bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deciphering Ketamine’s Dual Outcomes: Distinguishing Psychotic from Antidepressant Effects, and Their Temporal Dynamics in Mice
Authors: Martínez-Ricós Joana , Merino Esteban , Cervera-Ferri Ana , Lanuza Enrique , Cabanu Sharon , Pilar-Cuéllar Fuencisla , Adell Albert , Teruel-Martí Vicent , Martínez-Ricós Joana
Published: June 2024

Ketamine exerts rapid, long-lasting antidepressant effects after a single administration and, thus, overcomes the limitations of classic drugs but also induces psychotic effects. It is, therefore, essential to pinpoint the biomarkers of each effect to develop new fast-acting antidepressants.
With this purpose, we examined, in male mice, the temporal evolution of the antidepressant and psychotic-like effects of 5 and 30 mg/kg of ketamine, and the electrical activity and the expression of the plasticity-related molecules in both the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus were analyzed.
Ketamine induced immediate psychotic-like effects. They were milder and shorter at the 5 mg/kg dose, with an equivalent antidepressant-like effect of both doses, at 2 and 24 h. Both doses evoked a short-lasting electrical pattern that was dose-dependent, characterized mainly by increased synchronized gamma, excitatory/inhibitory balance, synchronized theta, phase-amplitude coupling, and decreased mutual information in slow (SW), beta, and theta waves. The higher dose led to longer-lasting changes. The most significant were decreased SW and beta and increased gamma and communication in theta and beta. Both doses altered sleep architecture at 24 h and the expression of AKT, pAKT, pAKT/AKT, pERK/ER, and pmTOR/mTOR at 2 and 24 h.
Given their temporal association, the decreased SW and beta mutual information, changes in hyperexcitability and gamma and theta activity may be biomarkers of ketamine’s psychotic effect. However, changes in sleep architecture and in the expression of plasticity proteins, together with delayed increased raw information, gamma and excitability, among others, are likely associated with its antidepressant effect.
The associations between dietary patterns, behavioral lifestyle and chronic diseases in high altitude residents: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Zou Yuanwu , Nan Lin , Yuan Zhimin , Chen Chen , Liu Xiaoxing , Lan Longhui , Lamu CIREN , Feng Huilan , Zeng Lingxia
Published: June 2024

Background Healthy behavioral lifestyles, especially healthy dietary patterns, have beneficial effects on chronic diseases, but the evidence of relationship between the main dietary patterns (DP) and the risk of chronic diseases in high altitude area is still limited.Methods The eligible high altitude residents were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. The food frequency questionnaires were used to collect information about the dietary intake of the participants. The dietary patterns were extracted by principal component analysis (PCA), and the scores for each dietary pattern were farther categorized into tertiles as low(T1), middle(T2) and high(T3). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between independent variables (dietary patterns, smoking, alcohol drinking, tea drinking and physical exercise) and chronic diseases in the year 2021.Results A total of 606 eligible participants involved in the survey with an average age of 40.7 ± 16.4 year old. 242 (39.9%) participants suffered from at least one chronic disease. Five dietary patterns were identified: dry nuts and beverage, traditional Tibetan, three-high (high-salt, high-carbonhydrate, high-fat), animal-predominant high protein and high dietary fiber pattern. After adjusting for the potential confounders, people in the three-high pattern (T2: OR = 1.81, 95%CI:1.10–2.99, P = 0.020, T3: OR = 1.90, 95%CI:1.09–3.33, P = 0.024), animal-predominant high protein pattern (T2: OR = 2.37, 95%CI:1.42–3.94, P = 0.001), smoking (OR = 1.88, 95%CI:1.06–3.35, P = 0.031) and tea drinking (OR = 1.85, 95%CI:1.13–3.02, P = 0.015) had higher odds of chronic diseases than those in the lowest tertile (T1) or reference group, while people in the traditional Tibetan pattern (T2: OR = 0.47, 95%CI:0.28–0.80, P = 0.006) and participation in physical exercise (OR = 0.62, 95%CI:0.39–0.99, P = 0.044) had lower odds of chronic diseases.Conclusion The traditional Tibetan pattern has a positive effect on decreased risk of chronic diseases among high altitude residents. Furthermore, adhering to a healthy lifestyle, including quitting smoking and enhancing physical activity, can aid in mitigating the risk of chronic diseases in high altitude residents.
The burden of headache and a health-care needs assessment in the adult population of Mali: a cross-sectional population-based study
Authors: Maiga Youssoufa , Diallo Seybou H , Sangho Oumar , Moskatel Leon Samuel , Konipo Fatoumata , Bocoum Abdoulaye , Diallo Salimata , Coulibaly Awa , Daou Mariam , Dolo Housseini , Sangaré Modibo , Albakaye Mohamed , Traoré Zoumana , Coulibaly Thomas , Sissoko Adama , Landouré Guida , Guindo Boubacar , Ahamadou Mahamoudou , Toure Mahamane Drahamane , Dembele Abibatou , Sacko Habib , Sao Cheick Abdoul Kadri , Coulibaly Diakalia , Dembele Salimata , Coulibaly Cheick Oumar , Sanogo Mohamadou , Boiguilé Sekou , Nizard Julien , Cowan Robert , Steiner Timothy J , Husøy Andreas
Published: June 2024

Background.
Our recent studies have shown headache disorders to be very common in the central and western sub-Saharan countries of Benin and Cameroon. Here we report headache in nearby Mali, a strife-torn country that differs topographically, culturally, politically and economically. The purposes were to estimate headache-attributed burden and need for headache care.
Methods.
We used cluster-random sampling in seven of Mali’s eleven regions to obtain a nationally representative sample. During unannounced household visits by trained interviewers, one randomly selected adult member (18–65 years) from each household was interviewed using the structured HARDSHIP questionnaire, with enquiries into headache in the last year and, additionally, headache yesterday (HY). Headache on ≥ 15 days/month (H15+) was diagnosed as probable medication-overuse headache (pMOH) when associated with acute medication use on ≥ 15 days/month, and as “other H15+” when not. Episodic headache (on < 15 days/month) was recorded as such and not further diagnosed. Burden was assessed as impaired participation (days lost from paid and household work, and from leisure activity). Need for headache care was defined by criteria for expectation of benefit.
Results.
Data collection coincided with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The participating proportion was nonetheless extremely high (99.4%). The observed 1-year prevalence of any headache was 90.9%. Age- and gender-adjusted estimates were 86.3% for episodic headache, 1.4% for pMOH and 3.1% for other H15+. HY was reported by 16.8% with a mean duration of 8.7 hours. Overall mean headache frequency was 3.5 days/month. Participants with pMOH lost more days from paid (8.8 days/3 months) and household work (10.3 days/3 months) than those with other H15+ (3.1 and 2.8 days/3 months) or episodic headache (1.2 and 0.9 days/3 months). At population level, 3.6–5.8% of all time was spent with headache, which led to a 3.6% decrease in all activity (impaired participation). Almost a quarter (23.4%) of Mali’s adult population need headache care.
Conclusion.
Headache is very common in Mali, as in its near neighbours, Benin and Cameroon, and associated with substantial losses of health and productivity. Need for headache care is high – a challenge for a low-income country – but lost productivity probably translates into lost gross domestic product.
Measurement of dehydration rate in vitro from SMILE-derived corneal stromal lenses
Authors: Wang XiaoXuan , Lei Yulin , Hou Jie , Li Mengting , Ma Zhixing , Xu Lihong
Published: June 2024

Objective: To measure the expansion degree and dehydration rate of isolated corneal stromal lens and analyze the factors that affect dehydration rate to provide reference for analyzing the water content and fluid mechanics of the cornea and evaluating the optimal corneal exposure time
Methods: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure the thickness of the stromal lens obtained via small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery. The expansion degree of the stromal lens in balanced salt solution was calculated, and the change in the central thickness of the isolated stromal lens over time was recorded. The thickness–time dehydration fitting trend line was drawn, and the determination coefficient (R2) and dehydration rate were calculated. Whether differenceexisted in the dehydration rate of lenses with different diopter ranges was determined, and the effects of age, gender, and edema degree on dehydration rate were analyzed.
Results: A significant difference was found between the thickness measured for the first time and the predicted thickness. The expansion degrees of the thin and thick lens groups were 2.05±0.33 and 1.91±0.19, respectively. The linear fitting trend line was drawn, and the mean R2 values of the thick and thin lens groups were 0.98423 and 0.988221, respectively. A difference existed in the dehydration rate between the thin and thick lens groups, and dehydration rate exhibited no correlation with age, sex, and edema degree.
Conclusions: The water loss process is linear in 15 min, and water loss is slower in thick lens than in thin lens. Age, sex, and expansion degree exert no effect on dehydration rate.
In vivo evaluation of the redox alteration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy in mdx mice using dynamic nuclear polarization magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Eto Hinako , Murata Masaharu , Kawano Takahito , Tachibana Yoko , Elhelaly Abdelazim Elsayed , Noda Yoshifumi , Kato Hiroki , Matsuo Masayuki , Hyodo Fuminori
Published: June 2024

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic muscular disease and is the most common type of muscular dystrophy in Japan. Noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used for follow-up evaluation of myositis and muscular dystrophy, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, currently, there is no established imaging method that can reliably evaluate inflammation. We assessed the redox status in experimental animal disease models to address this issue using in vivo dynamic nuclear polarization MRI (DNP-MRI) with a redox probe. The current study aimed to evaluate the skeletal muscle of mdx mice, a DMD model, in which muscle fiber necrosis, inflammation, and muscle regeneration were chronically repeated. Results showed that the reduction rate of Carbamoyl-PROXYL (CmP), one of the redox probes, radicals in mdx mice increased compared with that in normal mice. In vitro, more mitochondria or macrophages enhanced the radical form decay reaction by reducing CmP. Due to muscle fiber damage, the mdx mice had a lower mitochondrial concertation in the gastrocnemius muscle than the normal mice. However, the in vivo DNP-MRI results strongly reflected the increased reduction of CmP radicals by macrophages. In conclusion, in vivo DNP-MRI, a noninvasive imaging method is useful for locally evaluating skeletal muscle inflammation.
Process Indicators Outshine Outcome Measures: Assessing Hospital Quality of Care in Breast Cancer Treatment
Authors: Liu Mengyang , Guo Ruize , Li Jingkun , Wang Chao , Yu Lei , Liu Meina
Published: June 2024

Background: Reporting the results of quality indicators can narrow the gap in the quality of care between hospitals. While most studies rely on outcome indicators , they may not accurately measure the quality of care. Process indicators are not only strongly associated with treatment outcomes, but are also more sensitive to whether patients are treated accurately, enabling timely intervention. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether process indicators can provide a more reasonable assessment of evaluating hospital quality of care compared to outcome indicators.
Methods: Data were sourced from the Specific Disease Medical Service Quality Management and Control System in China. A total of 113,942 patients with breast cancer treated in 298 hospitals between January 2019 and April 2023 were included in this study. The rankability of 11 process indicators was calculated and used as a weight to create a new composite indicator. The composite indicators and outcome measures were compared using the O/E ratio categories. Finally, in order to determine the impact of different years on the results, a sensitivity analysis was conducted using bootstrap sampling.
Results: The rankability (ρ) values of the eleven process indicators showed significant differences, with the highest ρ value for preoperative cytological or histological examination before surgery (0.919). The ρ value for the outcome indicator was 0.011. The rankability-weighting method yielded a comprehensive score (ρ = 0.883). The comparison with categorical results of the outcome indicator has different performance classifications for 113 hospitals (37.92%) for composite 1 scores and 140 (46.98%) for preoperative cytological or histological examination before surgery.
Conclusion: Process indicators are more appropriate than outcome indicators for assessing the quality of hospital breast cancer care, which may contribute to quality improvement efforts.
Simultaneous infection of Leptodelphax maculigera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) by Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) and Maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MPSP) detected in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Authors: Stürmer Glauber Renato , Guterres Caroline Wesp , Pozebon Henrique , de Andrade Camila Cristina Lage , Mituti Tatiana , Cardoza Yuliet , Ferri Isabella
Published: June 2024

The corn stunt disease is a major threat to maize production in Brazil. In addition to the more common insect vector Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), the African species Leptodelphax maculigera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) was recently found in the Brazilian states of Goiás, Paraná and Santa Catarina, raising concern regarding its potential ability to transmit stunt pathogens. We confirmed the presence of L. maculigera in the state of Rio Grande do Sul by conducting a population survey with yellow sticky traps and light traps in three different sites, although it corresponded to only 2.3% of the D. maidis population captured during the same period. Molecular analysis via RT-qPCR multiplex confirmed the simultaneous infection of L. maculigera by two corn stunt pathogens – Maize rayado fino virus (MRFV) and Maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP) – in 76.9% of the samples, while the remaining 23.1% showed single infection by MRFV. The confirmation of infectiveness by two stunt pathogens in L. maculigera will aid in the outlining of managment strategies for this insect vector.
Medical Image Fusion
Authors: Maurya Rishabh , Swarnkar Ratan , Sharma Yash Kumar , Mishra Rajat , Pathak Disha Mohini
Published: June 2024

Image fusion is a pivotal technique in medical imaging, particularly in combining complementary information from different modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to enhance diagnostic accuracy. This paper presents a comprehensive review of CT and MRI image fusion methodologies, focusing on the integration of Wavelet Transform (WT) and Log Gabor Filter with Gaussian and Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) enhancement techniques. The Wavelet Transform has gained significant attention due to its multi-resolution analysis capability, enabling the decomposition of images into different frequency bands. Log Gabor filters, on the other hand, excel in capturing texture information with orientation selectivity. Integrating these techniques offers a synergistic approach for extracting and preserving relevant features from CT and MRI images. Moreover, Gaussian and CLAHE enhancement techniques are employed to improve the contrast and visibility of anatomical structures in both CT and MRI images. Gaussian filtering smoothens the images while preserving edges, whereas CLAHE enhances local contrast by adaptive histogram equalization. This review discusses the theoretical foundations, methodologies, and applications of CT and MRI image fusion techniques employing Wavelet Transform and Log Gabor Filter with Gaussian and CLAHE enhancement. Furthermore, the review highlights the significance of image quality assessment metrics in evaluating the performance of fusion techniques, including objective metrics such as peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity index (SSI), and subjective evaluation through visual inspection by medical experts. At last, the integration of Wavelet Transform and Log Gabor Filter with Gaussian and CLAHE enhancement techniques holds immense potential in CT and MRI image fusion, offering enhanced diagnostic capabilities and improved clinical decision-making in medical imaging applications. Future research directions and challenges in this field are also discussed to stimulate further advancements in image fusion methodologies.
Postoperative air in the ventricle or cistern predicts early leptomeningeal disease of brain metastasis: a retrospective study
Authors: Ikeuchi Yusuke , Nishihara Masamitsu , Hosoda Kohkichi , Ashida Noriaki , Yamanishi Shunsuke , Nagashima Hiroaki , Tanaka Kazuhiro , Muragaki Yoshihiro , Sasayama Takashi
Published: June 2024

Purpose: This study investigated whether the presence of air in cisterns or ventricles on postoperative computed tomography (CT), reflecting an extensive opening of the cerebrospinal fluid spaces during surgery, is a predictor of nodular leptomeningeal disease (nLMD) or classical leptomeningeal disease (cLMD) after brain metastasis resection.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 73 patients who underwent gross total resection of brain metastases between 2012 and 2020. Patients with air in cisterns or ventricles on postoperative day-1 CT were categorized into the air-positive (Air(+)) group, whereas other patients were categorized into the air-negative (Air(–)) group. The primary outcome was the occurrence of nLMD or cLMD, and was assessed using survival analyses.
Results: There were 15 (21%) patients in the Air(+) group and 58 (79%) in the Air(–) group. The Air(+) group exhibited significantly more cerebellar and ventricular contact lesions than the Air(–) group. The 4-year nLMD or cLMD rate was significantly higher in the Air(+) group than in the Air(–) group (67% vs. 33%, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed the presence of air in ventricles or cisterns on postoperative CT as the only significant predictor of nLMD or cLMD (P<0.001).
Conclusions: The presence of postoperative air in ventricles or cisterns can predict early nLMD or cLMD.
Fluid Balance and Electrolyte Losses in Collegiate Men Soccer Players in Practice and Game Under Different Environments
Authors: Ma Pengwei , Early Kate , Li Haicheng , Zhang Guangxia , Wang Haoyan
Published: June 2024

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the fluid balance and electrolyte losses in collegiate men soccer players under different exercise occasions and environmental conditions. Twelve men soccer players were recruited and 38 practices (P) and 17 games (G) were monitored. Environments were classified as hot (H) and cool (L), resulting in four conditions: G + H, P + H, G + L, and P + L. The parameters of fluid balance were body mass loss (BML), urine specific gravity (USG), and sweat compositions. On-field running characteristics were collected only during game, including total distance covered (TD) and number of sprints, accelerations, and decelerations. Pre-exercise USG showed more than half of players were in hypohydration status across four conditions. Soccer players had more proportion of > 2% hypohydration in G + L and were overhydrated in G + H. The parameters of fluid balance were significantly affected by exercise occasions and environments. Greater running performance was found in G + L than G + H (p < 0.001). TD was associated with %BML (r=-0.56, p < 0.001). Pre-exercise hydration status remains a significant concern, regardless of the exercise occasions or environments. TD can be used as a predictor for post-game hydration status. Next development of guidelines to influence drinking behaviors would be beneficial to players protecting hydration status.
Between Grasslands and Mountains: Identification of valuable areas for landscape connectivity in the Tandilia Mountain System for carnivore species.
Authors: Aranguren María Florencia , Simoy María Verónica , Pizzarello María Gimena , Trofino-Falasco Clara , Velasco Melina Alicia , Leber Virginia , Moss Daniella Franzoia , Dopazo Judit , Berkunsky Igor
Published: June 2024

Habitat loss and fragmentation threaten biodiversity, particularly for carnivores whose dispersion and population viability are compromised by reduced available habitat and anthropic elements in the landscape, such as roads and crops. In Argentina, the Pampas grasslands have experienced considerable degradation and replacement by crops and are currently limited to natural patches scattered throughout the region. In the Tandilia mountains, these grassland remnants persist as crucial refuges for the species that inhabit them. Our objectives were to identify and map priority sites and areas that can act as ecological corridors between grassland patches to contribute to the connectivity knowledge of the Tandilia mountain system. We performed connectivity analyses using Least-cost Path Models and Circuit Theory. To do this, we generated habitat suitability models by combining environmental and anthropic variables, from which resistance surfaces were generated. We highlight areas of high habitat suitability for carnivores in the Pampas region, with particular emphasis on the mountain systems of Tandilia. We identified potential corridors and least-cost paths for five carnivore species, obtaining multi-species corridors highlighting the importance of landscape connectivity to maintain healthy populations. Centrality analyses revealed crucial grassland remnants and valuable corridors. These findings address the challenges associated with habitat fragmentation in the Pampas region and provide guidelines for future research and carnivore conservation actions.
Experimental study and numerical simulation of the effect of different fiber types on the basic mechanical properties of shotcrete
Authors: Liu Cheng-Yong , WANG Han-Qiu , Liu Xue-Feng , Niu Ming-Xue , Wu Ji-Fei
Published: June 2024

The enhancement effects and mechanisms of different types of fibers on the basic mechanical properties of concrete were analyzed, aiming to guide the selection of suitable fiber types and dosages for grouting projects. This study selected steel fibers, glass fibers, and polypropylene fibers as research subjects. Through laboratory tests, numerical simulations, and field experiments, it investigated the enhancement laws of flexural and compressive strengths of concrete with different dosages of these three fibers. The study shows that: (1) After 28 days of curing, the flexural strength of concrete with steel fibers, glass fibers, and polypropylene fibers peaked at dosages of 2.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%, respectively. Compared to plain concrete, the increases were 118.6%, 42.86%, and 138.6%, respectively. The compressive strength of concrete increased the most with dosages of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% for steel fibers, glass fibers, and polypropylene fibers, respectively, with increases of 2.13%, 10%, and 18.3%. It can be seen that the impact of these three fiber types on the compressive strength of concrete is significantly less than their impact on flexural strength. For enhancing flexural strength, the order is polypropylene fibers > steel fibers > glass fibers. Conversely, for compressive strength, the order is polypropylene fibers > glass fibers > steel fibers. (2) Based on ABAQUS numerical simulations, microscopic analysis indicates that fibers, due to their high yield capacity, enhance the connections between concrete elements, reduce stress concentration, and improve the mechanical properties of concrete. (3) For shotcrete, due to its high flexural strength requirements and the tendency of steel and glass fibers to agglomerate, polypropylene fibers at a dosage of 2.0% were preferred. (4) Using the optimal dosage, it was successfully applied to the wet shotcrete support of a return air shaft in a mine, where the maximum deformation of the roof and sides of the tunnel remained within allowable limits, meeting the normal usage requirements of the tunnel. The research findings can offer guidance and reference for the selection and further application of shotcrete.
Early prediction of Alzheimer's disease based on attention mechanism of WCNN and multi-modal feature fusion
Authors: Xu Lanbo , Zhang Yanfang , Wang Yifan , Lu Guorui , Liu Liming , Wang Weijie
Published: June 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is one of the common causes of dementia in the elderly. Because its early symptoms are nonspecific and easily confused with normal age-related memory decline, it is particularly important for early prediction and classification of AD. Herein, a multi-modal feature fusion AD diagnosis model based on the width convolution neural network (WCNN) and attention mechanism is presented. Specifically, we first use WCNN to extract features from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and enhance the attention on important parts of the image through attention mechanism. For clinical text information, we use the decision tree machine learning method and apply Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes(CDR), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-11(ADAS11) and Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE) separately to diagnose patients. Then, we fuse the extracted image features with three types of clinical text information through multi-modal fusion to obtain the final classification results. The overall experimental results obtained show that the proposed model has well performance in different multi-mode scenarios and different classification problems, and improves the accuracy of AD prediction and classification.
Is noxious stimulus-evoked electroencephalography response a reliable, valid, and interpretable outcome measure to assess analgesic efficacy in neonates? A systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Baxter Luke , Vaart Marianne van der , Cobo Maria M , Gunawan Patricia , Allegaert Karel , Davis Jonathan M , Turner Mark , Ward Robert , Darsey Edress , Sheppard James P , Bhatt Aomesh , Anker John van den , Massaro An N , Walls Ramona L , Song Laura S , Singh Kanwaljit , N/A INC Pain working party authorship group , Slater Rebeccah
Published: June 2024

Background: There are several major challenges limiting our ability to test analgesic efficacy for treatment of neonatal pain, and progress in analgesic drug studies in neonates has stalled. One significant issue is the reliance of clinical pain assessments on traditional behavioural and vital signs-based measures and the exclusion of novel brain-based biomarkers. In this review protocol, we outline our strategy to assess the reliability, validity, and interpretability of an electroencephalography (EEG)-based response biomarker for assessment of acute somatic nociceptive pain in neonates.
Methods: To standardise EEG analysis and generate the outcome of interest, we will perform an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis using data from neonates aged 34-44 weeks postmenstrual age that have had EEG recorded during acute somatic nociceptive skin-breaking procedures. Relevant data from both published and grey literature will be identified by searching six databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar), two clinical trial registry platforms (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP), and by consulting expert opinion. We will assess availability bias, data accuracy, and data quality by cross-referencing provided data with data descriptions in the literature, identifying duplicates and non-sensical values, and extracting quality control metrics. Data will be synthesised via a two-stage IPD meta-analysis using a random effects modelling approach grouped by site. Reliability (inter- and intra-rater) outcomes will be measured as Gwet's AC1 coefficient. Validity (known-groups and known-stimuli) outcomes will be measured as EEG response magnitude differences between clinically meaningfully different stimuli. Interpretability will be addressed by providing normative values, in both original and standardised units.
Discussion: The purpose of this study is to establish the reliability, validity, and interpretability of a specific EEG-based response biomarker for assessing acute somatic nociceptive pain in neonates. It will provide an overview of available data and how EEG is being used globally to assess acute neonatal pain. If sufficient IPD are made available and the outcome is reliable, valid, and interpretable, this work will support the use of EEG-based outcome measures as primary endpoints in clinical trials assessing analgesic efficacy in neonates.
Systematic review registration: The protocol was registered with PROSPERO on 14-July-2023: CRD42023444809.
A Coevolutionary Algorithm with Diffusive Growing Neural Gas Strategy for Many-Objective Optimization Problems with Irregular Pareto Front
Authors: WANG PENG , XUE MING , TONG XIANGRONG , LI CHENGZHEN
Published: June 2024

Due to the difficulty in balancing convergence, diversity and irregular Pareto fronts (PFs) handling simultaneously, most existing evolutionary algorithms face significant challenges on many-objective optimization problem with irregular PFs. To address these challenges, this article proposes a coevolutionary algorithm with diffusive growing neural gas (GNG) strategy for many-objective optimization problems with irregular Pareto front, called CoA-DGNG. Specifically, a coevolutionary mechanism is designed to collaborative facilitate both objective optimization and irregular PFs handling. Meanwhile, by utilizing the topology information of PFs, a diffusive growing neural gas node update strategy, named DGNG, is developed to guide the update of adaptive reference vectors. Moreover, a two-fold environmental selection strategy is presented to enhance selection pressure towards promising direction. The proposed algorithm is compared with four state-of-the-art optimizers on 45 test problems with irregular PFs. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed CoA-DGNG in comparison to the chosen algorithms.
Ride-Hailing Pick-Up Area Recommendation in a Vehicle-Cloud Collaborative Environment: A Feature-Aware Personalized Clustering Federated Learning Approach
Authors: Zhou Xinyu , Liao ZhuHua , Zhao Yijiang , Liu Yizhi , Yi Aiping
Published: June 2024

Ride-hailing pick-up area recommendations based on GPS data can significantly enhance driver efficiency, improve passenger experience, and optimize urban traffic management. However, direct access to sensitive driver and passenger data, lack of data sharing between ride-hailing platforms, and other barriers severely undermine the reliability of current models and increase the difficulty of training and building these models. Additionally, the centralized mining of driver pick-up data can lead to spatial imbalances in ride-hailing platform order supplies, resulting in the recommendation of the same pick-up areas to different drivers in cases with similar spatiotemporal characteristics. This scenario not only exacerbates competition in certain areas but also impacts the overall service efficiency of the platform.To address these issues, this paper proposes a feature-aware personalized clustering federated learning model based on vehicle-cloud collaboration. This model achieves data sharing while protecting privacy, providing personalized pick-up area recommendations for drivers, and incorporating a feature-aware mechanism to prevent uneven order distribution. Specifically, the study introduces a clustering analysis algorithm based on Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) to accurately align and measure the similarity of drivers' order time series, classifying driver order-taking behavior patterns for more comprehensive behavior pattern analysis and improving model accuracy and reliability. Furthermore, we propose a deep matrix factorization algorithm, AFFM, that integrates driver features and geographical information. This algorithm deeply learns the interaction relationships between drivers and geographical features, modulates the attention weights of driver features, and constructs personalized models tailored to different driver pick-up characteristics, thus enhancing the precision and effectiveness of recommendations.Additionally, we present a federated learning algorithm, CFL\_AFFM, based on vehicle-cloud collaboration. This algorithm leverages cloud computing resources to compensate for the limited computational resources of vehicles, allowing the AFFM algorithm to effectively utilize DTW clustering results. By sharing global models and clustering parameters through the cloud platform, broader collaborative effects are achieved, enhancing the model's generalization ability and stability while protecting driver and passenger privacy.Finally, we design a reachability matrix that incorporates the driver's current location and features. Based on the predictions of the CFL\_AFFM algorithm, reliable pick-up areas are recommended, ensuring personalized and efficient ride-hailing services.
Investigation of factors associated with pediatric intention to vaccinate and vaccine hesitancy and refusal in pregnant women in Turkey
Authors: Yörük Selda , Güler Döndü
Published: June 2024

Background
Pregnant women are an ideal target population for interventions intended to immunize infants after birth. Lack of confidence in vaccines among pregnant women increases vaccine hesitancy or refusal.
Aim
This study aims to determine the frequency, causes, and risk factors of pediatric intention to vaccinate and vaccine hesitancy and refusal in pregnant women.
Methods
Data were collected using a questionnaire designed by the researchers and included items about descriptive characteristics of women and their vaccine hesitancy and refusal. The study was used with the STROBE Statement checklist.
Results
Pediatric vaccine acceptance in pregnant women was 72.2%, the prevalence of vaccine refusal was 3.4%, and the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy was 24.4%. The vaccine that women were hesitant to get administered to their infants in the first place after birth was the pneumococcal vaccine (17.2%), and Tdab was the vaccine that they intended to have administered to their infants the most(76.3%). According to the multivariate logistic regression model, which was adjusted for age, education, income, and gestational week, vaccine hesitancy was significantly higher in pregnant women (OR = 15.14) who stated that they would not have screening tests such as hearing and heel blood done after birth (p < 0.0001).Vaccine hesitancy was also high in pregnant women who did not use any folic acid during pregnancy (OR = 2.59) and those who had not received two doses of tetanus vaccine during pregnancy or within the last 10 years (OR = 1.75). It was statistically significantly 2.14 times higher in pregnant women who used social media as a source of information about vaccines (OR = 2.14) and those who stated that they did not trust the content of vaccines (OR = 22.08) (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
The risk of pediatric vaccine hesitancy was higher in pregnant women who did not use preventive interventions during the antenatal period.
Study on flow and heat transfer characteristics of microchannel with double-layer staggered trapezoidal convex rib cavity
Authors: Feng Yuxiang , Zhang Haoyu
Published: June 2024

This paper focuses on the numerical study of fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in double-layer staggered trapezoidal convex rib and concave microchannel (SMCCR). The effects of base thickness ratio (α) and height ratio (β) on thermal performance were studied by numerical simulation. Comparison was made between SMCCR and rectangular straight microchannel (MC). The comprehensive performance of SMCCR was evaluated. The heat transfer enhancement mechanism of SMCCR is analyzed by using flow field, temperature field and pressure field. The results show that the heat transfer performance of SMCCR-2 microchannel is better than that of MC microchannel and MCCR-2 microchannel. When Re=279, among the seven designed channels, the PEC of SMCCR-2 channel with α=2 and β=0.5 structure reaches 2.35, and the comprehensive heat transfer effect is the best. When the thermal resistance Rth is the same, the SMCCR-2 channel with β=0.5 needs less pumping power and less energy consumption. By comparing this special structure microchannel with the traditional straight microchannel, the advantages and characteristics of double-layer staggered trapezoidal ribbed groove microchannel in heat transfer enhancement are analyzed, thus providing useful reference for practical engineering application.
Enhancing AutoML Performance for Imbalanced Tabular Data Classification: A Self-Balancing Pipeline
Authors: Aragão Marcelo Vinícius Cysneiros , Carvalho Mateus de Freitas , Pereira Tiago de Morais , de Figueiredo Felipe Augusto Pereira , Mafra Samuel Baraldi
Published: June 2024

In data science and machine learning, imbalanced data poses a significant challenge. This study presents a self-balancing strategy integrating traditional (randomly duplicating data from the minority class) and generative (creating novel samples from the minority class' features space oversampling, undersampling techniques, and hyperparameter optimization to enhance automated machine-learning pipelines. Through a systematic grid search methodology and by taking multiple datasets into account, the research validates the effectiveness of integrated sampling techniques in consistently improving classification performance in diverse scenarios. The proposed approach contributes to a refined understanding of addressing class imbalance, emphasizing the importance of a unified strategy. Therefore, this research presents a comprehensive proposal for effectively handling imbalanced datasets and advancing the development of more reliable machine learning applications. The experiments' results highlighted the effectiveness of sampling methods and showed improvements of up to almost six percentage points compared to the baseline. We made the code, experiment reproduction instructions, and outcomes publicly available on GitHub.
Estimations of biological motion walking direction are affected by observer and walker genders
Authors: Sun Qi , Dong Liang-Liang , You Fan-Huan , Chang Dorita H. F.
Published: June 2024

A facing-towards bias is commonly reported when observers are asked to judge the motion directions of others. However, it remains unclear just how accurately observers are able to estimate the motion direction of others. Here, we asked male and female participants to estimate the direction of a point-light walker (PLW) in three experiments. The gender of PLWs was neutral (Experiment 1, 96 participants), clearly male or female (Experiment 2, 72 participants), or more subtlety male or female (Experiment 3, 98 participants). We found that female PLWs showed a stronger reference repulsion bias (RRB) than male PLWs. That is, for female PLWs, the estimates of facing directions were biased away from the boundaries of facing-towards, facing-away, and lateral (left/right)-motion directions. Interestingly, RRBs differed depending on whether the observer was male or female. When the PLW gender difference was clear, the RRB was stronger for female participants than male participants; when the PLW gender difference was reduced, the trend disappeared or was reversed. Finally, the perceived PLW direction was biased towards the previously seen PLW direction, showing serial dependence that was not affected by the PLW and observer genders. In conclusion, the current study shows that observers can accurately estimate PLW directions, but that judgments are curiously affected by both the observers’ and PLWs’ genders.
Energy Efficiency Assessment in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems with Real-Time Image Processing on Custom Xilinx DPUs
Authors: TATAR Güner , BAYAR Salih
Published: June 2024

The rapid advancement in embedded AI, driven by integrating deep neural networks (DNNs) into embedded systems for real-time image and video processing, has been notably pushed by AI-specific platforms like the AMD Xilinx Vitis AI on the MPSoC-FPGA platform. This platform utilizes a configurable Deep Processing Unit (DPU) for scalable resource utilization and operating frequencies. Our study employed a detailed methodology to assess the impact of various DPU configurations and frequencies on resource utilization and energy consumption. The findings reveal that increasing the DPU frequency enhances resource utilization efficiency and improves performance. Conversely, lower frequencies significantly reduce resource utilization, with only a borderline decrease in performance. These trade-offs are influenced not only by frequency but also by variations in DPU parameters. These findings are critical for developing energy-efficient AI-driven systems in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) based on real-time video processing. By leveraging the capabilities of Xilinx Vitis AI deployed on the Kria KV260 MPSoC platform, we explore the intricacies of optimizing energy efficiency through multi-task learning in real-time ADAS applications.
Nitrogen and water availability effects dynamics of soil nitrogen mineralization in a maize system
Authors: Donovan Tyler C. , Comas Louise H. , Schneekloth Joel , Schipanski Meagan
Published: June 2024

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer and water availability can independently stimulate or limit soil N dynamics through direct and indirect processes. Importantly, soil N mineralization (Nmin) is a major N source for maize but affected by N fertilization and water availability. We examined in-situ net Nmin, soil enzyme activity, and maize N uptake in a semiarid region of North America in response to two levels of water availability (100% and 70% crop evapotranspiration, ET) and three levels of N fertilization (22–275 kg ha− 1 capturing low, optimal, and excess N fertilization. Nitrogen mineralization rates peaked relatively early in the growing season leading to asynchrony between soil N supply and plant demand. Later in the season when plant N uptake was highest, Nmin rates were high under low N with full water supply, and high under high N with limited water supply, resulting in an N fertilizer and water interaction. Soil L-leucine amino peptidase (LAP) and β-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG), which can be indicators of gross Nmin, increased with N fertilizer additions but were not affected by water supply. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying this interaction as well as exploring if gross Nmin has a similar response. Maize N uptake increased with N fertilizer additions under both levels of water availability but was higher in the full water supply. In the limited water availability, increased plant N uptake with increased N fertilization did not translate to large grain yield increases highlighting the impact of water stress, especially during grain fill.
Operando Neutron Imaging-guided Gradient Design of Li-ion Solid Conductor for Extremely High Mass-loading Cathodes
Authors: Zhu Hongli , Ji Tongtai , Zhang Yuxuan , Torres James , Bilheux Jean , Wang Jiwei
Published: June 2024

High mass-loading cathodes are crucial for achieving high energy density in all-solid-state batteries from lab scale to industry. However, as mass-loading increases, electrochemical performance is significantly compromised due to sluggish kinetics. Operando neutron imaging of a high mass-loading NMC 811 cathode of 33 mg/cm2 (5.0 mAh/cm2, 180 µm thick) reveals the lithiation prioritization of the cathode active material (CAM) from the solid electrolyte layer to the current collector side. In addition to the tortuosity, another key limitation to ion transfer in the cathode arises from the mismatch between the uniform distribution of the solid electrolyte (catholyte) in the conventional composite cathode and the non-uniform Li+ flux generated by the Faraday reaction of CAMs. Therefore, a novel design with a gradient in the catholyte concentration is engineered to match the Li+ flux distribution, aiming to eliminate the ion transfer obstacle. This innovative approach demonstrates enhanced rate performance, even with ultra-high mass-loading cathodes. A LiCoO2 composite cathode with 100 mg/cm2 ultra-high mass-loading exhibited an areal capacity of 10.4 mAh/cm2 at a current density of 2.25 mA/cm2. This work demonstrated an effective gradient design to optimize ion transport in high mass-loading cathodes to overcome the kinetic barrier and achieve high battery performance.
Adamaoua Under the Prism of Cross-border Rural Banditry
Authors: Alim Bakari Yaya
Published: June 2024

The Adamaoua region has been the scene of intensive subversive activities by armed groups from conflict-prone areas of the Central African Republic and Nigeria in recent years. Instigators of insecurity have transformed this region into an ungovernable space, a stronghold where they deploy innovative strategies to dispossess populations. Rural banditry prevails in rural areas, under the configuration of kidnappings accompanied by ransom demands, ambushes of rural roads, and cattle theft, illustrating the worsening security situation. The question is how do we understand this security threat and how have the authorities reacted ? The hypothesis put forward aims to demonstrate that rural banditry in the Adamaoua region is influenced by regional geography, socio-economic factors, and the crisis of governance security at the borders. The situation has led to the emergence of sovereignty actions in Cameroon and security cooperation with Central African Republic and Nigeria.
Calidad psicométrica de un instrumento: breve revisión
Authors: Berrío García Nathaly , Zedán-Salinas Karina Paola
Published: June 2024

El objetivo de esta revisión es revisar las características técnicas y las propiedades psicométricas que deben tener los instrumentos psicológicos, para su uso seguro y ético. Las propiedades psicométricas de los ítems de una prueba incluyen seis aspectos que deben ser medidos adecuadamente y en su totalidad para que la evaluación de calidad técnica sea completa: dificultad y discriminación de los ítems, evidencias de validez y confiabilidad, homogeneidad de los ítems, análisis de distractores y funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems. Se concluye que la calidad técnica de una prueba debe estar relacionada con la elección de la misma por parte de los psicólogos, y que es una decisión ética de quienes tienen la responsabilidad de realizar un acompañamiento objetivo y consistente basado en la evidencia, independientemente del campo laboral en que se desempeñen.
Familia y escuela: perspectivas desde la salud mental en la adolescencia
Authors: Torres Herrera Valeria , López Ardila Santiago , Jessie Archbold Mary Jane , Rodríguez Bustamante Alexander
Published: June 2024

La experiencia de ser adolescente implica cambio y transformación, una cierta mayoría de edad, acompañada de la familia, y socialización escolar como factores de encuentro con los pares. Sobre el inicio y objetivo, el texto pretende dilucidar-comprender la triada educomunicativa que se teje entre la familia/escuela/adolescencia, con un componente de salud mental. En su metodología presenta un enfoque cualitativo, modalidad estado del arte, bajo la estrategia documental. Dentro de los hallazgos más importantes subsiste la relacional filioparental y el encuentro con la escuela (constructo-configuración y refuerzo); el involucramiento de la escuela y la salud mental en el adolescente afincan el mundo socializante. Se concluye que la discusión sobre el cuidado de la salud mental en la adolescencia, desde la primera infancia, acontece como una constelación de sucesos que emergen en la familia, se contraen en la escuela y se desarrollan en la vivencia cotidiana de cada ser a lo largo de la vida.