bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes from a Driving and Community Mobility Intervention Designed for Novice Drivers with Autism from the Perspective of the Participants and Their Parents
Authors: Dickerson Anne E. , Murphy Lynne , McIntyre Mary
Published: October 2024

To examine change in driving and community mobility outcomes for teens and young adults with autism as a result of participating in an occupational therapy intervention designed as a Bootcamp as perceived by the participants and their parents. Matched questionnaires were completed by novice drivers with autism as well as their parents prior to and immediately after the intervention. The intervention consisted of a 5-day (32 h) intervention using interactive driving simulators, role playing, and highly interactive learning experiences. Sixty-seven participants and their parents completed the pre and post surveys. Of these, 52 (80%) were male and 13 (20%) were female, with a mean age of 17.8 ± 3.03 years. Wilcoxon signed rank tests was used for the Likert scale questions and paired t test for ratio level data. Results demonstrated participants perceived significant improvement in knowledge, skills and abilities related to both driving and community mobility. There were also significant differences in perception from the parents’ perspective, but not as evident as the participants. Only a few significant changes were perceived in terms of executive functioning, which support accuracy of the results. Findings also showed significantly improvement in anxiety and confidence.As driving and community mobility is critical for young adults with autism to be successful in adult roles, intervention for improving knowledge, skills, and abilities in this complex daily task is essential. This study demonstrates statistically significant outcomes of a driving and community mobility occupational therapy intervention from the perspective of the participants and their parents.
Armouring of a Frictional Interface by Mechanical Noise
Authors: El Sergany Elisa , Wyart Matthieu , de Geus Tom W. J.
Published: October 2024

A dry frictional interface loaded in shear often displays stick–slip. The amplitude of this cycle depends on the probability that a microscopic event nucleates a rupture and on the rate at which microscopic events are triggered. The latter is determined by the distribution of soft spots, P(x), which is the density of microscopic regions that yield if the shear load is increased by some amount x. In minimal models of a frictional interface—that include disorder, inertia and long-range elasticity—we discovered an ‘armouring’ mechanism by which the interface is greatly stabilised after a large slip event: P(x) then vanishes at small argument as $$P(x)\sim x^\theta $$

P

(
x
)

∼

x
θ

(de Geus et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 116(48):23977-23983, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1906551116). The exponent $$\theta $$
θ
is non-zero only in the presence of inertia (otherwise $$\theta =0$$

θ
=
0

). It was found to depend on the statistics of the disorder in the model, a phenomenon that was not explained. Here, we show that a single-particle toy model with inertia and disorder captures the existence of a non-trivial exponent $$\theta >0$$

θ
>
0

, which we can analytically relate to the statistics of the disorder.
New Generalized Derivatives for Solving Variational Inequalities Using the Nonsmooth Newton Methods
Authors: Song Yingkai , Barton Paul I.
Published: October 2024

Variational inequality (VI) generalizes many mathematical programming problems and has a wide variety of applications. One class of VI solution methods is to reformulate a VI into a normal map nonsmooth equation system, which is then solved using nonsmooth equation-solving techniques. In this article, we propose a first practical approach for furnishing B-subdifferential elements of the normal map, which in turn enables solving the normal map equation system using variants of the B-subdifferential-based nonsmooth Newton method. It is shown that our new method requires less stringent conditions to achieve local convergence than some other established methods, and thus guarantees convergence in certain cases where other methods may fail. We compute a B-subdifferential element using the LD-derivative, which is a recently established generalized derivative concept. In our new approach, an LD-derivative is computed by solving a sequence of strictly convex quadratic programs, which can be terminated early under certain conditions. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the convergence properties of our new method, based on a proof-of-concept implementation in Python.
Pathwise Stochastic Control and a Class of Stochastic Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Bhauryal Neeraj , Cruzeiro Ana Bela , Oliveira Carlos
Published: October 2024

In this article, we study a stochastic optimal control problem in the pathwise sense, as initially proposed by Lions and Souganidis in [C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris Ser. I Math., 327 (1998), pp. 735-741]. The corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation, which turns out to be a non-adapted stochastic partial differential equation, is analyzed. Making use of the viscosity solution framework, we show that the value function of the optimal control problem is the unique solution of the HJB equation. When the optimal drift is defined, we provide its characterization. Finally, we describe the associated conserved quantities, namely the space-time transformations leaving our pathwise action invariant.
One-year trajectories of physical and mental health-related quality of life, fatigue and dyspnoea in COVID-19 survivors
Authors: Schaap Gerko , Davelaar John F. , ten Klooster Peter M. , Doggen Carine J. M. , van der Palen Job , Bode Christina , Vonkeman Harald E.
Published: October 2024

Purpose

A substantial number of people experience a persisting impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after COVID-19. The current study aims to identify different trajectories of physical and mental HRQoL, fatigue severity, and dyspnoea severity following hospitalisation with COVID-19, and associated factors of these trajectories.

Methods

500 patients with COVID-19 were followed for one year in a longitudinal cohort study. Self-reported outcomes were measured at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after hospitalisation. Distinct trajectories were characterised using Growth Mixture Modelling. Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of trajectories were investigated using multivariable (multinomial) logistic regression analyses.

Results

Three trajectories (‘stable high’ (16%), ‘improving’ (40%), and ‘stable low’ (44%)) were found for physical HRQoL, and four (‘stable high’ (43%), ‘improving’ (14%), ‘middle declining’ (17%), and ‘low’ (26%)) for mental HRQoL. Older age, overweight and obesity, lower education, and comorbidities were associated with ‘low’ physical HRQoL. Younger age was associated with ‘low’ mental HRQoL. Four fatigue trajectories (‘no fatigue’ (15%), ‘improving’ (40%), ‘low-severe’ (27%), and ‘high-severe’ (18%)) were found. Participants either experienced almost never (‘no dyspnoea’, 75%) or almost always (‘severe’, 25%) dyspnoea. High co-occurrences between low HRQoL and severe fatigue and dyspnoea symptom trajectories were found.

Conclusion

A substantial number of COVID-19 survivors continue to struggle with reduced HRQoL over time. However, large variations in these physical and mental HRQoL trajectories exist, and trajectories are associated with persisting COVID-19-related symptoms or pre-hospitalised health status. Regular measurement of HRQoL and post-COVID symptoms may help identify those that may benefit from timely interventions.
Determinants of quality of life decrease in family caregivers of care-dependent patients: a longitudinal study
Authors: de Oliveira Tavares Marcus Luciano , Pimenta Adriano Marçal , García-Vivar Cristina , Beinner Mark Anthony , Montenegro Lívia Cozer
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Family caregivers of care-dependent patients experience a decline in their Quality of Life (QoL). However, the determinants contributing to this decrease in QoL are still not fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate prospectively the determinants contributing to decreased QoL among family caregivers of care-dependent patients.

Methods

This longitudinal study involved 135 family caregivers in Brazil. Data were collected at baseline from October 2016 to August 2017, and at follow-up from December 2021 to July 2022. During both periods, we administered a questionnaire that covered sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics of the participants; the Barthel Index to assess the dependency level of the patients; and the WHOQOL-bref to assess the caregivers’ QoL.

Results

Both caregivers and care-dependent patients were more frequently elderly (44.4% versus 74.6%), female (79.3% versus 61.5%), and had non-communicable disease (60.0% versus 94.3%) at baseline. Most patients experienced a worsening in their level of dependency (59.8%), while over a third of family caregivers (34.8%) reported a decline in their General Quality of Life Index. Eight determinants of decreased QoL were identified: four protective factors (religious faith, physical activity, sharing caregiving responsibilities, and sufficient sleep) and four risk factors (patient hospitalization in the past year, patient increased care dependency, older family caregiver age, and longer caregiving duration).

Conclusion

Many factors influencing caregiver QoL are modifiable through intervention, underscoring the need for public policies to support family caregivers. Healthcare professionals can play a vital role in promoting protective factors and addressing risk factors to enhance caregiver QoL.
Electrochemical and bioelectrochemical sulphide removal: A review
Authors: Karlsen Vibeke B. , Dinamarca Carlos
Published: October 2024

The increased demand for energy worldwide and the focus on the green shift have raised interest in renewable energy sources such as biogas. During biogas production, sulphide (H2S, HS− and S2−) is generated as a byproduct. Due to its corrosive, toxic, odorous, and inhibitory nature, sulphide is problematic in various industrial processes. Therefore, several techniques have been developed to remove sulphide from liquid and gaseous streams, including chemical absorption, chemical dosing, bioscrubbers, and biological oxidation. This review aims to elucidate electrochemical and bioelectrochemical sulphide removal methods, which are gaining increasing interest as possible supplements to existing technologies. In these systems, the sulphide oxidation rate is affected by the reactor design and operational parameters, including electrode materials, anodic potential, pH, temperature and conductivity. Anodic and bioanodic materials are highlighted here, focusing on recent material developments and surface modification techniques. Moreover, the review focuses on sulphide generation and inhibition in biogas production processes and introduces the prospect of removing sulphide and producing methane in one single bioelectrochemical reactor. This could introduce BESs for combined biogas upgrading and cleaning, thereby increasing the methane content and removing pollutants such as sulphide and ammonia in one unit.
Sexual orientation, entrepreneurship, and firm survival
Authors: Backman Mikaela , Carpenter Christopher S. , Dujeancourt Erwan , Mann Samuel
Published: October 2024

We provide new evidence on sexual orientation, entrepreneurship, and firm survival using Swedish population register data linked to business registry data from 1995 to 2020. Over this period, we study over 19,000 individuals who ever entered a legal same-sex union and compare their entrepreneurship and firm level outcomes with individuals exclusively in different-sex unions. We find that sexual minority men are 7.8% less likely than comparable heterosexual men to be entrepreneurs, while sexual minority women are 4.8% more likely than comparable heterosexual women to be entrepreneurs. Both differences are statistically significant. We also provide the first evidence regarding the survival of sexual minority founded firms compared to firms founded by heterosexual individuals. Our results show that firms founded by sexual minority women fail more quickly than observably similar firms founded by heterosexual women, with no significant survival difference observed for sexual minority men. We explore the role of several external and internal factors that may explain these underlying patterns and find that lack of a ‘trapped market’ may contribute to the higher failure rate of firms founded by sexual minority women. We also find suggestive support for a role of romantic partners in explaining differences in firm survival experienced by sexual minority women compared to heterosexual women.
Mind-Body Medicine in the Treatment of Depression: A Narrative Review of Efficacy, Safety and Mechanisms
Authors: Kucukosmanoglu Hazal Sarak , Cramer Holger , Tavakoly Rahele , Moosburner Alina , Bilc Mirela-Ioana
Published: October 2024

Purpose of the Review

This narrative review examines the efficacy, mechanisms and safety of mind-body medicine (MBM) in the treatment of depression. We reviewed the potential effects of various MBM interventions such as yoga, tai chi, qigong, mindfulness-based interventions and nutrition on clinical and subthreshold depressive symptoms.

Recent Findings

Current studies indicate a growing interest in the use of MBM for psychiatric disorders, including depression. MBM interventions demonstrate efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms with fewer adverse effects and costs compared to pharmacological treatments.

MBM has significant potential to improve mental health outcomes for depression. These interventions encourage self-care and stress management through behavioural, exercise, relaxation and nutritional approaches. While existing data are promising, further, more rigorous studies are required to confirm long-term effectiveness and to determine the role of MBM in comprehensive depression treatment strategies.
Exploring Selectivity of Supercritical-CO2 for Vitamin E Extraction from Canola Seeds
Authors: Shi John , Xue Sophia , Sun Qingrui , Scanlon Martin , Yao John , Li Xiaoyu
Published: October 2024

The objective of the current study was to investigate the selectivity of supercritical-CO2 for extraction and concentration of Vitamin E components from canola seeds. The selectively extracted Vitamin E in supercritical-CO2 solvent was related to pressure, temperature, and density through the developed thermodynamic modeling approach. The results suggested that increased pressure and density would enhance the selectivity of supercritical-CO2 solvent, consequently obtaining highly concentrated Vitamin E. The thermodynamic modeling equations have correlated the selectivity of supercritical-CO2 solvent for extracting Vitamin E in terms of processing conditions including pressure, temperature, and density of the supercritical-CO2 solvent fluid. The activity coefficient in thermodynamic modeling was involved with those key parameters that are important in determining selectivity, concentration, and extraction results. The supercritical-CO2 solvent can be made highly selective by precisely controlling the operating pressure and temperature. This allowed the supercritical-CO2 solvent to achieve the desired density in the supercritical phase, thereby enhancing the selectivity for targeted components. The thermodynamic mathematical modeling offered valuable insights for enhancing extraction processes in industrial settings. A high regression coefficient via linear structural modeling analysis indicated that the response equation fitted with the experimental data (R
2 = 0.8737). The experimental results for the separation parameters provide optimal selectivity of supercritical-CO2 solvent for extracting and concentrating Vitamin E compounds for establishing commercial production.
Comparative mortality in pituitary adenomas subtypes: a tertiary referral center study
Authors: Toma Iustin Daniel , Niculescu Dan Alexandru , Găloiu Simona Andreea , Trifănescu Raluca Alexandra , Poiană Cătălina
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Mortality in pituitary adenomas (PAs) has been extensively compared to general population. However, direct comparisons between PA subtypes are scarce. We aimed to compare mortality in various subtypes of PA (acromegaly, Cushing’s disease (CD), macroprolactinomas and non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas (MacroNFPA)), within a single referral center.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed mortality and survival time in all 962 PAs admitted in our department between 2011 and 2023: acromegaly (n = 306), CD (n = 69), macroprolactinoma (n = 168) and MacroNFPA (n = 419).

Results

Median follow-up was 10.2 (5.2, 15.2) years. The overall survival probability was 90.9% and 78.1% after 10 and 20 years respectively with age at diagnosis as the only significant predictor. There were no significant differences in survival probability between various PA subtypes in the whole cohort. In patients over 45 years of age at diagnosis there was a significant difference in survival probability between the four groups (p = 0.01) in the first 15 years of follow-up. In head-to-head comparisons CD had a significantly higher mortality risk than patients with acromegaly (HR 3.38 [CI 95% 1.07 to 10.60]) even after adjusting for age and sex.

Conclusion

Patients diagnosed with CD after 45 years of age have a significantly lower survival probability than other PA subtypes in the first 15 years of follow-up. All other PA subtypes had a similar survival probability after adjusting for age and sex. Due to advances in medical treatment of hormone secreting tumors, mortality in patients with PAs might increasingly depend more on tumor mass than on hormonal hypersecretion.
A longitudinal study of the psychological predictors of mental health and stress among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
Authors: Karing Constance , Oeltjen Lara
Published: October 2024

Repeated nationwide lockdowns and contact restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany massively affected students’ life.There is a lack of longitudinal studies on the change in students’ mental health problems and the influencing factors across the pandemic phases. The aims of the longitudinal study were to investigate the change in students’ depression, anxiety and stress across a one-and-a-half-year study period of the pandemic in Germany and the association between protective (mindfulness, coping strategies, self-efficacy) and risk factors (financial and academic worries) and students’ mental health issues and stress. A subsample of 911 university students was included in the longitudinal analyses. Students were surveyed at four points during the first and second years of the pandemic. Linear mixed-effects modelling was used to investigate our research questions. The models investigated the protective and risk factors as time-invariant and time-varying covariates. The results showed that depression, anxiety and stress decreased slightly over the pandemic. Further, mindfulness and active coping remained equally important over time for reducing depression, anxiety and stress. However, self-efficacy and acceptance became more critical for reducing mental health issues or stress over time. Although financial worries remained equally important for depression, anxiety and stress throughout the pandemic, academic worries became more important for mental health issues over time.The study provides insights into protective and risk factors throughout the pandemic. The results highlight the importance of investigating time-invariant and time-varying predictors of mental health issues.
The brief scale of existential loneliness: scale development and psychometric evaluation
Authors: McKenna-Plumley Phoebe E. , Turner Rhiannon N. , Yang Keming , Groarke Jenny M.
Published: October 2024

Loneliness is a common and distressing experience which has an existential dimension. Existential loneliness is understudied and a brief, valid measure which is grounded in experiences of the phenomenon and captures its distressing nature is needed. This study therefore developed the Brief Scale of Existential Loneliness. Scale items were developed based on a literature review and qualitative inquiry. Potential items were reviewed by academic experts, experts by experience, and potential participants for relevance and clarity. Scale structure was assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with 714 participants (17–84 years old, M = 42.25, SD = 20.22) and reliability and validity were investigated. Tests of dimensionality revealed a 6-item unidimensional scale. The scale possesses high internal consistency and construct validity. Consistent with predictions, scale scores are negatively correlated with meaning in life and positively correlated with loneliness (broadly defined), poor mental health, emptiness, and related constructs. The Brief Scale of Existential Loneliness is a short, valid, and reliable measure of existential loneliness which may be usefully employed alongside measures of other loneliness dimensions.
Access to Food vs. Education - Feeding the Stomach is Important for Feeding the Mind
Authors: Barnabas Bulus , Bavorova Miroslava , Imami Drini , Zhllima Edvin
Published: October 2024

A school feeding program (SFP) influences school attendance and performance because better nutrition by default implies better physical and mental performance. SFP is an important motivation to attend school, especially in an area of extreme poverty and food insecurity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of SFP on school attendance of students in the North-Eastern region of Nigeria, based on data from a cross-sectional comparative study of 780 aged between 6 and 13 year old selected primary schools in the North-Eastern region of Nigeria, conducted between November 2020 and February 2021 in selected primary schools in the North-Eastern region of Nigeria. We used different matching techniques and an endogenous switching regression approach to analyze the average treatment effect (ATT). The results show that the school feeding program has consistently positive and statistically significant effects on school attendance in all three models. The positive effect of SFP is stronger for students from larger households and for those living in remote areas. The direction and magnitude of the estimated impacts are consistent across specifications. In order to increase school attendance, the government should expand SFP coverage throughout the country, with priority given to conflict areas.
Mathematical analysis and numerical comparison of energy-conservative schemes for the Zakharov equations
Authors: Kawai Shuto , Sato Shun , Matsuo Takayasu
Published: October 2024

Furihata and Matsuo proposed in 2010 an energy-conserving scheme for the Zakharov equations, as an application of the discrete variational derivative method (DVDM). This scheme is distinguished from conventional methods (in particular the one devised by Glassey (Math Comput 58(197):83–102, 1992)) in that the invariants are consistent with respect to time, but it has not been sufficiently studied both theoretically and numerically. In this study, we theoretically prove the solvability under the loosest possible assumptions. We also prove the convergence of this DVDM scheme by improving the argument by Glassey. Furthermore, we perform intensive numerical experiments for comparing the above two schemes. It is found that the DVDM scheme is superior in terms of accuracy, but since it is fully-implicit, the linearly-implicit Glassey scheme is better for practical efficiency. In addition, we proposed a way to choose a solution for the first step that would allow Glassey’s scheme to work more efficiently.
Mind the Gap! LGBTQ + Population’s Perceptions of Discrimination and of Legal Innovation
Authors: de Abreu Maria Simões , António Raquel , Moleiro Carla
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Homosexuality was decriminalized in Portugal in 1982, and several legislative changes have emerged since the beginning of the twenty-first century. However, 2010 marked the beginning of the approval of fundamental laws for the life of LGBTQ + people, such as same-sex marriage, access to parenthood and the right to self-determination of gender identity. Despite these advances, discrimination is still present in Portuguese society.

Methods

The aim of this investigation is to study the processes and experiences of discrimination of LGBTQ + people in their daily lives, analyzing the perception of the discrepancy between legislation and the experiences of participants. Its aim is also to analyze the strategies suggested by the participants to reduce this discrepancy. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 LGBTQ + participants, of various sexual orientations (six gay men, three lesbian women, six bisexual persons, five pansexual individuals, and one who identified as “other”) and gender identities (six transgender participants, including two trans men, two non-binary persons, one trans woman, and one genderqueer participant).

Results

Content analysis of these interviews resulted in 828 units of analysis coded in 30 categories. The participants reported that they have gone through multiple experiences of discrimination in different contexts and that they recognize forces of resistance to legal innovation.

Conclusion

There is a gap between legal advances and the experiences of LGBTQ+ people in Portugal, who still report discrimination experiences in many domains of daily life.

Policy Implications

Implications for research and public policies are presented, particularly considering the need to inform and provide training to both strategic audiences and stakeholders and to inform the larger population to promote social change.
Genetic diversity and structure of Persicaria amphibia (Polygonaceae) in South Korea using genotyping by sequencing
Authors: Choi KyoungSu , Hwang Yong , Hong Jeong-Ki , Park So Young
Published: October 2024

Background

Persicaria amphibia, a member of the Polygonaceae family, exists both aquatic and terrestrial forms. It is native to North America, Asia, Europe, and some parts of Africa.

Objective

This study aimed to determine the genetic diversity within and among populations of P. amphibia and the distribution characteristics of each population to investigate insights into the genetic structure and conservation of P. amphibia.

Methods

In this study, the genetic diversity and structure of 84 P. amphibia individuals from 7 populations in South Korea were analyzed using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). We used 2,469 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to analyze genetic diversity, principal components, structure, and phylogeny.

Results

Our results showed a mean observed heterozygosity and mean expected heterozygosity of 0.34409 and 0.34082, respectively. Genetic diversity analysis indicated that the variation among populations (60.08%) was greater than that within populations (39.92%). Fixation index values, principal components analysis, structure, and phylogeny analyses showed that the population in Gyodongdo, Ganghwa Island was highly different.

Conclusion

These results provide important insights for better understand the population history and genetic structure of P. amphibia.
Multi-scale Adaptive Feature Fusion Hashing for Image Retrieval
Authors: Jiang Xiangkui , Hu Fei
Published: October 2024

The hash algorithm has the characteristics of high computational speed and low memory consumption, making it well-suited for massive image search tasks. Currently, most methods rely on deep learning for end-to-end feature extraction and hash encoding. These methods use the last layer feature of the model as the semantic feature of the hash encoding image. However, mainstream research has not realized that the features of different stages of the network contain rich image semantic information, which all affect the performance of retrieval. Based on this, we propose a multi-scale adaptive feature fusion hash image retrieval method, which mines more detailed information about the image by introducing adaptive feature fusion modules at different stages of the network, and incorporates shallow features in the final extracted features to help the model understand the image content. In addition, to maintain the similarity of the generated image hash codes and reduce errors in the process of transitioning from original features to hash codes, similarity loss and quantization loss are applied, while fully utilizing the supervised information of dataset labels to get high-quality hash codes. Experimental proof conducted on the CIFAR-10 and NUS-WIDE datasets that this method outperforms other deep learning-based hash image retrieval methods.
Indigenous higher degree by research students’ retention and completion: a scoping review
Authors: Baeza Pena Angela , Xing Congcong , Blue Levon , Pham Thu , Saward Melanie , Anderson Peter
Published: October 2024

Indigenous higher degree by research (HDR) students encounter persistent barriers within academia that impede their completion rates. This scoping review identified 17 papers published between 2016 and 2022 that relate to retention or completion rates of Indigenous HDR. Papers identified are from Australia, United States, New Zealand and Canada, and most of them have at least one Indigenous author. Two research questions guided this process: (1) What are the enablers that facilitate continuation and completion of HDR programs by Indigenous people? And (2) What barriers affect entry into, and completion of, HDR programs by Indigenous people? The review indicates a pressing need for enhanced support aimed at bolstering completion rates among Indigenous research students. What is required is prioritising various forms of assistance, including the provision of culturally responsive supervision, dedicated Indigenous staffed spaces, and a culturally secure environment that recognises and embraces Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.
Is it Time for a Sleep Medicine Hospitalist?
Authors: Ascher Kori B. , Abreu Alexandre R. , Chediak Alejandro D.
Published: October 2024

Purpose of Review

This review examines the integration of sleep medicine as an inpatient service for managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in hospitalized patients. It aims to assess the clinical benefits, economic implications, and operational challenges of introducing specialized sleep medicine programs within hospital settings.

Recent Findings

Research indicates that effective OSA management with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy can reduce hospital readmissions, healthcare costs, and improve patient outcomes. However, diagnosing and managing OSA in hospitals face challenges such as the impracticality of polysomnography and financial constraints.

Implementing a sleep medicine hospitalist role could address these challenges by providing specialized care, optimizing OSA management and enhancing patient outcomes. The integration of sleep medicine into inpatient care offers potential improvements in sleep quality and healthcare resource utilization,underscoring the need for further exploration and development of sleep medicine services within hospitals.
Inquiring the robot operating system community on the state of adoption of the ROS 2 robotics middleware
Authors: Portugal David , Rocha Rui P. , Castilho João P.
Published: October 2024

The robot operating system (ROS) is a well-established and popular open-source robotics middleware used for rapid prototyping of robotic applications. However, ROS has several known weaknesses, such as lack of support for real-time systems and limitations in fully distributed deployments with multiple robots. To address these weaknesses, ROS underwent a major update and the first version of ROS 2 was released back in 2015, being lingeringly adopted by the community in recent years. Yet, long-term support for ROS 1 will come to an end on May 2025. As such, it is more important than ever to analyze and explore the features of ROS 2, and understand its technological readiness. This work focuses on the state of adoption of ROS 2. Specifically, the article presents a user experience questionnaire targeting the ROS community to understand the more eminent needs with respect to ROS 2, determine the current levels of adoption, and identify what is holding the community back from migrating their ROS 1 applications to ROS 2. Results with more than 100 participants from around the world show that the community is aware of ROS 2 and the middleware is addressing most user expectations. We unveil the main reasons given for not migrating to ROS 2, further understand the community’s views on ROS 2, and identify what is missing to anticipate ROS 1 users migrating to ROS 2 and make ROS 2 widely adopted. Moreover, we gather important impressions on the appropriateness of ROS 2 for multi-robot system use cases.
Exploring Fish Processing By-Products as an Alternative Source of Bioactive Peptides: A Review on Extraction and Food Applications
Authors: Ghalamara Soudabeh , Brazinha Carla , Silva Sara , Pintado Manuela
Published: October 2024

Purpose of Review

This review explores non-thermal-based extraction techniques for obtaining bioactive peptides from fish processing by-products. It emphasizes the potential of these peptides as alternatives in the development of functional foods. With a focus on preserving bioactivity, the review aims to explore the utilization of fish peptides in food applications.

Recent Findings

Recent research highlights the potential of bioactive peptides in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Fish processing by-products are valuable sources of these peptides. Non-thermal technologies preserve their bioactivity, while encapsulation techniques further enhance peptide protection and efficacy in industrial applications.

This review highlights fish processing by-products as a source of bioactive peptides, with non-thermal extraction techniques preserving their bioactivity. It emphasizes their promising bioactivities for industrial use and the importance of encapsulation techniques in maintaining bioactivity. It provides comprehensive insights into their extraction, bioavailability, safety considerations, and food applications.

Graphical Abstract
Faint Space Target Information Extraction Based on Small Aperture Telescope in Complex Background
Authors: Jiang Ping , Xie Yaoqin , Wu Sijia , Wang Tangsheng , Li Yalan
Published: October 2024

There are many problems in space debris monitoring with ground‐based telescopes, such as too many stars in the same field of view, uneven background and optical distortion in the optical system. We propose a two‐stage weak debris detection algorithm. In the first stage, wavelet transform is used to extract different components of three frames of images, and the median of corresponding components of the images is taken respectively to eliminate the influence of stars. In the second stage, an improved version of the faint space target extraction based on principal component analysis. The algorithm uses a smooth‐detection idea to extract target information. Based on a 150 mm aperture telescope, we improved the existing method of faint space debris extraction based on principal component analysis by introducing the smooth‐detection idea, and transformed the target detection problem into the separation problem of sparse matrix and low‐rank matrix. We applied a certain preprocessing consisting of wavelet‐based star removal and median pre‐filtering to keep as little noise and other contaminants as possible. After experimental measurements by observers, the algorithm demonstrated advanced detection capabilities on multiple indicators.
Intermediate Wave Scale Rocky Bottom Variability for the Nearshore Along California
Authors: MacMahan Jamie , Thornton Ed , Dressel Stef , Cook Mike
Published: October 2024

Approximately 75% of the world's and California's shores are rocky. Rocky shores are of biological interest owing to their diverse and productive species assemblages, where waves and currents play a critical role in larval dispersal and recruitment. Surface variability for nearshore rocky bottoms at intermediate wave scale is described for the first time using existing high‐resolution bathymetric surveys extending the length of California. The vertical variability of rocky shores is three times larger than measured coral reefs at the reef scale of . The ensemble‐averaged, normalized, wavenumber elevation spectra are self‐similar, with at least two negative power‐law slope regions of 1.3 indicating rough bottoms and 2.75 at high wavenumbers indicating smoother‐filled depressions. The ensemble statistics for rocky bottoms appear isotropic based on their cross‐shore and alongshore variances and wave number slope spectra being statistically equal. Isotropy is attributed to wave erosion over time that only occurs in the nearshore ocean region. A Fourier spectral representation of the bottom boundary condition, , is developed for wave and current‐driven hydrodynamic models along rocky coasts. The model has an error of less than 2% relative to the observed spectral data for reconstructive profiles and surfaces.
Projecting Large Fires in the Western US With an Interpretable and Accurate Hybrid Machine Learning Method
Authors: Li Fa , Zhu Qing , Yuan Kunxiaojia , Ji Fujiang , Paul Arindam , Lee Peng , Radeloff Volker C. , Chen Min
Published: October 2024

More frequent and widespread large fires are occurring in the western United States (US), yet reliable methods for predicting these fires, particularly with extended lead times and a high spatial resolution, remain challenging. In this study, we proposed an interpretable and accurate hybrid machine learning (ML) model, that explicitly represented the controls of fuel flammability, fuel availability, and human suppression effects on fires. The model demonstrated notable accuracy with a F1‐score of 0.846 ± 0.012, surpassing process‐driven fire danger indices and four commonly used ML models by up to 40% and 9%, respectively. More importantly, the ML model showed remarkably higher interpretability relative to other ML models. Specifically, by demystifying the “black box” of each ML model using the explainable AI techniques, we identified substantial structural differences across ML fire models, even among those with similar accuracy. The relationships between fires and their drivers, identified by our model, were aligned closer with established fire physical principles. The ML structural discrepancy led to diverse fire predictions and our model predictions exhibited greater consistency with actual fire occurrence. With the highly interpretable and accurate model, we revealed the strong compound effects from multiple climate variables related to evaporative demand, energy release component, temperature, and wind speed, on the dynamics of large fires and megafires in the western US. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing the structural integrity of models in addition to their accuracy. They also underscore the critical need to address the rise in compound climate extremes linked to large wildfires.
High Resolution (30 m) Burned Area Product Improves the Ability for Carbon Emission Estimation in Africa
Authors: Qi Baoye , Zhang Zhaoming , Long Tengfei , He Guojin , Wang Guizhou , Peng Yan , Xu Zekun
Published: October 2024

Fire significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The current global burned area (BA) products mainly have coarse native spatial resolution, which leads to underestimation of global BA and carbon emissions from biomass burning. Performances of BA products in Africa from GABAM (30 m), MCD64A1 (500 m), GFED4s (0.25°), FireCCI51 (250 m), and GFED5 (0.25°) were compared. From 2014 to 2020, GFED5 detected the most BA, 1.58 times more than GABAM during the same period. GABAM detected 0.09 Mkm2 more burned area than FireCCI51 on average. From 2014 to 2016, GABAM detected an average of 2.99 Mkm2 of BA in Africa, which was 1.03 times more than GFED4s. From 2014 to 2021, the average African BA derived from GABAM was 2.89 Mkm2, 1.22 times more than MCD64A1. The increase in BA will inevitably lead to an increase in the estimation of carbon emissions from biomass burning. Based on GABAM products and GFED framework, we estimated the average vegetation burning carbon emissions in Africa from 2014 to 2021 to be 1113.25 Tg, which is higher than GFED4s' carbon emissions in the same time period. This shows that the use of high‐resolution (30 m) burned area products to estimate carbon emissions can effectively avoid the underestimation of overall fire carbon emissions.
Magnitude Clustering During Stick‐Slip Dynamics on Laboratory Faults
Authors: Khajehdehi Omid , Goebel Thomas H. W. , Dresen Georg , Davidsen Jörn
Published: October 2024

We present an analysis of magnitude clustering of microfractures inferred from acoustic emissions (AEs) during stick‐slip (SS) dynamics of faulted Westerly granite samples in frictional sliding experiments, with and without fluids, under triaxial loading with constant displacement rate. We investigate magnitude clustering in time across periods during, preceding and after macroscopic slip events on laboratory faults. Our findings reveal that magnitude clustering exists such that subsequent AEs tend to have more similar magnitudes than expected. Yet, this clustering only exists during macroscopic slip events and is strongest during major slip events in fluid‐saturated and dry samples. We demonstrate that robust magnitude clustering arises from variations in frequency‐magnitude distributions of AE events during macroscopic slip events. These temporal variations indicate a prevalence of larger AE events right after (0.3–3 s) the SS onset. Hence, magnitude clustering is a consequence of non‐stationarities.
Combined Impacts of Temperature, Sea Ice Coverage, and Mixing Ratios of Sea Spray and Dust on Cloud Phase Over the Arctic and Southern Oceans
Authors: Dietel Barbara , Andersen Hendrik , Cermak Jan , Stier Philip , Hoose Corinna
Published: October 2024

We analyze the importance of cloud top temperature, dust aerosol, sea salt aerosol, and sea ice cover for the thermodynamic phase of low‐level, mid‐level, and mid to low‐level clouds observed by CloudSat/CALIPSO over the Arctic and the Southern Ocean using an explainable machine learning technique. As expected, the cloud top temperature is found to be the most important parameter for determining cloud phase. The results show also a predictive power of sea salt and sea ice on the phase of low‐level clouds, while in mid‐level clouds dust shows predictive power. Over the Southern Ocean, strong zonal winds coincide with the aerosol distribution. While they can produce high mixing ratios of sea spray at lower levels, the strong zonal winds may prevent the pole‐ward transport of dust. Sea ice may prevent the release of sea salt aerosols and marine organic aerosols leading to higher liquid fractions in clouds over sea ice.
Aluminum and Iron Effects on the Electrical Conductivity of the Dense Hydrous Magnesium Silicate Phase E
Authors: Zhao Bin , Mashino Izumi , Yoshino Takashi
Published: October 2024

The electrical conductivity of pure and Al/Fe‐bearing phase E was measured up to 950 K at 15 GPa using a complex impedance spectroscopy. Pure phase E shows comparable conductivity to that of phase D, and a few orders of magnitude higher than that of phase A and super‐hydrous phase B. Al‐bearing phase E does not exhibit a conductivity difference, while a certain amount of incorporated Fe prominently increases its electrical conductivity by a factor of 4. Unlike the sole substitution 2Al3+→Mg2++Si4+ in phase D and H, H+ is likely involved in the substitution. Proton conduction is the dominant conduction mechanism, while small polaron conduction becomes dominant with increasing Fe content. Phase E in subducted slabs at depth of the upper transition zone cannot explain the high electrical conductivity anomalies beneath the Philippine Sea or Northeast China. Other mechanisms such as dehydration of hydrous minerals is needed to account for them.
Elevated Mixing Estimates and Trapped Near‐Inertial Internal Waves on the Inshore Flank of the New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent From Sustained Glider Observations in the Solomon Sea
Authors: Johnston T. M. Shaun , Rudnick Daniel L. , Kessler William S.
Published: October 2024

The Solomon Sea is a major contributor to (a) the volume transport into the Equatorial Undercurrent and (b) the associated heat transport, which has an order one effect on interannual temperature variability on the equator according to previous work. The narrow western boundary current (New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent, NGCU) merges with the broad, shallow North Vanuatu Jet within 100 km of the southern entry to the sea, which implies mixing. Existing estimates from observations suggest mixing is larger than in models with different mixing parameterizations, which produce disparate properties of these exiting waters. Here, we use sustained underwater glider measurements across the Solomon Sea from 2007 to 2020 to examine the spatial variability of mixing estimates and internal waves. We estimate diffusivity via a finescale parameterization using the vertical strain of isopycnal displacements from internal waves. A typical accuracy of this parameterization when compared to turbulence measurements is within a factor of 2–3. Our results and previous observations in this area agree within this factor. Our main results are: (a) vertical diffusivity estimates are about    on the inshore, anticyclonic side of the NGCU, which are 10–100 times higher than offshore and (b) elevated near‐inertial internal wave (NIW) amplitudes are also found inshore. Taken together, these results suggest trapping of NIW by the anticyclonic vorticity of the NGCU leads to the elevated mixing within 100 km of the entry to the Solomon Sea.
Electron Density Profile Derived From Ionogram Using Ray Tracing Inversion Method
Authors: Jiang Qi , Lei Jiuhou , Yue Xinan , Ren Dexin , Huang Fuqing , Luan Xiaoli , Li Guozhu
Published: October 2024

The ionosonde is widely used for detecting electron density profiles below the F2 peak altitude. Extracting precise profiles from ionograms is crucial, as it serves as a significant data source for ionospheric studies and applications. In our study, we utilized the ray tracing profile inversion method (RTPI) to derive more realistic electron density profiles from the ionosonde observations. By comparing the electron density profiles inverted by RTPI method with and without geomagnetic field against the profiles observed by Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) plasma lines, we validated the high precision of the RTPI with magnetic field effect method. The results showed that the average height difference and average peak height difference between profiles inverted by RTPI and plasma line observations are less than 10 and 5 km, respectively. Additionally, we quantified the errors associated with the geomagnetic field effect. It would cause an ∼8–10 km overestimation in true height and a ∼10%–15% underestimation in electron density if the geomagnetic field effect is not considered. These errors induced by the magnetic field accumulate with the frequency of the radio waves. Moreover, we conducted a comparative analysis of simulated echo traces using profiles with different E‐layer shapes. It was demonstrated that the key parameters of the bottom structure have a significant impact on ionogram retrieval, while the E‐layer shape has negligible influence on inversion. Furthermore, we analyzed echo traces simulated using ray tracing with and without collision. The collision effect has weak effect on the delay of the radio waves.