bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Rainfall Analysis Using Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Praveena R , Babu T R Ganesh , Birunda M , Sudha G , Sukumar P , Gnanasoundharam J
Published: April 2023

Rainfall prediction has a major effect on human civilization and is one of the most difficult, unpredictable activities. Precise and accurate predictions will help to rising human and financial risks pro-actively. This work presents a current supervised learning models of machine learning to focused on the Rainfall Prediction. Rainfall is also a significant issue in the planet because it impacts any single aspects that relies on the human being. Unpredictable and reliable estimation of rainfall is a challenging job today. In this work, gives a maximum outcome and a stronger forecast for rainfall using logistic regression and support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier for better prediction.
Computative Analysis of Various Techniques for Classification of Liver Disease
Authors: Sujith J. , Kumar P. Karthik , Reddy S. Joshi Manohar , Kanhe Aniruddha
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a software-engineered approach using a classification algorithm for the classification of liver disease. The ILPD dataset is used for the proposed work. Different attributes of liver patient records such as direct bilirubin, age, sex, total bilirubin, alphos, albumin, sgpt, globulin ratio, sgot are used to classify liver disease. The proposed Convolution Neural Network classification technique shows an accuracy of 67% and a precision of 71%. Various classification algorithms such as CNN, RNN, ANN, and logistic regression are executed on the liver patient dataset and their accuracy is determined.
A reconfigurable Micro-channel plate “RSP” detector for wide-range application in charged particle detection
Authors: Schössler Sven , Fořt Tomáš , Sobota Jaroslav , Hay Nigel , Milnes James , Jagutzki Ottmar
Published: April 2023

We have developed an MCP detector with reconfigurable
read-out which is capable of recording the position and time
information for single particle counting and alternatively of
operating at high particle flux with optical read-out. This is
achieved by a Resistive Screen with embedded Phosphor (RSP)
anode. On demand, signal pickup electrodes such as a delay-line
array can be attached or removed without interfering with vacuum,
allowing easy switching between the different operation modes. We
show tests of a prototype.
The EXTRA-BL4S experiment for the measurement of the energy and angular distributions of transition radiation X-rays
Authors: Mazziotta Mario Nicola , Loparco Francesco , Anelli Alberto , Belviso Micaela Marialucia , Buquicchio Andrea , Cassano Elena Vera , De Cosmo Matteo , Ginefra Paolo , Martulli Monica Lucia , Picci Clara , Picicci Dario , Soriano Remo Domenico , Tatulli Alberto Pio , Tripaldella Giuseppe , Zupo Vittorio Maria , Muscarella Maria Filomena , Turbacci Stefania , Boselli Margherita , da Cruz E Silva Cristóvão Beirão , Joos Markus , Schütze Paul
Published: April 2023

We have designed and implemented an experiment to measure
the angular distributions and the energy spectra of the transition
radiation X-rays emitted by fast electrons and positrons crossing
different radiators. Our experiment was selected among the proposals
of the 2021 Beamline for Schools contest, a competition for
high-school students organized every year by CERN, and was performed
at the DESY II Test Beam facility area TB21, using a high-purity
beam of electrons or positrons with momenta in the range from 1 to
6 GeV/c. The measurements were performed using a
100 μm thick silicon pixel detector, with a pitch of
55 μm. Our results are consistent with the
expectations from the theoretical models describing the production
of transition radiation in multilayer regular radiators.
Thermodynamics of bidirectional associative memories
Authors: Barra Adriano , Catania Giovanni , Decelle Aurélien , Seoane Beatriz
Published: April 2023

In this paper we investigate the equilibrium properties of bidirectional associative memories (BAMs). Introduced by Kosko in 1988 as a generalization of the Hopfield model to a bipartite structure, the simplest architecture is defined by two layers of neurons, with synaptic connections only between units of different layers: even without internal connections within each layer, information storage and retrieval are still possible through the reverberation of neural activities passing from one layer to another. We characterize the computational capabilities of a stochastic extension of this model in the thermodynamic limit, by applying rigorous techniques from statistical physics. A detailed picture of the phase diagram at the replica symmetric level is provided, both at finite temperature and in the noiseless regimes. Also for the latter, the critical load is further investigated up to one step of replica symmetry breaking. An analytical and numerical inspection of the transition curves (namely critical lines splitting the various modes of operation of the machine) is carried out as the control parameters—noise, load and asymmetry between the two layer sizes—are tuned. In particular, with a finite asymmetry between the two layers, it is shown how the BAM can store information more efficiently than the Hopfield model by requiring less parameters to encode a fixed number of patterns. Comparisons are made with numerical simulations of neural dynamics. Finally, a low-load analysis is carried out to explain the retrieval mechanism in the BAM by analogy with two interacting Hopfield models. A potential equivalence with two coupled Restricted Boltmzann Machines is also discussed.
A note on the interior and dimensions of typical sumsets
Authors: Xiao Jian-Ci
Published: April 2023

Let

K

\mathcal {K}

be the collection of all non-empty compact subsets of the unit cube

[
0
,
1

]
d

[0,1]^d

. Fixing any

F
σ

F_\sigma

set

F
⊂
[
0
,
1

]
d

F\subset [0,1]^d

of Lebesgue measure zero and

0
>
c
>
1

0>c>1

, we show that for typical

K
∈

K

K\in \mathcal {K}

with

L

d

(
K
)
≥
c

\mathcal {L}^d(K)\geq c

(in the sense of Baire category), the sumset

K
+
F

K+F

has empty interior. We also find the Hausdorff, lower and upper box and packing dimensions of

K
+
F

K+F

for typical

K
∈

K

K\in \mathcal {K}

.
Wearable Sensor-Based Human Activity Recognition System Employing Bi-LSTM Algorithm
Authors: Tehrani Amir , Yadollahzadeh-Tabari Meisam , Zehtab-Salmasi Aidin , Enayatifar Rasul
Published: April 2023

Human activity recognition (HAR) systems employing wearable sensors are a promising area of research for tracking human activity. Recently, wearable devices such as smartwatches and sensors have been developed for activity recognition and monitoring. These systems aim to obtain the subject’s state within his or her environment by exploiting heterogeneous sensors attached to the body. With the development of deep learning, new strategies have emerged to facilitate and solve the HAR problems. In this work, a deep multilayer bidirectional long-short memory (Bi-LSTM) architecture has been implemented to detect human activities. Instead of training a single model as in traditional LSTM methods, two models are presented in the Bi-LSTM scheme, one for learning the input data sequence and the other for learning the reverse sequence. Finally, a new novel postprocessing approach has been proposed based on windowing and voting in the last step to improve the average F1 score. Comprehensive investigations on the three publicly available datasets consisting of a different set of activities were used to evaluate the performance of the proposed framework. The empirical results of this paper on AReM, Mhealth and PAMAP2 datasets attained 95.46, 95.79 and 93.41% average F1 score, respectively. The results also revealed that selecting the window size and implementing the appropriate voting method has a significant effect on improving the average percentage of the F1 score.
Corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the central nucleus of amygdala are required for chronic stress-induced hypertension
Authors: Sheng Zhao-Fu , Zhang Hua , Phaup Jeffery G , Zheng PeiRu , Kang XunLei , Liu Zhenguo , Chang Hui-Ming , Yeh Edward T H , Johnson Alan Kim , Pan Hui-Lin , Li De-Pei
Published: April 2023

Aims

Chronic stress is a well-known risk factor for the development of hypertension. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) are involved in the autonomic responses to chronic stress. Here, we determined the role of CeA-CRH neurons in chronic stress-induced hypertension.

Methods and results

Borderline hypertensive rats (BHRs) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were subjected to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). Firing activity and M-currents of CeA-CRH neurons were assessed, and a CRH-Cre-directed chemogenetic approach was used to suppress CeA-CRH neurons. CUS induced a sustained elevation of arterial blood pressure (ABP) and heart rate (HR) in BHRs, while in WKY rats, CUS-induced increases in ABP and HR quickly returned to baseline levels after CUS ended. CeA-CRH neurons displayed significantly higher firing activities in CUS-treated BHRs than unstressed BHRs. Selectively suppressing CeA-CRH neurons by chemogenetic approach attenuated CUS-induced hypertension and decreased elevated sympathetic outflow in CUS-treated BHRs. Also, CUS significantly decreased protein and mRNA levels of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 channels in the CeA of BHRs. M-currents in CeA-CRH neurons were significantly decreased in CUS-treated BHRs compared with unstressed BHRs. Blocking Kv7 channel with its blocker XE-991 increased the excitability of CeA-CRH neurons in unstressed BHRs but not in CUS-treated BHRs. Microinjection of XE-991 into the CeA increased sympathetic outflow and ABP in unstressed BHRs but not in CUS-treated BHRs.

Conclusions

CeA-CRH neurons are required for chronic stress-induced sustained hypertension. The hyperactivity of CeA-CRH neurons may be due to impaired Kv7 channel activity, which represents a new mechanism involved in chronic stress-induced hypertension.
The clinical and biochemical significance of 11-oxygenated androgens in human health and disease
Authors: Storbeck Karl-Heinz , O’Reilly Michael W
Published: April 2023

For many decades, the prevailing paradigm in endocrinology was that testosterone and 5α-dihydrotestosterone are the only potent androgens in the context of human physiology. The more recent identification of adrenal derived 11-oxygenated androgens and particularly 11-ketotestosterone have challenged these established norms, prompting a revaluation of the androgen pool, particularly in women. Since being recognized as bone fide androgens in humans, numerous studies have focused their attention on understanding the role of 11-oxygenated androgens in human health and disease and have implicated them as role players in conditions such as castration resistant prostate cancer, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, polycystic ovary syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, and premature adrenarche. This review therefore provides an overview of our current knowledge on the biosynthesis and activity of 11-oxygenated androgens with a focus on their role in disease states. We also highlight important analytical considerations for measuring this unique class of steroid hormone.
New gene markers for classification and quantification ofFaecalibacteriumspp. in the human gut
Authors: Tanno Hiroki , Chatel Jean-Marc , Martin Rebeca , Mariat Denis , Sakamoto Mitsuo , Yamazaki Masao , Salminen Seppo , Gueimonde Miguel , Endo Akihito
Published: April 2023

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is a promising biomarker of a healthy human microbiota. However, previous studies reported the heterogeneity of this species and found the presence of several distinct groups at the species level among F. prausnitzii strains. Our recent study revealed that methods previously developed for quantification of F. prausnitzii were not specific to the species level because of the heterogeneity within the F. prausnitzii species and the application of 16S rRNA gene, which is an invalid genetic marker for the species. Therefore, previously available data failed to provide information on different groups, which limits our understanding of the importance of this organism for host health. Here, we propose an alternative gene marker for quantification of F. prausnitzii-related taxa. A total of nine group-specific primer pairs were designed by targeting rpoA gene sequences. The newly developed rpoA-based qPCR successfully quantified targeted groups. Application of the developed qPCR assay in six healthy adults revealed marked differences in abundance and prevalence among the different targeted groups in stool samples. The developed assay will facilitate detailed understanding of the impact of Faecalibacterium populations at the group level on human health and to understand the links between depletion of specific groups in Faecalibacterium and different human disorders.
What if State Logic Rests on Enslavement? Radical Alternatives in Laila Lalami’s The Moor’s Account
Authors: Mami Fouad
Published: April 2023

This article provides a detailed assessment of Laila Lalami’s novel The Moor’s Account (2014), in which a slave decides to escape upon becoming certain that his enslaver will never act on a prior understanding to free him. Still, his desertion carries with it the ultimate price: never seeing his home or country again. The article explores what that imaginative escape into the wilderness signifies in respect to statehood, both as an idea and as a practice. The evolving events of the novel suggest that polities create domestication not by accident, but by default. For, in Lalami’s novel, the state sells chimerical illusions to the aspiring bourgeoisie in the form of abstract debts, whose repayment fattens state coffers and enslaves the aspiring bourgeoisie. Such a stance vis-à-vis the state and its logic raises a concern with Lalami’s readership since the postcolonial arrangement rarely diverges, if at all, from this immanent logic, the one that hinges on the state’s tendential predilection for enslavement. Lalami’s readers are therefore invited to reconsider their bias against statelessness if circumventing slavery is indeed possible. The article sceptically considers whether, by pursuing such a radical approach, Lalami could be romanticizing statelessness as an easy means of circumventing postcoloniality. This essay will be engaging not only to literary scholars, but also to political economists, development planners, city designers and environmentalists.
Development and Validation of Claims-Based Definitions to Identify Incident and Prevalent Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Administrative Healthcare Databases
Authors: Dawwas Ghadeer K , Weiss Alexandra , Constant Brad D , Parlett Lauren E , Haynes Kevin , Yang Jeff Yufeng , Brensinger Colleen , Wu Qufei , Pate Virginia , Jonsson Funk Michele , Schaubel Douglas E , Hurtado-Lorenzo Andres , David Kappelman Michael , Lewis James D
Published: April 2023

Background

To facilitate inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research in the United States, we developed and validated claims-based definitions to identify incident and prevalent IBD diagnoses using administrative healthcare claims data among multiple payers.

Methods

We used data from Medicare, Medicaid, and the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (Anthem commercial and Medicare Advantage claims). The gold standard for validation was review of medical records. We evaluated 1 incidence and 4 prevalence algorithms based on a combination of International Classification of Diseases codes, National Drug Codes, and Current Procedural Terminology codes. The claims-based incident diagnosis date needed to be within ±90 days of that recorded in the medical record to be valid.

Results

We reviewed 111 charts of patients with a potentially incident diagnosis. The positive predictive value (PPV) of the claims algorithm was 91% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81%-97%). We reviewed 332 charts to validate prevalent case definition algorithms. The PPV was 94% (95% CI, 86%-98%) for ≥2 IBD diagnoses and presence of prescriptions for IBD medications, 92% (95% CI, 85%-97%) for ≥2 diagnoses without any medications, 78% (95% CI, 67%-87%) for a single diagnosis and presence of an IBD medication, and 35% (95% CI, 25%-46%) for 1 physician diagnosis and no IBD medications.

Conclusions

Through a combination of diagnosis, procedural, and medication codes in insurance claims data, we were able to identify incident and prevalent IBD cases with high accuracy. These algorithms can be useful for the ascertainment of IBD cases in future studies.
Size-fractioned zooplankton biomass in the Barents Sea ecosystem: changes during four decades of warming and four capelin collapses (1980–2020)
Authors: Skjoldal H R
Published: April 2023

Zooplankton in the Barents Sea has been monitored by the Institute of Marine Research in Norway on autumn cruises since 1986, using a standardized procedure with determination of dry weight biomass in three size fractions following splitting of the sample in two halves. Along with summer data for the early 1980s, we can now describe changes of zooplankton biomass over four decades. The biomass of the central Barents Sea has fluctuated inversely with collapses and recoveries of the Barents Sea capelin stock, which is a major planktivore. Zooplankton biomass in the central Barents Sea was low in 1983 and 1984, driven by low abundance of Calanus finmarchicus, followed by a pronounced peak in 1987 associated with a “first” collapse of the capelin stock. Biomass showed another pronounced peak in 1994, driven by the small size fraction and interpreted to reflect an advective signal from the adjacent Norwegian Sea. In the two most recent decades, there have been divergent trends, with a relatively high biomass in the inflowing Atlantic water, reflecting a second summer generation of C. finmarchicus, and decreased biomass in the central area, reflecting a lower abundance of Calanus glacialis driven by a combined effect of capelin predation and climate.
Building Integrated Testing Programs for Infectious Diseases
Authors: Alemnji George , Mosha Fausta , Maggiore Paolo , Alexander Heather , Ndlovu Nqobile , Kebede Yenew , Tiam Appolinaire , Albert Heidi , Edgil Dianna , de Lussigny Smiljka , Peter Trevor
Published: April 2023

In the past 2 decades, testing services for diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and malaria have expanded dramatically. Investments in testing capacity and supportive health systems have often been disease specific, resulting in siloed testing programs with suboptimal capacity, reduced efficiency, and limited ability to introduce additional tests or respond to new outbreaks. Emergency demand for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing overcame these silos and demonstrated the feasibility of integrated testing. Moving forward, an integrated public laboratory infrastructure that services multiple diseases, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, malaria, sexually transmitted diseases, and other infections, will help improve universal healthcare delivery and pandemic preparedness. However, integrated testing faces many barriers including poorly aligned health systems, funding, and policies. Strategies to overcome these include greater implementation of policies that support multidisease testing and treatment systems, diagnostic network optimization, bundled test procurement, and more rapid spread of innovation and best practices across disease programs.
From benchmark to bedside: transfer learning from social media to patient-provider text messages for suicide risk prediction
Authors: Burkhardt Hannah A , Ding Xiruo , Kerbrat Amanda , Comtois Katherine Anne , Cohen Trevor
Published: April 2023

Objective

Compared to natural language processing research investigating suicide risk prediction with social media (SM) data, research utilizing data from clinical settings are scarce. However, the utility of models trained on SM data in text from clinical settings remains unclear. In addition, commonly used performance metrics do not directly translate to operational value in a real-world deployment. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the utility of SM-derived training data for suicide risk prediction in a clinical setting and to develop a metric of the clinical utility of automated triage of patient messages for suicide risk.

Materials and Methods

Using clinical data, we developed a Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers-based suicide risk detection model to identify messages indicating potential suicide risk. We used both annotated and unlabeled suicide-related SM posts for multi-stage transfer learning, leveraging customized contemporary learning rate schedules. We also developed a novel metric estimating predictive models’ potential to reduce follow-up delays with patients in distress and used it to assess model utility.

Results

Multi-stage transfer learning from SM data outperformed baseline approaches by traditional classification performance metrics, improving performance from 0.734 to a best F1 score of 0.797. Using this approach for automated triage could reduce response times by 15 minutes per urgent message.

Discussion

Despite differences in data characteristics and distribution, publicly available SM data benefit clinical suicide risk prediction when used in conjunction with contemporary transfer learning techniques. Estimates of time saved due to automated triage indicate the potential for the practical impact of such models when deployed as part of established suicide prevention interventions.

Conclusions

This work demonstrates a pathway for leveraging publicly available SM data toward improving risk assessment, paving the way for better clinical care and improved clinical outcomes.
Broadcast information diffusion processes on social media networks: exogenous events lead to more integrated public discourse
Authors: Gong Xuanjun , Huskey Richard , Xue Haoning , Shen Cuihua , Frey Seth
Published: April 2023

Understanding information diffusion is vital to explaining the good, bad, and ugly impacts of social media. Two types of processes govern information diffusion: broadcasting and viral spread. Viral spreading is when a message is diffused by peer-to-peer social connections, whereas broadcasting is characterized by influences that can come from outside of the peer-to-peer social network. How these processes shape public discourse is not well understood. Using a simulation study and real-world Twitter data (10,155 users, 18,000,929 tweets) gathered during 2020, we show that broadcast spreading is associated with more integrated discourse networks compared to viral spreading. Moreover, discourse oscillates between extended periods of segregation and punctuated periods of integration. These results defy simple interpretations of good or bad, and instead suggest that information diffusion dynamics on social media have the capacity to disrupt or amplify both prosocial and antisocial content.
The first large catalogue of spectroscopic redshifts in Webb’s first deep field, SMACS J0723.3−7327
Authors: Noirot Gaël , Desprez Guillaume , Asada Yoshihisa , Sawicki Marcin , Estrada-Carpenter Vicente , Martis Nicholas , Sarrouh Ghassan , Strait Victoria , Abraham Roberto , Bradač Maruša , Brammer Gabriel , Iyer Kartheik , MacFarland Shannon , Matharu Jasleen , Mowla Lamiya , Muzzin Adam , Pacifici Camilla , Ravindranath Swara , Willott Chris J , Albert Loïc , Doyon René , Hutchings John B , Rowlands Neil
Published: April 2023

We present a spectroscopic redshift catalogue of the SMACS J0723.3−7327 field (‘Webb’s First Deep Field’) obtained from JWST/NIRISS grism spectroscopy and supplemented with JWST/NIRSpec and VLT/MUSE redshifts. The catalogue contains a total of 190 sources with secure spectroscopic redshifts, including 156 NIRISS grism redshifts, 123 of which are for sources whose redshifts were previously unknown. These new grism redshifts are secured with two or more spectroscopic features (64 sources), or with a single spectral feature whose identity is secured from the object’s nine-band photometric redshift (59 sources). These are complemented with 17 NIRSpec and 48 MUSE redshifts, including six new NIRSpec redshifts identified in this work. In addition to the zcl = 0.39 cluster galaxy redshifts (for which we provide ∼40 new NIRISS absorption-line redshifts), we also find three prominent galaxy overdensities at higher redshifts – at z = 1.1, z = 1.4, and z = 2.0 – that were until now not seen in the JWST/NIRSpec and VLT/MUSE data. The paper describes the characteristics of our spectroscopic redshift sample and the methodology we have employed to obtain it. Our redshift catalogue is made available to the community at https://niriss.github.io/smacs0723.
The luminosity functions of kilonovae from binary neutron star mergers under different equation of states
Authors: Zhao Chunyang , Lu Youjun , Chu Qingbo , Zhao Wen
Published: April 2023

Kilonovae produced by mergers of binary neutron stars (BNSs) are important transient events to be detected by time domain surveys with the alerts from the ground-based gravitational wave detectors. The observational properties of these kilonovae depend on the physical processes involved in the merging processes and the equation of state (EOS) of neutron stars (NSs). In this paper, we investigate the dependence of kilonova luminosities on the parameters of BNS mergers, and estimate the distribution functions of kilonova peak luminosities (KLFs) at the u, g, r, i, y, and z bands as well as its dependence on the NS EOS, by adopting a comprehensive semi-analytical model for kilonovae (calibrated by the observations of GW170817), a population synthesis model for the cosmic BNSs, and the ejecta properties of BNS mergers predicted by numerical simulations. We find that the kilonova light curves depend on both the BNS properties and the NS EOS, and the KLFs at the considered bands are bimodal with the bright components mostly contributed by BNS mergers with total mass $\lesssim 3.2\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$/$2.8\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ and fainter components mostly contributed by BNS mergers with total mass $\gtrsim 3.2\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$/$2.8\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ by assuming a stiff/soft (DD2/SLy) EOS. The emission of the kilonovae in the KLF bright components is mostly due to the radiation from the wind ejecta by the remnant discs of BNS mergers, while the emission of the kilonovae in the KLF faint components is mostly due to the radiation from the dynamical ejecta by the BNS mergers.
Quasar UV/X-ray relation luminosity distances are shorter than reverberation-measured radius–luminosity relation luminosity distances
Authors: Khadka Narayan , Zajaček Michal , Prince Raj , Panda Swayamtrupta , Czerny Bożena , Martínez-Aldama Mary Loli , Jaiswal Vikram Kumar , Ratra Bharat
Published: April 2023

We use measurements of 59/58 quasars (QSOs), over a redshift range 0.0041 ≤ z ≤ 1.686, to do a comparative study of the radius–luminosity (R − L) and X-ray−UV luminosity (LX − LUV) relations and the implication of these relations for cosmological parameter estimation. By simultaneously determining R − L or LX − LUV relation parameters and cosmological parameters in six different cosmological models, we find that both R − L and LX − LUV relations are standardizable but provide only weak cosmological parameter constraints, with LX − LUV relation data favouring larger current non-relativistic matter density parameter Ωm0 values than R − L relation data and most other available data. We derive LX − LUV and R − L luminosity distances for each of the sources in the six cosmological models and find that LX − LUV relation luminosity distances are shorter than R − L relation luminosity distances as well as standard flat ΛCDM model luminosity distances. This explains why LX − LUV relation QSO data favour larger Ωm0 values than do R − L relation QSO data or most other cosmological measurements. While our sample size is small and only spans a small z range, these results indicate that more work is needed to determine whether the LX − LUV relation can be used as a cosmological probe.
High-order discontinuous Galerkin hydrodynamics with sub-cell shock capturing on GPUs
Authors: Cernetic Miha , Springel Volker , Guillet Thomas , Pakmor Rüdiger
Published: April 2023

Hydrodynamical numerical methods that converge with high-order hold particular promise for astrophysical studies, as they can in principle reach prescribed accuracy goals with higher computational efficiency than standard second- or third-order approaches. Here we consider the performance and accuracy benefits of Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods, which offer a particularly straightforward approach to reach extremely high order. Also, their computational stencil maps well to modern GPU devices, further raising the attractiveness of this approach. However, a traditional weakness of this method lies in the treatment of physical discontinuities such as shocks. We address this by invoking an artificial viscosity field to supply required dissipation where needed, and which can be augmented, if desired, with physical viscosity and thermal conductivity, yielding a high-order treatment of the Navier–Stokes equations for compressible fluids. We show that our approach results in sub-cell shock capturing ability, unlike traditional limiting schemes that tend to defeat the benefits of going to high order in DG in problems featuring many shocks. We demonstrate exponential convergence of our solver as a function of order when applied to smooth flows, such as the Kelvin–Helmholtz reference problem of Lecoanet et al. We also demonstrate excellent scalability of our GPU implementation up to hundreds of GPUs distributed on different compute nodes. In a first application to driven, subsonic turbulence, we highlight the accuracy advantages of high-order DG compared to traditional second-order accurate methods, and we stress the importance of physical viscosity for obtaining accurate velocity power spectra.
Searching for ejected supernova companions in the era of precise proper motion and radial velocity measurements
Authors: Chrimes A A , Levan A J , Eldridge J J , Fraser M , Gaspari N , Groot P J , Lyman J D , Nelemans G , Stanway E R , Wiersema K
Published: April 2023

The majority of massive stars are born in binaries, and most unbind upon the first supernova. With precise proper motion surveys such as Gaia, it is possible to trace back the motion of stars in the vicinity of young remnants to search for ejected companions. Establishing the fraction of remnants with an ejected companion, and the photometric and kinematic properties of these stars, offers unique insight into supernova progenitor systems. In this paper, we employ binary population synthesis to produce kinematic and photometric predictions for ejected secondary stars. We demonstrate that the unbound neutron star velocity distribution from supernovae in binaries closely traces the input kicks. Therefore, the observed distribution of neutron star velocities should be representative of their natal kicks. We evaluate the probability for any given filter, magnitude limit, minimum measurable proper motion (as a function of magnitude), temporal baseline, distance, and extinction that an unbound companion can be associated with a remnant. We compare our predictions with results from previous companion searches, and demonstrate that the current sample of stars ejected by the supernova of their companion can be increased by a factor of ∼5–10 with Gaia data release 3. Further progress in this area is achievable by leveraging the absolute astrometric precision of Gaia, and by obtaining multiple epochs of deep, high resolution near-infrared imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope, JWST and next-generation wide-field near-infrared observatories such as Euclid or the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Differential reddening in the direction of 56 Galactic globular clusters
Authors: Legnardi M V , Milone A P , Cordoni G , Lagioia E P , Dondoglio E , Marino A F , Jang S , Mohandasan A , Ziliotto T
Published: April 2023

The presence of differential reddening in the direction of Galactic globular clusters (GCs) has proven to be a serious limitation in the traditional colour–magnitude diagram (CMD) analysis. Here, we estimate local reddening variations in the direction of 56 Galactic GCs. To do that, we use the public catalogues derived as part of the Hubble Space Telescope UV Legacy Survey of Galactic GCs, which include photometry in the F275W, F336W, F438W, F606W, and F814W filters. We corrected photometry for differential reddening and found that for 21 out of 56 GCs the adopted correction procedure significantly improved the CMDs. Moreover, we measure the reddening law in the direction of these clusters, finding that RV exhibits a high level of variability within the Galaxy, ranging from ∼2.0 to ∼4.0. The updated values of RV have been used to improve the determination of local reddening variations and derive high-resolution reddening maps in the direction of the 21 highly-reddened targets within our sample. To compare the results of the different clusters, we compute the 68th percentile of the differential-reddening distribution, $\sigma _{\Delta A_{\rm F814W}}$. This quantity ranges from 0.003 to 0.030 mag and exhibits a significant anticorrelation with the absolute module of the Galactic latitude and a strong correlation with the average reddening in the direction of each cluster. Therefore, highly-reddened GCs located in the proximity of the Galactic plane typically show higher differential-reddening variations across their field of view.
Management of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer Using the “Right Track” Model
Authors: Rosenzweig Allison , Berlin Jordan , Chari Suresh , Kindler Hedy , Matrisian Lynn , Mayoral Allison , Mills Jeannine , Nissen Nicholas , Picozzi Vincent , Zelada-Arenas Fatima , Fleming Jason
Published: April 2023

Pancreatic cancer is one of the few cancer types in the US with incidence and death rates continuing to rise. As the disease threatens to become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the country, it is imperative to review the best practices currently available to extend and improve patient lives. To provide a roadmap for healthcare professionals detecting, diagnosing, and caring for patients with pancreatic cancer as a supplement to national guidelines focused on recommended treatment regimens, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN)’s Scientific and Medical Affairs staff and expert Scientific and Medical Advisory Board have created a series of position statements. The statements are based upon scientific evidence and clinical observations published in the literature and research conducted through PanCAN’s internal programs and initiatives. This review summarizes the rationale and sources for these position statements related to diagnosis, treatment, and care for pancreatic cancer and provides information about resources to make these recommendations accessible to patients and their medical teams. Pancreatic cancer is a complex and extremely challenging disease. Beyond treatment recommendations outlined in national guidelines, steps can be taken to help patients feel better and live longer. Under the framework of the “Right Track” model—right team, right tests, right treatments, data sharing—PanCAN’s position statements can provide supplementary guidance to healthcare professionals for the short- and long-term management of patients with the disease.
The Caesar Problem — A Piecemeal Solution
Authors: Studd J P
Published: April 2023

The Caesar problem arises for abstractionist views, which seek to secure reference for terms such as ‘the number of $X$s’ or $\#X$ by stipulating the content of ‘unmixed’ identity contexts like ‘$\#X = \#Y$’. Frege objects that this stipulation says nothing about ‘mixed’ contexts such as ‘$\# X = \text{Julius Caesar}$’. This article defends a neglected response to the Caesar problem: the content of mixed contexts is just as open to stipulation as that of unmixed contexts.
The Impact of Private Schools, School Chains and PPPs in Developing Countries
Authors: Crawfurd Lee , Hares Susannah , Todd Rory
Published: April 2023

The private school sector has expanded with almost no public intervention to educate half of primary school children in many urban centers in Africa and Asia. Simple comparisons of test scores would suggest that these private schools may provide better quality than public schools, but how much of this difference is due to selection effects is unclear. Much donor and policymaker attention has proceeded on the basis that private schools do perform better, and focused on models of public subsidy to expand access, and investment in networks or chains to encourage expansion. We review the evidence of the effects of private schools on learning, and how that effect translates to public-private partnerships (PPPs). We also study the effects of private school chains. We conduct a systematic review for eligible studies, with transparent search criteria. The search resulted in over 100 studies on low-cost private schools and PPPs, with a large majority being on low-cost private schools. Our meta-analysis shows moderately strong effects from private schooling, although the limited number of experimental studies find much smaller effects than quasi-experimental studies. This advantage, though, is not nearly enough to help most children reach important learning goals. Turning to policy goals, we find that the private school advantage has not translated to public private partnerships, which have shown limited value in improving quality. They can however represent a lower-cost means of increasing access to school. We also find that private school chains perform little better than individual private schools and have little scope for achieving meaningful scale.
Fecal impaction in adults
Authors: Louwagie Victoria , Steinman Mark D. , Wang Ming-Hsi
Published: April 2023

Fecal impaction is a common digestive disorder and is considered an acute complication of chronic and untreated constipation. Generally, the factors responsible for fecal impaction are similar to those associated with constipation. Early identification and treatment minimize complications and patient discomfort. Common treatment options to address fecal impaction of the rectum include manual disimpaction or fragmentation, the use of distal and/or proximal softening or washout procedures such as enemas and suppositories, and oral or nasogastric tube placement for the administration of polyethylene glycol solutions containing electrolytes. In severe cases, surgical intervention is necessary. Post-treatment evaluation should include a colonic evaluation by flexible sigmoidoscopy, a colonoscopy, or a barium enema after the fecal impaction resolves. Following treatment, conduct an evaluation of causes and create a preventive therapy plan.
From Battles to Burnout: Investigating the Role of Interphysician Conflict in Physician Burnout
Authors: Amick Ashley E. , Schrepel Caitlin , Bann Maralyssa , Watsjold Bjorn , Jauregui Joshua , Ilgen Jonathan S. , Lu Dave W. , Sebok-Syer Stefanie S.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Despite the recognized importance of collaborative communication among physicians, conflict at transitions of care remains a pervasive issue. Recent work has underscored how poor communication can undermine patient safety and organizational efficiency, yet little is known about how interphysician conflict (I-PC) impacts the physicians forced to navigate these tensions. The goal of this study was to explore the social processes and interpersonal interactions surrounding I-PC and their impact, using conversations regarding admission between internal medicine (IM) and emergency medicine (EM) as a lens to explore I-PC in clinical practice.

Method

The authors used constructivist grounded theory to explore the interpersonal and social dynamics of I-PC. They used purposive sampling to recruit participants, including EM resident and attending physicians and IM attending physicians. The authors conducted hour-long, semistructured interviews between June and October 2020 using the Zoom video conferencing platform. Interviews were coded in 3 phases: initial line-by-line coding, focused coding, and recording. Constant comparative analysis was used to refine emerging codes, and the interview guide was iteratively updated.

Results

The authors interviewed 18 residents and attending physicians about how engaging in I-PC led to both personal and professional harm. Specifically, physicians described how I-PC resulted in emotional distress, demoralization, diminished sense of professional attributes, and job dissatisfaction. Participants also described how emotional residue attached to past I-PC events primed the workplace for future conflict.

Conclusions

I-PC may represent a serious yet underrecognized source of harm, not only to patient safety but also to physician well-being. Participants described both the personal and professional consequences of I-PC, which align with the core tenets of burnout. Burnout is a well-established threat to the physician workforce, but unlike many other contributors to burnout, I-PC may be modifiable through improved education that equips physicians with the skills to navigate I-PC throughout their careers.
Promoting Sexual and Gender Minority Health Clinical Skills Training for All Medical Students
Authors: Kamal Kanika , Keuroghlian Alex S. , Potter Jennifer
Published: April 2023

Despite societal, legal, and cultural improvements in their well-being, sexual and gender minority (SGM) people in the United States still face substantial physical and mental health disparities that are exacerbated by physician stigma and lack of training. Although there have been efforts at medical schools nationwide to address these disparities and interweave SGM health education into existing preclerkship courses, opportunities to practice related clinical skills during the clerkship years remain largely elective. Furthermore, national survey data from 2020 indicate that SGM Americans continue to delay or avoid medical care because of physician discrimination. By providing predominantly opt-in opportunities for hands-on SGM health clinical training, educators risk perpetuating existing structural inequities and widening health disparities.

In this article, the authors advocate for required SGM health clinical training for all undergraduate medical students, regardless of intended specialty. They highlight 3 types of elective SGM health clinical training models currently in use at medical schools across the country, including student-run clinics, advanced electives, and longitudinal scholarly concentrations. Using these examples, the authors then outline ways that educators can interweave required SGM health clinical training into undergraduate medical education, including with the recruitment and retention of SGM faculty, staff, and students; required SGM standardized patient experiences; the integration of SGM clinical opportunities throughout the core clerkships; and partnerships with SGM health centers. Using these methods, medical schools can mobilize passionate students, faculty, and leaders to both counter the bigotry and hate faced by SGM populations and develop innovative strategies to improve SGM patient health outcomes and expand opportunities for SGM health scholarship.
Femoral Head Core Decompression and Bone Marrow Concentrate Injection in Pediatric Sickle-cell Related Avascular Necrosis
Authors: Baghdadi Soroush , Chern Irene , Hanstein Regina , Mehraban Alvandi Leila , Fornari Eric
Published: April 2023

Background:

Femoral head avascular necrosis affects 10% to 40% of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of femoral head core decompression and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (CD-BMAC) injection in pediatric patients with SCD.

Methods:

Eligible patients were enrolled in this retrospective study of patients undergoing CD-BMAC. Patients with SCD who were younger than 18 at the time of surgery and had >1 year of follow-up were included in this analysis. Hips were staged based on the Ficat system by 2 raters. The visual analog score for pain, hip outcome score, modified Harris hip score, and the University of California, Los Angeles activity score were used as patient-reported outcome measures preoperatively, at 5 to 9 months postoperatively, and final follow-up. Treatment failure was defined as total hip arthroplasty or visual analog score >3 at the final follow-up.

Results:

Twenty-three hips in 17 patients were included, with a median age at the time of surgery of 15.8 years (interquartile range: 13.1 to 17.8 y). Patients were followed for 4.25 ± 1.7 years. Ten hips showed a 1-stage increase in the Ficat stage at the final follow-up, whereas 11 retained the same stage, and 1 hip had a 1-stage regression. All patient-reported outcome measures showed significant improvement from the preoperative visit to short-term follow-up, but the preoperative to final follow-up improvement was not significant. Six treatment failures were recorded, including 3 total hip arthroplasties and 3 painful hips at the final follow-up. In a multivariate logistic regression model, only skeletal maturity (odds ratio = 16.2, 95% CI: 1.44-183.0, P = 0.024) and femoral head collapse (odds ratio = 12.0, 95% CI: 1.1-130.5, P = 0.041) were significant predictors of treatment failure.

Conclusions:

In the largest study on pediatric SCD patients undergoing CD-BMAC, we found that CD-BMAC injection offers significant improvement in pain and functional outcomes in the short term, with a very low risk for complications. Skeletal maturity and femoral head collapse were significant predictors of treatment failure. Patients with a collapsed femoral head experienced functional deterioration over time after initial improvement, whereas precollapse hips maintained their functional improvement up to the latest follow-up.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective cohort study.
Adding a nonpainful end to reduce pain recollection of Pap smear screening: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Yen Hung-Kuan , Cheng Shao-Yi , Chiu Kai-Nan , Huang Chu-Chun , Yu Jung-Yang , Chiang Chien-Hsieh ,   for the NTUH Pap Study Group
Published: April 2023

The pain experienced during Pap tests is a crucial gap in reducing cervical cancer burden. This study sought to investigate whether adding a nonpainful step at the end of Pap tests helps women recall less pain. We conducted a randomized controlled trial on women aged 30 to 70 years at a cervical cancer screening center. A nonpainful step was added at the end of Pap test in the modified Pap group. The outcomes included recalled pain after Pap smear screening, real-time pain, and 1-year willingness to receive further Pap tests. Among 266 subjects in the intention-to-treat analysis, the modified Pap group (n = 133) experienced lower 5-minute recalled pain than the traditional Pap group on a 1 to 5 numeric scale (mean [SD], 1.50 [0.77] vs 2.02 [1.12]; P < 0.001) and a 0 to 10 visual analog scale (2.12 [1.79] vs 3.12 [2.23]; P < 0.001). In exploratory subgroup analyses, the association between the modified Pap test and reduced 5-minute recalled pain was not affected by predicted pain, demographic, or socioeconomic characteristics, but it was more apparent in postmenopausal women. Consistently, the modified Pap test attenuated 1-year recalled pain on both pain scales. Furthermore, the modified Pap test increased 1-year willingness grade to receive further Pap tests (adjusted β [SE], 2.11 [0.27]; P < 0.001). In conclusion, adding a nonpainful step at the end of Pap smear screening reduces on-site and long-term recalled pain and strengthens willingness to undergo subsequent Pap tests regularly. The modified Pap test contributes to cervical cancer screening participation.