bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Digital Reading with Low Vision: Principles for Selecting Display Size
Authors: Xiong Ying-Zi , Atilgan Nilsu , Fletcher Donald C. , Legge Gordon E. 
Published: June 2022

SIGNIFICANCE
Digital reading devices have become increasingly popular among people with low vision. Because displays come in many sizes ranging from smart watches to large desktop computer displays, it is important to have principles to guide people with low vision in selecting suitable displays for reading.

PURPOSE
The selection of effective digital displays for reading by people with low vision focuses attention on the interacting effects of print size, display size, font, visual acuity, and reading distance. This technical report aims to provide principles for identifying the minimum size of digital displays required for fluent reading by people with low vision.

METHODS
We emphasize two critical factors in selecting an appropriate reading display: angular print size, which should exceed the individual's critical print size, and display size, which should allow at least 13 characters to be presented on each line. Our approach considers a low-vision individual's acuity and preferences for viewing distance and fonts.

RESULTS
Through an illustrative example, we demonstrate how our approach can be used to determine display size for a low-vision individual with 20/200 acuity and central field loss who wants to read at 30-cm viewing distance with the Times Roman font. We have developed a web application based on our recommended approach to provide easy access to our algorithm.

CONCLUSIONS
We provide a procedure to guide the selection of appropriate displays for a wide range of acuities. Our approach can help clinicians in making recommendations for their patients, digital product designers in developing more accessible devices, and low-vision individuals in selecting digital displays for reading.
Hormone therapy and fractures in postmenopausal women
Authors: Yin Michael T. , Hoover Donald R. , Shi Qiuhu , Tien Phyllis C. , Cohen Mardge H. , Kassaye Seble , Gustafson Deborah , Adimora Adaora , Weitzmann M. Neale , Bolivar Hector , Warriner Amy , Bares Sara H. , Sharma Anjali 
Published: June 2022

Background:
Fracture rates have been reported to be higher among older women living with HIV (WLWH) than HIV− women. Hormone therapy with estrogen can reduce vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause and prevent fractures. As data are limited on the benefits of hormone therapy use in WLWH, we examined associations of hormone therapy, use and fractures.

Methods:
A prospective study of 1765 (1350 WLWH and 415 HIV−) postmenopausal Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) participants was performed, including self-reported hormone therapy, use and fracture data from 2003 to 2017. Proportional hazard models determined predictors of new fractures at any site or at typical fragility fracture sites (hip, spine, wrist).

Results:
At the first postmenopausal visit, the median (IQR) age of WLWH was slightly younger than HIV− women [49.8 (46.4–53) vs. 50.7 (47.5–54), P = 0.0002] and a smaller proportion of WLWH reported presence of VMS (17% vs. 26%, P < 0.0001). A greater proportion of WLWH than HIV− women reported hormone therapy use (8% vs. 4%, P = 0.007) at the first postmenopausal visit. In multivariate analyses, white race and smoking were significant predictors of incident fracture at any site but hormone therapy (P = 0.69) and HIV status (P = 0.53) were not.

Conclusion:
Our study did not find evidence of benefit or harm with regards to fracture outcomes in postmenopausal WLWH receiving hormone therapy. Further research is needed to determine whether hormone therapy has benefits beyond treatment of VMS, such as prevention of adverse aging-associated outcomes.
Trends in telehealth use by Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries and its impact on overall volume of healthcare services
Authors: Ellimoottil Chad , Zhu Ziwei , Dunn Rodney L. , Thompson Michael P. 
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACTIntroductionAt the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the federal government made temporary Medicare policy changes to expand telehealth coverage, resulting in a surge in telehealth use. As federal and state policymakers currently consider permanent telehealth policy options, it is important to understand the trends in telehealth use during 2021 and whether telehealth has led to an increase in the overall volume of healthcare services.MethodsOur analysis was conducted using Part B claims for 100% of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. We identified all outpatient evaluation and management (E&M) services received by beneficiaries from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021. We then calculated the monthly proportion of outpatient E&M services that were performed in-person and through telehealth.ResultsThe total number of all outpatient E&M services was 289.0 million in 2019, 255.2 million in 2020 (11.7% lower than 2019), and 260.7 million in 2021 (9.8% lower than 2019). Monthly telehealth services peaked at 7.2 million (or 50.7% of monthly E&M services) in April 2020, followed by a slow decline through the end of 2021. During the second half of 2021, telehealth services made up 8.5-9.5% of monthly E&M services.ConclusionFrom April 2020 through December 2021, the monthly volume of telehealth services slowly declined and has plateaued between 8.5-9.5% of all outpatient E&M services received by Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. Importantly, the total volume of outpatient E&M services was lower in 2020 and 2021, suggesting that the COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities have not increased the overall volume of outpatient E&M services received by Medicare beneficiaries. These findings should mitigate some concerns about the impact of telehealth on overall healthcare utilization.At the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the federal government made temporary Medicare policy changes to expand telehealth coverage, resulting in a surge in telehealth use.1,2 While telehealth was a necessary substitute for in-person care during first few months of the pandemic, there was a decline in the use of telehealth during the second half of 2020.3 As federal and state policymakers currently consider permanent telehealth policy options, it is important to understand the trends in telehealth use during 2021 and whether telehealth has led to an increase in the overall volume of healthcare services.
Deep-Learning-Based Generation of Synthetic High-Resolution MRI from Low-Resolution MRI for Use in Head and Neck Cancer Adaptive Radiotherapy
Authors: Wahid Kareem A. , Xu Jiaofeng , El-Habashy Dina , Khamis Yomna , Abobakr Moamen , McDonald Brigid , O’Connell Nicolette , Thill Daniel , Ahmed Sara , Sharafi Christina Setareh , Preston Kathryn , Salzillo Travis C , Mohamed Abdallah , He Renjie , Cho Nathan , Christodouleas John , Fuller Clifton D. , Naser Mohamed A. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundQuick, low contrast resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are typically acquired for daily MRI-guided radiotherapy setup. However, for patients with head and neck (HN) cancer, these images are often insufficient for discriminating target volumes and organs at risk (OARs). In this study, we investigated a deep learning (DL) approach to generate high-resolution synthetic images from low-resolution images.MethodsWe used 108 unique HN image sets of paired 2-minute T2-weighted scans (2mMRI) and 6-minute T2-weighted scans (6mMRI). 90 image sets (∼20,000 slices) were used to train a 2-dimensional generative adversarial DL model that utilized 2mMRI as input and 6mMRI as output. Eighteen image sets were used to test model performance. Similarity metrics, including the mean squared error (MSE), structural similarity index (SSIM), and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) were calculated between normalized synthetic 6mMRI and ground-truth 6mMRI for all test cases. In addition, a previously trained OAR DL auto-segmentation model was used to segment the right parotid gland, left parotid gland, and mandible on all test case images. Dice similarity coefficients (DSC) were calculated between 2mMRI and either ground-truth 6mMRI or synthetic 6mMRI for each OAR; two one-sided t-tests were applied between the ground-truth and synthetic 6mMRI to determine equivalence. Finally, a Turing test using paired ground-truth and synthetic 6mMRI was performed using three clinician observers; the percentage of images that were correctly identified was compared to random chance using proportion equivalence tests.ResultsThe median similarity metrics across the whole images were 0.19, 0.93, and 33.14 for MSE, SSIM, and PSNR, respectively. The median of DSCs comparing ground-truth vs. synthetic 6mMRI auto-segmented OARs were 0.84 vs. 0.83, 0.82 vs. 0.82, and 0.80 vs. 0.83 for the right parotid gland, left parotid gland, and mandible, respectively (equivalence p<0.05 for all OARs). The percent of images correctly identified was equivalent to chance (p<0.05 for all observers).ConclusionsUsing 2mMRI inputs, we demonstrate that DL-generated synthetic 6mMRI outputs have high similarity to ground-truth 6mMRI. Our study facilitates the clinical incorporation of synthetic MRI in MRI-guided radiotherapy.
Emotions in the time of COVID-19: A sentiment analysis of tweets during the nationwide lockdown in India
Authors: Abdulkader Rizwan Suliankatchi , Jeyashree Kathiresan , Venugopal Deneshkumar , Kannan K Senthamarai , Ponnaiah Manickam , Murhekar Manoj 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in terms of burden, nature and quantum of control measures and public reactions. We report trends in public emotions and sentiments before and during the nation-wide lockdown implemented since 25th March 2020 in India.MethodsWe collected a sample of tweets containing the keywords ‘coronavirus’ or ‘COVID-19’ published between 12th March and 14th April in India. After pre-processing, the tweets were subjected to sentiment analysis using natural language processing algorithms.ResultsOur analysis of 226170 tweets revealed a positive public sentiment (mean sentiment score=0.25). Tweets expressing a given sentiment showed significant (p<0.001) waning of negativity; negative tweets decreased (39.3% to 35.9%) and positive tweets increased (49.8% to 51.8%). Trust (0.85 words/tweet/day) and fear (0.66 words/tweet/day) were the dominant positive and negative emotions, respectively.ConclusionsPositive sentiments dominated during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. A surveillance system monitoring public sentiments on public health interventions for COVID-19 should be established.
Complicated Common Variable Immunodeficiency is Driven by Aberrant IL-10/IL-21 Signaling and Predisposed Polygenic Risk
Authors: Khan Humza A. , Acar Utkucan , Stephens Alexis V. , Thauland Timothy J. , Butte Manish J. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe inborn errors of immunity (IEI) that include defective antibody responses are clinically heterogenous, especially the common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) phenotype that includes low immunoglobulin levels and impaired humoral responses to antigens. Beyond recurrent infections, many with the CVID phenotype develop non-infectious complications (NICs), including autoimmunity and lymphoproliferation, that confer a high rate of morbidity and mortality. At present, it is unknown what genetic and functional factors predispose patients to NICs.ObjectiveWe aimed to discover the pathobiology underlying complicated CVID (CVIDc).MethodsIn a heterogenous group of 12 CVIDc patients, we conducted whole exome sequencing and high-throughput signaling assays by multiplexed phospho-mass cytometry. The immune deficiency and dysregulation activity (IDDA) score was used to determine the burden of NICs in individual patients. We integrated polygenic risk scores to determine the role of common background variants in the pathogenesis of CVIDc.ResultsIn CVID patients with high IDDA scores, there was aberrant increased phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3 upon stimulation with IL-10 or IL-21. Furthermore, common variants related to high eosinophil count and allergy/eczema confer a higher likelihood of autoimmunity in CVID.ConclusionVariants in loci related to high eosinophil count/function and over-reactive IL-10 signaling are associated with the development of autoimmune disease and NICs in CVID.Clinical implicationsIt may be possible to manage CVIDc through modulating IL-10 and IL-21 signaling pathways. Polygenic risk scoring may predict the development of autoimmune complications in CVID patients.
Agent-based vs. equation-based multi-scale modeling for macrophage polarization
Authors: Minucci Sarah B. , Heise Rebecca L. , Reynolds Angela M. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractMacrophages show high plasticity and result in heterogenic subpopulations or polarized states identified by specific cellular markers. These immune cells are typically characterized as pro-inflammatory, or classically activated M1, and anti-inflammatory, or alternatively activated M2. However, a more precise definition places them along a spectrum of activation where they may exhibit a number of pro- or anti-inflammatory roles. To gain a greater understanding of the mechanisms of the immune response from macrophages and the balance between M1 and M2 activation, we utilized two different modeling techniques, ordinary differential equation (ODE) modeling and agent-based modeling (ABM), to simulate the spectrum of macrophage activation to general pro- and anti-inflammatory stimuli on an individual and multi-cell level. The ODE model includes two hallmark pro- and anti-inflammatory signaling pathways and the ABM incorporates similar M1-M2 dynamics but in a spatio-temporal platform. Both models link molecular signaling with cellular-level dynamics. We then performed simulations with various initial conditions to replicate different experimental setups. Similar results were observed in both models after tuning to a common calibrating experiment. Comparing the two models’ results sheds light on the important features of each modeling approach. When more data is available these features can be considered when choosing techniques to best fit the needs of the modeler and application.
Chronic cardiotoxicity assessment by cell optoporation on microelectrode arrays
Authors: Iachetta Giuseppina , Melle Giovanni , Colistra Nicolò , Tantussi Francesco , De Angelis Francesco , Dipalo Michele 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe reliable identification of chronic cardiotoxic effects in in vitro screenings is fundamental for filtering out toxic molecular entities before in vivo animal experimentation and clinical trials. Present techniques such as patch-clamp, voltage indicators, and standard microelectrode arrays do not offer at the same time high sensitivity for measuring transmembrane ion currents and low-invasiveness for monitoring cells over long time. Here, we show that optoporation applied to microelectrode arrays enables measuring action potentials from human-derived cardiac syncytia for more than 1 continuous month and provides reliable data on chronic cardiotoxic effects caused by known compounds such as pentamidine. The technique has high potential for detecting chronic cardiotoxicity in the early phases of drug development.
Optimal linear estimation models predict 1400-2800 years of co-existence between Neandertals and Homo sapiens in western Europe
Authors: Djakovic Igor , Key Alastair , Soressi Marie 
Published: June 2022

AbstractRecent fossil discoveries suggest that Neandertals and Homo sapiens may have co-existed in Europe for as long as five to six thousand years. Yet, evidence for their contemporaneity at any regional scale remains elusive. In France and northern Spain, a region which features some of the latest directly-dated Neandertals in Europe, Protoaurignacian assemblages attributed to Homo sapiens appear to ‘replace’ Neandertal-associated Châtelperronian assemblages. Using the earliest and latest known occurrences as starting points, Bayesian modelling has provided some indication that these occupations may in fact have been partly contemporaneous. The reality, however, is that we are unlikely to ever identify the ‘first’ or ‘last’ appearance of a species or cultural tradition in the archaeological and fossil record. Here, we use optimal linear estimation modelling to estimate the first appearance date of Homo sapiens and the extinction date of Neandertals in France and northern Spain by statistically inferring these ‘missing’ portions of the Protoaurignacian and Châtelperronian archaeological records. Additionally, we estimate the extinction date of Neandertals in this region using a set of directly-dated Neandertal fossil remains. The results suggest that the onset of the Homo sapiens occupation of this region likely preceded the extinction of Neandertals and the Châtelperronian by up to 1400-2900 years – raising the possibility of an extended co-existence of these groups during the initial Upper Palaeolithic of this region. Whether or not this co-existence featured some form of direct interaction, however, remains to be resolved.
Transmission potential of human monkeypox in mass gatherings
Authors: Sypsa Vana , Mameletzis Ioannis , Tsiodras Sotirios 
Published: June 2022

AbstractSince May 2022, a large number of monkeypox cases has been reported in non-endemic settings. Taking into account the strict measures implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the desire of people to reclaim what is perceived as lost time, it is anticipated that mass gatherings this summer will be highly attended. Based on data for the secondary attack rate among unvaccinated contacts from endemic countries, we estimate that, on average, more than one secondary case is anticipated per infectious person if he/she has a high number of group contacts (>30) or more than eight close contacts. Although the role of group contacts in mass gatherings is uncertain (less likely to involve physical contact, shorter duration), close contacts associated with the event (e.g. intimate/sexual contact with other attendees) might be the amplifying event. Enforcing awareness, early recognition and engaging affected populations in the monkeypox response are important to control transmission.
Non-catastrophic collapse of VEEV by lethal mutagenesis
Authors: Alejandro Brian , Kim Eun Jung , Hwang Jae Yeon , Park Juw Won , Smith Melissa , Chung Donghoon 
Published: June 2022

ABSTRACTRNA viruses replicate at a high mutation rate, providing a highly adaptive capacity to the population as well as vulnerability to an extinction due to additional mutations, which is the conceptual basis for lethal mutagenesis. However, the mechanistic understanding of lethal mutagenesis has remained unclear due to the lack of RNA mutagens with potent antiviral activity and the inherent inability to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious sub-populations within a viral population. In our study, we investigated how the replication competency and mutation frequency of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) change following treatment with the RNA mutagen β-d-N4-hydroxycytidine, a potent antiviral RNA mutagen. By pairing limiting dilution with a long-read sequencing approach, we specifically determined genomic sequences of replication-competent viral clones from the total population. We found that replication-competent VEEV population maintained itself within a narrow mutation spectrum with a significantly lower mutation frequency than the total population. We also found that treatment with an RNA mutagen did not induce catastrophic destruction of the infectious population even at a high exposure, allowing replication-competent subpopulations with increased variability in mutational fitness and enhanced adaptability to new selection pressures, such as antiviral treatment, to continue to propagate. Together our study provides new understanding of viral population landscape and suggests a careful consideration of lethal mutagenesis as an antiviral strategy for high-capacity replicating viruses such as alphaviruses.
Optimization for Predictive Gene Circuit Design Automation
Authors: Starkey Frederick , Menolascina Filippo 
Published: June 2022

AbstractSynthetic Biology aims to rationally engineer biological systems. Current methods often employ an initial human designed circuit topology and utilise iterative approaches, e.g. directed evolution, to fine-tune part function. This approach can be extremely time consuming and resource intensive whilst often reaching sub-optimal solutions. A design workflow in which circuits and parts are designed in silico can overcome such limitations. Here we describe a method to automatically design synthetic gene circuits with user-specified dynamics; unlike some previous contributions our algorithm is able to design circuits with analog, not just digital behaviours. We demonstrate the capabilities of our approach benchmarking it on a number of different gene circuits design tasks. We review and compare the performance of our method against state of the art and outline future opportunities for development. Finally, to foster adoption, we make our algorithm available through a web app.
Barriers to adopting integrated project delivery practices
Authors: Ma Qiuwen , Li Shan , Teo Pei Xin , Ling Florence Yean Yng 
Published: June 2022

PurposeCompared with traditional approaches, integrated project delivery (IPD) improves project performance by enhancing integration. To adopt IPD, however, existing practices need to be changed, which creates barriers to implementation. This study aims to identify the barriers to IPD practices in China and Singapore, whose practitioners show different types and levels of integration experience.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was administered to two groups of respondents: Chinese and Singaporean. The data were analyzed using three nonparametric techniques, including Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test, and Spearman rank correlation.Findings(1) Of 39 possible barriers, 36 were consistently felt by both Chinese and Singaporean practitioners with different backgrounds; (2) The Chinese group perceived more issues to be significant barriers than the Singaporean group; (3) The Singaporean group had more experience than the Chinese group in performing integration in five areas. This lessens some barriers to adopting IPD practices.Originality/valueThis study is important because it uncovers barriers to the effective implementation of IPD and shows the importance of certain types and levels of integration experience in overcoming these barriers. The results will be useful to practitioners planning to adopt IPD in China or Singapore.