bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ranking and Contextual Selection
Authors: Keslin Gregory , Nelson Barry L. , Pagnoncelli Bernardo , Plumlee Matthew , Rahimian Hamed
Published: October 2024

Context-Sensitive Simulation-Based Decisions When There Is No Time to Simulate

Stochastic simulation is a powerful tool for discovering system design decisions that are the best possible (optimal) when averaged over real-world uncertainty. However, in applications such as personalized medicine and web content optimization, even better decisions can be made if they are tailored to specific, contemporaneous covariate information, such as patient health history and user reading habits. Unfortunately, in these and similar applications, there is no time to perform a refined simulation optimization. In “Ranking and Contextual Selection,” Keslin, Nelson, Pagnoncelli, Plumlee, and Rahimian use off-the-shelf simulation optimization methods to create a database of covariates and associated decisions that form a covariate-to-decision classifier and an upper confidence bound on its optimality gap when applied to covariates not in the database. A realistic example of web page assortment optimization is presented using a data set from Yahoo!.
Assessing the Impact of N Fertilizer on Soybean Yield and Quality Using a Modeling Approach
Authors: Figueiredo Moura da Silva Evandro Henrique , Boote Kenneth J. , Hoogenboom Gerrit , Soares Andrade Júnior Aderson , Antunes de Souza Henrique , Marin Fabio Ricardo
Published: October 2024

Highlights

Simulating the effect of high N fertilizer rates with the CSM-CROPGRO-Soybean model for Brazil.

Simulated and observed plant tissue N accumulation increased with an increase in N fertilizer rates.

N use efficiency decreased with N fertilization on soybeans under long-term scenarios.

Both model simulations and observations indicate only a small response in crop yield to high N fertilization.

Abstract. Soybean [Glycine max (L.)] is one of the main sources of food protein in the world. To achieve a high yield and grain protein concentration, soybean requires a large amount of nitrogen (N). Many studies have evaluated N fertilization in soybean, with the hypothesis that symbiotic N fixation may not be sufficient to supply N for high-yielding soybean. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the CSM-CROPGRO-Soybean model with field data to determine the impact of N fertilizer on soybean and explore long-term scenarios. The experiments consisted of a combination of available water management and N fertilizer levels over eight crop seasons. After calibration and evaluation, the CSM-CROPGRO-Soybean model was used to explore the soil and plant N balance. We also applied the model to explore different N fertilization rates in long-term scenarios. The results showed that the model was able to simulate soybean growth with a very good agreement for all sites (D-statistic ranging from 0.63 to 0.99). The observed and simulated crop yield gains from N fertilization were small and not proportional to the amount of N fertilizer applied. The model underestimated the effect of N fertilizer on grain protein concentration increment, but there was a consistent trend towards an increase in protein concentration observed in measured data. Simulations of soil inorganic N balance suggested very high losses of N by volatilization for urea-N fertilization treatments. The long-term scenarios showed that using N rates above 600 kg ha-1 is potentially inappropriate, and a higher crop N use efficiency was obtained with no N fertilizer. Keywords: Ammonia volatilization, Crop yield, Crop N use efficiency, CROPGRO-Soybean model, Grain protein concentration, Nitrogen balance.
Soil Erosion Research Studies in the Age of Changing Climate
Authors: Flanagan Dennis C. , Mankin Kyle , Thompson Anita M.
Published: October 2024

HIGHLIGHTS

Soil erosion research has evolved over a century to address critical societal needs.

This collection features 12 articles from the 2023 ASABE Soil Erosion Research Symposium.

Links to Symposium proceedings and presentations are provided.

Soil erosion modeling, methods, and measurement advances are highlighted from the collection.

Abstract. This article introduces a collection of 12 articles featured from a decennial international American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) soil erosion research symposium in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, in January 2023. Over 130 engineers and scientists met to discuss current soil erosion issues, research techniques, and erosion prediction technologies. In addition to the meeting presentations and proceedings (116 abstracts or papers available online), twelve articles were published in a special collection in the ASABE journals. Information on the ASABE Soil Erosion Research Under a Changing Climate international symposium and details on the special collection of articles are provided in this paper. Articles are aggregated into soil erosion-related topical areas of modeling, methods, and measurement, and article highlights are presented. A common theme was the need for standardized measurements and methods to compare processes and impacts across geographic and climate regions and to assess model performance and prediction for extension of methods to other watersheds. Keywords: Erosion control, Hydrology, Sediment, Sedimentation, Soil conservation, Soil erosion modeling, Soil pollution, Water quality.
In Search of the Asian Nation: Self-Determination, National Liberation, and the Asian American Movement
Authors: Gao Cynthia Yuan
Published: October 2024

Abstract: Though today "Asian American" marks a category that has been used to indicate a narrowly racial or cultural identity, at its inception in the late 1960s, Asian American was an idea of political community routed through the language of national liberation. The emergence of Asian American was facilitated through the appearance of revolutionary subjects on the global stage of Third Worldism, in which Asian indexed a new radical political subject. This paper traces debates within the Asian American Movement over the national question, elucidating a historical moment in which activists sought to define the structural position of Asians in the US in relation to a global struggle against capitalism and towards decolonization. Drawing from archival research and original oral history interviews, I argue that national question debates indexed the contradictions of integrating the US and Asia, race and class, reform and revolution, into a unified political program. Furthermore, I trace the evolution of the idea of Asian American self-determination from its revolutionary Third Worldist roots in the 1970s to forays into electoral and special interest politics in the 1980s, arguing that the two periods held more continuity with each other than rupture. I suggest that the US transition from Third Worldism to multiculturalism was overdetermined by the decline of national liberation movements and the introduction of market reforms in Asian socialist states.
Reentering the Dragon: Reclaiming Revolutionary Nationalist Theory on Asian Amerikan Terrain
Authors: Aoki Henry
Published: October 2024

Abstract: This article outlines the project of Asian Amerikan revolutionary theory through a dialectical and historical materialist analysis of the Asian Amerikan community. Drawing inspiration from the noninstitutionalized, loosely affiliated revolutionary nationalist school of thought that emerged during the 1960s and '70s, I reconstruct the national formation framework to analyze how the uneven development of capitalist class relations both determines and is determined by community consciousness. I then apply this framework to the historical development of Asian Amerikan consciousness, to identify the fundamental contradictions of the Asian Amerikan revolutionary struggle and propose a revolutionary path forward.
Bridging Thought and Action: History, the Digital Humanities, and Building the Foundations of Asian/American Political Thought
Authors: Yan-Gonzalez Vivian
Published: October 2024

Abstract: This article argues that understanding the historical contours of Asian American electoral engagement provides an essential foundation for studying Asian/American political thought. However, historians have tended to adopt a broad understanding of "politics" beyond traditional civic and electoral politics, due to limited historical sources on Asian American electoral engagement and the longstanding interest among Asian Americanist scholars in alternative politics. I reintroduce Asian American electoral history as a vital and viable subject of study by exploring how scholars can use digital humanities tools and methods to build the archives of Asian American politics and to explore new insights and questions.
Neoliberal Governance and Human Capital in the Dardenne Brothers' Two Days, One Night
Authors: Watkins Rob
Published: October 2024

Abstract: This article reads the Dardenne brothers' film Two Days, One Night (Deux Jours, Une Nuit) (2014) as a case study in neoliberal practices of governance and human capital appreciation. Counter to accounts of neoliberalism focused on destruction and loss, this paper uses the film to attend to the operation of new social relations, ways of living, and subjectivities associated with neoliberalism. This paper focuses on how the film uses a management strategy of partnered, disseminated governance to illuminate the competitive pressures and responsibilized freedom bound up with dominant forms of neoliberal subjectivity today.
Taxation with and without Representation: Malt Tax Riots in Scotland, Stamp Riots in North America, and the Prospects and Problems of Incorporating Union
Authors: Landsman Ned
Published: October 2024

Abstract: In 1774, as Parliament debated "Intolerable Acts" designed to punish the town of Boston for the Boston Tea Party, an American sympathizer remarked that government had never before imposed collective punishment on a whole community rather than on individual actors, as it was now doing in Britain's colonial dependencies. In fact that was incorrect, government replied, pointing to the aggressive use of force against Glasgow following the Malt Tax Riot in 1725 and Edinburgh after the Porteous Riots the following decade. All of those violent actions were responses by provincial sectors of Britain to seemingly arbitrary quests for revenue by the British Parliament. For all, the foremost problem seemed how to preclude arbitrary taxation by a parliament in which their voices were barely heard. Those efforts derived from the 1707 Anglo-Scottish union, which merged the kingdoms and parliaments of those two nations. While many Scots had preferred a loose confederal union, that did not fit England's plans. Instead, they negotiated an "incorporating union", one that joined the principal governing structures of Crown and Parliament, but safe-guarded such Scottish institutions as Kirk, burghs, universities, and the law through explicit limitations in the Acts of Union. Those included limits on the taxing power of Parliament over Scotland. While Scots complained, rightly, that they paid higher taxes after union than before, the English complained in turn that the rates Scots paid were still significantly lower than those collected south of the border. From the time of the Stamp Act, Americans returned to the question of how to protect themselves from a limitless taxing power. Incorporation constituted an important background to that discussion, broached by such figures as James Otis, Benjamin Franklin, Adam Smith, and others. At independence, Americans also would opt for confederal union, but by 1788, dissatisfied leaders such James Madison and the "Federalists" replace it confederation with what was, in effect, an incorporating union.
Decomposition and compensation of fringe harmonic errors by use of their partial orthogonality in phase-shifting fringe projection profilometry
Authors: Zhu Jianli , Lin Shuai , Guo Hongwei
Published: October 2024

In phase-shifting fringe projection profilometry, fringe harmonics have been recognized as one of the main error-inducing factors. Generally, the response of a phase-shifting algorithm to fringe harmonics strongly depends on the used phase shifts and is usually unpredictable, especially when using nonuniform phase shifts. For this reason, it is difficult to eliminate the phase-measuring errors caused by fringe harmonics in a general case, for example, when the phase shifts are not uniform but arbitrarily valued. To overcome this problem, this paper analyzes the phase error function related to each fringe harmonic under the condition of using arbitrary phase shifts, reveals the partial orthogonality of these functions, and then derives an algorithm for decomposing the harmonics-induced phase errors. In the implementation, this algorithm calculates a coarse phase map first in the least squares sense from captured fringe patterns, and then estimates the coefficients of fringe harmonics from this calculated phase map by use of the partial orthogonality of the error functions. By using the estimated harmonic coefficients, the phase map is updated, thus having improved accuracies so that the harmonics-induced phase errors are compensated for through an iterative procedure. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate this method to be effective and efficient in measuring fringe phases.
Error analysis based on a tunable wave plate polarization interferometric imaging spectrometer
Authors: Tang Feng , Zhang Biyun , Zhang Chunmin , Ma Zhen , Ke Ke , Wang Yanqiang
Published: October 2024

Interference imaging spectroscopy combines modern imaging technology with spectral technology, holding significant importance for object imaging and spectral detection. This article introduces the principle of an adjustable wave plate polarization interferometric imaging spectrometer. The example design specifications are set for an observation wavelength range of 450–780 nm and a maximum resolution of 2 nm at 450 nm, with a 0.5 in detector as the base for calculating the specific dimensions of the Soleil–Babinet compensator. An investigation was conducted on the issues of nonuniform sampling, as well as three types of mechanical errors: flatness, wedge angle tolerance, and optical axis orientation accuracy. Emphasis was placed on discussing the impact of these errors on the instrument’s optical path difference and spectral reconstruction accuracy. This research provides theoretical guidance for the design and engineering of this miniaturized imaging spectrometer.
Manipulating four-photon absorption of ZnO via Ga doping
Authors: Li Zhongguo , Tian Xiao , Zhou Wenfa , Lu Haishuang , Yang Yong , Song Yinglin
Published: October 2024

Multi-photon absorption in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) regime has attracted extensive attention due to biological imaging and frequency-upconverted lasing applications. We report the dispersion of four-photon absorption (4 PA) response in pristine and Ga-doped ZnO single crystals over the spectral range 1180-1350 nm. Femtosecond Z-scan results demonstrate that Ga doping can significantly enhance the 4 PA coefficient β4 of ZnO. Interestingly, the wavelength dependency of β4 in Ga-doped ZnO shows a strong resonance around 1215-1250 nm, which is correlated with the PL peak of Ga-doped ZnO at 405 nm. Femtosecond pump-probe measurements validate that Ga doping has no profound impact on the ultrafast carrier relaxation of ZnO, indicating Ga doping leads to a shallow state rather than a deep trap within the bandgap. The possible mechanism of 4 PA enhancement induced by degeneracy with multi-photon absorption resonance to the Ga-doped state is discussed. Our results verify the strong potential of Ga-doped ZnO with tunable nonlinear optical properties as a promising candidate for nonlinear optical and nanophotonic devices in the NIR-II region.
Mid-infrared silicon photonic lasers based on GeSn slab waveguide on silicon
Authors: Huang Yin-Pu , Wu Bo-Rui , Ghosh Soumava , Jheng Yue-Tong , Ho Ya-Lun , Wu Yen-Ju , Wisessint Attaporn , Kim Munho , Chang Guo-En
Published: October 2024

GeSn alloy has emerged as an attractive active material for Si-based mid-infrared (MIR) lasers due to its direct bandgap nature at higher Sn concentrations. Here, we report on an optically-pumped GeSn MIR lasers based on planar slab waveguide with a top Si ridge structure. The inclusion of 10% Sn transforms the GeSn active layer into a direct bandgap material. The Si ridge structure ensures appropriate optical confinements with reduced scattering loss from the waveguide sidewall. Lasing action was achieved under optical pumping with a low threshold of 60.85 kW/cm2 and an emission wavelength of 2238 nm at T = 40 K. Lasing action was also observed up to T = 90 K with a threshold of 170 kW/cm2.
Subregional parabolic conformal multi-order OAM-generating transmitarray with a novel C-I-shaped grating cell
Authors: Bo Yong , Gao Zhenghao , Wang Chao , Yu Hang , Xu Guanghui , Wang Qinghua , Zhai Menglin , Peng Tian , Yang Lixia , Huang Zhixiang
Published: October 2024

A parabolic conformal multi-order OAM-generating transmitarray with novel C-I-shaped grating cell is presented in this paper. The novel cell is composed of three layers of the upper and lower grating structures, and the C-I-shaped metal in the middle layer. Compared with the traditional C-shaped structure, the novel cell can be adjusted to cover 360° transmission phase change with high transmission coefficient at the frequency band of 10-20 GHz. To approximate the parabolic conformal shape, the transmittarray is designed and constructed by using the eight fan-shaped sectors with the one isosceles triangle and three isosceles trapezoid planar subarrays. Finally, the 1st and 2nd order-mode OAM-generating transmitarrays are fabricated and measured, and the measured results basically agree with the simulated ones, verifying the parabolic conformal design method. The proposed parabolic conformal scheme will enrich conformal transmitarray design method for adapting to the future complex communication and detection environments.
Line-scan phase-resolved synthetic wavelength LiDAR using an off-axis holographic approach
Authors: Zhang Jingkai , Trout Robert , Li Jianwei D. , Foust Julia S. , Zhou Kevin C. , Dhalla Al-Hafeez , Izatt Joseph A.
Published: October 2024

We demonstrate a novel, to our knowledge, approach for phase-resolved coherent 3D surface imaging that utilizes synthetic wavelength phase-based ranging and line-scan off-axis holography. Our proof-of-concept system employs an akinetic tunable laser to perform fast wavelength switching and a galvanometer mirror for slow-axis mechanical scanning. Quantitative depth measurements of an anodized aluminum plate and 3D-printed depth calibration targets and a printed circuit board are demonstrated. Analyses of both shot-noise limited system performance and speckle noise are also presented. The proof-of-concept system achieves micron-scale depth precision with a FOV of 12.8 mm × 34 mm and a 50 ms image acquisition time.
Dispersive Sweatt Model for Broadband Lens Design with Metasurfaces
Authors: chen weiyu , Shih Ko-Han , Renshaw Christopher
Published: October 2024

The Sweatt model has been extensively used to design optical systems containing diffractive optical elements (DOEs) because it captures the dispersive characteristics of DOEs. We introduce a new Dispersive Sweatt Model (DSM) that can describe meta-atom (MA) dispersion which has material and geometric contributions in addition to diffraction. It uses a wavelength-dependent scalar coefficient to modify the diffractive dispersion and describe the dispersion of a given MA basis. This provides a robust framework to design systems containing metasurface (MS) elements while including their unique dispersive properties in the design optimization. Importantly, the DSM is based on ray-optics and enables design of MS-containing systems using conventional optical design software such as Zemax and Code V. We use the DSM to demonstrate design of a hybrid refractive/MS achromatic doublet for the midwave infrared (MWIR) band. The design example includes multiple wavelengths and field-angles during optimization and demonstrates excellent agreement between the DSM and real hybrid lens performance modelled using wave-optics. We discuss the limits of the DSM and present a simple model to predict performance limits due to phase mismatch at Fresnel zone boundaries.
MMTV RNA packaging requires an extended long-range interaction for productive Gag binding to packaging signals
Authors: Prabhu Suresha G. , Pillai Vineeta N. , Ali Lizna Mohamed , Vivet-Boudou Valérie , Chameettachal Akhil , Bernacchi Serena , Mustafa Farah , Marquet Roland , Rizvi Tahir A.
Published: October 2024

The packaging of genomic RNA (gRNA) into retroviral particles relies on the specific recognition by the Gag precursor of packaging signals (Psi), which maintain a complex secondary structure through long-range interactions (LRIs). However, it remains unclear whether the binding of Gag to Psi alone is enough to promote RNA packaging and what role LRIs play in this process. Using mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), we investigated the effects of mutations in 4 proposed LRIs on gRNA structure and function. Our findings revealed the presence of an unsuspected extended LRI, and hSHAPE revealed that maintaining a wild-type–like Psi structure is crucial for efficient packaging. Surprisingly, filter-binding assays demonstrated that most mutants, regardless of their packaging capability, exhibited significant binding to Pr77Gag, suggesting that Gag binding to Psi is insufficient for efficient packaging. Footprinting experiments indicated that efficient RNA packaging is promoted when Pr77Gag binds to 2 specific sites within Psi, whereas binding elsewhere in Psi does not lead to efficient packaging. Taken together, our results suggest that the 3D structure of the Psi/Pr77Gag complex regulates the assembly of viral particles around gRNA, enabling effective discrimination against other viral and cellular RNAs that may also bind Gag efficiently.
Axioms for clustering simple unweighted graphs: No impossibility result
Authors: Willson James , Warnow Tandy
Published: October 2024

In 2002, Kleinberg proposed three axioms for distance-based clustering, and proved that it was impossible for a clustering method to satisfy all three. While there has been much subsequent work examining and modifying these axioms for distance-based clustering, little work has been done to explore axioms relevant to the graph partitioning problem when the graph is unweighted and given without a distance matrix. Here, we propose and explore axioms for graph partitioning for this case, including modifications of Kleinberg’s axioms and three others: two axioms relevant to the “Resolution Limit” and one addressing well-connectedness. We prove that clustering under the Constant Potts Model satisfies all the axioms, while Modularity clustering and iterativek-core both fail many axioms we pose. These theoretical properties of the clustering methods are relevant both for theoretical investigation as well as to practitioners considering which methods to use for their domain science studies.
Identifying older adults at risk for dementia based on smartphone data obtained during a wayfinding task in the real world
Authors: Marquardt Jonas , Mohan Priyanka , Spiliopoulou Myra , Glanz Wenzel , Butryn Michaela , Kuehn Esther , Schreiber Stefanie , Maass Anne , Diersch Nadine
Published: October 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as the most common form of dementia and leading cause for disability and death in old age, represents a major burden to healthcare systems worldwide. For the development of disease-modifying interventions and treatments, the detection of cognitive changes at the earliest disease stages is crucial. Recent advancements in mobile consumer technologies provide new opportunities to collect multi-dimensional data in real-life settings to identify and monitor at-risk individuals. Based on evidence showing that deficits in spatial navigation are a common hallmark of dementia, we assessed whether a memory clinic sample of patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) who still scored normally on neuropsychological assessments show differences in smartphone-assisted wayfinding behavior compared with cognitively healthy older and younger adults. Guided by a mobile application, participants had to find locations along a short route on the medical campus of the Magdeburg university. We show that performance measures that were extracted from GPS and user input data distinguish between the groups. In particular, the number of orientation stops was predictive of the SCD status in older participants. Our data suggest that subtle cognitive changes in patients with SCD, whose risk to develop dementia in the future is elevated, can be inferred from smartphone data, collected during a brief wayfinding task in the real world.
The shifting landscape of private healthcare providers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons to strengthen the private sectors engagement for future pandemic and tuberculosis care
Authors: Widarna Rodiah , Afifah Nur , Djunaedy Hanif Ahmad Kautsar , Sassi Angelina , Vasquez Nathaly Aguilera , Oga-Omenka Charity , Salindri Argita Dyah , Lestari Bony Wiem , Pai Madhukar , Alisjahbana Bachti
Published: October 2024

Introduction

COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of healthcare services and deliveries, including among private healthcare providers (i.e., private healthcare facilities [HCFs] and private practitioners [PPs]). We aimed to compare the spatial distribution of private providers and describe changes in characteristics and services offered during and before the COVID-19 pandemic, and explore the tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19-related services offered by the private sector in Bandung, Indonesia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study with historical comparison was conducted in 36 randomly selected community health centers areas (locally referred to as Puskesmas) in Bandung, Indonesia, during the COVID-19 pandemic from 5th April 2021 – 27th December 2021. Data pertaining to before the COVID-19 pandemic was abstracted from a similar survey conducted in 2017 (i.e., INSTEP study). We obtained latitude and longitude coordinates of private healthcare providers and then compared the geographical spread with data collected for INSTEP study. We also compared characteristics of, and services provided by private healthcare providers interviewed during the COVID-19 pandemic with those previously interviewed for INSTEP study. Differences were summarized using descriptive and bivariate analyses.

Results

From April–December 2021, we surveyed 367 private HCFs and interviewed 637 PPs. Compared to INSTEP study data, the number of operating HCFs was reduced by 3% during the COVID-19 pandemic (401 vs. 412 before COVID-19), although we observed increases in laboratory service (37.8% increase), x-ray service (66.7% increase), and pharmacy (18.1% increase). Among a subset of private HCFs managing patients with respiratory tract infection symptoms, a quarter (60/235, 25.3%) indicated that they had to close their facilities in response to the emerging situation during the COVID-19 pandemic. For PPs, the number of practicing PPs was reduced by 7% during the COVID-19 pandemic (872 vs. 936 before COVID-19). Interestingly, the number of practicing PPs encountering patients with TB disease increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (42.9% vs. 35.7% before COVID-19, p = 0.008).

Conclusion

This study confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted health care service deliveries in private sectors, largely marked by closures and shortened business hours. However, the increased service capacities (laboratory and pharmacy), as well as significant increase in the number of patients cared for TB disease by PPs during the COVID-19 pandemic, made a more compelling case to further the implementation of public-private mix model for TB care in Indonesia.
Timbral cues underlie instrument-specific absolute pitch in expert oboists
Authors: Hansen Niels Chr. , Reymore Lindsey
Published: October 2024

While absolute pitch (AP)—the ability to identify musical pitches without external reference—is rare even in professional musicians, anecdotal evidence and case-report data suggest that some musicians without traditional AP can nonetheless better name notes played on their musical instrument of expertise than notes played on instruments less familiar to them. We have called this gain in AP ability “instrument-specific absolute pitch” (ISAP). Here, we report the results of the first two experiments designed to investigate ISAP in professional oboists. In Experiment 1 (n = 40), superiority for identifying the pitch of oboe over piano tones varied along a continuum, with 37.5% of oboists demonstrating significant ISAP. Variance in accuracy across pitches was higher among ISAP-possessors than ISAP-non-possessors, suggestive of internalized timbral idiosyncrasies, and the use of timbral cues was the second-most commonly reported task strategy. For both timbres, both groups performed more accurately for pitches associated with white than black piano keys. In Experiment 2 (n = 12), oboists with ISAP were less accurate in pitch identification when oboe tones were artificially pitch-shifted. The use of timbral idiosyncrasies thus may constitute a widespread mechanism of ISAP. Motor interference, conversely, did not significantly reduce accuracy. This study offers the first evidence of ISAP among highly trained musicians and that reliance on subtle timbral (or intonational) idiosyncrasies may constitute an underlying mechanism of this ability in expert oboists. This provides a path forward for future studies extending the scientific understanding of ISAP to other instrument types, expertise levels, and musical contexts. More generally, this may deepen knowledge of specialized expertise, representing a range of implicit abilities that are not addressed directly in training, but which may develop through practice of a related skill set.
An integrate-and-fire mathematical model of sleep-wake neuronal networks in the developing mammal
Authors: Samberg Adrian J. , Schmidt Deena R.
Published: October 2024

Sleep behavior is present in nearly all animals, and is a vital part of growth, development, and overall health. Infant mammals cycle randomly between short bouts of sleep and wake, and the lengths of these bouts both follow an exponential distribution. As mammals mature into adulthood, the mean sleep and wake bout lengths increase, and we also observe a change in the distribution of wake bout lengths from exponential to power law. Focusing on three regions of the brainstem that are involved in sleep-wake regulation, we develop a novel integrate-and-fire neuronal network model to expand upon previous mathematical models of sleep-wake regulation in mammals, focusing on rats. This model allows fine control over neuronal connectivity while simultaneously increasing the size and complexity of the modeled system to make it more representative of reality. We establish a relationship between neuronal network structure and function that could explain the different sleep-wake behaviors observed in rats as they progress through development. We explore the relationship between three different neuronal populations as well as the overall network behavior of the system. We find that increasing synaptic connectivity strength between the wake-promoting region and the wake-active region accounts for the observed changes in mammalian sleep-wake patterns. This dynamic neuronal connectivity is a possible mechanism that accurately accounts for sleep-wake pattern changes observed during mammalian development.
Rhizosphere microbial community structure in high-producing, low-input switchgrass families
Authors: Stonoha-Arther Christina , Panke-Buisse Kevin , Duff Alison J. , Molodchenko Andrew , Casler Michael D.
Published: October 2024

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a native, low-input North American perennial crop primarily grown for bioenergy, livestock forage, and industrial fiber. To achieve no-input switchgrass production that meets biomass needs, several switchgrass genotypes have been identified that have a low or negative response to nitrogen fertilizer, i.e., the biomass accumulation with added nitrogen is less than or equal to that when grown without nitrogen. In order to improve the viability of low-input switchgrass production, a more detailed understanding of the biogeochemical mechanisms active in these select genotypes is needed. 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing and qPCR of key functional genes were applied to switchgrass rhizospheres to elucidate microbial community structure in high-producing, no-input switchgrass families. Rhizosphere microbial community structure differed strongly between sites, and nitrogen responsiveness.
Boosting happiness in left-behind children: Unveiling the power of physical activity through cognitive reappraisal and psychological resilience
Authors: Zhu Da , Li Yong
Published: October 2024

This study examines the mediating roles of cognitive reappraisal (CR) and psychological resilience (PR) in the relationship between physical activity (PA) and subjective well-being (SWB) among left-behind children in China. A cross-sectional design was employed to collect data from 606 students in grades 4–9. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and Adolescent Resilience Scale were used to collect data. The findings revealed a significant direct effect of PA on SWB and identified CR and PR as significant mediators in this relationship. In particular, the findings indicated that PA was associated with enhanced CR and PR, which in turn, were positively linked to SWB. The study elucidated the chain mediation pathway "PA → CR → PR → SWB," thereby underscoring the pivotal roles of CR and PR in the positive impact of PA on SWB among left-behind children. The findings indicate that PA plays a significant role in the SWB of left-behind children, with CR and PR identified as key mediators in this relationship. The study highlights the necessity of promoting PA, in conjunction with strategies to enhance CR and PR, as efficacious interventions for the enhancement of the mental health and well-being of left-behind children.
Occurrence, genetic diversity, and antimicrobial resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. in hospitalized and non-hospitalized cats in Brazil
Authors: Souza Thayanne Gabryelle Viana de , Santana Jordana Almeida , Claudino Marina Mourão Sena , Pereira Silvia Trindade , Xavier Rafael Gariglio Clark , do Amarante Victor Santos , de Castro Yasmin Gonçalves , Dorneles Elaine Maria Seles , Aburjaile Flavia Figueira , de Carvalho Vasco Ariston , Brenig Bertram , Silva Rodrigo Otávio Silveira
Published: October 2024

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococci (MRS) cause infections at various sites and exhibit multidrug resistance. Despite their importance in veterinary medicine, only little is known about Staphylococcus spp. colonizing and infecting cats. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to isolate and identify Staphylococcus spp. colonizing hospitalized and non-hospitalized domestic cats and analyze their antimicrobial resistance profiles, genetic diversity, and risk factors associated with MRS colonization. A total of 218 oral and axillary swabs were obtained from 109 cats, including 77 non-hospitalized and 32 hospitalized cats. After plating on selective media, the isolates were identified via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and rpoB and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Subsequently, antimicrobial sensitivity of the strains was assessed, and they were screened for mecA gene. Methicillin-resistant S. haemolyticus (MRSH) isolates were subjected to multilocus sequence typing, whereas methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) and S. felis isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing. S. felis was most commonly isolated from non-hospitalized cats (28.1%), whereas S. pseudintermedius and MRS were commonly isolated from hospitalized cats (25%). MRSH isolates from hospitalized animals were classified as ST3. The identified MRSP strains belonged to two well-known sequence types, ST551 and ST71. Moreover, antimicrobial use (p = 0.0001), hospitalization (p = 0.0141), and comorbidities (p = 0.002) were associated with increased MRS prevalence in cats.
Time to major adverse drug reactions and its predictors among children on antiretroviral treatment at northwest Amhara selected public hospitals northwest; Ethiopia, 2023
Authors: Tsega Bantegizie Senay , Habtamu Abebe , Wubie Moges , Telayneh Animut Takele , Endalew Bekalu , Habtegiorgis Samuel Derbie , Birhanu Molla Yigzaw , Kebede Worku Misganaw , Bishaw Keralem Anteneh
Published: October 2024

Background

Adverse drug reaction is one of the emerging challenges in antiretroviral treatment. Determining the incidence rate and predictors among children on antiretroviral treatment (ART) is essential to improve treatment outcomes and minimize harm. And also, evidence regarding the time to major adverse drug reactions and its predictors among children on antiretroviral treatment is limited in Ethiopia.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the time to major adverse drug reaction and its predictors among children on antiretroviral treatment at selected public hospitals in Northwest Amhara, Ethiopia, 2023.

Method

A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 380 children on antiretroviral treatment who enrolled from June 27, 2017, to May 31, 2022. Data was collected using a structured data extraction checklist. Data were entered into Epidata 4.6 and analyzed using STATA 14. The incidence rate of major adverse drug reactions was determined per person/months. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify predictors of major adverse drug responses. A p-value less than 0.05 with a 95% CI was used to declare statistical significance.

Result

The minimum and maximum follow-up time was 6 and 59 months, respectively. The study participants were followed for a total of 9916 person-months. The incidence rate of major adverse drug reactions was 3.5 /1000 person–months. Advanced clinical stages of HIV/AIDS (III and IV) [adjusted hazard ratio = 7.3, 95% CI: 2.74–19.60)], poor treatment adherence [adjusted hazard ratio = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.21–0.42], taking antiretroviral treatment twice and more [adjusted hazard ratio = 3.43, 955 CI: (1.26–9.33)] and not taking opportunistic infection prophylaxis [adjusted hazard ratio = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.23–0.52)] were predictors of major adverse drug reactions.

Conclusion

The incidence rate of major adverse drug reactions among children on antiretroviral treatment was congruent with studies in Ethiopia. Advanced clinical stages of HIV/AIDS, poor treatment adherence, taking antiretroviral treatment medications twice or more, and not taking opportunistic infection prophylaxis were predictors of major adverse drug reactions.
Evaluation of landscape created by erosion control dam using physiological and psychological indicators
Authors: Kim Yong-Rae , Kim Beom-Su , Kim Choyun , Lee Sang In , Cho Won-Shin , Kweon Hyeongkeun , Song Chorong , Seo Jung Il
Published: October 2024

This study demonstrated the effect of differences in the exterior of erosion control dams (ECDs) on humans. We recruited 34 university students. Participants sat 1.4 m away from the display while wearing a device for measuring heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability. They (i) took a rest while viewing a gray screen for one minute; (ii) viewed a randomly displayed image of one of the three ECDs’ images for one minute; (iii) filled out questionnaires (using the semantic differential method and a profile of mood states) for five minutes; and (iv) took a rest to wash out residual sensitivity for five minutes. The process was repeated three times with three different ECD images. No significant difference was found between the participants’ HRs measured before and while viewing the images of the three ECDs with different exterior materials, although the HRs were significantly reduced when viewing the wood-attached ECD compared with the concrete-exposed ECD. Participants perceived the concrete-exposed and stone-attached ECDs artificially, while they felt the wood-attached ECD naturally. In addition, the vigor score was significantly increased while total mood disturbance was significantly decreased when viewing the wood-attached ECD. However, there were no significant differences in other indicators, and participants’ responses to the exteriors of the ECDs were positive overall. Our findings show that people do not physiologically and psychologically perceive ECDs negatively. Therefore, securing stability against sedimentary disasters should be a priority before using the landscape elements of an ECD.
Real-world visual acuity outcomes for patients with naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration treated with aflibercept, ranibizumab, or bevacizumab in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Lee Yeo Jin , Kang Seungbum , Won Jae Yon , Roh Young Jung , Ra Ho , Lee Mee yon , Park Sung Pyo , Jee Dong Hyun
Published: October 2024

Background

To compare the visual outcomes of different anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, including aflibercept, ranibizumab, and bevacizumab, in a real-world setting in Korea.

Methods

We collected data from patients who received monotherapy using one of these three anti-VEGF drugs as naïve treatment after being diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The number of injections and visual acuity (VA) outcomes of each cohort were obtained and pairwise comparisons were performed using propensity score matching.

Results

A total of 254 aflibercept, 238 ranibizumab, and 282 bevacizumab treatment-naïve eyes were included. The mean VA change at 3 years for all cohorts combined was -1.8 letters, and the mean number of injections was 9.4. In the direct comparison of the three drugs, the mean change in the VA letter score was +2.0 letters for aflibercept and -11.7 letters for bevacizumab (P < 0.001). The number of aflibercept injections was significantly higher than the number of bevacizumab injections (P = 0.002). The visual outcomes for aflibercept and ranibizumab were +4.7 letters and -1.9 letters, respectively, and comparable results were obtained (P = 0.13). The VA outcomes for ranibizumab and bevacizumab were also not significantly different (P = 0.09). The numbers of injections for aflibercept, ranibizumab, and bevacizumab were 10.8, 6.7, and 8.8, respectively. Significant differences were observed between the injection frequencies comparisons of aflibercept and ranibizumab and ranibizumab and bevacizumab (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively).

Conclusions

In the Korean clinical medical environment, which included various confounding factors, especially socioeconomic ones, the aflibercept VA outcome was significantly better than that of bevacizumab, and aflibercept injections were the most numerous. These real-world data imply that the drug effect as well as the environment in which the drug can be sufficiently used affected patient final VA scores.
Analysis of rhizosphere fungal diversity in lavender at different planting years based on high-throughput sequencing technology
Authors: Deng Xia , Shi Renzeng , Elnour Rehab O. , Guo Zixuan , Wang Junzhu , Liu Wenwen , Li Guihua , Jiao Ziwei
Published: October 2024

Continuous cropping is a common cultivation practice in lavender cultivation, and the structure of the soil microbial community is one of the main reasons affecting the continuous cropping disorder in lavender; however, the relationship between the number of years of cultivation and inter-root microbial composition has not yet been investigated; using Illumina high-throughput sequencing we detected fungal community structure of rhizosphere soil under 1 (L1), 3 (L3), 5 (L5) and 0 (L0) years’ of lavender cultivation in Yili, Xinjiang China. The results showed that with the extension of planting years, the physical-chemical characteristics of the soil shifted, and the diversity of the fungal communities shrank, the abundance and richness of species decreased and then increased, and the phylogenetic diversity increased, The structure of the soil fungal communities varied greatly. At phylum level, dominant fungal phyla were Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, etc. At genus level, dominant genera were Gibberella, Mortierella, etc, whose absolute abundance all increased with increasing planting years (P < 0.05); redundancy analysis showed that thesoil physicochemical characteristics significantly correlated with dominant bacterial genera. The FUN Guild prediction showed that six groups of plant pathogens and plant saprotrophs changed significantly (P < 0.05), the amount of harmful bacteria in the soil increased while the amount of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungui (AMF) decreased, leading to a continuous cropping obstacle of lavender. The findings of this study provida theoretical foundation for the management of continuous cropping and the prevention fungus-related diseases in lavender.
First genetic evaluation of a wild population of Crocodylus intermedius: New insights for the recovery of a Critically Endangered species
Authors: Castillo-Rodríguez Nicolás , Saldarriaga-Gómez Ana M. , Antelo Rafael , Vargas-Ramírez Mario
Published: October 2024

During the second third of last century, the Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) underwent a hunting process driven by the demand from the North American, European, and Japanese leather industry, resulting in a sharp decline of its populations. Currently, only two known remaining populations of this Critically Endangered species persist in the Colombian Orinoquía: in the Guayabero-Duda-Lozada and the Cravo Norte-Ele-Lipa River Systems. The latter has been the only population subject of study, including recent surveys and local conservation initiatives such as egg and hatchling ranching. Despite suggestions for population recovery based on the observed increase in clutches in the area, information regarding its genetic status has been pending assessment. This research aims to provide a genetic characterization of this remaining population and to evaluate the diversity recovered during a period of the egg ranching initiative. For this purpose, we utilized variable molecular markers, specifically 17 microsatellite loci, nuclear DNA. Despite revealing intermediate levels of genetic diversity, we identified an effective population size of 11.5–17, well below the minimum values proposed for short-term subsistence. While no evidence of inbreeding was found, it is acknowledged as a potential risk based on the population’s history. Additionally, we detected a historical bottleneck possibly influenced by arid periods affecting the region since the Pleistocene. While the evaluated population presents a unique opportunity for C. intermedius conservation, it also exposes a high risk of entering the extinction vortex. The primary action to be taken is to support the egg and hatchling ranching program, which successfully recovered most of the genetic diversity present in the population.