bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alkyl Fluoride Modification‐Enhanced Intermolecular Interactions of Phenoxazine‐Based Hole‐Transporting Materials for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Hu Tonghui , Yu Chen , Luo Ruixi , Zhao Xin , Yu Ren , Wu Jie , Huo Yanping , Cai Ning
Published: January 2025

Delicate regulation of halogens in conjugated molecules has emerged as a major strategy to modulate the aggregation of organic semiconductor materials for considerable enhancement of photovoltaic performance. Herein, three donor–π–donor hole‐transporting materials, B6P6‐F, B6P6‐Cl, and B6P6‐Br, containing 4,8‐bis(hexyloxy)benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene as a π‐conjugated linker and 10‐(6‐fluorohexyl)‐10H‐phenoxazine, 10‐(6‐chlorohexyl)‐10H‐phenoxazine, and 10‐(6‐bromohexyl)‐10H‐phenoxazine respectively, as donor units, are reported. Differential scanning calorimetry curves, atomic force microscopy, and contact angle measurements with perovskite precursors collectively reveal that the halogenated alkyl chains attached to the donor units influence molecular packing patterns and subsequently alter the surface and interface properties of the resulting films. Analysis of Fourier‐transform infrared absorption spectra implies that distinctive aggregation properties of B6P6‐F may originate from its intermolecular F···π interactions. Benefiting from the F···π interactions and favorable self‐assembly, the inverted PSCs based on B6P6‐F exhibit a decent power conversion efficiency of 20.85%, outperforming that of B6P6‐Cl and B6P6‐Br. Further analysis of steady‐state/transient photoluminescence spectra, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, light intensity‐dependent short‐circuit photocurrent, and open‐circuit voltage (Voc) indicates that the distinct assembly of B6P6‐F, facilitated by intermolecular F···π interactions, enhances efficient interfacial charge transport and extraction while suppressing unfavorable charge recombination, thereby increasing Voc and fill factor.
Exploring the Limits and Balancing Efficiency, Transparency, and Esthetics in Ultrathin a‐Si:H Transparent Photovoltaic Devices
Authors: Alvarez‐Suarez Gustavo , Lopez‐Garcia Alex J. , Estarlich Pau , Asensi Jose Miguel , Masmitjà Gerard , Ortega Pablo , Voz Cristobal , Puigdollers Joaquim , Pérez Rodríguez Alejandro
Published: January 2025

Transparent photovoltaic (TPV) devices represent a promising advance in photovoltaic technologies, particularly in building‐integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Unlike conventional photovoltaics, which primarily prioritize efficiency, TPV must balance between efficiency, transparency, and aesthetics. These additional dimensions introduce unique challenges on device architecture. This article reports the development of wide‐bandgap, inorganic‐based TPV devices integrating ultrathin hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) as a transparent absorber, with carrier selective contacts and transparent electrodes. The article analyzes how absorber thickness influences the electrical, optical, and aesthetic performance of devices, evaluating key parameters in TPV such as light utilization efficiency (LUE), average photopic transmittance (APT), color rendering index (CRI), and electrical properties such as power conversion efficiency (PCE). The device structure is SLG/FTO/AZO/a‐SiCx(n)/a‐Si:H/V2Ox/AZO. This approach results in PCE ranging from 1.7% with an APT of 60% to a PCE of 4.1% with an APT of 28%, yielding LUE values between 0.9% and 1.3%. Device characterization encompasses optical spectrophotometry, J–V measurements under standard test conditions, spectral response analysis, and variable illumination measurements (VIM). Additionally, color characterization is conducted using CIE 1931 color space maps to determine the chromaticity coordinates, CRI, and the variation of color as a function of absorber thickness.
Structural Screening of Short Peptide Amphiphiles with Autocatalytic Self‐Replication
Authors: Turcan Ion , Insua Ignacio
Published: January 2025

There is great interest in developing small synthetic molecules that imitate some of the functions and behaviour of living beings. Here, we describe the structural screening of peptide amphiphiles with autocatalytic self‐replication, which mimics the perpetuation mechanisms of living matter. Our design uses two reactive precursors to generate self‐assembling peptide amphiphiles, which form micelles that catalyse their own synthesis. A collection of precursors with varying sizes was screened combinatorially, revealing a minimal tripeptide amphiphile required to trigger autocatalytic self‐replication. These results contribute to the structural simplification of synthetic supramolecular monomers with life‐like behaviour.
Improvement in genomic prediction of maize with prior gene ontology information depends on traits and environmental conditions
Authors: Ali Baber , Mary‐Huard Tristan , Charcosset Alain , Moreau Laurence , Rincent Renaud
Published: January 2025

Classical genomic prediction approaches rely on statistical associations between traits and markers rather than their biological significance. Biologically informed selection of genomic regions can help prioritize polymorphisms by considering underlying biological processes, making prediction models robust and accurate. Gene ontology (GO) terms can be used for this purpose, and the information can be integrated into genomic prediction models through marker categorization. It allows likely causal markers to account for a certain portion of genetic variance independently from the remaining markers. We systematically tested a list of 5110 GO terms for their predictive performance for physiological (platform traits) and productivity traits (field grain yield) in a maize (Zea mays L.) panel using genomic features best linear unbiased prediction (GFBLUP) model. Predictive abilities were compared to the classical genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP). Predictive gains with categorizing markers based on a given GO term strongly depend on the trait and on the growth conditions, as a term can be useful for a given trait in a given condition or somewhat similar conditions but not useful for the same trait in a different condition. Overall, results of all GFBLUP models compared to GBLUP show that the former might be less efficient than the latter. Even though we could not identify a prior criterion to determine which GO terms can offer benefit to a given trait, we could a posteriori find biological interpretations of the results, meaning that GFBLUP could be helpful if more about the gene functions and their relationships with the growth conditions was known.
Numerical analysis of a problem involving an extensible thermoelastic beam with microtemperatures
Authors: Aouadi Moncef , Bazarra Noelia , Fernández José R. , Rodríguez‐Damián María
Published: January 2025

In this article we study, from the numerical point of view, a problem involving an extensible thermoelastic beam with microtemperatures derived recently by Aouadi. The corresponding variational problem leads to a coupled system which is written in terms of the mechanical extensibility, the temperature, and the microtemperatures. An existence and uniqueness result is recalled. Then, we will focus on the numerical approximation of this problem. First, fully discrete approximations are introduced by using the finite element method for the spatial approximation and the implicit Euler scheme to discretize the time derivatives. Second, a discrete stability property is obtained, and an a priori error analysis is performed, from which the linear convergence is derived under adequate additional regularity conditions. Finally, some numerical simulations are presented in order to show the accuracy of the approximations and the behavior of the discrete energy under extensibility and microtemperatures effects.
Timelike boundaries in de Sitter JT gravity and the Gao-Wald theorem
Authors: Batra Gauri
Published: January 2025

Abstract

The Gao-Wald theorem says that the Penrose diagram of de Sitter spacetime reacts to a positive energy perturbation by getting “taller”. How does this change in the presence of timelike boundaries? We study this question in two-dimensional de Sitter JT gravity coupled to conformal matter. The effect of the boundaries has its roots in quantum corrections to the vacuum energy of the CFT due to Casimir-like effects. We consider two different kinds of timelike boundaries, and for each kind we compute the vacuum expectation value of the matter CFT stress tensor. The stress tensor violates the null energy condition in the first case and saturates it in the second case, with each case exhibiting a negative energy density in the vacuum state. We then compute the semiclassical backreaction of this energy density and show how it can make the spacetime “fatter” or “taller” or a combination of both, depending on the regime. The spacetime getting fatter corresponds to an increase in the value of the dilaton at the horizon and hence also in the static patch horizon area in the higher-dimensional solution. We comment on the implications of our results for the quantum theories living on the timelike boundaries.
Factorization of the Hilbert space of eternal black holes in general relativity
Authors: Balasubramanian Vijay , Craps Ben , Hernandez Juan , Khramtsov Mikhail , Knysh Maria
Published: January 2025

Abstract

We generalize recent results in two-dimensional Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity to study factorization of the Hilbert space of eternal black holes in quantum gravity with a negative cosmological constant in any dimension. We approach the problem by computing the trace of two-sided observables as a sum over a recently constructed family of semiclassically well-controlled black hole microstates. These microstates, which contain heavy matter shells behind the horizon and form an overcomplete basis of the Hilbert space, exist in any theory of gravity with general relativity as its low energy limit. Using this representation of the microstates, we show that the trace of operators dual to functions of the Hamiltonians of the left and right holographic CFTs factorizes into a product over left and right factors to leading order in the semiclassical limit. Under certain conditions this implies factorization of the Hilbert space.
TBA equations and quantum periods for D-type Argyres-Douglas theories
Authors: Ito Katsushi , Yang Jingjing
Published: January 2025

Abstract

We construct TBA equations for D-type Argyres-Douglas theories with an SU(2) flavor symmetry based on their spectral networks. We show that the solutions of these TBA equations agree with the quantum periods of the corresponding quantum Seiberg-Witten curves defined in the Nekrasov-Shatashvili limit of the Omega background, including a centrifugal correction. We study the variety of TBA systems across the Coulomb branch moduli space and find that they correspond to the Dynkin diagrams of D

n
Lie algebras in the minimal chamber, and reproduce the TBA equations for reflectionless D scattering theories at the maximally symmetric point. Numerical computations demonstrate that the quantum periods obtained from the Borel-Padé resummation and their WKB expansions are in agreement with the solutions of the TBA equations.
Infrared anomalous dimensions at three-loop in the SM from conserved currents
Authors: Stadlbauer Michael , Theil Tobias
Published: January 2025

Abstract

We study the infrared structure of the Standard Model (SM) restricted to the first generation of fermions, including the full SM gauge group, up to three-loop order, and determine the resulting cusp and collinear anomalous dimensions for all gauge groups and particles of the theory. We observe that starting from three loops, the resulting cusp anomalous dimensions include terms involving two distinct couplings, contrary to previous claims in the literature. We give a detailed explanation of this observation and explore the origin of these terms. We provide a supplementary file where all infrared anomalous dimensions calculated in this work are collected https://github.com/michael-stadlbauer/AnomalousDimensions.git. Our results are consistent with the existing literature wherever comparisons are possible.
Scattering, absorption and emission of highly excited strings
Authors: Firrotta M. , Kiritsis E. , Niarchos V.
Published: January 2025

Abstract

We study tree-level scattering processes of arbitrary string states using the DDF formalism and suitable coherent vertex operators. We obtain new exact compact formulae for heavy-heavy-light-light scattering amplitudes in open or closed bosonic string theories, and derive explicit exact expressions for the absorption cross-sections, and corresponding emission rates, of highly excited string states using the optical theorem and time reversal symmetry. We show that these expressions are independent of the microscopic structure of the excited string states without averaging. For the absorption of massless modes in open string theory, in particular, we find a constant, frequency-independent cross-section. In contrast, the corresponding cross-section for the absorption of massless modes by excited closed strings depends linearly on the frequency, implying a non-trivial grey-body factor. In both cases, at energies below the scale set by the mass of the highly excited strings, we find emission rates with a Boltzmann factor at Hagedorn temperature.
A note on the holographic time-like entanglement entropy in Lifshitz theory
Authors: Jena Siddhi Swarupa , Mahapatra Subhash
Published: January 2025

Abstract

We explore the holographic time-like entanglement entropy (TEE) in the boundary theory of three-dimensional Lifshitz spacetime. There have been various holographic proposals for TEE in recent years and we test those proposals in the Lifshitz background. We obtain the analytic result for TEE in each proposal, compare the results, and analyze how the anisotropic scaling affects the TEE. We find that different holographic proposals give the same result for TEE in the Lifshitz background. Our analysis further suggests that the TEE of the Lifshitz system contains real and imaginary parts, both of which depend on the anisotropic parameter.
Determining the quantity and quality of wood recovered from building demolitions to enable effective allocation
Authors: Nasiri Bahareh , Roy Satyaki , Hughes Mark
Published: January 2025

The goal of this study was to determine the quantity and quality of wood extracted from the structural parts of wooden buildings to facilitate the most appropriate allocation of the material. An additional aim was to provide a reliable and consistent characterisation procedure for recovered wood, according to its physical characteristics, such as dimensions, the presence of cracks etc. From a sample of recovered wood collected from the demolition of a wooden building in Espoo, Finland, it was found that around 30% of the total volume of material could be recovered for repurposing or remanufacturing into solid wood products, provided structural integrity can be ensured. The samples of recovered wood were relatively short compared to virgin timbers, averaging 88 cm. Further, it was determined that removing metal contaminants does not necessarily improve material recovery, because cracks, wane, warping, as well as machining the recovered wood to standard dimensions, impact material recovery the most.
Genomic prediction for yield and malting traits in barley using metabolomic and near-infrared spectra
Authors: Raffo Miguel A. , Sarup Pernille , Jensen Just , Guo Xiangyu , Jensen Jens D. , Orabi Jihad , Jahoor Ahmed , Christensen Ole F.
Published: January 2025

Key message

Genetic variation for malting quality as well as metabolomic and near-infrared features was identified. However, metabolomic and near-infrared features as additional omics-information did not improve accuracy of predicted breeding values.

Significant attention has recently been given to the potential benefits of metabolomics and near-infrared spectroscopy technologies for enhancing genetic evaluation in breeding programs. In this article, we used a commercial barley breeding population phenotyped for grain yield, grain protein content, and five malting quality traits: extract yield, wort viscosity, wort color, filtering speed, and β-glucan, and aimed to: (i) investigate genetic variation and heritability of metabolomic intensities and near-infrared wavelengths originating from leaf tissue and malted grain, respectively; (ii) investigate variance components and heritabilities for genomic models including metabolomics (GOBLUP-MI) or near-infrared wavelengths (GOBLUP-NIR); and (iii) evaluate the developed models for prediction of breeding values for traits of interest. In total, 639 barley lines were genotyped using an iSelect9K-Illumina barley chip and recorded with 30,468 metabolomic intensities and 141 near-infrared wavelengths. First, we found that a significant proportion of metabolomic intensities and near-infrared wavelengths had medium to high additive genetic variances and heritabilities. Second, we observed that both GOBLUP-MI and GOBLUP-NIR, increased the proportion of estimated genetic variance for grain yield, protein, malt extract, and β-glucan compared to a genomic model (GBLUP). Finally, we assessed these models to predict accurate breeding values in fivefold and leave-one-breeding-cycle-out cross-validations, and we generally observed a similar accuracy between GBLUP and GOBLUP-MI, and a worse accuracy for GOBLUP-NIR. Despite this trend, GOBLUP-MI and GOBLUP-NIR enhanced predictive ability compared to GBLUP by 4.6 and 2.4% for grain protein in leave-one-breeding-cycle-out and grain yield in fivefold cross-validations, respectively, but differences were not significant (P-value > 0.01).
Gradient-based smoothing parameter estimation for neural P-splines
Authors: Dammann Lea M. , Freitag Marei , Thielmann Anton , Säfken Benjamin
Published: January 2025

Due to the popularity of deep learning models there have recently been many attempts to translate generalized additive models to neural nets. Generalized additive models are usually regularized by a penalty in the loss function and the magnitude of penalization is controlled by one or more smoothing parameters. In the statistical literature these smoothing parameters are estimated by criteria such as generalized cross-validation or restricted maximum likelihood. While the estimation of the primary regression coefficients is well calibrated and investigated for neural net based additive models, the estimation of smoothing parameters is often either based on testing data (and grid search), implicitly estimated or completely neglected. In this paper, we address the issue of explicit smoothing parameter estimation in neural net-based additive models fitted via gradient-based methods, such as the well-known Adam algorithm. We therefore investigate the data-driven smoothing parameter selection via gradient-based optimization of generalized cross-validation and restricted maximum likelihood. Thus we do not need to calculate Hessian information of the smoothing parameters. As an additive model structure, we use a translation of P-splines to neural nets, so-called neural P-splines. The fitting process of neural P-splines as well as the gradient-based smoothing parameter selection are investigated in a simulation study and an application.
Association Between Cesarean Scar and Pelvic Floor Muscle Tone at 6–8 Weeks Postpartum
Authors: Xiao Li , Huang Nan , Zhong Yanbiao , Luo Yun , Wang Maoyuan
Published: January 2025

Introduction and Hypothesis

The relationship between cesarean section scars and active pelvic floor muscle tone lacks sufficient evidence. This study is aimed at investigating the relationship between the severity of cesarean section scars and active pelvic floor muscle tone in postpartum women.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study of 604 women at 6–8 weeks postpartum. Active pelvic floor muscle tone was assessed using the Glazer protocol, and scar severity was categorized as no scar, normal scar, and hypertrophic scar. We collected data on demographic and clinical variables, including age, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities. Linear regression analysis was employed to assess the association between scar severity and active pelvic floor muscle tone, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Compared with the no scar group, the normal scar group exhibited higher levels of active pelvic floor muscle tone (β = 1.68 and 1.47), and the hypertrophic scar group had the highest levels of active pelvic floor muscle tone (β = 5.09 and 5.03). Active pelvic floor muscle tone was significantly higher in women with scars than in those without scars. The association remained significant after adjusting for age, BMI, and comorbidities. Moreover, women with hypertrophic scars exhibited higher active pelvic floor muscle tone than those with normal scars.

Conclusions

Cesarean section scar severity is positively associated with increased active pelvic floor muscle tone in postpartum women. This finding highlights the importance of scar management and targeted pelvic floor rehabilitation to optimize postpartum recovery.
Hybrid Pennisetum colonization by Bacillus megaterium BM18-2 labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) under Cd stress
Authors: Kamal Nehal , Qian Chen , Hao Huanhuan , Wu Juanzi , Liu Zhiwei , Zhong Xiaoxian , Ghanem Osama M. , Salem Ali , Orban Zoltan , Elwakeel Abdallah Elshawadfy , Mahmoud Samy F. , Said Alaa F.
Published: January 2025

Researchers have reported that Bacillus megaterium BM18-2 reduces Cd toxicity in Hybrid Pennisetum, but understanding the interaction between plants and associated endophytes is crucial for understanding phytoremediation strategies under heavy metal stress. The current study aims to monitor the colonization patterns of GFP-labeled endophytic bacteria BM18-2 on Hybrid Pennisetum grass. Additionally, it will monitor Cd’s effect on plant bacterial colonization. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of plant roots infected with gfp tagged BM18-2 revealed that the bacterium colonised root hairs and epidermal cells at the early stage of colonization, and over time, the bacteria penetrated to the internal tissues following their colonization of the stem and leaf. The roots, stems, and leaves of H. Pennisetum grown in Cd-contaminated soil contained a higher number of bacteria than those grown in normal soil. The result of Cd translocation indicated the condensation of heavy metals in the root cells and stem, while no Cd was found in the leaf. The study will also look for the enzymatic activity of bacteria BM18-2 and use Leadmium Green AM dye to track how Cd is taken up and moved through the plant. The enzymatic activity results showed that BM18-2 can produce catalase and amylase, but did not record any cellulase or lipase activity. As a result, the pattern of useful endophytic BM18-2 colonization through H. Pennisetum grass will aid in the application and maintenance of these bacteria in farming, and it presents new opportunities for the development of innovative strategies in the fields of agriculture and biotechnology.
Copulation interruption decreases female reproductive success in a false widow spider
Authors: Dong Yuting , Harvey Jeffrey A. , van den Hengel Marijn , Zwanenburg Annemie , Rowe Melissah , Gols Rieta
Published: January 2025

Copulation is essential for transferring sperm from males to females in most animals. During copulation, males and females are often static and thus prone to predation or other threats. Its duration should therefore be reduced to minimize costs but sufficient to ensure the fertilization of eggs. Here, we investigated reproductive behavior and success in the false widow spider, Steatoda grossa (Araneae: Theridiidae), when copulation was interrupted after 1, 3, 5, 10, or 20 min or was not experimentally interrupted (control). Copulation duration in this study is defined as the total duration of insertions of male pedipalps into a female’s copulatory openings. In S. grossa, uninterrupted copulations typically last 40 to 60 min. We found that within the first 5 min, copulation interruption negatively affected reproductive success (i.e., number of egg sacs, their total mass, and number of spiderlings), and delayed production of the first egg sac within the first 10 min (in some extreme instances by over 200 days). However, when copulation duration was 10 min or longer, reproductive outcome was unaffected. In the 1-min treatment, the number of egg sacs and their mass varied greatly, which indicates considerable variation among males with respect to the speed and efficiency of sperm transfer. We discuss the costs and benefits of extended copulation duration on female reproduction and on male and female fitness.
Six-Month Outcomes from the Prospective, Multi-Center, Non-Randomized Clinical Study of the COVERA(™) Arterio VeNous (AV) Stent Graft in the Treatment of Stenosis in the VEnous OutfloW of AV Fistula Access Circuits (AVeNEW PAS)
Authors: Dolmatch Bart , Saber Talar , Underwood Margo ,   and AVeNEW PAS trial investigators, Licht Jonah , Makris Angelo , Neyra N. Roxanne , Hoggard Jeffrey , Schultz Scott , Kurbanov Alexander , Margassery Suresh , Molnar Robert , Narayan Rajeev , Lozada Juan Carlos Perez , Talaie Reza
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The AVeNEW Post-Approval Study (AVeNEW PAS) follows upon results from the AVeNEW IDE clinical trial and was designed to provide additional clinical evidence of safety and effectiveness using the Covera™ Vascular Covered Stent to treat arteriovenous fistula (AVF) stenoses in a real-world hemodialysis patient population.

Materials and Methods

One hundred AVF patients were prospectively enrolled at 11 clinical trial sites in the USA and treated with the covered stent after angioplasty of a clinically significant target stenosis. The primary safety outcome was freedom from any adverse event that suggests the involvement of the AV access circuit evaluated at 30 days. The primary efficacy outcome was Target Lesion Primary Patency (TLPP) at six months, determined by an independent core laboratory. Secondary outcome measures included technical success defined as successful deployment to the intended location and access circuit primary patency (ACPP).

Results

Safety was 94.9% with no device-related deaths nor in-patient hospitalization. Technical success was 100%. TLPP rates at 1, 3, and 6 months were 100, 89.7, and 82.2%. ACPP rates at 1, 3, and 6 months were 98, 76.3, and 60.0%. Target stenoses were 81% restenotic, and 75% located in the cephalic vein arch. There were 35% non-target stenoses treated with angioplasty during the index procedure.

Conclusion

The 6-month results of the AVeNEW PAS confirm results from the AVeNEW IDE clinical trial and demonstrate safety and efficacy using the Covera(™) Covered Stent in a real-world US hemodialysis patient population.

Trial Registration

NCT04261686.

Level of Evidence

3 – prospective, multicenter.

Graphical Abstract
Review of the techniques for estimating population size of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Authors: Strang Alexandra J. , Cameron Elissa Z. , Anderson Dean P. , Robinson Esme , LaRue Michelle A.
Published: January 2025

Monitoring of sentinel species provides insight into the ecosystems in which they live. In the Southern Ocean, penguins are one such indicator species, where only a limited number of colonies have been monitored extensively for decades around Antarctica. As the Southern Ocean warms and commercial fishing continues, the need for expansion of population monitoring has become paramount. Using Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) as a model species, we reviewed methods to estimate colony size including ground and aerial (occupied and unoccupied aircraft) assessment and satellite imagery, with an aim of understanding costs and benefits of each method to inform their future use. Ground assessment includes physically taxing field counts of individuals or nests and was historically the only method used to count penguins in Antarctica. Aerial assessments via occupied and unoccupied aircraft have expanded the spatial extent of monitoring for remote and logistically challenging environments such as Antarctica. Combined with aerial assessment, the more recent use of very high-resolution satellite imagery (VHR) has further expanded Adélie penguin monitoring into previously inaccessible areas. Adélie penguin breeding colonies can be monitored using VHR imagery through the area of their guano stain as a proxy for the number of breeding pairs. Our review provides an overview of the monitoring techniques for Adélie penguins in Antarctica and provides direction for future use and development.
Overlooked and underpowered: a meta-research addressing sample size in radiomics prediction models for binary outcomes
Authors: Zhong Jingyu , Liu Xianwei , Lu Junjie , Yang Jiarui , Zhang Guangcheng , Mao Shiqi , Chen Haoda , Yin Qian , Cen Qingqing , Jiang Run , Song Yang , Lu Minda , Chu Jingshen , Xing Yue , Hu Yangfan , Ding Defang , Ge Xiang , Zhang Huan , Yao Weiwu
Published: January 2025

Objectives

To investigate how studies determine the sample size when developing radiomics prediction models for binary outcomes, and whether the sample size meets the estimates obtained by using established criteria.

Methods

We identified radiomics studies that were published from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 in seven leading peer-reviewed radiological journals. We reviewed the sample size justification methods, and actual sample size used. We calculated and compared the actual sample size used to the estimates obtained by using three established criteria proposed by Riley et al. We investigated which characteristics factors were associated with the sufficient sample size that meets the estimates obtained by using established criteria proposed by Riley et al.

Results

We included 116 studies. Eleven out of one hundred sixteen studies justified the sample size, in which 6/11 performed a priori sample size calculation. The median (first and third quartile, Q1, Q3) of the total sample size is 223 (130, 463), and those of sample size for training are 150 (90, 288). The median (Q1, Q3) difference between total sample size and minimum sample size according to established criteria are −100 (−216, 183), and those differences between total sample size and a more restrictive approach based on established criteria are −268 (−427, −157). The presence of external testing and the specialty of the topic were associated with sufficient sample size.

Conclusion

Radiomics studies are often designed without sample size justification, whose sample size may be too small to avoid overfitting. Sample size justification is encouraged when developing a radiomics model.

Key Points

Question

Sample size justification is critical to help minimize overfitting in developing a radiomics model, but is overlooked and underpowered in radiomics research.

Findings

Few of the radiomics models justified, calculated, or reported their sample size, and most of them did not meet the recent formal sample size criteria.

Clinical relevance

Radiomics models are often designed without sample size justification. Consequently, many models are too small to avoid overfitting. It should be encouraged to justify, perform, and report the considerations on sample size when developing radiomics models.
CAGI6 ID panel challenge: assessment of phenotype and variant predictions in 415 children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs)
Authors: Aspromonte Maria Cristina , Del Conte Alessio , Zhu Shaowen , Tan Wuwei , Shen Yang , Zhang Yexian , Li Qi , Wang Maggie Haitian , Babbi Giulia , Bovo Samuele , Martelli Pier Luigi , Casadio Rita , Althagafi Azza , Toonsi Sumyyah , Kulmanov Maxat , Hoehndorf Robert , Katsonis Panagiotis , Williams Amanda , Lichtarge Olivier , Xian Su , Surento Wesley , Pejaver Vikas , Mooney Sean D. , Sunderam Uma , Srinivasan Rajgopal , Murgia Alessandra , Piovesan Damiano , Tosatto Silvio C. E. , Leonardi Emanuela
Published: January 2025

The Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Lab in Padua provided a new intellectual disability (ID) Panel challenge for computational methods to predict patient phenotypes and their causal variants in the context of the Critical Assessment of the Genome Interpretation, 6th edition (CAGI6). Eight research teams submitted a total of 30 models to predict phenotypes based on the sequences of 74 genes (VCF format) in 415 pediatric patients affected by Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs). NDDs are clinically and genetically heterogeneous conditions, with onset in infant age. Here, we assess the ability and accuracy of computational methods to predict comorbid phenotypes based on clinical features described in each patient and their causal variants. We also evaluated predictions for possible genetic causes in patients without a clear genetic diagnosis. Like the previous ID Panel challenge in CAGI5, seven clinical features (ID, ASD, ataxia, epilepsy, microcephaly, macrocephaly, hypotonia), and variants (Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic, Variants of Uncertain Significance and Risk Factors) were provided. The phenotypic traits and variant data of 150 patients from the CAGI5 ID Panel Challenge were provided as training set for predictors. The CAGI6 challenge confirms CAGI5 results that predicting phenotypes from gene panel data is highly challenging, with AUC values close to random, and no method able to predict relevant variants with both high accuracy and precision. However, a significant improvement is noted for the best method, with recall increasing from 66% to 82%. Several groups also successfully predicted difficult-to-detect variants, emphasizing the importance of variants initially excluded by the Padua NDD Lab.
Automated Scene-Adaptive Rock Fragment Recognition Based on the Enhanced Segment Anything Model and Fine-Tuning RTMDet
Authors: Tang Yudi , Wang Yulin , Wang Xin , Oh Joung , Si Guangyao
Published: January 2025

The particle-size distribution (PSD) of rock fragments is crucial for various engineering practices. Recently, there has been increasing attention towards new methods for analysing rock fragment PSD based on artificial intelligence and computer vision. However, most existing image-based studies on this topic are case-based, while heavily relying on manual annotation. The proposed algorithms or trained models often exhibit poor performance across different geological and lighting conditions. In this research, an automatic scene-adaptive framework for real-time rock fragment recognition (FragAdaptixAI) is introduced. First, a diverse foundation image set of rock fragments is built, and an automated annotation module based on an improved segment anything model (SAM) is employed to create the foundation rock fragment dataset, which is then utilised for training the foundation model (RTMDet). When faced with new cases, the foundation model is rapidly fine-tuned using a small amount of current case data to derive an application model, supporting real-time automation in rock fragment recognition. FragAdaptixAI was tested using two cases, and the test results demonstrate that (1) the automated annotation module, developed based on the improved SAM, is effective, and (2) FragAdaptixAI achieves excellent results with short tuning time for new cases. The approach introduces a new concept to address the generalisation issues in rock fragment recognition by combining the zero-shot capability of large models with the real-time processing of small models.
The plaque reducing efficacy of oil pulling with sesame oil: a randomized-controlled clinical study
Authors: Zürcher Christine , Vukoje Kristian , Kleiner Eva Maria , Kuster Sophie Martina , Jäger-Larcher Lisa Katharina , Heller Ingrid , Eick Sigrun , Nagl Markus , Kapferer-Seebacher Ines
Published: January 2025

Objectives

To compare the plaque reducing efficacy of oil pulling with sesame oil compared to distilled water in a randomized, controlled, examiner-blinded parallel group study.

Materials and methods

Forty probands without advanced periodontal disease of the University Hospital for Restorative Dentistry and Periodontology, Medical University of Innsbruck (Austria) were randomized allocated to test- (sesame oil) or control group (distilled water) and asked to pull daily in the morning for eight weeks with their allotted fluid for 15 min. Rustogi Modified Navy Plaque Index (RMNPI) and gingival bleeding index were assessed at baseline and after four and eight weeks. Plaque samples underwent microbiological analysis.

Results

Pulling with sesame oil was significantly more effective in reducing full mouth RMNPI compared to distilled water after eight weeks (median reduction 18.98% versus 10.49%; p = 0.023), and was most pronounced in anterior, buccal, and lingual subscales. On approximal surfaces, significantly higher plaque reduction was found in the test group after four (24.07% versus 14.29%) and eight weeks (16.00% versus 5.36%) of intervention (p < 0.05). No significant changes in gingival index and mirobiological analysis could be detected.

Conclusion

Plaque reduction was statistically significantly higher with oil pulling than with distilled water, however, a study bias cannot be ruled out. Further high-quality trials are needed to understand the mechanisms and effectiveness of oil pulling, to finally clarify the evidence.

Clinical relevance

Oil pulling may be recommended as an adjuvant to mechanical dental cleaning. Individuals with keratosis may experience adverse effects.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06327841.
Improved outcomes after groin hernia surgery in Sweden between 1992 and 2021: Swedish Hernia Register
Authors: Axman Erik , Holmberg Henrik , Nilsson Erik , Österberg Johanna , Dahlstrand Ursula , Montgomery Agneta , Nordin Pär , de la Croix Hanna
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Surgery for groin hernia is one of the most common operations in the world. Therefore, research concerning the outcomes of groin hernia surgery is extremely important both for the individual patient as well as for those providing the healthcare funding. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of hernia surgery in Sweden over a 30 year time period, from 1992 to 2021.

Methods

All groin hernia repairs in the Swedish Hernia Register between 1992 to 2021 were analyzed with emphasis on the surgical method, reoperation rate for recurrence and date of surgery, specifically 1992–2001, 2002–2011 and 2012–2021. By using personal identification numbers, a cumulative reoperation rate has been deduced for males and females separately.

Results

A total of 368,502 groin hernia operations identified in the Swedish Hernia Register between 1992 to 2021 were eligible for analysis. Since the register was begun, there have been significant changes in the choice of operative techniques, from suture repair in 1992 to open anterior mesh repair around the year 2000, until today, where an increasing proportion of hernias are repaired using laparo-endoscopic techniques. There has been a reduction in the reoperation rate for recurrence in both males and females, with the most pronounced improvement being seen in females. The laparo-endoscopic technique is associated with a reduced incidence of reoperation for recurrence in females.

Conclusion

Groin hernia surgery in Sweden has undergone substantial changes over the past 30 years. Reoperation for recurrence has decreased significantly during recent years, especially in females.
Reinforcement Learning of Chaotic Systems Control in Partially Observable Environments
Authors: Weissenbacher Max , Borovykh Anastasia , Rigas Georgios
Published: January 2025

Control of chaotic systems has far-reaching implications in engineering, including fluid-based energy and transport systems, among many other fields. In real-world applications, control algorithms typically operate only with partial information about the system (partial observability) due to limited sensing, which leads to sub-optimal performance when compared to the case where a controller has access to the full system state (full observability). While it is well-known that the effect of partial observability can be mediated by introducing a memory component, which allows the controller to keep track of the system’s partial state history, the effect of the type of memory on performance in chaotic regimes is poorly understood. In this study we investigate the use of reinforcement learning for controlling chaotic flows using only partial observations. We use the chaotic Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation with a forcing term as a model system. In contrast to previous studies, we consider the flow in a variety of dynamic regimes, ranging from mildly to strongly chaotic. We evaluate the loss of performance as the number of sensors available to the controller decreases. We then compare two different frameworks to incorporate memory into the controller, one based on recurrent neural networks and another novel mechanism based on transformers. We demonstrate that the attention-based framework robustly outperforms the alternatives in a range of dynamic regimes. In particular, our method yields improved control in highly chaotic environments, suggesting that attention-based mechanisms may be better suited to the control of chaotic systems.
Comparison of survival between unilateral and bilateral breast cancers using propensity score matching: a retrospective single-center analysis
Authors: Ozler Talar , Cosar Rusen , Sut Necdet , Nurlu Dilek , Parlar Şule , Ateş Sinan , Dertli Mert Hacı , Kavuzlu Yusuf , Kavukcu Sekip , Chousein Mert , Yıldız Gokay , Tunçbilek Nermin , Hacıoglu Muhammet Bekir , Tastekin Ebru , Topaloğlu Sernaz
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The characteristics of patients with bilateral and unilateral breast cancer at the time of diagnosis or during follow-up have been compared, focusing on the differences in disease-free survival and overall survival between these groups.

Methods

A total of 1,947 patients diagnosed with invasive carcinoma were included in the study. 1876 ​​(96.4%) of our patients had unilateral and 71 (3.6%) had bilateral breast cancer. Among the bilateral breast cancer patients n = 47 were metachronous, while n = 24 were synchronous.

Results

SBBC, which had the lowest OS duration, showed a statistically significant difference compared to MBCC, similar to that observed in unilateral breast cancer (p = 0.027).

Conclusion

The fact that SBBC has the lowest survival rate despite more aggressive treatments should be considered a poor prognostic factor for survival on its own.
Navigating the Social World: The Interplay Between Cognitive and Socio-Affective Processes in Depression and Social Anxiety
Authors: Vos Lisa M. W. , Bronstein Michael V. , Gendron Maria , Joormann Jutta , Everaert Jonas
Published: January 2025

Background

Biased and inflexible interpretations of ambiguous social situations are hypothesized to elevate risk for depression and social anxiety via their effects on social and affective processes. Yet, empirical support for this hypothesis remains limited.

Methods

This study investigated these socio-affective pathways by having a crowdsourced sample (N = 295) complete the emotional Bias Against Disconfirmatory Evidence task – a cognitive task designed to disentangle interpretation bias and inflexibility. Participants also completed measures of depression, social anxiety, and various aspects of socio-affective functioning, including rejection sensitivity, interpersonal emotion regulation, negative social interactions, and social integration.

Results

Network analysis revealed that negatively biased and inflexible interpretations were indirectly related to psychopathology symptoms through negative social interactions and putatively maladaptive interpersonal emotion regulation strategies, such as negative feedback-seeking, excessive reassurance-seeking, co-rumination, and co-dampening. Additionally, positive interpretation bias was indirectly related to both depression and social anxiety symptoms through its negative association with rejection sensitivity.

Conclusions

By elucidating these pathways linking interpretation processes to depression and social anxiety via socio-affective functioning, this study provides a foundation for future empirical research and the development of more comprehensive cognitive-interpersonal theories of depression and social anxiety.
A randomized clinical study to evaluate the possible antifibrotic effect of zinc sulfate in chronic HCV patient receiving direct-acting anti-viral therapy
Authors: El-Haggar Sahar M. , Attalla Dina S. , Elhelbawy Mostafa , El-Afify Dalia R.
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study aimed to assess the potential antifibrotic impact of zinc sulfate in chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) patients receiving direct-acting antiviral therapy.

Methods

This randomized controlled study included 50 chronic HCV-infected patients with fibrosis stage (F1 & F2). Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: Group 1 (Control group, n = 25) received standard direct-acting antiviral therapy for 3 months, while Group 2 (Zinc group, n = 25) received 50 mg/day of zinc sulfate in addition to the standard direct-acting antiviral therapy for the same duration. Baseline and 3-month post-intervention assessments included evaluating serum levels of hyaluronic acid, transforming growth factor beta-1, and fibronectin. Furthermore, indices of liver fibrosis, such as the Fibrosis Index based on the 4 factors (FIB-4) and the Aspartate Transaminase-to-Platelet-Ratio Index (APRI), were calculated during these assessments.

Results

At baseline, the two studied groups had no statistical difference in demographic and laboratory data. After treatment, serum zinc levels significantly increased in the zinc-treated group compared to the control group. Additionally, serum fibronectin and hyaluronic acid levels were significantly reduced in group 2 (zinc group) compared to group 1 (control group). Moreover, zinc group showed lower APRI scores than the control group after a 3-month follow-up period, but there was non-significant difference in FIB-4 scores between the two groups after treatment. Furthermore, total bilirubin levels were reduced after zinc therapy for 3 months.

Conclusions

Administering zinc sulfate could potentially serve as a safe and efficient therapeutic strategy for the management of hepatic fibrosis in individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05465434, On 19/7/2022.
Association of serum vitamin D level and live birth rate in women undergoing frozen embryo transfer—a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Ko Jennifer K.Y. , Lam Mei Ting , Lam Kevin K.W. , Chan Tat On , Li Raymond H.W. , Ng Ernest H.Y.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To assess the association of serum vitamin D level and the live birth rate in women undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET).

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study involving 1489 infertile women who had frozen embryo transfer at two tertiary reproductive medicine centres from 2019 to 2021. Only the first frozen embryo transfer was included for women who had repeated transfers during the period. Archived serum samples taken at LH surge or before the start of progestogens for FET were analysed for 25(OH)D levels using mass spectrometry. The main outcome measure was the live birth rate. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l (< 20 ng/ml) based on the Endocrine Society Clinical Practice guidelines.

Results

The median age was 36 (25th–75th percentile 34–38) years. 37.7% (561/1489) women had cleavage stage embryo transfer and 62.3% (928/1489) women had blastocyst transfer. When analysing the results based on the threshold in the Endocrine Society guideline of 50 nmol/l (20 ng/ml) for vitamin D deficiency, there were no statistically significant differences in the live birth rate in the vitamin D deficient and non-deficient groups [151/489 (30.9%) vs 341/998 (34.2%), OR 0.861, 95% CI 0.683–1.086 P = 0.205]. There were no statistically significant differences in the pregnancy rates, ongoing pregnancy rates, and miscarriage rates between the two groups.

Conclusion

Serum vitamin D is not associated with birth rate in women undergoing FET.