bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Image‐based analyses from an online repository provide rich information on long‐term changes in morphology and human perceptions of rhinos
Authors: Wilson Oscar E. , Pashkevich Michael D. , Rookmaaker Kees , Turner Edgar C.
Published: November 2022

Online image repositories can offer a freely accessible, information‐rich and cost‐effective alternative to museum collections for studying long‐term changes in human interactions with nature and ecological and evolutionary change. The Rhino Resource Center (RRC) is one example, curated by experts and holding a collection of >4000 rhino images, including both artistic portrayals (1481–2021) and photographs (taken between 1862–2021), and representing a potentially valuable case study to investigate the utility of online image repositories for research into large vertebrates and, potentially, other well‐recorded smaller taxa. The five extant species of rhino are all threatened by habitat loss and human hunting and therefore are an important focus for conservation research.

We used the RRC for two separate research approaches: (i) assessing the changing representations and human interactions with rhinos using 3158 images (1531 pieces of artwork and 1627 photographs); and (ii) determining to what extent morphological data can be extracted from photographs to assess changes in horn length over time, using a sample size of 80 photographs of rhinos taken in profile view.

We found that African rhino species have become more commonly depicted in images, compared to Asian rhino species over time. During the age of European imperialism (between the 16th and 20th centuries), rhinos were commonly portrayed as hunting trophies, but since the mid‐20th century, they have been increasingly portrayed in a conservation context, reflecting a change in emphasis from a more to less consumptive relationship between humans and rhinos. Finally, we found evidence for declining horn length over time across species, perhaps related to selective pressure of hunting, and indicating a utility for image‐based approaches in understanding societal perceptions of large vertebrates and trait evolution.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Clinical and biological features prognostic of survival after relapse or progression of INRGSS stage MS pattern neuroblastoma: A report from the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) project
Authors: Campbell Kevin , Kao Pei‐Chi , Naranjo Arlene , Kamijo Takehiko , Ramanujachar Ramya , London Wendy B. , DuBois Steven G.
Published: November 2022

Background

Outcomes for patients with INRGSS metastatic special (MS) metastatic pattern neuroblastoma at initial diagnosis are well described. Prognosis after an initial event (relapse, progression, secondary malignancy) is unclear.

Methods

We investigated characteristics of MS pattern neuroblastoma patients in the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group database who subsequently experienced an event. Post‐event overall survival (OS) ± standard error was calculated overall and by diagnosis era: before 2000 versus 2001 or after. Cox models were used to identify factors prognostic of post‐event OS.

Results

Among 209 patients with an event, 88% were less than 365 days old at diagnosis; tumors were MYCN amplified in 24% and diploid in 33%. The median (range) time from diagnosis to first event was 8.16 months (7 days to 11.24 years). Of 96 patients with known relapse/progression pattern, 75% were metastatic or primary plus metastatic. Five‐year post‐event OS was 53% ± 3.6% and was higher for 2001 and afterwards (62% ± 5.0%) compared to before 2001 (44% ± 4.9%; p = .0046). In patients diagnosed in 2001 and after, older age, Hispanic ethnicity, MYCN amplification, 1p LOH, diploidy, high Mitotic Karyorrhexis Index, high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), unfavorable histology, and longer time to first event were prognostic of worse post‐event OS. Independent adverse prognostic factors on multivariable testing were non‐White race, MYCN amplification, and diploidy.

Patients diagnosed in and after 2001 have substantially better post‐event OS compared to before 2001. In those diagnosed in and after 2001, most well‐accepted prognostic factors for OS at diagnosis are also prognostic of post‐event OS. Future studies may evaluate strategies to improve outcomes in this rare population.
Evaluation of specific total work of fracture in polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene diene monomer nanocomposites based on various graphene derivatives: Optimization by response surface methodology technique and correlation with microstructure properties
Authors: Haghnegahdar Masoud
Published: November 2022

This study presents an experimental design approach for optimization and prediction of specific total work of fracture (wf) in polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene diene monomer (EPDM) nanocomposites based on disparate graphene derivatives including multilayer graphene, few‐layer graphene and graphene oxide. Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology (RSM) were exploited at three levels and four factors to construct a predictive mathematical model for the value of wf. The model predicted that the maximum value of wf (136.7 J/mm2) is achieved by applying dynamically vulcanized system at EPDM content and few‐layer graphene content of 20 wt% and of 0.5 wt%, respectively. In addition, by observing the fracture surfaces of specimens, a direct correlation between RSM predictions and morphology of nanocomposites was established. In this regard, transmission electron microscopy and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction analyses showed that by using few‐layer graphene, thanks to formation of an exfoliated structure, more energy for the failure of nanocomposites is required which substantiates the model predictions. Scanning electron microscopy observations depicted that the droplets diameter of homogeneous EPDM particle size plays a pivotal role in number of micro‐voids and nano‐voids, which consequently promotes the creation of fibril structure and eventually heightens nanocomposite resistance against the applied load. The optimum status of this phenomenon happens at 20 wt% of EPDM and as the model showed, the value of wf reaches the highest point at this EPDM content. Likewise, by applying dynamic vulcanization, as truly predicted by the model, the formation of multi fibrillar structure led to dissipation of extra energy in nanocomposites inducing a remarkable improvement in the value of wf.
Influence of rubber compressibility on the compressive stiffness of steel‐reinforced elastomeric bearings in finite element simulations considering the shape factor
Authors: Skender Ana , Damjanović Domagoj , Bartolac Marko , Duvnjak Ivan
Published: November 2022

In finite element analysis of steel‐reinforced elastomeric bearings (SREB) under compression, modeling of rubber as a nearly or fully incompressible material requires special attention. In this study, finite element simulations of circular elastomeric pads and rectangular SREB under compression were performed to analyze the effects of rubber compressibility with respect to different pad geometries and shape factor values. The ratio of the compressive modulus for a compressible rubber to that of an incompressible rubber was also introduced based on the previously derived exact solutions as well as the ad hoc approximations. This ratio accurately represents the influence of compressibility on compressive stiffness in terms of relative compressibility (K/G) and shape factor values. Numerical results were also compared with the experimental results on rectangular SREB with moderate shape factors. Recommended values for relative compressibility of carbon black‐filled rubbers in the range of 50–200 result in underestimated compressive stiffness, especially for bearings with shape factor values greater than five. It is recommended to adjust the relative compressibility, considering the shape factor, so that the compressive stiffness does not decrease by more than 50% compared to the incompressible case.
Resistance of Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) to pyridaben in China: monitoring and fitness costs
Authors: Pan Deng , Xia Meng‐Hao , Luo Qiu‐Juan , Liu Xun‐Yan , Li Chuan‐Zhen , Yuan Guo‐Rui , Wang Jin‐Jun , Dou Wei
Published: November 2022

Background

Panonychus citri is a major citrus pest worldwide. The short life cycle and high reproductive potential of P. citri, combined with heavy acaricide use, have led to high levels of resistance to acaricides, posing a threat to global resistance management programs. Here, resistance monitoring was established to determine the pyridaben resistance status of ten P. citri populations in China from 2014 to 2021 using a leaf‐dipping assay. Four characterized strains—the susceptible strain (Lab_S), the resistant strain (Pyr_R), as well as the segregated resistant strain (Pyr_Rs) and the segregated susceptible strain (Pyr_Control) derived from the crossing of the Lab_S and Pyr_R strains, were used to evaluate the life‐history characteristics using age‐stage, two‐sex life tables.

Results

Most P. citri populations developed high resistance to pyridaben. Resistance levels exceeded 1000‐fold in Yuxi, Anyue, Nanning, and Ganzhou populations compared with the Lab_S strain. Compared with Pyr_Control, two key fitness cost criteria, developmental period and fecundity, showed significant differences in Pyr_Rs under consistent conditions. The intrinsic rate of increase, net reproductive rate and gross reproductive rate were lower in the resistant strain compared with the Pyr_Control strain. The Pyr_Rs strain had a lower relative fitness of 0.934 compared with the Pyr_Control. Moreover, the life‐history traits and population parameters of the Pyr_R strain also showed significant differences compared with the Lab_S strain.

Conclusion

The resistance levels to pyridaben varied greatly among the different P. citri populations and showed regional differences. Substantial fitness costs are associated with pyridaben resistance. This study provides potential implications for developing strategies for resistance management in P. citri. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Vortex Domain Wall Thermal Stability in Magnetic Nanodevices with In‐Plane Magnetic Anisotropy
Authors: Al Bahri Mohammed , Al Harthy Thuraya
Published: November 2022

Thermal switching of vortex domain walls (VW) in planar magnetic nanowires is a key challenge for storing data. Understanding the VW magnetization thermal switching, thermal transformation, and dynamics in magnetic nanowires is essential for the development of magnetic data storage. Thus, a micromagnetic simulation is used to investigate the effect of device temperature (T) on VW thermal switching, structural transformation, and VW dynamics in magnetic nanowires. The VW thermal nucleation is examined based on magnetic properties and magnetization in nanowires becomes more stable. Furthermore, in this study, it is found that VW thermal structural stability decreases by increasing the device temperature. The speed of VW is observed to rise exponentially by increasing the device temperature up to 600 m s−1. Thus, the VW memory is fast in writing and reading stored data at room temperature and higher. The findings reveal the potentiality of a VW simple nanomagnetic as a building block for spintronic devices such as a memory cell where the bit data are stored and VW are stable with high thermal switching stability.
Probing Local Emission Properties in InGaN/GaN Quantum Wells by Scanning Tunneling Luminescence Microscopy
Authors: Sauty Mylène , Alyabyeva Natalia , Lynsky Cheyenne , Chow Yi Chao , Nakamura Shuji , Speck James S. , Lassailly Yves , Rowe Alistair C. H. , Weisbuch Claude , Peretti Jacques
Published: November 2022

Scanning tunneling electroluminescence (STL) microscopy is performed on a 3 nm‐thick InGaN/GaN quantum well (QW) with [In] = 0.23 such that the main light emission occurs in the green. The technique is used to map the radiative recombination properties at a scale of a few nanometers and correlate the local electroluminescence map with the surface topography simultaneously imaged by scanning tunneling microscopy. While the expected green emission is observed all over the sample, measurements performed on a 500 nm × 500 nm area around a 150 nm‐large and 2.5 nm‐deep hexagonal defect reveal intense emission peaks at higher energies close to the defect edges, features which are not visible in the macrophotoluminescence spectrum of the sample. Via a fitting of the local tunneling electroluminescence spectra, quantitative information on the fluctuations of the intensity, peak energy, width, and phonon replica intensity of the different spectral contributions is obtained, which provides information on carrier localization in the QW. This procedure also indicates that the carrier diffusion length on the probed area of the QW is shorter than 50 nm.
PDE‐based event‐triggered containment control of multi‐agent systems with input delay under spatial boundary communication
Authors: Zhang Hao , Li Jiachen , Wang Tong , Zeng Qingshuang , Yan Huaicheng
Published: November 2022

This article studies the containment control problem for multi‐agent systems with input delay under spatial boundary communication by employing an event‐based approach. Firstly, the collective dynamics of multi‐agent systems are described as parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs). Applying the integral transformation method developed in PDEs, the delayed parabolic PDEs are transformed into a series of new coupled PDE‐PDE systems. Then, by taking the spatial boundary communication scheme into account and using the local boundary information, two boundary containment control protocols together with a dynamic event‐triggered scheme (DETS) are designed, such that the states of all followers converge to a convex hull formed by multiple leader agents with and without input delay. The optimal protocols are given by minimizing the 2‐norm of the designed control gain matrix, and the exclusion of the Zeno behavior is analyzed. Finally, a numerical simulation example is provided to support the main results.
Base cations release in soils along the 127‐year Hailuogou glacial retreat chronosequence
Authors: Basdediós Nuria , Wu Yanhong , Wilcke Wolfgang
Published: November 2022

At the Hailuogou glacial retreat chronosequence, a mature forest has surprisingly fast developed in ∼120 yr, although the glacial debris is dominated by nutrient‐poor granite with a small contribution of carbonate minerals. In previous work, we hypothesized that the fast vegetation development is synchronized with initial fast carbonate weathering followed by slow silicate weathering. To test this hypothesis, we (a) characterized the composition of the glacial debris to elucidate the sources of base cations and (b) determined the base cation release kinetics from topsoils (0–10 cm) along the chronosequence with a weathering experiment at a constant pH value (pHstat). Besides granitic rocks, the glacial debris contained some meta‐sedimentary and meta‐volcanic calc‐silicate rocks, amphibolite, mica schist, and quartzite. Although the total Ca concentration of the glacial debris was only about double that of Mg, K, and Na, during the 1st day of the pHstat experiment, the released mass of Ca was >10 times higher than that of Mg and K, and even about 100 times higher than that of Na. The size of the fast‐reacting Ca‐carbonate pool decreased quickly in the first approximately 40 yr, after which a slow‐reacting Ca‐silicate pool matched the fast‐reacting pool with a size of 1.9 ± 0.6 g kg–1 Ca. In contrast, for Mg, K, and Na the slow‐reacting pool dominated from the beginning, suggesting that these elements mainly originated from silicate weathering. Our findings support the view that the well‐synchronized interplay between carbonate and silicate weathering facilitated the fast vegetation succession.
Multication and Structure Regulation: Utilizing X‐Doped (X = Co, Mn, Cu) ZnS/CoO Hollow Composites to Spatially Propel the Charge for Superior Solar Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Zhu Qi , Xu Shuai , Qin Yanlin , Lam Jason Chun-Ho , Li Yuliang
Published: November 2022

Developing polyhedral hollow structures with a concise and flexible method is intensively pursued to construct the high‐efficiency photocatalytic system. Herein, a general ion exchange‐induced strategy is developed to synthesize various hollow X‐doped (X = Co, Mn, Cu) ZnS with tunable interior components. To make the reactivity superior, abundant CoO nanoparticles are integrated into doped ZnS hollow microstar as visible‐light‐responsive photocatalysts for efficient H2 evolution. This distinct heterostructure gives full play to the following structural and compositional virtues: (i) multifacet light reflections in cavity offer massive photoexcited active centers for water photosplitting; (ii) the built‐in electric field (formed at the p‐n junction) accelerates interfacial charge separation and enhance the reducibility of photogenerated electrons, which endows the doped ZnS/CoO composite superior H2 evolution rate (1763.17 μmol h−1 g−1) and stable cyclability without needing any cocatalyst. More importantly, the formation of the potential barrier at the p‐n nanointerface and essential hydrogen evolution reaction steps are investigated to gain insight into the catalytic mechanism of the doped ZnS/CoO system.
Recent advancement in rechargeable battery technologies
Authors: Sarmah Saswati , Lakhanlal  , Kakati Biraj Kumar , Deka Dhanapati
Published: November 2022

The ongoing energy issues worldwide have led to the continuous growth of the electrochemical energy storage system in recent years, and the battery is a vital part of it. The battery market, mainly rechargeable batteries, is expanding rapidly to cater to the demands of the changing society, along with the utilization of batteries in electric vehicles, the renewable energy sector, and the industrial sector. From the matured technology like the lead–acid battery to the most advanced Li‐ion (Li‐ion) battery, rechargeable battery technology has developed significantly. In comparison to the conventional lead–acid battery, other rechargeable battery technologies such as Li‐ion, nickel–metal hydride (NiMH), and nickel–cadmium (Ni–Cd) batteries are considered as more promising electrochemical energy storage systems. The Li‐ion battery, which has been on the market since 1991, is the most popular rechargeable battery due to its high energy density and good durability. With the growing market demand of battery with superior electrochemical performance in terms of specific energy, cyclability, stability, and better safety, next generation Li‐ion batteries are being widely explored in the recent time. This review discusses various rechargeable batteries which are in trend and the issues and challenges associated with it. The advancements that have taken place primarily in the electrode (both cathode and anode) materials, along with electrolytes, for improving the battery performance from the year 2000 onwards are discussed. Moreover, discussion on next‐generation batteries is also covered in this review.

This article is categorized under:

Emerging Technologies > Energy Storage
A global review of prison drug smuggling routes and trends in the usage of drugs in prisons
Authors: Norman Caitlyn
Published: November 2022

Prisoners have significantly greater levels of drug use than the general population, which is related to many adverse outcomes both during and post‐imprisonment. Reducing the availability of drugs in prison can lead to a reduction in the drug use of prisoners but requires knowledge of the different drug smuggling routes and the implementation of effective security measures. The main smuggling routes identified in the literature are through visitors; mail; prisoners on reception, remand, or work release; staff; and perimeter throwovers, but they differ between prisons depending on various contextual factors and security measures in place. Based on a total of 81 studies from 22 different countries, the average prevalence of drug use during incarceration is 32.0% with a range from 3.4% to 90%. The types of drugs used in prisons vary among geographical regions, countries, and even regions within countries. The most common drug reported to be used by prisoners in most studies was cannabis, except in South Asia and Scotland, where heroin was more prevalent. The drugs used in prison tend to reflect the prevalence of drugs in the local community, except where a drug has advantages unique to use in prison. It is vital to examine the prevalence of drug use and different types of drugs used during incarceration to help inform drug treatment services, assist prison staff in identifying potential drug use or intoxicated prisoners, and advise prisons about the most prevalent drug smuggling routes so new security measures can be considered.

This article is categorized under:

Toxicology > Drug Analysis

Toxicology > New Psychoactive Substances
Addressing the known unknowns in student leader development
Authors: Rosch David M. , Wilson Kevin D.
Published: November 2022

This article highlights the current state of “what we know we do not know” about student leadership development and suggests specific research agendas and program assessment methods. This article includes the practical description of how rigorous methods could be used to address these issues using examples for both researchers and program assessment staff and the description of a conceptual model that could be employed to organize how leadership program outcomes are evaluated.
Form follows function: Research and assessment design for leadership learning
Authors: McElravy L. J.
Published: November 2022

This article discusses how the design of research should follow the questions the study seeks to address. The article provides practical and diverse examples of broad research questions applicable to researchers or program architects and summarizes how different methods should be employed to respond.
Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a New Orthorhombic Polytype of Potassium Ferricyanide
Authors: Qiao Xianji , Chen Da , Corkett Alex J. , Ma Zili , Cai Guohong , Cai Guanqun , Xin Junjie , Qiu Yi , Qu Shangqing , Zhang Rui , Dronskowski Richard , Li Guobao , Sun Junliang
Published: November 2022

A new four‐layer orthorhombic polytype of potassium ferricyanide, K3Fe(CN)6, has been determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction supported by powder X‐ray diffraction measurements. It crystallizes in the space group Pbcn with lattice parameters a = 10.3922(7) Å, b = 8.3508(5) Å, c = 26.838(2) Å and Z = 8, indicating a doubled orthorhombic cell along the c direction compared with the previously reported two‐layer orthorhombic polymorph. The structural relationship between these two forms is then discussed with the support of DFT calculations.
The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: A Conclusion
Authors: Stahl Bernd Carsten , Schroeder Doris , Rodrigues Rowena
Published: November 2022

The concluding chapter highlights broader lessons that can be learned from the artificial intelligence (AI) cases discussed in the book. It underlines the fact that, in many cases, it is not so much the technology itself that is the root cause of ethical concerns but the way it is applied in practice and its reliability. In addition, many of the cases do not differ radically from ethics cases related to other novel technologies, even though the use of AI can exacerbate existing concerns. Ethical issues can rarely be resolved to everybody’s full satisfaction, not least because they often involve the balancing of competing goods. What is essential is space for human reflection and decision-making within the use of AI. Questions about what we can and should do, why we should act in particular ways and how we evaluate the ethical quality of our actions and their outcomes are part of what it means to be human. Even though Immanuel Kant believed that a good will is the only thing in the world that is ethical per se, a good will alone does not suffice where complex consequences may not be obvious. The complex nature of AI systems and their interaction with their human, social and natural environment require constant vigilance and human input.
European Clinical Case Corpus
Authors: Magnini Bernardo , Altuna Begoña , Lavelli Alberto , Minard Anne-Lyse , Speranza Manuela , Zanoli Roberto
Published: November 2022

Interpreting information in medical documents has become one of the most relevant application areas for language technologies. However, despite the fact that huge amounts of medical documents (e. g., medical examination reports, hospital discharge letters, digital medical records) are produced, their availability for research purposes is still limited, due to strict data protection regulations. Aiming at fostering advanced information extraction technologies for medical applications, we present E3C, a corpus of clinical case narratives fully based on freely licensed documents. E3C (European Clinical Case Corpus) contains a vast selection of clinical cases (i. e., narratives presenting a patient’s history) that cover different medical areas, are based on different styles and produced in different languages. A portion of the corpus has been manually annotated to be used for training and testing purposes, while a larger set of documents has been automatically tagged to serve as a baseline for future research in information extraction.
Italian EVALITA Benchmark Linguistic Resources, NLP Services and Tools
Authors: Patti Viviana , Basile Valerio , Bolioli Andrea , Bosca Alessio , Bosco Cristina , Fell Michael , Varvara Rossella
Published: November 2022

Starting from the first edition held in 2007, EVALITA is the initiative for the evaluation of Natural Language Processing tools for Italian. We describe the EVALITA4ELG project, whose main aim is to systematically collect the resources released as benchmarks for this evaluation campaign, and make them easily accessible through the European Language Grid platform. The collection is moreover integrated with systems and baselines as a pool of web services with a common interface, deployed on a dedicated hardware infrastructure.
Universal Semantic Annotator
Authors: Navigli Roberto , Orlando Riccardo , Campagnano Cesare , Conia Simone
Published: November 2022

Explicit semantic knowledge has often been considered a necessary ingredient to enable the development of intelligent systems. However, current stateof- the-art tools for the automatic extraction of such knowledge often require expert understanding of the complex techniques used in lexical and sentence-level semantics and their linguistic theories. To overcome this limitation and lower the barrier to entry, we present the Universal Semantic Annotator (USeA) ELG pilot project, which offers a transparent way to automatically provide high-quality semantic annotations in 100 languages through state-of-the-art models, making it easy to exploit semantic knowledge in real-world applications.
Polizei und Rassismus
Authors: Schöne Marschel
Published: November 2022

Der Beitrag des ehemaligen Polizeipraktikers und praktizierenden Polizeiforschers Schöne analysiert auf der Basis der Theorie Pierre Bourdieus kompakt die grundlegenden Merkmale, Wirkmechanismen und Ambivalenzen des Feldes Polizei, die diskriminierende und rassistische Prozesse und Handlungen auslösen können. Zur detaillierten Diskussion wird das Feld-Habitus-Modell von Martin Herrnkind mit den Feldmerkmalen Konservatismus, Argwohn, Insularität, Gender, Gewalt und Macht verwendet. Diese generieren Handlungsspielräume, die unter bestimmten Umständen zu Willkürspielräumen werden können.
Ein weißes „wir“, seine Polizei und deren weißes „wir“
Authors: Sabel Anna , Karadeniz Özcan
Published: November 2022

Polizeiliche Praxen stützen Zugehörigkeitsordnungen. Sie konservieren und reinszenieren die Imagination eines homogenen Volkes. Diese Vorstellung wiederum ist angewiesen auf die Grenzziehung gegenüber den durch Rassifizierung und Kriminalisierung Veranderten. Ein Sicherheitsdispositiv entsteht, das, wenn auch auf unterschiedliche Weise, auf alle Subjekte einer Gesellschaft wirkt.
Rechtsextremismus in der Polizei – Skandale, Befunde und Mutmaßungen
Authors: Kopke Christoph
Published: November 2022

Der Beitrag referiert ausgehend vom medial erhobenen Befund, dass rechtsextreme Vorfälle in bundesdeutschen Polizeibehörden längst nicht mehr als Einzelfälle zu betrachten sind, die dazu vorliegenden Berichte und Einschätzungen. Es werden die verschiedenen in der Debatte vorzufindenden Definitionen und Perspektiven vorgestellt und der Diskussions- und Forschungsstand zur Frage von rechtsextremen Einstellungen in der Polizei skizziert. Der Beitrag verdeutlicht die Notwendigkeit weiterer empirischer Forschung, um das Problem von Rechtsextremismus in der Polizei quantitativ und qualitativ besser einschätzen zu können.
Jupiter missions as probes of dark matter
Authors: Li Lingfeng , Fan JiJi
Published: November 2022

Abstract

Jupiter, the fascinating largest planet in the solar system, has been visited by nine spacecraft, which have collected a significant amount of data about Jovian properties. In this paper, we show that one type of the in situ measurements on the relativistic electron fluxes could be used to probe dark matter (DM) and dark mediator between the dark sector and our visible world. Jupiter, with its immense weight and cool core, could be an ideal capturer for DM with masses around the GeV scale. The captured DM particles could annihilate into long-lived dark mediators such as dark photons, which subsequently decay into electrons and positrons outside Jupiter. The charged particles, trapped by the Jovian magnetic field, have been measured in Jupiter missions such as the Galileo probe and the Juno orbiter. We use the data available to set upper bounds on the cross section of DM scattering off nucleons, σχn, for dark mediators with lifetime of order $$ \mathcal{O} $$
O
(0.1–1) s. The results show that data from Jupiter missions already probe regions in the parameter space un- or under-explored by existing DM searches, e.g., constrain σχn of order (10−41–10−39) cm2 for 1 GeV DM dominantly annihilating into e+e− through dark mediators. This study serves as an example and an initial step to explore the full physics potential of the large planetary datasets from Jupiter missions. We also outline several other potential directions related to secondary products of electrons, positron signals and solar axions.
ABJM at finite N via 4d supergravity
Authors: Hristov Kiril
Published: November 2022

Abstract

We apply the conjecture of [1] for gravitational building blocks to the effective supergravity description of M-theory on S7/ℤk. Utilizing known localization results for the holographically dual ABJM theory, we determine a complete tower of higher derivative corrections to the AdS4 supergravity and a further set of quantum corrections. This uniquely fixes the gravitational block, leading to holographic predictions for a number of exact ABJM observables, excluding only constant and non-perturbative corrections in the gauge group rank N. The predicted S3 partition function is an Airy function that reproduces previous results and generalizes them to include arbitrary squashing and mass deformations/R-charge assignments. The topologically twisted and superconformal indices are instead products of two different Airy functions, in agreement with direct numeric calculations in the unrefined limit of the former object. The general fixed-point formula for an arbitrary supersymmetric background is similarly given as a product of Airy functions.
On holomorphic sector of higher-spin theory
Authors: Didenko V. E.
Published: November 2022

Abstract

Recent investigation of the locality problem for higher-spin fields led to a vertex reconstruction procedure that involved elements of contraction of the original Vasiliev interaction algebra. Inspired by these results we propose the Vasiliev-like generating equations for the holomorphic higher-spin interactions in four dimensions based on the observed contracted algebra. We specify the functional class that admits evolution on the proposed equations and brings in a systematic procedure of extracting all-order holomorphic vertices. A simple consequence of the proposed equations is the space-time locality of the gauge field sector. We also show that vertices come with a remarkable shift symmetry.
Identification of sex-specific compounds in the invasive four-eyed fir bark beetle Polygraphus proximus
Authors: Viklund Lina , Baranchikov Yuri , Schroeder Martin , Efremenko Anton , Demidko Denis , Hedenström Erik
Published: November 2022

Polygraphus proximus, a four-eyed fir bark beetle, is an invasive bark beetle species which has caused extensive damage to forests of Abies sibirica in southern and western Siberia and to Abies species in the European part of Russia. There is a high risk that the pest insect will spread to areas where it is currently not considered present, such as the European Union. In these areas, it threatens to attack conifer forests of various species which may result in major environmental and economic impact. The aim of this study was to identify pheromone components of P. proximus that can be used as pheromone baits. Males and females of P. proximus were allowed to bore into the bark of stem sections of Abies sibirica at the laboratory, and volatiles were collected with solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Analyses of these extracts with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) revealed several sex-specific compounds. In total, twelve male-specific compounds and one female-specific compound were identified. The major male-specific compound determined by GC peak area was (Z)‐2‐(3,3‐dimethylcyclohexylidene)‐ethanol [(Z)-DMCHE] and the minor male-specific compounds were 3-methyl-3-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol, 3-methyl-2-butenal, benzyl alcohol, fragranol, 7-methyl-3-methylene-6-octen-1-ol, (Z)- and (E)-2-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexylidene)-acetaldehyde, geraniol, geranial and papayanol. The only female-specific compound was identified as 1-hexanol. Two of the male-specific compounds, (Z)‐DMCHE and 3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol were shown to attract males and females of P. proximus in field studies. Thus, we now for the first time can present the structures of two male-specific components that are biologically active parts of P. proximus aggregation pheromone. However, some chemical communication overlap between P. proximus and P. subopacus needs to be further investigated as (Z)‐DMCHE also attracted males and females of P. subopacus.
Multiway clustering with time-varying parameters
Authors: Cerqueti Roy , Mattera Raffaele , Scepi Germana
Published: November 2022

This paper proposes a clustering approach for multivariate time series with time-varying parameters in a multiway framework. Although clustering techniques based on time series distribution characteristics have been extensively studied, methods based on time-varying parameters have only recently been explored and are missing for multivariate time series. This paper fills the gap by proposing a multiway approach for distribution-based clustering of multivariate time series. To show the validity of the proposed clustering procedure, we provide both a simulation study and an application to real air quality time series data.
Bioprospecting and Challenges of Plant Microbiome Research for Sustainable Agriculture, a Review on Soybean Endophytic Bacteria
Authors: Ayilara Modupe Stella , Adeleke Bartholomew Saanu , Babalola Olubukola Oluranti
Published: November 2022

This review evaluates oilseed crop soybean endophytic bacteria, their prospects, and challenges for sustainable agriculture. Soybean is one of the most important oilseed crops with about 20–25% protein content and 20% edible oil production. The ability of soybean root-associated microbes to restore soil nutrients enhances crop yield. Naturally, the soybean root endosphere harbors root nodule bacteria, and endophytic bacteria, which help increase the nitrogen pool and reclamation of another nutrient loss in the soil for plant nutrition. Endophytic bacteria can sustain plant growth and health by exhibiting antibiosis against phytopathogens, production of enzymes, phytohormone biosynthesis, organic acids, and secondary metabolite secretions. Considerable effort in the agricultural industry is focused on multifunctional concepts and bioprospecting on the use of bioinput from endophytic microbes to ensure a stable ecosystem. Bioprospecting in the case of this review is a systemic overview of the biorational approach to harness beneficial plant-associated microbes to ensure food security in the future. Progress in this endeavor is limited by available techniques. The use of molecular techniques in unraveling the functions of soybean endophytic bacteria can explore their use in integrated organic farming. Our review brings to light the endophytic microbial dynamics of soybeans and current status of plant microbiome research for sustainable agriculture.
Comparison of PSA density and lesion volume strategies for selecting men with equivocal PI-RADS 3 lesions on bpMRI for biopsies
Authors: Kortenbach Karen-Cecilie , Løgager Vibeke , Thomsen Henrik S. , Boesen Lars
Published: November 2022

Purpose

To compare two strategies: Prostate-specific antigen density (PSAd) and lesion volume measurement in ruling out significant prostate cancer (sPCa) in men with equivocal Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) category 3 index lesions on biparametric magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods

In total, 130 men from our database had index lesions with PI-RADS scores of 3. Prostate volume was measured using the ellipsoid method, in accordance with PI-RADS version 2.1 criteria. Index lesion volumes were also measured using the ellipsoidal formula on the diffusion-weighted imaging sequence with the highest b-value and sagittal T2 sequences.

Results

Among 130 men with PI-RADS category 3 index lesions, 23 (18%) had sPCa. In total, 6 of the 89 men with PSAd < 0.15 ng/mL2 (7%) had sPCa, whereas 8 of the 49 men with index lesion volumes < 0.5 mL (16%) had sPCa. The difference was statistically significant (McNemar, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The PSAd strategy performed better than the lesion volume strategy in ruling out sPCa in men with equivocal PI-RADS category 3 index lesions.
Assessment of vitamin B6 status in never-pregnant, pregnant and postpartum women and their infants
Authors: Bjørke-Monsen Anne-Lise , Varsi Kristin , Sakkestad Sunniva Todnem , Ulvik Arve , Ueland Per Magne
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Pyridoxal 5´-phosphate (PLP) is the main form of vitamin B6 in humans and functions a coenzyme for more than 160 different enzymatic reactions. The purpose of the study was to find plasma PLP concentrations, which ensure an optimal vitamin B6 status determined by a metabolic marker, in never-pregnant, pregnant and lactating women and their infants.

Methods

In an observational, prospective study, plasma PLP and the metabolic marker, HKr (hydroxykynurenine/(kynurenic acid + anthranilic acid + xanthurenic acid + hydroxyanthranilic acid) were assessed in women (n = 114) from pregnancy week 18 to 6 months postpartum and related to infant status. Never-pregnant women 18–40 years (n = 127) were included as controls.

Results

Compared to controls, plasma PLP decreased during pregnancy and increased postpartum, while HKr increased from week 18 to 6 weeks postpartum, indicating maternal vitamin B6 insufficiency during this period. In never-pregnant women, HKr increased gradually with plasma PLP < 100 nmol/L, and in pregnancy week 28 a sharp increase in HKr was seen at plasma PLP < 30 nmol/L. Despite correcting for maternal vitamin B6 status, infant median plasma PLP decreased with months of exclusive breastfeeding.

Conclusions

Plasma PLP and kynurenine concentrations differ substantially between never-pregnant, pregnant and postpartum women and infants. A plasma PLP concentration in the range of 50–100 nmol/L seems to ensure an optimal vitamin B6 status for never-pregnant women, whereas a plasma PLP > 30 nmol/L in pregnancy week 28 ensures an adequate vitamin B6 status during pregnancy and lactation. Infant vitamin B6 status at age 6 months is inversely correlated to number of months of exclusive breastfeeding.
Circulatory system disease mortality and occupational exposure to radon progeny in the cohort of Newfoundland Fluorspar Miners between 1950 and 2016
Authors: Villeneuve Paul J. , Morrison Howard I. , Volesky Karena , Lane Rachel S. D.
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Exposure to ionizing radiation may increase the risk of circulatory diseases, including heart disease. A limited number of cohort studies of underground miners have investigated these associations. We previously reported a positive but non-statistically significant association between radon progeny and heart disease in a cohort of Newfoundland fluorspar miners. In this study, we report updated findings that incorporate 15 additional years of follow-up.

Methods

The cohort included 2050 miners who worked in the fluorspar mines from 1933 to 1978. Statistics Canada linked the personal identifying data of the miners to Canadian mortality data to identify deaths from 1950 to 2016. We used previously derived individual-level estimates of annual radon progeny exposure in working-level months. Cumulative exposure was categorized into quantiles. We estimated relative risks and their 95% confidence intervals using Poisson regression for deaths from circulatory, ischemic heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Relative risks were adjusted for attained age, calendar year, and the average number of cigarettes smoked daily.

Results

Relative to the Newfoundland male population, the standardized mortality ratio for circulatory disease in this cohort was 0.82 (95% CI 0.74–0.91). Those in the highest quantile of cumulative radon progeny exposure had a relative risk of circulatory disease mortality of 1.03 (95% CI 0.76–1.40) compared to those in the lowest quantile. The corresponding estimates for ischemic disease and acute myocardial infarction were 0.99 (95% CI 0.66–1.48), and 1.39 (95% CI 0.84–2.30), respectively.

Conclusions

Our findings do not support the hypothesis that occupational exposure to radon progeny increases the risk of circulatory disease.
Predator-induced transgenerational plasticity in animals: a meta-analysis
Authors: MacLeod Kirsty J. , Monestier Chloé , Ferrari Maud C. O. , McGhee Katie E. , Sheriff Michael J. , Bell Alison M.
Published: November 2022

There is growing evidence that the environment experienced by one generation can influence phenotypes in the next generation via transgenerational plasticity (TGP). One of the best-studied examples of TGP in animals is predator-induced transgenerational plasticity, whereby exposing parents to predation risk triggers changes in offspring phenotypes. Yet, there is a lack of general consensus synthesizing the predator–prey literature with existing theory pertaining to ecology and evolution of TGP. Here, we apply a meta-analysis to the sizable literature on predator-induced TGP (441 effect sizes from 29 species and 49 studies) to explore five hypotheses about the magnitude, form and direction of predator-induced TGP. Hypothesis #1: the strength of predator-induced TGP should vary with the number of predator cues. Hypothesis #2: the strength of predator-induced TGP should vary with reproductive mode. Hypothesis #3: the strength and direction of predator-induced TGP should vary among offspring phenotypic traits because some traits are more plastic than others. Hypothesis #4: the strength of predator-induced TGP should wane over ontogeny. Hypothesis #5: predator-induced TGP should generate adaptive phenotypes that should be more evident when offspring are themselves exposed to risk. We found strong evidence for predator-induced TGP overall, but no evidence that parental predator exposure causes offspring traits to change in a particular direction. Additionally, we found little evidence in support of any of the specific hypotheses. We infer that the failure to find consistent evidence reflects the heterogeneous nature of the phenomena, and the highly diverse experimental designs used to study it. Together, these findings set an agenda for future work in this area.
Fuzzy-based hunger games search algorithm for global optimization and feature selection using medical data
Authors: Houssein Essam H. , Hosney Mosa E. , Mohamed Waleed M. , Ali Abdelmgeid A. , Younis Eman M. G.
Published: November 2022

Feature selection (FS) is one of the basic data preprocessing steps in data mining and machine learning. It is used to reduce feature size and increase model generalization. In addition to minimizing feature dimensionality, it also enhances classification accuracy and reduces model complexity, which are essential in several applications. Traditional methods for feature selection often fail in the optimal global solution due to the large search space. Many hybrid techniques have been proposed depending on merging several search strategies which have been used individually as a solution to the FS problem. This study proposes a modified hunger games search algorithm (mHGS), for solving optimization and FS problems. The main advantages of the proposed mHGS are to resolve the following drawbacks that have been raised in the original HGS; (1) avoiding the local search, (2) solving the problem of premature convergence, and (3) balancing between the exploitation and exploration phases. The mHGS has been evaluated by using the IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation 2020 (CEC’20) for optimization test and ten medical and chemical datasets. The data have dimensions up to 20000 features or more. The results of the proposed algorithm have been compared to a variety of well-known optimization methods, including improved multi-operator differential evolution algorithm (IMODE), gravitational search algorithm, grey wolf optimization, Harris Hawks optimization, whale optimization algorithm, slime mould algorithm and hunger search games search. The experimental results suggest that the proposed mHGS can generate effective search results without increasing the computational cost and improving the convergence speed. It has also improved the SVM classification performance.
Light-emitting greenhouses affect daily vocalization behavior in birds
Authors: Skorb Karolina , Jankowiak Łukasz , Zbyryt Adam
Published: November 2022

To date, studies of the effects of artificial light on wildlife have mostly focused on street lighting. However, less attention has been paid to light from greenhouses, which can be sources of substantial light pollution from autumn to early spring. We investigated how daily 4–8 h of nocturnal illumination from a greenhouse influences the time of daily vocalization of forest birds in a non-urban area. Our study revealed that birds exposed to greenhouse lightning start dawn singing and calling earlier and stop dusk vocalization later, especially before the breeding season in the second half of February. The most affected species were the European Robin (entire study period) and Blackbird (early period only), but other species also revealed a significant impact on vocal activity (calls). Our study shows that even short-duration light pollution from greenhouses in a non-urban area in the breeding season can affect bird vocalization behavior.