bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mosquitocidal effect of ivermectin-treated nettings and sprayed walls on Anopheles gambiae s.s.
Authors: Hamid-Adiamoh Majidah , Muhammad Abdul Khalie , Assogba Benoit Sessinou , Soumare Harouna Massire , Jadama Lamin , Diallo Moussa , D’Alessandro Umberto , Ousmane Ndiath Mamadou , Erhart Annette , Amambua-Ngwa Alfred
Published: June 2024

Ivermectin (IVM) has been proposed as a new tool for malaria control as it is toxic on vectors feeding on treated humans or cattle. Nevertheless, IVM may have a direct mosquitocidal effect when applied on bed nets or sprayed walls. The potential for IVM application as a new insecticide for long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) was tested in this proof-of-concept study in a laboratory and semi-field environment. Laboratory-reared, insecticide-susceptible Kisumu Anopheles gambiae were exposed to IVM on impregnated netting materials and sprayed plastered- and mud walls using cone bioassays. The results showed a direct mosquitocidal effect of IVM on this mosquito strain as all mosquitoes died by 24 h after exposure to IVM. The effect was slower on the IVM-sprayed walls compared to the treated nettings. Further work to evaluate possibility of IVM as a new insecticide formulation in LLINs and IRS will be required.
The transcriptional regulation of a putative hemicellulose gene, PtrPARVUS2 in poplar
Authors: Wang Dan , Coleman Heather D.
Published: June 2024

The plant cell wall serves as a critical interface between the plant and its environment, offering protection against various stresses and contributing to biomass production. Hemicellulose is one of the major components of the cell wall, and understanding the transcriptional regulation of its production is essential to fully understanding cell wall formation. This study explores the regulatory mechanisms underlying one of the genes involved in hemicellulose biosynthesis, PtrPARVUS2. Six transcription factors (TFs) were identified from a xylem-biased library to negatively regulate PtrPARVUS2 expression. These TFs, belonging to diverse TF families, were confirmed to bind to specific cis-elements in the PtrPARVUS2 promoter region, as validated by Yeast One-Hybrid (Y1H) assays, transient expression analysis, and Chromatin Immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) assays. Furthermore, motif analysis identified putative cis-regulatory elements bound by these TFs, shedding light on the transcriptional regulation of SCW biosynthesis genes. Notably, several TFs targeted genes encoding uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs), crucial enzymes involved in hemicellulose glycosylation. Phylogenetic analysis of UGTs regulated by these TFs highlighted their diverse roles in modulating hemicellulose synthesis. Overall, this study identifies a set of TFs that regulate PARVUS2 in poplar, providing insights into the intricate coordination of TFs and PtrPARVUS2 in SCW formation. Understanding these regulatory mechanisms enhances our ability to engineer plant biomass for tailored applications, including biofuel production and bioproduct development.
Identification of dental implant systems from low-quality and distorted dental radiographs using AI trained on a large multi-center dataset
Authors: Lee Jae-Hong , Kim Young-Taek , Lee Jong-Bin
Published: June 2024

Most artificial intelligence (AI) studies have attempted to identify dental implant systems (DISs) while excluding low-quality and distorted dental radiographs, limiting their actual clinical use. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an AI model, trained on a large and multi-center dataset, in identifying different types of DIS in low-quality and distorted dental radiographs. Based on the fine-tuned pre-trained ResNet-50 algorithm, 156,965 panoramic and periapical radiological images were used as training and validation datasets, and 530 low-quality and distorted images of four types (including those not perpendicular to the axis of the fixture, radiation overexposure, cut off the apex of the fixture, and containing foreign bodies) were used as test datasets. Moreover, the accuracy performance of low-quality and distorted DIS classification was compared using AI and five periodontists. Based on a test dataset, the performance evaluation of the AI model achieved accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score metrics of 95.05%, 95.91%, 92.49%, and 94.17%, respectively. However, five periodontists performed the classification of nine types of DISs based on four different types of low-quality and distorted radiographs, achieving a mean overall accuracy of 37.2 ± 29.0%. Within the limitations of this study, AI demonstrated superior accuracy in identifying DIS from low-quality or distorted radiographs, outperforming dental professionals in classification tasks. However, for actual clinical application of AI, extensive standardization research on low-quality and distorted radiographic images is essential.
Breakfast consumption, saturated fat intake, and body mass index among medical and non-medical students: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Saintila Jacksaint , Carranza-Cubas Sandra P. , Santamaria-Acosta Omar F. A. , Serpa-Barrientos Antonio , Ramos-Vera Cristian , López-López Elmer , Geraldo-Campos Luis Alberto , Calizaya-Milla Yaquelin E.
Published: June 2024

Changes in dietary patterns and body weight have become a focus of research in undergraduate students. This study compared breakfast consumption, intake of foods high in saturated fat, and BMI between medical and non-medical students. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 4,561 Peruvian university students, of whom 1,464 (32.1%) were from the medical field and 3,097 (67.9%) from the non-medical field. We compared the frequency of breakfast consumption (categorized as regular: 6 to 7 days/week; occasional: 3 to 5 days/week; and rarely or never: 0 to 2 days/week) and the frequency of consumption of foods high in saturated fat. We created simple and multiple linear and Poisson regression models with robust variance to evaluate the association of the mentioned variables with academic fields. Non-medical students (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 0.92, 95% CI 0.86–0.99; p = 0.008) were less likely to eat breakfast regularly compared to medical students. Likewise, consumption of foods high in saturated fats was higher in non-medical students (B = 1.47, 95% CI 0.91–2.04; p < 0.001) compared to medical students. Similarly, the mean BMI of these students was significantly higher than that of medical students (B = 0.33, 95% CI 0.12–0.53; p = 0.002). Although medical students reported relatively healthy eating habits and a lower BMI, there is a widespread need to promote improved diet and lifestyle among the entire university population to reduce the risks of communicable diseases and improve quality of life.
Innovative microwave in situ approach for crystallizing TiO2 nanoparticles with enhanced activity in photocatalytic and photovoltaic applications
Authors: Kubiak Adam , Zalas Maciej , Cegłowski Michał
Published: June 2024

This investigation introduces an innovative approach to microwave-assisted crystallization of titania nanoparticles, leveraging an in situ process to expedite anatase crystallization during microwave treatment. Notably, this technique enables the attainment of crystalline material at temperatures below 100 °C. The physicochemical properties, including crystallinity, morphology, and textural properties, of the synthesized TiO2 nanomaterials show a clear dependence on the microwave crystallization temperature. The presented microwave crystallization methodology is environmentally sustainable, owing to heightened energy efficiency and remarkably brief processing durations. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit significant effectiveness in removing formic acid, confirming their practical utility. The highest efficiency of formic acid photodegradation was demonstrated by the T_200 material, reaching almost 100% efficiency after 30 min of irradiation. Furthermore, these materials find impactful application in dye-sensitized solar cells, illustrating a secondary avenue for the utilization of the synthesized nanomaterials. Photovoltaic characterization of assembled DSSC devices reveals that the T_100 material, synthesized at a higher temperature, exhibits the highest photoconversion efficiency attributed to its outstanding photocurrent density. This study underscores the critical importance of environmental sustainability in the realm of materials science, highlighting that through judicious management of the synthesis method, it becomes feasible to advance towards the creation of multifunctional materials.
Treatment intensification and therapeutic inertia of antihypertensive therapy among patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension with uncontrolled blood pressure
Authors: Wan Kim Sui , Moy Foong Ming , Mohd Yusoff Muhammad Fadhli , Mustapha Feisul , Ismail Mastura , Mat Rifin Halizah , Yoga Ratnam Kishwen Kanna , Ismail Hasimah , Chong Kah Kian , Ahmad Noor Ani , Hairi Noran Naqiah
Published: June 2024

Treatment intensification is essential to ensure guideline targets are attained in diabetes patients. The failure to intensify treatment when the targets are not achieved is therapeutic inertia. This study aimed to determine the proportions and factors associated with treatment intensification and therapeutic inertia of antihypertensive therapy in type 2 diabetes patients with uncontrolled hypertension in Malaysia. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted utilising registry data. Diabetes hypertensive patients with uncontrolled baseline systolic or diastolic blood pressure were included. Treatment intensification was the increase in the number of antihypertensive agents from the index treatment. Therapeutic inertia was the absence of treatment intensification when the second blood pressure reading was still uncontrolled. About 6956 patients were followed up over 2.5 ± 1.1 person-years. Treatment intensification was observed in 29.8% of patients, while 38.6% had therapeutic inertia. Chinese, Indian, and ‘others’ ethnic groups, retinopathy, more antihypertensive agents, and higher systolic blood pressure were associated with therapeutic inertia. Underweight, overweight patients and those with dyslipidaemia had lower risks for therapeutic inertia. The results indicate suboptimal quality of care in public health clinics in Malaysia. Further studies are needed to determine the underlying causes to formulate precise interventions to tackle the problem in Malaysia.
Fast reduction of Atlantic SST threatens Europe-wide gross primary productivity under positive and negative CO2 emissions
Authors: Yang Young-Min , Shin Jongsoo , Park So-Won , Park Jae-Heung , An Soon-Il , Kug Jong-Seong , Yeh Sang-Wook , Lee June-Yi , Wang Bin , Li Tim , Im Nari
Published: June 2024

Climate change mitigation through negative CO2 emissions has been recognized as a crucial strategy to combat global warming. However, its potential effects on terrestrial productivity and agricultural activities remain uncertain. In this study, we utilized large ensemble simulations with an Earth system model of full complexity to investigate the response of Gross Primary Production (GPP) to CO2 forcings. Our findings reveal a significant asymmetry in the GPP response to CO2 ramp-up and symmetric ramp-down model experiments, especially in Europe, suggesting that GPP declines rapidly as CO2 levels decrease. Remarkably, during the CO2 removal period, the North Atlantic Sea surface temperature experienced cooling due to a delayed recovery of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This cooling led to precipitation and soil moisture deficits, resulting in a rapid reduction in GPP. This asymmetry in GPP response holds consistent across multi-model simulations. These results underscore the potential implications of delayed recovery in ocean circulation, which could unexpectedly accelerate terrestrial GPP reduction. These insights are crucial for policymakers, aiding them in projecting agricultural activity and formulating targeted GPP control policies specific to the European region.
A comprehensive analysis of minimally differentially methylated regions common to pediatric and adult solid tumors
Authors: Buckley David N. , Tew Ben Yi , Gooden Chris , Salhia Bodour
Published: June 2024

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in children aged 1–14 years in the United States, with 11,000 new cases and 1200 deaths annually. Pediatric cancers typically have lower mutational burden compared to adult-onset cancers, however, the epigenomes in pediatric cancer are highly altered, with widespread DNA methylation changes. The rarity of pediatric cancers poses a significant challenge to developing cancer-type specific biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment monitoring. In the current study, we explored the potential of a DNA methylation profile common across various pediatric cancers. To do this, we conducted whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) on 31 recurrent pediatric tumor tissues, 13 normal tissues, and 20 plasma cell-free (cf)DNA samples, representing 11 different pediatric cancer types. We defined minimal focal regions that were differentially methylated across samples in the multiple cancer types which we termed minimally differentially methylated regions (mDMRs). These methylation changes were also observed in 506 pediatric and 5691 adult cancer samples accessed from publicly available databases, and in 44 pediatric cancer samples we analyzed using a targeted hybridization probe capture assay. Finally, we found that these methylation changes were detectable in cfDNA and could serve as potential cfDNA methylation biomarkers for early detection or minimal residual disease.
Manipulation of encapsulated artificial phospholipid membranes using sub-micellar lysolipid concentrations
Authors: Dimitriou Pantelitsa , Li Jin , Jamieson William David , Schneider Johannes Josef , Castell Oliver Kieran , Barrow David Anthony
Published: June 2024

Droplet Interface Bilayers (DIBs) constitute a commonly used model of artificial membranes for synthetic biology research applications. However, their practical use is often limited by their requirement to be surrounded by oil. Here we demonstrate in-situ bilayer manipulation of submillimeter, hydrogel-encapsulated droplet interface bilayers (eDIBs). Monolithic, Cyclic Olefin Copolymer/Nylon 3D-printed microfluidic devices facilitated the eDIB formation through high-order emulsification. By exposing the eDIB capsules to varying lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) concentrations, we investigated the interaction of lysolipids with three-dimensional DIB networks. Micellar LPC concentrations triggered the bursting of encapsulated droplet networks, while at lower concentrations the droplet network endured structural changes, precisely affecting the membrane dimensions. This chemically-mediated manipulation of enclosed, 3D-orchestrated membrane mimics, facilitates the exploration of readily accessible compartmentalized artificial cellular machinery. Collectively, the droplet-based construct can pose as a chemically responsive soft material for studying membrane mechanics, and drug delivery, by controlling the cargo release from artificial cell chassis.
Quantum force sensing by digital twinning of atomic Bose-Einstein condensates
Authors: Huang Tangyou , Yu Zhongcheng , Ni Zhongyi , Zhou Xiaoji , Li Xiaopeng
Published: June 2024

High sensitivity detection plays a vital role in science discoveries and technological applications. While intriguing methods utilizing collective many-body correlations and quantum entanglements have been developed in physics to enhance sensitivity, their practical implementation remains challenging due to rigorous technological requirements. Here, we propose an entirely data-driven approach that harnesses the capabilities of machine learning, to significantly augment weak-signal detection sensitivity. In an atomic force sensor, our method combines a digital replica of force-free data with anomaly detection technique, devoid of any prior knowledge about the physical system or assumptions regarding the sensing process. Our findings demonstrate a significant advancement in sensitivity, achieving an order of magnitude improvement over conventional protocols in detecting a weak force of approximately 10−25N. The resulting sensitivity reaches $$1.7(4)\times 1{0}^{-25}\,{{{{{{{\rm{N}}}}}}}}/\sqrt{{{{{{{{\rm{Hz}}}}}}}}}$$
1.7

(

4

)

×
1

0

−
25

N
/

Hz

. Our machine learning-based signal processing approach does not rely on system-specific details or processed signals, rendering it highly applicable to sensing technologies across various domains.
Concurrence of directional Kondo transport and incommensurate magnetic order in the layered material AgCrSe2
Authors: Guimarães José , Fartab Dorsa S. , Moravec Michal , Schmidt Marcus , Baenitz Michael , Schmidt Burkhard , Zhang Haijing
Published: June 2024

In this work, we report on the concurrent emergence of the directional Kondo behavior and incommensurate magnetic ordering in a layered material. We employ temperature- and magnetic field-dependent resistivity measurements, susceptibility measurements, and high resolution wavelength X-ray diffraction spectroscopy to study the electronic properties of AgCrSe2. Impurity Kondo behavior with a characteristic temperature of TK = 32 K is identified through quantitative analysis of the in-plane resistivity, substantiated by magneto-transport measurements. The excellent agreement between our experimental data and the Schlottmann’s scaling theory allows us to determine the impurity spin as S = 3/2. Furthermore, we discuss the origin of the Kondo behavior and its relation to the material’s antiferromagnetic transition. Our study uncovers a rare phenomenon—the equivalence of the Néel temperature and the Kondo temperature—paving the way for further investigations into the intricate interplay between impurity physics and magnetic phenomena in quantum materials, with potential applications in advanced electronic and magnetic devices.
Mechanistic study of moisture corrosion of FeCr alloys in molten salts by ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Schneider Anton , Andersson David , Zhang Yongfeng
Published: June 2024

Molten salts are promising for various energy applications including fuel and solar cells and nuclear energy. These applications face a common challenge: corrosion of structural materials by impurities such as H2O. This work employs ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations to study H2O induced corrosion of FeCr alloys in molten NaF and NaCl salts. H2O is found highly stable in both salts, with infrequent, reversible dissociation into OH− and H+ along with HF or HCl formation. The dissociation tendency correlates positively with the electronegativity and negatively with the size of halogen atoms. Accordingly, H2O reaches the salt/metal interface as a molecule before reacting with metal. Reduction of H+ is found to occur without simultaneous oxidation of specific metal atoms such as Cr, suggesting sequential instead of the commonly proposed concurrent reduction and oxidation. The reduced H atoms prefer to stay at the interface and may re-enter NaF but not NaCl, highlighting the influence of salt chemistry.
A high-pressure isostatic lamination technique to fabricate versatile carbon electrode-based perovskite solar cells
Authors: Sutherland Luke J. , Benitez-Rodriguez Juan , Vak Doojin , Yan Shiqin , Pai Narendra , Jasieniak Jacek , Gao Mei , Simon George P. , Weerasinghe Hasitha C.
Published: June 2024

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with evaporated gold (Au) electrodes have shown great efficiencies, but the maturity of the technology demands low-cost and scalable alternatives to progress towards commercialisation. Carbon electrode-based PSCs (C-PSCs) represent a promising alternative, however, optimising the interface between the hole transport layer (HTL) and the carbon electrode without damaging the underlying functional layers is a persistent challenge. Here, we describe a lamination technique using an isostatic press that can apply exceedingly high pressure to physically form an HTL/carbon interface on par with vacuum-evaporated electrodes, without damaging the device. Research-scale C-PSCs with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 20.8% are demonstrated along with large-area C-PSCs with PCEs of 19.8% and 16.9% for cell areas of 0.95 cm2 and 5.5 cm2, respectively. The unencapsulated C-PSCs significantly outperform the Au-electrode devices in accelerated operational stability testing (ISOS-L-1), retaining 84% of the initial PCE after 1000 h. Additionally, this versatile technique is also used to fabricate flexible, roll-to-roll printed C-PSCs with efficiencies of up to 15.8%.
Acute stress promotes effort mobilization for safety-related goals
Authors: Pavlíčková Kristína , Gärtner Judith , Voulgaropoulou Stella D. , Fraemke Deniz , Adams Eli , Quaedflieg Conny W.E.M. , Viechtbauer Wolfgang , Hernaus Dennis
Published: June 2024

Although the acute stress response is a highly adaptive survival mechanism, much remains unknown about how its activation impacts our decisions and actions. Based on its resource-mobilizing function, here we hypothesize that this intricate psychophysiological process may increase the willingness (motivation) to engage in effortful, energy-consuming, actions. Across two experiments (n = 80, n = 84), participants exposed to a validated stress-induction protocol, compared to a no-stress control condition, exhibited an increased willingness to exert physical effort (grip force) in the service of avoiding the possibility of experiencing aversive electrical stimulation (threat-of-shock), but not for the acquisition of rewards (money). Use of computational cognitive models linked this observation to subjective value computations that prioritize safety over the minimization of effort expenditure; especially when facing unlikely threats that can only be neutralized via high levels of grip force. Taken together, these results suggest that activation of the acute stress response can selectively alter the willingness to exert effort for safety-related goals. These findings are relevant for understanding how, under stress, we become motivated to engage in effortful actions aimed at avoiding aversive outcomes.
Insights into dynamic structural evolution and its sodium storage mechanisms of P2/P3 composite cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Liu Yi-Feng , Hu Hai-Yan , Zhu Yan-Fang , Peng Dan-Ni , Li Jia-Yang , Li Yan-Jiang , Su Yu , Tang Rui-Ren , Chou Shu-Lei , Xiao Yao
Published: June 2024

Through a heterostructure modulation strategy, P2/P3-Na0.44Mn0.7Co0.3O2 was successfully synthesized as a high-rate and long-cycle cathode material for sodium-ion batteries.
Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction: recent advances in dual-atom catalysts for sustainable ammonia production
Authors: Hamsa Ashida P. , Unni Sreekuttan M.
Published: June 2024

This review provides an overview of the recent developments in dual-atom catalysts (DACs) for the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction.
Constructing asymmetric dual active sites through symbiotic effect for achieving efficient and selective photoreduction of CO2 to C2H4
Authors: Xu Yong , Wang Ping , Zhang Man , Dai Weili , Xu Yuxuan , Zou Jian-Ping , Luo Xubiao
Published: June 2024

Asymmetric dual active sites are constructed through symbiotic effect. Owing to the differences in electron density, adsorption capacity and dipole–dipole repulsion, the energy barriers are reduced, leading to selective C2H4 production.
Deep generative spatiotemporal learning for integrating fracture mechanics in composite materials: inverse design, discovery, and optimization
Authors: Park Donggeun , Lee Jaemin , Lee Hugon , Gu Grace X. , Ryu Seunghwa
Published: June 2024

We introduce an advanced multi-task deep learning framework, designed to predict the evolution of stress fields and the crack propagation across both time and space.
A review on defect modulated electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: He Qianyun , Han Lei , Lin Chao , Tao Kai
Published: June 2024

This minireview highlights the recent advances in defect modulated electrocatalysts and the promotional role of defects in the OER.
Chemoenzymatic asymmetric total synthesis of naturally occurring resorcylic acid lactones hamigeromycins F and G
Authors: Das Jayanta , Sarkar Rajarshee , Nanda Samik
Published: June 2024

Asymmetric total synthesis of two naturally occurring resorcylic acid lactones (RALs), hamigeromycins F and G, was achieved for the first time.
Flexible lead-free cruciform piezo-arrays for implantable wireless energy harvesting on complex surfaces
Authors: Zhu Chong , Xue Haoyue , Zhou Qin , Jiang Laiming , Wu Jiagang
Published: June 2024

A flexible lead-free piezoelectric array with cruciform configuration was designed and manufactured for ultrasonic wireless energy harvesting on non-planar complex surfaces.
Synergistic engineering of the Stokes shift for highly efficient and stable quasi-2D perovskite luminescent solar concentrators
Authors: Liu Xiao-Fei , Sun Bing , Li Xiang-Yang , Huo Yong , Zhang Chunfeng , Zhang Hao-Li
Published: June 2024

Three new quasi-2D perovskite/PVDF composite films with a high PLQY and large Stokes shift are obtained, PEA2MAx−1PbxBr3x+1/PVDF (x = 2, 3, 4) (PMx−1PF). Among them, the LSC based on PM2PF exhibits a remarkable ηext of up to 4.9%.
Knowledge distillation of face recognition via attention cosine similarity review
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Zhao SuWen , Guo WanYi
Published: June 2024

Deep learning‐based face recognition models have demonstrated remarkable performance in benchmark tests, and knowledge distillation technology has been frequently accustomed to obtain high‐precision real‐time face recognition models specifically designed for mobile and embedded devices. However, in recent years, the knowledge distillation methods for face recognition, which mainly focus on feature or logit knowledge distillation techniques, neglect the attention mechanism that play an important role in the domain of neural networks. An innovation cross‐stage connection review path of the attention cosine similarity knowledge distillation method that unites the attention mechanism with review knowledge distillation method is proposed. This method transfers the attention map obtained from the teacher network to the student through a cross‐stage connection path. The efficacy and excellence of the proposed algorithm are demonstrated in popular benchmark tests.
Contraction rate estimates of stochastic gradient kinetic Langevin integrators
Authors: Leimkuhler Benedict , Paulin Daniel , Whalley Peter A.
Published: June 2024

In previous work, we introduced a method for determining convergence rates for integration methods for the kinetic Langevin equation for M-▽Lipschitz m-log-concave densities [Leimkuhler et al., SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 62 (2024) 1226–1258]. In this article, we exploit this method to treat several additional schemes including the method of Brunger, Brooks and Karplus (BBK) and stochastic position/velocity Verlet. We introduce a randomized midpoint scheme for kinetic Langevin dynamics, inspired by the recent scheme of Bou-Rabee and Marsden [arXiv:2211.11003, 2022]. We also extend our approach to stochastic gradient variants of these schemes under minimal extra assumptions. We provide convergence rates of O(m/M), with explicit stepsize restriction, which are of the same order as the stability thresholds for Gaussian targets and are valid for a large interval of the friction parameter. We compare the contraction rate estimates of many kinetic Langevin integrators from molecular dynamics and machine learning. Finally, we present numerical experiments for a Bayesian logistic regression example.
On the Incentive Structure of Tournaments: Evidence from the National Basketball Association’s Draft Lottery
Authors: Schmidt Martin B.
Published: June 2024

Tournament theory analyzes labor market outcomes where rewards are distributed on the basis of relative rank. An important factor in these outcomes is the likely return to additional effort. Using National Basketball Association game event data across two seasons, we estimate each team’s game player portfolio and find that teams who were in contention to win the draft lottery reduce their portfolio’s return differential during the 2017–2018 season but not for the 2018–2019 season. We attribute the change to the reduction in the probability of obtaining a higher pick for the 2019 draft.
Exploration of a method for insight into accessibility design flaws based on touch dynamics
Authors: Lu Junyi , Liu Yuan , Shen Song , Ren Hui
Published: June 2024

The widespread use of smartphones implies that intelligent systems must address the negative emotions experienced by a diverse user group when encountering usability difficulties. Therefore, exploring the relationship between users’ emotions and operational behaviors is crucial for further enhancing the accessibility of intelligent systems. Touch dynamics, as a method of dynamic touch data monitoring, has already provided many models for emotion recognition, which are beneficial in gaining insight into users’ accessibility needs for smartphones and exploring intelligent solutions to design issues. This paper validates this aspect through interviews and experimental studies. The study first conducted an open-ended interview, and then used a touch behavior experiment with emotional labels and a questionnaire to validate the association between accessibility design flaws in intelligent systems and user emotions. The interview results show that middle-aged and older smartphone users have difficulty activating accessibility tools independently. Consequently, this paper establishes a dataset for emotion classification based on touch gesture data, which is used to gain insight into implicit difficulties in the interaction process through negative emotions. From a touch experiment and questionnaire survey of 57 sample users, there is approximately a 78.57% match between the accessibility needs of intelligent systems and users’ negative emotions, with interaction fluency and interface cognition being the main reasons for this phenomenon. Therefore, touch dynamics, as a non-invasive method of emotion recognition, can use negative emotional feedback to gain insights into user needs that are difficult to detect by other methods. This has application value for enhancing users’ emotional experience and promoting a transformation in interaction design thinking.
Exercising control in media during Covid-19: the “Stay at Home” campaign on Twitter in Greece
Authors: Karyotakis Minos-Athanasios
Published: June 2024

In 2020, the Greek government initiated the “Stay at Home” Campaign (or “Petsas’ list”), a fund for supporting the country’s media industry due to financial issues provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic. Also, the campaign would promote the message of staying at home to stop spreading Covid-19. However, that initiative seemed to have been perceived as a manipulation effort to control the news media in order to support an ideal image of the government, including defending the excessive pandemic restrictions (e.g., lockdowns and the prohibition of music in restaurants and bars). The current study employs Ideological Discourse Analysis (IDA) to investigate the online anti-media sentiment empowered by the “Stay at Home” Campaign. It focuses on the Twitter users’ ideological constructions emphasizing on the positive depictions of one group (i.e., the government and the media) against the “other” (i.e., the public) in 1623 Tweets of the relevant hashtag in Greek #Petsas_list (#Λιστα_Πετσα) on Twitter. The results showed that financial support when used in a controversial and non-transparent way, could undermine media independence and empower anti-media sentiment. Lastly, the study enhances the literature about the mass media industry’s problems globally, including the decline in media freedom that contributes to the democratic recession.
Putting microLED technology on display
Authors: Kumar Vikrant , Behrman Keith , Kymissis Ioannis
Published: June 2024

After some two decades of advances in manufacturing processes, microLEDs have the quality and capabilities necessary for many display applications.
Young physicists excited to network through the International Association of Physics Students
Authors: Means Hannah H.
Published: June 2024

The student-run organization seeks to increase outreach in Asia, Latin America, and the US.
Clinical validation of the Ion Torrent Oncomine Myeloid Assay GX v2 on the Genexus Integrated Sequencer as a stand-alone assay for single-nucleotide variants, insertions/deletions, and fusion genes: Challenges, performance, and perspectives
Authors: Krishnamurthy Kritika , Chai Jiani , Liu Xiaowei , Wang Yanhua , Naeem Rizwan , Goldstein D Yitzchak
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Myeloid neoplasms require comprehensive characterization of genetic abnormalities, including single-nucleotide variants, small insertions and deletions, and fusions and translocations for management. The Oncomine Myeloid Assay GX v2 (Thermo Fisher Scientific) analyzes 17 full genes, 28 hotspot genes, 30 fusion driver genes, and 5 expression genes.

Methods

The validation set included 192 DNA samples, 28 RNA samples, and 9 cell lines and contrived controls. The DNA and RNA were extracted from both peripheral blood and bone marrow. Library preparation, templating, and sequencing was performed on the fully automated Genexus Integrated Sequencer (Thermo Fisher Scientific). The sequencing data were analyzed by manual curation, default Oncomine filters and the Oncomine Reporter (Thermo Fisher Scientific).

Results

Of the 600 reference pathogenic DNA variants targeted by the assay, concordance was seen in 98.3% of unfiltered variant call format files. Precision and reproducibility were 100%, and the lower limit of detection was 2% variant allele frequency for DNA. Inability to detect variants in long homopolymer regions intrinsic to the Ion Torrent chemistry led to 7 missed variants; 100% concordance was seen with reference RNA samples.

Conclusions

This extensive clinical validation of the Oncomine Myeloid Assay GX v2 on the Genexus Integrated Sequencer with its built-in bioinformatics pipeline and Ion Torrent Oncomine Reporter shows robust performance in terms of variant calling accuracy, precision, and reproducibility, with the advantage of a rapid turnaround time of 2 days. The greatest limitation is the inability to detect variants in long homopolymer regions.
How I diagnose large granular lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Shi Min , Morice William George
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Large granular lymphocytic leukemia (LGLL) represents a rare neoplasm of mature T cells or natural killer (NK) cells, with an indolent clinical course. Diagnosing LGLL can be challenging because of overlapping features with reactive processes and other mimickers.

Methods

By presenting 2 challenging cases, we elucidate the differentiation of LGLL from its mimics and highlight potential diagnostic pitfalls. A comprehensive review of the clinicopathologic features of LGLL was conducted.

Results

Large granular lymphocytic leukemia displays a diverse spectrum of clinical presentations, morphologies, flow cytometric immunophenotypes, and molecular profiles. These features are also encountered in reactive conditions, T-cell clones of uncertain significance, and NK cell clones of uncertain significance.

Conclusions

In light of the intricate diagnostic landscape, LGLL workup must encompass clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, clonal, and molecular findings. Meeting major and minor diagnostic criteria is imperative for the accurate diagnosis of LGLL.
Conversion of an outpatient pharmacy to a mail-order pharmacy within a health system
Authors: Eagon Michael L , Thomas Karen C , Micic Cedomir , Simon Joseph P , Rim Matthew H
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The establishment of a new outpatient pharmacy provided a strategic opportunity to repurpose and convert an existing outpatient pharmacy into a closed-door mail-order pharmacy within a health system. This article describes the steps taken to successfully make this change and evaluates the impact.

The mail-order pharmacy conversion project was divided into 3 phases: phase 1 (before conversion) from July through August 2022, phase 2 (conversion) from October through November 2022, and phase 3 (after conversion) from December 2022 through February 2023. Phase 1 included standardizing workflows with standard operating procedure (SOP) development, improving automation, determining staffing ratios, gathering baseline staff engagement data, and identifying primary and secondary outcomes of interest. Phase 2 encompassed SOP implementation and training of mail-order team members. Phase 3 involved evaluating available pharmacy floorspace, marketing mail-order services, and the second distribution of the staff engagement survey. The measured outcomes of this project were total prescription volumes, increase in total revenue, and staff engagement. Data collection was completed in phase 3.

Conclusion

The existing outpatient pharmacy was successfully converted to a closed-door pharmacy, and the associated prescription volume increased. Developing a strategic action plan to establish SOPs, calculate staffing performance metrics, and identify opportunities for growth and engaging frontline team members were essential to the success of this project.
VIII—Situational Dependence and Blame’s Arrow
Authors: Isserow Jessica
Published: June 2024

A looming deadline. A difficult situation at home. A heated phone conversation that redirects our attention. Certain features of our circumstances can be (at least partially) excusing; sometimes, agents who act wrongly in the face of circumstantial pressures are not (that) blameworthy for having done so. But we’re rather bad at detecting these factors that excuse others from blame. When put together, these two observations yield an under-appreciated problem: we fall short of procedural norms of blame in fairly systematic ways.
Embodied schema information processing theory: an underlying mechanism of embodied cognition in communication
Authors: Yin FengYi , Goller Thomas
Published: June 2024

Embodiment has been incorporated in communication studies researching the experiencing self, motivated cognitive information processing, and embodied medium theory. This article highlights another factor—past bodily experiences—as important for understanding the impact of embodiment on communication processes. Expanding schema to a construct spanning multiple levels of the neural hierarchy, we propose embodied schema as a minimal framework to capture the idea that all mental structures are grounded in the body. Based on the function of embodied schemas, we describe an Embodied Schema Information Processing Theory (ESIPT) that includes an embodied dual-process theory, which offers a more coherent account of the automatic cue- or heuristic-based processing mode, and a model that describes the influence of the environment and bodily state on high-level cognitive processing. This article systematically explores the role of past bodily experiences and provides a general account of embodied information processing that can inform a wide range of communication studies.
Dormancy of a specialist herbivore, Anthonomus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in a dry tropical forest
Authors: Jones Robert Wallace , Luna-Cozar Jesus
Published: June 2024

The life history aspects of dormancy of the weevil Anthonomus rufipennis LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were studied a 57-month period in a seasonally dry tropical forest of central Mexico. Weevil populations and their physiological status were monitored on both the reproductive host tree, Senna polyantha (Collad.) H.S: Irwin & Barneby (Fabales: Fabaceae) and the highly favored refuge host, Tillandsia recurvata L. (Poales: Bromeliaceae) or “ball moss.” During the dry season, weevils were only found on the refuge host with a mean total density of 1.014 ± 2.532 individuals/ball moss (N = 1,681). Weevil densities on T. recurvata between early and late dry seasons were not significantly different, suggesting that dry season survival was relatively high. Weevils collected during these seasons revealed little reproductive development and relatively high-fat accumulation in both sexes. During 5 of 6 yr, densities of the weevils in T. recurvata dropped significantly during the early rainy seasons, when the reproductive host trees leafed out and began producing oviposition sites (flower buds). At this time, more males than females initially moved to vegetative trees and showed significant signs of reproductive development. Recolonization of ball moss by weevils began during the late rainy season when oviposition sites (flower buds) were still available. A proportion of the weevils remained on the reproductive host, suggesting that A. rufipennis is facultatively multivoltine. The methodologies and results of the study can serve as a model system for future studies of the dormancy of other insects in dry tropical forests and provide insight into the dormancy of other anthonomine weevils of economic importance.
Including geological orientation information into geophysical inversions with unstructured tetrahedral meshes
Authors: Kangazian Mitra , Farquharson Colin G
Published: June 2024

Minimum-structure, or Occam’s style of, inversion introduces a regularization function into the underdetermined geophysical inverse problems to stabilize the inverse problem and mitigate its non-uniqueness. The regularization function is typically designed such that it can incorporate a priori information into the inversion framework, thus constructing models that have more plausible representations of the true Earth’s subsurface structure. One type of a priori information is geological orientation information such as strike, dip and tilt angles of the subsurface structure. This type of information can be incorporated into inverse problems through the roughness operators. Designing such roughness operators for inversion frameworks using unstructured tetrahedral meshes is not as straightforward as for inversion frameworks using structured meshes due to the arbitrary and complex geometry of unstructured meshes. Researchers have developed methods which allow us to incorporate geological orientation information into inversion frameworks with unstructured tetrahedral meshes. The majority of these methods consider each cell in a package with its neighbours, hence, the constructed models are not as sharp as desired if the regularization function is measured using an $\ell _1$-type measure instead of the $\ell _2$ norm. To address this issue, we propose a method that calculates the directional derivatives of physical property differences between two adjacent cells normalized by the distance between the cell centroids. This approach is able to both incorporate geological orientation information into the inversion framework and construct models with sharp boundaries for the scenarios in which the regularization term is quantified by an $\ell _1$-type measure. This method is an integral-based approach, therefore, the roughness operators are scaled appropriately by the cell volumes, which is an important characteristic for the inversions with unstructured meshes. To assess the performance and the capability of the proposed method, it was applied to 3-D synthetic gravity and magnetotelluric examples. The gravity example was also used to investigate the impact of applying the depth weighting function inside and outside the roughness operators for the scenarios that the model objective function is measured by an $\ell _1$ norm. The examples show that the proposed method is able to construct models with a reasonable representation of the strike and dip directions of the true subsurface model with sharper boundaries if the regularization function is quantified by an $\ell _1$-type measure. The examples also demonstrate the proposed method behaves numerically well, and has a fast convergence rate.
A Legal Obligation on UK Employers to Conduct Labour Law Due Diligence: A Substantive Proposal
Authors: Atkinson Jamie
Published: June 2024

The use of non-financial reporting and due diligence legislation to force companies to address specific adverse effects of their operations has become an increasingly common tool for policymakers in recent years. To date, international legislative activity has mainly focussed on potential breaches of human rights and environmental obligations but has also included aspects of labour law. This article proposes a new law that adapts the concept of corporate due diligence to the field of labour law. The new law uses a reflexive model of legislation which is referred to as Labour Law Due Diligence. The under-resourced system of labour market enforcement in the UK and workers’ reluctance to use litigation to defend their rights means that persistent non-compliance by employers can go unpunished. Employers would be obliged to carry out an annual audit to assess whether they comply with key labour law obligations and make the results public. Non-compliant employers would need to remedy any unlawful practices within a year or face the prospect of enforcement action being taken against them. Through an evaluation of UK legislation which has attempted to force companies to address specific legislative goals through public disclosure of data, the article seeks to address the weaknesses of such legislation by involving stakeholders and introducing robust systems of enforcement.
Three modes of evolution? Remarks on rates of evolution and time scaling
Authors: Hansen Thomas F
Published: June 2024

Rates of evolution get smaller when they are measured over longer time intervals. As first shown by Gingerich, rates of morphological change measured from fossil time series show a robust minus-one scaling with time span, implying that evolutionary changes are just as large when measured over a hundred years as when measured over a hundred-thousand years. On even longer time scales, however, the scaling shifts toward a minus-half exponent consistent with evolution behaving as Brownian motion, as commonly observed in phylogenetic comparative studies. Here, I discuss how such scaling patterns arise, and I derive the patterns expected from standard stochastic models of evolution. I argue that observed shifts cannot be easily explained by simple univariate models, but require shifts in mode of evolution as time scale is changing. To illustrate this idea, I present a hypothesis about three distinct, but connected, modes of evolution. I analyze the scaling patterns predicted from this, and use the results to discuss how rates of evolution should be measured and interpreted. I argue that distinct modes of evolution at different time scales act to decouple micro- and macroevolution, and criticize various attempts at extrapolating from one to the other.