigates potential disruption from advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) streaming for new-release in-home films. Using stated-preference discrete choice experiments on representative samples from four major countries, we model demand and examine substitution patterns between AVOD and the incumbent transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) model. In addition, we consider illegal streaming alternatives, including the possibility of using a VPN to provide anonymity of the unlawful activity. We find strong preferences for AVOD across each country sample, with large cross-price substitution patterns away from TVOD. An entry simulation exercise provides back-of-the-envelope estimates for ad pricing required to offset reduced revenues if AVOD were offered alongside TVOD for new-release in-home films.
Thorium anomaly on the lunar surface and its indicative meaning
Authors: Zhang Jingyi , Liu Jianzhong
Published: February 2024

The Moon has been divided into three terranes: Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT), Feldspathic Highland Terrane (FHT), and South Pole-Aitken Terrane (SPAT), using globally measured Th and FeO. Many lunar evolution models have predicted that a lunar magma ocean will produce a residual layer enriched in incompatible elements such as K, REE, and P (i.e., KREEP) in the late age of crystallization; and that the distribution of thorium can be used as a proxy for determining the global distribution of KREEP. The thorium distribution in these three terranes is inhomogeneous. The highest concentration of thorium is in PKT, the medium concentration of thorium is in SPAT, and almost none in FHT. Then what is the specific distribution in each of the terrane and what enlightenment can it tell us? Here we present and describe the detailed thorium distribution in PKT, SPAT, and FHT and provide some information for the origin of asymmetries on the lunar surface.
News and ESG investment criteria: What’s behind it?
Authors: Pikatza-Gorrotxategi Naiara , Borregan-Alvarado Jon , Ruiz-de-la-Torre-Acha Aitor , Alvarez-Meaza Izaskun
Published: February 2024

News written in the press about different companies generates consumer feelings that can condition the reputation of these companies and, consequently, their financial results. One of the practices that might improve a company’s reputation is the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment criteria. In this research, using Natural Language Processing techniques like Sentiment Analysis and Word2Vec, we detected those ESG-related terms that the written press uses in news articles about companies. Thus, we have been able to discover and analyze those terms that improve sympathy toward companies, and those that worsen it. Our findings show that those terms related to sustainable development, good social practices and ethical governance improve the general public’s opinion of a company, while those related to greenwashing and socialwashing worsen it. Therefore, this methodology is valid for enabling companies to detect those terms that improve or worsen their reputation, and thus help them make decisions that improve their image.
How UEFA can react to the Super League ruling
Authors: van der Burg Tsjalle
Published: February 2024

According to the European Superleague Company ruling of 21 December 2023, the UEFA rules for the approval of football competitions are inadequate. In search of better rules, this paper proposes three criteria for the approval of competitions: they should (1) improve welfare; (2) reflect the preferences of the consumers (football fans); and (3) be compatible with competition law. All Super Leagues proposed before 2022 would not have met criteria 1 and 3 in any case, as they would have reduced welfare and would have reduced the competition in consumer markets in a way incompatible with competition law. The same holds (or is likely to hold) for the reforms of the Champions League that UEFA has made since 1998 in reaction to threats of big clubs to start a Super League. However, if UEFA improves its own competitions in line with the criteria above, it should be able to outcompete the organizers of alternative competitions.
ISU, Royal Antwerp, European Superleague & employment relations in sport
Authors: O’Leary Leanne
Published: February 2024

The ISU, Royal Antwerp and the European Superleague cases have upheld athletes’ individual employment rights and provided access to national courts to challenge overly restrictive measures pursuant to EU competition law, amongst other things. The immediate impact on the labour relations environment in sport, however, is less obvious. This article discusses the effects of the CJEU decisions for employment relations and the broader trade union movement in sport. It considers the decisions’ effect on collective bargaining, highlights the effectiveness of independent players’ associations as a countervailing power to regulatory power and discusses whether the decisions may be a catalyst for the greater use of social dialogue as a mode of governance insofar as concerns regulation of the labour market.
Co-producing AIED Ethics Under Lockdown: an Empirical Study of Deliberative Democracy in Action
Authors: Swist Teresa , Buckingham Shum Simon , Gulson Kalervo N.
Published: February 2024

It is widely documented that higher education institutional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated not only the adoption of educational technologies, but also associated socio-technical controversies. Critically, while these cloud-based platforms are capturing huge datasets, and generating new kinds of learning analytics, there are few strongly theorised, empirically validated processes for institutions to consult their communities about the ethics of this data-intensive, increasingly algorithmically-powered infrastructure. Conceptual and empirical contributions to this challenge are made in this paper, as we focus on the under-theorised and under-investigated phase required for ethics implementation, namely, joint agreement on ethical principles. We foreground the potential of ethical co-production through Deliberative Democracy (DD), which emerged in response to the crisis in confidence in how typical democratic systems engage citizens in decision making. This is tested empirically in the context of a university-wide DD consultation, conducted under pandemic lockdown conditions, co-producing a set of ethical principles to govern Analytics/AI-enabled Educational Technology (AAI-EdTech). Evaluation of this process takes the form of interviews conducted with students, educators, and leaders. Findings highlight that this methodology facilitated a unique and structured co-production process, enabling a range of higher education stakeholders to integrate their situated knowledge through dialogue. The DD process and product cultivated commitment and trust among the participants, informing a new university AI governance policy. The concluding discussion reflects on DD as an exemplar of ethical co-production, identifying new research avenues to advance this work. To our knowledge, this is the first application of DD for AI ethics, as is its use as an organisational sensemaking process in education.
Tailoring Classical Conditioning Behavior in TiO2 Nanowires: ZnO QDs-Based Optoelectronic Memristors for Neuromorphic Hardware
Authors: Wang Wenxiao , Wang Yaqi , Yin Feifei , Niu Hongsen , Shin Young-Kee , Li Yang , Kim Eun-Seong , Kim Nam-Young
Published: February 2024

Neuromorphic hardware equipped with associative learning capabilities presents fascinating applications in the next generation of artificial intelligence. However, research into synaptic devices exhibiting complex associative learning behaviors is still nascent. Here, an optoelectronic memristor based on Ag/TiO2 Nanowires: ZnO Quantum dots/FTO was proposed and constructed to emulate the biological associative learning behaviors. Effective implementation of synaptic behaviors, including long and short-term plasticity, and learning-forgetting-relearning behaviors, were achieved in the device through the application of light and electrical stimuli. Leveraging the optoelectronic co-modulated characteristics, a simulation of neuromorphic computing was conducted, resulting in a handwriting digit recognition accuracy of 88.9%. Furthermore, a 3 × 7 memristor array was constructed, confirming its application in artificial visual memory. Most importantly, complex biological associative learning behaviors were emulated by mapping the light and electrical stimuli into conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, respectively. After training through associative pairs, reflexes could be triggered solely using light stimuli. Comprehensively, under specific optoelectronic signal applications, the four features of classical conditioning, namely acquisition, extinction, recovery, and generalization, were elegantly emulated. This work provides an optoelectronic memristor with associative behavior capabilities, offering a pathway for advancing brain-machine interfaces, autonomous robots, and machine self-learning in the future.
MXene-Based Elastomer Mimetic Stretchable Sensors: Design, Properties, and Applications
Authors: Das Poushali , Marvi Parham Khoshbakht , Ganguly Sayan , Tang Xiaowu , Wang Bo , Srinivasan Seshasai , Rajabzadeh Amin Reza , Rosenkranz Andreas
Published: February 2024

Flexible sensors based on MXene-polymer composites are highly prospective for next-generation wearable electronics used in human–machine interfaces. One of the motivating factors behind the progress of flexible sensors is the steady arrival of new conductive materials. MXenes, a new family of 2D nanomaterials, have been drawing attention since the last decade due to their high electronic conductivity, processability, mechanical robustness and chemical tunability. In this review, we encompass the fabrication of MXene-based polymeric nanocomposites, their structure–property relationship, and applications in the flexible sensor domain. Moreover, our discussion is not only limited to sensor design, their mechanism, and various modes of sensing platform, but also their future perspective and market throughout the world. With our article, we intend to fortify the bond between flexible matrices and MXenes thus promoting the swift advancement of flexible MXene-sensors for wearable technologies.