bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the effect of extraction in comparison to distalization on the maxillary third molars in class II malocclusion: a retrospective study
Authors: Aboalnaga Amira A. , Fouda Ahmed S. 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Objective
To compare the effects of first premolar extraction versus distalization on the vertical position and mesiodistal angulation of maxillary third molars (MxM3) in adolescent class II patients.

Methods
The panoramic x-rays (OPGs) of 200 adolescent class II patients with developing MxM3s were screened. The chosen sample consisted of 2 groups: Group 1 (Distalization) comprising 48 MxM3s, and Group 2 (Extraction) comprising 50 MxM3s. The pre- and post-treatment OPGs were traced to detect the mesiodistal angulation changes of the second molars (MxM2) and MxM3s.

Results
The angulation and vertical position of the MxM3s at T0 & T1 were also evaluated using Archer’s classification. The distalization group presented a non-significant decrease in the mean angulation of MxM2 and MxM3 (-2.4o & -4.5o uprighting respectively). In the extraction group, both MxM2 and MxM3 presented a highly significant decrease in the mean angulation (-10.5o & -11o uprighting respectively). The angulation and vertical position change of MxM3 significantly improved in the extraction group when compared to the distalization group (P < .001).

Conclusion
Significant uprighting and occlusal positioning of the maxillary third molars occurred in the premolar extraction treatment group when compared to the distalization treatment group. The results of the current study highlight the importance of recognizing maxillary third molars during orthodontic treatment planning of Class II malocclusion cases.
Non-photorealistic rendering as a feedback strategy in virtual reality for rehabilitation
Authors: Quintana David , Rodríguez Antonio , Sbert Mateu , Silva Yolanda , Rufino Elisvan , Boada Imma 
Published: March 2024

AbstractVirtual reality (VR) rehabilitation has been proven to be a very promising method to increase the focus and attention of patients by immersing them in a virtual world, and through that, improve the effectiveness of the rehabilitation. One of the biggest challenges in designing VR Rehabilitation exercises is in choosing feedback strategies that guide the patient and give the appropriate success/failure indicators, without breaking their sense of immersion. A new strategy for feedback is proposed, using non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) to highlight important parts of the exercise the patient needs to focus on and fade out parts of the scene that are not relevant. This strategy is implemented into an authoring tool that allows rehabilitators specifying feedback strategies while creating exercise profiles. The NPR feedback can be configured in many ways, using different NPR schemes for different layers of the exercise environment such as the background environment, the non-interactive exercise objects, and the interactive exercise objects. The main features of the system including the support for universal render pipeline, camera stacking, and stereoscopic rendering are evaluated in a testing scenario. Performance tests regarding memory usage and supported frames per second are also considered. In addition, a group of rehabilitators evaluated the system usability. The proposed system meets all the requirements to apply NPR effect in VR scenarios and solves all the limitations with regard to technical function and image quality. In addition, the system performance has been shown to meet the targets for low-cost hardware. Regarding authoring tool usability rehabilitators agree that is easy to use and a valuable tool for rehabilitation scenarios. NPR schemes can be integrated into VR rehabilitation scenarios achieving the same image quality as non-VR visualizations with only a small impact on the frame rate. NPR schemes are a good visual feedback alternative.
A Multi-user Cross-platform hands-on virtual lab within the Metaverse – the case of machining training
Authors: Chuang Tung-Jui , Smith Shana 
Published: March 2024

AbstractDistance learning has become a popular learning channel today. However, while various distance learning tools are available, most of them only support a single platform, offer only the trainer’s perspective, and do not facilitate student-instructor interaction. As a result, distance learning systems tend to be inflexible and less effective. To address the limitations of existing distance learning systems, this study developed a cross-platform hands-on virtual lab within the Metaverse that enables multi-user participation and interaction for distance education. Four platforms, HTC VIVE Pro, Microsoft HoloLens 2, PC, and Android smartphone, are supported. The virtual lab allows trainers to demonstrate operation steps and engage with multiple trainees simultaneously. Meanwhile, trainees have the opportunity to practice their operational skills on their virtual machines within the Metaverse, utilizing their preferred platforms. Additionally, participants can explore the virtual environment and interact with each other by moving around within the virtual space, similar to a physical lab setting. The user test compares the levels of presence and usability in the hands-on virtual lab across different platforms, providing insights into the challenges associated with each platform within the Metaverse for training purposes. Furthermore, the results of the user test highlight the promising potential of the architecture due to its flexibility and adaptability.
Cardiac autonomic involvement in Huntington’s disease
Authors: İşcan Dilek , Çetinkaya Yakup 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Huntington’s disease (HD) is known as a neurodegenerative disease with movement disorder and cognitive impairment; autonomic involvement is also becoming common in some recent studies. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the presence of cardiac autonomic involvement in HD patients.

Method
Time and frequency domain parameters obtained from the 24-h Holter ECG(hECG) were compared between 20 HD patients and 20 healthy control subjects.

Results
Fourteen HD patients had tachycardia, bradycardia, and extra beats. Interval between two heartbeats, normal-to-normal (NN), standard deviation of all normal-to-normal (SDNN), square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of the differences between consecutive N-N intervals in ms (rMSSD), and the ratio of the number of consecutive pairs of N-N intervals that differ by more than 50 ms to the total number of N-N intervals (pNN50) were all significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group during 24-h hECG monitoring. However, hECG monitoring showed that the patient group had significantly higher values of the frequency-domain metrics high frequency (HF) than the control group did (P = 0.003). Very low frequency (VLF) was lower in the patient group (P = 0.009). There was no difference in low frequency (LF) in both groups. In comparison to the control group, LF/HF was much reduced in the patient group (P = 0.001).

Conclusion
Cardiac disfunction increases, and autonomic functions change in HD, but more comprehensive studies are needed to distinguish sympathetic and parasympathetic involvement.
Hybrid capture shotgun sequencing detected unexpected viruses in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with acute meningitis and encephalitis
Authors: Launes Cristian , Camacho Juan , Pons-Espinal Marina , López-Labrador F. Xavier , Esteva Cristina , Cabrerizo María , Fernández-García María Dolores , Fogeda Marta , Masa-Calles Josefa , López-Perea Noemí , Echevarría Juan Emilio , Muñoz-Almagro Carmen , Tarragó David 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Investigation of undiagnosed cases of infectious neurological diseases, especially in the paediatric population, remains a challenge. This study aimed to enhance understanding of viruses in CSF from children with clinically diagnosed meningitis and/or encephalitis (M/ME) of unknown aetiology using shotgun sequencing enhanced by hybrid capture (HCSS).

Methods
A single-centre prospective study was conducted at Sant Joan de Déu University Hospital, Barcelona, involving 40 M/ME episodes of unknown aetiology, recruited from May 2021 to July 2022. All participants had previously tested negative with the FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel.
HCSS was used to detect viral nucleic acid in the patients’ CSF. Sequencing was performed on Illumina NovaSeq platform. Raw sequence data were analysed using CZ ID metagenomics and PikaVirus bioinformatics pipelines.

Results
Forty episodes of M/ME of unknown aetiology in 39 children were analysed by HCSS. A significant viral detection in 30 CSF samples was obtained, including six parechovirus A, three enterovirus ACD, four polyomavirus 5, three HHV-7, two BKV, one HSV-1, one VZV, two CMV, one EBV, one influenza A virus, one rhinovirus, and 13 HERV-K113 detections. Of these, one sample with BKV, three with HHV-7, one with EBV, and all HERV-K113 were confirmed by specific PCR. The requirement for Intensive Care Unit admission was associated with HCSS detections.

Conclusion
This study highlights HCSS as a powerful tool for the investigation of undiagnosed cases of M/ME. Data generated must be carefully analysed and reasonable precautions must be taken before establishing association of clinical features with unexpected or novel virus findings.
The effect of smooth parametrizations on nonconvex optimization landscapes
Authors: Levin Eitan , Kileel Joe , Boumal Nicolas 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
We develop new tools to study landscapes in nonconvex optimization. Given one optimization problem, we pair it with another by smoothly parametrizing the domain. This is either for practical purposes (e.g., to use smooth optimization algorithms with good guarantees) or for theoretical purposes (e.g., to reveal that the landscape satisfies a strict saddle property). In both cases, the central question is: how do the landscapes of the two problems relate? More precisely: how do desirable points such as local minima and critical points in one problem relate to those in the other problem? A key finding in this paper is that these relations are often determined by the parametrization itself, and are almost entirely independent of the cost function. Accordingly, we introduce a general framework to study parametrizations by their effect on landscapes. The framework enables us to obtain new guarantees for an array of problems, some of which were previously treated on a case-by-case basis in the literature. Applications include: optimizing low-rank matrices and tensors through factorizations; solving semidefinite programs via the Burer–Monteiro approach; training neural networks by optimizing their weights and biases; and quotienting out symmetries.
Assessing sand dams for contributions to local water security and drought resilience in the semi-arid eastern Shashe catchment, Zimbabwe
Authors: Lazurko Anita , Lautze Jonathan , Hussey Stephen , Muzarabani Celine , Ngwenya Nobubelo , Ebrahim Girma 
Published: March 2024

AbstractClimate change is increasing the frequency and severity of droughts in semi-arid regions. Small-scale water storage can help build drought resilience, particularly in rural areas with no access to formal water infrastructure. Sand dams, which store water by capturing water in sand-filled ephemeral rivers during the wet season, are one promising storage option. While emerging studies indicate tentative evidence of their benefits, the focus on resilience is under-addressed. This study evaluates the impact of sand dams on resilience to climate variability and changes through a participatory case study approach in the Shashe catchment, a semi-arid catchment shared by Botswana and Zimbabwe. Participatory research was conducted via site inspections, focus group discussions, and interviews at 20 sand dams utilized by 19 villages across the Zimbabwean portion of the Shashe catchment. The results show that sand dams significantly improved local water availability, most notably with a significant increase in the number of months per year that water could be collected from the dam site (mean = 6.5 months before, to mean = 10.9 months after construction, p < 0.05). This increase is also reflected in drought years (mean = 5.8 months before, to mean = 9.6 months after construction, p < 0.05). Sand dams also contribute to the adaptive capacity of communities via key benefits such as diversification of livelihood activities, improved health and hygiene, and reduced erosion in the surrounding area due to increased vegetation. In sum, the study demonstrates clear benefits to communities facing drought, supporting calls to elevate sand dams on the development agenda.
Downregulation of lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 attenuates inflammatory response in mice with allergic rhinitis by regulating miR-98-5p/SOCS1 axis
Authors: Deng Bangyu , zhao Yunxia , Liu Jisheng 
Published: March 2024

AbstractLong non-coding RNA cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) in various diseases has been verified. However, the underlying mechanism of CDKN2B-AS1 contributes to the development of allergic rhinitis (AR) remains unknown. To evaluate the impact of CDKN2B-AS1 on AR, BALB/c mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of normal saline containing ovalbumin (OVA) and calmogastrin to establish an AR model. Nasal rubbing and sneezing were documented after the final OVA treatment. The concentrations of IgE, IgG1, and inflammatory elements were quantified using ELISA. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunofluorescence were used to assess histopathological variations and tryptase expression, respectively. StarBase, TargetScan and luciferase reporter assays were applied to predict and confirm the interactions among CDKN2B-AS1, miR-98-5p, and SOCS1. CDKN2B-AS1, miR-98-5p, and SOCS1 levels were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) or western blotting. Our results revealed that CDKN2B-AS1 was obviously over-expressed in the nasal mucosa of AR patients and AR mice. Down-regulation of CDKN2B-AS1 significantly decreased nasal rubbing and sneezing frequencies, IgE and IgG1 concentrations, and cytokine levels. Furthermore, down-regulation of CDKN2B-AS1 also relieved the pathological changes in the nasal mucosa, and the infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells. Importantly, these results were reversed by the miR-98-5p inhibitor, whereas miR-98-5p directly targeted CDKN2B-AS1, and miR-98-5p negatively regulated SOCS1 level. Our findings demonstrate that down-regulation of CDKN2B-AS1 improves allergic inflammation and symptoms in a murine model of AR through the miR-98-5p/SOCS1 axis, which provides new insights into the latent functions of CDKN2B-AS1 in AR treatment.
Analyzing the environmental risk factors of European spruce bark beetle damage at the local scale
Authors: Huo Langning , Persson Henrik Jan , Lindberg Eva 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe frequent outbreaks of European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L.) have destroyed huge amounts of Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) forests in central and Northern Europe. Identifying the risk factors and estimating the damage level is important for strategic damage control. The risk factors of forest damage by spruce bark beetles have mostly been analyzed on the landscape scale, while the in-stand risk factors have been less investigated. This study aims at exploring the local-scale risk factors in a flat area with spruce-dominated forest in southern Sweden. The investigated factors include four abiotic factors, i.e., soil wetness, solar radiation, slope gradient, and aspect, and three biotic factors, i.e., the number of deciduous trees and trees that died from attacks in previous years that remained (TreesLeft) and removed (TreesRemoved) from the forest stand. We put up 24 pheromone bags in six stands attacked by bark beetle in the previous years, resulting in different numbers of infested trees in each plot. We explored in which microenvironment a pheromone bag resulted in more colonization, the impact radius of each factor, and the necessary factors for a risk model. The environmental factors were obtained from remote sensing-based products and images. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used with the environmental factors as the explanatory variables and the damage levels as the response variables, i.e., the number of attacked trees for the plot scale, and healthy/infested for the single-tree scale. Using 50 m and 15 m radius of the environmental factors resulted in the best fit for the model at plot and individual tree scales, respectively. At those radii, the damage risk increased both at plot and individual tree level when spruce were surrounded by more deciduous trees, surrounded by dead trees that had been removed from the forest, and spruces located at the north and east slopes (315°–135° of aspect, > 2° slope). Soil wetness, solar radiation, and remaining standing dead trees in the surrounding did not significantly impact the damage level in the microenvironment of the study area. The GLM risk model yielded an overall accuracy of 0.69 in predicting individual trees being infested or healthy. Our efforts to investigate the risk factors provide a context for wall-to-wall mapping in-stand infestation risks, using remote sensing-based data.
Internet of Bio-NanoThings privacy: securing a multi compartmental targeted cancer drug delivery scheme
Authors: Kamal Islam R. , El‐Atty Saied M. Abd , El-Zoghdy S. F. , Soliman Randa F. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe Internet of Bio-Nano Things concept (IoBNT) emerged from the need to establish connections between biological nanomachines, the intra-body nanonetwork, and the cyber internet to facilitate information exchange. While extensive research has concentrated on optimizing communication efficiency among nanodevices within networks, challenges such as IoBNT security and the interface linking nanonetwork to the internet have remained unaddressed. Consequently, this study introduces a privacy scheme designed to operate atop the Physical Cyber Interface (pHCI) within the IoBNT framework. Our proposed chaotic system derives its foundation from the command signals issued by medical personnel to pHCI devices implanted within the human body. It employs a concealed version of features generated through a Modified Quadratic Map (MQM) to enhance the privacy of patient information and to ensure a precise dosage release. Additionally, our scheme incorporates Binary Phase Shifting Key (BPSK) modulation through the incorporation of a carrier wave, along with feature extraction with zero-crossing rates. This privacy scheme significantly amplifies the key space, thereby guaranteeing an accurate right dose release with the protection of patient privacy. To assess the performance of our proposed scheme, we evaluate its operation on top of the pHCI device using various performance metrics. Subsequently, we study its performance by employing multi-compartmental models in both the forward and reverse pHCI directions of the IoBNT paradigm. The results from our simulation model clearly illustrate that the IoBNT-based privacy scheme has potential to enhance the delivery of therapeutic drugs to target cells while effectively addressing privacy concerns. An evaluation of performance metrics for two binary codes (thermal and light) reveals sensitivity and specificity rates of 95.333% and 95%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Furthermore, the performance of our proposed privacy scheme, as measured by EER, accuracy, NPV, and PPV, has proven to be highly satisfactory. Hence, our proposed scheme makes significant role in enhancing the security of the physical cyber interface device while remaining cost-effective, and ensuring the safety of patients' life and confidentiality.
Clinical presentation and extent of resection impacts progression-free survival in spinal ependymomas
Authors: Davison Mark A. , Lilly Daniel T. , Patel Arpan A. , Kashkoush Ahmed , Chen Xiaoying , Wei Wei , Benzel Edward C. , Prayson Richard A. , Chao Samuel , Angelov Lilyana 
Published: March 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Primary treatment of spinal ependymomas involves surgical resection, however recurrence ranges between 50 and 70%. While the association of survival outcomes with lesion extent of resection (EOR) has been studied, existing analyses are limited by small samples and archaic data resulting in an inhomogeneous population. We investigated the relationship between EOR and survival outcomes, chiefly overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), in a large contemporary cohort of spinal ependymoma patients.

Methods
Adult patients diagnosed with a spinal ependymoma from 2006 to 2021 were identified from an institutional registry. Patients undergoing primary surgical resection at our institution, ≥ 1 routine follow-up MRI, and pathologic diagnosis of ependymoma were included. Records were reviewed for demographic information, EOR, lesion characteristics, and pre-/post-operative neurologic symptoms. EOR was divided into 2 classifications: gross total resection (GTR) and subtotal resection (STR). Log-rank test was used to compare OS and PFS between patient groups.

Results
Sixty-nine patients satisfied inclusion criteria, with 79.7% benefitting from GTR. The population was 56.2% male with average age of 45.7 years, and median follow-up duration of 58 months. Cox multivariate model demonstrated significant improvement in PFS when a GTR was attained (p <.001). Independently ambulatory patients prior to surgery had superior PFS (p <.001) and OS (p =.05). In univariate analyses, patients with a syrinx had improved PFS (p =.03) and were more likely to benefit from GTR (p =.01). Alternatively, OS was not affected by EOR (p =.78).

Conclusions
In this large, contemporary series of adult spinal ependymoma patients, we demonstrated improvements in PFS when GTR was achieved.
Routing in quantum communication networks using reinforcement machine learning
Authors: Roik Jan , Bartkiewicz Karol , Černoch Antonín , Lemr Karel 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis paper promotes reinforcement machine learning for route-finding tasks in quantum communication networks, where, due to the non-additivity of quantum errors, classical graph path or tree-finding algorithms cannot be used. We propose using a proximal policy optimization algorithm capable of finding routes in teleportation-based quantum networks. This algorithm is benchmarked against the Monte Carlo search. The topology of our network resembles the proposed 6 G topology and analyzed that quantum errors correspond to typical errors in realistic quantum channels.