bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Larger Than Life? Body Mass Records of Zoo‐Managed Giant Anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)
Authors: Garand Elisa , Krauss Christiane , Müller Dennis W. H. , Davis Leyla R. , Codron Daryl , Clauss Marcus , Miranda Flávia
Published: September 2024

It has been suggested repeatedly that zoo‐kept giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) have higher body masses than their free‐ranging conspecifics. Here, we assess this hypothesis by comparing body mass data of 184 female and 173 male individuals kept in zoos to published and unpublished data of free‐ranging animals (n = 215). In zoos, the average adult body mass of all individuals was 45.9 ± 9.6 kg (range 19.2–72.6 kg), whereas body mass for free‐ranging specimens was 33.0 ± 2.3 kg (21–45.5 kg). Among those zoo animals in which a sufficient number of subsequent intra‐annual measures had been taken, we assessed visually whether regular, annual fluctuations in body mass were evident. We observed regular, likely seasonal, cycles in body mass, which (i) may be plausibly attributed to ambient temperature changes that affect the body temperature of anteaters, and (ii) would likely not have occurred if the animals were affected by obesity. Additionally, we explain our hypothesis that in the case of giant anteaters, the discrepancy in body mass between natural habitats and zoos most likely is not indicative of a generally obese population in zoos, as is typically concluded in the case of similar comparisons in primates, but represents an unleashing of the full growth potential of the species by conditions of optimal energy and nutrient provision. Future recording of not only body mass but also body dimensions is recommended to better compare the body condition of free‐ranging and zoo‐managed individuals.
Knowledge-Guided Optimization for Complex Vehicle Routing with 3D Loading Constraints
Authors: Zhang Han , Li Qing , Yao Xin
Published: September 2024

The split delivery vehicle routing problem with three-dimensional loading constraints (3L-SDVRP) intertwines complex routing and packing challenges. The current study addresses 3L-SDVRP using intelligent optimization algorithms, which iteratively evolve towards optimal solutions. A pivotal aspect of these algorithms is search operators that determine the search direction and the search step size. Effective operators significantly improve algorithmic performance. Traditional operators like swap, shift, and 2-opt fall short in complex scenarios like 3L-SDVRP, mainly due to their limited capacity to leverage domain knowledge. Additionally, the search step size is crucial: smaller steps enhance fine-grained search (exploitation), while larger steps facilitate exploring new areas (exploration). However, optimally balancing these step sizes remains an unresolved issue in 3L-SDVRP. To address this, we introduce an adaptive knowledge-guided insertion (AKI) operator. This innovative operator uses node distribution characteristics for adaptive node insertion, enhancing search abilities through domain knowledge integration and larger step sizes. Integrating AKI with the local search framework, we develop an adaptive knowledge-guided search (AKS) algorithm, which effectively balances exploitation and exploration by combining traditional neighbourhood operators for detailed searches with the AKI operator for broader exploration. Our experiments demonstrate that the AKS algorithm significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art method in solving various 3L-SDVRP instances.
Open AdS/CFT via a double-trace deformation
Authors: Geng Hao
Published: September 2024

Abstract

A concrete model of extracting the physics from the bulk of a gravitational universe is important to the study of quantum gravity and its possible relationship with experiments. Such a model can be constructed in the AdS/CFT correspondence by gluing a bath on the asymptotic boundary of the bulk anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime. This bath models a laboratory and is described by a quantum field theory. In the dual conformal field theory (CFT) description this coupling is achieved by a double-trace deformation that couples the CFT with the bath. This suggests that the physics observed by the laboratory is fully unitary. In this paper, we analyze the quantum aspects of this model in detail which conveys new lessons about the AdS/CFT correspondence, and we discuss the potential usefulness of this model in understanding subregion physics in a gravitational universe.
Brane profiles of non-supersymmetric strings
Authors: Mourad J. , Raucci S. , Sagnotti A.
Published: September 2024

Abstract

We connect the indications of 2D CFT for branes in non-supersymmetric strings to actual spacetime profiles, taking the bulk tadpole potentials into account. We find exact solutions for the uncharged branes that spread in the internal intervals of Dudas-Mourad vacua for non-tachyonic orientifolds and heterotic strings. These solutions involve suitable dressings of the uncharged branes of the nine-dimensional tadpole-free theory. Similar exact results for uncharged branes that are transverse to the internal space, or for charged branes, appear more challenging. Nevertheless, we identify their large-distance behavior, which is determined by linearized equations, and show that it is compatible with the CFT analysis in all expected cases. We also provide some hints on the leading back-reaction of the form-fields.
Kernel-based iVAT with adaptive cluster extraction
Authors: Zhang Baojie , Zhu Ye , Cao Yang , Rajasegarar Sutharshan , Li Gang , Liu Gang
Published: September 2024

Visual Assessment of cluster Tendency (VAT) is a popular method that visually represents the possible clusters found in a dataset as dark blocks along the diagonal of a reordered dissimilarity image (RDI). Although many variants of the VAT algorithm have been proposed to improve the visualisation quality on different types of datasets, they still suffer from the challenge of extracting clusters with varied densities. In this paper, we focus on overcoming this drawback of VAT algorithms by incorporating kernel methods and also propose a novel adaptive cluster extraction strategy, named CER, to effectively identify the local clusters from the RDI. We examine their effects on an improved VAT method (iVAT) and systematically evaluate the clustering performance on 18 synthetic and real-world datasets. The experimental results reveal that the recently proposed data-dependent dissimilarity measure, namely the Isolation kernel, helps to significantly improve the RDI image for easy cluster identification. Furthermore, the proposed cluster extraction method, CER, outperforms other existing methods on most of the datasets in terms of a series of dissimilarity measures.
New covering techniques and applications utilizing multigranulation fuzzy rough sets
Authors: Atef Mohammed , Liu Sifeng , Moslem Sarbast , Pamucar Dragan
Published: September 2024

In order to conduct an in-depth study of Zhan’s methodology pertaining to the covering of multigranulation fuzzy rough sets ($$\hbox {C}_{{MG}}$$

C

MG

FRSs), we build two families: the family of fuzzy $$\beta $$
β
-minimum descriptions and the family of $$\beta $$
β
-maximum descriptions. Subsequently, utilizing these notions, we proceed to develop two variations of covering via optimistic (pessimistic) multigranuation rough set samples ($$\hbox {CO(P)}_{{MG}}$$

CO(P)

MG

FRS). The axiomatic properties are examined. In this study, we examine four models of covering using variable precision multigranulation fuzzy rough sets ($$\hbox {CVP}_{{MG}}$$

CVP

MG

FRSs). We proceed with analyzing the features of these models. Interconnections between these planned plans are also elucidated. This study explores algorithms that aim to identify innovative strategies for addressing multiattribute group decision-making problems (MAGDM) and multicriteria group decision-making problems (MCGDM). The test examples have been elucidated to provide an inclusive grasp of the efficacy of the offered samples. Ultimately, the distinctions between our methodologies and the preexisting research have been demonstrated.
Directionality theory and mortality patterns across the primate lineage
Authors: Demetrius Lloyd A. , Sahasranaman Anand , Ziehe Martin
Published: September 2024

Empirical studies of aging in primates show that local selective forces rather than phylogenetic history determine the exceptional nature of human longevity (Bronikowski et al., Science 331:1325–1328, 2011). This article proposes an evolutionary rationale for this pattern of primate mortality by invoking the parameter, Life-Table Entropy, a measure of the uncertainty in the life span of a randomly chosen newborn. Life-table entropy is positively correlated with maximal life span, that is, the mean life span of a species living under favourable conditions.The logic which underlies the exceptional nature of human longevity derives from the terrestrial life-history of humans – a singularity within the primate lineage; and the concomitant ecological constraints—the hunter-gatherer, agricultural, and industrial modes of subsistence, that have defined human evolutionary history. The effect of these ecological constraints on the evolution of life span is encoded in the Entropic Principle of Longevity: life-table entropy increases in equilibrium species, populations evolving in environments with stable, renewable resources; and decreases in opportunistic species, populations subject to fluctuating resource endowments.The Entropic Principle of Longevity is a derivative of Directionality Theory, an analytic study of the evolutionary process of variation and selection based on Evolutionary Entropy, a statistical measure of the uncertainty in the age of the mother of a randomly chosen newborn. Evolutionary entropy is the organizing concept of The Entropic Principle of Evolution: Evolutionary Entropy increases in equilibrium species and decreases in opportunistic species.
Exploring perspectives: a scoping review of the challenges facing doctoral training in Africa
Authors: Omoya Oluwatomilayo , Jacob Udeme Samuel , Odeyemi Olumide A. , Odeyemi Omowale A.
Published: September 2024

Given the growing demand to produce PhD holders in Africa, it is crucial to grasp the intricacies faced by PhD candidates. This review aimed to synthesise the existing studies that explore the perspectives of candidates pursuing or completing a PhD in Africa. In conjunction with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, a scoping review guide developed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was used. Multiple databases were searched, including EBSCO Host, Scopus, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline (Ovid), and Google Scholar. Of the 51 articles that were retrieved, 12 were included in the review from various African countries. All articles were screened for quality before inclusion. The studies explored the types and characteristics of the included articles. The studies were descriptively mapped using qualitative content analysis, which revealed five themes: the sociodemographic profile of the PhD candidates, funding, resources and training, supervision experiences, and coping mechanisms. There is evidence on sociodemographic characteristics, challenges posed by funding, inadequate resources, and supervisor–candidate relationships, the research addressing why African candidates are studying at a later age, gender-specific environmental and cultural barriers, and coping strategies used during candidature is comparatively limited. Consequently, further investigations in these areas are crucial to better support PhD candidates in Africa.
Advancing Autonomous Nanomedicine: Bridging the Gap from Concept to Potential Clinical Studies
Authors: Chohan Diya Pratish , Dey Bipasa , Tarkunde Arshia , Vyas Vaishnavi , De Sarkar Srijita , Sundara Babitha Kampa
Published: September 2024

Autonomous nanomedicine, a burgeoning field within nanotechnology and biomedical sciences, is poised to revolutionize healthcare by eliminating the need for external intervention in targeted applications within the body. This article elucidates the promise and challenges of autonomous nanomedicine, emphasizing its ability to overcome the limitations of traditional methods such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Central to its efficacy are nano-sized carriers, which autonomously navigate the body to deliver therapeutic agents with precision and control. By integrating automated nanoscale tools into disease detection processes, this technology offers swift and personalized assessments, reshaping disease management paradigms. To advance the clinical translation of autonomous nanomedicine, rigorous preclinical studies are imperative. However, challenges persist in ensuring reproducibility and safety, hindering progress in clinical trials. This article examines current studies with potential clinical translation, shedding light on the regulatory and ethical considerations crucial for its safe implementation. As the field progresses, maintaining a balance between innovation and safety remains paramount for harnessing the full potential of autonomous nanomedicine while safeguarding patient well-being.

Graphical Abstract
Novel efficient reservoir computing methodologies for regular and irregular time series classification
Authors: Li Zonglun , Andreev Andrey , Hramov Alexander , Blyuss Oleg , Zaikin Alexey
Published: September 2024

Time series is a data structure prevalent in a wide range of fields such as healthcare, finance and meteorology. It goes without saying that analyzing time series data holds the key to gaining insight into our day-to-day observations. Among the vast spectrum of time series analysis, time series classification offers the unique opportunity to classify the sequences into their respective categories for the sake of automated detection. To this end, two types of mainstream approaches, recurrent neural networks and distance-based methods, have been commonly employed to address this specific problem. Despite their enormous success, methods like Long Short-Term Memory networks typically require high computational resources. It is largely as a consequence of the nature of backpropagation, driving the search for some backpropagation-free alternatives. Reservoir computing is an instance of recurrent neural networks that is known for its efficiency in processing time series sequences. Therefore, in this article, we will develop two reservoir computing based methods that can effectively deal with regular and irregular time series with minimal computational cost, both while achieving a desirable level of classification accuracy.
Ethical conflicts in patient care situations of community pharmacists: a cross-sectional online survey
Authors: Wernecke Kathrin , Nadolny Stephan , Schildmann Jan , Schiek Susanne , Bertsche Thilo
Published: September 2024

Background

Community pharmacy practice is rarely considered in ethical research, although various ethical conflicts are known for this setting. Data on the actual frequency and perceived burden of ethical conflicts occurring in the community pharmacy setting are required.

Aim

The survey aimed at investigating the frequency and perceived burden of ethical conflicts, reasons for the perceived burden and influences on decision-making in ethical conflicts in German community pharmacists.

Method

An online survey was conducted among community pharmacists. It contained 15 ethical conflicts in which the ethically required action conflicts with another principle (e.g. law). Basing on these conflicting principles, 12 considerations relevant for decision-making were defined (e.g. solidarity principle). Participants were asked to rate the ethical conflicts in terms of frequency and perceived burden and to rate the influence on decision-making for the considerations. Results were analysed descriptively.

Results

Five hundred and thirty-five questionnaires were evaluated. The participant’s median age was 39 (min–max: 20–78) years, 378 (71%) were female. Seven of the 15 predefined ethical conflicts were rated as occurring predominantly at least once a week. “Generic drug is not most suitable” was rated as the most frequent. Three ethical conflicts were rated mainly with a (very) strong burden. “Concerns for an unborn child” was rated as the most burdensome. Three of the 12 predefined decision-making considerations: pharmaceutical knowledge, legal requirements and personal values were rated primarily as having a very strong influence on decision-making.

Conclusion

Pharmacists in community pharmacies are frequently affected by burdensome ethical conflicts in patient care situations.
On representations and topological aspects of positive maps on non-unital quasi *- algebras
Authors: Bellomonte Giorgia , Djordjević Bogdan , Ivković Stefan
Published: September 2024

In this paper we provide a representation of a certain class of C*-valued positive sesquilinear and linear maps on non-unital quasi *-algebras, thus extending the results from Bellomonte (GNS-construction for positive $$C^*-$$

C
∗

-

valued sesquilinear maps on a quasi $$*-$$

∗
-

algebra, Mediterr. J. Math., 21 166 (22 pp) (2024)) to the case of non-unital quasi *-algebras. Also, we illustrate our results on the concrete examples of non-unital Banach quasi *-algebras, such as the standard Hilbert module over a commutative C*-algebra, Schatten p-ideals and noncommutative $$L^2$$

L
2

-spaces induced by a semifinite, nonfinite trace. As a consequence of our results, we obtain a representation of all bounded positive linear C*-valued maps on non-unital C*-algebras. We also deduce some norm inequalities for these maps. Finally, we consider a noncommutative $$L^2$$

L
2

-space equipped with the topology generated by a positive sesquilinear form and we construct a topologically transitive operator on this space.
Temporal trends and presidential traits in the Italian end-of-year addresses: comparing and contrasting KBS and STM results
Authors: Sciandra Andrea , Trevisani Matilde , Tuzzi Arjuna
Published: September 2024

This study compares and contrasts the results of two lexical-based methods aimed at identifying content temporal trends in diachronic text corpora. A corpus of end-of-year addresses of the presidents of the Italian Republic constitutes a relevant case of political speech useful to understand how the temporal evolution of topics can be represented and whether a downward (ex post) or an upward (ex ante) extraction of topics is more effective for the identification of presidents’ distinctive traits and trends. The first method is a knowledge-based system (KBS), which identifies clusters of words sharing a similar temporal pattern through a three-step statistical learning procedure. The second is a structural topic model (STM), which identifies main topics by probing the possible effect of the year and president factors on the speech-topic and the topic-word distributions. In KBS clusters, the individual trait of the president stands out as one of the most relevant elements and determines the contents of speeches; moreover, topic trends can also be discerned ex post while interpreting the results. On the other hand, STM directly achieves the whole topic structure but seems not as powerful as expected in portraying the life cycle of words and detecting groups of words that distinguish the speeches of a specific president. As most presidential speeches are rich and cover a wide range of topics, the results suggest that, in this case, the interpretative tool offered by STM brings out more challenges than strengths. Conversely, direct observation of the temporal trajectory of individual words allows for more detailed analyses and meaningful results, thanks to the flexible and adaptive KBS approach.
Bisphenols in daily clothes from conventional and recycled material: evaluation of dermal exposure to potentially toxic substances
Authors: Jurikova Martina , Dvorakova Darina , Bechynska Kamila , Pulkrabova Jana
Published: September 2024

Given the increasing concern about chemical exposure from textiles, our study examines the risks of dermal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol B (BPB) and bisphenol F (BPF) from conventional and recycled textiles for adults, aiming to obtain new data, assess exposure, and evaluate the impact of washing on bisphenol levels. A total of 57 textile samples (33 from recycled and 24 from conventional material) were subjected to ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis (UHPLC-MS/MS). The BPA and BPS concentrations varied widely (BPA: < 0.050 to 625 ng/g, BPS: 0.277–2,474 ng/g). The median BPA content in recycled textiles (13.5 ng/g) was almost twice as high as that of 7.66 ng/g in conventional textiles. BPS showed a median of 1.85 ng/g in recycled textiles and 3.42 ng/g in conventional textiles, indicating a shift from BPA to BPS in manufacturing practices. Simulated laundry experiments showed an overall reduction in bisphenols concentrations after washing. The study also assessed potential health implications via dermal exposure to dry and sweat-wet textiles compared to a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.2 ng/kg bw/day for BPA set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Exposure from dry textiles remained below this threshold, while exposure from wet textiles often exceeded it, indicating an increased risk under conditions that simulate sweating or humidity. By finding the widespread presence of bisphenols in textiles, our study emphasises the importance of being aware of the potential risks associated with recycling materials as well as the benefits.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Low Stacking-Fault Energy Cu-Based Alloy Wires
Authors: Semboshi Satoshi , Arauchi Ryusei , Kaneno Yasuyuki , Lim Sung Hwan , Choi Eun-Ae , Han Seung Zeon
Published: September 2024

Innovations in electronic devices and their capabilities have driven the demand for improved conductive materials relevant to device fabrication. To gain insights on developing solid solution-type Cu alloy thin wires with a superior balance of strength and conductivity, this study investigated variations in the microstructures and properties of pure Cu wires and Cu–5 at. pct Zn, Cu–5 at. pct Al, and Cu–5 at. pct In alloy wires during intense drawing and analyzed the effects of stacking-fault energy (SFE) of Cu alloys on their microstructural evolution. During the initial drawing stages, lower SFE Cu–5 at. pct Al and Cu–5 at. pct In alloys yielded more high-density deformation twins than pure Cu and Cu–5 at. pct Zn. Deformation twins promoted grain refinement during drawing. Effective grain refinement and dislocation accumulation during drawing in low-SFE Cu alloys substantially strengthened them without adversely impacting electrical conductivity. During intense drawing in the Cu–5 at. pct In alloy wires, ultrafine fibrous grains (diameter ~ 80 nm) and a high-dislocation density yielded excellent tensile strength and conductivity. These results indicate that adjusting the solute element content in Cu matrix to reduce SFE and optimizing deformation strain via wire drawing significantly improve alloy wire performance.
An integral RB operator
Authors: Jahn Marvin , Massopust Peter
Published: September 2024

We introduce the novel concept of integral Read–Bajraktarević (iRB) operator and discuss some of its properties. We show that this iRB operator generalizes the known Read–Bajraktarević (RB) operator and we derive conditions for the fixed point of the iRB operator to belong to certain function spaces.
Property (τ) in positive characteristic
Authors: Mohammadi Amir , Tamam Nattalie
Published: September 2024

We prove a quantitative equidistribution statement for certain adelic homogeneous subsets in positive characteristic. As an application, we describe a proof of property (τ) for arithmetic groups in this context.
Algebras with superautomorphism: simple algebras and codimension growth
Authors: Ioppolo Antonio , La Mattina Daniela
Published: September 2024

Let A be an associative algebra endowed with a superautomorphism φ. In this paper we completely classify the finite-dimensional simple algebras with superautomorphism of order ≤ 2. Moreover, after generalizing the Wedderburn–Malcev Theorem in this setting, we prove that the sequence of φ-codimensions of A is polynomially bounded if and only if the variety generated by A does not contain the group algebra of ℤ2 and the algebra of 2 × 2 upper triangular matrices with suitable superautomorphisms.
First Impressions Matter: Feeling Welcome and Onward Migration Intentions of Highly Skilled Migrants
Authors: Reinold Julia , Siegel Melissa
Published: September 2024

In the context of the global competition for highly skilled migrants, policy makers follow different approaches to attract and retain this highly sought-after group. One common assumption is that the establishment of a welcoming culture can facilitate the retention of highly skilled migrants. Relatively little is known, however, about the impact such policies can have on highly skilled migrants’ decisions to remain in the destination country. We address this gap by analysing the association between feeling welcome and highly skilled migrants’ spatial intentions. We use a mixed methods approach that combines a survey conducted among highly skilled migrants in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (n = 410) and two rounds of semi-structured interviews (wave 1: n = 67; wave 2: n = 49). Our results suggest that respondents who feel welcome are more likely to have the intention to stay in the region permanently. This association is stronger for migrants with relatively more agency. The paper underlines the importance of early experiences in the host country and the role of subjective and intangible factors like feeling welcome in migration decision-making.
Estimation of the lateral variation of photon beam energy spectra using the percentage depth dose reconstruction method
Authors: Chakraborty Puspen , Saitoh Hidetoshi , Miyake Yuta , Suzuki Tenyoh , Chang Weishan
Published: September 2024

In photon-collapsed cone convolution (pCCC) algorithm of the Monaco treatment planning system (TPS), the central-axis energy spectrum is assumed constant throughout the entire irradiation area. To consider lateral variations, an off-axis softening factor is applied to attenuation coefficients during the total energy released per unit mass calculation. We evaluated this method through comparison studies of percentage depth doses (PDDs) and off-axis ratios (OARs) calculated by Monaco and measured for a 6 MV photon beam at various off-axis angles and depths. Significant differences were observed, with relative differences exceeding ± 1%. Therefore, this method may not accurately represent lateral variations of energy spectra. We propose directly implementing energy spectra on both central-axis and off-axis to improve dose calculation accuracy for large field. To this end, we introduce reconstruction of PDDs from monoenergetic depth doses (MDDs) along off-axis angles, thereby estimating energy spectra as functions of radial distance. This method derives energy spectra quickly without significantly increasing the beam modeling time. MDDs were computed through Monte Carlo simulations (DOSRZnrc). The variances between reconstructed and measured PDDs were minimized using the generalized-reduced-gradient method to optimize energy spectra. Reconstructed PDDs along off-axis angles of 0°, 1.15°, 2.29°, 3.43°, 4.57°, 5.71°, 6.84°, 7.97°, 9.09°, 10.2° to estimate energy spectra at radial distances of 0–18 cm in 2 cm increments and OARs calculated using estimated energy spectra at 5, 10, and 20 cm depths, well agreed with measurement (relative differences within ± 0.5%). In conclusion, our proposed method accurately estimates lateral energy spectrum variation, thereby improving dose calculation accuracy of pCCC algorithm.
Joint segmentation of sternocleidomastoid and skeletal muscles in computed tomography images using a multiclass learning approach
Authors: Ashino Kosuke , Kamiya Naoki , Zhou Xiangrong , Kato Hiroki , Hara Takeshi , Fujita Hiroshi
Published: September 2024

Deep-learning-based methods can improve robustness against individual variations in computed tomography (CT) images of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which is a challenge when using conventional methods based on probabilistic atlases are used for automatic segmentation. Thus, this study proposes a novel multiclass learning approach for the joint segmentation of the sternocleidomastoid and skeletal muscles in CT images, and it employs a two-dimensional U-Net architecture. The proposed method concurrently learns and segmented segments the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the entire skeletal musculature. Consequently, three-dimensional segmentation results are generated for both muscle groups. Experiments conducted on a dataset of 30 body CT images demonstrated segmentation accuracies of 82.94% and 92.73% for the sternocleidomastoid muscle and entire skeletal muscle compartment, respectively. These results outperformed those of conventional methods, such as the single-region learning of a target muscle and multiclass learning of specific muscle pairs. Moreover, the multiclass learning paradigm facilitated a robust segmentation performance regardless of the input image range. This highlights the method’s potential for cases that present muscle atrophy or reduced muscle strength. The proposed method exhibits promising capabilities for the high-accuracy joint segmentation of the sternocleidomastoid and skeletal muscles and is effective in recognizing skeletal muscles, thus, it holds promise for integration into computer-aided diagnostic systems for comprehensive musculoskeletal analysis. These findings are expected to enhance medical image analysis techniques and their applications in clinical decision support systems.
Straightforward identification of flow curve and yield locus parameters from three-point bending experiments
Authors: Hartmann Christoph , Maier Lorenz , Liu Tianyou , Norz Roman , Volk Wolfram
Published: September 2024

Material testing and modeling is one of the cornerstones of virtual analysis of sheet metal forming processes. However, it is also becoming more and more relevant for incoming goods inspection, especially in view of the increasing amount of recycled material or frequent changes of suppliers, e.g. to provide workers, processes and/or process models with relevant information about a new batch of material. Efficient material testing and straight-forward test evaluation is essential for this. The flow curve and yield locus are central to describe the forming behavior of sheet metal materials. However, the parameters of the associated models are currently determined in various tests on different systems and with special sample geometries. The present work presents a methodology that allows the determination of a set of flow curve and yield locus parameters from three three-point bending tests only. The evaluation routine does not require finite element simulation and processes only the force-displacement information of the bending tests, which also places low demands on the measurement technology. The results were compared with a conventionally determined parameter set using a validation test, and the results are of reasonable quality, especially considering the minimal effort involved.
Raising awareness and education of genetic testing and counseling through fotonovelas among Latina women at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer
Authors: Barajas Rolando , Barajas Clara B. , Ramos Yaideliz M. Romero , Trillos Sara Gómez , Sawhney Sabrina , Campos Claudia , Hurtado-de-Mendoza Alejandra , Rotunno Melissa , Gillanders Elizabeth
Published: September 2024

Latinas are less likely to receive genetic counseling and genetic testing (GCT) compared to non-Latina Whites because of systemic and patient-level barriers. We developed and tested fotonovelas to increase awareness of GCT among Latinas at-risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). Content for the fotonovelas was drawn from an existing culturally targeted narrative video focused on improving GCT use among Latinas at-risk of HBOC. Using mixed methods, we interviewed cancer patients (n = 10) and their relatives (n = 10) to assess the preliminary efficacy of the fotonovelas through pre-and post-fotonovela items assessing self-rated knowledge of GCT and willingness to discuss cancer with family. Health workers (n = 10) provided feedback on the fotonovela content. McNemar’s test was used to examine differences in the proportions of the outcomes pre- and post-fotonovelas. Interviews were transcribed and coded in Dedoose using a consensual qualitative research approach. Reading the fotonovelas increased self-rated knowledge of GCT by 22% (p = 0.16), from 50 to 60% in patients and from 63 to 100% among relatives. Analogously, reading the fotonovela increased willingness to talk about cancer with family by 33% (p = 0.02), from 70 to 100% in patients and from 38 to 75% in relatives. We identified six themes, some centered around the fotonovela’s message, feedback, and perceived barriers to GCT. Overall, participants liked the use of fotonovelas to increase GCT awareness and cancer conversations with family. Fotonovelas could potentially be used as educational tools to increase GCT awareness and cancer conversations among Latino families at-risk of HBOC.
Score and rank semi-monotonicity for closeness, betweenness, and distance–decay centralities
Authors: Boldi Paolo , D’Ascenzo Davide , Furia Flavio , Vigna Sebastiano
Published: September 2024

Among the properties describing the behavior of centrality measures with respect to network modifications, score monotonicity means that adding an arc increases the centrality score of the target of the arc; rank monotonicity means that adding an arc improves the importance of the target with respect to the remaining nodes. It is known (Boldi and Vigna Intern Math 10:222–262, 2014, Boldi et al. Netw Sci 5(4):529–550, 2017) that score and rank monotonicity hold in directed graphs for almost all the classical centrality measures. In undirected graphs one expects that the corresponding properties hold when adding a new edge—in this case, both endpoints of the new edge should enjoy the increase in score/rank. However, recent results (Boldi et al. in Netw Sci 11(3):1–23, 2023) have shown that this is not true: for many centrality measures, it is possible to find situations in which adding an edge reduces the rank of one of its two endpoints. In this paper we introduce a weaker property for undirected networks, semi-monotonicity, in which just one of the two endpoints of a new edge is required to enjoy score or rank monotonicity. We show that this property is satisfied by closeness centrality, by a large class of distance-based centralities, and (somehow surprisingly) by betweenness centrality. In the last two cases, we prove in fact a stronger property, basin dominance, which is of independent interest.
Can digital data provide an additional data basis for educational reporting? The potential of search portals for continuing education programmes
Authors: Reichart E. , Kaufmann-Kuchta K. , Kullmann S. , Schiffner D.
Published: September 2024

Digitisation has increasingly become a feature of education. Educational policy, too, has increasingly focused on digital processes and structures. Digital data opens up opportunities to improve the governance of continuing education given the inadequacy of existing statistics in the field of continuing education and training (CET). In this paper we use the InfoWeb Weiterbildung (IWWB) to demonstrate how CET search portals could be used as a data source to map available supply of CET. Using trends in CET delivery formats (online vs. face-to-face) and the regional distribution of offers as examples, potential practical applications of digitally-sourced data are illustrated. Requirements and limitations are discussed and research perspectives are drawn.
Margareta Klopstock (1728–1758)
Authors: Grütter Oliver
Published: September 2024

Der folgende Artikel befasst sich mit der Person und dem literarischen Werk Margareta Klopstocks, die seit jeher im Schatten ihres ungleich prominenteren Ehemannes steht. Bisherige Forschungen haben ihren Anteil am Messias zumeist als bloße Hilfsarbeit interpretiert und die Hinterlaßnen Schriften (posthum 1759) mit dem Etikett der Epigonalität versehen. Dagegen argumentiert diese Studie für ein kollaboratives Verständnis ihrer Ehegemeinschaft und beschreibt das Schaffen der Autorin erstmals systematisch im Sinne einer eigenständigen geistlichen Poetik. Über Abschrift und Diktat ist Margareta Klopstock nicht nur vielfältig in die Schreibarbeiten ihres Mannes eingebunden, sondern stellt überdies einen literaturkritischen Resonanzraum für F. G. Klopstocks Texte bereit und vermittelt den Messias an den englischen Sprachraum. Kennzeichnend für ihr eigenes Werk sind dann wiederum Bezüge auf die Aufklärungstheologie und die englische Literatur der Zeit (Elizabeth Singer Rowe und Samuel Richardson), auf den Nordischen Aufseher (Polemik gegen die Freigeister) und die religiöse Bildung der Frau. Der Artikel zeigt so, dass das Verdikt der Zweitrangigkeit die historische Signifikanz Margareta Klopstocks und ihrer literarischen Hinterlassenschaft dramatisch unterschätzt.
Species on the move: a genetic story of three golden jackals at the expansion front
Authors: Bogdanowicz Wiesław , Bilska Aleksandra G. , Kleven Oddmund , Aspi Jouni , Caro Amaia , Harmoinen Jenni , Kvist Laura , Madeira Maria José , Pilot Małgorzata , Kopatz Alexander
Published: September 2024

One of the most fascinating mammalian range expansions in Europe involves an opportunistic mesocarnivore―the golden jackal (Canis aureus). However, key questions about the origins and dispersal strategies of pioneering individuals, likely the first to establish new populations, remain unanswered. We analyzed genetic data from three golden jackals found at the forefront of the expansion, reaching the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) and Fennoscandia (Finland and Norway, beyond the Arctic Circle). We genotyped two tissue samples and one fecal sample using 15 microsatellites and compared results with an extensive reference dataset. Additionally, we analyzed the mtDNA control region (HVR1) for two individuals. All individuals were males, identified as pure jackals and first-generation migrants. Our results suggested either western Pannonia (1650 km distance) or, less probably, the Adriatic region (1300 km) as the region of origin for the Spanish individual, also western Pannonia for the Finnish individual (2500 km), and the Baltics or the Caucasus for the Norwegian individual (1400 km to 3400 km). These sources represent abundant core populations or relatively recent and successfully colonized areas. Both the Spanish and Finnish individuals carried the prevalent H1 HVR1 haplotype in Europe, confirming matrilineal genetic uniformity on the continent. The recent expansion of C. aureus is fueled by several sources, showcasing the golden jackals’ remarkable ability for long-distance dispersal as they extend their range to northernmost and westernmost Europe. Our findings highlight the dynamic nature of wildlife distribution, providing insights into species movement across vast distances amidst climatic, environmental, and anthropogenic pressures.
What do rattle quills tell? A morphological analysis of the rattling in the African crested porcupine
Authors: Schianini Virginia , Gamba Marco , Mori Emiliano , Palagi Elisabetta
Published: September 2024

Sonations are non-vocal acoustic signals whose production mechanisms have been rarely investigated in mammals. Since sonations are directly tied to specific anatomical characteristics, one issue in acoustic communication studies is estimating the morphological diversity of the structures responsible of sound emission. The nocturnal and social habits of the African crested porcupine make them an ideal model to address this issue. Both sexes bear highly specialised quills on their tail that, by colliding against each other, produce a sound (rattling). We measured the quills of 130 subjects and found that their morphology did not vary in relation to season and sex. Compared to subadults (N = 39) and adults (N = 81), cubs (< 6 months, N = 10) have fewer and stubbier rattle quills that also differ in their length and diameter across the age classes. The passage from the cub to the subadult phase seems to sign the most important changes in the quill development. Although it is unknown when and how often a cub produces rattling, the presence of quills at a very early stage of life indicates that they can potentially be used. Although several hypotheses can explain the potential role of cub rattling, one of the most reasonable is that, when olfactory and/or visual contacts are prevented, this sound can alert adults about potential predation risks on offspring. Matching morphological and acoustic data under different contexts will allow understanding the correlates at the basis of the potential roles of such a peculiar way of communication.
Parenting Styles and Youth’s Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors: Does Self-Control Matter?
Authors: Almeida Diana , Santos Gilda
Published: September 2024

The externalizing and internalizing behaviors of children and youth have been the object of extensive criminological research, mainly due to the potentially harmful impact on these individuals' future development and adjustment. The current study aimed to explore the influence of parenting styles on the emergence of children and youth’s externalizing and internalizing behaviors and to understand the influence of self-control in this relationship. Following a quantitative self-report approach and using a sample of 472 Portuguese middle-school children, this study found that the children’s sex, low self-control, and authoritative parenting style significantly predicted externalizing and internalizing behaviors. The data also revealed that children's age and the permissive parenting style significantly predicted externalizing but not internalizing behaviors and that the authoritarian parenting style significantly predicted internalizing behaviors. Low self-control partially mediated the relationship between parenting styles and externalizing and internalizing behaviors in most tested models. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Effect of remotely connected trialkyl ammonium groups on the dye molecules in the photochemical behavior on the clay nanosheet
Authors: Melechalil Masbooth Rasa , Shimada Tetsuya , Ishida Tamao , Takagi Shinsuke
Published: September 2024

The enhanced emission properties of several cationic dye molecules on the clay surface established as a result of the strong electrostatic interaction and associated molecular flattening leading to either the suppression of non-radiative deactivation processes or the improvement of radiative deactivation processes has been verified, and it is known as surface-fixation induced emission (S-FIE). Here, the differences in the S-FIE properties as well as the self-fluorescence quenching behavior of the dimidium and propidium dyes were compared. Propidium differs from dimidium by the substitution of a propyl (diethyl methylammonium) group at the 5th position instead of the methyl group in dimidium. So, the differences induced by this substitution, which is not even in conjugation with the chromophore part of the dye molecule show a significant impact on the adsorption strength, S-FIE properties, and self-fluorescence quenching behavior. In propidium and dimidium, the suppression of knr was the key factor for emission enhancement on the clay surface. Interestingly, the alkylammonium cation group in the Propidium helped for better adsorption strength as well as to reduce the self-fluorescence quenching behavior on the clay surface as compared to the dimidium. Since the trialkylammonium cation was not in conjugation with the core structure of the molecule and located at a specific distance, it did not interrupt the flattening of the molecule on the clay surface. These results could be beneficial in the construction of efficient photochemical reaction systems, where the molecule having low adsorption strengths can be modified by alkyl ammonium cations, which will not affect molecular planarization.

Graphical Abstract
“I Don't Have to Do That Anymore Because I Got Therapy”: Recuperated Veterans and the Complexity of Mental Health Discourse at the End of the Forever War
Authors: Kieran David
Published: September 2024

Memorial Day 2023 was a significant moment in twenty-first-century U.S. military history. Although U.S. service members remained deployed around the world and Operation Inherent Resolve continues to target the Islamic State (in April 2023, the U.S. military and its partners executed thirty-five missions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria alone), this year's celebrations came six weeks after the U.S. Senate repealed the two-decade-old Authorization for the Use of Military Force that had made possible the 2003 invasion of Iraq.1 It was also only the second Memorial Day since U.S. troops left Afghanistan, abruptly and somewhat disastrously, in August 2021. As a result, the holiday was arguably the first in which the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could be understood as having transitioned from “current events” to events whose legacies Americans were beginning to imagine and define.
Context-aware and expert data resources for Brazilian Portuguese hate speech detection
Authors: Vargas Francielle , Carvalho Isabelle , Pardo Thiago A. S. , Benevenuto Fabrício
Published: September 2024

This paper provides data resources for low-resource hate speech detection. Specifically, we introduce two different data resources: (i) the HateBR 2.0 corpus, which is composed of 7,000 comments extracted from Brazilian politicians’ accounts on Instagram and manually annotated a binary class (offensive versus non-offensive) and hate speech targets. It consists of an updated version of the HateBR corpus, in which highly similar and one-word comments were replaced; and (ii) the multilingual offensive lexicon (MOL), which consists of 1,000 explicit and implicit terms and expressions annotated with context information. The lexicon also comprises native-speaker translations and its cultural adaptations in English, Spanish, French, German, and Turkish. Both corpus and lexicon were annotated by three different experts and achieved high inter-annotator agreement. Lastly, we implemented baseline experiments on the proposed data resources. Results demonstrate the reliability of data outperforming baseline dataset results in Portuguese, besides presenting promising results for hate speech detection in different languages.
Towards a robust deep learning framework for Arabic sentiment analysis
Authors: Radman Azzam , Duwairi Rehab
Published: September 2024

In spite of the superior performance deep neural networks have proven in thousands of applications in the past few years, addressing the over-sensitivity of these models to noise and/or intentional slight perturbations is still an active area of research. In the computer vision domain, perturbations can be directly applied to the input images. The task in the natural language processing domain is quite harder due to the discrete nature of natural languages. There has been a considerable amount of effort put to address this problem in high-resource languages like English. However, there is still an apparent lack of such studies in the Arabic language, and we aim to be the first to conduct such a study in this work. In this study, we start by training seven different models on a sentiment analysis task. Then, we propose a method to attack our models by means of the worst synonym replacement where the synonyms are automatically selected via the gradients of the input representations. After proving the effectiveness of the proposed adversarial attack, we aim to design a framework that enables the development of models robust to attacks. Three different frameworks are proposed in this work and a thorough comparison between the performance of these frameworks is presented. The three scenarios revolve around training the proposed models either on adversarial samples only or also including clean samples beside the adversarial ones, and whether or not to include weight perturbation during training.