bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Proteus Effect on Human Pain Perception: Effects of Muscular Avatar Use and Gender Factors
Authors: Yim Youchan , Xia Zongheng , Kubota Yuki , Tanaka Fumihide 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The Proteus Effect, which occurs when using an avatar in virtual reality, influences user behavior, changes attitudes, and improves physical performance. Here, we show that human pain perception can be alleviated by the Proteus effect. Experimental results show that participants reported significantly lower pain scores (15.982% reduction), as measured by the Pain Assessment Scale (PAS), when using a muscular avatar than when using a normal avatar. The experiments also revealed several significant gender factors. For example, participants reported significantly lower pain scores when using a gender-congruent avatar. In addition, the use of a muscular avatar was particularly effective for male participants. In contrast, female participants consistently reported lower pain scores when using the avatar regardless of its body type (muscular/normal). To further our understanding, we also measured participants' gender-related pain stereotypes using the Gender Role Expectations of Pain (GREP) questionnaire, as well as participants' sense of embodiment. The results of these questionnaires are consistent with the results of the PAS, suggesting possible relationships between stereotypes and the Proteus effect on pain perception, and between the degree of immersion in an avatar and the user's perception of pain.
Preparation and antibacterial properties of polypropylene composite with bisphenol A-type benzoxazine.
Authors: Shang Xiaoyu , Zhou Changlu , Zhang Xian , Xin Zhong 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Polypropylene (PP) is a commonly used material in medical supplies. However, its lack of antibacterial properties has led to a frequent occurrence of healthcare-associated infections that need to be addressed. This study extensively investigates the antibacterial effects of bisphenol A-type benzoxazine (BA-a), revealing a relationship between the curing degree of BA-a and its antibacterial performance. A lower degree of curing corresponds to stronger antibacterial activity. Based on this relationship, a melt blending method at 170°C is determined to prepare PP/BA-a composite material, aiming to enhance the antibacterial properties. The antibacterial performance of PP/BA-a is evaluated by plate coating method. The results demonstrate that PP/0.8BA-a exhibits an antibacterial rate as high as 99.99% against E. coli and S. aureus. Migration experiments confirm the stability of the antibacterial effect. The extracts from PP/BA-a show no toxicity towards mouse fibroblast cells (L929). Furthermore, compared to pure PP, the addition of BA-a improves the thermal stability of PP/BA-a, with an increase of 56°C in the onset thermal decomposition temperature (T5%), enabling PP to better adapt to the high-temperature environment of moist heat sterilization. This study presents a novel method for obtaining highly antibacterial medical polymer materials (PP/BA-a) with broad application prospects.
Practices and attitudes of herbalists regarding informed consent in Uganda: A qualitative study
Authors: Nalubega Sumayiya , Kutyabami Paul , Twimukye Adeline , Mafigiri David. K. , Sewankambo Nelson. K. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background
Informed consent (IC) is a fundamental principle in medical ethics that upholds respect for patient autonomy. Although widely applied in healthcare, its feasibility and implementation in herbal medicine have been underexplored. This study therefore aimed to explore the practices and attitudes of herbalists regarding informed consent.
Methods
To achieve these objectives, a qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2020. Twenty-one in-depth interviews with herbalists and four key informant interviews with leaders of the different traditional medicine organizations were also conducted. The data were analyzed thematically using NVivo version 12 software.
Results
Sixteen of the twenty-one participants acquired oral herbal medicine knowledge from their relatives. Although a positive inclination toward obtaining IC was evident, the focus was on disclosing basic information. Discussions of alternative treatments and herbal specifics less frequent. Disease management decisions often involve shared responsibility within families or societies. Documented IC procedures are rare among herbalists, who deem consent forms unnecessary, although they recognize the potential benefits of IC in fostering trust and professionalism. Challenges hindering IC implementation included regulatory gaps, inadequate skills, and the absence of mechanisms to protect the intellectual property rights of herbal medicine.
Conclusion
This study illuminates how educational, cultural, familial, and regulatory factors influence herbalists' practices and attitudes toward informed consent.
A convergent semi-Lagrangian scheme for the game ∞-Laplacian
Authors: Carlini Elisabetta , Tozza Silvia 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

We propose a new semi-Lagrangian scheme for the game ∞-Laplacian. We demonstrate the convergence of the scheme to the viscosity solution of the given problem, showing its consistency, monotonicity, and stability. The proof of this convergence is established through the Barles-Souganidis convergence analysis. This analysis assumes convergence at the boundary in a strong sense and is applied to our proposed scheme, augmented with an artificial viscosity term.
MSC Classification: 65N06 , 35J25 , 35D40 , 65N12
Exploiting nonlinear spring oscillator chain as acoustic metasurfaces for high harmonic generation
Authors: Sun Chenghao , Wang Haoyu , Li Yuanyuan , Fei Zhonghan , Lai Yun , Liu Xiaozhou 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel approach to design acoustic metasurfaces utilizing multiple nonlinear spring oscillator chains, which enables an exceptional ability to generate harmonics in the radiated sound field. The metasurface unit is a chain of masses connected by two nonlinear springs exhibiting two resonance frequencies. The fundamental and second harmonic components of the vibration amplitude are solved by the Multiple Scales Method (MSM). By strategically configuring the higher resonance frequency of the spring oscillator to be n times that of the lower frequency and exciting the system with the lower frequency, the energy transfers from the low-frequency mode to the high-frequency mode induced by nonlinearity, leading to the large vibration amplitude of the high-frequency mode. The robustness and validity of this method are substantiated through the excellent consistency between the theoretical and numerical results. Furthermore, we showcase a nonlinear metasurface with more high-harmonic transmission by judiciously adjusting the structural parameters. Parameter tuning including adjustments to the quadratic nonlinear coefficient, resonance frequency, and excitation frequency further underscores the robustness of this nonlinear system, providing insights for designing general nonlinear metasurfaces. Our work lays a solid foundation for realizing harmonics in nonlinear spring oscillators, extending the research scope of acoustic metasurfaces into nonlinear dynamics.
Redundancy Resolution of a Mobile Manipulator Using Learning Based Algorithm
Authors: Tolossa Tesfaye Deme , Gupta Rajeev , Orlando M. Felix , Hote Yogesh Vijay 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

A learning-based strategy for the trajectory tracking of redundant mobile manipulators (MM) was presented in this study. A five-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) manipulator is mounted on the differential drive (DD) mobile robot. The advantage of using a redundant system is to avoid joint limits, obstacles and singularities towards desired trajectory tracking. The proposed approach is based on Kohonen Self-Organizing Map (KSOM) enhanced a weighted least norm (WLN) matrix algorithm. This approach is the recommended neural network for inverse kinemat-ics solutions because of its stability, preserved topology, and capacity to optimize the joint space trajectory while producing a smooth minimal joint angle. A proposed method for redundancy resolution in MM has been simulated using MATLAB simulation code and the Gazebo real-time simulation pysical environment. The simulation results are evaluated with the joint limit method of redundancy resolution and other existing controllers for verification purpose. The conventional method of redundancy resolution is local optimum and infeasible for the end-effector motion in the entire workspace. The KSOM uses different steps of error correction that improve the system’s performance as well as ensure the global asymptotical stability of the system.
GPT-4 vs. GPT-3.5 AS CODING ASSISTANTS
Authors: Moussiades Lefteris , Zografos George , Papakostas George 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Large Language Models are not limited to understanding and producing natural language. Instead, they do equally well in understanding and generating source code in various programming languages. At the time of writing, GPT-4 was considered the most potent large language model from OpenAI. This paper compares GPT-4 with its immediate ancestor, GPT-3.5, as coding assistants. More specifically, we have constructed appropriate tests to check whether the two systems can a) answer typical questions that can arise during code development, b) generate reliable code in response to user requirements, and c) contribute to code debugging. The test results for both models are impressive. However, the performance of GPT-4 is outstanding and signals an increase in the productivity of programmers and the reorganization of software development procedures based on these new tools.
Macrophages protect against sensory axon degeneration in diabetic neuropathy
Authors: Woolf Clifford , Hakim Sara , Jain Aakanksha , Petrova Veselina , Indajang Jonathan , Kawaguchi Riki , Wang Qing , Duran Elif , Nelson Drew , Adamson Stuart , Greene Caitlin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, causing sensory loss and debilitating neuropathic pain1,2. Although the onset and progression of DPN have been linked with dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia3, the contribution of inflammation in the pathogenesis of DPN has not been investigated. Here, we use a High Fat High Fructose Diet (HFHFD) to model DPN and its metabolic syndrome in mice. Diabetic mice develop persistent heat hypoalgesia after three months, but a reduction in epidermal skin innervation only manifests at 6 months. Using single-cell sequencing, we find that CCR2+ macrophages infiltrate the sciatic nerves of diabetic mice well before axonal degeneration is detectable. We show that these infiltrating macrophages share gene expression similarities with nerve crush-induced macrophages4 and express neurodegeneration-associated microglia marker genes5 although there is no axon loss or demyelination yet. Inhibiting this macrophage recruitment in diabetic mice by genetically or pharmacologically blocking CCR2 signaling results in a more severe heat hypoalgesia and accelerated skin denervation. These findings reveal a novel neuroprotective recruitment of macrophages into peripheral nerves of diabetic mice that delays the onset of terminal axonal degeneration, thereby reducing sensory loss. Potentiating and sustaining this early neuroprotective immune response in patients represents, therefore, a potential means to reduce or prevent DPN.
A study on the identification technique of high- amplitude "bright spots" in the Huagang Formation of the X gas field in the Xihu Depression
Authors: Li Yangsen 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Due to the small number of exploration wells and similar AVO (Amplitude Versus Offset) types of different fluids in the study area, the use of conventional P (fitting intercept), G (fitting gradient), P×G, P + G and other hydrocarbon detection attributes can no longer effectively identify the fluid properties of the study area, and it is urgent to find a hydrocarbon detection method suitable for the effective reservoirs in the area. Through the analysis and statistics of single-point pre-stack AVO of the drilled wells, the intercept and gradient intersection template for fluid identification are established. The gas-bearing sandstones show obvious AVO characteristics of class II ~ III, and different fluid types are basically distinguishable in the intersection template. We propose the scalar Poisson ratio attribute by borrowing the idea of the study of Poisson impedance, which can enhance the sensitivity of the identification of gas-bearing in the study area, and it can be used in the gas-bearing in the Xihu Depression. Good application results have been achieved in the hydrocarbon detection in the middle and deep layers, and progress has been made to improve the reliability of hydrocarbon detection in the reservoirs in the less well area.
Optimizing vancomycin dosing in pediatrics: A machine learning approach to predict trough concentrations in children under four years of age
Authors: Yin Minghui , Jiang Yuelian , Yuan Yawen , Li Chensuizi , Gao Qian , Lu Hui , Li Zhiling 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background
Vancomycin trough concentration is closely associated with clinical efficacy and toxicity. Predicting vancomycin trough concentrations in pediatric patients is challenging due to significant interindividual variability and rapid physiological changes during maturation.
Aim
This study aimed to develop a machine-learning (ML) model to predict vancomycin trough concentrations and determine optimal dosing regimens in pediatric patients using various machine-learning (ML) algorithms.
Method
A single-center retrospective observational study was conducted from January 2017 to March 2020. Pediatric patients who received intravenous vancomycin and underwent therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) were enrolled. Seven ML models [linear regression (LR), gradient boosted decision trees (GDBT), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), Bagging, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)] were developed using 31 variables. Performance metrics including R-squared (R2), mean square error (MSE), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) were compared, and important features were ranked.
Results
The study included 120 eligible trough concentration measurements from 112 patients. Of these, 84 measurements were used for training and 36 for testing. Among the seven algorithms tested, XGBoost showed the best performance, with low prediction error and high goodness of fit (MAE = 2.55, RMSE = 4.13, MSE = 17.12, and R2 = 0.59). Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and creatinine clearance rate were identified as the most important predictors of vancomycin trough concentration.
Conclusion
An XGBoost ML model was developed to predict vancomycin trough concentrations and aid in drug treatment predictions as a decision-support decision-support technology.
The Potential of a Small Melanocytic Lesion to Transform into Choroidal Melanoma: A Retrospective Study and Literature Review
Authors: Garcia-Caride Sara , Formoso Laura , Maciñeira Elia De Esteban , Silva-Rodriguez Paula , Pardo Maria , Bande Manuel F , Blanco-Teijeiro María Jose 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Purpose
This research aimed to identify critical risk factors for the malignant transformation of small melanocytic choroidal lesions (SMCL)
Methods
A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted on 218 SMCL cases at the University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela from January 2013 to January 2023. Patients were selected based on their diagnosis of SMCL and their undergoing of comprehensive multimodal imaging such as optical coherence tomography, ultrasonography, and fundus autofluorescence. The primary focus was on evaluating demographic data, symptomatic presentations, and detailed imaging features.
Results
The cohort consisted of 43% males and 57% females, with a mean age of 69 years. Notably, 19% of the lesions were symptomatic, and 25.5% exhibited orange pigment. Approximately 33% of the tumours were proximate to the optic disc. Multivariate analysis revealed orange pigment presence and a lesion height greater than 2 mm as significant predictors of transformation. The Cox and Snell R-squared coefficient of 0.292 indicated that these factors accounted for about 29.2% of the variability in lesion transformation. The average follow-up period was 52 months, during which 4.6% of the SMCLs evolved into CM.
Conclusion
This study highlights the substantial role of lesion height exceeding 2 mm and the presence of orange pigment as key risk factors for the transformation of SMCL into CM. These findings are instrumental in aiding clinicians to identify and monitor high-risk patients, enabling early and potentially more effective interventions. Future research is essential to further explore these risk factors and to establish a more comprehensive understanding of SMCL progression to CM.
Victim’s Identification and Social Categorization: First- and Second-Order Effects on Altruistic Behavior
Authors: Regasa Wubeshet , Galmarini Umberto , Porro Giuseppe 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

We explore in laboratory how donations to a charity can be influenced by the identifiability and the social categorization of the recipients. We find that donors give more, on average, to unidentified than to identified beneficiaries, since the latter are more likelyto receive small donations than the former. Donations are the same, on average, to in- and to out-group beneficiaries; however, an in-group recipient is more likely to receive a top or a very small donation than an out-group one, whereas the latter is more likely than the former to receive an intermediate donation. Both first- and second-order effects are associated to the Dynamic Identity Fusion Index elicited from participants toward the ‘Multicultural world’.
JEL Codes: C91, D64, L31.
Regorafenib exerts an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of human lung fibroblasts by reducing the production of several cytokines
Authors: Nakamura Natsuki , Tabata Rie , Tabata Chiharu 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background
Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease that leads to respiratory failure and death. There has been little progress in therapeutic strategies for pulmonary fibrosis. There have been several reports on the cytokines associated with pulmonary fibrosis, including IL-6 and TGF-β1. Angiogenesis is one of the most important phenomena in the pathogenesis of PF. Previously, we reported the preventive effects of thalidomide against pulmonary fibrosis via the inhibition of neovascularization by angiogenic factors such as VEGF. Regorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor, which inhibits tyrosine kinase receptors such as VEGFR1-3 and TIE2. In the clinical setting, regorafenib has been widely used for anti-cancer therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer. In this study, we examined the preventive effects of regorafenib against pulmonary fibrosis.
Methods
We investigated whether regorafenib had an inhibitory effect on the proliferation, viability, and production of several cytokines in lung fibroblasts.
Results
We demonstrated an inhibitory effect of regorafenib on the proliferation and viability of lung fibroblasts. Moreover, regorafenib reduced the production of several cytokines associated with the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, including IL-6, VEGF and TGF- β1, and collagen synthesis from lung fibroblasts.
Conclusions
These data suggest that regorafenib may have potential clinical applications in the prevention of pulmonary fibrosis.
An effective reduction method with Caughey damping for spurious oscillations in dynamic problems
Authors: Serfőző Dániel , Pere Balázs 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
The numerical solution of dynamic problems often results spurious oscillations that deteriorates the accuracy. In order to eliminate them, a damping effect must be included in the numerical scheme. However, the concrete shape of the damping characteristics has a great importance in the efficiency of oscillation reduction. In this article, a novel approach has been introduced with adjustable damping character. The damping effect is exerted as viscous damping according to the formulation of Caughey damping. Using the proposed method, a wide range of different damping curves can be approximated with high accuracy. The newly developed method is mainly useful for contact-impact and wave propagation problems.
Unveiling the neuroplastic capacity of the bilingual brain: Insights from healthy and pathological individuals
Authors: Quiñones Ileana , Gisbert-Muñoz Sandra , Amoruso Lucia , Manso-Ortega Lucia , Mori Usue , Bermudez Garazi , Gil-Robles Santiago , Pomposo Iñigo , Carreiras Manuel 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Research on the neural imprint of dual-language experience, crucial for understanding how the brain processes the first (L1) and second language (L2), remains inconclusive. Conflicting evidence suggests either similarity or distinction in neural processing, with implications for bilingual patients with brain tumors. Preserving dual-language functions after surgery requires considering pre-diagnosis neuroplastic changes. Here, we combine univariate and multivariate fMRI methodologies to test a group of healthy Spanish-Basque bilinguals and a group of bilingual patients with gliomas affecting the language-dominant hemisphere while they overtly produced sentences in either their L1 or L2. Findings from healthy participants revealed the presence of a shared neural system for L1 and L2, while also identifying regions with distinct language-dependent activation and lateralization patterns. Specifically, while the L1 engaged a more left-lateralized network, L2 production relied on the recruitment of a bilateral basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuit. Notably, based on language lateralization patterns, we were able to robustly decode (AUC: 0.86 ± 0.18) the language being used. Conversely, bilingual patients exhibited bilateral activation patterns in both their L1 and L2. For the L1, regions such as the cerebellum, thalamus, and caudate acted in concert with the sparsely activated language-specific nodes. In the case of L2, the recruitment of the default mode network was notably prominent. These results demonstrate the compensatory engagement of non-language-specific networks in the preservation of bilingual speech production, even in the face of pathological conditions. Overall, our findings underscore the pervasive impact of dual-language experience on brain functional (re)organization, both in health and disease.