bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relative performance of Bayesian morphological clock and parsimony methods for phylogenetic reconstructions: Insights from the case of Myomiminae and Dryomyinae glirid rodents
Authors: Dalmasso Andrea , Peláez‐Campomanes Pablo , López‐Antoñanzas Raquel
Published: August 2022

Extinct organisms provide crucial information about the origin and time of origination of extant groups. The importance of morphological phylogenetics for rigorously dating the tree of life is now widely recognized and has been revitalized by methodological developments such as the application of tip‐dating Bayesian approaches. Traditionally, molecular clocks have been node calibrated. However, node calibrations are often unsatisfactory because they do not allow the fossil age to inform about phylogenetic hypothesis. The introduction of tip calibrations allow fossil species to be included alongside their living relatives, and the absence of molecular sequence data for these taxa to be remedied by supplementing the sequence alignments for living taxa with phenotype character matrices for both living and fossil taxa. Therefore, only phylogenetic analyses that take into account morphological characters can incorporate both fossil and extant species. Herein we present an unprecedented morphological dataset for a vast group of glirid rodents, to which different phylogenetic methodologies have been applied. We have compared the tree topologies resulting from traditional parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic approaches and calculate stratigraphic congruence indices for each. Bayesian tip‐dated clock methods seem to outperform parsimony with our dataset. The strict consensus tree recovered by tip dating invalidates the classic classification and allows dates to be proposed for the divergence and origin of the different clades.
Validation of machine learning approaches for estimating wheel fatigue loads at the front suspension of a race car during track driving
Authors: Cortivo Davide , Campagnolo Alberto , Meneghetti Giovanni
Published: August 2022

The wheel loads of a race car have been estimated in view of structural durability assessments. First, the front left double‐wishbone suspension of a rear‐wheel‐drive race vehicle has been instrumented; then, wheel loads have been estimated by means of four approaches: (i) a geometric matrix (GM) method, (ii) a feedforward neural network (FNN) approach applied to the fully instrumented suspension (FIS), (iii) a FNN approach involving a reduced number of sensors (the partially instrumented suspension (PIS)) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and (iv) a linear modeling approach (LM). After having trained the FNNs by using suspension signals acquired in a racetrack as inputs and related tire forces measured with the GM method as targets, the FNN‐based methods have been validated on three different racetracks by comparing the estimated loads with those estimated by means of the GM method. According to the results achieved, the FNN approaches are effective for the estimation of the wheel forces.
Constraining China's land carbon sink from emerging satellite CO2 observations: Progress and challenges
Authors: Wang Yilong , Tian Xiangjun , Chevallier Frédéric , Johnson Matthew S. , Philip Sajeev , Baker David F. , Schuh Andrew E. , Deng Feng , Zhang Xingying , Zhang Lu , Zhu Dan , Wang Xuhui
Published: August 2022

Land carbon sink is a vital component for the achievement of China's ambitious carbon neutrality goal, but its magnitude is poorly known. Atmospheric observations and inverse models are valuable tools to constrain the China's land carbon sink. Space‐based CO2 measurements from satellites form an emerging data stream for application of such atmospheric inversions. Here, we reviewed the satellite missions that is dedicated to the monitoring of CO2, and the recent progresses on the inversion of China's land carbon sink using satellite CO2 measurements. We summarized the limitations and challenges in current space platforms, retrieval algorithms, and the inverse modeling. It is shown that there are large uncertainties of contemporary satellite‐based estimates of China's land carbon sink. We discussed future opportunities of continuous improvements in three aspects to better constrain China's land carbon sink with space‐based CO2 measurements.
Clarifying the evidence for microbial‐ and plant‐derived soil organic matter, and the path toward a more quantitative understanding
Authors: Whalen Emily D. , Grandy A. Stuart , Sokol Noah W. , Keiluweit Marco , Ernakovich Jessica , Smith Richard G. , Frey Serita D.
Published: August 2022

Predicting and mitigating changes in soil carbon (C) stocks under global change requires a coherent understanding of the factors regulating soil organic matter (SOM) formation and persistence, including knowledge of the direct sources of SOM (plants vs. microbes). In recent years, conceptual models of SOM formation have emphasized the primacy of microbial‐derived organic matter inputs, proposing that microbial physiological traits (e.g., growth efficiency) are dominant controls on SOM quantity. However, recent quantitative studies have challenged this view, suggesting that plants make larger direct contributions to SOM than is currently recognized by this paradigm. In this review, we attempt to reconcile these perspectives by highlighting that variation across estimates of plant‐ versus microbial‐derived SOM may arise in part from methodological limitations. We show that all major methods used to estimate plant versus microbial contributions to SOM have substantial shortcomings, highlighting the uncertainty in our current quantitative estimates. We demonstrate that there is significant overlap in the chemical signatures of compounds produced by microbes, plant roots, and through the extracellular decomposition of plant litter, which introduces uncertainty into the use of common biomarkers for parsing plant‐ and microbial‐derived SOM, especially in the mineral‐associated organic matter (MAOM) fraction. Although the studies that we review have contributed to a deeper understanding of microbial contributions to SOM, limitations with current methods constrain quantitative estimates. In light of recent advances, we suggest that now is a critical time to re‐evaluate long‐standing methods, clearly define their limitations, and develop a strategic plan for improving the quantification of plant‐ and microbial‐derived SOM. From our synthesis, we outline key questions and challenges for future research on the mechanisms of SOM formation and stabilization from plant and microbial pathways.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells‐expressed miRNA profiles derived from children with metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease and insulin resistance
Authors: Oses Maddi , Medrano María , Margareto Sanchez Javier , Portillo Maria P. , Aguilera Concepcion Maria , Altmäe Signe , Labayen Idoia
Published: August 2022

Background

miRNA have been proposed as potential biomarkers of metabolic diseases.

Objectives

To identify potential miRNA biomarkers of early metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and/or insulin resistance (IR) in preadolescent children.

Methods

A total of 70 preadolescents, aged 8.5–12 years old participated in the study. Hepatic fat was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Fasting blood biochemical parameters were measured and HOMA‐IR calculated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)‐derived miRNA profiles associated with MAFLD (≥5.5% hepatic fat) and IR (HOMA‐IR ≥2.5) were identified using untargeted high‐throughput miRNAs sequencing (RNA‐seq).

Results

A total of 2123 PBMC‐derived miRNAs were identified in children with (21.4%) or without MAFLD. Among them, hsa‐miR‐143‐3p, hsa‐miR‐142‐5p and hsa‐miR‐660‐5p were up‐regulated, and p‐hsa‐miR‐247, hsa‐let‐7a‐5p and hsa‐miR‐6823‐3p down‐regulated. Importantly, children with MAFLD had consistently higher miR‐660‐5p expression levels than their peers without it (p < 0.01), regardless of weight status. A total of 2124 PBMC‐derived miRNA were identified in children with IR (28.6%) versus children without IR, where thirteen of them were dysregulated (p < 0.05) in children with IR. In addition, children with IR showed higher levels of miR‐374a‐5p and miR‐190a‐5p (p < 0.01) and lower levels of miR‐4284 and miR‐4791 (p < 005), than their peers without IR in both the whole sample and in those with overweight or obesity.

Conclusions

Our study results suggest circulating miR‐660‐5p as a potential biomarker of the presence of MAFLD in preadolescent children while circulating miR‐320a, miR‐142‐3p, miR‐190a‐5p, miR‐374a‐5p and let‐7 family miRNAs could serve as potential biomarkers of IR in children.
Epidemiological and clinical features of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in children during the outbreak of Omicron variant in Shanghai, March 7–31, 2022
Authors: Wang Xiangshi , Chang Hailing , Tian He , Zhu Yanfeng , Li Jingjing , Wei Zhongqiu , Wang Yixue , Xia Aimei , Ge Yanling , Liu Gongbao , Cai Jiehao , Zhu Qirong , Zhai Xiaowen , Zeng Mei
Published: August 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to understand the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric SARS‐CoV‐2 infection during the early stage of Omicron variant outbreak in Shanghai.

Methods

This study included local COVID‐19 cases <18 years in Shanghai referred to the exclusively designated hospital from March 7 to March 31, 2022. Clinical data, epidemiological exposure, and COVID‐19 vaccination status were collected. Relative risks (RRs) were calculated to assess the effect of vaccination on symptomatic infection and febrile disease.

Results

A total of 376 pediatric cases of COVID‐19 (median age: 6.0 ± 4.2 years) were referred to the designated hospital, including 257 (68.4%) symptomatic cases and 119 (31.6%) asymptomatic cases. Of the 307 (81.6%) children ≥3 years eligible for COVID‐19 vaccination, 110 (35.8%) received two doses of vaccines. The median interval between the completion of two‐dose vaccination and infection was 3.5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 3, 4.5) months. Compared with no vaccination, two‐dose COVID‐19 vaccination reduced the risks of symptomatic infection and febrile disease by 35% (RR 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53–0.79) and 33% (RR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.51–0.81) among confirmed cases. Eighty‐four percent of symptomatic cases had fever (mean duration: 1.7 ± 1.0.8 days), 40.5% had cough, and 16.4% had transient leukopenia. Three hundred and seven (81.6%) had an epidemiological exposure in household (69.1%), school (21.8%), and residential area (8.8%).

Conclusion

The surge of pediatric COVID‐19 cases and multiple transmission model reflect wide dissemination of Omicron variant in the community. Asymptomatic infection is common among Omicron‐infected children. COVID‐19 vaccination can offer some protection against symptomatic infection and febrile disease.
Examining virtual reality as a platform for developing mental models of industrial systems
Authors: Slezaka Robert J. , Keren Nir , Gilbert Stephen B. , Harvey Matthew E. , Ryan Saxon J. , Wiley Alex J.
Published: August 2022

Industrial systems can be complex and not intuitive to perceive. Therefore, students in technology and engineering programs can benefit from developing mental models of industrial systems during their journey in college. However, more often than not, these students do not have access to industrial facilities; thus, developing mental models for systems is a challenge. This paper examines the merit of an Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) framework application in creating proper mental models for industrial systems in technology and engineering students. Two IVR applications were developed. One IVR application afforded interaction with components of a prefabricated industrial cooling water system (CWVR). In the other application, students designed and built industrial systems with IVR (system designer VR [SDVR]). SDVR facilitated constructive‐generative engagement. A group of 33 students was divided into two; one group (the Design, experimental group) was tasked with building a system with SDVR and interacting with the cooling water system in CWVR. The other group was tasked with directly interacting with the CWVR without building a system with SDVR (the Interaction, comparison group). Students' mental models of the cooling water system in CWVR were evaluated following completing the interaction experience with CWVR. The results demonstrate that the causal model notion of the mental model of the cooling water system was significantly higher in the Design, experimental group. The results suggest that designing a rich IVR application that facilitates constructive‐generative engagements may carry merit in informing student mental models of complex technical concepts.
Sharing economy rebound: The case of peer‐to‐peer sharing of food waste
Authors: Meshulam Tamar , Font‐Vivanco David , Blass Vered , Makov Tamar
Published: August 2022

The digital sharing economy is commonly thought to promote sustainable consumption and improve material efficiency through better utilization of existing product stocks. However, the cost savings and convenience of using digital sharing platforms can ultimately stimulate additional demand for products and services. As a result, some or even all of the expected environmental benefits attributed to sharing could be offset, a phenomenon known as the rebound effect. Relying on a unique dataset covering over 750,000 food items shared in the United Kingdom through a free peer‐to‐peer food‐sharing platform, we use econometric modeling, geo‐spatial network analysis, and environmentally extended input–output analysis to quantify how much of the expected environmental benefits attributed to sharing are offset via rebound effects under seven re‐spending scenarios. We find that rebound effects can offset 59–94% of expected greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, 20–81% of expected water depletion benefits, and 23–90% of land use benefit as platform users re‐spent the money saved from food sharing on other goods and services. Our results demonstrate that rebound effects could limit the potential to achieve meaningful reductions in environmental burdens through sharing, and highlight the importance of incorporating rebound effects in environmental assessments of the digital sharing economy.
Reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption following COVID‐19 in an adolescent boy: Case report and review of the literature
Authors: Mahama Ayisha , Kojder Priscilla , Thibodeaux Quinn , Ruth Jennifer
Published: August 2022

Reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption (RIME) is a mucosal‐predominant eruption that usually affects two or more mucosal sites. We present a case of RIME secondary to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection and provide a brief review of the literature with a focus on the natural history and response to treatment. This entity may require inpatient management and systemic corticosteroids for symptom control in the pediatric population.
The impact of order fulfillment information disclosure on consequences of deceptive counterfeits
Authors: Peinkofer Simone T. , Jin Yao Henry
Published: August 2022

Online retailers have exposed their consumers to an increase of deceptive counterfeit products provided by third‐party marketplace sellers. Although leading online retailers commonly seek to enhance service transparency to consumers by providing fulfillment service information, such as inventory ownership (i.e., sold by) and order fulfillment (i.e., shipped by), their impact remains poorly understood, particularly in the context of when consumers receive deceptive counterfeit products. Drawing on signaling and attribution theory, we develop a series of six scenario‐based experiments to explore the impact of fulfillment service options in combination with deceptive counterfeits on consumer perception of product quality, blame, trust erosion, and repurchase intention across three different retailing contexts. Our results highlight the efficacy of fulfillment service information as a signal set in setting a priori product quality perceptions for the small and predominantly online retailer. Further, we find that consumers follow the premise of causal schemata to attribute more blame to the entity responsible for selling the product when they receive a counterfeit product. Our results show that while there is a significant decrease in trust for a small retailer or startup this decrease does not significantly differ between the fulfillment service configurations. Furthermore, the erosion in trust does not negatively impact repurchase intentions. However, for the predominantly online retailer and omni‐channel retailer trust erosion is higher when inventory ownership (i.e., sold by) and order fulfillment (i.e., shipped by) are associated with the online retailer than with a third‐party seller and subsequently negatively impacts repurchase intentions.
Structural and Functional Analysis of Toxin and Small RNA Gene Promoter Regions in Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Pomerantsev Andrei P. , Jackson-Hundley Val , Sievers Mary E. , Bothra Ankur , Leppla Stephen H.
Published: August 2022

Anthrax toxin activator (AtxA) is the major virulence regulator of
Bacillus anthracis
, the causative agent of anthrax. Understanding AtxA’s mechanism of regulation could facilitate the development of therapeutics for
B. anthracis
infection.
Draft Genome Sequences of 9 Actinobacteria from the Family
Microbacteriaceae
Associated with Insect- and Nematode-Damaged Plants
Authors: Tarlachkov Sergey V. , Ospennikov Yury V. , Demidov Alexander V. , Starodumova Irina P. , Dorofeeva Lubov V. , Prisyazhnaya Natalia V. , Chizhov Vladimir N. , Subbotin Sergei A. , Evtushenko Lyudmila I.
Published: August 2022

Draft genome sequences of 9 strains of known and putative new species of
Microbacteriaceae
isolated from insect- and nematode-damaged plants were generated using Illumina technology. The data obtained will contribute to the development of the genome-based prokaryote taxonomy and the knowledge on the biology of the microbial group investigated.
Solvatomorphs of Iron(II) Complex with N,N'-Disubstituted 2,6-Bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine with a Temperature-Induced Spin Transition in Solution
Authors: Mel’nikova E. K. , Nikovskii I. A. , Polezhaev A. V. , Nelyubina Yu. V.
Published: August 2022

The reaction of the tridentate ligand 4-(2,6-bis(5-tert-butyl-1-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridin-4-yl)benzonitrile (L) with iron(II) salt gave the complex [Fe(L)2](BF4)2, which was isolated in a pure state and characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction as two crystal polymorphs differing in the nature of the solvent molecule in the crystal (solvatomorphs I and II). According to the results of X-ray diffraction study (CCDC nos. 2104367 (I), 2104368 (II)), the iron(II) ion in these compounds occurs in different spin states and does not undergo a temperature-induced spin transition, which was previously observed for this complex in solution. The details of supramolecular organization of two solvatomorphs that prevent this transition were studied using the Hirshfeld surface analysis.
Model-independent approach to effective sound speed in multi-field inflation
Authors: Romano Antonio Enea , Turzyński Krzysztof , Vallejo-Peña Sergio Andrés
Published: August 2022

For any physical system satisfying the Einstein’s equations, the comoving curvature perturbations satisfy an equation involving the momentum-dependent effective sound speed, valid for any system with a well defined energy-stress tensor, including multi-fields models of inflation. We derive a general model-independent formula for the effective sound speed of comoving adiabatic perturbations, valid for a generic field-space metric, without assuming any approximation to integrate out entropy perturbations, but expressing the momentum-dependent effective sound speed in terms of the components of the total energy-stress tensor. As an application, we study a number of two-field models with a kinetic coupling between the fields, identifying the single curvature mode of the effective theory and showing that momentum-dependent effective sound speed fully accounts for the predictions for the power spectrum of curvature perturbations. Our results show that the momentum-dependent effective sound speed is a convenient scheme for describing all inflationary models that admit a single-field effective theory, including the effects of entropy pertubations present in multi-fields systems.
Typhoon complexity: Northwest Pacific tropical cyclone season complex systems analysis
Authors: Roca-Flores Elio , Naumis Gerardo G. , Madrigal-Solís Erick , Fraedrich Klaus
Published: August 2022

The complex nature of tropical cyclones (TCs) has been recognized in a vast literature yet only few works perform complex systems diagnostics to understand their dynamics. This is especially important in order to study the effects of global warming on TC hazards. Here, such analysis is performed from a data-driven perspective using statistical and nonlinear dynamics diagnostics to the annual Accumulated Cyclonic Energy (ACE) data over the most active basin, the Northwest Pacific, from the years 1950 to 2021. The best quality data period, from 1984 to 2021, is also considered for a separate analysis in order to test the possible differences due to the data acquisition process. The following results are obtained: (i) The use of mobile windows shows a lack of trend. (ii) The closeness to a normal probability distribution indicates unpredictability, as confirmed by the return map and the autocorrelation function. As an explanation for such unpredictability, the ordering and ranking analyses reveal the presence of several processes governing the dynamics with fractal forcing dominating the larger ACE values. (iii) The Hurst exponent analysis shows a slight persistence for less than 3 years and a very slight antipersistence for longer periods of time suggesting the presence of negative feedback. (iv) Finally, the TC dynamical system dimensionality is studied. A discontinuity is inferred from a Katz fractal dimension value of 2.8, suggesting the system dynamics to be embedded by at least three independent variables, in agreement with statistical models for the TC season.
Are there echoes of gravitational waves?
Authors: Guo Bin , Mathur Samir D.
Published: August 2022

In several approaches to evading the information paradox, the semiclassical black hole is replaced by an Exotic Compact Object (ECO). It has been conjectured that gravitational waves emitted by the merger of ECOs can reflect off the ECOs and produce a detectable ‘echo’. We argue that while a part of the wave can indeed reflect off the surface of an ECO, this reflected wave will get trapped by a new closed trapped surface produced by its own backreaction. Thus, no detectable signal of the echo will emerge to infinity. The only assumption in this analysis is that causality is maintained to leading order in gently curved spacetime. Thus, if echoes are actually detected, then we would face a profound change in our understanding of physics.
On phenomenological parametrizations for the luminosity distance of gravitational waves
Authors: Lizardo Andrés , Chagoya Javier , Ortiz C.
Published: August 2022

The propagation of gravitational waves offers new possibilities for testing the theory of gravity. Amongst these possibilities there is the luminosity distance of gravitational waves, [Formula: see text]. A few phenomenological parametrizations for this property have been proposed in the literature, but their generality is still under study. In this work, we contribute to this study by confronting these parametrizations to the predictions of quadratic and degenerate higher order gravity. Furthermore, we propose a novel parametrization that unifies some of the existing proposals. We expect our findings to be relevant for future constraints on modified gravity based on the properties of standard sirens.
A novel “on-off-on” fluorescent sensor based on TSPP-Ag+ for S2− detection in real samples
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Wang Huan , Zhang Rong , Mao Chunhe , Mu Wencheng , Jiang Lu , Ma Qin
Published: August 2022

As a new fluorescence sensor for S[Formula: see text]detection, TSPP-Ag[Formula: see text]-based “on-off-on” switches were designed. 5,10,15,20-(4-sulphonatophenyl) porphyrin (TSPP) is used as a good fluorescent probe due to its high quantum yield, good water solubility and good biocompatibility. At room temperature, the TSPP releases the optimal fluorescence emission wavelength at 642 nm when the excitation wavelength is set to 515 nm. This indicates the “turn on” mode and the color of the solution demonstrated is pink at this time. The strong fluorescence of TSPP can be firstly quenched by Ag[Formula: see text] as it can chelate with N atoms in the TSPP cavity, which causes the fluorescence intensity to become weak and the color of the solution changes from pink to light green. At this point, the fluorescence signal for the study system is in the “turn-off” state. When S[Formula: see text]are added to the TSPP-Ag[Formula: see text] sensing system, the fluorescence signal is recovered again due to the generation of silver sulfide (Ag2S), correspondingly, the solution color changed from light green to yellow-black. At this point, the fluorescence emission for the study system is in the “turn-on” state. Moreover, TSPP-Ag[Formula: see text] showed good selectivity and sensitivity towards S[Formula: see text]than other metal ions, and the limit of detection (LOD) is lowererd to 1.77 [Formula: see text]M, the linear range is 0 - 29.21 [Formula: see text]M. In addition, the concentration of S[Formula: see text]is detected in rabbit serum. Both of the recoveries and RSDs are within satisfactory range, which indicates that the promoted “on-off-on” fluorescent sensor can be applied to detect S[Formula: see text]in real samples.
Solvent-Free Carbon Nanotube Nanofluid-Reinforced Copper Matrix Composites with Enhanced Mechanical Properties
Authors: You Xin , Wang Ranran , Zhang Wenwen , Tong Wanzhe , Fang Dong , Yi Jianhong
Published: August 2022

Solvent-free nanofluid displays liquid-like function in the absence of solvent at room temperature by grafting organic salts on the surface of materials. In this study, carbon nanotube (CNT) fluid is synthesized by a chemical grafting method for the preparation of CNTs/copper (Cu) composite powder. After hot-pressing and sintering, the CNTs-fluid/Cu composites are further treated by hot rolling to improve their mechanical properties. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-obtained composites are systematically characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, Raman, rheological analysis, hardness and tensile tests. It is demonstrated that the optimal mechanical properties of the composite can be achieved by adding 0.75[Formula: see text]wt.% CNTs nanofluid. The yield and tensile strength of the resultant material are about 397.6[Formula: see text]MPa and 517.5[Formula: see text]MPa, respectively, which are 282% and 156% higher than that of pure Cu. Meanwhile, its hardness value reaches 152.2[Formula: see text]HV, which is increased by 27% and 38% of pure Cu and the unrolled sample, respectively. Such significant property improvement is conjointly contributed by load transfer strengthening, Orowan strengthening, matrix strengthening and thermal mismatch. This study provides a new insight into the interface structure to enhance the mechanical properties of metal matrix composites.
Creation and research of the SAW transducer with a single-phase grid and a piezoelectric zinc oxide film
Authors: Karapetyan G. Ya. , Kutepov M. E. , Kaidashev E. M. , Nikolaev A. L.
Published: August 2022

A method for obtaining a new type of surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducer operating at double frequency with a single-phase closed-loop lattice and a piezoelectric zinc oxide film is developed and experimentally investigated. A method for calculating such a transducer has been developed, its equivalent circuit has been compiled, taking into account propagation losses, losses in the metal film and the inductance of the connecting wires. When the frequency is doubled, the SAW attenuation per unit length increases.
Propositional equality for gradual dependently typed programming
Authors: Eremondi Joseph , Garcia Ronald , Tanter Éric
Published: August 2022

Gradual dependent types can help with the incremental adoption of dependently typed code by providing a principled semantics for
imprecise
types and proofs, where some parts have been omitted. Current theories of gradual dependent types, though, lack a central feature of type theory: propositional equality. Lennon-Bertrand et al. show that, when the reflexive proof
refl
is the only closed value of an equality type, a gradual extension of the Calculus of Inductive Constructions (CIC) with propositional equality violates static observational equivalences. Extensionally-equal functions should be indistinguishable at run time, but they can be distinguished using a combination of equality and type imprecision.

This work presents a gradual dependently typed language that supports propositional equality. We avoid the above issues by devising an equality type of which
refl
is not the only closed inhabitant. Instead, each equality proof is accompanied by a term that is at least as precise as the equated terms, acting as a witness of their plausible equality. These witnesses track partial type information as a program runs, raising errors when that information shows that two equated terms are undeniably inconsistent. Composition of type information is internalized as a construct of the language, and is deferred for function bodies whose evaluation is blocked by variables. We thus ensure that extensionally-equal functions compose without error, thereby preventing contexts from distinguishing them. We describe the challenges of designing consistency and precision relations for this system, along with solutions to these challenges. Finally, we prove important metatheory: type safety, conservative embedding of CIC, weak canonicity, and the gradual guarantees of Siek et al., which ensure that reducing a program’s precision introduces no new static or dynamic errors.
Later credits: resourceful reasoning for the later modality
Authors: Spies Simon , Gäher Lennard , Tassarotti Joseph , Jung Ralf , Krebbers Robbert , Birkedal Lars , Dreyer Derek
Published: August 2022

In the past two decades, step-indexed logical relations and separation logics have both come to play a major role in semantics and verification research. More recently, they have been married together in the form of
step-indexed separation logics
like VST, iCAP, and Iris, which provide powerful tools for (among other things) building semantic models of richly typed languages like Rust. In these logics, propositions are given semantics using a step-indexed model, and step-indexed reasoning is reflected into the logic through the so-called “later” modality. On the one hand, this modality provides an elegant, high-level account of step-indexed reasoning; on the other hand, when used in sufficiently sophisticated ways, it can become a nuisance, turning perfectly natural proof strategies into dead ends.

In this work, we introduce
later credits
, a new technique for escaping later-modality quagmires. By leveraging the second ancestor of these logics—separation logic—later credits turn “the right to eliminate a later” into an ownable resource, which is subject to all the traditional modular reasoning principles of separation logic. We develop the theory of later credits in the context of Iris, and present several challenging examples of proofs and proof patterns which were previously not possible in Iris but are now possible due to later credits.
Practical generic programming over a universe of native datatypes
Authors: Escot Lucas , Cockx Jesper
Published: August 2022

Datatype-generic programming makes it possible to define a
construction once and apply it to a large class of datatypes.

It is often used to avoid code duplication in languages that
encourage the definition of custom datatypes, in particular
state-of-the-art dependently typed languages where one can have
many variants of the same datatype with different type-level invariants.

In addition to giving access to familiar programming
constructions for free, datatype-generic programming in the
dependently typed setting also allows for the construction of generic proofs.
However, the current interfaces available for this
purpose are needlessly hard to use or are limited in the range of
datatypes they handle.

In this paper, we describe the design of a library for safe and
user-friendly datatype-generic programming in the Agda
language. Generic constructions in our library are regular Agda
functions over a broad universe of datatypes, yet they can be
specialized to native Agda datatypes with a simple one-liner.
Furthermore, we provide building blocks so that library designers can too
define their own datatype-generic constructions.
Normalization for fitch-style modal calculi
Authors: Valliappan Nachiappan , Ruch Fabian , Tomé Cortiñas Carlos
Published: August 2022

Fitch-style modal lambda calculi enable programming with necessity modalities in a typed lambda calculus by extending the typing context with a delimiting operator that is denoted by a lock. The addition of locks simplifies the formulation of typing rules for calculi that incorporate different modal axioms, but each variant demands different, tedious and seemingly ad hoc syntactic lemmas to prove normalization. In this work, we take a semantic approach to normalization, called normalization by evaluation (NbE), by leveraging the possible-world semantics of Fitch-style calculi to yield a more modular approach to normalization. We show that NbE models can be constructed for calculi that incorporate the K, T and 4 axioms of modal logic, as suitable instantiations of the possible-world semantics. In addition to existing results that handle 𝛽-equivalence, our normalization result also considers 𝜂-equivalence for these calculi. Our key results have been mechanized in the proof assistant Agda. Finally, we showcase several consequences of normalization for proving meta-theoretic properties of Fitch-style calculi as well as programming-language applications based on different interpretations of the necessity modality.
Random testing of a higher-order blockchain language (experience report)
Authors: Hoang Tram , Trunov Anton , Lampropoulos Leonidas , Sergey Ilya
Published: August 2022

We describe our experience of using property-based testing---an approach for
automatically generating random inputs to check executable program
specifications---in a development of a higher-order smart contract language that
powers a state-of-the-art blockchain with thousands of active daily users.

We outline the process of integrating QuickChick---a framework for
property-based testing built on top of the Coq proof assistant---into a
real-world language implementation in OCaml. We discuss the challenges we have
encountered when generating well-typed programs for a realistic higher-order
smart contract language, which mixes purely functional and imperative
computations and features runtime resource accounting. We describe the set of
the language implementation properties that we tested, as well as the semantic
harness required to enable their validation. The properties range from the
standard type safety to the soundness of a control- and type-flow analysis used
by the optimizing compiler. Finally, we present the list of bugs discovered and
rediscovered with the help of QuickChick and discuss their severity and possible
ramifications.
A reasonably gradual type theory
Authors: Maillard Kenji , Lennon-Bertrand Meven , Tabareau Nicolas , Tanter Éric
Published: August 2022

Gradualizing the Calculus of Inductive Constructions (CIC) involves dealing with subtle tensions between normalization, graduality, and conservativity with respect to CIC. Recently, GCIC has been proposed as a parametrized gradual type theory that admits three variants, each sacrificing one of these properties. For devising a gradual proof assistant based on CIC, normalization and conservativity with respect to CIC are key, but the tension with graduality needs to be addressed. Additionally, several challenges remain:
(1) The presence of two wildcard terms at any type---the error and unknown terms---enables trivial proofs of any theorem, jeopardizing the use of a gradual type theory in a proof assistant;
(2) Supporting general indexed inductive families, most prominently equality, is an open problem;
(3) Theoretical accounts of gradual typing and graduality so far do not support handling type mismatches detected during reduction;
(4) Precision and graduality are external notions not amenable to reasoning within a gradual type theory.
All these issues manifest primally in CastCIC, the cast calculus used to define GCIC. In this work, we present an extension of CastCIC called GRIP. GRIP is a reasonably gradual type theory that addresses the issues above, featuring internal precision and general exception handling. By adopting a novel interpretation of the unknown term that carefully accounts for universe levels, GRIP satisfies graduality for a large and well-defined class of terms, in addition to being normalizing and a conservative extension of CIC. Internal precision supports reasoning about graduality within GRIP itself, for instance to characterize gradual exception-handling terms, and supports gradual subset types. We develop the metatheory of GRIP using a model formalized in Coq, and provide a prototype implementation of GRIP in Agda.
A simple and efficient implementation of strong call by need by an abstract machine
Authors: Biernacka Małgorzata , Charatonik Witold , Drab Tomasz
Published: August 2022

We present an abstract machine for a strong call-by-need strategy
in the lambda calculus. The machine has been derived automatically
from a higher-order evaluator that uses
the technique of
memothunks to implement laziness. The derivation has been done with the use of
an off-the-shelf transformation tool implementing the "functional correspondence" between higher-order interpreters and abstract machines,
and it
yields a simple and concise description of the machine. We prove
that the resulting machine conservatively extends the lazy version
of Krivine machine for the weak call-by-need strategy, and that it
simulates the normal-order strategy in bilinear number of steps.
Review of "Mathematical Muffin Morsels - Nobody wants a small piece by William Gasarch, Erik Metz, Jacob Prinz, and Daniel Smolyak World Scientific, 2021 210 pages, Softcover, $59.99."
Authors: Green Frederic
Published: August 2022

You have 5 muffins and 3 (as usual) hungry students. They ask that you divide the muffins equitably between them. Do you cut every muffin into 3 parts, and give 5 separate pieces of size 1/3 to each student? Well no, because that's too easy, and more importantly no student wants any piece that's less than a third of a muffin. Can
this
be done? Indeed it can! It turns out you can guarantee that everyone gets a piece of size at least 5/12. Can everyone be guaranteed a bigger piece than that? Alas, the answer is no. That's the bad news. The good news is that one could write a book about it, and these guys wrote a great one.
Review of "The Algorithm Design Manual, 3
rd
ed. by Steven S. Skiena Springer, 2020 793 pages, Hardcover, $99.99"
Authors: Tran Nicholas
Published: August 2022

The Algorithm Design Manual
is an aptly named undergraduate-level textbook that takes a utilitarian approach to presenting algorithms as a collection of off-the-shelf technologies that can be adapted to obtain practical solutions to real-world problems. Its intended audience is aspiring and practicing professional programmers, and its pedagogical emphasis is on facility in application rather than rigorous implementation or analysis of these technologies.
The Genetics and Typical Traits of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection
Authors: Rodrigues Bento Jotte , Meester Josephina , Luyckx Ilse , Peeters Silke , Verstraeten Aline , Loeys Bart
Published: August 2022

Genetic predisposition and risk factors such as hypertension and smoking can instigate the development of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), which can lead to highly lethal aortic wall dissection and/or rupture. Monogenic defects in multiple genes involved in the elastin-contractile unit and the TGFβ signaling pathway have been associated with TAA in recent years, along with several genetic modifiers and risk-conferring polymorphisms. Advances in omics technology have also provided significant insights into the processes behind aortic wall degeneration: inflammation, epigenetics, vascular smooth muscle phenotype change and depletion, reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and angiotensin signaling dysregulation. These recent advances and findings might pave the way for a therapy that is capable of stopping and perhaps even reversing aneurysm progression.
Mosaicism in Tumor Suppressor Gene Syndromes: Prevalence, Diagnostic Strategies, and Transmission Risk
Authors: Chen Jillian L. , Miller David T. , Schmidt Laura S. , Malkin David , Korf Bruce R. , Eng Charis , Kwiatkowski David J. , Giannikou Krinio
Published: August 2022

A mosaic state arises when pathogenic variants are acquired in certain cell lineages during postzygotic development, and mosaic individuals may present with a generalized or localized phenotype. Here, we review the current state of knowledge regarding mosaicism for eight common tumor suppressor genes— NF1, NF2, TSC1, TSC2, PTEN, VHL, RB1, and TP53—and their related genetic syndromes/entities. We compare and discuss approaches for comprehensive diagnostic genetic testing, the spectrum of variant allele frequency, and disease severity. We also review affected individuals who have no mutation identified after conventional genetic analysis, as well as genotype–phenotype correlations and transmission risk for each tumor suppressor gene in full heterozygous and mosaic patients. This review provides new insight into similarities as well as marked differences regarding the appreciation of mosaicism in these tumor suppressor syndromes.
The Relationship between the Prognostic Marker LIMA1 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Immune Infiltration
Authors: Huang Hesen , Du Yu , Zhao Dean , Chen Kaiqin
Published: August 2022

Background. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is one of the most common malignancies, and identification of HNSC biomarkers is critical. LIM Domain And Actin Binding 1 (LIMA1) is involved in actin cytoskeleton regulation and dynamics. The role of LIMA1 in HNSC is unclear. This is the first study to investigate the expression of LIMA1 in HNSC patients and its prognostic value, potential biological functions, and impact on the immune system. Methods. Gene expression and clinicopathological analysis, enrichment analysis, and immune infiltration analysis were all based on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) with additional bioinformatics analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using TIMER and ssGSEA to analyze the immune response to LIMA1 expression in HNSCs. In addition, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Kaplan–Meier(K-M) survival analysis, and data from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) were used to validate the results. Results. LIMA1 played a key role as an independent prognostic factor in HNSC patients. GSEA found that LIMA1 is associated with promoting cell adhesion and suppressing immune function. LIMA1 expression was significantly correlated with infiltration of B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells, and neutrophils and was coexpressed with immune-related genes and immune checkpoints. Conclusion. The expression of LIMA1 is increased in HNSC, and the high expression of LIMA1 is associated with poor prognosis. LIMA1 may affect tumor development by regulating tumor-infiltrating cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). LIMA1 may be a potential target for immunotherapy.
Multisource Heterogeneous Data-Based Behavior Excavation of Investors and Financial Risk Prediction
Authors: Feng Pijie
Published: August 2022

The investment decision-making behavior of investors refers to the capital purchase behavior of investors in order to achieve a certain purpose or goal. As an individual decision-maker, investors will be affected by various factors when making investment decisions, and the influencing factors may be caused by the outside or generated by themselves. The focus of this paper is to analyze the impact of investors’ past returns on investors’ decision-making based on multisource heterogeneous data. Multisource heterogeneous data can show the results of investors’ behavior evaluation at multiscale and multilevel. Using conceptual deduction and empirical research methods, based on the analysis of investors’ behavior, the financial risk prediction results are proposed. Financial risk prediction mainly analyzes the impact of investment returns on investors’ decision-making from two aspects: individual returns and overall returns. The measurement indicators of investment decisions use investors’ transaction frequency and asset size.
Thermochemical Recycling of Solid Biomass Materials for Achieving Sustainable Goal: A Complete Characterization Study on Liquid Yield Products
Authors: Koshariya Ashok Kumar , Madhusudhanan J. , Anandaram Harishchander , Lalvani J. Isaac JoshuaRamesh , Natrayan L. , Patel Praveen Bhai , Jayaraman P. , Ravindran Ezhakudiyan , Rajkumar Palanisamy
Published: August 2022

In order to achieve sustainability goals, biomass is a renewable energy source that lowers emissions of greenhouse gases and other hazardous gases. Biochemical and thermochemical methods are both used to produce bioenergy from biomass. Pyrolysis is an effective thermochemical conversion technique used for the conversion of biomass into energy-rich bio-oil. In this study, the pyrolysis characteristics and bio-oil obtained from the residues of Ricinus communis were investigated. The experimental run was designed to analyze the impact of bed temperature on product yield by varying the process temperature from 350°C to 750°C. In this study, a maximum of 46.5 wt% of bio-oil was produced at 500°C. The maximum conversion was recorded at temperatures ranging from 450°C to 550°C. The bio-oil obtained at maximum yield conditions was analyzed using different analytical techniques. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analyses of the bio-oil revealed that the oil has a significant amount of phenol derivatives, oxygenated chemicals, acids, and esters. The physical properties of the bio-oil showed that it is viscous and has a medium heating value compared with commercial fossil fuel.