bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility into a Data Storytelling Model for Health Informatics Education
Authors: Gao Grace , Martin Christie L. , Jeffery Alvin D.
Published: August 2024

Background Health informatics education is pivotal in integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) principles into curricula and leveraging data with equity considerations. Integrating clinically driven data with other datasets is crucial to comprehensive understanding of patient care demographics, experiences, and outcomes to create equity-minded data storytelling. Publicly available Healthy People 2030 (HP2030) resources complement academic electronic health records, supporting tailored learning activities in informatics education to enhance educational utility through a DEIA lens.

Objectives This case report describes the expansion of an existing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) checklist to an updated DEIA checklist for preparing future informaticians to collect and critically evaluate DEIA features using this checklist in creating equity-minded data storytelling.

Methods The DEI-Oriented Data Storytelling Model and the HP2030 framework were utilized to develop the DEIA checklist. We employed an informal cognitive walkthrough to expand the DEIA checklist and evaluate the DEIA measures or characteristics within datasets from the HP2030 social determinants of health (SDOH) five topics using this checklist.

Results We reviewed 76 available SDOH-related datasets and added six measures to “demographics” and seven to “skills, abilities, and accessibility” of the DEIA checklist. Our evaluation of the DEIA checklist verified HP2030's inclusion of all measures, except “religions/beliefs.” All DEIA measures were linked to equity and accessibility, one in inclusion, and the inclusion of three characteristics comprising the category “language” and six characteristics comprising the category “images.”

Conclusion Results highlighted the accessibility and comprehensiveness of HP2030 demographic data resources, considering SDOH factors and promoting inclusive data representation to address health disparities. The DEIA checklist provides a structured tool in facilitating unbiased data collection and visualization of SDOH-related data through an equity-informed lens. Integrating an equity-minded data storytelling with frameworks like HP2030 enriches health informatics education, broadens students' understanding of health disparities, and supports evidence-based interventions for improved health outcomes.
Characterization of the Epileptogenic Phenotype and Response to Antiseizure Medications in Lissencephaly Patients
Authors: Proepper Christiane R. , Schuetz Sofia M. , Schwarz Lisa-Maria , Au Katja von , Bast Thomas , Beaud Nathalie , Borggraefe Ingo , Bosch Friedrich , Budde Joerg , Busse Melanie , Chung Jena , Debus Otfried , Diepold Katharina , Fries Thomas , Gersdorff Gero von , Haeussler Martin , Hahn Andreas , Hartlieb Till , Heiming Ralf , Herkenrath Peter , Kluger Gerhard , Kreth Jonas H. , Kurlemann Gerhard , Moeller Peter , Morris-Rosendahl Deborah J. , Panzer Axel , Philippi Heike , Ruegner Sophia , Toepfer Carolina , Vieker Silvia , Wiemer-Kruel Adelheid , Winter Anika , Schuierer Gerhard , Hehr Ute , Geis Tobias
Published: August 2024

Background Patients with lissencephaly typically present with severe psychomotor retardation and drug-resistant seizures. The aim of this study was to characterize the epileptic phenotype in a genotypically and radiologically well-defined patient cohort and to evaluate the response to antiseizure medication (ASM). Therefore, we retrospectively evaluated 47 patients of five genetic forms (LIS1/PAFAH1B1, DCX, DYNC1H1, TUBA1A, TUBG1) using family questionnaires, standardized neuropediatric assessments, and patients' medical reports.

Results All but two patients were diagnosed with epilepsy. Median age at seizure onset was 6 months (range: 2.1–42.0), starting with epileptic spasms in 70%. Standard treatment protocols with hormonal therapy (ACTH or corticosteroids) and/or vigabatrin were the most effective approach for epileptic spasms, leading to seizure control in 47%. Seizures later in the disease course were most effectively treated with valproic acid and lamotrigine, followed by vigabatrin and phenobarbital, resulting in seizure freedom in 20%. Regarding psychomotor development, lissencephaly patients presenting without epileptic spasms were significantly more likely to reach various developmental milestones compared to patients with spasms.

Conclusion Classic lissencephaly is highly associated with drug-resistant epilepsy starting with epileptic spasms in most patients. The standard treatment protocols for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome lead to freedom from seizures in around half of the patients. Due to the association of epileptic spasms with an unfavorable course of psychomotor development, early and reliable diagnosis and treatment of spasms should be pursued. For epilepsies occurring later in childhood, ASM with valproic acid and lamotrigine, followed by vigabatrin and phenobarbital, appears to be most effective.
Role of Platelets and Their Interaction with Immune Cells in Venous Thromboembolism
Authors: Zhang Zhao , Zhou Xianghui , Zhou Xin , Cheng Zhipeng , Hu Yu
Published: August 2024

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) represents a significant global health challenge, ranking as the third leading cause of cardiovascular-related mortality. VTE pervades diverse clinical specialties, posing substantial risks to patient well-being and imposing considerable economic strains on health care systems. While platelets have long been recognized as pivotal players in hemostasis, emerging evidence underscores their multifaceted immune functions and their capacity to engage in crosstalk with other immune cells, such as neutrophils, thereby fostering immune-related thrombosis. Notably, investigations have elucidated the pivotal role of platelets in the pathogenesis of VTE. This review provides a comprehensive overview of platelet physiology, encompassing their activation, secretion dynamics, and implications in VTE. Moreover, it delineates the impact of platelet interactions with various immune cells on the initiation and progression of VTE, explores the correlation between platelet-related laboratory markers and VTE, and elucidates the role of platelets in thrombosis regression.
Laser-induced electron diffraction: Imaging of a single gas-phase molecular structure with one of its own electrons
Authors: Chirvi K. , Biegert J.
Published: August 2024

Among the many methods to image molecular structure, laser-induced electron diffraction (LIED) can image a single gas-phase molecule by locating all of a molecule's atoms in space and time. The method is based on attosecond electron recollision driven by a laser field and can reach attosecond temporal resolution. Implementation with a mid-IR laser and cold-target recoil ion-momentum spectroscopy, single molecules are measured with picometer resolution due to the keV electron impact energy without ensemble averaging or the need for molecular orientation. Nowadays, the method has evolved to detect single complex and chiral molecular structures in 3D. The review will touch on the various methods to discuss the implementations of LIED toward single-molecule imaging and complement the discussions with noteworthy experimental findings in the field.
Analysis of soil erosion dynamics and its driving factors in the Qilian Mountains of Qingdong
Authors: Li Mingyuan , Liu Xiaohuang , Ding Jianli , Zhang Wenbo , Wang Ran , Luo Xinping , Xing Liyuan , Wang Chao , Zhao Honghui
Published: August 2024

Context The conservation of soil and water has become an important foundational project of worldwide social and economic development in the 21st century, especially for the protection and development of critical ecological function areas in Western China. Aims To clarify the current status of soil erosion and its drivers in the alpine temperate forest-grass subregion of Qilian Mountains in Qingdong (ATFSQMQ). Methods Based on GIS technology, the Universal Soil Loss Model (RUSLE) and Geographical detector were used to simulate the extent of soil erosion and assess the drivers of soil erosion in the ATFSQMQ from 2001 to 2020, and the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) model were used to predict the future soil erosion in the study area. Key results (1) The soil erosion modulus of the ATFSQMQ decreased going from northwest to southeast, and soil erosion increased during the 2001–2020 period, and the average soil erosion modulus increasingly fluctuated. (2) Micro-erosion is the main form of soil erosion; from 2001 to 2020, regions with micro-erosion and mild erosion decreased, while those with moderate, strong, solid, and severe erosion increased slightly. (3) Vegetation cover is the dominant factor affecting soil erosion, and the synergistic effect of vegetation cover and precipitation has the highest explanatory power. Conclusions The soil erosion modulus fluctuated and increased from 2001 to 2020, but will gradually improve in the future. Implications The analyses in this paper can shed light on the current state of soil erosion and the drivers behind it, enabling the government to target soil erosion area management.
Kinetic investigation of discharge performance for Xe, Kr, and Ar in a miniature ion thruster using a fast converging PIC-MCC-DSMC model
Authors: Huang Zilin , Hu Yuan , Geng Jinyue , Yang Chao , Sun Quanhua
Published: August 2024

The present work develops a full particle-based model that couples the particle-in-cell plus Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) simulation for plasma dynamics and the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method for neutral dynamics in a synergistic iterative manner. This new model overcomes the slow convergence issue in the conventional direct coupling approach caused by the disparity of the time scales between the plasma and neutral dynamics. This model is applied to simulate the behavior of xenon (Xe) and its potential alternatives, krypton (Kr) and argon (Ar), in the discharge chamber of a miniature direct current (DC) ion thruster. The results show that a stable discharge is difficult to achieve for Kr and Ar under the operating conditions optimal for Xe. While increasing the discharge voltage can effectively improve the stability of discharge for Kr and Ar, other common strategies such as changing the magnetic field strength, propellant flow rate, and cathode current are not successful. The propellant utilization efficiency and discharge efficiency are affected by both discharge voltage and propellant flow rate. A maximum utilization efficiency and an optimal discharge efficiency are observed for all three propellants, with the values decreasing in the order of Xe, Kr, and Ar. Moreover, the discharge voltage corresponding to the optimal efficiency is inversely proportional to the square root of the propellant mass, indicating that the ion diffusional loss to the wall, rather than the ionization energy, is the dominant factor affecting the discharge performance for alternative propellants in a miniature DC thruster.
Dynamic properties of the magnetic skyrmion driven by electromagnetic waves with spin angular momentum and orbital angular momentum
Authors: Guo 郭 Longfei 龙飞 , Zha 查 Bing 兵 , Sun 孙 Xiaoqiao 晓乔 , Ni 倪 Songmei 松梅 , Huang 黄 Ruiyu 瑞玉 , Chen 陈 Lin 琳 , Tao 陶 Zhikuo 志阔
Published: August 2024

We theoretically studied the dynamic properties of the skyrmion driven by electromagnetic (EM) waves with spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM) using micromagnetic simulations. First, the guiding centers of the skyrmion driven by EM waves with SAM, i.e., left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized EM waves, present circular trajectories, while present elliptical trajectories under linear EM waves driving due to the superposition of oppositely polarized wave components. Second, the trajectories of the skyrmion driven by EM waves with OAM demonstrate similar behavior to that driven by linearly polarized EM waves. Because the wave vector intensity varies with the phase for both linearly polarized EM waves and EM waves with OAM, the angular momentum is transferred to the skyrmion non-uniformly, while the angular momentum is transferred to the skyrmion uniformly for left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized EM driving. Third, the dynamic properties of the skyrmion driven by EM waves with both SAM and OAM are investigated. It is found that the dynamic trajectories exhibit more complex behavior due to the contributions or competition of SAM and OAM. We investigate the characteristics of intrinsic gyration modes and frequency-dependent trajectories. Our research may provide insight into the dynamic properties of skyrmion manipulated by EM waves with SAM or OAM and provide a method for controlling skyrmion in spintronic devices.
Improved model on asynchronous measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with realistic devices
Authors: Sun 孙 Mingshuo 铭烁 , Zhang 张 Chun-Hui 春辉 , Zhang 章 Rui 睿 , Zhou 周 Xing-Yu 星宇 , Li 李 Jian 剑 , Wang 王 Qin 琴
Published: August 2024

In principle, the asynchronous measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (AMDI-QKD) can surpass the key rate capacity without phase tracking and phase locking. However, practical imperfections in sources or detections would dramatically depress its performance. Here, we present an improved model on AMDI-QKD to reduce the influence of these imperfections, including intensity fluctuation, the afterpulse effect, and the dead time of detectors. Furthermore, we carry out corresponding numerical simulations. Simulation results show that, by implementing our present work, it can have more than 100 km longer secure transmission distance and one order of magnitude enhancement in the key generation rate after 320 km compared with the standard method. Moreover, our model can still break the Pirandola–Laurenza–Ottaviani–Banchi (PLOB) bound even under realistic experimental conditions.
Impact of asymptomatic infected individuals on epidemic transmission dynamics in multiplex networks with partial coupling
Authors: Hu 胡 Xin 鑫 , Chen 陈 Jiaxing 嘉兴 , Xia 夏 Chengyi 承遗
Published: August 2024

The theory of network science has attracted great interest of many researchers in the realm of biomathematics and public health, and numerous valuable epidemic models have been developed. In previous studies, it is common to set up a one-to-one correspondence between the nodes of a multi-layer network, ignoring the more complex situations in reality. In the present work, we explore this situation by setting up a partially coupled model of a two-layer network and investigating the impact of asymptomatic infected individuals on epidemics. We propose a self-discovery mechanism for asymptomatic infected individuals, taking into account situations such as nucleic acid testing in the community and individuals performing self-antigen testing during the epidemic. Considering these factors together, through the microscopic Markov chain approach (MMCA) and extensive Monte Carlo (MC) numerical simulations, we find that the greater the coupling between the networks, the more information dissemination is facilitated. In order to control the epidemics, more asymptomatic infected individuals should be made aware of their infection. Massive adoption of nucleic acid testing and individual adoption of antigenic self-testing can help to contain epidemic outbreaks. Meanwhile, the epidemic threshold of the proposed model is derived, and then miscellaneous factors affecting the epidemic threshold are also discussed. Current results are conducive to devising the prevention and control policies of pandemics.
A digital four-arm bridge for the comparison of resistance with capacitance
Authors: Wang Yicheng , Schlamminger Stephan
Published: August 2024

We have built and demonstrated a digital four-arm bridge for the comparison of resistance with capacitance. The digital four-arm bridge mimics the classical quad bridge in the digital domain with three balances: the source balance, the detector balance, as well as the main balance. Due to correlation, the required precision of the source voltages is only of the order of the square root of the ultimate bridge precision. For the comparison of a 100 kΩ resistor with a 1 nF capacitor near 1592 Hz, the combined standard uncertainty

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Property Graph Partition Algorithm Based on Improved Barnacle Mating Optimization
Authors: Cui Huanqing , Wu Yifan , Lv Silin
Published: August 2024

Distributed graph processing systems have been used more frequently in various fields, and graph partitioning is the basis of these systems. Graph partitioning algorithms generally aim to minimize the communication cost while the number of vertices or edges reach the load balance. But the vertices and/or edges of property graphs require some storage volume, so the traditional graph partition algorithms will lead to an unbalanced storage volume load. This paper proposes an edge-cut graph partitioning algorithm to generate partitions with equal size and storage volume as well as low cut-edge ratio. Initially, it partitions the graph into k partitions with equal size and storage volume. It then migrates vertices based on the improved Barnacles mating optimizer. The experiments on real-world graphs show that the proposed algorithm can achieve the partition size of volume balance, and the cut-edge ratio is also very low.
Variable stiffness performance analysis of layer jamming actuator based on bionic adhesive flaps
Authors: Ye Liangzhi , Xu Linsen , Wang Zhihuan , Wang Lisheng , Mei Huan , Wu Tao
Published: August 2024

Soft actuators made of soft materials cannot generate precisely efficient output forces compared to rigid actuators. It is a promising strategy to equip soft actuators with variable stiffness modules of layer jamming mechanism, which could increase their stiffness as needed. Inspired by the gecko’s the array of setae, bionic adhesive flaps with inclined micropillars are applied in layer jamming mechanism. In this paper, after the manufacturing process of the layer jamming actuator based on the bionic adhesive flaps is described, the equivalent stiffness models of the whole actuator are established in the unjammed and jammed states. And the shear adhesive force of a single micropillar is calculated based on the Kendall viscoelastic band model. The finite element simulation results of two bionic adhesive flaps show that the interlaminar shear stress and stiffness increase with the increase of pressure. The measurement of shear adhesive force show that the critical shear adhesive force of the bionic adhesive material is 3.2 times that of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material, and exhibit the ability of anisotropic adhesion behavior. The variable stiffness performance of the layer jamming actuator based on bionic adhesive flaps is evaluated by three test methods, and the max stiffness reaches 8.027 N mm−1, which is 1.5 times higher than the stiffness of the layer jamming actuator based on the PET flaps. All results of simulation and experiment effectively verify the validity and superiority of applying the bionic adhesive flaps to the layer jamming mechanism to enhance the stiffness.
Warming-induced cryosphere changes predict drier Andean eco-regions
Authors: Al-Yaari Amen , Condom Thomas , Anthelme Fabien , Cauvy-Fraunié Sophie , Dangles Olivier , Junquas Clémentine , Moret Pierre , Rabatel Antoine
Published: August 2024

Climate change impacts on humans and ecosystems depend on the intensity, timing, and spatial variability of these changes. While considerable attention has been paid to current and future changes in temperature patterns, comparatively less attention has been devoted to water availability for humans and ecosystems. The aridity index (AI), the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration, is a common metric used to assess water availability within ecosystems. However, the role of snow in AI calculations within snowy eco-regions is often neglected, resulting in an incomplete understanding of water balance dynamics in these environments. In this study, we estimate aridification under ongoing climate change in Andean eco-regions (AEs), focusing on two horizons: 2050–2060 and 2090–2100. Using monthly TerraClimate data from 2013–2018, we calculated a mean AI for each AE, taking into account the absence of snow (pixels with a snow water equivalent (SWE) < 10 mm/month) and its presence (AI-snow; pixels with a SWE > 10 mm/month). We show that AI allows to differentiate the eco-regions, but that the incorporation of snow in the AI calculation highlights the heterogeneity of aridity conditions within some eco-regions with energy-limited regimes (AI > 1) in the snowy zones and water-limited regimes (AI < 1) elsewhere. Analysis of the CORDEX-SAM regional projections for the periods 2050–2060 and 2090–2100 indicates a general shift towards drier conditions prevailing over wetter conditions in most eco-regions, notably: the Southern Andean Steppe, the Central Andean Wet Puna, the Santa Marta Páramo, and the Peruvian Yungas. The projected reduction in snowfall in CORDEX-SAM, coupled with glacier volume loss, appears to be contributing to the prevalence of aridification across many AEs. These findings highlight potential transitions towards aridification in diverse eco-regions, with repercussions on water availability for humans and ecosystems.
Impacts of climate change on spatial wheat yield and nutritional values using hybrid machine learning
Authors: Kheir Ahmed M S , Ali Osama A M , Shawon Ashifur Rahman , Elrys Ahmed S , Ali Marwa G M , Darwish Mohamed A , Elmahdy Ahmed M , Abou-Hadid Ayman Farid , Nóia Júnior Rogerio de S , Feike Til
Published: August 2024

Wheat’s nutritional value is critical for human nutrition and food security. However, more attention is needed, particularly regarding the content and concentration of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), especially in the context of climate change (CC) impacts. To address this, various controlled field experiments were conducted, involving the cultivation of three wheat cultivars over three growing seasons at multiple locations with different soil and climate conditions under varying Fe and Zn treatments. The yield and yield attributes, including nutritional values such as nitrogen (N), Fe and Zn, from these experiments were integrated with national yield statistics from other locations to train and test different machine learning (ML) algorithms. Automated ML leveraging a large number of models, outperformed traditional ML models, enabling the training and testing of numerous models, and achieving robust predictions of grain yield (GY) (R
2 > 0.78), N (R
2 > 0.75), Fe (R
2 > 0.71) and Zn (R
2 > 0.71) through a stacked ensemble of all models. The ensemble model predicted GY, N, Fe, and Zn at spatial explicit in the mid-century (2020–2050) using three Global Circulation Models (GCMs): GFDL-ESM4, HadGEM3-GC31-MM, and MRI-ESM2-0 under two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) specifically SSP2-45 and SSP5-85, from the downscaled NEX-GDDP-CMIP6. Averaged across different GCMs and SSPs, CC is projected to increase wheat yield by 4.5%, and protein concentration by 0.8% with high variability. However, it is expected to decrease Fe concentration by 5.5%, and Zn concentration by 4.5% in the mid-century (2020–2050) relative to the historical period (1980–2010). Positive impacts of CC on wheat yield encountered by negative impacts on nutritional concentrations, further exacerbating challenges related to food security and nutrition.
1D and 2D porous media fixed bed reactor simulations with DUO: Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) validation test
Authors: Daymo E. , Tonkovich A. , Hettel M. , Shirsath A.
Published: August 2024

Porous media models are commonly used to simulate packed bed reactors in the chemical process industry. There are several porous media energy equation models available, but commonly a single energy equation for both the fluid and solid phases is selected. Such an approach has been applied to OpenFOAM, with validation testing done using DUO (DETCHEM und OpenFOAM) for a Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) application. Using a popular kinetics mechanism for this reaction, a good fit between simulation and experiment was observed.
Transformation of agro industrial waste from peanut hulls as an innovative source for sustainable cellulosic dyeing and antimicrobial finish
Authors: Almas Rabia , saleem Umaima , Memon Sanam Irum , Memon Anam , Rind Dr Nadir Ali
Published: August 2024

In the present study, a new source of agro-industrial left-over from peanuts (hulls) on the cellulosic fabric in combination with natural sustainable tannins was successfully carried out for sustainable natural coloration with antimicrobial resistance. The colorant was extracted out from the crushed peanut hulls in simple and sustainable aqueous bath. Natural and sustainable Tannins from pomegranate peels were employed to support alum bonding with cellulosic materials. The extracted tannins and dye was successfully applied on cotton fabrics and the effect of tannin and mordant concentration on dye absorption was explored in detail. The color characterizations and fastness characteristics were investigated in the existence and nonexistence of environment friendly alum mordants using the corresponding ISO standards. Peanut shells/hulls extract on cotton fabric produced beige color with very color fastness to washing, light and rubbing. The results revealed that natural tannins from pomegranate has the effect on K/S of the cotton fabric and optimum results for K/S and fastness properties were achieved at the combination of concentration of tannins 15 % and alum 25 %. Moreover, 90 0C temperature produced optimum results for dyeing and antimicrobial properties. This study confirmed that peanut hulls have pronounced potential for industrialized uses as a source of natural bio colorant and if industrialized, would be great worth addition to this discarded waste as a new textile sustainable bio color.
Assessing Cyber Delegation in European Union Public Law
Authors: Hofmann Herwig C H
Published: August 2024

This chapter delves into the evolving landscape of decision-making in EU public law, which is increasingly influenced by automation. As concepts for ensuring accountability in automated decision-making (ADM) continue to develop, the chapter explores the application of existing EU public law principles, particularly those arising from the control of delegated powers. ADM systems, driven by software that supports or replaces human decision-making elements, are becoming integral in various EU policy areas with complex multilevel data-sharing structures. While automation offers advantages such as speed and enhanced cooperation, it presents specific challenges related to accountability, including information asymmetries and potential software design flaws. The chapter critically assesses the potential of anticipatory tools within the legislative conferral of powers to address these challenges, exploring the notion of ‘cyber delegation’ and its role in enhancing accountability in the use of automated decision-making.
Algorithms, Automation, and Administrative Procedure at EU Level
Authors: Mir Oriol
Published: August 2024

This paper examines and underlines the crucial role of the classical institution of administrative procedure in the current debate on the responsible use of algorithms in the public sector. It proposes some basic distinctions concerning the use of algorithms within the administrative procedure and suggests certain procedural adaptations in order to avoid the risks that such use may entail. Particular attention is paid to the principles to be drawn from EU law and the activities of the European administration, in the light of a case study carried out in recent months and summarised in the Annex.
A Digital Health Infrastructure for Cross-Border Governance of Communicable Diseases
Authors: Enderlein Franka
Published: August 2024

This chapter explores applying three fundamental principles—digital, cross-border, and interoperable—in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Emphasizing the necessity of digital technology in pandemic response, the study delves into the challenges and implications of ensuring a cross-border approach. It critically examines the economic and legal consequences of uncoordinated measures taken by Member States, shedding light on the impact on fundamental freedoms and the internal market. The chapter underscores the importance of interoperable information systems, especially in the era of artificial intelligence, for effective communicable disease control. Analysing the legal framework, competencies distribution, and functions of information systems, the chapter explores the multifaceted dimensions of interoperability—legal, organizational, semantic, and technical. In conclusion, it highlights achievements, outlines the current landscape, and addresses remaining challenges in fostering a digital, cross-border, and interoperable approach to public health in the EU.
Smart Border is Watching You!
Authors: Pesch Paulina Jo , Boehm Franziska
Published: August 2024

The Smart Borders Package, proposed by the European Commission in 2013, represents a comprehensive initiative to modernize the management of the EU’s external borders. This package introduces innovative tools like the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to combat irregular migration and enhance internal security. Accompanied by the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) and the Multi-Identity Detector (MID), the Smart Borders Package signifies a shift towards large-scale data collection and automated risk assessments. This chapter, with a focus on the MID and ETIAS, explores the implications of such data-driven assessments on fundamental rights, decision-making automation, and the potential challenges in ensuring human involvement and independent supervision. The chapter delves into the degree of automation in decision-making processes, raising critical questions about the legitimacy of decisions, protection of individual rights, and the need for effective oversight. By examining the selected instruments and their fundamental rights implications, the analysis contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on data-driven risk assessments in the context of border management and law enforcement.
Between Humans and Machines
Authors: Elif Biber Sümeyye
Published: August 2024

In the EU, judges have recently provided more precise interpretations of automated decision-making (ADM) practices through their judicial rulings. Prominent instances of ADM practices such as fraud detection, teacher placement, credit scoring, and dismissing workers offer valuable insights into how judges interpret these practices. This chapter aims to systematize these practices and explores the role of judicial interpretation in defining these activities and involvement of humans in decision-making processes. The chapter is divided into three sections focusing on machines, humans, and courts. It begins by exploring the concrete uses of ADM in the EU (‘machines’). From there, it delves into how these systems are currently being utilized by taking into account two official reports published by the EU institutions. The research then identifies the socio-technical quality of ADM practices and argues how this quality necessitates meaningful human participation in decision-making processes. The chapter then examines the human-centric provisions of the relevant EU legal instruments surrounding ADM systems and targeting human participation (‘humans’). Finally, it examines four judicial cases which surfaced public and private contexts in the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany (‘courts’). In conclusion, the chapter identifies three key dimensions of judicial interpretation regarding ADM practices: (i) epistemic; (ii) substantial, encompassing socio-technical and legal dimensions; and (iii) methodological. It argues that these dynamics prove the pivotal role of judicial interpretation in comprehending the technical aspects of automation and ensuring meaningful human participation in decision-making processes.
Freedom of Political Speech Lost in Translation?
Authors: Wrigley Sam , Hiltunen Miikka , Leino-Sandberg Päivi
Published: August 2024

As technology has developed so too have the concerns about that technology. If political advertisements have the potential to change our political beliefs and opinions this will have an inevitable consequence for our democratic society. The need to regulate online targeted political advertising has surfaced frequently during the past years. In the EU, legal regulation frames the phenomenon in at least four different ways. This chapter compares regulation focusing on the protection of personal data under the General Data Protection Regulation; economic digital spaces under the Digital Services Act; the freedom of expression and information under the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights; and finally, regulation which looks at political advertising per se under the Union’s new Political Advertising Regulation. The chapter then considers the effects that the different framing has on emphasis or enforcement priorities. The chapter argues that evidencing the harm created by online targeted political advertising may be harder than initially assumed.
The Interplay Between Lawfulness and Explainability in the Automated Decision-Making of EU Administration
Authors: Liga Davide
Published: August 2024

This chapter has two main goals: it explores the nature of explainability in the attempt to clarify the ambiguous use of this concept and how eXplainable AI (XAI) methods fit into this concept; and it describes the legal framework which currently regulates the explainability of automated decisions in the context of European administration, showing to what extent a selection of famous XAI methods meets the requirements of such a legal framework. While showing how XAI methods can be crucial in meeting these requirements, we point out that holistic information from multiple XAI approaches should be preferred over relying on individual XAI techniques.
Conclusion
Authors: Vale Gina
Published: August 2024

This final chapter considers the implications and consequences of Islamic State’s (IS) intra-gender stratified governance in light of the territorial collapse of its ‘caliphate’. While scholars and policymakers continue to investigate the membership and roles of pro-IS women, the voices and concerns of local civilian women continue to be overlooked as vital evidence of the group’s activities, and as realities of conflict that need to be addressed and reconciled in recovery efforts. The narratives of diverse civilian women interviewed for this study provide not only new data, but also new perspectives from which to analyse rebel governance, conflict, and insecurity. They deconstruct the monolithic category of ‘woman’ in IS’s documentation, instead revealing that the stratification of women was integral to the functioning and legitimation of IS’s ‘caliphate’ project, the consequences of which continue to pose significant challenges in the post-occupation context.
Material Masquerade: Porcelain, Sugar, and Race on the Eighteenth-Century French Dining Table
Authors: Caticha Alicia
Published: August 2024

With the advent of biscuit porcelain at the Sèvres Royal Porcelain Manufactory in the 1750s, French porcelain at last achieved an ideal whiteness that could compete with foreign wares. Unexpected, however, was how this new material could replace the ephemeral sugar sculptures that transformed aristocratic dining tables into lavish multi-media assemblages. But replace, porcelain did not. Instead, the artificial whitening of both porcelain and sugar allowed the resulting figures to intermingle, playfully masquerading as each other while simultaneously erasing and displacing material histories linked to colonial expansion and emerging ideas of race. Taking up the ethos of the masquerade ball, whitening became the critical act through which these materials were ‘Frenchified’, moving carnivalesque early modern dining traditions into the age of colonialism.
Bernini’s Braids and the Intimacies of Stone
Authors: Lloyd Karen
Published: August 2024

Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini’s terrorised nudes, Proserpina (1621–1622) and Daphne (1623–1625), each have a single ornament: a braid. Emerging from masses of hair, their braids twist and unravel, wind and bind. As seemingly ordinary signifiers of femininity, they have gone unremarked, yet they are hermeneutically dense. In their form, braids evoke the relationship between surface and depth that defines sculptural creation. Their channelled fluidity is a challenge to the firmness of stone, one that evokes early modern ideas of the natural origins of marble and the discourse of the paragone. Teased from women’s hair, braids invoke issues of desire, violence and decorum. Bernini’s braids attest to a sensual understanding of the matter of marble that is frequently elided in favour of a dematerialised or spiritualised vision of the sculptor. This essay examines Bernini’s braids as a performance of mastery over marble that does not lose sight of its significance as stone.
SPIDER: constructing cell-type-specific protein–protein interaction networks
Authors: Kupershmidt Yael , Kasif Simon , Sharan Roded
Published: August 2024

Motivation

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) play essential roles in the buildup of cellular machinery and provide the skeleton for cellular signaling. However, these biochemical roles are context dependent and interactions may change across cell type, time, and space. In contrast, PPI detection assays are run in a single condition that may not even be an endogenous condition of the organism, resulting in static networks that do not reflect full cellular complexity. Thus, there is a need for computational methods to predict cell-type-specific interactions.

Results

Here we present SPIDER (Supervised Protein Interaction DEtectoR), a graph attention-based model for predicting cell-type-specific PPI networks. In contrast to previous attempts at this problem, which were unsupervised in nature, our model’s training is guided by experimentally measured cell-type-specific networks, enhancing its performance. We evaluate our method using experimental data of cell-type-specific networks from both humans and mice, and show that it outperforms current approaches by a large margin. We further demonstrate the ability of our method to generalize the predictions to datasets of tissues lacking prior PPI experimental data. We leverage the networks predicted by the model to facilitate the identification of tissue-specific disease genes.

Availability and implementation

Our code and data are available at https://github.com/Kuper994/SPIDER.
Transnational queer cultures and digital media: an introduction
Authors: Bayramoğlu Yener , Szulc Łukasz , Gajjala Radhika
Published: August 2024

Queer cultures have long been transnational and in times of rapid technological advancements, large migration flows, and intense cross-cultural exchanges, queer connections are evolving in new forms and meanings. These developments occur at the intersection of various intertwined geopolitical scales: urban, regional, national, continental, and global, as well as physical and digital. This introduction synthesizes various theoretical and methodological discussions to highlight the ambivalences of contemporary queer cultures, focusing on their intrinsic transnational and digital conditions. The authors contributing to this issue demonstrate that understanding queer cultures in the digital age requires examining the roles of various actors, including big tech employees, online platform volunteers, queer influencers, audiences, and migrants. They also highlight how queer digital cultures transcend national borders and challenge oppositional binaries, such as local vs. global and the West vs. the Rest, all while maintaining a critical perspective on the ambivalences of digitality.
A simple approach to produce 34 mM hydrogen peroxide utilizing carbon nitride photocatalysts
Authors: Kominami Hiroshi , Yamashita Ryuki , Liu Xiangru , Tanaka Atsuhiro
Published: August 2024

The production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by photocatalytic reduction of oxygen (O2) has attracted considerable attention as a more efficient and cleaner method than traditional methods for synthesizing H2O2. Carbon nitride (C3N4) is a suitable photocatalyst for H2O2 production under solar light due to its band gap. The objective of this study was to achieve rapid production and high concentration of H2O2 over a C3N4 photocatalyst through the strategy of increasing the H2O2 production rate and decreasing the H2O2 decomposition rate. The results showed that 34 mM H2O2 was produced by photocatalytic reactions in an alcohol at slightly elevated temperatures under visible light irradiation. To gain a deeper understanding of the rapid production and high concentration of H2O2, various parameters were investigated.
Machine learning for identification of short-term all-cause and cardiovascular deaths among patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Xu Xiao , Xu Zhiyuan , Ma Tiantian , Li Shaomei , Pei Huayi , Zhao Jinghong , Zhang Ying , Xiong Zibo , Liao Yumei , Li Ying , Lin Qiongzhen , Hu Wenbo , Li Yulin , Zheng Zhaoxia , Duan Liping , Fu Gang , Guo Shanshan , Zhang Beiru , Yu Rui , Sun Fuyun , Ma Xiaoying , Hao Li , Liu Guiling , Zhao Zhanzheng , Xiao Jing , Shen Yulan , Zhang Yong , Du Xuanyi , Ji Tianrong , Wang Caili , Deng Lirong , Yue Yingli , Chen Shanshan , Ma Zhigang , Li Yingping , Zuo Li , Zhao Huiping , Zhang Xianchao , Wang Xuejian , Liu Yirong , Gao Xinying , Chen Xiaoli , Li Hongyi , Du Shutong , Zhao Cui , Xu Zhonggao , Zhang Li , Chen Hongyu , Li Li , Wang Lihua , Yan Yan , Ma Yingchun , Wei Yuanyuan , Zhou Jingwei , Li Yan , Dong Jie , Niu Kai , He Zhiqiang ,   the PDTAP Working Group, Ma Tiantian , Li Shaomei , Zhao Jinghong , Xiong Zibo , Li Ying , Hu Wenbo , Zheng Zhaoxia , Fu Gang , Zhang Beiru , Sun Fuyun , Hao Li , Zhao Zhanzheng , Shen Yulan , Du Xuanyi , Wang Caili , Yue Yingli , Ma Zhigang , Zuo Li , Zhang Xianchao , Liu Yirong , Chen Xiaoli , Du Shutong , Xu Zhonggao , Chen Hongyu , Wang Lihua , Ma Yingchun , Zhou Jingwei , Pei Huayi , Zhang Ying , Liao Yumei , Lin Qiongzhen , Li Yulin , Duan Liping , Guo Shanshan , Yu Rui , Ma Xiaoying , Liu Guiling , Xiao Jing , Zhang Yong , Ji Tianrong , Deng Lirong , Chen Shanshan , Li Yingping , Zhao Huiping , Wang Xuejian , Gao Xinying , Li Hongyi , Zhao Cui , Zhang Li , Li Li , Yan Yan , Wei Yuanyuan , Li Yan , He Zhiqiang
Published: August 2024

Although more and more cardiovascular risk factors have been verified in peritoneal dialysis (PD) populations in different countries and regions, it is still difficult for clinicians to accurately and individually predict death in the near future. We aimed to develop and validate machine learning-based models to predict near-term all-cause and cardiovascular death. Machine learning models were developed among 7539 PD patients, which were randomly divided into a training set and an internal test set by five random shuffles of 5-fold cross-validation, to predict the cardiovascular death and all-cause death in 3 months. We chose objectively collected markers such as patient demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory data, and dialysis-related variables to inform the models and assessed the predictive performance using a range of common performance metrics, such as sensitivity, positive predictive values, the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC), and the area under the precision recall curve. In the test set, the CVDformer models had a AUROC of 0.8767 (0.8129, 0.9045) and 0.9026 (0.8404, 0.9352) and area under the precision recall curve of 0.9338 (0.8134,0.9453) and 0.9073 (0.8412, 0.9164) in predicting near-term all-cause death and cardiovascular death, respectively. The CVDformer models had high sensitivity and positive predictive values for predicting all-cause and cardiovascular deaths in 3 months in our PD population. Further calibration is warranted in the future.
Eicosatetraynoic Acid Regulates Profibrotic Pathways in an Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell–Derived Macrophage-Human Intestinal Organoid Model of Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Jurickova Ingrid , Dreskin Benjamin W , Angerman Elizabeth , Bonkowski Erin , Nguyen Jack , Villarreal Richard , Tominaga Kentaro , Iwasawa Kentaro , Braun Tzipi , Takebe Takanori , Helmrath Michael A , Haberman Yael , Wells James M , Denson Lee A
Published: August 2024

Background and Aims

We previously identified small molecules predicted to reverse an ileal gene signature for future Crohn’s Disease (CD) strictures. Here we used a new human intestinal organoid (HIO) model system containing macrophages to test a lead candidate, eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA).

Methods

Induced pluripotent stem cell lines (iPSC) were derived from CD patients and differentiated into macrophages and HIOs. Macrophages and macrophage-HIO cocultures were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with and without ETYA pretreatment. Cytospin and flow cytometry characterized macrophage morphology and activation markers, and RNA sequencing defined the global pattern of macrophage gene expression. TaqMan low-density array, Luminex multiplex assay, immunohistologic staining, and sirius red polarized light microscopy were performed to measure macrophage cytokine production and HIO profibrotic gene expression and collagen content.

Results

Induced PSC-derived macrophages exhibited morphology similar to primary macrophages and expressed inflammatory macrophage cell surface markers including CD64 and CD68. LPS-stimulated macrophages expressed a global pattern of gene expression enriched in CD ileal inflammatory macrophages and matrisome-secreted products and produced cytokines and chemokines including CCL2, IL1B, and OSM implicated in refractory disease. ETYA suppressed CD64 abundance and profibrotic gene expression pathways in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Coculture of LPS-primed macrophages with HIO led to upregulation of fibroblast activation genes including ACTA2 and COL1A1, and an increase in HIO collagen content. ETYA pretreatment prevented profibrotic effects of LPS-primed macrophages.

Conclusions

ETYA inhibits profibrotic effects of LPS-primed macrophages upon cocultured HIO. This model may be used in future untargeted screens for small molecules to treat refractory CD.
Hydroxychloroquine-induced cardiomyopathy: role of cardiac magnetic resonance for the diagnosis and follow-up of a very rare entity—a case report
Authors: Cobarro Gálvez Lucía , Valbuena-López Silvia , Prieto Moriche Elsa , Ruiz Bravo-Burguillos Elena , Pérez David Esther
Published: August 2024

Background

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a disease-modifying antirheumatic used in rheumatological diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Long-term exposure to HCQ results in drug accumulation and predisposes to adverse effects.

Case summary

We present the case of a 45-year-old woman with long-term treatment with HCQ who presented to the Emergency Department with acute heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiogram, previously normal, showed severe biventricular hypertrophy and biventricular systolic dysfunction. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) confirmed the previous findings and showed elevated native T1 and T2 values, elevated extracellular volume, and extensive mid-wall late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). Infiltrative cardiomyopathy was suspected, and endomyocardial biopsy performed. Light microscopy showed myocyte hypertrophy and vacuolar change and absence of lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrates. The diagnosis of HCQ-induced cardiomyopathy was established, and the drug was withdrawn. A CMR performed 1 year later showed normal systolic function of both ventricles and normalization of T2 values, reflecting resolution of myocardial oedema. However, severe hypertrophy, elevated native T1 values, and LGE persisted.

Discussion

Our case shows that although discontinuation of the drug stops the progression of the disease, established myocardial structural damage persists. Early diagnosis of this entity is therefore essential to improve prognosis.