bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ratio of M1 to M2 microglia in the striatum determines the severity of L‐Dopa‐induced dyskinesias
Authors: Rentsch Peggy , Egan Timothy , Kuriakose Andrea , Stayte Sandy , Vissel Bryce
Published: November 2023

L‐Dopa, while treating motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, can lead to debilitating L‐Dopa‐induced dyskinesias, limiting its use. To investigate the causative relationship between neuro‐inflammation and dyskinesias, we assessed if striatal M1 and M2 microglia numbers correlated with dyskinesia severity and whether the anti‐inflammatories, minocycline and indomethacin, reverse these numbers and mitigate against dyskinesia. In 6‐OHDA lesioned mice, we used stereology to assess numbers of striatal M1 and M2 microglia populations in non‐lesioned (naïve) and lesioned mice that either received no L‐Dopa (PD), remained non‐dyskinetic even after L‐Dopa (non‐LID) or became dyskinetic after L‐Dopa treatment (LID). We also assessed the effect of minocycline/indomethacin treatment on striatal M1 and M2 microglia and its anti‐dyskinetic potential via AIMs scoring. We report that L‐Dopa treatment leading to LIDs exacerbates activated microglia numbers beyond that associated with the PD state; the severity of LIDs is strongly correlated to the ratio of the striatal M1 to M2 microglial numbers; in non‐dyskinetic mice, there is no M1/M2 microglia ratio increase above that seen in PD mice; and reducing M1/M2 microglia ratio using anti‐inflammatories is anti‐dyskinetic. Parkinson's disease is associated with increased inflammation, but this is insufficient to underpin dyskinesia. Given that L‐Dopa‐treated non‐LID mice show the same ratio of M1/M2 microglia as PD mice that received no L‐Dopa, and, given minocycline/indomethacin reduces both the ratio of M1/M2 microglia and dyskinesia severity, our data suggest the increased microglial M1/M2 ratio that occurs following L‐Dopa treatment is a contributing cause of dyskinesias.
Human lower leg muscles grow asynchronously
Authors: Chow Brian V. Y. , Morgan Catherine , Rae Caroline , Warton David I. , Novak Iona , Davies Suzanne , Lancaster Ann , Popovic Gordana C. , Rizzo Rodrigo R. N. , Rizzo Claudia Y. , Kyriagis Maria , Herbert Robert D. , Bolsterlee Bart
Published: November 2023

Muscle volume must increase substantially during childhood growth to generate the power required to propel the growing body. One unresolved but fundamental question about childhood muscle growth is whether muscles grow at equal rates; that is, if muscles grow in synchrony with each other. In this study, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and advances in artificial intelligence methods (deep learning) for medical image segmentation to investigate whether human lower leg muscles grow in synchrony. Muscle volumes were measured in 10 lower leg muscles in 208 typically developing children (eight infants aged less than 3 months and 200 children aged 5 to 15 years). We tested the hypothesis that human lower leg muscles grow synchronously by investigating whether the volume of individual lower leg muscles, expressed as a proportion of total lower leg muscle volume, remains constant with age. There were substantial age‐related changes in the relative volume of most muscles in both boys and girls (p < 0.001). This was most evident between birth and five years of age but was still evident after five years. The medial gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, the largest muscles in infancy, grew faster than other muscles in the first five years. The findings demonstrate that muscles in the human lower leg grow asynchronously. This finding may assist early detection of atypical growth and allow targeted muscle‐specific interventions to improve the quality of life, particularly for children with neuromotor conditions such as cerebral palsy.
The Global Impact of Brexit Uncertainty
Authors: HASSAN TAREK A. , HOLLANDER STEPHAN , LENT LAURENCE VAN , TAHOUN AHMED
Published: November 2023

We propose a text‐based method for measuring the cross‐border propagation of large shocks at the firm level. We apply this method to estimate the expected costs, benefits, and risks of Brexit and find widespread reverberations in listed firms in 81 countries. International (i.e., non‐U.K.) firms most exposed to Brexit uncertainty (the second moment) lost significant market value and reduced hiring and investment. International firms also overwhelmingly expected negative first‐moment impacts from the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union (EU), particularly related to regulation, asset prices, and labor market impacts of Brexit.
The Finite Element Method in Time for Multibody Dynamics
Authors: Bauchau Olivier A.
Published: November 2023

The generalized-α scheme has become the approach of choice for the time integration of the equations of motion of multibody systems. Despite its simplicity, this scheme presents drawbacks: the time-step size cannot be changed easily, making it difficult to implement time adaptivity, and the solution of periodic problems cannot be found easily. This paper explores an alternative approach based on the finite element method in time. The basic principles underpinning the approach are presented and both time-continuous and time-discontinuous approaches are investigated. Two types of Galerkin schemes will be presented here: the time-continuous and the time-discontinuous schemes. In the former, the displacement field is continuous across interelement boundaries, whereas discontinuities or “jumps” are allowed across interelement boundaries for the latter. Simple problems are treated to identify the best schemes. Families of schemes of various accuracies are presented. The first family, based on time-continuous elements, features schemes that do not present numerical dissipation. Asymptotic annihilation is achieved by the time-discontinuous elements that form the second family. The problem of kinematic constraints is treated within the framework of the finite element method in time. Special emphasis is devoted to the satisfaction of the kinematic constraints and their time derivative within a time element.
An Improved Fixture to Quantify Corrosion in Bolted Flanged Gasketed Joints
Authors: Hakimian Soroosh , Bouzid Abdel-Hakim , Hof Lucas A.
Published: November 2023

This study discusses the corrosion behavior of bolted flanged gasketed joint systems. A novel fixture is proposed to quantify the corrosion at the gasket–flange interface under service conditions. Due to the presence of crevices and potential differences between gaskets and flanges, corrosion widely occurs in such joints. Crevice corrosion and galvanic corrosion can create paths to leakage of the pressurized fluid and may cause catastrophic failure. Corrosion in bolted gasketed joints was investigated previously; however, the effects of the operating conditions were not reported. Operating conditions include fluid flow, pressure, pH, conductivity, temperature, and average gasket contact stress. This study starts by introducing a new experimental setup to examine the corrosion behavior of bolted flanged gasketed joints. The developed fixture consists of a pressurized bolted gasketed joint that enables real-time monitoring and recording of the corrosion parameters under the influence of service conditions. Second, potentiodynamic polarization testing is conducted to measure the corrosion rate and obtain data on the corrosion behavior of a pair of flange and gasket materials. These tests are performed using the novel setup that reproduces the behavior of industrial bolted flanged gasketed joint systems. It consists of a working electrode (flange material), a reference electrode (Ag/AgCl), and an auxiliary electrode (a stainless steel rod). Three types of graphite gaskets compressed in the fixture are subject to electrochemical corrosion tests with a 0.6 M NaCl solution. The morphology of the specimen's corroded surfaces is examined via confocal laser microscopy.
Design of a Novel Large-Stroke Compliant Constant-Torque Mechanism Based on Chained Beam-Constraint Model
Authors: Phan Thanh-Vu , Truong Van Men , Pham Huy-Tuan , Nguyen Van-Khien
Published: November 2023

This study addressed the development of a novel compliant constant-torque mechanism (CCTM) that utilizes Bezier curved beams to provide a large stroke in the constant-torque operating range. Previous CCTMs are limited by their working stroke, which reduces their applicability. The proposed mechanism is based on an analytical model using the chained beam-constraint model (CBCM), which captures the kinetostatic behavior of flexible segments. A genetic algorithm based on the CBCM was used to obtain the optimal structure, which was then verified through finite element analysis and experimental results. The results show that the proposed CCTM provides good flatness with a deviation of 3.7% and a large stroke of 80 deg in the constant-torque working range, while maintaining compactness. This novel CCTM has the potential to provide a simple and effective solution for torque regulators in various applications.
Real-time artificial intelligence enhanced defect engineering in CeO2 nanostructures
Authors: Kumar Udit , Arunachalam Ayush , Feit Corbin , Berriel S. Novia , Basu Kanad , Banerjee Parag , Seal Sudipta
Published: November 2023

CeO2 nanostructures have been utilized for various biomedical, sensor, and catalysis applications owing to their unique defect structure, enabling them to have regenerative oxidative properties. Defect engineering in CeO2 nanostructures has major importance, enabling them to be utilized for specific applications. Despite various synthesis methods, it is challenging to have precise and reversible control over defect structures. Against this backdrop, in the current work, we have explored machine learning (ML) enhanced defect engineering of CeO2 nanofilms. In our earlier work [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 39, 060405 (2021)], we have developed an atomic layer deposition process for CeO2 using in situ ellipsometry measurements. In the current work, data collected through in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry and ex situ XPS have been correlated using two ML algorithms (gradient boost and random forest regressor) to exert better control over the chemical properties. Defect structures are one of the desired properties in CeO2 nanomaterials, characterized by the Ce3+/Ce4+ oxidation state ratio leading to its regenerative properties. We have shown that the defect structure of the CeO2 nanofilms can be predicted using in situ ellipsometry data in real time using a trained ML algorithm using two different methods. The first method involves an indirect approach of thickness prediction using an ML algorithm (k-nearest neighbors) followed by Ce3+/Ce4+ estimation using an experimental calibration curve. The second method with a more direct approach involves Ce3+/Ce4+ prediction using real-time ellipsometry data (amplitude ratio ψ and phase difference Δ) using gradient boost and random forest regressor.
CD8 T cell tolerance results from eviction of immature autoreactive cells from the thymus
Authors: Badr Mohamed Elsherif , Zhang Zhongmei , Tai Xuguang , Singer Alfred
Published: November 2023

CD8 T cell tolerance is thought to result from clonal deletion of autoreactive thymocytes before they differentiate into mature CD8 T cells in the thymus. However, we report that, in mice, CD8 T cell tolerance instead results from premature thymic eviction of immature autoreactive CD8 thymocytes into the periphery, where they differentiate into self-tolerant mature CD8 T cells. Premature thymic eviction is triggered by T cell receptor (TCR)–driven down-regulation of the transcriptional repressor Gfi1, which induces expression of sphingosine-1–phosphate receptor-1 (S1P1) on negatively selected immature CD8 thymocytes. Thus, premature thymic eviction is the basis for CD8 T cell tolerance and is the mechanism responsible for the appearance in the periphery of mature CD8 T cells bearing autoreactive TCRs that are absent from the thymus.
New benefit-sharing principles for digital sequence information
Authors: Halewood Michael , Bagley Margo A. , Wyss Markus , Scholz Amber Hartman
Published: November 2023

Benefit sharing should be decoupled from access
Utilising anterolateral bladder flap to create a continent cutaneous diversion in a patient with pelvic fracture urethral injury
Authors: Anand Madhur , Kumar Abhijeet , Yadav Jitender , Goel Apul
Published: November 2023

A male child in the first decade of life presented to us with a history of a pelvic fracture and urethral injury resulting from a road traffic accident 4 months prior. He had previously undergone an exploratory laparotomy and suprapubic cystostomy at another medical centre. He was circumcised and exhibited a substantial urethral defect on the retrograde urethrogram, as well as on the micturating cystourethrogram. Following a careful assessment of the patient’s and caregivers’ expectations, a continent cutaneous catheterisable channel was planned. This procedure involved the use of an anterolateral bladder flap, and continence was achieved through the creation of a Nissen-type seromuscular invagination. Three months postoperatively, the child remains continent, can easily catheterise the stoma and has resumed his education.
Seasonal trends in antidepressant prescribing, depression, anxiety and self-harm in adolescents and young adults: an open cohort study using English primary care data
Authors: Jack Ruth H , Joseph Rebecca M , Hollis Chris , Hippisley-Cox Julia , Butler Debbie , Waldram Dave , Coupland Carol
Published: November 2023

Background

There is an increasing demand for mental health services for young people, which may vary across the year.

Objective

To determine whether there are seasonal patterns in primary care antidepressant prescribing and mental health issues in adolescents and young adults.

Methods

This cohort study used anonymised electronic health records from general practices in England contributing to QResearch. It included 5 081 263 males and females aged 14–18 (adolescents), 19–23 and 24–28 years between 2006 and 2019. The incidence rates per 1000 person-years and the incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated for the first records of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) prescription, depression, anxiety and self-harm. The IRRs were adjusted for year, region, deprivation, ethnic group and number of working days.

Findings

There was an increase in SSRI prescribing, depression and anxiety incidence in male and female adolescents in the autumn months (September–November) that was not seen in older age groups. The IRRs for SSRI prescribing for adolescents peaked in November (females: 1.75, 95% CI 1.67 to 1.83, p<0.001; males: 1.72, 95% CI 1.61 to 1.84, p<0.001, vs in January) and for depression (females: 1.29, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.33, p<0.001; males: 1.29, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.35, p<0.001). Anxiety peaked in November for females aged 14–18 years (1.17, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.22, p<0.001) and in September for males (1.19, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.27, p<0.001).

Conclusions

There were higher rates of antidepressant prescribing and consultations for depression and anxiety at the start of the school year among adolescents.

Clinical implications

Support around mental health issues from general practitioners and others should be focused during autumn.
Assessment of ChatGPT’s performance on neurology written board examination questions
Authors: Chen Tse Chiang , Multala Evan , Kearns Patrick , Delashaw Johnny , Dumont Aaron , Maraganore Demetrius , Wang Arthur
Published: November 2023

Background and objectives

ChatGPT has shown promise in healthcare. To assess the utility of this novel tool in healthcare education, we evaluated ChatGPT’s performance in answering neurology board exam questions.

Methods

Neurology board-style examination questions were accessed from BoardVitals, a commercial neurology question bank. ChatGPT was provided a full question prompt and multiple answer choices. First attempts and additional attempts up to three tries were given to ChatGPT to select the correct answer. A total of 560 questions (14 blocks of 40 questions) were used, although any image-based questions were disregarded due to ChatGPT’s inability to process visual input. The artificial intelligence (AI) answers were then compared with human user data provided by the question bank to gauge its performance.

Results

Out of 509 eligible questions over 14 question blocks, ChatGPT correctly answered 335 questions (65.8%) on the first attempt/iteration and 383 (75.3%) over three attempts/iterations, scoring at approximately the 26th and 50th percentiles, respectively. The highest performing subjects were pain (100%), epilepsy & seizures (85%) and genetic (82%) while the lowest performing subjects were imaging/diagnostic studies (27%), critical care (41%) and cranial nerves (48%).

Discussion

This study found that ChatGPT performed similarly to its human counterparts. The accuracy of the AI increased with multiple attempts and performance fell within the expected range of neurology resident learners. This study demonstrates ChatGPT’s potential in processing specialised medical information. Future studies would better define the scope to which AI would be able to integrate into medical decision making.
Tailoring follow-up endoscopy in patients with severe oesophagitis
Authors: Grant Rebecca K , Brindle William M , Taylor Caitlyn L , Rycroft Edward J , Oyewole Oluwadara , Morgan Sarah C , Watson Eleanor F , Anand Atul , McAvoy Norma C , Penman Ian D , Church Nicholas I , Trimble Kenneth C , Noble Colin L , Plevris John N , Masterton Gail S M , Kalla Rahul
Published: November 2023

Objective

We aimed to investigate the clinical utility of follow-up oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD2) in patients with severe oesophagitis (Los Angeles grades C or D) through evaluating the yield of Barrett’s oesophagus (BO), cancer, dysplasia and strictures. Second, we aimed to determine if the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) may be used to identify patients to undergo OGD2s.

Design/method

Patients in NHS Lothian with an index OGD (OGD1) diagnosis of severe oesophagitis between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2015 were identified. Univariate analysis identified factors associated with grade. Patients were stratified by frailty and a diagnosis of stricture, cancer, dysplasia and BO.

Results

In total 964 patients were diagnosed with severe oesophagitis, 61.7% grade C and 38.3% grade D. The diagnostic yield of new pathology at OGD2 was 13.2% (n=51), new strictures (2.3%), dysplasia (0.5%), cancer (0.3%) and BO (10.1%). A total of 140 patients had clinical frailty (CFS score ≥5), 88.6% of which were deceased at review (median of 76 months). In total 16.4% of frail patients underwent OGD2s and five new pathologies were diagnosed, none of which were significantly associated with grade. Among non-frail patients at OGD2, BO was the only pathology more common (p=0.010) in patients with grade D. Rates of cancer, dysplasia and strictures did not vary significantly between grades.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate that OGD2s in patients with severe oesophagitis may be tailored according to clinical frailty and only be offered to non-frail patients. In non-frail patients OGD2s have similar pick-up rates of sinister pathology in both grades of severe oesophagitis.
Direct comparison of digital subtraction myelography versus CT myelography in lateral decubitus position: evaluation of diagnostic yield for cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistulas
Authors: Lützen Niklas , Demerath Theo , Würtemberger Urs , Belachew Nebiyat Filate , Barvulsky Aleman Enrique , Wolf Katharina , El Rahal Amir , Volz Florian , Fung Christian , Beck Jürgen , Urbach Horst
Published: November 2023

Background

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-venous fistulas (CVFs) are increasingly identified as a cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Lateral decubitus digital subtraction myelography (LD-DSM) and CT myelography (LD-CTM) are mainly used for detection, but the most sensitive method is yet unknown.

Objective

To compare LD-DSM with LD-CTM for diagnostic yield of CVFs.

Methods

Patients with SIH diagnosed with a CVF between January 2021 and December 2022 in which the area of CVF(s) was covered by both diagnostic modalities were included. LD-CTM immediately followed LD-DSM without repositioning the spinal needle, and the second half of the contrast agent was injected at the CT scanner. Patients were awake or mildly sedated. Retrospectively, two neuroradiologists evaluated data independently and blinded for the presence of CVF.

Results

Twenty patients underwent a total of 27 combined LD-DSM/LD-CTM examinations (4/20 with follow-up and 3/20 with bilateral examinations). Both raters identified significantly more CVFs with LD-CTM than with LD-DSM (rater 1: 39 vs 9, P<0.001; rater 2: 42 vs 12, P<0.001). Inter-rater agreement was substantial for LD-DSM (κ=0.732) and LD-CTM (κ=0.655). The results remained significant after considering the senior rating for cases of disagreement (39 vs 10; P<0.001), and no CVF detected on LD-DSM was missed on LD-CTM.

Conclusion

In this study, LD-CTM has a higher diagnostic yield for the detection of CVFs than LD-DSM and should supplement LD-DSM, but further studies are needed. LD-CTM can be easily acquired in awake or mildly sedated patients with the second half of contrast injected just before CT scanning, or it may be considered as a stand-alone investigation.
Role of an antagonistic bacterium, Bacillus subtilis PE7, in growth promotion of netted melon (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus Naud.)
Authors: Han Seong Eun , Cho Jeong-Yong , Kim Kil Yong , Maung Chaw Ei Htwe
Published: November 2023

The aim of this study was to determine the plant growth-promoting effect of Bacillus subtilis PE7 on growth of melon plants. B. subtilis PE7 isolated from kimchi was identified based on colonial and microscopic morphology along with analyses of 16S rRNA and pycA gene sequences. Strain PE7 showed different levels of inhibition on phytopathogens and was able to grow at variable temperatures and pH values. Strain PE7 had the ability to produce siderophores, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), ammonia, exopolysaccharides, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase, as well as solubilize insoluble phosphate and zinc. The IAA secretion of strain PE7 showed a concentration-dependent pattern based on the concentration of l-tryptophan supplemented in the fertilizer-based culture medium. The LC-MS analysis indicates the presence of IAA in the culture filtrate of strain PE7. Treatment of the B. subtilis PE7 culture containing different metabolites, mainly IAA, significantly promoted melon growth in terms of higher growth parameters and greater plant nutrient contents compared to treatments with the culture without IAA, fertilizer, and water. The cells of B. subtilis PE7 attached to and firmly colonized the roots of the bacterized melon plants. Based on our results, B. subtilis PE7 can be utilized as a potential microbial fertilizer to substitute chemical fertilizers in sustainable agriculture.
On the electron impact cross-section maxima for dissociative and non-dissociative single ionization of molecules and radicals
Authors: Fontes dos Santos Antônio Carlos
Published: November 2023

Determining absolute electron impact ionization cross-sections for atoms and molecules, whether through experimental or theoretical means, poses a formidable challenge and is typically limited to a narrow selection of species. In this paper, by using measured cross-sections and polarizability data, it was obtained empirical scaling laws for total single ionization and non-dissociative single ionization cross-section maximum of neutral molecules by collisions with electrons. It is found that the total single ionization cross-sections scale linearly with the target electric static polarizability, while the non-dissociate cross-sections exhibit a saturation effect for large target polarizabilities. This saturation effect is interpreted as the increasing role of fragmentation with polarizability.
A FRACTAL-FRACTIONAL ORDER MODEL TO STUDY MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A CHRONIC DISEASE
Authors: SHAH KAMAL , ABDALLA BAHAAELDIN , ABDELJAWAD THABET , ALQUDAH MANAR A.
Published: November 2023

A mathematical model of progressive disease of the nervous system also called multiple sclerosis (MS) is studied in this paper. The proposed model is investigated under the concept of the fractal-fractional order derivative (FFOD) in the Caputo sense. In addition, the tools of nonlinear functional analysis are applied to prove some qualitative results including the existence theory, stability, and numerical analysis. For the recommended results of the existence theory, Banach and Krassnoselski’s fixed point theorems are used. Additionally, Hyers–Ulam (HU) concept is used to derive some results for stability analysis. Additionally, for numerical illustration of approximate solutions of various compartments of the considered model, the modified Euler method is utilized. The aforementioned results are displayed graphically for various values of fractal-fractional orders.
A STUDY OF FRACTIONAL HERMITE–HADAMARD–MERCER INEQUALITIES FOR DIFFERENTIABLE FUNCTIONS
Authors: SITTHIWIRATTHAM THANIN , VIVAS-CORTEZ MIGUEL , ALI MUHAMMAD AAMIR , BUDAK HÜSEYIN , AVCI İBRAHIM
Published: November 2023

In this work, we prove a parameterized fractional integral identity involving differentiable functions. Then, we use the newly established identity to establish some new parameterized fractional Hermite–Hadamard–Mercer-type inequalities for differentiable function. The main benefit of the newly established inequalities is that these inequalities can be converted into some new Mercer inequalities of midpoint type, trapezoidal type, and Simpson’s type for differentiable functions. Finally, we show the validation of the results with the help of some mathematical examples and their graphs.
Adversarial Detection and Fusion Method for Multispectral Palmprint Recognition
Authors: Zhou Yuze , Yan Liwei , Zhu Qi
Published: November 2023

As a kind of promising biometric technology, multispectral palmprint recognition methods have attracted increasing attention in security due to their high recognition accuracy and ease of use. It is worth noting that although multispectral palmprint data contains rich complementary information, multispectral palmprint recognition methods are still vulnerable to adversarial attacks. Even if only one image of a spectrum is attacked, it can have a catastrophic impact on the recognition results. Therefore, we propose a robustness-enhanced multispectral palmprint recognition method, including a model interpretability-based adversarial detection module and a robust multispectral fusion module. Inspired by the model interpretation technology, we found there is a large difference between clean palmprint and adversarial examples after CAM visualization. Using visualized images to build an adversarial detector can lead to better detection results. Finally, the weights of clean images and adversarial examples in the fusion layer are dynamically adjusted to obtain the correct recognition results. Experiments have shown that our method can make full use of the image features that are not attacked and can effectively improve the robustness of the model.
On the Books: Jim Crow and Algorithms of Resistance, a Collections as Data Case Study
Authors: Henley Amanda , Bruckner Lorin , Jacobs Hannah , Jansen Matthew , Nunez Brianna , Rodriguez Rolando , Wilson Morgan
Published: November 2023

On the Books: Jim Crow and Algorithms of Resistance is a collections as data and machine learning project from the University Libraries at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This project has created a plain text corpus of North Carolina legal volumes (1866–1967) and used machine learning to identify likely Jim Crow laws. The project has been well received and is now being expanded to two additional states, while assessing the use of On the Books products in research and instruction. State partners at the University of South Carolina and the University of Virginia are adapting the On the Books methodology to create corpora for their own states. Three teaching fellows created learning modules that use products from On the Books and taught the modules to college-level courses. Research fellows are making use of the products on research projects of their own design. This article will provide background for the On the Books project and will assess its use for multiple purposes: as a workflow to be reproduced by others, as content for use in teaching and learning, and as a resource for researchers. To demonstrate the utility of On the Books as a research tool, the article is co-authored by one of the research fellows. The project “Mental Health, Disability, and Jim Crow Laws in North Carolina, 1866–1967,” makes use of the legal corpus as a primary source for researching the intersections of information, mental health, nutrition, and shifts from agricultural to industrial economics in the history of North Carolina. By assessing the experiences of those making use of On the Books products, this article contributes to the understanding of best practices for those interested in creating and supporting collections as data so they may be used successfully for reproducibility, research, and teaching.
Smart Objects and Replicas: A Survey of Tangible and Embodied Interactions in Museums and Cultural Heritage Sites
Authors: Duranti Daniele , Spallazzo Davide , Petrelli Daniela
Published: November 2023

Tangible and embodied interactions are areas of research within HCI and interaction design. They refer to a way in which interacting with computer systems is closer to the way we interact with the real world. Instead of using devices such as a computer or a phone, we interact using seemingly non-technological objects, by moving our bodies or by using gestures. Since the early 2000s, tangible and embodied interactions have been applied and researched also in cultural heritage and museums, in an attempt to overcome issues induced by screen-based devices that may disengage visitors from the objects, their materiality and the physicality of the visit. This article surveys tangible and embodied interactions in museums, over a period of two decades since 2000. More than 120 projects have been researched and analysed thematically to provide a categorization based on cultural communication, interaction features and museological aspects. This categorization offers a conceptualization of tangible and embodied interactions in museums and cultural heritage; it suggests a terminology to describe the design characteristics of tangible and embodied interaction interventions, therefore facilitating the orientation of future research efforts in the field.
3DEmo: For Portrait Emotion Recognition with New Dataset
Authors: Liu Shao , Agaian Sos S.
Published: November 2023

Emotional Expression Recognition (EER) and Facial Expression Recognition (FER) are active research areas in the affective computing field, which involves studying human emotion, recognition, and sentiment analysis. The main objective of this research is to develop algorithms that can accurately interpret and estimate human emotions from portrait images. The emotions depicted in a portrait can reflect various factors such as psychological and physiological states, the artist’s emotional responses, social and environmental aspects, and the period in which the painting was created. This task is challenging because (i) the portraits are often depicted in an artistic or stylized manner rather than realistically or naturally, (ii) the texture and color features obtained from natural faces and paintings differ, affecting the success rate of emotion recognition algorithms, and (iii) it is a new research area, where practically we do not have visual arts portrait facial emotion estimation models or datasets.

To address these challenges, we need a new class of tools and a database specifically tailored to analyze portrait images. This study aims to develop art portrait emotion recognition methods and create a new digital portrait dataset containing 927 images. The proposed model is based on (i) a 3-dimensional estimation of emotions learned by a deep neural network and (ii) a novel deep learning module (3DEmo) that could be easily integrated into existing FER models. To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed models, we also tested their robustness on a facial emotion recognition dataset. The extensive simulation results show that the presented approach outperforms established methods. We expect that this dataset and the developed new tools will encourage further research in recognizing emotions in portrait paintings and predicting artists’ emotions in the painting period based on their artwork.
Positional Encoding-based Resident Identification in Multi-resident Smart Homes
Authors: Song Zhiyi , Chaki Dipankar , Lakhdari Abdallah , Bouguettaya Athman
Published: November 2023

We propose a novel resident identification framework to identify residents in a multi-occupant smart environment. The proposed framework employs a feature extraction model based on the concepts of positional encoding. The feature extraction model considers the locations of homes as a graph. We design a novel algorithm to build such graphs from layout maps of smart environments. The Node2Vec algorithm is used to transform the graph into high-dimensional node embeddings. A Long Short-Term Memory model is introduced to predict the identities of residents using temporal sequences of sensor events with the node embeddings. Extensive experiments show that our proposed scheme effectively identifies residents in a multi-occupant environment. Evaluation results on two real-world datasets demonstrate that our proposed approach achieves 94.5% and 87.9% accuracy, respectively.
The Space Complexity of Consensus from Swap
Authors: Ovens Sean
Published: November 2023

Nearly thirty years ago, it was shown that

\(\Omega (\sqrt {n})\)

read/write registers are needed to solve randomized wait-free consensus among
n
processes. This lower bound was improved to
n
registers in 2018, which exactly matches known algorithms. The

\(\Omega (\sqrt {n})\)

space complexity lower bound actually applies to a class of objects called historyless objects, which includes registers, test-and-set objects, and readable swap objects. However, every known
n
-process obstruction-free consensus algorithm from historyless objects uses Ω (
n
) objects.

In this paper, we give the first Ω (
n
) space complexity lower bounds on consensus algorithms for two kinds of historyless objects. First, we show that any obstruction-free consensus algorithm from swap objects uses at least
n
-1 objects. More generally, we prove that any obstruction-free
k
-set agreement algorithm from swap objects uses at least

\(\lceil \frac{n}{k}\rceil - 1\)

objects. The
k
-set agreement problem is a generalization of consensus in which processes agree on no more than
k
different output values. This is the first non-constant lower bound on the space complexity of solving
k
-set agreement with swap objects when
k
> 1. We also present an obstruction-free
k
-set agreement algorithm from
n-k
swap objects, which exactly matches our lower bound when
k
=1.

Second, we show that any obstruction-free binary consensus algorithm from readable swap objects with domain size
b
uses at least

\(\frac{n-2}{3b+1}\)

objects. When
b
is a constant, this asymptotically matches the best known obstruction-free consensus algorithms from readable swap objects with unbounded domains. Since any historyless object can be simulated by a readable swap object with the same domain, our results imply that any obstruction-free consensus algorithm from historyless objects with domain size
b
uses at least

\(\frac{n-2}{3b+1}\)

objects. For
b
= 2, we show a slightly better lower bound of
n
-2. There is an obstruction-free binary consensus algorithm using 2
n
-1 readable swap objects with domain size 2, asymptotically matching our lower bound.
Mathematical Framework for Optimizing Crossbar Allocation for ReRAM-based CNN Accelerators
Authors: Li Wanqian , Han Yinhe , Chen Xiaoming
Published: November 2023

The resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) has widely been used to accelerate convolutional neural networks (CNNs) thanks to its analog in-memory computing capability. ReRAM crossbars not only store layers’ weights, but also perform in-situ matrix-vector multiplications which are core operations of CNNs. To boost the performance of ReRAM-based CNN accelerators, crossbars can be duplicated to explore more intra-layer parallelism. The crossbar allocation scheme can significantly influence both the computing throughput and bandwidth requirements of ReRAM-based CNN accelerators. Under the resource constraints (i.e., crossbars and memory bandwidths), how to find the optimal number of crossbars for each layer to maximize the inference performance for an entire CNN is an unsolved problem. In this work, we find the optimal crossbar allocation scheme by mathematically modeling the problem as a constrained optimization problem and solving it with a dynamic programming based solver. Experiments demonstrate that our model for CNN inference time is almost precise, and the proposed framework can obtain solutions with near-optimal inference time. We also emphasize that communication (i.e., data access) is an important factor and must also be considered when determining the optimal crossbar allocation scheme.
Aspectos composicionais na obra de Michael Snow
Authors: Baptista Lucas
Published: November 2023

This article points out questions related to the composition of a number of films by the canadian filmmaker Michael Snow, beginning with commentaries on his work and then analyzing his film Wavelength (1967). At first, it will present a definition of filmic composition based on Jacques Aumont and Hollis Frampton. In addition, certain patterns studied by these and other authors will be clarified, exposing recurring themes concerning the composition in film. Snow's work will then be studied in its general aspects, to which will follow an analysis of one of his films and an attempt to establish relations between the topics so far described.
An Unexpected Reception: Lyrical Nitrate Between Film History and Art
Authors: Depult Peter
Published: November 2023

I was left confused. I may have been a filmmaker with strong artistic impulses, but my original intention with Lyrical Nitrate had been to make a film history documentary, not a found footage film. Now, twenty years later, I look back with amusement on that hectic period. Naivety is usually not a recommendation, and it certainly should not serve as a shield to hide behind, but in my candour I truly believed I had created a mainly informative film in Lyrical Nitrate, which would be received precisely and particularly by film historians and representatives of film archives as a promotional advertisement for the products of the early era of cinema. In the end, the film has achieved that status, but in the early 1990s, this seemed far from assured.
Factors Hampering the Realization of Equity and Quality Education in Zimbabwe’s Rural Schools: Experiences of Chipinge Central Circuit, Manicaland
Authors: Nera Gladys R. , Nyikadzino Tawanda
Published: November 2023

Globally, many countries are grappling with educational inequities. Despite the Government of Zimbabwe’s pursuit of universal education since 1980, inequities and poor quality education challenges persist unabated in rural schools. The continuing challenges prompted this study to investigate the factors hampering the realization of equity and quality education in rural communities. The article provides a case-specific account anchored on the lived experiences of rural teachers and school heads in Chipinge central circuit. Drawing on key informant interviews coupled with documentary review, the article revealed a multiplicity of factors, namely, funding, family and community support barriers, child labour and dropouts, child hunger and distance challenges, shortage of teaching resources, shortage of teachers, inadequate physical structures, electricity, among others, that undermine the realization of equity and quality education in rural schools. The article recommends improved government funding and support, digital skills capacity development for rural school teachers and retention strategies for rural teachers. Through such capacity-building interventions, rural schools will have the needed infrastructure, modern technologies and adequately qualified teachers to provide quality education to rural learners.
Mapping Sources of Assisted Dying Regulation in Belgium: A Scoping Review of the Literature
Authors: Archer Madeleine , Willmott Lindy , Chambaere Kenneth , Deliens Luc , White Ben P
Published: November 2023

Belgium has over 20 years of experience regulating assisted dying (AD). While much research considers this end-of-life practice, no studies have comprehensively analysed the various sources of regulation that govern it, including law, professional standards, and ethics. A scoping review identified all sources of regulation that guide AD practice, and their regulatory functions. Databases and reference lists were searched for records which met inclusion criteria between 11/2/22 and 25/3/22. Existing scholarship was used to identify sources of regulation, and thematically analyse their functions. Of the initial sample of 1364 records, 107 were included. Six sources of regulation were identified: law, policies, professional standards, training, advisory documents, and system design. Three regulatory functions were identified: prescribing conduct, scaffolding to support practice, and monitoring the system. The Belgian AD regulatory framework is multifaceted, complex, and fragmented. Providers must navigate and reconcile numerous sources of guidance providing this form of end-of-life care.
The effects of the support panel of compression leggings on the provision of low pressure for foot progression angle correction
Authors: Kim Hye Suk
Published: November 2023

This study developed compression leggings (CLs) with a support panel for foot progression angle (FPA) correction to improve the fit without restricting the user's movement while providing an appropriate external force. This study aimed to examine the effects of FPA correction concerning the functionality and usability of the support panel of CLs that ensure low pressure. Clothing pressure (CP), FPA, skin blood flow (SBF), perceived strength, and usability of OCLs during treadmill walking were compared with the normal leggings (NLs). Differences in CP, FPA, SBF, and user evaluation results were analyzed according to different wearing conditions. Despite the low CP generated by the support panel (≤3.21 mmHg), there was a significant positive orthotic effect with an 11.6–18.0% increase in FPA for external rotation and a 10.5% increase in SBF. The users felt pressure and support around the thigh where the support panel was placed and directional tensile strength throughout their lower extremities while recognizing the usefulness in gait correction. Pressure and support provided by the support panel assured appearance satisfaction, dimension satisfaction, compression satisfaction, ease of movement, and safety. This study demonstrated that the support panel of CLs provided an FPA correction effect concerning functionality and usability.
Ontological Anti-Foundationalism in Sociology
Authors: Trophardy Yannis
Published: November 2023

Social ontology studies the nature and properties of social reality while social metaontology examines the relationship between ontology and the social sciences, which is often treated as a normative question. However, social sciences themselves contain ontological theses, raising the descriptive question of how these internal ontologies relate to the rest of the social sciences. This paper argues that important parts of sociology have an anti-foundationalist metaontology. This descriptive claim is used to build a normative argument against foundationalism and is supported by examining the works of Durkheim and Weber and how their metaontological beliefs continue to influence many sociologists.
The Genre of Mark’s Gospel Is ‘Gospel’: Reconsidering Literary Innovation in the Markan Incipit
Authors: Byers Andrew J.
Published: November 2023

Classifying Gospels as ancient Graeco-Roman biographies addresses an array of scholarly questions about how these texts relate to their wider literary culture. That classification also requires considerable qualification since Gospels—particularly the Gospel of Mark—at times diverge from certain generic conventions. This study rearticulates the out-of-fashion claim that ‘Mark’ created a new literary genre, even if penned in a biographical structure. When this pioneer evangelist breaks the compositional silence, he reveals immediately that he is writing ‘gospel’. As a recognizable communication type, ‘gospel’ was an oral proclamation of deliverance and rescue that this writer innovatively narrativizes and textualizes. If this work is a biography, it is so only secondarily, because primarily, Mark is a ‘gospel’ announcing an interruptive divine deliverance that is narratable and so scripturally evocative that it is worthy of textual rendering. In opening the scroll to Mark, εὐθύς there is εὐαγγέλιον (immediately, there is gospel), a designation beckoning the audience to receive what follows as if the skies have been split open and the soundscape burst apart with a new story-shaped word that disrupts reality as well as literary conventions. What is the genre of this early Christian text? It is just what Mark tells us: ‘gospel’.
Culture expansion of primary human nasal epithelial cells (NEC) isolated with a nasal scraping spoon
Authors: Hangjin Li , Junting Yin , Yiqin Wang , Hui Qu , Shen Yu , Jizhe Wang
Published: November 2023

Objective

To obtain high-purity nasal epithelial cells (NEC) while avoiding the irritation experienced by patients during nasal biopsies.

Methods

This prospective, observational study enrolled patients undergoing surgical treatment for nasal septum deviation. After general anaesthesia, a novel nasal scraping spoon was used to collect epithelial cells from the mid-part of the inferior turbinate. The cells were evenly plated on six-well plates coated with rat tail collagen. The morphology and growth of the cells were observed at different time-points using an inverted phase-contrast microscope. Immunofluorescent staining of cytokeratin 18 was used to identify NEC. Ki67 staining was used to check cell viability.

Results

This study collected samples from 19 patients during a short procedure. No postoperative complications were observed. Cell samples ranging from 8.31 × 105 to 2.04 × 106 cells/sample were obtained. The culture model was suitable for primary NEC culture as demonstrated by the faster proliferation (5–7 days). There was no fungal or bacterial contamination. Immunofluorescent staining confirmed the presence and proliferative activity of NEC in the cultures.

Conclusion

A novel nasal scraping spoon provided an easy sampling method, avoided nasal injuries and psychological barriers to sampling and sufficient viable NEC to establish primary cultures.