bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluations of dyadic synchrony: observers’ traits influence estimation and enjoyment of synchrony in mirror-game movements
Authors: Moffat Ryssa , Cross Emily S.
Published: February 2024

While evidence abounds that motor synchrony is a powerful form of ‘social glue’ for those involved, we have yet to understand how observers perceive motor synchrony: can observers estimate the degree of synchrony accurately? Is synchrony aesthetically pleasing? In two preregistered experiments (n = 161 each), we assess how accurately observers can estimate the degree of synchrony in dyads playing the mirror game, and how much observers enjoy watching these movements. We further assess whether accuracy and enjoyment are influenced by individual differences in self-reported embodied expertise (ability to reproduce movements, body awareness, body competence), psychosocial resources (extraversion, self-esteem), or social competencies (empathy, autistic traits), while objectively controlling for the degree of measured synchrony and complexity. The data revealed that observers’ estimated synchrony with poor accuracy, showing a tendency to underestimate the level of synchrony. Accuracy for low synchrony improved with increasing body competence, while accuracy for high synchrony improved with increasing autistic traits. Observers’ enjoyment of dyadic movements correlated positively with the degree of measured synchrony, the predictability of the movements, and the observer’s empathy. Furthermore, very low enjoyment was associated with increased body perception. Our findings indicate that accuracy in perceiving synchrony is closely linked to embodiment, while aesthetic evaluations of action hinge on individual differences.
A genomic biomarker for the rapid identification of the rob(1;29) translocation in beef cattle breeds
Authors: Iannuzzi Alessandra , Demyda-Peyrás Sebastián , Pistucci Ramona , Morales Rosa , Zannotti Michele , Sbarra Fiorella , Quaglia Andrea , Parma Pietro
Published: February 2024

Robertsonian translocations, specifically rob(1;29) translocation, have reportedly been the most prevalent chromosomal abnormalities in cattle, affecting various breeds and leading to a decrease in fertility and reproductive value. Currently, the identification of rob(1;29) carriers relies on cytogenetic analysis that has limitations in terms of accessibility, cost, and sample requirements. To address these limitations, a novel genomic biomarker was developed in this study for the rapid and precise identification of rob(1;29) carriers. Using q-PCR, a specific copy number variation associated with translocation was targeted, which effectively distinguished between wild-type, homozygous and heterozygous carriers. Crucially, the biomarker can be applied to DNA extracted from various biological matrices, such as semen, embryos, oocytes, milk, saliva, coat, and muscle, and it is compatible with fresh, refrigerated, or frozen samples. Furthermore, this approach offers significant reductions in cost compared to those associated with traditional cytogenetic analysis and provides results within a short turnaround time. The successful development of this genomic biomarker has considerable potential for widespread adoption in screening programs. It facilitates timely identification and management of rob(1;29) carriers while mitigating economic losses and preserving genetic integrity in bovine populations.
Shear-activation of mechanochemical reactions through molecular deformation
Authors: Bhuiyan Fakhrul H. , Li Yu-Sheng , Kim Seong H. , Martini Ashlie
Published: February 2024

Mechanical stress can directly activate chemical reactions by reducing the reaction energy barrier. A possible mechanism of such mechanochemical activation is structural deformation of the reactant species. However, the effect of deformation on the reaction energetics is unclear, especially, for shear stress-driven reactions. Here, we investigated shear stress-driven oligomerization reactions of cyclohexene on silica using a combination of reactive molecular dynamics simulations and ball-on-flat tribometer experiments. Both simulations and experiments captured an exponential increase in reaction yield with shear stress. Elemental analysis of ball-on-flat reaction products revealed the presence of oxygen in the polymers, a trend corroborated by the simulations, highlighting the critical role of surface oxygen atoms in oligomerization reactions. Structural analysis of the reacting molecules in simulations indicated the reactants were deformed just before a reaction occurred. Quantitative evidence of shear-induced deformation was established by comparing bond lengths in cyclohexene molecules in equilibrium and prior to reactions. Nudged elastic band calculations showed that the deformation had a small effect on the transition state energy but notably increased the reactant state energy, ultimately leading to a reduction in the energy barrier. Finally, a quantitative relationship was developed between molecular deformation and energy barrier reduction by mechanical stress.
Deep learning-based diffusion tensor image generation model: a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Tatekawa Hiroyuki , Ueda Daiju , Takita Hirotaka , Matsumoto Toshimasa , Walston Shannon L. , Mitsuyama Yasuhito , Horiuchi Daisuke , Matsushita Shu , Oura Tatsushi , Tomita Yuichiro , Tsukamoto Taro , Shimono Taro , Miki Yukio
Published: February 2024

This study created an image-to-image translation model that synthesizes diffusion tensor images (DTI) from conventional diffusion weighted images, and validated the similarities between the original and synthetic DTI. Thirty-two healthy volunteers were prospectively recruited. DTI and DWI were obtained with six and three directions of the motion probing gradient (MPG), respectively. The identical imaging plane was paired for the image-to-image translation model that synthesized one direction of the MPG from DWI. This process was repeated six times in the respective MPG directions. Regions of interest (ROIs) in the lentiform nucleus, thalamus, posterior limb of the internal capsule, posterior thalamic radiation, and splenium of the corpus callosum were created and applied to maps derived from the original and synthetic DTI. The mean values and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the original and synthetic maps for each ROI were compared. The Bland–Altman plot between the original and synthetic data was evaluated. Although the test dataset showed a larger standard deviation of all values and lower SNR in the synthetic data than in the original data, the Bland–Altman plots showed each plot localizing in a similar distribution. Synthetic DTI could be generated from conventional DWI with an image-to-image translation model.
Mental health and natural land cover: a global analysis based on random forest with geographical consideration
Authors: Li Chao , Managi Shunsuke
Published: February 2024

Natural features in living environments can help to reduce stress and improve mental health. Different land types have disproportionate impacts on mental health. However, the relationships between mental health and land cover are inconclusive. In this study, we aim to accurately fit the relationships, estimate the impacts of land cover change on mental health, and demonstrate the global spatial variability of impacts. In the analysis, we show the complex relationships between mental health and eight land types based on the random forest method and Shapley additive explanations. The accuracy of our model is 67.59%, while the accuracy of the models used in previous studies is usually no more than 20%. According to the analysis results, we estimate the average effects of eight land types. Due to their scarcity in living environments, shrubland, wetland, and bare land have larger impacts on mental health. Cropland, forest, and water could improve mental health in high-population-density areas. The impacts of urban land and grassland are mainly negative. The current land cover composition influences people’s attitudes toward a specific land type. Our research is the first study that analyzes data with geographical information by random forest and explains the results geographically. This paper provides a novel machine learning explanation method and insights to formulate better land-use policies to improve mental health.
Possible transport pathway of diazotrophic Trichodesmium by Agulhas Leakage from the Indian into the Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Martin Bettina , Koppelmann Rolf , Harmer André , Plonus Rene-Marcel
Published: February 2024

Diazotrophic cyanobacteria such as Trichodesmium play a crucial role in the nitrogen budget of the oceans due to their capability to bind atmospheric nitrogen. Little is known about their interoceanic transport pathways and their distribution in upwelling regions. Trichodesmium has been detected using a Video Plankton Recorder (VPR) mounted on a remotely operated towed vehicle (TRIAXUS) in the southern and northern Benguela Upwelling System (BUS) in austral autumn, Feb/Mar 2019. The TRIAXUS, equipped with a CTD as well as fluorescence and nitrogen sensors, was towed at a speed of 8 kn on two onshore–offshore transects undulating between 5 and 200 m over distances of 249 km and 372 km, respectively. Trichodesmium was not detected near the coast in areas of freshly upwelled waters but was found in higher abundances offshore on both transects, mainly in subsurface water layers down to 80 m depth with elevated salinities. These salinity lenses can be related to northward moving eddies that most probably have been detached from the warm and salty Agulhas Current. Testing for interaction and species-habitat associations of Trichodesmium colonies with salinity yielded significant results, indicating that Trichodesmium may be transported with Agulhas Rings from the Indian Ocean into the Atlantic Ocean.
Aggregation of type-2 diabetes, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome in German couples
Authors: Brieger Lara , Schramm Sara , Schmidt Börge , Roggenbuck Ulla , Erbel Raimund , Stang Andreas , Kowall Bernd
Published: February 2024

We aimed to examine the concordance of type-2 diabetes, prediabetes and the metabolic syndrome in couples. In cross-sectional analyses, we used data from 1173 couples with index persons from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study (2011–2015), a population-based cohort study in Western Germany, and partners from the associated Heinz Nixdorf Multigeneration Study (2013–2016). Mean age (standard deviation) was 67.2 (6.6) years in index persons, and 67.8 (7.7) years in partners. The exposure was the presence of diabetes, prediabetes or metabolic syndrome in index persons, the outcome was the presence of the same health status in partners. Diabetes was defined by either self-reported diagnosis, intake of antidiabetic drugs or insulin, or HbA1c ≥ 6.5%. If the index person had prediabetes or diabetes, the partner was 1.46 (95% CI 1.07–2.00) times more likely to have diabetes than partners of index persons without the condition in the crude model (adjusted model: 1.33 (0.97–1.83)). For self-reported diabetes and for the metabolic syndrome, the corresponding prevalence ratios were 1.33 (0.90–1.97) and 1.17 (1.03–1.32), respectively (adjusted models: 1.23 (0.77–1.94), 1.04 (0.91–1.18)). In German couples, there was weak to moderate concordance of type-2 diabetes, prediabetes and the metabolic syndrome in crude, but poor concordance in adjusted models.
A novel extreme adaptive GRU for multivariate time series forecasting
Authors: Zhang Yifan , Wu Rui , Dascalu Sergiu M. , Harris Frederick C.
Published: February 2024

Multivariate time series forecasting is a critical problem in many real-world scenarios. Recent advances in deep learning have significantly enhanced the ability to tackle such problems. However, a primary challenge in time series forecasting comes from the imbalanced time series data that include extreme events. Despite being a small fraction of the data instances, extreme events can have a negative impact on forecasting as they deviate from the majority. However, many recent time series forecasting methods neglect this issue, leading to suboptimal performance. To address these challenges, we introduce a novel model, the Extreme Event Adaptive Gated Recurrent Unit (eGRU), tailored explicitly for forecasting tasks. The eGRU is designed to effectively learn both normal and extreme event patterns within time series data. Furthermore, we introduce a time series data segmentation technique that divides the input sequence into segments, each comprising multiple time steps. This segmentation empowers the eGRU to capture data patterns at different time step resolutions while simultaneously reducing the overall input length. We conducted comprehensive experiments on four real-world benchmark datasets to evaluate the eGRU’s performance. Our results showcase its superiority over vanilla RNNs, LSTMs, GRUs, and other state-of-the-art RNN variants in multivariate time series forecasting. Additionally, we conducted ablation studies to demonstrate the consistently superior performance of eGRU in generating accurate forecasts while incorporating a diverse range of labeling results.
NRF2 attenuation aggravates detrimental consequences of metabolic stress on cultured porcine parthenote embryos
Authors: Glanzner Werner Giehl , da Silva Sousa Leticia Rabello , Gutierrez Karina , de Macedo Mariana Priotto , Currin Luke , Perecin Felipe , Bordignon Vilceu
Published: February 2024

The nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (NRF2) is a crucial transcription factor that plays a central role in regulating oxidative stress pathways by binding antioxidant response elements, but its involvement in early embryo development remains largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrated that NRF2 mRNA is expressed in porcine embryos from day 2 to day 7 of development, showing a decrease in abundance from day 2 to day 3, followed by an increase on day 5 and day 7. Comparable levels of NRF2 mRNA were observed between early-cleaving and more developmental competent embryos and late-cleaving and less developmental competent embryos on day 4 and day 5 of culture. Attenuation of NRF2 mRNA significantly decreased development of parthenote embryos to the blastocyst stage. When NRF2-attenuated embryos were cultured in presence of 3.5 mM or 7 mM glucose, development to the blastocyst stage was dramatically decreased in comparison to the control group (15.9% vs. 27.8% for 3.5 mM glucose, and 5.4% vs. 25.3% for 7 mM glucose). Supplementation of melatonin moderately improved the development of NRF2-attenuated embryos cultured in presence of 0.6 mM glucose. These findings highlight the importance of NRF2 in early embryo development, particularly in embryos cultured under metabolically stressful conditions.
Bifurcation to complex dynamics in largely modulated voltage-controlled parametric oscillator
Authors: Taniguchi Tomohiro
Published: February 2024

An experimental demonstration of a parametric oscillation of a magnetization in a ferromagnet was performed recently by applying a microwave voltage, indicating the potential to be applied in a switching method in non-volatile memories. In the previous works, the modulation of a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy field produced by the microwave voltage was small compared with an external magnetic field pointing in an in-plane direction. A recent trend is, however, opposite, where an efficiency of the voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect is increased significantly by material research and thus, the modulated magnetic anisotropy field can be larger than the external magnetic field. Here, we solved the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation numerically and investigated the magnetization dynamics driven under a wide range of the microwave VCMA effect. We evaluated bifurcation diagrams, which summarize local maxima of the magnetization dynamics. For low modulation amplitudes, the local maximum is a single point because the dynamics is the periodic parametric oscillation. The bifurcation diagrams show distributions of the local maxima when the microwave magnetic anisotropy field becomes larger than the external magnetic field. The appearance of this broadened distribution indicates complex dynamics such as chaotic and transient-chaotic behaviors, which were confirmed from an analysis of temporal dynamics.
Musculoskeletal disorders and its associated factors among hospital cleaners in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Afework Abel , Tamene Aiggan , Tafa Abera
Published: February 2024

There is a paucity of published evidence about musculoskeletal disorders among hospital cleaners in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and its associated factors among hospital cleaners in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A total of 437 hospital cleaners participated in the study. A standardized questionnaire adapted from the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire was used for data collection. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders. The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among hospital cleaners was 57.2% with 95% CI (52.6–62.0). Occupational safety training [AOR: 2.34, 95% CI (1.47–3.73)], repetitive tasks [AOR: 3.09, 95% CI (1.61–5.94)], heavy lifting [AOR: 5.21, 95% CI (3.20–8.48)], work-related stress [AOR: 2.42, 95% CI (1.48–3.97) and work-related dissatisfaction [AOR: 1.97, 95% CI (1.23–3.13)] were identified as associated factors for the development of musculoskeletal disorders. In conclusion the study revealed a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder. Notably, work related and organizational factors emerged as key contributing factors to the development of disorders. The identified associations underscore the importance of targeted interventions promoting organizational change involving managers to mitigate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and enhance overall occupational health and well-being.
Landslide susceptibility zonation using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in the Great Xi’an Region, China
Authors: Liu Xiaokang , Shao Shuai , Shao Shengjun
Published: February 2024

This study aims to delineate landslide susceptibility maps using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for the Great Xi’an Region, China, which is a key planning project for urban construction in Shaanxi Province, China from 2021 to 2035. Multiple data as elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, river density, soil, lithology, and land use have been considered for delineating the landslide susceptibility maps. Spatially thematic layers and distributed maps of all the aforementioned parameters were created in a GIS environment. Determine the relative importance of these thematic layers in the occurrence of landslides in the study area concerning historical landslide data to assign appropriate weights. Landslide sensitivity maps were generated by a weighted combination in a GIS environment after being analyzed by the AHP method. The sensitivity maps were categorized as “very high (11.06%), high (19.41%), moderate (23.03%), low (28.70%), and very low (17.80%)”. Overlay analysis of the test data with the LSM showed that the moderate to very high landslide susceptibility zones were able to contain 82.58% of the historic landslides. The results of the study help determine the landslide-prone areas in the area and provide a reference for subsequent construction. In addition, the analysis of landslide susceptibility in the area contributes to the study of landslides in similar loess sites.
Comparative analyses of Netherton syndrome patients and Spink5 conditional knock-out mice uncover disease-relevant pathways
Authors: Petrova Evgeniya , López-Gay Jesús María , Fahrner Matthias , Leturcq Florent , de Villartay Jean-Pierre , Barbieux Claire , Gonschorek Patrick , Tsoi Lam C. , Gudjonsson Johann E. , Schilling Oliver , Hovnanian Alain
Published: February 2024

Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare skin disease caused by loss-of-function mutations in the serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 5 (SPINK5) gene. Disease severity and the lack of efficacious treatments call for a better understanding of NS mechanisms. Here we describe a novel and viable, Spink5 conditional knock-out (cKO) mouse model, allowing to study NS progression. By combining transcriptomics and proteomics, we determine a disease molecular profile common to mouse models and NS patients. Spink5 cKO mice and NS patients share skin barrier and inflammation signatures defined by up-regulation and increased activity of proteases, IL-17, IL-36, and IL-20 family cytokine signaling. Systemic inflammation in Spink5 cKO mice correlates with disease severity and is associated with thymic atrophy and enlargement of lymph nodes and spleen. This systemic inflammation phenotype is marked by neutrophils and IL-17/IL-22 signaling, does not involve primary T cell immunodeficiency and is independent of bacterial infection. By comparing skin transcriptomes and proteomes, we uncover several putative substrates of tissue kallikrein-related proteases (KLKs), demonstrating that KLKs can proteolytically regulate IL-36 pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our study thus provides a conserved molecular framework for NS and reveals a KLK/IL-36 signaling axis, adding new insights into the disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets.
Highly selective detection of 2,4-dinitrophenol by fluorescent NH2-MIL-125(Ti) via dual-parameter sensing technology
Authors: Hu Qi , Zhan Deyi , Saeed Abdul , Xu Weihong , Kong Lingtao
Published: February 2024

A fluorescent probe based on NH2-MIL-125(Ti) was utilized for the highly selective detection of 2,4-DNP through dual-parameter sensing technology.
Ultra-responsive and highly sensitive 1D ZnO nanotubes for detecting perilous low levels of NO2 gas
Authors: Godse Prasad R. , Kadam Sujit A. , Nimbalkar Tanaji M. , Jadhav Yogesh M. , Jadhao Yuvraj B. , Ma Yuan-Ron , Patil Vikas B.
Published: February 2024

1D ZnO nanotubes were synthesized using a combination of chemical bath deposition (CBD) and thermal methods.
An ultra-soft conductive elastomer for multifunctional tactile sensors with high range and sensitivity
Authors: Yin Ao , Chen Ruiguang , Yin Rui , Zhou Shiqiang , Ye Yang , Wang Yuxin , Wang Peike , Qi Xue , Liu Haipeng , Liu Jiang , Yu Suzhu , Wei Jun
Published: February 2024

Our study shows an ultra-soft conductive material with excellent adhesive ability to solve the mismatch of the interface. With coupled microstructures, our sensor demonstrates a remarkable sensitivity and a fast response time.
Direct observation of phase transitions between delta- and alpha-phase FAPbI3via defocused Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Sturdza Bernd K. , Gallant Benjamin M. , Holzhey Philippe , Duijnstee Elisabeth A. , von der Leyen Marko W. , Sansom Harry C. , Snaith Henry J. , Riede Moritz K. , Nicholas Robin J.
Published: February 2024

Defocused Raman spectroscopy is used to assess the phase stability of semiconducting perovskites, preventing laser-induced damage and simultaneously improving the signal-to-noise ratio.
Statistical optimization of hydrazone-crosslinked hyaluronic acid hydrogels for protein delivery
Authors: Mozipo Esther A. , Galindo Alycia N. , Khachatourian Jenna D. , Harris Conor G. , Dorogin Jonathan , Spaulding Veronica R. , Ford Madeleine R. , Singhal Malvika , Fogg Kaitlin C. , Hettiaratchi Marian H.
Published: February 2024

Design of experiments, a statistical optimization tool, was used to optimize the gelation time, compressive modulus, and stability of hydrazone-crosslinked hyaluronic acid hydrogels for controlled protein delivery.
Lightweight, superhydrophobic, lignin-based polyurethane foam composites for underwater pressure sensing
Authors: Zhao Honglong , Ma Xiaozhen , Xu Xiaobo , Cui Minghui , Stott Nathan E. , Zhu Jin , Chen Jing
Published: February 2024

Underwater flexible sensors are important for the exploration of and detection in underwater environments.
Multichannel nitrogen-doped carbon fiber confined Fe3C nanoparticles for efficient electroreduction of nitrate
Authors: Zhang Fangzhou , Shi Zhangsheng , Chen Junliang , Luo Hongxia , Chen Jun , Yang Jianping
Published: February 2024

A novel 1D hierarchical architecture with dispersed Fe3C nanoparticles confined in multichannel nitrogen-doped carbon fibers (Fe3C/MNCFs) is reported as efficient NO3RR electrocatalyst. The Fe3C/MNCFs-800 demonstrates the nitrate conversion of 90.9%, N2 selectivity of 99.53%, for up to 15 cycles.
An Unsupervised Deep Learning Framework for Retrospective Gating of Catheter‐Based Cardiac Imaging
Authors: Sun Zheng , Yao Yue , Wang Ru
Published: February 2024

Motion artifacts are a major challenge in the in vivo application of catheter‐based cardiac imaging modalities. Gating is a critical tool for suppressing motion artifacts. Electrocardiogram (ECG) gating requires a trigger device or synchronous ECG recordings for retrospective analysis. Existing retrospective software gating methods extract gating signals through separate steps based on changes in vessel morphology or image features, which require a high computational cost and are prone to error accumulation. In this paper, we report on an end‐to‐end unsupervised learning framework for retrospective image‐based gating (IBG) of catheter‐based intracoronary images, named IBG Network. It establishes a direct mapping from a continuously acquired image sequence to a gated subsequence. The network was trained on clinical data sets in an unsupervised manner, addressing the difficulty of obtaining the gold standard in deep learning‐based motion suppression techniques. Experimental results of in vivo intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography sequences show that the proposed method has better performance in terms of motion artifact suppression and processing efficiency compared with the state‐of‐the‐art nonlearning signal‐based and IBG methods.
Quantifying sound colour of musical instruments – precise harmonic timbre coordinates of like instruments
Authors: Prislan Rok , Kržič Urša , Svenšek Daniel
Published: February 2024

Timbre – sound “colour” – is an abstract, delicate property of sound, especially in a high-value context such as musical instruments. It is a perceptual construct so intangible that it cannot be considered a quantity. Since sound nevertheless reaches our ears as a complete physical reality, we hypothesize that this inherent abstraction of its timbre is primarily due to the lack of a meaningful, musically relevant, and robust quantification that would do justice to the subtlety of human auditory perception. It is therefore not surprising that not a single aspect of timbre is to be found in the specifications of musical instruments. We introduce harmonic timbre coordinates, concrete and robust numbers that quantify a partial aspect of timbre of an instrument’s sound – its harmonic structure – with a precision that allows relevance in the musical context. These numbers could, for example, help a buyer find an instrument whose sound is closer to his or her preferences. Or they could enable precise tracking of harmonic changes in sound, and more.
The effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and banana puree (Musa acuminata Colla) addition on the characteristics and microstructure of goat milk yogurt
Authors: Forena Rahavena , Nisa Fithri , Prasmita Hera
Published: February 2024

Yogurt is one of the fermented products which may have increased functional value. However, yogurt made from goat milk has a weak gel strength and high level of syneresis which may reduce consumer acceptance. The addition of CMC and banana puree was expected to improve the characteristics of yogurt. The aim of this research was to study the effect of the addition of CMC (0.75; 1; and 1.25%) and banana puree (10 and 20%) on the characteristics of goat milk yogurt (viscosity, syneresis, total lactic acid bacteria, total acid, and pH). Further analysis was carried out using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to study the microstructure of goat milk yogurt in depth. The results showed that the addition of CMC had a significant effect on the viscosity, while the addition of banana puree had a significant effect not only on the viscosity, but also total acid and pH. There was an interaction between these two factors on the syneresis. The best treatment was obtained at the addition of 1% CMC and 20% banana puree with the viscosity of 7991 cP, syneresis of 6.23%, total lactic acid bacteria of 2.4 x 108 CFU/mL, total acid of 1.49% and pH of 4.49. The microstructure of best treatment goat milk yogurt had denser, more compact and smaller voids than those of control one.
Identification of arabica coffee post-harvest processing using a convolutional neural network
Authors: Effendi Mas’ud , Faqy Maulana Muhamad , Santoso Imam , Astuti Retno , Mahmudy Wayan Firdaus
Published: February 2024

Indonesia’s economy is greatly boosted by coffee, one of its flagship commodities. The post-harvest processing of coffee involves various processes, and the different methods have a crucial connection to the subsequent stages. Digital image analysis using Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) methods can be utilized to improve the identification of coffee beans. This study uses CNN with the ResNet-18 and MobileNetV2 architectures for image analysis. The research results show that the MobileNetV2 architecture produces the best accuracy of 98.89% at a data proportion of 70:20:10, and the ResNet-18 architecture produces the best accuracy of 99.56% at a data proportion of 50:25:25. This shows that both of them can handle differences in data proportions well in identifying the post-harvest process of Arabica coffee. The choice between the two can be considered based on available computational resources, desired model weight size, and relevant data proportion requirements for the desired application.
A “pre-traumatic stress syndrome”: trauma and war in Elizabeth Bowen’s The Last September and The Heat of the Day
Authors: He Qiong
Published: February 2024

As a modernist writer writing through the two World Wars and witnessing the decline of British imperial power through the decay of her own class, the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy, most of Elizabeth Bowen’s (1899–1973) writing is that of trauma. Many critics have suggested that modernist writing provides a response to the traumas of the era and resonates with the Freudian model of trauma, which regards the syndrome of traumatic events as post-traumatic. This essay challenges the previous studies regarding modernist writing of trauma as post-traumatic, by introducing Saint-Amour’s concept of a “pre-traumatic stress syndrome” to study Bowen’s two novels about wars, The Last September and The Heat of the Day. The essay holds that in Bowen’s writing, anticipation and anxiety arising before the war can also inflict psychic damage, just like the actual war. The essay demonstrates how Bowen’s writing about wars adds a new approach to literary trauma studies, which have concentrated almost solely on the aftermath of catastrophes or violence. Interpreting Bowen’s writing as pre-trauma not only provides a better understanding of the psychological condition of people during the wars but brings a new perspective to trauma studies as well.
Research on the development of principles for designing elementary English speaking lessons using artificial intelligence chatbots
Authors: Han Jihee , Lee Dongyub
Published: February 2024

The present study was conducted with the aim of developing principles for designing elementary English speaking lessons using artificial intelligence chatbots. To achieve this, design and development research methods were applied, and initial design principles and detailed guidelines were developed through a review of relevant literature. Subsequently, the design principles were modified and refined through two rounds of expert validation and usability evaluation. The research results yielded a total of 10 principles for designing elementary English speaking lessons using artificial intelligence chatbots, including: 1) principle of media selection, 2) principle of creating a learning environment, 3) principle of content restructuring, 4) principle of stimulating and sustaining interest and motivation, 5) principle of providing guidance, 6) principle of scaffolded learning support, 7) principle of individualized feedback provision, 8) principle of fostering a learning environment that supports growth and development, 9) principle of communication and collaboration, and 10) principle of learning management. Additionally, a set of 24 detailed guidelines necessary for implementing each lesson design principle was developed. Based on the research findings, the principles for designing elementary English speaking lessons using artificial intelligence chatbots, as well as the theoretical and practical implications of the study, were discussed. Finally, the limitations of the research were identified, and suggestions for future research were proposed.
Chinese university EFL learners’ English for General Academic Purposes: relationships between target needs and self-efficacy
Authors: Wang Feifei , Geng Xiaohui , Han Jiying
Published: February 2024

To prepare university students for better participation in global academic activities and address learners’ needs for greater proficiency in academic English, English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) courses are provided in many Chinese universities. This study investigates the characteristics of and relationships between university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ target needs and self-efficacy in China’s EGAP context. With a sample of 1340 EFL learners from four Chinese universities, the results indicated high levels of target needs but low levels of self-efficacy of EGAP among the Chinese university EFL learners. Students at a research-oriented university demonstrated higher levels of target needs and self-efficacy than their counterparts at teaching-oriented universities. Medical students demonstrated higher levels of lacks and wants than students in other majors. Structural equation modelling analysis showed positive relationships between Chinese learners’ necessities and self-efficacy in EGAP. Learners’ lacks had significantly negative relationships with self-efficacy, while their wants had inconsistent relationships with the five dimensions of self-efficacy. The findings deepen our understanding of learners’ target needs and have implications for enhancing learners’ self-efficacy in the EGAP context.
Data-cell-variation-tolerant triple sampling non-destructive self-reference sensing scheme of STT-MRAM
Authors: Jia Xiangjian , Jiang Yanfeng
Published: February 2024

Inevitable process variations (PVT) brought by both the magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) and MOSFET based on the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology become a major obstacle for the mass production of spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM). The detriment of the process variations leads to a serious degradation in the fundamental yield with the shrinkage of the technology nodes. However, the conventional data-cell-variation-tolerant (DCVT) sense scheme cannot get the target read yield due to the limited sense margin (SM). To resolve this problem, a DCVT triple sampling non-destructive self-reference sensing scheme (TSNS) is proposed in the paper, which doubles the SM, with lower power consumption and better SM compared with the conventional DCVT sense scheme. Monte Carlo simulation with industry-compatible 65-nm model parameters results show that the proposed sensing scheme shows over 2.5 times higher SM and less power consumption compared to the previous self-reference circuit. The proposed sensing scheme can get the target read yield with lower power consumption.
A metal object detection system for electric vehicle wireless charging based on LC oscillating circuit and reverse-winding-incorporated detection coils
Authors: Zheng Yingyao , Wang Hui , Chen Xiaoying , Zhang Yiming
Published: February 2024

In magnetically coupled wireless charging systems for electric vehicles, it is common for metal objects to enter the charging system. In this case, the strong magnetic field of wireless charging causes an eddy current effect in the metal object, which generates a large amount of heat. This heat accumulation poses a risk of fire. In this paper, a novel metal object detection system designed for wireless charging of electric vehicles is proposed. The system utilizes the principle that the coil impedance and coupling coefficient change with the presence of metal objects, and a set of composite coils is designed to improve the sensitivity of detection. The detection coil and feedback coil in the composite coil are decoupled by reverse series connection. An LC oscillating circuit based on transformer feedback is used to detect metal objects, and the circuit can make good use of the parameter changes of the composite coil. Finally, an experimental platform for wireless charging metal detection in electric vehicles has been built to validate the proposed system. Through testing, it has been demonstrated that the system can detect the presence of metal objects in a timely and accurate manner.
Experimental evidence for ultrashort-lived spin polarons in EuSe
Authors: van Kooten S. C. P. , Henriques A. B.
Published: February 2024

We investigated the time evolution of the density of giant spin polarons in a magnetic semiconductor. Spin polarons (SPs) were photoexcited and observed using time-resolved Faraday rotation. We find the existence of two types of SPs, a short-lived spin polaron with a lifetime of around τsl = 0.5 ns and a long-lived spin polaron with a lifetime of τll = 0.45 ± 0.03 µs, at T = 5 K. The stark difference of three order of magnitude between these lifetimes suggests that in the long lived SP the electron-hole pair is relaxed and its recombination is forbidden. The short-lived SP is probably associated with SP recombination before such relaxation has occured. An extraordinary finding is that the magnitude of τsl, as well as its decrease with increasing temperature, reproduces exactly the characteristic time for SP growth. This suggests that the thermal fluctuations, responsible for SP magnetic moment growth, are also responsible for increasing the recombination probability of SPs.
Influence of surface acoustic wave (SAW) on nanoscale in-plane magnetic tunnel junctions
Authors: Zink Brandon , Ma Bin , Zhang Delin , Bhattacharya Dhritiman , Abeed Md Ahsanul , Bandyopadhyay Supriyo , Atulasimha Jayasimha , Wang Jian-Ping
Published: February 2024

The use of voltage induced strain to switch magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) is a promising solution for reducing the switching energy in MRAM technologies. The MTJ is integrated with a piezoelectric layer to generate the strain. A very thin layer is needed to switch with small voltages and small energy dissipation. It is challenging to synthesize ultrathin piezoelectric layers that retain a high degree of piezoelectricity. An alternate approach is to use time-varying strain generated by a surface acoustic wave (SAW). This approach does not require a thin piezoelectric layer since the SAW is confined to the surface of the layer. In this study, we fabricated in-plane MTJs on piezoelectric LiNbO3 substrates and used IDTs to generate the SAW signal within the substrate. Our results showed that the SAW signal had a significant influence on the resistance and the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio of the MTJs. The influence was much less significant in nanometer size MTJs than in micrometer sized ones. Most surprisingly, the SAW signal caused the tunneling magnetoresistance ratio (TMR) to drop below zero for the micrometer size MTJ, meaning that the antiparallel resistance RAP is temporarily less than the parallel resistance RP under SAW excitation. Our results provide insight into the dynamic behavior of MTJs under periodic strain and the dependence of this behavior on the device dimensions as they are scaled down to nanometer sizes.
A bioenergy-focused versus a reforestation-focused mitigation pathway yields disparate carbon storage and climate responses
Authors: Cheng Yanyan , Lawrence David M. , Pan Ming , Zhang Baoqing , Graham Neal T. , Lawrence Peter J. , Liu Zhongfang , He Xiaogang
Published: February 2024

Limiting global warming to 2 °C requires urgent action on land-based mitigation. This study evaluates the biogeochemical and biogeophysical implications of two alternative land-based mitigation scenarios that aim to achieve the same radiative forcing. One scenario is primarily driven by bioenergy expansion (SSP226Lu-BIOCROP), while the other involves re/afforestation (SSP126Lu-REFOREST). We find that overall, SSP126Lu-REFOREST is a more efficient strategy for removing CO
2
from the atmosphere by 2100, resulting in a net carbon sink of 242 ~ 483 PgC with smaller uncertainties compared to SSP226Lu-BIOCROP, which exhibits a wider range of −78 ~ 621 PgC. However, SSP126Lu-REFOREST leads to a relatively warmer planetary climate than SSP226Lu-BIOCROP, and this relative warming can be intensified in certain re/afforested regions where local climates are not favorable for tree growth. Despite the cooling effect on a global scale, SSP226Lu-BIOCROP reshuffles regional warming hotspots, amplifying summer temperatures in vulnerable tropical regions such as Central Africa and Southeast Asia. Our findings highlight the need for strategic land use planning to identify suitable regions for re/afforestation and bioenergy expansion, thereby improving the likelihood of achieving the intended climate mitigation outcomes.
Reevaluating the “deaths of despair” narrative: Racial/ethnic heterogeneity in the trend of psychological distress-related death
Authors: Zheng Hui , Choi Yoonyoung
Published: February 2024

Despite the significant scientific advancement in deciphering the “deaths of despair” narrative, most relevant studies have focused on drug-, alcohol-, and suicide-related (DAS) deaths. This study directly investigated despair as a determinant of death and the temporal variation and racial heterogeneity among individuals. We used psychological distress (PD) as a proxy for despair and drew data from the US National Health Interview Survey-Linked Mortality Files 1997 to 2014, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Multiple Cause of Death database 1997 to 2014, CDC bridged-race population files 1997 to 2014, Current Population Survey 1997 to 1999, and the American Community Survey 2000 to 2014. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate mortality hazard ratios of PD and compared age-standardized PD- and DAS-related mortality rates by race/ethnicity and over time. We found that while Whites had a lower prevalence of PD than Blacks and Hispanics throughout the whole period, they underwent distinctive increases in PD-related death and have had a higher PD-related mortality rate than Blacks and Hispanics since the early 2000s. This was predominantly due to Whites’ relatively high and increasing vulnerability to PD less the prevalence of PD. Furthermore, PD induced a more pervasive mortality consequence than DAS combined for Whites and Blacks. In addition, PD- and DAS-related deaths displayed a concordant trend among Whites but divergent patterns for Blacks and Hispanics. These findings suggest that 1) DAS-related deaths underestimated the mortality consequence of despair for Whites and Blacks but overestimated it for Hispanics; and 2) despair partially contributed to the DAS trend among Whites but probably not for Blacks and Hispanics.
Top–down versus bottom–up oxidation of a neonicotinoid pesticide by OH radicals
Authors: Wang Xinke , Wang Weihong , Wingen Lisa M. , Perraud Véronique , Finlayson-Pitts Barbara J.
Published: February 2024

Emerging contaminants (EC) distributed on surfaces in the environment can be oxidized by gas phase species (top–down) or by oxidants generated by the underlying substrate (bottom–up). One class of EC is the neonicotinoid (NN) pesticides that are widely distributed in air, water, and on plant and soil surfaces as well as on airborne dust and building materials. This study investigates the OH oxidation of the systemic NN pesticide acetamiprid (ACM) at room temperature. ACM on particles and as thin films on solid substrates were oxidized by OH radicals either from the gas phase or from an underlying TiO
2
or NaNO
2
substrate, and for comparison, in the aqueous phase. The site of OH attack is both the secondary >CH
2
group as well as the primary –CH
3
group attached to the tertiary amine nitrogen, with the latter dominating. In the case of top–down oxidation of ACM by gas phase OH radicals, addition to the –CN group also occurs. Major products are carbonyls and alcohols, but in the presence of sufficient water, their hydrolyzed products dominate. Kinetics measurements show ACM is more reactive toward gas phase OH radicals than other NN nitroguanidines, with an atmospheric lifetime of a few days. Bottom–up oxidation of ACM on TiO
2
exposed to sunlight outdoors (temperatures were above 30 °C) was also shown to occur and is likely to be competitive with top–down oxidation. These findings highlight the different potential oxidation processes for EC and provide key data for assessing their environmental fates and toxicologies.
Buckling-induced sound production in the aeroelastic tymbals of
Yponomeuta
Authors: Mendoza Nava Hernaldo , Holderied Marc W. , Pirrera Alberto , Groh Rainer M. J.
Published: February 2024

The loss of elastic stability (buckling) can lead to catastrophic failure in the context of traditional engineering structures. Conversely, in nature, buckling often serves a desirable function, such as in the prey-trapping mechanism of the Venus fly trap (
Dionaea muscipula
). This paper investigates the buckling-enabled sound production in the wingbeat-powered (aeroelastic) tymbals of
Yponomeuta
moths. The hindwings of
Yponomeuta
possess a striated band of ridges that snap through sequentially during the up- and downstroke of the wingbeat cycle—a process reminiscent of cellular buckling in compressed slender shells. As a result, bursts of ultrasonic clicks are produced that deter predators (i.e. bats). Using various biological and mechanical characterization techniques, we show that wing camber changes during the wingbeat cycle act as the single actuation mechanism that causes buckling to propagate sequentially through each stria on the tymbal. The snap-through of each stria excites a bald patch of the wing’s membrane, thereby amplifying sound pressure levels and radiating sound at the resonant frequencies of the patch. In addition, the interaction of phased tymbal clicks from the two wings enhances the directivity of the acoustic signal strength, suggesting an improvement in acoustic protection. These findings unveil the acousto-mechanics of
Yponomeuta
tymbals and uncover their buckling-driven evolutionary origin. We anticipate that through bioinspiration, aeroelastic tymbals will encourage novel developments in the context of multi-stable morphing structures, acoustic structural monitoring, and soft robotics.