bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterizing external visualization in mathematics education research: a scoping review
Authors: Schoenherr Johanna , Schukajlow Stanislaw
Published: May 2023

External visualization (i.e., physically embodied visualization) is central to the teaching and learning of mathematics. As external visualization is an important part of mathematics at all levels of education, it is diverse, and research on external visualization has become a wide and complex field. The aim of this scoping review is to characterize external visualizations in recent mathematics education research in order to develop a common ground and guide future research. A qualitative content analysis of the full texts of 130 studies published between 2018 and 2022 applied a deductive-inductive coding procedure to assess four dimensions: visualization product or process, type of visualization, media, and purpose. The analysis revealed different types of external visualizations including visualizations with physical resemblance ranging from pictorial to abstract visualizations as well as three types of visualizations with structural resemblance: length, area, and relational visualizations. Future research should include measures of visualization products or processes to help explain the demands and affordances that different types of visualizations present to learners and teachers.
Experimental investigation of hydrogen-intensified synthetic natural gas production via biomass gasification: a technical comparison of different production pathways
Authors: Bartik Alexander , Benedikt Florian , Fuchs Josef , Hofbauer Hermann , Müller Stefan
Published: May 2023

A sustainable and secure energy supply requires alternative concepts for energy generation. Utilizing biomass to produce synthetic natural gas (SNG) allows the synthesis of a currently widely used energy carrier on a renewable basis. The additional integration of hydrogen increases the carbon utilization of the biomass. This study experimentally investigates and compares the production of raw-SNG in three novel process chain configurations combining the advanced dual fluidized bed (DFB) gasification technology, gas cleaning units, and a fluidized bed methanation reactor. The three process chains comprise the direct methanation of DFB product gas, a hybrid route with hydrogen addition to the DFB product gas, and the methanation of a hydrogen-enriched product gas generated through DFB gasification with in situ CO2 removal (SER process). The direct methanation of the DFB product gas yielded a raw-SNG CH4 content of 40 vol.-%db at 360 °C and atmospheric pressure conditions. Through the integration of external hydrogen in a hybrid process, the carbon utilization of the biomass could be increased from 37% to around 70% at an unchanged cold gas efficiency of 58–59%. Via the SER process, a high raw-SNG CH4 content of 70 vol.-%db was achieved at an increased cold gas efficiency of 66% without the need for external hydrogen. Finally, a comparison points out the main advantages of the process configurations and provides a decision basis for novel SNG production pathways.
Survival following vertebral compression fractures in population over 65 years old
Authors: Gutiérrez-González Raquel , Royuela Ana , Zamarron Alvaro
Published: May 2023

Background

Lower mortality has been demonstrated when vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are treated surgically (vertebral augmentation) vs. conservatively.

Aims

To analyze the overall survival in patients over 65 who suffer a VCF, to review the principal causes of death, and to detect which factors are associated with a greater risk of mortality.

Methods

Patients over 65 years old diagnosed with acute, non-pathologic thoracic or lumbar VCF, treated consecutively from January 2017 to December 2020, were retrospectively selected. Those patients with follow-ups under 2 years or who required arthrodesis were excluded. Overall survival was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. Differences in survival were tested through the log-rank test. Multivariable Cox regression was used to assess the association of covariates and time to death.

Results

A total of 492 cases were included. Overall mortality was 36.2%. Survival rate at 1-, 12-, 24-, 48-, and 60-month follow-up was 97.4%, 86.6%, 78.0%, 64.4%, and 59.4%, respectively. Infection was the leading cause of death. The independent factors associated with a higher mortality risk were age, male, oncologic history, non-traumatic mechanism, and comorbidity during hospitalization. No statistical difference was found when comparing the two survival curves by treatment (vertebral augmentation vs. conservative) over time.

Conclusion

Overall mortality rate was 36.2% after a median follow-up of 50.5 months (95% CI 48.2; 54.2). Age, male sex, history of oncological disease, non-traumatic mechanism of the fracture, and any comorbidity during hospitalization were identified as variables independently associated with a higher risk of mortality following a VCF in the elderly.
The Development of Disordered Eating in Male Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Prospective Longitudinal Studies
Authors: Byrne Shauna E. , Basten Christopher J. , McAloon John
Published: May 2023

A lack of research exists about the development of disordered eating in adolescent males. A systematic review was undertaken with the primary aim of identifying psychosocial risk factors that are prospectively associated with the development of disordered eating attitudes and behavior in adolescent males. The review’s secondary aim was to appraise the appropriateness of the psychometric assessment measures used to identify those risk factors. Electronic databases Scopus (Elsevier), PsycINFO (EBSCO), PsycARTICLES, Medline (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection and Pubmed (Thomson Reuters) were searched for prospective longitudinal research involving 11–19 year-old adolescents that was published between 2010 and 2022. Twenty-one publications met inclusion criteria and thirty-five factors including fourteen psychological factors, ten body appearance factors, four sociocultural factors, three familial and four peer factors were identified as prospectively associated with the development of disordered eating attitudes and behavior in male adolescents. The psychometric assessment measures used to identify those factors, together with the proportion of female respondents upon whose data the measures were based, were critically appraised. Accurate assessment is imperative in generating reliable and valid research and informing clinical practice. Existing female-centric psychometric assessments normed predominantly on female participants may not be appropriate for use with adolescent males.
A nuanced understanding of the doping of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) with tosylate
Authors: Petsagkourakis Ioannis , Kim Donghyun , Modarresi Mohsen , Rudd Sam , Rudd Roya , Zozoulenko Igor , Evans Drew
Published: May 2023

The conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (known as PEDOT) is routinely fabricated into doped thin films for investigation of its inherent properties as well as for a range of applications. Fabrication of PEDOT is often achieved via oxidative polymerisation, where the conducting polymer is polymerised and doped (oxidised) to yield a conductive polymer thin film. The oxidiser and the polymerisation temperature are two parameters that may influence the properties and performance of the resultant PEDOT thin film. In this study, the role of temperature for the chemical polymerisation of PEDOT using the oxidiser iron tosylate is investigated from a computational and experimental viewpoint. While computations of the doping energetics suggest increasing doping with increasing temperature, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of fabricated PEDOT thin films indicate doping is much more complicated. With the aid of computations of the spatial distribution functions for tosylate in PEDOT, experiments indicate that two different populations of tosylate anions exist in the PEDOT matrix. Their relative populations change as a function of the polymerisation temperature. Therefore, polymerisation temperature plays a critical role in tailoring the properties of PEDOT in pursuit of being fit-for-purpose for the desired application.
Multiracial Identities in Colonial French Africa
Authors: Jean-Baptiste Rachel
Published: May 2023

Despite increasingly hardened visions of racial difference in colonial governance in French Africa after World War I, interracial sexual relationships persisted, resulting in the births of thousands of children. These children, mostly born to African women and European men, sparked significant debate in French society about the status of multiracial people, debates historians have termed 'the métis problem.' Drawing on extensive archival and oral history research in Gabon, Republic of Congo, Senegal, and France, Rachel Jean-Baptiste investigates the fluctuating identities of métis. Crucially, she centres claims by métis themselves to access French social and citizenship rights amidst the refusal by fathers to recognize their lineage, and in the context of changing African racial thought and practice. In this original history of race-making, belonging, and rights, Jean-Baptiste demonstrates the diverse ways in which métis individuals and collectives carved out visions of racial belonging as children and citizens in Africa, Europe, and internationally.
Is neuromorphic computing disruptive enough to 1) advance our understanding of the brain and 2) make the design and working of (bio)electronic devices efficient and scalable?
Authors: Chakrabarty Samit , Petrovici Mihai A.
Published: May 2023

Neuromorphic computing is an approach to computing that is inspired by the structure and function of the brain. In terms of basic research, it aims at improving our understanding of biological intelligence by replicating aspects of its physical substrate – spiking neurons, synaptic plasticity etc. – and harness them towards also replicating its function. With respect to technological advances, it aims to inherit the brain’s combination of computational prowess and extreme energy efficiency; this is thought to foster a plethora of applications, from large-scale neuromorphic systems for machine learning to small-scale edge devices for signal processing and control, for example in the form of wearables for healthcare or adaptive sensors/processors for autonomous agents. The demand and usefulness of neuromorphic computing in bioelectronics is likely to increase in the future as researchers continue to explore its capabilities and develop new applications.
Cancellations of periodic orbits for non-singular Morse–Smale flows
Authors: LIMA D. V. S. , DE REZENDE K. A. , DA SILVEIRA M. R.
Published: May 2023

In this work, we explore the dynamical implications of a spectral sequence analysis of a filtered chain complex associated to a non-singular Morse–Smale (NMS) flow
$\varphi $
on a closed orientable
$3$
-manifold
$M^3$
with no heteroclinic trajectories connecting saddle periodic orbits. We introduce the novel concepts of cancellations and reductions of pairs of periodic orbits based on Franks’ morsification and Smale’s cancellation theorems. The main goal is to establish an algebraic-dynamical correspondence between the unfolding of this spectral sequence associated to
$\varphi $
and a family of flows obtained by cancelling and reducing pairs of periodic orbits of
$\varphi $
on
$M^3$
. This correspondence is achieved through a spectral sequence sweeping algorithm (SSSA), which determines the order in which these cancellations and reductions of periodic orbits occur, producing a family of NMS flows that reaches a core flow when the spectral sequence converges.
Remark on complements on surfaces
Authors: Liu Jihao
Published: May 2023

We give an explicit characterization on the singularities of exceptional pairs in any dimension. In particular, we show that any exceptional Fano surface is

$\frac {1}{42}$

-lc. As corollaries, we show that any

$\mathbb R$

-complementary surface X has an n-complement for some integer

$n\leq 192\cdot 84^{128\cdot 42^5}\approx 10^{10^{10.5}}$

, and Tian’s alpha invariant for any surface is

$\leq 3\sqrt {2}\cdot 84^{64\cdot 42^5}\approx 10^{10^{10.2}}$

. Although the latter two values are expected to be far from being optimal, they are the first explicit upper bounds of these two algebraic invariants for surfaces.
On particle fountains in a crossflow
Authors: Newland Eric L. , Woods Andrew W.
Published: May 2023

We present new experiments of particle-laden turbulent fountains in a uniform horizontal crossflow,

$u_a$

, with momentum flux,

$M_0$

, and buoyancy flux,

$B_0$

. We use the ratio,

$P$

, of the crossflow speed to the characteristic fountain speed,

$M_0^{-1/4}|B_0|^{1/2}$

, and the ratio

$U$

, of the Stokes fall speed of the particles,

$v_s$

, to the characteristic fountain speed, to characterise the dynamics of a particle fountain in a crossflow. We find that the dynamics of these particle fountains can be categorised into three distinct regimes. In regime I when the fall speed of the particles is small in comparison with the characteristic fountain speed (

$U\ll 1$

), the particles remain well-coupled to the fountain fluid and the flow essentially behaves as a single-phase fountain in a crossflow. In the transitional regime II (

$0.1< U<1$

), when the fall speed of particles is comparable to the characteristic fountain speed, we observe some particles separating from the fountain fluid during the descent of the flow which leaves some fluid neutrally buoyant. As

$U>1$

(regime III), we observe particles separating from the fountain as it rises from the source. We measure the average dispersal distance of the particles and the speed of the descending particles as a function of

$U$

and

$P$

and compare these results with models of a single-phase fountain in a crossflow. We build a regime diagram to describe the effect of

$U$

and

$P$

on the flow dynamics and consider our work in the context of deep-submarine volcanic eruptions.
Effect of plasma actuator-based control on flow-field and acoustics of supersonic rectangular jets
Authors: Lakshmi Narasimha Prasad Anirudh , Unnikrishnan S.
Published: May 2023

We perform a computational study on the effects of localized arc filament plasma actuator based control on the flow field and acoustics of a supersonic 2:1 aspect ratio rectangular jet. Post validation of the baseline jet, effects of control in the context of noise reduction are studied at experimentally guided forcing parameters, including frequencies$St=0.3, 1.0$and$St=2.0$with duty cycles of$20\,\%$and$50\,\%$. In general, high-frequency forcing reduces noise in the downstream direction, with the actuator signature appearing mostly in the sideline direction. Here$St=1$,${\rm DC}=50\,\%$yields an optimum balance between peak noise reduction (of${\sim }1.5$dB) and actuator tones, with control being most effective on the major axis plane that bisects the shorter edges of the nozzle. Shear layer response to the most effective forcing includes generation of successive arrays of mutually interacting staggered lambda vortices, which eventually energize streamwise vortical elements. Causal mechanisms of noise mitigation are further elucidated as follows. First, the control reduces the energy within the supersonic phase speed regime of peak radiating frequencies by redistributing a part of it into a high-frequency band. Second, it enhances azimuthal percolation of energy into the first and second helical modes at frequencies where noise reduction is seen, thus weakening the radiatively efficient axisymmetric mode. Finally, sound-producing intermittent events in the jet are significantly reduced, thereby minimizing the high-intensity acoustic emissions. This small-perturbation-based control strategy results in only minor variations in the mean flow properties. However, reduced production and enhanced convection attenuate turbulent kinetic energy within the spreading shear layer in the controlled jet.
Leveraging Community Context, Data, and Resources to Inform Suicide Prevention Strategies
Authors: Barnard Leslie M. , Spark Talia L. , Leavitt Colton , Leary Jacob , Lehmkuhl Lee J. , Johnston Nicole , Wallace Erik A.
Published: May 2023

Colorado has consistently had one of the highest rates of suicide in the United States, and El Paso County has the highest number of suicide and firearm-related suicide deaths within the state. Community-based solutions like those of the Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County may be more effective in preventing suicide as they are specific to local issues, sensitive to local culture, and informed by local data, community members, and stakeholders.
Reasonable Accommodation and Disparate Impact: Clean Shave Policy Discrimination in Today’s Workplace
Authors: Jiang Yucheng (Renee)
Published: May 2023

This article examines Bey v. City of New York — a recent Second Circuit case where four Black firefights suffering from Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (a skin condition causing irritation when shaving which mostly affects Black men) challenged the New York City Fire Department’s Clean Shave Policy — with an intersectional approach utilizing legal theories of racial, disability, and religious discrimination.
Enforcing Citizen Participation Through Litigation: Analyzing the Outcomes of Anti-Dam Movements in Brazil and Chile
Authors: Heinelt Marie-Sophie , Lima Valesca
Published: May 2023

In environmental politics, social movements play a crucial role, promoting participatory rights and confronting injustice, inequality, and the interests of the powerful. This article examines an underexplored topic in the literature on social movements, especially in Latin America: the use of litigation to force decisionmakers to comply with participatory formats, specifically in the course of opposition to hydroelectric dams. These projects often are destructive to the local environment and communities. This study examines four cases of environmental litigation that halted dam construction in Brazil and Chile, singling out causal pathways for successful collective action. It focuses on two dimensions of movement success: the implementation of participatory formats and the resulting cancellation of dam projects. In line with the joint effect model of social movement theory, the cross-case comparison of legal disputes shows that pursuing legal strategies in parallel to broad social mobilization and the support of institutional allies, can lead to successful outcomes.
Kenyan farmers appreciate the higher yield of 50% non-pollen producing Maize (Zea mays) hybrids
Authors: De Groote Hugo , Ndegwa Michael K. , Muriithi Nancy , Munyua Bernard G. , Collinson Sarah , Olsen Michael S.
Published: May 2023

Incorporating the dominant male sterile gene, Ms44, in new maize varieties results in 50% non-pollen producing (FNP) varieties. This makes the varieties more nitrogen efficient and increases yield directly by an average of 200 kg ha−1 across yield levels. However, as half of the plants do not shed pollen, the presence of Ms44 in an FNP variety is clearly visible. This technology can improve food production and security in the African maize-based agri-food systems, but only if accepted by farmers. Farmers were therefore invited to 11 on-farm, researcher managed trial sites of FNP varieties in Kenya over 2 years. They were asked to identify the traits they find important in evaluating maize varieties and to score the FNP varieties, as well as their conventional counterparts, on these criteria (including yield, resistance to pests, and cob size) and overall, using a five-point hedonic scale. In total, 2,697 farmers participated, of which 62% were women. Farmers mentioned many traits they find important, especially yield and related traits, early maturity, and drought resistance, but also tassel and pollen formation. In 2017, mid-season, participants scored FNP varieties lower than conventional varieties on tassel and pollen formation, indicating that farmers could distinguish the trait. FNP varieties still received higher scores for yield and overall evaluation. In mid-season 2018, participants no longer scored FNP varieties lower for pollen formation as they now understood the technology. In both years, at the end-season evaluation, scores for tassel formation were not different, but participants scored FNP varieties higher for yield and overall. We conclude that farmers recognized the FNP trait but did not mind it as they clearly favored its yield advantage. The FNP technology, therefore, has high potential not only to increase maize yields, food production, and food security in the agricultural systems of Africa but also to increase varietal turnover and the adoption of new, high-yielding, climate-smart maize hybrids.
IRVING FISHER, RAGNAR FRISCH, AND THE ELUSIVE QUEST FOR MEASURABLE UTILITY
Authors: Dimand Robert W.
Published: May 2023

Commitment to the behaviorist approach to utility theory, to the usefulness of mathematics in economic analysis, and to equalization of the marginal utility of income as a principle of just taxation brought Irving Fisher and Ragnar Frisch to attempt to measure the marginal utility of income and led them to collaborate in forming the Econometric Society and sponsoring the establishment of the Cowles Commission, institutions advancing economic theory in connection to mathematics and statistics, and led Frisch to pioneer an axiomatic approach to utility and microeconomic theory.
Morphosyntactic probing of multilingual BERT models
Authors: Acs Judit , Hamerlik Endre , Schwartz Roy , Smith Noah A. , Kornai Andras
Published: May 2023

We introduce an extensive dataset for multilingual probing of morphological information in language models (247 tasks across 42 languages from 10 families), each consisting of a sentence with a target word and a morphological tag as the desired label, derived from the Universal Dependencies treebanks. We find that pre-trained Transformer models (mBERT and XLM-RoBERTa) learn features that attain strong performance across these tasks. We then apply two methods to locate, for each probing task, where the disambiguating information resides in the input. The first is a new perturbation method that “masks” various parts of context; the second is the classical method of Shapley values. The most intriguing finding that emerges is a strong tendency for the preceding context to hold more information relevant to the prediction than the following context.
Some observations on the temporal patterns in the surplus process of an insurer
Authors: Miao Yang , Sendova Kristina P. , Jones Bruce L. , Li Zhong
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we explore potential surplus modelling improvements by investigating how well the available models describe an insurance risk process. To this end, we obtain and analyse a real-life data set that is provided by an anonymous insurer. Based on our analysis, we discover that both the purchasing process and the corresponding claim process have seasonal fluctuations. Some special events, such as public holidays, also have impact on these processes. In the existing literature, the seasonality is often stressed in the claim process, while the cash inflow usually assumes simple forms. We further suggest a possible way of modelling the dependence between these two processes. A preliminary analysis of the impact of these patterns on the surplus process is also conducted. As a result, we propose a surplus process model which utilises a non-homogeneous Poisson process for premium counts and a Cox process for claim counts that reflect the specific features of the data.
Prescription of Sedative Hypnotics in Psychiatric and Somatic	Inpatients
Authors: Kramer Marco , Ueberberg Bianca , Emons Barbara , Göbel-Erkan Julia , Juckel Georg , Haussleiter Ida Sibylle
Published: May 2023

Abstract: Benzodiazepines (BZD) and Z-drugs (ZD) are often prescribed to treat psychiatric disorders. Despite the risk of dependency and serious adverse events, they are increasingly prescribed to outpatients. Yet little is known about the prescription to inpatients. In this article, we analyze the BZD and ZD prescription patterns in the routine data of 913 psychiatric and somatic inpatients treated in Bochum, Germany. BZD were prescribed more often as regular medication in psychiatry and ZD in somatic hospitals. ZD were more often used on demand, by female patients, and combined with other substances. Both were frequently prescribed to older adults, especially as part of somatic treatment and in combination with opioids. Prescription of sedative hypnotics is frequent in psychiatric and somatic inpatients. Their use seems to be partially independent of recorded psychiatric indications.
In the Quest of a Parametric Relation Between Ice Sheet Model Inferred Weertman's Sliding‐Law Parameter and Airborne Radar‐Derived Basal Reflectivity Underneath Thwaites Glacier, Antarctica
Authors: Das Indrani , Morlighem Mathieu , Barnes Jowan , Gudmundsson G. Hilmar , Goldberg Daniel , Dias dos Santos Thiago
Published: May 2023

Numerical ice sheet models use sliding laws to connect basal shear stress and ice velocity to simulate ice sliding. A sliding‐law parameter β2 is used to control Weertman's sliding law in numerical ice sheet models. Basal reflectivity derived from ice‐penetrating radar also provides information about frozen or thawed conditions underneath glaciers. To assess whether basal reflectivity can be used to constrain β2, we carry out statistical experiments between two recently published datasets: β2 inferred from three numerical ice sheet models (ISSM, Úa and STREAMICE) and airborne radar‐derived relative basal reflectivity from the AGASEA‐BBAS mission over Thwaites Glacier (TG). Our results show no robust correlation between the β2–relative reflectivity pair. Pearson's correlation coefficient, a test of linearity, ranges from −0.26 to −0.38. Spearman's correlation coefficient, which does not require a linear assumption, is also modest (∼−0.35). We conclude that β2 and relative basal reflectivity underneath TG do not infer similar basal conditions.
Coping With Unreliable Water Supply: An Experimental Study of Exit and Voice
Authors: Shin Hoon C. , Yousefi Peyman , Park Samuel , Yu David J. , Janssen Marco A. , Vallury Sechindra , Araral Eduardo
Published: May 2023

Unreliable public water supplies cause human hardships and are still common worldwide. Households often deal with the issue by adopting various coping strategies that are representative of economic decentralization (e.g., using private wells, sourcing from third‐party vendors) and political decentralization (e.g., making petitions to a public provider). There is growing interest in these user‐level decentralized coping strategies, but their relative effects on provider's behavior and the long‐term sustainability of public water supply remain unclear. This puzzle has not been tackled using an experimental approach. This study reports a controlled behavioral experiment conducted to test the relative effectiveness of different coping strategies on infrastructure quality and users‐provider cooperation in the context of agricultural water supply. We tested experimental treatments involving two classes of coping strategies: exit and voice. The exit option represents users' shift to an alternative water source. The voice option represents users' direct effort to influence a public irrigation service provider. We recruited 272 human subjects into our 4‐player experiment (one provider and three users) and observed and compared their decisions under four treatments (exit, voice, their combination, and no options). The results show that the voice option leads to improved outcomes compared to other choices that include the exit option, suggesting that contrary to previously thought, the exit option can be detrimental to users‐provider cooperation. We also observed that a user tends to cooperate more (pay and use the public service) when other users do the same.
Placement Strategies for Water Quality Sensors Using Complex Network Theory for Continuous and Intermittent Water Distribution Systems
Authors: Namtirtha Amrita , Kumar K. R. Sheetal , Jain Sejal , Simmhan Yogesh , Kumar M. S. Mohan
Published: May 2023

Water quality sensors are used to detect contamination in water distribution systems (WDSs) to help supply safe and quality drinking water to society. However, identifying the optimal location to place sensors is still an open challenge. Many approaches have been proposed in literature to solve this problem. Complex network theory‐based approaches (CNW) to sensor placement are simple, easy to implement, take less computational time even for large‐scale networks, and do not require calibrated hydraulic and water‐quality models. However, existing CNW methods perform well for only a subset of common objectives. Optimization‐based approaches offer better placement but are computationally costly and require detailed knowledge of the WDS. We proposed a new method, “EQ‐Water,” to identify the locations to place water quality sensors for continuous and intermittent WDS with variable demand patterns. EQ‐Water is based on complex network theory, but uses minimal additional hydraulic information. We validate the performance of EQ‐Water on four real networks: BWSN 1, BWSN 2, JPN, and D2B networks. We have compared the performance with a number of approaches from literature, including the popular TEVA‐SPOT tool. The comparison is based on the four objective functions, Z1–Z4, which are commonly used, and also on a weighted cumulative objective function. Our results indicate that EQ‐Water is among the top three methods for BWSN 1, JPN and D2B when using diverse weights for the objective functions, and it shows median performance for BWSN 2. We also observe consistently superior performance against other CNW, and it is competitive with simulation‐based approaches while taking lesser time and effort.
In Defense of Metrics: Metrics Sufficiently Encode Typical Human Preferences Regarding Hydrological Model Performance
Authors: Gauch Martin , Kratzert Frederik , Gilon Oren , Gupta Hoshin , Mai Juliane , Nearing Grey , Tolson Bryan , Hochreiter Sepp , Klotz Daniel
Published: May 2023

Building accurate rainfall–runoff models is an integral part of hydrological science and practice. The variety of modeling goals and applications have led to a large suite of evaluation metrics for these models. Yet, hydrologists still put considerable trust into visual judgment, although it is unclear whether such judgment agrees or disagrees with existing quantitative metrics. In this study, we tasked 622 experts to compare and judge more than 14,000 pairs of hydrographs from 13 different models. Our results show that expert opinion broadly agrees with quantitative metrics and results in a clear preference for a Machine Learning model over traditional hydrological models. The expert opinions are, however, subject to significant amounts of inconsistency. Nevertheless, where experts agree, we can predict their opinion purely from quantitative metrics, which indicates that the metrics sufficiently encode human preferences in a small set of numbers. While there remains room for improvement of quantitative metrics, we suggest that the hydrologic community should reinforce their benchmarking efforts and put more trust in these metrics.
Observation of Helium in Mercury's Exosphere by PHEBUS on Bepi‐Colombo
Authors: Quémerais Eric , Koutroumpa Dimitra , Lallement Rosine , Sandel Bill R. , Robidel Rozenn , Chaufray Jean‐Yves , Reberac Aurélie , Leblanc Francois , Yoshikawa Ichiro , Yoshioka Kazuo , Murakami Go , Korablev Oleg , Belyaev Denis , Pelizzo Maria G. , Corso Alain J.
Published: May 2023

On 1 October 2021, Bepi‐Colombo performed its first flyby of Mercury. During the maneuver, the short wavelength channel (55–155 nm) of “Probing the Hermean Exosphere by UV Spectroscopy” (PHEBUS) was activated for a total duration of 1 hr. The helium resonance line at 58.4 nm was clearly observed during the whole sequence. At large distance from the planet, the emission was due to helium atoms in the interplanetary medium (interplanetary UV glow). Just after crossing the terminator of the planet and entering the dawn side of the exosphere, PHEBUS observed a clear additional emission due to scattering of solar photons by helium atoms in the exosphere of Mercury. The first detection of the 58.4 nm line in the exosphere of Mercury was reported by Broadfoot et al. (1976, https://doi.org/10.1029/gl003i010p00577) following the Mariner 10 flybys in 1974. The PHEBUS observation of exospheric helium emissions is the first for this element since the UVS measurements. In this paper, we present the results of our analysis of the PHEBUS data at 58.4 nm. Calibration of both instruments are compared with observations of the interplanetary glow, showing that the measurements of both instruments are accurate. However, we find that the exospheric density of helium atoms deduced from the PHEBUS data is 4.5–7.5 times lower than the previous estimate from UVS on Mariner 10. Possible explanations are considered. We show that some of the helium atoms present in the exosphere of Mercury could originate from the local interstellar cloud.
Phosphorylation of IWS1 by AKT maintains liposarcoma tumor heterogeneity through preservation of cancer stem cell phenotypes and mesenchymal-epithelial plasticity
Authors: Wang Yu , Zhang Hongji , La Ferlita Alessandro , Sp Nipin , Goryunova Marina , Sarchet Patricia , Hu Zhiwei , Sorkin Michael , Kim Alex , Huang Hai , Zhu Hua , Tsung Allan , Pollock Raphael E. , Beane Joal D.
Published: May 2023

Chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment for patients with advanced liposarcoma (LPS), but response rates are only 25% and the overall survival at 5 years is dismal at 20–34%. Translation of other therapies have not been successful and there has been no significant improvement in prognosis for nearly 20 years. The aberrant activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway has been implicated in the aggressive clinical behavior LPS and in resistance to chemotherapy, but the precise mechanism remains elusive and efforts to target AKT clinically have failed. Here we show that the AKT-mediated phosphorylation of the transcription elongation factor IWS1, promotes the maintenance of cancer stem cells in both cell and xenograft models of LPS. In addition, phosphorylation of IWS1 by AKT contributes to a “metastable” cell phenotype, characterized by mesenchymal/epithelial plasticity. The expression of phosphorylated IWS1 also promotes anchorage-dependent and independent growth, cell migration, invasion, and tumor metastasis. In patients with LPS, IWS1 expression is associated with reduced overall survival, increased frequency of recurrence, and shorter time to relapse after resection. These findings indicate that IWS1-mediated transcription elongation is an important regulator of human LPS pathobiology in an AKT-dependent manner and implicate IWS1 as an important molecular target to treat LPS.
Artificial intelligence in healthcare and education
Authors: Dave Manas , Patel Neil
Published: May 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the healthcare and medical and dental education sectors. With advancements in AI technology and its integration into routine tasks, the field of healthcare and education is rapidly evolving. This article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the impact of AI in these sectors and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of its integration. The article will begin by examining the use of AI in healthcare, including its impact on patient care, diagnosis and treatment, and the benefits it brings to medical professionals and patients alike. The article will then delve into the use of AI in medical and dental education, exploring its impact on student learning and teaching practices, and the benefits and challenges it presents for educators and students. Additionally, this article will also cover the impact of AI on the publishing of scientific articles in journals. With the increasing volume of submissions and the need for more efficient management, AI is being utilised to streamline the peer-review process and improve the quality of peer-review. The article will also delve into the possibility of AI enabling new forms of publication and supporting reproducibility, helping to improve the overall quality of scientific publications. Furthermore, the authors of this article have written it using AI, making it a landmark paper that showcases the true technological power of AI in the field of writing.
Synthetic virology approaches to improve the safety and efficacy of oncolytic virus therapies
Authors: Azad Taha , Rezaei Reza , Singaravelu Ragunath , Pelin Adrian , Boulton Stephen , Petryk Julia , Onsu Kemal Alper , Martin Nikolas T. , Hoskin Victoria , Ghahremani Mina , Marotel Marie , Marius Ricardo , He Xiaohong , Crupi Mathieu J. F. , Hoang Huy-Dung , Nik-Akhtar Abolfazl , Ahmadi Mahsa , Zamani Nika Kooshki , Golshani Ashkan , Alain Tommy , Greer Peter , Ardolino Michele , Dickinson Bryan C. , Tai Lee-Hwa , Ilkow Carolina S. , Bell John C.
Published: May 2023

The large coding potential of vaccinia virus (VV) vectors is a defining feature. However, limited regulatory switches are available to control viral replication as well as timing and dosing of transgene expression in order to facilitate safe and efficacious payload delivery. Herein, we adapt drug-controlled gene switches to enable control of virally encoded transgene expression, including systems controlled by the FDA-approved rapamycin and doxycycline. Using ribosome profiling to characterize viral promoter strength, we rationally design fusions of the operator element of different drug-inducible systems with VV promoters to produce synthetic promoters yielding robust inducible expression with undetectable baseline levels. We also generate chimeric synthetic promoters facilitating additional regulatory layers for VV-encoded synthetic transgene networks. The switches are applied to enable inducible expression of fusogenic proteins, dose-controlled delivery of toxic cytokines, and chemical regulation of VV replication. This toolbox enables the precise modulation of transgene circuitry in VV-vectored oncolytic virus design.
Light-driven flow synthesis of acetic acid from methane with chemical looping
Authors: Zhang Wenqing , Xi Dawei , Chen Yihong , Chen Aobo , Jiang Yawen , Liu Hengjie , Zhou Zeyu , Zhang Hui , Liu Zhi , Long Ran , Xiong Yujie
Published: May 2023

Oxidative carbonylation of methane is an appealing approach to the synthesis of acetic acid but is limited by the demand for additional reagents. Here, we report a direct synthesis of CH3COOH solely from CH4 via photochemical conversion without additional reagents. This is made possible through the construction of the PdO/Pd–WO3 heterointerface nanocomposite containing active sites for CH4 activation and C–C coupling. In situ characterizations reveal that CH4 is dissociated into methyl groups on Pd sites while oxygen from PdO is the responsible for carbonyl formation. The cascade reaction between the methyl and carbonyl groups generates an acetyl precursor which is subsequently converted to CH3COOH. Remarkably, a production rate of 1.5 mmol gPd–1 h–1 and selectivity of 91.6% toward CH3COOH is achieved in a photochemical flow reactor. This work provides insights into intermediate control via material design, and opens an avenue to conversion of CH4 to oxygenates.
Bidirectional thermo-regulating hydrogel composite for autonomic thermal homeostasis
Authors: Park Gyeongsuk , Park Hyunmin , Seo Junyong , Yang Jun Chang , Kim Min , Lee Bong Jae , Park Steve
Published: May 2023

Thermal homeostasis is an essential physiological function for preserving the optimal state of complex organs within the human body. Inspired by this function, here, we introduce an autonomous thermal homeostatic hydrogel that includes infrared wave reflecting and absorbing materials for improved heat trapping at low temperatures, and a porous structure for enhanced evaporative cooling at high temperatures. Moreover, an optimized auxetic pattern was designed as a heat valve to further amplify heat release at high temperatures. This homeostatic hydrogel provides effective bidirectional thermoregulation with deviations of 5.04 °C ± 0.55 °C and 5.85 °C ± 0.46 °C from the normal body temperature of 36.5 °C, when the external temperatures are 5 °C and 50 °C, respectively. The autonomous thermoregulatory characteristics of our hydrogel may provide a simple solution to people suffering from autonomic nervous system disorders and soft robotics that are susceptible to sudden temperature fluctuations.
Enzymatic polymerization of enantiomeric L−3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine into films with enhanced rigidity and stability
Authors: Shen Yuhe , Su Rongxin , Hao Dongzhao , Xu Xiaojian , Reches Meital , Min Jiwei , Chang Heng , Yu Tao , Li Qing , Zhang Xiaoyu , Wang Yuefei , Wang Yuefei , Qi Wei
Published: May 2023

L−3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine is an important molecule in the adhesion of mussels, and as an oxidative precursor of natural melanin, it plays an important role in living system. Here, we investigate the effect of the molecular chirality of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine on the properties of the self-assembled films by tyrosinase-induced oxidative polymerization. The kinetics and morphology of pure enantiomers are completely altered upon their co-assembly, allowing the fabrication of layer-to-layer stacked nanostructures and films with improved structural and thermal stability. The different molecular arrangements and self-assembly mechanisms of the L+D-racemic mixtures, whose oxidation products have increased binding energy, resulting in stronger intermolecular forces, which significantly increases the elastic modulus. This study provides a simple pathway for the fabrication of biomimetic polymeric materials with enhanced physicochemical properties by controlling the chirality of monomers.
Diagnostic yield of pediatric and prenatal exome sequencing in a diverse population
Authors: Slavotinek Anne , Rego Shannon , Sahin-Hodoglugil Nuriye , Kvale Mark , Lianoglou Billie , Yip Tiffany , Hoban Hannah , Outram Simon , Anguiano Beatrice , Chen Flavia , Michelson Jeremy , Cilio Roberta M. , Curry Cynthia , Gallagher Renata C. , Gardner Marisa , Kuperman Rachel , Mendelsohn Bryce , Sherr Elliott , Shieh Joseph , Strober Jonathan , Tam Allison , Tenney Jessica , Weiss William , Whittle Amy , Chin Garrett , Faubel Amanda , Prasad Hannah , Mavura Yusuph , Van Ziffle Jessica , Devine W. Patrick , Hodoglugil Ugur , Martin Pierre-Marie , Sparks Teresa N. , Koenig Barbara , Ackerman Sara , Risch Neil , Kwok Pui-Yan , Norton Mary E.
Published: May 2023

The diagnostic yield of exome sequencing (ES) has primarily been evaluated in individuals of European ancestry, with less focus on underrepresented minority (URM) and underserved (US) patients. We evaluated the diagnostic yield of ES in a cohort of predominantly US and URM pediatric and prenatal patients suspected to have a genetic disorder. Eligible pediatric patients had multiple congenital anomalies and/or neurocognitive disabilities and prenatal patients had one or more structural anomalies, disorders of fetal growth, or fetal effusions. URM and US patients were prioritized for enrollment and underwent ES at a single academic center. We identified definitive positive or probable positive results in 201/845 (23.8%) patients, with a significantly higher diagnostic rate in pediatric (26.7%) compared to prenatal patients (19.0%) (P = 0.01). For both pediatric and prenatal patients, the diagnostic yield and frequency of inconclusive findings did not differ significantly between URM and non-URM patients or between patients with US status and those without US status. Our results demonstrate a similar diagnostic yield of ES between prenatal and pediatric URM/US patients and non-URM/US patients for positive and inconclusive results. These data support the use of ES to identify clinically relevant variants in patients from diverse populations.
Altered parabrachial nucleus nociceptive processing may underlie central pain in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Pautrat Arnaud , Al Tannir Racha , Pernet-Gallay Karin , Soutrenon Rémi , Vendramini Estelle , Sinniger Valérie , Overton Paul G. , David Olivier , Coizet Véronique
Published: May 2023

The presence of central neuropathic pain in Parkinson’s disease suggests that the brain circuits that allow us to process pain could be dysfunctional in the disorder. However, there is to date no clear pathophysiological mechanism to explain these symptoms. In this work, we present evidence that the dysfunction of the subthalamic nucleus and/or substantia nigra pars reticulata may impact nociceptive processing in the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), a low level primary nociceptive structure in the brainstem, and induce a cellular and molecular neuro-adaptation in this structure. In rat models of Parkinson’s disease with a partial dopaminergic lesion in the substantia nigra compacta, we found that the substantia nigra reticulata showed enhanced nociceptive responses. Such responses were less impacted in the subthalamic nucleus. A total dopaminergic lesion produced an increase in the nociceptive responses as well as an increase of the firing rate in both structures. In the PBN, inhibited nociceptive responses and increased expression of GABAAreceptors were found following a total dopaminergic lesion. However, neuro-adaptations at the level of dendritic spine density and post-synaptic density were found in both dopaminergic lesion groups. These results suggest that the molecular changes within the PBN following a larger dopaminergic lesion, such as increased GABAAexpression, is a key mechanism to produce nociceptive processing impairment, whilst other changes may protect function after smaller dopaminergic lesions. We also propose that these neuro-adaptations follow increased inhibitory tone from the substantia nigra pars reticulata and may represent the mechanism generating central neuropathic pain in Parkinson’s disease.
A diverse and multi-modal gait dataset of indoor and outdoor walks acquired using multiple cameras and sensors
Authors: Topham Luke K. , Khan Wasiq , Al-Jumeily Dhiya , Waraich Atif , Hussain Abir J.
Published: May 2023

Gait datasets are often limited by a lack of diversity in terms of the participants, appearance, viewing angle, environments, annotations, and availability. We present a primary gait dataset comprising 1,560 annotated casual walks from 64 participants, in both indoor and outdoor real-world environments. We used two digital cameras and a wearable digital goniometer to capture visual as well as motion signal gait-data respectively. Traditional methods of gait identification are often affected by the viewing angle and appearance of the participant therefore, this dataset mainly considers the diversity in various aspects (e.g., participants’ attributes, background variations, and view angles). The dataset is captured from 8 viewing angles in 45° increments along-with alternative appearances for each participant, for example, via a change of clothing. The dataset provides 3,120 videos, containing approximately 748,800 image frames with detailed annotations including approximately 56,160,000 bodily keypoint annotations, identifying 75 keypoints per video frame, and approximately 1,026,480 motion data points captured from a digital goniometer for three limb segments (thigh, upper arm, and head).