bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface Water
Authors: Liu Junguo , Mao Ganquan , Zhang Shuyu , Liu Xiaomang , Feng Lian , Wang Zifeng , Chen He , Pokhrel Yadu , Dang Huy , Wang Hong
Published: May 2024

This chapter assesses surface water changes due to climate change and human activities, by particularly examining runoff and streamflow. Changes in the hydrological cycle due to climate change and human intervention can lead to diverse environmental impacts and risks. Fresh water is the agent that delivers many of the impacts of climate change on society. As the major component of freshwater systems, surface water has been significantly altered across basins in terms of spatial and temporal characteristics. The comprehensive understanding of the current status of surface water in the LMRB, such as the distributions and patterns of runoff changes across the Lancang-Mekong River Basin was completed through the high-resolution river network extraction and sophisticated hydrological models. Significant but different trends were found in the seasonal and annual runoff from the LMRB due to different reasons. Over the period of 1971–2010, the annual streamflow shows a general downward trend due to the continued enhancement of human activities. Runoff in the dry season is found to increase faster than the mean annual runoff. As for the spatial distribution, significant trends in streamflow were observed mainly in the middle basin and east of the lower basin. Superimposed on the substantial seasonal cycles is the noticeable lake shrinkage in recent years, especially the Tonle Sap Lake. Evidently decreased inundation was found in most years in the recent two decades from 2000 to 2018. An evident decreasing trend in runoff caused by climate change in the high correlation zone of the Tonle Sap Lake, mainly due to the precipitation decreasing, indicates that climate change contributed to the decrease in water level in the Tonle Sap Lake in addition to human activities. In addition to the decreases in the runoff, streamflow and water level in the Tonle Sap Lake, a significant (p < 0.05) downward trend in the baseflow was also found from 1980 to 2007. Unlike the historical changes in runoff, previous studies projected with high confidence an increasing trend for streamflow in the LMRB, regardless of the climate forcings and models used. However, the flow regime is highly susceptible to a variety of drivers, e.g., dam construction, irrigation expansion, land-use change and climate change. Substantial changes are expected in both annual and seasonal flow, along with a generally increasing trend. Although hydropower development exhibits a limited influence on total annual flows, it has the largest seasonal impact on streamflow, with an increase in the dry season and a decrease in the wet season, by outweighing those of the other drivers.
Arsenic in Hydro-geo-biospheres of the Mekong River Watershed: Implications for Human Health
Authors: Zheng Yan , Xu Bin , Liu Jingyu , Shen Yating , Phan Kongkea , Bostick Benjamin C.
Published: May 2024

This chapter assesses human health risks of inorganic arsenic (As) from drinking well water and consumption of rice irrigated by high-As groundwater in the Mekong River Delta. Geogenic inorganic As (iAs) occurring at elevated levels in groundwater has been detected in more than 70 countries. Among mostly rural residents relying on groundwater for drinking, this exposure has resulted in negative health consequences including visible skin lesions, multiple internal organ cancers, numerous invisible non-cancer health effects such as cardiovascular diseases, and premature deaths. In the Mekong River Delta (MRD, defined by elevation <10 m above sea level in this book), As issues in groundwater have been documented as early as 1999 in Cambodia, with literature reporting its occurrence in Vietnam since 2005. Since the early 2000s, efforts have been made to test for As in about 100,000 wells from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. Here, a combined dataset with a total of 94,768 unique As tests was analyzed to illustrate the spatial patterns and to assess the health risks of drinking well water As in Cambodia and in southern Vietnam. Although knowledge is far more limited, an attempt was also made to examine the potential health risks associated with iAs exposure from rice, a major staple for the MRD. Here, irrigation using highly As enriched groundwater for rice cultivation has expanded this environmental health problem from the hydrosphere (water) to the geosphere (soil) and, in turn, the biosphere (rice, and ultimately humans). Of 41,928 tests in Cambodia, 35.8% exceeded 10 μg/L, the WHO guideline value for drinking water As, while 21.5% exceeded 50 μg/L, the Cambodian drinking water standard. Of 52,858 tests in Vietnam, the exceedance rate for 10 μg/L, which is also the Vietnamese drinking water standard, is 10.0%. High As wells, regardless of whether it is relative to 10 or 50 μg/L, are located in proximity to the main course of the Mekong-Bassac Rivers, especially within a 5 km distance. The vast majority (>98%) of high-As wells are located in low-lying areas, i.e. <25 m elevation in Cambodia and <10 m elevation in Vietnam. High-As wells occur frequently at shallow depths (<70 m) across the MRD but also at deeper depths (300–500 m) in Vietnam. Due to the clustering of high As wells along the Mekong-Bassac Rivers, extreme human health tolls are identified in 11 districts of Cambodia and 3 districts of Vietnam with a population attributable fraction exceeding 0.1, meaning that >1 in every 10 adult deaths is solely due to drinking water As exposure. The annual excess deaths attributable to arsenic exposure alone is 1204 in Cambodia and 1486 in Vietnam, or 1 in every 27 adult deaths and 1 in every 78 adult deaths, respectively. In addition to uncertainties in bioavailability and toxicity of iAs in rice grains, soil and rice As data, especially rice As speciation data needed for risk assessment, are still limited in the MRD.
Integrated River Basin Management
Authors: Jia Shaofeng , Lyu Aifeng , Zhu Wenbin , Gojenko Boris
Published: May 2024

Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) involves the integration of the multiple uses of water, the integration of multiple properties of water: water disaster, water resources, waterways, water environment, water ecology, water landscape and water culture, and the integration of water by space: upstream vs downstream, left bank vs right bank. The main problems of IRBM within the Lancang-Mekong River Basin includes flood disaster, navigation and its impact to basin cooperation, contradiction between development and protection, and public security in a framework of cooperation and integration. It has been a general concern for Mekong countries to manage water conservancy engineering and coordinate water supply, navigation, fishery, power generation, and water disaster management. All stakeholders put great emphasis on water conservancy engineering management in terms of basin planning, domestic and cross-border project construction, and cooperation mechanisms. In order to ensure the sustainable use of water resources, a series of continuously updated plans were proposed. Those plans set goals and provided measures for the rational and sustainable development of the resources in the basin, and meanwhile, it also put forward a mechanism to offset the adverse effects. The development of international navigation has deepened win-win cooperation, strengthened regional economic exchanges and tourism development, promoted regional prosperity among China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. The basin has abundant fishery resources and has the world’s third most diverse fish population, with 1,148 fish species, after the Amazon and Congo River Basins. Mekong countries have different needs for the development of fishery resources due to their different geographical locations and economic development, and thus very little cooperation in fisheries has been carried out among Mekong countries. The basin’s ecohydrological management involves environmental flow, water quality, soil erosion and sedimentation, aquatic organism and underground water protection. The current measures include enhancing monitoring, scientific assessment, rational regulation of water system, the establishment of natural reserves, and international cooperation. Climate change and construction of dams are both critical challenges faced by the basin in terms of ecohydrological management in the 21st century.
Squark production with R-symmetry beyond NLO at the LHC
Authors: Borschensky Christoph , Frisenna Fausto , Kotlarski Wojciech , Kulesza Anna , Stöckinger Dominik
Published: May 2024

Abstract

The Minimal R-symmetric Supersymmetric Standard Model (MRSSM) provides a realisation of supersymmetry in which the parameter space is less constrained by the current LHC data than in the simplest supersymmetric scenarios. In the present paper, we obtain the most precise theoretical predictions in the MRSSM for squark production at the LHC, enabling accurate interpretations of LHC data in terms of the MRSSM. We perform threshold resummation of soft gluon corrections to the total cross sections for the production of squark-(anti)squark pairs at the LHC in the MRSSM framework. The resummation is carried out using the direct QCD method and reaches the next-to-next-to-leading-logarithmic (NNLL) accuracy, which requires calculating the one-loop matching coefficients in the relevant production channels. The resummed cross sections are then matched to the available NLO results and evaluated for $$ \sqrt{S} $$

S

= 13.6 TeV. Compared with the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), the cross sections in the MRSSM can be significantly reduced, implying less stringent limits on squark and gluino masses. Our results carry significant implications for exploring the viability of supersymmetry at the LHC. The results of our calculation are publicly available as a numerical package.
Localization and attraction
Authors: Genolini Pietro Benetti , Gauntlett Jerome P. , Jiao Yusheng , Lüscher Alice , Sparks James
Published: May 2024

Abstract

We use equivariant localization to construct off-shell entropy functions for supersymmetric black holes in $$\mathcal{N}$$ = 2, D = 4 gauged supergravity coupled to matter. This allows one to compute the black hole entropy without solving the supergravity equations of motion and provides a novel generalization of the attractor mechanism. We consider magnetically charged black holes in AdS4 which have an AdS2 × M2 near horizon geometry, where M2 is a sphere or a spindle, and we also obtain entropy functions for ungauged supergravity as a simple corollary. We derive analogous results for black strings and rings in D = 5 supergravity which have an AdS3 × M2 near horizon geometry, and in this setting we derive an off-shell expression for the central charge of the dual $$\mathcal{N}$$ = (0, 2), d = 2 SCFT.
One-loop matching of the type-III seesaw model onto the Standard Model Effective Field Theory
Authors: Li Xu , Zhou Shun
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In previous works [1, 2], we have performed the one-loop matching of both type-I and type-II seesaw models for neutrino masses onto the Standard Model Effective Field Theories (SMEFT). In the present paper, by matching the type-III seesaw model onto the SMEFT at the one-loop level, we complete this series of studies on the construction of low-energy effective field theories (EFTs) for the canonical seesaw models. After integrating out the heavy fermionic triplets in the type-III seesaw model via both functional and diagrammatic approaches, we find 33 dimension-six (dim-6) operators in the Warsaw basis and their Wilson coefficients, while the number of dim-6 operators is 31 (or 41) for the EFT of type-I (or type-II) seesaw model. Furthermore, we calculate the branching ratios of radiative decays of charged leptons in the EFT. Then, the relationship between the beta function of the quartic Higgs coupling λ in the full theory and that of λEFT in the EFT is clarified. Finally, we briefly discuss the phenomenological implications of three types of seesaw EFTs and propose working observables that are sensitive to the four-fermion operators, which could be used to distinguish among different seesaw models in collider experiments.
Sporadic dualities from tensor deconfinement
Authors: Amariti Antonio , Mantegazza Fabio , Morgante Davide
Published: May 2024

Abstract

In this paper we give a field theory explanation of two confining dualities that have been proposed in the literature based on exact results from supersymmetric localization. The first confining model under investigation is 4d SU(Nc + 1) SQCD with a conjugate rank-2 anti-symmetric tensor, Nc + 3 anti-fundamentals, 2Nc fundamentals and a superpotential that couples the anti-symmetric tensor and the fundamentals. The second confining model studied here is 3d$$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 USp(4) gauge SQCD with two fundamentals, two rank-2 anti-symmetric tensors and vanishing superpotential. Here we prove that these models are confining by using the technique of deconfining the anti-symmetric tensors and then by flowing to the IR description by sequential dualities. As a bonus the analysis provides (alternative) proofs of the identities obtained from supersymmetric localization.
In silico simulation of glycosylation and related pathways
Authors: Akune-Taylor Yukie , Kon Akane , Aoki-Kinoshita Kiyoko F.
Published: May 2024

Glycans participate in a vast number of recognition systems in diverse organisms in health and in disease. However, glycans cannot be sequenced because there is no sequencer technology that can fully characterize them. There is no “template” for replicating glycans as there are for amino acids and nucleic acids. Instead, glycans are synthesized by a complicated orchestration of multitudes of glycosyltransferases and glycosidases. Thus glycans can vary greatly in structure, but they are not genetically reproducible and are usually isolated in minute amounts. To characterize (sequence) the glycome (defined as the glycans in a particular organism, tissue, cell, or protein), glycosylation pathway prediction using in silico methods based on glycogene expression data, and glycosylation simulations have been attempted. Since many of the mammalian glycogenes have been identified and cloned, it has become possible to predict the glycan biosynthesis pathway in these systems. By then incorporating systems biology and bioprocessing technologies to these pathway models, given the right enzymatic parameters including enzyme and substrate concentrations and kinetic reaction parameters, it is possible to predict the potentially synthesized glycans in the pathway. This review presents information on the data resources that are currently available to enable in silico simulations of glycosylation and related pathways. Then some of the software tools that have been developed in the past to simulate and analyze glycosylation pathways will be described, followed by a summary and vision for the future developments and research directions in this area.

Graphical Abstract
A chemical interpretation for the post-reversion upturn in the natural rubber/accelerated sulfur system based on the viscoelastic properties and cross-link density measurements
Authors: Pöschl Marek , Sathi Shibulal Gopi , Stoček Radek
Published: May 2024

The curing cycle of natural rubber (NR) with a conventional accelerated sulfur system (CV) generally exhibits three phases. The induction phase, the crosslinking phase, and the reversion phase. Prolonged curing of NR/CV system even at a temperature of 150 °C can show reversion. Many research reports are available in the literature with reference to the reversion behavior and the subsequent network modifications of natural rubber with accelerated sulfur. However, the literature regarding post-reversion curing behavior is scanty. This article describes the post-reversion upturn of natural rubber with a conventional accelerator sulfur system at a higher curing temperature. A network rebuilding after collapsing the initially formed network due to reversion was identified as the primary reason for the post-reversion upturn. The dynamic rheological testing capability of the Rubber Process Analyzer (RPA) was employed to characterize the network formed during curing, reversion and post-reversion phases. The cure-strain sweep data from the RPA indicated that the shear storage modulus (G′) of the broken network increased due to the post-reversion upturn. The chemical crosslink densities of the samples were also found to increase due to the upturn curing behavior. From these experimental results and the information conceived from the previous literature, two plausible mechanisms have been proposed to interpret the post-reversion upturn cure behavior.
Myocardial work in chronic kidney disease: insights from the CPH-CKD ECHO Study
Authors: Olsen Flemming Javier , Landler Nino Emanuel , Christensen Jacob , Feldt-Rasmussen Bo , Hansen Ditte , Christoffersen Christina , Ballegaard Ellen Linnea Freese , Sørensen Ida Maria Hjelm , Bjergfelt Sasha Saurbrey , Seidelin Eline , Bro Susanne , Biering-Sørensen Tor
Published: May 2024

Background

Myocardial work is a novel echocardiographic measure that offers detailed insights into cardiac mechanics. We sought to characterize cardiac function by myocardial work in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

We prospectively enrolled 757 patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD and 174 age- and sex-matched controls. Echocardiographic pressure-strain loop analysis was performed to acquire the global work index (GWI). Linear regressions were performed to investigate the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) to GWI.

Results

Patients with CKD had a mean age of 57 years, 61% were men, and median eGFR was 42 mL/min/1.73 m2. Overall, no difference in GWI was observed between patients and controls (1879 vs. 1943 mmHg%, p = 0.06). However, a stepwise decline in GWI was observed for controls vs. patients with CKD without left ventricular hypertrophy vs. patients with CKD and left ventricular hypertrophy (GWI, 1943 vs. 1887 vs. 1789 mmHg%; p for trend = 0.030). In patients with CKD, eGFR was not associated with GWI by linear regression. However, diabetes modified this association (p for interaction = 0.007), such that per 10 mL/min/1.73 m2 decrease in eGFR, GWI decreased by 22 (9–35) mmHg% (p = 0.001) after multivariable adjustments in patients without diabetes, but with no association between eGFR and GWI in patients with diabetes. No association was observed between UACR and GWI.

Conclusion

Patients with CKD and left ventricular hypertrophy exhibited lower myocardial work compared to matched controls. Furthermore, decreasing eGFR was associated with decreasing myocardial work only in patients without diabetes. No association to UACR was observed.

Graphical Abstract
Characterization of the role of Facebook groups for patients who use scalp cooling therapy: a survey study
Authors: Rose Lucy , Novice Madison , Kobayashi Sonja , Minta Abena , Novice Taylor , Sicco Kristen Lo , Dulmage Brittany
Published: May 2024

Since the emergence of scalp cooling therapy (SCT) for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA), support groups on social media platforms for interested patients have surfaced. Though there are over 20,000 active members across SCT Facebook groups, little is known about how members use this platform. A 23-question survey was posted in five scalp cooling Facebook groups, reaching 219 women. Results indicated that these Facebook groups play clear roles in providing the following: (1) a supportive community for patients, (2) instructions for SCT use, (3) advice regarding insurance coverage and reimbursement, and (4) recommendations for over-the-counter products for hair loss. Despite reported interest in hair loss products, only 5% of patients sought medical treatment from dermatologists. Due to group-specific access restrictions, private Facebook groups provide patients with a protected platform to learn more about SCT from both those with personal experience and SCT company specialists. Providers may consider recommending these online groups to interested patients during the scalp cooling counseling process. As patients with CIA express a growing interest in over-the-counter hair, eyebrow, and eyelash products, it is important for dermatologists to be aware of where their patients obtain recommendations, and further, if these recommendations have clinical evidence of efficacy.
Data-assisted training of a physics-informed neural network to predict the separated Reynolds-averaged turbulent flow field around an airfoil under variable angles of attack
Authors: Harmening Jan Hauke , Pioch Fabian , Fuhrig Lennart , Peitzmann Franz-Josef , Schramm Dieter , el Moctar Ould
Published: May 2024

Physics-informed neural networks are a promising method to yield surrogate models of flow fields. We present a metamodeling technique for variable geometries based on physics-informed neural networks. The method was applied to the DU99W350 airfoil at a Reynolds number of $$1\times 10^{5}$$

1
×

10
5

. Using our technique, the angle of attack was introduced as an additional input parameter of the network and the model was trained to predict the Reynolds-averaged velocity and pressure fields around the airfoil for arbitrary angles of attack between 10.0 and 17.5$$^{\circ }$$

∘

. Furthermore, we present an effective method to generate the training points for the parameterized geometry. The model was trained with data from simulations for a limited set of angles of attack. Additionally, satisfaction of the a priori known boundary conditions as well as the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations was attained. A sensitivity analysis concerning the Reynolds number, the amount and distribution of training data, and the turbulence model was conducted showing the superiority of the pseudo-Reynolds stress method and the demand for labeled training data in the domain. The trained network was capable of predicting the flow separation progressing with angle of attack on the suction surface and exhibited excellent agreement with numerically simulated results, even in the proximity of the wall for interpolations as well as extrapolations from the labeled data set. Our study demonstrates that physics-informed neural networks can be used to obtain accurate flow field surrogate models of variable geometries.
Improving balance using augmented visual orientation cues: a proof of concept
Authors: Albrecht Matthias , Streuber Stephan , Assländer Lorenz
Published: May 2024

Falls are a major health concern. Existing augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality solutions for fall prevention aim to improve balance in dedicated training sessions. We propose a novel AR prototype as an assistive wearable device to improve balance and prevent falls in daily life. We use a custom head-mounted display toolkit to present augmented visual orientation cues in the peripheral field of view. The cues provide a continuous space-stationary visual reference frame for balance control using the user’s tracked head position. In a proof of concept study, users performed a series of balance trials to test the effect of the displayed visual cues on body sway. Our results showed that body sway can be reduced with our device, indicating improved balance. We also showed that superimposed movements of the visual reference in forward-backward or sideways directions induce respective sway responses. This indicates a direction-specific balance integration of the displayed cues. Based on our findings, we conclude that artificially generated visual orientation cues using AR can improve balance and could possibly reduce fall risk.
Not just cybersickness: short-term effects of popular VR game mechanics on physical discomfort and reaction time
Authors: Vlahovic Sara , Skorin-Kapov Lea , Suznjevic Mirko , Pavlin-Bernardic Nina
Published: May 2024

Uncomfortable sensations that arise during virtual reality (VR) use have always been among the industry’s biggest challenges. While certain VR-induced effects, such as cybersickness, have garnered a lot of interest from academia and industry over the years, others have been overlooked and underresearched. Recently, the research community has been calling for more holistic approaches to studying the issue of VR discomfort. Focusing on active VR gaming, our article presents the results of two user studies with a total of 40 participants. Incorporating state-of-the-art VR-specific measures (the Simulation Task Load Index—SIM-TLX, Cybersickness Questionnaire—CSQ, Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire—VRSQ) into our methodology, we examined workload, musculoskeletal discomfort, device-related discomfort, cybersickness, and changes in reaction time following VR gameplay. Using a set of six different active VR games (three per study), we attempted to quantify and compare the prevalence and intensity of VR-induced symptoms across different genres and game mechanics. Varying between individuals, as well as games, the diverse symptoms reported in our study highlight the importance of including measures of VR-induced effects other than cybersickness into VR gaming user studies, while questioning the suitability of the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ)—arguably the most prevalent measure of VR discomfort in the field—for use with active VR gaming scenarios.
‘The rules of nature are changing; every year is unpredictable’: perceptions of climate change by beekeepers of Liguria, NW Italy
Authors: Remotti Fiammetta , Mattalia Giulia , Porporato Marco , Cevasco Roberta , Pieroni Andrea
Published: May 2024

Beekeeping activity is a privileged lens for looking at the impacts of climate change since this human activity is profoundly and intimately embedded in the local ecology with particular reference to the flora. Therefore, we conducted 47 semi-structured interviews to identify the local perceptions of climate change impacts and their drivers among beekeepers of Liguria, a mountainous region of NW Italy. We found that beekeepers especially noticed changes in bee productivity and behaviour and melliferous flora productivity. Moreover, drought is a significant driver of changes in beekeeping as it affects both bees and melliferous plants. However, other drivers, namely alien species, pesticide spread, and abandonment of small-scale agriculture, also concur synergistically. We conclude that landscape planning sensitive to the needs and requests of beekeepers can further contribute to their adaptation to the impacts of climate change and reduce other detrimental phenomena on honeybee wellbeing by supporting small-scale agriculture to maintain a diverse landscape that provides fodder for pollinators.
Nest survival of Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) in intensively used habitats in Central Poland
Authors: Sandecki Rafał , Kosicki Jakub Z.
Published: May 2024

Breeding success of birds depends on survival during two critical stages of the reproductive period: First, egg laying and incubation, and then nestling and fledgling. This essential element of avian life history mirrors an evolutionary adaptation of parents to existing environmental conditions. The main factors that determine nest survival involve weather, predation and sibling competition. Despite numerous studies documenting their impact on breeding success, only a few have analysed the issue with regard to ground-nesting birds and estimated their survival functions. Therefore, we decided to examine nest survival probability of the Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) in a population that occupies newly established roadside habitats in Central Poland. The analysis is based on 141 nests monitored between 2018 and 2022. We found that the mean survival probability of the whole nesting period was 0.376, and it was higher during the egg stage (0.836) than during the nestling period (0.392). The Cox proportional hazards model shows that nest survival in the nestling stage is mainly affected by the time of breeding and the distance from the road edge, and also by mean temperature of the whole nesting period. In other words, the probability of a brood failure in the nestling stage decreases as the breeding season advances, whereas it increases among nests located closer to the road edge. Furthermore, during the whole nesting period, nest failure decreases as the temperature rises. Our study suggests that the Crested Lark, being a multi-brood and thermophilic species inhabiting temperate regions, may benefit more if its nesting attempts begin later during the season when breeding conditions become more favourable. However, we also take into consideration a hypothesis that nesting in grassy habitats near road edges may prove to be an ecological trap, attracting high densities of nesting birds but leading to their low nest success.
Sex/gender differences in general cognitive abilities: an investigation using the Leiter-3
Authors: Giofrè David , Toffalini Enrico , Esposito Lorenzo , Cornoldi Cesare
Published: May 2024

Research has shown that differences between males and females are not in general intelligence, but only in some specific factors and tasks. We used the Italian standardization of the Leiter-3, which is a completely nonverbal cognitive battery, to investigate the nature of sex/gender (we used sex/gender to reflect the awareness that the effects of biological ‘sex’ and socially constructed ‘gender’ cannot be easily separated and that most individuals’ identities are informed by both sex and gender) differences. In doing so we used a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis approach. Results confirmed that males and females perform similarly in general intelligence, but present with some specificities. Males perform better on some, but not all, tasks requiring the spatial manipulation of the stimuli, but females consistently outperform males in tasks such as the nonverbal Stroop, requiring inhibition and attention control to a larger extent. The clinical and practical implications of our findings are considerable. The identification of specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses in males and females underscores the importance of tailored approaches in clinical assessments and interventions.
Status assessment of a recently reintroduced eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population in the Palatinate Forest, South-West Germany
Authors: Port Markus , Tröger Carolin , Hohmann Ulf
Published: May 2024

To reinforce Eurasian lynx populations in central Europe, 20 lynx from Slovakia and Switzerland were translocated to the Palatinate Forest between 2016 and 2020. Using a systematic camera trapping array consisting of 80 camera trapping sites in a 1,000 km² study area located in the centre of the approximately 1,800 km² Palatinate Forest, we aim to describe the status of the population in the final stages of the reintroduction project in winter and spring 2019/20 and 2020/21. We also use our data to provide a first estimate of population density of the newly established population. With an estimate of 0.52 independent individuals per 100 km², population density in the Palatinate Forest was still significantly lower than the densities of well-established reintroduced populations. The number of independent individuals detected in the study area decreased from 15 individuals in 2019/20 to 11 individuals in 2020/21, thus significantly below the number of lynx translocated. The low abundance in the Palatinate Forest can be explained by the dispersal of several individuals to the Vosges (France), which, together with the Palatinate Forest, form a continuous area of suitable lynx habitat of approximately 8,000 km². Our results may thus reflect the status of a young population that can expand over a potentially large area. Nevertheless, in light of the low population density, we strongly recommend a synchronized and harmonized transboundary monitoring program to keep track of the development of this important Franco-German lynx population. In case population density remains low, supportive measures need to be considered.
What does the general population know about nonmelanoma skin cancer? Representative cross-sectional data from Germany
Authors: Brokmeier Luisa L. , Görig Tatiana , Spähn Bianca A. , Breitbart Eckhard W. , Heppt Markus , Diehl Katharina
Published: May 2024

Aim

Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common form of cancer in white-skinned populations. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the general population’s knowledge about NMSC.

Subjects and methods

As part of wave 8 of the German National Cancer Aid Monitoring (NCAM), 4000 participants aged 16–65 years (49.3% female) were interviewed by telephone about NMSC. Questions included awareness of (colloquial) terms for NMSC, its signs, consequences, risk factors, prevalence, and severity.

Results

Colloquial terms for skin cancer were heard of more often than medical terms (60.9–82.1% vs. 22.6–51.5%). In our sample, there was little familiarity with signs (15.8–36.4%), possible consequences (14.7–56.3%), prevalence (27.4%), and severity (29.0%) of NMSC. Most participants knew about UV-related risk factors for NMSC (73.0–78.7%). Women, those with higher education levels, full-time employment, lighter skin type, presence of more than 40 nevi, frequent childhood sunburns, or frequent intentional tanners achieved a higher knowledge score. Concern about NMSC was associated with more NMSC knowledge.

Conclusion

We found knowledge gaps regarding signs, consequences, and prevalence of NMSC. To ensure early recognition and treatment, the general population should be further educated, specifically targeting male, less educated, and unemployed individuals.
Asset pricing and hedging in financial markets with fixed and proportional transaction costs
Authors: Babaei Esmaeil
Published: May 2024

We establish the asset pricing and hedging principle in a financial market model, which is a specific case of the von Neumann-Gale dynamical system, with both fixed and proportional transaction costs and trading constraints. The main results are hedging criteria stated in terms of consistent valuation systems, generalizing the notion of an equivalent martingale measure.
NoiseNet, a fully automatic noise assessment tool that can identify non-diagnostic CCTA examinations
Authors: Palmquist Emma , Alvén Jennifer , Kercsik Michael , Larsson Måns , Lundqvist Niklas , Hjelmgren Ola , Fagman Erika
Published: May 2024

Image noise and vascular attenuation are important factors affecting image quality and diagnostic accuracy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). The aim of this study was to develop an algorithm that automatically performs noise and attenuation measurements in CCTA and to evaluate the ability of the algorithm to identify non-diagnostic examinations. The algorithm, “NoiseNet”, was trained and tested on 244 CCTA studies from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary BioImage Study. The model is a 3D U-Net that automatically segments the aortic root and measures attenuation (Hounsfield Units, HU), noise (standard deviation of HU, HUsd) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, HU/HUsd) in the aortic lumen, close to the left coronary ostium. NoiseNet was then applied to 529 CCTA studies previously categorized into three subgroups: fully diagnostic, diagnostic with excluded parts and non-diagnostic. There was excellent correlation between NoiseNet and manual measurements of noise (r = 0.948; p < 0.001) and SNR (r = 0.948; <0.001). There was a significant difference in noise levels between the image quality subgroups: fully diagnostic 33.1 (29.8–37.9); diagnostic with excluded parts 36.1 (31.5–40.3) and non-diagnostic 42.1 (35.2–47.7; p < 0.001). Corresponding values for SNR were 16.1 (14.0–18.0); 14.0 (12.4–16.2) and 11.1 (9.6–14.0; p < 0.001). ROC analysis for prediction of a non-diagnostic study showed an AUC for noise of 0.73 (CI 0.64–0.83) and for SNR of 0.80 (CI 0.71–0.89). In conclusion, NoiseNet can perform noise and SNR measurements with high accuracy. Noise and SNR impact image quality and automatic measurements may be used to identify CCTA studies with low image quality.
Predictors and Mechanisms of Resilience for High School Students with ADHD: A Prospective Longitudinal Study
Authors: Chan Elizabeth S. M. , Dvorsky Melissa R. , Green Cathrin D. , Breaux Rosanna , Becker Stephen P. , Langberg Joshua M.
Published: May 2024

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has primarily been studied from a deficit-focused perspective. However, there are individuals with ADHD who exhibit resilience or a pattern of positive adaptation despite the risks associated with their diagnosis. The present study evaluated whether peer acceptance predicted resilience for adolescents with ADHD and if self-efficacy or a stress-is-enhancing mindset served as mechanisms of those relations. Participants included 113 comprehensively evaluated adolescents with ADHD (67% male) across three time-points (10th–12th grade). Mediation analyses revealed higher T1 peer acceptance significantly predicted higher resilience (β = 0.24) 1.5–2 years later, with higher T2 self-efficacy (β = 0.08) demonstrating a significant indirect effect of the association. A stress-is-enhancing mindset directly predicted resilience (β = 0.15) but was not associated with peer acceptance nor mediated the association between peer acceptance and resilience. Present results are the first to provide longitudinal evidence for peer acceptance, self-efficacy, and a stress-is-enhancing mindset as important for promoting resilience among adolescents with ADHD.
Preservation of sentiment in machine translation of low-resource languages: a case study on Slovak movie subtitles
Authors: Reichel Jaroslav , Benko Ľubomír
Published: May 2024

This research explores the effectiveness of machine translation from Slovak to English for sentiment analysis, specifically focusing on the translation of movie subtitles. The study employs a parallel corpus of segmented movie subtitles in both languages and utilizes IBM Watson™ Natural Language Understanding service and Google Translate. The research aims to assess the correlation between human-generated text and machine-translated text in sentiment analysis. A comparative analysis was also conducted using OpenAI to evaluate the sentiment of the Slovak text directly, without translation into English. The findings reveal a strong correlation between human text and machine translation, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.86, and a correlation with OpenAI’s GPT model evaluation at 0.72. Despite the relatively high accuracy of the end-to-end solution using OpenAI, the methodology comprising machine translation followed by sentiment analysis in English was found to be significantly more precise. The research further investigates the challenges in translating specific language nuances, such as humor and vulgarism, and their impact on sentiment analysis. The study concludes that machine translation can be effectively used for sentiment analysis in Slovak, a flective language, and highlights the potential of advanced language models in low-resource languages. Future research directions include expanding the study to other text types and comparable languages beyond Slovak.
An autonomous blockchain-based workflow execution broker for e-science
Authors: Alimoğlu Alper , Özturan Can
Published: May 2024

Scientific workflows are essential for many applications, enabling the configuration and execution of complex tasks across distributed resources. In this paper, we contribute an Ethereum blockchain-based scientific workflow execution manager, which distributes workflows to run on cluster computing providers that utilize the Slurm workload manager to execute them. We extended our blockchain-based autonomous resource broker called eBlocBroker, which is a DAO-based decentralized coordinator, by providing distributed workflow execution via blockchain. Through various tests, we demonstrate how our eBlockBroker autonomous organization, which is programmed as a smart contract, can manage scientific workflow submission, scheduling, and execution on cluster computing providers. The utilization of blockchain for distributed workflow execution is a new concept. We are motivated because our system has been developed with e-Science in mind where scientific workflows are widely utilized.
Exploring cannabidiol variations, investigation of genetic diversity, population structure and unveiling male-specific genetic marker in industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)
Authors: Alsaleh Ahmad , Yılmaz Güngör
Published: May 2024

Cannabis sativa played a pivotal role across different industries. Recently, industrial hemp, particularly in the case of Cannabidiol (CBD), gained attention for its therapeutic potential. This study evaluated cannabinoid variability and genetic diversity within 43 industrial hemp individuals, primarily Turkish, across various plant parts and growth stages, and inflorescences of females showed significant CBD content. The highest contents were observed in Turkish landraces (0.55–8.05% with an average of 3.26%), making them valuable genetic resources for high CBD. Genetic structure revealed distinct populations based on gender and influenced by geographical origin. Analysis of Molecular Variance showed 92% of genetic variation observed within populations and indicated a promising source of novel allelic diversity in the Turkish gene pool. Turkish females showed significant genetic diversity [No. of Different Alleles (Na) 1.507, No. of Effective Alleles (Ne) 1.226, Shannon’s Information Index (I) 0.258, and Percentage of Polymorphic Loc (%P) 74.91], exhibiting richer genetic variation than their international peers. Principal Coordinate Analysis unveiled gender-specific genetic differences, and admixture clusters shed light on genetic interactions and historical connections among diverse populations. Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Averaging highlighted unique genetic profiles and distinct genetic lineages. Genome-wide association study revealed a highly significant male-specific genetic marker explained 50% of the phenotypic variation. These findings inform future breeding strategies and conservation efforts and contribute to varietal identification methods, Marker-Assisted Selection, and efficient cultivar development in upcoming programs.
PADRE – A Repository for Research on Fault Detection and Isolation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Propellers
Authors: Puchalski Radosław , Ha Quang , Giernacki Wojciech , Nguyen Huynh Anh Duy , Nguyen Lanh Van
Published: May 2024

Unmanned aerial vehicles are being used increasingly in a variety of applications. They are more and more often operating in close proximity to people and equipment. This necessitates ensuring maximum stability and flight safety. A fundamental step to achieving this goal is timely and effective diagnosis of possible defects. Popular data-based methods require a large amount of data collected during flights in various conditions. This paper describes an open PADRE database of such measurements for the detection and classification of the most common faults - multirotor propeller failures. It presents the procedure of data acquisition, the structure of the repository and ways to use the various types of data contained therein. The repository enables research on drone fault detection to be undertaken without time-consuming preparation of measurement data. The database is available on GitHub at https://github.com/AeroLabPUT/UAV_measurement_data. The article also introduces new and universal quality indicators for evaluating classifiers with non-uniform parameters, are proposed. They allow comparison of methods tested for a variety of fault classes and with different processing times.
Enhanced Traffic Light Guidance for Safe and Energy-Efficient Driving: A Study on Multiple Traffic Light Advisor (MTLA) and 5G Integration
Authors: Khayyat Michael , Gabriele Alberto , Mancini Francesca , Arrigoni Stefano , Braghin Francesco
Published: May 2024

This paper presents Multiple Traffic Light Advisor (MTLA), a novel Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) system that leverages 5G communication technology. GLOSA systems are emerging as a key component in intelligent transportation systems, thanks to the development of effective communication technologies. At its core, MTLA serves as a guidance system for drivers, providing real-time instructions to adjust vehicle speed to optimize the utilization of current and future states of traffic lights along their route.The work addresses several limitations in the current state-of-the-art approaches, including the use of an overly simplified velocity profile, the omission of potential grip and jerk in problem formulation, and the absence of a detailed description of the algorithm’s implementation aspects. Initially, we comprehensively present an optimization-free implementation of the overall control architecture based on an unconventional speed profile. Subsequently, MTLA is improved within a non-linear Model Predictive Control (MPC) framework which uses the latter nonoptimal solution as an initial guess and considers potential grip and jerk in the problem formulation. The developed systems are numerically tested and compared within a high-fidelity simulation environment using the IPG CarMaker simulator. The results demonstrate promising performance in terms of energy savings, with a significant reduction of 37% in energy usage, as well as improved overall comfort with respect to the case where no guidance is given to the driver. These findings suggest a high potential for future developments in this domain.
Evidence for Magnetic Crystallization Waves at the Surface of $$^3$$He Crystal
Authors: Todoshchenko I. , Savin A. , Hakonen P. J.
Published: May 2024

Ultralow temperature crystals of the helium isotopes $$^3$$

3

He and $$^4$$

4

He are intriguing quantum systems. Deciphering the complex features of these unusual materials has been made possible in large part by Alexander Andreev’s groundbreaking research. In 1978, Andreev and Alexander Parshin predicted the existence of melting/freezing waves at the surface of a solid $$^4$$

4

He crystal, which was subsequently promptly detected. Successively, for the fermionic $$^3$$

3

He superfluid/solid interface, even more intricate crystallization waves were anticipated, although they have not been observed experimentally so far. In this work, we provide preliminary results on $$^3$$

3

He crystals at the temperature $$T = 0.41$$

T
=
0.41

 mK, supporting the existence of spin supercurrents in the melting/freezing waves on the crystal surface below the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature $$T_N= 0.93$$

T
N

=
0.93

 mK, as predicted by Andreev. The spin currents that accompany such a melting-freezing wave make it a unique object, in which the inertial mass is distinctly different from the gravitational mass.