bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PARAJES DE DESOLACIÓN EN LA LITERATURA HISPANOAMERICANA: LA IMAGINACIÓN POSAPOCALÍPTICA EN EL IMPOSTOR DE ANTONIO MALPICA Y SUBTE DE RAFAEL PINEDO.
Authors: Díez Cobo Rosa María
Published: December 2024

Si las narraciones prospectivas de tendencia distópica en lengua española se han
incrementado paulatinamente en las últimas décadas, las relacionadas con el fn de los tiempos,
es decir, las de carácter apocalíptico o posapocalíptico, también han evidenciado un auge sin
precedentes. En concreto, en el marco de la literatura latinoamericana en castellano, la coalición de
una serie de factores históricos, culturales, sociales y políticos ha favorecido la aparición de narrativas
paradigmáticas, modélicas dentro de estos sub/géneros. En este trabajo, nos concentraremos
en dos especialmente representativas, aunque postergadas por la crítica, El impostor (2001) del
escritor mexicano Antonio Malpica y Subte (2012) del argentino Rafael Pinedo. Específcamente,
considerando las peculiaridades del cronotopo distópico, nos ocuparemos de la caracterización del
espacio y su centralidad dentro del enigma que encierra todo planteamiento posapocaliptico, un
paradójico “después del fn”.
LA CIUDAD Y SU IMAGEN
Authors: Marsciani Francesco
Published: December 2024

El capítulo titulado “La ciudad y el deseo III”, en Las ciudades invisibles, de Italo Calvino,
sirve como punto de partida para un ejercicio de Semiótica, en el que se descubre una imagen doble,
la imagen de la alteridad, a partir de la imagen de la ciudad. Despina es una ciudad-espejo, una
ciudad-telón, un “topos” fronterizo y hasta paradójico, que instala dos puntos de vista paralelos y
simétricos, lo que permite al semiólogo razonar acerca de la alteridad, de la intersubjetividad y de
los efectos de sentido que suscitan la participación de los actores en la instauración de una dinámica
tensiva.
Textos clásicos para una escuela intercultural: reflexiones y propuestas a partir de la identidad de «La identidad cultural no existe», de François Jullien.
Authors: Fernández San Emeterio Gerardo
Published: December 2024

En su ensayo La identidad cultural no existe (2016), el flósofo francés François Jullien
plantea un acercamiento a la cultura dejando de lado el componente de identidad, que sería sustituido
por una comparación creativa que él denomina écart. En este trabajo, he buscado aplicar su punto
de vista a la enseñanza de la literatura.
Propuesta didáctica comparatista y feminista: «Barba azul» de Perrault y «Jardín de infierno» de Silvina Ocampo.
Authors: Lozano de la Pola Ana
Published: December 2024

Esta propuesta didáctica nace de la voluntad de llevar a un aula de 2.º de ESO el caso
concreto de reescritura de un cuento maravilloso realizada por la escritora argentina Silvina Ocampo
en el siglo XX. Los objetivos que persigue son los siguientes: en primer lugar, demostrar cómo un
estudio como este puede cubrir tanto contenidos como estándares de evaluación de la ley educativa
actual en España (LOMCE); en segundo lugar, refexionar sobre la relación que existe entre género
literario (genre) y el género identitario (gender), y cómo muchas autoras proponen reescrituras
de textos conocidos para trastocar las normas de ambos; para acabar, pretende también trabajar
herramientas de análisis textual que permitan hacer este tipo de estudio a partir de otros textos
narrativos. Tras justifcar la pertinencia de la propuesta, se propone una posible secuenciación de
actividades para realizar este estudio comparatista y feminista en el aula.
La influencia del enfoque AICLE en el vocabulario académico: el caso de alumnos de Educación Secundaria.
Authors: Castellano Irene
Published: December 2024

En las últimas décadas, hemos asistido en Europa al auge de metodologías basadas
en enfoque AICLE (Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lengua Extranjera). Este enfoque,
el cual aúna la enseñanza de una lengua extranjera y contenidos curriculares, ha demostrado
resultar benefcioso para la adquisición de la lengua extranjera. Así, se han encontrado mejoras
en el vocabulario (Canga Alonso, 2013, 2015) o la motivación (Lasagabaster, y López Beloqui,
2015). Sin embargo, la infuencia de este enfoque en el vocabulario académico de los alumnos
no ha sido hasta ahora analizado. En este artículo se presenta un estudio que trata de analizar la
infuencia que puede ocasionar el uso de enfoques AICLE en el vocabulario académico de alumnos
de Educación Secundaria. Con este objetivo, se valorará el vocabulario académico de 30 alumnos
de secciones bilingües de la Comunidad Autónoma de Extremadura, mediante el uso del test VLT
(Schmitt, Schmitt y Clapham, 2001), en contraposición con el presentado por 29 alumnos no
pertenecientes a secciones bilingües. En base a los resultados podemos establecer que los alumnos
pertenecientes a secciones bilingües presentan un vocabulario receptivo académico superior a los
alumnos tradicionales.
Autoras inciertas y «Cartasvivas»: #Nuestramemoria.
Authors: Capdevila Argüelles Nuria
Published: December 2024

Este artículo analiza el estudio de la memoria femenina de la Edad de Plata en torno a
dos conceptos, autoría incierta y CartaViva, y dos espacios dentro del mercado cultural: el espacio
editorial y el virtual. Explora la traducción de la autoría incierta de nuestras modernas a un nuevo
concepto poético: la CartaViva. Las cartavivas son cápsulas audiovisuales con guion procedente
de literatura testimonial y un tratamiento estético y visual determinado para cada autora y cada
serie. CartasVivas es también una marca registrada que tiene como objetivo la consolidación de esa
memoria que compartimos: #nuestramemoria.
La construcción del estrato sonoro en el poema. Un ejemplo sobre el doble juego entre la voz y el papel en la poesía desarraigada de Ángela Figuera.
Authors: Martínez Hernández Diana
Published: December 2024

Si la escritura poética requiere seguir unas normas determinadas, lo mismo ocurre con
su lectura. El poema expresado por el lenguaje precisa conocimiento y experiencia para llegar
progresivamente a la credibilidad de la materia escrita y al valor poético, esto es, al relieve de los
sentimientos y a la capacidad de emoción. La lectura poética experimenta la belleza del lenguaje
tras un proceso razonado de lectura en voz alta, procurando la modulación y la entonación correcta.
De este modo, surge un nuevo sentimiento basado en la capacidad del poeta para transmitir emoción
e intensidad (Delgado Cerrillo, 2007). Para ello se toma como base la poesía social de Ángela
Figuera Aymerich y se formulan una serie de recursos educativos afnes al tema, con el propósito
de fomentar la fuidez y la comprensión lectora de obras pertenecientes, más específcamente, al
género lírico —entendidas como obras en las que predomina el mundo subjetivo o interno del
escritor— a través del aprendizaje de las dimensiones cognitivas del fenómeno poético (elementos
afectivos, sensoriales e intelectivos) intercalando, además, habilidades que funden sonido y sentido
(aspectos entonacionales y de tempo).
Performance Attribution for Portfolio Constraints
Authors: Lo Andrew W. , Zhang Ruixun
Published: December 2024

We propose a new performance attribution framework that decomposes a constrained portfolio’s holdings, expected returns, variance, expected utility, and realized returns into components attributable to (1) the unconstrained mean-variance optimal portfolio; (2) individual static constraints; and (3) information, if any, arising from those constraints. A key contribution of our framework is the recognition that constraints may contain information that is correlated with returns, in which case imposing such constraints can affect performance. We extend our framework to accommodate estimation risk in portfolio construction using Bayesian portfolio analysis, which allows one to select constraints that improve—or are least detrimental to—future performance. We provide simulations and empirical examples involving constraints on environmental, social, and governance portfolios. Under certain scenarios, constraints may improve portfolio performance relative to a passive benchmark that does not account for the information contained in these constraints.

This paper was accepted by Kay Giesecke, finance.

Funding: Research funding from the National Key Research and Development Program of China [Grant 2022YFA1007900], the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 12271013, 72342004], Peking University’s Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and the MIT Laboratory for Financial Engineering is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2024.05365 .
Highlighting the latest research: December 2024
Authors: Palmer Sarah Jane , Cowan Helen
Published: December 2024

Sarah Jane Palmer presents a selection of recently published articles of interest to nurses working in cardiovascular nursing, while Helen Cowan explores their application to practice. The aim of this roundup is to provide a brief overview of the research papers selected and highlight their relevance to cardiac nursing practice. A full reference is provided for those who wish to look at the research in further detail.
Bayesian Learning based Rate Adaptation in IEEE 802.11ax WLANs with a Target PER
Authors: C. S. Sheela , Kuri Joy
Published: December 2024

The optimal modulation and coding scheme (MCS) selection in wireless transmission depends on the dynamically evolving channel state. Hence, Rate adaptation in a wireless channel relies on periodically reported channel quality indicator (CQI) values to select the optimal MCS. The latest 802.11ax, with a HE-sounding protocol, supports an explicit feedback mechanism where the client sends back a transformed estimate of the channel state information (CSI) in the HE CQI Report field. When generated more frequently, these reports can be expensive as they introduce unnecessary computational and protocol overhead. Also, the CSI feedback information is quantized, delayed, and noisy. To reduce the frequent CSI feedback (receiver to the transmitter) overhead, in our work, we obtain CSI statistically at the transmitter through Bayesian Learning (BL). Further, we propose a Bayesian Learning based Rate Adaptation (BLbRA) scheme at the transmitter. BLbRA throughput performance is consistent even with reduced feedback overhead. BLbRA can be implemented without any change in the standard frame format, and therefore, it is suitable for practical deployment.
Spectral Sampling and Signal Decomposition (SSSD) for Improved Spectral Efficiency
Authors: Mohammed Basim H. , Mohan Seshadri
Published: December 2024

Spectrally Efficient Frequency Division Multiplexing (SEFDM) aims to enhance spectral efficiency by compressing subcarriers in the frequency domain, thereby reducing the required bandwidth. This approach primarily focuses on minimizing Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI), which typically necessitates a complex receiver design. We propose a simpler receiver design based on Spectral Sampling and Signal Decomposition (SSSD) technique. This technique facilitates the receiver to process Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signals outside the conventional orthogonality points in the frequency domain. Unlike traditional SEFDM approaches, the SSSD receiver utilizes interfering carriers as useful signals. Through simulations, we showcase the SSSD receiver’s performance in extracting SEFDM signals and accommodating various pulse shapes beyond the conventional sinc pulse. However, our results also highlight a significant challenge posed by severely ill-conditioned matrices, which can be mitigated by exploring alternative pulse types.
Enabling Safer Crosswalks with State-of-the-Art Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Technology
Authors: McNerny Colin , Burt Haley , Al-Rizzo Hussain , Maturi Abhigna
Published: December 2024

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication is a technology that enables vehicles to communicate with other vehicles (V2V), infrastructure (V2I), cyclists, and pedestrians (V2P). V2X employs antenna technology that allows omnidirectional wireless data transmission between all nodes in the transportation ecosystem. This has strong implications for improving pedestrian safety, reducing traffic congestion, and enabling smart city applications. One area where V2X can have a tremendous impact is at pedestrian crosswalks. Currently, these are dangerous zones where vehicle-pedestrian collisions occur frequently due to blind spots, distracted driving/walking, and unclear right-of-way. V2X aims to eliminate these collisions by allowing vehicles and pedestrian smartphones to continuously share their real-time locations, trajectories, and analytics. This seamless connectivity is enabled by V2X antennas embedded in cars and mobile devices. The primary goal of this research is to increase the safety of pedestrians on and near crosswalks positioned on roadways. The Altair FEKO 2022.1 software is used in this study to create a symmetrical V2X communication scenario with intersecting highways. Cars, pedestrians, roads, and traffic lights are arranged in the Altair WallMan Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. The Shooting Bouncing Ray (SBR+) solver in Altair ProMan is computed on a CAD-modelled database to simulate the power received at key prediction points on crosswalks in the path of each vehicle. Intelligent Ray Tracing (IRT) is utilized to animate the scene with moving cars and pedestrians over a three-second time interval while simultaneously counting the number of propagation pathways and rays used at each instant. At each prediction time instant and for every prediction point, power received is measured in decibel-milliwatts (dBm). The computed simulation results are analysed at 5.8 GHz, 6 GHz, and 28 GHz.
Simultaneous vibration and soil moisture sensing using a single mode fiber for structural health monitoring applications
Authors: Jena James , Swanepoel Francois , Mahed Gaathier , Waswa David
Published: December 2024

A dual-purpose single mode optical fiber sensor was developed for simultaneous soil moisture and structural health monitoring. Unmodified G655 SMF with polarization coupled phase components was used to detect environmental changes due to ground movement and moisture content variations. Spectral distribution profiles of the baseband frequencies below 10 Hz were analyzed for structural health monitoring, while resonant peak frequencies higher than 110 Hz had notable dependence on the damping effect of moisture on the spectral peak intensity of the detected acoustic waves. Using these peaks, moisture content was measured within a root mean square error value of +/−0.04. The sensor demonstrates a critical resource optimization tool for distributed sensing applications and monitoring in PON systems.
Point spread function measurements for underwater imaging: an analysis of wavelength-specific behavior for image deconvolution
Authors: Schmidt Jendrik , Peters Enno , Stephan Maurice , Zielinski Oliver
Published: December 2024

Underwater optical imaging, especially in coastal waters, suffers from reduced spatial resolution and contrast by forward scattered light. With the increased number of hyper- and multi-spectral imaging applications, the effect of the point spread function (PSF) at different spectral bands becomes increasingly more relevant. In this work, extensive laboratory measurements of the PSF at 450, 500, 550, 600 and 650 nm in different turbidity have been carried out. Measurements were performed in deionized water with added scattering agent Maalox and in selected natural waters. The experimental setup and measurement routine, including a HDR camera calibration allowing PSF measurements at more than 6 orders of magnitude, is described in detail. Measured PSFs are compared and discussed in terms of wavelength-specific slope behavior, showing significant shape differences between color channels with increasing Maalox concentration. Image deconvolutions of a test target with correct and wrong color PSF indicate the relevance of wavelength-specific PSF consideration, especially in correcting channels of longer wavelengths. The results also indicate, that PSFs derived from models that are based on single wavelength PSF measurements can be used to effectively restore images at different wavelength when acquired over long scattering ranges and being scaled properly.
Dynamic spectral fluorescence microscopy via event-based & CMOS image-sensor fusion
Authors: Baird Richard G. , Majumder Apratim , Menon Rajesh
Published: December 2024

We present a widefield fluorescence microscope that integrates an event-based image sensor (EBIS) with a CMOS image sensor (CIS) for ultra-fast microscopy with spectral distinction capabilities. The EBIS achieves a temporal resolution of ∼10μs (∼ 100,000 frames/s), while the CIS provides diffraction-limited spatial resolution. A diffractive optical element encodes spectral information into a diffractogram, which is recorded by the CIS. The diffractogram is processed using a deep neural network to resolve the fluorescence of two beads, whose emission peaks are separated by only 7 nm and exhibit an 88% spectral overlap. We validate our microscope by imaging the capillary flow of fluorescent beads, demonstrating a significant advancement in ultra-fast spectral microscopy. This technique holds broad potential for elucidating foundational dynamic biological processes.
Soliton-comb solutions for fiber-based bottle microresonators
Authors: Kolesnikova A. , Vatnik I. , Sturman B. , Podivilov E.
Published: December 2024

We predict a stable generation of optical solitons and related low-repetition frequency combs in high-Q fiber-based bottle resonators of different shapes. The modal localization effect is controlled by the shaping of the fiber radius. The solitons consist of axial resonator modes, belong to a single azimuth modal number, and possess anomalously small velocities. They are remarkably similar to each other for different resonator shapes and strongly different from conventional azimuth soliton-comb states: instead of the modal dispersion, the soliton width and amplitude are controlled by the critical self-focusing power.
Mitigating chromatic aberration in wide-field pancake VR optics through the integration of diffractive optical elements
Authors: Peng Wei-Jei , Lee Tsung-Xian
Published: December 2024

With the rise of the metaverse, the development of virtual reality headsets has gained significant attention in recent years. The optical architecture of VR head-mounted devices has undergone numerous transformations, with pancake optics becoming the mainstream configuration. Compared to traditional refractive designs, Pancake optics offer advantages such as compact size, high resolution, and wide viewing angle. Its catadioptric layout significantly reduces module thickness, while reflective surfaces provide greater optical power, achieving high resolution and a broad field of view. However, full-color VR headsets typically suffer from severe chromatic aberration at large viewing angles. This study adopts a two-element aspheric pancake design, incorporating a kinoform-type diffractive optical element. Due to the strong negative dispersion of the DOE, our hybrid diffractive-refractive pancake system with an FOV of 106° significantly improves lateral color shift. In the 450 to 650 nm wavelength, the multicolor root-mean-square spot radius is reduced from 142 to 30 µm. This result demonstrates that the DOE-enhanced design successfully improves full-color resolution across the entire FOV. We present simulation results for both designs with and without DOE, validating the effectiveness of our approach. This paper proposes an optical design method that includes first-order calculations and DOE principles, detailing generating the DOE profile. This innovative design not only achieves a technical breakthrough but also shows significant performance improvements in quantitative data, providing a crucial reference for the future optical design of VR headsets and laying a solid foundation for the further development of VR technology.
Multi-Watt Diode-Pumped Ti:sapphire Laser
Authors: Simpson Niall , Kemp Alan , Lee Martin
Published: December 2024

We present a diode-pumped Ti:sapphire laserr with 2.9 W output power and M2 of 1.2 × 1.1. This is the highest output power reported for a near-TEM00 (M2≤1.2) diode-pumped Ti:sapphire. The laser is pumped by a commercially available diode-laser module designed for cutting and engraving applications, in a configuration that reduces the complexity of the optical setup relative to other diode-pumped systems.
Multi-Watt Diode-Pumped Ti:sapphire Laser
Authors: Simpson Niall , Kemp Alan , Lee Martin
Published: December 2024

We present a diode-pumped Ti:sapphire laserr with 2.9 W output power and M2 of 1.2 × 1.1. This is the highest output power reported for a near-TEM00 (M21.2) diode-pumped Ti:sapphire. The laser is pumped by a commercially available diode-laser module designed for cutting and engraving applications, in a configuration that reduces the complexity of the optical setup relative to other diode-pumped systems.
Adolescent and adult mice use both incremental reinforcement learning and short term memory when learning concurrent stimulus-action associations
Authors: Chase Juliana , Xia Liyu , Tai Lung-Hao , Lin Wan Chen , Collins Anne G. E. , Wilbrecht Linda
Published: December 2024

Computational modeling has revealed that human research participants use both rapid working memory (WM) and incremental reinforcement learning (RL) (RL+WM) to solve a simple instrumental learning task, relying on WM when the number of stimuli is small and supplementing with RL when the number of stimuli exceeds WM capacity. Inspired by this work, we examined which learning systems and strategies are used by adolescent and adult mice when they first acquire a conditional associative learning task. In a version of the human RL+WM task translated for rodents, mice were required to associate odor stimuli (from a set of 2 or 4 odors) with a left or right port to receive reward. Using logistic regression and computational models to analyze the first 200 trials per odor, we determined that mice used both incremental RL and stimulus-insensitive, one-back strategies to solve the task. While these one-back strategies may be a simple form of short-term or working memory, they did not approximate the boost to learning performance that has been observed in human participants using WM in a comparable task. Adolescent and adult mice also showed comparable performance, with no change in learning rate or softmax beta parameters with adolescent development and task experience. However, reliance on a one-back perseverative, win-stay strategy increased with development in males in both odor set sizes, but was not dependent on gonadal hormones. Our findings advance a simple conditional associative learning task and new models to enable the isolation and quantification of reinforcement learning alongside other strategies mice use while learning to associate stimuli with rewards within a single behavioral session. These data and methods can inform and aid comparative study of reinforcement learning across species.
Extracting interpretable signatures of whole-brain dynamics through systematic comparison
Authors: Bryant Annie G. , Aquino Kevin , Parkes Linden , Fornito Alex , Fulcher Ben D.
Published: December 2024

The brain’s complex distributed dynamics are typically quantified using a limited set of manually selected statistical properties, leaving the possibility that alternative dynamical properties may outperform those reported for a given application. Here, we address this limitation by systematically comparing diverse, interpretable features of both intra-regional activity and inter-regional functional coupling from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data, demonstrating our method using case–control comparisons of four neuropsychiatric disorders. Our findings generally support the use of linear time-series analysis techniques for rs-fMRI case–control analyses, while also identifying new ways to quantify informative dynamical fMRI structures. While simple statistical representations of fMRI dynamics performed surprisingly well (e.g., properties within a single brain region), combining intra-regional properties with inter-regional coupling generally improved performance, underscoring the distributed, multifaceted changes to fMRI dynamics in neuropsychiatric disorders. The comprehensive, data-driven method introduced here enables systematic identification and interpretation of quantitative dynamical signatures of multivariate time-series data, with applicability beyond neuroimaging to diverse scientific problems involving complex time-varying systems.
Estimating the distribution of parameters in differential equations with repeated cross-sectional data
Authors: Jo Hyeontae , Cho Sung Woong , Hwang Hyung Ju
Published: December 2024

Differential equations are pivotal in modeling and understanding the dynamics of various systems, as they offer insights into their future states through parameter estimation fitted to time series data. In fields such as economy, politics, and biology, the observation data points in the time series are often independently obtained (i.e., Repeated Cross-Sectional (RCS) data). RCS data showed that traditional methods for parameter estimation in differential equations, such as using mean values of RCS data over time, Gaussian Process-based trajectory generation, and Bayesian-based methods, have limitations in estimating the shape of parameter distributions, leading to a significant loss of data information. To address this issue, this study proposes a novel method called Estimation of Parameter Distribution (EPD) that provides accurate distribution of parameters without loss of data information. EPD operates in three main steps: generating synthetic time trajectories by randomly selecting observed values at each time point, estimating parameters of a differential equation that minimizes the discrepancy between these trajectories and the true solution of the equation, and selecting the parameters depending on the scale of discrepancy. We then evaluated the performance of EPD across several models, including exponential growth, logistic population models, and target cell-limited models with delayed virus production, thereby demonstrating the ability of the proposed method in capturing the shape of parameter distributions. Furthermore, we applied EPD to real-world datasets, capturing various shapes of parameter distributions over a normal distribution. These results address the heterogeneity within systems, marking a substantial progression in accurately modeling systems using RCS data. Therefore, EPD marks a significant advancement in accurately modeling systems with RCS data, realizing a deeper understanding of system dynamics and parameter variability.
A cluster randomized trial assessing the effect of a digital health algorithm on quality of care in Tanzania (DYNAMIC study)
Authors: Tan Rainer , Kavishe Godfrey , Kulinkina Alexandra V. , Renggli Sabine , Luwanda Lameck B. , Mangu Chacha , Ashery Geofrey , Jorram Margaret , Mtebene Ibrahim Evans , Agrea Peter , Mhagama Humphrey , Keitel Kristina , Le Pogam Marie-Annick , Ntinginya Nyanda , Masanja Honorati , D’Acremont Valérie
Published: December 2024

Digital clinical decision support tools have contributed to improved quality of care at primary care level health facilities. However, data from real-world randomized trials are lacking. We conducted a cluster randomized, open-label trial in Tanzania evaluating the use of a digital clinical decision support algorithm (CDSA), enhanced by point-of-care tests, training and mentorship, compared with usual care, among sick children 2 to 59 months old presenting to primary care facilities for an acute illness in Tanzania (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05144763). The primary outcome was the mean proportion of 14 major Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) symptoms and signs assessed by clinicians. Secondary outcomes included antibiotic prescription, counseling provided, and the appropriateness of antimalarial and antibiotic prescriptions. A total of 450 consultations were observed in 9 intervention and 9 control health facilities. The mean proportion of major symptoms and signs assessed in intervention health facilities was 46.4% (range 7.7% to 91.7%) compared to 26.3% (range 0% to 66.7%) in control health facilities, an adjusted difference of 15.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.8% to 25.4%). Only weight, height, and pallor were assessed statistically more often when using the digital CDSA compared to controls. Observed antibiotic prescription was 37.3% in intervention facilities, and 76.4% in control facilities (adjusted risk ratio 0.5; 95% CI 0.4 to 0.7; p<0.001). Appropriate antibiotic prescription was 81.9% in intervention facilities and 51.4% in control facilities (adjusted risk ratio 1.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.8; p = 0.003). The implementation of a digital CDSA improved the mean proportion of IMCI symptoms and signs assessed in consultations with sick children, however most symptoms and signs were assessed infrequently. Nonetheless, antibiotics were prescribed less often, and more appropriately. Innovative approaches to overcome barriers related to clinicians’ motivation and work environment are needed.
Non-autonomous insulin signaling delays mitotic progression in C. elegans germline stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Cheng Eric , Lu Ran , Gerhold Abigail R.
Published: December 2024

Stem and progenitor cell mitosis is essential for tissue development and homeostasis. How these cells ensure proper chromosome segregation, and thereby maintain mitotic fidelity, in the complex physiological environment of a living animal is poorly understood. Here we use in situ live-cell imaging of C. elegans germline stem and progenitor cells (GSPCs) to ask how the signaling environment influences stem and progenitor cell mitosis in vivo. Through a candidate screen we identify a new role for the insulin/IGF receptor (IGFR), daf-2, during GSPC mitosis. Mitosis is delayed in daf-2/IGFR mutants, and these delays require canonical, DAF-2/IGFR to DAF-16/FoxO insulin signaling, here acting cell non-autonomously from the soma. Interestingly, mitotic delays in daf-2/IGFR mutants depend on the spindle assembly checkpoint but are not accompanied by a loss of mitotic fidelity. Correspondingly, we show that caloric restriction, which delays GSPC mitosis and compromises mitotic fidelity, does not act via the canonical insulin signaling pathway, and instead requires AMP-activated kinase (AMPK). Together this work demonstrates that GSPC mitosis is influenced by at least two genetically separable signaling pathways and highlights the importance of signaling networks for proper stem and progenitor cell mitosis in vivo.
Polyploids broadly generate novel haplotypes from trans-specific variation in Arabidopsis arenosa and Arabidopsis lyrata
Authors: Bohutínská Magdalena , Petříková Eliška , Booker Tom R. , Vives Cobo Cristina , Vlček Jakub , Šrámková Gabriela , Poupětová Alžběta , Hojka Jakub , Marhold Karol , Yant Levi , Kolář Filip , Schmickl Roswitha
Published: December 2024

Polyploidy, the result of whole genome duplication (WGD), is widespread across the tree of life and is often associated with speciation and adaptability. It is thought that adaptation in autopolyploids (within-species polyploids) may be facilitated by increased access to genetic variation. This variation may be sourced from gene flow with sister diploids and new access to other tetraploid lineages, as well as from increased mutational targets provided by doubled DNA content. Here, we deconstruct in detail the origins of haplotypes displaying the strongest selection signals in established, successful autopolyploids, Arabidopsis lyrata and Arabidopsis arenosa. We see strong signatures of selection in 17 genes implied in meiosis, cell cycle, and transcription across all four autotetraploid lineages present in our expanded sampling of 983 sequenced genomes. Most prominent in our results is the finding that the tetraploid-characteristic haplotypes with the most robust signals of selection were completely absent in all diploid sisters. In contrast, the fine-scaled variant ‘mosaics’ in the tetraploids originated from highly diverse evolutionary sources. These include widespread novel reassortments of trans-specific polymorphism from diploids, new mutations, and tetraploid-specific inter-species hybridization–a pattern that is in line with the broad-scale acquisition and reshuffling of potentially adaptive variation in tetraploids.
“If we work as a team, there are success stories.” Unpacking team members’ perceptions and experiences of what impacts team performance in a maternal and neonatal quality improvement programme in South Africa, before, and during COVID-19
Authors: Odendaal Willem , Goga Ameena , Tomlinson Mark , Singh Yages , Schneider Helen , Mianda Solange , Kauchali Shuaib , Marshall Carol , Chetty Terusha , Hunt Xanthe
Published: December 2024

Many maternal and neonatal deaths and stillbirths can be avoided if quality of care is improved. The South African National Department of Health implemented a multi-partner quality improvement (QI) programme between 2018 and 2022, in 21 facilities, with the aim to reduce maternal and perinatal mortality. We conducted a qualitative evaluation to explore QI team members’ perceptions of the factors shaping variation in team performance. The evaluation was conducted in 15 purposively selected facilities. We interviewed 47 team members from the 14 facilities consenting to participate in the evaluation, over three time points. We conducted 21 individual interviews and 18 group interviews. Data were thematically analysed using ATLAS.ti 8. Based on a preliminary assessment, six teams were rated as well-performing and eight, less well-performing. Patterns of divergence between well-performing and less well-performing teams were then examined through in-depth analysis of the full data set. Well-performing teams had a core team of members with a good understanding of the programme aims and QI methodology; a second in-charge member to ensure leader continuity; and leader stability throughout the implementation period. Well-performing teams were recruited from existing facility service teams who had a positive prevailing work culture. Team leaders’ enthusiasm for QI and their ability to mobilise member buy-in, and how well teams worked together, further affected teams’ performance. Existing facility contexts, how teams are set up, leadership—and member buy-in into the methodology, affect QI teams’ performance. Focusing on these as well as supporting leaders to foster a shared vision and culture of excellence; mitigating contextual and implementation barriers; and strengthening team members’ technical QI skills, has the potential to improve QI teams’ performance.
Geospatial distribution of Hepatitis E seroprevalence in Nepal, 2021
Authors: Rhee Chulwoo , Dighe Amy , Katuwal Nishan , Cho Haeun , Mraidi Ramzi , Tamrakar Dipesh , Lim Jacqueline KyungAh , Poudyal Nimesh , Park Il-Yeon , Kim Deok Ryun , Amatya Ritu , Shrestha Rajeev , Azman Andrew S. , Lynch Julia
Published: December 2024

Background

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes acute jaundice and poses an important public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. Limited surveillance capacity and suboptimal access to diagnostics leads to under-reporting of HEV infections in affected countries, including Nepal. Serum antibodies against HEV are indicative of past infection. We analyzed existing samples from a nationally representative serosurvey to describe the geospatial distribution and factors associated with HEV seroprevalence in Nepal, as a proxy for infection.

Methodology/Principle findings

A nationally representative cross-sectional serosurvey of 3,922 individuals ≥2 years old from 975 households spread across 65 wards throughout Nepal was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022. Bio-banked samples were tested for anti-HEV IgG. Seroprevalence and its 95% confidence interval were estimated by age, sex, ecological region, municipality type, and other waterborne-disease related risk factors. Bayesian geostatistical models were fitted to observed seroprevalence data and used to generate high-resolution maps of seroprevalence across Nepal. Available samples from 3,707 participants were tested for anti-HEV IgG, and 3,703 were used for final analysis. We found 20.8% (95% CI: 19.5–22.2) of participants had evidence of prior HEV infection. HEV seroprevalence increased with age, and was higher in males (23.5%, 95% CI: 21.5–25.5) than in females (18.6%, 95% CI: 16.9–20.3). Seroprevalence in hilly (28.9%, 95% CI: 26.6–31.2) and mountain (24.6%, 95% CI: 18.8–30.5) regions were significantly higher than in terai (14.2%, 95% CI: 12.7–15.8). While there was no significant difference between urban and rural populations, the predicted seroprevalence was highest in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, reaching seroprevalence of 50% in some selected area. No statistically significant differences were found for wealth quintile, water source, and toilet facility.

Conclusions

This study provides population-based serologic evidence that HEV is endemic in Nepal, with the greatest risk of infection in Kathmandu.
Delving into female breast cancer: Distinct disease-specific survival outcomes between invasive lobular and ductal carcinomas revealed by propensity score matching
Authors: Zhang Wu , Huang Yuquan , Zhou Ye , Xue Jiaojiao , Gao Shan , Kang Lin , Shi Jian , Zhou Tao , Duan Yalong , Guo Sihan , Li Qingxia
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The difference in prognosis between invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is still controversial in the academic community. Resolving this controversy can help to more accurately determine patients’ prognosis, provide further personalized treatment, alleviate unnecessary psychological burden for some patients, and provide direction for further fundamental research.

Patients and methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the SEER Research Plus Data 8 Registries, Nov 2021 sub (1978–2019), including female breast cancer patients diagnosed with ILC or IDC between 2010 and 2015. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed, and key covariates affecting prognosis were selected. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to match patients, and balance tests were conducted to evaluate covariate distribution. Disease-specific survival (DSS) differences between the matched IDC and ILC groups were compared.

Results

Following PSM, the covariate differences between the IDC and ILC groups were significantly reduced. The survival analysis revealed a significantly better prognosis for the IDC group than the ILC group (Log-rank test p < 0.001), with a 28.0% increased risk observed in the ILC group.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence supporting the existence of significant differences in prognosis between IDC and ILC patients after rigorous matching. The IDC group displayed a significantly better prognosis than the ILC group. Notably, these findings have implications for personalized treatment in clinical practice and contribute to the ongoing academic debate on survival differences between IDC and ILC. However, further research is needed to investigate the biological mechanisms, gene expression, and signaling pathway disparities between IDC and ILC, aiming to provide more targeted guidance for clinical decision-making.
Local rainfall is more likely than distant thunderstorms to affect movement behaviour in Northern Kenyan elephants
Authors: Mulder Tom , Mortimer Beth , Ferwerda Jelle , Vollrath Fritz
Published: December 2024

Previous research indicates that African savanna elephants change their movements preceding or coincident with local rainfall and it has been suggested that they respond to thunder in remote storms–perhaps reading seismic cues. We therefore aimed to test if elephants in Northern Kenya adhere to distinct daytime movement states between the wet and dry periods, and whether their abrupt movement changes precede local wet periods in response to lightning strikes from a specific compass heading. In our study site, lightning to the North and East often preceded local rainfall and could possibly be used to anticipate local wet periods, but local rainfall appears a more likely trigger of behavioural change. While some abrupt movement changes occurred ahead of local wet periods, they were only particularly frequent shortly following the onset of wet periods. These findings do not concur with reports of Namibian elephants that generally changed their movement behaviour preceding local rainfall, and the additional exploration of individual behaviours in the present study likewise did not provide compelling evidence of a generic reliance on remote thunder cues by Northern-Kenyan elephants. Nonetheless, the GPS tracks of elephants indicated that daytime movement velocities differed between wet and dry periods. Specifically, elephants were generally in a slow-moving state during the day through wet periods, and in a fast-moving state during the day through dry periods. There is a further indication that some elephants compensated for slow daytime speeds by moving faster at night. This shift towards increased nocturnal activity may become more common with climate change and may slightly reduce elephant foraging efficiency. We conclude that climate change makes a strong case for studying elephant behaviours in response to environmental cues during the day and night, especially in dry-land study sites like Northern Kenya.
Distributed K-Means algorithm based on a Spark optimization sample
Authors: Feng Yongan , Zou Jiapeng , Liu Wanjun , Lv Fu
Published: December 2024

To address the instability and performance issues of the classical K-Means algorithm when dealing with massive datasets, we propose SOSK-Means, an improved K-Means algorithm based on Spark optimization. SOSK-Means incorporates several key modifications to enhance the clustering process.Firstly, a weighted jump-bank approach is introduced to enable efficient random sampling and preclustering. By incorporating weights and jump pointers, this approach improves the quality of initial centers and reduces sensitivity to their selection. Secondly, we utilize a weighted max-min distance with variance to calculate distances, considering both weight and variance information. This enables SOSK-Means to identify clusters that are farther apart and denser, enhancing clustering accuracy. The selection of the best initial centers is performed using the mean square error criterion. This ensures that the initial centers better represent the distribution and structure of the dataset, leading to improved clustering performance. During the iteration process, a novel distance comparison method is employed to reduce computation time, optimizing the overall efficiency of the algorithm. Additionally, SOSK-Means incorporates a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) to optimize performance through distributed strategies, leveraging the capabilities of the Spark framework. Experimental results show that SOSK-Means significantly improves computational speed while maintaining high computational accuracy.
Foliar applied calcium chloride alleviated drought stress in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) by improving growth and yield contributing traits and antioxidant activity
Authors: Yasir Tauqeer Ahmad , Azhar Wasif , Ali Qaisar , Bhutta Muhammad Usman Masood , Ateeq Muhammad , Wasaya Allah , Hussain Mubshar , Riaz Rehana
Published: December 2024

Drought-induced stress presents a substantial threat as it disrupts the normal growth of cereal crops and leads to decreased yields. The persistent occurrence of drought conditions significantly impacts the growth and development of pearl millet. This study aimed to explore how calcium chloride (CaCl2) regulates the growth of pearl millet when it faces a lack of water. Over two years, field experiments were conducted at the College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bahadur Sub-Campus Layyah. During the study, we exposed pearl millet to various foliar applications of CaCl2 (0 mg/L, 25 mg/L, 50 mg/L, and 75 mg/L) while subjecting it to two different irrigation conditions: full irrigation and drought stress during the booting stage. Results revealed that a significant reduction in the growth (plant height; PH, stem diameter; SD, fresh leaf weight; FLW, stem fresh weight; SFW, stem dry weight; SDW, root fresh weight; RFW, root dry weight; RDW, and plant dry weight; PDW), yield (panicle length; PL, grain per panicle; GPP, grain weight; GW, thousand grain weight; TGW, grain yield; GY, biological yield; BY, and harvest index; HI), and physiological attributes (membrane stability index; MSI, and soil plant analysis development; SPAD) were found under water drought stress condition, while increment in antioxidant level was observed due to low moisture contents in soil. In both years, foliar applied CaCl2 enhanced all the physiological, growth and yield traits as well as some of the antioxidants like superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Study concluded that a concentration of 50 mg/L of CaCl2 is optimal for enhancing all examined attributes of pearl millet under both drought and full irrigation conditions. The results strongly advocate for the use of CaCl2 as the most effective treatment for the cultivation of pearl millet in arid and semi-arid regions.
Comprehensive characterization of high-risk coding and non-coding single nucleotide polymorphisms of human CXCR4 gene
Authors: Sarkar Bonoshree , Mondal Muhammad Safiul Alam , Rahman Taibur , Hosen Md. Ismail , Rahman Atiqur
Published: December 2024

CXCR4, a chemokine receptor known as Fusin or CD184, spans the outer membrane of various human cells, including leukocytes. This receptor is essential for HIV infection as well as for many vital cellular processes and is implicated to be associated with multiple pathologies, including cancers. This study employs various computational tools to investigate the molecular effects of disease-vulnerable germ-line missense and non-coding SNPs of the CXCR4 gene. In this investigation, the tools SIFT, PROVEAN, PolyPhen-2, PANTHER, SNAP 2.0, PhD-SNP, and SNPs&GO were used to predict potentially harmful and disease-causing nsSNPs in CXCR4. Additionally, their impact on protein stability was examined by I-mutant 3.0, MUpro, Consurf, and Netsurf 2.0, combined with conservation and solvent accessibility analyses. Structural analysis with normal and mutant residues of the protein harboring these disease-associated functional SNPs was conducted using TM-align and SWIS MODEL, with visualization aided by PyMOL and the BIOVINA Discovery Studio Visualizer. The functional impact of wild-type and mutated CXCR4 variants was evaluated through molecular docking with its natural ligand CXCR4-modulator 1, using the PyRx tool. Non-coding SNPs in the 3′ -UTR were investigated for their regulatory effects on miRNA binding sites using PolymiRTS. Five non-coding SNPs were identified in the 3′-UTR that can disrupt existing miRNA binding sites or create new ones. Non-coding SNPs in the 5′ and 3′-UTRs, as well as in intronic regions, were also examined for their potential roles in gene expression regulation. Furthermore, RegulomeDB databases were employed to assess the regulatory potential of these non-coding SNPs based on chromatin state and protein binding regulation. In the mostly annotated variant (ENSP00000241393) of the CXCR4 gene, we found 23 highly deleterious and pathogenic nsSNPs and these were selected for in-depth analysis. Among the 23 nsSNPs, five (G55V, H79P, L80P, H113P, and P299L) displayed notable structural alternation, with elevated RMSD values and reduced TM (TM-score) values. A molecular docking study revealed the significant impact of the H113P variant on the protein-ligand binding affinity, supported by MD simulation over 100 nanoseconds, which highlighted substantial stability differences between wild-type and H113P mutated proteins during ligand binding. This comprehensive analysis shed light on the potential functional consequences of genetic variation in the CXCR genes, offering valuable insights into the implications of disease susceptibility and may pave the way for future therapeutic interventions.