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Application of artificial intelligence in X-ray imaging analysis for knee arthroplasty: A systematic review

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is a promising and powerful technology with increasing use in orthopedics. The global morbidity of knee arthroplasty is expanding. This study investigated the use of AI algorithms to review radiographs of knee arthroplasty. Methods The Ovid-Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WeiPu (VIP), WanFang, and China Biology Medicine (CBM) databases were systematically screened from inception to March 2024 (PROSPERO study protocol registration: CRD42024507549). The quality assessment of the diagnostic accuracy studies tool assessed the risk of bias. Results A total of 21 studies were included in the analysis. Of these, 10 studies identified and classified implant brands, 6 measured implant size and component alignment, 3 detected implant loosening, and 2 diagnosed prosthetic joint infections (PJI). For classifying and identifying implant brands, 5 studies demonstrated near-perfect prediction with an area under the curve (AUC) ranging from 0.98 to 1.0, and 10 achieved accuracy (ACC) between 96–100%. Regarding implant measurement, one study showed an AUC of 0.62, and two others exhibited over 80% ACC in determining component sizes. Moreover, Artificial intelligence showed good to excellent reliability across all angles in three separate studies (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient > 0.78). In predicting PJI, one study achieved an AUC of 0.91 with a corresponding ACC of 90.5%, while another reported a positive predictive value ranging from 75% to 85%. For detecting implant loosening, the AUC was found to be at least as high as 0.976 with ACC ranging from 85.8% to 97.5%. Conclusions These studies show that AI is promising in recognizing implants in knee arthroplasty. Future research should follow a rigorous approach to AI development, with comprehensive and transparent reporting of methods and the creation of open-source software programs and commercial tools that can provide clinicians with objective clinical decisions.

Transcontinental patterns in floral pigment abundance among animal-pollinated species

Distinguishing packing configurations of molecular dimers using excited-state absorption peaks in two-dimensional electronic spectra

Packing conformations of molecular aggregates are known to strongly influence the locations and intensities of spectral peaks. Here, we develop the third-order nonlinear spectroscopy signals for a purely electronic model of a molecular dimer, which is a prototype aggregate system. The model—which focuses on excited-state absorption (ESA) pathways in two-dimensional electronic spectra—reveals that orientational averaging leads to diagnostic ESA peak locations for H- and J-dimers. We constructed DNA-templated dimers of cyanine molecules as representative systems and used ultrabroadband two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy measurements to support the predicted signatures arising from the theoretical model. Fitting of steady-state spectra supports the assigned packing conformations. The results elucidate how ESA peaks can be diagnostic spectral signatures of packing conformation. This work lays the foundation for future studies that can include the complicating effects of vibronic states and additional electronic levels.

Correction to “A General Method for Selective Recognition of Monosaccharides and Oligosaccharides in Water”

Effect of timed exercise interventions on patient-reported outcome measures: A systematic review

Background Exercising at a specific time of day has the potential to mitigate the negative effects of disrupted circadian rhythms caused by irregular work and sleep schedules on the development of chronic diseases. Afternoon/evening exercise is postulated to be superior to morning exercise for various health outcomes, but patient acceptance of timed exercise remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of exercise timing on patient-reported outcomes (PROMs). Methods We conducted a systematic review, following Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42022322646). We systematically searched databases including MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Embase, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Web of Science, to identify studies which reported on PROMs related to timed exercise interventions: either acutely after a bout of exercise or following extended training (>1 month). Studies were included if they reported primary data from randomized or non-randomized experiments of timed exercise interventions (against any comparator), published in English until August 2023 and reporting on any PROM. Machine-learning software (AR Reviews) was used to aid in abstract screening. Subsequently, two independent reviewers reviewed the included full texts, extracted study details (participants, interventions, outcomes), and evaluated the risk of bias using Cochrane tools (ROB-2 and ROBINS-I). Exercise interventions were summarized using the TIDieR reporting method and results were presented in accordance with the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines for systematic reviews. Results Seventeen studies with 403 participants were included in the review. The interventions varied widely in exercise modality, duration, and participant characteristics, contributing to substantial heterogeneity in the findings. Most studies found no significant impact of exercise timing on PROMs. There was some inconsistency between studies for certain outcomes. Discussion The review suggests that there are no clear detrimental effects of afternoon or evening exercise on PROMs compared to morning exercise. However, the lack of homogeneity in study populations and small sample sizes resulting in low power for PROM outcomes are major limitations of the research in this field. If future research confirms the metabolic advantages of afternoon/evening exercise, this may be an acceptable alternative for individuals.

Longitudinal stability of HyperSightTM-CBCT based radiomic features in patients with CT guided adaptive SBRT for prostate cancer

Abstract CT-guided adaptive radiotherapy (aRT) based on HyperSightTM-CBCT provides high-quality imaging, allowing quantitative radiomic feature analysis as a monitoring tool. This study comprehensively evaluates the stability of radiomic features, as potential imaging biomarkers, in pelvic structures of prostate cancer patients treated with adaptive stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Between December 2023 and July 2024, 32 patients with localized prostate cancer underwent adaptive SBRT at the Ethos® linear accelerator (Varian, Siemens Healthineers) with HyperSight-CBCT imaging. Longitudinal stability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) over five fractions of aRT for target structures and non-hollow organs at risk. In pooled organs at risk, 93.0% of features showed very high stability (ICC > 0.9) compared to 67.4% in pooled target structures, indicating significantly lower stability for target structures (p = 0.00009129). Second-order features demonstrated greater stability than conventional and shape-based features (p = 0.0433, p = 0.0252). Fraction number significantly affected longitudinal prostate feature variability (p = 0.0135). This study comprehensively analyzed HyperSight-CBCT imaging to evaluate longitudinal stability of radiomic features during adaptive SBRT for prostate cancer. The trends observed will provide a framework for future CT-guided aRT studies, facilitating quantitative imaging analysis of radiological biomarkers for clinical translation and improving personalized treatment.

Acceleration and twisting of neutral atoms by strong elliptically polarized short-wavelength laser pulses

We have investigated non-dipole effects in the interaction of a hydrogen atom with elliptically polarized laser pulses of intensity (0.25–100) × 1014 W/cm2 with about 8 fs duration. The study was performed within the framework of a hybrid quantum–quasiclassical approach, in which the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for an electron and the classical Hamilton equations for the center-of-mass (CM) of an atom are simultaneously integrated. It is shown that the spatial inhomogeneity k · r of the laser field and the presence of a magnetic component in it lead to the non-separability of the CM and electron variables in a neutral atom and, as a consequence, to its acceleration. We have established a strict correlation between the total probability of excitation and ionization of an atom and the velocity of its CM acquired as a result of interaction with a laser pulse. The acceleration of the atom weakly depends on the polarization of the laser in the considered region (5 eV ≲ ℏω ≲ 27 eV) of its frequencies. However, the transition from linear to elliptical laser polarization leads to the twisting of the atom relative to the axis directed along the propagation of the pulse (coinciding with the direction of the atom acceleration). It is shown that with increasing ellipticity, the twisting effect increases and reaches its maximum value with circular polarization, while the projection of the orbital angular momentum acquired by the electron onto the direction of propagation of the laser pulse reaches its maximum value. A mechanism for n-photon resonant twisting of an atom with the transfer of helicity of photons of a circularly polarized laser field to it has been established, which may be of interest for a number of promising applications.

Strategic Modulation of Polarity and Viscosity Sensitivity of Bimane Molecular Rotor-Based Fluorophores for Imaging α-Synuclein

Multifaceted investigations of PSMB8 provides insights into prognostic prediction and immunological target in thyroid carcinoma

The Proteasome 20S subunit beta 8 (PSMB8) is an integral element of the immunoproteasome complex, playing a pivotal role in antigen processing. Despite its significance, the contributory role of PSMB8 in oncogenesis, particularly in thyroid carcinoma (THCA), has not been well-characterized. To address this gap in knowledge, our study endeavored to delineate the potential associations between PSMB8 and THCA. Transcriptomic profiles and clinical data of patients with THCA were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to facilitate comprehensive analysis. Complementary resources from additional online databases were utilized to augment the study. Logistic regression analysis was employed to elucidate the relationship between PSMB8 and various clinicopathological parameters. Uni/multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to ascertain the independent prognostic factors for THCA patient outcomes. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot assays were employed to verify the expression level of PSMB8 in vitro . Our study demonstrated that PSMB8 was significantly upregulated in THCA, with its overexpression correlating with lymph node metastasis, extrathyroidal extension, and favorable prognosis. Immunohistochemistry substantiated a higher PSMB8 protein presence in THCA tissue compared to the normal, supporting its potential role as a moderately accurate diagnostic biomarker. Logistic regression analysis identified PSMB8 as a significant indicator of the N1 stage, classical histological subtype, and extrathyroidal extension. Age, T stage, and PSMB8 were further determined as independent prognostic factors for THCA. Functional investigations linked PSMB8 to immune processes, evidenced by its association with increased immune cell infiltration and higher stromal/immune scores, as well as a positive co-expression with several immune checkpoints. A constructed predicted competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network implicated PSMB8 in complex post-transcriptional regulation. Finally, in vitro assays confirmed the upregulation of PSMB8, underscoring its relevance in THCA and as a target for future research. Our work has preliminarily appraised PSMB8 as a biomarker with certain prognostic and diagnostic significance, and as a potential target for immunotherapy in THCA.

Targeted metabolomic evaluation of peripheral blood mononucleated cells from patients with PMM2-CDG

Ultrafast dynamic compression of cyclohexane

Cyclohexane, a key saturated cyclic hydrocarbon in petroleum, is a prospective molecular framework for energetic materials, making its phase diagram a subject of critical interest. Our work pushes the boundaries by exploring phase transitions under ultrafast (nanosecond timescale) dynamic compression using laser-driven shock and in situ time-resolved Raman spectroscopy in contrast to previous study [Yuan et al., J. Mol. Liq. 363, 119836 (2022)] reporting novel phases in cyclohexane at the millisecond time scale. The evolution of Raman bands under dynamic compression reveals crystallization of the sample to the cubic (solid-I) phase around 0.8 GPa followed by solid-I (cubic) → solid-III (orthorhombic) transition in the pressure range of 1.1–1.7 GPa. On further compression, transitions to solid-IV (monoclinic) and solid-V (triclinic) phases are observed in the pressure ranges of 2.7–4.0 GPa and 4.0–5.8 GPa, respectively. Our static compression experiments, performed up to 27 GPa, reveal similar phase transition behavior, contrasting the existing literature. These findings offer new insights into the stability of different high pressure phases of cyclohexane under extreme loading conditions and highlight its potential as a benchmark material for studying phase transition dynamics in molecular systems.

Disability services in higher education: Statistical disparities and the potential role of AI in bridging institutional gaps

Disparities in disability services between two-year and four-year higher education institutions pose challenges to achieving equitable access to accommodations. This study applies a robust quantitative analysis of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) dataset, utilizing multiple regression models and exploratory factor analysis to identify institutional characteristics that impact disability service quality. Results reveal statistically significant differences in disability disclosure rates (15% at two-year institutions compared to 35% at four-year institutions, t(68) = -11.50, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 2.25), accommodation provision (9.47% versus 28.40%, t(68) = -18.01, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 3.10), and staff-to-student ratios (1:200 versus 1:75, r = 0.65, p < 0.01). This study also explores the potential role of artificial intelligence (AI) in mitigating disparities by improving access to accommodations through adaptive learning platforms, real-time captioning, and automated awareness campaigns. While AI adoption was not directly analyzed, existing literature suggests that AI-driven interventions have the potential to improve disclosure rates, enhance service delivery, and reduce administrative burdens. The findings provide a data-driven foundation for policy recommendations, emphasizing targeted funding, AI-enabled accessibility initiatives, and faculty training to foster more inclusive learning environments.

Novel two dimensional B2C3 monolayer as a high theoretical capacity anode material for Li or Na ion batteries

Exploring the impact of a personalised disability reform on people with disability and their primary carers: Evidence from the Australian national disability insurance scheme

Australia introduced the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2013 to provide personalised formal care to individuals under 65 with significant and likely permanent disability. However, many ineligible individuals now face challenges accessing care. Against the backdrop of the introduction of NDIS funding and the simultaneous defunding of other disability services due to the NDIS, this research investigates the short-term impacts of NDIS on the formal service utilisation and carer outcomes for people with profound or severe disability, irrespective of their NDIS status. Using the staggered NDIS rollout, we analyse data from the 2015 and 2018 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers. We compare outcomes between primary carers and care recipients in NDIS-available areas (n = 736) and NDIS-not-yet-available areas (n = 318). Results show no short-term impact of NDIS availability on formal service utilisation or frequency, or primary carer outcomes. While some individuals benefit from the NDIS, others may lose access to care. Policymakers should address NDIS equity concerns and consider targeted measures to improve carer outcomes.

Analysis of quality of life and outcomes of vestibular schwannoma patients after resection and radiosurgery in an interdisciplinary treatment concept

Abstract Quality of life (QoL) is a crucial factor which has to be taken into account in the treatment of vestibular schwannomas. This study compared microsurgical and radiosurgical treatments, focusing on three. (1) evaluating post-treatment clinical outcomes, (2) assessing the effect on QoL and (3) analyzing complication rates, particularly in geriatric patients. In this retrospective study, 586 patients underwent either microsurgery or gamma knife radiosurgery between 1990 and 2013. Demographic and treatment data were collected, including quality of life (QoL) assessments using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and evaluations of the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). Complication rates were also analyzed. The study included 194 microsurgery patients and 392 radiosurgery patients. Radiosurgery patients showed significantly better postoperative hearing and facial nerve function (p < 0.05). QoL scores were higher in the radiosurgery group for physical and emotional role functioning, while microsurgery patients (including aged 65 years and older) reported better scores for bodily pain and general health perceptions. Neurological complications were 41.9% in the microsurgery group, most of them being permanent (92.9%). Radiosurgery generally showed better preservation of hearing, facial nerve function, and quality of life compared to microsurgery, although both treatments appeared equally effective in older patients.

The F-words relating to symptomatic flexible flat feet: A scoping review

Flexible flat feet are one of the most common musculoskeletal concerns presenting to paediatric health services, despite this being an expected finding in children under 10 years and only requiring management when symptoms are associated. Understanding which symptoms are associated with symptomatic presentations of flexible flat foot in children will provide clarity in identifying those that require further assessment and/or intervention. A scoping review of the literature was conducted to gather all known symptoms related to symptomatic flexible flat foot in the child. Data was mapped using the ‘F-words’ framework, a child friendly, six-item tool based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework 11 (ICF-11). This review identified 42 individual symptoms relative to symptomatic presentations of flexible flat foot, which were allocated into five of the six ‘F-words’ categories (fitness, functioning, friends, family and future). Of these, pain was the most reported symptom, identified in 124 (of 133) included citations, followed by symptoms associated with reduced lower limb function (altered gait patterns, reduced balance and stability and increased tripping), fatigue and reduced participation. Other less frequently reported symptoms include callus formation, night pain and cramps. When present, these symptoms may occur independently or may co-exist at the same time. No symptoms were allocated to the fun category of the ‘F-words’. A multitude of symptoms are reportedly associated with symptomatic flexible flatfoot in the child, with no discernible pattern or coherence noted. Further research should examine development and progression of symptoms and seek to better understand causality of relationship between symptoms and foot posture.

Enhancing efficient deep learning models with multimodal, multi-teacher insights for medical image segmentation

WTools: A MATLAB-based toolbox for time-frequency analysis of infant data

Electroencephalography (EEG) is an established method for investigating neurocognitive functions during human development. In cognitive neuroscience, time-frequency analysis of the EEG is a widely used analytical approach. This paper introduces WTools, a new MATLAB-based toolbox for time-frequency analysis of EEG signals using complex wavelet transformation. WTools features an intuitive GUI that guides users through the analysis steps, focusing on essential parameters. Being free and open-source, it can be integrated and expanded with new features, making it a handy tool that is growing its popularity in developmental cognitive neuroscience. While the default settings follow established pipelines in developmental research, the toolbox also provides the flexibility to accommodate settings more commonly used in adult neuroscience. Here, we provide a detailed description of the WTools algorithm for wavelet transformation and we compare it with state-of-the-art methods implemented in EEGLAB. Alongside the official tool release, we offer a comprehensive, illustrated tutorial with sample infant EEG data designed to support novice users, enhance accessibility and promote the transparent and reproducible usage of WTools.

Generation of enigmatic equatorial ionospheric plasma blobs during the 17 March 2015 super geomagnetic storm period over the Indian region

Evaluating the effects of e-health interventions on mental health outcomes in individuals with breast cancer: A systematic review

Individuals with breast cancer (BC) often experience significant psychological distress throughout their cancer journey, and while e-health interventions show promise, evidence of their effectiveness remains limited. This systematic review addresses this gap by evaluating the effects of e-health interventions on mental health outcomes among individuals with BC. This study followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024543722). A comprehensive search was conducted from July to August 2024, using Scopus, Web of Science, and Ovid Medline databases. Studies were included if they: (1) applied experimental study designs, (2) implemented e-health interventions to improve mental health outcomes, and (3) focused specifically on individuals with BC. Two reviewers used Rayyan software and the predefined criteria for article exclusion and inclusion. Seven studies, predominantly from countries with high BC incidence rates and advanced healthcare systems, met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis revealed that e-health interventions improved psychological well-being, coping strategies, quality of life, physical health, and cancer-specific symptom management. However, diverse intervention designs and measurement tools hindered cross-study comparison. Many studies focused on general mental health measures, neglecting crucial aspects such as help-seeking behaviors, cognitive function, and concerns about cancer recurrence. Future research should standardize intervention protocols, ensure comprehensive outcome reporting, and expand mental health measures.