bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prostate motion in magnetic resonance imaging-guided radiotherapy and its impact on margins
Authors: Kusters Johannes , Monshouwer René , Koopmans Peter , Wendling Markus , Brunenberg Ellen , Kerkmeijer Linda , van der Bijl Erik , Kusters Martijn 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Purpose
This study focused on reducing the margin for prostate cancer treatment using magnetic resonance imaging-guided radiotherapy by investigating the intrafractional motion of the prostate and different motion-mitigation strategies.

Methods
We retrospectively analyzed intrafractional prostate motion in 77 patients with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer treated with five fractions of 7.25 Gy on a 1.5 T magnetic resonance linear accelerator. Systematic drift motion was observed and described by an intrafractional motion model. The planning target volume (PTV) margin was calculated in a cohort of 77 patients and prospectively evaluated for geometric coverage in a separate cohort of 24 patients.

Results
The intrafractional model showed that the prostate position starts out of equilibrium for the anterior–posterior (−1.8 ± 3.1 mm) and superior–inferior (1.7 ± 2.6 mm) directions, with relaxation times of 12 and 15 min, respectively. Position verification scans are acquired at 30 min on average. At that time, the transient drift motion becomes indistinguishable from the residual random intrafractional motion. PTV margins can be reduced to 1.8 mm (left–right), 3.2 mm (anterior–posterior), and 2.9 mm (superior–inferior). Evaluation of the overlap with the clinical target volume (CTV) was performed for a total of 120 fractions of 24 patients. The overlap range between the CTV and the PTV was 93–100% and the applied 3‑mm PTV margin for the CTV had a 99.5% averaged geometric overlap for all patients.

Conclusion
A PTV margin reduction to 3 mm is feasible. A patient-specific approach could reduce the margins further.
Simultaneous integrated boost to lateral pelvic lymph nodes during chemoradiotherapy in high-risk rectal cancer
Authors: Büttner Marcel , Böke Simon , Baumeister Sabrina , Bachmann Robert , Bitzer Michael , Bösmüller Hans , Wichmann Dörte , Niyazi Maximilian , Gani Cihan 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Background
Preoperative chemoradiotherapy combined with total mesorectal excision (TME) is a standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). However, lateral pelvic lymph nodes (LPLNs) are often inadequately treated with standard regimens. This study examines the treatment and postoperative outcomes in LARC patients receiving a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) for LPLNs during long-course chemoradiotherapy.

Methods
This retrospective study included high-risk LARC patients (UICC, “Union Internationale Contre le Cancer”, stage III) treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy and SIB to LPLNs. Radiotherapy was delivered to the primary tumor and elective volumes with 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, and an SIB with a median dose of 60.2 Gy was administered to clinically positive LPLNs. TME quality and postoperative complications were assessed using MERCURY and Clavien–Dindo, respectively. Time-to-event data were analyzed according to Kaplan–Meier.

Results
Between 2019 and 2023, 27 patients with high-risk LARC and LPLN metastases were treated with chemoradiotherapy. After a median follow-up of 19 months, 2‑year overall survival was 80%, disease-free survival 80%, and local control of dose-escalated lymph nodes 100%. Three patients were managed nonoperatively after a clinical complete response on endoscopy and imaging. Of the 22 patients who had surgery, only one had complications higher than Clavien–Dindo grade I; TME was graded as MERCURY I in 73%.

Discussion and conclusion
The SIB approach for LPLNs in LARC is feasible, does not increase postoperative morbidity, and achieves excellent local control. This study supports the consideration of dose-escalated radiotherapy for LPLNs to address high local recurrence risks.
A study of a thermoelastic body possessing microtemperatures
Authors: Marin Marin , Öchsner Andreas , Vlase Sorin , Sedighi Hamid M. , Pirlog Stefan 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
In our study we approach a Cosserat thermoelastic body in which we take into account both the usual temperature and the microtemperature, that is, the temperature of the microparticles of the body. After constructing the mixed problem with initial and boundary values, in this context, we define an appropriate Hilbert space in which we obtain a temporal evolutionary equation which is equivalent to the already constructed mixed problem. With the help of some known results from the theory of contraction semigroups we prove both the existence and the uniqueness of the solution of the evolution equation, therefore of the considered mixed problem. Furthermore, the same semigroup theory allows us to obtain the continuous dependence of the solution of the mixed problem, both with respect to the initial data and with respect to the loading.
Tumor-infiltrating plasma cells are a prognostic factor in penile squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Stenzel P. J. , Thomas A. , Schindeldecker M. , Macher-Goeppinger S. , Porubsky S. , Haferkamp A. , Tsaur I. , Roth W. , Tagscherer K. E. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Penile cancer (PeCa) is a rare disease with poor prognosis in the metastatic stage. Neither effective adjuvant nor palliative therapeutic options are available. Research efforts in this field have so far failed to establish robust predictors of survival. To identify prognostic targets in PeCa, the current project focused on characterizing the tumor microenvironment (TME). A study cohort of 93 men with PeCa was used for the construction of a tissue microarray and immunohistochemical staining for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD56, CD138, FoxP3, and PD-L1. The quantity and spatial distribution of tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed using digital image analysis. PD-L1 staining of tumor and immune cells was manually scored (combined positivity score (CPS)). T cells, T helper cells, cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), and regulatory T cells were detected in > 90% of PeCa and B cells in 88%, plasma cells in 85%, and NK cells in 23%. Approximately 50% of the PeCa samples were PD-L1 positive. In the univariate survival analysis, high PD-L1 CPS, plasma cells, CTLs, and B cells were significantly associated with favorable overall survival (OS), and the latter two with adverse recurrence-free survival. In multivariate analysis, plasma cells remained a significant factor for favorable OS (p = 0.04). In this study, the immune cells in the TME, especially plasma cells, were favorably associated with patient survival compared to other established prognostic factors in PeCa. Contemporarily, plasma cells have been discussed in the light of contributing to responses to modern immunotherapies. The results of this study support this notion.
Home-use agents in the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity: clinical effectiveness evaluation with different measurement methods
Authors: Ayan Gizem , Mіsіllі Tuğba , Buldur Mehmet 
Published: January 2025

Abstract

Objectives
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of home-use desensitizing agents over an 8-week period by comparing them using different measurement methods.

Methods
A randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted with 180 individuals aged between 18 and 70 who clinically diagnosed dentin hypersensitivity (DH) in two or more non-adjacent teeth. Subjects who met the inclusion criteria (n = 164) were randomly allocated into five test groups—using Casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP), Arginine, Novamin, Propolis, and Potassium nitrate—and a control group using standard fluoride toothpaste. The status of DH was assessed at week 4 and week 8 by the same independent examiner. Changes from baseline in Dentine Hypersensitivity Experience Questionnaire-15 (DHEQ-15), Schiff Sensitivity Scale (SSS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were analysed using ANOVA and Kruskall-Wallis tests.

Results
All test groups showed statistically significant improvements in DH at weeks 4 and 8 compared to baseline in the DHEQ-15, VAS, and SSS assessments (p < 0.005). In the control group, significant improvements were observed only in the VAS and SSS measurements from baseline to weeks 8 (p < 0.005). The CPP-ACP group demonstrated the greatest reduction in scores by the end of week 8 compared to baseline, with DHEQ-15 (56.68 ± 17.87), VAS (6.52 ± 1.48), and SSS (2.32 ± 0.56).

Conclusions
Among the tested agents, the CPP-ACP group demonstrated the most notable reduction in DH symptoms by week 8, highlighting its potential as an effective method for alleviating DH symptoms in a home-use agents.

Clinical relevance
Home-use desensitizing agents are effective in the treatment of DH, improving the daily activities of patients who cannot access clinical care and ensuring the relief of DH before clinical invasive procedures.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06216262.
Bacteria-Produced Algicide for Field Control of Toxic Dinoflagellates Does Not Cause a Cortisol Stress Response in Two Estuarine Fish Species
Authors: Simons Victoria E. , Targett Timothy E. , Gaffney Patrick M. , Coyne Kathryn J. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Application of algicides produced by naturally occurring bacteria is considered an environmentally friendly approach to control harmful algal blooms. However, few studies assess the effects of bacterial algicides on non-target species, either independently or with other stressors. Here, we measured sub-lethal effects of dinoflagellate-specific algicide IRI-160AA on the estuarine fish Fundulus heteroclitus and Menidia menidia in laboratory experiments. Plasma cortisol levels were measured to test whether a neuroendocrine stress response was induced in these fish following exposure to the algicide alone, and in combination with diel-cycling hypoxia and/or pH, at 25 and 30 °C. Results show that exposure to IRI-160AA does not significantly affect cortisol levels in either species, at either temperature tested, whether exposure occurs independently or with co-occurring hypoxia and/or pH cycles as potential multiple stressors. These results support the application of IRI-160AA as an environmentally friendly approach to control harmful algal blooms in estuarine environments.
Artificial dural regeneration matrix as a substitute for autologous tissue in indirect bypass in Moyamoya disease: Investigation of a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion
Authors: Kameno Koki , Kaku Yasuyuki , Ohmori Yuki , Takemoto Yushin , Uekawa Ken , Mukasa Akitake 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Indirect bypass using autologous tissue is effective in Moyamoya disease, especially among pediatric patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of indirect bypass using DuraGen (absorbable artificial dura mater composed of collagen matrix), as a substitute for autologous tissue in a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Male Wistar rats were subjected to bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion and divided into three groups: a control group without bypass surgery, a group wherein indirect bypass was performed using the temporalis muscle (encephalo-myo-synangiosis [EMS] group), and a group wherein DuraGen was used (Dura group). The ratio of the number of vascular endothelial cells, detected by antibodies to CD31 and glucose transporter type 1 (Glut-1), on the operative side to that on the non-operative side was measured and compared between the three groups. The ratio of CD31-positive cells was 1.50 ± 0.13 and 1.92 ± 0.29 in the EMS and Dura groups, respectively, and that of Glut-1-positive cells was 1.32 ± 0.10 and 1.53 ± 0.18 in the EMS and Dura groups, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the ratio of vascular endothelial cells on the bypass side between the EMS and Dura groups. Indirect bypass with DuraGen resulted in an increased ratio of vascular endothelial cells, equivalent to that of an indirect bypass with the temporalis muscle in a rat model. Thus, in an actual indirect bypass for patients with Moyamoya disease, the use of DuraGen may produce the same angiogenesis as using autologous tissue.
A meta-heuristic approach to estimate and explain classifier uncertainty
Authors: Houston Andrew , Cosma Georgina 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Trust is a crucial factor affecting the adoption of machine learning (ML) models. Qualitative studies have revealed that end-users, particularly in the medical domain, need models that can express their uncertainty in decision-making allowing users to know when to ignore the model’s recommendations. However, existing approaches for quantifying decision-making uncertainty are not model-agnostic, or they rely on complex mathematical derivations that are not easily understood by laypersons or end-users, making them less useful for explaining the model’s decision-making process. This work proposes a set of class-independent meta-heuristics that can characterise the complexity of an instance in terms of factors that are mutually relevant to both human and ML decision-making. The measures are integrated into a meta-learning framework that estimates the risk of misclassification. The proposed framework outperformed predicted probabilities and entropy-based methods of identifying instances at risk of being misclassified. Furthermore, the proposed approach resulted in uncertainty estimates that proves more independent of model accuracy and calibration than existing approaches. The proposed measures and framework demonstrate promise for improving model development for more complex instances and provides a new means of model abstention and explanation.
Cohabitation and Mortality Across the Life Course: A Longitudinal Cohort Study with Swedish Register-Based Sibling Comparisons
Authors: Lindmarker Jesper , Kolk Martin , Drefahl Sven 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Research has shown that married individuals live longer lives than unmarried women and men. A smaller number of studies have included non-marital cohabitation and have found that their mortality falls between the married and other unmarried groups. There are indications that the cohabiting population is diverse in terms of mortality risk, yet very little is known about how the association is related to age and stages of the life course. Sweden is a forerunner in family trends, and this is the first study that examines cohabitation and mortality in a Swedish context. Using Swedish register data for the years 2012–2017, we investigated how different partnership statuses are related to mortality for men and women at different ages (N = 5,572,011). We also examine whether the association between cohabitation and mortality is similar after accounting for family-of-origin effects through the use of a sibling comparison design. Our findings confirmed the notion of cohabiters as a diverse group whose relative mortality risk differs depending on the timing of cohabitation. Never-married cohabiters had a mortality risk similar to married couples at younger ages and a gradually increased risk with age. Divorced and widowed cohabiters exhibited an age gradient in the opposite direction. Future research should consider how the context of cohabitation changes across the life course.
Metabolic skinflint or spendthrift? Insights into ground sloth integument and thermophysiology revealed by biophysical modeling and clumped isotope paleothermometry
Authors: Deak Michael D. , Porter Warren P. , Mathewson Paul D. , Lovelace David M. , Flores Randon J. , Tripati Aradhna K. , Eagle Robert A. , Schwartz Darin M. , Butcher Michael T. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Remains of megatheres have been known since the 18th -century and were among the first megafaunal vertebrates to be studied. While several examples of preserved integument show a thick coverage of fur for smaller ground sloths living in cold climates such as Mylodon and Nothrotheriops, comparatively very little is known about megathere skin. Assuming a typical placental mammal metabolism, it was previously hypothesized that megatheres would have had little-to-no fur as they achieved giant body sizes. Here the “hairless model of integument” is tested using geochemical analyses to estimate body temperature to generate novel models of ground sloth metabolism, fur coverage, and paleoclimate with Niche Mapper software. The simulations assuming metabolic activity akin to those of modern xenarthrans suggest that sparse fur coverage would have resulted in cold stress across most latitudinal ranges inhabited by extinct ground sloths. Specifically, Eremotherium predominantly required dense 10 mm fur with implications for seasonal changes of coat depth in northernmost latitudes and sparse fur in the tropics; Megatherium required dense 30 mm fur year-round in its exclusive range of cooler, drier climates; Mylodon and Nothrotheriops required dense 10–50 mm fur to avoid thermal stress, matching the integument remains of both genera, and further implying the use of behavioral thermoregulation. Moreover, clumped isotope paleothermometry data from the preserved teeth of four genera of ground sloth yielded reconstructed body temperatures lower than those previously reported for large terrestrial mammals (29 ± 2°–32 ± 3° C). This combination of low metabolisms and thick fur allowed ground sloths to inhabit various environments.
Development of Predictive Model of Surgical Case Durations Using Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Park Jung-Bin , Roh Gyun-Ho , Kim Kwangsoo , Kim Hee-Soo 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Optimizing operating room (OR) utilization is critical for enhancing hospital management and operational efficiency. Accurate surgical case duration predictions are essential for achieving this optimization. Our study aimed to refine the accuracy of these predictions beyond traditional estimation methods by developing Random Forest models tailored to specific surgical departments. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset, we applied several machine learning algorithms, including RandomForest, XGBoost, Linear Regression, LightGBM, and CatBoost, and assessed their performance using Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and R-Squared (R2) metrics. Our findings highlighted that Random Forest models excelled in department-specific applications, achieving an MAE of 16.32, an RMSE of 31.19, and an R2 of 0.92, significantly outperforming general models and conventional estimates. This improvement emphasizes the advantage of customizing models to fit the distinct characteristics and data patterns of each department. Additionally, our SHAP-based feature importance analysis identified morning operation timing, ICU ward assignments, operation codes, and surgeon IDs as key factors influencing surgical duration. This suggests that a detailed and nuanced approach to model development can substantially increase prediction accuracy. By providing a more accurate, reliable tool for predicting surgical case durations, our department-specific Random Forest models promise to enhance surgical scheduling, leading to more effective OR management. This approach underscores the importance of leveraging tailored, data-driven models to improve healthcare outcomes and operational efficiency.
Governance Quality and Sustainable Development: Insights from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Africa
Authors: Adebayo Adeyemi , Ackers Barry , Erin Olayinka , Adegboye Alex 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
We examine the effect of governance quality on sustainable development in Africa. We focus on 48 African countries for the period of 2010 to 2022 using the Generalized Method of Moments framework to analyze the data. We measured sustainable development through three key variables: sustainable economic development, sustainable social development and sustainable environmental development. The findings of this study provides a strong evidence that governance quality plays a critical role in promoting sustainable development. Thus, the empirical evidence in this study largely proves a strong and robust link between the governance quality and sustainable development in Africa.
From the ‘Russian idea’ to the ‘Russian World’
Authors: Soboleva Maja 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
The article examines the concept of the ‘Russian idea’ and its transformation into a conservative political ideology for the establishing of the so-called ‘Russian world’ in contemporary Russia. The analysis focuses on three levels of conceptual development of this idea: at the level of political technologies—a state level, at the level of university philosophy, and at the level of militarized so-called Z-philosophy. At the state level, the author argues, this idea represents a specific set of values aimed at creating a state identity of Russians and emphasizing their exclusive position in the modern world. At the level of university philosophy, it turns out to be an ontological concept used to demonstrate the necessary teleological character of the Russian idea. The Russian idea of Z-philosophers appears as a purely ideological construct serving the political establishment and justifying the war against Ukraine. In this connection some ideas of Aleksandr Dugin concerning the concept of the Russian idea are discussed.
The impact of co-housing on murine aging studies
Authors: Luciano Alison , Churchill Gary A. 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Analysis of preclinical lifespan studies often assume that outcome data from co-housed animals are independent. In practice, treatments, such as controlled feeding or putative life-extending compounds, are applied to whole housing units, and as a result, the outcomes are potentially correlated within housing units. We consider intra-class (here, intra-cage) correlation in three published and two unpublished lifespan studies of aged mice encompassing more than 20,000 observations. We show that the independence assumption underlying common analytic techniques does not hold in these data, particularly for traits associated with frailty. We describe and demonstrate various analytical tools available to accommodate this study design and highlight a limitation of standard variance components models (i.e., linear mixed models) which are the usual statistical tools for handling correlated errors. Through simulations, we examine the statistical biases resulting from intra-cage correlations with similar magnitudes as observed in these case studies and discuss implications for power and reproducibility.
Two new species of ectoparasitic microfungi within the Hesperomyces virescens complex from Algeria, Italy, and Malaysia
Authors: Van Caenegem Warre , Merzoug Aicha , Ceryngier Piotr , Biranvand Amir , Boualem Malika , Musa Nadia Nisha , Verbeken Annemieke , Yaakop Salmah , Haelewaters Danny 
Published: January 2025

Abstract
Arthropods are hosts to a variety of parasitic fungi, including those within the order of Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniomycetes). Species in the genus Hesperomyces are specialized in growing on ladybirds (Coccinellidae). Recent studies have uncovered multiple cryptic species within the Hesperomyces virescens species complex. They found that these species are segregated not only by host, but also by a geographic component. Here, we describe two new species in this species complex, based on morphological, molecular phylogenetic, ecological, and geographical evidence: Hesperomyces chilocori-bipustulati sp. nov. on Chilocorus bipustulatus from the Mediterranean region, and He. coccinellae-transversalis sp. nov. on Coccinella transversalis from Peninsular Malaysia. Hesperomyces chilocori-bipustulati is the second species known to associate with a representative of the genus Chilocorus, after He. virescens sensu stricto which was described from Ch. stigma from the USA. The findings of this paper contribute to our understanding of the diversity, host specificity, and biogeographical distribution within the Hesperomyces virescens species complex and highlight the need for further integrative taxonomy approaches in Laboulbeniales.