bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forensic mental health intellectual and developmental disability service: an analysis of referral patterns and comparison with community mental health intellectual disability (MHID) services in Ireland
Authors: Wahab Afwan Abdul , Har Calvin , Casey Sarah , Ramsay Hugh , McCormack Brendan , Mulryan Niamh , Ambikapathy Anita , Kearns Anthony
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyse the characteristics of all the referrals to the forensic MHIDD service over the past five years and to compare these characteristics to the cohort of service users attending the three general MHID services based in Dublin which are Service 1, Service 2 and Service 3.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a cross-sectional study of adults attending the three generic MHID services and the national forensic MHIDD service. The medical files of service users attending the MHID services were reviewed, and data such as age, gender, level of intellectual disability and psychiatric diagnoses were extracted and compiled into a database. The forensic MHIDD service has since its inception maintained a database of all referrals received and reviewed. The characteristics data needed were extracted from the forensic MHIDD database. All these data were then analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

Findings

The majority of the three MHID service users were in the moderate to profound range of intellectual disability, while the majority of the cases assessed by forensic MHIDD had normal IQ, borderline IQ and mild intellectual disability with 66.1%. The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorder, schizophrenia and emotionally unstable personality disorder in the forensic MHIDD is comparable to the three MHID services. The prevalence of depression, bipolar affective disorder (BPAD), anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is higher in the three MHID services than in the forensic MHIDD service.

Originality/value

The FHMIDD received referrals at a greater level of overall ability, with two-thirds of the service users having mild intellectual disability to normal IQ. The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorder such as ASD and schizophrenia is comparable between the forensic MHIDD and the three MHID services. There is a higher prevalence of depression, BPAD, anxiety disorder and OCD in the three MHID services as compared to the forensic MHIDD service.
Does traffic means sales: evidence from Chinese live streaming commerce market
Authors: Zhang Kaimeng , Ni Zhongxin , Lu Zhouyan
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This research paper aims to investigate the critical factors influencing the live commerce industry and their implications for Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and brands.

Design/methodology/approach

The study comprehensively reviews previous research, develops relevant hypotheses and utilizes personal information from 66 anchors, along with data from 23,000 product links obtained from the backends of live commerce platforms.

Findings

The study emphasizes that KOLs with higher traffic significantly influence Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV). Intriguingly, KOLs with lower traffic levels exhibit a more pronounced effect on Return on Investment (ROI), highlighting their significance in driving profitability. Furthermore, the study explores the correlation between KOL hashtags and GMV/ROI and the intricate relationship between product types and KOL hashtags.

Practical implications

The findings significantly enhance the understanding of live shopping behavior and provide valuable insights for business management strategies. Practitioners can leverage this empirical evidence to make informed decisions, utilizing extensive data samples of KOLs and brands.

Originality/value

This research contributes unique insights into the live-streaming commerce industry using backend data from Live Streaming E-commerce platforms. The findings are more accurate based on market data than previous studies that relied on platform reviews or questionnaires. Additionally, this paper investigates the impact of KOLs on the performance of live e-commerce from three perspectives: GMV, ROI and hot-selling products.
The impact of brand attribution for an innovative sports product introduced on the fitness market in France
Authors: Mischler Sarah , Pichot Lilian
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of brand attribution on consumer behaviour. The authorsare interested in finding out if consumers are more likely to purchase a new sports product when it is attributed to a brand. The authors are interested in finding out if the brand positively influences the consumer's appreciation of the product in the case of the launch of a new product.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors completed a quantitative survey with 320 people who are familiar with the toning concept, aged between 20 and 45 years old. The questionnaire was conducted face to face in six large cities in France.

Findings

Main results show that belief in the effectiveness of the product is positively correlated with purchase intention. However, the attribution of the product to the brand does not guarantee belief in the effectiveness of the product nor does it guarantee purchase intention. Brand credibility has a positive impact on belief in the effectiveness of the product. Furthermore, exposure to advertising allows the product to be attributed to the brand. Yet, it does not have an impact on belief in the product's effectiveness or purchase intention.

Originality/value

Whereas studying consumer behaviour is not new, analysing consumer perceptions of innovative products and how these perceptions relate to the product brand can provide interesting implications both for consumer behaviour research and from a practical perspective for brands. Indeed, this paper shows the importance of exposure to advertising for a product to be attributed to a brand but this is not enough to induce its purchase. It is the credibility of the brand in the product category as well as the belief in the effectiveness of the product that can lead consumers to buy it.
Gait and simulation analysis of quadruped crawling robot based on metamorphic structure
Authors: Pan Yifan , Zhang Lei , Mei Dong , Tang Gangqiang , Ji Yujun , Tan Kangning , Wang Yanjie
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to present a type of metamorphic mechanism-based quadruped crawling robot. The trunk design of the robot has a metamorphic mechanism, which endows it with excellent crawling capability and adaptability in challenging environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The robot consists of a metamorphic trunk and four series-connected three-joint legs. First, the walking and steering strategy is planned through the stability and mechanics analysis. Then, the walking and steering performance is examined using virtual prototype technology, as well as the efficacy of the walking and turning strategy.

Findings

The metamorphic quadruped crawling robot has wider application due to its variable trunk configuration and excellent leg motion space. The robot can move in two modes (constant trunk and trunk configuration transformation, respectively, while walking and rotating), which exhibits outstanding stability and adaptability in the examination and verification of prototypes.

Originality/value

The design can enhance the capacity of the quadruped crawling robot to move across a complex environment. The virtual prototype technology verifies that the proposed walking and steering strategy has good maneuverability and stability, which considerably expands the application opportunity in the fields of complicated scene identification and investigation.
Service learning via tourism volunteering at university: skill-transformation and SDGs alignment through rite of passage approach
Authors: Villacé-Molinero Teresa , Fuentes-Moraleda Laura , Orea-Giner Alicia , González-Sánchez Rocío , Muñoz-Mazón Ana
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how university students experience a skill transformation process aligned with the sustainable development goals (SDGs). This transformation occurs through their participation in a service-learning programme alongside an international volunteering project. The theoretical framework for understanding this skill transformation process is based on the “rite of passage”.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative methodology is adopted by conducting 23 online surveys with volunteers (virtual and onsite) and five with coordinators across the rite of passage phases. Volunteering was carried out in five Mayan indigenous communities in Mexico as part of an international cooperation project with the goals of supporting community-based tourism development and strengthening volunteers’ skills in accordance with the SDGs.

Findings

Results show that international volunteering programmes for university students significantly enhance their interpersonal and professional skills, demonstrating strong potential for implementing the SDGs. These programmes provide learning and education opportunities for both volunteers and local communities. Volunteers gain a broader perspective on gender equality and cultural barriers. Additionally, volunteering supports sustainable tourism, economic worth and collaboration among institutions. Both volunteers’ personal characteristics (educational level and sociocultural context), as well as their sociocultural context, influenced the perception of the skill transformation process and learning about the SDGs. Finally, a new educational university programme in volunteering aligned with SDGs is proposed.

Practical implications

This research examines the practical ramifications of incorporating volunteer programmes into university courses. Universities must include these initiatives in their educational systems as a means of enhancing student learning.

Social implications

A new educational university programme in volunteering aligned with SDGs is proposed. This study suggests a shift in university mindset, as well as increased funding for training and adherence to the SDGs.

Originality/value

This study pioneers the rite of passage framework in an international volunteer tourism project facilitated by universities, emphasizing volunteering as a valuable tool for SDG implementation, considering the interrelationships between objectives.
Impacts of energy communities on tourism: benefits and functions towards green transition
Authors: Stankov Uglješa , Vujičić Miroslav D. , Carmer Adam B.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to energy communities (ECs) in the tourism domain as voluntary initiatives combining noncommercial aims with environmental and social community objectives. ECs offer a range of potential benefits for local communities, tourism providers and destinations, including reduced energy costs, enhanced sustainability practices and a unique selling point for attracting environmentally conscious tourists.

Design/methodology/approach

This perspective paper uses a narrative literature review of academic papers, the primary European Union legislation relevant to ECs and online articles to provide an analysis of the current landscape.

Findings

This paper presents the typical benefits, categorized into financial, social and environmental, members of ECs can experience. Highlights include the possible functions of ECs for tourism providers and destinations. In addition to reinforcing sustainable practices, ECs create opportunities for regional value creation, exerting a strong potential to influence destination development. They can become an integral part of governing tourism destinations, driving green social innovation and contributing to tourism branding.

Originality/value

This paper provides early recognition and a clear articulation of the benefits and possible functions ECs offer to the tourism domain. By highlighting their potential positive impact on the environment, society, tourism businesses and policy, this research encourages further investigation in this field.
The limits of voluntary measures: Packaging the plastic pollution problem in Australia
Authors: Jones Stephen , Head Brian W.
Published: October 2023

The massive global growth in the production, use, and disposal of plastic materials has generated a pollution crisis in many countries. In Australia, debates about how to address this multi‐faceted challenge have lacked the political urgency necessary for adopting strong reform measures. Consistent with the early stages of other sustainability debates, the industrial producers and distributors of plastic materials have been successful in prioritising voluntary measures, such as recycling materials and local authority collection schemes, to mitigate the problem, instead of agreeing to implement enforceable reduction targets. This paper examines Australian measures to manage plastic waste with a focus on how particular policy instruments were favoured and endured and how a greater focus on the full range of policy instruments—market based, regulatory, and voluntary—could generate more effective solutions.

Points for practitioners

Choice of effective policy instruments is crucial for tackling sustainability problems.

Policy instruments employed by Australian governments to manage plastic waste have been ineffective.

Moreover, policy settings do not support effective co‐ordination between key stakeholders for the reduction of plastic pollution.

Policy advisors should recognise the limits of voluntary approaches and market‐based mechanisms, and consider introducing clear and mandatory pathways to achieve policy targets.
RETRACTED: Genotyping strategies for tissues fixed with various embalming fluids for human identification, databasing, and traceability
Authors: Ashton Madeline , Czado Natalia , Harrel Michelle , Hughes Sheree
Published: October 2023

Within anatomical willed body programs and skeletal collections, whole bodies and their disassociated limbs and organs are identified and tracked. However, if these tracking mechanisms fail, DNA recovered from the formalin‐fixed tissues/organs could provide an additional layer of quality assurance. Embalming fluids preserve biological tissues; however, they also damage, fragment, and cross‐link DNA and protein molecules. This project investigated the success of STR‐typing from various soft tissue and bone samples that were fixed with embalming solutions with a range of formaldehyde concentrations. Formalin‐fixed samples dissected from five cadavers, including skin, muscle, bone, heart, and kidney were used in Phase 1 of this study. In Phase 2, an additional 57 tissue samples from various embalmed organs and body parts were collected to demonstrate long‐term fixation and direct applicability within a body donor program. DNA was extracted from the samples using the QIAamp® FFPE Tissue Kit (QIAGEN), quantified with the Investigator® QuantiPlex® Pro RGQ qPCR Kit (QIAGEN), and amplified using the Investigator® 24plex and 26plex QS Kits and the Investigator® DIPplex Kit (QIAGEN). The results show the DNA was severely damaged, degraded, and often in low amounts (after one year post‐embalming). Sampling from skin and muscle tissues embalmed with ~2.5%–5% formaldehyde solutions appears to be the best strategy for identification, while also maintaining the preservation of the tissues. The results of this project can provide informative data when determining which genotyping strategy may be best suited for the identification, re‐association, and establishment of a database for the provenance of formalin‐fixed human remains.
Whey–pectin microcapsules improve the stability of grape marc phenolics during digestion
Authors: De La Cruz‐Molina Aimara V. , Gonçalves Catarina , Neto Mafalda D. , Pastrana Lorenzo , Jauregi Paula , Amado Isabel R.
Published: October 2023

Grape marc (GM) is an agri‐food residue from the wine industry valuable for its high content of phenolic compounds. This study aimed to develop an encapsulation system for GM extract (GME) using food‐grade biopolymers resistant to gastric conditions for its potential use as a nutraceutical. For this purpose, a hydroalcoholic GME was prepared with a total phenolics content of 219.62 ± 11.50 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry extract and 1389.71 ± 97.33 µmol Trolox equivalents/g dry extract antioxidant capacity, assessed through ABTS (2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) assay. Moreover, the extract effectively neutralized reactive oxygen species in Caco‐2 cells, demonstrating an intracellular antioxidant capacity comparable to Trolox. The GME was encapsulated using whey protein isolate and pectin through nano spray drying (73% yield), resulting in spherical microparticles with an average size of 1 ± 0.5 µm and a polydispersity of 0.717. The encapsulation system protected the phenolics from simulated gastrointestinal digestion (GID), where at the end of the intestinal phase, 82% of the initial phenolics were bioaccessible compared to 54% in the free GME. [Correction added 27 December 2023; microcapsules has been corrected to phenolics.] Besides, the encapsulated GME displayed a higher antioxidant activity by the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay than the free extract after GID. These results show the potential of this encapsulation system for applying GME as a nutraceutical with a high antioxidant capacity and protective effect against cellular oxidation.
RNA sequencing analysis reveals that missense mutation in SOX10 is associated with iris color phenotype in quail
Authors: Ren Shiwei , Zhang Xiaohui , Pang Youzhi , Qi Yanxia , Huo Linke , Wu Fanghu , Shang Yuanyuan , Xi Jinquan
Published: October 2023

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the differences in iris color in quail, the transcriptome of iris tissue from black quail and Korean quail at day 10 of hatching was RNA sequenced in this study. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened, functionally annotated and enriched after the quality control and mapping of the raw data. RT‐qPCR validation was performed using EIF2S3 as an internal reference gene. The screened SNPs were studied by bioinformatics analysis and iris color correlation analysis. The results showed that there were 425 upregulated genes and 364 downregulated genes in 789 DEGs. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that 139 DEGs were significantly enriched in 154 GO terms. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment results showed that the Notch signaling pathway, melanogenesis and tyrosine metabolism were associated with pigment synthesis (p < 0.05). The expression levels of the ASIP, MLPH, PMEL, TYR and SOX10 genes were significantly different in black quail iris and Korean quail iris, as verified by RT‐qPCR. The SOX10 gene c.324G>C mutation, which caused the replacement of p.Glu108Asp, had a highly significant correlation with iris color in black quail and Korean quail, which may be one of the reasons for different in iris color between these two quail species.
Retrospective review of endometriosis surgery at Te Whatu Ora – Capital and Coast
Authors: Paterson Emily S. J. , Scheck Simon , McDowell Simon , Bedford Nicholas , Girling Jane E. , Henry Claire E.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Endometriosis is an under‐researched disease, with Aotearoa‐specific data severely lacking. Current estimates of parameters such as rates of endometriosis diagnosis, indication for surgery and sites of disease are based on international data. There is currently no published data on endometriosis surgeries in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Aims

We aimed to describe the laparoscopic surgeries conducted for suspected endometriosis at Te Whatu Ora – Capital and Coast, including the prevalence of endometriosis in this cohort, indication for surgery, symptoms experienced, endometriosis stage and sites involved, number of repeat laparoscopies, and prevalence of endometriosis at repeat surgery.

Materials and methods

To conduct this retrospective cross‐sectional study, data were extracted from Te Whatu Ora – Capital and Coast systems to identify all records indicating surgery for suspected endometriosis during 2018 and 2019. Variables investigated included age, ethnicity, endometriosis diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases‐10 Clinical Modification coding), stage of endometriosis, histological report and endometriosis symptoms (pain and/or fertility).

Results

There were 436 surgeries for suspected endometriosis performed during 2018 and 2019, and endometriosis was diagnosed in 68.3% of these surgeries. Pacific and Asian people were under‐represented in the study cohort compared to the demographics of the hospital catchment area (Pacific: 3.0% vs 8.4%, Asian: 9.9% vs 12.9%). The most common indication for surgery was pain. There were 76 surgeries performed for suspected recurrence of endometriosis, and endometriosis was identified in 55.6% of these.

Conclusions

Endometriosis surgeries in this hospital in Aotearoa show similar presentations and surgical findings to international data. Our findings highlight areas requiring more research in an Aotearoa‐specific context.
Practice variation in timing of antenatal corticosteroid administration in early‐onset fetal growth restriction: A secondary analysis of the Dutch STRIDER study
Authors: Prins Leah I. , van de Meent Mette , Kooiman Judith , Pels Anouk , Gordijn Sanne J. , Lely Titia , Ganzevoort Wessel
Published: October 2023

Introduction

In early‐onset fetal growth restriction the fetus fails to thrive in utero due to unmet fetal metabolic demands. This condition is linked to perinatal mortality and severe neonatal morbidity. Maternal administration of corticosteroids in high‐risk pregnancies for preterm birth at a gestational age between 24 and 34 weeks has been shown to reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity. Practice variation exists in the timing of the administration of corticosteroids based on umbilical artery monitoring findings in early‐onset fetal growth restriction. The aim of this study was to examine differences in neonatal outcomes when comparing different corticosteroid timing strategies.

Material and methods

This was a post‐hoc analysis of the Dutch STRIDER trial. We examined neonatal outcomes when comparing institutional strategies of early (umbilical artery pulsatility index >95th centile) and late (umbilical artery shows absent or reversed end‐diastolic flow) administration of corticosteroids. The primary outcomes were neonatal mortality and a composite of neonatal mortality and neonatal morbidity, defined as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis or retinopathy of prematurity. We also analyzed predictors for adverse neonatal outcomes, including gestational age at delivery, birthweight, maternal hypertensive disorders, and time interval between corticosteroids and birth.

Results

A total of 120 patients matched our inclusion criteria. In 69 (57.5%) the early strategy was applied and in 51 (42.5%) patients the late strategy. Median gestational age at delivery was 28 4/7 (± 3, 3/7) weeks. Median birthweight was 708 (± 304) g. Composite primary outcome was found in 57 (47.5%) neonates. No significant differences were observed in the primary outcome between the two strategies (neonatal mortality adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.22, 95% CI 0.44–3.38; composite primary outcome adjusted OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.42–2.64). Only gestational age at delivery was a significant predictor for improved neonatal outcome (adjusted OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.86–0.96).

Conclusions

No significant differences in neonatal outcomes were observed when comparing early and late strategy of antenatal corticosteroid administration on neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by early‐onset fetal growth restriction. We found no apparent risk contribution of interval between corticosteroid administration and delivery in multivariate analysis. Gestational age at delivery was found to be an important predictor of neonatal outcome.
Developing a set of patient‐centered outcomes for routine use in endometriosis: An international Delphi study
Authors: Nicolas‐Boluda Alba , Le Roux Enora , Tavenet Arounie , Bouaziz Jerome , Vercellini Paolo , Stratton Pamela , Fauconnier Arnaud
Published: October 2023

Introduction

There is large variation in individual patient care for endometriosis. A uniform approach to measure outcomes could be incorporated into routine clinical practice to personalize and monitor treatments and potentially improve the quality of care. The aim of this study is to identify a group of patient‐centered outcomes for use in routine endometriosis care which are relevant to all patient profiles.

Material and Methods

By means of a modified two‐round Delphi study with international representation including healthcare professionals, researchers and patient representatives (51 participants, 16 countries) we developed a set of patient‐centered measurements. The participants evaluated 47 Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and 30 Clinician Reported Outcome Measures (CROMs) regarding their feasibility and relevance for their use in routine endometriosis care. After the two rounds of quotation, meetings of the experts were convened to participate in a final discussion to finalize the consensus of the final set of included measures.

Results

The final set of patient‐centered outcomes includes six PROMs (measuring symptomatic impact, pain, work productivity and quality of life) and 10 CROMs (measuring clinical, imaging and surgical indicators). A supplementary list of outcomes was added to include important dimensions that were considered essential by the expert panel but are not relevant to all patients. In addition the need for development of specific tools (PROMs) measuring the psychological impact and the impact in sexual activity of endometriosis was highlighted.

Conclusions

We have developed a set of patient‐centered outcomes measures in endometriosis care. The selected outcomes comprise the common features for all patients suffering from endometriosis. adapted for use in routine practice. The list of outcomes has been adapted for use in routine practice from which clinicians can chose, depending on their needs.
Trends in medication use at the onset of and during the COVID‐19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland: An interrupted time series study
Authors: Mattsson Molly , Hong Jung Ah , Frazer John Scott , Frazer Glenn Ross , Moriarty Frank
Published: October 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic had a substantial impact on healthcare delivery, particularly in general practice. This study aimed to evaluate how dispensing of medications in primary care in Ireland changed following the COVID‐19 pandemic's onset compared to expected trends. This interrupted time series study used data on medications prescribed in general practice 2016–2022 to patient eligible for state health cover, approximately one third of the population. Dispensing volumes for all therapeutic subgroups (ATC2 codes) and commonly dispensed medications were summarized. Pre‐pandemic data were used to forecast expected trends (with 99% prediction intervals) using the Holt‐Winters method, and these were compared to observed dispensing from March 2020 onwards. Many (31/77) therapeutic subgroups had dispensing significantly different from forecast in March 2020. Drugs for obstructive airway disease had the largest difference, with dispensing 26.2% (99%CI 19.5%–33.6%) higher than forecasted. Only two subgroups were significantly lower than forecasted, other gynaecologicals (17.7% lower, 99%CI 6.3%–26.6%) and dressings (11.6%, 99%CI 9.4%–41.6%). Dispensing of amoxicillin products and oral prednisolone were lower than forecasted in the months following the pandemic's onset, particularly during winter 2020/2021. There was a spike in dispensing for many long‐term medications in March 2020, while pandemic restrictions likely contributed to reductions for other medications.
The academic point‐of‐care anti‐CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell product varnimcabtagene autoleucel (ARI‐0001 cells) shows efficacy and safety in the treatment of relapsed/refractory B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Martínez‐Cibrián Núria , Ortiz‐Maldonado Valentín , Español‐Rego Marta , Blázquez Andrea , Cid Joan , Lozano Miquel , Magnano Laura , Giné Eva , Correa Juan G. , Mozas Pablo , Rodríguez‐Lobato Luis Gerardo , Rivero Andrea , Montoro‐Lorite Mercedes , Ayora Pilar , Navarro Sergio , Alserawan Leticia , González‐Navarro E. Azucena , Castellà Maria , Sánchez‐Castañón María , Cabezón Raquel , Benítez‐Ribas Daniel , Setoaín Xavier , Rodríguez Sonia , Brillembourg Helena , Varea Sara , Olesti Eulalia , Guillén Elena , Sáez‐Peñataro Joaquín , de Larrea Carlos Fernández , López‐Guillermo Armando , Pascal Mariona , Urbano‐Ispizua Álvaro , Juan Manel , Delgado Julio
Published: October 2023

Varnimcabtagene autoleucel (var‐cel) is an academic anti‐CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) product used for the treatment of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the CART19‐BE‐01 trial. Here we report updated outcomes of patients with NHL treated with var‐cel. B‐cell recovery was compared with patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Forty‐five patients with NHL were treated. Cytokine release syndrome (any grade) occurred in 84% of patients (4% grade ≥3) and neurotoxicity in 7% (2% grade ≥3). The objective response rate was 73% at Day +100, and the 3‐year duration of response was 56%. The 3‐year progression‐free and overall survival were 40% and 52% respectively. High lactate dehydrogenase was the only covariate with an impact on progression‐free survival. The 3‐year incidence of B‐cell recovery was lower in patients with NHL compared to ALL (25% vs. 60%). In conclusion, in patients with NHL, the toxicity of var‐cel was manageable, while B‐cell recovery was significantly prolonged compared to ALL. This trial was registered as NCT03144583.
Death from mantle cell lymphoma limits sequential therapy, particularly after first relapse: Patterns of care and outcomes in a series from Australia and the United Kingdom
Authors: Minson Adrian , Hamad Nada , Di Ciaccio Pietro , Talaulikar Dipti , Ku Matthew , Ratnasingam Sumita , Cheah Chan , Yannakou Costas K. , Bishton Mark , Ng Zi Yun , Agrawal Shivam , McQuillan Andrew , Johnston Anna , Choong Emily , Wong Kimberly , McQuillan James , Beekman Ashley , Hawkes Eliza , Dickinson Michael
Published: October 2023

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma characterised by a heterogeneous clinical course. Patients can often receive sequential treatments, yet these typically yield diminishing periods of disease control, raising questions about optimal therapy sequencing. Novel agents, such as chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapies and bispecific antibodies, show promise in relapsed MCL, but are often reserved for later treatment lines, which may underserve patients with aggressive disease phenotypes who die early in the treatment journey. To assess the problem of patient attrition from lymphoma‐related death limiting sequential treatment, we performed a multicentre retrospective cohort analysis of 389 patients treated at Australian and UK centres over a 10‐year period. Deaths from MCL increased after each treatment line, with 7%, 23% and 26% of patients dying from uncontrolled MCL after first, second and third lines respectively. Patients with older age at diagnosis and early relapse after induction therapy were at particular risk of death after second‐line treatment. This limitation of sequential treatment by lymphoma‐related death provides support for the trial of novel therapies in earlier treatment lines, particularly in high‐risk patient populations.
Structure learning for 3D Point Cloud Generation from Single RGB Images
Authors: Charrada T. Ben , Laga H. , Tabia H.
Published: October 2023

3D point clouds can represent complex 3D objects of arbitrary topologies and with fine‐grained details. They are, however, hard to regress from images using convolutional neural networks, making tasks such as 3D reconstruction from monocular RGB images challenging. In fact, unlike images and volumetric grids, point clouds are unstructured and thus lack proper parameterization, which makes them difficult to process using convolutional operations. Existing point‐based 3D reconstruction methods that tried to address this problem rely on complex end‐to‐end architectures with high computational costs. Instead, we propose in this paper a novel mechanism that decouples the 3D reconstruction problem from the structure (or parameterization) learning task, making the 3D reconstruction of objects of arbitrary topologies tractable and thus easier to learn. We achieve this using a novel Teacher‐Student network where the Teacher learns to structure the point clouds. The Student then harnesses the knowledge learned by the Teacher to efficiently regress accurate 3D point clouds. We train the Teacher network using 3D ground‐truth supervision and the Student network using the Teacher's annotations. Finally, we employ a novel refinement network to overcome the upper‐bound performance that is set by the Teacher network. Our extensive experiments on ShapeNet and Pix3D benchmarks, and on in‐the‐wild images demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms previous methods in terms of reconstruction accuracy and visual quality.
Facial Image Shadow Removal via Graph‐based Feature Fusion
Authors: Zhang Ling , Chen Ben , Liu Zheng , Xiao Chunxia
Published: October 2023

Despite natural image shadow removal methods have made significant progress, they often perform poorly for facial image due to the unique features of the face. Moreover, most learning‐based methods are designed based on pixel‐level strategies, ignoring the global contextual relationship in the image. In this paper, we propose a graph‐based feature fusion network (GraphFFNet) for facial image shadow removal. We apply a graph‐based convolution encoder (GCEncoder) to extract global contextual relationships between regions in the coarse shadow‐less image produced by an image flipper. Then, we introduce a feature modulation module to fuse the global topological relation onto the image features, enhancing the feature representation of the network. Finally, the fusion decoder integrates all the effective features to reconstruct the image features, producing a satisfactory shadow‐removal result. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed GraphFFNet over the state‐of‐the‐art and validate the effectiveness of facial image shadow removal.
Multi‐Level Implicit Function for Detailed Human Reconstruction by Relaxing SMPL Constraints
Authors: Ma Xikai , Zhao Jieyu , Teng Yiqing , Yao Li
Published: October 2023

Aiming at enhancing the rationality and robustness of the results of single‐view image‐based human reconstruction and acquiring richer surface details, we propose a multi‐level reconstruction framework based on implicit functions. This framework first utilizes the predicted SMPL model (Skinned Multi‐Person Linear Model) as a prior to further predict consistent 2.5D sketches (depth map and normal map), and then obtains a coarse reconstruction result through an Implicit Function fitting network (IF‐Net). Subsequently, with a pixel‐aligned feature extraction module and a fine IF‐Net, the strong constraints imposed by SMPL are relaxed to add more surface details to the reconstruction result and remove noise. Finally, to address the trade‐off between surface details and rationality under complex poses, we propose a novel fusion repair algorithm that reuses existing information. This algorithm compensates for the missing parts of the fine reconstruction results with the coarse reconstruction results, leading to a robust, rational, and richly detailed reconstruction. The final experiments prove the effectiveness of our method and demonstrate that it achieves the richest surface details while ensuring rationality. The project website can be found athttps://github.com/MXKKK/2.5D‐MLIF.
Error‐bounded Image Triangulation
Authors: Fang Zhi‐Duo , Guo Jia‐Peng , Xiao Yanyang , Fu Xiao‐Ming
Published: October 2023

We propose a novel image triangulation method to reduce the complexity of image triangulation under the color error‐bounded constraint and the triangle quality constraint. Meanwhile, we realize a variety of visual effects by supporting different types of triangles (e.g., linear or curved) and color approximation functions (e.g., constant, linear, or quadratic). To adapt to these discontinuous and combinatorial objectives and constraints, we formulate it as a constrained optimization problem that is solved by a series of tailored local remeshing operations. The feasibility and practicability of our method are demonstrated over various types of images, such as organisms, landscapes, portraits and cartoons. Compared to state‐of‐the‐art methods, our method generates far fewer triangles for the same color error or much smaller color errors using the same number of triangles.
MAPMaN: Multi‐Stage U‐Shaped Adaptive Pattern Matching Network for Semantic Segmentation of Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Hong T. , Ma X. , Wang X. , Che R. , Hu C. , Feng T. , Zhang W.
Published: October 2023

Remote sensing images (RSIs) often possess obvious background noises, exhibit a multi‐scale phenomenon, and are characterized by complex scenes with ground objects in diversely spatial distribution pattern, bringing challenges to the corresponding semantic segmentation. CNN‐based methods can hardly address the diverse spatial distributions of ground objects, especially their compositional relationships, while Vision Transformers (ViTs) introduce background noises and have a quadratic time complexity due to dense global matrix multiplications. In this paper, we introduce Adaptive Pattern Matching (APM), a lightweight method for long‐range adaptive weight aggregation. Our APM obtains a set of pixels belonging to the same spatial distribution pattern of each pixel, and calculates the adaptive weights according to their compositional relationships. In addition, we design a tiny U‐shaped network using the APM as a module to address the large variance of scales of ground objects in RSIs. This network is embedded after each stage in a backbone network to establish a Multi‐stage U‐shaped Adaptive Pattern Matching Network (MAPMaN), for nested multi‐scale modeling of ground objects towards semantic segmentation of RSIs. Experiments on three datasets demonstrate that our MAPMaN can outperform the state‐of‐the‐art methods in common metrics. The code can be available athttps://github.com/INiid/MAPMaN.
Anti‐PD‐1 treatment protects against seizure by suppressing sodium channel function
Authors: Yang Yuling , Chen Zhiyun , Zhou Jing , Jiang Shize , Wang Guoxiang , Wan Li , Yu Jiangning , Jiang Min , Wang Yulong , Hu Jie , Liu Xu , Wang Yun
Published: October 2023

Aims

Although programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) typically serves as a target for immunotherapies, a few recent studies have found that PD‐1 is expressed in the nervous system and that neuronal PD‐1 might play a crucial role in regulating neuronal excitability. However, whether brain‐localized PD‐1 is involved in seizures and epileptogenesis is still unknown and worthy of in‐depth exploration.

Methods

The existence of PD‐1 in human neurons was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, and PD‐1 expression levels were measured by real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) and western blotting. Chemoconvulsants, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and cyclothiazide (CTZ), were applied for the establishment of in vivo (rodents) and in vitro (primary hippocampal neurons) models of seizure, respectively. SHR‐1210 (a PD‐1 monoclonal antibody) and sodium stibogluconate (SSG, a validated inhibitor of SH2‐containing protein tyrosine phosphatase‐1 [SHP‐1]) were administrated to investigate the impact of PD‐1 pathway blockade on epileptic behaviors of rodents and epileptiform discharges of neurons. A miRNA strategy was applied to determine the impact of PD‐1 knockdown on neuronal excitability. The electrical activities and sodium channel function of neurons were determined by whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings. The interaction between PD‐1 and α‐6 subunit of human voltage‐gated sodium channel (Nav1.6) was validated by performing co‐immunostaining and co‐immunoprecipitation (co‐IP) experiments.

Results

Our results reveal that PD‐1 protein and mRNA levels were upregulated in lesion cores compared with perifocal tissues of surgically resected specimens from patients with intractable epilepsy. Furthermore, we show that anti‐PD‐1 treatment has anti‐seizure effects both in vivo and in vitro. Then, we reveal that PD‐1 blockade can alter the electrophysiological properties of sodium channels. Moreover, we reveal that PD‐1 acts together with downstream SHP‐1 to regulate sodium channel function and hence neuronal excitability. Further investigation suggests that there is a direct interaction between neuronal PD‐1 and Nav1.6.

Conclusion

Our study reveals that neuronal PD‐1 plays an important role in epilepsy and that anti‐PD‐1 treatment protects against seizures by suppressing sodium channel function, identifying anti‐PD‐1 treatment as a novel therapeutic strategy for epilepsy.
Repeat After Me? Both Children With and Without Autism Commonly Align Their Language With That of Their Caregivers
Authors: Fusaroli Riccardo , Weed Ethan , Rocca Roberta , Fein Deborah , Naigles Letitia
Published: October 2023

Linguistic repetitions in children are conceptualized as negative in children with autism – echolalia, without communicative purpose – and positive in typically developing (TD) children – linguistic alignment involved in shared engagement, common ground and language acquisition. To investigate this apparent contradiction we analyzed spontaneous speech in 67 parent–child dyads from a longitudinal corpus (30 minutes of play activities at 6 visits over 2 years). We included 32 children with autism and 35 linguistically matched TD children (mean age at recruitment 32.76 and 20.27 months). We found a small number of exact repetitions in both groups (roughly 1% of utterances across visits), which increased over time in children with autism and decreased in the TD group. Partial repetitions were much more frequent: children reused caregivers' words at high rates regardless of diagnostic group (24% of utterances at first visit), and this increased in frequency (but not level) over time, faster for TD children (at final visit: 33% for autism, 40% for TD). The same happened for partial repetition of syntax and semantic alignment. However, chance alignment (as measured by surrogate pairs) also increased and findings for developmental changes were reliable only for syntactic and semantic alignment. Children with richer linguistic abilities also displayed a higher tendency to partially re–use their caregivers' language (alignment rates and semantic alignment). This highlights that all children commonly re–used the words, syntax, and topics of their caregivers, albeit with some quantitative differences, and that most repetition was at least potentially productive, with repeated language being re–contextualized and integrated with non–repeated language. The salience of echolalia in ASD might be partially explained by slight differences in frequency, amplified by lower semantic alignment, persistence over time, and expectations of echolalia. More in–depth qualitative and quantitative analyses of how repetitions are used and received in context are needed.
Fisheries outcomes of marine protected area networks: Levels of protection, connectivity, and time matter
Authors: Sève Charlotte , Belharet Mokrane , Melià Paco , Di Franco Antonio , Calò Antonio , Claudet Joachim
Published: October 2023

Establishing large networks of fully protected marine protected areas (MPAs) is challenging because of displacement costs for fisheries. The use of partially protected areas is often proposed as an alternative. However, how conservation and fisheries outcomes of MPA networks are mediated through time by the level of protection remains uncertain. Here we use a metapopulation model of a commercially exploited demersal coastal fish to assess conservation and fisheries outcomes of alternative management policies. We compare the temporal performances of nonspatial management, large MPAs, or networks of MPAs in an overfished case study. In addition, we assess how the magnitude of both outcomes is mediated by larval connectivity and level of protection. We distinguish the relative contribution to fisheries outcomes of unprotected areas in between MPAs, and unprotected areas further away, receiving less displaced fishing effort and potential biomass export. We show that spatial management outperforms nonspatial management, that conservation and fisheries outcomes increase with increasing levels of protection, that fisheries outcomes in areas in between MPAs are higher when connected through larval dispersal, and that increases in catch are preceded by a short‐term decrease. Our results call for an increase in protection levels to meet both ecological and fisheries management goals.
Longitudinal patterns of Alzheimer's disease subtypes: A follow‐up magnetic resonance imaging and single‐photon emission computed tomography study
Authors: Hanyu Haruo , Koyama Yumi , Horita Haruka , Watanabe Sadayoshi , Sato Tomohiko , Kanetaka Hidekazu , Shimizu Soichiro , Hirao Kentaro
Published: October 2023

Aim

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a biologically heterogenous disease. In a previous study, we classified 245 patients with probable AD into the typical AD (TAD), limbic‐predominant (LP), hippocampal‐sparing (HS) and minimal‐change (MC) subtypes based on their medial temporal lobe atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging and posterior hypoperfusion on single‐photon emission computed tomography, and described differences in clinical features among the patients with different AD subtypes. This study aimed to clarify the longitudinal patterns of changes in patients with the various AD subtypes by follow‐up brain imaging analyses.

Methods

Follow‐up magnetic resonance imaging or single‐photon emission computed tomography data obtained 12–48 months after the first brain imaging were investigated in 79 patients with probable AD, comprising 25 of the TAD subtype, 19 of the LP subtype, 17 of the HS subtype and 18 of the MC subtype.

Results

All patients of the TAD subtype remained as the same subtype at follow up. Approximately 37% of patients of the LP subtype and 29% of patients of the HS subtype progressed to the TAD subtype, and 17%, 33% and 6% of the MC subtype progressed to the TAD, LP and HS subtypes, respectively. The group of patients showing subtype progression was associated only with a longer follow‐up duration.

Conclusions

There might be different progression patterns and progression rates of changes among the atypical AD subtypes. Further longitudinal brain imaging studies might provide information regarding the pathophysiological association between the various AD subtypes, and might be helpful for determining appropriate therapies and management methods. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 919–924.