bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laser performance and investigation of the optimal density functional and the dependence of the basis sets for (E, E)-2,5-bis (3,4-dimethoxystyryl) pyrazine (BDP) molecule
Authors: Sakr Mahmoud A. S. , Gawad Sayed A. Abdel , El-Daly Samy A. , Kana Maram T. H. Abou , Ebeid El-Zeiny M.
Published: August 2021

This manuscript includes some photophysical parameters and some optical properties such as absorption and emission spectra of the (E, E)-2,5-bis (3,4-dimethoxystyryl) pyrazine (BDP) by applying sol–gel and copolymer matrices. The BDP molecular structure is incorporated in sol–gel matrix and copolymer of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). In case of sol–gel matrix, the BDP molecular structure has higher quantum yield in addition to photostability maxima. The laser behavior of this molecular structure containing sol–gel matrix is good senior compared to copolymer one via using diode laser (450 nm) as pumping laser of power 160 mW. Also, the fluorescence profile of the BDP molecular structure is sensitized via using cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots (QDs) by applying sol–gel host. The optimized structure of the BDP molecule is obtained via applying B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. The electronic absorption and emission spectra of the BDP molecular structure in ethanol solvent were calculated using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) at CAM-B3LYP/6-31G +  + (d, p) level. The obtained theoretical results were compared to experimental ones.
Feasibility of Reconstructing Source Functional Connectivity with Low-Density EEG
Authors: Nguyen-Danse Dung A. , Singaravelu Shobana , Chauvigné Léa A. S. , Mottaz Anaïs , Allaman Leslie , Guggisberg Adrian G.
Published: August 2021

Objectives

Functional connectivity (FC) is increasingly used as target for neuromodulation and enhancement of performance. A reliable assessment of FC with electroencephalography (EEG) currently requires a laboratory environment with high-density montages and a long preparation time. This study investigated the feasibility of reconstructing source FC with a low-density EEG montage towards a usage in real life applications.

Methods

Source FC was reconstructed with inverse solutions and quantified as node degree of absolute imaginary coherence in alpha frequencies. We used simulated coherent point sources as well as two real datasets to investigate the impact of electrode density (19 vs. 128 electrodes) and usage of template vs. individual MRI-based head models on localization accuracy. In addition, we checked whether low-density EEG is able to capture inter-individual variations in coherence strength.

Results

In numerical simulations as well as real data, a reduction of the number of electrodes led to less reliable reconstructions of coherent sources and of coupling strength. Yet, when comparing different approaches to reconstructing FC from 19 electrodes, source FC obtained with beamformers outperformed sensor FC, FC computed after independent component analysis, and source FC obtained with sLORETA. In particular, only source FC based on beamformers was able to capture neural correlates of motor behavior.

Conclusion

Reconstructions of FC from low-density EEG is challenging, but may be feasible when using source reconstructions with beamformers.
Climate Change Modulates Multitrophic Interactions Between Maize, A Root Herbivore, and Its Enemies
Authors: Guyer Anouk , van Doan Cong , Maurer Corina , Machado Ricardo A. R. , Mateo Pierre , Steinauer Katja , Kesner Lucie , Hoch Günter , Kahmen Ansgar , Erb Matthias , Robert Christelle A. M.
Published: August 2021

How climate change will modify belowground tritrophic interactions is poorly understood, despite their importance for agricultural productivity. Here, we manipulated the three major abiotic factors associated with climate change (atmospheric CO2, temperature, and soil moisture) and investigated their individual and joint effects on the interaction between maize, the banded cucumber beetle (Diabrotica balteata), and the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN)Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. Changes in individual abiotic parameters had a strong influence on plant biomass, leaf wilting, sugar concentrations, protein levels, and benzoxazinoid contents. Yet, when combined to simulate a predicted climate scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5, RCP 8.5), their effects mostly counter-balanced each other. Only the sharp negative impact of drought on leaf wilting was not fully compensated. In both current and predicted scenarios, root damage resulted in increased leaf wilting, reduced root biomass, and reconfigured the plant sugar metabolism. Single climatic variables modulated the herbivore performance and survival in an additive manner, although slight interactions were also observed. Increased temperature and CO2levels both enhanced the performance of the insect, but elevated temperature also decreased its survival. Elevated temperatures and CO2further directly impeded the EPN infectivity potential, while lower moisture levels improved it through plant- and/or herbivore-mediated changes. In the RCP 8.5 scenario, temperature and CO2showed interactive effects on EPN infectivity, which was overall decreased by 40%. We conclude that root pest problems may worsen with climate change due to increased herbivore performance and reduced top-down control by biological control agents.
The origins of cultural divergence: evidence from Vietnam
Authors: Ho Hoang-Anh , Martinsson Peter , Olsson Ola
Published: August 2021

Cultural norms diverge substantially across societies, often within the same country. We propose and investigate a self-domestication/selective migration hypothesis, proposing that cultural differences along the individualism–collectivism dimension are driven by the out-migration of individualistic people from collectivist core regions of states to peripheral frontier areas, and that such patterns of historical migration are reflected even in the current distribution of cultural norms. Gaining independence in 939 CE after about a thousand years of Chinese colonization, historical Vietnam emerged in the region that is now north Vietnam with a collectivist social organization. From the eleventh to the eighteenth centuries, historical Vietnam gradually expanded its territory southward to the Mekong River Delta through repeated waves of conquest and migration. Using a nationwide household survey, a population census, and a lab-in-the-field experiment, we demonstrate that areas annexed earlier to historical Vietnam are currently more prone to collectivist norms, and that these cultural norms are embodied in individual beliefs. Relying on many historical accounts, together with various robustness checks, we argue that the southward out-migration of individualistic people during the eight centuries of the territorial expansion is an important driver, among many others, of these cultural differences.
Fusion of smartphone sensor data for classification of daily user activities
Authors: Şengül Gökhan , Ozcelik Erol , Misra Sanjay , Damaševičius Robertas , Maskeliūnas Rytis
Published: August 2021

New mobile applications need to estimate user activities by using sensor data provided by smart wearable devices and deliver context-aware solutions to users living in smart environments. We propose a novel hybrid data fusion method to estimate three types of daily user activities (being in a meeting, walking, and driving with a motorized vehicle) using the accelerometer and gyroscope data acquired from a smart watch using a mobile phone. The approach is based on the matrix time series method for feature fusion, and the modified Better-than-the-Best Fusion (BB-Fus) method with a stochastic gradient descent algorithm for construction of optimal decision trees for classification. For the estimation of user activities, we adopted a statistical pattern recognition approach and used the k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers. We acquired and used our own dataset of 354 min of data from 20 subjects for this study. We report a classification performance of 98.32 % for SVM and 97.42 % for kNN.
The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and its Lockdown Measures on the Mental and Functional Health of Older Individuals
Authors: Fastame Maria Chiara , Mulas Ilaria , Putzu Valeria , Asoni Gesuina , Viale Daniela , Mameli Irene , Pau Massimiliano
Published: August 2021

The effect of the COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of Italian older individuals displaying signs of cognitive deterioration has not been deeply investigated. This longitudinal study examined the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the psychological well-being and motor efficiency of a sample of Italian community-dwellers with and without cognitive decline. Forty-seven participants underwent instrumental gait analysis performed in ecological setting using wearable sensors, and completed a battery of tasks assessing cognitive functioning and psychological well-being, before and after the full lockdown due to the COVID-19 spreading. A series of Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVAs) documented that the superior gait performance of the cognitively healthy participants exhibited before the COVID-19 spread, vanished when they were tested at the end of the lockdown period. Moreover, before the outbreak of the COVID-19, cognitively healthy participants and those with signs of cognitive decline reported similar levels of psychological well-being, whereas, after the lockdown, the former group reported better coping, emotional competencies, and general well-being than the participants displaying signs of cognitive decline. In conclusion, the full COVID-19 outbreak had a significant impact on the mental and motor functioning of older individuals with and without signs of cognitive deterioration living in Italy.
John Haltiwanger: recipient of the 2020 Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research
Authors: Coad Alex , Andersson Martin , Henrekson Magnus , Jack Sarah , Stenkula Mikael , Thorburn Karin , Wennberg Karl , Zander Ivo
Published: August 2021

The 2020 Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research has been awarded to Professor John Haltiwanger. John Haltiwanger has made significant contributions to the field of entrepreneurship by improving our understanding of job creation and destruction, productivity growth, and the role of small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in economic development. He has played a major role in the careful development of large, longitudinal firm-level datasets, and introduced a novel and widely adopted measure of firm growth that addresses previous statistical biases. His work has influenced public policy and national statistical offices around the world.
Pictorial meaning, language, tradition: notes on image semantic analyses by Kristóf Nyíri
Authors: Szécsi Gábor
Published: August 2021

The iconic revolution changing the routine of everyday communication is gradually leading to the creation of a linguistic structure that combines visual and verbal tools in both formal and semantic aspects. Computer and mobile applications today enable high-tech imaging that ensures the spread of iconic communication in mundane interactions and the possibility of a creative combination of verbal and iconic codes for language users who navigate in a world of images in an increasingly confident manner. The iconic revolution that accompanies this expansion of new communication technologies thus leads to serious changes in language use, thereby enhancing the transmission of verbal and iconic language to become a key element of mundane communication. This article argues that this turn in communication technology guided the attention of Kristóf Nyíri, an eminent figure in contemporary Hungarian philosophy, to the problem of the relationship between icon, language, and tradition. The aim of the present essay is twofold: to shed light on the relevance of Nyíri’s analysis and thoughts on the relationship between tradition and language in the history of communication, and to identify, using Nyíri’s model of pictorial meaning as a starting point, the relevant aspects of the conception of technological determinism in answering questions from the philosophy of language and mind.
New hPSC SOX9 and INS Reporter Cell Lines Facilitate the Observation and Optimization of Differentiation into Insulin-Producing Cells
Authors: Dettmer Rabea , Niwolik Isabell , Mehmeti Ilir , Jörns Anne , Naujok Ortwin
Published: August 2021

Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into insulin-producing stem cell-derived beta cells harbors great potential for research and therapy of diabetes.SOX9plays a crucial role during development of the pancreas and particularly in the development of insulin-producing cells as SOX9+cells form the source for NEUROG3+endocrine progenitor cells. For the purpose of easy monitoring of differentiation efficiencies into pancreatic progenitors and insulin-producing cells, we generated new reporter lines by knocking in a P2A-H-2Kk-F2A-GFP2 reporter gene into theSOX9-locus and a P2A-mCherry reporter gene into theINS-locus mediated by CRISPR/CAS9-technology. The knock-ins enabled co-expression of the endogenous and reporter genes and report on the endogenous gene expression. Furthermore, FACS and MACS enabled the purification of pancreatic progenitors and insulin-producing cells. Using these cell lines, we established a new differentiation protocol geared towards SOX9+cells to efficiently drive human pluripotent stem cells into glucose-responsive beta cells. Our new protocol offers an alternative route towards stem cell-derived beta cells, pointing out the importance of Wnt/beta-catenin inhibition and the efficacy of EGF for the development of pancreatic progenitors, as well as the significance of 3D culture for the functionality of the generated beta cells.

Graphic Abstract
Excellence in medical training: developing talent—not sorting it
Authors: Dhaliwal Gurpreet , Hauer Karen E.
Published: August 2021

Many medical schools have reconsidered or eliminated clerkship grades and honor society memberships. National testing organizations announced plans to eliminate numerical scoring for the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 in favor of pass/fail results. These changes have led some faculty to wonder: “How will we recognize and reward excellence?” Excellence in undergraduate medical education has long been defined by high grades, top test scores, honor society memberships, and publication records. However, this model of learner excellence is misaligned with how students learn or what society values. This accolade-driven view of excellence is perpetuated by assessments that are based on gestalt impressions influenced by similarity between evaluators and students, and assessments that are often restricted to a limited number of traditional skill domains. To achieve a new model of learner excellence that values the trainee’s achievement, growth, and responsiveness to feedback across multiple domains, we must envision a new model of teacher excellence. Such teachers would have a growth mindset toward assessing competencies and learning new competencies. Actualizing true learner excellence will require teachers to change from evaluators who conduct assessments of learning to coaches who do assessment for learning. Schools will also need to establish policies and structures that foster a culture that supports this change. In this new paradigm, a teacher’s core duty is to develop talent rather than sort it.
Investigating the user experience of customer service chatbot interaction: a framework for qualitative analysis of chatbot dialogues
Authors: Følstad Asbjørn , Taylor Cameron
Published: August 2021

The uptake of chatbots for customer service depends on the user experience. For such chatbots, user experience in particular concerns whether the user is provided relevant answers to their queries and the chatbot interaction brings them closer to resolving their problem. Dialogue data from interactions between users and chatbots represents a potentially valuable source of insight into user experience. However, there is a need for knowledge of how to make use of these data. Motivated by this, we present a framework for qualitative analysis of chatbot dialogues in the customer service domain. The framework has been developed across several studies involving two chatbots for customer service, in collaboration with the chatbot hosts. We present the framework and illustrate its application with insights from three case examples. Through the case findings, we show how the framework may provide insight into key drivers of user experience, including response relevance and dialogue helpfulness (Case 1), insight to drive chatbot improvement in practice (Case 2), and insight of theoretical and practical relevance for understanding chatbot user types and interaction patterns (Case 3). On the basis of the findings, we discuss the strengths and limitations of the framework, its theoretical and practical implications, and directions for future work.
Mitigating the seismic pounding of multi-story buildings in series using linear and nonlinear fluid viscous dampers
Authors: Elwardany Hytham , Jankowski Robert , Seleemah Ayman
Published: August 2021

Seismic-induced pounding between adjacent buildings may have serious consequences, ranging from minor damage up to total collapse. Therefore, researchers try to mitigate the pounding problem using different methods, such as coupling the adjacent buildings with stiff beams, connecting them using viscoelastic links, and installing damping devices in each building individually. In the current paper, the effect of using linear and nonlinear fluid viscous dampers to mitigate the mutual pounding between a series of structures is investigated. Nonlinear finite-element analysis of a series of adjacent steel buildings equipped with damping devices was conducted. Contact surfaces with both contactor and target were used to model the mutual pounding. The results indicate that the use of linear or nonlinear dampers leads to the significant reduction in the response of adjacent buildings in series. Moreover, the substantial improvement of the performance of buildings has been observed for almost all stories. From the design point of view, it is concluded that dampers implemented in adjacent buildings should be designed to resist maximum force of 6.20 or 1.90 times the design independent force in the case of using linear or nonlinear fluid viscous dampers, respectively. Also, designers should pay attention to the design of the structural elements surrounding dampers, because considerable forces due to pounding may occur in the dampers at the maximum displaced position of the structure.
A Gentle Introduction to Homological Mirror Symmetry
Authors: Bocklandt Raf
Published: August 2021

Homological mirror symmetry has its origins in theoretical physics but is now of great interest in mathematics due to the deep connections it reveals between different areas of geometry and algebra. This book offers a self-contained and accessible introduction to the subject via the representation theory of algebras and quivers. It is suitable for graduate students and others without a great deal of background in homological algebra and modern geometry. Each part offers a different perspective on homological mirror symmetry. Part I introduces the A-infinity formalism and offers a glimpse of mirror symmetry using representations of quivers. Part II discusses various A- and B-models in mirror symmetry and their connections through toric and tropical geometry. Part III deals with mirror symmetry for Riemann surfaces. The main mathematical ideas are illustrated by means of simple examples coming mainly from the theory of surfaces, helping the reader connect theory with intuition.
Omissions, Moral Luck, and Minding the (Epistemic) Gap
Authors: Metz Joseph
Published: August 2021

This paper warns of two threats to moral responsibility that arise when accounting for omissions, given some plausible assumptions about how abilities are related to responsibility. The first problem threatens the legitimacy of our being responsible by expanding the preexisting tension that luck famously raises for moral responsibility. The second threat to moral responsibility challenges the legitimacy of our practices of holding responsible. Holding others responsible for their omissions requires us to bridge an epistemic gap that does not arise when holding others responsible for their actions—one that we might often fail to cross.
Understanding migrants in COVID-19 counting: Rethinking the data-(in)visibility nexus
Authors: Pelizza Annalisa , Milan Stefania , Lausberg Yoren
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic confronts society with a dilemma between (in)visibility, security, and care. While invisibility might be sought by unregistered and undocumented people, being counted and thus visible during a pandemic is a precondition of existence and care. This article asks whether and how unregistered populations like undocumented migrants should be included in statistics and other “counting” exercises devised to track virus diffusion and its impact. In particular, the paper explores how such inclusion can be just, given that for unregistered people visibility is often associated with surveillance. It also reflects on how policymaking can act upon the relationship between data, visibility, and populations in pragmatic terms. Conversing with science and technology studies and critical data studies, the paper frames the dilemma between (in)visibility and care as an issue of sociotechnical nature and identifies four criteria linked to the sociotechnical characteristics of the data infrastructure enabling visibility. It surveys “counting” initiatives targeting unregistered and undocumented populations undertaken by European countries in the aftermath of the pandemic, and illustrates the medical, economic, and social consequences of invisibility. On the basis of our analysis, we outline four scenarios that articulate the visibility/invisibility binary in novel, nuanced terms, and identify in the “de facto inclusion” scenario the best option for both migrants and the surrounding communities. Finally, we offer policy recommendations to avoid surveillance and overreach and promote instead a more just “de facto” civil inclusion of undocumented populations.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms, patient contacts, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity and seropositivity among healthcare personnel in a Maryland healthcare system
Authors: O’Hara Lyndsay M. , Schrank Gregory M. , Frisch Melissa , Hogan Regina , Deal Kellie E. , Harris Anthony D. , Leekha Surbhi ,   for the CDC Prevention Epicenters Program
Published: August 2021

In a large, system-wide, healthcare personnel (HCP) testing experience using severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serologic testing early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we did not find increased infection risk related to COVID-19 patient contact. Our findings support workplace policies for HCP protection and underscore the role of community exposure and asymptomatic infection.
Effects of charge relaxation on the electrohydrodynamic breakup of leaky-dielectric jets
Authors: Nie Qichun , Li Fang , Ma Qianli , Fang Haisheng , Yin Zhouping
Published: August 2021

The breakup process of a charged, leaky-dielectric jet subjected to an axial perturbation is computationally analysed from the perspectives of linear and nonlinear dynamics using the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian technique. The linear dynamics of the leaky-dielectric jet is quantitatively predicted by the dispersion relation from the linear stability analysis. Regarding the nonlinear dynamics, it is found that the charge relaxation is responsible for the radial compression of satellite droplets, which is validated by experiments. Two types of charge relaxations, namely, ohmic conduction and surface charge convection, define the pinching process into three breakup modes, i.e. ligament pinching, end pinching and transition pinching. In the ligament-pinching mode, the ohmic conduction dominates the jet breakup since the charge relaxes to the jet ligament instantaneously. In contrast, the surface charge convection takes effect in the end-pinching mode since the surface charge is convected to the jet end via fluid flow. When the ohmic conduction is comparable to the surface charge convection, the breakup occurs simultaneously at the end and the ligament. Finally, the influences of the perturbed wavenumber, the electric field intensity and the viscosity on the breakup mode and the local dynamics at pinch-off are comprehensively discussed.
AC electrohydrodynamic Landau–Squire flows around a conducting nanotip
Authors: Chen Jyun-An , Miloh Touvia , Kaveevivitchai Watchareeya , Wei Hsien-Hung
Published: August 2021

Utilizing the joint singular natures of electric field and hydrodynamic flow around a sharp nanotip, we report new electrohydrodynamic Landau–Squire-type flows under the actions of alternating current (AC) electric fields, markedly different from the classical Landau–Squire flow generated by pump discharge using nanotubes or nanopores. Making use of the locally diverging electric field prevailing near the conical tip, we are able to generate a diversity of AC electrohydrodynamic flows with the signature of a 1/r point-force-like decay at distance r from the tip. Specifically, we find AC electrothermal jet and Faradaic streaming out of the tip at applied frequencies in the MHz and 102 Hz regimes, respectively. Yet at intermediate frequencies of 1–100 kHz, the jet flow can be reversed to an AC electro-osmotic impinging flow. The characteristics of these AC jet flows are very distinct from AC flows over planar electrodes. For the AC electrothermal jet, we observe experimentally that its speed varies with the driving voltage V as V3, in contrast to the common V4 dependence according to the classical theory reported by Ramos et al. (J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys, vol. 31, 1998, pp. 2338–2353). Additionally, the flow speed does not increase with the solution conductivity as commonly thought. These experimental findings can be rationalized by means of local Joule heating and double layer charging mechanisms in such a way that the nanotip actually becomes a local hotspot charged with heated tangential currents. The measured speed of the AC Faradaic streaming is found to vary as V3/2 logV, which can be interpreted by the local Faradaic leakage in balance with tangential conduction. These unusual flow characteristics signify that a conical electrode geometry may fundamentally alter the features of AC electrohydrodynamic flows. Such peculiar electrohydrodynamic flows may also provide new avenues for expediting molecular sensing or sample transport in prevalent electrochemical or microfluidic applications.
Epidemiology of tuberculosis in foreign students in Japan, 2015–2019: a comparison with the notification rates in their countries of origin
Authors: Ota M. , Nishimura T. , Uchimura K. , Hirao S.
Published: August 2021

Tuberculosis (TB) in immigrants is becoming a challenge in eliminating TB in Japan. We investigated the epidemiology of TB in foreign students in Japan in 2015–2019. A total of 2007 foreign students with TB whose median age was 22.5 years (1243 (61.9%) were males) were registered. The notification rates peaked in 2016 at 164.0 per 100 000 population and decreased towards 2019. Of the 2007, 535 were from Vietnam, 444 from China and 395 from Nepal. The notification rates were 596.6 per 100 000 person-years (PYs) for Myanmar, 595.4 for the Philippines and 438.6 for Cambodia. The rates were much higher than those of the general populations in their countries of origin for Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Mongolia, Vietnam and China. In comparison with the years 2010–2014, the notification rates for foreign students decreased for the students from Nepal, Vietnam and China. The TB notification rate of the foreign students in Japan can be a good surrogate indicator for the risk of TB among the immigrant subpopulation in Japan and should continuously be monitored. Those who are at higher risk of TB may be annually screened for TB to prevent TB outbreaks.
Off-label use limitation of the Super Arrow-Flex® sheath introducer in congenital heart disease interventions
Authors: Haddad Raymond N. , Piccinelli Enrico , Saliba Zakhia , Fraisse Alain
Published: August 2021

Many interventionists are infatuated by the recent resurgence of the coilwire design with the Super Arrow-Flex® sheath (Teleflex, Inc., NC, United States of America). This exclusive sheath is a highly flexible, durable, conduit intended for use in diagnostic and interventional procedures with several advantages and maximum effectiveness in challenging cases. We report failure to easily advance memory shape occluders through Super Arrow-Flex® sheaths larger than the recommended implant French size. We detail the technical reasons behind this non-previously reported drawback and describe benchside tests as possible solutions.
Percutaneous closure of giant ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm: 22 years after modified BlalockTaussig shunt with a septal occluder device
Authors: Massoud Ikram , Yehia Atef
Published: August 2021

Pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta is rare (1–2%) and a potentially fatal complication following cardiac surgeries. Surgical repair is still the gold standard treatment of ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm. However, endovascular repair methods including stent grafts and Septal Occluder devices have been reported. We report a case of 38-year-old female patient who presented with giant ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm, and aortopulmonary fistula 22 years after modified BlalockTaussig shunt was managed by the transcatheter method. Septal Occluder device 20 mm diameter was delivered to seal the ostium.
Free Improvisation as Experience: A pragmatic insight into improvisational gesture
Authors: Kuldkepp Kristin
Published: August 2021

This article presents the possible proximity between the philosophical tradition of pragmatism and the present-day practice of free improvisation, a musical activity that enjoys its ambiguous nature of not being clearly defined, that is, however, of value to examine as a practice in its own rights. It is used in educational and compositional contexts as a tool, as well as being an established independent performance practice, albeit for a relatively small body of audience. The discussion is led through three concepts that are utilised by pragmatists, but which resonate with the concerns of free improvisers: experience, expressive object and gesture. Outlining these key ideas, the article sheds light on John Dewey’s and Giovanni Maddalena’s thoughts on aesthetics, which provide a perspective for examining these inherent issues of free improvisation. Through a philosophical examination, the article seeks to enlighten the performance processes of the musical phenomenon of free improvisation.
More Than an Instrument: Improvising with failing playback media
Authors: Higgins Jonathan
Published: August 2021

The adoption of playback media – such as vinyl and the compact disc – by performers as a means of sound creation and manipulation sees our perception of these media ‘elevated’ to the status of an instrument. As this practice develops, improvisers push these devices further in pursuit of new sounds, including actively exploring the sonic potential of failure and destruction. This article argues that when pushed to the point of failure, playback media begin to function as an improviser, exhibiting musical agency over the performance that mirrors that of human improvisers. This article will identify how failing playback functions within a performance, and explore the ways in which it can be understood to improvise, discussing how failing playback media can engage in a dialogical back and forth with human improvisers as well as the ways it can directly influence and determine the structure and musical content of a performance.
François-Bernard Mâche’s ‘Sacred’ Music
Authors: Marty Nicolas
Published: August 2021

Drawing on François-Bernard Mâche’s writings as well as interviews and analyses by musicologists, this paper tries to describe how his music may be described as ‘sacred’ music, however devoid of any religious aspects, and what this implies for us as listeners and/or as artists. To Mâche, the sacred is the consideration of a specific relationship to the world as the object and as the subject, as the ‘why’ and as the ‘how’ of music. Musical examples from his mixed music and acousmatic music illustrate how Mâche goes from his theories to more practical aspects of his compositional technique and listening behaviours.
The more, the better? Forecasting gains from high-frequency housing prices in a Markov-switching dynamic factor model
Authors: Huang MeiChi
Published: August 2021

This paper extracts housing boom-bust cycle signals from metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level housing prices using a Markov-switching dynamic factor model. To mitigate the estimation bias, it utilizes high-frequency housing prices that follow the methodology of the monthly Case–Shiller house price indices. The housing bust phases specified from weekly and daily housing prices precede those based on monthly prices by approximately 2 years. MSAs with top signal-to-noise ratios offer greater marginal contributions to improvements in forecasting housing cycles than MSAs with bottom ratios for all frequencies. The results highlight the importance of indicator quality and provide evidence against “The more, the better” since incorporating more MSA-level housing prices into housing factors does not guarantee more satisfactory housing cycle forecasts.
Advances and Applications of Atomic-Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Liu Jingyue (Jimmy)
Published: August 2021

Although scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images of individual heavy atoms were reported 50 years ago, the applications of atomic-resolution STEM imaging became wide spread only after the practical realization of aberration correctors on field-emission STEM/TEM instruments to form sub-Ångstrom electron probes. The innovative designs and advances of electron optical systems, the fundamental understanding of electron–specimen interaction processes, and the advances in detector technology all played a major role in achieving the goal of atomic-resolution STEM imaging of practical materials. It is clear that tremendous advances in computer technology and electronics, image acquisition and processing algorithms, image simulations, and precision machining synergistically made atomic-resolution STEM imaging routinely accessible. It is anticipated that further hardware/software development is needed to achieve three-dimensional atomic-resolution STEM imaging with single-atom chemical sensitivity, even for electron-beam-sensitive materials. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big-data science are expected to significantly enhance the impact of STEM and associated techniques on many research fields such as materials science and engineering, quantum and nanoscale science, physics and chemistry, and biology and medicine. This review focuses on advances of STEM imaging from the invention of the field-emission electron gun to the realization of aberration-corrected and monochromated atomic-resolution STEM and its broad applications.
Alternate History: A Synthetic Ensemble of Ocean Chlorophyll Concentrations
Authors: Elsworth Geneviève W. , Lovenduski Nicole S. , McKinnon Karen A.
Published: August 2021

Internal climate variability plays an important role in the abundance and distribution of phytoplankton in the global ocean. Previous studies using large ensembles of Earth system models (ESMs) have demonstrated their utility in the study of marine phytoplankton variability. These ESM large ensembles simulate the evolution of multiple alternate realities, each with a different phasing of internal climate variability. However, ESMs may not accurately represent real world variability as recorded via satellite and in situ observations of ocean chlorophyll over the past few decades. Observational records of surface ocean chlorophyll equate to a single ensemble member in the large ensemble framework, and this can cloud the interpretation of long‐term trends: are they externally forced, caused by the phasing of internal variability, or both? Here, we use a novel statistical emulation technique to place the observational record of surface ocean chlorophyll into the large ensemble framework. Much like a large initial condition ensemble generated with an ESM, the resulting synthetic ensemble represents multiple possible evolutions of ocean chlorophyll concentration, each with a different sampling of internal climate variability. We further demonstrate the validity of our statistical approach by recreating an ESM ensemble of chlorophyll using only a single ESM ensemble member. We use the synthetic ensemble to explore the interpretation of long‐term trends in the presence of internal variability and find a wider range of possible trends in chlorophyll due to the sampling of internal variability in subpolar regions than in subtropical regions.
Cohesive Sediment Modeling in a Shallow Estuary: Model and Environmental Implications of Sediment Parameter Variation
Authors: Allen Rachel M. , Lacy Jessica R. , Stevens Andrew W.
Published: August 2021

Numerical models of sediment transport in estuarine systems rely on parameter values that are often poorly constrained and can vary on timescales relevant to model processes. The selection of parameter values can affect the accuracy of model predictions, while environmental variation of these parameters can impact the temporal and spatial ranges of sediment fluxes, erosion, and deposition in the real world. We implemented a numerical model of San Pablo Bay, an embayment within San Francisco Bay, California, for November–December 2014, and compared model outputs to observations of water level, velocity, wave parameters, salinity, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the shallow regions. Idealized model runs show that wind timing relative to the phase of the tides is the strongest control on sediment fluxes and bed erosion. We varied sediment erodibility in the outflow of the Petaluma River; while this causes erosion and deposition to vary strongly through the shallows system, total export from the shallows does not change. Model runs with realistic winds show that wind likely resuspends faster settling particles or allows for more particle flocculation; particle settling velocity controls system‐wide sediment accumulation. At the margins of the system, the magnitude of SSC is closely tied to wind direction when winds occur during flood tide, but sediment deposition is less connected: Both bed evolution and SSC need to be considered in the prediction of marsh fate. Spatial patterns of light attenuation due to SSC is strongly tied to assumed settling velocity.
Impact of Thermohaline Variability on Sea Level Changes in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Kolbe Marlen , Roquet Fabien , Pauthenet Etienne , Nerini David
Published: August 2021

The Southern Ocean is responsible for the majority of the global oceanic heat uptake that contributes to global sea level rise. At the same time, ocean temperatures do not change at the same rate in all regions and sea level variability is also affected by changes in salinity. This study investigates 10 years of steric height variability (2008–2017) in the Southern Ocean (30°S to 70°S) by analyzing temperature and salinity variations obtained from the GLORYS‐031 model provided by the European Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service. The thermohaline variability is decomposed into thermohaline modes using a functional Principal Component Analysis. Thermohaline modes provide a natural basis to decompose the joint temperature‐salinity vertical profiles into a sum of vertical modes weighted by their respective principal components that can be related to steric height. Interannual steric height trends are found to differ significantly between subtropical and subpolar regions, simultaneously with a shift from a thermohaline stratification dominated by the first “thermal” mode in the north to the second ’saline’ mode in the South. The Polar Front appears as a natural boundary between the two regions, where steric height variations are minimized. Despite higher melt rates and atmospheric temperatures, steric height in Antarctic waters (0–2,000 m) has dropped since 2008 due to higher salt content in the surface and upper intermediate layer and partially colder waters, while subtropical waters farther north have mostly risen due to increased heat storage.
Double-bowl state in photonic Dirac nodal line semimetal
Authors: Hu Mengying , Zhang Ye , Jiang Xi , Qiao Tong , Wang Qiang , Zhu Shining , Xiao Meng , Liu Hui
Published: August 2021

The past decade has seen a proliferation of topological materials for both insulators and semimetals in electronic systems and classical waves. Topological semimetals exhibit topologically protected band degeneracies, such as nodal points and nodal lines. Dirac nodal line semimetals (DNLS), which own four-fold line degeneracy, have drawn particular attention. DNLSs have been studied in electronic systems but there is no photonic DNLS. Here in this work, we provide a new mechanism, which is unique for photonic systems to investigate a stringent photonic DNLS. When truncated, the photonic DNLS exhibits double-bowl states (DBS), which comprise two sets of perpendicularly polarized surface states. In sharp contrast to nondegenerate surface states in other photonic systems, here the two sets of surface states are almost degenerate over the whole-spectrum range. The DBS and the bulk Dirac nodal ring (DNR) dispersion along the relevant directions, are experimentally resolved.
Technological advances in cancer immunity: from immunogenomics to single-cell analysis and artificial intelligence
Authors: Xu Ying , Su Guan-Hua , Ma Ding , Xiao Yi , Shao Zhi-Ming , Jiang Yi-Zhou
Published: August 2021

Immunotherapies play critical roles in cancer treatment. However, given that only a few patients respond to immune checkpoint blockades and other immunotherapeutic strategies, more novel technologies are needed to decipher the complicated interplay between tumor cells and the components of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Tumor immunomics refers to the integrated study of the TIME using immunogenomics, immunoproteomics, immune-bioinformatics, and other multi-omics data reflecting the immune states of tumors, which has relied on the rapid development of next-generation sequencing. High-throughput genomic and transcriptomic data may be utilized for calculating the abundance of immune cells and predicting tumor antigens, referring to immunogenomics. However, as bulk sequencing represents the average characteristics of a heterogeneous cell population, it fails to distinguish distinct cell subtypes. Single-cell-based technologies enable better dissection of the TIME through precise immune cell subpopulation and spatial architecture investigations. In addition, radiomics and digital pathology-based deep learning models largely contribute to research on cancer immunity. These artificial intelligence technologies have performed well in predicting response to immunotherapy, with profound significance in cancer therapy. In this review, we briefly summarize conventional and state-of-the-art technologies in the field of immunogenomics, single-cell and artificial intelligence, and present prospects for future research.
The neurological level of spinal cord injury and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Raguindin Peter Francis , Fränkl Gion , Itodo Oche Adam , Bertolo Alessandro , Zeh Ramona Maria , Capossela Simona , Minder Beatrice , Stoyanov Jivko , Stucki Gerold , Franco Oscar H. , Muka Taulant , Glisic Marija
Published: August 2021

Study design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective

To determine the difference in cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, lipid profile, and markers of glucose metabolism and inflammation) according to the neurological level of spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods

We searched 5 electronic databases from inception until July 4, 2020. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers using a pre-defined data collection form. The pooled effect estimate was computed using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was calculated using I2 statistic and chi-squared test (CRD42020166162).

Results

We screened 4863 abstracts, of which 47 studies with 3878 participants (3280 males, 526 females, 72 sex unknown) were included in the meta-analysis. Compared to paraplegia, individuals with tetraplegia had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure (unadjusted weighted mean difference, −14.5 mmHg, 95% CI −19.2, −9.9; −7.0 mmHg 95% CI −9.2, −4.8, respectively), lower triglycerides (−10.9 mg/dL, 95% CI −19.7, −2.1), total cholesterol (−9.9 mg/dL, 95% CI −14.5, −5.4), high-density lipoprotein (−1.7 mg/dL, 95% CI −3.3, −0.2) and low-density lipoprotein (−5.8 mg/dL, 95% CI −9.0, −2.5). Comparing individuals with high- vs. low-thoracic SCI, persons with higher injury had lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure (−10.3 mmHg, 95% CI −13.4, −7.1; −5.3 mmHg 95% CI −7.5, −3.2, respectively), while no differences were found for low-density lipoprotein, serum glucose, insulin, and inflammation markers. High heterogeneity was partially explained by age, prevalent cardiovascular diseases and medication use, body mass index, sample size, and quality of studies.

Conclusion

In SCI individuals, the level of injury may be an additional non-modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Future well-designed longitudinal studies with sufficient follow-up and providing sex-stratified analyses should confirm our findings and explore the role of SCI level in cardiovascular health and overall prognosis and survival.
Biallelic loss-of-function variants in WDR11 are associated with microcephaly and intellectual disability
Authors: Haag Natja , Tan Ene-Choo , Begemann Matthias , Buschmann Lars , Kraft Florian , Holschbach Petra , Lai Angeline H. M. , Brett Maggie , Mochida Ganeshwaran H. , DiTroia Stephanie , Pais Lynn , Neil Jennifer E. , Al-Saffar Muna , Bastaki Laila , Walsh Christopher A. , Kurth Ingo , Knopp Cordula
Published: August 2021

Heterozygous missense variants in the WD repeat domain 11 (WDR11) gene are associated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in humans. In contrast, knockout of both alleles of Wdr11 in mice results in a more severe phenotype with growth and developmental delay, features of holoprosencephaly, heart defects and reproductive disorders. Similar developmental defects known to be associated with aberrant hedgehog signaling and ciliogenesis have been found in zebrafish after Wdr11 knockdown. We here report biallelic loss-of-function variants in the WDR11 gene in six patients from three independent families with intellectual disability, microcephaly and short stature. The findings suggest that biallelic WDR11 variants in humans result in an overlapping but milder phenotype compared to Wdr11-deficient animals. However, the observed human phenotype differs significantly from dominantly inherited variants leading to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, suggesting that recessive WDR11 variants result in a clinically distinct entity.