bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing the outcomes of trabeculectomy, conventional canaloplasty, and mitomycin C augmented canaloplasty
Authors: Prinz Julia , Fuest Matthias , Kuerten David , Walter Peter , Cursiefen Claus , Prokosch Verena 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Purpose
To compare the efficacy, safety, and factors influencing the outcomes of trabeculectomy (TE), conventional canaloplasty (cCP), and mitomycin C augmented canaloplasty (mCP) in glaucoma patients.

Methods
Intraocular pressure (IOP), the number of IOP-lowering eye drops, and surgery-related complications were evaluated at baseline and through 18 months postoperatively. Correlations between patients’ demographic data, ophthalmic and non-ophthalmic conditions, outcomes and complications were evaluated.

Results
171 patients were included. IOP and IOP-lowering eye drops were significantly (p < 0.001) reduced 18 months after TE, cCP, and mCP. At the 18-month follow-up, IOP and IOP-lowering eye drops were significantly lower following TE than cCP (p < 0.001, p = 0.010, respectively) and mCP (p = 0.010, p = 0.014). At the 18-month follow-up, complete success rates were significantly higher after TE compared to cCP and mCP for IOP ≤ 21, 18, and 16 mmHg (p < 0.001). Qualified success rates for IOP ≤ 16 mmHg were higher following TE than cCP and mCP (p = 0.023). In the TE group, clinical hypotony at any postoperative follow-up was positively correlated with previous intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-therapy (p < 0.001), leukaemia (p = 0.002), and a spherical equivalent < -3 dioptres (p < 0.001). There were no significant correlations in the cCP and mCP groups.

Conclusion
TE, cCP, and mCP led to a significant reduction in IOP and IOP-lowering eye drops during 18 months of follow-up. At 18 months of follow-up, IOP and IOP-lowering eye drops were significantly lower following TE compared to cCP and mCP. Anti-VEGF-therapy, cystostatic therapy in leukaemia, and a spherical equivalent < -3 dioptres were significantly correlated with postoperative hypotony, macular folds, and choroidal detachment in the TE group.

Key messages
What is known
• Trabeculectomy (TE) is considered the gold standard in the surgical management of glaucoma. However, TE involves extensive postoperative management and might be associated with severe surgery-related complications.
What is new
• In this study, intraocular pressure (IOP) and IOP-lowering eye drops were significantly lower following TE compared to conventional canaloplasty (cCP) and mitomycin C augmented canaloplasty (mCP) at a follow-up of 18 months.
• In patients undergoing TE, anti-VEGF-therapy, cystostatic therapy in leukaemia, and a spherical equivalent < -3 dioptres were significantly correlated with postoperative hypotony, macular folds, and choroidal detachment.
Risk factors of pediatric steroid-induced ocular hypertension
Authors: Takano Fumio , Ueda Kaori , Yamada-Nakanishi Yuko , Nakamura Makoto 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Steroid-induced ocular hypertension (SIOH) is a significant ocular complication of pediatric steroid administration. In this study, we analyzed the risk factors associated with pediatric SIOH.

Methods
We retrospectively collected data from 78 children under 20 years of age who received systemic steroids during hospitalization. The data included age, gender, primary disease, intraocular pressure (IOP) before and one month after administration, total monthly steroid dose adjusted for body weight (BW), and one-month changes in red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet counts. A multivariate analysis was used to identify risk factors related to steroid responsiveness.

Results
Thirty patients (38.5%) were classified as steroid responders, and 48 as non-responders. The median IOP during the first month of steroid treatment was 24.0 mmHg (IQR; 23.0–28.3) for responders and 15.0 mmHg (IQR; 12.3–18.0) for non-responders. The Generalized Estimating Equations analysis revealed that younger age, male sex, primary disease, increase the amount of white blood cell (WBC) and total steroid dose per BW in one month were independently associated variables. The receiver operating characteristic analysis also revealed that the cutoff values for age, total monthly steroid dose, the increase amount of WBC were 11.0 years, 40.7 mg/kg and 3.40 × 10²/µl respectively.

Conclusion
High-dose steroid administration, especially in male, younger patients, necessitates careful monitoring for IOP changes during treatment. WBC count also needs to be monitored during IOP follow-ups.

Key messages
What is known

Steroid-induced ocular hypertension (SIOH) is one of the essential complications during steroid administration, but only limited analyses have been performed in children.

What is new

A comprehensive analysis of multiple factors was performed that are predicted to be associated with pediatric SIOH from previous literature.

Younger age, male sex, primary disease, increase the amount of WBC, and higher total monthly steroid dose were extracted as risk factors of SIOH.

This study can contribute to the prediction of cases in which ophthalmologic examinations are particularly important during systemic steroid administration in children.
Better Hardness Results for the Minimum Spanning Tree Congestion Problem
Authors: Luu Huong , Chrobak Marek 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
In the spanning tree congestion problem, given a connected graph G, the objective is to compute a spanning tree T in G that minimizes its maximum edge congestion, where the congestion of an edge e of T is the number of edges in G for which the unique path in T between their endpoints traverses e. The problem is known to be

$$\mathbb{N}\mathbb{P}$$

N
P

-hard, but its approximability is still poorly understood, and it is not even known whether the optimum solution can be efficiently approximated with ratio o(n). In the decision version of this problem, denoted

$${\varvec{K}-\textsf {STC}}$$

K

-
STC

, we need to determine if G has a spanning tree with congestion at most K. It is known that

$${\varvec{K}-\textsf {STC}}$$

K

-
STC

is

$$\mathbb{N}\mathbb{P}$$

N
P

-complete for

$$K\ge 8$$

K
≥
8

, and this implies a lower bound of 1.125 on the approximation ratio of minimizing congestion. On the other hand,

$${\varvec{3}-\textsf {STC}}$$

3

-
STC

can be solved in polynomial time, with the complexity status of this problem for

$$K\in { \left\{ 4,5,6,7 \right\} }$$

K
∈

4
,
5
,
6
,
7

remaining an open problem. We substantially improve the earlier hardness results by proving that

$${\varvec{K}-\textsf {STC}}$$

K

-
STC

is

$$\mathbb{N}\mathbb{P}$$

N
P

-complete for

$$K\ge 5$$

K
≥
5

. This leaves only the case

$$K=4$$

K
=
4

open, and improves the lower bound on the approximation ratio to 1.2. Motivated by evidence that minimizing congestion is hard even for graphs of small constant radius, we also consider

$${\varvec{K}-\textsf {STC}}$$

K

-
STC

restricted to graphs of radius 2, and we prove that this variant is

$$\mathbb{N}\mathbb{P}$$

N
P

-complete for all

$$K\ge 6$$

K
≥
6

.
Mid infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics as tool to monitor the impact of heat stress and dietary interventions in lactating sows
Authors: Navarro M. , Coba A. , Muller M. , Roura E. , Cozzolino D. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractHeat stress in hyper-prolific lactating sows is recognised as a factor reducing feed intake, milk production, and welfare, with significant losses in farm productivity. Individual capacities for body thermoregulation during environmental hyperthermia determine the adaptation of the animal during long and recurrent events. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mid infrared (MIR) spectroscopy as a high-throughput method to identify markers of stress in plasma and milk collected from lactating sows under heat stress conditions fed with two levels of protein in the diet defined as low (16%) and standard (20%). The MIR spectra were analysed using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and principal component analysis and validated using cross-validation. The results obtained indicated that MIR spectroscopy, in combination with chemometrics, was able to identify changes in the spectra associated with heat stress in wavenumbers corresponding with amide groups (proteins) (highest loadings observed in the regions between1065 and 1635 cm−1), lipids and unsaturated fatty acids (regions between 1746 and 3063 cm−1), lipo-polysaccharides (in 1247 cm−1) and carbohydrates (around the region1050 cm−1). These results also indicated that the information provided by these wavenumbers can be used as metabolic markers of the adaptation of the sows to hyperthermia. It was concluded that MIR spectroscopy is a rapid and inexpensive tool capable of detecting and evaluating the main biochemical changes of hyperthermia on lactating sows, facilitating the development of palliative management strategies such as dietary manipulations.
Implications for fall efficacy strategies on center of pressure and center of gravity sway distances in adults with chronic low back pain
Authors: Sung Paul S. , Rowland Phyllis , Lee Dongchul 
Published: October 2024

Abstract
Background
Although chronic low back pain (LBP) is a complex condition often associated with altered motor control and compensatory postural adjustments, existing literature provides inconsistent reports on the underlying control mechanisms for maintaining balance.

Purpose
This study aimed to compare differences in sway distances between the center of pressure (COP) and the center of gravity (COG), while considering limb dominance, in adults with and without LBP.

Methods
There were 26 subjects with LBP and 39 control subjects who performed three repeated unilateral standing tasks on a force platform. Outcome measures included the sway distances between COP and COG in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions, as well as the results of the fall efficacy scale (FES).

Results
A significant group interaction was demonstrated on limb dominance and direction for the sway distance (F = 5.46, p = 0.02). Specifically, the third trial in the ML direction while standing on the dominant limb indicated a significant difference in COP-COG sway distance (t = -2.30, p = 0.01). When FES scores were used as a covariate, a significant three-way interaction (dominance x direction x trial) was found (F = 4.06, p = 0.04).

Conclusion
Although no significant group interaction was observed for dominance, direction, and trial, the LBP group demonstrated an ability to leverage fall efficacy following repeated trials to reduce ML balance deficits. Clinicians should consider neuromuscular control and limb dominance when developing fall efficacy strategies for postural adaptations in adults with LBP.
Anaerobic digestion of agricultural waste for biogas production and sustainable bioenergy recovery: a review
Authors: Alengebawy Ahmed , Ran Yi , Osman Ahmed I. , Jin Keda , Samer Mohamed , Ai Ping 
Published: October 2024

AbstractAnaerobic digestion constitutes a sustainable method for waste management and renewable energy generation, addressing significant environmental and societal challenges. The growing global waste crisis and the increasing momentum toward sustainable energy solutions emphasize the critical need to enhance anaerobic digestion technology for improved efficiency and environmental advantages. This process mitigates waste accumulation, enhances energy security, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, providing a feasible solution within the framework of a circular bioeconomy. Here, we review the principles of anaerobic digestion and biogas production, focusing on agricultural waste and the utilization of biogas for energy within a sustainable framework. We specifically explore biogas applications in rural and industrial settings, assess the environmental impacts, and discuss the regulatory landscape with insights from China and Europe. This study reveals that the strategic implementation of anaerobic digestion can markedly improve energy yield and sustainability, demonstrating how focused policies and advanced technological practices can optimize biogas utilization. The review enhances comprehension of environmental impacts, emphasizing insights from China and Europe as key examples.
Explainable artificial intelligence to improve the resilience of perishable product supply chains by leveraging customer characteristics
Authors: Jauhar Sunil Kumar , Harinath Susmitha , Krishnaswamy Venkataraghavan , Paul Sanjoy Kumar 
Published: October 2024

AbstractOptimizing costs and profits while meeting customer demand is a critical challenge in the development of perishable supply chains. Customer-centric demand forecasting addresses this challenge by considering customer characteristics when determining inventory levels. This study proposes a solution framework comprising two steps: (a) segmentation using customer characteristics and (b) demand forecasting for each segment using transparent and responsible artificial intelligence techniques. We employed k-means, hierarchical clustering, and explainable AI (XAI) to segment, model, and compare several machine-learning techniques for demand forecasting. The results showed that support vector regression outperformed the autoregressive models. The results also showed that the two-step segmentation and demand forecasting process using hierarchical clustering and LSTM outperforms (Weighted average RMSE across segments = 61.57) the conventional single-step unsegmented forecasting process (RMSE overall data = 238.18). The main implication of this study is the demonstration of XAI in enhancing transparency in machine learning and an improved method for reducing forecasting errors in practice, which can strengthen the supply chain resilience for perishable products.
Assessing the impacts of land use and climate change on the distribution patterns of Ulex europaeus L. (Fabaceae) in the Canary Islands
Authors: Da Re Daniele , Tordoni Enrico , Naranjo-Cigala Agustín , Padrón-Mederos Miguel Antonio , González Maya , González-Montelongo Cristina , Arévalo-Sierra José Ramón 
Published: October 2024

AbstractBiological invasions are one of the major threats to biodiversity, but their impact is particularly detrimental on oceanic islands like the Canary Archipelago. The common gorse (Ulex europaeus L. (Fabaceae)) is a highly invasive shrub with established populations in Tenerife, the sole island of the archipelago where it is present. Understanding the habitat preferences of U. europaeus is essential for predicting its current and potential future distribution across Tenerife and other Canary Islands, guiding effective local management practices. In 2019 and 2020, we surveyed different populations of U. europaeus in Tenerife, retrieving information on its abundance, presence of other invasive species and most frequent natural and anthropogenic characteristics of the landscape. We used this information to build explanatory and predictive models to identify the key natural and anthropogenic drivers of U. europaeus abundance in Tenerife and estimate the potential distribution of the species across the whole archipelago under current and future climatic conditions. Our findings showed that U. europaeus thrives in humid areas impacted by human activities where other invasive species persist. Both current and future climatic conditions do not support the presence of the species in the more arid islands of the archipelago (i.e., Fuerteventura and Lanzarote), rather highlight that the windwards, and thus more humid, areas of the other islands might support the species also under future warmer climatic scenarios. These findings deepen our understanding of U. europaeus local dynamics and are crucial to inform targeted management strategies to mitigate its impact across the Canary Archipelago and, ultimately, oceanic islands.
The Mediating Role of Social Interactions and Early Psychopathological Symptoms in the Relationship Between Empathy and Prosociality in Young Children with ASD and Neurotypical Peers
Authors: Lasota Agnieszka 
Published: October 2024

AbstractThis study examined the relationship between empathy, prosocial behaviour, social interactions and early psychopathological symptoms (internalising and externalising behaviours) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children. A total of 506 parents of children aged 18–48 months participated in this study. The parents of 92 children with ASD and 414 neurotypical children completed the Empathy Questionnaire, the Child Prosocial Behaviour Questionnaire, and the Emotional and Social Development Questionnaire. The results confirmed the direct relationship between empathy and prosocial behaviour in both groups. However, the findings showed a different pattern of the indirect relationship between empathy and prosociality through the social dimensions in the children with ASD compared to their typically developing peers. In the children with ASD, there was only one significant indirect path from empathy to prosocial behaviour – through internalising behaviours (anxiety). Anxiety also played a moderating role in this relationship. The higher the anxiety, the stronger the relationship between empathy and prosociality. In the neurotypical group, social interactions were a significant mediator, strengthening the relationship between empathy and prosocial behaviour. Externalising behaviours weakened this relationship. Intergroup and gender differences were also examined. These findings may have practical implications for social skills training programmes based on behavioural interventions by highlighting the importance of prosocial behaviour for social interaction and protection against psychopathological problems in children with autism and typically developing children.
Data-assisted non-intrusive model reduction for forced nonlinear finite elements models
Authors: Cenedese M. , Marconi J. , Haller G. , Jain S. 
Published: October 2024

AbstractSpectral submanifolds (SSMs) have emerged as accurate and predictive model reduction tools for dynamical systems defined either by equations or data sets. While finite-elements (FE) models belong to the equation-based class of problems, their implementations in commercial solvers do not generally provide information on the nonlinearities required for the analytical construction of SSMs. Here, we overcome this limitation by developing a data-driven construction of SSM-reduced models from a small number of unforced FE simulations. We then use these models to predict the forced response of the FE model without performing any costly forced simulation. This approach yields accurate forced response predictions even in the presence of internal resonances or quasi-periodic forcing, as we illustrate on several FE models. Our examples range from simple structures, such as beams and shells, to more complex geometries, such as a micro-resonator model containing more than a million degrees of freedom. In the latter case, our algorithm predicts accurate forced response curves in a small fraction of the time it takes to verify just a few points on those curves by simulating the full forced-response.
Segmentation and Metallographic Evaluation of Aluminium Slurry Coatings Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Juez Lorenzo Maria del Mar , Kolarik Vladislav , Sethia Khyati , Strakos Petr 
Published: October 2024

AbstractAnalysis of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images is crucial for characterising aluminide diffusion coatings deposited via the slurry route on steels, yet challenging due to various factors like imaging artefacts, noise, and overlapping features such as resin, precipitates, cracks, and pores. This study focuses on determining the thicknesses of the coating layers Fe2Al5 and, if present, FeAl, pore characteristics, and chromium precipitate fractions after the heat treatment that forms the diffusion coating. A deep learning SEM image segmentation model utilising U-Net architecture is proposed. Ground truth data were generated using the trainable Weka segmentation plugin in ImageJ, manually refined for accuracy, and supplemented with synthetic data from Blender 3D software for data augmentation of a limited number of SEM label images. The deep learning model trained on a combination of synthetic and real SEM data achieved mean dice scores of 98.7% ± 0.2 for the Fe2Al5 layer, 82.6% ± 8.1 for pores, and 81.48% ± 3.6 for precipitates when evaluated on manually labelled SEM data. The deep learning procedure was applied to evaluate a series of SEM images of diffusion coatings obtained with three different slurry compositions. The evaluation revealed that using a slurry without a rheology modifier may lead to a thicker partial Fe2Al5 layer that is formed by inward diffusion. The relation between the outward and inward diffusion Fe2Al5 layers was not affected by the coating thickness. The thinner diffusion coating presents lower pores and chromium precipitate fractions independently of the slurry selected.
Flexible Bayesian modeling for longitudinal binary and ordinal responses
Authors: Kang Jizhou , Kottas Athanasios 
Published: October 2024

AbstractLongitudinal studies with binary or ordinal responses are widely encountered in various disciplines, where the primary focus is on the temporal evolution of the probability of each response category. Traditional approaches build from the generalized mixed effects modeling framework. Even amplified with nonparametric priors placed on the fixed or random effects, such models are restrictive due to the implied assumptions on the marginal expectation and covariance structure of the responses. We tackle the problem from a functional data analysis perspective, treating the observations for each subject as realizations from subject-specific stochastic processes at the measured times. We develop the methodology focusing initially on binary responses, for which we assume the stochastic processes have Binomial marginal distributions. Leveraging the logits representation, we model the discrete space processes through continuous space processes. We utilize a hierarchical framework to model the mean and covariance kernel of the continuous space processes nonparametrically and simultaneously through a Gaussian process prior and an Inverse-Wishart process prior, respectively. The prior structure results in flexible inference for the evolution and correlation of binary responses, while allowing for borrowing of strength across all subjects. The modeling approach can be naturally extended to ordinal responses. Here, the continuation-ratio logits factorization of the multinomial distribution is key for efficient modeling and inference, including a practical way of dealing with unbalanced longitudinal data. The methodology is illustrated with synthetic data examples and an analysis of college students’ mental health status data.