bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On Algorithms and Approximations for Progressively Type‐I Censoring Schemes
Authors: El‐Saeed Ahmed R. , Almetwally Ehab M.
Published: December 2024

This research aims to study the estimation of parameters for a Burr‐XII distribution and to investigate optimal sampling plans under progressive Type‐I censoring (PTIC). For point estimation, we employed the maximum‐likelihood estimation (MLE) method using two numerical approaches: Newton–Raphson and the Expectation–Maximization algorithm. We also utilized Bayesian estimation with squared error loss and linear exponential loss functions. Specifically, two approximate Bayesian methods, the Lindley and Tierney‐Kadane methods were examined. Additionally, Bayesian numerical estimation was performed using Markov Chain Monte Carlo with the Metropolis‐Hastings (MH) algorithm. For interval estimation, we constructed asymptotic confidence intervals for MLE and the highest posterior density method within the Bayesian framework. The practical study involved Monte Carlo simulations to assess the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed estimation methods across different PTIC schemes. A real data analysis is also provided to illustrate the practical application of these methodologies in analyzing a clinical trial dataset. Data from a clinical trial using a PTIC scheme reveals patterns in pain relief, aiding in evaluating the antibiotic ointment's effectiveness. The study further investigates optimal sampling plans for the Burr‐XII distribution under PTIC.
Enhanced Aiot Multi‐Modal Fusion for Human Activity Recognition in Ambient Assisted Living Environment
Authors: Patel Ankit D. , Jhaveri Rutvij H. , Patel Ashish D. , Shah Kaushal A. , Shah Jigarkumar
Published: December 2024

Methodology

Human activity recognition (HAR) has emerged as a fundamental capability in various disciplines, including ambient assisted living, healthcare, human‐computer interaction, etc. This study proposes a novel approach for activity recognition by integrating IoT technologies with Artificial Intelligence and Edge Computing. This work presents a fusion HAR approach that combines data readings from wearable sensors such as accelerometer and gyroscope sensors and Images captured by vision‐based sensors such as cameras incorporating the capabilities of Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models. The aim of fusing these models is to capture and extract the temporal and spatial information, improving the accuracy and resilience of activity identification systems. The work uses the CNN model to find spatial features from the images that represent the contextual information of the activities and the LSTM model for processing sequential accelerometer and gyroscope sensor data to extract the temporal dynamics from the human activities.

Results

The performance of our fusion approach is evaluated through different experiments using varying parameters and applies the best‐suited parameters for our model. The results demonstrate that the fusion of LSTM and CNN models outperforms standalone models and traditional fusion methods, achieving an accuracy of 98%, which is almost 9% higher than standalone models.

Conclusion

The fusion of LSTM and CNN models enables the integration of complementary information from both data sources, leading to improved performance. The computation tasks are performed at the local edge device resulting to enhanced privacy and reduced latency. Our approach greatly impacts real‐world applications where accurate and reliable HAR systems are essential for enhancing human‐machine interaction and monitoring human activities in various domains.
Patterned Ion‐Pair Membrane for High‐Temperature Proton‐Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Lee Sanghyeok , Oh Songi , Kim Sohee , Lee Jinyeong , Lee Wonhyeong , Lim Katie Heeyum , Jang Ji‐Hoon , Jang Segeun
Published: December 2024

Despite the many advantages of catalyst‐coated membranes (CCMs), there have been few studies of the use of CCMs to construct membrane‐electrode assemblies (MEAs) for high‐temperature polymer‐electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT‐PEMFCs) using phosphoric acid (PA) doping. In this article, the use of membrane patterning to enable CCM to be utilized for HT‐PEMFCs is reported. A PA‐doped ion‐pair membrane and an electrode containing protonated phosphonic acid ionomers are employed to fabricate CCMs using the direct‐decal‐transfer method. A membrane with an inverted‐pyramid structure, created using solvent‐assisted patterning, further exploits the advantages of CCMs. The resulting CCM exhibits improved decal‐transfer efficiency, increased capillary infiltration of PA, and reduced PA loss during compression. The enlarged, interlocked, 3D structure increases the interfacial adhesion strength and the electrochemically active surface area compared to a conventional MEA with either a catalyst‐coated substrate or a flat CCM. Due to the morphological modification of the electrode, the patterned CCM also exhibits the lowest oxygen‐transport resistance among the MEAs. As a result of these enhancements, the patterned CCM achieves the high performance of 680 mW cm−2 at 160 °C in dry H2/air with low total Pt usage of 0.5 mg cm−2.
Dual Interfacial Design Enables Efficient and Stable Semitransparent Wide‐Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells With Scalable‐Coated Silver Nanowire Contact for Tandem Applications
Authors: Chen Chaoran , Liu Lianglan , Huang Ting , Tu Biao , Li Hongbing , He Qingchen , Ma Qiaoyan , Xu Zhenhua , Chen Shi , Li Jianmin , Liang Guangxing , Mai Yaohua , Guo Fei
Published: December 2024

Semitransparent perovskite solar cells (PSCs) hold great potential for applications in aesthetic building facades and top‐illuminated tandem devices. Indium tin oxide is currently the frequently used top transparent contact, which would degrade the underlying perovskites during sputter process. Here, we report low‐temperature, scalable solution‐processed silver nanowires (AgNWs) as top window electrodes for fabricating efficient and stable semitransparent PSCs. As a decisive step, an impermeable SnO2 thin film deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is applied to prevent chemical reactions between AgNWs and halides of perovskites. In parallel, the molecular absorption of propylenediamine iodine (PDADI) on perovskite surface, instead of forming two‐dimensional (2D) perovskite capping layer, is found to effectively passivate the perovskite surface, which simultaneously leads to remarkably enhanced thermal stability, thus affording the processing window for ALD‐SnO2 deposition. Eventually, the prepared semitransparent PSCs with a bandgap of 1.71 eV achieve a champion efficiency of 17.5%, being the highest efficiency for semitransparent PSCs with AgNWs top contacts. On these bases, we constructed a four‐terminal perovskite/copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) tandem cell, giving a state‐of‐the‐art efficiency of 26.85%.
Accuracy of cell‐free fetal DNA in detecting chromosomal anomalies in women experiencing miscarriage: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Della Valle L. , Piergianni M. , Khalil A. , Rizzo G. , Mappa I. , Matarrelli B. , Lucidi A. , Manzoli L. , Flacco M. E. , Stuppia L. , D'Antonio F.
Published: December 2024

Objective

To report the diagnostic accuracy of cell‐free fetal DNA (cfDNA) in detecting fetal chromosomal anomalies in women experiencing miscarriage.

Methods

PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to June 2024. The inclusion criteria were women experiencing miscarriage (defined as pregnancy loss before 20 weeks of gestation) who underwent cfDNA screening for trisomies 21, 18 and 13, other autosomal aneuploidies, sex‐chromosome aneuploidies and/or copy‐number variants (CNVs). The index test was cfDNA screening for each of the chromosomal anomalies listed. The reference standard was cytogenetic analysis of pregnancy tissue. The quality of the studies was assessed using the revised tool for the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies. Summary estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio were computed using the hierarchical summary receiver‐operating‐characteristics model.

Results

Seven studies (887 women) were included in the systematic review and meta‐analysis. cfDNA had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% (95% CI, 81.5–100%) and 100% (95% CI, 99.1–100%), respectively, for trisomy 21, 100% (95% CI, 54.1–100%) and 100% (95% CI, 99.0–100%), respectively, for trisomy 18, and 88.9% (95% CI, 51.8–99.7%) and 100% (95% CI, 99.1–100%), respectively, for trisomy 13. The respective values for other autosomal trisomies were 75.8% (95% CI, 65.7–84.2%) and 99.4% (95% CI, 97.9–99.9%), while those for CNVs were 60.0% (95% CI, 14.7–94.7%) and 100% (95% CI, 97.4–100%). Failure of cfDNA testing was reported in 7.3% (95% CI, 5.7–9.2%) of cases.

Conclusion

cfDNA has high diagnostic accuracy in detecting fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in women experiencing miscarriage, while its accuracy for other autosomal aneuploidies and CNVs is only moderate. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Applications of hybrid nanofluid in advanced solar thermal technologies with enhanced heat transfer with Cattaneo–Christov heat flux in a cylinder
Authors: Farooq Umar , Ali Ali B. M. , Fatima Nahid , Khan Shan Ali , Noreen Sobia , Imran Muhammad , Muhammad Taseer
Published: December 2024

Hybrid nanofluids (HNFs) thus naturally find one of the most important uses in the field of concentrated solar power, in which great demands of thermal conductivity and stability are made for the efficient conversion of concentrated solar radiation into heat. HNFs may accelerate the rate of transfer of heat, which can unlock the potential of being capable of offering quicker heating times and improved performance consistency of domestic and industrial solar water heating systems. The HNF flow at heat transfer applied in the solar thermal panels provides huge benefits in terms of effectiveness, durability, and overall performance; hence, an interesting area for more research and development within novel renewable energy technologies. The present paper attempts to discuss the impact of Cattaneo–Christov (C–C) heat flux, magnetic parameter with the relaxation to time for hybrid nanofluid coolants (Single wall carbon nanotubes [SWCNT]‐Al2O3/water, multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)‐Al2O3/water) that moves with the cylinder during the process of heat transmission. The current mathematical model uses the magnetic field to investigate the behavior of the electrically conductive fluid. The thermal radiation supports the steady flow. Carbon nanotubes (SWCNT and MWCNT) are used as nanomaterials in the water‐based fluid. In the given model partial slip model is used for boundary layer flow analysis in hybrid based nanofluid flow. The group of PDEs of the boundary layer is changed in to ODEs by the help of associated transformations during cooling process. The converted system of ordinary differential equations is addressed by numerical technique bvp4c of computational software MATLAB. Graphical explanation of the acquired results for various parameters of velocity and heat fields is done. From the obtained results, it is concluded that the velocity field is increased by increasing the values of the curvature parameter. The slip parameter decreases the velocity with an increase. Further, the temperature distribution grows by elevating the values of the nanoparticles volume fractions and the thermal Biot number.
Gasification in FBRs
Authors: Duan Lunbo , Lu Dennis
Published: December 2024

Pre-combustion carbon capture, also known as pre-combustion CO2 capture or gasification, is an emerging technology for CO2 emission reduction. The core of this method lies in separating the carbon-containing part from the fuel before combustion through gasification, thereby reducing or avoiding carbon emissions.
Introduction: Retrofitting the Academy for Indigenous Excellence
Authors: Trudgett Michelle , Page Susan
Published: December 2024

The Introduction, authored by the editorial team, outlines Indigenous participation in Australian higher education, giving a brief overview of some key touchpoints since the colonial era. This historical synopsis provides a context for the Indigenous ECR narratives that follow and acts as a call to action and a marshalling of institutional intent to capitalise on the hard-won successes borne of growing Indigenous doctoral success. To squander the opportunity to greater and more meaningful contributions by Indigenous peoples to higher education, would be to diminish the prospects of enhanced Indigenous research, quality of teaching and modelling for Indigenous students that flow from highly qualified and skilled Indigenous scholars. The benefits to Indigenous communities and the nation are considerable.
A Letter to All the Deadly Accidental Academics Starting Their Early Career Researcher Journey
Authors: Thorpe Katrina
Published: December 2024

Associate Professor Katrina Thorpe’s chapter takes the form of a letter offering pragmatic advice about how to get the best out of the postdoctoral period and reflecting on the gap between expectations and the realities of what is possible to achieve. Associate Professor Thorpe encourages her fellow ECRs to follow their passion and to enjoy the postdoctoral time to focus on building or enhancing a research profile. She offers sage advice about the importance of saying no to distractions by creating clear boundaries bolstered by a strong sense of the value of the research that Indigenous researchers are undertaking. On a very practical note, Associate Professor Thorpe offers guidance about vital questions to ask when you have research funding. While the focus of the chapter is on Indigenous ECRs, there is also recommendations to universities about the value of developing post Ph.D. pathways for HDR students in your own institutions.
Am I There Yet? Learning as I Go and Wondering What Success Looks Like
Authors: Locke Michelle
Published: December 2024

Dr Michelle Locke explores the challenges of being ‘first in family’, whilst also recognising the enormous support of her family and the collective pride in her success. Dr Locke charts a circuitous route to academic work via a profession, noting the importance of learning environments which nurture and support Indigenous PhD candidates. The Covid-19 pandemic effected Dr Locke, in the practical ways that impacted many others, but she also shares the vulnerability and loss of confidence that can attend the isolation wrought by pandemic lockdowns. Dr Locke illuminates how the challenges of learning the language of academia can be both a barrier and once learned a form of entry. Central to Dr Locke’s chapter is the importance of publishing, along with the weight of responsibility for ensuring that Indigenous voices are both valued through careful data analysis and amplified by thoughtful publishing.
A Personal Story of ‘Coincidence’ in Becoming an Academic and Early Career Researcher: Being Creative to Push Boundaries
Authors: McKnight Anthony
Published: December 2024

Dr. Anthony McKnight’s chapter is infused with stories of lessons from Elders and family. Dr. McKnight explains that the chapter might be confusing for some readers, reflecting his own academic journey and mirroring the way Elders often indirectly guide community through convoluted stories. We see an example of Aunty pedagogy and the capacity to maintain connection through discourse. The chapter is a powerful insight into the intersecting tensions between not forgetting where you come from, latent community fear of losing their young people to Western education systems, and community expectations and the responsibility of being an Indigenous person doing doctoral work. Using that most ordinary, everyday item, the humble potato chip, Dr. McKnight seeks to distill his experiences and lessons learned into an instructive poem.
Dimension-8 SMEFT contact-terms for vector-pair production via on-shell Higgsing
Authors: Goldberg Jared M. , Liu Hongkai , Shadmi Yael
Published: December 2024

Abstract

We derive the dimension-8 standard-model effective theory (SMEFT) contact terms relevant for vector-pair production at the LHC and lepton colliders. We first list the relevant dimension-8 massless SMEFT amplitudes, and then obtain the low-energy amplitudes using on-shell Higgsing. In all cases, the contributions we calculate are the leading-order contributions to 4-point contact-terms; the dimension-6 SMEFT merely corrects the three-point couplings entering the amplitudes. Since they are given in terms of physical quantities, namely momenta and polarizations, the results allow for a direct mapping of EFT effects to low-energy observables. The vector amplitudes are sensitive to both anomalous vector couplings and Higgs self-couplings. The left-handed fermion amplitudes feature SU(2) violating effects first generated at dimension-8. We also compare our results to HEFT predictions. Interestingly, the dimension-8 SMEFT populates almost all the novel structures generated by the dimension-8 HEFT.
Weak rates in strongly coupled cold quark matter
Authors: Hoyos Carlos , Olzi Andrea , Rodriguez-Fernandez David
Published: December 2024

Abstract

The rates of flavor-changing weak processes are crucial in determining the conditions of beta equilibrium in neutron stars and mergers, influencing the damping of oscillations, the stability of rotating pulsars, and the emission of gravitational waves. We derive a formula for these rates at nonzero temperature, to leading order in the Fermi coupling and exact in the QCD coupling. Utilizing a simple phenomenological holographic model dual to QCD, we study massless unpaired quark matter at high densities. We numerically compute the rate for small deviations from beta equilibrium and derive an analytic approximation for small temperatures. Our findings reveal that, compared to the perturbative result, the rate is suppressed by logarithmic factors of the temperature.
The next-to-leading order Higgs impact factor at physical top mass: the real corrections
Authors: Celiberto Francesco Giovanni , Rose Luigi Delle , Fucilla Michael , Gatto Gabriele , Papa Alessandro
Published: December 2024

Abstract

We compute the real corrections to the impact factor for the production of a forward Higgs boson, retaining full top-mass dependence. We demonstrate that the rapidity divergence is the one predicted by the BFKL factorization and perform the explicit subtraction in the BFKL scheme. We show that the IR-structure of the impact factor is the expected one and that, in the infinite-top-mass approximation, the previously known result is recovered. We also verify that the impact factor vanishes when the transverse momenta of the t-channel Reggeon goes to zero, in agreement with its gauge-invariant definition, exploiting the mt → ∞ expansion up to the next-to-next-to-leading order.
Clinical relevance of feto-maternal microchimerism in (hematopoietic stem cell) transplantation
Authors: Kruchen Anne , Fehse Boris , Müller Ingo
Published: December 2024

Toleration of a semi-allogeneic fetus in the mother’s uterus as well as tolerance after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) appear to share some immunologic concepts. The existence of microchimeric cells, and the original idea of a bidirectional cell trafficking between mother and child during pregnancy have been known for decades. Today, origins and mechanisms of persistence of microchimeric cells are intensively being elucidated. Both, the translation of the phenomenon of feto-maternal immune tolerance to donor choice or prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in HSCT, and the implications of microchimeric cells in and for HSCT are highly intriguing. Yet, differences in detection methods of microchimeric cells, as well as in transplantation protocols impede the comparison of larger cohorts, and limit potential clinical advice. Still, matching of non-inherited maternal antigens (NIMA), which are expressed on maternal microchimeric cells, demonstrated a strong association with decreased risk for the development of acute GvHD in the context of various transplantation strategies. Despite the fact that advances in graft manipulation and immunosuppression ameliorated the safety and outcome after HSCT, NIMA-matching retained a beneficial role in selection of sibling, child, or maternal donors, as well as for cord blood units. Recent findings indicate the existence of a microchimeric stem cell niche, in which only one dominant microchimeric cell population of only one semi-allogeneic origin persists at a time. This implies that studies regarding the impact of (maternal and fetal) microchimerism (MC) on clinical outcome of HSCT should combine analysis of NIMA and direct detection of microchimeric cells from donor and recipient on the verge of HSCT to be efficiently conclusive.
Changing the Inoculum Type From Preculture to Spore Suspension Markedly Alters the Production of Secondary Metabolites in Filamentous Microbial Coculture
Authors: Boruta Tomasz , Pawlikowska Weronika , Foryś Martyna , Englart Grzegorz , Ścigaczewska Anna
Published: December 2024

The shake flask cocultures of Aspergillus terreus and Streptomyces rimosus were investigated with regard to the production of mevinolinic acid (lovastatin), oxytetracycline, and other secondary metabolites (SMs). The aim of the study was to determine the effect of inoculum type (spore suspension or preculture) on the levels of SMs in the fermentation broth. Altogether, 17 SMs were detected, including 4 products with confirmed identities, 10 putatively annotated metabolites, and 3 unknown molecules. As observed over the course of qualitative and quantitative analyses, the selection of inoculum type markedly influenced the SM-related outcomes of cocultures. Depending on the coculture initiation procedure, replacing the preculture with spore inoculum positively affected the biosynthesis of oxytetracycline, butyrolactone I, (+)-geodin, as well as the molecules putatively identified as rimocidin, CE-108, and (+)-erdin. It was concluded that the comparative analyses of SM production in filamentous microbial cocultures and monocultures are dependent on the type of inoculum and thus the diversification of inocula is highly recommended in such studies. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that designing a coculture experiment that involves only a single type of inoculum may lead to the underestimation of biosynthetic repertoires of filamentous microorganisms.
Associations between dietary macronutrient composition and cardiometabolic health: data from NHANES 1999–2014
Authors: Koemel Nicholas A. , Senior Alistair M. , Laouali Nasser , Celermajer David S. , Grech Amanda , Parker Helen M. , Simpson Stephen J. , Raubenheimer David , Gill Timothy P. , Skilton Michael R.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Dietary macronutrients significantly impact cardiometabolic health, yet research often focuses on individual macronutrient relationships. This study aimed to explore the associations between dietary macronutrient composition and cardiometabolic health.

Methods

This study included 33,681 US adults (49.7 ± 18.3 years; 52.5% female) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 1999–2014. Dietary data was derived from 1 to 2 separate 24-hour recalls and cardiometabolic health included lipid profile, glycemic control, blood pressure, and adiposity collected in a mobile examination center. Associations between dietary macronutrient composition and cardiometabolic health were examined using generalized additive models adjusted for age, socio-demographics, lifestyle, and diet quality.

Results

In females, triglycerides (P < 0.01) and HDL cholesterol (P < 0.01) were the least optimal in diets containing lower fat (10%) and higher carbohydrate (75%). In males, HDL cholesterol was positively associated with fat (P < 0.01) and no association with triglycerides was detected. Total-C associations were male specific (P = 0.01) and highest in diets composed of 25% protein, 30% carbohydrate, and 45% fat. In both sexes, systolic blood pressure (P ≤ 0.02) was highest in diets containing lower fat (10%) coupled with moderate protein (25%). Diastolic blood pressure associations were female specific (P < 0.01) with higher values in those consuming the upper range of fat (55%). There were no associations of macronutrient composition with glycemic control or adiposity.

Conclusion

This study revealed sex-specific relationships between macronutrient composition and cardiometabolic health. Future research is needed to explore these relationships across age groups.
Laryngeal dystonia and vocal tremor response to botulinum toxin injection
Authors: Pinto João Viana , López Isabel García
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The main objective of this study was to compare laryngeal dystonia (LD) and vocal tremor’s (VT) response to botulinum toxin injection.

Methods

Retrospective study including every patient with LD or VT injected with botulinum toxin guided by electromyography, from January 1, 2010, to September 30, 2022, at a tertiary hospital centre. Improvement was assessed with the VHI-10, grade of dysphonia in a visual analogue scale (VAS; 0–10), GRBAS(I) scale (0–3) and maximum phonation time (MPT).

Results

A total of 77 patients were included, 44 patients with LD and 33 with VT. There were no differences between groups on pre-treatment VHI-10, grade of dysphonia in the VAS, MPT and G, R, B, A and I at diagnosis (p > 0.05). S was significantly higher in patients with LD (p < 0.001). After the first injection, both groups showed an increase in the grade of dysphonia on the VAS and a decrease in VHI-10, G, S and I (p < 0.05), with a higher variation in the VAS and S parameters in the LD group compared to VT (p < 0.05). In the 54 patients that performed two or more injections, G, S and I had a higher decrease in patients with LD when compared to patients with VT (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

BTX injection was successful in improving the VHI-10, grade of dysphonia on the VAS and G, S and I in the GRBAS-I scale for both DT and VT. LD seems to have a better response to BTX in comparison to VT.
A review of short-term weather impacts on honey production
Authors: Vincze Csilla , Leelőssy Ádám , Zajácz Edit , Mészáros Róbert
Published: December 2024

Beekeeping is an exceptionally weather-sensitive agricultural field. Honey production and pollination services depend on the complex interaction of plants and bees, both of which are impacted by short-term weather changes. In this review, classical and recent research is collected to provide an overview on short-term atmospheric factors influencing honey production, and the optimal and critical weather conditions for bee activity. Bee flight can be directly obstructed by precipitation, wind, extreme temperatures and also air pollution. Bees generally fly within a temperature range of 10–40 °C, with optimal foraging efficiency occurring between 20 and 30 °C. Wind speeds exceeding 1.6–6.7 m/s can reduce foraging efficiency. Additionally, bee activity is significantly correlated with temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation, factors which influence nectar production. Optimal conditions for nectar collection typically occur in the morning and early afternoon hours with mild and moist weather. The diurnal nectar collection habit of bees adjusts to the nectar production of individual plant species. Extreme weather occurring in the sensitive hours is noticeable both in the nectar production of plants and in the activity of bees, thus in the honey yield. Understanding the impact of weather on honey bees is crucial in the management and planning of honey production. This review highlights the importance of studying these interactions to better adapt beekeeping practices to changing environmental conditions.

Graphical Abstract
A real-time platform for Spanish Sign Language interpretation
Authors: Morillas-Espejo Francisco , Martinez-Martin Ester
Published: December 2024

More than 13% of the Spanish population suffers from hearing impairment. Despite the existence of several hearing aids and implants making sounds clearer and louder, there are some people unable to use them and, consequently, their only means of communication is Sign Language. However, this language is not widely known in the society. Consequently, those who are deaf or hard of hearing may be socially excluded and experience frustration as a result of the lack of communication. In this context, Sign Language Recognition and interpretation would help to break down the existing communication barriers and facilitate the creation of inclusive environments. With that aim, this paper presents a real-time platform to recognize and interpret finger-spelt words in Spanish Sign Language (Lengua de Signos Española). As finger spelling implies the recognition of each signed letter, a comparative analysis of different deep learning techniques to properly recognize the Spanish Sign Language alphabet has been carried out. For that, due to the lack of Spanish Sign Language datasets, the first step was to capture and build an image dataset representing its 30 letters. As there are static and in-motion letters, spatial and temporal analysis has been conducted by considering different kind of neural networks (Convolutional Neural Networks, Recurrent Neural Networks, and Vision Transformers). The experimental results highlight the good performance of the studied architectures, obtaining a maximum accuracy of 79.96% on previously unseen data. Finally, a real-time platform for the recognition and interpretation of finger-spelt words in Spanish Sign Language has been implemented making the communication possible.
Optimization of workflow processes for sustainable paternal involvement: case study of an academic “daddy surgeon” in Japan
Authors: Kanaya Nobuhiko , Kuroda Shinji , Kondo Yoshitaka , Takehara Yuko , Kakiuchi Yoshihiko , Minagi Hitoshi , Sakamoto Masaki , Kagawa Shunsuke , Kataoka Hitomi , Fujiwara Toshiyoshi
Published: December 2024

Work–life balance is often discussed in Japan. Yet surgeons find it challenging to take paternity leave because of their demanding surgical duties and a strong sense of responsibility. One Japanese male surgeon had his first paternity experience as a research fellow in the US. When he returned to Japan, he resumed his surgical training and started a research project to become an academic surgeon. When he and his wife were expecting their second child, they discussed his paternity participation before the delivery and decided on a sustainable paternity participation plan. By coordinating his responsibilities with his co-workers, he limited his attendance at work to daytime hours only for 1 month to manage paternity duties. This adjustment did not affect the number of main and assistant operations conducted that month and effective optimization of workflow processes decreased the extra workload for other team members. His experience suggests that the optimization of workflow processes can enhance personal life, including paternity participation. (150/150).
On the use of feed-forward neural networks in the context of surrogate aeroelastic simulations
Authors: Roccia Bruno A. , Ruiz Marcelo , Gebhardt Cristian G.
Published: December 2024

For a few decades now, the proliferation of digital computers has driven the development of increasingly complex models to study the physical phenomena that are part of our reality. Particularly, in the field of aeronautics and renewable energy (wind), correct aeroelastic modeling is crucial for many reasons: structural and aerodynamic optimization, determining operational envelopes, and avoiding destructive aeroelastic phenomena such as divergence or flutter, among others. Furthermore, the study of systems involving multiple fields of physics (aerodynamics, structural dynamics, control, etc.) is characterized by exhibiting highly nonlinear phenomena (limit cycle oscillations, bifurcations, chaos, etc.), which are very challenging to capture with linear approximations or simplified models. In this work, we present a comprehensive statistical analysis of the performance of shallow feed-forward neural networks (FNNs) to capture supercritical Hopf bifurcations when dealing with aeroelastic flutter. The FNNs are trained by considering data sets generated by using two different aeroelastic models of increasing complexity. For the structural model, we consider a two-degree-of-freedom model consisting of an airfoil oscillating in pitch and plunge. The aerodynamic forces are accounted for by using two different flow solvers: (1) a non-compressible two-dimensional linear (but ergodic) model based on Wagner’s theory (referred as Fung’s model), which results in analytical expressions for the lift and aerodynamic moment, and (2) a two-dimensional version of the well-known unsteady vortex-lattice method (UVLM). The assessment of the resulting FNN-based models is carried out through a Monte Carlo experiment over R replicates. As a measure of performance, we use the mean-squared error test associated with the estimators, here the system’s response and its consistent aerodynamic coefficients. We also discuss, in detail, the behavior of FNN-based surrogate aeroelastic frameworks when they are trained with data coming from Fung-based or UVLM-based aeroelastic simulations. Furthermore, we highlight a number of challenges faced by shallow FNNs, as well as some difficulties when integrated into surrogate aeroelastic environments. Finally, we provide explanations to questions raised throughout the article and conjecture some others without a definitive answer.
Novel affibody molecules targeting the AXL extracellular structural domain for molecular imaging and targeted therapy of gastric cancer
Authors: Zhang HuiHui , Zheng Maolin , Cai YiQi , Kamara Saidu , Chen Jun , Zhu Shanli , Zhang Lifang
Published: December 2024

Gastric cancer (GC) has a poor prognosis and high mortality because it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Targeted therapeutics are considered an important class for advanced GC treatment. However, the fewer effective therapeutic targets and the poor coverage of the GC population limit the use of GC targeted therapies. Recent research suggests that the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) plays an vital role in the survival and proliferation of GC cells, and blocking AXL pathway may be an effective strategy for targeted therapies. On the other hand, the affibody molecule, with its small size and faster penetration of tissue, has great potential in tumor imaging and targeted therapy. In this study, we report the novel AXL-binding affibody molecules (ZAXL:239) screened by a phage-displayed peptide library. The ZAXL:239 could specifically bind and interact with AXL proteins in vitro and in vivo, as demonstrated by surface plasmon resonance, co-immunoprecipitation, immuno-fluorescence co-localization, and near infrared fluorescent imaging. In addition, ZAXL:239 affibody molecules could significantly inhibit the proliferative activity and induce apoptosis of AXL-positive GC cells by decreasing the phosphorylation levels of the PI3K/AKT1 and MEK/ERK pathway, leading to the suppression of the downstream nuclear protein c-myc. Moreover, ZAXL:239 was found to have significant anti-tumor effects in AXL-positive GC transplantation tumor nude mouse models. In brief, we provide strong evidence that the novel ZAXL:239 affibody molecules have great potential as a potent tumor-specific molecular imaging and targeted therapeutic agents for GC.
Conceptual modelling of temporality and subjectivity as cross-cutting concerns
Authors: Gonzalez-Perez Cesar
Published: December 2024

Conceptual models represent the world, but the world changes over time, and is different, to some extent, depending on who you ask. To cater for these aspects, conceptual models must address the representation of temporality and subjectivity. Although some work has been done to incorporate these aspects into conceptual modelling languages, no mainstream language incorporates explicit support for temporality and subjectivity in relation to the existence and predication on the represented entities. In this article, I propose an approach to conceptualising and implementing temporality and subjectivity into conceptual modelling languages as cross-cutting aspects that provide built-in language primitives to the modeller while not imposing any particular manner to represent time or subjects. The approach has been adopted by ConML, a conceptual modelling language geared towards the humanities and social sciences, implemented in the Bundt software tool, and applied to a number of research projects.
Deep mining the textual gold in relation extraction
Authors: Sharma Tanvi , Emmert-Streib Frank
Published: December 2024

Relation extraction (RE) is a fundamental task in natural language processing (NLP) that seeks to identify and categorize relationships among entities referenced in the text. Traditionally, RE has relied on rule-based systems. Still, recently, a variety of deep learning approaches have been employed, including recurrent neural networks (RNNs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT). This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of relation extraction, focusing on deep learning models. Given the complexity of the RE problem, we will present it from a multi-dimensional perspective, covering model steps, relation types, method types, benchmark datasets, and applications. We will also highlight both historical and current research in the field, identifying promising research areas for further development and emerging directions. Specifically, we will focus on potential enhancements for relation extraction from poorly labeled data and provide a detailed assessment of current shortcomings in handling complex real-world situations.
Clebsch-Gordan Coefficients for Macdonald Polynomials
Authors: Bhattacharya Aritra , Ram Arun
Published: December 2024

In this paper we use the double affine Hecke algebra to compute the Macdonald polynomial products

$$E_\ell P_m$$

E
ℓ

P
m

and

$$P_\ell P_m$$

P
ℓ

P
m

for type

$$SL_2$$

S

L
2

and type

$$GL_2$$

G

L
2

Macdonald polynomials. Our method follows the ideas of Martha Yip but executes a compression to reduce the sum from

$$2\cdot 3^{\ell -1}$$

2
·

3

ℓ
-
1

signed terms to

$$2\ell $$

2
ℓ

positive terms. We show that our rule for

$$P_\ell P_m$$

P
ℓ

P
m

is equivalent to a special case of the Pieri rule of Macdonald. Our method shows that computing

$$E_\ell {\textbf {1}}_0$$

E
ℓ

1
0

and

$${\textbf {1}}_0 E_\ell {\textbf {1}}_0$$

1
0

E
ℓ

1
0

in terms of a special basis of the double affine Hecke algebra provides universal compressed formulas for multiplication by

$$E_\ell $$

E
ℓ

and

$$P_\ell $$

P
ℓ

. The formulas for a specific products

$$E_\ell P_m$$

E
ℓ

P
m

and

$$P_\ell P_m$$

P
ℓ

P
m

are obtained by evaluating the universal formulas at

$$t^{-\frac{1}{2}}q^{-\frac{m}{2}}$$

t

-

1
2

q

-

m
2

.
An integrated framework for modeling pharmaceutical supply chains with disruptions and risk mitigation
Authors: Goswami Aman , Baveja Alok , Ding Xin , Melamed Benjamin , Roberts Fred
Published: December 2024

Supply-chain disruptions have numerous causes, including criminal actions, as well as natural disasters and human errors. The complexity of modern supply chains makes it challenging to detect, mitigate, or resolve disruptions. This paper presents an integrated framework for modeling pharmaceutical supply chains (PSCs), incorporating disruptions and mitigations. Based on extensive discussions with supply chain SMEs (subject matter experts) and federal government security officials, this framework unfolds in two steps: (1) a mapping process constructs a supply chain map from a focal firm’s perspective, and (2) the supply chain map is overlaid with various types of disruptions that can occur at supply chain locations. To this end, the paper systematically classifies PSC disruptions based on historical data and expert opinion. The paper discusses various pre-disruption and post-disruption mitigations and reports gleaned insights into their efficacy. Finally, the paper discusses the generalizability of this integrated framework to other supply chains, such as medical devices and satellite solar panels.
Changes in the Transition Process of Roughness-Induced Crossflow Vortices due to Freestream Turbulence
Authors: Nakagawa Kosuke , Ishida Takahiro , Tsukahara Takahiro
Published: December 2024

Laminar-turbulent transitions in boundary layers are one of the major research topics in fluid dynamics. In this study, we focused on a three-dimensional boundary layer formed on a swept flat plate. In this boundary layer, the crossflow instability is dominant, and the instability induces crossflow vortices (CFVs). Many studies have focused on the dependency of the transition process on the intensities of steady or unsteady disturbances, which correspond to a roughness element and freestream turbulence (FST), respectively. On the other hand, the effects of the FST wavelength are still unclear. Moreover, there is a lack of knowledge about the transition processes caused by both steady and unsteady disturbances. We investigated how the transition process of a stationary structure caused by cylindrical roughness changes depending on the FST wavelength using direct numerical simulations. We classified transition processes into two types: processes in which stationary structures grow into CFVs and processes in which hairpin vortices are generated on the stationary structures. The former is further classified into four types depending on the presence or absence of FST and on the FST wavelength. We revealed the contributions of different FST wavelengths to the transition process changes. The short-wavelength FST provides hairpin vortices to the stationary structure at low roughness height conditions because of its high-frequency components. The long-wavelength FST changes the process due to unsteady fluctuations influencing the stationary structure. In summary, the transition processes undergo different mechanisms between short- and long-wavelength FST.
Inference of genetic ancestry from a multi-gene cancer panel in Colombian women with cancer
Authors: Zambrano-O Yina T. , Mejía-Garcia Alejandro , Morales P. Daniela , Tsao Hsuan Megan , Rey-Vargas Laura , Montero-Ovalle Wendy , Huertas-Caro Carlos A. , Sanabria-Salas M. C. , Riaño-Moreno Julián , Rodriguez Juliana L. , Orozco Carlos A. , Lopez-Kleine Liliana , Jordan I. King , Serrano-G Silvia J.
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Cancer health disparities among racial and ethnic populations significantly burden health systems due to unequal access to early detection, treatment, and healthcare resources. These disparities lead to worse outcomes and increased costs from delayed diagnoses, advanced treatments, and prolonged care. Genetic differences can also influence cancer susceptibility and treatment response, thus analyzing genetic ancestry is essential for uncovering genetic factors that may contribute to these disparities. Utilizing data from clinical multigene cancer panels to infer genetic ancestry offers a valuable approach to understand population structure and the impact of individual ancestries in development of complex diseases.

Aim

To evaluate the accuracy of global ancestry inference using genetic markers from the TruSight™ Hereditary Cancer Panel, which was used to investigate hereditary cancer syndromes in a cohort of 116 female cancer patients at the Colombian National Cancer Institute. Additionally, to compare these results with genetic ancestry estimations from traditional genome-wide markers.

Results

Our results demonstrate a strong correlation between global genetic ancestry inferred with markers captured from TruSightTM panel (4785 markers) and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS, 8 million markers in admixed populations. The correlation values were 0.96 (p < 0.0001) for the Native American and European ancestry components, and 0.99 (p < 0.0001) for the African ancestry fraction. Genetic ancestry mean proportions in the Colombian cohort were 45.7%, 46.2%, and 8.11% for the European, the Native American, and the African components, respectively.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the accuracy of ancestry inference from clinical panel data offering a promising approach for understanding cancer health disparities in admixed populations.
Associations of Autistic Traits and Autism with Incontinence and Constipation in a UK Birth Cohort
Authors: Gyamenah Prince , Burrows Kimberley , Rai Dheeraj , Joinson Carol
Published: December 2024

There is evidence that children with autism/autistic traits have higher risks of incontinence and constipation, but no studies have examined this in a large community-based cohort. Aim/Research question: are autistic traits and diagnosed autism prospectively associated with increased odds of incontinence and constipation in children and adolescents? This was a population-based cohort study based on data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 4233–4490 at age 9 years; n = 3403–3697 at age 14). We used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations of parent-reported autistic traits (sociability, repetitive behaviours, social-communication, coherence) (at ages 3–9 years) and autism with incontinence (bedwetting, daytime-wetting, soiling) and constipation (parent-reported at age 9, self-reported at age 14). We adjusted for parity, maternal age at delivery, child’s sex and developmental level, maternal depression, and anxiety (antenatal and postnatal), and indicators of family socioeconomic status. Social-communication and speech coherence difficulties showed the strongest associations with incontinence, e.g., adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between social-communication difficulties and daytime-wetting was 2.21 (1.47–3.32) and for coherence was 2.34 (1.60–3.43). The odds of soiling were also higher in children with social-communication (OR: 1.88, 95% CI 1.28–2.75) and coherence difficulties (OR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.43–2.93). Diagnosed autism was only associated with an increase in the odds of daytime-wetting (OR: 3.18, 95% CI 1.44–7.02). At 14 years, there was less evidence of associations between autistic traits and incontinence but there was evidence of associations between autistic traits and constipation: social-communication (OR: 1.68, 95% CI 1.13–2.49), coherence difficulties (OR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.11–2.41). Early assessment and treatment of incontinence/constipation should be considered for children with autistic traits.