bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward High‐Energy‐Density Initial‐Anode‐Free Lithium‐Metal Batteries via Ultra‐Thin Protective Ion‐Transport‐Promoting Interface Modification and Surface Prelithiation
Authors: Lu Jia , Ma Ziqiang , Wang Yuke , Dai Wangqi , Cheng Xinyu , Zuo Jinning , Lei Huanhao , Fu Zheng‐Wen
Published: September 2024

Anode‐free lithium‐metal batteries (AFLMBs) are desirable candidates for achieving high‐energy‐density batteries, while severe active Li+ loss and uneven Li plating/stripping behavior impede their practical application. Herein, a trilaminar LS‐Cu (LiCPON + Si/C‐Cu) current collector is fabricated by radio frequency magnetron sputtering, including a Si/C hybrid lithiophilic layer and a supernatant carbon‐incorporated lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiCPON) solid‐state electrolyte layer. Joint experimental and computational characterizations and simulations reveal that the LiCPON solid‐state electrolyte layer can decompose into an in situ stout ion‐transport‐promoting protective layer, which can not only regulate homogeneous Li plating/stripping behavior but also inhibit the pulverization and deactivation of Si/C hybrid lithiophilic layer. When combined with surface prelithiated Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2 (Preli‐LRM) cathode, the Preli‐LRM||LS‐Cu full cell delivers 896.1 Wh kg−1 initially and retains 354.1 Wh kg−1 after 50 cycles. This strategy offers an innovative design of compensating for active Li+ loss and inducing uniform Li plating/stripping behavior simultaneously for the development of AFLMBs.
Multifaceted Design of Surface Passivator for Upgraded Charge Extraction in Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Gassara Mahdi , Kazim Samrana , Ahmad Shahzada
Published: September 2024

The nonradiative recombination arising from the interfaces of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) pose a hurdle, impacting both the efficiency and stability of devices. Functionalized organic molecules can passivate the perovskite surface to suppress the defects and can also fine‐tune the microstructure. This in turn promotes reliability and performance enhancement in solar cells. Using a design protocol, cyanoguanidine diiodide is synthesized and employed as a surface passivator for the fabrication of PSCs, and boosted performance from 20.44% to 23.04% is achieved. This improvement stems from an improved fill factor reaching up to 80.64%, together with the open‐circuit voltage (Voc) measuring 1119 mV. The steady‐state photoluminescence and microstructure of passivated perovskites display significant surface modification of the perovskite film which favorably impacts the charge carrier transfer at the interface of perovskite and Spiro‐OMeTAD. Our findings suggest that improved solar cell performance is due to the synergetic effect of amino and cyano functional groups along with the iodide reservoir in the organic passivator.
Transforming learning experiences and assessments through AI‐empowered cocreation of quality feedback
Authors: Coenen Christian , Pfenninger Mirjam
Published: September 2024

This article examines the transformative impact of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in enhancing feedback quality in a Bachelor of Science course. It the challenges of providing personalized, timely feedback to students in larger educational settings, focusing on the use of GenAI to analyze and respond to student logbooks. These logbooks are key to reflective learning and capture students’ insights and progress. The study explores the integration of GenAI in feedback provision, which moves beyond traditional automated processes to tailor feedback to individual student journeys, thus fostering a growth mindset. GenAI shows potential for revolutionizing learning feedback, with positive effects on student engagement and learning outcomes. The article details the innovation, implementation, and context of this approach, reflecting on the learning coach's experience and successes. It links these findings to educational theories, discussing the broader implications for educators, future AI integration in education, and policy considerations. The conclusion outlines the benefits of GenAI in feedback processes and future directions for exploration and ethical guidelines.
Frontiers in artificial intelligence‐directed light‐sheet microscopy for uncovering biological phenomena and multiorgan imaging
Authors: Zhu Enbo , Li Yan‐Ruide , Margolis Samuel , Wang Jing , Wang Kaidong , Zhang Yaran , Wang Shaolei , Park Jongchan , Zheng Charlie , Yang Lili , Chu Alison , Zhang Yuhua , Gao Liang , Hsiai Tzung K.
Published: September 2024

Light‐sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) introduces fast scanning of biological phenomena with deep photon penetration and minimal phototoxicity. This advancement represents a significant shift in 3‐D imaging of large‐scale biological tissues and 4‐D (space + time) imaging of small live animals. The large data associated with LSFM require efficient imaging acquisition and analysis with the use of artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) algorithms. To this end, AI/ML‐directed LSFM is an emerging area for multiorgan imaging and tumor diagnostics. This review will present the development of LSFM and highlight various LSFM configurations and designs for multiscale imaging. Optical clearance techniques will be compared for effective reduction in light scattering and optimal deep‐tissue imaging. This review will further depict a diverse range of research and translational applications, from small live organisms to multiorgan imaging to tumor diagnosis. In addition, this review will address AI/ML‐directed imaging reconstruction, including the application of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and generative adversarial networks (GANs). In summary, the advancements of LSFM have enabled effective and efficient post‐imaging reconstruction and data analyses, underscoring LSFM's contribution to advancing fundamental and translational research.
Zinc separation from brass dust by the Fenton process
Authors: Van Phuong Nguyen , Tong Nguyen Xuan
Published: September 2024

Brass polishing facilities generate waste dust rich in zinc and copper, presenting both an economic opportunity for resource recovery and an environmental challenge. The Fenton process, a promising hydrometallurgical solution, offers a way to separate zinc from this waste dust. Researchers employed an experimental design method to identify optimal parameters for zinc dissolution, including pH, ferrous iron (Fe2+) content, stirring speed, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration. Kinetic modeling identified the optimal parameters for zinc dissolution: pH 1, 0.1 M Fe2+, 60 rpm stirring speed, 1.0% H2O2 concentration (flow rate 1 mL min−1), and a reaction time of 2 h. The kinetic data suggested a first‐order kinetic model, indicating a chemically controlled surface reaction mechanism. These findings demonstrate the Fenton process's effectiveness in zinc dissolution from brass dust. This paves the way for further research on zinc recovery methods, such as electrolysis for metallic zinc production or integration into chemical manufacturing processes.
Defect fusion and Casimir energy in higher dimensions
Authors: Diatlyk Oleksandr , Khanchandani Himanshu , Popov Fedor K. , Wang Yifan
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We study the operator algebra of extended conformal defects in more than two spacetime dimensions. Such algebra structure encodes the combined effect of multiple impurities on physical observables at long distances as well as the interactions among the impurities. These features are formalized by a fusion product which we define for a pair of defects, after isolating divergences that capture the effective potential between the defects, which generalizes the usual Casimir energy. We discuss general properties of the corresponding fusion algebra and contrast with the more familiar cases that involve topological defects. We also describe the relation to a different defect setup in the shape of a wedge. We provide explicit examples to illustrate these properties using line defects and interfaces in the Wilson-Fisher CFT and the Gross-Neveu(-Yukawa) CFT and determine the defect fusion data thereof.
Tree-level superstring amplitudes: the Neveu-Schwarz sector
Authors: Cacciatori Sergio L. , Grushevsky Samuel , Voronov Alexander A.
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We present a complete computation of superstring scattering amplitudes at tree level, for the case of Neveu-Schwarz insertions. Mathematically, this is to say that we determine explicitly the superstring measure on the moduli space $$ {\mathcal{M}}_{0,n,0} $$

M

0
,
n
,
0

of super Riemann surfaces of genus zero with n ≥ 3 Neveu-Schwarz punctures. While, of course, an expression for the measure was previously known, we do this from first principles, using the canonically defined super Mumford isomorphism [1]. We thus determine the scattering amplitudes, explicitly in the global coordinates on $$ {\mathcal{M}}_{0,n,0} $$

M

0
,
n
,
0

, without the need for picture changing operators or ghosts, and are also able to determine canonically the value of the coupling constant. Our computation should be viewed as a step towards performing similar analysis on $$ {\mathcal{M}}_{0,0,n} $$

M

0
,
0
,
n

, to derive explicit tree-level scattering amplitudes with Ramond insertions.
Missing energy plus jet in the SMEFT
Authors: Hiller Gudrun , Wendler Daniel
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We study the production of dineutrinos in proton-proton collisions, with large missing transverse energy and an energetic jet as the experimental signature. Recasting a search from the ATLAS collaboration we work out constraints on semileptonic four-fermion operators, gluon and electroweak dipole operators and Z-penguins in the SMEFT. All but the Z-penguin operators experience energy-enhancement. Constraints on gluon dipole operators are the strongest, probing new physics up to 14 TeV, and improve over existing ones from collider studies. Limits on FCNC four-fermion operators are competitive with Drell-Yan production of dileptons, and improve on those for tau final states. For left-handed |∆s| = |∆d| = 1 and right-handed |∆c| = |∆u| = 1 transitions these are the best available limits, also considering rare kaon and charm decays. We estimate improvements for the 3000 fb−1 High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider.
The Dual-layer CGuard Stent Is Safe and Effective in Emergent Carotid Artery Stenting and in Tandem Occlusions: a Multi-centric Study
Authors: Zidan Mousa , Voss Yves Leonard , Wolf Marcel , Keil Fee , Brockmann Carolin , Gronemann Christian , Lehnen Nils Christian , Paech Daniel , Nordmeyer Hannes , Dorn Franziska
Published: September 2024

Background

Dual-layer stents have fallen into disrepute after several studies reported high rates of in-stent occlusions in acute stroke treatments. The CGuard stent is a new-generation hybrid dual-layer stent that has been designed to provide less thrombogenicity and to prevent peri- and postinterventional emboli. The aim of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the CGuard stent for the acute treatment of occlusion or high-grade stenosis of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with and without concomitant intracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO).

Methods

All patients who underwent emergent carotid artery stenting (CAS) with the CGuard stent were identified and analyzed from the stroke registries from four tertiary German stroke centers. Clinical, procedural, and imaging data were evaluated. Stent patency within 72 h, intracranial hemorrhage, and modified Rankin score (mRS) at discharge were the safety and efficacy end points.

Results

Overall, ninety-six patients were included (mean age 70.2 ± 11.8, 66 males (68.8%), median NIHSS score at admission 11 (7–17), IV lysis: n = 44 (45.8%)). Stent placement was successful in all patients. Eighty-three (86.4%) patients had tandem occlusions. In-stent occlusion occurred in 5 patients (5.2%) and 3 patients developed early in-stent stenosis (3.1%). Median mRS at discharge was 2 (1–4).

Conclusion

In this multicenter study, the use of the dual-layer CGuard stent for emergent CAS, particularly in tandem occlusions, was safe and resulted in low rates of in-stent occlusions.
Effects of lorazepam on saccadic eye movements – evidence from prosaccade and free viewing tasks
Authors: Baumert Philine M. , Faßbender Kaja , Wintergerst Maximilian W. M. , Terheyden Jan H. , Aslan Behrem , Foulsham Tom , Harmening Wolf , Ettinger Ulrich
Published: September 2024

Rationale

Peak velocities of saccadic eye movements are reduced after benzodiazepine administration. Even though this is an established effect, past research has only examined it in horizontal prosaccade tasks.

Objectives

The spectrum of saccadic eye movements, however, is much larger. Therefore, we aimed to make a first attempt at filling this research gap by testing benzodiazepine effects on saccades under different experimental task conditions.

Methods

1 mg lorazepam or placebo was administered (within-subjects, double-blind, in randomised order) to n = 30 healthy adults. Participants performed an extended version of the prosaccade task, including vertical saccade directions and different stimulus eccentricities, as well as a free viewing task.

Results

Results from the prosaccade task confirmed established effects of benzodiazepines as well as saccade direction on saccadic parameters but additionally showed that the drug effect on peak velocity was independent of saccade direction. Remarkably, in the free viewing task peak velocities as well as other saccade parameters were unaffected by lorazepam. Furthermore, exploration patterns during free viewing did not change under lorazepam.

Conclusions

Overall, our findings further consolidate the peak velocity of prosaccades as a biomarker of sedation. Additionally, we suggest that sedative effects of low doses of benzodiazepines may be compensated in tasks that more closely resemble natural eye movement behaviour, possibly due to the lack of time constraints or via neurophysiological processes related to volition.
Efficacy and safety of rechallenge with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T radioligand therapy in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Santo Giulia , Di Santo Gianpaolo , Sviridenko Anna , Bayerschmidt Steffen , Wirth Lukas , Scherbauer Fabian , Lehmann Peter , von Guggenberg Elisabeth , Decristoforo Clemens , Heidegger-Pircher Isabel , Bektic Jasmin , Virgolini Irene
Published: September 2024

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and outcome of rechallenge [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T in newly progressed mCRPC patients after response to initial [177Lu]Lu-PSMA radioligand therapy (PRLT).

Methods

We retrospectively included 18 patients who underwent rechallenge with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T. All patients presented with (i) newly progressed disease after response to initial PRLT; (ii) a [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT confirming the presence of PSMA-positive metastases; iii) ECOG performance status 0–1. Adverse events were graded according to CTCAE v5.0. Response was assessed by PSA and classified according to PCWG3 recommendations. For patients who underwent restaging with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, imaging response was categorised according to adapted PERCIST v1.0. In patients with discordant [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and PSA, other available imaging modalities were evaluated to confirm disease status. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the first cycle of initial PRLT and rechallenge PRLT, respectively, until last patient contact or death.

Results

Patients were initially treated with a median of 5 cycles (range 4–7) and were rechallenged after a median of 9 months (range 3–13). Each patient received a median of 4 (range 2–7) rechallenge cycles (median cumulative activity 26.1 GBq). None of the patients experienced life-threatening G4 adverse events during either treatment period. Grade 3 adverse events included one case of anaemia, one case of thrombocytopenia, and one case of renal failure. In 8/18 patients long-term toxicities were evaluated. Serious toxicities (≥ Grade 3) occurred in 3/8 patients (n = 1 G4 thrombocytopenia, n = 1 G4 renal failure and n = 1 pancytopenia and G4 renal failure). Best PSA50%-response was observed in 44% of patients and PSA-disease control was confirmed in 56% of patients at the last cycle. Of the 12/18 patients restaged by imaging, 6/12 (50%) patients had disease control (partial response/stable disease), 1/12 had a mixed response, and 5/12 had progression. After a median follow-up time of 25 months (range 14–44), 10 patients had died, 7 were still alive, and one patient was lost at follow-up. The median OS was 29 months (95%CI, 14.3–43.7 months) for the initial treatment and 11 months (95%CI, 8.1–13.8 months) for the first rechallenge course.

Conclusion

More than half of patients benefit from rechallenge PRLT. Our analysis suggests that rechallenge may prolong survival in selected patients, with an acceptable safety profile.
The application value of Rs-fMRI-based machine learning models for differentiating mild cognitive impairment from Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Chentong , Zhou Li , Zhou Feng , Fu Tingting
Published: September 2024

Background

Various machine learning (ML) models based on resting-state functional MRI (Rs-fMRI) have been developed to facilitate differential diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the diagnostic accuracy of such models remains understudied. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the diagnostic accuracy of Rs-fMRI-based radiomics in differentiating MCI from AD.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science were searched from inception up to February 8, 2024, to identify relevant studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using a bivariate mixed-effects model, and sub-group analyses were carried out by the types of ML tasks (binary classification and multi-class classification tasks).

Findings

In total, 23 studies, comprising 5,554 participants were enrolled in the study. In the binary classification tasks (twenty studies), the diagnostic accuracy of the ML model for AD was 0.99 (95%CI: 0.34 ~ 1.00), with a sensitivity of 0.94 (95%CI: 0.89 ~ 0.97) and a specificity of 0.98 (95%CI: 0.95 ~ 1.00). In the multi-class classification tasks (six studies), the diagnostic accuracy of the ML model was 0.98 (95%CI: 0.98 ~ 0.99) for NC, 0.96 (95%CI: 0.96 ~ 0.96) for early mild cognitive impairment (EMCI), 0.97 (95%CI: 0.96 ~ 0.97) for late mild cognitive impairment (LMCI), and 0.95 (95%CI: 0.95 ~ 0.95) for AD.

Conclusions

The Rs-fMRI-based ML model can be adapted to multi-class classification tasks. Therefore, multi-center studies with large samples are needed to develop intelligent application tools to promote the development of intelligent ML models for disease diagnosis.
Enhancing privacy protections in national identification systems: an examination of stakeholders’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of privacy by design
Authors: Abomhara Mohamed , Nweke Livinus Obiora , Yayilgan Sule Yildirim , Comparin Debora , Teyras Kristel , de Labriolle Stéphanie
Published: September 2024

Privacy by Design (PbD) is a well-known concept that aims to provide a high level of protection for privacy throughout the entire life cycle of systems development. Despite the considerable attention from stakeholders such as researchers, government agencies, and system suppliers, the widespread adoption of PbD faces obstacles due to a lack of knowledge, insufficient awareness of PbD benefits, and the absence of specific implementation guidelines. In this study, stakeholders are identified primarily as diverse participants from government agencies and system suppliers engaged in National Identification Systems (NIDS). Specifically, government agencies representing regulatory bodies and administrators of NIDS, setting the legal framework that governs the NIDS’s privacy aspects. The NIDS system suppliers includes private companies playing a crucial role in the development and implementation of NIDS with a focus on privacy considerations. Through the perspectives of NIDS stakeholders, this study aimed to examine the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) of PbD principles and its integration in NIDS. A survey involving 203 participants from government agencies and NIDS system suppliers engaged in NIDS development was conducted. Subsequently, a focus group discussion was held with 11 members to provide qualitative insights into the KAP of PbD. The survey results revealed a significant correlation between attitudes and practices but a weak correlation between knowledge and attitudes or practices. The focus group discussion assured these findings, emphasizing the role of positive attitudes in facilitating PbD practices and highlighting knowledge-practice gaps. In conclusion, this study offers tailored recommendations for improving the integration of PbD in NIDS development. The recommendations includes strategies such as developing training programs, establishing clear guidelines and standards and creating awareness campaigns.
Associations Between Sexualized Media Consumption, Sexual Double Standards, and Sexual Coercion Perpetration and Victimization in Late Adolescent Sexually Active Boys and Girls from The Netherlands
Authors: Chadwick-Brown Faye , Endendijk Joyce J.
Published: September 2024

This study examined associations between sexualized media consumption, sexual double standard (SDS) norms, and sexual coercion perpetration and victimization in late adolescence and whether these associations were moderated by gender. Participants were sexually active Dutch secondary school students aged 16–20 years (N = 255, 58.4% girls). Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire at a single time-point. Overall, more sexualized media consumption was associated with higher odds of both sexual coercion perpetration and victimization. These associations did not differ by gender. Specifically, viewing online pornography and sexually oriented reality television more frequently were associated with higher odds of sexual coercion perpetration, whereas viewing others’ sexy social media posts more frequently was associated with higher odds of sexual coercion victimization. Finally, stronger endorsement of SDS norms was associated with lower odds of sexual coercion perpetration in girls, but with comparatively higher odds of sexual coercion perpetration in boys. Results indicate that consuming sexualized media and societal sexual double standards is associated with an increased risk of sexual coercion experiences in adolescence.
Synthesis of di-rhamnolipids by the avirulent, mono-rhamnolipid producing strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027
Authors: González-Valdez Abigail , Vázquez-Bueno Paola G. , Hernández-Pineda Jessica , Soberón-Chávez Gloria
Published: September 2024

To construct a derivative of the avirulent Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 that produces high levels of di-rhamnolipid, that has better physico-chemical characteristics for biotechnological applications than mono-rhamnolipid, which is the sole type produced by ATCC 9027. We used plasmids expressing the rhlC gene, which encodes for rhamnosyl transferase II that transforms mono- to di-rhamnolipids under different promoters and in combination with the gene coding for the RhlR quorum sensing regulator, or the mono-rhamnolipid biosynthetic rhlAB operon. The plasmids tested carrying the rhlC gene under the lac promoter were plasmid prhlC and prhlRC, while prhlAB-R–C expressed this gene from the rhlA promoter, forming part of the artificially constructed rhlAB-R–C operon. We measured rhamnolipds concentrations using the orcinol method and determined the proportion of mono-rhamnolipids and di-rhamnolipids by UPLC/MS/MS. We found that the expression of rhlC in P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027 caused the production of di-rhamnolipids and that the derivative carrying plasmid prhlAB-R–C gives the best results considering total rhamnolipids and a higher proportion of di-rhamnolipids. A P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027 derivative with increased di-rhamnolipids production was developed by expressing plasmid prhlAB-R–C, that produces similar rhamnolipids levels as PAO1 type-strain and presented a higher proportion of di-rhamnolipids than this type-strain.
Block diagonal Calderón preconditioning for scattering at multi-screens
Authors: Cools Kristof , Urzúa-Torres Carolina
Published: September 2024

A preconditioner is proposed for Laplace exterior boundary value problems on multi-screens. To achieve this, the quotient-space boundary element method and operator preconditioning are combined. For a fairly general subclass of multi-screens, it is shown that this approach paves the way for block diagonal Calderón preconditioners which achieve a spectral condition number that grows only logarithmically with decreasing mesh size, just as in the case of simple screens. Since the resulting scheme contains many more degrees of freedom than strictly required, strategies are presented to remove almost all redundancy without significant loss of effectiveness of the preconditioner. The performance of this method is verified by providing representative numerical results. Further numerical experiments suggest that these results can be extended to a much wider class of multi-screens that cover essentially all geometries encountered in practice, leading to a significantly reduced simulation cost.
Prostate-specific antigen testing patterns and prostate cancer stage at diagnosis in older Ohio cancer patients
Authors: Patel Sajan N. , Vu Long , Hartman Holly E. , Dong Weichuan , Koroukian Siran M. , Rose Johnie
Published: September 2024

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) screening recommendations do not support prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for older men. Such screening often occurs, however. It is, therefore, important to understand how frequently and among which subgroups screening occurs, and the extent of distant stage PCa diagnoses among screened older men.

Methods

Using the 2014–2016 linked Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System (OCISS) and Medicare administrative database, we identified men 68 and older diagnosed with PCa and categorized their PSA testing in the three years preceding diagnosis as screening or diagnostic. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify correlates of screening PSA and to determine whether screening PSA is independently associated with distant stage disease.

Results

Our study population included 3034 patients (median age: 73 years). 62.1% of PCa patients underwent at least one screening-based PSA in the three years preceding diagnosis. Older age (75–84 years: aOR [95% CI]: 0.84 [0.71, 0.99], ≥ 85: aOR: 0.27 [0.19, 0.38]), and frailty (aOR: 0.51 [0.37, 0.71]) were associated with lower screening. Screening was associated with decreased odds of distant stage disease (aOR: 0.55 [0.42, 0.71]). However, older age (75–84 years: aOR: 2.43 [1.82, 3.25], ≥ 85: aOR: 10.57 [7.05, 15.85]), frailty (aOR: 5.00 [2.78, 9.31]), and being separated or divorced (aOR: 1.64 [1.01, 2.60]) were associated with increased distant stage PCa.

Conclusion

PSA screening in older men is common, though providers appear to curtail PSA screening as age and frailty increase. Screened older men are diagnosed at earlier stages, but the harms of screening cannot be assessed.
Might I have to move due to climate change? The role of exposure to risk and political partisanship in anticipation of future relocation
Authors: Williams Lindy , Kay David
Published: September 2024

Recently, the body of research that assesses belief in climate change has grown, as has the number of studies appraising how experience with the impacts of climate change might affect public opinion. However, less research has addressed the question of whether/how people believe climate change will manifest itself in their own lives, or how it might affect behavioral responses more generally. Using two rounds of national survey data from 2016 and 2020, we examine the associations between climate risk, political party affiliation, and one potential planned adaptation behavior, relocation. Our results suggest that both exposure to risk and political identification help shape respondents’ beliefs. Several measures of risk are associated with respondents’ reports that weather/climate might cause them to move in the future and there is evidence to suggest that their awareness of risk may have increased between the two surveys. Regarding political affiliation, we find in one set of analyses that Republicans interviewed in 2020 were less likely than other political subgroups, including Republicans interviewed in 2016, to say weather/climate could have a potentially strong influence on future relocation decisions. We also find strong effects of age in one set of analyses, where younger respondents were much more likely than those at middle or older ages to report that weather/climate could exert a strong to moderate influence on a future move.
Monitoring soil carbon in smallholder carbon projects: insights from Kenya
Authors: Okoli Adaugo O. , Birkenberg Athena
Published: September 2024

Voluntary carbon market schemes facilitate funding for projects promoting sustainable land management practices to sequester carbon in natural sinks such as biomass and soil, while also supporting agricultural production. The effectiveness of VCM schemes relies on accurate measurement mechanisms that can directly attribute carbon accumulation to project activities. However, measuring carbon sequestration in soils has proven to be difficult and costly, especially in fragmented smallholdings predominant in global agriculture. The cost and accuracy limitations of current methods to monitor soil organic carbon (SOC) limit the participation of smallholder farmers in global carbon markets, where they could potentially be compensated for adopting sustainable farming practices that provide ecosystem benefits. This study evaluates nine different approaches for SOC accounting in smallholder agricultural projects. The approaches involve the use of proximal and remote sensing, along with process models. Our evaluation centres on stakeholder requirements for the Measurement, Reporting, and Verification system, using the criteria of accuracy, level of standardisation, costs, adoptability, and the advancement of community benefits. By analysing these criteria, we highlight opportunities and challenges associated with each approach, presenting suggestions to enhance their applicability for smallholder SOC accounting. The contextual foundation of the research is a case study on the Western Kenya Soil Carbon Project. Remote sensing shows promise in reducing costs for direct and modelling-based carbon measurement. While it is already being used in certain carbon market applications, transparency is vital for broader integration. This demands collaborative work and investment in infrastructure like spectral libraries and user-friendly tools. Balancing community benefits against the detached nature of remote techniques is essential. Enhancing information access aids farmers, boosting income through improved soil and crop productivity, even with remote monitoring. Handheld sensors can involve smallholders, given consistent protocols. Engaging the community in monitoring can cut project costs, enhance agricultural capabilities, and generate extra income.
Relapse prevention following guided self-help for common health problems: A Scoping Review
Authors: Nawaz Saher , Bee Penny , Devaney Hannah , Faija Cintia
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To gain an in-depth understanding of interventions, tools, and resources available focused on maintaining recovery and preventing relapse for patients with anxiety and/or depression symptoms following guided self-help (GSH).

Methods

The literature search was conducted on four electronic databases from inception until May 2024 (PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, PubMed and Web of Science). Additional searches were also conducted through other sources, including Grey Literature Databases, Google Search Engine, Citations and contacting experts in the field. All identified articles were screened for eligibility by two independent reviewers and quality appraised.

Results

A total of 1277 records across databases and other sources were identified. After removing duplicates, 511 were screened for eligibility. A total of six references met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Three peer-reviewed publications were identified, and all reported an intervention targeting relapse prevention following GSH which included monthly telephone follow-up calls. The other three sources included two workbooks and a mobile application developed and completed towards the final GSH sessions and used following treatment. All of the articles highlight the importance of independently learning and practicing skills and strategies to ease an individuals’ symptoms following discharge from GSH.

Conclusions

The current review found limited evidence surrounding recovery and relapse prevention interventions following GSH. Developing this field of research by further creating and testing relapse prevention interventions can provide an understanding of the core components needed in such tools, to successfully maintain treatment gains over time and support individuals to continue their recovery journey.
Proportionality, Determinate Intervention Effects, and High-Level Causation
Authors: Fang Wei , Zhang Jiji
Published: September 2024

Stephen Yablo’s notion of proportionality, despite controversies surrounding it, has played a significant role in philosophical discussions of mental causation and of high-level causation more generally. In particular, it is invoked in James Woodward’s interventionist account of high-level causation and explanation, and is implicit in a novel approach to constructing variables for causal modeling in the machine learning literature, known as causal feature learning (CFL). In this article, we articulate an account of proportionality inspired by both Yablo’s account of proportionality and the CFL account of variable construction. The resulting account has at least three merits. First, it illuminates an important feature of the notion of proportionality, when it is adapted to a probabilistic and interventionist framework. The feature is that at the center of the notion of proportionality lies the concept of “determinate intervention effects.” Second, it makes manifest a virtue of (common types of) high-level causal/explanatory statements over low-level ones, when relevant intervention effects are determinate. Third, it overcomes a limitation of the CFL framework and thereby also addresses a challenge to interventionist accounts of high-level causation.
The Protective Role of Supportive Relationships in Mitigating Bullying Victimization and Psychological Distress in Adolescents
Authors: Healy Karyn L. , Scott James G. , Thomas Hannah J.
Published: September 2024

Supportive relationships have been hypothesized to protect against psychological distress in general and to reduce the impacts of adversity on distress. Bullying victimization by peers is a salient adverse experience for many adolescents. Being bullied increases the risk of psychological distress which in turn increases the risk of further bullying victimization. There is minimal previous research on whether and how supportive relationships protect adolescents from bullying victimization, psychological distress and the recursive relationships between victimization and distress. This study investigated the direct and moderating effects of supportive relationships with parents, peers, and teachers on later psychological distress and bullying victimization of adolescents. This longitudinal study involved 1425 Australian adolescents aged 12–18 years (mostly male, 74.3%), using questionnaires on bullying victimization, psychological distress, and supportive relationships at two-time points, 6 months apart. All types of supportive relationships reduced the risk of later psychological distress predicted from earlier psychological distress, suggesting a direct compensatory effect. Support from classmates and parents also protected adolescents against ongoing bullying victimization and mitigated the impact of bullying victimization on later psychological distress, consistent with a stress-buffering hypothesis. The pattern of results confirms the important role that supportive relationships play in protecting adolescents from psychological distress and bullying victimization. Persistent bullying victimization and later psychological distress are less likely to occur for victimized adolescents supported by parents and classmates. Strategies and programs that improve parental support may enhance the effectiveness of programs to prevent bullying and improve outcomes for victims.
Mathematical sciences as symbolic form: the objects and objectivity of science in Ernst Cassirer’s philosophy of science and culture
Authors: Aarnes Jørgen Røysland
Published: September 2024

In this paper, I explore how Cassirer’s early and mature epistemology, philosophy of science, and philosophy of culture make up a coherent and comprehensive view of the mathematical sciences that is fruitful for understanding contemporary science. In Cassirer’s first systematic work, Substanzbegriff und Funktionsbegriff, the mathematical sciences are understood through the concept of function. This implies that scientific investigation aims at increased unity in a system of functional concepts, rather than at answering the substance-rooted question of what is. In his mature work, Philosophie der symbolischen Formen, Cassirer expands his inquiry to diverse notions of objects and principles of symbolic forming, recognizing the mathematical sciences as one of many ways of structuring experience, alongside other symbolic forms such as myth and ordinary language. Together, Cassirer’s early and mature works detail the preconditions and idiosyncrasies of the unfolding of scientific objects and situate the mathematical sciences within the totality of human experience. Applying these insights to contemporary interpretations of science suggests connecting common misconceptions of science to challenges in translating objects between symbolic forms. I propose the concepts of domestication and mythification of science as instructive for clearing up such misunderstandings.
Financial and prosocial rewards differentially enhance cognition in younger and older healthy adults
Authors: Schmidt Nadine , Menéndez-Granda Marta , Wyss Patric , Orth Michael , Horn Sebastian , Kliegel Matthias , Peter Jessica
Published: September 2024

The prospect of a reward can enhance cognitive performance. For younger men financial gains, and for older adults and women prosocial rewards, seem particularly motivating. We therefore investigated whether adding a prosocial component to a financial reward enhanced cognitive performance and, if so, whether this depended on age or sex. We randomly assigned 571 participants to one of three reward types (financial reward, prosocial reward, or a combination of both) in a monetary incentive delay task. We used linear effects modelling to examine effects of age, sex, or reward type on trial accuracy, response time, and total performance. The prospect of a combined financial and prosocial reward increased performance in all participants with the increase of response speed particularly pronounced in younger adults. Only in men, a sole financial reward increased performance. Our study highlights the importance of choosing rewards wisely when designing studies that examine their influence on cognitive performance.
Effects of intensity on emotion regulation strategy preferences are emotion-specific
Authors: Van Bockstaele Bram , Clarke Patrick J. F. , Todd Jemma , Meeten Frances , Ji Julie L. , Basanovic Julian , Chen Nigel T. M. , Rudaizky Daniel , Notebaert Lies
Published: September 2024

Adaptive emotion regulation is characterized by the ability to flexibly select and switch between different strategies, depending on individual and contextual factors. Previous studies have shown that people prefer disengagement strategies to regulate more intense emotions, while they prefer engagement strategies to regulate less intense emotions. In this study, we investigated whether – in addition to the intensity of emotions – the discrete emotion type (disgust versus fear) also affects emotion regulation strategy preferences. A total of 401 students from three different universities completed an emotion regulation choice task in which they could choose between distraction and reappraisal to regulate their emotions in response to viewing high versus low intensity disgust- and fear-evoking pictures. We found that strategy choices did indeed depend on the nature of specific emotions, with distraction being preferred for regulating disgust, and reappraisal being preferred for regulating fear. Crucially, the nature of the emotion also qualified the previously reported effect of emotion intensity on strategy choice: Only for disgust- but not for fear-evoking pictures did participants show an increased preference for distraction over reappraisal with increased emotion intensity. Our results thus show that the effects of emotional intensity on emotion regulation strategy choice are emotion-specific and indicate that factors affecting emotion regulation strategy choice interact with each other.
Early diagnosis of Chikungunya virus utilizing square core photonic crystal fiber (SC-PCF) with extremely high relative sensitivity
Authors: Khedr Omar E. , Saad Naira M. , ElRabaie ElSayed M. , Khalaf Ashraf A. M.
Published: September 2024

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) poses a significant public health threat due to its capacity to cause widespread and debilitating outbreaks. The virus is responsible for CHIKV fever, a disease characterized by severe joint pain, sudden onset of fever, headache, muscle pain, and rash. The virus has been reported in various regions globally, with outbreaks occurring in parts of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Indian subcontinent. Consequently, the scientific community expends substantial efforts in developing dependable, rapid, highly sensitive, and cost-effective techniques in order to identify the CHIKV virus. In this study, an innovative biomedical sensor using photonic crystal fiber technology enables precise detection of the CHIKV virus through uric acid, normal and infected plasma, red blood cells, and platelets in the blood. The introduced sensor identifies those kinds with extremely increased relative sensitivity and minimal losses in contrast to alternative photonic crystal fiber-based biosensors. The introduced sensor showcases a minimal confinement loss of 2.25 × 10− 13 cm− 1, a relative sensitivity of 99.37%, an effective area of 1.36 × 105 µm2, with a minimal effective material loss of 0.001966 cm–1, a numerical aperture of 0.1874, and low dispersion of 0.06. Also, the demonstrated sensor is able to function within the terahertz spectrum, covering a substantial span from 0.8 to 2.6 THz. Furthermore, an extensive comparison analysis is performed between the showcased sensor and related literature on photonic crystal fibers to verify the reliability and effectiveness of the introduced structure.
Estimation of corn crop damage caused by wildlife in UAV images
Authors: Aszkowski Przemysław , Kraft Marek , Drapikowski Pawel , Pieczyński Dominik
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper proposes a low-cost and low-effort solution for determining the area of corn crops damaged by the wildlife facility utilising field images collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The proposed solution allows for the determination of the percentage of the damaged crops and their location.

Methods

The method utilises image segmentation models based on deep convolutional neural networks (e.g., UNet family) and transformers (SegFormer) trained on over 300 hectares of diverse corn fields in western Poland. A range of neural network architectures was tested to select the most accurate final solution.

Results

The tests show that despite using only easily accessible RGB data available from inexpensive, consumer-grade UAVs, the method achieves sufficient accuracy to be applied in practical solutions for agriculture-related tasks, as the IoU (Intersection over Union) metric for segmentation of healthy and damaged crop reaches 0.88.

Conclusion

The proposed method allows for easy calculation of the total percentage and visualisation of the corn crop damages. The processing code and trained model are shared publicly.
Signs of Legal and Pseudolegal Authority: A Corpus-Based Comparison of Contemporary Courtroom Filings
Authors: Griffin David , Roemling Dana
Published: September 2024

Legal language exists in a peculiar state of tension. It is theoretically expected to meet the specific technical needs of a range of professions while simultaneously remaining entirely accessible to the public at large. Its success at that latter aim is at best limited, with laypeople generally more able to recognize that a given text is legal in character than they are to grasp its technical content. For such readers, the primary semiotic function of legal language is an indexical one, indicating that a text possesses a particular authoritative status even if its intended legal function remains opaque. This paper explores that authoritative indexicality of legal language through the multisemiotic analysis of two corpora: a corpus of legitimate legal documents filed in an American courthouse written by licensed attorneys and a corpus of pseudolegal documents filed in that same courthouse written by members of the Sovereign Citizen conspiracy movement. Sovereign Citizens appropriate features characteristic of legitimate legal language in their pseudolegal writings in an effort to imbue them with real legal authority. The comparison of these two corpora therefore provides a unique perspective on which features of legal writing most clearly communicate authority to non-lawyers. In addition to discussing the ways in which legal authority is manifested in these two corpora, this paper also outlines a novel method for the visualization of the spatial distribution of target features in a corpus of static multimodal texts by employing probability density estimation to generate a series of feature-based heatmaps.
Comparison of machine learning algorithms and multiple linear regression for live weight estimation of Akkaraman lambs
Authors: Kozaklı Özge , Ceyhan Ayhan , Noyan Mevlüt
Published: September 2024

This study was designed to predict the post-weaning weights of Akkaraman lambs reared on different farms using multiple linear regression and machine learning algorithms. The effect of factors the age of the dam, gender, type of lambing, enterprise, type of flock, birth weight, and weaning weight was analyzed. The data was collected from a total of 25,316 Akkaraman lambs raised at multiple farms in the Çiftlik District of Niğde province. Comparative analysis was conducted by using multiple linear regression, Random Forest, Support Vector Machines (and Support Vector Regression), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) (and Gradient Boosting), Bayesian Regularized Neural Network, Radial Basis Function Neural Network, Classification and Regression Trees, Exhaustive Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (and Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection), and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines algorithms. In this study, the test dataset was divided into five layers using the K-fold cross-validation method. The performance of models was compared using performance criteria such as Adjusted R-squared (Adj-$${R}^{2}$$), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) by utilizing test populations in the predicted models. Additionally, the presence of low standard deviations for these criteria indicates the absence of an overfitting problem. $${R}^{2}$$The comparison results showed the Random Forest algorithm had the best predictive performance compared to other algorithms with Adj-$${R}^{2}$$, RMSE, MAD, and MAPE values of 0.75, 3.683, 2.876, and 10.112, respectively. In conclusion, the results obtained through Multiple Linear Regression for the live weights of Akkaraman lambs were less accurate than the results obtained through artificial neural network analysis.