bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intermodal Targeted Energy Transfer in Two Dimensions - Part II: Forced Response
Authors: Veltman Yuval , Gzal Majdi , Gendelman Oleg V. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
This paper is the second of a series devoted to the study of the two-dimensional intermodal targeted energy transfer (2D-IMTET). The 2D-IMTET mechanism for fully passive mitigation is explored in a harmonically excited three degrees-of-freedom planar oscillator driven close to one of its fundamental resonant frequencies. The oscillator is composed of a slab-like rigid body with a tilted elliptical-shape cavity, and it has two translation modes (horizontal and transversal) and one rotation mode. The natural frequencies of all modes are widely-spaced and far from any significant resonances. An intentional introduction of a rigid internal core, that is located inside the cavity, induces strong nonlinearity, giving rise to local vibro-impacts between the oscillator and the internal core. These vibro-impacts, combined with the geometry of the elliptical cavity, couple the linearly uncoupled normal modes. This coupling leads to strong non-resonant modal interactions, facilitating the transfer of energy among modes. Specifically, it results in a rapid scattering of energy from the fundamental structural mode, excited by the external forcing, to higher-frequency structural modes. It was observed that such nonlinear interactions and the directed energy transfer among modes ensure substantial increase of the effective stiffness, thus utilizing the inherent dissipative capacity of the system and shifting the structural response out of the resonance. The IMTET efficiency is explored using numerical simulations for three distinct structural configurations: linear unprotected system, nonlinear system with purely elastic frictionless impacts and nonlinear system with frictional and inelastic impacts.
Conversion to open surgery in minimally invasive surgery for ileocolonic Crohn’s disease: a national multicentre study
Authors: Alexa Ioana Diana , Giglio Mariano Cesare , Rottoli Matteo , Sampietro Gianluca , Pellino Gianluca , Selvaggi Francesco , Celentano Valerio 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Crohn’s disease (CD) patients may require recurrent surgeries due to the chronic and relapsing nature of the disease. Despite its technical challenges, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) offers potential benefits such as early recovery and reduced morbidity. This study aims to investigate the rate and risk factors of conversion from minimally invasive to open surgery for CD.
Methods
This retrospective, multicentre, observational study, promoted by the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR), enrolled all patients aged 16 or older undergoing elective, urgent, or emergent surgery for ileocolonic Crohn’s disease from June 1, 2018, to May 31, 2019. The primary endpoint was the conversion rate from minimally invasive to open surgery.
Results
In total, 816 patients were included. Patients who underwent conversion to open surgery had higher postoperative stoma rates (p = 0.001) and longer hospital stays (p = 0.017) compared to those completed with MIS. No significant differences were found between converted patients and those planned as open from the beginning. Regression analysis identified age, associated procedures and perforation as potential risk factors for conversion.
Conclusion
Regardless of the recognised advantages of MIS, approximately 10% of CD patients require conversion to open surgery. To optimise surgical outcomes, continuous efforts in patient selection, surgeon training, and technology advancement are essential in reducing conversions and improving the surgical management of Crohn’s disease.
The Impact of Cancer-Related Diarrhea on Changes in Cancer Therapy
Authors: Aleem Abdullah , Sarihan Maya , Okhuysen Pablo , Roeland Eric , Schwartzberg Lee , Wang Yinghong , Chaturvedi Pravin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Purpose
The impact of cancer-related diarrhea (CRD) on changes in cancer therapy remains poorly characterized despite its prevalence.
Methods
We performed a longitudinal observational study using IQVIA PharMetrics Plus claims data. Patients included adults with CRD identified by diagnosis codes or pharmacy claims and compared their outcomes to matched (1:1) patients without CRD. Treatment parameters (discontinuation, persistence, augmentation, dose titration, adherence) were evaluated and stratified for the first cancer therapy (chemotherapy vs. targeted therapy vs. both). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the difference in risk of each treatment parameter between cohorts, adjusting for cancer type, therapy, and comorbidities.
Results
We identified 104,135 matched pairs of patients with solid (n = 94,411) or hematologic cancers (n = 9,724) receiving chemotherapy (n = 47,220), targeted therapy (n = 2,427), or both (n = 5,313). Patients with CRD discontinued therapy more frequently than those without CRD (chemotherapy [81.5% vs. 62.3%], targeted therapy [69.2% vs. 64.3%], both [96.0% vs. 85.5%], p < 0.0001). The overall proportion of discontinuation was higher (82.4% vs. 64.6%, p < 0.0001), including a higher risk of discontinuation (HR = 1.40, p < 0.001) for patients with CRD. The mean time to discontinuation (59.6 ± 54.1 vs. 68.3 ± 76.6 days), switch (72.0 ± 48.6 vs. 96.9 ± 84.0 days), persistence (95.1 ± 98.1 vs. 154.3 ± 142.7 days), and adherence (25.5%±37.2 vs. 47.9 ± 41%) were all lower (p < 0.0001) among patients with CRD.
Conclusion
Patients who develop CRD undergo significant and clinically impactful index treatment discontinuation, treatment switching, and have lower adherence and persistence of anticancer therapy compared to patients without CRD. Strategies to control CRD to optimize cancer therapy are urgently needed.
Enhancing phenotyping accuracy for stem rot disease through advanced oxalic acid assay in groundnut
Authors: Veerendrakumar H. V. , Kiranmayee Bangaru , Vasanthi R. P. , Kumar A. R. Nirmal , Pandey Manish K , Sudini Hari Kishan 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Background
Stem rot, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, is an important and difficult to manage soil borne disease in groundnut. This disease is seen in almost all groundnut growing regions in the world. It affects the crown region of the plant that make the whole plant collapse and leading to yield losses up to 80%.
Results
Comprehensive evaluation of 184 minicore germplasm accessions encompassing various subspecies and botanical varieties including checks in combination of sick field screening and response to oxalic acid assay resulted in indicating the presence of substantial variability for the trait among the genotypes. Further, the trait governing stem rot resistance, exhibited a significant environmental influence, but displayed high heritability and genetic advance, thus suggesting considerable potential for improvement through plant breeding strategies. The response to oxalic acid assay demonstrated good correlation with approximately 80% when compared with field assessments. Overall, seven genotypes such as ICG163, ICG721, ICG10479, ICG875, ICG11457, ICG111, and ICG2857 exhibited stable resistance against stem rot across multiple seasons in both the field and under controlled conditions.
Conclusions
Seven genotypes that are identified as resistance will be beneficial to introgression of resistance to elite genotypes. As the trait is highly influenced by the environment it is imperative to employ multi-season phenotyping. The oxalic acid assay developed and deployed in this study is complementing field phenotyping. It can be used in conjunction with the field phenotyping as it is difficult to maintain the uniform disease pressure across the field.
Effects of Topical Corticosteroids, Topical Corticosteroids Under Occlusion, and Topical Brimonidine on the Prevention of Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation After Q-Switched 532-nm Nd:YAG Laser Treatment of Solar Lentigines
Authors: Tumsutti Pakagamon , Rojhirunsakool Salinee , Kamanamool Nanticha , Khunkhet Saranya , Udompataikul Montree 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Q-switched (QS) Nd:YAG 532-nm laser is among the most effective treatment options for solar lentigines. However, a high incidence of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) has been reported. The available evidence on PIH prophylaxis is currently sparse and controversial. Therefore, we aimed to determine the efficacy of multiple prophylactic treatments for PIH, including topical corticosteroids, topical corticosteroids under occlusion, and topical brimonidine, in reducing the incidence of PIH following QS laser treatment of solar lentigines. Thirty-eight subjects with at least 8 solar lentigines on their forearms were recruited to receive QS Nd:YAG 532 nm laser treatment. The treatment areas on the forearms were divided into 4 areas: left upper, left lower, right upper, and right lower forearm. The lesions in each area were randomly allocated to receive different PIH prophylactic agents after laser treatment: topical clobetasol for 2 days, topical clobetasol under occlusion in single application, topical brimonidine for 3 days, or petrolatum jelly (control). The occurrence and intensity of PIH, degree of erythema, improvement of lesions, and adverse reactions were evaluated at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Patient satisfaction was assessed at the end of the study. No statistically significant differences were detected between the groups regarding the occurrence of PIH, the intensity of PIH, or the improvement of lesions. However, the incidence of posttreatment erythema was significantly lower in the lesions that received topical clobetasol and topical clobetasol under occlusion, compared to the control group, at all visits. Additionally, patient satisfaction was significantly greater with topical clobetasol and clobetasol under occlusion. Topical brimonidine had the highest side effects on itching, dryness, and eczema. In conclusion, topical clobetasol and brimonidine were not found to be significantly effective at reducing the incidence of PIH after laser treatment, but topical clobetasol and topical clobetasol under occlusion significantly increased patient satisfaction after laser treatment.
Acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of WE-SURF™: A virtual supervised group-based fall prevention exercise program among older adults
Authors: Bong janet , Pin Tan Maw , Whitney Julie , Tiong Ing Khieng , Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Conducted physically, supervised group-based falls prevention exercise programs have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the risk of falls among older adults. In this study, we aimed to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of a virtual supervised group-based falls prevention exercise program (WE-SURFTM) for community-dwelling older adults at risk of falls.
Method
A preliminary study utilizing virtual discussions was conducted to assess the acceptability of the program among six older adults. Effectiveness was evaluated in a randomized controlled feasibility study design, comprising 52 participants (mean age: 66.54; SD: 5.16), divided into experimental (n=26) and control (n=26) groups. The experimental group engaged in a 6-month WE-SURFTM program, while the control group received standard care along with a fall’s prevention education session. Feasibility of the intervention was measured using attendance records, engagement rates from recorded videos, dropouts, attrition reasons, and adverse events.
Results
Preliminary findings suggested that WE-SURFTM was acceptable, with further refinements. The study revealed significant intervention effects on timed up and go (TUG) (η2p:0.08; p <0.05), single leg stance (SLS) (η2p:0.10; p<0.05), and lower limb muscle strength (η2p:0.09; p<0.05) tests. No adverse events occurred during the program sessions, and both attendance and engagement rates were high (>80% and 8/10, respectively) with minimal dropouts (4%). The WE-SURFTM program demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the risk of falls while enhancing muscle strength and balance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, WE-SURFTM was demonstrated to be an acceptable, feasible, and effective virtual supervised group-based exercise program for fall prevention in community-dwelling older adults at risk of falls. With positive outcomes and favourable participant engagement, WE-SURFTM holds the potential for wider implementation. Further research and scaling-up efforts are recommended to explore its broader applicability.
(Registration number: ACTRN 12621001620819)
Quantifying soil accumulation of atmospheric mercury using fallout radionuclide chronometry
Authors: Landis Joshua , Obrist Daniel , Zhou Jun , Renshaw Carl , McDowell William , Nytch Chris , Palucis Marisa , Vecchio Joanmarie Del , Lopez Fernando , Taylor Vivien 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Soils are a principal global reservoir of mercury (Hg), a neurotoxic pollutant accumulated through a history of anthropogenic emissions to the atmosphere and subsequent deposition to terrestrial ecosystems. The fate of Hg deposition in soils remains fundamentally uncertain, however, particularly to what degree Hg is quantitatively retained versus re-emitted back to the atmosphere as gaseous elemental mercury (GEM). Here we introduce a new bottom-up soil mass balance based on fallout radionuclide (FRN) chronometry that allows direct quantification of historical Hg soil accumulation rates and comparison with measured contemporary atmospheric deposition. We show that soils spanning Arctic, boreal, temperate, and tropical ecosystems are strong and long-term sinks for atmospheric Hg, and that the soil sink strength decreases with latitude. Peak deposition reconstructed for years 1950-2000 strongly exceeds contemporary deposition fluxes by factors of approximately two. In the northeastern USA, trends in soil-derived Hg accumulation rates agree in timing and magnitude with records derived from regional lake sediments and atmospheric measurements. We show that typical soils are quantitatively efficient at retaining atmospheric Hg deposition, with exception of a subset of soils (about 20%, all temperate and boreal coniferous), where approximately 10% of Hg deposition is unaccounted for, suggesting that up to 2% of soil Hg may be lost by legacy emission of GEM back to the atmosphere when scaled across the landscape. The observation that most soil Hg is effectively sequestered long-term calls into question global model and mass balance studies that assume strong and continued re-cycling of legacy Hg pollution in the environment that prolongs the impacts of past Hg emissions. Availability of FRN chronometry to reconstruct soil Hg accumulation rates poses a powerful new tool to quantify Hg deposition and trends across much larger spatial scales than previously possible, and should advance the understanding of Hg deposition, accumulation, and fate in the context of changing global environment.
Prognostic Value of Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition in Post-Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt
Authors: Huang Wen-Ting , Cheng De-Lei , Yin Liang , Dong Li , Zhu Yi-Jiang , Zhang Liu , Lu Dong , Zhou Chun-Ze , Lv Wei-Fu 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Background & Aims:
Malnutrition detrimentally impacts the prognosis of patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension (CPH). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of malnutrition using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria and its effect on the occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in patients with CPH.
Methods
This study incorporated 330 CPH patients who underwent TIPS between December 2015 and March 2022. Employing the GLIM criteria, patients were categorized into normal nutrition, moderate, and severe malnutrition groups. The incidence of HE and survival rates were compared among these groups. A survival prediction nomogram was constructed using individual predictive factors from the GLIM criteria.
Results
A total of 170 (51.52%) patients were diagnosed with malnutrition [moderate (n = 130) and severe (n = 40)]. Malnutrition correlated with an increased incidence of post-TIPS overt (p < 0.001) and severe HE (p < 0.001) and diminished OS rates (p < 0.0001). Malnutrition based on GLIM criteria was the independent predictor for HE and post-TIPS survival (HR = 1.65, 95%CI: 1.28–2.13, p < 0.001 and HR = 1.65, 95%CI: 1.18–2.29, p = 0.003, respectively). The nomogram, integrating factors including age, ascites, low calibrated body mass index (BMIc), and sarcopenia, demonstrated strong predictive capabilities for post-TIPS survival rates both in the training set (C-index, 0.755, 95%CI: 0.684–0.826) and validation set (C-index, 0.767, 95%CI: 0.613–0.921).
Conclusions
The GLIM-based diagnosis of malnutrition in patients with CPH independently predicts the risk of post-TIPS HE and mortality. The constructed nomogram exhibits a commendable predictive efficacy for post-TIPS survival.
Research on cherry maturity detection based on improved DS-YOLOV8
Authors: You Song , Zhang ChangQing , Wang Chenchen , Ning ShaoTong 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
In order to automatically detect the maturity of cherry fruits in the natural environment 1 and realize the automatic picking of cherry fruits, three levels of cherry fruit maturity (Green ripening 2 stage, medium ripening stage, full ripening stage) were formulated according to the changes of 3 cherry fruit phenotypic characteristics in the mature stage and the company standard GH/T 1193-2021. Aiming at the problem that the difference of adjacent cherries’ maturity characteristics is not obvious and the mutual occlusion between fruits, an improved YOLO v8 model is proposed for cherry fruit maturity detection. In this method, the Dymatic Snake Convolution (DSconv) module 7 was introduced into the YOLO v8 model as the backbone feature extraction network to reduce the number of parameters of the network. At the same time, the spatial attention mechanism (including 9 CBMA and FocalModulation modules) was added to the feature fusion network to improve the feature expression ability of the network. The experimental results show that the average precision, 11 recall and average precision of the improved YOLO v8 model under the test set are 98.6%, 98.1% and 12 98.2% respectively. Compared with Faster R-CNN, YOLO v3 and YOLO v5s, the improved YOLO v8 13 model has improved by 18.7, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.1 percentage points respectively. The results show that the 14 improved YOLO v8 model can provide technical support for the automatic picking of cherries.
AI-based predictive biomarker discovery via contrastive learning retrospectively improves clinical trial outcome
Authors: Jacob Etai , Arango-Argoty Gustavo , Bikiel Damian , Sun Gerald , Kipkogei Elly , Smith Kaitlin 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Modern clinical trials can capture tens of thousands of clinicogenomic measurements per individual. Employing manual approaches to discover predictive biomarkers, as differentiated from prognostic markers, is a challenging task. To address this challenge, we present an automated neural network framework based on contrastive learning, which we have named the predictive biomarker modeling framework (PBMF). This general-purpose framework explores potential predictive biomarkers in a systematic and unbiased manner, as demonstrated in simulated “ground truth” synthetic scenarios resembling clinical trials, and clinical studies for breast and lung cancer. Applied retrospectively to real clinicogenomic data sets, particularly in the complex field of immunooncology (IO) predictive biomarker discovery, our algorithm successfully found biomarkers that identify IO-treated individuals who survive longer than those treated with chemotherapy. In a retrospective analysis, we demonstrated how our framework could have contributed to a phase 3 clinical trial (NCT02008227) by uncovering a predictive biomarker based solely on early study data. Patients identified with this predictive biomarker had a 15% improvement in survival risk, as compared to those of the original trial. This improvement was achieved with a simple, interpretable decision tree generated via PBMF knowledge distillation. Our framework offers a rapid and robust approach to inform biomarker strategy, providing actionable outcomes for clinical decision-making.
Bio-Inspired Robotic Tap Testing: An Innovative Approach for Nondestructive Testing of Wooden Structures
Authors: Nemati Hamidreza , Dehghan-Niri Ehsan 
Published: February 2024

Abstract
Tap testing is an effective way of characterizing material conditions and flaws in various materials, including wood. Given its versatility and widespread usage, wood requires thorough inspection to assess its quality, identify potential defects, and ensure the safety and durability of wooden structures across diverse applications. This technique has the advantage of being simple, efficient and inexpensive. The tap testing method, when performed manually, requires an operator to tap each point of the structure using a hand-held object (e.g., a coin or tap hammer). Consequently, the precision of this test is highly reliant on the inspector's subjective interpretation of the vibrational acoustic response. In order to overcome this drawback, a bio-inspired tap testing approach with augmented objectivity of signal analysis has been proposed. The pioneer tap testing is inspired by an animal named aye-aye recognized for its unique acoustic-based foraging behavior called 'tap-scanning' or 'percussive foraging'. The aye-aye's near-field versatile acoustic sensing capabilities enable it to locate small cavities beneath a tree bark with complex materials. Current work describes a quantitative and instrumented robotic tap test system that creates repeatable mechanical impacts using a biomimetic approach. Two specimens were utilized to validate the effectiveness of this biomimetic approach. One of the specimens possessed identical diameter flat bottom holes but of varying depths, and the other had different diameters at positions of the same thickness from the test surface. Biomimetic tap scanning was applied over the defect-free and damaged areas of the specimens utilizing the 3D printed animal pinna and head in the experimental setup. The findings indicated that the biological characteristics of the animal's external auditory organs including the pinna and ear cannel substantially enhanced the system's sensitivity in detecting artificial defects within wooden blocks. This enhancement was primarily attributed to a notable improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, the outcomes demonstrated that the head and external ear structure exerted a superior discriminating factor for damage detection compared to both the pinna with ear canal configuration and the microphone-only setup within the experimental framework. The underlying cause behind this heightened discriminating factor remains undetermined and warrants further investigation by the research team.