bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aesthetic Surgery Tourism: An Opportunity or a Danger?
Authors: Budini Valentina , Zanettin Chiara , Brambullo Tito , Bassetto Franco , Vindigni Vincenzo
Published: June 2024

Background

Medical and surgical tourism is a rapidly growing phenomenon in post-pandemic Europe. The exodus of patients abroad to perform surgery, especially cosmetic treatments, is spreading recently in industrialized countries. In the social media era, the ease of access to advertising about surgical procedures and their costs favors traveling. However, the information given is not always punctual, and there is often a lack of patient awareness about the risks related to the procedures.

Methods

The objective of the manuscript is to investigate, through clinical examples, the path that a patient operated on in a non-European country must face once he returns home. From the availability and translation of clinical documentation to the problems encountered in revision surgeries.

Results

Thirteen cases of surgical tourism, patients who presented to our department with surgical complications, are investigated. Adverse events occurring during medical treatment abroad raised medico-legal and appropriateness issues, as well as concerns regarding the follow-up of patients.

Conclusions

The current literature confirmed the high complication rate: It affects individual patients and the native country's healthcare systems. Therefore, patients must learn more about the dangers of traveling abroad for surgery. Education initiatives in the patient's home country might help achieve this.

Level of Evidence IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
Coral reef potential connectivity in the southwest Indian Ocean
Authors: Vogt-Vincent Noam S. , Burt April J. , van der Ven Rosa M. , Johnson Helen L.
Published: June 2024

The tropical southwest Indian Ocean is a coral biodiversity hotspot, with remote reefs physically connected by larval dispersal through eddies and a complex set of equatorial and boundary currents. Based on multidecadal, 2 km resolution hydrodynamic and larval dispersal models that incorporate temporal variability in dispersal, we find that powerful zonal currents, current bifurcations, and geographic isolation act as leaky dispersal barriers, partitioning the southwest Indian Ocean into clusters of reefs that tend to consistently retain larvae, and therefore gene flow, over many generations. Whilst exceptionally remote, the Chagos Archipelago can broadcast (and receive) considerable numbers of larvae to (and from) reefs across the wider southwest Indian Ocean, most significantly exchanging larvae with the Inner Islands of Seychelles, but also the Mozambique Channel region. Considering multi-generational dispersal indicates that most coral populations in the southwest Indian Ocean are physically connected within a few hundred steps of dispersal. These results suggest that regional biogeography and population structure can be largely attributed to geologically recent patterns of larval dispersal, although some notable discrepancies indicate that palaeogeography and environmental suitability also play an important role. The model output and connectivity matrices are available in full and will provide useful physical context to regional biogeography and connectivity studies, as well as supporting marine spatial planning efforts.
Preservation of orbit in tumor invasion through the periorbita in sinonasal malignancy
Authors: Novak Stepan , Balatkova Zuzana , Fikova Alzbeta , Grega Marek , Kalfert David , Plzak Jan
Published: June 2024

Objective

One of the possible risks of sinonasal malignancy is its possible spread in the orbit. However, there is no clear consensus among the different departments as to whether it is necessary to exenterate the orbit in limited tumorous infiltration of periorbital fat. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate that periorbital infiltration and periorbital fat invasion without involvement of deeper orbital tissues are not the indication of orbital exenteration.

Materials and methods

Retrospective analysis was performed over a 17-year period of patients undergoing surgical treatment for sinonasal malignancy with histologically verified periorbital infiltration or deeper invasion into the orbit. A total of 32 patients were included in the study. For each group, the following data were analysed: sex, age, preoperative imaging studies, histological findings, site of origin, stage, surgical reconstruction, oncological treatment, survival, cause of death, number of recurrences in the orbit and functional status of preserved eyes.

Results

Based on our criteria for orbital exenteration, orbital preservation was feasible in 18 patients. Orbital exenteration was performed in 14 patients with deeper tumor infiltration. There was a statistically insignificant difference in survival between the two groups. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 44% for the orbital preservation group (only 2 patients died from local tumor recurrence) and 34% for the orbital exenteration group. The groups did not differ in other observed factors other than the extent of orbital infiltration. In 11 (61.1%) patients, vision was without significant change after radiation therapy. In 2 (11.1%) patients, visual function was impaired due to diplopia. 5 (27.8%) patients had severely impaired vision due to optic nerve atrophy after radiation therapy.

Conclusions

Our results show a relatively high survival rate in the group of patients with orbital preservation with a high chance of vision preservation, which justifies our approach to orbital preservation even in some tumors with periorbital infiltration.
Buprenorphine deaths confirmed by toxicology reveal a low proportion of opioid agonist treatment before death in Finland
Authors: Mariottini Claudia , Häkkinen Margareeta , Kriikku Pirkko , Ojanperä Ilkka
Published: June 2024

We studied opioid agonist treatment (OAT) status before buprenorphine-related death in Finland, where buprenorphine is the principal OAT medicine and also the most misused opioid, through a retrospective population-based study using medico-legal cause-of-death investigation and OAT patient records. The study included all death cases (N = 570) between 2018 and 2020 with a buprenorphine or norbuprenorphine finding in post-mortem toxicology and with known drug misuse history or concomitant findings of illicit drugs. Of the deceased, 10% had received OAT in the year before death. Less than 1% of individuals < 25 years had received OAT, whereas the proportion in individuals ≥ 25 years was 13% (p < 0.001). There were significantly more females and more fatal poisonings (p < 0.001) among those < 25 years than among those ≥ 25 years. OAT medication at the time of death was sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone in 74% and subcutaneous buprenorphine in 23%. Except for significantly fewer benzodiazepine findings among those receiving OAT, minimal differences were found in terms of age, gender, cause and manner of death, or concomitant substance use between the deceased in and outside of OAT. Concomitant misuse of benzodiazepines, psychostimulants, alcohol, and gabapentinoids was frequent both in and outside of OAT and likely contributed to the death. These results suggest that access to OAT especially for young people and treatment of multiple addictions should be improved. Comprehensive information from medico-legal cause-of-death investigation as a starting point, combined with subsequent ante-mortem patient records, proved to be a successful approach to shed light on the Finnish scene of buprenorphine mortality.
Attention-guided LiDAR segmentation and odometry using image-to-point cloud saliency transfer
Authors: Ding Guanqun , İmamoğlu Nevrez , Caglayan Ali , Murakawa Masahiro , Nakamura Ryosuke
Published: June 2024

LiDAR odometry estimation and 3D semantic segmentation are crucial for autonomous driving, which has achieved remarkable advances recently. However, these tasks are challenging due to the imbalance of points in different semantic categories for 3D semantic segmentation and the influence of dynamic objects for LiDAR odometry estimation, which increases the importance of using representative/salient landmarks as reference points for robust feature learning. To address these challenges, we propose a saliency-guided approach that leverages attention information to improve the performance of LiDAR odometry estimation and semantic segmentation models. Unlike in the image domain, only a few studies have addressed point cloud saliency information due to the lack of annotated training data. To alleviate this, we first present a universal framework to transfer saliency distribution knowledge from color images to point clouds, and use this to construct a pseudo-saliency dataset (i.e. FordSaliency) for point clouds. Then, we adopt point cloud based backbones to learn saliency distribution from pseudo-saliency labels, which is followed by our proposed SalLiDAR module. SalLiDAR is a saliency-guided 3D semantic segmentation model that integrates saliency information to improve segmentation performance. Finally, we introduce SalLONet, a self-supervised saliency-guided LiDAR odometry network that uses the semantic and saliency predictions of SalLiDAR to achieve better odometry estimation. Our extensive experiments on benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed SalLiDAR and SalLONet models achieve state-of-the-art performance against existing methods, highlighting the effectiveness of image-to-LiDAR saliency knowledge transfer. Source code will be available at https://github.com/nevrez/SalLONet
Distinctive sleep complaints and polysomnographic findings in antibody subgroups of autoimmune limbic encephalitis
Authors: Küçükali Cem İsmail , Yılmaz Vuslat , Karadeniz Derya , Akyıldız Utku Oğan , İlhan Algın Demet , Sarıtaş Ayşegül Şeyma , Kısabay Ak Ayşın , Bican Demir Aylin , Yılmaz Hikmet , Domaç Füsun Mayda , Elmalı Ayşe Deniz , Hoş Ülkü Dübüş , Gözübatık-Çelik R. Gökçen , Kabeloğlu Vasfiye , Bilgin Bengisu , Tuncel Berktaş Deniz , Türk Bengi Gül , Delil Şakir , Dilber Cengiz , Terzioğlu Öztürk Sedef , Yeni S. Naz , Özkara Çiğdem , Aksu Murat , Tüzün Erdem , Benbir Şenel Gülçin
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Sleep disturbances are being increasingly recognized in association with autoimmune encephalitis (AIE). We investigated the prevalence of sleep-related symptoms and polysomnographic features of patients with AIE and the long-term outcomes in these patients in a multi-center, prospective study from Turkey.

Methods

We prospectively evaluated patients with definite AIE in a common database including demographics, AIE-related and sleep-related symptomatology. Maximum and latest modified Rankin scores (mRS) and Liverpool Outcome Score (LOS) were noted.

Results

Of 142 patients, 87 patients (61.3%) fulfilled the criteria for definite AIE (mean age, 46.8+18.8 years; 51.7% women; mean disease duration, 21.0+38.4 months). 78.9% of patients had at least one or more new onset or worsened sleep-related symptomatology: insomnia (55.3%), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS, 28.0%), sleep apnea (18.7%), REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD, 17.3%), restless legs syndrome (10.7%) and oneiric stupor (9.3%). Sleep efficiency, N3 and REM sleep were decreased and N1 sleep was increased in patients with Ab[+] AIE. LOS points were highest in those with insomnia and sleep apnea, and lowest in those with EDS, RBD and oneiric stupor. RBD and sleep apnea were more common in anti-LG1 Ab[+] group than anti-NMDAR Ab[+] group. Index of periodic leg movements was highest in anti-LG1 Ab[+] group. Patients with EDS and oneiric stupor had more common memory problems. Maximum and latest mRS scores were positively correlated with EDS and oneiric stupor. EDS, RBD and oneiric stupor were negatively correlated with LOS points.

Conclusion

Our study emphasizes the presence and importance of early diagnosis of sleep disturbances in AIE in regard to their deteriorative influences on disease prognosis.
Unlocking the potential: laser surface modifications for titanium dental implants
Authors: Kolarovszki Bela , Ficsor Szabolcs , Frank Dorottya , Katona Krisztian , Soos Balazs , Turzo Kinga
Published: June 2024

The review critically evaluates the current state of studies investigating laser irradiation for modifying titanium surfaces to enhance the biointegration of dental implants. Laser modification is a rapidly evolving physicochemical surface modification process with the potential to revolutionize dental implant technology. A thorough search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, MEDLINE, and Web of Knowledge, was conducted to identify relevant articles. The review focuses on the surface features of laser-modified implants, encompassing in vitro cell culture experiments, rare animal experiments, and limited clinical trials. Of the 26 selected sources, 21 describe surface features, while only two involve in vivo human experiments. The review highlights the lack of long-term clinical experience and calls for further research to mature these technologies. Despite the absence of a consensus on optimal laser types and settings, the overall results are promising, with few negative outcomes. As research in laser irradiation of titanium surfaces progresses, significant advancements in dental implant technology and improved patient well-being are anticipated.
Association between hospital palliative care team intervention volume and patient outcomes
Authors: Abe Hiroaki , Sumitani Masahiko , Matsui Hiroki , Inoue Reo , Fushimi Kiyohide , Uchida Kanji , Yasunaga Hideo
Published: June 2024

Background

The benefits of palliative care in patients with advanced cancer are well established. However, the effect of the skills of the palliative care team (PCT) on patient outcomes remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the association between hospital PCT intervention volume and patient outcomes in patients with cancer.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a nationwide inpatient database in Japan. Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy and PCT intervention from 2015 to 2020 were included. The outcomes were incidence of hyperactive delirium within 30 days of admission, mortality within 30 days of admission, and decline in activities of daily living (ADL) at discharge. The exposure of interest was hospital PCT intervention volume (annual number of new PCT interventions in a hospital), which was categorized into low-, intermediate-, and high-volume groups according to tertiles. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic-spline regression were conducted.

Results

Of 29,076 patients, 1495 (5.1%), 562 (1.9%), and 3026 (10.4%) developed delirium, mortality, and decline in ADL, respectively. Compared with the low hospital PCT intervention volume group (1–103 cases/year, n = 9712), the intermediate (104–195, n = 9664) and high (196–679, n = 9700) volume groups showed significant association with lower odds ratios of 30-day delirium (odds ratio, 0.79 [95% confidence interval, 0.69–0.91] and 0.80 [0.69–0.93], respectively), 30-day mortality (0.73 [0.60–0.90] and 0.59 [0.46–0.75], respectively), and decline in ADL (0.77 [0.70–0.84] and 0.52 [0.47–0.58], respectively).

Conclusion

Hospital PCT intervention volume is inversely associated with the odds ratios of delirium, mortality, and decline in ADL among hospitalized patients with cancer.
Assessment of apical extrusion in regenerative endodontics: a comparative study of different irrigation methods using three-dimensional immature tooth models
Authors: Abat Vahide Hazal , Bayrak Gökçen Deniz , Gündoğar Mustafa
Published: June 2024

To investigate the apical extrusion of sodium hypochlorite in immature permanent teeth caused by conventional syringe irrigation (CSI), EDDY, XP-endo Finisher file (XP-F), and a new laser irrigation activation system [shock-wave-enhanced-emission-photo-acoustic-streaming (SWEEPS)]. Three-dimensionally printed forty-nine teeth with immature central incisor morphology were randomly assigned to seven experimental groups, based on the irrigation activation methods and insertion depths (1 mm and 2 mm short of the working length) as follows: CSI-1, CSI-2, EDDY-1, EDDY-2, XP-1, XP-2, and SWEEPS. Prior to the irrigation activation process, samples were placed in metacresol mixed agar gel in Eppendorf tubes. To evaluate NaOCI extrusion into the gel, each sample was digitally photographed, and the area of apical extrusion was analyzed using ImageJ software. To examine potential significant differences between the continuous variables, the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test, were applied (P = .05). The SWEEPS resulted in a greater amount of apical extrusion compared to the CSI method, regardless of the insertion depth (P < 0.001). The SWEEPS resulted in greater apical extrusion scores compared to EDDY-2 (P < 0.001). The EDDY-1 resulted in greater amount of apical extrusion scores compared to EDDY-2 (P < 0.001). This study, the first to show the effect of the novel SWEEPS technology on NaOCI extrusion, found that irrigation activation can cause different levels of apical extrusion depending on the method and distance from the working length. It is crucial to consider the potential occurrence of apical extrusion when applying activation methods to immature teeth.
Stochastic modeling of stationary scalar Gaussian processes in continuous time from autocorrelation data
Authors: Hanke Martin
Published: June 2024

We consider the problem of constructing a vector-valued linear Markov process in continuous time, such that its first coordinate is in good agreement with given samples of the scalar autocorrelation function of an otherwise unknown stationary Gaussian process. This problem has intimate connections to the computation of a passive reduced model of a deterministic time-invariant linear system from given output data in the time domain. We construct the stochastic model in two steps. First, we employ the AAA algorithm to determine a rational function which interpolates the z-transform of the discrete data on the unit circle and use this function to assign the poles of the transfer function of the reduced model. Second, we choose the associated residues as the minimizers of a linear inequality constrained least squares problem which ensures the positivity of the transfer function’s real part for large frequencies. We apply this method to compute extended Markov models for stochastic processes obtained from generalized Langevin dynamics in statistical physics. Numerical examples demonstrate that the algorithm succeeds in determining passive reduced models and that the associated Markov processes provide an excellent match of the given data.
Which birds have the most to lose? an analysis of bird species’ feeding habitat in changing Australian landscapes
Authors: Campbell Carly E. , Jones Darryl N. , Awasthy Monica , Castley J. Guy , Chauvenet Alienor L.M.
Published: June 2024

Australia has lost vast areas of its natural vegetation through agriculture and urbanization, resulting in the area of suitable habitat for many Australian bird species being greatly diminished. Given the geographical and ecological biases in anthropogenic land use, the impact of habitat loss now and into the future may be disproportionately high for some species, threatening their long-term persistence. Such changes are occurring rapidly, and habitat loss needs to be monitored dynamically to prevent extinction. To monitor changes in available unmodified species habitat, we use species’ area of feeding habitat (AFH), which represents the area of habitat within a species’ range with vegetation matching their feeding requirements. We analysed the past, current and future threats of habitat modification for 467 Australian bird species by calculating AFH across three time periods: pre-colonization, current (2020), and a projected future scenario (2100). These values were used to identify species subject to substantial habitat loss due to urbanization and agriculture and delineate predictors of such losses. Most species had experienced habitat loss since colonization (n = 442, 95%), and species that had already experienced considerable habitat loss were more likely to lose habitat into the future. Species with particular habitat associations (e.g., Mallee), were also more prone to greater proportions of habitat lost. The results highlight the utility of AFH and emphasize the importance of protecting what habitat remains for the species with highly depleted geographic ranges, noting that those that have experienced the most loss of unmodified habitat are the most likely to lose more unmodified habitat under future conditions.
Identifying research priorities for improving information and support for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery: a UK patient-centred priority setting project
Authors: Johnston Emma , Cowan Katherine , MacKenzie Mairead , Patton Sonia , Turner Lesley , Fairbrother Patricia , McIntosh Stuart A. , Potter Shelley
Published: June 2024

Purpose

To use robust consensus methods with individuals with lived breast cancer experience to agree the top 10 research priorities to improve information and support for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery in the UK.

Methods

Research uncertainties related to information and support for breast cancer surgery submitted by patients and carers were analysed thematically to generate summary questions for inclusion in an online Delphi survey. Individuals with lived breast cancer experience completed two Delphi rounds including feedback in which they selected their top 10 research priorities from the list provided. The most highly ranked priorities from the survey were discussed at an in-person prioritisation workshop at which the final top 10 was agreed.

Results

The 543 uncertainties submitted by 156 patients/carers were categorised into 63 summary questions for inclusion in the Delphi survey. Of the 237 individuals completing Round 1, 190 (80.2%) participated in Round 2. The top 25 survey questions were carried forward for discussion at the in-person prioritisation workshop at which 17 participants from across the UK agreed the final top 10 research priorities. Key themes included ensuring patients were fully informed about all treatment options and given balanced, tailored information to support informed decision-making and empower their recovery. Equity of access to treatments including contralateral mastectomy for symmetry was also considered a research priority.

Conclusion

This process has identified the top 10 research priorities to improve information and support for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Work is now needed to develop studies to address these important questions.
Major Problems in Clinical Psychological Science and How to Address them. Introducing a Multimodal Dynamical Network Approach
Authors: Westhoff Marlon , Berg Max , Reif Andreas , Rief Winfried , Hofmann Stefan G.
Published: June 2024

Background

Despite impressive dissemination programs of best-practice therapies, clinical psychology faces obstacles in developing more efficacious treatments for mental disorders. In contrast to other medical disciplines, psychotherapy has made only slow progress in improving treatment outcomes. Improvements in the classification of mental disorders could enhance the tailoring of treatments to improve effectiveness. We introduce a multimodal dynamical network approach, to address some of the challenges faced by clinical research. These challenges include the absence of a comprehensive meta-theory, comorbidity, substantial diagnostic heterogeneity, violations of ergodicity assumptions, and a limited understanding of causal processes.

Methods

Through the application of multimodal dynamical network analysis, we describe how to advance clinical research by addressing central problems in the field. By utilizing dynamic network analysis techniques (e.g., Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation, multivariate Granger causality), multimodal measurements (i.e., psychological, psychopathological, and neurobiological data), intensive longitudinal data collection (e.g., Ecological Momentary Assessment), and causal inference methods (e.g., GIMME), our approach could improve the comprehension and treatment of mental disorders. Under the umbrella of the systems approach and utilizing e.g., graph theory and control theory, we aim to integrate data from longitudinal, multimodal measurements.

Results

The multimodal dynamical network approach enables a comprehensive understanding of mental disorders as dynamic networks of interconnected symptoms. It dismantles artificial diagnostic boundaries, facilitating a transdiagnostic view of psychopathology. The integration of longitudinal data and causal inference techniques enhances our ability to identify influential nodes, prioritize interventions, and predict the impact of therapeutic strategies.

Conclusion

The proposed approach could improve psychological treatment by providing individualized models of psychopathology and by suggesting individual treatment angles.
Numerical simulations of shallow-water sloshing coupled to horizontal vessel motion in the presence of a time-dependent porous baffle
Authors: Turner M. R.
Published: June 2024

Shallow-water fluid sloshing in the Lagrangian Particle Path formulation, with the addition of an energy-extracting porous baffle, is simulated numerically using a symplectic numerical scheme which captures, in an essential way, the energy exchange. The fluid motion in a rectangular vessel is dynamically coupled to a surface-piercing porous baffle. The fluid transmission through the baffle is characterized by a nonlinear Darcy–Forchheimer model equation. The numerical scheme is symplectic, based on the implicit-midpoint rule, and thus is strategically designed to maintain the energy partition between the fluid and vessel throughout numerous time steps. Our results demonstrate the non-conservative nature of the system, with the porous baffle effectively dissipating energy from the overall system. Furthermore, we present findings that demonstrate the role of time-periodic variations in baffle porosity on energy dissipation. By manipulating the frequency and magnitude of this time-dependent variability, it is established that a greater amount of energy can be extracted from the system compared with the optimal fixed porosity baffle. These results shed new light on potential strategies for enhancing energy dissipation in such configurations.
Buckling phenomenon of vertical beam/column of variable density carrying a top mass
Authors: Turkyilmazoglu Mustafa
Published: June 2024

This study focuses on modeling ideal nonuniform standing beams and towers supporting a constant top mass. We also analyze their dynamical stability, as determining the design parameters influencing their shape and stability holds significant value for structural engineering. Initially, we employ a statical mechanics approach to balance the mechanical and gravitational forces. By solving an initial-value problem, we derive the cross-sectional areas of the columns. Our findings reveal that these areas, rather than the shapes, are the primary contributors to the engineering performance of the columns. Additionally, the top mass acts as a multiplying factor for the cross-sectional areas, and the density distribution along the column determines whether the top should be heavier or lighter. Furthermore, we demonstrate that exponential, parabolic, or linear cross-sections with significantly wider base profiles are crucial for accommodating heavier top loads. Moving on to the dynamical analysis, we consider two ideal tower configurations: FC and SC. Numerical and analytical results reveal that higher modes exhibit shorter amplitudes. FC modes necessitate higher design parameters to resist buckling phenomena, whereas SC modes show lower resistance to vibrational deflections. In terms of stability, a heavier top mass enhances the vertical beam’s stability, while towers with parabolic bases are more susceptible to instabilities.
Projectively induced Kähler cones over regular Sasakian manifolds
Authors: Marini Stefano , Tardini Nicoletta , Zedda Michela
Published: June 2024

Motivated by a conjecture in Loi et al. (Math Zeit 290:599–613, 2018) we prove that the Kähler cone over a regular complete Sasakian manifold is Ricci-flat and projectively induced if and only if it is flat. We also obtain that, up to $$\mathcal D_a$$

D
a

—homothetic transformations, Kähler cones over homogeneous compact Sasakian manifolds are projectively induced. As main tool we provide a relation between the Kähler potentials of the transverse Kähler metric and of the cone metric.
Zonular fibre Insertion-to-Limbus Distance (ZLD): normative data to assess lens position and diagnose ectopia lentis
Authors: Rohrberg Max , Lussac Vanessa , Salchow Daniel J.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Subluxation of the crystalline lens (Ectopia Lentis, EL) can lead to significant visual impairment and serves as a diagnostic criterion for genetic disorders such as the Marfan syndrome. There is no established criterion to diagnose and quantify EL. We prospectively investigated the distance between the zonular fibre insertion and the limbus (ZLD) in healthy subjects as a parameter to assess the position of the lens, quantify EL and provide normative data.

Methods

This prospective, observational, cross-sectional study includes one-hundred-fifty eyes of 150 healthy participants (mean age 28 years, range 4–68). Pupils were dilated with tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 2.5% eyedrops. ZLD was measured in mydriasis at the slit lamp as the distance between the most central visible insertions of the zonular fibres on the lens surface and the corneoscleral limbus. Vertical pupil diameter (PD) and refractive error were recorded. If zonular fibre insertions were not visible, the distance between limbus and the pupillary margin was recorded as ZLD.

Results

145 right and 5 left eyes were examined. 93% of study subjects were Caucasian, 7% were Asian. In eyes with visible zonular fibre insertions (n = 76 eyes), ZLD was 1.30 ± 0.28 mm (mean ± SD, range 0.7–2.1) and PD was 8.79 ± 0.57 mm (7.5–9.8). In the remaining 74 eyes, ZLD was 1.38 ± 0.28 mm (0.7–2.1), and PD was 8.13 ± 0.58 mm (6.7–9.4). For all eyes, ZLD was 1.34 ± 0.29 mm (0.7–2.1), and PD was 8.47 ± 0.66 mm (6.7–9.8). Refractive error and sex did not significantly affect ZLD. Smaller PD and older age were associated with larger ZLD (P < 0.001 and P = 0.036, respectively).

Conclusion

Average ZLD was 1.34 mm in eyes of healthy subjects. Older age correlated with larger ZLD. These normative data will aid in diagnosing and quantifying EL.
Evaluation of anterior segment parameters between pregnancy trimesters and postpartum with pentacam scheimflug ımaging: a prospective study
Authors: Erkan Pota Çisil , Çetinkaya Yaprak Aslı
Published: June 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on the anterior chamber, corneal parameter, and intraocular pressure measurements; and compare the results between trimesters, postpartum and non-pregnant healthy age-matched women.

Methods

This prospective study included 41 pregnant women and 53 non-pregnant women. Four measurements were taken from the pregnant women, in each trimester and postpartum third month, and once from the control group. Of the individuals included in the study, anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), K1 (flat keratometry), K2 (steep keratometry), Kmean (mean value of K1 and K2), anterior chamber angle (ACA), central corneal thickness (CCT), thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), astigmatism value (AST), corneal volume (CV), biometry, axial length (AL), spherical equivalent (SFEQ), intraocular lens power (ILP), VA (visual acuity) datas were recorded.

Results

We observed a statistically significant decrease in K2, CCT, ACD, AL and CV in the postpartum period (p = 0.025, p < 0.001, p = 0.029, p = 0.005, p = 0.004 respectively) and a statistically significant increase in ACV, CCT, and TCT as the gestational week progressed in the pregnant group (p = 0.007, p < 0.001, p = 0.025, respectively). A statistically significant decrease in IOP towards to the third trimester, and an increase in the postpartum period was observed (p < 0.001). We did not observe statistically significant changes in K1, Kmean, AST, ACA, VA, ILP, and SFEQ values.

Conclusion

It is important to investigate the physiological changes that may occur during pregnancy, distinguish them from pathological changes, and avoid unnecessary treatment. We consider that it’s also important to guide the timing of anterior segment surgeries such as cataract and refractive surgery and to prescribe glasses/contact lenses.
Modelling forest fire dynamics using conditional variational autoencoders
Authors: Ribeiro Tiago Filipe Rodrigues , Silva Fernando José Mateus da , Costa Rogério Luís de Carvalho
Published: June 2024

Forest fires have far-reaching consequences, threatening human life, economic stability, and the environment. Understanding the dynamics of forest fires is crucial, especially in high-incidence regions. In this work, we apply deep networks to simulate the spatiotemporal progression of the area burnt in a forest fire. We tackle the region interpolation problem challenge by using a Conditional Variational Autoencoder (CVAE) model and generate in-between representations on the evolution of the burnt area. We also apply a CVAE model to forecast the progression of fire propagation, estimating the burnt area at distinct horizons and propagation stages. We evaluate our approach against other established techniques using real-world data. The results demonstrate that our method is competitive in geometric similarity metrics and exhibits superior temporal consistency for in-between representation generation. In the context of burnt area forecasting, our approach achieves scores of 90% for similarity and 99% for temporal consistency. These findings suggest that CVAE models may be a viable alternative for modeling the spatiotemporal evolution of 2D moving regions of forest fire evolution.
Modelling and comparing the use of IVF and ICSI in Australia
Authors: Mazi Maria , James Georgina , Temple-Smith Peter , Mol Ben W. J.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study estimates the need of IVF/ICSI in Australia as compared to its actual uptake.

Methods

We created a model estimating for the annual demand for IVF/ICSI in a hypothetical infertile population, using demographic data from medical literature and Australian government databases. For each category of infertility (tubal, severe male, endometriosis, anovulation and unexplained), our estimated need for IVF/ICSI was compared to the actual IVF/ICSI uptake (ANZARD 2019). The model consisted of three categories depending on couples’ cause of infertility, i.e. couples with absolute indications for IVF/ICSI (couples with severe male factor infertility and tubal obstruction); couples with anovulatory infertility (couples with ovulation disorders) and couples with ovulatory infertility (couples suffering from unexplained infertility and endometriosis). The model was applied to each of these categories to determine the number of couples that would require IVF/ICSI treatment after failing to conceive naturally or after following alternative treatment plans. The main outcomes of this study were the estimate of IVF/ICSI cycles and the difference between the estimate and the reported number of IVF/ICSI cycles (2019 ANZARD report).

Results

We estimated that approximately 35,300 couples required IVF/ICSI treatment in Australia in 2019, while in 2019 according to ANZARD, 46,000 couples underwent IVF/ICSI. A higher uptake of IVF/ICSI cycles than expected was specifically reported in couples with unexplained infertility, ovulation disorders and endometriosis, while for tubal and severe male infertility uptake seemed adequate.

Conclusion

In Australia, there seems to be overservicing of IVF/ICSI, specifically for unexplained, ovulatory and endometriosis-related infertility.
Minute ventilation sensor–driven rate response as a part of cardiac resynchronization therapy optimization in older patients
Authors: Karvonen Jarkko , Lehto Sanni , Lenz Corinna , Beaudoint Caroline , Oyeniran Sola , Kayser Torsten , Vikman Saila , Pakarinen Sami
Published: June 2024

Background

Chronotropic incompetence (CI) is common among elderly cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (CRT-P) patients on optimal medical therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of optimized rate-adaptive pacing utilizing the minute ventilation (MV) sensor on exercise tolerance.

Methods

In a prospective, multicenter study, older patients (median age 76 years) with a guideline-based indication for CRT were evaluated following CRT-P implantation. If there was no documented CI, requiring clinically rate-responsive pacing, the device was programmed DDD at pre-discharge. At 1 month, a 6-min walk test (6MWT) was conducted. If the maximum heart rate was < 100 bpm or < 80% of the age-predicted maximum, the response was considered CI. Patients with CI were programmed with DDDR. At 3 months post-implant, the 6MWT was repeated in the correct respective programming mode. In addition, heart rate score (HRSc, defined as the percentage of all sensed and paced atrial events in the single tallest 10 bpm histogram bin) was assessed at 1 and 3 months.

Results

CI was identified in 46/61 (75%) of patients without prior indication at enrollment. MV sensor–based DDDR mode increased heart rate in CI patients similarly to non-CI patients with intrinsically driven heart rates during 6MWT. Walking distance increased substantially with DDDR (349 ± 132 m vs. 376 ± 128 m at 1 and 3 months, respectively, p < 0.05). Furthermore, DDDR reduced HRSc by 14% (absolute reduction, p < 0.001) in those with more severe CI, i.e., HRSc ≥ 70%.

Conclusion

Exercise tolerance in older CRT-P patients can be further improved by the utilization of an MV sensor.

Graphical Abstract
The study of the dependence of dielectric properties, electric modulus, and ac conductivity on the frequency and voltage in the Au/(CdTe:PVA)/n-Si (MPS) structures
Authors: Güçlü Ç. Ş. , Altındal Ş. , Ulusoy M. , Tezcan A. Eroğlu
Published: June 2024

The dielectric properties, electric modulus, loss tangent (tanδ), and ac conductivity of the fabricated Au/(CdTe:PVA)/n-Si (MPS) structures were investigated in wide-range frequency. By using the capacitance/conductance–voltage–frequency (C/G-V-f) measurements, the real/imaginary components of complex dielectric constant (εʹ, εʺ)/electrical modulus ($$M{\prime}$$

M
′

, $$M{\prime}{\prime}$$

M
′
′

), loss tangent (tanδ), and σac were calculated in wide-range frequency (2 kHz–0.7 MHZ) and voltage (± 2.5 V), and all results show that these parameters are a strong function of voltage and frequency. The observed decreases of εʹ and εʺ with increasing frequency were attributed to the existence of Nss, interlayer, and dipole polarizations. The value of εʹ was calculated as 128.38 (at 2 kHz and 2.5 V), which is quite higher than the maximum value of traditional SiO2. ln(σac)–ln(f) plot for 0.7 V shows three linear parts, indicating three different conduction mechanisms at low, intermediate, and high frequencies. These results show that the fabricated MPS structures can be successfully used instead of traditional metal–insulator–semiconductor as ultra-capacitors, which can use more electronic charges or energy.
Purpose in Life and Associated Cognitive and Affective Mechanisms
Authors: Fang Louis , Allan Alfred , Dickson Joanne M.
Published: June 2024

Purpose in life is a well-established contributor to positive well-being. However, for a more comprehensive understanding of purpose in life, further exploration is needed about the processes implicated in purpose from a cognitive and affective perspective. This scoping review aims to identify the cognitive and/or affective mechanisms (CAMs) correlating with purpose in life and to examine these relationships based on relevant existing literature. Using search terms related to CAMs and purpose in life, we conducted a comprehensive search across five databases (Web of Science, Medline, Pubmed, Scopus, and psycinfo) to identify those examining the relationship between these constructs. Ninety-nine manuscripts were selected for inclusion. Within these studies, 33 CAMs showed predominantly positive and significant associations with purpose in life. Our findings highlighted the cams empirically and theoretically implicated in purpose development, maintenance, and its association to positive wellbeing. We identified several gaps in current research including issues related to suboptimal measurement of purpose in life, and a lack of longitudinal and intervention studies. Overall, this study represents a foundational step in advancing an understanding CAMs implicated in purpose in life. This scoping review usefully informs the development and validation of future purpose in life measures, and the design of interventions aimed at enhancing purpose in life and wellbeing.
Rat Models of Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Nicotra Raquel , Lutz Catrin , Messal Hendrik A. , Jonkers Jos
Published: June 2024

Hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of breast cancer among women worldwide, accounting for 70–80% of all invasive cases. Patients with HR+ BC are commonly treated with endocrine therapy, but intrinsic or acquired resistance is a frequent problem, making HR+ BC a focal point of intense research. Despite this, the malignancy still lacks adequate in vitro and in vivo models for the study of its initiation and progression as well as response and resistance to endocrine therapy. No mouse models that fully mimic the human disease are available, however rat mammary tumor models pose a promising alternative to overcome this limitation. Compared to mice, rats are more similar to humans in terms of mammary gland architecture, ductal origin of neoplastic lesions and hormone dependency status. Moreover, rats can develop spontaneous or induced mammary tumors that resemble human HR+ BC. To date, six different types of rat models of HR+ BC have been established. These include the spontaneous, carcinogen-induced, transplantation, hormone-induced, radiation-induced and genetically engineered rat mammary tumor models. Each model has distinct advantages, disadvantages and utility for studying HR+ BC. This review provides a comprehensive overview of all published models to date.
Stabilizing Discontinuous Galerkin Methods Using Dafermos’ Entropy Rate Criterion: II—Systems of Conservation Laws and Entropy Inequality Predictors
Authors: Klein Simon-Christian
Published: June 2024

A novel approach for the stabilization of the Discontinuous Galerkin method based on the Dafermos entropy rate crition is presented. First, estimates for the maximal possible entropy dissipation rate of a weak solution are derived. Second, families of conservative Hilbert–Schmidt operators are identified to dissipate entropy. Steering these operators using the bounds on the entropy dissipation results in high-order accurate shock-capturing DG schemes for the one-dimensional Euler equations, satisfying the entropy rate criterion and an entropy inequality. Other testcases include the one-dimensional Buckley–Leverett equation.
A Paradox of School Social Organization: Positive School Climate, Friendship Network Density, and Adolescent Violence
Authors: Pinchak Nicolo P.
Published: June 2024

Schools are often encouraged to foster a positive climate to reduce adolescent violence, but evidence on the effectiveness of this approach varies significantly. This study investigates the roots of this variation by testing alternative hypotheses about how positive school-level climate and school-level student friendship network density interact to shape adolescent violence perpetration. Research on informal social control and network closure suggests that the violence-reducing association of positive school climate will be enhanced among schools where students are more densely tied through their friendships. Research on youth conflict and subversion of control suggests the opposite. These hypotheses are tested with data from Waves I-II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 11,771; 49% Female; Age mean = 15.04, SD = 1.60). Consistent with the conflict/subversion hypothesis, analyses indicate that the inverse association between positive school climate and adolescent violence is only evident among schools with a very low density of friendship ties. Strikingly, however, there is evidence that a more positive school climate is associated with increases in violence among youth attending schools with a high density of friendship ties. These findings suggest that efforts to reduce violence by fostering cohesion among youth in their schools and other social contexts can be undermined by youth network processes.
Human Autonomy at Risk? An Analysis of the Challenges from AI
Authors: Prunkl Carina
Published: June 2024

Autonomy is a core value that is deeply entrenched in the moral, legal, and political practices of many societies. The development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) have raised new questions about AI’s impacts on human autonomy. However, systematic assessments of these impacts are still rare and often held on a case-by-case basis. In this article, I provide a conceptual framework that both ties together seemingly disjoint issues about human autonomy, as well as highlights differences between them. In the first part, I distinguish between distinct concerns that are currently addressed under the umbrella term ‘human autonomy’. In particular, I show how differentiating between autonomy-as-authenticity and autonomy-as-agency helps us to pinpoint separate challenges from AI deployment. Some of these challenges are already well-known (e.g. online manipulation or limitation of freedom), whereas others have received much less attention (e.g. adaptive preference formation). In the second part, I address the different roles AI systems can assume in the context of autonomy. In particular, I differentiate between AI systems taking on agential roles and AI systems being used as tools. I conclude that while there is no ‘silver bullet’ to address concerns about human autonomy, considering its various dimensions can help us to systematically address the associated risks.
Corporate carbon footprint and market valuation of restructuring announcements
Authors: Adamolekun Gbenga , Kyiu Anthony
Published: June 2024

The call for greener and more sustainable corporate practices triggered a surge in corporate restructuring. In this study, we investigate the impact of carbon emissions on the market reaction to announcements of corporate restructuring activities. Using a sample of US firms, we find that investors discount the value of corporate restructuring announcements when firms have higher levels of carbon emissions. Our results indicate that emissions are negatively associated with cumulative abnormal returns (CAR), cumulative total returns (CTR), and buy and hold abnormal returns (BHAR) around announcements. This effect is more pronounced for firms with a lower risk of bankruptcy, those financially constrained, and those with lower growth opportunities. We also find that high emissions at announcements are negatively associated with post-restructuring financial and market performance. Overall, our results highlight the growing implications of firm-level carbon emissions for corporate market valuations, especially amongst firms undertaking restructuring.