bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel prediction score determining individual clinical outcome 3 months after juvenile stroke (PREDICT-score)
Authors: Hoffmann Verena S. , Schönecker Sonja , Amin Moustafa , Reidler Paul , Brauer Anna , Kopczak Anna , Wunderlich Silke , Poli Sven , Althaus Katharina , Müller Susanne , Mansmann Ulrich , Kellert Lars
Published: July 2024

Background

Juvenile strokes (< 55 years) account for about 15% of all ischemic strokes. Structured data on clinical outcome in those patients are sparse. Here, we aimed to fill this gap by systematically collecting relevant data and modeling a juvenile stroke prediction score for the 3-month functional outcome.

Methods

We retrospectively integrated and analyzed clinical and outcome data of juvenile stroke and TIA patients treated at the LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich. Good outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale of 0–2 or return to baseline of function. We analyzed candidate predictors and developed a predictive model. Predictive abilities were inspected using Area Under the ROC curve (AUROC) and visual representation of the calibration. The model was validated internally.

Results

346 patients were included in the analysis. We observed a good outcome in n = 293 patients (84.7%). The prediction model for an unfavourable outcome had an AUROC of 89.1% (95% CI 83.3–93.1%). The model includes age NIHSS, ASPECTS, blood glucose and type of vessel occlusion as predictors for the individual patient outcome.

Conclusions

Here, we introduce the highly accurate PREDICT-score for the 3-month outcome after juvenile stroke derived from clinical routine data. The PREDICT-score might be helpful in guiding individual patient decisions and designing future studies but needs further prospective validation which is already planned.

Trial registration The study has been registered at https://drks.de (DRKS00024407) on March 31, 2022.
Stage-specific expression of Toll-like receptors in the seminiferous epithelium of mouse testis
Authors: Doğan Göksel , Sandıkçı Mustafa , Karagenç Levent
Published: July 2024

Genes encoding Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed by germ cells in the mouse testis. Nevertheless, the expression of TLRs by germ cells has only been demonstrated for TLR-3, TLR-9, and TLR-11. Furthermore, the expression of each TLR in relation to the stage of spermatogenesis remains uncertain. We aimed in the present study to examine the expression pattern of all TLRs in germ cells throughout the cycle of seminiferous epithelium in the adult mouse testis. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of TLRs. Results of the present study reveal the expression of TLRs by specific populations of germ cells. Expression of TLRs, except for TLR-7, at endosomal compartments, acrosomes, and/or residual bodies was another interesting and novel finding of the present study. We further demonstrate that the expression of TLR-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -7, -11, -12, and -13 follows a distinct spatiotemporal pattern throughout the cycle of seminiferous epithelium. While TLR-1, -3, -5, -11, and -12 are expressed in all stages, TLR-4 is expressed only in early and middle stages of spermatogenic cycle. On the other hand, TLR-2, -7, and -13 are expressed only in early stage of spermatogenic cycle. Evidence demonstrating the expression of TLRs in a stage specific manner throughout spermatogenesis strengthen the hypothesis that the expression of various TLRs by germ cells is a developmentally regulated process. However, if TLRs play a role in the regulation of proliferation, growth, maturation, and differentiation of germ cells throughout the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium warrants further investigations.
Treatment of anastomotic leak in colorectal surgery by endoluminal vacuum therapy with the VACStent avoiding a stoma - a pilot study
Authors: Heiss Markus M. , Lange Jonas , Knievel Judith , Yohannes Alexander , Hügle Ulrich , Dormann Arno J. , Eisenberger Claus F.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Anastomotic leak (AL) represents the most relevant and devastating complication in colorectal surgery. Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) using the VACStent is regarded as a significant improvement in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal wall defects. The innovative concept of the VACStent was transferred to the lower GI tract, gaining initial experience by investigating safety and efficacy in 12 patients undergoing colorectal resections.

Methods

The pilot study, as part of a German registry, began with 2 patients suffering from AL, who were treated with the VACStent after stoma placement. Subsequently, 6 patients with AL were treated with the VACStent omitting a stoma placement, with a focus on fecal passage and wound healing. Finally, the preemptive anastomotic coverage was investigated in 4 patients with high-risk anastomoses to avoid prophylactic stoma placement.

Results

In total 26 VACStents were placed without problems. The conditioning and drainage function were maintained, and no clogging problems of the sponge cylinder were observed. No relevant clinical VACStent-associated complications were observed; however, in 2 patients, a dislodgement of a VACStent occurred. The 6 patients with AL but without stoma had a median treatment with 3 VACStents per case with a laytime of 17 days, leading to complete wound healing in all cases. The 4 prophylactic VACStent applications were without complications.

Conclusion

The clinical application of the VACStent in the lower GI tract shows that successful treatment of anastomotic colonic leaks and avoidance of creation of an anus praeter is possible.

Trial registration number

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04884334, date of registration 2021-05-04, retrospectively registered.
Peripheral arterial catheters in extremely preterm infants born at less than 28 weeks of gestation—a single-center experience
Authors: Bruckner Marlies , Schneider Michaela , Reiterer Friedrich , Mileder Lukas P. , Baik-Schneditz Nariae , Pichler Gerhard , Urlesberger Berndt , Schwaberger Bernhard
Published: July 2024

The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective data analysis of established peripheral artery catheters (pAC) in extremely preterm infants. The primary outcome was the pAC life span and its correlation to gestational age, birth weight, localizations, and pAC removal. Retrospective data analysis of electronic patient records of all extremely preterm infants (born less than 28 weeks gestation) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit in Graz (Austria) between January 2014 and December 2020. A total of 196 preterm infants with a median (IQR) gestational age of 25.7 (24.6–26.6) weeks and a birth weight of 730 (614–898) g were included. In 155 (79%) of these preterm infants, 286 pAC and six umbilical artery catheters were inserted successfully. The first pAC was inserted 2.5 (1.4–7.4) h after birth, and the median pAC life span was 57.5 (22.–107.2) h. Gestational age, birth weight, and catheter localization did not correlate with the pAC life span. The pAC localizations were the radial artery (63%), tibial posterior artery (21%), ulnar artery (6%), dorsal artery of the foot (6%), others (1%), and not documented (3%). Adverse reactions including temporarily impaired peripheral perfusion, local inflammation, extravasation, or bleeding were reported in 13% of all pAC, but none of these resulted in long-term sequelae. A median (IQR) of 9 (5–18) arterial blood samples were drawn via pAC, resulting in a notable reduction of pain stimuli.

Conclusion: The use of pAC in extremely preterm infants is feasible and safe. Neither gestational age, birth weight nor localization did affect the life span of pAC. No long-term sequelae were observed, and pain events were reduced by using pAC for blood drawing.

What is Known:• Peripheral artery catheters can be used for continuous blood pressure measurement and blood draw even in extremely preterm infants.• (Severe) adverse reactions such as bleeding, necrosis, or amputation occur between 1 and 4%.• What is New:• The median peripheral arty catheter life span is 58 h and is not affected by gestational age, birth weight, nor localization.• A median of nine blood samples can be taken per each single pAC and, therefore, prevent pain events in extremely preterm infants.
Exploring factors for predicting colchicine responsiveness in children with PFAPA
Authors: Özaslan Zeynep , Şen Abdulvahap , Uçar Sıla Atamyıldız , Çakan Mustafa , Sanisoğlu Bengisu , Kaya Feray , Otar Yener Gülçin , Demir Ferhat , Tanatar Ayşe , Özdel Semanur , Öztürk Kübra , Şahin Nihal , Sönmez Hafize Emine , Aktay Ayaz Nuray , Sözeri Betül
Published: July 2024

Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis syndrome (PFAPA) are the most common autoinflammatory syndromes in children. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory parameters that may predict colchicine responsiveness.This retrospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study involved nine pediatric rheumatology centers from our country., The patients diagnosed with PFAPA were compared on the basis of their responses to colchicine. In the 806 (42.3% female 57.7% male) patients, the most common clinical findings were fever (100%), exudative tonsillitis (86.5%), pharyngitis (80.9%), and aphthous stomatitis (50.5%). The mean attack frequency was 13.5 ± 6.8 attacks per year lasting for a mean of 3.9 ± 1.1 days. Colchicine treatment was attempted in 519 (64.4%) patients, with 419 (80.7%) showing a favorable response. In patients who underwent MEFV gene analysis (70.8%), the most common variant was M694V heterozygous (16.8%). The presence of pharyngitis (p = 0.03, 95% CI 0.885 to 0.994), the presence of arthralgia (p = 0.04, 95% CI 0.169 to 0.958), and having more frequent attacks (p = 0.001, 95% CI 0.028 to 0.748) were found to be associated with colchicine unresponsiveness, whereas the carriage of the M694V variant (p = 0.001, 95% CI 0.065 to 0.242) was associated with colchicine responsiveness.

Conclusion: This study identified the presence of pharyngitis, arthralgia, and increased attack frequency in patients with PFAPA as factors predicting colchicine unresponsiveness, whereas the carriage of the M694V variant emerged as a predictor of colchicine responsiveness. Predicting colchicine response at disease onset may facilitate a more effective management of PFAPA.

What is Known:• Colchicine treatment can be used in the prophylaxis of PFAPA disease.• Having the MEFV variant is the most commonly known factor in predicting response to colchicine.

What is New:• The presence of pharyngitis or arthralgia, and more frequent attacks in PFAPA disease were found to be independently associated with colchicine unresponsiveness. • Carrying the M694V variant was identified as the sole factor predicting colchicine responsiveness.
An analysis of the trends in the usage of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme-subsidised cancer drugs in Australia from 2012 to 2022
Authors: Lee Jasmine , Panagiotelis Anastasios , Cairns Rose , Wheate Nial J.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Cancer treatment remains a significant and escalating healthcare expense worldwide. Although annual reports on total cancer care costs are available, the potential impact of evolving treatment guidelines and the introduction of new drugs on future budgeting remains largely uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine the trends in the use of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)-subsidised cancer drugs in Australia over the past decade.

Methods

PBS codes for all PBS-subsidised cancer drugs that were listed in government-endorsed treatment protocols were obtained and used to retrieve usage data. Their patterns of use, represented by the number of prescriptions (services) processed by Services Australia, were analysed for the period between 2012 and 2022.

Results

The overall prescribing of cancer drugs is outpacing Australia’s population growth, primarily due to an ageing population and the accelerated rise in cancer diagnoses observed over the past decade. From 846 eviQ protocols, 141 cancer drugs were available on the PBS, of which kinase inhibitor (39 drugs) and monoclonal antibody drugs (24 drugs) had the highest increase in use during the study period; 16% and 23% respectively. Of the 8 drug classes, hormonal agents (20 drugs) were the most prescribed.

Conclusion

The utilisation of PBS-listed cancer drugs is increasing faster than population growth, especially for high-cost monoclonal antibody and kinase inhibitor drugs, indicating continued pressure on government spending.
Consensus dynamics under asymmetric interactions in low dimensions
Authors: Bortot Silvia , Marques Pereira Ricardo Alberto , Stamatopoulou Anastasia
Published: July 2024

We consider a set $$N = \{ 1,\ldots ,n \}$$

N
=
{
1
,
…
,
n
}

, $$n\ge 2$$

n
≥
2

, of interacting agents whose individual opinions $$ x_{i}$$

x
i

, with $$i \in N $$

i
∈
N

, take values in some domain $$\mathbb {D}\subseteq \mathbb {R}$$

D
⊆
R

. The interaction among the agents represents the degree of reciprocal influence which the agents exert upon each other and it is expressed by a general asymmetric interaction matrix with null diagonal and off-diagonal coefficients in the open unit interval. The present paper examines the asymmetric generalization of the linear consensus dynamics model discussed in previous publications by the same authors, in which symmetric interaction was assumed. We are mainly interested in determining the form of the asymptotic convergence towards the consensual opinion. In this respect, we present some general results plus the study of three particular versions of the linear consensus dynamics, depending on the relation between the interaction structure and the degrees of proneness to evaluation review of the various individual opinions. In the general asymmetric case, the analytic form of the asymptotic consensual solution $$\tilde{x}$$

x
~

is highly more complex than that under symmetric interaction, and we have obtained it only in two low-dimensional cases. Nonetheless, we are able to write those complex analytic forms arranging the numerous terms in an intelligible way which might provide useful clues to the open quest for the analytic form of the asymptotic consensual solution in higher-dimensional cases.
NeVer2: learning and verification of neural networks
Authors: Demarchi Stefano , Guidotti Dario , Pulina Luca , Tacchella Armando
Published: July 2024

NeVer2 is an open-source, cross-platform tool aimed at designing, training, and verifying neural networks. It seamlessly integrates popular learning libraries with our verification backend, offering their functionalities via a graphical interface. Users can design the structure of a neural network by intuitively arranging blocks on a canvas. Subsequently, network training involves specifying dataset sources and hyperparameters through dialog boxes. After training, the verification process entails two steps: (i) incorporating input preconditions and output postconditions via dedicated blocks, and (ii) initiating verification with a simple “push-button” action. To our knowledge, there is currently no other publicly available tool that encompasses all these features. In this paper, we present a comprehensive description of NeVer2, illustrating its complete integration of design, training, and verification through examples. Additionally, we conduct experimental analyses on various verification benchmarks to illustrate the trade-off between completeness and computability using different algorithms. We also include a comparison with state-of-the-art tools such as $$\alpha $$
α
,$$\beta $$
β
-CROWN and NNV for reference.
On zero-divisor graphs of infinite posets
Authors: Halaš Radomír , Pócs Jozef
Published: July 2024

It is known that the so-called Beck’s conjecture, i.e. the equality of the finite clique and chromatic numbers of a zero-divisor graph, holds for partially ordered sets Halaš and Jukl (Discrete Math 309(13):4584–4589, 2009). In this paper we present a simple direct proof of this fact. Also, the case when the finiteness assumption of the clique number is omitted is investigated. We have shown that the conjecture fails in general and a bunch of counterexamples is presented.
Characteristics and outcomes of men with erectile dysfunction as the presenting symptom due to a lactotroph adenoma
Authors: Andereggen Lukas , Tortora Angelo , Schubert Gerrit A. , Musahl Christian , Frey Janine , Stieger Andrea , Kobel Béatrice , Luedi Markus M. , Roethlisberger Michel , Mariani Luigi , Beck Jürgen , Christ Emanuel
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is frequently underreported in men suffering from prolactinomas and can be challenging to manage. Both dopamine agonists (DAs) and transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) correct hyperprolactinemia and restore gonadal function. However, there is scarce data regarding their effectiveness in correcting ED over the long term.

Methods

This study is a retrospective single-center comparative cohort study analyzing men diagnosed with prolactinomas, both with and without confirmed erectile dysfunction (ED) at diagnosis. Independent risk factors for persistent ED over the long term were examined using multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Among the 39 men with lactotroph adenomas, ED was one of the presenting symptoms in 22 (56%). The mean age at diagnosis was 45 ± 12 years. Surgery was the primary treatment in 6 (27%) ED patients and 8 (47%) non-ED patients. After a mean follow-up of 74 ± 48 months, remission from hyperprolactinemia was achieved in the majority (76%) of men: 71% in the non-ED cohort and 81% in the ED group (p = 0.70), regardless of the primary treatment strategy (surgical 84% versus medical 72%, p = 0.46). Long-term remission of ED was noted in 16 (73%) patients. Interestingly, high baseline BMI levels emerged as potential risk factors for persistent ED over the long term (OR 1.4, 95%CI 1.0–1.9; p = 0.04), while neither the initial adenoma size nor the primary treatment strategy (i.e., TSS vs. DAs) reached statistical significance.

Conclusions

Correcting hyperprolactinemia and its associated hypogonadism significantly improves ED in the majority of men with prolactinomas over the long term, regardless of the primary treatment strategy employed. In addition to addressing endocrine deficiencies, the early initiation of weight control programs may be considered for men with lactotroph adenomas and ED. Although our study suggests an association between BMI and the risk of persistent ED, further research is needed to establish any causal relationships.
The Spider: a visual, multisystemic symptom impact questionnaire for people with hypermobility-related disorders—validation in adults
Authors: Ewer E. R. , De Pauw R. , Kazkazk H. , Ninis N. , Rowe P. , Simmonds J. V. , De Wandele I.
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) are often accompanied by varied and complex multisystemic comorbid symptoms/conditions. The Spider questionnaire was developed to evaluate the presence and impact of eight common multisystemic comorbidities. Thirty-one questions across eight symptom domains assess neuromusculoskeletal, pain, fatigue, cardiac dysautonomia, urogenital, gastrointestinal, anxiety, and depression symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the Spider’s construct validity in adults.

Method

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted over four stages. Three international patient charities aided recruitment of participants through social media and website advertisements. Adults aged 18 to 65 years, with and without HSD/hEDS, were invited to participate. Validated, frequently used comparator questionnaires were used to establish convergent validity of Spider symptom domains. A control group was recruited for known-group validity analysis. Participants answered each Spider domain and the corresponding comparator questionnaire via surveys hosted by REDCap. Anonymous data were analysed using SPSS. Convergent validity was assessed through Spearman’s correlational analysis and known-group validity through Mann–Whitney U analysis.

Results

A total of 11,151 participants were recruited across the four stages. Statistically significant, moderate-to-strong correlations were found between all Spider domains and their comparators (p < 0.001, r = 0.63 to 0.80). Known-group validity analysis showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) between the hypermobile and control groups in all eight domains.

Conclusions

Convergent and known-group validity of the Spider was established with adults. These results suggest the Spider can measure the presence and impact of multisystemic comorbid symptoms/conditions in adults with HSD/hEDS, providing a tool which guides multidisciplinary management.

Key Points• The Spider questionnaire is a novel tool assessing the presence and impact of the multisystemic comorbid symptoms/conditions associated with HSD/hEDS.• Convergent and known-group validity of the Spider questionnaire was established in adults aged 18 to 65.• This tool provides a quick and easy method to visualise the symptom profile of those with HSD/hEDS to guide symptom management.
The progress and future of corneal endothelial transplantation
Authors: Shimizu Toshiki , Yamagami Satoru , Hayashi Takahiko
Published: July 2024

Endothelial transplantation has recently been accepted worldwide, in the long history of corneal transplantation. The introduction of endothelial keratoplasty (Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty) has enabled us to expand the surgical indications owing to the low incidence of rejection and quick recovery of visual function. New technologies have been developed to ensure stable postoperative outcomes with a shorter learning curve, such as transplantation using cultured human endothelial cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) or new devices such as artificial endothelium. This review discusses the history and characteristics of corneal transplantation alongside new treatment options that may offer hope for patients with endothelial disease in the future.
Pharmacologic Drug Detection and Self-Reported Adherence in the HPTN069/ACTG5305 Phase II PrEP Trial
Authors: Cooper Stanley E. , Zhang Shuaiqi , Haines Daniel , Mayer Kenneth H. , Amico K. Rivet , Landovitz Raphael J. , Hendrix Craig W. , Marzinke Mark A. , Chege Wairimu , McCauley Marybeth , Gulick Roy M.
Published: July 2024

Adherence drives efficacy in PrEP clinical trials. We compared drug concentrations and self-reported adherence in HPTN069/ACTG5305, a double-blinded, randomized trial of the safety and tolerability of candidate PrEP regimens that included maraviroc (MVC), tenofovir (TDF), and emtricitabine (FTC). Plasma drug concentrations and self-reported adherence by computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) were assessed at study weeks 24 and 48. Descriptive statistics and a generalized linear model were used to assess the association between selected demographic factors, self-report of daily medication adherence and plasma drug concentrations consistent with daily adherence. Among 718 paired observations from 370 participants, 43% (306/718) reported daily adherence by CASI, 65% (467/718) had drug concentrations consistent with daily adherence and 11% (81/718) had CASI responses that reported daily adherence despite having drug concentrations consistent with less-than-daily adherence. In adjusted analyses, participants who were assigned male at birth (aOR 1.42 [95% CI 1.02, 1.97]), older (5-year increments aOR 1.10 [95% CI 1.09, 1.11]), White (aOR 2.2 [95% CI 1.88, 2.56]), had advanced education (aOR 3.89 [95% CI 2.97, 5.09]), were employed (aOR 1.89 [95% CI 1.50, 2.40]), or partnered/married (aOR 2 [95% CI 1.72, 2.32]) were more likely to have drug concentrations consistent with daily adherence. Participants who were not employed (aOR 2.7 [95% CI 1.31, 5.55]) or who were single/not partnered (aOR 2.33 [CI 95% 1.25, 4.34]) were more likely to have drug concentrations that did not reflect daily adherence despite self-reported PrEP adherence. These findings support the need for ongoing adherence counseling in clinical trials of new PrEP regimens.
The effects of using hydrolyzed feather meal, amino acids, and probiotics in the diet of juvenile rainbow trout on growth, digestibility, and expression of growth-related genes
Authors: Metin Ömer , Yildiz Mustafa , Eldem Vahap , Adabi Shahram Golzar
Published: July 2024

The study investigated the effect of replacing fishmeal by varying levels of hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM) as well as dietary probiotic supplementation on growth performance, digestibility, histology, and gene expression of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Five iso-nitrogenous (average of 50.60% crude protein), iso-energetic (average of 21.79 kJ/g), and iso-lipidic (average of 21.86% crude lipid) diets were formulated and fed to triplicate groups of juvenile rainbow trout weighing 29.65 ± 0.39 g (mean ± SD) for 75 days. Dietary treatments included one control (50% fishmeal) and four experimental diets, each containing 2 g/kg probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis). The experimental diets included HFM30 (150 g/kg HFM, 9 g/kg lysine, and 4 g/kg methionine), HFM35 (175 g/kg HFM, 11 g/kg lysine, and 5 g/kg methionine), HFM40 (200 g/kg HFM, 13 g/kg lysine, and 6 g/kg methionine), and HFM45 (225 g/kg HFM, 15 g/kg lysine, and 7 g/kg methionine). Up to 40% replacement of fishmeal with HFM showed no significant difference compared to control group in growth performance (P > 0.05). Feed utilization of HFM45 was slightly lower than control and all the other experimental groups. There was no statistically significant difference in FCR value between HFM40 and control groups (P > 0.05). The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for protein and amino acids were very high in all groups (P < 0.05). Intestinal mucosa and sub‐mucosa layers of experimental fish showed general tissue integrity with no signs of tissue necrosis. For intestinal morphology, where 45% HFM replacement was applied, villus length to crypt depth (VL to CD) and villus surface area (SA) decreased by 46.01% and 44.44%, respectively, compared to the control group (P < 0.05). This situation shows that intestinal morphology can be damaged when the highest level (HFM45) of feather meal is used. Dietary HFM upregulated growth-related genes such as IGF-II, IGFBP-1b, IGFr1a, GDF9, and FGF2 and downregulated GHR-I and IGF-I. Overall, inclusion of HFM at 40% showed similar results to control group in juvenile rainbow trout feeding.
Chegg’s Growth, Response Rate, and Prevalence as a Cheating Tool: Insights From an Audit within an Australian Engineering School
Authors: Pickering Edmund , Schuller Clancy
Published: July 2024

Online tools are increasingly being used by students to cheat. File-sharing and homework-helper websites offer to aid students in their studies, but are vulnerable to misuse, and are increasingly reported as a major source of academic misconduct. Chegg.com is the largest such website. Despite this, there is little public information about the use of Chegg as a cheating tool. This is a critical omission, as for institutions to effectively tackle this threat, they must have a sophisticated understanding of their use. To address this gap, this work reports on a comprehensive audit of Chegg usage conducted within an Australian university engineering school. We provide a detailed analysis of the growth of Chegg, its use within an Australian university engineering school, and the wait time to receive solutions. Alarmingly, we found over half of audit units had cheating content on Chegg is broadly used to cheat and 50% of questions asked on Chegg are answered within 1.5 h. This makes Chegg an appealing tool for academic misconduct in both assignment tasks and online exams. We further investigate the growth of Chegg and show its use is above pre-pandemic levels. This work provides valuable insights to educators and institutions looking to improve the integrity of their courses through assessment and policy development. Finally, to better understand and tackle this form of misconduct, we call on education institutions to be more transparent in reporting misconduct data and for homework-helper websites to improve defences against misuse.
Effects of the Human Presence among Robots in the ARIAC 2023 Industrial Automation Competition
Authors: Buss Becker Leandro , Downs Anthony , Schlenoff Craig , Albrecht Justin , Kootbally Zeid , Ferrando Angelo , Cardoso Rafael , Fisher Michael
Published: July 2024

ARIAC is a robotic simulation competition promoted by NIST annually since 2017, aiming to present competitors’ with contemporary industry problems to be solved using agile robotics. For the 2023 competition, ARIAC competitors must perform assembly and kitting tasks by controlling four autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs), one floor-based robot, and one ceiling-based (Gantry) robot in an attempt to overcome a range of agility challenges in the supplied simulated environment, itself based on the Robot Operating System (ROS 2) and Gazebo. The 2023 competition also included a “human” agility challenge, comprising a (simulated) human operator working among robots on the factory floor. This development was motivated by the fact that, while robots and automation play an increasingly significant role in modern manufacturing, there still remains a close relationship between machines and humans. They should complement each other’s strengths and cover each other’s limitations while also observing any required safety rules. For example, the ISO standard “Robots and Robotic Devices – Collaborative robots” (ISO 15066:2016) prescribes the distances required between humans and robots. Within the ARIAC simulation environment, each human operator is controlled using autonomous Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) agents. At the same time, competitors can monitor the position of each human operator at any time by subscribing to the relevant ROS topic. In this article, we analyse the effects of this (simulated) human presence in the 2023 ARIAC competition and perform a detailed analysis of how the three different human personalities that were implemented affect the assembly tasks undertaken at the four different locations of the assembly stations. Given how the system is currently implemented, it appears that the influence of each encoded personality on the competitors is not as predictable as anticipated. We expand on why this may be a problem when addressing real collaborative spaces involving humans and industrial robots and the improvements that can be undertaken to mitigate the ensuing problems.
Keeping Verticals’ Sovereignty During Application Migration in Continuum
Authors: Kotulski Zbigniew , Nowak Tomasz , Sepczuk Mariusz , Bocianiak Krzysztof , Pawlikowski Tomasz , Podlasek Aleksandra , Wary Jean-Philippe
Published: July 2024

Competing service providers in the cloud environment ensure services are delivered under the promised security requirements. It is crucial for mobile services where user’s movement results in the service’s migration between edge servers or clouds in the Continuum. Maintaining service sovereignty before, during, and after the migration is a real challenge, especially when the service provider has committed to ensuring its quality following the Service Level Agreement. In this paper, we present the main challenges mobile service providers face in a cloud environment to guarantee the required level of security and digital sovereignty as described in the Security Service Level Agreement, with emphasis on challenges resulting from the service migration between the old and new locations. We present the security and sovereignty context intended for migration and the steps of the migration algorithm. We also analyze three specific service migration cases for three vertical industries with different service quality requirements.
Remote possibilities in branching time structures
Authors: Wenmackers Sylvia
Published: July 2024

To analyse contingent propositions, this paper investigates how branching time structures can be combined with probability theory. In particular, it considers assigning infinitesimal probabilities—available in non-Archimedean probability theory—to individual histories. This allows us to introduce the concept of ‘remote possibility’ as a new modal notion between ‘impossibility’ and ‘appreciable possibility’. The proposal is illustrated by applying it to a future contingent and a historical counterfactual concerning an infinite sequence of coin tosses. The latter is a toy model that is used to illustrate the applicability of the proposal to more realistic physical models.
Emergency Resection for Colonic Cancer Has an Independent and Unfavorable Effect on Long-Term Oncologic Outcome
Authors: Sandini Marta , Piccioni Stefania , Badalucco Simona , Andreucci Eleonora , Gambelli Margherita , Fontani Andrea , Piagnerelli Riccardo , Verre Luigi , Marrelli Daniele , Roviello Franco
Published: July 2024

Background

Long-term outcomes in patients undergoing emergency versus elective resection for colorectal cancer (CRC) remain controversial. This study aims to assess short- and long-term outcomes of emergency versus elective CRC surgery.

Methods

In this single-center retrospective cohort study, patients undergoing emergency or elective colonic resections for CRC from January 2013 to December 2017 were included. Primary outcome was long-term survival. As secondary outcomes, we sought to analyze potential differences on postoperative morbidity and concerning the oncological standard of surgical resection. The Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard model were used to compare survival between the groups.

Results

Overall, 225 CRC patients were included. Of these 192 (85.3%) had an elective and 33 (14.7%) an emergency operation. Emergency indications were due to obstruction, perforation, or bleeding. Patients in the emergency group had higher ASA score (p = 0.023), higher Charlsson comorbidity index (CCI, p = 0.012), and were older than those in the elective group, with median age 70 (IQR 63–79) years and 78 (IQR 68–83) years, for elective and emergency, respectively (p = 0.020). No other preoperative differences were observed. Patients in the emergency group experienced significantly more major complications (12.1% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.037), more anastomotic leakage (12.1% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.001), need for reoperation (12.1% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.021), and postoperative mortality (2 patients vs. 0, p < 0.001). No differences in terms of final pathological stage, nor in accuracy of lymphadenectomy were observed. Overall survival was significantly worse in case of emergency operation, with estimated median 41 months vs. not reached in elective cases (p < 0.001). At the multivariate analysis, emergency operation was confirmed as independent unfavorable determinant of survival (with hazard rate HR = 1.97, p = 0.028), together with age (HR = 1.05, p < 0.001), postoperative major morbidity (HR = 3.18, p = 0.012), advanced stage (HR = 5.85, p < 0.001), and need for transfusion (HR = 2.10, p = 0.049).

Conclusion

Postoperative morbidity and mortality were increased in emergency versus elective CRC resections. Despite no significant differences in terms of accuracy of resection and pathological stages, overall survival was significantly worse in patients who underwent emergency procedure, and independent of other determinants of survival.
Integrative mRNA and miRNA Expression Profiles from Developing Zebrafish Head Highlight Brain-Preference Genes and Regulatory Networks
Authors: Zhang Shuqiang , Yang Jian , Xu Jie , Li Jing , Xu Lian , Jin Nana , Li Xiaoyu
Published: July 2024

Zebrafish is an emerging animal model for studying molecular mechanism underlying neurodevelopmental disorder due to its advantage characters. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play a key role in brain development. Understanding of dynamic transcriptional and post-transcriptional molecules and their regulation during the head development is important for the study of neurodevelopmental disorder. In this study, we performed the high-throughput sequencing of mRNAs and miRNAs in developing zebrafish head from pharyngula to early larval stages and carried out bioinformatic analysis including differential expression and functional enrichment as well as joint analysis of miRNAs and mRNAs, and also compared with other related public sequencing datasets to aid our interpretation. A large number of differential expression genes with a large fold change were detected during the head development. Further clustering and functional enrichment analyses indicated that genes in late stage were most related with synaptic signaling. Overlap test analysis showed a significant enrichment of brain-preference and synapse-associated gene set in the head transcriptome compared with the whole embryo transcriptome. We also constructed miRNA-mRNA network for those brain-preference genes and focused on those densely connected network components. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated snap25b mutants led to embryonic development defects and decreases locomotor activity. Altogether, the present study provides developmental profiles of head-enriched mRNAs and miRNAs at three critical windows for nervous system development, which may contribute to the study of neurodevelopmental disorder.
Correction to: Ionospheric scintillation characteristics over Indian region from latitudinally-aligned geodetic GPS observations
Authors: Panda Sampad Kumar , Moses Mefe , Ansari Kutubuddin , Walo Janusz
Published: July 2024

The article “Ionospheric scintillation characteristics over Indian region from latitudinally-aligned geodetic GPS observations” was originally published Online First without open access. After publication in volume 16, issue 3, page 2675–2691, the author decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an open access publication.
A fixed-time stable forward–backward dynamical system for solving generalized monotone inclusions
Authors: Tran Nam V. , Hai Le T. T. , An Truong V. , Vuong Phan T.
Published: July 2024

We propose a forward–backward splitting dynamical system for solving inclusion problems of the form $$0\in A(x)+B(x)$$

0
∈
A
(
x
)
+
B
(
x
)

in Hilbert spaces, where A is a maximal operator and B is a single-valued operator. Involved operators are assumed to satisfy a generalized monotonicity condition, which is weaker than the standard monotone assumptions. Under mild conditions on parameters, we establish the fixed-time stability of the proposed dynamical system. In addition, we consider an explicit forward Euler discretization of the dynamical system leading to a new forward backward algorithm for which we present the convergence analysis. Applications to other optimization problems such as constrained optimization problems, mixed variational inequalities, and variational inequalities are presented and some numerical examples are given to illustrate the theoretical results.
Correlation of Quality of Life (QoL) and Self-perception in Patient with Thyroid Eye Disease (TED)
Authors: Bonavolontà Paola , Bernardo Roberta , Improta Giovanni , Iuliano Adriana , Tranfa Fausto , Califano Luigi , Strianese Diego
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Tyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune disorder representing the commonest extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves’ disease (GD), with a prevalence of 10 per 10,000 persons in the European population. Although most frequently associated with hyperthyroidism secondary to GD, about 10% of patients with TED are euthyroid or hypothyroid. Patients with Graves orbitopathy (GO) have a significantly lower life quality, both regarding vision problems and worsened appearance, compared to a healthy person. It has been associated with increased rates of anxiety, depression, social isolation and decreased self-confidence.

Materials and Methods

The results of standard treatments in this disease are often unsatisfactory, but outcomes often do not correlate well with patient reports of how visible they feel their TED is, and the impact on their lives. The present study was designed to correlate QoL and self-perception of well-being with the different clinical and surgical approaches recommended by EUGOGO. The aim is to determine whether there were differences between treatment options in determining patient perception of well-being and satisfaction with treatment received, and whether they would recommend the treatment they had experienced to people with the same condition.

Results

Scheduled patients undergone medical or surgical treatments based on presence or not of inflammation signs. Evaluation of clinically relevant improvements in each clinical variable was carried out 6 months and one year after treatment. Later, patients were asked a set of general questions about improvement (or worsening) of symptoms, health condition before and after the treatment, degree of limitations of daily activities caused by the pathology, overall satisfaction. After one-year, visual acuity unchanged in all the cases, and exophthalmos’ absolute values improved. Daily activities limitations and heath conditions improved in most patients. In this study we demonstrate that although the majority of patients were satisfied with the treatment they received, patients presenting most severe disease at presentation and received most invasive procedures (such orbital decompression) were less satisfied due to an unrealistic expectation about the impact of surgery on their appearance, including expecting to return to a pre-morbid appearance.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of healthcare professionals eliciting and managing patients’ expectations, in order to optimize surgical outcomes.
Glucuronide metabolites of trans-ε-viniferin decrease triglycerides accumulation in an in vitro model of hepatic steatosis
Authors: Beaumont Pauline , Amintas Samuel , Krisa Stéphanie , Courtois Arnaud , Richard Tristan , Eseberri Itziar , Portillo Maria P.
Published: July 2024

Trans-ε-viniferin, a resveratrol dimer found mainly in grapevine wood, has shown protective capacities against hepatic steatosis in vivo. Nevertheless, this compound is very poorly bioavailable. Thus, the aim of the present study is to determine the potential anti-steatotic properties of 1 and 10 µM of trans-ε-viniferin and its four glucuronide metabolites in AML-12 cells treated with palmitic acid as an in vitro model of hepatic steatosis. The effect of the molecules in cell viability and triglyceride accumulation, and the underlying mechanisms of action by Real-Time PCR and Western Blot were analysed, as well as the quantification of trans-ε-viniferin and the identified bioactive metabolite inside cells and their incubation media. Interestingly, we were able to determine the triglyceride-lowering property of one of the glucuronides (trans-ε-viniferin-2-glucuronide), which acts on de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid uptake and triglyceride assembly. The glucuronides of trans-ε-viniferin would therefore be partly responsible for the in vivo observed anti-steatotic properties of the parent compound.
Description and Validation of a Novel AI Tool, LabelComp, for the Identification of Adverse Event Changes in FDA Labeling
Authors: Neyarapally George A. , Wu Leihong , Xu Joshua , Zhou Esther H. , Dang Oanh , Lee Joann , Mehta Dharmang , Vaughn Rochelle D. , Pinnow Ellen , Fang Hong
Published: July 2024

Introduction

The accurate identification and timely updating of adverse reactions in drug labeling are crucial for patient safety and effective drug use. Postmarketing surveillance plays a pivotal role in identifying previously undetected adverse events (AEs) that emerge when a drug is used in broader and more diverse patient populations. However, traditional methods of updating drug labeling with new AE information have been manual, time consuming, and error prone. This paper introduces the LabelComp tool, an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of postmarketing drug safety surveillance. Utilizing a combination of text analytics and a trained Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model, the LabelComp tool automatically identifies changes in AE terms from updated drug labeling documents.

Objective

Our objective was to create and validate an AI tool with high accuracy that could enable researchers and FDA reviewers to efficiently identify safety-related drug labeling changes.

Results

Our validation study of 87 drug labeling PDF pairs demonstrates the tool's high accuracy, with F1 scores of overall performance ranging from 0.795 to 0.936 across different evaluation tiers and a recall of at least 0.997 with only one missed AE out of 483 total AEs detected, indicating the tool's efficacy in identifying new AEs.

Conclusion

The LabelComp tool can support drug safety surveillance and inform regulatory decision-making. The publication of this tool also aims to encourage further community-driven enhancements, aligning with broader interests in applying AI to advance regulatory science and public health.
A FDA-based multi-robot cooperation algorithm for multi-target searching in unknown environments
Authors: Ye Wenwen , Cai Jia , Li Shengping
Published: July 2024

Target search using a swarm of robots is a classic research topic that poses challenges, particularly in conducting multi-target searching in unknown environments. Key challenges include high communication cost among robots, unknown positions of obstacles, and the presence of multiple targets. To address these challenges, we propose a novel Robotic Flow Direction Algorithm (RFDA), building upon the modified Flow Direction Algorithm (FDA) to suit the characteristics of the robot’s motion. RFDA efficiently reduces the communication cost and navigates around unknown obstacles. The algorithm also accounts for scenarios involving isolated robots. The pipeline of the proposed RFDA method is outlined as follows: (1). Learning strategy: a neighborhood information based learning strategy is adopted to enhance the FDA’s position update formula. This allows swarm robots to systematically locate the target (the lowest height) in a stepwise manner. (2). Adaptive inertia weighting: An adaptive inertia weighting mechanism is employed to maintain diversity among robots during the search and avoid premature convergence. (3). Sink-filling process: The algorithm simulates the sink-filling process and moving to the aspect slope to escape from local optima. (4). Isolated robot scenario: The case of an isolated robot (a robot without neighbors) is considered. Global optimal information is only required when the robot is isolated or undergoing the sink-filling process, thereby reducing communication costs. We not only demonstrate the probabilistic completeness of RFDA but also validate its effectiveness by comparing it with six other competing algorithms in a simulated environment. Experiments cover various aspects such as target number, population size, and environment size. Our findings indicate that RFDA outperforms other methods in terms of the number of required iterations and the full success rate. The Friedman and Wilcoxon tests further demonstrate the superiority of RFDA.