bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Warmth and competence in human-agent cooperation
Authors: McKee Kevin R. , Bai Xuechunzi , Fiske Susan T.
Published: May 2024

Interaction and cooperation with humans are overarching aspirations of artificial intelligence research. Recent studies demonstrate that AI agents trained with deep reinforcement learning are capable of collaborating with humans. These studies primarily evaluate human compatibility through “objective” metrics such as task performance, obscuring potential variation in the levels of trust and subjective preference that different agents garner. To better understand the factors shaping subjective preferences in human-agent cooperation, we train deep reinforcement learning agents in Coins, a two-player social dilemma. We recruit $$N = 501$$

N
=
501

participants for a human-agent cooperation study and measure their impressions of the agents they encounter. Participants’ perceptions of warmth and competence predict their stated preferences for different agents, above and beyond objective performance metrics. Drawing inspiration from social science and biology research, we subsequently implement a new “partner choice” framework to elicit revealed preferences: after playing an episode with an agent, participants are asked whether they would like to play the next episode with the same agent or to play alone. As with stated preferences, social perception better predicts participants’ revealed preferences than does objective performance. Given these results, we recommend human-agent interaction researchers routinely incorporate the measurement of social perception and subjective preferences into their studies.
Exposure manipulation strategies for balancing computational efficiency and precision in seismic risk analysis
Authors: Papadopoulos Athanasios N. , Roth Philippe , Danciu Laurentiu
Published: May 2024

Exposure models for regional seismic risk assessment often place assets at the centroids of administrative units for which data are available. At best, a top-down approach is followed, where such data are spatially disaggregated over a denser spatial grid, using proxy datasets such as the distribution of population or the density of night-time lights. The resolution of the spatial grid is either dictated by the resolution of the proxy dataset, or by constraints in computational resources. On the other hand, if a building-by-building database is available, it often needs to be aggregated and brought to a resolution that ensures acceptable calculation runtimes and memory demands. Several studies have now investigated the impact of exposure aggregation on loss estimates. Herein, unlike previous attempts, we can leverage upon an extensive building-by-building database for the Swiss territory, which we can use as ground truth. We firstly proceed to assess the aggregation-induced errors of standard risk metrics at different spatial scales. Then a new strategy for performing said aggregation is proposed, relying on a K-means clustering of site parameters and a reduction of the loss ratio uncertainty for aggregated assets. These interventions are designed with the objective of minimizing errors, while keeping the computational cost manageable.
Drivers of seasonal water hyacinth dynamics in permanently eutrophic estuarine waters
Authors: Lakane Chuene P. , Adams Janine B. , Lemley Daniel A.
Published: May 2024

Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment is one of the key global change pressures threatening the health of estuaries. This is evident at the persistently eutrophic Swartkops Estuary located along the warm temperate coast of South Africa. Augmented nutrient-rich baseflows (e.g., stormwater runoff, wastewater treatment work discharges) have resulted in the persistent growth of invasive alien aquatic plants (IAAPs), particularly water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes), in the upper estuarine reaches. As such, the objective of this study was to investigate the temporal population dynamics of water hyacinth in the Swartkops Estuary to inform management options. Methods included five-weekly sampling campaigns in winter, spring, and summer, interspersed with monthly sampling over a year-long period. Physico-chemical variables and river inflow were measured in situ, while samples were collected for inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton biomass, and IAAP measurements (cover, biomass, and tissue nutrients). Model results indicated that increased water temperature and inorganic nitrogen (ammonium and NOx) levels promoted increased coverage of water hyacinth, while seasonal analysis highlighted reduced (p < 0.05) dissolved oxygen levels during the peak summer IAAP accumulation period. Notably, model results indicated declining IAAP tissue TN and TP concentrations with increasing water temperature, yet overall TN and TP storage was highest in summer due to the extensive water hyacinth cover observed during this period. Overall, the proportionally low and transient nature of nutrient storage by water hyacinth populations, together with the detrimental consequences they facilitate, highlights the need to integrate short-term control measures with catchment-scale management interventions geared towards mitigating the causative drivers.
A narrative of meeting a computer: A cognitive-ethnographic study of self-directed computer learning
Authors: Taşkın Alkan Buket , Tüzün Hakan
Published: May 2024

In this study, the self-directed learning (SDL) processes of children who have never used a computer before were examined within the cultural context they live in. In accordance with the subject of the research, a village, located in a rural area of the Southeastern Anatolia region in Turkey, where crucial digital divide and low socioeconomic conditions exist, was chosen to reach the children who have not used a computer before. By using a “cognitive ethnography” research design, the cultural foundations of cognitive processes were evaluated and authentic data were obtained. The research includes a long-term participatory observation over a period of two summer terms in accordance with the nature of ethnographic studies. The research group consists of 46 children, ages 6 to 11. Throughout the research, the children were elaborately observed on how they managed to organize their SDL process without any guidance when they were left with computers. In the process, children’s learning and how they had been affected by the guidance and collaborative work were examined by giving them simple clues, asking them questions to foster curiosity, and allowing them to form groups. The observation process has spread to many moments of the day, such as students’ social environments, living conditions at home, and learning processes at the computer. Open coding and axial coding methods were used in data analysis. As a result of the study, it was observed that demographic variables, guidance, and ethnocultural characteristics have a significant impact on children’s learning behaviors. The research findings show that: (1) In the SDL process, unconscious explorations and trial and error gradually give way to conscious reasoning, (2) The SDL process becomes more effective with some guidance focusing on the needs of a student and collaborative learning, (3) Girls mostly preferred word processing and drawing applications, while boys preferred games and research on the Internet, (4) Although boys display a more confident and dominant attitude towards computers, girls have used applications effectively throughout the process, and (5) The older age group, especially accustomed to the cultural and classroom authoritarian approach, had difficulty in getting used to the SDL autonomy at the beginning. Details in research findings present vital data within the context of the impact of cultural background on the educational processes and evaluating this impact in terms of education programs.
The faster the increase in renewable energy use, the faster the decrease in carbon emissions?
Authors: Akan Taner , Işık Ali Haydar , Gündüz Halil İbrahim
Published: May 2024

The annual average near-surface global temperature will temporarily exceed 1.5 °C between 2023 and 2027. If this level is irrevocably exceeded, the functions of marine biodiversity, fisheries, and ecosystems may no longer be maintained. In light of this fact, this paper examines whether a shock-like (rapid and substantial) increase in the proportion of renewable energy sources could result in a precipitous reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In order to accomplish this, the paper analyzes the magnitude and direction of the asymmetric and symmetric impacts of renewables on CO2 emissions, which represent shock-like and ordinary changes, respectively. Second, the paper examines whether there is a functional complementarity between major renewables in reducing CO2 emissions, and whether this complementarity increases when renewables experience asymmetric shocks. The conclusion of the paper is that the negative impact of renewables on CO2 emissions either (i) remains unchanged when they experience asymmetric shocks or (ii) increases by 60–260 percent or 100 percent, respectively, when they experience these shocks simultaneously or separately, respectively. The paper makes two recommendations to prevent the persistent exceeding of 1.5 °C. First, policymakers should intensify their efforts to rapidly and substantially increase renewable energy consumption in total. Second, they should accomplish this increase in all renewable sources in a balanced fashion so as to maximize their carbon-reduction effects by functionalizing their green complementarities.
An automatic inspection system for the detection of tire surface defects and their severity classification through a two-stage multimodal deep learning approach
Authors: Mignot Thomas , Ponchon François , Derville Alexandre , Duffner Stefan , Garcia Christophe
Published: May 2024

In the tire manufacturing field, the pursuit of uncompromised product quality stands as a cornerstone. This paper introduces an innovative multimodal approach aimed at automating the tire quality control process through the use of deep learning on data obtained from stereo-photometric cameras meticulously integrated into a purpose-built, sophisticated tire acquisition system capable of comprehensive data capture across all tire zones. The defects sought exhibit significant variations in size (ranging from a few millimeters to several tens of centimeters) and type (including abnormal stains during processing, marks resulting from demolding issues, foreign particles, air bubbles, deformations, etc.). Our proposed methodology comprises two distinct stages: an initial instance segmentation phase for defect detection and localization, followed by a classification stage based on severity levels, integrating features extracted from the detection network of the first stage alongside tire metadata. Experimental validation demonstrates that the proposed approach achieves automation objectives, attaining satisfactory results in terms of defect detection and classification according to severity, with a F1 score between 0.7 and 0.89 depending on the tire zone. In addition, this study presents a novel method applicable to all tire areas, addressing a wide variety of defects within the domain.
Degenerate Pile-up Correction in Pulse Height Spectra from Gamma-ray Spectrometers
Authors: Marcer Giulia , Dal Molin Andrea , Rebai Marica , Rigamonti Davide , Tardocchi Marco
Published: May 2024

One of the primary obstacles faced by spectrometers operating under high counting rates is pile-up, which occurs when two or more events are detected within a timelapse short enough to result in a superposition of the events waveforms. These can not hence be integrated separately in order to get their amplitudes. Piled-up events are typically identified using pile-up rejection or recovery algorithms. In the latter case, the constituent single waveforms and their amplitudes are also restored. However, there are instances in which the pulses overlap so closely that it is impossible to identify the occurrence of pile-up, resulting in the integration of these pulses into a single spurious event. This phenomenon is known as degenerate pile-up. A method to rectify the incorrect reconstruction of degenerate pile-up was developed, based on a statistical approach, which can be directly applied to the pulse height spectra distributions. The approach was tested on a number of synthetic spectra, with counting rates ranging from 20 kHz up to 1 MHz. The recovered spectra were compared to those purely analysed with a pile-up recovery algorithm, demonstrating an improvement of the reconstructed spectrum of several tens of percent when compared to the true synthetic counterpart.
Applications of Superconductor–Normal Metal Interfaces
Authors: Lemziakov S. A. , Karimi B. , Nakamura S. , Lvov D. S. , Upadhyay R. , Satrya C. D. , Chen Z.-Y. , Subero D. , Chang Y.-C. , Wang L. B. , Pekola J. P.
Published: May 2024

The importance and non-trivial properties of superconductor normal metal interfaces were discovered by Alexander Fyodorovich Andreev more than 60 years ago. Only much later, these hybrids have found wide interest in applications such as thermometry and refrigeration, electrical metrology, and quantum circuit engineering. Here we discuss the central properties of such interfaces and describe some of the most prominent and recent applications of them.
Fused lasso nearly-isotonic signal approximation in general dimensions
Authors: Pastukhov Vladimir
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we introduce and study fused lasso nearly-isotonic signal approximation, which is a combination of fused lasso and generalized nearly-isotonic regression. We show how these three estimators relate to each other and derive solution to a general problem. Our estimator is computationally feasible and provides a trade-off between monotonicity, block sparsity, and goodness-of-fit. Next, we prove that fusion and near-isotonisation in a one-dimensional case can be applied interchangably, and this step-wise procedure gives the solution to the original optimization problem. This property of the estimator is very important, because it provides a direct way to construct a path solution when one of the penalization parameters is fixed. Also, we derive an unbiased estimator of degrees of freedom of the estimator.
Die Nutzung von Textvignetten zur Unterstützung der Selbstwirksamkeitsentwicklung von Lehramtsstudierenden. Eine quasiexperimentelle Studie unter Berücksichtigung der Emotionen Freude und Ärger
Authors: Wagner Simon , Krauskopf Karsten , Knigge Michel
Published: May 2024

Die berufsbezogene Selbstwirksamkeit von Lehrkräften wird als wesentliche Grundlage zur Gestaltung erfolgreicher Lehr-Lernprozesse angesehen und ist als Ressource in der Bewältigung pädagogisch herausfordernder Situationen im Unterricht äußerst bedeutsam. In der Literatur finden sich sowohl theoretische als auch empirische Hinweise für die Annahme, dass die Selbstwirksamkeitsentwicklung angehender Lehrkräfte durch stellvertretende Erfahrungen und durch emotionale Erlebenszustände reguliert wird. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht in einem quasi-experimentellen Prä-Post Kontrollgruppendesign, inwiefern der Einsatz von Textvignetten als stellvertretende Erfahrung die Selbstwirksamkeitsentwicklung beeinflusst und in welchem Zusammenhang die Emotionen Freude und Ärger mit der Selbstwirksamkeitsentwicklung stehen. Die Grundlage der Studie bildet eine Stichprobe von 60 Lehramtsstudierenden. In der Interventionsgruppe (n = 43) wurden zwei Textvignetten in Form eines masterly und eines coping models bereitgestellt, in der Kontrollgruppe (n = 17) wurden bei sonst analogem Aufbau der Seminarsitzungen stattdessen akademische Fachtexte eingesetzt. Im Ergebnis wiesen Studierende der Interventionsgruppe, nachdem sie mit dem coping model gearbeitet hatten, einen höheren Anstieg in ihrer Selbstwirksamkeit auf als die Kontrollgruppe. Darüber hinaus zeigten autoregressive Regressionsmodellierungen Zusammenhänge zwischen Freudeerleben am Seminarende und einer Zunahme der Selbstwirksamkeit sowie Ärgererleben und einer Abnahme der Selbstwirksamkeit. Zusammenfassend wird die Relevanz der Ergebnisse für die Lehrkräftebildung diskutiert.
Resilience and psychological distress in the transition to university: the mediating role of emotion regulation
Authors: Mastrokoukou Sofia , Lin Shanyan , Longobardi Claudio , Berchiatti Martina , Bozzato Paolo
Published: May 2024

Young adults face numerous challenges during their first year of university, which is considered by various researchers to be a time of potential threat and acute stress. These challenges were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in disruption of old learning and social structures that make it all the more difficult to adapt. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between resilience, emotion regulation, and psychological distress during the transition to university. A sample of 417 students (250 females, 60%) aged 18to 33 years (Mage = 19.87, SDage = 1.47) was recruited at an Italian university using a random sampling method. Paper questionnaires were completed in classrooms. Resilience was assessed with the Resilience Scale, emotion regulation with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-18, and psychological distress with the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scales-21. Results showed that (a) resilience was negatively correlated with difficulties in emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, and stress; (b) difficulties in emotion regulation were positively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress; and (c) difficulties in emotion regulation significantly mediated the relationship between resilience and psychological distress. These findings shed light on the relationship between resilience and difficulties in emotion regulation during university transfer and call on higher education institutions to take steps to promote successful emotion regulation in first-year students to facilitate a positive transition to university.
Help Me If You Can I’m Feeling Down: Supporting Children’s Emotion Regulation and Well-Being in the Primary Classroom
Authors: Somerville Matthew P. , Midouhas Emily , Delprato Marcos , Whitebread David
Published: May 2024

Children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities face distinct stressors when compared to those from more advantaged backgrounds. Research indicates higher levels of child well-being may buffer against the negative effects of stress and adversities, with supportive teacher behaviors playing a key role in promoting well-being. However, the mechanisms underlying these connections remain unclear. Extending past research linking teacher behaviours and well-being, the present study included emotion regulation as a potential candidate mechanism that might account for these connections. Questionnaire data were collected from 508 pupils (265 female, Mage = 9.9) in 31 classrooms across 8 primary schools in low-socioeconomic neighbourhoods of New Zealand. Utilising multilevel modelling the study found that teacher support significantly predicted emotion regulation and well-being, and that teacher support indirectly predicted well-being through emotion regulation. Both emotion regulation and teacher behaviours are amenable to intervention; thus, a better understanding of how they work together to predict well-being is likely to inform future intervention efforts to promote children’s well-being.
Losing Tidal Flats at the Midpoint of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway over the past 100 Years
Authors: Chen Wan-Jyun , Chang An-Yu , Lin Chia-Chi , Lin Ruey-Shing , Lin Da-Li , Lee Pei-Fen
Published: May 2024

The ecosystem services and functions of tidal flats have been overlooked for many decades, and tidal flat loss has been identified as a serious threat to many taxa in recent years, especially for migratory waterbirds. Despite the understanding of tidal flats change on the global scale, there are still a lot of unknowns on the small scale, including tidal flats in Taiwan, which are important stopover sites for migratory waterbirds along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Therefore, we collated historic topographic maps, Landsat Archive images between the 1920s and the 2020s to determine the trajectories of tidal flat change along the coastline of Taiwan. Our results show that tidal flat coverage expanded between the 1920s and the 1950s, but lost approximately 266 km2 (58%) between the 1950s and the 2010s. The status of the tidal flats along the western coastline of Taiwan has been identified as “Endangered” based on the criteria of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems. According to the aims of the Global Biodiversity Framework, we suggest rethinking the land use plans along the coastline to mitigate the tidal flat loss, especially the controversial issues concerning the expansion of green energy infrastructure. To realize the Nature Positive goals by 2030, recovering and restoring the tidal flat ecosystem could be one of the key strategies.
Granuloma Annulare: A Clinical Update
Authors: Kachlik Zofia , Kaczmarek Aleksandra , Grych Konrad , Dorobek Magdalena , Barańska-Rybak Wioletta
Published: May 2024

Purpose of Review

Granuloma annulare (GA) is a benign, inflammatory granulomatous skin condition that can present as localized, disseminated, subcutaneous, perforating and a few other less prevalent subtypes. While GA may manifest as a self-limited condition, its distinctive feature of mimicking other diseases, and difficulties in distinguishing between subtypes, can add complexity to the diagnostic process. This review was conducted to evaluate the latest published studies and outline the options for GA treatment.

Recent Findings

Multiple treatment modalities for GA have been reported, including topical and oral treatment along with many procedures, wherefrom phototherapy remains the most well-studied option. Recently new studies have identified Th1, Th2, and JAK- STAT pathways dysregulation in GA skin lesions, and subsequently, promising effects have been reported with Th1, Th2, and JAK- STAT targeting therapy for GA.

There is still no gold standard for clinical management of GA. Evidence-based treatment recommendations derived from randomized control trials are scarce, since the majority of published research is confined to case reports, case series, and singular retrospective studies. Therapeutic approach may vary depending on the clinical subtype of GA, necessitating individualization based on patients preferences, possible side effects and risk-benefit ratio.
Neural Reactivity to Social Reward Moderates the Association Between Social Media Use and Momentary Positive Affect in Adolescents
Authors: Politte-Corn Madison , Pegg Samantha , Dickey Lindsay , Kujawa Autumn
Published: May 2024

Peer relationships take on increasing importance during adolescence, and there has been considerable debate about the effects of social media use on adolescent emotional health. Little work has examined individual differences in brain function that might impact these associations. In this study, we examined the reward positivity (RewP) to social and monetary reward as a moderator of the relation between social media use and concurrent momentary affect in adolescents. Participants were 145 adolescents aged 14–17 (M = 15.23; SD = 1.08; 64.1% female; 71.7% White) at varying risk for depression (47 high-risk based on maternal depression history, 50 low-risk, 48 currently depressed). Measures of social media use, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were obtained through ecological momentary assessment. In a laboratory session, adolescents completed a computerized peer feedback task and a monetary reward task to elicit the RewP to social and monetary reward feedback. Multilevel models indicated that social media use and a smaller RewP to monetary rewards were associated with lower PA. However, social (but not monetary) reward responsiveness moderated the effect of social media use on momentary PA, such that social media use was associated with lower PA for adolescents with a relatively blunted RewP to peer acceptance, but not for those with an enhanced social RewP. Exploratory analyses indicated that this moderation effect was specific to female adolescents. The results highlight neural reactivity to social reward as a potential factor contributing to variability in the effect of social media use on affective health.
Lateral asymmetry of emotional arousal as a biomarker of attributional style during darts competitions
Authors: Szekely Szabolcs , Szekely Anna , Veres Andras , Kotyuk Eszter
Published: May 2024

According to the Multiple Arousal Theory, electrodermal activity (EDA) is not uniform across the body. However, the psychological meaning of a left or right-sided EDA dominance is still not clear. We explored EDA lateral asymmetry as a psychophysiological marker of optimistic and pessimistic attributional style regarding success and failure in a darts competition. Bilateral EDA pattern of 230 throws of a competing pair was measured by Obimon EDA including accelerometer measurements of movements. First, we confirmed that lateral asymmetry can be measured reliably based on EDA data from both wrists. Second, we assessed attributional styles related to lateral asymmetry based on 80 individual throws. We recorded participants’ expectations regarding their upcoming performance, and their attribution of success and failure based on Seligman’s definition as optimist (internal cause attributed to success, or external cause ascribed to failure) or pessimist. The ratio of optimist and pessimist attributions was significantly different for throws with right or left-sided EDA dominance (p = 0.001). Optimistic attribution characterized 84% of right dominant, while pessimist 63% of left-dominant EDA during throws. We replicated these findings on 50 throws from 10 more individuals (p = 0.034). All individuals were right-handed. We conclude that wrist EDA can be reliably measured during physical movements, such as in a darts game. Lateral EDA asymmetry is a consistent psychophysiological marker of the attitude toward success and failure in a competitive setting, suggesting that lateral asymmetry of emotional arousal may serve as a novel psychophysiological biomarker for attribution style. Results underlie the psychophysiological relevance of bilateral arousal assessment and provide evidence-based verification for the Multiple Arousal Theory.
Streamlined Analysis of Maternal Plasma Indicates Small Extracellular Vesicles are Significantly Elevated in Early-Onset Preeclampsia
Authors: Bowman-Gibson Scout , Chandiramani Chandni , Stone Madison L. , Waker Christopher A. , Rackett Traci M. , Maxwell Rose A. , Dhanraj David N. , Brown Thomas L.
Published: May 2024

Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. While placental dysfunction is a core underlying issue, the pathogenesis of this disorder is thought to differ between early-onset (EOPE) and late-onset (LOPE) subtypes. As recent reports suggest that small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) contribute to the development of PE, we have compared systemic sEV concentrations between normotensive, EOPE, and LOPE pregnancies. To circumvent lengthy isolation techniques and intermediate filtration steps, a streamlined approach was developed to evaluate circulating plasma sEVs from maternal plasma. Polymer-based precipitation and purification were used to isolate total systemic circulating maternal sEVs, free from bias toward specific surface marker expression or extensive subpurification. Immediate Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) of freshly isolated sEV samples afforded a comprehensive analysis that can be completed within hours, avoiding confounding freeze–thaw effects of particle aggregation and degradation.

Rather than exosomal subpopulations, our findings indicate a significant elevation in the total number of circulating maternal sEVs in patients with EOPE. This streamlined approach also preserves sEV-bound protein and microRNA (miRNA) that can be used for potential biomarker analysis. This study is one of the first to demonstrate that maternal plasma sEVs harbor full-length hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) protein, with EOPE sEVs carrying higher levels of HIF-1α compared to control sEVs. The detection of HIF-1α and its direct signaling partner microRNA-210 (miR-210) within systemic maternal sEVs lays the groundwork for identifying how sEV signaling contributes to the development of preeclampsia. When taken together, our quantitative and qualitative results provide compelling evidence to support the translational potential of streamlined sEV analysis for future use in the clinical management of patients with EOPE.
Optical properties of daily used water in Kathmandu valley
Authors: Koirala Sudhan , Neupane Damodar , Mulmi Deependra Das , Dhobi Saddam Husain
Published: May 2024

This article comprehensively examines the characteristics of water samples sourced from diverse locations in the Kathmandu Valley, encompassing density, transmittance, absorption coefficient, mass attenuation coefficient, and molecular cross-sectional area (MCA), across varying temperatures. Density variations, within a temperature range of 8 °C to 48 °C, are reported, spanning from 1.17725 to 1.0015 g/cm3. Transmittance increases with wavelength and exhibits temperature-related variations due to differing impurities among sources. The relationship between transmittance and temperature lacks a distinct pattern, influenced by unique source impurities and temperature effects. Moreover, the MCA estimates particles to be approximately 10−24cm2. Additionally, the mass attenuation coefficient consistently decreases with wavelength across all samples. These findings provide a comprehensive insight into the intricate interplay between water properties, impurities, temperature, and radiation interactions in various water sources.
Effect of hot water and corona discharge treatments on the bonding behavior of jute fibers in polyester matrix
Authors: Campomori Jéfferson Barbosa , Hugen Lisiane Nunes , de Andrade Silva Flávio , Toledo Filho Romildo Dias , Guimarães Túlio Caetano , Bufalino Lina , Sanadi Anand Ramesh , Barsberg Soren , Ferreira Saulo Rocha , Tonoli Gustavo Henrique Denzin
Published: May 2024

The inherent polarity and hydrophilic nature of lignocellulosic fibers and the nonpolar characteristics of polyolefins create challenges in achieving good adhesion between the two materials. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of surface activation of jute fibers on the fiber-matrix interface of a jute fiber-polyester composite. The fibers were pretreated with hot water and exposed to corona discharge for 5 or 10 min. The fibers were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Pullout tests were conducted to evaluate the behavior of jute fibers in the polyester matrix when embedded at 5, 10, 20, and 30 mm depths. The pretreatments did not affect the thermal properties of the fibers; however, they promoted oxidation and increased surface roughness. Hot water pretreatment resulted in partial removal of surface waxes and enhanced bonding. Pullout tests revealed that fibers subjected to hot water immersion, followed by 10 min of corona discharge, exhibited approximately a 34% increase in adhesion strength compared to untreated fibers. It was concluded that corona pretreatment improves fiber-matrix adhesion by activating the surface and increasing the roughness of the fibers.
Enhanced Gaussian Bare-Bone Imperialist Competition Algorithm Based on Doubling Sampling and Quasi-oppositional Learning for Global Optimization
Authors: Lei Dongge , Cai Lulu , Wu Fei
Published: May 2024

Gaussian bare-bone imperialist competitive algorithm (GBB-ICA) is an effective variant of imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA), which updates the position of colonies by sampling a Gaussian distribution. However, the mean and standard deviation adopted by GBB-ICA is calculated only using the positions of imperialist and the colony itself, making the searching tends to trap into local optimum. To overcome this drawback, a new double Gaussian sampling strategy is proposed in this paper. An extra Gaussian sampling point, whose mean and standard is calculated using the positions of the second best colony and the current colony itself, is introduced into GBB-ICA. To further speed up the convergence and explore informative region, the quasi-oppositional learning technique is incorporated into GBB-ICA to produce more potential candidates in the assimilation step as well as generating a higher quality initial population. The proposed algorithm is called quasi-oppositional learning-based double Gaussian sampling bare-bone imperialist competitive algorithm (QOLBDGSBB-ICA) and is tested on 20 benchmark functions and four engineering design problems. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms over other referenced ICA variants on 19 benchmark functions, which well validates the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Investigation into radioactivity levels in soil samples from wheat cultivation sites in Kapchorwa district Uganda
Authors: Sead Sead Mohamed , Uzorka Afam , Olaniyan Ademola Olatide
Published: May 2024

Using a NaI(Tl) gamma ray spectrometer, the activity concentrations of three natural radionuclides,238U,232Th, and40K, were assessed for soil samples taken from various locations within the Kapchorwa district wheat plantation region. The average values found for238U,232Th, and40K are 47.8 ± 4.1 Bqkg−1, 61.0 ± 3.8 Bqkg−1, and 1339.05 ± 65.3 Bqkg−1, respectively, all of which were above world average values. Radiological health hazard indices were calculated, including radium equivalent activity, absorbed dose rate, annual effective dose equivalent, external and internal health hazard indices, as well as gamma and alpha indices. The findings revealed that the annual effective dose equivalent (HR) and absorbed dose rate (DR) are respectively 0.58 ± 0.03 mSvy−1and 118.1 ± 7.7 nGyh−1, and the mean value of radium equivalent activity is 246.9 ± 10.4 Bqkg−1. The gamma and alpha health hazard indices have values of 0.93 ± 0.05 and 0.25 ± 0.02, respectively, whereas the external and internal health hazard indices have values of 0.66 ± 0.04 and 0.79 ± 0.04, respectively. The findings showed that although the soil's radioactivity levels were higher than acceptable limits established by international standards, the computed hazard indices were lower than acceptable limits established by international standards, indicating a low risk of radiation contamination in the region. Important information about the natural radioactivity levels in agricultural soils and their effects on the environment and public health in Kapchorwa District and surrounding areas is provided by this study.
Improving representation of Hispanic adults in a population-based cancer genetics cohort: Qualitative findings from the Healthy Oregon Project
Authors: Coronado Gloria D. , Rivelli Jennifer S. , Serrato Vanessa , Thompson Jamie , Shafer Autumn , Tracy-Carter Danita , Warner Kayla , Shannon Jackilen
Published: May 2024

Background:

Members of many racial and ethnic population subgroups are underrepresented in clinical trials and research. We present perspectives on barriers and facilitators to study participation gathered from Hispanic participants in a population-based genetic screening study.

Methods:

Seven focus groups (five in English and two in Spanish) were conducted with self-identified Hispanic participants of the Healthy Oregon Project (HOP), a large population-based cohort of adults residing in Oregon. HOP study participants complete surveys about cancer and chronic disease risks with the option to donate a saliva sample for no-cost genetic risk screening for inherited disorders. HOP invited Hispanic participants via email to join a focus group about their experiences. Focus groups, generally lasting 60–90 minutes, occurred in person and virtually. Notes were coded and content-analyzed.

Findings:

49 Hispanic adults participated in the focus groups (37 women; 9 men; 3 non-binary people). Identified facilitators for HOP study participation were trust in the academic medical center leading the study, having a family member who was impacted by cancer, and receiving free genetic screening. Identified barriers were difficulty completing the family history survey, lack of understanding or familiarity with research, immigration status, and navigating technology challenges. Recommendations to improve recruitment of Hispanic populations included promoting the study at community events, clinics, or schools, simplifying the consenting process and providing patient-focused videos to demonstrate study tasks, providing real-time sample tracking, and offering monetary incentives.

Discussion:

Our findings can inform strategies for bolstering recruitment of Hispanic adults in biomedical research studies.
Identifying at-risk individuals for diseases of despair through integration of clinical practice and social service systems
Authors: Calo William A. , Bufalini Chelsea M. , Spanos Katherine , Sandoe Michele , Watkins Cinda , Lewis Jordan , D’Souza Gail , Graham Jamelia , Llavona-Ortiz Josheili , Sekhar Deepa
Published: May 2024

Background:

Individuals who are unable to meet their basic needs are more likely to respond reactively to their immediate social and financial hardships with behaviors that lead to “diseases of despair,” which include suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-induced liver diseases. We sought to assess the feasibility of a community-to-clinic referral approach for diseases of despair-related behaviors.

Methods:

Guided by the Model for Adaptation Design and Impact, we adapted existing clinical risk assessments into a six-item screener and integrated it into the PA 211 Southwest helpline’s workflow. The screener was created to identify helpline callers at risk for suicidal ideation/behavior, alcohol abuse, drug use, and those in need of seasonal flu vaccination. The screener was implemented from December 2020 to March 2021. We invited at-risk individuals who accepted a service referral to complete baseline and follow-up surveys to learn about their satisfaction with screening and use of referrals.

Results:

2,868 callers were invited to take the screener, with 37% (n = 1047) participation. Among screened callers, 19% (n = 196) were at risk of alcohol abuse, 11% (n = 118) for drug use, 9% (n = 98) for suicidal ideation/behavior, and 54% (n = 568) needed flu vaccination. Of those, 265 callers accepted at least one of the offered referrals. Forty-seven individuals took our surveys, with almost half of them (n = 22) reported engaging with a referral and 90% recommended the helpline for health referrals.

Conclusion:

Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using existing community infrastructure and social service systems to actively screen and link at-risk individuals to needed health referrals in their communities.
Peggy Piggott and Post-war British Archaeology
Authors: Pope Rachel , Davies Mairi H.
Published: May 2024

The later career of British prehistorian Peggy Piggott, latterly Guido, is evaluated in this article, in a bid to further develop our understanding of women's participation in twentieth-century British archaeology. After WWII, when her husband Stuart Piggott was appointed to the Abercromby Chair in Edinburgh, she worked to assist his role. By the early 1950s, she had co-directed and published eight hillfort excavations, advancing our understanding of prehistoric architecture before the advent of radiocarbon dating. The authors consider Peggy Piggott's contribution as a fieldworker, promoting open-area excavation and influencing the next generation. We also consider her thinking, as an early advocate for continuity and Childe's diffusionism, in contrast to the invasionist views of Christopher Hawkes and Stuart Piggott. The authors reflect on the role her marriage played in enabling and restricting her career, her work in 1960s Italy, her expertise in ancient glass beads, and her activity in retirement.
Operationalizing the Intolerable Suffering Criterion in Advance Requests for Medical Assistance in Dying for People Living with Dementia in Canada
Authors: Nix Hayden P.
Published: May 2024

In Canada, there is interest in expanding medical assistance in dying (MAID) to include advance requests (AR) for people living with dementia (PLWD). However, operationalizing the intolerable suffering criterion for MAID in ARs for PLWD is complicated by the Canadian legal context—in which MAID is understood as a medical intervention and suffering is conceptualized as subjective—and the degenerative nature of dementia. ARs that express a wish to receive MAID when the PLWD develops pre-specified impairments are problematic because people are unlikely to accurately predict the conditions that will cause intolerable suffering. ARs that express a wish to receive MAID when the PLWD exhibits pre-specified behaviors that likely represent suffering are problematic because they are inconsistent with the subjective conceptualization of suffering. Further research is required to determine whether adopting an objective conceptualization of suffering is justified in these cases and, if so, how to reliably identify intolerable suffering in PLWD.
Optimizing MRI pulse sequence for displaying gold markers in radiation therapy simulation of patients with prostate cancer
Authors: Bagheri Fariba , Faeghi Fariborz , Baniasadipour Banafsheh , Bakhshandeh Mohsen , Azghandi Samira , Hendudari Farzane
Published: May 2024

Background:

Magnetic resonance localization of gold markers for radiotherapy is critical for the treatment planning of prostatic cancer. This study sought to enhance the visualization of gold markers by applying the three-dimensional gradient echo (3D GRE) T2* sequence and comparing it with CT scan.

Methods:

29 Patients who underwent both a 3D GRE T2* sequence and a CT were evaluated by an oncologist and radiologist. The SNR, CNR and prostate volume were calculated.

Result:

The depiction of gold markers using 3D GRE T2* exhibited an enhanced quality in comparison to CT (p < 0·05). Prostate SNR, fat SNR, muscle SNR and Osteon SNR were found to be elevated in 3D GRE T2*, as opposed to the CT (p < 0·05). The comparison of the average prostate volume revealed a significant difference between the mean measurements (sig = 0, p < 0·05). The prostate Volume in 3D GRE T2* 29·03% smaller in magnitude when compared to the CT, thus bringing it into closer alignment with its authentic dimensions.

Conclusion:

The comparison between the MRI and the CT demonstrated that 3D GRE T2* is an exceptional tool for visualizing gold markers in the realm of prostate cancer radiotherapy planning. It has the potential to minimize collateral damage to healthy cells while enhancing the precision of cancer cell targeting.
Polymorphism and resistance spectrum to Magnaporthe oryzae analysis of Pi-d2 haplotypes in rice (Oryza sativa L.) resource from Yunnan province of China
Authors: Yang Yi , Li Jinbin , Ma Jiqiong , Tao Jing , Li Chengpeng , Sun Yiding , Xu Minghui
Published: May 2024

Pi-d2, which encodes a potential serine-threonine receptor-like kinase (RLK) membrane-spanning protein consisting of 825 amino acids, confers resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae strain ZB15 via an unidentified recognition mechanism. In this study, the Pid2 alleles of 303 rice (O. sativa) varieties from China's Yunnan region were amplified and sequenced in order to produce 24 haplotypes and 16 translation variants. Six of twenty-four alleles possessing the resistant site at the 441st amino acid were chosen for evaluating blast resistance by transforming into the blast-vulnerable rice variety Nipponbare. After being infected with 11 strains of M. oryzae, all transgenic lines exhibited resistance to ZB-15, whereas resistance to other strains varied. Notably, Pi-d2_H23 and Pi-d2_H24 exhibited resistance to all M. oryzae strains tested, indicating that these two alleles may have a broader resistance spectrum to M. oryzae. Alignment of these alleles’ amino acid sequences revealed that the differences in blast resistance spectra were primarily related to the amino acids present in the PAN domain at position 363 (valine/alanine). These findings suggested that the two extracellular signal recognition domains of PI-D2, B-lectin and PAN, may play a role in the identification of M. oryzae effectors. The present results provide insight into the mechanism of interaction between RLKs and M. oryzae.
Neuropsychologische Begutachtung bei COVID-19-assoziierten Erkrankungen
Authors: Krahl Gordon Hendrik , Aschenbrenner Steffen , Billino Jutta , John Oliver , Neumann-Zielke Ludger , Sürer Fatma , Peper Martin
Published: May 2024

Zusammenfassung: Die neuropsychologische Begutachtung von Personen nach Infektionen mit der Coronavirus-Krankheit 2019 (COVID-19) und potenziellen Symptomen des Post-COVID-Syndroms (PCS) im sozialrechtlichen Kontext erfordert nicht nur die Einhaltung spezifischer rechtlicher Vorgaben, sondern auch die Berücksichtigung allgemeiner Leitlinien der Fachgesellschaften. Die PCS-Begutachtung stellt sowohl für Betroffene als auch für Gutachter und Gutachterinnen eine Herausforderung dar, wenn Funktionsdefizite oder Kausalzusammenhänge nicht eindeutig sind. Dieser Artikel vermittelt einen Überblick über relevante Forschungsergebnisse zur Pathogenese und reflektiert aktuelle Rahmenbedingungen und Beurteilungsregularien. Die neuropsychologische PCS-Begutachtung sollte sich in Deutschland an den Leitlinien der Gesellschaft für Neuropsychologie (GNP) orientieren, auch sind die publizierten neurologischen Kriterien zu integrieren. Mit raschem Fortschreiten der PCS-Forschung und hohen interdisziplinären Anforderungen ist ein fachlicher Austausch wesentlich, um die Standards der neuropsychologischen Begutachtung des PCS weiterzuentwickeln.
Pinching Pennies or Money to Burn?
Authors: Jabbari Jason , Jackson Joshua , Roll Stephen , Grinstein-Weiss Michal
Published: May 2024

Abstract: We examined grit in the context of a wealth-building situation: tax refund savings. Specifically, we leveraged a novel dataset combining longitudinal survey data with administrative tax data for a sample of 6,904 low- and moderate-income (LMI) tax filers in the United States. After statistically balancing individuals on grit across a range of important characteristics with propensity score weighting, we found that grit was associated with better financial behaviors. Additionally, the influence of grit on savings-related behaviors did not vary across the experience of financial stressors. Lastly, we found that individuals exhibiting higher levels of grit prioritized education spending over gifts, confirming the notion that people exhibiting higher levels of grit are determined and passionate as they pursue their long-term goals.
The Bow Shock and Magnetosheath Responses to Density Depletion Structures
Authors: Lu Xi , Otto Antonius , Zhang Hui , Liu Terry , Chen Xingran
Published: May 2024

Hot flow anomalies (HFAs) are typical and important foreshock transients characterized by large flow deflection and plasma heating. HFAs can deform the Earth's bow shock by dynamic pressure perturbation resulting in disturbance in the magnetosphere and ionosphere. Traditionally, HFAs are believed to be associated with discontinuities. But recently, HFA‐like structures were simulated by a magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model without the discontinuity prerequisite. In this study, three HFA‐like structures are shown to present the MHD formation mechanism. Multi‐points observation by the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission tracks the formation of an HFA from a density depletion upstream. HFAs with high‐ or low‐ density cores are observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in the flank region. The comparisons of the observation and their simulation show general agreement, particularly in the presence of a core with strong heating and velocity deflection, and two compression regions (shocks) with clear maxima in the ram pressure with a strongly inclined normal boundary at the leading edge and moderately inclined at the trailing edge. Agreement is better when the MHD simulations used a transient change to quasi‐parallel solar wind magnetic field during the events.