bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Life Cycle Characteristics and Distribution of Giant Grenadier Coryphaenoides pectoralis (Macrouridae) in Northwest Bering Sea
Authors: Alferof A. I. , Kurnosov D. S.
Published: May 2024

The outcomes from the survey research in distribution of the giant grenadier Coryphaenoides pectoralis at different stages of development in the Northwest Bering Sea over 1963–2020 have been reported. The data for 37 thousand catches performed with the bottom and multi-depth trawls at the depths between 0–1200 m are processed. It has been revealed that the species fish tend to spawn throughout the year, with two periods of peak spawning activity in the second half of a spring season and from the late summer season to the first half of an autumn season. The female fish ready to spawn migrate down the water column, keeping deeper than 600 m, where the males ready to spawn are concentrated. After spawning, they come back to the feeding areas of less water depths. The juvenile giant grenadier less than 30 cm in length can be encountered in the mesopaelagic and upper bathypelagic zones, which do not appear to form dense aggregations. The majority of the specimens less than 30–40 cm in length and smaller commonly leave this water column layer to occupy the bottom water layers along the continental shelf. Such differentiation between the juvenils and the sexually mature specimens can provide the opportunity to avoid cannibalism and to use the habitat food sources efficiently.
Maps of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Potential in the Russian Croplands
Authors: Romanenkov V. A. , Meshalkina J. L. , Gorbacheva A. Yu. , Krenke A. N. , Petrov I. K. , Golozubov O. M. , Rukhovich D. I.
Published: May 2024

Adoption of the farming systems that aim to sequester carbon in agricultural soils is one of the ways to mitigate global climate change. This study focuses on the estimation of organic carbon sequestration potential of the Russian croplands in the upper (0–30 cm) soil layer by creating a set of maps using the data from global and national databases as the input data. The maps are generated within the FAO Global Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration Potential Map (GSOCseq) project according to the unified methodology using the RothC model to predict the rate of carbon sequestration in 2020–2040 under a business as usual scenario (BAU), as well as under sustainable soil management scenarios with additional different C input (+5, +10, and +20%) resulting from the use of sustainable soil management (SSM) scenarios. The total potential sequestration rate by the croplands of the Russian Federation in the 0–30-cm layer under a BAU scenario is assessed at 8.5 Mt/year and the estimate under SSM scenarios, up to 25.5 Mt/year. The carbon sequestration by the cropland of each soil ecological zone (except for the light chestnut (Eutric Cambisols (Protocalcic)) and brown semidesert (Luvic Calcisols) soils, where it is around zero) and on a national scale is positive. The Altai krai, Omsk oblast, Novosibirsk oblast, and Krasnoyarsk krai have the greatest potential for sequestration. Several subjects of the Russian Federation—Krasnodar krai, Republic of Crimea, Rostov oblast, Primorskii krai, Republic of Adygea, and Kaliningrad oblast—demand the adoption of sustainable management of soil resources.
On the Existence of Global Solutions for the Vlasov–Poisson System in a Half-space and Plasma Confinement
Authors: Skubachevskii A. L.
Published: May 2024

We consider the Vlasov–Poisson system with external magnetic field in a half-space with the Neumann boundary condition for the electric potential and specular reflection on a boundary. For arbitrary compactly supported initial density distribution functions, we obtain sufficient conditions for external magnetic field, which provide global existence of density distribution functions with compact supports lying at some distance from a boundary.
Comprehensive periodic health evaluations of 454 Norwegian Paralympic and Olympic athletes over 8 years: what did we learn?
Authors: Steffen Kathrin , Bahr Roald , Clarsen Benjamin , Fossan Bjørn , Fredriksen Hilde , Gjelsvik Hilde , Haugvad Lars , Hoksrud Aasne Fenne , Iversen Erik , Koivisto-Mørk Anu , Moen Ellen , Røstad Vibeke , Reier-Nilsen Tonje , Torgalsen Thomas , Berge Hilde Moseby
Published: May 2024

Objective

A periodic health evaluation (PHE) is a comprehensive and multidisciplinary investigation of athlete health widely used in elite sport, but its contents and benefits can be questioned. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of conditions identified by a PHE among Paralympic and Olympic athletes over four consecutive Games cycles from Rio de Janeiro 2016 to Beijing 2022 and to assess the benefits and potential pitfalls of a comprehensive PHE programme in detecting existing injuries, illnesses and other health issues.

Methods

We collected extensive health history and clinical examination data on elite athletes: medical history, ECG, blood pressure, blood samples, spirometry, musculoskeletal health, cognitive function, mental health and compliance with public health programmes.

Results

The final cohort included 87 Paralympic and 367 Olympic athletes, representing 565 PHE cycles. Musculoskeletal problems and unspecified pain, infections and allergies were the most frequent health issues. High blood pressure was the most prevalent cardiovascular finding, and vitamin D deficiency the most common laboratory abnormality. Most athletes complied with the public childhood vaccination programmes, but fewer with recommended cancer screening. Follow-up of health issues was variable.

Conclusion

Our PHE programme identified musculoskeletal problems, infections, allergies, elevated blood pressure and vitamin D deficiency as common health conditions. Longitudinal follow-up of health conditions identified during screening and improved compliance with public health and cancer screening programmes is needed to determine the true benefits of athlete care prompted by the PHE.
Understanding the impact of a residential housing program for people living with HIV/AIDS: results from a realist evaluation
Authors: Ali Anum , Groot Gary , April Melissa , MacPhee Maura , Witham Stephanie , Alimezelli Hubert , Carr Tracey
Published: May 2024

Background

In Canada, the Public Health Agency surveillance of new HIV cases has demonstrated annual increasing rates since 2020. The rates of new HIV cases are highest in the province of Saskatchewan.

Objectives

The aim of the project was to conduct a resident-oriented realist evaluation of an innovative supportive housing programme, Sanctum, for people living with HIV/AIDS who also face social care issues, such as homelessness. This project took place in Saskatchewan, a province that is seeking innovative approaches to improve quality of life and HIV/AIDS management for its citizens. Our evaluation addressed how and why participants were successful (or not) within the Sanctum programme.

Design and setting

Sanctum is a housing programme located in an inner-city location within the province of Saskatchewan. A unique component of this evaluation was the inclusion of an individual with lived experience, a resident partner, as a member of the research team.

Participants

11 recent Sanctum graduates, seven men and four women, were recruited for client partner-led in-depth, semistructured interviews.

Interventions

Prior to the evaluation, we developed a realist programme theory with potential causal explanations, known as context-mechanism-outcomes (CMO) configurations. Interview data from the evaluation and ongoing discussions with Sanctum board members and our resident partner were used to test, refine and validate the final programme theory and CMO configurations.

Results

CMO configurations at the micro (individual), meso (interpersonal) and macro (community) levels complement the over-arching programme theory. Key findings were the importance of Sanctum’s harm reduction philosophy, accompanied by a non-judgmental and patient-oriented approach. Participants were supported to reduce risky behaviour, improve self-care management and develop healthier relationships within a ‘safe’ home-like setting. Underlying mechanisms that contributed to participants’ success in the programme included: intrinsic motivation, self-worth, belongingness, empowerment and self-efficacy. Evidence-informed recommendations are offered to support Sanctum-like programme development for individuals with holistic health needs related to HIV/AIDS diagnoses and lack of access to necessary social determinants of health.

Conclusions

Stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and living circumstances, such as homelessness, were successfully addressed using harm reduction principles and judgement-free approaches within a family-like environment.
Utilising a ‘Community of Practice’ to support pharmacists to work in residential aged care: protocol for a longitudinal evaluation
Authors: Lee Kenneth , Etherton-Beer Christopher , Johnson Jacinta , Lobo Elton , Wang Kate , Ailabouni Nagham , Mavaddat Nahal , Clifford Rhonda Marise , Page Amy Theresa
Published: May 2024

Introduction

A Community of Practice is briefly defined as a group of people with a shared interest in a given area of practice who work collaboratively to grow collective knowledge. Communities of Practice have been used to facilitate knowledge exchange and improve evidence-based practice. Knowledge translation within the residential aged care sector is lacking, with barriers such as inadequate staffing and knowledge gaps commonly cited. In Australia, a Federal inquiry into residential aged care practices led to a recommendation to embed pharmacists within residential aged care facilities. Onsite practice in aged care is a new role for pharmacists in Australia. Thus, support is needed to enable pharmacists to practice in this role.

The primary aim is to evaluate the processes and outcomes of a Community of Practice designed to support pharmacists to work in aged care.

Methods and analysis

A longitudinal, single-group, pretest–post-test design in which the intervention is a Community of Practice. The Community of Practice will be established and made available for 3 years to all Australian pharmacists interested in, new to or established in aged care roles. The Community of Practice will be hosted on online discussion platforms, with additional virtual meetings and annual symposia. The following data will be collected from all members of the Community of Practice: self-evaluation of the processes and outcomes of the Community of Practice (via the CoPeval scale) and confidence in evidence-based practice (EPIC scale), collected via online questionnaires annually; and discussion platform usage statistics and discussion transcripts. A subset of members will be invited to participate in annual semi-structured individual interviews.

Data from the online questionnaire will be analysed descriptively. Discussion transcripts will be analysed using topic modelling and content analysis to identify the common topics discussed and their frequencies. Qualitative data from individual interviews will be thematically analysed to explore perceptions and experiences with the intervention for information/knowledge exchange, impact on practice, and sharing/promoting/implementing evidence-based practice.

Ethics and dissemination

Human ethics approval has been granted by the University of Western Australia’s Human Ethics Committee (2023/ET000000). No personal information will be included in any publications and reports to funding bodies.

Findings will be disseminated to all members of the Community of Practice, professional organisations, social and mass media, peer-review journals, research and professional conferences and annual reports to the funding body.
Cost-effectiveness of a complex continuum of care intervention targeting women and children: protocol for an economic evaluation of the Bukhali trial in South Africa
Authors: Palmer Tom , Leiva Granados Rolando , Draper Catherine , Norris Shane A , Batura Neha
Published: May 2024

Introduction

As nearly two-thirds of women presenting at their first antenatal visit are either overweight or obese in urban South Africa, the preconception period is an opportunity to optimise health and offset transgenerational risk of both obesity and non-communicable diseases. This protocol describes the planned economic evaluation of an individually randomised controlled trial of a complex continuum of care intervention targeting women and children in Soweto, South Africa (Bukhali trial).

Methods and analysis

The economic evaluation of the Bukhali trial will be conducted as a within-trial analysis from both provider and societal perspectives. Incremental costs and health outcomes of the continuum of care intervention will be compared with standard care. The economic impact on implementing agencies (programme costs), healthcare providers, participants and their households will be estimated. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) will be calculated in terms of cost per case of child adiposity at age years averted. Additionally, ICERs will also be reported in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life year gained. If Bukhali demonstrates effectiveness, we will employ a decision analytical model to examine the cost-effectiveness of the intervention over a child’s lifetime. A Markov model will be used to estimate long-term health benefits, healthcare costs and cost-effectiveness. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses will be conducted to explore uncertainty and ensure robust results. An analysis will be conducted to assess the equity impact of the intervention, by comparing intervention impact within quintiles of socioeconomic status.

Ethics and dissemination

The Bukhali trial economic evaluation has ethical approval from the Human Ethics Research Committee of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (M240162). The results of the economic evaluation will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at a relevant international conference.

Trial registration number

Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201903750173871;https://pactr.samrc.ac.za).
Impact evaluation of a cash-plus programme for children with disabilities in the Xiengkhouang Province in Lao PDR: study protocol for a non-randomised controlled trial
Authors: Banks Lena Morgon , Soukkhaphone Bounhome , Scherer Nathaniel , Siengsounthone Latsamy , Carew Mark T , Shakespeare Tom , Chen Shanquan , Davey Calum , Goyal Divya , Zinke-Allmang Anja , Kuper Hannah , Chanthakoumane Ketmany
Published: May 2024

Introduction

More than 170 countries have implemented disability-targeted social protection programmes, although few have been rigorously evaluated. Consequently, a non-randomised controlled trial is being conducted of a pilot ‘cash-plus’ programme implemented by UNICEF Laos and the Laos government for children with disabilities in the Xiengkhouang Province in Laos. The intervention combines a regular cash transfer with provision of assistive devices and access for caregivers to a family support programme.

Methods and analysis

The non-randomised controlled trial will involve 350 children with disabilities across 3 districts identified by programme implementers as eligible for the programme (intervention arm). Implementers have also identified approximately 180 children with disabilities in neighbouring districts, who would otherwise meet eligibility criteria but do not live in the project areas (control arm). The trial will assess the impact of the programme on child well-being (primary outcome), as well as household poverty, caregiver quality of life and time use (secondary outcomes). Baseline data are being collected May–October 2023, with endline 24 months later. Analysis will be intention to treat. A complementary process evaluation will explore the implementation, acceptability of the programme, challenges and enablers to its delivery and mechanisms of impact.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has received ethical approval from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the National Ethics Committee for Health Research in Laos. Informed consent and assent will be taken by trained data collectors. Data will be collected and stored on a secure, encrypted server and its use will follow a detailed data management plan. Findings will be disseminated in academic journals and in short briefs for policy and programmatic actors, and in online and in-person events.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN80603476.
Regulatory safeguards needed if preimplantation genetic testing for polygenic risk scores (PGT-P) is permitted in Singapore
Authors: Chin Alexis Heng Boon , Lim Lee Wei , Muhsin Sayyed Mohamed
Published: May 2024

Singapore, a highly affluent island city-state located in Southeast Asia, has increasingly leveraged new assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to overcome its dismal fertility rates in recent years. A new frontier in ART is preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for polygenic risk scores (PRS) to predict complex multifactorial traits in IVF (in vitro fertilisation) embryos, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and various other characteristics like height, intelligence quotient (IQ), hair and eye colour. Unlike well-known safety risks with human genome editing, there are negligible risks with PGT-P, because there are no man-made genetic modifications that can be transmitted to future generations. Nevertheless, the current efficacy of using PGT-P to select IVF embryos for either increased or decreased probability of developing specific polygenic traits is still far from certain. Hence, the regulatory safeguards proposed here will be based on the assumption that the efficacy of this new technology platform has already been validated. These include: (1) restricting the application of PGT-P only for prevention of clinically relevant polygenic disease traits, (2) securely blocking patients’ access to the raw genomic DNA sequencing data of their IVF embryos, (3) validating diagnosis of polygenic disease traits in the prospective parents/grandparents of IVF embryos, and restricting PGT-P only for preventing specifically diagnosed polygenic disease traits and (4) mandating rigorous and comprehensive genetic counselling for IVF patients considering PGT-P. There is an urgent and dire need to prevent abuse of the PGT-P technique, as well as protect the interests and welfare of patients if its clinical application is to be permitted in the country.
Trajectories of self-reported fatigue following initiation of multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapy
Authors: Englund Simon , Frisell Thomas , Qu Ying , Gandhi Kavita , Hultén Annika , Kierkegaard Marie , Piehl Fredrik , Longinetti Elisa
Published: May 2024

Background

We analysed the COMparison Between All immunoTherapies for Multiple Sclerosis (NCT03193866), a Swedish nationwide observational study in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), to identify trajectories of fatigue and their association with physical disability following start of disease-modifying therapy (DMT).

Methods

Using a group-modelling approach, we assessed trajectories of fatigue with the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions and physical disability with Expanded Disability Status Scale among 1587 and 1818 individuals who initiated a first DMT and had a first DMT switch, respectively, followed during 2011–2022. We investigated predictors of fatigue trajectories using group membership as a multinomial outcome and calculated conditional probabilities linking membership across the trajectories.

Results

We identified five trajectories of fatigue in participants who initiated their first DMT: no fatigue (mean starting values=23.7; 18.2% of population), low (35.5; 23.9%), mild (49.0; 21.6%), moderate (61.3; 20.1%) and severe (78.7; 16.1%). While no, low, mild and severe fatigue trajectories remained stable, the moderate trajectory increased to severe fatigue. Similarly, we identified six fatigue trajectories among participants who did a DMT switch, all indicating stable values over time. Women initiating a first DMT were more likely than men to display a severe fatigue trajectory, relative to the no fatigue one. There was a strong association between fatigue and physical disability trajectories.

Conclusions

In this cohort of people with actively treated RRMS, self-reported fatigue remained stable or increased over the years following DMT start. There was a strong association between fatigue and disability after DMT start.
Cancer experience in metaphors: patients, carers, professionals, students – a scoping review
Authors: Liu Yufeng , Semino Elena , Rietjens Judith , Payne Sheila
Published: May 2024

The use of metaphors to talk about cancer experiences has attracted much research and debate, especially in the case of military metaphors. However, questions remain about what metaphors are used by different populations for different aspects of the cancer experience. This scoping review aims to answer them.

We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Eligible sources include peer-reviewed scientific research published in English between 2013 and 2023, investigating patterns of metaphor use from adult populations (age ≥18) for cancer-related topics, such as cancer itself, the general experience of being ill, treatment, and people and relationships.

Out of 1929 articles identified, 30 met the criteria, spanning over different populations. While most papers focused on cancer in general, some focused on specific cancer types, such as breast cancer. Both spontaneous and elicited data were collected in ten languages: mostly English (N=12), Swedish (N=3) and Arabic (N=3). The identified metaphors were subsumed under various broad categories, including particularly violence and journey. Other categories include education and non-human animate entity for the cancer itself, confinement and deprivation and cleanliness for the general experience of being ill with cancer, Poison and gardening for cancer treatment, and distance for patients’ social relationships.

It was found that metaphors help to identify how patients describe experiences of vulnerability and empowerment. To provide patient-centred care, clinicians and researchers should avoid blanket conclusions about helpful or unhelpful metaphors, but consider the ways in which different metaphors are used by different populations in different contexts.
Improved treatment of the T$$_2$$ molecular final-states uncertainties for the KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement
Authors: Schneidewind S. , Schürmann J. , Lokhov A. , Weinheimer C. , Saenz A.
Published: May 2024

The KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino experiment (KATRIN) aims to determine the effective mass of the electron antineutrino via a high-precision measurement of the tritium $$\upbeta $$
β
-decay spectrum in its end-point region. The target neutrino-mass sensitivity of $${0.2}~\text {eV}/\text {c}^2$$

0.2

eV
/

c
2

at 90% CL can only be achieved in the case of high statistics and good control of the systematic uncertainties. One key systematic effect originates from the calculation of the molecular final states of T$$_2$$

2

$$\upbeta $$
β
decay. In the first neutrino-mass analyses of KATRIN the contribution of the uncertainty of the molecular final-states distribution (FSD) was estimated via a conservative phenomenological approach to be $$2 \times 10^{-2}~\text {eV}^{2}/\text {c}^{4}.$$

2
×

10

-
2

eV
2

/

c
4

.

In this work a new procedure is presented for estimating the FSD-related uncertainties by considering the details of the final-states calculation, i.e. the uncertainties of constants, parameters, and functions used in the calculation as well as its convergence itself as a function of the basis-set size used in expanding the molecular wave functions. The calculated uncertainties are directly propagated into the experimental observable, the squared neutrino mass $$m_\nu ^2,$$

m
ν
2

,

and thus have to be determined individually for each experimental configuration. For the experimental conditions of the first KATRIN measurement campaign the new procedure is presented in detail, allowing for the application of this procedure to other experiments. This specific calculation leads to a constraint of the FSD-related uncertainty of $$1.3 \times 10^{-3}~\text {eV}^{2}/\text {c}^{4},$$

1.3
×

10

-
3

eV
2

/

c
4

,

well below the design limit of $$7.5 \times 10^{-3}~\text {eV}^{2}/\text {c}^{4}$$

7.5
×

10

-
3

eV
2

/

c
4

for any individual systematic contribution.
Hadronic physics from a Wilson fermion mixed-action approach: charm quark mass and $$D_{(s)}$$ meson decay constants
Authors:   Alpha Collaboration, Bussone Andrea , Conigli Alessandro , Frison Julien , Herdoíza Gregorio , Pena Carlos , Preti David , Sáez Alejandro , Ugarrio Javier
Published: May 2024

We present our first set of results for charm physics, using the mixed-action setup introduced in a companion paper [1]. Maximally twisted Wilson valence fermions are used on a sea of non-perturbatively O(a)-improved Wilson fermions, made up by CLS $$N_\mathrm {\scriptstyle f}=2+1$$

N

f

=
2
+
1

ensembles. Our charm-sector observables are free from $$O(am_c)$$

O
(
a

m
c

)

discretisation effects, without need of tuning any improvement coefficient, and show continuum-limit scaling properties consistent with leading cutoff effects of $$O(a^2)$$

O
(

a
2

)

. We consider a subset of CLS ensembles – including four values of the lattice spacing and pion masses down to 200 MeV – allowing to take the continuum limit and extrapolate to the physical pion mass. A number of techniques are incorporated in the analysis in order to estimate the systematic uncertainties of our results for the charm quark mass and the $$D_{(s)}$$

D

(
s
)

-meson decay constants. This first study of observables in the charm sector, where the emphasis has been on the control of the methodology, demonstrates the potential of our setup to achieve high-precision results.
Black hole no-hair theorem for self-gravitating time-dependent spherically symmetric multiple scalar fields
Authors: Yazadjiev Stoytcho S. , Doneva Daniela D.
Published: May 2024

We prove under certain weak assumptions a black hole no-hair theorem in spherically symmetric spacetimes for self-gravitating time-dependent multiple scalar fields with an arbitrary target space admitting a Killing field with a non-empty axis and arbitrary non-negative potential invariant under the flow of the Killing field. It is shown that for such configurations the only spherically symmetric and asymptotically flat black hole solutions consist of the Schwarzschild metric and a constant multi-scalar map. In due course of the proof we also unveil the intrinsic connection of the time-dependence of the scalar fields with the symmetries of the target space.
Multi-tracing the primordial Universe with future surveys
Authors: Kopana Mponeng , Jolicoeur Sheean , Maartens Roy
Published: May 2024

The fluctuations generated by Inflation are nearly Gaussian in the simplest models, but may be non-Gaussian in more complex models, potentially leading to signatures in the late Universe. In particular, local-type primordial non-Gaussianity induces scale-dependent bias in tracers of the matter distribution. This non-Gaussian imprint in the tracer power spectrum survives at late times on ultra-large scales where nonlinearity is negligible. In order to combat the problem of growing cosmic variance on these scales, we use a multi-tracer analysis that combines different tracers to maximise any primordial signal. Previous work has investigated the combination of a spectroscopic galaxy survey with a 21 cm intensity mapping survey in single-dish mode. We extend this work by considering instead the case where the 21 cm intensity mapping survey is optimised for interferometer mode. As examples, we use two multi-tracer pairs of surveys: one at high redshift ($$1\le z\le 2$$

1
≤
z
≤
2

) and one at very high redshift ($$2\le z\le 5$$

2
≤
z
≤
5

). The 21 cm surveys are idealised surveys based on HIRAX and PUMA. We implement foreground-avoidance filters and use detailed models of the interferometer thermal noise. The galaxy surveys are idealised surveys based on Euclid and MegaMapper. Via a simple Fisher forecast, we illustrate the potential of the multi-tracer. Our results show a $$\sim $$
∼
20–30% improvement in precision on local primordial non-Gaussianity from the multi-tracer. Furthermore, we investigate the effects on constraints of varying the parameter of non-Gaussian galaxy assembly bias and of varying the parameters of the intensity mapping foreground filters. We find that the non-Gaussian galaxy assembly bias parameter causes a greater change in the constraints on local primordial non-Gaussianity than the foreground filter parameters.
Signature of f(R) gravity via Lemaître–Tolman–Bondi inhomogeneous perturbations
Authors: Schiavone Tiziano , Montani Giovanni
Published: May 2024

We analyze inhomogeneous cosmological models in the local Universe, described by the Lemaître–Tolman–Bondi (LTB) metric and developed using linear perturbation theory on a homogeneous and isotropic Universe background. Focusing on the different evolution of spherical symmetric inhomogeneities, we compare the $$\Lambda $$
Λ
LTB model, in which the cosmological constant $$\Lambda $$
Λ
is included in the LTB formalism, with inhomogeneous cosmological models based on $$f\left( R\right) $$

f

R

modified gravity theories viewed in the Jordan frame. We solve the system of field equations for both inhomogeneous cosmological models adopting the method of separation of variables: we integrate analytically the radial profiles of local perturbations, while their time evolution requires a numerical approach. The main result of the analysis concerns the different radial profiles of local inhomogeneities due to the presence of a non-minimally coupled scalar field in the Jordan frame of $$f\left( R\right) $$

f

R

gravity. While radial perturbations follow a power-law in the $$\Lambda $$
Λ
LTB model, Yukawa-like contributions appear in the $$f\left( R\right) $$

f

R

theory. Interestingly, this latter peculiar behavior of radial profile is not affected by the choice of the $$f\left( R\right) $$

f

R

functional form. The numerical solution of time-dependent perturbations exhibits a non-diverging profile. This work suggests that investigations about local inhomogeneities in the late Universe may allow us to discriminate if the present cosmic acceleration is caused by a cosmological constant term or a modified gravity effect.
Landform evolution of the Qilian Shan since 120 Ma revealed by apatite fission track data
Authors: Zhao Qiming , Hu Xiaofei , Sun Xiaoying , Pan Yanfei , Pan Baotian
Published: May 2024

The Cenozoic uplift of the Qilian Shan mountain range is intimately connected with the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, although the mechanism of deformation is still unclear due to the large distance between the Qilian Shan and the plate collision boundary. The first requirement if we are to determine this mechanism is to obtain the uplift process of the Qilian Shan range, which remains a matter of debate. We compiled apatite fission track data from previous studies of the Qilian Shan range to investigate the spatial and temporal disparities or similarities of the exhumation process. Most of the age-evolution profiles and thermo-modelling results show a low exhumation rate from 80 to 20 Ma, corresponding to shorter apatite fission track lengths, indicating a lower rate of erosion and lower relief across the whole Qilian Shan region. The results also reveal two stages of rapid exhumation: during the Cretaceous (120–80 Ma) and since the Miocene (20–0 Ma). The exhumation history of the Qilian Shan range shows no significant spatial difference and outward growth was limited at the southern and northern edges after 5 Ma. This temporal and spatial pattern for the exhumation of the Qilian Shan range suggests that there was probably no obvious uplift at the time of the initial collision of the Indian–Tibetan plates and support the proposal that the whole Qilian range has uplifted synchronously since 20 Ma.
A Dichotomy in the Complexity of Consistent Query Answering for Two Atom Queries With Self-Join
Authors: Padmanabha Anantha , Segoufin Luc , Sirangelo Cristina
Published: May 2024

We consider the dichotomy conjecture for consistent query answering under primary key constraints. It states that, for every fixed Boolean conjunctive query q, testing whether q is certain (i.e. whether it evaluates to true over all repairs of a given inconsistent database) is either PTime or CoNP-complete. This conjecture has been verified for self-join-free and path queries. We show that it also holds for queries with two atoms.
The Complexity of Why-Provenance for Datalog Queries
Authors: Calautti Marco , Livshits Ester , Pieris Andreas , Schneider Markus
Published: May 2024

Datalog is a powerful rule-based language that allows us to express complex recursive queries and has found numerous applications over the years. Explaining why a result to a Datalog query is obtained is an essential task towards explainable and transparent data-intensive applications that rely on Datalog. A standard way of explaining a query result is the so-called why-provenance, which provides information about the witnesses to a query result in the form of subsets of the input database that as a whole can be used to derive that result. To our surprise, despite the fact that the notion of why-provenance for Datalog queries has been around for decades and intensively studied, its computational complexity remains unexplored. Our goal is to fill this gap in the why-provenance literature. Towards this end, we pinpoint the data complexity of why-provenance for Datalog queries and key subclasses thereof. The takeaway of our work is that why-provenance for recursive queries, even if the recursion is limited to be linear, is an intractable problem, whereas for non-recursive queries is highly tractable.
Tight Bounds of Circuits for Sum-Product Queries
Authors: Fan Austen Z. , Koutris Paraschos , Zhao Hangdong
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we ask the following question: given a Boolean Conjunctive Query (CQ), what is the smallest circuit that computes the provenance polynomial of the query over a given semiring? We answer this question by giving upper and lower bounds. Notably, it is shown that any circuit F that computes a CQ over the tropical semiring must have size log |F| ≥ (1-ε) · da-entw for any ε >0, where da-entw is the degree-aware entropic width of the query. We show a circuit construction that matches this bound when the semiring is idempotent. The techniques we use combine several central notions in database theory: provenance polynomials, tree decompositions, and disjunctive Datalog programs. We extend our results to lower and upper bounds for formulas (i.e., circuits where each gate has outdegree one), and to bounds for non-Boolean CQs.
Expected Shapley-Like Scores of Boolean functions: Complexity and Applications to Probabilistic Databases
Authors: Karmakar Pratik , Monet Mikaël , Senellart Pierre , Bressan Stephane
Published: May 2024

Shapley values, originating in game theory and increasingly prominent in explainable AI, have been proposed to assess the contribution of facts in query answering over databases, along with other similar power indices such as Banzhaf values. In this work we adapt these Shapley-like scores to probabilistic settings, the objective being to compute their expected value. We show that the computations of expected Shapley values and of the expected values of Boolean functions are interreducible in polynomial time, thus obtaining the same tractability landscape. We investigate the specific tractable case where Boolean functions are represented as deterministic decomposable circuits, designing a polynomial-time algorithm for this setting. We present applications to probabilistic databases through database provenance, and an effective implementation of this algorithm within the ProvSQL system, which experimentally validates its feasibility over a standard benchmark.
Postulates for Provenance: Instance-based provenance for first-order logic
Authors: Bogaerts Bart , Jakubowski Maxime , Van den Bussche Jan
Published: May 2024

Instance-based provenance is an explanation for a query result in the form of a subinstance of the database. We investigate different desiderata one may want to impose on these subinstances. Concretely we consider seven basic postulates for provenance. Six of them relate subinstances to provenance polynomials, three-valued semantics, and Halpern-Pearl causality. Determinism of the provenance mechanism is the seventh basic postulate. Moreover, we consider the postulate of minimality, which can be imposed with respect to any set of basic postulates. Our main technical contribution is an analysis and characterisation of which combinations of postulates are jointly satisfiable. Our main conceptual contribution is an approach to instance-based provenance through three-valued instances, which makes it applicable to first-order logic queries involving negation.
Topology-aware Parallel Joins
Authors: Hu Xiao , Koutris Paraschos
Published: May 2024

We study the design and analysis of parallel join algorithms in a topology-aware computational model. In this model, the network is modeled as a directed graph, where each edge is associated with a cost function that depends on the data transferred between the two endpoints and the link bandwidth. The computation proceeds in synchronous rounds and the cost of each round is measured as the maximum cost over all the edges in the network. Our main result is an asymptotically optimal join algorithm over symmetric tree topologies. The algorithm generalizes prior topology-aware protocols for set intersection and cartesian product to a binary join over an arbitrary input distribution with possible data skew.
Fast Matrix Multiplication for Query Processing
Authors: Hu Xiao
Published: May 2024

This paper studies how to use fast matrix multiplication to speed up query processing. As observed, computing a two-table join and then projecting away the join attribute is essentially the Boolean matrix multiplication problem, which can be significantly improved with fast matrix multiplication. Moving beyond this basic two-table query, we introduce output-sensitive algorithms for general join-project queries using fast matrix multiplication. These algorithms have achieved a polynomially large improvement over the classic Yannakakis framework. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first theoretical improvement for general acyclic join-project queries since 1981.
Consistency of Relations over Monoids
Authors: Atserias Albert , Kolaitis Phokion G
Published: May 2024

The interplay between local consistency and global consistency has been the object of study in several different areas, including probability theory, relational databases, and quantum information. For relational databases, Beeri, Fagin, Maier, and Yannakakis showed that a database schema is acyclic if and only if it has the local-to-global consistency property for relations, which means that every collection of pairwise consistent relations over the schema is globally consistent. More recently, the same result has been shown under bag semantics. In this paper, we carry out a systematic study of local vs. global consistency for relations over positive commutative monoids, which is a common generalization of ordinary relations and bags. Let K be an arbitrary positive commutative monoid. We begin by showing that acyclicity of the schema is a necessary condition for the local-to-global consistency property for K-relations to hold. Unlike the case of ordinary relations and bags, however, we show that acyclicity is not always sufficient. After this, we characterize the positive commutative monoids for which acyclicity is both necessary and sufficient for the local-to-global consistency property to hold; this characterization involves a combinatorial property of monoids, which we call the transportation property. We then identify several different classes of monoids that possess the transportation property. As our final contribution, we introduce a modified notion of local consistency of K-relations, which we call pairwise consistency up to the free cover. We prove that, for all positive commutative monoids K, even those without the transportation property, acyclicity is both necessary and sufficient for every family of K-relations that is pairwise consistent up to the free cover to be globally consistent.
History-Independent Dynamic Partitioning: Operation-Order Privacy in Ordered Data Structures
Authors: Bender Michael A. , Farach-Colton Martín , Goodrich Michael T. , Komlós Hanna
Published: May 2024

A data structure is history independent if its internal representation reveals nothing about the history of operations beyond what can be determined from the current contents of the data structure. History independence is typically viewed as a security or privacy guarantee, with the intent being to minimize risks incurred by a security breach or audit. Despite widespread advances in history independence, there is an important data-structural primitive that previous work has been unable to replace with an equivalent history-independent alternative---dynamic partitioning. In dynamic partitioning, we are given a dynamic set S of ordered elements and a size-parameter B, and the objective is to maintain a partition of S into ordered groups, each of size Θ(B). Dynamic partitioning is important throughout computer science, with applications to B-tree rebalancing, write-optimized dictionaries, log-structured merge trees, other external-memory indexes, geometric and spatial data structures, cache-oblivious data structures, and order-maintenance data structures. The lack of a history-independent dynamic-partitioning primitive has meant that designers of history-independent data structures have had to resort to complex alternatives. In this paper, we achieve history-independent dynamic partitioning. Our algorithm runs asymptotically optimally against an oblivious adversary, processing each insert/delete with O(1) operations in expectation and O(B log N/loglog N) with high probability in set size N.
Abusive Language Detection in Khasi Social Media Comments
Authors: Baruah Arup , Wahlang Lakhamti , Jyrwa Firstbornson , Shadap Floriginia , Barbhuiya Ferdous , Dey Kuntal
Published: May 2024

This paper describes the work performed for automated abusive language detection in the Khasi language, a low-resource language spoken primarily in the state of Meghalaya, India. A dataset named Khasi Abusive Language Dataset (KALD) was created which consists of 4,573 human-annotated Khasi YouTube and Facebook comments. A corpus of Khasi text was built and it was used to create Khasi word2vec and fastText word embeddings. Deep learning, traditional machine learning, and ensemble models were used in the study. Experiments were performed using word2vec, fastText, and topic vectors obtained using LDA. Experiments were also performed to check if zero-shot cross-lingual nature of language models such as LaBSE and LASER can be utilized for abusive language detection in the Khasi language. The best F1 score of 0.90725 was obtained by an XGBoost classifier. After feature selection and rebalancing of the dataset, F1 score of 0.91828 and 0.91945 were obtained by an SVM based classifiers.
Mapping the Complexity of Legal Challenges for Trustworthy Drones on Construction Sites in the United Kingdom
Authors: Krook Joshua , Bossens David , Winter Peter , Araujo-Estrada Sergio , Downer John , Windsor Shane
Published: May 2024

Drones, unmanned aircraft controlled remotely and equipped with cameras, have seen widespread deployment across military, industrial, and commercial domains. The commercial sector, in particular, has experienced rapid growth, outpacing regulatory developments due to substantial financial incentives. The UK construction sector exemplifies a case where the regulatory framework for drones remains unclear. This article investigates the state of UK legislation on commercial drone use in construction through a thematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature. Four main themes, including opportunities, safety risks, privacy risks, and the regulatory context, were identified along with twenty-one sub-themes such as noise and falling materials. Findings reveal a fragmented regulatory landscape, combining byelaws, national laws, and EU regulations, creating business uncertainty. Our study recommends the establishment of specific national guidelines for commercial drone use, addressing uncertainties and building public trust, especially in anticipation of the integration of “autonomous” drones. This research contributes to the responsible computing domain by uncovering regulatory gaps and issues in UK drone law, particularly within the often-overlooked context of the construction sector. The insights provided aim to inform future responsible computing practices and policy development in the evolving landscape of commercial drone technology.
Influence of Collective Consciousness on Individuals’ Continuous Use Willingness of Digital Government Websites: A Psychological Perspective
Authors: Guo Yuanyuan
Published: May 2024

Building upon Social Fact theory and Social Impact theory, this article presents an innovative exploration of how collective consciousness and conformity behavior impact individuals' continuous use willingness of digital government websites. By constructing a single-factor mediation model with conformity behavior as the mediating variable, this study employs SPSS23.0 to test the data results. The mediation effect analysis reveals that citizens' collective consciousness indirectly influences their continuous use willingness through conformity behavior, with the latter playing a fully mediating role. This finding highlights the need for governments to consider the effects of public collective consciousness and conformity behavior on users' continuous use willingness of digital government websites. Consequently, this article recommends that authorities harness the power of exemplary and demonstration effects to guide individual behavior, ultimately optimizing individuals' continuous use willingness of digital government websites.
Revealing and Overcoming Unfavorable Electrochemical Behaviors of Thick LiNbO3-Coated NCM523 for All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries
Authors: Bong Willy Shun Kai , Kawamoto Koji
Published: May 2024

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are very promising for next-generation energy storage technologies owing to several key advantages including higher power density, better thermal and electrochemical stability, and improved safety for electric vehicles. In this work, bulk-type ASSB cells were prepared with 0–25 nm thick LiNbO3 coatings, and their electrochemical behaviors at different upper cutoff voltages (upper cutoff potential ≥ 4.40 V) were systematically compared. A thicker coating caused three unfavorable electrochemical behaviors in the first three cycles: (1) a higher overpotential, (2) sluggish discharge kinetics, and (3) capacity fading. The measured electronic conductivity decreased drastically with increasing coating thickness, suggesting that this may have caused behaviors (1–3). To overcome this, a carbon additive was used to improve electronic transport in the composite cathode and successfully suppressed the aforementioned behaviors. Our findings indicate that the combination of a thick LiNbO3 coating on NCM523 and carbon additive can achieve synergistic effects to improve both the electrochemical properties and durability of ASSB cells.