bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technical Note—A Data-Driven Approach to Beating SAA Out of Sample
Authors: Gotoh Jun-ya , Kim Michael Jong , Lim Andrew E. B.
Published: August 2023

A Little Pessimism Goes a Long Way

Data-driven optimization is concerned with finding a decision, using data and perhaps a model, that performs well when it is applied on a new unseen data point. Data-driven optimization is challenging because data are limited or the model is wrong or the environment in which the decision is being applied is different from the one in which the training data were collected. Distributionally robust optimization (DRO), a worst case optimization method for finding decisions that are insensitive to model error, can sometimes but not always deliver a decision that has a larger out-of-sample expected reward than the sample average approximation (SAA). “A Data Driven Approach to Beating SAA out of Sample” by Jun-ya Gotoh, Michael Kim, and Andrew Lim shows that if worst case (DRO) solutions fail at this task, then the solution of a best case distributionally optimistic optimization problem will do the job. As good as this sounds, there is a catch: whereas an optimistic decision might beat SAA, the improvement is very modest and comes at the cost of being much more sensitive to model misspecification than both the SAA and the DRO decisions. Moreover, it is easy to make a mistake: it can be difficult to determine with a modestly sized data set whether the best or worst case solution will have the higher expected reward than SAA. In summary, data driven optimization is a trade-off between maximizing the expected reward and controlling the sensitivity of this expectation to model misspecification. When both are considered, a little bit of pessimism goes a long way.
A JUSTIÇA COMO EQUIDADE EM JOHN RAWLS E O PROGRAMA BOLSA FAMÍLIA: UMA ANÁLISE PARA GARANTIR DIREITOS FUNDAMENTAIS / JUSTICE AS EQUITY IN JOHN RAWLS AND THE BOLSA FAMÍLIA PROGRAM: AN ANALYSIS TO GUARANTEE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
Authors: Bortoloti José Carlos Kraemer , Zambam Neuro José , Mallman Liana Zerbielli Trentin
Published: August 2023

Resumo: O Programa Bolsa Família é uma das mais importantes políticas públicas do Brasil. É caracterizado pela transferência direta de renda e busca, por meio das condicionalidades, a redução das desigualdades sociais e econômicas. No mesmo sentido, a teoria de justiça como equidade de Rawls possui o propósito da promoção de sociedades mais justas e igualitárias, buscando dirimir as desigualdades existentes nas sociedades. Assim, esta pesquisa objetiva analisar a conexão existente entre o PBF e a teoria de Rawls. Conclui-se que o princípio da diferença é plenamente aplicável ao PBF, sendo que os menos favorecidos, que se referem aos beneficiários, possuem mecanismos para acessar os bens primários, como liberdades, oportunidades, rendas e riquezas, o que viabiliza e colabora para que eles participem mais ativamente na sociedade, possuindo o mínimo de dignidade como ser humano e a garantia dos direitos fundamentais, assim como de sociedades mais justas.Palavras-chave: Democracia; Direitos fundamentais; Programa Bolsa Família; Teoria da Justiça. Abstract: The Bolsa Família Program is one of the most important public policies in Brazil. It is characterized by the direct transfer of income, and seeks through the conditions to reduce social and economic inequalities. In the same sense, Rawls' theory of justice as equity has the purpose of promoting more just and egalitarian societies, seeking to resolve the existing inequalities in societies. Thus, this research aims to analyze the connection between the PBF and Rawls' theory. Finally, it is concluded that the principle of difference is fully applicable to the PBF, and the least favored, which refers to beneficiaries, have mechanisms to access primary goods, such as freedoms, opportunities, incomes and wealth, which enables and collaborates so that they participate more actively in society, possessing the minimum of dignity as a human being and the guarantee of fundamental rights, as well as, of more just societiesKeywords: Democracy; Fundamental rights; Bolsa Família Program; Theory of Justice.
Supporting each unique child
Authors: Celinska Angelica
Published: August 2023

Every child is unique and develops at their own pace. This is an overarching principle of the Early Years Foundation Stage, but how do we ensure each child’s unique learning really is supported? Angelica Celinska, founder of the platform The Voice of Early Childhood, addresses the question through two key focuses: schematic play and co-production.
Boosting capacity is crucial for early years expansion, yet the sector is already struggling to meet existing demand
Authors: Leitch Neil
Published: August 2023

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, discusses capacity in the early years sector ahead of next year’s expansion in the number of hours of provision becoming available to parents for free, in light of the funding provided and the number of settings already closing across the sector.
‘A significant shift in strategy will be required for graduates to be part of the workforce’
Authors: Thompson Philippa
Published: August 2023

Philippa Thompson, principal lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at Sheffield Hallam University and Co-Chair ECSDN, responds to a recent article in The Guardian in which the shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, outlines Labour’s plans for more graduates to lead nurseries in an effort to improve standards.
Assessment of Quality Indices of Drinkable Water Sources in Dumne, Mboi and Zumo of Song Local Government Area, Adamawa State using CCME Method
Authors: Gakurnan Filibus , Charles Milam , Chika Attama
Published: August 2023

The study explored water quality index of three drinking water sources (borehole, well & rivers water) from Mboi, Dumne and Zumo communitie, Located in Song Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Physicochemical parameters examined for the analyses are temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, calcium concentration, sulphate ion concentration, magnesium concentration, turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), alkalinity, chloride ion concentration, nitrate ion concentration, fluoride ion concentration, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and pH. These parameters were determined using various standard experimental procedures and tools. Water quality indices were evaluated using Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) methods. Water quality indices obtained from this research investigation showed that the borehole, well and river water from the study areas are in good condition in line with the CCME rankings. From the result obtained, the WQI of borehole water of Mboi, Dumne and Zumo are 85.45, 88.76 and 88.91 respectively while the WQI of the investigated well water are 79.73, 85.42 and 82.77 respectively. The WQI for the river water of Mboi, Dumne and Zumo was found to be 71.86, 79.56 and 76.15 respectively. Based on CCME rankings, the three water sources investigated across the three research areass are good for human use and consumption and the rating of the water quality indices are as follow: Borehole > Well > River.
An Abrahamic Double Bind: An Examination of the Possibility of Faith in Crime and Punishment
Authors: Schwartz Daniel
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Crime and Punishment ’s epilogue has troubled readers since the novel’s publication. Recent scholarship, however, has demonstrated that the epilogue deserves reexamination — that it sheds important light on many of the formal, generic and interpretive problems central to the novel proper. This paper proposes that Raskoĺnikov’s conspicuously unrepentant attitude to the very end can be read as calling into question the reality of his guilt. Specifically, I examine his third interview with Porfirii in which, I suggest, Porfirii performs a kind of surrogate confession, thus unsettling our sense of Raskoĺnikov’s ‘crime’ as straightforwardly a crime. Drawing on Kierkegaard’s exploration of Abrahamic faith in Fear and Trembling — his suggestion that the ethical and religious interpretations of Abraham’s terrifying act necessarily clash — I argue that Raskoĺnikov occupies this knife edge between murderer and man of faith.
Touching Base: Hungarian Intelligence and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies in the 1960s
Authors: Bátonyi Gábor
Published: August 2023

Abstract: This article deals with a neglected dimension of Cold War history, namely the role of minor Communist secret services in subverting cultural relations with Britain. In particular, the article examines the efforts of Hungarian State Security to penetrate a university centre in London during the 1960s. Drawing on hitherto unexplored archival material, it documents the intensive attempts made to monitor or cultivate individuals at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies — notably the historian Dr László Péter — as part of a wide-ranging and ambitious intelligence offensive on the tenth anniversary of the 1956 Revolution. Paradoxically, this heightened espionage activity took place at a time of enhanced bilateral ties. The historical records analysed here provide new insight into the duplicity of Hungary’s foreign policy, and the hypocrisy of the post-revolutionary regime’s cultural ‘opening’ to the West, during a defining decade.
Matching target color in polyolefins by estimating pigment concentrations using a four-flux model
Authors: Safdar Muhammad , Emmel Patrick
Published: August 2023

In applications of computer color formulation where color stimuli are optically thick (e.g., textiles, coatings, etc.), a simple single-constant or two-constant theory (e.g., Kubelka–Munk model) would suffice. To accurately predict reflectance and transmittance of materials with optical thickness ranging from optically thin to optically thick (e.g., plastics), mathematically complex radiative transfer theories (e.g., many-flux models) have been recommended. A many-flux model can even predict color formulation involving special-effect pigments (e.g., metallic, pearlescent, etc.), but implementation of such models is manyfold complicated. In the current study, applicability of a relatively simple Maheu–Letoulouzan–Gouesbet (MLG) four-flux radiative transfer model to optically varying pigmented polyolefins is thoroughly investigated. First, the MLG model was implemented to determine absorption and scattering coefficients of over 120 pigments where a new mean relative absolute spectral error (MRASE) between measured and calculated spectral reflectance and transmittance of the calibration samples was minimized as an objective function. Second, currently determined absorption and scattering coefficients were further validated by color recipe prediction of 350 historical product colors. Measured and predicted reflectance curves were compared in units of MRASE, CIEDE2000 color difference, metamerism index, root mean square error, and goodness-of-fit coefficient. Moreover, transmission matching was evaluated in units of percent difference between the required and predicted average transmittance. Results showed that with the current implementation of the MLG four-flux model, color recipes of at least 95% of the target colors can be predicted within the acceptability thresholds in units of different error metrics used in the study.
Design and deployment of optical x-haul for 5G, 6G, and beyond: progress and challenges [Invited]
Authors: Ranaweera Chathurika , Lim Christina , Tao Yijie , Edirisinghe Sampath , Song Tingting , Wosinska Lena , Nirmalathas Ampalavanapillai
Published: August 2023

Sixth generation (6G) wireless technology, which is the next giant leap in the evolution of wireless communication, has been gaining great interest from academia, industry, and the general public due to its capabilities and the applications that are expected to be supported. Optical x-haul is becoming increasingly important as a key element of the 6G ecosystem due to the increasing demand for high data rates and low latency with the emergence of new 6G applications and use cases. The ability of optical x-haul to support high data rates and low latency along with its scalability and high-reliability performance makes it an essential transport technology for future wireless networks of 6G and beyond. However, optical and wireless technologies operate in different domains and with different standards. Therefore, integration of optical x-haul and 6G needs careful consideration with emphasis on bringing network intelligence softwarization. This is particularly important in supporting the quality of service requirements of emerging applications in the most cost-effective and sustainable manner. To this end, this paper reviews the research that has been carried out in the investigation of the optical x-haul network in a hybrid fiber–wireless system to cater to the next generation of wireless networks. Especially, we review the research carried out in open radio access network architecture, coordination functionalities in radio-over-fiber networks, optimization frameworks that can be used to jointly optimize wireless and optical network deployments, and reconfigurable optical x-haul. We conclude the paper by providing insights into research challenges that we need to overcome in integrating optical x-haul in the 6G ecosystem to support emerging applications.
Using pretrained machine learning models to predict luminous and solar transmittance controllability of liquid crystal/polymer composites from microstructural images
Authors: Kakiuchida Hiroshi , Suzuki Kensuke , Kojima Takuto
Published: August 2023

Polarized optical microscopy (POM) images of polymer network liquid crystals (PNLCs) were first analyzed using a pretrained machine learning model for feature extraction and hierarchical clustering. The analyses worked well in predicting and improving the thermoresponsive changes individually in direct luminous and hemispheric solar transmittance, both of which are crucial properties of energy-saving smart windows. The features of a 1280 × 1920–pixel color POM image were extracted by the latest pretrained algorithm, EfficientNet-B7, as a 2560-dimensional vector and then reduced into a two-dimensional space for clustering and visualization using the uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) algorithm while efficiently preserving the global structures of the distance relationship in a high-dimensional space. The feature vectors in the UMAP space were correlated with the thermoresponsive transmittance and classified using hierarchical clustering analysis. The extracted features belonging to some clusters were also correlated with the fabrication parameters. The PNLCs here were produced from various raw materials under different fabrication conditions. These analyses and predictability are extensively applied to different PNLCs for stimuli-responsive optical devices, such as solar- and privacy-control windows.
Near- and far-field study of polarization-dependent surface plasmon resonance in bowtie nano-aperture arrays
Authors: Choi Sungho , Park Jongkyoon , Chew Soo Hoon , Khurelbaatar Tsendsuren , Gliserin Alexander , Kim Seungchul , Kim Dong Eon
Published: August 2023

Bowtie nano-apertures can confine light into deep subwavelength volumes with extreme field enhancement, making them a useful tool for various applications such as optical trapping, deep subwavelength imaging, nanolithography, and sensors. However, the correlation between the near- and far-field properties of bowtie nano-aperture arrays has yet to be fully explored. In this study, we experimentally investigated the polarization-dependent surface plasmon resonance in bowtie nano-aperture arrays using both optical transmission spectroscopy and photoemission electron microscopy. The experimental results reveal a nonlinear redshift in the transmission spectra as the gap size of the bowtie nanoaperture decreases for vertically polarized light, while the transmission spectra remain unchanged with different gap sizes for horizontally polarized light. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we present simulated charge and current distributions, revealing how the electrons respond to light and generate the plasmonic fields. These near-field distributions were verified by photoemission electron microscopy. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the plasmonic properties of bowtie nano-aperture, enabling their further applications, one of which is the optical switching of the resonance wavelength in the widely used visible spectral region without changing the geometry of the nanostructure.
Flexible implementation of the particle shape and internal inhomogeneity in the invariant imbedding T-matrix method
Authors: Wang Zheng , Bi Lei , Kong Senyi
Published: August 2023

We report a new implementation of the invariant imbedding T-matrix (IITM) method based on a discrete spherical grid approach for representing the particle shape and internal inhomogeneity. The new version of the IITM (referred to as the IITM-discrete) improves the flexibility of the IITM—especially for inhomogeneous particles. It is much more convenient for specifying the particle morphology in the electromagnetic wave scattering simulations. Particle shape is represented by a series of discrete spherical layers ranging from the inscribed sphere to the circumscribed sphere. Spherical layers are discretized by the centroidal Voronoi tessellation (CVT) approach. The procedure of computing the U-matrix (the only shape-dependent module in the T-matrix program) is simplified upon using the gridded particle shape and refractive index information saved in an external file. The grid resolution is a key factor that determines the numerical accuracy and computational cost. Numerical tests of IITM-discrete show its compatibility with other light scattering methods. Using IITM-discrete, we found that the internal inhomogeneity could have large impact on dust optical properties.
Influence of a longitudinal-mode on stimulated Brillouin scattering characteristics in fused silica
Authors: Chen Bin , Bai Zhenxu , Chen Yifu , Wang Kun , Cui Can , Qi Yaoyao , Ding Jie , Yan Bingzheng , Wang Yulei , Lu Zhiwei
Published: August 2023

Analyzing the longitudinal-mode of a pump can significantly prevent optical damage to solid media and expand the applications of solid media in high repetition rate stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). In this study, a Fabry-Pérot etalon was used to control the number of longitudinal-mode in a pump laser output. We studied the output characteristics of SBS in fused silica by considering both single- and multi-longitudinal-mode pumping. We analyzed and compared variations in the SBS threshold, energy reflectivity, linewidth, and waveform characteristics. The experimental results indicated that a pump operating in a single-longitudinal-mode had a 14% lower SBS threshold than one operating in a multi-longitudinal-mode. The proportion of the weak longitudinal-mode in the multi-longitudinal-mode was close to the threshold difference. The damage threshold of the multi-longitudinal-mode pumps was approximately 35 mJ (@12 ns, f = 300 mm). The Stokes linewidth and waveform exhibited opposite trends as the energy changed. Due to the time-bandwidth product, the linewidth and waveform tended to converge towards the pump. This study emphasizes the importance of using a single-longitudinal-mode pump in the development and use of solid-state SBS gain media.
Generation of an ultrahigh-repetition-rate optical half-cycle pulse train in the nested quantum wells
Authors: Arkhipov Mikhail , Pakhomov Anton , Arkhipov Rostislav , Rosanov Nikolay
Published: August 2023

We propose a simple quantum system, namely, a nested quantum-well structure, which is able to generate a train of half-cycle pulses of a few-femtosecond duration when driven by a static electric field. We theoretically investigate the emission of such a structure and its dependence on the parameters of the quantum wells. It is shown that the production of a regular output pulse train with tunable properties and the pulse repetition frequencies of tens of terahertz is possible in certain parameter ranges. We expect the suggested structure can be used as an ultra-compact source of subcycle pulses in the optical range.
Pulsewidth-switchable ultrafast source at 114 nm
Authors: Omoumi Anahita , Natile Michele , Papalazarou Evangelos , Zaouter Yoann , Auguste Thierry , Hanna Marc , Georges Patrick , Marsi Marino
Published: August 2023

Femtosecond laser sources with high repetition rate in the ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum UV (VUV) are fundamental tools enabling tabletop time-resolved and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy in solids. We describe a VUV source at 114 nm (10.8 eV) based on an industrial grade ytterbium-doped ultrafast laser, a nonlinear pulse width selection stage, and two cascaded frequency tripling stages, first in crystals, second in xenon. The role of ionization in gas-based perturbative third harmonic generation phase-matching is analyzed using a simple theory, numerical simulations, and experimental data. The source features high photon flux, high repetition rate, and adjustable time resolutions. Thereby, in combination with a state-of-the-art angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) apparatus it enables the study of the electronic dynamics of the whole Brillouin zone in a large number of materials.
Defect-mediated saturable absorption and carrier dynamics in tin (II) monosulfide quantum dots
Authors: Verma Akansha , Soni Ashish , Sarkar Abdus Salam , Pal Suman Kalyan
Published: August 2023

Tin (II) monosulfide (SnS) has attracted considerable attention in emerging photonics and optoelectronics because of high carrier mobility, large absorption coefficient, anisotropic linear and nonlinear optical properties, and long-time stability. In this Letter, we report third-order nonlinear absorption and refraction of SnS quantum dots (QDs). Under excitation with 800-nm femtosecond pulses, QDs exhibit saturable absorption (saturation intensity ∼ 47.69 GW/cm2) and positive refractive nonlinearity (nonlinear refraction coefficient ∼ 1.24 × 10-15 cm2/W). Nonetheless, we investigate charge carrier dynamics using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and propose the presence of midgap defect states which not only dictate carrier dynamics but also give rise to nonlinear optical properties in SnS QDs.
Scanning-free hybrid Rayleigh–Brillouin distributed fiber-optic sensing system
Authors: Huang Linjing , Fan Xinyu , He Zuyuan
Published: August 2023

Hybrid systems based on Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) utilizing Rayleigh backscattering light wave as a probe have enabled single-end and long-range distributed sensing for multiple parameters. However, the spatial resolution for dynamic parameter measurement is limited, and the frequency scanning process of BOTDA is time-consuming. To address these challenges, we propose a hybrid system that combines BOTDA and time-gated digital optical frequency domain reflectometry (TGD-OFDR), aiming to enhance the spatial resolution of dynamic measurements without compromising the system’s signal-to-noise ratio and eliminate the frequency scanning process of BOTDA. In the experimental setup, we conducted measurements on a 9.52 km single-mode fiber. A sinusoidal vibration with a frequency of 3 kHz was measured with a spatial resolution of 3 m, achieving a noise floor of 0.05 nε/√Hz. Furthermore, temperature measurements with a spatial resolution of 10 m and a Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) measurement accuracy of 0.74 MHz were successfully obtained using the scanning-free single-end BOTDA technique. This hybrid system shows promising potential for various applications in distributed fiber-optic sensing.
Full-resolution and full-dynamic-range coded aperture compressive temporal imaging
Authors: Wang Ping , Wang Lishun , Qiao Mu , Yuan Xin
Published: August 2023

Coded aperture compressive temporal imaging (CACTI) aims to capture a sequence of video frames in a single shot, using an off-the-shelf 2D sensor. This approach effectively increases the frame rate of the sensor while reducing data throughput requirements. However, previous CACTI systems have encountered challenges such as limited spatial resolution and a narrow dynamic range, primarily resulting from suboptimal optical modulation and sampling schemes. In this Letter, we present a highly efficient CACTI system that addresses these challenges by employing precise one-to-one pixel mapping between the sensor and modulator, while using structural gray scale masks instead of binary masks. Moreover, we develop a hybrid convolutional–Transformer deep network for accurate reconstruction of the captured frames. Both simulated and real data experiments demonstrate the superiority of our proposed system over previous approaches, exhibiting significant improvements in terms of spatial resolution and dynamic range.
Functional and spatial rewiring principles jointly regulate context-sensitive computation
Authors: Li Jia , Rentzeperis Ilias , van Leeuwen Cees
Published: August 2023

Adaptive rewiring provides a basic principle of self-organizing connectivity in evolving neural network topology. By selectively adding connections to regions with intense signal flow and deleting underutilized connections, adaptive rewiring generates optimized brain-like, i.e. modular, small-world, and rich club connectivity structures. Besides topology, neural self-organization also follows spatial optimization principles, such as minimizing the neural wiring distance and topographic alignment of neural pathways. We simulated the interplay of these spatial principles and adaptive rewiring in evolving neural networks with weighted and directed connections. The neural traffic flow within the network is represented by the equivalent of diffusion dynamics for directed edges: consensus and advection. We observe a constructive synergy between adaptive and spatial rewiring, which contributes to network connectedness. In particular, wiring distance minimization facilitates adaptive rewiring in creating convergent-divergent units. These units support the flow of neural information and enable context-sensitive information processing in the sensory cortex and elsewhere. Convergent-divergent units consist of convergent hub nodes, which collect inputs from pools of nodes and project these signals via a densely interconnected set of intermediate nodes onto divergent hub nodes, which broadcast their output back to the network. Convergent-divergent units vary in the degree to which their intermediate nodes are isolated from the rest of the network. This degree, and hence the context-sensitivity of the network’s processing style, is parametrically determined in the evolving network model by the relative prominence of spatial versus adaptive rewiring.
Practical sampling of constraint-based models: Optimized thinning boosts CHRR performance
Authors: Jadebeck Johann F. , Wiechert Wolfgang , Nöh Katharina
Published: August 2023

Thinning is a sub-sampling technique to reduce the memory footprint of Markov chain Monte Carlo. Despite being commonly used, thinning is rarely considered efficient. For sampling constraint-based models, a highly relevant use-case in systems biology, we here demonstrate that thinning boosts computational and, thereby, sampling efficiencies of the widely used Coordinate Hit-and-Run with Rounding (CHRR) algorithm. By benchmarking CHRR with thinning with simplices and genome-scale metabolic networks of up to thousands of dimensions, we find a substantial increase in computational efficiency compared to unthinned CHRR, in our examples by orders of magnitude, as measured by the effective sample size per time (ESS/t), with performance gains growing with polytope (effective network) dimension. Using a set of benchmark models we derive a ready-to-apply guideline for tuning thinning to efficient and effective use of compute resources without requiring additional coding effort. Our guideline is validated using three (out-of-sample) large-scale networks and we show that it allows sampling convex polytopes uniformly to convergence in a fraction of time, thereby unlocking the rigorous investigation of hitherto intractable models. The derivation of our guideline is explained in detail, allowing future researchers to update it as needed as new model classes and more training data becomes available. CHRR with deliberate utilization of thinning thereby paves the way to keep pace with progressing model sizes derived with the constraint-based reconstruction and analysis (COBRA) tool set. Sampling and evaluation pipelines are available at https://jugit.fz-juelich.de/IBG-1/ModSim/fluxomics/chrrt.
Matriptase-dependent epidermal pre-neoplasm in zebrafish embryos caused by a combination of hypotonic stress and epithelial polarity defects
Authors: Hatzold Julia , Nett Verena , Brantsch Stephanie , Zhang Jin-Li , Armistead Joy , Wessendorf Heike , Stephens Rebecca , Humbert Patrick O. , Iden Sandra , Hammerschmidt Matthias
Published: August 2023

Aberrantly up-regulated activity of the type II transmembrane protease Matriptase-1 has been associated with the development and progression of a range of epithelial-derived carcinomas, and a variety of signaling pathways can mediate Matriptase-dependent tumorigenic events. During mammalian carcinogenesis, gain of Matriptase activity often results from imbalanced ratios between Matriptase and its cognate transmembrane inhibitor Hai1. Similarly, in zebrafish, unrestrained Matriptase activity due to loss of hai1a results in epidermal pre-neoplasms already during embryogenesis. Here, based on our former findings of a similar tumor-suppressive role for the Na+/K+-pump beta subunit ATP1b1a, we identify epithelial polarity defects and systemic hypotonic stress as another mode of aberrant Matriptase activation in the embryonic zebrafish epidermis in vivo. In this case, however, a different oncogenic pathway is activated which contains PI3K, AKT and NFkB, rather than EGFR and PLD (as in hai1a mutants). Strikingly, epidermal pre-neoplasm is only induced when epithelial polarity defects in keratinocytes (leading to disturbed Matriptase subcellular localization) occur in combination with systemic hypotonic stress (leading to increased proteolytic activity of Matriptase). A similar combinatorial effect of hypotonicity and loss of epithelial polarity was also obtained for the activity levels of Matriptase-1 in human MCF-10A epithelial breast cells. Together, this is in line with the multi-factor concept of carcinogenesis, with the notion that such factors can even branch off from one and the same initiator (here ATP1a1b) and can converge again at the level of one and the same mediator (here Matriptase). In sum, our data point to tonicity and epithelial cell polarity as evolutionarily conserved regulators of Matriptase activity that upon de-regulation can constitute an alternative mode of Matriptase-dependent carcinogenesis in vivo.
A Harris Hawk Optimisation system for energy and resource efficient virtual machine placement in cloud data centers
Authors: H. S. Madhusudhan , T. Satish Kumar , Gupta Punit , McArdle Gavin
Published: August 2023

Virtualisation is a major technology in cloud computing for optimising the cloud data centre’s power usage. In the current scenario, most of the services are migrated to the cloud, putting more load on the cloud data centres. As a result, the data center’s size expands resulting in increased energy usage. To address this problem, a resource allocation optimisation method that is both efficient and effective is necessary. The optimal utilisation of cloud infrastructure and optimisation algorithms plays a vital role. The cloud resources rely on the allocation policy of the virtual machine on cloud resources. A virtual machine placement technique, based on the Harris Hawk Optimisation (HHO) model for the cloud data centre is presented in this paper. The proposed HHO model aims to find the best place for virtual machines on suitable hosts with the least load and power consumption. PlanetLab’s real-time workload traces are used for performance evaluation with existing PSO (Particle Swarm Optimisation) and PABFD (Best Fit Decreasing). The performance evaluation of the proposed method is done using power consumption, SLA, CPU utilisation, RAM utilisation, Execution time (ms) and the number of VM migrations. The performance evaluation is done using two simulation scenarios with scaling workload in scenario 1 and increasing resources for the virtual machine to study the performance in underloaded and overloaded conditions. Experimental results show that the proposed HHO algorithm improved execution time(ms) by 4%, had a 27% reduction in power consumption, a 16% reduction in SLA violation and an increase in resource utilisation by 17%. The HHO algorithm is also effective in handling dynamic and uncertain environments, making it suitable for real-world cloud infrastructures.
Spoken language processing activates the primary visual cortex
Authors: Seydell-Greenwald Anna , Wang Xiaoying , Newport Elissa L. , Bi Yanchao , Striem-Amit Ella
Published: August 2023

Primary visual cortex (V1) is generally thought of as a low-level sensory area that primarily processes basic visual features. Although there is evidence for multisensory effects on its activity, these are typically found for the processing of simple sounds and their properties, for example spatially or temporally-congruent simple sounds. However, in congenitally blind individuals, V1 is involved in language processing, with no evidence of major changes in anatomical connectivity that could explain this seemingly drastic functional change. This is at odds with current accounts of neural plasticity, which emphasize the role of connectivity and conserved function in determining a neural tissue’s role even after atypical early experiences. To reconcile what appears to be unprecedented functional reorganization with known accounts of plasticity limitations, we tested whether V1’s multisensory roles include responses to spoken language in sighted individuals. Using fMRI, we found that V1 in normally sighted individuals was indeed activated by comprehensible spoken sentences as compared to an incomprehensible reversed speech control condition, and more strongly so in the left compared to the right hemisphere. Activation in V1 for language was also significant and comparable for abstract and concrete words, suggesting it was not driven by visual imagery. Last, this activation did not stem from increased attention to the auditory onset of words, nor was it correlated with attentional arousal ratings, making general attention accounts an unlikely explanation. Together these findings suggest that V1 responds to spoken language even in sighted individuals, reflecting the binding of multisensory high-level signals, potentially to predict visual input. This capability might be the basis for the strong V1 language activation observed in people born blind, re-affirming the notion that plasticity is guided by pre-existing connectivity and abilities in the typically developed brain.
Usefulness of medicine screening tools in the frame of pharmaceutical post-marketing surveillance
Authors: Waffo Tchounga Christelle Ange , Sacré Pierre-Yves , Ravinetto Raffaella , Lieberman Marya , Hamuli Ciza Patient , Ngono Mballa Rose , Ziemons Eric , Hubert Philippe , Djang’eing’a Marini Roland
Published: August 2023

The negative consequences of Substandard and falsified (SF) medicines are widely documented nowadays and there is still an urgent need to find them in more efficient ways. Several screening tools have been developed for this purpose recently. In this study, three screening tools were used on 292 samples of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole collected in Cameroon. Each sample was then analyzed by HPLC and disintegration tests. Seven additional samples from the nitro-imidazole (secnidazole, ornidazole, tinidazole) and the fluoroquinolone (levofloxacin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, moxifloxacin) families were analyzed to mimic falsified medicines. Placebo samples that contained only inert excipients were also tested to mimic falsified samples without active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The three screening tools implemented were: a simplified visual inspection checklist, a low-cost handheld near infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer and paper analytical devices (PADs). Overall, 61.1% of the samples that failed disintegration and assay tests also failed the visual inspection checklist test. For the handheld NIR, one-class classifier models were built to detect the presence of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole, respectively. The APIs were correctly identified in all the samples with sensitivities and specificities of 100%. However, the importance of a representative and up-to-date spectral database was underlined by comparing models built with different calibration set spanning different variability spaces. The PADs were used only on ciprofloxacin samples and detected the API in all samples in which the presence of ciprofloxacin was confirmed by HPLC. However, these PADs were not specific to ciprofloxacin since they reacted like ciprofloxacin to other fluoroquinolone compounds. The advantages and drawbacks of each screening tool were highlighted. They are promising means in the frame of early detection of SF medicines and they can increase the speed of decision about SF medicines in the context of pharmaceutical post-marketing surveillance.
Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in raw meat samples collected from different abattoirs in districts Kasur and Lahore of Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Shujat Shahpal , Shehzad Wasim , Anjum Aftab Ahmad , Hertl Julia A. , Zahoor Muhammad Yasir , Gröhn Yrjö T.
Published: August 2023

Coxiella burnetii is the zoonotic pathogen that causes Q fever; it is widespread globally. Livestock animals are its main reservoir, and infected animals shed C. burnetii in their birth products, feces, vaginal mucus, urine, tissues, and food obtained from them, i.e., milk and meat. There were previously very few reports on the prevalence of C. burnetii in raw meat. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of C.burnetii and its molecular characterization in raw ruminant meat from the Kasur and Lahore districts in Punjab, Pakistan, as this has not been reported so far. In this study, 200 meat samples, 50 from each species of cattle, buffalo, goat, and sheep, were collected from the slaughterhouses in each district, Kasur and Lahore in 2021 and 2022. PCR was used for the detection of the IS1111 element of C. burnetii. The data were recorded and univariate analysis was performed to determine the frequency of C. burnetii DNA in raw meat samples obtained from different ruminant species using the SAS 9.4 statistical package. Of the total of 200 raw meat samples, C. burnetii DNA was present in 40 (20%) of them, tested by PCR using the IS1111 sequence. The prevalence of C.burnetii differed among the studied species of ruminants. When species were compared pairwise, the prevalence in cattle was statistically significantly lower than in sheep (P = 0.005). The sequence alignment based on origin implied that the strains are genetically diverse in different districts of Punjab, Pakistan. The findings demonstrated that the prevalence of C. burnetii, especially in raw meat samples, deserves more attention from the health care system and professionals from Punjab, Pakistan, i.e., abattoir workers and veterinarians.
Entrepreneurial motivations and business performance: A study of female online microbusiness owners
Authors: Li Shibo , Setiawan Sanusi Edwin
Published: August 2023

This study aims to examine the correlation between various types of entrepreneurial motivations and the corporate performance of self-employed micro-businesses operated by women in China. Through the application of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) estimation on a sample of 160 female entrepreneurs, our findings reveal that female entrepreneurs driven by pull motivation prioritize non-financial performance as their primary goal. Conversely, those driven by push motivation exhibit a greater emphasis on financial performance. Furthermore, the cross-group analysis indicates that a high level of motivation among necessity-driven female microbusiness entrepreneurs contributes to achieving a high level of financial performance, whereas a high level of motivation among opportunity-based female microbusiness entrepreneurs does not significantly influence non-financial performance. The implications of these findings for research and policy development pertaining to Chinese female online microbusinesses are also discussed.
Unveiling invasive insect threats to plant biodiversity: Leveraging eDNA metabarcoding and saturated salt trap solutions for biosurveillance
Authors: Milián-García Yoamel , Pyne Cassandre , Lindsay Kate , Romero Adriana , Hanner Robert H.
Published: August 2023

The negative global impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) on biodiversity are second only to habitat loss. eDNA metabarcoding allows for a faster and more comprehensive evaluation of community species composition, with a higher taxonomic resolution and less taxonomic expertise required than traditional morphological-based biosurveillance. These advantages have positioned eDNA metabarcoding as the standard method for molecular-based detection of invasive alien species, where fast and accurate detectability allows prompt responses to mitigate their adverse effects. Here, eDNA metabarcoding is used for biosurveillance of invasive alien species regulated by Canada in high-risk areas with four main objectives: i) validate the effectiveness of eDNA metabarcoding of salt trap solutions as a molecular technique for IAS detection, ii) compare detection from DNA extracts obtained from filter quarters versus whole filters, iii) benchmark two different bioinformatic pipelines (MetaWorks and mBRAVE), and iv) compare canopy and ground level trapping. eDNA from up to five IAS (Agrilus planipennis,Daktulosphaira vitifoliae,Lymantria dispar,Popillia japonica, andTrichoferus campestris) were successfully detected across years from 2017 to 2022 in southern Ontario, Canada, with successful morphological validation for all exceptLymantria disparandTrichoferus campestris. Analysis of filter quarters in contrast to whole filters was demonstrated to be insufficient for effective IAS detection in each sample. All IAS were detected in only one filter quarter, suggesting a patchy eDNA distribution on the filter. The MetaWorks and mBRAVE bioinformatics pipelines proved effective in identifying IAS, with MetaWorks yielding a higher success rate when comparing molecular and morphological identifications. Ground-level and canopy-level sampling showed differential IAS recovery rates based on the molecular detection, which also varied per collection year, with all found IAS detected at the canopy level in 2022 while only one (Lymantria dispar) in 2020. The present study ratifies the efficacy and importance of eDNA-based detection in a regulatory context and the utility of adding eDNA metabarcoding of saturated salt trap solutions, a critical tool for IAS detection.
Oral calcium and vitamin D supplements differentially alter exploratory, anxiety-like behaviors and memory in male rats
Authors: Lapmanee Sarawut , Bhubhanil Sakkarin , Sriwong Siriwan , Yuajit Chaowalit , Wongchitrat Prapimpun , Teerapornpuntakit Jarinthorn , Suntornsaratoon Panan , Charoenphandhu Jantarima , Charoenphandhu Narattaphol
Published: August 2023

Oral calcium and calcium plus vitamin D supplements are commonly prescribed to several groups of patients, e.g., osteoporosis, fracture, and calcium deficiency. Adequate and steady extracellular calcium levels are essential for neuronal activity, whereas certain forms of calcium supplement (e.g., CaCO3) probably interfere with memory function. However, it was unclear whether a long-term use of ionized calcium (calcium chloride in drinking waterad libitum), vitamin D supplement (oral gavage) or the combination of both affected anxiety and memory, the latter of which was probably dependent on the hippocampal neurogenesis. Here, we aimed to determine the effects of calcium and/or vitamin D supplement on the anxiety- and memory-related behaviors and the expression of doublecortin (DCX), an indirect proxy indicator of hippocampal neurogenesis. Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups, i.e., control, calcium chloride-, 400 UI/kg vitamin D3-, and calcium chloride plus vitamin D-treated groups. After 4 weeks of treatment, anxiety-, exploration- and recognition memory-related behaviors were evaluated by elevated pulse-maze (EPM), open field test (OFT), and novel object recognition (NOR), respectively. The hippocampi were investigated for the expression of DCX protein by Western blot analysis. We found that oral calcium supplement increased exploratory behavior as evaluated by OFT and the recognition index in NOR test without any effect on anxiety behavior in EPM. On the other hand, vitamin D supplement was found to reduce anxiety-like behaviors. Significant upregulation of DCX protein expression was observed in the hippocampus of both calcium- and vitamin D-treated rats, suggesting their positive effects on neurogenesis. In conclusion, oral calcium and vitamin D supplements positively affected exploratory, anxiety-like behaviors and/or memory in male rats. Thus, they potentially benefit on mood and memory in osteoporotic patients beyond bone metabolism.
MSHHOTSA: A variant of tunicate swarm algorithm combining multi-strategy mechanism and hybrid Harris optimization
Authors: Liu Guangwei , Guo Zhiqing , Liu Wei , Cao Bo , Chai Senlin , Wang Chunguang
Published: August 2023

This paper proposes a novel hybrid algorithm, named Multi-Strategy Hybrid Harris Hawks Tunicate Swarm Optimization Algorithm (MSHHOTSA). The primary objective of MSHHOTSA is to address the limitations of the tunicate swarm algorithm, which include slow optimization speed, low accuracy, and premature convergence when dealing with complex problems. Firstly, inspired by the idea of the neighborhood and thermal distribution map, the hyperbolic tangent domain is introduced to modify the position of new tunicate individuals, which can not only effectively enhance the convergence performance of the algorithm but also ensure that the data generated between the unknown parameters and the old parameters have a similar distribution. Secondly, the nonlinear convergence factor is constructed to replace the original random factor c1 to coordinate the algorithm’s local exploitation and global exploration performance, which effectively improves the ability of the algorithm to escape extreme values and fast convergence. Finally, the swarm update mechanism of the HHO algorithm is introduced into the position update of the TSA algorithm, which further balances the local exploitation and global exploration performance of the MSHHOTSA. The proposed algorithm was evaluated on eight standard benchmark functions, CEC2019 benchmark functions, four engineering design problems, and a PID parameter optimization problem. It was compared with seven recently proposed metaheuristic algorithms, including HHO and TSA. The results were analyzed and discussed using statistical indicators such as mean, standard deviation, Wilcoxon’s rank sum test, and average running time. Experimental results demonstrate that the improved algorithm (MSHHOTSA) exhibits higher local convergence, global exploration, robustness, and universality than BOA, GWO, MVO, HHO, TSA, ASO, and WOA algorithms under the same experimental conditions.