bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Muscle MRI characteristic pattern for late-onset TK2 deficiency diagnosis
Authors: Domínguez-González Cristina , Fernández-Torrón Roberto , Moore Ursula , de Fuenmayor-Fernández de la Hoz Carlos Pablo , Vélez-Gómez Beatriz , Cabezas Juan Antonio , Alonso-Pérez Jorge , González-Mera Laura , Olivé Montse , García-García Jorge , Moris Germán , León Hernández Juan Carlos , Muelas Nuria , Servian-Morilla Emilia , Martin Miguel A. , Díaz-Manera Jordi , Paradas Carmen 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background and objective
TK2 deficiency (TK2d) is a rare mitochondrial disorder that manifests predominantly as a progressive myopathy with a broad spectrum of severity and age of onset. The rate of progression is variable, and the prognosis is poor due to early and severe respiratory involvement. Early and accurate diagnosis is particularly important since a specific treatment is under development. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of lower limb muscle MRI in adult patients with TK2d.

Methods
We studied a cohort of 45 genetically confirmed patients with mitochondrial myopathy (16 with mutations in TK2, 9 with mutations in other nuclear genes involved in mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA] synthesis or maintenance, 10 with single mtDNA deletions, and 10 with point mtDNA mutations) to analyze the imaging pattern of fat replacement in lower limb muscles. We compared the identified pattern in patients with TK2d with the MRI pattern of other non-mitochondrial genetic myopathies that share similar clinical characteristics.

Results
We found a consistent lower limb muscle MRI pattern in patients with TK2d characterized by involvement of the gluteus maximus, gastrocnemius medialis, and sartorius muscles. The identified pattern in TK2 patients differs from the known radiological involvement of other resembling muscle dystrophies that share clinical features.

Conclusions
By analyzing the largest cohort of muscle MRI from patients with mitochondrial myopathies studied to date, we identified a characteristic and specific radiological pattern of muscle involvement in patients with TK2d that could be useful to speed up its diagnosis.
The Impact of Sparse Coding on Memory Lifetimes in Simple and Complex Models of Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Elliott Terry 
Published: March 2022

AbstractModels of associative memory with discrete state synapses learn new memories by forgetting old ones. In the simplest models, memories are forgotten exponentially quickly. Sparse population coding ameliorates this problem, as do complex models of synaptic plasticity that posit internal synaptic states, giving rise to synaptic metaplasticity. We examine memory lifetimes in both simple and complex models of synaptic plasticity with sparse coding. We consider our own integrative, filter-based model of synaptic plasticity, and examine the cascade and serial synapse models for comparison. We explore memory lifetimes at both the single-neuron and the population level, allowing for spontaneous activity. Memory lifetimes are defined using either a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) approach or a first passage time (FPT) method, although we use the latter only for simple models at the single-neuron level. All studied models exhibit a decrease in the optimal single-neuron SNR memory lifetime, optimised with respect to sparseness, as the probability of synaptic updates decreases or, equivalently, as synaptic complexity increases. This holds regardless of spontaneous activity levels. In contrast, at the population level, even a low but nonzero level of spontaneous activity is critical in facilitating an increase in optimal SNR memory lifetimes with increasing synaptic complexity, but only in filter and serial models. However, SNR memory lifetimes are valid only in an asymptotic regime in which a mean field approximation is valid. By considering FPT memory lifetimes, we find that this asymptotic regime is not satisfied for very sparse coding, violating the conditions for the optimisation of single-perceptron SNR memory lifetimes with respect to sparseness. Similar violations are also expected for complex models of synaptic plasticity.
Learning by doing: an observational study of the learning curve for ultrasonic fundus-first dissection in elective cholecystectomy
Authors: Blohm My , Sandblom Gabriel , Enochsson Lars , Cengiz Yücel , Austrums Edmunds , Abdon Elisabeth , Hennings Joakim , Hedberg Mats , Gustafsson Ulf , Diaz-Pannes Angelica , Österberg Johanna 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Surgical safety and patient-related outcomes are important considerations when introducing new surgical techniques. Studies about the learning curves for different surgical procedures are sparse. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the learning curve for ultrasonic fundus-first (FF) dissection in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).

Methods
The study was conducted at eight hospitals in Sweden between 2017 and 2019. The primary endpoint was dissection time, with secondary endpoints being intra- and postoperative complication rates and the surgeon’s self-assessed performance level. Participating surgeons (n = 16) were residents or specialists who performed LC individually but who had no previous experience in ultrasonic FF dissection. Each surgeon performed fifteen procedures. Video recordings from five of the procedures were analysed by two external surgeons. Patient characteristics and data on complications were retrieved from the Swedish Registry of Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks).

Results
Dissection time decreased as experience increased (p = 0.001). Surgeons with limited experience showed more rapid progress. The overall complication rate was 14 (5.8%), including 3 (1.3%) potentially technique-related complications. Video assessment scores showed no correlation with the number of procedures performed. The self-assessed performance level was rated lower when the operation was more complicated (p < 0.001).

Conclusions
Our results show that dissection time decreased with increasing experience. Most surgeons identified both favourable and unfavourable aspects of the ultrasonic FF technique. The ultrasonic device is considered well suited for gallbladder surgery, but most participating surgeons preferred to dissect the gallbladder the traditional way, beginning in the triangle of Calot. Nevertheless, LC with ultrasonic FF dissection can be considered easy to learn with a low complication rate during the initial learning curve, for both residents and specialists.
CovaDel: a blockchain-enabled secure and QoS-aware drone delivery framework for COVID-like pandemics
Authors: Singh Maninderpal , Aujla Gagangeet Singh , Bali Rasmeet Singh , Batth Ranbir Singh , Singh Amritpal , Vashisht Sahil , Jindal Anish 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWith increase in the use of contactless deliveries during the times such as COVID-19 pandemic, the emphasis was to minimize the human presence to reduce the spread of virus. In this regard, drones are one promising alternative to be used as delivery agents. However, security and Quality of Service (QoS) are major concerns while making use of drones for deliveries. In order to secure the drone communication system, we propose, CovaDel: a blockchain-based scheme to secure data transactions for the drone delivery use case that works in a phased manner. The proposed scheme make use of decoupled blockchain architecture to overcome the limited resources capabilities of drones to perform blockchain-based computations. Further, to ensure the QoS adherence, we also propose a QoS-aware communication approach that handles collisions and congestion on the basis of firefly algorithm’s attractiveness parameter (light intensity) received by the drones. Results obtained using a simulated environment verify the efficacy of the proposed scheme on the basis of gas consumed, transaction time, average network throughput, and delay.
Simulation of mid-air images using combination of physically based rendering and image processing
Authors: Hoshi Ayami , Kiuchi Shunji , Koizumi Naoya 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAlthough it is beneficial to use an optical simulator to design a mid-air imaging system, the use of a simulator requires optical knowledge, and it cannot be handled by non-specialists. To create a design assistance system that can be used by non-specialists, we demonstrate three methods: a method for extracting mid-air images and images of stray light from computer graphics rendered images, a method for calculating the visible range of mid-air images, and an evaluation of design parameters. First, a mid-air image and an image of stray light are extracted by considering the differences of images rendered using different numbers of bounces at each camera position, after which the visible range of the mid-air image is calculated. In addition, other parameters, such as the distance between a micro-mirror array plate (MMAP) and the extracted mid-air image, are adjusted in detail and evaluated by considering the visible range of the obtained mid-air image. Moreover, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the design of the previous research was improved to eliminate images of stray light, and we reduced the size of the existing system. Unlike other conventional approaches, using the visible range of the extracted mid-air images and without the need for a visual check, our proposed method enables the extraction of mid-air images and unwanted light, and the evaluation of optical systems. This technique can be applied to improve the design of optical systems and in the examination of the related applications.
The computation of pairwise stable networks
Authors: Herings P. Jean-Jacques , Zhan Yang 
Published: March 2022

AbstractOne of the most important stability concepts for network formation is pairwise stability. We develop a homotopy algorithm that is effective in computing pairwise stable networks for a generic network formation problem. To do so, we reformulate the concept of pairwise stability as a Nash equilibrium of a non-cooperative game played by the links in the network and adapt the linear tracing procedure for non-cooperative games to the network formation problem. As a by-product of our main result, we obtain that the number of pairwise stable networks is generically odd. We apply the algorithm to the connections model and obtain a number of novel insights.
Middle Pleistocene Steppe Lion Remains from Grotte de la Carrière (Têt Valley, Eastern Pyrenees)
Authors: Prat-Vericat Maria , Marciszak Adrian , Rufí Isaac , Sorbelli Leonardo , Llenas Manel , Lucenti Saverio Bartolini , Madurell-Malapeira Joan 
Published: March 2022

AbstractLate Pleistocene cave lions are one of the most iconic species of Northern Hemisphere Quaternary taphocoenoses. Despite their often-scarce record in cave environments, their ubiquitous distribution across Eurasia and North America assemblages attests to their position as top ice-age predators. Nevertheless, the origins of these former large felids, their distribution during the Middle Pleistocene, and their paleoecology during co-existence with the scimitar-toothed cat Homotherium remain debated. Here we describe for the first time an abundant collection of large-sized and stout felid remains from the recently discovered site of Grotte de la Carrière in Eastern Pyrenees, with an estimated age corresponding to MIS 9. Our results highlight the larger size of Middle Pleistocene lions compared to Late Pleistocene ones as well as a trend of decreasing in size, which has been previously stated by other authors. Grotte de la Carrière steppe lions have similar morphological and biometrical parameters to those of other samples from MIS 11–9, being larger and stouter than younger latest Middle Pleistocene-Late Pleistocene forms and slightly smaller than older MIS 15–12 forms.
Vulnerability assessment based on household views from the Dammar Char in Southeastern Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Edris , Khan Md Sabur , Salam Roquia 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAssessing vulnerability is vital for developing new strategies and improving the existing ones to fulfill contemporary demands toward achieving a disaster-resilient society. Dammar Char is situated in the southeastern (SE) coastal region of Bangladesh that has experienced frequent coastal hazards and disasters throughout the year. The present study has constructed a vulnerability index utilizing the quantitative and qualitative data based on household surveys to evaluate the vulnerability of the people and community of Dammar Char. Data were collected from 180 respondents during November–December 2018. The results demonstrate that, on average, the people living in the studied area have a high vulnerability (value of the vulnerability index 0.7015) to coastal hazards and disasters. The vulnerability level differs from individual to individual based on their gender, educational status, financial capacity, structural strength of houses, perception of the respective hazards and disasters, etc. Females have experienced more vulnerability than their adult male counterparts. The natural vulnerability was higher than socioeconomic and physical vulnerability due to the increase in unpredictable extreme climate-induced coastal events. To combat the adverse impacts of coastal hazards and disasters, the local Dammar Char inhabitants have adopted several adaptation measures. The adapted measures are homestead gardening, working in seasonal day labor, fish drying, rearing sheep, and ducks, constructing plinths for elevating the floor of the house, extensive banana cultivation, and storage of dry foods to reduce their vulnerability.
Neonicotinoid contamination in wildflowers collected from citrus orchards in a northwestern Mediterranean Region (Spain) after tree foliar treatments
Authors: García-Valcárcel Ana Isabel , Campos-Rivela José Miguel , Hernando Guil María Dolores , Martínez-Ferrer María Teresa 
Published: March 2022

AbstractGround-cover vegetation attracts and harbors beneficial insects to the agrosystem, playing an important role in conservation biological control. Integrated pest management (IPM) program guidelines recommend the implantation of sowed or resident wild covers in perennial crops. Given the high-quality fruit requirements, even in IPM programs, insecticides can be required in citrus crops. This study presents, over a year, the levels of neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam and imidacloprid) in not-target ground-cover wildflowers growing spontaneously in citrus orchards after foliar treatment of citrus trees. The presence and persistence of these neonicotinoids in different wildflower species were studied. Concentrations of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in whole wildflowers ranged from < method quantification limit (MQL) to 52.9 ng g−1 and from < MQL to 98.6 ng g−1, respectively. Thiamethoxam was more frequently detected than imidacloprid. Thiamethoxam and imidacloprid were detected up to 336 and 230 days after treatment, respectively. The highest detection frequencies (100%) and highest thiamethoxam and imidacloprid mean concentrations (26.0 ± 7.3 ng g−1 and 11.0 ± 10.6 ng g−1, respectively) occurred in wildflowers collected 9 days after the treatments. Since application, a clear decrease in the concentration of both compounds and differences in the accumulation depending on wildflower species were observed. Cross contamination was detected, indicating a transport from adjacent treated plots. Maintaining a cover crop in citrus orchards may lead to detrimental effects on non-target arthropods if these neonicotinoid compounds are used for pest control since they can entail a chronic exposure during at least 230 days for imidacloprid and 336 days for thiamethoxam.
Unenhanced abdominal low-dose CT reconstructed with deep learning-based image reconstruction: image quality and anatomical structure depiction
Authors: Kaga Tetsuro , Noda Yoshifumi , Mori Takayuki , Kawai Nobuyuki , Miyoshi Toshiharu , Hyodo Fuminori , Kato Hiroki , Matsuo Masayuki 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the utility of deep learning-based image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithm in unenhanced abdominal low-dose CT (LDCT).

Materials and methods
Two patient groups were included in this prospective study: 58 consecutive patients who underwent unenhanced abdominal standard-dose CT reconstructed with hybrid iterative reconstruction (SDCT group) and 48 consecutive patients who underwent unenhanced abdominal LDCT reconstructed with high strength level of DLIR (LDCT group). The background noise and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the liver, pancreas, spleen, kidney, abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, and portal vein were calculated. Two radiologists qualitatively assessed the overall image noise, overall image quality, and abdominal anatomical structures depiction. Quantitative and qualitative parameters and size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) were compared between SDCT and LDCT groups.

Results
The background noise was lower in LDCT group than in SDCT group (P = 0.02). SNRs were higher in LDCT group than in SDCT group (P < 0.001–0.004) except for the liver. Overall image noise was superior in LDCT group than in SDCT group (P < 0.001). Overall image quality was not different between SDCT and LDCT groups (P = 0.25–0.26). Depiction of almost all abdominal anatomical structures was equal to or better in LDCT group than in SDCT group (P < 0.001–0.88). The SSDE was lower in LDCT group (4.0 mGy) than in SDCT group (20.6 mGy) (P < 0.001).

Conclusions
DLIR facilitates substantial radiation dose reduction of > 75% and significantly reduces background noise. DLIR can maintain image quality and anatomical structure depiction in unenhanced abdominal LDCT.
Wann sind wir endlich gut genug?
Authors: Reichel René , Gahleitner Silke Birgitta 
Published: March 2022

ZusammenfassungSelbsterfahrung hat viele Bedeutungen, begrifflich sowie in Bezug auf die jeweiligen Ziele. In der Praxis hat sie sowohl für KlientInnen als auch für Fachkräfte eine große Bedeutung. Sie unterliegt dabei jedoch – ebenso wie die Psychotherapie insgesamt – der Gefahr, ihr kritisches Potenzial zugunsten aktueller gesellschaftlicher Trends in Richtung Selbstoptimierung einzubüßen. Dieser Artikel der Zeitschrift für Psychodrama und Soziometrie versucht, nach einer Begriffsklärung die Chancen und Risiken von Selbsterfahrungsprozessen in der Psychotherapie sowie in Ausbildungsprozessen auszuloten.
Social vulnerability of coastal fish farming community to tidal (Rob) flooding: a case study from Indramayu, Indonesia
Authors: Putiamini Sepanie , Mulyani Mari , Patria Mufti Petala , Soesilo Tri Edhi Budhi , Karsidi Asep 
Published: March 2022

AbstractClimate-related disasters increasingly threaten over one-third of the global population, specifical communities within 100 km of coastal zones. Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago with the second-longest coastline, faces tidal (Rob) flooding from high tides, land subsidence, and sea-level rise. This study assess fish farmers’ vulnerability to Rob flooding in Java’s Indramayu District. Our Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI)’s development involved 150 questionnaires, focus group discussion, and key-informant interviews between 16 and 20 October 2019. It found a high vulnerability, a SoVI score of + 1.76 comprising nine principal components (PCs): external support and government mitigation, local knowledge, income, expenditure, family size, seasonal-expenditure, education, experience, and ethnicity. Contributing to ‘vulnerability’ and ‘resilience’ concepts, it highlights community memory of repeated disasters and its impact on local adaptive capacity. Findings inform policymakers to address the PCs influencing vulnerability, including critically-needed livelihood support and early-warning systems relevant to the country’s 12,000 + coastal-villages and developing countries where over 90% of fishermen live.
Shallow or deep? The impact of orthographic depth on visual processing impairments in developmental dyslexia
Authors: Provazza Serena , Carretti Barbara , Giofrè David , Adams Anne-Marie , Montesano Lorena , Roberts Daniel 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe extent to which impaired visual and phonological mechanisms may contribute to the manifestation of developmental dyslexia across orthographies of varying depth has yet to be fully established. By adopting a cross-linguistic approach, the current study aimed to explore the nature of visual and phonological processing in developmental dyslexic readers of shallow (Italian) and deep (English) orthographies, and specifically the characterisation of visual processing deficits in relation to orthographic depth. To achieve this aim, we administered a battery of non-reading visual and phonological tasks. Developmental dyslexics performed worse than typically developing readers on all visual and phonological tasks. Critically, readers of the shallow orthography were disproportionately impaired on visual processing tasks. Our results suggest that the impaired reading and associated deficits observed in developmental dyslexia are anchored by dual impairments to visual and phonological mechanisms that underpin reading, with the magnitude of the visual deficit varying according to orthographic depth.
Unpacking the Belt and Road Initiative: Does Its Public Diplomacy Narratives Match Its Implementation?
Authors: Jiang Yuan 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a well-acknowledged central economic and diplomatic policy of the Chinese government, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013. This paper intends to discover the relationship between the public diplomacy narratives of the BRI and its implementation. By using content analysis, this paper analyzes Chinese President Xi’s speeches from 2013 to 2020 about the BRI, as well as official statements of the Chinese central government. It identifies the public diplomacy narratives of the BRI: an assemblage of constantly changing policy settings that accommodates various economic and political interests. Also, this paper draws on differences between countries joining the BRI or not, and several case studies to elucidate the implementation of the BRI.Different from repetitive literature that explores either the BRI narratives or its implementation, this paper contributes by combining and comparing the two. Despite positive interpretations of the BRI the Chinese government has adopted, the paper argues that there are no deceptive tricks with skeletons in the closet of the Chinese government, as the BRI public diplomacy narratives are, in general, consistent with its implementation.