bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of digital tools in rare neurological diseases towards a new care model: a narrative review
Authors: Torri Francesca , Vadi Gabriele , Meli Adriana , Loprieno Sara , Schirinzi Erika , Lopriore Piervito , Ricci Giulia , Siciliano Gabriele , Mancuso Michelangelo
Published: June 2024

Rare neurological diseases as a whole share peculiar features as motor and/or cognitive impairment, an elevated disability burden, a frequently chronic course and, in present times, scarcity of therapeutic options. The rarity of those conditions hampers both the identification of significant prognostic outcome measures, and the development of novel therapeutic approaches and clinical trials. Collection of objective clinical data through digital devices can support diagnosis, care, and therapeutic research. We provide an overview on recent developments in the field of digital tools applied to rare neurological diseases, both in the care setting and as providers of outcome measures in clinical trials in a representative subgroup of conditions, including ataxias, hereditary spastic paraplegias, motoneuron diseases and myopathies.
Exploring a paradox: Psychopathy, Morality and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour
Authors: Kirrane Melrona , Farqan Adeela , Cloak Emer
Published: June 2024

Studies of the association between psychopathic traits and prosocial behavior are limited, with explanatory mechanisms of such dynamics being similarly scant within the empirical literature. Using a large sample of people in leadership roles, we explore the associations between the three facets of psychopathy (TriPM, Patrick CJ (2010) Operationalizing the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy: preliminary description of brief scales for assessment of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. Unpublished test manual, Florida State University, pp. 1110–1131), and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB, Smith et al (1983) J Appl Psychol 68:653–663). We examine the mediating role of individualizing and binding moral foundations (MFQ, Graham et al. (2013) Adv Exp Soc Psychol 47:55–130) within these relationships. Correlation analysis revealed that boldness was positively correlated with OCB, while both meanness and disinhibition were negatively correlated with OCB. Mediation analysis demonstrated that only individualizing moral foundations (IMF) mediated the relationship between meanness and OCB, such that meanness led to lower IMF and reduced levels of OCB. Our findings signal that lower IMF enables the nefarious behavior of people with darker psychopathic traits, while moral foundations as a whole play no role in advancing the prosocial behavior of people with so-called adaptive psychopathic traits. The contributions of these findings to the literature are discussed.
Adoption of automated software engineering tools and techniques in Thailand
Authors: Ragkhitwetsagul Chaiyong , Krinke Jens , Choetkiertikul Morakot , Sunetnanta Thanwadee , Sarro Federica
Published: June 2024

Readiness for the adoption of Automated Software Engineering (ASE) tools and techniques can vary according to the size and maturity of software companies. ASE tools and techniques have been adopted by large or ultra-large software companies. However, little is known about the adoption of ASE tools and techniques in small and medium-sized software enterprises (SSMEs) in emerging countries, and the challenges faced by such companies. We study the adoption of ASE tools and techniques for software measurement, static code analysis, continuous integration, and software testing, and the respective challenges faced by software developers in Thailand, a developing country with a growing software economy which mainly consists of SSMEs (similar to other developing countries). Based on the answers from 103 Thai participants in an online survey, we found that Thai software developers are somewhat familiar with ASE tools and agree that adopting such tools would be beneficial. Most of the developers do not use software measurement or static code analysis tools due to a lack of knowledge or experience but agree that their use would be useful. Continuous integration tools have been used with some difficulties. Lastly, although automated testing tools are adopted despite several serious challenges, many developers are still testing the software manually. We call for improvements in ASE tools to be easier to use in order to lower the barrier to adoption in small and medium-sized software enterprises (SSMEs) in developing countries.
Vulnerability of Poverty Between Male and Female-Headed Households in China
Authors: Zhang Miao , You Shibing , Yi Shuaixiang , Zhang Shiwen , Xiao Yuzhu
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the nexus between household head gender and poverty vulnerability in the context of China's eradication of absolute poverty. Using a sample of 5061 rural households from the 2018 CFPS database, poverty vulnerability is quantitatively measured through the VEP model and the 3FGLS method. Additionally, the Probit model is employed to elucidate the ties between household head gender and rural household poverty vulnerability. The study uncovers an absence of significant disparity in poverty vulnerability between female-headed and male-headed households overall. However, heterogeneity is observed within female-headed households: de jure female-headed households exhibit greater vulnerability, while De facto female-headed households display the opposite trend. Notably, health risks are accentuated as a decisive factor, with female-headed households, especially de jure ones, experiencing significantly higher health risks than their male-headed counterparts. Moreover, the education level, household income, and assets are positively correlated with reducing poverty vulnerability and facilitating households' escape from poverty. These findings provide important references for formulating poverty alleviation strategies and more effective mechanisms to prevent relapse, thereby alleviating vulnerability to relative poverty.
Association Between Religiosity and Spirituality and Cocaine Use: A Systematic Review
Authors: Buja Alessandra , Montecchio Laura , Dossi Francesca
Published: June 2024

Previous literature has evidenced a possible impact on health, mental health, and health-related faith behaviors due to the effects of an individual’s spiritual dimension. The aim of this study is to collect and summarize all current data from observational studies regarding the association between religiosity or spirituality (R/S) and cocaine use (CU). A systematic literature search of analytical observational studies on the association between religiosity or spirituality and the use of cocaine was performed in PubMed and Scopus databases. Twenty observational studies were included in this review. Fifteen of the twenty observational studies found that a higher level of religiosity was associated with lower lifetime and actual cocaine use, both in adults and adolescents. However, one study conducted in a sexual minorities sample found that higher religiosity—measured as frequency of private religious activities such as prayer—was associated with a higher probability of cocaine use. Two studies found no evidence of any association between religiosity and cocaine use, and two found mixed results. This review found a possible protective role of religiosity on cocaine use, even if the cross-sectional nature of the greater part of the studies prevented drawing any casual relation. Future studies with a longitudinal approach are required. However, the support of activities aimed at broadening a religious attitude and beliefs could result in creating an environment protective for young people against cocaine use.
Characterization of organelle DNA degradation mediated by DPD1 exonuclease in the rice genome-edited line
Authors: Islam Md. Faridul , Yamatani Hiroshi , Takami Tsuneaki , Kusaba Makoto , Sakamoto Wataru
Published: June 2024

Mitochondria and plastids, originated as ancestral endosymbiotic bacteria, contain their own DNA sequences. These organelle DNAs (orgDNAs) are, despite the limited genetic information they contain, an indispensable part of the genetic systems but exist as multiple copies, making up a substantial amount of total cellular DNA. Given this abundance, orgDNA is known to undergo tissue-specific degradation in plants. Previous studies have shown that the exonuclease DPD1, conserved among seed plants, degrades orgDNAs during pollen maturation and leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. However, tissue-specific orgDNA degradation was shown to differ among species. To extend our knowledge, we characterized DPD1 in rice in this study. We created a genome-edited (GE) mutant in which OsDPD1 and OsDPD1-like were inactivated. Characterization of this GE plant demonstrated that DPD1 was involved in pollen orgDNA degradation, whereas it had no significant effect on orgDNA degradation during leaf senescence. Comparison of transcriptomes from wild-type and GE plants with different phosphate supply levels indicated that orgDNA had little impact on the phosphate starvation response, but instead had a global impact in plant growth. In fact, the GE plant showed lower fitness with reduced grain filling rate and grain weight in natural light conditions. Taken together, the presented data reinforce the important physiological roles of orgDNA degradation mediated by DPD1.
Undoing Gendered Identities? Centrality and Meanings of Parental and Work Identities in Semi-Traditional, Equal-Sharing and Role-Reversed Couples
Authors: Gaunt Ruth , Jordan Ana , Wezyk Agata , Pinho Mariana , Tarrant Anna , Chanamuto Nicola
Published: June 2024

This mixed-methods study explored the centrality and meanings of men’s and women’s parental and work-related identities by comparing semi-traditional, equal-sharing, and role-reversed couples. Quantitative analysis involved 2,813 British parents (1,380 men, 1,433 women) who were primary caregivers, primary breadwinners, or equal sharers with at least one child aged 11 or under. Qualitative analysis drew on 60 in-depth interviews with 10 couples from each of the three groups. Results indicated that the centrality of parental and work identities varied by role rather than gender, as both male and female caregivers reported less central work identities and more central parental identities compared to breadwinners and equal-sharers. Equal-sharers and role-reversers were characterized by women’s central work identity and men’s low centrality of work identity. In these couples, a `half and half` parenting ideology underlined the construction of mothering and fathering as equivalent interchangeable identities, each forming only one half of a child’s parenting. Intertwining their maternal identity with an equivalent construction of their partners’ identity allowed women to reconcile a good mother ideal with central work identities, by redefining mothering as a responsibility for only half of the caregiving.
Observations of the Polarized Solar Corona During the Annular Eclipse of 14 October 2023
Authors: Seaton Daniel B. , Caspi Amir , Alzate Nathalia , Davis Sarah J. , DeForest Alec R. , DeForest Craig E. , Erickson Nicholas F. , Kovac Sarah A. , Patel Ritesh , Osterman Steven N. , Tosolini Anna , Van Kooten Samuel J. , West Matthew J.
Published: June 2024

We present results of a dual eclipse expedition to observe the solar corona from two sites during the annular solar eclipse of 14 October 2023 using a novel coronagraph designed to be accessible for amateurs and students to build and deploy. The coronagraph (CATEcor) builds on the standardized eclipse observing equipment developed for the Citizen CATE 2024 experiment. The observing sites were selected for likelihood of clear observations, for historic relevance (near the Climax site in the Colorado Rocky Mountains), and for centrality to the annular eclipse path (atop Sandia Peak above Albuquerque, New Mexico). The novel portion of CATEcor is an external occulter assembly that slips over the front of a conventional dioptric telescope, forming a shaded-truss externally occulted coronagraph. CATEcor is specifically designed to be easily constructed in a garage or “makerspace” environment. We successfully observed some bright features in the solar corona to an altitude of approximately 2.25 R⊙ during the annular phases of the eclipse. Future improvements to the design, in progress now, will reduce both stray light and image artifacts; our objective is to develop a design that can be operated successfully by amateur astronomers at sufficient altitude even without the darkened skies of a partial or annular eclipse.
Additives Depletion by Water Contamination and Its Influences on Engine Oil Performance
Authors: Al Sheikh Omar A. , Salehi F. Motamen , Farooq U. , Morina A.
Published: June 2024

Water enters engine oil in different ways and moves in the lubrication system causing an increase in wear, oil degradation and additives depletion. It has been proposed that water in the lubricants can transfer from dissolved to free phase leading to additives depletion in the oil. Different additives in the lubricants can easily latch to water molecules forming reverse micelles. The separation of reverse micelles from the oil causes additives depletion. This experimental and analytical study aims to investigate how the separation of free water above the saturation level can diminish the efficiency of additives in engine oils. The effect of varied levels of water on oil performance and its additives was investigated in this study. A new saturation method was used to determine the water saturation level in engine oil at different temperatures. The results reveal a decrease in additive concentration with increased separation of free water from the oil. Free water separation from engine oil is expected to reclaim the tribological performance, however, the results demonstrate that tribological performance after the separation of free water from the oil has been affected. The study showed not only does the removal of free water diminish the efficiency of additives due to additives depletion (≈ 10 wt%), but also the remaining dissolved water which is ≈ 2600 ppm can also affect wear and tribofilm chemistry. The results prove that two main mechanisms influence oil performance expressed as additives depletion by free water and remaining dissolved water.
High-quality use of representations in the mathematics classroom – a matter of the cultural perspective?
Authors: Dreher Anika , Wang Ting-Ying , Feltes Paul , Hsieh Feng-Jui , Lindmeier Anke
Published: June 2024

The teacher’s use of representations is a crucial aspect of instructional quality in mathematics education, given their pivotal role in facilitating mathematics learning. However, in our international research community, perspectives on what constitutes high-quality use of representations may vary. This cross-cultural study aims to explore whether the perspectives from Western literature, emphasizing the importance of explicit connections between symbolic and graphic representations, can be extended legitimately to the East Asian context. Using a situated approach, the study elicited norms of high-quality representation use from researchers in Germany and Taiwan. A total of 31 mathematics education professors from both countries evaluated the use of representations in three secondary mathematics classroom situations presented as text vignettes. The vignettes, designed by the German research team, each depicted a situation where from their perspective, a norm of high-quality representation use, specifically the explicit connection between symbolic and graphic representations, was violated. Qualitative analysis of the researchers' responses revealed that in each situation, at least half of the German researchers expected explicit connections between representations. Conversely, the majority of Taiwanese researchers only expected such connections in one situation, particularly when the graphic representation served as an independent learning objective rather than solely aiding conceptual understanding. These findings indicate easily unnoticed culture-specific differences regarding how a common aspect of instructional quality is expected to unfold in teaching.
The Role of the Artificial Urinary Sphincter in Female Incontinence in 2023: A Literature Update
Authors: Canagasingham A. , Popa I. , Chung A. , Tse V.
Published: June 2024

Purpose of Review

This article provides a brief outline of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treatments and the use of artificial urinary sphincters for the treatment of female incontinence, drawing from research published over the past decade. Through a review of the contemporary data, we hope to learn more about the efficacy of the artificial urinary sphincter (AUS), success and failure rates, durability, contraindications and comparative advantages over other treatment methods.

Recent Findings

The use of the AUS has become a more popular treatment choice for SUI, with a significant increase in device implantation over the last decade. Technological advancements have allowed the insertion of the device to become more successful and less invasive, leading to greater patient satisfaction overall.

There is an increasing trend towards the use of female AUS, with alternative techniques being employed to assist in complex patients with multiple previous surgeries. There is a growing database of evidence supporting its use however longer-term studies are needed.
Prognostic value of systemic inflammation response indexes obtained from the complete blood count in patients treated for advanced ovarian carcinoma in front line
Authors: Espinós Jaime , Aramendía José Manuel , González-Martín Antonio , Santisteban Marta , Sánchez Luisa , Vizcay Ángel , Mínguez José Ángel , Alcázar Juan Luis
Published: June 2024

Objective

Various systemic inflammation response indexes (SIRI) have repeatedly been described as prognostic factors in ovarian cancer. They have not been validated in prospective trials and published results are sometimes contradictory. We aimed to explore their role in a cohort of patients diagnosed with stage III and IV ovarian cancer treated at our institution.

Methods

We retrospectively examined the prognostic influence of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), the red cell distribution width (RDW), and the mean platelet volume (MPV).

Results

A total of 77 patients were analyzed. NLR > 2.243 at diagnosis, NLR before primary surgery, MLR at diagnosis, PLR > 289.1 at diagnosis, and PLR at diagnosis were significant in univariate Cox regression for progression-free survival, but none of them retained their significance in the multivariate Cox regression analysis. For overall survival, NLR >  = 2.53 at diagnosis, MLR >  = 0.245 at diagnosis, and PLR >  = 198.3 at diagnosis resulted significant in univariate COX regression; only PLR >  = 198.3 at diagnosis retained its significance in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

In our cohort, PLR >  = 198.3 was an independent prognostic factor for worse OS. The definitive role of SIRI in ovarian cancer has not yet been established. If their value as prognostic factors could finally be established, they would become a simple and economical method to predict prognosis in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Therefore, it is time to conduct prospective, multicenter studies with larger samples to definitively establish its role in ovarian cancer, if any.
Lie algebra classification, conservation laws and invariant solutions for the kind generalization of the Duffing-type equation
Authors: Londoño Oscar , García Danilo , Loaiza Gabriel , Acevedo Yeisson
Published: June 2024

This paper makes significant contributions to the study of a generalized form of the Duffing-type equation. We derive the generating operators of the optimal system associated with this equation, enabling us to characterize an implicit solution. Additionally, we present a complete classification of group symmetries and obtain the Lagrangian for the equation. Our results include the classification of the Lie algebra and the optimal system, providing a thorough understanding of the equation’s underlying structure. These contributions serve to enhance the current body of knowledge on the Duffing-type equation and provide useful insights for future research in this area.
A note on some moduli spaces of Ulrich bundles
Authors: Fania Maria Lucia , Flamini Flaminio
Published: June 2024

We prove that the modular component "Equation missing", constructed in the Main Theorem in Fania and Flamini (Adv Math 436:109409, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aim.2023.109409), of Ulrich vector bundles of rank r and given Chern classes, on suitable threefold scrolls $$X_e$$

X
e

over Hirzebruch surfaces $${\mathbb {F}}_{e\ge 0}$$

F

e
≥
0

, which arise as tautological embeddings of projectivization of very-ample vector bundles on $${\mathbb {F}}_e$$

F
e

, is generically smooth, irreducible and unirational. A stronger result holds for the suitable associated moduli space "Equation missing" of vector bundles of rank r and given Chern classes on $${\mathbb {F}}_e$$

F
e

, Ulrich w.r.t. the very ample polarization "Equation missing" which turns out to be generically smooth, irreducible and unirational.
A comprehensive analysis of GAS2 family members identifies that GAS2L1 is a novel biomarker and promotes the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xu Ying-Ying , Bai Ru-Xue , Zhang Qing-Rui , Zhang Shuang , Zhang Jun-Hai , Du Shi-Yu
Published: June 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common primary liver cancer with a high incidence and mortality. Members of the growth-arresting-specific 2 (GAS2) family are involved in various biological processes in human malignancies. To date, there is only a limited amount of information available about the expression profile and clinical importance of GAS2 family in HCC. In this study, we found that GAS2L1 and GAS2L3 were distinctly upregulated in HCC specimens compared to non-tumor specimens. Pan-cancer assays indicated that GAS2L1 and GAS2L3 were highly expressed in most cancers. The Pearson’s correlation revealed that the expressions of GAS2, GAS2L1 and GAS2L2 were negatively associated with methylation levels. Survival assays indicated that GAS2L1 and GAS2L3 were independent prognostic factors for HCC patients. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed that GAS2, GAS2L1 and GAS2L3 were associated with several immune cells. Finally, we confirmed that GAS2L1 was highly expressed in HCC cells and its knockdown suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells. Taken together, our findings suggested the expression patterns and prognostic values of GAS2 members in HCC, providing insights for further study of the GAS2 family as sensitive diagnostic and prognostic markers for HCC.
Toward efficient resource utilization at edge nodes in federated learning
Authors: Alawadi Sadi , Ait-Mlouk Addi , Toor Salman , Hellander Andreas
Published: June 2024

Federated learning (FL) enables edge nodes to collaboratively contribute to constructing a global model without sharing their data. This is accomplished by devices computing local, private model updates that are then aggregated by a server. However, computational resource constraints and network communication can become a severe bottleneck for larger model sizes typical for deep learning (DL) applications. Edge nodes tend to have limited hardware resources (RAM, CPU), and the network bandwidth and reliability at the edge is a concern for scaling federated fleet applications. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a FL strategy inspired by transfer learning in order to reduce resource utilization on devices, as well as the load on the server and network in each global training round. For each local model update, we randomly select layers to train, freezing the remaining part of the model. In doing so, we can reduce both server load and communication costs per round by excluding all untrained layer weights from being transferred to the server. The goal of this study is to empirically explore the potential trade-off between resource utilization on devices and global model convergence under the proposed strategy. We implement the approach using the FL framework FEDn. A number of experiments were carried out over different datasets (CIFAR-10, CASA, and IMDB), performing different tasks using different DL model architectures. Our results show that training the model partially can accelerate the training process, efficiently utilizes resources on-device, and reduce the data transmission by around 75% and 53% when we train 25%, and 50% of the model layers, respectively, without harming the resulting global model accuracy. Furthermore, our results demonstrate a negative correlation between the number of participating clients in the training process and the number of layers that need to be trained on each client’s side. As the number of clients increases, there is a decrease in the required number of layers. This observation highlights the potential of the approach, particularly in cross-device use cases.
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis: comparison between transcatheter and surgical bioprostheses
Authors: Jerónimo Adrián , Olmos Carmen , Zulet Pablo , Gómez-Ramírez Daniel , Anguita Manuel , Carlos Castillo Juan , Escrihuela-Vidal Francesc , Cuervo Guillermo , Calderón-Parra Jorge , Ramos Antonio , Cabezón Gonzalo , Álvarez Rodríguez Jesús , Pulido Paloma , de Miguel-Álava María , Sáez Carmen , López Javier , Vilacosta Isidre , San Román J. Alberto
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Most data regarding infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) comes from TAVI registries, rather than IE dedicated cohorts. The objective of our study was to compare the clinical and microbiological profile, imaging features and outcomes of patients with IE after SAVR with a biological prosthetic valve (IE-SAVR) and IE after TAVI (IE-TAVI) from 6 centres with an Endocarditis Team (ET) and broad experience in IE.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. From the time of first TAVI implantation in each centre to March 2021, all consecutive patients admitted for IE-SAVR or IE-TAVI were prospectively enrolled. Follow-up was monitored during admission and at 12 months after discharge.

Results

169 patients with IE-SAVR and 41 with IE-TAVI were analysed. Early episodes were more frequent among IE-TAVI. Clinical course during hospitalization was similar in both groups, except for a higher incidence of atrioventricular block in IE-SAVR. The most frequently causative microorganisms were S. epidermidis, Enterococcus spp. and S. aureus in both groups. Periannular complications were more frequent in IE-SAVR. Cardiac surgery was performed in 53.6% of IE-SAVR and 7.3% of IE-TAVI (p=0.001), despite up to 54.8% of IE-TAVI patients had an indication. No differences were observed about death during hospitalization (32.7% vs 35.0%), and at 1-year follow-up (41.8% vs 37.5%), regardless of whether the patient underwent surgery or not.

Conclusion

Patients with IE-TAVI had a higher incidence of early prosthetic valve IE. Compared to IE-SAVR, IE-TAVI patients underwent cardiac surgery much less frequently, despite having surgical indications. However, in-hospital and 1-year mortality rate was similar between both groups.
Mild cognitive impairment predicts the onset of Sarcopenia: a longitudinal analysis from the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing
Authors: Ragusa Francesco Saverio , Veronese Nicola , Vernuccio Laura , Dominguez Ligia J , Smith Lee , Bolzetta Francesco , Koyanagi Ai , Monastero Roberto , Barbagallo Mario
Published: June 2024

Background

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and sarcopenia are two common conditions in older people. It is not widely known if MCI could predict the onset of sarcopenia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether MCI could predict the occurrence of sarcopenia in a population of older adults.

Methods

In the ELSA (English Longitudinal Study on Ageing), MCI was defined as the absence of dementia, preserved functional capacity and low performance in three objective cognitive tests. Sarcopenia was diagnosed as having low handgrip strength and low skeletal muscle mass index during follow-up. The longitudinal association between MCI at the baseline and incident sarcopenia was assessed using a multivariable logistic regression model, reporting the data as adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI).

Results

3,106 participants (mean age of 63.1 years; 55.3% males) were included. People with MCI reported significantly lower mean handgrip strength values and Skeletal Mass Index (SMI), as well as a higher prevalence of obesity at baseline. At baseline, 729 people had MCI and during the ten years follow-up period, 12.1% of the initial population included had sarcopenia. On multivariate analysis, adjusted for 18 potential confounders, the presence of MCI (OR = 1.236; 95%CI: 1.090–1.596, p = 0.01) significantly predicted the onset of sarcopenia during follow-up.

Conclusion

The presence of MCI at baseline was associated with a higher incidence of sarcopenia at ten-years follow-up, demonstrating a likely role of MCI as a predictor of the onset of sarcopenia in older people.
Self-Defence As Remedial Self-Determination: Continuity in Russian Narratives to Justify Imperialism and the Use of Force
Authors: Pelliconi Andrea Maria
Published: June 2024

The principle of self-determination is at the centre of the Russian Federation’s (Russia’s) ‘justifications’ for using force against Ukraine and supporting the separatist entities in its eastern provinces, as demonstrated by official statements of Russia’s representatives and the oral and written submissions to the inter-state proceedings on the application of the Genocide Convention before the International Court of Justice (Ukraine v. Russia). In particular, Russia construes self-defence as an exercise of remedial self-determination, supporting territorial separation and the creation of satellite states or their annexation by the Federation. This is in continuity with Russia’s policies and argumentations utilised in other contexts such as Crimea, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These cases differ in their context and history but share the same remedial approach to external self-determination as a purported justification to use force. This is also in partial continuity with the tradition of Soviet approaches to self-determination. Like other states’ self-indulgent ‘exceptionalism’ in international law, Russia’s cherry-picking application of self-determination reveals its instrumental usage to camouflage imperialistic aggression and expansionistic ambitions.
LB-BMBC: MHBiaffine-CNN to Capture Span Scores with BERT Injected with Lexical Information for Chinese NER
Authors: Guo Tao , Zhang Zhichao
Published: June 2024

A substantial body of research has shown that introducing lexical information in Chinese Named Entity Recognition (NER) tasks can enhance the semantic and boundary information of Chinese words. However, in most methods, the introduction of lexical information occurs at the model architecture level, which cannot fully leverage the lexicon learning capability of pre-trained models. Therefore, we propose seamless integration of external Lexicon knowledge into the Transformer layer of BERT. Additionally, we have observed that in span-based recognition, adjacent spans have special spatial relationships. To capture this relationship, we extend the work after Biaffine and use Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to treat the score matrix as an image, allowing us to interact with the spatial relationships of spans. Our proposed LB-BMBC model was experimented on four publicly available Chinese NER datasets: Resume, Weibo, OntoNotes v4, and MSRA. In particular, during ablation experiments, we found that CNN can significantly improve performance.
Rosehip tea as a possible cause of acute interstitial nephritis
Authors: Chandler Andrew , Mahmood Arslan , Yang Yihe , Moses Andrew A.
Published: June 2024

Background

Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is characterized by an inflammatory infiltrate in the renal interstitium. The etiology of AIN is broad with the most common cause being medications. Treatment includes removal of the offending agent, glucocorticoid therapy, and immunosuppression. Rosehips are a fruit produced from wild roses that are often used in teas and herbal supplements. They are reported to have anti-inflammatory effects and sought after for this purported benefit.

Case presentation

We present a case of a 67-year-old woman who presented with acute kidney injury after two months of excessive rosehip tea consumption. She was dialyzed for 1 month and treated with oral steroids. Her initial renal biopsy revealed AIN, a thin glomerular basement membrane, and five nodular sclerosed glomeruli. Her work-up was negative for known causes of AIN and the etiology was determined to be rosehip tea. Two months after initial presentation she continued to have clinical and pathologic signs of AIN. She was started on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) with clinical improvement.

Conclusion

Rosehip tea is known to have diuretic properties and, when consumed, may lead to a self-perpetuating cycle of intake. Excessive consumption may lead to increased concentrations of arachidonic acid and its metabolites. These metabolites have been shown to perpetuate an inflammatory response capable of causing AIN. Providers should be aware when counseling patients that excessive intake of rosehip tea may lead to AIN.
Validierung einer deutschen Übersetzung der Academic Motivation Scale
Authors: Möltner Hannah , Pötter Nina , Abel Sören , Sülzenbrück Sandra , Nevries und Pascal
Published: June 2024

Zusammenfassung: Bislang existierte keine deutschsprachige, validierte Übersetzung der Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist daher die Validierung einer deutschen Übersetzung der AMS in zwei Studien. Die Übersetzung der AMS folgte dem TRAPD-Modell, einer Weiterentwicklung der Back-Translation-Methode. Die erste zweiwellige Studie ( N = 211) zeigte gute bis sehr gute interne Konsistenzen und mit den Originalversionen der AMS weitgehend übereinstimmende Retest-Reliabilitäten. Die postulierte siebenfaktorielle Struktur wies gegenüber einem ein- bzw. dreifaktoriellen Modell den besten Modell-Fit auf. Die zweite zweiwellige Studie ( N = 221) analysierte die konvergente und divergente Validität, sowie die Kriteriumsvalidität. Zusammenfassend verfügt die deutsche Version der AMS über gute psychometrische Eigenschaften und kann daher in Forschung und Praxis eingesetzt werden.
Alfvén Wing‐Like Structures in Titan's Magnetotail During T122‐T126 Flybys
Authors: Kim Konstantin , Edberg Niklas J. T. , Wahlund Jan‐Erik , Vigren Erik
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we study Titan's magnetotail using Cassini data from the T122‐T126 flybys. These consecutive flybys had a similar flyby geometry and occurred at similar Saturn magnetospheric conditions, enabling an analysis of the magnetotail's structure. Using measurements from Cassini's magnetometer (MAG) and Radio and Plasma Wave System/Langmuir probe (RPWS/LP) we identify several features consistent with reported findings from earlier flybys, for example, T9, T63 and T75. We find that the so‐called ’split’ signature of the magnetotail becomes more prominent at distances of at least 3,260 km (1.3 RT) downstream of Titan. We also identify a specific signature of the sub‐alfvenic interaction of Titan with Saturn, the Alfvén wings, which are observed during the T123 and T124 flyby. A coordinate transformation is applied to mitigate variations in the upstream magnetic field, and all the flybys are projected into a new reference frame—aligned to the background magnetic field reference frame (BFA). We show that Titan's magnetotail is confined to a narrow region of around ∼4 RT YBFA. Finally, we analyze the general draping pattern in Titan's magnetotail throughout the TA to T126 flybys.
Kinematics of an Ebb Plume Front in a Tidal Crossflow
Authors: Honegger D. A. , Ralston D. K. , Jurisa J. , Geyer R. , Haller M. C.
Published: June 2024

X‐band marine radar observations and a hindcast simulation from a 3D hydrostatic model are used to provide an overview of Connecticut River (USA) ebb plume front expansion into the strong tidal crossflow of eastern Long Island Sound. The model performance is evaluated against in situ and remote sensing observations and demonstrates dominant control of the front by semidiurnal tides. The recurring frontal evolution is classified into three dynamical stages of arrest, propagation, and advection. A conceptual model that follows this progressing balance between outflow buoyancy and crossflow momentum qualitatively reproduces frontal evolution in both the radar observations and the hindcast. The majority of the residual, intertidal variability of front timing and geometry is explained by co‐varying tidal amplitude, freshwater discharge, and wind stress using a multi‐linear regression analysis of the radar observation record. Intrinsic front speeds in the modeled frontal propagation are compared with the analytical model of Benjamin (1968, https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022112068000133), with better agreement achieved after accounting for ambient near‐surface shear associated with wind forcing.
Wind Speed and Vegetation Coverage in Turn Dominated Wind Erosion Change With Increasing Aridity in Africa
Authors: Zhang Hanbing , Peng Jian , Zhao Chaonan
Published: June 2024

Wind erosion is one of the main causes of land degradation and desertification. Clarifying the spatiotemporal variations of wind erosion and the dominant factors of its spatial characteristics and the temporal trend will contribute to the establishment of appropriate wind erosion control and management practices, which is essential for combating global land degradation and strengthening ecological protection in drylands. Here, we assessed wind erosion in Africa during 2001–2020 based on the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ). We also analyzed the influential factor of spatial characteristics and temporal variation based on machine learning and other methods under different aridity. Results revealed that the average annual wind erosion modulus was 16,672 t/km2/a in Africa during 2001–2020, with hyper‐arid areas and arid areas accounting for more than 90% of the total wind erosion modulus. The spatial characteristics of wind erosion were dominated by natural factors but not anthropogenic activities. Except in hyper‐arid areas, wind speed and vegetation coverage together dominated the spatial characteristics. Wind speed was the dominant factor in wind erosion change, while in arid and semi‐arid areas, the capability of vegetation coverage to affect wind erosion change was comparable to wind speed. It can be concluded that, although revegetation does contribute to the reduction of wind erosion in arid and semi‐arid areas, taking into account water resource constraints and land use conflicts, large plantations can be replaced with windbreaks to increase vegetation coverage while reducing near‐surface wind speed, which improves the sustainability of ecological projects aimed at combating land degradation and desertification.
Occurrence and Characteristics of Medium‐Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances Observed by BeiDou GEO Satellites Over Hong Kong
Authors: Le Xuan , Ren Xiaodong , Mei Dengkui , Liu Hang , Zhang Xiaohong
Published: June 2024

Medium‐scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) can significantly alter a region's ionosphere features, severely impacting the performance and stability of services such as shortwave communication and navigation positioning. By utilizing the total electron content (TEC) data from BeiDou geostationary satellites for 2022–2023, this study investigated the characteristics of MSTIDs over Hong Kong concerning local time and seasons. A total of 622 MSTID events were observed, classified into three types: daytime (10:00–17:00 LT), twilight (17:00–22:00 LT), and nighttime (22:00–02:00 LT). The occurrence rates and excitation mechanisms of the three types of MSTIDs were analyzed. Daytime and twilight MSTIDs had higher occurrence rates during winter, while nighttime MSTIDs had higher occurrence rates in summer and were even absent during winter. Overall, daytime MSTIDs were the most common, followed by twilight MSTIDs, while nighttime MSTIDs were less frequent. The propagation directions of MSTIDs exhibited anisotropy but showed some clustering patterns. Daytime MSTIDs exhibited high directional diversity during summer, but more concentrated in winter. Nighttime MSTIDs, on the other hand, were more focused during summer. It is worth noting that twilight MSTIDs exhibit similar climatological characteristics to daytime MSTIDs, which have not been observed in previous studies. It is suggested that daytime MSTIDs in the Hong Kong region are likely primarily generated by atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) from low‐latitude regions, while nighttime MSTIDs are likely caused by Perkins instability. Twilight MSTIDs may originate from AGWs at the solar terminator, as well as daytime MSTIDs propagated from mid‐latitude areas.
Pharmacological modulation of developmental and synaptic phenotypes in human SHANK3 deficient stem cell-derived neuronal models
Authors: Thibaudeau Amandine , Schmitt Karen , François Louise , Chatrousse Laure , Hoffmann David , Cousin Loic , Weiss Amélie , Vuidel Aurore , Jacob Christina B. , Sommer Peter , Benchoua Alexandra , Wilbertz Johannes H.
Published: June 2024

Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMDS) arises from mutations in the terminal region of chromosome 22q13, impacting the SHANK3 gene. The resulting deficiency of the postsynaptic density scaffolding protein SHANK3 is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We examined 12 different PMDS patient and CRISPR-engineered stem cell-derived neuronal models and controls and found that reduced expression of SHANK3 leads to neuronal hyperdifferentiation, increased synapse formation, and decreased neuronal activity. We performed automated imaging-based screening of 7,120 target-annotated small molecules and identified three compounds that rescued SHANK3-dependent neuronal hyperdifferentiation. One compound, Benproperine, rescued the decreased colocalization of Actin Related Protein 2/3 Complex Subunit 2 (ARPC2) with ß-actin and rescued increased synapse formation in SHANK3 deficient neurons when administered early during differentiation. Neuronal activity was only mildly affected, highlighting Benproperine’s effects as a neurodevelopmental modulator. This study demonstrates that small molecular compounds that reverse developmental phenotypes can be identified in human neuronal PMDS models.
A mobile device-based game prototype for ADHD: development and preliminary feasibility testing
Authors: Luo Jie , Li Fenghua , Wu Yuanzhen , Liu Xuanang , Zheng Qingyi , Qi Yanjie , Huang Huanhuan , Xu Gaoyang , Liu Zhengkui , He Fan , Zheng Yi
Published: June 2024

This research aimed to devise and assess a mobile game therapy software for children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as evaluating its suitability and effectiveness in improving the cognitive ability of typically developing children. The study encompassed 55 children diagnosed with ADHD and 55 neurotypical children. Initial assessments involved ADHD-related scales, computerized tests for information processing, and physiological-psychological evaluations. After a 4-week home-based game intervention, participants underwent re-evaluation using baseline measures and provided feedback on treatment satisfaction. Considering the small proportion of study participants who dropped out, data was analyzed using both the Intention-to-Treat (ITT) analysis and the Per-protocol (PP) analysis. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06181747). In ITT analysis, post-intervention analysis using linear mixed models indicated that the ADHD group improved significantly more than the neurotypical group particularly in Continuous Performance Test (CPT) accuracy (B = −23.92, p < 0.001) and reaction time (B = 86.08, p < 0.01), along with enhancements in anti-saccade (B = −10.65, p < 0.05) and delayed-saccade tasks (B = 0.34, p < 0.05). A reduction in parent-rated SNAP-IV scores was also observed (B = 0.43, p < 0.01). In PP analysis, paired-sample t-tests suggested that the ADHD group had significant changes pre- and post-intervention, in terms of CPT Accuracy (t = −7.62, p < 0.01), Anti-saccade task Correct Rate (t = −3.90, p < 0.01) and SNAP-IV scores (t = −4,64, p < 0.01). However, no significant changes post-intervention were observed in the neurotypical group. Survey feedback highlighted a strong interest in the games across both groups, though ADHD participants found the game more challenging. Parents of ADHD children reported perceived benefits and a willingness to continue the game therapy, unlike the neurotypical group’s parents. The findings advocated for the integration of serious video games as a complementary tool in ADHD treatment strategies, demonstrating the potential to augment attentional abilities and alleviate clinical symptoms. However, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is needed to further verify its efficacy.
Evidence for gene flow and trait reversal during radiation of Mexican Goodeid fish
Authors: Yusuf Leeban H. , Lemus Yolitzi Saldívar , Thorpe Peter , Garcia Constantino Macías , Ritchie Michael G.
Published: June 2024

Understanding the phylogeographic history of a group and identifying the factors contributing to speciation is an important challenge in evolutionary biology. The Goodeinae are a group of live-bearing fishes endemic to Mexico. Here, we develop genomic resources for species within the Goodeinae and use phylogenomic approaches to characterise their evolutionary history. We sequenced, assembled and annotated the genomes of four Goodeinae species, including Ataeniobius toweri, the only matrotrophic live-bearing fish without a trophotaenia in the group. We estimated timings of species divergence and examined the extent and timing of introgression between the species to assess if this may have occurred during an early radiation, or in more recent episodes of secondary contact. We used branch-site models to detect genome-wide positive selection across Goodeinae, and we specifically asked whether this differs in A. toweri, where loss of placental viviparity has recently occurred. We found evidence of gene flow between geographically isolated species, suggesting vicariant speciation was supplemented by limited post-speciation gene flow, and gene flow may explain previous uncertainties about Goodeid phylogeny. Genes under positive selection in the group are likely to be associated with the switch to live-bearing. Overall, our studies suggest that both volcanism-driven vicariance and changes in reproductive mode influenced radiation in the Goodeinae.