bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New 2D Formulation of Modified General Relativity
Authors: Böhmer Christian G. , Jensko Erik
Published: April 2024

It is well known that the Einstein–Hilbert action in two dimensions is topological and yields an identically vanishing Einstein tensor. Consequently one is faced with difficulties when formulating a non‐trivial gravity model. The authors present a new, intrinsically two‐dimensional, approach to this problem based on the Einstein action. This yields a well defined variational approach which results in new field equations that break diffeomorphism invariance. This proposed approach does not require the introduction of additional scalar fields, nor the use of conformal transformations. However, how including conformal counter terms leads to equivalent results is shown. In doing so, an explanation for why previous approaches worked can be provided. Solutions to the field equations are briefly discussed.
Balance diagnostics in propensity score analysis following multiple imputation: A new method
Authors: Yucel Karakaya Sevinc Puren , Unal Ilker
Published: April 2024

The combination of propensity score analysis and multiple imputation has been prominent in epidemiological research in recent years. However, studies on the evaluation of balance in this combination are limited. In this paper, we propose a new method for assessing balance in propensity score analysis following multiple imputation. A simulation study was conducted to evaluate the performance of balance assessment methods (Leyrat's, Leite's, and new method). Simulated scenarios varied regarding the presence of missing data in the control or treatment and control group, and the imputation model with/without outcome. Leyrat's method was more biased in all the studied scenarios. Leite's method and the combine method yielded balanced results with lower mean absolute difference, regardless of whether the outcome was included in the imputation model or not. Leyrat's method had a higher false positive ratio and Leite's and combine method had higher specificity and accuracy, especially when the outcome was not included in the imputation model. According to simulation results, most of time, Leyrat's method and Leite's method contradict with each other on appraising the balance. This discrepancy can be solved using new combine method.
Analyzing the Temporal Behavior of Noisy Intermediate‐Scale Quantum Nodes and Algorithm Fidelity
Authors: Podda Carlo , Moreau Giuliana Siddi , Pisani Lorenzo , Leoni Lidia , Cao Giacomo
Published: April 2024

In the past decade, quantum computing has undergone rapid evolution, capturing the increasing interest of the scientific community, industry, and governments. This enthusiasm has resulted in ambitious growth plans which stimulate the development of more efficient quantum computing devices and programming environments. The easy accessibility of quantum platforms in the cloud has attracted individuals to explore quantum computing, prompting a comprehensive analysis and assessment of quantum device's behavior. The extensive benchmarking presented in this study involved all free available quantum computing devices within the IBM Quantum Platform. These devices are employed to execute tens of thousands of quantum program executions, with the objective of evaluating quantum computer behavior and performance over time and under different optimization options. Special emphasis has been placed on analyzing the transpile operation and the depth of generated quantum circuits. The machine analysis tests are conducted using Quantum Computing Run Assistant (QCRA), a versatile software tool specifically designed to streamline the effortless distribution of quantum programs across a range of quantum computing platforms. This software not only streamlines the optimization of benchmarking processes but also simplifies the assessment of different configurations and result quality through the collection of advanced job metadata.
The association between boredom and creativity in educational contexts: A scoping review on research approaches and empirical findings
Authors: Zeißig Anke , Kansok‐Dusche Julia , Fischer Saskia M. , Moeller Julia , Bilz Ludwig
Published: April 2024

Assumptions around the association between boredom and creativity are contentious. Although studies suggest positive effects of boredom, it is also considered a negative predictor of creativity. Researchers also assume that creativity reduces boredom, but boredom can also occur during creative tasks. In this review, we identify and systematise the empirical evidence available to date on the association between creativity and boredom in educational contexts. The string‐guided electronic search yielded 2849 publications. Nineteen publications based on 27 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers extracted definitions, theories, methods, operationalisations, measurement instruments, and outcomes from the studies using a coding scheme. We identified a range of different theoretical and methodological approaches. The largest cache of empirical evidence was obtained from experimental and quasi‐experimental studies (five positive associations, four negative, two contradictory, and three insignificant results). Correlation studies identified three negative, one contradictory, and seven insignificant correlations between boredom and creativity. In addition, two studies with exploratory, statistically not relevant results contributed to the body of research. The results from the identified and evaluated studies argue both for and against the sensitivity of creative processes in relation to boredom—but a clear causal, positive or negative effect of boredom on creativity is not currently supported by the empirical evidence available. Previous research has also not yet demonstrated an apparent effect of creative states or traits on academic boredom. Future research should aim to explore under what circumstances different relationships between boredom and creativity can be observed and reliably replicated.
Adaptive internal synchronization control of chaotic systems based on DNA strand displacement
Authors: Liu Xiaoxiao , Lv Hui
Published: April 2024

In the application of DNA‐based chaotic synchronization, the precise values of the system parameters are often complicated to attain due to the interference of external factors, thus weakening the performance of synchronization. In this paper, considering the case of unknown parameters in chaotic systems, a method of adaptive synchronization based on DNA strand displacement (DSD) is proposed. Firstly, the chain replacement reaction modules of emergence, activation and degradation are given through the design of DNA strand, which enable the realization of Yang chaotic system using the mass action dynamics law. Further, in order to achieve the estimation of the unknown parameters and the stability of the error system, the rules for identification of unknown parameters are derived and adaptive controllers are designed under the adaptive control principle. Finally, an internal synchronization approach is recommended to decompose the chaotic system into subsystems of different orders, which can freely choose subsystems to complete synchronization. Subsequently, numerical simulations show that DNA‐based adaptive controllers can fulfill the internal synchronization of Yang system with unknown parameters and are robust to parameter deviations. In addition, the strategy presented in this study can be extended to the synchronization control of other DSD‐based multivariable chaotic systems.
Pb2+ adsorption on functionalized biochar nanoparticles: Insights from nanoparticle characterization and kinetic‐isotherm analysis
Authors: Behnam Hedieh , Firouzi Ahmad Farrokhian , Šimůnek Jiří
Published: April 2024

There has been an ongoing discussion about whether using functionalized biochar nanoparticles for pollutant removal is practical. The existing uncertainty surrounding functionalized biochar nanoparticles raises questions regarding their effectiveness in unraveling this problem. In this study, functionalized biochar nanoparticles were produced from corn (Zea mays L.) residues and Conocarpus erectus L. wood at 400°C and 700°C using the H2SO4/HNO3 treatment. The synthesized nanoparticles were used to explore their sorption properties for Pb2+. Various adsorption kinetic and isotherm models were evaluated using linear and nonlinear regression techniques. The functionalized biochar nanoparticles originated from wood at 400°C had the largest (80.74 mg g−1) Pb2+ adsorption capacity due to their highest O/C and the most negative zeta potential. In comparison, nanoparticles fabricated from corn residues at 700°C showed the lowest (70.47 mg g−1) Pb2+ adsorption capacity. Pyrolysis temperature affected the sorption process. Functionalized biochar nanoparticles produced at 400°C were more successful in sorbing the pollutant than those fabricated at 700°C. Linear and nonlinear pseudo‐second‐order kinetic models described Pb2+ adsorption kinetics well, indicating the rate‐controlling step. The nonlinear Freundlich model described the equilibrium relationship between adsorbate concentration and capacity, elucidating adsorption site heterogeneity and biochar nanoparticles' affinity for Pb2+. Our study shows that functionalized biochar nanoparticles could help develop procedures for remediating polluted environments.
Bayesian shrinkage models for integration and analysis of multiplatform high‐dimensional genomics data
Authors: Xue Hao , Chakraborty Sounak , Dey Tanujit
Published: April 2024

With the increasing availability of biomedical data from multiple platforms of the same patients in clinical research, such as epigenomics, gene expression, and clinical features, there is a growing need for statistical methods that can jointly analyze data from different platforms to provide complementary information for clinical studies. In this paper, we propose a two‐stage hierarchical Bayesian model that integrates high‐dimensional biomedical data from diverse platforms to select biomarkers associated with clinical outcomes of interest. In the first stage, we use Expectation Maximization‐based approach to learn the regulating mechanism between epigenomics (e.g., gene methylation) and gene expression while considering functional gene annotations. In the second stage, we group genes based on the regulating mechanism learned in the first stage. Then, we apply a group‐wise penalty to select genes significantly associated with clinical outcomes while incorporating clinical features. Simulation studies suggest that our model‐based data integration method shows lower false positives in selecting predictive variables compared with existing method. Moreover, real data analysis based on a glioblastoma (GBM) dataset reveals our method's potential to detect genes associated with GBM survival with higher accuracy than the existing method. Moreover, most of the selected biomarkers are crucial in GBM prognosis as confirmed by existing literature.
Framing effects on sustainable behavior
Authors: Lee Ya‐Ching
Published: April 2024

The impacts of climate change are profound and widespread. Investigating the impact of strategic climate change communication is crucial for informing effective communication strategies and ultimately driving meaningful action toward addressing climate change. This research aims to develop effective climate change communication on Facebook with the objective of fostering sustainable behavior. It seeks to accomplish this by evaluating the influence of strategic climate change frames on sustainable behavior intentions and examining the moderating effect of greenwash awareness. We conducted two experimental studies: A 10 (frames) x 2 (greenwash awareness: high vs. low) between‐subject experiment with 710 responses and a 25 (frames) x 2 (greenwash awareness: high vs. low) between‐subject experiment with 1586 responses. Results indicate that communication framed in natural well‐being, sustainable expertise, and environmental frames encouraged sustainable behavior more than other frames. Multiple frames are more persuasive than single frames in increasing the intention of sustainable action. Greenwash awareness exerts moderating impacts on the framing effects. The current research is the first exploration to shed light on framing strategies of climate change communications by taking non‐climate frames and greenwash awareness into consideration. We offer actionable insights into how enterprises can strategically use frames to improve performance and accountability in sustainable development.
A Non-Inferiority Clinical Trial Comparing Probiotics and Oral Corticosteroids for the Management of Acute Exacerbation of Atopic Dermatitis Patients
Authors: Gamal Nahla A. , Shoaib Mohammed A. , Farag Azza G. , Stark Richard , Tso Simon
Published: April 2024

A prospective controlled pilot study on the feasibility of utilization of a probiotic mixture for management of acute exacerbation of atopic dermatitis (AD). Patients were allocated to either standard of care (SOC) therapy with tapering dose of steroids or a probiotic mixture over 3 weeks. After the 3-week intervention, patients on steroids achieved significantly higher clinical response rates and significantly deeper response as measured by the change in SCORAD score. No gut microbiome changes could be appreciated in either group after the treatment period. We could conclude that probiotics cannot replace SOC therapy for the management of acute exacerbation of AD.
Association of hair cortisol concentration with brain‐derived neurotrophic factor gene methylation: The role of sex as a moderator
Authors: Li Zhenxu , Kong Wanji , Park Hye Yoon , Koo Se Jun , Bang Minji , Park Jung Tak , Lee Eun , An Suk Kyoon
Published: April 2024

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) reflects the long‐term activity of the hypothalamus‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis in response to stress. Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor DNA methylation (BDNF DNAM) may affect HCC, and sex and Val66Met may contribute to this association. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the associations between HCC and Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) DNAM, and the moderating effects of Val66Met and sex. We recruited 191 healthy young participants (96 women, mean age 23.0 ± 2.6 years) and collected body samples to evaluate HCC, and to determine BDNF DNAM and Val66Met genotypes. We analyzed the effects of BDNF DNAM, sex, and Val66Met on HCC. We also evaluated the associations between BDNF DNAM and HCC in groups separated by sex and genotypes. We found a marked association of BDNF DNAM with HCC across men and women. After dividing the data by sex, a positive correlation of HCC with BDNF DNAM was found only in women. There was no substantial moderation effect of Val66Met genotypes on the association between BDNF DNAM and HCC. Therefore, BDNF DNAM was found to have positive association with HCC only in healthy young women, indicating that sex moderates the association of BDNF DNAM with long‐term HPA axis activity.
Ultrasound of the eye – Part 2: Fundamentals of posterior wall detachment
Authors: Napier Donna
Published: April 2024

Detachment of the posterior membranes of the eye may occur following trauma or surgery, can result from certain disease processes or just be attributed to the aging process. Irrespective of the cause, all can contribute to visual disturbance. Failure to diagnose and treat such conditions can have permanent effects on a patient's vision if not addressed in a timely manner. Ultrasound proves to be a useful tool to aid in the diagnosis of posterior wall detachments when the operator has a thorough knowledge of ocular structure and function, anatomical landmarks and the common sonographic appearances that differentiate the type of membrane involved in the disease process. Although ocular ultrasound has historically been performed in the emergency or ophthalmology settings, the incidence of ocular ultrasound being undertaken in radiology departments is increasing. Multiple recent studies have observed an increase in the incidence of retinal detachment, the main causative factors being linked to a higher prevalence of myopia and cataract surgeries. The purpose of this article therefore is to provide a comprehensive guide to the anatomical structure of the posterior orbital segment, including surface anatomy and attachment points, and how this can facilitate the correct identification of the different types of posterior membranous detachment based on common sonographic appearances. As such, operators skilled in performing ultrasound of the eye can play a pivotal role in ensuring an appropriate management pathway is achieved by way of accurate interpretation of pathological ultrasound images.
Comparative Study on the Emulsification of Octenyl Succinic Anhydride Modified Sweet Potato Starch: As Macromolecular and Particulate Stabilizers
Authors: Chen Jianyang , Zhu Wei , Chen Qing , Song Xiaoyan
Published: April 2024

Sweet potato is one of the essential starch materials for food and feed world widely. However, its application is limited by the low viscosity and poor stability of native starches. Herein, sweet potato starch is modified by octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) in the aqueous system. The optimization for esterification is studied using response surface methodology. The characteristics of OSA‐modified sweet potato starch are investigated, and its emulsifying properties as macromolecular and particulate stabilizers in the oil‐in‐water systems are compared. The optimal process conditions for OSA modification are: reaction time 4.0 h, temperature 38.8 °C, pH of the reaction system 8.2, starch concentration 32.2%, OSA amount 3.0%. The degree of substitution is 0.0185, and reaction efficiency is 79.7% under the optimum conditions. The new peaks at 1725 and 1573 cm−1 are observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Compared with native starch, OSA‐modified sweet potato starch exhibits higher viscosities, improved paste clarity, and decreased retrogradation. The confocal laser scanning microscope results show that the gelatinized starch macromolecule and ungelatinized starch particles can arrange at the water–oil interface. The OSA‐modified sweet potato starch is both an effective macromolecular emulsifier and a particulate stabilizer, effectively stabilizing oil‐in‐water emulsions.
Improvements in lightweight concrete T beams CFRP strengthened and anchored with U‐wraps
Authors: Zaki Mohammed A. , Rasheed Hayder A. , Mitsios Konstantinos
Published: April 2024

This research provides a study for an experimental program using sand‐perlite‐lightweight reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened and anchored with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) materials. The main objective of this work is to showcase the efficiency of using U‐wrap anchors to secure the externally applied CFRP sheets on lightweight RC beams. A series of six full‐scale T‐beams with an increasing number of CFRP U‐wraps per shear span was prepared and tested. The use of U‐wrap anchorage enhanced the flexural performance of the sand‐lightweight concrete beams by progressively delaying the premature debonding of CFRP sheets as a direct function of the number of U‐wraps used per shear span. The beam flexural capacity gradually improved from 116 kN without the use of U‐wrap anchors to 182 kN when using six U‐wraps per shear span, which reflects a significant enhancement. Similarly, the ultimate deflection gradually improved from 56 mm for the beam without U‐wrap anchors to 94 mm when applying six U‐wraps per shear span. A design model established earlier, for normal weight concrete, has been successfully qualified to yield accurate findings against the experimental results. Also, the outcome of this study interestingly showed that the ultimate strength results of the anchored beams were close to their counterparts of normal weight concrete conducted on identical beams. This finding shows that U‐wrap anchors performed efficiently despite the lack of coarse aggregate interlock in the concrete mix.
Is Delicata Krammer a validly published genus name? Trying to put light on Article 20.2
Authors: da Silva Weliton José
Published: April 2024

This paper delves into the intricacies of botanical nomenclature, specifically focusing on the interpretation and application of Art. 20.2 of the International Code of Nomenclature (ICN). It critically analyzes the case of Delicata Krammer, against the backdrop of Art. 20.2. The investigation shows that Delicata does not coincide with any established Latin technical term used in morphology and hence fulfills the ICN requirements, confirming its validity. This finding highlights the need for clearer guidelines in distinguishing descriptive Latin terms from technical terms used in morphology. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse in botanical taxonomy by advocating for revised practices and interpretations of nomenclatural rules, ensuring stability and precision in the naming of taxa.
Decreases in the number of microglia and neural circuit dysfunction elicited by developmental exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides in mice
Authors: Namba Kaede , Tominaga Takashi , Ishihara Yasuhiro
Published: April 2024

Neonicotinoids are insecticides widely used in the world. Although neonicotinoids are believed to be toxic only to insects, their developmental neurotoxicity in mammals is a concern. Therefore, we examined the effects of developmental exposure to neonicotinoids on immune system in the brain and post‐developmental behaviors in this study. Imidacloprid or clothianidin was orally administered to dams at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg/day from embryonic day 11 to postnatal day 21. Imidacloprid decreased sociability, and both imidacloprid and clothianidin decreased locomotor activity and induced anxiety, depression and abnormal repetitive behaviors after the developmental period. There was no change in the number of neurons in the hippocampus of mice exposed to imidacloprid. However, the number and activity of microglia during development were significantly decreased by imidacloprid exposure. Imidacloprid also induced neural circuit dysfunction in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus during the early postnatal period. Exposure to imidacloprid suppressed the expression of csf1r during development. Collectively, these results suggest that developmental exposure to imidacloprid decreases the number and activity of microglia, which can cause neural circuit dysfunction and abnormal behaviors after the developmental period. Care must be taken to avoid exposure to neonicotinoids, especially during development.
Exploring the association between acute pancreatitis and biliary tract cancer: A large‐scale population‐based matched cohort study
Authors: Selin Daniel , Maret‐Ouda John , Oskarsson Viktor , Lindblad Mats , Arnelo Urban , Holmberg Marcus , Yang Bei , Sema Kristiana , Nilsson Magnus , Sadr‐Azodi Omid
Published: April 2024

Background

Biliary tract cancer (BTC) often goes undetected until its advanced stages, resulting in a poor prognosis. Given the anatomical closeness of the gallbladder and bile ducts to the pancreas, the inflammatory processes triggered by acute pancreatitis might increase the risk of BTC.

Objective

To assess the association between acute pancreatitis and the risk of BTC.

Methods

Using the Swedish Pancreatitis Cohort (SwePan), we compared the BTC risk in patients with a first‐time episode of acute pancreatitis during 1990–2018 to a 1:10 matched pancreatitis‐free control group. Multivariable Cox regression models, stratified by follow‐up duration, were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs), adjusting for socioeconomic factors, alcohol use, and comorbidities.

Results

BTC developed in 0.94% of 85,027 acute pancreatitis patients and in 0.23% of 814,993 controls. The BTC risk notably increased within 3 months of hospital discharge (HR 82.63; 95% CI: 63.07–108.26) and remained elevated beyond 10 years of follow‐up (HR 1.82; 95% CI: 1.35–2.47). However, the long‐term risk of BTC subtypes did not increase with anatomical proximity to the pancreas, with a null association for gallbladder and extrahepatic tumors. Importantly, patients with acute pancreatitis had a higher occurrence of early‐stage BTC within 2 years of hospital discharge than controls (13.0 vs. 3.6%; p‐value <0.01).

Conclusion

Our nationwide study found an elevated BTC risk in acute pancreatitis patients; however, the risk estimates for BTC subtypes were inconsistent, thereby questioning the causality of the association. Importantly, the amplified detection of early‐stage BTC within 2 years after a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis underscores the necessity for proactive BTC surveillance in these patients.
Effects of dietary garlic (Allium sativum) oil on growth performance, haemato‐biochemical and histopathology of cypermethrin‐intoxicated Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Öz Mustafa , Inanan Burak Evren , Üstüner Enes , Karagoz Betül , Dikel Suat
Published: April 2024

Background

When pesticides are introduced into wetlands by agriculture, fish quickly absorb them through their gills. Pesticides reduce hatchability, impede growth, and antioxidant response, killing fish. Therefore, it's crucial to find effective pesticide mitigation methods for fish.

Objective

In this study, the effects of garlic (Allium sativum) oil on the growth, haematology, biochemistry and histopathology parameters of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to cypermethrin toxicity were investigated.

Methods

In the research, cypermethrin was added to the water of the experimental groups at a rate of 1:20 of the LC50 value, and 1.00% garlic oil was added to the fish feed. Fish with an initial weight of 30.26 ± 0.26 g were fed for 45 days.

Results

At the end of feeding, the final weights were determined as 69.39 ± 0.41 (G1), 61.81 ± 0.65 (G2), 82.25 ± 0.36 (G3), and 75.04 ± 0.68 (G4) grams, respectively. Histopathological examinations revealed serious lesions in the gill, liver, brain, and muscle tissues in the cypermethrin group, whereas these lesions were minimal or absent in the garlic oil group.

Conclusions

Garlic oil supplementation had positive effects on growth, haematology, blood biochemistry, hepatosomatic index and histopathological parameters. These findings suggest that garlic oil is a potential protective agent against cypermethrin toxicity.
Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy outcomes across a low‐and middle‐income country metropolitan health service
Authors: Booyse Karien , Lindemann Jessica , Calitz Mariska , Bernon Marc , Jonas Eduard , Kloppers Christo
Published: April 2024

Background

Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) is a safe alternative for difficult cholecystectomies to prevent bile duct injury and open conversion. The primary aim was to detail the use and outcomes on LSCs.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Relative clinical factors, outcomes, and 30‐day follow‐up between LSC and LC were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Six hundred and twenty four cholecystectomies were performed and 53 (8.5%) required LSC. 81.8% were fenestrating LSC. Male sex was significantly overrepresented in the LSC group (p < 0.01) and patients requiring LSC were significantly older (p < 0.01). Same admission cholecystectomy was associated with a higher risk of LSC (p < 0.01). Patients with a history of previous surgery, preoperative ERCP, or percutaneous cholecystostomy had an increased risk of undergoing LSC (p < 0.01). A necrotic gallbladder was the most significant predictor of the need for a LSC (p < 0.001). A contracted gallbladder, extensive adhesions, gallbladder empyema, and severe inflammation were significant predictors of difficulty (all p < 0.01). Postoperative complications occurred in 26.4% of LSC patients. There were ten (18.9%) Clavien–Dindo Grade III complications, 5.7% required ERCPs, and 9.4% required relook laparotomies. Significantly, more patients in the LSC group developed bile leaks (n = 8, 15%) (p < 0.001). There were two readmissions within 30 days, one mortality, and no BDIs occurred in the LSC cohort.

Conclusion

LSC provides a feasible surgical option that should be utilized in complex cholecystitis.
Effect of magnetic field on viscous flow through porous wavy channel using boundary element method
Authors: Chhabra Vishal , Nishad Chandra Shekhar , Sahni Manoj
Published: April 2024

The study aims to investigate the effect of uniform inclined magnetic field on two‐dimensional flow of a steady, viscous incompressible fluid at low Reynolds number through a porous wavy channel. We consider a channel having sinusoidal walls filled with a fully saturated porous medium. The porous regime is assumed to be homogenous and isotropic. The viscous flow through a porous regime is governed by Brinkman equation, where the viscous forces are dominant. This allows us to assume the no‐slip boundary conditions at the walls of the wavy channel. Boundary element method (BEM) based on non‐primitive variables namely, stream function‐vorticity variables is used to solve the Brinkman equation. Further, we consider a very small magnetic Reynolds number to eliminate the magnetic‐induced equation. We analyzed that an increase in Hartman number, porosity, and reduction in inclination angle of magnetic field, wave amplitude, and Darcy number led to a reduction in horizontal velocity, whereas an increase in Hartman number, porosity, wave amplitude, and decrease in Darcy number and angle of inclination of magnetic field led to an increase in vertical velocity. Moreover, the flow reversal phenomena occur in the vicinity of the crest regime of the porous wavy channel for high wave amplitude and low Hartman number. The proposed investigation has widespread applications, such as drug delivery systems to target the drug precisely, magneto‐hydrodynamic pumps to regulate the blood flow in artificial hearts to reduce the risk of blood clotting, and so forth.
A compendium of logarithmic corrections in AdS/CFT
Authors: Bobev Nikolay , David Marina , Hong Junho , Reys Valentin , Zhang Xuao
Published: April 2024

Abstract

We study the logarithmic corrections to various CFT partition functions in the context of the AdS4/CFT3 correspondence for theories arising on the worldvolume of M2-branes. We utilize four-dimensional gauged supergravity and heat kernel methods and present general expressions for the logarithmic corrections to the gravitational on-shell action and black hole entropy for a number of different supergravity backgrounds. We outline several subtle features of these calculations and contrast them with a similar analysis of logarithmic corrections performed directly in the eleven-dimensional uplift of a given four-dimensional supergravity background. We find results consistent with AdS/CFT provided that the infinite sum over KK modes on the internal space is regularized in a specific manner. This analysis leads to an explicit expression for the logarithmic correction to the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of large Kerr-Newmann and Reissner-Nordström black holes in AdS4. Our results also have important implications for effective field theory coupled to gravity in AdS4 and for the existence of scale-separated AdS4 vacua in string theory, which come in the form of new constraints on the field content and mass spectrum of matter fields.
Light quark mediated Higgs boson production in association with a jet at the next-to-next-to-leading order and beyond
Authors: Liu Tao , Penin Alexander A. , Rehman Abdur
Published: April 2024

Abstract

We study the light quark effect on the Higgs boson production in association with a jet at the LHC in the intermediate transverse momentum region between the quark and the Higgs boson mass scales. Though the effect is suppressed by the small Yukawa coupling, it is enhanced by large logarithms of the quark mass ratio to the Higgs boson mass or transverse momentum. Following a remarkable success of the logarithmic expansion [40] for the prediction of the next-to-next-to-leading bottom quark contribution to the total cross section of the Higgs boson production we extend the analysis to its kinematical distributions. A new factorization formula is derived for the light quark mediated gg → Hg amplitudes and the differential cross section of the process is computed in the logarithmic approximation, which is used for an estimate of the bottom quark effect at the next-to-next-to-leading order.
Positivity from Cosmological Correlators
Authors: Green Daniel , Huang Yiwen , Shen Chia-Hsien , Baumann Daniel
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Effective field theories in flat space and in anti-de Sitter space are constrained by causality and unitarity, often in the form of positivity bounds. Similar bounds have been harder to demonstrate in cosmological backgrounds, where the roles of unitarity and causality are more obscure. Fortunately, the expansion of the universe ensures that late-time cosmological correlators are effectively classical and the role of unitarity is played by classical statistical inequalities. For multi-field inflation, the resulting positivity constraints have long been known in terms of the Suyama-Yamaguchi inequality. In this paper, we demonstrate that similar statistical bounds imply nontrivial constraints for massive fields in the early universe. We show that any real anomalous dimensions for principal series fields in de Sitter space must be positive. We also derive a limit on the amplitude of particular oscillatory signals from inflation, including those arising in cosmological collider physics. Finally, we demonstrate that these constraints manifest themselves directly in the two-point statistics of matter and galaxies that will be measured in upcoming surveys.
“Zoology” of non-invertible duality defects: the view from class $$ \mathcal{S} $$
Authors: Antinucci Andrea , Copetti Christian , Galati Giovanni , Rizi Giovanni
Published: April 2024

Abstract

We study generalizations of the non-invertible duality defects present in $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 SU(N) SYM by studying theories with larger duality groups. We focus on 4d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 theories of class $$ \mathcal{S} $$
S
obtained by the dimensional reduction of the 6d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= (2, 0) theory of AN−1 type on a Riemann surface Σg without punctures. We discuss their non-invertible duality symmetries and provide two ways to compute their fusion algebra: either using discrete topological manipulations or a 5d TQFT description. We also introduce the concept of “rank” of a non-invertible duality symmetry and show how it can be used to (almost) completely fix the fusion algebra with little computational effort.
On p-Frobenius of Affine Semigroups
Authors: García Barroso Evelia R. , García-García Juan I. , Santana Sánchez Luis José , Vigneron-Tenorio Alberto
Published: April 2024

This paper studies the p-Frobenius vector of affine semigroups $$S\subset \mathbb {N}^q$$

S
⊂

N

q

. Defined with respect to a graded monomial order, the p-Frobenius vector represents the maximum element with at most p factorizations within S. We develop efficient algorithms for computing these vectors and analyze their behavior under the gluing operations with $$\mathbb {N}^q$$

N

q

.
Unearthing FLVCR1a: tracing the path to a vital cellular transporter
Authors: Fiorito Veronica , Tolosano Emanuela
Published: April 2024

The Feline Leukemia Virus Subgroup C Receptor 1a (FLVCR1a) is a member of the SLC49 Major Facilitator Superfamily of transporters. Initially recognized as the receptor for the retrovirus responsible of pure red cell aplasia in cats, nearly two decades since its discovery, FLVCR1a remains a puzzling transporter, with ongoing discussions regarding what it transports and how its expression is regulated. Nonetheless, despite this, the substantial body of evidence accumulated over the years has provided insights into several critical processes in which this transporter plays a complex role, and the health implications stemming from its malfunction. The present review intends to offer a comprehensive overview and a critical analysis of the existing literature on FLVCR1a, with the goal of emphasising the vital importance of this transporter for the organism and elucidating the interconnections among the various functions attributed to this transporter.
A Sharp Version of the Benjamin and Lighthill Conjecture for Steady Waves with Vorticity
Authors: Lokharu Evgeniy
Published: April 2024

We give a complete proof of the classical Benjamin and Lighthill conjecture for arbitrary two-dimensional steady water waves with vorticity. We show that the flow force constant of an arbitrary smooth solution is bounded by the flow force constants for the corresponding conjugate laminar flows. We prove these inequalities without any assumptions on the geometry of the surface profile and put no restrictions on the wave amplitude. Furthermore, we give a complete description of all cases when the equalities can occur. In particular, that excludes the existence of one-sided bores and multi-hump solitary waves. Our conclusions are new already for Stokes waves with a constant vorticity, while the case of equalities is new even in the classical setting of irrotational waves.
On the Number of Eigenvalues of the Dirac Operator in a Bounded Interval
Authors: Holt Jason , Safronov Oleg
Published: April 2024

Let

$$H_0$$

H
0

be the free Dirac operator and

$$V \geqslant 0$$

V
⩾
0

be a positive potential. We study the discrete spectrum of

$$H(\alpha )=H_0-\alpha V$$

H

(
α
)

=

H
0

-
α
V

in the interval

$$(-1,1)$$

(
-
1
,
1
)

for large values of the coupling constant

$$\alpha >0$$

α
>
0

. In particular, we obtain an asymptotic formula for the number of eigenvalues of

$$H(\alpha )$$

H
(
α
)

situated in a bounded interval

$$[\lambda ,\mu )$$

[
λ
,
μ
)

as

$$\alpha \rightarrow \infty $$

α
→
∞

.
Multi-person 3D pose estimation from unlabelled data
Authors: Rodriguez-Criado Daniel , Bachiller-Burgos Pilar , Vogiatzis George , Manso Luis J.
Published: April 2024

Its numerous applications make multi-human 3D pose estimation a remarkably impactful area of research. Nevertheless, it presents several challenges, especially when approached using multiple views and regular RGB cameras as the only input. First, each person must be uniquely identified in the different views. Secondly, it must be robust to noise, partial occlusions, and views where a person may not be detected. Thirdly, many pose estimation approaches rely on environment-specific annotated datasets that are frequently prohibitively expensive and/or require specialised hardware. Specifically, this is the first multi-camera, multi-person data-driven approach that does not require an annotated dataset. In this work, we address these three challenges with the help of self-supervised learning. In particular, we present a three-staged pipeline and a rigorous evaluation providing evidence that our approach performs faster than other state-of-the-art algorithms, with comparable accuracy, and most importantly, does not require annotated datasets. The pipeline is composed of a 2D skeleton detection step, followed by a Graph Neural Network to estimate cross-view correspondences of the people in the scenario, and a Multi-Layer Perceptron that transforms the 2D information into 3D pose estimations. Our proposal comprises the last two steps, and it is compatible with any 2D skeleton detector as input. These two models are trained in a self-supervised manner, thus avoiding the need for datasets annotated with 3D ground-truth poses.
Unraveling the main issues of direct sample printing and sample cutting from a sheet of tensile test samples for characterization of Material Extrusion components
Authors: Lambiase Francesco , Scipioni Silvia Ilaria , Pace Francesco , Paoletti Alfonso
Published: April 2024

This research investigates the influence of varied sample manufacturing strategies on the mechanical properties of Material Extrusion (MatExt) Additive Manufacturing components. Two procedures were investigated: direct sample printing and sample cutting from a sheet. The thickness of the samples was also varied to determine possible differences in the measurements performed. Through a comprehensive analysis involving mechanical testing, optical microscopy, and IR thermography during deposition, the study revealed significant implications of the manufacturing strategy on the thermal history and polymer chain entanglement. The results indicated that Young’s modulus and the tensile strength produced through direct printing differed from that measured on the samples made through sample cutting. At the same time, the elongation at rupture was less influenced by the manufacturing strategy. The sample thickness also influenced the fracture strength; the thicker samples were characterized by a strength of 27.9 MPa, which was higher by 23% than that of the extracted samples.

The observed differences in mechanical behavior underscore the critical role of sample manufacturing strategy in determining the final mechanical properties of upright samples. Results shed light on the complex interplay between manufacturing protocols and component performance in MatExt applications.
Impact of product family complexity on process performance in electronic component assembly
Authors: Puttero Stefano , Verna Elisa , Genta Gianfranco , Galetto Maurizio
Published: April 2024

With the advent of Industry 4.0 and the impending shift towards Industry 5.0, the integration of human–robot collaboration (HRC) into production systems has become increasingly widespread. This paradigm shift leverages collaborative robots, or cobots, to mitigate physical and mental strain on human workers, thereby increasing productivity and improving overall quality performance. This paper investigates the interplay of productivity and quality factors with assembly complexity in both manual and collaborative assembly systems. The focus is placed on a product family of electronic boards, with varying levels of assembly complexity, to provide a comprehensive comparison between manual assembly and two different collaborative assembly scenarios. Key performance metrics such as assembly time and total defects are evaluated. This case study, rooted in the electronics industry, seeks to provide a valuable perspective on how assembly complexity influences productivity and quality in product family assembly systems. The results of this study aim to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the implementation of HRC in manufacturing, facilitate informed decision-making and encourage further advances in this rapidly evolving field.
Human metabolism of four synthetic benzimidazole opioids: isotonitazene, metonitazene, etodesnitazene, and metodesnitazene
Authors: Taoussi Omayema , Berardinelli Diletta , Zaami Simona , Tavoletta Francesco , Basile Giuseppe , Kronstrand Robert , Auwärter Volker , Busardò Francesco P. , Carlier Jeremy
Published: April 2024

Following isotonitazene scheduling in 2019, the availability of alternative 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids (nitazenes) on the global drug market increased, resulting in many fatalities worldwide. Nitazenes are potent µ-opioid receptor agonists with strong narcotic/analgesic effects, and their concentrations in biological matrices are low, making the detection of metabolite biomarkers of consumption crucial to document use in clinical and forensic settings. However, there is little to no data on the metabolism of the most recently available nitazenes, especially desnitro-analogues. The aim of the research was to assess isotonitazene, metonitazene, etodesnitazene, and metodesnitazene human metabolism and identify specific metabolite biomarkers of consumption. The four analogues were incubated with 10-donor-pooled human hepatocytes, and the incubates were analyzed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry and data mining with Compound Discoverer (Thermo Scientific); the analysis was supported by in silico metabolite predictions with GLORYx open-access software. Metabolites were identified in postmortem blood and/or urine samples from two metonitazene-positive and three etodesnitazene-positive cases following the same workflow, with and without glucuronide hydrolysis in urine, to confirm in vitro results. Twelve, nine, twenty-two, and ten metabolites were identified for isotonitazene, metonitazene, etodesnitazene, and metodesnitazene, respectively. The main transformations were N-deethylation at the N,N-diethylethanamine side chain, O-dealkylation, and further O-glucuronidation. In vitro and autopsy results were consistent, demonstrating the efficacy of the 10-donor-pooled human hepatocyte model to predict human metabolism. We suggest the parent and the corresponding O-dealkyl- and N-deethyl-O-dealkyl metabolites as biomarkers of exposure in urine after glucuronide hydrolysis, and the corresponding N-deethyl metabolite as additional biomarker in blood.
Mathematical Foundations of the Non-Hermitian Skin Effect
Authors: Ammari Habib , Barandun Silvio , Cao Jinghao , Davies Bryn , Hiltunen Erik Orvehed
Published: April 2024

We study the skin effect in a one-dimensional system of finitely many subwavelength resonators with a non-Hermitian imaginary gauge potential. Using Toeplitz matrix theory, we prove the condensation of bulk eigenmodes at one of the edges of the system. By introducing a generalised (complex) Brillouin zone, we can compute spectral bands of the associated infinitely periodic structure and prove that this is the limit of the spectra of the finite structures with arbitrarily large size. Finally, we contrast the non-Hermitian systems with imaginary gauge potentials considered here with systems where the non-Hermiticity arises due to complex material parameters, showing that the two systems are fundamentally distinct.
Assessment of monoclonal antibody glycosylation: a comparative study using HRMS, NMR, and HILIC-FLD
Authors: Shipman Joshua , Karfunkle Michael , Zhu Hongbin , Zhuo You , Chen Kang , Patabandige Milani , Wu Di , Oyugi Mercy , Kerr Richard , Yang Kui , Rogstad Sarah
Published: April 2024

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent the largest class of therapeutic protein drug products. mAb glycosylation produces a heterogeneous, analytically challenging distribution of glycoforms that typically should be adequately characterized because glycosylation-based product quality attributes (PQAs) can impact product quality, immunogenicity, and efficacy. In this study, two products were compared using a panel of analytical methods. Two high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) workflows were used to analyze N-glycans, while nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to generate monosaccharide fingerprints. These state-of-the-art techniques were compared to conventional analysis using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled with fluorescence detection (FLD). The advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed along with a comparison of the identified glycan distributions. The results demonstrated agreement across all methods for major glycoforms, demonstrating how confidence in glycan characterization is increased by combining orthogonal analytical methodologies. The full panel of methods used represents a diverse toolbox that can be selected from based on the needs for a specific product or analysis.

Graphical Abstract