bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technology and family business: from conceptualization to implementation in strategic planning – a perspective article
Authors: Gandrita Daniel Mandel
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This article offers a perspective on the evolution of strategic planning and strategic planning's implementation, particularly within the context of family business. This paper is structured into three sections: Introduction, literature review (LR), conclusion and practical and theoretical implications. The LR critically examines traditional planning tools and highlights the need for adopting new digital concepts to enhance effectiveness and resource management in family business.

Design/methodology/approach

The author employed a LR to synthesize all the information and to identify the authors/articles related to the object of study.

Findings

The use of technology to overcome strategic planning pitfalls and leverage emerging technologies while making data-driven decisions is a key factor for family businesses to stay ahead of the curve and achieve sustainable growth.

Originality/value

This study explores the historical development of strategic planning tools and discusses the transformative impact of technology on the traditional landscape, with a specific focus on strategic planning's reflection in family businesses.
Accounting infrastructure and promissory sustainable extractive industries: an actor-network theory analysis
Authors: Tran Hang , Nguyen Lan Anh , Lemma Tesfaye
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to articulate the conceptual foundations of the role of accounting infrastructure (calculative practice and the communicative dimension of accounting) in extractive industries (EIs) towards a sustainable orientation from an actor-network theory (ANT) perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is a literature-based analysis of the calculative property and communicative dimension of accounting in EIs, using the concepts of calculability, assemblage and other related concepts from ANT to identify potentialities and limits of the roles of accounting in this sector.

Findings

While accounting infrastructure can influence social and environmental outcomes, it has not, as yet, led to ecologically and socially sustainable practices in EIs. Calculative properties and the communicative dimension of accounting infrastructure have capabilities to foster the phenomenon of “sustainability” in EIs by valuing, disclosing (reporting) and governing EIs towards a sustainable orientation. Conceptualizing sustainable EIs as a promissory economy, accounting infrastructure serves as a tool not only to represent past performance but also to enact the future: it helps to shape a sustainable future for the industry by informing and triggering behavioural decisions of EIs firms towards sustainable practices.

Research limitations/implications

This conceptual paper is anticipated to stimulate future sustainability accounting research. The research agenda discussed in this paper can be used to enrich our understanding of the role of accounting in sustainability.

Originality/value

This paper charts a direction for future research by interpreting the role of sustainability accounting within networks of sociotechnical relations, using ANT concepts which attach importance to the dualism of nature and society. Conceptualizing sustainability accounting and reporting as an infrastructure, which draws more attention to the relationality characteristic of accounting, the study goes beyond the traditional interpretation of accounting as a mediation device and draws on a contemporary view of accounting by invoking the dynamic relation between accounting and society, in the context of EIs.
CSR as an impression-management strategy: the joint effect of disclosure tone management and earnings management
Authors: Hamza Sourour , Mezgani Naoel , Jarboui Anis
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an impression management strategy. It focuses on CSR associated with, both, disclosure tone management (TM) and earnings management (EM) practices to influence stakeholders’ perceptions.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of French listed companies (SBF 120) over an eight-year period, this study empirically investigated a total of 616 firm-year observations. This study firstly investigates the impact of EM and disclosure TM practices on CSR. Then, this study examines their joint effect to explore to which extent CSR is abused for impression management inducement. To address potential endogeneity issue that may be caused by reverse causality between CSR and EM, this study used the two-stage least square.

Findings

Multivariate analyses indicate that CSR is positively and significantly influenced by EM, but negatively correlated to disclosure TM. However, results highlight the absence of a significant joint effect of both discretionary practices

Research limitations/implications

Because this study deals only with French companies, results are applicable only to large French firms and should be interpreted with caution. Therefore, future research may need to examine another context.

Practical implications

As CSR may be used for impression management incentives, all actors interested in socially responsible issues have to bring an initiative to prevent the deviation of CSR from moral and ethical standards.

Social implications

This study sheds light on the impression management strategies used in CSR reporting, so users may have to read between lines. All stakeholders should be more cautious about the reliability of financial and non-financial information and the disclosure tone manipulation practices that may arise in narrative reports.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the debate around CSR from an impression management perspective. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to associate CSR with, both, disclosure TM and EM in a regulated context.
Factors inhibiting the adoption of industrial revolution 4.0 in Malaysian construction industry
Authors: Almatari Husam Abdullah Qasem , Chan Melissa , Masrom Md Asrul Nasid
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The construction industry is a major economic driver in Malaysia, playing a pivotal role in the developing nations economic growth. Malaysia's reliance on labor-driven construction practices often sees local industry lagging in adopting technological advancements common to the construction sector on a global scale. This study investigates the challenges faced by project players in using new construction industrial revolution (IR) 4.0 technologies and the difficulties in implementing these technologies in construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey was distributed to 183 practitioners in the Malaysian construction industry. The collected data (N = 121) has been analyzed using statistical software to calculate relative importance index values for the identified factors. A triangulation approach to validate the factors obtained from the survey was conducted with an expert group to ensure there were no additional considerations identified in the study.

Findings

The study results show that the main factors in adopting construction IR 4.0 technologies are 1) high implementation costs, 2) hesitation to adopt technologies, 3) lack of standards, 4) legal and contractual uncertainty and 5) complexity. By investigating these factors, cost and regulation issues can gradually be resolved, with construction firms implementing new technologies, educating workers and ensuring government involvement in training for skill development to support IR 4.0.

Originality/value

The outcome of these efforts to resolve construction productivity would be beneficial in their industry impact on practice and digital transformation. Additionally, the results add to the body of knowledge for construction practitioners and technology developers to work together efficiently on the implementation of construction 4.0 technologies.
A case of drug‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome complicated with fulminant type 1 diabetes and type 2 myocardial infarction
Authors: Kobayashi Yuki , Adachi Takeya , Arakawa Hiroki , Minakata Yugo , Yajima Ken , Inazumi Toyoko
Published: August 2023

Drug‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DiHS)/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a type of drug eruption that causes multiorgan disorders after the administration of certain drugs such as anticonvulsants. Herein, we report the case of a 66‐year‐old man with DiHS/DRESS complicated by fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1D), shock, and cardiac involvement who was treated conservatively without systemic corticosteroid administration. He had taken carbamazepine for trigeminal neuralgia for 7 weeks until he noticed eruptions on his trunk. Two days after admission, he developed diabetic ketoacidosis, resulting in hypovolemic shock. The patient was diagnosed with FT1D, and insulin was administered. Additionally, the patient had a fever over 38°C, elevated white blood cells (>20 000/μL), liver dysfunction, atypical lymphocytes, and lymphadenopathy, but no evidence of viral reactivation. The lymphocyte transformation test for carbamazepine was positive, and human leukocyte antigen typing revealed the A31:01 haplotype, a risk factor for carbamazepine‐induced cutaneous adverse drug reactions. Collectively, a diagnosis of atypical DiHS and a definitive case of DRESS was made. Moreover, myocardial dysfunction wall motion was observed. A close examination revealed mild coronary artery stenosis, leading to a diagnosis of type 2 myocardial infarction due to relative ischemia. The patient was carefully monitored without systemic corticosteroid administration because both clinical findings and laboratory data peaked on the same day. The patient's eruption and general condition improved, and he was discharged 4 weeks later. While most cases of DiHS/DRESS with cardiac involvement present with myocarditis, the possibility of ischemic heart disease should be considered in patients with cardiac involvement under shock.
Remittances and emerging African economies' growth nexus in a post COVID‐19 era
Authors: Offor Kenechukwu Onochie , Ngong Chi Aloysius , Onyejiaku Chinyere C. , Enemuo Joy , Ugbam Charles Ogechukwu , Ibe Godwin Imo , Onwumere Josaphat U. J.
Published: August 2023

This article aims to study the relationship between remittances and economic growth in African emerging economies from 1990 to 2021. The study centers on the optimistic, pessimistic, and the dual‐gap theories. The autoregressive distributed lag and cointegration techniques are applied. The findings indicate that remittances have a nonsignificantly negative effect on the gross domestic product growth rate. Domestic credit to the private sector and the inflation rate negatively influence economic growth. Policymakers should prioritize targeted response to the COVID‐19 crisis by reducing the costs of access to vaccines and healthcare for the populace so that the received remittances should significantly improve the population's welfare positively. Governments should recognize remittance services and reduce remittance costs by reducing taxes on remittances. Governments should increase the formalization of remittance transfers to improve accessibility to financial services to decrease the unbanked population. The monetary authorities should establish remittance‐based policies that promote the use of formal channels, ease the pressure on emerging countries' credit services, and improve foreign exchange rates. Banks should create financial products and services that attract investments and growth for the remittances of diasporas in developing economies.
Field‐portable detection of fentanyl and its analogs: A review
Authors: Crocombe Richard A. , Giuntini Greg , Schiering David W. , Profeta Luisa T. M. , Hargreaves Michael D. , Leary Pauline E. , Brown Christopher D. , Chmura Jessamyn Ward
Published: August 2023

The need to detect fentanyl and its analogs in the field is an important capability to help prevent unintentional exposure or overdose on these substances, which may result in death. Many portable methods historically used in the field by first responders and other field users to detect and identify other chemical substances, such as hazardous materials, have been applied to the detection and identification of these synthetic opioids. This paper describes field portable spectroscopic methods used for the detection and identification of fentanyl and its analogs. The methods described are automated colorimetric tests including lateral flow assays; vibrational spectroscopy (mid‐infrared and Raman); gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; ion mobility spectrometry, and high‐pressure mass spectrometry. In each case the background and key details of these technologies are outlined, followed by a discussion of the application of the technology in the field. Attention is paid to the analysis of complex mixtures and limits of detection, including the required spectral databases and algorithms used to interrogate these types of samples. There is also an emphasis on providing actionable information to the (likely) non‐scientist operators of these instruments in the field.
Equilibrium uniqueness in entry games with private information
Authors: Espín‐Sánchez José‐Antonio , Parra Álvaro , Wang Yuzhou
Published: August 2023

We study equilibria in static entry games with single‐dimensional private information. Our framework embeds many models commonly used in applied work, allowing for firm heterogeneity and selective entry. We introduce the notion of strength, which summarizes a firm's ability to endure competition. In environments of applied interest, an equilibrium in which entry strategies are ordered according to the firms' strengths always exists. We call this equilibrium herculean. We derive simple and testable sufficient conditions guaranteeing equilibrium uniqueness and, consequently, a unique counterfactual prediction.
Independent and combined effects of methamphetamine use disorders and APOEε4 allele on cognitive performance and brain morphometry
Authors: Wang Hannah A. , Liang Hua‐Jun , Ernst Thomas M. , Nakama Helenna , Cunningham Eric , Chang Linda
Published: August 2023

Aims

Prior studies showed that methamphetamine (METH) users had greater than normal age‐related brain atrophy; whether having the apolipoprotein E (APOE)‐ε4 allele may be a contributory factor has not been evaluated. We aimed to determine the independent and combined effects of chronic heavy METH use and having at least one copy of the APOE‐ε4 allele (APOE‐ε4+) on brain morphometry and cognition, especially in relation to aging.

Methods

We compared brain morphometry and cognitive performance in 77 individuals with chronic heavy METH use (26 APOE‐ε4+, 51 APOE‐ε4−) and 226 Non‐METH users (66 APOE‐ε4+, 160 APOE‐ε4−), using a 2 × 2 design (two‐way analysis of co‐variance). Vertex‐wise cortical volumes, thickness and seven subcortical volumes, were automatically measured using FreeSurfer. Linear regression between regional brain measures, and cognitive scores that showed group differences were evaluated. Group differences in age‐related decline in brain and cognitive measures were also explored.

Results

Regardless of APOE‐ε4 genotype, METH users had lower Motor Z‐scores (P = 0.005), thinner right lateral‐orbitofrontal cortices (P < 0.001), smaller left pars‐triangularis gyrus volumes (P = 0.004), but larger pallida, hippocampi and amygdalae (P = 0.004–0.006) than nonusers. Across groups, APOE‐ε4+ METH users had the smallest volumes of superior frontal cortical gyri bilaterally, and of the smallest volume in left rostral‐middle frontal gyri (all P‐values <0.001). Smaller right superior‐frontal gyrus predicted poorer motor function only in APOE‐ε4+ participants (interaction‐P < 0.001). Cortical volumes and thickness declined with age similarly across all participants; however, APOE‐ε4‐carriers showed thinner right inferior parietal cortices than noncarriers at younger age (interaction‐P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Chronic heavy use and having at least one copy of the APOE‐ε4 allele may have synergistic effects on brain atrophy, particularly in frontal cortices, which may contribute to their poorer cognitive function. However, the enlarged subcortical volumes in METH users replicated prior studies, and are likely due to METH‐mediated neuroinflammation.
Increased Slc34a2 expression and paracellular phosphate permeability contribute to high intestinal phosphate absorption in young mice
Authors: MacDonald Tate , Beggs Megan R. , O'Neill Debbie , Kozuka Kenji , Dimke Henrik , Alexander R. Todd
Published: August 2023

Aim

Phosphorus is a critical constituent of bone as a component of hydroxyapatite. Bone mineral content accrues rapidly early in life necessitating a positive phosphorus balance, which could be established by a combination of increased renal reabsorption and intestinal absorption. Intestinal absorption can occur via a transcellular pathway mediated by the apical sodium‐phosphate cotransporter, Slc34a2/NaPiIIb or via the paracellular pathway. We sought to determine how young mammals increase dietary phosphorus absorption from the small intestine to establish a positive phosphorus balance, a prerequisite for rapid bone growth.

Methods

The developmental expression profile of genes mediating phosphate absorption from the small intestine was determined in mice by qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, Ussing chamber studies were performed on small bowel of young (p7–p14) and older (8‐ to 17‐week‐old) mice to examine developmental changes in paracellular Pi permeability and transcellular Pi transport.

Results

Blood and urinary Pi levels were higher in young mice. Intestinal paracellular phosphate permeability of young mice was significantly increased relative to older mice across all intestinal segments. NaPiIIb expression was markedly increased in juvenile mice, in comparison to adult animals. Consistent with this, young mice had increased transcellular phosphate flux across the jejunum and ileum relative to older animals. Moreover, transcellular phosphate transport was attenuated by the NaPiIIb inhibitor NTX1942 in the jejunum and ileum of young mice.

Conclusion

Our results are consistent with young mice increasing phosphate absorption via increasing paracellular permeability and the NaPiIIb‐mediated transcellular pathway.
‘Being’ and ‘doing’ well in the moment: Theoretical and relational contributions of health geography to living well with dementia
Authors: Ward Meghánn Catherine , Milligan Christine , Rose Emma Elizabeth , Elliott Mary
Published: August 2023

Over the past two decades, advancements have been made towards de‐medicalising the term ‘dementia’, attending to in‐the‐moment lived experiences of people with the condition, and exploring the connections between dementia and place, relations, activities, and well‐being. In the same timeframe, a range of prominent researchers within health geography have proposed new renegotiations of well‐being that consider it as something relational, process‐oriented, and emergent. Although these progressions in both dementia studies and health geography are ontologically aligned, the two lines of enquiry have only recently started to see crossover, pioneered by geographers seeking to better understand what it means to ‘live well with dementia in the moment’. In this theoretically driven paper, I celebrate these contributions to dementia and well‐being studies through a timely review of the literature that informed the theoretical underpinnings of my own doctoral studies. Through the literature, I consider how a relational well‐being lens can make supportive and empowering in‐the‐moment contributions to people living with dementia, who seek ways of ‘being well’ and ‘doing well’. As part of a special edition of Area, this paper takes us from the early inputs of health geographers to dementia and relational well‐being knowledge, through to present‐day literature and the future of dementia research framed around the in‐the‐moment movement. The contents of this paper ultimately support the importance of pushing the theoretical and conceptual boundaries of dementia research and well‐being studies, to subsequently broaden our understandings of dementia and provide a new well‐being lens that better captures the perspectives of those living with it.
Process evaluation of a pharmacist‐led intervention aimed at deprescribing and appropriate use of cardiometabolic medication among adult people with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Baas Gert , Crutzen Stijn , Smits Sanne , Denig Petra , Taxis Katja , Heringa Mette
Published: August 2023

Background

A quasi‐experimental study investigated a pharmacist‐led intervention aimed at deprescribing and medication management among adult patients with type 2 diabetes at risk of hypoglycaemia.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the process of implementing the intervention consisting of a tailored clinical medication review (CMR) supported by a training and a toolbox.

Methods

Mixed‐methods study based on the Grant framework, including the domains “recruitment,” “delivery of intervention” and “response” of pharmacists and patients. Data collected were administrative logs, semi‐structured observations of patient consultations (n = 8), interviews with pharmacists (n = 16) and patient‐reported experience measure (PREM) questionnaires (n = 66).

Results

Tailored CMRs were conducted largely as intended for 90 patients from 14 pharmacies. Although patient selection based on a medication‐derived hypoglycaemia risk score was considered useful, pharmacists experienced barriers to proposing deprescribing in patients with recent medication changes, without current hypoglycaemic events, or treated by medical specialists. The training and toolbox were evaluated positively by the pharmacists. Overall, patients were satisfied with the CMR.

Conclusion

Pharmacists and patients valued the CMR focusing on deprescribing and medication management. To optimize implementation and effectiveness of the intervention, improvements can be made to the patient selection, pharmacist training and the collaboration between healthcare professionals.
Nothing if not family? Genetic ties beyond the parent/child dyad
Authors: Cutas Daniela
Published: August 2023

Internationally, there is considerable inconsistency in the recognition and regulation of children's genetic connections outside the family. In the context of gamete and embryo donation, challenges for regulation seem endless. In this paper, I review some of the paths that have been taken to manage children' being closely genetically related to people outside their families. I do so against the background of recognising the importance of children's interests as moral status holders. I look at recent qualitative research involving donor‐conceived people and borrow their own words to make sense of a purported interest to know (of) their close genetic ties. I also review ways in which gamete donation may have facilitated new kinds of kinship, which are at the same time genetic and chosen. In short, in this paper, I explore what meaning there could be in genetic connections that is not about parenthood. Further, I argue that the focus on parenthood in previous work in this area may be detrimental to appreciating some of the goods that can be derived from close genetic connections.
PowerRTF: Power Diagram based Restricted Tangent Face for Surface Remeshing
Authors: Yao Yuyou , Liu Jingjing , Fei Yue , Wu Wenming , Zhang Gaofeng , Yan Dong‐Ming , Zheng Liping
Published: August 2023

Triangular meshes of superior quality are important for geometric processing in practical applications. Existing approximative CVT‐based remeshing methodology uses planar polygonal facets to fit the original surface, simplifying the computational complexity. However, they usually do not consider surface curvature. Topological errors and outliers can also occur in the close sheet surface remeshing, resulting in wrong meshes. With this regard, we present a novel method named PowerRTF, an extension of the restricted tangent face (RTF) in conjunction with the power diagram, to better approximate the original surface with curvature adaption. The idea is to introduce a weight property to each sample point and compute the power diagram on the tangent face to produce area‐controlled polygonal facets. Based on this, we impose the variable‐capacity constraint and centroid constraint to the PowerRTF, providing the trade‐off between mesh quality and computational efficiency. Moreover, we apply a normal verification‐based inverse side point culling method to address the topological errors and outliers in close sheet surface remeshing. Our method independently computes and optimizes the PowerRTF per sample point, which is efficiently implemented in parallel on the GPU. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness, flexibility, and efficiency of our method.
HalfedgeCNN for Native and Flexible Deep Learning on Triangle Meshes
Authors: Ludwig I. , Tyson D. , Campen M.
Published: August 2023

We describe HalfedgeCNN, a collection of modules to build neural networks that operate on triangle meshes. Taking inspiration from the (edge‐based) MeshCNN, convolution, pooling, and unpooling layers are consistently defined on the basis of halfedges of the mesh, pairs of oppositely oriented virtual instances of each edge. This provides benefits over alternative definitions on the basis of vertices, edges, or faces. Additional interface layers enable support for feature data associated with such mesh entities in input and output as well. Due to being defined natively on mesh entities and their neighborhoods, lossy resampling or interpolation techniques (to enable the application of operators adopted from image domains) do not need to be employed. The operators have various degrees of freedom that can be exploited to adapt to application‐specific needs.
HexBox: Interactive Box Modeling of Hexahedral Meshes
Authors: Zoccheddu F. , Gobbetti E. , Livesu M. , Pietroni N. , Cherchi G.
Published: August 2023

We introduce HexBox, an intuitive modeling method and interactive tool for creating and editing hexahedral meshes. Hexbox brings the major and widely validated surface modeling paradigm of surface box modeling into the world of hex meshing. The main idea is to allow the user to box‐model a volumetric mesh by primarily modifying its surface through a set of topological and geometric operations. We support, in particular, local and global subdivision, various instantiations of extrusion, removal, and cloning of elements, the creation of non‐conformal or conformal grids, as well as shape modifications through vertex positioning, including manual editing, automatic smoothing, or, eventually, projection on an externally‐provided target surface. At the core of the efficient implementation of the method is the coherent maintenance, at all steps, of two parallel data structures: a hexahedral mesh representing the topology and geometry of the currently modeled shape, and a directed acyclic graph that connects operation nodes to the affected mesh hexahedra. Operations are realized by exploiting recent advancements in grid‐based meshing, such as mixing of 3‐refinement, 2‐refinement, and face‐refinement, and using templated topological bridges to enforce on‐the‐fly mesh conformity across pairs of adjacent elements. A direct manipulation user interface lets users control all operations. The effectiveness of our tool, released as open source to the community, is demonstrated by modeling several complex shapes hard to realize with competing tools and techniques.
Singularity‐Free Frame Fields for Line Drawing Vectorization
Authors: Guţan Olga , Hegde Shreya , Berumen Erick Jimenez , Bessmeltsev Mikhail , Chien Edward
Published: August 2023

State‐of‐the‐art methods for line drawing vectorization rely on generated frame fields for robust direction disambiguation, with each of the two axes aligning to different intersecting curve tangents around junctions. However, a common source of topological error for such methods are frame field singularities. To remedy this, we introduce the first frame field optimization framework guaranteed to produce singularity‐free fields aligned to a line drawing. We first perform a convex solve for a roughly‐aligned orthogonal frame field (cross field), and then comb away its internal singularities with an optimal transport–based matching. The resulting topology of the field is strictly maintained with the machinery of discrete trivial connections in a final, non‐convex optimization that allows non‐orthogonality of the field, improving smoothness and tangent alignment. Our frame fields can serve as a drop‐in replacement for frame field optimizations used in previous work, improving the quality of the final vectorizations.
Variational Pruning of Medial Axes of Planar Shapes
Authors: Rong P. , Ju T.
Published: August 2023

Medial axis (MA) is a classical shape descriptor in graphics and vision. The practical utility of MA, however, is hampered by its sensitivity to boundary noise. To prune unwanted branches from MA, many definitions of significance measures over MA have been proposed. However, pruning MA using these measures often comes at the cost of shrinking desirable MA branches and losing shape features at fine scales. We propose a novel significance measure that addresses these shortcomings. Our measure is derived from a variational pruning process, where the goal is to find a connected subset of MA that includes as many points that are as parallel to the shape boundary as possible. We formulate our measure both in the continuous and discrete settings, and present an efficient algorithm on a discrete MA. We demonstrate on many examples that our measure is not only resistant to boundary noise but also excels over existing measures in preventing MA shrinking and recovering features across scales.
Feature‐Preserving Offset Mesh Generation from Topology‐Adapted Octrees
Authors: Zint D. , Maruani N. , Rouxel‐Labb M. , Alliez P.
Published: August 2023

We introduce a reliable method to generate offset meshes from input triangle meshes or triangle soups. Our method proceeds in two steps. The first step performs a Dual Contouring method on the offset surface, operating on an adaptive octree that is refined in areas where the offset topology is complex. Our approach substantially reduces memory consumption and runtime compared to isosurfacing methods operating on uniform grids. The second step improves the output Dual Contouring mesh with an offset‐aware remeshing algorithm to reduce the normal deviation between the mesh facets and the exact offset. This remeshing process reconstructs concave sharp features and approximates smooth shapes in convex areas up to a user‐defined precision. We show the effectiveness and versatility of our method by applying it to a wide range of input meshes. We also benchmark our method on the Thingi10k dataset: watertight and topologically 2‐manifold offset meshes are obtained for 100% of the cases.
Partial Matching of Nonrigid Shapes by Learning Piecewise Smooth Functions
Authors: Bensaïd David , Rotstein Noam , Goldenstein Nelson , Kimmel Ron
Published: August 2023

Learning functions defined on non‐flat domains, such as outer surfaces of non‐rigid shapes, is a central task in computer vision and geometry processing. Recent studies have explored the use of neural fields to represent functions like light reflections in volumetric domains and textures on curved surfaces by operating in the embedding space. Here, we choose a different line of thought and introduce a novel formulation of partial shape matching by learning a piecewise smooth function on a surface. Our method begins with pairing sparse landmarks defined on a full shape and its part, using feature similarity. Next, a neural representation is optimized to fit these landmarks, efficiently interpolating between the matched features that act as anchors. This process results in a function that accurately captures the partiality. Unlike previous methods, the proposed neural model of functions is intrinsically defined on the given curved surface, rather than the classical embedding Euclidean space. This representation is shown to be particularly well‐suited for representing piecewise smooth functions. We further extend the proposed framework to the more challenging part‐to‐part setting, where both shapes exhibit missing parts. Comprehensive experiments highlight that the proposed method effectively addresses partiality in shape matching and significantly outperforms leading state‐of‐the‐art methods in challenging benchmarks. Code is available at https://github.com/davidgip74/Learning-Partiality-with-Implicit-Intrinsic-Functions
BPM: Blended Piecewise Möbius Maps
Authors: Rorberg Shir , Vaxman Amir , Ben‐Chen Mirela
Published: August 2023

We propose a novel Möbius interpolator that takes as an input a discrete map between the vertices of two planar triangle meshes, and outputs a continuous map on the input domain. The output map interpolates the discrete map, is continuous between triangles, and has low quasi‐conformal distortion when the input map is discrete conformal. Our map leads to considerably smoother texture transfer compared to the alternatives, even on very coarse triangulations. Furthermore, our approach has a closed‐form expression, is local, applicable to any discrete map, and leads to smooth results even for extreme deformations. Finally, by working with local intrinsic coordinates, our approach is easily generalizable to discrete maps between a surface triangle mesh and a planar mesh, i.e., a planar parameterization. We compare our method with existing approaches, and demonstrate better texture transfer results, and lower quasi‐conformal errors.
VOLMAP: a Large Scale Benchmark for Volume Mappings to Simple Base Domains
Authors: Cherchi G. , Livesu M.
Published: August 2023

Correspondences between geometric domains (mappings) are ubiquitous in computer graphics and engineering, both for a variety of downstream applications and as core building blocks for higher level algorithms. In particular, mapping a shape to a convex or star‐shaped domain with simple geometry is a fundamental module in existing pipelines for mesh generation, solid texturing, generation of shape correspondences, advanced manufacturing etc. For the case of surfaces, computing such a mapping with guarantees of injectivity is a solved problem. Conversely, robust algorithms for the generation of injective volume mappings to simple polytopes are yet to be found, making this a fundamental open problem in volume mesh processing. VOLMAP is a large scale benchmark aimed to support ongoing research in volume mapping algorithms. The dataset contains 4.7K tetrahedral meshes, whose boundary vertices are mapped to a variety of simple domains, either convex or star‐shaped. This data constitutes the input for candidate algorithms, which are then required to position interior vertices in the domain to obtain a volume map. Overall, this yields more than 22K alternative test cases. VOLMAP also comprises tools to process this data, analyze the resulting maps, and extend the dataset with new meshes, boundary maps and base domains. This article provides a brief overview of the field, discussing its importance and the lack of effective techniques. We then introduce both the dataset and its major features. An example of comparative analysis between two existing methods is also present.
Neural Representation of Open Surfaces
Authors: Christiansen T. V. , Bærentzen J. A. , Paulsen R. R. , Hannemose M. R.
Published: August 2023

Neural implicit surfaces have emerged as an effective, learnable representation for shapes of arbitrary topology. However, representing open surfaces remains a challenge. Different methods, such as unsigned distance fields (UDF), have been proposed to tackle this issue, but a general solution remains elusive. The generalized winding number (GWN), which is often used to distinguish interior points from exterior points of 3D shapes, is arguably the most promising approach. The GWN changes smoothly in regions where there is a hole in the surface, but it is discontinuous at points on the surface. Effectively, this means that it can be used in lieu of an implicit surface representation while providing information about holes, but, unfortunately, it does not provide information about the distance to the surface necessary for e.g. ray tracing, and special care must be taken when implementing surface reconstruction. Therefore, we introduce the semi‐signed distance field (SSDF) representation which comprises both the GWN and the surface distance. We compare the GWN and SSDF representations for the applications of surface reconstruction, interpolation, reconstruction from partial data, and latent vector analysis using two very different data sets. We find that both the GWN and SSDF are well suited for neural representation of open surfaces.
Comparing the effects of GBA variants and onset age on clinical features and progression in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Ren Jingru , Zhan Xiaoyan , Zhou Hao , Guo Zhiying , Xing Yi , Yin Hangxing , Xue Chen , Wu Jun , Liu Weiguo
Published: August 2023

Objective

Glucosylceramidase (GBA) variants and onset age significantly affect clinical phenotype and progression in Parkinson's disease (PD). The current study compared clinical characteristics at baseline and cognitive and motor progression over time among patients having GBA‐related PD (GBA‐PD), early‐onset idiopathic PD (early‐iPD), and late‐onset idiopathic PD (late‐iPD).

Methods

We recruited 88 GBA‐PD, 167 early‐iPD, and 488 late‐iPD patients in this study. A subset of 50 GBA‐PD, 81 early‐iPD, and 223 late‐iPD patients was followed up at least once, with a 3.0‐year mean follow‐up time. Linear mixed‐effects models helped evaluate the rate of change in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores.

Results

At baseline, the GBA‐PD group showed more severe motor deficits and non‐motor symptoms (NMSs) than the early‐iPD group and more NMSs than the late‐iPD group. Moreover, the GBA‐PD group had more significant cognitive and motor progression, particularly bradykinesia and axial impairment, than the early‐iPD and late‐iPD groups at follow‐up. However, the early‐onset GBA‐PD (early‐GBA‐PD) group was similar to the late‐onset GBA‐PD (late‐GBA‐PD) group in baseline clinical features and cognitive and motor progression.

Conclusion

GBA‐PD patients exhibited faster cognitive and motor deterioration than early‐iPD and late‐iPD patients. Thus, subtype classification based on genetic characteristics rather than age at onset could enhance the prediction of PD disease progression.
Outcomes with transplanting kidneys offered through expedited allocation
Authors: Jadlowiec Caroline C. , Ohara Stephanie Y. , Punukollu Rachana , Wagler Josiah , Ruch Brianna , Kumm Kayla , Budhiraja Pooja , Me Hay Me , Mathur Amit K. , Reddy Kunam S. , Khamash Hasan , Heilman Raymond
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Expedited out‐of‐sequence deceased donor kidney allocation is a strategy to avoid discards after early placement attempts have been unsuccessful. Our study aimed to assess outcomes and characteristics of these transplanted kidneys.

Methods

KDPI matching was performed between expedited allocation (EA) and standard allocation (SA) deceased donor kidney transplants performed at our center.

Results

Between 2018 and 2021, there were 225 EA offers, and 189 (84%) were transplanted. EA recipients were older (p = .007) and had shorter dialysis vintage (p < .0001). EA kidneys were likely to be nationally allocated (p < .001), have AKI (p < .0001) and longer CIT (p < .0001). There were no differences in EA and SA time‐zero kidney biopsies (ci, p = .07; ct, p = .89; cv, p = .95; ah, p = .79). EA kidneys had more DGF (p = .0006), but there were no differences in DGF duration (p = .83), hospital length of stay (p = .43), 1‐ and 2‐year eGFR (p = .16, p = .99), patient (p = .34), or death‐censored graft (p = .66) survival.

Conclusion

During this study period, our center transplanted 189 kidneys through EA following local‐regional declines. These kidneys often came from AKI donors and had more DGF but had similar outcomes to KDPI‐matched SA kidneys. Although it has been suggested that EA has the potential to worsen transplant disparities, transplant center level decisions on organ acceptance contribute to these variations.
High rate of adenovirus detection in gastrointestinal biopsies of symptomatic stem cell transplant recipients
Authors: Pikkel‐Geva Hagar Z. , Grisariu Sigal , Rivkin Mila , Stepensky Polina , Strahilevitz Jacob , Averbuch Dina , Orit Caplan , Even‐Or Ehud , Zaidman Irina , Zimran Eran , Wolf Dana G. , Avni Batia
Published: August 2023

Objectives

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a major human adenovirus (HAdV) replication site in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), yet the prevalence and correlates of HAdV GI infection in this setting have remained poorly recognized, especially among adult HSCT recipients.

Design or methods

We retrospectively studied the prevalence and risk factors of HAdV GI‐tissue infection in HSCT recipients (73 adults and 15 children) with GI symptoms who underwent GI‐tissue biopsy between January‐2012 and December‐2017. The presence of HAdV in the GI tissues was determined by real‐time PCR.

Results

HAdV GI‐tissue infection was detected in 21 (23.9%) patients, with similar infection rates identified in adults and children. GI‐tissue detection was more common at late (>100 days) compared to early times post‐transplantation (50% vs. 12.9%, p < .001). The presence of bloody diarrhea, Arab ethnicity (p = .014) and concurrent cytomegalovirus GI‐tissue detection (p = .025) were significantly correlated with HAdV GI‐tissue infection, while chronic graft versus host disease was of borderline association (p = .055).

Conclusions

Our findings reveal a high rate and new clinical‐demographic correlates of HAdV GI‐tissue infection in adult and pediatric HSCT recipients with GI symptoms. The findings highlight the need for future prospective studies to assess the relatedness of HAdV infection to the GI symptoms, and the prevalence, impact, and treatment of HAdV GI infection in HSCT recipients.
PRAME‐negativity in sclerosing nevi with pseudomelanomatous features supports classification as an indolent lesion
Authors: Tang Haiming , McNiff Jennifer M. , Glusac Earl J. , Ko Christine
Published: August 2023

Background

Some dysplastic nevi, termed sclerosing nevi with pseudomelanomatous features, may have florid fibroplasia associated with features that cause melanoma to be a prominent consideration in the differential diagnosis. PRAME (PReferentially expressed Antigen in MElanoma) immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been shown to be a useful marker in the distinction of melanoma and nevus. PRAME expression in such sclerosing nevi with pseudomelanomatous features has not been evaluated to our knowledge.

Methods

Thirty‐two sclerosing nevi with pseudomelanomatous features were stained with PRAME IHC, with positive labeling defined as staining of >75% of the cytomorphologically atypical lesional cells.

Results

All 32 cases had variable cytologic atypia, bridging of elongated rete, fibroplasia, and a vertically oriented trizonal appearance. Some cases (23/32) had centrally located flattening of the rete ridge pattern bilaterally flanked by fibroplasia associated with elongated rete. PRAME labeling was negative (<1% labeling) in 28/32 cases. Four cases, also interpreted as having negative labeling with PRAME, showed only weak nuclear positivity of <50% of the melanocytes within the pseudomelanomatous foci. p16 staining was positive in 28/28 lesions.

Conclusions

Rare sclerosing nevi with pseudomelanomatous features (4/32; ~13%) had weak PRAME labeling of 25%–50% of atypical foci. Twenty‐eight of 32 lesions had virtually no labeling with PRAME. PRAME results support classifying sclerosing nevi with pseudomelanomatous features as indolent lesions.
A retrospective study on the direct immunofluorescence findings in pigmented purpuric dermatosis
Authors: Ilagan Franchesca Marie D. , Wu Yu‐Hung
Published: August 2023

Background

Pigmented purpuric dermatosis (PPD) is characterized by grouped petechiae, purpuric macules, and pigmentation in the bilateral lower extremities. It runs a chronic and relapsing course. Pathophysiology is poorly understood, but it has been proposed to be an immune‐complex disease or capillaritis. This study aimed to determine the incidence and patterns of positive direct immunofluorescence (DIF) findings in patients with clinically and histopathologically confirmed PPD. The association between DIF deposition type and clinical profile was also analyzed.

Methods

Patients with a clinical and histopathologic PPD diagnosis who had undergone DIF studies at a tertiary medical center with attached dermatopathology and immunofluorescence diagnostic centers between January 2002 and December 2021 were included in this study. Data on age, sex, disease duration, comorbidities, and drug intake were collected from medical records.

Results

There were 65 patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria. Among them, 58 (89%) had at least one positive finding and 53 (82%) were vascular deposition of immunoglobulin (Ig), complement, or fibrinogen. The most common vascular deposition was fibrinogen (71%) followed by C3 (62%), IgM (18%), IgA (6%), and IgG (3%). Fibrinogen deposition was associated with hypertension (p < 0.03). There was no association between vascular DIF deposition of IgG, IgA, and C3, with age, sex, comorbidities, disease duration, and drug history.

Conclusion

The most common DIF findings in PPD were vascular deposition of fibrinogen and C3, with or without Ig presence. DIF findings supported a vascular origin in PPD but not an immune complex‐mediated disease. Hypertension was associated with fibrinogen deposition and may play a role in its pathophysiology.
Trend over time on knowledge of the health effects of cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use in Bangladesh: Findings from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Bangladesh Surveys
Authors: Naznin Eva , George Johnson , Driezen Pete , Palazzi Kerrin , Wynne Olivia , Nargis Nigar , Fong Geoffrey T. , Bonevski Billie
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco (ST) use are prevalent in Bangladesh. This longitudinal study examined how knowledge of the health effects of smoking and ST use in Bangladesh has changed overtime with the country's acceleration of tobacco control efforts.

Methods

Data were analysed from the International Tobacco Control Survey, a nationally representative longitudinal study of users and non‐users of tobacco (aged 15 and older) in Bangladesh, across four waves conducted in 2009 (n = 4378), 2010 (n = 4359), 2012 (n = 4223) and 2015 (n = 4242). Generalised estimating equations assessed the level of knowledge about harms of tobacco use across four waves. Multivariable logistic regressions assessed whether knowledge of health effects from cigarette smoking and ST use in 2015 differed by user group.

Results

In 2015 survey, most tobacco users were aware that cigarette smoking causes stroke (92%), lung cancer (97%), pulmonary tuberculosis (97%) and ST use causes mouth cancer (97%) and difficulty in opening mouth (80%). There were significant increases in the total knowledge score of smoking related health harm from 2010 to 2012 (mean difference = 0.640; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.537, 0.742) and 2012 to 2015 (mean difference = 0.555; 95% CI 0.465, 0.645). Participants had greater odds of awareness for ST health effects from 2010 to 2015.

Discussion and Conclusions

The results suggest that increasing efforts of awareness policy interventions is having a positive effect on tobacco‐related knowledge in Bangladesh. These policy initiatives should be continued to identify optimal methods to facilitate behaviour change and improve cessation of smoking and ST use.