bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A manifesto for applicable formal methods
Authors: Gleirscher Mario , van de Pol Jaco , Woodcock Jim
Published: August 2023

Recently, formal methods have been used in large industrial organisations (including AWS, Facebook/Meta, and Microsoft) and have proved to be an effective part of a software engineering process finding important bugs. Perhaps because of that, practitioners are interested in using them more often. Nevertheless, formal methods are far less applied than expected, particularly for safety-critical systems where they are strongly recommended and have the most significant potential. We hypothesise that formal methods still seem not applicable enough or ready for their intended use in such areas. In critical software engineering, what do we mean when we speak of a formal method? And what does it mean for such a method to be applicable both from a scientific and practical viewpoint? Based on what the literature tells about the first question, with this manifesto, we identify key challenges and lay out a set of guiding principles that, when followed by a formal method, give rise to its mature applicability in a given scope. Rather than exercising criticism of past developments, this manifesto strives to foster increased use of formal methods in any appropriate context to the maximum benefit.
Relative divergence of mobbing calls and songs structures in passerine birds
Authors: Dutour Mylène , Lengagne Thierry , Léna Jean-Paul
Published: August 2023

Divergence and convergence in acoustic signals may be driven by different processes. Uncertainty about which of these processes best explains the patterns of acoustic variation between species has fuelled a long-standing debate in evolutionary biology. In particular, the features of acoustic signals are expected to vary according to their functional support. To compare the relative divergence of vocalizations according to their function, we examine two types of signals within 23 bird species, whilst controlling for species size, phylogeny and within-species variation: (i) mobbing calls emitted to recruit both conspecifics and heterospecifics against a predator and (ii) territorial songs, a signal playing an important role in sexual and social communication. We found that divergence of acoustic features varies according to their function (mobbing calls vs. territorial songs). Furthermore, species size influences spectral features, while phylogeny explained acoustic variation in only one of the variables measured: note richness. Finally, our results reveal that the acoustic characteristics can vary greatly within species, regardless of the vocalization type, indicating that such variations cannot be ignored when performing comparative analyses across species.
Heterogeneity in Unmet Treatment Need and Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Services Among U.S. Military Service Members with Serious Psychological Distress
Authors: Dunbar Michael S. , Breslau Joshua , Collins Rebecca , Beckman Robin , Engel Charles C.
Published: August 2023

The goal of the current study is to examine heterogeneity in mental health treatment utilization, perceived unmet treatment need, and barriers to accessing care among U.S. military members with probable need for treatment. Using data from the 2018 Department of Defense Health Related Behavior Survey, we examined a subsample of 2,336 respondents with serious psychological distress (SPD; past-year K6 score ≥ 13) and defined four mutually exclusive groups based on past-year mental health treatment (treated, untreated) and self-perceived unmet treatment need (recognized, unrecognized). We used chi-square tests and adjusted regression models to compare groups on sociodemographic factors, impairment (K6 score; lost work days), and endorsement of treatment barriers. Approximately 43% of respondents with SPD reported past-year treatment and no unmet need (Needs Met). The remainder (57%) met criteria for unmet need: 18% endorsed treatment and recognized unmet need (Treated/Additional Need); 7% reported no treatment and recognized unmet need (Untreated/Recognized Need); and 32% reported no treatment and no unmet need (Untreated/Unrecognized Need). Compared to other groups, those with Untreated/Unrecognized Need tended to be younger (ages 18–24; p = 0.0002) and never married (p = 0.003). The Treated/Additional Need and Untreated/Recognized Need groups showed similar patterns of treatment barrier endorsement, whereas the Untreated/Unrecognized Need group endorsed nearly all barriers at lower rates. Different strategies may be needed to increase appropriate mental health service use among different subgroups of service members with unmet treatment need, particularly those who may not self-perceive need for treatment.
Organisational Actions for Improving Recognition, Integration and Acceptance of Peer Support as Identified by a Current Peer Workforce
Authors: Reeves Verity , Loughhead Mark , Halpin Matthew Anthony , Procter Nicholas
Published: August 2023

Recovery-orientated practice is crucial to mental health care services—consistently identified in policy, service delivery guidelines and national mental health action plans. An essential component to systems reform and the adoption of recovery-orientated practice is the inclusion of peer support workers as practice leaders to support shifting culture in mental health service delivery. Designated peer support roles operate as healthcare professionals who utilise their lived and living experience of mental health difficulty to support those on their recovery journey through mutual understanding of shared experience. This research sought to explore the experiences of peer support workers integrating into mental health teams and identify organisational actions to facilitate successful recognition, integration and acceptance by colleagues; therefore, promoting sustainability of the peer support role. Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 18 peer support workers employed across four Australian states within 12 different government and non-government organisations. Study findings reveal three key areas for organisational change with seven main themes to assist organisations to better facilitate the successful integration of peer support workers into mental health service teams. These included robust induction, training for existing staff, clear referral pathways into the service, consistent supervision and debriefing, leadership support, professional development pathways and involving peer workers through change processes. These themes were grouped into three key areas for change including preparation, process and structural changes, and cultural change actions for sustainability. This article makes recommendations for organisations to consider when implementing peer support roles into mental health services.
How to do robots with words: a performative view of the moral status of humans and nonhumans
Authors: Coeckelbergh Mark
Published: August 2023

Moral status arguments are typically formulated as descriptive statements that tell us something about the world. But philosophy of language teaches us that language can also be used performatively: we do things with words and use words to try to get others to do things. Does and should this theory extend to what we say about moral status, and what does it mean? Drawing on Austin, Searle, and Butler and further developing relational views of moral status, this article explores what it means to conceptualize moral status in a performative way and in a way that reaches deep down to its basis, proposes a distinction between strong and weak versions of this view, and discusses the implications for thinking about the moral status of humans and nonhumans. Next to contributing to theory about performativity in the moral domain in general, this effort helps to reveal, understand, and evaluate the performative dimension of utterances made in public discussions about the moral status of animals and artificial agents such as robots and artificial intelligence.
Video Analytics in Digital Learning Environments: Exploring Student Behaviour Across Different Learning Contexts
Authors: Khalil Mohammad , Topali Paraskevi , Ortega-Arranz Alejandro , Er Erkan , Akçapınar Gökhan , Belokrys Gleb
Published: August 2023

The use of videos in teaching has gained impetus in recent years, especially after the increased attention towards remote learning. Understanding students’ video-related behaviour through learning (and video) analytics can offer instructors significant potential to intervene and enhance course designs. Previous studies explored students’ video engagement to reveal learning patterns and identify at-risk students. However, the focus has been mostly placed on single contexts, and therefore, limited insights have been offered about the differences and commonalities between different learning settings. To that end, the current paper explored student video engagement in three disparate contexts. Following a case study research approach, we uncovered the commonalities and differences of video engagement in the context of SPOC, MOOC, and an undergraduate university course. The findings offer a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of students’ video-related engagement and shed light into several key aspects related to video analytics that should be considered during the design of video-based learning (e.g., learning objectives in relation to video type or context). Additionally, the three cases indicated the important role of the content type, the length, and the aim of the video on students’ engagement. Further implications of the work are also discussed in the paper.
Mathematical knowledge for teaching and mathematics didactic knowledge: a comparative study
Authors: Scheiner Thorsten , Buchholtz Nils , Kaiser Gabriele
Published: August 2023

This paper compares and contrasts two approaches that are widely used in the English- and German-speaking discourse on mathematics teacher knowledge: ‘mathematical knowledge for teaching’ and ‘mathematics didactic knowledge’. It is proposed that these constructs are based on distinct theoretical and conceptual positions and origins. Mathematical knowledge for teaching is viewed as a utilitarian-pragmatic approach rooted in English-speaking traditions as it focuses on its use in teaching and represents a practice-based conceptualization of knowledge domains required for mathematics teaching. Mathematics didactic knowledge, on the other hand, is considered normative-descriptive as it is formulated based on didactic principles and broader theoretical perspectives, providing a theory-driven conceptualization of knowledge domains rooted in traditions of German-speaking didactics of mathematics. The paper further highlights similarities and differences in these two constructs through an examination of two central knowledge domains: specialized content knowledge (part of mathematical knowledge for teaching) and subject matter didactic knowledge (part of mathematics didactic knowledge).
High imperceptibility and robustness watermarking scheme for brain MRI using Slantlet transform coupled with enhanced knight tour algorithm
Authors: Kolivand Hoshang , Wee Tan Chi , Asadianfam Shiva , Rahim Mohd Shafry , Sulong Ghazali
Published: August 2023

This research introduces a novel and robust watermarking scheme for medical Brain MRI DICOM images, addressing the challenge of maintaining high imperceptibility and robustness simultaneously. The scheme ensures privacy control, content authentication, and protection against the detachment of vital Electronic Patient Record information. To enhance imperceptibility, a Dynamic Visibility Threshold parameter leveraging the Human Visual System is introduced. Embeddable Zones and Non-Embeddable Zones are defined to enhance robustness, and an enhanced Knight Tour algorithm based on Slantlet Transform shuffles the embedding sequence for added security. The scheme achieves remarkable results with a Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) evaluation surpassing contemporary techniques. Extensive experimentation demonstrates resilience to various attacks, with low Bit Error Rate (BER) and high Normalized Cross-Correlation (NCC) values. The proposed technique outperforms existing methods, emphasizing its superior performance and effectiveness in medical image watermarking.
Let Us Talk Money: Subjectively Reported Financial Performance of People Living with Neurodegenerative Diseases—A Systematic Review
Authors: Ariesen Akke-Marij D. , Tuomainen Roosa E. , De Deyn Peter P. , Tucha Oliver , Koerts Janneke
Published: August 2023

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) form a heterogeneous, widespread group of disorders, generally characterized by progressive cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric disturbances. One of the abilities that seems particularly vulnerable to the impairments in neurodegenerative diseases is the capability to manage one’s personal finances. Indeed, people living with neurodegenerative diseases were shown to consistently present with more problems on performance-based financial tasks than healthy individuals. While objective, performance-based tasks provide insight into the financial competence of people living with neurodegenerative diseases in a controlled, standardized setting; relatively little can be said, based on these tasks, about their degree of success in dealing with the financial demands, issues, or questions of everyday life (i.e., financial performance). The aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the literature examining self and informant reports of financial performance in people living with neurodegenerative diseases. In total, 22 studies were included that compared the financial performance of people living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis to a (cognitively) normal control group. Overall, the results indicate that people living with neurodegenerative diseases are more vulnerable to impairments in financial performance than cognitively normal individuals and that the degree of reported problems seems to be related to the severity of cognitive decline. As the majority of studies however focused on MCI or AD and made use of limited assessment methods, future research should aim to develop and adopt more comprehensive assessments to study strengths and weaknesses in financial performance of people living with different neurodegenerative diseases.
Gradient Organization of Space, Time, and Numbers in the Brain: A Meta-analysis of Neuroimaging Studies
Authors: Cona Giorgia , Wiener Martin , Allegrini Francesco , Scarpazza Cristina
Published: August 2023

In this study, we ran a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies to pinpoint the neural regions that are commonly activated across space, time, and numerosity, and we tested the existence of gradient transitions among these magnitude representations in the brain. Following PRISMA guidelines, we included in the meta-analysis 112 experiments (for space domain), 114 experiments (time domain), and 115 experiments (numerosity domain), and we used the activation likelihood estimation method. We found a system of brain regions that was commonly recruited in all the three magnitudes, which included bilateral insula, the supplementary motor area (SMA), the right inferior frontal gyrus, and bilateral intraparietal sulci. Gradiental transitions between different magnitudes were found along all these regions but insulae, with space and numbers leading to gradients mainly over parietal regions (and SMA) whereas time and numbers mainly over frontal regions. These findings provide evidence for the GradiATOM theory (Gradient Theory of Magnitude), suggesting that spatial proximity given by overlapping activations and gradients is a key aspect for efficient interactions and integrations among magnitudes.
Haptic realism for neuroscience
Authors: Chirimuuta M.
Published: August 2023

Recent work in philosophy of science has shown how the challenges posed by extremely complex systems require that scientists employ a range of modelling strategies, leading to partial perspectives that make apparently conflicting claims about the target (Mitchell 2009b, Longino 2013). The brain is of course extremely complex, and the same arguments apply here. In this paper I present a variety of perspectivism called haptic realism. This account foregrounds the process by which the instrumental goals of neuroscience shape the way that objects of investigation are probed experimentally and conceptualised through modelling. Because such models do not aim to represent their targets exactly as they are, but in ways that are most useful for the investigators, the models should not be interpreted as literal descriptions of neural systems. Scientific realism traditionally involves a semantic commitment to interpreting theories and models as literal descriptions of human-independent nature. Haptic realism makes a significant departure from this tradition. Haptic realism also calls us to reassess the ontological commitments and knowledge claims of neuroscientific models and theories.
Novel Hybrid Machine Learning Algorithms for Lakes Evaporation and Power Production using Floating Semitransparent Polymer Solar Cells
Authors: Abd-Elaty Ismail , Kushwaha N. L. , Patel Abhishek
Published: August 2023

The present study predicts the future evaporation losses by applying novel hybrid Machine Learning Algorithms (MLA). Water resources management is achieved by covering the reservoir water surface with floating semitransparent polymer solar cells. The energy produced by these panels will be used in the irrigation activities. The study is applied for the mass water body of Nasser Lake, Egypt and Sudan. Five MLAs namely additive regression (AR), AR-random subspace (AR-RSS), AR-M5Pruned (AR-M5P), AR-reduced error pruning tree (AR-REPTree), and AR- support vector machine (AR-SVM) were developed and evaluated for predicting future evaporation losses in the years 2030, 2050, and 2070. The study concludes that the hybrid AR-M5P ML model was not only superior to the AR model alone but also outperformed other hybrid models such as AR-RSS and AR-REPTree. The expected total annual water saving are projected to reach 3.47 billion cubic meters (BCM), 3.68 and 3.90 BCM, while the total annual power production is observed to be 1389 × 109 Megawatt (MW), 1535 × 109 MW and 1795 × 109 MW in the years 2030, 2050 and 2070, respectively. These results were achieved by covering the shallow water depths from contour level 0 m to 10 m below the surface water level. Additionally, this study shows the ability of using MLAs in the estimation of reservoir evaporation and addressing the water shortages in high stress regions.

Graphical Abstract
Occurrence of Unapproved Pesticides and their Ecotoxicological Significance for an Agriculturally Influenced Reservoir and its Tributaries in Nepal
Authors: Acharya Suman , Upadhayay Hari Ram , Houbraken Michael , Bajracharya Roshan Man , Spanoghe Pieter
Published: August 2023

Many catchments in Nepal are affected by intensive agricultural activities, leading to extensive pesticide usages. This study aimed to assess pesticide abundance in concurrently collected water, sediment and fish samples for the first time in intensively cultivated catchment (Indra Sarowar) located in the mid-hill region of Nepal during the rice and vegetables growing season. A total of 75 pesticides were analysed, of which 4 pesticides (alachlor, diuron, metalaxyl and pyrimethanil) were present in water with detection frequency (DF) > 40%, with alachlor (0.62 – 2.68 µg L−1) being ubiquitous. In the sediment of tributaries, the pesticides p,p′-DDT, β-HCH, alachlor and diuron were detected with DF exceeding 40%, where β-HCH was commonly observed (DF = 92%) with concentration ranging from 6.29 – 99.22 µg kg−1. The ecotoxicological risk indicated that herbicides (alachlor and diuron) posed a high risk to aquatic organisms in both tributaries and reservoir water. Such risk in sediment was even more pronounced, with alachlor and diuron showing up to 2.3 and 53.7 times higher risk respectively compared to water samples. However, none of these herbicides were detected in fish muscles. Among the fish species studied, pyrimethanil was the only quantified pesticide in edible tissue of both cage cultured (0.35 – 1.80 µg g−1 ww) and open stock fishes (0.06 – 1.12 µg g−1 ww). The consumer risk assessment showed very low human health risk associated with fish consumption (HQ < 0.2). Nonetheless, long-term consumption of contaminated fish may pose some risk that cannot be ignored. Overall, this study generated the benchmark data highlighting pervasive presence of banned (DDT, endosulfan, HCH) and unapproved (alachlor, diuron, pyrimethanil) pesticides in the environmental compartments in the mid-hill’s streams of Nepal.

Graphical Abstract
Bio-Sustainable Alternatives Synthesis of Nanoporous Activated Carbon @Al-MOF for the Adsorption of Hazardous Organic Dyes from Wastewater
Authors: Abd El Salam H. M.
Published: August 2023

The disposal of textile pollutants tainted by soluble organic dyes into the water without proper treatment may adversely impact the aquatic environment, humans, plants, and animals due to their toxic nature. As a result, the goal of this work is to look into the adsorptive removal of Eriochrome Black T (EBT) dye (as a model of soluble anionic organic dyes) from aqueous solution using a green synthesis nanoporous activated carbon @ Aluminum based metal–organic frameworks (AC@Al-MOFs) from a lemon peel waste as an inexpensive biosorbent. The physicochemical properties of Al-MOF and AC@Al-MOF composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the impact of varied parameters on adsorption efficiency of Eriochrome Black T (EBT) including pH, dye concentrations, contact time and adsorbent dose, was examined. The experimental isotherms data were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equations. The best fit was obtained by the Langmuir model with high correlation coefficients (R2 = 0.9976) with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 303.0 mg/g. The results suggest that AC@Al-MOF composite is a potential choice for removing EBT dye molecules from aqueous media.

Graphical Abstract
Temporal variation in the spectrum and concentration of airborne microalgae and cyanobacteria in the urban environments of inland temperate climate
Authors: Žilka Matúš , Tropeková Mária , Zahradníková Eva , Kováčik Ľubomír , Ščevková Jana
Published: August 2023

Despite their non-negligible representation among the airborne bioparticles and known allergenicity, autotrophic microorganisms—microalgae and cyanobacteria—are not commonly reported or studied by aerobiological monitoring stations due to the challenging identification in their desiccated and fragmented state. Using a gravimetric method with open plates at the same time as Hirst-type volumetric bioparticle sampler, we were able to cultivate the autotrophic microorganisms and use it as a reference for correct retrospective identification of the microalgae and cyanobacteria captured by the volumetric trap. Only in this way, reliable data on their presence in the air of a given area can be obtained and analysed with regard to their temporal variation and environmental factors. We gained these data for an inland temperate region over 3 years (2018, 2020–2021), identifying the microalgal genera Bracteacoccus, Desmococcus, Geminella, Chlorella, Klebsormidium, and Stichococcus (Chlorophyta) and cyanobacterium Nostoc in the volumetric trap samples and three more in the cultivated samples. The mean annual concentration recorded over 3 years was 19,182 cells*day/m3, with the greatest contribution from the genus Bracteacoccus (57%). Unlike some other bioparticles like pollen grains, autotrophic microorganisms were present in the samples over the course of the whole year, with greatest abundance in February and April. The peak daily concentration reached the highest value (1011 cells/m3) in 2021, while the mean daily concentration during the three analysed years was 56 cells/m3. The analysis of intra-diurnal patterns showed their increased presence in daylight hours, with a peak between 2 and 4 p.m. for most genera, which is especially important due to their potential to trigger allergy symptoms. From the environmental factors, wind speed had a most significant positive association with their concentration, while relative air humidity had a negative influence.
Teachers’ judgment accuracy of students’ monitoring skills: a conceptual and methodological framework and explorative study
Authors: van de Pol Janneke , Oudman Sophie
Published: August 2023

Teachers’ ability to accurately judge students’ monitoring skills is important as it enables teachers to help students becoming better self-regulated learners. Yet, there is hardly any research on this crucial teacher skill and a framework is missing. We present a novel conceptual and methodological framework integrating teachers’ judgments of students’ monitoring skills with teachers’ judgments of students’ performance and students’ judgments of their own performance. Using this framework, we explored teachers’ ability to judge students’ monitoring skills and students’ performance. Secondary education teachers judged their own students’ performance and monitoring on a reading comprehension test (Nteachers = 46; Nstudents = 406). Teachers’ judgments of students’ judgment accuracy deviated 14.33% from the actual accuracy of students’ own monitoring judgments, with a tendency to underestimate their students’ monitoring accuracy. Teachers’ judgments of students’ performance deviated 21.96% from students’ actual performance, with a tendency to overestimate students’ performance. So-called performance cues—pieces of information pertaining to students’ prior knowledge and skills relevant to the performance task—appeared predictive or diagnostic both for students’ performance and for students’ monitoring judgments. When making accurate judgments, teachers used diagnostic cues to a greater extent than when making inaccurate judgments. Yet, when making accurate judgments, teachers also used two non-diagnostic cues (students’ IQ and self-concept regarding reading comprehension). To further improve teachers’ ability to accurately judge students’ monitoring, it may be worthwhile to help teachers ignore non-diagnostic cues.
Two years of COVID-19 outbreaks in residential care facilities: quantifying workload impact of outbreak control activities on a regional public health team in Ireland, March 2020 to March 2022
Authors: Carey Cian , O’Sullivan Margaret , O’Mahony Mary , Sheahan Anne , Barrett Peter
Published: August 2023

Background

Ireland, like many countries, pursued a containment strategy during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multidisciplinary Outbreak Control Team (OCT) meetings were among the urgent measures used by public health teams in managing COVID-19 outbreaks, especially in high-risk settings.

Aim

To describe and quantify the resources and person-time involved in managing outbreaks, and conducting OCT meetings, in older person Residential Care Facilities (RCF) in an Irish regional Department of Public Health (DePH) during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

All COVID-19 RCF outbreaks managed by the DePH HSE-South between March 2020 and March 2022 were identified. Data pertaining to each outbreak, including details of any OCT meetings (frequency, membership, duration) were extracted. Clinical staff members of the DePH were surveyed regarding their time spent on RCF outbreak management.

Results

Two hundred twenty-four outbreaks in older persons RCFs occurred between March 2020 and March 2022 in Cork and Kerry, accounting for 4211 COVID-19 resident/staff cases and 263 resident COVID deaths. One hundred twenty (53.5%) of the outbreaks required at least one OCT meeting, with 374 OCT meetings held in total (range 1–29 meetings per outbreak). Approximately 1819 hours were spent by clinical public health staff on RCF outbreak-related work.

Conclusions

While substantial DePH resources were required to manage COVID-19 outbreaks in older person RCFs, it is highly likely that these efforts prevented new infections within RCFs and thus reduced hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths. This sustained input placed a significant burden on the wider multidisciplinary public health team, and it affected the department’s capacity to deal with competing health threats and priorities. Future pandemic preparedness requires commensurate resource planning for public health teams.
Impaired Removal of the Damaged Mitochondria in the Metabolic Memory Phenomenon Associated with Continued Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Kowluru Renu A. , Mohammad Ghulam , Kumar Jay
Published: August 2023

Retinopathy fails to halt even after diabetic patients in poor glycemic control try to institute tight glycemic control, suggesting a “metabolic memory” phenomenon, and the experimental models have demonstrated that mitochondria continue to be damaged/dysfunctional, fueling into the vicious cycle of free radicals. Our aim was to investigate the role of removal of the damaged mitochondria in the metabolic memory. Using human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs), incubated in 20 mM D-glucose for 4 days, followed by 5 mM D-glucose for 4 additional days, mitochondrial turnover, formation of mitophagosome, and mitophagy flux were evaluated. Mitophagy was confirmed in a rat model of metabolic memory where the rats were kept in poor glycemic control (blood glucose ~ 400 mg/dl) for 3 months soon after induction of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, followed by 3 additional months of good control (BG < 150 mg/dl). Reversal of high glucose by normal glucose had no effect on mitochondrial turnover and mitophagosome formation, and mitophagy flux remained compromised. Similarly, 3 months of good glycemic control in rats, which had followed 3 months of poor glycemic control, had no effect on mitophagy flux. Thus, poor turnover/removal of the damaged mitochondria, initiated during poor glycemic control, does not benefit from the termination of hyperglycemic insult, and the damaged mitochondria continue to produce free radicals, suggesting the importance of mitophagy in the metabolic memory phenomenon associated with the continued progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Exploring the capability of high-resolution satellite data in delineating the potential distribution of common invasive alien plant species in the Tshivhase Tea Estate
Authors: Nembambula Fhulufhedzani , Malahlela Oupa E. , Mugwedi Lutendo
Published: August 2023

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) continue to exert significant impacts on agriculture in many countries, resulting in food insecurity. IAPs reduce agricultural production through competition and parasitism with planted crops. More recently, the IAPs continue to extend their plasticity to tea plantations, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. This study thus aimed at exploring the potential of SPOT 7 and Sentinel 2 satellite data in mapping the occurrence and co-occurrence of three common IAPs Solanum mauritianum, Lantana camara, and Chromolaena odorata in the Tshivhase Tea Estate in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The stepwise logistic regression models were generated for Solanum mauritianum and Lantana camara occurrence as well as the observed and conditional co-occurrence probability of S. mauritianum (P1), L. camara (P2) and C. odorata (P3). From the remote sensing indices, the Brightness Index (BI) was significant in most SPOT 7 stepwise logistic regression models at p<0.05 whereas the blue, red, and near infrared (NIR) bands and standard deviation (STDv) variables were significant at p<0.05 in most of the Sentinel 2 models. The SPOT 7 model performed Sentinel-2 models, thus resulting in the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96 for the conditional co-occurrence of S. mauritianum (P1) and L. camara (P2). The Sentinel 2 model yielded an AUC of 0.83. The SPOT 7 model performed superior in mapping the conditional co-occurrence of S. mauritianum and L. camara than the Sentinel 2 model. These results suggest that high spatial resolution satellite images like SPOT 7 can delineate the potential distribution of IAPs in the tea plantation and thus assisting in management strategies geared towards IAP’s elimination and control.
An approach to evaluating the impact of contaminants on flux deposition in gas turbines
Authors: Mori Stefano , Mendil Mathilde , Wells Jonathan , Chapman Neil , Simms Nigel , Wells Roger , Sumner Joy
Published: August 2023

Gas turbines are a key part of many countries’ power generation portfolios, but components such as blades can suffer from hot corrosion attack, which can decrease component lifetimes. Corrosion is driven by impurity levels in the fuel and air (e.g., species containing sulphur and/or alkali metals) and depends on environmental conditions (e.g., air pollution, seawater droplets), that can lead to formation of harmful species in the gas. Understanding and determining the deposition flux of such contaminants is crucial for understanding the problem. Thermodynamic simulations were used to determine types and amounts of potentially corrosive contaminants, this was followed by deposition fluxes calculations. An operating scenario, based upon an offshore platform was evaluated. The effectiveness of different filtration systems has been evaluated. The impurity levels of alkali metals, such as sodium, greatly impacts the calculated deposition flux of species linked to corrosion attack. The presence of Na2SO4, and K2SO4 was found, at temperature representative of stage 2 nozzle guide vanes. Lowering sulphur input (from fuel or air) can be an efficient way to decrease deposition, attention must also be paid to lowering the amount of alkali metal entering the gas turbine, which can be lowered by the filtration systems’ correct use.
Using TODIM decision method to control saltwater intrusion by numerical simulation approach (study area: Nowshahr-Nur aquifer)
Authors: Alizadeh Farshid , Saeedpanah Iraj , Kardan Moghaddam Hamid
Published: August 2023

Over-pumping of aquifers and lack of planning for the water resources, and allocation system in coastal aquifers, in addition to minor problems, disturb the ecological balance. This type of exploitation reduces the groundwater level and the hydraulic gradient in the coastal strip and, due to the higher density of saline water, includes the invasion of saline water and salinization of groundwater resources. Due to population growth, migration, drought, and over-pumping in the southern part of the Caspian Sea, this issue has disturbed the balance of groundwater resources, and most of the coastline has been associated with increasing solute concentrations. Accordingly, in this study, using the SEAWAT code, the intrusion of saltwater in the Nowshahr-Nur aquifer has been simulated, and the results analyzed, which showed that in the current situation, saline water intrusion spreads a wide width of 862 m from the aquifer. To control the current situation of saline water invasion in the coastal strip, seven treatment strategies were simulated and the TODIM decision-making method was used to prioritize. For this purpose, four criteria of economic, social, environmental, and groundwater level improvement were selected for decision-making and weighed by hierarchical analysis. The weighting results showed that the criterion for improving the groundwater level with a weight of 0.311 is the most important. Based on the weighting of the criteria, the strategies were prioritized and the results showed that a 20% reduction in aquifer abstraction by combining the construction of an underground barrier was selected as a solution to control the invasion of short water. The results of this solution showed that 317 m of saline water backflow will arise in the Nowshahr-Nur aquifer.
Probabilistic estimation of hydraulic fracture half-lengths: validating the Gaussian pressure-transient method with the traditional rate transient analysis-method (Wolfcamp case study)
Authors: Alvayed Dandi , Khalid Mohammed Sofian Ali , Dafaalla Moaz , Ali Ahmed , Ibrahim Ahmed Farid , Weijermars Ruud
Published: August 2023

Despite significant advancements in geomodelling technologies, accurately estimating hydraulic fracture half-length remains a challenging task. This paper introduces a detailed estimation approach using the Gaussian Pressure Transient (GPT) method, which is relatively new. The GPT method is iterative, ensuring fast convergence and providing reliable estimations of hydraulic fracture half-length based on a predetermined hydraulic diffusivity value obtained from Gaussian Decline Curve Analysis (DCA). To validate the GPT results, production data from two case study wells in the Wolfcamp Shale Formation, located in the Midland Basin of West Texas, are utilized alongside the traditional Rate-Transient Analysis (RTA) method. Moreover, the GPT method offers the capability to probabilistically estimate hydraulic fracture half-lengths, presenting two innovative approaches to evaluate the robustness of this newly developed method for both deterministic and probabilistic estimations. The simulation results demonstrate a close correlation between the Gaussian method and micro-seismic fracture half-lengths, with separate confirmation from the classic RTA-method. Through the case studies presented in this paper, the GPT-method showcases its utility in estimating hydraulic fracture half-lengths for two Wolfcamp case study wells, effectively demonstrating the validity and practical applicability of this novel method.
Identification in dynamic binary choice models
Authors: Chamberlain Gary
Published: August 2023

This paper studies identification in a binary choice panel data model with choice probabilities depending on a lagged outcome, additional observed regressors and an unobserved unit-specific effect. It is shown that with two consecutive periods of data identification is not possible (in a neighborhood of zero), even in the logistic case.
On subspaces of spaces $$C_p(X)$$ isomorphic to spaces $$c_{0}$$ and $$\ell _{q}$$ with the topology induced from $$\mathbb {R}^{\mathbb {N}}$$
Authors: Ka̧kol Jerzy , Molto Anibal , Śliwa Wiesław
Published: August 2023

The linear space of all continuous real-valued functions on a Tychonoff space X with the pointwise topology (induced from the product space $$\mathbb {R}^X$$

R

X

) is denoted by $$C_p(X).$$

C
p

(
X
)

.

In this paper we continue the systematic study of sequences spaces $$c_{0}$$

c
0

and $$\ell _{q}$$

ℓ
q

(for $$0<q\le \infty $$

0
<
q
≤
∞

) with the topology induced from $$\mathbb {R}^{\mathbb {N}}$$

R

N

(denoted by $$(c_{0})_p$$

(

c
0

)

p

and $$(\ell _{q})_{p}$$

(

ℓ
q

)

p

, respectively) and their role in the theory of $$C_p(X)$$

C
p

(
X
)

spaces. For every infinite Tychonoff space X we construct a subspace F of $$C_p(X)$$

C
p

(
X
)

that is isomorphic to $$(c_{0})_p$$

(

c
0

)

p

; if X contains an infinite compact subset, then the copy F of $$(c_{0})_p$$

(

c
0

)

p

is closed in $$C_p(X)$$

C
p

(
X
)

. It follows that $$C_p(X)$$

C
p

(
X
)

contains a copy of $$(\ell _{q})_{p}$$

(

ℓ
q

)

p

for every $$0<q\le \infty $$

0
<
q
≤
∞

. We prove that for any infinite compact space X the space $$C_p(X)$$

C
p

(
X
)

contains no closed copy of $$(\ell _{q})_{p}$$

(

ℓ
q

)

p

for $$q\in (0, 1]\cup \{\infty \}$$

q
∈
(
0
,
1
]
∪
{
∞
}

and no complemented copy for $$0<q\le \infty $$

0
<
q
≤
∞

. Relation with results of Talagrand, Haydon, Levy and Odell will be also discussed. Examples and open problems will be provided.
Cognitive Remediation for Impulsivity in Addictive Disorders: Review of Current Evidence and Future Directions
Authors: Anderson Alexandra C. , Verdejo-Garcia Antonio
Published: August 2023

Purpose of Review

Impulsivity is a core feature underpinning addictive disorders linked to difficulties achieving and sustaining treatment goals. Cognitive remediation is a promising adjunct intervention approach to improve impulse control in addictive disorders, although evidence is still preliminary. This review summarizes available evidence and discusses opportunities to enhance the development and delivery of future interventions.

Recent Findings

We identified six studies that delivered cognitive remediation and assessed state impulsivity in substance use disorders. There was substantial heterogeneity in the intervention ingredients and delivery approaches. We identified key opportunities to enhance future cognitive remediation studies, including (1) co-designing interventions, (2) incorporating specific impulsivity training strategies, (3) increasing opportunities to practice skills, (4) supporting skill transfer to everyday settings, and (5) demonstrating clinician compassion.

Researchers should work alongside frontline clinicians and clients with addictive disorders to enhance the potential benefit of cognitive remediation interventions prior to high-quality trials.
Multi-attribute group decision-making based on intuitionistic fuzzy aggregation operators defined by weighted geometric means
Authors: Alcantud José Carlos R.
Published: August 2023

This paper proposes a multi-attribute group decision-making methodology that takes advantage of a new weighted geometric mean aggregation operator on intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs). To this purpose, first, we define the intuitionistic fuzzy direct weighted geometric operator on IFNs, then we prove that it is a representable intuitionistic aggregation operator, and afterwards, we compare it with other aggregation operators motivated by the geometric mean. We use two proxies for the quantitative comparison of performances, namely the average of the Euclidean distances to the IFNs and the sum of squared error inspired by the k-means clustering algorithm.
Human-Workspace Interaction: prior research efforts and future challenges for supporting knowledge workers
Authors: Fujita Kazuyuki , Takashima Kazuki , Itoh Yuichi , Kitamura Yoshifumi
Published: August 2023

Research efforts have previously explored various components of physical/virtual workspaces that adaptively interact with knowledge workers in order to support them in their work. In this paper, we propose an encompassing framework for these efforts, which we refer to as Human-Workspace Interaction (HWI), with the goal of increasing awareness and understanding of the research area and encouraging its further development. Specifically, we present a taxonomy of HWI focusing on the types of components, research approaches, interaction targets and objectives, and then review the prior research efforts over the past two decades based on these criteria. Finally, we discuss challenges to further advance the development of HWI and future prospects, taking into account the impact of the societal changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Konx: cross-resolution image quality assessment
Authors: Wiedemann Oliver , Hosu Vlad , Su Shaolin , Saupe Dietmar
Published: August 2023

Scale-invariance is an open problem in many computer vision subfields. For example, object labels should remain constant across scales, yet model predictions diverge in many cases. This problem gets harder for tasks where the ground-truth labels change with the presentation scale. In image quality assessment (IQA), down-sampling attenuates impairments, e.g., blurs or compression artifacts, which can positively affect the impression evoked in subjective studies. To accurately predict perceptual image quality, cross-resolution IQA methods must therefore account for resolution-dependent discrepancies induced by model inadequacies as well as for the perceptual label shifts in the ground truth. We present the first study of its kind that disentangles and examines the two issues separately via KonX, a novel, carefully crafted cross-resolution IQA database. This paper contributes the following: 1. Through KonX, we provide empirical evidence of label shifts caused by changes in the presentation resolution. 2. We show that objective IQA methods have a scale bias, which reduces their predictive performance. 3. We propose a multi-scale and multi-column deep neural network architecture that improves performance over previous state-of-the-art IQA models for this task. We thus both raise and address a novel research problem in image quality assessment.
Landau damping and particle trapping in the quantum regime
Authors: Mendonça J. Tito
Published: August 2023

We review research on electron plasma waves and Landau damping in the quantum regime. Quantum kinetic equations are also briefly reviewed. Particle trapping, harmonic fields, Volkov states in plasmas and other nonlinear effects are discussed. Furthermore, we show that quantum plasma models can be applied to classical plasmas. This includes photon Landau damping and quasiparticle turbulence, with a variety of applications from laser accelerators to space physics, and to particle confinement in magnetic fusion devices. Finally, the case of plasma behaviour in laser-cooled atoms is discussed. We show that the concept of quantum Landau damping is relevant, not only to quantum plasmas, but also to many problems in classical plasmas, and to ultracold matter where plasma models can be applied.
Maternal Underweight is Associated with Lower Fracture Risk after Pregnancy: A Nationwide Register-Based Study in Finland
Authors: Vaajala Matias , Liukkonen Rasmus , Kuitunen Ilari , Ponkilainen Ville , Mattila Ville M.
Published: August 2023

Lower body mass index (BMI) is associated with a higher risk for osteoporotic fractures in the postmenopausal population. However, in the fertile-aged population, the association between BMI and risk for fracture is not well studied. Our aim, therefore, is to investigate whether lower BMI (<18.5 kg/m2) affects the risk for fractures requiring hospitalization after delivery in fertile-aged women when compared to women of normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2). In this nationwide registry-based cohort study, all pregnancies were gathered from the National Medical Birth Register. The data were linked with data from the Care Register for Health Care, which includes information of all fractures leading to hospitalization or treated as outpatients for fertile-aged females (15–49 years), for the period 2004–2018. The annual rate of pregnancies with maternal pre-pregnancy underweight in a high-income country was calculated. Cox regression was used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) of lower BMI for the risk for fracture within 5 years after delivery. The association between the risk of fracture and continuous BMI was assessed using logistic regression and presented with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% CIs. In total, 20,784 women were included in the underweight group and 344,753 in the normal weight group. Women in the underweight group had a lower overall risk for any fractures during the 5-year follow-up (aHR 0.75, CI 0.61–0.94). The odds for all fractures (aOR 1.07, CI 1.04–1.09 per BMI-unit upwards for all fractures) increased as pre-pregnancy BMI increased. Despite previous findings of a higher risk for fractures for underweight patients in the older population, the risk for fractures after pregnancy was lower among fertile-aged women with lower BMI.