bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coming to terms with climate change: a glossary for climate change impacts on mental health and well-being
Authors: Niedzwiedz Claire L , Olsen Jonathan R , Rizeq Jala , Afework Tsion , Hill-Harding Chiara K V , Shaw Richard J , Thomas Rhian , Kariuki Symon M , Katikireddi Srinivasa Vittal , Weaver Andrew J , Martin Gina , Parr Hester , Papies Esther K
Published: December 2024

Climate change is a major threat to global health. Its effects on physical health are increasingly recognised, but mental health impacts have received less attention. The mental health effects of climate change can be direct (resulting from personal exposure to acute and chronic climatic changes), indirect (via the impact on various socioeconomic, political and environmental determinants of mental health) and overarching (via knowledge, education and awareness of climate change). These impacts are unequally distributed according to long-standing structural inequities which are exacerbated by climate change. We outline key concepts and pathways through which climate change may affect mental health and explore the responses to climate change at different levels, from emotions to politics, to highlight the need for multilevel action. We provide a broad reference to help guide researchers, practitioners and policy-makers in the use and understanding of different terms in this rapidly growing interdisciplinary field.
Evaluation of immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy for solid tumors withCD274(PD-L1 gene) amplification identified by comprehensive genomic profiling: retrospective study based on a nationwide database
Authors: Nakayama Tomohiro , Takahama Takayuki , Chiba Yasutaka , Shiraishi Naoki , Kawakami Hisato , Yonesaka Kimio , Nakagawa Kazuhiko , Hayashi Hidetoshi
Published: December 2024

Background

Amplification of the programmed cell death-ligand 1 gene (CD274) is highly prevalent and associated with a high response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in lymphomas, and is also a potential biomarker for ICI treatment of solid tumors. However, the efficacy of ICIs for solid tumors withCD274amplification identified by comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) has been unclear. We here examined ICI efficacy for solid tumors withCD274amplification identified by CGP in a national database.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from the Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics database containing 60,155 CGP test results for individuals with solid tumors. Only clinical data from patients treated with ICIs alone (not those undergoing concomitant therapy with molecularly targeted or cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents) were evaluated. We matched 48 patients in theCD274amplification-positive group with 170 patients in theCD274amplification-negative group in a 1:4 ratio based on tumor type, histology, treatment, and age. Overall survival (OS), time to next treatment (TTNT), and response rate were evaluated as treatment outcomes in the two groups.

Results

OS was similar in theCD274-amplified and matchedCD274-non-amplified groups (median of 22.1 vs 26.3 months, respectively; HR of 0.92 with a 95% CI of 0.55 to 1.54; p=0.075). TTNT tended to be longer in theCD274-amplified group than in the matchedCD274-non-amplified group (median of 16.5 vs 14.0 months; HR of 0.63 with a 95% CI of 0.37 to 1.08; p=0.091). The objective response rate was 33.3% and 18.4% (difference of 14.9%, with a 95% CI of –0.2% to 31.6%), and the disease control rate was 63.9% and 41.1% (difference of 22.8%, with a 95% CI of 5.1% to 40.4%), in theCD274-amplified and matchedCD274-non-amplified groups, respectively.

Conclusions

The number of patients with solid tumors positive forCD274amplification in this analysis is the largest to date, and our results suggest that such gene amplification may be associated with the outcome of ICI treatment in such individuals.CD274amplification identified by CGP may therefore be a predictor of ICI efficacy for solid tumors.

Trial registration number

UMIN000029779.
Reassessment and reclassification of variants of unknown significance in patients with cardiomyopathy in a specialist department
Authors: Horgan Sinead , Kotwal Huafrin , Malan Antonetta , Sekhri Neha , Lopes Luis R
Published: December 2024

Background

The utility of diagnostic genetic testing in cardiomyopathy has grown significantly, due to the discovery of novel genes and greater awareness among healthcare professionals. However, a substantial proportion of cases (around 50%) yield no causative genetic variants or have variants of unknown significance (VUS), limiting their use in clinical management and familial screening. The increase in data quantity and quality in reference databases, coupled with variant interpretation guidelines, allows for periodic reanalysis of VUS, potentially reducing diagnostic gaps.

Methods

This study presents a review of VUS results identified in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) probands over a 5-year period, using American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria. A total of 248 VUS from 233 reports were reviewed, with the majority of patients with a diagnosis of HCM (n=112), followed by DCM (n=99) and ACM (n=22).

Results

Four (1.6%) VUS showed sufficient evidence to upgrade to likely pathogenic/pathogenic status, while 8 (3.2%) were downgraded to benign. The majority 236 (95.2%) remained VUS after reanalysis, of which 12 (4.7%) had potential to reclassification to benign or likely pathogenic/pathogenic depending on further data.

Conclusion

The study emphasises the importance of periodic re-evaluation of VUS results for clinical management of probands as well as cascade testing. We show feasibility of conducting reclassification analysis in a referral centre, but highlight the need for ongoing collaboration between clinical and laboratory experts. Our work supports the current recommendation of reclassification every 3–5 years to keep pace with evolving evidence.
Field measurements and modelling of climate-driven hydraulic flux, water content, and suction in a loess slope
Authors: Yates Katherine , Russell Adrian R.
Published: December 2024

Rainfall-triggered shallow slope failures are common in New Zealand loess. While often unsaturated, rainfall infiltration reduces suction in the loess as the water content increases, resulting in reduction in shear strength and increased potential for slope instability. Here the hydraulic response of an in situ loess slope to natural rainfall and evapotranspiration is examined using long-term field instrumentation. Data from a 19-month monitoring period show that the loess’ hydraulic behaviour responds to change in seasonal climatic conditions, highlighting the relationship between moisture content and suction with evapotranspiration and infiltration. To simulate the field response, a one-dimensional steady infiltration/evapotranspiration model has been developed, exploiting the unique power laws which interrelate water content, suction and hydraulic conductivity which arise from a loess’s fractal particle and pore size distributions. Hydraulic hysteresis is also accounted for. Closed form expressions are derived for the subsurface suction profile, from which profiles of moisture content, hydraulic conductivity, and the suction’s contribution to strength may be obtained. Simulated subsurface water contents are in good agreement with field observations. Furthermore, fluxes across the loess surface used to obtain the modelled quantities are in general agreement with local climatic conditions and their variations during the monitoring period. Modelled and measured data are strongly correlated at shallow depths, having a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.53.
Effect of sodium occupancy and solute concentration on the swelling pressure and hydraulic conductivity of Boom Clay
Authors: Al Mais Hassan , Cui Yu-Jun , Li Xiang-Ling , Seetharam Suresh , Valcke Elie , Wang Lian , Georgieva Temenuga , Collin Frédéric
Published: December 2024

The poorly indurated Boom Clay (BC) has been studied as a potential host formation for the geological disposal of radioactive waste including the intermediate-level long-lived bituminized radioactive waste called Eurobitum. In case of leaching of Eurobitum, fluids with altered chemical compositions would be expected to infiltrate locally into the BC. To evaluate the effect of salinity on the BC hydromechanical behaviour, a series of one-dimensional constant-volume swelling tests were conducted on intact BC samples that were first percolated with mixed sodium-calcium-nitrate solutions ((Na, Ca)NO3) with varying sodium concentrations, resulting in varying Na+ occupancies in the clay. Results showed that the swelling pressure of BC decreased with an increase in the solute concentration and sodium occupancy. Additionally, higher Na+ concentrations led to a faster stabilization of the swelling pressure. The hydraulic conductivity of BC increased with increasing solute concentration and sodium occupancy. Moreover, the sodium occupancy and concentration affected the swelling pressure and hydraulic conductivity in a similar way. This phenomenon could be elucidated by two primary mechanisms: (i) the influence of solute concentration on the diffuse double layer, and (ii) the effect of cation type and hydrated radius within the interbasal space of montmorillonite sheets, especially concerning sodium occupancy.
Conflicting findings in pyrrolo[1,2-d]tetrazoles: a computational study
Authors: Alkorta Ibon , Elguero José , Moderhack Dietrich
Published: December 2024

Two structural problems concerning the prototropic and ring-chain tautomerism of pyrrolo[1,2- d]tetrazoles were clarified by means of DFT calculations. The first one concerns the carboxyethyl ester structure of the compound obtained by treating 7-methylpyrrolotetrazolide with ethyl chloroformate and the second one the structure of a precursor of a dye that was not a tetrazole as reported but 2-azido-5-chloro-1 H-pyrrole-3,4-dicarbonitrile. Although the conclusions to the two problems have already been published elsewhere by one of the present authors (DM), the new NMR data of the aforementioned compound together with GIAO/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) calculations establish those conclusions on a solid basis. However, the most important thing about the present work is to establish that 1 H-pyrrole is a peculiar azole, while the pyrrolide anion behaves like a classic azole.
MARKETIZATION AND RESOURCE MISMATCHES: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA’S LAND RESOURCE ALLOCATION
Authors: HU JUNZHE , DU JUNTAO
Published: December 2024

The factor market is the focus of China’s reform in recent years, especially the land market reform, which is related to the prosperity and stability of the economy. As China proposes to build “a unified national market”, studying the relationship between marketization and land resource allocation has become an important part of China’s land resource protection. Data on land grants from 285 Chinese cities between 2007 and 2019 were utilized in this study. The difference in land grant prices for different uses is employed to measure the land resource mismatch (LRM). The two-stage least squares method and dynamic panel threshold model were used to analyze the impact of marketization on LRM. The main findings of the research are that marketization can effectively reduce LRM, and this conclusion is still robust after accounting for the endogenous bias. The impact of marketization on LRM is heterogeneous at the regional and urban scales, and the impact of marketization is more obvious in the eastern and central regions. Compared with small- and medium-sized cities, marketization also plays a more obvious role in correcting LRM in large cities. The impact of marketization on LRM is also influenced by the industrial structure, real estate investment, and the level of informatization. Finally, specific measures to alleviate LRM through marketization are proposed.
Non-interpenetration of rods derived by Γ-limits
Authors: Benešová Barbora , Campbell Daniel , Hencl Stanislav , Kružík Martin
Published: December 2024

Ensuring non-interpenetration of matter is a fundamental prerequisite when modeling the deformation response of solid materials. In this contribution, we thoroughly examine how this requirement, equivalent to the injectivity of deformations within bulk structures, manifests itself in dimensional-reduction problems. Specifically, we focus on the case of rods embedded in a two-dimensional plane. Our results focus on [Formula: see text]-limits of energy functionals that enforce an admissible deformation to be a homeomorphism. These [Formula: see text]-limits are evaluated along a passage from the bulk configuration to the rod arrangement. The proofs rely on the equivalence between the weak and strong closures of the set of homeomorphisms from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], a result that is of independent interest and that we establish in this paper, too.
Well-posedness of the 3D Peskin problem
Authors: García-Juárez Eduardo , Kuo Po-Chun , Mori Yoichiro , Strain Robert M.
Published: December 2024

This paper introduces the 3D Peskin problem: a two-dimensional elastic membrane immersed in a three-dimensional steady Stokes flow. We obtain the equations that model this free boundary problem and show that they admit a boundary integral reduction, providing an evolution equation for the elastic interface. We consider general nonlinear elastic laws, i.e. the fully nonlinear Peskin problem, and prove that the problem is well-posed in low-regularity Hölder spaces. Moreover, we prove that the elastic membrane becomes smooth instantly in time.
Comparing the Accuracy and Reliability of Detecting the Intensity of Spinal Inflammation on STIR Sequence with Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Values in Axial Spondyloarthritis
Authors: Chung Ho Yin , Cheung Tommy Tsang , Lau Vince Wing Hang , Lee Kam Ho , Chan Florence King Pui
Published: December 2024

Objective: To compare the accuracy and reliability of detecting the intensity of spinal inflammation on short tau inversion recovery (STIR) with the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the active magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Materials and methods: Fifty active lesions in the STIR sequence of spinal MRI were identified. With reference to sites of active lesions in STIR, the corresponding region of interest (ROI) on the ADC map was drawn to determine the maximum ADC (ADC[Formula: see text]), mean ADC (ADC[Formula: see text]), normalized maximum (nADC[Formula: see text]), and mean (nADC[Formula: see text]). Four independent readers scored the identified active lesions as “intense” or “non-intense” according to the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) MRI index. They were compared to various ADC parameters for assessment of accuracy and reliability. Regression analyses were used to adjust potential factors that could affect ADC.

Results: Significant differences were found in ADC [Formula: see text] between “intense” and “non-intense” lesions scored by three of the four readers (1,405.7 ± 271.4 vs. 1,165.8 ± 223.8, [Formula: see text] = 0.01; 1,420.7 ± 272.1 vs. 1,209.0 ± 248.5, [Formula: see text] = 0.01; 1,438.0 ± 307.2 vs. 1,213.6 ± 231.0, [Formula: see text] = 0.01). Only one reader could differentiate a difference in “intense” and “non-intense” lesions with respect to ADC[Formula: see text] (899.2 ± 248.3 vs. 711.0 ± 222.6, [Formula: see text] = 0.01) and nADC[Formula: see text] (4.4 ± 2.1 vs. 3.4 ± 1.4, [Formula: see text] = 0.05). Inter-reader agreements were slight to moderate (kappa = 0.07–0.45). Reliability substantially improved when only the lowest and highest 25th percentiles of ADC values were included (kappa = 0.17–0.75). Regression analyses showed that the “intense” lesions were associated with higher ADC values after adjustment for confounders.

Conclusion: Reading of STIR MRI is limited by the lack of ability in differentiating subtle differences of spinal inflammation. ADC could be an alternative method.
Recurring volcanism in New England focused by a region of thin lithosphere
Authors: Levin Vadim , VanTongeren Jill A. , Fullea Javier , Lebedev Sergei
Published: December 2024

The Appalachian Orogen experienced extensive volcanism through the early Paleozoic, as well as ∼200 Ma. Unlike most of the northern Appalachians, the New England region saw repeated episodes of volcanic activity between 293 and 120 Ma. An anomalous region in the upper mantle beneath New England underlies these distinct volcanic rocks. Low values and lack of anisotropy in seismic velocity imply elevated temperature and suggest sub-vertical flow in the upper mantle. Our new constraints on the depth to the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) show that thinned lithosphere underlies the region of localized repeated anorogenic volcanism in New England. The upper mantle directly beneath the shallow LAB is not unusually warm, while surrounding regions have significantly lower temperatures. Changes in the type of igneous rocks erupted between 150 and 120 Ma, from kimberlites in Ontario to felsic plutons in New England, correlate with variations in lithosphere thickness and imply that these variations existed by 125 Ma. It is also plausible that thin lithosphere is inherited from the time of Appalachian collisions at ∼450 Ma. Our overall conclusion is that the region of presently thin lithosphere beneath New England is unusual and has focused volcanic activity within it since ∼300 Ma.
The In-Situ Effect of Offensive Ads on Search Engine Users
Authors: Yom-Tov Elad , Levontin Liat
Published: December 2024

Unscrupulous advertisers may try to increase attention to search ads by using offensive ads, which can increase attention and recall to the detriment of individuals and society. Here, we investigate whether offensive ads, when shown to search engine users, have such effects. We developed 12 search scenarios and created 4 versions of the search results page (SERP) for each scenario, where some of the ads were changed to be irrelevant and/or offensive. Crowdsourced judges found a strong correlation (

\(\geq 0.63\)

) between the reported number of annoying ads and the actual number of offensive and irrelevant ads, suggesting people conflate these attributes. Furthermore, we found that judges who assessed the SERPs for themselves reported lower positive affect and higher negative affect than judges asked to imagine the results were provided to someone else. In the latter case offensive ads also lead to slightly lower positive (

\(-4\%\)

) and higher negative affect (

\(+61\%\)

). Finally, in a recall test, only 6% of judges reported seeing an offensive ad when using search engines. Our work should further detract advertisers from using offensive ads since, in addition to previously documented adverse effects, such ads have a small but statistically significant negative effect on people’s emotional experience.
Accelerating In-memory Database Functionality with FPGAs
Authors: Leggett Jordan , McGlone John , Demirsoy Suleyman , Faerber Christian , Pelyushenko Vadim
Published: December 2024

In this article, we present a hardware offload of part of the delta merge process used in In-Memory Databases (IMDBs). The delta merge process is fundamental in maintaining high transactional throughput for IMDBs. Improving the efficiency of the delta merge process allows running it more frequently, which will improve the performance for transactional throughout for an IMDB. Our FPGA design supports more use cases than existing research, and was demonstrated to be faster than the existing implementation in an enterprise database, offering speedups of between 4

\(\times\)

and 100

\(\times\)

compared to the CPU optimised implementation, depending on the properties of the database columns.
A Dynamic Characteristic Aware Index Structure Optimized for Real-world Datasets
Authors: Yang Jin , Yoon Heejin , Yun Gyeongchan , Noh Sam H. , Choi Young-Ri
Published: December 2024

Many datasets in real life are complex and dynamic, that is, their key densities are varied over the whole key space and their key distributions change over time. It is challenging for an index structure to efficiently support all key operations for data management, in particular, search, insert, and scan, for such dynamic datasets. In this article, we present DyTIS (Dynamic dataset Targeted Index Structure), an index that targets dynamic datasets. DyTIS, although based on the structure of Extendible hashing, leverages the CDF of the key distribution of a dataset, and learns and adjusts its structure as the dataset grows. The key novelty behind DyTIS is to group keys by the natural key order and maintain keys in sorted order in each bucket to support scan operations within a hash index. We also define what we refer to as a dynamic dataset and propose a means to quantify its dynamic characteristics. Our experimental results show that DyTIS provides higher performance than the state-of-the-art learned index for the dynamic datasets considered. We also analyze the effects of the dynamic characteristics of datasets, including sequential datasets, as well as the effect of multiple threads on the performance of the indexes.
Emotion Recognition from Spontaneous Tunisian Dialect Speech
Authors: Ibn Nasr Latifa , Masmoudi Abir , Hadrich Belguith Lamia
Published: December 2024

Emotional expressions are a fundamental aspect of human communication, with speech being one of the most natural modes of interaction. Speech Emotion Recognition (SER) is a significant research topic in Natural Language Processing (NLP), aimed at identifying emotions such as satisfaction, frustration, and anger from speech audio using multiple classifiers. This article presents a method to emotion recognition from spontaneous Tunisian Dialect (TD) speech, marking the first work in the SER field to utilize spontaneous speech for emotion recognition in this dialect. The dataset was created from freely available YouTube videos across multiple domains and labeled with four perceived emotions: anger, satisfaction, frustration, and neutral.

To address the data scarcity issue, we implemented data augmentation techniques, specifically Vocal Tract Length Perturbation (VTLP). The preprocessing of the speech signals involved cleaning the data from ambient and unwanted noises. We extracted and selected various spectral features, including Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) and Linear Prediction Cepstral Coefficients (LPCC). Subsequently, we applied several classification methods: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Random Forest.

Our experiments demonstrated that the Random Forest classifier achieved the highest F-score of 58.75%. The results were thoroughly discussed, analyzed, and compared across the five models using different feature extractions. This study provides valuable insights and advancements in the SER field, particularly for the TD, for future research directions for improving emotion recognition systems.
Towards Trustworthy Machine Learning in Production: An Overview of the Robustness in MLOps Approach
Authors: Bayram Firas , Ahmed Bestoun S.
Published: December 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI), and especially its sub-field of Machine Learning (ML), are impacting the daily lives of everyone with their ubiquitous applications. In recent years, AI researchers and practitioners have introduced principles and guidelines to build systems that make reliable and trustworthy decisions. From a practical perspective, conventional ML systems process historical data to extract the features that are consequently used to train ML models that perform the desired task. However, in practice, a fundamental challenge arises when the system needs to be operationalized and deployed to evolve and operate in real-life environments continuously. To address this challenge, Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) have emerged as a potential recipe for standardizing ML solutions in deployment. Although MLOps demonstrated great success in streamlining ML processes, thoroughly defining the specifications of robust MLOps approaches remains of great interest to researchers and practitioners. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of the trustworthiness property of MLOps systems. Specifically, we highlight technical practices to achieve robust MLOps systems. In addition, we survey the existing research approaches that address the robustness aspects of ML systems in production. We also review the tools and software available to build MLOps systems and summarize their support to handle the robustness aspects. Finally, we present the open challenges and propose possible future directions and opportunities within this emerging field. The aim of this paper is to provide researchers and practitioners working on practical AI applications with a comprehensive view to adopt robust ML solutions in production environments.
Open-Source AI-based SE Tools: Opportunities and Challenges of Collaborative Software Learning
Authors: Lin Zhihao , Ma Wei , Lin Tao , Zheng Yaowen , Ge Jingquan , Wang Jun , Klein Jacques , Bissyande Tegawende , Liu Yang , Li Li
Published: December 2024

Large Language Models (LLMs) have become instrumental in advancing software engineering (SE) tasks, showcasing their efficacy in code understanding and beyond. AI code models has demonstrated their value not only in code generating but also in defect detection, enhancing security measures, and improving overall software quality. They are emerging as crucial tools for both software development and maintaining software quality. Like traditional SE tools, open-source collaboration is key in realising the excellent products. However, with AI models, the essential need is in data. The collaboration of these AI-based SE models hinges on maximising the sources of high-quality data. However, data especially of high quality, often holds commercial or sensitive value, making it less accessible for open-source AI-based SE projects. This reality presents a significant barrier to the development and enhancement of AI-based SE tools within the software engineering community. Therefore, researchers need to find solutions for enabling open-source AI-based SE models to tap into resources by different organizations. Addressing this challenge, our position paper investigates one solution to facilitate access to diverse organizational resources for open-source AI models, ensuring privacy and commercial sensitivities are respected. We introduce a governance framework centered on federated learning (FL), designed to foster the joint development and maintenance of open-source AI code models while safeguarding data privacy and security. Additionally, we present guidelines for developers on AI-based SE tool collaboration, covering data requirements, model architecture, updating strategies, and version control. Given the significant influence of data characteristics on federated learning, our research examines the effect of code data heterogeneity on federated learning performance. We consider 6 different scenarios of data distributions and include 4 code models. We also include 4 most common federated learning algorithms.
Our experimental findings highlight the potential for employing federated learning in the collaborative development and maintenance of AI-based software engineering models.
We also discuss the key issues to be addressed in the co-construction process and future research directions.
Visual Story Generation Model Guided by Multi Granularity Image Information
Authors: Wang Yuanlong , Ma Qiang , Li Ru , Zhang Hu
Published: December 2024

Visual story generation, which involves generating short stories from sequential images, has become a core task at the intersection of computer vision and natural language processing. However, existing methods suffer from a bias in the concept predicates predicted, leading to a semantic gap between the generated stories and the images. This article proposes a novel visual story generation model that utilizes multi granularity image information to guide the generation process and correct the bias in concept predicates, resulting in more image-consistent stories. The proposed model consists of two stages: In the first stage, a set of concepts predicates is predicted from the image and enriched with external knowledge, and the most suitable concepts for story generation are selected. In the second stage, fine-grained image information are utilized to integrate image information into the story generation module, improving the bias in concept predicates. The image theme information and the generated results of previous moments are used as prompts to guide the story generation module. Experimental results show that the proposed model outperforms baseline models in all evaluation metrics. Specifically, the Bilingual Evaluation Understudy 1 (BLEU-1), BLEU-2, BLEU-3, and BLEU-4 metrics are improved by 4.0, 3.8, 3.02, and 1.98 percentage points, respectively, and the METEOR metric is improved by 1.4 percentage points. The generated stories are more consistent with the image content, maintain a consistent theme, and enhance coherence between contexts.
A Machine Learning Model to Harmonize Volumetric Brain MRI Data for Quantitative Neuroradiologic Assessment of Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Archetti Damiano , Venkatraghavan Vikram , Weiss Béla , Bourgeat Pierrick , Auer Tibor , Vidnyánszky Zoltán , Durrleman Stanley , van der Flier Wiesje M. , Barkhof Frederik , Alexander Daniel C. , Altmann Andre , Redolfi Alberto , Tijms Betty M. , Oxtoby Neil P. ,   for the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle Study,   for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative,   for the E-DADS (Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease Subtypes) Consortium
Published: December 2024

A multiclass Neuroharmony model was developed and evaluated against other approaches for harmonizing volumetric data in a clinical setting using a large, multicenter brain MRI dataset of individuals undergoing neuroradiologic assessment of Alzheimer disease.
Enhanced Electrochemical Detection of Orthophosphate in Potable Water Using Zinc-Cobalt Oxide Nanocomposite-Modified Nickel Foam Electrodes
Authors: Pawar Sarla K. , Wadodkar Nikita A. , Salunke Rahul S. , Patil Amardip M. , Umar Ahmad , Ibrahim Ahmed A. , Akbar Sheikh , Baskoutas Sotirios , Shirale Dhammanand J.
Published: December 2024

This study presents a novel approach to electrochemical detection of orthophosphate in potable water using hydrothermally synthesized nickel foam electrodes, modified with cobalt oxide (CoOx), zinc oxide (ZnOx), and zinc-cobalt oxide (ZnCoOx) nanocomposites. The incorporation of zinc-cobalt oxide into the electrode significantly enhances its stability and detection capability. In-situ phosphate detection was performed using voltammetric techniques in a highly alkaline environment (pH 14) facilitated by sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Comprehensive electrode characterization, including cyclic voltammetry (0 to 0.6 V at a scan rate of 50 mV s−1), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (105 to 10–2 Hz), scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, confirmed the superior performance of the synthesized electrodes. Among the tested configurations, the zinc-cobalt oxide nanocomposite on nickel foam exhibited outstanding sensitivity, with a sensitivity of 0.4 μA/μM across a concentration range of 0 to 40 μM, and an elevated sensitivity of 4.26 μA/μM within the 50 to 100 μM range. The electrode achieved a remarkably low detection limit of 0.171 μM L−1 (0 to 40 μM detection range) and 0.324 μM L−1 (50 to 100 μM, detection range), underscoring its potential for highly accurate phosphate detection. These findings highlight the sensor’s applicability for diverse practical uses in water quality monitoring.
Improving Room Temperature Formaldehyde Sensitivity with Samarium-Doped Titanium Dioxide
Authors: Rajkumar D. , Umamahesvari H.
Published: December 2024

Samarium (Sm)-doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin films were synthesized using the spray pyrolysis technique at 400 °C, with Sm doping concentrations of 0, 2, 4, and 6 Wt% to enhance structural, optical, morphological, and gas-sensing properties. The films, deposited on ultrasonically cleaned glass substrates, were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV–vis spectroscopy. Structural analysis revealed improved crystallinity and uniform surface morphology with Sm doping, while AFM indicated increased surface roughness, promoting gas adsorption. UV–vis analysis showed a reduced energy bandgap, enhancing visible light absorption and gas-sensing performance. Gas sensing evaluations demonstrated high sensitivity to formaldehyde, with notable selectivity over ethanol, toluene, and xylene at room conditions. The 6 Wt% Sm-doped TiO₂ film exhibited the highest response (17.4), with a detection limit of 5 ppm, and fast response (23 s) and recovery (27 s) times. These properties underline the potential of Sm-doped TiO₂ films for efficient room-temperature gas sensors. Their enhanced sensitivity, selectivity, and stability suggest promising applications in environmental monitoring and air quality management, particularly for formaldehyde detection and volatile organic compound discrimination.
Impact of nocturnal oxygen enrichment on high-altitude acclimatization
Authors: Rosales Alejandro M. , Hailes Walter S. , Collins Christopher W. , McGlynn Mark L. , Ruby Brent C. , Slivka Dustin R.
Published: December 2024

This work examined the impact of nocturnal oxygen enrichment on short-term high-altitude acclimatization to 2,800 m while completing daily hikes to 4,200 m. Recurrently dampening the required hypoxic stimulus for acclimatization via nocturnal oxygen enrichment improved sleep but did not impair short-term high-altitude acclimatization. This was evinced through ventilatory and cardiovascular adjustments that improved arterial blood oxygen saturation after 7 days.
Exploring the Influence of Land Use Types on Soil Properties at Arjo‐Dhidhessa Sugar Estate, Western Ethiopia
Authors: Geleta Likasa Workina , Fufa Feyessa Fekadu , Bekele Sima Abdissa
Published: December 2024

This study examined the influence of land use types and soil depth on soil’s physicochemical properties in the Sugar Estate of Arjo‐Dhidhessa, western Ethiopia. This study aimed to provide baseline data for future investigations in the study area by exploring significant soil quality indicators across various land use types and soil depths. Fifteen composite soil samples were collected from selected land use types, including fallow land, cropland, irrigated land, forest land, and shrubland, at three different soil depths (0–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm). Particle size distribution; bulk density (ρb); total porosity (Tp); pH; organic soil matter; and available texture and phosphorus. The exchangeable acidity (EA), cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable bases (EBs) were found to be influenced by land use changes and soil depth. The results revealed that the bulk density (1.43 g/cm2) is highest in the cropland subsurface, whereas forest lands tend to have a relatively high clay content (67%), moisture content (25.74%), and Tp (54.28%). While the pH of irrigated land was 5.17, that of fallow land, cropland, and forest land varied from 5.47 to 5.84. Compared with the other land uses, the forest and shrubland areas presented higher levels of soil organic matter (SOM) (2.49%) and total nitrogen (TN) (0.126%). Forest land presented relatively high SOM (2.45%), TN (0.126%), available phosphorus (AvP) (1.36%), and exchangeable calcium (Ca2+) levels (16.82 cmol/kg), whereas irrigated land had presented the lowest amounts (5.22 mg/kg), Ca2+ (3.97 cmol/kg), and exchangeable magnesium (Mg2+) (0.99 cmol/kg). In contrast, agricultural activities were found to significantly reduce soil quality, as evidenced by higher bulk densities in cropland and irrigated land as well as lower levels of nutrients, including AvP and EBs, primarily due to erosion and crop harvesting. To maintain and improve soil pH and AvP levels, it is essential to adopt sustainable land management practices that contribute to maintaining higher phosphorus levels and improving overall soil fertility.
Thymidine Phosphorylase Promotes Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm via VSMC Modulation and Matrix Remodeling in Mice and Humans
Authors: Hong Liang , Yue Hong , Cai Dunpeng , DeHart Autumn , Toloza-Alvarez Gretel , Du Lili , Zhou Xianwu , Fan Xiaoping , Huang Huanlei , Chen Shiyou , Rahaman Shaik O. , Zhuang Jian , Li Wei
Published: December 2024

Background: Thymidine phosphorylase (TYMP) promotes platelet activation and thrombosis while suppressing vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. Both processes are central to the development and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). We hypothesize that TYMP plays a role in AAA development.

Methods: Male wild‐type (WT) C57BL/6J and Tymp−/− mice, fed a Western diet (WD) (TD.88137), were subjected to the 4‐week Ang II infusion–induced AAA model. AAA progression was monitored by echography and confirmed through necropsy. Whole‐body inflammation was assessed using a plasma cytokine array. Mechanistic studies were conducted using TYMP‐overexpressing rat VSMC cell lines and primary VSMCs cultured from WT and Tymp−/− mouse thoracic aortas. Histological studies were performed on human AAA and normal aorta samples.

Results: Elevated TYMP levels were observed in human AAA vessel walls. While WT mice exhibited a 28.6% prevalence of Ang II infusion–induced AAA formation, Tymp−/− mice were protected. TYMP enhanced MMP2 expression, secretion, and activation in VSMCs, which was inhibited by tipiracil, a selective TYMP inhibitor. Systemically, TYMP promoted proinflammatory cytokine expression, and its absence attenuated TNF‐α‐induced MMP2 and AKT activation. WT VSMCs treated with platelets lacking TYMP showed a higher proliferation rate than cells treated with WT platelets. Additionally, TYMP increased activated TGFβ1 expression in cultured VSMCs and human AAA vessel walls. In WT VSMCs, TYMP augmented thrombospondin‐1 type 1 repeat domain (TSR)–stimulated TGFβ1 signaling, increasing connective tissue growth factor and MMP2 production. TSR also enhanced AKT activation in WT VSMCs but had the opposite effect in Tymp−/− cells. TSR‐enhanced MMP2 activation in WT VSMCs was attenuated by LY294002 (a PI3K inhibitor) but not by SB431542 (a TGFβ1 inhibitor); both inhibitors had indiscernible effects on Tymp−/− VSMC.

Conclusion: TYMP emerges as a novel regulatory force in vascular biology, influencing VSMC function and inflammatory responses to promote AAA development.
Incidencia laboral en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes del programa de contaduría pública, Universidad Católica Luis Amigó sede Medellín
Authors: Jiménez Ospina Paula Andrea , Duque Gómez Cristina
Published: December 2024

Este artículo pretende determinar las incidencias que genera en los estudiantes del programa contaduría pública trabajar y estudiar simultáneamente en la Universidad Católica Luis Amigó sede Medellín. La metodología es un estudio de caso, la técnica utilizada fue una encuesta realizada a una población de 454 estudiantes, se tomó una muestra de 169, aplicando el muestreo al azar sistemático. Los resultados identificaron que el 38,5% de los encuestados han aplazado los semestres por conflicto con sus horarios, el 85,5% cree que su rendimiento mejoraría si no estaría laborando; el 71,6% de los estudiantes afirman que trabajan por sustento y para financiar y, por último, se indagó el estrato socioeconómico el cual el 42% manifestó que pertenece al estrato 3, el 31,4% al 2 y un 17% al 4. Se puede aseverar que, los estudiantes que combinan trabajo y estudio experimentan insatisfacción y desmotivación académica, pero al mismo tiempo buscan independencia económica y experiencia laboral previa que les brinda oportunidades de ascenso. Existe una diversidad socioeconómica y financiera en la financiación de sus estudios. Sin embargo, enfrentan dificultades como la limitación de materias y largas jornadas laborales.
Figure S5 from DeePathNet: A Transformer-Based Deep Learning Model Integrating Multiomic Data with Cancer Pathways
Authors: Cai Zhaoxiang , Poulos Rebecca C. , Aref Adel , Robinson Phillip J. , Reddel Roger R. , Zhong Qing
Published: December 2024

ROC curves and precision-recall curves for breast cancer subtype classification
Figure 2 from DeePathNet: A Transformer-Based Deep Learning Model Integrating Multiomic Data with Cancer Pathways
Authors: Cai Zhaoxiang , Poulos Rebecca C. , Aref Adel , Robinson Phillip J. , Reddel Roger R. , Zhong Qing
Published: December 2024

Performance evaluation of drug response prediction by cross-validation. A–F, Bar plots showing predictive performances across six experimental setups on the CLP and CCLE datasets by three evaluation metrics: R2 (higher indicates more accurate), MAE (lower indicates more accurate), and Pearson’s r (higher indicates more accurate). Error bars are derived from cross-validation, representing 95% CI of the mean. ****, P < 0.0001 by two-tailed paired Student t test, only showing significance between the first- and second-best performing methods. The eight methods are color-coded at the bottom.
Effect of Estimated Individual Vitreous Volume on Intraocular Pressure Spikes After Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors Injection
Authors: Koçak Nurullah , Gürpınar Abdülcemal , Yeter Volkan
Published: December 2024

Introduction: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of estimated individual vitreous volume on intraocular pressure (IOP) spikes after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections (IVI).
Methods: Vitreous volumes (VV) of eyes were calculated using an axial length (AL) based formula AL3 x (π/6) x 0.76+0.012 x (AL-24) and study eyes divided into four groups according to their VV; <4.5 cm3 (Group 1, n=52), 4.5–5.0 cm3 (Group 2, n=60), 5.0–5.50 cm3 (Group 3, n=60), and >5.50 cm3 (Group 4, n=35). IOP measurements were taken at pre-intravitreal injection (IVI), immediately after (Post-IVI-0), 5 minutes (Post-IVI-5), 15 minutes (Post-IVI-15), and 30 minutes after the IVI.
Results: A significant IOP change was found between the five time points in all groups (p<0.001 for all). Regarding the same time point measurement comparison between the groups, only a statistically significant change was found in the Post-IVI-0 point (p=0.001). In posthoc analysis, Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 had significantly higher IOP values when compared to Group 4 (p<0.05 for all). Patients treated with prefilled Ranibizumab syringes exhibited lower IOP increases than vial-prepared Aflibercept injection at the post-IVI-0 time point (p=0.042).
Conclusions: A similar increase in IOP was observed in eyes with low and intermediate volumes, but the increase was less pronounced in those with high volumes after the IVI. PFS form showed a lower IOP increase tendency in comparison with vial-prepared forms of the molecules.
Practical Management of ANCA-Associated Vasculitis: A Clinician’s Perspective
Authors: Stacey Hannah L. , Francis Lucy , Smith Rona M. , Jones Rachel B.
Published: December 2024

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis can be a life-threatening condition, characterized by necrotizing inflammation of small blood vessels. Major organ involvement, most commonly kidney and lung disease, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Intensive early immunosuppressive therapy is the cornerstone of management and has transformed ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) into a chronic relapsing condition. Remission induction with tapering glucocorticoids in combination with cyclophosphamide or rituximab is the standard of care for severe disease. Avacopan, an oral C5aR1 antagonist, has been approved for remission induction and helps minimize glucocorticoid exposure. Plasma exchange should be considered for severe kidney or life-threatening disease. Lower dose glucocorticoid induction regimens can be used without compromising remission rates. Remission maintenance therapy is recommended, and rituximab is usually first line over azathioprine. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or methotrexate with low-dose glucocorticoids are third-line options. Immunosuppression-associated infection risk remains a concern, both during acute presentations and in the long term, highlighted by the impact of rituximab on humoral immunity and vaccine response during the COVID-19 pandemic. There remains an ongoing need for therapies that induce rapid remission and optimize kidney recovery while minimizing infection risk. Clinical trials are evaluating newer therapeutic options. Due to increasing treatment options, management should be individualized, balancing effective immunosuppression against comorbidities and frailty. Summary: This review focuses on the treatment decision pathways for clinicians and patients in the management of severe AAV (granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis). Key clinical trials, predictors of outcome, novel therapeutics, and practical steps to mitigate infection risk are discussed. Key Messages: Immunosuppression regimens have been refined due to emerging evidence from clinical trials. Rituximab, avacopan, and reduced-dose glucocorticoid schedules have been the focus of recent studies. Infections and immunosuppression-induced immunodeficiency must be considered when determining individualized treatment.
Efectividad de una intervención escolar parala prevención del abuso sexual infantil
Authors: Pulido-Guerrero Guillermo , Jiménez-Ariza Laura Marcela , Ramírez-Durán Jorge Iván
Published: December 2024

(analytical)Child sexual abuse prevention programs that focus on developing self-protective behaviors among children are highly significant as they address potential psychosocial impacts and the prevalence of sexual violence. There is also scientific evidence that supports their effectiveness. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 57 sixth-grade students to evaluate an intervention that involved educational workshops on the topics of sexual and reproductive rights, self-awareness, boundary setting and identifying dangerous situations. The Prudence Test was employed to verify the intervention's effect. A significant difference was found between the different groups (U = 805.000, p < .001; rbis = 0.983) and between pre- and post-intervention measures (W = 1.500, p < .001, rbis = -0.992) within the experimental group. These findings confirm the effectiveness of the intervention.