bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flow Reconstruction Around a Surface-Mounted Prism from Sparse Velocity and/or Scalar Measurements Using a Combination of POD and a Data-Driven Estimator
Authors: Lu Shengqi , Papadakis George
Published: April 2023

A data-driven algorithm is proposed for flow reconstruction from sparse velocity and/or scalar measurements. The algorithm is applied to the flow around a two-dimensional, wall-mounted, square prism. To reduce the problem dimensionality, snapshots of flow and scalar fields are processed to derive POD modes and their time coefficients. Then a system identification algorithm is employed to build a reduced order, linear, dynamical system for the flow and scalar dynamics. Optimal estimation theory is subsequently applied to derive a Kalman estimator to predict the time coefficients of the POD modes from sparse measurements. Analysis of the flow and scalar spectra demonstrate that the flow field leaves its footprint on the scalar, thus extracting velocity from scalar concentration measurements is meaningful. The results show that remarkably good reconstruction of the flow statistics (Reynolds stresses) and instantaneous flow patterns can be obtained using a very small number of sensors (even a single scalar sensor yields very satisfactory results for the case considered). The Kalman estimator derived at one condition is able to reconstruct with acceptable accuracy the flow fields at two nearby off-design conditions. Further work is needed to assess the performance of the algorithm in more complex, three-dimensional, flows.
IGF2BP2 promotes lncRNA DANCR stability mediated glycolysis and affects the progression of FLT3-ITD + acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Wu Shenghao , Chi Changwei , Weng Shanshan , Zhou Wenjin , Liu Zhen
Published: April 2023

Internal tandem duplication (ITD) is the most common type of FLT3 mutation (FLT3-ITD), accounting for about 25% of AML patients. The expression of DANCR in FLT3-ITD AML had not been paid attention to, and whether its regulatory relationship with IGF2BP2 can affect the progression of FLT3-ITD AML was unclear. Our study sought to verify the biological role of IGF2BP2 as an m6A reading protein in FLT3-ITD AML. To further explore the role and mechanism of DANCR in AML, and provide a basis for the screening of biomarkers and the development of targeted drugs. The results show that IGF2BP2 was upregulated in FLT3-ITD+ AML patients and cells. Si-IGF2BP2 could inhibit the proliferation, glycolytic and promote the apoptosis in MV4-11 cells. IGF2BP2 could promote the DANCR RNA stability. This discovery will provide new horizons for early screening and targeted therapy of FLT3-ITD+ AML.
Tamoxifen pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in older patients with non-metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Souwer E. T. D. , Sanchez-Spitman A. , Moes D. J. A. R. , Gelderblom H. , Swen J. J. , Portielje J. E. A. , Guchelaar H. J. , van Gelder T.
Published: April 2023

Background

We aimed to study the pharmacokinetics and -dynamics of tamoxifen in older women with non-metastatic breast cancer.

Methods

Data for this analysis were derived from the CYPTAM study (NTR1509) database. Patients were stratified by age (age groups < 65 and 65 and older). Steady-state trough concentrations were measured of tamoxifen, N-desmethyltamoxifen, 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen, and endoxifen. CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 phenotypes were assessed for all patients by genotyping. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze tamoxifen and endoxifen variability. Outcome data included recurrence-free survival at time of tamoxifen discontinuation (RFSt) and overall survival (OS).

Results

668 patients were included, 141 (21%) were 65 and older. Demographics and treatment duration were similar across age groups. Older patients had significantly higher concentrations of tamoxifen 129.4 ng/ml (SD 53.7) versus 112.2 ng/ml (SD 42.0) and endoxifen 12.1 ng/ml (SD 6.6) versus 10.7 ng/ml (SD 5.7, p all < 0.05), independently of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 gene polymorphisms. Age independently explained 5% of the variability of tamoxifen (b = 0.95, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.051) and 0.1% of the variability in endoxifen concentrations (b = 0.45, p = 0.12, R2 = 0.007). Older patients had worse RFSt (5.8 versus 7.3 years, p = 0.01) and worse OS (7.8 years versus 8.7 years, p = 0.01). This was not related to differences in endoxifen concentration (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.96–1.04, p = 0.84) or CYP polymorphisms.

Conclusion

Serum concentrations of tamoxifen and its demethylated metabolites are higher in older patients, independent of CYP2D6 or CYP3A4 gene polymorphisms. A higher bioavailability of tamoxifen in older patients may explain the observed differences. However, clinical relevance of these findings is limited and should not lead to a different tamoxifen dose in older patients.
The Impact of CEOs’ Personal Traits on Organisational Performance: Evidence from Faith-Based Charity Organisations
Authors: Melis Andrea , Nawaz Tasawar
Published: April 2023

This study examines whether and how a CEO’s personal traits (gender, altruism, age, and founder) influence organizational performance. Building upon upper echelons theory, this study develops a conceptual framework that gives explicit recognition to how the institutional environment surrounding the CEOs shapes their characteristics, which, in turn, are reflected in the different organizational strategies and performance. This study moves beyond the existing focus on for-profit corporations and conducts the empirical analysis on a novel, hand-collected, longitudinal dataset of 1342 firm-year observations of 128 faith-based charity organizations operating in a major developing, Muslim-majority country in the period 1996–2019. This study reveals that those faith-based charity organizations led by CEOs with specific personal traits (woman, altruistic, young, and founder) exhibit better organizational performance. Importantly, CEOs’ personal traits, however, do not have a uniform, systematic effect; their effect is generally strengthened when the CEO is also the founder of the faith-based charity organization, given the greater latitude of managerial discretion that a CEO has in managing the organization. Our findings have important implications for individual charity organizations; their board of directors; and their stakeholders, in particular the communities they serve, as well as the whole society where they operate.
Are automated static analysis tools worth it? An investigation into relative warning density and external software quality on the example of Apache open source projects
Authors: Trautsch Alexander , Herbold Steffen , Grabowski Jens
Published: April 2023

Automated Static Analysis Tools (ASATs) are part of software development best practices. ASATs are able to warn developers about potential problems in the code. On the one hand, ASATs are based on best practices so there should be a noticeable effect on software quality. On the other hand, ASATs suffer from false positive warnings, which developers have to inspect and then ignore or mark as invalid. In this article, we ask whether ASATs have a measurable impact on external software quality, using the example of PMD for Java. We investigate the relationship between ASAT warnings emitted by PMD on defects per change and per file. Our case study includes data for the history of each file as well as the differences between changed files and the project in which they are contained. We investigate whether files that induce a defect have more static analysis warnings than the rest of the project. Moreover, we investigate the impact of two different sets of ASAT rules. We find that, bug inducing files contain less static analysis warnings than other files of the project at that point in time. However, this can be explained by the overall decreasing warning density. When compared with all other changes, we find a statistically significant difference in one metric for all rules and two metrics for a subset of rules. However, the effect size is negligible in all cases, showing that the actual difference in warning density between bug inducing changes and other changes is small at best.
Strange Tunes—Acoustic Variation and Character Displacement in a Tarsier Hybrid Zone
Authors: Bohr Yvonne E.-M. B. , Purbatrapsila Azhari , Perwitasari-Farajallah Dyah , Ganzhorn Jörg U. , Merker Stefan
Published: April 2023

Natural hybridization provides valuable insights into evolutionary processes, such as speciation and the forces driving or hindering it. Sulawesi tarsiersTarsius dentatusandT. larianghybridize within a limited area, suggesting selection against hybrids. Their species- and sex-specific duet songs might serve as a premating barrier in sympatry, especially if differences are strengthened by character displacement. Individuals of mixed origin might face disadvantages if they inherit intermediate song traits. To shed light on the processes shaping this hybrid zone, we analysed 55 duet songs from within and outside the zone. For females and males, we identified temporal and frequency-related parameters that differ between species. We inspected hybrid songs for intermediate characteristics and analysed purebred songs for character displacement in sympatry. Female hybrid songs (N = 2) were intermediate in four to five of six parameters; interpretation of male hybrid songs (N = 2) was inconclusive, because only two parameters were reliably quantifiable. There was no character displacement in female songs in sympatry (N = 11) compared with monospecific areas (N = 17). In male songs, interspecific differences in note rate were significantly larger within the hybrid zone (N = 8) compared with outside (N = 13). Intermediate song traits indicate inheritance and may disadvantage hybrids during mate choice. Character displacement in male songs is consistent with female mate choice, because females should opt for unmistakable signals to avoid costly hybridization. Our findings thus suggest that duet songs ofT. lariangandT. dentatusplay an important role in limiting this hybrid zone.
Concise review of genus Lessonia Bory
Authors: Nardelli Allyson E. , Visch Wouter , Wright Jeffrey T. , Hurd Catriona L.
Published: April 2023

Lessonia (order Laminariales) is a kelp genus restricted to the temperate southern hemisphere, where species form dense forests from the low intertidal to 25 m depth at wave exposed sites. Lessonia spp. are among the most harvested kelps globally due to their importance in providing raw materials for food, cosmetics, bioactive and biomedical industries. Over-harvesting of natural beds can negatively affect Lessonia populations and the many species that depend on these habitats, including commercially important fish and molluscs, but good harvest management plans reduce these impacts on natural Lessonia stocks. However, the increasing demand for raw materials will likely only be met by aquaculture for which Lessonia shows high potential in pilot scale studies undertaken in Chile, New Zealand, and Australia. In this concise review, we highlight the current knowledge of Lessonia spp. taxonomy and distribution, life history, ecology and ecosystem services, wild harvest, aquaculture, and commercial applications. We discuss future research directions.
Quality of Interactions, Children’s Psychological Adjustment and Parental Stress in Foster Families: the Mediating Role of Parental Sense of Competence
Authors: Molano Nuria , León Esperanza , Jiménez-Morago Jesús M. , Camacho Carlos
Published: April 2023

Foster children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties are often a challenge for foster caregivers, who may experience reduced feelings of competence in their parental role, as well as increased levels of parental stress. In turn, these difficulties can negatively affect the quality of the interactions between them. In the present work, our first objective was to analyze the quality of the interactions between 49 Spanish foster children aged 4–9 years and their main caregivers, and its relationship with some variables, which were studied as potential predictors: the caregivers’ parental stress and sense of competence, the children’s psychological adjustment difficulties, and the children and caregivers’ socio-demographic profile. We assessed caregiver-child interactions using an observational task (Co-Construction Task). The caregivers completed standardized questionnaires regarding their parental stress (Parenting Stress Index-Short Form; PSI-SF), parental sense of competence (Parenting Sense of Competence Scale; PSOC), and foster children’s psychological adjustment difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ). Also, we obtained their socio-demographic information through the families’ caseworkers. The second objective was to examine whether caregivers’ parental sense of competence mediated the relationship between children’s psychological adjustment difficulties and caregivers’ parental stress. Results concerning our first objective showed that caregivers’ parental stress and children’s age were significant predictors of the quality of caregiver-child interactions. As for the second objective, our mediation model indicated that parental sense of competence partially mediated the relationship between children’s psychological adjustment difficulties and caregivers’ parental stress. Lastly, we comment on some practical implications based on our results, which point to the need to include both self-report and observational measures when assessing and intervening with foster families.
Slow negative feedback enhances robustness of square-wave bursting
Authors: John Sushmita Rose , Krauskopf Bernd , Osinga Hinke M. , Rubin Jonathan E.
Published: April 2023

Square-wave bursting is an activity pattern common to a variety of neuronal and endocrine cell models that has been linked to central pattern generation for respiration and other physiological functions. Many of the reduced mathematical models that exhibit square-wave bursting yield transitions to an alternative pseudo-plateau bursting pattern with small parameter changes. This susceptibility to activity change could represent a problematic feature in settings where the release events triggered by spike production are necessary for function. In this work, we analyze how model bursting and other activity patterns vary with changes in a timescale associated with the conductance of a fast inward current. Specifically, using numerical simulations and dynamical systems methods, such as fast-slow decomposition and bifurcation and phase-plane analysis, we demonstrate and explain how the presence of a slow negative feedback associated with a gradual reduction of a fast inward current in these models helps to maintain the presence of spikes within the active phases of bursts. Therefore, although such a negative feedback is not necessary for burst production, we find that its presence generates a robustness that may be important for function.
Pulmonary vein isolation by visually guided laser balloon ablation: single-center 5-year follow-up results
Authors: Koopman Pieter , Bekelaar Thalia , Schurmans Joris , Phlips Thomas , Dilling-Boer Dagmara , Vijgen Johan
Published: April 2023

Background

Visually guided laser balloon (VGLB) ablation is a balloon-based treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) that uses a titratable laser energy source to perform pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), allowing for real-time visualization of target tissue and ablation lesions through an endoscopic camera. Few long-term data on this technique are currently available. This report presents acute efficacy, procedural data, complication rates, and long-term AF-free survival up to 5 years post-ablation.

Methods

In this single-center, retrospective, observational report, 152 patients (72.4% male, mean age 60.6 ± 9.7 years, 62.5% paroxysmal AF, 598 pulmonary veins in total) treated with the first-generation VGLB system between 2014 and 2016 were included for analysis. AF ablation consisted of PVI only.

Results

Acute PVI was achieved in 98.2% of veins, with first-pass isolation in 92.5%. Procedure duration of 129 min [IQR 113–150], fluoroscopy time of 15 min [IQR 11–20], and dose area product of 5016 mGy·cm2 [IQR 3603–8711] were recorded. During a median follow-up of 51 months [IQR 45–57], 74.3% of patients remained free of AF (78.8% for paroxysmal and 65.3% for persistent AF, p = 0.108). Freedom of AF at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years follow-up was 88.2%, 82.2%, 78.9%, and 74.8%, respectively. PV reconnections were identified in only 46.9% of redo procedures. The median number of PV reconnections during redo procedures was 0 [IQR 0–2]. Anti-arrhythmic drug use was significantly reduced after ablation (p < 0.001). The most commonly reported complications were minor vascular complications (4.6%) and transient phrenic nerve paralysis (3.3%).

Conclusions

First-generation VGLB ablation demonstrated high acute isolation rates, reasonable procedure times and low complication rates. Long-term freedom from AF was 78.8% for paroxysmal AF and 65.3% for persistent AF, performing PVI only.
Worker Safety in High-risk Child Protection and Domestic Violence Cases
Authors: Tsantefski Menka , Humphreys Cathy , Wilde Tracy , Young Amy , Heward-Belle Susan , O’Leary Patrick
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Few studies have investigated how high-risk domestic and family violence perpetrators threaten staff, how organizations support staff, and whether communities of practice improve service coordination and the safety of workers and the families they serve. The purpose of this article is to explore worker safety among practitioners involved in high-risk domestic and family violence and child protection cases.

Methods

Participatory action research methodology was used to investigate and develop cross-sectoral workforce capacity at the intersection of domestic and family violence and child protection practice. This study, based in Queensland, Australia, drew on a subset of data from a larger study of communities of practice. Participants were 15 senior practitioners and team leaders from child protection, women’s and men’s domestic violence services, family support, and justice services. Data were collected in 2018. Data sources included ethnographic notes and transcripts from communities of practice and focus groups. Data were qualitatively analyzed.

Results

Five key themes emerged in the findings: risks to workers associated with the physical environment; advances in perpetrators’ use of technology; failings in police responses and the judicial system; a parallel process between workers’ and women’s responses to threats to their physical and psychological safety; and strategies for improving safety when working with high risk perpetrators of domestic and family violence.

Conclusions

Improving the physical and psychological safety of workers in high-risk domestic and family violence and child protection cases requires moving beyond intra-organizational policies and practices and addressing the inter-sectoral and systemic factors that increase risk and reduce safety for child and adult victim/survivors and workers.
Herman Berendsen’s NMR Research in Groningen and Some Memories from a Fan
Authors: Kaptein Rob
Published: April 2023

This paper describes the scientific work of Prof. Dr. Herman Berendsen on NMR spectroscopy and includes some personal notes. Since 1975, Berendsen and the author were colleagues in the Physical Chemistry group in Groningen for a period of 12 years.
Spatially explicit, quantitative reconstruction of past vegetation based on pollen or charcoal data as a tool for autecology of trees
Authors: Abraham Vojtěch , Man Matěj , Theuerkauf Martin , Pokorný Petr , Bobek Přemysl , Novák Jan
Published: April 2023

Context

The determination of autecological preferences based on long-term vegetation dynamics is hampered by the lack of realistic estimates for past occurrence and abundance patterns. Palaeoecological record has still rather character of points than spatially continuous maps.

Objectives

To infer long-term autecological preferences of trees from reconstructed vegetation. Compare reconstructions based on pollen and charcoals.

Methods

We employed to the regional training set of 58 sites the Extended Downscaling Approach (EDA) using nine topographic factors clustered in 8 habitat classes, data on pollen productivity estimates, fossil pollen, charcoal sequences from soil and archaeological contexts. Based on abundances and habitat preferences from the last 9 millennia, we calculated the autecological preferences of tree taxa, using multivariate statistics.

Results

The significant spatiotemporal patterns between soil-charcoal and pollen-based EDA validated the reconstruction, the use of both records in the EDA, and the EDA model. One of the topographic indices—vertical distance to channel network—evidenced the following: the closest taxon to the groundwater is Picea; Abies, Betula, Pinus and Quercus have intermediate distances; Fagus grows far from the channel network and Corylus even further.

Conclusions

The EDA model linked past forest composition to realistic topography. Such a spatially explicit reconstruction produced by our new algorithm allows inferring the relationship between past plant communities and environmental variables. The long-term preferences of tree species to habitat characteristics match their current autecological demands. This might be a breakthrough in quantitative plant paleoecology.
Solutions to the Knower Paradox in the Light of Haack’s Criteria
Authors: de Vos Mirjam , Verbrugge Rineke , Kooi Barteld
Published: April 2023

The knower paradox states that the statement ‘We know that this statement is false’ leads to inconsistency. This article presents a fresh look at this paradox and some well-known solutions from the literature. Paul Égré discusses three possible solutions that modal provability logic provides for the paradox by surveying and comparing three different provability interpretations of modality, originally described by Skyrms, Anderson, and Solovay. In this article, some background is explained to clarify Égré’s solutions, all three of which hinge on intricacies of provability logic and its arithmetical interpretations. To check whether Égré’s solutions are satisfactory, we use the criteria for solutions to paradoxes defined by Susan Haack and we propose some refinements of them. This article aims to describe to what extent the knower paradox can be solved using provability logic and to what extent the solutions proposed in the literature satisfy Haack’s criteria. Finally, the article offers some reflections on the relation between knowledge, proof, and provability, as inspired by the knower paradox and its solutions.
Segregation of Neural Circuits Involved in Social Gaze and Non-Social Arrow Cues: Evidence from an Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-Analysis
Authors: Salera Claudia , Boccia Maddalena , Pecchinenda Anna
Published: April 2023

Orienting attention by social gaze cues shares some characteristics with orienting attention by non-social arrow cues, but it is unclear whether they rely on similar neural mechanisms. The present ALE-meta-analysis assessed the pattern of brain activation reported in 40 single experiments (18 with arrows, 22 with gaze), with a total number of 806 participants. Our findings show that the network for orienting attention by social gaze and by non-social arrow cues is in part functionally segregated. Orienting by both types of cues relies on the activity of brain regions involved in endogenous attention (the superior frontal gyrus). Importantly, only orienting by gaze cues was also associated with the activity of brain regions involved in exogenous attention (medial frontal gyrus), processing gaze, and mental state attribution (superior temporal sulcus, temporoparietal junction).
Physical and mental health status of women in disaster-affected areas in Bangladesh
Authors: Fatema Syadani Riyad , Rice Kylie , Rock Adam , Islam Md Shahidul , East Leah , Usher Kim
Published: April 2023

Despite the increased risk of disasters in the Bangladesh, there is a dearth of research about women’s physical and mental health vulnerability following disasters. This study aimed to explore the physical and mental health status and associated risk factors of women in recurrent disaster-affected areas of Bangladesh. Participants (N = 408) were recruited using systematic random sampling from two purposively selected disaster-prone areas (Upazilas ofSagataandSarankhola), using a structured questionnaire conducted in person. Physical and mental health status was assessed using the health Short Form 12 (SF-12) measure that is comprised of both physical health (PCS-12) and mental health (MCS-12) subscales. Of the 408 participants, the mean scores on PCS-12 and MCS-12 subscales were 43.85 ± 28.04 and 37.70 ± 27.29, respectively, which were strongly correlated,r = .71,p < .001. Overall, 65.9% and 63.0% of total participants scored below the validated cut-off of PCS-12 and MCS-12 subscales which indicates both poor physical and mental health. The results indicated that physical and mental health were significantly poorer for the participants who witnessed casualties, lost family members or relatives, were relocated to shelters and sacrificed food during disasters. Moreover, poorer mental health scores were identified among participants who were physically injured and/or consulted a medical practitioner during or after the disaster. Accurate health knowledge is crucial for adequate and effective disaster preparation to decrease the health impacts on women in disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh. Research in this area is needed, and strategies to improve the public health status of women are warranted.
Turnover of non-polymeric leaf lipids in a loamy grassland soil
Authors: Warren Charles R. , Butler Orpheus M.
Published: April 2023

Background

Leaves constitute a large input of lipids to soil, yet comparatively little is known about the fate of leaf lipids in soil. Our aim was to explore the initial stages of degradation of leaf lipids, both the loss of intact lipid and subsequent mineralisation. We focussed on intracellular lipids – triacylglycerols implicated in storage, membrane lipids such as phospholipids and galactolipids, and pigments – because they collectively constitute more than 1% of leaf mass.

Methods

A mixture of U-13C lipids was extracted from leaves of wheat grown with 13CO2. The lipid mixture included the range of plant lipids soluble in organic solvent (e.g. free fatty acids, acylglycerols, pigments) but not polymeric lipids such as cutin and suberin. Mineralisation was deduced from 13CO2 efflux, while LC–MS examined degradation of intact 13C lipids.

Results

There was no delay before lipids were mineralised. Instead, mineralisation was significant within minutes and reached a maximum within three hours. There was rapid loss (i.e. degradation) of a broad range of intact lipids including phospholipids, galactolipids, pigments (chlorophylls), and triacylglycerols. Around two-thirds of added lipid-C was respired over the course of 15 days, with one-third of lipid-C persisting in soil.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that non-polymeric leaf lipids degrade quickly in soil, yet a fraction of lipid-C likely persisted in degradation products and/or microbial biomass. Persistence of lipid-C probably also reflected the presence of lipids that are more resistant to degradation (e.g. phaeophytins), and a fraction of added lipid being protected (e.g. by interaction with clays).

Graphical abstract
Property as an Asset of Resilience: Rethinking Ownership, Communities and Exclusion Through the Register of Resilience
Authors: Fox O’Mahony Lorna , Roark Marc L.
Published: April 2023

This article sets out a new conception of ‘property as an asset of resilience’. Building on Fineman’s emphasis on ‘webs’ of resilience, and applying insights from Actor-Network Theory and Resilient Property Theory, we examine how the rhetorical claims asserted by owners and non-owners, individually and collectively, and the ways that law recognizes and endorses those claims, affect the production of property-as-resilience. Applying Fineman’s framework, we argue that the ‘embodiment’ and ‘embeddedness’ of human vulnerability is revealed by the necessary and inevitable relationship we have with land, housing and place. Everyone—including homeless people—must ‘be’ somewhere (embodiment); however, it is our ability to access ‘assets of resilience’ through our social embeddedness in institutional structures and relationships that mitigates (or not) our experience and life opportunities. In this article we analyze the nature of real property as an asset of resilience, the consequences of exclusionary concepts of ownership for how resilience is allocated, and the implications for how we think and talk about ‘exclusion’ and ‘inclusion’ in property theories and property law. We consider the roles that states perform in the allocation of property as an asset of resilience: both directly, through the protection and enforcement of private property rights and official narratives about the nature of private property; and indirectly, as owners leverage the hinterland of privilege extended to ‘ownership’ and owners to deepen their own networks of resilience.
Williamson’s Abductive Case for the Material Conditional Account
Authors: van Rooij Robert , Krzyżanowska Karolina , Douven Igor
Published: April 2023

InSuppose and Tell, Williamson makes a new and original attempt to defend the material conditional account of indicative conditionals. His overarching argument is that this account offers the best explanation of the data concerning how people evaluate and use such conditionals. We argue that Williamson overlooks several important alternative explanations, some of which appear to explain the relevant data at least as well as, or even better than, the material conditional account does. Along the way, we also show that Williamson errs at important junctures about what exactly the relevant data are.
Bangkok’s existing mixed fruit orchards are tree diversity hotspots for city greening
Authors: Davivongs Vudipong , Arifwidodo Sigit Dwiananto
Published: April 2023

Bangkok’s Inner Orchard (BIO), located in the west peri-urban area of the city, provides both fresh products and ecological benefits to its inhabitants. Although this unique forest-like cultivation of mixed fruit trees growing on dikes has the potential to become an urban forest, it has never been thoroughly investigated. Urban expansion is a threat to this orchard. Sustainable cities must maintain a balance between development and the environment. In this study, six orchards were surveyed by collecting data on tree species, plant height, crown width, and location and analyzed to identify the orchard areas covered by forest canopy and clarify the forest structure and tree species diversity in the orchards. Overall, 98.64% of the forest canopy within the orchard area was evaluated using cover analysis. Analysis of the forest structure of the BIO revealed that the average tree height was greater than that of common orchard trees. Tree diversity analysis showed an average Shannon index value of 2.53, indicating mid-range diversity. Older orchards showed a greater diversity of fruit tree species, whereas newer orchards, replanted after major flood and drought events, showed a lesser diversity of fruit tree species. In order to protect BIO on the long-term, it is essential to identify and apply appropriate conservation strategies. Including BIO areas in the Bangkok greening scheme would cause rapid increases in the green area per capita ratio. Both urban food forest and urban agriculture concepts could be applied to existing BIO orchards, which represent new urban green area types. BIO thus has the potential to act as an urban forest and tree diversity hotspot for Bangkok.
Survival of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus on environmental samples is affected by material type and incubation temperature
Authors: Koirala Sulove , Pantuzza Carolina , Costa Matheus de O.
Published: April 2023

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen associated with disease in a range of domestic and wild animals. Despite its importance, very limited data is available on its survival and persistence on the environment. The goal of this study was to evaluate survival of S. zooepidemicus under ideal culture conditions and farm-like setting, in various surface types. Rubber, plastic, wood, and concrete samples were sterilized and inoculated with 109 CFU/mL of S. zooepidemicus with or without feces, and cultured under ideal conditions (37 °C, 5% CO2) or farm-like settings (20oC on air) for a maximum period of 25 days (n = 3/material/environment/feces-group/time-point). Under ideal conditions without feces, the bacterium survived for up to 17 days on plastic and rubber surfaces, 4 days on wood and less than 1 day on concrete (P < 0.05 between materials). Samples under ideal conditions with feces and farm-like settings without feces were negative by day 1 post-inoculation, regardless of the surface material used. Wood and concrete allowed S. zooepidemicus persistence for up to 3 days under farm-like settings when feces were present. This data suggests that environmental persistence of S. zooepidemicus is affected by surface type and incubation temperature.
Neural Architecture Search for Dense Prediction Tasks in Computer Vision
Authors: Mohan Rohit , Elsken Thomas , Zela Arber , Metzen Jan Hendrik , Staffler Benedikt , Brox Thomas , Valada Abhinav , Hutter Frank
Published: April 2023

The success of deep learning in recent years has lead to a rising demand for neural network architecture engineering. As a consequence, neural architecture search (NAS), which aims at automatically designing neural network architectures in a data-driven manner rather than manually, has evolved as a popular field of research. With the advent of weight sharing strategies across architectures, NAS has become applicable to a much wider range of problems. In particular, there are now many publications for dense prediction tasks in computer vision that require pixel-level predictions, such as semantic segmentation or object detection. These tasks come with novel challenges, such as higher memory footprints due to high-resolution data, learning multi-scale representations, longer training times, and more complex and larger neural architectures. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of NAS for dense prediction tasks by elaborating on these novel challenges and surveying ways to address them to ease future research and application of existing methods to novel problems.
Exploring the potential application of alternative nuclei in NMR based metabolomics
Authors: Sinclair Georgia M. , Oakes Sophie M. , Warden Andrew C. , Paten Amy M. , Jones Oliver A. H.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is widely used in metabolomics but it focusses on 1H over other NMR-active nuclei.

Objectives

To evaluate the potential of alternative NMR-sensitive nuclei to generate useful metabolomic data.

Method

Proton, carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen-based NMR metabolomics was undertaken on extracts from mint and European honey bee tissue.

Results

Carbon NMR provided useful information but required larger sample sizes. Phosphorus produced overlapping peaks in one dimensional (1D) analysis but showed potential in 2D experiments. 15N NMR was found to not be sensitive enough for general metabolomic work.

Conclusions

Alternative NMR active nuclei are useful for metabolomics.
The Evolution of the Age of Onset of Resistance to Infectious Disease
Authors: Buckingham Lydia J. , Ashby Ben
Published: April 2023

Many organisms experience an increase in disease resistance as they age, but the time of life at which this change occurs varies. Increases in resistance are partially due to prior exposure and physiological constraints, but these cannot fully explain the observed patterns of age-related resistance. An alternative explanation is that developing resistance at an earlier age incurs costs to other life-history traits. Here, we explore how trade-offs with host reproduction or mortality affect the evolution of the onset of resistance, depending on when during the host’s life cycle the costs are paid (only when resistance is developing, only when resistant or throughout the lifetime). We find that the timing of the costs is crucial to determining evolutionary outcomes, often making the difference between resistance developing at an early or late age. Accurate modelling of biological systems therefore relies on knowing not only the shape of trade-offs but also when they take effect. We also find that the evolution of the rate of onset of resistance can result in evolutionary branching. This provides an alternative, possible evolutionary history of populations which are dimorphic in disease resistance, where the rate of onset of resistance has diversified rather than the level of resistance.
The lipoxygenase gene AfLOX4 of Amorpha fruticosa L. is a potential regulator of drought stress tolerance pathways under saline and alkaline conditions
Authors: Zhang Yiteng , Wang Kai , Wang Zhenyu , Li XiuFeng , Li Minghui , Zhu Fengjin , Majeed Zahid , Lan Xingguo , Guan Qingjie
Published: April 2023

Lipoxygenase (LOX, EC1.13.11.12) catalyzes the oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and further generates oxylipins via enzymatic or non-enzymatic pathways, thus participating in the regulation of growth and development, stress response, and other processes. The objective of this research was to characterize the function and evaluate the mechanism of lipoxygenase gene AfLOX4’s role in enhancing drought tolerance. Transcriptomic data were generated and analyzed for the LOX gene, under different concentrations of drought (polyethylene glycol-6000) (PEG6000) and abscisic acid (ABA) stress treatment, to determine their effects on the expression of the AfLOX4 gene and its role in plant physiology. The localization of the AfLOX4 protein was detected through protoplast transformation. The expression of AfLOX4 in Amorpha fruticosa tissues was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Six LOX genes of A. fruticosa that showed an upregulated pattern under different concentrations of drought (PEG6000) stress were found via transcriptomic analysis and were named AfLOX1 ~ 6. The AfLOX4 protein was localized in the cytoplasm. AfLOX4 was expressed in the stems, roots, flowers, and leaves of Amorpha fruticosa L., and its expression level was the highest in leaves. The expression of AfLOX4 increased with the prolongation of stress time under different stresses. After ABA treatment, the germination rate of tobacco lines overexpressing AfLOX4 was significantly increased, while under NaHCO3 stress, the tolerance of tobacco plants overexpressing AfLOX4 was higher than that of wild-type tobacco. The tobacco with overexpression of the AfLOX4 gene detected by the natural drought method had a higher survival rate in the drought stress recovery experiment, and improved the drought tolerance of tobacco. This study reveals the function of the AfLOX4 gene in resisting drought stress and lays a solid theoretical foundation for the genetic improvement of Amorpha fruticosa L. plant varieties, as well as improvement of resource utilization.
Machine learning-based prediction of diagnostic markers for Graves’ orbitopathy
Authors: Cai Yunying , Su Heng , Si Yongting , Ni Ninghua
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The pathogenesis of Graves’ orbitopathy/thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) is still unclear, and abnormal DNA methylation in TAO has been reported. Thus, selecting and exploring TAO biomarkers associated with DNA methylation may provide a reference for new therapeutic targets.

Methods

The TAO-associated expression data and methylation data were downloaded from The Gene Expression Omnibus database. Firstly, weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to obtain the TAO-related genes, which were intersected with differentially methylated genes (DMGs), and differentially expressed genes between TAO samples and normal samples to obtain TAO-associated DMGs (TA-DMGs). Thereafter, the functions of the TA-DMGs were analyzed, and diagnostic markers were screened by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression analysis and support vector machine (SVM) analysis. The expression levels and diagnostic values of the diagnostic markers were also analyzed. Furthermore, single gene pathway enrichment analysis was performed for each diagnostic marker separately using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) software. Next, we also performed immune infiltration analysis for each sample in the GSE58331 dataset using the single-sample GSEA algorithm, and the correlation between diagnostic markers and differential immune cells was explored. Lastly, the expressions of diagnostic markers were explored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results

A total of 125 TA-DMGs were obtained. The enrichment analysis results indicated that these TA-DMGs were mainly involved in immune-related pathways, such as Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation and the regulation of innate immune response. Moreover, two diagnostic markers, including S100A11 and NKD2, were obtained by Lasso regression analysis and SVM analysis. Single gene pathway enrichment analysis showed that S100A11 was involved in protein polyufmylation, pancreatic-mediated proteolysis, and NKD2 was involved in innate immune response in mucosa, Wnt signaling pathway, etc. Meanwhile, immune cell infiltration analysis screened 12 immune cells, including CD56 dim natural killer cells and Neutrophil cells that significantly differed between TAO and normal samples, with the strongest positive correlation between NKD2 and CD56 dim natural killer cells. Finally, the qRT-PCR illustrated the expressions of NKD2 and S100A11 between normal and TAO.

Conclusion

NKD2 and S100A11 were screened as biomarkers of TAO and might be regulated by DNA methylation in TAO, providing a new reference for the diagnosis and treatment of TAO patients.
The analysis of ramipril/ramiprilat concentration in human serum with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry – interpretation of high concentrations for the purposes of forensic toxicology
Authors: Dziadosz Marek , Rosenberger Wolfgang , Klintschar Michael , Teske Jörg
Published: April 2023

Ramipril is a popular angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor applied in the treatment of hypertension. Its therapeutic effect is oriented on the concentration of the active metabolite ramiprilat. The information about toxic drug levels is missing in the literature. Therefore, the aim of this work was an indication of possible toxic ranges based on the analysis of real samples with high ramiprilat concentrations. For these purposes, an appropriate analytical LC–MS/MS method was developed and validated according to forensic guidelines and applied in the routine. Most real samples targeted for ramipril/ramiprilat were associated with the typical therapeutic drug range of 1–40 ng/mL described in the literature. However, higher drug levels with ramiprilat concentrations above 100 ng/mL could also be observed infrequently in cases of driving under the influence of drugs or attempted suicides. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first time antemortem ramipril and ramiprilat concentrations associated with driving under the influence of drugs and suicide attempts were discussed from a forensic point of view. The collected data enabled an indication of the ramiprilat toxic concentration range from about 600 ng/mL to at least 3500 ng/mL. The toxic concentration range discussed can be applied in the forensic practice as a reference for future cases.
Designing a cross-organizational identity management system: Utilizing SSI for the certification of retailer attributes
Authors: Guggenberger Tobias , Kühne Daniela , Schlatt Vincent , Urbach Nils
Published: April 2023

The introduction of blockchain offers new opportunities to rethink enterprise identity management. Recently, a new concept has emerged in the blockchain community called self-sovereign identity. Self-sovereign identity combines several existing decentralized identity management approaches, promising new ways to promote more convenient, connected, and secure identity services for the private and public sector. Nevertheless, research in this area is still in its infancy. Most of the very few articles focus either on the opportunities self-sovereign identity might offer or on very specific technical features. Studies on real-world applications of organizations using modern self-sovereign identity implementations and design theory are very rare. To fill this gap, we follow the design science research approach to design, implement, and evaluate a self-sovereign identity system to present tax attributes of online retailers. We present four design principles and conclude that the use of self-sovereign identity and blockchain offers opportunities to improve verification processes.
Optimization of Chitosan: Methylcellulose polyblend to obtain highly amorphous polymer matrix useful for ion transportation
Authors: Nayak P. , Sudhakar Y. N. , De S. , Ismayil  , Shetty S. K.
Published: April 2023

Solid biopolymer blend systems consisting of chitosan (CH) and methylcellulose (MC) have been prepared in various compositions through the solution casting method and are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The XRD data revealed that the blend composed of 30 wt.% of MC is found to be more amorphous. Structural analysis and the extent of interaction between the two polymers, i.e., CH and MC were concluded through FTIR analysis. The dielectric results also show that the blend composed of 70 wt.% of CH shows the highest value of the dielectric constant. The blend system consisting of 70 wt.% of CH and 30 wt.% of MC exhibited good thermal stability and the lowest glass transition temperature ($${T}_{g}$$

T
g

).

Graphical Abstract
Regularised Semi-parametric Composite Likelihood Intensity Modelling of a Swedish Spatial Ambulance Call Point Pattern
Authors: Bayisa Fekadu L. , Ådahl Markus , Rydén Patrik , Cronie Ottmar
Published: April 2023

Motivated by the development of optimal dispatching strategies for prehospital resources, we model the spatial distribution of ambulance call events in the Swedish municipality Skellefteå during 2014–2018 in order to identify important spatial covariates and discern hotspot regions. Our large-scale multivariate data point pattern of call events consists of spatial locations and marks containing the associated priority levels and sex labels. The covariates used are related to road network coverage, population density, and socio-economic status. For each marginal point pattern, we model the associated intensity function by means of a log-linear function of the covariates and their interaction terms, in combination with lasso-like elastic-net regularized composite/Poisson process likelihood estimation. This enables variable selection and collinearity adjustment as well as reduction of variance inflation from overfitting and bias from underfitting. To incorporate mobility adjustment, reflecting people’s movement patterns, we also include a nonparametric (kernel) intensity estimate as an additional covariate. The kernel intensity estimation performed here exploits a new heuristic bandwidth selection algorithm. We discover that hotspot regions occur along dense parts of the road network. A mean absolute error evaluation of the fitted model indicates that it is suitable for designing prehospital resource dispatching strategies. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.