bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Levin-Wen is a Gauge Theory: Entanglement from Topology
Authors: Kawagoe Kyle , Jones Corey , Sanford Sean , Green David , Penneys David
Published: October 2024

We show that the Levin-Wen model of a unitary fusion category $${\mathcal {C}}$$
C
is a gauge theory with gauge symmetry given by the tube algebra $${\text {Tube}}({\mathcal {C}})$$

Tube
(
C
)

. In particular, we define a model corresponding to a $${\text {Tube}}({\mathcal {C}})$$

Tube
(
C
)

symmetry protected topological phase, and we provide a gauging procedure which results in the corresponding Levin-Wen model. In the case $${\mathcal {C}}=\textsf{Hilb}(G,\omega )$$

C
=
Hilb
(
G
,
ω
)

, we show how our procedure reduces to the twisted gauging of a trival G-SPT to produce the Twisted Quantum Double. We further provide an example which is outside the bounds of the current literature, the trivial Fibbonacci SPT, whose gauge theory results in the doubled Fibonacci string-net. Our formalism has a natural topological interpretation with string diagrams living on a punctured sphere. We provide diagrams to supplement our mathematical proofs and to give the reader an intuitive understanding of the subject matter.
A comparative analysis of face and object perception in 2D laboratory and virtual reality settings: insights from induced oscillatory responses
Authors: Sagehorn Merle , Kisker Joanna , Johnsdorf Marike , Gruber Thomas , Schöne Benjamin
Published: October 2024

In psychophysiological research, the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for stimulus presentation allows for the investigation of how perceptual processing adapts to varying degrees of realism. Previous time-domain studies have shown that perceptual processing involves modality-specific neural mechanisms, as evidenced by distinct stimulus-locked components. Analyzing induced oscillations across different frequency bands can provide further insights into neural processes that are not strictly phase-locked to stimulus onset. This study uses a simple perceptual paradigm presenting images of faces and cars on both a standard 2D monitor and in an immersive VR environment. To investigate potential modality-dependent differences in attention, cognitive load, and task-related post-movement processing, the induced alpha, theta and beta band responses are compared between the two modalities. No evidence was found for differences in stimulus-dependent attention or task-related post-movement processing between the 2D conditions and the realistic virtual conditions in electrode space, as posterior alpha suppression and re-synchronization of centro-parietal beta did not differ between conditions. However, source analysis revealed differences in the attention networks engaged during 2D and 3D perception. Midfrontal theta was significantly stronger in laboratory conditions, indicating higher cognitive load than in the VR environment. Exploratory analysis of posterior theta showed stronger responses in VR, possibly reflecting the processing of depth information provided only by the 3D material. In addition, the theta response seems to be generated by distinct neuronal sources under realistic virtual conditions indicating enhanced involvement of semantic information processing and social cognition.
T2-weighted spoiled gradient echo MRI for forensic age estimation: a study on knee growth plates
Authors: Ekizoglu Oguzhan , Er Ali , Hocaoglu Elif , Bozdag Mustafa , Grabherr Silke
Published: October 2024

The timing of growth plate fusion is a key indicator for age estimation and is primarily used in forensic investigations. On the other hand, non-ionizing techniques such as MRI are being developed to provide safer and more ethical evaluations in forensic casework. This study aims to evaluate the closure process of growth plates in the distal femoral and proximal tibial epiphyses using Multiple Echo Recombined Gradient Echo (MERGE) MRI sequences and provide age estimation data based on staging methods for forensic purposes. We retrospectively analyzed 559 patients (294 males, 265 females, aged 8–25 years) diagnosed with trauma and knee pain at Tepecik Training and Research Hospital from 2016 to 2019. MRI scans were performed using a 1.5-T system with MERGE sequences and evaluated by two observers using a new staging system. Observer agreement was assessed using Cohen’s κ test, yielding high agreement values (κ > 0.8). Positive correlations were found between age and ossification stages (p < 0.001). Minimum age thresholds for stages 5a and 5b of the distal femoral epiphysis were 16 and 18 years for females and 17 and 19 years for males, respectively. For the proximal tibial epiphysis, the minimum ages for stages 5a and 5b were 15 years for females and 17 years for males. The MERGE sequence provides a viable method for assessing skeletal maturity in living individuals with significant ethical advantages due to non-ionizing radiation. This study supports the potential application of the MERGE sequence in forensic age estimation, demonstrating high observer agreement and consistency. Future research should focus on comparing different sequences and populations to enhance the methodology’s applicability.
Petrous bones versus tooth cementum for genetic analysis of aged skeletal remains
Authors: Zupanič Pajnič Irena , Jeromelj Tonja , Leskovar Tamara
Published: October 2024

A proper sampling strategy is important to obtain sufficient DNA for successful identification of aged skeletal remains. The petrous bone is the highest DNA-yielding bone in the human body. Because DNA extraction from the petrous bone is very destructive, the demand for other DNA sources is significant. When investigating aged skeletal remains, teeth are usually preserved, and recent studies have shown that DNA in teeth can be best preserved in the dental cementum that surrounds the surface of the tooth root. To extract DNA from the surface of the tooth root, a nondestructive method without grinding was used. Petrous bones and teeth from 60 archaeological adult skeletons were analyzed. The DNA yield, degree of DNA degradation, and STR typing success were compared, and the results showed higher DNA yield and higher amplification success in petrous bones, despite higher degradation of petrous bones’ DNA. The greater success of petrous bones is associated with poorly preserved DNA in a quarter of the teeth analyzed. When teeth with badly preserved DNA were excluded from the statistical analysis, no differences in the success of STR loci amplification were observed even if DNA yield was higher in petrous bones, which can be explained by greater degradation of petrous bones’ DNA. When teeth are well preserved, they can be used for genetically analyzing aged skeletal remains instead of petrous bones, and a rapid nondestructive extraction method can be applied to shorten the identification process and to physically preserve the biological specimen.
Energy Constrained Depth First Search
Authors: Das Shantanu , Dereniowski Dariusz , Uznański Przemysław
Published: October 2024

Depth first search is a natural algorithmic technique for constructing a closed route that visits all vertices of a graph. The length of such a route equals, in an edge-weighted tree, twice the total weight of all edges of the tree and this is asymptotically optimal over all exploration strategies. This paper considers a variant of such search strategies where the length of each route is bounded by a positive integer B (e.g. due to limited energy resources of the searcher). The objective is to cover all the edges of a tree T using the minimum number of routes, each starting and ending at the root and each being of length at most B. To this end, we analyze the following natural greedy tree traversal process that is based on decomposing a depth first search traversal into a sequence of limited length routes. Given any arbitrary depth first search traversal R of the tree T, we cover R with routes $$R_1,\ldots ,R_l$$

R
1

,
…
,

R
l

, each of length at most B such that: $$R_i$$

R
i

starts at the root, reaches directly the farthest point of R visited by $$R_{i-1}$$

R

i
-
1

, then $$R_i$$

R
i

continues along the path R as far as possible, and finally $$R_i$$

R
i

returns to the root. We call the above algorithm piecemeal-DFS and we prove that it achieves the asymptotically minimal number of routes l, regardless of the choice of R. Our analysis also shows that the total length of the traversal (and thus the traversal time) of piecemeal-DFS is asymptotically minimum over all energy-constrained exploration strategies. The fact that R can be chosen arbitrarily means that the exploration strategy can be constructed in an online fashion when the input tree T is not known in advance. Each route $$R_i$$

R
i

can be constructed without any knowledge of the yet unvisited part of T. Surprisingly, our results show that depth first search is efficient for energy constrained exploration of trees, even though it is known that the same does not hold for energy constrained exploration of arbitrary graphs.
On Scheduling Mechanisms Beyond the Worst Case
Authors: Gao Yansong , Zhang Jie
Published: October 2024

The problem of scheduling unrelated machines has been studied since the inception of algorithmic mechanism design (Nisan and Ronen, Algorithmic mechanism design(extended abstract). In: Proceedings of the Thirty First Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC), pp. 129–140, 1999. It is a resource allocation problem that entails assigning m tasks to n machines for execution. Machines are regarded as strategic agents who may lie about their execution costs so as to minimize their time cost. To address the situation when monetary payment is not an option to compensate the machines’ costs, Koutsoupias (Theory Comput Syst 54:375–387, 2014) devised two truthful mechanisms, K and P respectively, that achieves an approximation ratio of

$$\frac{n+1}{2}$$

n
+
1

2

and n, for social cost minimization. In addition, no truthful mechanism can achieve an approximation ratio better than

$$\frac{n+1}{2}$$

n
+
1

2

. Hence, mechanism K is optimal. While the approximation ratio provides a strong worst-case guarantee, it also limits us to a comprehensive understanding of mechanism performance on various inputs. This paper investigates these two scheduling mechanisms beyond the worst case. We first show that mechanism K achieves a smaller social cost than mechanism P on every input. That is, mechanism K is pointwise better than mechanism P. Next, for each task, when machines’ execution costs are independent and identically drawn from a task-specific distribution, we show that the average-case approximation ratio of mechanism K converges to a constant determined by the task-specific distribution. This bound is tight for mechanism K. For a better understanding of this distribution-dependent constant, on the one hand, we estimate its value by plugging in a few common distributions; on the other, we show that this converging bound improves a known bound (Zhang in Algorithmica 83(6):1638–1652, 2021)) which only captures the single-task setting. Last, we find that the average-case approximation ratio of mechanism P converges to the same constant.
An adaptive acceleration scheme for phase-field fatigue computations
Authors: Heinzmann Jonas , Carrara Pietro , Ambati Marreddy , Mirzaei Amir Mohammad , De Lorenzis Laura
Published: October 2024

Phase-field models of fatigue are capable of reproducing the main phenomenology of fatigue behavior. However, phase-field computations in the high-cycle fatigue regime are prohibitively expensive due to the need to resolve spatially the small length scale inherent to phase-field models and temporally the loading history for several millions of cycles. As a remedy, we propose a fully adaptive acceleration scheme based on the cycle jump technique, where the cycle-by-cycle resolution of an appropriately determined number of cycles is skipped while predicting the local system evolution during the jump. The novelty of our approach is a cycle-jump criterion to determine the appropriate cycle-jump size based on a target increment of a global variable which monitors the advancement of fatigue. We propose the definition and meaning of this variable for three general stages of the fatigue life. In comparison to existing acceleration techniques, our approach needs no parameters and bounds for the cycle-jump size, and it works independently of the material, specimen or loading conditions. Since one of the monitoring variables is the fatigue crack length, we introduce an accurate, flexible and efficient method for its computation, which overcomes the issues of conventional crack tip tracking algorithms and enables the consideration of several cracks evolving at the same time. The performance of the proposed acceleration scheme is demonstrated with representative numerical examples, which show a speedup reaching up to four orders of magnitude in the high-cycle fatigue regime with consistently high accuracy.

Graphical abstract
Effect of pre-session discrimination training on performance in a judgement bias test in dogs
Authors: Krahn Joseph , Azadian Amin , Cavalli Camila , Miller Julia , Protopopova Alexandra
Published: October 2024

Spatial judgement bias tests (JBTs) can involve teaching animals that a bowl provides a reward in one location but does not in another. The animal is then presented with the bowl placed between the rewarded and the unrewarded locations (i.e., ambiguous locations) and their latency to approach reflects expectation of reward or ‘optimism’. Some suggest that greater ‘optimism’ indicates better welfare. Performance in JBTs, however, may also indicate a learning history independently from welfare determinants. We hypothesized that dogs’ ‘optimism’ in a follow-up JBT may be impacted by a learning treatment involving additional trials of a different discrimination task. Once enrolled, companion dogs (n = 16) were required to complete three study phases: (1) a pre-treatment JBT, (2) a learning treatment, and (3) a post-treatment JBT. During the JBTs, dogs were presented with five locations: one rewarded, one unrewarded, and three ambiguous (all unrewarded). Dogs were randomly assigned to a trial-based learning task—a nose-touch to the palm of the hand. In the Experimental discrimination treatment phase (n = 8), dogs were presented with two hands in each trial and only rewarded for touching one specific hand. In the Control treatment phase (n = 8), dogs were presented with one hand per trial in alternating sequence and were yoked to dogs in the Experimental group to receive the same number of rewarded and unrewarded trials (to control for possible frustration). Using a repeated measures mixed model with JBT repeated within dog, we found no difference in the change in approach latency to the ambiguous locations between the dogs across treatments. ‘Optimism’ as measured in this JBT was not altered by the additional discrimination trials used in our study.
Federated learning-based natural language processing: a systematic literature review
Authors: Khan Younas , Sánchez David , Domingo-Ferrer Josep
Published: October 2024

Federated learning (FL) is a decentralized machine learning (ML) framework that allows models to be trained without sharing the participants’ local data. FL thus preserves privacy better than centralized machine learning. Since textual data (such as clinical records, posts in social networks, or search queries) often contain personal information, many natural language processing (NLP) tasks dealing with such data have shifted from the centralized to the FL setting. However, FL is not free from issues, including convergence and security vulnerabilities (due to unreliable or poisoned data introduced into the model), communication and computation bottlenecks, and even privacy attacks orchestrated by honest-but-curious servers. In this paper, we present a systematic literature review (SLR) of NLP applications in FL with a special focus on FL issues and the solutions proposed so far. Our review surveys 36 recent papers published in relevant venues, which are systematically analyzed and compared from multiple perspectives. As a result of the survey, we also identify the most outstanding challenges in the area.
Trustworthy human computation: a survey
Authors: Kashima Hisashi , Oyama Satoshi , Arai Hiromi , Mori Junichiro
Published: October 2024

Human computation is an approach to solving problems that prove difficult using AI only, and involves the cooperation of many humans. Because human computation requires close engagement with both “human populations as users” and “human populations as driving forces,” establishing mutual trust between AI and humans is an important issue to further the development of human computation. This survey lays the groundwork for the realization of trustworthy human computation. First, the trustworthiness of human computation as computing systems, that is, trust offered by humans to AI, is examined using the RAS (reliability, availability, and serviceability) analogy, which define measures of trustworthiness in conventional computer systems. Next, the social trustworthiness provided by human computation systems to users or participants is discussed from the perspective of AI ethics, including fairness, privacy, and transparency. Then, we consider human–AI collaboration based on two-way trust, in which humans and AI build mutual trust and accomplish difficult tasks through reciprocal collaboration. Finally, future challenges and research directions for realizing trustworthy human computation are discussed.
Statistical inference for Hicks–Moorsteen productivity indices
Authors: Simar Léopold , Zelenyuk Valentin , Zhao Shirong
Published: October 2024

The statistical framework for the Malmquist productivity index (MPI) is now well-developed and emphasizes the importance of developing such a framework for its alternatives. In this paper, we try to fill this gap in the literature for another popular measure, known as the Hicks–Moorsteen productivity index (HMPI). Unlike MPI, the HMPI has a total factor productivity interpretation in the sense of measuring productivity as the ratio of aggregated outputs to aggregated inputs and has other useful advantages over MPI. In this work, we develop a novel framework for statistical inference for HMPI in various contexts: when its components are known or when they are replaced with non-parametric envelopment estimators. This will be done for a particular firm’s HMPI as well as for the simple mean (unweighted) HMPI and the aggregate (weighted) HMPI. Our results further enrich the recent theoretical developments of nonparametric envelopment estimators for the various efficiency and productivity measures. We also examine the performance of these theoretical results for both the unweighted and weighted mean of HMPI for a finite sample, using Monte-Carlo simulations and also provide an empirical illustration along with the computation code.
Dynamic event-triggered integrated task and motion planning for process-aware source seeking
Authors: Li Yingke , Hou Mengxue , Zhou Enlu , Zhang Fumin
Published: October 2024

The process-aware source seeking (PASS) problem in flow fields aims to find an informative trajectory to reach an unknown source location while taking the energy consumption in the flow fields into consideration. Taking advantage of the dynamic flow field partition technique, this paper formulates this problem as a task and motion planning (TAMP) problem and proposes a bi-level hierarchical planning framework to decouple the planning of inter-region transition and inner-region trajectory by introducing inter-region junctions. An integrated strategy is developed to enable efficient upper-level planning by investigating the optimal solution of the lower-level planner. In order to leverage the information acquisition and computational burden, a dynamic event-triggered mechanism is introduced to enable asynchronized estimation, region partitioning and re-plans. The proposed algorithm provides guaranteed convergence of the trajectory, and achieves automatic trade-offs of both exploration-exploitation and accuracy-efficiency. Simulations in a highly complicated and realistic ocean surface flow field validate the merits of the proposed algorithm, which demonstrates a significant reduction in computational burden without compromising planning optimality.
Continuous planning for inertial-aided systems
Authors: Usayiwevu Mitchell , Sukkar Fouad , Yoo Chanyeol , Fitch Robert , Vidal-Calleja Teresa
Published: October 2024

Inertial-aided systems require continuous motion excitation among other reasons to characterize the measurement biases that will enable accurate integration required for localization frameworks. This paper proposes the use of informative path planning to find the best trajectory for minimizing the uncertainty of IMU biases and an adaptive traces method to guide the planner towards trajectories that aid convergence. The key contribution is a novel regression method based on Gaussian Process (GP) to enforce continuity and differentiability between waypoints from a variant of the $$\hbox {RRT}^*$$

RRT
∗

planning algorithm. We employ linear operators applied to the GP kernel function to infer not only continuous position trajectories, but also velocities and accelerations. The use of linear functionals enable velocity and acceleration constraints given by the IMU measurements to be imposed on the position GP model. The results from both simulation and real-world experiments show that planning for IMU bias convergence helps minimize localization errors in state estimation frameworks.
A landscape-based approach to design flower blocks may reduce mammalian predator activity and protect ground-nesting farmland birds
Authors: Laux Amelie , Waltert Matthias , Gottschalk Eckhard
Published: October 2024

High predation rates threaten many ground-nesting farmland birds and are difficult to address through conventional measures such as lethal predator control or fencing. Landscape-based approaches for conservation measures promise an alternative by reducing predator - bird encounters, but require detailed knowledge of landscape effects on predation risk. Different habitat elements attractive to predators could have opposing effects on neighbouring nesting habitats, with implications for conservation: Increased predation risk due to higher predator activity (A) or reduced predation risk by distracting predators (B). Here we focus on the placement of conservation measures using flower blocks targeted at Grey Partridges in a Central European Farmland. Based on a three-year camera trap dataset, we investigated effects of landscape structure and composition on mammalian predator activity within flower blocks at two scales (100 m and 500 m radius around the camera) with generalized linear mixed models. Length of linear edge structures, i.e., field block borders, was most important, with a greater availability of linear edge structures leading to a decrease in predator activity at both scales (hypothesis B). Conversely, predator captures at both scales increased with increasing extensive vegetation area (i.e., permanent grassland, flower blocks and fallows) and in proximity to roads, indicating that these may attract predators and increase predator densities (hypothesis A). Our results suggest that a landscape-based approach can mitigate predation risk for ground-nesting birds in flower blocks and analogous conservation measures. Highly structured, small-scale agricultural landscapes seem to be particularly important for reducing mammalian predator activity in flower blocks.
ECHO-MPS, a dual modality strategy of cardiac imaging to identify myocardial ischemia
Authors: Szmigielski Cezary A. , Sabharwal Nikant , Newton James D. , Becher Harald
Published: October 2024

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate an approach with resting echocardiography (TTE) and stress myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) compared to standard MPS in patients with stable angina and normal left ventricle (LV). We hypothesized that normal LV on TTE may allow for the elimination of rest MPS without compromising accuracy and offering an efficient diagnostic pathway with reduced radiation exposure.

Methods

In a prospective, non-randomized study TTE was performed prior to MPS in patients (pts) referred for assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD). In pts with normal LV assessment was performed using the hybrid and the standard approach. TTE and MPS were interpreted by two TTE readers (ER1-2) and two MPS readers (NR1-2). ECHO-MPS was compared with standard MPS for diagnostic accuracy.

Results

103 patients, mean age 61 ± 12 year, (63 M, 40 W) were recruited. Standard MPS were normal in 75 patients and abnormal in 28 patients, with the hybrid approach 79 studies were reported as normal and 24 studies as abnormal. Kappa values were 0.580, (p < 0.001) for large, 0.394, (p < 0.001) for medium, and 0.298 (p = 0.002) for small defects. With standard MPS as a reference, sensitivity for detection of perfusion defects by ECHO-MPS was 75% (95% CI 0.67–0.83) [NR2] and 78% (95% CI 0.70–0.86)[NR1]. Specificity was 95% (95% CI 0.90–0.99) [NR2] and 95% (CI 95%CI 0.90–0.99) [NR1].

Conclusions

ECHO-MPS protocol provides similar diagnostic accuracy as standard stress-rest MPS. In patients with normal systolic LV function in TTE, performing only stress MPS provides similar information as standard rest and stress MPS.
Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA of the aorta using a Golden-angle RAdial Sparse Parallel (GRASP) sequence: comparison with conventional time-resolved cartesian MRA (TWIST)
Authors: Calastra Camilla Giulia , Kleban Elena , Helfenstein Fabrice Noël , Haupt Fabian , Peters Alan Arthur , Huber Adrian , von Tengg-Kobligk Hendrik , Jung Bernd
Published: October 2024

Purpose

To compare the application of two contrast-enhanced time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography sequences on an aortic disease patient cohort: the conventional Cartesian-sampling-based, Time-resolved angiography With Interleaved Stochastic Trajectories (TWIST) sequence, and the radial-sampling-based Golden-angle RAdial Sparse Parallel (GRASP) sequence. TWIST is highly sensitive to patient movement, which can lead to blurring and reduced sharpness of vascular structures, particularly in dynamic regions like the aorta. Such motion artifacts can compromise diagnostic accuracy. Radial-sampling-based techniques are less sensitive to motion than cartesian sampling and are expected to improve the image quality in body parts subjected to motion.

Methods

30 patients (60.9 ± 16.1y.o.) with various aortic diseases underwent a 1.5T magnetic resonance angiography examination. Assessment of image quality in the ascending aorta (AA), descending aorta (DA), and abdominal aorta (AbA) on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = excellent, 4 = non-diagnostic) as well as max. aortic diameters (Dmax) were performed. T-test and multilevel mixed-effect proportional-odds models were used for the image analysis.

Results

GRASP offered superior depiction of vascular structures in terms of vascular contrast for qualitative analysis (TWIST, reader 1: 1.6 ± 0.5; reader 2: 1.9 ± 0.4; reader 3: 1.1 ± 0.4; GRASP, reader 1: 1.5 ± 0.5; reader 2: 1.4 ± 0.5; reader 3: 1.0 ± 0.2) and vessel sharpness for qualitative (TWIST, reader 1: 1.9 ± 0.6; reader 2: 1.6 ± 0.6; reader 3: 2.0 ± 0.3; GRASP, reader 1: 1.4 ± 0.6; reader 2: 1.2 ± 0.4; reader 3: 1.3 ± 0.6) and quantitative analysis (TWIST, AA = 0.12 ± 0.04, DA = 0.12 ± 0.03, AbA = 0.11 ± 0.03; GRASP, AA = 0.20 ± 0.05, DA = 0.22 ± 0.06, AbA=0.20 ± 0.05). Streaking artefacts of GRASP were more visible compared to TWIST (TWIST, reader 1: 2.2 ± 0.6; reader 2: 1.9 ± 0.3; reader 3: 2.0 ± 0.5; GRASP, reader 1: 2.6 ± 0.6; reader 2: 2.3 ± 0.5; reader 3: 2.8 ± 0.6). Aortic Dmax comparison among the sequence showed no clinical relevance.

Conclusion

GRASP outperformed TWIST in SNR, vessel sharpness, and reduction in image blurring; streaking artefacts were stronger with GRASP, but did not affect diagnostic image quality.
The repugnant resolution: has Coghlan & Cox resolved the Gamer’s Dilemma?
Authors: Montefiore Thomas , Luck Morgan
Published: October 2024

Coghlan and Cox (Between death and suffering: Resolving the gamer’s dilemma. Ethics and Information Technology) offer a new resolution to the Gamer’s Dilemma (Luck, The Gamer’s Dilemma. Ethics and Information Technology). They argue that, while it is fitting for a person committing virtual child molestation to feel self-repugnance, it is not fitting for a person committing virtual murder to feel the same, and the fittingness of this feeling indicates each act’s moral permissibility. The aim of this paper is to determine whether this resolution – the repugnant resolution – successfully resolves the Gamer’s Dilemma. We argue that it does not.
Using SRG/eROSITA to predict soft proton induced ATHENA backgrounds
Authors: Perinati Emanuele , Freyberg Michael J. , Yeung Michael C. H. , Dennerl Konrad , Pommranz Christian , Heß Bastian , Diebold Sebastian , Tenzer Chris , Santangelo Andrea
Published: October 2024

Soft protons populating the space environment have affected the performance of the X-ray detectors on board Chandra and XMM-Newton, and they pose a threat for future high energy astrophysics missions with larger aperture, such as ATHENA. In this paper, we aim to predict the soft proton induced ATHENA backgrounds from the modelling of the orbital flux obtained using eROSITA on board SRG. To this end, we analysed the background measured by eROSITA and with the help of simulations we defined a range of values for the potential count-rate of quiet-time soft protons focused through the mirror shells. We used it to derive an estimate of the orbital soft proton flux, from which the induced background for the WFI and X-IFU detectors can be predicted, assuming ATHENA in the same L2-orbit as SRG. The scaling, based on the computed proton transmission yields of the optics and optical/thermal filters, indicates that the soft proton induced WFI and X-IFU backgrounds could be expected within the requirement. Regardless of where ATHENA will be placed (L1 or L2), our analysis also suggests that increasing somewhat the thickness of the WFI optical blocking filter, e.g. by $$\sim $$
∼
30%, would help to further reduce the soft proton flux onto the detector, which might be worth in case the planned magnetic diverters perform worse than expected due to soft proton neutralisation at the mirror level.
Factors impacting urban greenspace usage: new evidence from South Africa
Authors: Struwig Christiaan , Davis Nerhene , Breetzke Gregory D.
Published: October 2024

This paper examines the factors that impact urban greenspace (UGS) usage in three urban parks in the city of Tshwane, South Africa. Guided by systems theory, we aim to determine how various cultural ecosystem services afforded by these parks influence usage with a particular focus on social relations, recreation, aesthetics, and spiritual value. Data for the study was collected using an online survey as well as online reviews of the UGSs from three different sources. Site visits were also conducted to verify the presence (or absence) of various tangible factors that could impact usage. Using correlation analysis, we determined that recreation was the primary cultural ecosystem service offered by these spaces that individuals consider when deciding whether to use an UGS. Moreover, UGSs that are accessible, perceptibly safe, and well-maintained generally attract park usage while UGSs that are perceived as being unsafe, neglected, and/or polluted generally deter park use. We conclude the study by making a series of recommendations that could encourage UGS usage in this unique context in South Africa.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptom Profiles in Fragile X Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Lubbers Kyra , Hiralal Kamil R. , Dieleman Gwendolyn C. , Hagenaar Doesjka A. , Dierckx Bram , Legerstee Jeroen S. , de Nijs Pieter F.A. , Rietman André B. , Oostenbrink Rianne , Bindels-de Heus Karen G.C.B. , de Wit Marie-Claire Y. , Hillegers Manon H.J. , ten Hoopen Leontine W. , Mous Sabine E.
Published: October 2024

Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) heterogeneity in biologically homogeneous samples may increase our knowledge of ASD etiology. Fragile X syndrome (FXS), Angelman syndrome (AS), Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), and Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are monogenic disorders with high a prevalence of ASD symptomatology. This study aimed to identify ASD symptom profiles in a large group of children and adolescents (0;9–28 years) with FXS, AS, TSC, and NF1. Data on ASD symptomatology (Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS-2) & Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2)) were collected from children and adolescents with FXS (n = 54), AS (n = 93), TSC (n = 112), and NF1 (n = 278). To identify groups of individuals with similar ASD profiles, we performed two latent profile analyses. We identified a four-profile model based on the ADOS-2, with a (1) ‘Non-spectrum symptom profile’, (2) ‘Social Affect symptom profile’, (3)‘Restricted/Repetitive Behaviors symptom profile’, and (4)‘ASD symptom profile’. We also identified a four-profile model based on the SRS, with a (1)‘Non-clinical symptom profile’, (2)‘Mild symptom profile’, (3)‘Moderate symptom profile’, and (4)‘Severe symptom profile’. Although each syndrome group exhibited varying degrees of severity, they also displayed heterogeneity in the profiles in which they were classified. We found distinct ASD symptom profiles in a population consisting of children and adolescents with FXS, AS, TSC, and NF1. Our study highlights the importance of a personalized approach to the identification and management of ASD symptoms in rare genetic syndromes. Future studies should aim to include more domains of functioning and investigate the stability of latent profiles over time.
A Longitudinal Study of Head Circumference Trajectories in Autism and Autistic Traits
Authors: Ashley Sarah A. , Merritt Kate , Solmi Francesca , Laguna Pedro L. , Reichenberg Abraham , David Anthony S.
Published: October 2024

Increased head circumference is an established finding in autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, it is unclear when this increase occurs, if it persists and whether it manifests across the whole ASD spectrum. Head circumference is a strong predictor of brain size and can therefore provide key insights into brain development in ASD. We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children to compare head circumference trajectories from birth to 15 years in children with an ASD diagnosis (N = 78, controls = 6,404) or elevated autistic traits as measured using the Social Communication Disorder Checklist (N = 639, controls = 6,230). Exploratory analyses were conducted in those with ASD and co-morbid cognitive learning needs (CLN). Children with an ASD diagnosis had larger head circumference from birth across childhood and adolescence compared to controls in univariable (B = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28–1.09, p = 0.001) and multivariable models (B = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.003–0.75, p = 0.048). Differences were more marked in those with co-morbid CLN. Children with elevated autistic traits had significantly smaller head circumference compared to controls. There was weak evidence of group differences when height was included as a covariate. Head circumference trajectories in ASD deviate from control children and persist until adolescence. Autistic traits were associated with smaller head circumference, suggesting distinct growth trajectories between clinical cases from those with non-clinical traits.
Does Camouflaging Cause Reduced Quality of Life? A Co-Twin Control Study
Authors: Remnélius Karl Lundin , Neufeld Janina , Isaksson Johan , Bölte Sven
Published: October 2024

Camouflaging has been proposed to have a detrimental effect on quality of life, yet previous research has not accounted sufficiently for potential confounding by genetic and shared environmental factors. The current study utilized a co-twin control design providing stringent control for a range of confounders to investigate the hypothesis that camouflaging autistic traits has a negative impact on quality of life. The sample included 140 individual twins from 42 monozygotic (MZ) and 28 dizygotic (DZ) twin-pairs, enriched for participants with neurodevelopmental conditions including 22 autistic participants. All twins provided self-reports of camouflaging and quality of life. Autistic participants and specifically autistic females displayed increased camouflaging behaviors compared to non-autistic participants. Across the sample, higher levels of camouflaging were associated with reduced quality of life, surviving adjustment for confounding effects of autistic traits, ADHD, sex, and age. Within DZ- as well as MZ-pairs, which provide the highest level of control for unmeasured confounders, twins who camouflaged more reported lower quality of life compared to their co-twins, consistent with a causal influence of camouflaging on quality of life. Our results strengthen previous claims purporting camouflaging behaviors as a risk factor for reduced quality of life.
Effects of Injected Current Streams on MHD Equilibrium Reconstruction of Local Helicity Injection Plasmas in a Spherical Tokamak
Authors: Weberski J. D. , Bongard M. W. , Diem S. J. , Fonck R. J. , Goetz J. A. , Nornberg M. D. , Reusch J. A. , Schaefer C. E. , Sontag A. C.
Published: October 2024

Open field line currents are intrinsic to DC helicity injection plasma startup and pose a challenge for inferring the plasma equilibrium with standard reconstruction analysis. Local helicity injection (LHI) is a type of DC helicity injection which uses small, modular current sources to drive force-free current along helical field lines to produce tokamak plasmas. MHD modeling and magnetic measurements during LHI indicate the injected current streams remain coherent as helical structures on the outboard edge of a core toroidal plasma that is tokamak-like in a toroidally averaged sense. To extract core plasma equilibrium properties, external magnetic diagnostics corrected for contributions from the injected current streams are fitted by a standard Grad-Shafranov equilibrium code. An iterative approach for estimating and subtracting the stream contributions from the diagnostic signals is described and applied to a model equilibrium database to reduce systematic errors introduced by the streams. Convergence is usually attained with 2 to 4 iterations, with derived equilibrium parameters matching the prescribed axisymmetric core values to within estimated experimental uncertainties. Accurate recovery of core parameters occurs when the ratio of the net toroidal windup current from the streams to the core plasma current is less than 0.2, which is typically satisfied in most experiments.
Global Expectations for Bystander Intervention in Domestic Violence: A Scoping Review of Governmental Policies and Community Resources in Eight Countries
Authors: Kuskoff Ella , Parsell Cameron
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Over recent years, expectations for bystanders to intervene to interrupt or prevent domestic violence have increased. However, the extent of these expectations and the ways in which bystanders are supported to uphold these expectations remain ambiguous. Drawing on a scoping review methodology, this study aims to map the bystander expectations and advice contained in government policies and community resources across eight countries.

Methods

We conducted a grey-literature search to identify the three most recent and relevant policy documents from each country, as well as the three most easily-accessible online community resources. We charted key information from each policy and resource, including type of violence and level of prevention; responsibility to intervene and effectiveness of bystander intervention; recognition of danger; and recommended bystander actions.

Results

The results indicate that the government policies and community resources included in the review held high expectations for bystanders to intervene in domestic violence. However, the information provided on how to safely and effectively intervene was inconsistent in its recognition of the risk posed to bystanders, and often offered contradictory advice.

Conclusions

An examination of our findings within the context of existing evidence suggests that there are severe limitations to the messages and information presented by the policies and resources. As a matter of urgency, more empirical research is needed to inform the government policies and community resources that encourage bystanders to intervene in domestic violence.
Doing Justice: Ethical Considerations Identifying and Researching Transgender and Gender Diverse People in Insurance Claims Data
Authors: Alpert Ash B. , Babbs Gray , Sanaeikia Rebecca , Ellison Jacqueline , Hughes Landon , Herington Jonathan , Dembroff Robin
Published: October 2024

Data on the health of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people are scarce. Researchers are increasingly turning to insurance claims data to investigate disease burden among TGD people. Since claims do not include gender self-identification or modality (i.e., TGD or not), researchers have developed algorithms to attempt to identify TGD individuals using diagnosis, procedure, and prescription codes, sometimes also inferring sex assigned at birth and gender. Claims-based algorithms introduce epistemological and ethical complexities that have yet to be addressed in data informatics, epidemiology, or health services research. We discuss the implications of claims-based algorithms to identify and categorize TGD populations, including perpetuating cisnormative biases and dismissing TGD individuals’ self-identification. Using the framework of epistemic injustice, we outline ethical considerations when undertaking claims-based TGD health research and provide suggestions to minimize harms and maximize benefits to TGD individuals and communities.
Distributionally Robust Portfolio Optimization under Marginal and Copula Ambiguity
Authors: Fan Zhengyang , Ji Ran , Lejeune Miguel A.
Published: October 2024

We investigate a new family of distributionally robust optimization problem under marginal and copula ambiguity with applications to portfolio optimization problems. The proposed model considers the ambiguity set of portfolio returns in which the marginal distributions and their copula are close—in terms of the Wasserstein distance—to their nominal counterparts. We develop a cutting-surface method to solve the proposed problem, in which the distribution separation subproblem is nonconvex and includes bilinear terms. We propose three approaches to solve the bilinear formulation, namely (1) linear relaxation via McCormick inequalities, (2) exact mixed-integer linear program reformulation via disjunctive inequalities, and (3) inner approximation method via a novel iterative procedure that exploits the structural properties of the bilinear optimization problem. We further carry out a comprehensive set of computational experiments with distributionally robust portfolios featuring Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) measures. These tests aim to compare the accuracy of the proposed algorithms, analyze the impact of the radius of the Wasserstein ambiguity ball on the portfolio, and assess portfolio performance. We use a rolling-horizon approach to conduct the out-of-sample tests, which show the superior performance of the portfolios under marginal and copula ambiguity over the equally weighted and ambiguity-free Mean-CVaR benchmark portfolios.
Generational Shifts in Adolescent Mental Health: A Longitudinal Time-Lag Study
Authors: Borg Meghan E. , Heffer Taylor , Willoughby Teena
Published: October 2024

There is concern that adolescents today are experiencing a “mental health crisis” compared to previous generations. Research has lacked a longitudinal time-lag design to directly compare depressive symptoms and social anxiety of adolescents in two generations. The current study surveyed 1081 adolescents in the current generation (Mage = 14.60, SD = 0.31, 49% female) and 1211 adolescents in a previous generation (Mage = 14.40, SD = 0.51, 51% female) across the high school years (grades 9–12), 20 years apart. Mixed-effects analysis revealed that the Current-Sample reported higher and increasing mental health problems over time compared to the Past-Sample. Although most adolescents reported consistently low mental health problems, the Current-Sample had a higher proportion of adolescents who were consistently at risk across the high school years compared to the Past-Sample. These findings highlight while most adolescents in both generations do not report elevated mental health problems, there may be a small, yet growing, group of adolescents today at risk for experiencing a “mental health crisis”.
Regulation of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic factors in obesity-related esophageal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Agrawal Swati , Podber Anna , Gillespie Megan , Dietz Nick , Hansen Laura A. , Nandipati Kalyana C.
Published: October 2024

Background

Obesity is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). It was reported that obesity -associated inflammation correlates with insulin resistance and increased risk of EAC. The objective of the study is to investigate the role of obesity associated inflammatory mediators in the development of EAC.

Methods

We included 23 obese and nonobese patients with EAC or with or without Barrett’s esophagus (BE) after IRB approval. We collected 23 normal, 10 BE, and 19 EAC tissue samples from endoscopy or esophagectomy. The samples were analyzed for the expression levels of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic factors, PKC-δ, cIAP2, FLIP, IGF-1, Akt, NF-kB and Ki67 by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. We compared the expression levels between normal, BE, and EAC tissue using Students’ t-test between two groups.

Results

Our results showed decreased gene and protein expression of pro-apoptotic factors (bad, bak and bax) and increased expression of anti-apoptotic factors (bcl-2, Bcl-xL) in BE and EAC compared to normal tissues. There was increased gene and protein expression of PKC-δ, cIAP2, FLIP, NF-kB, IGF-1, Akt, and Ki67 in BE and EAC samples compared to normal esophagus. Further, an increased folds changes in mRNA expression of proapoptotic factors, antiapoptotic factors, PKC-δ, IGF-1, Akt, and Ki-67 was associated with obesity.

Conclusion

Patients with EAC had increased expression of cIAP2 and FLIP, and PKC-δ which is associated with inhibition of apoptosis and possible progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
What should economists do?: A historical perspective
Authors: Marciano Alain
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this paper is to present “What Should Economists Do?”, an article written by James Buchanan and published in 1964, in an historical perspective. We put forward an important point, namely the opposition with Ludwig von Mises, and Buchanan’s attempt at differentiating his approach from Mises. Instead of in addition to Robbins, that he nominally targeted, Buchanan was actually criticizing Mises. Buchanan thus defined economics in a very specific way, as a science that studies exchange but only when it results from a desire (or a propensity) to exchange.