bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring droplet oscillation dynamics in surface tension measurements
Authors: Fahimi Kiana , Mädler Lutz , Ellendt Nils
Published: November 2024

This study builds upon prior research by exploring droplet oscillation dynamics for surface tension determination using a drop-on-demand high-temperature droplet generator. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to analyse frequency shifts over time, comparing two different materials with consistent results. The findings suggest potential for developing correction factors for oscillations with larger initial deformations. Additionally, frequency shifts relative to evolving aspect ratios of droplets starting with higher initial deformations were compared. Corrective measures can be applied, particularly beneficial for short-term measurements based on image analysis with minimal overall frequency shift. Slight asymmetry in oscillation with increasing aspect ratio could be accredited to droplet cross-sectional geometry or energy availability for returning prolate droplets to a spherical state. Experimental results indicated minimal frequency shift within a measurement duration of up to 40 ms, affirming the adequacy of using a fitted sine function without a time-dependent frequency term for overall frequency determination. A dimensionless criterion can be used to filter out unsuitable droplets. A temperature-dependent surface tension trend for AlCu10 alloy consistent with literature findings is introduced.
EHFusion: an efficient heterogeneous fusion model for group-based 3D human pose estimation
Authors: Peng Jihua , Zhou Yanghong , Mok P. Y.
Published: November 2024

Stimulated by its important applications in animation, gaming, virtual reality, augmented reality, and healthcare, 3D human pose estimation has received considerable attention in recent years. To improve the accuracy of 3D human pose estimation, most approaches have converted this challenging task into a local pose estimation problem by dividing the body joints of the human body into different groups based on the human body topology. The body joint features of different groups are then fused to predict the overall pose of the whole body, which requires a joint feature fusion scheme. Nevertheless, the joint feature fusion schemes adopted in existing methods involve the learning of extensive parameters and hence are computationally very expensive. This paper reports a new topology-based grouped method ‘EHFusion’ for 3D human pose estimation, which involves a heterogeneous feature fusion (HFF) module that integrates grouped pose features. The HFF module reduces the computational complexity of the model while achieving promising accuracy. Moreover, we introduce motion amplitude information and a camera intrinsic embedding module to provide better global information and 2D-to-3D conversion knowledge, thereby improving the overall robustness and accuracy of the method. In contrast to previous methods, the proposed new network can be trained end-to-end in one single stage. Experimental results not only demonstrate the advantageous trade-offs between estimation accuracy and computational complexity achieved by our method but also showcase the competitive performance in comparison with various existing state-of-the-art methods (e.g., transformer-based) when evaluated on two public datasets, Human3.6M and HumanEva. The data and code are available at doi:10.5281/zenodo.11113132
Analysis of startup shear flow data of linear polystyrene blends: is shear stress undershoot caused by transient shear banding?
Authors: Wagner Manfred H.
Published: November 2024

Startup shear stress data of a well-defined set of binary polystyrene blends consisting of monodisperse blend components were reported recently by Parisi et al. (J Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech 315:105028, 2023). They presented convincing evidence that in the fast flow of melts with narrow molar mass distribution, shear stress undershoot is observed after the overshoot and before approaching the steady state. For blends with broad relaxation time spectra, no undershoot was found. We analyze this data set by comparison with predictions of the rotation zero stretch (RZS) model (Wagner et al. Rheol Acta 63:573–584, 2024), which is generalized here to the multi-mode MRZS model for polymer blends. We confirm that the steady-state shear viscosity of the monodisperse blend components as well as of the binary blends agrees with the viscosity predicted by the Doi-Edwards independent alignment model. As long as there is no undershoot, the RZS model (monodisperse melts) and the MRZS model (binary blends) result in a quantitative description of the full startup curve of the shear stress growth $${\sigma }_{12}^{+}(\dot{\gamma },t)$$

σ

12

+

(

γ
˙

,
t
)

including overshoot and steady state, based solely on the linear viscoelastic characterization. The shear stress undershoot observed at higher shear rates in melts with narrow molar mass distribution is not described by the RZS or MRZS model. However, the analysis of the experimental data shows clear evidence that undershoot occurs only if after the overshoot, the decreasing shear stress at a higher shear rate undercuts the shear stress at lower rates, i.e., only if $$\partial {\sigma }_{12}^{+}(\dot{\gamma },t)/\partial \dot{\gamma }<0$$

∂

σ

12

+

(

γ
˙

,
t
)

/
∂

γ
˙

<
0

. For blends with broad relaxation time spectra, $$\partial {\sigma }_{12}^{+}(\dot{\gamma },t)/\partial \dot{\gamma }\cong 0$$

∂

σ

12

+

(

γ
˙

,
t
)

/
∂

γ
˙

≅
0

and no undershoot is observed. The hypothesis is made that undershoot is due to transient shear banding, which is initiated in shear stress regimes characterized by $$\partial {\sigma }_{12}^{+}(\dot{\gamma },t)/\partial \dot{\gamma }<0$$

∂

σ

12

+

(

γ
˙

,
t
)

/
∂

γ
˙

<
0

and which disappears at larger strains when the shear stress growth $${\sigma }_{12}^{+}(\dot{\gamma },t)$$

σ

12

+

(

γ
˙

,
t
)

approaches the steady state $${\sigma }_{12}(\dot{\gamma })$$

σ
12

(

γ
˙

)

with $$\partial {\sigma }_{12}(\dot{\gamma })/\partial \dot{\gamma }>0$$

∂

σ
12

(

γ
˙

)

/
∂

γ
˙

>
0

.

Graphical Abstract
Risk factors for substantial weight retention at 1 year postpartum: evidence from a German birth cohort study (KUNO-Kids)
Authors: Quaderer S. , Brandstetter S. , Köninger A. , Melter M. , Kabesch M. , Apfelbacher C. , Fill Malfertheiner S. ,   KUNO-Kids Study Group, Ambrosch Andreas , Arndt Petra A , Baessler Andrea , Berneburg Mark , Böse-O’Reilly Stephan , Brunner Romuald , Malfertheiner Sara Fill , Franke André , Häusler Sebastian , Heid Iris , Heinze Stefanie , Högler Wolfgang , Kerzel Sebastian , Koller Michael , Leitzmann Michael , Lennon Áine , Rothfuß David , Rösch Wolfgang , Schaub Bianca , Weidinger Stephan , Wellmann Sven
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Postpartum weight retention (PPWR) increases the risk of overweight and obesity. This study aims to identify risk factors for substantial weight retention (≥ 5 kg) at 1 year postpartum.

Methods

Data were obtained from N = 747 mothers participating in the KUNO-Kids birth cohort study. The following variables were analyzed: sociodemographic variables, pre-pregnancy body mass index, postpartum weight retention at 6 months, gestational weight gain, parity, breastfeeding, mode of delivery, gestational diabetes mellitus, physical activity, diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, sleep, and depression. Variables that showed an association of p < 0.2 with substantial postpartum weight retention (SPPWR) in univariable logistic regression analyses were included in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS.28.

Results

One year after delivery, mean PPWR was 1.5 kg (SD 5.2 kg), and 21.6% of the women had SPPWR. The multivariable logistic regression model showed a significant negative association of SPPWR with an intermediate educational status compared to a low educational status (OR = 0.27 [95% CI 0.11–0.69]). In addition, PPWR at 6 months was positively associated with SPPWR (OR = 1.55 [95% CI 1.43–1.69]) at 1 year. None of the other associations reached statistical significance.

Conclusion

Postpartum weight retention may lead to weight gain. Losing weight in the first few months after delivery may prevent substantial postpartum weight retention. Women of low education may particularly benefit from weight loss support.
Effect of mother’s active pushing at cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sayed Ahmed , Sayed Anwar A. , Fard Delnaz , Hillemanns Peter , Von Kaisenberg Constantin , Klapdor Rüdiger
Published: November 2024

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of maternal active pushing during cesarean section (CS) on postoperative pain, intraoperative discomfort, and the mother’s sense of control and participation.

Design

A prospective, randomized controlled study.

Methods

Patients were randomly assigned into two groups. In the Conventional group (n = 45), the CS was performed traditionally without maternal pushing. In the Assisted group (n = 55), patients were instructed to push during delivery. Outcomes measures included patients’ perceived pressure, pain, and sense of participation. Breastfeeding and postnatal depression were assessed using validated scales, along with maternal and neonatal outcomes, surgeon satisfaction, and operation duration.

Results

Patients in the Assisted group reported significantly lower fundal pressure intensity (VAS score 3 vs. 5, P < 0.01) compared to the Conventional group. There was no significant difference in postoperative pain. However, women in the Assisted group reported a greater sense of participation (6 vs. 0, P < 0.01) and control (4 vs. 0, P < 0.05) than those in the Conventional group. No significant maternal or neonatal complications were observed.

Conclusion

Maternal active pushing during CS positively impacted intraoperative experience by reducing perceived pressure and enhancing the sense of control and participation, without adverse effects on maternal or neonatal outcomes. These findings support further research with larger, multi-center studies to validate the potential benefits of this approach.

Trial Registration

NCT05520580 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05520580).
Health-related quality of life in patients after endoscopic or microscopic cholesteatoma surgery
Authors: Raemy Yannik , Bächinger David , Peter Nicole , Roosli Christof
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Different surgical techniques exist for treating cholesteatoma, such as microscopical or transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES). This study aimed to compare these two techniques, focusing on quality of life.

Methods

This retrospective single-center study included 188 patients with cholesteatoma. The primary outcome was the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using the Zurich Chronic Middle Ear Inventory (ZCMEI-21) preoperatively, 3 and 12 months postoperatively with regard to surgical technique and intraoperative staging of the cholesteatoma (ChOLE classification). Secondary outcomes included hearing pure tone average of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz (PTA4), complications assessed 3 months postoperatively as well as recidivism within the follow-up time of 1 year postoperatively.

Results

A total of 28 patients underwent TEES and 160 microscopic ear surgery. The ZCMEI-21 total scores preoperatively were not significantly different between the two groups. An improvement in QoL one year postoperatively was observed in both groups to a comparable extent. The ZCMEI-21 decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in both groups. In the TEES group, the cholesteatoma tended to be smaller (lower ChOLE score), PTA4 was better and complication rate comparable. The number of recidivisms was lower for the TEES group (1 [3.6%] vs. 31 [19.4%]).

Conclusion

TEES is a valuable alternative to the traditional microscopic technique, at least for small cholesteatoma, which leads to a comparable improvement in HRQoL as the microscopic technique. The better postoperative hearing and lower rate of recidivism in the TEES group may be related to the smaller extent of the cholesteatoma.
On the long-term storage of tissue for fluorescence and electron microscopy: lessons learned from rat liver samples
Authors: Shami Gerald J. , Chen Zenan , Cheng Delfine , Wisse Eddie , Braet Filip
Published: November 2024

Occasionally, tissue samples cannot be processed completely and are stored under varying conditions for extended periods. This is particularly beneficial in interinstitutional studies where a given research setting may lack the expertise or infrastructure for sample processing, imaging and data analysis. Currently, there is limited literature available on the controlled storage of biological tissues in primary fixatives for fluorescence and electron microscopy. In this contribution, we mimicked various tissue storage scenarios by taking different fixation conditions, storage temperatures and storage durations into account. Rat liver tissue was used for its well-known diversity of cellular ultrastructure and microscopy analysis. Fluorescent labelling of actin, DNA and lipids were employed in conjunction with high-resolution electron microscopy imaging. Herein, we tested three different fixative solutions (1.5% glutaraldehyde, 0.4% glutaraldehyde and 4% formaldehyde and 4% formaldehyde) and stored samples for 1–28 days at room temperature and refrigerator temperature. We found that liver tissue can be stored for up to 2 weeks in a 0.4% glutaraldehyde + 4% formaldehyde fixative solution, while still enabling reliable fluorescent labelling and ultrastructural studies. Ultrastructural integrity was eminent up to 1 month using either glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde fixation protocols. When liver tissue is fixed with a mixture of 0.4% glutaraldehyde and 4% formaldehyde and stored at 4 °C, it retains its capacity for electron microscopy analysis for several years, but loses its capacity for reliable fluorescent labelling studies. In conclusion, we demonstrated that liver tissue can be stored for extended periods enabling profound structure–function analysis across length scales.
On subalgebras of MS-algebras
Authors: Badawy Abd El-Mohsen , EL-Maghrabi A. I. , Helmy Alaa
Published: November 2024

In this paper, we introduce the concepts of subalgebras, principal subalgebras and $$d_{L}$$

d
L

-subalgebras of a principal MS-algebra and describe the lattices of such subalgebras. Also, we describe a subalgebra [S] that generated by a subset S of an MS-algebra (principal MS-algebra) L and study related properties. Finally, we determine and characterize the principal subalgebras of a principal MS-algebra via admissible pairs.
Impact of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment on Fontan-associated liver disease
Authors: Kogiso Tomomi , Ogasawara Yuri , Taniai Makiko , Shimada Eriko , Inai Kei , Tokushige Katsutoshi , Nakai Yousuke
Published: November 2024

Background

Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD) is a type of progressive liver fibrosis that occurs following Fontan surgery and can be complicated by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Established treatments for FALD are lacking. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in patients with FALD.

Methods

This single-center retrospective study was conducted from 2003 to 2024 and involved 220 patients (103 men, 46.8%) who had been diagnosed with FALD. UDCA was administered to 113 patients presenting with liver or biliary enzyme abnormalities. We evaluated the patients’ liver enzyme levels 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. HCC developed in 10.5% and the mortality rate was 4.5%. Survival and cumulative incidence of HCC were compared between patients with and without UDCA treatment using Kaplan–Meier curves and propensity-matched analysis (n = 68 per group).

Results

UDCA treatment significantly reduced the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels at 3 months. The mean pretreatment AST/ALT/GGT levels were 26/22/323 U/L, respectively, and decreased to 19/15/102 U/L at 3 months, 18/12/88 U/L at 6 months, and 16/19/64 U/L at 12 months. However, the total bilirubin level and platelet count did not show significant differences. The survival rate was higher and the HCC rate was lower in patients with than without UDCA treatment. The 5-year incidence rate of HCC was 5.6% in the UDCA group and 24.2% in the untreated group.

Conclusions

UDCA treatment significantly reduced liver enzyme levels, including GGT, and mitigated the progression of HCC. UDCA may be beneficial for patients with FALD.
Completion of SysML state machines from Given–When–Then requirements
Authors: de Biase Maria Stella , Bernardi Simona , Marrone Stefano , Merseguer José , Palladino Angelo
Published: November 2024

MDE enables the centrality of the models in semi-automated development processes. However, its level of usage in industrial settings is still not adequate for the benefits MDE can introduce. This paper proposes a semi-automatic approach for the completion of high-level models in the lifecycle of critical systems, which exhibit an event-driven behaviour. The proposal suggests a specification guideline that starts from a partial SysML model of a system and on a set of requirements, expressed in the well-known Given–When–Then paradigm. On the basis of such requirements, the approach enables the semi-automatic generation of new SysML state machines model elements. Accordingly, the approach focuses on the completion of the state machines by adding proper transitions (with triggers, guards and effects) among pre-existing states. Also, traceability modelling elements are added to the model. Two case studies demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Engineered Osteochondral Scaffolds with Bioactive Cartilage Zone for Enhanced Articular Cartilage Regeneration
Authors: Golebiowska Aleksandra A. , Intravaia Jonathon T. , Sathe Vinayak , Kumbar Sangamesh G. , Nukavarapu Syam P.
Published: November 2024

Despite progress, osteochondral (OC) tissue engineering strategies face limitations in terms of articular cartilage layer development and its integration with the underlying bone tissue. The main objective of this study is to develop a zonal OC scaffold with native biochemical signaling in the cartilage zone to promote articular cartilage development devoid of cells and growth factors. Herein, we report the development and in vivo assessment of a novel gradient and zonal-structured scaffold for OC defect regeneration. The scaffold system is composed of a mechanically supportive 3D-printed template containing decellularized cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterial in the cartilage zone that possesses bioactive characteristics, such as chemotactic activity and native tissue biochemical composition. OC scaffolds with a bioactive cartilage zone were implanted in vivo in a rabbit osteochondral defect model and assessed for gross morphology, matrix deposition, cellular distribution, and overall tissue regeneration. The scaffold system supported recruitment and infiltration of host cells into the cartilage zone of the graft, which led to increased ECM deposition and physiologically relevant articular cartilage tissue formation. Semi-quantitative ICRS scoring (overall score double for OC scaffold with bioactive cartilage zone compared to PLA scaffold) further confirm the bioactive scaffold enhanced articular cartilage engineering. This strategy of designing bioactive scaffolds to promote endogenous cellular infiltration can be a much simpler and effective approach for OC tissue repair and regeneration.
Engaging Marginalized Stakeholders: Towards a Dialogical Theorization of Effective Corporate-Rightsholder Remedy
Authors: Bianchi Lara , Caruana Robert , Shivji Alysha Kate
Published: November 2024

In the remediation of business-related human rights abuses, meaningful stakeholder engagement which culminates in effective access to remedy begins with forms of communication that enable the voice and agency of marginalized stakeholders, and value their lived experiences. Here, we consider how the development of adialogicaltheorization of stakeholder engagement is aligned with the practical and ethical goals of an effective access to human rights remedy. Drawing on dialogical theory, we discern four ethical criteria —power cognizance, polyphonic pluralism, generative agonism and discursive unfinalizability— that reveal three general approaches to stakeholder engagement —essentially monologic, seemingly dialogic and authentically dialogic— based on the extent to which they exhibit the criteria above. We propose and discuss an 'authentically dialogic' approach for organizations adopting morally expansive, victim-centric approaches to engagement in the design and implementation of company-led remedial mechanisms.
Textflows: an open science NLP evaluation approach
Authors: Martinc Matej , Perovšek Matic , Lavrač Nada , Pollak Senja
Published: November 2024

Web-based platforms offer suitable experimental environments enabling the construction and reuse of natural language processing (NLP) pipelines. However, systematic evaluation of NLP tools in an open science web-based setting is still a challenge, as suitable experimental environments for the construction and reuse of NLP pipelines are still rare. This paper presents TextFlows, an open-source web-based platform, which enables user-friendly construction, sharing, execution, and reuse of NLP pipelines. It demonstrates that TextFlows can be easily used for systematic evaluation of new NLP components by integrating seven publicly available open-source part of speech (POS) taggers from popular NLP libraries, and evaluating them on six annotated corpora. The integration of new tools into TextFlows supports tools reuse, while the use of precomposed algorithm comparison and evaluation workflows supports experiment reproducibility and testing of future algorithms in the same experimental environment. Finally, to showcase the variety of evaluation possibilities offered in the TextFlows platform, the influence of various factors, such as the training corpus length and the use of pre-trained models, have been tested.
Integrating binary classification and clustering for multi-class dysarthria severity level classification: a two-stage approach
Authors: Al-Ali Afnan S. , Haris Raseena M. , Akbari Younes , Saleh Moutaz , Al-Maadeed Somaya , Rajesh Kumar M.
Published: November 2024

Dysarthria, a motor speech disorder, poses challenges in accurate severity assessment. Recent research has excelled in classifying dysarthria based on severity levels, primarily utilizing annotated datasets and achieving high accuracies. However, these classification-based approaches may not readily translate to real-world scenarios without predefined labels. This study follows a different path by proposing a two-stage approach leveraging binary classification and clustering to comprehensively analyze and classify dysarthria severity levels. We begin by employing binary classification to differentiate control from dysarthric cases by experiencing eight different feature extraction techniques and two classifiers in order to support the largest amount of dysarthric cases to the second stage, where k-means clustering uncovers hidden patterns and boundaries within dysarthria severity levels, enabling a more nuanced understanding of the disorder. We applied our methodology to the TORGO dataset, a benchmark in dysarthria research, and evaluated it on the UA Speech dataset. After optimizing the number of clusters, our approach achieved an accuracy of 91% with sentence-based features and 85% with word-based features in clustering. This research extends previous studies by exploring unsupervised clustering to differentiate severity levels in unannotated cases, bridging the gap between controlled datasets and practical applications. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of clustering-driven two-stage analysis in improving dysarthria severity-level classification, with implications for real-world clinical settings.
Depression and Anxiety Among Arab Individuals in the United States: A Meta-analysis
Authors: El-Refaay Shaimaa Mosad , Kenny Christina , Weiss Sandra
Published: November 2024

Emerging research suggests that the increasing population of Arab immigrants and refugees living in the United States (U.S.) has a greater risk for depression and anxiety than other groups. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety for Arabs in the U.S., to examine the moderating effects of key demographic variables (gender, immigration status, ethnicity) and study characteristics (research design and quality) on the prevalence of anxiety and depression, and to evaluate the direct effects of additional demographic and study characteristics on prevalence rates. Using guidelines from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P), we searched PubMed, Embase, CINHAL, ProQuest, and the Web of Science databases for articles published between January 2000 and March 2023. Two reviewers each individually extracted the articles’ data and evaluated the reported study’s methodological quality using a well-established checklist. Statistical analyses consisted of random effects models to estimate the pooled prevalence of depression and anxiety across all studies, separate random effects models for distinct demographic (e.g., immigration status) and methodologic (e.g., study quality) subgroups that might have unique prevalence rates, and a meta-regression to identify additional variables (e.g., age of individuals) that might influence prevalence rates. Our review included 17 studies with a total sample population size of 22, 558 participants. Results indicated that the estimated prevalence of depression overall was 48% (CI 34, 63%) and 58% (CI 33, 83%) for the prevalence of anxiety. Our subgroup analyses uncovered notable variations in prevalence rates based on gender composition, immigration status, ethnicity, and research quality while results of the meta-regressions demonstrated effects of publication year and age of the Arab individual on the estimated prevalence of depression and anxiety. The high prevalence rates for depression and anxiety identified through this meta-analysis are very concerning and underscore the urgent need to address mental health concerns in Arab communities. Results of subgroup and meta-regression analyses suggest that refugees, individuals from specific countries of origin, and younger Arabic persons may need particular attention by clinicians in screening for and treating their depression and anxiety. Our results also signify the need for further high-quality studies to more rigorously assess prevalence of these mental health problems, since we found evidence of potential publication bias and approximately one third of the studies in the review had less optimal methodological quality based on our evaluation. Ultimately, in-depth research regarding the causes of anxiety or depression among Arab individuals will be essential to the development of culturally competent interventions that may reduce their very high prevalence rates.
Psychometric Evaluation of the New Translated and Culturally Adapted Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire in German-Speaking Women
Authors: Steinbrueck Pia-Cecilia , Meyer Gabriele , Ayerle Gertrud
Published: November 2024

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the newly adapted German version of the Parental Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) in a group of mothers drawn from the general population, with children aged 12–24 weeks. This assessment followed a thorough linguistic validation, which was conducted through a systematic, multi-step translation process.

Methods

363 women completed the PBQ online 12–24 weeks after delivery. Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to assess internal consistency reliability and construct validity.

Results

The original 4-factor model could not be confirmed. The new PBQ provides a single factor solution. Ten items were removed from the original 25-item PBQ to produce the abbreviated German PBQ-15, which showed strong internal consistency. The Cronbach’s alpha for this version was 0.86.

Conclusion

While further research is needed to establish diagnostic thresholds and strengthen the construct validity of the shortened version, the German-language 15-item version of the PBQ holds promise as an accessible tool for recognizing bonding issues in a general population of German-speaking women 3–6 months postpartum.
Statistical Learning Theory and Occam’s Razor: The Core Argument
Authors: Sterkenburg Tom F.
Published: November 2024

Statistical learning theory is often associated with the principle of Occam’s razor, which recommends a simplicity preference in inductive inference. This paper distills the core argument for simplicity obtainable from statistical learning theory, built on the theory’s central learning guarantee for the method of empirical risk minimization. This core “means-ends” argument is that a simpler hypothesis class or inductive model is better because it has better learning guarantees; however, these guarantees are model-relative and so the theoretical push towards simplicity is checked by our prior knowledge.
Multifunctional lightweight autonomous vehicles: an agent-based study
Authors: Coretti Sanchez Naroa , Larson Kent
Published: November 2024

In mobility-on-demand services, the number of vehicles needed is often determined by peak demand during rush hours, leading to prolonged vehicle idle times during off-peak periods. This surplus capacity presents an opportunity for vehicles to perform additional tasks, potentially enhancing system efficiency and reducing the overall number of vehicles needed in cities. Leveraging agent-based modeling, we evaluate the effectiveness of vehicles catering to on-demand rides and food deliveries in two real-life scenarios: Cambridge, MA, USA, and San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa, Spain. The results show that multifunctional behavior can lead to reduced fleet sizes, with context-specific exceptions. Additionally, a strategic dispatching algorithm is introduced that demonstrates reductions in wait times and overall distances traveled. This research contributes to the understanding of the performance of multifunctional fleets in diverse urban contexts, informing the development of sustainable and resource-efficient mobility systems.
Devising optimized maize nitrogen stress indices in complex field conditions from UAV hyperspectral imagery
Authors: Li Jiating , Ge Yufeng , Puntel Laila A. , Heeren Derek M. , Bai Geng , Balboa Guillermo R. , Gamon John A. , Arkebauer Timothy J. , Shi Yeyin
Published: November 2024

Nitrogen Sufficiency Index (NSI) is an important nitrogen (N) stress indicator for precision N management. It is usually calculated using variables such as leaf chlorophyll meter readings (SPAD) and vegetation indices (VIs). However, no consensus has been reached on the most preferred variable. Additionally, conventional NSI (NSIuni) calculation assumes N being the sole yield-limiting factor, neglecting other factors such as soil water variability. To tackle these issues, this study compared various variables for NSI calculation and evaluated two new N stress indicators in minimizing the impact of confounding water treatment. The following ground- and aerial-derived variables were compared for NSIuni calculation: SPAD, sampled leaf and canopy N content (LNC, CNC), LNC and CNC estimated using hyperspectral images acquired by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, and three VIs (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Red Edge Index (NDRE), and Chlorophyll Index) from the hyperspectral images. Results demonstrated that ground-measured variables outperformed aerial-based variables in deriving N-responsive NSI. Especially, LNC derived NSIuni responded to N treatment significantly in ten out of thirteen site-date datasets. For the second objective, a modified NSI (NSIw) and the NDRE/NDVI ratio were compared to NSIuni. NSIw reduced water treatment effects in over 80% of the datasets where NSIuni showed evident impacts. NDRE/NDVI performed similarly to NSIw, with the notable advantage of not requiring prior knowledge of soil water spatial distribution. This research pioneers the optimization of N stress indicators by identifying the best variables for NSI and mitigating the effects of soil water variability. These advancements significantly contribute to precision N management in complex field conditions.
Combined Surface Flux Transport and Helioseismic Far-Side Active Region Model (FARM)
Authors: Yang Dan , Heinemann Stephan G. , Cameron Robert H. , Gizon Laurent
Published: November 2024

Maps of the magnetic field at the Sun’s surface are commonly used as boundary conditions in space-weather modeling. However, continuous observations are only available from the Earth-facing part of the Sun’s surface. One commonly used approach to mitigate the lack of far-side information is to apply a surface flux transport (SFT) model to model the evolution of the magnetic field as the Sun rotates. Helioseismology can image active regions on the far side using acoustic oscillations and hence has the potential to improve the modeled surface magnetic field. In this study, we propose a novel approach for estimating magnetic fields of active regions on the Sun’s far side based on seismic measurements and then include them into an SFT model. To calibrate the conversion from helioseismic signal to magnetic field, we apply our SFT model to line-of-sight magnetograms from Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) to obtain reference maps of global magnetic fields (including the far side). The resulting magnetic maps are compared with helioseismic phase maps on the Sun’s far side computed using helioseismic holography. The spatial structure of the magnetic field within an active region is reflected in the spatial structure of the helioseismic phase shifts. We assign polarities to the unipolar magnetic-field concentrations based upon Hale’s law and require approximate flux balance between the two polarities. From 2010 to 2024, we modeled 859 active regions, with an average total unsigned flux of $7.84 \cdot 10^{21}$
7.84
⋅

10

21

 Mx and an average area of $4.48 \cdot 10^{10}$
4.48
⋅

10

10

 km2. Approximately $4.2\%$
4.2
%
of the active regions were found to have an anti-Hale configuration, which we manually corrected. Including these far-side active regions resulted in an average increase of $1.2\%$
1.2
%
(up to $25.3\%$
25.3
%
) in the total unsigned magnetogram flux. Comparisons between modeled open-field areas and EUV observations reveal a substantial improvement in agreement when far-side active regions are included. This proof of concept study demonstrates the potential of the “combined surface flux transport and helioseismic Far-side Active Region Model” (FARM) to improve space-weather modeling.
On the Instrumental Discrepancies in Lyman-Alpha Observations of Solar Flares
Authors: Greatorex Harry J. , Milligan Ryan O. , Dammasch Ingolf E.
Published: November 2024

Despite the energetic significance of Lyman-alpha (Ly$\alpha $
α
; 1216 Å) emission from solar flares, regular observations of flare related Ly$\alpha $
α
have been relatively scarce until recently. Advances in instrumental capabilities and a shift in focus over previous solar cycles mean it is now routinely possible to take regular co-observations of Ly$\alpha $
α
emission in solar flares. Thus, it is valuable to examine how the instruments selected for flare observations may influence the conclusions drawn from the analysis of their unique measurements. Here, we examine three M-class flares each observed in Ly$\alpha $
α
by GOES-14/EUVS-E, GOES-15/EUVS-E, or GOES-16/EXIS-EUVS-B, and at least one other instrument from PROBA2/LYRA, MAVEN/EUVM, ASO-S/LST-SDI, and SDO/EVE-MEGS-P. For each flare, the relative and excess flux, contrast, total energy, and timings of the Ly$\alpha $
α
emission were compared between instruments. It was found that while the discrepancies in measurements of the relative flux between instruments may be considered minimal, the calculated contrasts, excess fluxes, and energetics may differ significantly – in some cases up to a factor of five. This may have a notable impact on multi-instrument investigations of the variable Ly$\alpha $
α
emission in solar flares and estimates of the contribution of Ly$\alpha $
α
to the radiated energy budget of the chromosphere. The findings presented in this study will act as a guide for the interpretation of observations of flare-related Ly$\alpha $
α
from upcoming instruments during future solar cycles and inform conclusions drawn from multi-instrument studies.
Effective Rates for Iterations Involving Bregman Strongly Nonexpansive Operators
Authors: Pischke Nicholas , Kohlenbach Ulrich
Published: November 2024

We develop the theory of Bregman strongly nonexpansive maps for uniformly Fréchet differentiable Bregman functions from a quantitative perspective. In that vein, we provide moduli witnessing quantitative versions of the central assumptions commonly used in this field on the underlying Bregman function and the Bregman strongly nonexpansive maps. In terms of these moduli, we then compute explicit and effective rates for the asymptotic regularity of Picard iterations of Bregman strongly nonexpansive maps and of the method of cyclic Bregman projections. Further, we also provide similar rates for the asymptotic regularity and metastability of a strongly convergent Halpern-type iteration of a family of such mappings and we use these new results to derive rates for various special instantiations like a Halpern-type proximal point algorithm for monotone operators in Banach spaces as well as Halpern-Mann- and Tikhonov-Mann-type methods.
Humean Sentimentalism, Sentimentalist Antinatalism, and the Metaphysics of Procreation
Authors: Szocik Konrad
Published: November 2024

There is no doubt that Humean sentimentalism provides a basis for thinking about future people. However, this thinking does not necessarily lead to concern about their coming into the world. This is possible on the basis of adopting a pronatalist metaphysics. Sentimentalism provides no less grounds for adopting an antinatalist metaphysics. Its consequence will be sympathy and moral sentiments towards future people, which will be full of concern that their lives may be insignificant. The paper shows that, depending on the type of metaphysics of procreation adopted, the conclusion resulting from moral sentiments toward future humans can either encourage bringing them into the world, or encourage a pro-extinctionist attitude.
Slowed epigenetic aging in Olympic champions compared to non-champions
Authors: Radák Zsolt , Aczél Dóra , Fejes Iván , Mozaffaritabar Soroosh , Pavlik Gabor , Komka Zsolt , Balogh László , Babszki Zsofia , Babszki Gergely , Koltai Erika , McGreevy Kristen M. , Gordevicius Juozas , Horvath Steve , Kerepesi Csaba
Published: November 2024

The lifestyle patterns of top athletes are highly disciplined, featuring strict exercise regimens, nutrition plans, and mental preparation, often beginning at a young age. Recently, it was shown that physically active individuals exhibit slowed epigenetic aging and better age-related outcomes. Here, we investigate whether the extreme intensity of physical activity of Olympic champions still has a beneficial effect on epigenetic aging. To test this hypothesis, we examined the epigenetic aging of 59 Hungarian Olympic champions and of the 332 control subjects, 205 were master rowers. We observed that Olympic champions exhibit slower epigenetic aging, applying seven state-of-the-art epigenetic aging clocks. Additionally, male champions who won any medal within the last 10 years showed slower epigenetic aging compared to other male champions, while female champions exhibited the opposite trend. We also found that wrestlers had higher age acceleration compared to gymnasts, fencers, and water polo players. We identified the top 20 genes that showed the most remarkable difference in promoter methylation between Olympic champions and non-champions. The hypo-methylated genes are involved in synaptic health, glycosylation, metal ion membrane transfer, and force generation. Most of the hyper-methylated genes were associated with cancer promotion. The data suggest that rigorous and long-term exercise from adolescence to adulthood has beneficial effects on epigenetic aging.
Parameter Estimation and Identifiability in Kinetic Flux Profiling Models of Metabolism
Authors: Guppy Breanna , Mitchell Colleen , Taylor Eric B.
Published: November 2024

Metabolic fluxes are the rates of life-sustaining chemical reactions within a cell and metabolites are the components. Determining the changes in these fluxes is crucial to understanding diseases with metabolic causes and consequences. Kinetic flux profiling (KFP) is a method for estimating flux that utilizes data from isotope tracing experiments. In these experiments, the isotope-labeled nutrient is metabolized through a pathway and integrated into the downstream metabolite pools. Measurements of proportion labeled for each metabolite in the pathway are taken at multiple time points and used to fit an ordinary differential equations model with fluxes as parameters. We begin by generalizing the process of converting diagrams of metabolic pathways into mathematical models composed of differential equations and algebraic constraints. The scaled differential equations for proportions of unlabeled metabolite contain parameters related to the metabolic fluxes in the pathway. We investigate flux parameter identifiability given data collected only at the steady state of the differential equation. Next, we give criteria for valid parameter estimations in the case of a large separation of timescales with fast–slow analysis. Bayesian parameter estimation on simulated data from KFP experiments containing both irreversible and reversible reactions illustrates the accuracy and reliability of flux estimations. These analyses provide constraints that serve as guidelines for the design of KFP experiments to estimate metabolic fluxes.
Distributing Pieces of a Pie
Authors: Brumm Kai , Hörisch Felix
Published: November 2024

German Länder (federal states) have great leeway in designing education policies. This applies to early childhood, school-based, and tertiary education—and the allocation of money to these policy domains. However, when drafting budgets, state cabinets are confronted with trade-offs because public funds are scarce: While fiscal rules limit public borrowing, Länder are barely entitled to increase taxes autonomously. Thus, budgetary trade-offs must be solved on the expenditure side. This article investigates whether party politics and the “debt brake” shape the composition of states’ education budgets. We distinguish between expenditures for early childhood education and care (ECEC), schools, universities, and other purposes. Using this categorisation, we examine the education expenses of all 16 Länder between 1995 and 2020. To capture budgetary trade-offs, the interdependence of expenditure shares (seemingly unrelated regressions) and the budget constraint (compositional dependent variables) are explicitly modelled. Our findings indicate significant partisan effects: Christian Democrats in government give universities right of way, whereas the left-wing Social Democratic Party and the Free Democrats (FDP) prioritise the expansion of public daycare. Stricter subnational fiscal rules make all parties boost relative spending on ECEC, as the expansion of childcare services was often prescribed by federal law. Nonetheless, parties differ in the speed of this expansion.
Structural Effects of Cold-Sprayed Ti Coating Modified with Ti-Based Satellite Particles with In Situ-Formed TiC
Authors: Myalska-Głowacka H. , Cios G. , Denoirjean A. , Godzierz M. , Ion A. , Kurtyka K. , Rossignol F.
Published: November 2024

In this paper, the influence of Ti-TiC satellite powder obtained in situ by the CVD method on the microstructure, properties, and residual stress of titanium cold-sprayed coatings was studied. A commercially available titanium powder was subjected to a satelliting process using the CVD process, where TiC particles were in situ formed on titanium granules. Then, a powder mixture of pure Ti and 20 wt.% of Ti-TiC satellite powder was obtained. Cold spray coatings of Ti-(Ti-TiC)sat powder mixtures were applied to Ti6Al4V substrates with carrier gas temperatures of 900 °C and 1100 °C. The coating characterization included microstructural analyses by SEM, hardness measurements, determination of Young’s modulus, phase composition by XRD, and residual stress measurements. Cross-sectional analysis revealed good cohesion between Ti and TiC during the satelliting process, which survives coating deposition. Moreover, the higher spraying temperature resulted in TiC crystallite size reduction, higher hardness, and Young’s modulus, decreasing linear and shear stresses.
Influence of Annealing Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cold-Sprayed CoCrFeNiMn High Entropy Alloy
Authors: Akisin Cletus J. , Bennett Chris J. , Venturi Federico , Hussain Tanvir
Published: November 2024

In this study, we developed a ~ 2 mm thick deposit of CoCrFeNiMn high entropy alloy (HEA) from cold spray. After cold-spraying, annealing at 600, 800 and 1000 °C for 5 hrs was conducted to improve and consolidate the microstructure. The influence of the annealing treatment on the microstructure, hardness and tensile strength of the HEA deposit was studied. The results showed that annealing treatment increased the fraction of metallurgical bonded areas due to diffusion, which resulted in enhanced mechanical performances of the deposit. The examined fractured surfaces of the tensile test samples revealed that the annealing treatment changed the failure behavior of the as-sprayed deposit from mostly particle-particle interface failure to void coalescence (ductile failure). Interestingly, a distinct microstructure was observed for the deposited annealed at 600 °C; a partially recrystallized microstructure with a small volume fraction of Cr-rich phase formed along grain boundaries, whereas fully recrystallized microstructure at higher two temperatures. The strengthening effect of partial recrystallisation, with a small volume fraction of the Cr-rich phase led to a greater reduced modulus and tensile strength (~196.7 GPa and 51.7 MPa) of the deposit annealed at 600 °C when compared with that annealed at 800 °C (~182.5 GPa and 43.6 MPa). It is believed that the small volume fraction of the Cr-rich phase partly constrained the deformation of the surrounding FCC HEA matrix during mechanical loading, leading to better mechanical properties as compared to the deposit annealed at 800 °C.
$$\tau $$-quantization and $$\tau $$-Cohen classes distributions of Feichtinger operators
Authors: Bastianoni Federico , Luef Franz
Published: November 2024

We investigate the $$\tau $$
τ
-quantizations and Cohen’s class distributions of a suitable class of trace-class operators, called Feichtinger’s operators, and show that it is a convenient substitute for the class of Schwartz operators. Many well-known concepts and results for functions in time-frequency analysis have an operator-analog in our setting, e.g. that Cohen’s classes are convolutions of Wigner functions with distributions or characterization of the class of Schwartz operators as an intersection of weighted variants of the class of Feichtinger operators.