bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robin Pre-Training for the Deep Ritz Method
Authors: Courte Luca , Zeinhofer Marius
Published: January 2023

We analyze the training process of the Deep Ritz Method for elliptic equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions and highlight problems arising from essential boundary values. Typically, one employs a penalty approach to enforce essential boundary conditions, however, the naive approach to this problem becomes unstable for large penalizations. A novel method to compensate this problem is proposed, using a small penalization strength to pre-train the model before the main training on the target penalization strength is conducted. We present numerical evidence that the proposed method is beneficial.
Multi-modal data generation with a deep metric variational autoencoder
Authors: Sundgaard Josefine Vilsbøll , Hannemose Morten Rieger , Laugesen Søren , Bray Peter , Harte James , Kamide Yosuke , Tanaka Chiemi , Paulsen Rasmus R. , Christensen Anders Nymark
Published: January 2023

We present a deep metric variational autoencoder for multi-modal data generation. The variational autoencoder employs triplet loss in the latent space, which allows for conditional data generation by sampling new embeddings in the latent space within each class cluster. The approach is evaluated on a multi-modal dataset consisting of otoscopy images of the tympanic membrane with corresponding wideband tympanometry measurements. The modalities in this dataset are correlated, as they represent different aspects of the state of the middle ear, but they do not present a direct pixel-to-pixel correlation. The approach shows promising results for the conditional generation of pairs of images and tympanograms, and will allow for efficient data augmentation of data from multi-modal sources.
Improved Imagery Throughput via Cascaded Uncertainty Pruning on U-Net++
Authors: Li Mingshi , Wang Zifu , Blaschko Matthew
Published: January 2023

The extensive use of machine learning inferences in real-life earth observation and remote sensing cases has grown over recent years. Network pruning has been carefully studied in various applications to speed up the machine learning workflow, but mainstream pruning strategies often focus on specific connection significancy rather than the sample difficulty. U-Net++ as a well-versed and capable semantic segmentation deep convolutional neural network architecture, as well as its equivalents, are all facing the challenge of overconfidence, which will create barriers for a robust uncertainty-based pruning strategy to be designed. In the following study, we analyzed the efficiency of deep neural networks and semantic segmentation in satellite imagery analysis, and proposed a new tailored workf low of dynamic pruning for U-Net++ by combining the ideas of network calibration and uncertainty and defining the inference complexity of network input samples. We tested and illustrated the capability of this new workflow and delivered a successful comparative study on its effectiveness on the DeepGlobe satellite imagery road extraction dataset and how it can greatly reduce the computational cost with little performance drop.
Using deep convolutional neural networks to predict patients age based on ECGs from an independent test cohort
Authors: Singstad Bjørn-Jostein , Tavashi Belal
Published: January 2023

Electrocardiography is one of the most frequently used methods to evaluate cardiovascular diseases. However, the last decade has shown that deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) can extract information from the electrocardiogram (ECG) that goes beyond traditional diagnostics, such as predicting a persons age. In this study, we trained two different 1-dimensional CNNs on open datasets to predict age from a persons ECG.

The models were trained and validated using 10 seconds long 12-lead ECG records, resampled to 100Hz. 59355 ECGs were used for training and cross-validation, while 21748 ECGs from a separate cohort were used as the test set. We compared the performance achieved on the cross-validation with the performance on the test set. Furthermore, we used cardiologist annotated cardiovascular conditions to categorize the patients in the test set in order to assess whether some cardiac condition leads to greater discrepancies between CNN-predicted age and chronological age.

The best CNN model, using an Inception Time architecture, showed a significant drop in performance, in terms of mean absolute error (MAE), from cross-validation on the training set (7.90 ± 0.04 years) to the performance on the test set (8.3 years). On the other hand, the mean squared error (MSE) improved from the training set (117.5 ± 2.7 years^2) to the test set (111 years^2). We also observed that the cardiovascular condition that showed the highest deviation between predicted and biological age, in terms of MAE, was the patients with pacing rhythm (10.5 years), while the patients with prolonged QT-interval had the smallest deviation (7.4 years) in terms of MAE.

This work contributes to existing knowledge of age prediction using deep CNNs on ECGs by showing how a trained model performs on a test set from a separate cohort to that used in the training set.
Multi-lingual agents through multi-headed neural networks
Authors: Thomas Jonathan D. , Santos-Rodr´ıguez Ra´ul , Anca Mihai , Piechocki Robert
Published: January 2023

This paper considers cooperative Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning, focusing on emergent communication in settings where multiple pairs of independent learners interact at varying frequencies. In this context, multiple distinct and incompatible languages can emerge. When an agent encounters a speaker of an alternative language, there is a requirement for a period of adaptation before they can efficiently converse. This adaptation results in the emergence of a new language and the forgetting of the previous language. In principle, this is an example of the Catastrophic Forgetting problem which can be mitigated by enabling the agents to learn and maintain multiple languages. We take inspiration from the Continual Learning literature and equip our agents with multi-headed neural networks which enable our agents to be multi-lingual. Our method is empirically validated within a referential MNIST-based communication game and is shown to be able to maintain multiple languages where existing approaches cannot.
Individual and Organizational Variables, and Work-Related Behaviors: Basis for Faculty Development Model
Authors: Dangan Shirley
Published: January 2023

The study aimed to derive a faculty development model based on the interrelationships of individual and organizational variables and work-related behaviors. It involved two-hundred four or 69% of the permanent faculty of Palawan State University. A modified questionnaire adapted from western studies with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.91 measured the respondents’ levels of commitment, job satisfaction, citizenship behavior, and perceptions of support, climate, and justice in the university. Statistical analysis revealed that perceived organizational climate predicts commitment, citizenship behavior, and job satisfaction, while perceived support and justice predict job satisfaction. The derived model may guide administrators in formulating policies in the university that would motivate faculty members to improve their performance and engender their sense of obligation to contribute to the accomplishment of the goals of the university. Faculty members who experienced job satisfaction, and perceived higher levels of support, ultimately become committed to their teaching, research, and community service functions. The faculty development model suggests that promoting motivation and hygiene factors in the university will actualize the norms of reciprocity between the university and its faculty. Thus, it is beneficial to foster activities in the university from which the faculty feel a favorable organizational climate, support, and justice.
Myocardial Revascularization in Stable Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with and without Diabetes
Authors: Abdalwahab Ahmed , Zaman Azfar , Elasfar Abdelfatah , Sharaf Alden Samia , Elsaid Ayman , Badr Saham
Published: January 2023

In chronic stable angina management, percutaneous or surgical revascularization could be adopted in addition to optimum medical treatment. Choice of the most suitable and beneficial strategies usually depends on appropriate clinical judgment, meticulous assessment by different contemporary investigatory tools and patient preference. In this review, we address the impact of contemporary investigatory and treatment equipment such as pressure wire, intravascular imaging, myocardial perfusion scans, cardiac magnetic resonance and new generations of drug eluting stents, on the outcome of myocardial revascularization among variable stable coronary artery disease patients’ profiles; old age, multi-vessel, left main disease and diabetic patients.
Physical Education Teachers in Tunisia Conception of Training Actors as a Source of Vulnerability
Authors: Souid I.
Published: January 2023

Tunisia became a French protectorate in 1881, which ended in 1956. This led Tunisia to ensure the education of the young Tunisians and, as a consequence, to ensure efficient training of future teachers. Until nowadays, this project did not lead to satisfying outputs, especially in the case of PE. The present study thus aimed to examine the possible vulnerability of the training of PE teachers in ISSEPs. This was done by using semi-directed interviews to take into consideration the point of view of major players in the training (i.e.: the directors of the ISSEPs, trainers, and students) regarding teacher training in the ISSEPs.

The results of a lexical analysis (Alceste2012plus©) completed by a categorical analysis showed that these interviewees are aware of the weaknesses of the training of PE teachers in ISSEPs. However, each type of interviewee considered that these difficulties are not linked to themselves but rather to another type of interviewee or to causes originating from outside of the training itself. Such potentially conflicting points of view were also found to be formulated on the base of a consensus regarding PE as the interviewees implicitly consider PE as a sports initiation (or as a sports training). However, this consensus, probably anchored in the mentalities since the independence of Tunisia, is not consistent with the target set by the Education Act of 2008.

As a consequence, this suggests a particular interest to make the training evolve as a function of the requirements of PE teaching, which might require promoting an innovative form of training.
Disentangling the Role of Health Care Systems in Producing High-Quality Care
Authors: Lewis Valerie A. , Murray Genevra F. , DeWalt Darren A.
Published: January 2023

This Viewpoint examines in-depth 5 features of health care systems that may influence quality of care: pooled resources, centralization, standardization, interprovider coordination, and cross-practice learning.
How Crystallographic Orientation‐Induced Fibrinogen Conformation Affects Platelet Adhesion and Activation on TiO2
Authors: Struczyńska Maja , Firkowska‐Boden Izabela , Levandovsky Nathan , Henschler Reinhard , Kassir Nour , Jandt Klaus D.
Published: January 2023

Control of protein adsorption is essential for successful integration of healthcare materials into the body. Human plasma fibrinogen (HPF), especially its conformation is a key upstream regulator for platelet behavior and thus pathological clot formation at the blood‐biomaterial interface. A previous study by the authors revealed that the conformation of adsorbed HPF can be controlled by rutile surface crystallographic orientation. Therefore, it is hypothesized that pre‐adsorbed HPF on specific rutile orientation can regulate platelets adhesion and activation. Here, it is shown that platelets exposed to the four low index (110), (100), (101), (001) facets of TiO2 (rutile) exhibit surface‐specific behavior. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations of platelets morphology and P‐selectin expression measurement revealed that on (110) facets, platelets adhesion and activation are suppressed. In contrast, extensive surface coverage by fully activated platelets is observed on (001) facets. Platelets' behavior has been linked to the HPF conformation and thereby availability of platelet‐binding sequences. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging supported by immunochemical analysis shows that on (110) facets, HPF is adsorbed in trinodular conformation rendering the γ400‐411 platelet‐binding sequence inaccessible. This research has potential implications on the bioactivity of different materials crystal facets, reducing the risk of pathological clot formation and thromboembolic complications.
Exsolution Modeling and Control to Improve the Catalytic Activity of Nanostructured Electrodes
Authors: Kim Yo Han , Jeong Hyeongwon , Won Bo‐Ram , Myung Jae‐ha
Published: January 2023

In situ exsolution for nanoscale electrode design has attracted considerable attention because of its promising activity and high stability. However, fundamental research on the mechanisms underlying particle growth remains insufficient. Herein, cation‐diffusion‐determined exsolution is presented using an analytical model based on classical nucleation and diffusion. In the designed perovskite system, the exsolution trend for particle growth is consistent with this diffusion model, which strongly depends on the initial cation concentration and reduction conditions. Based on the experimental and theoretical results, a highly Ni‐doped anode and an electrochemical switching technique are employed to promote exsolution and overcome growth limitations. The optimal cell exhibits an outstanding maximum power density of 1.7 W cm−2 at 900 °C and shows no evident degradation when operating at 800 °C for 240 h under wet H2. This study provides crucial insights into the developing and tuning of heterogeneous catalysts for energy‐conversion applications.
On‐Chip Metaline for Multiport Beam Splitting
Authors: Li Tianhao , Liao Kun , Zhou Hongyin , Geng Guangzhou , Li Junjie , Su Zhaoxian , Wang Yongtian , Hu Xiaoyong , Huang Lingling
Published: January 2023

Wave shaping plays an important role in on‐chip signal processing. However, previously reported photonics elements exhibit limited control capabilities or require complex nanofabrication techniques. Here, an on‐chip metadevice is proposed for multiport beam splitting based on a 1D slots array on the silicon‐on‐insulator platform, which has the advantages of high efficiency, full 2π phase shift, and an easy design scheme. The proposed metadevice is experimentally demonstrated at 1550 nm, which shows different numbers of beam splits. This design provides a new solution for on‐chip beam splitting, which has great potential in wide applications such as signal processing, on‐chip laser modulation, on‐chip neural network, etc.
Mechanical Wave Propagation in Solidifying Metals: Physico‐Mathematical Model and Numerical Tests
Authors: Chen Wei , Wu Shiping , Wang Rujia
Published: January 2023

Despite the widespread application of mechanical waves in solidifying metals, the wave propagation laws in melt and the motion patterns of melts are unclear, which has seriously hindered the development of vibration solidification treatment. It is difficult to solve the wave propagation because of the spatial heterogeneity and the intrinsic viscoelasticity of solidifying metals. In this paper, a physico‐mathematical model is developed by coupling the unsteady temperature field and the integral Hooke–Kelvin model unifying various rheological models during solidification, and simplifies to wave equations by introducing memory factors. Then, the wave equations are solved by a staggered‐grid high‐order difference method. Subsequently, the propagation laws of mechanical waves in a large casting and a feeding channel during solidification are analyzed, eventually verified by casting experiments. It is shown that the viscoelasticity of solidifying metals is significant for the wave field. In the large casting, both displacements and stresses exhibit complex multi‐lobe patterns. In the feeding channel, the formation of micropores between the quasi‐liquid and the quasi‐solid phase and the feeding improvement by vibrations are well explained by simulation. The numerical model is a novel reliable method to theorize the solidification under vibration and expands the potential applications of vibration.
General correlation for pressure drop through randomly‐packed beds of spheres with negligible wall effects
Authors: Dixon Anthony G.
Published: January 2023

Pressure drop in fixed beds has been studied for over a century and a large number of conflicting correlations exist in the literature. Contributing factors to these differences include the use of particles of different shapes, the presence of wall effects in beds of low tube‐to‐particle diameter ratio (N) and parameter fitting over limited ranges of modified Reynolds number . The present work, in contrast, considers the entire Reynolds number range for perfect spheres in unbounded (high‐N) random‐packed beds. An asymptote‐based correlation has been developed based on published data for extremely high and on new particle‐resolved computational fluid dynamics (PRCFD) results for extremely low . The resulting equation is given by: . This equation fits a literature data set of 541 points with average error 5.66%, and shows correct limits for both high and low .
Tuning the mesoscopically structured ZSM‐5 nanosheets for the alkylation between toluene and methanol
Authors: Xiong Feng , Ji Chen , Gan Shengzhi , Liang Peng , Huang Yi , Shang Jin , Liu Baoyu , Dong Jinxiang
Published: January 2023

Mesoscopically structured ZSM‐5 nanosheets were prepared as highly active catalysts for the alkylation between toluene with methanol. The results showed that the Brønsted acid sites of ZSM‐5 nanosheets were mainly distributed on the external surface in aluminum‐rich zeolites owing to the charge‐balance between positive quaternary ammonium cation (N+) in Cph‐10‐6‐6, Na+ ions and negative aluminosilicate species. In addition, it revealed that high alkalinity was easier to depolymerize the SiOSi species in Aluminum‐rich synthesis gel, and the high alkalinity was required for silica‐rich systems to dissolve silica species in order to finish the self‐assemble process, leading to ZSM‐5 nanosheets with high alkalinity presenting enhanced catalytic performance. Moreover, the optimized ZSM‐5‐50‐2.5 was effective for the alkylation between toluene and methanol with toluene conversion of up to 50%, and it was stably operated for 48 h under the harsh conditions of WHSV = 32.5 h−1 with a desired stability.
Development of robust superhydrophobic PFA/TMI/PVDF membrane by electrospinning/electrospraying techniques for air gap membrane distillation
Authors: Eryildiz Bahriye , Ozbey‐Unal Bahar , Menceloglu Yusuf Z. , Keskinler Bulent , Koyuncu Ismail
Published: January 2023

In this present study, the fabrication of electrospun nanofiber membranes with various hydrophobic polymers containing varying ratios of TMI & PFA (a, a‐dimethyl meta‐isopropenylbenzyl isocyanate‐perfluoroalkoxy alkane) and styrene or polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was conducted to enhance air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) performance. Electrospinning and electrospraying were combined to fabricate an electrospun nanofiber membrane. Different membrane properties such as contact angle, thickness, liquid entry pressure (LEP) and mechanical strength were examined for the evaluation of nanofiber membranes. The performance of fabricated electrospun membranes was examined in AGMD application for 2 h using 0.1 wt% NaCl solution. Then, the optimized membrane was further tested for 2 h using synthetic and real geothermal water. Results demonstrated that a fabricated membrane with 20 wt% TMI & PFA and 80 wt% styrene increased the contact angle to 154.8° and the LEP to 77.6 kPa. The salt rejection was 99.7% and permeate water boron concentration was 0.108 mg B/L for modified membrane (M1) compared with 98.01% and 0.305 mg B/L for pure PVDF membrane. These results indicate that this superhydrophobic membrane, fabricated by a combined electrospin/electrospray technique, shows high promise for MD applications.
Radiographic patterns and characteristics of sagittal profiles in normal spinopelvic curvatures: An explicit depiction of the distribution of lumbar vertebral bodies and discs
Authors: Liu Guang‐Pu , Liu Lei , Han Meng , Zhang Jian‐Wei , Wang Zhen‐Fei , Liu Guang‐Wang , Han Cong‐Hui , Ma Chao
Published: January 2023

The current study aimed to investigate the sagittal morphology of the spinopelvic complex and the components of the lumbar spine in the normal population. In total, 132 adult volunteers were retrospectively evaluated and divided into four groups according to the Roussouly classification. Statistical analysis of radiological parameters, including lumbar lordosis (LL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS), PI–LL, LL–TK, lumbar vertebral lordosis from L1 to L5 (L1L–L5L), the intervertebral angle from L1–L2 to L5–S1 (IVA1‐2–IVA5‐1), segmental lordosis from L1 to L5 (S1L–S5L), the proportion of L1–L5 (L1%–L5%), the proportion of the intervertebral angle from L1–L2 to L5–S1 (IVA1‐2%–IVA5‐1%), and proportion of segmental lordosis from L1 to L5 (S1L%–S5L%), was performed. Based on the classification, type II (n = 46) was the most common, followed by type I (n = 39), type III (n = 36), and type IV (n = 11). The quantitative values of the sagittal parameters of the four groups were obtained. Results showed a significant difference in terms of LL, PI, SS, and LL‐TK. Further, L1%, L2%, L3%, IVA1‐2%, IVA2‐3%, S1L%, S2L%, and S3L% had an increasing trend. PI was positively correlated with LL, S1L, S2L, S3L, S4L, S1L%, and S2L%, but not with S5L%. In conclusion, pelvic parameters had a significant effect on lumbar curvature and lordosis distribution. Further, the abovementioned results were beneficial for individual surgical decision‐making regarding targeted intervertebral angle, screw‐insertion dimension, and rod contouring.
“The group gives me strength”: A group‐based intervention to promote trust and social connectedness among women experiencing homelessness
Authors: Marzana Daniela , Martinez‐Damia Sara , Gaboardi Marta , Scollato Alessandra , Marta Elena
Published: January 2023

People experiencing homelessness usually face social isolation because of relationship breakdown and social stigma. Women represent a minority and experience more psychological distress compared to men. Only a few homelessness services implement group‐based interventions that aim at the social re‐integration of people experiencing homelessness. The present research aims to provide empirical evidence supporting the use of group‐based intervention to promote trust and social connectedness among women experiencing homelessness. The intervention consisted of 10 open‐ended group meetings conducted by a female psychologist‐facilitator who stimulated the expression and sharing of feelings within the group. A total of 13 women living in a shelter in Italy participated in the intervention. The evaluation procedure consisted of two methodologies. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted at the beginning and the end of the intervention and structured observations were implemented during group meetings. The observation of group dynamics confirmed the benefits of the intervention documenting a transition from isolation and self‐reference to trust and social connectedness. The results of the interviews showed that women moved from (T1) loneliness, scepticism and passive desire to (T2) connection with others, care, and confident objective. Implications of the results are discussed in terms of lines of action for services for homeless women.
Coexistence of anti‐MDA5 and anti‐PL‐7 in a patient with dermatomyositis: A case report
Authors: Fu Hongyan , Sun Shaofeng , Zhang Hong , Chi Shuhong , Ma Weirong , Yang Guilan , Chen Juan
Published: January 2023

Coexisting anti‐MDA5 and anti‐PL‐7 antibodies are extremely rare. Anti‐MDA5 is associated with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP‐ILD), while anti‐PL‐7 is often associated with chronic or subacute ILD and better outcomes than RP‐ILD. We report a 41‐year‐old woman diagnosed with dermatomyositis (DM)‐associated ILD positive for anti‐MDA5 and anti‐PL‐7.
Surgical strategy for airway management and bleeding control in penetrating neck injury in zone II: A case report
Authors: Akutsu Tomohiro , Endo Akira , Sonobe Hiroyuki , Saida Fumitaka , Miyakawa Kyuhei , Takedatsu Fumino , Suzuki Keisuke , Murata Kiyoshi , Otomo Yasuhiro
Published: January 2023

We report the case of a 33‐year‐old man with a self‐inflicted neck wound with severe hypopharynx injury, and hemorrhagic shock, which was well managed by a trauma surgeon trained in esophageal surgery. Training in cervical lymph node dissection for esophageal cancer could be useful in the management of penetrating neck injuries.
Grafting PEG and alkyl comb polymers onto bleached wood pulp fibres
Authors: Wu Xiao , Culhane Annika , Amir Kashaf , Bicho Paul , Doherty Erin A. S. , Riehle Richard J. , Borkar Sachin , Moran‐Mirabal Jose , Pelton Robert H.
Published: January 2023

Comb polymers were prepared by reacting a poly(ethylene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) with alkyl amines or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) amines. The resulting polymers were used to modify bleached softwood kraft pulp fibre surfaces by catalyst‐free grafting in a process suitable for pulp mill implementation. Pulp fibres were impregnated with a polymer solution and cured above 100°C. High grafting yields were obtained despite having up to 88% of the anhydride groups consumed by amine derivatization. Grafting yields were more than 90% when the polymer dosage was <13 g/kg (dry polymer/dry fibre) for alkyl derivatives and < 38 g/kg for PEG derivatives. We propose that the upper dosage limit for efficient grafting reflects the need for direct contact between cellulose and every polymer chain for ester linkage formation. For a given polymer dosage, the cured pulp sheets had a maximum wet tensile index, TImax, when either curing time or temperature was increased. Both the alkyl and PEG derivatives fit the power law for the wet TImax~βΓru0.54–0.62 where β values were the estimated conversion of succinic acid moieties to anhydrides when the pulp sheets were cured, and Γru is the dimensionless polymer content that is numerically equal to the amount of applied polymer in mmol repeat units/g dry fibre. However, high polymer dosages give experimental TImax values that fall below the power law, irrespective of curing intensity, because the pulp sheets contain unfixed polymer chains that lubricate fibre/fibre joints, lowering wet strength.
Investigating the Lack of Translation from Cruzain Inhibition to Trypanosoma cruzi Activity with Machine Learning and Chemical Space Analyses
Authors: Lameiro Rafael F. , Montanari Carlos A.
Published: January 2023

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi. Cruzain, its main cysteine protease, is commonly targeted in drug discovery efforts to find new treatments for this disease. Even though the essentiality of this enzyme for the parasite has been established, many cruzain inhibitors fail as trypanocidal agents. This lack of translation from biochemical to biological assays can involve several factors, including suboptimal physicochemical properties. In this work, we aim to rationalize this phenomenon through chemical space analyses of calculated molecular descriptors. These include statistical tests, visualization of projections, scaffold analysis, and creation of machine learning models coupled with interpretability methods. Our results demonstrate a significant difference between the chemical spaces of cruzain and T. cruzi inhibitors, with compounds with more hydrogen bond donors and rotatable bonds being more likely to be good cruzain inhibitors, but less likely to be active on T. cruzi. In addition, cruzain inhibitors seem to occupy specific regions of the chemical space that cannot be easily correlated with T. cruzi activity, which means that using predictive modeling to determine whether cruzain inhibitors will be trypanocidal is not a straightforward task. We believe that the conclusions from this work might be of interest for future projects that aim to develop novel trypanocidal compounds.
Top advances of the year: Hepatobiliary cancers
Authors: Coffman‐D’Annibale Kelley L. , Greten Tim F.
Published: January 2023

Plain Language Summary

This commentary reviews top advances in hepatobiliary cancer research in 2021–2022, focusing on leveraging immunotherapeutics in combination with other therapies earlier in the disease course and targeted to patient's individualized biomarkers that may predict response or resistance to checkpoint inhibitors.
Experimental and numerical study on failure mechanisms of bone simulants subjected to projectile impact
Authors: Żochowski Paweł , Cegła Marcin , Berent Jarosław , Grygoruk Roman , Szlązak Karol , Smędra Anna
Published: January 2023

Analyses of the human bones failure mechanisms under projectile impact conditions can be made through performing of a large number of ballistic trials. But the amount of data that can be collected during ballistic experiments is limited due to the high dynamics of the process and its destructive character. Numerical analyses may support experimental methodologies allowing to better understand the principles of the phenomenon. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to create and to verify a numerical model of commercially available synthetic bone material—Synbone®. The model could be used in the future as a supporting tool facilitating forensic studies or designing processes of personal protection systems (helmets, bulletproof vests, etc.). Although Synbone® is commonly used in the ballistic experiments, the literature lacks reliable numerical models of this material. In order to define a numerical model of Synbone®, mechanical experiments characterizing the response of the material to the applied loads in a wide range of strains and strain rates were carried out. Based on the mechanical tests results, an appropriate material model was selected for the Synbone® composite and the values of constants in its equations were determined. Material characterization experiments were subsequently reproduced with numerical simulations and a high correlation of the results was obtained. The final validation of the material model was based on the comparison of the ballistic impact experiments and simulation results. High similarity obtained (relative error lower than 10%) demonstrates that the numerical model of Synbone® material was properly defined.
A Continuous‐Flow Microreactor for Knoevenagel Condensation of Ethyl Cyanoacetate with Benzaldehyde: The Effect of Grafted Amino Groups on Catalytic Activity
Authors: Maresz Katarzyna , Ciemięga Agnieszka , Mrowiec‐Białoń Julita
Published: January 2023

Ethyl α‐cyanocinnamate was synthesized in the Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde and ethyl cyanoacetate in flow monolithic microreactor of 0.63 cm3 volume. The catalytically active core was made of silica monolith modified with various amine group precursors. Structural properties of the support, surface density of NHx groups, and catalytic activity were investigated. It was found that the poly‐ or di‐amine groups attached to the silica surface appeared to be more effective than the aminopropyl groups. Microreactors grafted with diamine functional groups, accompanied by hydrophobic methyl groups, showed the highest activity and stability. It was proved that the decisive role on the activity of catalysts was exerted by the presence of primary amines in diamine chain. The reaction conditions were optimized and it was found that almost full substrate conversion could be achieved in 6 min at 50 °C in the microreactor with low concentration of diamine groups equal to 0.33 mmol g−1.
U‐shaped relationship between environmental performance and financial performance of non‐financial companies: An empirical assessment
Authors: Ghosh Suchismita , Pareek Ritu , Sahu Tarak Nath
Published: January 2023

This study takes inspiration from the resource‐based view theory and two‐little of a good thing theory to scrutinize the influence of environmental performance (EP) on the firms' financial performance (FP). This study comes up with different interpretations like initially negative and later on positive impact of EP measured in terms of environmental disclosure score (EDS) on the firms' economic performance measured in terms of Tobin's Q, considering a nonlinear association between them. In order to examine the research hypothesis, static as well as generalized method of moments (GMM)‐based dynamic panel data analysis has been used on the selected non‐financial Indian companies for eleven financial years which commences from 2010 up to 2020. The result in the study confirms a positive U‐shaped linkage between EP and FP because firms achieve better and positive FP when the EDS increases continuously and crosses the threshold limit of 36 points in the long run, respectively. The result suggests that managers and investors to be cautious and courageous because EP will generate positive results due to the availability of critical resources and organization discretion in the long run but will harm at the minimum level.
Public Policy Experiments without Equipoise: When Is Randomization Fair?
Authors: MacKay Douglas , Cohn Emma
Published: January 2023

Government agencies and nonprofit organizations have increasingly turned to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate public policy interventions. Random assignment is widely understood to be fair when there is equipoise; however, some scholars and practitioners argue that random assignment is also permissible when an intervention is reasonably expected to be superior to other trial arms. For example, some argue that random assignment to such an intervention is fair when the intervention is scarce, for it is sometimes fair to use a lottery to allocate scarce goods. We investigate the permissibility of randomization in public policy RCTs when there is no equipoise, identifying two sets of conditions under which it is fair to allocate access to a superior intervention via random assignment. We also reject oft‐made claims that alternative study designs, including stepped‐wedge designs and uneven randomization, offer fair ways to allocate beneficial interventions.
Water limitation reveals local adaptation and plasticity in the drought tolerance strategies of Bouteloua gracilis
Authors: Bushey Julie A. , Hoffman Ava M. , Gleason Sean M. , Smith Melinda D. , Ocheltree Troy W.
Published: January 2023

As the frequency and severity of drought increase in many regions around the globe, quantification of key drought tolerance traits and the intraspecific variability of these traits will improve predictions of the vulnerability of a species to novel drought conditions. The objective of this study was to quantify the variability in drought tolerance traits and correlate this to the sensitivity of plant growth to different soil moisture levels across populations of Bouteloua gracilis. Fourteen populations of B. gracilis were sampled along one local elevation‐aridity gradient in northern Colorado and one latitude‐aridity gradient from South Dakota to New Mexico. Individuals from each population were clonally propagated and subjected to high and low soil moisture treatments in a greenhouse and were measured for gas exchange, midday water potential (Ψmid), osmotic potential (Ψosm), biomass production, and morphological traits. Under water‐abundant conditions, plants from the most arid region produced more total biomass (67%) than plants from the most mesic system, yet experienced the greatest sensitivity (−34%) when subjected to water limitation. Productivity was strongly and negatively correlated with the magnitude of osmotic investment across all populations: each megapascal of osmotic potential was correlated with a decrease of 2.3 g of biomass under water‐limited conditions. Gas‐exchange and leaf morphological measurements did not explain these patterns. Unlike plants from the mesic regions, plants from the most arid regions did not adjust Ψosm. This lack of plasticity may be a local adaptation and the likely source of increased sensitivity in these populations.
The ecological role of native‐plant landscaping in residential yards to birds during the nonbreeding period
Authors: Smallwood Noriko L. , Wood Eric M.
Published: January 2023

Residential yards are a form of urban land use that cover a considerable amount of area in cities worldwide and provide important habitat for wildlife, especially when landscaped with native plants. Nevertheless, most native‐plant landscaping and wildlife research in the northern temperate regions of the world has been conducted during the spring and summer breeding period, leaving a gap in our understanding of the importance of residential yards and native plants as habitats for animals during the nonbreeding period. To fill this gap, we quantified the ecological role of native‐landscaped yards to avifauna throughout Greater Los Angeles (LA), California, during the winter nonbreeding period, which is a time of year when the region hosts a high abundance and diversity of migratory and resident birds. We surveyed birds and habitat features from October to March of 2020 and 2021 at 22 pairs of native‐ and non‐native‐landscaped yards plus 10 additional native‐landscaped yards. We had three objectives for our study. First, we compared avifaunal communities, including feeding and nonfeeding behaviors, and habitat features between native and non‐native‐landscaped yards. Second, we quantified relationships between habitat features and bird richness, abundance, and feeding and nonfeeding behaviors—focusing on species affiliated with urban or natural terrestrial ecosystems of the region. Third, we documented feeding and nonfeeding behaviors by birds with native and non‐native plants. Native‐landscaped yards had a greater cover of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, and a higher cover of natural habitat elements, including leaf litter and bare‐ground cover. Bird richness and abundance—especially bird species affiliated with tree‐ and shrub‐dominated ecosystems—were greater in native than non‐native‐landscaped yards. Further, yards with a higher cover of native plants supported greater numbers of feeding birds, with individuals focusing their foraging behaviors on distinct native trees and shrubs, including Quercus spp. (oak), Heteromeles spp. (toyon), Arctostaphylos spp. (manzanita), and Salvia spp. (sage). Our results suggest that residential yards landscaped with native plants provide important habitat for birds during the nonbreeding period and are a viable approach for residents and cities if improving conditions for birds throughout the annual cycle is a goal.
Coexistence between similar invaders: The case of two cosmopolitan exotic insects
Authors: Arnold Matthew B. , Back Michael , Crowell Michael Daniel , Farooq Nageen , Ghimire Prashant , Obarein Omon A. , Smart Kyle E. , Taucher Trixie , VanderJeugdt Erin , Perry Kayla I. , Landis Douglas A. , Bahlai Christie A.
Published: January 2023

Biological invasions are usually examined in the context of their impacts on native species. However, few studies have examined the dynamics between invaders when multiple exotic species successfully coexist in a novel environment. Yet, long‐term coexistence of now established exotic species has been observed in North American lady beetle communities. Exotic lady beetles Harmonia axyridis and Coccinella septempunctata were introduced for biological control in agricultural systems and have since become dominant species within these communities. In this study, we investigated coexistence via spatial and temporal niche partitioning among H. axyridis and C. septempunctata using a 31‐year data set from southwestern Michigan, USA. We found evidence of long‐term coexistence through a combination of small‐scale environmental, habitat, and seasonal mechanisms. Across years, H. axyridis and C. septempunctata experienced patterns of cyclical dominance likely related to yearly variation in temperature and precipitation. Within years, populations of C. septempunctata peaked early in the growing season at 550 degree days, while H. axyridis populations grew in the season until 1250 degree days and continued to have high activity after this point. C. septempunctata was generally most abundant in herbaceous crops, whereas H. axyridis did not display strong habitat preferences. These findings suggest that within this region H. axyridis has broader habitat and abiotic environmental preferences, whereas C. septempunctata thrives under more specific ecological conditions. These ecological differences have contributed to the continued coexistence of these two invaders. Understanding the mechanisms that allow for the coexistence of dominant exotic species contributes to native biodiversity conservation management of invaded ecosystems.
Comparing late‐onset epileptic spasm outcomes after corpus callosotomy and subsequent disconnection surgery between post‐encephalitis/encephalopathy and non‐encephalitis/encephalopathy
Authors: Inoue Takeshi , Kuki Ichiro , Uda Takehiro , Kunihiro Noritsugu , Umaba Ryoko , Koh Saya , Nukui Megumi , Okazaki Shin , Otsubo Hiroshi
Published: January 2023

Objective

We aimed to analyze the efficiency of corpus callosotomy (CC) and subsequent disconnection surgeries in patients with late‐onset epileptic spasms (LOES) by comparing post‐encephalitis/encephalopathy (PE) and non‐encephalitis/encephalopathy (NE). We hypothesized these surgeries can control potential focal onset epileptic spasms (ES) in the NE group but not in the PE group.

Methods

We retrospectively included 23 patients (12 with PE and 11 with NE) who initially underwent CC and subsequent disconnection surgeries (five NE). We compared the clinical courses, seizure types, MRI, video‐EEG, epilepsy surgery, and seizure outcomes between the two groups.

Results

The median age of LOES onset in the PE group was 2.8 (range 1.0–10.1 years) and 2.9 years (range 1.1–12.6) in the NE group. Bilateral MRI abnormalities were observed in both groups (PE, n = 12; NE, n = 3; P < 0.05). The PE group presented ES alone (n = 2), ES + focal seizures (FS) (n = 3), ES + generalized seizures (GS) (n = 3), and ES + FS + GS (n = 4) in addition to stimulus‐induced startle seizures (SS) (n = 8) (mean 3.1 seizure types/patient). The NE group presented ES alone (n = 1), ES + FS (n = 2), and ES + FS + GS (n = 8) (mean 2.7 seizure types/patient). In the PE group, CC stopped ES (n = 1) and SS (n = 1) and achieved <50% SS (n = 3). In the NE group, CC achieved immediate ES‐free status (n = 2) and < 50% ES (n = 1), and additional disconnection surgeries subsided all seizure types (n = 3) based on lateralized interictal/ictal EEG findings. LOES was significantly remitted by surgery in the NE group (6/11 [55%]) compared with the PE group (1/12 [8%]) (P < 0.05).

Significance

LOES is a drug‐resistant, focal/generalized/unknown onset ES. Lateralization of ES in NE could be achieved after CC and eliminated by further disconnection surgeries because of potential focal onset ES. LOES in PE had little benefit from CC for generalized onset ES. However, CC might reduce SS in patients in the PE group with multiple seizure types.
Earthquake‐induced impact of base‐isolated buildings: theory, numerical modeling, and design solutions
Authors: Yu Ching‐Ching , Whittaker Andrew S. , Kosbab Benjamin D. , Tehrani Payman Khalili
Published: January 2023

Earthquake shaking more intense than that used to size the horizontal clearance between a base‐isolated building and near‐rigid perimeter moat wall will result in hard impact, producing high‐frequency, high‐amplitude acceleration response in the structure and supported equipment. This paper provides a design solution for the damaging effects of hard impact by installing a compliant engineered element in the load path between the base‐isolated building and the moat wall, resulting in soft impact and a much smaller acceleration response. The engineered element assumed herein is a commercial‐off‐the‐shelf marine fender with mechanical properties determined by physical testing. The attachment of a flexible engineered element, with well‐defined stiffness and damping, to a near‐rigid moat wall, simplifies the numerical modeling of the building‐moat wall system and eliminates the need to bound the lateral stiffness of the wall for impact calculations. The simple model of the engineered element can be implemented in commercial finite element codes. Theory is developed for two‐sided impact of a single‐degree‐of‐freedom oscillator. Analytical solutions are derived for the shifted first‐mode frequency of the impacted oscillator and for its free‐vibration response. The shifted first‐mode frequency is a function of the composite lateral stiffness of the isolator‐engineered element assembly and its earthquake‐induced displacement. Local peaks in the spectral response of the impacted oscillator form at odd integer multiples of the shifted first‐mode frequency. The analytical solutions can be used to verify, in part, the numerical model used for impact analysis.
Development of hyper‐parameter‐tuned‐recurrent neural network for detection and mitigation of fraudulent resource consumption attack in cloud
Authors: Rubai Saleh Muhammad
Published: January 2023

Cloud computing is a paradigm that acts as an emerging technology with the intent of multimedia. Nevertheless, multimedia computing faces a financial burden. The essential characteristic of cloud computing is the cloud's pay‐as‐you‐go pricing model. Hence, several attacks are affecting cloud services since the threats are present long term. Such harmful attacks are named Fraudulent Resource Consumption (FRC) attacks. Due to this nature, attack detection is a critical task in cloud computing. To alleviate the problem, the proposed work is intended to detect and mitigate the FRC attack in the cloud without any vital issues. Initially, the HTTP web‐server logs are collected from the benchmark source, and the data preprocessing is performed for sequence generation, followed by the sequence decomposition process. Here, the Heuristic‐based Discrete Wavelet Transform is developed by the Adaptive Deer Hunting Optimization Algorithm (ADHOA) that is to be adopted for decomposing the sequence. Further, the hyper‐parameter Tuned‐Recurrent Neural Network (HT‐RNN) with estimating attack percentage is conducted for FRC detection. Once the detection of the FRC attack is done, then the mitigation procedure is processed for blocking them. Throughout the experimental analysis, the accuracy of the proposed ADHOA‐HT‐RNN method has attained 96%, and also, the precision of the proposed work offers 94%. The specificity of the designed model has secured 92%. The performance is assessed, and its result proves that the recommended system exploits the better detection performance. Thus, the simulation outcome has shown that the proposed ADHOA‐HT‐RNN model has attained superior performance compared to the other conventional approaches.
The cortical NG2‐glia response to traumatic brain injury
Authors: Dean Terry , Ghaemmaghami Javid , Corso John , Gallo Vittorio
Published: January 2023

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality. A chronic neurologic disease bearing the moniker of “the silent epidemic,” TBI currently has no targeted therapies to ameliorate cellular loss or enhance functional recovery. Compared with those of astrocytes, microglia, and peripheral immune cells, the functions and mechanisms of NG2‐glia following TBI are far less understood, despite NG2‐glia comprising the largest population of regenerative cells in the mature cortex. Here, we synthesize the results from multiple rodent models of TBI, with a focus on cortical NG2‐glia proliferation and lineage potential, and propose future avenues for glia researchers to address this unique cell type in TBI. As the molecular mechanisms that regulate NG2‐glia regenerative potential are uncovered, we posit that future therapeutic strategies may exploit cortical NG2‐glia to augment local cellular recovery following TBI.