bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic antireflux surgery or PPIs in the management of reflux-related esophageal stricture
Authors: Li Zhi-tong , Kong Xiang-lin , Zhang Rui , Yao Jian-ning , Li Chun-xia , Han Xin-wei , Wang Zhong-gao , Liu Kang-dong , Ji Feng 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is often associated with esophageal stricture, particularly benign esophageal stricture. We aimed to evaluate the effects of balloon catheter dilation (BD) combined with laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) surgery and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in patients with reflux-induced esophageal strictures.

Methods
We retrospectively analyzed 116 patients with reflux-induced benign esophageal strictures who underwent balloon dilatation therapy combined with PPIs (BD-PPIs group, n = 58) and balloon dilatation combined with LF (BD-LF group, n = 58). Patients were followed up for 24 months. The outcomes of the patients were monitored, including clinical success, symptom improvement, adverse events, and the frequency of esophagitis.

Results
At the latest follow-up, the rate of clinical success was higher in BD-LF group than in BD-PPIs group (80.4% vs. 57.7%, P = 0.011). The patients in the BD-PPIs group required more dilation sessions to achieve successful dilation, as compared to those in the BD-LF group (2.1 ± 1.2 vs. 0.7 ± 0.8, P < 0.001). The DeMeester score, number of reflux episodes for which pH was < 4, and lower esophageal sphincter pressure were significantly better in the BD-LF group than in the BD-PPIs group (all P < 0.001). The incidence of reflux esophagitis was higher in the BD-PPIs group than in the BD-LF group, at 24 months (58.8% vs. 18.2%, P = 0.003).

Conclusions
Balloon dilatation with concomitant LF is effective and safe for esophageal stricture secondary to GERD. Moreover, antireflux surgery techniques, such as Nissen or Toupet procedure, should be added for reflux-induced benign esophageal stricture.
Primary hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy: experience of a tertiary centre
Authors: Arshad Muhammad Fahad , Arambewela Maulee Hiromi , Bennet William M. , Sterrenburg Monique , Balasubramanian Saba P. 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background and purpose
The management of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) during pregnancy is challenging and there is no clear consensus on whether it increases the risk of complications in pregnancy. We conducted this study to review the maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant women treated for PHPT in a single centre.

Methods
Data on relevant clinical parameters, demographics, management strategies, maternal and fetal outcomes were collected from the medical records of pregnant patients with PHPT diagnosed between 2012 and 2019.

Results
Of 15 pregnant women with PHPT, 6 were managed medically and 9 underwent surgery. The median age at their index pregnancy was 28 years [range 19–42]. The median highest adjusted calcium level in the medical group was 2.90 [range 2.61–3.25] mmol/L vs. 3.11 [2.78–4.95] mmol/L in the surgical group. There was one miscarriage and the stillbirth of twins in the medical group, but no such outcomes in the surgical group. The median gestational ages were 39 + 3 weeks [range 24 + 2–41 + 2 weeks] and 39 + 4 weeks [range 37 + 1–39 + 5 weeks] in the medical and surgical groups, respectively. No birth was complicated by neonatal tetany or convulsions.

Conclusion
More complications developed in the pregnant PHPT patients who were managed medically than in those who underwent surgery. Surgery performed during the second trimester resulted in good outcomes. Multi-centre prospective studies are required to ascertain the risk of various complications in women with PHPT during pregnancy.
Early symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 1–8 year old children with sex chromosome trisomies (XXX, XXY, XYY), and the predictive value of joint attention
Authors: Bouw Nienke , Swaab Hanna , Tartaglia Nicole , Wilson Rebecca L. , Van der velde Kim , van Rijn Sophie 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe objective of the present study is to investigate the impact of Sex Chromosome Trisomy (SCT; XXX, XXY, XYY) on the early appearance of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptoms, and the predictive value of Joint Attention for symptoms of ASD. SCTs are specific genetic conditions that may serve as naturalistic ‘at risk’ models of neurodevelopment, as they are associated with increased risk for neurobehavioral vulnerabilities. A group of 82 children with SCT (aged 1–8 years) was included at baseline of this longitudinal study. Joint Attention was measured at baseline with structured behavior observations according to the Early Social Communication Scales. ASD symptoms were assessed with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers questionnaire and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised in a 1-year follow-up. Recruitment and assessment took place in the Netherlands and in the United States. The results demonstrate that ASD symptoms were substantially higher in children with SCT compared to the general population, with 22% of our cohort at clinical risk for ASD, especially in the domain of social interaction and communication. Second, a predictive value of Joint Attention was found for ASD symptoms at 1-year follow-up. In this cohort, no differences were found between karyotype-subtypes. In conclusion, from a very early age, SCT can be associated with an increased risk for vulnerabilities in adaptive social functioning. These findings show a neurodevelopmental impact of the extra X or Y chromosome on social adaptive development associated with risk for ASD already from early childhood onward. These findings advocate for close monitoring and early (preventive) support, aimed to optimize social development of young children with SCT.
Promoting gender equality across the sustainable development goals
Authors: Leal Filho Walter , Kovaleva Marina , Tsani Stella , Țîrcă Diana-Mihaela , Shiel Chris , Dinis Maria Alzira Pimenta , Nicolau Melanie , Sima Mihaela , Fritzen Barbara , Lange Salvia Amanda , Minhas Aprajita , Kozlova Valerija , Doni Federica , Spiteri Jane , Gupta Tanushka , Wakunuma Kutoma , Sharma Mohit , Barbir Jelena , Shulla Kalterina , Bhandari Medani P. , Tripathi Shiv 
Published: September 2022

AbstractGender issues, and gender equality in particular, can be regarded as cross-cutting issues in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), even though it is unclear how they are taken into account. This study addresses this information gap by performing an assessment of the emphasis on gender issues across all the other 16 SDGs, in addition to SDG5, through a literature review and case study analysis, the basis for the newly developed framework, highlighting specific actions associated to each SDG. The 13 countries addressed in the 16 case studies include China, India, or Australia and illustrate the inclusion of SDG5 into the SDGs. Using an SDG matrix, the SDG targets are analysed. Those where an emphasis on gender equality is important in allowing them to be achieved are listed. The novelty of our approach resides in offering an in-depth analysis of how gender issues interact with the other SDGs, proposing a new analysis framework clearly identifying SDGs 1, 4, 11, 12, 14 and 16 demanding further attention for successful SD gender implementation and illustrating specific areas where further actions may be necessary, which may be used by policy-makers, raising further awareness on gender equality contribution to achieve the SDGs. A set of recommendations aimed at placing gender matters more centrally in the SDGs delivery are presented as a final contribution. These focus on the need for greater awareness and attention to good practices, to achieve successful implementation initiatives.
Exploiting semantic segmentation to boost reinforcement learning in video game environments
Authors: Montalvo Javier , García-Martín Álvaro , Bescós Jesús 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIn this work we explore enhancing performance of reinforcement learning algorithms in video game environments by feeding it better, more relevant data. For this purpose, we use semantic segmentation to transform the images that would be used as input for the reinforcement learning algorithm from their original domain to a simplified semantic domain with just silhouettes and class labels instead of textures and colors, and then we train the reinforcement learning algorithm with these simplified images. We have conducted different experiments to study multiple aspects: feasibility of our proposal, and potential benefits to model generalization and transfer learning. Experiments have been performed with the Super Mario Bros video game as the testing environment. Our results show multiple advantages for this method. First, it proves that using semantic segmentation enables reaching higher performance than the baseline reinforcement learning algorithm without modifying the actual algorithm, and in fewer episodes; second, it shows noticeable performance improvements when training on multiple levels at the same time; and finally, it allows to apply transfer learning for models trained on visually different environments. We conclude that using semantic segmentation can certainly help reinforcement learning algorithms that work with visual data, by refining it. Our results also suggest that other computer vision techniques may also be beneficial for data prepossessing. Models and code will be available on github upon acceptance.
On Being a Realist about Migration
Authors: Kreutz Adrian 
Published: September 2022

AbstractDoes political realism have anything to contribute to the debates about migration in normative political theory? Anything well-established ‘moralist’ theories do not already acknowledge, that is? Addressing Jaggar’s (Aristotelian Soc Suppl Vol. XCIV, pp. 87–113, 2020) and Finlayson’s (Aristotelian Soc Suppl Vol. XCIV, pp. 115–139, 2020) critical intercessions into contemporary discourse about migration I argue that a political realist approach to the theory of migration faces what I call the ‘surplus challenge’: realists supposedly have no normative surplus over (liberal) cosmopolitan and nationalist moralist approaches. This nothing-more-to-add narrative is a common argument against the possibility and integrity of political realism (as seen in, inter alia, Leader-Maynard and Worsnip in Ethics 128(4), pp. 756–787, 2018). I show how it misconstrues the realist agenda. Finlayson, on the other hand, paints the realist intervention as primarily about paying closer attention to colonialism’s long legacy. A properly radical intrusion, however, addresses the unchecked and unwarranted, overbearing normative power of moral principles. I will conclude that for the realist, shaking up the discipline will not come as easy as pointing at some overly historicised facts. However, and despite this, the realist intervention rightly problematises contemporary philosophy of migration for its moral normativism. A radical realist approach to issues of migration, which unmasks the unjustified ‘microphysics’ political power hiding behind normative veneers, is a properly cataclysmic intrusion and the right way forward.
Carbon and energy intensity of the USA and Germany. A LMDI decomposition approach and decoupling analysis
Authors: Koilakou Eleni , Hatzigeorgiou Emmanouil , Bithas Kostas 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe present study investigates the driving factors leading energy and carbon intensity of the economies of the USA and Germany, being two economies with different structures and dependencies on energy while they are among the world’s economic and geopolitical leading players. Both decoupling and decomposition analysis (overall and sectoral) are applied to identify and rank factors defining carbon and energy intensity during the period from 2000 to 2017, with the so-called financial crisis being within this period. The decoupling analysis denotes that these advanced economies have reached a weak decoupling status, while decomposition analysis confirms the leading role of energy intensity in CO2 emissions, followed by the income (positive contribution) and the energy mix emerge as important factors with population (positive contribution) trend to be an additional factor only in the USA.
Can Essentiality of Origin Save Meritocracy From The Luck Objection?
Authors: Napoletano Toby 
Published: September 2022

AbstractRawls famously argued against meritocratic conceptions of distributive justice on the grounds that the accumulation of merit is an unavoidably lucky process, both because of differences in early environment, and innate talents. Thomas Mulligan (2018a) has recently provided a novel defense of meritocracy against the “luck objection”, arguing that both sources of luck would be mostly eliminated in a meritocracy. While a system of fair equality of opportunity ensures that differences in social class or early environment do not lead to differences in the accumulation of merit, Kripke’s essentiality of origin thesis means that our genetic endowments, and thus our innate talents, could not have been any other way. But if we could not fail to have our innate talents, Mulligan argues, then it is not a matter of luck that we have them, and so the merits we accumulate on their basis are not so luck-dependent. This paper argues that Mulligan’s appeal to the essentiality of origin thesis fails to rescue meritocratic conceptions of distributive justice from the luck objection for two reasons. First, even granting essentiality of origin and fair equality of opportunity, the contingencies of the market and the social environment mean that having some innate talents is far luckier than having others. And second, the appeal to essentiality of origin misses the underlying motivation for the luck objection, and ignores the intimate connection between desert and responsibility.
A Categorization of Workplace Learning Goals for Multi-Stakeholder Recommender Systems: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hemmler Yvonne M. , Rasch Julian , Ifenthaler Dirk 
Published: September 2022

AbstractEducational recommender systems offer benefits for workplace learning by tailoring the selection of learning activities to the individual’s learning goals. However, existing systems focus on the learner as the primary stakeholder of learning processes and do not consider the organization’s perspective. We conducted a systematic review to develop a categorization of workplace learning goals for multi-stakeholder recommender systems. Out of an initial set of 13,198 publications exported from databases, a final sample of 34 key publications was identified, according to predefined inclusion criteria. Content analysis and reflective exchange were deployed to synthesize workplace learning goals investigated in the key publications. We identified five categories of workplace learning goals that can be arranged along a dimension from intrinsic (goals set exclusively by the learner) to external (goals set exclusively by the organization). Our categorization provides a common language for multi-stakeholder recommender systems incorporating both the learner’s and the organization’s perspectives.
Tool wear when using natural rocks as cutting material for the turning of aluminum alloys and plastics
Authors: Breidenstein Bernd , Denkena Berend , Bergmann Benjamin , Picker Tobias , Wolters Philipp 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe growing challenges regarding climate-neutral and resource-saving manufacturing technology is forcing research and development to work out new cutting tool alternatives since the production of conventional cutting materials requires rare raw materials and huge amounts of energy. Natural rocks could be such an alternative since they are available in large quantities worldwide, have a potentially suitable property profile, and do not require energy-intensive processes to make them usable as cutting material. However, according to the current state of knowledge, there are only a few studies on the usability and suitability of natural rocks as cutting materials for machining processes. Therefore, in this article, inserts made of natural rocks are ground and used in turning operations. Their operational behavior is then described by the occurring tool wear and workpiece surface roughness. The influence of different natural rocks, process parameters as well as cutting edge microgeometries is compared after the machining of aluminum alloys and plastic. In the end, this made it possible to define process and tool properties in which natural rocks have application potential.
Correlation Between Tumor Response and Survival Outcomes in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer Receiving Ramucirumab and Paclitaxel as Second-Line Therapy
Authors: Roviello Giandomenico , Martina Catalano , Winchler Costanza , De Gennaro Aquino Irene , Papa Francesca , Buttitta Eleonora , Rossi Gemma , Antonuzzo Lorenzo 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The first-line treatment for GC is a combination of platinum and fluoropyrimidine-based therapy. Based on the positive results of RAINBOW and REGARD trials, ramucirumab either alone or in combination with paclitaxel has proved to be a safe and active option for second-line treatment in GC patients.

Material and methods
Advanced GC patients who received a 28-day cycles of ramucirumab and paclitaxel until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity were evaluated. Eligible patients had ECOG PS ≤ 1 and adequate organ function. Baseline characteristics were assessed for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used for survival analyses.

Results
In our single institution experience, we included a total of 67 patients. A median OS of 8 months and a median PFS of 4 months, were recorded. In patients experiencing an initial partial response (PR), we observed a significant association between tumor response and survival outcomes (OS and PFS). The OS and PFS were 15 and 11 months in patients who experienced PR compared to 8 and 4 months in patients without PR (p = 0.02; p = 0.04).

Conclusion
Treatment with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel yielded the highest overall response rate reported to date for patients with previously treated advanced GC. In our experience, the initial tumor response is associated with a greater survival benefit which could be further improved by the identification of biomarkers predicting response.
Zandelisib (ME-401) in Japanese patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: an open-label, multicenter, dose-escalation phase 1 study
Authors: Goto Hideki , Izutsu Koji , Ennishi Daisuke , Mishima Yuko , Makita Shinichi , Kato Koji , Hanaya Miyoko , Hirano Satoshi , Narushima Kazuya , Teshima Takanori , Nagai Hirokazu , Ishizawa Kenichi 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase δ inhibitor zandelisib demonstrated favorable safety and efficacy [objective response rate (ORR) 79%] in patients with B-cell malignancies in a phase 1b study in the US and Switzerland. In this phase 1 dose-escalation study (NCT03985189), 9 Japanese patients with relapsed/refractory indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (R/R iNHL) received zandelisib on a continuous daily schedule (45 or 60 mg) until progressive disease/unacceptable toxicity. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. The maximum tolerated dose was not reached. At a median follow-up of 17.5 months, Grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred in 2 or more patients were neutrophil count decreased (55.6%; 5/9) and diarrhea (33.3%; 3/9). Immune-related toxicities, including hepatobiliary disorder, aspartate/alanine aminotransferase increased, diarrhea/colitis, organizing pneumonia, stomatitis, and rash, led to zandelisib discontinuation in 4 patients. The investigator-assessed ORR, based on modified Lugano criteria, was 100%, including 2 complete responses (22.2%; in follicular lymphoma patients receiving 60 mg/day). Median duration of response, progression-free survival, and time to response were 7.9, 11.1, and 1.9 months, respectively. Zandelisib demonstrated a manageable safety profile at 60 mg, the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) in Japanese patients. The RP2D resulted in favorable pharmacokinetics and anti-tumor efficacy in Japanese patients with R/R iNHL.Trial registration. NCT03985189 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
D2TS: a dual diversity tree selection approach to pruning of random forests
Authors: Ragab Hassen Hani , Alabdeen Yassin Zain , Gaber Mohamed Medhat , Sharma Megha 
Published: September 2022

AbstractRandom Forest is one of the most effective classification techniques. It is an ensemble technique with typically decision trees as its classifiers. Each tree votes for an outcome when a new instance is being classified, and a majority vote is taken to decide the final output. Two main factors play an essential role in Random Forests performance, namely diversity among trees in the forest and their number. Higher diversity increases prediction accuracy, whereas lower numbers of trees result in faster predictions. This paper aims at optimizing these two factors by using clustering analysis of trees in order to prune correlated trees while keeping outlier trees to maintain diversity. We group the trees into clusters and only take a number of representatives from each cluster while also keeping some or all of the outliers to preserve diversity. The resulting subset of trees will constitute a random forest of a reduced size. We will use the Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm for clustering. DBSCAN is one of the most commonly used clustering techniques and is immune to outliers. We will use DBSCAN to (i) group trees in clusters based on their prediction behaviour and (ii) identify outliers. Each of the clustered and outlier trees bring an element of diversity into the pruned random forest, thus giving our approach its dual diversity aspect. Our approach achieved up to a 99% pruning level while resulting in similar, or even better, accuracy compared to the original forests for 19 public datasets with varying properties. Our source code is publicly available on GitHub.