bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Irreversible effects for SWCNT‐MWCNT/water based flow with Coriolis force over rotating frame: A numerical study
Authors: Mehmood Sabba , Rehman Sajjad ur , Batool Afshan
Published: December 2024

In this study, two different types of nanofluids are used: One is the simple nanofluid consist of single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), and the other is the hybrid nanofluid composed of single and multi‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT‐MWCNT). The famous Xue model is incorporated for the thermal energy analysis. An important property related to the nanoparticles is the Brownian motion and thermal‐migration, which is described by using Buongiorno's model. The appropriate similarity transformations are used to convert the governing nonlinear partial differential equations into the nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations for the both velocity and temperature profiles. The numerical solution is obtained for the present problem by using bvp4c Matlab routine. This code is based on the finite difference method that implements the three‐stage Lobatto IIIa formula. The comparative analysis for the entropy generation in rotating frame due to heat transfer, viscous heating, and mass diffusion is the main focus in this study. The impact of different parameters such as, rotational motion , thermomigration and Brownian motion , volume fractions of SWCNT & SWCNT‐MWCNT ,, Eckert number , Lewis number , chemical reaction parameter , Brinkman number the temperature ratio parameter and concentration difference parameter on axial and transverse velocity, temperature profile, entropy generation, and Bejan number are obtained. The obtained results for these different variables are presented through graphs and tabular form. When the solid volume fraction is enhanced, the flow and heat distribution are observed to increase. The Nusselt and Sherwood numbers for both nanofluids are investigated. The decay in Nusselt number is observed as the values of the heat source/sink parameter, thermophoresis, Brownian motion, and Eckert number are increased. However, in the case of Sherwood enhancement an increment in the value of the chemical reaction parameter, thermophoresis, Brownian motion, and Lewis number is observed. The entropy generation is enhanced as a result of increment in Brinkman number and temperature ratio. However, in the case of Bejan number, opposite trend was seen in the entropy generation. For the hybrid nanofluid, the enhancement in both heat transmission and irreversibility effect is observed as compared to simple nanofluid.
Introduction
Authors: Duan Lunbo , Lu Dennis
Published: December 2024

Climate change is currently one of the most challenging issues to the global ecosystem, which has already caused serious consequences in many aspects, such as increasing wildfires, heat waves, drought, and ice sheet disintegration.
Mentoring Our Way for the Future of Indigenous Scholarship
Authors: Kennedy Tristan
Published: December 2024

Professor Tristan Kennedy examines and reflects upon the role and potential value of formal and informal mentorship for Indigenous ECRs. He highlights the collegiality and collaboration of Indigenous mentorship, but points to the current scarcity of senior Indigenous scholars which can make it more challenging to find an Indigenous mentor to help develop that next part of a career. Professor Kennedy explores the pitfalls of institutional mentorship programs which are developed by and feature non-Indigenous people, with worthwhile insights for program developers who want to support the career trajectories of Indigenous ECRs. His steadfast rebuttal of Indigenous deficiency is refreshing and should be a guide for non-Indigenous readers concerned with Indigenous career development.
A Reflective Story of my Educational Learning Journey
Authors: Ober Robyn
Published: December 2024

Dr. Robyn Ober’s chapter illuminates a career trajectory from teacher education practice in rural, remote and metropolitan schools which came full circle when she returned to Bachelor Institute, where she had done her initial teacher training course, to teach a new generation of educators. Dr. Ober reminds us of value of research mentorship, initially as she learned alongside more experienced researchers and later as she experienced the satisfaction of mentoring Indigenous students in their own learning journeys. She outlines the importance of Indigenous leaders and role models to show the possibilities in doctoral education and equally shows the significance of sharing the often-lengthy doctoral journey, with Indigenous colleagues. Dr. Ober also highlights the strangeness of finishing such a large undertaking and the sudden shift to the rigors of a scholarly life of teaching, publishing and generally being in demand.
Musings About Work-Life Balance
Authors: Woodroffe Tracy
Published: December 2024

Dr Tracy Woodroffe reflects thoughtfully on a younger self who burned with a sense of urgency to get her research done and illuminates the often messy and non-linear nature of research. The chapter explores building a track record in the postdoctoral phase, and how to combine prior professional experience to build a new academic career. Along the way, Dr Woodroffe explains the unsettling professional identity challenge that accompanied the transition to an academic life after a successful and rewarding professional career. Dr Woodroffe also reminds us of the value of curiosity and trusting that pursuing what interests you will lead to somewhere interesting, even if it wasn’t what you intended. Finally, Dr Woodroffe offers some sage advice about the constant challenge to prioritise family life and balance academic work.
Quantum null geometry and gravity
Authors: Ciambelli Luca , Freidel Laurent , Leigh Robert G.
Published: December 2024

Abstract

In this work, we demonstrate that quantizing gravity on a null hypersurface leads to the emergence of a CFT associated with each null ray. This result stems from the ultralocal nature of null physics and is derived through a canonical analysis of the Raychaudhuri equation, interpreted as a constraint generating null time reparametrizations. The CFT exhibits a non-zero central charge, providing a mechanism for the quantum emergence of time in gravitational systems and an associated choice of vacuum state. Our analysis reveals that the central charge quantifies the degrees of freedom along each null ray. Throughout our investigation, the area element of a cut plays a crucial role, necessitating its treatment as a quantum operator due to its dynamic nature in phase space or because of quantum backreaction. Furthermore, we show that the total central charge diverges in a perturbative analysis due to the infinite number of null generators. This divergence is resolved if there is a discrete spectrum for the area form operator. We introduce the concept of ‘embadons’ to denote these localized geometric units of area, the fundamental building blocks of geometry at a mesoscopic quantum gravity scale.
A spin on the bulk locality of Slightly Broken Higher Spin theories
Authors: Jain Sachin , Dhruva K. S.
Published: December 2024

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate if it is possible to express correlation functions in Large N Chern-Simons (CS) matter theories/ Slightly Broken Higher Spin (SBHS) theories purely in terms of single trace twist conformal blocks (TCBs). For this, we first develop the machinery for spinning TCBs. We do this both by explicitly solving the spinning TCB eigenvalue equation taking into account consistency with the operator product expansion (OPE) and crossing symmetry, and also by employing weight shifting and spin raising operators and acting with them on scalar seeds. Using these results we show that spinning correlators in theories with exact higher spin symmetry can be entirely expressed in terms of single trace TCBs. However, when the higher spin symmetry is slightly broken at large-N, even though the scalar four-point function is given by single-trace TCBs, the spinning correlators in general, are not. Our results suggest that it may be possible to identify a sub-sector of SBHS theory which has a local bulk dual.
Positivity bounds on massive vectors
Authors: Bertucci Francesco , Henriksson Johan , McPeak Brian , Ricossa Sara , Riva Francesco , Vichi Alessandro
Published: December 2024

Abstract

In this paper, we explore positivity bounds for the effective field theory (EFT) of a single weakly coupled massive vector field. The presence of both mass and spin makes the crossing properties of the amplitudes vastly complicated — we address this by parametrizing the amplitudes as products of a polarization matrix and a vector of appropriately chosen functions with simpler crossing properties. The resulting framework involves sum rules and null constraints that allows us to constrain any combination of low-energy observables, such as EFT amplitudes. By varying the value of the vector mass over the cutoff scale, some of our bounds asymptote to the bounds obtained in the context of photons and massless scalars. This work paves the way for future applications to e.g. non-abelian massive vectors, glueballs and theories with spin larger than one.
The orphan nuclear receptor Nr4a1 contributes to interstitial cardiac fibrosis via modulation of cardiac fibroblast and macrophage phenotype
Authors: Widiapradja Alexander , Connery Heather , Bullock Martyn , Kasparian Ainsley O. , Clifton-Bligh Roderick , Levick Scott P.
Published: December 2024

The orphan nuclear receptor Nr4a1 has complex biological functions and has been implicated in numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease. While protective in atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia, Nr4a1 has been shown to cause cardiac fibrosis in non-ischemic adverse remodeling of the heart. However, mechanisms underlying these actions are still poorly understood. Accordingly, we sought to: (1) understand the contribution of Nr4a1 to the inflammatory environment including macrophage phenotype; and (2) determine the contribution of Nr4a1 to cardiac fibroblast phenotype in the fibrotic heart. Wild type and Nr4a1−/− mice were infused with angiotensin II (1500 ng/kg/min) to induce cardiac fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction. Nr4a1 deletion prevented cardiac fibrosis and maintained normal diastolic function. We determined that macrophages lacking Nr4a1 had distinctly different phenotypes to wild type macrophages, with Nr4a1 deletion preventing the induction of a pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype, instead promoting an anti-inflammatory phenotype. This had functional consequences in that macrophages lacking Nr4a1 showed a reduced ability to induce cardiac fibroblast migration. Interestingly, deletion of Nr4a1 in isolated cardiac fibroblasts also had profound effects on their phenotype and function, with these cells not able to produce excess extracellular matrix proteins, convert to a myofibroblast phenotype, or respond to macrophage stimuli. Nr4a1 causes cardiac fibrosis and subsequent diastolic dysfunction by inducing a pro-inflammatory phenotype in macrophages and by pushing cardiac fibroblasts towards a pro-fibrotic phenotype in response to pro-fibrotic stimuli. Nr4a1 is also critical for macrophage/fibroblast interactions.
Homology and Twisted $$C^*$$-Algebras for Self-similar Actions and Zappa–Szép Products
Authors: Mundey Alexander , Sims Aidan
Published: December 2024

We study the categorical homology of Zappa–Szép products of small categories, which include all self-similar actions. We prove that the categorical homology coincides with the homology of a double complex, and so can be computed via a spectral sequence involving homology groups of the constituent categories. We give explicit formulae for the isomorphisms involved, and compute the homology of a class of examples that generalise odometers. We define the

$$C^*$$

C
∗

-algebras of self-similar groupoid actions on k-graphs twisted by 2-cocycles arising from this homology theory, and prove some fundamental results about their structure.
Exact parallelized dynamic mode decomposition with Hankel matrix for large-scale flow data
Authors: Asada Hiroyuki , Kawai Soshi
Published: December 2024

An exact parallel algorithm of dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) with Hankel matrices for large-scale flow data is proposed. The proposed algorithm enables the DMD and the Hankel DMD for large-scale data obtained by high-fidelity flow simulations, such as large-eddy simulations or direct numerical simulations using more than a billion grid points, on parallel computations without any approximations. The proposed algorithm completes the computations of the DMD by utilizing block matrices of

$$X^TX\in \mathbb {R}^{k\times k}$$

X
T

X
∈

R

k
×
k

(where

$$X\in \mathbb {R}^{n\times k}$$

X
∈

R

n
×
k

is a large data matrix obtained by high-fidelity simulations, the number of snapshot data is

$$n > rsim 10^9$$

n
≳

10
9

, and the number of snapshots is

$$k\lesssim O(10^3)$$

k
≲
O
(

10
3

)

) without any approximations: for example, the singular value decomposition of X is replaced by the eigenvalue decomposition of

$$X^TX$$

X
T

X

. Then, the computation of

$$X^TX$$

X
T

X

is parallelized by utilizing the domain decomposition often used in flow simulations, which reduces the memory consumption for each parallel process and wall-clock time in the DMD by a factor approximately equal to the number of parallel processes. The parallel computation with communication is performed only for

$$X^TX$$

X
T

X

, allowing for high parallel efficiency under massively parallel computations. Furthermore, the proposed exact parallel algorithm is extended to the Hankel DMD without any additional parallel computations, realizing the Hankel DMD of large-scale data collected by over a billion grid points with comparable cost and memory to the DMD without Hankel matrices. Moreover, this study shows that the Hankel DMD, which has been employed to enrich information and augment rank, is advantageous for large-scale high-dimensional data collected by high-fidelity simulations in data reconstruction and predictions of future states (while prior studies have reported such advantages for low-dimensional data). Several numerical experiments using large-scale data, including laminar and turbulent flows around a cylinder and transonic buffeting flow around a full aircraft configuration, demonstrate that (i) the proposed exact parallel algorithm reproduces the existing non-parallelized Hankel DMD, (ii) the Hankel DMD for large-scale data consisting of over a billion grid points is feasible by using the proposed exact parallel algorithm with high parallel efficiency on more than 6 thousand CPU cores, and (iii) the Hankel DMD has advantages for high-dimensional data such as

$$n > rsim 10^9$$

n
≳

10
9

.

Graphical abstract
Comparison of Oxytetracycline and Sulfamethazine Effects Over Root Elongation in Selected Wild and Crop Plants Commonly Present in the Mediterranean Cropland and Pasture Scenarios
Authors: Sacristán Carlos , Guerrero Marta , Sánchez Sonia , Rodríguez Antonio , García Rosa María , Ewbank Ana Carolina , Gros Meritxell , Rodríguez-Mozaz Sara , Martínez Isaura Martín , Guasch Luis , de la Torre Ana
Published: December 2024

Fertilization with animal manure and sewage sludge, and the use of sewage water for irrigation, can lead to high antimicrobial concentrations in agricultural soils. Once in soil, antimicrobials can exert direct and indirect toxic effects on plants by misbalancing plant–microbe symbiotic relationships. We performed germination tests to determine the optimum germination conditions of 24 plant species (10 crop and 14 wild species). Subsequently, we analyzed the differences in oxytetracycline and sulfamethazine phytotoxicity in 19 plant species for which optimum germination conditions could be established. The root elongation of the majority of wild species was inhibited in the presence of oxytetracycline and sulfamethazine, whereas crops were mainly affected by oxytetracycline. There were no differences in sensitivity to oxytetracycline between crop and wild plant species, whereas wild plants were significantly more susceptible to sulfamethazine than crop species. Thus, to cover both productivity and biodiversity protection goals, we recommend pharmaceuticals’ predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) values based on crop and wild plant species phytotoxicity data.
Quality of lumbar paraspinal muscles in patients with chronic low back pain and its relationship to pain duration, pain intensity, and quality of life
Authors: Liu Sihai , Reitmaier Sandra , Mödl Lukas , Yang Daishui , Zhang Tianwei , Becker Luis , Hoehl Bernhard , Schönnagel Lukas , Diekhoff Torsten , Pumberger Matthias , Schmidt Hendrik
Published: December 2024

Objectives

To examine the relationship between the quality of paraspinal muscles and pain intensity, duration, and quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP).

Methods

Between January 2022 and December 2023, 119 individuals with no-back pain (no-BP) and 136 cLBP patients were enrolled. Both groups underwent health surveys and magnetic resonance imaging. Cross-sectional area (CSA), functional cross-sectional area (FCSA), and fat infiltration (FI) of multifidus (MF) and erector spinae (ES) were measured. Data were analyzed using multiple linear and binary logistic regression.

Results

Compared to the cLBP group, the no-BP group had smaller CSA influenced by FI of ES at L5/S1 (p = 0.01), higher FCSA of ES (p < 0.01) at L4/L5, and lower FI of ES and MF at L4/L5 and L5/S1 (p < 0.01). CSA, FCSA, and FI showed no significant correlation with cLBP intensity except for the CSA (p = 0.02) and FCSA (p = 0.03) of the L2/3 MF. Pain duration positively correlated with FI at L2/3, L3/4, and L4/5 of MF and ES (p < 0.05) and CSA of the L1/2 MF (p = 0.02). CSA (L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S1) and FCSA (L4/5, L5/S1) of MF correlated positively with SF36 scores (p < 0.05), while ES muscles did not (p > 0.05). FI of MF and ES showed no correlation with SF36 scores.

Conclusion

CSA and FI were significantly higher, and FCSA significantly lower in paraspinal muscles of cLBP patients compared to asymptomatic participants. Increased FI correlated with prolonged cLBP duration, indicating FI and FCSA alterations may play a significant role in cLBP development and duration.

Key Points

QuestionWhat is the relationship between paraspinal muscle quality and cLBP, including its intensity, duration, and impact on quality of life?

FindingscLBP patients had increased FI and reduced functional muscle area in paraspinal muscles, with FI correlating with prolonged pain duration.

Clinical relevanceUnderstanding the changes in lumbar paraspinal muscles provides insight into cLBP progression, guiding personalized interventions to improve pain management and patient quality of life.

Graphical Abstract
Arcuate eminence distance to temporal bone outer table in the middle fossa repair of superior canal dehiscence
Authors: Yang Hong-Ho , Yang Isaac , Gopen Quinton S.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

To investigate the influence of arcuate eminence’s distance to temporal bone outer table (AE-OT) on surgical outcomes following the middle fossa repair of superior canal dehiscence (SCD).

Methods

We conducted a cohort study of consecutive repairs at a center between 2011 and 2022. AE-OT was measured on temporal bone CT imaging. Surgical outcomes were assessed with established metrics including Symptom Resolution Score (SRS), rate of Overall Symptom Improvement (OSI), and change in low-frequency air–bone gap (ΔLF-ABG) from pre- to post-surgery. Multivariable regression models assessing surgical outcomes were constructed with AE-OT as the primary predictor. Models adjusted for patient demographics, medical and surgical history, and follow-up duration.

Results

A total of 402 repairs were included. Mean AE-OT was 27.1 mm (SD 2.1, range 20.8–33.9). Every mm increase in AE-OT was independently associated with a 14% reduction in odds of OSI (aOR 0.86, 95% C.I. [0.75, 0.98]) and a 4-point decrease in SRS (adj. β − 4.0 [− 6.9, − 1.1]) among frank dehiscences. AE-OT was also not associated with operative duration and ΔLF-ABG among both frank dehiscences and near dehiscences.

Conclusions

Longer AE-OT predicted poorer symptomatic response but similar operative duration and audiometric improvement among frank SCD cases.
Novel neural pathways targeted by GLP-1R agonists and bariatric surgery
Authors: Hankir Mohammed K. , Lutz Thomas A.
Published: December 2024

The glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist semaglutide has revolutionized the treatment of obesity, with other gut hormone-based drugs lined up that show even greater weight-lowering ability in obese patients. Nevertheless, bariatric surgery remains the mainstay treatment for severe obesity and achieves unparalleled weight loss that generally stands the test of time. While their underlying mechanisms of action remain incompletely understood, it is clear that the common denominator between GLP-1R agonists and bariatric surgery is that they suppress food intake by targeting the brain. In this Review, we highlight recent preclinical studies using contemporary neuroscientific techniques that provide novel concepts in the neural control of food intake and body weight with reference to endogenous GLP-1, GLP-1R agonists, and bariatric surgery. We start in the periphery with vagal, intestinofugal, and spinal sensory nerves and then progress through the brainstem up to the hypothalamus and finish at non-canonical brain feeding centers such as the zona incerta and lateral septum. Further defining the commonalities and differences between GLP-1R agonists and bariatric surgery in terms of how they target the brain may not only help bridge the gap between pharmacological and surgical interventions for weight loss but also provide a neural basis for their combined use when each individually fails.
Unraveling the interplay between phylogeny and chemical niches in epiphytic macrolichens
Authors: Gauslaa Yngvar , Hollinger Jason , Goward Trevor , Asplund Johan
Published: December 2024

This study aims to elucidate the connection between the phylogeny of epiphytic macrolichens and their chemical niches. We analyzed published floristic and environmental data from 90 canopies of Picea glauca x engelmannii across various forest settings in British Columbia. To explore the concordance between a principal coordinates analysis of the cladistic distance matrix and a global non-metric multidimensional scaling of the ecological distance matrix, we used Procrustean randomization tests. The findings uncover a robust association between large-scale macrolichen phylogeny and canopy throughfall chemistry. The high calcium-scores of the studied species effectively distinguished members of the Peltigerales from those of the Lecanorales, although parameters linked with Ca such as Mn, Mg, K, bark-, and soil-pH, may contribute to the niche partitioning along the oligotrophic—mesotrophic gradient. The substantial large-scale phylogenetic variation in the macrolichens’ Ca-scores is consistent with an ancient adaptation to specialized chemical environments. Conversely, the minor variation in Ca-scores within families and genera likely stems from more recent adaptation. This study highlights crucial functional and chemical differences between members of the Lecanorales and Peltigerales. The deep phylogenetic connection to the chemical environment underscores the value of lichens as transferable bioindicators for the chemical environment and emphasizes the importance of elucidating the intricate interplay between chemical factors and lichen evolution.
An unobserved lava fountain deciphered in real-time by high-precision borehole strainmeter and contribution to hazard evaluation: the Etna 21 May 2023 eruption
Authors: Bonaccorso Alessandro , Carleo Luigi , Currenti Gilda , Sicali Antonino
Published: December 2024

A powerful lava fountain took place on 21 May 2023 at Mt. Etna after a year of repose, preceded a few days earlier by a shallow seismic swarm. The main critical issue with the eruption was the difficulty to track this eruptive event with conventional remote sensing devices, such as webcams and satellite instruments, due to the bad weather conditions and especially the dense cloud cover. Despite the sophisticated monitoring available at the volcano, the eruption effectively remained “hidden”. It was here that the borehole dilatometers excelled: as with all recent lava fountains at Etna, these high-precision instruments detected significant strain changes and proved a valuable contribution to real-time monitoring of the event. Through recently implemented approaches, the analysis of the strain data allowed us to decipher the eruption: namely identify the timing of the events, evaluate the “size” of the fountain (i.e. its eruptive intensity), and also estimate the erupted volumes in near real-time. This provided a useful support during the Civil Protection emergency meeting at the Prefecture of Catania, where these results were presented and jointly discussed. Overall, the 21 May 2023 lava fountain was an important showcase, demonstrating the strategic contribution that real-time high-precision strain signals may have in defining and assessing the hazard associated with an eruptive event even in adverse weather conditions, when remote sensing systems may be unable to furnish direct information on the ongoing phenomenon.
Vanadium exposure and kidney markers in a pediatric population: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Rojas-Lima Elodia , Ortega-Romero Manolo , Aztatzi-Aguilar Octavio Gamaliel , Rubio-Gutiérrez Juan Carlos , Narváez-Morales Juana , Esparza-García Mariela , Méndez-Hernández Pablo , Medeiros Mara , Barbier Olivier Christophe
Published: December 2024

Background

Anthropogenic vanadium (V) emissions and exposure in the general population have recently increased. Experimental studies have shown that V is a nephrotoxic agent, but little is known about its effects on human kidney health. This work evaluated the association between urinary V concentrations with early kidney damage biomarkers and function in a pediatric population without any disease diagnosed.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out and included 914 healthy subjects and determined urinary V concentrations, glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albumin–creatinine ratio (ACR), and the presence of kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in urine. We evaluated the V effect using linear and logistic regression models adjusted by confounders.

Results

Subjects found in the second and third tertiles of V showed an increase in urinary log-NGAL levels (βT2 vs. T1 = 0.39; 95% CI 0.14, 0.64, and βT3 vs. T1 = 1.04; 95% CI 0.75, 1.34) and log-KIM-1(βT2 vs. T1 = 0.25; 95% CI 0.04, 0.45 and βT3 vs. T1 = 0.39; 95% CI 0.15, 0.63); in addition, subjects in the third tertile had a positive and significant association with ACR (ORT3 vs. T1 = 1.96; 95% CI 1.29, 2.97) and increased in eGFR (βT3 vs. T1 = 3.98, 95% CI 0.39, 7.58), compared with subjects in the first tertile.

Conclusions

Our study reports the effect of V on kidney markers in a healthy pediatric population. It could be related to tubulointerstitial lesions and function abnormalities.

Graphical Abstract
The effect of workload on primary care doctors on referral rates and prescription patterns: evidence from English NHS
Authors: Pilvar Hanifa , Watt Toby
Published: December 2024

This paper investigates the impact of workload pressure on primary care outcomes using a unique dataset from English general practices. Leveraging the absence of General Practitioner (GP) colleagues as an instrumental variable, we find that increased workload leads to an increase in prescription rates of antibiotics as well as in the share of assessment referrals. On the other hand, the quantity and frequency of psychotropics decreases. When there is an absence, workload is intensified mostly on GP partners, and the mode of consultation shifts toward remote interactions as a response to higher workload pressure. The effects are more pronounced for patients above 65 years-old and those in Short-staffed practices. Our study sheds light on the intricate relationship between workload pressure and patient care decisions in primary care settings.
Discrete, recurrent, and scalable patterns in non-operant judgement underlie affective picture ratings
Authors: Stefanopoulos Leandros , Kim Byoung-Woo , Sheppard John , Azcona Emanuel A. , Vike Nicole L. , Bari Sumra , Lalvani Shamal , Woodward Sean , Maglaveras Nicos , Block Martin , Katsaggelos Aggelos K. , Breiter Hans C.
Published: December 2024

Operant keypress tasks in a reinforcement-reward framework where behavior is shaped by its consequence, show lawful relationships in human preference behavior (i.e., approach/avoidance) and have been analogized to “wanting”. However, they take 20–40 min as opposed to short non-operant rating tasks, which can be as short as 3 min and unsupervised, thus more readily applied to internet research. It is unknown if non-operant rating tasks where each action does not have a consequence, analogous to “liking”, show similar lawful relationships. We studied non-operant, picture-rating data from three independent population cohorts (N = 501, 506, and 4019 participants) using the same 7-point Likert scale for negative to positive preferences, and the same categories of images from the International Affective Picture System. Non-operant picture ratings were used to compute location, dispersion, and pattern (entropy) variables, that in turn produced similar value, limit, and trade-off functions to those reported for operant keypress tasks, all with individual R2 > 0.80. For all three datasets, the individual functions were discrete in mathematical formulation. They were also recurrent or consistent across the cohorts and scaled between individual and group curves. Behavioral features such as risk aversion and other interpretable features of the graphs were also consistent across cohorts. Together, these observations argue for lawfulness in the modeling of the ratings. This picture rating task demonstrates a simple, quick, and low-cost framework for quantitatively assessing human preference without forced choice decisions, games of chance, or operant keypressing. This framework can be easily deployed on any digital device worldwide.
Morphological and Mechanical Property Differences in Trapeziometacarpal Ligaments of Healthy and Osteoarthritic Female Joints
Authors: Walker Lizzie , Gordon Daniel , Chiaramonti Alexander , Wang Shangping , Meng Zhaoxu , Daley Dane , Slate Elizabeth , Yao Hai , Pellegrini Vincent D. , Wu Yongren
Published: December 2024

Purpose

To identify changes in morphological and mechanical properties in the volar ligament complex (VLC), dorsoradial ligaments (DRL), and posterior oblique ligaments (POL) in healthy and osteoarthritic female trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joints.

Methods

Twenty-four fresh-frozen female cadaveric TMCs were separated into (1) younger healthy/early-stage osteoarthritic, (2) elder healthy/early-stage osteoarthritic, and (3) advanced-stage osteoarthritic groups based on age and Eaton-Littler grading. Stress relaxation and load-to-failure testing were performed to characterize mechanical tensile properties. Light imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were performed to further assess enthesis structural integrity.

Results

The VLC in advanced-stage osteoarthritic TMCs had attenuated mechanical properties in stress relaxation experiments compared to the elder healthy/early-stage osteoarthritic specimens: Young’s modulus at 20% strain (P = 0.044), instantaneous (P = 0.023), relaxed (P = 0.017) moduli. VLCs in advanced-stage osteoarthritic TMCs also had significantly lower properties in the load-to-failure experiments compared to the younger healthy/early-stage osteoarthritic specimens: stiffness (P = 0.048), ultimate load (P = 0.017), toughness (P = 0.003). Light and SEM/EDS imaging revealed partial detachment and loss of enthesis mineral gradient at VLC metacarpal insertion in advanced-stage osteoarthritic specimens. There were no mechanical or structural changes in the DRL and POL between experiment groups.

Conclusion

VLC morphological and mechanical properties deteriorate across progressively severe osteoarthritis classifications while the DRL and POL remain unchanged. The attenuated mechanical properties of VLCs in advanced-stage osteoarthritic TMCs can be explained by ligament degradation as evidenced by partial detachment and loss of mineral gradient at the metacarpal insertion.
Flat Quasi-coherent Sheaves as Directed Colimits, and Quasi-coherent Cotorsion Periodicity
Authors: Positselski Leonid , Šťovíček Jan
Published: December 2024

We show that every flat quasi-coherent sheaf on a quasi-compact quasi-separated scheme is a directed colimit of locally countably presentable flat quasi-coherent sheaves. More generally, the same assertion holds for any countably quasi-compact, countably quasi-separated scheme. Moreover, for three categories of complexes of flat quasi-coherent sheaves, we show that all complexes in the category can be obtained as directed colimits of complexes of locally countably presentable flat quasi-coherent sheaves from the same category. In particular, on a quasi-compact semi-separated scheme, every flat quasi-coherent sheaf is a directed colimit of flat quasi-coherent sheaves of finite projective dimension. In the second part of the paper, we discuss cotorsion periodicity in category-theoretic context, generalizing an argument of Bazzoni, Cortés-Izurdiaga, and Estrada. As the main application, we deduce the assertion that any cotorsion-periodic quasi-coherent sheaf on a quasi-compact semi-separated scheme is cotorsion.
Incidence of herbivory of the invasive crab Percnon gibbesi on the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica
Authors: Puentes Daniel , Anton Andrea
Published: December 2024

Seagrasses are one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. Posidonia oceanica, an endemic Mediterranean seagrass, is under high and constant anthropogenic and natural pressures, including climate change and the introduction of invasive species. Percnon gibbesi, a small crab with a tropical and subtropical distribution, was first reported in the Mediterranean Sea in 1999, and today is established across the entire Mediterranean Basin, inhabiting the shallow rocky infra-littoral zone. Given that P. gibbesi and P. oceanica can co-occur in the same environments, an experiment was set up to study their plant–herbivore interaction. Using two experiments at two different temperatures (19 °C and 25 °C), the incidence of herbivory on the seagrass tissues (fruits, leaves, rhizome, and whole shoot) by the invasive crab was assessed. The fruits along with the rhizome were the most consumed tissues, and the leaves of P. oceanica were the least consumed, which could be a consequence of tissue structure characteristics and/or nutrient quality. The incidence of herbivory on the leaves of P. oceanica was not affected by temperature. The herbivory pressure of the exotic crab P. gibbesi on native seagrass P. oceanica will likely be limited to a shallow bathymetric range; however, given the large scale of the invasion, the consumption of P. oceanica could become a relevant ecological issue in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Role of Shared Decision-Making in Promoting Family Participation in Treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults with First-Episode Psychosis
Authors: Davies Nicole L. , Cervantes Paige E. , Acri Mary C. , Hoagwood Kimberly E.
Published: December 2024

We aimed to examine the role of shared decision-making (SDM) in family participation in the treatment of adolescents and young adults with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Based on responses of 144 family members of OnTrackNY (OTNY) participants, we divided the sample into low participators and high participators. We calculated the total SDM score for each participant by summing the ratings across items inquiring about SDM and assessed the extent to which loved ones encouraged family participation in their care. Our results indicated that the level of loved ones’ encouragement was significantly related to family participation. When controlling for loved ones’ encouragement, we found that the total SDM score was significantly higher in the high participator group. These findings suggest that SDM may be influenced by loved ones’ attitudes towards family involvement in treatment and SDM may play a role in promoting family participation in care for individuals with FEP.
A study on $$k$$-$$walk$$ generation algorithm to prevent the tottering in graph edit distance heuristic algorithms
Authors: Yoon SeongCheol , Seo Daehee , Kim Su-Hyun , Lee Im-Yeong
Published: December 2024

Graph edit distance is usually used for graph similarity checking due to its low information loss and flexibility advantages. However, graph edit distance can’t be used efficiently because it is an NP-Hard problem. Many graph edit distance heuristic algorithms have been proposed to solve this problem. However, some heuristic algorithms for generating

$$walk$$

walk

generate unnecessary sequences because of the tottering, which leads to many problems. Because of this, various problems arise, like a decrease in approximation accuracy and an increase in execution time. In this paper, we propose an accurate and efficient graph edit distance heuristic algorithm that prevents tottering when generating

$$walk$$

walk

. When generating

$$walk$$

walk

, the traversed node‘s information is saved into the queue and then proceeds to traverse the next node. Then, it is possible to prevent the tottering by comparing an existing traversed node with an enqueued one. Through this, we propose a new

$$walk$$

walk

generation algorithm that prevents generating unnecessary

$$walk$$

walk

and applies it to existing algorithms to prevent the tottering.
The expansive language access framework: an integrated approach to addressing oppression in language education
Authors: Cioè-Peña María , Linares Rebecca E. , Kangas Sara E. N.
Published: December 2024

While language education programs were created with an equity stance in mind—with the goals of increasing access and facilitating academic success for ethnically and linguistically marginalized students—the larger educational context has compromised access for multiply marginalized students. Recognizing a need for more complex understandings of language access, scholars have turned to intersectionality; however, intersectional theory is often applied to individual encounters rather than systemic issues. In this conceptual paper, we showcase how this unitary and unidimensional approach manifests in policies, programs, and conceptualizations of languages and language practices that perpetuate the systematic marginalization of multilingual learners with disabilities (MLwDs). We illustrate how policy and programming have centered language while omitting critical perspectives of race and disability. By focusing on MLwDs, we demonstrate how MLs who are racialized and pathologized through language have been systematically ignored in ways that sustain systems of oppression. The expansive language access framework provides a structure for understanding what it would mean to attend to race, language, and dis/ability at the policy, program, and practice levels, and can thus serve as a tool for stakeholders (e.g., scholars, policymakers, educators) to critically examine, evaluate, and rethink their role in perpetuating and disrupting institutional oppressions that multiply marginalized students encounter. Ultimately, we hope the framework empowers stakeholders to identify opportunities for growth and expansion to increase access to more holistically responsive language programming.
The e-biking in Switzerland (EBIS) study: methods and dataset
Authors: Heinonen Sanelma , de Freitas Lucas Meyer , Meister Adrian , Schwab Laura , Roth Jakob , Hintermann Beat , Götschi Thomas , Axhausen Kay
Published: December 2024

This article presents the EBIS (e-Biking in Switzerland) study, including its methodology, the resulting dataset, and an initial descriptive analysis of the population surveyed. The EBIS study is a Switzerland-wide GPS-tracking study with the aim of investigating the scope of carbon savings in the transport sector due to e-biking. Participants consisted of cyclists and e-bikers across the French- and German-speaking regions of Switzerland. In addition to extensive GPS tracking, the study included a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on transport pricing’s role in substituting e-bike trips for car trips, a retrospective survey on mode shift, and a stated preference survey on cycling infrastructure preferences. We here report participant attrition and engagement rates and compare the EBIS population to the 2021 Swiss Mobility and Transport Microcensus (MTMC) in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and travel behavior. In doing so, we present a unique dataset of 3,940 participants, 324 thousand user-days of tracking data, and over half a million stages by bike or e-bike.
Analysing heterogeneity in factors affecting adoption of ride-hailing services: a stepwise LCCA-MCDM modelling approach
Authors: Bhaduri Eeshan , Pal Shagufta , Goswami Arkopal Kishore
Published: December 2024

The study investigates the latent heterogeneity in travel behaviour among urban travellers, including ride-hailing service (RHS) users and non-users, by incorporating attitudes so as to reinforce conventional user-segmentation approaches. Simultaneously, prioritisation of ride-hailing specific attributes was carried out to assess how RHS will operate in a sustainable way. The study initially examines latent heterogeneity in travellers through a Latent Class Cluster Analysis (LCCA) model. Subsequently, it prioritises key RHS-specific attributes for each cluster using three established Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques. Three clusters were identified based on individuals’ attitudes and covariates (socio-demographics, travel habits, and built environment attributes). The largest cluster is the Tech-savvy ride-hailing-ready individuals (48%) with higher technological literacy, showing maximum acceptance towards ride-hailing. The second largest cluster comprises the Traditional active-mobility individuals (28%) who display the least proclivity towards RHS, probably due to their technological inhibition coupled with greater attachment to traditional travel alternatives. Lastly, the PV-loving multimodal individuals (24%) are primarily vehicle owners but prefer RHS for occasional trips. The final ranking obtained from the analysis has revealed that travel time, reliability, and flexibility are the motivators, while travel cost and waiting time are the deterrents, as perceived by the users, that influence RHS in the Indian context.
Computer-assisted morphology training of reading with grade 2 and grade 3 poor readers
Authors: Kronberg Nea , Aro Mikko , Eklund Kenneth , Lehecka Tomas , Vataja Pia , Salmi Paula
Published: December 2024

Explicit morphology instruction has been recommended for poor readers. Still, hardly any studies have compared the effectiveness of both explicit and implicit morphology training in relation to business-as-usual support in improving reading proficiency. In this study, 277 poor readers in Grades 2 and 3 participated in a computer-assisted eight-week intervention focusing on suffixes in a randomised control trial, with pre-, post- and follow-up assessment in schools for Swedish-speaking children in Finland. Students were randomly allocated into two experimental groups and one control group. The first experimental group played a digital game with explicit instruction in lexical morphology (explicit). The other experimental group played the game without said instruction (implicit). Intervention and Grade effects were analysed using mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA). A significant time x group intervention effect was found only in the implicit vs. control group comparison between pre- and post-assessments; a moderate gain in identification of trained words assessed in a game-like manner was found in the implicit group unlike in controls. The difference in gain remained significant at follow-up for both grades. Additionally, third graders in the implicit group demonstrated a more significant improvement than controls in reading aloud pseudowords with trained suffixes, both in the pre‒post comparison and at follow-up. Results suggest that poor readers benefitted from implicit morphology training, but explicit instruction in lexical morphology (animations with verbal explanations) did not have a significant effect on reading proficiency.
Public Trust in Covid-19 Tracking Technology: A Survey of Attitudes About Hong Kong’s LeaveHomeSafe Mobile App
Authors: Hartley Kris , Aldag Austin M.
Published: December 2024

The effectiveness of governments in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic has been analyzed through numerous perspectives, including state authority, capacity, and legitimacy. In Hong Kong, incumbent political tensions and lack of trust in government potentially weakened public support for official Covid-19 mitigation measures, which included a government-mandated mobile application to monitor personal movements and contacts. This episode invites academic inquiry about public trust in policies and associated technology. Based on a 2022 survey of more than 5,000 residents, this study finds that support for Hong Kong’s LeaveHomeSafe application is associated with, among other factors, a predisposition to cooperate with government in sharing personal data. Several control variables, including age, social media use, and vaccination status, are also associated with support for the application. Trust in policies that use technology and data, and agreement that the government was effective in managing the spread of Covid-19, do not significantly associate with public support for the application. This study deepens scholarly understandings about the distinction between public trust in government and public trust in government technology, a topic of recent interest in the context of smart cities and rapid advancements in artificial intelligence.
Quantifying and Contextualizing Violent Collective Action Event Datasets
Authors: O’Brochta William , Parikh Sunita
Published: December 2024

How does newspaper-based event data compare to a government data source? While scholars have long recognized the importance of and biases present in newspaper-based event data, few studies have compared newspaper reports with official government data to better understand the severity and impact of such biases. We develop this comparison in the context of riots, a form of violent collective action that represents an important middle ground between peaceful protests and protracted civil conflict. Using newly collected police precinct-level government data from India, we compare these data to a high-quality newspaper source. Though similar at the aggregate level, newspaper riot reports correlate poorly with government data at the local level. We model the frequency of newspaper and government riot reports based on literacy, location, and other demographic characteristics to better understand the discrepancies between these two sources. We conclude that newspaper riot data does partially reflect aggregate riot trends, but the newspaper editorial process also plays an important role. Government data is better for within country comparisons and for analyzing event trends over time. Our findings suggest that using collective action event data from both sources may help ensure that results are not driven by biases in either data source.