bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Stability of IMEX Upwind gSBP Schemes for 1D Linear Advection-Diffusion Equations
Authors: Ortleb Sigrun
Published: August 2023

A fully discrete energy stability analysis is carried out for linear advection-diffusion problems discretized by generalized upwind summation-by-parts  (upwind gSBP) schemes in space and implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta  (IMEX-RK) schemes in time. Hereby, advection terms are discretized explicitly, while diffusion terms are solved implicitly. In this context, specific combinations of space and time discretizations enjoy enhanced stability properties. In fact, if the first- and second-derivative upwind gSBP operators fulfill a compatibility condition, the allowable time step size is independent of grid refinement, although the advective terms are discretized explicitly. In one space dimension it is shown that upwind gSBP schemes represent a general framework including standard discontinuous Galerkin  (DG) schemes on a global level. While previous work for DG schemes has demonstrated that the combination of upwind advection fluxes and the central-type first Bassi-Rebay  (BR1) scheme for diffusion does not allow for grid-independent stable time steps, the current work shows that central advection fluxes are compatible with BR1 regarding enhanced stability of IMEX time stepping. Furthermore, unlike previous discrete energy stability investigations for DG schemes, the present analysis is based on the discrete energy provided by the corresponding SBP norm matrix and yields time step restrictions independent of the discretization order in space, since no finite-element-type inverse constants are involved. Numerical experiments are provided confirming these theoretical findings.
Why do residents fail simulation-based assessments of operative competence? A qualitative analysis
Authors: Toale C. , Morris M. , Kavanagh D. O.
Published: August 2023

This qualitative study explored factors influencing the scoring decisions of raters in a simulation-based assessment of operative competence, by analysing feedback provided to trainees receiving ‘borderline’ or ‘not competent’ global scores across stations in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Directed qualitative content analysis was conducted on feedback provided to trainees during a novel simulation-based assessment. Initial codes were derived from the domains of the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) tool. Further quantitative analysis was conducted to compare the frequency of codes across feedback provided to ‘junior’ and ‘senior’ general surgery trainees. Thirteen trainees undertook the eight-station OSCE and were observed by ten trained assessors. Seven of these were ‘senior’ trainees in their last 4 years of surgical training, while 6 were ‘junior’ trainees in their first 4 years. A total of 130 individual observations were recorded. Written feedback was available for 44 of the 51 observations scored as ‘borderline’ or ‘not competent’. On content analysis, ‘knowledge of the specific procedure’ was the most commonly cited reason for failure, while ‘judgement’ and ‘the model as a confounder’ were two newly generated categories found to contribute to scoring decisions. The OSATS tool can capture a majority of reasons cited for ‘borderline’ or ‘not competent’ performance. Deficiencies in ‘Judgement’ may require simultaneous non-technical skill assessments to adequately capture. It is imperative that assessors and candidates are adequately familiarised with models prior to assessment, to limit the potential impact of model unfamiliarity as a confounder.
Reliability of steel structures with Chevron bracing systems considering the performance-based seismic design philosophy
Authors: Alvarado-Valle Omar E. , Gutierrez-Lopez Aaron , Tolentino Dante , Gaxiola-Camacho J. Ramon
Published: August 2023

In this paper, the seismic performance and reliability of steel buildings with Chevron-Braced frames are studied integrating a novel probabilistic approach and the performance-based seismic design concept. The seismic response of models is extracted using response history analyses with the help the commercial software SAP2000. In this sense, three variables associated with the seismic response of the structure are studied: overall lateral displacement, rotation of connections, and inter-story drift. Those responses are evaluated by exciting the structure with eleven characteristic ground motions of the zone with respect to three performance levels: immediate occupancy, life safety, and collapse prevention. Once the seismic response is extracted for every performance level, the reliability of the models is calculated with respect to inter-story drift as described next. First, considering the seismic response in terms of inter-story drift for every ground motion, the associated histogram is constructed. Then, using 13 Probability Density Functions (PDFs), a Chi-square test is performed to identify the best-fitted PDF associated to the histogram of inter-story drift. Afterwards, with the best-fitted PDF of inter-story drift, the probability of failure and reliability index are extracted considering serviceability limits for every performance level. This represents a unique approach to extract the risk of structures subjected to ground motions associated to different performance levels. In addition to the structural reliability, a study about the cost of the structures with and without Chevron braces is developed, and then, it is documented the best option. Finally, based on the results reported in this paper, it is demonstrated that steel buildings with Chevron-braced frames present a better seismic performance than steel moment resisting frames without any bracing system. In summary, overall lateral drifts are reduced between 40 and 60% when Chevron braces are implemented in comparison to steel moment resisting frames without braces. On the other hand, if Chevron bracing systems are not used, i.e., in steel moment resisting frames, the inter-story drifts are about 300% higher than those of steel structures with Chevron braces. Hence, structural damages can be considerably reduced if Chevron-braced frames are implemented in steel structures that may be excited by characteristic ground motions of the zone where they are located.
Valuing ecosystem services from restoring ancient irrigation systems: An application comparing labor vs. monetary payments for choice experiments
Authors: Dissanayake Sahan T. M. , Vidanage Shamen
Published: August 2023

The use of stated preference methods with monetary payments in developing countries can be problematic as barter and paying with labor are common in rural areas. In response, a growing number of stated preference studies explore using monetary and nonmonetary payment options. We contribute to this literature by exploring the impact of monetary vs. labor payment options on values elicited from choice experiment studies conducted in rural developing country settings. We also contribute to the literature by comparing data-gathering methods, specifically individual surveys vs. group information sessions. Our application is the restoration of an ancient irrigation system known as cascading tank systems in Sri Lanka. We conduct a choice experiment to understand the willingness to pay/willingness to contribute of rural households to restore these irrigation systems. We find that in the individual survey setting, there are no significant differences between monetary and labor payments. We also find that there is no difference between the group and individual survey settings for the monetary payment treatment. For the labor payment treatment, the group setting results in a positive payment coefficient for the labor payment attribute. This highlights that labor payments should be used cautiously in group evaluation settings.
The Evolution of the Public Security Defence in EU Free Movement Law: Lessons from the Energy Sector
Authors: Huhta Kaisa
Published: August 2023

This Article analyses the evolution of the public security defence to justify restrictions on free movement within the EU in the context of the energy sector. Taking the seminal 1984 Campus Oil case as the point of departure for its analysis, the Article focuses on the interplay between public security and energy security and shows two key changes in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. First, it demonstrates how the scope of the public security defence in the energy sector has gradually narrowed. Second, it shows how the public security defence has developed to take into account evolving social, technological, and legal contexts in the EU energy sector. Culminating in cases like Hidroelectrica in 2020 and OPAL in 2021, analysis of the relevant case law suggests that, despite the societal dependence on energy and the ongoing geopolitical turmoil in Europe, the Court of Justice interprets exceptions from free movement in an increasingly strict manner, highlighting the primacy of internal market approaches to energy security.
Social science to accelerate coastal adaptation to sea-level rise
Authors: Philippenko Xénia , Le Cozannet Gonéri
Published: August 2023

The latest IPCC report estimates that approximately 1 billion people will be at risk from coastal hazards in the near term due to coastal population increase, sea-level rise and other coastal changes. This will occur in a world that is changing rapidly due to climate change, ecosystem decline, human development and the projected transformations of the economy to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. In this context, social sciences provide a pivotal perspective to coastal adaptation, for example, while assessing barriers and opportunities across scales, from local to global. This scoping review explores how social sciences support coastal adaptation. We show that Political Sciences, Economics, Sociology and Geography are already supporting coastal adaptation. Yet, scientific fields such as legal sciences, psychology, history and archaeology as well as anthropology and ethnography are less developed in the context of coastal adaptation to sea-level rise. New research avenues could also integrate education, media and communication research and aim at truly interdisciplinary studies linking different branches of social sciences with coastal science and climate services. This effort could help moving from a coastal adaptation often focused on coastal engineering protection to a broader vision of coastal resilient development, also addressing the challenges of mitigation, sustainable development and coastal ecosystem decline.
The Value of Etoposide for Recurrent Glioma
Authors: van der Meulen Matthijs , Chahal Manik , Mason Warren P.
Published: August 2023

Background:

For multiply recurrent glioma, options are few and choices are very limited. Etoposide in combination with carboplatin and/or bevacizumab has been evaluated in recurrent glioma with modest efficacy. This retrospective study describes the efficacy of etoposide monotherapy in adults with multiply recurrent diffuse glioma.

Methods:

In this single center retrospective series, all adult patients with radiographically proven multiply recurrent diffuse glioma (WHO grade 2–4) treated with etoposide between 2016 and 2020 were evaluated. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after initiating etoposide were calculated for the total group and for different histologic tumor types. In addition, treatment-related toxicity was recorded.

Results:

Totally, 48 patients with a median age 43 years-old (range 24–78) were included. Etoposide was given as 3rd line of treatment in 18 patients (37.5%) and as 4th or 5th line of treatment in 30 patients (62.5%). The majority were diagnosed with a glioblastoma, WHO grade 4 (27, 56.3%). The median PFS was 8.6 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.3–8.9). The median OS of the total population was 4.0 months (95% CI: 2.4–5.6). Patients with an oligodendroglioma had the best OS (median 13 months), compared to astrocytoma and glioblastoma, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.15). Etoposide was stopped due to progression in the majority of the patients (81.3%). Only 1 patient had a grade 3 toxicity.

Conclusion:

Etoposide is a well-tolerated chemotherapy in heavily pretreated patients with multiply recurrent glioma and could be considered when other options are not available. OS was 4 months after initiating etoposide.
A mixed-methods analysis to understand the implementation of a multistakeholder research consortium: Environmental influences on child health outcomes (ECHO)
Authors: Faro Elissa Z. , Sauder Katherine A. , Norman Gwendolyn S. , Anderson Amber , Vélez-Vega Carmen , Napp David , Huddleston Kathi C.
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

Large, transdisciplinary research consortia have increasingly been called upon to address complex and challenging health problems. The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program developed multisite collaboration strategies to promote impactful collaborative observational research on child health. Team science and implementation science offer theoretical and methodological structure to answer questions about the strategies that facilitate successful consortia. We sought to characterize the elements and conditions that influence the implementation of a complex, interdisciplinary longitudinal research program, ECHO.

Methods:

Informed by the Practical, Robust, Implementation and Sustainability Model, our ethnographic research included semi-structured interviews with internal stakeholders and program evaluation metrics. We conducted template and matrix analysis and triangulated the qualitative and quantitative data to understand the implementation of ECHO.

Results:

Between February and May 2022, we conducted 24 virtual interviews with representatives from ECHO components. The main cross-cutting topics that emerged from thematic analysis were collaboration and team science; communication and decision-making; data processes and harmonization; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Both the qualitative and secondary quantitative evaluation data provided insights into the reach, adoption, implementation, and effectiveness of the program.

Conclusion:

A large, multidisciplinary research consortium such as ECHO has produced conceptual, instrumental, capacity building, and connectivity impact for internal and external stakeholders. Facilitators included infrastructure that supported collaboration and learning, alignment of data processes, and harmonization. Opportunities for enhanced impact include multidisciplinary, multimethod communication strategies, and alignment of research priorities.
ChatGPT: A Case Study on Copyright Challenges for Generative Artificial Intelligence Systems
Authors: Lucchi Nicola
Published: August 2023

This article focuses on copyright issues pertaining to generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems, with particular emphasis on the ChatGPT case study as a primary exemplar. In order to generate high-quality outcomes, generative AI systems require substantial quantities of training data, which may frequently comprise copyright-protected information. This prompts inquiries into the legal principles of fair use, the creation of derivative works and the lawfulness of data gathering and utilisation. The utilisation of input data for the purpose of training and enhancing AI models presents significant concerns regarding potential violations of copyright. This paper offers suggestions for safeguarding the interests of copyright holders and competitors, while simultaneously addressing legal challenges and expediting the advancement of AI technologies. This study analyses the ChatGPT platform as a case example to explore the necessary modifications that copyright regulations must undergo to adequately tackle the intricacies of authorship and ownership in the realm of AI-generated creative content.
A 115 ps, 100 Hz high-beam-quality laser based on transient stimulated Brillouin scattering pulse compression
Authors: Yue Jianfeng , Wang Yulei , Jia Mengyu , Li Kai , Cao Chen , Yu Yu , Li Yunfei , Lü Zhiwei
Published: August 2023

This work demonstrates the generation of short pulse duration and high-beam-quality laser pulses using transient stimulated Brillouin scattering at a high repetition rate. Thermal effects and optical breakdown are identified as the main factors that restrict energy reflectivity and beam quality under high repetition rates and transient situations. Through experimental analysis, the interaction length and focal point size are determined to be the key parameters in reducing the thermal effect by reducing the absorption of the laser pulse by the medium. The obtained results show that pulses with a duration of 175 ps and beam quality M2 of around 1.2 can be achieved with a maximum energy reflectivity of over 40% under an interaction length of 50 mm. Furthermore, at an interaction length of 90 mm, a pulse output with a minimum duration of 115 ps (0.5τQ) is achieved.
Antibiotic waste in a pediatric healthcare system: Wasting drugs that are in limited supply
Authors: Fan Lucie K. , Lu Lydia , Fernandez Alfred J. , Jaggi Preeti
Published: August 2023

In a pediatric hospital system over 2 years, 58,607 doses of antibiotic were wasted, an average of 80 doses per day, including drugs in shortage nationwide. Approximately 50% of waste occurred within the first 2 days of admission or the day of discharge, with ampicillin being the most wasted drug (N = 7,789 doses).
Temporal changes in genetic diversity reveal small-scale invasion dynamics of the eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) in the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve in Ohio
Authors: Hartman Hannah M. , Rocha Oscar J.
Published: August 2023

Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L. var. virginiana; hereafter ERC) is a native species currently invading open areas and grasslands outside of its original range in the United States. We studied ERC’s invasion patterns in the Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve (LDSNP), a short grass prairie located on the Marblehead Peninsula in Ohio, examining the changes in the genetic diversity and structure of the encroaching population. We investigated the relative importance of long-distance dispersal versus diffusion in the invasion of this short grass prairie by ERC. We use eight microsatellite marker loci to infer gene flow from external sources versus within-population recruitment. We found that the older trees in this preserve were less than 50 yr old, indicating that the population was established between 1970 and 1980. When we grouped trees into five age categories of 10-yr increments, we found that the allelic diversity, as indicated by the average number of alleles per locus, increased as the age of the trees decreased. We also found that not all loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, probably due to the arrival of new variants in the preserve. Moreover, heterozygosity remained high, with an excess of heterozygotes in all age groups (F = −0.163 ± 0.046). Principal coordinate analysis showed two distinct groups of trees in the LDSNP. Analysis of the cryptic population structure of the ERC trees using STRUCTURE revealed four ancestral clusters in the ERC population. All ancestral clusters are present in all age groups, suggesting that all trees sampled are derived from an admixed population. Furthermore, the high observed heterozygosity and lack of inbreeding in this dioecious species maintained all ancestral clusters over time. Overall, our findings indicate that ERC encroachment of the LDSNP results from multiple and reiterated gene flow events from the edge of the range through animal-mediated seed dispersal.
Waves and instability at the interface of two flows of miscible magnetic and non-magnetic fluids
Authors: Krakov Mikhail S.
Published: August 2023

This study presents the results of a numerical simulation of two horizontal flows of miscible magnetic and non-magnetic fluids at low Reynolds numbers in a vertical uniform magnetic field. The problem is solved by taking into account the dependence of the viscosity and magnetization of the fluid on the concentration of the magnetic phase, and the dependence of the magnetic field on the concentration. Four flow modes are found: the diffusion mixing mode with a flat diffusion front, the wave mode and two different plug flow modes. In the first of them, the growing wave instability forms the plugs, whereas in the second, the growing magnetostatic instability does. A combination of dimensionless criteria is found that determines the transition from one mode to another. The dependences of the phase velocity of the waves on the diffusion front and the period of the oscillations of the front near the point of the confluence of the two flows on dimensionless criteria are found.
Wellbeing Promotion in Tasmanian Schools: Have We Forgotten Support Teachers?
Authors: Holzner Kristy-Lee , Gaunt Lorraine
Published: August 2023

Support teachers are responsible for educating students with disabilities who have complex needs and require additional resources. Because of the highly stressful nature of the role, support teachers are at greater risk of professional burnout, higher attrition rates, and impacts on wellbeing. There is a distinct lack of Australian or state/territory empirical evidence on strategies to promote support teacher wellbeing. In this exploratory qualitative study, we applied thematic analysis to interviews of Tasmanian support teachers to find that their wellbeing relies on principals’ and leadership staff’s support and implementation of wellbeing and inclusive education practices. Support teachers are experiencing stress, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and depression caused by workload, accountability for funding, and poor leadership. School leaders who value wellbeing and inclusive practices foster a positive culture, demonstrating ecological theory. This study marks an initial step towards understanding how to nurture the support teachers of Tasmania.
Cultural Differences in People's Reactions and Applications of Robots, Algorithms, and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Yam Kai Chi , Tan Tiffany , Jackson Joshua Conrad , Shariff Azim , Gray Kurt
Published: August 2023

Although research in cultural psychology has established that virtually all human behaviors and cognitions are in some ways shaped by culture, culture has been surprisingly absent from the emerging literature on the psychology of technology. In this perspective article, we first review recent findings on machine aversion versus appreciation. We then offer a cross-cultural perspective in understanding how people might react differently to machines. We propose three frameworks – historical, religious, and exposure – to explain how Asians might be more accepting of machines than their Western counterparts. We end the article by discussing three exciting human–machine applications found primarily in Asia and provide future research directions.
NEW RADIOCARBON DATES FROM POLISH INLAND DUNES POINT TO PREVALENCE OF HUMAN IMPACT ON DUNE MOBILITY
Authors: Ninard Krzysztof , Łapcik Piotr , Uchman Alfred
Published: August 2023

The timeframes of Holocene anthropogenic dune remobilization in Central Europe remain less studied compared to those of Late Glacial climatically controlled dune formation. The present contribution aims to reinforce existing knowledge on the chronology of Late Glacial–Holocene dune activity and stability, as well as to reveal the scale of human impact on dune remobilization. Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dating and calibration of the results are reported from paleosol horizons buried in inland dune deposits that occur in Central and Eastern Poland. Twenty-three new dates are based on charcoal samples collected at 13 sites. From each of the investigated sites, at least one AD date is obtained, indicating that buried paleosols of such young age are far more widespread in Polish dunes than reflected in previous studies. The widespread preservation of these paleosols under cover of aeolian sand reflects the extent of the anthropogenic dune formation phase that peaked during the Medieval and Early Modern periods.
LASER ABLATION SYSTEM WITH A DIODE LASER FOR AMS 14C MEASUREMENT OF ORGANIC MATERIALS
Authors: Minamitani Fumina , Omori Takayuki , Yamazaki Kohei , Ozaki Hiromasa , Hakozaki Masataka , Yoneda Minoru
Published: August 2023

We constructed a laser ablation (LA) system using a diode laser for the accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) measurement of organic materials. The system could extract adequate CO2 to analyze small masses (0.1 mg C) at a resolution of 250 µm by a 5.5 W diode laser. The LA system was assessed using standard materials (IAEA-C1, IAEA-C2, IAEA-C3, IAEA-C6, and Ox II) and applied to natural tree ring samples. For the LA sampling of organic samples, which generally results in incomplete combustion, tungsten (VI) oxide was used as an oxidant to achieve complete burning. The results of the measurement of standard materials showed a low 14C background of F14C 0.0085 ± 0.0005 and reasonable reproduction of 14C values. Finally, we applied this system to a single-year analysis of tree-ringed spruce timber in Alaska. It was observed to have a detectable background for the 14C bomb peak.
Local structural and functional MRI markers of compulsive behaviors and obsessive–compulsive disorder diagnosis within striatum-based circuits
Authors: Xu Chuanyong , Hou Gangqiang , He Tingxin , Ruan Zhongqiang , Guo Xinrong , Chen Jierong , Wei Zhen , Seger Carol A. , Chen Qi , Peng Ziwen
Published: August 2023

Background

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a classic disorder on the compulsivity spectrum, with diverse comorbidities. In the current study, we sought to understand OCD from a dimensional perspective by identifying multimodal neuroimaging patterns correlated with multiple phenotypic characteristics within the striatum-based circuits known to be affected by OCD.

Methods

Neuroimaging measurements of local functional and structural features and clinical information were collected from 110 subjects, including 51 patients with OCD and 59 healthy control subjects. Linked independent component analysis (LICA) and correlation analysis were applied to identify associations between local neuroimaging patterns across modalities (including gray matter volume, white matter integrity, and spontaneous functional activity) and clinical factors.

Results

LICA identified eight multimodal neuroimaging patterns related to phenotypic variations, including three related to symptoms and diagnosis. One imaging pattern (IC9) that included both the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation measure of spontaneous functional activity and white matter integrity measures correlated negatively with OCD diagnosis and diagnostic scales. Two imaging patterns (IC10 and IC27) correlated with compulsion symptoms: IC10 included primarily anatomical measures and IC27 included primarily functional measures. In addition, we identified imaging patterns associated with age, gender, and emotional expression across subjects.

Conclusions

We established that data fusion techniques can identify local multimodal neuroimaging patterns associated with OCD phenotypes. The results inform our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of compulsive behaviors and OCD diagnosis.
Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Judgment
Authors: Pamuk Zeynep
Published: August 2023

Will existing forms of artificial intelligence (AI) lead to genuine intelligence? How is AI changing our society and politics? This essay examines the answers to these questions in Brian Cantwell Smith's The Promise of Artificial Intelligence and Mark Coeckelbergh's The Political Philosophy of AI with a focus on their central concern with judgment—whether AI can possess judgment and how developments in AI are affecting human judgment. First, I argue that the existentialist conception of judgment that Smith defends is highly idealized. While it may be an appropriate standard for intelligence, its implications for when and how AI should be deployed are not as clear as Smith suggests. Second, I point out that the concern with the displacement of judgment in favor of “reckoning” (or calculation) predates the rise of AI. The meaning and implications of this trend will become clearer if we move beyond ontology and metaphysics and into political philosophy, situating technological changes in their social context. Finally, I suggest that Coeckelbergh's distinctly political conception of judgment might offer a solution to the important boundary-drawing problem between tasks requiring judgment and those requiring reckoning, thus filling a gap in Smith's argument and clarifying its political stakes.
Reply to Critics
Authors: Fabre Cécile
Published: August 2023

A normative defense of espionage and counterintelligence activities in the service of foreign policy goals must show at least two things. First, it must show which foreign policy goals, if any, provide a justification for such activities. Second, it must provide an account of the means that intelligence agencies are morally permitted, indeed morally obliged, to use during those activities. I first discuss Ross Bellaby's probing critique of my defense of economic espionage. I then turn to the other four essays, which consider the ethics of the means by which espionage and counterintelligence activities are conducted.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Informer: Revisiting the Ethics of Espionage in the Context of Insurgencies and New Wars
Authors: Dudai Ron
Published: August 2023

This essay starts by accepting Cécile Fabre's argument in her book Spying through a Glass Darkly that intelligence work, including using incentives and pressures to encourage betrayal and treason, can be morally justified based on the criteria of necessity, effectiveness, and proportionality. However, while assessments of spying tend to be based on Cold War notions, I explore it here in the messier reality of counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and “new wars.” In addition, I suggest a methodological expansion: adding a sociological perspective to the ethical discussion by exploring the wider effects on society, over longer periods, of the operation of informers. Based on these shifts in perspective and context, I identify additional social harms generated by espionage that should lead to a more restrictive view of ethical espionage than the one emerging from Fabre's work. I argue that many of these social harms are created by the mass recruitment of informers, in asymmetrical conflicts where governments have leverage over suspected communities, and given the (often mistaken) belief that everyone recruited to act as informer is an “asset,” primarily providing advantages. I argue, therefore, that the decisive issue is one of scale: many of the ethical problems created by espionage in these contexts result from the widespread systematic recruitment of informers, while small-scale, targeted, ad-hoc recruitment can more easily avoid such problems.
The ‘Whole’ Truth about Biological Individuality in Kant’s Account of Living Nature
Authors: Wilks Anna Frammartino
Published: August 2023

Given the central place organisms occupy in Kant’s account of living nature, it might seem unlikely that his claims about biological wholes could be relevant to current debates over the problem of biological individuality. These debates acknowledge the multiple realizability of biological individuality in vastly different forms, including parts of organisms and complex groups of organisms at various levels of the biological hierarchy, sparking much controversy in attempts to characterize a biological individual. I argue that, far from being irrelevant to this controversy, Kant’s account provides a key insight for addressing the multiple realizability problem. I show how the reciprocal causality between a self-organizing whole and its parts, which Kant thinks characterizes a natural end, is not limited to organisms but is exhibited by numerous types of beings in living nature. Self-organizing wholes of various kinds, and at various biological levels, may count as biological individuals, depending on the degree to which their functionally integrated parts are represented by reflective judgement as a natural end.
Challenging Historiographic Assumptions: Opening Up Serialism with Pierre Boulez's Don
Authors: SALEM JOSEPH
Published: August 2023

This article combines historiographic reflections on the open-work concept in serial music with a new philology of Pierre Boulez's Don, the opening piece of Pli selon pli. I begin by presenting challenges in defining the open-work concept. I also deconstruct the dual use of the term ‘serialism’ to define a set of compositional techniques and a musical style. This leads me to a reconsideration of the similarities between the changing compositional strategies of Boulez and John Cage (and their influence on others) during a time of formal and stylistic experimentation in the 1950s. Finally, I segue to Boulez's compositional plans for Don. In doing so, I provide a concrete example of how the techniques of serialism often belie the aesthetic and extramusical connotations at play in works that are serial in style.
Effect of growth habit on grain yield and its component traits in horse gram [Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc.]
Authors: Chandana Basalapura Rangegowda , Ramesh Sampangi , Kirankumar Rotti , Basanagouda Gonal , Ranjitha Gowdru Veerabhadrappa , Santhoshkumari Banakara
Published: August 2023

In common with other grain legumes, the growth habit in horse gram is one of the domestication-driven adaptive traits. Horse gram exhibits determinate and indeterminate types of growth habits. Determinate genotypes have non-overlapping vegetative and reproductive phases combined with a compact growth habit which enables farmers to produce horse gram in intercropping and multiple cropping systems, a common practice for sustainable agriculture production. Also, synchronous flowering, and pod development and maturity of determinate genotypes enable mechanical harvesting. Empirical studies have indicated a greater grain yield potential of indeterminate compared to determinate genotypes. However, we hypothesize that indeterminate and determinate genotypes do not differ for their grain yield potential if they are in isogenic genetic backgrounds. To test this hypothesis, we compared eight pairs of near isogenic (NI) indeterminate and determinate genotypes for their grain yield potential during two rainy seasons in one location and one rainy season in another location. The eight pairs of NI determinate and indeterminate genotypes differed significantly in each of the three test environments. Indeterminate genotypes produced a greater pod (harvestable) and grain (marketable) yields than their determinate counterparts only in a few genetic backgrounds. These results thus support our hypothesis that determinate genotypes are comparable to indeterminate ones, if not better than the latter.
A Robust Channel Head Extraction Method Based on High‐Resolution Topographic Convergence, Suitable for Both Slowly and Fastly Eroding Landscapes
Authors: Lurin Aude , Marc Odin , Meunier Patrick , Carretier Sébastien
Published: August 2023

Channel networks exert a key control on drainage basins shape and dynamics, including the transfer of water and sediments throughout basins, and thus hydrosedimentary hazards. Landscape dissection by channels results from the competition between hillslope processes and channelized erosion processes such as overland flow or debris flows. In contrast to fluvial channelization, the transition from hillslopes to colluvial channels remains understudied, and high‐resolution LiDAR DEMs open new perspectives for the extensive extraction of channel heads. Several channel extraction methods exist but none is yet robust on fast eroding landscapes. Here we develop the CO2CHAIN method which identifies the hillslope to channel transition in drainage basins based on relative changes of local and upstream measures of flow convergence. We calibrate CO2CHAIN by fitting its results to channel head mapping made by geomorphologists in four contrasted basins in the United States and France with moderate to high erosion rates. Compared to two state‐of‐the‐art channel extraction methods, it fits best the experts' mapping in terms of average characteristics and variability without needing to be recalibrated and does not have to implement a drainage area threshold although it imposes a length scale threshold. This allows to revisit studies on channelization that have not yet included high erosion rate basins.
A New, Underground Atlas of Subduction Zones
Authors: Besl J.
Published: August 2023

Submap merges graphic design with geodynamics, providing a fast, free, and user-friendly resource to map subduction zones.
Triple‐Dip La Niñas in 1998–2001 and 2020–2023: Impact of Mean State Changes
Authors: Li Xiaofan , Hu Zeng‐Zhen , McPhaden Michael J. , Zhu Congwen , Liu Yunyun
Published: August 2023

This study compares the evolution of atmospheric and oceanic anomalies as well as predictions for the two most recent triple‐dip La Niña events in 1998–2001 and 2020–2023. Subsurface cooling in the equatorial Pacific was stronger and more persistent during 1998–2001. In contrast, surface easterly winds were stronger during 2020–2023 as was the east‐west sea surface temperature (SST) contrast along the equator. We argue that in the absence of appreciable equatorial Pacific heat discharge, persistent and strong surface trade winds and a strengthened mean zonal SST contrast across the tropical Pacific contributed to the development of the 2020–2023 triple‐dip La Niña. In terms of the subsurface layer heat budget, the growth and maintenance of unusually cold SSTs during the triple‐dip La Niña in 1998–2001 were mainly the result of ocean vertical entrainment and diffusion, as well as meridional advection, associated with enhanced equatorial upwelling; while for the triple‐dip La Niña in 2020–2023, zonal advection was the largest contributor. The two events were mostly well predicted by multi‐model averages at 1–8 months lead times. We hypothesize that mean state change with enhanced zonal SST contrast and trade winds over the last several decades altered the physical processes associated with the growth and maintenance of the most recent La Niña, affecting its predictability. Successful prediction in real‐time of the 2020–2023 event more than half a year in advance was surprising because there was little memory in oceanic heat content which is often considered a key predictor.
New Insights Into Composition Variation of Mars South Polar Layered Deposits From SHARAD Radar Sounder
Authors: Fang Peng , Zhang Jinhai
Published: August 2023

The south polar layered deposits (SPLD) of Mars record its Amazonian climate history. Detailed stratigraphic analyses of the SPLD will improve our understanding of the Martian depositional system. Radar reflection patterns correlate with the varying composition of the internal layers, thus providing a key to unlocking the depositional history of the SPLD and Martian paleoclimate. Using data from SHAllow RADar (SHARAD) onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, we studied a new type of weak reflection pattern (shadow zone) across the SPLD. These shadow zones lack identifiable bases and are generally deeper than previously reported low‐reflection zones interpreted as sealed CO2 ice. The discrepancy between the waveforms of shadow zones in focused and unfocused radargrams was used to identify whether the shadow zones were associated with fog‐related data‐processing artifacts. Numerical simulations utilizing various dielectric models demonstrate that lossy materials are most likely the cause of the shadow zone. These materials are expected to exhibit a gradual increase in concentration with depth, ranging from pure water ice to lossy materials at a scale of >50 m. The presence of such lossy materials is consistent with the compositional heterogeneity of SPLD, but their origins remain obscure.
Lipid peroxidation in osteoarthritis: focusing on 4-hydroxynonenal, malondialdehyde, and ferroptosis
Authors: Zhang Xiong , Hou Liangcai , Guo Zhou , Wang Genchun , Xu Jingting , Zheng Zehang , Sun Kai , Guo Fengjing
Published: August 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial and increasingly prevalent degenerative disease that affects the whole joint. The pathogenesis of OA is poorly understood and there is a lack of therapeutic interventions to reverse the pathological process of this disease. Accumulating studies have shown that the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS-induced lipid peroxidation are involved in the pathogenesis of OA. 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA) have received considerable attention for their role in cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone remodeling during OA development. Ferroptosis is a form of cell death characterized by a lack of control of membrane lipid peroxidation and recent studies have suggested that chondrocyte ferroptosis contributes to OA progression. In this review, we aim to discuss lipid peroxidation-derived 4-HNE and MDA in the progression of OA. In addition, the therapeutic potential for OA by controlling the accumulation of lipid peroxidation and inhibiting chondrocyte ferroptosis are discussed.
N-acetyltransferase 10 promotes cutaneous wound repair via the NF-κB-IL-6 axis
Authors: Wang Ben , Zhang Jin , Li Guo , Xu Chenzhong , Yang Langmei , Zhang Jie , Wu Yalan , Liu Ye , Liu Zuojun , Wang Ming , Li Ji , Tang Xiaolong , Liu Baohua
Published: August 2023

Cutaneous wound healing, an integral part for protection of skin barrier, is a complex biological process and intimately associated with keratinocyte migration. However, mechanisms regulating keratinocyte migration in the process of cutaneous wound repair remain largely unknown. Here, we found that N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) is essential for cutaneous wound repair in an in vivo skin wound healing model—a significant delay of wound repair in Nat10 haploinsufficient mice and a remarkable inhibition of keratinocyte migration by NAT10 knockdown in an in vitro keratinocyte migration model. We further demonstrate that loss of NAT10 expression attenuates the wound-induced IL-6/IL-8 expression through inhibiting NF-κB/p65 activity in keratinocytes. By deeply digging, silencing NAT10 compromises the level of nuclear p65 by facilitating its poly-ubiquitination, thus accelerates its degradation in the nucleus. Notably, we detected a strong positive correlation between the expression of NAT10 and relevant NF-kB/p65-IL6 signaling activity in mouse wound skin tissues. Overall, our study reveals an important role of NAT10 on cutaneous wound repair by potentiating NF-κB/p65-IL-6/8-STAT3 signaling. Targeting NAT10 might be a potential strategy for the treatment of skin wound dysfunctions and related diseases.
A deep learning framework to emulate density functional theory
Authors: del Rio Beatriz G. , Phan Brandon , Ramprasad Rampi
Published: August 2023

Density functional theory (DFT) has been a critical component of computational materials research and discovery for decades. However, the computational cost of solving the central Kohn–Sham equation remains a major obstacle for dynamical studies of complex phenomena at-scale. Here, we propose an end-to-end machine learning (ML) model that emulates the essence of DFT by mapping the atomic structure of the system to its electronic charge density, followed by the prediction of other properties such as density of states, potential energy, atomic forces, and stress tensor, by using the atomic structure and charge density as input. Our deep learning model successfully bypasses the explicit solution of the Kohn-Sham equation with orders of magnitude speedup (linear scaling with system size with a small prefactor), while maintaining chemical accuracy. We demonstrate the capability of this ML-DFT concept for an extensive database of organic molecules, polymer chains, and polymer crystals.
A nested cohort 5-year Canadian surveillance of Gram-negative antimicrobial resistance for optimized antimicrobial therapy
Authors: Blondeau Joseph , Charles Marthe Kenny , Loo Vivian , Adam Heather , Gonzalez Del Vecchio Marcela , Ghakis Christiane , O’Callaghan Emma , El Ali Radwan
Published: August 2023

We analyzed 5 years (2016–2020) of nested Canadian data from the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART) to identify pathogen predominance and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of adult Gram-negative infections in Canadian health care and to complement other public surveillance programs and studies in Canada. A total of 6853 isolates were analyzed from medical (44%), surgical (18%), intensive care (22%) and emergency units (15%) and from respiratory tract (36%), intra-abdominal (25%), urinary tract (24%) and bloodstream (15%) infections. Overall, E. coli (36%), P. aeruginosa (18%) and K. pneumoniae (12%) were the most frequent isolates and P. aeruginosa was the most common respiratory pathogen. 18% of Enterobacterales species were ESBL positive. Collective susceptibility profiles showed that P. aeruginosa isolates were highly susceptible (> 95%) to ceftolozane/tazobactam and colistin, though markedly less susceptible (58–74%) to other antimicrobials tested. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was present in 10% of P. aeruginosa isolates and was more frequent in those from respiratory infections and from ICU than non-ICU locations. Of P. aeruginosa isolates that were resistant to combinations of ceftazidime, piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem, 73–96% were susceptible to ceftolozane/tazobactam over the period of the study. These national data can now be combined with clinical prediction rules and genomic data to enable expert antimicrobial stewardship applications and guide treatment policies to optimize adult patient care.
Early elevation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein as a predictor for cardiovascular disease incidence and all-cause mortality: a landmark analysis
Authors: Lee Hye Sun , Lee Jun-Hyuk
Published: August 2023

We investigated the association between early elevation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, all-cause mortality, and CVD mortality. We analyzed 6567 participants from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study_Ansan_Ansung cohort between 2005 and 2018. The Kaplan–Meier curves and modified Cox regression by Fine and Gray were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CVD incidence, all-cause mortality, CVD mortality, cancer mortality, and mortality from other causes. Landmark analyses were performed at the first (2007–2008) and second (2009–2010) follow-up periods, with early elevation defined as hsCRP > 2 mg/L. At the first and second landmark points, the early hsCRP elevation group had a higher incidence of CVD and all-cause mortality. At first landmark point, the adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were 1.37 (1.08–1.74) for incident CVD and 1.26 (1.04–1.53) for all-cause mortality, respectively. At second landmark point, the adjusted HRs in the early hsCRP elevation group were 1.45 (1.12–1.89) for incident CVD and 1.34 (1.10–1.63) for all-cause mortality, respectively. However, there were no significant differences in CVD mortality and cancer mortality between the groups. In conclusion, early elevation of serum hsCRP is a predictor of incident CVD and all-cause mortality. The timing of hsCRP increase is also a significant predictor of incident CVD, even considering the competing risk. Regular hsCRP testing may help monitor hsCRP trends and develop individualized treatment plans for CVD prevention.