bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the efficacy and safety of olanzapine prophylaxis for opioid-induced nausea and vomiting (JORTC-PAL20): a study protocol for an open-label, single-arm exploratory study
Authors: Satomi Eriko , Kobayashi Tomomi , Ishikawa Ayaka , Arakawa Sayaka , Ishiki Hiroto , Amano Koji , Sakiyama Naomi , Ariyoshi Keisuke , Kihara Kota , Oyamada Shunsuke , Mizushima Akio
Published: February 2024

Introduction

In opioid therapy for cancer pain, opioid-induced nausea and vomiting (OINV) occur in 20%–40% of patients during initial opioid treatment or increasing opioid doses. OINV result in failure to achieve pain relief due to poor opioid adherence. Therefore, antiemetics are used to prevent OINV, but their efficacy and safety in this context have not yet been fully elucidated. Olanzapine is a promising antiemetic for the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Methods and analysis

This single-arm, single-centre exploratory study will evaluate the prophylactic antiemetic efficacy and safety of 5 mg olanzapine in patients with cancer pain who are withholding initial regular opioid therapy. Thirty-five patients will be enrolled. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients achieving complete control (CC) of OINV during 5 days of opioid treatment. CC was defined as the absence of emetic episodes, no need for rescue medication to treat nausea, and minimal or no nausea (3 or less on an 11-point categorical scale). Secondary endpoints include the complete response, defined as no emetic episodes and no use of rescue medication during the overall assessment period, the time from opioid initiation to first emetic episode, the time from opioid initiation to first rescue antiemetic administration, and adverse events graded by Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 1.0 and CTCAE version 5.0.

Ethics and dissemination

This study protocol was approved by National Cancer Center Hospital Certified Review Board. The results will be used as preliminary data to conduct a validation study.

Trial registration number

Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT) jRCTs031220008.
Research productivity and gender of research award recipients in international ophthalmology societies
Authors: Nguyen Anne Xuan-Lan , Venkatesh Dipti Satvi , Biyani Ankita , Ratan Sanyam , Youn Gun Min , Wu Albert Y
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the research productivity and gender of award recipients of ophthalmology research awards in international societies.

Methods

This is a retrospective, observational study. The study population included award recipients of research awards from 36 ophthalmologic societies (listed on the International Council of Ophthalmology database) in 99 years (1922–2021). A gender-specific pronoun and a photograph of each award recipient were extracted from professional websites to assign their gender. Research productivity levels were retrieved from the Elsevier Scopus author database. The main outcome measures were gender distribution of award recipients per year, mean h-index per year, mean m-quotient per year, mean h-index by society, and mean m-quotient by society.

Results

Out of 2506 recipients for 122 awards, 1897 (75.7%) were men and 609 (24.3%) were women. The proportion of woman recipients increased from 0% in 1922 to 41.0% in 2021. Compared with 2000–2010 (19.8%, 109 of 550), women received a greater proportion of awards (48.4%, 459 of 949) in the last decade, from 2011 to 2021. Furthermore, men more often had greater h-index scores and m-quotient scores.

Conclusions

Women received awards (24.3%) at a lower rate than men (75.7%) while also exhibiting lower productivity, supporting the existence of a gender disparity. Our study found that women are under-represented in research awards, and further investigation into award selection processes and gender membership data is recommended.
Intensive home visiting for adolescent mothers in the Family Nurse Partnership in England 2010–2019: a population-based data linkage cohort study using propensity score matching
Authors: Cavallaro Francesca , Gilbert Ruth , Van der Meulen Jan , Kendall Sally , Kennedy Eilis , Harron Katie
Published: February 2024

Background

We evaluated the effectiveness of the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), an intensive home visiting programme aiming to improve birth outcomes, child health and development, and to promote economic self-sufficiency among teenage mothers.

Methods

We created a linked cohort of >130 000 mothers aged 13–19 years with live births between April 2010 and March 2019, using administrative data from health (Hospital Episode Statistics), education and children’s social care (National Pupil Database). Using propensity score matching, we compared indicators of child maltreatment, health and development outcomes, and maternal hospital utilisation and educational outcomes up to 7 years following birth for mothers who did or did not enrol in FNP.

Results

We found no evidence of an association between FNP and indicators of child maltreatment, except for an increased rate of unplanned admissions for maltreatment/injury-related diagnoses up to age 2 years for children born to FNP mothers (6.6% vs 5.7%, relative risk (RR) 1.15; 95% CI 1.07, 1.24). There was weak evidence that children born to FNP mothers were more likely to achieve a good level of development at age 5 years (57.5% vs 55.4%, RR 1.05; 95% CI 1.00, 1.09). FNP mothers were less likely to have a subsequent delivery within 18 months of the index birth (8.4% vs 9.3%, RR 0.92; 95% CI 0.88, 0.97).

Conclusion

Our study supports findings from previous evaluations of FNP showing no evidence of benefit for child maltreatment or health outcomes measured in administrative data. Bias by indication, and variation in the intervention and usual care, may have limited our ability to detect effects. Future evaluations should capture more information on maternal risk factors and additional outcomes relating to maternal/child well-being.
Investigating market-based opportunities for the provision of nutritious and safe diets to prevent childhood stunting: a UKRI-GCRF action against stunting hub protocol paper
Authors: Cooper Gregory S , Davies-Kershaw Hilary , Dominguez-Salas Paula , Fahmida Umi , Faye Babacar , Ferguson Elaine , Grace Delia , Häsler Barbara N , Kadiyala Suneetha , Konapur Archana , Kulkarni Bharati , Chengat Prakashbabu Bhagyalakshmi , Pramesthi Indriya L , Rowland Dominic , Selvaraj Kiruthika , Sudibya Arienta R P , Tine Roger C , Yadav D M Dinesh , Zahra Nur L , Shankar Bhavani , Heffernan Claire
Published: February 2024

Background

Inadequate access to affordable, safe, desirable and convenient nutrient-dense food is one of the underlying causes of child stunting. While targeted nutrition-sensitive interventions (eg, backyard ‘nutri-gardens’) may increase dietary diversity within farming households, such interventions have limited scalability across the wider food system where markets remain underdeveloped. This research aims to develop and assess market-based interventions for key nutrient-dense foods to help improve the diets of women and children in the first 1000 days of life.

Methods

Data collection uses four parallel approaches in each of the three study countries (India, Indonesia and Senegal). (1) A novelfood environment toolwill be developed to characterise the accessibility and affordability of nutrient-dense foods in the study countries. The tool will be validated through pretesting using cognitive interviewing and piloting in purposively sampled households, 10 (cognitive interviewing) and 30 (piloting) households in each country; (2) stakeholder interviews (eg, with producers, intermediaries and retailers) will be conducted to map out nutrition-sensitive entry points of key value chains (eg, animal-sourced foods), before hotspots of potential food safety hazards will be identified from food samples collected along the chains; (3) theOptifoodandAgrifoodtools will be used to identify foods that can address food system nutrient gaps and engage key stakeholders to prioritise market interventions to improve nutrition outcomes.OptifoodandAgrifoodparameters will be informed by publicly available data, plus interviews and focus groups with value chain stakeholders; (4) informed by the previous three approaches and a campaign of participatory ‘group model building’, a novel system dynamics model will evaluate the impact of alternative market-based solutions on the availability and affordability of nutrient-dense foods over time.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has received ethical approval in the United Kingdom, Senegal, Indonesia and India. Dissemination comprises peer-reviewed journals, international disciplinary conferences and multistakeholder dissemination workshops.
MASH Resolution Index: development and validation of a non-invasive score to detect histological resolution of MASH
Authors: Loomba Rohit , Amangurbanova Maral , Bettencourt Ricki , Madamba Egbert , Siddiqi Harris , Richards Lisa , Behling Cynthia , Sirlin Claude B , Gottwald Mildred D , Feng Shibao , Margalit Maya , Huang Daniel Q
Published: February 2024

Background

Dynamic changes in non-invasive tests, such as changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and MRI proton-density-fat-fraction (MRI-PDFF), may help to detect metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) resolution, but a combination of non-invasive tests may be more accurate than either alone. We developed a novel non-invasive score, the MASH Resolution Index, to detect the histological resolution of MASH.

Methods

This study included a derivation cohort of 95 well-characterised adult participants (67% female) with biopsy-confirmed MASH who underwent contemporaneous laboratory testing, MRI-PDFF and liver biopsy at two time points. The primary objective was to develop a non-invasive score to detect MASH resolution with no worsening of fibrosis. The most predictive logistic regression model was selected based on the highest area under the receiver operating curve (AUC), and the lowest Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion. The model was then externally validated in a distinct cohort of 163 participants with MASH from a clinical trial.

Results

The median (IQR) age and body mass index were 55 (45–62) years and 32.0 (30–37) kg/m
2
, respectively, in the derivation cohort. The most accurate model (MASH Resolution Index) included MRI-PDFF, ALT and aspartate aminotransferase. The index had an AUC of 0.81 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.93) for detecting MASH resolution in the derivation cohort. The score calibrated well and performed robustly in a distinct external validation cohort (AUC 0.83, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.91), and outperformed changes in ALT and MRI-PDFF.

Conclusion

The MASH Resolution Index may be a useful score to non-invasively identify MASH resolution.
Use of a large-bore 088 intracranial access support catheter for delivery of large intracranial devices: case series with the TracStar LDP in 125 cases
Authors: Campos Jessica K , Zarrin David A , Meyer Benjamen M , Khan Muhammad Waqas , Laghari Fahad J , Collard de Beaufort Jonathan C , Amin Gizal , Beaty Narlin B , Bender Matthew T , Suzuki Shuichi , Colby Geoffrey P , Lin Li-Mei , Coon Alexander L
Published: February 2024

Background

The delivery of neuroendovascular devices requires a robust proximal access platform. This demand has previously been met with a 6Fr long sheath (8Fr guide) that is placed in the proximal internal carotid artery (ICA) or vertebral artery segments. We share our experience with the first 0.088 inch 8Fr guide catheter designed for direct intracranial access.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively maintained IRB-approved institutional database of the senior authors to identify all cases where the TracStar Large Distal Platform (LDP) was positioned within the intracranial vasculature, defined as within or distal to the petrous ICA, vertebral artery (V3) segments, or transverse sinus. Technical success was defined as safe placement of the TracStar LDP within or distal to the described distal vessel segments with subsequent complication-free device implantation.

Results

Over the 41-month study period from January 2020 to June 2023, 125 consecutive cases were identified in whom the TracStar LDP was navigated into the intracranial vasculature for triaxial delivery of large devices, 0.027 inch microcatheter and greater, for aneurysm treatment (n=108, 86%), intracranial angioplasty/stenting (n=15, 12%), and venous sinus stenting (n=2, 1.6%). All cases used a direct select catheter technique for initial guide placement (no exchange). Posterior circulation treatments occurred in 14.4% (n=18) of cases. Technical success was achieved in 100% of cases. No vessel dissections occurred in any cases.

Conclusion

The TracStar LDP is an 0.088 inch 8Fr guide catheter that can establish direct intracranial access with an acceptable safety profile. This can be achieved in a wide range of neurointerventional cases with a high rate of technical success.
Epidural anesthesia causes outbreak of mycotic aneurysms: complications ofFusarium solanimeningitis
Authors: Sadiq Kaiser O'Sahil , Desai Sohum , Miller Samantha , Abualnadi Yazan D , Khalil Zorain Mustafa , Khan Zooha , Amjadi Nazaneen , Ravindra Vijay M , Tekle Wondwossen , Georgiadis Alexandros L , Hassan Ameer E
Published: February 2024

Background

A health advisory was issued in response to a fungal meningitis outbreak linked to epidural anesthesia exposure in two plastic surgery clinics in Mexico, from January 1 to May 13, 2023. This descriptive analysis describes the neuroendovascular and neurosurgical observations and management of patients treated at a single stroke center located along the US-Mexico Border.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of fungal meningitis patients presenting between April and July 2023.

Results

Among the patients diagnosed with fungal meningitis (n=12), the majority (n=11) were afflicted with angio-invasiveFusarium solani. 83% received dual antifungal therapy, with 40% initiated on alternate-day intrathecal amphotericin B. Diagnostic cerebral angiography was performed on all patients, revealing aneurysms in 58% of cases, predominantly within the posterior circulation, notably the basilar artery, with a median size of 4.2 mm (IQR 3.3–4.8). Treatment strategies included flow diversion (70%) and primary coiling (14%) for aneurysms. Ventriculostomy placement was undertaken in 67% of patients, with 37.5% of these requiring conversion to ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Subarachnoid hemorrhage development was uniformly associated with 100% mortality.

Conclusions

In patients presenting withFusarium solanimeningitis, weekly angiographic surveillance proved instrumental for monitoring aneurysm and vasospasm development. Conventional angiography outperformed CT angiography due to its enhanced ability to detect small aneurysms. A proactive approach to aneurysm treatment is advocated, given their elevated rupture risk. While our findings suggest the potential reversibility of angiographic vasospasm with effective antifungal treatment, we acknowledge the challenge of drawing definitive conclusions based on a limited sample size.
Prognostic factors of first-onset optic neuritis based on diagnostic criteria and antibody status: a multicentre analysis of 427 eyes
Authors: Min Young Gi , Moon Yeji , Kwon Young Nam , Lee Byung Joo , Park Kyung-Ah , Han Jae Yong , Han Jinu , Lee Haeng-Jin , Baek Seol-Hee , Kim Byung-Jo , Kim Jun-Soon , Park Kyung Seok , Kim Nam-Hee , Kim Martha , Nam Tai-Seung , Oh Seong-Il , Jung Jae Ho , Sung Jung-Joon , Jang Myoung-Jin , Kim Seong-Joon , Kim Sung-Min
Published: February 2024

Background

Optic neuritis (ON) prognosis is influenced by various factors including attack severity, underlying aetiologies, treatments and consequences of previous episodes. This study, conducted on a large cohort of first ON episodes, aimed to identify unique prognostic factors for each ON subtype, while excluding any potential influence from pre-existing sequelae.

Methods

Patients experiencing their first ON episodes, with complete aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody testing, and clinical data for applying multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostic criteria, were enrolled. 427 eyes from 355 patients from 10 hospitals were categorised into four subgroups: neuromyelitis optica with AQP4 IgG (NMOSD-ON), MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD-ON), ON in MS (MS-ON) or idiopathic ON (ION). Prognostic factors linked to complete recovery (regaining 20/20 visual acuity (VA)) or moderate recovery (regaining 20/40 VA) were assessed through multivariable Cox regression analysis.

Results

VA at nadir emerged as a robust prognostic factor for both complete and moderate recovery, spanning all ON subtypes. Early intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) was associated with enhanced complete recovery in NMOSD-ON and MOGAD-ON, but not in MS-ON or ION. Interestingly, in NMOSD-ON, even a slight IVMP delay in IVMP by >3 days had a significant negative impact, whereas a moderate delay up to 7–9 days was permissible in MOGAD-ON. Female sex predicted poor recovery in MOGAD-ON, while older age hindered moderate recovery in NMOSD-ON and ION.

Conclusion

This comprehensive multicentre analysis on first-onset ON unveils subtype-specific prognostic factors. These insights will assist tailored treatment strategies and patient counselling for ON.
Effects of testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin on lung function in males and females: a multivariable Mendelian Randomisation study
Authors: van der Plaat Diana A , Lenoir Alexandra , Dharmage Shyamali , Potts James , Gómez Real Francisco , Shaheen Seif O , Jarvis Debbie , Minelli Cosetta , Leynaert Bénédicte
Published: February 2024

Background

Observational studies suggest that total testosterone (TT) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) may have beneficial effects on lung function, but these findings might be spurious due to confounding and reverse causation. We addressed these limitations by using multivariable Mendelian randomisation (MVMR) to investigate the independent causal effects of TT and SHBG on lung function.

Methods

We first identified genetic instruments by performing genome-wide association analyses of TT and SHBG in the large UK Biobank, separately in males and females. We then assessed the independent effects of TT and SHBG on forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC using one-sample MVMR. We addressed pleiotropy, which could bias MVMR, using several methods that account for it. We performed subgroup MVMR analyses by obesity, physical activity and menopausal status, and assessed associations between TT and SHBG with lung function decline. Finally, we compared the MVMR results with those of observational analyses in the UK Biobank.

Findings

In the MVMR analyses, there was evidence of pleiotropy, but results were consistent when accounting for it. We found a strong beneficial effect of TT on FVC and FEV1in both males and females, but a moderate detrimental effect of SHBG on FEV1and FEV1/FVC in males only. Subgroup analyses suggested stronger effects of TT among obese and older males. The observational analyses, in line with previous studies, agreed with MRMV for TT, but not for SHBG.

Interpretation

These findings suggest that testosterone improves lung function in males and females, while SHBG has an opposite independent effect in males.
Probabilistic evaluation of earthquake-induced liquefaction using Bayesian network based on a side-by-side SPT–CPT database
Authors: Han Xiao , Gong Wenping , Juang C. Hsein
Published: February 2024

In situ tests such as standard penetration test (SPT) and cone penetration test (CPT) are often conducted to evaluate the probability of earthquake-induced liquefaction. However, the models adopted have seldom attempted to utilize SPT and CPT data simultaneously. In this study, a side-by-side SPT–CPT database at historical earthquake sites is established; then, a Bayesian network model is constructed to predict the probability of soil liquefaction based on this database, with which the SPT and CPT data are utilized simultaneously. Next, comparative studies are undertaken to illustrate the superiority of the Bayesian network-based probabilistic soil liquefaction model developed over other models, in terms of six SPT- and CPT-based conventional liquefaction models in the literature and two Bayesian network-based models. It should be noted that the liquefaction sites with two in situ tests are scarce and side-by-side SPT–CPT data can be incomplete, which leads to challenges in applying the Bayesian network model developed. To address this problem, correlations between SPT and CPT data are analyzed, and these correlations are further included in the Bayesian network model; as a result, a modified Bayesian network model is reached. Finally, the influence of the proportion of missing data in the incomplete SPT–CPT data on the liquefaction prediction accuracy is discussed.
Genetic variation in growth and leaf traits associated with local adaptation to climate in yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton)
Authors: Maloney A. , Dang Q.L. , Godakanda P.M. , Thomson A.
Published: February 2024

Understanding patterns of variation in functional traits of hardwood trees is crucial for conserving and managing North American temperate forests under climate change. This study examined provenance variation of yellow birch ( Betula alleghaniensis Britton) in growth, biomass allocation, leaf morphology, and stable carbon isotope composition. Trees were grown from 10 seed sources originating from across Canada and the northern USA. Height and diameter were not significantly related to climate at seed origin, suggesting that variation may be better explained by site factors, such as soil pH and soil moisture. In contrast, carbon isotope composition and leaf morphological traits were significantly correlated to climate variables including temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation. Provenances from warmer, drier localities tended to have higher stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13C), greater specific leaf area, and narrower leaf width than their counterparts from cooler, wetter climates. Thus, variation in leaf morphological traits appears to be involved in adaptation of yellow birch to variation in temperature and moisture availability across the species’ range. Our results suggest that there may exist potential for selection and breeding of drought-resistant yellow birch genotypes to aid in reforestation under climate change.
Universe inflation and nonlinear electrodynamics
Authors: Kruglov S. I.
Published: February 2024

We analyse the inflation of the universe when the source of gravity is electromagnetic fields obeying nonlinear electrodynamics, with two parameters and without singularities. The cosmology of the universe with stochastic magnetic fields is considered, and the condition for universe inflation is obtained. It is demonstrated that singularities of energy density and pressure are absent as the scale factor approaches zero. When the scale factor goes to infinity, we have the equation of state for the ultra-relativistic case. The curvature invariants do not possess singularities. The evolution of the universe shows that at large time scales, the scale factor corresponds to the radiation era. The duration of universe inflation is also analysed. We study the classical stability and causality by computing the speed of sound. Cosmological parameters including the spectral index $$n_s$$

n
s

, the tensor-to-scalar ratio r, and the running of the spectral index $$\alpha _s$$

α
s

are evaluated.
Triple charmonium production in pQCD
Authors: Blok B. , Mehl J.
Published: February 2024

We study the role of $$1\rightarrow 2$$

1
→
2

and $$1\rightarrow 3$$

1
→
3

processes in triple charmonium production in the leading logarithmic approximation (LLA). We see that the ratio of effective cross sections of TPS and DPS only moderately depends on charmonium transverse momenta, but the total DPS and TPS cross sections each separately may have rather strong dependence on charmonia transverse momenta in the central kinematics region that can be studied experimentally.
Bright soliton propagation with loss and gain phenomena in transversely connected nonlinear pendulum pairs
Authors: Kuitche A. Kamdoum , Motcheyo A. B. Togueu , Yaou Zakari , Kanaa Thomas , Tchawoua C.
Published: February 2024

In this work, we seek to investigate the dynamics of bright soliton in a chain of coupled pendulum pairs. After deriving the linear dispersion relation from the equation of the model, we find that among the obtained modes, the fast mode is the one on which we are going to be focused. Since the discrete simultaneous equation describing the dynamics of the model has not been extensively studied in the literature, we assume that the two lines of the model are proportional to each other. We use the rotating wave approximation method to derive a NLS equation governing the propagation of waves in the network. Depending on the choice of wave number, we deduce that the system supports bright and hole-soliton solutions. We use the obtained bright soliton as the initial condition for numerical computation, which demonstrates the significant role of the transverse coupling parameter in the system. That is, it affects the behavior of the forward-bright soliton generated in the system. The lattice allows gain and loss phenomena during the propagation of the waves.
Mechanical properties of Al–Co–Cr–Fe–Ni high-entropy alloy: A molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Li Junchen , Liu Zeyu , Bao Yanfei , Ren Junqiang , Lu Xuefeng , Xue Hongtao , Tang Fuling
Published: February 2024

Molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to investigate the mechanical properties of the Al–Co–Cr–Fe–Ni high-entropy alloy and observe atomic microstructure and internal dislocation line changes under different parameter conditions. The findings demonstrate that the mechanical properties of the AlCoCrFeNi3 high-entropy alloy are significantly superior to those of conventional alloys in ambient temperature. During the tensile process, the face-centered structure undergoes interconversion with other structure types, while the internal dislocation lines gradually increase. The presence of grain boundaries impedes dislocation movement, resulting in lower deformation capacity and tensile strength in polycrystals compared to single crystals. Enhancing Ni content, increasing strain rate, and decreasing temperature during tensile process contributes to the enhancement of the mechanical properties of material. Among these factors, the Ni content exerts the most significant influence on the mechanical properties of the material.
Improving Credit Card Fraud Detection with Data Reduction Approaches
Authors: Wang Huanjing , Hancock John , Khoshgoftaar Taghi M.
Published: February 2024

Detecting fraudulent activities in credit card transactions can be challenging due to issues like high dimensionality and class imbalance that are often present in the datasets. To address these challenges, data reduction techniques such as data sampling and feature selection have become essential. In this study, we compare four approaches for data reduction: using data sampling alone, employing feature selection alone, applying data sampling followed by feature selection, and using feature selection followed by data sampling. Additionally, we include results using all features. We build classification models using five Decision Tree-based classifiers and Logistic Regression, and evaluate their performance using two performance metrics: the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC) and the Area under the Precision–Recall Curve (AUPRC). In this work, we adopt ensemble supervised feature selection (SFS) techniques and Random Undersampling (RUS) for data reduction. The experimental results demonstrate that all four data reduction techniques have the potential to improve the performance of classifiers. These results are valuable since the classifiers available are dependent upon application domains, computing environments, and licensing agreements. However, these techniques can be applied independently of all these dependencies. We recommend utilizing the ensemble SFS followed by RUS (SFS–RUS) approach as the preferred data reduction method due to its ability to run feature selection and data sampling in parallel. Additionally, we find that XGBoost and CatBoost outperform other classifiers.
Monitoring Edge-Geodetic Numbers of Some Networks
Authors: Zhang Yingying , Wang Fanfan , Yang Chenxu
Published: February 2024

Motivated by the problem of network monitoring, Foucaud, Krishna and Ramasubramony Sulochana introduced the concept of monitoring edge-geodetic set and a related graph invariant. A monitoring edge-geodetic set (MEG-set for short) is a set such that the removal of any edge changes the distance between some pair of vertices in the set. The minimum size of the monitoring edge-geodetic set is called the monitoring edge-geodetic number. In this paper, we study the monitoring edge-geodetic numbers of some well-known networks, including folded hypercube, folded [Formula: see text]-cube, prism graph, anti-prism graph, Jahangir graph and windmill graphs.
Automorphisms of the category of free non-associative algebras with unit
Authors: Aladova Elena , Sousa de Lima Oliveira Jéssica Stefanny
Published: February 2024

The goal of this paper is to describe the group of strongly stable automorphisms of the category of free finitely generated non-associative algebras with unit. The motivation of this research comes from universal algebraic geometry. From this perspective, our main result tells us what are the non-associative algebras with unit geometrically similar to a given one.

The characterization of strongly stable automorphisms is provided by the method of verbal operations. We also specify some facts related to behavior of nullary operations on arbitrary algebraic structures.
Essential Extensions and Injective Hulls of Fuzzy Modules
Authors: Doig Margaret I. , Malik D. S.
Published: February 2024

In this paper, we introduce the notion of essential extensions of fuzzy modules. We use these concepts to introduce the notion of injective hulls of fuzzy modules. It is known that every [Formula: see text]-module has an injective hull, where [Formula: see text] is a ring. We show that these corresponding results do not hold for fuzzy [Formula: see text]-modules, i.e. there exists a fuzzy [Formula: see text]-module that does not have an injective hull. Sufficient conditions are given for a fuzzy [Formula: see text]-module to have an injective hull.
Pro-Labor Design Under Capitalism
Authors: Wolf Christine T. , Dombrowski Lynn S.
Published: February 2024

This forum focuses on the conditions and futures of the labor underpinning technology production and maintenance. We welcome standalone articles as well as interviews and conversations about all tech labor within the global supply chain of digital technologies.
Computational Techniques in PET/CT Image Processing for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Mapping Review
Authors: Carrasco Karen , Tomalá Lenin , Ramírez Meza Eileen , Meza Bolaños Doris , Ramírez Montalvan Washington
Published: February 2024

The problem arises from the lack of sufficient and comprehensive information about the necessary computer techniques. These techniques are crucial for developing information systems that assist doctors in diagnosing breast cancer, especially those related to positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT). Despite global efforts in breast cancer prevention and control, the scarcity of literature poses an obstacle to a complete understanding in this area of interest. The methodologies studied were systematic mapping and systematic literature review. For each article, the journal, conference, year of publication, dataset, breast cancer characteristics, PET/CT processing techniques, metrics and diagnostic yield results were identified. Sixty-four articles were analyzed, 44 (68.75%) belong to journals and 20 (31.25%) belong to the conference category. A total of 102 techniques were identified, which were distributed in preprocessing with 7 (6.86%), segmentation with 15 (14.71%), feature extraction with 15 (14.71%), and classification with 65 (63.73%). The techniques with the highest incidence identified in each stage are: Gaussian Filter, SLIC, Local Binary Pattern, and Support Vector Machine with 4, 2, 7, and 35 occurrences, respectively. Support Vector Machine is the predominant technique in the classification stage, due to the fact that Artificial Intelligence is emerging in medical image processing and health care to make expert systems increasingly intelligent and obtain favorable results.
The Complexity of LTL Rational Synthesis
Authors: Kupferman Orna , Shenwald Noam
Published: February 2024

In
rational synthesis
, we automatically construct a reactive system that satisfies its specification in all rational environments, namely environments that have objectives and act to fulfill them. We complete the study of the complexity of LTL rational synthesis, when the objectives are given by formulas in Linear Temporal Logic. Our contribution is threefold. First, we tighten the known upper bounds for settings that were left open in earlier work. Second, our complexity analysis is parametric, and we describe tight upper and lower bounds in each of the problem parameters: the game graph, the objectives of the system components, and the objectives of the environment components. Third, we generalize the definition of rational synthesis by adding hostile players to the setting and by combining the cooperative and non-cooperative approaches studied in earlier work.
H3D-Transformer: A Heterogeneous 3D (H3D) Computing Platform for Transformer Model Acceleration on Edge Devices
Authors: Luo Yandong , Yu Shimeng
Published: February 2024

Prior hardware accelerator designs primarily focused on single-chip solutions for 10 MB-class computer vision models. The GB-class transformer models for natural language processing (NLP) impose challenges on existing accelerator design due to the massive number of parameters and the diverse matrix multiplication (MatMul) workloads involved. This work proposes a heterogeneous 3D-based accelerator design for transformer models, which adopts an interposer substrate with multiple 3D memory/logic hybrid cubes optimized for accelerating different MatMul workloads. An approximate computing scheme is proposed to take advantage of heterogeneous computing paradigms of mixed-signal compute-in-memory (CIM) and digital tensor processing units (TPU). From the system-level evaluation results, 10 TOPS/W energy efficiency is achieved for the BERT and GPT2 model, which is about 2.6× ∼ 3.1× higher than the baseline with 7 nm TPU and stacked FeFET memory.
Online Neural Path Guiding with Normalized Anisotropic Spherical Gaussians
Authors: Huang Jiawei , Iizuka Akito , Tanaka Hajime , Komura Taku , Kitamura Yoshifumi
Published: February 2024

Importance sampling techniques significantly reduce variance in physically based rendering. In this article, we propose a novel online framework to learn the spatial-varying distribution of the full product of the rendering equation, with a single small neural network using stochastic ray samples. The learned distributions can be used to efficiently sample the full product of incident light. To accomplish this, we introduce a novel closed-form density model, called the Normalized Anisotropic Spherical Gaussian mixture, that can model a complex light field with a small number of parameters and that can be directly sampled. Our framework progressively renders and learns the distribution, without requiring any warm-up phases. With the compact and expressive representation of our density model, our framework can be implemented entirely on the GPU, allowing it to produce high-quality images with limited computational resources. The results show that our framework outperforms existing neural path guiding approaches and achieves comparable or even better performance than state-of-the-art online statistical path guiding techniques.
The Data Product-service Composition Frontier: A Hybrid Learning Approach
Authors: Quattrocchi Giovanni , Heuvel Willem-Jan van den , Tamburri Damian Andrew
Published: February 2024

The service dominant logic is a base concept behind modern economies and software products, with service composition being a well-known practice for companies to gain a competitive edge over others by joining differentiated services together, typically assembled according to a number of features. At the other end of the spectrum, product compositions are a marketing device to sell products together in bundles that often augment the value for the customer, e.g., with suggested product interactions, sharing, and so on. Unfortunately, currently each of these two streams—namely, product and service composition—are carried out and delivered individually in splendid isolation: anything is being offered as a product and as a service, disjointly. We argue that the next wave of services computing features more and more service fusion with physical counterparts as well as data around them. Therefore a need emerges to investigate the interactive engagement of both (data) products and services. This manuscript offers a real-life implementation in support of this argument, using (1) genetic algorithms (GA) to shape product-service clusters, (2) end-user feedback to make the GAs interactive with a data-driven fashion, and (3) ahybridizedapproach which factors into our solution an ensemble machine-learning method considering additional features. All this research was conducted in an industrial environment. With such a cross-fertilized, data-driven, and multi-disciplinary approach, practitioners from both fields may benefit from their mutual state of the art as well as learn new strategies for product, service, and data product-service placement for increased value to the customer as well as the service provider. Results show promise but also highlight plenty of avenues for further research.
Joint Distortion Restoration and Quality Feature Learning for No-reference Image Quality Assessment
Authors: Yang Jifan , Wang Zhongyuan , Huang Baojin , Ai Jiaxin , Yang Yuhong , Xiong Zixiang
Published: February 2024

No-reference image quality assessment (NR-IQA) methods, inspired by the free energy principle, improve the accuracy of image quality prediction by simulating the human brain’s repair process for distorted images. However, existing methods use separate optimization schemes for distortion restoration and quality prediction, which undermines the accurate mapping of feature representations to quality scores. To address this issue, we propose a joint restoration and quality feature learning NR-IQA (RQFL-IQA) method to jointly tackle distortion image restoration and quality prediction within a unified framework. To accurately establish the quality reconstruction relationship between distorted and restored images, a hybrid loss function based on pixel-wise and structure-wise representations is used to improve the restoration capability of the image restoration network. The proposed RQFL-IQA exploits rich labels, including restored images and quality scores, to enable the model to learn more discriminative features and establish a more accurate mapping from feature representation to quality scores. In addition, to avoid the impact of poor restoration on quality prediction, we propose a module with a cleaning function to reweight the fusion of restored and primitive features to achieve more perceptual consistency in feature fusion. Experimental results on public IQA datasets show that the proposed RQFL-IQA is superior over existing methods.
Assessing Nonlinear Polarization in Electrochemical Cells using AC Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Self Ethan C. , Delnick Frank M. , Sacci Robert L. , Nanda Jagjit
Published: February 2024

AC impedance spectroscopy is widely used to evaluate performance limitations in energy storage and conversion devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells). This work shows that integrating the resistive elements in an equivalent circuit as functions of steady-state current enables one to recover overpotentials associated with different processes (e.g., ion migration, charge transfer, and diffusion) in nonlinear electrochemical power supplies. Closed form expressions for diffusion overpotentials are derived using this method for transmissive and reflective boundary conditions and three electrode symmetries (planar, cylindrical, and spherical). Discussion is also extended to macroscopically homogenous porous electrodes which are relevant for most real-world devices. Overall, the approach described herein is a powerful tool to identify rate-limiting steps and guide material/component design.
Determination of the Diffusion Coefficient in Electrodeposition Reactions by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy: A Case Study of Cobalt in Molten LiCl-KCl Salt
Authors: Cha Han Lim , Park Jun Woo , Yun Jong-Il
Published: February 2024

Compared to direct current (DC) techniques, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) allows for a more accurate determination of the diffusion coefficient of metal ions in electrodeposition reactions. However, its actual application has been less attempted due to the difficulty in determining complex parameters, such as the concentration of deposited species in the electrode matrix. Here, we introduce a simplified approach to facilitate the EIS application to electrodeposition reactions, using the Co(II)/Co(0) reaction in molten LiCl-KCl salt as a case study. The working electrode surface area was determined by the photography of the electrochemical cell taken in situ. The diffusion coefficients of Co(II) in the LiCl-KCl salt, determined by EIS, were found to be (3.56 ± 0.49) × 10−5 cm2/s and (1.61 ± 0.12) × 10−5 cm2/s for the tungsten and liquid bismuth electrodes, respectively. The possible reasons for the observed discrepancy in the diffusion coefficients of Co(II) obtained from the two different electrodes were discussed.
Effects of Delayed Precooling on the Postharvest Quality and Anthracnose Incidence of “Irwin” Mangoes
Authors: Lee Ying-Che , Wei Zhao-Wei , Yu Meng-Chieh , Tsay Jyh-Shyan , Hsu Min-Chi , Huang Ping-Hsiu , Liang Yu-Shen
Published: February 2024

Mangoes are typical climacteric tropical fruits with accelerated metabolism, degradation, and senescence after harvest due to the accumulation of field heat. Thus, removing field heat as soon as possible after harvest is essential. In addition, a severe postharvest disease of mango, anthracnose, has been reported to be caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, thus decreasing the shelf life and limiting mango export. This study was performed to investigate the effect of delayed precooling on the quality and incidence of anthracnose during storage of Irwin mango at different operational times after the harvest. Therefore, in this study, Irwin was precooled for 30 min at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h postharvest and immediately stored in a cold room at 5°C. The appearance, anthracnose incidence, respiration rate, ethylene production, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and fruit overripening rate were monitored throughout the shelf life. Early precooling was found to delay anthracnose incidence during the shelf life. Furthermore, the fruit respiration rate during the shelf life was negatively correlated with the precooling delay. The respiration rate of fruits precooled for 3 h after harvest was 8.08 mg CO2 kg–1 h–1 and retained a good appearance throughout the shelf life. Their ripening, reduced firmness, and TA were significantly delayed compared with those of fruits with longer precooling delays, which had a firmness of 19 N, TA of 0.29%, and TSS of 12.6°Brix after 30 d of storage at 5°C, while subsequent warming to 20°C for 3 d, the rate of overripening was significantly lower in fruits with precooling delays of 3 and 6 h than in fruits with a precooling delay of 24 h. Thus, precooling mangoes within 3–6 h of harvest will reduce their respiration rate, delay ripening, decrease anthracnose incidence, preserve quality, and prolong storage life.
Atherosclerosis and Toll-Like Receptor4 (TLR4), Lectin-Like Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein-1 (LOX-1), and Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type9 (PCSK9)
Authors: Bagheri Bahador , Khatibiyan Feyzabadi Zahra , Nouri Ahmad , Azadfallah Ali , Mahdizade Ari Mahyar , Hemmati Maral , Darban Mahboubeh , Alavi Toosi Parisa , Banihashemian Seyedeh Zahra
Published: February 2024

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of death in the world. A significant body of evidence suggests that inflammation and various players are implicated and have pivotal roles in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is linked with different stages of atherosclerosis. This receptor is highly expressed in the endothelial cells (ECs) and atherosclerotic plaques. TLR4 activation can lead to the production of inflammatory cytokines and related responses. Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein-1 (LOX-1), an integral membrane glycoprotein with widespread expression on the ECs, is involved in atherosclerosis and has some common pathways with TLR4 in atherosclerotic lesions. In addition, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type9 (PCSK9), which is a regulatory enzyme with different roles in cholesterol uptake, is implicated in atherosclerosis. At present, TLR4, PCSK9, and LOX-1 are increasingly acknowledged as key players in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Herein, we presented the current evidence on the structure, functions, and roles of TLR4, PCSK9, and LOX-1 in atherosclerosis.
An RBF-LOD Method for Solving Stochastic Diffusion Equations
Authors: Mokhtari Samaneh , Mesforush Ali , Mokhtari Reza , Akbari Rahman
Published: February 2024

In this study, we introduce an innovative approach to solving stochastic equations in two and three dimensions, leveraging a time-splitting strategy. Our method combines radial basis function (RBF) spatial discretization with the Crank–Nicolson scheme and the local one-dimensional (LOD) method for temporal approximation. To navigate the probabilistic space inherent in these equations, we employ the Monte Carlo method, providing accurate estimates for expectations and variations. We apply our approach to tackle challenging problems, including two-dimensional convection-diffusion and Burgers’ equations, resulting in reduced computational and memory requirements. Through rigorous testing against diverse problem sets, our methodology demonstrates efficiency and reliability, underscoring its potential as a valuable tool in solving complex multidimensional stochastic equations. We have validated the method’s stability and showcased its convergence as the number of collocation points increases. These findings serve as compelling evidence of the suggested method’s convergence properties.