bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bad Students Make Great Teachers: Active Learning Accelerates Large-Scale Visual Understanding
Authors: Evans Talfan , Pathak Shreya , Merzic Hamza , Schwarz Jonathan , Tanno Ryutaro , Hénaff Olivier J.
Published: November 2024

Power-law scaling indicates that large-scale training with uniform sampling is prohibitively slow. Active learning methods aim to increase data efficiency by prioritizing learning on the most relevant examples. Despite their appeal, these methods have yet to be widely adopted since no one algorithm has been shown to a) generalize across models and tasks b) scale to large datasets and c) yield overall FLOP savings when accounting for the overhead of data selection. In this work we propose a method which satisfies these three properties, leveraging small, cheap proxy models to estimate “learnability” scores for datapoints, which are used to prioritize data for training much larger models. As a result, models trained using our methods – ClassAct and ActiveCLIP – require 46% and 51% fewer training updates and up to 25% less total computation to reach the same performance as uniformly-trained visual classifiers on JFT and multimodal models on ALIGN, respectively. Finally, we find our data-prioritization scheme to be complementary with recent data-curation and learning objectives, yielding a new state-of-the-art in several multimodal transfer tasks.
Exponential Experiments with Natural Uranium
Authors: Pyeon Cheol Ho , Chiba Go , Endo Tomohiro , Watanabe Kenichi
Published: November 2024

The purposes of the exponential experiments are to obtain reactor physics parameters for determining the criticality conditions of a nuclear reactor, and to confirm the feasibility of a newly proposed reactor concept. When conducting the experiments and modifying various methodologies and reactor constants used in the calculations, a target reactor can be brought closer to realization. The final goal of the exponential experiments is to realize a subcritical steady-state reactor with an external neutron source, and to determine neutronics characteristics of the reactor by measuring spatial neutron flux distributions in a subcritical system. In this chapter, an experimental system is introduced for conducting exponential experiments using natural uranium and polyethylene reflector at KUCA. Moreover, theoretical preparation and experimental procedures are described to obtain the reactor physics parameters, including the multiplication factor, spatial decay constant, and material buckling using reaction rate distributions measured by neutron detectors.
Neutron Measurements
Authors: Pyeon Cheol Ho , Chiba Go , Endo Tomohiro , Watanabe Kenichi
Published: November 2024

The target of measurement in reactor physics experiments using nuclear reactors is neutron emitted in fission reactions. The purpose of this chapter is to acquire knowledge and skills on the basic operational characteristics of neutron detectors, signal processing methods, and the fundamentals of data analysis.
Fourier Type Operators on Orlicz Spaces and the Role of Orlicz Lebesgue Exponents
Authors: Bonino Matteo , Coriasco Sandro , Petersson Albin , Toft Joachim
Published: November 2024

We deduce continuity and (global) wave-front properties of classes of Fourier multipliers, pseudo-differential, and Fourier integral operators when acting on Orlicz spaces, or more generally, on Orlicz–Sobolev type spaces. In particular, we extend Hörmander’s improvement of Mihlin’s Fourier multiplier theorem to the framework of Orlicz spaces. We also show how Young functions $$\Phi $$
Φ
of the Orlicz spaces are linked to properties of certain Lebesgue exponents $$p_\Phi $$

p
Φ

and $$q_\Phi $$

q
Φ

emerged from $$\Phi $$
Φ
.
Oligonucleotides: evolution and innovation
Authors: Mohammed Amani A. , AlShaer Danah , Al Musaimi Othman
Published: November 2024

Oligonucleotides, comprising single or double strands of RNA or DNA, are vital chemical compounds used in various laboratory and clinical applications. They represent a significant class of therapeutics with a rapidly expanding range of uses. Between 1998 and 2023, 19 oligonucleotides have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Their synthesis methods have undergone significant evolution over time. This review examines several oligonucleotide synthesis techniques, including phosphodiester, phosphotriester, and phosphoramidite approaches. It begins with a discussion of an early synthesis method involving a phosphoryl chloride intermediate, which proved unstable and prone to hydrolysis. The review then transitions to the solid-phase synthesis method, which uses polymer resins as a solid support, emphasizing its advantages over both phosphotriester and phosphoramidite techniques. This is followed by an exploration of recent advancements in oligonucleotide enzymatic synthesis, concluding with a discussion on modifications to bases, sugars, and backbones designed to improve their properties and therapeutic potential.
Potenzielle Auswirkungen der Krankenhausreform und des G-BA-Beschlusses zur Versorgung hüftgelenknaher Femurfrakturen am Beispiel Sachsens
Authors: Osterhoff Georg ,   TraumaNetzwerk Westsachsen,   TraumaNetzwerk Ostsachsen, Schaser Klaus-Dieter , Kleber Christian
Published: November 2024

Hintergrund

Die deutschen Kliniken unterliegen aktuellen durch die Krankenhausreform und Richtlinien des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses (G-BA) umfangreichen Änderungen.

Fragestellung

Dieser Artikel untersucht die potenziellen Auswirkungen einer levelbasierten Krankenhausreform und Umsetzung der G‑BA-Richtlinie zur Versorgung hüftgelenknaher Femurfrakturen in Sachsen.

Methodik

Basierend auf den Eingriffszahlen hüftgelenknaher Femurfrakturen aller zertifizierten Traumazentren in Sachsen (TraumaNetzwerke Ostsachsen und Westsachsen) 2019 und 2022 erfolgte eine Simulation und Visualisierung der Umsetzung der G‑BA-Richtlinie und der Krankenhausreform, um die Auswirkungen auf die notwendigen Kapazitäten und potenziellen Versorgungslücken zu bewerten.

Ergebnisse

Nach Anwendung der Kriterien des G‑BA-Beschlusses zeigt sich eine Reduzierung der hüftgelenknahen Femurfrakturen versorgenden Kliniken in den TraumaNetzwerken Sachsens von 42 auf 28 (−33 %), bei Umsetzung der Krankenhausreform reduziert sich diese Zahl weiter von 42 auf 15 (−64 %). Diese Reduktion würde zu einer erheblichen Steigerung der Fallzahlen in den verbleibenden Kliniken (2- bis 3fach) führen und das bis zu 4Fache in 2030 – mit entsprechend gesteigertem Bedarf an OP-Kapazitäten (1,2 OP/Woche) und ca. 7400 Sekundärverlegungen/Jahr bedeuten. In einzelnen Landkreisen Sachsens stünden nach derzeitigen Maßstäben großflächig keine Klinik zur Versorgung hüftgelenknaher Frakturen zur Verfügung.

Schlussfolgerung

Die geplante Reform und die Umsetzung des G‑BA-Beschlusses bergen nach derzeitigem Stand ein hohes Risiko für Versorgungslücken in Sachsen mit signifikanter Abnahme der an der Versorgung von Patienten mit proximalen Femurfrakturen beteiligten Kliniken und sekundärer Kumulation dieses geriatrischen Patientenguts an den verbleibenden Kliniken. Die notwendigen operativen und stationären Ressourcen in den verbleibenden Kliniken reichen, gemessen am aktuellen Stand, bei Personal- und Kapazitätsmangel nicht zur Versorgung dieser Patienten aus.

Graphic abstract
Refined Topological Recursion Revisited: Properties and Conjectures
Authors: Osuga Kento
Published: November 2024

For any (possibly singular) hyperelliptic curve, we give the definition of a hyperelliptic refined spectral curve and the hyperelliptic refined topological recursion, generalising the formulation for a special class of genus-zero curves by Kidwai and the author, and also improving the proposal by Chekhov and Eynard. Along the way, we uncover a fundamental geometric structure underlying the hyperelliptic refined topological recursion and investigate its properties — parts of which remain conjectural due to computational difficulties. Moreover, we establish a new recursion valid in the so-called Nekrasov-Shatashivili limit and prove existence of the corresponding quantum curve.
5d 2-Chern-Simons Theory and 3d Integrable Field Theories
Authors: Schenkel Alexander , Vicedo Benoît
Published: November 2024

The 4-dimensional semi-holomorphic Chern-Simons theory of Costello and Yamazaki provides a gauge-theoretic origin for the Lax connection of 2-dimensional integrable field theories. The purpose of this paper is to extend this framework to the setting of 3-dimensional integrable field theories by considering a 5-dimensional semi-holomorphic higher Chern-Simons theory for a higher connection (A, B) on $$\mathbb {R}^3 \times \mathbb {C}P^1$$

R

3

×
C

P
1

. The input data for this theory are the choice of a meromorphic 1-form $$\omega $$
ω
on $$\mathbb {C}P^1$$

C

P
1

and a strict Lie 2-group with cyclic structure on its underlying Lie 2-algebra. Integrable field theories on $$\mathbb {R}^3$$

R

3

are constructed by imposing suitable boundary conditions on the connection (A, B) at the 3-dimensional defects located at the poles of $$\omega $$
ω
and choosing certain admissible meromorphic solutions of the bulk equations of motion. The latter provides a natural notion of higher Lax connection for 3-dimensional integrable field theories, including a 2-form component B which can be integrated over Cauchy surfaces to produce conserved charges. As a first application of this approach, we show how to construct a generalization of Ward’s $$(2+1)$$

(
2
+
1
)

-dimensional integrable chiral model from a suitable choice of data in the 5-dimensional theory.
Monkeypox virus A29L protein as the target for specific diagnosis and serological analysis
Authors: Liang Chia-Yu , Chao Tai-Ling , Chao Chong‐Syun , Liu Wang-Da , Cheng Yu-Chen , Chang Sui-Yuan , Chang Shih-Chung
Published: November 2024

The unexpected monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak has been reported in many non-endemic countries and regions since May 2022. The mutant strains of Mpox virus (MPXV) were found with higher infectivity and greater capability for sustained human-to-human transmission, posing a significant public health threat. MPXV A29L, a protein homolog of vaccinia virus (VACV) A27L, plays an important role in viral attachment to host cell membranes. Therefore, MPXV A29L is considered the diagnostic target and the potential vaccine candidate for eliciting neutralizing antibodies and protective immune responses. In response to the escalating Mpox outbreak, three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) (2-9B, 3-8G, and 2-5H) targeting the different domains of MPXV A29L have been developed in the study. Among them, 2-5H is highly specific for MPXV A29L without exhibiting cross-reactivity with VACV A27L. The antibody pairing composed of 2-5H and 3-8G has been developed as the lateral flow immunochromatographic assay for specific detection of MPXV A29L. However, these three mAbs were unable to inhibit A29L binding to heparin column or prevent MPXV infection in the neutralization test assays. The results of the serological assays using the truncated A29L fragments as the antigens showed that the Mpox patient sera contained significantly lower levels of antibodies targeting the N-terminal 1–34 residues of A29L, suggesting that the N-terminal portion of A29L is less immunogenic upon natural infection.

Key points

• MAbs 2-9B, 3-8G, and 2-5H neither interrupted A29L binding to heparin nor neutralized MPXV.

• The LFIA composed of 3-8G and 2-5H can specifically distinguish MPXV A29L from VACV A27L.

• Mpox patient sera contained lower levels of antibodies targeting the N-terminal portion of A29L.
Exploring System Context Contributing to Emerging REDD+ Collaborative Governance Regime in Ghana: Stakeholders Perceptions at the National Level
Authors: Osei Misharch Kwadwo
Published: November 2024

Since its emergence in 2007, the global mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in developing countries (REDD+) has raised hopes of providing cost-effective solutions to climate change. However, the design and implementation of REDD+ projects in many developing countries, including Ghana, have faced complex governance challenges. In recent years, a collaborative governance approach has been increasingly recommended for effective REDD+ implementation, but the impact of the dynamics of developing countries’ context on collaboration success remains unclear. Using Ghana’s Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP) as a case study, this paper aims to increase our understanding of how the dynamics of developing countries’ context affect the drivers shaping the initiation of REDD+ collaborative regimes for transforming cocoa forest landscapes. Through qualitative content analysis of document reviews and semi-structured interviews with national program stakeholder groups, the results indicate that Ghana’s dynamic context facilitates collaboration on REDD+ implementation when stakeholders feel uncertain about the future availability of forest resources and recognize their interdependence in responding to such issues. Additionally, the findings of the study indicate that strong political will for change, along with strategic windows of opportunity created by REDD+ funding mechanisms, play a vital role in shaping consequential incentives essential for aligning stakeholder interests and fostering cross-sector leadership for initiating the REDD+ collaborative governance regime. While the applicability and limitations of the IFCG framework are discussed, further in-depth studies at project levels are crucial to understanding local stakeholders’ perspectives on the key elements necessary for successful collaboration.
Endomyocardial biopsy in patients with myocarditis—still justified in the CMR era? A single-centre experience
Authors: Seuthe Katharina , Pfister Roman , Pennig Lenhard , Mons Ute , Klingel Karin , Freyhaus Henrik ten
Published: November 2024

Background

In the past decades, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) was established as a non-invasive tool supporting the diagnosis of myocarditis and there is often reluctance in performing EMB due to potentially severe complications. We sought to identify patient subgroups that could still benefit from EMB in the CMR era.

Methods

Data of patients presenting with myocarditis between 01/2016 and 06/2023 were analysed according to patient risks. Prespecified risk factors were (i) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 30%; (ii) severe arrhythmias; or (iii) pre-existing autoimmune disease. Furthermore, the subgroup of recurrent myocarditis cases was analysed separately.

Results

A total of 137 patients (35.5 ± 14.8 years, 80.3% male) were included. 26/137 patients had a documented LVEF ≤ 30%, 13/137 a LVEF > 30% with at least one other risk factor and 98/137 a LVEF > 30% without risk factors. EMB was performed in 21/26 patients with LVEF ≤ 30% (80.8%), in 7/13 patients with LVEF > 30% and risk factors (53.8%) and in 16/98 (16%) patients without risk factors. EMB led to the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy in 11/28 patients with risk factors (39.3%) and in none of the patients without risk factors (0/16, 0%, p = 0.003). With respect to the subgroup of patients presenting with recurrent myocarditis (n = 10), no specific therapy was initiated.

Conclusions

Due to a high therapeutic yield for initiation of immunosuppressive therapy in non-infectious myocarditis, performing EMB should be considered in all high-risk patients. In patients without clinical risk factors including cases of recurrent or relapsing myocarditis no specific therapy was initiated.
Microvascular disease and severe COVID-19 outcomes in UKBiobank participants with diabetes
Authors: Tochel Claire , Engelmann Justin , Giarratano Ylenia , Dhillon Baljean , Megaw Roly , Bernabeu Miguel O.
Published: November 2024

Aims

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence emerged suggesting that people with diabetic retinopathy (DR) or other microvascular diseases had greater risk of severe short-term outcomes. This study evaluated longer-term outcomes, providing more generalisable evidence.

Methods

We identified a cohort of UKBiobank participants with diabetes and retrieved their diagnostic codes for a variety of microvascular diseases, complications of diabetes and systemic comorbidities. We investigated relationships between diagnoses and the study outcome: admission to Critical Care or death from COVID-19, taking age, sex and diabetes duration into account. We tested relationships, adding baseline covariates and weighting diagnostic codes according to their recency prior to COVID-19 diagnosis.

Results

In univariate analyses, DR (OR: 1·519, p = 0·016) and microvascular disease (OR: 2·001, p = 0·000) were associated with greater risk of the outcome. In multivariate analyses, as expected, respiratory disease was most strongly associated with the study outcome, microvascular disease second. Adjusting analyses by number of admissions (general health proxy) and weighted diagnostic coding (comorbidity severity at COVID-19 diagnosis indicator), did not improve predictive power of the model.

Conclusions

The presence of microvascular disease in routinely-collected healthcare data predicts risk of COVID-19 severe outcomes, independently of general health, in a cohort of people with diabetes.
AI-driven segmentation of the pulp cavity system in mandibular molars on CBCT images using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Slim Marie Louise , Jacobs Reinhilde , de Souza Leal Renata Maíra , Fontenele Rocharles Cavalcante
Published: November 2024

Objective

To develop and validate an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tool for automated segmentation of the pulp cavity system of mandibular molars on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images.

Materials and methods

After ethical approval, 66 CBCT scans were retrieved from a hospital database and divided into training (n = 26, 86 molars), validation (n = 7, 20 molars), and testing (n = 33, 60 molars) sets. After automated segmentation, an expert evaluated the quality of the AI-driven segmentations. The expert then refined any under- or over-segmentation to produce refined-AI (R-AI) segmentations. The AI and R-AI 3D models were compared to assess the accuracy. 30% of the testing sample was randomly selected to assess accuracy metrics and conduct time analysis.

Results

The AI-driven tool achieved high accuracy, with a Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 88% ± 7% for first molars and 90% ± 6% for second molars (p > .05). The 95% Hausdorff distance (HD) was lower for AI-driven segmentation (0.13 ± 0.07) compared to manual segmentation (0.21 ± 0.08) (p < .05). Regarding time efficiency, AI-driven (4.3 ± 2 s) and R-AI segmentation (139 ± 93 s) methods were the fastest, compared to manual segmentation (2349 ± 444 s) (p < .05).

Conclusion

The AI-driven segmentation proved to be accurate and time-efficient in segmenting the pulp cavity system in mandibular molars.

Clinical Relevance

Automated segmentation of the pulp cavity system may result in a fast and accurate 3D model, facilitating minimal-invasive endodontics and leading to higher efficiency of the endodontic workflow, enabling anticipation of complications.
Prevalence of physical health complaints and analgesic medication use in children and the role of psychological and lifestyle factors
Authors: Konijnenberg C.
Published: November 2024

Aim

Given the rising trend of physical health problems reported by children and an increasing reliance on analgesic medications, this study aimed to describe the prevalence of physical health complaints and analgesic medication use in school-aged children aged 10–12 years. Additionally, associations with psychological and lifestyle factors were investigated.

Subjects and methods

A total of 99,806 children from Norway completed the Ungdata Junior survey between 2021 and 2022. This national standardized questionnaire-based survey contains questions measuring physical health, analgesic medication use, physical exercise, bullying, friendship, digital media use, and mental health. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate factors associated with daily physical health complaints and analgesic medication use.

Results

Of the children surveyed, 11.6% reported experiencing headaches, neck or shoulder pain, abdominal pain, and/or nausea on a daily basis during the past month. The prevalence of analgesic medication use during the past week was 23.6% for the entire sample and 25.9% for girls. Among the psychological and lifestyle factors investigated, mental health problems and being bullied were the strongest predictors of both physical health problems and analgesic medication use. Additionally, friendship, digital media use, and physical exercise also predicted physical health problems and analgesic medication use.

Conclusion

The study revealed a high prevalence of physical health complaints and analgesic medication use among children aged 9–12 years, highlighting significant associations with psychological and lifestyle factors. The findings suggest that children may rely on analgesic medications to manage not only physical pain but also emotional distress.
Enhancing keratoconus detection with transformer technology and multi-source integration
Authors: Ismael Osama
Published: November 2024

Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease characterized by the thinning and conical distortion of the cornea, leading to visual impairment. Early and accurate detection is essential for effective management and treatment. Traditional diagnostic methods, relying primarily on corneal topography, often fail to detect early-stage keratoconus due to their subjective nature and limited scope. In this research, we present a novel multi-source detection approach utilizing transformer technology to predict keratoconus progression more accurately. By integrating and analyzing diverse data sources, including corneal topography, aberrometry, pachymetry, and biomechanical properties, our method captures subtle changes indicative of disease progression. Transformer networks, known for their capability to model complex dependencies in data, are employed to handle the multimodal datasets effectively. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach significantly outperforms existing methods, such as SVM-based, Random Forests-based, and CNN-based models, in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F-score. Moreover, the proposed system exhibits lower execution times, highlighting its efficiency in clinical settings. This innovative methodology holds the potential to revolutionize keratoconus management by enabling earlier and more precise interventions, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and contributing significantly to both the medical and machine learning communities.
Neural Network for Valuing Bitcoin Options Under Jump-Diffusion and Market Sentiment Model
Authors: Pindza Edson , Clement Jules , Mwambi Sutene , Umeorah Nneka
Published: November 2024

Cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin, in particular, are prone to wild swings resulting in frequent jumps in prices, making them historically popular for traders to speculate. It is claimed in recent literature that Bitcoin price is influenced by sentiment about the Bitcoin system. Transaction, as well as the popularity, have shown positive evidence as potential drivers of Bitcoin price. This study introduces a bivariate jump-diffusion model to capture the dynamics of Bitcoin prices and the Bitcoin sentiment indicator, integrating trading volumes or Google search trends with Bitcoin price movements. We derive a closed-form solution for the Bitcoin price and the associated Black–Scholes equation for Bitcoin option valuation. The resulting partial differential equation for Bitcoin options is solved using an artificial neural network, and the model is validated with data from highly volatile stocks. We further test the model’s robustness across a broad spectrum of parameters, comparing the results to those obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. Our findings demonstrate the model’s practical significance in accurately predicting Bitcoin price movements and option values, providing a reliable tool for traders, analysts, and risk managers in the cryptocurrency market.
High Azimuthal Mode Selectivity of a Cavity with Mode-Joining Corrugations for High-Harmonic Gyrotrons
Authors: Shcherbinin Vitalii I. , Tkachova Tetiana I. , Hlushchenko Anton V. , Tatematsu Yoshinori , Thumm Manfred , Jelonnek John
Published: November 2024

Mode-joining longitudinal corrugations are studied as a means of high azimuthal mode selectivity for cavities of high-harmonic terahertz gyrotrons. Their number dictates the choice of the jointed operating mode, which has a form of strongly coupled co- and counter-rotating azimuthal harmonics. It is found that the distinctive feature of this mode is a weak dependence of eigenvalue and ohmic losses on corrugation size. First, this favors the use of mode-joining corrugations with variable depth for efficient suppression of all competing modes by both diffractive and ohmic losses in the gyrotron cavity. Second, this provides a good robustness of gyrotron performance against manufacturing errors in the size of corrugations and only a minor conversion of the operating mode to spurious modes at junctions of the corrugated cavity with smooth-walled waveguides. The beneficial properties of mode-joining corrugations are demonstrated by a cavity design for a gyrotron operated in the second-harmonic TE±9,4 and third-harmonic TE±18,4 modes at 398 GHz and 593 GHz, respectively.
Risk Factors of At-Risk/Problem Gambling Among Young Adult Spanish Students
Authors: Krotter A. , Secades-Villa R. , Iza-Fernández C. , González-Roz A.
Published: November 2024

The gambling industry in Spain has experienced sustained growth in recent years. This has raised concerns about its potential impact, particularly during emerging adulthood, which is a high-risk period for the development of problematic gambling behaviors. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of problem gambling in young Spanish adults and to examine individual factors associated with at-risk or problem gambling. The participants were 2762 young adults studying at university and vocational schools (64.16% women, Mage = 19.47; SD = 1.64) recruited in three Spanish autonomous communities. Individuals completed an e-assessment including sociodemographic variables, gambling-related characteristics, and the Problematic Gambling Severity Index. A total of 3.51%, 2.14%, and 0.51% were low risk, moderate risk, and problem gamblers, respectively. Predictors of at-risk/problem gambling were early gambling onset (OR 0.790; 95% CI 0.672, .929), mixed versus offline modality gambling access (OR 2.216; 95% CI 1.396, 3.516), and having gambled in the previous year in a casino (OR 1.910; 95% CI 1.194, 3.056), sports betting (OR 1.597; 95% CI 1.003, 2.542), or electronic gaming machines (OR 2.111; 95% CI 1.064, 4.189). Gambling is ubiquitous in the general population and a high proportion of young adults present low and moderate risk of problem gambling. Addressing gambling is a public health challenge and policies to regulate it should be targeted at delaying the age of onset and restricting access to online gambling.
Emotion Regulation Versus Emotion Care as a Mechanism of Mindfulness in Predicting Well-Being
Authors: Lam Shui-fong , Tsang Kitty Ka Yee , Shum Kathy Kar-man , Wong Gloria Hoi Yan , Wong Savio Wai-Ho , Wu Ka Chun , Kwan Hong Wang , Su Michael R
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Researchers predominantly understand mindfulness in terms of cognitivist or top-down models. However, the applicability of emotion-regulation strategies from such models in mindfulness is questionable. The aim of the current study was to determine whether emotion-regulation strategies (distraction, suppression, and cognitive reappraisal) or alternative emotion-care strategies (anchoring, acceptance, and decentering) were mechanisms that explained the effects of mindfulness on well-being.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 283 educators assigned to two groups (8-week mindfulness training vs. waitlist control). At three time points, T0 (baseline), T1 (post-intervention), and T2 (2-month follow-up), they completed questionnaires that measured their levels of mindfulness, well-being (i.e., general health, stress, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction), and frequency in using strategies of emotion regulation and emotion care.

Results

Participants in the mindfulness training group reported higher levels of mindfulness and well-being. They also reported more frequent use of all three emotion-care strategies but only one emotion-regulation strategy (cognitive reappraisal) than their counterparts in the control group at T1 and T2. Mediation analyses indicated that none of the three emotion-regulation strategies mediated the effects of mindfulness training on well-being. Instead, anchoring and decentering were significant mediators (p < 0.05) while acceptance was a near significant mediator (p < 0.06).

Conclusions

Emotion-care strategies instead of emotion-regulation strategies were found to be a mechanism that explained the effectiveness of mindfulness. The results offer evidence for an alternative to cognitivist or top-down models in understanding the mechanisms of mindfulness.
Deep Q-learning Network-based Imbalanced Classification for Fatality Prediction of Single-Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes
Authors: Zulherman Dodi , Yang Jia , Shimizu Kosuke , Yokota Yasunari
Published: November 2024

Even though the number of motorcycle crash accidents in Japan has trended downward over the past decade, there persists a necessity to propose effective safety measures targeting factors associated with fatal crash accidents. Previous studies have demonstrated the utility of various machine-learning models in classifying and investigating crash accidents involving motorcycles. However, the comprehensive examination of fatal cases in single-vehicle motorcycle crashes remains limited due to imbalanced crash data between fatal and non-fatal cases. Despite the ability of several conventional machine learning (ML) models to predict motorcycle crash severity, the imbalanced single-vehicle crash data poses a challenge in accurately classifying fatal crashes using ML models. To address this challenge, the deep q-learning network-based imbalanced classification (DQNIC), a modification of Lin’s DQNimb, was employed to classify single-vehicle motorcycle crashes (fatal and non-fatal). Moreover, SHAP value analysis was utilized to interpret the DQNIC model and explore the factors associated with fatal crashes. The 4-year crashes in Japan nationwide are used for empirical study. The significant findings indicate 1) that the DQNIC model demonstrates effective classification of fatal crashes and 2) that factors such as the crash type, road width, terrain, road alignment, and collision point exert significant influence on fatal crashes. Traffic safety professionals can use the findings of this study to implement effective measures to reduce the fatality rate of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes.
Vigilant trust in scientific expertise
Authors: Metzen Hanna
Published: November 2024

This paper investigates the value of trust and the proper attitude lay people ought to have towards scientific experts. Trust in expertise is usually considered to be valuable, while distrust is often analyzed in cases where it is harmful. I will draw on accounts from political philosophy and argue that it is not only public trust that is valuable when it comes to scientific expertise – but also public vigilance. Expertise may be distorted in different ways, which cannot be remedied by internal control mechanisms alone. This reveals the importance of some forms of democratic oversight. The proper attitude is vigilant trust in expertise. However, vigilant trust seems to be a contradictory notion: How can one be trusting and watchful at the same time? I will show that it is not, and that trust and vigilance can be compatible to a certain extent. I will do so by distinguishing between different levels of both trust and vigilance. Interestingly, this argument requires acknowledging the value of some forms of distrust in scientific expertise, even if that distrust targets trustworthy experts.
Strategies for Operationalizing Xenotransplantation
Authors: Anderson Douglas J. , Locke Jayme E.
Published: November 2024

Purpose of Review

Xenotransplantation represents the most readily available solution to the shortage of donor organs for transplantation. This review seeks to address progress made in xenotransplantation thus far, and forecast barriers and opportunities for eventual clinical translation.

Recent Findings

Over the past several years, significant progress has been made to advance xenotransplantation to the clinic. Increasingly complex genetic manipulation of the donor source pigs has allowed for prevention of hyperacute rejection and graft function with clinically-available, FDA-approved immunosuppression. The Parsons Model utilizing recently deceased humans as recipients has allowed for the study of xenografts in a pre-clinical human model. These studies have confirmed function of kidney xenografts and maintenance of renal physiology. Two cases of human heart xenotransplantation have been reported, with limited early success. Two human recipients have received porcine kidney grafts. Moving forward, careful recipient selection will be needed for the first clinical trials. Diligent screening of the donor animals will reduce the risk of zoonotic infection, and post-transplant surveillance of recipients will remain important.

Studies to date have demonstrated the feasibility of xenotransplantation with promising early results. With additional studies designed to address the remaining unanswered questions, xenotra

nplantation may finally realize its potential and become a clinical reality.
Decadal Variability of Dry Days in Central Chile
Authors: Latoja Daniela , Lillo-Saavedra Mario , Gonzalo-Martin Consuelo , Godoy-Faúndez Alex , Somos-Valenzuela Marcelo , Rivera Diego
Published: November 2024

Dry days are crucial in precipitation variability and water scarcity, particularly in Mediterranean regions facing increasing aridity. Despite their importance, most research focuses on precipitation amounts and temporal dynamics. This study addresses this gap by analyzing dry days’ temporal and spatial variability in central Chile (32–40 S), a region experiencing prolonged drought. We examined dry day patterns from 1960 to 2021 using high-resolution gridded precipitation data, defining dry days with five precipitation thresholds (0.10, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 mm/day). Principal component and trend analyses were employed to characterize spatial and temporal variability. Results reveal a spatial pattern of dry days closely following precipitation patterns, with more dry days in northern and coastal areas. The first principal component explains 70–80% of the variance, and clustering methods allowed the definition of five homogeneous regions with distinct monthly dry-day characteristics. Long-term trends show a significant increase in annual dry days south of 38°S, while trends are weaker and non-significant further north. Notably, trend direction is highly sensitive to the analysis period, with some regions showing opposing trends before and after 1982. The 2010–2019 megadrought is detectable in decadal anomalies. We found links between dry day anomalies and large-scale climate patterns, suggesting modulation by changes in subtropical and extratropical atmospheric circulation. This comprehensive characterization of dry day climatology and variability provides crucial insights for water resource management and climate change adaptation in central Chile and similar Mediterranean regions worldwide. Our findings highlight the importance of considering dry day frequency in drought assessment and water planning, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of precipitation patterns in Mediterranean climates.
Household changes in post-Apartheid South Africa
Authors: Garenne Michel , Stiegler Nancy
Published: November 2024

South Africa underwent dramatic political and social changes since 1991. This study documents changes in household size and structure from 1991 to 2022 using population census data. The average household size declined from 4.9 to 3.5 persons; the proportion of female-headed households increased from 30 to 50%; the proportion of single person households increased from 10 to 25%. These changes were found in all social strata, by residence status, by population group (race), and by province. They were associated with major changes: the dismantling of Apartheid, economic development and restructuration, rising unemployment, fertility decline, decline in marriage rates, new housing arrangements, and the HIV/AIDS crisis. In addition, a new wave of freedom from traditional structures seems to explain the outstanding development of people living alone, especially among young men.
Assessment of Sub-micrometer-Sized Particles with Practical Activities in an Underground Coal Mine
Authors: Chen Yi-Hsuan , Munoz Alejandro , Krause Connor , Brune Jürgen , Tsai Candace S. J.
Published: November 2024

This assessment was designed to explore and characterize the airborne particles, especially for the sub-micrometer sizes, in an underground coal mine. Airborne particles present in the breathing zone were evaluated by using both (1) direct reading real-time instruments (RTIs) to measure real-time particle number concentrations in the workplaces and (2) gravimetric samplers to collect airborne particles to obtain mass concentrations and conduct further characterizations. Airborne coal mine particles were collected via three samplers: inhalable particle sampler (37 mm cassette with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filter), respirable dust cyclone (10 mm nylon cyclone with 37 mm Zefon cassette and PVC filter), and a Tsai diffusion sampler (TDS). The TDS, a newly designed sampler, is for collecting particles in the nanometer and respirable size range with a polycarbonate filter and grid. The morphology and compositions of collected particles on the filters were characterized using electron microscopy (EM). RTIs reading showed that the belt entry had a greatly nine-times higher total particle number concentration in average (~ 34,700 particles/cm3) than those measured at both the underground entry and office building (~ 4630 particles/cm3). The belt entry exhibited not only the highest total particle number concentration, but it also had different particle size fractions, particularly in the submicron and smaller sizes. A high level of submicron and nanoparticles was found in the belt conveyor drift area (with concentrations ranging from 0.54 to 1.55 mg/m3 among three samplers). The data support that small particles less than 300 nm are present in the underground coal mine associated with dust generated from practical mining activities. The chemical composition of the air particles has been detected in the presence of Ca, Cu, Si, Al, Fe, and Co which were all found to be harmful to miners when inhaled.
Converting plastic-contaminated agricultural residues into fit-for-purpose biochar soil amendment: an initial study
Authors: Yu Qiuyu , Zhang Xuhui , Gao Tao , Gong Xueliu , Wu Jiarong , Tian Shuai , Ma Biao , Xu Lujiang , Joseph Stephen , Zheng Jufeng , Bian Rongjun , Li Lianqing
Published: November 2024

Addressing agricultural plastic pollution is vital for ecosystem sustainability. Shifting from traditional waste treatments to a sustainable pathway presents both challenges and opportunities for global plastic management. This study investigated the properties and environmental applications of biochar derived from honeydew melon vines contaminated with plastic hanging ropes, pyrolyzed at temperatures of 300, 500, and 700 °C. The resulting biochars were evaluated for their ability to remove Pb and Cd from aqueous solutions. Additionally, a Chinese cabbage pot experiment was conducted to assess the impact of biochar on Pb and Cd immobilization and plant growth in contaminated soil. Results revealed that the properties of biochar varied with pyrolysis temperature. Specifically, incomplete carbonization of plastic ropes was observed at 300 °C, while biochar produced at 500 °C (BC500) showed a higher yield and contained higher levels of available P and K compared to the biochar produced at 700 °C (BC700). The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in biochars increased with temperature but remained within recommended limits. BC500 exhibited the highest adsorption capacities for Pb and Cd at 127 mg g−1 and 36 mg g−1, respectively. Soil amendment with BC500 and BC700 significantly improved soil pH, increased the availability of nutrients and microbial biomass, and effectively immobilized Pb and Cd in the soil. Consequently, the biomass yield of Chinese cabbage was enhanced by 119 % and 86 % under BC500 and BC700, respectively. Moreover, the Pb and Cd content in cabbage decreased by more than 80 % and 29 %, respectively. However, PAHs levels in cabbage leaves increased from 9.2 ng g−1 in the control to 20.8 ng g−1 and 30.4 ng g−1 under BC500 and BC700, respectively, remaining below China’s standard for benzo(a)pyrene. This study suggests pyrolyzing plastic-contaminated crop residues at 500 °C is a feasible strategy for waste recycling.

Graphical Abstract
On density order of quasi-projection operators and dual wavelet frames
Authors: Boukeffous Ch. , San Antolín A.
Published: November 2024

From two functions in the Hilbert space $$L^2(\mathbb {R}^d)$$

L
2

(

R

d

)

whose Fourier transform has certain decay, one defines a quasi-projection operator. In this paper, we prove necessary and sufficient conditions on those functions in order to the associated quasi-projection operator provides a desired approximation order and density order. To give our conditions we will use the classical notion of approximate continuity. As a consequence, we obtain approximation properties of dual wavelet frame constructed by Mixed Oblique Extension Principle. We show our results in the context of reducing subspaces of $$L^2(\mathbb {R}^d)$$

L
2

(

R

d

)

with a dilation given by an expansive linear map preserving the integer lattice.
ViTGaze: gaze following with interaction features in vision transformers
Authors: Song Yuehao , Wang Xinggang , Yao Jingfeng , Liu Wenyu , Zhang Jinglin , Xu Xiangmin
Published: November 2024

Gaze following aims to interpret human-scene interactions by predicting the person’s focal point of gaze. Prevailing approaches often adopt a two-stage framework, whereby multi-modality information is extracted in the initial stage for gaze target prediction. Consequently, the efficacy of these methods highly depends on the precision of the previous modality extraction. Others use a single-modality approach with complex decoders, increasing network computational load. Inspired by the remarkable success of pre-trained plain vision transformers (ViTs), we introduce a novel single-modality gaze following framework called ViTGaze. In contrast to previous methods, it creates a novel gaze following framework based mainly on powerful encoders (relative decoder parameters less than 1%). Our principal insight is that the inter-token interactions within self-attention can be transferred to interactions between humans and scenes. Leveraging this presumption, we formulate a framework consisting of a 4D interaction encoder and a 2D spatial guidance module to extract human-scene interaction information from self-attention maps. Furthermore, our investigation reveals that ViT with self-supervised pre-training has an enhanced ability to extract correlation information. Many experiments have been conducted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method. Our method achieves state-of-the-art performance among all single-modality methods (3.4% improvement in the area under curve score, 5.1% improvement in the average precision) and very comparable performance against multi-modality methods with 59% fewer parameters.
The Port
Authors: Hang Xing
Published: November 2024

The Port (present-day Hà Tiên), situated in the Mekong River Delta and Gulf of Siam littoral, was founded and governed by the Chinese creole Mo clan during the eighteenth century and prospered as a free-trade emporium in maritime East Asia. Mo Jiu and his son, Mo Tianci, maintained an independent polity through ambiguous and simultaneous allegiances to the Cochinchinese regime of southern Vietnam, Cambodia, Siam, and the Dutch East India Company. A shared value system was forged among their multiethnic and multi-confessional residents via elite Chinese culture, facilitating closer business ties to Qing China. The story of this remarkable settlement sheds light on a transitional period in East Asian history, when the dominance of the Chinese state, merchants, and immigrants gave way to firmer state boundaries in mainland Southeast Asia and Western dominance on the seas.
International Law and the Significance of Disciplinary Boundaries
Authors: Linderfalk Ulf , De Brabandere Eric
Published: November 2024

Over the last thirty or so years, international law and legal practice have become increasingly more specialized and diversified. These developments come with an increasingly divergent legal practice, in what has been coined as 'special regimes'. This book proposes a new understanding of the concept of a special regime to explain why specialists in different fields of international law do similar things differently. It argues that special regimes are best conceived as communities of practice, in the sense of Etienne Wenger's theory of communities of practice. It explores how the theory of communities of practice translates to the context of international law and the concept of a special regime. The authors draw up an innovative methodology to investigate their theory, focused on the conduct of community members, and apply this method to selected case studies, offering an original approach to the understanding of the special regimes in international law.
Guru Nanak's Transcendent Aesthetics
Authors: Singh Nikky-Guninder Kaur
Published: November 2024

One of the foremost exponents of the Sikh religion and of related Punjabi literature offers here a sustained exploration of the aesthetics of Sikhism's founder, understood as 'a symbiosis of his prophetic revelation, his poetic genius, and his pragmatic philosophy – embedded in his visceral expression of the transcendent One.' Drawing on a wide range of sources, Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh examines in full all the beauty, intimacy, and inclusive richness of Guru Nanak's remarkable literary art. Her subject's verses – written in simple vernacular Punjabi – are seen creatively to subvert conventional linguistic models while also inspiring social, psychological, environmental, and political change. These radical lyrics are now brought into fascinating conversation with contemporary artists, poets, and philosophers. Moving beyond conventional religious discourses and spaces of worship in its attempt to sketch a multisensory, publicly oriented reception of Sikh sacred verse, this expansive book opens up striking new imaginaries for 21st-century global society.
Apartheid South Africa: The Narratives of Three Different Nationalistic Survivors
Authors: Chukwuokolo J. Chidozie
Published: November 2024

The apartheid experience in South Africa was a horrendous one for mankind, in which humans unleashed all sorts of evil on one another due to unfounded categorization based on color. This led to a superiority complex where a class saw another as not worth the treatment their dogs received. The fact is that black color was an adaptive one, given the environment of the possessors; the melanin which is the pigmentation that makes the skin black is meant to prevent the skin from cancer emanating from radiations from the sun. It shouldn’t be a thing of social disequilibrium. Following the release of Nelson Mandela from jail in 1990 and the demise of the apartheid system of rule, South Africa became a free country, which provided the ground for South Africans and others to embark on penning books of personal histories of these painful experiences under apartheid.