bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SparsePoser: Real-time Full-body Motion Reconstruction from Sparse Data
Authors: Ponton Jose Luis , Yun Haoran , Aristidou Andreas , Andujar Carlos , Pelechano Nuria
Published: October 2023

Accurate and reliable human motion reconstruction is crucial for creating natural interactions of full-body avatars in Virtual Reality (VR) and entertainment applications. As the Metaverse and social applications gain popularity, users are seeking cost-effective solutions to create full-body animations that are comparable in quality to those produced by commercial motion capture systems. In order to provide affordable solutions though, it is important to minimize the number of sensors attached to the subject’s body. Unfortunately, reconstructing the full-body pose from sparse data is a heavily under-determined problem. Some studies that use IMU sensors face challenges in reconstructing the pose due to positional drift and ambiguity of the poses. In recent years, some mainstream VR systems have released 6-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) tracking devices providing positional and rotational information. Nevertheless, most solutions for reconstructing full-body poses rely on traditional inverse kinematics (IK) solutions, which often produce non-continuous and unnatural poses. In this article, we introduce SparsePoser, a novel deep learning-based solution for reconstructing a full-body pose from a reduced set of six tracking devices. Our system incorporates a convolutional-based autoencoder that synthesizes high-quality continuous human poses by learning the human motion manifold from motion capture data. Then, we employ a learned IK component, made of multiple lightweight feed-forward neural networks, to adjust the hands and feet toward the corresponding trackers. We extensively evaluate our method on publicly available motion capture datasets and with real-time live demos. We show that our method outperforms state-of-the-art techniques using IMU sensors or 6-DoF tracking devices, and can be used for users with different body dimensions and proportions.
To Reply or to Quote: Comparing Conversational Framing Strategies on Twitter
Authors: Zade Himanshu , Williams Spencer , Tran Theresa T. , Smith Christina , Venkatagiri Sukrit , Hsieh Gary , Starbird Kate
Published: October 2023

Social media platform affordances allow users to interact with content and with each other in diverse ways. For example, on Twitter,

1

users can like, reply, retweet, or quote another tweet. Though it’s clear that these different features allow various types of interactions, open questions remain about how these different affordances shape the conversations. We examine how two similar, but distinct conversational features on Twitter — specifically reply vs. quote — are used differently. Focusing on the polarized discourse around Robert Mueller’s congressional testimony in July 2019, we look at how these features are employed in conversations between politically aligned and opposed accounts. We use a mixed methods approach, employing grounded qualitative analysis to identify the different conversational and framing strategies salient in that discourse and then quantitatively analyzing how those techniques differed across the different features and political alignments. Our research (1) demonstrates that the quote feature is more often used to broadcast and reply is more often used to reframe the conversation; (2) identifies the different framing strategies that emerge through the use of these features when engaging with politically aligned vs. opposed accounts; (3) discusses how reply and quote features may be re-designed to reduce the adversarial tone of polarized conversations on Twitter-like platforms.
Topological Bounds on the Price of Anarchy of Clustering Games on Networks
Authors: Kleer Pieter , Schäfer Guido
Published: October 2023

We consider clustering games in which the players are embedded into a network and want to coordinate (or anti-coordinate) their strategy with their neighbors. The goal of a player is to choose a strategy that maximizes her utility given the strategies of her neighbors. Recent studies show that even very basic variants of these games exhibit a large Price of Anarchy: A large inefficiency between the total utility generated in centralized outcomes and equilibrium outcomes in which players selfishly maximize their utility.

Our main goal is to understand how structural properties of the network topology impact the inefficiency of these games. We derive
topological bounds
on the Price of Anarchy for different classes of clustering games. These topological bounds provide a more informative assessment of the inefficiency of these games than the corresponding worst-case Price of Anarchy bounds. More specifically, depending on the type of clustering game, our bounds reveal that the Price of Anarchy depends on the maximum subgraph density or the maximum degree of the graph. Among others, these bounds enable us to derive bounds on the Price of Anarchy for clustering games on Erdős-Rényi random graphs. Depending on the graph density, these bounds stand in stark contrast to the known worst-case Price of Anarchy bounds.

Additionally, we characterize the set of distribution rules that guarantee the existence of a pure Nash equilibrium or the convergence of best-response dynamics. These results are of a similar spirit as the work of Gopalakrishnan et al. [
19
] and complement work of Anshelevich and Sekar [
4
].
Scalable High-Quality Hypergraph Partitioning
Authors: Gottesbüren Lars , Heuer Tobias , Maas Nikolai , Sanders Peter , Schlag Sebastian
Published: October 2023

Balanced hypergraph partitioning is an NP-hard problem with many applications, e.g., optimizing communication in distributed data placement problems. The goal is to place all nodes across k different blocks of bounded size, such that hyperedges span as few parts as possible. This problem is well-studied in sequential and distributed settings, but not in shared-memory. We close this gap by devising efficient and scalable shared-memory algorithms for all components employed in the best sequential solvers without compromises with regards to solution quality.

This work presents the scalable and high-quality hypergraph partitioning framework
Mt-KaHyPar
. Its most important components are parallel improvement algorithms based on the FM algorithm and maximum flows, as well as a parallel clustering algorithm for coarsening – which are used in a multilevel scheme with log
(n)
levels. As additional components, we parallelize the
n
-level partitioning scheme, devise a deterministic version of our algorithm, and present optimizations for plain graphs.

We evaluate our solver on more than 800 graphs and hypergraphs, and compare it with 25 different algorithms from the literature. Our fastest configuration outperforms almost all existing hypergraph partitioners with regards to both solution quality and running time. Our highest-quality configuration achieves the same solution quality as the best sequential partitioner
KaHyPar
, while being an order of magnitude faster with ten threads. Thus, two of our configurations occupy all fronts of the Pareto curve for hypergraph partitioning. Furthermore, our solvers exhibit good speedups, e.g., 29.6x in the geometric mean on 64 cores (deterministic), 22.3x (log
(n)
-level), and 25.9x (
n
-level).
Contrastive Self-supervised Learning in Recommender Systems: A Survey
Authors: Jing Mengyuan , Zhu Yanmin , Zang Tianzi , Wang Ke
Published: October 2023

Deep learning-based recommender systems have achieved remarkable success in recent years. However, these methods usually heavily rely on labeled data (i.e., user-item interactions), suffering from problems such as data sparsity and cold-start. Self-supervised learning, an emerging paradigm that extracts information from unlabeled data, provides insights into addressing these problems. Specifically, contrastive self-supervised learning, due to its flexibility and promising performance, has attracted considerable interest and recently become a dominant branch in self-supervised learning-based recommendation methods. In this survey, we provide an up-to-date and comprehensive review of current contrastive self-supervised learning-based recommendation methods. Firstly, we propose a unified framework for these methods. We then introduce a taxonomy based on the key components of the framework, including view generation strategy, contrastive task, and contrastive objective. For each component, we provide detailed descriptions and discussions to guide the choice of the appropriate method. Finally, we outline open issues and promising directions for future research.
Influence of Formation Temperature on Cycling Stability of Sodium-Ion Cells: A Case Study of Na3V2(PO4)2F3|HC Cells
Authors: Forero-Saboya Juan , Desai Parth , Healy Corominas Roman , Raymundo-Piñero Encarnacion , Canizarès Aurélien , Foix Dominique , Tarascon Jean-Marie , Mariyappan Sathiya
Published: October 2023

Sodium-ion batteries are cheaper and attractive alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, particularly for low-energy and high-power applications. In this regard, a targeted cell design is essential to achieve optimal cycling performances and reduced cell impedance. While optimized electrode and electrolyte formulations are important, the formation protocol -initial cycles that establish the electrode-electrolyte interphase- significantly impacts cell impedance and interphase stability. In this study, we investigate the influence of formation temperature on the nature of interphases formed in Na3V2(PO4)2F3 (NVPF)|hard carbon (HC) cells. Our findings reveal that the interphase’s nature and chemical composition evolve with the formation temperature. Moreover, cell temperature affects interphase dissolution and reformation, suggesting the potential benefits of employing mixed high and low temperatures during formation cycles to achieve desired interphase properties. A formation protocol coupling cycling stages at different temperatures (55 °C–25 °C–0 °C) exhibits an edge over with respect to low impedance, slightly higher reversible capacity and long cycling stability compared to the cells formed solely at 55 °C. The results presented underscore the necessity of exploring formation protocols including not only high temperatures but also colder temperatures, like 0 °C and below. This approach is pivotal for advancing the understanding of interphase dynamics and optimizing sodium-ion battery performance.
A Fault and Capacity Loss Prediction Method of Wind Power Station under Extreme Weather
Authors: Li Ling , Zhuo Yixin , Meng Wenchuan , Chen Ze , Wei Heng
Published: October 2023

Extreme weather events can severely affect the operation and power generation of wind farms and threaten the stability and safety of grids with high penetration of renewable energy. Therefore, it is crucial to forecast the failure and capacity loss of wind farms under extreme weather conditions. To this end, considering the disaster‐causing mechanism of severe weather and the operational characteristics of wind farms, this paper first uses the density‐based spatial clustering of applications with noise algorithm to cluster the units in the wind farm based on the operating characteristics affected by the weather, and uses correlation analysis methods to extract key disaster‐causing factors in extreme weather; then proposes a prediction model based on feature‐weighted stacking integration. The model adopts the stacking‐integrated learning architecture to support multiple learners and performs feature weighting according to the prediction accuracy of each learner in the base learner, thereby improving the training effect of the meta‐learner and improving the prediction accuracy of the model. The prediction model is used to predict each wind turbine group based on the extracted key features and to predict the failure and capacity loss of the wind farm. Finally, an example analysis is performed based on actual data from a wind farm, and the results show that the proposed prediction method can effectively predict the operational reliability of wind farms.
Supplementary Table S3 from Targeting MALAT1 Augments Sensitivity to PARP Inhibition by Impairing Homologous Recombination in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yadav Anjali , Biswas Tanay , Praveen Ayush , Ganguly Promit , Bhattacharyya Ankita , Verma Ayushi , Datta Dipak , Ateeq Bushra
Published: October 2023

Supplementary Table S3: Biological pathways downregulated on MALAT1 ablation, predicted by DAVID analysis.
Supplementary Table S1 from Targeting MALAT1 Augments Sensitivity to PARP Inhibition by Impairing Homologous Recombination in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yadav Anjali , Biswas Tanay , Praveen Ayush , Ganguly Promit , Bhattacharyya Ankita , Verma Ayushi , Datta Dipak , Ateeq Bushra
Published: October 2023

Supplementary Table S1: List of the Primers
Supplementary Figure S2 from Targeting MALAT1 Augments Sensitivity to PARP Inhibition by Impairing Homologous Recombination in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yadav Anjali , Biswas Tanay , Praveen Ayush , Ganguly Promit , Bhattacharyya Ankita , Verma Ayushi , Datta Dipak , Ateeq Bushra
Published: October 2023

MALAT1 positively associates with mesenchymal and stemness markers in prostate cancer patients.
FIGURE 4 from Targeting MALAT1 Augments Sensitivity to PARP Inhibition by Impairing Homologous Recombination in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yadav Anjali , Biswas Tanay , Praveen Ayush , Ganguly Promit , Bhattacharyya Ankita , Verma Ayushi , Datta Dipak , Ateeq Bushra
Published: October 2023

MALAT1 knockdown restrains cell-cycle progression and instigates apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. A, Flow cytometry analysis for accessing the cell-cycle distribution by propidium iodide (PI) DNA staining assay in MALAT1-silenced prostate cancer cells. The percentage of cells in each phase was calculated using FlowJo software. B, Representative images depicting EdU incorporation in the same cells as in A. Nuclei were stained with Hoechst 33342. Scale bar, 20 µm. Right, bar graph showing quantification of EdU uptake in the indicated cells. C, qRT-PCR analysis showing expression of genes associated with G1 and S-phase of the cell cycle in MALAT1-silenced 22RV1 cells. The expression level for each gene was normalized to GAPDH. D, Immunoblot showing the change in expression of E2F1 in the same cells as in A. β-Actin was used as an internal control. E, Line graph showing cell proliferation assay using the same cells as in A, at the indicated time points. F, Flow cytometry–based apoptosis assay using Annexin V-PE and 7-AAD staining in the same cells as in A. The percentage of apoptotic cells was calculated using FlowJo software. G, Immunoblots showing a change in the expression of apoptosis markers in the same cells as in A. β-Actin was used as an internal control. H, Schematic depicting that MALAT1 is a novel regulator of HR and plays an important role in the maintenance of genome stability in prostate cancer. MALAT1 depletion induces HR deficiency by decreasing the expression of several DDR genes and results in DSB accumulation which in turn induces cell-cycle arrest and instigates apoptosis. Experiments were performed with n = 3 biologically independent samples; the data represents mean ± SEM. For B and C, one-way ANOVA with Dunnett multiple comparisons posthoc test was applied, while for E, two-way ANOVA with Tukey multiple comparisons test was applied.
FIGURE 1 from Targeting MALAT1 Augments Sensitivity to PARP Inhibition by Impairing Homologous Recombination in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yadav Anjali , Biswas Tanay , Praveen Ayush , Ganguly Promit , Bhattacharyya Ankita , Verma Ayushi , Datta Dipak , Ateeq Bushra
Published: October 2023

High MALAT1 expression is associated with poor prostate cancer prognosis. A, Venn diagram displaying genes upregulated in patients with metastatic prostate cancer compared with localized cases in three publicly available gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets namely, GSE35988, GSE6919, and GSE6752. B, Dot plot with superimposed violin plot showing MALAT1 expression in patients with benign, primary, and metastatic prostate cancer in the GSE6919 dataset. MALAT1 transcript is reported as log2 median-centered ratio. C, Same as B, except GSE35988 dataset. D, Same as B, except GSE6752 dataset. E, Kaplan–Meier curves for BCR-free survival in the TCGA-PRAD dataset categorized as “MALAT1-high” (n = 223) and “MALAT1-low” (n = 219) groups based on the median expression of MALAT1. Blue line represents patients with higher expression of MALAT1 whereas the green line represents cases with patients with lower expression of MALAT1. F, Same as E, except relapse-free survival for the TCGA-PRAD dataset. Data represent mean ± SEM. For B and C, one-way ANOVA with Tukey multiple comparison test was applied, while for D, two-tailed unpaired Student t test was applied. The P values for E and F were computed by the log-rank test.
Symptom Change during Waitlist for Medicated and Nonmedicated Patients with Chronic Depression
Authors: Høstmælingen Andreas , Nissen-Lie Helene Amundsen , Wampold Bruce , Ulvenes Pål G.
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Patients seeking psychotherapy often spend time on waitlist (WL), the effect of which is largely unknown. WL patients may forego alternative non-psychotherapeutic assistance and thus do more poorly than had they not been placed on a WL. The course of symptoms might also be influenced by use of antidepressant medication (ADM), an issue that remains unexplored in the literature. Objective: In a naturalistic setting, WL symptom change before inpatient psychotherapy (mean weeks of waiting = 22.6) was assessed in a sample (N = 313) of chronically depressed patients. Methods: Using the Beck Depression Inventory-II, patients’ symptoms were tracked at assessment, when admitted to treatment (i.e., after WL), at posttreatment and 1-year follow-up. Multilevel growth curve analysis was used to examine waitlist change for the whole sample as well as for ADM users and nonmedicated patients. Results: Symptoms were reduced significantly from assessment to admittance (Cohen’s d = 0.47). Symptoms reduced less for ADM users (d = 0.39) than for nonmedicated patients (d = 0.65). Conclusion: The findings indicate that chronically depressed patients experience a decrease in symptoms during WL, quite likely due to treatment expectations. We discuss whether less symptom improvement for ADM users could be attributed to iatrogenic comorbidity and a higher degree of demoralization in this group.
Developments in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease over the Last 40 Years
Authors: Vakil Nimish
Published: October 2023

Background: The last 40 years have seen a remarkable change in our understanding of reflux disease. Summary: These changes encompass disease definition and impact, pathophysiology, diagnostic testing, regulatory oversight of clinical trials, pharmacotherapy, endoscopic, and surgical treatment. We have also seen a number of promising therapies fail. Key Messages: The future holds the promise of further advances. Adaptive artificial intelligence will take over diagnostics in manometry and pH impedance testing and patient-driven outcomes may be changed by interactions with artificial intelligence rather than humans. Changes in chip technology will allow higher resolution chips to be carried on smaller devices making extra-esophageal areas where reflux may play a role more accessible to prolonged observation and testing.
Friends and Foes in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Pauwels Ernest K.J. , Boer Gerard J.
Published: October 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a disabling neurodegenerative disease. The prognosis is poor, and currently there are no proven effective therapies. Most likely, the etiology is related to cerebral inflammatory processes that cause neuronal damage, resulting in dysfunction and apoptosis of nerve cells. Pathogens that evoke a neuroinflammatory response, collectively activate astrocytes and microglia, which contributes to the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This leads to the deposit of clustered fragments of beta-amyloid and misfolded tau proteins which do not elicit an adequate immune reaction. Apart from the function of astrocytes and microglia, molecular entities such as TREM2, SYK, C22, and C33 play a role in the physiopathology of AD. Furthermore, bacteria and viruses may trigger an overactive inflammatory response in the brain. Pathogens like Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydia pneumonia, and Porphyromonas gingivalis (known for low-grade infection in the oral cavity) can release gingipains, which are enzymes that can damage and destroy neurons. Chronic infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (the causative agent of Lyme disease) can co-localize with tau tangles and amyloid deposits. As for viral infections, herpes simplex virus 1, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus can play a role in the pathogenesis of AD. Present investigations have resulted in the development of antibodies that can clear the brain of beta-amyloid plaques. Trials with humanized aducanumab, lecanemab, and donanemab revealed limited success in AD patients. However, AD should be considered as a continuum in which the initial preclinical phase may take 10 or even 20 years. It is generally thought that this phase offers a window for efficacious treatment. Therefore, research is also focused on the identification of biomarkers for early AD detection. In this respect, the plasma measurement of neurofilament light chain in patients treated with hydromethylthionine mesylate may well open a new way to prevent the formation of tau tangles and represents the first treatment for AD at its roots.
A Synopsis of the Evidence for the Science and Clinical Management of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Ndumele Chiadi E. , Neeland Ian J. , Tuttle Katherine R. , Chow Sheryl L. , Mathew Roy O. , Khan Sadiya S. , Coresh Josef , Baker-Smith Carissa M. , Carnethon Mercedes R. , Després Jean-Pierre , Ho Jennifer E. , Joseph Joshua J. , Kernan Walter N. , Khera Amit , Kosiborod Mikhail N. , Lekavich Carolyn L. , Lewis Eldrin F. , Lo Kevin B. , Ozkan Bige , Palaniappan Latha P. , Patel Sonali S. , Pencina Michael J. , Powell-Wiley Tiffany M. , Sperling Laurence S. , Virani Salim S. , Wright Jackson T. , Rajgopal Singh Radhika , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Rangaswami Janani ,   on behalf of the American Heart Association
Published: October 2023

A growing appreciation of the pathophysiological interrelatedness of metabolic risk factors such as obesity and diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease has led to the conceptualization of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome. The confluence of metabolic risk factors and chronic kidney disease within cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome is strongly linked to risk for adverse cardiovascular and kidney outcomes. In addition, there are unique management considerations for individuals with established cardiovascular disease and coexisting metabolic risk factors, chronic kidney disease, or both. An extensive body of literature supports our scientific understanding of, and approach to, prevention and management for individuals with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome. However, there are critical gaps in knowledge related to cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome in terms of mechanisms of disease development, heterogeneity within clinical phenotypes, interplay between social determinants of health and biological risk factors, and accurate assessments of disease incidence in the context of competing risks. There are also key limitations in the data supporting the clinical care for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, particularly in terms of early-life prevention, screening for risk factors, interdisciplinary care models, optimal strategies for supporting lifestyle modification and weight loss, targeting of emerging cardioprotective and kidney-protective therapies, management of patients with both cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, and the impact of systematically assessing and addressing social determinants of health. This scientific statement uses a crosswalk of major guidelines, in addition to a review of the scientific literature, to summarize the evidence and fundamental gaps related to the science, screening, prevention, and management of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome.
Exploring Hematoma Expansion Shift With Recombinant Factor VIIa: A Pooled Analysis of 4 Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Yogendrakumar Vignan , Mayer Stephan A. , Steiner Thorsten , Broderick Joseph P. , Dowlatshahi Dar
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND:

Hematoma expansion shift (HES) analysis can be used to assess the biological effect of a hemostatic therapy for intracerebral hemorrhage. In this study, we applied HES analysis to individual patient data from 4 randomized controlled trials evaluating rFVIIa (recombinant factor VIIa) 80 μg/kg to placebo.

METHODS:

We generated polychotomous strata of HES using absolute growth thresholds (≤0/<6/≥6 mL) and quintiles of percent volume change. The relationship between treatment and HES was assessed using proportional odds models. Differences in subgroups based on baseline volume (≥ or <20 mL), and time from symptom onset to treatment (≤ or >2 hours) were explored with testing for interactions.

RESULTS:

The primary analysis included 721 patients. At 24 hours, 36% (134/369) of rFVIIa-treated patients exhibited no hematoma expansion as compared with 25% of placebo (88/352)-treated patients. Significant expansion (≥6 mL) was reduced by 10% in those treated with rFVIIa-(adjusted common odds ratio [acOR], 0.57 [95% CI, 0.43–0.75]). An examination of percent change similarly showed a shift across the spectrum of expansion (acOR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.47–0.80]). In both groups, mild-to-moderate expansion was observed in 38% to 47% of patients, depending on the threshold used. Differences in absolute HES between the rFVIIa and placebo groups were more pronounced in patients with baseline hemorrhage volumes ≥20 mL (acOR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30–0.76] versus <20 mL: acOR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.47–0.95];
P
interaction
=0.02). No treatment interaction in patients treated within 2 or after 2 hours from onset was observed (acOR, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.19–0.91 versus >2 hours: acOR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.44–0.79];
P
interaction
=0.30).

CONCLUSIONS:

The association between rFVIIa and hematoma growth arrest is most pronounced in patients with larger baseline volumes but is evident across the full spectrum of treated patients.
Compensation Schemes Following Forced Migration Movements in the 20th Century: A Comparative Perspective on Ottoman Greeks, Greek Muslims, East Germans, Palestinians, and Iraqi Jews
Authors: Morack Ellinor
Published: October 2023

This article compares the policies of compensation implemented after five cases of forced migration in the 20th century. Compensation for property left behind was discussed in all these cases, but only implemented in some. One might think that compensation may have been easier when “abandoned” property was available and some form of “exchange” was engineered, but the relative failure of the Greek, Turkish, Palestinian, and Israeli cases and the relative success of the German ones suggest that the opposite may be true. This may be due to compensation systems being based on the principle of redistributory justice, rather than restoration of pre-conflict levels of wealth. Moreover, I argue that unilateral compensation schemes worked better than multilateral ones. However, in the long run, the most important factor impacting the refugees’ successful integration does not seem to have been compensation, but economic development, the granting of citizenship, and civil rights.
Genetic and morphological concordance and discordance within the Cyrtodactylus brevipalmatus group (Squamata: Gekkonidae)
Authors: GRISMER L. LEE , ANUAR M. S. SHAHRUL , MUIN M. A. , AHMAD N. , QUAH EVAN S. H.
Published: October 2023

We use data sets from the Cyrtodactylus brevipalmatus group with limited genetic and morphological sampling to demonstrate that not accounting for sampling error may adversely influence decisions regarding species delimitation and diagnosis. Lack of geographic sampling between the endpoints of a species’ range may recover notable interpopulational genetic differentiation consistent with species-level differentiation. Additionally, small population sample sizes may fail recover statistically different diagnostic morphological differences. Combined, these types of sampling error can produce results seemingly consistent with the recognition of cryptic species—genetically delimited populations lacking diagnostic morphological characters. This is the current situation within some lineages of the C. brevipalmatus group whereas in others, sampling error is less problematic and does not jeopardize their taxonomy. We note the potential negative effects for comparative biology as a whole if sampling error is not taken into consideration prior to constructing taxonomies.
Notes on the Melitaea ornata Christoph, 1893, complex in the Levant (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) including new synonymy and observations on lectotype designations for Melitaea phoebe dorae Graves, 1925
Authors: RUSSELL PETER J. C. , TENNENT W. JOHN
Published: October 2023

Two independent designations for a lectotype of Melitaea phoebe dorae Graves, 1925, are discussed and resolved. Errors of labelling in presentation of some Melitaea taxa in recent literature are identified. Synonymy of the name klili Benyamini, 2021, with M. telona Fruhstorfer, 1908, is confirmed; the name tzinensis Benyamini, 2023 syn nov., is discussed and placed in synonymy with M. telona Fruhstorfer, 1908.
Performance of Decision-Tree-Based Ensemble Classifiers in Predicting Fog Frequency in Ungauged Areas
Authors: Kim Daeha , Kim Eunhee , Kim Eunji
Published: October 2023

Fog is a phenomenon that exerts significant impacts on transportation, aviation, air quality, agriculture, and even water resources. While data-driven machine learning algorithms have shown promising performance in capturing nonlinear fog events at point locations, their applicability to different areas and time periods is questionable. This study addresses this issue by examining five decision-tree-based classifiers in a South Korean region, where diverse fog formation mechanisms are at play. The five machine learning algorithms were trained at point locations and tested with other point locations for time periods independent of the training processes. Using the ensemble classifiers and high-resolution atmospheric reanalysis data, we also attempted to establish fog occurrence maps in a regional area. Results showed that machine learning models trained on the local datasets exhibited superior performance in mountainous areas, where radiative cooling predominantly contributes to fog formation, compared to inland and coastal regions. As the fog generation mechanisms diversified, the tree-based ensemble models appeared to encounter challenges in delineating their decision boundaries. When they were trained with the reanalysis data, their predictive skills were significantly decreased, resulting in high false alarm rates. This prompted the need for postprocessing techniques to rectify overestimated fog frequency. While postprocessing may ameliorate overestimation, caution is needed to interpret the resultant fog frequency estimates, especially in regions with more diverse fog generation mechanisms. The spatial upscaling of machine learning–based fog prediction models poses challenges owing to the intricate interplay of various fog formation mechanisms, data imbalances, and potential inaccuracies in reanalysis data.
Confessions of a Nonbeliever: Comments on the Search for Antitrust’s Normative Foundations
Authors: Harrison Jeffrey L.
Published: October 2023

Richard Markovits’ Welfare Economics and Antitrust Policy is, without a doubt, the most expansive and thoughtful effort to assess antitrust policy from the point of view of welfare economics. Unfortunately, I cannot comment in a meaningful way on the specifics of his analysis because after teaching antitrust for 30 years, I have become a nonbeliever. I do not believe any interpretation of today’s general antitrust policies, or the economics on which they are based, can be reconciled with any known version of “welfare.” The principal reason for this state of affairs is that antitrust scholars and courts cling to goals that are misguided and theories that have not evolved despite an avalanche of information now available that strongly suggests, if not proves, that there is little connection between standard antitrust goals and welfare. Thus, with great reluctance, I question whether the analysis found in Richard’s Welfare Economics and Antitrust Policy is worth the effort or ultimately gets us anywhere. My inkling is that Richard realizes this too.
Flame retardant textile finishing: thermal analysis and dermal security
Authors: Martí Meritxell , Alonso Cristina , Manich Albert , Vilder Ine De , Coderch Luisa
Published: October 2023

Many flame retardants (FRs) are brominated, and many of them are considered toxic, persistent and/or bio accumulative. A switch to non-halogenated alternatives for textile finishing is considered beneficial, but there is little knowledge about their environmental impact, their health risks during the production process and those in their final use.

A conventional and an alternative FR (based on dialkyl phosphono carboxylic acid amine and ammonium sulfamate; urea and organophosphonate PO(OH)2-R-PO(OH)2, respectively) were applied to cotton fabrics that could be in touch with the skin in their final use. Burning and thermal behaviors and dermal toxicity when exposed to skin rubbing are evaluated. Fabrics treated show that both FR products act as FRs. The increase in the thermal stability of the tissue that causes an increase in the decomposition temperature is a relevant effect associated with the application of the conventional FR in the tissue, while the most important effect of the alternative FR lies in the increase of the residue at 600°C, associated with the generation of fewer volatiles, which has an impact on the intensity of combustion. The study of the dermal toxic potential of FR-treated cotton bed sheets showed that the two tested products do not penetrate into the skin when applied under the conditions used and were safe when in contact with the skin. Moreover, the alternative FR seems to be safer when in contact with the skin considering also its higher concentration in the textile.
Design, preparation and characterization of braiding auxetic yarns with a high negative Poisson’s ratio
Authors: Du Zhaoqun , He Linge , Liu Zhuoran
Published: October 2023

In recent years, research work on auxetic textile materials has become more and more popular. Helical auxetic yarns realize a negative Poisson’s ratio effect at the yarn level, wherein the braided auxetic yarns are prepared to realize the structural stability of the auxetic yarns. However, the degree of the elongation auxetic effect has not been solved. In this paper, composite braided auxetic yarns and re-braided auxetic yarns were successfully fabricated by a ring spinning machine and a high-speed braiding machine, and the Poisson’s ratio curves of the two yarns were tested by image analysis. Through the measurement of the Poisson’s ratios of these two yarns, the experimental results show that they both have a good negative Poisson’s ratio effect, and the degree of auxetic effect increases correspondingly. The composite braid technology makes the auxetic yarns retain the original auxetic effect while the degree of auxetic effect was increased. The preparation of these two kinds of auxetic yarns provides a certain experimental basis for the development of auxetic textile materials in the future, and also provides more improvement ideas for scholars.
Character contradiction: The exclusionary nature of preservationist planning restrictions
Authors: Gallagher Rachel , Sigler Thomas Jason , Liu Yan
Published: October 2023

Preservationist planning broadly describes planning instruments that purport to preserve physical qualities of neighbourhoods by preventing demolition of historic dwellings. Here, we analyse land use conversion of almost 6000 lots in Brisbane, Australia, to understand if, and how, preservationist planning impacts the built environment. Results demonstrate that preservationist planning suppresses multi-family housing construction, even where increased density is encouraged by the planning scheme. We suggest that preservationist planning is exclusionary in nature and not solely focused on built heritage, particularly as substantial modifications to existing dwellings are allowed. These findings run counter to the purported aim of built heritage protection and suggest that the preservationist planning framework should be revised.
Between Fallibilism and the Siblinghood of Humanity: A Review of Joseph Agassi, The Philosophy of Practical Affairs: An Introduction
Authors: Yehezkely Chen
Published: October 2023

According to Agassi, philosophy is nothing if not rationalist and rationalism is nothing if not honest. Honesty starts with the acknowledgement of human fallibility, which is a logical equivalent of the idea of the siblinghood of humanity. The demand for honesty in general and regarding human fallibility in particular, follows from the principle of minimal standards, or demands: excessive demands are not merely redundant but also impede the endeavor to meet those that are perceivably minimal and necessary. From this it further follows that the question of minimal demands and standards must always be allowed access to the agenda.
Anticipating Potential Barriers for Students With Visual Impairments When Using a Web-Based Instructional Platform
Authors: Penrose Rebecca Bryant
Published: October 2023

Online instructional tools are quickly being introduced, often before accessibility is incorporated into their design. This article defends the use of a popular, but highly graphic, web-based platform called Padlet in a writing course, using strategies that allow students who are visually impaired (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision) to participate in collaborative class activities, promoting equity and inclusion. It also highlights student feedback from an institutionally approved study that identifies accessibility concerns with Padlet, as well as other common educational technology used in all disciplines.
Exploring Caseload Data of Vision Professionals and Their Implications
Authors: Zebehazy Kim T. , Herzberg Tina S. , Botsford Kathryn D.
Published: October 2023

Introduction: To determine the current and future needs for teachers of students of visual impairments (TVIs), orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists, and dually certified professionals, information about caseloads is needed. However, few current studies exist that provide this data. Methods: The purpose of the study was to analyze demographic and caseload data gathered from 834 professionals who took part in a larger study. Descriptive and inferential statistics compared caseload size averages based on employment status, role, service delivery model, and region. Results: Minimal caseload differences existed among the regions of the United States, based on mean. Average caseload sizes by role reflected past literature. Caseloads ranged between 0 and 107 students, once outliers were removed. Discussion: This study provides some new data that provide insight into current caseloads, but a more expansive study would further contribute to the understanding of service provision for students with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: The field of visual impairment should continue to work toward recruiting a more diverse workforce and continue advocacy efforts for reasonable workloads and equitable services for students with visual impairments.
Risk, Uncertainty and the British Atlantic Merchant Ship as a Technology for Profit, 1600–1800
Authors: Reid Phillip
Published: October 2023

Douglass North's work on the productivity of early modern British merchant shipping, along with that of his students Gary Walton and James Shepherd, taught us much about how the economy of British America worked. While crediting the security of the seas and more efficient business organization for allowing modest growth in shipping productivity, they relegated technological adaptation to insignificance. While accepting the main thrust of their argument, and indeed furthering it, John McCusker, Russell Menard, Nathan Rosenberg and Frederic Lane declined to dismiss the role that such adaptation might have played, leaving open the possibility that ship technology was worth exploring in a time and place for which it was generally considered static. Phillip Reid’s exploration of that subject has been guided by two premises: first, that continuity as well as change can serve as technological adaptation to operating conditions; and, second, that economic maritime history has paid too little attention to the technology of the ordinary merchant ship in this period to evaluate its contribution to the success of the shipping industry – or lack thereof. Both continuity and change served as technological adaptations, allowing the merchant ship to serve a shipping industry that, in turn, served a world growing and changing demographically and economically, with that change accelerating in the second half of the eighteenth century. In past work, he has argued that specific continuities and changes in the merchant ship are best explained as strategies of ‘risk mitigation’. Here, he also considers the distinction between risk and uncertainty to determine what, if any, application it might have to understanding continuity and change in the hazards to profit presented by the ever-present and dangerous collection of hazards posed to the merchant ship and crew by the Atlantic and the human predators who cruised it.
Impact of Standardized Multidisciplinary Critical Care Training on Confidence with Critical Illness and Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education and Multidisciplinary Care
Authors: Hamill Mark E. , Collin Gary R. , Bath Jennifer L. , Boone Sherry M. , Harvey Ellen M. , Tegge Allison N. , Sprinkel Whitney E. , Toomey Shari A. , Collier Bryan R. , Bower Katie L. , Wang Min M. , Faulks Emily R. , Matos Miguel A. , Hamill Bridget E. , Bean Sherry L. , Nussbaum Michael S. , Parker Sarah H.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The Fundamental Critical Care Support Course (FCCS) is a standardized multidisciplinary program designed to educate participants on the basics of identification and management of patients with critical illness. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of FCCS participation on confidence in the assessment and management of critically ill patients and attitudes towards multidisciplinary education and interprofessional care in a multidisciplinary group of participants.

Methods

Participants enrolled in the FCCS course from May 2018 to November 2019 were solicited to participate in a series of surveys evaluating their course experience and confidence in critical care. Attitudes towards multidisciplinary education and interprofessional care were evaluated using the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised Instrument version 2 (SPICE-R2) tool. A prospective pre- and post-design with a self-report survey including retrospective pre-training assessment and a 3-month follow-up was conducted. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statics and non-parametric methods.

Results

321 (97.9%) of the course participants enrolled in the study and completed the confidence survey and SPICE-R2 tool pre-course. Nurses (113, 35.4%) and physicians (110, 34.4%) made up the largest groups of participants, although physician assistants and paramedics were also well represented. Confidence in recognition and management of critical illness significantly improved across all studied domains after course completion, with the mean total confidence score improving from 32.96 pre-course to 41.10 post-course, P < 0.001. Attitudes towards multidisciplinary education and interprofessional care also improved (mean score 41.37 pre-course vs 42.71 post-course, P < 0.001), although pre-course numbers were higher than expected which limited the significance to only certain domains.

Discussion

In a multidisciplinary group, completion of FCCS training led to increased confidence in all aspects of critical illness measured. A modest increase in attitudes regarding multidisciplinary education and interprofessional care was also demonstrated. Further study is needed to assess whether this increased confidence translates to improvements in patient care and outcomes.
Fabrication and mechanical behavior of structurally graded material (ceramic-reinforced polylactic acid/polylactic acid) for integrated engineering application
Authors: Subramaniyan Mohan Kumar , Thanigainathan Sarankumar , Elumalai Vijayaragavan
Published: October 2023

The goal of this study is to provide first-hand knowledge to the industrial community on the mechanical properties of structurally graded materials (polylactic acid/ceramic-reinforced polylactic acid) wall fabricated through fused filament fabrication. Structurally graded materials are inhomogeneous materials that consist of two or more materials to produce a final structure with distinctive material properties. Because of their specific gradient, structurally graded materials are commonly used in various applications such as aerospace, medicine, optoelectronics, biotechnology, etc. These applications have certain requirements and significant properties such as thermo-mechanical resistance and chemical stability. Filaments of polylactic acid were deposited over ceramic-reinforced polylactic acid to fabricate structurally graded material walls. Coupon studies revealed that structurally graded materials exhibited mechanical properties (tensile strength: 19.1 ± 0.3 MPa, flexural strength: 100.1 ± 0.23 MPa, compressive strength: 64.6 ± 2.35 MPa, impact energy: 1.32 ± 0.038 J, and hardness: 81.5 Shore-D) that are better than polylactic acid. It is revealed that structurally graded materials possess better mechanical properties than polylactic acid and exhibit behavior similar to ceramic-reinforced polylactic acid. Fracture morphology indicates the occurrence of brittle fracture in tensile sample.
Effect of Consumer Value Perception on Consumer Purchase Intention: A Case of Private Label Apparels
Authors: Gandhi Madhuri , Ubba Savita , Jyoti
Published: October 2023

Consumer values are the foundation of every successful purchase and motivate customers to buy more. The purpose of this research study is to explore the effect of customer value perception on consumer purchase intention for private label apparels. Further, the mediation effect of perceived quality between customer value perception and consumer purchase intention is also determined. A total of 800 valid questionnaires are collected from consumers who are regularly buying private label apparels. In order to analyse the data, techniques such as exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling are employed to evaluate the proposed framework. The findings reveal that financial, functional, individual and social value perceptions positively influence the perceived quality of private labels. Value perceptions of respondents also influence the consumer purchase intention except for the functional and social value perception. Consumer purchase intention is directly influenced by perceived quality. Furthermore, with the exception of social value perception, the findings imply that perceived quality mediate between the distinct consumer value perception (CVP) and purchase intention of private label apparels. Relevant implications are provided by this study which helps the retailers in better understanding customer value perception and concentrating on improving CVP.