bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic performance of additional imaging tests for staging purposes in a bicentric German series of low-risk early breast cancer patients
Authors: Jung Lisa , Huwer Sarah Isabelle , Taran Florin-Andrei , Unger Clara , Müller Carolin , Solomayer Erich-Franz , Juhasz-Böss Ingolf , Neubauer Jakob 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Low-risk early breast cancer rarely leads to the development of metastatic disease, and in these patients, additional imaging test is controversial. The aim of our study was to evaluate the conventional staging procedures in a bicentric German series of low-risk breast carcinoma patients.

Methods
Retrospective evaluation of all patients diagnosed with early, low-risk breast cancer at Saarland University Hospital and Freiburg University Hospital in 2017 was performed. Clinical patient characteristics, the number and type of additional imaging examinations, follow-up examinations, and results were evaluated. The detection rate of metastases and the rate of false-positive findings were analyzed.

Results
A total of 203 patients were included, with all patients received at least one additional imaging test. Initially, a total of 562 additional imaging examinations were performed: 166 chest X-rays, 169 upper abdominal ultrasounds, 199 bone scans, 27 computer tomographies (CT) chest and abdomen, and 1 CT abdomen. 6.8% of patients had abnormal findings reported, requiring 38 additional imaging examinations. One patient (0.5%) was found to have bone metastases. The rate of false-positive findings in the performed additional imaging procedures was 6.6%.

Conclusion
Metastatic disease was detected in one of 203 patients with low-risk early breast cancer. A total of 562 examinations and additional 38 follow-up examinations were performed without detection of metastasis (this corresponds to approximately 3 examinations/patient). The rate of false-positive findings was 6.6%. The performance of additional imaging procedures for detection of distant metastases should be critically reconsidered in patients with low-risk early breast cancer.
Frequency of social burden and underage children in neuro-oncological patients
Authors: Kamp Marcel A. , von Sass Christiane , Januzi Donjetë , Dibué Maxine , Libourius Katharina , Lawson McLean Anna C. , Baumgarten Peter , Lawson McLean Aaron , Dinc Nazife , Senft Christian A. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Objective
Brain tumours can cause significant burden for patients and their families, including physical, psychological, and social challenges. This burden can be particularly difficult for patients with malignant brain tumours and those with underage children. However, the frequency of social burden among neuro-oncological patients and the proportion of patients with underaged children is currently unknown. The aim of this retrospective study is to determine the frequency of social and family dysfunction among neuro-oncological patients, the percentage of such patients who have underage children, and to assess their associated burden.

Methods
During a 22-month period, all brain tumour patients were asked to complete a short questionnaire that included epidemiological data, the EORTC-qlq-C30 and -BN20 questionnaire, and the distress thermometer. Data were collected and analysed using Prism 9 for macOS (version 9, GraphPad Prism).

Results
Our analysis included 881 brain tumour patients, of which 540 were female. Median age was 61 years (ranging from 16 to 88 years). Of all patients, 228 suffered from malignant intracranial tumours. More than half of all patients and more than 65% of patients with malignant tumours reported that their illness or medical treatment interfered with their social activities and family life. Almost 30% of patients reported moderate or severe complaints. About 27% of all patients (and 31% of patients with malignancies) expressed moderate or major concerns that their family life could be disrupted. Among the patients with malignancies, 83.5% of patients had a total of 318 children at the time of tumour diagnosis, with a mean age of 33 ± 0.9. Of these patients with malignancies, 38 (17.9%) had a total of 56 underage children at the time of tumour diagnosis, and currently have 53 underage children. Patients with minor children had more financial worries but less interference of their disease with social activities, less psycho-oncological distress, and a more positive outlook into the future (each, p < 0.0001). They evaluated their general health status and quality of life in the week prior to their current appointment significantly better (each p < 0.0001).

Conclusion
Our study found that 17.9% of patients with malignant brain tumours have underage children. However, having underage children may actually be a positive resource for these patients, as they show lower distress values and better quality of life.
Recovery of Plane Curves from Branch Points
Authors: Agostini Daniele , Markwig Hannah , Nollau Clemens , Schleis Victoria , Sendra-Arranz Javier , Sturmfels Bernd 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWe recover plane curves from their branch points under projection onto a line. Our focus lies on cubics and quartics. These have 6 and 12 branch points respectively. The plane Hurwitz numbers 40 and 120 count the orbits of solutions. We determine the numbers of real solutions, and we present exact algorithms for recovery. Our approach relies on 150 years of beautiful algebraic geometry, from Clebsch to Vakil and beyond.
On Angles in Higher Order Brillouin Tessellations and Related Tilings in the Plane
Authors: Edelsbrunner Herbert , Garber Alexey , Ghafari Mohadese , Heiss Teresa , Saghafian Morteza 
Published: September 2023

AbstractFor a locally finite set in $${{{\mathbb {R}}}}^2$$

R

2

, the order-k Brillouin tessellations form an infinite sequence of convex face-to-face tilings of the plane. If the set is coarsely dense and generic, then the corresponding infinite sequences of minimum and maximum angles are both monotonic in k. As an example, a stationary Poisson point process in $${{{\mathbb {R}}}}^2$$

R

2

is locally finite, coarsely dense, and generic with probability one. For such a set, the distributions of angles in the Voronoi tessellations, Delaunay mosaics, and Brillouin tessellations are independent of the order and can be derived from the formula for angles in order-1 Delaunay mosaics given by Miles (Math. Biosci. 6, 85–127 (1970)).
Minimally invasive third ventriculostomy with stereotactic internal shunt placement for the treatment of tumor-associated noncommunicating hydrocephalus
Authors: Niedermeyer Sebastian , Terpolilli Nicole A. , Nerlinger Pia , Weller Jonathan , Schmutzer Michael , Quach Stefanie , Thon Niklas 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
Intracranial tumors can cause obstructive hydrocephalus (OH). Most often, symptomatic treatment is pursued through ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VS) or endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). In this study, we propose stereotactic third ventriculostomy with internal shunt placement (sTVIP) as an alternative treatment option and assess its safety and efficacy.

Methods
In this single-center, retrospective analysis, clinical symptoms, procedure-related complications, and revision-free survival of all patients with OH due to tumor formations treated by sTVIP between January 2010 and December 2021 were evaluated.

Results
Clinical records of thirty-eight patients (11 female, 27 male) with a mean age of 40 years (range 5–88) were analyzed. OH was predominantly (in 92% of patients) caused by primary brain tumors (with exception of 3 cases with metastases). Following sTVIP, 74.2% of patients experienced symptomatic improvement. Preoperative headache was a significant predictor of postoperative symptomatic improvement (OR 26.25; 95% CI 4.1–521.1; p = 0.0036). Asymptomatic hemorrhage was detected along the stereotactic trajectory in 2 cases (5.3%). One patient required local revision due to CSF fistula (2.6%); another patient had to undergo secondary surgery to connect the catheter to a valve/abdominal catheter due to CSF malabsorption. However, in the remaining 37 patients, shunt independence was maintained during a median follow-up period of 12 months (IQR 3–32 months). No surgery-related mortality was observed.

Conclusions
sTVIP led to a significant symptom control and was associated with low operative morbidity, along with a high rate of ventriculoperitoneal shunt independency during the follow-up period. Therefore, sTVIP constitutes a highly effective and minimally invasive treatment option for tumor-associated obstructive hydrocephalus, even in cases with a narrow prepontine interval.
Discipline identification, identity incompatibility, belonging and their association with deep approaches to learning and academic self-efficacy during COVID-19 in the UK
Authors: Grozev Vladislav H. , Easterbrook Matthew J. , Jessop Donna C. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPrevious research indicates that discipline identification — the level of integration of one’s discipline of study into the self-concept — is associated with deep approaches to learning and academic self-efficacy. However, it is not known whether these relationships would hold in the context of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study investigates this, as well as exploring whether belonging, identity incompatibility, and virtual and in-person time spent with fellow students and with faculty act as potential antecedents of discipline identification. A cross-sectional online survey with n = 385 students in the UK was conducted during the spring term (February–May) of the 2019–2020 academic year, when UK universities were under COVID-19 restrictions. Of those students, n = 109 completed a follow-up survey during the autumn term (September–December) of the 2020–2021 academic year. Due to pandemic-related changes, the two waves of data were analysed separately using path analysis. During the spring term, identity incompatibility and discipline identification were significantly associated with both deep approaches to learning and academic self-efficacy. There were also significant indirect effects of belonging on both deep approaches to learning and academic self-efficacy via discipline identification. During the autumn term, discipline identification was again significantly associated with both academic outcomes. Identity incompatibility was significantly associated with academic self-efficacy. There were also indirect effects of identity incompatibility and belonging on deep approaches to learning via discipline identification. These results add to the literature on the importance of discipline identification and associated social-psychological processes in predicting important higher education outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students’ school success in challenging times: importance of central personal and social resources during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Stang-Rabrig Justine , Vogel Sebastian Nicolas Thomas , Forciniti Marco , McElvany Nele 
Published: September 2023

AbstractStudents’ well-being, learning activities, and learning success are key student outcomes that can be affected by challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it is vital to investigate the role of important personal (resilience, self-efficacy) and social resources (support from family, friends, teachers, important other) for central student outcomes (life satisfaction as a vital aspect of well-being, learning activities, and learning success) alongside perception of the COVID-19 situation. While the pandemic affected all of society, adolescents as a group who face core developmental challenges were especially vulnerable towards being negatively affected by the pandemic. Thus, analyses are based on 220 adolescent students (60.9% female, 37.7% male, 1.4% diverse) in Germany who were 16.21 years old on average (SD = 0.88) at time of data collection in May 2021. Students filled out an online questionnaire on sociodemographics and variables of interest. Path models revealed that perceiving the COVID-19 pandemic as stressful was negatively related to life satisfaction (β = -.27). Furthermore, perceiving the COVID-19 pandemic as stressful was negatively related to students’ self-efficacy (β = -.22) and positively to support from an important other (β = .32). Moreover, several resources were mainly positively related to our central student outcomes (β = .13-.41), and perception of the COVID-19 situation mediated two of those relations. Results underscore the importance of students’ self-efficacy, which was related to all student outcomes. Furthermore, the results and methodological issues can impact further research and practice.
Looking for future biological control agents: the comparative function of the deutosternal groove in mesostigmatid mites
Authors: Bowman Clive E. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe physics of fluid laminar flow through an idealised deutosternum assembly is used for the first time to review predatory feeding designs over 72 different-sized example species from 16 mesostigmatid families in order to inform the finding of new biological control agents. Gnathosomal data are digitised from published sources. Relevant gnathosomal macro- and micro-features are compared and contrasted in detail which may subtly impact the control of channel- or ‘pipe’-based transport of prey liquids around various gnathosomal locations. Relative deutosternal groove width on the mesostigmatid subcapitulum is important but appears unrelated to the closing velocity ratio of the moveable digit. Big mites are adapted for handling large and watery prey. The repeated regular distance between deutosternal transverse ridges (‘Querleisten’) supports the idea of them enabling a regular fluctuating bulging or pulsing droplet-based fluid wave ‘sticking’ and ‘slipping’ along the groove. Phytoseiids are an outlier functional group with a low deutosternal pipe flow per body size designed for slot-like microchannel transport in low volume fluid threads arising from daintily nibbling nearby prey klinorhynchidly. Deutosternal groove denticles are orientated topographically in order to synergise flow and possible mixing of coxal gland-derived droplets and circumcapitular reservoir fluids across the venter of the gnathosomal base back via the hypostome to the prey being masticated by the chelicerae. As well as working with the tritosternum to mechanically clean the deutosternum, denticles may suppress fluid drag. Shallow grooves may support edge-crawling viscous flow. Lateral features may facilitate handling unusual amounts of fluid arising from opportunistic feeding on atypical prey. Various conjectures for confirmatory follow-up are highlighted. Suggestions as to how to triage non-uropodoid species as candidate plant pest control agents are included.
Pectoral muscle removal in mammogram images: A novel approach for improved accuracy and efficiency
Authors: Chen Simin , Bennett Debbie L. , Colditz Graham A. , Jiang Shu 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Accurate pectoral muscle removal is critical in mammographic breast density estimation and many other computer-aided algorithms. We propose a novel approach to remove pectoral muscles form mediolateral oblique (MLO) view mammograms and compare accuracy and computational efficiency with existing method (Libra).

Methods
A pectoral muscle identification pipeline was developed. The image is first binarized to enhance contrast and then the Canny algorithm was applied for edge detection. Robust interpolation is used to smooth out the pectoral muscle region. Accuracy and computational speed of pectoral muscle identification was assessed using 951 women (1,902 MLO mammograms) from the Joanne Knight Breast Health Cohort at Washington University School of Medicine.

Results
Our proposed algorithm exhibits lower mean error of 12.22% in comparison to Libra’s estimated error of 20.44%. This 40% gain in accuracy was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The computational time for the proposed algorithm is 5.4 times faster when compared to Libra (5.1 s for proposed vs. 27.7 s for Libra per mammogram).

Conclusion
We present a novel approach for pectoral muscle removal in mammogram images that demonstrates significant improvement in accuracy and efficiency compared to existing method. Our findings have important implications for the development of computer-aided systems and other automated tools in this field.
Are All Laws of Nature Created Equal? Meta-laws Versus More Necessary Laws
Authors: Hirèche Salim , Linnemann Niels , Michels Robert 
Published: September 2023

AbstractTwo approaches to elevating certain laws of nature over others have come to prominence recently. On the one hand, according to themeta-lawsapproach, there are meta-laws, laws which relate to laws as those laws relate to particular facts. On the other hand, according to themodal, ornon-absolutist, approach, some laws are necessary in a stricter sense than others. Both approaches play an important role in current research, questioning the ‘orthodoxy’ represented by the leading philosophical theories of natural laws—Humeanism, the DTA view, dispositional essentialism and primitivism. This paper clarifies the relations between these two emerging approaches, as well as their applicability to physical laws and the status of the challenges they pose for standard theories of laws of nature. We first argue that, despite some significant similarities between the two approaches (especially in the context of Lange’s counterfactual account of laws), they are in general distinct and largely independent of each other. Then, we argue that the support for meta-laws from physical theory and practice is more questionable than usually presented.
(No) time to engage: an exploratory mixed-method study into factors predicting the engagement of postgraduate research students in Ireland
Authors: Guigui Daniel , Faas Daniel , Darmody Merike , Fhlannchadha Siobhán Nic 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWorldwide, HEIs strive to provide the best possible training for their PGRs, the next generation of researchers. PGRs engagement is crucial for a successful completion of their training, however, research on the experiences of PGRs is limited. Moreover, the number of international PGRs has increased steadily over the last decade, which poses the question whether international PGRs have different engagement levels compared to local PGRs. Therefore, thus study is aimed at filling this research gap by investigating the mechanisms that influence the engagement of these groups of students. The paper focuses on the dimensions of (1) students’ engagement with the supervisor, (2) their engagement within the department, and (3) their cognitive engagement, by taking a mixed-method approach that draws on the Irish PGR StudentSurvey.ie 2019 data and 14 semi-structured interviews conducted with PGRs at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in 2021. The findings indicate that differences in engagement between Irish and international students are mainly influenced by perceived financial security and familiarity with institutional structures and environments, are mediated by their relationship with the supervisor, and ultimately influence the time available for engagement. Therefore, the findings will be relevant to policymakers and HEIs as they offer insights into how challenges for PGR students can be mitigated through supervisor support to encourage higher levels of engagement.
Optimal Parameters for Numerical Solvers of PDEs
Authors: Frasca-Caccia Gianluca , Singh Pranav 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn this paper we introduce a procedure for identifying optimal methods in parametric families of numerical schemes for initial value problems in partial differential equations. The procedure maximizes accuracy by adaptively computing optimal parameters that minimize a defect-based estimate of the local error at each time step. Viable refinements are proposed to reduce the computational overheads involved in the solution of the optimization problem, and to maintain conservation properties of the original methods. We apply the new strategy to recently introduced families of conservative schemes for the Korteweg-de Vries equation and for a nonlinear heat equation. Numerical tests demonstrate the improved efficiency of the new technique in comparison with existing methods.
Nickel hydrazine nitrate/TNT hybrid: toward novel castable energetic nanocomposite with customized performance and decomposition kinetics via novel synergistic effect
Authors: Elbasuney Sherif , Ismael Shukri , Yehia M. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAdvanced energetic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can expose novel characteristics. Highly crystalline nickel hydrazine nitrate (NHN) MOF of 50 nm size was developed via wet coordination. NHN experienced superior decomposition enthalpy of 3100 J g−1 at 222 °C using differential scanning calorimetry. NHN could act as a sensitizer for trinitrotoluene (TNT) and could boost its decomposition enthalpy, detonation velocity, and decomposition kinetics. NHN nanoparticles were effectively integrated into TNT energetic matrix; proper particle dispersion was verified via energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, whereas TNT experienced decomposition enthalpy of 340 J g−1; NHN boosted TNT decomposition enthalpy by 282%, with decrease in main decomposition temperature by 31 °C. NHN/TNT nanocomposite revealed a decrease in TNT activation energy by − 23.5% and − 22% via Kissinger and KAS models, respectively. The synergistic effect of NHN on TNT was ascribed its high decomposition enthalpy, gaseous products. NHN could secure novel catalytic effect on TNT decomposition with increase in detonation velocity by 11%; this was ascribed to the release of active hydrogen that could support CH-α attack with the exclusive formation of nickel nanocatalyst.
The Framing of Diversity Statements in European Universities: The Role of Imprinting and Institutional Legacy
Authors: Philippczyck Nicole , Grundmann Jan , Oertel Simon 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWe analyze the role of institutional founding conditions and institutional legacy for universities’ self-representation in terms of diversity. Based on 374 universities located in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Poland, we can differentiate between a more idealistic understanding (logic of inclusion and equality) and a more market-oriented understanding (market logic) of diversity. Our findings show that the founding phase has no significant effect on the likelihood of a university focusing on a market-oriented understanding of diversity—however, we observe an imprinting effect with respect to the adoption of a diversity statement in general and an equity-oriented statement. Moreover, our findings show that there is a socialistic heritage for universities in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries that is at work and still influences universities’ understandings of diversity today.