bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti‐Impact Performance Enhancement of Two‐Way Spanning Slab through the Implementation of Steel Trussed Bars
Authors: Al-Dala’ien Rayeh Nasr , Anas S. M. , Kodrg Abdel-Fattah Jamal
Published: April 2024

Reinforced concrete (RC) slabs represent integral structural components extensively employed in architectural and infrastructural frameworks owing to their inherent robustness and longevity. In contemporary times, there has been a pronounced surge in endeavors aimed at comprehensively elucidating the anti‐impact properties inherent in RC slabs. This surge is propelled by a compelling necessity to fortify these structures against the deleterious effects of low‐velocity impacts, thereby ensuring their steadfastness and resilience. Consider the thorough investigation into the anti‐impact characteristics of RC slabs, which has been rigorously pursued through both experimental and computational methodologies. A plethora of scholarly discourse on this topic is readily available, providing invaluable insights into the structural dynamics governing slabs subjected to low‐velocity impacts. However, there is a noticeable gap in research concerning the strengthening of slabs through shear reinforcement, particularly through economical, easily fabricated, and efficient systems such as fabricated trussed bars. The primary objective of this study is to explore the structural behavior of RC slabs fortified with custom‐designed trussed bars under the influence of low‐velocity impacts. To accomplish this, the Abaqus software platform is explicitly employed for analysis. The slab without any shear reinforcement is experimentally tested and serves as a reference model for numerical verification. Its anti‐impact performance is compared with numerical findings. Following validation, simulations are conducted for square slabs strengthened by fabricated trussed bars in orthogonal and diagonal layouts. The results demonstrate that employing fabricated truss bars shear reinforcement with a 3 mm diameter in orthogonal and diagonal layouts enhances the resistance of slabs to damage, resulting in a 28.41% and 47.06% decrease in damage, respectively. The utilization of engineered truss bars as shear reinforcement yields significant improvements in strength, rigidity, and ductility when compared to control samples lacking such reinforcement. This enhancement is particularly evident when the engineered truss bars are arranged in orthogonal and diagonal configurations.
Exploiting of Green Synthesized Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in the Potentiometric Determination of Metformin Hydrochloride in Pharmaceutical Products
Authors: Almutairi Shikhah , Alarfaj Nawal A. , Almutairi Adibah M. , El-Tohamy Maha F.
Published: April 2024

The advanced and highly functional properties of Al2O3 and NiO nanoparticles promote the widespread use of metal oxides as remarkable electroactive materials for sensing and electrochemical applications. The proposed study describes a comparison of the sensitivity and selectivity of two modified wire membrane sensors enriched with Al2O3 and NiO nanoparticles with conventional wire membranes for the quantification of the antidiabetic drug metformin hydrochloride (MTF). The results show linear relationships of the enriched Al2O3 and NiO nanosensors over the concentration ranges 1.0 × 10−10–1.0 × 10−2 mol L−1 and 1.0 × 10−6–1.0 × 10−2 M for both the modified sensors and the conventional coated wire membrane sensors. The regression equations were EmV = (52.1 ± 0.5) log (MTF) + 729 for enriched nanometallic oxides, EmV = (57.04 ± 0.4) log (MTF) + 890.66, and EmV = (58.27 ± 0.7) log (MTF) + 843.27 with correlation coefficients of 0.9991, 0.9997, and 0.9998 for the aforementioned sensors, respectively. The proposed method was fully validated with respect to the recommendations of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). The newly functionalized sensors have been successfully used for the determination of MTF in its commercial products.
Breaking Barriers in Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Plant-Mediated Metal/Metal Oxide/Bimetallic Nanoparticles: Antibacterial, Anticancer, Mechanism Elucidation, and Versatile Utilizations
Authors: Dubey Swati , Virmani Tarun , Yadav Shiv Kumar , Sharma Ashwani , Kumar Girish , Alhalmi Abdulsalam
Published: April 2024

Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field in pharmaceutical research, involving producing unique nanoscale materials with sizes up to 100 nm via physiochemical and biological approaches. Nowadays more emphasis has been given to eco-friendly techniques for developing nanomaterials to enhance their biological applications and minimize health and environmental risks. With the help of green nanotechnology, a wide range of green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles with distinct chemical compositions, sizes, and morphologies have been manufactured which are safe, economical, and environment friendly. Due to their biocompatibility and vast potential in biomedical (antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, analgesic, anticoagulant, biofilm inhibitory activity) and in other fields such as (nanofertilizers, fermentative, food, and bioethanol production, construction field), green metal nanoparticles have garnered significant interest worldwide. The metal precursors combined with natural extracts such as plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria to get potent novel metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles such as Ag, Au, Co, Cu, Fe, Zr, Zn, Ni, Pt, Mg, Ti, Pd, Cd, Bi2O3, CeO2, Co3O4, CoFe2O4, CuO, Fe2O3, MgO, NiO, TiO2, ZnO, ZrO2, Ag-Au, Ag-Cr, Ag-Cu, Ag-Zn, Ag-CeO2, Ag-CuO, Ag-SeO2, Ag-TiO2, Ag-ZnO, Cu-Ag, Cu-Mg, Cu-Ni, Pd-Pt, Pt-Ag, ZnO-CuO, ZnO-SeO, ZnO-Se, Se-Zr, and Co-Bi2O3. These plant-mediated green nanoparticles possess excellent antibacterial and anticancer activity when tested against several microorganisms and cancer cell lines. Plants contain essential phytoconstituents (polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, alkaloids, etc.) compared to other natural sources (bacteria, fungi, and algae) in higher concentration that play a vital role in the development of green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles because these plant-phytoconstituents act as a reducing, stabilizing, and capping agent and helps in the development of green nanoparticles. After concluding all these findings, this review has been designed for the first time in such a way that it imparts satisfactory knowledge about the antibacterial and anticancer activity of plant-mediated green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles together, along with antibacterial and anticancer mechanisms. Additionally, it provides information about characterization techniques (UV–vis, FT-IR, DLS, XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, AFM) employed for plant-mediated nanoparticles, biomedical applications, and their role in other industries. Hence, this review provides information about the antibacterial and anticancer activity of various types of plant-mediated green metal, metal oxide, and bimetallic nanoparticles and their versatile application in diverse fields which is not covered in other pieces of literature.
Supplementary Methods and Materials from Unveiling an Association between Waterpipe Smoking and Bladder Cancer Risk: A Multicenter Case–Control Study in Iran
Authors: Hadji Maryam , Rashidian Hamideh , Marzban Maryam , Rezaianzadeh Abbas , Ansari-Moghaddam Alireza , Bakhshi Mahdieh , Nejatizadeh Azim , Seyyedsalehi Monireh Sadat , Naghibzadeh-Tahami Ahmad , Haghdoost AliAkbar , Mohebbi Elham , Freedman Neal D. , Malekzadeh Reza , Etemadi Arash , Kamangar Farin , Weiderpass Elisabete , Pukkala Eero , Boffetta Paolo , Zendehdel Kazem
Published: April 2024

Tobacco questionnaire
Evaluation of Initial Enoxaparin Dosing and Antifactor Xa Levels in Infants Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Nagy Rosemarie , Hemmelgarn Trina , Deptola Stephen , Hemmann Brianna
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Infants are at risk for thrombotic conditions due to multiple risk factors such as congenital heart defects and sepsis. According to the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) 2012 guidelines, enoxaparin may be given for thrombotic conditions at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg/dose every 12 h for patients less than 2 months of age and 1 mg/kg/dose every 12 h for those older than 2 months. Several studies have reported that infants typically require a higher initial dose of enoxaparin to reach therapeutic antifactor Xa levels than what is currently recommended. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective case-control study of hospitalized infants less than 12 months of age who received treatment with enoxaparin while admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a freestanding children’s hospital. The primary objective was the difference between the initial enoxaparin dose (mg/kg) compared to the enoxaparin dose in which the patient first achieved a therapeutic antifactor Xa level of 0.5–1.0 units/mL. Results: A total of 56 infants were included in this study. The median enoxaparin dose at initiation was 1.5 mg/kg/dose, and the median enoxaparin dose at the first therapeutic antifactor Xa level was 1.9 mg/kg/dose (z = −12.7, p < 0.0001). There was no correlation between gestational age and weight with the enoxaparin dose required to reach a therapeutic antifactor Xa level. Conclusion: Infants admitted to the NICU, specifically those less than 4 months of age, require higher initial enoxaparin dosing to reach therapeutic antifactor Xa levels than what is currently recommended.
Uncoupling Protein 2 Alleviates Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Inhibiting Cardiomyocyte Ferroptosis
Authors: Zhou Peiting , Zhang Yaolei , Xu Kewei , Liu Yunchuan , Huang Jing , Yao Quanzhou , Chen Xin , Zhou Longfu
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Following our recent finding that Ucp2 knockout promotes ferroptosis, we aimed to examine whether UCP2 alleviates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) by inhibiting ferroptosis. Methods: The left anterior descending coronary arteries of wild-type and Ucp2−/− C57BL/6 mice were ligated for 30 min and reperfused for 2 h to establish an MI/RI model. The effects of UCP2 on ferroptosis and MI/RI were determined by echocardiography, 2,3,5-triphenylttrazolium chloride staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, Sirius red staining, and analysis of myocardial injury markers and ferroptosis indicators. Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) and erastin (Era) were used to investigate whether UCP2 alleviated MI/RI by inhibiting ferroptosis and the molecular mechanism. Results: UCP2 was upregulated in the MI/RI model in WT mice. Deletion of Ucp2 exacerbated ferroptosis, altered the expression levels of multiple ferroptosis-related genes, and significantly exacerbated MI/RI. Knockout of Ucp2 promoted ferroptosis induced by Era and inhibited the antiferroptotic effects of Fer-1. Knockout of Ucp2 activated the p53/TfR1 pathway to exacerbate ferroptosis. Conclusion: Our results showed that UCP2 inhibited ferroptosis in MI/RI, which might be related to regulation of the p53/TfR1 pathway.
Technical Advances in Endoscopic Resection Techniques for Lower GI Malignancies
Authors: Masgnaux Louis Jean , Grimaldi Jean , Jacques Jérémie , Rivory Jérôme , Pioche Mathieu
Published: April 2024

Background: The management of bulky neoplastic lesions in the digestive tract has historically been a surgical pursuit. With advancements in endoscopic techniques, particularly endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a paradigm shift toward organ preservation has been initiated. These endoscopic methods, developed incrementally since the 1980s, have progressively enabled curative management of lesions with minimal morbidity, challenging the previously unchallenged domain of surgery. Summary: This review traces the evolution of endoscopic resection from snare polypectomy and EMR to sophisticated ESD, highlighting the technological innovations that have expanded the scope of endoscopic resection. It discusses the intricacies of various EMR techniques like underwater EMR, anchoring EMR, and hybrid EMR, alongside traction-assisted methods and the use of viscous solutions for submucosal injection. Additionally, the manuscript delves into the advancements in ESD, emphasizing traction strategies, knife technology, and the optimization of endoscopes. The benefits of these advancements are weighed against the challenges in anatomopathological interpretation posed by piecemeal resections. Key Messages: The continuous amelioration of endoscopic resection techniques has significantly improved the outcomes of digestive tract lesion management, particularly in achieving R0 resections and reducing recurrence rates. These advancements represent a monumental step toward minimizing the invasiveness of lesion management. However, despite the progress, the necessity for early follow-up post-EMR remains due to the non-negligible recurrence rates, underscoring the need for a rigorous postoperative surveillance regimen. Furthermore, our review suggests that while ESD has transformed the therapeutic landscape, its widespread adoption hinges on further simplification, safety enhancement, and acceleration of the procedure, possibly through innovations like adaptive traction devices.
Closing the Gap: A Critical Examination of Adherence, Inconsistency, and Improvements in Colonoscopy Reporting Practices
Authors: Lux Thomas J. , Herold Katja , Kafetzis Ioannis , Sodmann Phillip , Sassmanshausen Zita , Meining Alexander , Hann Alexander
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Comprehensive and standardized colonoscopy reports are crucial in colorectal cancer prevention, monitoring, and research. This study investigates adherence to national and international guidelines by analyzing reporting practices among 21 endoscopists in 7 German centers, with a focus on polyp reporting. Methods: We identified and assessed German, European, American, and World Health Organization-provided statements to identify key elements in colonoscopy reporting. Board-certified gastroenterologists rated the relevance of each element and estimated their reporting frequency. Adherence to the identified report elements was evaluated for 874 polyps from 351 colonoscopy reports ranging from March 2021 to March 2022. Results: We identified numerous recommendations for colonoscopy reporting. We categorized the reasoning behind those recommendations into clinical relevance, justification, and quality control and research. Although all elements were considered relevant by the surveyed gastroenterologists, discrepancies were observed in the evaluated reports. Particularly diminutive polyps or attributes which are rarely abnormal (e.g., surface integrity) respectively rarely performed (e.g., injection) were sparsely documented. Furthermore, the white light morphology of polyps was inconsistently documented using either the Paris classification or free text. In summary, the analysis of 874 reported polyps revealed heterogeneous adherence to the recommendations, with reporting frequencies ranging from 3% to 89%. Conclusion: The inhomogeneous report practices may result from implicit reporting practices and recommendations with varying clinical relevance. Future recommendations should clearly differentiate between clinical relevance and research and quality control or explanatory purposes. Additionally, the role of computer-assisted documentation should be further evaluated to increase report frequencies of non-pathological findings and diminutive polyps.
Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Ependymoma Receiving Radiotherapy: A Single Institution Experience
Authors: Liu Tiffany Ting-Fong , Cheng Jason Chia-Hsien , Chen Yu-Hsuan , Hsu Feng-Ming , Lan Keng-Hsueh , Huang Chao-Yuan , Wang Chun-Wei , Kuo Sung-Hsin
Published: April 2024

Introduction: This study explored the failure pattern and clinical outcomes in patients with ependymoma undergoing radiotherapy. Methods: Between January 2004 and June 2022, we included 32 patients with ependymoma who underwent radiotherapy as part of the multimodality treatment at our institution. Of these, 27 (84.4%) underwent adjuvant radiotherapy, four received radiotherapy after local recurrence, and one received definitive CyberKnife radiotherapy (21 Gy in three fractions). The median prescribed dose was 54 Gy in patients who received conventional radiotherapy. We analyzed the local progression-free survival (LPFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and potential prognostic factors. Results: The median age was 29.8 years. Approximately 28.1% were pediatric patients. Fifteen tumors (46.9%) were World Health Organization (WHO) grade II, 10 (31.3%) were WHO grade III, and seven (22.8%) were WHO grade I. Among them, 15 patients (46.9%) had posterior fossa tumors, 10 (31.3%) had supratentorial tumors, and seven (22.8%) had spinal tumors. Of the 31 patients who underwent upfront surgical resection, 19 (61.3%) underwent gross total resection or near-total resection. Seventeen of 19 patients with first failures (89.5%) had isolated local recurrences. Of the 19 patients with disease progression, 11 (57.9%) were disease free or had stable disease after salvage therapy, and five (26.3%) had disease-related mortality. Most of the first local recurrences after radiotherapy occurred infield (13 of 16, 81.3%). The 5-year LPFS, DMFS, PFS, and OS rates were 48.5%, 89.6%, 45.1%, and 88.4%, respectively, at a median follow-up of 6.25 years. Subtotal resection was associated with poorer LPFS and PFS in patients with intracranial ependymoma (hazard ratio = 3.69, p = 0.018, for LPFS; hazard ratio = 3.20, p = 0.029, for PFS). Conclusion: Incorporating radiotherapy into multimodal treatment has led to favorable outcomes in patients with ependymoma, and the extent of resection is a prognostic factor for the local control of intracranial ependymoma.
Treat hard and early in SSc-ILD: milde ILD ist immer noch ILD
Authors: Xanthouli Panagiota
Published: April 2024

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the leading cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc). According to expert statements, not all SSc-ILD patients require pharmacological therapy. Objectives: To describe disease characteristics and disease course in untreated SSc-ILD patients in two well characterised SSc-ILD cohorts. Methods: Patients were classified as treated if they had received a potential ILD-modifying drug. ILD progression in untreated patients was defined as (1) decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) from baseline of ≥10% or (2) decline in FVC of 5%–9% associated with a decline in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO)≥15% over 12 ± 3 months or (3) start of any ILD-modifying treatment or (4) increase in the ILD extent during follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with non-prescription of ILD-modifying treatment at baseline. Prognostic factors for progression in untreated patients were tested by multivariate Cox regression. Results: Of 386 SSc-ILD included patients, 287 (74%) were untreated at baseline. Anticentromere antibodies (OR: 6.75 (2.16–21.14), p=0.001), limited extent of ILD (OR: 2.39 (1.19–4.82), p=0.015), longer disease duration (OR: 1.04 (1.00–1.08), p=0.038) and a higher DLCO (OR: 1.02 (1.01–1.04), p=0.005) were independently associated with no ILD-modifying treatment at baseline. Among 234 untreated patients, the 3 year cumulative incidence of progression was 39.9% (32.9–46.2). Diffuse cutaneous SSc and extensive lung fibrosis independently predicted ILD progression in untreated patients. Conclusion: As about 40% of untreated patients show ILD progression after 3 years and effective and safe therapies for SSc-ILD are available, our results support a change in clinical practice in selecting patients for treatment.
Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement With the Harmony Valve in Patients Who Do Not Meet Recommended Oversizing Criteria on the Screening Perimeter Plot
Authors: McElhinney Doff B. , Gillespie Matthew J. , Aboulhosn Jamil A. , Cabalka Allison K. , Morray Brian H. , Balzer David T. , Qureshi Athar M. , Hoskoppal Arvind K. , Goldstein Bryan H.
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND:

Anatomic selection for Harmony valve implant is determined with the aid of a screening report and perimeter plot (PP) that depicts the perimeter-derived radius along the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and projects device oversizing. The PP provides an estimation of suitability for implant, but its sensitivity as a screening method is unknown. This study was performed to describe anatomic features and outcomes in patients who underwent Harmony TPV25 implant despite a PP that predicted inadequate oversizing.

METHODS:

We reviewed RVOT anatomic features and measurements in patients who underwent transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement with the Harmony TPV25 device despite a PP that predicted inadequate oversizing.

RESULTS:

This study included 22 patients. There were no unsuccessful implants or adverse valve-related events. Anatomic features varied, but all patients fit into 1 of 3 anatomic types characterized by differences in RVOT dimensions. Type 1 patients (n=9) had a long RVOT with a choke point and a wide main pulmonary artery. Type 2 patients (n=6) had a short RVOT that was pyramidal in shape, with no choke point, and extensive main pulmonary artery lengthening/expansion during systole. Type 3 patients (n=7) had a short, bulbous main pulmonary artery with a choke point and an open pulmonary artery bifurcation.

CONCLUSIONS:

Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement with the Harmony valve is feasible in some patients whose PP fit analysis predicts inadequate oversizing. All cases in this series fit into 1 of 3 anatomic patterns, which are not identified in the screening report. Implanters must review cases individually to assess the feasibility of the implant.
Resting-state global brain activity induces bias in fMRI motion estimates
Authors: Mao Yixiang , Chen Conan , Nguyen Truong , Liu Thomas T.
Published: April 2024

Head motion is a significant source of artifacts in resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) studies and has been shown to affect resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) measurements. In many rsfMRI studies, motion parameters estimated from volume registration are used to characterize head motion and to mitigate motion artifacts in rsfMRI data. While prior task-based fMRI studies have shown that task-evoked brain activations may induce temporally correlated bias in the motion estimates, resulting in artificial activations after registration, relatively little is known about neural-related bias in rsfMRI motion parameter. In this study, we demonstrate that neural-related bias exists in rsfMRI motion estimates and characterize the potential effects of the bias on rsFC estimates. Using a public multi-echo rsfMRI dataset, we use the differences between motion estimates from the first echo and second echo data as a measure of neural-induced bias. We show that the resting-state global activity of the brain, as characterized with the global signal (GS), induces bias in the motion estimates in the y- and z-translational axes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the GS-related bias reflects superior-inferior and anterior-posterior asymmetries in the GS beta coefficient map. Finally, we demonstrate that regression with biased motion estimates can negatively bias rsFC estimates and also reduce rsFC differences between young and old subjects.
Evaluating the Ripple Effects of Knowledge Editing in Language Models
Authors: Cohen Roi , Biran Eden , Yoran Ori , Globerson Amir , Geva Mor
Published: April 2024

Modern language models capture a large body of factual knowledge. However, some facts can be incorrectly induced or become obsolete over time, resulting in factually incorrect generations. This has led to the development of various editing methods that allow updating facts encoded by the model. Evaluation of these methods has primarily focused on testing whether an individual fact has been successfully injected, and if similar predictions for other subjects have not changed. Here we argue that such evaluation is limited, since injecting one fact (e.g., “Jack Depp is the son of Johnny Depp”) introduces a “ripple effect” in the form of additional facts that the model needs to update (e.g., “Jack Depp is the sibling of Lily-Rose Depp”). To address this, we propose novel evaluation criteria that consider the implications of an edit on related facts. Using these criteria, we then construct RippleEdits, a diagnostic benchmark of 5K factual edits, capturing various types of ripple effects. We evaluate prominent editing methods on RippleEdits, showing that they fail to introduce consistent changes in the model’s knowledge. In addition, we find that a simple in-context editing baseline obtains the best scores on our benchmark, suggesting a promising research direction for model editing.1
Retrieve What You Need: A Mutual Learning Framework for Open-domain Question Answering
Authors: Wang Dingmin , Huang Qiuyuan , Jackson Matthew , Gao Jianfeng
Published: April 2024

An open-domain question answering (QA) system usually follows a retrieve-then-read paradigm, in which a retriever is used to retrieve relevant passages from a large corpus, and then a reader generates answers based on the retrieved passages and the original question. In this paper, we propose a simple and novel mutual learning framework to improve the performance of retrieve-then-read-style models via an intermediate module named the knowledge selector, which we train with reinforcement learning. The key benefits of our proposed intermediate module are: 1) no requirement for additional annotated question-passage pairs; 2) improvements in both retrieval and QA performance, as well as computational efficiency, compared to prior competitive retrieve-then-read models; 3) with no finetuning, improvement in the zero-shot performance of large-scale pre-trained language models, e.g., ChatGPT, by encapsulating the input with relevant knowledge without violating the input length constraint.
Host tree-based scenario modelling for predicting a key edible insect, mopane worm Gonimbrasia belina (Westwood, 1894) distribution in Southern Africa
Authors: Meltus Q.J. , Mudereri B.T. , Mutamiswa R. , Abdel-Rahman E.M. , Matunhu J. , Musundire R. , Niassy S. , Tonnang H.E.Z.
Published: April 2024

Gonimbrasia belina, known as the mopane worm, is a large edible caterpillar in tropical and subtropical regions. However, little is known about the bioecology of this species as influenced by its host trees. This study evaluated the importance of different potential host trees in understanding mopane worms’ behaviour and spatial distribution. To assess their relative importance, the study compared models incorporating various mopane worm host trees and predictor variables. Using the species distribution modelling (SDM) package in R, an ensemble of random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and boosted regression tree (BRT) algorithms were used to assess the spatial extent of mopane worm distribution in Southern Africa. Four host tree-based scenarios were developed to assess their contribution to the relative distribution of the mopane worm i.e. (1) by excluding all the potential host trees as explanatory variables and considering only the environmental variables, (2) focusing on the primary host tree, Colophospermum mopane as an explanatory variable together with the other environmental variables, (3) incorporating all the host trees, including C. mopane and (4) examining all other host trees excluding C. mopane. Results demonstrated that incorporating all host trees enhanced the models’ predictive abilities (mean AUC = 0.87) underscoring the significant impact of the alternative host trees on the mopane worm distribution patterns beyond just the C. mopane. This study highlights the significance of host trees in predicting the behaviour and distribution of mopane worm populations, providing valuable insights and decision-making for mopane worm use as an alternative protein source, conservation efforts, and land management practices.
An Improved RANSAC Based Segmentation Algorithm for the Belt Wedge Point Cloud of the Automotive V-Ribbed Belt
Authors: Tang Wu-Sheng , Guo Yun-Fei , Yin Chun-Mei , Zhang Jin-Hua , Shi Yao-Chen , Li Qing-Hua
Published: April 2024

Point cloud segmentation is an important part of the belt wedge dimension measurement of automotive V-ribbed belt, and accurate segmentation is the basis of the subsequent dimension calculation of the belt wedge. In view of the problem of randomly selecting initial points and over-segmented
plane in orthodox RANSAC algorithm, this text presents an modified RANSAC arithmetic for segmentation of belt wedge point clouds of automotive V-ribbed belt, which uses the radius space to redefine the selection method of initial points, obtains the optimal plane result through multiple iterations,
and uses the angle and distance of vectors to prevent over-segmentation of point clouds. In the experiment, RANSAC and improved RANSAC are used to segment the belt wedge point cloud datas of cloud data of the PK type automotive V-ribbed belt collected by line laser displacement sensor. Compare
segmentation results, Facts prove that the improved RANSAC algorithm has better segmentation effect, the proportion of plane points h is increased by 7.5%.
Gas Insulated Switchgear Partial Discharge Type Identification Based on Frequency Division Features and Improved Long Short-Term Memory Neural Networks
Authors: Li Tianhui , Wang Xiangdong , Zeng Siming , Gu Chaomin , Dong Chi , Zhen Li , Zhang Da , Liu Hongliang
Published: April 2024

In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of gas insulated switchgear (GIS), a new method for identifying the type of partial discharge in GIS is proposed. First, the GIS partial discharge experimental platform produced four partial discharge signals. Second, the energy moments
are calculated at each frequency to produce the frequency division features after the four partial discharge signals have been decomposed using variational modal decomposition (VMD). Finally, the type of GIS partial discharge is determined using the LSTM model enhanced by the quantum cuckoo
search (QCS) algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed method can successfully identify four types of partial discharge in GIS with an accuracy of 99%.
Global Observations of Deep Ocean Kinetic Energy Transfers
Authors: Sévellec F. , Colin de Verdière A. , Kolodziejczyk N.
Published: April 2024

Observations of deep Argo displacements (located between 950 and 1150 dbar) and their associated integrated Lagrangian velocities allow for the first time to compute worldwide deep horizontal transfers of kinetic energy (KE) between the 3° × 3° mean and eddy reservoirs [mean kinetic energy (MKE) and eddy kinetic energy (EKE), respectively]. This diagnostic reveals that the transfers are mainly localized along western boundaries and in the Southern Ocean. Overall, the MKE-to-EKE transfers appear dominant globally and in all specifically tested regions (i.e., Gulf Stream, Kuroshio, Agulhas Current, and Antarctic Circumpolar Current). However, an important exception is the Zapiola Gyre where EKE-to-MKE transfers dominate. Beyond that, we find that horizontal KE transfers are better described by the horizontal properties of the mean flow deformation (divergence and strain) than by the horizontal properties of the turbulent velocities. Our theoretical analysis also demonstrates that the mean flow vorticity does not contribute to KE transfers. We show the existence of two consistent transfer modes: one from MKE to EKE and one from EKE to MKE, which are based on the eigendirections of the mean flow deformation tensor. The alignment of the turbulence along these directions selects the transfer modes, and it is the competition between these two transfer modes that leads to the actual transfers. We compute these transfer modes globally, regionally, and locally. We explain the distinctive situation of the Zapiola Gyre by the favored alignment of the turbulence with the EKE-to-MKE transfer mode. Overall, the dominance of the large-scale flow properties on the structure of the MKE-to-EKE transfers suggests the potential for large-scale parameterization.
Investigating urban canyons, façade albedo, and pedestrian thermal comfort using microclimate model calculations
Authors: Feteha Salma , ElDeeb Sally
Published: April 2024

Previous studies have shown a strong relationship between heat-related fatalities and ambient air temperature. This problem is expected to increase due to constant urbanization and the threat of global warming. Therefore, designing urban street canyons (USC) to be thermally comfortable is essential for a healthy urban life. This paper investigates the correlation between an urban street canyon’s aspect ratio and the albedo material of its surrounding buildings. The aim is to study which combination can successfully mitigate urban heat stress and create a thermally comfortable pedestrian microclimate. This research uses a comparative analysis that suggests the optimum albedo for different USC geometries. An ENVI-met model was used to simulate 9 scenarios for an idealized 2D USC with varying aspect ratios and albedo values. Air temperature, mean radiant temperature and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) were analyzed. Results show that a medium albedo value performs best thermally in all USCs. High albedo had 13.2% more combined thermal stress compared to medium albedo. However, high albedo performed much better in deep canyons than wider ones, with the average UTCI decreasing by about 4.8%-5.7% when used in deep canyons. Medium albedo should be exclusively used in wide canyons for minimal thermal stress.

Practical application: This study provides a reference to the use of materials in urban street canyons of different aspect ratios to achieve good outdoor thermal comfort for pedestrians.
Family obligation moderates longitudinal associations between parental psychological control and adjustment of urban adolescents
Authors: Dizon Leyah Christine T. , Alampay Liane Peña
Published: April 2024

This study investigated child-reported family obligation values (FOVs) in early adolescence as a moderator for associations between mother-, father-, and child-reported parental psychological control (PC) in early adolescence and child-reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms in middle and late adolescents in the Philippines. Data were drawn from three waves of a larger longitudinal study, when the Filipino youth were in late elementary grades (age M = 12.04, SD = 0.58; N = 91), in junior high school (age M = 15.03, SD = 0.59; N = 80), and in senior high school (age M = 17.00, SD = 0.59, N = 75). Results revealed that high levels of FOV buffered the positive associations between mother-reported PC and internalizing symptoms in late adolescence, and between child-reported PC and internalizing symptoms in middle and late adolescence, as well as externalizing symptoms in late adolescence. Conversely, low levels of FOV exacerbated the associations between mother- and child-reported PC on externalizing symptoms in late adolescence. Findings suggest that FOV may shape the meaning and influence of PC for children and adolescents in contexts where familial obligations are normative and important.
Predictors of cancer-specific survival and overall survival among patients aged ≥60 years with lung adenocarcinoma using the SEER database
Authors: Li Feiyang , Li Fang , Zhao Dong , Lu Haowei
Published: April 2024

Objective

We developed a simple, rapid predictive model to evaluate the prognosis of older patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Demographic characteristics and clinical information of patients with lung adenocarcinoma aged ≥60 years were retrospectively analyzed using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data. We built nomograms of overall survival and cancer-specific survival using Cox single-factor and multi-factor regression. We used the C-index, calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) to evaluate performance of the nomograms.

Results

We included 14,117 patients, divided into a training set and validation set. We used the chi-square test to compare baseline data between groups and found no significant differences. We used Cox regression analysis to screen out independent prognostic factors affecting survival time and used these factors to construct the nomogram. The ROC curve, calibration curve, C-index, and DCA curve were used to verify the model. The final results showed that our predictive model had good predictive ability, and showed better predictive ability compared with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging. We also achieved good results using data of our center for external verification.

Conclusion

The present nomogram could accurately predict prognosis in older patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
The digital revolution in pathology: Towards a smarter approach to research and treatment
Authors: Tucci Francesco , Laurinavicius Arvydas , Kather Jakob Nikolas , Eloy Catarina
Published: April 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in oncology are at the forefront of transforming healthcare during the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by the digital data explosion. This review provides an accessible introduction to the field of AI, presenting a concise yet structured overview of the foundations of AI, including expert systems, classical machine learning, and deep learning, along with their contextual application in clinical research and healthcare. We delve into the current applications of AI in oncology, with a particular focus on diagnostic imaging and pathology. Numerous AI tools have already received regulatory approval, and more are under active development, bringing clear benefits but not without challenges. We discuss the importance of data security, the need for transparent and interpretable models, and the ethical considerations that must guide AI development in healthcare. By providing a perspective on the opportunities and challenges, this review aims to inform and guide researchers, clinicians, and policymakers in the adoption of AI in oncology.
The base-rate and longer-term relevance of year-to-year change in personality traits
Authors: Roemer Lena , Lechner Clemens M. , Rammstedt Beatrice , Roberts Brent W.
Published: April 2024

Personality traits are assumed to change slowly and incrementally. Recent intervention studies apparently challenge this assumption, showing that personality traits can also change quickly and substantially. However, how frequently do such quick changes manifest in the general population? This study sought to determine (1) a base rate of year-to-year changes in the general population and (2) the extent to which these shifts are related to longer-term change patterns. We examined year-to-year change in Big Five traits with nationally representative data from 7005 German participants, annually tracked for up to six years. Year-to-year patterns exhibited stability and change (e.g., ≥ 1 SD year-to-year change in ≈ 20%). Across participants, year-to-year trait score increases and decreases occurred in equal proportions, suggesting that in a given sample, year-to-year changes in different directions average out. Within participants, however, in all domains but agreeableness, year-to-year changes reliably propagated to longer-term trajectories. While much of the year-to-year change faded away in subsequent years, lasting shifts in individuals’ trait levels remained, particularly upon pronounced year-to-year decreases. Overall, (pronounced) year-to-year changes were relatively common, largely reversible, and yet predictive of individuals’ longer-term trajectories. We discuss how the results bridge set-point assumptions with assumptions of incremental trait change.
Mechanistic Roles of Different Varieties of Honey on Wound Healing: Recent Update
Authors: Naskar Ankan , Chatterjee Kaberi , Roy Kankan , Majie Ankit , Nair Anroop B. , Shinu Pottathil , Morsy Mohamed A. , Jain Neha , Pandey Manisha , Gorain Bapi
Published: April 2024

Background

Honey has been used for centuries for its medicinal benefits, where topical treatments in the folklore literature reported its beneficial role in treating different types of wounds. Despite its immense use in wound care, honey’s exact mechanism remains unclear.

Purpose

The present study aimed to explore and abridge the gap between honey and its molecular wound healing mechanism.

Methodology

An extensive literature study has been performed where these activities can be explained due to phenolic compounds, nitric oxide, non-peroxide factors, low pH, high osmolarity, and hydrogen peroxide in honey. Besides that, honey also contains carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, lipids, minerals, and vitamins, contributing to the wound healing potential to some extent. However, these metabolites and constituents differ among different honey varieties due to the distinct nutritional requirements of different species of bees and their collection of nectar from varied sources containing different natural actives.

Results

The revival of honey-based wound care research has identified a few probable mechanistic pathways of honey primarily due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory potentials. It also promotes angiogenesis, facilitates reepithelialization, stimulates proliferation of extracellular matrix, reduces neutrophil formation, modulates production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and prevents secondary infection at the wound site.

Conclusion

The varieties of honey vary in their qualities, phenolic compounds, and safety for human use. A few of these are currently clinically employed for wound dressings. Moreover, honey can be effective for managing complicated and chronic wounds; more extensive molecular research and safety profiling would be necessary.
Homicide in Global Extremes: Exploring the Feasibility of EHM-Based Analysis in Finland and South Africa
Authors: Kivivuori Janne , Singh Shanta Balgobind , Suonpää Karoliina , Jagganath Gerelene , Raeste Anna , Khan Sultan , Murhula Patrick Bashizi Bashige , Chetty Robert
Published: April 2024

Homicide remains a major cause of death globally. The global risk differentials are a persistent public health challenge. Africa’s homicide rate of 13 victims per 100,000 people is markedly higher than the European average (2.2 per 100,000 people). To understand the causes of such large differences, homicide research needs to move from country-level rates to disaggregated analyses in which homicide is broken down by victim, offender, and incident characteristics. We conducted a pilot study in which the European Homicide Monitor (EHM) coding manual is applied to a South African research location and compared to an extreme point in the Global North, Finnish urban areas. We find differential patterns in the two locations. The high-rate context of South Africa manifests a younger offender and victim age structure, a higher share of criminal and revenge motives and the use of firearms, and incidents in public places. In contrast, the comparatively low-rate Finnish context shows a higher relative share of intimate partner violence and familial incidents taking place in private places. The role of alcohol and drugs appears more salient in Finnish urban homicide, a finding calling for replication. We conclude by discussing the methodological challenges revealed by the pilot comparison.
The Association of Oncology Provider Density With Black-White Disparities in Cancer Mortality in US Counties
Authors: Zhang Yuehan , Leifheit Kathryn M. , Lee Kimberley T. , Thorpe Roland J. , Gaskin Darrell J. , Dean Lorraine T.
Published: April 2024

Background

Black-White racial disparities in cancer mortality are well-documented in the US. Given the estimated shortage of oncologists over the next decade, understanding how access to oncology care might influence cancer disparities is of considerable importance. We aim to examine the association between oncology provider density in a county and Black-White cancer mortality disparities.

Methods

An ecological study of 1048 US counties was performed. Oncology provider density was estimated using the 2013 National Plan and Provider Enumeration System data. Black:White cancer mortality ratio was calculated using 2014-2018 age-standardized cancer mortality rates from State Cancer Profiles. Linear regression with covariate adjustment was constructed to assess the association of provider density with (1) Black:White cancer mortality ratio, and (2) cancer mortality rates overall, and separately among Black and White persons.

Results

The mean Black:White cancer mortality ratio was 1.12, indicating that cancer mortality rate among Black persons was on average 12% higher than that among White persons. Oncology provider density was significantly associated with greater cancer mortality disparities: every 5 additional oncology providers per 100 000 in a county was associated with a .02 increase in the Black:White cancer mortality ratio (95% CI: .007 to .03); however, the unexpected finding may be explained by further analysis showing that the relationship between oncology provider density and cancer mortality was different by race group. Every 5 additional oncologists per 100 000 was associated with a 1.6 decrease per 100 000 in cancer mortality rates among White persons (95% CI: −3.0 to −.2), whereas oncology provider density was not associated with cancer mortality among Black persons.

Conclusion

Greater oncology provider density was associated with significantly lower cancer mortality among White persons, but not among Black persons. Higher oncology provider density alone may not resolve cancer mortality disparities, thus attention to ensuring equitable care is critical.
Power, Privilege, and Precarity: Attempts to Conduct Ethical Youth Participatory Action Research as Early Career Researchers
Authors: Renick Jennifer , Turchi Jennifer
Published: April 2024

Though community-based participatory research (CBPR) boasts a robust history, challenges to conducting such work ethically and equitably remain. Common difficulties, such as addressing power dynamics and navigating mutuality, are heightened when doing participatory research with young people, specifically youth participatory action research (YPAR). Additional obstacles also emerge when engaging in such research as junior scholars, who lack tenure and occupy more precarious positions within academia. To elucidate these hurdles and illuminate the labor required to traverse them, we draw upon our experiences as early career academics facilitating YPAR projects with young people who have been historically marginalized. Employing an autoethnographic approach, we utilize qualitative data sources including field notes and reflective memos, from which three themes emerged after iterative rounds of reflection and review. Through descriptive vignettes, we unpack how we attended to positionality and power, interrogated shared benefit and mutuality, and engaged with the unique complexities of working with young people—as informed by our specific identities. In examining our experiences and their alignment with prior research, we aim to expand upon existing literature that has explored best practices within CBPR, but with a specific focus on youth-adult partnerships and consideration of the realities of junior scholars. It is our hope that this discussion will support early career researchers who wish to conduct YPAR but are unsure how to do so given their particular positionalities, by making visible the often-invisible work involved.
New onset lymphopenia in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis switching from long-standing dimethyl fumarate treatment to diroximel fumarate: A case series
Authors: Schneider Megan , Kramer John , Banks Aimee , Moses Harold
Published: April 2024

Lymphopenia is a known adverse effect in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) treated with fumaric acids. We present a case series of four patients diagnosed with RMS with prolonged lymphocyte stability on dimethyl fumarate for over 1 year who developed significant lymphopenia after transitioning to diroximel fumarate. This case series highlights the need for further research to elucidate the risk of lymphopenia in patients switching between fumaric acids.