bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of distributed atomic point charges and polarizabilities of solvent molecules on one‐ and two‐photon absorption spectra of aqueous p‐nitroaniline
Authors: Lu Shih‐I , Wang Bo‐Cheng
Published: December 2020

In this work, we demonstrated the electrostatic and polarization effects created from distributed atomic point charges and polarizabilities of solvent molecules, respectively, when calculating optical response properties of solution‐phase molecule within the context of the discrete solvent reaction field. Aqueous p‐nitroaniline molecule was selected as the model system for our research purpose. One‐ and two‐photon absorption spectra were constructed by carrying out the damped response theory calculations within time‐dependent density functional theory. As compared to the full treatment, we investigated different effects of electrostatics and polarizations on spectral parameters of interest. Our calculations showed that the larger contributions to the calculated red shift in excitation energy was from electrostatic term, but polarization contribution was comparable in magnitude. On the other hand, electrostatic term was the principal feature for absorption strength and spectral width.
Classification of retinal images based on convolutional neural network
Authors: El‐Hag Noha A. , Sedik Ahmed , El‐Shafai Walid , El‐Hoseny Heba M. , Khalaf Ashraf A. M. , El‐Fishawy Adel S. , Al‐Nuaimy Waleed , Abd El‐Samie Fathi E. , El‐Banby Ghada M.
Published: December 2020

Automatic detection of maculopathy disease is a very important step to achieve high‐accuracy results for the early discovery of the disease to help ophthalmologists to treat patients. Manual detection of diabetic maculopathy needs much effort and time from ophthalmologists. Detection of exudates from retinal images is applied for the maculopathy disease diagnosis. The first proposed framework in this paper for retinal image classification begins with fuzzy preprocessing in order to improve the original image to enhance the contrast between the objects and the background. After that, image segmentation is performed through binarization of the image to extract both blood vessels and the optic disc and then remove them from the original image. A gradient process is performed on the retinal image after this removal process for discrimination between normal and abnormal cases. Histogram of the gradients is estimated, and consequently the cumulative histogram of gradients is obtained and compared with a threshold cumulative histogram at certain bins. To determine the threshold cumulative histogram, cumulative histograms of images with exudates and images without exudates are obtained and averaged for each type, and the threshold cumulative histogram is set as the average of both cumulative histograms. Certain histogram bins are selected and thresholded according to the estimated threshold cumulative histogram, and the results are used for retinal image classification. In the second framework in this paper, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is utilized to classify normal and abnormal cases.
The optical density and topography characterizations of MWCNTs on Ni‐Cu/ a‐C:H substrates with different copper percentage
Authors: Dalouji Vali , Goudarzi Samira , Solaymani Shahram
Published: December 2020

In this article, the Ni‐Cu nanoparticles (NPs) in the amorphous carbon hydrogenated thin films with different copper percentage by co‐deposition of RF‐plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition were prepared using acetylene gas and Ni and Cu targets. The films deposited with 5% Cu have minimum value of the average diameter of Multi‐walled Carbon Nanotubes, MWCNTs, in about of 100 nm. It can be seen that the lateral size values of the nanoparticles for films with 5% Cu have minimum value of 5.34 nm. Films deposited with 75% Cu have maximum value of optical density specially in high energy. The spectral density power of all films indicated the presence of fractal components in prominent topographies. Films deposited without Cu NPs have minimum value of fractal dimension in about of 2.96. The diagram of the bearing area versus the nanoparticles height has shown the percentage of cavities and single‐layers. The single‐layer contents of all films were about 95%.
Value of Ultrasound in Diagnosing Perforation of Congenital Choledochal Cysts in Children
Authors: Xin Yue , Wang Xiao Man , Wang Yu , Hu Yan Xiu , Jia Li Qun
Published: December 2020

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of ultrasound in children with perforation of congenital choledochal cysts.

Methods

Eligible patients recruited from January 2004 to December 2018 in our hospital were enrolled in this retrospective study. A total of 59 cases of congenital choledochal cysts with perforation were defined as the perforation group, and 100 cases of congenital choledochal cysts without perforation with similar symptoms were defined as the control group. Clinical features were analyzed and compared between the groups. The differential efficacy of varied diagnostic criteria was evaluated by a receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

Significant differences were found between the groups with respect to clinical characteristics (abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and abdominal distention; all P < .01) and the disease onset age (P < .001), but the diagnostic efficacy of both was poor (both areas under the curve, <0.7). The interruption of bile duct continuity only occurred in the perforation group with high specificity of 100% but poor sensitivity of 18.6%. The discrimination of combined features was significantly better (area under the curve, 0.936) than that of the disease onset age and clinical characteristics, with observed sensitivity and specificity of 93.2% and 94.0%, respectively.

Conclusions

Using specific features, ultrasound can effectively diagnose perforation of a congenital choledochal cyst in children.
Registration of ‘Resilience CL+’ soft white winter wheat
Authors: Gill K. S. , Kumar N. , Randhawa H. S. , Murphy K. , Carter A. H. , Morris C. F. , Higginbotham R. W. , Engle D. A. , Guy S. O. , Lyon D. J. , Murray T. D. , Chen X. M. , Schillinger W. F.
Published: December 2020

‘Resilience CL+’ (Reg. no. CV‐1176, PI 686413; PVP 201800104) is a soft white common winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar carrying two‐gene tolerance to imazamox herbicide that was developed and released in October 2016 by the Agricultural Research Center of Washington State University. It was tested under the experimental designations KCF9002 and WA 8187. Resilience CL+ was developed using marker‐assisted background selection and marker‐assisted forward breeding approaches involving a cross between a soft white winter wheat cultivar ‘Madsen’ and CL0618 (an Australian hard red spring two‐gene Clearfield line). Resilience CL+ carries two mutation alleles (Als1 and Als2) of the acetolactate synthase gene (ALS) located on chromosomes 6DL and 6BL. Resilience CL+ has high grain‐yield potential, intermediate plant height, and is well adapted to regions of the inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) with >500 mm of annual precipitation. Resilience CL+ exhibited herbicide tolerance equivalent to ‘AP503 CL2’ and greater than the single‐gene Clearfield cultivar ‘ORCF‐102’. Compared with the other Clearfield cultivars grown in the PNW, Resilience CL+ has a high level of resistance to stripe rust and foot rot resistance, similar to that of Madsen. Resilience CL+ has soft kernels, an excellent milling score, and good end‐use quality characteristics. Yield comparison of Resilience CL+ with other popular cultivars demonstrated that it has greater yield than ‘SY Ovation’ and Madsen but is similar to ORCF‐102.
Hidden Markov model‐based control for networked fuzzy Markov jump systems against randomly occurring multichannel attacks
Authors: Huo Shicheng , Li Feng
Published: December 2020

This paper gives full consideration to the hidden Markov model‐based control problem for nonlinear Markov jump systems under multichannel random attacks via Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model. The system state is transmitted to controller through the multiple channels in which each channel obtains transmission permission based on a dispatcher and suffers from random attacks described by the Bernoulli variables. The hidden Markov model is utilized to describe the asynchronous mode phenomenon between controller and system. By choosing a compatible Lyapunov function, some sufficient conditions are developed to achieve stochastic stability of the closed‐loop system with a prescribed performance. In the end, two examples are provided to illuminate the correctness of the devised technique.
Role of bar‐channel interactions in a dominant branch shift: The Taipingkou waterway, Yangtze River, China
Authors: Hu Peng , Lei Yunlong , Deng Shaoyi , Cao Zhixian , Liu Huaihan , He Zhiguo
Published: December 2020

Previous investigations regarding river bifurcation mainly focus on the conditions of a stable bifurcation and how key factors affect the asymmetrical features of a bifurcation. In this paper, a numerical case study is presented of the 2012–2014 north to south shift in the Sanba mid‐channel bar of the Taipingkou waterway's dominant branch in the Yangtze River, China. Numerical reproduction of the bar‐channel system evolution process as well as the resultant shift in the dominant branch was conducted by a fully coupled hydro‐sediment‐morphodynamic model. The following aspects are shown to play important roles in the shift: the south bank flattening of the Lalinzhou point bar, which formed a straight and wide route for the south branch, and the downstream‐south movement of the north‐bank Yanglingji point bar, which narrowed the north branch entrance. The direct consequence of these bar evolutions is the north to south shift in the dominant branch. Prior to this shift, the south branch had a larger water diversion ratio during high water but a smaller ratio during low water. Subsequently, the south branch has a larger water diversion ratio when either high or low water levels occur. These findings suggest the important role of bar‐channel interactions in dominant branch shifts.
How to account for temporal correlations with a diagonal correlation model in a nonlinear functional model: a plane fitting with simulated and real TLS measurements
Authors: Kermarrec Gaël , Lösler Michael
Published: December 2020

To avoid computational burden, diagonal variance covariance matrices (VCM) are preferred to describe the stochasticity of terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) measurements. This simplification neglects correlations and affects least-squares (LS) estimates that are trustworthy with minimal variance, if the correct stochastic model is used. When a linearization of the LS functional model is performed, a bias of the parameters to be estimated and their dispersions occur, which can be investigated using a second-order Taylor expansion. Both the computation of the second-order solution and the account for correlations are linked to computational burden. In this contribution, we study the impact of an enhanced stochastic model on that bias to weight the corresponding benefits against the improvements. To that aim, we model the temporal correlations of TLS measurements using the Matérn covariance function, combined with an intensity model for the variance. We study further how the scanning configuration influences the solution. Because neglecting correlations may be tempting to avoid VCM inversions and multiplications, we quantify the impact of such a reduction and propose an innovative yet simple way to account for correlations with a “diagonal VCM.” Originally developed for GPS measurements and linear LS, this model is extended and validated for TLS range and called the diagonal correlation model (DCM).
A hybrid approach for recovering high-resolution temporal gravity fields from satellite laser ranging
Authors: Löcher Anno , Kusche Jürgen
Published: December 2020

A new approach to recover time-variable gravity fields from satellite laser ranging (SLR) is presented. It takes up the concept of lumped coefficients by representing the temporal changes of the Earth’s gravity field by spatial patterns via combinations of spherical harmonics. These patterns are derived from the GRACE mission by decomposing the series of monthly gravity field solutions into empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs). The basic idea of the approach is then to use the leading EOFs as base functions in the gravity field modelling and to adjust the respective scaling factors straightforward within the dynamic orbit computation; only for the lowest degrees, the spherical harmonic coefficients are estimated separately. As a result, the estimated gravity fields have formally the same spatial resolution as GRACE. It is shown that, within the GRACE time frame, both the secular and the seasonal signals in the GRACE time series are reproduced with high accuracy. In the period prior to GRACE, the SLR solutions are in good agreement with other techniques and models and confirm, for instance, that the Greenland ice sheet was stable until the late 1990s. Further validation is done with the first monthly fields from GRACE Follow-On, showing a similar agreement as with GRACE itself. Significant differences to the reference data only emerge occasionally when zooming into smaller river basins with strong interannual mass variations. In such cases, the approach reaches its limits which are set by the low spectral sensitivity of the SLR satellites and the strong constraints exerted by the EOFs. The benefit achieved by the enhanced spatial resolution has to be seen, therefore, primarily in the proper capturing of the mass signal in medium or large areas rather than in the opportunity to focus on isolated spatial details.
On generating functions in additive number theory, II: lower-order terms and applications to PDEs
Authors: Brandes J. , Parsell S. T. , Poulias C. , Shakan G. , Vaughan R. C.
Published: December 2020

We obtain asymptotics for sums of the form $$\begin{aligned} \sum _{n=1}^P e\left( {\alpha }_k\,n^k\,+\,{\alpha }_1 n\right) , \end{aligned}$$

∑

n
=
1

P

e

α
k

n
k

+

α
1

n

,

involving lower order main terms. As an application, we show that for almost all $${\alpha }_2 \in [0,1)$$

α
2

∈

[
0
,
1
)

one has $$\begin{aligned} \sup _{{\alpha }_{1} \in [0,1)} \Big | \sum _{1 \le n \le P} e\left( {\alpha }_{1}\left( n^{3}+n\right) + {\alpha }_{2} n^{3}\right) \Big | \ll P^{3/4 + \varepsilon }, \end{aligned}$$

sup

α
1

∈

[
0
,
1
)

|

∑

1
≤
n
≤
P

e

α
1

n
3

+
n

+

α
2

n
3

|

≪

P

3
/
4
+
ε

,

and that in a suitable sense this is best possible. This allows us to improve bounds for the fractal dimension of solutions to the Schrödinger and Airy equations.
Cardiac arrhythmias in patients with SARS-CoV‑2 infection and effects of the lockdown on invasive rhythmological therapy
Authors: Mathew Shibu , Fraebel Christian , Johnson Victoria , Abdelgwad Saboukh , Schneider Nikita , Müller Patrick , Chasan Ritvan , Hamm Christian , Schmitt Joern
Published: December 2020

Background

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, various strategies have been taken worldwide to reduce the risk of infection. As part of the amendment to the Infection Protection Act, elective medical interventions were restricted, leading to a change in patient care. However, the consequences of the lockdown on the treatment of rhythmological patients in Germany remains unclear.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the reduction in rhythmological interventions and the patient care situation using a nationwide survey during the first lockdown period.

Methods

A survey was sent to all electrophysiological centers certified by the German Society of Cardiology. Here, the treatment volume of tachycardia and bradycardia and their invasive therapy were surveyed before and during the lockdown period. Furthermore, the number of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) treated at these centers and the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias was also recorded.

Results

Participating centers performed a total of 24,648 ablation procedures/year and represent approximately 34% (24,648/72,548) of the estimated German ablation treatments. The majority of these centers (33/40; 82.5%) were so-called primary COVID-19 hospitals (level-1). Overall, the number of ablations and pacemaker implantations were reduced by 41% and 18% respectively. Due to postponed ablation procedures and pacemaker implantations, 22/40 (55%) centers reported a worsening of clinical symptoms or early re-hospitalization of their patients.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate a significant decline in elective rhythmological procedures during the lockdown, as required by the German Federal Government. At the same time, however, more than half of the participating centers reported an increase in patient re-hospitalizations due to postponed procedures.
The sleep and circadian problems of Huntington’s disease: when, why and their importance
Authors: Voysey Z. , Fazal S. V. , Lazar A. S. , Barker R. A.
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Mounting evidence supports the existence of an important feedforward cycle between sleep and neurodegeneration, wherein neurodegenerative diseases cause sleep and circadian abnormalities, which in turn exacerbate and accelerate neurodegeneration. If so, sleep therapies bear important potential to slow progression in these diseases.

Findings

This cycle is challenging to study, as its bidirectional nature renders cause difficult to disentangle from effect. Likewise, well-controlled intervention studies are often impractical in the setting of established neurodegenerative disease. It is this that makes understanding sleep and circadian abnormalities in Huntington’s disease (HD) important: as a monogenic fully penetrant neurodegenerative condition presenting in midlife, it provides a rare opportunity to study sleep and circadian abnormalities longitudinally, prior to and throughout disease manifestation, and in the absence of confounds rendered by age and comorbidities. It also provides potential to trial sleep therapies at a preclinical or early disease stage. Moreover, its monogenic nature facilitates the development of transgenic animal models through which to run parallel pre-clinical studies. HD, therefore, provides a key model condition through which to gain new insights into the sleep-neurodegeneration interface.

Conclusions

Here, we begin by summarising contemporary knowledge of sleep abnormalities in HD, and consider how well these parallel those of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s as more common neurodegenerative conditions. We then discuss what is currently known of the sleep-neurodegeneration cyclical relationship in HD. We conclude by outlining key directions of current and future investigation by which to advance the sleep-neurodegeneration field via studies in HD.
The knowns and unknowns of neural adaptations to resistance training
Authors: Škarabot Jakob , Brownstein Callum G. , Casolo Andrea , Del Vecchio Alessandro , Ansdell Paul
Published: December 2020

The initial increases in force production with resistance training are thought to be primarily underpinned by neural adaptations. This notion is firmly supported by evidence displaying motor unit adaptations following resistance training; however, the precise locus of neural adaptation remains elusive. The purpose of this review is to clarify and critically discuss the literature concerning the site(s) of putative neural adaptations to short-term resistance training. The proliferation of studies employing non-invasive stimulation techniques to investigate evoked responses have yielded variable results, but generally support the notion that resistance training alters intracortical inhibition. Nevertheless, methodological inconsistencies and the limitations of techniques, e.g. limited relation to behavioural outcomes and the inability to measure volitional muscle activity, preclude firm conclusions. Much of the literature has focused on the corticospinal tract; however, preliminary research in non-human primates suggests reticulospinal tract is a potential substrate for neural adaptations to resistance training, though human data is lacking due to methodological constraints. Recent advances in technology have provided substantial evidence of adaptations within a large motor unit population following resistance training. However, their activity represents the transformation of afferent and efferent inputs, making it challenging to establish the source of adaptation. Whilst much has been learned about the nature of neural adaptations to resistance training, the puzzle remains to be solved. Additional analyses of motoneuron firing during different training regimes or coupling with other methodologies (e.g., electroencephalography) may facilitate the estimation of the site(s) of neural adaptations to resistance training in the future.
Effect of normobaric hypoxic exercise on blood pressure in old individuals
Authors: Hein Markus , Chobanyan-Jürgens Kristine , Tegtbur Uwe , Engeli Stefan , Jordan Jens , Haufe Sven
Published: December 2020

Purpose

To test the hypothesis that the combination of endurance training and hypoxia leads to greater improvements in resting and exercise blood pressure in old sedentary individuals compared to endurance training only.

Methods

We randomly assigned 29 old overweight participants (age: 62 ± 6 years, body mass index (BMI): 28.5 ± 0.5 kg/m2, 52% men) to single blind 8-week bicycle exercise in hypoxia (fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) = 0.15) or normoxia (FIO2 = 0.21). Brachial blood pressure was measured at rest, during maximal incremental exercise testing, and during a 30 min constant work rate test, at baseline and after the training period.

Results

Work rate, heart rate and perceived exertion during training were similar in both groups, with lower oxygen saturation for participants exercising under hypoxia (88.7 ± 1.5 vs. 96.2 ± 1.2%, t(27) = − 13.04, p < 0.001, |g|= 4.85). Office blood pressure and blood pressure during incremental exercise tests did not change significantly in either group after the training program. Systolic blood pressure during the constant work rate test was reduced after training in hypoxia (160 ± 18 vs. 151 ± 14 mmHg, t(13) = 2.44 p < 0.05, |d|= 0.55) but not normoxia (154 ± 22 vs. 150 ± 16 mmHg, t(14) = 0.75, p = 0.46, |d|= 0.18) with no difference between groups over time (F = 0.08, p = 0.77, η2 = 0.01).

Conclusion

In old individuals hypoxia in addition to exercise does not have superior effects on office or exercise blood pressure compared to training in normoxia.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov No. NCT02196623 (registered 22 July 2014).
Comparison of different strategies on three-dimensional correction of AIS: which plane will suffer?
Authors: Schlösser Tom P. , Abelin-Genevois Kariman , Homans Jelle , Pasha Saba , Kruyt Moyo , Roussouly Pierre , Shah Suken A. , Castelein René M.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

There are distinct differences in strategy amongst experienced surgeons from different ‘scoliosis schools’ around the world. This study aims to test the hypothesis that, due to the 3-D nature of AIS, different strategies can lead to different coronal, axial and sagittal curve correction.

Methods

Consecutive patients who underwent posterior scoliosis surgery for primary thoracic AIS were compared between three major scoliosis centres (n = 193). Patients were treated according to the local surgical expertise: Two centres perform primarily an axial apical derotation manoeuvre (centre 1: high implant density, convex rod first, centre 2: low implant density, concave rod first), whereas centre 3 performs posteromedial apical translation without active derotation. Pre- and postoperative shape of the main thoracic curve was analyzed using coronal curve angle, apical rotation and sagittal alignment parameters (pelvic incidence and tilt, T1–T12, T4-T12 and T10-L2 regional kyphosis angles, C7 slope and the level of the inflection point). In addition, the proximal junctional angle at follow-up was compared.

Results

Pre-operative coronal curve magnitudes were similar between the 3 cohorts and improved 75%, 70% and 59%, from pre- to postoperative, respectively (P < 0.001). The strategy of centres 1 and 2 leads to significantly more apical derotation. Despite similar postoperative T4-T12 kyphosis, the strategy in centre 1 led to more thoracolumbar lordosis and in centre 2 to a higher inflection point as compared to centre 3. Proximal junctional angle was higher in centres 1 and 2 (P < 0.001) at final follow-up.

Conclusion

Curve correction by derotation may lead to thoracolumbar lordosis and therefore higher risk for proximal junctional kyphosis. Focus on sagittal plane by posteromedial translation, however, results in more residual coronal and axial deformity.
Investigation of the ship–seabed interaction with a high-fidelity CFD approach
Authors: Shi Weichao , Li Mingxin , Yuan Zhiming
Published: December 2020

Ship–seabed interaction is highly critical to ship safety and ship performance when ship operates over shallow water with uneven seabed. However, the prediction method for ship reaction is still yet to be fully developed. In this paper, a high-fidelity transient numerical simulation method with sliding mesh is developed based on computational fluid dynamics to model a vessel passing a step bank, demonstrating to be a computational cost economical solution. The comprehensive numerical model is validated and verified against benchmarked experimental and numerical studies, which is proved to be highly accurate in predicting force characteristics and wave development. Meanwhile, during the research the impulse effect generated by the step bank was found to have striking effects on the wave elevation, wake development and vessel sinkage. Five regions on the behaviour of vessel sinkage are defined in the present work. According to the result, the vessel will encounter the extreme sinkage after a relatively long distance (12 $${L}_{\mathrm{pp}}$$

L
pp

at $${F}_{h2}=0.519$$

F

h
2

=
0.519

) passing the step bank instead of immediately.
A complete asymptotic expansion for operators of exponential type with $$p\left( x\right) =x\left( 1+x\right) ^{2}$$
Authors: Abel Ulrich , Gupta Vijay
Published: December 2020

In the year 1978, Ismail and May studied operators of exponential type and proposed some new operators which are connected with a certain characteristic function $$p\left( x\right) $$

p

x

. Several of these operators were not separately studied by researchers due to its unusual behavior. The topic of the present paper is the local rate of approximation of a sequence of exponential type operators $$R_{n}$$

R
n

belonging to $$p\left( x\right) =x\left( 1+x\right) ^{2}$$

p

x

=
x

1
+
x

2

. As the main result we derive a complete asymptotic expansion for the sequence $$\left( R_{n}f\right) \left( x\right) $$

R
n

f

x

as n tends to infinity.
Who’s Afraid of Adversariality? Conflict and Cooperation in Argumentation
Authors: Dutilh Novaes Catarina
Published: December 2020

Since at least the 1980s, the role of adversariality in argumentation has been extensively discussed within different domains. Prima facie, there seem to be two extreme positions on this issue: argumentation should (ideally at least) never be adversarial, as we should always aim for cooperative argumentative engagement; argumentation should be and in fact is always adversarial, given that adversariality (when suitably conceptualized) is an intrinsic property of argumentation. I here defend the view that specific instances of argumentation are (and should be) adversarial or cooperative to different degrees. What determines whether an argumentative situation should be primarily adversarial or primarily cooperative are contextual features and background conditions external to the argumentative situation itself, in particular the extent to which the parties involved have prior conflicting or else convergent interests. To further develop this claim, I consider three teloi that are frequently associated with argumentation: the epistemic telos, the consensus-building telos, and the conflict management telos. I start with a brief discussion of the concepts of adversariality, cooperation, and conflict in general. I then sketch the main lines of the debates in the recent literature on adversariality in argumentation. Next, I discuss the three teloi of argumentation listed above in turn, emphasizing the roles of adversariality and cooperation for each of them.
Learning Extremal Representations with Deep Archetypal Analysis
Authors: Keller Sebastian Mathias , Samarin Maxim , Arend Torres Fabricio , Wieser Mario , Roth Volker
Published: December 2020

Archetypes represent extreme manifestations of a population with respect to specific characteristic traits or features. In linear feature space, archetypes approximate the data convex hull allowing all data points to be expressed as convex mixtures of archetypes. As mixing of archetypes is performed directly on the input data, linear Archetypal Analysis requires additivity of the input, which is a strong assumption unlikely to hold e.g. in case of image data. To address this problem, we propose learning an appropriate latent feature space while simultaneously identifying suitable archetypes. We thus introduce a generative formulation of the linear archetype model, parameterized by neural networks. By introducing the distance-dependent archetype loss, the linear archetype model can be integrated into the latent space of a deep variational information bottleneck and an optimal representation, together with the archetypes, can be learned end-to-end. Moreover, the information bottleneck framework allows for a natural incorporation of arbitrarily complex side information during training. As a consequence, learned archetypes become easily interpretable as they derive their meaning directly from the included side information. Applicability of the proposed method is demonstrated by exploring archetypes of female facial expressions while using multi-rater based emotion scores of these expressions as side information. A second application illustrates the exploration of the chemical space of small organic molecules. By using different kinds of side information we demonstrate how identified archetypes, along with their interpretation, largely depend on the side information provided.
MOTChallenge: A Benchmark for Single-Camera Multiple Target Tracking
Authors: Dendorfer Patrick , Os̆ep Aljos̆a , Milan Anton , Schindler Konrad , Cremers Daniel , Reid Ian , Roth Stefan , Leal-Taixé Laura
Published: December 2020

Standardized benchmarks have been crucial in pushing the performance of computer vision algorithms, especially since the advent of deep learning. Although leaderboards should not be over-claimed, they often provide the most objective measure of performance and are therefore important guides for research. We presentMOTChallenge, a benchmark for single-camera Multiple Object Tracking (MOT) launched in late 2014, to collect existing and new data and create a framework for the standardized evaluation of multiple object tracking methods. The benchmark is focused on multiple people tracking, since pedestrians are by far the most studied object in the tracking community, with applications ranging from robot navigation to self-driving cars. This paper collects the first three releases of the benchmark: (i)MOT15, along with numerous state-of-the-art results that were submitted in the last years, (ii)MOT16, which contains new challenging videos, and (iii)MOT17, that extendsMOT16sequences with more precise labels and evaluates tracking performance on three different object detectors. The second and third release not only offers a significant increase in the number of labeled boxes, but also provide labels for multiple object classes beside pedestrians, as well as the level of visibility for every single object of interest. We finally provide a categorization of state-of-the-art trackers and a broad error analysis. This will help newcomers understand the related work and research trends in the MOT community, and hopefully shed some light into potential future research directions.
Why UK medical students change career preferences: an interview study
Authors: Singh Amit , Alberti Hugh
Published: December 2020

Introduction Medical career preferences are influenced by a multitude of factors. Currently several specialties are undergoing recruitment problems; we must develop our understanding of medical career decision-making to ensure the production of an appropriate workforce. We aimed to explore the changing career preferences of students during medical school, to better understand this.

Methods This was an interpretivist, qualitative study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven final-year students to explore why their career preferences had changed during medical school. Transcripts of these interviews were thematically analysed.

Results Three overarching themes emerged from the analysis: The ‘influence of medical school’, ‘perceived suitability to specialty’ and ‘belonging and fitting in’. A thematic map captured the participants’ perceptions on why their preferences had changed, with major influences echoing existing research. However, novel findings included participants’ personalities and enthusiasm changing over time, the need for a ‘sense of belonging’ and participants defining the term ‘variety’ uniquely, perceiving their current specialty preference to match their definition.

Discussion This was an original, in-depth study on changing career preferences, which is an ill-defined subject within the literature. Analysis revealed preferences changed for a variety of medical school, personal and specialty reasons, leading to the construction of an updated model of medical career decision-making. Medical career preference remains a dynamic and ever-evolving phenomenon, influenced by an intricate interplay of internal and external factors. An understanding of this is crucial for future workforce planning.
Correction to: Academic integrity in the Muslim world: a conceptual map of challenges of culture
Authors: Akbar Akbar , Picard Michelle
Published: December 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Pelagic Barite
Authors: Yao Weiqi , Griffith Elizabeth , Paytan Adina
Published: December 2020

Reconstruction of ocean paleoproductivity and paleochemistry is paramount to understanding global biogeochemical cycles such as the carbon, oxygen and sulfur cycles and the responses of these cycles to changes in climate and tectonics. Paleo-reconstruction involves the application of various tracers that record seawater compositions, which in turn may be used to infer oceanic processes. Several important tracers are incorporated into pelagic barite, an authigenic mineral that forms in the water column. Here we summarize the utility of pelagic barite for the reconstruction of export production and as a recorder of seawater S, O, Sr, Ca and Ba.
Sediment redistribution beneath the terminus of an advancing glacier, Taku Glacier (T'aa

k

ú

K

wáan Sít'i), Alaska
Authors: Zechmann Jenna M. , Truffer Martin , Motyka Roman J. , Amundson Jason M. , Larsen Chris F.
Published: December 2020

The recently-advancing Taku Glacier is excavating subglacial sediments at high rates over multi-decadal timescales. However, sediment redistribution over shorter timescales remains unquantified. We use a variety of methods to study subglacial and proglacial sediment redistribution on decadal, seasonal, and daily timescales to gain insight into sub- and proglacial landscape formation. Both excavation and deposition were observed from 2003 to 2015 (2.8 ± 0.9 m a−1to +2.9 ± 0.9 m a−1). The observed patterns imply that a subglacial conduit has occupied the same site over the past decade. Outwash fans on the subaerial end moraine experience fluvial sediment reworking almost year-round, with net sediment gain in winter and net sediment loss in summer, and an overall mass gain between 2005 and 2015. We estimate that tens of meters of sediment still underlie the glacier terminus, sediments which can be remobilized during future activity. However, imminent retreat from the proglacial moraine will limit its sediment supply, leaving the moraine vulnerable to erosion by bordering rivers. Retreat into an over-deepened basin will leave the glacier vulnerable to increased frontal ablation and accelerating retreat.
MARTIAL AND THE HISTORIA AVGVSTA
Authors: Rohrbacher David
Published: December 2020

The short-lived emperor Macrinus had a son whose name, inscriptions reveal, was M. Opellius Antoninus Diadumenianus. Little is known about this figure, who is remembered through brief references in the late Roman breviaries and in Herodian, and in a short biography in the collection of imperial lives now known as the Historia Augusta (= HA). In 1889, Dessau argued that the lives of the Historia Augusta, which present themselves as written by six different authors in the Age of Constantine, were in fact written by a single writer closer to the year 400, an argument that has now all but prevailed in scholarly circles. Some of the biographies depend on reliable sources, at least in part, and thus can provide actual historical information; others do not, and are mostly or entirely the result of authorial invention. The life of Diadumenianus fits clearly in the latter category. The secondary lives (Nebenviten) of the Historia Augusta contain no original information, but rather are constructed from a combination of information derived from their ‘parent’ life and invented fiction. So, for example, the life of the Caesar Aelius combines information from the life of Hadrian with fiction, the life of the usurper Avidius Cassius combines information from the life of Marcus Aurelius with fiction, and the lives of Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus combine information from the life of Severus with fiction. In the case of Diadumenianus, the life is even more thoroughly fictional, since the life of Macrinus from which it is derived is itself a kind of secondary life; Cameron suggests that Marius Maximus, the probable source for the author of the Historia Augusta, treated Macrinus as a usurper in the life of Elagabalus. Almost every detail of the life of Diadumenianus is therefore the fictive invention of the author.
LABOUR, FOLKLORE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS IN GERMAN MINING AROUND 1800
Authors: ANTHONY PATRICK
Published: December 2020

Historians have recently shown how the concept of ‘sustainability’ (Nachhaltigkeit) first emerged through statist ambitions to enfold nature into political economy in eighteenth-century Germany. Shifting the focus from forestry to mining, this article draws upon the case of Prussian mining official Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) and the ‘Mining School’ he founded in Bad Steben to argue that sustainable resource management also entailed the strict discipline of labour relations and a programme of ‘psychological policy’. Humboldt's Mining School sought to address administrative concerns about ‘Raubbau’ – the rash exploitation of mineral resources ‘without consideration for the future’ – by cultivating a new generation of mine foremen loyal to the state and schooled in its protocol. Ostensibly, Humboldt wished to purge the industry of ‘superstitious’ folk knowledge that undermined the state's commitment to long-term exploitation. Yet analysis of mining songs and sagas suggests a striking analogy between official and vernacular understandings of resource extraction as an ethical matter. Thus, the environmental alarms sounded by German miners around 1800 were triggered by transgressions of a social nature; and political concerns about social order in the ‘mining state’ were constitutive of material concerns about natural resources.
The Multifarious Lives of the Sixth ‘Abbasid Caliph Muhammad al-Amin: Collective Memory Construction, Queer Spaces, and Historical Television Drama in Egypt and Syria
Authors: Joubin Rebecca
Published: December 2020

A vast array of narratives found in medieval historical chronicles and literary sources have referenced the particular ways in which the culture associated with the ‘Abbasid caliphate diverged from a binary model of gender. Despite debate about the historical accuracy of these early chronicles, the repeated references to the sixth ‘Abbasid caliph Muhammad al-Amin's non-heteronormativity indicate at least a kernel of truth. This article examines the collective memory construction of al-Amin in the Egyptian series Harun al-Rashid (1997) and two Syrian series, Abna’ al-Rashid: al-Amin wa-l-Ma'mun (The Sons of al-Rashid: al-Amin and al-Ma'mun, 2006) and Harun al-Rashid (2018). These contemporary portrayals of the life of al-Amin simultaneously illustrate the process by which history is altered by authorial perspective and the erasure of nonheteronormative space within the ‘Abbasid caliphate. My own authorial perspective inclines toward an interpretation of al-Amin as queer; through this lens, an inspection of wide-ranging accounts of al-Amin's life reveals the historical biases of his time and our current moment, too, as historians then and now variably recognize al-Amin's queerness in constructing collective memory. Some have argued that anti–al-Amin chroniclers may have engaged in historical revisionism and referred to al-Amin as queer to discredit the caliph, but ultimately, whether or not this is true, the current application of those early references by contemporary screenwriters is the most revealing historiographical decision, as his many representations serve as a mirror for our contemporary subjectivities, interests, and agendas. At a time when queer lives and experiences are notably absent from traditional historical narratives, this article proposes that regardless of the accuracy of the original sources, the absence itself in contemporary portrayals is significant, as patterns of exclusion yield tangible meaning. In this particular case, the ready elimination of queerness from contemporary narratives shows the ways in which queerness is vulnerable to erasure in favor of other, more politically expedient identity characteristics and values.
The Absurd Injunction to Not Belong and the Bidūn in Kuwait
Authors: Beaugrand Claire
Published: December 2020

In a tweet posted on 29 March 2018, a bidūn activist—who was later jailed from July 2019 to January 2020 for peacefully protesting against the inhumane conditions under which the bidūn are living—shared a video. The brief video zooms in closely on an ID card, recognizable as one of those issued to the bidūn, or long-term residents of Kuwait who are in contention with the state regarding their legal status. More precisely, the mobile phone camera focuses on the back of the ID card, on one line with a special mention added by the Central System (al-jihāz al-markazī), the administration in charge of bidūn affairs. Other magnetic strip cards hide the personal data written above and below it. A male voice can be heard saying that he will read this additional remark, but before even doing so he bursts into laughter. The faceless voice goes on to read out the label in an unrestrained laugh: “ladayh qarīb … ladayh qarīna … dālla ʿalā al-jinsiyya al-ʿIrāqiyya” (he has a relative … who has presumptive evidence … suggesting an Iraqi nationality). The video shakes as the result of a contagious laugh that grows in intensity. In the Kuwaiti dialect, the voice continues commenting: “Uqsim bil-Allāh, gaʿadt sāʿa ufakkir shinū maʿanāt hal-ḥatchī” (I swear by God, it took me an hour to figure out the meaning of this nonsense), before reading the sentence again, stopping and guffawing, and asking if he should “repeat it a third time,” expressing amazement at its absurdity. The tweet, addressed to the head of the Central System (mentioned in the hashtag #faḍīḥat Sāliḥ al-Faḍāla, or #scandal Salih al-Fadala), reads: In lam tastaḥī fa-'ktub mā shaʾt (Don't bother, write what you want).
Effective Citizenship, Civil Action, and Prospects for Post-Conflict Justice in Yemen
Authors: Yadav Stacey Philbrick
Published: December 2020

A woman takes on work repairing cell phones in a small town in the southern governorate of Lahj. In Aden, an ‘aqīla (neighborhood representative) refuses to authorize the marriage of an underage girl. In a rural village outside of Sana'a, women petition the shaykh for permission to build a community center in which they can market home crafts to other women. Young women and men in Ibb and in Hadramawt work as volunteer teachers and coordinate with very different municipal authorities to ensure children can learn. And in the divided city of Taiz, a youth organization trains internally displaced Yemenis in the maintenance of the solar technologies that are keeping the city running.
Citizenship and Belonging in the Arabian Peninsula
Authors: Okruhlik Gwenn
Published: December 2020

This roundtable is an effort to challenge prevailing assumptions that have long dominated the general discourse about citizenship and belonging. We use the Arabian Peninsula as the site for our discussion. Our scope and purpose involve both theoretical innovation and empirical diversity. Participants are multidisciplinary and put forth ideas that move conversation on the politics of citizenship and belonging beyond the usual suspects: oil and arms, the rentier framework, social contracts that exchange welfare for loyalty, a simple state-centric lens, the primacy of tribal identities, the binary of local or foreign worker, and the binary of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) or Yemen.
Epidemiological and pathological characteristics of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis from Baluchistan Province of Pakistan
Authors: Khan Aisha , Sajid Rawan , Gul Shaista , Hussain Ashiq , Zehri Mohammad Tahir , Naz Shumaila , Simsek Sami , Waseem Shahid , Afzal Muhammad Sohail , Naqvi Syed Kamran Ul Hassan , Qasim Muhammad , Ahmed Haroon
Published: December 2020

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is considered a neglected tropical disease which in Pakistan can now be considered as a growing public health problem. The exact figures on the magnitude of the disease are lacking both at the national and regional level and only a few health centres are available for diagnosis of CL. The present study was designed to identify the epidemiology of CL infection from August 2018 to December 2019 and to assess clinical aspects of CL in Baluchistan Province of Pakistan. A total of 4072 clinically suspected CL cases were analysed statistically. The highest number of CL cases were reported in May, followed by April, January and then July, February and June and the lowest number of cases were observed in March and November. The highest prevalence rate was found in males where 38% of reported cases were aged 0–9 years. The majority (24.4%) of lesions were found on the hands followed by the face in which cheeks, ears and nose were the effected organs. About 50% of the participants have single lesion while 14% of the participants had two and nearly 3% of the participants have six lesions. The atypical clinical presentations were observed in Baluchistan and common unusual presentations were lupus erythematosus. The study findings suggest that more epidemiological studies and health education campaigns are needed for the population awareness regarding CL in Baluchistan. It is recommended that risk factors should be evaluated to establish control and management strategies to prevent disease at the individual and community level.