bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exclusion in Fine Print: Antidemocratic Ideals and Strategies for Electoral Exclusion in Brazil, 1881–1930
Authors: Azevedo e Souza Felipe 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
At the turn of the twentieth century, while many nations were expanding their democratic franchises, Brazil enacted restrictive electoral reforms that severely limited voter participation. This chapter explores these antidemocratic strategies, focusing on reforms in 1881, 1904, and 1916. Ostensibly aimed at reducing electoral fraud, these reforms instead created bureaucratic barriers that excluded the poor, illiterate, and Afro-descendant populations from voting. Rooted in a so-called conservative liberalism resistant to democratisation, these measures reflected a deliberate effort by the political elite to maintain control. Through an analysis of parliamentary debates and electoral data, the chapter reveals the intentional tactics used to restrict suffrage. These exclusionary practices entrenched structural inequalities and weakened Brazil’s democratic institutions, contributing to the political instability that culminated in the First Republic’s overthrow in 1930. The study underscores how the calculated restriction of voting rights perpetuated social disparities and hindered the expansion of political participation in Brazil, shaping the nation’s political landscape for decades to come.
The Politics, Practices, and Emotions of Suffrage Exclusion in Iceland, 1915–1934
Authors: Kristjánsdóttir Ragnheiður 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
This chapter focuses on the politics of poor women and men in Iceland who were denied voting rights due to their dependency on poor relief. By analysing contemporary political discourses and drawing on the testimonies of excluded individuals, voting registers, and poor relief records, I demonstrate how the citizenship of the poor was contested not only at the national level but also at the local and individual levels, even at the polling station. In effect, this was a quest to uproot prejudice against those living in economic insecurity and to establish a new notion of citizenship that protected the poor from the shame associated with disenfranchisement and acceptance of social relief. First, I outline the rationale behind suffrage exclusions in Iceland. Next, I explore how the labour movement fought to include the “deserving poor” in the electorate. Then, I describe the development of the legal framework that culminated in a 1934 constitutional amendment, which enfranchised (most) of the people dependent on poor relief. Finally, I provide examples illustrating how these legal changes impacted the political citizenship of individual voters.
The Limits of Citizenship: Economic Barriers to Suffrage in Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Canada
Authors: Sangster Joan 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
This chapter explores long-lasting economic and class-based restrictions on suffrage rights in Canada over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with a focus on property and taxpayer voting qualifications, and secondly, exclusions of those receiving state or charitable assistance, including the aged, sick, and poor. These prohibitions denoting class and wealth were intertwined with changing gender-based, racial, and colonial voting restrictions and structures of inequality, always in complicated ways. By focusing on legislated economic exclusions at all three levels of government, we can see how struggles over suffrage remained embedded in social and economic relations of power long after it was claimed “universal” suffrage prevailed. The paper also notes the longest barrier to voting, namely incarceration, which might be interpreted as a race and class-based exclusion. Understanding the rationales for, and longevity of exclusions based on class/property and poverty, as well as gender and race, offers a correction to whig narratives of inevitable suffrage progress, highlighting the resilient power relations, both material and ideological, which characterised a profoundly unequal society.
On the spectral gap of one-dimensional Schrödinger operators on large intervals
Authors: Kerner Joachim , Täufer Matthias 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWe study the effect of non-negative potentials on the spectral gap of one-dimensional Schrödinger operators in the limit of large intervals. We derive upper bounds on the gap for different classes of potentials and show, as a main result, that the spectral gap of a Schrödinger operator with a non-zero and sufficiently fast decaying potential closes strictly faster than the gap of the free Laplacian. We show optimality of this result in some sense and establish a conjecture towards the actual decay rate of the spectral gap.
Artificial intelligence in abdominal and pelvic ultrasound imaging: current applications
Authors: Cai Lie , Pfob André 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Background
In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques into medical imaging has shown great potential to transform the diagnostic process. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current state-of-the-art applications for AI in abdominal and pelvic ultrasound imaging.

Methods
We searched the PubMed, FDA, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for applications of AI in abdominal and pelvic ultrasound imaging.

Results
A total of 128 titles were identified from the database search and were eligible for screening. After screening, 57 manuscripts were included in the final review. The main anatomical applications included multi-organ detection (n = 16, 28%), gynecology (n = 15, 26%), hepatobiliary system (n = 13, 23%), and musculoskeletal (n = 8, 14%). The main methodological applications included deep learning (n = 37, 65%), machine learning (n = 13, 23%), natural language processing (n = 5, 9%), and robots (n = 2, 4%). The majority of the studies were single-center (n = 43, 75%) and retrospective (n = 56, 98%). We identified 17 FDA approved AI ultrasound devices, with only a few being specifically used for abdominal/pelvic imaging (infertility monitoring and follicle development).

Conclusion
The application of AI in abdominal/pelvic ultrasound shows promising early results for disease diagnosis, monitoring, and report refinement. However, the risk of bias remains high because very few of these applications have been prospectively validated (in multi-center studies) or have received FDA clearance.
Interdependence of coagulation with immunotherapy and BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy: results from a prospective study
Authors: Beckmann Malte , Schlüter Julian , Erdmann Michael , Kramer Rafaela , Cunningham Sarah , Hackstein Holger , Zimmermann Robert , Heinzerling Lucie 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies effectively treat a broadening spectrum of cancer entities but induce various immune-related side effects (irAEs). Recent reports suggest a correlation between ICI-induced systemic inflammation and thromboembolic events as well as an increased effectiveness by coadministration of anticoagulants. With cancer patients having a higher risk of thrombotic events per se, it is crucial to dissect and characterize the mechanisms that cause pro-coagulative effects induced by systemic tumor therapies and their potential interplay with anti-tumor response. A total of 31 patients with advanced skin cancer treated with either ICIs (n = 24) or BRAF/MEK inhibitors (n = 7) were longitudinally assessed for blood and coagulation parameters before as well as 7, 20 and 40 days after initiation of systemic tumor therapy. Changes were analyzed and compared between both groups. In addition, the influence of coagulation parameters on progression-free, recurrence-free and overall survival was investigated. The ICI cohort presented significantly increased factor VIII activity after one week of therapy (p 0.0225); while, protein S activity was reduced during the whole observation period. Additionally, von Willebrand factor activity and tissue factor concentrations increased under immunotherapy. Similar changes occurred under BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy (BRAF/MEKi). Increased baseline levels of von Willebrand factor antigen and factor VIII:C before the start of ICI therapy correlated with a significantly higher risk of recurrence for patients receiving adjuvant immunotherapy. The findings suggest the induction of a pro-coagulant state under ICI and BRAF/MEKi and a role of coagulation parameters in the efficacy of ICI therapies.
Neutron tomography and image registration methods to study local physical deformations and attenuation variations in treated archaeological iron nail samples
Authors: Shakoorioskooie Mahdieh , Granget Elodie , Cocen Ocson , Hovind Jan , Mannes David , Kaestner Anders , Brambilla Laura 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis study presents a preliminary examination of the effects of environment changes post-excavation on heavily corroded archaeological Roman iron nails using neutron tomography and image registration techniques. Roman nails were exposed to either a high relative humidity environment, or fast thermal drying as primary experiments to show the power of this imaging technique to monitor and quantify the structural changes of corroded metal artifacts. This research employed a series of pre- and post-treatment tomography acquisitions (time-series) complemented by advanced image registration methods. Based on mutual information (MI) metrics, we performed rigid body and affine image registrations to meticulously account for sample repositioning challenges and variations in imaging parameters. Using non-affine local registration results, in a second step, we detected localized expansion and shrinkage in the samples attributable to imposed environmental changes. Specifically, we observed local shrinkage on the nail that was dried, mostly in their Transformed Medium (TM), the outer layer where corrosion products are cementing soil and sand particles. Conversely, the sample subjected to high relative humidity environment exhibited localized expansion, with varying degrees of change across different regions. This work highlights the efficacy of our registration techniques in accommodating manual removal or loss of extraneous material (loosely adhering soil and TM layers around the nails) post-initial tomography, successfully capturing local structural changes with high precision. Using differential analysis on the accurately registered samples we could also detect and volumetrically quantify the variation in moisture and detect changes in active corrosion sites (ACS) in the sample. These preliminary experiments allowed us to advance and optimize the application of a neutron tomography and image registration workflow for future, more advanced experiments such as humidity fluctuations, corrosion removal through micro-blasting, dechlorination and other stabilization treatments.
Influence of metastatic sites and burden on oncological outcomes in patients progressing to metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Wenzel Mike , Hoeh Benedikt , Humke Clara , Koll Florestan , Cano Garcia Cristina , Siech Carolin , Steuber Thomas , Graefen Markus , Traumann Miriam , Kluth Luis , Chun Felix K. H. , Mandel Philipp 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients harbor reduced life expectancy after first-line treatment progression. Currently, no information is available regarding the influence of metastatic sites and osseous burden on progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of mCRPC patients.

Methods
We relied on the Frankfurt Metastatic Cancer Database of the Prostate (FRAMCAP) database to select patients progressing to mCRPC and stratified them according to lymph node vs. osseous vs. visceral metastatic sites. Moreover, we stratified osseous mCRPC patients regarding the number of metastatic lesions. Endpoints were PFS and OS in uni- and multivariable Cox regression models.

Results
Of 363 patients, 9.4% harbored M1a vs. 78% M1b vs. 12% M1c mCRPC with significantly higher PSA in M1b (9 vs. 22 vs. 8ng/ml). Rates of DeNovo (15% vs. 60% vs. 56%) were significantly lower in the M1a mCRPC group, compared to M1b and M1c (p < 0.001). In PFS analyses, a median of 12.7 vs. 10.1 vs. 15.9 months for M1a vs. M1b vs. M1c mCRPC was observed (p > 0.05). In multivariable Cox regression models, M1c mCRPC was independently at higher risk for progression (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.93, p = 0.048), relative to M1a. Regarding OS, significant differences were observed (p = 0.002), with median OS of 58 vs. 42 vs. 25 months for M1a vs. M1b vs. M1c mCRPC and corresponding HRs of 1.54 (p = 0.11) and 2.76 (p < 0.01). In multivariable models M1c mCRPC was associated with higher risk of death (HR: 3.56, p = 0.049), relative to M1a. No differences were observed after stratification according to number of bone lesions (all p ≥ 0.05).

Conclusion
M1c mCRPC patients are independently at higher risk for progression and death, while M1a patients harbor best cancer-control outcomes.
Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy and clinical associations with renal and hematological toxicities and survival in patients with neuroendocrine tumors: an analysis from two U.S. medical centers
Authors: Xu Tao , Dillon Joseph S. , Maluccio Mary A. , Quelle Dawn E. , Nash Sarah H. , Cho Hyunkeun , Limbach Kristen E. , Skill Nicholas J. , Bren-Mattison Yvette , O’Rorke Michael A. 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Renal and hematological toxicity are side effects and dose-limiting factors of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT). We aimed to assess the changes in renal and hematological function and associations with survival in neuroendocrine tumor (NET) patients treated with PRRT.

Methods
A retrospective cohort of 448 NET patients treated with either 177Lu-DOTATATE or 90Y-DOTATOC were followed for changes of renal and hematological function. Renal function was assessed by monitoring changes in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Hematological function was determined by examining changes in white blood cell counts (WBC), platelet counts, and hemoglobin levels over time. Piecewise linear mixed effect models were applied to model the longitudinal repeated measurements of renal and hematological function. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were modelled using Cox proportional hazard regressions.

Results
Of the 448 PRRT treated patients, 335 received 177Lu-DOTATATE (74.78%) and 113 were treated with 90Y-DOTATOC (25.22%). Comparing patients treated with 177Lu-DOTATATE to those treated with 90Y-DOTATOC, renal function did not differ significantly prior to, during or after PRRT. Compared with patients treated with 90Y-DOTATOC, significantly decreased indicators of hematological function were observed in those treated with 177Lu-DOTATATE prior to and during PRRT treatment (WBC: estimate, -0.10, 95% CI, -0.15 to -0.05; P < 0.001; platelet count: estimate, -2.53, 95% CI, -3.83 to -1.24; P < 0.001), and no significant recovery was observed in hematological function post PRRT. Individuals who received 177Lu-DOTATATE tended to have a longer PFS (hazard ratio, 0.47, 95%CI: 0.28–0.79, P = 0.004) compared with 90Y-DOTATOC, but there was no difference in OS.

Conclusion
There was no significant renal, but minor hematological toxicity, in patients treated with 177Lu-DOTATATE compared with 90Y-DOTATOC. Compared to 90Y-DOTATOC, 177Lu-DOTATATE appears to enhance PFS, but not OS. Treatment with 177Lu-DOTATATE may necessitate follow-up for hematological toxicity irrespective of other therapies prior to PRRT.
Machine learning and FPGA implementation for predicting luminance decay and temperature distribution in micro-LED displays
Authors: Chao Paul C. -P. , Lin Chi-En , Chen Hao-Ren , Nguyen Duc Huy 
Published: November 2024

AbstractA machine learning-based method predicts the luminance decay of micro light emitting diode (micro-LED) displays, utilizing temperature distribution and degradation experiments alongside implementation on field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Micro-LEDs, used in outdoor and indoor billboards, experience degradation due to harsh environmental conditions. To model temperature distribution in indoor advertising displays using minimal data, a temperature model is constructed based on sensor from the panel and thermal images captured by a camera, in relation to the display pattern. The input data is processed using an FPGA, which transmits the sensed temperatures and display patterns to the micro-LED panel. Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), a type of neural network, predicts the temperature distribution over the panel surface, achieving an error of less than 1.1 °C. Separate degradation models forecast luminance decay, factoring in enclosure temperature, input current, and usage time, with distinct models for red, green, and blue LEDs. Exponential curve-fitting and interpolation, following TM-21 standards, ensure long-term accuracy. The luminance decay predictions have an average error below 1.05% (approximately 9 nits). The FPGA implementation minimizes resource consumption while maintaining prediction accuracy, making it suitable for real-time applications. The degradation model accurately predicts performance over tens or even hundreds of thousands of hours, aligning with the exponential decay trends defined by TM-21.
Notfallreform konkret: Handlungsempfehlungen der „Fürther Gespräche“ zur zukunftsfähigen Professionalisierung im Rettungsdienst
Authors: Meyer Klaus , Dormann Harald , Reifferscheid Florian , Gottschalk Johannes , Hahnen Dominik , Gistrichovsky Marc , Prescher Thomas 
Published: November 2024

ZusammenfassungBei den „Fürther Gesprächen“, einem interdisziplinären Expertenforum aus Interessenverbänden, Fachgesellschaften, Hilfsorganisationen, Feuerwehren, Universitäten und Berufsschulen, ging es um die nachhaltige Professionalisierung des Rettungsdiensts. Im Mittelpunkt stand nicht die Frage, wer was macht, sondern wie der Rettungsdienst zur Verbesserung der Notfallversorgung beitragen kann. Im Mittelpunkt der Diskussionen standen die für eine Reform der Notfallversorgung notwendigen Qualitäts‑, Ausbildungs- und Professionalisierungsstrukturen sowie die spezifischen Kompetenz- und Qualifikationsanforderungen für ein gestuftes Notfallversorgungssystem. Das Forum analysierte aktuelle Entwicklungen und formulierte Empfehlungen für ein nachhaltiges, patientenzentriertes und effizientes Notfallversorgungssystem.Zu den wichtigsten Themen gehörten: Präventive Rettungsmedizin und nicht dringende Hilfeanfragen: Integration von Versorgungsbedarf und -strukturen, „Ein Anruf für alle“: Leitstellen als Torwächter für komplexe Versorgungspfade, Gestuftes und flexibles Qualifikationssystem: Von der ehrenamtlichen Tätigkeit bis zur erweiterten Notfallversorgun, Gestuftes Notarztsystem: Komplexitätsbasierte Ressourcenzuweisung und Qualifikationen.
Evidence for a general cognitive structure in pigeons (Columba livia)
Authors: Flaim Mary , Blaisdell Aaron P. 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
A well replicated result in humans is that performance, whether good or bad, is consistent across a wide variety of cognitive tasks. Factor analysis extracts one factor that can account for approximately half of the variance in performance. This factor is termed g and almost all cognitive tasks positively load onto this factor. While some neurobiological correlates of g have been identified in humans, causal experiments are only feasible in animals. When mice and some avian species are assessed with cognitive test batteries, performance positively correlates, and the first component extracted has similar properties to g. There are some limitations to the species tested thus far, including comparability in the cognitive domains assessed. The pigeon is an ideal subject to overcome these issues since pigeons, humans, and other primates are frequently given similar tasks and many neural correlates of performance have been identified in the pigeon. We created a test battery that assessed different domains, including associative learning, memory, cognitive flexibility, and reaction time. When all tasks were included, there was evidence for a two-component structure that was influenced by subjects’ age. When the reaction time task was excluded, there was a g-like component. The implications for these results when constructing future test batteries and comparing across species are discussed.
Algebraic combinatorial optimization on the degree of determinants of noncommutative symbolic matrices
Authors: Hirai Hiroshi , Iwamasa Yuni , Oki Taihei , Soma Tasuku 
Published: November 2024

AbstractWe address the computation of the degrees of minors of a noncommutative symbolic matrix of form $$ A[c] :=\sum _{k=1}^m A_k t^{c_k} x_k, $$

A

[
c
]

:
=

∑

k
=
1

m

A
k

t

c
k

x
k

,

where $$A_k$$

A
k

are matrices over a field $$\mathbb {K}$$
K
, $$x_k$$

x
k

are noncommutative variables, $$c_k$$

c
k

are integer weights, and t is a commuting variable specifying the degree. This problem extends noncommutative Edmonds’ problem (Ivanyos et al. in Comput Complex 26:717–763, 2017), and can formulate various combinatorial optimization problems. Extending the study by Hirai 2018, and Hirai, Ikeda 2022, we provide novel duality theorems and polyhedral characterization for the maximum degrees of minors of A[c] of all sizes, and develop a strongly polynomial-time algorithm for computing them. This algorithm is viewed as a unified algebraization of the classical Hungarian method for bipartite matching and the weight-splitting algorithm for linear matroid intersection. As applications, we provide polynomial-time algorithms for weighted fractional linear matroid matching and for membership of rank-2 Brascamp–Lieb polytopes.
Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Visually Induced Motion Sickness: An eLORETA Study
Authors: Molefi Emmanuel , McLoughlin Ian , Palaniappan Ramaswamy 
Published: November 2024

Abstract
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), a non-invasive form of electrical brain stimulation, has shown potent therapeutic potential for a wide spectrum of conditions. How taVNS influences the characterization of motion sickness – a long mysterious syndrome with a polysymptomatic onset – remains unclear. Here, to examine taVNS-induced effects on brain function in response to motion-induced nausea, 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from 42 healthy participants were analyzed; collected during nauseogenic visual stimulation concurrent with taVNS administration, in a crossover randomized sham-controlled study. Cortical neuronal generators were estimated from the obtained EEG using exact low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA). While both sham and taVNS increased insula activation during electrical stimulation, compared to baseline, taVNS additionally augmented middle frontal gyrus neuronal activity. Following taVNS, brain regions including the supramarginal, parahippocampal, and precentral gyri were activated. Contrasting sham, taVNS markedly increased activity in the middle occipital gyrus during stimulation. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed that taVNS reduced motion sickness symptoms. This reduction in symptoms correlated with taVNS-induced neural activation. Our findings provide new insights into taVNS-induced brain changes, during and after nauseogenic stimuli exposure, including accompanying behavioral response. Together, these findings suggest that taVNS has promise as an effective neurostimulation tool for motion sickness management.