bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Close to the Problem” or “Close to Your Problem”? The Contribution of Bond to the Structure of Early and Advanced Therapeutic Alliance
Authors: Prusiński Tomasz
Published: June 2024

The study analyzed the contribution of bond in the structure of the therapeutic alliance. Results were reported for two stages of the psychotherapeutic process: early and advanced. The study included 415 psychotherapist–patient dyads in the process of individual psychotherapy. Alliance estimation was based on Bordin’s model of alliance. The hypothesis was tested through structural equation modeling analysis. In both the early and advanced phases of psychotherapy, patient–therapist bond made a large contribution to the structure of the alliance, similar to that of the remaining two components: goals and tasks. The results indicate that bond is a crucial and permanent element in the structure of the relationship in the psychotherapeutic dyad, regardless of the stage of the process. In the advanced phase, the distance in weight between bond and the remaining two dimensions of alliance is minimal. The contribution of bond to the alliance structure as high as the contributions of goals and tasks signals not only the importance of understanding the patient’s problem but also the importance of mutual trust and respect.
People Attribute a Range of Highly-Varied and Socially-Bound Meanings to Naturalistic Sad Facial Expressions
Authors: de la Harpe Sarah , Palermo Romina , Brown Emily , Fay Nicolas , Dawel Amy
Published: June 2024

Depictions of sadness are commonplace, and here we aimed to discover and catalogue the complex and nuanced ways that people interpret sad facial expressions. We used a rigorous qualitative methodology to build a thematic framework from 3,243 open-ended responses from 41 people who participated in 2020 and described what they thought sad expressors in 80 images were thinking, feeling, and/or intending to do. Face images were sourced from a novel set of naturalistic expressions (ANU Real Facial Expression Database), as well as a traditional posed expression database (Radboud Faces Database). The resultant framework revealed clear themes around the expressors’ thoughts (e.g., acceptance, contemplation, disbelief), social needs (e.g., social support or withdrawal), social behaviours/intentions (e.g., mock or manipulate), and the precipitating events (e.g., social or romantic conflict). Expressions that were perceived as genuine were more frequently described as thinking deeply, reflecting, or feeling regretful, whereas those perceived as posed were more frequently described as exaggerated, overamplified, or dramatised. Overall, findings highlight that facial expressions — even with high levels of consensus about the emotion category they belong to — are interpreted in nuanced and complex ways that emphasise their role as other-oriented social tools, and convey semantically related emotion categories that share smooth gradients with one another. Our novel thematic framework also provides an important foundation for future work aimed at understanding variation in the social functions of sadness, including exploring potential differences in interpretations across cultural settings.
Towards a platform-portable linear algebra backend for OpenFOAM
Authors: Olenik Gregor , Koch Marcel , Boutanios Ziad , Anzt Hartwig
Published: June 2024

Graphics processing unit accelerators have become a widespread technology on modern high performance computing clusters for increasing the performance of scientific computing algorithms. Despite early efforts to adopt linear solvers that utilize graphics processing units for OpenFOAM, to this date no widely accepted approach has gotten traction. In recent years, the number of different vendors providing graphics processing units accelerators has grown, and as of the writing of this paper, no commonly accepted, unified approach to leverage accelerators exists. This makes platform-portable solutions to increase the efficiency of graphics processing units offloading techniques desirable, and an important research topic. In this work, we investigate a platform-portable solution using the Ginkgo sparse linear algebra library.
Impact of optimizers functions on detection of Melanoma using transfer learning architectures
Authors: Kılıçarslan Serhat , Aydın Hatice Aktas , Adem Kemal , Yılmaz Esra Kavalcı
Published: June 2024

Early diagnosis-treatment of melanoma is very important because of its dangerous nature and rapid spread. When diagnosed correctly and early, the recovery rate of patients increases significantly. Physical methods are not sufficient for diagnosis and classification. The aim of this study is to use a hybrid method that combines different deep learning methods in the classification of melanoma and to investigate the effect of optimizer methods used in deep learning methods on classification performance. In the study, Melanoma detection was carried out from the skin lesions image through a simulation created with the deep learning architectures DenseNet, InceptionV3, ResNet50, InceptionResNetV2 and MobileNet and seven optimizers: SGD, Adam, RmsProp, AdaDelta, AdaGrad, Adamax and Nadam. The results of the study show that SGD has better and more stable performance in terms of convergence rate, training speed and performance than other optimizers. In addition, the momentum parameter added to the structure of the SGD optimizer reduces the oscillation and training time compared to other functions. It was observed that the best melanoma detection among the combined methods was achieved using the DenseNet model and SGD optimizer with a test accuracy of 0.949, test sensitivity 0.9403, and test F score 0.9492.
Azole Resistance in Veterinary Clinical Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates in the Netherlands
Authors: van Dijk Marloes A. M. , Buil Jochem B. , Tehupeiory-Kooreman Marlou , Broekhuizen Marian J. , Broens Els M. , Wagenaar Jaap A. , Verweij Paul E.
Published: June 2024

Aspergillus fumigatus is a saprophytic fungal pathogen that causes opportunistic infections in animals and humans. Azole resistance has been reported globally in human A. fumigatus isolates, but the prevalence of resistance in isolates from animals is largely unknown. A retrospective resistance surveillance study was performed using a collection of clinical A. fumigatus isolates from various animal species collected between 2015 and 2020. Agar-based azole resistance screening of all isolates was followed by in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing and cyp51A gene sequencing of the azole-resistant isolates. Over the 5 year period 16 (11.3%) of 142 A. fumigatus culture-positive animals harbored an azole-resistant isolate. Resistant isolates were found in birds (15%; 2/13), cats (21%; 6/28), dogs (8%; 6/75) and free-ranging harbor porpoise (33%; 2/6). Azole-resistance was cyp51A mediated in all isolates: 81.3% (T-67G/)TR34/L98H, 12.5% TR46/Y121F/T289A. In one azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolate a combination of C(-70)T/F46Y/C(intron7)T/C(intron66)T/M172V/E427K single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the cyp51A gene was found. Of the animals with an azole-resistant isolate and known azole exposure status 71.4% (10/14) were azole naive. Azole resistance in A. fumigatus isolates from animals in the Netherlands is present and predominantly cyp51A TR-mediated, supporting an environmental route of resistance selection. Our data supports the need to include veterinary isolates in resistance surveillance programs. Veterinarians should consider azole resistance as a reason for therapy failure when treating aspergillosis and consider resistance testing of relevant isolates.
Nonlinear spatiotemporal characteristics of wind–rain flow around the trains passing through the tunnel entrance during rainstorms
Authors: Li Guo-Zhi , E Deng  , Ni Yi-Qing , Ouyang De-Hui , Yang Wei-Chao
Published: June 2024

Tropical storms present a significant risk to the safety of high-speed trains due to the extreme wind and rainfall they bring. This study employs Eulerian multiphase and Shear-Stress Transport k-ω turbulence models for three-dimensional numerical simulations, focusing on wind–rain interactions involving tunnels, embankments, and trains. The reliability of the numerical analysis method for train slipstream pressure is verified by dynamic model test. Based on the scenario of single train running on the embankment and train intersection at the tunnel portal, the train flow around and wake are analyzed successively with different rainfall intensity. The characteristics of nonlinear wind–rain-train flow field are analyzed from the aspects of velocity field, pressure field and turbulent flow. Finally, the mechanism of the influence of rain on the relative flow field is revealed by the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of rain phase. With the increase of rainfall intensity, the increase of rain phase distribution on the leeward side of the single train strengthened the backflow on the leeward side of the train. Under the condition of the trains intersecting at the tunnel portal, the relatively closed area between the train and the water film weakened the slipstream effect of the train.
Bifurcation in an modified model of neutrophil cells with time delay
Authors: Ma S. Q. , Hogan S. J.
Published: June 2024

The hematological stem cells model is introduced with neutrophil dynamics of two department model setting forth. During the cells differentiation and proliferation process, the neutrophils are functioned with negative feedback with delay history, which contains delayed amplification coefficient. In more general view, the new introduction rate is given to replace the familiar Hill function which is helpful to understand the complex dynamics of neutrophils. The double Hopf bifurcation is calculated with the artificial handtools named DDE-Biftool, which is observed as the self-intersection of Hopf lines. The continuation of periodical solutions arising from Hopf points are done and the longer period solutions are manifested with multi-rhythm and bursting oscillation. The near dynamics of double Hopf points is simulated by DDE-Biftool with different route design, the multi-period attractors, quasi-periodical solutions and chaos are observed.
Unpacking the relationship between sense of place and entrepreneurs’ well-being
Authors: Kautonen Teemu , Soto-Simeone Aracely , Kibler Ewald
Published: June 2024

This exploratory study develops an understanding of how the hitherto under-investigated psychological dimension of place affects entrepreneurs’ well-being. The analysis focuses on eudaimonic well-being, which describes individuals’ psychological functioning and fulfillment of their best potentials and is relatively underexplored compared to hedonic well-being (happiness). Based on prior work in environmental psychology, the study proposes that entrepreneurs’ sense of place—their psychological bond with the local setting of their entrepreneurial activities—is an important component influencing their well-being. The empirical analysis of two waves of original survey data from entrepreneurs located in an urban and a rural region of Finland shows that the sense of place is positively associated with several dimensions of eudaimonic well-being. This study extends the literature by shifting the focus from place as a passive container for entrepreneurs’ activities to its role as an active source of entrepreneurial well-being.
Identifying Pathways to the Incel Community and Where to Intervene: A Qualitative Study with Former Incels
Authors: Maryn Alyssa , Keough Jordan , McConnell Ceilidh , Exner-Cortens Deinera
Published: June 2024

The term “Incel” refers to a group of boys and/or men who feel that they have been unjustly denied relationships and sex with women due to an unfair social system, and some Incels have committed violence based on these beliefs. More broadly, self-identified Incels face social and mental health issues and can hold negative beliefs about women and other marginalized genders, which may lead them to harm both themselves and others. In this research, we seek to understand the experiences that may lead men to become Incels. We interviewed 21 people who identified as former Incels about their experiences joining and leaving Incel groups, with the goal of understanding how men find their way into these groups, and how resources might be adapted to prevent young men from becoming Incels. A reflexive thematic analysis generated two major themes with subthemes. The first theme, Seeking help online for struggles meeting masculinity norms, had three subthemes that reflected the specific struggles being experienced: I’m a loser because I can’t get women, I’m all alone, and I have no value. The second theme, Down the rabbit hole: Finding help online from the Incel community, had three subthemes that reflected the several ways they were validated by the community: It’s not your fault, You belong here, and You are special. These findings highlight specific pathways that lead men to Incel communities and why they join them, and potential points for intervention that center pressures for boys and men to conform to masculine norms.
Digital Transformation of Oral Health Care: Measuring the Digitalization of Dental Clinics
Authors: de Ahumada Servant Pedro , Martín-Martín Domingo , Romero Isidoro
Published: June 2024

The profound transformation of business and society as a whole, brought about by digitalization, calls for the development of business strategies to meet the challenges associated with digital disruption and to manage its marked impact on the competitiveness of organizations. To achieve this goal, it is essential to assess the extent of digital transformation (DT) within businesses, as a crucial initial step in charting the most effective path towards digitalization. Nevertheless, a limitation in the existing literature on digitalization in the healthcare sector is evident in the absence of quantifiable indicators that comprehensively measure and track the progress of DT across all facets of dental clinics. The objective of this paper is the construction of a digitalization indicator, the Dental Data Synthetic Index (DDSI), which allows the accurate measurement of progress in digital development levels within all areas of a dental organization. This instrument can be a useful tool for both diagnosis and digital planning in dental clinics. In this paper, the proposed indicator is supported by its application to a representative sample of dental clinics in Spain, obtained from a survey developed for this purpose.
Season, thermotherapy and surface sterilization play important roles in microbial contamination of hazelnut in vitro cultures
Authors: Şekerli Merve
Published: June 2024

The initiation of cultivars for hazelnut micropropagation from mature field-grown plants is challenging due to high contamination levels and low regeneration rates. This study aimed to develop an efficient protocol for establishing in vitro cultures, the crucial first step in hazelnut micropropagation. Three independent experiments were conducted to achieve this goal. In the first experiment, plant materials were collected directly from the field at different times of the year to initiate cultures, with July to August identified as the most suitable period. In the second experiment, one-year-old potted suckers underwent a sanitation program in the greenhouse and were subjected to thermotherapy in the growth chamber before being utilized as explant sources. Nodal explants obtained from these plants were then used to initiate cultures. In the third experiment, various doses and durations of sterilization agents were applied to optimize surface sterilization. The combination of 1% silver nitrate (AgNO3), 0.1% mercury chloride (HgCl2), and 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) after treatments with 70% ethanol and 2% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) yielded the best results, with the highest percentage of viable shoots. Overall, thermotherapy treatment to the mother plant was the most effective method for initiating cultures from plants in highly contaminated environments. While cultures initiated with explants from field-grown plants exhibited 53.7% visually clean shoots, this rate increased to 97.4% in plants subjected to thermotherapy. This study, for the first time, evaluated the effectiveness of applying thermotherapy to mother plants to reduce the incidence of microbial contaminants in the establishment stage of hazelnut in vitro propagation.
The legislative history of the EU’s anti-coercion instrument
Authors: Szép Viktor
Published: June 2024

In the last couple of years, the EU and its Member States have increasingly been the target of a number of third-country measures, including US extra-territorial sanctions and Chinese trade embargoes. Some of these measures are ‘caught’ by the Blocking Statute but some have caused headaches to EU policy-makers on how to best tackle them. The Anti-Coercion Instrument, adopted in 2023, is one of the latest tools at the European Union’s (EU) disposal to tackle economic coercion. The aim of this article is to show the legislative history of this new EU instrument and how it came about. The key role of preparing this legislation was played by the so-called ‘geopolitical Commission’ that is nowadays committed to assertively use the EU’s trade competences to advance foreign and security policy objectives. Due to the foreign and security policy implications of the Anti-Coercion Instrument, the article includes some political and security policy statements to better contextualise the need to adopt such a legislation.
Prognostic factors for return to work in patients affected by chronic low back pain: a systematic review
Authors: Russo F. , Papalia G. F. , Diaz Balzani L. A. , Stelitano G. , Zampogna B. , Fontana L. , Vadalà G. , Iavicoli S. , Papalia R. , Denaro V.
Published: June 2024

Chronic low back pain (LBP) represents a leading cause of absenteeism from work. An accurate knowledge of complex interactions is essential in understanding the difficulties of return to work (RTW) experienced by workers affected by chronic LBP. This study aims to identify factors related to chronic LBP, the worker, and the psycho-social environment that could predict and influence the duration of an episode of sick leave due to chronic LBP.Studies reporting the relation between prognostic factors and absenteeism from work in patients with LBP were included. The selected studies were grouped by prognostic factors. The results were measured in absolute terms, relative terms, survival curve, or duration of sick leave. The level of evidence was defined by examining the quality and the appropriateness of findings across studies in terms of significance and direction of relationship for each prognostic factor.A total of 20 studies were included. Prognostic factors were classified in clinical, psycho-social, and social workplace, reaching a total of 31 constructs. Global conditions with less favorable repercussions on worker’s lives resulted in a delay in time to RTW. Older age, female, higher pain or disability, depression, higher physical work demands, and abuse of smoke and alcohol have shown strong level of evidence for negative outcomes.High global health well-being, great socioeconomic status, and good mental health conditions are decisive in RTW outcomes. Interventions that aim at RTW of employee’s sick-listed with LBP should focus on psycho-social aspects, health behaviors, and workplace characteristics.
Legal Perspectives on Research Data Storage
Authors: Beurskens Michael , Scherzinger Stefanie
Published: June 2024

Responsibly managing research data has become increasingly important for researchers, especially within the database research community. Despite significant progress in best practices, the state-of-the-art in research data storage is lacking from a legal perspective. We introduce the stakeholders and the dynamic nature of their relationships (such as researchers changing affiliation) and observe that no existing infrastructure for research data storage fully meets their requirements. Therefore, we emphasize the need to design a comprehensive system architecture for research data storage that is aligned with legal considerations from the start, rather than as an afterthought.
Limosilactobacillus fermentum-derived silver nanoparticles: biosynthesis, optimization, and biological activities
Authors: El-Hawary Ahmad S. , Ibrahim Osama M. , Kalaba Mohamed H. , El-Sehrawy Moataz H. , Ismail Mahmoud K. A.
Published: June 2024

Probiotic bacteria represent valuable sources of bioactive metabolites with diverse biological functions. This study focused on isolation and identification of promising probiotic isolates obtained from fermented dairy products, aiming to employ their capability for biosynthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and to assess their biological activities. Among six probiotic examined isolates, isolate HwOs-2 exhibited the most promising characteristics, synthesizing spherical AgNPs ranging from 6 to 23 nm in size, as visualized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). These nanoparticles displayed a negative zeta potential (−7.11 millivolts), effectively preventing aggregation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of the AgNPs, revealing distinct diffraction peaks at specific 2θ angles (38.2°, 44.3°, 64.5°, and 77.4°) corresponding to the (111), (200), (220), and (311) planes of a face-centered cubic lattice. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated the presence of organic coatings on the AgNPs, including proteins, amino acids, and carboxylic acids, potentially contributing to diverse biological activities. Isolate HwOs-2 was identified as Limosilactobacillus fermentum through Vitek2 automated system and 16 S rDNA partial sequence analysis. Furthermore, optimization of AgNP biosynthesis using response surface methodology (RSM) revealed the significant influence of silver nitrate solution volume, while pH and filtrate volume exhibit negligible effects and incubation time displays a curvature effect on AgNP production. Antibacterial assays against seven bacterial strains, encompassing both gram-positive and gram-negative species, demonstrated substantial antibacterial efficacy, with inhibition zones ranging from 20.3 to 27.6 mm against S. typhi and MRSA, respectively. Additionally, the AgNPs exhibited antitumor activity against Caco-2 and Huh-7 cell lines, with IC50 values of 350.08 and 388.35 µg/mL, respectively, while displaying lower cytotoxicity against normal (VERO) cells (IC50 value = 622.17 µg/mL). These findings underscore the biomedical potential of AgNPs produced by Limosilactobacillus fermentum across a spectrum of applications.
Longitudinal Sentiment Analysis with Conversation Textual Data
Authors: Liu Haiyan , Tsang Shelly , Wood Adrienne , Tong Xin
Published: June 2024

The inherent qualitative nature of textual data poses significant challenges for direct integration into statistical models. This paper presents a two-stage process for analyzing longitudinal textual data, offering a solution to this inherent challenge. The proposed model comprises (1) initial data preprocessing and sentiment extraction, followed by (2) applying a growth curve model to analyze the extracted sentiments directly. The paper also explores four distinct approaches for extracting sentiment scores in the dialogue, providing versatility to the proposed framework. The practical application of the proposed model is demonstrated through the analysis of an empirical longitudinal textual dataset. This framework offers a valuable contribution to the field by addressing the challenges associated with modeling qualitative textual data, providing a robust methodology for extracting and analyzing sentiments longitudinally.
Experimental Assessment of the Flow Recirculation Effect on the Noise Measurement of a Free-Flying Multi-rotor UAS in a Closed Anechoic Chamber
Authors: Ma Zhida , Zhou Peng , Zhang Xin , Zhong Siyang
Published: June 2024

The flow recirculation effect on the noise measurement of a multi-rotor unmanned aircraft system (UAS) hovering in a closed anechoic chamber is experimentally characterized in this work. The measured acoustic spectrogram reveals that the recirculation forms around 30 s after the UAS’s take-off, manifested as prominent fluctuations in blade passage frequency and its harmonics. However, the instantaneous overall sound pressure level shows no obvious increase with the development of the recirculation. The result indicates that the recirculation effect does not significantly change the total acoustic energy but increases the uncertainties in the spectral distribution, which can be quantified by spectral entropy. The quantitative analysis of different noise components shows that the recirculation has a minimal effect on the tonal noise levels but slightly increases the broadband noise level out of the rotors’ plane. The results from parametric tests suggest that this broadband noise increment has a positive correlation with the UAS’s hover height but a negative correlation with the UAS’s gross mass. The comparison with existing studies highlights the difference in the recirculation effect on the noise of isolated rotor(s) and free-flying multi-rotor UAS in confined spaces.
Adhesion, infection, and therapeutic treatment of Helicobacter pylori: a review on current aspects and future promise
Authors: Ong Lih-Lih , Lin Chun-Hung
Published: June 2024

Background

Helicobacter pyloriis a Gram-negative bacterium infecting over half of the human population worldwide. In addition to causing chronic gastritis, the bacterial infection often progresses to gastrointestinal pathologies at various degrees, including gastric carcinoma. World Health Organization announced in 1994 thatH. pyloriis Group 1 carcinogen. Although antibiotics-based treatment is mostly effective, the alarming rise in drug resistance have resulted in a serious concern for the health.

Main body

This review covers the aspects of bacterial infection, epidemiology and therapy ofH. pylori. An additional emphasis is placed on the bacterial adhesion and anti-adhesion because the attachment ofH. pylorito gastric epithelial cells is crucial for the pathogenesis. We review several anti-adhesion agents that have been shown to interfere with the bacterial adhesion. These agents can either function as receptor and adhesin analogs or foster preventive probiotics. Furthermore, cholesteryl 6′-O-acyl-α-d-glucopyranoside (CAG), exclusively produced inH. pyloriby the unique biosynthetic pathway, has been shown critical for the bacterial virulence. Studies are reviewed to show how CAG influences bacterial adhesion by affecting membrane features, including lipid rafts clustering.

Conclusion

Owing to the emerging threat of multiple drug resistance, current therapy is not always effective toH. pyloriinfection, demonstrating the necessity to develop other alternatives. The approaches of anti-adhesion appear to be attractive since they blockade the initial step of bacterial pathogenesis. This in-depth review of anti-adhesive agents and corresponding mechanisms showcases their potential for future development of therapeutic intervention.
Dark-is-More Bias Also in Dark Mode? Perception of Colours in Choropleth Maps in Dark Mode
Authors: Schiewe Jochen
Published: June 2024

Dark mode is an increasingly common design option in which a dark screen background is used with light-coloured text and graphic elements. This option is, therefore, also relevant for the design of screen maps. This article examines the question of whether a “light-is-more bias” also applies in dark mode for the display of choropleth maps, analogous to the “dark-is-more bias” with light backgrounds (i.e. that dark colours are associated with greater attribute values). However, the results of an online study with 214 people show that the dark-is-more bias is still clearly the most frequently used strategy. This frequency is slightly lower compared to the light mode, and it is depending on the specific colour scheme for the dark mode and on user’s expertise. The study results also allow general design recommendations for dark-mode colour schemes for maps.
Biochar prevents soybean seedling injury caused by atrazine residue by regulating the concentration of this herbicide in soil pore water
Authors: Xie Jun , Guo Yage , Ma Yongqiang , Jiang Hongyun , Zhang Lan , Mao Liangang , Zhu Lizhen , Wu Chi , Zheng Yongquan , Liu Xingang
Published: June 2024

The residue of atrazine in field soils poses a major threat to crop growth in the rotation system, raising concerns about grain security and food safety. Current agricultural production requires more efficient and cost-effective mitigation measures in response to the emerging threat. This study reported the critical concentration (0.1 mg L−1) of atrazine injury to soybean seedlings in soil pore water and how biochar amendment could influence the distribution of atrazine in different soil environments. The results showed that biochar significantly reduced the concentration of atrazine in soil pore water, for example, 0.5% biochar in red (cinnamon, fluvo-aquic, paddy, black) soil reduced atrazine concentration from 0.31 (0.20, 0.18, 0.12, 0.03) mg L−1 to 0.004 (0.002, 0.005, 0.013, 0.011) mg L−1 in pore water (P < 0.01). On the basis of these, a reliable mathematical model was developed to predict the atrazine concentration in soil pore water under (or without) biochar amendment conditions. The verification results showed that the mean absolute percentage error of the model was 14.1%, indicating that the prediction error was within a reasonable range. Our work provides a precise solution to crop injury caused by soil residual herbicides with the aid of biochar, which reduces the bioavailability of atrazine in soybean seedlings. This method not only maximizes the use of biochar but also provides effective crop protection and environmental benefits.

Graphical Abstract
Design and Analysis of a Group of Correlative and Switchable Dual Memristor Hyperchaotic Systems
Authors: Fang Jie , Wang Jiabin , Fang Na , Jiang Yong
Published: June 2024

In this paper, a group of correlative and switchable dual memristor hyperchaotic systems consisting of three subsystems is constructed. The common part of the systems is composed of charge-controlled memristor, capacitor and inductor. The switchable parts of the systems are composed of three different flux-controlled memristors. By switching the selection switch, different flux-controlled memristors can be selected to form different subsystems. The chaotic dynamics analysis show that the three subsystems all can be in the hyperchaotic state within the same parameter range. The equivalent analogy electronic circuit of charge-controlled memristor, three flux-controlled memristors, and the whole switchable system are designed. The circuit simulation results are consistent with the numerical simulation results, proving the physical feasibility of the correlative and switchable dual memristor hyperchaotic systems. The structure of the switchable system is simple and easy to implement through electronic circuit elements. One circuit can achieve the functionality of multiple hyperchaotic systems by switching the selection switch. This provides new ideas for integration of chaotic circuits and their applications in the fields of information security, random number generator, signal detection, etc.
Numerical Calculations of Adiabatic Invariants From MHD‐Driven Magnetic Fields
Authors: da Silva D. E. , Elkington S. R. , Li X. , Murphy J. , Hudson M. K. , Wiltberger M. J. , Chan A. A.
Published: June 2024

The adiabatic invariants (M, J, Φ) and the related invariants (M, K, L*) have been established as effective coordinate systems for describing radiation belt dynamics at a theoretical level, and through numerical techniques, can be paired with in situ observations to order phase‐space density. To date, methods for numerical techniques to calculate adiabatic invariants have focused on empirical models such the Tsyganenko models TS05, T96, and T89. In this work, we develop methods based on numerical integration and variable step size iteration for the calculation of adiabatic invariants, applying the method to the Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry (LFM) global magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation code, with optional coupling to the Rice Convection Model (RCM). By opening the door to adiabatic invariant modeling with MHD magnetic fields, the opportunity for exploratory modeling work of radiation belt dynamics is enabled. Calculations performed using LFM are cross‐referenced with the same code applied to the T96 and TS05 Tsyganenko models evaluated on the LFM grid. Important aspects of the adiabatic invariant calculation are reviewed and discussed, including (a) sensitivity to magnetic field model used, (b) differences in the problem between quiet and disturbed geomagnetic states, and (c) the selection of key parameters, such as the magnetic local time step size for drift shell determination. The rigorous development and documentation of this algorithm additionally acts as preliminary step for future thorough reassessment of in situ phase‐space density results using alternative magnetic field models.
Measured and Modeled Trends of Seven Tropospheric Pollutants in the High Arctic From 1999 to 2022
Authors: Wizenberg T. , Strong K. , Jones D. B. A. , Hannigan J. W. , Ortega I. , Mahieu E.
Published: June 2024

The long‐term trends and seasonality of many tropospheric pollutants are not well characterized in the high Arctic due to a dearth of trace‐gas measurements in this remote region. In this study, the inter‐ and intra‐annual variabilities of carbon monoxide (CO), acetylene (C2H2), ethane (C2H6), methanol (CH3OH), formaldehyde (H2CO), formic acid (HCOOH), and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the high Arctic region were derived from the total column time‐series of ground‐based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements at Eureka, Nunavut (80.05°N, 86.42°W, 2006–2020) and Thule, Greenland (76.53°N, 68.74°W, 1999–2022). Consistent seasonal cycles were observed in the FTIR measurements at both sites for all species. Negative trends were observed for CO, C2H2, and CH3OH at both sites, and for HCOOH at Eureka. Positive trends were detected for C2H6 and H2CO at both sites, and for PAN at Eureka. Additionally, a 19‐year simulation was performed using the novel GEOS‐Chem High Performance model v14.1.1 for the period of 2003–2021. The model was able to reproduce the observed seasonality of all gases, but all species showed negative biases relative to observations, and CH3OH was found to have a particularly large bias of approximately −70% relative to the FTIR measurements. The GEOS‐Chem modeled trends broadly agreed with observations for all species except C2H6, H2CO, and PAN, which were found to have opposite trends in the model. For some species, the measurement‐model differences are suspected to be the result of errors or underestimations in the emissions inventories used in the simulation.
Agricultural Lands Are Losing Topsoil—Here’s How Bad It Could Get
Authors: Scharping Nathaniel
Published: June 2024

A new study says topsoil erosion is likely to increase under climate change, though policy changes now could help stem the loss.
Relationship Between NM Data and Radiation Dose at Aviation Altitudes During GLE Events
Authors: Larsen N. , Mishev A.
Published: June 2024

Ground‐level enhancements (GLEs) are sporadic events that signal the arrival of high fluxes of solar energetic particles (SEPs) that have been produced by solar eruptions. Ground‐level enhancement events are characterized by a significant increase in the count rate of ground‐based neutron monitors (NMs). The arrival of high‐energy SEPs in the atmosphere leads to an enhancement of the radiation environment, with the enhancement at aviation altitudes being particularly hazardous to human health as pilots, crew, and airline passengers can be subjected to dangerous levels of radiation during a GLE. Through the use of a currently expanding library of analyzed GLEs and the application of a newly developed atmospheric radiation model, both of which have been created in‐house, we found a strong statistically significant relationship between real‐time NM data during GLE events and the radiation doses at aviation altitudes. This result provides a strong scientific basis for the use of real‐time NM data as a proxy for radiation dose estimates during GLE events and aids in the development of future nowcasting models to help mitigate the dangerous impacts of future GLEs.
Nonconserved epitopes dominate reverse preexisting T cell immunity in COVID-19 convalescents
Authors: Wang Xin , Zhang Jie , Liu Maoshun , Guo Yuanyuan , Guo Peipei , Yang Xiaonan , Shang Bingli , Li Min , Tian Jinmin , Zhang Ting , Wang Xi , Jin Ronghua , Zhou Jikun , Gao George F. , Liu Jun
Published: June 2024

The herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is continuously consolidated across the world during the ongoing pandemic. However, the potential function of the nonconserved epitopes in the reverse preexisting cross-reactivity induced by SARS-CoV-2 to other human coronaviruses is not well explored. In our research, we assessed T cell responses to both conserved and nonconserved peptides shared by SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, identifying cross-reactive CD8+ T cell epitopes using enzyme-linked immunospot and intracellular cytokine staining assays. Then, in vitro refolding and circular dichroism were performed to evaluate the thermal stability of the HLA/peptide complexes. Lastly, single-cell T cell receptor reservoir was analyzed based on tetramer staining. Here, we discovered that cross-reactive T cells targeting SARS-CoV were present in individuals who had recovered from COVID-19, and identified SARS-CoV-2 CD8+ T cell epitopes spanning the major structural antigens. T cell responses induced by the nonconserved peptides between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV were higher and played a dominant role in the cross-reactivity in COVID-19 convalescents. Cross-T cell reactivity was also observed within the identified series of CD8+ T cell epitopes. For representative immunodominant peptide pairs, although the HLA binding capacities for peptides from SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV were similar, the TCR repertoires recognizing these peptides were distinct. Our results could provide beneficial information for the development of peptide-based universal vaccines against coronaviruses.
Shared and unique alterations of large-scale network connectivity in drug-free adolescent-onset and adult-onset major depressive disorder
Authors: Hou Ximan , Liu Rui , Zhou Yuan , Guan Lin , Zhou Jingjing , Liu Jing , Liu Mengqi , Yuan Xiaofei , Feng Yuan , Chen Xu , Yu Aihong
Published: June 2024

Differences in clinical manifestations and biological underpinnings between Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) onset during adolescence and adulthood have been posited in previous studies, implying an influential role of age of onset (AOO) in the clinical subtyping and therapeutic approaches to MDD. However, direct comparisons between the two cohorts and their age-matched controls have been lacking in extant investigations. In this investigation, 156 volunteers participated, comprising 46 adolescents with MDD (adolescent-onset group), 35 adults with MDD (adult-onset group), 19 healthy adolescents, and 56 healthy adults. Resting-state functional MRI scans were undergone by all participants. Large-scale network analyses were applied. Subsequently, a 2 × 2 ANOVA was employed to analyze the main effects of diagnosis, age, and their interaction effect on functional connectivity (FC). Furthermore, regression analysis was employed to scrutinize the association between anomalous FC and HAMD sub-scores. Increased FC in visual network (VN), limbic network (LN), VN-dorsal attention network (DAN), VN-LN, and LN-Default Mode (DMN) was found in both adolescent-onset and adult-onset MDD; however, the increased FC in DAN and LN were only found in adult-onset MDD and the decreased FC in DAN was only found in adolescent-onset MDD. Additionally, the relationship between HAMD factor 1 anxiety somatization and altered FC of DAN, VN, and VN-DAN was moderated by AOO. In conclusion, shared and distinctive large-scale network alterations in adolescent-onset and adult-onset MDD patients were suggested by our findings, providing valuable contributions towards refining clinical subtyping and treatment approaches for MDD.
Leveraging Large Language Models in the delivery of post-operative dental care: a comparison between an embedded GPT model and ChatGPT
Authors: Batool Itrat , Naved Nighat , Kazmi Syed Murtaza Raza , Umer Fahad
Published: June 2024

Objective

This study underscores the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, particularly the promising applications of Large Language Models (LLMs) in the delivery of post-operative dental care. The aim is to evaluate the performance of an embedded GPT model and its comparison with ChatGPT-3.5 turbo. The assessment focuses on aspects like response accuracy, clarity, relevance, and up-to-date knowledge in addressing patient concerns and facilitating informed decision-making.

Material and methods

An embedded GPT model, employing GPT-3.5-16k, was crafted via GPT-trainer to answer postoperative questions in four dental specialties including Operative Dentistry & Endodontics, Periodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, and Prosthodontics. The generated responses were validated by thirty-six dental experts, nine from each specialty, employing a Likert scale, providing comprehensive insights into the embedded GPT model’s performance and its comparison with GPT3.5 turbo. For content validation, a quantitative Content Validity Index (CVI) was used. The CVI was calculated both at the item level (I-CVI) and scale level (S-CVI/Ave). To adjust I-CVI for chance agreement, a modified kappa statistic (K*) was computed.

Results

The overall content validity of responses generated via embedded GPT model and ChatGPT was 65.62% and 61.87% respectively. Moreover, the embedded GPT model revealed a superior performance surpassing ChatGPT with an accuracy of 62.5% and clarity of 72.5%. In contrast, the responses generated via ChatGPT achieved slightly lower scores, with an accuracy of 52.5% and clarity of 67.5%. However, both models performed equally well in terms of relevance and up-to-date knowledge.

Conclusion

In conclusion, embedded GPT model showed better results as compared to ChatGPT in providing post-operative dental care emphasizing the benefits of embedding and prompt engineering, paving the way for future advancements in healthcare applications.
Malnutrition, protein energy wasting and sarcopenia in patients attending a haemodialysis centre in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Crystal Findlay , Fulai Robert , Kaonga Patrick , Davenport Andrew
Published: June 2024

Background

Haemodialysis (HD) patients are reported to be at greater risk of malnourishment, and at risk of increased morbidity and mortality. However, most studies report from economically advanced countries. We therefore assessed the nutritional status and diet among HD patients attending a public university hospital in a sub-Saharan African country.

Subjects

We performed nutritional assessments in HD patients attending the largest dialysis centre, in the country, collecting demographic and clinical data, dietary intake, along with anthropometric and bioimpedance body composition measurements in May 2022. Malnutrition was classified according to subjective global assessment score (SGA). Additional assessments of protein energy wasting (PEW), clinical frailty, and sarcopenia were made.

Results

All 97 HD patients were recruited, mean age 44.7 ± 12.2 years, with 55 (56.7%) males. Malnutrition was present in 43.8%, PEW 20.6%, frailty 17.6% and sarcopenia 4.1%. On multivariable logistic regression higher serum albumin (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.89, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.85-0.95, p < 0.001), creatinine (AOR 0.99, 95%CI 0.98–0.99, p < 0.001), greater mid upper arm circumference (AOR 0.89, 95%CI 0.83–0.95, p = 0.001), body cell mass (BCM) (AOR 0.79, 95%CI 0.67–0.95, p = 0.013) and employment (AOR 0.45, 95%CI 0.23–0.87, p = 0.017), were are all protective against malnourishment. Almost 75% had reduced dietary protein intake.

Conclusions

Despite a younger, less co-morbid patient population, malnutrition is common in this resource poor setting. The staple diet is based on maize, a low protein foodstuff. Employment improved finances and potentially allows better nutrition. Further studies are required to determine whether additional dietary protein can reduce the prevalence of malnutrition in this population.
How far should I manage acute optic neuritis as an ophthalmologist? A United Kingdom perspective
Authors: Laviers Heidi , Petzold Axel , Braithwaite Tasanee
Published: June 2024

Optic neuritis (ON) is an inflammation of or around the optic nerve, frequently caused by infectious or immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. In the UK, its strongest association is with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), though the combined prevalence of other associated infectious and immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (I-IMID) is similar to that of MS-ON. Prompt identification and understanding of ON’s underlying cause informs tailored management and prognosis. Several IMIDs linked to ON, such as aquaporin-4 antibody-associated optic neuritis (AQP4-ON), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated optic neuritis (MOG-ON), and neuro-sarcoidosis, show remarkable response to corticosteroid treatment. Therefore, urgent investigation and treatment are crucial in cases ‘atypical’ for MS-ON. Following the 1992 Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial, clinical practice has evolved, with short-course high-dose corticosteroids considered safe and effective for most people. Timely recognition of patients who could benefit is critical to avoid irreversible vision loss. This review provides a practical guide and a summary of evidence on the investigation and management of acute optic neuritis. It reflects the knowledge and limitations of current evidence, framed through the neuro-ophthalmic perspective of clinical practice at multiple UK academic centres.
Response of sea surface temperature to atmospheric rivers
Authors: Hsu Tien-Yiao , Mazloff Matthew R. , Gille Sarah T. , Freilich Mara A. , Sun Rui , Cornuelle Bruce D.
Published: June 2024

Atmospheric rivers (ARs), responsible for extreme weather conditions, are mid-latitude systems that can cause significant damage to coastal areas. While forecasting ARs beyond two weeks remains a challenge, past research suggests potential benefits may come from properly accounting for the changes in sea surface temperature (SST) through air–sea interactions. In this paper, we investigate the impact of ARs on SST over the North Pacific by analyzing 25 years of ocean reanalysis data using an SST budget equation. We show that in the region of strong ocean modification, ocean dynamics can offset over 100% of the anomalous SST warming that would otherwise arise from atmospheric forcing. Among all ocean processes, ageostrophic advection and vertical mixing (diffusion and entrainment) are the most important factors in modifying the SST tendency response. The SST tendency response to ARs varies spatially. For example, in coastal California, the driver of enhanced SST warming is the reduction in ageostrophic advection due to anomalous southerly winds. Moreover, there is a large region where the SST shows a warming response to ARs due to the overall reduction in the total clouds and subsequent increase in total incoming shortwave radiation.